" Love if you step on my foot one more time... " Klaus let the threat hang in the air.

His mother had decided to throw a huge ball for the whole town in honor of their family reuniting. Khalee looked absolutely horrified when he told her that it was tradition to have a formal dance. So here he was trying to teach her.

" Well excuse me for not knowing how this works. Have you forgotten that I've been on the run most of my life? " She bit back.

He grabbed her waist harder and straightened her form. " One more time. "

Esther stood in the doorway watching her middle child exert all of his patience with the young wolf. In all of her time on the other side she had never seen him like this. This young girl seemed to calm the rage she knew brewed deep inside of him. The wolf side. He so reminded her of Ansel, his real father.

She knew it was her fault that he never got to know him. Instead he grew up with Mikael. All of her children had done terrible things, but she was to blame. Her affair was a deep dark secret. When klaus had triggered the curse Mikael knew he wasn't his child she didn't hesitate to bind his wolf side to keep him at bay.

Esther knew she couldn't change the past, but hoped her son would find the happiness that he was deprived for so long.

" I'm never gonna get this in time. " Khalee said as she kicked off the high heels he had been forcing her to wear.

Elijah chuckled from his spot by the fire place. Lue was sitting on his lap giggling at the two of them. He grabbed her hips and stood up so she wouldn't fall. Going to the record player he set the needle back to the beginning of the song.

" Niklaus you aren't going to get anywhere like this please take a seat. " He asked stepping in front of Khalee. " This dance doesn't call for precision, but feeling. You have to feel the music and your body will follow. " He said putting a hand on her waist and starting to move.

Klaus rolled his eyes.

" Big step. Yes just like that. " Elijah praised. " Of course it does have a lot to do with ones dance partner. " He said digging into Klaus making him growl.

" Enough children. " Esther chided. " Khalee dear every one is nervous when they first learn. Why I remember Niklaus' first ball and how he stepped on his partners feet the whole time. " She said with a look of fondness.

Elijah swung her around and she gave Klaus a smug grin.

" You're getting much better Khalee. I do believe you'll do fine tonight. " Elijah said, letting her go. He bowed and she curtsied as was custom.

Khalee giggled. " I must admit you are much better at teaching than your brother. "

" Well he was the one always showing off to the girls in the village. " Kol said entering the room.

Lue laughed and covered her mouth when Elijah sent her a glare.

Klaus rolled his eyes and stormed off. Khalee looked worried. She didn't mean to piss him off, they were just having fun.

" Nik wait! " She called after him.

He vamp sped to her and pushed her roughly against the a wall. " What did you just call me? " He bit out.

" Don't be so grumpy it is your name after all. " She said not scared of him in the least.

He let her go. " You and my mother are lucky I'm even going to this ball. "

" Yeah lucky me I have two left feet, nothing to wear, and a grumpy original as my date. " She said leaving him there to sulk.

ATLPTTITP

Khalee looked in her closet a million times with the same result. She had nothing good enough to wear to the ball. Elijah had already chose a beautiful blood red gown for Lue to wear. When khalee saw her try it on she couldn't help but be a little jealous.

" That's it I'm not going. " She huffed and sat on her bed roughly.

A knock sounded at her door making her sigh. She got up and opened the door to find no one there. Looking down she saw a bug box with a note and a deep purple bow on it. Taking it over to her bed she took the note and saw her name written in the most beautiful penmanship. Lifting the top half she read.

I'm sorry about earlier. Please be my date tonight?

- Nik

Khalee rolled her eyes but opened it anyways. She lifted the tissue paper to find a chapagne colored corset. Lifting it out she noticed that there was sheer champagne colored fabric stictched on the bottom that flowed out. The skirt was floor length and bright white. It poofed out like a ball gown should.

Wow. Khalee couldn't stop staring at it. She was almost afraid to even touch it, let alone wear it. Sighing she left the dress and went to go shower.

ATLPTTITP

Lue paced back and forth thinking about the note she ahd gotten earlier.

Lue,

It's time we got to know each other better. Meet me in my room at nine sharp.

- Esther

What did she want? Lue knew that she'd have to go to find out.

Classical music was playing downstairs and the ball was about to start. She was in her and Elijahs room in the beautiful dress he ahd given her and worrying about the meeting with Esther. Elijah was straightening his tie while watching her from his peripheral.

" Are you really that nervous? " He asked with a smile.

She looked at him and smiled back. " Maybe a little. " She said going over to help him with his cuff links. Once she was done she smoothed his tied and smiled. " There. You look dashing as always. "

Elijah lifted her chin and placed a light kiss on her lips. " And you look ravishing as always. " He said holding his arm for her to take. " Shall we? " She nodded and placed her hand in the crook of his bent elbow.

She hadn't told him about his mother wanting an audience with her. Keeping him in the dark wasn't something she liked, but she didn't want him to worry.

They walked down the grande stair case looking at the people of the town in their finest. Lue spotted Damon Salvatore talking to the Mayor and Kol. He obviously didn't understand that he was greatly outnumbered. Such an impulsive jackass.

Suddenly he looked up in shock. Lue looked in the same direction and saw Elena enter. She had to admit she looked flawless. He and Stefan walked up to her at the same time. It seemed that she and Khalee were not the only ones who Esther had requested an audience with. Elena walked the rest of the way in with both men on her arms. Bile riose in the back of her throat.

" How very Katherine of her. "

Elijah chuckled beside her. " Yes very. "

Lue looked up at him in confusion until she realized she had said it out loud. " Sorry I just can't stand how similar she is to Katherine, not just in looks. "

" No need to apologise to me my dear. " He said pulling her in a different direction.

ATLPTTITP

Khalee hadn't seen Klaus since that morning. She walked down the stairs by her self and took a glass of champagne from one of the waiters. Looking around she had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. These people loved their balls, though she really did love the dress Klaus had given her. She just really felt out of her element.

Looking straight ahead she saw him walking towards her. He was dressed in a impecable tux with a white bow tie looking just as good as he did at homecoming. She walked up to him with a slight smile on her face.

When she got to him her took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it. " You look lovely. "

" Uh, if everyone could gather, please. " Elijah called from the stair case.

Klaus placed her hand into the crook of his elbow. " Come, our family shall address our guests. " He said pulling her back to the stair case.

" Welcome, thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. " Elijah said to the crowd.

Esther walked down the stairs and looked upon their guests.

" Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom. "

Elijah led Lue to the ball room and the rest of the Mikaelsons found their dance partners. Khalee looked up nervously at Klaus. He just grinned and they followed.

The dance started and Khalee found herself being swept away. Klaus may not have wanted to teach her, but he made sure he kept a tight grip which helped her balance.

" You really do look lovely tonight. " He said pulling her closer.

She blushed. " Yeah well you have good taste. "

" Hmmm indeed. " He said twirling her right into Elijahs arms.

He smiled and they started dancing. " If it isn't my favorite student. "

Khalee giggled. " I stick out like a sore thumb. "

" Lue told me about your life. The little she knows anyways. My siblings and I know what it's like to be on the run. It's not the kind of life a lovely young woman like you deserves. "

Khalee thought about his words for a moment. " You tried to compel me to leave. To forget about Nik. I wouldn't have made it three days if I wasn't on vervain. As for being on the run, it was just the hand that life has dealt me.

I've always been alone. My parents were killed when I was very young and I didn't have any relatives. I went into the system and some pretty horrible things happened to me. I killed my foster father because I woke up to him raping my five year old foster sister. " She said.

The dance was over but he wasn't done talking. He pulled through the crowd and out the side doors. Klaus watched them go and followed and listened from a distance.

" And in doing so triggered the curse. How old were you? " He asked.

Khalee sighed and thought back. " I must have been ten at the time, but something was off. Almost immediately men were hunting me down. I turned. It wasn't even a full moon. "

Elijah gasped. " That's impossible. "

" It's true. I stayed in the woods as a wolf for a few years. That's where Lucy found me. She took care of me and we both had a few close calls because of it. The last time they caught up with us was before I came to Mystic Falls. It was bad. They got me and almost killed Lucy. " She said getting a little emotional.

Elijah knew this part of the stroy since Lue had told him. He still couldn't quite believe that his brother agreed to protect a teenager. Now he knew. " How did you survive in the woods that long? "

" I hunted duh. I'm a wolf Elijah I don't need a home cooked meal if there's a forrest full of animals. " She said shivering when a gust of cold air hit them. " I should get back and find Nik. " She said going to leave.

" Khalee. " He called out. She turned back to him. " For what it's worth I am sorry for trying to compel you. "

She nodded and left.