Chapter 9: Love Me Like You Do

"You're the light, you're the night, you're the colour of my blood. You're the cure, you're the pain, you're the only thing I wanna touch. Never knew that it could mean so much, so much. . . So love me like you do, love me like you do. Touch me like you do, touch me like you do. What are you waiting for?"

-Ellie Goulding, Love Me Like You Do

Denver, 2018

November

Mikaela's eyelids detected bright sunlight trying to penetrate them and get to her tired eyes, causing her eyebrows to meet in response. She groaned and turned the other way in her bed but she didn't feel that fortunate when she felt the silk covers being pulled away and uncovering her bare legs, since she decided to wear shorts last night. Feeling hopeless about resuming to her slumber she sat up and opened her eyes, letting them adjust to the morning daylight. Once they accustomed to the brightness she noticed her older stepsister standing at her bedside with arms crossed and a questionable look on her face. She knew that the morning wasn't going to start well judging by the fact that her sister woke her up for something, and she didn't very much even want to begin wondering why she did so. "Rise and shine. We have things to discuss." Her stepsister said once she saw that she opened her eyes wide enough. At her words, Mikaela frowned and dropped her head back on the pillow.

"And what is it that we have to 'discuss' now, Violet?" Mikaela asked sounding quite rude even though she didn't mean it.

"Hmmm, I don't know, I tried calling you like a million times last night. Then this morning I went in the kitchen and found some new car keys dumped on the table. Then I looked out the window only to find a beautiful American BMW parked in front of the house. I thought you went to your college yesterday to pick up your certificates not so they can award you with a 'bloody' car." Violet spoke in a sarcastic tone which sounded even more amusing due to her thick British accent, which only reminded her of other things. She was also adopted by Margaret at the age of ten and when Mikaela was already eight years old. Mikaela was found by Margaret when she was a very small baby so she couldn't remember her parents. Violet didn't have memories of her biological parents either, however she could recall being brought up in England by her foster parents who left her in a care home after moving into Denver when she was nine. So for eighteen years they've spent their lives together, going through ups and downs, and especially being there for one another during their mother's death.

Mikaela rubbed her face with her palms as she tried to clear her mind and tell her sister the incidents of last night. "No V, the college didn't offer me a new car." She let her know while she continued to run her palms over her face.

"Then who did?" Violet asked impatiently as she took Mikaela's hand and lifted her up into a sitting position. Then she sat opposite her and both crossed their legs. "It was your birthday yesterday and I'm sure a stranger didn't just randomly give you his car as a gift. What happened?"

"Kol happened." Mikaela muttered after taking a deep breath. She tensed up as she watched her sister's eyes widen.

"The crazy arse vampire? I thought you told him to leave you alone." Violet responded with confusion marked on her face.

"You're the one who just called him crazy." Mikaela said then embraced a pillow. "He literally saved my life if I'm honest."

Violet's face filled with dismay. "Mikaela what on earth happened yesterday night?"

Taking a minute to answer, Mikaela said, "Let's just say I gotten myself into a matter of life and death. And he saved me, then he tried to apologise again about former things and then I- I snapped and told him about Jake."

"You did what?!" Violet exclaimed in disbelief, incredulous about the stupidity of her sister's sense lacking decisions sometimes.

"Violet you don't understand!" Mikaela raised her voice, " I thought that letting him know that he killed the father of my child would make him finally get that he was nothing to me than just a monster." Mikaela explained in her defence.

"Was a monster?" An eyebrow arched on Violet's forehead as her pale green eyes showed confusion. "Why do I feel like you're leaving something out?"

Mikaela pressed her lips together as she started pinching the pillow in her arms. "He's not the one who killed Jake."

"Oh my God." Violet said in a small voice, feeling guilty for accusing him for it. Then her voice suddenly rose again. "Nevertheless, I hope you at least made it seem like you actually cared about Jake and that you were starting a life while Kol was dead, alive or whatever." She suggested with very little optimism.

"I believe that's what he thinks." Mikaela nodded. "I mean, he obviously doesn't have any knowledge about me barely knowing Jake and that I hooked up with him one time after an excess of cheap beer which resulted in me turning out to be pregnant, and while throughout the entire time I was only thinking about where in the world he would be and why he left after the end of that summer in 2012. But," ?Mikaela paused to catch her breath, " I'm pretty sure that he does know that the reason I went to Mystic Falls was to find my son's uncle meanwhile another vampire who knew the Mikaelsons fell for me and I used that as an opportunity to get into contact with them only to find him."

"Wow," her sister gasped sympathetically, "when you say it all out loud it does sound more complicated."

"I know." She said sadly. "And now that he saved my life and I know he didn't kill Jake and in addition to the other heart melting things he told me I. . . I really don't know how I feel anymore."

Violet took her hand gently. "How do you feel about Stefan?"

Mikaela looked from left to right while thinking for an answer. "I can't say that I not love him. Because I do but. . . With Kol it was different, I could actually be myself around him without having to worry that I crossed a line, since enjoyed the wild me. He made my darker side feel okay to exist, and it's been a while since I actually acted like that. Whereas when I'm with Stefan. . . He just brings out all of the good in me."

"You are good Mikaela," Violet disagreed with her, "It was your lust for Kol that made you feel so reckless. I'm not telling you who to love but you have to comprehend that you're not sure if Kol actually cares about you, but you do know for certain that Stefan does." Her stepsister advised her kindly. "Also, given Kol's reputation, you never know maybe he made sure it looked like he saved you last night."

Mikaela's head jerked once hearing that. "You mean that you think he had it all set up? Uh… It's not impossible." Mikaela considered. "You know what? I'm going to find him and get the whole truth out of him, no matter how ugly it could get."

"Damn right you should." Violet encouraged her then hugged her tightly.

Mikaela wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "Thank you so much, V. You are literally giving up your own life for my sake by taking care of my baby while I'm always away. I will make it up to you one day I promise."

Violet smiled, "You're my sister, M. I want nothing less for you. I need to make sure you have your own life settled before you can become one hundred per cent responsible with the one of your son's. That's what big sisters are for." She uttered with tears in her eyes. A baby cry suddenly echoed in the house which caught both of their attentions. "Now there's someone in the other room who's missing you."

Later. . .

The bar was just across the street and she was just about to head right towards it when she suddenly felt a strange feeling in her gut. She was nervous for an unknown reason, and not being aware of what was the cause of those nerves frustrated her very much. Just ten steps. . . That's all it had to take for her to enter that metaphoric cage she feared never being able to escape out of. Ten steps. . . And her life could change completely before she'd even know it. She instantly started feeling ashamed of her own cowardliness. Where was her spontaneity? Where was her confidence? Did the birth of a wonderful child change her so much that she could barely recognise herself? She hoped not. In fact, she wished not. Although knowing that with a child came more responsibility, she didn't want to let go of her other inclinations. Or at least most of them. Pressing her bloodred lips together she stiffened up and paced right across from her parking spot and barged directly inside that damned bar, being conscious that she practically entered a lion's den. There he was. . . The pair of chocolate brown eyes released a piercing stare upon her that it was almost painful for her to stare back. Her breath got trapped in her lungs, and she could feel her heartbeat pulsing in her every vein. Then she noticed her cheeks growing warm, thus she tried taking a step back but her legs refused and only took her closer to the table where he sat. So she enabled her feet to lead her to the place she was supposed to be at in that moment. Her legs stopped moving once they reached the table. She bowed her head forward to get a better look at his handsome face, while his jerked upwards, showing surprise faded in his expression. Her voice was stuck in her throat, and clearly so was his, so she did the first thing that came into her mind. She slowly took a seat opposite him and rested her elbows on the table that parted them. He mirrored her gesture and her heart suddenly skipped a beat. The silence in between them was deafening, and since this time it was her who came to him, she had to say something first.

She took a deep breath and parted her lips as she witnessed his gaze dropping on them. "I knew I'd find you here," was all she managed to say for starters. His eyes slowly locked hers again and she saw his Adam's apple raise then drop back in place in the span of one second. "You always used to come here before."

Barely concentrating on her words, he turned his head slightly to his left and said, "Can I buy you a drink?"

Of course he would offer her something to drink. He obviously thought she was going to sit with him for a while, therefore she had to make him understand it wasn't going to happen. Her palm jolted up as she shook her head. "No thanks. I stopped drinking since. . . You know." She told him in her defence.

"Why did you come here, Mikaela?"

It was her turn to swallow the lump in her throat. "We need to talk." She explained plainly.

"Talk about what?" He questioned her, trying to look uninterested while her unexpected appearance at the bar did intrigue him in secret.

"About last night." She added, "It's overwhelming to know that you changed into a kind person all of a sudden, right after I admitted my thoughts and feelings towards you. However it crossed my mind that judging by your reputation and imagination, you had the whole incident planned out in order to grant my forgiveness."

"Why would you think that?" He asked with arrogance in his voice.

"Because you're Kol Mikaelson." She snapped as she slammed her hands on the surface of the table. She leaned forward as she continued with a calm tone. "You play dirty all the time. And let's not forget that you came to my house the other day saying that you want something from me."

Kol frowned and dropped back into his seat. "So you think I did all that just to look like the hero in front of you, and then you'd be kind enough to offer me what I want from you?" Kol's thick eyebrow rose on his forehead.

Mikaela shrugged sarcastically. "Well you are a vampire in the end. You can compel whoever you want-" her words were cut by her mind instantly, then she cautiously looked around her, ". . . Apart from me." She finished and shifted uncomfortably. "Kol, why are you not able to compel me?" She asked suspiciously, "I- I wasn't wearing vervain. My supply ran out weeks ago."

"There's so much more about you that you don't know." He murmured quietly as he observed her carefully.

"And you do." She said unbelievably and watched Kol nod.

"I know enough about you to know that you would think I put your life in danger just so I could rescue you." He mentioned, "Which is why I didn't do it. The situation you ended up in was very real."

Mikaela's voice eventually softened. "How did you know I was there?" She asked as her hazel eyes looked deeply into his, as if they were trying to read something off him.

"I was following you." He admitted, "I wanted to show up and ask for your forgiveness, and luckily for me and unfortunately for you, I found you in a dangerous circumstance. I did not do this to you, 'Kaela. Ever since the day I bit you I made a mental note to punish myself if I would ever hurt you again." He said softly as his hand crawled in the direction of hers. "Please believe me."

Mikaela watched his face show honesty. His sincere expression and voice touched her soul, it was torturous. "I believe you." She muttered and the tip of her fingers timidly touched his hand. A rush of ecstasy struck them both that it caused them to repel in shyness and to stare blankly at each other as they were both trying to figure out what to say next. Each other's presence only made them anxious and unable to predict what could happen if they went further. Mikaela was truly feeling bewildered and as if she had forgotten everything she prepared herself earlier to tell him. "I should go." She snapped out of the trance, gathered her handbag and stood up. Kol"s fingers instantly gripped her wrist, and his head shot up at her, finding it difficult to mutter anything. Mikaela bit back on her teeth as she lingered at the touch of his skin. "But before I do that," she continued, "I just want you to know that. . . I . . ., it's very hard to let go of something after holding on to it for so long." With those mumbled, she pulled her wrist away and hurried out of the bar, leaving Kol alone sitting with his bourbon glass by his side, troubled about the possible nature of his emotions.

Once he saw she was nowhere in sight, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Without thinking he dialled Rebekah's number and put the device to his ear, tapping his foot with impatience.

"Hello, Kol, what's the matter?" Rebekah said as soon as she answered his call.

"I'm at the bar drinking, Mikaela just left, she wanted to talk to me." He let her know.

"So is your plan working? Is she believing what you're telling her?" She asked sounding quite excited.

Kol forgot that his sister couldn't see him and he nodded, then swallowed the gulp of bourbon from his mouth. "Yes. She believes me. . . Because everything I'm telling her is true."

Rebekah almost sounded extremely delighted, "I'm proud of you, Kol. I knew this part of you still existed."

Hey there! I really hope that you're enjoying this story. If you do, please leave me a review. Also feel free to ask me questions about it either through PM or a review. I want to let you know that there is more to come for Kol, Mikaela, Stefan and even Violet. Speaking of her, tell me what you think of this new character and whether you ship Kol&Mikaela or Stefan&Mikaela. Thanks, and until next time, enjoy Fanfiction.