Hello, my lovely readers. This took a little longer to get down. Writer's block hits at the worst times. On with the show…

Chapter 12: Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

Monique wobbled on her chair with a dreamy smile on her face. Davina rolled her eyes at her friend while I kept that knowledge that Monique's state of drunkenness was all in her head. It made this act much more comical for me.

"I think I'll have another," Monique said, getting to her feet with a giggle and then tripping over her own feet, falling into Oliver's lap. "Hi there." She grinned at him, placing a finger under his chin moving to kiss the scruffy youth.

"Hey, girl, it's not that I'm not flattered; it's just you've had too many," Oliver said, pushing Monique onto her chair. She began to pout and took a sip before remembering that her glass was empty. "Davina, could you get me another?" she asked, leaning across the table, her eyelids hooded.

Davina looked at me. "Kol?" she looked uncomfortable.

"Right. Be back in a second," I said, getting to my feet.

Heading back up to the bar, I watched Cami deftly pour out drinks to her of-age consumers. "Looks like our little problem child would like another," I called to the blonde.

Cami's eyebrows rose. "Isn't that her fourth?" she questioned me, glancing over at Monique, Davina and their lot.

I shrugged. "Not like it will harm, perhaps her dignity will take a blow once she realizes that you pulled a fast one on her." Grinning, I waved at Monique who had taken my seat and had wrapped her arms around my poor girl's neck, beginning to sing.

"Looks like she's really enjoying herself," Cami said sarcastically. "Glad that I haven't had any cops in here; they'd probably try to revoke out liquor license."

"You've got me to vouch for that being a fake drink," I told her with a wink.

Cami laughed. "Thanks for that." She began to wipe the bar top. "You wouldn't happen to be doing anything tonight?" she asked me and I inhaled when she grinned at me. "Sorry. I don't usually try to pick guys up at work. It's just been a really hard day."

"Alas, I am taken. If not for that, I'm sure that we would have a night to remember," I said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it before freeing her so she could mix Monique another drink.

"So, who's the lucky lady? Sister of one of those girls?" Cami asked, setting the drink down and then smiling at me.

"No." I picked up the drink. "See the little, pretty one there being serenaded by her friend, it's not official, but we've got a bit of thing." I nodded in Davina's direction and Cami's expression closed off.

"She looks like a kid," Cami told me, bluntly.

"Well, she's quite mature for her age. And she's seventeen. We've got a wee bit of time to allow things to cool off. I'm on my way back to California tomorrow." I said, leaning against the bar. After a brief pause, I smiled. "She's worth the wait. Changing me on a daily basis."

Cami propped her chin on the cradle of her hands. "Wow. Where was a guy like you when I was her age?" she shook her head. "I've got to get back to work."

"Have a good night," I called, heading back to my table, I stopped beside Monique. "Mind if I have my chair back?"

"You can sit down. There's plenty of room for both of us," Monique said, reaching out and placed her hand on my thigh.

"Monique!" Davina cried, baring her teeth at her friend.

My lips twisted into a smirk. "It's alright, darling." Taking Monique by the arm, I pulled her to her feet, walked her over to her seat and gave her a gentle shove. "Here's your drink." Placing the drink down in front of the startled girl, I walked back around the table and sat down next to Davina.

Davina lifted her glass of water to cover her smirk. Cassie jumped in. "How is California?" she asked me.

"It's rather pleasant. I've got a new job, new friends and a nice flat." I sat back and tried not to notice the look of hurt on Davina's face.

"When are you goin' back?" Oliver asked me, his eyes lighting up while a grin appeared on his face.

I felt the urge to take him outside and kick his ass. "I'll be returning tomorrow."

Josh looked at Davina. "Well, I was looking up the club you're working at. It sounds great. Aiden and I are trying to figure out how we can get in. Maybe you could pull some strings, since you know the owner and all."

Davina smiled but her eyes looked sad. I had to stifle the urge to kiss her fears away. "Yeah, Kol, you should talk to Lucien."

I glanced from Josh to Davina. "Of course. I'm sure he won't have a problem. He allowed Nik in, means he'll allow all types of riff-raff in." Laughing, I looked at Josh who rolled his eyes but smiled anyway.

Davina smiled at me, taking my hand under the table and giving it a squeeze. Our moment was interrupted when Monique shot to her feet. "Karaoke!" she shouted, running around the table and grabbing Davina by the arm. Monique dragged my girl to her feet. "We need to sinnnng!" she trilled.

Davina's eyes widened and she looked back at me for help as her friend pulled over to the microphone on the opposite side of the bar. "Hello, everyone, I'm Monique and this Davina, my back-up singer. We're going to sing… Davina, what are we going to sing?" Monique asked, her hand cupped over her mouth, her whispered words booming through the room, thanks to the mic.

Davina shrugged, folding her arms over her chest. "I don't know. This wasn't my idea."

Josh held up his hand, waving to get the girls' attention. "How about some Queen B. "All the Single Ladies," he suggested. Sitting back down, he looked to me. "Everyone loves Beyonce."

I rolled my eyes. "On the contrary, Josh," I began when Monique shook her head.

"That's too old. I'm going to sing Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood,'" she declared.

Moaning, I fell back in my chair. "That's an even worse choice. Oh, my poor ears."

Oliver began to chuckle. "For once I agree with Mikaelson, you know what's wrong with chicks: "chick music?" What is so-called empowering about that crap? Huh?"

"Nothing," I replied. "Would you like a beer?"

Oliver grinned at me. "You buying?"

"Sure," I got to my feet and crossed the floor. Cami had disappeared and I was confronted by a short redhead. She reminded me a tiny bit of Aurora. Some masochistic part of me missed the half-mad, unpredictable girl.

"Could I get a beer?" I called to the girl who nodded and grabbed one, handing it to me. I opened my wallet, paid and went back to the table.

Oliver reached out for the beer after I uncapped it. "Thanks, man," he said, smiling until I lifted the bottle to my lips and took a long sip.

"I asked: do you want one? I never said I'd get one for you," I told the blonde boy who glared at me. Smirking, I turned around in my seat to watch Davina swaying and mouthing lyrics. Monique was so lost in her own sense of self-importance that she did not seem to notice.

As the song came to an end, I got up and moved across the room. Taking hold of a mic, I grinned at the other patrons. "Let's give the ladies a hand, shall we?" I asked, clapping.

Others clapped, with less enthusiasm. Monique tried to take the mic back but I held it out of her reach. "I wasn't done yet!" Monique cried, trying to and failing to pry the microphone out of my hand.

"Monique, please, you're embarrassing yourself and someone's going to realize that you're drunk!" Davina hissed at her friend.

Monique's eyes widened. "You're right! My mom will kill me! I need to go home. Can you give me a ride?" she asked, falling into my arms and looking into my eyes with a wide smile.

Davina looked disgusted, pushing her hair behind her ears and glaring at Monique. "Seriously?" she hissed.

"Come," I said, helping Monique over to the table. "Timothy, Monique needs a ride. Be a dear. Yes? Thank you." Shoving Monique into Tim's lap, I watched Cassie frown and sip at her soda while Tim forced a smile at Monique.

"Why can't you?" Monique asked me, reaching out and grabbing a fist full of my shirt.

Davina looked like she might hit her friend. Her little hands curled into fists, her lips spreading backwards from her teeth. I have to admit, I liked the little jealously she was feeling but this was not the time.

"I have to be going. Promised to have Davina at Marcel's and my sister's for dinner before I return to Los Angeles." I watched Davina relax. "I will see you all again."

Davina took my hand and gave Monique a defiant look. "Bye," she said before she led me out of the bar. We walked to the end of the street before I yanked her into an alleyway and pressed her against a wall. My lips moved to hers and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Kol, can't you stay?" she asked me when we broke apart.

"Trust me, love, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to spend the rest of life doing nothing but kissing you but this is not our time. Not yet," I told her. "Soon enough," I promised, kissing her again.

Davina pulled me closer, pressing her body against my mine and making me lose my restraint as I jerked her up the wall, flattening her against the bricks. "God, Davina, I am going to miss you, darling."

Davina nodded as my lips moved to her neck. "Me, too," she moaned.

We continued to kiss each other for the next ten minutes, lost in our little world, in the shadows when I pulled away from her. Setting her on her feet, I saw the disappointed look on her face, I supposed it probably matched my own.

"Shall we go?" I asked Davina.

Davina nodded. "Yes," she took the arm I offered her and we walked out of the alley. Mixing in with the tourists, we walked down the sidewalks, taking in the sights like those around us, making use of the limited time we had left together.

We took a bus to Algiers, sitting in the back, my arm slung over Davina's shoulders. Nothing else in the world mattered. Just us. Time could stop, we could care less as we watched snow begin to fall outside the window.

The bus pulled to a stop a few blocks from Marcel's place. Davina got off first and I followed her. She took my hand and we made our way forward. I stopped her every so often to place a firm kiss to her lips. She kissed me back with relish. By the time we got inside, it was hard for us to stop kissing until the sound of my sister's voice interrupted us. "Yes! Up the stairs. To the left! Left! I said LEFT!" she shouted. "Dear."

Davina gave me a look and I shrugged. I had grown used to Bekah's tantrums long ago. We headed up the stairs and found Bekah standing two floors above us and two floors below our destination. "Ah, you're here! Marcel will be pleased." She said, flipping her long locks over her shoulder and looking us over, frowning. "Just a couple of little things." Licking her thumb, she moved toward me.

"Stop that!" I cried when she moved to place her wet thumb on my lips. "I never intend on exchanging bodily fluids with you."

"Don't be such a baby, Kol!" Bekah shouted at me. "You're wearing lips gloss for heaven's sake. Do you think Marcel is that stupid?" I stopped allowing my sister to wipe the lip gloss off my lips.

Rebekah then went about straightening Davina's skirts. "Ah, the wrinkles won't be coming out this quickly so we'll just have to hope that Marcel decides to become blind for a night," she muttered, shaking her head. "Right then. Let's go." She marched us up to the apartment.

Marcel pulled the door open and grinned at Davina. "Right on time. I'm shocked," he said, giving me a look.

"I aim to please," I retorted.

Marcel gave me a severe look, his eyes narrowing and his body tensing. Perhaps he intended to beat me up. Let him try. After a tense moment, he moved back to let us in. I noted him accessing the state of Davina's clothing. He gave me another warning look before we moved into the living room.

Davina smiled at me while I assessed the group of people in the room. Marcel's friends and girls that Bekah picked up like stray puppies in a roadside. How sad. My brows rose when I noted the bartender from before: Cami. She stood off to the side, nursing a bottle of beer while a tall chap with an unruly mane of hair stood over her, talking excitedly about something. Cami smiled politely as another friend of Marcel's, the one with the cap joined them with his little girlfriend. I honestly did not miss these people. I only wanted to spend more time with Davina. Alone.

"Don't be a spoil sport. Come! Join the party!" Bekah cried, grabbing my hand and dragging me into the midst of the crowd. "Do be careful with that!" Bekah shouted to a man who brought in a lamp. She frowned until Marcel pressed a glass of wine into her hand. "Thank you, love," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

"Thank me later," Marcel said and I wanted to gag as they looked at each other. I could almost see their thoughts.

"Please. My stomach can't take much more of this," I told them, holding my stomach and making a face like I might vomit thanks to their little love fest.

Bekah rolled her eyes. "You're one to talk," she snapped at me, sniffing and walking off.

"Do not leave this room!" Marcel warned me and Davina with a finger jammed in my face.

Davina rolled her eyes but smiled up at her surrogate father. "I promise we won't go anywhere," she told him. Once Marcel had walked a few feet away she added. "Far." Turning to me, she took my hand and led me into the bathroom. "I can't believe you're leaving so soon," she groaned, looping her arms around my neck.

"I'll be back before you know it," I promised her, leaning down and pressing a tender kiss to her lips.

Davina sighed and pulled me closer. "Kol, I want to come with you."

"You can always visit," I replied, rubbing her back and watching her eyes light up.

"Like this weekend?" Davina asked me coyly, titling her head to the side.

I shook my head. "Give me a tiny break. There's only so much self-control a man can have around a little vixen like you, Davina Claire."

Davina began to giggle and I cupped her face, kissing her softly until she stopped laughing. A knock on the door startled us out of our little paradise. "I need to pee!" a familiar voice shouted.

"Of course," I sighed, opening the door, I glowered at Hayley who brushed past me. I took Davina's hand and led her out of the room. Thankfully Elijah was talking to Marcel so Marcel did not see Davina and I leaving the bathroom.

"Hey there," Cami called, hurrying over to us. "I haven't seen you two in awhile," she cried, throwing her arms around my neck. "Save me!" she cried into my ear.

I felt amused and found that Marcel's friends had abandoned her to some idiot in leather pants and blouse looking shirt.

Davina looked from me to Cami. "I can't believe we missed you!" she cried, taking Cami's hand and leading her away from the creeper with bad taste. "Were you just talking to Count Dracula?" she asked with a laugh.

Cami rolled her eyes. "After that conversation, I think I would have preferred the biting."

I grinned. "Kinky little thing."

Cami laughed. "Not my usual thing. Sorry about ruining your time together."

"It's okay. We probably need a chaperone," I told the blonde.

Marcel decided to interrupt us again. "Hey guys, see you're making new friends. Kol, have you met Cami. She works at Rousseau's and is over the age of twenty. Cami, this is Kol. His mental age is about twelve but he's an okay guy, if you don't mind jackasses."

"We've already met," Cami said drily. "And he's taken."

"As is Marcel," Bekah snapped, coming over and looping an arm through Marcel's, giving Cami a lethal look.

Now this just became more interesting and I would love to see how it played out but I wanted to get a dance or two with my girl before saying good-bye to the Big Easy. "Davina, do me the honor of a dance, darling?"

Davina grinned at me. "Of course," she said, taking my hand and we moved to an empty space. Someone was kind enough to turn on some music and we began to sway.

I watched those who I would not be seeing for some time: Elijah and Hayley talking to her bump. Rebekah glaring daggers at Cami. Marcel trying to keep the peace between his girlfriend and his "friend" or whatever she turned out to be. My eyes returned to Davina's. "I will miss you most of all, Davina," I whispered to her.

"Not as much as I'm going to miss you," Davina said. She leaned up on tip-toe to kiss me in front of this lot of fools and I kissed her back, not giving a damn what anyone else in the world thought.

Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.

Answers to guest reviews:

Princess: Anna will appear in the next chapter. Hopefully I can get that up sometime next month.

Kay: Thank you. I think I can work in some Kol/Klaus brotherly love in the next chapter.

Peace,

Jessica