Title: Angel of Destiny
Author: Katie (TheIrishShipperholic) and Erin (Erin Salvatore)
Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story
Show/Movie/Book: The Vampire Diaries
Couples/Category: Kol and Lexi. AU/AH
Rating: Mature, for language and sexual situations/scenes
Summary: AU/AH. She saved his life, but what happens when they can't be together, even though fate keeps intervening for them? Based on The Wedding Planner, but reversed roles; Kol is the wedding planner, and Lexi is the doctor.
Author's Note: I know I shouldn't have started another fan fiction, but this was requested by someone that has been following one of my other collaborations with Erin [Erin Salvatore]. I hope you enjoy the role-reversal!
Chapter One
Kol Mikaelson rushed quickly through the halls of the church, coming close to panicking. Kol cursed under his breath for sleeping through his alarm. He only hoped that no one would notice him running in. However, all hopes of that were dashed when he ran into his brother, Klaus, who gave the young man a stern look. "You're late, you know. Father is going ballistic and Eleanor is trying everything she can to calm him down."
Kol scowled at him. "Oh, shut up, Niklaus, I know I'm late. I didn't hear my bloody alarm go off at 5:30, and the next thing I knew, it was 7:30. I wolfed my breakfast down as fast as I could and I nearly got a speeding ticket on the way here."
Klaus shook his head. "Well, since you're now here, let's get this show on the road," he said to his younger brother.
Kol nodded and the two brothers headed toward the area where Kol's boss, Jenna Sommers was waiting for him. "You are late, Mikaelson," the blonde said while planting her hands firmly on her hips.
Kol nodded. "I know, Jenna. I overslept." He changed the subject. "How's the bride doing?"
"Not good; we can't find the father anywhere," Jenna said.
Kol growled at that. "Bloody hell, how can he just vanish on perhaps the most important day of his daughter's life?"
He turned to Klaus when his brother cleared his throat. "Why don't you go try looking for him?" Klaus suggested.
Kol nodded and bit his lip. "Oh, right and it would probably be better if we both looked for him. It'll take less time."
Klaus shook his head. "You're the wedding planner, Kol. I think you're capable of finding him yourself," he reminded his younger brother with a smirk.
Kol nodded. "You're right, I am." He looked at Jenna. "I'll find him, Jenna. He couldn't have gone far."
Jenna nodded as well and watched him leave and looked at Klaus. "I hope he does find the father before the ceremony begins. Otherwise, we're going to have a very upset bride on our hands."
"He will," Klaus said. "I have faith in him."
Meanwhile, Kol found the father of the bride, sitting on the stairs and reminiscing. "Who are you?" he asked Kol.
"I'm the wedding planner, sir," Kol replied with a smile.
The father nodded. "I suppose they sent you to find me?"
"Yes, sir," Kol said. "I realize that you're trying to reminisce, but the ceremony is going to start soon and we don't want you to miss walking your daughter down the aisle."
The father nodded again. "She's my little girl. And she's the last one I have left," he said tearfully.
"Well, I think I can empathize with you," Kol said. "My father was inconsolable when my sister, Rebekah, got married a few years ago. It got so bad that my stepmother had to give him Valium to calm him down." He sighed. "I know it's not exactly the best example, but look at it this way, you're not losing a daughter; you're gaining a son. I got the opportunity to speak to the groom recently, and he sounds like a decent man."
"He is a good man. He treats her like a princess," the FOB said with a half smile.
Kol nodded. "That's good." He looked at his watch. "I'd hate to cut this short, but it's almost time for the ceremony."
"Oh, I think I'm ready now," the FOB said, allowing Kol to help him up before they headed toward the bridal suite in the church.
As he saw the father of the bride go toward the bridal suite, Kol put on his headset and said to Jenna through the walkie talkie, "I found him, Jenna, and everything is good to go."
"Alright, thank you, Kol," Jenna replied back through her headset.
No sooner did Kol put the call into Jenna than he saw a woman, a strikingly beautiful blonde, walk into the church. He went to say hello to her, but she walked past him.
Dr. Alexia 'Lexi' Branson was only here as a favor for a friend, wondering why she was really even here.
Lexi took her compact out of her purse to check her make-up, sighing. She didn't really want to be here, but knew that her friend would be devastated if she didn't come. Through the mirror, she saw the guy she had walked past. She had to admit, he was handsome, even if she didn't know his name or why he was here.
She turned when she felt a tug on her sleeve and groaned as Victoria "Vicki" Donovan pulled her out of her seat and out into the room at the back of the church, pulling them to a stop in front of the stairs to go up.
"This better be worth my while, Vicki," Lexi said. "Otherwise, I'm bailing. You know I didn't want to be here."
Vicki gestured to the man that Lexi had been staring at in her compact mirror. "Do you see that man? He's the person you and Garrett need for the plans," Vicki told the blonde.
"No! He's the wedding planner you and Zane used?!" Lexi shrieked.
"Kol Mikaelson is the best wedding planner in the business," Vicki said. "Trust me on this, Lexi."
"What if I don't want to use him?" the blonde replied. "What if I want someone else?"
Vicki rolled her eyes. "Just give him a chance, will you? He's brilliant. He even helped all his brothers plan their weddings to Sage, Caroline, Katherine and Francesca and his sister's to Stefan. If he can do that for any member of his own family and for me and Zane, he can do the same for you and Garrett."
Lexi shook her head. "Alright, I'll talk to him, but after the wedding, okay?" she finally agreed.
Vicki smiled. "That's the spirit. You'll thank me big time for this."
"Don't get too excited, Vick," Lexi said. "I haven't signed anything yet."
They were interrupted by the music starting and Vicki turned to head back toward the bridal suite. Lexi sat back down again in the back.
After the Wedding…
Lexi tried not to be too nervous as she approached Kol at the reception. She had been thinking about how to ask him about helping her plan her wedding throughout the ceremony and now that the ceremony was over, she would now have the opportunity to ask him. She found him by the punch bowl and cleared her throat. "Excuse me, but I was wondering if I could talk to you."
Kol turned around and looked at her, smiling. "Of course, love, what did you need?"
Lexi felt her heart hammer as she saw him smile. Damn it, how the hell was she going to ask him what she needed to ask him when he was giving her such a smile? Telling her mind to calm down, she said. "My fiancé and I are getting married soon and we were looking for a wedding planner. Since you helped Vicki and Zane, as well as your brothers and their wives, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind helping us."
"Sure, love," he said, putting his hand into his tuxedo jacket and withdrawing a thin business card, holding it out for her.
Lexi took the card from him. "I want you to know that I'm more than willing to pay for your services. I'm a doctor, so I make a lot of money."
"Don't worry about it," Kol said. "It's my pleasure to help someone like you. By the way, I'm Kol Mikaelson. What's your name, love?"
"I'm Lexi, Lexi Branson."
"It is nice to meet you, Dr. Lexi Branson," Kol said with a smirk as he took her hand, lifted it and kissed her knuckles.
Lexi smiled when she felt Kol kissing her knuckles. "You're quite a gentleman, Kol."
"Thank you," he replied. "I was raised to treat a lady with respect, and I make sure that I'm courteous with all the brides I work with."
"Even your pregnant sister," a voice said from behind them. Kol and Lexi both turned to find an expectant blonde next to them and Kol smiled at her then let go of Lexi's hand to hug her.
Kol turned to Lexi after hugging his sister. "Rebekah, I'd like you to meet Lexi Branson, a new client. Lexi, this is my sister, Rebekah Mikaelson Salvatore."
"I know you! You have a son on the Little League time that we sponsor," Lexi said with a beaming smile.
Rebekah smiled. "That would be our little Dante. He's a natural. Of course, it's genetic, because both my husband, Stefan, and my brother-in-law, Damon, played Little League."
"He's a precious little boy. We definitely enjoy him at the clinic," Lexi said with a beaming smile.
Rebekah smiled. "Yes, he's very precious. Stefan and I love him very much. He may be a handful sometimes, but he's our son and nothing will change that."
Lexi nodded before looking down when her pager beeped. "Oh, that's my personal line. I have to go. It was nice meeting you, Rebekah, and thank you again, Kol, for taking me on as a client," she said before scurrying off toward the door and out.
Rebekah smiled as she watched Lexi leave and looked at Kol. "Oh, stop looking at her like that, Kol. You're supposed to be a professional."
Kol scowled at her. "I am a professional, Rebel," he gritted through his teeth.
Instead of getting annoyed at him for using that nickname, Rebekah simply laughed. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that, brother. I saw the way you were practically undressing her with your eyes. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were secretly planning to marry her yourself."
Meanwhile…
Lexi arrives home to find her two teenagers fighting over a movie, with her daughter lifting a book, prepared to hit her brother over the head. "What is this nonsense?" Lexi yelled in a stern tone.
Lexi's son, 13-year-old Evan, said, "Why don't you ask Grace? She's the one who started the whole thing."
16-year-old Grace, Evan's sister, scowled at him. "I did not! You're the one who started it, you little insect!"
"I don't care who started it, because I'm putting a stop to it," Lexi said. "Either you two agree on what movie you want to watch or go up to your rooms right now."
Grace pouted but she still put the book down and crossed her arms over her chest.
Lexi noticed her daughter's pout on her face and maintained her stern look. "Don't give me that look, Grace Michelle. I don't condone fighting in this house…for ANY reason."
Grace stomps off and Lexi glances at Evan before going after her daughter, only to find the door to Grace's room locked. "Grace Michelle Branson, open this door, right NOW," Lexi demanded.
Grace sneered at the door. "No, Mom, I'm not opening the door!"
Lexi got angrier. "Grace Michelle Branson, if you don't open this door right now, I will ground you for a week and prevent you from seeing Jackson for another two weeks," she said in a stern warning tone.
Grace sighed and then opened the door, huffing out, "All right, but only because I want to see Jackson."
Lexi leaned against the opposite wall and regarded her daughter. "I don't know why you always insist on giving me attitude, Grace. We used to get along so well."
Grace crossed her arms. "You want to know why? It's because you insists on marrying Garrett. I don't like him, Mom. He's a creep, and I think you're making a big mistake by marrying him."
"Whoa, wait, this is because of Garrett?" Lexi said. "I don't get it. You liked him when I introduced him to you."
"I only pretended to like him because I didn't want you to think I was rude, and because I wanted to set a good example for Evan," Grace said. "The truth is, Mom, he's not good for you. I know, because I saw him with another woman last week, a little bleached-blonde tramp that he's been seeing while supposedly being engaged to you. I didn't confront him because he'd deny it up and down, but it's true. He doesn't love you, Mom, and if you marry him, he'll only hurt you."
Lexi reached out and pulled her daughter close. Grace went stiff then relaxed in her mother's embrace as she clung to the older blonde.
For a few minutes, there was silence between them until Grace said, "So, what are you going to do about Garrett?"
"I don't know," her mother replied. "I suppose I could tell him that the wedding is off." Her eyes widened. "Oh, damn it!"
Grace stepped back, raising an eyebrow at her mother. "What's wrong?"
"I already hired a wedding planner," Lexi said. "Now, I'll have to tell him that there isn't going to be a wedding to plan."
"No! Don't cancel the wedding plans just because of what I told you. We can just play along as if nothing has happened, Mom," Grace says with a soft smile.
Lexi gave her daughter a curious look. "Are you sure? I mean, this isn't something you can pretend didn't happen."
"Is the wedding planner hot?"
Lexi was surprised to hear that come out of Grace's mouth. She didn't want to admit it, but she did think Kol was attractive. Scratch that, she thought he was gorgeous, like her favorite actor, Christian Bale. "Yes, he is."
Grace smiled again. "Then, you should have no problem pretending that nothing happened."
Lexi stifled a laugh then glanced down again when her cell phone beeps in her hand. "Oh, dear, I didn't give Vicki a reason for leaving. I'll be right back, sweetie," she says before kissing Grace's forehead and turning toward her bedroom door.
Once she was in her bedroom, Lexi called Vicki back. "Vicki, I'm sorry. I left without giving you a reason."
"Lex, calm down; you don't have to apologize," her friend replied. "I'm not mad. I know you had to rush out to take care of some things." She changed the subject. "Did you enjoy meeting the wedding planner?"
"Vicki, sometimes you have no shame!" Lexi shrieked at her friend.
"Oh, come on, don't lie," Vicki said. "I saw the way you were looking at him as he kissed your knuckles. You were practically blushing."
Lexi ran a hand through her hair. "Maybe I was, but you still have no shame."
"How are my godchildren?" Vicki asked, changing the subject again.
"They're good. I came home and found them fighting," Lexi replied.
Vicki nodded. "Ah, I see. What were they fighting about?"
"They were fighting about what movies to watch," Lexi said. "It nearly got physical, but I put a stop to it before it got that far."
Vicki laughed. "Oh, that would be my darling Grace! Always causing trouble but getting herself out in a heartbeat," she said, still chuckling.
Lexi nodded. "Yeah, Grace knows how to get out of trouble. Come to think of it, I did the same thing when I was her age."
"I remember. You and I used to have so much fun, picking on people and just having ourselves a ball," Vicki says with another smile.
Lexi laughed. "Yeah, we did, didn't we? I think my wild streak rubbed off on Grace and I didn't see it until now." She sighed. "Vicki, am I doing the right thing by marrying Garrett?"
"What makes you think you're doing the wrong thing?"
"Grace said she saw him with some bleached-blonde tramp."
Vicki gasped then began to get angry. "Are you sure this isn't up one of her sleeves of tricks?"
"No, she wanted to tell me personally, so I know she has to be telling the truth."
Vicki sighed. "Okay. So, what are you going to do about Garrett?"
"I don't know," Lexi said. "Grace told me to pretend that it didn't happen, but I don't think I can."
"So, we'll talk to Garrett about it," Vicki suggested. "He'll be forced into the corner and he won't be able to worm his way out of it."
Lexi nodded. "Good idea. I need to confront him and tell him exactly how I feel about him stabbing me in the back like this."
Author's Note 2: Thus ends mine and Erin's fourth collaboration. We hoped that you enjoyed seeing a friendship between Lexi and Vicki, and that you'll come back for the next chapter, which will be coming your way soon!