Guess who's back? Back again! Haha.. I've been very busy but I feel motivaded so I try to find time to write.. The Originals give me a lot more inspiration than TVD did but dispite their wicked interaction last episode Klebekah are indeed fighting again! Oh dear.. They really are an On and Off thing.. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Next one will be a very important one. Sweet Rebekah will turn 18, a new character will be introduced and our story will take a turning point. Any guesses? Have a nice weekend!

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

– THE HARVEST FESTIVAL –

The day of the harvest festival had finally arrived and Rebekah was thorn. Even though she had a choice she had kept it secret from Niklaus, he didn't know that Kol had graciously given her the freedom to choose. As far a as he knew she had to go with Kol out of obligation. She felt a little bit bad for hiding it from him but she knew that if he had known she had a choice he would somehow trying to control her answer and she enjoyed not having that pressure on. What Kol had said was true, he was too controling sometimes, if he knew, he would have made things harder. She had dragged it along for a few days but she was about to get ready for the festival, her brothers had already left the room and were out probably enjoying themselves already. Her mother had braided her hair and on top of her bed was one of the few good dresses she had to wear that afternoon. She knew it was time to choose but she still had not decided if she wanted to go with Kol as it was originally planned or keep tradition and put a smile on Niklaus face by announcing that she could go with him. Well, she knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted to go with Niklaus, there's was no point denying it, but that did not mean the she would enjoy Kol's company less. She would just miss Nik, and the most important thing, he would have to miss her too.

When Rebekah walked out of the hut, she saw her brother standing just a few meters away, she walked towards him and when he turned around to face her she noticed how his eyes automatically widened.

"You look beautiful," he said.

She smiled, knowing that she had made the right decision.

"Would you escort me tonight?"

He showed his bright smile.

"My pleasure."

Rebekah was happily dancing, bouncing from one side to the other, the part of her hair that was loose bounced in the air and her brother's smile was as wide as hers, holding hands he spun her from left to right and twirled her around to beat of the music. When the song was over Rebekah laughed wholeheartedly and sighed grabbing the sides of her dress and making a small bow to her partner, she was happy, she really was, but one quick look to the crowd around her was enough to change that.

Another song started but she did not feel like dancing anymore.

"Our brother does not look very happy," Kol told her realizing that Niklaus was standing on the crow around them, eyes glued on them, giving Rebekah a hurtful look.

"Do you mind if we don't dance this one?" she asked.

"Not at all."

They walked far from the other dancing couples.

"I hope you're having fun," Kol told her, sincerely.

"I am," she was being honest.

"At least until a few seconds ago," he told her, acknowledging that she was upset. "Thank you, for choosing me. I know it must have been hard."

She tried to smile, but contentment did not fill her eyes.

"Let's not talk about it, Kol."

An hour later it was dark and the festival was about to be over, thanks were given for the small but successful harvest and people were eating, drinking and dancing everywhere. Kol had left Rebekah chatting with her friends while he'd go and get them some food but on his way he was suddenly stopped on his track.

"Having fun, brother?" Niklaus spoke bitterly, standing in front of Kol.

"Yes, I am."

"I'm sure you are," Niklaus spoke sarcastically. "Considering you stole my date."

"She's not your date, she's your sister, our sister, and I didn't steal anything from you." Kol was ready to finish the conversation but Niklaus wasn't. He put a hand on Kol's chest, stopping him from moving on.

"You stole from me, using some dirty blackmailing tricks. You did this only to hurt me, not caring about Rebekah."

"Rebekah? I'm pretty sure you have seen her. She's having a great time. And for the last time, let me clarify this, I did not steal from you, she chose me."

"What?" Niklaus asked. Confusion spread all over his face.

"Don't play dumb Niklaus, I gave her a choice and she chose me. Sorry it sucks for you. Don't worry, you can escort her next year, or maybe she will be married by then, let's see how well you deal with that," and with that, Kol finally walked away.

Rebekah was standing sharing jokes with friends Herdís and Moyrah.

"Your brother Kol looks dashing tonight," Herdís said not being shy at all.

Rebekah laughed. "Oh dear, You really have a thing for him don't you?"

"Do you think he likes me?" The girl asked anxiously. Rebekah shrugged shoulders.

"Kol doesn't talk about those things."

"Oh, Rebekah, please!" her friend begged. "Help me!"

"Herdís, I can't just..."

"Please," the girl said taking her hand. "You know I'd be a great sister to you," Herdís said playfully and all of them laughed.

"I'll see what I can do," Rebekah promised.

"REBEKAH!" she heard a voice shouting behind her. The girls' faces got suddenly serious. She knew exactly why. The tone of his voice implied it all. He was mad. Rebekah closed her eyes, arguing with Niklaus was the last thing she wanted to do that night.

"Rebekah!" he said once more and this time she heard him right behind her ears. Less than a second after she felt hands grabbing her and turning her around. She immediately jerked away. Who did he think he was to treat her like that in front of her friends?

"What!?" she replied sternly.

"We need to talk," he said, angry.

"Can it maybe wait?"

He ignored her. "How come you chose Kol over me?"

Her eyes widened. Oh, not only was he angry because she was with Kol but he had found out that she had chosen Kol over him. Yeah, she had to do some damage control, she had known it the minute she made a choice.

They did that thing were they communicate without words, he turned around - meaning follow me - so she did.

"Answer me," he demanded as soon as they were out of everyone's sight.

"Nik..." she started speaking softly but he interrupted her. "Just.. Answer me."

"Kol didn't force me to come with him. The night you sneaked out to help Alma, he gave me a choice. I could choose coming with him or I could choose you. I chose him." she admitted.

Niklaus felt in pain. His factions went from angry to hurt in a matter of seconds. "You lied to me," he said, astonished. "All this time, you lied to me making me believe you didn't have a choice, but you did, and you chose him over me!" at the end his voice was only a whisper, a whisper full of disbelief. "Why?"

She started crying. She couldn't help it, she felt horrible.

"I'm sorry Nik!" she cried. "I'm very sorry, I know I should have told you but I knew you'd be upset and I didn't want that."

"And you think that I was never going to find out?"

She looked down.

"Kol was very happy to rub on my face how you chose him over me!"

Damn Kol, he had to go and do it. Deep down she had hopes of Niklaus never finding out that she went with him willingly. After all, she was not planning on telling him.

"Why, Rebekah?" he questioned her again. "Why!?" this time he shouted it.

"Because it felt good to have a choice!" she blurted out. "I wanted to go with you, I really did, but you take me for granted Nik! You assume that I always have to go with you everywhere, tell you everything, and agree with you on all things." she confessed. "He doesn't! He gave me the freedom to choose and that made me feel good, that made me want to go with him although I was missing you the whole time."

Niklaus just stood there, his face showed no emotion now. Rebekah couldn't tell if he was angry or hurt, or probably both.

"Do you really think that I take you for granted? That I don't give you a choice?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Then I apologize for asphyxiating you," he said sternly. "I was just holding on to the little stability I have in my life. Everyone who has a choice ends up leaving me. I was afraid that if I gave you one you wouldn't chose me," he sighed. "And I guess I was right. You chose him after all."

He looked down, afraid that if he looked her in the eye it would reveal how much this was hurting him so he started walking away.

"Please, don't go," she asked of him but it didn't make a difference. He kept walking. "Go find Kol, he must be wondering where you are."

"Nik!" she shouted and held him back with all the strength that she could manage by holding him by his arm. "Please don't leave me!" she begged.

"Isn't that what you want?"

"No!" she shouted.

He was losing it. "What do you want then?" he screamed at her with the little patience he had left.

"I want to be with you.. Forever," she said. No hesitating.

He laughed. Right on her face, he laughed and she couldn´t understand it.

"Forever is a very long time, sister," he joked.

"I don't care," she assured him.

"What are you talking about?" he spoke seriously.

"The more days go by the more I understand Alma's choice of leaving this place," she explained. "We can do it Nik! Let's leave! You and I."

He was caught off guard. "Rebekah..." It was all he was able to say.

"Don't tell me you haven't thought about it. You've always dreamt about leaving this place."

"I have," he admitted. "But why would you?"

"Because I don't want you to leave without me."

"Why now?" he asked, curious about this sudden turn of events.

"Your almost marriage to Alma made me realize that very soon you are going to... Escape, marry, leave, go far.." she shook her head to the endless possibilities that flooded her head. "I know one day, very soon you're going to walk away and I don't want that day to suddenly come when I'm not ready. I don't want you to leave me behind."

Niklaus looked at her carefully. Trying to read every little gesture of hers. He could tell she was being serious about this.

"Going with Kol to the dance was not the only choice I made tonight Nik," she revealed. "I said yes to Kol because it was my last chance to come with him. I chose him tonight because I'm choosing you to be my only family for the rest of my life."

He was speechless. Of course he wanted to leave the Village and of course he wanted to take her. His primitive instinct wanted to throw her over his shoulder and carry her out of that place before she had the chance to change her mind.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked her.

She nodded.

"What about Elijah? What about Henrick, your friends and everyone else you would leave behind?"

"I will miss them so much," she admitted. "But if you suddenly left without me then I'd miss you more."

After those words all the anger and hurt that me might have felt earlier turned into happiness and joy. It suddenly did not matter that Rebekah went with Kol to the festival; she was choosing him over all of them.

"I want you to understand everything that you are giving up if you come with me," he started listing all the things that she would miss out.

"Our parents.."

"I will miss Mother but I cannot see Father hurting you again. You and I will be better off without him."

"Our siblings.."

"Finn is happy with Sage, Kol would not agree to come with us, Henrick is too young and I wish Elijah would come, but it's a sacrifice I will have to make."

"Your friends..."

"They are not better friends to me than you. If I have you, I don't need them." That's what Rebekah thought.

"I don't even know where we would go," he warned her.

"I don't care. I'd go anywhere," she assured him.

A wide smile spread across his face. Now he felt completely satisfied, her conviction was strong and so was his. His wildest dream had come true. He and Rebekah were leaving together.

"Only one thing I ask."

"What is it?" he asked, preoccupied.

"Let's wait a few more weeks, until my 18th birthday. And then we will leave whenever you want."

He nodded in agreement. "Until January 20th we shall wait then." Niklaus seemed so content that the huge weight that was pressing her heart a while ago was lifted. "We should get back," she suggested. "We don't want to get in trouble for disappearing. We will have plenty of time later."

"Wait!" he called out and grabbed her hand. He took a deep breath and gave her hand a soft squeeze. "I promise you one day.. I don't know how, but I will show you the wonders of this world."

She smiled at him and held his hand tightly.

"I believe you Nik.. I believe you."