I do not own TVD or TO
This story has taken on an entirely different direction from when I first planned it out. There were originally going to be three villian arches (Stefan, Esther, and Finn), but I've changed my mind and come up with another main villian inspired by what I've see of season 4 of the Originals.
14 Weeks Later
She propped her chin in her hand and stared at the tray on the table. Her stomach growled, demanding the chicken sandwich and carrot sticks, but her tongue was of a different mind. She wanted something and she had no idea what it was.
Her classmates were scattered around the cafeteria, eating and socializing in whatever clique they belonged to, but nothing on the surrounding tables appealed to her either.
It was so frustrating. She briefly considered tearing out her hair just so she could do something, but thankfully a distraction arrived at her table before she could.
"Elena, darling," Kol smirked, leaning over the table, "eat your veggies."
Elena picked up a carrot stick, and eyed it with disdain. "My veggies are not speaking to me," she sighed.
He cocked an eyebrow and leaned back a few inches. Over the last few months he had learned to pick his battles with his brother's mate, but even so he had never excelled at holding his tongue.
"I see," he bit down his smirk. Amusement flashed in his dark eyes. "Do your vegetables normally speak to you, love? Because if that is the case, we may need to visit a different doctor next week."
She flicked her wrist and the carrot turned around, spinning like a baton. If Kol had been human the projectile would have made contact with his nose, but he wasn't. He moved a little too fast to be considered the human he was posing as and caught the vegetable between his teeth, making Elena roll her eyes.
"Are you trying to start a food fight?" Caroline dropped into the chair beside her friend. "You might want to choose a different target."
"He insinuated that I was crazy," she shrugged one shoulder. Shifting in her seat she inspected Caroline's tray and the plastic cup in the corner. Her mouth watered at the sight. "Are you going to eat that?"
Blue eyes followed the motion of Elena's nod. A line appeared between the blonde's brows. She shook her head.
Elena grinned and picked up the cup. Goosebumps rose on her arms as she plucked a cube from the plastic and popped it in her mouth. It wasn't quite what she was looking for but it was still the best thing she had eaten all day.
Jeremy sat in the empty chair next to Kol and eyed his sister's lunch choice.
"I'm pretty sure ice has no nutritional value."
"The veggies weren't speaking to her," Kol stage whispered. "I'm thinking of getting her head checked next week." His hand came up to catch the carrot Elena threw at him.
"Jeremy's got a point, 'Lena," Caroline frowned, "you've gotta eat something." She speared her pasta salad and took a healthy bite.
"Kol's not eating," Elena pouted, popping another ice cube between her lips. The cold flooded her mouth and succeeded in somewhat cooling her skin; she had felt a nearly unbearable warmth since waking up.
"I don't need to eat," he pointed out, waving her carrot to make his point.
"Neither does Caroline," Jeremy gave the blonde's full tray a pointed look.
"It helps curb my hunger," she shrugged, "and push off those lovely 'kill-everyone-who-looks-at-me' urges." Her eyes narrowed into a glare focused on the other side of the cafeteria.
Kol glanced over his shoulder and bit back his laugh when he spotted his sister holding court over some sort of committee. He considered listening in to find out what was so interesting to her, but ultimately decided against it because he really didn't care about his sister's social circle.
"You haven't had those in a while," Elena murmured. She finished off the last of the ice cubes and frowned at the empty cup.
"I've got an Original pain in the ass hosting a hostile takeover," Caroline scoffed. "No offence," her eyes flickered to Kol.
"None taken," he waved off her concern, "I've no illusions when it comes to my sister. She can, as you've said, be a real 'pain-in-the-ass'."
"Should I bother asking what she did?" Elena tilted her head. Her eyes landed on a shallow bowl in the corner of her brother's tray and she picked up a carrot stick.
"She's gone and rearranged the decade dance order," Caroline threw up her hands; the salad on her tray forgotten.
"That doesn't seem so bad," Elena reached across the table. She dragged the carrot stick through the bowl and popped it in her mouth. Her teeth came down breaking through the vegetable and spreading the combined flavor through her mouth; it was euphoric and she very nearly moaned.
"Except that we've already done all the planning and prep work for the 80s." Caroline continued to rant, gesticulating with her hands and holding the boys' attention. "Now she's gone off and changed it to the 20s and the dance is on Friday. Do you have any idea how much work this is gonna be? I swear she wants to turn the gym into a freaking speakeasy in two days!"
"You do know you're a vampire, right love?" Kol smirked. "Even if you're still clinging to every human moral and refusing to use compulsion you could have the gym decorated in no time."
"There's a committee and cameras in the gym," Caroline rolled her eyes. "I had to compel one of the AV kids to erase the footage after Klaus came back to town. There were a few shots that just couldn't be explained."
"Who'd you get?" Elena dipped another carrot.
"Do you remember April Young?" Caroline reached for her water bottle.
"Of course," she mumbled around her carrot, "I used to babysit her."
"Turns out she's quite the techie," she grinned.
"I knew that, actually," Elena bit her bottom lip. "I caught her hacking her dad's emails before she went off to Boarding School."
"She's upped her game since then," Caroline tilted her head. Her eyes dropped to the table where Elena was dipping the last of her carrots in Jeremy's chocolate pudding. "That's disgusting."
"The carrots are speaking to me," she grinned.
"Don't worry darling," he reached across the table to pat Elena's hand, "we'll get you a nice therapist."
"Shut up, Kol," Elena rolled her eyes.
"After you've eaten your sandwich," he smirked.
Elena pointed around the table. "You three do realize that I don't need a babysitter, right? I've been successfully taking care of myself for many years now."
"And how many attempts have been made on your life?" Kol leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms behind his head.
"This week?" Jeremy smirked.
"Or over the past year?" Caroline nudged Elena with her elbow.
"I can take care of myself," she insisted. She would have crossed her arms, but the chicken sandwich suddenly looked really good. "I don't need supernatural protection."
"Nik's got no shortage of enemies, darling, and when word spreads about you – which it will – they will flock to Mystic Falls."
"She's got me for when that happens," Caroline gave him a look, daring him to contradict her.
"True," Kol nodded, "and you can be very intimidating." It was true; her confidence and fire had even given him pause from time to time. "However, in a physical altercation you would stand no chance. Every vampire that would dare to make a move against him by attacking her has the arrogance that comes from centuries of living. The youngest of them would probably have four centuries on you."
"What: he didn't make any enemies in the last few decades?" Jeremy frowned.
"If he had been making new enemies the supernatural community would have known about it and Elijah wouldn't have had to use Elena here to draw Nik out of hiding." Kol nodded to Elena.
"So," Elena lowered her sandwich and met his eyes, "he's basically a dick to everyone he meets for centuries and as a result I get a body guard?"
"That about sums it up," Caroline shook her head. "You really know how to pick 'em."
"I don't know that I did much picking," Elena rolled her eyes. The details of everything were still gone.
"You would have," Kol tilted his head. He uncrossed his arms and leaned back across the table. "There's always a choice, Elena. Just because you're mates it doesn't mean you have to be together. I've seen pairs that never completed the mating bond; they even went on to marry other people. There is no mystical pull forcing the two of you together. There is desire there, and since Nik's a hybrid it would be stronger during the full moon, but if you really wanted to you could resist it."
"Just for argument's sake," something flashed in Caroline's eyes, "he could have compelled her," her voice hardened just enough that the human's didn't notice.
"He'd never do that," Kol shook his head. He had the strangest feeling she wasn't talking about Klaus anymore.
"You're his brother," Jeremy sipped his water, "don't you have to say that."
"My relationship with my brother is different than the one you two share," Kol's eyes flickered between Jeremy and Elena. "Nik locked me in a box. The cumulative years make up a third of my life. Do you really think I'd rush to defend his character?"
"Fair enough," Caroline dropped her eyes. She could feel Kol's inquisitive gaze and hurried to change the subject before he could ask. "I think I could take them."
"I don't," he shook his head. "The older a vampire is the more strength they have."
"I took Stefan down once," Caroline crossed her arms.
"150 years is nothing, and if I understand correctly he only feeds on animals, which makes him weaker than he should be," he glanced across the cafeteria to where Stefan had taken a seat with Rebekah.
Kol returned his sharp gaze to Caroline. "If I didn't know any better, love, I'd say you were trying to get rid of me."
She offered a sweet smile.
"Wouldn't Rebekah have drawn less attention?" Elena tilted her head. She could see the cheerleading squad at their usual table whispering behind raised hands and shooting looks at Kol that made it perfectly clear what they were thinking.
"Maybe," Kol grinned. He could easily hear what the girls were saying about him. "However, Nik hasn't spoken to her since the gasoline and matches incident, and anyway…" He cocked his head towards his admirers, "… I happen to like being the center of attention though," he saw a light flush stain Caroline's cheeks and smirked. "Is that why you're trying to get rid of me, darling? Are you jealous and wanting me all to yourself?"
"When pigs fly," Caroline smirked. She broke eye contact to take a long pull from her water.
"Stranger things have happened," Kol's eyes flicked back to Elena, roaming to the swell of her stomach that was hidden under her shirt. He was ninety-nine percent sure the grey Henley was one of his brother's. "Finish your lunch, love," he flashed Elena a bright grin, "You're eating for two."
"Say it a little louder Kol," Elena glared. "Announce it to the entire school."
"I think they're gonna find out soon anyway," he looked down at her midsection, recognizing the mistake the second he made it.
Elena sucked in a sharp breath. Her eyes narrowed to a dangerous slit. Her voice dropped to a deadly hiss.
"Are you calling me fat?" Her body quivered with indignation.
Caroline resisted the urge to laugh when she heard Kol gulp; the sound was loud enough that she was certain Rebekah had heard it too.
He held out his hands and attempted to back track before her deadly hiss turned to hiccupping sobs or hysterical laughter.
"Of course not, darling," he tried to placate her. "All I'm saying is that you're going to be showing soon and you won't be able to hide it."
"Don't you think I know that?" She leaned back in her chair. "It's impossible to forget when I'm throwing up every other morning, and when she's twisting somersaults inside me." She motioned to her stomach with her chin.
"She?" Caroline just held back her squeal. "Did you find out?"
"No…" Elena shrugged one shoulder. She blushed when she felt their eyes. "I've just… I've got this feeling. I can't explain it… I just feel like it's a girl."
"And is my niece spinning around right now?" Kol tilted his head.
"Always," Elena rolled her eyes. "I'm never alone anymore, and I can't even pretend that I am because she just twists and turns." Her brows rose when Caroline's hands landed on her stomach.
"I thought you said she was twisting?" A pout marred Caroline's features.
"She is," Elena bit back her laugh. For a moment she caught Rebekah's unreadable eyes across the room, but the Original looked away before she could make sense of the expression. "You just can't feel it yet."
"Come on, baby," she leaned closer and whispered, "kick a little harder for Auntie Caroline." She sighed when nothing happened and the only thing she could feel was the soft thumping of the baby's heart. "Kol's got a point," she smoothed Elena's shirt down, "I can feel it; you're already showing."
"You might want to tell Jenna before she catches on," Jeremy reached for his water. "I swear she's starting to think you're depressed with all of the oversized shirts."
"You haven't told Jenna yet?" Caroline let go of Elena's stomach and crossed her arms. "Elena Gilbert!"
"I told Ric," she held out her hands.
"Ric walked in on you and Klaus while you were reviewing doctors," Jeremy pointed out, "and you made him swear not to tell Jenna."
"I don't know how she hasn't figured it out yet," Caroline shook her head.
"I've been hiding the full tampon boxes in the back of my closet," she chewed her bottom lip.
Caroline nodded. She remembered doing that when she had first turned so her mom wouldn't see the unused boxes and assume it was for another reason that would have resulted in Matt being shot, by the time she had started dating Tyler her mother had known.
"You've got to tell her, Elena."
"I know," she sighed, pushing her hands through her hair. "Hey, here's an idea," she held up a finger. "Why don't I wait a couple of years and then the baby can tell her?"
"The idea has merit," Kol chuckled, "but, unfortunately, you happen to live with your aunt and she's definitely going to notice. It might be a giveaway when you go into labour."
"I say spoil the surprise and tell her tonight," Jeremy stood from the table and picked up Elena's empty tray, "before Ric caves and tells her everything."
"Why are you hesitating?" Kol offered her a hand up from the table.
"I'm not," she slipped her hand into his. She didn't need the help by any means but over the last few months she had learned not to argue with Kol when it came to manners just as she had learned not to argue with Klaus when it came to her safety and that of the baby.
"You are," he followed her into the hall.
"It's not just the whole 'I'm-eighteen-and-pregnant' thing either," Caroline came up on her other side.
"No," Elena admitted, "it's the 'I'm-eighteen-and-my-Original-hybrid-mate-knocked-me-up-and-oh-by-the-way-witches-vampires-and-werewolves-are-real-and-my-baby-is-all-three' thing."
"That's a lot of information to take in." Kol nodded. "How has she gone this long without learning about the supernatural? You keep blood in your fridge."
"Compulsion, mostly," Elena tucked her hair behind her ears. "Compulsion, denial and half-truths."
Someone mentioned Kol and Caroline as a potential pairing. I'd never thought of them before, but I could see it happening. What do you guys think?
As for Finn and Esther. They've both disappeared at the moment which is super annoying since they need Finn's blood to undo the spell binding them all together. They're going to come back in. I've got an idea for how Klaus is going to get Finn to give up his blood for the spell and what's going to happen to Elena when he leaves town to find his older brother.