This chapter is way overdue, so with out further ado, I present to you the next chapter of The Pure Kind! Enjoy!

Mr Sandman by SYML
If I Fell by The Beatles Sang by Evan Rachel Wood
Wanted by Beulah
Where's My Love by SYML


1002 A.D.

She appeared in their path with no warning. They had been fleeing from their father and feared that this encounter would allow Mikael to gain ground on them. Elijah had collided with her, and was dead set on making haste, but once she spoke, he couldn't just walk away.

"Elijah?"

He paused his retreat, flipping back around to take in the sight of her. He was in awe. Hair a pale shade of red, which is gathered around her shoulders, slight debris from her fall stuck to her impeccable dress. No doubt she was important, if her sure standing stature wasn't an indication, the finery that adorned her dress was. The free flowing skirt glistened in the moonlight as if they were woven to be one, and the structured bodice seemed to have the stars themselves sewn in to the fabric. She twinkles with every single breath. It was then he noticed what all of his siblings already had, she had no heartbeat, but all he knew is she felt as real as any of them.

"Come Elijah, leave her we need to go now!" Rebekah whispered harshly, pulling at her brother's arm.

"You're running? From-" The mystery woman cut her sentence short. "Never mind, I can help. Everyone get behind be!" She stepped ahead of family, as the shouts of their assailants, and the light of their torches came closer. She brought herself to kneel, then she took her hands and dug them in to the dirt, closing her eyes.

"This woman is mad brother, come." Finn pleaded.

But Elijah did not move from where he stood. Because it was too late, their father and the group he had set out with was upon them, but they paid no mind to any of the siblings nor the woman. No one moved, or made a sound until the small mob was out their expanded hearing range. The sparkling woman didn't lose concentration until Rebekah grabbed her arm, helping her from the forest floor.

"You are a savior if I've ever seen one." The younger blonde gripped the lady in a crushing hug.

"Anytime." She responded patting Rebekah on the back. "The spell I cast will have residual effects, so you should be untraceable through magic for the next two days at least, that should give you a head start, and a moment to breathe."

"You're a witch?" Finn asked.

"I would believe the ghost of a witch." They all turned to Kol with looks skepticism. "Oh, come on! No heartbeat, not scent at all, but funnily enough as solid as you or I. Very ghost like if you ask me."

"I think, what my brothers are meaning to say is, who are you?" Elijah questioned stepping to her side.

"I'm a friend. My name is Clover Rhiannon-" She paused before finishing. "Caro. It is a pleasure to meet you all."

"I assure you the pleasure is all ours." Klaus said stepping up. "My name is Niklaus. This is my sister Rebekah, and my brothers, Finn, Kol, and it seems that you already know Elijah.

Clover chuckles. "Barely. Uh. Not yet?" She sighs in frustration, trying to think of an answer that would please them. "It is hard to explain, I'll gather my thoughts and tell you some other time."

"Sound as if you're expecting to see us again." Kol flashes her a cheeky grin. "What a treat."

"I hear running water just west, let us make camp, and you can question Lady Rhiannon further there." Elijah cuts in. The rest of them nod in agreement.

"A fire sounds lovely right now." Rebekah agrees, heading off behind her brothers, but not before hooking arms with the redhead. "Won't you join us?"

"Of course. I would really like to wash off my hands." She grins falling in step with the blonde girl at her side.

When they arrive at the creek side the moon indicates to Clover that it is near midnight. The bank is near a small cave, which is where they decide to make camp. The boys set up the fire, as the witch sets wards and a barrier for sound to give them some extra cover.

"I've never seen magic like what you use." Finn had snuck up behind Clover.

"Oh! It's a unique combination of many, a bit of a patchwork practice. I can perform most magic if I wanted to, but I primarily use the wordless mental variety, with some assistance every now and again." She said raising her hands showcasing the dirt that she still hadn't taken time to wash away. " Casting is less obvious, and it doesn't drain me like some of the other commonly used magical practices do."

Finn seemed impressed with her response, well as impressed as he could seem. "What codes of conduct do the ancestors have set for that sort of magic?"

"Simple. Dear brothers and sisters, open your mind. Expand out from those who have not grown beyond their earthly teachings. Blood may bind, but the mind expands forever. Rid your body of the burden, let your mind take control. Breath deep, and release. The power is yours to make, and yours to keep." She shrugs her shoulders, and smiles. "Basically it encourages each practitioner to search within to channel their power. With enough meditation, one can have a nearly endless amount of magic to pull from without the burden of gathering ingredients to bind each spell." She breaths deep. "Alas, sometimes other magical practices are required. For if I could just use the one, I would."

"You seem very young to be so well versed, Lady Rhiannon."

"Do I?" Clover giggles.

"Clover!" She hears Rebekah call out to her, turning and retreating toward the camp where the fire is now blazing. "There you are! Come, let me braid your hair."

"Where would you have me?" She asks as the young woman pats the grassy patch in front of her wordlessly.

The group sits in relative silence, as the sounds of the fire crackling pierce the little pocket of sanctuary that they have momentarily created. The boys are sitting on the opposite side of the fire from Rebekah and Clover, speaking in hushed whispers amongst themselves. One might assume that they are making plans for their next move, which was at this point was as simple as getting away from Mikael. For once though, their conversation held a casual air.

"Where do you think she came from?" Kol whispers to Klaus who is sitting on the ground next to him.

"Nowhere that I'd know. I've not heard and accent like that before."

"I wonder if she has anyone waiting for her, a family, or perhaps a suitor. I would be very surprised if she isn't spoken for." Kol looks up at the girl. "Though I certainly would not mind being the one to fill that role, eh brother?" He shoulders Nik playfully.

"I would not wish that fate upon any upstanding woman, Kol."

"Oh, shut it Nik!"

"Besides, look at the dress she is wearing, she is way too good for any of us, for sure of noble standing beyond our grasp."

Kol rolls his eyes at his brother's pessimism. "You won't know unless you try."

"Well, if you're going to try you'd better act soon, seem as if Elijah already had a head start on wooing the young lady."

"No worries, he's still beside himself about the last one, I may yet have a chance."

Elijah is close to punching Kol, when he notices a pair of attentive green eyes observing him from across the fire. When their eyes connect she looks away with a bashfulness he wasn't expecting. For the first time that evening he noticed that despite her extravagant dress, Lady Rhiannon is not wearing shoes, as she has placed her feet as close to the fire as she possibly could have them without actually being in the fire. He then takes a moment to listen in on the conversation she and Rebekah are having.

"I must ask where you found a dress like that. It is absolutely stunning, it must be one of a kind." Rebekah asks as she twists Clover's red hair up in to intricate braids. She looks down and seems surprised, as if she had just noticed the glittering gown she had been wearing since meeting them.

"I don't remember." She fingered the delicate fabric of her skirt. "It was a gift from someone, probably."

"Oooo, a gift like that must be from someone special indeed, or at least someone who thinks very highly of you. A suitor perhaps?"

"No one like that, no."

"Well, do you fancy anyone then?" Rebekah asked trying to dig deeper in to the history of the mysterious witch.

"I do, have my eyes on someone." She flicks her gaze to Elijah only to look away again when she sees that he is looking back at her once more. "But I don't know if I'll ever get to see him again."

"Why do you say that?"

"His brother took him, and I don't know when-if he'll ever bring him back."

"I see, a family dispute then?"

"You could certainly say that Rebekah." Clover tilts her head back at the sister's instruction. For a moment she looks at the stars, mentally noting ever constellation that she recognizes. "Would you mind if I perhaps sang a song while you-"she motioned to the already secured braids in her hair.

Clover couldn't see from her position the eyes of her new blonde friend light up with excitement. "You don't need to ask! Please, sing! Sing a song about love!"

"Are you certain you don't wish to hear-"

"Please? I adore beautiful songs about love." Rebekah pushed.

"Okay, if you insist, I'm singing with my subconscious right now, so don't be disappointed if you feel less than exuberant after this particular performance." Clover exhales with a nervous sigh when she sees that every eye around the campfire is on her. To diminish the butterflies in her stomach the redhead closed her eyes as she began to sing her song.

The group of vampires were trapped the moment the first note escaped her lips, but none were more captured by her melody than Elijah. The way her eyebrows are knitted together make her look as if she is worried. The next lines pierce him to the core as her eyes flutter open, their eyes truly connect for the first time, and he can almost feel his heart breaking as tears begin to roll down her face.

When Clover realizes, she abruptly stops, wipes away her traitor tears, and falls in to a fit of hysterical giggles. She tumbles over in to the grass, looks at Rebekah, and upon seeing her peeved face only manages to begin laughing harder. The reactions of everyone else, made her begin to ache in pain from the nonstop laughter. As she begins to calm, and the laughter fades, Clover sits back up, looking to Elijah once more, instantly deciding to mimic the not so subtle look of distaste on his face. "I am sorry, Elijah, but how long do you plan on being so serious?" She questioned, as he tried not to notice the stifled laughs of his siblings.

"When I can trust you." He replied coldly, feeling slight embarrassment at being mocked by a stranger.

"Tell me what I can do to earn it. The way I see it is you've been withdrawn since the moment I first ran in to you. You've asked me no questions, but still choose to handle our interactions with suspicion. I helped you in what seemed to be a dire situation, and all I've been met with is this." She motioned at Elijah with a flick of her wrist. "I feel as if I deserve a bit more respect."

"A beautiful woman appears in our path, and just happens to be able to not only help us but give us a lead on those who peruse us…" Elijah's sentence drifts off, as he begins to realize how irrational he was being, because she was right, she deserved some civility at the least for the time being.

"I'm going to wash my hands." Clover stands up, dusts off her dress and disappears in to the darkness.

"Someone should be keeping a watchful eye on her." Elijah states to his siblings.

"Maybe you should take on the task, brother, since you seem to be the only one worried about our new companion." Rebekah suggests.

Elijah rolls his eyes at her remark. "She is not coming with us. You know the rule we've lived by, no exceptions. She'll be dead by sunrise." He stormed off after the girl, hoping his reply would put some fear in to his sister, but the reality of the situation was far from deadly. When he found Lady Rhiannon she was downstream dipping her hands in the smooth running water. A floating ball of light was hovering just above her head illuminating the area around her.

Clover noticed Elijah's presence moments after he appeared behind her. She cautiously stands turning to him. "You're either here to question me, kill me, or kiss me. Which is it going to be?"

Elijah was taken by the last option on her list of things he may do. He could not doubt the immediate connection he was feeling toward the lady, but the unknown element of her very being, and the endless depth of her gaze when she looked at him, it had him running circles in his mind. "I'm here to offer a proposition." He answered.

"I'm listening." She said folding her arms across her chest.

"My lady, I would appreciate very much if you would agree to accompany my family and me on our travels. We could use the help and expertise of a skilled witch such as yourself. We can't offer you secure payment for your help, but I hope you will consider it." He offered, to his dismay, momentarily shying away from Clover's unwavering, amused gaze.

"All you had to do was ask." She said taking steps to shorten the distance between them. "Of course I'll help you, and your family." She took his hand and gave him a warm reassuring smile. Clover cold feel his pulse when they touched, and for some reason this lifted the veil of illusion, and in an instant the dream became lucid. The boundaries that kept reality and dreams separate in her mind dissolved as everything began to weave itself together and make sense once more.

Elijah was relieved when she agreed, and only hoped that trusting her wouldn't be a mistake. As he began to allow calm to settle over him, he looked to the lady, and suddenly was overtaken with panic as she began to dissolve. Puffs of a glittering gold dust began to shroud his view of her. He reached out hoping to make contact, but his hand met nothing but air, when he withdrew his hand was lightly covered in the dust, sparkling in the moonlight.

As Elijah made his way back to camp he pondered what he should tell his siblings, they would believe the truth, but decided upon not telling his them what had happened unless it is brought up. As the camp fire came in to view the memories of their encounter began to fade from his mind until there wasn't even a fragment to be recovered, and there wouldn't be for a long while.


Present Day-Chicago

"Nik, what is going on?" Rebekah demands.

"If I knew I would certainly elaborate, sister, but being I know not much of these dream caster powers that our new friend apparently has…" He shrugged his shoulders in bewilderment "We'll ask her more details tomorrow, see what she knows for certain." He stops the car outside of Gloria's bar. "Also for the time being we should take note of these so called returning memories, it could help us figure this out in the long term."

"At least we know that Elijah didn't kill her. I wonder what actually happened between them?" Rebekah concluded with a relieved sigh.

Meanwhile in Mystic Falls

I open my eyes and I'm lying in my bed at home, still dressed in what I was wearing when I arrived in Chicago, but I don't remember how I got here. I walk downstairs, and it is uncommonly quiet, no Bingley, no noise at all. I open the front door, and I'm not standing on my front porch, but Caroline's. "I must still be in a dream state." I conclude, as I look behind me to find not the house I walked out of but the curbside view one would see when visiting the Forbes' residence "Note to self, practice lucid dreaming, see how, if, it plays in to dream catching abilities."

I knock on the door, and Miss Liz answers.

"Clover, how are you here?" She questions.

"It's a long story, but maybe Caroline can fill you in later, I'm not sure how much time I have to stay."

She just nods, lets me inside, and takes me to Caroline. When I walk in the room both Caroline and Tyler are surprised to see me.

"Clover!?" Caroline sits up in bed. "Okay, Tyler leave!" She literally pushes him off the bed, and I can't help but smile.

"No hard feelings, eh Tyler?"

"Nah. Never." He says as he leaves, giving me a quick side hug.

When I hear the door close I instantly go to my best friend, enveloping her in a hug. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She pulls back and shakes her head in a very violent manner. "No I've talked enough. I just want to forget."

"Okay, but just so we're clear, if I ever see Bill again I'm punching him in the face."

Caroline rolls her eyes, not realizing that a swift knock in the face is the kindest of punishment I could deal to a man who would do what he did to his daughter. When I had been informed of the situation that had occurred it took all of my willpower to decide against hunting him down and giving him a taste of his own hateful medicine. But if I don't get him first, karma sure will.

"Okay, there is something on your mind, apart from you wanting to kill my dad. What is it?"

"Caroline, it's about to get complicated, so prepare to take notes." I say flopping on to "my side" of the bed. I can't help but laugh at her when she reaches in to her bedside table and pulls out a pen, note pad, and a…recorder? "A recorder?"

"The student council president sometimes doesn't want to have to write down all of her meeting notes. I figured why not pick up good study like habits before college start."

"Good point." I roll over and look at her. "Ready?"

"Ready!" She says, clicking the record button on her device.

I hop from my comfy seat and start pacing as I unleash my very rough hypothesis. "Remember the dream caster thing I told you I was looking in to?" She nods in affirmation, as she concentrates on listening and writing. "Well the paper trail led to a somewhat dead end. I know what-who the dream caster is, but nothing about the abilities they possess or how they work."

"Wait do you know who they are? If people are going to be coming for them, then they need to know!" Caroline asks concerned.

I nod my head in short answer, and put my index finger to my lips in to signal an oncoming silent message. She mimics my gesture to let me know that she understands. I ten point a finger at the center of my chest. Caroline gets it right away, her baby blues grow wide.

"SHUTUP!" Caroline yells.

Seconds later Miss Liz is opening the bedroom door with a startled look painted across her face. "Is everything okay, girls?" We both shake our heads yes, and she finally backs out of the doorway slowly, eventually clicking it closed.

"Who else knows?" Caroline whisper yells at me.

"Um, people…" I say drifting off, because she would flip her top if she knew that one of the few other people to know the identity of the dream caster is Klaus.

"You know what, by that tone I know it is someone I'm not fond of, so just keep it to yourself Clove." She huffs, and falls back on the bed. "But really who is it?"

I breathe deep. "Please don't hit me, because I'm still a weak lil human."

"Just spit it out already!"

"Klaus…"

And before I can get the rest of my sentence out she is back on her feet poised and ready to strike. Oh boy, am I about to get an earful. "Why him? Out of all of the horrible people that you could tell why trust the man who personally killed Jenna!? What is with you?"

"Okay, number one, Klaus will have his just deserts, don't you worry, I can handle him. Also, HOW DARE YOU! Do you really believe me to be so stupid as to let my guard down around him, I'm 900 years smarter than that. Oh, and in case you missed it its official, I'm a witch, so if need be I can turn his blood to acid for a few seconds if he tries anything."

She stops, hopefully to fully assess the situation. "Well, good."

"Okay."

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

She rolls her eyes. "No."

"And if you must know I ran in to some trouble in London, and Klaus was the first to answer the call. I owe him one now-" I scoff at the thought. "But in the long run that means he'll end up owing me big time."

"Oh, really, any reason why you'd think that? I don't think Klaus is worried about settling debts unless it benefits him!"

"I don't know. Let's just say I'm very good at playing opossum" I say noticing myself start to space out on what Caroline was saying. I'm hearing a faint drum beat, slowly building in volume, as I start to recognize the song.

"Earth to Clover." I hear Caroline's voice cut sharp through my haze, but the music doesn't stop playing.

"Is your mom playing music?" I ask, opening the door and looking out, only to be met with a dark empty hallway.

"Now that you've said something, yes, I hear it, but mom hates that song, so she would not be playing it."

"Can you listen out a source?"

"I can try." Caroline closes her eyes and tilts he head, listening in multiple directions. "Clover, I'm not sure if there is a source."

"I have a feeling that these dream casting abilities are going to take a lot to figure out, if they truly can be." I told her, walking to the vase on the windowsill, and doing a quick spell to bring the flowers back from their wilted state.

Back in Chicago

Klaus glances up at a sudden movement on the empty sidewalk just ahead, and decided upon investigating. "Rebekah, take her inside."

The vampire rolls her eyes and does as her brother told her to, going inside a laying Clover on the booth seat she was napping on earlier. No one is in house right now and all she can hear is Clover's heartbeat, and steady breathing. She looks around and her attention is grabbed by the flashing lights of the juke box, and decides to take a look. She doesn't know any of the songs or artists she sees flipping through the index, and almost abandons choosing a song when Stefan appears at her side.

"Having problems choosing a song Rebekah?" He says smoothly leaning against the machine.

"I don't recognize any of this music, and with so many options one could get overwhelmed." She replies as she keeps flipping.

"Hmm, yeah. Hey, where is your brother?"

"He is just outside, he'll be along shortly. Now if you're not going to be helpful and suggest a song then leave." She retorts with an irritated tone.

"Alright." The Salvatore brother shrugs, pops a coin in the slot, and enters a song number. "Try going it alphabetically, maybe. Just a suggestion." He says lowly, making a point to brush against her as he walks to the bar to pour some drinks.

Rebekah is surprised when Stefan comes back to offer her a drink, she accepts it, taking a tentative first sip.

Outside Klaus hears a single heartbeat from the location he'd went to investigate. "It would be in your best interest to come out now that is if you value your current quality of life." He listens again slightly please that the heartbeat beacon has sped up greatly. "Ah, the sound of fear." He makes his way in to the alley, and knows that he's found the right spot. Out of the corner of his eye he spots the attacker, as they jump at him from behind a bale of cardboard. Klaus easily knocks them back with one hit. "Why the hostility mate?"

The messenger didn't know much about the job, just that it was allowing him all expenses ticket to anywhere. How could he say no? But then the catch, the receiver has a vicious "body guard" that may be inclined to kill him. On the turn of a dime the messenger was on his knees, and began begging for mercy. He knew from tailing them since arriving in Chicago that the hybrid was not a totally unreasonable man, but now he knows he blew it. In on last ditch effort to deliver the message and escape alive he desperately yells out one more time. "I HAVE A MESSAGE FOR THE GIRL!"

Klaus pauses, but does not loosen his grip on the messenger. "Which girl? I know quite a few of them." He growls, putting more pressure in to his hold, hoping to coax answers out of the scared human more quickly.

"You know which girl."

"I have an idea, but I said be specific!" He squeezes harder. "Next time, I'm breaking bone. So I suggest you out with it now Mate. Who sent you to deliver this message?"

"I don't know. The job was offered to me by a man dressed Men in Black style, who had a suitcase." He coughs out, glad that the grip the original has on him has loosened enough to allow speech. "He gave me paperwork to read over that had detailed instructions and profiles of the Clover chick, and people I might encounter trying to deliver the message. I was given time to read it, once I signed the agreement I received a single phone call from a woman who claimed to be my boss." The hybrid had loosened his grip to a firm hold on the messenger's clothes. "She seemed very professional, and agreeable, but the amount of secrecy made me ask more questions than I know I'll have answered. Heh, I'm just hoping to make it home alive at this point."

"Did this boss of yours have a name?"

"I didn't get one from her, no. It's not as if she'd have given it to me if I had asked!"

Klaus sighs. "What's the message then?"

"Huh?" The messenger is bewildered. "Oh, it's in my top left jacket pocket."

"Ah, thanks mate." Klaus said, fishing the "message" out of the messenger's pocket. He was almost surprised to see a very fancy red envelope with a gold seal. He wanted to open it, but he feared something dire would happen if he did, it reeked of magic.

"Wait! I almost forgot, it's charmed to only be opened by her, and I don't know what'll happen if you do. I have a feeling that it's not good, you can feel the magic coming off of it right?"

"Alright. Well, I'll take this from here, and you are going to-" Klaus grabbed the messenger, and forced him to make eye contact. "go back to your boss, and tell her that I'm sending you back as a gesture of good will. If I find that she means any harm I'll begin tearing out the heart of every agent she sends from there on out." He flashes a devilish smile. "Got that?"

"Got it." The messenger replied dutifully under compulsion, as he then turned around and left the way that he came.

"Since when were you such a softie?" Stefan said, stepping from the shadows.

"I believe the saying is, don't kill the messenger. I'm feeling generous this evening." Klaus shrugs.

"Where was all of this generosity when you decided to ruin my life?" Stefan snarls, clenched fists at his sides. "Also while we are on the subject of generosity, what reasons would you have to associate with let alone help Clover?"

"That isn't any of your concern, Stefan." He says with a glare, daring the Salvatore to push the issue farther.

"You know what, you're right."

"Good man, Stefan! Now, let's go grab my sister, and head to the warehouse for some drinks!"

"Uh, I think Rebekah might be mad at me."

Klaus grins. "Rebekah is always angry." He walks inside to collect his sister, and check on Clover, who he finds still sleeping sound. He slips the envelope in to his pocket, deciding to give it to Clover in the morning.

Mystic Falls

"The good thing though is I have a few ideas about how the dream casting powers might work. It is all hypothetical of course." I lean on the windowsill, facing Caroline. "The powers only become active when the caster is asleep. Side note, this could connect to mentalist magic and electric currents created in the brain. I need to brush up on the principals and ancestry, starting with prominent mentalist covens.

Caroline stopped the recorder. "I've also written down that you are able to physically affect the real world. You have no heartbeat, but I can hear you breathing? It's strange, and let's not forget the Toto, Africa thing."

"Maybe it was an effect of outside stimuli being registered as I sleep. I had a few drinks earlier, so I am out like a light right now. I might still be in the back seat of Nik's car. Radio maybe? But that leads me to wonder, if the powers effect reality just in the present, or can it stretch to things in the past, and worlds that technically don't exist? Because I just recently had a kick ass Doctor Who dream-" I begin to notice myself drifting. "One more thing, the powers may even be more controlled by way of lucid dreaming. And I could use my magic." I add, pointing to the flower that I'd just revived, trying to think of what I felt I was forgetting to mention.

"Anything else important?" She questions.

"I also believe that the reason dream casters are generally unknown and undocumented because the gifted usually just recognize what's happening as simple everyday dreams. At worst there were some cases of mistaken identity, and people seeing double." I said not letting on that this is not the first time in recent months that this had happened to me, and the thought made my mind spin in embarrassment.

"Clover? Are you okay, you seem not okay? Has anything like this happened before?"

"Yeah, and I thought it was just a very vibrant dream." And then I reflected on my last encounter with Elijah when he mentioned "seeing double" "Oh, this is going to be an interesting ride indeed." I yawn out as I lay on the bed next to Caroline, closing my eyes the world before me fades to black which is where I remain until I wake.

Chicago

I roll over and stretch in the cramped booth that I- wait, how did I get back here? I hear light commotion of glass clinking together and the city traffic outside.

"You look like you really cold use this." I hear Gloria say.

I look up as she sets a cup in front of me. "I'm not usually a coffee person, but thanks." I pick up the drink, and am surprised to taste my favorite tea instead of coffee as I was expecting. As the perfectly heated oolong jasmine tea flows in to my system I am relieved and grateful for the hangover angel. "Damn Gloria, why didn't you tell me you can brew the perfect cup of herbal tea? That is vital info in my book."

"Ah, if only, that hybrid of yours made that." I quirked a skeptical eyebrow at her. "Oh, no. I wonder what he has going on. Trying to butter me up." I breathe in the aromatic scent of my tea, exhaling heavily. "You got a shower I could use?"

"Sure doll." She tosses me a key. "The hallway, third door on the right." Pointing behind her.

Once I locked the door, and stepped under the running water the idea train pulled in to the station, as it usually does around the time I take a shower. I have all of my ideas about being the dream caster pretty much outlined in my mind, and I am glad that I am gaining more insight as to how they work, will work. While at the forefront of my mind if of course the former, the other part is still fuming about the Caroline situation, one bit is confused about Klaus and his "kind" gestures, but the last bit is very prevalent, but hazy, like I'm trying to tune in to a tv broadcast but can't quite get the antenna to connect. "I wonder."

Closing my eyes, and tilting my head back in the warm water, I begin to focus on the hazy bits. As soon as I feel close to connecting with this unknown…memory?- I don't know! I bury the frustration, and change my breathing technique aiming for deeper focus. When I achieve it I try one more time, and I make the connection.

I could hear, but not see. There were what sounded like metal chains, rattling and echoing off of a stone surface. Maybe a prison cell? Wherever I am, based on what I'm hearing, it's not a pleasant place to be. "Hello?" I speak out in hesitance, hoping that I'm only saying this in the vision and not in real life. I don't need any nosy vampires, or witches for that matter, listening in.

"Clover?" I hear a man's laughter, and I can't tell if it's joyous or just hysterical.

"Uhm. Yes, I can hear you, but I can't see you, so describe to me what is going on, Okay." I continue to breathe in attempt to deepen the connection or at least maintain the one I have. "I'll try to help."

"I don't know if this is real, or another illusion, but I welcome the hope your voice alone brings me."

Now that the man is no longer speaking through laughter I recognize his voice. "Elijah? What is going on handsome? Talk to me." I begin to lose focus when he doesn't promptly respond. "Shit, no!"

"Hush. Clover, focus in on my voice, imagine taking a small step with each syllable I speak, but only imagine it. Can't have you running in to any walls just yet, can we?"

"You sound weak."

"Hence why I need you to be brave by focusing on the sound of my voice, like when you met me for the first time."

His phrasing didn't slip past me, but what he says is helping me, I can feel the connection building slowly, when…I hear a sound like a wooden surface being repeatedly hit. "I hear-" and then I snap out of, when the sound of Rebekah's voice erupts from the other side.

"We have brunch in an hour, you better be ready! My brother is particularly chipper this morning, who knows how long that'll last?"

"Okay, do me a favor, tell Nik that my bathroom time is important! If we miss our brunch and are forced to do it Denny's way then so be it! But, I agree with you so I'll be done in a timely manner, no worries." I wait until I believe that she is no longer in front of the door, and then I continue with my shower routine.

As the conditioner sets in to my hair, I cleanse my body with a sandalwood scented bar of soap. When the aroma begins to fill the room I am relaxing once again. The next few years are going to be a wild ride. I smile to myself, but sigh it off. "Must focus." I go back to breathing deep.

I try to reconnect to whatever it was before. I reach for each fragmented detail, trying to piece back together the world I had just been connected to. Understanding how these things work, even just a little would be helpful. Diving into something this particular, this unknown, it can be dangerous. I risk exhausting my body which is unhealthy. Not to mention that, as of now, for power work to its full potential I have to be in a REM state or riding a lucid dream, which just leaves me vulnerable, this takes us back to the whole bodily harm thing. Other than that I have full confidence that I can handle this. But I cannot let another instance like last night happen, drunk me just leads to trouble, and trouble just leads to more distractions. "I hope I can handle this." I whisper placing my hands on the tile wall, letting the water flow over my scalp, rinsing away the conditioner. I start to lower the temperature of the water. It brings tingles to my body. "Ooooh, yes." I sigh out, as my body begins to wake up, and mind clears.

When I connected, it wasn't a memory, it couldn't' have been. So what, could it be a form of premonition? More important is how I learn to do that on purpose. It couldn't have been from the present like what seemed to happen with Caroline, I'm still waiting on a text back though. I shake my head, and laugh at myself. Maybe some music? I use magic to manipulate my phone to play the proper app.

Unknown Location 4 Months Earlier

Very few notes have entered my ears, when I feel the water warm to a comforting temperature. "This is perfect." I whisper. Ten seconds have passed when I realize something strange has happened. Beyond the temperature change, that I didn't initiate, my hands are now resting on what feels a very fit set of shoulders. "Niklaus Mikealson, I swear on my final years, that I will make your blood boil if you-" I keep my eyes firmly clamped shut as the person retreats from my touch.

"I deserve that after what conspired during our last encounter."

"Damnit! Elijah? What?" I put a hand over my eyes, not daring to lift my head. The hand was not an extra barrier, because my eyes are wide open behind it which made it my first line. Of course I want to look, but I'm not sure if I am even ready to do so. "Whatever it is, right now I don't care! The last time I saw you." I pointed at my covered face with my free hand. "You were in a coffin with a dagger in your chest!" Oh, no. No. Nononono! I feel the water works, as a tiny whining sound bubbles to the surface. "I could have undaggered you but I didn't, and I apologize. I was just ensuring that Nik wouldn't kill me, having his trust right now is vital."

"He would never kill you, but you did make the right decision. You can never be too cautious when it comes to my siblings." I hear from behind me, as the water stops running. "Why won't you meet my gaze?"

"You're gazing? A very intimate term."

I gasp when he steps in to my bubble, I can feel his always intense presence, as he leans in close. "Your physical stars have always been an interesting sight. The day I found out that they are a source of pleasure and not pain was one of the best."

I am confused and intrigued. I haven't taken the time to explore all of the tiny things that turn me on this time around. I had always considered it a ticklish annoyance, so everyone is generally forbidden from touching it when visible, not that many seek out to do so, but it has taken up many sensations over the years. "Wait, really?" The last syllable has little time to escape, when I feel finger graze my waste where the "birth mark" begins to blossom down my side. I've stared at it more times than I can count. Deep purple splotches circle around and, and into and always angry looking pink center. There are some smaller pink spots that fade into my normal skin tone, and some spots among the deep purple are somehow left unblemished. He is right they resemble a dusting of gnarly little starts. Then, it happens, but not how I had imagined.

He drums his fingers down to the plane of marked skin on my side. The lightness of this touch causes me to automatically twitch as I fight back laughter. Without a thought I drop the hand over my eyes to grab the perpetrating hand, even though I had a free one. "Oh, no…the blinders are off." I look up, and smile at him in the reflection of the glass shower door in front of me.

"How unfortunate."

"Oh, it is by far the worst part of my day so far Mister Smith." I roll my eyes, but before I can conclude the gesture his tickling hand brakes my nonexistent grip, and slides back to my spotted side. He then lets it hover. The anticipation of the entire situation is maddening, I've already concocted one-hundred scenarios of how this could play out. Some of these instances involves him tearing in to me and waking up in a locked room with white walls only to find I've been under for a while now. My favorite though, involves him showing me exactly how this sensual pressure point-points works. I slowly begin to make solid eye contact with him in the reflective surface before us, our eyes shining in the dim light of the bathroom. His '"gaze" as he so rightly put it earlier is nothing short of adoring, and the longer I stare the harder it feels to breathe. I've never had anyone look at me this way.

Is this the real life? Damnit! No! Of course when the fireflies start kicking up, that's when the weird crap begins happening. But it is a very fitting line, because as real as this feels, and as bad as I want it to be real, I don't know for sure right now, but fingers crossed.

"Clover, there's is something wrong." He's states, more than questions, which is catches me up for a moment before I move on to the phantom radio noises once more.

"Do you hear that?" His facial response to my question leaves him looking as confused as I'm feeling. The song begins to fill the room, becoming more voluminous every second. It then blares to an unbearable tone. I cover my ears, and clamp my eyes shut at the quick excruciating pain I feel. I deign to fall upon my knees at the sound tearing through my core, but I never make contact with the tile beneath. Elijah has his arms wrapped around my waist tightly, any more so and he would be inflicting the pain. The music has now faded back into nonexistence. "You are holding on to me quite tightly, Elijah. Are you okay?" He doesn't say anything. I however am suddenly back on the nudeness factor.

I'm not uncomfortable, but I do feel odd that I know not if everything is accurate, I've only encountered so much of the man. Of course, I do know that the arms and chest are at least on point. He lets go of my waist, and forces me to face him for the first time since this whole thing began. His hands then move from my shoulders, tracing up my neck with his fingertips. I basically want to purr right now. My eyes shut as I take in the feeling of his petting. "Look at me." My eyes flutter open at his demand. His hands, oh those hands, I can't help but place mine on top of his. He is looking at me as if he wants to devour a feast in front of him, but he seems sad when he decides to settle for a kiss that one can only describe as greedy, grip still steady, secure.

I do not hesitate to fold, and give in to the kiss, alas he ends it all too quickly, but not daring to lose the closeness we've gained. I rub my nose against his, and sigh heavily. "Please, let this be real."

"I thought that we had already determined that it is real." He whispers.

"That's good news." I just wish it were a good enough answer, I'll figure it out, I hope. From behind me I feel the force of what seems to be two arms, but I look down and see nothing. I fight the force, as I feel it pull my body with more oomph each tug. I panic and grip on to Elijah's forearms, as the force grows stronger.

He doesn't notice anything amiss until my fingernails begin to dig into the skin on his arms, blood pooling, and dripping to the shower floor. I am fighting so hard that I barely register when he speaks to me. "Clover, you can let go. We'll see each other again soon, I promise." He tells me with conviction, as he removes one hand from him, hooking his pinky finger with mine. "See." For some reason the small gesture brings me peace enough to" let go", as the force tugs at my being one final time.


Elijah watches her form dissipate as it had hundreds of times before. He puts on a robe, and goes to his desk, instantly locating the small clothbound book she had given him so long ago. He hurries to write as many short hand details about this encounter with Clover before her memory fades, as it always has.

She seemed confused an unsure about her power, and about their relationship, and although he had been warned by The Lady herself that this day would come, there was still a sting. As the clarity of her memory diminished he wrote one last thing 'I heard her heart beating.' Smiling in satisfaction as the final image of her drifts away as she always seems to.

No longer occupied by the thoughts of the one woman he could openly admit to truly loving he goes back to the task at hand. Elijah begins to dive back in to the credentials a young lady that the Gilbert descendant, named Jenna, he believed, had pawned their meeting off on to. So far she seemed more than capable of getting him what he needed in this instance. For a moment he pondered calling the number Jenna had given him for this Miss Clover Meeks, and introducing himself before their meeting. The Original then became confused as to why that thought would even cross his mind, as he glanced at the file he had compiled on her in a short time. Picking up the file he flipped through hoping to find something amiss, or something he had missed, but as many times as he flipped he couldn't help but return to the single polaroid style image that was neatly paper clipped to the inside cover of the folder. He would come back to that tiny photograph, and each time he would stare for unknown periods of time, before snapping back in to reality. Elijah just wish he knew why he felt drawn to this human, why looking at those eyes, even in a photograph, somehow felt familiar.

On his way out, Elijah spots something on the desk, a book bound in silver fabric, and embroidered in delicate purple designs. He opens it to see what is inside, but he sees nothing but blank pages. He has had this book for an untold amount of time, but he has never brought himself to write in it, never had a reason he felt important enough to stain the delicate pages within. It had been given to him but he can't remember by who, but he must have cared for them to have kept the item so well for so long. Then unaware of the ritual he had created over the years, he cracks the binding ever so slightly, adjusts the attached ribbon bookmark to what his mind deems the "proper" page, and then places it on the most eye level shelf of the nearest bookcase, until another day.


Chicago Present Day

Klaus is sitting at the bar with a multitude of thoughts marching through his mind. The failed hybrids, this missing necklace, and Clover the dream caster. At this point it would be prudent to use the last one to figure out the first two, being that he only had so much trust in Gloria to begin with. Alas, he can tell that Clover abides by a very strict code of 'scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, and then we are even, done', or at least when it pertains to bad people. It was very clear to him that she knew he was bad people, and he currently only had a few chips left before she attempts to turn him in to goo. He is still waiting for her true wrath, the punishment he will undoubtedly receive for killing one of her dearest friends, a clearly innocent woman. So, unfortunately he would have to wait for the more inexperienced witch on the premises to help him with his problem, for now.

"Niklaus Mikealson-" The Original vampire hears the use of his full name, and immediately turns around to see his sister paying him no mind. He decides to investigate further, the trail leading him to the bathroom door that enclosed the red head witch within. " I swear on my final years, that I will make your blood boil if you-" Klaus is perplexed, so he lightly knocks on the door receiving no response, as he continues to listen still.

"Damnit! Elijah? What? Whatever it is, right now I don't care! The last time I saw you. You were in a coffin with a dagger in your chest! I could have undaggered you but I didn't, and I apologize. I was just ensuring that Nik wouldn't kill me, having his trust right now is vital." It is obvious in the slight quiver of her voice that the girl is trying to hide how frantic she is truly feeling. Nik feels reluctance, maybe guilt, but only at the thought of freeing his brother, and how it would help Clover along in cracking the final secret of that bizarre grimoire, and the power this spell was presumed to have. Too bad for him he feared facing one of his betrayed elder brothers more than he wanted that power right now, but how would his stance change when he decided that he really needed it? Not even he could answer that.

"You're gazing? A very intimate term."

Just as the night the hybrid broke his curse she seemed to be having a one sided conversation. He thinks that maybe its one of the dream casting abilities at work. Perhaps the seeing double thing was a player as well, because of course he was listening in that day, knowledge is power, and now the he'd decided that the ultimate leverage to gain Clover's help in the long run would be to connect the dots on her special power before she did if possible.

"Who's Mister Smith?" Rebekah chimes in from behind, slightly startling her brother. "Did you really think I didn't notice you lurking off?"

"Bloody hell, Rebekah please, I am trying to concentrate. Her music isn't helping either." Klaus snaps. "But if you must know Mister Smith is our dear brother presumably.

"Do you hear that?" The two siblings hush each other, and go back to listening when they hear the witch's tone change. When they become tuned in once again they hear sounds of splashing with a solid thud, and Klaus was sure he hear something akin to bones cracking, and then he smelled it. Her scent was unusually strong as is, but he knew by the metallic tinge creeping in to his nostrils that the substance that created said smell was now free flowing.

"Clover!" He bangs a fist on the door. No response, still. "Damnit!" He bangs on it a few more times while trying to open the door. "Locked."

"What the hell is going on?" Gloria calls looking down the hall.

"Apologies dear." He says smashing through the locked door, and stepping in to the shower room. Opening the curtain, he instantly spots the streams of blood that are flowing down the drain, it seems to be flowing from her knees, which she is resting on. Clover shows to response or awareness to the fact the she is bleeding quite heavily.

While he was busy taking in the details of the scene he feels his sister shove him. "Are you mad? Why are you just standing there?" She grabs the towel resting on the sink, turns off the shower, wraps up the girl, and pulls her off her knees, and out of the shower. The skin on her knees is split open, confirming the source of the blood. "Clover." Rebekah demands touching her face, worried about her new friend.

As he fully reconnect with the situation Klaus thinks to do one thing before she comes around. "Check her eyes!"

"What?" Rebekah is very confused, as she felt the next logical step would be to heal her.

"Just, do it."

Rebekah, pushes the web of hair away from Clover's face and they see her eyes open already. Her pupils were so large they have almost consumed her green irises wholly. It is clear to see that she is not fully present. Klaus also notices that the expanse of her dilated pupils are reflecting more than the single fluorescent light fixated above the mirror, the source is unknown. He kneels to get a closer look only to notice that the extra lights in her eyes seem to be moving freely as a set, and are slightly more dim-no they are fading, ney flickering as a film reel would. As he noted this observation, he noted one more, but this one left him with even more uncertainty. An image of Elijah flashes across her vision, gone as quickly as it was noticed, when her pupils suddenly snap back to a normal size, and full life returns to her eyes.

When Clover realizes that she is back to this reality, she pauses, noticing that she is being held by Rebekah, and that Klaus is kneeling in front of her, and the she notices the splitting pain erupting from her knees. She groans and looks down without a word at first, until she notices the expanse of blood that is now drying on the skin of her legs. "What happened?"

The siblings glance at each other before Klaus answers. "We have brunch reservation. Get dressed and we'll freely discuss…only if you will as well." He concludes.

"I want to figure this out as badly as you seem to…multiple minds are always better than one, and I've only got a few years, so yes." Clover nods in agreement, as she stands, and the siblings leave her to finish her routine.


I start combing out my hair when the bathroom is clear. Of course I'm filing away every detail, and I'm putting this happening in the same column as the instance that occurred during the hybrid curse breaking ritual. This tidbit also brings me to believe that these powers can certainly reach out to outer planes of existence, as with Jenna, and now this mirror situation with Elijah; even then I have no idea how to determine the factors such as location, date, or time of that "casting," which is what I've decided to call what happens when I go into this projecting dream state. I should be more attentive to the context clues in my environments when it happens, but then again, between a white abyss, and a bathroom interior that isI hard to do, but I must put forth more effort to be less distracted. But, now I am certain that with my new semi-allies my ability to connect the pieces will now have a higher chance of being fully realized. Alas, without Elijah around the chances of me breaking my curse have undeniably decreased. Someday I'll have to ask Klaus what it is like to be free, and not feel tethered down by the confines of a cage constructed from pure magic. "It must be nice." I whisper as I retreat to mental silence in order to complete my bathroom ritual, and meet the two Mikealson siblings outside.