A/N: HEYYY! :D Thanks for le awesome reviews! ;)

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xoxo Ascha

Chapter 26:

"Shh! Nik we're gonna get busted!" I said as Nik tried finding his way to my panties under the massive dress I wore.

It was quite hilarious to watch him go hunting for it like that and turned my post-second-engagement arousal into amusement instead.

"Perhaps you should've thought of that before you decided to have sex with me…" he said, sticking his head out from the skirt. "Why would you even wear panties? You never wore them when–"

"Shhh!" I shushed loudly and felt my cheeks becoming bright red.

But I did curse at myself for deciding to wear anything other than a bra, because it was inhibiting us from celebrating our engagement.

"Niklaus!" Esther called as Klaus had returned to searching for my panties.

His head instantly moved out and for once it was him who blushed as he quickly zipped his trousers and pulled me up from the bed.

"Jeez, I feel like we're teenagers now…" I muttered grumpily.

A knock suddenly sounded that caused me to jump a little and the door opened to reveal Esther along with Finn, who seemed to follow her like a lost puppy all the time.

"I hope I did not interrupt anything?" Esther said kindly, clearly oblivious to the fact that her son had just gone panty hunting.

Klaus quickly shook his head and tried his best to hide his flushed cheeks. I decided to walk into his bathroom and reapplied my lipstick while they spoke.

I still had no desire to talk with Esther ever again even if she technically was going to be my mother-in-law, because she had no right to judge me.

Besides… there was something about Esther's return and the way she treated the son she tried to kill that seemed a little… okay, no very suspicious.

"We have to join my mother for a toast, Evie," Klaus said, kissing my neck softly as he wrapped his arms around me from behind. "But after that…"

He didn't have to say more because I could already feel his arousal pressing against me and it was hard for me to not to jump on him.

"Oh, you are so doing that on purpose… bad hybrid!" I swatted his hands away and giggled as I ran out of the room with him following right behind me, trying to catch me.

"Gotcha!" Klaus laughed as he grabbed me and spun me around with him, smiling like a teenager who was madly in love.

I guessed it was the engagement that had put him in this carefree mood and it made me remember how much more carefree he used to be when we first got engaged.

"Oi, behave! People might actually think that you're growing soft and squishy like a teddy bear." I said teasingly.

Klaus' eyes widened in horror of that thought and he pulled away, but took my hand in his and lead me downstairs so we could join the rest of the guests.

Among them I saw someone who made me stop dead in my tracks.

Philippe – my mother's oldest and dearest friend – stood by the end of the staircase, dressed in a fine suit as he looked up at me with those warm green eyes.

He didn't look a day older than 35, which was the age he was when he disappeared.

I ran towards him as I realized that I wasn't dreaming and he grinned, opening his arms wide to hug me once I reached him.

God, I truly had missed Philippe or "Phil" as I just called him.

He'd been like a father figure to me and taught me everything I knew, because he didn't want me to keep cleaning people's houses and serving my brothers like I wasn't their sister.

So when I hugged him I nearly burst into tears and probably confused Klaus more than a little.

Klaus cleared his throat to let me know that he wanted an explanation, so I pulled out of the tight hug and turned to Klaus, smiling like a fool.

"Nik, this is Jean-Philippe Géroux – a very dear friend of mine and my mother," I said. "Phil, this is my fiancé Klaus Mikaelson, but don't tell anyone about our engagement. It's a secret."

Philippe's eyes widened a tad but he nodded and shook Klaus' hand firmly as he introduced himself to him properly.

I could hear that his French accent was still there but it wasn't as thick as when I befriended him.

"Klaus Mikaelson… I have heard an incredibly lot of awful things about you," Philippe said honestly because if there was something he was then it was honest. "But I know that Evie wouldn't marry just anyone so I'm happy to meet you."

Klaus raised a brow at that and glanced at me, but before he could reply he was distracted by the sound of his mother's voice.

"Evie, can I talk with you outside? Alone?" Philippe asked.

I could tell that it was something serious by the way he looked at me, so I excused myself and walked outside to the backyard so I could talk with him, noticing that Klaus wasn't too happy about seeing his fiancée go with a stranger.

"If this is about Klaus killing my mother, then–"

"It is and I cannot believe that you would want to marry the man who took your mother's life!" Philippe hissed.

My happy mood had disappeared instantly and old rage filled me instead.

"That's a lot coming from the man who just left me to defend myself."

I knew that it wasn't fair of me to say that, but I had felt hurt about it when he'd told my mother over and over again that he would protect me if something happened to her.

Philippe groaned under his breath and muttered a few swearwords in French as he ran his fingers through his black hair in frustration.

"Evie, I had to leave… I had to… get revenge," he said. "I was so angry because I loved your mother and had planned to marry her, so we could all live in peace somewhere else. And when she then died all I could think about was finding that witch who made her sick."

It didn't surprise me that he'd been in love with my mother and I understood his reason for leaving, but he should've taken me with him or at least made sure that I was living somewhere safe.

"Did you find her?"

Philippe nodded. "She worked for Klaus' stepfather Mikael. Turns out your mother tricked Mikael, because she didn't trust him and he then retaliated."

I closed my eyes and leaned against a wall, sighing heavily. I didn't even want to know why my mother had tricked him, because she was one mysterious woman who loved danger.

"So the rumors were true… You're a warlock?" I asked curiously, looking up at him again.

"Was one yes. I became a vampire soon after when I met Mikael… not out of free will though. He was pretty pissed off by my stunt so he turned me into what I hate the most." Philippe answered.

This time it was my turn to groan and curse, but a part of me was happy that he was a vampire, because there was so much I wanted to talk with him about.

"I nearly died not so long ago… from a fatal hybrid bite," I sighed and approached him. "I saw my mother before Nik saved my life and she told me to find you."

Philippe raised a brow, looking intrigued. "Did she say anything else?"

I shook my head. "But you found me so I guess it worked out."

He smiled as he nodded and cupped my face in his hands. "Yes, I did and it has been very tough to track you down. But I'm happy to see that you've grown up and become a beautiful, strong and stubborn woman like your mother."

I couldn't stop myself from blushing. "I'm sorry I became angry at you."

He shook his head. "Don't be. You were right. I should've stayed with you like I promised and taken care of you. I hoped that Giuseppe had taken you in but I later found out that that wasn't the case. That man doesn't deserve to be called 'father' by any of his children."

Now that I could agree on.

There might have been a time when he did actually care about his family and especially about his children, but I had a feeling that that time ended when he lost his wife.

"Enough about me… Do you really think you can go through this wedding?"

I nodded without hesitating, because after all the things I'd been through with Nik I was sure that one wedding wasn't that difficult.

It was just going to be difficult getting our siblings and friends to come, because they both hated each other and most of them hated my future husband.

"He has saved me more than once and proven that he really loves me, Phil… and I love him too. He makes me feel so alive and happy… even if my brothers despise him.

Philippe frowned. "So you've found them as well?"

I nodded. "That's a very long story that I'm gonna need a lot of drinks to before I'll tell it."

He chuckled. "You sound so much like your mother, but give me a call when you want to talk. I may not be your father by blood but I see you as my own daughter."

That really warmed my undead heart and it also brought forth old tears that I'd kept in.

I embraced him once again and didn't care if I ruined my mascara, because I felt so grateful to have him in my life and since I hardly thought Giuseppe would approve of this wedding (even if he was still alive) then it would be nice if he walked me up the aisle.

"Evie?" The sound of Klaus' voice brought me out of my emotional state and after having this talk with Philippe he was more comfortable about leaving me with Nik.

He left me alone with my fiancé and allowed Nik to give me a glass of red-pinkish champagne that he'd saved for me.

"I'm sorry I missed your mother's speech." I murmured, taking a sip of it.

"It's fine. I can tell from the mascara around your eyes that you needed this talk," Klaus said and tried wiping as much smudged mascara off my cheeks as he could. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, allowing him to finish wiping it away.

"I wish Philippe was my real father. He certainly loves me as if it was like that…"

"I know the feeling…" Klaus frowned, probably reminiscing how cruel his own stepfather had been to him.

"You know what would be really good right now?"

Klaus grinned, nodding at the glass of champagne which actually was the answer to my question. I downed it all in one long swig, stealing his and downing it too and hiccupped, making Klaus laugh.

"I believe you've had too much to drink," he said. "Do you think you can handle another dance with me?"

I giggled uncontrollably and hiccupped again. "Probably not!"

I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or – oh who was I trying to fool? Of course it was the alcohol! I jumped up on Klaus' back and nibbled on his earlobe playfully.

"Run horsie! Run!" I shouted.

Klaus rolled his eyes and put me down, turning around so he could hold me still.

"I am not making a fool out of myself. Now come with me, dearest fiancée. You need sleep…" he said, taking my hand in his as he kissed my temple.

"Sleep? Blegh, sleep is for fairies named Edward Cullen!"

He raised a brow, not quite sure what I was talking about. I grinned anyway, smooching him before running away, giggling like a little girl.

"Evie! Get your ass back here!" Klaus quickly followed me, trying his best to catch up with me.

"No way! I will not join the dark force! Even if you have cookies!"

Klaus couldn't stop himself from laughing of my nonsense. "Evie, stop you little wolf! This is not funny!"

"Ohhh but yes it issss! It's–"

I tripped over something and as I tried getting back up I noticed Kol lying "dead" on the ground, while Damon stood only a few feet away from us, looking really pissed off for some reason, but Stefan and Klaus' siblings were also there, looking shocked.

All I could think of saying was: "Errr… whatever happened then I didn't do it!" And then I ran.

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