If You Could See Me Now

by Alara Loumuth

Larissa is a fifteen year old witch from South Africa. She comes to Mystic Falls when Klaus calls her, asking for her help with some spells. Upon instruction, she befriends Jeremy and later Bonnie and company, while she and Klaus work together secretly. Will the others find out? And what is Klaus' plan for Larissa? AU, season 3

1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries – please do not sue me.

Title – If You Could See Me Now

By: AlaraLoumuth

Amount of words: 3 409

~theVDdiaries~

Chapter One

Something is going to happen.

I don't know when, how or even why. All I know is that something is going to happen, and it's not necessarily a good thing, just like it isn't necessarily a bad thing.

All I know is that it will be life-changing.

I was broken out of my thoughts when the bell rang, signalling the end of our school day. With a sigh I grabbed my messenger bag and stood to hurry out of the class. The push of bodies against me irritated me to no end, but luckily it only took me a few minutes until I was outside. I breathed in the fresh air deeply as I waited for my friends to arrive. The sad thing was that I had absolutely no friends in my class, seeing as I was the only one of my friends to take Afrikaans Home Language, which really sucked sometimes. It meant that I never had anyone to talk to, and that I barely got to see my friends during a school week. This was why we always met up for three hours on Thursday afternoons after school. Today was Thursday.

I had to admit that I was really excited. It was my friend Tayla's birthday tomorrow, and we were using today to celebrate it. This afternoon it would be just the four of us. Her official party with the hundreds of people attending would be on Saturday night.

I looked at my watch and sighed. I'd been waiting for twenty minutes now. Where the heck were they?

I was suddenly lifted up from the ground and I shrieked, struggling in my captor's arms. I jabbed my elbow into his ribs and his arms around me immediately loosened. My captor let out a breathless laugh and ruffled my hair, immediately letting me know who it was.

"Gabriel," I complained as he sat me down on the ground again. "What was that for?"

Gabriel chuckled and spun me around to face him. His curly black hair was blowing around in the light breeze and his blue eyes twinkled happily as he glanced down at me. "You've shrunken, Larissa," he noticed with surprise. "Like, one hand."

I glared up at him. It was true; I was about one hand shorter than him. But it wasn't because I shrunk! "You just grew, Gabby," I pointed out. I frowned and added sourly, "I saw you last week and you weren't this tall. It's so unfair!"

Gabriel rolled his eyes at me. He then looked around us at the surprisingly empty school grounds. "Where's everyone?" he asked me hesitantly.

I frowned as I too saw that we were completely alone at our school. Not a single soul was in sight, not even the teacher's cars that were supposed to be parked in their usual spots. A sudden chill ran through my body and I hugged my school blazer to my body. The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stood up, letting me know that someone was watching me. Watching us.

"This is weird," I whispered, hugging my arms to my body to warm myself. I was feeling a little unsettled, but the fact that I had magic to protect me reassured me a bit.

Yes, I was a witch. Magic's been in my father's side of the family for generations, though how I inherited the magic remained a mystery. We hadn't yet figured it out.

I was shaken out of my thoughts when the wind suddenly picked up, causing me to stumble forward. I would've fallen over had Gabriel not been there to catch me. "Thanks," I gasped as my hair whipped around me.

Gabriel and I gaped as the previous blue sky quickly filled up with dark, menacing storm clouds. The wind continued to beat against our bodies and I was seriously getting scared. What was going on?!

There was a sudden flash of lightning followed by a loud clap of thunder. A moment of silence followed – the calm before the storm. I shot a panicked glance at Gabriel, and he hugged me to his chest protectively.

Icy rain suddenly fell out of the sky and pelted against our unsuspecting bodies. I screamed as the icy water hit me and sprinted for cover. I tried opening the school doors but they were locked tight. Why were they locked? Minutes ago they were open!

I turned around to ask Gabriel what the hell we were going to do now, but noticed he was gone. My heart stopped beating for a second, but then sped up again. "Gabriel?" I screamed frantically as I ran away from the school entrance. "Gabriel, where are you!"

I couldn't find him anywhere. After a few minutes of searching I fell down onto the muddy ground, the rain hiding my tears. I was all alone in the middle of a thunderstorm with my friends nowhere in sight. Where was Gabriel? The Gabby I knew would never leave me alone, especially in the middle of a storm with no shelter in sight.

I screamed in shock when a figure suddenly appeared before me. The intimidating man walked over to me and crouched next to me. He put his hand on my shoulder and I instantly warmed up. My mind cleared and I could think normally. As I thanked the witch, I realized that I knew who the man was, and sighed with relief.

"Jonas Martin?" I asked the man hesitantly. "Elijah's witch?"

The man quickly shook his head no, frowning at me. "You know Jonas Martin?" he asked me sharply.

I bit my lip and looked away. Shit, I was not supposed to know who he was, nor was I supposed to know who Elijah was. "No," I said, though not convincingly.

The man shot me a suspicious look but dropped it. "Are you Larissa Nieuwoudt?" he asked me in his deep voice.

"Who's asking?" I shot back. I shivered and curled into a ball. It was freezing!

"Klaus is."

With that one name my whole body froze up. Klaus was probably the only vampire that I feared, and that was because he was a heartless bastard. To many supernatural beings, Klaus was just a myth. They didn't know whether he truly existed, along with his siblings. Over the decades the stories of Klaus and the other Original vampires got so mixed up that no-one knew what the truth was and what wasn't. Many also started to deny their existence entirely, though my family wasn't that stupid. The Nieuwoudt men have been loyal to Klaus dating back to the original Niewoudts, which was a long time.

When I was little my father always told my brother and I stories about a fearsome vampire that roamed the earth. Michael, our father, warned us not to take Klaus lightly, and that if he ever sought us out, that we had to be loyal and do what he asked of us. I never understood why my father told me that, seeing as I wasn't supposed to be a witch.

On my thirteenth birthday I had a visit from Klaus himself, and I had been absolutely terrified…

"Are you Larissa Nieuwoudt?" the man repeated again, his voice hard.

I mentally shook my head to clear it. Now was not the time to have flashbacks, I told myself sternly. Remembering what the man asked me, I nodded shakily. "Yes, I am."

The man nodded and offered me a hand to help me up. "My name is Jackson Martin, a distant relative of Jonas. I'm one of Klaus's witches."

I accepted Jackson's hand and stood up, absently noticing the protective bubble around the two of us keeping the rain and wind away. "Why are you here, Mr Martin?" I asked the dark-haired man, fearing the answer. I just knew it had something to do with me, my magic, Klaus, and a ritual.

"Klaus sent me to fetch you," he told me, confirming my thoughts. "He needs your assistance in Mystic Falls, Virginia."

I almost asked 'what for', but I bit my lip. I knew it was not my place to ask questions. "When," I paused, "When will I be leaving? What about school, and my parents and friends?"

"You need not concern yourself with the details, girl," Jackson snapped, brown eyes suddenly cold. "I shall take care of it."

I nodded shakily, shivering. "I'll be leaving soon, though, right?" I just had to ask.

Jackson glared at me. "Yes, tomorrow evening," he said curtly.

I nodded absently but stilled when his words registered in my mind. "WHAT?!" I exploded, "I can't leave tomorrow!"

The dark-haired man's eyes hardened and he said sharply, "You are leaving tomorrow and that is final. Klaus waits for no-one." He handed me a brand new Blackberry and looked me in the eyes. "You will keep this on you at all times, understood?"

"Yes, sir," I whispered, still shocked.

"Good. Your father is being informed as we were speaking. Klaus will handle the costs for your move," Jackson told me, glancing at his watch. "I'll be leaving now. Your friend is searching for you."

Before I could say anything, Jackson disappeared. I stared at the spot where he stood seconds ago; not even feeling the rain as it once again hit my ice-cold skin. I was leaving tomorrow. I was leaving my friends, my family and my home, all to go be a good little servant to the most feared Original vampire on earth. My whole life was going to change, now.

"Larissa?" a voice asked.

I didn't have to turn around to see who it was. Gabriel was soaking wet as he crouched down in front of me. I couldn't look him in the eyes; I just kept staring at that same spot. Why did Klaus want me? Why now?

"Larissa, are you alright? Where were you? You just disappeared and I was worried sick!" Gabriel exclaimed.

I still didn't acknowledge his presence. I felt too numb to even care that Gabriel had suddenly reappeared from where-ever he'd been hiding. I was just…numb.

"Rissa, are you okay?" he hesitantly asked, putting his hand on my shoulder.

I shook my head no. "Please take me home," I whispered.

Gabriel gently lifted my body and held me against his chest. He pressed a quick, brotherly kiss to my forehead and started walking to his car.

The thing I liked about Gabriel? He didn't ask unwanted questions.

As we walked, my mind started to wander. I remember my father sitting me down on my tenth birthday. He had been serious the whole day and didn't treat me like he used to on my birthday. No, he was serious and distant and I'd wanted to know why.

"Baby," my father said, taking one of my little hands into his. "There will come a day when a strong and dangerous man will come to you asking for your assistance. When that day comes, Larissa, I want you to do what he says without question. If he says jump, you jump. If he says hurt, you hurt, and if he says kill, you kill. Do you understand me?"

I was confused and scared. My dad refused to explain, though, and I had nightmares for months after that. Nightmares of a powerful man with glowing eyes demanding that I hurt innocent people.

"You're a witch, Larissa. You're better than everyone else out there. You're stronger than they are, and more dangerous. Never forget that." That was what my father whispered in my ear every night as he tucked me into my bed. Even when I went through times where I denied my heritage, he would whisper those familiar words in my ear. After a while of rejecting what Tobias, my father told me, I started to believe that message he repeated every night. And it was the best choice I'd ever made.

I was a witch. I was stronger than humans, I was stronger than vampires, and I was stronger than werewolves. As my father said, I was above them all.

But I never understood why my father wanted me to do what some man asked me to do. I mean, I'm a witch and I thought myself above all. Why should I bow down to some vampire?

"Elijah and Klaus are very important vampires," my father told me that same night, on my tenth birthday. "They are a part of the Original Vampire family, meaning they were the first vampires ever created. And one day, little Rissa, one of the brothers will come to you. Be it Elijah, Klaus or anyone else of the Original family, youwillbe loyal to them. You'll serve them with everything you have until your dying breath. Do you understand me, Larissa?"

I never thought the day would come where I would actually be sought out by them. I guess I was wrong.

xxXXxxXXxx

I don't know how much time passed before we finally arrived at my home. The rain had stopped but I was freezing. Gabriel knocked on our front door and impatiently waited for someone to open it. He glanced down at me with worried eyes and I offered him a tired smile. He returned it just as the front door opened.

"Jesus," the person exclaimed. "What happened?"

I rolled my eyes and eyed my brother still standing in the doorframe. He was my older brother by three years, and we looked nothing alike. While I was short with blonde hair, my brother Nico was tall with lean muscles. He had shaggy mahogany colour hair that reached past his ears and fell into his green eyes. He took after our late mother, while I took after our father.

"We got caught in the storm," Gabriel quickly said with a grimace. "It's freezing, can we come in?"

My brother smiled sheepishly and moved to the side. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Nico waited downstairs as Gabriel took me up to the bathroom next to my room. He sat me on a chair next to the sink and turned the tap to fill the tub. I was freezing and only now I noticed it again. I shivered and slowly shrugged off my blazer and took off my shoes and socks. By the time I was finally without my school dress on – dressed only in my school top and tights – I was about to die of the cold.

When Gabriel turned around he watched me through concerned eyes. He looked as if he was having an internal argument with himself. After a few seconds he nodded and, with a look of determination, started to move towards me. I raised an eyebrow but watched him to see what the heck he was up to. When he reached me he put his hands on my shoulders and looked deep into my eyes. "Do you trust me, Larissa?" he asked me seriously.

I was confused, but I nodded anyway. "I trust you with my life," I said honestly.

"Good," he said. Then he slowly started to unbutton my school top. Alarmed, I quickly pushed him away and covered myself up. "What the hell, Gab?" I demanded, shocked by his actions. What was that?!

He shook his head at me. "Trust me, please."

Looking in his eyes, all I can see is pleading and sincerity. So I nodded hesitantly and walked over to him again. Gabriel flashed me a quick reassuring smile before helping me out of my top. My stomach turned with nerves as Gabriel undressed me, slowly sliding my stockings off my legs. I stood in front of him dressed in only my undergarments, and I felt extremely awkward.

Gabriel's eyes flashed over my exposed skin before he met my eyes. "Don't be so insecure," he told me, gently. "You're beautiful."

I felt myself blush and lowered my eyes. What was he getting at? Before I could think any more Gabriel picked me up and gently lowered me into our unnaturally large tub. I sighed as the water wrapped around my body, instantly warming me. My eyes slipped closed and I just let myself relax. My mind was pleasantly blank as I lay in the warm water, completely relaxed. I didn't want to think about Klaus, or Elijah, or the fact that I was leaving tomorrow. I just wanted some peace.

"I'm sorry for undressing you," Gabriel said awkwardly a while later. "It's just, you're like my sister and all, and I didn't think you'd take it the wrong way."

I nodded. "Thanks for helping me, Gab."

He smiled. "No problem. Mind if I join you? I'll be dressed in boxers, though." At my look, he quickly added, "And no funny thoughts, I promise."

Ah, what the hell, I thought and nodded.

Gabriel smiled at me and climbed into the tub. He shifted around till he was sitting directly opposite me.

Gabriel and I had only known each other for roughly a year and a half, but we were already really close. We'd met in grade eight on the first day of school, and instantly clicked. He was in eleventh grade. He was easy going and didn't judge anyone, which is what drew me to him in the first place.

We didn't say anything to each other, so I took the time to study Gabriel. I had to admit that he was pretty attractive. He was tall and well-built, which I knew took a lot of time in the gym. Gabriel had high cheekbones, perfectly shaped lips, and those amazing blue eyes. He had slightly curly black hair that contrasted with his pale skin, but it looked good on him.

Gabriel flashed me a quick smile when he noticed me studying him. I smiled back.

After a while I was warm enough. I climbed out, followed by Gabriel who quickly covered me in a towel. He offered me a quick smile and told me to go to my room and get dressed while he went to keep my brother company. I agreed and ran to my room, feeling the cold air attacking my warm body. I rummaged through my closet and grabbed the first items of clothing I saw, which turned out to be black skinny jeans, a Gun n Roses black t-shirt, and one of Nico's gray hoodies. After I was dressed, I shook my hair out a little bit, styled how I wanted it, and added some mouse to prevent frizzying. My hair had the annoying habit of doing that.

When I was done I walked out of my room and down the stairs, not pausing to look at the photo frames with my mother's smiling picture in it. I wished my dad would just take them off, but he wouldn't. He loved her too much, even though she was no longer with us. It was a painful reminder to the Nieuwoudt family of the person we loved the most, and how we lost her.

I shook my head to clear it. I was about to enter the living room but when I heard voices, I decided to listen rather than go inside. I tiptoed to the door and leaned against it, slowing my breathing down.

"You like her, don't you?" asked a deep voice, sounding resigned. Nico. "You like my little sister."

My heart stilled. WHAT? Why was my brother asking that?! Gabriel would never, in a million years, like like me!

"No, man, are you crazy?" was Gabriel's quick reply.

Wow, that was kind of insulting… but at the same time I sagged with relief. Gabriel didn't like me in that way! I did a little victory dance in my mind at that. I stopped though as I heard Nico's next question. "Then why are you here, Gabriel?"

It was silent for a long moment. "I'm losing her, Nick," he said quietly, "And I need to say goodbye."

"What are you talking about, Gabriel? What's this stuff about losing Larissa?" My brother demanded. He added more gently, "Larissa isn't going anywhere, Gabriel, so quit worrying okay?"

With a deep breath I opened the door and enter the room. Two sets of eyes fly in my direction; one green and one blue. "I'm leaving tomorrow, Nick," I told him. Seeing a heartbreaking expression starting to form on my brother's face, I moved my gaze to Gabriel. "You hear that? I'm leaving and I'm not coming back."

~theVDdiaries~

Author's Note: Hullo! So this is my first attempt at FanFiction, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without the super-awesome and amazing NyxsReincarnation! Please review – reviews make me happy and encourages me to write :D The next chapter will be up in a few days (:

xXx AlaraLoumuth