thanks so much for the review, follows, and favorites! it means so much to hear from you, you have no idea. hope you like this! :)
The First Night
Scarlett's legs had started to feel weak, that's how exhausted she was as she ran through the streets of the French Quarter. Everything in front of her was empty, it would seem that everything was abandoned and she was alone. But that didn't stop the nagging feeling that someone was following her. They weren't just following her, they were chasing her. Who knew what was going to happen when they caught up with her. As she was running, she could feel the presence getting closer to her. That was when they grabbed her arm and turned her to look at them.
"Marcel," she breathed in relief, wondering why she had even been running from him. That was when she saw the stake. "Marcel, don't!"
Scarlett sat up in bed, gasping for breath. It had just been a nightmare, but it and the panic it caused felt all too real. Glancing over at the clock on her bedside table, she saw that it was three in the morning. Sighing, she relaxed back against the pillows and settled in under the fluffy comforter. She blamed the change in scenery to the new house as well as the drastic change in events for her nightmare, trying to fall back asleep. Unfortunately, her sensitive hearing picked up on something that she couldn't un-hear. Klaus was in the next room with Savannah.
"Oh come on," Scarlett complained; they certainly didn't waste any time. She rolled over, putting her pillow over her head. That didn't help. Grabbing a book and throwing it at the adjoining wall didn't seem to phase them either. Giving up on trying to ignore them, Scarlett got up and left the room, deciding it would be better to sleep in one of the bedrooms in the other wing.
Walking down the hall, she found none of the empty guest rooms to be made up yet. Half the beds didn't even have mattresses anymore. Her next plan was to sleep in Klaus's room. If he didn't want her in his room, then he shouldn't have decided to spend the night in Savannah's room; it was good enough reasoning for her. Opening the door though, she saw that Hayley had already had the same idea, since her room was across the hall from Savannah's. Poor Hayley, Scarlett thought as she contemplated her next move. Rebekah would probably kill her if she woke her up at this hour and sleeping on the couch seemed ridiculous.
"Scarlett?" Elijah asked in confusion as he felt someone getting into bed with him and seeing now that it was her as his eyes adjusted to the dark.
"Move over," Scarlett told him, though there wasn't much need for it as she found he still slept on just his side of the bed; she thought what she just said probably came off wrong. "...please."
"What are you doing?" he asked, still not sure what was going on. She had made it pretty clear that she wanted to go slow with him and he understood that. And now she was just climbing into bed with him, in their old room?
"I can't block out the sound of your brother and Savannah," Scarlett told him bluntly, turning her back to him as she adjusted on the bed.
Maybe the couch would have been a better idea as she felt really uncomfortable now, just inches from Elijah. She had to keep repeating to herself mentally that they were going slow. That, just two days ago, she was ready to kill him she was so furious with him. Jumping right back into how they were before would just be moving way too fast, it would be too soon.
"Just pretend I'm not here," Scarlett added. Like that would ever happen, she could hardly ignore that she was laying right next to him, in their old room, their old bed.
"If you say so," Elijah said. He didn't laugh but she could imagine that smile of his as he settled back into bed, falling into a deep slumber. Scarlett laid there wide awake, listening to his gentle breathing. It was driving her crazy, being this close to him but it wasn't close enough for her.
"Are you still awake?" Scarlett asked, turning onto her back. It felt like she had been laying there forever trying to pretend they weren't next to each other, when really it had only been a couple minutes.
"Yes," Elijah answered her, laying on his back as well. They were so close, their hands barely brushing. She didn't make a move to hold his hand closer, but she didn't pull away either.
"I always remember you as being a sound sleeper," Elijah pointed out to her. It was true, Scarlett could have slept through a war zone she slept so heavily. If she hadn't woken up from her nightmare, she probably never would have noticed Klaus and Savannah. He was hinting that something might be wrong, but she either didn't pick up on it or was ignoring it.
"Is something bothering you, Scarlett?" Elijah asked her gently. Well, she couldn't lie to him, she never could.
"I had this...stupid nightmare," Scarlett shook her head in the dark. "It wasn't anything."
"Are you sure?" Elijah asked.
"Yeah, it was nothing," Scarlett told him. "No big deal." She could feel Elijah shifting onto his side, not moving an inch herself. If she looked at him, she would kiss him. They had barely touched since that first kiss the other night. Whatever was going on between them was making Scarlett insane.
"You know that I won't let anything happen to you," Elijah reminded her, taking her hand fully. "You're safe here." She just nodded. "I wouldn't worry for Savannah either, I think Niklaus has taken a liking to her."
"Oh, it sounded more like more than a liking to me," Scarlett laughed, making Elijah laugh a little as she finally turned her head over to look at him. "Thank you."
"Of course," Elijah told her, kissing her forehead. "Good night Scarlett."
"Good night," she told him, turning back onto her side but keeping his hand as she pulled it over her waist.
Early in the morning, Scarlett felt Elijah leaving, kissing her cheek before getting out of bed. She stayed in bed for awhile longer, the sounds of everyone getting up and having breakfast downstairs woke her up eventually. Dragging her feet back to her room, she got dressed and went downstairs. When she got there, it was only the other girls in the house. She assumed Klaus and Elijah were gone, working on some plan against Marcel.
"Morning Scar," Savannah smiled as Scarlett came into the kitchen. She was cutting up fruit which she shared with Hayley while Rebekah drank from the blood supply downstairs. Breakfast with vampires, Scarlett mused at the sliced fruit and glasses of blood.
"How'd you sleep?" Savannah asked her.
"Not awesome, thanks," Scarlett said sarcastically and Savannah blushed. Rebekah hadn't heard but Hayley had and she had already made a comment. "Look," Scarlett said lightly now with a laugh. "I'm happy for you. Just..." She made a turning motion with her hand. "Dial down the volume."
"O-K," Rebekah said, not wanting to hear about what her brother was up to the night before. "Well, I'm out of here."
"Where are you going?" Scarlett asked her.
"I'm going to find that witch that ratted out Hayley to Marcel," Rebekah told her.
"Do you..." Savannah wasn't sure how to say it. "Need us to do anything?"
"Not with this," Rebekah shook her head. She smiled at her girlfriends, happy to be able to call them her girlfriends since she never really had any before. "All you have to do is find something to wear tonight to the party, you can steal whatever you want from my closet."
"We're actually going tonight?" Scarlett complained.
It was a masquerade party that was being thrown by none other than Marcel. Up until two days ago, she had planned on being there. Not only that, she was expected to be there since she was Marcel's girl. Now that she was no longer his girl, she was pretty sure she wasn't expected to be there, maybe not even allowed.
"Yes," Rebekah said with a smile. "Because it's a party, and last time I checked, the three of us have an amazing time at parties." She grabbed her bag as she prepared to leave. "I won't be long." She headed out of the house. "And don't take the black dress!"
"K!" Scarlett called back, snacking on a strawberry. She looked between Hayley and Savannah. "Do either of you have any idea what they're up to?"
"Just war," Hayley said, quoting what Klaus had told her earlier.
"Uh huh," Scarlett said skeptically. If she was going to be in on this, if they were all going to live together, she was going to have to know what was going on.
Scarlett was in her room, getting ready for that night. Elijah and Klaus were just getting back, preparing for the party that night as well. She had taken the moment to finish getting ready on her own, letting Rebekah handle Savannah's fifth outfit change for the evening. She was going on Klaus's arm that night, so she was extra on edge about how she looked. Scarlett was on edge for a few other reasons, other than how her deep red dress looked on her. Hearing a gentle knock at the door, she went to answer it, shaking those thoughts from her mind.
"Wow," Elijah said as soon as he saw her. She looked stunning, not that he didn't always think that she was.
"Oh," Scarlett said, blushing a little as she looked down at herself. "Um...thanks." She shook her head, brushing it off. "Are you ready to leave?"
"Almost," Elijah nodded. "I just..." He was still completely wowed by her. "I realized that I never officially asked you to accompany me tonight." Scarlett bit her lip and fought off a laugh. "What is it?"
"Nothing," Scarlett shook her head. "I just forgot what it was like."
"What what was like?" Elijah asked curiously.
"Being courted by you," Scarlett told him. It was true. The way Marcel chased after her was a little less than romantic, he was just full of fake charms. Elijah was different though, he was really taking his time to win her back, her love and her trust. It wasn't taking as long as she thought though, she had been losing her mind over him since they kissed.
"Are you ready?" Elijah asked her then, holding out his arm.
"Absolutely," Scarlett nodded.
"This isn't going to work," Klaus told Elijah and Scarlett as they came downstairs, waiting for them with Savannah and Rebekah.
"Bite me Nik," Scarlett told him, not sure what his problem was.
"I don't think you want that sweetheart," Klaus told her, looking her over once.
"Niklaus," Elijah gave a warning tone.
"For our plan to work tonight, we need a distraction for Marcel," Klaus said, motioning to Scarlett. "The distraction."
"She's not just bait for you to use in your scheme," Elijah argued.
"All right," Scarlett stopped the two of them. "Look, I'm going to guess that I know Marcel better than anyone here-"
"I'd say," Klaus smirked; Scarlett ignored him.
"It's going to distract him more if I show up with someone else," Scarlett told them. "Which, by the way, distract him from what exactly?"
"Nothing you need to worry about," Klaus told her.
"That's funny," Scarlett told him. "Because your distraction isn't going anywhere until she knows whatever the hell is going on." Klaus looked immediately pissed and Elijah held a hand up, giving him a look that said don't even think about it. Klaus just rolled his eyes.
"You know your man's friend," Klaus told her. "The one with the hats."
"Thierry, yeah," Scarlett shrugged.
"Let's just say, he's going to kill a vampire tonight," Klaus told her. "Marcel is going to punish him, that witch that turned Hayley over is going to try to kill him, I'm going to stop her, and win back his trust."
"And Sophie's just ok with you getting one of the witches killed?" Scarlett asked skeptically.
"When her boyfriend got Jane Anne killed, yes," Klaus told her. "Besides, while Katie is doing that, Sophie is going to be trying to find Davina." He looked around the room. "Anymore stupid questions?"
As usual, Marcel outdid himself at these kinds of things. The party was amazing, Scarlett would give him that. Klaus went in with Savannah first and Scarlett was somewhat grateful that Marcel stopped to talk to them. He was giving some made up apology to Savannah, how he hadn't meant to lose his temper like that and it wouldn't happen again; that he was happy for her and Klaus and hoped they could all get past it.
"It's fine," Savannah nodded along. They all had to play nice for this plan against Marcel to work, for him to trust them or at least trust Klaus. He would never trust Elijah.
"I'll be back," Elijah got Scarlett's attention. Rebekah had already gone off to the bar, a little bothered that she was the only one there without a date. Elijah just wanted to make sure she was all right. "Do you want a drink?"
"Ah," Scarlett thought as she saw Savannah and Klaus wandering away. "Sure, thanks."
"Damn," she heard Marcel saying behind her. It certainly wasn't the wow that Elijah had given her earlier. Of course, she had expected to see him eventually. She turned to him, giving a fake smile.
"Marcel," she nodded at him, going to walk right by him.
"Where are you going?" Marcel laughed, stopping her. While he laughed she didn't look nearly as amused.
"To find my date," Scarlett told him.
"Ouch," Marcel laughed again. "You're so cold Princess."
"Or she's just here with someone else," Elijah pointed out, coming over to Scarlett and resting his hand on her lower back.
"Ah, right," Marcel nodded, looking between the two of them. "The ex is back." He looked at Scarlett seriously. "Careful Princess, I won't be waiting around next time he leaves town again."
"There won't be a next time," Elijah informed him, taking Scarlett's hand and leading her away to dance.
"You promise?" Scarlett mused with raised eye brows as she was dancing with Elijah.
"I won't be leaving this town again, unless it's with you," Elijah told her, making her blush again like she had earlier. How did he always manage to have this effect on her?
"You're finally dancing with me," Scarlett smiled, getting him to smile as well. A few days ago on their tour of New Orleans, getting him to dance was like pulling teeth.
"Happy to be," Elijah smiled down at her; Scarlett still seemed uneasy about something. "What is it?"
"How is everything going to work?" Scarlett asked him. "With us, and your brother, and that Hayley girl..." She lowered her voice. "The baby?" Scarlett had spent some time that day trying to get to know Hayley better, since they were all living together after all. She was a nice girl and Scarlett liked her, but she certainly wasn't ready for the situation she got herself into. No one was really ready for it, not knowing what was going to happen with the baby and the things that were happening in the Quarter.
"It will work," Elijah promised her. As if on cue, Marcel's friends were coming in to tell him about what Thierry had done. "Just one day at a time." He kissed her forehead. "Trust me."
"I trust you," Scarlett nodded.
thanks for reading, really hope you liked the update! :) more soon! please review!
