Chapter 1: Homebound
Chapter Text
The clicking and clacking of your keyboard stabbed at your skull as you stared at your computer screen. The words that you had been typing for the past hour didn’t even make sense anymore, what with how boring the day at the office had been and how many times you had written and rewritten the same four sentences, just trying to make them sound right but failing every time.
The office had steadily cleared out around you, leaving just a few editors doing crunch time before the paper came out the next day and a couple other journalists lower on the ladder like you. You let out a hefty sigh as you ran your fingers through your hair, your elbows resting on your desk as you closed your eyes.
“Why are you still here?”
You cracked open your eyes and glanced over to see your friend Leah, a fellow journalist and the only woman that kept you sane at your job. Her purse and computer bag were adorned over her shoulder, as well as the judgmental look meant for you.
“Working,” you said, very unhelpfully. “Why are you still here?”
“I was just leaving,” she refuted, and she sat down in the chair at the desk next to you. “Besides, I was finishing a call with an important source. You’re the one busting your ass with busy work for a company that refuses to give you a promotion.”
“Leah…” you sighed and shook your head. “Let’s not do this again tonight. What brings you to my coveted corner?”
“Besides my never ending quest of seeking your company, I have something exciting to show you.” She took out her phone and continued to talk while she opened it up. “Well, exciting’s not the right word, but it is interesting. I was scrolling through random articles for fun while I waited for my call to start, and I found—” Leah holds the screen out for you to see, and you squint a little at the bright light, “—this.”
“12th wild animal attack in one month stirs up safety concerns,” you read from the screen, and then you frowned. “That’s weird, but why are you showing me this?”
“Read where it’s from.”
“Mystic Falls Daily…” You trailed off and glanced at Leah. “Are you showing me this because it’s where I’m from?”
“Obviously,” she said, “but keep reading!”
You took Leah’s phone and scrolled down further, eyes skimming through the blocks of text. “They say it’s probably a mountain lion? There aren’t supposed to be any mountain lions left in Virginia. This is sketchy.”
“Right?” Leah took her phone back and gave you a knowing look. “Now, I’m not saying that you should book a flight home and crack this thing wide open to finally get the attention you deserve from Blackwood, but—“
“Leah,” you interrupted, “you can’t encourage me like this. Because you know I will buy a ticket.”
“Why shouldn’t you?” she questioned, throwing her hands up. “You’re under-appreciated here, babe, and it feels like I care about it more than you do. Buy that ticket, get your ass on a plane home, and show everyone here that you’re worth more than any of them!”
You couldn’t hold back your laugh at her dramatics, and you decided to humor her. “Okay — say I do go home. What could this be if it’s not a wild mountain lion, or cougar, or puma, or any other kind of normal answer?”
Leah shrugged. “Crazy shit goes on everywhere. Who’s to say there are no secret serial killers in Mystic Falls? Or drug trafficking rings, or crime lords, or some other insane thing — it could be anything, and it’s resulting in people dying. This has to be a case.”
“Mystic Falls is the sleepiest town I have ever been in,” you refuted. “I can guarantee there are no serial killers lurking around.”
“What do you have to lose?” Leah insisted. “Let’s go through the possibilities — You do nothing, you stay here, and things are the same. You go there and it turns out it is just animal attacks, you end up seeing your family for a little, and then you come back and things are the same. Or, you go there, and you discover some huge case that you get to say you cracked all on your own, and you can write a book on whatever you discover, and you can actually start getting good cases again.”
“I feel like you’re a lot more excited about this than I am,” you joked, and Leah just rolled her eyes.
“But don’t you want to do it? Take all your vacation days at once, and put your degree to use.” She placed her hand on your desk and looked you right in the eye. “It could just be nothing, but it could also be the start of your career.”
You sighed. “Give me time to think about it, Leah. I don’t think I’ve ever made a good decision when I’m sleep deprived and burned out.”
She gave you a smile but stood up anyway. “Okay. But for the record—”
“You think I should do it?” you interrupted playfully, and she laughs.
“Obviously.” Leah patted you on the shoulder as she started walking towards the elevator, and once she hit the button she turned to face you again. “Have a good night. If you decide to make the right choice, text me.”
You rolled your eyes jokingly but waved as she walked into the elevator anyway, and she returned it with one of her own. Once Leah was gone you allowed yourself to heave another sigh and settle into your chair, staring at the ceiling as you tried to think it all through.
You did work for a company that didn’t appreciate you. You did have a lot of vacation days saved up. You did have a newfound need to find out what was going on in your hometown.
“Goddamn it, Leah,” you muttered.
Before you knew it, you were searching Google for cheap flights to Richmond.
-
i just bought a one way ticket to richmond lmao
loml leah: YES
loml leah: when do you leave
tomorrow😭
i’m gonna be sitting in the airport emailing mikayla begging her not to fire me as i use all my vacation days at once on an indefinite leave
am i a bad person if i lie and say i’m going home for a grandparent’s funeral or something
loml leah: do what you gotta do honestly
loml leah: but i’m so proud of you for actually doing this
loml leah: lmk if you actually uncover some huge conspiracy
i doubt i will
but if i do you’ll be the first to know
loml leah: 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
-
You were up early the next day to catch a morning flight to Richmond International — when your alarm went off at 4:30 AM though, you began to regret your late night decision to follow a lead that was most likely insignificant.
But regardless, you packed up a suitcase (as big as you could get it under 50 pounds), a backpack with everything you would need for work, and your laptop bag. You caught a taxi to LaGuardia and spent the ride texting your mother and sister, letting them know that you were coming home for a while. You deliberately left it open ended, hoping that it was enough to get them ready for your arrival but unclear enough so your mom didn’t lecture you on how stupid it was to do what you were doing.
Thankfully, by the time you landed in Richmond at 10, you had a text from your mom saying that she would pick you up. You were grateful for it, but her tacked-on ‘we’ll talk in the car’ had you a little nervous.
You walked out of the airport dragging your suitcase behind you and more than a little disoriented by your sleep deprivation, but thankfully you spotted your mom’s car sitting in a line of taxis and Ubers. You hurried over to her Volvo and, after putting all your belongings in the trunk, all but collapsed into the front seat.
“Someone’s tired,” she chuckled, glancing at you as she pulled out of the line and got back onto the road. “How was the flight?”
“It wasn’t that bad,” you said, taking a second to adjust your seat back to your preferences (all it takes is a couple of years away for your sister to deem this seat her own, you supposed). “It was just… very last minute, so red eyes were the only ones left.”
Your mom hummed, and years of experience told you this was where the trouble started. “Right. So, what is the reason for this sudden visit home, with our only notice being a text at 5 AM?”
“Am I not allowed to come home to see my joyous family for no reason?” You grimaced as soon as you said it — it didn’t even sound believable to you.
She raised her eyebrows. “This is the same daughter that skipped Thanksgiving and Christmas last year because she was too busy ‘uncovering a scandal’. Who was it, the mayor? Did you ever solve that?”
You laughed nervously and scratched the back of your neck. “Um, yeah. He was embezzling money from charity funds for his own paycheck. It was a pretty huge break.”
“Great,” she said, and the sarcasm wasn’t lost on you. “I’m sure telling that to Markus and Jade would’ve made them understand when they cried about how their favorite older cousin wasn’t there.”
You could picture their puppy dog eyes perfectly — that was low.
“Mom, that’s not fair.”
“Oh, it’s not? I don’t think that you missing three family reunions in a row is very fair either, but that didn’t stop you.” At this point, you almost wished you just rented a car to drive home yourself. “I can maybe understand missing one for work, but for your internship? And three years in a row?”
You took a deep breath before you opened your mouth, trying to keep your cool. “Mom, I told you when I got the full position that my hours would be—”
“They would be unpredictable,” she finished. “And I know that. But that doesn’t mean you can just skip out on your family in the name of your latest case.”
“Well, I’m here now.” There was a slight edge to your voice that you couldn’t help, and you looked out the window to avoid eye contact. You were thankful she hadn’t pushed further on the reason for you being here — you didn’t want to tell her it was also technically for work. “How’s Bee?”
“Bianca’s doing good.” At the mention of your sister, a small smile alleviated the tension on your mom’s face. “She got straight A’s for the first quarter, and her counselor says she’s in good shape to go for some top 20s. She’s already submitted her NYU application; said she wants to get in so she can brag to you.”
You smiled. “Kid’s a whole lot smarter than me — if she doesn’t get in everywhere she applies, I’ll be surprised.”
And then it was back. “Her graduation date’s been set too. May 23rd. Make sure—”
“I’ll be there,” you clipped, almost offended that she thought you would miss out on something so important. You bit your tongue on saying so. “Of course I’ll be there.”
“Good.” She didn’t look at you as you sat at a stop light, both of you staring out the windshield. “You just need to ‘be there’ more often.”
The rest of the ride home was done in silence.
-
“Bee, I’m home!” you yelled the moment you walked in the front door, juggling your three luggage items as your mom walked in behind you.
You heard your sister laugh and you looked over at the kitchen table to find her sitting there with a bowl of cereal. “Calm down. I’m right here.”
You rolled your eyes with a smile as you set your things on the floor. Bianca was already up and walking towards you, and you enveloped her in a hug — it was something you had sorely missed doing. “How’ve you been?”
“Busy, but when am I not?” She looked at you pointedly when she pulled away. “What made you come back home all of a sudden?”
You could feel your mom’s eyes on you, and you just shrugged. “I just felt like coming home. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
Your mom sighed and she walked over to the staircase. “I’ll give you two time to talk — I’ll be upstairs if you need me.”
You nodded and looked back to Bee, trying not to focus on the attitude your mom was intent on staying in. “So, how’s school? Still crushing everyone?”
Bianca laughed, and though she tried to hide it you could see her cheeks flush. “I’d say I’m doing good, but not that good. I don’t think I’ve ever been ‘crushing everyone’.”
“Come on,” you deadpanned. “Humble doesn’t get you anywhere — you’ve got to own it.”
She smiled. “Noted.”
You winked at her as you walked over to the pantry, but you groaned when you started to look through it. “Where’s the coffee?” you asked. “Are we really all out?”
“Mom stopped buying it after you went to college,” Bianca said, much to your disappointment. She held up the mug next to her cereal bowl. “We’re a strictly tea house now, apparently. Wanna try some?”
You took her cup and a small sip left you shrugging. “It’s alright. What kind is it?”
“Lemon verbena,” she said. “Mom said it’s good for stress relief — god knows I need it.”
You chuckled a bit. “Sounds like I might need some of that too.”
“It’s in the box on the top shelf,” she supplied.
“I still need coffee to survive, Bee, especially after my flight. And we don’t have any of it,” you said with a sigh. “Looks like I’m already making a stop at the grocery store.”
“If you want me to love you forever, then you can stop at the new Starbucks they built on Main Street,” Bee said. “I need a caramel macchiato if I’m gonna finish this calculus packet by tonight.”
“Sounds like a plan,” you said, and you picked your laptop bag up from on top of the table as you started to walk to the door. “And I can get some work done without Mom nagging me.”
Bianca raised her eyebrows. “You’re here for a work thing?”
You sighed and gave her your best older sister look. “Technically yes, but it’s not official. It’s just something I’m doing off of a hunch. Please don’t tell her — I don’t think I can deal with any more of her grief today.”
Bee mimed a zipper across her lips and threw away the key. You smiled. “You’re the best. I’ll get you extra caramel.”
“I know,” she said with a bright smile of her own. “Have fun.”
“Always do.”
-
It was a quick walk to the Starbucks from your house once you started on your path. Living in New York City meant walking at a marathon pace or getting trampled, and you had adapted accordingly. It was surprisingly busy for this time of day, especially on a Sunday, but you were used to crowds by now.
You ordered an Americano for yourself and held off on Bee’s drink, figuring that you could buy it on your way out so it was still cold for her. You tipped the barista generously, and your drink was ready a few minutes later. You picked your cup up, adjusting the strap of your laptop bag as you walked over to the prep station. You added a sugar packet in and stirred it in, and as you turned around you were just about to put the lid on when someone bumped into you.
You gasped as hot coffee spilled all over your coat, and it took everything in you not to yell out some colorful language. You just managed to bite your tongue as you looked up to see who just ruined your day.
The culprit was an impeccably dressed man, his styled hair the same dark brown as his slightly widened eyes. “I am so sorry,” he said, the words rushing out as he pulled napkins out of the dispenser and handed them to you. “Really, I should’ve been watching where I was going.”
“Yeah,” you breathed, wincing both at your soiled coat and the pain from the heat as you took the napkins and began dabbing at the liquid. “Maybe.”
“Please, let me replace your order.” He spoke with an accent you couldn’t place, and even though you wanted to be mad at him, he had an oddly calming presence about him. (It didn’t help that he’s breathtakingly handsome.)
“Oh, no—” you started, but he was already shaking his head.
“I insist,” he said. “And I can replace your coat if need be.”
“That’s a little much,” you chuckled, and you tossed the now empty coffee cup in the trash in favor of taking off your jacket. You wrapped it around your arms and held it in front of your chest as you offered a small, albeit slightly pained, smile. “But… the coffee would be nice. It’s just an Americano. Oh— and a caramel macchiato for my sister.”
The man nodded and took out his wallet. “Please, have a seat. This won’t take long.”
You hesitated for a moment but he smiled. “It’s alright, I assure you.”
“...okay.” You finally gave in with a slight nod of your head and walked over to the sit-down section of the cafe. You picked a two person table in an empty corner and draped your jacket over the back of your chair before you sat down, taking your laptop out of its bag after.
You didn’t exactly know where you should start with this whole thing, so you did what any suffering writer did and created a new document.
WHAT IS GOING ON IN MYSTIC FALLS?
wild animal attacks in a town that shouldn’t have any wild animals — something weird is going on and it’s your job to figure it out (not really. this might get you fired from your job actually. but that’s okay.)
talk to the police — see if they’ll actually be helpful and give you anything to go off of
this will probably not work, they don’t like giving info to journalists. do not depend on it
ask around town, try and find out if anyone’s seen anything sketchy — people can be cooperative but there’s a lot of stubborn people in this town
talk to the principal at mfhs, use alumni status as leverage
maybe try and get an assembly under the guise of educating about public safety — long shot, but would give a wider reach to the school as well as get contact info out there for kids to give clues
“What are you working on?”
The man’s voice brought you back as he set the two drinks on your side, and you noticed that he had a cup of his own. You pushed your laptop half closed, shifting your attention to him.
“Just planning out some research,” you explained as you picked up your cup, letting the heat from your coffee warm your hands. “Getting started is always the hardest part — I hoped a place like this would help me get into it.”
“Has it?”
You gave him a sideways smile. “I don’t know. I think it was going to go well until this guy bumped into me and made me spill my coffee.”
“Ah,” he said, and you were thankful that he played along. “That’s very unfortunate. That man should’ve been far more careful — I’m sure he’s very sorry.”
You chuckled, and he smiled. “I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. I’m Elijah.”
“Elijah,” you repeat, and you like the way his name sounds in your mouth. You told him yours, and he nodded.
“It’s a lovely name. It suits you.”
“Thank you.” You knew by now it had been far too long since you’d flirted or been flirted with, because Elijah’s simplest praises were sending heat to your cheeks.
He seemed to notice, but he was polite enough not to mention it. “So, what brings you to Mystic Falls? You’re a new face.”
“My work,” you gestured at your laptop. “I was actually born and raised here, but… it’s been a while since I’ve been back. I was at NYU for four years, and then I stayed in the city for the job I got. It’s a little weird being back here, though.”
“I can imagine,” he said, and he took a sip of his own drink. “Cities can be very overwhelming after a certain time, especially New York.”
“These questions are very one-sided,” you pointed out. “What is there to know about you, Elijah?”
He shrugged. “An awful lot. What do you wish to know?”
You pursed your lips as you stared at him, and then you nodded. “What brings you to Mystic Falls? You look far too sophisticated to be in a town like this.”
Elijah raised his eyebrows, but he looked amused. “‘A town like this’?”
You rolled your eyes with a slight chuckle and gestured. “You know what I mean. This is a small, sleepy town in the middle of Virginia. You look like someone I’d see in an expensive restaurant in New York.”
“I suppose I’m here for heritage,” he said after a moment of contemplation. “My family is from here, and so I come back here every so often to remember where we’ve come from.”
You nodded, and you were about to ask another question when your phone buzzed. You took it out of your pocket and shook your head at the messages.
bee🐝: i know you said that you were gonna do work there but i am desperate need of caffeine lmao
bee🐝: i don’t wanna rush you buuuuuuut i’m totally rushing you
You chuckled as you looked at your phone and you gave Elijah an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry — it’s my sister. I’ve gotta get home with her drink before she completely crashes.” You closed your laptop and put it back in your bag, but as you reached to pick up your cup, his fingers encircled your wrist. It didn’t startle you, which you thought is strange — his whole presence was alluringly disarming.
“I’m sure she’ll be okay for a while longer,” he said, his touch feather light as he looked you in the eye. “Please— stay and chat for a bit.” His voice was velvety smooth, and you were sure that was the only reason that his strange offer almost sounded enticing.
“I’m sorry,” you said, moving your arm back to your side and giving a slight shake of your head. “I’m just on a tight schedule after this — a lot of research for my job.”
Elijah stared at you for a moment more, something unreadable in his expression, before he offered a small smile. “It’s quite alright. I didn’t intend to distract you from your work.”
“It’s fine,” you said with a smile of your own. “It was a welcome distraction. Thank you for the coffee — I hope you have a good day.”
“Of course. You as well.”
You felt his eyes on you the entire walk out, and it caused a slight chill to run down your spine. When you stepped onto the street outside, you glanced over your shoulder at the window only to see that the table you and Elijah occupied was empty. He wasn’t on the street with you, so you didn’t know where he could’ve gone.
You brushed it off as you started to walk. He was dressed like a businessman, so it was likely he was on the way to work or a meeting when he bumped into you.
You texted Bee that you were on your way home, and though you initially planned to head to the library, the exhaustion from your poor flight choices and even poorer sleeping choices was starting to get to you.
Besides — it was your first day back home in… forever. You didn’t have to start working right away on a case that probably wouldn’t even garner anything. It was more likely that a wild mountain lion just showed up in town and started mauling people than a serial killer.
You sighed. Nothing happened in Mystic Falls.
Chapter Text
The sunlight filtering in through your window shutters was the reason for your awakening, and you yawned as you sat up in your bed. It was a little strange being back in your childhood room after so long spent in your cramped dorm room and then a cramped apartment, but… it was kind of nice. There were still parts of you left even after you packed most of it to take to college, and it reminded you of a simpler time.
But it also reminded you why you were back here in the first place, and with a sigh you got up to start your day.
Both your mom and Bee were gone for work and school respectively, so you had the house to yourself for the morning. You decided to see if your mom had a point with her whole tea thing, so while you steeped a bag of lemon verbena in a mug, you tried to think of an attack plan for the day.
Your main goal was to figure out what was really causing these attacks — as much as you had tried to persuade yourself otherwise, you didn’t really believe the wild animal angle. In your mind, the most plausible option after that was a serial killer. If that was what you were after though, then you were doing an incredibly smart thing here by going in by yourself.
You shivered at the thought. Maybe you should’ve forced Leah down here with you so you would have a partner while journeying into the unknown.
You quickly pushed the image aside in favor of trying your tea, and you were pleasantly surprised. Not ‘consider giving up your caffeine addiction’ good, but ‘you can finish the cup’ good. You could settle for it.
As you sipped your tea, you leaned against the side of your counter and continued to think of your game plan. Things were a lot harder since you technically weren’t working as a Newsday journalist for this, which meant trying to get anything from the police would be like pulling teeth. If you wanted to try and get a police report, it would take a lot longer than you’d like.
You sighed in disappointment, both at reaching the end of your mug and realizing that this investigation was going to require a hell of a lot of guesswork.
Well, you thought as you gathered your things, you could stop by the police station first and hope that they would listen to you. After that, it would be time to do what you do best: take a trip to the library to research until your brain melted.
-
There was a small line at the reception desk when you walked into the station, but you spotted a woman in uniform with blonde hair talking with an officer to the side and you smiled. Sheriff Forbes — you interviewed her once for an English project while you were still in high school, and your mom had always been friendly with her. You didn’t know if she would remember you, but getting (and staying) on her good side would be your best bet to get an in on the details of the attacks.
You put on your best customer service smile as you walked over to the pair, and as you cleared your throat they both looked at you. “Excuse me, officer — do you mind if I borrow the sheriff for a moment?”
The sheriff frowned. “I’m sorry, who—?”
“I’m Margaret’s daughter,” you interrupted, and when you said your name her eyes lit up in recognition.
“Right!” she exclaimed, and she looked back to the officer she was talking to. “I’m sorry, Rodriguez — I’m sure this won’t take long.”
He shook his head with a smile as he stepped back and started to walk away. “No worries. You can stop by my desk when you’re done.”
Sheriff Forbes nodded and turned her attention to you, a small smile of her own resting on her lips. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you around here. How’s your mother?”
“She’s good,” you said, your grip tightening on the strap of your bag. “I don’t mean to be rude, Sheriff, but I’d prefer to skip the small talk.”
Her expression remained cautiously even as she nodded again. “What can I help you with?”
“I work as an investigative journalist in New York these days,” you explained, “but the animal attacks that’ve been happening lately brought me back on a hunch. I was wondering if you could give me access to the police reports for some of the incidents? I know we’d have to go through the official protocol and all, but—”
“The animal attacks?” You were slightly peeved by her interruption, but you nodded. She set her hand on her gun almost on instinct and squared her shoulders towards you, letting silence fizzle in the air for a moment before she continued. “You understand that almost all of them have ended in death, right? We’ve only had four survivors out of the twelve, and two of them died from their injuries in the hospital. This is serious.”
“Yes, of course I understand,” you said, your unease growing. “But— but I don’t think they’re animal attacks, ma’am. I think it’s something a lot more human, and if I’m right, then we could have a serial killer on the loose. It would be a major help if you could grant me access to the reports. And I could probably help the department with the investigation if I can get enough information.”
The sheriff had something unreadable in her eyes as she looked at you — like she was examining you, trying to see the angle you were playing. The silence lasted far too long before she broke it.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that for you.”
“Why not?” You were surprised that your voice is so level, but the tension in your jaw held the answer.
“Because,” she said, giving you a smile that was completely fake, “there is no investigation. We know that a mountain lion is behind the attacks, it’s just a matter of time before we catch it.”
You frowned. “You can’t seriously believe—”
“I believe that is time for you to go,” Sheriff Forbes said, interrupting you once more. She placed a hand on your shoulder that made you flinch. “It’s kind of you to offer, but you don’t have a place in this investigation. Try and enjoy your time at home without work.”
Your breathy laugh was one of disbelief. “Police reports are public record in Virginia — I don’t have to go through you to get them. Or death certificates.”
She shrugged. “Feel free to. Just know that you won’t be playing any part in this.”
“You’re unbelievable.” You were unable to keep up your facade of good faith as you frowned. “Innocent people are dying, and you’re not even going to entertain the idea of something other than an animal? You know, you’re supposed to be a public servant? Someone who serves the people? This just looks like a coverup.”
“They teach you crazy things in the city, hm?” The slight condescending manner you remembered even as a teenager was still there, like you were an idiot for even trying to do your job. “Believe me, it’s not personal, and it’s not a coverup. I just think it’s best if you stay out of this.” The sheriff gave you a tight smile and patted you on the shoulder before starting towards the work area, and her blatant disregard for anything you had to say sent a jolt of annoyance through you. “I hope you enjoy your stay back home. Give Margaret my best.”
You watched her go with narrowed eyes. You didn’t know if Sheriff Forbes had always been like that, or if she just decided to be particularly annoying to you today — either way, you were starting at a disadvantage. Trying to get information from the police was a whole lot harder when the sheriff told you to your face that she didn’t want you involved in any way.
You didn’t realize that your hands were clenched into fists until you felt your nails digging into your palms, and you flinched as the overhead fluorescents went out. It was just for a second before they flickered back on, but it was enough to remind you that you should probably leave. After putting some distance between you and the department, you did feel a bit better.
There was a reason you usually worked alone, and this just reinforced it. It looked like you were going to be spending your time at the library searching up death certificates and requesting police reports. Hopefully if you did it online, you wouldn’t have to deal with the sheriff.
You were well versed in getting information out of people that didn’t want to give it to you, but god. It was always worse when it was someone who was supposed to be after the same thing as you. You wouldn’t have been surprised if corruption was playing a part in it.
(That would be a great case to follow after this, you thought to yourself sarcastically.)
-
It was an easy walk to the library, mostly because you had fallen back on your music to calm you down. It was amazing how quickly some earbuds and a chill playlist could change your mood; by the time you pushed open the door you’d shed your annoyance from the police station.
You greeted the librarian at the desk with a nod and a smile — you recognized her from your childhood, and you were surprised but grateful that she still worked here — and made your way to an empty table in the back. You set your backpack on the floor next to your chair then took your laptop out, and you cracked your knuckles before you got to work.
You were working in muddy waters with this. You weren’t related to any of the victims, you were technically an out of state journalist who was technically not even working through her company, and you were already on the sheriff’s bad side — all of which was going to make getting information the legal way a whole lot harder.
By the time you were done with your initial barrage, you already had a hundred tabs open. Articles documenting the attacks for names, county websites to search up and order death certificates, National Geographic and Google images to see what mountain lion attacks are really like — god, you had even resorted to checking the Mystic Falls Facebook page to see if any of the people in town could be a valid source. You felt like you were in college again working on your thesis with how many directions you were going in, and your scribbled shorthand in a notebook you stole from Bee was an indication of it.
You heaved a sigh as you shook out your writing hand, and while you were stretching your neck a million different ways to get out an insistent crick you heard a familiar voice.
“I suppose this was the research I distracted you from?”
A smile was already on your lips before you even saw who it was, and when you looked up you were greeted with Elijah, dressed just as immaculate as before. You wondered what god was looking down on you for a man like him to show repeated interest in you, but you were immensely thankful for it.
“It is,” you said with an earnest nod. “And if you’re offering to be a distraction again, then I will gladly take it.”
The corners of his lips quirked up and he took the seat across from you. “I’m happy to be of service. How are you faring?”
You rested your cheek on your fist and huffed dramatically. “Not very well, Elijah. My second day back, and I’ve somehow already landed myself on the sheriff’s bad side. She basically blacklisted me from anything involving the animal attacks, so it’s practically hopeless trying to get anything from the department. Or at least anything that has to go through her.”
He chuckled. “How did you manage that?”
You shrugged. “I dared to question her authority? I have no idea, honestly. It’s like she has a grudge against me or something — she changed completely when I brought up the animal attacks.”
Elijah tilted his head to the side. “You’re investigating the animal attacks?”
You nodded, a sudden vigor in your eyes. “Yeah. Do you know anything about them?”
He shook his head after a moment of hesitation. “I’m afraid not, but— are you sure you should be looking into those?”
You huffed a dry laugh. “You sound like the sheriff.”
“Apologies,” he said, his lips twitching as if he was second guessing his smile. “I’ve read about them in the paper, and it seems like an awful lot to handle on your own, especially without police approval. I suppose I just don’t want you getting hurt.”
You felt your cheeks warm up and you felt like a little kid as you glanced away, bearing a bashful smile. “Thank you. I think I’ll be okay, though.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Elijah said, and you could tell he meant it genuinely. “What have you found so far?”
“I’ve definitely found some interesting stuff,” you said, looking down at your notes. “I think I’ve looked at more pictures of mountain lions in the past hour than I have in my whole life. They’re actually kinda cute when they’re not killing things.”
“I can imagine.” He glanced at your notebook and inclined his head slightly. “May I?”
“Oh, of course.” You slid it over to him and shifted the angle of your laptop so he could see the screen as well if he wanted to. “You said that your family’s from here — does that mean you’ve been here for the past couple of years?”
The finger he was trailing along the paper to keep his place stopped for a moment, but he recovered just as quickly. “No. I, ah, work as a historian. I travel around quite frequently; this just happens to be one of the times I stop back home.”
“You’re a historian?” you asked, your eyes lighting up. “Elijah, this is like fate.”
“Is it?” he asked, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
“Yes!” you insisted, and after rummaging through your open tabs you pulled up your notes document and turned your laptop to face him completely. “See, I’ve been doing a lot of research on Mystic Falls as a town, trying to figure out if there’s a history of wild animal attacks, or if it’s even possible for mountain lions or cougars or whatever to even be here in the first place. Now — I’m pretty good at research in general, but digging into old history has never really been my favorite thing to do. But that is your thing! Elijah, you could be the key to helping me unlock this what’s going on here.”
“You just met me yesterday, where I proceeded to spill coffee all over you and ruin your coat,” he says, “and now you’re offering me… What — a spot as your partner? I don’t mean to be presumptuous, but you hardly know me.”
You shrugged and gave him a smile. “I’ve always been told I have excellent intuition. And right now, it’s telling me that we’ll make a great team.”
Elijah stared at you for a few moments with that calculating but careful gaze, almost as if he was trying to gauge the truth of your words. “You’re very passionate about your work,” he finally said. “It’s admirable how dedicated you are to it all.”
“It’s what I’ve always wanted to do,” you admitted. “Not everybody makes it in this field, but for some reason, I did. I’m doing myself and everyone else a disservice if I don’t put myself into everything I do.”
Elijah gave it another moment of consideration before he sighed and looked at you again. “I suppose I can help you with your research, so long as you promise me that you won’t carelessly throw yourself into trouble in the name of journalism.”
You scoffed in mock contempt as you held your hand up to your heart. “As if I would ever do something stupid for my job. Perish the thought, Elijah.”
“As long as you don’t perish.”
You rolled your eyes at his bad joke, but you couldn’t help your smile. “How much free time do you have today? And for the next few weeks, for that matter. Because if you’re going to be helping me research, you need to be ready for some long library hours.
“I’m relatively free most of the time, but—” He stopped abruptly as his head perked up, and his brows creased. His gaze was focused on nowhere in particular, but it was like his attention had been diverted elsewhere.
You leaned forward and tapped on the table in front of him. “Elijah?”
He blinked a few times as he focused back on you, whatever spell he was under seemingly broken. “Forgive me. I was saying that there are days when I’m occupied, and this afternoon is one of them. I have… an interview I have to conduct with a student from Whitmore that’s looking to do an internship at our archive. I nearly forgot.”
You gave him a sideways smile. “I guess I was your distraction today.”
“I suppose so.” Elijah smiled as well, but he grimaced as he stood up. When he shot a dirty look at the front door, you wondered if it was just a historian thing to be a little bit eccentric. (You supposed you could find out, seeing as you now had one for a friend.)
He slid your notebook back over. “I apologize for my abrupt leave. Would you like to do this the same time tomorrow?”
You nodded. “That’d be perfect. I’ll bring coffee.”
“A wonderful plan. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He started to walk off when you were struck with the courage to do something you’d wanted to do the other day, but didn’t get the chance.
“Oh, Elijah— before you go.” He turned around, his silence acting as its own question. A laugh slipped out, and you felt every bit the nervous highschooler when the heat flooded to your cheeks again. You didn’t know why you felt so ridiculous asking, but you thought it had something to do with the contrast of how put-together Elijah was in every manner and how juvenile this felt. “Can I have your number?”
He did that half-smile that you were starting to grow fond of, and he stepped back to the table. “Of course. It’s essential if we’re to be partners, no?”
“You’re completely correct.” You offered him your pen and he wrote it on the bottom of your notebook page. His handwriting was neat in the exact way you would expect. Elijah set the pen down on the paper and looked at you pointedly. “If you do any investigating on your own, promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I always am,” you said, only half joking.
Elijah adjusted his tie as he stepped back and gave you a parting nod. “Until tomorrow?”
“Until tomorrow.” You returned the gesture, and you couldn’t help but watch him walk out. If you knew Mystic Falls was hiding a man like this, you were sure you would’ve come home more often.
When you turned your attention back to your computer, you found that you were still smiling. Being around Elijah was like opening the first page of a new book, or taking a walk down a nature path when the leaves first changed colors.
He was a breath of fresh air. You think he was exactly what you needed.
Notes:
im remembering a lot of tvd lore by reading the wiki bc binging the series is exhausting. 41 minutes per episode is damaging for my health
these first few chapters are elijah heavy because he's the most chill to normal people and our dear journalist deserves it before the chaos im gonna throw at her
Chapter Text
You had one hand under the handle of a drink carrier and the other pressing your phone against your ear when you walked into the library, and you had to hold a lot back as you talked with your mom.
“Yes, I’ll be home in time for Bee. Yeah, I can cook dinner— do I need to stop by the store?” You saw Elijah already sitting at the table when you got closer, and when you gave him an apologetic smile he answered with an understanding nod. “Okay, whatever. I’ll just figure something out. Yeah, we’ll be fine. See you tomorrow.”
You sighed as you put the drinks on the table and took a seat, shrugging off your backpack and setting it next to your chair. “Sorry. That was my mom — it’s like she’s forgotten that I’m an adult that can actually do things for myself. And that my sister isn’t a baby anymore.”
Elijah smiled. “It’s alright. I know a thing or two about uncooperative mothers.”
“That’s one way to describe her,” you muttered. “But I didn’t come here to talk about her — what’ve you got for me, Elijah?”
He picked up a briefcase from the floor — of course he used a briefcase — and set it on the table before unbuckling it and removing its paper contents. You stifled a laugh that earned you a look.
“I’m sorry!” you defended. “I just— I didn’t know anyone apart from lawyers still used briefcases. Is this the 50s?”
He hummed in amusement. “Some say I’m an old soul. Now, would you like to keep making fun of me or would you rather I show you what I’ve found?”
You held up your hands as a sign that you were backing off and he spread the papers out on the table, trailing a finger over them until he found the ones he was looking for. “This is a notorious case of a serial killer thirty years ago in Mystic Falls,” he explained as he handed it to you. “Brutal murders that have a similarity to the animal attacks happening today. I thought you would find it intriguing.”
“The Vampire of the Falls is an unidentified serial killer based in Mystic Falls, Virginia… ten known murders?” You frowned as you skim the article. “God. That gives me the chills.”
“They called him that because of the way he killed his victims,” Elijah said. “The neck was always ripped out, and the bodies were completely drained of blood when they were found. Quite grisly.”
“Yeah, quite.” You huffed a humorless laugh, shaking your head as you thumbed through the stapled papers. “That’s… honestly terrifying, thinking that he could still be active. That he could be some old psychopath killing his way through town again.”
Elijah cleared his throat as he handed you another file, this time a folder containing various papers. “On a brighter note, I tried to find as much history of Mystic Falls that could somehow relate to your case as possible. Records of wild animals, any moderately suspicious events that I could dig up, I even went a bit more modern and found what I could of the victims.”
“I knew I was doing something right recruiting you.” You grinned as you took the folder and opened it. It was filled with a variety of materials, from printed out articles and Wikipedia pages to typed up profiles on a few of the victims. “Wow,” you muttered, glancing up at him in surprise. “You did all of this research for someone you just met who’s already acting like an insane journalist?”
Elijah shrugged with the beginnings of a smile. “I believe in your case, and I like you. Frankly, that’s enough motive for me.”
You chuckled but you felt warmth in your cheeks anyway. “Are you always like this?”
“Like what?” he asked, though you could tell by the slight crinkle of his eyes that he knew.
“Effortlessly charming,” you responded wryly.
“Ah.” His lips curved up a little more, and you felt like you could melt under his gaze. “I have been told that, yes. But your opinion holds more weight than any of the others.”
You bit back your smile as you averted your gaze; you could feel your face burning up at his subtle compliments. This strange, gentlemanly archivist was going to be the death of you. “Stop flirting and get back to work. We’ve got things to do.”
“If you insist,” he said, amusement clear in his voice.
You and Elijah spent the next few hours talking through the evidence each of you have found, putting rhetorical pins in your rhetorical drawing board as you tried and failed to connect points. The only thing you’d really been able to truly connect is that serial killer with the current attacks — they matched up more than anything you’d found on mountain lions.
“You know…” you trailed off with a sigh, then looked back at Elijah. “Everything that we’ve found so far has happened in the woods, including most of the murders by that killer you showed me. That’s also what matches up the most with the attacks. I don’t know why the police haven’t thought of it yet, but you can’t deny that it’s at least a start.”
Elijah eyed you carefully. “Please don’t say what I think you’re about to say.”
You smiled wryly. “How would you feel about venturing into the woods with me on this investigatory whim?”
“...Are you sure that’s the best idea when there’s a possibility of both wild animals and serial killers lurking about?”
“No great journalism was ever done by sitting around waiting,” you responded. “Besides, you can’t really stop me. It’s just a matter of whether I go alone and get murdered by a vampire, or you come with me and we both get murdered by a vampire.”
There was something unreadable in Elijah’s expression, but it passed as quickly as it came when he raised an eyebrow. “This sounds an awful lot like throwing yourself into danger in the name of journalism.”
“Hey,” you shrugged with a smile, “you just said you didn’t want me doing it alone.”
-
And that was how you found yourself walking into the woods just outside of town with Elijah, your phone flashlight on and held in front of you.
“You can’t tell me this doesn’t feel like a bad idea,” Elijah said dryly, trailing slightly behind you. “If you were truly bent on doing this, it would’ve been much better to have thought of it before the sun set.
“Time waits for no woman.” Leaves crunched underneath your boots as you forged ahead, the rest of the forest apart from your beam of light cast under a thin veil of shadow from the setting sun. “Besides — this is the best and only lead we’ve got. I mean, it’s not like I think we’re gonna find the guy just sitting in the woods waiting to kill again, but maybe we’ll find some evidence the police missed.”
“I’m certain these woods have been combed a thousand times over after each incident,” Elijah said. “What makes you think you can find something with your phone flashlight when the police, with all they have at their disposal, have been unsuccessful thus far?”
“Ever heard of the saying less is more?” you asked. “Besides — you came along with me for a reason. You could’ve just let me do this by myself.”
“I don’t like the idea of you out here by yourself,” Elijah said evenly. “For somebody so accomplished, you seem to have no survival instinct.”
“Rude,” you said with mock contempt. “And just to think, I was about to tell you about something that would make you not want to be in the woods at night with someone who would definitely use you as a shield if any danger popped up.”
Elijah chuckled and gave you that blessed half smile. “I’m glad you hold me at such a high standard.”
“You should be. And I’ll tell you anyway, despite you destroying my ego,” you joked. “So, I didn’t even know about that serial killer stuff, but it turns out that this is the third time deaths like these have happened. Two years back, the exact same thing happened — brutal, unexplained attacks in the middle of town, innocent people dying, all blamed on a mountain lion. They only stopped after a hunter apparently killed it when he was attacked one morning.”
“I believe I heard about that,” he said, glancing at you. “And I’m assuming that you don’t believe it?”
“Of course not! Are you telling me that you believe it?”
It took him a moment, but he sighed and shook his head. “No.”
You hummed, satisfied. “Exactly. One mountain lion is suspicious enough, but two? Mountain lions don’t live here in the first place, and even if they did, they wouldn’t be attacking people for the fun of it.”
Elijah gave you a wry smile. “It sounds like you could have a second calling as a park ranger.”
You rolled your eyes good-naturedly. “Whatever. I’ve spent a lot of time on Nat Geo since I’ve gotten here.”
“But what I don’t get,” you continued, gesturing with your hand, “is the victims. In every case, they’ve been scattered all over the place. The one I just told you about went from some unlucky kids doing drugs in the woods to my sophomore history teacher right before a football game. Serial killers usually go after a certain type of victim, some way that connects to their trauma — whoever’s responsible for this is just killing anyone they want, wherever they want.”
Elijah’s sigh was one of frustration. “That sounds quite difficult for the police to catch. It appears like they’re keeping it under wraps because they agree with you, but they don’t want to worry the town.”
“Hard not to worry the town when you’ve got twelve people dead in one month,” you said dryly. “Makes me wonder why people still live here.
“I find that people are… quite attached to this place,” Elijah said. “There’s something about Mystic Falls that just draws people in.”
“There certainly is…” you started, but you trailed off as something came to view in the distance. You come to a stop and hold your phone out in front and above you, your flashlight illuminating a dilapidated building.
“Hey,” you frowned, not looking back at Elijah when you addressed him, “you see that?”
“I assume it’s some kind of shed,” Elijah said, stopping next to you. “Or a warehouse. Some kind of storage unit, at least. It looks quite old, so there might have been a house out here as well before it was torn down.”
“This sounds really stupid,” you said, looking over your shoulder as you began to walk forward, “but I think we should go in there and investigate.”
“You’re right,” Elijah said, and his voice was a lot more forceful than what you were used to. “It sounds incredibly stupid. You shouldn’t investigate an abandoned building on the outskirts of town in the middle of the night during our search for a possible serial killer.”
You frowned. “Well, when you put it like that it sounds bad. But we can’t just pass up on this. It’s the only thing we’ve found tonight.”
You continued to trek forward, but you were stopped in your tracks when Elijah grabbed your hand with a grip that was simultaneously gentle and rough — it didn't feel like he has bad intentions, but you somehow know if you tried to pull away you wouldn’t be able to. The strangest part was how freezing his hand was — like you were holding an ice cube, a few seconds away from ice burn.
You turned around, brows slightly creased and words about to come out before he preemptively interrupted you. “You don’t want to go any further. It’s a bad idea.” His pupils dilated slightly with his words, and your frown only deepened as you were filled with unease.
“On second thought,” you said slowly, casting a glance back at the decrepit building, “maybe we shouldn’t go in there. That… actually is a really bad idea.”
Elijah nodded, and you didn't realize he'd been holding your hand until he dropped it. “That’s probably for the best. We should start venturing back soon anyway — it's getting dark.”
You nodded as well, already starting to walk. But you couldn't shake the strange feeling that you suddenly had. “Yeah. I need to get home to Bee too; she’s probably wondering where I am.”
You looked over your shoulder to see Elijah lingering, and you stopped. “Hey, are you good?”
He nodded after a moment’s hesitation and met your eyes. “My apologies. I thought I heard something.”
You brushed it off with a gesture of your hand. “It’s probably just a bird or something. Or maybe it’s one of those mountain lions.”
“Would you prefer it be the murderer?” Elijah asked plainly.
“Hey,” you stated, “I’m in this ‘till the end, even if it kills me.”
His lips quirked up in the ghost of a smile and he took a few steps to catch up to you. “I don’t know how much weight you put on my opinion, but I very much prefer you alive.”
You couldn't hide your much more blatant smile. “Then I guess we should really start getting home.”
-
You and Elijah parted ways at your car after he walked you back — you offered him a ride, but he claimed that he had business elsewhere in town. You imagined it would take many a year before you understood Elijah, if you were fortunate enough to get that kind of time. You still didn't know what a man like him was doing with someone like you, but you were going to savor every last bit of it.
Bianca was in the shower when you get home, giving you time to start dinner before she came downstairs. And when she did , running her fingers through her still wet hair, she did exactly what you expected.
“And where have you been all day, missy?” Her voice was an imperfect imitation of your mom, but it still made you laugh as you turned the heat up slightly.
“I’ve been doing my job, thank you very much.” You glanced over at her and raised your eyebrows. “Where have you been, missy?”
“Doing my job,” she stated, taking a seat at the kitchen table and giving you her biggest ‘teacher’s pet’ smile. “Another day, another group project that I’ve carried everyone through.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” you smiled, but it faded when Bee grabbed your phone from the other side of the table. “What are you doing?”
“Who’s ‘Elijah, partner in crime’?” she asked with a glance at your screen.
You laughed and rolled your eyes, holding up the wooden spoon you were using for your stir fry. “Don’t make me hit you with this. He’s just a guy.”
“Oh, a guy?” Bianca wiggled her eyebrows as she started reading from the screen. “‘I’ve compiled a list of events that have happened in the past decade that relate to our research—’ wait, this is just for work? That’s so boring. And he emailed you. Who does that?”
You rolled your eyes in that loving sisterly way. “He’s a historian, Bee. He offered to help me with what I’m doing in town. But— if it makes you feel better, I… guess we’ve been talking.”
She squealed and leaned forward on the table, resting her chin on her fists. “Tell me everything.”
“Bee, it’s just—” you let out a loose laugh and shrugged. “It’s not really anything beyond that. He bought me a coffee after accidentally spilling my first one and then we talked. Then we met each other at the library and we talked again, and he agreed to help when I asked if he would be my research partner. I met him today, and that’s what we did, and that’s all.”
She mimicked you and rolled her eyes, exaggerating her movements. “You’re allowed to live a little. If a guy’s into you, then I say go for it.”
You raised your eyebrows, turning to face her after you turned off the heat. “This feels weird coming from my baby sister.”
“I don’t think you can call me a baby when I’m a couple months away from 18,” Bee stated, but then she smiled. “Besides, what can I say? I’m a catch. I know about more than just school.”
You bit back a smile of your own as you took out two plates and spooned out equal portions from the pan, and you slid into the seat across from your sister after giving Bee hers. “Mom said she was working tonight?”
She nodded as she speared a broccoli floret. “Yeah. She’s finally worked her way up to nurse again, so she’s been gone a lot — she always ends up with crazy hours like this.”
You paused. “She didn’t tell me she was working at the hospital again.”
Bee shrugged, trying to look nonchalant as she moved some food around her plate. “I don’t think she tells you much of anything.”
“I think you’re right on that,” you sighed, gaze dropping to the table for a moment. But then you looked back at Bee, and you offered what you hoped was a convincing smile. “But we don’t need to get into that right now. Do you wanna hear about what Elijah and I have found so far?”
That seemed to get her back into it as her head perked up. “Yeah, obviously. What’ve you been investigating anyway?”
“The animal attacks,” you said. “We’re trying to find out what’s really going on with them, because I don’t buy it, and I don’t think Elijah does either. We went into the woods today to investigate some—”
“Sounds like the start to a bad horror movie,” she interrupted. “Are you sure he’s not a murderer?”
You fixed her with a pointed look. “Really?”
Bee shrugged again. “Just going through the options. Continue.”
“Anyways. We went into the woods to try and investigate more, and all we found was some abandoned warehouse. We decided not to look into it, and then we parted ways. And now I’m here.”
She frowned and pointed her fork at you. “That doesn’t sound like you.”
“What?”
“You do stupid things all the time for your job!” Bee exclaimed. “At least from what you’ve told me. I mean, you’re okay with getting a date with some CEO just so you can try and find shit in his apartment, but looking in a warehouse of the woods is too far?”
“Hey!” you defended. “First of all, watch your language. Second, that was fine investigative work — we ended up exposing this whole money laundering scheme in his business after I found some shoddily hidden files. And third, I… actually don’t know why we didn’t look in there.”
Bee gave you a knowing look and you just rolled your eyes. “Whatever. Mission for another day. In the meantime, how do you feel about me driving you to school tomorrow?”
Suspicion creeped onto her face. “…Why?”
“Because I want to try and convince Doctor Anderson to let me give an assembly on animal safety so I can get more information out of students?”
“You’re kidding me,” she deadpanned. “Is there an off button for your journalist mode?”
“Nope!” you said cheerfully. “On that note though, you need a curfew. I don’t want you out at night when there’s serial killers running around.”
Bee groans.
You’d missed being the annoying older sister a lot more than you thought.
Notes:
welcome back to another episode of y/n being a little bit too perceptive and elijah realizing maybe it's a bad idea to team up with a stubborn journalist when ur a supernatural creature
Chapter Text
Bee crossed her arms from the passenger seat, giving you some serious side eye. “I still don’t understand why you’re doing this.”
“Because I need to get answers somehow, and this is my next step in trying to get them.” You stopped at a red light and glanced at her. “You haven’t told mom about any of this, right?”
She raised her eyebrows. “No. You know I actually like you, right?”
You smiled and focused back on the road as the light turned green. “It’s nice to have reassurance.”
It was a lot easier driving here than in the city — you almost missed having your own car after years of taking the subway and catching buses.
Idle chatter passed the time between you and Bee until you got to the school, and you backed into the spot that you used to claim as your own when you went here before putting the car into park.
“I’m gonna go find Kaitlyn,” Bee said as she picked up her backpack from the floor and opened the door. “Apparently her crush asked her out last night, and she has a lot to catch me up on.”
You chuckled. “Have fun with that. Good luck with your classes.”
“Good luck with your assembly mission.” Bee gave you a thumbs up, and she waved before she closed the door and bounded off towards the school.
You sat in the car for another ten minutes sipping the tea you brought (it reminded you that you still needed to stop by the grocery store and get coffee) as you tried to think up a game plan.
You’d never really done anything like this before, trying to get an assembly to speak in front of a school. You figured you had some leeway being an alumnus that framed the school in a pretty good light, as well as having a sister that was beloved by all her teachers. Doctor Arthur Anderson had been principal for as long as you could remember, and you were sure he’d be here long after you forgot. But he was a man that valued prestige and initiative, and you were sure this idea had it in spades. At least, you hoped so.
You checked your phone — ten minutes before the warning bell — and you decided that you should probably start heading inside. If you remembered correctly, he shouldn’t have been too busy at the beginning of the day, and you would prefer to be in and out with this. Being back here after graduating college felt a lot weirder than you thought it would.
You stopped by the front office and got the required visitor sticker — after you provided your driver’s license as ID, you spent a few minutes reminiscing with the secretary about your time in high school, and you were slightly ashamed that you didn't remember her half as well as she did you. You were saved by the bell as another student walked in and you were finally allowed to go and sit in the waiting room outside the principal’s office.
It was only a few minutes of waiting before a low voice called you in. When you walked in, the man said your name as his lips split in a grin.
“I didn’t know you were back in town!” Dr. Anderson adjusted his tie as he extended a hand, gesturing at one of the chairs in front of you. “Please, sit.”
“It’s good to be back,” you admitted as you took a seat. “Mystic Falls hasn’t changed at all.”
“That it hasn’t,” he agreed. “How have you been? I heard through the grapevine that you graduated from NYU with flying colors.”
“I’ve been good. College was a really great experience, especially in a city like New York. I have a job in my major, and I get to do what I love every day.” You quickly jumped boat, hoping your segue was smooth enough to skip further pleasantries. “That’s what I came here to discuss with you, actually.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Oh?”
You nodded. “I work as an investigative journalist, and I’ve come back to try and figure out what’s been happening with the recent attacks.”
Dr. Anderson’s expression changed, his whole demeanor becoming more serious as his ease from your conversation faded. He clasped his hands together and placed them on the desk. “Those tragedies have rocked the whole town. But they’re animal attacks — a mountain lion.”
You sighed as you gave him an almost desperate look. “Are you telling me that you seriously believe that?” He didn't say anything, so you continued. “I’ve already tried to take this to the sheriff, and the way she avoided my point you’d think she’s the one behind them all.”
“Then what do you think is behind it?” he asked plainly.
“A serial killer.”
He paused for a moment — like he’d already thought of it himself, but he was only just now allowing himself to continue. “You didn’t just come here to tell me about your theories,” he presumed.
“I want your permission to hold a short after-school assembly bringing awareness to the attacks and informing them of how to keep themselves safe. But I want to keep it on the animal wavelength.”
Dr. Anderson frowned. “Why would you cater something you believe is false to the students?”
“I don’t want to scare a bunch of high schoolers by telling them there’s a monster killing their way through town,” you said dryly. “But it’s common spread for people to witness something terrible, like a murder, and not say anything out of fear for retribution — it’s even more widespread in teenagers. By keeping it on the more comfortable side with the excuse of a mountain lion and giving them a clear point to go to, I think someone who has information about what’s going on will feel more comfortable letting it out.”
He hesitated again before relenting with a sigh. “If you make it more oriented towards their own safety, then I believe I can grant this. As well as if any student comes to you with information, you’ll go straight to the police instead of trying to solve this yourself. I know you don’t believe in Sheriff Forbes, but she’s more equipped to deal with something of this manner than you.”
“I promise,” you say with a nodded. And you actually did mean it — if you managed to get actual evidence towards a human perpetrator, then you probably would take it to the police. You didn't fancy getting murdered in the process of your investigation.
“Alright.” Dr. Anderson shifted his attention to his computer and started clicking through some things, and after about a minute he looked back to you. “I believe we can fit you in next week — Tuesday, during study hall — but it’s best if you check in with my secretary about it. You’ll find Mrs. Hills in Room 112."
You nodded again and stood up, reaching over the desk to shake his hand. “Thank you for trusting me with this, sir.”
He obliged with a firm handshake. “I have to admit; I do hope you find out what’s going on here. For the sake of the kids.”
“Me too,” you murmured.
It didn't take too long after you left the office to find the room in the senior hallway, and after a short discussion with said secretary, you were booked for a presentation next week.
You bumped into a girl as you walked out of the room, and you took a few steps back as an apology spilled out of your lips. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t even see you there—”
“I’m sorry, that was totally my fault—” The girl started talking at the same time as you, but she suddenly stopped. An odd expression crossed her face as her brown eyes almost drilled into you. “Have we met before?”
Your brows furrowed slightly in question and you shook your head slowly. “No, I don’t think—”
“I’m sorry,” she interrupted, her lips tightening into a smile as she started to back away. “I— you look really familiar to someone that I know, so I just— I’m sorry.”
“Bonnie!” She turned around at the sound of what you assumed was her name, the source of it an insistent looking blonde girl. “We have to get to class. Come on.”
Bonnie nodded repeatedly, still looking at you. “Have a good day. Sorry again.” She raised her hand in a weak wave then turned around, hurrying over to her friends. They all glanced back at you as they started walking off, and you felt… very weird. Seemed like high schoolers were just as strange as when you were one.
Trying not to dwell on whatever that was about, you found your way to the front doors and left. The ride home consisted of thinking out loud on ways you could get farther below the surface in the open week while you waited for your school visit.
You’d been thinking about trying to get an interview with some of the survivors, but a little bit of extra digging told you that the two survivors of the recent attacks had made it quite clear that they weren't open to reporters or anything of the sort — you understood, but you would be lying if you said you weren’t disappointed.
Right now, you were sure your best bet was a high schooler named Matt Donovan. Brother to Vicki Donovan, a survivor of her own attack two years ago that ended up leaving town and later turned up dead from a hurricane in North Carolina. Even though he was initially closed off, he’d given interviews to both the local news station and MFD. His parents were also out of the picture — it wasn't the most moral thought, but not having to get their approval made this a lot easier.
But as he was a high schooler, you had a couple more hours to kill before they got out for the day. You decided to finally stop by the grocery store to get that coffee you’d been thinking about nonstop — on your way inside, you pulled out your phone and texted Elijah.
hey! I don’t know if you’re up yet, but I just thought I’d update you on progress
somehow managed to get an assembly secured at mfhs for next week, which hopefully means I can get some info out of the kids
that sounds very weird but trust me it’s going to work out. at least we’re getting somewhere
You didn't get a response, and you weren't the least bit surprised. If he wasn't busy doing whatever historians did, he was probably asleep or engaging in some other kind of sophisticated hobby. You were sure he’d get back to you when he could.
Your time in the grocery store was uneventful, and before you knew it you were already back home. You passed the time as quietly as possible — your mom was sleeping off her night shift — by doing additional research, drawing up a plan for your presentation next week, and enjoying the taste of coffee instead of tea. You much preferred caffeine over verbena.
The hours melted together as you worked, and you didn't even realize what time it was until Bee walked through the door. She gave you a knowing look at the sight of your laptop as she set her backpack down.
“Still working?”
“Yep.” You looked down at your watch, then closed your laptop and stood up. “But it looks like it’s time for me to leave.”
She chuckled. “Where are you going now?”
“Matt Donovan’s house.” You picked up your purse from where it was hanging on the back of a chair and glanced at Bee. “You know him?”
“Who doesn’t?” Bianca walked over to the fridge and pulled out an apple, and she talked as she washed it off. “I’ve talked to him, like, twice. He’s a football guy. Why are you going to see him though?”
“I’m gonna see if he’ll talk to me about what happened to his sister,” you said. “Basically everyone else that’s been a victim of the attacks or involved in some way is either dead or never given any kind of interview — I think Matt’s my best bet to get some kind of info.”
Bee sighed. “I do remember when that happened. It was really rough for him, so just make sure that you don’t push him too hard.”
“Don’t worry,” you said as you grabbed your keys, “this is my job, remember?”
She rolled her eyes with a smile, one that you returned. “This shouldn’t take me too long, will you be—”
You were interrupted by the sound of someone coming down the stairs, and you exhaled deeply when your mom walked in.
“Where are you going?” she asked, and it was just on the edge of being accusatory.
“To a friend’s house,” you lied. “Tate’s place. We’re catching up.” You were a grown woman, you shouldn’t have been lying to your mom about something that you were well within your realm to do, but you really didn't feel like dealing with her nagging before this.
She raised her eyebrows and looked at your sister. “Bianca?”
“She’s telling the truth, mom,” Bee said, exasperated. “And even if she wasn’t, you can’t really do anything about it.”
Your mom sighed and nodded at you. “Just be home before it gets too dark — I don’t want Bianca alone at night with all these animals out.”
“Old enough to be the decision maker but suddenly not old enough to be home alone at night,” Bee grumbled as she headed upstairs.
“I’ll try.” On one hand you wanted your sister to be safe, but on the other hand you were tired of your mom’s intrinsic distrust of you. So without another word, you walked out the door and got in the car.
It was a quick ride to his house — a few minutes of browsing the White Pages got you the Donovan’s address — and you were in front of his door and knocking before you knew it.
When the door opened, you were met with a guy that was taller than you, and at first glance he looked more like a member of a boy band than a high schooler the same age as your sister. With dark blonde hair on the edge of scruffy and baby blue eyes, he definitely had the football player look on point.
“Can I help you?”
His voice snapped you out of your thoughts and you nodded, offering a slight smile as you pulled your press ID out of your pocket and introduced yourself.
“I’m a journalist with Newsday up in New York,” you explained as he glanced down at it. “I don’t mean to be rude or bring up any bad memories, but I’m investigating the animal attacks that’ve been happening in town lately. I’m incredibly sorry for your loss, Mr. Donovan, and you’re completely within your rights to turn me away if you want. But your story might help save more lives.”
Matt’s whole body stiffened for a moment, his grip on the door tightening as his jaw clenched unconsciously. You saw that he was almost sizing you up, trying to see what your angle was. Eventually, he stepped aside to give you room and you walked inside. He shut the door behind you, and you idled your way into his living room.
“You can sit down,” he offered after a second of silence. Your eyes softened as you perched on the edge of his couch and he took a seat in a weathered chair — his age was glaringly obvious in the way he was handling this, inexperienced and fumbling but still trying to be polite. You felt for the kid.
“Why are you here?” he asked, his leg bouncing up and down the slightest bit. “It’s been a while since anyone’s brought up Vicki. Even longer since someone like you has wanted to know about it.”
“The series of attacks, like the one your sister was involved in, mirror the attacks happening now,” you explained. “I want to get to the bottom of what’s really happening, but it hasn’t been easy getting information. I’m hoping you can help me with an insider view.”
Matt nodded slowly — he was trying to hide his emotions in front of you, but his anxiety and sadness slipped through every so often.
“Are your parents here?” You already knew they weren't, but you didn't want to make it seem like you’d done a full background check on him. That was the easiest way to make someone feel uneasy.
He shook his head. “I, um— I live alone. I’m emancipated.”
“Alright then,” you nodded. “I’m not one for small talk, Mr. Donovan, but I don’t want to make this uncomfortable for you. Are you sure that you want to consent to this?”
“You can call me Matt.” He shifted in his seat a little bit, obviously on edge. “Are you gonna publish it or something? I don’t really wanna be on TV about this. Or a newspaper — whatever you do.”
“I plan on publishing what I find out here if it’s of merit, but I won’t release anything you tell me to the public — I’m just going to use it to aid me in my investigation.” You took out your phone and held it up so he could see. “Do you mind if I record this?”
“Okay.” He cleared his throat and shook his head. “That’s fine.”
You hit the record button on your voice memos then said your name, introducing yourself again in the same way you had in hundreds of interviews for the record. “Just so I’m making this clear, I’m a journalist. I’m here to interview you about what happened to your sister two years ago. You can choose to end this at any time for whatever reason — you don’t need to explain it to me; just say the word, and I’ll leave.”
“Yeah. I’m good with this.” He swallowed and glanced away for a moment. “It’s just… been a long road to recovery. I’m willing to talk to you so you can find out if it’s the same guy this time, but I don’t really want to put myself out there again.”
That grabbed your attention. “‘The same guy’? Matt, do you know who’s responsible for this?”
For a moment, he froze up as something akin to horror flashed across his face. It happened so quickly that you almost missed it, but you leaned forward a bit. “If somebody’s after you, I can—”
“A man named Damon Salvatore,” he interrupted, and his eyes took on a steely glint. “I… I know that he’s at least partially responsible for what happened to Vicki. And justice was never served.”
You were getting a lot more information out of this kid than you thought you would.
“Damon Salvatore…” you trailed off, trying to see if the name jogged up anything. You hit a blank. “Can you tell me more about him?”
He hesitated for a moment, but he started talking nonetheless. “He’s an older guy. You know that creepy kind that hangs around high school, going after junior and senior girls because they’re the only ones naïve enough to believe him?”
You nodded. “All too well.”
“That’s the kind of guy he is.” There was most definitely malice behind his words, but you understood. If this was the guy that killed his sister, or at least played a part in her death, you were surprised he was this put-together. “And he started hanging around Vicki before she died. Him and his brother — they’re both bad news.”
“Who’s his brother?”
“His name’s Stefan. He—” The doorbell suddenly rang, and Matt started the slightest bit as he was interrupted. He got out of his seat and walked over to the door — whoever wa on the other side knocked one more time, but they were cut off when he opened it.
“Caroline? What are you doing here?”
“Matt, we have to go.” Caroline sounded harried and a little tired. “Elena’s in—”
“I have company,” he said suddenly, and that got Caroline to stop talking. “Um, a journalist.”
You gave a small smile as you stood up, turning off the recording and slipping your phone in your pocket. You definitely would have preferred a longer interview to get more out of him, but this was a solid enough lead to go off of that you were okay with letting him go. “It’s fine if you have to be somewhere. I should probably get going anyway.”
You smoothed your jacket out as you walked out the living room, and you recognized Caroline as the same girl from the school, by virtue of her blonde hair. She was the one that pulled Bonnie away — you wondered if they made it to class.
Going off her slight frown you took it that she remembered you. “What are you here for?”
“I’m a journalist. I was interviewing him about what happened to his sister.” Her expression turned more somber and she nodded, but she still had a curious look in her eye. You rummaged through your purse a bit then took out a business card and handed it to Matt. “Thank you for letting me talk to you. If you have anything else you can give me about what’s going on, or about those brothers you mentioned, please call me. Have a good day.”
You gave a polite nod that he returned, and you ignored their eyes following you as you walked outside and got in your car. As you started driving, you couldn't stop your slight smile.
Maybe this thing would pan out in your favor after all.
Halfway home, your phone started to buzz. You hit the accept button blindly, not wanting to take your eyes off the road, and hoped it wasn't spam. “Hello?”
It was Elijah’s voice that met you on the other end as he said your name, and you immediately smiled. “My sincerest apologies I haven’t been in contact with you lately. I’ve been busy, and I’m not too fond of texting.
“It’s no problem,” you said. “I bet being a historian isn’t easy.”
“It’s certainly an interesting job,” he agreed. “Congratulations on securing your assembly. Have you gotten any farther in your investigation?”
“I actually just got done with doing an interview!” you responded. “He’s the brother of a victim — I was wondering if I could ask you a question or two about some things he told me.”
“Of course. I’ll try my best to answer.”
“Okay.” You paused for a second as you waved a car out of their driveway, and then you continued. “Do you happen to know any Salvatores in this town?”
The silence on the other end was sudden, but then Elijah cleared his throat and answered you. “No, I don’t. But that’s rather specific — have you found a new lead?”
You sighed. “Yeah. Matt Donovan is the guy I talked to — his sister Vicki was the victim of an attack in the second round two years ago, only she survived and split town. She died after getting caught up in a hurricane in North Carolina. Matt told me he thinks a guy named Damon Salvatore was the one that drove Vicki to the edge, and that he’s never faced anything for it. Said his brother Stefan was bad news too.”
“That’s… certainly something.” You could almost hear his frown through his words, and it made you smile a bit. “Are you sure those are the names he said?”
“Yeah. I even have it on record,” you affirmed.
“Just please say you’ll call me if you’re ever in any kind of trouble,” Elijah said. “Just because I can’t be there in person with you does not mean I can not still help you.”
You hummed. “Trying to be my knight in shining armor?”
He laughed. “For you, yes.”
“I’m flattered,” you said, and you were almost thankful this was over the phone because all the heat was rushing to your cheeks.
“Elijah, quit flirting and focus on the road! I will not have you crashing my car because—” The accented voice belonged to a woman, and by the familiar feeling of her words you could guess that were related somehow. You couldn't even count how many times Bee had done something like that to you.
“Rebekah, I am not going to crash the car. Calm down.” Elijah sighed and you could already tell that your time was coming to an end. “Forgive me for that, but I’m afraid I do have to go.”
You chuckled as you turned into the driveway of your house. “No worries. Where are you off to?”
“My sister has, ah, forced me into coming along with her to one of her fashion shows.” Right on the mark — sister.
“Ooh, have fun! Make sure you take some pictures.” You turned off the car and get out, locking the door behind you as you walk to the door. “We’ll talk again soon?”
“Always. Stay safe.”
You hung up first, but you walked inside wearing a smile. If there was one thing this visit back home had gotten you, it was the company of this man.
-
It had been two weeks.
Well, thirteen days.
But it had almost been two weeks since you’d gotten here, and you had nothing to show for it except a scheduled assembly tomorrow and a historian’s number in your phone. A historian that, though infuriatingly handsome and equally charming, had been too busy with work affairs to offer his help in person. Elijah still said he would offer you any help he can through email or text, but you didn't want to bother him. He obviously had matters of his own to attend to.
As a result, these thirteen days had been painstakingly mundane. You did research every day, internet dives and library trips fueled by a mix of coffee and verbena tea — one to keep you up for 17 hours straight, the other to calm you down from your frustration of not finding anything. Your Salvatore lead from the Donovan kid had barely turned up anything, save for some articles from the 1800s — not about them, but their ancestors. Why did they have to be named the same thing?
You’d asked Bee if she knew anything about them, but that was a negative. Against your better judgment you went back to the sheriff, and though you knew she was lying when she said she knew nothing about the Salvatores, there was nothing you could do. God, you even went door to door with the parents of your high school friends and you still got nothing. It was like Mystic Falls itself didn't want you to find out what was happening here. It only made you want to push harder, but all you were gaining from that is annoyance.
That annoyance was what led you to the roof. Well, the section of it below your window, built in just the right spot for letting go of angst. It became a sort of personal solace for you when you were younger — ever since middle school, when you got in an argument with your mom or school was getting to you, or life was just overwhelming, you ended up here. Sitting under the dark, star-studded tapestry always soothed your anger. And today was no different.
You heaved a troubled sigh, pulling your legs close to your chest as you looked up at the sky. If there was one thing you could appreciate about Mystic Falls, it was all the stars that were visible — you never got them like this back in the city.
But you were beginning to feel just a tad discouraged. You didn't think you’d ever believed in something so vehemently only to find absolutely no proof to back it up. Innocent people were dying while the sheriff — and the rest of her department, for that matter — treated you like a child. It seemed like not taking you seriously was a contagious disease that had followed you from New York back to your hometown, and it was getting on your nerves. Not even your mother was all that happy about you being here to do work. It felt like Elijah and Bee were the only ones that had your back.
You’d barely gotten anything besides what Matt gave you, and even that hadn't really been turning up anything. The only thing you could find for Damon Salvatore was an old timey article from ages ago about how he was at the first Founder’s Party with his brother, Stefan. But you didn't need anything on their ancestors, you needed it on them. And you hadn’t gotten any of that, apart from the gossip Bee told you.
The only lead you really had, as a matter of fact, had been one that Elijah tried to pull you away from. You couldn't even remember why you didn’t look into it, but now that you were thinking about it you were filled with that investigatory urge.
Why didn’t you look into it?
Bee was right — it was unlike you. You were someone who made a living off of digging into other people’s business, going into things that you probably shouldn’t in the name of journalism. And what— you didn't look into the only lead you had in a deadly hometown case because a handsome guy told you otherwise?
It was something small, something that could so easily be nothing — it was just a warehouse in the woods. What were you hoping to find? A dead body? A murder in progress? Mystic Falls mountain lion headquarters?
You didn't know. But you did know that you didn't lose anything by trying.
You were back in your room and closing the window before you knew it, a tornado in your own right as you threw on a jacket, grabbed your phone and your pocket knife on an impulse, and trekked downstairs as quietly as possible. It was like a fog had been cleared from your mind as you walked outside with a purpose. You made sure the door was locked behind you, and then you went to your car and got in. Hopefully your mom wouldn't mind you borrowing it for the night.
Time to put your degree to use.
Notes:
im destroying canon so hard here and molding the timeline to what i need it to be for this fic, so do not expect there to be any kind of accuracy. the not canon compliant tag is on there for a reason
anyway! she's finally meeting some of the canon characters besides elijah! yay. but tbh a lot of the mystic falls crew annoys me and also our journalist is like 25, so she's not gonna be hanging around a bunch of high schoolers for fun. so for now we just have a chance encounter with bonnie, an interview with matt, and an interruption by caroline. yippee
the conflict was supposed to be this chapter but it was getting to be WAY too long (like 10k words) so i cut it in half to give me a little extra padding and keep this chapters even. enjoy that cliffhanger
Chapter Text
It was a quiet drive to your destination, and you parked the car on the curb where you did the day you and Elijah went in. You take in a deep breath and let it out slowly as you tried to steel yourself, and then you stepped out.
As you walked up to the edge of the woods, you did another check of what you had. Maybe a phone doubling as your flashlight and a pocket knife you got in third grade weren't the best things to bring into the woods at night when you were looking (and almost hoping) for a murderer just for the sake of proof, but you were already too committed to go back.
It was all eerily quiet as you trekked through the forest, trying to remember the way to the warehouse or the shed or whatever the hell it was. Every branch that snapped underneath your boots or bird that decided to make itself known made you jump, and you swore your blood had to be made out of ice by now.
Eventually your eyes adjusted to the darkness, and either by muscle memory, a stroke of luck, or a healthy combination of both you managed to find what you came here for.
The dilapidated building was even more ominous at midnight, and the more rational part of your brain told you that you should probably turn back. All the other parts told it to shut up though, and so you pushed your fears down and moved forward.
You paused by the entrance, your heart stopping when you heard something. You pressed yourself up against the wall, waiting with bated breath — there were voices, two of them, and they were getting louder. You didn’t want to get your hopes up, but this was suspicious. No one just went to a place like this in the middle of the night to have a friendly little talk.
You snuck a glance inside, and there was a solid shelf close enough to the entrance to hide behind. You sent a quick text to Elijah, figuring you were at least in the clear of him keeping you from the incredibly stupid thing you’re doing.
hey. I don’t really know why, but I'm looking into the building we ran into last week.
it just hasn’t been leaving me alone, and I don’t know why we didn’t investigate the first time we saw it
but there are people here. if I don’t get back to you in an hour, call the police.
(God. Talk about ominous.)
You almost hoped that Elijah wasn’t awake to see the messages, because the last thing you needed was him somehow following you into this. You may have been partners, but you preferred to make bad decisions on your own.
You switched to your camera and started recording so you had evidence if this all went wrong, then padded inside as quietly as possible. You had caught whoever was in here in the middle of an argument—two men by the sounds of it."
"—alright, Mikaelson,” the man’s voice was almost a growl, “I did your dirty work. I hunted down that problem of yours and fixed it. I’ve done everything you asked me to do, so when are you going to hold up your end of the deal?”
“So crass.” The other man was silky smooth with his British accent, and though it didn't hold half the rage of the aggressor, it sent a chill down your spine. Your grip tightened on your pocket knife as you tried to still your breathing. “Has anyone ever told you patience is a virtue?”
“I’ve waited long enough,” he seethed. “You promised you would turn me into a hybrid after I did all this shit for you, and I’m done. I’m tired of waiting.”
The man sighed. “You’re right. A deal is a deal.”
“Exactly. It’s about t—”
A sickening sound interrupted the man, and a choking gasp followed by a heavy thud against the floor penetrated the sudden silence in the warehouse. You had to clamp a hand over your mouth to prevent a scream.
“I do believe that means you’re done waiting,” he murmured, and you felt bile rise in your throat.
Holy fucking shit, you just got a murder on tape. Someone was just killed in front of you after you followed some small whim. You might’ve just stumbled onto the cause of all those animal attacks. This was solid evidence.
Somebody was also fucking murdered right in front of you, which was a little more important than the recording of it. And while you might have had the cause of the attacks, it turned out it was a serial killer, or at least some kind of murder. Which meant that you had to get out of here and call the police before you became another number in the newspaper.
You’d only taken one step forward before his voice stopped you in your tracks.
“I’ve been able to hear you this whole time, love,” the man mused, and your heart stopped in your chest. That couldn't be possible. “You’re really not subtle.”
You peeked out from around the shelf to see if you could gauge his ability and you took a few steps back, but as soon as you turned around he was standing in front of you, lazily leaning up against the frame of the entrance with a cockeyed grin. You staggered back in shock, eyes widening as some kind of pathetic noise came out of your throat. His front was covered in blood, his right hand particularly drenched in it. How did he move so fast without you even noticing? What the hell did he do to his victim?
(You had the frightful thought that you’re about to find out.)
“It’s not polite to eavesdrop,” he said, lip curled. His gaze dropped down to your phone as he advanced on you and he tore it out of your grip, earning an involuntary yelp from you. “You really shouldn’t record someone without their knowledge, either.” He looked you right in the eye as he crushed it in one hand then tossed it to the side.
“It’s not polite to murder people,” you managed, your voice so shaky you were surprised that you were even able to get the words out, “but I don’t think that stopped you.”
The man huffed a laugh. “Awfully cocky of you to mouth off to a murderer.”
He grabbed your wrists before you had the chance to respond, and after he hauled you into the middle of the room he tossed you to the floor. Your pocket knife clattered out of your reach as you hit the floor, but you ignored it as you scrambled to get back to your feet — you doubted it would make much of a difference anyways.
Your eyes wildly darted across the room as you backed yourself up against the wall, and that was when you spotted the victim of the unseen murder. His fate was more gruesome than you imagined — a massive hole was ripped in his chest, and though blood was splattered all around him, there was a growing pool a few feet away with—
“Oh my god,” you whimpered, hands clenching into fists behind your back, “you ripped his fucking heart out? How did you even—? ”
“It’s nothing he didn’t deserve. He ought to have known the reward I promised him was impossible.” The man was in front of you in a flash, and he pinned you against the wall as he nailed one forearm against your chest and planted his other hand next to your head. “Now, I believe it’s my turn to ask the questions. What in the world has brought you here at this hour?”
He was so close you could see the flecks of green in his blue eyes, and you tried to commit every detail of his face to memory. (You had the fleeting thought that it wouldn't matter, because you weren't going to get out of here. You tried to push it away.)
“Does it matter? you breathed, your airways already obstructed by his impossibly strong grip. You were surprised you were being this flippant in the face of death. “You’re just going to kill me anyway.”
He gave you a menacing grin, a flash of white teeth. “It does to me. You have to understand, love — I don’t appreciate anyone prying into my business.”
“Then maybe you should make your trail harder to follow,” you gritted out, fingers tugging at his arm in a fruitless attempt to free yourself. “I hear switching up your MO helps.”
“Charming,” he sneered. “I always do enjoy killing the mouthy ones.”
You barely had time to register his words before his forearm was pressed against your neck, and it quite literally felt like your trachea was being crushed. Your instincts kicked in as you clawed at his arm, trying everything you could in your already weakened state to save yourself, but it was no use.
“Niklaus,” a voice called, and in your dim state of mind you thought about how humiliating it would be to die to somebody with that name. “Why do you insist on murder at such an hour?”
“I’m solving a problem,” he stated simply, his eyes drilling into yours as you continued to struggle. “It’s none of your concern.”
“Oh, but I believe it is.” The man — Niklaus — made no effort to move, and as black spots swam in your vision, it started to hit you that you might not get out of this. “She’s purely innocent in this. She just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Niklaus laughed mirthlessly. “One doesn’t just end up in the middle of the woods in an abandoned warehouse by happenstance, brother. She— how did you put it, love? She followed my trail. It’s her own fault she’s here.”
You were convinced there was a fire set in your lungs with how much they burned, and you could feel the relief of unconsciousness start to creep over you. All you wanted was for him to get away from you, with every fiber of your being. Then suddenly, Niklaus staggered backward with a hiss.
“What did you just—?” His glare was almost venomous upon you, but now that he wasn't actively killing you, you weren't paying him any mind.
Your legs crumpled underneath you without his support, and your own trembling hand moved up to gingerly touch the bruises that are already starting to form on your neck. Your breathing came out short and shallow, the action nothing less than agonizing as you tried to tame the flames in your chest.
“You’ll pay for that,” he growled, and though he took a step towards you, a hand wrapped around his arm stopped him. You hung your head back against the wall the second your eyes fell upon him, your exhaustion the only reason your language wasn't consisting completely of curses. Of all the men in this town, the one you were flirting with was the one who knew the murderer. The one whose brother was the murderer.
Goddammit, Elijah.
“Niklaus, if you could consider being civil for just one moment?” Elijah sounded tired just dealing with him, his gaze flicking between you and the man in his grasp.
“And what are you doing here?” Niklaus wondered aloud, his annoyance almost tangible as he ripped his arm away. “Do you just have an innate sense that urges you to come and ruin my fun whenever it's begun?”
“Elijah,” you said, his name a shaky breath that took far too much effort. “What… the fuck… is this?”
“Forgive me,” he said, and he had the decency to look guilty. “I did not intend for this to happen. I suppose I didn’t anticipate you finding your way into such a situation despite my precautions.”
The man’s lip curled. “Knowing you’re involved with her only makes me want to finish the job.”
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t,” Elijah said coolly. “You can control yourself for a night, can’t you?”
He laughed, a grating sound against your skull. “If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you were ashamed of me.”
“Why do you have to be brothers?” You winced, the pain in your neck and chest still very insistent on being heard, especially in your attempts to talk.
“I ask myself that frequently,” Elijah muttered.
“Alright,” Niklaus said decisively, his annoyance peaking as he turned his attention back to you. “Let’s get this over with.”
He walked over and kneeled in front of you, then grabbed your chin to force you to look at him. “Listen to me very carefully. You’re going to get in your car, drive home, and forget that any of this happened. You won’t have any memory of me, Elijah, or the events that you witnessed tonight. You merely spent the night at home doing whatever it is you usually do.”
Your laugh was weak, more of a shaky breath than anything. “I don’t think I can forget you ripping someone’s heart out and trying to murder me.”
His eyes narrowed and you saw his jaw tick as he stood up to face Elijah. “Did you know that she was this much of a problem? It would be so much easier to just kill her. ”
“I’m aware of the compulsion issue,” Elijah sighed. “I wouldn’t classify her as a problem so much as extremely lucky. And you’re not going to kill her.”
You couldn't believe that you were lying on the ground of a random warehouse trying your best not to die, while two brothers, one who helped you in your research on the attacks and one who might’ve committed them, argued over whether they should be allowed to kill you too. How did your life take this kind of turn?
“Then what do you suppose we do, dear Elijah?” Niklaus crossed his arms, drawing out his name. “Seeing as you’re intent on keeping this woman alive.”
“I’d appreciate it if you would stop talking about me like I’m not here.” You could finally get words out without the action being painful, but it did earn you a dangerous look from Niklaus.
“It’s best for you to keep your mouth shut, love. Otherwise I might end up making my brother a little upset.” He tilted his head to the side slightly as he turned back to Elijah. “What is the nature of your relationship, anyways? I didn’t realize you’ve resorted to picking women up off the streets.”
“You always do know how to strike a nerve, don’t you, Klaus?” Elijah moved across the room in a few quick strides and he offered a hand to you. You stared at it for a moment—Elijah seemed nicer than his brother, but then again—that seemed to be a very low bar.
“It’s alright,” he said, noticing your apprehension. “I don’t make a habit of hurting innocents.”
“That’s not reassuring,” you muttered, but you took his hand anyway. He pulled you up with a strength you didn’t expect, and you stumbled far too close to him for comfort. You let go of his hand as you pressed yourself up against the wall again. Elijah had managed to lose your trust incredibly quickly — even though he was technically the reason you were still alive, he was a part of all this, and he’d lied to you about everything. The way he acted so casually about his brother’s actions made you suspect the trait might be a mutual one.
And you were stuck in a room with them in the middle of the woods. You didn't think you’d ever felt so claustrophobic in such a large space.
“If it’s vervain, I could always bleed her out,” Klaus shrugged. “It would throw a wrench in my plans for the night, but it’s a lot less pesky than someone like her running around town.”
“You’re not going to harm her any further.” Elijah looked at you as he spoke, and you think it was his way of further reassurance. It didn't exactly work.
Your eyes flitted across the room to the dead man on the floor, blood pooling underneath him at the hole in his chest. It took everything in you not to lose it all over again as bile rose in your throat.
“I’m going to take this to the police,” you said, only half-aware of how bad of a move it could be. “You know that, right?”
“Feel free to,” Klaus said, annoyingly confident. “They won’t believe you.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Because,” he said, giving you a toothy grin. His canines were abnormally sharp. “If you were dim-witted enough to come here alone, then I believe you’ve already discovered the police in this town are particularly incompetent.” His eyes flashed with something akin to glee. “And they’re much easier to deal with than you.”
“What are you?” you questioned desperately, fear rampant in your voice. You’d always sought out the truth, sought out facts — but the things that were in front of you didn't make any fucking sense.
“Niklaus,” Elijah interrupted, holding up his hand to stop him before he started. “I will handle this. Go take care of whatever remaining engagements you have.”
“I don’t know,” he said, his eyes falling back on you. “I’ve quite enjoyed the time we’ve spent together.”
“This isn’t a request,” Elijah said, low and cold.
Klaus rolled his eyes after a moment of stubborn silence. “I believe you owe me a favor for not killing her,” he said pointedly. “Don’t make me regret this, brother.”
And with that, he was gone. You let your head fall back against the wall as you wrapped your arms around yourself, your brain going into overdrive as it tried to process all of this.
“Are you alright?” Elijah asked, his gentle voice a stark contrast to his threat seconds ago.
“No,” you said forcefully, “of course I’m not alright.” Somehow you managed to look him in the eye. “Who are you, Elijah? What the fuck was this? What— what is that?!” You gestured wildly at the dead body across the warehouse and you felt sick all over again.
He straightened his tie — of course he was still wearing a suit, even now — and cleared his throat. “I believe it would be best for us to discuss this somewhere other than… here. Would you like me to drive? In your state—”
You huffed a laugh, only slightly deranged. “You think I’m going to get in a car with you after this? You think I want to go anywhere with you after your freak of a brother tried to murder me, and you didn’t even look surprised?”
Elijah bristled slightly and nodded. “I forget that this must be quite shocking for you.”
“Quite,” you snarled.
He was silent for a moment, as if he was trying to find the best way to go about it, and when he finally spoke you could have laughed.
“Niklaus is my brother, the man you encountered tonight— as you now know, I suppose.” He cleared his throat again, smoothing a hand over his hair. “He is a vampire. As am I.”
Scratch that— you did laugh. In spite of it all, you couldn't help it. “I don’t know what you think this is, but it’s not a joke. Your dear old Niklaus killed somebody, and then tried to kill me. I’m not in the mood for vampire jokes.” (This had to be the tenth time you’d brought it up, but you think you deserved to.)
“This is not a joke,” he said evenly. “I assure you, I’m telling the truth.”
“No,” you shook your head over and over, “no— no, you sound insane. You are insane.”
Elijah parted his lips just slightly, and you were able to see two sharp canines that matched his brother’s. Not just sharp, but— but fangs. Your blood ran cold, but your heart stopped in your chest when his face changed.
The sclera of his eyes turned completely red, the difference between the blood-like color and his black irises almost indistinguishable. Dark veins branched out below his eyes, in contrast to skin that looked a lot paler than it used to be. It was like something out of a horror movie, but you were living it, and suddenly vampires were a lot more terrifying than pop culture made them out to be.
“What the fuck?” you breathed, sounding more and more deranged the longer you listened to yourself.
His fangs retracted as his face went back to normal, but you couldn't erase it from your mind. “I told you I wasn’t lying.”
“What the fuck?” you repeated, still trying to process it. “How— how is this real? How are you real?”
“It’s a long story,” Elijah said, just as calm as ever. “I don’t know if I have time to tell it tonight.”
You shook your head again. “No. No— Elijah, that’s not how this works.” His brows creased slightly and you continued. “I assume you don’t want me to go to the police or print anything about this Earth-breaking story, but— but you’re a vampire! Tell me, what am I supposed to do with that? How is this possible?”
“The world we live in is more supernatural than you think,” he started to explain. “I have two more siblings other than Niklaus, and they are also vampires. But we exist all over the world — Mystic Falls is just especially prone due to its history. Werewolves, witches, vampires, immortals, all kinds of creatures — they’re all real.”
It felt like your entire life was cracking to pieces in front of you. Dramatic, sure, but when you’d spent the past six years of your life digging up cold hard facts, vampires were impossible to believe. But one was standing right in front of you.
There was no other explanation than what he’d told you. You were completely sober, no drugs or weed, and you were definitely not sleep deprived enough for this. Klaus’s impossible speed, the strength with which he used against you, how he killed that man, and now Elijah’s fangs and eyes — special effects didn't work that quickly, especially not on their own.
What the hell have you gotten yourself into?
“Tell me one thing,” you uttered, and Elijah nodded. “Is anybody in your family responsible for the deaths in this town? Are you? ”
“I am not the culprit,” he said immediately. You didn't know why, but… you believed him. “As for the rest of my family… I cannot guarantee anything. My sister is slightly more sympathetic, but my brothers care little for the lives of humans. This is certainly within their wheelhouse.”
“Great,” you muttered to yourself, and now you knew you sounded deranged. “You’ve got another insane brother that can kill me. You know, Elijah—out of all the guys I’ve had things with, you've gotta be the worst.”
“I understand that you’re panicking,” Elijah said. He took a step closer, but when you flinched, he froze for a moment then took it back. “But you can’t tell anyone about this.”
“You’re telling a journalist not to break the biggest fucking case of her life,” you responded. “Why not?”
“I cannot guarantee your safety from any other thing living in this town if you decide to go public with it — and I can tell you with complete certainty there are others here, not just vampires. Many of the founding families are already aware of our existence, but they know how to protect themselves.” He looked you in the eye and tilted his head slightly. “Tell me — do you have any experience in combat against the supernatural? Or any fighting skills in general?”
You’d taken self defense classes over the years, but you couldn’t do a single thing against Klaus — you had a feeling he wasn’t even trying against you. You didn't want to imagine either of them at their full potential.
Your silence was apparently telling. “Then I recommend you stay quiet about this,” Elijah stated. “Do not bring any more attention to yourself than is necessary.”
You figured the first step to that was getting the hell away from here.
“I’m going to go home,” you said shakily as you pushed yourself up from the wall, “and you’re not going to follow me.”
Elijah opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but he stayed silent and nodded instead. You could feel his gaze on you as you hurried out of the warehouse, and you broke into a run the moment you were outside. The second wave of it all was starting to hit you, and on the outskirts of town surrounded by dark woods, you felt very vulnerable.
You didn't even have a light to guide you because fucking Niklaus broke it — god, you had no idea how you were going to explain that to your mom — but somehow, by sprinting blindly through the woods for what felt like hours, you managed to make it out. You didn't think you’d ever been so glad to see that stupid Volvo.
You jammed your keys into the ignition as soon as you opened the door and started your car, practically throwing yourself into the seat as you shifted into drive and got back onto the road.
Your hands were shaking when you pulled your seat belt across your chest, and they didn't stop when they returned to the steering wheel. Your mind almost couldn't handle it all, between discovering the identity of your possible killer, experiencing his work firsthand, and then the knowledge that vampires were real on top of it. You felt like an unwilling YA heroine, and you wanted out.
You couldn't bear to listen to the radio, but every sound you heard in the unflinching silence made you jump. You checked the time on your dash — 1:37 AM — and you were almost thankful for it. At least you don’t have to worry about a speeding ticket.
You parked the car on the street instead of the driveway when you got to your house but didn't move, suddenly not so sure of going inside.
You were just nearly murdered by a vampire, one that had three siblings just as dangerous as him. Your phone was destroyed, you’re covered in blood, and you have blatant bruises on your neck. You knew with your luck, your mom would be awake when you came in and she’d demand answers for what had happened to you. She’d call the police, no doubt, and you didn't want to deal with that kind of mess.
It was against your better judgment, but you knew you couldn't tell anyone about this — especially not your family. You had no idea what you were dealing with, and you couldn't risk them getting hurt.
You couldn't stay here, but you had nowhere else to go. All of your friends from high school were just that — you hadn't kept in touch with a single one, so little contact that you didn't know if any of them still lived here.
It almost made you sad, the fact that your childhood in Mystic Falls had almost been completely wiped away by your own hand. But you didn't have time to dredge up your old regrets.
You ultimately decided to try and find a hotel well outside of town. Just one night would give you time to gather your bearings and make an action plan without endangering your family.
You chose Charlottesville as your getaway of choice, and it took you an hour thanks to the lack of 2AM traffic. You pulled into the parking lot of the first Hampton you saw, ignoring the strange look you got from the receptionist when she took in your disastrous… everything.
But thankfully she didn't ask any questions, and you were even more thankful that there were still rooms left. A couple minutes of conversation and a painful $115 to give up was all it took to get a room key. You gave your thanks and set off to find your room — you were glad it was on the first floor.
The first thing you did when you got to your room was dial the home phone number — it went unanswered, but you left a message, making up some fake story about how I went out to the Grill with some friends after you went to sleep and I’m drunk and spending the night at a guy’s house, and I’m sorry for not calling sooner but my phone died and I just now got a charger for it, I’ll see you tomorrow. You think you rambled on a little too long, but it was better than nothing. At least they’ll know you were alive.
Besides — it wasn't like your mom could get mad at you for sneaking out. You were an adult, not a little kid. If you wanted to stay out all night getting drunk and go home with a guy you just met, you could. If you wanted to go out in the middle of the night, you could. If you wanted to nearly be murdered by a vampire, you could.
You laughed inwardly at the thought. Vampires were real. God.
You allowed yourself to collapse onto the bed, the exhaustion finally hitting you as the last of your adrenaline dissipated. You wanted to shower, clean yourself of blood and dirt and sweat and fear, but you didn't even have a spare set of clothes. You think you would feel worse getting back into this outfit after showering than you do now, so you stayed put.
You thought sleep would come easy by virtue of your complete and utter exhaustion, but all you could do was stare at the ceiling. You felt Klaus’s arm on your neck again, the burning in your lungs and the true debilitating fear that came with nearly dying. You'd always heard that your life would flash before you, but all you felt was guilt as you stared into those merciless, blue eyes.
You saw Elijah’s fangs, the knowledge that he could’ve killed you at any moment during your time with him hitting you like a freight train. You had no idea why he had decided to help you, but you hoped his mercy didn't come with a price tag.
You had no idea how you were going to give a presentation at the high school tomorrow.
Notes:
ik this update is a little early but my birthday was yesterday so im feeling generous
here is the chaos i promised! we got klaus's introduction where he kills an unnamed vampire and tries to kill the reader, elijah revealing the truth, and reader running away to a hotel for the night to have a breakdown in private. # fun times
had to drop like 700 words of this chapter because it was originally going to end in elijah driving her home and them talking about a bunch of vampire stuff but then i realized that there is no way in hell this mc would get into a car with him after this lmao
once again thank you for reading and all the support!! i love you all <3
Chapter Text
You were enveloped in full body aches when your eyes cracked open, and the crick in your neck as well as the exhaustion running deep into your bones told you whatever sleep you managed to get wasn’t even close to adequate. Maybe it was partly due to keeping the lights on the whole night, maybe it was staying on top of the sheets — you couldn’t bring yourself to do either. Paranoia forced you to stay alert in case somehow, something happened again.
(In case he decided to go against Elijah and finish the job, you think.)
You now understood Elijah’s slight apprehension; why he asked if it was truly wise to look into this, why he tried to keep you away from that warehouse. For whatever reason, he was trying to protect you from his reality. You didn't know what you would’ve done if it wasn’t for him.
Well, you knew exactly what you would’ve done — you would’ve died. It wasn't too hard to figure out. You just didn't know why he protected you.
You got up off of the bed, trying to ignore the dirt and flecks of dried blood that transferred from your clothes, and moved to the bathroom to gauge the damage. You never got the chance last night, too caught up in your hysteria.
It wasn't pretty.
Dark circles were already starting to form under your eyes, and your hair was a complete mess. The bruises on your neck had only deepened, and even the slightest touch from your fingers made you wince. It was gonna take a lot of concealer to cover up. Crimson still spotted your skin, though a fair amount had flaked off. Your jacket was still smeared with blood, and it made you want to gag knowing that it was from that dead man. You needed to get some new clothes as soon as possible.
Everything from last night was threatening to come back and crush you underneath the weight of it all, but you forced it back with a few deep breaths, staring at yourself intently in the mirror. Once you weren't constantly on the move, you could let it all out and think about what the fuck you’d managed to stumble into. But for now, it was compartmentalization and repression.
The urge to check your phone and see if your mom had tried to reach you hit, but then you remembered you didn't have one. You were going to get the verbal beating of your life when you got home, especially if you looked like this.
You also had that goddamn assembly today at the school. You very much wanted to cancel — you knew what was causing the attacks now — but the investigative side of you said that if the founding families knew about vampires, then there was a chance their kids knew about it too. And hey, you’d read Twilight. Maybe there were some vampires posing as high schoolers. Maybe they could try to kill you too.
But first things first, you needed to become a functioning human again.
You washed your face and tried to fix your hair up as much as possible, then mapped out a game plan in your head as you left your room. First new clothes, then taking advantage of the free breakfast before checking out. You could take your time getting home — your mom’s shift had already started by this time and she wouldn’t miss it even if you were missing, and Bee would be in first block by the time you got home. You didn’t need to worry about looking like you were nearly killed.
And so you did just that. There was a Target within walking distance from the hotel, and you got a Charlottesville shirt and jeans. You much preferred Richmond, but hey—you didn't deserve to complain. You went through the self checkout so you didn’t have to deal with any more strange looks than you were already getting.
When you got back to your room, you immediately showered. You went through the entire tiny bottle of complimentary shampoo in your efforts of cleaning all the grime off, and for a long while you just stood under the warm water, allowing a few frustrated tears out before pushing your emotions back once more.
Any food you tried to eat tasted like sand, but you forced it down anyways. You needed your energy back, and you didn’t really want to pass out in front of a bunch of teenagers because of your own series of unfortunate events.
After that was done, you gathered your meager belongings, checked out, and started on the way back to Mystic Falls, trying not to let your mind linger on last night.
-
You were wary the moment you stepped out of the car, half-expecting something to jump out of the bushes on your walk up to the door. But nothing did, and so you walked inside.
You made sure to lock the door behind you, and you checked the clock on the wall. Thirty minutes until study hall, which meant you were really already fifteen minutes late. You had fifteen more before you were screwed.
You dropped your wallet and keys on the table and rushed upstairs, searching through your closet for an easy but sophisticated outfit. You decided on a simple blouse and black dress pants, and after styling your hair you got to work on covering up the bruises on your neck. It took half your bottle of concealer, but at least the marks were mostly invisible.
You made it to the school just in time, basically sprinting to the building in your flats. You were out of breath when you got to the front office, wearily greeting the secretary as you pushed your license across the table to her. You explained that you were here to give an assembly, and after you plastered the visitor sticker onto your shirt you continued on your harried journey to the auditorium.
“Hi! Hi, I’m here, I’m so sorry I’m late, I had a lot of sudden complications this morning.” The excuses spewed out of you as you hastened down the aisle to see Dr. Anderson and a man you didn't recognize. “I’m still good, right?”
Dr. Anderson gave you an amused smile. “I see your time management abilities haven’t improved.”
“Guilty as charged,” you admitted, slowing to a stop in front of the stage. “Once again, I am so sorry — I had to give my mom a ride to work after her car wouldn’t start up, and then I had to come back and get ready and I just… I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright.” The man spoke up and he held out his hand with a smile. “Alaric Saltzman. I’m one of the history teachers.”
You nodded and shook his hand. “Are you new? I just ask because I was a student here a while ago, and I don’t recognize you.”
“I’ve been here a few years, but…” he sighed. “I got this position after the last history teacher passed. A victim of the animal attacks from a few years ago.”
You deflated a bit. “You’re Mr. Tanner’s replacement.”
“Unfortunately,” Alaric nodded. “It’s why I wanted to oversee this thing with you. I feel some kind of payment to him.”
“By all means, please feel free.” Dr. Anderson smiled at the two of you and clasped his hands together. “You two can handle this, right? I have a meeting with some parents in half an hour that I have to prepare for.”
“We’ll be fine,” he said. Dr. Anderson nodded and as he left, Alaric turned to you. “What do you have in mind for this? The students should be here in a few minutes.”
“Just… you know, basic stuff,” you explained. “Telling them about what’s been going on with the attacks, advocating for safety measures, the whole nine yards. Making sure they're prepared in case they're ever in a situation that they need this kind of knowledge."
“I see, I see…” Alaric looked at you, a curious glint in his eye. “Do you think there’s anything else going on with this? Or that it’s just some crazed mountain lion that’s gotten into town?”
“I don’t really know what’s going on here,” you decided after a moment, choosing your words cautiously, “I just wanted them to be safe. I have a sister that goes here, she’s a senior, and… with the record this place has with wild animals, I don’t want anything else to happen.”
Alaric nodded, and he looked like he wanted to say more, but as you heard the door open and students started to file into the auditorium, he just nodded. “I hope it works.”
“Me too,” you murmured.
You waited for everyone to get seated before you got up on the stage, and after you clear your throat you begin talking.
“Hi, everybody! Students of Mystic Falls.” You clapped your hands together, and the murmuring in seats died down as you introduced yourself. “I’m here today to talk about something that you’ve probably heard about, whether on the news or through the grapevine. It’s not the lightest subject to go on about, but it’s something that your principal has asked me to touch on in order to keep you all safe.”
“Mystic Falls has been the victim of a series of animal attacks this past month. The town has been rocked to its core by these tragedies, but it’s my hope as well as Dr. Anderson’s, and frankly every adult, that knowing a bit more about what’s causing this will keep all of you safe for as long as it takes to catch this mountain lion.”
“If any of you have been personally affected, either by relation to one of the victims or just from the weight of something like this, know that you’re not alone. There are resources here in your counselors, and they’ll do whatever they can to help you.”
With that, you launched into the spiel you drew up after landing the assembly. You went through suggested curfews, the good old buddy system, what to do if you ran into a mountain lion or any kind of wild animal, and a whole lot of other safety stuff that you were sure Dr. Anderson would love. You ended by reminding them of your name and letting them know where they could find you — your home phone number, courtesy of vampires.
A majority of the students only looked slightly bored by the time that you were done, so you took it as a win. You lingered by the stage as they filed out by class, and you were almost thankful that Alaric left with his own. Your lack of sleep was starting to get to you, and you needed to get some caffeine in your system before you completely crashed.
You stopped by the office to thank Dr. Anderson, but his meeting was still going on so you settled for a message passed on by his secretary. After making sure you had all your things, you took your leave.
You shivered as you walk outside, the chilly air cutting through your thin blouse. You were on your way to your car when you heard someone call your name and you stopped to turn around.
You were greeted by a man with brown hair, dressed in a simple black ensemble. You gave him a slight smile in acknowledgement and waited for him to catch up to you before you spoke. It was there you could see the sharpness of his face, a cutting edge jawline and dark eyes that almost drilled into you. “Can I help you?”
“You’re the journalist, right?” he asked. “That just spoke in the assembly?”
You nodded, but just as you were about to say something, an almost overwhelming wave of unsettlement washed over you. You didn't know how to explain it, or how you knew, but it was like your body was screaming at you that he was bad news. It was the same aura you felt around Klaus last night. Cold dread seeped through your bones at the revelation, and you knew you had to get out of there.
Your grip on your keys tightened into a fist as you offered an uneasy smile and started to back away. ”I am, but I’m sorry, I don’t have time for any questions—”
“It’s okay.” He held up one hand in an attempt to calm you down, but the feeling that something was wrong wouldn't leave you. “I don’t have any questions, I just want to talk.”
“I’m sorry, I really have to—”
You turned around only to immediately stagger backwards, your eyes widening at his sudden appearance in front of you. With all the luck in the world, you’d found yourself cornered by another vampire.
His pupils dilated slightly as he stared at you, and you recognized it as the same thing Klaus tried to do last night. “Stop investigating Mystic Falls. The attacks are just wild animals. Nothing is happening here.”
For a moment you just froze. You remembered what Elijah called it — compulsion. Somehow, it wasn't working on you, just like last night, but you didn't know if you should act like it went through to keep yourself safe. But you were running out of time, so you ended up settling on the option that had kept you alive thus far: blatant disregard for your life in favor of being defiant.
“Get away from me,” you managed, in that low, shaky voice that only vampires seemed to bring out of you.
The man frowned, whether it was at your resistance or your words, and the expression only deepened at the sound of an eerily familiar voice behind you.
“You heard the lady, Stefan.”
Stefan. One of the people Matt told you about, Damon’s brother. And Stefan was a vampire.
From your experience, when one brother was a bloodsucker, the other was too.
For the love of god.
You whirled around at the unexpected voice, and if you weren’t already shaken by your internal revelation then your heart would’ve stopped from Klaus’ sudden appearance. He gave you a knowing smirk as he pushed past you, his shoulder brushing yours, and came to a stop in front of you. If you didn’t know better, you would have thought his stance was almost protective.
“What are you doing here?” Stefan’s voice took on an edge, and there was a mix of trepidation and anger in his eyes.
“I look out for my interests,” he responded. “If you’d like to keep your head, I’d recommend leaving her alone. You, your brother, and all your pesky little friends.”
Stefan looked past Klaus to meet your eyes. “Do you have any idea who he is?”
“I know plenty,” you responded, though you didn't sound convincing.
He huffed a laugh and shook his head. “You obviously don’t know enough if you’re working with him. All these people that are dead — he’s killed far more. And he’ll kill you too.”
“I’d suggest you leave if you don’t want a spot on that list,” Klaus said curtly.
Stefan’s jaw clenched, and once again he looked back to you. “You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into with the Mikaelsons.”
You didn't have an answer for him, but you knew he was right.
And then with the telling speed of a vampire, he was gone. Your mouth grew dry at the knowledge that there was two more in town, especially one that was posing as a high schooler. You hoped neither of them had ever even looked in Bee’s direction.
“Are you trying to make enemies with everyone, love?” Klaus asked, turning to face you. You hastily backed away from him, wanting to keep a cautious distance between the two of you. “Because if that’s your goal, you’re doing a stupendous job.”
“What,” you said, your adrenaline giving you an undeserved surge of confidence, “are you the only one that’s allowed to try and kill me?”
“Funny,” he said, and he obviously did not think so. “I believe it’s time we had a talk about what you’re doing in this town.”
“I’m doing my job,” you asserted.
“You’re trying to get yourself killed and my kind completely exposed in one foul swoop,” Klaus corrected. “If you keep going like you are now, you’re going to end up in the hands of a vampire far less kind than me.”
“You tried to murder me last night!” you exclaimed, hysteria rising in your voice. “That’s the opposite of kind!”
“Ah,” he smirked, “but I didn’t. And trust me, love — I very easily could have. Now,” Klaus offered a casual hand to you, as if he didn’t just flaunt your death in front of you, “let’s chat.”
-
You didn’t want to chat. Klaus didn’t care.
“Will you let go of me?”
You finally managed to wrench your wrist out of his grasp, something you knew only happened out of his own volition, and you stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to glare at him. “You know, things would be a lot easier for you if you didn’t brute force your way through life.”
“Actually, much of my success has come from brute force. The problem that you are would be solved with brute force.” He stopped with you, his head slightly tilted. “This frustrating need for pacifism from my brother’s gentleman act is wholly unnecessary.”
“I’m assuming you want to kill me?” you asked bluntly.
Klaus smiled. “More or less.”
“Then why not just do it?”
“Because one of my dearest siblings has managed to conjure up something that can incapacitate me,” he responded. “I don’t fancy the idea of Elijah rallying them against me and spending a few decades in a box all because I dared to lay a finger on his newest plaything.”
You grimaced at his choice of words and Klaus chuckled. “Touchy.”
“Just—” you shook your head and looked him in the eye. “I’ll talk to you if I know for a fact you won’t try to finish your job from last night.”
“Do you really think you can bargain with someone who could snap your neck the second they start to find you boring?”
You were starting to realize how impossible doing anything with Klaus is. “All I’m asking for is civility,” you stated, choosing to ignore his threat.
His lip curled up slightly. “Alright. I will try not to kill you today.”
“That’s very temporary. And the opposite of reassuring.”
“It’s all you’re going to get,” Klaus said. “In case you’ve forgotten, I hold the upper hand here. So get moving.”
You huffed a laugh and started walking reluctantly, feeling the weight of his gaze on your back. “You’re very pushy.”
“So I’ve been told.”
You walked in silence for a while, Klaus trailing a few steps behind you. Eventually, you spoke up again.
“Who was that man back there? Stefan. I know he’s a vampire as well, but he knows you. Doesn’t like you though.”
“An old friend,” he said. “Unfortunately as time goes on, friends grow apart.”
“Was that growing apart your fault?”
You could hear his smile in his words. “Most likely.”
“Why did he follow me out? He used that thing you tried to do — compulsion.”
“No one appreciates having their business looked into, vampires even less so. You’re fortunate Stefan is also in his pacifist phase — if you had encountered him when he was actually enjoyable to be around?” Klaus laughed, and it sent a cold chill through your veins. “Well, they called him the Ripper of Monterey for a reason. And if you keep up this little gist of yours, you’ll eventually find a similar fate at the hands of another vampire.”
You were stopped in your tracks when Klaus grabbed your arm, and he gestured with his head at the path opening up to a park. It’s empty considering it’s winter and everyone’s in school, so you assume this is your new talking ground.
“Great,” you muttered dryly. “Sunday in the park with Klaus.”
He made a noncommittal noise and gave you a little shove forward. You shot him a withering glare but started walking anyway. Klaus, instead of trailing behind, paced himself even with you. “Did you tell anyone about what happened last night?”
“No,” you admitted. “Figured bringing my family into this mess wasn’t the smartest decision.”
“You figured right,” he mused. “Though I must admit I’m surprised.”
“Why,” you said dryly, “think a journalist can’t keep her mouth shut?”
Klaus shrugged. “I never know with humans. Even less with you.”
“Yeah, well after you nearly choked me to death I didn’t really want to incur your wrath any further.” You shook your head and glanced at him. “Why did you help me anyway, after what you did last night? It sounds like me dying at someone else’s hands would make your life easier.”
“You’ve already proven to be pesky enough as it is,” he said, mild annoyance leaking into his words. “I had to keep an eye on you after what you’ve seen, ensure secrecy in whatever way necessary. What is that saying you have? Keep your friends close, your meddling journalists closer.”
You couldn't hold back your eye roll. “How kind of you.”
“You’re a liability in many ways, love. You should be thankful you’re still around.” Klaus stopped again, this time in front of a bench, and looked at you. “Sit.”
You huffed a laugh. “It's enough that I'm walking around with you like this. I'm not putting myself in a corner."
He grabbed your arm and pulled you closer to him, the proximity making you freeze as flashes from the woods played through your head.
“Why do you think that you have a choice in any of this?” Klaus’s voice was cold and even, completely devoid of emotion, and it scared you more than any kind of yelling. You tried to stay calm, but it was difficult when his vice-like grip refused to loosen and your bodies were inches apart. Still, you forced your features into mask of stoicism. “You may think your insolence is endearing, but it only cements your place as an annoyance. This is not the hill you want to die on.”
“You haven’t killed me yet,” you asserted, and his eyes trailed over your jugular as you swallowed thickly. “That means you like me enough not to or I’m more valuable to you alive than dead. Given that you called me an interest, I’m willing to take my chances either way.”
His expression shifted, just the slightest rise of his brows and quirk of his lips, but it was enough. Klaus let go of your arm and you immediately put distance in between the two of you. So much for stoic. “You put a lot of weight in your ability to gauge others."
“It’s worked, hasn’t it?”
He let out a dry laugh, calculating gaze appraising. “I want to know what you are. From what I’ve heard, you’ve created quite a stir in this town for only being here a few weeks, especially in my brother. Not many are capable of that.”
“I’ve already told you. I’m just a journalist trying to figure out what’s happening with the animal attacks.” You crossed your arms. “I didn’t really expect to run into you or your brother."
“I can’t compel you,” he said. “If you’re human, it either means you’re extremely lucky, or someone is protecting you.”
“I don’t know anything about the shit you can do — I don’t know anyone like you besides Elijah. And I can certainly tell you that no one is protecting me.”
“Did he give you anything?” Klaus asked. “Some kind of jewelry, or perfume, or anything herbal?”
“No.” You didn’t even like thinking about Elijah after what happened, childish as it may be. He might have saved your life and it might’ve all been in your best interest, but you had no idea who he really was. If there was anything you could give Klaus, it was that at least he was upfront. “The only thing he gave me was his phone number.”
“What about your family?”
“They’re normal too,” you said immediately. “They have nothing to do with any of this.”
He hummed, a slightly odd look in his eyes. “Do you take vervain yourself?”
“Vervain?” You frowned. It took a second, but then it hit you.
The lemon verbena tea your mom bought. She’d had you pick it up from the store once; you looked it up before you went to see what aisle it was in, and you found out that verbena was the same thing as vervain — just a different name.
Holy shit. Your mom protected you from vampires and she didn’t even know it.
Maybe this is a sign to switch from coffee to tea.
Klaus must see the recognition in your eyes, because he smirked. “So that’s it. You’re just extremely lucky.”
“So I keep finding out,” you muttered. You made a mental note to keep buying that stuff, to keep your sister on it.
“I assume you know that you’re in this for the long run,” Klaus stated. “For you to get out of this I would either have to kill you or force you to forget through compulsion. One might surmise you aren’t interested in either option.”
“You’re right. I like my life and my memories.”
“Then the question remains of what to do with you,” he mused, his head cocking to the side slightly. “What to do with a human who has likely already attracted the attention of half this town’s supernatural population merely by meddling.”
Klaus pushed forward, and though you wanted to take one back in turn you forced yourself to stand your ground. “The only thing protecting you is temporary interest, and that will soon fade. Why should I not stamp out my newest problem before it grows into something more?”
“Elijah won’t like it if you kill me,” you said, “you said it yourself.”
He shrugs. “Elijah is never happy with me. Besides, he’s known you for, what, two weeks? I've killed lovers he's had for much longer than you; he’ll hardly shed tears for you."
"I haven't done anything to you," you rushed out. "I'm just a bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time. You don't have to kill me."
"That means absolutely nothing to me," Klaus said offhandedly.
“Okay!” you breathed, trying to stay calm in spite of the sudden hysteria rising inside. “I— I have something in mind. Something that guarantees my life over more than just your word, and will help you just as much as me.”
You were starting to learn the type of man Klaus was, if you could even call him a man. He had a child’s temper in an indestructible body, and you stood no chance against him in any way, shape, or form. You might have been able to survive off of his favor and your defiance for a day or two, but soon enough you were going to lose your shine and he’d call your bluff in a very death-inducing way.
To stay alive on more permanent terms, you had to throw yourself headfirst into the deep end. And you had to do it willingly.
“Oh?” Amusement sparked in his irises, but the rise of his eyebrows told you he was at least slightly interested. That was all you needed. Klaus took a step back and you were finally able to breathe again. “Please, enlighten me.”
Fully aware that you were signing a deal with the devil, you started talking.
Notes:
isn't he just a joy to be around?
thank you all for your love and kudos and comments, they fuel this story and they make me so happy<3
Chapter Text
“Where the fuck have you been?”
You froze in the door frame, considering turning around and not coming back. You’d put up with too much bullshit in the past twenty four hours just to come home to an argument with your mom. You thought you had a little more time before she got off her shift, but apparently not.
“Nice to see you too,” you muttered, closing and locking the door behind you. “Did your shift get off early?”
“I requested off early because I was worried about you. You don’t just get to act like nothing has happened.” She stood up from her seat at the table, continuing to push the matter. “You left in the middle of the night without a single word of warning to either of us except a voicemail from some unknown number at two in the morning. You ignored every call and text from me and Bianca, and then you just waltzed in at noon without a care in the world?”
“I’m sorry.” You took your flats off and started walking up the stairs, fully intent on ignoring her attempts to start something. “I got caught up in what I was doing.”
“That’s all?” You turned around and she was standing at the foot of the staircase, arms crossed and unflinching eyes. “You know, for someone that claims she came home for family, you’ve been avoiding us a lot lately. Care to explain any of that?”
You huffed a laugh. “Mom, I’m an adult and I moved out six years ago. I don’t have to feel bad for doing things on my own just because you think I shouldn’t. I’m sorry that I scared you, but I’m not going to apologize for anything else. And I’m definitely not going to explain what I do in my own time.”
You heard her mutter something that sounded like unbelievable under her breath as you climbed up the rest of the way, but you couldn’t care less. Your mom didn't get to treat you like a child while demanding in the same breath that you act like an adult. You certainly didn't have the patience to deal with this after basically selling your soul to Klaus Mikaelson.
You flopped onto your bed and heaved a gigantic sigh. You couldn't stop replaying it in your head — the dangerous glint in his eye, the icy touch of his fingers on your skin, his smooth, accented words that carved into the marble of your gravestone.
In the span of the two weeks since you got on that plane back to Virginia, you’d nearly been murdered, threatened too many times to count, and been unwillingly thrust into the world of vampires all because you dared to look behind the curtains. You should’ve never gone into the woods that night. You wondered what Leah would think about all of this.
You suddenly bolted up.
The woods— the fucking crime scene. A man was murdered in that shed and there was concrete evidence linking you to it. Your fingerprints were all over the walls, not to mention your pocket knife and broken phone — god, the body probably hadn’t even been moved. If someone stumbled across it and went to the police, you were completely screwed.
Maybe obstruction of justice wasn't the most ethical thing to do, but you knew Klaus wasn’t going to get caught either way. You also knew you were not going down for a murder you didn’t play any part in. A murder that almost became yours as well.
You pushed your door open and pulled on a jacket as you half-walked, half-ran down the stairs, and your mom looked up at you from her magazine.
“Are you ready to actually explain this all to me?” she asked, and you didn’t even bother to look back at her as you shoved your feet into your boots and continued towards the door.
“Nope,” you answered simply, and you were out the door before she could say anything else.
You felt the tiniest bit of guilt for treating your mom so flippantly, but you didn’t want her involved with this in any way. Besides, you couldn't exactly tell her about anything you were doing, especially after Klaus decided to start throwing things at you.
The thought made you realize you might have to start looking into alternate housing, more so for Bee’s sake than anything. She should have been fine at school despite Stefan’s presence, but you couldn't imagine having a sister that was working in the midst of it all would help her.
Klaus said you had already made yourself a target with your investigation — you could deal with that. But if someone came after your family because of what you’d gotten yourself into, you wouldn’t be able to live with yourself. Maybe it was time to start putting some distance between you and your family.
You sighed as you pull out of the driveway, disheartened at the idea. After you made sure you weren't going to be indicted for murder, you had to start looking up cheap motels.
-
“Okay!” you breathed, trying to stay calm in spite of the sudden hysteria rising inside. “I— I have something in mind. Something that guarantees my life over more than just your word, and will help you just as much as me.”
“Oh?” Amusement sparked in his irises, but the rise of his eyebrows told you he was at least slightly interested. That was all you needed. Klaus took a step back and you were finally able to breathe again. “Please, enlighten me.”
You half-expected Klaus to throw it all to the wind and kill you on the spot, so the mere fact that you were still breathing meant that you were a lot farther than you thought you would get. But you knew he wasn't going to give you all day, so the words started coming out as quickly as they appeared in your head.
“Alright. I think both you and I can agree that you’re not the most… calming person to be around. Partially due to all the murder. And I bet all of that combined with how long you’ve been around has gotten you a lot of enemies, some that probably live in this town. There’s gotta be a lot of people that hate you, too many for you to keep track of them all. So my offer is this: I can be your assistant. Some kind of— some kind of human diplomat, a new face that won’t instill rage in everyone that hates you. That can get you a way out that doesn’t always include killing everyone and burning bridges. And I can also help you find traitors in your midst. It’s my job, and I’m damn good at it.”
Klaus merely stared at you, a small smile curving across his lips that had an edge like a knife. You couldn't read him at all in this moment — whether he was willing to take you up on it or he was about to gut you like a fish, you had no idea.
“I— I have a sister.” You continued rambling, maybe because you thought it would increase his sympathy or maybe because now that you were so close to the edge you were trying to pull out every stop you could. “She is the person that I love most in this world, and if I were to die it would completely crush her. You have siblings too, right? Elijah, and— and another brother, and you have a sister too. You love her, right? You know the things that you would do for her, to keep her out of trouble and keep her safe. That’s what I’m doing right now, Klaus. You’ve got to at least understand that, if nothing else.”
Something changed in his eyes then, so miniscule that if you weren’t staring directly into them you wouldn’t have noticed it. His inscrutable gaze became the slightest bit less suffocating, and he nodded.
“Alright. I accept your deal.”
He closed the distance he previously took back in one short step, and he tipped your chin up with a single cold finger to keep your eyes on him. His voice was a low drawl when he spoke again, and your breath caught in your throat once more at the proximity.
“I very much look forward to our partnership.”
Klaus was gone before you know it, leaving you only with a tightness in your chest and the sour taste of regret.
You’d gone and thrown yourself into the deep end like you planned. You only hoped you had enough in you to keep from drowning.
-
There was nothing here.
The whole place, it was completely clean. The metallic scent of blood, the man’s body, even your pocket knife and your broken phone. It was all gone — suspiciously spotless for an abandoned building. Just when you started to go into options of the culprit, that smooth, accented voice rang out behind you.
“I took the responsibility of cleaning the scene. I didn’t think you would mind.”
You flinched as soon as the first word was out, and your jaw was already clenched when you turned around. You weren't even surprised that he’s here.
“How do you always know where I am?”
Elijah gave the ghost of a smile. “You aren’t terribly difficult to track.”
“I told you not to follow me.”
“Only last night.”
“I thought the meaning would stick.”
“I have something to discuss with you,” he said evenly. “It couldn’t exactly wait until you were ready to talk again.”
You huffed a laugh. “Does it have anything to do with your brother?”
“As a matter of fact, yes. Why did you cut a deal with him?”
“Because he would’ve killed me otherwise.”
“He’ll still kill you,” Elijah snapped. “It’ll just be after a few painful months of working as his lackey instead. That is, if our enemies don’t get to you first.”
“A few months is a lot better than a few hours.” You were trying your best to remain unmovable, no matter how intimidating Elijah is. He wasn't allowed to get mad at you for a choice made after your hand was forced. “It gives me a lot more time to figure out how to get out of this.”
“I don’t think you understand what you’ve signed yourself up for,” he said, continuing to push. “You can’t get out of this. Offering yourself up as his assistant? Do you realize what a spectacularly horrible idea that is?”
“Of course I do!” you exclaimed, gesturing forcefully with your hands. “What, do you think I’m happy about the fact I gave him a free pass to make me do all your family’s dirty work? I did this because I had to, Elijah — you don’t get to judge me for this.”
“I’m not judging you,” he sighed, and he rubbed a hand across his face. “I just don’t understand why he agreed to this. I understand why he would want you close to prevent you from causing any more trouble, but there’s no point getting a human to do a vampire’s dirty work.”
You shrugged. “Maybe he’ll make me murder someone for fun. Maybe he’s hoping it’ll kill me along the way. I don’t really care why he took me on though, Elijah. All I care about is that right now, I’m still alive. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way.”
“You realize he’s going to use that will against you, to whatever means he pleases.”
“Yeah.” You swallowed the lump in your throat. “I know.”
“Almost every vampire that ends up the subject of Niklaus’s anger doesn’t make it to the next day, never mind humans. But somehow, you’ve managed to worm your way in.” Elijah just shook his head, the anger in his gaze fizzling out into concern. “You’re remarkably brave, to the point of stupidity.”
“I investigate things for a living,” you said. “This is just another situation I have to figure out. With a lot more incentive.”
Elijah closed his eyes, then opened them again after a long, weary sigh. “If you’re not going to budge on this, at least let me help you”
“How?”
“Allow me to explain some things about our world to you. About Mystic Falls, about vampires, and more specifically, my family. Knowing what you’re up against will only help you.” He gave you a pointed look then reached an expectant hand out. “And if you’re going to be working for Klaus, you can only avoid me for so long. It’s best you start getting over this grudge sooner rather than later.”
You stared at his outstretched hand for a good second before relenting with a huff. “Fine.” You didn't take the offering, instead choosing to walk past him. “But I’m driving.”
“Alright. I do have something for you, though.”
You stopped and turned, and Elijah tossed an object towards you. You caught it, realizing that it was your pocket knife. You shoved it in your back pocket after a second of examination then gave him a begrudging nod. “...Thanks.”
“Of course.” He straightened his tie and gestured a hand out towards the woods. “Lead the way.”
-
There was something unnerving about Elijah, something that became more tangible as you walked through the woods, the two of you paced evenly.
It was how put together he is.
Klaus, he could hardly hold himself back. He tried to kill you within seconds of meeting you, then threatened the deed about five more times before you threw yourself into a fire of his own creation for a chance at mercy. He was terrifying in every way.
But Elijah, when you took the chance to think about him, was even more so. He stopped his brother from killing you with a few well-placed words, and the possibility of Elijah’s retaliation was one of the only things keeping Klaus from harming you in the park.
He harbored this secret from you all the while laughing with you, assisting you with your research, flirting with you. He was always impeccably dressed, always knew just the right thing to say. It was easy to let your guard down around him — too easy, when he could kill you at any moment without a single wrinkle in his suit.
You were lucky enough for Elijah to have taken some kind of interest in you, keeping him on your side for now. As you got in your car and glanced at him out of the corner of your eye, you knew that you had to make sure he stays there.
“Put on your seatbelt,” you said as you turned on the car.
His eyebrows rose. “I’m a vampire that has been alive for longer than you can fathom. I would not be harmed in any kind of accident.”
“Okay, and? My insurance doesn’t care about that. Put on your seatbelt.”
Elijah looked at you for a moment, amusement twinkling in his eyes before he relented. You checked your mirrors then pulled onto the road, and it took all of twenty seconds for Elijah to fill the silence.
“Do you have a destination in mind?”
You shrugged. “What’s a good place to talk about Halloween monsters without being overheard?”
“We are not ‘Halloween monsters’,” Elijah corrected, and you found his opposition to it far more amusing than it should have been. “But your home could be a viable option.”
“Like I’d willingly lead you to my house,” you scoffed.
“I already know where you live. As I said, you aren’t difficult to track.”
You grimaced, glaring at him as you came to a temporary stop behind a sign. “Do you really not know how creepy that sounds, or do you just not care?”
“I apologize for my phrasing. I have no ill intent.” Elijah cleared his throat. “I took measures after we met to ensure that you would be safe in case one of my siblings took an interest in you and decided to voice it in particularly… violent way. It became especially necessary after you became more forward in an investigation that would lead you directly into danger.”
You bristled slightly, keeping your eyes locked on the road. “Just because it’s justified doesn’t make it any better.”
“You cannot deny that it was the right option, seeing what you’ve experienced lately.” You felt his gaze on you, and the weight of it made you uncomfortable. “Keeping an eye on you is the wisest option, seeing as it lowers your chances of death by a good margin.”
“Fine,” you relented. “But only within reason, and only when I ask you to. And no stalking.”
Elijah nodded, satisfied.
“I have a place in mind,” you said after a few moments of silence, “but it’s going to be a couple minutes until we get there. So, how about answering some questions on the ride?”
“What would you like to know?” he asked. “Within reason, of course.”
You rolled your eyes at his use of your words and decided to start off small. “Both you and Klaus talk a lot about your siblings. Who are they, exactly?”
“There are four of us still walking around: Me and Niklaus, as you know, and Rebekah and Kol who you have yet to meet. Though you might remember Rebekah from that phone call.”
It took you a second to remember, but you nodded. “I take it you two weren’t going to a fashion show.”
He chuckled. “No. We were not.”
You let out a loose sigh and decided to move on before you thought too much of it. “Alright, second question. How old are all of you? How— how long have you been vampires?”
Elijah sighed as well, and you took the opportunity of a red light to look at him. “We were all turned at the same time over a thousand years ago, but when it happened, I was twenty-four.”
Maybe the fact that it was such an incomprehensible amount of time to be alive was why you focused on the most obscure part of his explanation. You managed to stifle a laugh, and he gave you a strange look. “What about this do you find amusing?”
“Nothing,” you said, but you couldn't hold back your smile. “It’s just… technically, I’m older than you. You’re forever twenty-four. I’m twenty-five.”
His expression turned incredulous. “I have been alive for a millennia. You don’t even have three decades under your belt.”
You huffed and shook your head, the moment ruined “It was a joke, Elijah. You’d figure after a thousand years you would have a sense of humor.”
“I have more important things to worry about than cracking jokes,” Elijah scoffed. And in an almost defensive tone, he tacked on, “besides. Plenty of people think I am hilarious.”
You laughed as you pulled into an open spot on the curb, getting out after you put your car into park and turned it off. “Sure.”
Elijah did the same, and he looked at you over the top of the car with a far too serious expression for the conversation you were engaging in. “You just laughed. You’ve proven my point.”
You just rolled your eyes, already starting to head towards the entrance. “Just start walking.”
He caught up to you in a few easy steps, and he finally glanced up at your destination. Elijah looked at you with a small smile. “The library?”
You shrugged. “Figure we’d start the newest branch of our weird partnership the same place it really began.”
“I didn’t take you as the poetic type.”
“I’m not.” You held the door open for him when you reached it, and you admit that you took pleasure in the slight rise of his eyebrows at the action. “Now get your head out of the clouds, Mikaelson. It’s time to really get into it.”
Notes:
sorry this update took a little longer, i had to cram an entire english project in the past 3 days lol. fun fic fact of the day: much of the brainstorming for this fic has been done on my walks and runs, and i know i look insane mouthing out lines to myself if anyone sees it. but it has helped me a lot i highly recommend going on 6 mile runs through the woods for inspiration
anyways, thank you all for reading, i love and appreciate all of your comments so much!! ive gotten more engagement on this fic in terms of comments than anything else ive ever written and i think thats why i have so much drive to write it. every time i get an email for a comment it completely makes my day, and all of you supporting this fic in any way have my entire heart!!! i love you all<3 <3
writing this fic is reviving my love for the originals. like every time i look up stuff for them i get knocked out of commission because they are so fucking hot. elijah is the hottest man i have ever seen i actually can't handle it
and in case any of you were curious, i have a playlist for this fic! i add to it whenever i find songs i think fit the fic and i change the pfp a lot to whichever mikaelson im feelin lmao. right now it's rebekah, which is fitting seeing as she's going to be showing up in the next chapter :-)
Chapter Text
You and Elijah took a table in the very back to at least attempt secrecy, but thankfully, the library was mostly empty today. The two of you sat in silence for a few moments, just staring at the other. You had so many things to ask, but you didn't even know where you should start when it came to questioning a thousand year old vampire
“I guess the best place to start is the beginning,” you decided, finally breaking the silence. “Do you remember exactly when you were born?”
“Much too long ago,” Elijah responded. “After so many years I admit the date is a bit foggy, but I believe it was sometime around the tenth century.”
“That’s still completely insane to me. That you’ve been around for so long, that— that you’re even real.” You shook your head with a slight laugh. “Something else I want to know, that’s really been bugging me — both you and Klaus have mentioned compulsion, and another vampire I ran into at the high school tried to use it on me too. Klaus said the only thing protecting me from it is the vervain tea I’ve been drinking lately. What is compulsion, exactly?”
Elijah sighed. “It’s an ability that vampires possess to force others to do their will. It’s a form of mind control. The easiest way to protect against it as a human is vervain, which you just so happened to be on both the night Niklaus attacked you and today when you ran into Stefan. You’re incredibly lucky — I recommend you continue to take it.”
“That is… unsettling.” You crossed your arms as your gaze dropped to the table, yet another mark added to the list of ways you would meet your untimely demise by a vampire’s hand. Without a doubt you were going to continue drinking your tea—you should probably stop by the store and pick up a whole lot more.
But the more you thought about it, the more familiar it sounded. You hadn't had that tea every day, especially when you first arrived back home, but your usage had been consistent enough to keep you alive. And then you remembered when you first met Elijah, the first time you tried your sister’s tea and… when he tried to get you to stay.
“Oh my god,” you muttered, the realization striking you as you stared at him incredulously. “Did you try to compel me that first day in the cafe?”
His head tilted slightly to the side as if he was trying to remember, and then he nodded. “I suppose I did.”
“And— and that time we were investigating the woods and I couldn’t for the life of me remember why I had just turned back instead of looking further—” You glared at Elijah. “What is wrong with you? You can’t just mess with someone’s mind like that!”
“Would you like me to explain my reasons,” he said, completely unfazed, “or would you prefer to hold yet another grudge against me?”
You scoffed. “What reasons could you have for doing that to me?”
“Our first meeting was a matter of curiosity. There was something about you that I couldn’t quite place, and I wanted to ensure you weren’t some kind of danger to my family. As you now know, we have far too many enemies. When you were unaffected by the compulsion, I feared that you were indeed our newest problem—”
“—which explains why we ended up ‘miraculously’ meeting in the library the next day,” you finished, your lips twisting downward. “I was on vervain that day. But I didn’t take any when we went into the woods.”
Elijah nodded. “I knew you weren’t a threat by then, just someone with a lot of luck who was dangerously close to getting herself caught up in a lot of trouble. That day in the woods, I could hear my brother and the vampire you saw him kill in there discussing quite… murderous matters. If I had let you go, you would’ve ended up in the mess you’re in now a lot sooner, but I can almost guarantee it would be worse. It’s far too easy to rack up enemies in our world, and even easier to fall victim to them. I’ve tried my hardest to keep you from that unbecoming fate.”
You huffed a laugh. “Should’ve tried a little harder.”
“I would apologize, but it was not me that put you into danger, it was not me that continued to follow it and it most certainly was not me who made a deal with the man who tried to kill you to aid him with something I know nothing about.” Elijah gave you a pointed look. “No, I believe that was you.”
Technically he was right, and that annoyed you to no end. If anything, Elijah was the only reason you were alive — you have no doubt you would be another face in the newspaper had it not been for his appearance last night — but you thought you deserved some credit for coming out alive after a one on one with Klaus. Besides, the deal wasn’t permanent. You just had to play your role, doing what he wanted until he was satisfied or he killed you.
You swallowed your sudden doubts. They wouldn't do anything for you, not now.
“Well, it’s already happened,” you clipped. “So you can either complain about how quickly I’m going to die or help me survive.”
“To start, you need to be more cautious of how you speak,” Elijah said. “It’s a fine line to toe of being endearingly confident and mouthing off in a way that will get you killed. From what I can tell my brother likes your stubbornness, as long as you don’t make things harder for him.”
“I can work with that,” you said with a reluctant sigh. “What about the other vampires in Mystic Falls? Both you and Klaus have mentioned them, and I already ran into one today. I want to be prepared.”
“Ah, yes,” Elijah nodded. “Stefan.”
You frowned. “How do you know about that?”
He gave the ghost of a smile. “The first thing my brother did when you made that ill-minded deal with him was come home to brag about what he managed to get you into. It bodes very well for your future.”
You glared at him. “For somebody with no sense of humor, you sure are fond of sarcasm. Can you continue with the vampire list?”
That faint smile remained on his lips as he started talking again. “There are a few other vampires in Mystic Falls that could prove to be a problem, and most of them are in the same little group. The Salvatores and Caroline Forbes are vampires, Bonnie Bennett is a witch, Tyler Lockwood is a hybrid of my brother’s creation — it’s a complete mess of the supernatural, but it’s quite convenient for them to all be together.”
So the brunette you bumped into in the hallway is a witch, and the blonde girl that interrupted your interview is a vampire. That was just great.
You decided to focus on the most obvious thing, trying not to dwell on the fact that your sister’s school was apparently a supernatural hotspot. “Stefan is a Salvatore.”
Elijah nodded. “He is one half of the Salvatore brothers. Stefan is more subdued because he tries not to hurt innocents, and though his brother has grown softer due to the time he has spent around humans, he’s still very much a wild card. Damon thinks he’s really something, but he simply isn’t.” Elijah actually chuckled a little as if he was remembering something, but his expression sobered as he looked back to you. “He will most likely try to kill you if he gets the chance, though.”
“What, so I’m just supposed to walk around town like normal and hope that I don’t run into anyone that feels like killing me?” You huffed a mirthless laugh. “I think we’ve both seen that I have a knack for running into murderers.”
He shrugged. “You can think of this as your first test. If you’re to work with Niklaus in any kind of fashion, you’ll be dealing with far worse odds than an off-handed chance of bumping into a vampire. If you can’t survive a day in this town with a small target painted on your back, then you won’t survive a second in the midst of the supernatural world.”
“Has anyone ever told you how horrible you are at moral support?”
Elijah just smiled.
-
You ended up spending a grand total of four hours in the library with Elijah, talking through all the ins and outs as you asked every question that popped into your head. Once you stopped ending up in petty squabbles every few minutes over something Elijah said, your conversation flowed almost as smoothly as it did before you knew the truth about him.
As for your questions, most of them got answered, but anytime you got too close to something specific about his family he managed to change course. He was annoyingly good at it too.
To be fair, he mostly kept to his word. He told you enough to not die to them, and you were pretty sure that was the best you were going to get for now. When you asked him about his frustrating vagueness on the matter of the Mikaelsons, he simply said the less you knew the better. “You can’t get valuable information tortured out of you if you don’t have any valuable information.”
(You really wished he would tell you more about his murderous family that you were indebted to — ignorance wasn't really bliss when you were already in the thick of it — but as long as what you didn't know wouldn't literally kill you, you think you could deal with it.)
But in terms of things he did tell you, they were interesting. You were surprised by how often he entertained your stupid questions.
The order in which they’re most to least likely to kill you (Kol, Klaus, Rebekah) why him and Klaus have different accents despite being born in the same place (when you’ve lived for a thousand years and visited a thousand different places, you can choose which one you like best), why he wears suits all the time (looking presentable is important to him and it helps him feel in control; not because it makes him look insanely hot, apparently), and why they’re in Mystic Falls in the first place (a mixture of their own history and unfinished business), among other things.
You parted ways when it started to get dark outside, Elijah going off on his own with his usual bid to stay safe and you driving back home. Bee and your mom should have been home by now, probably cooking dinner or something while she waits for you to get home so she can start up another argument.
It was for that reason that you found yourself sitting in silence after you pulled into the driveway, feeling like a child with how anxious you were about having this conversation again. You were a grown adult with a successful career, and you were still giving yourself a pep talk before going inside to talk to your mother.
You sighed as you pulled the keys from ignition and got out of the car, ambling up to your doorstep. You figured it couldn't be worse than what you’ve dealt with the past two days.
You were greeted by the scent of lemon pepper and cilantro when you opened the door, making sure to lock it behind you. Not a moment later did a voice fill the silence.
“It’s okay.” An actual weight lifted off your shoulders when you saw that it was Bee sitting at the kitchen table and not your mother. “It’s just us. Mom was on call and she got sent in like, thirty minutes ago.”
You sighed in relief as you took a seat across from her, tugging your coat off and letting it fall to the floor. “Thank god. I don’t think I can deal with her again today.”
Bianca hummed, a noncommittal noise, before she changed the subject. “You did a pretty good job at the assembly,” she said, resting her chin on her fist. “But what’s up with you?”
“What do you mean?” you asked, carefully schooling your features into an unaffected mask. “Nothing’s up.”
Bee gave you the knowing look of a sister. “Last night, you just completely disappeared — you didn’t answer any of my calls or texts, and you never ignore me.”
You shrugged. “I decided to go out last night and ended up going home with someone. My phone died and they didn’t have a charger. It’s no big deal.”
Bringing up a possible guy was a good idea, because she went from suspicious to imploring. “Seriously?” Her eyes brightened. “Was it that Elijah guy you’ve been working with?”
You huffed a laugh. If only she knew how true that was. “I am not gossiping about this kind of thing with you,” you said as you stood up from your seat.
“Boooo,” she joked, and she stood up as well. Bee tossed a glance over her shoulder at you as she kneeled down to check the oven. “I’m making dinner, by the way. If you feel like delaying your isolation by an hour or so.”
You smiled as you turned around, an arm draped around the stair bannister. “What’s on the menu?”
“Salmon and asparagus, the way Mom always makes it.” Bee grinned. “We had some in the fridge, and since we’re on our own tonight I figured I’d hone my chef skills.”
“That sounds perfect,” you admitted. “I have some work to knock out, and a whole lot of emails to send though. If I bring my laptop down, will you keep me company ‘til dinner’s ready?”
“Of course.” Bee brushed it off with a wave of her hand and sat back down at the table, steepling her fingers as her expression turned mischievous. “I have a lot to rant about from today though, so I hope you’re ready for that.”
“Of course,” you smiled, repeating her words. “You know the one thing I’m missing in my life is drama from a high school I don’t even go to anymore.”
Bee laughed, and in that moment you’ve only confirmed what you already know:
You would do anything to keep your sister safe — Klaus Mikaelson be damned.
-
Dinner with your sister was pleasant, the spout of normalcy you’d needed after the disaster that had been meeting the Mikaelsons. Talking and joking around with Bee reminded you why you still made trips down to Virginia, why you hadn't completely cut off your family.
You retreated back to your room afterwards to finish up your barrage of emails — turned out disappearing from work for two weeks with a thinly veiled excuse in the form of a text to your boss didn't go over very well. Mikayla Blackwood was a very impatient editor, but you hoped a family emergency combined with a possible case opportunity was enough to get her off of you for a little while longer. If you managed to make it through this ordeal alive, you were not returning home as an unemployed woman.
The rest of the night, unsurprisingly, was dedicated to research. After jotting down everything you remembered from your time with Elijah, you took to the internet and wrote down any information you could find relating to vampires that seemed remotely credible. If this town was crawling with as many creatures as Elijah said, you wanted to be prepared.
You didn't even remember how late into the night you worked, which might have played a part in why your alarm going off was the worst thing to happen to you. You groaned into your pillow as you blindly reached over to turn it off, then sat up as you tried and figure out why you were waking up so early. The sleep deprivation was really starting to get to you.
Then, looking at your bedside table, you remembered. Today was a shopping day, your attempt at easing your anxiety the slightest bit. You prepared a list last night of things you needed, and the early morning start was so you didn't have to deal with any questions.
You were only slightly groggy by the time you got into the car, a thermos of verbena tea sitting in the cupholder next to you as you took off on your thrilling mission. You knew you didn't compare to a vampire in any kind of way, but a couple safety measures did make you feel better. You might not be quick enough to use a stake on one, but at least you would know you had one as you got your heart ripped out.
For some reason, you chuckled at that. How quickly your sense of humor has become morbid.
And certainly, your day out was very thrilling.
You were honestly surprised how easy it was to find a lot of the things that can take a vampire down. A couple hours was all it took to get your hands on a stake (a 12 pack of 12 inch wooden stakes only cost six dollars at Lowe’s, and one fit conveniently into your muff pocket), more vervain (you got it loose at the grocery store and you plan to steep it into your coffee as an experiment — how bad could it really taste?), and a surprisingly good hunting knife at a local store. Turns out the first step in the modern guide for surviving a supernatural world was getting acquainted with your local hardware stores.
You were on your way back to your car — you had to park much too far away from a frustrating lack of street space — when your head suddenly perked up, the hairs on the back of your neck standing on edge. Your gut told you something was wrong, but you didn't even get a chance to act before you were proven right.
It all happened in a flash. One second you were walking down the sidewalk, the next you were being slammed up against the brick wall of the alleyway you were near with an iron grip on your wrists. You heaved a gasp from the force of your body hitting the wall, your vision momentarily going out of focus. It took a second for you to regain your bearings, but when you did you were staring down the barrel of a gun in the form of two electric blue eyes and a dangerous smirk.
“So, you’re the one that’s been poking around in my business,” he mused. His grip on your wrists tightened, his eyes alight with amusement as you thrashed against him. “I have to admit, I’m not impressed. You’re so… normal.”
“Let go of me,” you growled, but it was as impossible to pull away from him as it was Klaus. It was like a game to him, all the work you were putting into an pointless escape while he just watched.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he said, his voice smooth in a way that made your skin crawl. “You see, I don’t mind people knowing about me — I like it when they’re scared. But what you’re doing, trying to expose my whole thing to your newspaper? You’ve gotta see why I can’t have that going around.”
“So you’re the one that got me into this mess,” you snarled, letting out a slightly deranged laugh. “What, decided that you wanted to get in on trying to kill me?"
“Unfortunately this is business, not pleasure,” he corrected, but the smile didn't fade away. “I will enjoy killing you, though. I have to thank my brother for the tip."
“Damon Salvatore,” you guessed, and the glint in his eye told you that you were right. “I’ve heard a lot about you. You sound like a real asshole.”
He hummed, merely looking entertained. “I’m assuming you’re a fan of my work, seeing as you’ve put so much effort into figuring out that it was me. Tell me, what were you gonna name me in your article?”
Out of pure frustration, you winded your leg up and kicked him in the chest. You might as well have been hitting a wall, as Damon didn't budge an inch. You were sure it hurt you more than him, something confirmed as he shook his head and tutted.
“That’s not very nice of you,” Damon said with mock offense. “I’m trying to have a pleasant conversation with you, and you’re attacking me?” He sighed. “And people say I have no manners. The Mikaelsons must be rubbing off on you.”
You stiffened at the mention of them. He only smiled in response, giving you a knowing look.
“What, you didn’t think I’d try and check out Klaus’s little toy?” Damon asked, tilting his head towards you. “Killing you will send a message as well as get rid of one of my problems. I’m a two birds with one stone kinda guy.”
“Does every vampire in this town have nothing better to do than come after me?” you gritted out.
He smiled. “Consider yourself lucky. Now,” his expression sobered as his pupils dilated, “stay still, and stay quiet.”
(You wondered when vampires were going to get the hint and stop trying to compel you.)
Instead, you screamed as loud as you could. The first syllable of a plea for help escaped before, after an annoyed sigh, he let go of one of your wrists to clamp his hand over your mouth.
The second yours was free, you ripped out the stake that had been weighing heavy in your pocket for the past couple minutes and brought it down on his heart with as much force as you could. But it seems that you continuously forgot the speed of a vampire, because you felt the pain before you even saw his hand move.
Damon caught your wrist an inch away from his chest and slammed it against the wall, and you cried out in pain. The deafening crack came from both the brick behind you and your wrist. You glared daggers at him, your breathing stilted as you tried to avoid looking at the bizarre angle of your broken wrist, but it had no effect.
“You’re clever,” he admitted, a dangerous glint in his eye as he took both your wrists in one hand, his grip tight as a vice, “but not clever enough.”
Black veins branched out below his eyes, and you knew your time was up. He was on you before a protest could even reach your lips.
Pure fire erupted in your veins when his fangs sunk into your neck. Your agonized cry was once again muffled by his hand over your mouth, and you writhed like mad underneath him. Just as the pain seeped further, he staggered back with a hiss. His glare was truly murderous as it drilled into you.
“Vervain,” he growled, wiping the blood— your blood— off his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket. His breathing came out in haggard waves, and he sounded a lot more pissed off. “You really don’t like making things easy, huh?”
You leaned as much of your weight as you could against the wall, trembling fingers trying their best to put pressure against the new hole in your neck. You were facing death for the third time in three days and all you could think about was how another vampire had ruined another coat.
“Never was my thing,” you managed, the words coming out in a shaky breath. “Should’ve just snapped my neck and been over with it.”
Damon’s teeth bared in a menacing grin, though there was a hell of a lot more anger in his eyes as they darkened once more. “Great idea.”
Before he even got a chance to move, a flash of blonde intercepted him and tackled him to the ground. Your eyes widened, a mixture of shock and fear both at the woman’s sudden appearance and the ease with which she held down someone that threw you around like a paper doll.
“Hello darling,” she greeted, looking far too good and far too pleasant for the situation she was in right now, “you should probably run.”
You didn't need to be told twice.
-
You didn’t even want to know how you looked to a normal passerby, sprinting down the sidewalk like a madwoman with one hand pressed to your neck and bleeding all over the place.
You think you made it a block by the time your adrenaline started to fizzle out, but the combination of fear and blood loss made it hard to be sure. Out of breath, light-headed, and slightly dizzy, you threw yourself behind the nearest building and took a few moments for yourself.
A fresh wave of exhaustion hit you along with the true intensity of your neck wound — you were lucky enough for a dampened pain while you were running for your life, but now that you were out of danger, the fire ignited again.
You screwed your eyes shut, a strangled gasp escaping through gritted teeth. At least when Klaus tried to kill you, he was decent enough for it to be mostly painless. But this? This was torture. You knew you should go to the hospital to get it stitched up and prevent infection and not fucking die, but you didn't even know what you would tell them. And good god, your mother would have your head.
Your thoughts were interrupted as someone joined you, and when you looked up you saw it was the blonde woman that saved you. Your body immediately tensed up by virtue of every human law, but she didn't seem bothered by it.
“That doesn’t look too good,” she commented helpfully.
You huffed a laugh then immediately winced. “Good eye,” you said dryly. Her lips twitched into a smile for a moment, and your head lulled to the side. You didn’t know how much more of this you had in you. “Please don’t tell me you’re a Mikaelson.”
“Sorry to disappoint,” she said, and you groaned inwardly. This must be Rebekah. “But I can assure you that I am much better than my brothers. And far more interesting.”
“Lovely,” you breathed, pressing your hand harder against your wound. “Wanna prove that and help me?”
Rebekah rolled her eyes. “I suppose there’s no point in saving you only to let you die after.”
She lifted her wrist to her lips and bit into it, blood already starting to pool around her fang marks. The ease with which she did it made you grimace, a reaction only exemplified when she neared you and held her arm out. “Open up.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Vampire blood has healing properties,” she explained, and she tilted her wrist to keep the blood from dripping onto the ground. “Now come on, before this heals itself.”
You stared at her, incredulous. “Absolutely not.”
Now Rebekah just looked annoyed. “You’re actively dying, and you have the nerve to be picky?”
You just shrugged. Maybe you were delirious or maybe you were just an idiot, but you weren't drinking blood. Especially not straight from her wrist.
She shook her head with a sigh then, surprisingly, offered a thin smile after staring at you for a moment. “You do have taste, I suppose. I can’t be mad at that. Sit tight.”
She was gone just like that, giving you approximately fifteen seconds on your own to ponder how the hell you got to this point before she was back with a paper cup in hand. She offered it to you, and you just stared at it.
Rebekah sighed again, her most extravagant one yet. “Black coffee to make it go down easier. Now, if you just want to bleed out then feel free to keep gawking, but my brothers will have my head. If you can get over yourself, it’ll heal that nasty hole in your neck.”
As much as you hated it, you would hate dying from Damon Salvatore’s hand even more. You took the coffee cup reluctantly, and as you took a few sips you tried your hardest not to think about the addition to it.
You were surprised that it wasn't even that bad. The bitterness masked most of the metallic taste, and it helped that the pain in your neck immediately started to subside. You pulled your hand away and winced, your fingers sticky with blood.
“That’s gonna leave a mark,” you murmured as you brushed your hair away from your neck. You wondered how much of a mess you must have looked like right now.
“It won’t leave a mark,” Rebekah clipped. “That’s what the point of this whole thing was.”
You held your hand away from your body, not sure what to do with it when it was dripping blood. Rebekah seemed to be an expert in thinking ahead, because she pulled a couple of napkins out of her pocket and offered them to you.
“Thanks.” She hummed in acknowledgment, eyeing you carefully as you did your best to wipe the blood off of your hand and neck. You knew you were still a mess, but at least you weren't an actively-bleeding mess.
“I suppose I ought to apologize for what happened back there,” Rebekah said. “I would’ve gotten to you sooner, but I didn’t anticipate you running into him so quickly.”
Her words echoed Elijah’s after your encounter with Klaus, and you laughed inwardly. You were like some kind of murderer magnet.
“Well, thanks for not letting him kill me,” you responded. “And for healing me.”
“If I’m being honest, it was my pleasure,” she admitted. “Damon Salvatore is a beast, and beasts never stay down as long as they should — I’m always happy to do it again. Now, would you like to chat somewhere less…” she looked around and grimaced. “Drab?”
“I can’t go anywhere like this,” you said, glancing at the blood on your hand. “I need a shower, and I need to change clothes.” You huffed a mirthless laugh and shook your head. “I’m gonna need a whole new wardrobe if vampires in this town keep ruining my clothes with blood.”
Rebekah’s eyes lit up and she grinned, teeth unnaturally white. “You’ve ended up with the right sibling, darling.”
Notes:
sorry this took a month to come out lol, but thank you for 100 kudos in that time!!! ive been super busy with school and i also kind of had a hard time putting this chapter together for some reason. but i only have a month left until my last 3 college decisions come out and 2 months until i graduate thank GOD
anyways, in this chap reader and elijah's relationship becomes even more rocky, damon is an arrogant jerk, and rebekah gets a badass entrance. next chapter's dedicated to her<3
btw in this line "Elijah actually chuckles a little as if he’s remembering something, but his expression sobers as he looks back to you", he's remembering this lmao #get fucked damon
Chapter Text
Rebekah agreed to let you stop by your home to wash up before your outing, though she was reluctant after you insisted on going there alone. You promised to meet her at the square after an hour, and though she allowed it she still seemed uneasy. You supposed she had a point with your track record.
The first thing you did when you walked inside was run to the mirror, and when you caught a glimpse of yourself your eyes widened the slightest bit. Underneath all the dried flecks of crimson, it was certain — your neck wound had healed completely in seconds, all due to Rebekah’s blood.
You shook your head. Vampires continued to baffle you.
But temporary shock was a hell of a lot better than a permanent death, so you tried to shake it all off. If you were about to spend the day with another Mikaelson, you couldn’t be distracted in any kind of way — even if Elijah did think she was the least likely to kill you, you considered his list irrelevant because of its subjects. They were all murderers, therefore they could all murder you just the same.
You sighed as you turned on the water. You missed New York.
After your pointless mental philosophical debate, you showered and changed in peace, ever thankful for the coinciding of your family’s schedules to create an empty house. You chose a slightly wrinkled hoodie to go over a university tee and an old pair of jeans, figuring that you now had to pick outfits based on whether or not you mind ruining them with blood. Hopefully a day with Rebekah would prove to be less eventful, but you didn’t have high hopes.
Despite your promise to meet her in the square in an hour, when you took the first step outside you were met by her standing on the curb.
“Hello, darling,” she greeted, her hands tucked into the pockets of a leather jacket. It seemed she also had time to change by virtue of her bloodless outfit. “This is where you live?”
You nodded. “Is there a problem?”
“It’s…” she wrinkled her nose, “quaint.” Her attention then focused on you, and she looked even more appalled. “That cannot possibly be what you’re wearing.”
“I’m tired of getting blood on my nice outfits,” you said dryly as you walked over to your car. “If you have a problem, you can buy me some new ones.”
Rebekah looked you up and down with a disapproving glint in her eye. “I think I might just have to.” She came to a stop in front of your car, and her lip curled up. “If I knew this was the car you owned, I would have sprung for a chauffeur.”
You gave her a thin smile as you opened the door and took your seat. “Well, today I’m your chauffeur. So you can either get in, or keep complaining and then get in.”
“With your attitude, it’s like you want to die,” she said offhandedly, though she still got in.
You swallowed thickly as you started the car, choosing to avoid her heavy gaze as you pulled out of the driveway. “Just trying to keep a little self-respect.”
You could see her smile just the slightest bit out of the corner of your eye, and then you felt the full weight of her attention on you.
“So,” she said, crossing her arms, “what’s so special about you that landed me on the protection committee?”
You tried to hide your surprise at that. You knew she mentioned something about her brothers ‘having her head’ if she let you die, but you had to admit you weren’t really expecting Klaus to care whether you lived or died. You could understand Elijah a little bit more due to the fact that he’d already saved your life once, but he barely knew you. You weren’t exactly someone worth saving to a family of invincible vampires.
“Nothing,” you admitted. “I’m just a normal person that’s ended up way in over my head. I have no idea why your brother hasn’t killed me yet.”
“I am as well,” she said, not doing much to help your esteem. “Though he does seem to have a thing for those that stand up against him. It’s a very thin line to walk, but if you manage to balance it then there’s a possibility you make it out of this.”
“That’s the problem,” you sighed. “I don't know if I am going to get out of this. You do know what I’ve signed myself up for, right?”
“Oh, yes,” Rebekah nodded. “It’s part of the reason I agreed to do this little assignment. I had to see this newest addition to our circle for myself. It’s been a while since Nik has worked with a human; I was rather curious.”
You glanced at her. “What’s the verdict?”
She shrugged. “I’m neutral, I suppose. You haven’t exactly given me a reason to dislike you so far, and besides — anyone that annoys my dearest brother is usually someone I click with.”
You huffed a laugh. “Let’s hope we stay that way.”
“It all depends on you, darling,” Rebekah said with that slightly threatening smile. “Now,” she clasped her hands together, “where are you taking us?”
You frowned. “I thought you were gonna tell me where to go. I was just driving out of town.”
She let out an exasperated sigh and looked at you incredulously. “Must I do everything for you?”
You offered a smile of your own. “I’m the one providing transportation; the least you can do is decide where it is you want this talk to happen. You probably wouldn’t like the place I picked either, so you might as well just do it now.”
Rebekah was silent for a moment before conceding begrudgingly. “I suppose you have a point. I know a good mall just outside of town. I’ll give you directions when you need them.”
You nodded, and with nothing more to say the silence inside the car quickly turned uncomfortable. After an unbearable minute, you decided to bring up something that you knew would at least get the ball rolling on conversation.
“So,” you started, “what exactly did you do to Damon?”
“I just broke his arm,” Rebekah said simply, but then she pursed her lips. “And his other arm. And both his legs. And I snapped his neck.” She gave you a smile completely inappropriate for what she just described. “Maybe a bit overboard, but it’s hard to stop once you’ve started.”
“Oh,” you said quietly. You weren’t going to act like it didn’t bring you some sort of satisfaction to know she hurt him after all the people he murdered in town, but the ease with which she did it terrified you. He nearly killed you, and he probably would have if it hadn’t been for your vervain usage. But if Rebekah could take him down in that kind of way without even breaking a sweat, you didn’t even want to imagine what she could do to you.
(You were starting to wonder just how powerful the Mikaelsons really were.)
“Don’t worry,” she brushed off. “He’s down for the count for quite some time. You’re safe.”
It’s not him I’m worried about, you wanted to say, but instead you held your tongue and nodded. “Thank you. Again.”
“You’re welcome,” Rebekah said with a smile. “More humans should be like you, grateful for me saving their lives. A lot of this town is far too brazen in their demands; it’s like they forget who they’re dealing with!”
You nodded again, not wanting to get into something like this with her. Better to let the deadly woman rant without interruption.
You really needed to stop ending up in such close quarters with vampires.
-
Rebekah took the hefty responsibility of keeping the conversation flowing, which was an easy feat when she was the only one to talk. Mostly her ranting about humans (something very nice to hear as a human) and complaining about Mystic Falls, only interrupted whenever she had to give you directions. An exhausting twenty-five minutes later, you arrived at the Lakeside Shopping Center.
“That took long enough,” Rebekah huffed as she got out of the car and cracked her neck. “Are you afraid to speed?”
You raised your eyebrows as you locked the car and started walking. “I was fifteen over the whole time. Would you like to pay for my reckless driving tickets?”
Rebekah rolled her eyes and caught up to you in a few steps. “I can’t decide whether I like you or not. It’s irritating when humans cower, but it’s equally annoying when they’re this mouthy.”
You sighed. It was a slight concern how quickly you had become adjusted to their throwaway threats — it only became a concern when they tried to act on them. You stopped next to the curb and looked right at her.
“If you’re going to kill me, I’d prefer you just do it now.”
Rebekah tilted her head to the side ever so slightly. “That’s awfully bold.”
You shrugged. “I’m calling your bluff.”
Her gaze was a physical weight, almost drilling into you as she studied you. You could barely even breathe until she finally conceded with a sigh of her own and began to lead the way. “Alright. I’ve made my decision.”
You swallowed the lump in your throat as you rushed to catch up to her, more than a little surprised that you managed that much bravado at once. You wondered if this town was eating away at your brain cells, because straight up asking an extremely powerful vampire to kill you was not your smartest move. “And that is?”
“I do like you,” she mused. “And I can see why my brother does too. Well, both brothers.” A small smile tugged at her lips. “I wonder what the third will think.”
You huffed a laugh. “Elijah, maybe, but Klaus doesn’t like me. He barely tolerates me, and even that’s just because of our deal. He’s seriously itching to kill me.”
Rebekah shook her head. “I don’t believe your circumstances are as hopeless as you think.”
You snorted. “Please, enlighten me on how great my situation is.”
She shrugged. “You’re still alive for one. Nik doesn’t hesitate to kill those who don’t serve a purpose, including his own family. The fact that he accepted your proposal instead of ripping your heart out means that you’re held in higher esteem than most everyone in this town.”
You blinked. “He’s killed you before?”
Rebekah stilled for a moment and you worried you hit a nerve, but she was back to normal just as the thought passed. “That’s a topic for another day. But my point is, Nik likes you, and that’s why he’s decided to humor your deal and keep you alive. And even though that gives you more leeway, you need to watch out.”
You frowned. “Why? If he likes me, that’s… good, right? It means I stay alive.”
She smiled once more, but this time, she was almost… pitying you. “Darling, the only thing worse than Nik hating you is Nik liking you. And make no mistake, my brother has taken some strange sort of interest in you. Yes, it means that you’ll stay alive, but it also means that you have a much longer road ahead of you than you think.”
Your head was starting to hurt from trying to work out where you stood with Klaus, so you just brushed it off with a sigh and pushed the door open to the first store you stopped in front of. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but let’s talk about clothes. I can’t deal with your brother right now.”
Rebekah laughed as she walked inside, you filing in after her. “That makes two of us.” She looked around the store, and judging by the expression on her face it seemed like it was good enough for her.
“So,” you started, not exactly wanting to fall into another uncomfortable silence, “are you big on fashion?”
“I think you can answer that question by looking at me,” Rebekah responded as she examined the hem of a dress, “but yes, I am. It’s quite hard to live for a thousand years without picking up a hobby or two. But,” she turned to look at you, “I don’t give out information for free.”
You crossed your arms. “This isn’t information. This is how a conversation works.”
Her nose scrunched up as she looked you up and down. “When it comes to somebody like me, everything is information. But I believe we can strike a deal, since you’re so fond of them.”
“Is your family ever going to stop reminding me of the horrible choices I’ve made?” you asked dryly.
“Not when one of those horrible choices continues to be your wardrobe,” Rebekah responded in kind. “It’s just a simple request: if you try on outfits that I think will look good on you, then I’ll tell you more about myself. Within reason, of course.”
You smiled inwardly at her choice of words. They really were related.
“Fine,” you conceded. “But only if you pay for anything that I end up liking.”
Rebekah shrugged. “Sure. My family has more money than we know what to do with.”
You let out a loose breath as your eyes wandered around. For some reason, that was worse than the constant death threats. “Sounds a lot better than my deal with Klaus, so I’m in.”
“Wonderful!” She raised her fists up in triumph, then gestured over towards the dressing rooms. “Go wait over there; I don’t trust your input for anything good.”
You gave her a pointed look. “I’m not just gonna stand over there waiting for your fashion show. Can’t I ask you stuff while you look through things?”
“Fine.” Rebekah sighed and pulled a lace-back top off the rack and handed it to you without looking back. “I do need someone to hold all of it.”
“Great,” you muttered, reluctantly taking the hanger. “I just don’t even know where to start with you.”
“Wherever you’d like,” she said, and as she started to walk towards a different aisle you followed her. “I’m a very interesting person.”
“Very humble, too.”
“Humility will get you nowhere in life, darling,” Rebekah responded. “You have to be quite sure of yourself to make it in this world as a woman.” She glanced at you as she handed you a shimmering blue dress. “Right?”
You huffed a laugh. “Don’t even get me started.”
“Exactly. I’ve been alive for a thousand years — don’t doubt my wisdom.”
“Okay,” you nodded, deciding to dive into the deep end, “how do you kill vampires?”
Rebekah paused. “That’s a dangerous turn.”
You shrugged. “I figure I should know, seeing as I was nearly killed a couple hours ago. And basically every day since I found out about you all.”
“Fair point,” she hummed. “You can kill a vampire by staking them in the heart or ripping it out, as well as beheading them. Fire also works.”
“I tried to stake Damon,” you admitted, “but my reflexes don’t really help against someone like him.”
“It was a good move to try and fight,” Rebekah said. “It showed him that you aren’t someone that will go down easy. Of course, me saving you also helped with that.”
“I’ll take my victories where I can get them,” you chuckled.
“Oh, and before you go and try to light Klaus on fire, you should know that none of those methods will work on us.”
You frowned. “What, is your family special or something?”
Rebekah let out a sharp laugh, her eyes twinkling as she placed another item in your arms. “More than you know, darling.”
“Second question,” you said, not wanting to linger on the topic. “You said you can see why Klaus likes me. So, why?”
She gave you an amused look. “It’s quite simple. My brother is used to getting what he wants, and you refuse to make it easy for him. He’s drawn to those with the guts to stand up to him.”
You stared at her. “That’s the same reason he wants to kill me.”
Rebekah shrugged and gestured for you to keep up as she continued to another section. “I never said Nik made sense. I’m just telling you what I know.”
You just shook your head. A fine line to walk, indeed.
“My third question, then.” Rebekah glanced back at you, and you let out a loose breath. You didn’t know if you even wanted the answer, but you decided to ask anyway. “You said there was a possibility, but I want something more specific. What do you think my chances are of getting out of this alive?“
She was silent for a moment, her fingers lingering just above a skirt as she pondered the question. Rebekah took it off the rack and placed it on your growing pile, but then she sighed. “That all depends on you.”
“My chances objectively.”
Rebekah looked you in the eye. “Low.”
You didn’t know what you expected her to say, but it hit you hard. Rebekah had already moved on towards the dressing rooms, but you stood there trying to process it. You supposed it was one thing for you to tell yourself you were going to die, and a whole other thing for Rebekah to say it so bluntly.
“Are you just going to stand there all day?” she called, and that snapped you out of your spell as you hurried over to her.
“Sorry,” you murmured, “just trying to process what you said.”
Rebekah sighed. “First of all, if you’re to survive in our world you need thicker skin. Damon Salvatore just tried to kill you this morning, and you’re upset about me saying I don’t think you’ll make it through this ordeal alive?”
“When you put it that way—” you began to protest, but Rebekah cut you off.
“I’ve already told you that I like you, and I do. I don’t know many humans that are willing to stand up for themselves like this, especially to Nik. I understand that you’ve been thrown into something you’re not ready for, but that’s how almost everyone enters our world. You are not special — the time for moping is over. Now you have to focus on fulfilling your deal and staying alive while you do it. Understand?”
You nodded, and an odd smile tugged at your lips. “You’re pretty good at pep talks, Rebekah.”
She smiled as well, then took one final item from the return rack and placed it in your arms. “I know. Now, I believe you owe me some outfits?”
“I guess I do.” You started towards one of the rooms then paused in the doorway. “Are you up for a speed round of questions?”
She raised an eyebrow. “That depends on how ridiculous they are.”
“They’re not ridiculous!” you protested. “Well— not all of them are.”
Rebekah sighed and made a ‘shoo’ motion with her hand. “Fine. Just try the clothes on already; I can’t wait for your life to be changed.”
You rolled your eyes, but you were already starting to like Rebekah. There was something about her that was different from her siblings, something lighter. It was refreshing after dealing with her brothers and a Salvatore.
You locked the door behind you and, after hanging everything up, started to undress to fulfill your side of the agreement. “Speed round starts now!” you called through the door as you buttoned up a top. “Do you have super strength?”
“Yes.”
“Can you turn into a bat?”
“You said these wouldn’t be ridiculous,” she said, and you could hear the annoyance leaking through her words.
“I said some of them were,” you corrected.
“Of course we can’t. This isn’t a movie.”
“Just curious,” you defended as you zipped up a skirt. “Can you eat garlic?”
“What kind of questions are these?” she asked in disbelief. “Are you just picking questions out of the Twilight handbook?”
You chuckled as you opened the door and walked out, adjusting the collar of your shirt. “I’m surprised you know about Twilight.”
“Just because I’m ancient doesn’t mean I don’t know anything about pop culture,” Rebekah scoffed. But her annoyance seemed to diminish ever so slightly as she took in your outfit, and she smiled. “That suits you far better than that awful combination you walked in here with.”
You smiled as you looked at yourself in the mirror. “I do like it. I feel very business chic.”
“Did I tell you, or did I tell you?” She made the same gesture as before to go back in and you raised your eyebrows.
“You’re a little pushy.”
She shrugged. “It’s for your own good.”
You let out another loose sigh, but once again a smile took over. “Fine.”
The two of you continued on like that for another fifteen minutes, you trying on the outfits that Rebekah picked out in exchange for answers to your questions. Some of your others were how they could walk in the sun (daylight rings made centuries ago, but they were also special), why they were so special (a topic for another day), and why they had so many enemies (“that’s just what happens when you kill your way through a thousand years”).
Even if it wasn’t particularly helpful, it was… surprisingly enjoyable. And as the two of you left the mall, you carrying a hefty bag full of new clothes you didn’t know if you would ever wear again, you told her that.
“I have to give it to you,” you said as you tossed the bag in the back seat and then got in the driver’s side, “this has been my best encounter with a Mikaelson so far.”
Rebekah gave you an oddly genuine smile as she shut the door on her side. “Don’t let this go to your head, but… I enjoyed it too. This wasn’t a half-bad way to spend my day.”
You smiled back at her. “Thanks, Rebekah. You’re a pretty good companion when you’re not threatening to kill me.”
She brushed the comment off with a slight eye roll. “Those were just tests. Anyone worth their position can withstand a few death threats. You either grow to realize many of them have no plans to follow through, or you become powerful enough to kill them first.”
You sighed as you started your car. “And the moment is ruined.”
Rebekah rolled her eyes as she turned on the radio, but when you turned it off she glared at you. “What was that for?”
“Driver controls the music,” you said, turning to look out your rear windshield as you backed out. “It’s basic car etiquette.”
She scoffed. “I can kill you.”
Once you switched back into drive, you glanced at her. “You can’t keep using that as a trump card. It starts to lose its weight as a threat. Also,” you laughed a little, “did you just threaten to kill me over the radio?”
“It’s the most effective way to get things,” she said. “An hour spent shopping together doesn’t mean you’re immune.”
You shrugged. “It would be pretty rude to kill me after all of this though, wouldn’t it?”
Rebekah huffed an incredulous laugh. “You are incredibly strange.”
You raised your eyebrows. “You’re a vampire that’s been alive for a thousand years, and I’m the strange one?”
“Watch your mouth,” she cautioned.
By the smile you caught in your peripherals, you knew she didn’t mean it.
-
You dropped Rebekah off in the square by her request — she claimed she had “other matters to attend to” — and a few minutes later you were back at your house. You had just locked your car when your attention was drawn up to the front door by the sound of voices, but your blood ran cold as you started walking and recognition filtered in.
“Hey!” you called, picking up your pace as you prepared some very choice words, but they died in your throat when you saw who was on the other side of the door.
“I was wondering when you’d get home,” Bee said, her brows slightly furrowed as she looked between the two of you.
“As was I,” Klaus said, and your jaw clenched. He had a whole lot of nerve to pull something like this.
“Give us a moment alone, please,” you said with a fake smile before you slammed the door shut on him. You ushered Bee back into the living room but you couldn’t help but glance back, as if expecting Klaus to break the door down or something. He didn’t, and you were brought back to reality by Bee tugging on your arm.
“What is up with you?” she asked. “Who was that?”
You shook your head and sighed. “Just… some guy.”
Bee raised her eyebrows. “He was asking about you, wondering where you were. He also kept asking for me to let him in. I mean— I didn’t, obviously, but do you know him?”
The headache reserved especially for the Mikaelsons flared up again, and you rubbed your forehead with a grimace. “Yeah. He’s— uh, someone I work with; I asked my boss to send somebody else down to help me work through this stuff. He’s just a little pushy. I’ll go talk to him.”
“Is everything okay?” Bee looked genuinely concerned, and it tugged at your heartstrings. “You’ve been acting really weird lately. I’m… honestly kinda worried about you.”
You laughed weakly and ruffled her hair. “That’s my job, Bianca. Everything’s fine, I promise. Just work stuff.”
She nodded, but you could tell she didn’t completely believe you. “Okay.”
You nodded as well then went back to the door, your lips immediately twisting downwards when you opened it.
“Hello, love,” Klaus greeted with a smile.
You shut the door and stood up against it, your hands behind your back gripping the door knob tightly. “What are you doing here?”
“Just a check up,” he responded. “I heard about your little encounter with Damon Salvatore and I wanted to make sure you were still alive. I ended up running into your sister instead — Bianca, was it?”
“Keep my sister’s name out of your mouth,” you spat. “I know you don’t care if I die, but that doesn’t mean you get to try and bring her into this. I don’t care how long this whole thing goes on, you don’t go near my sister again. Okay?”
“It’s dangerous to care about anything that much,” Klaus mused. “That you would put their life above yours.”
“I met Rebekah today,” you said, and his expression hardened. “Wouldn’t you sacrifice yourself for her?”
“This isn’t about me,” he said, annoyance leaking through his tone.
“Yes, it is,” you countered. “This is about you, me, and our deal, not my sister. So leave her alone.”
Klaus’s gaze drilled into you. “Your nerve continues to astound me.”
“That’s funny. I was just thinking the same thing.” You let go of the door knob, sure enough now that your sister wouldn’t try to barge through, and crossed your arms. “So why are you really here?”
His lips quirked up into that slightly threatening smile. “It’s getting close for the time to prove yourself, love. I have your first assignment. It’s something I could easily do myself, but I figured it would be a good test for you. If you fail, hopefully you’ll die and I’ll be rid of you. But if you succeed, then you’ll be one step closer to paying your debt.”
You had to bite back a sardonic laugh at his choice of words. Debt, as if you owed him something for saving you from a danger he created. The amount of confidence he had in you was staggering. “What is it?”
“It’s not time yet,” he said. “I have to make one last trip to ensure this is actually necessary, and if it is, then you’ll know when I need you. Doesn’t that sound fun?”
“You’re the worst thing that’s ever happened to me,” you said plainly.
“So I’ve been told,” Klaus smiled. “I’ll see you soon?”
“I don’t think I have much choice.”
“Oh, good,” he commended. “You’re finally catching on.”
You let out a long, exhausted breath as he disappeared from your doorstep, and practically collapsed against your door. You didn’t have it in you to constantly deal with Klaus’s dramatics. You were starting to see why he had so many enemies — not because of all the killing he most likely partook in, but because he was so goddamn annoying.
You let out another frustrated sigh as you turned around and walked back inside, rubbing a tired hand across your forehead on your way to the kitchen.
“How’d it go?” Bee asked from the couch, glancing up from her textbook.
You opened one of the cabinets and took out a bottle of Advil. “It went great,” you muttered before dry-swallowing a pill. “Can’t wait to start working with him.”
She snorted and turned back to her work. “Yeah, I can really tell. At least it’ll be over soon.”
“Yeah,” you murmured, staring at the bottle for a moment before setting it back in the cabinet.
Rebekah’s words came back to you, that you likely had a much longer road ahead of yourself than you thought, and an involuntary shiver ran down your spine.
You wondered just how long that road would end up being, just how long it would be until Klaus was satisfied with your work.
You wondered if you would even survive it.
Notes:
sorry for switching back to past tense writing. i know all the chapters before this one were written in present tense but it took all that experimenting for me to decide that i didn’t really like it lol. so from now on i’m gonna be writing in past tense again, i hope it isn’t jarring to anyone (and if i get time i might go back and edit, but idk if i have the time or patience to edit 33k words)
anyway! rebekah chapter yay! girls day. this was actually really fun to write bc of the banter between them, rebekah does not get nearly as much love as she deserves so im trying to give her some of my own lol. and ofc some klaus at the end because he enjoys ruining things<3
sorry for the month long wait lol! ive been super busy with school, but i only have a month and a half left until i graduate and i finally committed to a college so i can relax for a little bit, which hopefully means getting some more writing done
thank you for reading, and as always pls leave your thoughts in the comments!! love u all<3
Chapter 10: The Art of Proving Oneself
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You had one glorious week of no Mikaelsons and no vampires after Klaus’s last visit. It might’ve had something to do with the fact that you barely left the house during that time under the guise of working from home, anxiety and paranoia about another possible run-in keeping you inside. As flippant as you managed to be in the face of all your encounters, you really did not want to die.
You were so thankful for your days off that you found it in yourself to cooperate with your mother, even admitting that your purpose for coming back home was work. Of course, she wasn’t happy that yet another ‘family thing’ had really been for work, but you imagined she would have been a lot angrier to find out that you had gotten caught up in… whatever you could call the mess that was the Mikaelsons.
It only took two days for her to calm down and say that she was thankful for your visit no matter what the reason was. That was slightly soured by you informing her that you would likely be leaving soon — most jobs didn’t take kindly to their employees disappearing for a month with only an email to back them up — but your mom had been in a much better mood lately than anything you remembered during your high school years. It was a bit confusing, but it was welcome. At least you had an alibi for whenever you needed to drop everything and separate yourself from your family incase of a true vampire emergency.
Unfortunately though, like most things in your life nowadays, the peace was interrupted by Klaus Mikaelson.
He decided to go a different route this time; rather than appearing out of nowhere, your information was sent in a letter. The thought of Klaus delivering a letter to your mailbox was so absurd that it almost made up for what was inside. An address you didn’t recognize, an inconvenient hour, and a scribbled “it’s time” — it wasn’t hard to figure out that your little break had come to an end.
And that was how, at noon, you found yourself standing in front of a mansion so massive it edged on gaudy. You would do a lot of things to have that much money, you thought bitterly as you walked up to the door.
It swung open before you even had the chance to knock, and you were met with a sight you couldn’t say you missed.
“A letter,” you said, pulling the folded piece of paper out of your pocket and holding it up. “Very classy.”
“I thought I would switch it up,” Klaus said, and he stepped aside to let you in. As you walked inside you had to bite back your initial surprise, choosing to replace it with something you’d been meaning to complain about for a while.
“You could’ve just sent me a text, but— oh, wait!” You glared at him. “I don’t have a phone anymore, because somebody broke it when they were trying to kill me.”
Klaus looked wholly unamused as he shut the door. “Love, if you’re going to hold a grudge, at least make it one worth holding.”
“This is one worth holding,” you said, “and I won’t stop holding it until I have a new phone, courtesy of Klaus Mikaelson.”
“You’re just always like this, aren’t you?”
“Only with people that annoy me,” you answered in kind.
“Charming,” he said dryly. “Now, would you like to get on with what you came here for or would you like to just keep complaining?”
You took a seat in a plush armchair and folded your arms. “Please tell me what my assignment is, oh glorious Niklaus.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Do you think you’re funny?”
“Hilarious, actually,” you supplied, “but you can start now.”
Klaus sat down on the couch across from you. “I need blood, and you are going to get it for me.”
You stared at him. “…Why?”
“In order to turn somebody into a vampire, there has to be vampire blood in their system before they die, and they must drink blood after they awaken to complete the transformation,” he explained. “In the case of hybrids, as I’ve now found out, the blood of a doppelgänger is specifically needed to complete the transition, otherwise they will…” he gestured with his head, “die a horrible gruesome death.”
“It’s unbelievable how many questions I have just from that,” you deadpanned.
Klaus sighed. “I believe I can handle a few.”
“First of all: hybrid?”
He made a noncommittal noise. “It’s quite simple. I was born a werewolf and later turned into a vampire through magic; because of it, I retained both sides and became a hybrid of the two.”
You blinked. “Simple. Right.”
That only raised a thousand more questions, but you didn’t think he would humor them all. Maybe you could find out more later from Elijah or Rebekah.
“Okay,” you segued, “moving on. What’s a doppelgänger?”
“We don’t have time to go through all of that,” Klaus said, but you made a note of the way his eyes darted away for a moment. “All you need to know is that there is one in town, and to achieve any of my plans, I need her blood.”
You nodded. That made the most amount of sense, probably because he didn’t go into any detail.
“Last question.” You stood up, your nerves getting the best of you as you started pacing, and fixed him with a pointed look. “You said you had to make a trip to make sure me doing this was necessary. On that trip, did you try to make a bunch of hybrids and ended up watching them die that horrible, gruesome death?”
“Technically, no,” Klaus said. “I did watch some of them die, but I killed most of them out of mercy.” You must’ve not done a very good job at hiding your surprise, because he scoffed. “Yes, I do have some mercy in me. I know it’s shocking.”
“Seeing as I’m doing your dirty work to try and stay alive after you got me into a mess I didn’t want to be a part of, yes. It is shocking.” You let out a loose breath and rubbed your temples before you continued. “But then again, so is everything that you do, so let’s just get this over with. What exactly do you want me to do?”
Klaus had that strange look in his eye again, and his gaze drilled into you for far too long before he spoke again. “I’ve set up a meeting for tonight at midnight in the woods with my benefactor.”
You grimaced. “Please don’t tell me it’s in the same area we met.”
“Why?” he asked. “Do you not want to relive my generous gesture of keeping you alive? A brilliant example of my mercy, thank you very much.”
“No,” you said dryly, “I don’t really want to relive you nearly killing me. Y’know, I went through an entire bottle of concealer trying to cover up those bruises.”
“Happy to be of service,” he smiled. “But no — it’s just where the forest meets the field outside of town. Plenty of room, which will be a benefit against vampires.”
You rubbed your fingers against your temples as you let out a loose breath. “More vampires?”
“Oh, yes,” he nodded. “You’ll be meeting with your favorites, the Salvatore brothers, their witch friend, and Elena Gilbert, that pesky doppelganger.”
An inkling of suspicion tugged at you with the name drop, and that was when you remembered.
“Caroline? What are you doing here?”
“Matt, we have to go.” Caroline sounded harried and a little tired. “Elena’s in—”
“I have company,” he said suddenly, and that got Caroline to stop talking. “Um, a journalist.”
“Klaus,” you said evenly, “is Elena in high school?"
He thought about it for a moment and shrugged. “I suppose she is, but it’s not pertinent.”
You stared at him, incredulous. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“Why do you always assume I’m joking?” Klaus asked. “I am hardly ever joking.”
“Because everything you say is insane!”
Klaus shook his head with an odd look. “Love, you have barely even seen the tip of the iceberg.”
“What the hell kind of things are you doing if killing a high school girl is one of your most innocent crimes?” you snapped.
He huffed an exasperated sigh. “Must you be so dramatic about every single thing? I’m not going to kill her — I need her alive so I can get her blood whenever I need it.”
Your wide-eyed stare seemed to have no effect on him. “That’s worse, Klaus. You realize why that’s worse?”
“You should be thankful I’m even giving you this chance,” he pushed. “If we did things my way, you would be dead so you couldn’t annoy me with your morals, the doppelganger would be begging for her own sweet release of death, and I would have an army of hybrids. But the world hasn’t exactly been on my side lately, so you’d better hope your little negotiations work.”
For the amount of power Klaus had over you and the fear he struck into the entire supernatural world, he often had the temper of a child. If you didn’t know what he was actually capable of, it would’ve been laughable.
“Fine,” you muttered, crossing your arms. He was so kind to constantly remind you of how precarious your position was. “Is that all?”
“Just about — you’ll want this before you get into the thick of it.” Klaus pulled something out of his pocket and threw it to you, and when you caught it you realized it was a locket necklace.
“What is it for?”
“It’s a magical piece of jewelry,” he explained. “A few witches cast spells over it that should protect you from any kind of attack. It acts as a sort of force field, or so I’ve heard.”
You raised your eyebrows. “This is awfully nice for someone who won’t stop wishing death on me.”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” he said. “I can’t allow those weaklings to think they’ve bested me in anything, and as you are unfortunately somebody I’m associating with, it extends to you as well. I’ll provide your protection, and you can dazzle the world with your wits.”
(His sarcasm was not lost on you.)
Klaus took something else out of his pocket and handed it to you, this time a crumpled sheet of paper. “This is the trigger. Make sure you read it aloud before you get anywhere near them to activate the wards.”
You looked at the scribbled handwriting and frowned. “I don’t know how to pronounce any of this.”
“It’s Latin. You can learn.”
“Thanks, I guess,” you muttered as you shoved it in your back pocket. “How’d you get your hands on something like this?”
“It was a favor from my brother,” Klaus said, and then he smiled a bit. “I don’t believe you’ve met Kol yet. I might have to introduce you two myself just so I can see how it goes.”
Everything Klaus said made it sound like he wanted you dead, but then he would turn around and do something to keep you alive. It was immensely frustrating never knowing where you stood with him, and your head hurt trying to keep up with it all.
So instead, you just nodded. “When is this happening again?”
“Tonight at midnight,” he repeated. “Make sure you are on time — I will not have my good reputation being sullied by your work.”
You just shook your head. “Your good reputation of murdering anyone who crosses you will be sullied by me being a couple minutes late?”
Klaus looked wholly unamused. “I take your attitude as a sign that you’re ready. You can see yourself out.” He started towards the stairs, but then he paused just before passing into the other room to turn back and face you. “If everything goes according to your plan, I’ll see you in a few hours. If it doesn’t, I suppose I’ll see you in hell.”
And with that lovely ego-booster, he disappeared.
-
“This’ll be easy,” you muttered to the air, hands clenched tightly around the steering wheel as you drove through the night. “Just… forcefully taking blood from someone whose friends have tried to kill me. It’s gonna be fine. And if it isn’t fine, then I’ll be dead and it won’t be my problem anymore.”
You didn’t really want to die, but god. You had to find a bright side to this somewhere.
You pulled onto the shoulder of the road and parked your car, glancing at the clock on your dash to check the time: 11:55. One minute to collect yourself, two to walk to the place, which left you two minutes to freak the fuck out about what you were about to do.
You had to get blood. You thought it was honestly ridiculous that Klaus, the vampire, was sending you to do this, but you supposed you had to be thankful. He said this would be a good test of your abilities, so that meant it had to be easy — but you doubted an immortal being’s definition of easy was similar to yours.
11:57.
You sighed. Time to go.
You took the keys out of the ignition, threw on your jacket, took the (uncomfortably large, if it was meant for blood) vial out of your glovebox, then got out of your car. You locked it then took a long, deep breath, knowing that if things went horribly wrong, this could be your last night alive.
You took the necklace out of your pocket and clasped it around your neck, fingers running across the embedded gem on the front before you got out the crumpled piece of paper. You mouthed the Latin words slowly to yourself, then said the phrase aloud. Something about it all felt… familiar.
You hoped that meant the spell had worked, because you couldn’t afford a single slipup.
You shoved your keys and the paper in your back pocket, took another deep breath, and started walking.
-
You checked your watch when you saw figures in the distance, 12:00 blinking back at you. You were on time, at least. But as you got closer, you got your first glimpse at who you were going to be negotiating with. You had to say, you were not impressed.
The two Salvatore brothers; Bonnie, the girl you bumped into at school that day and the witch the Mikaelsons warned about; and an unassuming brunette. You assumed she was Elena, and you were a bit surprised that she was the source of so many problems. She was indeed a teenage girl, the same age as your sister.
The thought made you uncomfortable. She was a teenager, and if you couldn’t pull this off, there was a very high possibility that she would die soon. Hell, he would probably kill you too for failing.
You swallowed thickly. It wouldn’t come to that, and you couldn’t feel bad, because this was just another job and you were good at your job.
Four pairs of eyes weighed heavily on you as you came to a stop, close enough to make out their features but far enough away for a civil distance, and Damon’s lip immediately curled.
“Ah, the journalist. I’m surprised Klaus hasn’t killed you yet. How’s your neck?”
You gave him a thin smile. “How’s your neck? And all of your limbs? Rebekah told me it was a real mess.”
He bared his teeth. “Come a little closer and I’ll show you what a mess really looks like.”
Stefan put his arm out in front of Damon, preventing him from going any further, and he gave you a pointed look. “What are you doing here? The deal was to meet with Klaus.”
You shrugged. “Deals change all the time. He sent me instead — I hope it’s not a problem.”
“Yeah, it’s a problem,” Bonnie scoffed. “Do you think we’re stupid? Guys, this is obviously a trap.”
Elena nodded slowly, crossing her arms as she glanced over at her friends. “I don’t trust it. Why would he send you? Who even are you?”
“I'm… an associate of the Mikaelsons,” you said, deciding on a vague half-truth.
Damon laughed, the sharp sound grating against your ears. “Associate. Yeah, I think ‘lapdog’ suits you better. It’s a regular tale — you’re a nobody that’s ended up in debt to Klaus. How, I don’t know, but I am very interested.”
“Damon,” Stefan interrupted, “stop it.”
“It’s fine,” you said blithely. “I didn’t come here for your conversation. He sent me because the way that he wanted to do this was a lot more brutal and a lot less forgiving — I offered my skills up in place, and he accepted. You should be thankful he sent the pacifist.”
Damon raised his eyebrows, clearly not buying it. “We’re talking about the same guy, right? Klaus wouldn’t give someone like you this kind of chance, and he most definitely wouldn’t pass up the chance to try and slaughter us all.”
You shrugged once more. “Maybe he’s turning over a new leaf.”
(Not even you believed that.)
Elena muttered something to the rest of the group and then she took a couple steps forward. “Okay, so we’re dealing with you instead. What do you want?”
“Some of your blood,” you responded simply, and you clenched your jaw to keep your skin from crawling. Who would’ve thought that threatening high schoolers would make you feel so shitty?
Stefan put a protective hand on Elena’s arm as he stepped in front of her. “How stupid does Klaus think we are? There’s no chance in hell he’s getting her blood to make more hybrids.”
“He doesn’t think you’re stupid,” you said. “He just knows you’ll make the right choice.”
Bonnie crossed her arms. “And what exactly is that choice? You know, besides us killing you for even suggesting this, or kidnapping you and using you as leverage. The other choices.”
You gave her a thin smile. “Nothing you can do to me will do anything for you. Klaus won’t care if you kill me, but he will care if he doesn’t get what he wants.”
Elena frowned. “Then why are you doing this for him? We can help you get out of this.”
You huffed a laugh. “I don’t want your sympathy.”
“Then get on with our array of opportunities,” Damon scowled.
You nodded. “You really only have one other choice. You can either give me the blood that he needs willingly, or Klaus will kill her and take whatever he wants.” You crossed your arms. “I don’t think it’s too difficult to see which path you should take.”
“He wouldn’t kill her if he needed her blood,” Bonnie said. “There’s only so much you can have from a dead body — he wants her alive.”
You shrugged. “You know Klaus. Do you really want to bet on that?”
Damon scoffed, taking a few steps forward as those blue eyes drilled into you. “I have a better idea. How about you get nothing, I kill you, and we all go on our merry way?”
You forced yourself to smile, praying to anything that would listen that this spell Klaus gave you would work as you practically begged him to call your bluff. “Go ahead. Nothing’s stopping you.”
His eyes darkened as veins branched out below his eyes, his sharp grin carving into you. “It would be my pleasure.”
Not even you had enough bravado to stand your ground as Damon ran at you, your heart pounding in your chest as you stumbled a few steps back. You hardly even saw him move with his speed, but he wasn’t even able to get within five feet of you before he was launched backwards by some invisible force.
His body slammed into a tree behind the remaining trio with a gratifying crack, earning some gasps and a frantic “Damon!” from Elena, but when he fell to the ground he didn’t seem to be injured; just a little worse for wear. Unfortunate.
It was an immense effort to tamp down on the surprise and adrenaline that was flooding your body. The necklace, the wards — it actually worked. Maybe you owed Klaus some thank-you notes.
You sucked in a breath and held up your pointer finger. “Except for that. Yeah, you didn’t really think I’d come here unprotected, did you?”
Damon growled as he got back up, bracing his hand against a tree for support as Elena rushed over to him to help him. “One day I am going to kill you,” he threatened. “It is going to be bloody and agonizing and terrible, and it’s going to be the best day of my life.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” you said dryly. “Now. We can either do this the easy way, or the hard way.” You looked at Elena, and you could see how hard she was fighting to keep her emotions at bay as one hand hovered protectively over Damon. “It’s your choice.”
You swallowed the lump in your throat as you looked at the ground, unable to hear their hushed deliberations from this far away. Sharp guilt threaded through your chest just thinking about what you were doing, but once again you tried to quash it before it could grow. You were doing a good thing, even though it didn’t feel like it.
You cared about human life; Klaus didn’t. If he got to do this, you knew there would be a lot more than just some sour emotions. Technically, you were saving lifes. But technically, you were the villain in an innocent high schooler’s life.
The sound of Elena clearing her throat brought you back to your senses as she stepped forward with a dignified nod. “Okay. I’ll do it.”
“Elena—” Stefan started, but she shook her head.
“You don’t get a say in this, Stefan,” she interrupted. “Like she said — it’s my blood, so it’s my choice. And I’d much prefer giving up some of it now and dealing with his hybrids later than dying by Klaus’s hand for the second time, or having to do things the way he turned Tyler again.”
“Are you sure?” Bonnie asked. “You know how powerful hybrids are; it’ll be impossible to take them all out if Klaus gets the army he wants.” She glanced over at you, her face unreadable. “I still vote we take her down. Buy ourselves some time.”
“No,” Elena shook her head. “We can’t do anything to her without retaliation.” She looked up at you, a surprising amount of sympathy in her eyes. “He’ll kill you if I don’t do this, right?”
You didn’t respond, but you guessed your silence told her all she needed to know.
“Then that settles it,” she said. “We’ve dealt with Klaus before, we can do it again. I’m not letting another innocent person die because of me.”
“She’s not innocent if she’s working with Klaus,” Damon countered, but Elena just chuckled.
“You try saying no to Klaus as a human,” she said with a pointed look at him. At his silence, she nodded and pulled her sleeve up.
Thankful that you wouldn't have to deal with this any longer, you took a glass vial out of your pocket and threw it over at her. Elena caught it and took the cap off, and she glanced at you before offering her wrist to Damon.
“Do it.”
-
It was a silent ride to the Mikaelson’s place, full of simmering rage and the growing pit of guilt in your stomach. It got so bad that you couldn’t even stand to see the vial in your peripherals, and after a far too long wait at a red light it spent the rest of the ride in your glovebox.
You didn’t bother to park well or lock your car as you stomped up to their doorstep. Thankfully, you didn’t have to deal with knocking as the door was unlocked. You stormed into the living room and were met with the irritatingly normal sight of Klaus sitting in an armchair reading a book.
“I got your fucking blood,” you spat. “I hope it’s enough for you.”
You took the vial out of your pocket and threw it at him, and without looking up from the pages he caught it. His gaze flicked up from the book and as he examined it, a small smile spread across his lips.
He raised an eyebrow as you stood there brewing with your arms crossed. “Why so glum? You’ve done excellently; this is exactly what I needed. This is far more than I expected with your methods. I take it the spell worked as intended.”
You shook your head and stared at the floor, ignoring his words. “She’s a teenage girl, Klaus. She’s the same age as my sister — hell, they probably have classes together.” You tried to glare at him, but you could hardly muster anything other than guilt. “She’s a child. You’re targeting a child because she was unfortunate enough to be born into this life.”
“People are not born into lives they cannot handle. The Gilbert girl is no exception.” His gaze was carefully appraising, an unusual gentleness to his normally unyielding nature. “This is the way it has to be. If I let morals get in my way, I wouldn’t get anything done at all.”
You averted your eyes, feeling sick to your stomach. You knew exactly what you were getting into when you took Klaus’s deal, and up until now you were coping with it all. But now—
Now that the victim was someone who you couldn’t stop imagining as your sister, you couldn’t do it. It didn’t matter how many younger sisters Klaus had hurt in the past, how many younger sisters you would help him hurt in the future — now that it was uncomfortably close to your younger sister, you couldn’t do it.
How deeply selfish someone had to be to justify a feeling like this.
Klaus cleared his throat, and though you could feel the weight of his gaze on you you didn't look up. “Take the rest of the night off, love. You’ve done well.”
It doesn’t feel like it, you wanted to say, but instead you just nodded numbly.
“And, ah—” he paused in front of you, and almost against your will your gaze flickered up. “If you aren’t up to drive home, you’re welcome to stay the night. The third room to the right on the second floor is a guest bedroom that I think will suit you.”
“No,” you said, voice slightly hoarse. “No, I’m…” you couldn’t even finish the sentence as you turned on your heel and left, only realizing your fingers were trembling when you closed the front door behind you.
(Back in the house, Klaus is confused. He feels… guilty as he watches you go, that he made you do something like this. Niklaus Mikaelson has killed his way through a millenia, and yet one woman that he could crush just as easily is making him feel outdated things like guilt over doing a job that she agreed to do.
He scoffs as he shoves the vial in his pocket and stalks off to his study. He doesn’t have time for this.)
You didn’t feel like driving home, to tell the truth. But you couldn’t just take that kind of offer.
The Mikaelsons were like a parasite, and if you didn’t actively fight against it, they would take over your entire life. You were already far too intertwined with them from only a matter of weeks, and you were terrified of what crossing that threshold would mean.
Maybe you could handle working with the Mikaelsons while knowing some of the things they had done because it didn’t feel personal. You weren’t the one killing people, they were — you didn’t hear their final pleas for mercy, didn’t watch their bodies crumple to the ground, didn’t see the light slowly fade from someone’s eyes.
But tonight, it was you.
You were the one who looked her in the eye, who forced her to give up a piece of herself in return for her life. You were the one who looked her in the eye and nearly lost your mind when you could only see Bianca.
And that was what it all came down to, wasn’t it? It wasn’t the fact that it was you doing it, it was the fact that it could’ve just as easily been your sister at the other end of the gun. You got into this mess because you were worried about your family, and now you were in a moral bind because you couldn’t stop thinking about them.
There had to be a point of no return in relation to vampires, and you were terrified of what would happen once you crossed it.
But maybe, you thought as you looked out your window, there was a way to amend some of what you’d done.
-
Elena, the next morning, felt surprisingly okay.
No pins and needles in her arm, no dizziness as she rose and moved downstairs. Stefan’s blood had done its job, leaving her continuously thankful for the healing powers of vampires.
But that didn’t mean she so easily forgot what happened last night.
Klaus, even after all he had already done to her — terrorizing her and her friends, turning then killing Jenna, actually killing her — was still not done. She thought it was more offensive that he sent someone else to get her blood; someone human like her, someone likely unwilling. Like it would lessen the deed.
Stefan and Damon didn’t want to leave her alone in case Klaus decided he wanted more than just blood, but Elena didn’t want to leave Jeremy alone. Their compromise — the saddest sleepover ever at the Gilbert house, fortified with protections set up by Bonnie at her own insistence.
Two vampires, a witch, a doppelganger, and a human. If they all walked into a bar, it would be the start of a horrible joke.
Elena started making a cup of coffee when she got downstairs, thankful for the moment of quiet peacefulness before she was reminded of what she was in the midst of. While she waited for the water to heat up she walked over to the front door and opened it, the serenity of an early morning Mystic Falls washing over her. It was then, when her eyes glanced down at her doorstep, that she noticed something.
It was… a gift basket.
Elena frowned as she picked it up, taking the large piece of paper out first to examine it.
It was a list of things to eat after giving blood printed out from a website, and after a few seconds of rifling through, she found the basket contained a killer array of a bag of frozen spinach, a bottle of water, some candy bars, and a whole lot of pretzels. She also found a handwritten note below the sheet of paper:
I’m sorry about last night. Hope you’re okay and your blood pressure is too.
- your friend on the other side
Elena chuckled a bit as she closed the door, her interest piqued and her confusion heightened. This was certainly the nicest she had been treated by one of her enemies, if she counted last night as Klaus’s puppeteering rather than something of her own volition.
She looked up when she heard footsteps, and she was greeted by a yawning Stefan. Once it was done, he gestured at the basket in her hands with his head. “What’s that?”
Elena pulled the note out and handed it to him, a small smile forming on her lips. “It’s from that girl last night, Klaus’s assistant or whatever she is. I don’t know when she dropped this off, but… it was on the doorstep when I went outside.”
Stefan turned the note over after he finished reading it and gave Elena a quizzical look. “This is… uncharacteristically nice of someone working with the Mikaelsons.”
She hummed in agreement, setting the basket on the table before she walked over to get her freshly brewed coffee. When she thought of the Original vampires, the word nice did not come to mind.
But it only made her wonder more — what on Earth was a woman like this doing with the Mikaelsons?
Notes:
so i completely forgot that i already had almost this whole chapter written lol and it's just been sitting in my drive collecting dust. so apologies for that and also the time skip in the beginning; i was having trouble writing through it all so i just decided to make it easy on myself and just. skip it lol
anyways! im done with my ap exams and i only have one week until i graduate im so excited. im so ready to be out of high school lmao this shit sucks im ready to go live in the city and have my main character moment
sorry for the month long wait but honestly you guys are gonna have to get used to them because this is unfortunately how i am as a person and a writer: easily excited and very unreliable. i feel like i lowkey forgot how to write the dynamics i made up lmao but hopefully its all good. enjoy some moral dilemmas, some more of the mystic falls gang, and klaus realizing that maybe he still has the ability to feel emotions ??
Chapter 11: Pathological
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You slept in the next day. Whether it was from being out so late or your guilt manifesting in the form of exhaustion you didn’t know, but you did know one thing:
If you weren’t officially part of Klaus’s game before, you certainly were now.
The thought spurred something inside of you, an uncomfortable truth that you had been avoiding for a while. But now that you were known as an associate to the Mikaelsons by two vampires, the truth was bound to spread throughout whatever supernatural channels existed in this cursed town.
You were a target, to the Mikaelsons and their enemies alike, and there was no chance in hell that you were going to involve your family in your mess. You couldn’t stand Klaus, and vice versa, but that didn’t mean someone itching for revenge would know that. To anyone else, you were a very human, very vulnerable piece of leverage, and you refused to let that happen.
That was why—
“You’re leaving?”
…you had to get out.
Bee’s somber expression was almost enough to make you regret the decision, but you had to remind yourself — you were doing this for her. It was a lot better for her to be a little bit sad than completely dead.
“Short trip,” your mother remarked. “I feel like I barely even saw you, and you’re already heading back to the city?”
“I was here for almost a month, Mom!” you said in defense, but your angle softened when you saw her creeping smile. “You’re… you’re just making fun of me, aren’t you?””
“I figure I’ve earned the right,” she said playfully, and she pulled you into a hug. “Especially after you completely lied to me about why you came back here.”
You groaned as you extracted yourself from her grasp. “I wanted to see you guys, trust me. It just so happened that I had to interview somebody while I was here.”
“And who might that have been?” she asked.
“Doctor Anderson,” you said smoothly, “the principal, remember? I talked to him about a few things and then I gave a presentation at the school. It was about the animal attacks; some safety measures for the students.”
She glanced over at Bee and your sister nodded. “It was a pretty good one, honestly. She made a bunch of teenagers listen to her for thirty minutes, which isn’t easy.”
Your mother looked back at you with a surprisingly light expression, and what she said was even more shocking. “Congratulations. I’m proud of you.”
Your eyes widened a bit as you processed her words, and you couldn’t help but laugh. “Thanks! Uh— thank you! I’m happy about it too.”
She smiled as she pulled you into another hug, and you couldn’t stop wondering what had gotten into your mom. After all you’d been dealing with lately, body snatchers were not out of the equation. But as it turned out… your mom was just being nice to you. Maybe there was something in the water.
“Be safe,” she said as she pulled away, patting you on the shoulder, “and make sure to keep in touch. No more of this blue moon texting, okay? We’re a family, and that means you have to talk to us more than once a year.”
You nodded. “I’ll do my best. Scout’s honor.”
She chuckled, and Bee took over in conversation.
“Are you really going back?” she asked, and you nodded.
“I’m staying with a friend in Richmond for a little bit before I go back,” you said. “Uh— Alyssa, one of my suitemates from sophomore year, actually lives down here now, and she recently got a job with one of the local news stations. She wanted to ask a couple questions about the industry, and since it’s been so long since we’ve met up, I agreed.”
“Do you need a ride out there?” your mom asked.
You shook your head. “I’m gonna meet her at the Starbucks so I can pick up a coffee, and then we’re gonna head to lunch.”
“Sounds fun,” Bee said. “I’ll walk you out.”
You raised your eyebrows. “Really?”
She shrugged. “Knowing you, I probably won’t see you for another year. Gotta get my time in while I can, right?”
“Bee—” you started, but she just brushed it off with her hand.
“I’m just teasing. But still, I wanna send you off.”
You finally conceded as you gave her a light hit on the shoulder and started walking to the door. “Alright. C’mon.”
“Be safe!” your mom called after you yet again as Bee caught up to you. “Love you, sweetie!”
“Love you too!” you called back, and you opened the door for Bee before closing it behind the two of you.
“So,” you started as you rolled your suitcase behind you, “I’m definitely gonna—”
“Why are you lying?”
Her interruption stopped you in your tracks, your eyes slightly wide as you stared at her. “What?”
“Why are you lying?” she asked again. It wasn’t in an accusatory way—there was a hint of desperation in her voice instead. “I mean, the constant disappearing, the weird hours you’re always going out at, and now you’re just leaving like that. Why are you lying to us? Why are you lying to me?”
“I’m not lying,” you said slowly, knowing that you had to choose your words very carefully. “I’m just not… telling you everything. It’s for work, and it’s boring, and I didn’t want to have to deal with Mom’s lectures. But I’m not lying to you.”
Real great job there. Why did you have to have a perceptive sister?
“Then why haven’t you told me?” she asked, and the look in her eyes brought all the guilt back. “I wouldn’t tell Mom anything—you know that. We’re supposed to be a team.”
God, why did she have to do this to you? You knew she was only saying it because she cared, but you couldn’t tell her what was really going on. You couldn’t tell her that you were doing this for her.
“It’s nothing.” You gave her a small smile and you could tell she wasn’t believing a single word you said, but you pressed forward nevertheless. “I just have some stuff going on, okay? Nothing you need to worry about.”
Bee still had that uneasy look on her face. “You can talk to me. We’re sisters—you can at least try to treat me like one.”
It was because you were sisters that you refused to. You just had to remind yourself—it would be easier when you were away. You loved her, so you had to leave. You loved her, so you had to act more apathetic than ever so she wouldn’t be a target.
“I’m sorry,” you said, and you truly meant it. “This is just some personal business; boring journalism stuff. I promise.”
Bianca frowned, her eyes filled with hurt. “You’re really not going to tell me the truth.”
“I am telling you the truth,” you lied. “Nothing big is going on. It’s just work.”
“Okay.” She didn’t believe you. It was obvious in the way she looked at you, and it made you feel even worse. But there was nothing you could do. “I guess this is it, then.”
You looked out into the empty street. “I’m not leaving forever, y’know. I’ll worm out more PTO from my boss. I’ll visit more—I promise.”
“You better.” Bee crossed her arms as she glanced away. “It’s hard without you here.”
This time, it was your time to frown as your attention turned back to her. “What do you mean?”
She shrugged. “Now that Mom’s working again, I feel like I’m always alone. And when she is home, she’s pushing me to be perfect.” She glanced at you. “Being the golden child isn’t all you think it is.”
“Bee,” you said softly, “I… I’m sorry. Why didn’t you say anything to me? You know you can always call, or text, or anything—”
“It’s hard to talk to someone that’s never there,” she said plainly.
When your mom chastised you for not being around, it was easy to brush her off. She never really wanted you around in the first place when you were younger, so it was the easiest thing in the world to accept NYU’s offer and get a couple states away. You had grown pretty resistant to bullshit motherly guilt trips.
But with Bianca, it— it was real. She had never laid out her thoughts to you like this about this kind of thing, so blatantly told you how she felt about your consistent absences, and damn did it hurt.
The worst part was probably the fact that she was right—you weren’t there for her as much as you needed to be, and now you had to push her even farther away for her own good.
God, you thought wearily, why did she have to tell you the truth about her feelings right when you’re in the middle of something so hopelessly far beyond your roster?
“I’m sorry,” you repeated, not knowing what else you could say. “I— I swear, I’ll be back before you know it—”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Her gaze flicked up from the ground and she gestured towards the street with her head. “Looks like your friend’s here.”
“What?” You turned and sure enough, a car was pulling up to the curb. But you made the whole staying with Alyssa thing up, and it’s not like Bee was expecting anyone, so who the hell could this be? “She was supposed to meet me at Starbucks.”
Bee shrugged. “Guess she changed plans last minute.”
But when the door opened and shut and the driver walked around the side of the car, you had to clench your jaw to prevent the expletives.
Bee raised her eyebrows as she looked at you, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Is that Alyssa?”
“No,” you said stiffly, your grip tightening on the handle of your suitcase as you stared at Elijah Mikaelson. “It’s her brother. I didn’t expect to see you today… Carter.”
Elijah allowed a frustratingly charming smile towards the two of you, but thankfully, he caught on. When he spoke, his accent was gone, a shockingly accurate replica of Mystic Fall’s dialect in its place. “Alyssa’s car decided to fail on her, so she asked if she could borrow mine. Since I haven’t seen you in so long, I decided to come along. I hope it’s not a problem.”
“Not at all.” It was definitely a problem. “Uh, I guess she’s waiting back at Starbucks?”
He nodded. If there was one thing Elijah was good for, you supposed, it was taking a hint. “She’s holding down the table.”
“...I guess I should get going then,” you said reluctantly. You let go of your suitcase and turned to Bee, opening your arms for a hug, but keeping it on her end of the court. You didn’t know where you stood with her at the moment. “I swear, Bee—I’ll be back before you know it.”
After a moment, Bee sighed and wrapped her arms around you. You pulled her into an even tighter hug, thankful that you hadn’t completely destroyed your relationship in the quickest possible way.
“I’m gonna hold you to that,” she said.
“I expect nothing less,” you smiled, and you pulled away. “I love you, Bianca. You know that.”
A smile of her own cracked through, and it was like a whole other source of sunshine. You hadn’t realized how much you’d missed it until you went a whole conversation without it. “I love you too. You better call, and you better come back soon.”
“I will.”
You picked up your suitcase and walked over to the car, but before you could even lift a finger, Elijah placed his hand over yours. “Allow me.”
Your hand darted back, almost on instinct—whether it was because his skin was freezing cold or the mere fact of him making contact with you was too close for you, you weren’t so sure. But Elijah paid no mind to it as he opened the back door and placed your suitcase on the floor. He then opened your own door for you, and you had to roll your eyes at it—even when he was trying to embody a typical American, he couldn’t stop himself from playing the part of a gentleman.
You got in the car and closed the door, and the second Elijah had closed his door you were on him.
“What the hell are you doing here?” you demanded.
“I am simply here as a friend,” he responded easily, his normal stature and accent back as he started the car. “And seeing how quickly you went along with it all, it seems my appearance is a good thing for you.”
You sighed, your anger fizzling out almost immediately as you settled back in your seat. You could at least admit that Elijah had a very nice car. Even in this situation, you could appreciate a good Mercedes.
“You have good timing,” you admitted reluctantly. “You just witnessed me destroying my relationship with my sister in real time.” You glanced at him. “All thanks to your brother, by the way.”
He pulled back onto the street, and you would’ve called him out for not checking his mirrors, but then you remembered he had super senses. He could probably drive better than you with his eyes closed. “Lying to your siblings is certainly a Mikaelson trait. You’re beginning to fit in.”
You huffed a mirthless laugh. “You’ve made it pathological.”
“Well,” Elijah mused, “Carter is certainly a new one for me.”
You felt like a petulant child as you crossed your arms. “Just drive,” you grumbled.
A small smile quirked on his lips before it sobered slightly. “I am sorry to hear of it, though,” Elijah said. “You are certainly not the first to suffer because of my brother’s actions. If I may ask,” he glanced over at you, “what caused this change? In specifics, if you will.”
Everything about Klaus caused this change, to be fair, but that wasn’t very specific. “He showed up at my house a week ago—talked to my sister and everything. I mean, I can take him threatening to kill me every time he sees me, but I refuse to let him cross that line over into my family. And, uh—last night didn’t really help, y’know, getting on the bad side of even more vampires. I decided it would just be the best decision to put some distance in between us. In case… anything does happen.”
You didn’t say it out loud, mostly because it hurt too much to think about. But you figured that if you pushed your family away some, made your sister think a little worse of you, then it wouldn’t hurt them as much if you did end up six feet under.
You inhaled sharply. So much for not thinking about it.
Elijah was silent for a moment before he spoke. “Most likely a wise decision. My family can be ruthless.”
“Including you,” you said, though maybe not wisely.
He didn’t respond.
You cleared your throat to break the uncomfortable silence. “Where are you taking me, by the way?”
“You mentioned Starbucks,” Elijah said. “Keeping up with your story will be a good idea if you are trying to stray from suspicion. I also figure the spot where we met will be a good place for this.”
You raised your eyebrows. “‘This’?”
“We have things to discuss,” he said simply.
You sighed. “Great.”
-
Elijah parked on the street — for some reason, watching him parallel park was amusing, despite the fact that he did it as perfectly as he did everything else — and soon enough, you were sitting at the same table you met him at.
You got your typical Americano and Elijah his tea, but you didn’t exactly have an appetite for coffee this morning.
“What do you want to talk about?” you asked plainly, and he set his teacup down.
“Last night,” Elijah responded. “Your meeting with the Salvatores.”
“Ah,” you said. You left it at that. If he wanted to have this conversation, he could carry it.
He seemed to get the hint, lacing his fingers together and placing his hands on the table as he looked right at you. “What exactly happened?”
“Klaus wanted blood,” you said. “I got him blood.”
“Elena’s blood.”
You nodded, and Elijah sighed. “Wonderful. I may very well have another mess on my hands.”
“Hybrids,” you said, your conversation with Klaus coming back. “Klaus wants to make hybrids with it. That’s the mess?”
“Unfortunately,” he said. “Niklaus himself is a mess. If he takes this in the direction I expect him to…” Elijah sighed yet again as his eyes wandered away from you, and you wondered how much weight had to be on his shoulders from a thousand years of a life like his.
You didn’t know what exactly possessed you to speak up, but you did.
“I’ll help you.” Elijah’s gaze snapped back to you, the slightest bit of surprise visible in them.
“What?”
“With the hybrids,” you continued. “If Klaus decides to go full frontal with this and make a whole army of hybrids—which is what I assume you’re worried about—I’ll help you. I don’t know how, but… I will. Because,” you laughed uncomfortably, “I guess it’ll kinda be my fault. So you have my word.”
Something changed in Elijah’s eyes, an odd twinkle that you couldn’t quite place. You felt like he was looking into your soul, and you had the briefest thought of how beautiful his eyes were before you pushed it far, far away.
“Thank you,” he finally said, the smallest of smiles gracing his lips. “I take it you have gotten over the grudge you’ve been holding against me?”
“I’m calling a truce,” you clarified. “We can both help each other, and you haven’t explicitly tried to kill me yet, so… I guess I don’t hate you anymore.”
His smile grew just the slightest bit. “I’m honored.”
You rolled your eyes but couldn’t completely hide your amusement.
“Though I must admit, I’m surprised you’re here,” Elijah added. “You could have made up any number of things to excuse my appearance, and yet you came along with me. Is there something that you need?”
“Well,” you said, albeit reluctantly, “I… do need some help. And I hate to say it, but I think you’re my best bet right now.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Truly? What have you gotten into now?”
“Nothing!” you defended. “Well—not anything new. I just…” You sighed again and took a sip of your coffee to give you a second to try and find the words, “I need a place to go. I can’t go back to New York because I need to be here for any of Klaus’s bullshit, and I can’t go back to my house because I just told my family I was leaving.”
Elijah opened his mouth, but you interrupted him before he could say it. “And no, I’m not going to stay at your freakishly large mansion. I already reserved a room in a motel—I’m just asking for a ride.”
“A motel?” he asked, and his distaste was obvious. “You are aware I’m quite able to give you money if you so need it.”
It was very tempting. Extremely tempting, actually, but you weren’t going to get yourself stuck in a situation like that. You were already in figurative debt to Klaus—you didn’t need to be in literal debt to Elijah.
“No,” you said, shaking your head, “a motel is more than adequate. I just need a ride.”
“Alright,” Elijah said, and he stood up. “Shall we go, then?”
“We shall,” you said haughtily, trying to imitate his accent. It was not successful.
He simply smiled as the two of you walked out.
-
To be fair, you didn’t want to ask Elijah for help. He was actually at the bottom of your list in terms of people you wanted to ask for help, and yet somehow, here you were, riding shotgun with him to some rinky dink motel.
The ride was done in complete silence on both ends—you didn’t exactly want to air out any more of your problems to him, and you supposed Elijah had no desire to indulge in small talk. You didn’t mind. It gave you more time to figure out what the hell was going to come next.
It was finally broken once you arrived at your destination, and surprisingly, it was Elijah’s doing.
“You said you already had a reservation?”
You nodded. “Yep. It’s gonna really suck losing sixty dollars every night for this place, though. Not exactly worth it.”
Elijah’s lips quirked up in a slight smile. “I may be able to help with that.”
“I already told you, I don’t want your money—”
“It doesn’t involve any loans,” he interrupted, and he held the door open for you as you reached it. “Please, just trust me.”
You did say you had gotten over your grudge against him. And motel payments were something pretty harmless to start out with if he was trying to regain your trust.
“Fine,” you relented.
The two of you walked up to the receptionist’s desk, you leading slightly, and you gave the man a smile as you stopped in front of it.
“Hi. Uh, how are you doing?”
“I’m good, thank you,” he responded in kind. “Would you like to get a room, or do you already have a reservation?”
You told him you had a reservation and gave him your name, and after a few taps of his keyboard and an affirmative noise, he was handing you a key.
“You’re in room 109,” he said. “You’ll find it right outside to the left.”
“Thank you,” you said. Elijah cleared his throat and you took that as your sign. You took a few steps back, and he moved forward in turn.
Elijah placed his hands on the counter, and you knew what he was doing even without having to see his pupils dilate. Hopefully this receptionist wasn’t fond of verbena.
“Listen to me,” he intoned. “You will allow this young woman to stay here as long as she desires. You will account for her as paid for every night but you will not charge her during her stay, and you will not ask any questions. Is that clear?”
The man nodded slowly, his eyes slightly glazed over as Elijah’s compulsion worked his magic. ”I will let her stay here as long as she desires. I will not charge her.”
“Good,” he said, “that is all.” That alluring edge to his voice was gone as the man blinked a couple times, seemingly back to normal.
The receptionist looked at you. “Can I help you?”
“Um—” You had to admit, you honestly didn’t think that was going to work. But you were extremely thankful it did, no matter how weird it made you feel. “No, thank you.”
He nodded with a smile, and you and Elijah walked away. You tucked your key in your back pocket and you looked at Elijah. “Will that actually work?”
“Yes,” he said, “it should. But if you run into any problems, please contact me.”
“Mind writing your number on a notepad again?” you said as the two of you walked outside. “I still don’t have a phone. Haven’t had a chance to replace it since Klaus completely destroyed it.”
He frowned. “He hasn’t replaced it for you yet?”
You laughed. “You really think he would do something like that?”
Elijah shrugged. “Sometimes I truly do not know with my brother.”
You got to your room a couple seconds later and you pulled your key out and unlocked the door. You walked inside, heaving your suitcase onto the bed once you reached it.
“Well,” you said, “it’s not the worst place I’ve stayed.”
That was when you looked back and realized Elijah was still standing outside. “Uh— what are you doing?”
His brows creased for a moment, but then he nodded. “You don’t know yet,” he said. “I suppose I forgot to tell you.”
You raised your eyebrows. “Tell me what?”
“Vampires cannot enter private property without permission,” Elijah explained. “I suppose it works with motels and the like because the room itself is in your name, but regardless of minute details, I am unable to enter.”
You couldn’t help but laugh at that. “You’re telling me you’re been alive for a thousand years, you’re biologically superior to basically every other thing on this planet, and you can kill someone with a flick of your wrist, but you can’t go inside a house without the owner letting you?”
Elijah nodded. “Yes. It’s one of Nature’s many ways at neutralization.”
You laughed yet again, shaking your head at the thought. “That’s gotta be one of the best things I’ve ever heard.”
It did make sense though—the day Klaus showed up at your house, Bee mentioned him asking her to let him in. Luckily she didn’t yield, but if she had, there was no telling what might have happened.
An involuntary chill ran up your spine. Each time you learned more about the Mikaelsons, about vampires as a whole, you realized how goddamn lucky you had gotten each time you were around them. Whatever thing was watching over you, you hoped it decided to stick with you.
“Yes, it’s ridiculous,” Elijah said. “Now, will you let me in, or are we going to continue this conversation by shouting across the room?”
“That depends,” you said. “Do you promise not to try and kill me?”
Elijah frowned. “I have no desire to kill you. You do not need to worry.”
“That’s what they all say,” you said dryly. “Promise.”
“I promise.”
You stared at him for a good long while, hoping your scrutiny would help you in some small way. But Elijah looked wholly unfazed, and so you finally sighed. “You can come in.”
He bowed his head slightly as he stepped inside your room, and for some reason it brought back that uncertain weight. You still didn’t know exactly where you stood with Elijah—he may act like a gentleman around you, but he was a Mikaelson. From what you knew so far, that was enough cause for worry.
“So,” you murmured as you sat down on the bed, “I guess this is home for the foreseeable future.”
Elijah looked completely out of place in your dinky motel room, with his hair styled to perfection and tailored suit. Hell, you felt out of place next to him, in your thrifted jeans and free NYU sweatshirt. For about the hundredth time since you’d met him, vampirism aside, you wondered why Elijah still decided to humor you.
As if he was in tune with your thoughts, his lip curled. “Are you sure you don’t want nicer accommodations? I assure you, it is not at all a problem.”
You shook your head. “This is fine—it’s far from the worst place I’ve stayed in. Besides, the last thing I need is the IRS knocking on my door or whatever because the underpaid journalist drowning in student loans is suddenly staying in a five star hotel for months on end.”
He chuckled and nodded. “Alright.”
That popped a question into your head. “Elijah,” you said, and he looked at you, “do you pay taxes?”
At that, he actually cracked another small smile. “Yes. It is quite complicated, though.”
“How?”
“Our wealth has been naturally accumulated over our lifetime—it is quite hard to be around for this long without having some sort of money—but to maintain appearances, we have sources. There are various businesses we play a part in, we invest in stocks, and other things of the same type. Obviously, we cannot file taxes under our own names, otherwise it would be obvious how long we’ve been around, but in the modern era, we don’t quite feel like being charged with money laundering, so we make do. We pass it through channels so it will not be attached to our name, and we work from there.”
“Oh my god,” you grinned, “are you telling me that you follow the S&P?”
The amusement in his look was barely concealed. “I cannot believe you are asking me about our finances, of all things.”
All you could imagine was Elijah looking in the newspaper in the 60s, chastising his siblings about their poor investment choices over a cup of coffee in the morning. (You were starting to realize the best way for dealing with your fear of vampires was imagining them doing devastatingly mundane things.)
You shrugged. “Are you saying you don’t enjoy it?”
“I enjoy talking with you,” he clarified, and you had to rein in your surprise extremely fast.
A compliment meant this was getting out of hand. This was a truce, not a friendship. Neutral statements only.
You cleared your throat as you turned away, very impressed with your nonverbal non sequitur. You were talented beyond belief. “Thanks for all your help. But you’ve probably got somewhere to be right now.”
Elijah nodded, once again taking the hint. “I’ll leave you to your devices.”
“Thanks again,” you spoke up as he turned to leave. “It wasn’t horrible being around you for an extended period of time.”
Elijah chuckled. “What a compliment.”
“What can I say? I’m full of them.”
“I’m sure.”
He was just to the door frame when you remembered, and you spoke up as you moved over to the desk.
“Elijah!”
He turned to you yet again, and you picked up the provided notepad and pen and tossed it over to him. Elijah caught it in one hand without flinching, and he smiled, knowing without you saying it.
You said it anyway. “Your phone number.”
Elijah wrote his number on the pad, no doubt with perfect penmanship, and he tossed it back to you. Somehow, you caught it.
“Do not hesitate to call,” he said, “if there is an error with your room, or you find yourself on the brink of death.”
You gave him a wry smile. “I’ll be sure to crawl my way over to the phone when I’m seconds away from the pearly gates.”
Once again, the slightest of smiles. “Good.”
And with that, Elijah was gone, leaving your door closed as if he was never even there.
You sat back down on the bed, finally taking a moment to breathe on your lonesome.
A truce. Maybe that wasn’t so bad.
And maybe, you thought, you were warming up to Elijah Mikaelson.
Notes:
lol sorry that this took so long! yet again! haha. you guys know how it is by now
anyways i graduated high school two months ago and i move into my college dorm room in 3 weeks so thats pretty cool. again sorry that this took so long but thank you to the people that have commented since then and thank you for all the love on this fic!! you guys are the reason i get back the motivation to write<3
i feel like im truly embodying the vampire diaries in this fic because when i sit down to write a chapter i just type things. no outline, just vibes. like the direction i was gonna take this in changed about 3 times and we're just here. this was supposed to be longer than it was but i decided to save the rest of it for the next chapter bc im trying to keep this chapters around 5k and this was at 7k lol. i got carried away on the dialogue, and that is how i ended up trying to decide how vampire taxes worked at midnight. fun times right
anyways (again) this chapter is a mini rollercoaster. i hope you enjoy lmao
Chapter 12: On The Edge
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Your motel might’ve been shitty, but it was vampire-free. And at this point, that was all you could ask. And, to be honest, it was kind of growing on you. It reminded you of your college days in your shitty dorm that was way too expensive for the quality of life, before everything in your life became complicated.
After Elijah (sort of) helped you move in, you weren’t visited by any Mikaelsons—maybe Klaus worked on a calendar schedule, because this was the second time you’d gone a week without them. After a far too positive interaction with Elijah, you were thankful for it—the last thing you needed was to actually start liking them.
(You might’ve liked Rebekah, but that was different. So far, she’d been completely honest with you, and she hadn’t tried to kill you. That got her a gold medal with her family.)
You spent most of your time inside your room, leeching off of the free wifi as you desperately tried to save your job. You’d been gone for a little over a month now—way over your sick days and PTO—and without the biggest break of your life, you were in extremely hot water. It sucked that you did have the biggest break of your life, you just couldn’t say a thing about it.
You felt like you were gonna have to use every excuse in the book: family emergency, sudden death in the family, you were sick, your mother was sick so you had to take care of her, another family emergency—nothing was off the table as far as you were concerned. Especially in the current market.
You sighed as you sent off yet another email, practically able to picture your career crumbling in front of you. You would probably be able to get another job if you did end up getting fired, but a past reference from your boss would not look good. No one wanted an employee that disappeared for a month without a word.
And there was also your apartment to worry about—you weren’t even staying in the place, and yet all your expenses were still coming out of your pocket. That meant when—if—you got back to New York, you might be returning broke, homeless, and unemployed.
God. Klaus Mikaelson really just came into your life and screwed everything up without a second thought, didn’t he?
Vampire woes aside, you were getting tired of sending emails. You’d been having such a fun time dealing with the Mikaelsons that you forgot how soul-sucking normal corporate work was, and you needed a break. You also had to pay a call to someone that was probably extremely worried about you.
/
“Hello?” Leah’s voice was a welcome relief—partly glad that you remembered her number, but mostly thankful that you were finally going to get to have a normal conversation.
“Leah,” you said, smiling through your words, “long time, no call, huh?”
“Oh my god.” She was obviously surprised, most likely a mix of the unknown hotel number and your extended absence. She said your name, not completely believing it, “is that you?”
“Yeah,” you said, “it’s me. Honestly and truly.”
“Oh my god!” she repeated, “it’s actually you! How dare you leave me on the air for so long?”
“I’m sorry!” you exclaimed. “I’ve been spending a lot of time with my family, and I’ve been busy with this case, and I just haven’t gotten a chance to call until now.”
Leah sighed. “I’m gonna be completely honest, it’s been so long that I thought you ran into that serial killer we joked about.”
“No,” you said, “no serial killers. But I did run into some vampires. I’ve nearly died a couple times—it’s pretty terrifying.”
You honestly didn’t know what possessed you to tell her the actual truth. Maybe part of it was the fact that you felt like you had to get it out somehow, after lying to your family for a month straight, or maybe you just wanted to push it. See if someone would believe you. Probably both.
Leah laughed. “Then it sounds like you’ve had a lot better time than I have. Blackwood’s been pushing us hard—some anonymous source dropped a huge leak for this up-and-coming company practically on our doorstep, and she wants us to get the info out as fast as possible before the source runs out of patience and gives it to someone else. I’d much prefer vampires.”
What were you expecting? Of course she wouldn’t believe you. No rational human would.
Honestly though, you were kinda glad she went right into journalism talk. You were a lot more comfortable with what she was dealing with than your own situation.
“I’d rather be in your boat,” you said, and she laughed, not knowing you were being completely austere. You blew out a loose sigh to try and cover your small break. “It sounds rough, though. How’re you guys handling it?”
“As well as usual,” she said, and you heard the smile in her words. “I’m killing it, obviously. But it’s just a whole lot of crunch time.”
You hummed. “Wish I could be there.”
“You know that’s a lie,” she admonished. “But, speaking of that, when are you going to be back? You might not have a job if you wait any longer.”
You rubbed your temples and sighed again. “I have no idea. This case is taking a lot more time than I thought it would.”
“Really? Is it… not animal attacks?” You heard the screech of a chair against her tile floor, her pulling closer as her interest piqued. “Holy shit, did you actually find a serial killer?”
“No,” you laughed, though it was a bit strained, “no. No serial killers, thankfully. I’m just… trying to help some of the victims. This woman, she can’t pay her medical bills and so she’s trying to get them covered by the city, based off of negligence or something—she hired a lawyer, and I’m helping with some of the facts to build a stronger case.” Yeah—that was a good lie. Legal stuff took forever; it was always a good cover. “Who knows when I’ll be back?”
She whistled. “Good luck with that. Enjoy your vampires and your legal work.”
You laughed again, this time a bit more light-hearted. “I will.”
“I gotta go,” she said with a sigh. “It has been really great talking to you though, babe. You need to finish all that up as soon as possible, because things are boring without you.”
You smiled. “I’ll do my best.”
“You better.” Your smile faded a bit at her words, an exact mirror of Bee’s response. Looked like you were making another promise you likely couldn’t keep.
“Bye, Leah,” you said. “Talk to you soon.”
You hung up before you could feel any worse, letting out a long-lasting sigh as you sat down on your bed.
Working for Klaus was like the worst internship ever—you weren’t even being paid in exposure, you were being paid in ‘losing all your relationships and nearly dying ten times a week’. You had to say, you weren’t really a fan.
Just then, there was a knock on your door. A jolt went through you on instinct before you took a deep breath and shook your head. It was probably housekeeping or something.
But when you got up and opened the door, you were met by the last person you wanted to see. Speak of the devil was certainly appropriate for him.
“You look well.”
You tried to slam the door on Klaus as soon as he spoke, but he stopped you with far too much ease.
“That’s not how you should treat a guest,” he tutted, and you clenched your jaw.
“How did you find me?”
“Elijah gave it up quite easily.”
A column of anger flared up in you, but you decided that was a problem for another day. “And why are you here?”
“Am I not allowed to visit you?” Klaus asked innocently.
“No,” you said. “Our deal isn’t that we meet every Saturday for brunch. So leave me alone.”
“I have a gift for you,” he said, and that got your attention.
“A gift,” you said suspiciously. “The guy who threatens me as a hobby got me a gift.”
“Consider it an… apology.”
That made you even more cautious. “Right.”
Klaus tried to take a step toward, but it didn’t do anything for him. His foot stopped at the threshold, at the invisible barrier that apparently existed in the doors of every house.
He looked up at you with that smooth smile. “Mind letting me in, love?”
“I am not letting you in here,” you said, and you took a cursory step backwards. “Absolutely not.”
His expression quickly morphed into a frown. “I see Elijah finally deigned to tell you about the rule.” Klaus kicked his foot against what should’ve been open air, but it bounced back as if he were hitting a wall. “It’s a shame. We used to be able to enter hotels.”
“Maybe the decades are blending together,” you said dryly, “maybe your rules got a status update since the last time you tried this. But either way, you’re not getting in here.”
“In all of those decades, you are truly one of the most annoying people I’ve ever met,” he said. “Tell me, how have you managed such a feat?”
“And in my two decades, you’re the most charming,” you responded. “Don’t you know you should take a lady out to dinner before you start insulting her?”
Klaus smirked. “Is that an invitation?”
“In your dreams.”
“How did you know?” The sharpness of his grin made you uneasy.
You huffed a laugh and shook your head. He was not flirting with you right now.
“What’s your gift?” you asked evenly, taking a hard right turn away from whatever the hell that was. “Because it has to be good enough to bother me right now.”
“I don’t need a reason to bother you,” he enunciated, and that familiar coldness was back. For some reason, you preferred it—it was easier to deal with. “Remember—you work for me. Every second that you are alive is one that you should be thanking me for my kindness.”
“Your kindness?” You shook your head again, this time in disbelief. “You’ve gotta be joking.”
“I am not ‘joking’, love.” Klaus’s eyes drilled into you, and it was as if he could see into your soul. It was unnerving beyond belief. “You seem to forget who I am, who you’re dealing with. You seem to forget that, just because I allow you to be as headstrong as you please, that I can kill you in a million different ways any time I please.”
You took another step back, your heartbeat speeding up as an involuntary column of fear shot through you. He was right, and you hated to admit it. A part of you had honestly forgotten what you were dealing with. You didn’t like the reminder, the truth of your situation.
By the triumphant quirk of his lips, you knew he could hear your heart rate accelerating. “It’s good to know you can still feel fear.”
“I am human, after all,” you said, though not without a slight shake to your voice.
“That’s right.” Suddenly, his eyes dilated, and he looked right at you. “Let me in.”
“No,” you enunciated, managing to get some of your bravery back. “Compulsion won’t work. Haven’t you learned that by now?”
“It was worth a shot,” he drawled. “You really can’t blame me for hoping this was the day you slipped up on your usage.” Klaus then pulled a box out of his pocket and tossed it into your room, bypassing the magical barrier as it landed on the floor with a soft thud.
“This is your gift,” he said. “Appreciate it. Set it up. And be ready, because your next mission is imminent.”
“Can I ask for details?”
“I find it’s so much more exciting for you to figure them out as you go,” he said. Klaus then checked his watch and sighed. “As exciting as putting you back in your place has been, I have other arrangements to attend to. I’ll see you soon, love. You’d best remember to keep an eye out.”
Klaus turned to walk away, and then he paused to look back at you. “A word of advice: you might want to find that necklace I gave you. And stock up on vervain—it might be the only thing that saves you.”
And on that ominous note, Klaus disappeared.
“God,” you murmured, feeling that chill down your spine again. “Does he always have to act like that?”
You shut your door, making sure to lock it—knowing that the protection of explicit permission extended to motel rooms as well was one of the biggest reliefs of your life—and went over to see just what Klaus had decided to give you.
To your surprise, it was… a phone. A brand new iPhone, way better than the 6 you’d had since it came out. It had almost gotten you killed, but maybe it was a good thing Klaus crushed your phone. Paying with a near death experience might’ve been less expensive than cash or credit.
There was also a slip of paper along with it, a scrawled number the only thing written on it. You figured it was so you would be able to contact Klaus—or rather, he contact you—which told you that whatever your next mission was, it was far away.
You were certainly in for something, you thought tersely.
But now that you were alone, back in your self-contained bubble where you could joke about the Mikaelsons and your hopeless situation without fear of retribution, you could hardly stifle your laugh as you opened the box. The idea of Klaus waiting in an AT&T or an Apple store was so completely ridiculous to you that it actually hurt—you pictured him threatening the poor worker after they created a bubble while putting on the screen protector.
(You knew he probably sent one of his various minions to do it rather than himself, of course, but you chose to imagine the thing that made him so much less intimidating. It helped, especially after his visit.)
You sighed, contentment almost laced in, as you flopped down on your bed and turned it on. At least, in the world of the supernatural and death around basically every corner, you had material possessions to look forward to.
-
“I forgot this was still available in grocery stores.”
The voice appearing out of nowhere next to you made you jump, nearly dropping the basket filled with verbena tea you’d been picking off the shelf. After sleeping off your little spat with Klaus, you ended up at the grocery store at noon the next day starting a much needed afternoon of errands. But when you whirled around to see who your visitor was, your worries ceased temporarily.
“Rebekah,” you breathed, “what the hell are you doing here?”
Each time a Mikaelson had popped up this week, they’d done it seemingly out of nowhere, somehow able to know where you were. As much as it annoyed you, you really couldn’t blame them. If you had vampire powers, you would probably do the same. If you weren’t scared of them killing you at every moment, you might’ve even found the humor in it.
She frowned as she plucked one of the boxes out of your basket, turning it around to examine it. “I find it rather rude that you continue using vervain. Do you not trust us?”
“No,” you said immediately, “I absolutely don’t.”
She considered it for a moment then nodded. “Fair.” Rebekah tossed the box of tea back into your basket then turned her piercing gaze on you. “What are you doing here?”
“Um… grocery shopping?” You gestured around the store with your free hand. “Some of us have to eat food to live, so—”
“I don’t really care,” she admitted, completely interrupting you. “Are you free for the rest of the day?”
“No. I have errands to run. That’s why I’m here.”
“That’s free enough,” Rebekah shrugged. “Congratulations. You now have a devastatingly gorgeous vampire to accompany you.”
You raised your eyebrows. “You want to accompany me as I run errands.”
“Yes,” she said. “What’s so hard to understand?”
“You wanting to run errands is hard to understand.”
Rebekah scoffed. “I’m bored, alright? Things have been relatively quiet on my end—Klaus is the reason for most of our problems at the moment, and fortunately he is decent enough to try and solve them on his own. You are the most interesting thing going on at the moment, so that is why I’m here.”
“Interesting?” You laughed at that—the thousand year old vampire was calling you interesting. “Uh—yeah, I am not interesting. I’m just doing normal human things right now.”
“Your errands aren’t interesting,” she said, “but you are. It’s not very often a human goes head to head with a Mikaelson and survives. I want to know more about you.”
“You’re gonna be disappointed,” you said.
Rebekah shrugged. “Disappointed is better than bored.”
You stared at Rebekah for a long moment before you chuckled and shook your head. “Fine. You can come along on my errands.”
“Wonderful!” she exclaimed with a smile. “Of course, your permission didn’t really matter. I was going to join you anyway.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it,” you murmured.
-
“Just to be clear, you’re paying for all of this?”
“Sure,” Rebekah said offhandedly. “I don’t know why you make such a big deal out of money, always insisting I pay for everything.”
That was a whole other argument you could get into with her, but you didn’t really feel like explaining the ins and outs of your crushing debt with an immortal vampire in the one percent. It was the least she could do, though—paying for everything in exchange for her crashing your very thrilling afternoon of errands.
After her interruption of your activities, Rebekah insisted on getting a car. Apparently she was okay with running errands with you, but she was not going to walk between stores. That was too much for her.
(She’d disappeared for about ten minutes—she didn’t call an Uber or anything, just disappeared with that vampire speed that they were fond of—and when she came back, it was in a sleek black Lexus. When you asked how she got it, she simply smiled and handed you the keys.)
“I appreciate your help,” you said instead. Flattery seemed to work well with her.
“Of course you do.” Rebekah stopped with you at the aisle you’d ended up in—toiletries, as the travel sized hair products you had in your bag were on their last lives—and looked right at you. “Now. I do believe you said you would tell me about yourself.”
You chuckled. “There’s not that much to tell, but ask away.”
“Your sweatshirt,” she said, pointing at your NYU hoodie. “It’s college, I assume. Tell me about that.”
“There’s not that much to tell there, either,” you said. “I went to NYU—New York University—majored in journalism, got offered a job senior year from the company I’d been interning with, graduated with a shit ton of debt, and I’ve been working there since.” You frowned a bit. “Probably gonna lose that job, since I’ve been here for so long without a good reason, but that’s totally fine.”
Rebekah’s lips quirked up in a smile. “Sounds like you’re growing into the signature distaste for dear old Nik.”
“It’s not a very hard club to get into,” you said. “He’s so good at ruining lives you’d think he’s been doing it for the whole thousand years he’s been around.”
“Oh, he has,” Rebekah confirmed. “He quite enjoys it. Gives him a sense of power.”
It wasn’t too hard to figure out that she’d had her fair share of experience with it by the sharp edge to her voice. You decided to change the subject.
“But before all of that, I was born here,” you gestured with a sweep of your hand, “in good old Mystic Falls. This is the first time I’ve been back in a while.”
“Why is that?”
You paused, wondering how much you really wanted to reveal about your life to Rebekah.
“I don’t have the best relationship with my mother,” you decided, “so once I graduated, it was pretty easy to make up excuses to stay up north. I only ever came back to see my sister, but even that was pretty sparingly.” You pursed your lips. “...I regret it. Not visiting her more often because of our mom. It wasn’t fair to her.”
When you looked back at Rebekah, you noticed her eyes had softened slightly.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I know what it’s like to have a poor relationship with your mother. It isn’t easy.”
“No,” you agreed, but another question popped up. “Have you held a grudge for a thousand years, though? I mean, your mother’s been dead for… centuries.”
Rebekah went silent once more and you feared you hit a nerve. You were about to amend your mistake when she spoke once more.
“I do not exactly know our mother’s fate,” she said. “She was… killed shortly after she turned us. But she was a very powerful witch in life, so I’ve no doubt she’s still poking around in the spirit realm like the meddlesome woman she is.”
“Wait,” you frowned, “your mother turned you?”
“She used her magic,” Rebekah said simply, and by her continued silence you knew you weren’t going to get anything else out of her.
Maybe that was for the best. She looked shaken—though she was trying very hard to cover it up, and admittedly doing a good job—and the last thing you wanted to do was bring up a memory she’s spent a millennia burying.
“We can cut the afternoon short,” you decided. “How do you feel about drinks?”
Rebekah raised an eyebrow. “It’s three thirty.”
“You look like you need it,” you said. “And I think I do too.”
Her lips quirked up in the smallest smile. “Very well then.”
-
“Whiskey on the rocks, please.”
After showing your driver’s license to the bartender you allowed yourself a moment to relax, letting out yet another loaded sigh as you rested your chin on your fist. You weren’t usually a day drinker, but you could allow exceptions for your growing vampiric problems. At least, for the time being, you had Rebekah on your side. The two of you had ended up in some hole-in-the-wall place in Richmond with a bar, and it was pleasant enough.
“Rough day?” the bartender asked as he placed the drink in front of you.
You gave him a nod of thanks and took a sip, wincing a bit as the liquid burned its way down your throat. “Rough week.”
His lips quirked up in a slight smile and he moved away, his attention going over to Rebekah. “Can I get you anything?”
“Whatever she had,” Rebekah said, and the bartender nodded. She slid into the seat next to you and looked at you. “What’s happened to make this a rough week?”
You raised your eyebrows. “I’m surprised you care.”
Rebekah scoffed. “Darling, I’ve spent the whole day following you around as you do errands. I’m sure that means I can ask how you’re doing.”
You huffed a laugh and shrugged. Rebekah thanked the bartender with a nod. “Elijah was the one that helped me move into my motel, and that only happened after I basically destroyed all the trust my sister had in me. Then I had a nice little visit from Klaus where he threatened me and promised another mission soon, and now I’m here, day drinking.” Another sip of whiskey, another wince. Your tolerance wasn’t what it used to be. “Life’s been pretty bleak since I met your brother, if I’m being honest.”
Rebekah was silent for a moment before she spoke. “As you said earlier—he is quite skilled at ruining lives.”
Once again, there was that hint of melancholy in her eyes. You couldn’t help but ask this time.
“What did he do to you?”
Rebekah’s eyebrows shot up as she turned to you. “Whatever do you mean?”
“You know what I mean,” you pressed. “You talk like this is all familiar. And I’m guessing that’s because it is.”
She was silent yet again, then let out a loose sigh as she rubbed her temple. “You would be correct.”
You waited for her to go on—you weren’t going to push her, but you would be lying if you said you weren’t curious—and after a moment, she did.
“We should… move this,” she said. “Away from sensitive ears.”
You nodded and picked up your drink, and after a relocation to a booth, Rebekah continued.
“Nik enjoys control, above all else,” she said. “He loves being in charge of it all. He wants to have power, control, obedience—he wants it all. And he does not care who he has to eliminate to get his way.”
Your eyes widened, the implication not lost on you. “Rebekah… He didn’t—”
“Not exactly,” she interrupted. “He’s never… killed us, per se, but that is because we cannot truly be killed; not without quite a bit of effort. But we can be put down, in a sense. There are these daggers, coated in the ashes of a special tree. When inserted into our heart, we enter… a corpse-like state, I suppose you can say. Desiccated, rather. And we remain in stasis until the dagger is removed.”
“And he’s done that to you?” you asked, horrified.
“To all of us,” she murmured, and her gaze had dropped down to the wood of the table. “Several times, throughout the years.”
It was one thing for Klaus to try and kill you, or anyone else. You were all nobodies, people that had no effect on him, people that he wouldn’t feel guilty over snuffing out. But Rebekah—all of his siblings—they were family. They had been together for a millennia; they were the only people on this Earth that could possibly understand each other. Doing that kind of thing to your family—your own blood, forged through an eternity of life—not only once, but multiple times? It was unthinkable to you. It was unthinkable to anyone with a conscience.
Klaus Mikaelson was even crueler than you had imagined.
“I’m so sorry, Rebekah.” Your voice came out weaker than you wanted it to, but you could hardly even muster the words. What could you say, to somebody who’d been betrayed multiple times by their own brother? And by her mother, it seemed, from the story she’d told you earlier.
You couldn’t help but wonder what else the Mikaelsons had been through during their millennia of life. What forged them into the people they were today.
(Honestly, you didn’t think you wanted to know.)
She tossed back the rest of her drink and managed a thin smile as you suppressed a shiver. “It’s no use wallowing. There’s nothing I can do about it anymore. And after all,” there was that slight glimmer in her eye, but it was dimmer than usual, “I’m here now, aren’t I?”
You nodded. “You are.”
Her smile grew a little stronger when there was suddenly a buzz, and the loud noise out of nowhere made you jump. Rebekah pulled her phone out of her pocket and sighed. “Excuse me, darling. Give me a moment to take this. Elijah does not know the meaning of downtime.”
You chuckled as Rebekah placed the phone to her ear and got up, walking to the back of the back of the restaurant. You looked at your empty glass and decided some more alcohol would help lighten the mood the two of you had created, and you headed back to the bar.
“Another of the same, please,” you said to the bartender. He nodded and got to work, and you sighed, resting your head on your hand. You still couldn’t get over what Rebekah had told you.
Then the bartender spoke up, his attention flicking up to a new customer. “What can I get you?”
“I’m just here to talk, thanks.” The voice was familiar, and when you glanced over at him, you couldn’t help but laugh.
“What’s the matter?” he asked. “Expecting a Mikaelson instead?”
“I think you’re the last person I was expecting,” you murmured, “Mikaelson or not.”
Stefan Salvatore sat down in the seat next to you, his gaze surprisingly impassive for what the two of you had gone through just a week ago. You could only imagine that he was waiting for Rebekah to leave so he could accost you. Your vampire problem would just not stop growing.
“Like I said, I just want to talk. I have a couple of questions.” He looked at the drink the bartender placed in front of you as you thanked him. “Judging by the hour and what you’re choosing to do, I figure you have a couple things to say.”
“Ask away,” you said with an offhanded gesture. “Can’t guarantee I have any answers.”
He started with a very unsurprising one. “Why are you working with the Mikaelsons?”
“Because I have to,” you said plainly. “Next question.”
He frowned. “You don’t have to.”
“Yeah, I do.” You took another sip of your drink—the whiskey was starting to burn less, thankfully. “He made that pretty clear that night we met that he has no problem getting rid of me.”
“But there are other options than willingly going along with what he wants you to do,” Stefan insisted.
“It’s not willingly,” you muttered, “trust me.”
“So you regret what you did to Elena,” he surmised.
You huffed a laugh. “Only a psychopath can terrorize a teenager and not feel any kind of remorse.”
He looked you dead in the eye. “He killed Elena, both her and her aunt, all for his own gain. It was only with a whole lot of luck and sacrifice we were able to save her. Klaus does this kind of thing all the time, and he feels nothing.”
“I know.”
“You’re just another pawn in his game,” Stefan continued. “He doesn’t care about you in any sort of way — he’s scaring you, he’s using you, and he will kill you when he’s done.”
“I know.”
“You can’t trust him in any sort of way. He will get you to lower your guard, get you to trust him, and then he will stab you in the back and destroy you.”
“I know!” you interrupted, and the loud thump from slamming your hand against the table got him to stop talking. “God, Stefan, do you think I don’t know all the different types of horrible he is? I know that he is a psychopathic monster that is just itching for the chance to kill me. I know that the only reason I’m still here is because, right now, I’m worth just a little bit more to him alive than dead, and I know that this whole deal of mine is only working because he thinks he can get some work out of me before he does kill me. Believe me Stefan, I know. But I also know that this is my only choice if I want any chance at getting out of this, my heart still beating and my head still connected to my body. So if you’re that intent on helping me, try leaving me alone.”
You threw back the final millimeter of your drink, fished a twenty out of your wallet, and left it next to your empty glass—your time here was over. If Rebekah wanted more alcohol, she could use her endless vampire coffers to get some more. You tapped the table twice as you got up to alert the bartender and gave Stefan a thin smile.
“You can also tell your brother to stop threatening me. I’d appreciate that.”
“I just want to help you.” Stefan stood up, following slightly behind you as you walked out, and for some reason you stopped with him outside. “I can tell that you’re a good person, just trapped in a bad situation. Let me help you—let us help you.”
“I don’t think your little group would be very fond of helping me, even if I wanted it,” you said dryly. “Besides, how do you know I’m a good person? Maybe this is my dream. I’m finally getting the chance to be the accomplice to all the murder I desire.”
Stefan smiled wryly. “I think we both know you’re not anything close to that.”
“Maybe,” you said, “but I’m gonna do what I have to do to get out of this.”
He huffed a laugh and crossed his arms. “You’re telling me the woman who couldn’t ask for some blood without feeling guilty is gonna be able to kill somebody if she has to.”
“It’s not like I want to kill anyone,” you said. “The most favorable outcome is that I get out of this without hurting anybody. But that’s not going to happen. And I am in this situation in the first place because I value my life more than anything. So if it turns out it’s me or someone else?” You shook your head. “It’s gonna be me every time.”
Stefan’s expression was carefully impassive as he stared at you, a mask crafted and perfected over decades of an unforgiving life. “So that’s how this is gonna be.”
You nodded. “Yeah. It is.”
“You’re gonna be a major problem for us,” Stefan said, “I can already tell. The smart choice would be for me to get you out of the way. Kill you right now.”
“It probably is,” you said. “But you’re not gonna do it.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Killing me has never been in your cards,” you said. “You don’t try and warn your victims about the people they’re working with because they might kill them. You don’t stop your brother from threatening your victims. If you wanted me dead, you would’ve taken a page out of his book and snapped my neck the second I left this place. You wouldn’t have tried to have a normal conversation about how screwed I am for working with Klaus.”
“Fine,” Stefan said, “you don’t want my help. But just let me tell you this—as someone who’s walked on Klaus’s side more than once.”
“You’re on the edge,” he said. “A very dangerous edge. And if you’re not careful… you’re gonna end up in a lot more trouble than you can handle.” Stefan looked you right in the eye, and it sent a chill down your spine. “I mean, do you even know what you are?”
That got you. “What?”
“Do you know what you are?” His eyes drilled right into your soul. It was unnerving.
At your continued silence and growing frown, Stefan just huffed a laugh. “You really don’t. Huh.”
It was that moment that Rebekah came outside, pushing you slightly behind her as she glared at Stefan.
“Isn’t it just a delight to see you,” she said stiffly.
Stefan smiled, albeit mirthlessly. “I could say the same for you, Rebekah.”
She looked back at you. “Go to the car. I’ll be there in a moment.”
You stared at her. “Why?”
“Because this is business that doesn’t concern you,” she said helpfully.
You didn’t budge. “I need a better reason than that.”
“No,” Rebekah said pointedly, “you don’t. Now, darling, please leave. I’m asking very nicely.”
“...Fine,” you conceded begrudgingly. “But don’t kill him.”
She offered a crooked smile. “I would never.”
You couldn’t help but look behind you as you started down the sidewalk, and you were only able to hear the backend of Rebekah’s sentence.
“—doing, you absolute idiot?”
You frowned, a growing part of your conscience telling you to go back and see what the hell was going on. But the self-preservation part of you told you to stay on your path—the last thing you needed was to get in the middle of an angry vampire confrontation.
You made it to the car and took the passenger’s side. Rebekah might complain about it, but you’d had two drinks and were definitely on the worse side of tipsy. Vampires were dead, which meant they didn’t have blood—that meant they didn’t have a BAC, which meant they couldn’t get drunk easily, if at all. Right?
It only took five minutes for Rebekah to get back, and when she opened the passenger side, she didn’t have any blood on her hands or outfit. That was a good thing, at least.
(You might not have liked Stefan very much, by virtue of his own irritation and his very loving brother, but that didn’t mean you wanted the guy to get killed. You were nice like that.)
“Why are you here?” she asked.
“I had a few drinks, so I’m tipsy,” you said. “I’m not drinking and driving.”
She frowned. “I’ve had a few drinks as well. Do you want me drinking and driving?”
“You’re dead,” you said. “You can’t get drunk.”
Rebekah’s lip curled. “You and your logic have no place here.”
You smiled, and you caught the slightest glimpse of her own as she shut the door. But when she got in the car and pulled back onto the street, you couldn’t help but ask.
“What did you say to Stefan?”
“Nothing you need to worry about,” she said. “He, like his brother, is not very bright. Sometimes he forgets that.”
You chuckled, but that didn’t stop the concern in the back of your mind. “He said something weird. ‘Do you even know what you are’.”
Rebekah’s hands tightened the slightest bit on the steering wheel, but she recovered just as quickly. “As I said, it is nothing you need to worry about. He’s just saying things—the man seems insistent on fulfilling his knight in shining armor quota of at least one damsel in distress per year, and unfortunately, it seems as if you’ve ended up as his. I’d avoid him, if you can. Stefan himself isn’t much danger when he’s trying to be the good guy of the story, but he brings a whole messy brigade along with him. It’s not worth the trouble.”
“...Fine,” you said, not really believing it but accepting that you weren’t going to get much out of her. “You two also seemed pretty familiar.”
“Ah, yes,” she said with a sigh. “Stefan and I have been acquainted for quite some time—we used to be together.” There was a certain sadness in her eyes, the kind that you couldn’t help but feel sympathy for. “Our story didn’t exactly end in the best way, and because of family relations, we aren’t on the best terms anymore.”
“Him? With you?” You couldn’t help the pure disbelief in your words. Rebekah was one of the most, if not the most, beautiful women you’d ever met. Stefan had his own charms, you supposed, but he was certainly not on her level. “You can do so much better.”
She smiled at that, and you found that a lightness came along with it. For some reason, you felt proud. (You had an inkling that was how Rebekah so often got what she wanted; that sort of air about her was even stronger than her siblings, and she wasn’t even trying.) “Thank you. I appreciate it when people tell the truth.”
You laughed. “It would be very hard to lie to you about your looks.”
“You are correct on that.”
The rest of the ride to your motel was a silent one, but it was comfortable.
You didn’t exactly know how to feel about that.
-
You spent the rest of your day organizing some of the things you bought, and after ordering some mediocre Chinese takeout and reading some of the articles your company had put out in your absence and catching up on emails, you called it a night. You were more exhausted than usual, but you chalked it up to your lovely new vampire friends and the weight of your conversations with Rebekah.
(You also couldn’t stop thinking about what Stefan had said. You tried to push it away as much as possible.)
You were rather enjoying your rest. The ruckus of an all too loud air conditioning unit was ultimately what lured you to sleep, but as it was something you were enjoying, it had to end. The unwelcome banging on your door was ultimately what pulled you out of it.
At first, you decided to just ignore it. Whoever it was could wait until a normal hour. But then it just got louder and more impatient, and you groaned into your pillow.
“I’m coming!” you yelled, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes as you reluctantly got up. “God, have some patience!”
When you opened the door, you were met with, yet again, the last person you wanted to see. To be fair, he’d had full reign over the title since the day you met him.
“What are you doing here?” you fumed.
Klaus frowned. “That’s not the proper way to greet a friend.”
“We are most certainly not friends. Do you even know what time it is?” you growled. “I know you don’t need to sleep, but that doesn’t mean you can come banging on my door at four thirty in the morning!”
“Now I see why you like her. She is just as annoying as you.”
The unfamiliar voice made you realize, in your Klaus-centric anger, there was another man there. Your eyes were beginning to adjust, but as you looked between the two of them, you couldn’t deny the similarities. And there was still one more sibling you hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting.
“Oh,” you said, already shaking your head as you took a cursory step away from the door, “oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me.”
Klaus smiled, fully aware of your thought process. “This is my brother Kol. You’d best start brewing your coffee now—you’re about to embark on a lovely road trip together.”
“Oh my god,” you muttered, rubbing at your temples, “just do me a favor and kill me now.”
“Trust me,” Kol said bitterly, “I wish I could.”
“None of that,” Klaus admonished. “Not yet, at least.”
Not yet. It was good that he saw you in such high esteem.
“What is this?” you asked. “Why is your brother here?”
“There is some business I need done,” Klaus said. “More… civil business than I feel like conducting this week. And who better to conduct that civil business than my lovely human friend who believes pacifism can be used for everything?”
“I’m not your friend,” you said, “and not wanting to kill everyone I come across can hardly be classified as pacifism.”
He brushed it off with an offhanded gesture. “Technicalities.”
“You still haven’t said why he is here,” you said, risking a glance at Kol. His eyes narrowed in on you, as if he was sizing you up. A chill went down your spine. His gaze was far too calculating for any kind of comfort.
You were not looking forward to this road trip.
“I need my dearest brother out of my hair for the moment being,” Klaus said, “and you, frankly, are the best option.”
“Really,” you said dryly. “I’m the best option.”
“It will also challenge you,” Klaus said. “Kol is not my easiest sibling to get along with.”
"I am plenty easy to get along with," he scowled. "I just tend to despise all the humans you gravitate towards. They have a habit of being irritating twits."
"He is such a kind soul," Klaus mused. "Aren’t you lucky?”
There were so many things you wanted to say to Klaus. Namely, are you crazy, what the hell do you have against me, and can you get a lawyer to write up my will real quick, but instead, you just shook your head in disbelief.
“So you’re sending me on this trip to get killed,” you settled on, “is that it?”
“Of course not.” Klaus had the gall to look offended. “Honestly, you should be thanking me. Consider it a… test, one of your diplomatic abilities. The coven you’re visiting is capable of ending your life with a single word, so I advise extreme caution.”
“Coven,” you said, choosing to ignore the thinly veiled threat. “You’re sending me to visit witches?”
He nodded. “Our family has fallen into some hot waters with a coven located near Rochester. It’s best if the matter is resolved quickly, hence this joyous occasion.”
That got your attention. “We’re going to New York?”
This time, it was Kol that spoke up. “He doesn’t want you to lose your job. If there’s one thing that’s worse than working with a human, it’s working with a human that’s a completely useless dependent.”
“I would have put it more eloquently,” Klaus said, slightly annoyed, “but yes. On the way, you are to do whatever negotiations you must to keep your job. Use Kol’s compulsion if you must, just ensure you stay gainfully employed.”
You certainly weren’t going to complain about getting a chance to keep your job.
“I’ll try my best,” you said. “But why does it have to be a road trip? Do you know how expensive gas is going to be for a—” you frowned as you did the rough calculations in your head, “—ten hour drive? A plane would be so much easier.”
“Nonsense,” Klaus said. “I find a road trip is so much better for bonding. Besides—you cannot lose my brother if you are in a car with him for hours on end.”
Ah. So that was what this was about. Not only did Klaus want to drop the responsibility of his brother on you, he wanted to make sure you didn’t try anything.
(You wouldn’t try anything. Not when your family still lived here. Not when Klaus knew the address, knew your sister’s face.)
Kol crossed his arms as he looked at his brother. “What’s stopping me from killing her the moment she steps outside?”
“Nothing,” Klaus said with a shrug. “But remember what I told you before you try anything.”
You frowned, a question on your lips before Klaus took something out of his pocket and threw it at you—car keys that you just barely caught.
You glared at him. "I hate you."
“I hate you as well,” Kol added.
Klaus simply smiled. “Enjoy your trip.”
And then he was gone, leaving you and his bloodthirsty brother alone. The only divide between the two of you was your doorway, and you instinctively took another step back. You thought you were getting used to vampires, but Kol proved you wrong.
“Well,” Kol said, leaning up against the doorframe with a steely glint in his eye, “this day just got so much worse.”
“Took the words right out of my mouth,” you muttered.
This was going to be a long, long, drive.
Notes:
im sorry it took so long for kol to be introduced and he's only in the chapter at the end but!! the next few chapters will be completely kol-centric to make up for it<33 updates will probably take a lot longer though since im officially in college!! i wrote parts of this chapter both in the student commons and the library. very nice library btw makes me feel professional. but im just here in the corner writing fanfic lmao
anyways in this chapter you've got reader finally having some normalcy talking w leah, a rebekah heart to heart where reader finally finds out some shit about the mikaelsons, showing some grey morality w stefan, klaus taking a small power trip for funsies, and finally kol's intro!! wow what an eventful chapter. and just like i just said he will be the center of the next few chapters so yeah you kol lovers have that to look forward to lol.
also. this was so hard to write for some reason. like i had to reorganize it so many times and i couldn't figure out what i wanted to do and eventually this happened. like i said, im embodying the vampire diaries writers. anyways enjoy a longer chapter as a bribe bc it might be a while until the next one (she's 7.8k words wow)
Chapter 13: Kol
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Aren’t you going to let me in?”
The past thirty minutes had given you a new appreciation for Rebekah and Elijah. Klaus should really be thankful for his brother, because in Kol, you had a new least favorite Mikaelson.
You ignored his question for the hundredth time as you shoved things into your duffle bag, not exactly in the mood for conversation with him at the moment. You’d started packing after Klaus left, and Kol, the nuisance that he was, had made himself right at home hanging outside your door frame. If this was the precursor for your trip together, you were sure you would go insane.
“Come on,” he bemoaned. “We’re about to spend the next day or so together in much closer quarters than this. Surely you can get over whatever feelings you have about this to stop being such a bore.”
“You can keep talking to yourself,” you said. “You’ve had no problem doing that for the whole time you’ve been here.”
“The more I get to know you, the more hesitant I’ll be to kill you,” he said. “Does that sweeten the deal?”
You stood up at that, fixing him with an annoyed look. “Does your family have any other way of doing things than threatening to kill the people they work with?”
Kol grinned, his expression just as sharp as his brother’s. You certainly saw the resemblance in their murderous instinct. “Of course. You most certainly wouldn’t like them, though.”
You sighed as you walked your bag over to your kitchen and set it down on the counter, then began to rifle through your cabinets. You were mostly packed, but there were a few more unusual things you needed for a supernatural road trip.
Kol hummed in interest as he stood up straighter; with his heightened vision, it was like he was standing right over your shoulder. “Bringing vervain and a stake on an outing with a vampire. My brother was right—you do have nerve.”
“Do you ever shut up?” you asked, not looking back as you continued to pick and choose various objects.
“My conversation is delightful,” he countered. “Much more delightful than you, anyways.”
You hummed. “Then keep it to yourself and stop bothering me.”
Kol frowned. “You’re quite rude.”
You zipped up your bag then looked at him. “You just threatened to kill me.”
“Technically,” he said, “I did not. I merely advertised the fact that I am capable of it. And besides,” Kol’s eyes followed you as you moved around your room, and it was the worst kind of feeling, “murderous threats are expected of a vampire. Last I had checked, humans were meant to be nice. Especially to strangers.”
“You’re not exactly a stranger,” you said dryly. “After your brother tried to kill me, I’d consider myself pretty well acquainted with your family.”
He tutted and shook his head. “I’m afraid you’ve only reached the tip of the iceberg, love. My family is truly something else.”
“So I’ve heard,” you muttered.
“Oh?” Kol crossed his arms, his interest piqued. “What have you heard?”
You were hesitant to say anything, partially because of what you had heard. Bringing up what Klaus had done to him couldn’t go over well.
“Don’t be scared, love,” Kol said. “I don’t bite.”
You stared at him.
“Poor choice of words,” he amended. “But the point remains—it’s only polite to answer a question when you’re asked.”
“...I’ve heard that Klaus daggered you and your siblings,” you finally said, and his expression immediately hardened. “And that your mother was the one who turned all of you.”
“And who exactly told you that?” he asked, his voice tight.
“Your sister,” you said. “Rebekah told me. And I do feel bad for you, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
Kol huffed and turned away from you. “Because I care so much for the sympathy of humans.”
For once, you didn’t shoot back with a remark. This was unbelievably rocky territory that you didn’t have the right to go into—you also didn’t think venturing into that kind of trauma was icebreaker material.
So you simply said, “I’m sorry,” and continued packing. Kol, surprisingly, remained silent for the duration of it.
Once you were done gathering your meager belongings—you’d packed basically all of your things into the suitcase and backpack you’d flown into Virginia with—you walked over to the door where Kol still stood, leaning against the outer wall of your room.
“Okay,” you said, and he turned to look at you, “I’m all packed.”
“It’s about time,” he muttered, and he gestured towards the car with his head. “Let’s get going. You’ve been burning daylight.”
You shook your head. “Not yet.”
A muscle in his jaw ticked. “What now?”
“I need your word that you won’t kill me,” you said plainly. “At least for the duration of this trip.”
“And just why would I agree to that?” Kol asked lazily.
“Is Klaus’s word not enough for you?”
He smiled mirthlessly. “My brother’s word means little to me. Almost as little as you do.”
“Has anyone ever told you how much of a joy you are to be around?”
“Constantly.”
You let out a long, slow breath, trying to gather your bearings while you still could. You weren’t going to go insane before this trip even started.
“All I’m asking is that you keep your murderous tendencies to yourself for this trip,” you said. “I don’t really wanna die, and I don’t think you really wanna drive all these hours yourself. If we work together, we’ll be able to get this over with as soon as possible. Doesn’t that sound a lot better than killing me right away?”
“Trying to make another deal,” he said, “is that it? You seem to be very fond of those.”
“I’m only fond of it because it seems to be the only way that I can get things done with your family,” you responded. Kol’s lips twitched slightly, but it was still another moment before he sighed and finally answered.
“Fine,” he said. “I will not kill you for the duration of this trip so we can get this task over with as soon as possible, but I make no promises once it is over.”
“...I’ll take it,” you muttered.
You picked up your suitcase, adjusted your hold on your backpack, then stepped out of your room. You felt extremely vulnerable going across the only thing keeping you protected, but Kol, surprisingly, did not kill you. You were gonna count that as your first win.
“Finally,” he said, stepping away from your doorstep as you closed it behind you. “I hope you’re not this annoying for the entirety of this ride.”
“You’ll be disappointed then,” you responded dryly, and you held up your suitcase. “Mind putting this in the trunk for me?”
Kol huffed a laugh and began walking towards the car. “I am not a pack mule. You can do it just fine on your own.”
You sighed dramatically and shook your head as you followed him, taking the keys out of your pocket to unlock the car and pop the trunk. It was very nice having a modern car, one where you could just hit a button and make it happen, rather than the Volvo that both you and your mom drove during your respective high school years. If there was one thing you could appreciate with the Mikaelsons, it was their money.
“You know,” you said as you placed your suitcase in the trunk, “Elijah did this for me, and I didn’t even have to ask.”
“Elijah prides himself on maintaining the facade of a gentleman,” Kol said, and you didn’t miss the disdain in his voice. “He’s the same as the rest of us; he just likes to pretend that he’s not.”
That was the second time one of them had mentioned Elijah’s demeanor being an act, a facade. The more you learned about him, honestly, the more you found yourself fearing him. Klaus and Kol, they showed themselves in their true nature with no regard—it was their way of both keeping and flaunting their power.
Elijah, it seemed, held all the same characteristics, but he could pass himself off as your colleague just as easily as he could kill someone. And someone who could cover up all of that, show themselves off as impossibly charming despite all that underlying darkness, was someone terrifying indeed.
You recalled the uneasiness you felt around Elijah, the innate sense that something was wrong alongside the desire to ignore it. His image was perfect, too perfect, and you knew it would crack eventually, no matter how hard he tried.
“Well,” you said, desperately trying to segue out of that vein, “that doesn’t mean you can’t help me with my suitcase. Don’t you have super strength?”
“I do,” he said, “but you’re not worth the effort.”
Your point proven again: a joy to be around.
But this wasn’t worth arguing about, not when Kol seemed to be very interested in ending your life. You didn’t know him too well, but you wouldn’t put it past him to murder you for being a little too annoying. (You were starting to realize that you were far too good at annoying the Mikaelsons, which, as fun as it was, could not be a great skill to keep pulling out.)
You shut the trunk then got in the driver’s seat, and you couldn’t help but let out a sigh with the slightest bit of contentment. The Mikaelsons had continuously good taste in cars, from the one you think Rebekah stole to the one Elijah picked you up in, and now Klaus’s—you could get used to being their chauffeur if it meant constantly driving brand new luxury cars.
“Nice,” you murmured as you turned it on. God, even the rev of the engine sounded expensive—you were too poor to even be sitting in this, and you were gonna be driving it for the next ten hours.
One advantage of having your life on the line, you supposed.
“Put on your seatbelt,” you said to Kol, and as you put your hand on the back of his headrest to look through the rear windshield to back out of the spot, you were able to see his frown.
“Why?”
“I’m a firm believer in auto safety,” you said. “I’m a good driver, but things happen.”
“Aw,” he said, and an involuntary shiver ran down your spine as he looked at you, “do you already care about me?”
“I don’t want you flying through the windshield and ruining this car,” you corrected, glancing in your mirrors as you pulled onto the road.
Kol’s lips twisted downward, but nonetheless you heard the click of his seatbelt. You wondered what it was with vampires and their dislike for precautions, specifically Mikaelsons and seatbelts. First Elijah, now him.
Well, you thought, with the lives that they had likely lived, they probably didn’t even know the meaning of the word.
“Put this address in the GPS,” you said, and you one-handedly fished a business card out of your purse and handed it to him. “It’s our first stop.”
“And just who do you think you are, giving me all of these commands?” Kol asked.
“It’s called courtesy to the driver,” you said. “I’m driving you almost twenty hours round trip—the least you can do is cooperate.”
“Fine,” he huffed as he typed the address into the GPS, “but this is not cooperating. It is merely tolerating you.”
“It’s an honor to know you hold me in such high esteem.”
“It is high esteem,” Kol said. “I don’t think you understand how lucky you are just to be alive right now, even after meeting everyone in my family.”
“I think I do,” you countered. “Klaus loves reminding me I should be dead.”
“Not just Klaus,” he said.
You expected him to elaborate, but he didn’t. Instead, Kol let the silence linger for another uncomfortable moment, then looked at you yet again.
The question he asked was one of the strangest ones yet. “Are you a witch?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
You frowned. “Yes.”
“Werewolf, then.”
“No.”
“Newly-turned vampire?”
You huffed and glanced at him. “I’m not anything. I’m just human.”
Kol laughed, his gaze scrutinizing as he stared at you. “Then what the hell am I doing in here with you?”
You shrugged. “I have no idea, Kol. Ask your brother.”
He flopped against his seat with a huff. “I did. As per usual, he told me nothing. Honestly, he told you more than he told me—it’s certainly a joy to know he simply wants me out of his hair.”
“Well, it’s not a joy to know that he saddled me with someone who won’t stop threatening to kill me,” you said. “You two really are mirror images.”
Kol scoffed as if he were scandalized. “Don’t you dare compare me to Nik.”
You were about to make some stupid remark when you remembered your conversation with Rebekah. Klaus had killed—or neutralized, or whatever the hell—him, and if Rebekah wasn’t just a case study, then he’d done it multiple times too.
You felt a sudden flare of sympathy for Kol. Something like that had to mess you up, no matter how long ago it happened. You certainly wouldn’t want to be compared to someone who had done something like that to you.
“Okay,” you said. “Sorry.”
You were able to see him frown out of your peripherals, as if he didn’t expect you to go along with it. Eventually, though, he spoke.
“Thank you.”
The continuous silence between the two of you was unnerving. Being around Kol felt like constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop; an innate anxiety that something bad was going to happen. It probably wasn’t too far off.
“You know,” you said in an attempt to break it, “your brother never tells me anything either. Guess that’s something we have in common.”
Kol scoffed. “Wonderful. Now I have things in common with the annoying human. As if this day couldn’t get worse.”
“Stop complaining!” you exclaimed. “Kol, you’ve honestly got it pretty good right now.”
He raised his eyebrows. “And how exactly do you think that?”
“I mean, the way you talk about him, I can guess that you don’t really like Klaus. This is giving you free time away from him, and you’ve got me for company instead—I’m not that bad.” You frowned yourself. “Certainly better than your murderous family. So I’d say that’s a pretty good deal, considering the fact that I don’t have any plans to kill you.”
Kol let out a dry laugh. “That sets you apart from at least half the people I spend my time with.”
“Being a vampire is really something,” you said wryly.
“Being a Mikaelson is something,” he corrected. “Honestly, just by associating with us, you’ve likely gained a whole menagerie of enemies.”
Your grip tightened on the steering wheel ever so slightly. “So I keep hearing.”
“How did you end up in this mess anyway?” he asked. “Before Nik dragged me over here, he just told me I’d be working with some human he’d recently become associated with. And my brother doesn’t often work with humans—most of them end up with their necks bent the wrong way if they so much as look at him wrong—so there must be something special about you that’s kept you around for this long.”
“There is nothing special about me,” you said. “I’m just… just somebody that got herself caught up in the wrong thing.”
Kol shrugged. “Maybe there is and you just don’t know it yet.”
“Gee, Kol,” you said sarcastically, “that’s awfully obvious subtext. Is there something you’re not telling me?”
He smiled, irritatingly pretty with too-white teeth, and you immediately focused back on the road. “I think I like bothering you. It’s fun.”
“We’ve only known each other for an hour and you’re already a thorn in my side,” you muttered. You went to turn on the radio, but Kol blocked your hand. Your hand immediately darted back, contact with him just as freezing cold as it was with his siblings, and you glared at him. “What are you doing?”
“We have only known each other for an hour,” he stated, a glint in his eye that you knew meant no good. “That means we have to get to know each other better.”
You huffed a laugh and shook your head. “I think I’d rather drive for five hours in silence than get to know more of your murdery family history.”
“I believe you should take your own advice and stop complaining.” As you came to a stop in traffic, you glared at him. He merely responded with that annoying smile of his. “Do you not appreciate the truth? I thought journalists like you were supposed to revere it.”
You scoffed. “I’m stuck in a car with someone who’s threatened to kill me at least three times. In what world is that lucky?”
“You’re still alive,” he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, “that’s very lucky.”
You switched your driving hand as you leaned your head on your other one and let out a long-lasting sigh. “I’m so tired of being considered lucky for staying alive. You’re all exhausting to be around.”
“And how do you think I feel?” Kol asked. “I’ve been alive for a thousand years, and when I haven’t been stuck with my siblings, I’ve been stuck in a box. I have far more reason to complain about my family than you do.”
Both his expression and voice hardened at the mention of what Klaus did to him—you still didn’t exactly know what to call it other than immortal fratricide—and you were lost on how to continue.
“I… guess you’re right,” you said after a pause. Kol seemed to like being right. “You’ve dealt with them for a lot longer than I have, and… well, Klaus hasn’t followed through on his threats to me.”
“Yet,” Kol supplied helpfully, ruining whatever kind of moment had been created between you two for the slightest second. “He hasn’t followed through yet.”
“Yes,” you said dryly, “he hasn’t followed through on them yet.”
“You didn’t answer my question, though,” he noted. “How you got involved in the mess that is my family.”
“I ran into Elijah first,” you responded, not quite sure why you were humoring him. “I was here in the first place because I was researching the animal attacks in Mystic Falls, and Elijah offered to help. I know now that he was trying to keep me off the trail and out of trouble, but I ended up going off on my own and witnessing one of Klaus’s murders. It was all downhill from there.”
Kol chuckled. “I’m surprised you’re still alive after a move that idiotic.”
“So am I,” you admitted. “If it wasn’t for Elijah, he would’ve killed me that night. But he managed to stop him. Of course,” you huffed a laugh, “the next morning, Klaus showed up and threatened to finish the job. I cut a deal with him to stay alive, and now I’m here with you.”
“So you managed to cut a good enough deal with Klaus Mikaelson to stay alive after he already tried to kill you once,” he mused. “Impressive, truly. Perhaps you’re not so useless after all.”
“A compliment?” You raised your eyebrows as you glanced at him. “I must be dreaming.”
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
You let out a small laugh at that, and out of the corner of your eye you could see a small smile quirk up on Kol’s lips.
It turned out, when he wasn’t threatening you or showing off bravado, he wasn’t the worst to be around.
That meant this trip might just be bearable.
-
“We have been sitting here for hours,” Kol groaned, his jaw clenched as he stared out the windshield. “Can you not make this go any faster?”
“I don’t know what to tell you,” you said with a gesture at the view in front of you. “This is NoVa life, and it’s the worst.”
It hadn’t exactly been hours, but you had become an unfortunate victim of Northern Virginia’s traffic right around DC—you thought that Klaus waking you up at o dark thirty would have helped, but it seemed that instead you were caught in everyone’s morning commute. You and Kol had been in the car together for a little over two hours now, nearing the halfway point as you continued through the DMV. This was one thing you didn’t miss about visits home.
“I wouldn’t have to deal with this if Nik had just gotten over himself and let us fly,” he grumbled. “But no, he doesn’t trust either of us, so instead we have to sit through this treachery.”
“You’re so dramatic,” you said. “It’s just traffic, We deal with it all the time.”
“It’s horrible is what it is.” Kol crossed his arms. “If this is how you all live, then you’re horribly incompetent.”
You couldn’t help but chuckle at that. At least you could always find amusement in this sort of thing.
But there was something strange about it.
“You act like you’ve never even experienced modern society,” you said with a glance at him. “What have you been doing all these years if you’re shocked by traffic?”
Kol’s expression hardened once more, and you immediately knew you’d asked the wrong thing. You were already floundering trying to find a way to segue out of it when he surprised you with a response.
“When I wasn’t dealing with my family, I was stuck in a box,” he said stiffly, repeating his words from earlier. “You’re a journalist. I’m sure you can take a stab at what I was occupied with for the past few centuries.”
“Your family is seriously fucked up,” you muttered.
He smiled grimly. “I’m aware.”
“How can he just—” you paused, momentary hesitation holding you back from going further into such a sensitive issue.
But it was as if he could hear your thoughts, his words clipped when he spoke again. “Say it.”
“...How can he just do that to you?” you said weakly. “And not just to you, but to Rebekah and Elijah. What— what kind of person can just put their siblings through something like that and continue on with their life?”
“A Mikaelson,” Kol said simply, staring straight ahead. “A Mikaelson can do something like that.”
“God,” you said quietly, your voice shaking slightly.
You’d had this conversation with Rebekah the other day, but when she explained it to you it was far more somber. She spoke about it with underlying sadness, the betrayal from her brother hurting her more than her time in stasis. But Kol, you could tell he still held onto all his anger from it. Both Klaus going against him and the time he lost, it clawed at his insides, only being granted relief in the most explosive ways.
No wonder he was so fond of murder. Apparently, it was the only way Kol knew how to let loose. It was horrible in every single sense of the word, but you didn’t think therapy would really work on problems like these, on ones that had been brewing for a whole wretched millennia.
“Three-hundred years.” This time, Kol spoke up on his own, barely restrained anger in his words as he took the outlet you gave him. “The bastard daggered me for nearly three-hundred years, all on his own whims. Never gave me a choice, just decided it was my time to go whenever he pleased and snuffed the light out. And when he decided that he was bored, he brought me back out just to do it all over again when I wasn’t who he wanted me to be.”
“Nik has always just done what he’s wanted,” he growled. “He’s never cared what any of us think unless he can use it to further his own desires. Everything he has ever done has just been for his own gain, for his own power. And someday, when he least expects it, I’m going to give my bastard of a brother what he’s deserved for centuries.”
You realized you were holding your breath, not wanting to interrupt Kol in any kind of way as he ranted, and you slowly let it out as he settled back down. You risked a glance at him to see his chest rising and falling slightly faster than usual. You don’t think even he expected himself to go on like that.
(Better to get his feelings out that way than by murdering you, you thought helpfully.)
“Do not…” Kol started, and he screwed his eyes shut as he sighed heavily, “do not repeat that to anyone.”
“I won’t,” you said immediately. “You have my word.”
You didn’t know what he was planning, exactly, but if it was something against Klaus, then you were for it. It sounded like he was in the business of ruining lives, specializing in his siblings—who were you to stand in the way if Kol wanted his revenge?
You were the minimum wage worker, not the boss. And Klaus was not doing nearly enough for you to care about what happened to him.
At that, surprisingly, he let out a weak chuckle. “I see Elijah is already rubbing off on you, with his explicit promises.”
“He’s not.” You answered a little too hastily, the thought of any Mikaelson traits rubbing off on you not one you liked to indulge in. “I’m just trying to be a decent person. That’s certainly not a Mikaelson trait.”
Kol huffed another laugh. “You know,” he said, “perhaps you aren’t so bad after all.”
“Took the words right out of my mouth,” you responded.
When you passed another glance at him, he seemed to have recovered from his anger. You noticed the slight smile he wore, and you found one curving onto your lips as well.
Maybe this trip would be a little more than just bearable.
Notes:
and kol finally has a chapter completely dedicated to him<3 i hope this is good for all you kol lovers because one of the things im most worried about in everything i write is characterization, and that's especially true in this fic since im not as familiar with all the characters and they are all very complex.
there's not much action and this is quite a bit shorter than my usual chapters but it's been a while since i've updated and college is gonna get busy soon so i'm just tryna get stuff out when i can lol. i hope the 13 chapter wait for kol was worth it, that i did him justice, and that you all enjoy!! <3
Chapter 14: New York
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The rest of the ride to New York was filled with either monotonous conversation, mindless radio music, or silence. You made one stop at a gas station to refill the tank (and get some coffee, because your rude awakening was catching up to you) and another at a rest stop to give you a chance to stretch, but there wasn’t much else.
Kol wasn’t much for conversation after his small rant, responding to anything you said with short, clipped sentences or just silence. Didn’t want to give you any more leverage over him, you supposed.
Not that you were going to utter a word of it to Klaus. No—you might not have liked Kol all that much by virtue of his constant threats, but you wouldn’t do something like that to him.
He’d already been burned far too many times, from what you could gather, and you weren’t going to add your name to that list.
But when you ended up stuck in the road yet again, this time NYC traffic rather than NoVa, Kol cracked.
“I cannot believe this,” he muttered. “Traffic is prehistoric, and yet you deal with it every single day. Why have you all not found a solution for this yet?”
“You’re the one that’s been alive for a thousand years,” you said. There was a strange part of you that was grateful he was talking again, even if it was just to complain about traffic. “Shouldn’t you already know how to fix it?”
“I didn’t spend my time alive learning the ins and outs of civil engineering,” Kol scoffed. “And what makes you think I know everything that there is to know because of my age? Simply because we were the first vampires does not mean we hold every bit of the world’s knowledge.”
Your eyes widened, narrowing in on the single sentence. “You— your family— you’re the first vampires?”
“Yes,” he said. “We prefer to call ourselves the Originals—it’s much catchier.” Kol then saw your bewildered expression and his eyebrows rose. “Oh. I take it you didn’t know that.”
“No,” you said, “no, I didn’t.”
“So Nik really is keeping you in the dark,” Kol said, and he chuckled. “Ah. I doubt he’ll care that I told you about this as long as I keep the rest to myself.”
“What do you mean the rest?” you asked, risking a glance over at him as your brows furrowed.
“I just said I would be keeping it to myself,” he said, annoyed. “Do you ever listen?”
You ignored the jab, still trying to process that information. Kol—the Mikaelsons—were the first vampires. The first vampires to have ever existed.
So that explained it. Why they were so powerful, why they could walk in the sun, why they were older than you could even comprehend. Why their mother turned them through magic rather than the traditional way, why they had so many enemies, why they were so immensely feared, respected, hated, loved. Why they could just do whatever they wanted without retribution, because there was hardly anybody who could match their power.
And you, a human born in the 90s who could barely pay rent, were somehow intertwined with each of them in some kind of way.
That was the most fun thought you’d had this entire ride. It didn’t send you into a panic at all.
“Are you going to go or not?” Kol’s annoyance brought you back to Earth and you blinked as you hit the gas pedal, thankful he got you out of it before incessant honking from the cars behind you did.
“Sorry,” you muttered. You had so many questions, but you didn’t even know where to start with that. You knew they were old, but you didn’t know they were the oldest. So you decided to sit in silence as you drove.
You were almost able to pretend like it was a normal day as you pulled into the parking garage you always used—in fact, you passed by your usual spot out of instinct, and you chuckled a bit as you looked at your old clunker of a car. The thing Klaus had set you up with was a hell of a lot nicer.
You pulled into the open spot next to it then turned off the car, letting out a relieved sigh. “We’re finally here,” you told Kol. “Stretch your legs, because we’ve got a trek ahead of us.”
“This doesn’t look like Rochester,” he said, and once he got out you locked the car. “It’s actually quite disappointing.”
“That’s because this is a parking garage, Kol,” you said dryly, and maybe a touch too condescending. “And we’re stopping here for the night because I really don’t feel like driving for five more hours. We’re gonna go by my office, you’re gonna help me save my job, and then we’re gonna crash in my apartment for the night.”
“We are not staying in your apartment,” he scowled. “You likely live in a broom closet, and I am not putting myself through that tonight.”
You opened your mouth to protest, but he was kinda right. New York was expensive, and journalism didn’t pay as well as it should. You did live in a glorified broom closet. So you just looked at him. “What do you suggest then?”
“We’ll stay at a hotel,” Kol said. “Money is not a problem during this trip. My family has practically unlimited amounts, so it should be easy to find a place to stay.”
You huffed a laugh. “Trying to find a hotel with vacancies will be the problem.”
“Leave that to me,” he said. You waited for him to elaborate, but he said nothing more.
You just sighed and shook your head. “Fine. But first, we’re going to my apartment. It’s on the way to my office, and I need to check up on a few things.”
“Fine,” Kol grumbled. “But make it quick.”
You took in a deep breath of fresh air once the two of you exited the parking garage, unable to help the smile from gracing your lips as the two of you walked down the street. Maybe the air couldn’t exactly be considered fresh, and maybe the city was more often a mess than not, but you couldn’t help but love it.
This felt more like home than Mystic Falls ever had.
“I take it you’re glad to be back,” Kol said.
“I am,” you agreed, “even under these circumstances.” You glanced at him. “How’d you know?”
“...you look more comfortable,” Kol said. “More in your element. More at ease than any moment since we’ve met.”
Your brows knit together for a moment but then you chuckled. “I like this side of you, Kol, when you’re not all broody and threatening. It’s almost nice.”
He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “I’m merely paying attention. That is all.”
“Sure,” you said with a smile, and though Kol huffed and shoved his hands into his pockets, he didn’t try to prove you wrong.
“New York has changed much since I was last here,” he murmured, his tone reminiscent. “Whenever I think I’ve fully adjusted to modern society, I’m proven wrong. It can be overwhelming.” Kol gestured around you. “None of this was even a thought the last time I walked these streets.”
“I can’t even imagine what it’s like, living as long as you have, all throughout history. Watching everything rise and fall.” You glanced at him. “Doesn’t it get lonely?”
“Of course,” he said. “But it’s never for too long. My family always manages to find me in some way.” He huffed a laugh. “I’ve spent a good quarter of my life fighting with my siblings. Somehow, we never run out of things to squabble over.”
You chuckled, and Kol looked at you. “Have you got any siblings?”
“...One,” you answered after a moment of hesitation. Kol might be in the habit of threatening you, but you didn’t think he would go after your siblings. Not after what he’d been through. “A younger sister.”
“Do the two of you get along?”
You smiled. “Yeah. Despite the age difference, we’ve always been close—we never really fight. But I…” you sighed. “I haven’t seen her as much lately because I’ve been too caught up in my issues with our mom. I regret it, because I love her more than anything, and I don’t think she knows it. I’d do anything for her.”
“To love anything that much is dangerous,” Kol said. “Especially when you have enemies willing to use them against you.”
You huffed a bitter laugh. “That’s exactly what your brother said.”
“Does she know about any of this?”
“No,” you said. “I’ve made sure of it.”
“...Good. Keep it that way.”
“I fully plan to,” you murmured. Bee was the reason for everything you were doing, to keep her safe. You wouldn’t be able to live with yourself if something happened to her because of you.
It took a couple more minutes of silence, but you eventually got to your place. You stopped as you arrived, and you gestured towards the door. “We’re here. After you.”
Kol frowned as he looked up the length of the building, then back at you. “This is your residence?”
“Been livin’ here since senior year of college,” you said. “Now, try to let go of the mentality of a super rich immortal vampire, and enter the one of a broke journalist. It’s the only way your poor little mind will survive.”
“You’re not as funny as you think you are,” Kol said as he followed you, pushing the door open with far too much force.
“Kol, that is the worst thing you’ve said to me so far,” you said, pressing your hand to your chest as if scandalized. “You’re a horrible person.”
He rolled his eyes as he hit the call button for the elevator. “And you are truly awful company. I believe that makes us even.”
“That’s not true,” you said. “You like me, admit it.”
“I tolerate you,” he corrected.
“That is the same thing,” you said, and you walked into the elevator as it opened, turning to face him once he followed, “and it is a win in my book.”
Kol looked at you for a too-long moment, an odd gleam in his eye that felt less like scrutiny and more like genuinely curious appraisal.
“What?”
“...Nothing,” he said, and he was the first to walk out as the elevator doors opened. “Let us just get this over with.”
-
You didn’t realize how much you’d missed your shitty little apartment until you swung the door open and nearly cried at the sight of it.
Sure, it was a dinky little studio apartment that you were paying way too much for, but you’d been living in it for four years. You’d grown fond of apartment 217—it had been through a lot with you.
“I was right,” Kol muttered, crossing his arms as he looked inside. “You do live in a broom closet.”
“Yup,” you said with a smile. “It feels good to be home.”
You walked inside and dropped the month’s worth of backed up mail you’d picked up on the way in on your counter alongside your keys and were about to go further when Kol cleared his throat.
“Do you mind?” he asked pointedly.
It took you a moment, but then your eyebrows shot up. “Oh, god—I totally forgot that was a thing. Uh—” you blinked then pointed your finger at him. “Do you promise not to kill me?”
“What?”
“It’s my new thing,” you said. “All vampires have to promise not to kill me before I let them in. I made Elijah do it too.”
Kol tutted and shook his head. “A promise will not do much if I did want to kill you.”
“But you don’t,” you said wryly, “right? It would be a waste of all our great conversation.”
“...I promise not to kill you,” he said in lieu of an actual response, and your lips curled into the smallest smile.
“You can come in.”
He stepped across the threshold and huffed, his previous attitude immediately back as he began to wander around. “All New Yorkers must be insane if they willingly live in places like this.”
“Do you have all the complaining out of your system?” you asked. “Because this place is too small for you to constantly be whining about it.”
“Excuse me for expressing valid concerns,” he said. “The coffin my brother locked me in is more spacious than this.”
You looked at him with wide eyes. “That’s not funny.”
“I was the one who went through it,” he stated, “therefore I can make jokes about it. Otherwise, I will be overcome with the incessant need to slaughter Nik. Well,” he shrugged, “more than I usually am.”
You just shook your head as you turned back to your desk. Just because it was well-warranted didn’t mean it wasn’t shocking to hear.
“You asked if I ever got lonely, living for so long,” Kol said as he settled onto your couch. He wasn’t as gifted in the art of segueing as you were. “But don’t you ever get lonely?”
You frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I have lived multiple lifetimes over the years. I’ve seen the rise and fall of history’s greatest figures, I’ve experienced events you’ve only read about in your textbooks, I’ve met all sorts of people and killed just as many. Yes, I‘ve been alone, but I have lived through it all.” Kol looked at you. “You’ve hardly been alive for two decades—you haven’t lived at all, and yet you’re more jaded than vampires centuries older than you.”
“This has been your residence since your senior year of college,” he said with a flourish around the apartment, “alone, I assume. And it sounds as if the only thing you did before my brothers crashed into your life was work. So you must be lonely.”
“...Yes,” you said after a moment, not quite sure why you were being so honest with him. “I am.”
You just wanted to leave it at that, but Kol had other plans. “Then why haven’t you done anything about it?”
“Because it’s not that easy,” you said dryly.
“Well, you’ve got an audience,” he said, gesturing at himself and then at your desk chair. “Sit. Talk. We’ve got time.”
You frowned yet again. “Kol, why are you being so nice to me?” you asked bluntly.
“...Because I know what it is like to not have anybody to turn to when you need it,” he said. “And because I believe we may have more in common than you think.”
You had to hold back a bitter laugh before it escaped you. The murderous vampire was taking pity on you and felt like you had things in common. You didn’t know which was worse.
But for some reason, you sat down and sighed, rubbing your forehead as the exhaustion of the day began to creep over you.
“I’ve always felt… different,” you said. “Like I’ve never exactly fit in, no matter where I go. Like I’m never good enough, and I never will be. Especially for my mom.”
“Her and I…” you huffed a laugh. “We’re not exactly on great terms. She’s always treated me like more of an inconvenience rather than her daughter, like I chose to come into her life rather than the other way around. I’d always been an independent kid, but I realized she just… didn’t care when I was a teenager. I’ve raised myself more than she ever has.”
“And the real kicker is that she treats my sister completely differently. She’s given her all the love she never gave me. She’s overprotective of her, she’s doted over her for as long as I can remember. And— and it’s not like I’m mad about it,” you said defensively, “god, I’m glad Bee grew up with a mother that loved her. But it just makes me wonder what I did wrong to make her hate me before I even knew what hatred was.”
“So I guess that’s where it all started. I never really knew what it was like to not be on my own, and that followed me everywhere. I made friends, but they never really stuck. And I was never really the first choice for any of them when it came to actual… friend things. I was back home for the first time in three years, and it was like I’d never been there at all. No friends, no memories, just… just a town I never made a mark on.”
You sighed as you looked at the wall, focused on the black scuff marks. They were your sister’s fault, but you never covered them up. It was at least one way to feel connected to her a couple states away.
You still remembered it, how Bee had taken the train up on one of her three day weekends to spend it with you and see what New York was like—she wanted to follow in your footsteps in going to NYU, and after she begged your mom to let her take a weekend she finally agreed. It was the weekend before her tryouts for the soccer team so naturally she brought her ball, and naturally you agreed when she asked if she could practice in your apartment.
Somewhere in the middle of your haphazard passing Bee had ended up kicking the ball against the wall a bit too hard, scuffing the paint and earning an angry pound against the wall in response to the noise from your neighbor. The rest of that night was spent attempting to cook dinner together while the Great British Bake Off played in the background, but it was one of the best days you’d had in a while.
God. You already missed your sister so much.
“Are you even listening to me?”
Kol’s voice brought you out of the memory as you blinked and looked back at him. “No.”
“You don’t mince words, do you?” he said. “I was telling you that I was sorry for what you’d gone through, but it doesn’t have the same effect if you didn’t even hear it the first time.”
You chuckled a bit, warmth spreading through you at his attempt at genuinity. “...Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” he said, and it was his turn to look away in discomfort. “I’m just telling you what your mother should have said eons ago.”
“Still,” you said softly, “it means a lot.”
Kol bristled, still uncomfortable with your compliments. “Then I suppose…” it was a physical effort for him to get through the sentence, “you are… welcome.”
You smiled a bit. “Now it’s your turn—spill your childhood trauma.”
He laughed dryly. “Trust when I say you do not want to hear about my childhood. It was not pleasant.”
“What, so I bare my soul to you and you don’t have to do it in return?” you said. “You obviously had a bad mother too; you talk like you know what I’ve gone through.”
“I suppose you could say that,” he said offhandedly. “Our mother killed us all, so we’re practically in the same category.”
You nearly choked on air. “What?”
“Don’t tell me you didn’t know that either,” Kol frowned. “You told me you knew that our mother turned us.”
“Rebekah said it was through magic, not murder!”
“How do you think vampires are made?” he griped. “We are called the undead for a reason, love. Though,” he tilted his head, “our mother technically wasn’t the one who killed us. Our father was—she simply did the spell that made us into vampires.”
“Everything you tell me just makes me more concerned for you,” you said slowly.
He offered a thin smile. “So I’ve been told.”
You blew out a sigh through your nose, not even enough to be a laugh, and then you looked at your watch, causing you to shoot up from your chair. “We’ve been talking for way too long—we have to get moving.”
“It’s barely broken noon,” he said.
“And I’m planning on clocking out as soon as you get us these hotel rooms,” you said. “I’ve been up since four running on barely any sleep, and I just drove for six hours through both NoVa and New York traffic. I think I’ve earned an early night.”
He rolled his eyes, but he gestured with his hand. “Do what you must.”
“I’m so glad I have your permission,” you said, and you didn’t even have to look at him to know the kind of face he was making.
You got up and went over to your counter, and a frown emerged as you started to rifle through your mail.
“In the middle of the mess your family’s brought me into, I almost forgot I still had bills to pay,” you grumbled as you thumbed through envelopes addressed to you. You were honestly surprised you still had electricity. “This is bullshit.”
Kol hummed, unenthused. “Truly thrilling activity.”
“Y’know, Klaus did say that I could use your compulsion to keep my job if I had to,” you said, passing a glance at him. “Does that mean I can get you to compel my bills away?”
“Is that all you see me as?” he questioned. “Just some machine to compel your problems away?”
“That depends,” you said. “Can you compel yourself?”
“Very funny,” he said dryly.
“I thought so,” you agreed.
Kol huffed a laugh and shook his head. “Ask me tomorrow after we’ve visited the witches. There’s no use compelling your expenses if you’re not alive to reap the benefits.”
“There he is,” you said as you threw the last of your junk mail in the trash. “I was wondering when you were going to threaten me next. It’s been a couple hours.”
“That is not a threat,” he scoffed. “It is the truth. If I am correct in my memory of the coven we are visiting, then they will most certainly not be open to your suggestions of peace.”
“Wonderful,” you said wryly. “My time with the Mikaelsons just keeps getting better.”
“Yes,” he mused, “my family is not often credited with enhancing lives.”
That got you to work in silence for a while, focusing on packing a spare bag with things from your apartment you wanted for the foreseeable future. You also began clearing out your fridge—you likely wouldn’t be back for a while. Thankfully, you’d already been low on groceries when you booked your flight home, so there wasn’t work to do.
“Kol?” you asked as a thought popped into your head. He hummed in acknowledgment. “Would Klaus know if we—say, I don’t know—didn’t go to the coven at all and just said they didn’t want to cooperate?”
He turned to look at you with a grin. “Love, are you suggesting we lie to my ever-dearest brother?”
“Yeah,” you said. “I thought that was pretty obvious.”
“Perhaps you aren’t so far gone after all,” he mused. “I thought you were merely Nik’s glorified minion, loyal to a fault.”
You snorted. “There isn’t any loyalty between us. My ‘services’ only go as far as my safety does.”
“Wonderful,” he said, and he leaned forward. “Quick question: what are your thoughts on murder?”
You blinked. Once again, not gifted at segueing. “I don’t like it, especially when it happens to me.”
He brushed his hand through the air. “We’ll get there. You’ve already wound up being better company than I thought.”
That immediately brought on a smile as you shrugged on your backpack. “Went from awful company to ‘better than you thought’ in half an hour. That’s a new record.”
“Don’t get cocky,” he warned, but you were already walking towards the door.
“You totally like me now.”
“You are impossible,” Kol huffed, but he followed after you nonetheless. “And to answer your question—yes, he would know. Somehow, Nik has eyes everywhere. He would know almost immediately should we go against his will.”
“Well,” you said as you locked the door behind you, “guess we’ll just have to hope those witches are having a good day.”
-
You ended up taking your usual route on the subway to get to your office, but it took more time trying to convince Kol to get on the metro than it did to get to your destination.
(“So,” you said, looking at Kol as you reached the street, “how do you feel about taking public transport?”
“I’ve never used it,” he said, and your eyebrows shot up.
“Really? You’ve been around for a thousand years and you’ve never hopped on a bus or a subway?”
“No,” he scoffed. “Need I remind you of the pure wealth my family has accumulated?”
“Well, it’s how I get to my office,” you said, “so congratulations! You get to do something new today!”
He scowled at you, something he did several times over the next few minutes spent navigating the underground to get to your platform. It was almost too much for you to handle, the fact that the vampire who regularly murdered people was disgusted by the New York metro.
He eventually conceded when you said your other option was walking thirty minutes or sitting in even more traffic. It was hilarious how much Kol hated traffic.)
You took the stairs—you swore the elevator was always broken, and it drove you insane when you had to transport huge boxes of files—but when you got to the door leading into the floor you worked on, you found yourself unable to open it.
“What are you waiting for?” he asked.
“I… I’m nervous.”
“You’re nervous?” Kol repeated in disbelief. “I thought you worked here!”
“That’s the problem!” you exclaimed. “I’ve been gone for a month with barely any contact with my boss—if I walk in here, I’ll probably get fired immediately.”
“That’s what I’m here for, isn’t it?” Kol pushed past you and opened the door, ignoring your protests as he just waltzed onto the floor.
“You are the worst,” you grumbled as you followed him in, but when you stopped next to him, you found yourself overtaken by the biggest wave of longing yet.
Kol was right—before they’d come into your life, all you really did was work. You were constantly close to burning out, you weren’t appreciated nearly as much as you should have been, and sometimes you were still treated like a glorified intern despite having been here for three years as a full fledged journalist, but god—you missed it. Maybe it was because you wanted normal problems rather than supernatural ones, but accepting that you might not be back for a while was hard.
You were snapped out of your thoughts when you heard your name being called, and when you looked to see who it was you were met with Leah’s smiling face coming towards you.
“Are you actually here, or has the sleep deprivation gotten to me?” she joked.
“I’m here,” you laughed, and the two of you embraced into a hug you sorely needed.
“Does this mean you’re done with your case?” she asked when you separated. “How did it go?”
“Uh, no,” you coughed. “No, it’s still going. Legal work takes forever, especially when all the medical stuff is involved, y’know? I came up to get a couple things from my apartment and to throw myself at Blackwood’s feet and beg for forgiveness.” You let out a nervous laugh. “Pray she doesn’t fire me.”
“Oh, I’ve been praying,” she chuckled. “Also, uh—” she looked at Kol behind you, who was keeping himself busy by doing absolutely nothing— “who is that?”
“He’s—” your brain stuttered as you tried to think of an excuse— “uh, he’s a friend. Brother of the woman we’re representing; we’ve been getting closer as we’ve worked through the case, so he offered to come up with me when I said I was taking a road trip up here.”
She raised her eyebrows and took her time drinking him in. “Wow. Is your friend single, or do you have that on lock?”
You couldn’t hold back the sudden laugh that bubbled out of you. “We are most certainly not anything like that. Trust me—you don’t want to deal with him. He’s… a lot.”
Understatement of the century, you thought, but luckily she brushed it off. “Ah, I get that. The last thing I need right now is more stress on my plate. Speaking of that,” she glanced at Blackwood’s office and gave you a sympathetic look, “good luck. I have to get back to work.”
“Thanks,” you muttered. “I’m gonna need it.”
You and Leah hugged again before she went back to her desk, and you let out a loose sigh as you walked back over to Kol. “Alright. Are you ready for this?”
“Did you tell that woman that we were friends?” he asked instead, the expression on his face indecipherable.
“Yeah,” you said. “It’s a cover. Couldn’t exactly say you were the vampire brother of my vampire employer sent with me to make sure I didn’t run off.”
“...Right,” he said, and then he gestured in front of him. “Lead the way.”
You nodded and started walking, using the ten seconds that it took to cross the floor to calm yourself down. You’d been facing vampires for the past couple of weeks, and tomorrow you were going to a witch coven. Your boss was nothing compared to that, even without Kol’s compulsion as a backup. Right?
You knocked on the door frame and peeked your head in, offering what you hoped was a disarming smile. “Hi, Mrs. Blackwood. I was hoping you were available for a quick word?”
Her eyebrows rose as she looked at you from beyond her computer screen, and her saying your name made you gulp. “I’m surprised you decided to show up today, seeing as you’ve decided doing your job is optional for the past month.”
You took the chance to step inside and Kol followed behind you, shutting the door to her office. Mikayla frowned and opened her mouth to say something, but Kol beat her to the chase.
“I’m going to observe this meeting,” he said, his voice taking on that alluring edge that you’d come to associate with compulsion. “You don’t mind. You don’t even notice I’m here.”
“I don’t mind,” she said stiffly, and then she blinked as she looked back at you, seemingly oblivious to Kol and what he had just done. You were never going to get used to compulsion.
“I’m sorry, Mrs—”
“Mikayla,” she interrupted. “You don’t need to bother with niceties, seeing as you haven’t been bothering with much else except for some measly emails.”
You winced and nodded. “I’m sorry, Mikayla. My absence has been unacceptable, but I assure you that I didn’t just leave for a month out of the blue. I went back to my hometown on a whim after seeing a story from the local news that I believed could turn into something big. It ended up just being a strange case involving a mountain lion, but I’ve gotten caught up in legal matters attempting to aid one of the victims—she’s suing the town to get her medical bills paid, and I’m working with her legal team to provide the factual side of it. That’s the reason for my continued absence—but I know I can make it into a good story exposing the faults of small-town leadership from a first-hand perspective.”
Mikayla watched you the entire time you spoke, somehow managing to get through it without stumbling or your voice shaking. Then she nodded, and she looked back at her laptop. “Pack up your desk and turn in your ID to Katelyn on the first floor. I want you out of here before the work day is over.”
You blinked, still trying to process her words. “What?”
“You’re fired,” she said plainly. “I don’t care what kind of case you think you’ve gotten—I can’t deal with journalists who think they’re good enough to go off on their own without even a single word to their superiors. You’re unreliable, and that’s unacceptable.”
You blinked again, it all hitting you like a ton of bricks. She was objectively right—your actions were unacceptable, and disappearing the way you had would get you fired at every kind of job. But goddammit, you had been dealing with vampires and near-death experiences during that month, not slacking off and partying, and in return for your valiant efforts you were getting fired. There was no possible way for you to explain it to her without getting a therapist recommendation, but this wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that you had been dragged into a whole other world, and while you were trying to survive, your life on the other side just fell apart bit by bit.
“Mikayla—”
“I won’t discuss this any further with you.”
You didn’t know what to say. Luckily, Kol did.
He stepped in front of you and braced his hands on her desk, and this time you were able to see the way his pupils dilated. “You are not going to fire her. You are going to keep her as your employee and you will continue to pay her for as long as she is gone, no matter what. If any of your superiors question you, you will tell them it is a special circumstance that is not to be questioned further. You will not remember this conversation nor will you recall ever firing her. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” she repeated, and Kol nodded as he stepped away.
“Then I believe our work here is done.”
He opened the door and left, and it took a moment for it to hit you as you ran after him. You grabbed his wrist, trying to ignore the frozen shock that contact with him sent through your body, and dragged him into the stairwell. He allowed you to, which you appreciated—had he not, you would’ve had better luck pulling around a marble statue.
“God, Kol,” you breathed as the door shut behind the two of you. “Thank you so much. You just saved… god, you saved my entire livelihood.”
“You’re welcome—” he began, but he let out a muted grunt as you enveloped him in a hug.
“What are you doing?” he asked stiffly, and you laughed.
“I’m hugging you, Kol. I’m really thankful for what you did back there.” He hesitantly wrapped his arms around you for a moment before you decided to end his pain and pulled away, but the smile still wouldn’t leave. “Seriously. Thank you.”
“Yes, well—” he cleared his throat as he glanced away, “consider it a favor for getting me away from Nik for the weekend.”
“I’ll do that anytime,” you chuckled. “That’s another thing off our list, thankfully. Looks like all we have to do is get that hotel set up.” You looked at him with expectant eyes. “Got any ideas?”
Kol grinned. “Do I ever.”
-
Soon enough, you were put up in your own room in the Four Seasons, something that you could never even hope to afford. But it turned out when you were on the Mikaelson’s tab, there wasn’t a lot that was off-limits.
For the past couple of hours you’d been left to your own devices, but you’d just finished getting ready for the night when there was a knock on the door. When you opened it you were met by Kol.
“You’ve certainly adjusted well,” he said dryly as he took you in.
You shrugged. “If they give me a huge, fluffy, complimentary robe, I’m going to wear it. I’m never going to get to stay at a place this nice again, so I’m taking advantage of it.”
He huffed a laugh and shook his head as he walked into your room. You frowned as you shut the door. “Do I not have to let you in?”
“These rooms are in my name, love,” he said with a flourish of his hand, and he promptly commandeered your couch yet again. “I don’t need permission.”
Good to know. It wasn’t like you had gone rampant allowing the Mikaelsons into your residences, but you planned to keep it that way. It was important you kept all the bloodthirsty vampires at arm’s length.
“What brings you here at—” you craned your neck to check the clock on the bedside table— “7:30 PM?”
“I believe we should discuss our plan for tomorrow,” he said. “It would be generally unwise to storm into a witches coven without one.”
“Right,” you nodded, and you sat down on your bed in a crossed-leg position. “One question, though. Why do we need to visit this coven in the first place?”
“I assume to mend relations,” Kol responded. “We are going to see the Silvanus coven, and my family is in rocky territory with them at the moment.”
“Why?”
“Nik is responsible for the death of their leader,” he said.
You just sighed. What did it mean if you were getting used to this? “Of course he did.”
“They call themselves the Silvanus coven after the Roman god of the woods and the protector of forests,” Kol said. “They were one of the few covens that were on our side after a favor Rebekah and I did for them eons ago, but our lovely brother decided to ruin it when he slaughtered their head witch just last year.”
“Why the hell would he do that?” you marveled.
“Nik wanted her to do dark magic, but she refused,” Kol said. “And then her head was promptly removed from her body.”
Your eyes widened. You were reminded yet again of how lucky you were to still be standing here. “He would ruin a partnership just like that? Why?”
“Why does any vampire kill?” he posed instead. “Maybe he was already looking for a reason to end her. Maybe he decided he didn’t need the help of the Silvanus anymore. Or perhaps he just had a bad day.”
“People don’t kill when they have bad days,” you said, your words stilted.
“You say that, but I have witnessed many humans throughout my time kill for no reason other than their own desire.” Kol looked at you. “You act like humans are so much better than us, but we share more similarities with them than you think.”
“Yeah,” you murmured, “maybe we do.”
“But witches are not meant to practice dark magic,” he said, getting back on track. “They are supposed to serve Nature, and dark magic goes against all that Nature stands for. Nik does not care for frivolous things such as the order of the world, thus his lovely requests and lovely consequences.”
“Sounds like him,” you muttered. “So basically, you’re telling me that we have to go against a bunch of witches that hate your family because your brother murdered their leader, and somehow it’s up to me to convince them to take your family back."
“It’s up to us to convince them,” he corrected, and you smiled a bit. “But otherwise, you are correct. It will certainly be an uphill battle.”
Your smile faded and you sighed. “Figures.” But you looked at Kol and tilted your head to the side, a question nagging the back of your mind. “How do you know so much about witches and magic anyway?”
“I was a witch in life,” he said, his expression becoming reminiscent as he looked out the window. “I tapped into my magic as a young boy and practiced it constantly, up until the day I was killed.”
You frowned. “You were a witch before you were a vampire?”
“Yes,” he said. “The witch gene always carries through to their descendants as long as one parent is a witch as well—our mother was a very powerful witch, meaning we were all born with the ability to practice magic. My eldest brother and I were the only ones to have tapped into it before we were turned.” He smiled bitterly. “Witches are servants of Nature, while vampires go against it. It is impossible to be both.”
“So you lost your magic because you were killed and came back,” you said.
“And I miss it every day,” Kol said, a hint of sadness in his eyes.
You couldn’t imagine it, losing such a large piece of yourself like that against your will, then having to live with it for a thousand years.
The more you learned about Kol, the more you understood his constant rage. The more you felt for him. The more you felt for all his family, for the indomitable hatred that must have haunted all of them throughout their millennia.
You meant to say something, but you were interrupted by your own yawn. Kol’s lips quirked up in a momentary smile as he stood from the loveseat. “It’s late, and I can sense your exhaustion. Go to sleep—we will meet again tomorrow.”
“But we didn’t even make a plan,” you said. “We just talked.”
“And whose fault is that?”
“I’m a journalist,” you said. “I can’t help it.”
Kol rolled his eyes at you, but there was unmistakable mirth. “We can formulate a plan tomorrow. For now, just rest.”
You nodded and Kol set towards the door. But before he could leave, you spoke up. “Kol?”
He stopped.
“Thank you. For today.”
Kol nodded. “You’re welcome.”
He shut the door softly behind him, and you let out a deep sigh. Kol’s recent behavior was a pleasant surprise, far more than you expected from the way he presented himself just yesterday.
You wondered what it was that made him change tunes. Whatever it was, though, you didn’t mind. You were actually…
You were actually starting to like Kol. Murderous vampiric tendencies aside, you’d enjoyed your day together. That was strange.
But you were jarred out of your thoughts as you yawned yet again, the true extent of your exhaustion beginning to trickle in. You could do all this tomorrow morning, when you weren’t burning the candle at both ends.
You went through your night routine, including taking a hot shower—with excellent water pressure, for the record—for as long as you wanted. The luxuries of using a place that didn’t belong to you were not taken for granted.
You fell into a dreamless sleep once you settled into the bed, your room feeling almost incomplete without the buzz of a too-loud AC unit or the constant sounds of the city out of your window.
Temporarily, you forget the true purpose of this trip and relish in comfort that isn’t at your expense.
It’s the nicest thing you’ve had in a while.
Notes:
and another kol chapter, this time a longer than usual one at 7k! thank you for all the lovely comments complimenting my characterization, it's honestly a surprise lol! but im so glad ive managed to do him justice and i hope you enjoyed this chapter too<3 i decided to take this in a different direction than i planned but i think i like it. there's something about a softer kol that just gets me man
for some reason i recently got the writing bug for this series and i wrote like, 15k words for it in the past 3 days. like as i write this, ive been working on 5 chapters at once for two days what the fuck is going on. i go between doing nothing on this fic for months and having it be the only thing i think about, and it's disorienting lol
it's so crazy to me that this fic is almost at 400 kudos like wtf. how did the fic that i thought of while visiting my grandparents over thanksgiving break become my most popular fic. i wrote the first two chapters of this on my phone. the whole creation of this fic has been a whole ass mess lmao but im glad you all enjoy it
and because ive gotten so many new readers over the past couple of chapters, here's the playlist for this fic again! i change the pfp to whatever mikaelson is going to show up in the next chapter bc i think it's fun and ive added some new songs since i last posted it so yah. check it out if you want bc i listen to it while i write this fic
Chapter 15: Call It Intuition
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You actually felt well-rested when you woke up—no cricks, no soreness, just normal. The other day had completely exhausted you, and you were thankful once again that you let Kol spring for a hotel.
It was funny. Elijah deemed his younger brother the most likely to kill you out of all his siblings, and yet so far, all he’d done was complain about traffic and threaten you a few times. God, he basically solved your number one problem by saving your job for the indefinite future, fixing the mess Klaus had effortlessly made.
So, yeah—you liked him. Probably more than you should have.
But when you looked over at the clock and saw that it was 1:19 in the afternoon, you couldn’t decide whether to be annoyed or grateful. You were slightly miffed that Kol hadn’t woken you up earlier—surely Klaus had to have you on some kind of schedule—but you couldn’t deny the benefits.
You were surprised he was being so nice, though. Maybe he actually liked you too, maybe he was just getting your guard down so he could kill you. Time would tell, you supposed.
You were already late, so you took your time getting ready. Once you were dressed in the steadfast combination of a college sweatshirt and jeans, you found your way to your neighbor’s room to knock on Kol’s door. He opened it before you even had the chance. You still weren’t used to vampire senses.
“Ah,” Kol said, smiling when he saw you, “good morning, love. You look well.”
“Good afternoon,” you corrected. “Why didn’t you get me up earlier? We’ve gotta be on a tight schedule.”
“I don’t exactly care the sort of schedule we’re on,” he said. “You needed rest, I gave it to you. Besides, if Nik wanted things to be done quickly, he could have done them himself instead of sending his little minion and his least favorite brother.”
You frowned. “I’m not his minion. And you’re not his least favorite.”
He laughed bitterly. “Yes. I’m sure he daggered me all those times out of the overwhelming love he held for me.”
“Well,” you said, “you’re not my least favorite. At least, not anymore.”
“Not anymore?” he asked, his lips tilting up into a slight smile. “Your opinion of me has certainly changed quickly.”
“You saved my job, and you make for some pretty good company,” you said. “And despite all the threats, you haven’t tried to kill me. That puts you above Klaus.”
“But below Elijah and Bex?” Kol frowned. “You wound me, truly.”
You shrugged. “Shoulda put my suitcase in the trunk for me.”
“Don’t push your luck,” he said, but he stepped aside anyway to let you inside.
You walked past him into his room then stopped in your tracks when you saw a clothed table with platters of breakfast food. You glanced over your shoulder at Kol as he closed the door. “Can you even eat human food?”
“Oh, all the time,” he said, “just not in the way that you’re imagining.”
You grimaced. Kol was enjoying himself a bit too much. “You know what I mean.”
“I can, but I don’t do it often,” he said. “I ordered this in for you.”
You raised your eyebrows. “That’s awfully nice.”
“I figured you should have a good last meal should the witches decide you’re not worth the trouble,” he said with a smile.
“There he is,” you said dryly. “I was worried you went soft after all our conversation yesterday. Thought I figured out the way to an Original’s heart was to dump all your childhood problems on them.”
His smile turned wry. “Trust me, love. I could never go soft.”
“Then I’ll enjoy it while it lasts,” you said, taking a seat on the sofa. You picked one of the plates and served yourself a variety of breakfast items, Kol himself choosing a chocolate croissant as he lounged in an armchair.
“I assume you are here to go over our plan,” Kol said. He didn’t eat his pastry, just set the plate next to him. It was like he took it just to be included. (The thought made you smile.)
“I’m here to make a plan,” you corrected. “We didn’t exactly do anything last night.”
“Nonsense,” he said, brushing it off with his hand. “I’ve got a perfectly good plan already. We walk in, we threaten them until they agree to our terms, and then we walk out.”
You stared at him. “That’s not a plan.”
He shrugged. “It’s worked plenty of times for us in the past.”
“Well, I don’t think threatening the coven that hates you for murdering their leader is the best decision,” you said dryly, and you bit into a blueberry muffin. “The reason Klaus sent me was to try and settle this diplomatically instead of violently.”
“And that is the most boring way to solve things,” Kol scoffed.
“Boring is the way we have to go,” you said. “You like me, don’t you?”
“And what brings you to that conclusion?”
“I’m still alive, for one. And,” you gestured with your muffin, “you did order all of this for me.”
“...You’re bearable,” he said.
“If we don’t get this partnership settled, there’s not gonna be a lot left of me to bear after Klaus kills me,” you said.
Kol chuckled a bit but he kept his eyes on you. “You are so sure my brother will kill you should you fail.”
“Do you think he won’t?” you asked. “I’m just some random woman that got caught up in his life and won’t stop making things hard for him. You’re his brother that’s been around him for a thousand years. You think I stand a better chance than you?”
“I think he likes you more than me,” he said. “So that puts the odds in your favor much more than mine.”
You huffed. “He doesn’t like me at all. Likes making my life harder, maybe. But that’s all.”
Kol raised his eyebrows. “You say that I like you because you’re still alive. That’s not just my doing, it’s Nik’s. Doesn’t that mean he likes you by your own logic?”
You stared at him for a moment before you shook your head. “Our plan for the witches. Do you have anything other than incessant slaughter?”
Kol’s eyes twinkled as he smiled at you, smug as ever. Surprisingly, though, he moved on. “I suppose we can attempt to strike a deal with them. That should be easy, considering your fondness for them.”
“Your family is really never going to let that go, huh?”
“It was fantastically stupid and got you stuck in a world you don’t understand,” Kol said. “No; we are not going to let it go.”
Your lips formed a thin line in lieu of a smile. “What sort of deal do you have in mind?”
“Well, there is something,” Kol said with a sigh, “but I don’t know how much you’ll like it.”
“That seems to be a theme in my life lately,” you said dryly, and you split a pancake in half with your fork as you remembered you actually had breakfast for once. It looked like you were going to be here for a while. “Hit me with it.”
-
Soon enough, you and Kol were back on the road. You’d been driving more these past two days than you’d done in a while, and you honestly missed it. Klaus’s car was a nice touch.
Kol, it seemed, did not share the sentiment. He didn’t try to hide it as he heaved a dramatic sigh and turned his gaze back on you.
“If you’re going to complain about how long driving takes and how much you don’t want to be here,” you interrupted as he opened his mouth, “then please, save it. I can only take so much.”
His expression immediately changed, his eyes narrowing in on you. “And what makes you think that you can talk to me in that way?”
“Years of working retail,” you said, and at his unamused visage you chuckled despite yourself. “We’re on even footing now, Kol. You’ve lost all your leverage now that I know you won’t kill me.”
Kol scowled. “Just what gives you that idea? You’re as vulnerable as anyone else.”
“Am I?” you asked, risking a glance at him. “You let me rant about my problems yesterday, and you barely even complained. You saved my job for no reason. You put us up in a fancy hotel and got a fancier breakfast, and now you’re in the car with me for yet another hours-long drive.” You shrugged and smiled in self-satisfaction. “I’d say that means you like me.”
“First of all,” he said, pointing a finger as he sat up in his seat, “I let you complain because it was preferable to you moaning and groaning during our entire trip because you were upset. I saved your job because you would be even more of a nuisance should you suddenly become unemployed. I got those rooms because I would rather be daggered again than spend the night in your broom closet, and I’m in here with you because we have to finish what we’ve started.”
“That’s a lot of words to just say that you like me,” you said playfully. “I know you’re embarrassed to admit it with your whole tough vampire facade, but it’s fine. I won’t tell anyone.”
He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Do you remember when I said I could tolerate you? I’ve changed my mind.”
“Sure,” you said, though not without a smile.
Your phone started to buzz in the cupholder and your smile was replaced with a more common sigh. “Can you get that?”
Kol picked it up, then laughed as he read the screen. “I’m assuming bane of my existence is my ever-dearest brother?”
“Yeah.” You grimaced. “Ugh. Ignore it. I don’t really feel like dealing with Klaus right now.”
“You’ve got some guts,” he said, but he put your phone back anyway.
“What’s he gonna do when we’re three states away?” you said. “Besides, all I did was ignore his call. He’s been alive for a thousand years—he can wait a couple hours.”
Kol chuckled. “He has killed for much less.”
You shook your head as your grip tightened on the steering wheel. “That’s one thing I don’t understand about you all. I understand vampires have to drink blood to survive, but what is with all the killing? How can you just slaughter indiscriminately and feel absolutely no guilt?”
“It comes with age,” he said. “Live for a millennia and you’ll find there is very little you will feel.”
“There has to be more to it,” you said. “Obviously fatigue comes with age—god, I can’t even imagine living for a thousand years—but I just don’t understand how you can do all of that and not care at all.”
“Vampirism enhances everything about you,” Kol said. “All of your emotions, feelings, personality traits—they’re all thrust under a microscope, and it becomes harder to control yourself. It also becomes harder to keep your humanity with you.”
You frowned. “‘Keep your humanity’?”
“The natural inclination of a vampire is to ignore their humanity,” he said. “It is far easier to let go and let your desires run wild than to work against the very fiber of your being—those who insist on being good must put in extra effort to do so, otherwise they risk their latent darkness taking over.”
“Very poetic, Kol,” you said.
“I try,” he said wryly.
Despite your jokes, his words struck you. You’d never really thought about… vampire psychology, you guessed you could call it. About how your body, your mind, your DNA, it all just changed in an instant. And you either suffered a horrible death or lived for the rest of your immortal life.
Depressing, when you looked at it that way.
You didn’t like the way Kol’s gaze had turned on you. “Would you want it?”
You knew what he meant. You asked anyway. “What?”
“To be turned,” he said, confirming your suspicion. “Would you want to be a vampire?”
You swallowed the instinctive dread. “No.”
“No?” he repeated, and he raised his eyebrows. “I know plenty who would kill to be one.”
“It’s unnatural,” you said. “I don’t want to come back when I die. And I wouldn’t be able to kill people for my own gain.”
Kol laughed at that. “It’s unnatural. You truly have no idea.”
“And I never will if you and your family keep speaking in mysteries,” you said dryly.
“I’m afraid it’s a Mikaelson trait,” he said. “You’re going to have to get used to it, love.”
You huffed a laugh. “I’d just never want to be a vampire. I don’t think I could handle it.”
Kol shrugged. “I think you could. You’ve proven that you’re tougher than you look.”
“Still,” you said, “I don’t want to do it. Drinking blood, constantly fighting against my instincts, watching everyone I love die as the world changes around me forever.” You shook your head. “It sounds horrible.”
“That’s because you’re only focusing on the bad parts of it,” Kol scoffed. “No one understands what it’s like, not until they’ve been turned. It’s the most liberating experience anyone could have.”
You glanced at him. “You and your siblings were turned against your will. That doesn’t sound very liberating.”
His jaw clenched. “Careful, love.”
“It’s the truth,” you said. “Your parents killed you, turned you, and sentenced you to immortality that you didn’t even want. You said it yourself, Kol! You said that you miss your magic every day!”
“And it is none of your business,” Kol snapped. “It couldn’t be further from your business, actually, so I’d love it if you would stop acting as if you know everything.”
“I’m on your side, Kol,” you said, with maybe a bit too much bite, “you don’t have to get like that.”
He rolled his eyes. “I don’t need your sympathy.”
“And I don’t need you to get like this again,” you countered. “You don’t want me to talk about your parents or your past, fine. I understand. But you don’t get to take your anger out on me when I don’t deserve any of it.”
“It sounds like you picked the wrong career, since you fancy yourself such a psychologist,” he muttered. But Kol’s gaze flicked towards you for just a moment before they darted back towards the windshield, and he crossed his arms with a huff. “I…”
“Yes?” You felt like a teacher, working with a toddler to try and get them to apologize. Slightly concerning.
“I’m sorry,” he forced out, like it was a physical pain to say the words. “Is that good enough for you?”
“It was better before you asked,” you said, but you couldn’t help the slight show of your amusement, “but thank you either way.”
He rolled his eyes. “Good. Appreciate it while you can, as you won’t be getting much more of that sort.”
“You’re not the apologetic type? I never would have guessed.”
“And you’re not the comedic type,” he said, “clearly.”
“Ouch.”
“Still,” you huffed, “it’s not fair that you all didn’t get a choice. I might start murdering a lot of people if I got the hand you were all dealt.”
Kol cracked a smile. “That only makes me more inclined to turn you. I’d quite like to see you go on a rampage.”
You scowled. “Don’t even joke about that.”
“Ah,” he said, “so that’s one of your buttons.”
“And you’re remarkably good at finding them,” you said stiffly. “I don’t think it’s a crazy thing to not want to be turned.”
He shrugged. “You’d be surprised.”
You just sighed as you looked over your shoulder to switch lanes.
“Well, what do you think about vampires?” Kol asked. “Not about being one—just about us in general.”
You huffed a laugh. “I’m scared of them.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” you said. “Klaus tried to kill me, then Damon tried to kill me, then you and Rebekah threatened to kill me—god, ever since I met you guys, it’s just been a constant onslaught of near death experiences. I thought it would be a given that I’m scared of you all.”
“You certainly don’t act like it,” Kol said. “One would think you have no fear at all the way you talk back to Nik.”
“Pride is a funny thing,” you said dryly. “I know he could kill me at any second, but for some reason I can’t make myself cower.”
“…That’s admirable,” he said after a moment. “Incredibly stupid, but admirable.”
You offered a tight smile. “I think that summarizes most of the things I’ve done since meeting your family.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry about them,” he said offhandedly. “I won’t let them do anything to you if they try.”
You frowned. “Why would you do that? We’ve known each other for two days.”
“And already you’ve listened to me more in a few days than they have in the past few centuries,” he said. “In a life like mine, I’d be a fool not to appreciate that.”
You blew out a loose sigh and shook your head. “Well… I can’t really offer you any kind of protection because you’re a thousand times stronger than me, but…” You shrugged. “If you ever need someone to talk to about your fucked up family, you can come to me.”
“You’re not helping yourself on the psychologist path,” Kol said, and you just laughed.
“Whatever.”
The silence that followed was comfortable somehow. You and Kol were beginning to forge some kind of strange relationship in the flames Klaus had set, and it…
Yeah. Okay. It was nice. You could admit that much.
He was different from his siblings in the way that he felt genuine. Yes, most of that genuinity was him wanting to kill people, but there was also something broken inside of him that you connected far too much with. He felt like his siblings didn’t care about him, especially Klaus—always the black sheep.
You’d felt the same way all your life.
You cleared your throat, trying to get rid of those thoughts as well. The last thing you needed to do was spill even more of your life to him. “I hope you’re ready for some walking, because we’re almost there.”
“Excellent.” That gleam returned in his eye as he looked at you. You didn’t like it at all. “I hope you’re ready for a scavenger hunt.”
-
“Where the hell are we, Kol?”
You shut the car door when you got out, squinting against the winter sun as you looked out into the clearing. The grassy area quickly ceded to a never ending forest, nothing but nature all around you. To say you were in the middle of nowhere would be an understatement.
“Where we need to be,” Kol responded. All it took was a glare for him to chuckle and shake his head. “Relax, love. Just because I don’t remember the name doesn’t mean I’ve led you astray. Do you believe I would do that, after all the touching conversation we’ve had?”
“You’re really making me regret spilling my life to you,” you said airily.
“Get over it,” he remarked as he popped the trunk and took a shovel out. “We’ve got a job to do.”
You sighed. “That object you told me about. I guess this is where we’re getting it? Why you made me stop at Home Depot on the way here to get a shovel?”
Unfortunately, Kol nodded. This was the plan you’d discussed in the hotel room—he said there was an object you could retrieve, something of significance to the Silvanus coven that could get them back on the Mikaelson’s side. You thought you would be trading over some money, or doing a heist, or literally anything else than trekking through the endless woods.
“Great,” you muttered. “Lead the way, boy scout.”
“Boy scout?” Kol looked scandalized, and you had to stifle a laugh.
“Get over it,” you echoed, and his eyes narrowed in on you for just a moment before he turned back around and began to walk.
He shook his head. “Absolutely zero regard for your life.”
“So I’ve been told,” you mused as you followed him. “What exactly are we going after, and why is it here?”
“You have yours truly to thank for that,” Kol said. “After the favor Rebekah and I did for the Silvanus all those centuries ago, I may have stolen one of their artifacts without their knowledge to use as a bargaining chip in the event that I needed it. I buried it in these woods.”
The sigh you let out was possibly the largest one since you’d met the Mikaelsons.
“Of course you did, Kol,” you muttered. “Of course you did.”
“I will not tolerate that,” Kol said haughtily. “It was obviously a good decision—I do not see how we could get them back on our side otherwise.”
“Won’t they know that you stole it, though? It doesn’t really count if you’re just returning something you took.”
He scoffed. “Of course they don’t know I stole it. When they questioned me, I blamed it on Nik. If he is willing to murder their head witch over nothing but a petty squabble, no one would doubt petty theft.”
“And you buried it in the middle of the woods,” you said. “Some rare artifact, in the middle of eternal woods.”
“I have an excellent memory. Frankly, I find it offensive that you doubt me.”
You exhaled tiredly. “You know what? Sure. Whatever. Let’s just get this thing, get to these witches, and get it all over with.”
“That’s the plan, love,” Kol said, though his tone was slightly annoyed. “You’re the one slowing us down. I could already be done with this.”
“How do you suggest we do it any differe—”
You weren’t even given the chance to finish your sentence before Kol swept you off your feet—quite literally—and started running. Wind whipped across your face, your eyes beginning to water, but just as quickly as it started, it was over.
“Like that,” Kol said as he stopped. He was completely unperturbed, but you were completely out of breath, as if you had been the one going at mach vampire speed.
“What the hell?” you gasped out. “You can’t just do that to someone!”
“I can, and I did,” he said. You forgot how annoying he actually was in the face of all the fairytale soul-bonding the two of you did.
Your senses then seemed to come back to you. Your instincts must have acted up when Kol took off, because your arms were wrapped around his neck and you’d barely even registered his hand cradling your lower back. You couldn’t pulled your arms away any quicker if you tried.
“Let go of me, Kol,” you said stiffly.
He snorted as he set you back on your feet and you immediately put a few steps of distance between him. “Your heart’s beating awfully fast.”
“It’s the adrenaline,” you huffed, and Kol just rolled his eyes.
“If you insist. Now,” he folded his arms as his eyes darted around the woods, “it’s somewhere around here.”
“Are you kidding me?” You stared at him. “You said you knew where it was!”
“I do!” Kol defended. “Maybe the exact spot is a bit foggy, but you can hardly blame me. It’s in this area, we just have to do a little bit of searching.”
“Oh my god,” you muttered, squeezing your eyes shut as you leaned against a tree. The moment you did, though, an electric shock went through your body. You yelped as you shot back up, your senses back on full alert.
“What?” Kol asked, the slightest hint of concern visible in his eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re allergic to trees now.”
You shook your head, your eyes wide as you stared at the tree. “I— I don’t know. It was like I just got shocked or something.”
“Like I said,” Kol gestured, “dramatic.”
“Wait.” Something nagged at the back of your mind, and somehow, someway, you knew. “It’s there.”
Kol looked at you curiously. “The artifact?”
You nodded. “It’s buried next to the tree. A few feet underground.”
“And how the hell do you know that?”
“I don’t know!” you repeated defensively. “I— I just do. I don’t know how to explain it, but I— I can feel it. It’s there.”
Kol stared at you for a moment before he relented with a sigh and walked over, hefting the shovel in his hands. “I suppose we’ll see.”
You moved to make space for him, and Kol easily broke through the ground, cutting through the frozen dirt like butter as he quickly dug out a hole. Vampire strength would have done you wonders in all those Decembers spent clearing driveways for cash.
Kol suddenly stopped. “Hm.”
“What?” Quicker than what should’ve been possible, Kol had dug a sizable grave. As you looked into it, your eyes widened. “Oh my god.”
“Either we’ve found buried treasure,” Kol said, his expression sobering as he glanced at you, “or you were right.”
He wasn’t exaggerating. A small wooden chest had been revealed, detailed grooves caked in dirt and dust. You had no idea how you knew it was there.
“Well?” You looked at Kol. “Is that what you buried it in?”
Kol hesitated, and then he nodded. “...Yes. It is. I’ve no idea how you could have known its position when even I was unsure of it.”
“Call it intuition,” you said uneasily. “Just… just get it out of there and get it open so we can get this over with.”
He nodded yet again, and he easily retrieved the chest from the pit. There was a padlock on it, but rather than crack it open with the code, Kol literally cracked it open. He tore it apart with his bare hands, tossing the metal onto the ground behind him. You hurried to pick it up, and he gave you a strange look.
“You’re littering,” you defended as you tucked it into your pocket. “It’s bad.”
Kol just chuckled, shaking his head a bit as he opened the chest. He pulled out a crystal ball, and it was so stereotypical you could have laughed.
And you did. “That’s what we’ve been after?”
“Laugh all you want,” Kol said, “but this is our in. The Silvanus has always been known for their scryers—we return this, and we have a much better chance of getting them on our side.”
“I’m assuming we’re throwing Klaus under the bus?”
“Of course we are, love. Who do you take me for?”
You smiled a bit. “Works for me.”
“Excellent,” Kol said. “Now—” he looked at you, that gleam returning to his eyes— “I hope you’re ready to negotiate with some witches.”
-
“This isn’t much to look at,” you said dryly, standing at the brink of yet another forest. You were seeing more greenery on this trip than in your entire college career.
“That’s because it is blocked by magic,” Kol said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “They wouldn’t be much of a coven if just anyone could find them, would they now?”
“How do we unblock it?”
Kol answered by taking your hand and beginning to chant in a language you didn’t understand. His hand was icy cold as usual, but it sent another shock through your body. You just clenched your jaw to ride it through, but you soon found it hanging open.
“There,” Kol said, a small smile quirking on his lips as he looked at your awe. “Unblocked.”
What used to just be another endless forest seconds ago was now a full on village. It really was magic.
“How did you do that?” you asked.
“I may not be a witch anymore, but I still have tricks up my sleeve,” Kol said with satisfaction. “Now, let’s go.”
You nodded, and you cleared your throat as you tore your hand out of Kol’s grip. He just glanced at you with an amused expression and started to walk, you following close behind.
“I probably should have done this with you earlier, but a quick run-down on the Silvanus,” Kol said. “Obviously, they hate my family because of what Nik has done. Some of them like me because of the work I did with them in the 13th century, but they will likely not extend to you. I advise you to be on high alert at all times unless getting magically disemboweled is your idea of a good time.”
“Being on alert it is,” you muttered.
“I thought so,” he remarked. “Their head witch will be tricky to get through—her name is Emmaline, and she is colder than ice. Even more so since we are trying to get her back on our side. Just… let me do the talking.”
You frowned. “This is my job, Kol. This is what your brother sent me for. You were just here for the ride-along.”
“I am much more experienced in dealing with witches than you are,” Kol said. “I’ve grown to tolerate your company—it would be a shame if the Silvanus were the ones who ended your life.”
“Aw, Kol,” you nudged his shoulder. “You do like me.”
“And you think I am the annoying one,” he muttered. Kol held his arm to stop you, and you were about to ask what he was doing when he started yelling.
“Emmaline Maier!” he called, his voice far more confident than you’d heard in the past few days. “Your favorite Mikaelson is back!”
You held your breath instinctively, edging closer to Kol as the few people that had been outside were alerted to his presence. You liked their expressions even less than Kol’s usual.
“What are you doing?” you hissed. “Trying to get us killed?”
“Trying to get us an audience,” he corrected. “Emmaline and I have… a bit of history. She wouldn’t dare to pass up this opportunity. She likely knew I was here the moment I breached the barriers.”
Sure enough, he was right. Not even a moment later, a tall, striking woman emerged from a house, her expression thunderous. You didn’t even know her, and you already felt yourself shrinking in her image.
“Prepare yourself,” Kol murmured to you before a wide smile took over.
“Emma!” he exclaimed, taking a step away from you and towards her. “How lovely to see you again. Truly, it has been too long.”
“Kol Mikaelson,” she said in disgust. “What has given you enough nerve to waltz into my coven’s territory?”
“I have a small favor to request of the Silvanus,” he said smoothly, “and I’ve been long overdue for a visit to your beloved neck of the woods.”
Her expression remained steely and unmoving. It took everything in you to hold Emmaline’s gaze as she looked at you. “And you thought it a good idea to bring someone like her with you?”
“Ah, yes.” Kol said your name with a slight glance back at you. “My colleague. Now—might you grant us the privilege of your attention? I promise this will not take long.”
Emmaline’s eyes remained on you for far too long, but you held contact for every second of it. It felt like a physical weight was off of you when she finally looked back at Kol, her features stoic. “You have ten minutes, Mikaelson.”
“That’s all we need,” he said breezily.
The head witch led the two of you back to the house she’d come out of, and you tried to ignore the prying looks from other members of the coven. You let out a deep breath as she took you into an office and took a seat behind the desk, leaving you and Kol to sit down in the two in front.
It wasn’t hard to figure out what kind of history Kol and this woman had, the way he was trying to ply her with easy smiles and smooth talking. It was working remarkably poorly, but the atmosphere made you very uncomfortable. Almost made you prefer the magical disembowelment he mentioned earlier.
“Em—” Kol began, but he didn’t get very far.
“Don’t start,” she clipped. “You said you wanted a favor—tell me what that is, and I’ll decide how much of an insult it is.”
“Just as lovely as ever,” he said dryly.
“It’s more than you should expect,” Emmaline said sharply. “Especially bringing a covenless witch here with you.” She glared at you in disgust. “How do you keep discovering witches willing to betray everything they should stand for just to aid your horrible family?”
“She’s not a witch,” Kol said stiffly, “but for your information, it is not hard if you know where to look. There are plenty of witches-for-hire willing to do anything we need should we provide enough incentive”
“Not a witch?” Emmaline turned to you with an arched brow. “I can feel the magic radiating off of you.”
“She has an amulet,” Kol said, “one made by witches and imbued with protective magic. That is why.” You held up your necklace as evidence, and her watchful eye stayed on you for just a moment too long. It was suffocating. “It is also because of the item she holds.” He paused. “The thing we came to discuss with you.”
“Oh?” She tilted her head slightly to the side. “And just what is that?”
“It’s what we will return should you decide to fulfill my favor,” Kol stated. “We came here to discuss the matter of another alliance between the Silvanus coven and the Mikaelson family.”
Emmaline laughed sharply, as if the very notion were insulting. “You have got some nerve, Kol Mikaelson, coming back here and asking for a partnership after all your wretched brother did to us.”
“Yes, well,” he smiled thinly, absolutely zero heart in it, “that was Nik’s own rash decision. You cannot hold the rest of us accountable for his actions.”
“I can, and I will,” she said. “I know you’ve been in and out of our world for the past couple centuries, so you may not remember how chaotic a coven becomes when it loses its head, or how infuriating it can be to quash infighting. But it is enough to make a four hundred year old witch nearly lose her mind.” Emmaline set her jaw. “I know you do so enjoy acting as your brother’s messenger, but this is something Niklaus and I must settle in person. I believe I will be satisfied when I rip his head from his shoulders in the same fashion that he killed Katya.”
“It’s a good thing that Originals are resilient, then,” you spoke up, drawing her attention back to you. You took your backpack off your shoulders and unzipped it, reaching inside. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to take this from Klaus.”
You pulled out the crystal ball and set it on the desk, and Emmaline’s eyes widened in the most emotion she’d shown since your arrival.
“Where did you get this?” she hissed.
“I believe she just told you,” Kol said, satisfaction dripping in his voice. “Nik stole it from you centuries ago—the first time he visited your coven. We had the bright idea to take it back, and bring it to its rightful owners.”
Emmaline sucked in a deep breath as she schooled her features back into place, tearing her eyes away from the crystal ball as she looked at Kol. “And in exchange for this, you want— what? An agreement?”
“Your word,” Kol clarified. “An official alliance between the Mikaelsons and the Silvanus.”
She scoffed. “You’re more stupid than I remember if you think that will happen.”
“And you’re just as much the flatterer,” he said dryly. “I’m not asking you and all your witches to come to our aid the moment trouble arises for us, nor the same for you. I just want one less enemy in witches.”
“We’re asking for neutrality,” you said, and Kol nodded. “The Mikaelsons don’t want to hurt you.”
Emmaline’s lips quirked in a sardonic smile. “I’m sure you know all about that, darling. What are you even doing with them?”
“Working off a debt,” you said carefully.
She huffed. “That’s worked out well for you, I bet. Tell me, how many times has this bastard tried to kill you?”
You opened your mouth to respond, but Kol beat you to it.
“None, actually,” he said, annoyed. “I’ve moved past killing my colleagues. Are you done with your questioning, or have you got an entire survey for us?”
“Is that true?” She ignored Kol’s question as her eyes lit with something you didn’t like at all. “Why don’t we put that to the test?”
Emmaline stood up, drawing a previously unseen knife from behind her back. Whether it was magic or just your lack of forethought, you didn’t know, but you immediately shot up from your seat.
“We’re not doing this,” you rushed out. “We just want neutrality—no violence. That’s easy enough, isn’t it?”
She didn’t answer you, instead responding by grabbing your arm and pulling you against her chest in an iron grip. She pressed the blade against your throat, and you screwed your eyes shut as the cold metal shocked your skin.
“We don’t have to do this,” you repeated, your voice stilted. Why couldn’t you make it through a single thing with the Mikaelsons without nearly dying?
Kol shot up from his seat immediately after, a dangerous edge to both his features and his voice.
“Don’t touch her,” he warned. “You’ll sorely regret it.”
“You Mikaelsons are a violent bunch,” Emmaline mocked. “Your beloved brother murdered our head witch in cold blood over his temper. That could very well happen again with any one of you—I could never make any sort of deal with you knowing your penchant for murdering witches.”
“So,” she said simply, “prove that you won’t.”
You felt temporary relief when she moved the knife away from your neck, allowing yourself to breathe again, but it only lasted a second before excruciating pain burned in your chest. You cried out as Emmaline ripped the blade out of your chest, and when she loosened her hold you fell to your knees.
Kol yelled your name in complete horror, but instead of moving to help you, he backed away.
“He can hardly control himself around blood,” Emmaline whispered in your ear, taking far too much enjoyment in it. “I’d advise you to start running now. That is, if you still can.”
“Kol, I swear to god,” you growled as you forced yourself back up with the help of the desk, your other hand pressed against your chest. You could already feel yourself fading. “Don’t kill me, don’t kill her, just make the deal and get the fuck out of here!”
He didn’t move, his gaze locked onto your bleeding wound. His eyes had already darkened, black veins beginning to branch out. “You have to leave,” Kol said, obviously struggling.
You didn’t have to be told twice. You ran out of the office, out of the house, out into the normal, non-magical woods, moving on pure adrenaline. You remembered the last time you ran from a vampire pressing down on a life-threatening wound. You could really use another Rebekah rescue right now.
Once you’d gotten far enough away—or rather, when the pain flared up to an unbearable level—you settled against a tree and all but collapsed.
Haggard breaths ripped through you as you screwed your eyes shut, then glanced down at your wound. You grimaced, both at the blood all over your hand and the stab wound that was probably going to kill you.
You heard the rustling of leaves and suddenly, Kol was in front of you. There was no blood on him, so you assumed—hoped—that he hadn’t killed Emmaline.
“Did you do it?” you asked.
“Kill her? No. Kindly discuss our alliance with her? Also no.”
“...I’ll take it.”
He did, however, look like he could kill you.
“Kol,” you said, “don’t even think about it.”
“I’m not,” he said stiffly. He obviously was. “I— I won’t. I’m not going to kill you. Okay?”
“That’s good,” you huffed. “Think you can hold yourself back enough to spare some blood so I don’t die?”
Kol screwed his eyes shut then groaned. “It has been a century since I have done this for someone like you, so consider yourself lucky.” He bit into his wrist and knelt down next to you. “Drink.”
Your features immediately twisted into a grimace as the metallic scent wafted over you, but you didn’t really have a say right now—and you didn’t think Kol would permit your disgust for it in the same way as his sister. You were, after all, dying in the middle of Rochester.
That thought was enough for you to push yourself up against the side of the tree, and after a moment of hesitation, you closed your lips around the puncture marks.
The overwhelming taste of iron was enough to make you want to immediately spit it out, but you shoved your human emotions away in favor of actually surviving. You drank until you couldn’t tolerate it for another second, your face screwing up in disgust as you pulled away and allowed yourself to fall back against the tree.
“That is horrible,” you muttered, and you spit out the excess in your mouth that you couldn’t bring yourself to swallow. “You’re telling me you enjoy drinking blood on the regular?”
“You’re not meant to spit it out, you idiot,” he admonished, and when he pulled his wrist away from you, the self-inflicted wound had already healed. Hopefully it worked just as quickly inside your body. “And yes, it does. Blood is what we live off of, so it would be awfully ironic if we hated it.”
“Does it taste like licking pennies to you?” you asked.
Kol snorted. “Of course not. As a vampire, it’s pure ecstasy. But we don’t have time to go into any of that.”
“Right,” you said, grimacing as you tried to sit up, “still dying.”
“I wouldn’t say you’re dying anymore,” Kol said. “The color’s already returning to your face.”
“I can’t believe she did that,” you grumbled. “All just to prove a point. I’m tired of everyone thinking that just because I’m working with you all, it means I’m close. I’m sick of being used as leverage for vampires that don’t care about me.”
“You should be glad you’re alive in the first place,” he remarked. “Insulting a vampire in the midst of their bloodlust is quite possibly the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“It worked,” you breathed, your smile sardonic, “didn’t it?”
Kol scowled. “Hardly.”
“Well, I’m still alive,” you said, “and you haven’t killed me. So I’d say it did.”
He stood up and crossed his arms, turning away from you again. “You’re incredibly lucky, you know that?”
“So I keep being told.” You winced a little as you pulled your hand away from your wound, relief flooding through you when you saw the skin mending itself. You would be okay. “What was that though, Kol? Not being able to control yourself?”
“This is clearly control,” he clipped, gesturing to the distance between the two of you.
“You know what I mean.”
He sighed and shrugged. “Historically, I do not have the best track record with controlling my hunger. Emmaline hoped to exploit it to rid herself of a few problems.”
“Then thank you for controlling it,” you said. “Seriously.”
“It would make my life significantly harder were you to die under my watch,” he said airily. “The wrath of my brothers is not something I wish to attract at the moment. It makes plotting their downfall very difficult when they’re watching my every move.”
“Aw,” you mumbled, maybe slightly delirious from the blood loss. “You really do care about me.”
The smallest smile curled onto his lips for a moment, but he covered it just as quickly. “Are you alright to walk? My blood should heal you completely, but it will take time. And I do not think you want to take that time out here.”
You tried to stand up using the tree as a crutch, but the second you were standing your legs gave out. For once, you were thankful for vampire reflexes as Kol caught you—he didn’t even flinch, just hauled you back up with a huff.
“You lot are so fragile,” he complained, moving your arm over his shoulder so he could support you. “I’ll never understand why Nik insisted on making you his minion.”
“I’m not—”
“You’re not his minion,” Kol interrupted. “I know.”
You chuckled breathlessly as you started to walk together, but you glanced back towards the village. “Did you get her word for the alliance?”
He shook his head. “It was all I could do to not kill her on the spot. I don’t think going back would be a wise decision.”
You pulled him to a stop and shook your head. “We have to go back. This alliance is the only reason we came here.”
Kol rolled his eyes. “Love, she just tried to kill you through me. We are not going back.”
You shook your head. “She only wants me. Her whole thing was trying to get you to kill me, so if I’m still alive, it means you didn’t. Obviously. That should be enough.”
“You are an idiot,” Kol said. “Have I told you that yet?”
“Yes,” you said with a smile. “I know.”
-
Kol’s blood saved you from dying, but it hadn’t fully worked its magic. Your hand was still covered in blood as you walked back into the coven’s territory, wincing every so often. Your life really was something else these days.
“Emmaline!” you yelled as you stopped in front of her house, deciding to take a page from Kol’s book. “You conniving bitch, get out here!”
The door opened after a moment and her eyebrows rose slightly as she looked at you. “Ah. You’re still alive.”
“No thanks to you.”
Emmaline smiled. “Impressive. You’re tougher than you look.”
“I’m alive,” you spat. “Kol didn’t kill me, and he has no plans to kill you. Neither do any of the Mikaelsons. So will you enter the fucking alliance with them?”
“Yes,” she said. She moved her hand through the air and a scroll appeared out of nowhere. Emmaline looked at you, and you snatched it. “That’s our contract. I’ve already signed—get Niklaus to pen his name, and we will officially be allies. Dedicated to nothing but neutrality, as you said.”
“See?” you mocked. “It was that easy. You didn’t have to stab me to prove your point.”
“It proved that you’ve got at least one Mikaelson on your side,” Emmaline said snidely. “And trust me, darling—that’s going to come in handy very soon.”
“What, did you scry for my future after trying to get Kol to kill me?” you asked dryly.
“Call it intuition,” she said with a wry smile. “Good luck. You’re going to need it.”
You just scoffed and shook your head as you turned and walked off. You’d never wanted to get back to Virginia so much.
-
“Did you get it?” Kol asked as he pushed himself up from the tree. When you held up the scroll, he smiled. “Excellent.”
He took it from you, but as soon as he did, your legs buckled out from under you. Your adrenaline had completely disappeared, and you were beat in every way possible.
Kol caught you again, hauling you back onto your feet. He opened his mouth, but you interrupted him.
“If you’re going to call me weak, I know already” you said, rolling your eyes. “Let’s just go.”
“Actually, I was going to compliment you on a job well done,” he said.
Your eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
“Yes,” he said, “but since you interrupted me, you clearly don’t deserve it.”
You huffed a laugh and shook your head. “Help me get back to the car so we can get out of this horrible place.”
“Already ahead of you.”
You pulled the keys out of your back pocket and unlocked the doors, wincing a bit as you settled into the driver’s seat, but Kol shook his head.
“Do you seriously think you’re driving all the way back to Virginia after what you’ve just been through?”
“I think that I don’t trust your driving,” you said dryly as you started the car. “It’ll be fine. I’m fine.”
He crossed his arms. “Don’t make me do this the hard way.”
“The hard way?” you repeated with a slight laugh. “I don’t think—”
You felt Kol’s hands on you for the slightest second, not even getting the chance to say anything before you found yourself in the passenger’s seat. You blinked as it registered, and you scowled at Kol sitting next to you.
“Seriously? That’s not fair.”
He shrugged. “Vampire speed is useful for hunting and for particularly annoying partners. Now stop complaining—you’re not going to change my mind.”
You stared at him for a moment and Kol just stared back—it was clear he wasn’t budging.
“Fine,” you grumbled, buckling your seatbelt. “If you crash though, I get to ‘I told you so’ you.”
“I won’t crash,” he said as he pulled onto the backroad leading back to the highway, “but alright.”
As you settled into the seat, you realized how exhausted you really were. Getting stabbed in the chest would really do that to someone.
Kol glanced at you, vampire senses putting him a step ahead. “It’s alright, love. Just rest. You clearly need it.”
“...Fine,” you repeated. “Wake me up when we get out of New York.”
“Alright,” he said. You already knew he wouldn’t.
The last thing you heard was him switching the music station to smooth jazz, which irked you after he made you drive for almost 10 hours with no music of your own.
You didn’t even get to tell Kol how annoying he was before you succumbed to your exhaustion.
Notes:
well gee i am so sorry this chapter took so long to come out! that is because
1. i finished my first semester (4.0 and made dean's list!!) and i was busy asf
2. mental health was rough for a while, a combo of outside things and my own problems lol so i put writing on the backburner for a while
3. drowning in wips lmao. i published a 14k word chapter a month ago for my other ongoing series and i just needed to hibernate for a while after that
4. remember when i said i go between either writing uncontrollably for this series or not typing a single word for months? guess which one i've been in lately lolbut im back and i give to you the final chapter of the kol roadtrip extravaganza. this went through many many changes because i just was not happy with it and really slogged through it but towards the end i had a mf epiphany on how to connect all the pieces so i hope you all enjoy it lol! the response to kol has been so great and im so glad that you all liked his entrance so much lol, i was originally going to have him be a lot more standoffish for longer i think it's very fitting that kol is the first one she's really bonded with. a lot of symbolism there. the other mikaelsons are gonna be back in the spotlight now bc i gotta start building these relationships unless you want a 1000 chapter fic of the slowest burn ever lmao. im turning 19 on wednesday so finally finishing this was my early birthday present to myself lol
one final note: i went for a less literal version of the humanity switch because i think it is stupid asf that vampires literally have a switch that they can set to good or evil. that's stupid and i dont like it. so i changed it. lol. ok thanks for reading enjoy this longer chapter as an apology for not updating in 3 months
Chapter 16: A Day Off (Mostly)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Everything was a bit foggy when you finally woke up, a yawn worming its way out as you raised your hand to cover it. You were still in the car, and the usual crick in your neck had returned. You glanced out the window to see it was completely dark outside.
“Welcome back,” Kol said. You were still alive, and the car was still intact, so maybe he wasn’t as bad of a driver as you thought. “I was wondering if you were ever going to wake up.”
“How long was I out?” you asked.
“Almost the entire drive,” he said with a chuckle. “Apparently, your body isn’t used to being stabbed yet.”
You frowned. “I’d like to try and avoid any more stabbing.”
“Most likely a good thing,” he agreed. “Do you feel better, at least?”
“Yeah,” you nodded, “a lot better. Thank you for that.”
“Well, I can’t have you dying on my watch,” Kol said. “I certainly won’t be the sibling to fuck that up.”
“Is that what this actually is?” you asked dryly. “Just a bunch of babysitting jobs?”
“Something like that,” he said. “So don’t get too big of a head.”
“Like I ever could with you around me.”
“I suggest you prepare for a bit more of that,” Kol said, “because we’ve reached our destination.”
You sat up from your slouched position and frowned when you looked out the window. The Mikaelson’s mansion was as foreboding as ever. “Great.”
“You knew we were going to have to come back here after we were done,” Kol said as he pulled into the driveway. “Don’t act so shocked.”
“I know,” you mumbled, “but a couple days away from Klaus made me forget how much I hated him.”
He laughed as he parked the car. “Trust me, love, you never truly forget.”
You stretched out your stiff limbs then shouldered your backpack once you got out of the car, giving yourself a moment to breathe before you reunited with the physical embodiment with a headache.
“Are you ready?” Kol asked and he handed you the keys. “He already knows we’re here so you can’t exactly leave, but you can always try.”
You chuckled and shook your head. “Let’s just get this over with.”
He nodded and the two of you walked up to the front door, which swung open quite ceremoniously. It was good to know that he used his vampire hearing for the good of dramatics.
“Impressive,” Klaus said, stepping aside to let you in. “You’re still alive.”
“Disappointed?” you asked as you tossed the car keys at him.
He caught them with a slight smile. “Surprised, rather. I did not think my brother had it in him.”
“She’s decent company,” Kol said, walking in after you. “I’ve no idea how she puts up with you.”
“Decent company?” Klaus eyed you, his expression unreadable. “Not only have you survived his presence, you’ve turned him to your side. Interesting.”
“I’m not on her side. I’m just against yours,” Kol said cheerfully.
“Lovely,” Klaus said blithely. “Kol, enjoy your time in the living room. I need to have a word with my dearest assistant.”
“Not your assistant,” you said at the same time as Kol’s annoyed, “don’t tell me what to do,” before he flopped onto the couch with a scowl.
He truly was a younger brother.
Nevertheless, though, you followed Klaus into the adjacent room. You didn’t like it when he shut the door behind you, but he just smirked.
“Don’t worry, love. I don’t plan to kill you in here.” He gestured at the chair offhandedly. “Take a seat.”
It wasn’t worth being difficult, so you did. Apparently, Klaus had an office, for vampire taxes and murder negotiations and whatnot.
At least, that’s what you figured.
“Did you enjoy your trip back home?” he asked. You couldn’t tell if he was being genuine or not, his voice that side of suspicious.
“…It was fine,” you said cautiously. “I still have my job and I’m still being paid, so that’s a weight off my shoulders.”
“Good.” His blue eyes were piercing, and like Kol, you didn’t like the way he looked at you. “I didn’t appreciate you ignoring my call.”
“I was enjoying my time away from you,” you said helpfully.
Judging by the nonexistent change in expression, he didn’t find that as funny as you did. “And the witches?”
“Tentatively on your side,” you said, and you pulled the scroll out of your backpack and set it on the table. “Emmaline’s already signed it—you just need to add yours.”
“Good,” Klaus repeated.
“We did blame you for stealing the artifact that Kol actually took, though,” you said. “You’re a very good scapegoat.”
He gestured offhandedly. “No matter. I’ve done far worse things to them.”
“Yeah, like murdering their head witch,” you clipped. “You didn’t tell me it was your fault they hated you.”
Klaus shrugged. “You figured it out, didn’t you?”
“Only after a ridiculous scavenger hunt in the woods,” you said. “And after a lot of driving, and nearly getting fired— oh yeah, and after their new head witch stabbed me in the chest to try and get Kol to kill me!”
“Sounds exhilarating,” he said, far too nonchalant. He looked down at your blood-stained shirt, the fabric still cut from where Emmaline stabbed you. “You look like you’ve healed up well enough.”
“It was,” you said snidely, “and I have. Now, are we done here?”
“Not exactly.” Klaus paused for a moment, his piercing gaze locking onto yours. “What do you think of my brother?”
You frowned. “Why do you care?”
“Just answer the question,” he said tartly. “You’re not in a position to avoid them.”
“That depends.” You stared right back at him. “Are you gonna dagger him again if I tell you I liked him?”
That must have caught him off guard, the way he clenched his jaw. “So he told you.”
“Hard to leave fratricide out of your history,” you said evenly. “It’s a pretty shitty move killing your brother over and over again, Klaus.”
“And there you go again,” he mocked, “thinking you have any idea of what my family is truly like.”
“I know that family isn’t supposed to hurt each other,” you said.
“Then you don’t know much,” Klaus responded.
“Really?” you marveled, unable to stop the disbelieving laugh. “That’s your answer? It’s amazing that you’ve been alive for a millennia and you’re still acting like a child.”
You didn’t realize what had happened until the breath was knocked out of you. Klaus had you against the wall faster than you could blink, and you heaved nothing but dry air from the force of the impact.
“It would do you well to remember yourself,” he uttered, cold eyes piercing through you and even colder hands pinning your wrists down. “When you are no longer useful to me, you will die. Learn how to keep your mouth shut if you’d like it to be quick.”
“This is exactly what I mean,” you snapped. You didn’t try to struggle, just glared at him. “And you wonder why everyone you meet hates you. You can’t even try and talk through your issues—you just immediately go to murder.”
“And the idea sounds better every time you open your mouth,” Klaus snarled.
You wondered if he was going to pull you out of the purgatory you’d been fumbling through and actually follow through with it when the door opened, and Kol stepped in.
“That’s enough, Nik,” Kol said sharply. “She did what you wanted. Now get over yourself and let her go.”
Klaus didn’t move for a moment, his gaze still warring with yours. Eventually, though, he let go of your wrists and took a step back.
You wasted no time in getting the hell out of his office, but you nodded at Kol in thanks as you walked past him. He returned it, then closed the door behind you.
You sighed and ran your hands down your face, just standing in the middle of the living room for a moment as you tried to work through what had just happened.
You nearly died again, your brain helpfully supplied as you slumped onto the couch. That was what happened.
God. You really needed to stop doing shit like that.
The worst part was that you couldn’t even leave, what with your lack of any sort of transportation. You gave Klaus the keys back, and you didn’t really feel like bothering Elijah to be your personal chauffeur at three in the morning.
You would either have to ask Kol or Klaus for a ride like when you were in middle school without a license again. (You wondered if they had licenses—the thought made you laugh despite it all.)
Kol won overwhelmingly so—you definitely didn’t feel like being around Klaus right now. He’d threatened you and meant it one too many times tonight.
The road trip across the coast had wholly spoiled you—with your days away from Klaus, you’d somehow managed to forget how exhausting he was to deal with.
Kol was right. For someone that cared so much about her life, you really were a complete idiot sometimes.
Klaus could have ended you right there. Asphyxiation would have been fitting, and far too easy for comfort. Or maybe he would have preferred to rip your throat out in a more personal murder, taking pleasure in ending the life of someone who’d only served to annoy him since you met. Beheading like Katya of the Silvanus or tearing your heart out like that unlucky vampire. Or maybe he would just bash your head in, psychopath that he is.
You frowned. Planning your own murder wasn’t really bringing your spirits up.
You hoped Kol’s turn in the hot seat wouldn’t be as violent as yours. The last thing he needed was another bad experience with his brother.
Belatedly, you wondered where those daggers were. (And again, how someone could so easily use them on their family.)
You wrapped your jacket tighter around yourself. The house didn’t feel as comfortable anymore.
The time passed quicker than you thought it would. You occupied yourself by idly scrolling on your phone—mostly checking emails and not having the strength to respond to them, and reading a variety of news articles. It all seemed so simple in comparison to what you were dealing with right now.
Life without vampires—without the Mikaelsons—felt like light years away.
You were brought out of the haze when the door slammed open and Klaus walked out, Kol following with an unreadable expression. Klaus raised an eyebrow when he saw you.
“You’re still here.”
“...I need a ride,” you said disdainfully. “Kol, could you—”
“Kol is occupied,” Klaus interrupted. “I will get you home.”
You looked at Kol, and he nodded. There was a hint of shame in his eyes. “Sorry, love. Duty calls.”
Your jaw ticked. “Can you not just give me the keys, then?”
“No.” Klaus was unmoving, annoyingly so.
You frowned. “I’d rather walk.”
“And you called me a child,” he said petulantly. “It is three in the morning. Get over yourself.”
“Well, I’m sorry for not wanting to get in a car with someone that just tried to kill me,” you snapped.
Anger flared in his eyes, but Kol interrupted before he could say anything.
“Love, just let him drive you back,” he said in exasperation, sounding more like Elijah than anything. “Nik, don’t try and kill her for once in your life. It’s not as difficult as you make it out to be.”
Klaus stared at you with a set jaw, almost like a challenge. You weren’t going to let him get a moral victory over you, so you shrugged and stood up.
“Fine. Let’s go.”
Kol sighed. “Thank you. If you’re going to act like children again, do it around Elijah. I refuse to be forced into this horrible role again.”
You chuckled a bit and looked at Kol. “Good luck with whatever you’re doing. And thanks again for saving my life.”
He smiled and nodded. “I’ll see you around, love. Try to stay alive without me.”
Then he was gone, leaving you at odds with Klaus. Everything felt heavier without Kol to poke holes in the tension.
How did you get to the point where Kol was who you felt safe around?
“Well,” Klaus said, interrupting your thoughts with his grating, “are you just going to stand there?”
-
The ride was worse than uncomfortable. Klaus didn’t deign to put on music, and though you were brave enough to stand up to his threats, somehow you weren’t brave enough for Sirius XM.
And so you stared intently out the windshield trying to avoid any sort of eye contact with him, listening to the thrum of the engine and wishing you were anywhere but here.
“I didn’t dagger my siblings because I enjoyed it,” Klaus said, suddenly breaking the silence. “I did it because it was a necessity.”
Your laugh was hollow, if not shocked. “I don’t see how that can ever be a necessity.”
“Because your mortal life is too insignificant to possibly understand it,” he said. His hand clenched on the steering wheel. “When you are unable to die, there is little that matters—little that can be a threat. Sometimes my siblings need a reminder that their recklessness has consequences.”
“And why are you the one who gets to decide that?” you asked incredulously. “Klaus, you are the most reckless person I’ve ever met—you don’t just get to throw your siblings into a coffin whenever you’re tired of them.”
“I have done it for their own good!” His voice rose and you flinched. “Rebekah is too much of a hopeless romantic to realize when she is being used, Kol is far too careless to be left to his own ambitions, and Elijah always thinks that he knows best.”
“They are your family!” you exclaimed. “A thousand years is a long time to be around, Klaus, and an even longer time to spend with your siblings. I’ve been around you for a few months and I can barely stand you—as far as I’m concerned, they’re all fucking saints to put up with you for a millennia after all you’ve done to them.”
“You don’t understand anything,” he snarled. “Making me out to be the villain may be the easiest option, the most comfortable for you in your little bubble, but you’ve no idea the things we have been through together.” Klaus took a rough turn, and for a moment you wondered if provoking the driving vampire was the best decision. “I love my family, more than you could possibly comprehend. But none of them can be trusted on their own, least of all together.”
“So— so what?” This time you did look at him, brazen in the face of his nerve. “Should I trust you over them then? Because you haven’t given me many reasons to.”
That sucked any kind of fire out of him, the clench of his jaw and stoically murderous expression carved in the coldest ice. For a while, there was nothing but the most uncomfortable silence and your slightly harried breathing from your temper. You noticed his still chest and realized you’d never really focused on the unsettling reality of obsolete lungs.
“No,” Klaus said after a long pause. “No. You shouldn’t.”
You huffed a laugh that was only slightly unhinged and shook your head. “Then I don’t know what the hell we’re arguing for.”
The rest of the ride was somehow even worse in its tense silence. Klaus kept his eyes on the road, you kept your eyes on your window, and you’d never been so glad to see the motel.
“Stop here,” you said. Klaus obliged, and you wasted no time once you’d gotten your bags out of the car. You expected him to leave as soon as you set foot on the pavement, but you didn’t hear the car peel away until you got to your door.
You let out a shuddering breath as soon as you got inside, screwing your eyes shut as you leaned against the door. You’d mostly gathered your bearings, mostly cooled down, but there was still far too much running around in your mind.
The worst part was that you couldn’t even sleep it off. It was the middle of the night, you were already out for seven hours in the car, and the neurons would not stop shooting.
You heaved a sigh as you allowed yourself to fall down against the bed. Every part of you ached.
Eventually, seconds or minutes or hours later, you turned on the TV. You considered leaving it on the news channel, but even that was too much of a reminder. Dramatic, but you think you deserved to be a little dramatic.
You settled on a marathon of General Hospital reruns, and you didn’t pay attention at all as you idly scrolled through your laptop. You tried to read emails or scroll through your job’s site or at least do something, but you couldn’t focus on anything. Your time with Klaus had shaken you up more than you realized.
You sent a text to Elijah, belatedly wondering if anything would come of it. You doubted he even texted. He seemed too sophisticated for it.
You looked at the television and realized you had no idea what was going on. You kept it on for background noise. You couldn’t deal with your thoughts right now.
You didn’t know when you fell asleep. All you knew was that it was mercifully dreamless.
-
You woke up to a knock on your door. And then another knock, and another and—
“I’m coming,” you groaned, dragging yourself out of bed. A quick glance at the clock showed that it was 8:34 in the morning—apparently you were more tired than you thought.
You opened the door and you frowned, more out of surprise than anything.
“Rebekah,” you said, “you’re actually here.”
“Well of course,” she said with a smile that you’d sorely missed. “Elijah called me in the middle of the night saying you need cheering up—I couldn’t leave you to sulk alone.”
You chuckled a bit. “That’s… actually nice. Really nice.”
You did text Elijah last night, asking him how you could get in contact with Rebekah. It was a bit difficult navigating the Mikaelsons when you actually did want to see them, infrequent as that may have been—they’d made a habit of just popping up in your life whenever they wanted, which wasn’t the greatest way of communication.
You were shocked that he followed through with it, considering he never responded to you. You were even more shocked Rebekah actually listened.
“The way Elijah described it, you’ve had to deal with far too much of my brothers lately,” she said. “I admit, I’m surprised to see you’re still standing.”
“Barely,” you mumbled. You stepped away from the door and gestured with your hand. “You can come in, by the way.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Awfully blase of you, considering everything you’ve done to try and keep us away.”
You shrugged. “I guess you’ve grown on me.”
Rebekah smiled again as she stepped in. “I suppose you have as well.”
You picked up the remote and turned off the television as Rebekah looked around, wrinkling her nose.
“I know it’s not up to your standards,” you said before she could comment on it, “but it’s good for someone trying to stay off the radar. Elijah’s compelled the bill, so it’s my best option right now.”
“I was going to say that it’s… cozy.” You laughed a bit at the expression on her face, and Rebekah cracked a smile as well. “But you won’t have to stay in this depressing place today. I’m taking you out.”
You frowned. “Where?”
“That is for you to find out,” she said, “but rest assured that it will take your mind off of anything my brothers may have done to you in the past few days.”
“...That would be nice,” you admitted.
“See?” Rebekah cocked her head to the side. “Everything is easier when you just listen to me.”
“Now,” she clapped her hands, “get dressed. I want to get there before the lines start.”
“I am dressed,” you said slowly, “and I doubt that lines have ever stopped you.”
“You’re right about one of those things,” she said, her lip slightly curled. “You've got blood on your sweatshirt and dirt on your jeans. Where are your clothes?”
You pointed at your suitcase, not even unzipped yet and sitting in the corner with the rest of the things you’d brought on the trip. “I didn’t get a chance to unpack yet.”
“Christ,” Rebekah muttered, “you truly are hopeless.”
She hauled your suitcase onto your bed and started unpacking it, gesturing offhandedly towards the bathroom without looking at you. “Go shower. I’ll get this done for you and get you an outfit that actually compliments your beauty.”
You couldn’t help but chuckle at that. She was very good at complimenting and insulting you in the same breath.
“I can’t argue with that,” you said, and you grabbed the towels that were hanging off of the bathroom doorknob. You paused before you opened the door. “And… Thank you. For helping me.”
“Someone has to be the levelheaded one in all this madness,” she commented. “And someone certainly has to amend your horrible fashion choices.”
You smiled and closed the door behind you. You should have found it strange how quickly you’d adapted to Rebekah, but she was actually normal compared to her siblings. Or at least she presented herself in that way.
You stared at yourself in the mirror as you let the shower warm up. It had been a few months since the Mikaelsons had unceremoniously barged into your life, and since then you hadn’t really felt alive. Drifting through the days, rather, marked by the lies you had to keep telling and the constant near-death experiences.
Or maybe you had barged into their life. You were, after all, the one to interrupt Klaus’s murder, the one to go against Elijah’s advice. The one to stupidly push against their threats every time for no reason except useless pride.
You laughed inwardly at that. Maybe this really was all your fault.
You closed your eyes as you let the lukewarm water stream over you, attempting to clear the convoluted mess you’d created in your mind. You couldn’t imagine a thousand years of this. The Mikaelsons were far stronger than you could ever hope to be.
You wrapped a towel around yourself once you’d finished drying off, checked in the mirror to ensure you were fully covered, and stepped back into the room.
“Good,” Rebekah said, “you’re here.”
“What have you picked out for me today, madam?” you said haughtily, and she rolled her eyes.
“Don’t make me regret doing all these nice things for you,” she said, but she gestured at the outfit anyways. “I managed to salvage something good from our shopping trip together, but,” Rebekah sighed, “you really want to make this difficult. One day, I’m just going to buy you an entirely new wardrobe.”
You chuckled as you picked up the garments. “If I’m still alive in a few months, you can go crazy.”
“When you are still alive,” Rebekah corrected. “I’ve switched sides now.”
You raised your eyebrows. “Really?”
She nodded. “I’d much rather you get through this with your life than watch Nik kill yet another lost paramour.”
“Not a paramour,” you said, pointing a finger at her, “but I appreciate the support.”
“I know. Now,” Rebekah shooed you with her hands, “go change so we can get out of this hole devoid of hope.”
You snorted at her dramatics and went into the bathroom. Rebekah had picked out a cabled sweater vest, a button-up to go below it, and a simple pair of black high-waisters. The accompanying belt was far too expensive for you to even look at, and you had to wonder if she somehow smuggled it in.
A smile pulled at your lips after you’d gotten dressed. You had to admit—Rebekah was good. It was simple, but it really did make you feel pretty. It certainly felt a lot better than the same cycle of jeans and college sweatshirts.
Rebekah smiled as well when you walked out. “See? You look excellent. My judgment is always the correct one.”
“There’s the Mikaelson in you,” you joked, and she scrunched up her nose.
“Very funny.” Rebekah took something out of her pocket and threw them at you—once again, keys.
“Last time one of you threw keys at me, I ended up almost dying in New York,” you said dryly.
“Don’t worry, darling,” she said, “you don’t have to worry about near death experiences this time. Think of it as your day off.”
“That sounds perfect,” you muttered.
-
The car Rebekah brought over wasn’t the same one as your last adventure. You wondered if she truly just flaunted her money that easily or if she just enjoyed grand auto theft.
Honestly, you didn’t really care what it was. Far be it for you to tell the woefully rich vampire what to do with her money or abilities.
“Take a right here,” Rebekah said.
You did, and you glanced at her. “Are you really not going to tell me where we’re going?”
“That would ruin the surprise,” she scoffed. “Why don’t you tell me what’s gotten you in such a twist that you require my assistance?”
“I thought this was the day where we didn’t talk about your family,” you said.
“It is,” she agreed, “but it would be even worse to let it stew inside of you. So get it all out in the ride over, and then we don’t have to think of them for the rest of the day.”
“...That’s fair,” you said. You played with the radio until you found a station you liked, mostly to give you a moment to think about it all. A lot had happened in the past few days.
“Well,” you said, deciding to just start talking and see where it took you, “Kol isn’t as bad as I thought he would be, for a start.”
Her lips quirked in a smile. “I do adore him. We have had quite the time together over the centuries.”
You chuckled. “I can see why. He’s a lot, but… I don’t know. I liked him. When I got past all the threats, he was surprisingly nice to be around.”
Rebekah shrugged. “Kol’s always been that way. To speak plainly, I’m quite surprised you survived the trip. He’s always had a penchant for murder, especially of those associated with Nik.”
“It’s funny,” you said. “He couldn’t stop threatening to kill me when we first met. I honestly thought he was going to kill me eventually, but,” you shook your head, “he never did. The opposite, actually. He saved my job and then he saved my life.”
“He saved your life?” She actually sounded surprised. “What in the world did my brother send you two off on?”
“Witches,” you said disdainfully. “We had to stitch things up with the Silvanus.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I quite dislike the Silvanus. Kol and I did some favors for them centuries ago, but they’ve fallen from their former glory. If you ask me, Nik did the right thing taking out their leader. She was insufferable.”
You huffed a laugh and shook your head. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to you all talking like that, always so casual about murder.” You glanced at her. “Y’know, you and your family are the exact kind of people that my old editor would have wanted me to write about.”
“Really?”
You nodded. “Yeah. You’re all insane, rich, and extremely dramatic. Not my kind of journalism, but a lot of people would go crazy over you Mikaelsons.”
“People already do go crazy over us,” she remarked. “There is a reason we try to stay out of the public eye.”
“Besides the vampire thing and the murderer thing,” you said.
“Yes,” Rebekah said dryly. “Besides those things.”
You continued in idle conversation until Rebekah told you to park. You found a spot on the street and followed her down the sidewalk, nearly running into her when she suddenly stopped.
“And we’re here,” she announced, gesturing at the building in front of you.
“Perception Organic Spa?” you read, and then you looked at her. “You’re taking me on a spa day?”
“Darling, you are clearly in need of some relaxation,” Rebekah said. “Trust me, you’re going to thank me.”
“Don’t you need a—”
“A reservation?” she interrupted. “Already done. I booked one after Elijah called me.”
“What about—”
“The cost?” She stopped you once again with a slightly raised brow. “You already know money isn’t a problem. So stop trying to make up reasons why you don’t deserve this and just go inside already.”
“...I think you’re my favorite Mikaelson,” you said.
Rebekah grinned. “I’m aware.”
-
After everything that the past few months had consisted of, this was close to heaven.
She picked a package that really thought of everything. Hot stones, full body massages, facials, even a mani pedi. You’d never been this pampered in your life—you almost didn’t even know how to deal with it. You tried to embody Rebekah in her effortlessness. It sort of worked.
You wondered why Rebekah put so much work into your outfit if you were just going to take it off, but the bathrobes were so soft that any complaints died before they could be aired.
“I never knew that this was something that I needed,” you mumbled, eyes closed as you relaxed in a lounge chair.
You were back in your own clothes after the treatment, but Rebekah decided she wanted some privacy for a bit. She’d compelled the attendant to leave the lounge area for a short while, and you had to admit that you were thankful for it.
“I truly think one has not lived until they’ve had a real massage,” Rebekah mused. “I do wish I could have been around for Roman baths, though. The chalybeate springs in Belgium were rather excellent in its place, and I suppose this was a good enough substitution.”
“I can’t imagine living through history like that,” you said. “I have read a lot of history textbooks—it’s kind of mind-boggling knowing that you and your family were around during most of the things I only know about from books.”
“It’s surprisingly easy to forget.” You looked over at Rebekah and she was staring off, her expression reminiscent. “Decades, even centuries—they’ve blended together going in and out of coffins.”
You didn’t blame her. She’d spent longer locked in a box for a lifetime and then some. You couldn’t fathom what it would be like to wake up and know that you’d lost an entire century.
“Well,” you said, “you’re here now. And if it’s any consolation, I won’t let Klaus dagger you again.”
Rebekah laughed and looked at you, a mix of incredulity and amusement on her face. “Darling, you couldn’t do anything to stop him if he wanted to. I told you I wanted you to stay alive—that is the quickest way towards your own death.”
“I know,” you said with a sheepish smile, “but it’s the thought that counts, right?”
She turned away from you, shaking her head, but you could see her own smile. “You are incredibly stupid. It’s very charming.”
“That’s exactly what I’m going for.” You chuckled a bit and shook your head, bolstered for some reason. “And you know what? I’m actually glad that Klaus hates me. It means that he’s always thinking about me for no reason. He might want to kill me, but I’m in his mind rent-free. He can’t get away from that.”
“Darling,” Rebekah said, “you hate Nik just the same.”
“Yeah, but that’s because he’s tried to kill me,” you said. “He just hates me because he’s the worst.”
She laughed, a bright noise that spurred warmth in your chest. “You talk like this and then you wonder why he’s always trying to kill you.”
“Like you don’t feel the same way,” you said dryly.
“My emotions towards my brother are far too complicated for us to get into,” she said. “And,” she gestured at the clock, “the time I set for the compulsion is nearly here. I believe that means it is time for us to leave.”
You nodded and stood up, stretching out your limbs. It was amazing how different you felt after just a couple hours with Rebekah. Klaus really was a black hole for happiness.
“I really do feel a lot better, Rebekah,” you said as the two of you walked back to the street. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” she said. “If there’s one thing I understand, it’s the need for a full-body cleanse after spending too much time in the presence of my brothers.”
You chuckled as you opened the door for her—it was the least you could do after all of this—and went around to your own side. “I might make you all bankrupt if I needed something like this everytime Klaus did something terrible.”
“I believe we have a fund specifically for it,” she mused. “I do think if we had to pay reparations for every terrible thing my family and I have done, though, we would be quite poor.”
It was too easy to forget that Rebekah, though frustratingly beautiful and something beginning to resemble a friend, was as much a Mikaelson as Klaus. She was capable of it just the same as him—the only difference was that she didn’t show you that side of her like he did.
Did it make you a bad person that it meant all the difference? That you were willing to ignore what Rebekah had done in the past simply because she kept her claws to herself around you?
…You didn’t know.
But as you started to drive, Rebekah filling the silence with a story from a couple hundred years ago, blonde curls surrounding her like a halo and bright smile illuminating as ever, you found that you didn’t really care.
Notes:
it's been a while since klaus has been around soooo he's back. their relationship is so fun to write he is such a bastard and reader is sooooo annoyed by him all the time they hate each other so much i love it. he was going to take over this whole chapter but he needs some time to cool off so there'll be more klaus next chapter. i missed rebekah tho so she's back as well. thank you so much to @buhfly for suggesting a spa day for them because honestly they both need it. this chapter is kind of whiplash between the two of them but that's okay
i would apologize for the time it took for this to come out but you guys have to expect this by now lol. ive been living it up and honestly having the greatest time in college. but i also love these mf idiots, everytime i work on this fic i forget how much fun it is to write lol. i have almost 20 pages of deleted scenes so let me know if you guys wanna see any of them bc otherwise they will remain in the dusty drive drawer
anyways. thank you so much for over 500 kudos that is insane, and thank you to everyone to continues to read and comment on my work!! i love you all<3 as ive been writing this ive realized that this is really going to be a long ass fic because im one of those people where most slow burns are still too fast for me so yeah. that's what you're in for i hope you're ready
Chapter 17: An Attempt at Kindness
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You were far more productive after Rebekah dropped you off. Or rather, after you dropped yourself off, and she left the car with you. Claimed that she didn’t want you to have a repeat of what happened last time you were without a car.
You hoped she didn’t actually steal it now. The last thing you needed was a felony charge.
But that was neither here nor there. Lately, you’d been living your life waiting for the next Mikaelson and the next problem rather than making rent and working nonstop. Without either of those you had far too much time and not a lot to do with it, so you decided to go through the entire backlog that had been piling up.
You went through all your emails, commented on some ideas your coworkers had pitched, vetted out a source, even edited some of the stuff the office intern had shared with you. That reminded you of your days spent as copy editor of your high school newspaper, which sent you down an entire rabbit hole of re-reading your old high school articles.
You sighed as you idly scrolled through one you did when you were still a freshman. The staff writer days were so simple.
Your head snapped up when you heard a knock on your door—you looked over at the clock and realized somehow night had fallen.
Maybe it was Klaus coming by to finish yesterday’s job, you thought wryly as you got up and walked over. When you opened the door and Klaus actually was standing on the other side of the door, you had half a mind to slam it in his face.
“Before you ask,” he said, “I am not here to kill you.”
Your heartbeat slowed. It so easily betrayed you.
“Then what are you here for?” you asked, maybe with just a bit too much bite.
“...To amend things,” Klaus admitted. “How we left each other the other day has been… bothering me.”
You blinked. It would have been less shocking if he just murdered you.
“I didn’t know you were able to be bothered,” you said.
He didn’t smile, but the hard lines of his face softened slightly. “Will you allow me to come in?”
You couldn’t figure out what the hell he was trying to do. There were far easier ways to kill you, and he wouldn’t be this strange about sending you on another one of his adventures.
But it actually seemed like he was telling the truth. He really did feel guilty about last night.
You couldn’t figure out if that was worse.
“...No,” you said. “We’re not crossing that line. Not yet. But…” You took a deep breath and stepped outside your room, “if you’re actually willing to talk instead of trying to kill me, then I’m all ears.” You gestured with your head. “Walk with me?”
It took a moment, but Klaus nodded, and the two of you fell into a casual pace. Strange wasn’t enough to describe how you felt about this.
The suffocating silence didn’t help. Klaus was here because he wanted to talk, but it was as if he expected you to lead anyway.
Grudgingly, you obliged.
“If you’re going to apologize, you should probably do it now.”
Klaus huffed a short laugh. “I suppose one is in order.”
You waited, eyebrows raised as you stared at the ground while you walked. You wondered if he actually knew how to say the words.
“I’m… sorry.” He did, but it was like a physical effort. They really were the most exhausting family.
“For?”
“For threatening you last night.” You looked over at him, eyebrows still raised expectantly. Klaus huffed a sigh. “And threatening you the other times as well.”
“And?”
“Don’t push it,” Klaus warned, but there was no real bite to his words. He seemed oddly tired.
“...Thank you,” you said. Someday, you would get him to apologize for trying to kill you. For now, this was enough. “What’s brought on all this guilt?”
“I’ve had time to think,” Klaus said. He wouldn’t look at you, instead focusing on every other possible thing. “This landscape is quite depressing.”
“Don’t change the subject,” you said. He was right, though—your motel was like every other, and your walking path on the side of the road probably wasn’t up to his standards. “What did your pondering do for you?”
His lips quirked into a momentary smile, fading just as quickly. “I realized that I do not want yet another enemy. And if I continued on the warpath I’ve been on, you would certainly turn into one.”
You frowned. “Really?”
“I’ve been around for a thousand years, love,” Klaus said. “Half the world is an enemy at this point.”
Very easy to believe. “Yeah, but… I’m not different from any of them. You tried to kill me the first time we met—we’re not exactly friends.”
“But you are.” This time, Klaus did look at you. “You’re different from most of your kind I’ve worked with. You do not fear me.”
You huffed a laugh. “I do, Klaus. I am scared of you. Kind of hard not to be when you threaten me all the time.”
“Then I suppose that is what I am trying to say.” There was something strange in his eyes, some sort of emotion you’d never seen in them before. “I do not want you to fear me.”
You didn’t know what to say. How could you, when he was actually being… vulnerable?
“Well…” you said, slightly uncomfortable, “I don’t want to fear you. So I guess we’re on the same page.”
“It would seem so.” Klaus looked away from you again. “You are quite brave for someone claiming to be scared, though.”
“Or stupid,” you said dryly. “Your siblings are fond of reminding me.”
His lips quirked into a momentary smile. “I would tend to agree with them. You… fight me. Constantly.”
“You don’t give me much of a choice.”
“There is always a choice,” Klaus said. “You could have run.”
“Not with my family on the line,” you said, and you glanced at him. “If I tried, would you have even let me?”
“...No,” he said. “I don’t think I would have.”
Something twisted in your chest at that. You didn’t fully understand what.
“Well,” you mumbled, “there you go.”
“Still,” he said, “most would have at least tried. You’ve done everything I’ve asked you to do in the name of keeping your family safe.”
“What was I supposed to do? Let them die?” You wrapped your arms around yourself, the night chill and this conversation starting to get to you. You really wished you threw on a hoodie or something before this.
Klaus must have noticed, because he shrugged off his jacket and offered it to you.
“Klaus—” you began, but he shook his head.
“Don’t argue over nothing,” he said. “You’re shivering, and I can’t even feel it. Just take it.”
So he really did mean it when he said he didn’t want to fight with you anymore. You pushed through your hesitation and took it from him. Klaus was trying to extend an olive branch here. You supposed it was only fair that you let him.
You pushed your arms through the sleeves, and it annoyed you how much better you felt. This impromptu therapy walk might have been helping the tension, but Klaus was apparently still capable of annoying you even when he wasn’t doing anything.
…Okay. Maybe you needed to chill out, just a little bit.
“…Thanks,” you said.
He made a noise of acknowledgment, gaze once again distant.
“Humans are meant to be selfish,” Klaus said after a moment. “But you are not, despite having every reason to be.”
You huffed a laugh. “I’m incredibly selfish, Klaus. I’ve only been doing everything for you so that I can stay alive.”
Klaus shook his head. “You’ve put your life in danger several times. This is for the sake of your family, your sister. Not for you. No matter how much you want to believe it.”
You were silent at that, and Klaus continued.
“When you first struck your deal, you used your sister as reasoning,” he said. “Claimed that she would fall apart if you died.” Klaus looked at you. “You care about her far more than yourself.”
You shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable with the scrutiny. You crossed your arms. “What are you getting at?”
“You have every reason to do the bare minimum and nothing more,” Klaus said. “Instead, you have… befriended my siblings. Kol thinks quite highly of you and he has only spent three days in your company.”
“That’s because I listened to him when he needed it,” you said. “I don’t think he has much of that in his life.”
“Rebekah has never bonded with a woman the way she has with you.”
“Probably because I’m not trying to kill her.” You frowned. “And because I’m pretty normal compared to what she usually deals with.”
“Even Elijah,” Klaus said. “Even he can stand you, which is far more than most people who’ve met him can say.”
You shrugged. “He’s interesting. He indulges my questions.”
“That is my point,” Klaus said. “You have found things in every one of my siblings, things that most do not even care to try and see. You know they could kill you, and yet you still stay. You make them feel better for no reason than plain goodness. I’d say that is quite selfless.”
“They’re lonely, Klaus,” you said softly. “You all are. I think I might be the first person in centuries to be around you all without some ulterior motive.”
He paused. Contemplation flickered through his eyes. A hint of guilt.
“You may very well be right,” he murmured.
You were beginning to come back up on your motel again, and you glanced at Klaus.
“So,” you said, “has this talk brought you any wisdom?”
His lips twitched. “Some.”
“Well…” you folded your arms as you stopped on your doorstep, “it was nice not arguing with you for once.”
“Likewise,” Klaus said. His eyes shone underneath the artificial light, unnervingly beautiful. “Perhaps Kol was right about you.”
Your eyebrows rose. “Right about what?”
“That you aren’t entirely insufferable under normal circumstances,” he said dryly.
“One day, you’ll be able to compliment me.”
“One day,” he agreed, his expression sobering. “What about you, love? Has tonight brought any revelations?”
You stared at him for a good, long moment.
He tried to kill you the first time you met. He roped you into a deal just to stay alive. He’s threatened you constantly since.
Were you really going to start trying to move past that after one night of him being strangely vulnerable and uncharacteristically nice?
(Maybe, your heart said, no matter how stupidly illogical.)
“…I guess we can have a truce,” you decided. “You don’t threaten me anymore, I don’t try and argue nonstop with you anymore.”
“Ah,” he said, his lips quirking into a smile, “a truce. I’m on Elijah’s level now.”
You couldn’t help your own smile at that, no matter how much you tried to suppress it. “So? Do we have a deal?”
Klaus nodded. “We do. Strange being on the other side of it, though.”
They really weren’t going to let go of your penchant for deals anytime soon. “Good night, Klaus.”
He bowed his head, but not without that cocky smile. “Good night, love.”
He walked away instead of instantly disappearing, the night slowly swallowing him up. It made him feel… human.
You didn’t feel the uneasy twist in your chest as you closed the door, the usual feeling that Klaus spurred in you. Instead, there was… sympathy. For the man behind the monster.
And maybe, you thought as you sat on your bed, you were willing to try a little harder with him.
-
Your dreams that night were strange. A man you couldn’t fully make out calling to you, flashes of a city you didn’t recognize, an indescribable feeling so overwhelming it woke you up, leaving you unable to go back.
And thus your day reluctantly started at 4:39 a.m. Not even a lukewarm shower made that a better reality.
You passed your time in the most mundane way—all you did was run errands in your possibly stolen car, do work, and browse apartments and houses you couldn’t afford.
Just because you’d stayed in shittier places didn’t mean you were living it up in your motel boarding. Maybe you were exceptionally weak, because you were actually beginning to consider calling up Elijah and asking him to help you find a better place.
Somehow, you resisted. You didn’t know how much longer that would work, though. You missed having a kitchen, and that might just be worth more than independence.
(You didn’t even know if that was a joke or not at this point.)
Between all that, you contemplated everything. Mostly Klaus and whatever the hell last night was.
He made the first move in the direction of peace. When all you’d known of him before was effortless cruelty and easy threats, he showed up at your door with a vulnerability you’d never expected.
It made you realize that Klaus was actually right in a part of what he’d said—it was easiest to see him as a villain, especially when most of what you knew about him had come from the siblings he’d constantly fucked over.
But there was more to him. You’d always known it—a merciless man wouldn’t have let you live all this time—but now you couldn’t exactly deny it anymore.
You’d already asked the rest of his siblings about themselves. Maybe next time Klaus showed up out of the blue, it would be his turn.
It was only fair, you thought grudgingly.
The day passed quicker than you thought it would while doing nothing, and before you knew it there was another knock on the door.
As you got up, you wondered when being at the Mikaelsons’ beck and call became so normal.
Klaus was at the door. That didn’t surprise you.
What did, though, was that he was wearing a suit. And he looked far more attractive than he had any right to.
“Um,” you said after an embarrassingly long pause, blinking as you tried to gather your bearings, “hi?”
He smiled, eyes all too knowing. “Hello, love. Do you have plans?”
“Haven’t had any since I met you,” you said, and then you remembered you were trying to be at least civil. You pursed your lips. “...No. I don’t. Why?”
“Trying to be nice to me?” Klaus asked bombastically.
You smiled thinly. “Civility. I figured it’s part of our truce.”
“Well,” he said, “I enjoy it.”
“What is this for?” you repeated.
“I’m taking you out,” Klaus said. “If our goal is to not be enemies, then it only makes sense that we do things together outside of the supernatural. Part of our truce, as you said.”
“You’re taking me out,” you said slowly. “Like… to dinner?”
“I did not think it was that difficult of a concept.”
You couldn’t help but laugh, both at the pure absurdity of what was literally going to be your interview with a vampire and the sheer coincidence of it all.
“Alright,” you said. “Let’s do it.”
“Excellent.” His smile grew, and he glanced down at your outfit. “Do you own anything other than dreadfully normal civilian attire?”
“First of all,” you pointed your finger at him, “that is very rude. Second; yes, actually. Rebekah took me shopping the first time we met, and she forced some dresses into my wardrobe. I’m sure one of them is fancy enough.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing it,” he said.
“Wait here,” you said, “and try not to stick out too much.”
You closed the door on him before he could say anything, and the smile you found tugging at your lips was slightly annoying. Klaus was confusing you in a way you didn’t appreciate.
Rebekah had somehow folded all of your clothes in the time it took for you to shower the other day, and she had hung up the dresses. As you took your time looking through them, you realized that you were putting this effort in for Klaus.
That thought hit you, and you immediately grabbed whatever dress was in front of you.
Absolutely not.
You weren’t attracted to him.
Yes, he was attractive, but that didn’t mean you were attracted to him. He had killed people. He tried to kill you. Just because he was trying to be nice to you and you were trying to be nice to him didn’t mean anything.
You scoffed. You really needed to start getting out again, because you were acting like a high schooler.
You changed into the dress and stared at yourself in the bathroom mirror, a million different things running through your head. You huffed and walked out, deciding not to give any of them the time of day.
You grabbed your purse, Klaus’s jacket, and took a deep breath—be nice—then opened the door.
Klaus was standing in the same place, arms folded across his chest. He looked you up and down, a smile curling on his lips.
“You clean up quite well.”
“I try,” you said, and you held out his jacket. “I forgot to give this back last night, so—”
“Keep it,” he interrupted, and he started walking before you could protest.
You sighed and hurried after him as you folded his jacket over your arm. “Are you sure?”
“I don’t do things I’m not sure of, love,” Klaus said. He stopped in front of another luxury car, flashing a smile. “Why else do you think I’m taking you on this outing?”
You shrugged. “Maybe you’re just bored.”
“There are many other things I could occupy myself with if I was simply bored.” Klaus unlocked the car and pulled your door open. “I’m doing this because I very much want to.”
You hesitated for a moment. This was… strange territory.
But you did have a truce, and you had to at least try and be a woman of your word. So you let out a short sigh and got in, nodding your thanks.
“Do you not trust me to drive?” you asked dryly, buckling your seatbelt as Klaus got in as well.
“Traditionally, when one asks another on a date, they drive,” he said.
“Is that what this is?” you asked carefully. “A date?”
“I thought it quite obvious,” he said as he backed out of the spot, his eyes meeting yours for a moment before they left. “You make everything so complicated.”
“Oh, I make things complicated,” you scoffed. “You’re one to talk.”
“As you love to remind me,” Klaus said tartly. “Allow yourself to relax for one moment, will you? I am not going to do anything—this could be a rather lovely occasion if you didn’t insist on pushing against it.”
Your first instinct was to push against it, your intelligence unparalleled. You took a deep breath.
“...Okay,” you said. A part of you couldn’t help it, but it would do you some good to do so. “It’s only fair.”
“It is,” Klaus agreed. “With the way you treat my siblings compared to me, one could think you didn’t like me.”
You haven’t given me much reason to like you, you wanted to say, but you figured that went against the whole civility thing. He really did make it so difficult to be around him.
You glanced at the radio instead, strings floating through the air with the notes of Vivaldi. You were thankful for the filler. “Do you like classical music?”
Klaus shrugged. “I suppose. It’s different listening over a radio rather than in person.”
Your eyebrows shot up. “You were at an original performance of The Four Seasons?”
His lips quirked into a smile. “Yes—quite soon after the concertos were released. Vivaldi has always been one of my favorite composers. He was quite the interesting man.”
Your head whipped towards him. “You met him?”
“This is what you’re impressed by?” Klaus asked, but there was amusement in his voice.
“Yes, it’s what I’m impressed by!” you laughed. “I played the cello for ten years in school, Klaus. Meeting a composer like Vivaldi would be— it would be insane. I think I would actually cry.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “I had no idea you were a cellist.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” you said. “I stopped in college when I got more serious about journalism. But I spent enough time playing classical music to get attached to a couple composers.”
“I’ve met many of them over the centuries,” Klaus mused. “I believe I have Tchaikovsky’s signature floating around somewhere. I could retrieve it for you if you wished.”
You were suddenly glad you weren’t driving, because you were pretty sure you would have crashed. “Are you serious?”
“Quite.”
You couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, of course I want it! That might be enough to single handedly repair our relationship, Klaus.”
You could see his smile out of your peripherals. “Then I will be sure to start looking.”
“Maybe next time we should go to a concert,” you said. “I’ve been wanting to see the New York Philharmonic for forever but I could never afford it in college—I definitely could on your bill.”
“And what makes you assume I would pay for something like that?” he asked.
You shrugged. “Our deal and all.”
That got a genuine laugh out of him, and it spurred warmth in your chest. You didn’t completely mind it. “Perhaps sometime in the future. I certainly wouldn’t mind it.”
“Then it’s a date,” you said, maybe a bit mindlessly. Maybe it wasn’t great how quick things had changed just because of classical music, but it was all in the name of your truce.
That’s what it was. Truce civility.
The rest of the ride passed in pleasant enough silence, and you found yourself looking out the window when Klaus pulled into the parking lot.
“How fancy is this place?”
“Adequately so,” he responded. His lips quirked into a smile as he looked at your outfit. “You certainly fit the bill, so you do not have to worry.”
“You keep complimenting me like that,” you said, opening the door, “and I’ll let you stick around.”
Klaus got out as well, locking the car as the two of you began to walk. “If I’d known it was that simple all along, I would have done it ages ago.”
“That would have made this all a lot easier.”
Klaus hummed in acknowledgment, but didn’t respond. He instead chose to open the door to the restaurant, and though you looked at him for a continuation, he didn’t give you one. You just sighed and walked in.
You felt out of place as soon as the atmosphere hit you, every bit of your surroundings upscale and polished. For once, you were glad that Klaus handled the talking—highschool insecurity was hitting you again.
He’d already made a reservation, so before you knew it you were seated at a table across from Klaus. This was by far the strangest of everything you’d done together.
(You would be lying, though, if you said a part of you didn’t like it. A… very small part.)
You huffed a laugh, mostly to yourself, unable to take the budding silence. “What’s up with this whole thing, really? Why the sudden change of heart?”
“I told you,” Klaus said. “I don’t want another enemy.”
“This is a lot more than ‘not an enemy’.”
He paused, gaze not meeting yours for a moment before he glanced up at you. “I take it you will not let me avoid this.”
“It’s the least you can do,” you said.
Klaus closed the menu and sighed, lacing his fingers together. “…The way you behave around me is wholly different than with the rest of my siblings. I don’t like it.”
You frowned. “That’s because—”
“They haven’t tried to kill you,” Klaus interrupted, “I’m aware. There is only so many times you can say that before it becomes grating.”
“It’s true.”
“That is the reason for this,” Klaus said, voice slightly clipped. “To show you that I am not just…” He sighed again, that weariness showing through the cracks. “Not just the monster you believe me to be.”
“Klaus…” you murmured, your gaze wandering away. “I… I don’t think you’re a monster.”
“You lead me to think differently,” he said dryly.
“That’s because we don’t—” you gestured haphazardly, “—we don’t do things like this. Rebekah took me on a spa day yesterday, and I spent a pretty decent night in a hotel with Kol. Even Elijah indulged all my questions. All you’ve done is threaten me.” You laughed uncomfortably. “It’s hard to become friends through all that.”
He shrugged, exuding that same air of uncertainness. It was completely foreign on him. “Then hopefully things can change through this dinner. All threats are off the table.”
Your lips quirked into a humorless smile. “How kind of you.”
“I have a reputation, love.” Klaus sighed, rifling a hand through his curls. Your eyes were drawn to the movement, and you couldn’t deny his beauty. Especially tonight. “What exactly do you expect will happen if word gets around that Niklaus Mikaelson has gone soft for a woman?”
“It’s not going soft for a woman,” you said bitterly. “It’s basic decency.”
“Which often does not pass in vampire circles,” he responded. “You do not understand nearly enough of our world to comment on it.”
“Maybe,” you said, “but I don’t care about that. We’re in the human world right now, and in the human world, you treat each other with basic decency.”
He offered a wry smile. “I have a thousand years of evidence pointing to how false that is.”
You folded your arms across your chest, lowering your gaze to the menu. “You’re impossible to be around.”
His smile faded.
You were thankful for the waiter that came by at exactly the right time, because ordering took some of the tension away. The bottle of red you got would also help.
“All we do is argue whenever we talk about my world,” Klaus said, breaking the silence that had gathered. “The one nice conversation we’ve had was about the mundane. We should get to know each other away from all of this.”
You shrugged. “What do you want to know?”
“You’re very proud of your career.” Klaus’s gaze was once again appraising, but less calculating than before. “What made you want to be a journalist?”
“It’s all I’ve been able to imagine myself doing,” you said honestly. “I joined my high school’s paper freshman year and knew it was what I was meant for. Telling stories that really matter, giving underrepresented voices a platform? There’s nothing like it.”
There was a glint in his eye as he smiled. “Tell me more.”
You stared at him.
“Do you even know how to relax?” he questioned incredulously. “Can I not even be genuinely interested in your life without you taking offense?”
“I’m sorry,” you sighed. “I’m just not used to it.”
“Try to,” he said. “Honestly, I do not understand it. From what I know of you, you’re quite the accomplished woman, but you hardly see it yourself.”
You found a smile forming, your cheeks warming. “Thanks. That’s… that means a lot.”
“I am merely telling the truth,” he said. “I’d like for this to be the beginning of… a better relationship between the two of us. I find I like you much more when you don’t hate me.”
Your smile turned slightly wry. “I like you a lot more when you’re not threatening me.”
Klaus laughed. “Then there truly isn’t a reason for us to constantly argue with each other, is there?”
“...I guess not,” you said with a small laugh of your own. “As long as you don’t try to kill me anymore.”
“As long as you don’t try to harm me or my family,” he said, “you’ll be safe in our company.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” you said, and you found that you meant it completely. “I… I like them.”
“Good,” he said after a beat of silence. “But we did not come here to talk about my family. I believe I asked for more of your story.”
You chuckled a little and shrugged, leaning back in your seat. “I loved journalism the more I did it. I went from staff writer to news editor to copy editor, and all that only solidified that it was the only thing I wanted to do. I applied to NYU on a whim and somehow got in, and I’ve been doing this ever since.”
“Do you miss it?” he asked. “You haven’t had much time for your job lately.”
You smiled wryly. “Every day. As insane as my life has been with you in it, it’s actually a lot less busy than it used to be. It’s… weird. Not moving all over the place all the time.”
“No wonder you’ve done so well,” Klaus said. “You thrive in disorder.”
“That’s far more eloquent than I would put it,” you said. “I‘ve just been running around nonstop for the past seven years.”
His lips twitched. “If luck allows, you’ll be back to it soon enough.”
“…That’s the thing,” you said after a moment. “I don’t know if I can just… go back to how my life was before.”
Klaus’s eyebrows rose. “Oh?”
“You threw me into this whole new world,” you said. “I’ve met you and your insane, immortal family. I know more than I ever wanted to know about the supernatural. I‘ve nearly died more in a few weeks than I have in my entire life.”
His gaze was that side of scrutinizing again. “What are you saying, love?”
You shifted in your seat, slightly uncomfortable at the truth leaving your lips. “I don’t think I want your family to leave my life.”
His eyes softened, but before he could say anything the waiter arrived with your meals. You thanked her politely and averted your gaze from him as you poured a glass of wine, sorely needing the alcohol.
You could feel Klaus’s eyes on you, burning holes through your skin, and you felt like a child all over again.
“We don’t have to,” he said eventually. “I know my siblings have begun to grow fond of you. Especially Kol.”
You’d become fond of him too. A few days and nearly dying was all it took, apparently, because Kol occupied your thoughts far too often.
“And what about you?” you asked, though you weren’t fully sure why.
“I believe it’s quite obvious how I feel about you,” he said.
You stared at him for a moment, his gaze all-enveloping and far too strong. Heat warmed your cheeks, and you looked away.
“Enough about me,” you said hastily, picking up a forkful of pasta as you desperately tried to leave that vein. “Tell me more about you.”
“That’s very vague, love,” he said as he poured a glass of wine for himself. “I have a thousand years behind me.”
“Start at the beginning,” you suggested. “Before you and your siblings were turned.”
His expression shifted, a slight sadness in his eyes. “My childhood was not a happy one.”
You paused, considering your words carefully. You didn’t want to offend him, not at a moment like this, but thankfully he continued in your silence.
“My siblings and I were born with magic in our veins,” he said. “One may have already told you, but our mother was a powerful witch, and that continued onto us. I never had the chance to tap into it before we turned, but… I do wonder what it would have felt like.”
“I’m kind of glad you’re not witches anymore,” you said, your nose wrinkling. “I don’t really like them after Rochester.”
That got an unexpected laugh out of him. “Oh, love.”
“You said that you were a hybrid,” you continued, “part werewolf and part vampire. How does that even happen?”
“My mother had an affair,” Klaus said, and that hint of sadness was back. “I never had the chance to know my birth father, to learn how to control that side of myself from someone truly willing to teach me. I wonder what could have been sometimes.”
“I’m sorry,” you murmured, and you reached across the table to place your hand over his. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he covered it just as quickly. “I never really knew my father either. He died when I was young.”
Klaus squeezed your hand. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“It’s not much of a loss,” you said. “It’s a strange type of grief, mourning for something you never knew.”
“Believe me,” Klaus murmured. “It is still a loss.”
You cleared your throat and pulled your hand away, but the electricity shooting through your body didn’t let up. “This is way too depressing for dinner talk. Tell me about your favorite part of history.”
A small smile curled on his lips. “Alright.”
The two of you spent the rest of the night talking—well, you mostly listened, but you didn’t really mind—and it was… surprisingly nice.
He told you about the Renaissance—the one in Italy, not France or England, though he appreciated those enough too—and how he was responsible for a few paintings in various museums around the world through both his own skill and the funding of other artists.
He told you of the French Revolution, how it was to be on the ground witnessing the path of the country change in real time. Though he assured you he didn’t go near the guillotine, you didn’t know how true that was.
Klaus spoke about countless wars, countless royals, countless inventions and discoveries, but mostly, he spoke about music.
A thousand years was a lot of time, and in that time he became quite the Renaissance man. Klaus knew about instruments that you had never even heard of, told you details of composers that you didn’t think anyone knew, indulged you when you would go on an amazed rant of your own.
It was nice. It was… amazing, actually. And you found that you didn’t have as much trouble admitting that as you thought you would.
The night was over before you even really knew it, Klaus footing the bill and helping you back to the car. You might have had a glass of wine too many, but you felt good. Lighter around Klaus than you ever had before.
“Thank you,” you said, leaning against the car, not quite ready to end it. “For tonight. I actually really enjoyed it.”
“I’m glad,” Klaus said, a slight smile on his lips. “You’re lovely to watch when you speak of the things you’re passionate about.”
You shrugged. “I have a lot of things to say. I like talking pointlessly.”
“It’s not pointless,” he said. “I’ve learned quite a lot about you tonight. I enjoy listening to you.”
Your cheeks heated up, and you glanced away. “I like listening to you too. You’ve lived through a lot of amazing stuff—you’re a living encyclopedia.”
“One benefit to immortality. Now,” Klaus offered his arm, “we should get you back.”
You nodded, but you forged ahead instead of taking his arm. Alcohol thrummed in your veins, and all you really needed right now was a good shower and a good night of sleep.
“You still don’t listen, do you?” he asked as he caught up to you, though he was clearly amused.
“You said you like listening to me,” you said, “not the other way around.”
“You said you like listening to me as well.”
You brushed your hand through the air. “That doesn’t count. I like your history stuff, not the telling me what to do.”
Klaus sighed and shook his head. “Of course.”
You fumbled with your purse once you reached your door, trying to find the key to your room. Klaus stood next to you, thinly veiled disgust on his face.
“Love,” Klaus said disdainfully, “we’ve got to get you out of this motel.”
“It’s not that—”
“Yes,” he interrupted, “it is that bad. You live archaically.”
“It works for me,” you said.
“It shouldn’t,” he frowned. “Let us find you a better place.”
You paused with your key halfway in the lock. You’d been trying to set boundaries with the Mikaelsons—keeping them out of your room, staying as financially independent as you could, keeping them at arm's length—but… that was starting to fail, and remarkably so.
You just had dinner with the man who tried to kill you, for God’s sake—and it was the best night you’d had in a while.
Why not try and make your life just a little bit better?
“...Okay,” you said. “But I’m helping so you don’t go overboard.”
“As if I would ever,” he said. When you looked back at him, his pleased smile had softened the lines of his face.
“Thank you,” you said again, finally unlocking your door and pushing it open. “Seriously.”
“You don’t need to thank me.”
“Yes, I do.” You crossed your arms. “None of this is normal.”
“It’s normal for us.”
You chuckled a bit and shook your head. “Whatever. Still, thank you.”
Klaus nodded. “Have a good night.”
“You too.”
You stepped inside and you were just about to close your door.
“Love?” Klaus called and you turned back around, hand stopped on the side of the door. He paused for a moment, then he said your name instead. “Consider your debt officially paid.”
Your immediate reaction was a frown, and Klaus obviously knew you better than you thought.
“This is not a trick,” he said. “I mean it.”
It took a moment for it to fully register, finally managing to say something. “Thank you.”
He nodded again, and he turned to leave. This time, though, you stopped him.
“Klaus.”
He turned around, looking far more human than he had any right to.
“You said that I shouldn’t trust you,” you said. “ I hope that one day, I can.”
He smiled, and it was actually genuine. “…So do I, love.”
“Have a good night.” It was hardly more than a whisper, but he heard it all the same.
Klaus nodded, and you closed the door.
…You were free.
What the hell were you supposed to do now?
Notes:
wowowwoow klaus and the reader are being nice to each other. who would have thought? not me. also im lowkey having a crisis because this fic is already almost at 100k words and i feel like literally nothing has happened. and it's like how the hell is that possible? how am i 17 chapters and almost 100k words into this fic and nothing has happened? i actually dont understand how i got here
anyways. plot will happen soon and i have a lot of it written out so that's nice. also, reader is finally free isnt that fun. thank you so much for almost 600 kudos because that is literally fucking insane
also! i promised deleted scenes, so there is one in the comments lol
Chapter 18: The Truth
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You were woken up by another knock on your door. It was becoming the usual.
You never really used alarms anymore. Why, when you had a family of vampires who didn’t understand the value of personal space?
You glanced at your clock, rubbing the grogginess out of your eyes, and hauled yourself up. You wondered what Mikaelson was on your doorstep today.
You opened the door, and you blinked.
“Hello, love,” Klaus said. “Don’t look so surprised. I told you we would help you look for a place.”
“And thank God for it, too,” Rebekah said, her nose scrunching up. “This place is truly awful.”
“What are you all doing here?” you asked.
“What Nik said,” Kol piped in. “We’re here to get you out of this shack.”
You let out a loose laugh and shook your head, glancing over at him and Elijah. “You two are up for this?”
“I’m quite fond of interior design,” Elijah said. “And I already told you how I disapproved of this residence.”
“I just like spending time with you,” Kol remarked, and you couldn’t help but smile.
“...Fine. But you guys should think about calling before you show up on my doorstep. It’s a little weird.”
“Surely you’re used to it by now,” Rebekah said, and she elbowed her brothers aside to step into your room. “I’ll help you get ready and gather your things. The sooner you are out of here, the better.”
“Seriously?” Kol frowned. “You’ve let her in and not me?”
You shrugged. “And Elijah.”
“Now you’re just insulting me,” he grumbled, crossing his arms.
A smile ghosted on Elijah’s lips. “I would offer my assistance, but I believe Rebekah has it more than handled.”
You looked over your shoulder to see that she was already in progress packing your suitcase, and your smile widened. “Yeah. She really has been my savior lately.”
“Careful,” Klaus said. “If she hears you, she’ll never leave you alone.”
“Maybe I don’t want her to,” you shrugged, and you took a step away from the door. “I’ll see you guys in a few. Try not to cause any problems.”
You closed it and turned back to Rebekah, walking towards the bathroom. “Your brothers are strange.”
“Believe me, darling,” she said, “I know that better than anyone. I am very flattered that you like me so much, though.”
You bit back your smile, able to feel the heat rising to your cheeks. Rebekah could probably hear the blood rushing. “It’s impossible not to.”
“You’ve got that right,” Rebekah said. “Now, go wash up and I’ll work my magic.”
“Have I ever told you how grateful I am for you?” you mused.
“Not nearly enough,” she remarked, and you smiled.
This was the second time you’d done this little routine with Rebekah, and you found that you were already getting used to it. Used to her , and her surprisingly grounding presence.
What you told Klaus was the truth. You didn’t want the Mikaelsons to leave you.
Not when you were finally beginning to like them.
(Not when your feelings were this confusing.)
One cold shower and some makeup later, you felt a whole lot better. But as you finished up your routine, looking in the mirror, you could freely admit that you were ready to get out of this motel.
You walked back into the room, holding your towel around yourself, only to hear Rebekah arguing with the air.
“Oh, get over yourself!” Rebekah exclaimed. “It’s not—”
She turned around as you stopped across from her, very exasperated.
“...Everything alright?” you questioned.
Rebekah sighed and brushed her hand through the air. “My siblings, as usual. Very argumentative, that lot.”
Your lips quirked into a smile. “The door’s not even open.”
“One downside of enhanced hearing,” she said wryly, “you can never truly get away from your brothers.”
“And one upside is that they can never get away from you?”
She chuckled. “Correct.”
You took a moment to look at your surroundings, and your eyes widened slightly. “You work fast.”
“You know that by now, darling,” Rebekah said. “We’ve got to get you to a dry cleaner’s though—half of your clothes have blood on them.”
You smiled ruefully as you looked around. “Courtesy of your brother.”
The room was completely spotless, and all of your things were neatly packed into your suitcase and backpack. The bed was made, the shelves were clear, and your stress was slowly melting away.
“As usual. Now, get dressed.” And of course, there was an outfit laid out for you on the bed. “You’ve got quite the day ahead of you.”
You could have kissed her then and there. “You’re a miracle worker.”
She smiled, and it was like she knew exactly what was going through your head with the intensity of her eyes. “I’m aware. I’ll be waiting with the rest of the cavalry outside.”
You nodded your thanks and walked over to your bed once she had closed the door behind her. You couldn’t help the small chuckle as you shook your head—a cashmere coat, the softest sweater you’d ever felt, and jeans, thankfully.
She wasn’t even being subtle with her sneaking clothes into your wardrobe. But when you put on the sweater, you realized you didn’t really care.
Rebekah had more money, better judgement, and a millennia of style over you. You’d be a fool to deny it all.
You did a final look through your room just to make sure you had all of your things—you did, obviously, because Rebekah truly was magic—and walked out, backpack on and suitcase in tow.
“I’ve always believed my sister’s taste is abysmal,” Kol said, perking up as you walked out. “Maybe she just needed a better model.”
You ignored the heat in your cheeks. “You can compliment me without insulting Rebekah.”
He frowned. “I always have to insult Rebekah.”
She rolled her eyes and linked her arm with yours. “Shut up, Kol. Let’s get going.”
“I still have to sign out of my room,” you said.
Elijah shook his head. “I’ve already handled it.”
You smiled and looked around at all of them. “After making my life harder for the past few months, you’ve decided to start trying to make it easier?”
“Don’t bring that up around Nik,” Kol said. “He feels bad about all the times he’s tried to kill you.”
Klaus scowled. “Don’t make me regret bringing you along.”
“As if you could ever,” Kol drawled.
“Before you all start arguing,” you interrupted, taking your keys out of your pocket, “let’s get going. I’ll drive.”
“Nonsense,” Elijah said. “This day is about you. Allow me.”
“Why do you all always insist on driving?” you asked. “I like doing it.”
“Because you deserve to relax for once,” Elijah said, and his eyes glimmered. “Besides, you don’t exactly have a choice.”
You felt a noticeable absence of weight in your hand and you looked down. You narrowed your eyes at Elijah, bearing a small but self-satisfied smile as he held your keys in his hand.
“That’s not fair.”
“Nothing with him ever is, love,” Klaus said, and he took your suitcase from you. “Best to just let it be.”
“Oh, so now even Nik has helped you with your suitcase?” Kol complained as he walked over to your car. “He’s just trying to make me look bad at this point.”
“Which is a very easy feat,” Rebekah remarked as she pulled you over.
Kol scowled. “Good to know the only one who likes me here is the one not related to me.”
“Quit arguing, children.” Elijah unlocked the car and looked at you. “Would you like the front seat? I believe you deserve it for today.”
You chuckled. “I’ll slum it in the back. Someone needs to keep these two from killing each other.”
“I love my sister very much,” Kol mocked.
“Why do you assume that I will be in the back?” Rebekah asked at the same time.
You couldn’t help but laugh and you opened the door for Rebekah. “After you, milady.”
“You’re lucky I like you,” Rebekah sighed, and she got into the car.
You put your backpack in the trunk alongside your suitcase then moved in next to her, and Kol joined you after a moment. Once everyone was in the car, Elijah got onto the road.
“So, Elijah,” you said, “where exactly are you taking me?”
“We’re going house hunting,” he said. “I’ve found a variety of places in different neighborhoods, in and around the city so you can decide what you like more. And no,” he would have looked right at you if he could just by that tone, “they are not too fancy, and they are not too expensive.”
You bit back your smile. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
“I wanted to,” he said.
“ We wanted to,” Rebekah cut in. “You can’t just take all the credit. I helped with the furniture.”
“I scouted all the locations,” Klaus said. “They're excellent, mind you.”
“I did all the compulsion,” Kol scowled, “arguably the most important.”
“Fine,” Elijah relented, “we all helped in this.”
Warmth glowed in your chest as you settled into your seat, unable to stop the smile steadily growing on your lips.
They’d done all this work for you, just because they wanted to.
You told Klaus you didn’t think you wanted them to leave.
(It looked like you wouldn’t have to worry about that.)
“This is the first time I’ve seen you all together,” you mused. “Working together too.”
“That’s because mass murder tends to happen when we’re together,” Rebekah said.
You knew then that you’d been spending too much time around the Mikaelsons, because that statement didn’t shock you the way it used to.
“So dramatic, Bex,” Klaus chided.
“I recall you saying many times over the years how we make you want to murder people,” Kol said.
“And then following through on it,” Elijah added tiredly.
“Can you blame me?” Klaus defended.
“You’re in a better mood than usual, Klaus,” you said. “You haven’t even threatened me once.”
“Part of our deal,” he said, “isn’t it?”
A small smile tugged at your lips. “It is.”
“You just will not stop making deals with this family,” Kol sighed. “You clearly haven’t learned anything.”
You frowned. “Maybe I don’t like you all.”
“Oh, please,” Rebekah said. “You already told me I was your favorite Mikaelson.”
“ She’s your favorite?” Kol exclaimed, and his pout was actually adorable. “Now you’re just insulting me, love.”
You leaned your head against his shoulder. “Don’t worry. You’re still up there.”
Kol smiled, and that was enough.
-
The first place Elijah brought you to had your eyes slightly wide.
The architecture was beautiful, reminiscent of old Richmond. Far more than you could afford, but it’s not like that really mattered right now.
“I figured a house would be better than an apartment,” Elijah said. “After what Kol’s said of your residence in New York and the motel you insisted on living in, you deserve to have your own estate.”
“Without noisy next-door neighbors,” Kol added, his lip curling up. “Even spending thirty minutes in your apartment was awful—I could hear quite literally everything.”
You couldn’t help your small smile. “Sorry.”
“No matter,” he sighed. “You’ll just have to repay me by allowing me to spend as much time here as I want.”
“I think I can make that work,” you said.
“I knew you likely wouldn’t accept something wildly extravagant, so I hope this will do,” Elijah said. You clearly had different definitions of extravagant. “It’s already furnished, so a majority of the work has been done for you.”
You raised your eyebrows. “Really?”
“All of the places we’re looking at today are,” he said. “I’ve been decorating on the side for quite some time.”
“I told you I didn’t want a new place,” you said dryly.
Elijah smiled. “I knew you would come to your senses soon enough.”
You sighed and shook your head, accepting the key from Elijah when he took it out of his pocket.
“Get used to it, love,” Kol said. “He enjoys overstepping almost as much as designing.”
“The both of us have been decorating these places,” Rebekah said, her lip curled. “But if there’s anything you don’t like, it’s certainly Elijah’s fault.”
Klaus smiled ruefully. “The joy of house hunting with your siblings is quite unrivaled.”
“Oh, get over yourself,” Kol said. “This was your idea in the first place.”
You glanced at Klaus with a slight smile, and though he rolled his eyes you didn’t miss their mirth.
Elijah nodded for you to unlock the door, and after you did, you paused and glanced back at them.
“Are you all good? Like, I don’t have you let you all in or anything?”
“This is actually in my name,” Elijah said, “therefore we do not need permission.”
You chuckled. “Of course you already own this place.”
You walked in and the rest of the siblings filed in after you, and you breathed in deeply.
“Is that vanilla?”
“Rebekah has a penchant for candles,” Elijah said. “She burned one this morning while we were finishing things up.”
“It freshens the place up,” she said. “I figured you would like it. I saw your vanilla perfume.”
A small smile tugged at you. “That was buried pretty deep in my bags. I kind of forgot about it.”
She shrugged. “I’m attentive.”
“I believe we came here to tour a house,” Klaus interrupted, shutting the door. “So get on with the tour.”
Elijah nodded, that fleeting smile on his lips again, and he started to lead you through everything.
It was nice. Incredible, actually, compared to the apartment you’d been holed up through college—the closet in your room was bigger than your entire studio back in New York, and your room was the size of the entire upper floor of your mom’s house. You really couldn’t prove Kol wrong anymore when he said you lived in a broom closet.
You actually had decent kitchen space—a stove that worked, an oven with a door that you hadn’t had to repair five times, and a dishwasher —and while you had an island, granite , if you could believe it, you also had an actual kitchen table.
And if that wasn’t enough, you had a living room, separate from your bedroom, with a TV and a coffee table and so many other things you couldn’t fit or afford in your city apartment. Even with all that, there was still room for a sofa and chairs and a beautiful green chaise.
(“I picked that out,” Kol had said as you walked around the living room, “so don’t go messing it up.”
You’d smiled. “Now that I know it was your choice, it’ll remain spotless.”)
Your bedroom was, yet again, larger than your studio, but that could be said for nearly everything in this place, and you had a whole other room for an office. A beautifully carved desk, empty bookshelves ripe for filling, an ornately made rug, a smattering of trinkets—it was perfect. And—
(“A cello,” you said in disbelief, staring at it in the corner before you moved in. You ran your finger across the wood as you looked back at Klaus with a smile. “Was this you?”
He shrugged, his own smile very self-satisfied. “You said you stopped because of work. I figured you would want to pick it up again now that you have time.”)
Everything was furnished, but you could see yourself in it all. You would be able to put yourself into it all, flourishes of your own touches all but begging to be added. You didn’t know how they did it.
Kol must have helped Elijah and Rebekah with even more of the decorating than he said, because it resembled all your favorite parts of your apartment back home for the rest of them to know by coincidence.
It was all too much—that was your first thought. Five times bigger than what you’d been living in, more expensive than you could ever afford, furniture so nice you felt like you couldn’t even stand near it in fear of breaking it. It made you nervous just thinking about it.
But what Klaus said kept playing back in your head. It’s normal for us.
The Mikaelsons were willing to pay for it. They were willing to compel your bills away. They were willing to help you keep your job and your income and then make it completely useless by handling every expense that came your way.
They wanted to. They were able to.
So why the hell wouldn’t you let them?
Once Elijah had finished his little tour and you’d finished marveling, you cleared your throat, looking out at them from the kitchen counter. You still weren’t over the finish—you couldn’t stop running your hands over every surface.
“I don’t know how many other places you have,” you said, “but I already think this is the one.”
Klaus scowled. “You mean to tell me I went through all the effort of finding places you would like in and around the city, just for you to decide on the first one?”
“Darling, we have done so much decorating,” Rebekah pouted. “At least go through the rest to indulge me, even if you decide on this one.”
“I’ve always had a thing for Richmond!” you exclaimed. “I did a lot of reporting around here for my first summer internship. It’s like New York without half the people and problems.”
“I had a feeling,” Elijah said with a smile. “I will have the lease in your name by tomorrow, and you’ll be all set.”
“Love, you’ve got to at least look at the other places with us,” Kol said, leaning against the countertop next to you. He had no right to look so pretty. “I did not sit through the most boring lectures I’ve heard in a thousand years from Elijah on interior design just for you to not enjoy our hard work.”
You smiled. “Fine. It’s not like I’ve got anything else going on today, right?”
Rebekah grinned, and it had the strength of a thousand suns. “Right.”
-
You spent the rest of the day gallivanting around with the Mikaelsons, looking at apartments and other houses just to indulge Rebekah.
They were nice, of course, but none of them held. candle to the first place. You were pretty sure that was Elijah’s doing.
After it was all done and you confirmed you were happy with the first house—a house of your own was still an insane thought—you all sat around in your living room, getting used to what the future would hold.
“How does it feel having a place of your own?” Klaus asked, already lounging in one of the chairs like he owned the place.
“I’ve had a place of my own for the past five years,” you said dryly, “but it feels much better being here.”
“What will you do about New York?” Rebekah asked. “If you’re getting a house down here but your job is up there, it seems as if you’re going backwards.”
You frowned. Somehow, your job had slipped your mind. This whole time, you’d been working towards getting your old life back.
But now, sitting in a house that would soon be your own, surrounded by the Mikaelsons, you… you didn’t know if that was what you wanted anymore.
(The reason for that lied in their fond looks, in your too-often flushed cheeks. You didn’t know how to confront it—you didn’t think you could.)
“...I don’t know what’s next,” you said. “Now that I’m not… ‘working’ for Klaus, I guess I can go back to New York. I can just have this place on the side. It doesn’t really matter if I’m not paying for it.”
“Do you want to?” Rebekah asked honestly. “The way you’ve described your life before this is exhausting.”
“And your workplace didn’t seem the best,” Kol clipped.
“It’s what I’m used to,” you said.
Rebekah leveled her gaze at you. “That doesn’t answer my question.”
“…Yes,” you said after a moment of hesitation. “I want to go back. Not yet, but… but I’m going back eventually.”
Rebekah didn’t look like she believed you one bit.
“I’ve had enough of Mystic Falls anyway,” Kol said offhandedly. “New York is much more exciting.”
Your brows knit together. “What?”
“Do you think I’d let you leave me with all of them?” he said. “You’re not getting away that easily—surely you know that.”
Your heart stuttered. “You want to come with me?”
“Of course I do, love.” Kol smiled wryly. “You’re much better company than this lot.”
“I have business often enough in New York,” Elijah said. “And I’d be happy to help you find a more suitable apartment. It appears my taste suits you.”
“You did say you wanted to see the New York Philharmonic on my bill,” Klaus added, “so we cannot part ways just yet.”
You couldn’t help the smile as you looked at all of them. You were scared that they would all leave you, just when you realized you liked them, but every single one of them is willing to stay in your life.
They didn’t want to leave you.
“...Okay then,” you said, warmth heating your cheeks. “To New York it is.”
“Together,” Rebekah said, and your smile widened.
“Together.”
-
After that, you were left alone. Elijah parted with the promise of a deed in your name by morning, the rest of them with their own promises of constant pestering.
Your words, not theirs, but it was all the same.
You were overjoyed talking with them, but as you sat by yourself on Kol’s chaise, something heavy weighed in your chest.
You weren’t stupid. You knew what was going on, or at least what was— what was starting to happen.
Kol's defending of you, going against his very blood just to keep you alive. Klaus’s jealousy, his newly formed desire to get close to you. Rebekah’s pampering, her compliments and excursions. Elijah’s unwavering support, unearned as it may be, his role in keeping you alive through all this.
The way you craved Kol’s presence from the first moment he left you. Elijah’s effortless charm that weakened your knees. The tales Klaus spun and how they drew you in, how it seemed like he wanted to badly for you to like him. How Rebekah’s eyes sparkled and her hair shone and a part of you wanted to kiss her every time you looked at her.
You couldn’t just ignore it. You… you liked them. More than you should have, in every way.
All of them.
(You would have to choose eventually.)
((You didn’t think you could.))
Those thoughts were the primary reason you drove to the grocery store.
You couldn’t ignore it, but you could damn sure try. And you figured christening your new house—technically Elijah’s ‘til morning, but still—by cooking your favorite meal was a good way to do it.
You took your time, moseying through the aisles and examining labels and trying to take it slow for once, when your plans were unceremoniously foiled.
It happened in a flash. One second you were just browsing the shelves, and the next, a familiar presence was an inch behind you.
“If you scream,” Damon Salvatore murmured just below your ear, “I will kill you.”
Your heart skipped a beat as your body tensed up. You wondered how long he’d been watching you.
You also wondered if he was capable of acting like a normal person for once.
“What do you want?” you responded coolly, not daring to move an inch as your gaze stayed trained in front of you. “Hopefully it’s not to rip my throat out again.”
“I would love to, but it’s not what I came here for. Just a nice little chat this time,” he said. “We’re gonna walk out together, just a couple of buddies. Nobody needs to get hurt.”
“Do you ever get tired of threatening people all the time?”
He smiled. “Never. It’s one of life’s greatest joys.” Damon took a step away from you and gestured towards the front of the store. “After you, princess. Don’t try to run. I’ll catch you.”
“I’m guessing you won’t let me pay for my groceries first,” you said dryly, and his smile told you all you needed to know. You sighed as you set your basket down on the floor and started walking, Damon trailing just slightly behind you. “Are you going to tell me what this is really about, or are you just going to do your mysterious vampire thing?”
“Like I said, it’s just a little chat. Stefan and Bonnie have something to tell you—I think you’ll find it very enlightening.”
You frowned. You hadn’t heard those names in a while. “What could they possibly have to tell me?”
“Oh,” he said cheerfully, “you can’t even imagine.”
“Why did they have to send the most annoying person they know?” you muttered.
“Because it seems like the only way you respond to anything is if it’s a threat,” Damon said. “And I happen to be very good at them.”
You hummed. “I hate you.”
“The feeling’s very mutual, sweetheart.” Damon put his hand on your back to guide you through the parking lot, and his touch sent a cold bolt of electricity through you. You flinched, your jaw locking up for a moment, but you pushed through it. “I’m surprised your guard dogs still let you go out on your own.”
You scowled. “Why? Scared of them?”
He laughed dryly. “No. They just annoy me even more than you do. I don’t know how you put up with all four of them at once.”
“They respond well to people that don’t try to murder them,” you said.
“I won’t be considering that plan anytime soon,” Damon said, and he squeezed your shoulder painfully tight before he let go. “Perk up, buttercup. Your life is about to be changed.”
You came to a stop in front of Stefan and Bonnie, crossing your arms as you looked between them. Bonnie turned around, stopping her pacing, and Stefan pushed himself up from his spot leaning against the back of the car.
“So,” you said, “what the hell is this?”
“Are you alone?” Bonnie asked.
“You mean are there any Mikaelsons with me,” you said plainly.
She stared at you. “Are there?”
“No,” you said, “so I’d appreciate it if you refrained from trying to kill me.”
“Don’t worry.” Stefan glanced at his brother before looking back at you. “We don’t want to hurt you. We just want to talk.”
You huffed a dry laugh. “About what?”
“About what you are,” Bonnie said. “Do you know anything?”
A shiver ran down your spine as your eyes darted over to Stefan. Do you even know what you are ?
“Apparently not,” you clipped, “seeing as this is the second time.”
Bonnie’s lips curled, a guilty imitation of a smile. “I guess I’ll just cut to the chase then. You’re a witch.”
You couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s what this is? You’re threatening me into parking lots just to lie for no reason?”
“I’m not lying,” Bonnie said. Her voice was scarily even, nothing in her expression betraying her thoughts. “I know you feel it. You’ve got to by now, after months around them.”
“How do you think they found you in the first place?” You turned and took an almost instinctive step back as Damon strolled over to join his brother, hands in his pockets. “Why do you think they’re still around you?”
“You guys have tried a few things since I’ve met you,” you said uneasily, “but this has got to be the stupidest.”
Bonnie laughed mirthlessly. “You don’t believe me.”
“There’s nothing to believe,” you clipped.
“Really? Or do you just not want to believe it?” Her stare went right through you, peeling back the layers of your skin. “That shock every time one of them touches you—the dread, the cold. The inherent darkness you feel around them.”
“There’s nothing to believe,” you repeated. “That’s just— that’s just who they are.”
“Fine.”
She didn’t give you a chance to say anything as she moved forward and grabbed your forearm. She closed her eyes and started speaking in a language you didn’t understand.
“What the hell are you doing ?” you protested. You tried to pull away, but her grip was ironclad as she continued chanting.
And then something started burning under your skin, red-hot fire coursing through your veins enough to bring you to your knees, but you held fast.
Bonnie pulled away, and their car ignited into flames.
You could do nothing but stare, wide-eyed and frozen, as the spontaneous fire burned tall and strong. Stefan and Damon stumbled away, the latter scowling at her.
“Bonnie,” Stefan said evenly, “maybe don’t get her to blow up our car next time.”
“Goddamn witches,” Damon cursed. “Nothing but trouble, everywhere I go!”
Bonnie ignored them as she wiped away a drop of blood from below her nose, her breathing slightly strained when she looked at you. “Believe me now?”
You absentmindedly brushed a finger across the same place to see that your nose was also bleeding, and you stared at Bonnie with wide eyes. “What did you do to me?”
“I didn’t do anything to you,” she said. “I just helped you tap into your magic.” She cocked her head at the car. “You started it. And you can stop it too.”
“No,” you said weakly, even though you knew , “it’s—”
“Save it,” Damon said in exasperation. “Bonnie’s a witch, you’re a witch, you can do witch things. If you don’t believe her after blowing up a damn car, then you’re an idiot. Now fix it before someone calls the cops on us.”
You wanted to protest more, but god , what was the use? This would prove it. If you could stop it, that would prove it, and everything as you knew it would be over.
You stared at the blaze, thinking about the fire burning inside of you, and you forced it to recede, back into the depths of whatever you held inside of you.
The flames disappeared, and your legs nearly buckled under you.
“Oh my god,” you rasped.
“I told you,” Bonnie said softly. “You’re a witch.”
“It’s true,” Stefan said. “I wanted to tell you that day at the bar, but Rebekah stopped me.” His eyes felt like they were piercing through you. “She knows. They all know.”
“And you know too,” you said weakly, looking around at all of them. “Did every damn person in this town know I was a witch except for me?”
“No,” Bonnie said. “But the Mikaelsons did.”
Your stomach churned. “Is that all you wanted to do? Tell me I’m a witch in some last ditch effort to turn me against them?”
“You deserve to know,” Bonnie said. “It’s who you are. Klaus doesn’t have the right to keep it from you just because he wants to use you.”
Just because he wants to use you .
An inkling of you didn’t want to believe it. But the rest of you brandished almost every meeting with him as proof.
You couldn’t believe you were starting to like that bastard.
“Alright, is your noble act over?” Damon cocked his head towards the road. “I can hear sirens. We should get out of here before we have to deal with cops.”
“Be careful,” Stefan said. “It doesn’t matter how much the Mikaelsons like you—you take a wrong step right now, you’re dead.”
You wanted to tell him that he was wrong. They liked you, you liked them, they helped you move for god’s sake, they’d saved your life, but they knew.
They knew, and they never told you. Not a single one.
“I made my way mostly on my own without a coven, only my ancestors. I can help you,” Bonnie said. “If you’re still alive and you want some guidance, I’ll help you.” She took Stefan’s hand, her brown eyes filled with depths you couldn’t understand. “But you have to decide what kind of life you want.
You nodded dimly, unable to do anything else, and then they all disappeared.
It took you a second, and then you kicked into gear. You couldn’t really be here if the authorities got here—god, that was the last thing you needed—but as you hurried to your car, your hands wouldn’t stop shaking. Your heart threatened to beat out of your chest.
You were a fucking witch. You had magic in your veins, in your blood, in genes that possibly went back a millennia.
The Mikaelsons had been lying to you.
But they weren’t the only ones.
-
Bee was at school, you knew that much. And if you remembered right, she would stay an hour after for debate club.
You had time, you thought bitterly as you stared up at your childhood home. Time for answers that had been hidden from you all your life.
You never gave back your key when you left, so technically you weren’t breaking and entering . You heard the TV going in the living room when you walked in, and you locked the door behind you.
You expected sweaty palms, a hammering heart, but you felt oddly numb. This was it.
You didn’t exactly know how to use your magic, but Bonnie drew it out of you pretty damn easily. You had a bachelor’s. You could figure out how magic worked.
“Bianca, is that you?” you heard her call, and you had to suppress a laugh. You were starting to realize why there had been a divide between your family all these years.
“You’re back ear—”
Her words stuck in her throat as you walked in and leaned against the doorframe.
“Hi, Mom,” you said. “I’m home.”
She said your name as she frowned, putting down the magazine that she was reading. “I thought you were back at work.”
“I never really left Mystic Falls. I was dealing with problems of my own.” You smiled mirthlessly. “Supernatural problems.”
She froze.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“No,” you said, shaking your head as you moved closer, “no. I think you do.”
You gestured flippantly with your hand and all the doors slammed shut on their own. Your mom’s eyes widened, and she shot up from her seat as she said your name. The fear in her eyes was blatant, but you found that you didn’t really care.
“That’s right.” You huffed a cold laugh. “I finally know. No thanks to you, but we can change that tonight.”
“I think it’s time you finally gave me some answers,” you said smoothly, and you tilted your head to the side. “Don’t you?”
Notes:
so. uh. how are you guys feeling
sorry this took so long lol! i keep saying that every chapter but that's just life now. i fell into my shadow and bone phase then i had finals and THEN i had a big family emergency which i am still in the midst of (i finished and posted this chapter from my phone in the hospital) but my semester is almost over so that's very nice at least
funny that the first chapter that all the mikaelsons are together is also the chapter that everything goes to shit lol. i have been working up to this twist from literally the beginning dropping hints in every chapter (i’ve got a list of every moment i have receipts) and it is very nice to finally reveal it after almost 100k words. is that how pacing works? i dont know but it's how it works here. things are about to get a whole lot more complicated for everyone so i hope you're ready lol
also. here is your warning that i will be playing fast and loose with witch abilities because if the show didn't hold it sacred then neither will i. okay enjoy
Chapter 19: Predictable
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Your mom was scared of you.
She sat ramrod straight, her body shaking ever so slightly. God, she couldn’t even look you in the eye.
She had kept the biggest secret from you all your life and yet she couldn’t even look you in the eye.
“Well?” You stared right at her, twenty-five years of neglect bubbling up inside of you and crackling like lightning underneath your skin. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
“Please don’t hurt me,” she breathed, and you couldn’t help but laugh in pure disbelief.
“I’m not going to hurt you—I’d never hurt you.” Your resolve cracked the slightest bit but you swallowed your doubt. “You’re my mom. It might not mean a lot to you, but it does to me.”
She didn’t say anything, and you shook your head. “I just want answers. I want to know who I really am, and I want to know why you hid it from me for so long.” You leveled your gaze. “Are you a witch?”
“No,” she said. “And Bianca isn’t either.”
“Then why?” you asked, and your brow furrowed. “A— and how?”
“I did it to protect you,” she said stiffly. “I didn’t want you to grow up in their world.”
“A lot of good that did,” you huffed.
“What are your problems?” your mother asked, not without a slight edge. “Just who are you dealing with that’s gotten you involved with the supernatural?”
“The Mikaelsons,” you said plainly. “I’ve been dealing with the Original vampires.”
Her throat bobbed, the color draining from her face. “What?”
“You heard me.”
Her hands had clenched into fists, a rarely seen fear—fear for you—in her eyes. “How are you still alive?”
“I guess I’m just a little more capable than you thought,” you said, and you finally took a seat in the chair across from her. “So you know about them.”
“Anyone who has stepped foot into the other side knows about them,” your mother murmured. “I— I didn’t know they were here—”
“So you’ve stepped foot into the other side,” you mocked. “Why didn’t you tell me about it? About the truth?”
“I knew what you would do if you found out.”
“What would I do?” you asked brazenly. “Get rightfully upset about you lying to me for years?”
“You would go searching for your father!” she exclaimed, and by the way her breathing changed, her outburst was just as unexpected for her.
You stared at her, eerily calm as you spoke. “My father died after Bianca was born. A stroke.”
“...That was how Bianca’s father died,” she said quietly.
You laughed in complete disbelief. “What?”
She finally was able to look you in the eye. “You and Bianca had different fathers. Yours is still alive, and… and he’s a witch. He’s where you get it from.”
You could hardly stomach what she was saying.
You didn’t know your father—stepfather, apparently, you guess. Barely—you were eight when he died, only a year after Bianca was born, and half of your time with him was negated by constant business trips.
You mourned him. Held family photos late at night as tears fell, wondering why it had to be him, why you didn’t get more time with him, why you couldn’t remember your childhood with him, why he left you and Bianca alone.
You’d mourned him, you’d grown up without a father, and it was all a lie.
“So you just let me believe that my father died when I was too young to even remember him,” you said, your voice trembling from rage, “when all along, he has been alive?”
“It was to protect you!” she repeated. “Your father wanted nothing to do with you, believe me!”
“And how do you know that?” you bit out. “Do you just assume that he’s the same as you?”
“He chose his magic over me,” she said, “and he chose it over you too.”
You wanted to tell her that she was wrong.
But you couldn’t.
If Dear Old Dad wanted you to know about him, you wouldn’t be finding out about him and your magic for the first time at 25. You wouldn’t be this clueless about your power, wouldn’t be in the middle of something threatening to consume you.
You just stared at her in disbelieving silence, shaking your head. “Who even is my father?
“His name is Ethan Hall,” she said after a moment. “He’s a witch based in the French Quarter of New Orleans. We met when I was in college.”
“At Tulane,” you said, and she nodded.
“I was a med student, he was the charming photographer I met one day in a coffee shop. It was like something out of a movie, how it all came together.”
“When did you find out he was a witch?” you asked.
She huffed a dry laugh. “Sophomore year, a couple months after we officially got together. He was never good at hiding his magic, especially around me.”
“Why is he not a part of my life?” you asked, voice steely.
“Because he didn’t want to be,” she answered, just as stiff.
“Did you ask him that?”
“No.” Your mom crossed her arms. “But he wouldn’t leave for me. I doubt he would leave for you.”
You glanced away, jaw clenched as you tried to force back tears before they could form. “Typical of you to think that.”
“Listen,” she said your name, her eyes hardened. “Everything I’ve done was for your protection. I kept him out of your life so he couldn’t try and reduce you down to your magic. The only reason you’re not down in New Orleans being pushed to your limit every day is because he doesn’t even know you’re alive.”
Your brows furrowed. “What kind of man was he if you had to worry about things like that?”
“He—” she shook her head with a sigh, “he was a good man for the most part. He was just… a witch above everything else. And if he knew I was pregnant with his child when I left, a witch like him, you wouldn’t have known a moment of peace from the moment you were born.”
“You left,” you repeated. “You were pregnant with me, and you left him, and you ended up here.”
“I graduated, and I got accepted into med school in Virginia. I told him I had to move, he refused to come with me. So we broke up, and I left.” Her lips pulled into a bitter smile. “I was so stressed about the move and the breakup and school that I didn’t even realize my period was late. I was eight weeks along when I took a test and found out.”
“He— he refused to move with you?” you frowned. “You didn’t even try long distance?”
“I wanted to try, but I guess I wasn’t worth it,” she said wryly. “That’s the thing about being a French Quarter witch. Your magic comes from your ancestors, and if you leave, you’re cut off.”
You couldn’t be one then—your magic still worked, and you weren’t anywhere near New Orleans. You didn’t exactly know how covens worked, having realized this all of an hour ago, but maybe that meant that membership didn’t completely pass through blood.
“Well— why are you in Mystic Falls then?” You gestured around. “If you wanted a place to raise me away from all the supernatural stuff, you didn’t pick the greatest place.”
“They don’t exactly put it in the fine print what you’re getting into around here,” your mother said sarcastically. “By the time I figured it out, it was already too late. Houses aren’t cheap, and I couldn’t move again, not with two kids and a whole lot of debt. I decided to keep my head down—keep your head down—and get through as clean as possible.”
“Do you ever talk to him?”
She scoffed. “Of course not. He’s completely disappeared off my radar. All I know is that he’s not around, and he doesn’t know about you.”
“Does Bee know about any of this?” you leveled.
“No.”
“Good.” You looked her right in the eye. “She’s not going to know about any of this.”
“As if I’d get her involved in any of this,” she said.
“At least that’s one thing we can agree on,” you muttered.
“How did you get involved in all of this in the first place?” she asked, and she moved forward in her seat. “How long have you just been— been gallivanting around with vampires?”
Your lip curled. “I came down here to investigate the animal attacks. I poked my nose where I shouldn’t have, Klaus Mikaelson tried to kill me, and now I’m here.”
She shook her head, her expression one of pure disbelief. “I still don’t understand how you’re alive.”
“I told you,” you said wryly, “I’m more capable than you think.”
That, and… whatever feelings you were dealing with. That was a whole other thing to deal with, something that you were interested in putting off for as long as possible.
“Well— what’s next?” Your mother stared at you, and there was a glimmer of sadness in her eyes. It looked so completely foreign on her. “Are you just gonna go back to work?”
“I’m leaving,” you said. “I’m leaving, and I’m not coming back for a long time. If I do, it’ll be for Bianca.”
“Don’t go looking for him,” she warned. “It won’t go well. Trust me on that.”
You huffed a mirthless laugh. “Because you’ve always known what’s best for me, right?”
Your mother didn’t say anything. She didn’t deserve the tears prickling the backs of your eyelids.
“You’re not going to tell Bianca I was here,” you continued. “You’re not going to tell her I’m a witch, you’re not going to tell her there’s vampires in her town, and you’re not going to tell her you’ve been lying to both of us for years. Got it?”
Your mother nodded, and you huffed a laugh as you stood up, looking around your childhood home for the last time for a long while before you started to walk out.
“Wait,” she said, and against yourself, you stopped and turned. Your mother took a ring off of her finger as she walked over to you, and she took your hand and pressed it into your palm. “This was from him.”
You frowned, and you looked at the ring. There were letters, E & M engraved in looping cursive. It was a simple band, one your mother had worn almost as long as you could remember.
Your father was right in front of you this whole time, hidden like everything else about you.
“E and M,” you repeated, and you looked up at her. “Ethan and Margaret.”
She nodded, her throat bobbing as she swallowed. “He gave it to me on our second anniversary. It’s one of the last things I have of him.”
“Besides me,” you said, voice strained as you ran your finger over the letters. “But I guess I wasn’t a very pleasant reminder.”
If she was affected by that, she didn't show it. "You... you deserve to have it. To at least have some part of him."
You shoved it in your pocket and quickened your pace. She said your name desperately as she followed after you.
“Am I ever going to see you again?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” you said honestly.
“I— I’m sorry.” You paused, your hand on the doorknob, when she spoke again. “For lying to you about it all.”
“So am I,” you murmured.
When you walked out, you didn’t look back.
-
The pit in your stomach was growing with every second.
After pulling away from your mom’s place, you ended up sitting on the floor of the new house you didn’t even know if you wanted anymore, staring at your father’s ring as you tried to figure out what the hell to do next.
You’d really managed to get yourself into a mess. Ir was almost impressive how everything worked together in just the right way to fuck with you.
You had a couple options.
One. You could turn your back on everything. This wasn’t the life you signed up for, and it certainly wasn’t the life you wanted. You go back to your house, pack your things into your car, and drive all the way back to New York. Get rid of Kol’s compulsion and officially take back your job and your life.
The Mikaelsons would find you in time, of course, and you didn’t think they would be too happy. Plus it would still leave the problem of your absent witch father, the magic you didn’t know how to control, and the whole slew of enemies you likely had by association.
Two. You could find all the kindness in your heart to forgive the Mikaelsons for lying to you so blatantly, and ask for their help in going through a heartwarming journey of magic discovery and emotional turmoil.
You couldn’t think of anything you wanted to do less than forgive the Mikaelsons right now. This wasn’t a Hallmark movie.
Three. You could give a piece of your mind to Klaus and Elijah and Rebekah and Kol and anyone else who was involved with this, and then go from there with no steady plan in mind.
Your family of vampires wasn’t exactly known for being kind and understanding, and as much as they liked you, you didn’t know how far you could push it. But god, you really wanted to push it.
The third option was the stupidest option, but also the most appealing. It was how you found yourself parking outside the Mikaelson mansion after a very silent, very angry car ride. The rage simmering in your blood told you to go right up there and bang on your door, but something heavy sat in your chest.
You pulled out your phone, ignoring the lump in your throat as you typed in a number you’d typed in a hundred times. Bianca’s contact popped up, saved but with no messages sent. You’d never been able to think of the words.
You were a horrible sister.
Hi bee :)
I know it’s been a while but I’ve been really busy lately.
I just wanted to let you know that I love you more than anything. I’m so sorry if I made you think anything different because you mean the world to me
There’s nothing you can’t do. Knock ‘em dead
You blinked away the tears, rubbed angrily at your eyes until they didn’t threaten you, and you shoved your phone in your glovebox before getting out of your car. You stormed up to the front, banging on the door with abandon until it opened.
“Relax, love,” Klaus said when he opened the door, smile smooth as ever. “I heard your car kilometers away—you don’t need to knock my door down.”
“We need to talk,” you said evenly. He must have noticed the very obvious anger on your face, because his eyebrows rose.
“What seems to be the problem?”
You couldn’t help but laugh, and you shook your head as you walked inside. “Oh, take your guess. You’ve caused me enough.”
His expression was scarily even as he shut the door and followed you, crossing his arms as he stood a few feet away. “This is certainly different than yesterday.”
Your jaw ticked. “That’s because yesterday I didn’t know the truth.”
For once, he didn’t have anything to say. You laughed and shook your head again.
“You’ve known I was a witch this whole time and you’ve got nothing to say about it.”
“Who told you?”
He didn’t say it like a question, rather a demand. Gone were the softened lines of his face, the twinkle in his eye that you seemed to bring out more often. Niklaus Mikaelson stood before you, and that was all he was.
“It doesn’t matter,” you said. “All that matters is that it wasn’t you.”
He huffed a laugh, his eyebrows rising. “Oh, so this is my fault? I believe you have a mother who kept the truth from you.”
“It’s your fault because you’re the one that got me into this mess,” you snapped. “You found me, you tried to kill me, you got involved in all this, all because you wanted to use me.”
“I did not want to use you,” Klaus spat.
You shrugged. “That’s what Stefan said.”
“The Salvatores,” he growled, and his hands clenched into fists. “I ought to rip their throats out—”
“No!” you exclaimed forcefully, and you took a step towards him. “What the hell is your problem, Klaus?”
“What is my problem?” he repeated with an incredulous laugh. “Would you like to sit down and have a civilized conversation, or would you like to continue yelling at me?”
“I would like to continue yelling at you!” you seethed, your blood pounding in your ears. “How long have you known?”
“From the moment I met you,” he said. “How do you think you got away that night alive?”
It flashed behind your eyelids. Wanting nothing more than to get away from him, and then he did. A bolt of electricity through your body for just a moment, so quick you didn’t realize it in your panicked state.
He smiled coldly as the realization dawned on your face. “You harnessed latent magic that night. I’ve had a suspicion since then, but everything after only confirmed it.”
“So everything’s just been a test,” you said, and you couldn’t hide the underlying hurt in your voice. “Getting that blood for you.”
“The locket,” he sighed. “The spell would only work if it was said by a witch, and as you made it back that night, you obviously were one.”
Your hand went up to your neck, the cold metal shocking your fingers. It was heavier than ever.
“The witches coven in Rochester,” you said numbly.
“Emmaline wouldn’t have let you live had you not been a witch,” he said. “And Kol was the best of us in life, so he was able to tell almost immediately.”
It felt like there was cotton in your mouth. Because I believe we may have more in common than you think.
“Oh, don’t take offense,” Klaus said. “I had to figure it out somehow. It’s a credit to you that you survived it all. I’ve already been troubled enough by the Bennett witch in this town—I didn’t need someone as unpredictable as you causing me problems.”
“A problem,” you repeated. “Was that all I was for you?”
Klaus scowled. “Of course not.”
You crossed your arms as you raised your eyebrows, waiting for an answer. Klaus heaved a sigh.
“At first— yes. You were just a problem—just something for me to figure out and decide what to do with you. But you defied me against every logical standard, you came back from each of your jobs, god—“ Klaus laughed and shook his head. “You even befriended my siblings. You saw me beyond my reputation, my brand, gave me an unearned chance that I wanted so badly to deserve. And I began to see you as more too.”
There were pinpricks behind your eyelids. You bit down on your lip. Your heart ached, and you wanted to rip it out.
“Did your siblings know?”
“Yes,” Klaus said, and he sighed again. “I did… threaten Rebekah and Kol. In order for them to keep it a secret.”
A part of you was relieved. You’d always had a soft spot for the two of them.
You didn’t know what to do about Elijah. You’d never know with him.
“I was never going to go through with anything I’d planned,” Klaus insisted. “I let you go from the deal because I wanted us to be on even ground. I wanted you to be… to be a friend. And those bastard Salvatores had to go and mess it up with their righteousness.”
“Oh my god— it’s not righteousness!” you exclaimed. “It’s the right thing to do! They told me the truth when all you did was hide it— how the hell am I supposed to trust you?”
“Oh, please,” Klaus hissed. “You’ve never trusted me.”
“I did,” you said, your voice stilted, and you shook your head. “But not anymore.”
“So what?” Klaus asked, almost brazenly. “What is your momentous plan on what to do next? I assume you have one, the way you’re speaking now.”
“My plan is to go anywhere but here,” you snapped.
You took your keys out of your pocket as you turned and walked away. Klaus was in front of you in a second, his expression one you couldn’t fully place. All it did was reignite that flame in your chest.
“Think this through,” he said.
Your jaw ticked. “Get out of my way.”
“What do you think will happen to you?” he asked. “You’re a witch. You know nothing about it. You’re a known associate of my family. Put it together, love.”
“I’ll figure it out. I always have.” Your keys bit into the palm of your hand. “Get out of my way.”
“People will come after you,” Klaus said. “We’ve got enemies that would use you against us.”
“They’re your enemies—not mine.”
“Do you not think they are yours, too?” he asked. “The moment you decided not to fight, to stay with us, you have had a target on your back.”
“Maybe that was my mistake,” you said. “Staying.”
Klaus went silent.
“Don’t act like you care about what happens to me,” you said. “You had all the time in the world to tell me and you didn’t. You’ve never cared about me, Klaus. Only yourself.”
“That’s not true.”
Your throat burned. “Get out of my way.”
Klaus stared at you, depths in his eyes you didn’t want to understand. You felt fire crackle underneath your skin. You wondered if you were going to end up starting fires every time you got a temper.
He stepped aside.
“Don’t come after me,” you whispered. You slammed the door behind you.
You didn’t realize you were shaking until you got to your car, your breathing steady as ever but your hands trembling on the steering wheel. You rubbed your eyes, took a moment to compose yourself, then pulled onto the road.
Klaus knew you were a witch. He got you involved in all of this because of the power you didn’t know you had, because he didn’t want another problem for himself. It didn’t matter what he said—that was the truth.
Your mind went to Kol and Rebekah. His too-pretty smile, the ease you felt around him after only a couple days around him, his promises to you. Her reassurances, her soft touches, the sadness in her eyes.
Elijah… He was an entirely different problem.
He always acted so cordial that you almost never knew what to think around him. He knew first—he had to have known, the way he tried to compel you from the beginning—and even when you thought he had told you the truth that day in the library, he never truly showed his hand.
Maybe you should be as mad at him as Klaus, but your brain was so jumbled you could hardly focus. Everything had become so entangled and complicated and you wanted to scream until you couldn’t anymore.
This is why you hadn’t wanted to get close to them. Your boundaries existed for a reason, and like some lovestruck idiot, you pushed them away completely just because you liked the way they looked at you.
You had nowhere to go because your house was theirs and your mom’s house was your mom’s house and all that you had left was your tiny broom closet apartment, and somehow that wouldn’t even feel the same without Kol making fun of it next to you.
Your hands tightened on the wheel as your teeth grinded together, and you let out a noise of pure frustration.
For the first time in your life, you genuinely had no idea what to do next.
Suddenly, your TPMS light turned on. Your brows knit together—your back two tires were underinflated, seriously underinflated, and seemingly out of nowhere.
You hadn’t felt anything on the road, so you didn’t drive over something, and there was definitely nothing wrong with them the other day. So of course it would happen tonight, because everything was happening tonight.
You checked your mirrors and pulled over onto the side of the road with a laborious sigh, taking a second to just close your eyes and curse the world before you turned your car off and got out. You wondered offhandedly if you still had your Triple A card. Probably not.
You turned your phone flashlight on, checking your surroundings just to make sure you weren’t immediately going to die, and then you walked to the back of your car. You crouched down next to your back tire and shined your light on it, and you frowned.
It was slashed.
You got up and went to your other back tire, and the same slash mark was there. In the short time that it took you to destroy your relationship with Klaus, someone had slashed your goddamn tires.
“This has to be a joke,” you muttered as you ran your hand over your face.
The hairs on the back of your neck stood up and a cold bolt of terror struck through your body, and you barely had time to question it before everything shattered.
“Took you long enough to realize,” a voice drawled behind you, and you stood and whirled around immediately as your heart nearly burst out of your chest.
“Having car troubles?” Damon Salvatore asked with a lazy smile.
“Damon,” you hissed, “I swear to god.”
“What?” he asked. “Are you gonna use some of that magic you just found out about on me?”
“What do you want?” You would have been ashamed at the desperation in your voice, but this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Honestly, it was past broken at this point. It was destroyed. The camel was dead. “Why can you not just leave me alone?”
“Because you’ve caused me a lot of trouble,” Damon said, taking a step forward. “It’s only fair I get some revenge, don’t you think?”
“You tried to kill me,” you enunciated, and you flinched as you backed against your car. This was it. “Everything I’ve done has been in self defense. Haven’t you already messed with my life enough?”
“Why do you think I went along with Stefan and Bonnie’s idea to tell you who you were?” he asked. “I’ve been wanting to get back at you for all the shit you’ve pulled for a while now, but it’s hard when you’re always around those Originals. But now,” he gestured with a smile, “there are no Mikaelsons to be found. You’re very predictable, princess. It wasn’t hard to figure out how to get you.”
“You wanted to kill me both of those times,” you repeated. “All I was doing was defending myself. Please, just leave me alone.”
“Don’t worry,” he drawled. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”
But then Damon was next to you in a flash, his hand wrapped around your arm with an ironclad grip. You tried to pull away, but it was no use.
“At least,” he grinned, blatantly showing off his fangs as his eyes grew dark, “not yet.”
You felt the overwhelming pain in your head before you even saw his fist move, and your world was turning to black before you could even try to defend yourself. You barely even felt him rip the locket off your neck.
The only mercy was that your consciousness faded out before you hit the ground.
Notes:
SO UH. HOW ARE YOU GUYS FEELING AGAIN
precursory "sorry this took so long" BUT i finished my freshman year last month!! finished with a 4.0 for both semesters and i had the Best time of my life this year. ive grown so much over this year and it's hard to believe that this fic has been with me along the way too? wild. also crazy that this is my second fic to hit 100k and it's felt like so much effort for ehfar but this just happened out of nowhere. really dont know what is going on here
anyways. this is where shit is actually going to start going down for real. girly made some stupid decisions this chapter but dont hate her too much because she's going through it. and dont hate me too much for making her and klaus go at each other again I PROMISE everything is going to be fine. next chapter is an intense one so prepare for that because i have 90% of it written already because even though there's a lot of suffering it was very fun to write lol. there’s going to be a lot of drama and angst and mikaelson bonding over the next couple of chapters as we go through this arc so i hope you all enjoy
Chapter 20: Only Hope
Notes:
this is where the graphic depictions of violence tag comes in! it's not in detail and mostly focuses on the aftermath but there's still some rough parts and there's quite a bit of blood. read with discretion if that's something you're sensitive to
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
You awakened with a blaring pain all throughout your skull—dull, constant pain that made it near impossible to focus. Static buzzed behind your eyelids.
You tried to bring your hand up to massage the sore spot, but you couldn’t move your arms at all—your wrists were bound to the wooden arms of the chair you sat in, your legs tied at the ankles. The rope bit into your skin with every movement.
Bile rose in your throat as your chest tightened, your heart beginning to hammer, but it only took a second of your gaze darting around in pure panic to see who your captor was. And the moment you locked onto those piercing blue eyes, everything from before came back.
“Well, well, well,” Damon drawled, pushing himself up from his spot leaning against the wall, taking his sweet time walking over to you. “She’s finally awake. Y’know, I thought I might’ve been just a bit overzealous knocking you out at first when you were a no go for all those hours, but you finally made it.” He took a seat in the chair across from you and smiled. “You’re just as lovely to see as ever.”
“What do you want, you bastard?” You pulled at your restraints again, wincing as the tight knots rubbed against your skin and barely managing to bite back your curses at the failure. “Are you ever going to leave me alone?”
“I’m hoping I can after tonight,” Damon said, his smile widening. “Well, it’s because I’m hoping I’ll get to kill you at the end of all this, but it still counts.”
“Stefan said you wouldn’t hurt me,” you said. “He just wanted to talk—”
“Stefan’s not involved in this,” he interrupted. “No one else is—it’s just me, tying up a loose end we should’ve gotten rid of a long time ago.”
“Then why am I here?” you asked, and you were almost thankful for the tightness of your bonds. At least he couldn’t see how your body was shaking like a leaf. “Why am I not dead already?”
“Because I want to draw this out after all the trouble you’ve caused for me,” he said. “For someone who’s survived so long in the company of the Mikaelsons, you really are stupid sometimes. You just don’t understand the protection that being around them gives you.” He chuckled. “I also just have a flair for dramatics. Being alive for a few hundred years’ll do that to you.”
“Being around them is what’s going to get me killed,” you retorted. “If not by them, then by someone that hates them. Like you.”
“Wouldn’t have been able to get you if you didn’t storm out in the middle of your little lover’s quarrel with Klaus,” he shrugged. “You should really get your emotions in check. It’s not good for the whole magic thing.”
“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind,” you said stiffly.
“See? We’re already having a great time together,” Damon said with a grin. “There’s just one small thing that might ruin our friendship, though. I want answers, and with you, I’ve got leverage. But after all the shit you’ve pulled on me, I just really want to kill you.”
His words alone were enough to paralyze you. “Ah,” you said placidly.
“I told you, I’m a two birds with one stone kinda guy.” He tilted his head. “Guess it’s three birds this time. I’m resourceful.”
“You’re an asshole,” you gritted out. “Now let me go before I make you regret it.”
“You’re gonna make me regret it?” he repeated, interest piquing in his voice as he leaned forward on his elbows. You hated the feeling of Damon’s eyes on you, like he was taking you apart piece by piece. “And how are you gonna do that, princess? Are you gonna use the powers you didn’t even know you had? Because that is something I want to see.”
“Don’t you remember the night in the field?” you said. “You know it yourself—I’m powerful. Do you really want to mess with that?”
“Of course I remember that night,” Damon said. “But you don’t have your little amulet with you this time, and you don’t know how to do any actual magic. So it looks like I’m finally going to get payback for your little trick.”
“You’re wasting your time,” you insisted. “I have no idea what kind of answers you want, but I know I don’t have them. And if you want leverage, I’m pretty shitty for that too.” Your lips twisted. “Klaus won’t come for anymore. None of them will.”
Damon rolled his eyes. “I doubt that.”
“Do you really want to deal with that?” you asked desperately. “If any of them come, they’ll kill you.”
“Maybe,” he shrugged, “but I’ll be gone and you’ll be dead long before then.”
Your entire body went cold. You hated that he could hear everything, your heart hammering away and the acceleration of your breathing and every uncomfortable shift in your restraints.
“That’s what I thought,” he said smugly. “Now, we can either do this the easy way, or the hard way.”
“What’s the easy way?”
“I ask my questions, you tell me everything I need to know.”
“And the hard way?”
“I bleed the vervain out of you and compel you to tell me everything I need to know.” But then Damon laughed and shook his head. “Oh, but you know what? You’re a tapped witch. Compulsion doesn’t work on you anymore.” He shrugged. “Guess I’ll have to do it the old fashioned way and torture it out of you.”
Your breathing stilled, your heart rate skyrocketing even further.
Torturing it out of you.
When Elijah brought it up during that day in the library, you almost thought he was joking. You just wished he didn’t have to be proven right in such a fun way.
“I don’t know anything,” you said, hating how weak your voice sounded. “I swear, Damon.”
“Aw, where’s that moxie?” Damon leaned forward and hit his palms against his knees. “Where’s the spirit that got you to try and stake the guy seconds away from killing you? That’s the version of you I liked— that was the fun version. You’re just being boring now.”
“I don’t know anything,” you repeated, even more desperately, but you couldn’t help it. You were pleading for your life now. “Damon, they don’t tell me anything. I’m just their— their fucking errand girl! You don’t tell things to your errand girl!”
He tutted and shook his head. “We both know you’re much more than that. And if you don’t, then—” he laughed— “then I don’t know what the hell kinda journalist you are. Because right now, that family will do anything for you.”
“You’re wrong,” you insisted. “They don’t care about me.”
“Lying won’t get you anywhere, princess,” he said offhandedly. “They look at you and it’s like they can actually feel emotions again. I have no idea what you did to get them to care about you so much, and it is completely disgusting, but anyone can see that you mean a lot to them—all of them. I’m sure they’ve shared their plans with you.”
And now the vampire planning on torturing and killing you was psychoanalyzing the mess of a relationship you’d found yourself in with the Mikaelsons. This was, without a doubt, the worst day of your life.
“I’m telling you,” you said slowly, enunciating every word, “I don’t know anything.”
He smiled. “Then I guess I’ll go get my knives.”
The protests spilled out of you as he stood up and walked over towards the door. “Damon, no— you don’t have to do this, please— you don’t have to do this!”
He stopped once he got to the door, and it was chilling how fucking nonchalant he was about it all, like he was asking how your day was.
“Maybe not,” Damon admitted, and the look in his eye stole all the air from your chest. “But I really want to.”
And with the slam of the door behind him finalizing your fate, with your life on a ticking clock, you were left alone.
“Fuck,” you whispered.
-
Elijah moved down the sidewalk at a brisk pace, the pleasantly cool air around him signaling the tapering into spring. If he were in Mystic Falls for a more normal reason, he might’ve enjoyed his surroundings. But instead he just kept forward, his mind set on one thing and one thing only.
He was just about to climb the stairs to the front door when he heard a noise, and he turned around to see none other than Kol.
“Brother,” he said evenly.
“She’s gone,” Kol said, and Elijah could tell how much effort it was taking for him to keep his emotions in check.
“...I’m aware.” He gestured at the house in front of him with his head. “I’m working to remedy the situation now.”
“I’m coming with you.”
Elijah nodded, and Kol followed at a slight distance as they walked up the stairs. He removed his hand from his pocket to knock, but it swung open before his knuckles could make contact with the door. His expression was carefully controlled as he stared down at Bonnie Bennett, her emotions just as guarded. She had learned well, it seemed.
“I could sense you,” she said, answering the unspoken question, and her nose wrinkled. “You Originals have the absolute worst aura.”
“Apologies,” he said, a thin smile gracing his lips before it faded. “I wish to employ your services.”
“Really?” Bonnie crossed her arms. “Elijah Mikaelson going behind his brother’s back to ask me for help.” She then noticed Kol, and her eyebrows rose infinitesimally. “Both of you are going behind his back. This is about her, isn’t it?”
“...It is about our journalist, yes,” he said. “She has gone missing as of late. I’m aware the two of you have a sort of connection, so it was my hope that you would be willing to help us.” He cleared his throat. “Discreetly.”
“And why should I help you at all?” Bonnie asked. “I mean, you certainly haven’t been the greatest asset in the past. And your family has screwed with us in more ways than I can count.”
“I can find another witch if need be,” Elijah said, “but I know of your friendship, and so I thought you would want to know if she was alright.”
“It’s hardly a friendship,” Bonnie said. “I just don’t want her around the likes of you all.”
“You’ll find we’re not very fond of sarcasm right now,” Kol interrupted, voice clipped. “Will you do this or not?”
“...Fine,” Bonnie said grudgingly. “Do you have anything of hers that I can use for a locator spell?”
Elijah nodded and pulled out a ring. The engraved metal band was something he’d seen you wear most days, and he’d found it shoved into a pocket of your backpack when he ransacked your things. He held it out to Bonnie. “Her ring.”
“I’ll work as fast as I can,” she said as she took it from him, and she shut the door. Elijah took the opportunity to look at Kol.
“How did you find out?”
“I just knew something was wrong.” Kol crossed his arms, glancing away. “I think we have some sort of connection.”
“Oh?”
“I think she did it by accident,” Kol said, “up in New York. Her emotions sparked her magic or something of the sort.”
“...Interesting.”
“How did you find out?” he asked, gaze scrutinizing.
“I was on my way to drop off the deed,” Elijah said, “and we’d talked of plans for furniture shopping. But her car was not there, her things were inside, and I’ve heard word of her meeting with the Salvatores. None of it bodes rather well.”
“So she knows,” Kol said.
“I believe so.”
A tense moment passed before Kol nodded. “Good. It’s about time.”
Elijah didn’t respond, and it was another minute before Kol spoke up again.
“Furniture shopping. How mundane,” he grumbled, his lip curling. “She’s always so boring around you.”
Elijah remained silent. He did not need to state the obvious to someone not even trying to hide it.
-
You were running out of time. You barely had any, just as long as it took for Damon to get his tools together. And you supposed you had however long you could hold out while being tortured by a sadistic vampire—you didn’t think it would be long, though.
You had to hope that the Mikaelsons, at least one of them, would come for you, would figure out where you were and save you before Damon finished the job, because there was no other way you were getting out of this.
You couldn’t fight him. Yes, you were a witch, but he was right—you had no idea how to harness your magic. The times you had were through pure emotion and endless luck, and the situation you were stuck in proved you certainly couldn’t rely on luck.
But you didn’t know where you were, the Mikaelsons couldn’t possibly know where you were, and you stood no chance against Damon on your own. Not when you couldn’t even get out of this fucking basement.
You took in a long, deep breath and let it out slowly as you wracked your brain for an answer. You had plenty of emotions—god, you were fucking terrified of what awaited you—but what good could that be if you had no idea how to use them properly?
You— you could reach out, or you could try to reach out, try and contact one of the Mikaelsons through some kind of mind link. You didn’t even know if that was something a witch could do, if it was something you could do, but you didn’t exactly have any other ways to get to them. It was either blindly hope that their vampire senses would somehow lead them to you, or try and reach out yourself.
Well, you thought anxiously, exhaling a shaky breath, it was worth a fucking shot.
You closed your eyes and tried to calm yourself as much as you could in the face of all this. Once you got to the best you were going to have, you concentrated your hardest on the one person you were sure you could trust.
Kol.
Kol, who threatened to kill you constantly the first time you met, then proceeded to save your life without a second thought two days later. Kol, who pretended like he couldn’t feel anything but melted when you looked at him.
Kol, who you think might be one of the only people who truly understands you.
You focused on him, and purely on him. The scent of that cologne he was fond of, the glint in his eye when he talked about something that excited him. The fear that took over his entire body when you were dying in his arms when he didn’t even know you. The taste of his blood, how he offered it up immediately, how a part of him became a part of you. Every tuft of his brunette hair, the warmth in his dark eyes that he showed only you, the softness of his lips that you’d found yourself studying far too often.
Kol Mikaelson. Your last hope.
All of a sudden, the image of him in your mind disappeared, replaced by Mystic Falls scenery. You were there, but… you weren’t. It all felt slightly hazy, like you were in a dream. But as you focused on your surroundings, your heart stopped in your chest.
He was there.
Kol—he was there, standing slightly behind Elijah with his arms crossed and his usual disgruntled expression, both on the deck of the house that you stood in front of. You couldn’t make out who they were talking to, but that didn’t matter.
Kol was there. It worked.
You tried to open your mouth to say something, but your vocal chords wouldn’t work. It really was a dream-like state—you could see everything, but you couldn’t move from your rooted spot, or hear what they were discussing, or even talk.
So you projected your words through your thoughts, hoping with every fiber of your being that this would work.
Kol?
He jolted from his position, and his frown deepened. Kol said your name—you heard him say your name, his voice the only audible sound in this world—and you could’ve cried with relief. Elijah turned around, his brows furrowed as well as he looked at his brother in confusion.
Kol spoke your name again, his eyes slightly wide. “I can hear her voice. I can hear her in my mind.”
Elijah said something, but his voice didn’t work the way Kol’s did. Kol nodded and he spoke again. “Where are you? Are you safe?”
Kol could hear you. It worked.
I have no idea where I am, but I’m with Damon. He cornered me on the side of the road last night and knocked me out, and now I’m in some— some fucking basement, or dungeon, or cellar, but— but I don’t know anything, and I’m running out of time. Oh god, Kol, I’m—
“It’s okay, love,” Kol said, and you could sense the panic in his voice that he was trying to suppress for you. “You’re going to be okay. Elijah and I are going to find you. Are you hurt?”
Not yet. But Kol, you have to hurry—
You heard the door slam shut and panic shot through your body, the scene in your mind flickering out of focus.
You sent out one last desperate message before it all disappeared.
He’s back.
“Don’t tell me you’re already asleep,” Damon said, and when your eyes shot open, he smiled. “There she is.”
He couldn’t know what you had done—you had to draw this out as long as you could, give Kol and Elijah enough time to find you. All you had to do was stay alive until then.
Easier said than done, you thought uneasily as you looked at the tray Damon had brought down. Knives, syringes, needles, pliers, a lighter—you swallowed the lump in your throat, trying not to show your fear, but it was a fruitless endeavor. Not when he could hear every accelerated beat of your heart, every rushed breath that might end up being your last.
“I’m still trying to decide what I should do,” Damon mused. “I mean, I’ve got so many options. But maybe…” His eyes trailed over your neck, a gleam in his eye. “Maybe I should just turn you myself. It would make you useless to Klaus, and it would drive him insane knowing that it was my blood that changed you. He might just kill you on his own.”
“No,” you said instantly, maybe a little too quickly. “No—anything but a vampire.”
He raised an eyebrow at that. “Most people would jump at the chance.”
“I don’t want to come back when I die,” you said shakily. “It’s unnatural.”
Damon actually laughed, looking at you in complete disbelief. “I can’t believe you just said that. The Mikaelson’s witch plaything thinks that coming back as a vampire is unnatural. Oh, that is just—” he laughed again, shaking his head. “That’s just too good. I can’t believe you didn’t realize you were a witch sooner, saying shit like that.”
Still shaking his head and laughing to himself, Damon picked up the pliers and moved the chair closer to you.
“Now,” he said, sitting down with a smile, “I hope you’re not too attached to that manicure.”
Bile rose in your throat just at the implication. You didn’t know how you were meant to survive this when the mere sight of the possibility made you nauseous.
“I am,” you said, “very much so.”
“Sorry for this, then.”
He certainly didn’t look very sorry as he ripped off your entire nail from its bed, and the pure intensity of the sensation shocked you.
You couldn’t give much thought to it, though—a ragged scream came from deep inside you, the pain clouding your mind. It was honestly unreasonable how much it hurt, how fire seemed to make its home there, how tears immediately welled up in your eyes.
“Guess you aren’t so tough after all,” Damon murmured, his expression unmoving as stone. He just stared at you, watching as you struggled to breathe evenly after such a small thing.
In your dim mind, it occurred to you that this was just as much about proving a point as it was about making you suffer. Proving that you getting away from him in town was only because of Rebekah, the night in the fields was just a fluke, that you’d only ever beaten him because of the Mikaelsons.
You were a witch, but so what? He would kill you all the same, and all you’d have to show for it was some lousy mind link and a penchant for electric shocks.
Damon tore off another nail and your screams echoed around the small room. You stumbled over a variety of curses, panting through it as you squeezed your other hand into a fist so tight that little half crescents formed on your palms.
You thought of what Rebekah would say, of how disappointed she would be about the manicure she paid for being desecrated in such a way. The thought brought forth a breathless laugh.
Damon’s brows creased. “You really are strange.”
“I’m strange?” you managed, causing another painful laugh. “That’s rich.”
“Yeah,” he said with a chuckle of his own, “I’m going to enjoy killing you.”
Speaking was a bit easier, the pain having faded ever so slightly. It wasn’t overwhelming agony, at least.
Come on, Kol.
-
“That bastard,” Kol growled, and he stormed up to the door. He was about to tear it down when Bonnie pushed it open, and she stared up at him.
“Can I help you?” she asked tartly.
“Would you like to tell me why Damon fucking Salvatore is behind all of this?” he spat.
Bonnie set her jaw. “He wouldn’t do that.”
“Well, she’s just contacted me through some kind of mindlink telling me that he’s kidnapped her.” Kol’s fingers dug into the doorframe, wood cracking underneath his grip. “You’re their little witch, so you’ve got to know something about it.”
“Kol, calm yourself.” Elijah stepped in next to him, his voice slightly stilted. His own advice wasn’t doing much for him. “What have you found, Bonnie?”
She brandished your ring and a small slip of paper. He could smell the remnants of the blood she’d wiped away from below her nose.
“She’s a while outside of town, about thirty miles west. An abandoned building.” She held out the paper with coordinates to him and Elijah took it with a grateful nod. “There are wards up—not against vampires, but witches. Basic enough that I could get through with brute force, but strong enough to fly under the radar for a bit.”
“Of course,” Kol remarked sourly. “You didn’t happen to put up those wards, did you?”
Bonnie scowled. “I would never do anything to hurt an innocent witch. Damon knows people, for better or for worse.”
“Thank you for helping us,” Elijah said.
Bonnie nodded, and she grimaced. “I could feel dark energy, even through the spell. Pain, hatred, pure malevolence.” Her expression turned grave. “Damon’s out for revenge. And I don’t think she has much time left.”
“Then we’d best get going,” Elijah said. Kol had already started away.
“I want to tell you to stay away from her,” Bonnie said. “Someone like her doesn’t deserve to be pulled into this world, especially like this. But…” she looked Elijah in the eye and shook her head. “I’m too late for that, aren’t I? You’ve already got your claws in her. All of you do.”
“Thank you for your help, Bonnie,” Elijah repeated.
“Just make sure she stays alive,” she called out behind him. “Alive and… and sane.”
Elijah paused for a moment, then turned to look at her. “I will.”
And with that, they were gone.
-
“Really, you should have expected this,” Damon said offhandedly, ignoring your pained gasps as he ran his finger across the bloody blade. “I told you I was going to kill you one day, didn’t I?”
You hissed as you rode through a wave of pain. “And is it as great as you imagined?”
“It’s even better,” he mused, his eyes gleaming as he smiled. “And you? Is it everything you were looking forward to?”
“Even better,” you managed.
“Happy to help.” Damon set his knife down on the table and took his seat across from you again. “What I’m doing to you is nothing compared to what your precious Mikaelsons have done for centuries.”
You didn’t respond, instead focusing on each agonizing breath that entered and left your body. It took every bit of your energy to stay conscious, and even then you could feel yourself slipping.
“They’ve hurt me and my brother more times than I can count,” he said. “They’ve hurt our loved ones just because. And they hurt each other more than anyone else. They’ll hurt you too, eventually.” Damon huffed a mirthless laugh. “You know that they’re monsters, and yet you don’t care. You deserve whatever you get.”
“Really?” You managed a dry laugh, though it still sent a bolt of fire through you. “I deserve your little power trip because of what I’m caught up in?”
“You’ve had the chance to get out,” Damon said. “You haven’t.”
“They’ve treated me a hell of a lot better than this.” You let out a shuddering breath, screwing your eyes shut for a moment before opening them again. “You’ve tried to kill me twice as many times as them.”
“I think we’ve tried about the same,” Damon said, “because this is a lot more than an attempt.”
“Right.” You smiled bitterly. “Your grudge and all.”
“Living for a couple centuries gives you a lot of time to hold grudges,” Damon said. “And I’ve got a lot of them against the Mikaelsons.”
“Killing me won’t hurt them,” you said. “I’m a blip in their eternal lives—they’ll just beat you and your crew up some more and move onto the next city.”
“You really don’t have a clue about them,” Damon said with disgust. “But even if you did, you wouldn’t care, would you?”
“I don’t know why you’re interrogating me,” you breathed, “like anything I say fucking matters. You’ll do what you want anyway.”
“Got me there,” he chuckled, and he picked up the lighter, igniting it with a smile. Pyromaniac suited him. “Ready for more?”
You gritted your teeth. “Do your worst.”
-
“Does Nik know?” Kol asked.
“No.”
“Does Rebekah know?”
“She’s not even on the East Coast at the moment.”
“So it’s just us.”
“Correct.”
Kol felt his fangs poking against his gums, and he didn’t try to make them recede. Feeling anything other than fiery anger seemed impossible.
“Good. I don’t want anyone interfering when I rip that bastard’s head from his body.”
“Unbelievably tempting, isn’t it?” Elijah glanced at him, taking his eyes off the road for the first time since they’d started driving. They were breaking a great number of traffic laws with their speed, but law enforcement was quite possibly the least of Kol’s numerous worries. “But we cannot kill him.”
“Of course we can,” Kol said. “It’s remarkably easy.”
“I am aware,” he said dryly. “What I mean is that we cannot kill him yet. I’d like to get some answers out of him first.”
“Torture some answers out of him?”
“Perhaps.”
“I’m already fantasizing about it,” Kol mused. “It’s been a long century since I’ve tortured anyone.”
Elijah’s expression changed ever so slightly, and Kol couldn’t help but laugh. “Dear, noble Elijah. You feel guilty.”
In his silence, he just sighed and shook his head. “Holding me down while our brother sticks a dagger in my heart for a century will do that to somebody.”
“I did take it out,” Elijah said tersely.
“It doesn’t matter much when you helped get it in.”
“I apologized,” he attempted again.
“Consider it water under the bridge,” Kol said with an offhanded gesture. “Water under a very bloody, very fucked up bridge.”
“Is that genuine forgiveness?” he asked. “Or have you just tired of constant arguments?”
“I never tire of arguments,” Kol said. “I just…” He sighed, averting his eyes from Elijah’s as he looked out the window. “She makes me want to be a better person, or at least— at least try to be better.”
Being like this in front of Elijah made him want to vomit, honestly—it was something so disgustingly human that he supposed it was more than appropriate. Showing weakness, softness, confirming the suspicions he likely already had about how he felt towards you.
“I see the way she cares about her sister, how she would sacrifice herself for her in the blink of an eye if it meant her sister would get to live even a second more.” Kol huffed. “It made me realize how long I’ve spent hating you all. And when you lot are the only guarantee in the dread of immortality, I figure it might be time to at least try and stop hating you all as much.”
“And to think,” Elijah said, not without mirth, “Niklaus was the one worried of becoming too soft because of her.”
Kol scowled, but it wasn’t enough to ruin what he’d created. Though the rest of their illegal, breakneck drive occurred in silence, the slight smile on Elijah’s lips remained.
-
“You’re lasting longer than I thought you would,” Damon chuckled, the slightest hint of admiration in his words. He tilted the knife lazily, your blood gleaming on the metal even in the dim light of the cellar. He ran his finger across it and licked the blood off, and that felt even worse than the cut he’d made with it. “I’m glad, honestly. I’ve been having a great time with you. I missed doing things like this.”
“You’re sick,” you ground out, but your threats carried no weight. You were on the edge of death, only hanging onto your consciousness by a thread of pure spite.
Crimson stains all but flowed through the fabric of your clothing, ruining them beyond all repair. Your skin became a madman's twisted canvas, lacerations of all kinds scattered all over your arms and legs, and each of your nail beds were ripped raw.
You thought you would have become numb to the pain by now, but it was a constant onslaught, the agony multiplying rather than canceling out. Your blood had been replaced with fire, scorching hot flames running through your veins and spilling all around you. It had even seeped into the wooden chair, excess blood that missed their mark pooling on the floor around you.
You simultaneously felt like you were freezing and melting, each new cut bringing the warmth of your blood then leaving you shivering as you lost more and more of yourself.
Unconsciousness delivered temporary relief until you were jarred awake, taking more and more of Damon's destructive grudge against you before you fell back into darkness and the cycle started anew.
You’d never wished for death until now.
“And you still have the strength to insult me,” he chuckled. “Maybe you are special—I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as stubborn as you.”
“Because I refuse to let you kill me,” you growled.
“I’m afraid you don’t get that choice.” Damon looked like he wanted to say more, but he frowned as his head perked up. It took another moment of him focusing for him to sigh heavily.
“Looks like the party’s over, princess,” Damon said. “It’s a real shame I didn’t get to kill you the way I wanted to, but,” he shrugged as he looked at the knife's handle, “this’ll do.”
Pure agony exploded inside of you before you even realized what was happening, red hot fire igniting as you screamed. He'd buried the blade hilt deep in your chest, and you knew then that this was it.
“I hope you enjoyed our time together,” he murmured in your ear, standing over you with a sadistic smile as he ripped the knife out, “because I sure did.”
He examined the metal as you cried out, and Damon threw it to the side. He moved on you quicker than you could visualize, wrenching your head back by your hair to bare your neck. Your limbs were too leaden to make any attempt at escape, and you were only able to scream as Damon sank his fangs into you.
He left you gasping for air against the new hole in your neck and fighting against unbearable pain. He really was trying to get back at you for everything, starting with the day you should have died in the alley.
“I hope you fucking die!” you yelled through a rush of adrenaline, but Damon was already gone. You really should have kept taking vervain.
You gasped out as a fresh wave of pain rocked through you, screwing your eyes shut to try and hold back the tears. You’d already shed so many that you were surprised you still had it in you.
Not like you had much left in you anyway. You were bleeding out in a basement alone, after all.
“Fuck,” you rasped. Your whole body screamed for relief you couldn’t provide. You could feel yourself shutting down bit by bit, piece by piece, as the life drained out of you through your neck.
Your wound burned hot, unbearably so, and you wondered whether you would bleed out from your chest, your neck, or the lacerations all over your body.
You laughed, the sound deranged. When did your life get to this point?
Black spots began to form in your vision, ones that you couldn’t blink away, and your whole body felt like it was made of concrete.
So this was it, then. You were going to die here, alone in a basement, all because of your own stupidity.
All of your problems seemed laughably futile in the face of death.
You should have quit your job and gone somewhere that you were appreciated. You should have tried to reconcile with your mom or even just brute-forced your way into making her appreciate you. You should have gone somewhere closer to home for college, should have kept your relationship with your sister rather than leaving behind the only thing in your life that mattered.
You should have mustered the strength to tell the Mikaelsons everything in your heart no matter how confusing, you should have left town the moment you found out about their lies.
You should have never lied to Bianca, who would never find out exactly what happened to her sister all those years ago when she disappeared.
You said you would call.
You never did.
The black spots began to overtake your vision, your eyelids heavier than ever.
All you wanted was sleep.
But then the door slammed open, falling off its hinges from the force, and you just managed to raise your head enough to see your visitor.
It was him.
“Kol,” you whispered, and you wanted to sob. “You’re here.”
“Bloody hell,” he breathed, his eyes wide as he took in the whole scene.
“You’re here,” you repeated. “You found me.” You felt your consciousness fading with every moment, but it didn’t matter. Kol was here.
Kol rushed over, kneeling down next to you, and he took your face in his hands as he said your name with more desperation than you’d ever heard before. “Of course I’m here—I’d always find you. I’m right with you, but you have to stay with me.”
“I’m tired,” you murmured. “I’m so tired, Kol. Everything hurts.”
“I know, darling, but you have to stay with me. Do not close your eyes.” He bit a bloody gash into his wrist and held it up to your mouth, and you were so weak that he practically had to feed it to you.
Kol pulled away when you couldn’t handle anymore then broke your bonds with his bare hands. He caught you as you crumpled forward.
“You’re going to be okay,” Kol repeated as he laid you down on the floor, pressing his hands against the stab wound in your chest. His breathing was heavy for someone that didn’t need oxygen, and his eyes kept darting to the wound on your neck. “You’re going to be okay.”
He sounded like he was convincing himself more than you, but you could hardly hear him. Kol was a hundred miles away, and your breathing slowed.
“Love, stay with me.” The pressure on your chest wound increased, and though Kol’s blood was running through your veins, you didn’t feel any better. Everything was heavy. “Elijah will be here soon and everything will be alright. We’re going to get you out of here, you just need to stay with me!”
“I’m sorry,” you rasped. “Kol, I—”
He shushed you, wild eyes darting between you, your wounds, and the door. “Don’t waste your energy. Just focus on staying awake.”
But you couldn’t. You were so, so tired, and everything hurt, and you just wanted it all to go away. You barely felt it as he moved your hand up to your neck, and your fingers, already drenched in dried blood, got a fresh coating.
“Just put pressure on it,” he begged. “Please—I know you can do it.”
“I’m so sorry, Kol,” you whispered.
Kol said your name desperately, but it was no use. Your eyes fell shut, and the world around you faded for what could have been the last time.
Notes:
so. how are yall feeling again again
kol is the one that saves her so i guess he was her kolnly hope lol
ive had this arc planned out for a while and it's honestly my favorite part of the fic so far. i love some good hurt/comfort and by talos is there some hurt/comfort here. reader is going through it, damon is a torturing bastard, elijah is stressed out, and kol is out for blood. very fun time all around
thank you for 800 kudos that is insane!! we have officially passed the 100k mark so it's very fitting lol. again here is the spotify link spotify link so that you can see the vibes; i listen to it a lot when i write these chapters
thank you again for reading and i hope you enjoy!!
Chapter 21: West Virginia
Notes:
minor tw for parental death and child neglect at the beginning
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
You wait for your mom by the door absentmindedly, holding your sister in your arms as you stare at the cracked, peeling paint.
Dad said he would paint it the next time he was back, when he had more than a weekend to sit down and relax. Weekends like that were hard to come by.
Bianca reaches for a sliver of red paint. You push her hand down gently, encircling it with your own. You look down sadly at your sister, barely fourteen months, and you wonder if she knows what’s happened.
Mom mumbles your name as she finally reaches you, tucking her phone back in her purse and taking the key out. Her eyes are red and her voice is hoarse.
It’s the first time you’ve stepped foot in the house as a family of three, the first time since the doctor called and told you he didn’t have much longer. Your homework sits abandoned at the kitchen table, and the television is still on. The house feels too big.
“We’re home,” you whisper to Bianca as Mom closes the door behind you, and you see her standing there when you glance back, keys in a limp grasp and expression absent of anything.
You swallow the lump in your throat but allow the tears to fall. They well up inside of you, threatening to choke and overwhelm you, but you let them fall.
You don’t have many other choices.
You walk over to the sofa and sit down, setting Bianca next to you as one leg dangles off the cushions. You pick up the remote and turn off the TV, but you almost regret it. The silence is thicker than the tension.
You watch Mom toss a stack of letters on the kitchen table, and you open your mouth to say something but she’s already walking away. Her bedroom door closes, and something settles over you.
You wipe the tears away as best you can, taking a tissue from the box with one hand and picking up one of Bianca’s coloring books with the other. You dry your cheeks and your eyes, and you turn to your sister with the semblance of a smile that you can manage.
“You want to color?” you ask. Her smile melts your heart as she nods, and you set the book in her lap. “Pick a page. I’ll go get your crayons.”
“Mama,” she babbles, and you bite down hard on your lip.
“She’s taking a nap,” you say, and you can’t help it as you glance over at their room. Her room, now. Mom hasn’t said a word since you left the hospital despite your best efforts. You want her to yell at you, scream at you, cry at you, just do anything to prove that she can still feel.
You bite down harder and you taste metal.
Bianca’s tiny hands play with the pages, and sometimes it takes multiple tries before she manages to turn to the next. You get up and gather some of the crayons that have been scattered around, a side effect of a toddler in the house, and you amble back over to sit back down next to your sister. She’s not playing with the paper anymore so you assume she’s chosen a page.
“Here,” you say, holding out your hands with an array of jumbo crayons. “Pick a color.”
Bianca does so happily and begins to color horrendously outside of the lines. It’s enough to make you smile for the first time in weeks.
Your gaze drifts to the door. You wonder when she’ll come out.
Bianca grabs at your arm, and you tear your eyes away to smile down at her. You talk with her as she babbles at you, explaining her art process very extensively. It hangs over you like a shadow, preventing Bianca’s happiness from being fully infectious, keeping you glancing over at her door every so often.
The doorbell rings, and you jolt in place. Bianca doesn’t seem bothered, and there’s no sign of movement from her room, so you smile down at your sister and get up to answer it.
You’re met by a middle aged woman, neck-length blonde hair and crows feet that soften the hard edges. She’s holding a glass casserole dish and you can’t remember her name.
She says yours, only making you feel worse, and smiles. “Is Margaret here, dear?”
“She’s napping,” you say. A chip of paint falls off the side of the door where your nail digs into the wood.
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” she says, shaking her head. “It— it’s terrible. Jonas was so young.”
You nod, the motion numb. You can’t even remember her name.
“Thank you.”
She nods as well, and offers the dish to you. “It’s shepherd’s pie, my own recipe. Margaret asked me for it ages ago, and—” the woman laughs— “I figured there was no time like the present.”
“Thank you,” you repeat, and you take the dish from her. The glass threatens to burn your hands.
“If you ever need anything, sweetie, don’t hesitate to call. We live just across the street. You tell your mother that too. Alright?”
You nod. You don’t even remember her name.
She presses a hand to her heart and bows her head. “Mike and I are praying for your family. It’s awful. Just awful.”
“Thank you.” You feel like a broken record. “We appreciate it.”
The woman nods again, and after more hollow back and forth, she leaves with a promise to pray again for you tonight. You shut and lock the door behind her.
“Mom,” you say, walking back into the living room, “I have dinner.”
The heat digs into your palms, finally making you realize, and you set it down on the table.
“Mom,” you call. “A woman brought dinner. One of your friends”
The door stays shut.
“Mom.” Your voice rises, anger and annoyance fueling it. “Bianca needs your help. I don’t know what to give her for dinner.”
Nothing. Your nails dig into your palms so deep you’re surprised you don’t draw blood. They’re still warm from the glass.
You feed yourself. It tastes like sand. You give Bianca some milk and very carefully feed her some of the pie in small portions. She seems to like it, and she doesn’t choke to death, so both are wins.
You put her to bed, and she thankfully doesn’t cry. As you go downstairs to turn off the lights, you look back at the door.
You fall asleep thinking of paint chips.
-
Darkness met you immediately when your eyelids cracked open. Panic spiked through your entire body and you surged upwards, already going into overdrive as you sucked in haggard breaths. Your head whipped around when you felt a hand in yours, and you saw Kol and nearly lost it right there.
He said your name softly, gripping your hand tighter. “You’re back.”
“You’re still here,” you managed, voice raspy from disuse.
Kol smiled softly. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
For a moment, the two of you just stared at each other, your ragged breathing at odds with his still chest. And then you lunged at him, pulling him into the tightest hug you could muster.
He was here. He saved you. He was beautiful and he was here and he hadn’t left you.
He hadn’t left you.
When you’d finally grounded yourself, you hesitantly pulled away, keeping your hands on his shoulders as you looked around the room. You didn’t recognize it, but you figured it had to be a Mikaelson home just from the age of it all. “Where are we?”
“One of Elijah’s estates,” Kol responded, “deep in West Virginia’s countryside.”
You chuckled. “West Virginia. That’s a little far from home.”
“We wanted a place for you to heal away from everything,” Kol said. “Privacy and safety—from Mystic Falls and all its inhabitants.”
You swallowed thickly, your mind flashing to the man who’d put you here. “Where is Damon?”
“Subdued,” Kol said bitterly. “He’s locked in the cellar with enough vervain in his system to immobilize any vampire tenfold.”
“This place has a cellar?”
“Think about who you’re talking to,” Kol said wryly.
You managed to smile, and you fell back against the pillows. Despite the blood that had brought you back from the edge, your body still ached. “Good.”
“Nik also doesn’t know,” he said, watching you carefully, “of our whereabouts nor this estate. He can’t find you here.”
A shiver ran down your spine as you recalled your very pleasant conversation with him. “...Good.”
Your hand found its way to your neck, and your fingers traveled the length of the raised scar. You could still feel his fangs tearing into your skin, an echo of his attack in the alleyway.
“All of your injuries are healed,” Kol said quietly, “but there are… still some reminders.”
All your injuries had been healed through a concerning quantity of vampire blood, and knowing that it was the only reason you survived made you uneasy. But what if—
Your eyes snapped to Kol’s, and you almost couldn’t bring yourself to ask.
“Am— am I—?”
He thankfully understood, because he shook his head and grasped your hand tighter. “No. You didn’t die that day. You’re still a witch.”
Relief crashed down on you like a mountain, and you sunk even further into your pillows. “Thank god. I think being a vampire is the last possible thing I needed.”
Kol chuckled, and you looked up at him with tired eyes. “So you know that I know.”
He nodded after a moment. “Yes. I’m sorry that you found out in such a way.”
“Par for the course,” you mumbled. “Nothing good ever happens any time I’m around the Salvatores.”
“Damon should have never laid a finger on you,” Kol said. “He’s a child that can’t let go of his grudges.”
You raised your eyebrows. “Pot calling the kettle black.”
Kol rolled his eyes. “Do not compare me to that brute.”
“Okay,” you said with a slight chuckle. You looked down at your intertwined hands, and it had taken you this long to notice the frozen shock that usually accompanied your contact with vampires was absent. His hand was still cold, of course, but no jolt went through you, no instinctive dread.
“How did you even know I was gone, Kol?” you asked softly. “I know I contacted you, or— or whatever that was. But you were already with Elijah. Like— like you already knew I was gone.”
“...Because I did,” Kol answered after a moment.
“I’m guessing that’s not your vampire intuition,” you said dryly.
He huffed a laugh and shook his head. “No. You…” He sighed and moved forward in his chair. “Up in New York, you used latent magic to find that crystal ball. I believe then, by complete accident, your magic formed a very weak bond between us. You were able to reach out to me through that bond, and it only strengthened it.”
“I made a… bond between us?” you repeated, eyebrows furrowing. “That doesn’t make sense. I didn’t even know I was using magic up there.”
Kol shrugged. “Magic works in mysterious ways. And it was a good thing it happened—that link allowed me to hear your thoughts, feel your emotions. It got us to you much quicker.”
Your frown deepened as you sat up. “You… can’t hear my thoughts right now, can you?”
Kol laughed, grinning slyly. “Why? Are there some things you don’t want me to hear?”
Your cheeks heated furiously and you scowled. “Kol.”
“No,” he said, still smiling, “I can’t hear them. It only happened because you actively reached out to me.”
“Good,” you grumbled, though your face was still hot to the touch. Your thoughts were more muddled than ever these days—you most certainly did not need Kol to have access to them.
“The bond might have been broken all together,” Kol said, “but I’m not sure. You’d been using a thread of magic subconsciously to keep it intact, and you were pushed quite close to the brink back there. It might have dissolved when you nearly died.”
“That’s probably a good thing,” you said dryly. “I don’t need you attuned to me. I already barely have any privacy around you all, with your super senses and all.” You looked at the wall. “Elijah’s probably listening to us right now.”
“Probably,” Kol agreed.
You looked back at Kol, and something struck you. “You said you could hear my thoughts, feel my emotions.”
He nodded. “You were feeling quite a bit back there. Very uncomfortable for someone unaccustomed.”
Your lips quirked into a momentary smile before your expression sobered. “Could you also feel… everything else?”
Kol was silent for a moment before he nodded, and your face fell. “Yes.”
“God, Kol,” you murmured. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine—”
“You quite literally can imagine,” he interrupted, and you glared at him.
“That’s not the point,” you said. “You felt every single bit of it because of me. I was in unbearable pain, Kol— I can’t believe I put that on you too.”
“Relax, love.” Kol moved forward, and he cupped your cheek with his hand. You could have gotten lost in his eyes. “Vampires don’t feel pain the same as mortals. I could feel it, yes, but it wasn’t half as bad. I’m alright, I promise you.”
“Still—”
“Do not apologize.” You placed your hand over his own, and he smiled. “It was the reason we were able to find you, how I knew you were still alive. I would have taken on much, much worse for you.”
“We have a lot to talk about,” you murmured, “don’t we.”
“We do,” he agreed quietly.
You blinked and shook your head, pulling away as you collected your bearings with a hefty sigh. “You said Damon was in the cellar. He’s not dead?”
“Not yet. While I was getting to you, Elijah was having a little chat with him.” He spoke with pure hatred, even though you knew he was trying to hold back for your sake. It matched the emotion twisting inside of you. “Elijah said…” Kol sighed. “Elijah said the decision of his fate is up to you.”
His fate was up to you.
What did you want?
You wanted him to feel all the pain that he enacted on you for no reason except petty grievances. You wanted him to feel the hopelessness engraved in your soul when he left you for dead. You wanted him to suffer.
You wanted him to die.
But you knew that once you crossed that line, there would be no coming back.
“You do not have to decide now, of course,” Kol said. “I just wanted you to know that—”
You shook your head, interrupting him, and let out a loose shaky breath. “Let him live.”
Kol frowned immediately. “What?”
“Don’t kill him,” you murmured. “He’s more trouble than he’s worth.”
“He nearly killed you,” Kol forced out. “He kidnapped you with the intent of your death, then tortured you until you were on the brink. Why in the name of all that is just would you want him to live?”
“I don’t,” you admitted. “But if you kill Damon, then you will cause a war between you and all their allies.”
“We have fought much worse than the Salvatores,” Kol said. “He does not just get to do this to you and get away with his life!”
“I’m not worth starting that big of a mess over.”
“You are worth everything,” Kol insisted, and his voice broke. It shattered your heart into a million pieces.
“If you’re worried about me now, imagine what would happen during a war like this,” you said weakly. “Who do you think will be the first person they go for to hurt you and your family?”
“…If it is truly what you want, I will tell Elijah.”
You didn’t want to let him live. But you couldn’t make the Mikaelsons suffer through something like that for you. And you were afraid of what you would feel after ordering the death of another.
(You weren’t afraid of the guilt. You were afraid you wouldn’t feel anything.)
“It is,” you said quietly.
“…Alright.” The fire in Kol’s eyes told you how he felt on the topic, but he didn’t fight you any further.
“Just… make sure he won’t ever come near me again.”
He huffed a mirthless laugh. “If the brute even thinks of you, it will be his head.”
You managed a thin smile. “I’m glad you’re on my side.”
“We all are, love,” he said. Kol’s expression changed the slightest bit, guilt in his eyes. “And I’m so sorry for keeping your ancestry a secret from you. But Nik—”
“I know,” you said softly, and you took his hand again. “He threatened you. He told me.”
“I wanted to tell you the truth,” Kol said, “especially after our visit with the Silvanus coven. But I…”
“You couldn’t risk it.”
He nodded. “Nik only recently took the dagger out. I couldn’t stand going under again.”
“I don’t blame you,” you murmured. You didn’t blame Rebekah, either—you couldn’t imagine someone having that much power over you, your sibling of all people.
No. That fell on Klaus.
On Elijah.
You swallowed the lump in your throat at the thought of Elijah. He was here. He helped save you. You would have to talk to him later. (Confront him, rather. About how many more times he thought he could get away with lying to you.)
“How long was I out?” you questioned, trying to change the subject from the grating of your thoughts.
“You fell unconscious after I reached you, and you remained so until now. You were comatose for…” Kol’s throat bobbed, “for five days.”
Your eyes widened. “Five days?
It hadn’t seemed that long. You remembered excruciating pain, Damon leaving you to die. You remembered Kol’s face. Then it was darkness until now.
But you had lost five days.
“You may be a witch, but at your core, you are just as vulnerable as a human,” he said. “Your body was in immense shock from the torture, and you were additionally drained from the magic you used to reach out to me. You quite literally shut down.”
“I remember you giving me your blood,” you said. “That was supposed to heal me, right?”
“It did,” Kol nodded, “but it doesn’t work instantaneously, and you were nearly dead to begin with. My blood was the thing that saved you. If we hadn’t—” he paused and glanced away for a moment, sucking in a deep breath as he tried to gather himself. His voice was quieter when he spoke again. “If we hadn’t gotten to you when we did, you wouldn’t have made it.”
“Kol…” you whispered, and he glanced away from you again.
“You said you wanted to avoid being stabbed more after New York,” he said dryly, trying to hide his emotions to not upset you. “You’re not very good at that, apparently.”
You laughed, and then you let go of his hand in favor of enveloping him in the tightest hug you could manage.
At first he flinched, but almost immediately after he responded by wrapping you in his arms like he never intended to let go. You felt the tears starting to fall as you buried your face in the soft material of his jacket, but he just pulled you closer to him.
“Thank you,” you managed through your tears, squeezing your eyes shut as you focused solely on the feeling of being in his arms. “Thank you for everything. You saved me, Kol.”
“And you saved me,” he murmured.
The two of you remained like that, grasping onto each other like a lifeline, until you felt your eyelids begin to droop. You were still so tired.
“Kol,” you murmured, but he already knew as he pulled away from you.
“Rest all you need, love,” Kol said. He hesitated for a moment as he helped you back against the pillows, then pressed a kiss to your forehead. Your skin burned underneath his touch, but you were hardly conscious enough to think about it further. “I will be here when you awaken.”
You wanted to say something, thank him for how unwaveringly he’d been by your side during this, but you couldn’t manage words. Instead, your eyes fell shut, and once again, everything faded into darkness.
-
“I know you’re here.” Kol didn’t look away from your face, your steady breathing a relief that allowed some weight to dissolve off his shoulders. But not all of it.
“How is she?” Elijah asked, taking a cautious step inside the room. Kol allowed himself a glance at his brother, and his attention was fully focused on you. Of course.
“Better. She woke up, she spoke lucidly. But I’m sure you already know that.”
“Good,” Elijah said, ignoring the additional comment. He opened his mouth to say something, but words didn’t follow.
The silence between them was something strange indeed. After the conversations they had during your five days of unconsciousness, Kol and Elijah knew something about the other that no one else had heard them say aloud.
He had suspected it, of course. And Kol himself hadn’t exactly been subtle, not for a single moment since you went missing. But knowing for a fact of Elijah’s true feelings elicited a strong streak of jealousy inside of him.
Kol decided to break the silence. It weighed far too heavily. “She hasn’t said anything of you, if you were wondering.”
“What did she say?” Elijah’s tone was carefully neutral, his expression shifting so marginally Kol could hardly tell if he was affected by his words.
“She was mainly worried,” he said, “confused. About what she’d been through, where she was. Of Nik and Damon.”
“What of Niklaus?”
“She doesn’t want to be around him. I assured her he had no knowledge of this estate.”
“And of the Salvatore?”
“Why are you asking me all of this?” Kol looked at Elijah, his lips pressed into a thin line. “You could hear all of it, I’m sure. Trying to make sure I don’t lie?”
Elijah didn’t waver. “What did she say about Damon?”
He let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head. “I told her his fate was in her hands. She hasn’t made a decision.”
“...Inform her I will be waiting for her input,” Elijah said. “But do not pressure her.”
He knew. But Kol found he didn’t really care.
-
You surged upwards, breathless as your eyes burst open. They darted around wildly trying to make sense of your surroundings before you remembered where you were. Even then, it took several moments to force your breathing into a steady rhythm, trying to remind yourself that you were safe. You could still feel the knife against your skin, and you screwed your eyes shut.
Damon could do nothing to hurt you. Klaus didn’t even know where you were. Elijah and Kol wouldn’t let anyone touch you.
Elijah.
The thought of him made you uneasy, realizing that you hadn’t spoken to him since you found out what you really were.
And god, if there was ever a conversation you needed to have, this was it.
You glanced at the clock. 2:33 in the morning.
Vampires did have no need for sleep. And even without it, Elijah was a restless soul.
You looked at Kol, out cold in the chair by your bedside and his hand still holding onto yours, and a small smile curled on your lips.
Well, maybe some vampires needed rest. Especially ones that had saved your life and stayed by your side for days.
You carefully extracted your hand from his grasp and pressed a kiss to his forehead. You wouldn’t ever be able to thank him for all he’d done.
You creeped out of your room as quietly as you could, not bothering to shut the door. This place was absolutely beautiful, but it was old—everything creaked, and you didn’t need Kol’s super senses waking him up from well-deserved sleep.
But when you made it to the living room, you were surprised by what you saw.
Elijah was awake, of course, but in a state you’d never gotten to bear witness to. He’d shed his suit jacket and his tie was undone, and never-before-seen wrinkles marred the navy vest. He’d rolled up the sleeves of his white undershirt, revealing forearms with bloodless veins that really did something to you. And most shocking of all—he stood in the kitchen, a washcloth in hand, wiping down the counters.
“Elijah.”
He didn’t look at you right away, though he did pause his endeavor. You knew he heard you coming, heard you wake in the first place, but he still looked wholly unprepared.
Nevertheless, he cleared his throat. Said your name. Avoided your eyes. “I’m glad to see you’re doing well. You caused us all quite a scare.”
“Next time I get kidnapped and tortured, I’ll be sure to hold up better,” you said.
His lips pressed into a thin line, a weak attempt at a smile. “That would certainly be of aid.”
“You knew.”
This time, he did look at you. Maybe the accusation forced the nobleman in him to the front. To his credit, he didn’t try to lie.
“I did.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” you asked, pressing forward. “And don’t say it was for my protection, because that clearly didn’t work.”
He sighed as he set down the washcloth, an obvious weight on his shoulders. He looked exhausted. “Niklaus kept it a secret so he could use you, and he kept our siblings on the path with the threat of daggers. I can assure you that neither Kol nor Rebekah truly wanted to keep it from you, especially as they got to know you better.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” you said.
Elijah looked at you with weary eyes. “You say you do not want to hear it, but it is the truth. I kept it from you to protect you. Niklaus would not have let you live had you known prematurely.”
“That’s bullshit,” you bit out. “I could’ve gotten out of here before I got caught up in any of this if you told me from the start.”
“You wouldn’t have believed me. Besides,” Elijah looked directly at you, “you wouldn’t have left anyways. Not with your family here.”
That took the fight out of you. He was right, frustratingly so, on both points no matter how much you hated it.
“Maybe Klaus wouldn’t have found me if I left before I met him,” you attempted. “If I never came back in the first place.”
“Perhaps,” Elijah said. “But I found you.”
You slumped onto the couch, an uncomfortable numbness creeping over you.
“Elijah,” you said, and you hated how weak your voice sounded, “what the hell have I gotten myself into?”
His lips parted as if he wanted to respond, but he was interrupted by the creaking floorboards.
“Love, you cannot just disappear after what we’ve been through,” Kol said, rubbing his eyes as he walked into the living room. “I don’t trust you to be out of our sight anymore.”
“I’m fine,” you said, but a quick glance at Elijah proved you didn’t know how true that was. “Just a little restless.”
“Your rest is important, especially now,” Elijah said. It was as if your conversation never even happened as he pushed his sleeves down and picked up his jacket. It irked you. “Our blood may have helped with your physical recovery, but you’re still weak.”
“Don’t worry,” you murmured. “I… I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere for a while.”
“We’ll stay here as long as you need,” Kol said. “Trust me, love. We aren’t going anywhere without you.”
You smiled a bit. Kol always knew how to cheer you up. “Thank you.”
“I’m going to pay a visit to our prisoner,” Elijah said, suit and tie back in impeccable order. He looked at you. “Have you decided?”
You nodded. “Let him live. But… make sure he knows what happens if I ever see him again.”
Elijah nodded and left the room. Kol let out a long-lasting sigh as he flopped onto the couch next to you, laying his head on your lap. You chuckled.
“I still think you should let us torture him until he’s begging for mercy,” Kol said. “Or at the very least let us kill him.”
“I know,” you said. “But try to control yourself for me, okay?”
“I’ll try,” he inflected.
You couldn’t help but smile. You carded your fingers through his hair, and though he tensed beneath you for a moment, it was gone just as quickly as he smiled up at you.
“Is this my reward for trying?”
“It’s your reward for being you,” you murmured, continuing to play with his hair. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Kol’s eyes softened impossibly so. “I’m not going anywhere, love.”
You’d never believed those words before.
You believed him.
“What am I going to do, Kol?” you asked, hating the desperation in your voice.
“About what?”
“Everything.” You continued to run your fingers through his hair, the action calming you, and you looked at the empty fireplace. “About my magic, my mother, Bianca, my— my father—” Your voice broke and you shook your head as you let your head fall back against the cushion. “And about Damon fucking Salvatore.”
Kol sat up, a frown distorting his features as he twisted around to face you. “I will help you figure out your magic and its bounds as soon as you’re healed. I’m clearly not good with family, but I trust that you’ll figure it out—I’ll be with you every step of the way. And,” his lip curled, “you don’t have to worry about Damon. Any time you decide you’ve changed your mind, I will gladly hunt him down and gut him for you.”
“The fact that I’m in a place where that’s comforting is what worries me,” you said wryly. You pulled your legs up onto the couch, hugging your knees to your chest. “I see him, Kol. In every shadow. When I close my eyes. When I look at these damn scars.”
Kol moved closer and cupped your cheek, surprising warmth emanating from his hand. You were struck, unable to do anything but look into his eyes.
“I will not let anything happen to you,” he promised. “Not again. I will light up every corner of this house, I will prove we are safe out here, I’ll infiltrate your dreams if that’s what it takes to banish him from your thoughts.”
A breathless laugh escaped you. “Awfully big promises.”
“Ones that I mean wholeheartedly,” Kol said. He ran his thumb across your jaw and a shiver traveled through you. “You know that, right?”
Your words came out in a whisper. “And what am I going to do about you, Kol?”
“I already told you I’m not going anywhere,” he murmured. “It’s your choice what to do with that.”
Your heart hammered in your chest, and by the glint in his eyes, he was fully aware. You moved before you could doubt yourself and pressed your lips to his.
It took a single breath for Kol to reciprocate with all the fervor you’d been expecting, that had to have been building up inside of him. His other hand moved and he cupped your face in his hands, somehow pulling you even closer to him.
His lips were warmer than you thought they would be— he was warm, surprisingly so. Your legs bumped into his and Kol kissed you harder, then hauled you up. You stumbled with him, hands never leaving each other’s body, until you bumped into a wall. Kol’s whole body pressed against you, boxing you in, and you swore your entire being flushed. You only separated when breathing was a necessity—you were sure Kol would have kept going with little regard for mortal needs.
“You’ve no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” Kol whispered against your lips.
“I think I have some idea,” you responded, laughing breathlessly. You gasped out as he nipped at your neck, and you shook your head. “You’re terrible.”
Kol grinned as he touched his forehead to yours. “I know.”
It just felt so damn right to be like this, to be so close to Kol. To kiss him like he could be yours and you could be his. Like nothing stood between you. Like you weren’t a witch, like you weren’t comatose less than a day ago, like the strings between you hadn’t become so impossibly tangled.
Like you were just you and Kol was just Kol and that could just be enough.
He suddenly pulled away, and when you opened your eyes you saw he was scowling. You followed where he was looking and you wanted to dissolve into nothingness.
“You have horrible timing,” Kol bit out.
“My apologies,” Elijah said, clearly not sorry. There was a sizable splatter of blood across his white shirt and his jacket was slightly rustled, but aside from that he looked perfect as ever. Annoyingly so.
You joined Kol in your scowling. “You have vampire hearing. You chose to do this.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” Elijah said.
“You are truly awful,” Kol said sweetly, and he stepped away from you with clear reluctance. Everything felt colder without him in your vicinity.
“Thank you,” he responded. Elijah looked between the two of you. “Damon will be returned to his keeper in a few hours.”
“Alive?” you asked.
“Unfortunately,” he confirmed. “I told him very nicely to never bother you again.”
The red against the white drew your attention. “How lovely.”
“I thought so,” Elijah agreed. He eyed his brother with something unreadable, but Kol didn’t back down.
“I was going to head into town to pick up a few things before our meet up,” Elijah finally said, looking back at you. “It would be wise for you to have sustenance apart from our blood.”
So Elijah’s blood fueled your five day coma as well. All you needed was to get injured around Klaus to complete your Mikaelson blood quartet. The thought made your skin crawl.
“That would be nice,” you said. “Do you need a shopping list?”
He shook his head. “Do not worry. Grocery shopping is one of my many skills.”
Kol rolled his eyes. “Just get on with it and go.”
A smile quirked on your lips, even more so when Elijah raised his eyebrows at him. “I’ll bring you with me if you continue to act like a child.”
“Because fathers go over so well in this family,” Kol mocked.
Elijah glanced at you. “You’ve bolstered his ego beyond repair. Excellent work.”
You shrugged. “I think he earned it.”
Elijah shook his head with a sigh, every bit the exasperated older brother. “I recommend you two get cleaned up.” He looked at you. “There are some things we need to discuss now that you are awake.”
You bit your tongue as he left, blowing out a loose breath when it was just the two of you again.
“That was… the worst way for this to go,” you said, letting your head fall back against the wall.
“I thought it went quite well,” Kol mused. “Especially the part where you kissed me.”
Your face was on fire and you glanced away, a sheepish smile on your lips. “Elijah was right. You are unbearable.”
“Oh, love,” he grumbled as he took your hand, pulling you back into him, “Elijah is never right.”
And as you dissolved into another round of kisses with the man that pulled you back from the brink, your worries melted into the background. However temporary, it was still a relief.
Everything might have been a mess, but you had Kol. And things couldn’t be all bad if you had Kol.
Notes:
turns out all it takes to bond with your vampires is to nearly get tortured to death! who knew
anyways this chapter has what a lot of you guys want (and what i want too tbh) which is mikaelson bonding and KISSES yes. the first first kiss has happened. only took 100k words. shoutout to kol for having a mind of his own and taking himself down a completely different path than i originally planned because he is responsible for it. i hope you like it because i rewrote the whole scene like 4 times bc i couldnt get it how i wanted it
it's going to be the kol and elijah show for a while as reader recovers and discovers many things; elijah is my favorite mikaelson so im happy to finally be giving him some screen time again and kol seems to be a fan favorite so it's a pretty good time
also! reader was unconscious for 5 days. elijah and kol were there the entire time. together. and i wrote a one shot for it. do you guys want to see it //// edit: she's posted! https://archiveofourown.org/works/48813163
Chapter 22: Conversations
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You didn’t regret kissing Kol.
Repeating that to yourself was the only thing keeping you seated, the only thing allowing you to even glance in Elijah’s direction. Your lips still burned with the memory, your cheeks surely the same.
You didn’t regret it. You’d wanted it for longer than you realized, and knowing for a fact that Kol felt the same for you was… God, it meant more than he probably knew.
You had run in circles around your feelings for miles in your head once you figured out that, yeah, you kind of wanted to jump the guy who repeatedly threatened to kill the first time you met. But Kol was far different than he presented himself, so much kinder and softer and a whole bunch of other adjectives he’d probably hate to be described with.
But it was freeing, to finally know where you stood with him.
Momentarily freeing, when you remembered how entangled you were with all the Mikaelsons, but freeing nonetheless.
You tried to focus on the one piece of the puzzle you’d solved, because you really managed to get yourself into some mess.
Even worse that this was only the half of it. A third of it, really, when you took Elijah and how little you knew about all his facets into consideration. You had no idea where Rebekah was, and you didn’t even want to imagine what Klaus was up to.
You didn’t think he would go after your family. Not after everything.
But then again, he proved you didn’t know him at all. You were a fool for ever thinking you did.
Kol lounged beside you on the sofa taking up all the space he desired, Elijah across in an armchair looking every bit the nobleman. Empty bags sat abandoned in the kitchen, their contents all put away through your collective efforts—though Elijah insisted on making something for you before your conversation, you insisted harder that you talk right now.
Apparently your brush with death and Elijah’s slight guilt over his lies earned you some leverage over him. You didn’t mind.
“So,” Elijah said, breaking the silence and drawing your attention back to him, “I believe it is well past time I ask how you feel.”
“Better,” you said. “My body’s still pretty sore. My chest feels all tight when I breathe, and…” You trailed your fingers across the jagged scar on your neck. “You know.”
“That is to be expected,” he said. “Our blood healed you, but your body went through an intense amount of trauma. I do not think the marks will be permanent, especially with your magic, but they will certainly last.”
“And to think,” Kol said, “the first time I fed you my blood, you spit it out.”
“There wasn’t much I could do back there, Kol.” You looked down at your hands with a grimace. Your nails weren’t the bloody mess from before, but they were still tender to the touch. It would take a while for them to grow back to what they used to be.
Rebekah would have a heart attack if she saw them. Your chest twisted at the thought of her.
“I know.” Kol glanced over and laced his fingers through yours, squeezing your hand and offering a slight smile. “And I’ll make sure you never feel that way again.”
A smile of your own formed and you nodded. You were about to say something when Elijah cleared his throat, looking very pointedly at your intertwined hands.
“That is the next thing we need to talk about,” he said.
Kol rolled his eyes. “Of course. Because I’m not actually allowed to be happy, am I?”
A muscle in Elijah’s jaw ticked. “You know that is not what I mean. We’ve already had a discussion.” He focused on you. “It is past time we include you in it.”
Your stomach twisted and you shifted uneasily. Kol’s touch brought you some relief but not enough. “Right.”
“How long have you had feelings for Kol?” he asked bluntly. Your entire face burned and you wanted nothing more than to sink into the cushions. You were a grown woman and you could do whatever you liked with Kol—why the hell did it feel so much like you were in trouble?
“I don’t know,” you admitted. “It just kind of… snuck up on me. It probably began when he started being nice to me in New York.”
“That soon?” Kol asked in disbelief. “God, you were whipped as soon as you met me.”
You hit his shoulder. “Shut up.”
He grinned and pulled you closer into his side. “Quite embarrassing for you.”
“I don’t ask to humiliate you,” Elijah said, bringing your attention back to him. His expression betrayed absolutely nothing, not even in the slightest. “I ask because my brother worries me.”
Kol rolled his eyes. “We’ve already established how little I care for Nik’s feelings.”
“And we’ve already established how little he cares for yours,” Elijah responded tartly. “It is a matter of balance.”
“...You think Klaus likes me,” you said reluctantly. The words were bitter on your tongue for more reasons than you wanted to accept.
“We know, love,” Kol said. “No one could treat him the way you do and keep their life without having a bit of his heart.”
“And Rebekah?” you asked, but you already knew the answer.
“I would question the validity of your degree if you didn’t know by now,” Kol said.
Your cheeks heated. You were sure that you knew of all their feelings far earlier, you just didn’t want to accept it. Didn’t want to accept that you’d drawn the attention of an entire family of murderers, didn’t want to accept that you’d started to crave it.
“You’re both taking this… surprisingly well,” you said once you felt like you could speak again.
“We have been around for a millennia,” Elijah said. “Little is taboo after that long.”
“I’ve also had a clue for quite some time,” Kol said wryly. “Dearest Nik isn’t skilled at hiding his affection, no matter what he thinks.”
“And this is not the first time we have ended up in this situation,” Elijah added.
“You’ve all…” you paused, brows furrowing as you tried to find the words. Defining your relationship was not an easy task. “...Been with the same person before?”
“Not in the traditional way.” Elijah pushed up his sleeves, loosened his tie. It took a moment too long for you to stop staring at his hands, even longer with his forearms. “People gravitate towards strength, and we had it in spades. Some wanted love, or whatever facsimile of it they thought we could offer. Some wanted to be turned. Most wanted power.”
“If it makes you feel better, I don’t want power,” you said. You shifted your position, your shoulder bumping into Kol’s. “I— I don’t even think I want to be a witch.”
“Sorry to say you don’t really have a choice,” Kol said.
“I figured,” you said dryly.
“But not to worry,” he continued, squeezing your hand. “I’ll teach you everything I know. And I know quite a bit.”
You squeezed back and smiled at him. “Thank you.”
He nodded, and Elijah brought your attention back to him when he cleared his throat. “You’ve spent enough time with us by now to have a base understanding of who we are. Individually and as a family.”
You made a noncommittal noise. “You guys are a lot to handle.”
His lips twitched. “And that will only be exacerbated if you choose to remain with us.”
“We’re jealous,” Kol said simply. “Needy. Possessive. We’ve penchants for annoying each other, and you fall into all of that.”
You huffed. “I couldn’t tell.”
“We bring danger with us,” Elijah said. “We’ve more enemies than you can imagine. We’re powerful enough to stand against most of them, especially as a family, but most of them wouldn’t hesitate to harm you for the sake of harming us.”
The scar on your neck burned and your chest felt tighter. “So I’ve gathered.”
“What I am trying to say is that this will not be easy,” Elijah continued. “Our world is not easy. We are not easy.”
“But we all care about you,” Kol said. “And you quite clearly care for me, at least.”
Your cheeks heated as you bit back a smile, shaking your head. “I care about all of you as well. But I…” The words died in your throat as your smile faded slightly. You couldn’t seem to verbalize it.
“Do not feel as if you must provide an answer here and now,” Elijah said. “We know who we are, what we inherently demand. It is not an easy decision.”
“It’s not that,” you said. “I— I like you.” Your eyes darted to Kol. “All of you. Far more than I should. I just—” you huffed a laugh, shaking your head as you leaned against the sofa. “I don’t know how to handle all of this.”
“It is a lot,” Kol said dryly. “I don’t imagine many other vampiric families are knocking on your door, asking for your hand.” He frowned. “At least, there better not be.”
You laughed and shook your head again, some of the tension melting in your shoulders. “I don’t, thankfully. It’s just that I haven’t dated since… God. Since I was twenty-one. And this feels a lot more personal than just another date.”
“Four years?” he asked in disbelief. “What have you been doing?”
“Working like an absolute maniac,” you said. “My last boyfriend broke up with me a couple months after graduation because he said I cared more about my job than him.”
“Did you?” Elijah asked.
You shrugged. “I was a fresh grad working the worst hours for awful pay trying to make it in NYC journalism. I didn’t have a choice.”
Kol grimaced. “And that’s all you’ve done since?”
“Basically.”
“Love, the more you tell me about your life, the more depressed I get,” Kol groaned, and he pulled you into his side. “I’m starting to have regrets about saving your job.”
You rolled your eyes half-heartedly but let yourself slump into his embrace. “I’m gonna have to go back to it eventually.”
“That’s the thing,” he said. “You don’t have to.”
“He’s right,” Elijah spoke up. “I actually believe it would be counterintuitive. You’ve got your witch problem, your Salvatore problem—”
“My Mikaelson problem,” you said. “My father problem.”
His lips twitched. “Yes. It would be unwise of you to return back to mortal life on your own when you’ve got multiple targets on your back.”
“We need to start working through your abilities,” Kol said. “Figure out just what you can do as a witch before you find yourself in trouble again.”
“I know,” you said. “I… I just need to take some time to think about all this.”
Elijah nodded. “Of course. Take all the time you need.”
“But… I do want this,” you said. “I’m not sure about this life. But I’m sure that I want you all in it.”
A rare smile graced his lips. “That is… good to hear.”
“Obviously,” Kol said airily, though you could hear the relief in his voice. “Like you could walk away after the way I kissed you.”
Your cheeks heated and you buried your face in his shoulder. He just laughed and pressed a kiss to the crown of your head.
“I suppose that was as good of a discussion as we could have,” Elijah said with a sigh, and you heard him stand up. “I’ll get started on dinner.”
“Do you need any help?” you asked, adjusting your position so you could look at him.
Elijah shook his head. “You need rest. I can handle this.”
“Are you sure?” you asked.
“Love, you’ve only been walking around for a day after practically dying,” Kol said. “Let him do all the work.”
You rolled your eyes and leaned into Kol’s side, practically sinking into him as he snaked an arm around you and pulled you closer. “Fine.”
“I also got you some new clothes,” Elijah said, speaking slightly louder to be heard across the room. “You’ll have to forgive me that they aren’t Rebekah quality, but they are fully intact.”
You grimaced, looking down at your tattered clothes. Still caked in blood and sweat and torn where Damon stabbed you—you’d nearly forgotten they were such a mess since the rest of you was mostly clean. Kol deserved extra credit for kissing you like this. “I don’t need Rebekah quality. Thank you, Elijah.”
“Of course.”
You sat there in silence with Kol for a good long while, at least thirty minutes, calmed by the noises of the kitchen as Elijah worked. It was all strangely domestic, with emphasis on the strange. You spent five comatose days trying not to die, and now a thousand-year-old vampire was making dinner for you while another thousand-year-old vampire laid with you on the couch.
You couldn’t help but laugh. Kol glanced down at you.
“Is something funny?”
“All of this,” you murmured. “It’s ridiculous.”
“How so?”
“I should be dead,” you said. “Instead I’m here with my two immortal vampires in a century-old house, and one of them is making dinner for me.”
“We’re yours, now?” Kol asked, voice laced with amusement.
“You know what I mean,” you mumbled.
“I don’t mind it,” he said, taking your hand in his. “I quite like being yours.”
“Can you not flirt with me when your brother is right across the room?” you muttered. Kol could surely feel all the heat running through your body, and his teasing was the last thing you needed.
“I think I’ve made it very clear how little I care for my sibling’s feelings,” Kol said, absentmindedly running his thumb in soothing circles on the back of your hand.
“But you should care,” you said, inclining your head. “At least a little bit.”
“They’ve hardly cared for me,” he responded, “not even a little bit. Barring Rebekah, I suppose, but my brothers have always been more than happy to stick me in a box whenever it’s convenient for them.”
“Kol,” you murmured, tilting his head back towards you with your thumb, “I told you I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you, didn’t I?”
“I don’t see how you can stick to that,” he said wryly, “seeing as how you couldn’t even keep anything bad from happening to yourself.”
“Kol,” you repeated.
“Sorry,” he murmured. “It’s just too easy. Bad things happen to you so frequently.”
“And whose fault is that?”
“Yours,” he said, and he laughed as you swatted him on the shoulder. “What? It is your fault.”
“I hardly see how this can all be my fault,” you said.
“Well,” Kol said, inclining his head, “you got caught up in all this mess in the first place, then dug yourself even deeper with Nik.”
You frowned. “He tried to kill me then threatened me every time we met after. I’d say that’s his fault.”
“That’s just how he is,” Kol said. “Spend a few centuries around him and you’d get used to it.”
You rolled your eyes as you leaned your head on his shoulder. “I don’t plan to be around in a few centuries.”
“You could,” he said.
“I already told you,” you murmured, “I don’t want to become a vampire.”
“You don’t have to.” You felt him pull you closer into his side. “There’s a myriad of witchy things you could pull off to lengthen your lifespan.”
“And we’re not anywhere near that territory yet,” you said with a chuckle. “I finally managed to kiss you after thinking about it for months, Kol. Let’s get through the paces first before we get to magical immortality, okay?”
“Fine,” he said breezily, but you could hear the amusement in his voice. “But we can’t completely put off the magic. It’s important you learn how to defend yourself.”
“Believe me,” you mumbled, the scar on your neck all too sensitive, “I know.”
The two of you continued sitting in silence, made comfortable by Kol’s embrace and only slightly strange with the knowledge of Elijah’s presence only a room away. You were surprised when Kol was the one who broke it, though.
“You’re sure you want this?” His voice was little more than a whisper.
“Yes,” you affirmed, and you tilted your head up to look at him. “I’m well and truly stuck in your mess.” Your lips quirked in a slight smile. “I guess it’s my mess now, too.”
“It’s very rude to call us a mess, love,” he said, but his own smile betrayed him.
You were broken out of your Kol-induced stupor by Elijah clearing his throat as loud as humanly possible. “Dinner is ready, if you still care.”
Kol’s smile faded as he rolled his eyes and reluctantly stood up, pulling you alongside him. “I have worked up an appetite.”
“Kol,” you scolded. It might have been childish, but you didn’t want to deal with the complexity of this— this situation any more than you already had. Proper communication really was exhausting in this kind of mess.
“What?” He glanced at you. “I’m not going to apologize.”
“Just try to behave,” you murmured, and you smiled graciously at Elijah as he set plates of a pasta dish and a big bowl of salad on the table. He got it all done incredibly quickly—though vampires didn’t exactly need to eat, you figured between a thousand years of fighting, one could find time to hone their cooking skills.
“Thank you,” you said, taking a seat. Kol, naturally, took the one beside you, and Elijah sat across from his brother. “You’re a lifesaver, Elijah. Quite literally.”
He smiled and nodded. “Of course. Taking care of you is the least we can do after all you’ve been through on our behalf.”
“When do you think I’ll be alright to go back to Mystic Falls?” you asked. “I— I have to make sure my sister is okay.”
“I assure you, she is,” Elijah said. “I’ve got eyes all over the town. I would know if even a hair on her head was touched.”
“I—” you sighed, allowing yourself a forkful of pasta before you started talking again. “I sent her texts before I confronted Klaus, because I kind of thought he might kill me on the spot. And now my phone’s on the side of the road, and it’s been radio silence on my end— she’s gotta be worried out of her mind.”
“You really think things through before you do them,” Kol remarked, “don’t you?”
You rolled your eyes. “I wasn’t in my right mind. You can hardly blame me.”
“I have not heard any word,” Elijah said. “Which is a good sign, especially considering Niklaus.”
“He’s probably wreaking havoc somewhere else,” Kol mused. “His whole plan fell apart right before he was about to be rid of it. You really were a wild card, love.”
Your brows creased. “That’s what I’ve been wondering. What was this plan of his?”
Elijah stilled, and Kol huffed a laugh. “Would you like to tell her, dearest, noblest brother, or should I?”
“There’s no need,” he said, slightly strained.
“Oh, I very much think there is,” Kol said snidely, and he looked at you. “It was all about testing you. If you came back alive from everything, you were good enough to aid him. If you died, then you were out of his hair. He won either way.”
“Stefan did say he wanted to use me,” you said. “And Klaus explained some of it himself before I ruined everything. I just don’t know what the hell kind of use I would have been to him without knowing any of my magic.”
“He didn’t expect to actually come to care about you,” Elijah said. “Had things gone the way he planned, you would likely be working for him fully under threat. It’s how he keeps many of his subordinates in line.”
Your heart clenched painfully as you thought of Klaus on your doorstep, talking with Bee. God, Elijah better be right.
“It is quite in character for him,” Kol said airily. “The only thing he had to do to succeed was not fall for you, and he couldn’t even do that.”
“I’m glad things ended up the way they did, then,” you said. “I nearly died about a million times, but I didn’t.”
“You’ve a talent for getting yourself into messes,” Kol said. “We just ended up getting caught in a mess ourselves.”
“I assure you that my involvement was to keep you as safe as I could,” Elijah said. “You just happened to make that remarkably difficult by refusing to back down from— well, quite literally anything that crossed your path.”
“It’s a talent,” you said wryly, and Elijah cracked the slightest of smiles.
“Can we stop talking about all of this?” Kol asked. “It’s awfully depressing, and I know you have a knack for it, Elijah, but I tire of it easily these days.”
His smile faded and you had to bite back one of your own. “Behave, Kol.”
Kol scoffed. “This is behaving. Honestly, you ask too much of me.”
Elijah shook his head with a sigh. “Let us just eat in silence, brother.”
“Oh,” he said wryly, “you know I could never.”
-
Things weren’t supposed to be like this.
You—
You were okay. You were supposed to be okay.
You survived. You survived and you kissed Kol and Elijah was on your side no matter what happened, and Damon wouldn’t so much as think of you again if he valued his life.
So why the hell could you not stop crying?
It started slow. After dinner, Kol excused himself to go hunting—lamented that he could settle for animals while you were out in the middle of nowhere—and Elijah went off to read something or other to maintain his noble, educated vampire appearance.
You were showering. Thankfully, though the architecture was beautifully Georgian—and likely built during that time, if you knew Elijah— it still had all the modern amenities. You’d been stuck in these clothes for long enough, and though Kol and Elijah had done a good job of getting all the blood off of what they could see, you were still far too grimy for anyone’s liking.
It wasn’t a big deal, watching your own dry, cracked blood get darker then flake off your skin, but then the water was a constant stream of muddy pink. Then you had to scrub your skin raw to get the rest off, and you couldn’t even bring yourself to go near the scar on your chest and on your neck, and before you knew it you were crying.
Crying, and then it turned to sobbing. And then it was a torrential downpour, and you’d never been so thankful to be in the shower because you could hardly tell what was from you and what was from the pipes.
Fifteen minutes passed, and the part of your brain that had gotten used to five minute showers to save on the water bill kicked in over everything else. You wiped your face in a useless move and hurried out, grateful for the fogged up mirror because then you had an excuse to not look at the mess you’d become.
You dried off between tears then got dressed in the clothes Elijah had bought for you between tears—you wondered belatedly what his idea for clothes you’d like was, but you were immensely thankful that you could have a breakdown in a hoodie and sweatpants.
At least the waterworks weren’t as strong. But you’d managed to cry yourself into a headache at this point, and all you could do was lay on the bed you’d spent five days dying in and stare at the ceiling.
Not even an hour ago, you’d been sitting and laughing and joking with Kol, leaning into his side and stealing kisses and making vows to a future that you didn’t know if you would get the chance to have.
Being alone with your thoughts was a curse, as of late.
But the sudden knock on the door seemed more of a curse. You sat up, cleared your throat, and wiped away your tears before you muttered a “come in”. You felt as if you at least owed whoever it was a chat, even if it ended just as quickly as it started once they saw your voice.
You expected a sated Kol, happy after a satisfied hunt and looking for conversation or kisses or both, but instead you were met by a slightly discomfited Elijah. Still in the white undershirt he’d worn the entire day, his forearms exposed with a single button undone, and wet hair combed back like he’d had the same idea.
His skin wasn’t splotchy and his eyes weren’t rimmed red, though, so you assumed he’d fared far better than you.
“Are— are you alright?” he asked softly. He didn’t close the door behind him—he stood in the doorway, obviously keeping his distance. Still treating you like glass. “I heard your heartbeat.”
“And my crying,” you managed. “It’s hard to miss. There’s really no privacy around you two.”
“I apologize,” he said. “We can’t exactly help it.”
“I know.” You cleared your throat and rubbed at your cheeks again, trying to wipe away any remaining tear tracks. Elijah had seen you at your worst, on your literal deathbed and when you made the worst deal of your life and when everything had fallen apart around you, but you were still so embarrassed about crying in front of him.
It wasn’t fair that he had been through so much worse and he could still be so put-together, could still look perfect as ever and make your eyes wander with just the sight of his bare forearms.
“Something’s on your mind,” he said.
“Is it that obvious?”
“One becomes quite good at reading people in a millennia,” Elijah responded. “You have also dealt with… a lot. It is not a stretch to wonder if something is on your mind.”
“Everything is on my mind,” you admitted, and you looked up. He still stood in the doorway, almost awkwardly, as if he was unsure of his place. That was at least one thing you could do.
“You can come in, you know,” you said, voice slightly watery. You scooted over on the bed and patted the spot next to you. “If I’m baring my soul to you, we might as well be next to each other.”
“...Are you sure?” he asked.
You nodded once, then twice. “It’s time we officially bury the hatchet between us.”
His lips twitched in a momentary smile. He closed the door then walked over and sat next to you, but without the usual tension in the air. You appreciated the change of pace.
“I’m just… thinking,” you said. “I wasn’t lying when I said everything is on my mind, because I don’t even know where to start.”
You counted off on your fingers as you spoke. “I’m a witch. My father is alive and he’s a witch. My sister is in Mystic Falls surrounded by lies. I have no idea where Rebekah is, I have no idea how to deal with Klaus, and Damon fucking Salvatore has got the pettiest vendetta against me, and I know I’m safe with you two around me, but I’ve still got these damn scars—”
Your voice cracked, tears threatening to spill over again, and your neck ached. It was almost unconscious when your fingers ghosted over the scar.
“I can’t stop thinking about it,” you whispered. “Every time I close my eyes, I’m back in that cellar. Bleeding out and dying and— and all I can see is his fucking eyes. Just staring at me as he kills me over and over and over.”
The only sound in Elijah’s silence was your slightly labored breathing, and you wiped away tears before they could fully fall.
“You are right,” he finally said. “You are safe. If he even thinks of you, he will never think of anything again.”
“Murder doesn’t make me feel better,” you lied.
“We will not let anything happen to you,” Elijah vowed. “Neither Kol nor I allow any harm to befall you so long as we live—I believe we have made that much clear over the course of today.”
Your throat bobbed. “That… does make me feel better.”
“Do not be afraid to ask for help,” he said. “We have been alive for a millennia—we have dealt with our own trauma, and though we may not have always dealt with it in the best of ways, I at least know some… less dramatic coping methods.” Elijah looked you in the eye. “You do not need to suffer alone.”
“Just because I know it doesn’t mean I know it,” you said wryly.
“Kol already made some awfully big promises,” Elijah said, and you flushed. “If you do not trust me, I believe you can at least trust him.”
“That’s not it,” you said. “Everything’s just… complicated, more than I ever thought it could be. I almost wish I had all my work problems again, because those seem laughable compared to what’s going on with— with all of this.”
“I’d like to apologize once more,” he said. “For hiding the truth from you and making all of this more complicated.”
You sighed. “Elijah…”
“I do believe that hiding the truth from you was the right thing to do,” he continued, not phased by your attempt at dissuading, “but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt you.” His eyes trailed over the scar on your neck. “It… quite clearly hurt you.”
“I… I understand,” you said. “I don’t like it, but I understand.” You glanced at him. “I don’t think I can just say ‘no more secrets between us’ and make it happen.”
“No,” Elijah agreed. “I believe asking a Mikaelson not to have secrets is going against the very fiber of our being.”
“I believe it,” you said wryly. You’d been around Elijah for a few months now and you still felt like you hardly knew him—you only saw what he wanted you to see, when he’d seen your entire life bare before you.
“I do not expect you to understand everything I do,” he said. “But I give you my word that I will never intend to cause you harm.”
“Can I even have your word for that?” You looked in his eyes, startlingly dark. “Your family hurts people, Elijah, even if you don’t try to. I’m not immune to that, and we both know it.”
His throat bobbed and he opened his mouth, but no words came out. You sighed and glanced away, wrapping your arms around yourself.
“I know what I’m getting into,” you said. “I— I don’t know it all, but I know who you all are. I know what this is going to mean, what I could end up in. And I’m telling you that it’s worth it.” Your gaze stayed connected with his. “You are worth it, Elijah, no matter how many times you’ve thought differently.”
“Such strong notions,” he murmured. “We could have saved ourselves some trouble if this came to light sooner.”
“I’ve never been one for making things easy,” you said quietly.
“No.” Elijah chuckled softly. “You certainly are not.”
An impossibly long moment passed, and you felt as if you couldn’t breathe. When you spoke, it was little more than a whisper.
“What do you want, Elijah?”
He stared at you for a good, long while, his throat bobbing as his gaze flickered down to your lips for just a moment before meeting your eyes again. It felt like centuries before he took in a deep breath and broke the tether as he finally looked away. Time resumed around you as air returned to your chest, and your gaze fell to the ground when he stood up.
“What I want doesn’t matter,” he finally said, taking a few steps towards the door. “Not right now. Not until we have all of this figured out.”
“Elijah—” you started, looking up at him, but he shook his head.
“I will not be another obstacle in your life,” he said, turning around to meet your eyes once more. “Not when your life as you know it has changed overnight.”
“You’re not an obstacle,” you insisted. “You’re— you’re you.”
“That is not as reassuring as you think,” Elijah said wryly.
“You know what I mean,” you insisted. “You’re just as much a part of my life as Kol— I want you to be just as much a part of it.”
“And I’m unable to understand it, no matter how thankful I am for it.” He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, ruining whatever work had gone into the impeccable styling. “Now is just… not the time.”
You weren’t even able to get his name out this time before he interrupted you again.
“This is not an argument,” he said. “You are… very dear to me, more than you know. But when I have my brothers to deal with and you have a father to find and magic to learn, this is the last thing we need to focus on.”
“You don’t get to decide that for me,” you argued.
“No,” he agreed, “but I am deciding it for myself. It just happened to be the correct choice for you as well.”
“You’ve never stopped me from making bad decisions in the past,” you said.
“And I may just be your worst,” he said quietly.
Any words that might have worked stuck in your throat, and Elijah’s gaze remained focused on you.
“We will figure all of this out,” he said. “I promise.”
“That may be the biggest promise yet,” you managed.
“And it will be fulfilled.” His eyes flicked back down to your lips for just a moment before they met your eyes again. “When I have you, I don’t want any distractions.”
The click of his shoes sounded against the floorboards after he closed the door and walked off, and you thought you might pass out.
All you could imagine was his expression as he heard your heart beating out of your chest all throughout the house.
Notes:
heyyyyyy... how yall doin
So. um. it has in fact been 176 days since i have updated and for that i am VERY VERY sorry. like how does that even happen. like i know i warned you all but that's just ridiculous. i have been very busy lately with school and extracurriculars and family stuff and i just have not had any time (and honestly desire) to write fic, besides that one baldur's gate one shot lol. i was like omg im going to do so much writing over winter break and then i was so busy over winter break and i ended up writing like 3000 words at once while hanging out with my friends on the last day of break so that's cool at least
life was very bad for a while but now it is very good!! finals szn is upon me and it makes me want to rip my hair out because as of this author's note i have spent a consecutive 14 hours in the library studying --- and as of this updated note from a much later version of myself, it paid off bc i got all A's and kept my 4.0!! so mostly everything is going well for me which is very nice. i hope you all are doing well too and thank you again!!! for being the greatest readers on this earth and putting up with my bs. anyways enjoy some mikaelson sweetness (and a bit of elijah serving) bc i think we all deserve it.
AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STILL BEING HERE IF YOU ARE STILL HERE!! AND THANK YOU FOR 1000 KUDOS THAT IS INSANE!! I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO MUCH AND I APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH AND I HOPE THAT THIS CHAPTER ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE LMAO <333 love u all happy 2024
Chapter 23: Reunions
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“God, Kol,” you coughed as you waved a hand in front of you, “how long has this just been sitting in some corner of the world?”
Your attempts to disperse the cloud of dust that came with Kol setting the book down were mostly fruitless. You tried your hardest to avoid thinking in stereotypes when it came to your millennia old vampires, but he quite literally handed this one to you.
“Quite a while,” Kol said. He brushed the rest of the dust off the cover—it spurred on a couple more coughs that he got to avoid—then pushed it over to you. “But it has a fair bit of knowledge that would do you well.”
“How long have you had this?”
“Almost the whole millennia,” he mused. “It was my first grimoire. We’ve been through a lot together, him and I.”
You flipped it open to some random page in the center, and you blinked. “I… have no idea what this says.”
He chuckled. “It’s Old Norse. My mother gifted it to me when my powers started showing—she clearly recognized I was the most talented Mikaelson.”
“And so humble, too,” you remarked.
“Oh, I see no need,” he said. “It’s a blatant fact that I was the best of us.”
“...Klaus did say that.”
Kol’s eyebrows rose. “He did? Did you get it on tape?”
“No,” you said. “He kind of told me in the middle of our huge argument.”
“...Ah,” he said. “Well, I believe you. And I am going to hold it over Nik the next time I see him.”
“Klaus might kill me the next time we see him, so one step at a time, okay?”
“Oh, he won’t kill you.” Kol flipped to the next page. “He might kill an entire town while he’s nursing his pride, but I doubt he’d hurt you.”
You frowned. “That’s worse.”
“Then he’ll only kill you,” he said. “Better?”
You huffed a laugh and shook your head, tapping your fingers on the table. “Let’s get back on topic.”
He smiled and nodded, then turned the grimoire back to you. “The first half are spells that my mother contributed, but I added to it as I learned more. Even after we were turned and I lost the ability to do magic, I still continued to write spells. Collection of knowledge and all that.”
You shook your head as you flipped to the next page. “I don’t know how you remember all of this. I mean, half of it doesn’t even make sense to me.”
“Welcome to the life of a witch,” he said. “It comes with time, but things are going to be difficult for a while.” His lips twitched. “It also doesn’t help that they’re written in the language of whatever country I was in at the time. I don’t suppose you’re fluent in all the major Romance languages?”
“Definitely not all of them,” you sighed, and you shook your head again. “It feels pretty hard to be slick if I’m carrying this around everywhere.”
“Which is why we’re going to practice,” Kol said. “By the time we’re done here, you’ll have all your basics memorized.”
“Good,” you said. “Because I’m really tired of being helpless.”
His eyes softened. “Our world is not an easy one. Especially when you’ve been unaware of your powers for so long.”
“I just didn’t think I was going to come so close to dying so many times already,” you said wryly.
“I told you I would protect you, love,” he murmured. “And that starts with being able to protect yourself.”
The concept had never sounded so appealing. The scars on your neck and chest still ached, and nightmares hijacked your sleep most evenings. But you were so damn tired of being weak.
Your hands clenched into fists in your lap. “What happened that night is never going to happen again.”
Kol smiled, his eyes twinkling. “That’s my girl.”
Learning magic with Kol was, suffice to say, not easy.
Apparently, it had been a while since he’d actually taught anyone magic. He hadn’t had it himself for so many centuries, and he really wasn’t aware of how difficult it was to live as a human and be brought into this world when he’d been aware of it his whole existence.
You didn’t know the technical parts of magic at all, so you had no idea how to use it when you wanted to rather than your emotions leading the way.
(“Every time I’ve used magic I’ve either been on the brink of death or really annoyed,” you’d complained. “I’m not good at all this technical stuff.”
“I suppose I’ll just have to do what I do best and annoy you then,” Kol mused.)
He took you through a lot of the basics, like making pillows levitate, turning the lights on and off through will alone, lighting candles—if nothing else, you could be a parlor trick witch.
After a candle flame got a little too intense—and you told Kol what you did when your magic was revealed to you—he decided to take things outside. He said he didn’t want to deal with Elijah’s complaints if you ended up burning the house down, and you agreed.
Once you got through the basics, he turned to easier spells from his grimoire. You set more things on fire, revived dead plants, killed alive plants then revived those too— real exciting stuff.
Kol was in the midst of explaining a more complicated spell when he stopped, then groaned.
“Look alive, love,” he grumbled. We’ve got company.”
You looked over to see Elijah walking outside—once again, he’d shed his jacket and pushed his sleeves up. You appreciated the unobstructed view of his hands and forearms.
“I appreciate you bringing this outside,” he said. “This house is not one I frequent, but I would like to keep it intact.”
“I’ve already started one fire,” you said wryly. “Figured I didn’t need to do it again.”
“A very good choice,” he nodded.
“Now that Elijah is here, our fun is ruined,” Kol complained. “Lessons are over for the day, love.”
“I am pretty exhausted.” You kneeled down to help him gather the menagerie of things he’d brought out for you to practice. “I don’t know how witches do this sort of thing all the time.”
“This is your first day of purposefully doing magic,” Elijah said. “It certainly isn’t easy.”
“I’ll get you some water,” Kol said. He gestured with his head, and you dropped all the things you’d picked up into his arms. “Sometimes I forget you need it.”
You chuckled and pecked him on the lips. “Thank you.”
He smiled and nodded, then started to walk inside. “Enjoy your boring conversation with my boring brother while I’m gone.”
Elijah offered a thin smile as he walked past him into the house—that Kol promptly ignored—and you couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” Elijah said. “He’s always been like this. Your boost to his ego has not helped, though.”
You smiled and shrugged, then brushed some stray ashes off of your shirt. You probably liked starting fires a little more than you should have.
“It’s good to see you, Elijah,” you said as you looked back up at him. “It feels like it’s been a while.”
“Well, you’ve been busy. I take it your first day of magic lessons went well?”
You nodded. “As well as it could be. Kol’s certainly an interesting teacher.”
His smile grew just so. “I’ve no doubt he’s doing his best solely for you. I dare say he’s trying to impress you.”
You bit back your smile. “He’s being a good teacher. And if I just so happen to reap any benefits because of our situation, then I guess I just have to deal with it.”
That same smile remained on his lips as his attention fell to the nature surrounding you, and you couldn’t help but stare.
Not just because he was beautiful, because god, yes, he was, but—
Elijah had been keeping his distance lately, ever since your last interaction.
You never knew what to do when it came to Elijah, but everything had changed in such little time. A part of you wanted to be angrier at him for the role he’d played in all the lies about you, but you were as tired of being angry as you were of being weak.
(Maybe. You were pretty sure you could keep this grudge against Klaus for a lot longer.)
But there had always been something about Elijah.
He was the first Mikaelson you met, the only one you got to meet without the pretense of his family name and all the knowledge that came with it—you were genuinely interested in him, genuinely attracted to him, back in the days of coffee shops and the library when you thought he was nothing more than a charming historian with very poor spatial awareness.
You’d always liked him, even when you thought you hated him—you were sure he’d always liked you too. Why else would he want to keep you safe even when he had no reason to trust you?
And now, when it felt like you were so close to crossing that line, he’d put up an impenetrable wall that only he could take down.
He’d seen you lay entirely bare in front of him, on the verge of a death he saved you from. He said you were dear to him. He said he wanted you. You wished you could malign him for moving at this pace, but you couldn’t—not when it took you this long to realize what you wanted.
You just didn’t know how to break through this final barrier. You wanted him, he wanted you, but he was holding himself back for a stupid reason.
You opened your mouth to say something—what, you weren’t exactly sure—when your efforts were foiled by Kol coming back outside.
“I hope the two of you are enjoying yourselves,” he said. He handed you a glass of water and you accepted with a grateful nod. “Fitting that the conversation dies as soon as I leave.”
“So full of yourself,” Elijah said.
“For a very good reason, brother.” Kol slung an arm around your shoulder and brought you closer, and you smiled as you leaned into his embrace. Sure, you felt a little weird showing affection to Kol when you were so close to Elijah, but this was the one thing you had talked about.
And Elijah was the one holding out, not you. If he didn’t want to be jealous anymore, the door was very clearly open.
“Excuse us for a moment, Elijah,” you said. You slipped your free hand into Kol’s and started walking back to the house.
“Where are we going, love?” he asked.
“Back to my room,” you said. You immediately gave him a look because you knew what he would be thinking. “And not for that. All this magic has got me tired out, so I wanted to test something.”
“You cannot blame me for my train of thought when you’re the one saying these things,” Kol defended, and you laughed.
“I’m afraid it’s a lot more boring,” you said. Once you crossed the threshold of your room, you separated from Kol to sit on the floor and motioned for him to do the same. He obliged.
“Damon said something when we were together,” you said. “That tapped witches can’t be compelled. Is that true?”
Kol nodded. “Witches before they’ve tapped into their magic are just like any other mortal. They truly become a witch once they tap into their magic, and vampires are unable to compel supernatural beings.”
“That’s… that’s good.” You didn’t want to say it out loud, but you didn’t think you needed to. “Can you try, though?”
Kol frowned. “What?”
“Try and compel me,” you said. “I want to be sure it won’t work on me.”
“Love—” he started, but you shook your head.
“I want to be sure,” you repeated. “That’s why we’re here. I haven’t had vervain in weeks, I’m still recovering from my injuries, I’m exhausted from using magic. This is the best time to see.”
“I don’t want to compel you,” he said.
“You’re not going to,” you said. “You’re just trying, and it’s not going to work.”
Kol sighed and shook his head. “Sometimes I don’t understand you.”
You smiled. “Strong words from a Mikaelson.”
He rolled his eyes, but eventually he nodded. “Fine.”
“Thank you.”
Kol nodded again, and he took a deep breath before he focused in on you, eyes directly meeting. They’d always been startlingly dark, enough to lose yourself in them. You considered it a credit to your strength that it had taken this long to let yourself fall. His pupils dilated, but the way you were drawn to them wasn’t any kind of magic.
“Go out into the hallway,” Kol said. He had the same eerie stillness to his voice that you remembered from New York, but you felt none of the draw it was meant to have.
You smiled and shook your head. “Nothing.”
His eyes returned to normal and he gave you a wry look. “I told you, didn’t I?”
“You did,” you said. “But if being around you all for the last couple of months has taught me anything, it’s to double check things.”
“So you do learn,” he mused.
You shrugged. “Takes getting stabbed a couple times, I guess.”
Kol sighed and pulled you back into his side, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “You’re so injury-prone.”
“I’m not falling onto knives,” you said wryly, allowing yourself to fall into his embrace. “People are choosing to stab me. It’s hardly my fault.”
“Right,” he said. “I suppose I’ll just have to teach you to stab them first.”
“Enough stabbing talk,” you said. “That wound is still far too fresh.”
Kol frowned. “It should have healed from our blood.”
“It—” you laughed and shook your head. “It’s just a saying, Kol. I’m physically fine.”
“...Good,” he said. “The last thing I need is you bleeding out on me.” His frown deepened. “Again. God, we really need to get you started on that combat training.”
“It’ll be okay,” you said. “I can’t be compelled, at least. That’s a weight off my shoulders.”
“I still think you should take vervain,” Kol said. “Built-in protection against compulsion is invaluable, yes, but no vampire wants to drink from someone on vervain. It will be extra protection.”
You raised your eyebrows. “I’m surprised you’d give up that kind of control.”
He scoffed. “I’m not like my brothers. I don’t need to be able to compel you— I don’t want to be able to.”
“...I appreciate that,” you murmured. “It’s… more than a little nerve wracking being around you all sometimes.” You shifted your position a bit. “Knowing how powerful you are compared to me, even when you’re not trying.”
“You know we’d never hurt you,” Kol frowned.
“Elijah said that too,” you said wryly. “But you can’t be sure, can you? I mean, with all the shit we’ve gone through lately—”
“Well, I mean it.” He looked you right in the eye, his gaze and his hands in yours surprisingly soft. “You have to understand that I have never been the first choice, love. I’m the black sheep of this wretched family—never good enough, never strong enough, never enough at all. And now…” The vulnerability in his eyes betrayed his usual smirk, and you squeezed his hand. “And now you’ve put all caution to the wind just to be with me. I’m unsure you know just how much that means.”
Your eyes fell shut as you leaned in to kiss him, your other hand reaching up to cup his cheek. You didn’t think you would ever get used to how nice it felt to just… be able to do this.
“I’ve never had someone choose me,” you murmured when you pulled away. “I— I’ve never had someone stay. My dad didn’t want anything to do with me, and my mom saw me as a burden and everyone else has just been a tourist in my life. But you—” you raised your intertwined hands and pressed a kiss to the back of his hand— “you’ve stayed. You’ve seen the worst of me and you stayed, and that means more than you know.”
“I’m sorry to say that you’re stuck with me,” Kol said, a smile tugging at his lips. “I’ve no plans of letting you go.”
“Good,” you said. “I quite like being yours.”
He chuckled. “Using my own words.”
You shrugged. “I can’t help if they’re true.”
His smile grew as he leaned in to kiss you again, and you only got about five seconds of bliss before he pulled away.
“Do you hear that?” he asked, a frown creasing his brows.
“Hear what?”
Suddenly, Elijah appeared in the doorway. You almost separated from Kol on instinct before you remembered how stupid that was. Elijah had the same frown as Kol, and you couldn’t help your initial smile at the similarities between the two of them—very characteristic that it showed in their annoyance.
“Did you—”
“Yes,” Elijah interrupted.
Kol’s frown deepened. “You didn’t even know what I was going to say.”
“You were going to ask if I heard that,” he said. “And I did.”
“Well, I can hear the two of you talking!” a very familiar voice yelled. “Quit dallying and get down here!”
Your heart skipped a beat, and your smile widened as you shot up. Elijah merely sighed as Kol shook his head.
“How did she even find us?” he complained.
“Rebekah!” you called, already halfway to the door. “Is that you?”
You didn’t even get all the way down the hallway before she was on you, crushing you in a hug that you’d sorely missed. You wrapped your arms around her, trying your best to reciprocate with what strength you’d regained. She smelled like vanilla and it only made you hug her more because it meant she remembered.
“Thank God you’re alright,” she muttered. “My brothers are good for something.”
“I won’t be if you stay like this,” you managed, and as the air flooded back into your lungs when she let go you couldn’t help your smile.
“It’s typical of them,” she grumbled, “trying to steal you away. Much easier than actually using words.”
Kol and Elijah were out of your room by now, and Kol leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. “She enjoyed being stolen away.”
“What makes you think that you had the right?” Rebekah demanded with an extravagant gesture. “Bringing her out to West Virginia of all places without a single word to me? Just whisking her away while she’s on the brink of death?”
“We didn’t have a choice,” Elijah said placidly. “As you said, she was nearly dead. I didn’t exactly have time to make house calls.”
“You weren’t even on the coast, so do try and get over yourself, Bex,” Kol spat. “I know it’s immensely difficult to think of someone other than yourself.”
“And we did not steal her away,” Elijah continued. “How many more times must I explain this to you, sister?”
Rebekah gently tipped your head to the side, doing a good job at ignoring her brothers. Her cold fingers brushed over the scar on your neck, sending shivers through your whole body, and her lip curled.
“I see Damon still doesn’t know not to mess with you.”
“He did a little bit more than mess with me,” you said wryly.
“He did, didn’t he?” The fire inside of her reignited as she glared at her brothers. “I assume you left the bastard alive so I could have the pleasure of making him regret ever being born.”
“Our dearest journalist made the decision,” Elijah said. “She chose to let him go.”
“You let him go,” she repeated with a harsh laugh. “No matter. I’ve a skill for hunting.”
“Rebekah—” you started,
“I will rip him limb from limb and make him beg for forgiveness,” she continued. “His blood will spill for me like rubies. He will become enlightened to the very marrow of the concept of pain, and by the time I am finished, his ancestors will weep alongside him!”
“Rebekah,” you breathed, and when she whipped around to face you, you placed your hands on her shoulders. You almost admired how many threats she had ready at all times. “Calm down, please.”
“That was impressive, Bex,” Kol said wryly. “Have you been taking inspiration from Nik?”
She bared her teeth at Kol. He simply smiled.
“Rebekah,” you repeated. “Calm down.”
She didn’t turn her fire on you, but it still simmered under the surface as she glared at you. “I do not calm down, darling, I get my bloody revenge.”
“And that sounds lovely,” you said. “Just— just not yet, okay?”
“Not yet?” Kol spoke up. “Does that mean there is a chance you’ll let us do it?”
“You are all way too eager to ruin his life,” you said.
“Have you already forgotten what he did to you?” Rebekah asked incredulously. “He will deserve whatever he gets.”
Her words stole the breath from your chest for an impossibly long moment. You were back in that damn basement. Tied to a chair, bleeding out, being told that it was your fault for wanting to be loved. Believing every word he spat at you.
You didn’t snap out of it until Rebekah said your name, blatant concern in her eyes. It took a moment for you to come back, for your vocal chords to work again.
“I’m fine,” you said, though it came out shakier than you wanted.
“That’s not what I asked,” she said, “and you clearly are not.”
Elijah cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should move away from this topic. It’s still very sensitive.”
You shot him a grateful look as you wrapped your arms around yourself. The scar on your neck ached.
“...Of course,” Rebekah said softly. “I apologize.”
“It’s been a while, Rebekah,” you said, and you glanced at her brothers. “Can we have some alone time?”
“If you’re asking,” Kol said, “no.”
“I’m not asking,” you said helpfully.
“Take all the time you need,” Elijah said. He’d barely gotten the words out by the time Rebekah took your hand, and before you could blink you were back in your room.
You let out a breathless laugh as you sat back down on your bed, and you allowed yourself to just gaze up at Rebekah. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders like sheets of liquid gold, her plush lips shimmered from a coat of gloss—her soft eyes held endless amounts of concern.
“I missed you,” you said honestly. “A lot.”
“As did I.” She took a seat next to you on the bed. “I am almost able to forgive Elijah from keeping this from me for so long because of it.” She tilted her head. “You have a way of making my anger fizzle out—do you know that?”
“I’m grateful for it,” you said. “The last thing I need is the three of you fighting.”
Rebekah pouted. “But we do it so very well. It’s almost inhumane to disallow it.”
That got a genuine laugh out of you, and she smiled in return. You pulled one of your legs up and wrapped your arms around it, then looked back at her.
“You said you’re almost able to forgive Elijah for keeping this from you,” you said. “Is that why you’re here? He told you about it all?”
She nodded. “I was off handling… business, of sorts.” Rebekah took your hands in hers, and again, you were surprised at their warmth. “Believe me, darling—had I known what was going on, I never would have left Mystic Falls. I never would have left you. I am so, so sorry for what you’ve gone through.”
You squeezed her hands tighter as you blinked back what felt like incoming tears, determined not to cry in front of Rebekah when you’d just gotten her back.
“It’s not your fault,” you said. “Thinking of you actually got me through a lot of it.”
She laughed, though it was slightly watery. She rubbed her thumb over your knuckles, and her gaze trailed down to your hands. When they did, she frowned.
“Oh, you poor thing,” she murmured. “He didn’t even leave the manicure.”
You swallowed the sudden lump in your throat as you attempted a smile. “It hurts a lot more than you’d think.”
Rebekah shook her head as she looked back at you, fire and brimstone in her eyes. “I don’t understand, darling. Why did you let him go?”
“I… I didn’t want to,” you admitted quietly. “I wanted him to suffer as much as I did. I wish he was dead.”
“A wish that can very easily be granted,” Rebekah said. “Have you forgotten your company?”
You sighed as you leaned against the headboard. “It’ll cause too many problems.”
“Again, have you forgotten your company?” she asked wryly. “Our family has caused and solved a thousand years of problems. Damon Salvatore is quite possibly the least of them.”
You shook your head. “It’ll be enough if I never see him again.”
“And if you do?”
Your scar burned. “I’ll make him regret it.”
Her smile was like a knife. “That’s the spirit.”
“Kol’s promised to teach me some magic,” you said. “The basics and a little more. Enough that something like this will never happen again—we finished the first lesson today.”
“Good,” she said. “I’d love to teach you some things as well, if you’re willing—how to get the upper hand on lesser vampires. I’ve learned how to protect myself quite well over the years.”
“I can only imagine,” you murmured. Protection against vampires sounded good. Especially extremely powerful ones that lied to you and might love you.
Your chest twisted at the thought of Klaus. You looked over at Rebekah.
“Have you talked to Klaus lately?”
“Unfortunately,” she said. “We went hunting together a few days ago.”
Your spine straightened. “A few days ago?”
“He was in quite the mood,” she said wryly. “Took it out on some unlucky hikers.”
“Did he talk about me at all?”
“Darling, you were practically all he talked about.” Rebekah huffed and rolled her eyes. “A millennia old and he still has no idea how to handle rejection.”
“So you—” you faltered, “you know everything then.”
“I know you stood up for yourself and he didn’t take it well,” she said. “That’s really all that matters, isn’t it?”
You let out a loose sigh as you let yourself fall back against the pillows. “I’m still mad at him.”
“And you have every right to be.”
“But I also feel bad.”
Rebekah scoffed. “Do not feel bad for Nik. He brings most of his problems on himself.”
“But we were finally on each other’s side after all the fighting and threatening,” you said. You pushed yourself back up to look at her—you really couldn’t sit still. “And then he had to go and mess everything up again.”
“Exactly,” she said. “He messed it up. It is not your responsibility to have endless grace throughout all of his chaos.”
“But—”
“Can we not talk about Nik for once?” Rebekah interrupted. “He isn’t even here and he’s still causing you strife. If anyone deserves to relax for a bit, I think it’s you, darling.”
“...Yeah,” you said, nodding after a second. “Yeah. I’m sorry. You probably don’t want to hear me complain about your brother when you just got here.”
“I love hearing people complain about my brother,” she said wryly. “I just don’t you stressed over something that isn’t your fault.” She tilted her head. “And something you can hardly control. Nik isn’t exactly known for being rational.”
You managed a smile at that, and you nodded again. “How have you been? What have you been up to?”
“Much better now that I’m here.” Rebekah glanced down at her nails. “I had to make an unfortunate trip to the Midwest. One of my friends through the centuries ended up in a spot of trouble, and for some reason, she called on me to get her out of it.”
Your eyebrows rose. “Is she okay?”
“Perfectly alright,” Rebekah nodded. “I’m quite the savior when it comes down to it. And fighting werewolves never really gets old.”
Sometimes you forgot that werewolves existed. You knew Klaus was technically half of one, but you were so focused on all the vampire problems in your life (and now witch ones too) that you never got to think too much about all the other supernatural creatures running around.
“You must be pretty close if you’re the one she called to get her out of a tight spot,” you said.
Rebekah shrugged. “She’s a vampire as well—almost five hundred years old. We’ve always managed to find each other between the decades, and we always had a little fun with each other.”
Your eyes widened just so. “So you’re…”
“Attracted to women?” she finished, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Yes. It’s rather difficult to go a millennia and not find a girl that catches your eye. And could you imagine only having entanglements with men for a thousand years?” Rebekah scoffed. “God. Even the thought is awful.”
It was something so ridiculous to get caught up on, especially when you almost assumed that Rebekah liked women. It was like she said—it would be hard to be around for a millennia and never even kiss a girl. You realized you wanted to halfway through highschool, and finally acted on it your freshman year of NYU.
But to hear her say it— to know she most definitely wanted you the way you wanted her— relieved the anxiety you hadn’t wholly realized mounted on your shoulders.
“So are you two still…” you trailed off. You didn’t exactly know what their situation was.
“Involved?” She smiled. “No. This was a purely platonic rescue. I’ve already got somebody on my mind.”
“Do you now?” You couldn’t help it as your eyes flitted down to her lips, and as her smile grew, you knew she noticed. “I don’t need to be jealous, do I?”
Mirth sparked in her eyes. “Oh, I imagine you could stand to be. You’ve already got enough jealous suitors of your own.”
“And I imagine you’ve had plenty over the years,” you said wryly. “Someone as beautiful and witty as you?”
“You’re too kind,” Rebekah said. “But that’s your one problem, my journalistic darling. All you do is talk.”
You tilted your head. “Do you want me to do more than talk?”
Her lips curled in the slightest smile. “What do you think?”
You didn’t give yourself the chance to second guess yourself. You cupped her cheek, leaned forward, and kissed her.
You were right, thank god. Rebekah didn’t hesitate as she pulled you flush against her, intent to devour you. She smelled like vanilla and it warmed you from the inside out—that she remembered, that she cared enough.
You couldn’t help but be greedy. It hadn’t even been two weeks, but in the scheme of things, it felt like forever. Now that you had her lips against yours, soft and plush and glossy, it was the only thing you wanted. You had no idea how you waited so long, how she let you wait so long.
When you pulled away, you stared at her with wide, vulnerable eyes. For once, you’d laid all your cards on the table. It was up to her to decide what to do with them.
“My,” Rebekah said, voice airy, “you’ve gotten bolder in my absence.”
“I’m sorry,” you breathed. “I— I start to doubt myself, and the only way I can do it is if I don’t give myself time—”
Rebekah cut you off with another kiss, and your eyes fell shut as you obliged happily. You envied the Mikaelsons if only because they had no need for breathing. She had the same problem Kol did, forgetting about your mortal needs in the heat of the moment.
You pulled away only when your lungs started to burn, and even then you think you would have gone longer just to make Rebekah happy. You think you would do a lot of things right now to make Rebekah happy.
(You made fun of Kol for being whipped for you. You think you’ve been whipped for Rebekah since the moment you met her.)
“You shouldn’t doubt yourself,” she murmured, looking at you through hooded eyes. Your chest rose and fell as you tried to replenish your lungs, a stark contrast to her stillness. “You’re quite good at this.”
“So are you.” You couldn’t help your breathless, giddy laugh. You felt like you were in high school again. “That was…”
“Incredible?”
You nodded. “And a long time coming.”
Her eyes glinted with amusement. “You’re the one who claimed she hated us all for so long.”
“I’ve never hated you, Rebekah.” You took her hand—it enacted such violence when you first met her, but in the name of saving you. She’d always been there for you, even if only in the background, always the one keeping you sane in the face of tempestuous relationships you had with her siblings. “You did fix my wardrobe, after all.”
She laughed and squeezed your hand. “And god, how it needed fixing.”
You wrapped your other hand around hers, so you cradled it between your own. “So you’re— you’re okay with this?”
“I don’t just kiss people for nothing,” she said dryly.
“I mean with this.” You let out a sigh. “I’ve kissed Kol too, and Elijah and I have some strange thing going on, and I don’t even want to get started on Klaus—”
“I know, darling.” Rebekah kissed you again, this time gentler. It was hard to think when she was so close to you, those shining eyes and honey-gold hair and vanilla scent all you could focus on. “Becoming entangled with four siblings at once does not hold the same connotation for you as it does for us. Of course I’d prefer if I had you all to myself, but… I don’t mind sharing.” A softer smile tugged at her lips, the usual knife’s edge dulled. “I most enjoy seeing you happy.”
The weight on your shoulders dissolved with her every word. It had been years since you’d been in a relationship with someone, even been on a date that you considered worth your time, and now you had four immortal vampires that you were kind of in love with, that were in love with you.
“Then I’ll do my best to make you as happy as possible,” you vowed. “Because your smile is too beautiful to hide.”
Her smile widened as she leaned in to kiss you again. You allowed yourself to fall into her, to let her take control—she’d just pushed you against the mattress when she paused, groaning as she pulled away from you.
“You really are the worst, you know that?” She spoke to the air, and you frowned before your attention was drawn to the doorway—Elijah stood there unfazed, Kol right beside him. Rebekah was beside you in an instant, and you would have had the decency to be embarrassed if this wasn’t the third time something like this had happened.
You squeezed your eyes shut as you pushed yourself up, your skin burning from the inside out despite yourself. You were realizing it was fucking impossible to do anything in a house of vampires.
You wanted to get annoyed at him, but when you focused and saw an uncharacteristic frown creasing his brows, alarm bells immediately went off in your head.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s your sister,” he said. Your heart dropped, and suddenly your skin burned for a different reason.
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve told you I have eyes in Mystic Falls,” he said. “One of my sources spotted Stefan Salvatore leaving your estate last night.”
Your hands clenched into fists as you shot up from the bed. “If he laid a goddamn finger on her—”
“She is unharmed,” Elijah interrupted. “I asked my source to ensure your sister’s safety, and she was spotted at school this morning in one piece. No visible injuries, and he could not overhear anything strange in her conversations with classmates.”
“Perhaps he was just lurking around,” Kol said. “Vampires do love to lurk.”
You shook your head. “Not after what Damon did. Stefan can’t be that much of an idiot.”
“You say that, but the Salvatores continue to amaze me,” Rebekah mused.
“I have to disagree with you, sister,” Elijah said. “He may have left your sister unharmed, but he certainly did something.”
“How do you know?” you asked.
Elijah didn’t respond, instead choosing to turn his phone around. You were shocked to see a picture of a missing poster—one with your smiling face plastered on it front and center.
“Oh, Bee,” you murmured as you took it and looked closer. “What have you gotten yourself into?”
You could imagine her making it in the library and printing out as many copies as she could manage—the same library that marked the start of both your doomed research and your descent into the other side. The thought of her getting involved in anything like you’d gotten caught up in…
Bile rose in your throat. She’d always been too much like you for her own good.
“Practically every supernatural creature in Mystic Falls knows of your name and your involvement with us,” Elijah said. “Bianca putting something like this up is acknowledging a crack in the foundation they work so hard to keep together—it’s akin to placing a giant target on her back.”
“I have to go back to Mystic Falls.” You handed Elijah his phone and stood up, your skin already beginning to crawl. “I have to make sure she’s okay— I have to make sure she stays okay.”
“We’ll go with you,” Kol said, “obviously. I was beginning to tire of West Virginia anyways.”
“I only just got here and I’m already tired of it,” Rebekah said.
“Are you alright to travel?” Elijah asked. “I know you are still healing—”
“I’ll be fine,” you said. “My sister could be in danger—that’s all that matters.”
He nodded, some form of admiration visible in his eyes. This was one thing you knew Elijah understood, at least.
“How soon can you all be ready?” you asked.
“Give me a few minutes to tidy up the house,” he said.
“I can gather the rest of our things,” Kol said. “Not that there’s much, anyways.”
“Rebekah and I can get the car ready, then,” you said.
“The keys are on the kitchen table,” Elijah said.
You nodded and rushed out, Rebekah in tow—all you saw with Elijah and Kol were blurs.
You had so few belongings that there wasn’t much packing up to do on your side—all you had were the clothes on your back when you got here, and you didn’t exactly want to keep those anyways.
You moved as quick as you could, grabbing the keys from the kitchen table before you rushed outside. Rebekah stayed silent, but her presence was enough.
“This is the one thing I’ve been trying to prevent,” you murmured. “Every single thing I’ve done has been to protect my sister— to keep her out of all this. And now—”
Your voice broke, and tears threatened to overtake you once again. You inhaled sharply, trying to stop them before they could start. You were so tired of crying.
“And now it might not even matter,” you finished. “I’ve been too caught up in myself and I’ve been ignoring her so it might now even matter.”
Rebekah frowned. “Darling, do you hear yourself?”
“I’ve been out here lazing away while she’s back there in Mystic Falls, making herself a huge target in the middle of a supernatural hotspot.” You bit down hard on the inside of your lip, trying to make yourself focus with the pain. All you ended up doing was tasting blood. “She could be in trouble and I would have had no idea if it wasn’t for Elijah.”
“If she’s half as tough as you are, I’ve no doubt she’ll be alright,” Rebekah murmured.
You leaned against the side of the car and crossed your arms. “Stefan wouldn’t hurt her.” You looked over at Rebekah. “You know him better than I do. He wouldn’t hurt her, right?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Stefan has always tried to be the better of his brother—he’s no reason to go after your sister, especially since you let Damon go.” Her lip curled. “Against your better judgment, I might add. He should spend the rest of his life making it up to you.”
“I hope you’re right,” you said. “I— I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to her. It would be my fault.”
“Then it’s a good thing nothing is going to happen to her,” Rebekah said.
You looked up to see her watching you, eyes still soft as ever but filled with passion. Warmth coiled in your chest as you glanced away.
“I’m sorry, Rebekah.” You pressed the heel of your hand into your forehead as you screwed your eyes shut and shook your head. “I know this is awful timing for everything, especially after what I just did—”
“Don’t apologize,” she cut in. “I know what it is like to put family above everything.”
“You and your family try to kill each other every week,” you said, voice watery as you tried to hold back tears.
“And underneath all of that, we try to love each other,” she responded in kind. She took your free hand and laced your fingers together, and your eyes shot open. She pressed a gentle kiss to your knuckles, and it warmed you from the inside out. “Like I said, do not worry. I’m quite patient.”
You huffed a breathy laugh. “No, you’re not.”
Her eyes twinkled as she smiled. “For you, darling, I can be. I’m not going anywhere.”
“...Good,” you said. It would be a lie to say you weren’t relieved. “Because you don’t know how long it took for me to build up the strength to kiss you.”
“Don’t worry.” You could see Elijah and Kol approaching in the distance, but Rebekah didn’t care. She only had eyes for you, and they twinkled. “Plenty more await you in your future.”
You smiled at her as you squeezed her hand, and the vice on your heart lessened just so.
Bianca was going to be okay. You were sure no one—Stefan, least of all—would hurt her.
But if he had?
Well.
You’d already doled out enough mercy for one lifetime.
Notes:
man i don't even know what to say in these authors notes lol. i can't apologize for consistently taking months to update my fics for literally no reason but lost inspiration but here we are!! all i can really say is thank you to the people that have stayed with this despite the crazy long update times, it means more than you know to me!!
life update for any who are interested, i started my junior year of college and im graduating a semester early so i only have 2 semesters left!! i worked 2 jobs this whole summer so i was on the mf grinddd but i moved into a house with my best friends and am actually pretty happy with my life right now. crazy to think that i started this over thanksgiving break during my senior year of hs and now im almost done with college but still not done with this... what's wrong w me
anyways i hope you guys enjoy!! some more mikaelson bonding as well as some witchy stuff, a bee mention, and rebekah is back!! with a kiss??? thank god we need some girls in this house
ive had to rewrite this author's note so many times because it has taken me so long to write this chapter that stuff keeps happening, but i feel like i kinda have to mention what happened a few days ago. i am so fucking angry with the results of this election and im fearful for america's future -- but we cant and wont stop fighting!! i hope this can bring you all some comfort in these times, i love you all <3
Chapter 24: Bianca Gets a Clue
Notes:
content warning for drugging and worrying about possible sexual assault at the end. no sexual assault, or anything sexual for that matter, occurs, but a character is drugged and worries about it in the aftermath. it is a small part of the chapter and i don't go into much detail but read at your own discretion!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Bianca threw the ball into the air, then caught it as it came back down.
She was meant to be studying. She had a huge chemistry test tomorrow, and even though she’d been going over her notes for the past week, it didn’t feel like enough. It was never enough in Mr. Neumann’s class.
Threw the ball up, caught it as it came down.
She’d complained enough about his wacky grading in study groups over her high school career to know it better than anyone.
But she couldn’t focus for the life of her, and it was because you left.
You left just like you always did, but this time you were just… shrouded in lies.
Up, down.
Bianca didn’t get it. You were closer to her than anyone, you always had been. You helped her study whenever she needed it, you humored her ranting at all hours of the day, you drove her to the mall or the bookstore or the soccer field or wherever she wanted to go because you wanted to.
Mom was absent for so much of Bianca’s childhood that you basically raised her. It weighed on you, she knew that, but you never let it show. You never made Bianca feel like it was her fault.
But everything had just been off these last few months. All starting with the lie that you were down here for family when you were actually here to follow a story.
It wasn’t like she blamed you. Mom always gave you a hard time, especially when it came to Bianca—there was a reason you moved all the way to New York as soon as you graduated. Over the years, it became clear that Bianca was the only reason for your continued visits. Otherwise, you would have left Mystic Falls in the dust.
She was thankful. She looked forward to your visits more than anything, honestly. Bianca had it good in Mystic Falls, but it was just… boring. Woefully boring. You knew you were meant for more when you were her age, and she was starting to feel the same way.
It was something she would have talked to you about. That was what made this hurt so much. Whether it was over the phone, Skype, email, the rare in person visit—you were always there for her, always willing to listen to her talk. Bianca always had you no matter what, you made sure of it.
It wasn’t like you talked every day since you went to college. New York was busy and journalism was even busier, but you always reached out to her at the end of the day, even if it was a small text or a picture of some event you were covering.
Never this radio silence.
You were sisters and you loved each other and nothing could change that—you made sure she knew that. So why did it feel like everything was changing?
And beyond that, everything was so fucking weird about it.
She asked Mom if she knew why you left so abruptly, and she said the same thing you did—that things were fine, you were just going back to New York for work. She didn’t seem to care that you hadn’t answered any of Bianca’s texts or calls, that your last texts to her were more like last words, that you had seemingly dropped off the face of the Earth after them.
She went to the police, but Sheriff Forbes brushed her off, said it was nothing to worry about. Kicked her out of her office when she ‘started to get aggressive’.
She emailed your boss and got no response. It took three more ignored emails before she finally decided to call, and she got the shortest response telling her she wasn’t allowed to discuss her employees with the public. Bianca tried to say she was family, but she hung up before she could get more than a few words back. Eventually, after calling every day for a week and a half and not getting a response, she got a, "The number you have dialed is out of service, please check the number and dial again".
Blocked by your boss. For a journalist, she sure didn’t seem very interested in helping Bianca find out the truth.
She even put up missing posters all around town, but they didn’t get her anywhere. Not a single call came through, not a single person came up to her in the hallway or the street or at a cafe and said they could help her.
You were missing, or dead, or worse, and no one fucking cared but her.
Bianca was jarred out of her depressing thoughts by the sound of her phone ringing. Distracted, the ball landed right on her face, and she cursed louder than she should have as she sat up and grabbed her phone.
“Hello?” Maybe it was speak of the devil, and right as she was thinking about it, someone had called her with a clue. Maybe someone finally knew—
“Uh, hey, Bianca. Is this a bad time?”
She pulled the phone away from her ear to look at the caller ID she ignored, and let out a sigh. Of course it wasn’t an actual lead—it was just school.
“No, it’s fine, Stefan.” She rubbed her forehead as she fell back onto her bed in disappointment. “Sorry. What’s up?”
“I was just calling to make sure we were still on for tomorrow,” he said.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop herself from letting out an even deeper sigh. Why did she suggest getting started on their project so early? She would be rewarded for struggling through her chemistry test by working on an APUSH presentation.
Bianca would never forgive you for suggesting you take it, and she would never forgive Miss Taylor for making this a partner project. She didn’t know how she got stuck with someone like Stefan, but at least he would probably do his work.
“Yeah,” she said. “Yeah, sorry. We’re still good for tomorrow. Your house, right?”
Stefan sighed. “I don’t think we can do my house anymore. My brother has some contractors coming by to start renovations, and he only decided to tell me today. Could we do yours?”
Bianca grinded her teeth together. Everything was pushing her buttons today for some reason.
“I don’t want to make you drive all the way over here,” she said.
“I don’t mind,” Stefan said. “It’s only fair since I put you out.”
Stupid, chivalrous Stefan. She never really got it when he transferred in and girls practically swooned at his feet—she hadn’t really thought about him since he was the new kid. Unfortunately, this project pushed him back into the limelight of her mind. She had no reason to dislike him, but he was just… annoying.
She didn’t really want to bring him to her house, either. Mom had been off ever since you came back from New York, and she got even worse when you left again. She’d always been overbearing when it was just Bianca, but now it was almost impossible to live with. As much as Stefan annoyed her, she didn’t really want to subject him to her mother—she certainly didn’t want any comments that came with a boy being at her house, especially when she wasn’t interested in them.
Another thing she wasn’t too keen on telling Mom about, or anyone in this tiny, probably homophobic, town. The last thing she needed was your disappearance—the second last thing she needed was to become the town pariah.
God, she couldn’t wait to graduate. You got out of high school in three years for a reason.
“Let’s just do the library,” she said. “It’ll be easier, anyways. They’ve got computers and printers and encyclopedias.”
Stefan didn’t say anything for a good ten seconds. Her frown deepened.
“Stefan? Did the line drop?”
“Sorry, I’m here.” His words felt a little too rushed, like he’d been distracted by something. “Is five good for you?”
“...Yeah.” Weird, but she didn’t feel like dealing with whatever problems he probably had. Besides, if he wasn’t going to question her being off, she wouldn’t question him. “See you tomorrow, then.”
“See you tomorrow,” Stefan said. “Have a good night.”
She hung up before she had to exchange any more niceties.
Bianca set her phone on her side table and flopped back onto the bed with a deep sigh. She tried to rub the weariness out of her eyes, but she stopped when she saw white behind her lids.
She didn’t have time to mope around some more. She had a test to study for and a 4.0 to protect—it didn’t matter if her sister was basically missing and no one but her cared.
Her gaze fell to the picture on her bedside table. A polaroid of you and Bianca at Lewis Ginter—she remembered like it was yesterday. You went together only a week after you’d gotten your driver’s license, desperate to get out of the house and away from Mom’s attitude for even just a day.
Bianca didn’t remember much from her younger years, but she knew that she got off easy compared to you.
She only knew the gap of Dad’s absence—she didn’t have to love him then lose him like you did. She didn’t have to take care of both Mom and Bianca like you did. You didn’t talk about it that often, but Bianca knew how much you gave up for her so she could have a normal childhood.
God. So much for not moping around.
Bianca tried to push the extra depressing thoughts about you out of her head as she dragged herself over to her desk. She just barely had an A in AP chem, but if she did badly on this test, she could kiss it goodbye.
She had to keep her grades up if she wanted to get out of this stupid, one horse town. She was not going to be like the PTA wine moms that grew up here, married rich, and never left. Bianca was going to make something out of herself no matter what it took.
Her gaze trailed over to the picture of you two again, and she bit her lip. She didn’t know what was going on with you, but she would figure it out.
She only hoped you hadn’t gotten yourself into something dangerous.
-
Your last article was written two and a half months ago, posted a few days after you’d gotten back to Virginia. It was an average listicle—different from the hard, investigative news you usually covered, but it was probably something easy for you to knock out while you were away.
If you were supposedly back in New York doing your job like normal, why hadn’t you written anything else? You always told her how busy it was up there, how you were constantly writing and interviewing and editing—sometimes putting out almost twenty articles in a week if things were particularly crazy.
But there was nothing. A disturbing consistency in everything concerning you as of late.
Bianca didn’t know how anyone could ignore this—didn’t know how the police and the town and Mom could ignore this. If she didn’t know better, she would think a conspiracy was going on and the whole of Mystic Falls was in on it.
Instead, she was worried sick that you poked around where you shouldn’t have and ended up in hot water. That you were…
“Hey.”
She started, blinking a few times as she looked up to see Stefan. She quickly switched tabs and managed as much of a smile as she could, like she wasn’t just thinking about your death.
“Hey,” she echoed.
He set two cups on the table, then put his bag down and took the seat across from her. “Are you okay? You seem a little out of it.”
Bianca nodded, rubbing her hand over her forehead. “Yeah. Yeah, sorry. I’m just tired. It’s been a long day for me.”
“Well,” he nudged one of the cups towards her, “I did get coffee.”
“Thanks, but I’m good.” She picked up her own thermos. “I’m more of a tea person.”
Stefan nodded. “What kind? I’ve been meaning to get more into tea.”
“Lemon verbena,” she said. “My mom says it’s good for my anxiety, but I don’t know how true that is.” She tilted her head towards him. “Do you wanna try it? See if it’s your gateway to greener grass?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “No, I’m good. Thanks.”
She shrugged. “Your loss.” She took a sip then put her thermos back down, watching as Stefan got his things out.
This was her first time spending time with him outside of class, and she hated the awkward silence so much that she started talking just to fill it.
“Do you have any idea where you want to start on this?”
“Anywhere, honestly,” he said. “You’re pretty lucky getting paired up with me on this. I know a lot about Reconstruction.”
“And you’re so humble, too,” Bianca said wryly.
He shrugged. “I know what I’m good at.”
“Well, we’re just doing thirty slides,” she said. “I assume you’ve already got most of your research done from all the stuff in class.”
He nodded. “Of course.”
“Then this sounds pretty cut and dry,” she said. “You take the first half, I take the second, we get all the questions out of the way while we’re together then finish the rest at home.”
“Sounds good to me,” Stefan said. “You’re straightforward, huh?”
“When it comes to school, yeah.”
“I can respect that,” he nodded.
Bianca hummed, and they quickly fell back into silence. This time, though, it was at least productive.
They didn’t talk much except to share their notes or ask questions, typically about the formatting or a clarifier on information. It turned out Stefan wasn’t lying—he really did know a lot about Reconstruction. Bianca didn’t initially take him for a history buff, but it made him significantly less annoying in her eyes. There was nothing worse than someone who didn’t pull their weight.
After around forty-five minutes, Bianca stood up and stretched her arms out. “I’m gonna take a quick bathroom break.”
Stefan glanced up with a nod, already back to typing by the time she started walking off. She continued to stretch, focusing on her fingers and rolling her neck out. Her eyes wandered on her path, roaming over some familiar faces, some not. Miss Hadley, Lucia from cross country, Trish and her boyfriend whose name she could never remember.
One, though, made her stop in her tracks.
She could just see the man’s face from where he stood between the shelves, thumbing his way through a book. He looked so familiar, but she couldn’t remember how for the life of her. Definitely too old to be a student and certainly not a teacher. She disliked their neighbors enough to remember their faces. Not one of Mom’s friends, not one of your friends—
And then it clicked.
Not one of your friends, one of your co-workers.
It was the guy that stopped by the house one day asking about you, that you said had come down here to help you with the case you were working on.
If he was here to help you, why the hell was he still here when you weren’t?
This was her chance for answers.
Bianca had to stop herself from actually running over there, but the closer she got, the more her suspicions were confirmed. Soft blonde curls, piercing blue eyes—they gave her that same feeling of unease when he showed up at her door. This was absolutely the same guy.
She also had to stop herself from yelling at him, because this was a library, but she eventually stopped in front of him.
“You work with my sister.”
The man’s gaze moved from the open book in his hands to Bianca, and she felt a shiver run up her spine—even more so when he smiled.
“I’m sorry, have we met?” She almost forgot he was British. Ugh.
“Yes, actually,” Bianca nodded. “You showed up at my door and said you worked with my sister. I’m Bianca. My sister is—”
The man said your name with a nod, and her heart pounded in her chest. This was the first lead she’d gotten since— since you left with that man you said was your friend’s brother.
There had been too many strange men around you lately. Her skin crawled at the thought. That was never a good sign, never a happy ending.
“So you do know her.” It came out like an accusation, and she didn’t fully care. For all Bianca knew, he was behind your disappearance.
“As I said, we work together,” he said. “Journalism is a friendly business.”
“No, it’s not,” she said.
He shrugged. “It is what you make of it, I suppose.”
“Have— have you talked to her lately?” Bianca didn’t mean to sound desperate, but she couldn’t help it. She was so sure that something bad had happened to you, that you were missing, and it felt like nobody cared but her.
“Not particularly,” he responded. “Why?”
“Well, she said you were down here to help with the story she was working on,” Bianca said. “She said she was going back to New York, but I haven’t heard from her since. Why are you here, but she’s not?”
“Our editor asked me to stay for a little while longer,” he said. “Interviews done in person are much better than over the phone.”
“What, are you still working on the same story?” Bianca crossed her arms. “It’s been a few months since she got here.”
He shrugged. “Investigative work takes time.”
Bianca stared at him, and he stared right back. She was convinced that he was lying, or that he was at least hiding something, but she had no idea what to even accuse him of. That he hurt you? That he knew where you were? That he actually wasn’t your coworker, that both you and him were lying, and he had something to do with your disappearance?
She sounded crazy even to herself. She knew something wasn’t right, but she had no way to prove it.
“I— I don’t know if she’s just ignoring me or avoiding me or something, but I’m worried something bad has happened to her and she’s too stubborn to ask for help.” Bianca huffed a mirthless laugh. “She’s obsessed with her job.”
“So I’ve gathered,” he said. “She can be intense when it comes to certain things.”
She nodded. “Can I at least give you my number? If this is all a work thing, I think she’s more likely to talk to you than me.”
He frowned. “I doubt that.”
“Please,” Bianca pleaded. “My sister is basically all I have left, and no one cares that she’s gone but me. You’re the only one that has even talked about her with me since she left. I feel like I’m going crazy.”
Again, he stared at her and she stared back. Bianca wouldn’t waver. Not on this.
Eventually, he shook his head with a sigh and held out his hand.
“Fine. Give me your phone.”
Her sigh was one of relief as she pulled it out and handed it over, making a point to avert her eyes this time so he wouldn’t feel pressured. Bianca was basically vibrating with— well, she didn’t really know. Excitement? Anticipation? Relief?
It didn’t matter, she realized. She was just so glad to finally have some kind of lead on you, some connection to the life you seemed to intent on hiding from her. Sure, he seemed kind of weird, but he couldn’t be all that bad if you associated with him, right?
Bianca took her phone back once he was done and looked down at it.
“Klaus,” she read, and she glanced back up at him. “No last name?”
“You’re already pushing it,” he said.
Bianca nodded, because that was very true, and sent a quick ‘hello’ text. “You should have it saved now.”
He hummed. “Now, if I may, I’d like to get back to my book.”
“Of course,” she said, nodding again. “Thank you again. Seriously. Please, call me if you hear anything.”
Klaus looked at her for just a little too long, something strange in his eyes.
“It’s more likely than not that everything is okay,” he said. “In the time I’ve spent with your sister, I’ve learned she’s quite resilient. There’s something special about her.”
Bianca smiled wistfully. “Tell me about it.”
“She cares for you immensely,” he continued. “I don’t think a day we spent together went by without her mentioning you at least once.”
“That’s why I’m so sure something bad has happened,” she said. “We used to talk every day. She’s never been this quiet. I don’t think she’s ever been quiet in her life, honestly.”
Klaus chuckled at that. It was surprising, for some reason. Bianca hardly knew him, but he didn’t seem like the kind of person to laugh.
“...I’ll keep an ear out for you,” he said.
“Thank you,” she said. “You seriously don’t know how much this means to me.”
Klaus nodded, and she took that to mean this conversation was over. She gave him one more grateful smile before she turned and walked back to their table. Stefan was still absorbed in his work, not even passing a glance at her when she took her seat.
They worked in silence for a good five minutes before she felt Stefan’s eyes on her.
“Who was that guy you were talking to?”
“One of my sister’s coworkers,” she said.
“I thought she worked in New York,” Stefan said.
“She does, but she was doing some pretty heavy investigative work down here. He was here to help.”
“Oh, yeah.” He nodded. “I remember that assembly.”
She hummed. “I don’t think anyone listened to it.”
Stefan shrugged. “Maybe they did. Have you heard about any animal attacks lately?”
“...No, actually.” She looked up from her computer, but Stefan’s focus was elsewhere. She followed his gaze, realizing it was where she’d been standing talking to Klaus—only he was nowhere to be found.
“What are you looking at?” she asked.
He blinked and looked back at her, shaking his head before he turned back to his work. “Nothing. Sorry.”
She stared at him for a few moments longer before she brushed it off. Stefan was a little strange, she was learning. Her friends talked of his endless charm and breathtaking smiles, but apparently none of them ever had him as a project partner.
Whatever. He could be as weird as he wanted so long as they got this project done. Then, she’d never have to talk to him again.
That sounded nice.
-
Things went by rather quickly after that interruption. Bianca and Stefan both worked in the relative silence that did so well earlier, but they only made it an hour before he insisted they call quits on account of her barely being able to keep her eyes open. It wasn’t even that late— only around 6:30, and she was used to academic all-nighters— but it was like she’d been hit by a wall of exhaustion. She nearly finished her tea, sure, but it had never put her out like this before.
Stefan also insisted on walking her out, and Bianca looked up at the sky once they’d left.
“Wow,” she mumbled. “I forgot it gets dark at like, 4 o’clock now.”
“C’mon,” he said. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
Bianca shook her head, sighing dramatically. Her tongue felt too big for her mouth, her limbs too heavy. “I walked here. My car finally crapped out, and my mom’s working the night shift, so she’s got the other one.”
“I can give you a ride then,” he offered.
“No,” she said, shaking her head again. She nearly stumbled as she continued to walk, and she frowned. What was wrong with her? “No, ‘m fine. It’s only fifteen minutes.”
“Bianca, you’re exhausted,” he said. “I’m not making you walk home.”
“Can you not take no for an answer?” she slurred. Bianca wasn’t normally this mean—at least, outside of her thoughts—but she didn’t feel like herself. Nothing felt right, actually.
“Not in this case.” Stefan put his hand on her back, his touch making her shiver even through her sweater. Something was very wrong, she thought dimly, but it didn’t get much attention in her addled brain.
“Get off me.” She tried to shrug him off, but the movement was hardly an effort. Everything felt like too much effort at this point. Her head lolled forward, her eyelids were like weights, she stumbled with each step—the last time she’d been even close to this was the time you and Bianca had the house to yourselves for the weekend and you ended up going through a whole bottle of wine together. But she was stone cold sober. All she had was her tea.
Stefan didn’t say anything, just continued to walk her over to his car. Bianca told herself to shove him off when he opened the door, but her limbs wouldn’t listen to her brain. Alarm bells went off in her head, loud and constant as he buckled her in, but her head fell back against the seat and it took everything in her to not fall asleep.
He got in next to her and started the car. She could feel every vibration from the car engine, every bump in the road, but her brain couldn’t form anything coherent except for one thought:
Something was very, very wrong.
“What… did you do… to me…?” she mumbled.
“It’s okay,” Stefan said quietly. He looked over at her, enough guilt in his eyes for even her delirious mind to decipher. “I’m gonna fix everything.”
She tried to shake her head, but it hardly worked. She didn’t think she had control of her body anymore. She felt like she was in a dream, or maybe a nightmare.
Bianca didn’t know whether she fell asleep or passed out. But darkness overtook her all the same.
-
Bianca could barely think when she woke up.
She could hardly open her eyes, honestly. The lights were dim, but they were still too bright. She could tell the bulbs needed to be replaced because she needed to do the same to the ones in her room.
But this wasn’t her room. This wasn’t her bed. It wasn’t like any room in her house, actually, or any of her friends’ rooms.
Where the hell was she?
She rubbed her eyes as she sat up, trying to get a gauge on… well, everything. She wore the same sweater and pair of jeans that she went to the library in, and she still had her Docs on. Bianca immediately swung her legs off the mattress. Shoes in bed? How out of it was she?
She screwed her eyes shut and buried her face in her hands as she tried her hardest to remember. Her mind was obscenely blank—the last thing she remembered was leaving the library with Stefan.
Her heart stuttered a beat in her chest. Did he… do something to her?
No. No, he couldn’t. He wouldn’t. Bianca didn’t know him that well, but he—
What reason would he have?
She suddenly felt very cold.
She saw her backpack sitting in the vanity’s chair, and she practically ran over to it, latching onto the one familiar thing in this nightmare. She unzipped it and rifled through it—everything was still there except for her electronics.
If Stefan kidnapped her, it made sense to take away any method of calling for help. But Stefan kidnapping her in the first place didn’t make sense.
She ran a shaky hand through her hair as she tried to calm herself down. If she was going to get out of this, she had to have a clear head. It wasn’t easy, though. Freaking the fuck out came very natural to her.
This room was about twice the size of hers. The bed she woke up on was tucked in the corner, made with clean and ironed sheets and only wrinkled where she’d been lying. A vintage dresser of carved wood stood tall across from her with a pretty but empty flower vase atop it. The vanity, also made of carved wood, had a lace tablecloth on top but was otherwise bare, like most of the room. The bed had a side table next to it, where a bottle of water sat.
It made Bianca realize how dry her mouth was. She moved to get it, but paused. How could she trust anything here if what she thought happened actually did happen?
Before she could contemplate it any longer, the door opened. Bianca jolted, her heart hammering inside her chest as she backed up on instinct. When Stefan walked through, that fear turned to anger.
“You’re awake,” he said.
“You fucking drugged me!” she yelled.
Stefan held up his hands in an attempt at placation. “It was the only way I could get you here.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Bianca continued, rage burning red-hot throughout her whole body. “What did you do to me? Why?”
“I didn’t do anything to you after I got you here, I promise.” Stefan moved closer, and she moved back in turn. He paused. “If you’ll let me explain—”
“Let me go,” she interrupted.
“I can’t do that yet.” He spoke too smoothly, too calmly for what he did. Bianca suddenly had the all-consuming urge to punch him.
“And why the hell not?” she spat.
“Like I said, I have a lot of things to explain to you,” Stefan said. “We’re not really going to get anywhere if you keep interrupting me.”
She swallowed, the action difficult with how dry her throat was. “I need water first.”
He nodded towards the side table. “Why do you think I put that there?”
“I don’t trust it,” Bianca said. “I don’t trust you. I want a new one. Something in a can.”
He gave her a look. “I don’t really have canned water here.”
“Then soda!” she snapped. “Or— or juice, or anything that proves you didn’t tamper with it.”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” Stefan said. “I haven’t hurt you. I wouldn’t—”
“I don’t care,” she interrupted. “Do it, or you’re not going to get a second of peace in here.”
Stefan stared at her for a second before he let out a sigh and shook his head. “Fine. I’ll be back.”
She felt like her legs could buckle beneath her the second he shut the door and she was alone again. Bianca didn’t really know where all this bravado came from, but it seemed to be working.
She checked the door, but he’d locked it. It looked way too reinforced for her to break down. She checked the windows but they were sealed shut, and she didn’t have nearly enough time to try and break it.
So she couldn’t escape the room. But Stefan was a regular teenager, just like her. She could fight him if it came down to it, and right now, she was pretty sure it was coming down to it.
So she waited. Two minutes felt like two hours, but when the door opened and Stefan stepped through yet again, she smashed the vase as hard as she could against his head.
She expected him to fall, or stumble back, or even yell—after all, she just rammed a fucking vase into his head—but instead he just stared at her like it was a mild inconvenience.
“Did that make you feel better?” Stefan asked.
Bianca staggered back, her eyes wide as planets and her voice breathless. “What the fuck?”
“You’re just like your sister,” he murmured, staring at the broken ceramic on the floor. “It’s kind of exhausting.”
She moved even further back, her plans of escape practically disappearing in front of her. “What the fuck does that mean? How do you know what my sister is like?”
“I can explain everything,” he said, and he exhaled in annoyance. “I was going to, before you broke that very nice vase over my head.”
“Oh, I’m very sorry,” Bianca mocked breathlessly. “Am I making this kidnapping harder for you?”
“It was the only way to do this,” he said. “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.”
“Do you think I’ll believe that if you say it enough?” she marveled. “Does Elena know you’re a fucking creep?”
“Elena knows a lot more than you do,” Stefan said. “And if you would just calm down, I can explain some of it to you.”
“Because I’m so interested in listening to you after this shit,” Bianca spat.
“I know where your sister is,” he said. For a moment, her heart stopped.
“What?” she rasped.
“I know where your sister is,” Stefan repeated. “We can talk about it, but you have to chill out.”
Every part of Bianca still itched to fight. But this was what she’d been searching for since you left. Answers were worth anything.
So she sat down. Unclenched her fists, tried to control her breathing. Stefan pulled up the chair she considered hitting him with before she chose the vase and took a seat across from her.
“Alright then,” Bianca said. “Talk.”
He held up the can of Coke in his hand. “Do you still want this?”
“I don’t drink soda,” she said. “Talk.”
Stefan let out that little huff of annoyance again as he set it on the floor next to him, then he looked back up at her. His dark eyes drilled into her.
“Mystic Falls isn’t what you think it is,” he said. “And a lot of the people here aren’t who you think they are.”
She had to put in effort to bite her tongue. This was her chance to finally get answers, and she was not going to blow it because she couldn’t resist making fun of Stefan. He did drug and kidnap her, after all. He was clearly capable of much more than she imagined.
“This town is a hotspot for the supernatural,” he said. “Vampires, werewolves, witches— they’re all real, and so many more. And a lot of them call Mystic Falls their home. Your sister has been investigating them.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at that, despite the thoughts she’d just had about taking this seriously. “That’s what you’re going for? Halloween monsters are real?”
Stefan shook his head with a sigh. “I’m not going through the same thing with you.”
His pupils dilated and black veins branched out beneath his eyes. He opened his mouth—now flaunting suspiciously sharp canines—lifted his wrist, and bit a bloody gash into it.
Bianca’s eyes widened as she recoiled. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Stefan didn’t respond. He just held up his arm so she could see.
The flesh was already knitting itself back together like magic. Besides the blood on his wrist and teeth, it was like the wound never even existed.
“I’m a vampire,” he said. “Surprise.”
Bianca didn’t know what else to do but stare at him. She felt like her brain was breaking in two.
Stefan leaned forward. “Are you okay?”
Again, she didn’t answer. Instead, she darted up and sprinted towards the door.
Stefan blocked the exit before she’d even made it halfway, moving with an impossible speed. She staggered back out of shock, and he gave her a look.
“How many times do we have to do this?”
“That was the test,” she said, a little breathless. “To see if you were telling the truth.”
“And the healing wasn’t enough?” he asked incredulously.
“Second opinion,” she said.
“The fangs, the eyes—”
“Peer review.”
Stefan huffed and shook his head. “So do you believe me now?”
It didn’t make sense. It wasn’t logical. But right now, it didn’t really matter what was logical or not, because she just saw it with her own two eyes. She worked through her doubt faster than she thought she would.
Bianca nodded.
“Thank god,” he muttered. “I didn’t really have the patience to do this all over again.”
“‘Again’?” she asked.
“You are just as stubborn as your sister,” he said. “That’s what I mean.”
Bianca felt her hands clench back into fists. Was everything in this damn town connected? “What does she have to do with all of this? With you being a vampire?”
Stefan gestured back to where they were sitting, and though she huffed, she went back to the bed. Stefan took a hand towel folded on top of the dresser and cleaned his wrist—now fully healed, like it truly never even happened—then sat back down across from her.
“She came down to investigate the animal attacks,” he said. “But they weren’t animal attacks. They were the work of a vampire.”
She scoffed. “You?”
“My brother,” Stefan corrected. “Though it’s something I regret not being able to stop.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I always knew there was something off about him. Ever since he started taking Caroline out—he was too old for her.” She grimaced as the realization hit. “Ugh. Way too old for her.”
“Caroline’s also a vampire,” he said. “Not for as long as us, but one nonetheless.”
“What, is half the school made up of vampires?” she marveled. “That— that whole little friend group of yours? Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, Tyler— your whole clique?”
“Doppelganger, vampire, witch, werewolf,” Stefan listed off.
She shook her head, still not quite able to believe it. “Why are you telling me all of this? Isn’t it incriminating?”
“It’s the truth,” he said. “Your sister is stuck deep in it—I figure it’s only right that you know it too.”
“Is she alive?” Bianca didn’t know why she didn’t ask sooner. It was the only thing that mattered, truly—no matter where you were, what you were stuck in; if you were alive, she knew you could get out of it.
“Yes,” he said. “But the company she keeps…”
“Stop being so damn cryptic,” Bianca said sharply. “I don’t care about this town, or your freak friends— tell me what’s going on with my sister.”
“Are you sure you want to know?”
“What kind of question is that?” she bit out.
“I’m just saying.” As Stefan levelled his gaze at her, she found herself shifting in her seat. Honestly, it made sense that he was a vampire. The dark eyes, sharp features, strong jawline—it was too perfect to be natural. “You might not like what you hear.”
“You didn’t go through all this effort and dangle all this in front of me just to pull it away at the last minute,” Bianca said. “Get over yourself and just fucking talk.”
He sighed and nodded, pulling his chair closer and adjusting his position so he fully faced her. Bianca found herself straightening, found herself digging her nails so deep into her skin they threatened to draw blood.
“Okay.”
And so he did.
Notes:
what is this??? a fucking update after over 200 days??? and it's a bianca pov???? who is she????
lol hi. thank you to everyone who is still here putting up with my bullshit, it's so funny that i have to do a life update along with every fic update because it takes me so long to get there but basically i quit my job and got a new one (managing editor of my college paper whooo), i finished my junior year of college with a 4.0 (whooooo), and im graduating next semester so (biggest whooo!) im writing this note a little early so hopefully i finish the chapter before i actually do graduate. that would be fucked up (i did. thankfully).
anyways! this chapter is a curveball bc it's all about bee! im sorry if you don't like it but it was nice to write outside of our journalist's pov for a little bit! bianca is one of the main reasons that all of this happened bc of reader's desire to keep her safe so i figured it made sense to go over and see wtf she has been up to! things have been an absolute wreck from her perspective, i've had a section in my outline titled "WHAT HAS BEE BEEN DOING DURING ALL OF THIS ???" to keep track so it was fun to finally explore some of that <3 poor girl. i think it's funny how much stefan is not having her attitude because he's already had to go through it once with her sister. i love my exhausting siblings i was originally going to bring reader back in and go half and half on pov but but i decided to let bee have this chapter to herself (and klaus lol he's been lurking around) but rest assured she will be back in the next chapter and all will be explained
i hope you all enjoy and as always, thank you for your patience!
Chapter 25: Hell Hath No Fury
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“It would be best for you to refrain from setting a fire in the car,” Elijah said, glancing at you through the rearview mirror.
You held a ball of fire in the palm of your hand, staring at the flickering flame. It should have burned you, should have grown tall enough to singe the ceiling, but it didn’t. You just had a miniature, contained spot of warmth.
You concentrated a bit to make it smaller, and you passed it around your fingers. The flames danced around with each pass before you eventually closed your hand into a fist, extinguishing the fire along with it.
“It’s keeping me distracted,” you said. You opened your hand and a new flame appeared, and you started it all over again. This was at least the tenth repeat of the cycle, and it got easier each time. “If I start thinking for too long, I’ll lose my mind. I don’t think anyone wants that.”
You initially volunteered to drive, thinking that would be the way to keep your mind occupied. Elijah wouldn’t hear a word of it, insisting you were ‘hardly of the right mind to be operating a vehicle’. He was probably right.
“I, for one, am all for this,” Kol said. “You’re meant to be practicing your magic anyways—if you want to give Stefan Salvatore a fiery death with it, who are we to stop you?”
“I’m merely wondering if I should be concerned that fire is becoming your forte,” Elijah said. “You said that was how the Salvatores forced you into discovering your powers, yes?”
You nodded. You continued your little flame dance but turned your focus elsewhere—your concentration had improved with Kol’s teaching, despite what little time you had to practice with him, and small things like this no longer required your complete and utter attention.
“Bonnie helped me light a car on fire,” you said.
“I always liked that girl,” Rebekah mused. “Even when her friends were trying to kill us.”
“Of course you do,” Kol said. “Bennetts are dramatic, as are you.”
“You’re one to talk, brother dearest,” she drawled. “You’ve spent more time on stage than any of us.”
“Because you’re a horrific actor,” he countered.
Normally, you would participate in their sibling banter. It was endearing—reminded you of yourself and Bee. But right now, her safety was all you could think about. It had a way of dampening most things in your view.
“I just don’t understand why Stefan would go after Bee.” Your hand clenched into a fist and the flame extinguished. “She isn’t part of this. She knows nothing.”
“Perhaps he thought bringing her into it could give them some advantage,” Rebekah suggested. “You’re more likely to agree with whatever they want if your sister is on their side.”
You scoffed. “Well, they’re wrong. It only makes me want to give them that fiery death.”
“Which I am in favor of,” Kol said. “You already granted Stefan a second chance by handing his brother back to him in one piece. You ought to show him your mercy is not something so freely given.”
“You cannot just rush in without a plan,” Elijah countered. “Otherwise, you’ll only make things worse.”
“I think giving the Salvatores a painful death will only make things better,” Kol said.
“We’re not killing anyone,” you interjected. “Not— not yet.”
Kol turned in his seat to face you, his eyes brighter than usual. “Again with the ‘not yet’? I’d say we’re almost to a full-fledged murder.”
You bit down on the inside of your cheek. “Well, I don’t think I’ve ever felt murderous until now.”
“Oh, I can most definitely work with that,” he drawled.
“Calm yourself, Kol,” Elijah said.
His eyes narrowed. “Not when we’ve got everything we need to plan an actually justified killing. That’s a rarity for me—I never get to feel morally righteous.”
“As much as it pains me to say, I agree with Elijah,” Rebekah said. She took your hand and some of the tension in your shoulders faded. She always seemed to have that effect on you. “We will do whatever is best for you. Not whatever results in the most dead bodies.”
“In my opinion, they’re the same thing,” Kol said. “The Salvatores— no, their whole group needs to understand that you and your family are off limits. I truly think the only way they will understand is if one of them ends up dead.”
You were off limits.
A few months ago, that sort of possessiveness would have scared you. Now it had become somewhat comforting. You’d been alone for so long, been forced to take care of yourself for so long, that Kol wanting to fight so viciously for you was romantic.
Another thought that would have concerned you before you met the Mikaelsons. It still did, in a way, but mostly because you understood it.
The thought of killing for Bianca had understandably never crossed your mind before. It was all you could really think of, now.
It scared you, but not much. Maybe that was what should have been concerning.
“Do you feel alright, darling?” Rebekah took you out of your thoughts as she placed the back of her hand on your forehead, and you blinked. “You’re burning up.”
“I don’t think I’m sick,” you said. “I’ve had so much blood over the past week that I think I’m probably toxic to bacteria for a few days.”
Elijah tipped his head. “That is not how it works.”
“It’s your magic,” Kol contributed, fully ignoring his brother. “Emotions are a huge part of a witch’s power—the way you feel can make them stronger or weaker, but it can also cause flare-ups. Especially for inexperienced witches like yourself.”
“Great,” you muttered. “So I could literally burn myself up because of my anger?”
“You’ll just have to learn how to harness your emotions rather than the other way around,” he said.
“Perhaps Elijah should teach her that rather than you,” Rebekah mocked. “You’re not the best with control.”
Kol bared his teeth. “Would you like me to demonstrate?”
“Stop,” you said loudly, holding up your hand. “We’re not arguing. Not here. Not now.”
He scrunched up his nose. “You should know by now fighting is our favorite thing to do.”
You just shook your head. “Not when we’ve got other things to deal with.”
You’d been ignoring your steadily growing headache for the past hour, but you grimaced as it reared again. “How have you all done this for a thousand years? It’s been a few months and I’m exhausted.”
“Simple,” Kol said. “You become the tormentor rather than the tormented.”
“Everything else becomes boring after a while, honestly,” Rebekah added.
“Compartmentalization works wonders,” Elijah put in.
You sighed as you took the time to look at all of them. “Your whole family needs serious therapy.”
“You know, you are not the first person to tell us that,” Kol mused.
“Did you listen?”
He scoffed. “Of course not.”
You shook your head again and summoned your little flame once again. You held it in both hands, staring into the flickering fire as you tried to sort through your jumbled thoughts.
“I have to see Bianca,” you finally said. “I have to make sure she’s okay. That’s what matters most, more than any kind of revenge.”
“What do you plan on doing when you see her again?” Elijah asked.
“I don’t know,” you admitted. “I don’t even know what Stefan has told her—if he’s revealed this whole world to her, if he’s tried to turn her against me, I don’t know.” It was driving you a little insane, honestly. Your mind was running in circles trying to figure out just what the fuck Stefan Salvatore would want with your sister, and none of the options were particularly good. “Keeping her in the dark is the safest option. Right?”
“...You cannot protect yourself from things you don’t know about,” Rebekah said. “She could arguably be in more danger if she’s surrounded by vampires but unaware.”
“She drinks vervain,” you said. “At least, she should. Our mom got this verbena tea forever ago—she knows about the supernatural, so I doubt she would let Bee stop. At least she can’t be pushed around and compelled to forget it all.”
“Maybe that’s why Stefan was at your house,” Kol suddenly said.
You frowned. “What?”
He shrugged. “You either have to wait for vervain to pass out of one’s system or bleed it out of them. Maybe he got her to let him into the house somehow, and trapped her until he could compel her.”
“But why would he do that?” you asked incredulously.
“Vampires do bad things,” Kol shrugged. “Sometimes for no reason. Often for no reason, actually. You should be used to that by now.”
You should have been. You were, almost. But not when it came to Bee.
You think back to the first time you met Stefan, when he tried to warn you about the Mikaelsons and Klaus so kindly interrupted to allow you the chance to throw yourself off the deep end.
Damon has hurt you more than the Mikaelsons ever have. He told you they were monsters and then ripped your throat out. He left you to die, and Kol and Elijah saved you. But both Salvatores have said the Mikaelsons hurt them and those they love more than you knew.
Maybe it was all about perspective. But you were kind of tired of questioning the morality of everything, tired of trying to be good in spite of all that had been done to you.
You just wanted to protect your loved ones. Nothing else mattered.
“We’ll go to my house first,” you decided. “The one you all got me. Rebekah and I will find my sister and make sure she’s okay—figure out what the hell Stefan did. Elijah and Kol can figure out where the Salvatores are and make sure they stay there. By the time we join you, I’ll probably be able to decide whether I want you to rip their hearts out or not.”
“I’m strongly in favor of it,” Kol said.
“I know,” you said. If you had a dollar for every murder he’d proposed lately, you could put a down payment on a house of your own. “But we can’t be that hasty when my sister is involved.”
“Perhaps that is why he did it,” Rebekah said sourly. “Stefan knows the optics of his actions, but he is too much of a coward to face the consequences so he’s hiding behind your sister.”
The flame in your hands suddenly tripled in size, high enough to lick the ceiling of the car and wide enough to singe your jacket. Rebekah exclaimed what you think was a curse in some foreign language, distancing herself from you in order to avoid the flames.
You slammed your hands together in your first instinct to stop it, and thankfully, the fire dissipated rather than growing stronger. You stared at them with wide eyes, almost scared to pull them apart.
“Oh my god,” you breathed.
Kol hummed. “Flare-up.”
“Darling, you’ve still got some—” Rebekah leaned over and pinched out the remaining embers on your quarter zip with a sigh. “It’s a good thing these clothes are so dreadful, otherwise we might really have something to mourn.”
“Perhaps control should be your next lesson,” Elijah spoke up. He, like Kol, seemed unfazed. “One you learn very soon.”
“Yeah,” you nodded, and you glanced up to see a sizable burn mark on the ceiling, “maybe.”
“You’ve picked a good specialty,” Kol said. “Fire is one of the few things that can kill a vampire.”
“I remember,” you murmured. “It can’t kill you guys though, right?”
“Severely harm, yes.” Rebekah brushed some more ashes off of you. You wondered if you still felt feverish, even through your clothes. “Kill, no.”
“...Still not great,” you said uncomfortably. “I don’t want to accidentally hurt one of you.”
“All due respect, love, but you aren’t powerful enough to harm us in any way that wouldn’t heal in minutes,” Kol said. “You can focus on getting stronger without worrying about any of that.”
“And after growing up with Kol actively practicing magic, we’re all more than capable of dealing with novice magic,” Rebekah added.
He scowled. “I was never a novice, thank you very much. Even Nik acknowledges to this day that I was the best of us.”
The mention of Klaus made your heart clench. You had no idea how you were going to face him when you got back to Mystic Falls. That is, assuming he still was in Mystic Falls.
He lied to you about everything. He knew you were a witch and he kept it from you for his own personal gain.
But so much had happened since the night of that argument. You came an inch away from bleeding out in a desolate basement. Lying about your witch ancestry didn’t seem so bad in retrospect.
Nothing he did hurt much until you started to like him, a voice in your head said. That’s why it felt like such a betrayal. Because it came out as soon as you started thinking you could be more.
You grimaced as you rubbed your temples. You really did have a headache reserved especially for the Mikaelsons. You think the ones started by Klaus were the worst.
Rebekah and Kol were arguing again when you tuned back into real life. You were about to say something about it yet again, but Elijah beat you to it.
“Children, enough squabbling,” he said. You realized the car had stopped. “I have to refuel the car, and I believe this is the only gas station for miles. Go inside and occupy yourselves.”
“And don’t kill anybody,” you clarified.
Kol balked. “We’re in the middle of nowhere. What harm would it be?”
“I asked you not to,” you said innocently, and you got out of the car. “That seems to be more than enough reason for you lately.”
Kol rolled his eyes as the rest of them got out. “It’s not very polite to use one’s interest against them.”
You pecked him on the lips and smiled. “You’ll live.”
Kol cupped the back of your neck when you started pulling away, and tugged you back in for a much longer, more passionate kiss. You would have thought it uncouth were he not kissing you breathless. He had a habit of that, your Kol.
“Now I will,” he mused once he finally pulled away, and he patted you affectionately on the cheek before sauntering over to the store.
“He is so gauche,” Rebekah huffed. “A thousand years and he has no idea how to please a woman.”
“I don’t know,” you said, still slightly dazed. “I thought it was pretty g—”
She cut you off as she pulled you in by the collar of your jacket. Her lips were just as plush and glossy as the last time, something you didn’t really get the chance to focus on when she bit your bottom lip hard enough to pierce the skin. She swiped her tongue over the pooled droplets of blood then leaned in till she was right by your ear.
“You always have to leave them wanting more,” she whispered.
Rebekah straightened your collar and winked before she broke away, jogging to catch up with her brother. Absent-mindedly, you wiped the blood off your lip with your thumb. You couldn’t tear your eyes away from Rebekah.
She must have felt it, because right before she went inside, she turned and blew you a kiss. You were surprised you were still standing with how weak in the knees all that made you.
No, actually. You were surprised you didn’t full-on burst into flames—you felt hot enough to do it even without magic. They had no right to tease you like that.
“You’ve certainly got your hands full,” Elijah commented.
Your head whipped around to the other side of the car where Elijah stood, occupied with the gas pump but fully aware of everything as always. As if it were somehow possible, you felt your face heat even more.
“I’m sorry,” you stuttered. “They have minds of their own. You know that.”
“You needn’t apologize,” he said. “They have every right to show their affection for you.”
You walked around so you were next to him. He still didn’t look at you.
“You’re seriously telling me it doesn’t bother you?” you asked.
“Why would it?” he responded evenly.
You moved closer and placed your hand on the car, trapping him between you and the gas pump. It didn’t mean much considering Elijah’s abilities, but it did finally make him look at you.
“Why are we doing this, Elijah?” you asked. “Why the hell are you still waiting?”
“We’ve already had this discussion,” he said.
“And it still doesn’t make sense to me,” you retorted. “What if I just kissed you right now?”
“You shouldn’t.”
You huffed. “That’s not what I asked.”
“Rebekah was right,” he said. “You’ve gotten bolder.”
You stared at him. “Elijah.”
He averted his gaze as the pump stopped, and he took it out. You sighed, about to make some stupid comment about how you weren’t used to having to be the pushy one, when he met your eyes once more. You didn’t often have Elijah’s full attention, really only when the two of you were alone, but his dark eyes were like the deepest depths of the ocean. You wondered how many people had gotten lost in them before you.
“I’ve been told my love is all-consuming,” he finally said. “I do not give it freely, but I do not let go of those who have it. Were we to… finally bridge this gap, I do not think I could let you go. And as I said, when you have so many more important things to focus on, it feels irresponsible. Especially when my brother is still licking his wounds—”
“This is about Klaus?” you interrupted incredulously.
He gave you a weak smile. “Isn’t it always?”
“You’ve been alive for a thousand years and you still won’t go after what you want because you’re still scared of your brother,” you said. “Is that what I’m hearing?”
“I do not fear my brother.” Elijah shut the fuel door with a bit too much force, unable to look at you once again. “I fear what he will do to you should he not get what he wants.”
“I just spent five days in a coma because I was nearly tortured to death in a basement,” you said. “From what you all tell me, I’m in danger anyways. I’d rather go through it with you by my side than from a distance.”
“I will be by your side for as long as you’ll have me.”
“Elijah,” you repeated, stronger this time.
“They are two different things,” he attempted, “to draw the ire of our enemies and the ire of Niklaus.”
“I think I can handle both if I have you,” you said.
Elijah gave you such a pained look, full of so many emotions and a million things left unsaid, that it nearly took you aback. You weren’t used to him ever showing his hand, only the carefully crafted mask of someone who had spent a millennia making mistakes.
I may just be your worst, you recalled. He had to know by now you didn’t care about making them.
“I’m sorry,” was all Elijah managed. This version of you, maybe emboldened by Kol and Rebekah’s kisses, wanted to keep pushing. See if you could make Elijah crack—see if he wanted you enough to throw a thousand years of caution to the wind.
They made you feel like you were special. And after two decades of neglect, it turned out you liked feeling special.
You didn’t get the chance. His attention turned to the convenience store a few moments before the door opened, Kol and Rebekah walking out together and, as usual, squabbling. At least one consistency remained in all this mess.
You shifted to look back at Elijah, but he was already getting back into the car. You sighed and did the same.
“This conversation isn’t over,” you said when you sat down.
Your eyes met through the rearview mirror. He smiled tightly.
“I suspect you will hold me to that.”
You scoffed. “Obviously.”
Kol and Rebekah rejoined you seconds after, the latter pecking you on the cheek as she slid in beside you.
“I hope you didn’t miss me too much,” she remarked.
You smiled. “You know I always do.”
“And I got you some snacks and water,” Kol said, not so subtly announcing himself despite the fact that he was already there. “In case we need to put out any more fires. And to cure what seems to be an insatiable thirst.”
You felt your face heat and you swiped the bottle from him, your fingers brushing in the process. You had a different sort of bravado around Elijah than you did around your two lovers—it really made it clear how long it’d been since you’d experienced any sort of romance.
“Thank you,” you said. You looked between them as Elijah started driving again. “You two didn’t kill anyone, did you? Cashier or customer?”
Kol pouted. “Unfortunately not.”
“It’s impressive,” Rebekah mused. “He’s willing to forgo his bloodlust because his desire for you to like him is stronger.”
“Don’t act as if you wouldn’t have slaughtered everyone at this station if you didn’t think she would be disappointed in you for it,” Kol mocked.
You sighed. “Do you two argue like this all the time because you’re the youngest?”
“Well of course,” Rebekah drawled. “Elijah and Nik tended to give me whatever I asked for if I pouted enough. Kol is the only one who ever fought me. It’s carried over the centuries.”
“Not whatever you asked for,” Kol said.
“Oh, yes,” she tilted her head. “I do recall a menagerie of my lovers being killed through various means over the years. Do you remember Emil, Elijah? Nik threw that poor boy off a balcony.”
“It was for your own good,” Elijah said placidly.
She hummed. “Did Nik tell you the same thing each time he slaughtered your newest paramour, or did you just lay there and take it even without a reason?”
“Okay,” you said hastily. “We don’t need to dig up the past. Especially when I’m right here and not going anywhere.”
Elijah met your eyes through the rearview mirror, some thread of gratitude in them. You gave the barest hint of a nod to acknowledge it.
You always got uncomfortable when they brought up their past lovers. Not because you were jealous—what was there to be jealous of when they had been dead for hundreds of years—but because it was a stark reminder of the mess you’d gotten yourself into.
Would they tire of you eventually? Throw you to the side once your allure faded and your shine dulled and move onto the next new thing?
The Mikaelsons might have pulled you into this world, but your ancestry would keep you here. If they left, you wouldn’t be free from the supernatural—you would just be alone.
You refused to be alone again. You didn’t think you could bear it. If it weren’t for Bee, you would honestly rather have them kill you than grow bored and leave you. At least they would remember you that way.
You swallowed such sour thoughts. There was no use in them right now.
“How much longer until we’re back in Richmond?” you asked.
“Another hour, give or take ten minutes,” Elijah said.
“Okay,” you nodded. “Are we good with my plan?”
“This is about your sister,” Kol said. “As far as I am concerned, whatever you believe to be best is what we will do.”
“How mature of you, Kol,” Elijah remarked.
He rolled his eyes. “I know you’re prone to it, brother, but do not ruin the moment.”
You heard him sigh. “I am onboard.”
“As am I,” Rebekah put in.
You nodded a few times, your courage bolstered once again. You found it difficult to feel anything less surrounded by the three of them.
-
The rest of the ride went relatively smooth. It was if Rebekah could sense your unease, for she regaled you with tales of her past—less bloody and filled with betrayal, thankfully—and soon enough both Kol and Elijah were joining in. You thought it more likely that your leg wouldn’t stop rapidly bouncing up and down in your anxiety, and it was driving them crazy with their vampire senses. Either way, you were grateful.
Eventually, when Kol realized no amount of stories could truly calm the nerves you felt over your sister’s safety, he pulled his grimoire out of his bag and handed it to you.
(“Memorizing spells will both aid you in our planned endeavors and distract you,” he’d said. “You don’t get carsick, do you?”)
You didn’t, and it did. So few were written in English that you made little progress at the beginning, and those in languages you did understand were written in such an old form of it you didn’t get far either way. You started off showing the page to Kol and he would translate for you, but after about five spells, Rebekah complained about how loud and annoying Kol was being.
You thought he was actually quieter than usual, but of course, it evolved into another one of their sibling squabbles. You were honestly impressed how much of it they had in them even after a thousand years. Eventually, he insisted Elijah stop the car so he could switch seats with Rebekah.
She was vehemently opposed, claiming he made his decision when he was the last to arrive back at the house, but she eventually gave in with a huff when you asked very nicely (and gave her a very nice kiss). Elijah promised with a weary sigh to make up for the lost time by speeding.
Things moved a lot faster when Kol had the grimoire in his hands. He somehow still knew the layout and took you through his favorite spells first. He said them all a million times to make them stick into your head, even wrote them down in the Latin they were meant to be chanted in on a separate slip of paper for your benefit.
You tried your hand at saying a few of them to get the hang of it only after Kol assured you that you wouldn’t accidentally perform them. Speaking, he assured you, is much different than chanting. You just nodded along with a smile because he sounded crazy.
The spell he insisted on the most was one that could induce repeated aneurysms. All three Mikaelsons agreed it to be the easiest way for a novice witch such as yourself to subdue a vampire—you suspected they’d all had it used against them before.
It made sense. Vampires had enhanced hearing, strength, speed—you’d been pinned against walls by them enough times to know how little chance you stood against them at that point. But if they couldn’t get to that point because they were too busy screaming in pain as every blood vessel in their brain popped simultaneously, then you were on much more even ground.
Kol, however, was being difficult.
“Ah Sha Lana,” you said for what felt like the thousandth time.
“You’re saying it wrong,” Kol insisted. “It is Ah Sha Lana.”
“That’s what I’m saying!” you exclaimed.
Kol shook his head. “You are putting emphasis on the wrong syllables.”
“There are only four syllables in the whole spell,” you said incredulously. “How can I put emphasis on the wrong ones?”
“Just listen to me,” he said. “Ah Sha—”
“I am only another four syllables away from severing my ears from my head just so I do not have to listen to you anymore, Kol,” Rebekah interrupted sharply. “Or perhaps I’ll rip out your vocal chords instead and save us all.”
“Did you know someone actually tried that once?” Kol said brightly. “They regenerated far quicker than you’d think. It made ripping his throat out much more gratifying.”
Yeah. That portion of the trip went about as you expected, but it did help cool some of the stronger emotions bubbling beneath the surface. You felt much more confident in both your magic and your revenge—especially when Kol pronounced you a very quick learner and peppered you with kisses for your hard work.
It wasn’t really hard work, but who were you to deny him? Mikaelson kisses were a reward in and of themself.
You eventually got back to Richmond—in record time, actually, thanks to Elijah making good on his promise of felony speeds. As you all piled out of the car, you stared up at your house with a frown.
“I just remembered I don’t even have the key to this place anymore,” you said. “I lost everything that night. If my car isn’t in some junkyard, it’s probably still on the side of the road.”
“Worry not,” Elijah said, procuring a key from his pocket. “I have a spare.”
“Of course you do,” you said. His lips twitched as you all followed him to the doorstep.
“Even if he didn’t, we could always just break the locks,” Kol shrugged. “It is your house, after all.”
“And I’ve barely gotten to use it,” you sighed. “After all of this is over, I’m throwing a party or something. We need to break this place in.”
“Yes, we should most certainly throw a party!” Rebekah exclaimed. “Things have been much too dreary for us all as of late.”
“Great,” Kol said dryly, “now you’ve set her off.”
She swatted her brother’s arm as Elijah pulled the door open, and he stepped aside with a nod at you.
“After you.”
You smiled at him and walked into the house you technically owned yet hadn’t spent an entire night in. “You all can come in,” you said over your shoulder. “Make yourself at home. I’m showering, changing, then we’re getting back on the road. Okay?”
They all had their own shows of acknowledgment, and you smiled inwardly.
You didn’t have very many things of your own here yet, but when you walked into your room to see it an absolute mess, you stopped.
“Um,” you said, because you knew they could hear you without yelling, “have I already been robbed in a house I’ve had for a week?”
Rebekah was by your side in an instant, and she craned her neck to see into your room.
“Are you sure this wasn’t you, darling?” she asked. “Your motel was always a bit of a mess.”
“No,” you said. “I got kidnapped before I could tear this house apart.”
“I apologize,” Elijah said, and you glanced over to see he’d joined. “This was my fault.”
Your eyebrows rose. “You?”
“I poked around your house when I discovered you were missing,” he admitted. “I was focused on finding one of your personal belongings for a locator spell. Regretfully, I did not have the time to clean up my chaos once I did.”
“Wow,” you could hear Kol from your living room, “you have really hurt her, Elijah. Truly the worst of us.”
Elijah ignored your barely hidden smile with a sigh, and he bowed his head towards you. “I apologize. I can tidy up while you shower.”
“Elijah, you saved my life because of it,” you said. “You don’t have to clean.”
“Best not to deprive him of his nobility,” Rebekah said, patting you on the shoulder as she walked off. “It is the only way he stays alive.”
You met his eyes once you were alone—they’d never left you. “You’ll do it either way, won’t you.”
He smiled in amusement. “You’re beginning to understand me.”
You didn’t think so. Elijah hid himself behind so many walls and secrets and masks that you didn’t think would ever truly understand him, no matter how much you learned about him. You were still thinking about his words at the gas station. Which reminded you—
“This doesn’t get you off the hook from finishing our conversation,” you said.
His smile remained. “I didn’t think so.”
“...But thank you,” you said. “At least one of you cleans up the messes you create.”
“I resent that!” Rebekah called from the living room. You just shook your head and grabbed your towels.
Thankfully, you didn’t have a breakdown during this shower. You still felt that liquid fire beneath the surface—you wondered if it was what your magic felt like, or if your magic just gave your anger physical form. You think you got the answer when you turned the water as cold as it could come and it still didn’t cool you off, just hissed when it hit your skin.
The glass doors steamed up inhumanely quick.
You showered hastily, just to rinse off the fatigue from the car ride. When you stepped out into your room, surely enough, it was clean. You smiled. You saw your old ring on the bedside table and the smile grew. You thought you lost it somewhere during all your misadventures, but Elijah was able to find it in your room for the locator spell. Fitting for it to be a necessary in between before you had it returned to you.
You slipped it back onto your finger and felt warmth bloom inside you. Something about Elijah, ever since you’d met him, always managed to cause the feeling.
You’d never been able to hold a grudge against him, even through his multitude of lies. You think that was how he got away with so many of them.
You dressed in clothes Rebekah certainly stashed in your closet, but you couldn’t complain. Not when she paid enough attention to pick up on how much you liked that cashmere coat she got you forever ago.
Your boots clicked against the wooden floor as you walked into the living room. Kol stood by your television, picking through the movies that he put there when he helped furnish your house; Rebekah was saying something about how she already wanted to change out your curtains; Elijah noticed you first, sitting like a king in your sofa chair.
“I trust you find my cleaning adequate.”
You smiled. “I might even find it incredible.”
His lips twitched. You noticed he rarely shared full smiles with you. It made you long for them that much more.
“Are we ready to go?” Kol asked. “I’ve about tired of Bekah talking about curtains.”
“You’re just jealous of my taste,” she said breezily. “It’s alright, Kol. We cannot all be perfect.”
He tilted his head towards her with a grin. “Hence your shortcomings.”
Rebekah threw the dining table centerpiece at Kol faster than you could blink. He dodged just as quick and it lodged itself in the wall.
You cleared your throat. Rebekah really was the youngest sibling.
“Kol will fix that for you,” she said blithely, casting a glance at you.
Kol ripped it out and launched it back at her in a millisecond, but Rebekah caught it without faltering.
“Got a lot of experience with throwing things at men?” he mocked.
Rebekah just scrunched up her face, and you held up your hand.
“Save your anger for the Salvatores, okay?” You took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes. We’re ready to go.”
Elijah stood, his intent gaze setting off on your skin like fireworks as he moved towards you. He handed you the car keys, enclosing your hands with his own.
“Do something you’ve never done around me and be careful,” he said.
You smiled ruefully. “Elijah, you know I can’t be compelled.”
His small smile warmed you from the inside out. He drew ever closer, your hands imprisoned by his, and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead. Your skin burned in the wake of his lips, but he’d disappeared before you could do anything more.
Kol rolled his eyes as he tossed the DVD in his hands on the floor and sauntered over to you. “He’s so dramatic, isn’t he?”
“You’re just gonna leave that on the floor?” you asked wryly.
Kol tilted his head with a smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
You glanced over to see it was back in place. You huffed a laugh, and when he pulled you in by the waist to kiss you, you let him.
“I never say this,” he mused, his hand resting on your back, “but I agree with Elijah.”
In the next second, you were left alone with Rebekah. She looked unimpressed.
“If you expect me to give some dramatic monologue before I get in the car with you, you’ll be sorely disappointed.”
You laughed more genuinely and you felt stars in your head when she smiled. The two of you left the house hand in hand, Rebekah rubbing her thumb in comforting circles over your hand.
You fixed the settings in the driver’s seat rather than Elijah’s—he had the worst mirror set-up you’d ever seen, but you attributed that to his enhanced vision—and soon enough, you and Rebekah were off.
Your mouth was too dry to make conversation. Five minutes in, Rebekah broke it.
“It’ll all be okay, darling.”
“I know,” you said, because you were trying to be more of an optimist. It didn’t change the fact you’d felt nauseous since you stepped out of the shower.
“Both Kol and Elijah can fight off Stefan on their own blind with one arm cut off.” Her gaze felt like a comfort—kinder than the fire of Klaus’s.
Another thing you needed to get out of your head. You were thinking too much of Klaus—you think the intensity of your anger towards the Salvatores has lessened the amount directed at him. Your rage was like a pipeline system with awful water pressure, apparently.
“I know,” you said. “But you have to promise me to be calm when we go to our first stop.”
“We’re going to your family estate, are we not?”
“Yeah,” you nodded. “But you’re going to have to meet my mom, and you can’t hurt her in any way.”
She frowned. “The way you’ve told it, she could go for an attitude adjustment.”
“She’s still my family,” you said.
“That doesn’t always end up being the iron shield people brandish it as.”
“I love my mom,” you said, and you didn’t think you were lying. You raised yourself, you raised your sister, you got her through the death of your father. It didn’t matter that she looked at you and felt nothing. It didn’t matter that she neglected you because you reminded her of a bitter loss, a bitter mistake. It didn’t matter that your father’s death left a knife in your chest, and you had to rip it out to defend your mother.
Your step-father, a voice in your head whispered. Your half-sister.
Your hands clenched around the steering wheel. It didn’t matter that she made you an imposter in your own life.
“Love can’t heal all wounds,” Rebekah murmured.
Notes:
what is this??? an update in an actually reasonable amount of time?? SIX DAYS???? WHO IS SHE!!!!
but srs every time i finish a chapter for this series it's usually in a few days of obsessively thinking about it nonstop after forgetting it exists for months on end and i catch the writing bug for a hot second, so i try to utilize it as much as i can and write as much as possible. but this time it hit me especially bad i have like the writing plague. i have actually been thinking about them nonstop for the past week it's a little concerning. this chapter was turning out to be like. 13k fucking words so i cut it in half! sorry for leaving you on yet another cliffhanger but it will not be a 7 month cliffhanger like the last one lol. and next chapter shit goes down in more ways than one
i am having so much fun writing this series again, the upcoming chapter i think might be my favorite in the series so far. like my pinterest board for this series hasn't been thriving like this for months. i think it's because im rereading patisserie and getting so much serotonin so thank you emma for your gift to the world!!!
n e ways i hope you all enjoy!!
Chapter 26: Like a Woman Scorned
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You drove to your childhood home in relative but comfortable silence. Rebekah held your hand the entire time, and you made a decision then and there to get better at one-handed driving just so you wouldn’t have to miss out on this.
Even with Rebekah’s steady presence, your nerves were getting the better of you for a few different reasons.
One, you were terrified that he had turned her against you. The Mikaelsons, as it stood, were very much monsters to the general public. They slaughtered their way through a millennia with little care for the feelings of others, and all of them had hurt the Salvatores and co in varying ways. You and your sister had an unbreakable bond, but a description of your relationship with the Mikaelsons from Stefan’s point of view seemed like a pretty good way to start breaking it.
Two. What if Stefan had actually done something to Bianca, something that wouldn’t be fixed even if you killed him? You’d never forgive yourself if she got hurt because of you, got traumatized because Stefan needed leverage against you and she was the only thing you still cared about in this dreadful town.
Three—you had to see your mom again. You had to introduce Rebekah to your mom. She promised to stay her hand, but you didn’t know how much you believed her. She did, after all, not have a very good history with mothers, and you didn’t speak kindly of yours in her presence.
You’d already let the Mikaelsons solve a variety of your problems. You couldn’t let them start killing them with the same ease.
You were pretty sure school was out for winter break, but your sense of time was so twisted after your week in a coma that it could have already been February and you wouldn’t have been surprised. Bee was also in so many extracurriculars, some that met even over breaks, that it was best to just find out for yourself. You didn’t really want to stop by the school anyways—not when you were trying to keep a low profile and so many of those high schoolers, for some ungodly reason, were supernatural creatures.
You parked on the street and glanced at Rebekah. “Do you hear anyone inside?”
She nodded. “Just one.”
So Bee wasn’t here, and you would have to talk to your mom. You let out a deep sigh and nodded before you got out of the car, Rebekah close behind you.
“Remember,” you said, “no violence.”
“I’m not some rabid beast,” she said. “I do possess self control.”
You managed some sort of smile amidst the nausea that came from standing on the doorstep. You steadied your shaky hands as you unlocked the door—thankfully, you stashed the key at your new house so you didn’t lose it in Damon’s attack.
You gave Rebekah permission to enter and you walked in together. It was weird being back. Even though it hadn’t been that long, so much had already changed—Rebekah sauntering behind you was proof enough of that. You felt like more of a stranger here than ever, especially with the Christmas decorations. You and Bee were always responsible for decorating the house when you were younger because your mom couldn’t be bothered. You hoped she changed her tune and your sister didn’t have to do all this alone.
When you walked through the foyer into the kitchen, you were almost immediately met by your mother. She stood at the counter in dirty scrubs, pouring herself a glass of wine—she nearly dropped the bottle when she saw you.
She blurted out your name in surprise, and you smiled, a touch too cold. “Good to see you too, Mom.”
“I thought you wouldn’t come back,” she said. She had a thread of desperation in her voice, so thin it nearly slid past you. At least your mother wasn’t fully content to have you disappear from her life for all eternity.
“I wasn’t going to,” you admitted. “Not for a while. But I have—”
You were interrupted when the wine bottle slipped from your mom’s hand onto the floor, shattering on impact and leaving half the tiled floor covered in broken glass and crimson liquid.
“All these baby pictures of you are adorable,” Rebekah mused as she came up behind you. “I might have to swipe a few before we leave.”
She paused, her eyes flicking down to the mess on the ground. “Well, that just won’t do.”
“You let one of them in here,” your mother breathed, her eyes wide with fear.
“Oh, relax,” Rebekah huffed. “If I wanted to kill you, you’d be dead already.”
“Rebekah,” you chastised.
“Joking, of course,” she said dryly.
“You’re Rebekah Mikaelson,” your mom realized in horror.
“In the flesh,” she said with a smile. “It’s good to know the name still inspires fear. “
“She’s just Rebekah while she’s here, Mom,” you said. You decided not to bring up the part that she was also your girlfriend—your mother wasn’t homophobic, she was just exhausting. “But we’re not here for reunions. Where’s Bianca?”
She couldn’t look away from Rebekah, who seemed more interested in searching out more of your childhood photos than any sort of violence as she wandered all over the living room.
“Mom,” you said, stronger this time, which finally drew her gaze. “Bianca. Where is she?”
“The soccer field,” she finally answered. “You know her— she’s practicing with some of the freshmen because they asked her for tips on how to make varsity.”
That was your sister. Star of the varsity team, popular as hell, but still always willing to help others. Bee was the golden child for good reason.
“Has she said anything strange?” you asked. “Done anything strange? Come home too late for no reason?”
“...She’s been out of it since you left,” she said. “She doesn’t share it with me for some reason, but I can tell. She’s not sleeping well, her grades are dropping, she doesn’t light up a room the way she used to.”
A surprising amount of fight drained out of you.
You thought you were helping her, saving her. You couldn’t risk Klaus having her as leverage, going after her the instant you went against him. You couldn’t risk him, or any of the Mikaelsons for that matter, killing her out of petty spite.
You thought you were protecting Bianca by keeping her in the dark. But you nearly disowned your mother when you found out she did the same.
You were turning into your mother, neglect, lies and all. The thought was more horrifying than anything Klaus could do to you.
“I was trying to keep her safe,” you whispered.
“This is all killing her.” Your mother huffed and shook her head. “For some reason, you’re her hero.”
You let out a shaky breath as the nausea rose up your throat. You were a horrible sister. No, you were the worst sister in the world, actually, because you destroyed your relationship with Bee to try and keep her safe and it didn’t even work.
Rebekah was by your side in an instant, her angelic features overwhelmed with concern.
“Darling,” she murmured, “do we have everything we need?”
You nodded. Words were getting stuck in your throat when you tried to say them.
“Then we’re leaving.” She grabbed your hand and started pulling you along.
“Wait,” your mom desperately. Glass crunched beneath her feet when she stepped forward, so she went around the other side. “We need to talk.”
“Send a text,” she bit out.
She called your name—it made you stop in your tracks, because for a millisecond you’re split into echoes of your past selves. Twelve and realizing that you are never going to be good enough for her; fifteen and going to work even when you’re dying of a fever just so you don’t have to be stuck at home; graduating college at twenty but skipping the ceremony because your mom told you she couldn’t be there and despite everything, she still has more of a hold over you than anyone should.
And a part of her still did.
You placed your hand on Rebekah’s to stop her, and she gave you a questioning look.
“It’s okay,” you murmured. “Go to the car, I’ll be there soon.”
“Darling,” she said, “you’re upset. We are not staying here for her to upset you more.”
“It’s okay,” you repeated. “We… probably do need to talk.”
“Only if you’re sure.”
You weren’t, and Rebekah could probably sense that. But you smiled as convincingly as you could and gave her a small kiss.
“I am.”
Even her unease had sharp edges, but she nodded nonetheless and walked out the door—she swiped one more picture from the side table before she did, though. It made your smile a little more genuine.
“What was that?” You turned around to see your mother frowning and you sighed.
“Exactly what it looks like.”
“You said you had a Mikaelson problem,” she said.
You shrugged. “I fixed it.”
“Do you have any idea—”
“I’d rather skip the lecture, if it’s all the same to you,” you interrupted. “You wanted to talk, so talk.”
“Well, I don’t even know where to start,” she said. “How about what you’ve been up to since you left? Why you haven’t answered any of Bianca’s texts or calls? How you got that scar on your neck, why you’re,” she faltered for a second, “apparently dating one of them, which is probably how you got it—”
“Rebekah isn’t the one that hurt me,” you snapped. “She saved my life when we first met, actually, so I’d appreciate it if you stopped talking about her like she’s a monster.”
Her jaw clenched for a moment before she spoke again. “What have you been doing since you left, then?”
I nearly got tortured to death, you almost said. I have not just a vampire girlfriend, but a vampire boyfriend too, and he’s another Mikaelson, not to mention whatever the hell is going on between me, Elijah, and Klaus. And I’m only back here because I think something has happened to the one daughter you care about.
“I worked off my debt to Klaus,” you said instead, even though that still wasn’t technically true. You know by now that he set you free. Was it to protect you from himself, to give you a chance to run before he had the chance to ruin you? Or rather just another test to see how entangled you’d become with his family, to see if you were in too deep to do anything with the freedom you fought so hard for. “They bought me a house. I’ve been figuring out my magic.”
“They bought you—” she stopped mid-sentence as she shook her head, deciding that wasn’t the hill she wanted to die on. “So why haven’t you been responding to Bianca’s messages? That’s the reason she’s been so freaked out—she thinks you’re dead and I can’t do anything to assuage her.”
You swallowed the fresh round of guilt. “People keep trying to kill me and my phone keeps getting broken or lost in the process.”
She stared at you like you were crazy.
“I still don’t have a new one,” you said. The thought of stopping by an Apple store in the midst of all this kind of made you want to die, though. “And when you’re in houses that were built a few centuries ago, you don’t really have access to a landline.”
“The scar is from the latest attempt on my life,” you continued. “It used to look a lot worse, believe it or not. And the Mikaelsons are the ones that saved me again, so don’t get started.”
“How many attempts on your life have there been?” You were surprised at how distressed she sounded. Maybe this was what it took for her to care.
You counted off on your fingers as you thought. Klaus when you met for the first time, Damon when you met for the first time, Damon when you met the second time, Emmaline, and then Kol holding himself back (though maybe that was just a 2 for 1 rather than two separate attempts)—Klaus threw you against the wall and threatened you when you got back, but did that really count when he did it all the time? And then, of course, there was Damon for the third time.
Wow. Maybe you should have let Elijah kill Damon when he had him unconscious in a basement.
“Five to seven,” you answered. “I don’t know if some of them count as full-on attempts.”
She shook her head in complete disbelief. “Why are you still trying to stay on top of all of this?”
You frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You can come home,” she pleaded. “I— I know we haven’t always gotten along, but you don’t have to live like this just to prove you can.”
It was your turn to stare at her like she was crazy. “I can’t come back.”
“Why not?” she asked desperately. “One day, you’re not going to be as lucky as you always have been. You don’t have to keep running around acting like something you’re not—”
“I’m not!” you shouted. “I’m a witch, whether you like it or not, and I have to deal with everything that comes with it! I can’t just— just go back to my old life, because it doesn’t exist anymore!”
“Then at least get away from the Mikaelsons,” she pleaded.
You shook your head, more sure of this than of anything you’d said to her. “No.”
“I know things about them that you don’t,” she whispered. “The Mikaelsons built New Orleans from the ground up—I lived there during college, and I started running in some witch circles once Ethan and I got together. They don’t talk about the Originals kindly.”
“I know,” you said. “They’ve slaughtered their way through a millennia—”
“They have done so much worse than kill people,” your mother insisted. “You aren’t safe with them, no matter how much you think they like you.”
You clenched your jaw and your hands curled into fists at your sides. You felt like you were burning up from the inside out. You tried to spread your magic out all over your body rather than it piling up at the single point that was your anger—not because she didn’t deserve yours, but because you didn’t exactly want to spontaneously combust.
“They’ve given me more love in a few months than you did my entire life,” you whispered, angry tears pricking your eyes. “You of all people don’t get to judge me for this.”
“Few survive the Mikaelsons’ wrath, but no one survives their affections,” your mother promised. “They’ll kill you. They always do.”
“Maybe,” you admitted, your voice lowering. “But it’s better than killing myself chasing your apathy for the rest of my goddamn life.”
You stormed out before she could get anything else out, leaving your mother to her broken glass and spilled wine.
You greedily inhaled fresh air when you got out the door. You didn’t have the breakdown you thought you would, so this technically counted as a successful visit home.
“She seems like a lovely woman,” Rebekah said wryly. You nearly choked when you realized she was standing there. Your mother always seemed to give you tunnel vision.
“I thought you would be in the car,” you said shakily.
“I didn’t know if I would have to break back in and steal you away.” She cupped your cheek and traced her thumb along your jawline, making you shiver. “I hate seeing you like this.”
“You heard everything.” It wasn’t really a question, just trying to see how much Rebekah would push you on it.
“Of course,” she said. “But if you’d rather not discuss it, we don’t have to.” She glanced at the door. “And if you’d rather I handle the root of the problem—”
“No,” you interrupted, shaking your head.
Rebekah huffed. “You won’t let me kill Damon, you won’t let me kill your mother—”
“She doesn’t deserve to die,” you murmured. “I think I remind her too much of my dad—both of them. She looks at me and she sees everything she’s ever lost. She’s never going to treat me like her daughter. And I just have to deal with that.”
“Darling—”
“Please, Rebekah.” You looped your arms around her shoulders. “This is one problem that you all can’t solve for me.”
Her gaze softened as she looked at you, like a sweet summer breeze mellowing the full force of the sun. You didn’t know how someone could see her and not fall in love.
“Alright,” she murmured. “For you, I’ll stay my hand.”
You smiled when she kissed you, sweeter and gentler than she ever had. You think about just an hour or so ago, when she bit you so hard she drew blood.
She truly was the perfect woman.
You went back to your car together, Rebekah offering to relinquish her passenger princess tiara to make things easier for you. You turned her down, which she looked secretly relieved for.
She started taking things out of her inner coat pockets—when you glanced over, you laughed.
“I can’t believe you actually took pictures.”
Rebekah shrugged. “I think I deserve them more than your mother does.” She held up one of you and Bianca. “Is this your sister?”
You nodded. “Yeah. Uh— that was when I graduated high school.”
You and Bee were back to back, both of you laughing as you tried to get her to do that James Bond gun pose with you. You had your cap and gown on—only glimpses of the mortarboard Bee helped you decorate were visible—and a bouquet of flowers rested at your feet. You remembered: that night, sitting on the couch watching movies long after your mother had turned in, she told you she spent her last month’s allowance on it. You knew then that she would be the only thing tying you to Virginia.
“I see the resemblance,” she said. “You’ve certainly got that same look in your eye.”
You smiled. “Mom said Bee got all her curiosity from me.”
“No wonder,” Rebekah said. “I understand why she looks up to you.”
Your hands tightened on the steering wheel ever so slightly. “That’s why it sucks that I’ve let her down so much.”
“Darling, I have spent a thousand years as a let down sister, so believe me when I say you’re doing excellently.” Rebekah’s gaze made you warm enough to melt. “There is only so much you can do when you’re in two separate worlds.”
You swallowed your guilt once more. Was it selfish to bridge those two worlds, you wondered, if you were doing it just so your sister could understand you again?
(You didn’t know what to do.)
Rebekah, mercifully, made idle conversation for the rest of the drive, and you arrived at the soccer fields soon enough. They were noticeably empty except for the one nearest to the parking lot—it was, after all, the middle of winter.
“Promise me you won’t say anything when my sister reams me out,” you murmured as you put the car into park. “I deserve all of it, and she deserves to get it out of her system.”
She snorted. “Words I wish my brothers would say to themselves.”
“Rebekah.”
“Yes, darling,” she said, squeezing your hand. “I promise.”
The grass crunched underfoot from unmelted frost as you and Rebekah walked over. You settled on the pavement sidewalk that circled around the whole area of fields, and for a good minute or so, you just watched your sister.
She wore her school team sweatshirt and shorts (she never wore pants to play soccer no matter how cold it was because she said it impeded her performance) and had her hair braided the way you taught her. She led a group of six younger girls in a passing drill that you recognized all too well (‘someone has to practice with me if I’m going to make travel’, she used to plead to you on the rare days you didn’t work after school. You always gave in to her.)
Her eyes darted up to you and Rebekah for a split second as they latched onto movement and went back down to her girls—then she did a double take, and she was immediately overtaken by a grin. You couldn’t really help your own smile at the sight.
She said a few more things to the group and passed out the soccer ball at her feet to the nearest pair, then jogged over to the two of you.
Bianca said your name so happily you felt like you could cry, so much kinder than you deserved, and she pulled you into a hug. You did let out a little sob as you wrapped your arms around her and spun her around.
Your little sister was alive and well and intact and very assuredly not a vampire.
Bee laughed as you set her back down on her feet, but she cocked her head. “You’re awfully happy to see me. Work had you that down?”
“You don’t even know,” you said with a watery laugh of your own. You blinked away your tears in the hope she wouldn’t see them. You didn’t need her any more worried about you.
“How have you been?” you asked when you set her down. “How’s school? Is everything okay?”
“Oh, it’s the same as it always is,” she said. “I managed to pass my chem test right before break, I have an APUSH project over break because Miss Taylor hates us, and apparently,” Bianca glanced back at the field, “I’m a soccer queen bee now.” She laughed at her own joke.
“Of course you are,” you said. “There’s a reason you’re team captain and Reese isn’t.”
Bianca grinned. “I guess all those afternoons together are paying off, huh?”
“I fully expect a mention when you become a D1 college star,” you said with mock austerity.
Her eyes sparkled. “Of course.” She looked over at Rebekah, her smile still not fading. “Are you one of my sister’s friends? I don’t think we’ve met.”
“This is Rebekah,” you said, with a slightly nervous glance at her. “She’s my girlfriend.”
Bianca’s eyes widened. “Since when have you had a girlfriend?”
It literally happened this morning, you thought of saying, but Rebekah was quicker.
“It’s been a long time coming,” she said, smiling as she intertwined your fingers together. “It’s lovely to meet you, Bianca. I’ve heard many things about you.”
“All good, I hope,” she grinned.
“The way she tells it, you act nothing but,” Rebekah remarked. Bee practically glowed when she smiled.
“Good,” she said. “Well, congrats to you two. You’ve deserved someone good since Julian broke up with you because of your job.” Bianca smiled. “It makes sense you’ve only been able to find it in a woman.”
“Bianca,” you chastised. She had been making jokes like that ever since she came out to you while visiting at college and you responded by telling her you were dating a girl. While you didn’t think Rebekah would be jealous about your ex from four years ago that broke up with you over text, you did think she would hunt him down and gut him the second you expressed any distaste towards him.
“We should all get lunch before you go back to New York,” she said, and she tilted her head. “How long are you back in town, by the way? You said you were gonna be up there ‘til graduation.”
Bianca didn’t say it with the disdain you expected, that came with months of complete and utter radio silence from your only sibling; she just spoke genuinely. Your mom said she wasn’t sleeping well, was doing worse in school—didn’t light up like she used to. But your sister had always been a different kind of sun, and she shined just as bright as usual.
Either your mom over exaggerated to make you feel guilty, or Bee had gotten over it by now. Though the former was more likely than the latter, you actually didn’t think either of them were the truth.
“I never said graduation,” you defended. “I’ll be here for Christmas.”
“Christmas was a week ago,” Bee said, and laughed when she continued, “and I’m pretty sure you said graduation.”
“It was,” you said, trying to make it sound like you knew that and you hadn’t been fumbling around without any idea of what day it was for the past few weeks. Briefly, you were struck by an image of yourself strangling Damon with tinsel for making you miss Christmas—then another image of your life spiraling out of your grasp. “I- I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there. Work just got so busy— The mayor of New York stepped down so it was really-”
“It’s okay,” Bee said with a smile. “I’m not worried.”
You paused your plea negotiation of lies and stared at your sister. “You’re… not?”
It dawned on you that this was all going too smoothly. You remembered Bianca’s desperation before you left with Elijah, practically begging you to trust her enough to let her in. This is the same girl that put up missing posters of you around town and she hadn’t even asked you where you were?
“Why would I be worried?” she asked brightly. “You were just back in New York for work.”
It was so small you nearly missed it, but her eyes almost… glazed over when she spoke, like she was reading a script or a teleprompter. Her smile didn’t waver, her light didn’t dim, but something just felt wrong. Fake.
No. Manufactured.
You glanced at Rebekah. She noticed too.
“...Yeah.” You swallowed the sudden spike of nausea and smiled at your sister best you could before purposefully looking past her to the end of the field. “I, uh, I think your proteges are calling for you.”
Bianca laughed like nothing at all was wrong and cast a glance over her shoulder. “I should probably get back to them, huh?”
“Yeah,” you repeated, and you pulled her into another hug. You inhaled the scent of that green apple conditioner that you bought for her once and she never stopped using; the faint air of her citrus perfume. You loved her more than life itself.
Whatever Stefan did to her, you would fix it.
“I do agree that we should get lunch before I leave,” you said, and you glanced at Rebekah.
She nodded her agreement. “I’d love the chance to get to know you more, Bianca.”
“And I you,” she said haughtily, mimicking Rebekah’s accent. Your sister actually got a laugh out of her, and Bee looked very pleased. “I’ll see you two later, then?”
You nodded. “I’ll call you sooner rather than later. Knock ‘em dead, Bee.”
She started running back to the field when she stopped and turned. She shot finger guns at you, and you couldn’t help but smile fiercely as you shot them back. You blew the smoke off your fingers together and she laughed, then waved before she turned around and ran the rest of the way back. You didn’t realize you were crying until you felt Rebekah wipe a few tears off your cheek.
“Come on, darling,” she urged. “Let’s go back to the car.”
You let her take you back and tuck you into the passenger seat—you say you’re fine to drive and she says absolutely not.
“I’m sorry,” you said, wiping away tears that had mostly stopped by now. “It’s just so good to see her again. I thought—” you exhaled shakily, “I thought something horrible had happened to her, and I’ve never been so relieved.”
Rebekah watched you with the sad eyes of a sister who had never seen her brothers cry over her. “But something isn’t right, still.”
You nodded, letting out another shaky breath as you tried to gather yourself. “No. I’m glad you saw it too.”
“The behavior your mother described is not consistent with the girl I just met,” she said. “I expected someone more… morose. Or angry.”
“Exactly,” you said. “She gets annoyed when I don’t text her back in a few hours—if we’re at the point of missing posters, she would be absolutely furious to see me again. Happy, sure, but angry because I made her worry so much. She wasn’t worried at all.”
Rebekah suddenly cursed under her breath. You were about to ask her if she was okay before she beat you to it.
“Your sister was compelled.”
Your question died in your throat. “What?”
“Kol was right. Stefan compelled her to stop worrying about you.” She shook her head. “The biggest bloody idiot I’ve ever met.”
“That’s what the glazed eyes meant?” you asked, your spine suddenly straightening.
“Not typically,” Rebekah said, shaking her head once more. “It’s not usually that obvious. But Stefan has control issues and only drinks blood from animals, making him weaker than other vampires—including his compulsion. It doesn’t always take the first time, sometimes it wears off, and in many cases it doesn’t go as smoothly as his betters.”
“No,” you muttered, shaking your head. “No, he doesn’t just get to mess with her mind like that. He doesn’t get to fucking compel my sister to make his life easier!”
“I agree,” Rebekah nodded. “But it is worth mentioning that I can work around the compulsion.”
You looked at her with a clawing desperation. “You can?”
“Yes. I cannot fully undo it, but I’ve done this enough that I can go around it. Such as compelling her to remember everything Stefan told her to forget.” She covered your hand with hers, interlacing your fingers together. “But we don’t know what else he has compelled her to forget, and if I undo it now—”
“Then I might have to explain everything to her,” you finished.
Rebekah nodded. “Is that something you’re ready for?”
You bit the inside of your cheek. You didn’t know if you were. But having your memory violated, made to forget things against your will—you couldn’t leave Bianca like that. You didn’t get to control those things just because you knew about it and she didn’t. That wasn’t your right.
“...We confront Stefan first,” you said. “You force him to tell all and we go from there.”
She nodded and she pulled onto the road. “You’re lucky I remember the path to the Salvatores’ dreadful estate.”
You hummed. “I’m sure you’re used to running at it through the woods to be as dramatic as possible.”
“You’re a brat,” Rebekah said. “I try to do something nice for you and this is what I get.”
“I’m sorry,” you drawled. “It’s impressive that you know both ways.”
“I’ve got a good memory,” she said. She then tipped her shoulder. “Although running at super-speed through the woods is, frankly, faster.”
You snorted. “Yeah, I did that once with Kol. I don’t think I’ll do it again.”
“It, like all things in life, would be better with me,” she said, and she sighed dreamily. “Makes me ache for the thrill of the hunt.”
The thought of a feral Rebekah, eyes dark as blood and black veins protruding, tearing through the woods, chasing after her prey—
She glanced at you. “Are you alright, darling? Your heart just sped up.”
Your face burned so hot you were surprised you didn’t ignite into flames.
“Just fine,” you rasped.
-
The ride went quicker than you thought it would—equally in part to a hereditary need to drive at felony speeds, and Rebekah talking to fill the space. You always thought she had a lovely voice, even when she was threatening you.
Eventually, though—
“Oh, Christ,” Rebekah muttered.
“What?” you asked, concerned. “Are you okay?”
“Just fine, darling,” she said. “But I suspect my brothers did not have as much success as us. I can hear Kol yelling expletives even from here.”
Your eyes widened. “Is he hurt?” You knew the Mikaelsons were stronger than practically every other vampire alive, but your logic tended to go out the window when it came to them.
“No,” she said. “Just angry, as is typical.”
“You should probably step on it either way.”
Rebekah obliged and closed the distance soon enough. She pulled into their driveway—you respected her disregard for suburban propriety—and you both got out.
Even you could hear Kol yelling from here, who was currently in the middle of describing to Stefan the very detailed way in which he would dismember him once Kol got his hands on him. You noticed the broken half of a lamppost laying in the grass and wondered if he had something to do with it.
He’d just gotten to the unique way he would sever each of his fingers by the time you were close enough to see them, and Kol paused his threats to turn around and grin widely at you.
“Darling!” he called. “You are just in time!”
You glanced at Rebekah and she rolled her eyes in the way only a younger sister could manage. “Before you ask, yes. He has been like this his whole life.”
You bit back your laugh as you and Rebekah reached them. Elijah offered a polite smile from his spot against the wall, and Kol leaned in for a quick kiss before he pulled away and faced the house.
“I was just telling Stefan how he’s too much of a coward to take the consequences of his own actions!” he yelled.
“Kol,” Elijah put in, “cease your racket for one moment, will you?”
Kol scoffed. “I was just getting to the good part.”
“And you can return soon.” Elijah put a far too familiar hand on your shoulder. With the softness in his eyes and your newfound, dangerous way of expressing emotions combined, it wasn’t at all an exaggeration to say your skin burned beneath his touch. “How is your sister?”
“She’s fine,” you said. “Too fine. Didn’t freak out on me at all. Rebekah thinks Stefan compelled her to stop worrying about me.”
“Wonderful.” Kol rolled his eyes. “The one time his compulsion does take.”
“I thought the exact same thing,” Rebekah said.
“Well, why are the two of you just hanging around here?” you asked, looking at Kol and Elijah. “I figured at least one of you would have Stefan Salvatore by the throat and begging for mercy.”
“I am more attracted to you now than I ever have been,” Kol said. You choked on air and he grinned victoriously.
“The house is warded,” Elijah said, ignoring his brother as was typical. You think he even overenunciated his words. “I imagine no one can get in without express permission. Whose, I’m unsure. The ownership of this house has gotten much more complicated since Elena was killed.”
Your eyes widened. “She’s dead?”
“This was eons ago,” Rebekah brushed off. “She came back to life the same night. Hardly something to be bothered about.”
“It is about time they fortified it,” Elijah said. “You would think they’d have seen vampires being able to enter without permission as a flaw sooner. We’ve broken in here enough times.”
“I would have threatened to burn his house down by now if it weren’t for ‘Lijah,” Kol grumbled. “I thought it would be nice for you to have him on a platter, but he said we should wait for you to get here.”
You shook your head as your eyes slid over all of them. “You’re all kinda crazy, you know that?”
“That’s the fun of it,” Kol said brightly.
“Back to the topic at hand,” Elijah segued effortlessly, “Stefan greeted us, but he did not stick around. I believe in thanks to Kol’s efforts.”
“I treated him the way he ought to be treated—”
“You broke a lamppost in half and tried to spear him with it,” Elijah corrected wearily.
“Exactly!” he exclaimed. “How he ought to be treated!”
So he did have something to do with it. Your Kol senses were getting stronger.
“He’s hiding somewhere in there still,” Rebekah said, glancing up at the second floor windows. “Like Kol said, all we have to do is burn this place to the ground to draw him out. I imagine you’d enjoy that, darling.”
You shook your head, as fun as it sounded. You tried your best to push such a blatant thought of arson out of your mind. “That’s Plan B. Give me just…”
You reached out with your magic, poking and prodding at the invisible barriers that surrounded the house. They were placed by a witch much, much stronger than you—Bonnie’s work, you think. You had some sort of innate connection to it because she helped you tap into your magic.
But something about it didn’t feel all that solid to you.
“Are you sure about the wards?” you asked, turning to Kol and Elijah. “Have you tried?”
“Don’t demerit my intelligence, love,” Kol scoffed. He balled his hand into a fist and punched what should have been open air in the doorway—instead, it just bounced off an invisible wall.
“Like I said,” he yelled again, “coward!”
You moved so you were next to Kol, following your magical hunch, and made a fist as well. You punched the open air—and sure enough, for you, it was.
They didn’t ward against witches.
The three Mikaelsons shared differing looks—Kol’s unbelieving open-mouthed grin, Elijah’s small smile with admiration in his eyes, and Rebekah looking like she wanted to pin you against the wall and take you right there.
You stepped into the house slowly, a part of you scared that you misjudged your magic — another part scared that you overestimated it. But you looked back at your Mikaelsons and they all gave you synchronized nods signifying their belief in you. A smile glowed inside you at the thought.
Your Mikaelsons.
You turned back and took in a long deep breath, letting it out loosely over the course of a few more steps.
“Oh, Stefan,” you murmured. “Why would you not ward against witches?”
You felt the air knock out of your chest before you saw him, but in the next half-second Stefan had you against the wall with an arm against your chest. Klaus had done this to you enough times by now that this paled in comparison to strength.
His green eyes drilled into you, but he tried to speak calmly. “We didn’t think you’d be a threat.”
“Get off of her!” you heard Kol yell, faltering when Rebekah elbowed him.
“What are you doing here?” Stefan pushed a little harder against your chest. “The deal for Damon was that we’d stay away from you.”
“Yeah,” you bit out. “You just went after my sister instead.”
Stefan blanched.
You drew on as much magic as you could gather, almost able to feel yourself physically claw through the layers when you flexed your fingers.
“Ah Sha Lana,” you chanted, practically able to picture Kol saying the words alongside you in the car.
Stefan’s other hand flew up to his head as his expression faltered—at the same time, his eyes widened when he realized what you were doing.
“Ah Sha Lana,” you repeated, sharper, and then again. He staggered back as both hands flew up to his head, his mouth opening in a silent scream.
Kol said most witches performed it as a non-verbal spell, but it would be easier for you to do once you’d been able to understand how it felt to use.
He was right. You focused on the tug inside you each time the spell hit him, the feeling it spurred in you. You harnessed that thread and felt it grow into a rope. You grabbed it and tugged as hard as you could.
Stefan fell to his knees, his pained groans making it through this time. Your hands were clenched nearly into claws at your side from how hard you were concentrating. You curled one into a fist and he fully doubled over with an agonized yell.
You put half your strength behind pulling that mental rope, and the other half into the physical world as you grabbed Stefan by the back of his collar and started dragging him. Moving him was harder than you thought it would be, but you grit your teeth and thought of him compelling your sister, and he felt much lighter.
The instant you got past the wards, Rebekah had Stefan immobilized against the wall.
“Rebekah,” he ground out. “Good to see you again.”
She bared her teeth. “I can’t say the same.”
“Clever little stunt you pulled,” Stefan said, eyeing you as you stopped at Rebekah’s side and wiped the blood from your nose. “Looks like you’re already taking to magic easy enough.”
“I have a good teacher,” you said, able to see Kol’s smug smile in your peripherals, “and a whole lot of anger.”
You held your hand out and summoned a flame, holding it so close to Stefan’s cheek that the stray embers burned his skin.
“I have to thank you for giving me such a strong connection to fire right from the start,” you said. “Otherwise, I don’t think I would’ve been brave enough to come after you.”
He stared at you defiantly. “What do you want?”
“Tell me what the hell you did to my sister,” you bit out.
“I didn’t do anything to her!”
“You were at her house last night,” you said. “Why were you there? How did you get her to let you in?”
“We’re partners for a history project due when we get back from break,” Stefan insisted. “We studied at her house last night. You know her, she likes to get a headstart on things.”
“Are you really gonna hold back now?” you asked with a laugh that was only slightly unhinged. “Because I can pull out those aneurysms again, and let me tell you—they are a lot more fun than I thought they would be.”
“I’m telling you the truth,” he said.
You clenched your free hand into a fist and he clenched his jaw so hard you thought his teeth might crack as you forced the blood vessels in his brain to burst repeatedly.
“Is that the only thing you know how to do?” he breathed once you’d finally stopped. “No one likes a one trick witch.”
You laughed mirthlessly. “I’m still learning. But how about I cut that daylight ring of yours off and watch you burn to cinders?”
“You don’t have the guts,” Stefan said, “despite everything you’ve said. Beneath all this, you’re still better than they are. You’re not capable of killing people.”
“I thought that too,” you admitted. “But then you messed with my sister.”
You glanced at Rebekah. “Make him talk.”
“Gladly.” She tightened her grip on Stefan and forced him to look at her. “Tell us everything you said or did to Bianca during the past week, and why.”
Stefan grit his teeth, clenched every muscle in his body, but he wasn’t stronger than Rebekah’s compulsion.
“She was poking around too much,” he said, looking at you. “Asking too many questions about where you were to anyone that would listen. You already have the attention of every supernatural creature in this town—did you really want your sister getting it too?”
“I couldn’t compel her straight off because Bonnie figured out she drinks vervain, so I compelled the history teacher to put us together for the partner project over break. I..” Stefan clenched his jaw, obviously not wanting to reveal the full truth.
“Talk,” Rebekah ordered.
Stefan’s eyes were wild as his mouth worked against him. “I spiked her tea with Rohypnol when we were studying—”
“You fucking drugged her?” you yelled.
“I took her back here,” Stefan continued, the compulsion dragging him along despite your interruption. “I didn’t do anything to her— I just told her about the supernatural so she would stop worrying about you, but she completely freaked out. I left her in our guest room overnight so the vervain could leave her system, then compelled her to forget that night and to stop worrying about you.”
You barely heard the rest of what he said. Your ears were still ringing. Your sweet, sarcastic, smart, saint of a sister was just trying to live her life in the face of your absence and somehow Stefan still figured out a way to mess it up.
“I was doing you a—”
He cut himself off with a pained groan when you clamped your flaming hand around his neck. The sizzle of his flesh should have nauseated you, but you felt nothing but rage. You only let go when he had a sizable burn on his neck.
“There,” you nearly growled. “Now we fucking match.”
You watched Stefan pant, the burned skin slowly starting to return to its normal state due to his accelerated healing. Unfair, you thought sourly, considering you still had a very obvious, very jagged scar on your neck.
Huh. Were you going to become one of those evil witches that mothers warned their children about?
You shook your head to clear the thoughts and static. Stefan’s eyes hadn’t left yours, wild and dark and actually fearful.
Good. Let him fear for his life the way you did when Damon left you for dead, the way Bianca probably did when she realized what had been done to her.
“You know, it’s funny,” you said. “Even after all your brother did to me, I was willing to leave the two of you alone for the sake of peace. But then you had to go and fuck with the one innocent person in all of this.”
“I was doing you a favor,” Stefan rasped.
“A favor?” you marveled. “You think drugging and kidnapping my sister is a fucking favor? Is there anything at all in your head, or is it just fucking empty space?”
“She was going to get herself killed!” he insisted. “Damon already brought it up, Caroline was willing to get close to her for it—”
“So you’re all idiots,” you realized, shaking your head in disbelief. “I guess that’s what happens when half the supernatural population here is made up of teenagers.”
“What I did was the best option,” Stefan said, and he shook his head. “No, the only option. They would’ve killed her otherwise.”
“Well maybe you should have remembered you weren’t just messing with me when you fucked with Bianca,” you uttered.
“Kol,” you said mildly, “get me a stake, if you will.”
Your peripherals caught movement and he put a broken chair leg in your hand. You glanced over to catch Kol’s eye in thanks—instead, you met Elijah’s.
“He broke it off as soon as Stefan grabbed you,” Rebekah said, rolling her eyes again. She adjusted her hold on Stefan so you had access to his heart. “It’s like this lot has no faith in you.”
“I have the utmost faith in you,” Elijah corrected, and he bowed his head as your eyes met.
You would ruminate over that for a few hours too many at a later time. You looked back at Stefan and your eyes locked. He hid his fear well, but you could sense it. You’d felt enough of your own lately.
“Don’t worry,” you said with quiet rage, felt in the filtered flames simmering through your veins, as you touched the stake to his heart. “You won’t have to be without your brother for long.”
Stefan fought against Rebekah’s hold on him as your words sunk in, but it was no use. She had more than 800 years over him and a vested interest in getting you what you wanted. You pulled your arm back, and just as the stake pierced his skin, you were hit with whiplash.
Your vision blurred as your brain caught up to the present. You’d been thrown across the lawn to a tree—distantly, you remembered the sound of your head cracking against the wood. Something trickled down the side of your head. Maybe blood.
Your eyes refocused and as you stared at the front of the Salvatore house, you realized that the opposing cavalry had arrived.
A blonde vampire was trying her best to stand a chance against Rebekah (she didn’t really, but you could tell by now when Rebekah was holding back), Bonnie and Kol were quarreling in a surprisingly equal match, Elena held Stefan like you had been seconds from killing him, and Elijah—
Elijah was saying your name desperately as he cradled your head in his hands, as he got so close you could see nothing else. His dark eyes held a fear you’d never seen him show before.
“Can you hear me?” he asked.
“Yeah,” you stuttered, but you still hadn’t fully recovered from whiplash, “yeah, I—” you screwed your eyes shut for a moment before you opened them again. Elijah still stood there holding you like you were the most fragile thing in the universe, like you were what he coveted most. You could almost convince yourself it was the truth.
“What happened?” you rasped.
“Stefan’s friends finally answered his distress call, I suspect,” he said. “You have Bonnie to thank for your head injury. She didn’t particularly like your murder attempt.”
“No,” you laughed shakily, “I didn’t think she would.”
Elijah opened his mouth to respond when he suddenly pulled you up from the ground and turned, an arm held protectively in front of you.
“So heartwarming,” Damon crooned. “I guess you finally got over your denial, princess.”
You forced yourself to focus on your breathing, tried to calm your heart into beating at a normal speed—he had so much leverage over you when he could hear exactly how much he scared you. His cruel eyes had haunted you since he left you for dead.
Elijah moved so he almost completely covered you with his body. He made a very pretty indestructible shield, and if you hadn’t been struggling to stay upright, you would be more embarrassed about him still taking your breath away.
“Have you already forgotten my promise of what would happen should we ever meet again?” he asked smoothly.
“I remember,” Damon snarled. “I also remember you beating me senseless. But there are a couple things I ignore when it comes to helping my brother.”
Before Elijah could move, you’d curled both your hands into fists—Damon doubled over almost immediately, an agonized groan ripped from deep in his chest.
“Of course you can do the aneurysm thing,” he grit out as he fell to his knees. “It’s all any fuckin’ witch does anymore.”
“It works,” you spat, clenching your hands as tightly as you could to stop them from shaking, “and it hurts you. Why would I want to do anything else?”
“Stop!” you heard Elena yell, and when all three of you looked over, you saw her standing in front of Stefan as Kol brandished a stake. “We don’t have to fight!”
“You think I won’t kill you just because my brother needs you?” Kol snarled. “It’s an incentive, actually.”
Bonnie, meanwhile, had just pulled herself up from the ground when Rebekah threw that blonde girl—Caroline, you finally remembered—into the dirt. You could hear her chanting rapidly beneath her breath. The grass ignited into flames in a circle around her, her chanting grew louder, you could see blood dripping from her nose even from here, and then every vampire but Caroline dropped to the ground.
Elijah fell to the ground, nearly bringing you down with him. You caught him by the shoulders and dropped to your knees with him to cushion his fall, ignoring how they smarted against the solid ground.
“Elijah,” you gasped, “oh my god, Elijah—”
You placed two fingers on his neck out of pure instinct before you stopped—then, you realized his neck hung at an unnatural angle and bile rose in your throat.
“Relax,” Bonnie called. “He’s fine, unfortunately. They all are. I just—” she grit her teeth and shook her head as she started towards the house. “Explanation later. Elena, if you wanna talk to her, talk, because we’ve got about thirty seconds until the Originals are back on their feet.” She stumbled, nearly falling herself. “I don’t think I have enough in me to do it again!”
Elena nodded and slipped her arms under Stefan’s shoulders. “Caroline, get Damon. We need to make sure they’re inside before the Mikaelsons wake up and maul them.”
Caroline sped over to Damon, splayed across the dirt with a broken neck, and gave you a dirty look. “I guess I’m gonna have to get you inside too, huh?”
“I’m not moving,” you ground out.
She sighed. “Witches are so dramatic.”
“Ten seconds, Care!” Bonnie yelled.
Caroline groaned, and you were once again hit with whiplash when she grabbed your arm. You came to standing in the Salvatores’ kitchen, just in time to see Caroline throw Damon haphazardly to the floor as Elena set Stefan on the couch.
“Do you have to do that?” Elena asked wryly.
“He’s lucky I haven’t done worse,” Caroline said airily. “I still haven’t forgiven him for what he did to me before I turned.”
“Well, this whole thing is about forgiveness,” Elena said, not so subtly looking at you, “so let’s all try to be a little happier, hm?”
You crossed your arms. “That’s what this is? Forced peace talks?”
“The only things you seem to listen to are threats and deals,” Bonnie said. “Seeing as Damon is down for the count and I don’t really want to magically melt your brain, this is our best bet.”
“If you’re trying to go for another kidnapping, you’re far out of your depth!” Kol yelled. The constant knot of tension in your spine loosened hearing his voice—you knew they only had their necks broken, they would be okay, but it didn’t matter. You worried about them anyways.
Caroline sighed. “And they’re up again.”
“You’re damn right I’m up,” he snarled. “That was a clever little trick, Bonnie dearest, but nothing can keep us down for long.”
“I know,” she said sourly. “You’re worse than a cockroach.”
Kol smiled mockingly as he banged his fists against the invisible wall. “These can’t hold us forever.”
“Is that true?” Elena asked, concerned.
“Of course not,” Bonnie scoffed, though you caught her hint of unease. “But… I’ll keep them strong while the three of you talk.”
Caroline shook her head. “I’m staying with you. I’m not leaving you here to fend for yourself.”
“Wait,” you said, reaching a hand out to Bonnie, “how did you do that spell?” You couldn’t help it—she was freakishly strong and you were hungry to learn.
“A lot of reading, a lot of practice, and a lot of death,” she said. “I’m way more powerful than you, by the way, so don’t try anything.”
“I can tell,” you said. “You’re impressive.”
She smiled, less heart in her eyes than the last time you met her. “Thanks. But if you want to get along, not trying to kill my friends is a good start.”
“Stefan drugged my sister,” you spat. “Am I supposed to just let that go?”
“Well, Damon killed my brother,” Elena said. “He came back because of his ring, but he still snapped his neck in front of me to prove a point. I haven’t killed him back for it yet, as much as I might want to, so… there’s room for forgiveness.”
“You don’t have to forgive them,” Rebekah called. “You can just burn their house down.”
Bonnie scoffed. “No wonder you’re so much more violent. I would be too if I had to deal with her all the time.”
“If you are inclined to end things peacefully, you need not feel obligation to your anger,” Elijah put in. Your heart leapt into your throat at the sight of him.
“See?” Elena pointed out. “One of them is in favor of this.”
“However, Stefan harmed your family,” he continued. “No one should be able to harm your family and live.”
Elena groaned.
“Alright, I’m making these wards soundproof,” Bonnie grumbled. “They’re nothing but annoyances.”
“You are too kind!” Kol shouted. “Truly, what makes you think—”
You smelled burning sage and suddenly you couldn’t hear Kol anymore. Bonnie shook her head with a huff. “I think he’s even more annoying than Damon.”
“No one’s more annoying than Damon,” you said, “especially not Kol.”
“At least we agree on one thing,” Caroline said.
“Okay, what do you all want?” you asked. “Going through all this to spare me when you could have just snapped my neck too, knocking out your boyfriends instead of letting them kill me—”
“We’re not all as bloodthirsty as you, apparently,” Bonnie said. “If we can bargain through you to get the Mikaelsons to leave us alone instead of having to research ways to kill unkillable vampires every time they come to town, then I’m all for that.”
Elena nodded. “Me too.”
“We made this plan together,” Caroline explained. “We didn’t bring the boys into it for a reason.”
“Why do you think I snapped their necks too?” Bonnie asked. “It’s practically impossible trying to plan around Damon.”
“You could’ve left Stefan up,” Elena said dryly.
Bonnie shook her head. “He deserved a little something for bringing her sister into this.”
You tipped your head in agreement.
She suddenly grimaced, her fingers pressing against her temple. “Caroline, got any ibuprofen? I think I’m gonna need it to keep these wards strong and silent.”
“I don’t feel pain anymore,” she said wryly. “Why would I have pain meds?”
“Because you care so much for your witch best friend that you come to to solve all your problems?”
Caroline balked. “I didn’t think about it like that.”
“No one ever does,” she muttered.
“I always carry some,” you said, pulling a mint tin out of your coat pocket. You were surprised it stayed put.
Bonnie huffed and caught it when you threw it at her, casting a sidelong glance at you. “Thanks.”
You shrugged. “The Mikaelsons give me headaches.”
She popped one dry and tossed the tin back to you. “You should probably take one too. I did kinda crack your head open. Uh. Sorry about that.”
“…I was trying to kill your friend,” you said as you took your own pill. “I guess I kinda deserved it.”
Bonnie’s lips twitched, almost a smile. “Yeah.”
The more these girls talked, the more you realized you didn’t have any grief with them—just the Salvatores. And if hurting those idiot brothers hurt these girls, you didn’t know if you could do it.
You were twenty-five and feeling guilty for having problems with teenagers. How did the Mikaelsons take themselves so seriously when these were the people they had such serious problems with?
“We can’t keep doing this,” Elena begged. “Just meddling in each other’s lives and taking revenge and continuing this cycle of useless violence.” She met your eyes and you felt like you were back in that field again. “I know you’re angry—trust me, I know how it feels to have your siblings messed with. But I also know you’re rational beneath that anger. This doesn’t have to be a slaughter of one side or the other. We can work something out.”
You noticed how close Elena hung by Stefan, keeping their hands intertwined as she rubbed his hand with her thumb. Recalled how easily all three of them talked and joked with each other, how close they must be to plan something like this even in the face of their biggest enemies.
These girls were friends—best friends. Like you when you were younger.
(Like Bianca.)
Your sharp edges dulled, your claws retracted, your flame dimmed.
((It always came back to your sister, didn’t it?))
“...Fine,” you said. You couldn’t believe you had to negotiate with three younger versions of yourself. Hell really was a teenage girl, especially when they were just as stubborn as you.
Elena let out a sigh of relief. Caroline let out a huff. Bonnie just smiled.
“Good. You and Elena can have the bedroom—Caroline and I will keep watch.”
You frowned. “Why just me and Elena?”
“We’re the core of it all,” she said, giving you an all too knowing look, “aren’t we?”
You swallowed sand.
-
That was how you ended up standing on one side of a bedroom while Elena sat on the bed, staring at the teenage girl still willing to work this out peacefully after you tried to kill her boyfriend.
“So,” she started, “looks like you’re a little more than Klaus’s assistant, now.”
Your lips pressed into a thin line. “I worked off my debt.”
“But you’re using your freedom to still hang around them,” Elena said. “Why?”
You shrugged. “Why are you still hanging around Stefan and Damon?”
“That’s not the same,” she said.
“Isn’t it?”
Elena wrinkled her nose. “You remind me of Rebekah.”
“I consider that a compliment,” you said. “Though lately I’ve been feeling more like Klaus.”
She hummed. “Where is he, by the way? It’s unusual for him to be left out of these Mikaelson family crusades. He’s typically the one leading them.”
“...We had a fight,” you muttered. “I don’t know where he is.”
“He’s a dangerous man to lose,” Elena said.
“Enough small talk,” you said. “What do you want out of all this?”
“Don’t let them kill Stefan and Damon,” she said. “Please.”
You smiled coldly, feeling far too much like Rebekah for your liking. “One of them nearly killed me twice and the other drugged and kidnapped my sister. I’m not feeling too forgiving right now, Elena.”
“What they did to you is horrible, and unforgivable,” she admitted. “They did it without my knowledge because they both knew I would fight them on it, if you believe it.”
You actually did. As a former teenage girl yourself, you knew they weren’t typically moral compasses—but when the company she kept included vampire brothers who both seemed to operate without a brain, you assumed she fell into the role automatically.
“But you have to know that the Mikaelsons have done so much worse,” she continued. “Klaus killed me, my aunt, and our friend’s girlfriend in his ritual to break the curse on his werewolf side. Elijah would have betrayed his own brother to stop it and kill him because he thought Klaus threw their daggered family in the sea, then betrayed us at the last minute when he found it wasn’t true. Kol tried to kill my little brother, and all the rest of us too. They’ve all tried to kill us too many times, honestly.”
“And what about Rebekah?” you asked wryly. “Only fair you give them all their credit.”
Elena’s nose wrinkled. “Rebekah’s just a heinous bitch with a murder problem.”
“Don’t call her that,” you said.
She shrugged. “It’s true. A lot nicer than anything she’s ever called me.”
You bit back the all-consuming urge to defend your girlfriend as Elena sighed, shifting in her seat. You suspected it wouldn’t do very well for these peace talks.
“But I don’t know if listing the Mikaelsons’ many crimes against humanity is enough for you,” she said. “What do you want out of this?”
“I want to stop holding the Mikaelsons back and let them tear Stefan and Damon apart,” you admitted. “Or better yet, test the bounds of my magic and see if I can incinerate them from the inside out.”
Elena pursed her lips. “You’re much more violent than I remember.”
“That’s because Stefan had the bright idea to mess with my sister,” you said.
“They’re stupid,” she said, “I know. Both of them. Stupider than they should be after almost 200 years. But if they deserve to be punished for what they’ve done, then so do the Mikaelsons.”
“I know they’ve done awful things—”
“You don’t know the half of it,” Elena interrupted. “You don’t even know an eighth of it, honestly. I don’t know how you’ve been lucky enough to avoid their anger when it feels like Klaus tries to kill us in some innovative, new way every other week.”
“Well, I know some of it,” you said, “and I’ve felt some of it, too.
“And you’ve stayed despite it,” she said. “Just like me.”
You bit your tongue. It had been a while since you talked to a normal person in this supernatural world, you realized. Too long.
“I know the Salvatores have done bad things,” she said. “Damon killed my brother, both of them have tried to kill me multiple times since we’ve met, but I can bring out their human side—who they really are. And I can’t really understand how, but you’ve done the same thing with the Mikaelsons.”
You really did see parts of yourself in Elena. She, too, had been drawn into something she didn’t understand, with siblings fighting for her affections. You had to give her some credit—if you had to deal with all this at seventeen, you don’t think you would have survived.
“They’ve done monstrous things, but they’re not monsters,” Elena said. “Not as long as they have people like us to see who they really are.”
She, too, just wanted to protect the ones she loved—a sibling and childhood best friends and monsters masquerading as men that she fell for nonetheless. You hoped that shared thread, if nothing else, would get your words through her skull.
“Okay,” you said decisively. “They can live.”
Elena’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
“Yes,” you nodded, “but what do you want in return?”
“Not much,” she said. “Just for the Mikaelsons to stay out of Mystic Falls and away from us.”
“Perfect,” you said, and you moved closer as your eyes narrowed. “Because my condition was that you tell your boyfriends to stop fucking with me and my family. Because if they even look at me or my sister the wrong way again, I will tell the Mikaelsons to tear your little Salvatores apart piece by piece. And trust me, they will be all too happy to do it. Understand?”
She nodded rapidly, eyes still slightly wide. “Yes. Crystal clear.”
She didn’t seem as shaken as you expected for such a promise, but Elena had been dealing with all of this for longer than you had—for God’s sake, Klaus had actually killed her. Threats like these were probably par for the course.
“Good,” you said, and you held out your hand. “Then we have a deal.”
Elena shook your hand, and a part of you was relieved.
“You’re smarter than the Salvatores, at least.”
“I think I just care about their lives more than they do,” she said. “They’re not used to having someone care about them, so they’re just as reckless as they were before they met me.”
“Well, try and get it through their thick skulls,” you said. “I’m not letting them live because I like them. I’m letting them live because I don’t want you to deal with more pointless suffering.”
“And I’m grateful,” Elena said. She glanced away with a sigh before she met your eyes again. “Do you remember when you left me that gift basket?”
How could you forget? The guilt ate you alive that night, so much so that you couldn’t sleep no matter how hard you tried. You had to make a stop at a 24/7 corner store to pick a few things up in a desperate attempt to make her forgive you. You were all about pacifism when you first met Klaus—you think it started changing when Emmaline stabbed you for no good reason.
You could barely stomach what you did to Elena then. Now, her timely arrival was the only thing that stopped you from killing her boyfriend.
Maybe the Mikaelsons were more of an influence on you than you thought.
“Of course,” you said.
She smiled wryly. “Somehow, I liked you a lot more then.”
You didn’t share the sentiment. You just stood up and she did the same. You noticed she never really stayed still—kept adjusting her position on the bed, moving where her arms rested, crossing and uncrossing her legs. A certain amount of restlessness seemed to be a side effect of this world.
“I’ve already given them second chances they don’t deserve,” you said. “There won’t be a third.”
“I understand,” Elena nodded. “Thank you.”
You nodded as well and started to walk to the door, already trying to imagine how the Mikaelsons would react to you going against their will for the second time, when Elena said your name and stopped you in your tracks. You turned around.
“I’ll keep an eye out for your sister,” she said. “At school, around town. Make sure no one supernatural is getting too close to her.”
You paused. “And why would you do that?”
Elena shrugged. “I figure it’s the least I can do in exchange for you sparing Stefan and Damon. Especially after…” her eyes trailed over your neck, the scar tissue still apparent, and her throat bobbed. “After what Damon did to you. And what Stefan did to her.”
You nodded. She, too, was an older sister.
“Thank you.”
She smiled and you smiled back, maybe the first genuine thing exchanged between the two of you in all your encounters.
“I never thanked you for giving your blood up the first time we met,” you said. “I found out later that Klaus would have certainly killed me had I not brought him what he wanted. So… Thanks for saving my life.”
“Enough people get hurt here every day,” she said, “and so many for my sake. So I try to lower that number when I can.”
A seventeen year old with a savior complex. God, how this town destroyed people.
-
You and Elena walked out together. The hairs on the back of your neck tingled right as you walked into the door’s line of sight, and you threw your arm out in front of her just in time to both avoid getting speared by a fence post.
“There you are!” Klaus called, and you whipped your head in his direction so quickly your neck nearly snapped.
“I was beginning to think they’d gone back on their word and killed you,” he shouted, twirling another fence post between his hands. “Or that you’d gone back on yours and I’d have to kill you!”
“The silencing spell wore off and I’m all out of sage,” Bonnie grumbled, splayed out on the couch. “Oh yeah. And Klaus is here now.”
...Of course he was.
Notes:
wow THREE CHAPTERS in one month??? WHO IS SHE!!!! i feel crazy (i think i am)
the point we've been building to for a few chapters! this is the culmination of a lot of plot points and i hope it feels satisfying; i went back and forth *a lot* on whether reader should kill stefan or not (like literally talked to myself in my car during my long drives to visit family i was so conflicted) and i think i ended with something im happy with that makes sense for reader, even with this newfound anger driving her. bc at her core, she loves her sister and doesn't want to do anything to hurt her, and she unfortunately sees too much of her sister in elena to kill someone she loves. i did write it tho so maybe one day ill release the stefan death cut
i hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as i enjoyed writing it! no wonder it ended up being over 10k words lmaoo. i truly think this is one of my fave chapters, it has it all. mikaelson reunion, SISTER reunion, a decent amount of revenge, reader embracing her darker side (and lowkey becoming an arsonist), holy canon character appearances batman, GAY PEOPLE IN MYSTIC FALLS! truly anything can happen. happy pride to lesbian bianca and bisexual reader + originals as well as all my lovely lgbtq+ readers <33 im a straight asexual but i love and stand with you all
here is the spotify link once more bc ive added a decent amount of songs, part of being crazy about this series rn means every single song i listen to is somehow related to reader and the mikaelsons! i listen to this playlist basically every time i sit down to write this series
i hope the almost 25k words in the span of a week or so makes up for the 7 month wait for ch24<3 as always thank you all so much for still being here, reading, and commenting, both this fic and i would be nothing without you!! mwah love u all
(i wrote the last part of this chapter, edited, and posted this all at once while high so pls let me know if there are any glaring errors. lol)
Chapter 27: Birds of a Feather
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You’d been thinking about how you would meet Klaus again since you woke up. You didn’t think it would be like this, but when you glanced at the fence post stuck in the wall, you realized you probably should have expected it.
It was Klaus, after all. And as you stared into his icy eyes, piercing even from a distance, you also realized you still had no idea what to say to him.
Funny how that worked out.
“You don’t always have to be so angry all the time,” Caroline said from her spot on the couch next to Bonnie.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Klaus yelled. “I think it suits me rather well!”
“He yells even though I have vampire hearing,” she muttered.
“I do it for those less fortunate,” he drawled. His eyes had never left yours. “Don’t be scared, love. Come on out! I believe we’re overdue for a chat!”
“God,” Bonnie groaned. “He is just so much, all the time. I don’t know how you stand him.”
“He’s an acquired taste,” you said distantly.
"And you've acquired it?" she asked dryly.
Maybe, you think. (Unfortunately.)
Elena had stilled beside you, holding her breath as if that would do anything for her. Klaus still scared her.
You couldn’t blame her. He did kill her—you imagined that left some lingering feelings, even if she came back the same night.
You didn’t know death was so wishy-washy in the supernatural world. If only you had known about your magic as a kid. You might have been able to keep your family together.
“Go to your friends,” you said. “And tell the Salvatores exactly what I told you when they wake up. I’ll only hold up my end if you hold up yours.”
“You can stay inside,” she said. “He can’t get to you in here.”
You smiled ruefully. “I think we both know he’d burn this house down to get to me.”
Elena just nodded. She seemed to be the first person to realize there was no more use warning you off the Mikaelsons. Maybe because she felt the same way about the Salvatores.
“Just… stay alive,” she said. “You’re not as bad as you think you are.”
You raised your eyebrows. “If you all hadn’t showed up, I would’ve killed Stefan.”
She smiled wryly. “If I didn’t forgive anyone who tried to kill me and my boyfriend, I wouldn’t have any friends.”
“You should get better friends,” you said.
“I think you’re the one person who can’t say that to me.”
You glanced back at Klaus, who still had that expectant look on his face.
“Yeah,” you muttered. “You should probably go.”
Elena listened this time, and you steeled yourself as you walked down into the foyer. Klaus stood in the doorway with a cruel smile.
“Just when I feared I’d never get to see you again,” he remarked, “my ever-gracious siblings drop you back off in Mystic Falls without a single word my way.”
“Hi, Klaus,” you said. “It’s been a while.”
“It certainly has,” he said. “Tell me, have you cooled down or would you like to pick up right where we left off?”
That sounded like a better question to ask him—you still remembered his hurt expression when you told him you never should have stayed—but you bit your tongue. “How did you find me?”
“Oh, I have my ways.” He raised an eyebrow as you stopped right before the precipice, only a foot or two away from leaving the protection of the wards. “You said you’d gotten over your fear of me.”
“You just threw a fence post at me,” you said.
He shrugged. “I thought I would have speared at least one Salvatore with it. I didn’t know it was only you and the Gilbert girl.”
“I told you they were talking,” Elijah said. He stood valiantly in his stark white undershirt, his hair slightly mussed and sleeves shoved up to reveal his forearms. You wondered if he knew how much you appreciated it or if he just did it for the love of the game. “With a vision of peace, I might add.”
“Forgive me if I don’t always listen to you, dearest Elijah,” he mocked. “You’re so prone to lies that I block out half of what you say.”
“I thought the silencing spell wore off,” you said.
“Not until the very end. Their meddling Bennett witch kept burning sage.” Kol scoffed. “We couldn’t hear what you and precious little Elena were discussing. She said it was in the spirit of compromise,” he mocked.
“You know I can still hear you,” Bonnie shouted from the kitchen, “right?”
“Let these wards down and I’ll show you how much I don’t care!” Kol yelled.
“Haven’t you done enough yelling today?” Elijah asked.
Kol scoffed again. “As if there is such a thing.”
He sighed and shook his head. “Compromises work best when neither side leaves satisfied. I imagine they would not find it very fair could we influence you in any way.”
“That is why we don’t compromise,” Rebekah said sharply, “we take what we want.” Her gaze fell to you. “So did you? Get what you want?”
You thought back to the intensity of your anger, that guided you all the way to a stake inches from Stefan’s heart. How Elena was willing to stand against Kol in spite of all things logical because her love for him was stronger.
How, despite everything the Mikaelsons had done to them and their loved ones, those girls were still willing to negotiate with you to prevent further violence.
You just wanted the Salvatores to leave you and your sister alone. Did it really matter if they were dead or alive as long as you never had to see them again?
“…Yeah,” you said. “I think so.”
“Oh, good,” Kol grinned. “Tell me, how did you kill Stefan? Did you light him on fire? I’ve been lit on fire and it is not fun, but he deserves it so I really d—”
“I didn’t kill him,” you interrupted. “I didn’t kill anyone. I just talked with Elena.”
He groaned and shook his head. “Love, you are now zero for two on Salvatores killed when given the opportunity! You might need some Mikaelson lessons in revenge.”
You shook your head. “I don’t think I really wanted to kill Stefan. I just wanted to cause him enough pain to regret ever crossing me and then never have to see him again.”
“You’ve certainly changed since we last spoke,” Klaus said, a strange look in his eyes.
“No thanks to you,” Kol bit out.
“It’s okay, Kol,” you said, and you looked at Klaus. “Drop the fence post and I’ll come out.”
To your surprise, he opened his hand and let it fall. Your eyebrows rose.
“That’s easier than things normally are around you.”
Klaus smiled. “I suppose I’ve changed too.”
You stepped out of the house. Klaus had you against the wall before you could blink.
“But not much,” he bit out, icy eyes drilling into you. “I didn’t appreciate you running off on me.”
Kol moved quick as lightning to rip him off you. When they stumbled out of their super speed a few feet away, Klaus seemed to tower over him despite his shorter stature. He held the previously discarded fence post a hair’s width away from Kol’s heart.
“How curious,” Klaus droned.
Kol bared his teeth. “Fucking try it, Nik.”
You pushed yourself up from the wall, sucking in a shuddering breath. “Stop it!”
“I can’t do that, darling,” Kol said, the two of them unwavering as they stared the other down. “Not when he can’t keep his hands off you.”
“Oh, that’s bold of you to say,” he said with a sharp laugh. “You were the one that stole her away, weren’t you?”
“Kol, Niklaus, enough,” Elijah intoned. “Must we do this here and now?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Klaus drawled. “Seems a good enough time for it, when the Salvatores and the rest of their meddling friends can hear enough to know who they insist on messing with.”
“They won’t,” you enunciated. “Elena and I made a deal—I drop my revenge quest against the Salvatores, you all—”
You were cut off when your legs suddenly gave out beneath you. Rebekah was at your side in an instant to support you, the arm she wrapped around your waist enough to keep you upright.
“I’ve got it handled,” she said sharply. You turned to see Elijah on your other side only inches away, his arm outstretched as if to come to your aid as well. He looked uncharacteristically shaken, but his expression went back to normal as soon as you noticed.
“Of course,” he nearly whispered.
“Can you brutes quit it for once in your lives?” she snapped at her warring brothers. “We have more important matters than your egos.”
Kol stepped away from Klaus, his eyes full of concern. “It’s her magic. She’s drained herself—she’s used to her emotions being given form, not casting spells with intent. You caused a lot of aneurysms out here, love.”
“Funny,” Rebekah said, biting into her wrist, “I thought it was the fact that her skull got cracked open thirty minutes ago.”
He scoffed. “That too.”
“I’m fine,” you managed to get out when Rebekah held her wrist out to you, even though your head was absolutely killing you. Lotta good that ibuprofen did. You needed super-powered pain pills at this point.
“Of course you are, darling,” she said. “Now drink up before you faint on me.”
“Rebekah’s right,” Klaus spoke up. “You aren’t okay. Clearly, because what is this I’m hearing about yet another deal?”
“This is not the time,” Elijah interceded. He stood in front of you now, shielding you and Rebekah as you reluctantly drank from her wrist. You’d had more vampire blood in the past week than you’d ever wanted and you still hadn’t gotten used to the taste of it.
“This is exactly the time,” he said. “Especially because it sounds like she spoke for all of us.”
“Give it up, Nik,” Kol said. “She’s been through enough today. You don’t need to add yourself to the list.”
Klaus looked at all his siblings standing around you, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he set his jaw. “Is that what this is, love? A week away from each other and you’ve turned my family against me?”
“Of course not,” Elijah said smoothly. “We are all on the same side, are we not?”
Klaus’s expression was nothing less than murderous as his flat eyes slid over each one of you. Elijah shifted to fully cover you again when he moseyed forward.
“Tell me, dearest siblings,” he said, “did you miss me? Or did you jump at the first chance you got to escape my oh so wretched grasp?”
“Niklaus, this is unnecessary,” Elijah snapped.
“I agree with Elijah,” Kol said, grimacing at his words. “We are not doing this here.”
“And would you like to put your hat into the ring as well, my sweetest sister?” Klaus mocked.
“I think you should sod off,” she spat. “We were perfectly happy before you showed up.”
He stepped forward threateningly, hoisting his fence post. “Is that so?”
Klaus had been scheming, conniving, masterminding every part of his life for as long as he could remember. He was paranoid to his core, daggering his siblings just to keep them by his side because he was so scared of being alone.
You understood him more now than you ever had after today. That was why you had to fix this before Klaus killed you in front of his siblings for tearing his family away from him.
“I want to go home!” you said suddenly. “I— I’m tired, and drained, and freezing, and my head is still fucking killing me, so can you guys stop arguing?”
“This is hardly arguing—” Kol murmured, earning himself a swat from Rebekah.
“Klaus,” you said, meeting his wild gaze, “you want to talk, we can talk. But you’re driving me home.”
“Oh, sure,” Kol said. “Let him drive you home so he can kill you in a car accident.”
“You think so little of me, brother.”
“Oh, I apologize,” he mocked. “I just thought you had something against her. You did react to seeing her again by nearly spearing her with a fence post and then throwing her up against the wall.”
Klaus smiled. “Does it remind you of your endeavors together?”
“Rebekah, give me the keys,” you said.
She looked at you, brows drawn in concern. Despite her blood traveling through your veins, you still felt like her arm around your waist was the only thing keeping you upright. “You don’t have to indulge his tantrums, darling.”
“That’s not what I’m doing.” You held out your hand.
She sighed and pressed them into your palm. “Then I hope you know just whatever it is you’re doing.”
You didn’t, not really. You never knew when it came to Klaus. But you nodded and smiled anyway.
You kissed Rebekah on the cheek then turned to Kol and Elijah. “Don’t wait up, okay? Get out of Mystic Falls—go catch up on whatever you’ve missed. I’m sure we could all use some time apart after the past week.”
Kol seemed like he wanted to do nothing less, but a look from Elijah had him relenting.
“Fine,” he said. “Just give me a call soon.”
“I don’t have a phone,” you reminded him.
He huffed, though it wasn’t without mirth. “Then look out for my carrier pigeon in a few days’ time.”
You smiled and pecked him on the cheek as well. When you got to Elijah, he once again enveloped your hands in his.
“I truly hope you got what you wanted in there.”
Your smile tightened some. “I just want to leave the Salvatores behind forever.”
Elijah bowed his head. “Then rest well.”
When you pulled your hands back from his, you realized he’d given you his key to your house. He shared the barest smile with you.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I will get some spares made. I’m aware of your tendency for losing things.”
“I don’t lose them on purpose,” you defended.
That amusement remained. “Then perhaps I’ll install a landline.”
When you walked over to Klaus, he still had that strange look on his face. After feeling your emotions so strongly for the past week—hell, the past hour— that they manifested in physical form, you felt out of your depth not being able to read him.
“You’re treating this like your funeral,” he said.
You smiled as you held out the keys. “Doesn’t everything feel that way with you?”
He made a noncommittal noise and took them from you. “Save the small talk for the road. I don’t need my siblings overhearing.”
You let out a loose breath and gestured with your hand. “Lead the way.”
(“Oh my god,” Caroline mutters once all the Mikaelsons leave, wide-eyed. “I can’t believe they just made me listen to an episode of the world’s worst soap opera.”)
The last time you were in a car with Klaus, you were going house hunting with his family. Last time he personally drove you, he took you to dinner.
Now, he was driving you back to the house they picked out for you after a week unwittingly spent apart, the air between you thick with tension and words left unsaid. You kept sneaking glances at him out of the corner of your eye, and though he didn’t say anything, he absolutely knew.
“I didn’t run off on you on purpose,” you finally said, not knowing how else to break the ice. “I kinda got kidnapped.”
“Oh, I know,” Klaus said. “The Salvatores are lucky I was deep in Appalachia when I found out. Otherwise, it would have been their heads.”
You shifted in your seat. “Well, thank you for holding back.”
He smiled to himself. “Fear not. I still vented my anger. Found out how many hikers equal a Salvatore in my mind.”
“Of course,” you muttered.
He stopped at a red light and you felt Klaus’s gaze on you. You didn’t have to guess what he was looking at.
“No one should be allowed to do that to you and live,” he said. You recognized the same quiet rage that filled you when you tried to kill Stefan.
You shrugged and adjusted your coat collar so it covered more of your scar. You really wished the thing would just hurry up and heal already. Damon’s first attempt on your life healed within the day with Rebekah’s blood—you felt like this time, it was sticking around just to spite you.
“That’s what everyone keeps saying,” you said. “Elijah said he beat Damon to a pulp more than once, so I guess that makes up for it.”
“Do you want him dead?” he asked.
“Klaus—”
“Answer the question.”
“Yes.” It practically bubbled out of you, stronger than you anticipated.
“Then why do you insist on holding us back?”
“Because I’m not helping you all continue the cycle of violence in this town,” you snapped. “Whatever brother is still alive will go after my sister. If you kill both of them, the rest of their friends are still around to try and take you down. You get rid of them, you’ve got their parents—it will never end, Klaus. Your family might be used to it after a thousand years, but I’m not going through that, and I won’t let you force me into it.”
“I would sever any hand that raised against you if you allowed me,” he said. “Do you understand that?”
“Yes,” you repeated, some of the fight drained out of you. “Why do you think I can’t let you?”
His gaze weighed heavily on you and you didn’t have the strength to meet it. You were mercifully saved when the light turned green and it went back to the road.
“What did you promise them?”
“That we would leave them alone as long as they left my family alone. They want your family out of Mystic Falls.”
“And what makes you think you have the right to speak for me?”
“The same thing that makes you think you have the right to kill for me,” you said. “If you really want to help me out, then you’ll stick to it and leave the Salvatores and their friends alone.”
“If they show their faces again, make no mistake, I will rip them to pieces,” Klaus said.
“But?”
“...But I will not actively seek them out in order to do that,” he amended. “For you.”
You found yourself smiling despite everything. “Thank you.”
“I find it interesting that it was your quest for revenge that brought you to the Salvatores’ doorstep, though,” he said. “Not one of my siblings’.”
You sighed, your smile fading. “Yeah, well, Stefan drugged, kidnapped, and compelled my sister because he thought she was poking around too much. I wasn’t feeling too forgiving.”
Klaus stilled for a moment, his hand tightening on the steering wheel. It was miniscule, but you noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing,” he said. “Everything you’ve done since meeting us just seems to go back to your sister.”
“Well, she’s about the only piece of leverage anyone has on me,” you said as you rested your head on your hand. You ignored the blood still caked in your hair. “She’s all I care about in this town. Otherwise I would have left Virginia in the dust a long time ago.”
Again, the two of you fell into silence. You didn’t know how to act around Klaus anymore, and it appeared he felt the same way. You thought you would have at least been able to hold onto your grudge against him, but it slipped through your fingers like sand the moment you saw him again.
You missed him. Despite everything, you missed him, and you knew exactly why you couldn’t hate him the way you wanted to.
“Well, you know what I’ve been up to,” you said, trying to be nonchalant. “What have you been up to?”
“Oh, a little of this, a little of that,” he said. “Painted a new piece, went hunting with my sister, tracked down a werewolf pack or two and turned them all into hybrids.”
You hummed. It felt like eons ago when you promised Elijah you would help him fix a possible hybrid problem. It was almost admirable that Klaus waited so long. “Finally using that blood I got you?”
“I had quite the stockpile from my first turn about all this,” he said. “That night was more of a test for you rather than a contribution to my cause.”
You let out a slow exhale. “You know, Klaus, I think the one thing worse than stealing blood from a teenage girl is stealing blood from a teenage girl that you don’t need.”
“Don’t feel like it was a waste of your time,” he said. “I still used it. Got five more hybrids out of it.”
You shook your head. “Do you just do that when you’re bored? Hunt down werewolf packs and turn them into your minions?”
“It would be rude allowing Elena’s blood to go to waste,” Klaus said. “Though I… ceased my operations when I woke my family again. I didn’t have as much need for an army when I had them.”
“And now you do?”
“One must always be prepared,” he said. “You don’t build an army after you’ve been attacked.”
Of course. So few could stand against Klaus as it was—you didn’t really find it surprising he wanted to be some sort of king with an army to bat.
But he saw his family as more valuable than any number of hybrids. His earlier expression flashed in your head and you swallowed the lump in your throat.
“I’m not trying to take your family away from you.” Your voice came out raspier than you meant. “I don’t want to. It’s what Elijah said. I want us all on the same side.”
“Ah,” Klaus said. “You’re afraid I’ll hurt them.”
“It’s not a far stretch,” you said. “The daggers and all.”
“Do you know why I did that to them?” he asked.
As if you could forget the conversation you had that night. More of an argument than anything, but that tended to be how things went between you and Klaus. “You said they needed to remember their actions had consequences.”
“Beyond their indiscretions.”
“Then no,” you said. “Far be it from me to know why you do things.”
“I did it because my father had been hunting us for an eternity,” Klaus said. “He turned us into monsters and spent the next thousand years trying to fix his mistake. We’d been running from him our whole lives, never able to stay in one place for too long because our father would catch word of us. When it was all of us together, they drew too much attention—Kol especially. I daggered my siblings and kept them close so they would be protected from his wrath until I had the chance to end him.”
When Rebekah told you about the daggers for the first time, you thought Klaus was cruel. When Kol ranted about his lost years, you took him as a monster. Now, though, after everything you did before you even fully knew what Stefan had done to your sister, you couldn’t bring that knife down as easily as before.
“I get it,” you finally said. You understood Rebekah’s sadness and Kol’s anger and Elijah’s need to mask his emotions for the good of his siblings. But you also understood Klaus’s clawing desperation. “I’ve never wanted to kill before. But if Bonnie hadn't gotten there when she did, I would have murdered Stefan for compelling my sister.”
“So much for that pacifism you used to preach at me,” Klaus said. You couldn’t place his tone.
“I feel this… rage now. Ever since I tapped into my magic.” You looked at your hands. Before you met Klaus, you’d never so much as been in a fight. Now you’d caused aneurysms just by clenching them. “Just constant fire burning beneath my skin. I don’t know if it’s just the form my magic takes or if I’m giving my emotions physical form, but it’s overwhelming. I don’t know how to control it.”
“If you’re looking for control, perhaps you should speak to Elijah. He’s well-versed—”
“I don’t want to talk to Elijah,” you interrupted, and his eyes darted to yours. “I want to talk to you.”
“Why?” he asked, voice stilted. “If I remember correctly, you’re back to hating me.”
“Because I don’t hate you,” you insisted. “Because I understand you more than I’ve ever wanted to, Klaus. I know what it’s like to love your siblings so much it eats you up inside, but everything you do only hurts them more.”
You blinked away the wetness gathering in your eyes. “I lied to my sister and stayed away from her because I thought I was protecting her, but it didn’t work. I hurt her and made her life miserable and it was all for no fucking reason because Stefan still went after her.”
He went silent and you just let out a shuddering sigh, shaking your head as you wiped your eyes.
“I don’t hate you for lying to me, Klaus,” you said quietly. “I have to forgive you, because I did the exact same thing to my sister. And if I can’t forgive you, then how the hell is Bianca ever going to forgive me?”
Your words hung heavy in the air as the silence continued on. You didn’t really know why you were opening up to Klaus when you’d been so hesitant to be in the same room as him before. Maybe because you felt like he could understand your inner turmoil better than the rest of his siblings.
“It’s the burden we bear,” Klaus finally said, the broken silence shocking you. “It has weighed on me for a thousand years. I’m sorry you’ve taken it up as well.”
You didn’t exactly know what possessed you when you reached over the console and took his hand. His eyes darted over to you in poorly-contained surprise.
“Maybe we don’t have to carry it alone anymore,” you said.
Klaus shifted his hand so your fingers were intertwined. He squeezed your hand, his eyes softening infinitesimally.
“I’d like that.”
You smiled.
He didn’t let go for the rest of the drive.
(You didn’t want him to.)
-
“You know, this is the first night I’ve gotten to spend in this house since you all got it for me.”
Klaus hummed. “Perhaps you should stop going out. It doesn’t seem to go well for you.”
“And your support is just as heartwarming as always.” You unlocked the door and walked in, feeling some of the stress on your shoulders dissolve. “You can come in.”
“After all these months denying me,” he mused as he followed you in, “it’s as easy as that?”
“Well, if you’re gonna kill me, I guess I’d rather have it happen in my own house.” You set the keys on the counter and shrugged off your coat, placing it on the back of a kitchen chair. “Make yourself at home. I’m gonna shower off my concussion.”
“How did that happen?” he asked. You looked to see the hole in the wall left by the earlier sibling tussle.
“Rebekah and Kol happened,” you chuckled.
“Ah,” he said, “typical. No doubt Elijah will have that fixed for you by tomorrow.”
“Why can’t you do it?” you asked.
“Because I was the only one not present when it occurred,” Klaus said. “I see no reason why I should do manual labour for one of the few problems I didn’t cause.”
You looked at him, unimpressed. “All you have to do is get some patches and some spackle and fix it up. I’ve done it a million times.”
“Then you can do it a million and one,” he remarked. “Now go shower off that concussion.”
Your lip curled. “I regret letting you inside.”
Klaus smiled. “I’m sure you do, love.”
You resisted the urge to start another argument and went off to your room for your second shower of the day. You remembered when you had to plan your days around your paychecks, when you used to shower at work or the gym so you could save on your water bill.
Your life revolved around money for so long. You got a job at fifteen because you knew you had to get out of your house as soon as possible. Every second you weren’t studying or reporting in college, you were serving to pay rent and your bills. You distanced yourself from your mom and you literally paid the price, but somehow when you got the keys to that shitty studio apartment, it felt bigger than your childhood home ever did.
Even when you were drowning in student loan debt after graduation, you still couldn’t bring yourself to fully regret your choices. You fought hard for your independence.
The Mikaelsons made it so you never had to worry about money again. They paid off your loans and bought you a house and stole cars for you and saved your job and your life. They fixed so many of your mortal problems that they had to give you supernatural ones in return. Nature’s way of balancing things out, you could imagine Kol saying.
The thought of Kol made you smile. You just spent a week practically attached at the hip and you already missed him.
(Just because you fought for your independence didn’t mean you had to be alone for the rest of your life to prove a point.)
You showered slower this time, more focused about getting the blood out of your hair and off your face than anything else. Concerning how many of your showers lately were about cleaning blood off.
You changed into some of your old clothes once you were done—Rebekah had impeccable taste, but it was more about presentation than comfort—and walked out into the living room. Klaus had taken your words to heart, already splayed out on your couch thumbing through a People magazine. You couldn’t fully stifle your laugh.
He glanced over at you. “What?”
“I didn’t know you were into tabloids.”
Klaus shrugged. “Rebekah reads them for some reason. I think it’s pointless drivel, but I’ve been trying to entertain my family’s interests more since I woke them up.” He glanced over at you. “That’s not the sort of rubbish you’ve made a career out of, is it?”
“Of course not,” you scoffed. “I’m a journalist, not paparazzi. Before I started doing long-form investigative work, I was on the city politics beat. Think hard news and election coverage, not hit pieces against Hollywood’s latest ingénue.”
“I have read a few of your pieces,” Klaus mused.
Your eyebrows rose. “You have?”
“Oh, yes,” he nodded. “You’re a talented writer. Surprisingly good at staying neutral when you’re so naturally stubborn.”
“You’re too kind,” you said with a mocking smile. “What made you look me up?”
“Natural curiosity,” he said. “But mostly Elijah. He did a full background check on you after your first meeting. He engineered that, by the way.”
“I know,” you said. “He fessed up a lot after I almost died. Turns out that makes most people feel some amount of guilt.”
“I feel as if you’re attempting to say something to me.”
You shrugged as you walked into the kitchen. “If the shoe fits.”
Klaus just shook his head and went back to his magazine. You frowned when you started rifling through your cabinets.
“I forgot I literally have no food here,” you grumbled. “I’ve had more vampire blood than actual food this past week.”
“Order something in,” Klaus said.
“I feel like I should cook something,” you said. “I was going to do it the day you all got me this place, but my life was changed forever before I could.”
“Then order in groceries.” He laughed to himself. “I’ll even let you use my card.”
“I think we’re both operating off your family coffers,” you said.
“Then you might as well pay for it.”
“How progressive of you, Klaus.”
He shrugged. “The last time I paid for your meal was a fluke.”
You frowned. “Are you calling our date a fluke?”
“That depends.” He put the magazine down to smile at you. “You still agree it was a date?”
You glared at him and his smile only grew more self-satisfied. “Order whatever you want, love, my treat. That look was worth any amount of money.”
You did. You figured it was your right. He didn’t get to tease you like that. ‘
Once that was done, you started rifling through your wine collection, because you had no food but of course one of the Mikaelsons left you alcohol. You had your money on Elijah. It felt like his brand of respectability.
“God,” you muttered as you picked one up, “I think all this wine is as old as you.”
“Elijah thought it’d be a nice touch,” Klaus said, and you smiled. At least you knew one thing about him. “I stopped him from installing a full on wine cellar, but don’t be surprised if you get a wine closet in the mail someday. He sees that as a compromise.”
You hummed and picked up a random bottle. “How nice of him.”
You spent almost three years part-time as a semi-fine dining server before you got a raise at your reporting job, and yet you couldn’t remember a single thing about wine. You wondered if Elijah would consider you a philistine.
“All this wine and not a single wine key,” you muttered.
“Pick one of the twist-tops,” Klaus said, his voice closer. You turned and he sat at your bar top.
“No. I need to prove to you I know how to open a bottle of wine.” You took a knife out of the block so you could at least get the label off. “Did you get bored of your magazine?”
“I can’t even pretend anything in that is worth reading.” He tilted his head. “What is there to prove?”
“That I’m not a philistine,” you said.
He laughed. “And that’s a concern of yours?”
You shrugged. “Elijah’s still a little intimidating.”
“I don’t know what you’re intimidated by,” Klaus said airily. “He’d throw himself on a sword for you if it meant your safety.”
“Yeah.” You ripped the label off. “What’s there to be intimidated by?”
You stared at the cork inside ruefully. You remembered the knife in your hand.
“Don’t do that,” Klaus said.
“I’m not doing anything.”
“You’ll cut your finger off.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
Klaus grinned, too sharp and too white, and stood up. “You know I’d never turn down your blood,” he mused as he stepped towards you. You turned away, but you felt his body heat. He pressed up closer and your heart hammered in your chest.
His arms curled around you and he took both the bottle and the knife from you. You let out a shuddery breath and turned around when he stepped back, a very satisfied, knife-wielding Klaus caging you in against the countertop.
“But,” he stabbed the cork and pulled it out in one smooth motion and your eyes ever left his, “I’m more afraid you’d ruin a good bottle of wine.”
Your fingers brushed as he handed you the open bottle and left electricity in his wake. You poured almost a third of the bottle into a glass as he sauntered back to the kitchen bar.
You drank half of it, then filled a second glass with the same amount. Once you were sure you could carry them without your hands shaking so much they spilled, you turned back to Klaus. He knew how much he affected you and he loved every bit.
“Now I really regret letting you in,” you said, setting the second glass in front of him.
His eyes showed as much mirth as his smile. “You know I wouldn’t have it any other way, love.”
Notes:
another benefit of being crazy abt this series right now is that i write really long chapters that i have to hack parts off of so im really just snowballing through these chapters. i dont think i have ever updated this quickly with chapters this long so i hope you're all enjoying and im not being annoying lmao
anyways god it has been too long since we've had a klaus focused chapter!!! like we havent even seen him since chapter 19??? crazy. so sorry to all the klaus lovers but i think he really gets to shine in this chapter and i had so much fun with it! they have such a different dynamic now that reader has gone through and felt a lot of new things since they last fought lol. reader is a lot bolder and now that klaus knows she doesn't hate him, he's also being bolder to one up her <3 say it with me folks #you cant escape your character foil
i know i keep saying it but i really am having such a fun time with this fic again, it's kinda felt like a chore at certain points but i've just had my love revitalized for this series. like im straight up living in the 2010s rn i actually am WATCHING the show that im writing a fic about isnt that crazy? i started at season 3 of tvd because ive watched up to the sacrifice in s2 and figured i was good to go, and i have turned into a full on rebekah mikaelson fangirl. so to all the rebekah stans out there fear not. she will always get the love she deserves here
Chapter 28: On the Mend
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You and Klaus polished off a bottle and a half before your groceries even arrived.
Well, not you and Klaus. Mostly just you. But you figured you deserved it. After all, it had only been a week since your whole life was turned upside down and then nearly ended. Things were moving too fast and you had to try and slow them down a little.
You realized you were more than a little tipsy when the doorbell rang. You stood up from your spot against the counter and nearly fell right back down.
“Oh god,” you mumbled.
“That was quick,” Klaus said.
“I tipped the delivery guy a thousand bucks,” you said, and you weren’t lying. Klaus gave you his phone and free reign and he should have expected it. “Of course it was quick.”
“I mean your inebriation,” he said wryly.
You blinked and looked at your glass in your hand, only a quarter full.
“What number is this?”
“Four, I believe. But you have an obscenely heavy hand.” Klaus had been nursing his first glass this whole time, which you thought was a little unfair. He didn’t get to be the one with self control after all he’d done to you. “Shall I get the door, or would you like to stumble your way over?”
“Oh, shut up,” you mumbled. He smiled at the floor.
You set your glass down and managed to make your way over to the door. You picked up the bags and carried them over to your kitchen, setting them down with a sigh.
“That looked very difficult,” Klaus commented.
“I’m sorry, do you want to stay here?” You reached for your glass and drained it. “Because I’m perfectly content to spend my night alone.”
“I recommend you slow down on the wine,” he said. “It seems to make you combative.”
You rolled your eyes as you started to put your groceries away. “You’re acting like this isn’t your fault.”
“How could this possibly be my fault?”
“I wanted to have a real conversation with you,” you said. “About the lies and the witch thing and everything else. But now I’m drunk.”
Klaus gave you a look. “Our talk in the car wasn’t a real conversation?”
“More of a vent,” you sighed as you opened the fridge with your foot. “This week has been a lot, if you couldn’t tell.”
“I surmised that,” he said. “Why did you immediately go to the wine if you wanted to have a serious conversation?”
You frowned, the cool air drafting around you. “I don’t think I thought that far ahead.”
“How atypical of you.”
You shook your head. “Lately, it feels like I’m five steps behind everything. Five steps behind everything, and I’ve only got two more before I catch up to my death.”
Klaus tilted his head. “Don’t be like that.”
“What? It’s true.” You finally got the sense to close the fridge door and went back to the rest of your groceries. You ordered way too much unbound by your monetary limits, so you really couldn’t get kidnapped again before you used them all. You’d like to not get kidnapped ever again, but in your life, that seemed like too much to ask for. “I shouldn’t be alive. The only reason I am is because of you all.”
“Which is also a credit to yourself,” he said. You met Klaus’s eyes and you still couldn’t read him. The alcohol thrumming through your veins didn’t help much. “My family and I do not just go around saving random people. You’re different.” He paused. “Special.”
You couldn’t think of anything farther from the truth. “How?”
“You gave us a chance.”
You shook your head. “I didn’t do that because I’m special. I did it because I couldn’t help it.” You shut your cabinet with a bit more force than necessary. “Because I was lonely.”
“Another thing we have in common.” Klaus looked at his wine, red as blood. “Immortality can be very lonely.”
“You have your siblings.”
“And in all my years of forcing them to stay by my side, I’ve pushed them away just as much,” he said. “You were right. I love my family. I’ve lied and cheated and killed for them. But I believe I’ve hurt them all more than anyone we’ve met throughout our lifetime.”
“…At least you can admit that,” you murmured. “I think today was the first time I was able to admit how much I’ve hurt my sister.”
“You were doing what you thought was best,” he said.
“I’m sure you thought the same thing each time you daggered your siblings,” you said, and his eyes narrowed. “That doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt them, and it doesn’t mean it was right.” You shook your head. “Even before this, I’ve hurt her. I got out of the house as soon as possible because I couldn’t stand my mom, and I barely even came home for holidays. I knew how much of a disaster that house was and I left Bee to deal with it all on her own.”
Klaus met your gaze for a good, long moment. His eyes had softened while you spoke, but it didn’t feel like he pitied you, or his usual type of deception.
It was empathy, you realized. You didn’t even know he could still feel it.
You wondered what it said about you that the immortal, murderous vampire who daggered his siblings for centuries understood your sister plight.
At least Klaus had no illusions about who he was. You were more like him than your own sister and you were trying to do the right thing.
“I’ve hurt my family enough to know there is no use wishing to turn back the clock,” Klaus finally said. “All you can do is move forward and ask for forgiveness.”
“That’s funny,” you said distantly. “You don’t seem like the type to ever ask for forgiveness.”
“I do with those that matter,” he said. He tilted his head, gaze darting away for a moment before it met yours again. “…That I want to stay.”
You recalled the apologies you forced out of him, the lies he kept from you—all because Niklaus Mikaelson, for a reason that still didn’t fully make sense to you, so desperately wanted you to like him.
“After all you’ve done to each other, I’m surprised you can still get along,” you said.
“We often don’t,” Klaus said dryly. “I believe you would have enjoyed the scene that occurred after my family was woken up again.”
You hummed. You’d finally put all your groceries away barring the ones you wanted to use, and you started cutting vegetables. “Did they stab you?”
“Yes, actually,” he said. “Quite a few times.”
“You probably deserved it,” you said, and then you shook your head with a sigh. “But you’re wrong. I don’t want to see you hurt.”
A month ago, you think Klaus would’ve had you by the throat before you could get the rest of your sentence out. Now, he just stared at you with that odd look in his eyes. You couldn’t say you preferred the violence, but it was certainly easier to decipher.
“Are you sure you should be handling a knife in this state?” he finally asked.
You scoffed as you made the first cut into a bell pepper. “I’m fine.”
“You’re quite drunk.”
“I’ve cooked drunk before,” you defended. “And I’m not that drunk.”
Klaus made a noncommittal noise. “I’ll be sure to remind you of your words when I have to reattach your fingers.”
“Aw,” you drawled, “you’d do that for me?”
He tilted his head. “Another thing I suppose we have in common. I do not wish to see you hurt.”
Heat rose in your cheeks. You decided to blame it on the wine and focus on your cooking.
Usually when you made stir fry, it was with frozen vegetables you probably forgot about and whatever protein was on clearance when you last shopped. Now that both time and money were no longer constraints, you figured you could spend some extra time chopping fresh veggies.
You went with tofu for protein, though. After all the vampire blood you’d had over the past week, you kinda wanted to stay away from living things for a while.
You worked in silence for some time as Klaus finally polished off his glass. He seemed hesitant when you asked him to refill yours too, but he eventually listened. He had a lighter hand than you, but you could make do for now.
You never really were a wine person—you honed your college alcoholism with cheap liquor and just coped with the stress of your job by working more—but you’d be a fool to not engage in the Mikaelsons’ expensive tastes.
Besides, you needed alcohol to calm your nerves now more than ever. You were so used to being angry at Klaus that you didn’t really know how to function around him when you weren’t actively hating him.
But maybe you didn’t need to have the conversation you wanted to have right this moment. Maybe tonight, you could just get wine drunk and cook a real meal for the first time since you moved into that motel and chill out for once. Both physically and mentally.
Klaus sat at your breakfast bar in contemplation—sometimes watching you, sometimes staring off into the void. Eventually, he stood up and began wandering around your living room. For what reason, you were unsure. He helped design the place.
You scraped your tofu into a wok once the oil had gotten hot enough (bless whatever Mikaelson got you such a nice one) and tossed it around a bit before you looked over to see what Klaus was doing.
You think this was the longest he’d gone in your presence without saying something—the longest since your date that you’d gone without an argument. He held his glass in a loose grasp as he stared up at a painting over your mantle.
“I like that one,” you said, doing your part to break the silence. “I think it’s my favorite in this whole house.”
Klaus smiled as he glanced over at you. “Truly?”
You nodded. “All the art is gorgeous, though. Whichever one of you handled that part did a great job.”
“I did,” he said, a twinkle in his eye. “This is one of my own, actually.”
Your eyebrows rose. “Really?”
“Oh, yes. I painted it a century or two ago—I took it out of our main estate because I thought you would like it.” He idled back over to the bar as you turned on the hood fan. The smoke alarm in your studio went off on a dime and it drove you crazier with every passing day, so you hoped it would be different here. “Painting has always been one of my passions. It’s one thing that hasn’t left me over the years.”
“I can see it,” you said as you surveyed him. “You’re so intense. You see the world in a different way. Makes sense you would have to find an outlet for that.” You tipped your head. “Before the killing, at least.”
His smile turned wry. “Two things that haven’t left me.”
“Well,” you said, “if things keep going the way they are, you might have found a third.”
Something shifted in Klaus’s eyes as he turned to face you, full of an intense want that sent shivers down your spine.
“You shouldn’t say things you don’t mean.”
“I mean it.” Maybe the wine was making you more open, maybe you were just tired of holding back. Maybe you had to prove it to yourself as much as him that you were past the point of running. “I’m not going anywhere, Klaus.”
He started walking back over. Your chest stilled for a moment, unsure of his intentions, but he stopped at your countertop. His eyes never left yours. “Do you understand the weight of your words?”
“Yes. But we’re not backsliding to— to pre-date us.” You forced yourself to hold his gaze. You wondered if he knew how intimidating it was. “That means no more threats, no more arguments, no more keeping secrets about me, no more throwing me against walls when you’re upset.” You huffed. “If you want me to treat you the same as your siblings, you have to act like it. Okay?”
“Okay,” Klaus said. You frowned, and he tilted his head with a slightly wry smile. “You just outlawed arguments. Would it not be illogical to immediately go back on my word?”
You turned back to your cooking to avoid giving him the satisfaction. You pulled out two bowls then poured your sauce into the pan. Store-bought, because you didn’t feel like putting that much effort into tonight. “You sound like Elijah.”
Klaus gave a dull hum, obviously enthused at the comparison. “I’m sure you’d love that.”
You shook your head. “I don’t want you to be Elijah. I want you to be you.” You looked over your shoulder. “Can you eat garlic?”
He blinked, then his brows furrowed. “What?”
You filled both bowls then turned around, setting one in front of Klaus. “I used a sesame garlic sauce. I just want to make sure I’m not poisoning you or whatever.”
Klaus continued to stare at you, and it was your turn to give him a wry look. “You didn’t think I was just cooking for myself in front of you, did you?”
“...I’ve learned I don’t really know what to expect from you anymore,” he responded.
You smiled. “And I don’t think I would have it any other way.”
-
He could eat garlic, thankfully. You didn’t think Klaus would take too kindly to attempted poisoning, even from you.
Things went a little smoother as you and Klaus ate. He was quieter, for one. Both of you were, actually, and it worked miracles for morale.
No wonder the two of you fought so often—even putting aside the threats and your half-baked deal, you were both people who could not shut up. You turned it into a career, Klaus killed anyone who didn’t like it. A concerning thought, that you might be like him if you were turned into a vampire.
(No, actually. You think anyone could be like the Mikaelsons if they were turned against their will and forced to run for a thousand years. The dread of immortality alone would be enough to drive you insane.)
You wondered if there was a supernatural newspaper out there that you could freelance for. You missed writing, doing interviews every day, your coworkers. At least you knew how to navigate the chaos of your job. Every step you took in the Mikaelsons’ world felt like the wrong one.
You really had to take Elijah up on that offer of a landline—you desperately needed to call Leah and reassure her you weren’t dead. And that you probably weren’t coming back to your job. You didn’t want anyone else from your old life getting themselves in trouble on your behalf because of what you got stuck in.
Best to just let her forget you.
“This is quite good,” Klaus said, interrupting your thoughts. “Do you cook often?”
You shook your head. “I was always too busy to cook actual meals, but too poor to constantly order out. I basically lived off of my rice cooker post-grad.”
“I’m glad we could give you some of that time back, then.” Klaus tilted his head. “It sounds as if you would have run yourself into the ground had we not found you.”
“Being a workaholic is in my blood,” you said. “My dad was always away on business trips when I was a kid, and my mom was killing herself in med school before she had me.” You let out a sigh as your head fell against your palm. The wine was really starting to get to you. “I guess only one of those is in my blood, actually.”
You looked over at Klaus. “Did you know about that too? That I have some witchy, estranged dad living it up in New Orleans?”
He shook his head. “No. I just figured your witch gene came from your dead father, hence your lack of knowledge.” You grimaced and Klaus’s expression softened. “I… sometimes forget death is not such a cavalier thing for others.”
“I just don’t know how to feel about any of it anymore,” you said. You put your empty bowl in the dishwasher then retrieved a bottle of white wine from the fridge. You were tired of drinking reds—reminded you too much of blood. “I’ve been living a lie my whole life. Where am I supposed to go from there?”
“Forward,” he said. “Where else?”
“But I don’t even know where to start,” you said. “I’ve got my dad’s name, a fuse that keeps getting shorter, and nothing else.” You huffed a dry laugh. “What do you do with anger and magic you can’t control?”
“My mother lied to me about who I was. She locked away my werewolf side for her own benefit, to hide her affair.” Klaus tilted his head. “I killed her for it and spent the next millennia trying to break the curse.”
“I’m not killing my mom,” you said. “No matter how many times you all suggest it.”
“I thought you would have a stronger reaction to my matricide,” he said.
You sighed and made an off handed gesture. “Killing your evil mom is probably one of your lesser crimes.”
Klaus smiled. “Truly, our relationship has grown so much.”
“Just don’t flatter yourself. I’ve already bolstered Kol’s ego beyond repair—I don’t need both of you throwing your weight around.” You filled your glass more than you should have, frowning as the lingering cabernet tinted the pale liquid. “Want any?”
“I might as well,” Klaus said wryly. “It would be rude to make you drink alone at this point.”
“It really would,” you mused.
You poured him some wine—pinot grigio, which you normally didn’t even like—then took his empty bowl and put it in the dishwasher.
“Did you like it?” you asked. “I know tofu is probably the opposite of what you’re used to, but I figured it was worth a shot.”
“It was wonderful,” he assured. “One doesn’t become picky over a millennia.”
You smiled. “Good. Maybe I can have you over more often.”
“I’d like that,” Klaus said, and then he paused. “I did not expect you to extend the olive branch so soon.”
“What,” you said wryly, “expected me to have a couple more arguments ready for you?”
“Naturally,” he said. “You never seem to run out of them.”
“Well, if it’s any solace, I didn’t expect it either,” you admitted. “I thought I’d be content to hate you forever for lying to me, but…” you sighed and shook your head. “I just don’t have it in me. I can’t be that much of a hypocrite.”
“I’m thankful, then,” Klaus said. “The woman I met in that shed wouldn’t have forgiven me.”
You gave a slightly pained smile. “I think that woman died with Damon.”
His face flickered with contempt and you stood up from your spot against the counter. You didn’t want to start another round of back and forth on how he should be allowed to slaughter Damon.
You had a feeling that if they pestered you for long enough about it, you’d eventually crack. You wanted to at least try and hold onto what was left of your principles, even if it was just an illusion.
Your torture, too, was still a sensitive topic. You imagined you would be reliving that night long after the scar on your neck faded.
“I’m gonna put a movie on,” you said, desperately hoping Klaus would follow your non sequitur. “Have any preferences?”
He did, thankfully, and he didn’t. He allowed you to rifle through the whole pile of DVDs with no input, only coming over once you made the decision on your own.
“I hope you like The Sound of Music,” you said, glancing over at him from your spot on the couch. “Not that you get to say anything because you didn’t help at all.”
Klaus smiled. “I do like it, actually. I met the original Von Trapps, and though it’s not entirely accurate, it’s still enjoyable.”
“Of course you did,” you sighed. “Sometimes I’m surprised you were able to meet all these historical figures throughout all the murder.”
“I haven’t spent the entire millennia killing people,” Klaus said wryly as he settled next to you. “We were just trying to survive for much of our first century. To figure out the bounds of our vampirism without exposing ourselves.”
“And now?” you asked.
“Now, I’m known and feared throughout the entire supernatural world with a larger sireline than any of my siblings,” he said with a satisfied smile. “People used to consider my existence a myth because it was preferable to believing they had a chance of ever running into me. Impressive, is it not?”
“Yeah,” you said, and you meant that genuinely. You had to respect Klaus for his mind, if nothing else. “It makes the fact that we’re just… having a night in together even crazier.”
Klaus shrugged. “I can’t always be plotting and scheming.”
“You most certainly can,” you said. “You’re probably doing it right now in the back of your mind.”
He chuckled, but didn’t deny it. “You deserve a hint of normalcy after all you’ve been through lately. Before the sun rises and you sober up and you go back to stressing about every part of your new life.”
You finished your glass and hummed. “I never thought you’d be the one to give it to me.”
Klaus looked at you, eyes glittering. You’d shifted closer to him, you realized; a subconscious action you didn’t care to correct.
“I thought I’d lost you,” he murmured. “That night, when I let you go.”
You swallowed the lump in your throat and his eyes followed the movement. You wondered if he knew how close you came that night to the edge.
(If he had found you instead of his brothers, you doubted any amount of pleading could have saved Damon.)
“I came back,” you said quietly.
He’d gotten so close you could see every fleck of green in his icy blue eyes. All you’d have to do was lean forward. You were sure Klaus would do the rest.
“I didn’t think you would.”
Neither did I, you nearly said. You were so sure you could hate him for the rest of your life, what would likely be a short one when he eventually killed you out of jealousy for favoring his siblings.
A thousand years of making the world kneel at his feet had made Klaus a creature of habit, so stuck in his ways you didn’t know if he could ever change.
But he was willing to try for you. Willing to set the plans and schemes aside to just… be with you, even if only for a night.
That meant more from a man like Klaus than flowers and chocolates and trips across the globe ever could.
“Just don’t push me away again.”
Klaus shook his head, his icy eyes fit to tame the fire in your blood. “Never.”
With all the power in your body, you tore your gaze away from his intensity. There would be no turning back from Klaus if you took that step. He would devour you and you think you’d let it happen.
Some day, when you were sober and sure you wouldn’t regret it. But not tonight.
Instead, you rested your head on his shoulder. Klaus wrapped his arm around you and pulled you close, startling warmth seeping into you. With his presence by your side and an alarming amount of alcohol thrumming in your veins, you could barely keep your eyes open.
“I’m tired,” you murmured. You shouldn’t have picked a three hour movie. Maria only just made it to the Captain’s house. You wouldn’t even get to see them fall in love.
“Then rest,” he said. “You deserve it.”
“You can take the guest room tonight,” you mumbled. “In case I fall asleep before you.”
“How kind of you.”
You hummed. “Only because you might have to carry me to bed in an hour.”
You could hear Klaus’s smile. “I’m sure I’ll manage.”
You nestled into his side and he let you. You were sure you’d regret not keeping your distance when you woke up sober the next morning, but right now, you didn’t really care.
Klaus had hurt so many people. He’d hurt you, too. Tried to kill you and threatened you and kept secrets for his own benefit.
But he was trying to change—around you, for you, no less.
He cared for you. Maybe that was all that mattered to you at this point.
“I don’t know what I would have done had you not come back,” you heard Klaus whisper, so faint you almost thought you imagined it.
You drifted off before you could respond, content in his arms.
(Safe in them.)
-
You dream in technicolor.
Strange, considering so many of your nightmares lately have been abstract, muddied retellings of the worst night of your life.
You stand on a city street bustling with people but none of them knock into you like you expect—they move around you. You frown and take a few steps forward, making sure you purposefully block a man’s way, but it continues. No one acknowledges you no matter how close you get, but the crowd still parts for you.
You brush it aside and begin walking. Dream logic doesn’t make sense. You’re just thankful Damon isn’t here.
As you make your way down the streets, you realize you’re going a specific way without even thinking about it; making turns on streets you’ve never heard of but absolutely sure it’s the right way—that there is a right way. There’s a tug in your chest you follow without question, like there’s a rope looped around you dragging you along.
You stop and end up stumbling forward anyway, nearly falling to your knees from the force. You decide to spare yourself the trouble and follow it of your own volition.
It’s just a dream. What’s the harm?
You don’t recognize your surroundings even as you turn down a quieter street. You mentally mark off Richmond and New York, as well as the myriad of other cities you’ve visited on the coast for work. Can you dream this vividly about somewhere you’ve never been?
You walk for some time before you stop in front of an unassuming home—larger than the one you grew up in but smaller than what you have now. You step onto a front porch with worn out wicker chairs and sun bleached cushions. Paint chips off of the door frame.
You’re about to reach for the door when it opens with a groan on its own. How ominous, you think as you walk inside.
The floorboards creak underfoot as you venture through the living room. The wood is smooth where you walk, worn away over time from visitors and owners over the years. Most of the furniture is made of carved wood with cushions in prints Rebekah would consider hideous. Cinders burn out in a fireplace, a poker laying discarded in front of it. Various knick knacks and trinkets are scattered all over, as well as an impressive amount of candles.
You don’t think you see even an inch of empty wall as you walk through the house, a fact that makes you smile. This place is old but lived-in—well loved. You hope that, in a few decades, your house in Richmond feels the same; that the Mikaelsons stay in your life long enough to leave mementos of their own all over.
The feeling in your chest takes you up the stairs, and you wince with each noisy step. Some things never leave you. You look between three doors once you reach the top and follow your gut to the one on the right.
You try the handle and it’s locked. You frown and try again, and this time, it opens. The second you step through, you’re practically thrown to your knees. You groan, the dull pain spreading as you use the wall to stand back up.
It’s then that you realize you aren’t alone. Or rather, that you’re interrupting something.
A man sits in the middle of the room with his legs crossed, surrounded by lit candles. He looks like he’s in his late forties, with wrinkles and smile lines and a sage air about him. He holds a ring in his palm as he chants in Latin. Kol would be proud of you for being able to recognize it, you think.
“Hello?” you croak. Part of you is surprised your voice even works here.
The man’s eyes shoot open and they lock onto yours. You’re struck by the frantic intensity. You think they’re the same color as yours.
He smiles, full of relief. His wild eyes brighten. The tug in your chest has disappeared.
“I finally got through,” he breathes. “You have it again.”
You frown. “I— I’m sorry. I don’t know how I got here. I didn’t mean to interrupt—”
“You’re not interrupting,” he promises. “You’re who I’ve been searching for.”
Your brows furrow deeper, somehow. “You’re a witch.”
“Yes,” he nods, and he goes to say something else, but then his eyes harden as he looks beside you. “What is he doing here?”
You turn and see nothing but open air. “What are you talking about? What do you see?”
“No!” he almost yells, wrestling to get to his feet. "Don’t let him—”
He never gets to finish his sentence.
The world shatters around you, and then everything goes black.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four—
Your eyes flew open and you started gasping for air. They darted around like mad as you tried to regain your bearings, tried to find anything familiar to anchor yourself. Dimly, you heard someone repeatedly, desperately saying your name.
Only when hands cupped your cheeks did your eyes lock into one place, onto intense, icy blue. His touch calmed you.
“Klaus." You barely got it out between your haggard breaths, your chest rising and falling on the edge of hyperventilation.
Relief flooded his eyes as he managed a smile, a twitch of relief before it formed into something stronger.
“There you are, love,” he whispered. “I’ve got you.”
“Klaus,” you repeated desperately, only able to calm your breathing because of his touch, “what’s going on?”
“Just a bit of sleepwalking,” he said. “Nothing to be worried about.”
It sounded like exactly the kind of thing you should be worried about, but his tone told you you wouldn’t get far with it. You swallowed, but your throat was so dry it hurt.
“Where are we?”
Klaus finally got the sense to let go of your face now that you weren’t actively losing it, but he stayed close. “The middle of the street, currently.”
You frowned. “Why?”
“I’ve no idea. You’re the one that wandered out here.” You gave him a look and Klaus smiled. “Just making sure you’re still yourself.”
You shook your head as you wrapped your arms around yourself. You had some kind of dream, but when you tried to remember, it slipped through your fingers like sand. You fell asleep on the couch in Klaus’s arms and woke up in the middle of the street. The in between was nothing but darkness.
“I’ve never sleepwalked before,” you murmured. You shivered as a night breeze swept through you. “And I think I’m still drunk.”
“Then it sounds as if this is a conversation for the morning,” Klaus said. He wrapped his jacket around you and you tried to show your thanks with a smile, but you could barely muster one. As you pushed your arms through the sleeves, you noticed a burn wrapped around your ring finger.
“How—”
The words lodged in your throat when Klaus took your ring out of his pocket. You gave him a questioning look as you reached for it, but he moved his hand back.
“Klaus—”
“You wouldn’t wake up when I found you out here,” he said. “Your ring was burning you. You woke up once I took it off. I’m not too inclined to give it back.”
“That’s not your choice to make,” you said. “It’s the only thing I have connecting me to my birth father.”
“He abandoned you,” Klaus said. “Is he really someone you want to remember?”
“Don’t be like this,” you pleaded. “I can’t argue with you right now.”
“We know nothing of your father, of what sort of enchantments could be on this,” he said. “I won’t allow harm to befall you when I’m capable of finding answers. You’ll get it back as soon as I consult some witches.”
In any other circumstances, you think you would have fought him harder for it. But you really didn’t have it in you. Exhaustion ran deep in your bones, stronger than it should have. It worried you.
“Okay,” you finally mumbled. “Let’s just… go back to the house.”
Klaus nodded, and you took his hand when he offered it. You were thankful he didn’t try to speed you back. You needed the cold air to clear your mind.
Not that it did much for you. You didn’t like the idea of lost time you couldn’t claw back, of lost dreams you couldn’t recall. Of your magic possibly working against you.
Nausea rose inside you, acid burning your throat, and you pushed it down.
You didn’t know when your very existence became so complicated.
The walk back went mercifully quick, and Klaus lingered by your bedroom door as you got beneath your covers.
“Rest well,” he said. “Through the night, hopefully.”
Your lips twitched in an attempt at a smile, but it fell flat once more. Klaus seemed reluctant to leave. The night chill had sunk into your skin and you suddenly felt very vulnerable.
“Stay,” you said before you could doubt yourself.
Surprise lit in his eyes, smoothing over just as quickly. “You’re sure?”
You nodded. “I… I don’t want to be alone. And if this happens again…”
Klaus met your eyes for a long moment before he nodded and closed the door behind him. He slipped into the bed beside you, his presence more comforting than it ever had been. His weight pressed against the mattress and you turned so your back faced him. He wrapped his arms around you, drawing you close.
“Is this alright?”
“More than,” you whispered. Sleep was already beginning to claim you with the warmth of Klaus’s body against yours.
If you regretted this in the morning, at least you had tonight.
Only your soft breaths filled the air, but your hearts beat in tandem.
You once thought Klaus would bring about your end. How strange, then, that he now seemed like he would do anything to keep you alive.
“We’ll figure this out, love,” he murmured, your exhausted brain barely processing his words. “I promise.”
(For once, you actually believed him.)
You fell into a dreamless sleep.
At least the world still had some mercy for you.
Notes:
i moved into a new apartment while i was writing this chapter and i got drunk off of rose while i was unpacking so just consider that method writing!
this chapter was like. the hardest one to write out of all the ones ive put out recently because im not used to writing klaus and reader actually being nice to each other lmao!! they take the enemies part of enemies to lovers VERY seriously. but i legit have slow burn madness because im 150k words deep and im still like "damn is their relationship moving too fast?" like girl bffr. they havent even kissed yet they're just being nice to each other. i dont know how you guys put up with me honestly lmao
i had a whole plan for this chapter and i ended up having to cut like half of it because it went in a completely different direction. but sometimes your characters move without you and deep drunken conversations probably would not have ended well lmao. so hope this feeds all the klaus lovers! no kiss yet but something more special for them at this point i think<3 also plot because no one can be happy for too long here but who cares
Chapter 29: Coming Clean
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You slept into the afternoon without even trying. Your bout of magical sleepwalking really did you in. But you didn’t have any more nightmares, or blackouts, or whatever the hell it was that happened to you, so you couldn’t be too upset.
The sheets were cold beside you. Last night was a bit splotchy between the wine and the sleepwalking, but you remembered Klaus’s arms around you clearly enough. You remembered thinking you would regret it the next morning.
Strangely, you didn’t. The realization settled in your chest with a warmth you tried to embrace.
Things were changing rapidly in your life and they weren’t all for this better. This, you were sure, was.
You dragged yourself out of bed and went through an abridged version of your morning routine. You had important plans for today and you’d already thrown them off by sleeping in so late. You discovered fresh bruises coloring your knees when you undressed, and you swallowed the unease rising in your throat.
You wished more than anything you could remember your lost time, your lost dreams. In the meantime, you shoved on a pair of jeans and tried your best to ignore it.
When you finally left your bedroom, you could hear people conversing in your living room in hushed tones. They stopped when you took the first step down the hallway, and when you ambled into the living room, rubbing the lingering grogginess out of your eyes, you saw not just Klaus, but Elijah in the kitchen.
You wondered how long Elijah had been here. If he came of his own volition or if Klaus called him over. What they had been talking about. If Elijah had changed his mind on you yet.
“No need to stop the conversation on my behalf,” you said.
“It was nothing of importance,” Klaus assured. “Good morning, love. How do you feel?”
“Like I’m going crazy.” You took a seat next to Elijah at your breakfast bar, his gaze weighing on you. “And slightly hungover.”
“So long as there weren’t any more nightmares,” he said.
“No,” you assured. “I think even my nightmares are scared of you.”
“You flatter me,” Klaus grinned. “Coffee?”
“Please,” you muttered, and you hummed your thanks when he handed you a mug. It had been far too long since you’d had caffeine. Honestly, it was a surprise you were still functioning.
You glanced at Elijah after you’d taken a few sips. “Not that I’m not glad to see you, but what brings you here?”
“Niklaus informed me of your newest misadventure,” he said.
“Ah.” Your grip tightened on your mug. “Would you happen to have any answers?”
Elijah offered an apologetic smile. “I’m afraid not. Only my company.”
“How noble,” Klaus drawled. “But he tells the truth, love. I don’t want you alone while I’m off consulting witches.”
“Shouldn’t I come with you?” you asked.
“Witches won’t take too kindly to you,” Klaus said. “They’re not particularly fond of their own dealing with vampires.”
“But they’ll be fine with the vampire himself,” you said wryly.
“Oh, most of the witches I work with these days wouldn’t dare try anything against me.” He smiled. “Besides, I’m indestructible. You very much aren’t.”
“Though I am loath to agree with my brother, he is right,” Elijah said. “At least for now, you should keep your distance. Our enemies seem to enjoy stabbing you.”
You didn’t need the reminder. “I’m not stuck in here or anything, am I?”
Klaus shook his head. “Keeping you locked up would be the smartest thing to do, but I doubt I could get you to agree to it.”
“I’m glad you know it.” You took another sip of coffee and let out a sigh. “Thank you for doing this, though. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
“Of course,” he smiled. “Unfortunately, you will have to stick with Elijah for the day. I’ve only just gotten you back—I despise the thought of anything happening to you.”
“I’m sure I’ll manage,” you said, biting back a smile of your own. Klaus being this openly affectionate—being nice at all, actually—still felt strange, but very welcome. You might have been stumbling through the steps of all this, but at least you were doing it together. “Now get going. You’re burning daylight.”
His eyebrows rose, unimpressed. “I’m only getting such a late start because you decided to sleep in.”
“You’ll get over it,” you said helpfully.
“So we decide to no longer be at odds and you decide to bother me incessantly?”
You shrugged. “I figure it’s only fair.”
Klaus hummed as he walked around your kitchen island. “You know, I did actually did end up finding Tchaikovsky’s signature for you, along with an extended version of his cello concerto. Never before seen by the public.”
Your eyes widened. “Really?”
“Oh, yes,” he nodded, and he stopped in front of you with a cloying smile. “But if you’re truly going to be such a pest, I suppose you don’t need it after all.”
“Klaus—” you started, but he’d disappeared before you could make a decent argument. You just laughed and shook your head as you took another sip of coffee. It was the only way you could hide your smile.
“You two have certainly patched things up,” Elijah said. Your coffee burned a little too much going down.
“Yeah,” you said, clearing your throat. “Yeah, uh— we had a good conversation yesterday.” You decided to leave the other parts out, because you were in… the weirdest place with Elijah. It was honestly driving you a little crazy.
“I’m glad,” he said. You couldn’t even tell if he was being genuine or not. Sometimes you thought about cracking Elijah’s skull open with a baseball bat just to see what went on inside his brain. He was probably too hard-headed for it to work, though. “I don’t believe you and Niklaus being at odds was good for anyone.”
You smiled wryly. “I think Kol liked it.”
Elijah allowed the barest hint of a smile. “He enjoys any misfortune our brother endures.”
You chuckled and continued to sip your coffee. Then, you blinked. “I’m sorry. Do you want any coffee?”
“No, thank you,” he shook his head. “It’s already mid-day.”
“It’s not like I chose to sleep in this long,” you said dryly. “Kol was right. All that magic drained me. And,” you gestured lazily, “whatever happened last night.”
His eyes softened. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’m surprised you care,” you admitted. “I mean, I’m surprised you’re even here. I kind of thought you would avoid me.”
He frowned. “Why would I do that?”
“Come on, Elijah.” You leveled your gaze at him. “I bared my soul to you and you rejected me.”
“I did not reject you.”
“Fine,” you amended. “You just put us in relationship purgatory.”
Elijah’s eyebrows rose infinitesimally. “This is truly when you wish to have this conversation?”
“Time alone with you seems to be a hot commodity,” you said. “I— I’m surprised Klaus even left us alone together, the way you act about him.”
He tilted his head. “I do not pretend to know what goes through my brother’s mind.”
“Please,” you scoffed. “You’ve spent a thousand years figuring him out.”
He gave you a searching look. You always felt like his eyes could see right through you. “And still, he surprises me.”
You held his gaze for a weighted moment before you cleared your throat and looked away. As pushy as you’d been lately, Elijah still had the upper hand when it came to these things. He was too charming for his own good—no wonder he got away with so much.
“To answer your question, I’m fine,” you said, trying to act nonchalant. “Klaus found me before anything bad could happen. And he took my ring, so…” You looked down at your hand, at the faded burn circling your finger. Could this really be related to your father somehow? “If that really is what caused it, then I should be okay.”
“You being a witch has certainly complicated things,” Elijah said.
“Yeah,” you sighed. “Would you have spilled coffee all over me if you knew things would end up like this?”
Amusement ghosted over his face. “I don’t think I will ever regret our meeting, come what may.”
“Even though you engineered it?” you asked.
“I believe we were destined to meet,” he said. “Even without my interference.”
“Elijah,” you said, your smile growing, “I didn’t take you as someone who believed in fate.”
“I’ve been around for a millennia. Something has been pulling me along all those years.” He shrugged, his eyes holding the weight of the world as they met yours again. “Who is to say it is not fate that led me to you?”
Of course. Elijah didn’t want to bridge the gap, or openly show affection when you weren’t on the brink of death, or give you a blinking neon sign telling you that you weren’t crazy for chasing after him like this—but he was apparently more than happy to be a romantic when he could leave you hanging afterwards.
“That’s sweet.” You stood up and went over to the coffee maker to refill your mug. Elijah was dangerous that close. “But I guess you all have Damon to thank for me, actually. I wouldn’t have come back home if he hadn’t gone on his murder spree.”
Elijah made a noncommittal noise. “I’m loath to give him any sort of thanks.”
You bit back your smile. “At least we never have to see him again.”
“I never did give you adequate credit for sparing him.”
You rolled your eyes. “You don’t need to.”
“I believe I do,” Elijah corrected. “He did something horrific to you, and you still let him live. Even with Kol in your ear, you were able to see the consequences of your actions past your anger.” He tilted his head. “You saved me from having to clean up quite the mess. I owe you for that.”
“You’ve probably had to clean up enough of your family’s messes over the years,” you said. “I didn’t think it was fair to give you another one.”
“This was one I’d be more than happy to fix,” he admitted. “Still, it is impressive. You wanted both Salvatores dead, you had it within your grasp, and then you let it go. I don’t believe any of my siblings will give you credit for it due to their bloodlust, so I will.”
“…Thanks,” you finally said. “I hate them so much. I think they’re the biggest idiots I’ve ever met. But talking with Elena, seeing how much they meant to her…” You shook your head. “I just couldn’t follow through with it. I don’t know if that makes me weak or stupid.”
“Neither,” Elijah said. “Hold onto that compassion for as long as you can. It is… a rarity in our world.”
“I don’t think I’m as good as you all think I am.” Thoughts ran a million miles a minute in your head as you sipped your fresh mug of coffee. “I would have killed Stefan if Bonnie didn’t stop me.”
“What do you want?” he asked, looking you in the eye. “For me to continue to tell you that you are good despite those thoughts? Or that I see every side of you and none of them can make me leave you?”
For a moment, all you could do was stare at him. You didn’t expect him to just come out and say it—to be able to see right through you, to the fear of yourself that had been slowly spreading since you lit that car on fire.
There had always been an angry, bitter part of you, forged in the mess of your childhood and honed in the loneliness of adulthood, but these days it felt like it had wrestled to the forefront of your personality. Now that you had a physical outlet for it—now that you had the means to hurt those who wronged you—you had to fight against it more than ever.
Especially now that you’d seen what happened when you allowed your anger to rule you. (Even still, a part of you still wanted the Salvatores dead, just so they would suffer the way they made you and your sister suffer.)
“I want you to say you won’t leave,” you finally managed. “No matter who I turn out to be.”
“You know who we are and you haven’t left,” Elijah said softly. “Why would I not treat you the same?”
“Promise.” Your voice wavered.
He didn’t hesitate. “I promise.”
Your hands tightened around your mug to stop them from shaking. It didn’t work. Elijah, graciously, did not mention it. You supposed one benefit to him avoiding the culmination of these feelings was that he rarely mentioned it.
“Have you any plans for the day?” he asked. A bit of a jagged segue, but you let out a loose exhale then latched onto it.
“Yes, actually. Something I need your help with.”
He tilted his head in lieu of a question, and you set your mug down a sigh. “I need to see my sister. And…” you swallowed the doubt in your throat, “I need to tell her the truth.”
Elijah blinked. “That is unexpected.”
“I know.”
“You got into all of this because you wanted to keep your sister safe.”
“I know,” you repeated. “But she got caught up in it all anyway because I lied to her. If— if I had just told her the truth, she wouldn’t have had to launch her whole investigation into what happened to me. What Stefan did to her is my fault, and I have to fix it.”
Realization lit in his eyes. “You want me to work around her compulsion.”
You nodded. “I was going to ask Rebekah to do it. But she’s probably skipped town by now, hasn’t she?”
“She and Kol both,” he confirmed. “Neither of them wanted to, but I believe they would do anything you asked of them.”
Your face heated. You hoped he knew you wouldn’t use it against them. “Where did they go?”
“If they were truthful, they should be in Chicago by now.” Elijah smiled ruefully. “I fear they may raze the city to the ground.”
You smiled at the thought. You already missed them, both of them. Maybe, once Klaus figured out what was wrong with you, you could ask the two of them to whisk you away for a weekend. You were getting very tired of Virginia.
“Good,” you said. “They deserve some time off from all this.”
“And I don’t?” he asked.
“Oh, please,” you said. “You’re addicted to complicated messes. Why else would you spend so much time around me?”
Elijah’s lips twitched for a moment before his expression sobered.
“Exposing your sister to this world is not something you should take lightly.”
“You think I’m taking this lightly?” you marveled.
“She could very well hate you when she learns the truth,” he said. “We don’t know the specifics of Stefan’s manipulations. If she remembers everything he told her—”
“I know,” you interrupted. “But we’re sisters. We’ll figure it out together. We always have.” You stared at the dregs in your mug. “I don’t care if it’s the smarter option—I don’t get to keep her memories from her for my own benefit.”
Elijah went silent, and you looked at him after a few moments.
“I know you probably think this is stupid,” you continued. “But I can’t do it anymore. I've been lying to her, and avoiding her, and now I have to just hope that Elena’s word is enough to keep Bee safe?” You shook your head. “Maybe it’s selfish. But I can’t keep living my life without her. Especially a life like this.”
You wanted to be close like you used to be, really. When it felt like it was you and Bee against the world, but that was fine because you could take it on together.
And then you ruined it by going to college 400 miles away, by becoming a workaholic to support the life you thought you deserved and abandoning everything else. You left Mystic Falls with a dream and you actually made it happen against all odds—every second not spent working towards it felt like a betrayal. You couldn’t let up, you couldn’t fail, because that meant your mom was right and you refused to let her be right about you.
You thought of all the missed Christmases, Thanksgivings, family reunions, all the birthdays you didn’t get to celebrate with each other. Bee always said she understood, that she knew how busy you were between classes and assignments and both jobs.
And maybe she was okay with it when you were able to call or Skype or text every day. She supported you every step of the way—she was made victim to your rants about breaking news or General Assembly happenings far too many times to not be your number one fan, in her own words.
But then you graduated, and you started working every second of every day, and you grew apart. No more backyard soccer practices or late night carpool karaoke or spontaneous sleepovers when Bee couldn’t fall asleep during storms.
You told her it wouldn’t happen, but it did. She told you it was okay, but it wasn’t.
You and Bianca both hid a lot of hurt from each other. Maybe it wasn’t always for the best.
But Klaus was right. You couldn’t take it back, you could only move forward. Now, you only wanted Bee to be able to look at you and recognize her sister.
“I don’t,” Elijah said, breaking you out of your thoughts. Your brows furrowed slightly. You kind of assumed he thought most of the things you did were stupid, ever since your deal with Klaus.
“My family and I… We are old. Jaded. Niklaus, especially, sees any form of affection as a weakness.” He met your eyes. “Your love for your sister is not a weakness. Do not allow anyone to make you think it is.”
Warmth settled on your skin. You smiled despite yourself. “Does that mean you’ll help me?”
Elijah nodded. “I will. But you must promise you will exercise caution.”
“I will,” you echoed. “I don’t want to do anything that will hurt her or your family. I just want to fix this, and do what I should have done a long time ago.”
“Are you sure you want to tell her about the supernatural?” he asked. “Because once you have crossed that line, there will be no return.”
“No,” you admitted. “But I’m not leaving her with Stefan’s compulsion. I need her to know who I am. What the town she lives in is.” Your lip curled. “And this way, that whole group loses leverage over me. They can’t threaten to tell her everything if she already knows.”
He nodded again, this time more decisively. You didn’t miss the twinkle of admiration in his eyes. “Alright.”
Your eyebrows rose. “I’m surprised you’re not giving me more pushback.”
Elijah shrugged. “I trust your judgment in this matter.”
“But not any others,” you said wryly.
He simply smiled and stood up. “Just be careful going to pick her up.”
“You’re not gonna force me to bring you with me?” you asked. “I thought Klaus wanted us to stick together.”
“You deserve privacy. I also wish to keep our deal with Elena’s friends for longer than a day.” Your lips twitched, and he allowed the smallest smile. “However, if anything happens to you in Mystic Falls—”
“Klaus will lock me in this house and never let me out,” you interrupted. “Believe me, I know.”
His eyes glinted with amusement. “Fear not. I’d come to visit.”
You and Klaus might have been getting along better, but you had little doubt he would find a gilded cage to hide you away in if you had to be rescued from another murder attempt. That was motivation in itself for this all to go smoothly.
“You’d better.” You rinsed your mug out in the sink then picked the keys up from the table. “But I’ll be fine. They can’t have any problem with me coming to visit my sister on my own.”
“You would think,” Elijah said. “But that group has proven time and time again that they are not the most rational of beings.”
“Do you ever get tired of judging everyone?” you asked.
Elijah smiled to himself. “Not when I am so often correct.”
You couldn’t fully bite back your smile as you grabbed your purse and walked towards the door. “Please work on acting like a normal person while I’m gone.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
“You’re the only one of your siblings that actually acts like you’re a thousand years old,” you said. “Bee’s already gonna freak out when I tell her I’m a witch and you’re a vampire. I don’t need you freaking her out even more when you act like you were drinking buddies with Dracula.”
“Oh, fear not,” Elijah said. “You know better than most I can be charming when necessary.”
“And you never stop using it against me to your advantage,” you remarked. You’d sworn yourself to hating him at least three times by now, but it never stuck. His smile grew just so. “I’m gonna pick her up and take her to lunch—tell her the truth there when it’s just us. When we get back, we’ll get introductions out of the way, you’ll undo the compulsion, and we’ll go from there.”
He nodded. “Are you prepared?”
“Not at all,” you said. “But I don’t have a choice.”
“I understand.” Maybe it wasn’t so bad you would be doing this with Elijah instead of Rebekah. He at least knew the burden of the eldest sibling. “Drive safely.”
“Don’t worry,” you mumbled. “A car crash is about the only trouble I haven’t gotten into.”
-
The drive over went as uneventfully as it could. You were glad you came alone—you couldn’t stop drumming your hands against the steering wheel, or tapping your free foot over and over, or freaking out, honestly, and though Elijah would be too polite to say it, it probably would have driven him crazy with his enhanced hearing.
You parked on the street in front of your house and took a deep breath, trying to steel yourself. Once you made this move, there would be no going back.
Your sister could hate you. For the lies, for failing to protect her, for not trusting her—for leaving.
But she at least deserved to make the choice herself.
So you found yourself knocking on her door, hoping the empty driveway meant your mother was at work. You didn’t think you could face her after yesterday.
Bianca answered the door and your smile mirrored hers as she exclaimed your name.
“You really did mean sooner rather than later.”
“I’m making up for some lost time,” you said. “Is Mom—”
“At work,” she confirmed before you could even finish.
You nodded, some of the tension unknotting in your chest. “How do you feel about lunch, then?”
“Great,” she laughed. “Especially if it’s your treat.”
“Oh, definitely.” Paying for lunch was quite literally the least you could do after all the lies you’d peddled to her. Especially when it wasn’t even your money.
“Then it sounds like a plan,” Bee said, gesturing with her head for you to follow her in. “I just have to get ready—I wasn’t really expecting you. What happened to texting?”
“I lost my phone.” You closed the door behind you and suppressed a chuckle at the obviously missing photos on the console table. Rebekah truly had no decorum. “I haven’t really had time to get a new one.”
“How do you even swing that as a journalist?” she asked. “Half the time you visited, you were glued to your phone because of emails or phone calls or whatever. I mean, I barely saw you that summer you interned for WRIC. I can’t imagine working in New York is easier.”
Your first instinct was to lie like usual, to say you were on personal leave or your boss was being lenient for once or any other thing to hide the truth. But you had a pretty flimsy shovel to dig your way through the already existing pile of lies—best to start telling the truth when it mattered the least so you could build up to the witch, half-sister thing.
“I… kinda quit my job,” you said. Maybe more of a partial truth, but you didn’t even know how to classify your job situation right now. Technically, you still worked there, but technically, you hadn’t been there for months.
Bee huffed an impressed laugh. “Really? When?”
“It’s a long story,” you said. “I actually have a lot to tell you today, so dress comfortably.”
“Okay,” she shrugged, and she started going up the stairs. “Be down in five.”
You nodded and let out a shuddering sigh as you took a seat. In a few hours, you’ll have either repaired your relationship with your sister or completely destroyed it.
Nothing like the point of no return.
-
“Something doesn’t add up,” Bee said, staring at you as she sat down across from you. The diner you chose was relatively empty, and the hostess granted your request of a corner booth. Privacy mattered more than usual today, but you didn’t want to bring her back home just yet. Elijah was already doing you a favor by not coming with. “You quit your job, but you have a new car, new clothes, eating out money— do you have a secret trust fund I don’t know about?”
“That’s a huge part of what I have to tell you,” you said, hoping you could quell the shaking of your hands as you took off your coat. “No trust fund. But some powerful friends.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “Like who?”
You set your purse beside you then looked back at your sister. You worked so hard to keep her safe, to keep her out of all this, and you were about to bring her into the fray all on your own. If Elijah did think this was stupid, he was probably right.
But it didn’t matter. You couldn’t lose her.
“Vampires,” you said. “My friends are rich, powerful vampires.”
Bianca stared at you for a second, then laughed in disbelief. “What?”
She’d already gone through this once with Stefan, and you had no idea how she reacted. But if his compulsion was really weaker like Rebekah said, then maybe there were still bits and pieces she would be able to recall if you just ripped the bandaid off.
“Vampires are real,” you said. “And witches, too. I’m one.”
Bee laughed again, more incredulous as she smiled like you were crazy. “What?”
Her shock was interrupted as a waiter stopped at your table with glasses of water, a smile on his face. “Welcome in. Can I get you two anything other than water?”
You tried your best to smile convincingly. “Water’s fine for me.”
Bianca was still staring at you, her disbelief slowly melting as she realized you weren’t joking. You glanced back at her and nodded, hoping she would take the hint to act natural.
Thankfully, she did. She cleared her throat and looked at the waiter, managing a less convincing smile of her own. “Uh, Shirley Temple, please.”
He nodded and walked off, and Bee’s smile immediately faded as she turned back to you. “What in the world are you talking about?”
“The supernatural is all real,” you said. “Mystic Falls is a hotspot for it. We’ve all been surrounded by it our whole lives. Mom knows.”
“And she kept it from me?” she asked, then shook her head. “You kept it from me? That you’re a witch?” Bee shook her head again, holding her hands up in front of her. “How are you a witch, actually?”
“We have different fathers,” you said. “Mine’s M.I.A in New Orleans, and he’s a witch.”
She stared at you, wide-eyed as she tried to process what you realized was a nuclear bomb of information you’d dropped on her.
“But we don’t need to focus on that yet,” you rushed to add. “We can go one thing at a time—”
“If you don’t want me to focus on it, you shouldn’t say it!” she exclaimed. “So— so Mom’s just been lying to us?”
“She was doing what she thought was best—”
“She was lying to us our entire lives!” she exclaimed. “I mean, when did she tell you?”
“Two weeks ago? Maybe three. I haven’t really had a great grasp on time recently.”
“And you didn’t immediately tell me?”
“…I was scared,” you said quietly. “That you would hate me.”
Bianca got some time to mull that over when the waiter came back with her drink. She stared at the peeling finish on the table when he asked if you were ready to order, leaving you to tell him you needed some more time. Neither of you had so much as opened your menus, and you realized you were maybe doing the worst job possible of breaking all this to her.
“Bee,” you said, “what’s on your mind?”
“Everything?” She finally looked back at you. “I mean, it bothers me less that Twilight is real than the fact that we’re apparently half-sisters. Great thing to drop one after the other, by the way.”
“Twilight isn’t real,” you said. “Vampires are way scarier in real life.”
“Oh my god,” Bee said incredulously, “you’re awful at this.”
“I know.” You let out a ragged sigh. “All I wanted was to keep you safe, but it didn’t work, and I realized that I couldn’t deal with the distance between us. So I’m trying to work this out with you, but for a journalist, I’m apparently really bad at breaking news.”
“Then we’ll start with something easy,” she said. “Prove you’re a witch.”
Your first thought was to summon your typical flame, but that might be a little too obvious when you were trying to keep things lowkey. And with your track record when it came to control, it was probably a horrible idea.
You decided on something less showy as you picked up the sugar caddy and emptied it. You spread out the packets, then concentrated, drawing on the energy buzzing through your veins. Bianca gasped when they started slowly floating into the air.
“Oh my god,” she breathed. “How?”
“Magic,” you said. “Have you not been listening?”
She gave you a dirty look then ran her hand through the open space around the packets. She got nothing but air. Bee grabbed a pink packet then let it go, but it fell back down.
“Okay,” she said, nodding a few times. “I believe you.”
You smiled and let go of your hold. The rest of the packets dropped to the table and you scooped them back into the container while you talked. “I’m more of a parlor trick witch than anything right now. But I can give people magical aneurysms.”
She nodded again, her eyes still a little wide. “That’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever heard.”
Your smile widened a little. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.
“I guess I’ll just keep going in that vein then,” she said. “How do you know we have different dads?”
“Mom told me when I found out I was a witch,” you said. “She realized she was pregnant after her and my dad broke up, but she wanted nothing to do with him. She didn’t cheat on your dad.”
“Oh, yeah,” she said dryly. “Because that’s what I’m worried about. Have you met him?”
You shook your head. “I didn’t even know he existed until Mom told me about him.”
Bianca exhaled shakily and finally had some of her drink. She stared at the carbonation when she set it down. “We’re going to the ABC store after this.”
“Bee—”
“No,” she interrupted, shaking her head. “If we’re getting into life-changing information territory, you’re buying me alcohol.”
She had a point. “Fine. But no tequila.”
She made a noncommittal noise. “I like vodka more anyways.”
You managed a smile and Bee played with her straw, still not really looking at you. Maybe you needed to give Elijah more credit for how he handled telling you the truth. He did it in a much worse situation than this, with you cooperating a whole lot less, and still did a better job.
“You need to know I didn’t want to lie,” you said. “Everything happened so fast at the beginning. I only found out about the supernatural because I nearly got killed by one of them. All I could think about was them going after you if you found out, so I kept it from you.”
“Who is ‘them’?” she asked. “Vampires? Witches?”
“Vampires,” you nodded. “You remember Elijah? The guy I was investigating with at the beginning of all this?”
Bianca nodded. “He’s a vampire?”
“Yeah. And you remember Klaus, my coworker who showed up at the house that one time?”
“Another vampire?”
“Yeah,” you repeated. “And not my coworker.”
Her brows creased and she finally let go of her straw. “So you lied right to my face.”
“Because he’s dangerous,” you said. “Him and Elijah, they’re brothers— members of a family of very old, very powerful vampires. Rebekah, too— she’s their sister.”
“You’re dating a vampire?” she marveled.
Two of them, you nearly said, with the other two a work in progress, but you decided to save that for later. Your relationship with the Mikaelsons could be considered very concerning to the outside eye. So you just nodded.
“How the hell did you get involved with something like that?” she asked incredulously. “I mean, I get it, I want a hot vampire girlfriend too, but how?”
“...Klaus tried to kill me,” you admitted, and her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. “Elijah saved me, though! And we’re all cool now!”
Bianca ran her hands through her hair, shaking her head as she stared at the table. “How can you be cool with someone that tried to kill you?”
“It’s a long story.” You saw the waiter returning out of your peripherals and tapped her still-closed menu. “One I don’t have time to tell right now. Now pick something so we don’t have to torture this poor waiter.”
“Have you decided or do you still need some more time?” he asked, taking out his book as he came to a stop.
“We’re ready,” you said with a tight smile, only because you didn’t want him to keep coming back to your table for the next thirty minutes and overhearing one of the worst conversations to have in public.
“Great! What can I get for you?”
You ordered the first thing that caught your eye, having read the menu for all of two seconds, and you were pretty sure Bee did the same. The waiter took them and left, and Bee looked back up at you in disbelief.
“I can’t believe you’ve been dealing with all of this in private,” she said.
“I didn’t want you to worry about me when it was something I could handle on my own.”
“Just because you could doesn’t mean you had to!”
“You don’t understand,” you attempted, feeling the pinpricks of tears behind your eyes. You tried to blink them away—you couldn’t cry in front of her right now. “I love you more than anything, Bee, but it felt like everything I did only hurt you more. So I tried to stay away, because I thought it was the only way, but it just made things worse—”
Your voice broke and you had to look away. It wasn’t fair to burden her with this, to hurt her with lies and then hurt her even more with the truth. All of this reminded you that you still had no idea what you were doing. In the supernatural world, with the Mikaelsons, with your magic—you were just stumbling from point to point, hoping things would turn out alright. If you didn’t have the Mikaelsons’ protection, you would be dead twenty times over.
“Hey.” Bee said your name, drawing your attention again, and her expression had shifted to something softer. More understanding. “I know there’s a lot you’ve hidden from me over the years. Things just as big as this. How Mom treated you, or— or the things you gave up on so I could have a normal childhood. I mean,” she huffed a quiet laugh, “you practically raised me while you were still trying to raise yourself, and you never complained. At least, not around me.”
Any words you wanted to say stuck in your throat. Your eyes burned with the beginnings of tears once more and you fought them viciously. Thankfully, she continued.
“I’ll always be thankful for what you’ve done for me. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you, but it doesn’t matter. Because that’s not the kind of person that you are.” Bee held out her hand, and you took it. “I don’t care that vampires are real, I don’t care that any of those things are real, and I don’t care who our parents are. We’re sisters. We always have been, and we always will be.”
“You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that,” you whispered. You felt like you’d been on the verge of tears since the second you sat down in this restaurant. “I—” you laughed, a watery, almost pathetic sound, “—I thought you would hate me. For the lies, or who I am, or leaving—”
“Nothing you can do could make me hate you,” Bee insisted. “Got it?”
You nodded. You felt so stupid being such an emotional mess while your younger sister was the rock, but you’d been holding all this in for so long. You had opened the dam and it wasn’t going to close anytime soon.
“But that doesn’t mean I’m not upset.”
“I’m sorry for lying—”
“I’m not mad that you lied to me,” Bee interrupted, and then she shook her head. “No. No— I am kinda mad that you lied to me. But I’m more upset that you didn’t trust me with this.”
“I thought they would try to kill you,” you whispered. “Or use you against me, or hurt you— I couldn’t live with you getting hurt because of me, Bee.”
“But you hurt me anyways,” she said. “You lied. You left. Don’t you think I could have helped you?”
“I didn’t know what I was doing,” you admitted shakily. “I— I was thrown headfirst into a world I didn’t understand. But I knew I didn’t care what happened to me as long as nothing happened to you.”
Bee gave you an incredulous look. “Do you seriously think I would have been able to carry on if anything happened to you?”
“That’s why I left,” you said. “Why I was so callous about it. I thought if you cared less, then it would hurt less if something did happen.”
“Oh my god,” Bianca marveled. “You think I wouldn’t have gone after you to whatever afterlife you ended up in to drag you back myself?”
A laugh burst out of you, bright and unexpected. “I think I might’ve underestimated you.”
“Yeah,” Bianca nodded. “You’re not leaving me alone with Mom for the rest of my life.”
You laughed again, and you tried to blink back your tears. Even now, you didn’t give your sister enough credit. She smiled too.
“You’ve been carrying all the weight of this alone for months,” she said. “But you don’t have to. Let the people that love you help you. Let me help you, if nothing else.”
“It shouldn’t be your responsibility,” you said. “It’s not fair—”
“Shut up,” Bee interrupted. “Fair went out the window when you told me you were a witch. If I don’t get to have magic, I at least get to be a part of your life.”
“You shouldn’t tell your favorite sister to shut up,” you said wryly. “Especially when she’s footing the bill.”
“As far as I’m concerned, right now I can say whatever I want.” She leveled her gaze at you. “No more lies. Okay? Start from the beginning.”
“Are you sure you want to know?” you asked. “All of this is… kinda rough.”
“Of course I do.” Bianca frowned. “I just got hit with the weirdest déjà vu.”
“That’s another thing we have to talk about,” you added reluctantly. “Some of your memories got a little erased along the way.”
For what felt like the tenth time, she stared at you in complete disbelief. “Do you have to talk in riddles now that you’re a witch? Like, is that a requirement?”
“Kind of,” you reasoned. “I’ve only really gone over the tip of the iceberg, though.”
She let out a big sigh and made an offhanded gesture. “Then you might as well start talking. Otherwise we’ll be here for the whole day.”
You nodded. “If you can believe it, it all started when I decided to chase a story…”
As you started talking, chronicling the myriad of life-changing events that had occurred since you came back home, a small part of you couldn’t shake the thought that this was a horrible idea. You nearly killed Stefan for telling your sister the truth (drugging aside) and now you were doing it of your own volition.
But you couldn’t keep living in separate worlds, couldn’t keep trying to protect her from a distance. If your time with the Mikaelsons had proven anything to you, it was that some things in life were worth the risk.
Besides—your sister didn’t hate you. As far as you were concerned, that was the only thing that mattered.
Notes:
elijah AND bee? wow all the normal people coming out to play lol
boy oh BOY did this chapter fight with me. i knew i wanted the bianca reveal to happen in this part but i didnt know how tf i wanted to do it so this went through a lot of rewrites because i was just not happy!!! especially because ive already had to write one bianca truth scene already and this happens in completely opposite circumstances so it had to be very different. a lot of this dialogue came from me talking to myself trying to figure out the flow of things lmaooo one benefit of living alone now! it also didnt help that elijah and reader's relationship is in the weirdest place rn so that also gave me trouble but i hope i did them justice!
it's just so funny that the last 5 chapters came out so easily that i was concerned for my health but this one had me staring at my laptop wondering if i still knew how to write lol. anyways as usual i hope you all enjoy and thank you for being here!! <333
for anyone that is wondering, i have minnie mills as my face claim for bianca! i have aphantasia meaning i cant imagine things so even though i keep the descriptions to a minimum for both her and reader, it helps to have a fc lol (and i have adeline rudolph as my fc for reader)
(also for my non-virginian readers, ABC stores are our liquor stores lol. do you feel immersed)
Chapter 30: Spackle and Paint
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“I can’t believe Stefan erased my memories,” Bianca muttered. Then she paused, and her eyes narrowed. “Actually, no. I can. He’s always been weird.”
You let out a strained laugh as you wrote in a tip with a few too many zeroes. “Does it make you feel better if I tell you I almost killed him when I found out what he did to you?”
“...Kind of,” she admitted. “I didn’t know you were capable of stuff like that.”
Your hand wavered a bit, putting a ridge in the clean loops of your signature. “Things are different when it comes to you.”
You felt your sister’s gaze on you. You wondered what she saw now that she knew the truth. “I’ve realized.”
Suffice to say, you told Bee everything.
The animal attacks that inspired your homecoming weren’t animal attacks at all, though Damon Salvatore certainly was a beast. Where you went the night you didn’t come back to the house, and how it set off a whole string of deadly dominoes. Your first near-death experience, quickly followed by the second and third and so on and so forth. A quick history of the Mikaelsons and the strange relationships you’d forged with all of them—though you omitted most of the details.
You kept out most of the grisly details, honestly. Just because Bee was willing to help you carry the burden of this knowledge didn’t mean you had to tell her about all of Klaus’s threats and murder attempts, and that Damon put you into a coma after nearly torturing you to death.
She still had to live in the same town as the Salvatores and their friends, after all. You didn’t want Bee getting on their bad side if she turned out to have the same thirst for revenge as you.
No. You wouldn’t let that happen.
You did what you could throughout your childhoods to shield her from the harsh reality of your lives, of an apathetic mother and a father she knew just enough about to ache from his absence—of the small town that offered sad smiles and promised prayers to your faces, but spread gossip and whispered rumors behind your backs.
You would shield her from the horrors of this world just the same. You brought her into it, but she wouldn’t become a part of it. She deserved to stay soft for as long as possible.
You would have gotten through your story in half the time if she hadn’t interrupted you every five seconds. You could hardly blame her, but you occupied that booth for almost four hours.
Your waiter stopped by for the tenth time around the three hour mark in a not-so-subtle attempt to get you to leave his section. You gave him a hundred dollar bill you stole from Klaus’s wallet to leave you alone for the indefinite future. Unsurprisingly, he listened.
Money really did make things so much easier. The Mikaelsons should just pay people off instead of murdering them.
(Honestly, they probably already did. You suspected most of the crimes they committed were ones money couldn’t fix—that spawned generational grudges.)
“Well, I have a way to get your memories back.” You pushed the check to the edge of the table, grabbed your things, and stood up. Bee did the same and soon enough you were walking out in step. “Elijah’s at the house right now. He said he would help undo it.”
She nodded, though a bit shakily. Her nerves had visibly grown since you told her what Stefan did. It made you want to break your promise to Elena. “Good.”
You held the door open for her, and once you were out of the diner, you stopped her so you could really look at your sister. “You don’t have to remember if you don’t want to. The…”
“Drugging,” she finished wryly. “The kidnapping.”
You were surprised she could be so blase about it, but you shouldn’t have been. She probably learned her poor coping mechanisms from you.
“Yes,” you said. “I know there are some things that I wish I could forget ever happened to me.”
Bianca shrugged, glancing away as she crossed her arms. A winter breeze blew through the loose hair beneath her beanie. “Let’s just get it all back first. Then I can decide if there’s anything I want to forget.”
You nodded and continued walking. Bee gave you her phone so you could text Elijah of your whereabouts—reluctantly, at first, but more willing when you mentioned he shared his siblings’ paranoia—and you didn’t even realize she stopped until she spoke up.
“Is that Bonnie?”
Your head immediately snapped up from her phone. Sure enough, Bonnie Bennett was standing against her car, occupied with a phone call. Her eyes met yours immediately, and she hung up seconds after.
“How long have you been waiting here?” you asked, stopping in front of her.
“I actually just got here. I tend to have good timing.” Her gaze moved to your sister and her brows creased. “Hey, Bianca.”
“Hi Bonnie,” she greeted. “Are you really a witch?”
She passed a fleeting glance at you, minorly irritated but mostly surprised. “You told her?”
“Everything,” you confirmed.
“Wow.” She tucked her phone in her pocket. “You nearly kill Stefan for it, then you go and do it yourself.”
You smiled ruefully. “We don’t need to have this conversation again, Bonnie. You cracked my head open. I think we’re even.”
Bee looked between the two of you with wary eyes. “How are you both so casual about this?”
“Her friends have done worse to me,” you said.
“And her friends have done much, much worse to me.” Bonnie crossed her arms. “But at this point, so long as I never see them again, I’m willing to consider it water under the bridge.”
“Great,” you said. “Why are you here?”
“To offer my help.”
You frowned. “Why would you help me?”
“There aren’t many witches left in Mystic Falls. And in a town with a growing vampire problem, I’d like to have a good relationship with one of the few left. Well,” she tilted her head, “at least a working one.
“I thought you liked vampires.”
She scoffed. “I like my friends that just happen to be vampires. They still have their humanity. Unlike your friends.”
“They have plenty of humanity,” you argued.
“Another conversation we don’t need to have again,” she remarked. She opened her back seat door and took out a folder, which she held out to you.
“The witches around me keep getting murdered, so I’ve gathered a lot of grimoires,” she said once you took it. “I photo-copied a bunch of pages from all of them, ones that I thought would be useful as you figure out your magic.”
“Why do the witches around you keep getting murdered?” Bianca asked suspiciously.
“Because somehow, we always end up in the middle of vampire business,” Bonnie said sharply, looking at you very intentionally, “and sometimes we end up dying for it. By their hand, or someone else’s, or overuse of magic. Take your pick, honestly.”
“...I’m guessing you’re speaking from experience,” you said.
“I’ve lost some of the most important people in my life because I’ve had to help my friends,” she said. “I do it because I love them, but it still hurts. Witches stay out of vampire business for a reason. And for someone like you, who is completely surrounded by the most powerful vampires in the world?”
“They haven’t hurt me,” you said as you opened the folder, careful of your words with your sister standing beside you. You recognized some of the Latin in the spells—Kol would be proud that his lessons stuck. “They haven’t made me do anything I don’t want to do.”
“Well, consider yourself lucky.” She shoved her hands into her pockets. “Klaus has threatened me into solving his problems more than a few times. I’m talking, ‘started my friend’s hybrid transition before he knew how to complete it, thus ending in certain death unless I figured out something in an hour that he couldn’t figure out in a thousand years’, kind of threats.”
How easily that could have been you. Some witch for hire that Klaus had all to himself, molding you from the ground up into the perfect tool to get him whatever he wanted—and killed if you couldn’t provide it.
You were only saved from that fate because he somehow fell for you. You didn’t know what made you so different from every other witch whose life he ruined. You just hoped your influence was enough to give these teenagers a break from his constant harassment.
Maybe you needed to introduce him to some new hobbies. You wondered if he would like knitting. (Actually, giving him sharp objects was probably a bad idea. Crochet would be a safer option.)
“He wouldn’t do that to me,” you finally said. “None of them would.”
“I thought that about my friends too,” Bonnie said. “But you save the day for the millionth time with some witchy miracle, and you’ll be surprised how quickly everyone starts to see you as a solution instead of a person.”
“So why are you giving these to me?” you asked, closing the folder and holding it up. “I mean, you know I’m on the Mikaelsons' side. Helping me get more powerful doesn’t seem smart.”
“The Mikaelsons don’t care who they have to hurt to get their way,” she said. “You’ve been lucky this long. You won’t be lucky forever. I don’t want another dead witch in this town, and I guess I kinda like you, so it’d be nice if you can figure some stuff out a little quicker than you are now.”
“Like you said, I don’t really have anyone guiding me,” you responded wryly.
“I could help,” Bee spoke up. “Make, like… witchy flashcards or whatever.”
You looked at Bonnie. She just shrugged. “Whatever works.”
“Right,” you sighed. “I appreciate this and all, but it still doesn’t make sense. You might like me, but not this much.”
“You caught me,” she said wryly. “The Mikaelsons’ll do whatever you say. If I’m on your good side, it means all my friends are too. They’ve broken their deals with us before, so call it extra insurance.”
“You don’t have to bribe me into keeping you all safe,” you said. “I don’t really like harassing kids as much as they do.”
Her brows knit together. “I’m not a kid. I could kill you with one word. And I’m older than your sister.”
“I see her as a kid too.”
“Hey!” Bianca protested, giving you a shove. You laughed and just accepted it.
“Well, this has been a great talk,” Bonnie said, clasping her hands together. “Those grimoire pages aren’t just a bribe—they’re a token of good will. Make sure the Mikaelsons know that.”
You nodded. You might’ve wanted to send the Salvatores to an early grave, but you kind of felt responsible for keeping Bonnie’s little trio safe. “Witch’s honor.”
She cracked a smile and opened her car door. “See you around, I guess.”
“Drive safe,” you nodded.
You started towards your car, parked on the other side of the small lot, and your sister followed beside you. You opened the folder again and began scanning over some of the grimoire pages. It looked like you would be spending the next couple of weeks practicing your Latin to try and make sense of them.
“That was enlightening.”
You hummed. “Yeah.”
“Did she really crack your head open?”
“Yeah. I guess I deserved it, though.”
“Do you understand any of the spells in there?”
“Bits and pieces. I’ve been practicing my Latin, but I’m still not great at it.”
Bee glanced at you. “Is everything in your life this weird now?”
You sighed. “Usually weirder.”
-
“Since when have you had house money?”
“Since a family of very rich vampires decided to make me a part of their life.” You pushed the door open and walked in. “One of which you’re about to meet.”
“Elijah!” you called. “We’re home!”
“Yelling is unnecessary,” he said as he walked into the foyer. “I could hear your car pulling up a mile away.”
“And still you weren’t here to greet us,” you mused. You inhaled the scent of vanilla in the air and smiled. “I see you remembered my favorite.”
“I try.” His eyes flickered beside you and a kind smile took hold. “You must be the woman of the hour.”
“Bianca,” she greeted, holding out her hand. “Though I’d hardly call myself that.”
He shook it with all the elegance expected. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I’ve heard much about you.”
“Rebekah said the same thing.” She turned to you with a sisterly smile as she pulled out the vodka you probably shouldn’t have bought her. “Kind of sweet to know you talk about me all the time.”
“I was worried about you all the time,” you corrected. “Mikaelson paranoia rubbed off on me.”
“I believe your paranoia is homegrown,” Elijah supplied. He looked at the bottle in your sister’s hand. “Did things go so poorly that you must result to daydrinking?”
“They actually went better than I thought they would.” You looked at your sister. “I’m just raising a budding alcoholic, apparently.”
She shrugged. “I think it’s warranted. You only turned my whole life upside down during lunch.” She cracked the bottle open. “Do you have any shot glasses here?”
“I haven’t even spent a full week here,” you complained. “How could there be—”
“Top shelf on the left,” Elijah interrupted. “Kol supplied a few. He’s quite the alcoholic himself.”
She smiled and walked to the kitchen. “Thank you.”
You gave him a dirty look. “Really?”
He shrugged. “If we are to bring back any lost memories, she may need it.”
“Exactly my thoughts. Now, are you guys gonna join me, or do I have to drink alone?”
“You shouldn’t be drinking at all,” you scolded.
“I’m sure you can use your magic to get rid of any possible hangover,” she said as she poured two shots. “Do you want one, Elijah?”
“There would be little point,” he said. “Vampires have incredibly high tolerances.”
“Then it sounds like there’s no reason for you not to.” She filled a third glass and held it out to Elijah. He glanced at you, you gave him an exasperated shrug, and he took it with a chuckle.
She raised her shot glass up and clinked it against Elijah’s. “To bonding.”
He smiled. “What a notion.”
Bianca looked at you expectantly, and you sighed as you held yours up. “To my crazy sister, who I should not be encouraging.”
You hit yours together, tapped the table, then all tossed them back. Your face screwed up as you coughed, Bee took it concerningly well, and Elijah may as well have been drinking water.
“I can’t believe I hold my liquor better than you,” she remarked.
“Don’t be proud of that.” You grimaced as you picked up the bottle. “Both of you, go sit down. Start getting to know each other. I’m hiding this where you can’t find it.”
You walked off as your sister got to interrogating one of the most powerful beings in the world, and you couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. You had thought about telling Elijah to take it easy on her, but it was more likely Bianca needed to hear it. She didn’t exactly have a filter today.
You hid the bottle beneath your bathroom sink, then took a second to survey yourself in the mirror.
You looked better than usual, but that didn’t really mean much considering all you’d been through lately. What surprised you, though, was the glow beneath your skin—more literal than not.
Somehow, you knew it was because of your magic. An inherent part of yourself had been hidden from you for so long, and now that you were using it, it was like the last piece of an internal puzzle had been slotted into place—like you were finally working the way you were meant to. Maybe that had something to do with the almost faded scar on your neck.
You smiled. All you needed was for Klaus to figure out the cause of your sleepwalking, then things would officially be looking up for you.
What a thought.
You walked back to the living room and stopped when you noticed a corded phone on the wall by your kitchen. It somehow wasn’t an eyesore, but you didn’t know how you missed it.
“Elijah,” you marveled, “did you install a landline when I was out?”
“I did not install it,” he said, “but some very agreeable contractors were willing to take time out of their busy schedule to fit the job in.”
“You compelled them,” you said dryly.
He shrugged. “They were compensated more than fairly for their time.”
“How much?”
“Five times their typical rate.”
You couldn’t argue with that. “...I’ll allow it.” You looked between him and Bee. “How are introductions going?”
“I like him,” Bianca said, “I guess. He’s a lot more normal than I was expecting, and he’s definitely your brand of boring.”
“And your sister is quite spirited,” Elijah added wryly. “I think she and Rebekah would be fast friends.”
“I think so too,” you agreed. You perched on the side of the coffee table and looked between them. “Are we read— you patched the hole in the wall.”
Elijah glanced at the spot where Rebekah threw the table piece, now spackled and painted over. “Yes. I apologize that the paint hasn’t dried yet.”
You shook your head with a chuckle. “Do you ever stop?”
He smiled. “Idle hands and so on.”
“I can’t believe you’ve been alive for a thousand years and you spend your time doing chores for my sister,” Bianca said. “For free.”
“Elijah has odd interests.” You didn’t think you could even begin to start explaining your current relationship with Elijah, especially not to Bee. She would probably tell you to run for the hills. “What I was going to say, is are you ready to get your memories back?”
Bee nodded and cleared her throat, her spine straightening. “Yeah. I want to know whatever Stefan made me forget.”
“My family and I do not have the best relationship with the Salvatores.” Elijah shed his suit jacket as he stood. “We believe Stefan’s goal was to turn you against your sister with the truth. Things did not go to plan, as he erased your memory, but I am about to help you remember.” He took a seat beside her on the sofa, looking at her intently. “He may have told you some awful things. It is important to note that not all of them are the truth. Some are likely exaggerated, or fabricated altogether.”
“But some of them are true,” she said dryly.
“My family and I have roamed this Earth for a millennia. While we have done some… regrettable things in that time, you must know we have not hurt your sister since meeting her. From what I’ve gathered, that matters more to you.”
Bianca glanced at you, and you nodded as you took her hand. “It’s okay, Bee. I’m gonna be here the whole time, and Elijah will answer any questions you have after. Right?”
“To the best of my ability.”
You stifled your sigh. He could never just give a simple yes.
“Okay,” she said. “I’m ready.”
“Look into my eyes, if you’d be so kind.”
Bianca met Elijah’s gaze and his pupils dilated, voice smooth as silk as he spoke. “Remember everything that Stefan Salvatore, and any other vampire, told you to forget.”
Good touch, you thought. You had no idea how long she’d been off vervain.
Bianca blinked a few times, a barrage of unlocked information likely flooding through her mind. She frowned, and then she shrunk into herself.
“Bee?” you asked gently, squeezing her hand. “Are you okay?”
She nodded but it didn’t look convincing. “Yeah. It’s just a lot all at once.” She glanced at Elijah. “I’m not, like… gonna go crazy or anything, am I? Start foaming at the mouth from information overload?”
“No,” he assured. “You’ll be quite alright. It, as you said, is a lot to take in at one time.”
She tried to hide her discomfort, her fear, when she looked at you, but you could sense it. Even if you couldn’t, you knew her.
You’d only been compelled once before for something relatively inconsequential, and you still remembered the unsettling chill that burrowed into your skin when Elijah revealed the truth to you. Regaining lost memories, lost time, never sat well.
Your mouth went a bit dry. God, you hoped Klaus came back with answers.
“I’m just remembering what it felt like to be drugged.” Her voice was stilted, once again trying to mask her true feelings. “Is it too late to ask you to kill Stefan for real this time?”
“No,” both you and Elijah said. Bee’s eyes darted between the two of you.
“...I was joking.”
“Right,” you nodded. “So was I.”
Elijah didn’t offer the same reassurance. She looked like she wanted to crawl out of her skin.
“What did Stefan tell you?” he asked.
“A lot.” She let out a shaky breath. “That you’re all monsters. That you’ve killed a lot of people and hurt a lot more.” Her grip on your hand tightened. “That I could be next.”
“No,” you said immediately, shaking your head as you moved to the edge of the table. You leaned forward to be closer to her. “No, Bee—if you only believe one thing from all this, it’s that the Mikaelsons will never hurt you.” Your sharp eyes met Elijah’s. “Right?”
“Right,” he confirmed. “I give you my word, Bianca. My family will never lay a hand on you.”
She stared at him for a good, long moment, before she huffed a laugh.
“I don’t know why, but I believe you.”
“Because it’s true.” You held your sister’s hand between both of yours, looking at her intently. “Stefan said those things because he wanted to turn you against me. Not because they’re true.”
Bee let out another laugh, this time more sardonic. “That’s another thing I remember.” Her eyes darted up to meet yours. “He kept me in that room for a few days to get the vervain out of my system so he could compel me to forget it all. You know why?”
“Because he’s a coward?” you said wryly.
“Actually, yes,” she nodded. “He tried to get me to turn against you. But no matter what he told me, I didn’t.” She shrugged. “He probably had this whole plan to use me as a bartering chip. But I refused to give up on you.”
You pulled Bianca up into a hug before you even really knew what you were doing, tears welling up in your eyes as you held her close.
“You’re the most stubborn person in the world,” you got out through a laugh. “Thank you.”
You heard her laugh as she wrapped her arms around you—you could feel her anxiety fade, her discomfort diminish, the tension in her shoulders drop. “I learned from the best.”
“I’ll give you two some time alone,” Elijah said. “I’ll be on the porch if you need me.”
You nodded thankfully as you met his eyes, the admiration in both his gaze and smile apparent. You separated from Bianca when he closed the door—she seemed so small just minutes ago, but she was already coming back into herself. Nothing could keep her down for long.
“So,” she said wryly, “I did good?”
“You did great,” you clarified. “I don’t know what I did to deserve a sister like you.”
She tipped a shoulder. “Probably something good in a past life or whatever.”
You laughed, but your expression sobered as you settled back on the couch together.
“I’m so sorry for what Stefan did to you,” you murmured. “That you got caught up in the middle of something you never should’ve been a part of.”
“That’s the problem. I don’t just remember all the bad stuff he told me about the Mikaelsons.” She looked at you intently. “I also remember that I was freaked the fuck out about you for four months straight.”
You bit the inside of your cheek. “Right.”
“Stefan compelled me to stop worrying about you, so I wasn’t as mad as I should’ve been in the diner. But are you kidding me?” Bianca hit you on the shoulder a little harder than usual. “You just lied to me constantly, then went radio silence after leaving and thought everything was gonna be okay?”
This was more like what you expected. “In fairness, I wasn’t really in my right mind—”
“Yeah!” she exclaimed, pulling out her phone. “I mean, how am I supposed to get these texts and not think that you’re dead?”
Bee scrolled past desperate messages she’d sent to you over the past few months and landed on the last texts you sent to her before you confronted Klaus.
You grimaced. They really did read like last words. “I kinda hoped those wouldn’t go through.”
“They went through,” she nodded. “And I annoyed every single person in this town about you so much that Stefan kidnapped me just so he could compel me to shut up about it.”
“I’m serious when I tell you I lost my phone a bunch,” you said. “Klaus broke it when I met him, and I didn’t get a new one until… like, a month later. And then I lost that one when Damon kidnapped me, and I was in West Virginia for a while—” you pointed at the landline. “That’s all I have right now, Bee.”
“Then use some of that vampire money to get a new one. I saw the tip you gave that waiter.”
“You’re right,” you sighed. “Things are cooling down a bit—I’ll make sure I get a new one. And that your number is at the very top.”
“You better.” Bianca adjusted her position on the couch and took a deep breath, calming down a bit. “Look. I don’t like it, but I get why you did everything. You wanted to keep me safe, away from all of this stuff. And I know you probably tossed and turned for a week straight before you finally decided to let me in because you were scared of how I could react.”
“You did kinda set yourself down the same path I started down,” you said wryly. “Things usually don’t end well when people start investigating Mystic Falls.”
“That’s why I’m gonna stop.”
You frowned. “What?”
“I don’t need to be a part of this world, okay? Vampires and werewolves and witches— it all kinda freaks me out, and I would rather make it to graduation than deal with all of that stuff.” Bianca set her hand on yours. “But I do need to be a part of your world.”
Your eyes softened. You loved your sister more than anything and you still continuously underestimated her. You never gave her as much credit as she deserved—of course she would be smarter than you about all this.
“No more radio silence, okay?” She held up her pinky. “I promise not to investigate when people try to kill you, as long as you promise to text me after so I know it didn’t work.”
You laughed and looped your pinky around hers. “I promise.”
Suddenly, the door slammed open—your head snapped up to see Klaus waltzing in with Elijah on his heels.
“Niklaus—”
“Isn’t that just heartwarming?” he crooned. “Truly, if my siblings were more like yours, we wouldn’t have fought nearly as much.”
“What happened to knocking?” you marveled.
“Elijah told me you were occupied.” Klaus shrugged. “I listened to your conversation for a minute and decided I didn’t feel like waiting.”
“I thought about restraining him—”
“But he knew it would never work,” he drawled.
“Oh my god,” Bee said incredulously, shooting up from the sofa, “you are despicable!”
Klaus tilted his head with a thoughtful expression. “Interrupting a heartfelt conversation between sisters isn’t despicable, I’d say—”
“You tried to kill my sister!”
“Many people have tried to kill your sister,” he responded wryly. “It never seems to stick.”
“Klaus,” you snapped, “can you try and have some decorum?”
“Oh, of course,” he said dramatically, folding his hands behind his back as he inclined his head towards Bianca. “I have to make a good impression for your sister, don’t I?”
“Niklaus, is this necessary?” Elijah asked.
“Yeah, Niklaus,” Bee mocked, “is it? You’ve already made two bad impressions. What’s a third?”
He actually looked hurt. “I thought our last meeting was perfectly agreeable.”
“Not when I know you lied to my face.”
You looked between them in shock. “You two have met aside from all this?”
“Yeah,” she nodded. “I ran into him at the library—”
“She approached me,” Klaus interrupted with a pointed finger. “I would have been perfectly content to mind my business in the background.”
“You knew what was wrong with my sister and you didn’t tell me!” Bianca exclaimed. “You were what was wrong with my sister, actually, so—”
“Oh, how kind,” he said, eyes sweeping to you. “Are those her words, or yours?”
“You saw her with Stefan and didn’t immediately kill him?” you asked instead.
“First you forbid me from fair and just murders so as to not continue the ‘cycle of violence in this town,’” he enunciated your own words, speaking with his hands, “and now you malign me for not slaughtering Stefan outright? I’m happy to kill whoever you like, love, but I do tire of this back and forth.”
Bianca leaned closer to whisper in your ear. “This is who you’re cool with?”
“I can hear you,” he said.
She scrunched up her face. “Good.”
Klaus tilted his head towards you. “Is the nerve a family trait, or just one that you’ve passed onto her?”
“You’re one to talk about family traits,” you retorted.
“Please do not encourage him, dear,” Elijah said wearily, finally getting the sense to close the door. “You are better than this.”
“Am I?” You crossed your arms. “You know I love a good argument.”
He gave you a stern look that diminished the fire in your blood but made heat bloom in your cheeks. Satisfied, he turned to his brother. “You told me you have answers, Niklaus?”
Klaus didn’t respond, his gaze unwavering as he stared expectantly at you. You huffed in annoyance and threw up your hands.
“Thank you for keeping an eye on my sister. I’m sorry for not letting you kill Stefan sooner.”
“You are very welcome,” he said, saccharine sweet. “I do, in fact, have some answers.” He gestured towards the living room. “Shall we sit?”
You gave Bee a look and she sighed, sitting back down next to you. Klaus took a bottle of bourbon from your kitchen he definitely stashed during the decorating stage before claiming an armchair, Elijah taking the one opposite his brother. Elijah sat like a valued guest, Klaus lounged like a king.
“Not that I’d ever deny you your theatrics,” you said dryly as you watched him pour a glass, “but can we get to the point?”
He hummed. “And here I thought you would treat me kinder after the night we spent together.”
You felt Elijah’s unexplainable gaze on you as Bee hit you on the shoulder. “Aren’t you dating Rebekah?”
Klaus’s eyes lit with curious amusement as he sipped his liquor, apparently reveling in your discomfort. “Yes, love. Aren’t you dating Rebekah?”
“Oh my god!” you exclaimed with an incredulous laugh. “I don’t know why I thought having you all in the same room together was a good idea!”
“Nonsense,” Klaus drawled, lifting his glass. “I’m having a marvelous time. Aren’t you, Bianca?”
She frowned. “Don’t act like we’re friends.”
You wanted to claw your eyes out—maybe rip off your ears. Elijah, thankfully, got the hint before you got the chance.
“Niklaus, if you are only here to sow discomfort, then I don’t believe you have a place here,” he said easily. “Perhaps you could pester someone else? I’m more than happy to keep watch over our witch for the night.”
Klaus’s grip on his glass tightened imperceptibly, something he covered up with another smile. “No need, brother. Though I’m sure you’d love that, wouldn’t you? To have her all to yourself.”
“Okay,” you interrupted sharply, sitting forward as you looked between both of them. “We’re not doing this tonight. Not when my sister is here.”
Klaus rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, taking another sip of bourbon. “Fine. I did find out some rather interesting information, about both you and,” he pulled something out of his pocket, “your ring.”
“Were you right?” you asked. “Was it causing the problem?”
“It was causing a problem,” he clarified, “not the problem.”
Of course. Because nothing could ever be easy with you, could it?
“This pesky little thing had a tracking spell embedded in it,” he mused. “For your father to keep an eye on his girl from afar, I imagine.”
“He gave that to my mom years ago,” you said. “They’ve been apart for longer than I’ve been alive. I can assure you, he doesn’t want to keep an eye on her anymore.”
“Perhaps.” Klaus turned the ring over before his gaze settled on you. “But I’m sure he’d want to keep an eye on his darling daughter.”
Your eyes widened. A weight sunk in your stomach. “He doesn't even know I exist.”
“The witch I consulted believed your father learned of your existence when you used your magic whilst wearing the ring,” he explained. “The tracking spell was, in fact, dormant. But as you are wont to do, you reactivated it with a spark of magic.”
“Good job,” Bee said. “You sent up the magical version of the bat signal to the guy that drove Mom away.”
You shook your head. It didn’t make sense.
Your father might not have known about you—fine. Your mom left New Orleans with an unknown pregnancy and, when it became known, put a lot of effort into making sure he didn’t find out.
But it wasn’t fair of him to contact you now. Now, when you were figuring yourself out and finding all the love you thought you would never have and actually getting your life together.
He was gone—fine. You wanted him to stay gone.
“How does that explain the sleepwalking?”
“You’ve been sleepwalking?” Bianca asked.
You let out a strained sigh. “One thing at a time, Bee.”
“The witch said she can’t be sure of anything until you visit in person, but it’s likely he’s tried to contact you through your dreams,” he said. “That’s why you don’t remember how you ended up outside.”
“But why now?” you asked desperately. “He’s never wanted to know me until now. I don’t get it.”
“An heir for a witch is no small thing,” Elijah murmured. “Especially one that practices ancestral magic.”
Your hands balled up into fists. Of course. Because he couldn’t want to know you without an ulterior motive, could he?
“I could ask Kol to look into him,” he continued. “He has many witch contacts—I’m sure at least one of them knows your father.”
“Or we could find him and kill him before he becomes a problem,” Klaus suggested.
“Niklaus—”
“He obviously plans to torment her!” he exclaimed, gesturing with his hand as he looked at you. “If he is truly attempting to contact you, he’s doing it in the most destructive way. Had I not found you that night and snapped you out of his machinations, you could have been hit by a car or worse.”
“You don’t know that,” Elijah said sharply. “If she wants to find her father, we owe her our help.”
“Why would she want to find her father?” Klaus marveled. “He’s done nothing but abandon her and cause her harm!”
“Are they always like this?” Bee whispered to you.
“Often worse,” Klaus remarked.
Her jaw clenched. “Do you have to respond to everything I say?”
“I can hear everything you say. Most of it warrants a response.”
“Well, typically when one person whispers to another, they don’t want the peanut gallery—”
“Bee,” you interrupted, “go to my room. Now.”
She scowled. “You can’t send me to my room. I’m an adult!”
“I’m not sending you to your room, I’m sending you to my room.”
“That’s the same thing!”
“Well, you clearly can’t be in the same room as Klaus!”
“Because he is annoying—”
“You’re too kind, love.”
She threw her hands up in frustration. “Stop responding to everything I say when I’m not talking to you!”
“Bianca! My room! Now!”
She groaned as she stood up and pointed a finger at Klaus. “You’re my least favorite out of all your siblings.”
He smiled, more patronizing that he deserved to be. “Enjoy time-out.”
Bee just shook her head and stormed out. You let out an exasperated sigh and bent over, your elbows digging into your knees as you stared at the hardwood flooring. This was not how you imagined things going when you thought about introducing them—especially after his commendable behavior just a day ago.
Well, he did throw a fence post at you the same day he spooned you to sleep. Klaus certainly contained multitudes.
“You’re impossible,” you muttered.
“Thank you,” Klaus said.
“Bianca reacted quite well to me,” Elijah said dryly. “You didn’t last five minutes in her company before starting an argument.”
He shrugged innocently. “I have that effect on people.”
You shook your head as you sat back up to look at Klaus. “Things went so well yesterday. What happened?”
“What can I say? I enjoy having you to myself.”
“Well, I think both of you should leave.” You looked between the two of them—Elijah’s expression as carefully guarded as ever and Klaus not bothering to hide his distaste. “Bee has had a long day, and the last thing she needs is to get caught up in petty arguments.”
“She started them—”
“She’s also a teenage girl,” you interrupted. “Petty arguments are in her blood. After a thousand years, they shouldn’t be in yours.”
“You overestimate him,” Elijah intoned.
Klaus huffed. “We’ll give you the night.”
“I want a week,” you said. “I’ve spent too much time dealing with supernatural problems, and not nearly enough time with my sister.” You looked at Elijah. “It’s a matter of balance, right?”
His lips twitched momentarily as you used his words. “A week is more than deserved. And if you need longer—”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Klaus finished the rest of his drink then set the glass on the table, a little harder than necessary. “My witch figured out the issue with your ring, but to figure out the crux of the matter, you’ll need to be there.”
“That can wait,” you said.
“Can it?” He tilted his head. “You ended up in the middle of the street last night. How do I know it won’t happen again tonight?”
“It won’t,” you insisted.
“You don’t know that.”
“My sister will probably stay the night,” you said. “She’ll hear if I leave, and she’ll have full permission to call you to come save the day.”
“‘Probably’ isn’t good enough.”
“You can get your witch to spell the house,” Elijah suggested. “So you’ll know for certain if she leaves not of her own volition.”
“Yes. You can do that.” You honestly didn’t care if he put cameras up all around the perimeter to make sure you didn’t leave. You just wanted some time with your sister away from all of this.
Your life had been fucking insane lately, and it was harder to see the longer you spent around the Mikaelsons. A day with Bee was all it took to crave that hint of normalcy so badly it ached.
You wanted the Mikaelsons in your life for the long run, but that didn’t mean you didn’t need a break from their intensity on occasion. Klaus, especially—he was more intense when he liked you than when he hated you.
(You also wanted to ignore your problems for a little longer—or at least pretend like you could. But you didn’t think you could just admit that to Klaus, especially when he was in problem-solving mode.)
“...Fine,” Klaus finally muttered. “But expect a phone in your mailbox tomorrow. I will not have you relying on a landline to contact us.”
“Landlines are actually more reliable than mobile phones,” Elijah said.
“You just cannot leave well enough alone, can you?”
“Alright,” you said sharply. Klaus was really in an argument-starting mood today. “Come on. I’ll walk you two out.”
Klaus bid you goodbye with the promise to return in a week for a witchy field trip. When you said it sounded more like a threat, he just smiled and disappeared. Elijah, however, lingered on your porch at your side.
“I like him,” you muttered, staring off into the inky darkness of the sky. You were far enough from the city to still see starry nights. “I do. But days like these make me wonder if I’m crazy for it.”
Elijah smiled. “That is the reality of a relationship with Niklaus Mikaelson—platonic, romantic, or familial.”
You huffed a weary laugh and tilted your head so you could look at him. Elijah looked especially beautiful in the moonlight. You’d have to get him in front of a sunset sometime.
You doubted you could hold yourself back seeing him bathed in gold, though—and when he seemed content on waiting for your endless problems to end, that probably wasn’t a good idea.
You didn’t possess nearly as much self control as he did.
“How do you do it?” you asked. “The oldest sibling thing. Because you’ve got three and you’ve done a pretty good job. I have one and I feel like a failure.”
“You aren’t.”
“Thanks,” you said wryly. “But you’re too nice for your opinion to count.”
Elijah chuckled, placing his hands against the railing. He always looked tense, pent up—the constant suits didn’t help. Maybe one day you could get him into a pair of jeans. You doubted it, though.
“It isn’t easy,” he admitted. “For a long time, I thought of their every failure as my own. I abandoned my happiness in favor of their own. Especially in the early days of our immortal existence, when we were only trying to survive in secret. It was my responsibility to keep them safe—from both our father and themselves.”
“They all think highly of you. Even if they hide it.” You considered it for a moment and tilted your head. “Maybe not Kol. Or maybe just very deep down.”
His lips twitched. “It is kind of you to say. But we’ve all hurt each other, in the way that only family can.”
You nodded, moving beside him to rest against the railing. You were well versed in that special kind of pain.
“I practically raised Bianca,” you said, voice stilted. “My mom shut down after our dad died. When I realized she wasn’t coming back for a while, I just… did what I could. I was a kid raising a kid. I don’t know if she is who she is today because of me or just blind luck.”
“I’m so scared that me being a part of her life is just fucking her up more,” you admitted shakily. “That the best thing for her is for me to leave, even if it hurts at first. Because I know I am too selfish to ever do it.”
“I understand. Sometimes I fear I’ve only damaged my siblings more.” His hands balled into fists, a slow motion before they straightened again. “If my devotion to Niklaus, to our family vow, has hurt them for nothing. If we'd truly be better apart.”
“Have you figured it out yet?” you asked wryly.
“I’m afraid not,” he said, a sad smile on his lips. “I have spent every day of my existence trying to do right by my siblings, and I still hurt them more often than not.” He met your gaze, eyes searching for something. “All we can do is love them. Listen to them. Do what we think is best. Ensure they know we will always be there for them, even if they do not want it—especially when they do not want it.”
You leaned closer and pressed a kiss to his cheek. His lips parted slightly when you pulled away, his dark eyes glimmering—they practically absorbed the light around you.
“Thank you, Elijah,” you murmured. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
You stepped towards the door, unsure if you could watch him leave—but he caught your wrist, turning you back and stopping you in your tracks. The desperation in his eyes stole the breath from your chest. You couldn’t move. You didn’t want to.
Elijah pulled you forward and kissed you.
You didn’t even process it for the first few seconds, too shocked at something you’d been imagining for weeks to realize it was real—that he was kissing you. And then you fell into him like you were made for each other.
He kissed you like a starving man, like he needed you—like you weren’t the only person in the world, but you were the only one that mattered. You cupped his cheek with your free hand, he dropped your wrist so he could draw you flush against him by the waist.
Kol was the heart of a volcano, Rebekah was the sun itself, but Elijah was a hearth—warm and inviting and safe, but able to consume you if you let him.
You would let him. You knew you would.
Just as you were sure this was really, truly happening, that he wanted you as much as you wanted him, he pulled away. Your labored breathing filled the air as you stared at each other—your eyes wide as the moon, his filled with an intense longing.
“Elijah,” you whispered, barely capable of speech. You felt so weak in the knees you thought you might collapse. You couldn’t form any other words.
(Please don’t regret this, you wanted to scream. I can’t have you then lose you.)
He pressed his forehead to yours, still holding you close with the arm around your waist. You never wanted him to let go, your whole body on fire. If you truly lit ablaze in this moment, you would die happy.
“To decide if you still want this,” he murmured, voice reverberating through your bones. “Once your week has passed.”
He was there one moment, gone the next, taking his warmth with him. You didn’t want to open your eyes, confirm that he was gone.
You did anyways.
You stared off into the distance, onto the streets that you wandered in a magical haze just the night before. You wondered if your father was looking at the same moon—if Elijah stopped to look at it too, to take it all in on his escape route home.
(If it meant as much to him as it did to you, or if he was just placating you.)
You went inside. Stumbled inside, rather. Your finger still hadn’t healed. Your lips still burned. (Your heart, too.) Elijah’s longing gaze seemed branded into your retinas.
But you had a sister to comfort and dinner to make and a book of questions to answer.
Nothing could ever be easy.
Not like that had ever stopped you before.
Notes:
chapter 30 feels like such a milestone lol i didnt think i would ever get this far but here we are!!!
ive breezed through some of the earlier chapters bc i do that when i get nostalgic and man ive really gotten wordy huh? probably bc ive been in crazy mode once again over this series as of late and i think it's because ive actually been watching the source material. i know i know you're all so proud of me! my knowledge now consists of half of s1, half of s2, and all of s3 of tvd; i am on s1ep12 of the originals and im actually enjoying it a lot more than i thought i would!!! i also hear klaus's voice in my head when i read his lines now so shoutout to joseph morgan
i do have to say we are getting into the end days (or end months with me tbh) of this fic!! not because im going to wrap everything up in 5 more chapters, but because we are getting into sequel territory!! so fun right. ive already written a couple things for it and im really enjoying it lol. so you guys have something to look forward to because even though this fic is almost over, this story certainly isnt!
anyways i had so much fun writing this because i really specialize in banter and there is just so much to be had any time klaus is in the picture, add bianca into the mess and it was really just a great time lol. as usual i hope you all enjoy (especially the ending what???? it came to me and i knew i had to do it) and thank you so much for reading!!! <333
Chapter 31: What's a Girl To Do?
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You were a little dazed as you went back into the kitchen, your movements subdued from the lingering heat on your lips. A part of you still couldn’t believe it actually happened—but it was such an Elijah way for it all to go.
Of course he would kiss you right after you asked them to leave. He wouldn’t have to face his emotions for a week, and he was giving you yet another out.
He had to know by now you didn’t want it, that you were in this even if it killed you. The Mikaelsons weren’t going to let you go, and you didn’t want them to. How many declarations would you have to make for Elijah to understand that?
You tried your best to keep your mind occupied as you got a kettle going. Now you really were in relationship purgatory, and you would drive yourself crazy thinking about it.
If this was Elijah’s idea of initiating things, you could only imagine what was in store for you when Klaus tired of waiting—or when you did.
You pushed it harder out of your mind. You could at least manage for as long as it took to make tea.
You worked in silence for a good, long while, until the kettle whistled and the hairs on the back of your neck stood up. You avoided the urge to smooth them down. Your senses had been hardwired since you tapped into your magic.
“Hey, Bee.” You didn’t turn around as you clicked the heat off. “Are you okay?”
“That depends,” she said. “Is Klaus gone?”
You grabbed two mugs and the box of tea you made sure to include on your grocery list. It had been too long for both of you. “Yes. They both are.”
“Then I’m fine.”
You finally turned to see your sister. She stood leaned up against the wall, arms crossed, clothed in one of your college crewnecks. She must have noticed you looking, because she shrugged.
“It’s cold in here. You have the AC on, like, 65.”
“Habit,” you admitted. Sometimes it still didn’t click that your bills weren’t your responsibility anymore. “But I don’t mind. You look good in it.”
“I applied to NYU,” she said. “Do you think I’ll get in?”
“I think you can do anything,” you said.
“That won’t get me into college.” Her eyes widened. “Do you think you can use your vampire money to donate a building to Yale and get me in?”
“Since when have you wanted to go to Yale?”
“I don’t,” she said. “I’m just wondering the limits of all this.”
You chuckled and started steeping the tea bags. “Even if I could, I wouldn’t. I think you want to get into college on your own merit.”
“Yeah,” Bee sighed. “Whatever.”
She idled over and took a seat at your kitchen island, staring at the mugs as you started rummaging through your cabinets.
“Are you really a tea person now?”
“Of course not,” you said. “But neither of us has had vervain in a while, and it’s especially dangerous for you.”
“So I can’t get compelled again,” she said.
“Yeah. But give it a couple more minutes to steep.” You looked back at her. “Are you still okay? With remembering everything, and knowing about all this…”
“I’ll get over the compulsion thing in a few weeks,” she said. “I’m more annoyed by Klaus than anything.”
“He’s definitely an acquired taste,” you murmured. “I’m sorry he gave you a hard time. I’d say he’s not normally like this, but—”
“But that’d be a lie?”
You nodded. “He’s usually worse, if you can believe it.”
“Somehow, I can,” she said wryly. “What I can’t believe is that those are the people you choose to hang out with. Rebekah, I get. Elijah, sure, for someone like you. But Klaus is a piece of work.”
You shrugged. “They show me a different side. Especially him.”
“What’s going on there anyways?” Bee marveled. “I mean, you say you’re dating Rebekah, and she clearly agrees, but you spent the night with her brother? A- and the other brother is definitely into you too—”
“Bianca!”
“What?” She threw her hands up. “I’m not blind. Are you in some kind of vampire family love triangle?”
“First of all, I shouldn’t even be talking about this with you—”
“You definitely should,” she interrupted. “I’m supposed to get front row seats to your relationship drama, but now there are three immortal vampires totally into you and I haven’t gotten to know about any of it?”
“It’s four,” you said.
“What?”
“Four immortal vampires totally into me, if we’re keeping the record straight.” You cleared your throat and glanced away. “Kol’s the fourth sibling. We got together first.”
Bee’s eyes widened so much you thought they might fall out. “Oh my god. Tell me everything.”
“God, Bee, we’d be here all night,” you said. “It’s such a mess. I mean, Elijah just kissed me for the first time ten minutes ago.”
“What?” she practically yelled, and you winced. Thank god you didn’t share walls with your neighbors anymore. “Like— like when you were out on the porch?”
You nodded distantly. “I really don’t know what goes through that man’s head.”
It felt like whiplash—calling it a mistake he wouldn’t let you make, then insisting he couldn’t go further because of Klaus’s jealousy, then swearing he wouldn’t leave you, then finally making the first move the night you asked them to leave you alone for a week.
The baseball bat to his brain sounded a lot more appealing every day.
“Are you in a polyamorous relationship with a family of thousand-year-old vampires?” Bee asked incredulously.
She didn’t sound judgmental. Gobsmacked, rather, which made sense. Your whole situation wasn’t exactly normal. Sometimes you didn’t even know what was going on here, and you were in the middle of it.
“I guess,” you reasoned. “But it’s still more complicated than that. I don’t even know if I can describe it.”
“Then don’t,” Bee said. She really was not lying about being cool with all of this. “Just give me all the details.”
You laughed and picked up the mugs, setting one in front of your sister. “Fine. You just have to promise not to tell any of it to Mom. She’ll already be mad enough that I told you about the supernatural. And that I’ve let you meet some of the Mikaelsons.”
“Mom’s probably at work for the rest of the night,” she said. “She’s been picking up more shifts since you left, anyways.”
Your eyes softened. “You can spend the night here, y’know. You can tell Mom you’re sleeping over at one of your friend’s places.”
“Or I can just tell her I’m with you,” Bee shrugged. “You are my sister. It’s not a crime that we’re hanging out.”
“I know,” you muttered. “We just kinda got into an argument last time we talked.”
“And that’s nothing new,” she said. “Now, are you going to tell me about your vampire lovers or not?”
You sighed. This was what you got for turning Bee into a mini version of you.
-
Between the gossip your sister demanded of you, the extensive life update you demanded of her, and the bottle of wine you decided to share that turned into three, it was an eventful night, to say the least.
But god, did you need it. A night in with your sister, gossiping about your four insane relationships like it was the most normal thing in the world—like both your worlds hadn’t been turned upside down fifty times by now. You didn’t even mind all that much that you were supporting underage drinking for the second time in one day.
Bee could always adapt, you’d learned, no matter how crazy things seemed—no wonder you got through your messy childhoods together.
She stayed the night in your guest room, insisting on keeping the door open so she could hear if you ended up sleepwalking again—she even promised to call Elijah. (The Mikaelson’s numbers now had a permanent spot on a sticky note next to your landline.)
But it didn’t even matter, because you slept all the way through the night. No sleepwalking, no freaky witch dreams from your father, not even a nightmare.
Maybe Elijah and Klaus were just projecting, and your dad didn’t want to hurt you. Maybe this was just the only way he could reach out to you. French Quarter witches couldn’t leave without losing access to their magic, after all, and it wasn’t like he had your email.
You were being courted by the most paranoid beings in the world, whose father had hunted them for their entire lives. Just because Klaus thought your father was coming after you too didn’t mean it was the truth.
A successful night led to an easy morning in with plenty of pancakes, some burnt and misshapen but made with lots of love. You hung out for the rest of the day as she accompanied you through various errands—it turned out all you needed to get your sister to go out with you was promise all the details of your incredibly messy, magical life.
The next day, though, you ended up driving her home. You offered refuge for the whole week, but in true Bianca fashion, she already had plans—and unlike you, she could be around your mother far longer than you could.
When you got back to your house, you were surprised to find it was already inhabited. You nearly dropped your keys when you walked in.
“Rebekah!” you exclaimed, a grin splitting your face. “What are you doing here? And are those new curtains?”
“Good to see you, too, darling,” she said coyly. “Of course they’re new drapes. The old ones really were wretched.”
“Weren’t you the ones that picked them out?”
“We all make mistakes,” she said airily. “Now just get over here and give me a welcome kiss already, will you?”
You laughed and crossed the room to do just that, embracing her before you pressed your lips to hers. She always smelled like vanilla these days and you loved her all the more for it.
“I thought you were in Chicago,” you said when you finally pulled away. “Elijah said it would be at least a week.”
“It was meant to be,” she said. “To give us time away from Nik, allow us all to calm down. But I tired of Kol quicker than I thought I would, and Chicago does not have…” her lips twisted, “the fondest memories. So I compelled first class tickets back to Richmond once I realized I would much rather spend time with you.”
“You’re not worried about what Klaus might think?” you asked wryly.
“You ought to know by now I don’t care what my brother thinks,” Rebekah mused, her fingers tracing your jawline. “Especially when it comes to you.”
You smiled. “I’m glad. I don’t want him hurting any of you because of me.”
“Quit worrying yourself with Nik,” she said. “It is not your responsibility to stop him from doing every horrid thing he desires.”
“When it comes to all of you, it is,” you said. “But enough about him. How are you? I know it hasn’t even been a week, but it feels like forever.”
Rebekah smiled. “I tend to have that effect on people. But I’m doing rather well, all things considered. Kol and I had quite the time together while it lasted.”
“Why’d you leave?” you asked. “Is he okay?”
“Oh, he’s perfectly fine,” she sighed. “He just has such a… crude way of going about things. Although we’ve enjoyed our slaughters together throughout the centuries, I no longer thirst for blood the same way he does. You’ve made me lose the taste for innocents.”
“Aw,” you drawled. “You really do care.”
“That, of all things, should not be in question,” Rebekah smiled. “Have you any plans for the day, or is it my duty to get you out of this house?”
“I do have plans, as a matter of fact.” You couldn’t help but smile—as soon as you got the idea, you knew you needed to do it with Rebekah. “It’s a really good thing you came back, actually.”
“Oh?” Her eyes gleamed as her lips twitched. “What is it?”
“I want to plan a Christmas party—”
You barely got the words out before she practically screamed. You winced from the sound then again when she hugged you hard enough to crush you. She pulled away long enough to kiss you hard, leaving streaks of gloss on your lips, then set her hands on your shoulders looking nothing less than ecstatic.
“Say no more, darling,” she said. “Party planning is my second favorite thing on this Earth.”
You laughed, still a bit breathless and more than a little dazed. “I take it that means you’ll help me?”
“Of course!” Rebekah exclaimed. Her hands dropped to take yours. “Do you know how many extravagant Mikaelson parties I have helped plan over the centuries? There is no one better you could ask.”
“Well, I was thinking Elijah could help too, but…” you cut yourself off with your own sigh, your mind flashing back to the events of last night. “But he just made things even more complicated. And I also just asked him and Klaus to give me a week alone.”
“And he listened?” she marveled.
“I think I have some leverage over him for a while,” you admitted. “He thought I would hate him forever for all his lies, but I gave him a second chance. Apparently, he really doesn’t want to mess it up.”
“It’s no surprise, honestly. You’ve held a bit of his heart since you stopped him from killing you all those months ago.” Rebekah glanced around the room, eyes settling on his painting over your mantle. “Besides, he’s decorated this whole place with his work. He does not share that part of himself with just anybody.”
You gave her a wry look. “He probably won’t like that you’re here.”
“How fortunate that he won’t know, because I am here, and he is not.” Rebekah motioned with her hands. “We’ll discuss all other matters in the car. Now, go get dressed. We have much to do.”
You look down at your clothes. “I am dressed.”
“Christ, darling, you’re really not,” she sighed. “Our time apart has done you no good.”
You smiled. “When has it ever?”
“Right answer,” she nodded. “Now go—I’ll jot down some plans and start making calls.”
“Making calls?” you marveled. “I was just thinking we’d go to Party City—”
“Stop talking right now,” Rebekah interrupted. “It’ll only depress me.”
You laughed and shook your head. “I guess there’s no stopping you from taking the reins?”
She smiled sweetly. “There is absolutely no point in trying. Now go get dressed, and wear something pretty.”
“Don’t I always?” you asked cloyingly.
Her smile didn’t waver. “I don’t think you want me to answer that.”
You rolled your eyes as you bit back your own smile and walked off to your room. You got dressed quickly, going for the combination you’d become rather fond of by now. God, you loved this cashmere coat.
Soon enough, you were on the road together. You honestly didn’t even mind chauffeuring the Mikaelsons around anymore—yes, because you were pretty sure you loved them, but also because you hadn’t driven your old clunker of a car since you moved into that motel.
Rebekah dragged you all over the city in her quest for party perfection. Unbound by monetary limits—and with you finally not trying to dial back her extravagance for once—your car soon became filled with boxes of holiday decorations. You had to stop her from buying an entire Christmas tree, but you wouldn’t be surprised if one showed up at your house a few days later.
You also weren’t surprised that your day of shopping ended in a boutique. You grew up with hand-me-downs from your mother that went on to your sister, and anything you bought for yourself came from a thrift shop. This constant clothes shopping felt wasteful, but you doubted you could stop Rebekah now. You had, after all, enabled her since the day you met.
“Don’t you ever get bored of shopping?” you asked, turning so you could see the back of the dress in the mirror.
“Never,” Rebekah said. “Especially when I’ve got such a beautiful muse.”
You chuckled as you trailed your fingers down the length of the fabric. Silk flowed like water over your body, and though you loved the way Rebekah’s eyes followed your every movement, you felt much too vulnerable in it.
“Not that this isn’t a gorgeous dress,” you said, “but the neckline is a little too low for my comfort.”
“Feel free to try on anything you like,” she said. “The wonderful thing about my brothers being gone for the week is that we truly have no time limit. None of them can barge in to ruin our fun.”
You bit back a smile and went into the fitting room once more. You had a suitable array of dresses to get through, half your choices and half Rebekah’s.
Okay, most of them were Rebekah’s choices. Almost all of them, really, but you couldn’t lie and say you weren’t having fun being her own personal Barbie.
“What encouraged this sequester anyway?” she called out. “I understand wanting to get away from Nik, but with all the longing looks Elijah has been giving you, I figured you would want to keep him around.”
Your hands froze in the middle of undoing your final clasp, your breath hitching just at the mention of Elijah. There wasn’t really any way to be subtle when Rebekah could hear everything that made you tick.
“You don’t have to talk about this with me if you don’t want to,” you said, trying in vain to cover up your brief pause. “I consider you my partner, and I take it just as seriously as my relationships with your brothers. I don’t want you to do— do girl talk with me because you think I don’t.”
Her silence hung in the air longer than you wanted, and you bit your lip as you slipped into the next dress.
“Will you help me with the zipper?” you asked.
“I believe I can be of aid,” she said. At least you didn’t make things too awkward.
Rebekah stood as you stepped out, and you turned around. It took a moment for her to begin after she walked over to you, and another to speak.
“I am often… underestimated,” Rebekah murmured. Her fingers brushed against your skin as she pulled the zipper up. “I’ve always wanted love more than anything. Our enemies use it against me, my brother condemns me for it, and then he runs off to throw everything away in the name of his newest paramour. It’s a tale as old as us—why do you think I’ve been daggered so many times?”
“He did mention it a while ago,” you said quietly.
“My whole life, I’ve worried that none of my brothers take me seriously,” she continued. “That I will always just be the baby sister to them, oblivious and naive and only capable of being saved.” She smiled as you turned back around, but you saw the glint of sadness in her eyes. “I know you do not see me the same, and I am sure in your affections for me. My brothers cannot say the same, so I don’t mind discussing it.”
“Of course I don’t,” you promised. “I— I think I fell for you first, honestly.”
Her smile widened, the glint in her eye shifting to intrigue. “Did you now?”
You nodded. “Head over heels since you tore Damon apart for me.”
“It’s good to know that served multiple purposes,” she mused. “I would do it all over again if you let me. He would not make it out this time, though.”
“I just never want to see the Salvatores again, and I think after what happened at their place, they’ll hold up their end of the deal.” You reconsidered. “Or at least Elena will make them.”
“Speaking of that dreadful family, how have you been faring?” Her fingers traced over your neck where the scar used to be and you shivered beneath her touch. “I noticed a few things have healed.”
“I’m doing okay,” you said, and for once you actually meant it. “It fully faded a couple days ago. I think finally using my magic is helping me. It was like my missing puzzle piece, y’know?”
She smiled, blinding even through the mirror. “I know the feeling.”
“I told my sister the truth, too,” you said. “The witch thing, the vampire thing—I even got Elijah to go around the compulsion. She remembers everything, she knows everything, and she doesn’t hate me. I actually think we’re closer than we’ve been in years.”
“I could have told you that,” Rebekah said. “Anyone can see that your sister adores you. I doubt anything could tear the two of you apart.”
You turned so you could be face to face. “You’re also her favorite Mikaelson, in case you were wondering. She really can’t stand Klaus.”
Her smile only grew. “I knew she had excellent taste from the moment I met her.”
“But things are still kind of a mess,” you admitted. “I had some kind of sleepwalking episode a few days ago. I— I don’t remember it, but Klaus talked to some witches and he thinks my dad is trying to contact me.” You tamped down on the nausea that always seemed to come with the thought of him. “My biological dad.”
Rebekah’s eyes lit with curiosity, which then looked you up and down. She cleared her throat. “Perhaps we’ve done enough shopping for today.”
“Rebekah—”
“You needn’t save face for me, darling,” she said. “You forget I can hear your heartbeat, your breathing.”
“I don’t forget,” you said wryly. “I just hope that you’re all polite enough to not mention it.”
“Not one of my fortes,” Rebekah said. “But I am quite good at knowing when things trouble you, supernatural qualities notwithstanding. So we shall end our time here, buy every single dress so you can decide later, and wait to have this discussion at home.”
“I don’t think my closet is big enough for any more of this,” you said.
“No matter,” Rebekah waved her hand. “I’ll buy you a whole new house to fit more clothes if necessary. Nothing should keep you from an excellent wardrobe.”
You pursed your lips. “I don’t think it’s a wardrobe if it’s a whole house.”
She tugged you into a kiss and smiled sweetly at you when she pulled away. “You should never limit yourself, darling.”
-
You bought all the dresses. It was getting increasingly harder to say no to Rebekah.
Dresses you didn’t think you would ever wear already took up more than half of the space in your walk-in closet, and now you were just adding to the problem. You wondered where Elijah stored his endless supply of suits, especially because he didn’t seem to have a permanent home.
You shook your head, trying to push the thought of him out of it. If he wanted to kiss you and disappear, then you weren’t going to let him take up space in your mind until he came back.
Why he did it there and then, you didn’t know. But you weren’t going to let the question pester you when you had Rebekah more than willing to share her feelings with you.
You put a classical record onto the player just as Rebekah walked back into the living room, dusting off her hands.
“All the boxes are put away in the garage,” she said. “You are very welcome for the free manual labor I’ve considered beneath me for centuries.”
“I appreciate your help,” you said. “Both with agreeing to help me plan this, and your free labor.”
“Well, you seem to bring out a more charitable side of me,” she sighed. “I hope you don’t abuse it.”
“I’d never,” you promised, then you motioned at the record player. “Do you know which one of you got this for me, by the way?”
“I believe it was Nik,” she said. “He’ll probably hate me telling you this, but he loves attending ballets. Our family has always been patrons of the arts over the centuries, but he is the most dutiful of us.”
You couldn’t help but smile. He put more weight than you knew in that single car conversation.
You still had to see the New York Philharmonic together. Maybe you could add a few ballets to that list.
“Well, I hope he’s not trying to say something to me,” you held up the record sleeve, “because this is Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet.”
Rebekah laughed, bright and unexpected as her eyes shone. “Don’t worry, darling. Elijah is much more likely to end up in that position with you.”
Your heart skipped a beat just at his name, and you wanted very much to knock some sense into yourself as her eyebrows rose. How could you ever be subtle when they could hear absolutely everything?
“So,” Rebekah said, taking a seat in an armchair, “would you like to explain your Elijah woes or your paternal woes? Or would you rather keep it inside until it bursts out of you and you end up explaining it anyways?”
You gave her a look. “I don’t do that.”
“Not all the time,” she agreed, “just most of it. Elijah or your father?”
“Well, Elijah kissed me and my dad might be trying to contact me through my dreams for ancestral witch things.” You crossed your arms. “Which one do you feel like listening to?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Evil witch father.”
“Why do all of you assume he’s evil?” you marveled. “Klaus said the same thing— he already wants to find him and kill him!”
“Because we don’t have the best track record with fathers,” Rebekah said dryly. “Especially Niklaus. Our father despised him from the moment he was born, even before he discovered our mother’s affair.” She shook her head with a sigh, her gaze growing distant. “Mikael abused him every day until he killed us. And once we came back, he made it his life’s mission to hunt us down.”
“That doesn’t mean that my dad will be a monster,” you insisted. “Technically, he’s not even a deadbeat because he had no idea I existed. And now that he does—”
“He’s contacting you through your dreams,” Rebekah finished. “It’s typical witch fare. It doesn’t necessarily mean malicious intent.”
“Exactly!” you gestured. “I have no clue what I’m doing with my magic, and he probably knows that. He’s trying to reach out to me in the only way he knows how. Does that sound evil to you? Or does it sound like a father who never knew he had a child trying to make things right now that he knows he does?”
She looked at you for a good, long moment, her gaze more scrutinizing than usual. You felt bad about dropping all this on Rebekah, but Klaus only had patricide on the mind, Elijah was banned from your thoughts for the time being, and Kol had probably been wreaking havoc in Chicago for the past few days.
She also had the added benefit of being in touch with her emotions in a way Elijah could only dream of—emotions that were usually less violent than her brothers when it came to conversations with you.
You sighed. “I thought I didn’t want to meet him, or— or even know him. He’s never been a part of my life, and I wanted it to stay that way. But then I thought about it, and I realized I have to know him.”
“You don’t have to do anything,” Rebekah said.
You shook your head too many times. “No. No, I have to meet him, Rebekah. Kol is my magic teacher right now. I have his grimoire, and a couple pages from Bonnie, but that’s all. This is my chance to learn more about who I am. About family and ancestors that I never got the chance to know.”
“Do you want my opinion,” she finally said, “or my advice?”
You shrugged. “Both.”
“My opinion is that you should stop seeking the approval of my brothers when it comes to your own decisions. They will happily control your life if you allow them. Do not allow them.” Rebekah rose from her chair and closed the distance so she could take your hands. She rubbed her thumbs in comforting circles as she continued. “My advice is to do whatever feels right. If you want your father to be a part of your life, there will be no turning back from the witches. And they despise the vampires.”
“And you guys most of all,” you murmured.
Rebekah nodded, offering a wry smile. “We are the mortal enemies of Nature, after all. Your ancestors are probably rolling in their graves seeing you so close to us.”
“I don’t care,” you admitted. “You all have done a whole lot more for me than some nameless ancestors. They don’t even feel like mine—they feel like my dad’s.”
“Another thing to consider,” Rebekah said. “You are in two worlds, darling, between two sides. I believe he may make you choose.”
“I won’t,” you said immediately. “I— I can’t. If I had to give up my magic for all of you, I w—”
“Do not finish that,” she interrupted, her grip tightening just so on your hands. “I know little about French Quarter witches, but even I am aware of how difficult witch ancestors are to please. Do not give them any more reasons to smite you from beyond.”
You let out a ragged sigh and rested your head on Rebekah’s shoulder, allowing her to wrap you in her arms. “Why do supernatural politics have to be so complicated?”
She chuckled. “I’m afraid you haven’t even breached the surface, darling.”
“I wish you could just all get along.”
“There is a significant lack of supernatural preschools for those lessons to be taught.” Rebekah pressed a sympathetic kiss to your forehead. “We’ve also killed far too many witches for there to ever be peace.”
You groaned and sunk further into her embrace. Rebekah welcomed it.
You reveled in her presence for as long as you could—sometimes you really did wish the Mikaelsons could steal you away from all your problems. The rational part of your brain told you it would only create more issues, but the very exhausted part of you just wanted to let yourself be pampered into oblivion.
Eventually, you moved to the couch together. You found a random DVD to put on—the thought of Kol watching Sleepless in Seattle had you stifling a laugh—but you hardly paid attention.
It started as an innocent kiss pressed against her neck as you laid nestled together, but you couldn’t help yourself. You chained kisses up Rebekah’s neck, across her jawline, and when you reached her lips, she reciprocated for just long enough to leave you breathless before pulling away.
Her eyes were full of barely contained desire as she tilted her head. “And what’s brought this on?”
“I missed you,” you admitted. “I know it was only a few days, but it was too long.”
“You truly know the way to a lady’s heart,” she drawled, “don’t you?”
She pulled you in again with a hand cradling the back of your neck. Last time you initiated things, but Rebekah seemed more than happy to take the lead. She kissed you hard enough to bruise, each one more dizzying than the last. She knew just how hard to push, but then again, she had a millennia of experience—maybe that was why she had only kissed you a handful of times, and yet she somehow already knew what made you tick.
You honestly didn’t know how or when Rebekah ended up on top of you, cradling your face in her hands as she kissed you with a vicious need. She pressed her knee between your legs, sending sparks of heat through your body.
“Rebekah—” you gasped out, but she barely gave you time for more. You’d unlocked the gate and she completely destroyed it, wholly ravenous in her desire for you as she kissed and sucked her way down your neck.
She finally pulled away, pupils blown as her icy blue gaze met yours. “What?”
“Are you— ah!”
You interrupted yourself with an involuntary gasp as she sucked on your neck hard enough to bruise. You think if she had her way, you would be marked up for the whole world to see—particularly her brothers.
“Come on,” she mocked. “Use your words.”
It was very difficult as she took apart the first few buttons of your blouse, continuing her heated trail of kisses down to the curve of your breast. You did the rest of the work, unbuttoning your shirt about the only thing you could focus on, and she helped you out of it with a breathy laugh.
“You are very eager,” she murmured. You let out some pathetic sound as she pulled down your bra and left a mark right on your, apparently very sensitive, breast. “Do you want me that badly?”
You tried to affirm it, but Rebekah seemed intent on making it as hard as possible for you to do anything but beg for her.
“I told you to use your words,” she drawled. “I thought you were meant to be articulate.”
She finally, mercifully pulled away, allowing the cloud in your mind to dissipate for a few seconds. You still couldn’t really think with her weight on top of you, keeping you pinned against the cushions as she surveyed you with lustrous eyes.
“I’m not used to this,” you panted.
“Clearly,” she mused. “If I knew this was all it took to unravel you, I would have done it ages ago.”
You flushed harder than you thought possible. How were you able to stand up against murderous vampires and witches without faltering, but you lost the ability to form words the minute Rebekah had her lips on yours? “I haven’t dated since college. These are some of the first kisses I’ve gotten in four years.”
“That means nothing to me.” Your heart skipped a beat as she trailed her nail over your carotid. As if she needed another way to know the effect she had on you. “I just want to make you feel good, darling.”
Your throat bobbed and her gaze followed the movement, the glint in her eyes sharpening.
“If you allow me, I can give you everything you desire,” Rebekah promised. She pressed her knee between your legs, the seam of your dress pants rubbing against the most sensitive part of you. It didn’t help that you were already soaking wet just from Rebekah’s teasing kisses and she was fully aware of it. “Is that what you want?”
You nodded, your heart beating out of your chest.
“Your words, beloved.”
“Yes,” you rasped. You didn’t even have the wherewithal to be ashamed. “I— I need you, Rebekah.”
She sighed dreamily, her satisfied smile akin to a knife’s edge as she ran her thumb across your bottom lip.
“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to hear that.”
-
Rebekah gave you the best sex of your life.
You hadn’t been intimate with anybody in years. After your boyfriend broke up with you post-grad, you devoted your whole life to your job—it left almost zero time for anything else and effectively drained your libido. What a way to get back into the swing of things, because good god, did Rebekah know what she was doing.
You didn’t even know you were capable of some of the noises she pulled out of you. It was a very good thing you didn’t share walls with neighbors anymore.
She finger-fucked you on the couch then ate you out on your bed, giving you the most explosive orgasms of your life, and yet she still left hickeys all over your body whenever she got the chance. Thank god it was still winter, because you would be wearing long sleeves and scarves for longer than your remaining week.
When you brought it up in the shower during some much softer aftercare, Rebekah just laughed.
(“Let them know,” she’d mused. “I have to leave no doubt that I’m your favorite.”)
Evil, wretched woman. You were more sure than ever that you loved her.
After she helped clean you up, she then had to help you to bed—you really hadn’t done this in a while, because you could barely walk after the force of your pleasure. Rebekah enjoyed seeing the effect she had on you too much to mind.
Soon enough, she was curled around you beneath your covers, arms wrapped protectively around you like she was scared she’d lose you if she let go. She’d fucked you out of your mind earlier, but the silence gave time for your thoughts to grow and fester.
“Rebekah,” you murmured, and you felt her responding hum against your back more than you heard it. “What am I supposed to do about my dad?”
She was silent for so long you thought she’d fallen asleep, or that she maybe just really didn’t feel like getting into this with you again, but then she pressed a kiss to your bare shoulder and the self deprecating thoughts shriveled away.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But I can promise you that I will be by your side through it all.”
For some reason, her words sprung tears in your eyes. You tried to bite them back but they fell anyway. Her arms tightened around you as she pulled you flush against her, her fingers blindly brushing tears from your cheeks.
“Don’t cry, darling,” she murmured. “I may not know your father, but I am sure he’s not worth your tears.”
“It’s not because of him,” you managed with a watery laugh. “It’s because of you.”
You almost died a few weeks ago in one of the worst, most isolating nights of your life. With Rebekah’s arms around you, you felt like nothing in the world could hurt you. Not the Salvatores, not bitter witch ancestors, not your father.
(You never thought you could be this happy.)
“I’m so glad I met you,” you whispered.
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” she said softly.
You and Rebekah fell asleep together soon after, bodies and limbs and souls intertwined.
You dreamt of nothing. You already had all you needed.
Notes:
a girl is to have sex with her vampire lover. that's what a girl's to do
so uh. this story's cherry has finally been popped and i hope it's not too underwhelming, i have literally never written smut before and i don't think it's even in my abilities so i hope you dont mind my pg-13 fade to black LMAO. but it was about time that she and rebekah got down and dirty. there is not going to be any explicit smut in this fic because i don't even like writing kiss scenes and this fic is for me at the end of the day so im sorry!
anyways back to my strengths! ive been writing the start of the sequel and i am genuinely having so much fun. i have the whole thing loosely plotted out and half of the first chapter written (and like 4k of another chapter in the middle written bc i got excited lol), i have never been this prepared in my life for a fic if that tells you anything about my process.
college has started back up for me again so unfortunately that probably means long times between updates again because i am busy asf!!! im journalisting my little heart out please pray for me lmao. but this is my last semester so super exciting!!! i started this fic before my freshman year of college and i am going to end it before i graduate i swear to god. anyways i hope you all enjoy, thank you as always for your support i love u all<333
Pages Navigation
Kittykat1998 on Chapter 1 Wed 29 Dec 2021 05:55PM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Wed 29 Dec 2021 07:35PM UTC
Comment Actions
hireaqath on Chapter 1 Thu 30 Dec 2021 06:56AM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Thu 30 Dec 2021 02:48PM UTC
Comment Actions
neeeeklaus on Chapter 1 Thu 30 Dec 2021 12:06PM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Thu 30 Dec 2021 02:48PM UTC
Comment Actions
rEbEkAH (Guest) on Chapter 1 Sat 01 Jan 2022 12:19PM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Sat 01 Jan 2022 11:08PM UTC
Comment Actions
rEbEkAH (Guest) on Chapter 1 Sun 09 Jan 2022 01:47AM UTC
Comment Actions
InsaneHatter2004 on Chapter 1 Sun 02 Jan 2022 08:17PM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Mon 03 Jan 2022 02:29AM UTC
Comment Actions
moonlighttiger on Chapter 1 Mon 03 Jan 2022 08:42AM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Mon 03 Jan 2022 10:57AM UTC
Comment Actions
Catsarecool986 on Chapter 1 Tue 04 Jan 2022 10:15PM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Thu 06 Jan 2022 11:50PM UTC
Comment Actions
thesweetestspice on Chapter 1 Thu 13 Jan 2022 02:57AM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Fri 14 Jan 2022 04:25AM UTC
Comment Actions
Account Deleted on Chapter 1 Thu 03 Feb 2022 04:14AM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Sat 05 Feb 2022 06:17PM UTC
Comment Actions
Account Deleted on Chapter 1 Sun 13 Feb 2022 06:50PM UTC
Comment Actions
IfWishesWereHorses on Chapter 1 Tue 21 Jun 2022 12:57AM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Wed 13 Jul 2022 05:30PM UTC
Comment Actions
Selene_dreams on Chapter 1 Mon 27 Jun 2022 01:08PM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Thu 07 Jul 2022 03:41PM UTC
Comment Actions
apple_seed on Chapter 1 Thu 11 Aug 2022 12:52AM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Fri 12 Aug 2022 04:04PM UTC
Comment Actions
radialintrepid on Chapter 1 Thu 17 Nov 2022 08:37PM UTC
Comment Actions
Account Deleted on Chapter 1 Fri 27 Jan 2023 04:40PM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Sun 29 Jan 2023 01:55AM UTC
Comment Actions
random (Guest) on Chapter 1 Tue 07 Feb 2023 02:59AM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Fri 10 Feb 2023 02:53AM UTC
Comment Actions
Sting03 on Chapter 1 Wed 29 Mar 2023 01:44AM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Thu 30 Mar 2023 12:43AM UTC
Comment Actions
Amethystgl (Guest) on Chapter 1 Thu 04 May 2023 06:29PM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Fri 05 May 2023 02:27PM UTC
Comment Actions
Amethystgl (Guest) on Chapter 1 Fri 05 May 2023 03:07PM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Fri 05 May 2023 03:30PM UTC
Comment Actions
jxst_Rosii (Guest) on Chapter 1 Sat 24 Jun 2023 06:58PM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Sun 25 Jun 2023 03:04AM UTC
Comment Actions
Franki3W on Chapter 1 Mon 21 Aug 2023 02:24PM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Fri 08 Sep 2023 09:55PM UTC
Comment Actions
Mimi270 on Chapter 1 Sat 30 Sep 2023 10:08AM UTC
Comment Actions
atlabeth on Chapter 1 Wed 11 Oct 2023 02:20PM UTC
Comment Actions
Pages Navigation