I do not own the originals
There were many reasons that she was standing on the edge of the dining room in this fancy hotel. There were even more reasons that she was wearing a fitted off the shoulder red wiggle dress and matching heels. There was a reason that her skin smelled like lilac soap and Youth Dew by Estée Lauder. There was a reason her makeup looked a little more marvelous than it normally did and that two emerald earring glistened from her ears.
There were lots of reasons for lots of things but staring at him across the room she couldn't think of much.
She had figured that he was travelling for business. That he would leave her to her own devices much like he did when they were at his home back in Illinois. She had expected to be barley spoken to and treated as an inconvenience. It would have been easier that way. She would have been more comfortable if that is how it had gone.
But that is not how he had treated her and so the feeling she was having then was not something she expected and not one she was prepared to deal with.
The first reason she was on the edge of the dining room looking much more like the duchess than herself was this:
"Mr. Mikealson." The concierge greeted him as Miko took in the grandeur of the lobby with its crystal chandeliers and floral décor.
"Hello Floyd" Elijah said and Miko could hear the smile in his voice which meant he liked the man. Miko didn't stop to look at him but studied the staircases and beautiful flowers in large vases.
"I don't think that necessary Floyd but I was wondering I could change the reservation to a larger suite." Elijah said and Miko turned raising and eyebrow. He ignored her of course.
"Of course Mr. Mikealson. Let me just make those arrangement." The man said disappearing to grant Elijah's wish.
"How scandalous if word gets out?" Miko asked coming over to lean on the counter.
"I think I preferred when you were reluctant to speak and kept to yourself." He said but there was no real bite in his voice.
"Then you should have left me back in Chicago Mr. Mikealson." Miko said "Or you could always compel me to be as you would wish me to be."
"I wouldn't do that." He said so sternly she was a bit surprised.
"You sister didn't seem to take any issue with digging into my mind." She said turning again to enjoy the view of the hotel.
He went to answer her with somewhat of a twisted expression and a look in his eyes with what looked like a feeling he wanted to convey to her but he never got the chance. Floyd came back with a bellhop who offered to carry their luggage.
They made their way to the top floor of the hotel and were led by both Floyd and the bellhop to a beautiful grand room with bright whitewalls and a parlor decorated with delicate French furniture. A small kitchen occupied the room as well. Two rooms on either side looked stocked with wonderful amenities. Miko took a seat in a striped blue and white intricate chair and browsed the reading material that was set on the mirrored glass table. Fresh yellow tulips graced a metal vase in the center of the table and they were so expertly arranged that they looked fake.
"Mrs. Mikealson can I get you anything else?" Floyd asked her and her head snapped up as she caught herself not having paid attention.
"Excuse me?" She asked
"Is there something else I could offer you?" He asked again
"Darling is there anything you need?" Elijah asked and she looked at him shocked and confused.
"I think she must be tired from the trip Floyd she would probably enjoy a bit of a rest." Elijah said silently herding him toward the door politely.
"It was pleasure to finally meet you Mrs. Mikealson. I've heard lovely things about you." He said before he exited the room and she waved at him halfheartedly.
She sat there for a moment in silence trying to figure out what was going on. Her mind raced to decode the reasons that the staff would be calling her Mrs. Mikealson. She would have guessed they assumed her to be Elijah's relative if he hadn't just referred to her as Darling. She dared to look across the room and raise an eyebrow as their gazes met. He said nothing but instead picked up his things and walked to the smaller of the two rooms.
She decided not to press him.
"I'm going to take a tour of the hotel and the grounds" she said turning her head away as to not make him feel as if he owed her an explanation.
"Do you need an escort?" He asked ever the polite gentlemen.
She headed for the door already relived to be on her own for a moment.
"No thank you darling I'll be fine." She said smiling to herself and slipping out before he could respond.
She remembered the way her heart rebelliously leapt when he had called her darling. This was one reason she was walking across the floor to him as if drawn by a force greater that her will.
The second reason was this:
They hadn't spoken when she had come back to the room much. He had offered her a glass of wine at one point while she was reading which she declined. He had gone in and out of the room several times sometimes he was gone for a couple hours at a time. She had fallen asleep and woken to the sound of the room door opening and closing. Her eyes remained close and she controlled her breathing. She heard him come into her room through the door which she had closed. The knob clicked and his steady footsteps announced him. She did not alert him to the fact that she was awake.
He sat next to her on the bed shifting everything slightly. He didn't seem to care if he woke her or not. He sat there for a long while to where she almost drifted back to sleep with him sitting next to her. She almost gave herself away when she felt his fingers against her temple brushing against it lightly.
"If you weren't so faithfully honest and so ferociously beautiful I would be in a much better way." He said almost in a whisper as he stood up. Her breath caught slightly and she stirred sleepily to cover up the sound. She settled back eyes still closed and her breathing regulated as she heard him close the door behind him as he left.
The third reason that she was smiling foolishly as his gaze scanned her dress clad figure with surprise was this:
She put on her teal collared house coat and walked into the parlor early in the morning. There had been a knock at the door but she didn't see Elijah up so she walked to the door and opened it.
Before her stood Floyd with a rolling tray of food that smelled like the closest thing to heaven she could imagine. There were glasses of orange juice and a pitcher of coffee with beautiful cream and sugar dishes next to it. Two plates covered in domes also graced the tray. She opened the door so that he could move the cart inside.
Floyd was a middle aged man who was short, perhaps only five and a half feet. He had thinning dark hair and looked muscular like he worked hard. His eyes were dark and looked as if they never missed much of anything. He was wearing his same black pleated slacks and white button up shirt and tie he had worn yesterday and looked very put together
"That smells fantastic." She said following behind him particularly interested in the coffee that was tempting her from the metal pitcher.
"I hope you enjoy Mrs. Mikealson." He said smiling and parking the cart right next to the table in the parlor. "I hate to repeat myself from yesterday but it is a pleasure to meet Mr. Mikealson's wife."
"The pleasure is mine." She said tapping into some of her false charm.
"He speaks highly of you whenever he visits and always promised that you would accompany him on one of his visits." The man beamed at her and she smiled wide.
"My husband is overly generous with his praise. You shouldn't believe a thing he says about me." She smiled as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
"Oh you seem to be just as lovely as he said you were." He said walking to the exit.
"I'm flattered Floyd." She said following him to the door enjoying the warmth of the porcelain mug in her hand. "Surely it isn't your job to deliver room service." She said as he opened the door.
"I prefer to take care of my guests." He said smiling. "Mr. Mikealson and anyone with him is held in highest regard here."
"I will have to remember that." She said smiling and winking at him and he slowly turned a flushed pink color.
"Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you or Mr. Mikealson." He said leaving quickly and she smiled behind him and then frowned realizing that she had just easily slipped into her old snake charming skin. How easily the joy of making others uncomfortable came back to her.
She took her mug and walked back to the food tray. She took off her house coat exposing her sleeveless blue nightgown. She poured a little cream in her coffee and sat down on the couch making herself comfortable. She sipped her coffee and closed her eyes against the warmth of the beverage and the comfort of the couch. She finished two cups of coffee before Elijah walked through the door from the hall.
"Miko." He said surprised and she raised her head to look at him.
"Yes?" She asked a little curious as to why he would be surprised that she was there.
"I didn't expect to see you up yet." He said walking to the couch and standing by its edge.
"Oh?" She asked "I'm not much for sleeping in."
They existed in silence while Elijah poured himself a cup of coffee and investigated the contents of their breakfast.
"I suppose I owe you an apology and an explanation." He sighed sitting gently on the edge of the couch as if he were rather uncomfortable sitting on things.
"You owe me neither." She assured him
"You have been patient and more than fair with myself and my family and we have not returned the favor." She looked at him but didn't answer. He was right but he didn't need her to affirm that.
"The men I do business with here are old money family oriented gentlemen who were much more trusting once they thought I had a family. You would think the currency that I pour into our business endeavors would be proof enough but there is something about a wife and child that put their minds at ease." He explained and she nodded "When Niklaus suggested that you come with me I saw a rare opportunity to add depth to my backstory."
"I can't blame you." She nodded understanding.
"You have been gracious." He stated and said nothing else but absently looked into his coffee mug.
"So what's my name?" She asked him and his head slowly raised to hers. As she searched his face any irritation she had fell away. She realized that the longer she was with him the less she could be upset. His kind eyes and young but tired face elicited a happiness within her that she thought the last decades had taken from her.
"If I am to play the doting wife of the honorable Elijah Mikealson I will need to know my name." She smiled and his eyes hinted at a laugh.
"Yes that..." he said and looked away from her then. "Of course I had given my wife a name."
"Which is?" She asked sipping her coffee and standing up to find out what was under the silver trays. She lifted one dome and found sausage and French toast with a beautiful dusting of powdered sugar. She began to shift the plate so that she could eat when he spoke sounding very uncomfortable.
"The name that I had given my fabricated wife was Miko." He left the end of the sentence abruptly like he was unsure how to defend the fact. She had just bit into a strawberry and she turned to him and looked at him with surprise.
"But you hadn't know I would come." She said still holding the other half of the strawberry in her hand.
"No, neither did I expect you to as I thought you were dead." His eyes moved away from hers and seemed to look for something to focus on.
"Elijah Mikealson how long has this false wife been named after me?" She asked trying to keep the surprise from her voice and the blush from creeping up her neck.
"I believe the first time that I mentioned her in conversation was about two years ago." He still wasn't looking at her as he spoke. "I hadn't prepared the lie beforehand and your name happened to come to my mind when they were asking about it and the son that I also made up."
"What's our son's name?" She asked impossibly.
"Henrik Katashi Mikealson." He responded and she felt a dull aching at the sound of her father's name.
"A good name as far as they go. " She said turning back to the tray of food.
There were more reasons. There were many more from the morning and afternoon that they had spent together eating and drinking coffee and sharing favorite book titles and quotes. He hadn't left her again but instead insisted that they be seen together to solidify the lie or matrimony.
It hadn't been a hard task as Elijah was good company.
She thought of all the different reasons for her being there. But as he stood and met her from around the table taking her mink stole and looking into her eyes with gratitude and friendship her mind couldn't think of anything. She could only focus on the small smirk that graced his face. It was his smile a small and subtle thing unless you knew where to look for it.
His fingers brushed her shoulders and she goosebumps marked her skin.
"You look absolutely magnificent." He said in her ear and the pulse in her throat quickened.
"Mrs. Mikealson." A man across the table dragged her attention away from Elijah. "We have been waiting a long time to meet you."
"Likewise" she said smiling at the man. "I thought Elijah had been making all of you up."