A/N: Leave a comment and let me know what you think about this chapter!
TW: BRIEF mention of the Damon/Caroline thing (more of a hint than an actual mention).
MIRIAM
The farmhouse was beautifully crowded. Even with Rebekah gone, the once spacious home was now bursting at the seams. Room assignments had shifted once again. August was now in Caroline's old room (poor guy was finally allowed out of the basement), and Caroline was still sleeping with Miriam. Klaus was bunking with Elijah in Elijah's room, Finn and Kol were in August's room. The men weren't thrilled with the sleeping arrangements, but Miriam and Caroline were loving it.
Miriam enjoyed the fullness of the farmhouse. She liked seeing her friends and mates in different rooms of the house. She really liked having family dinners. Yes, there was still tension between the Mikaelson siblings, even after the truth-telling session, but they seemed to have called a truce. Kol, the most vocal of the five, was unafraid to question Elijah and Klaus and frequently pushed the limitations of the tentative peace. Finn seemed to be the only sibling he listened to. But even with Kol purposefully antagonizing his siblings, there were very few real arguments.
The farmhouse was filled with life, and Miriam knew she was not the only one who was enjoying it. Caroline walked around the house with a small smile on her face and confidence in her steps. Her insecurities were being managed by all the positive attention she was receiving. For the first time in a long time the teenager was getting the care and attention she deserved. Caroline had grown up in a small family that had been made smaller when her father had left. And her mom, while a decent parent (Miriam thought Sheriff Forbes was one of the few semi-okay parents in the TVD universe, though she found it weird that the woman knowingly became friends with a man who had physically abused her daughter), was not around often due to the demands of her job. Caroline didn't have many friends growing up, and the ones she did count as friends, Elena and Bonnie, were each other's best friends. Caroline had been the odd man out. She had always been the odd man out. Passed over by guys for Elena, abandoned by her father, low priority to a mother who had a demanding job, and constantly used by everyone else.
But not now. Now Caroline was a valuable member of Miriam's family. Miriam had never had a sister (her parents had died before they had another child), but she thought that if she did have one, she would want one like Caroline. Caroline was beauty and tragedy, laughter and pain, weakness and strength all wrapped up in a bubbly blonde package. She was adaptable and dependable. And despite all the shit she had been through, Caroline still ardently loved life.
Miriam and Caroline enjoyed sharing a room. They both slept in Miriam's bed and spent hours talking and laughing together. Most of their conversations were silly (would you rather live in a mansion in Florida or a shack in Hawaii? Which Jonas Brother was the hottest? What Mikaelson brother did Miriam think would give the best head?) but some conversations were more serious.
Two nights ago it had been a serious conversation night.
"I am scared my mom will want me to stay in Mystic Falls," Caroline whispered.
The only light in the room was the fairy lights that surrounded Miriam's bed. But even in their dim light she could see the fear on Caroline's face.
"She probably will want you to stay, but this decision isn't about her, it's about you," Miriam said firmly.
"What if she tries to keep me here?" Caroline's voice was tiny.
"She won't succeed." Miriam would make sure of that. She didn't care if she had to blackmail the Sheriff, she was going to keep Caroline. Caroline was hers, and she wasn't going to let anyone keep them apart.
"Are you sure?"
Miriam reached out and grabbed Caroline's hand. "Care, I have Elijah and Klaus Mikaelson as my mates. Elijah could con the devil out of his pitchfork and Klaus refuses to be confined by any law. If I ask them, they will help you stay with me. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. First we gotta talk to your mom. If she says no, then we can plan."
"Okay. I like being here, with you, and with everyone," Caroline admitted. "No one treats me like a burden."
"That's because you aren't a burden. Fuck anyone who says otherwise," Miriam's tone was forceful.
"I always feel… tolerated," tears welled up in Caroline's pretty blue eyes, "but with you I feel special. I can't lose that."
"Aw, Care!" Miriam threw her arms around the younger girl. "You are so precious to me. You are worthy and you are loved. I'll shout it from the mountain tops if that would convince you."
Caroline let out a watery laugh and tightened her arms around Miriam. The grip was borderline painful, but Miriam allowed it. "I love you."
Miriam's heart melted. "I love you, too."
The next morning Miriam had June take Caroline out to breakfast. Once the two had left, she had gathered her four mates and sat them down in the living room. The four of them were dutifully sitting on the couch while she paced in front of them.
"I've been pretty cool with the multiple mates thing, and the fact that the four of you are brothers," she started, "And I've totally rolled with the supernatural shit. I was a total boss when it came to the Jules-werewolf-execution thing; I didn't even throw up! I let Elijah buy me a car and I have willingly drank blood from all of you."
"You've been an angel, love," Klaus assured her.
"No one can compare to you," Elijah insisted.
"Beautiful," Finn said in his accented- and limited- English.
Kol rolled his eyes at his brothers waxing poetic, but also agreed.
"Good. I say this because I will go absolutely bat-shit fucking crazy if Sheriff Forbes or any of the Mystic Falls gang try to keep Caroline from me," Miriam declared. They all just blinked at her. "I mean it! We are going to go talk to Sheriff Forbes, but if she decides to try to kidnap Caroline or something crazy like that, I will not be held responsible for my extreme but warranted actions."
"What actions are we talking about?" Kol asked, something like bloodlust in his eyes.
"If they take her from me, the kids' gloves are coming off."
Now Miriam, Caroline, August, June, Finn, and Klaus were on their way to the Forbes residence with a bunch of cardboard boxes in the back of the car.
In the seat next to Miriam, Caroline's foot was tapping on the floorboard and her fingers were drumming on the window. Miriam was sure that if the teenager could pace, she would be.
"Hey, could you maybe simmer down, Thumper?" August, said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "You keep kicking the back of my seat."
"Sorry." Caroline's leg stopped moving and she placed both of her hands in her lap.
"It'll be alright," Miriam tried to reassure her.
Caroline looked unconvinced.
They arrived at the Forbes house shortly.
Despite her nervousness, Caroline marched right up to the front door and knocked authoritatively. Sheriff Forbes answered, and looked confused to see her daughter and several strangers on her doorstep.
"Caroline? What's the meaning of this?"
"Hi, mom," Caroline gave her a weak smile. "I'm here for my stuff."
"Stuff… Caroline, I don't understand."
"Can we come in?" Miriam interceded when it was apparent that Caroline was struggling for words. "This might be easier with privacy."
Sheriff Forbes eyed them warily. She looked at her daughter, and then at Klaus, who's aura didn't exactly scream 'innocent'. Her eyes narrowed. "You're all vampires!"
"I am human, and August is a witch, like Bonnie," Miriam corrected, though she knew that probably did little to assuage the Sheriff's fears.
"I'm not letting you in my house!"
"Sheriff," Klaus stepped forward, a sharp smile on his face, "My family and I have been taking care of your wonderful daughter for a while now. Under our care she has wanted for nothing. We have kept her fed, clothed, and sheltered, which is more than you have done since you found out about her vampirism. Now, you don't have to invite all of us vampires in, but you will invite me in, or I will kill your neighbors and paint your house with their blood."
Angry but cowed, Sheriff Forbes invited Klaus in. She refused to let more than one vampire into her house, so June and Finn were left on the porch as the rest of the group followed the sheriff to the living room.
"Sheriff Forbes, my name is Miriam Sanchez. This is Klaus Mikaelson and August. Like Klaus said, we, along with other members of Klaus's family, have been taking care of Caroline," Miriam said. "We came here today to inform you that our family is leaving Mystic Falls to live in Roanoke, and we are going to be taking Caroline with us."
"What?!"
"Mom," Caroline leaned forward in her seat, "you have to understand. The council hates vampires. You hate vampires. This town is toxic. I… I can't be here anymore."
"Caroline, I may hate vampires, but I don't hate you! I could never hate you," Sheriff Forbes assured her daughter.
"Mom, you're not getting it! I am a vampire!" Caroline exclaimed. "If you can't accept me, vampire me, then we have nothing left to talk about."
"Caroline…" Sheriff Forbes' voice held a hint of desperation. "I don't want you to leave."
"And I don't want to live in a town where I have to fear getting staked by one of your deputies or by a teacher or by someone who used to babysit me!" Caroline furiously wiped tears off her face. "I refuse to live in Mystic Falls anymore. I want to go with Miriam and the Mikaelsons. They are teaching me how to adjust to vampirism. And they're good for me, Mom! I'm surrounded by people who listen to me. They don't mock me for being young or blonde! They protect me and I'm not going to lose them. I'm going to Roanoke, Mom, whether you like it or not."
Caroline surged to her feet and headed for her room.
In little to no time Caroline had packed her entire room (packing went quickly with multiple supernatural beings helping out). She didn't have much in the way of material goods, just clothes, a couple of boxes of trinkets, and a small collection of books. They weren't taking any of her bedroom furniture; the Mikaelsons had enough spare furniture to furnish Caroline's future bedroom ten times over.
As the vampires loaded Caroline's stuff into the back of the car (August supervised, of course) Miriam approached the sheriff, who was pacing near the front door. The woman looked torn between anger and relief as her daughter was moved out of her house. She glared at Miriam, but even that action was half-hearted.
"Klaus is going to compel the school administrator to send Caroline's transcripts to a high school in Roanoke. She has agreed to re-do junior year, since her grades were so bad."
The sheriff stopped her pacing. "I didn't know she was doing poorly in school."
"She's had a rough year; they all have," Miriam said. "Jenna is going to have Jeremy re-do his grade as well."
"I don't want her to leave me," she whispered.
"She doesn't want to leave you, either. But this move will be good for her. Sheriff, Caroline is a vampire now. She is going to outlive you, and not by just a handful of decades. Caroline will live centuries after she buries you. She will see nations fall and nations rise up again. She will travel the world and meet people who will someday become legends to the human population. And she will never be lonely, because I am determined to give her a family that will last as long as she will," Miriam said fiercely.
"Will she be safe?" The Sheriff asked, near tears.
"I can't promise safety," Miriam said slowly, cautiously. "But I can promise she will be cared for."
Safety was something that vampires would never possess. The human faction was afraid of them. The werewolves despised them. Hunters killed them. Even the sun was toxic to them. But there were ways that Miriam and the Mikaelsons could protect Caroline. She already had a daylight ring to protect her from the sun. Hunters were easily killed, werewolf venom was negated by Klaus's blood, and humans could be killed, intimidated, or compelled away. As long as there was breath in her lungs and blood in her veins, Miriam would always do her best to protect Caroline.
But she wasn't going to give big declarations of love to the Sheriff, and regardless, the Sheriff seemed to accept Miriam's promise to take care of Caroline.
In short order they finished packing the boxes and Caroline looked in her room once more to make sure she had packed everything she wanted to bring. Then she approached her mother and awkwardly said goodbye. The Sheriff just nodded, her eyes bright with tears.
"It'll be okay," Miriam whispered as they drove away from Caroline's childhood home.
"It doesn't feel like it will be," Caroline whispered back. "It feels like I damaged our relationship beyond repair."
"No matter what happens, what you do or what she does, if both of you want to repair your relationship, you will," Miriam said, and grasped Caroline's hands tightly in hers.
The drive back to the farmhouse went by fast. Once they returned, the car was quickly unloaded and all of Caroline's worldly possessions were stacked in Miriam's room. And then the two girls were left alone.
"Put these on," Miriam ordered as she walked to her closet and pulled out a pair of Caroline's sweatpants and a tank top (all of Caroline's clothes were now in Miriam's room) before fetching her own lounge clothes.
"Why?" Caroline asked, but she closed the bedroom door and started to undress.
"Because I am going to brush out your hair and then we are going to take a nap," Miriam declared. "Everything looks better after a nap."
Miriam's abuela used to say that everything looked better after a nap (Miriam still believed, even years later, that Abuela had said that because she was old and tired and she wanted an energetic young Miri to slow down for at least an hour). She had always rolled her eyes when her grandmother would come into her room, play with her hair, and then take a nap in Miriam's bed. But there was something about having a loved one care for you, and falling asleep in a warm, safe bed with someone you loved. Harsh words, break-ups, and other hurts never seemed as dire after a nap.
"A nap won't fix everything," Caroline said wetly.
"Maybe not, but it certainly won't hurt anything," Miriam said as she dressed.
She had Caroline sit in front of her on the bed while she ran a brush through her blonde curls. Miriam ignored the tears that trailed down Caroline's cheeks. Slowly, Miriam sang the same song she had sung to Caroline so long ago, when Damon had brought Caroline to Miriam's apartment and had bitten Miriam. That night she had also combed Caroline's hair, Miriam mused. Much had changed since then, some good changes and some bad changes. Miriam pushed aside her melancholy thoughts and focused on the teenager in front of her. The brush moved hypnotically through Caroline's blonde hair, and soon her tears slowed. She relaxed into the motion, so Miriam kept brushing and singing:
"This is a melody, melody
For all the sons and daughters
Who feel like hope is lost at sea,
Slipping through fingers like water.
Your love is like a precious stone
And your heart holds every soul.
This is a melody, melody
To you."
After Miriam and Caroline woke up from their nap they found the Mikaelsons, June, and August sitting at the dining room table. Blueprints, spreadsheets, furniture catalogs, and many other official-looking documents were spread over the table.
"What's all this?" Miriam asked.
"Plans for the Roanoke house," Elijah explained. When Miriam came closer he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her until she was right up against him; she put an arm around his neck in response. They both ignored the glares his brothers sent him.
"What sort of plans?"
"The house needs some light renovation," Elijah said. "Here are the blueprints. And here is a picture of the exterior of the house." He pulled three large sheets towards them and handed her an old photograph.
"Wow!" Miriam hadn't yet seen the house; she trusted that Elijah's elegant taste wouldn't allow their family to live in a dump. And the house was no dump. The Roanoke house- no, it was a mansion!- was a red brick building influenced by classical and Scottish Baronial styles. The front was impressive; three stories tall. It was a house fit for the Mikaelsons.
"27,000 square feet, fifteen bedrooms, fifteen bathrooms, an indoor heated pool, a gym, a sauna, a steam room, two kitchens, a theater room, and a fifty acre lot," Elijah said, a hint of pride in his voice.
"And rats in the basement, an overgrown yard, and a chimney that partially collapsed," Kol snarked.
"Rats can be removed. This is incredible, Elijah!" Miriam exclaimed. She leaned over the table to look at the layout of the house.
"Ooh, can I choose my own bedroom?" Caroline rushed over to Miriam's side.
Elijah chuckled. "Within reason. These four rooms here have already been claimed."
Miriam noticed the placement of the chosen bedrooms, and saw that there was a fifth bedroom next to those rooms. "What about this room?"
"We were hoping you would lay claim to that room, vorgyðja," Elijah said, something akin to nervousness in his demeanor, though his voice was steady.
How was she supposed to say no to these men? Finn and Kol were looking at her with hope in their eyes; Klaus was refusing to meet her eyes, and Elijah's grip on her hip tightened just a bit. They wanted her near them. But they also wanted to give her a choice. It was sweet; they could be sweet, her mates.
"I would love to claim that room," Miriam said, and all four of her mates gave her sunny smiles.
They spent the rest of the day looking over options for the Roanoke mansion. Klaus, Kol, Caroline, and August flittered back and forth between other activities and discussions about the house, but Miriam, Elijah, and June stayed at the table for most of the day. There was much to talk about: the ancient magical texts that would need to be brought out of storage, which room had the best light for Klaus's art room, what appliances would need to be bought, what color should certain rooms be painted. Some of the talks revolved around aesthetics: paint color, appliances, furniture, crown molding. Other talks revolved around security: what spells would be used to keep supernaturals out, could the witches construct a dungeon in the basement, could a boundary spell be placed on the entirety of the land?
The talks about the mansion were not particularly interesting, but Miriam stayed anyway. She wanted to be involved in the new house as much as she could. If Roanoke was going to be their home for the foreseeable future, she was going to make sure that everyone living under the roof was safe and satisfied. And it was also fun to be a part of family conversations again. Yes, these conversations included dungeons and protection spells (a unique deviation from the stereotypical topics a family would discuss; Miriam's human family conversations had been about church, family reunions, school, and other mundane topics), but they were still family conversations that everyone participated in.
Klaus and Elijah argued over how many cells the dungeon should have (Klaus favored as many as the basement could fit, but Elijah wanted to save space in the basement for a wine room). Kol was instrumental in the conversations about protection spells and boundary limits. Caroline tempered Elijah's dark academia vibe by insisting that the common rooms be painted lighter colors (though he still insisted that his study be dark). Finn, who was enjoying cooking with Miriam and Caroline, wanted the kitchen to be as modern as possible and have plenty of storage and counter space. Klaus wanted his art space as bright as possible. Kol insisted that the theater room was outfitted with the newest technology and the comfiest chairs (Caroline strongly agreed). Miriam wanted all of the guest bedrooms functional for visiting guests (she hoped the Roanoke pack would visit the Mikaelson house frequently), family members (Baahir, Phillip, Jenna and Jeremy, and possibly Sheriff Forbes), and future family members (Rebekah, whenever she returned, and Freya, whenever they figured out how to release her without letting Dahlia loose).
As corny as it sounded, Miriam was going to make this house (mansion, it was a freaking mansion!) a home. She wanted the Roanoke mansion to be the place they all gathered to and felt safe in. She wanted all of the Hallmark days: Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, to happen at the mansion. And even though she had no idea what was going to happen next, there was a taste of promise in the air.
KOL
It had been several days since the Mikaelsons had talked through the worst of their sins. To Kol's dismay, no fights had broken out in the days after the biggest secrets had come to light. Rebekah, shockingly, still had her heart. She had been forgiven, mostly. Klaus was still sore about the century-old attempted murder, but Kol knew he would soon fully forgive their sister. Rebekah had a way of inspiring devotion, especially from her brothers. Kol would know; she was his favorite sibling, after all (betrayal notwithstanding).
Rebekah was free to do what she wanted. She had left the night of the Big Talk, and had headed straight for New York. She had sent Kol a picture of the view from her penthouse; it was gorgeous. Kol missed her presence, especially since she wasn't there to divert Klaus's attention.
The atmosphere of the farmhouse was something past tense… it was almost bruised. Everyone was nursing their wounds and coming to terms with their new reality. Their dead mother was evil. Their aunt was evil. Their eldest sister was alive. Their future? Well, that would be another issue they would need to work out.
They had agreed that the first item on their agenda was to move to Roanoke. After that was completed, Kol was sure that Finn would want to go and free Freya. Kol was wholly ready to go with him. He had never met Freya (none of them but Finn had), but she was important to Finn, and Finn was important to Kol. Also, Miriam had said that Freya was a witch, and Kol knew they would need a Mikaelson witch on their side to help them vanquish all of their future enemies. Miriam had said they would have an abundance of enemies coming for them. Kol was completely willing to kill whomever needed to be killed, but it would be nice to have a witch as back up.
Kol was sure that once they retrieved Freya they would re-group and figure out their next plan. Enemies would always be plentiful, but with Miriam's foresight they had an advantage that they had never had before. They could eliminate many of their enemies before any harm could come to their family. Kol was usually rearing for a fight, but ever since Miriam had entered his life his recklessness had diminished.
Miriam was potential. Potential for reconciliation with his siblings (that was already in the works). Potential lover. Potential for happiness. Kol hadn't experienced much happiness over the centuries. But with Miriam, he had a chance. He wasn't going to jeopardize that chance by needlessly picking fights (yes, okay, he realized he had been antagonizing Nik, but that had been different. Nik most likely wouldn't kill him).
And speaking of Miriam, Kol was done waiting for his brothers to allow him to spend unsupervised time with her. He wasn't going to take her away, not if he didn't have Finn as well. And Finn wouldn't leave until they found Freya. So with a boldness that Klaus rolled his eyes at, Kol approached Miriam with the intent to take her out.
She was sitting at the dining table with Nik, Elijah, and June. The four of them were once again talking about what they would need for the Roanoke house (yet to be named. Kol had suggested the Mikaelson Madhouse, but had been promptly shut down). All anyone was talking about since they had come back from packing up young Caroline's things the day before was the Roanoke house. Elijah had modernized the house fifteen years previous, but that didn't mean it was fully updated. Elijah and June had been calling plumbers, painters, electricians, and many other types of workers to go to the house and make it livable for the horde of people that were about to move in.
"We need to make sure all the fireplaces are still functional," June said as she wrote in a notebook. She was keeping track of who they needed to call and what the house needed to be in working condition. Floorplans, blueprints, reports, and other papers and files were laid out on the table.
"One of the windows in the garden room is cracked; that needs to be dealt with," Elijah noted.
"You said there is a pool, right? That will probably need to be checked over," Miriam added.
"Balancing all the chemicals in a pool is a bitch," August said as he joined the others. "Luckily it's an indoor pool."
"Is there no door between the kitchen and the dining room?" Klaus asked as he looked over the floorplans. He had never set foot in the house; none of them had besides Elijah.
"No. That is odd, isn't it? But there is a serving window, so we can pass food through there," June answered.
Miriam looked up and smiled at Kol. "Hi! Do you want to help us go through all of this?"
"Not in the least," Kol said truthfully. "What I do want is to have a meal with you. Right now."
Klaus rolled his eyes and June snorted.
"Is that your way of asking me out on a date?" Miriam asked, her head tilted to the side, a challenge in her eyes.
"This is my way of demanding a date."
"Demanding?" Her eyebrows raised.
Realizing his mistake, Kol backpedaled. "We have been busy telling centuries-old secrets and planning for the move," he nodded at the table, "but we haven't actually begun the process of courtship. We won't get to know each other if we don't carve out time for each other. I want to get to know you, Miri."
The use of her nickname brought a smile to her face. "Well, your etiquette could use some work, but yes, I would like to go out with you. Give me half an hour to get ready? We could get an early dinner in town?"
Relief washed over him. "That sounds good."
Miriam got up. The instant she closed her bedroom door Finn, who had followed Kol into the dining room, smacked Kol upside the head.
"What the hell, Finn?!"
"You are a barbarian," Finn declared.
"You are lucky she said yes," Klaus groused. "In the 21st century people usually ask for a date, not demand one."
"You could demand a date," Caroline said as she swept into the room, "but Miriam reserves the right to punch you in the balls."
"You would deserve it, you uncouth heathen," Finn said.
Kol laughed. As much as they annoyed him and hurt him, he had missed his siblings. He had missed the harmless bickering and the witty banter. He had missed Elijah's dry humor and Klaus's enjoyment of life. He had even missed Finn's company, though he was now much improved from how he had been before he had been daggered. So despite their teasing, Kol was enjoying the feeling of being near his siblings again. In between the bad bits- the betrayals and daggers and running from their father- there had been moments with his family that Kol had actually enjoyed.
Those moments had been fleeting, though. And often the times of amity with his siblings had been overshadowed with doubt. When would Nik, Elijah, and Rebekah push him out? When would he be daggered next? When would he swallow his loneliness and drown his anger in blood? His doubts had made him irritable, and that irritability made him do foolish things, things that furthered the chasm between him and the rest of his siblings. It seemed like Kol was always trapped in a destructive cycle, doomed to forever rotate around his siblings.
But now…
But now something suspiciously like hope had entered his heart.
Kol's relationship with Finn was solid, which meant that for the first time in nine hundred years Kol had a sibling he could turn to without feeling like he was intruding on a private group. And now that Miriam was there to bridge the gap between Kol and Finn, and Elijah and Klaus. She was a huge reason the four of them were attempting to reconcile. She was a buffer between the two sides, and acted as a mediator to try to defuse tension. She wasn't always successful, but her attempts were genuine. They all saw that. Paranoid Klaus, cynical Elijah, depressed Finn, and angry Kol all saw that Miriam wanted peace between the four of them.
"Well, if you are leaving for your date soon, I will get my jacket," June said, and vamp-sped away before Kol could comment.
He turned and glared at Elijah and Klaus. "What did she mean?"
"Brother, your declarations and attitude have left something to be desired," Elijah said carefully. "Niklaus and I would feel more comfortable if June followed you when you go out with Miriam, at least for a time."
"Oh, because I care so much about what you and Nik think," Kol griped.
"Don't be so sensitive, Kol," Klaus scolded with another roll of his eyes. "My date the other night was chaperoned. Elijah wants to make sure none of us kidnap Miriam."
Elijah winced. "While I might not have said it so bluntly, Klaus is right. I would feel better if August or June chaperoned all of our individual time with Miriam. Kol, brother, I know you think about grabbing Miriam and Finn and leaving. I understand," Elijah said sympathetically.
"Do you?" Kol challenged.
"I do," Klaus said. His smile was shark-like when Kol turned to look at him. "When I first met our mate I wanted to take her away from Elijah. Even now, I fantasize about taking her away from all of you, so that she can be wholly mine. Everyday is a battle with myself. I war with the animal inside me; the creature is desperate to possess her. That creature does not care about familial ties, but I do. And I understand that the suspicion rankles, but until there is complete trust between the four of us, time spent alone with Miriam will be chaperoned."
Kol's protests caught in his throat.
Klaus was the closest of Kol's brothers to matching his temperament. While Elijah had true darkness in his soul, it was Klaus and Kol who fully embraced that darkness and made it their own. They both enjoyed the thrill of the hunt and did not regret the blood that they had spilled. For Niklaus to admit that he was battling with animalistic instincts, and that he wanted to be different, was revolutionary. Klaus, fierce, immovable Klaus, was trying to be a different man. Not a better man, for that would be impossible, but a different man. And if Nik was going to try to change, Kol wasn't going to let his stupid brother get the best of him!
"Fine, the guard dog can come, as long as she ignores any and all intimate activities that Miriam and I get up to," Kol said cheekily, then he ducked as Klaus growled and pounced on him.
In an hour Kol and Miriam were on their way into town. Miriam was driving the automobile that Elijah had gifted her, and June was following in her own vehicle.
"Okay, so restaurant options are slim in small towns, but there is a place other than The Grill that serves pretty good food," Miriam explained as she drove.
"Whatever you think is best, Miri," Kol said. He had little knowledge of what constituted a successful date in this day and age, and had let Miriam choose the restaurant. Elijah had helped him pick out a modern outfit from his wardrobe. Now dressed in brown Oxfords, tan slacks, and a light blue shirt, Kol looked like a modern man… and a mini Elijah.
They finally reached the main part of town and parked in the restaurant's parking lot. In very little time they were sitting in a cozy booth.
"So I know vampires don't need to eat, but is there anything you prefer after waking up?" Miriam asked as they perused the menu.
"I miss sweets. Sherbet was popular before I was daggered. I was also very fond of chocolate."
"We'll get the chocolate cake for dessert, then," Miriam smiled brightly at him.
By the gods, she was beautiful. She sat across from him, willingly and happily. She wore a pale pink cashmere sweater that made her look soft and feminine and oh so pettable. Caroline had braided her hair into a crown, leaving her neck exposed.
Kol wanted to bite and kiss that neck.
After they had ordered their dinners and their appetizers and drinks had arrived, Kol leaned forward and said, "I was told that dates are the perfect opportunity for couples to get to know each other."
"You would be correct," Miriam smiled and raised her glass of lemonade to her mouth.
"Then I want to know all about your previous sexual partners."
Miriam choked on her drink. "God, you can't just say that!" She huffed out a laugh before coughing into a napkin.
"I would still like to know," Kol shrugged, an impish smile on his face. "I want to know the experience I am up against."
"Oh, god," Miriam groaned, "you literally have nothing to worry about."
He had the good sense to wince. "Your past lovers were not satisfactory?"
"Not really," she took another drink from her glass.
"You tell me about your first time I'll tell you about mine," he challenged.
"Deal," she said. She took a bite of their appetizer- warm brown bread with butter- before saying, "My first boyfriend that I had sex with was when we were both seniors in high school. The relationship wasn't the best, I can see that now. Our romantic feelings for each other were shallow, and he always did the bare minimum to keep me interested in him. But that's not the worst of it," her face flushed. "The first time we had sex was awful! We were both virgin Catholics who had been taught that sex before marriage would send us- though especially me, because I am a woman- both to hell."
"Oof, that couldn't have been a pleasant sexual experience," he grimaced.
"Our first time was in his childhood bedroom, with all the lights turned off so we wouldn't see each other's naked bodies and there was not enough lube," Miriam laughed. "And the entire time we were both half-expecting to be struck down by a vengeful god. Goodness, we were pathetic. He had no clue about female anatomy, and neither did I at that point. We made quite a pair."
They laughed together. Kol enjoyed the light-heartedness. So much of his life was heavy as the load that Atlas had to carry. Many times Kol didn't believe he would ever experience true companionship, but here he was, and there she was.
"So that was my awkward first time. Spill the beans about your first time," Miriam said excitedly.
"I was firmly in my twenties before I laid with a woman," Kol said.
"I find that hard to believe."
"I do not lie. I was not infatuated with women like Elijah and Niklaus. I was more focused on my magic. I was turned in my twentieth year of life, and we immediately had to flee from our murderous father." He could see her face souring at the mention of his lackluster sire, so he added, "I find it is rather difficult to seduce a girl whilst evading a maniac. Bathing was a luxury we could not afford. No girl would touch me, smelling like I smelled while we were in hiding. Even Rebekah refused to be near me!"
His snarky words put a smile back on her face. "I don't blame Rebekah. Now tell me about the girl!"
"Her name was Anya, and she was the daughter of a blacksmith in one of the towns we hid in. We stayed there for two years, which would be the longest stretch of time we would spend in one place for a while. She was a few years younger than me, though physically our bodies were the same age," he smiled at the memory. Anya had been fun. And as far as he knew, she was one of the few to actually survive meeting his family. "She was a virgin, too. Our first time was in one of her uncles' barns, and we accidentally rolled into horse shit."
"Oh my god!" Miriam cackled. "You didn't smell it?!"
"I did, but in my defense I was busy with other things," he justified.
"God, that must have killed the mood!"
"We had just- ahem, finished, when that happened." If he could blush, he would be blushing. "I can assure you that I became a more proficient lover after that."
Their meals arrived then, and they began to eat their dinner and continued to talk.
They took turns swapping stories. Miriam told him about her childhood and being raised by her elderly grandparents. Kol told her about his childhood… while skipping over the abuse that Mikael had dished out. The deep conversations would happen later, but in the moment, Kol wanted to focus on happy stories. He told her about his love for witchcraft, and how even one thousand years later he was studying different forms of magic and the evolution of spells and rituals.
She talked about her love of knitting, and how the hobby made her feel close to her grandmother, her abuela. She spoke of her family and childhood with a fondness that Kol rarely felt for his own family and childhood, but he was glad that she had spent her formative years in a loving environment. But he was selfishly glad they were no longer around; he was having enough trouble sharing her with his brothers and her soul-siblings.
"Has Elijah shared with you my theory about how the four of you became my mates?" Miriam asked.
"No, but tell me; this sounds curious."
"Well, you know that I'm not… from here. But before I came to Virginia I was living in Arizona. And on the night that I came here, I lit several candles and prayed to my parents and grandparents to send me someone for me to love. I believe that the four of them chose the four of you."
"Which of your relatives do you believe would have chosen me?" Kol asked. He was inclined to disbelieve her idea, if only because no sane parental figure would choose him or Niklaus as life mates for their daughter.
"My mother," Miriam smiled a bit sadly. "She and my father died when I was a toddler, so all I really have of them are stories that other people have told me and pictures that family members have shown me. But from what I understand of my mom, she was a firecracker. She was the daughter of an interracial couple, and she didn't let anyone get away with being racist to her or the people she loved. She would get into fights at school, defending her siblings and cousins from bullies. She was athletic in a way I will never be, and passionate about surfing. She moved to California to pursue her dreams, and didn't stop until they came true. She was stubborn, ruthless, and wild. No one I talked to called her kind, but she loved my father and me with her entire heart. She would have loved you, too, if she had gotten to meet you."
Unexpectedly emotional, Kol cleared his throat and asked, "What was the name of my mother-in-law?"
"Laila Grace Hollis; she never took my father's name. She was proud of her maiden name, and said she wouldn't give it up for anyone, or so my grandmother would say scornfully," Miriam smirked. "While I loved my Abuela, her idea of traditional gender roles was very black and white. She didn't understand why my mom would want to keep her maiden name. But my mom never caved to family pressure."
"She sounds like a strong woman," Kol commented.
"I like to believe she was. Remind me to show you a photograph of her when we get home," Miriam said, and then took a bite of her meal.
She didn't notice how the word 'home' stabbed Kol in his dead heart. Home was a concept that the Mikaelsons rarely understood. Kol knew that Elijah, Niklaus, and Rebekah had found a home in New Orleans, but he had never been so lucky. Even his childhood home had never been filled with love or safety. Kol's father Mikael had been a black cloud over every joyous occasion. Mikael had been a shit father. Even before he had hunted them, Mikael had been abusive. Through his bond with Finn, Kol had witnessed Mikael's mistreatment of Finn. Mikael had resented Finn's survival over their eldest sister Freya. He had punished Finn brutally over the years before turning his anger on Niklaus once Finn married and left the house. Esther had been little help. The woman had refused to acknowledge her husband's abusive ways against her children, and against herself. She cleaned Finn and Niklaus's wounds (and her own) and said nothing. She taught Kol some of her magic skills, but she refused to turn her magic against her husband.
Kol had tried once. Mikael had beaten Niklaus bloody one night when Klaus was fifteen and Kol was twelve. Kol had watched as his mother dutifully cleaned Nik's wounds. Anger, pure and hot had overtaken him. Why was Father allowed to hurt them without repercussion? Why did Mother protect him and explain away his abuse? … Why couldn't Kol do something about it?
So he had gathered all the materials that he would need, and with all the boldness in his twelve-year-old bones he mixed a poisonous concoction that was strong enough to kill three grown men.
Esther had found him huddled over the caldron. He had looked up at her, equal parts guilty and angry and fearless. She had just shaken her head and dumped the contents of the caldron onto a tree, which died instantly. 'That is not the way, my son,' she had said. 'Why not?' Kol had demanded. She had just shaken her head and looked wistfully at the dead tree before bringing Kol back to their house.
Once they were all vampires and running from Mikael, Kol had been unable to find a place to call home. He had held so much anger towards his parents for cutting him off from his magic (unlike Niklaus, there was no possibility for him to connect to his lost side). That anger, that grief, had fueled his evil exploits. He didn't bother to control the blood-lust or to connect with his siblings. He had belittled Finn, despite Finn losing his entire family. He had been reckless and wild, and if he was being honest, he only regretted a tiny portion of his actions. The closest he had ever come to finding 'home' was when he would mentor a coven, and those instances were few and far between.
But now, looking at this human girl, with her abundance of kindness and her willingness to stay with them- with him- even though she knew about every horrible thing that they had done… maybe, just maybe, she could be home to him.
They were walking out of the restaurant when Miriam's phone rang. She smiled when she saw the caller ID and lifted the phone to her ear. "Hey, Jenna!"
Kol could hear the caller, and it was not an adult woman but the young human boy he had met briefly on his first night out of the coffin.
Miriam frowned. "Jeremy, what's wrong?"
And so Kol somehow found himself awkwardly standing in the Gilbert home while Jenna sobbed on the couch with Miriam. From her blubbering words and Jeremy's angry additions, the truth came out: the Doppelganger Elena had left the house to live with her father/uncle (Kol neither wanted to know nor cared to know about the particulars of the Gilbert family tree), but the parting had not been pleasant.
"Sh-She said I can't protect her!" Jenna exclaimed through her tears. She was leaning against Miriam, who was supplying a steady stream of tissues to the distraught woman. "Like, what the hell?! And John 'I got a teenager pregnant then bounced like the classy guy I am' is her best option of protection?!"
"Elena isn't eighteen yet; can she even leave legally?" Miriam asked.
"John is her biological father," Jenna said miserably. "Even if a judge wouldn't grant him parental rights, she turns eighteen in a month; after her birthday she can do whatever she wants and live with whoever she wants."
"And good riddance," Jeremy muttered spitefully.
"Jeremy!"
"What? She was the one who packed her shit up and left before we got home. She was the one who left a fucking note to explain her actions. And she is the one causing you to cry. I-I hate her!"
"Jeremy, she's your sister!"
"She's the one breaking our family apart!"
Kol ignored the fighting family and picked up the discarded letter that Elena Gilbert had left for her family to find. It read:
Dear Jenna and Jeremy,
I'm sorry for leaving suddenly, but I knew that if I had asked, you both would have tried to stop me. I have gone to live with John; he bought a house on the other side of town. I love you, Jenna, but you can't protect me anymore. The Klaus fiasco has proven that. John, Alaric, Bonnie, and Stefan will protect me from Klaus, and Damon will help when he wants to help.
Jeremy, you are welcome to come live with John and I, though I will understand if you want to stay with Jenna. Please don't see this as an abandonment. I am just trying to survive this crazy life the best way I know how. I love you, Jer.
Please don't come after me.
Love,
Elena
Kol frowned. The doppelganger was taking herself out of the umbrella of Miriam's protection by leaving Jenna's home. She obviously didn't understand the situation. Klaus would have been content to leave her in peace, and only visit her for some blood every year or so. In relation to other people Niklaus had dealt with, Elena's circumstances were ideal. She could live her life with the assurance that Klaus wanted her to be human. She could go to college, marry a boring human, and have a bunch of boring children to pass her doppelganger gene onto.
But now…
Niklaus needed her blood to turn the Roanoke pack, and by the contents of the note she had left, Elena would not give her blood willingly. Whatever promises Miriam made to Jenna about Elena's protection were void, now. Klaus was going to get that blood, with or without Elena's consent.
If the doppelganger had remained with her aunt, Klaus still would have gotten the blood he needed, but he would have compensated them with money or items or property. He was desperate to please Miriam, and Miriam had wanted Elena to be safe. If Elena had willingly given her blood she would have won a level of Klaus's hard-to-earn trust. But instead, Elena was burning bridges left and right. Her brother was angry, her aunt was distraught, and Miriam would no longer be able to justify her protection to Niklaus.
Kol looked up from the note and met Miriam's eyes. She looked resigned, and it lightened his heart to know that she had already figured out that Elena was out of her protection. Call him a coward, but Kol was glad that he did not have to explain that fact to his new mate.
"I don't know if I can live in the same town as Elena, knowing that she doesn't want to be with me," Jenna said morosely.
"Well… if you want to leave, you could always come to Roanoke with us," Miriam offered. "The house is, well, a mansion, so there is enough room for both you and Jeremy."
"We couldn't-"
"Why not?" demanded Jeremy. "If Elena wants to move, why can't we? There is no legal reason why we need to stay, and I can transfer to a high school in Roanoke."
"But work, and school-"
"You will find that there isn't a door that money cannot open," Kol said. "Miriam does not work, and you don't have to, either, Jenna. And you could have the pick of universities, if you even want to continue to pursue your masters."
"This is crazy," Jenna breathed. "Can we really just pack up and leave?"
"Yes!" Jeremy exclaimed, an excited gleam in his eyes. "What's keeping us here?"
"The house, for one!"
"You mean this shrine to my parents?" Jeremy looked around and shuddered. "Nothing has changed since they died. I keep expecting to see them in every room, because this is exactly how the house looked like the night they left to go get Elena from that party."
"Does it really bother you to live here?"
"Most days it's fine, but days like today, when Mom or Dad being alive would have changed everything, makes it really hard," Jeremy admitted.
Jenna's eyes softened. "What about school, and your friends?"
"We both know I need to do freshman year over again. And friends have been hard to come by since Mom and Dad died. I won't be missing out on anything, Aunt Jenna."
Jenna looked at Miriam, a growing hope in her eyes. "Would the Mikaelsons really not mind if we tagged along? I know Caroline is already going with you guys."
"I can speak for all of my brothers when I say that we would be happy to host you and Jeremy for as long as you desire to stay with us," Kol said. He knew his brothers wouldn't mind if the Gilberts came with them to Roanoke. Miriam could bring an army with her and they would willingly host every single soldier.
"June is leaving tomorrow for Roanoke; she's going to look at the house and set up housing for the rest of us. If you want, you can pack what you want to take with you immediately, and we can have the rest of the house packed and brought to the mansion," Miriam offered.
"This is too good to be true," Jenna whispered.
"No, this is what you deserve: friends who are willing to help you anyway you need," Miriam said as she hugged her friend.
"I… Yes, we'll go," Jenna said, then looked shocked at the words that had left her mouth. "Ohmygod! We get to leave this shit town!"
"Jenna, you can go anywhere you want," Miriam smiled.
"I want to go with you," Jenna said firmly. "Only you have ever told me the truth. Only you have cared enough about my mental health to make sure I am okay. And honestly, I've only ever felt safe with you and Elijah by my side. With you guys, and all of the Mikaelsons-" she added, looking over to Kol "- I actually feel safe. And I'm not going to give up that safety just to stay in Mystic Falls."
"Then pack your bags and go with June tomorrow. Meet the Roanoke Alpha and put in a good word for Klaus," Miriam said cheekily.
Jenna huffed out a laugh. Though Kol did not know the human woman well- he had only seen her a couple of times- he could tell that she was relieved, as if a weight had been lifted from her chest. Kol could sympathize. Sure, he had never been as dutiful as Elijah or as forgiving of their family as Rebekah, but he still carried the weight of his own expectations and family duties on his chest. He had spent centuries ignoring the feeling, of convincing himself that because he wasn't a part of the 'always and forever' pact meant that he was free from his familial obligations. But his twisted family was the only horrible constant in his life. And now that they were mostly reconciled, that weight was back.
Maybe one day, when Kol was sure that Elijah, Niklaus, and Rebekah wouldn't leave him, when he was convinced that Elijah and Klaus wouldn't take Miriam away from him, and their parents were dead and their lost sister was returned to them… Well, maybe then he could look as light as Jenna looked.
June was called. The female vampire (who had stalked them throughout their date, Kol wouldn't forget that slight anytime soon) joined them at the Gilbert house and plans were quickly made. They would leave with June the next morning at dawn. The hope was that they would leave Mystic Falls before any of the citizens would try and stop them. Jenna was planning on calling Elena and telling her about them moving after they had reached Roanoke.
Kol was truly indifferent towards Jenna and Jeremy joining them. The Roanoke house was going to be crowded already; two more bodies would be inconsequential. And maybe they could help distract his brothers so that he could get more alone-time with Miriam. Speaking of…
"This has been nice and all," Kol stated as he marched towards Miriam, "but we were still on a date when this crisis happened. We are going to continue our date. See you all later."
He pulled Miriam to her feet and they were halfway to the door when June called out, "I'm supposed to monitor your date!"
"Don't worry! I won't cave to Miriam's sexual advances and let her steal my innocence in the back of her car!" Kol replied as he pulled Miriam out the door.
The two of them laughed as they ran to her car. They got in quickly and Miriam began to drive away from the Gilbert house.
"So… I don't really want to go back to the farmhouse just yet. Want to go get some ice cream?" Miriam asked. Kol smiled at her forced casual tone. She wanted to continue their date as well. The thought that she really wanted to spend time with him made him smile. She wasn't spending time with him out of some misguided obligation, some duty to be fair to all of her mates. She wanted time with him.
The feeling of being wanted was a novelty.
Kol smiled at her, his chest almost light. "Of course, love."
Miriam grinned at him, and the two of them headed into town.
QUESTION: What should I name the Mikaelson Mansion? Name suggestions most welcome!
The Roanoke house is modeled after London's Heath Hall.
We have one more chapter in Mystic Falls, and then the story is moving to Roanoke and there will be a time jump of a few months. I'm excited!
(Whit's Reno Update: nothing much. The grass is still growing, as we are trying our best to keep our flowers alive.)
