Paso Doble- Alcazar and Laurelle

Alcazar sighed with satisfaction as he took another swig from his cappuccino and took a bite of his cinnamon roll. His decision to make a habit of coming to Inferno during the less busy hours had been a good one. That and accepting Roxie's offer to rent the upstairs studio. It was nice and quiet, and as long as he promised to watch the bar while Roxie and the others went out and did emergency errands, she even made sure he had some breakfast and coffee, something she didn't do for just anyone.

"Glad you're here," Roxie told him as she came from the back store room. "Looks like Vince and I have some syrup and things to pick up that didn't come with the last booze order." She then put her backpack on and gave him a look. "Would it be too much trouble to ask for an hour of your time to watch the bar while we're gone? You don't need to be running off somewhere?" She eyed him with some suspicion.

He just grinned back. "Sweetheart, it's not even nine in the morning and here I am, eating my leisurely breakfast and reading the paper. Where else would I want to go?"

"Well, I don't know," Roxie said. "But you remember our deal: You only get your coffee if you don't run off." She shook her head, her dark hair flying around her face. "You're lucky I'm making you coffee this early at all."

"Why are you being so mean to me?" He asked, dumbfound. "You were the one who agreed to let me rent the space upstairs when I decided to stay in the city longer than expected instead of getting a hotel. You could have refused me if it was going to be so upsetting to you."

"Well, it's been empty for a while and having a little extra money never hurt anyone, so yes I decided to let you rent the room. It's not because we're friends or anything."

Alcazar scoffed and returned to his paper. "Well, it's good we agree on something, at least."

Roxie sighed. "All right, my husband's waiting for me so I'm gonna go. I'll leave the door open a little to let some air in." Shen then rushed off without waiting for him to answer her. Not that he thought she would wait for a reply.

"Fine, fine," he murmured and took another sip off coffee. "No need to stay on my account."

Just then he heard voices drifting in through the crack in the open door. Young men, angry and picking on someone. Probably some poor girl.

"Hey there, Virgin Mary, why don't you kiss me on the lips?" One young man demanded rudely.

"And after he's done, I'll lower my pants and show you what I've got," Added another with a cruel laugh. "Give you the whole experience!"

"Leave me the hell alone!" Laurelle shouted. She sounded tough but Alcazar could hear fear underneath it, which motivated him to get up and head toward the door.

"What?" Jeered the first boy. "We're doing you a favor. You think that any other boy will take you as his partner for the school dance contest when you're nothing but an ice cube? We just want to warm you up a little!"

That was it. He'd heard enough. Alcazar approached the group. "Hey, now," he said, glaring at the disrespectful punks who had Laurelle. "Lower your damn voices and show this young lady some respect!"

"What lady?" One of them replied with a snort. "And who are you? Her sugar daddy?"

"Yeah," Alcazar nodded. "I am. And I don't see what business it is of yours. Now if you'd like to continue with this behavior, it would be my pleasure to give your asses a beating they won't forget!" He growled. "Your brains aren't even fully developed yet. You're just punks with hormones who have no idea how to respect women!"

His voice was a growl now and he knew that he probably cut a somewhat frightening figure, which was why he was not surprised when the boys all swallowed nervously, muttered apologies, and then ran to the other side of the alley, leaving Laurelle alone at last. "Are you all right, Laurelle?" he asked, gently as he turned to face her.

"Do you expect me to thank you?" She scoffed. "I never asked you to come to my rescue! I'm no damsel in distress! I was just about to kick those jackasses in the nuts when you showed up!" She then grabbed her backpack and turned on her heel to stride into the club without another look at him.

"And you're welcome too," he teased and followed her inside. "I know you're perfectly capable of defending yourself, Laurelle," he assured her. "I just thought it wouldn't hurt for me to lend a hand." Alcazar shouted as he shut the door behind him and went to join her at the bar.

"Well," she sighed. "I suppose since you meant well, I can't really hate you for it. My mother would say it's bad manners." She paused. "Sorry I lost my temper."

"You…" he rose to his feet, eyes wide with mock surprise. "Are you…apologizing to me?"

"Yes and if you don't stop mocking me, I never will again," she snapped, eyes narrowed. "Say another word about it and you can just bite me!"

"Be careful, sweetheart," he said, getting close to her. "I just might do that in the future. That earlobe of yours looks particularly tempting."

She blushed as he sat down again, hoping he didn't see the red of her cheeks. "Oh, shut up!" She then turned and put her hands on her hips as she faced him. "So…what are you doing here, anyway?"

"I live here now," came the simple explanation. "When I discovered I was gonna be in town longer than I expected, your aunt agreed to let me rent the studio upstairs."

Laurelle rolled her eyes and then reached behind the bar to grab a bottle of orange juice. "Of course you did, and why not? You're always here anyway."

"Hey, hey," he said, grinning at her insolence. "Watch your mouth, young lady!" If he were completely honest with himself, he had to admit that if she hadn't been born one of his best friend's granddaughters, she would be just his type: a natural, sexy fury that needed to be tamed…at least a little bit. He cleared his throat and leaned forward to grab a bottle of Bailey's from behind the bar, noting that Laurelle had already left some money to pay for her orange juice. As he started to open the bottle to put the whiskey in his coffee, her hand slammed down on top of his. "What was that for?" he asked. "Why did you hit me?"

"Well, for some reason, my aunt is happy enough to give you free coffee every day, but I'm sure she doesn't feel the same about liquor, so hands off!" She snapped and pulled the bottle away.

"Hey, have mercy," he teased. "I need some good stiff drinks to hand Your Majesty." He was only half-joking.

"You wanna know why I'm so mad?" She asked, brushing the remonstrance away. "It's this stupid dance contest at school. Mr. Malachai Fale, the tyrant, added this dance course we have to pass to graduate and we have to invite family or friends to participate!"

"I see," Alcazar nodded, looking down into his cup so she wouldn't see him smirk. But she saw anyway.

"What's so funny?" She snapped. "Why are you laughing at my misery?" She crossed her arms over her too-large white t-shirt.

"Well, of course not," Alcazar shook his head. "But I can certainly see why you wouldn't want to choose one of those punks from the alley!" He shrugged. "What about your sisters?"

"Mr. Fale made Michelle pair with Nico, and of course Celine decided she wanted to be with Uncle Noah." Laurelle rolled her eyes. "I wish her the best of luck with that, since he still runs like a scared rabbit every time she sets eyes on him."

"Well, good for them," Alcazar grinned. "But you're the luckiest of you three because you get to be with me!" He pointed toward his bulged chest.

Laurelle's eyes widened for a moment before she threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, thank you…thank you for that! I really needed a laugh."

"What's so funny?" He asked, stung as he jumped to his feet. "I've spent several years in South America…I learned all there was to know about Latin music and dance, young lady! Probably much more than you do! And I qualify as a family friend to be your partner, right?"

She nodded and swallowed a lump in her throat. Strangely enough, when he had touched her hand as she'd pulled the bottle way, she'd felt a strange shiver in her spine. It was strange. Maybe a start of a cold or something.

"Come on," he said, holding his hand out to her and leading her onto the dance floor. "Let me show you. First, hit both your feet on the floor, like a corrida," he said and demonstrated.

To be truthful, Laurelle thought as she watched, his whole demeanor, dark eyes, and muscular body made him (dare she admit something she didn't believe?) a sexy man on the dance floor! "You mean like this?" She asked and repeated his movement.

"Not bad!" He grinned and gave her a wink. "Not bad at all, young woman!" He lowered his arms down and looked over her outfit. "Now, in order to do this properly, you'll need to find a large skirt that you can lift up and take in both your hands."

She sighed, losing the smile she'd been wearing. "I don't have any skirts," she told him.

"I don't know why I'm surprised," he told her with a roll of his eyes.

"But," she brightened again. "My grandma Selina has lots. I'm sure she could find something appropriate for me to wear for this dance!"

"Good," Alcazar grinned back. "We can ask her about creating a costume for you."

"Yeah," Laurelle nodded. "And I'm sure there wouldn't be any trouble getting her to do it." She paused, looked down, then cleared her throat before looking him in the eye. "Thank you. Thank you for doing this for me." She bit her bottom lip.

"You're welcome," he told her. "I was bored anyway. And I've always wanted to participate in a dance contest!"

Laurelle's jaw dropped. "Really?"

"No, but…" He took her hand. "I'll do it for you."

"Do I have to ask?" Roxie cried when she noticed the older werewolf standing near her niece. Her hands were full of grocery bags, and she was eying both of them suspiciously.

"It's nothing to worry about," Laurelle assured her aunt. "Alcazar was nice enough to agree to help me with the school dance contest!"

"I'm going to be teaching her the Paso Doble!" Alcazar added with a wink.

"Of course, you will," Roxie replied with a roll of her eyes as she placed the grocery bags on the bar. "Just don't teach her anything else or you may have to answer to her father."

Noah and Celine- Argentine Tango

"2, 3, 4,5…" Noah narrowed his eyes at the chart he held as he counted the bottles of vodka in the storeroom. It was Tuesday and he'd made the decision to close the club for twenty-four hours so that Roxie and Vince could have well-deserved day off and he could actually have time to do inventory.

He was so engrossed in the task at hand that he neither heard the door to the club open, or saw his goddaughter, the beautiful, angelic Celine, enter and sit down on a bar stool. As she waited for him to turn around and face her, she nervously bit her nails. It had been weeks since he'd first seen her full grown, since that awkward moment when he, her godfather and unofficial Uncle Noah, had tried to seduce her, believing she was one of his escorts. She hadn't known that he was into burlesque when she'd come to the club in full dress. It had just been an accident. But it had been very embarrassing for them both.

Today she was dressed more normally: in a flower-covered mid-length dress with her long blonde hair done up in a low bun, with her face lightly made up with mascara, some blush, and pink lip gloss.

"Hi, Uncle Noah!" She said at last and gave him a wave as he turned around.

His eyes widened and he paled as if he'd seen a ghost. "Celine? What…what are you doing here?" he asked nervously as he gathered his papers together.

"Well, it's been weeks since we've seen each other," she reminded him and rubbed her hand nervously. "And I thought…"

"I'm very busy," he told her, his voice toneless. "I only have one day to do an inventory of this whole place so…is this is emergency that only I can deal with?"

"I see." She bit her lip, and her eyes began to fill with tears. "No, I don't need you. There's no emergency. I just missed seeing you and being with you, Uncle Noah. I missed us." After the admission, she got up from her bar stool, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry to have bothered you. I'll go now and leave you to your work." She let out a sob and turned on her heel, rushing toward the club's exit door.

She reached it, but as she put her hands on the door to push it open, two strong hands encircled her waist and she let out a cry as her body was pushed gently against the door.

"I'm sorry," she heard Noah whisper. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" His lips and breath brushed her earlobe as he spoke. "Don't leave, Celine. Please don't leave me." He gently slid his fingers and hands down the length of her arms, sending shivers down her spine. Then he turned her head to face himself as his breath picked up.

"You…you don't want to see me!" She sobbed, her gaze buried in his.

"Oh, believe me, Celine," he shook his head, feeling terrible because the consequences of the whole sorry affair were just now hitting him. He'd hurt the last person in the world he'd wanted to hurt, and it made him feel awful. "I do want to see you. I'm just…not really liking myself right now," he admitted as his eyes landed on her pink lips. She looked so different today. So sweet. So innocent. So harmless. So different from how she'd looked like a burlesque girl. He could never forget how she'd looked that day. Some parts of him more than others.

And since then, he hadn't called the escort agency. Not even once. He'd usually done the job himself while thinking…while thinking of his goddaughter naked. For his grandfather's sake, he had no idea how to explain it. How to defend it. But it was what it was.

"It's nothing you did," he tried to reassure her. "I've just been ashamed of how I acted the last time we saw each other." He pushed her gently at arms' length of her warm body before pacing back and forth in front of her, growling in frustration, and running a hand through his dark curls.

"But…but why should you be ashamed about what happened?" She asked, rubbing her hands together again. "There's nothing for you to be ashamed of, Uncle Noah. I'm entirely to blame for what happened that day."

He narrowed his eyes and stabbed a finger in her direction. "Please don't call me Uncle Noah anymore," he growled unhappily.

She crossed her arms. "Well, all right, then what should I call you?" She asked and bit her bottom lip. "Now that I've grown, can we start over? I can't imagine my life without you!"

Noah sucked in his breath and shut his eyes tight, hands on hips. "Celine, Celine, Celine. What am I going to do with you?"

"If you…if you're ashamed to be seen with me, I understand," she told him. But her voice was sad.

He looked at her in surprise. "Ashamed of you? Oh, my sweet girl, no! That's not it at all! I'm more ashamed of myself for…for exploiting you the way I did." And he was.

"But there's nothing to be ashamed about!" She tried to reassure him. "It doesn't bother me at all! I like knowing that there's someone out there who's into the same stuff I am!"

"Don't say that!" He snapped. "Don't ever say you like that stuff!"

"But it's true!" She cried forcefully. "I know you're embarrassed and I'm sorry, but just because you're embarrassed does not mean that you can dictate what sexual stuff I do and don't like!"

Noah put his hands together and looked up at the sky, even though he knew full well that Grandpa and Aunt Gwen were on a weekend jaunt to some lake somewhere. "Oh, Grandpa, give me strength." He sighed deeply.

"You wanna know why I think you're making too big of a deal about this?" She asked. "It's not like we slept together." This extraordinary pronouncement was followed by an innocent shrug.

Noah's jaw dropped. "'It's not like we slept together'? Do you have any idea what you're saying?"

"Well, obviously I'm not your type, so I don't know why you're mad at me," she shot back. "It's not like I haven't know for ages that you've slept with escorts and had weird fantasies! Sir Noah!"

"You're really trying my patience, Celine!"

"Well, it's the damn truth!" She tapped her feet on the wood floor. "So…can we put this whole mess behind us and start over, or…are you always gonna be too disgusted by the sight of me?"

"You're far from disgusting to me," he said and rolled his eyes at the ceiling. "That's the whole problem!"

They stood in silence, Celine nervously twisting her skirt in her fingers. "I only ask because I need you for something. A school project!" She rushed to reassure him as his eyes widened again.

"Oh, all right," he said, sighing heavily. "What do you need me for?"

"Well…" she began biting her bottom lip, which drove him made with a desire to crash his lips on hers. "They assigned a new dance course at school, and we have to pair ourselves with a family member or a friend so that we can practice a dance and then appear in a dance competition."

Noah's jaw dropped. This wasn't what he'd expected at all. "And you think this—" he pointed back and forth between them."—is a good idea?"

"Well, what I was thinking was that you and I dancing together might help ease the tension between us. What do you think?" She batted her eyelashes at him.

He tried not to look. That woman would be the death of him.

"Now I remember!" he snapped his fingers as it hit him! "Yes, your school did call to rent out the club for a month for some dance competition. At first I thought it was a joke, but they're paying surprisingly good money."

"See!" She stamped her foot. "I'm not a liar. I'm a good, decent young woman who needs help with…stuff…from her godfather." She smiled innocently.

"You better mean dancing," he said. "If you're trying to get me to do sexy stuff, it's not going to work! He paused. "And before I agree to this, I have one question: your parents will be there. Right?"

"Of course!" Celine nodded. "It doesn't have to be dirty! Just a godfather spinning his daughter around the dance floor."

"Really, that's all?" Noah asked. "I mean, are we picking our dance? Because I've been getting really good at Argentine Tango, and-"

Celine jumped up in the air and clapped her hands excitedly. "That's perfect! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm so happy!" Then, to his surprise, she hugged him and kissed his cheeks as she cupped his five o'clock shadow as they stared at each other for only a moment before his hands began to slide down her waist. "Celine, don't get any ideas," he tried to get out as he inhaled the flowery scent of her perfume. "This is just a casual thing. A school project, no less. It's not going to be raunchy. We have to have boundaries!"

"Well, if that's what you want, why did you pick the Argentine Tango?" Celine asked. That was a sexy dance and she knew it.

"We need something that will really put on a show, so why not that if we want to win?" Noah shrugged. He'd clearly lost the battle and now all he had to do was stop any real fallout before it happened. "So…you're good with that dance choice? Just to be clear."

She nodded, jumping in the air and clapping her hands excitedly, jumping in his arms to kiss his cheeks. "I'm so happy. Thank you! Thank you!" She took his face in her hands, her fingers gently rubbing his five o'clock shadow.

They then froze, staring at each other for a few seconds before their eyes slid down onto each other's slightly open lips while his hands slid down to grab her waist. "Celine," he murmured as he breathed in her scent again. "I'm very serious about boundaries. We have to be careful."

"Of course," Celine nodded and shook out her hair. "Whatever you want…Sir." She winked.

"Celine, I mean it!"

"Will you relax!" She begged. "I'm just trying to lighten the mood!"

"All right, fine," he sighed.

"Do you really, honestly, truly think we can do the Argentine Tango and have boundaries?" She asked as her eyebrows went up into her hair.

Noah shook his head. "Frankly, my dear goddaughter, I honestly believe there's not a single dance in the world that could be platonic between us anymore." He walked around the bar and picked up his list again. "Now, I need to get to work. But I promise I'll text you when I find a good time to rehearse our dance."

"Yay!" She grinned. "Love you, Uncle Noah! And thank you!" She waved goodbye and made her way toward the club's front door.

"Yeah, sure," he muttered. "I love you too, Celine." Once she was gone, he shook his head and got back to his counting. He knew that what he'd just agreed to wasn't good, but he didn't see any other way. So…what would happen would happen, and may Grandpa grant him forgiveness.

Milo and Natalie- Rock n Roll

"So…where are the busboy aprons?" Milo asked Noah as he set down a full tray of dirty glasses on the bar.

Noah's jaw dropped and he shook his head. "I can't believe you're serious about wanting a job here," he said.

"Of course I am," Milo nodded. "How else am I supposed to show Natalie Mikaelson that I'm not some snobby rich boy with a silver spoon in my mouth? It's what she called me the other day in front of our whole class!"

"I see," Noah smirked. "Natalie humiliated you, and now you want to humiliate yourself by being my new busboy." He sighed. "The things we do for love. She must really have a good tight grip on you!"

Milo winced. "She most certainly does not! And I'm not in love with her either! I'm just doing this for appearances, so she thinks I have a job and she'll stop calling me stupid names. You get that, right? Now, how long do I work? One hour? Two?"

"Four," Noah grinned. "Since you're part time."

"Four. Whole. Hours?" Milo hissed. "You might have mentioned that before I said I would do this!"

"I thought it would be obvious," Noah replied. "Did you think that because I'm your brother, I'd just let you work when Natalie is here to see and then leave after five minutes?"

"Well, yeah," Milo nodded. "I mean, it's what you let everyone else do!"

Noah shook his head. "No, it's not! Charlotte's bartended full shifts, sometimes all weekend if it's really needed. Vincent's filled in for sick musicians as has Dad, and Angelica will even take on kitchen duty if I catch her at the right time…in a managerial position, of course. Along with planning all our theme nights. If they say they're gonna work, they do. And it's no different for you since you feel you need to prove something."

"I have good reason," Milo said. "I just…I don't like hearing her go on and on about our money, like it's our fault we have it. Like we did it on purpose. It's not my fault!"

"Of course not, and I'm sure you'll show her just how wrong she is," Noah grinned. "Apron's under the counter."

"Thank you," Milo nodded, grabbing the apron and putting it on. "So, what now?"

"Now you take the glasses back to the kitchen and you wash them," Noah told him, another grin on his lips. "Best to do it by hand."

Milo made a face. "Why can't someone else do it? People probably spit in them!"

"Probably," Noah nodded and gave a shrug. "Hey, you were the one who said you wanted a job here. This is what work means."

"I don't see you doing it," Milo spat.

"Cause I'm the boss," Noah grinned and pinched his little brother's cheek. "I pay people like you to do it for me!"

He then handed the tray of glasses back to his brother as Milo rolled his eyes, seeing that there was no way out of this. "Fine," he huffed. "Whatever."

Noah watched him go and tried not to laugh. This was gonna be fun!

A few minutes after Milo left, Noah heard a discreet cough, then looked up to find Natalie Mikaelson staring back at him.

"Hi there, Mr. Morningstar," she greeted him politely and took a seat on one of the bar stools. "I wondered if you've seen Milo around? He told me to meet him here."

Noah smiled and reached out to take her hand. "Please, call me Noah. I insist. Mr. Morningstar is my father. Can I get you something? I some ice cream or a soda? It might take a little time for Milo to be ready to greet you. He's…" Noah stopped to try and keep from laughing but failed and then took a deep breath. "Sorry…he's washing all the dirty glasses in the kitchen."

Natalie snorted, glad she hadn't taken up Noah's offer of a soda yet. "Are you joking? Your brother is one of the fussiest, snobbiest people I've ever met, and you actually got him to handle dirty dishes? Are you playing a prank on me?"

"No, he seriously decided he wanted to be a bus boy here!" Noah cried. "I think it's to impress you. Or prove something to you. I'm not sure. I just know he was cranky."

Natalie pulled out her phone and set up the camera, grinning evilly. "He's in the kitchen, you say? I need to get a picture for posterity or no one's gonna believe it! Clearly he's been in the sun too long or something. Who knows?"

"I couldn't say, but I have to compliment you for being a good influence on my brother."

"Oh, please," Natalie rolled her eyes. "I'm no such thing. Your brother does what he wants, when he wants. Now if you'll excuse me for a second…" She ran toward the kitchen and not long after, Noah heard lot of shouting and swearing followed by laughter.

"Give me your phone!" Milo cried as a wildly laughing Natalie sprinted toward the bar with him on her heels. "Give me that phone, or I swear-"

"Oh, calm down!" Natalie told him. "I'm not gonna show the pictures to anyone, as long as you work well for your brother and don't make us fail at the dance competition cause you wimp out on it like you do everything else!"

Milo eyed his brother. "I'm being blackmailed! Can you believe her?"

"I'd take it if I were you," Noah told him. "It's not a bad deal. Or a hard one. In fact, maybe you should be blackmailed more often. It seems it would be good for your character."

"You just watch your back!" Milo told Natalie. "You're gonna pay for this!"

"You two seem to be so much alike," Noah said to Natalie once his brother had stomped off.

"Well there's a reason for that," Natalie told him. "I'm gonna be a woman soon. And if I don't fight for the best for myself, who will?"

"Maybe my brother will," Noah shrugged.

"I don't think your brother is the best for me or anyone," Natalie replied. "No offense or anything. And I hope you don't think I'm horrible for the pictures."

"No, I think it's hilarious," Noah replied.

"It's just that…your brother hates me. And the feeling is mutual."

"But…but you hang out together so much!"

Natalie shrugged. "It's just easier that way. No unnecessary fluff or mushy stuff between us. You see?"

"I don't, but I'm not gonna judge you. How's your father?"

"Um, well…I think he's…good." Natalie averted her eyes. "You know, don't you?"

"About your father and my sister? Yep!" Noah nodded. "In fact, it was here that it all started. Your sister Roxie was out with Vince, so I was running things by myself, asked your dad to keep an eye on Angelica cause she was acting way out of her element, stuff happened and…there you go." Then he leaned forward. "But in case anyone comes to ask for details, I know nothing!"

"Fine with me," Natalie nodded, her eyes wide. "I won't say a word!"

"So what are you doing here?" Milo asked, reappearing. "Did you come solely to torture me, or was it something else?"

"Yes," Natalie grinned. "The torture was an added bonus. Remember, we have to practice for the dance competition at school. Did you forget, you doofus?"

"Well, I would love to practice, but I am working, as you can see!" Milo told her and idly wiped the counter. "Like a responsible, normal, working person who works!"

"Yeah, I can see that," Natalie nodded. "And I think my eyes aren't playing tricks on me after all. So…you want me to come back another day? Or should we just get this over with?"

"No, no, it's okay!" Noah cried, not wanting to give his brother the opportunity to chicken out. "You can practice now! Milo was just about to go on his break! Right, Milo?" He met his brother's eyes and gestured at Natalie.

"Oh," Milo nodded. "Right, my break!" He removed his apron. "Yeah, it's time for that!"

Noah went and turned on the colored lights that lit up the dance floor for atmosphere. "You can use all the music you want, and since the floor is empty, don't hesitate to make full use of that, either."

Natalie's eyes widened and she grinned. "Well, thank you so much, Mr.—I mean, Noah!"

"So if I may ask," Noah pressed, "just what sort of music did you choose?"

"Rock and roll!" Natalie replied. "We're gonna turn the fact that we don't like each other into the most kick ass dance ever!"

"Right," Milo nodded with a smile. "And we're coordinating our outfits with the theme of the dance, too!"

"Right," Noah nodded. "Well…have fun you two!"

They headed onto the dance floor and Noah shook his head. He had no idea what was going on with the two of them, but it wasn't dislike. That was for sure!

After an hour or so of intense dance practice, Natalie and Milo were both lying on dance floor, looking up at the ceiling as they sweat and panted.

"Wow," Milo breathed. "You're good at that! Fuck, I had no idea." He turned his head to look at her.

She met his eyes too. "You're not so bad yourself, Morningstar! Maybe we'll actually win this thing and then be free from Mr. Fale and his torture!"

"Right," Milo nodded and placed his arm over his forehead.

"Now," Natalie continued. "You'll be wearing your leather jacket and converse when you first show up on the dance floor. Then I'll join you in my band t-shirt, black tutu, and white converse, then we'll start dancing, and…wait a minute! What's wrong with you? Why are you looking at me like that?"

He was looking at her and grinning as if he were seeing the most beautiful thing in the world. "Why shouldn't I look at you?" He asked, turning to face her fully. Then he grabbed her chin and kissed her lips lightly.

She grabbed his wrist. "Why…why did you kiss me just now?" Her heart was pounding in her chest. She hoped he didn't hear it.

"Because I wanted to kiss you," Milo shrugged. "Sorry, I guess I should have asked first."

"And… why are you looking at me like that?"

He shrugged again. "Because I like looking at you."

"Well, it's weird how you're looking at me," she winced. "Looking at me like I'm…like I'm beautiful or something."

"Why is it so strange that I'm looking at you?" Milo asked. "I don't understand."

"You always told me I was ugly!"

"Natalie, for Grandpa's sake," Milo cried with a frustrated roll of his eyes. "You're not ugly, okay?"

He watched her stand up and start to pace back and forth. "Well, then why did you always tell me I was?"

He got up and began to pace beside her. "I don't know why I said that, okay? Don't ask me why."

"Why not, Milo Morningstar?" She asked, poking him in the chest.

"I don't hear music," Noah remarked as he joined them. "Everything okay?"

"Your brother won't tell me why he's always called me ugly," Natalie explained. She was clearly unhappy.

"Well, Natalie, I can assure you that you're anything but," Noah tried to save his sibling's butt. "My brother acts like a dumbass sometimes and says stupid things, but…I'm sure even he sees how beautiful you are, even if he hasn't said it yet."

"I'll believe it when I hear it," Natalie declared and stomped her foot.

"Will you just let it go?" Milo cried, waving a dismissive hand. "I told you not to ask me about that for a reason!"

"Oh, go to hell!" She spat and then picked up her bag, heading out of the club. Then she stopped and turned to face an open-mouthed Noah. "And thank you for your hospitality, Noah. I really appreciate it."

"You see what I have to endure with her?" Milo cried before walking back to the bar and then putting on his apron to resume his work.

"Yeah, I see it," Noah grinned, then wondered to himself. "So…when's the wedding?"

Michelle and Nico- Contemporary

"Oh, no, not again!" Nico huffed as Michelle demanded they rehearse their steps once more. "We've been in here for hours!" They were both sweating and exhausted and neither was in a very good mood. Michelle wanted their dance to be the best and was not giving him a break.

He was pacing back and forth, and wiping the sweat off his forehead, doing his best to catch his breath during the five minute break her highness Michelle Mikaelson had been kind enough to allow him, and swearing under his breath at his teacher, Malachai Fale, for pairing him up with such a bitch for his dance.

He didn't know anything about contemporary dance, but Michelle had decided that's what they were doing and of course Her Highness' word was law! She had told him that he definitely looked strong enough to lift her and twirl her and whatever the hell else they had to do.

He had to admit, however (although definitely not ever to her face) she was actually quite graceful and beautiful when she danced, her long legs and thin body making the movements work perfectly. Movements she'd choreographed herself, of course. Every last one.

Would he ever admit to her how miserable he was making her? No, of course not. She'd been an absolute hellcat since the start of their rehearsal though, her shrill, demanding voice making him growl in frustration.

"Can we continue now, Precious?" She asked, hands her hips. "Or do you need more time to recuperate?"

"I'm just trying to catch my breath!" He snapped, leaning forward with a hand on each knee.

She rolled her eyes. "I thought you would be able to show strength and benefit our dance that way. What good are you if you're just gonna whine at me? That's not why I picked you!"

Nico growled, stranding up straight and striding over to Michelle to get right in her face. "Listen here, you bitch! You didn't pick me at all! We didn't have a choice who our partners were and if we had, I definitely would not have picked you! We were put together by Mr. Fale and that, along with the fact that I want to pass this stupid assignment, are the only reasons I'm here right now!"

"Whatever," she shrugged, unaffected by his tantrum. "It's not gonna stop me from saying that I thought you had more strength than you have."

Nico shut his eyes and tried to remain calm. "Oh, don't you push me, Michelle! I've lifted you up in the air so many times that even God himself would be tired if he were me!"

"Or maybe he wouldn't." Michelle grinned. "Maybe I should ask Steve Smith to lift me up instead." She smirked and poked him in the chest. "Even though that body he's in means he's not in the prime of his life, I bet he'd still be more energetic and athletic than you!"

"Don't you dare poke me!" He hissed warningly, grabbing her wrist and squeezing hard.

"Ouch!" She cried. "Let go of my wrist, you brute!" She pulled her hand away and rubbed at the red skin. "Why Mr. Fale thought it would be a good idea to pair a femme du monde such as myself with an animal like you is beyond me!"

"Fine!" Nico cried, finally losing his patience and throwing his hands in the air. "I'll leave then! I don't care if I flunk this project if it means I don't have to be around you anymore! You can find yourself another superman!" He growled and stomped toward the door. "It's almost nighttime anyway!"

"Come back here, you asshole!" She shrieked and stomped her feet on the floor. "I'm not done with you yet! We still have practicing to do!"

Nico turned to face her, eyes narrowed. "Well, I'm done with practice!" He snapped. "And I'm certainly done with you!" Hoping to make a quick exit, he grabbed the doorknob and pulled on it, quickly discovering that it wouldn't budge. "What the hell?" he whispered, dumbfounded.

"What is it now?" She asked, coming up behind him. "Don't tell me you can't open doors now, either!"

"The door is locked," he said, his voice full of shock.

"Stop lying!" She snapped. "It can't be locked!" Then she tried it herself and saw that he was right.

"I'm telling you the door is fucking locked!" Nico cried as he paced back and forth. "We've been practicing so long thanks to you the janitor probably thought everyone was gone, locked up, and went home. Thanks a lot!"

"Oh, you think I like it?" Michelle spat. "It means I'm stuck here with you!" She paused and pushed him at the door. "Do something!"

"What do you think I've been doing?" He asked. "Just sitting here? And you know, we wouldn't be in this situation if you hadn't made us practice your stupid dance five thousand times!"

"Stop spitting in my face and shut your stupid mouth."

"Make me!"

"Fine, I will!" She took a step toward him, but he stopped her.

"I don't think so, sweetheart." Then, he forcefully took her face in his hands and kissed her soundly. She tried to push him away but he was much stronger than she'd anticipated.

Letting out a cry of protest, she felt her body rise up from the floor and be pinned against the wall, her legs automatically wrapping around Nico's hips as he let out a growl, deepening their kiss and sliding his tongue in her mouth.

She let her hands slide over his broad shoulders and buried her fingers in his dark curls. Swept up, she returned his kiss, their tongues intertwining.

Then his lips left hers and she was upset for just a moment before they moved down her neck and kissed and bit her silky skin.

"Fuck," he whispered. "How can a bitch like you be so beautiful?" He whispered this mostly to himself as he cupped her breasts through the thin fabric of her body-hugging t-shirt.

"Well, why do you need to be such a virile asshole all the time?" She responded in kind, pulling off his sweaty t-shirt to slide her hands over his muscular chest.

"I want to fuck you so damn hard and so damn much because I know it will shut your beautiful mouth!" He threatened, preparing to kiss her again.

She smirked. "You're all talk but no action!" Then she cried out in surprise as she felt her panties being torn off under her long skirt, his fingers sliding gently over her wet folds. "Oh," she moaned, shutting her eyes. "Oh, my god!"

"Is that good?" He asked, his chin raised. "If you want me to stop, tell me now."

"Don't stop!" She shook her head. "I never back down from anything!"

"Is it your first time?" He asked, suddenly remorseful.

A dry laugh escaped her lips. "You think you're my first? Get real! I got on the pill a long time ago because of all the guys I wanted to be with before you!"

"Well, all right, then," he nodded and lowered down his shorts before sliding inside her.

Almost immediately, she let out a shriek of pain and he saw tears falling from her closed eyes, down her cheeks. It was then that he realized she had lied to him. "Why, Michelle? He asked her. "Why did you lie about this being your first time?" He'd paused his thrusting, wiped the tears from her cheeks, and moved some hair out of her eyes.

"Don't worry, it's fine," she said, sounding dazed.

"No, it's not!" Nico shook his head. "You don't lie about things like that. You may not be my favorite person in the whole world, but I wouldn't want to hurt you!" Then he began slowly pulling out of her.

"Don't you dare," she cried, wide eyed. "I'm not a wimp! I want this! I do!" Then her voice lowered. "Please. Don't stop."

"Are you sure?" Nico asked skeptically.

"Yes," she murmured reassurance and then grabbed his face to stroke his five o'clock shadow and softly kiss his lips.

He growled with pleasure, then resumed thrusting inside her, more gently this time. Fuck it! This was probably the worst idea he'd ever had in his life, but…at least, for the moment, it was what they both wanted. And that was good enough.