Hello, hello! It's been so long and I have no idea how to make it up to you guys, but I am extremely grateful that you guys have stayed and keep giving your support. There are valid reasons for the late update. I started my master's degree and it's been hectic, a lot more than I initially thought, so I am just looking forward to summer break. Another reason is that I revised this chapter so many times because I didn't want to go straight to the ball the Mikaelsons will be hosting. I wanted to pace myself, BUT I managed to get this chapter done!
I am a bit uncertain about how I wrote it because it's hard to write each Mikaelson and stay true to their personalities, so I hope I did a decent job, at least. You guys be the judge of it.
Now, for those lovely responses that I hope you guys like:
-brigitm28: Yes, I really wanted to shock the other characters and show that children can grow up to be the complete opposite of their parents, and I wanted to show how hypocritical it is of him to raise her with that kindness, but he doesn't do the same. Gotta get those flaws out there, 'cause I don't want to make everything la vie en rose. And I enjoy writing Gwen and Elijah interacting with each other since they share the common trait of believing that Klaus has good in him, even if it's buried very deep inside. I also wanted to show that he is willing to get to know her, which is why I didn't have him be so formal and calling her by her full name. Now, Hope is a big debate I have in regards to her being part of the story. I can do the story with or without her after mapping out what I would do, but I have yet to come to a decision. Thanks for the support! Again, sorry for the delay!
-UnknownReaderHasJoined: Have no fear, I have found my solution for the immortality-mortality obstacle Gwen has to face, but I ain't telling what it is!😆 It's also gonna be a very important point later on. No one is talking about it too much because she's still young and no one fears her mortality just yet, but it will be addressed. And there is more to June's powers and Gwen's blood, but we must be patient. I am dropping hints here and there because I don't want to pull the rug from under your feet and spring a surprise plot out of nowhere. I am laying foundations and tying up loose ends with the TVD part of the series to later focus on The Originals part and stay with that. I lay problems for the story to solve, so believe in me. That's how I write. I really hope you stick around and do forgive me for the delay! As for June's return, well...
-madiygeek: The fluffiness will come, don't you worry about that! And you're on to something, but I ain't telling/spoiling. ;D Again, sorry for the delay.
-Guest: Glad you're liking it!
-xenocanaan: I share your opinion, but they are important for the story😆. There is some truth to your words, but I ain't spoiling. Yeah, I had to get her out of there, 'cause it would have been messy and too tangled with introductions, shocking moments, resurrections, and stuff, so I had her take a step back. Thank you for your support! And sorry for the delay!
-Guest (CJ/Oddball): You get it. The irony is very strong in their meeting, especially with the situation of her blood and such. Yes, there will be lots of protective Kol later on! You, uh, you're on the right track on that scene, which is there for a reason! I am trying not to write things for convenience, so I assure you that it is significant because I also know that Kol is not one to hesitate on many things. Also, sorry for the delay!
-GhostGypsy: Thank you! I always worry about how I write the characters, especially the ones that belong to the show. All will be explained soon enough. Again, sorry for the delay!
-evfangirl98: Glad you did!
-Undercoverlikeaspy: I have also been so busy that I haven't been updating, so no worries! I am just glad you're loving it! Again, sorry for the delay!
Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Vampire Diaries and claim no ownership over anything pertaining to it.
meet the mikaelsons
.
.
.
Esther.
Finn.
Elijah.
Niklaus.
Kol.
Rebekah.
All members of the Original family–living and undead–were under the same roof.
While Gwen was not surprised to have seen all of Klaus's siblings awake, his mother was a big surprise. Esther's appearance had left her speechless. She should have asked more questions, but she had simply stared at the Original witch in shock. She had been too overwhelmed by the many things that happened in one night and had simply excused herself to the safety of her bedroom.
Then she thought back to the incident with Kol. It had been such a weird experience for the halfling. While she had been frightened, she felt like she wasn't as afraid as she should have been. Her blood had once again proved how much of an inconvenience it was when it came to vampires and their lack of control around fae blood. She had almost become someone's snack, but that wasn't what she was most focused on. It had felt like something important happened. As if something had shifted, but she didn't know what it was and that was what truly scared her.
As she stared at the ceiling of her bedroom, Gwen decided to focus on something else, like how uneasy she felt about such powerful people living in the same house who had a multitude of problems left unresolved. Yes, she had wanted Klaus to un-dagger his siblings to mend his relationship with them, but she was being childish about it all. Things weren't as simple as one would like to imagine. An apology wouldn't work, not with a family that was more like a volatile mixture of ingredients.
Yes, Gwen realized she had been too naïve.
The half-fae took a deep breath and lifted herself to sit up on her bed, trying and failing to mentally prepare herself for what awaited her downstairs. The night before did little to inspire any confidence in her to leave the safety of her room, but she refused to return to the gilded cage she had been in before coming to Mystic Falls. And so, Gwen took the initiative to leave her bed and get ready for the day ahead.
After having gone through her facial routine and taken a shower, Gwen went about getting dressed after having washed away the events of the night before. She picked out a taupe cardigan that featured an open front, three-quarter dolman sleeves, and a cocoon silhouette, which she wore over a pink cami that had front snap-button closures, scoop neckline, and a straight-cut back. She matched the top with a pair of light denim skinny jeans and white sneakers.
For her long hair that she skipped on washing, she braided it and let it fall over her left shoulder with wisps framing her face. And her accessories consisted of her necklace with the pearl pendant and her charm bracelet.
The young hybrid looked at herself in the room and took a deep breath, pushing herself to face whatever was waiting outside her door. She left her bedroom and looked around the hallway, finding no one around. Gwen closed her bedroom door behind her and made her way to the staircase. It was mid-morning, so she imagined that others were awake by now, which was quite unnerving.
Just as she reached the bottom of the stairs, a yelp escaped her when a body landed on the floor right in front of her feet. She stared at a smirking Kol with wide eyes and mouth agape.
"There she is," Kol said with a grin, still lying on his back as he stared up at Gwen. "We were just talking about how delectable you must be."
Gwen frowned down at Kol. "Hi?"
"Ignore him," Klaus huffed as he entered the foyer, glaring at his younger brother. "He enjoys being a clown, but I think he's more of a suicidal maniac."
"Come on, Nik. It was only a jest," Kol said as he stood back up on his feet while facing his brother, lopsided grin in place. "Between Elijah's judgmental looks, your snarls, and Bekah's whining, I think I got the message." He glanced at Gwen. "No munching on the cute dessert." He looked back at Klaus. "Unless she asks me to."
"That's quite enough," Esther's voice boomed with authority, stopping Klaus from launching himself at Kol once more. She approached her sons who continued to glare at one another; Klaus with a scowl and Kol with a challenging grin. "I don't believe it's good manners to act like beasts in front of your mother or a lady."
"I was only having some fun," Kol said as he glanced at his mother before quickly looking back at Klaus. It was still odd for him to come to terms with the fact that his mother was alive. It was quite the ordeal for him to process. First, she was killed by his father, then it was revealed that it was actually Klaus who killed her, but then she was alive. "I think that's nothing compared to being daggered for over a century."
"He has a point," Gwen added.
Klaus pointed a finger at Gwen. "People who have nothing important to say need to stay quiet."
Gwen lifted her arms in surrender. "Fine."
"We haven't been together for a thousand years. I urge you both to behave yourselves." After hearing no further arguments from her two sons, Esther's eyes fell on Gwen and a polite smile grew on her lips. "You must be Niklaus' ward," she greeted the halfling, keeping her hands joined at her front. "My name is Esther."
"I'm Gwendolyn Moone, but you can call me Gwen," Gwen said with a strained smile, feeling a bit awkward. "I'm sorry if I stare, but I'm still processing how you're alive."
"We all are," Klaus mumbled under his breath.
"It's quite all right," Esther said, waving her hand in dismissal and ignoring Klaus' comment. "If you'd like, please join us for breakfast. Niklaus has arranged for breakfast to be served soon."
Gwen glanced at Klaus and received a small shrug. She looked at Esther with a small smile of her own. "Sure," she answered.
Esther smiled at Gwen's answer before she turned serious as she regarded her sons. "I expect you both to at least try to be civil with one another."
The matriarch of the Original family went to the main dining room with Gwen, Klaus, and Kol following behind her. The room was more spacious than the room that had been set up for the previous night's dinner party. Natural light lit up the room through the windows that were as high as the ceiling and almost reached the floor.
At the dining table were Finn and Elijah, each with a newspaper in hand to get caught up with modern times.
As she looked around, Gwen noticed one Original was missing. "Where's Rebekah?" she asked, her brows furrowing. While she was still upset with the missing Original vampire, she still wanted to see how Rebekah was doing after everything that happened.
"Grounded," Elijah answered as he turned a page of the newspaper.
"In other words, pouting in her room," Klaus sighed.
"Why?" asked Gwen.
"Last night," Esther began as she took a seat at the head of the table with Finn sitting to her right and Elijah sitting to her left. "Or rather, early this morning, she took it upon herself to punish the Petrova doppelgänger for some indiscretion of some sort."
"Yeah, Elena daggered her through her back," Gwen said as she sat to Elijah's left.
Kol hissed as he sat to Finn's right. "Through the back?" he asked rhetorically. "That's got to hurt."
"She should have known better than to trust the vermin that is this town's people," huffed Klaus. He was still miffed that Rebekah had gone after the one person who allowed him to make more hybrids, but it was more of an annoyance than anything else. He liked to have the option of being able to create more hybrids, but it was no longer a necessity with his father dead. And it wasn't like he still didn't have a few of them standing by. "Which reminds me, I think it best that we take our leave soon, probably return to New Orleans and reestablish ourselves there. Now that Mikael is gone, anywhere is safe."
"I quite disagree," Kol added. "I'm itching to do some exploring after being stuffed in a box for so long." He gave Klaus a pointed look. "No thanks to you, darling brother."
Klaus smirked at Kol. "If you weren't scheming so much behind my back, I wouldn't have had to put you on a time-out."
Gwen noticed how both Finn and Elijah took deep breaths and exhaled heavily through their noses, keeping their eyes glued to their reading material. She imagined that they were used to the bickering and merely let it happen. This had the halfling thinking that being the older siblings of a big family was no easy task, especially when it came to old vampires with explosive or unpredictable tempers that matched one another.
"Oh, sod off," Kol argued. "That was merely your paranoia. You daggered me for no good reason."
"I don't believe I need a good reason when it comes to you," countered Klaus.
"I believe I asked you both to behave," Esther reminded her two youngest sons. The sternness in her tone silenced any further argument just as servers came into the room with silver trays filled with food in their hands. "As for our time of departure, there is no need to hurry." This piqued the interest of everyone at the table. "It's been a thousand years since we were all together, so we should celebrate at the very place that was once our home."
Gwen frowned at this as the servers placed the trays next to one another at the center of the table before moving to put plates and utensils in front of each Original and faerie. She had been through much danger and harm in Mystic Falls, so she craved a change in scenery. It didn't help that there were still quite a few people working to eliminate Klaus, which had her curious as to what Esther truly wanted. It was kind of hard for her to believe that the Original witch wanted to fix the bonds of her family after having her heart be literally ripped out by her son without having an ulterior motive of some sort.
The halfling kept a sigh from escaping her, thinking that families were complicated enough. She imagined that a family of supernatural beings made things even more complicated and a lot messier.
Kol rolled his eyes but did so looking away from his mother to hide the action. "I don't think our reunion is much cause for celebration."
"It's what Mother wants," said Finn.
"I'll have to agree with Kol," Klaus said begrudgingly, eliciting a smirk from his younger brother. "As much as it pains me to say it."
"A little party will do us no harm," Esther said as her eyes landed on Klaus. "Some of us also need the time to acquaint ourselves with this new world. We can stay in town for a bit before deciding on what we should do when we leave." This had the effect she desired when Klaus dropped his gaze, deciding to cease voicing his disagreement.
Elijah cleared his throat as he placed his newspaper next to his empty plate. "I agree with Mother as well." This had Klaus giving him an exasperated look, having hoped that Elijah would side with him. "After Mikael came for us in New Orleans, we tried to erase the Original family as much as we could from the world in an attempt to hide, but we should ease our return." He glanced at Klaus. "Mikael may be gone, but we each have quite a few enemies that have gone rampant in our absence, so we should take the time to take stock of things before going back into the fray."
Both Klaus and Kol nodded, silently agreeing with Elijah's reasoning.
"Then, it's decided," Esther announced, her smile wide and victorious. "We will host a party tomorrow night and have an enjoyable time reintegrating ourselves in modern society."
Gwen exhaled through her nose, giving a server a grateful smile when they placed a glass of juice in front of her. "Fun."
.
A deep breath of fresh air was something Gwen didn't know she needed when she stepped outside of the manor, closing the front door behind her as her body finally found a moment to release some of the stress she had been feeling. Ever since she woke up, she felt tense. She couldn't relax, not even after breakfast was over and done with. The air in the magnificent home was filled with a mix of hostility and uncertainty, keeping her from dropping her guard. She hated that feeling because it told her that something was wrong, and every inch of her body told her that it was Esther she should be most wary of, but she couldn't be careless voicing such worries in a house that no longer provided much privacy. Any word she said or sound she made could be heard by someone who could then consider her a threat.
So, Gwen thought it was best to have lunch anywhere else to gather her thoughts, to which Klaus agreed to without a problem. It was as if he could also feel like something was off, but she had never seen him look so powerless. Although, it shouldn't come as a surprise to her. He was surrounded by people who could match him in strength and wit, so he had to also be careful.
The halfling debated whether she should have invited Rebekah to come with her, but she opted not to dive into fixing her issue with the blonde vampire before clearing her mind.
Gwen headed for her designated car–a metallic grey Porsche Cayenne–that was parked in a corner of the driveway. She walked around it to reach the driver's side and climbed in after unlocking it. After closing the door, she turned to the steering wheel to get the car started but yelped when her eyes caught a smirking Kol sitting in the passenger's seat. His sudden appearance had her heart beating too fast and too erratically, so she took a few deep breaths to calm down, but she never took her eyes off Kol for a second.
"What the hell?" she managed to ask, wondering why he was in the car.
"No need to be so jumpy, darling," said Kol.
"Says the guy who tried to kill me last night," Gwen countered, trying to be as far away from Kol as possible. Her back almost looked like it was melded into the door by how much she pushed herself against it.
"Yes, I tried and failed and got a few nice threats about being daggered again and whatnot if I tried to eat you again," said Kol, completely relaxed in his seat. "Let's try this again." He extended a hand for Gwen to shake, giving her a wide grin. "Kol Mikaelson."
Gwen debated whether she should trust him or not as her eyes shifted between his eyes and his extended hand. She didn't know how she felt about him and not being able to figure him out made things even more difficult for her. It didn't help that he almost killed her when they met the first time. His reaction was not so different than the many other vampires she had met before him, but she had to admit that there was something different. It could have been her mind toying with her, but she knew that she saw him hesitate before biting her. That was something that she planned on asking him about when she was comfortable enough.
"Gwen Moone," the halfling finally said as she took his left hand with her own with the intent to shake it. Her breath got caught in her throat when he pulled her hand to his lips and placed a chaste kiss upon her knuckles, making the skin where his lips touched feel a lot warmer. "Uh…"
Kol smirked at her shocked face and how her cheeks became flushed. "Now, where are we going?"
Gwen raised an incredulous eyebrow. "'We'?"
"Much like you, I also need a break from the family. They can be an exhausting lot," he sighed heavily, sinking into his seat. "It doesn't help that my mother has established some very restrictive rules." He glanced at her and shrugged. "That leaves me with few ways of entertainment."
"I need to make something clear," Gwen began as she steeled herself, working up as much confidence as she could. She was not going to be another vampire's plaything ever again. "I have had enough of vampires treating me like some weird ecstasy drug to get high, so don't try it."
And just like that, Kol found himself liking the halfling, but he always liked pretty little things with sharp tongues.
Yes, she was like other girls he had encountered in his long life with how polite and sweet she seemed to be, but there was more to her. She appeared to be innocent and ignorant, but he didn't believe that to be true if she had been raised with Klaus. If he knew his brother well–and he very well did–then the young fae had to have suffered the controlling and possessive behavior that Rebekah had to go through. Also, Kol was very familiar with how faeries were treated. Her words confirmed his suspicions that–like her kin–she did not have an easy life. He would be a liar if he said that there wasn't anything else pushing him to engage with the young hybrid in some way, but he just couldn't figure it out. So, what better way to satiate his curiosity than by spending time with the very person that intrigued him so much.
"All right," Kol sighed as he placed his left elbow on the center armrest, leaning closer to Gwen with a lopsided grin. "I don't know how much you know about me or how much my brother or my sister has said, but I don't mess with the fae folk. I'm very familiar with what your kind is capable of, even if you don't seem very aware of it yourself, so I would rather not be the trigger."
Gwen raised an eyebrow at this. "What does that mean?"
"It means that I won't ruffle your feathers, so rest easy," Kol said with a shrug as he settled back on his seat.
"Kind of hard to do, but beggars can't choosers," Gwen mumbled as she started the car.
Kol smiled at her. "Glad we're on the same page."
While Gwen wasn't at all comfortable spending time with the guy who almost killed her, she'd rather deal with one Original than a whole family of them confined in a house with tensions high. The choice was simple for her.
"Nice ride," Kol commented as he looked around the car just as Gwen pulled out of the driveway. "Cars look much more practical, but I do enjoy the breeze at high speed."
"There are convertibles," Gwen said as she thought about where it was best to have lunch.
Kol glanced at the halfling with a small frown. "Convertibles?"
"Cars that have a roof you can fold or detach," she explained. "There are many models and from different brands."
Kol hummed, impressed and eager to get his own car. "Things have changed quite a bit this time around."
Although he had been daggered before and for much longer, technology had truly advanced at an astronomical level. Between the many times Klaus had daggered him, Kol had seen how things evolved. He saw how steam, coal, and iron were replaced by mechanized manufacturing. Electricity had been in its infancy when he was last awakened when compared to where it was now. And yet, since he was last daggered, technology advanced in a more variety of fields that now included many forms of entertainment.
"The last car I drove was a Pierce-Arrow," Kol remarked as he looked out the window, watching everything that passed by. "Quite a luxury to have back in the day with outstanding horsepower."
"I can't begin to imagine how different things must be for you," said Gwen.
"Thank Niklaus for that," Kol huffed.
"Why did he dagger you?" asked Gwen.
Kol glanced at the halfling. "I doubt there is a good enough reason to dagger your own family and for as long as it's convenient." He narrowed his eyes. "How did you end up with my brother?" He paused and said, "Well, it's not like it's the first time he's taken in a lost little lamb."
This had Gwen becoming interested, glancing at him quickly before her eyes returned to the road. "He took someone else in?" she asked, intrigued.
"Answer my question first," he said, grinning.
"Well, I was a baby when he took me in," she explained, remembering Klaus' answer when she had asked him the same question Kol was asking her. "It was during a storm. He tried to save my mother, but he said that he couldn't without risking me and that's it." She cleared her throat. "Not much else to tell."
"My," Kol chuckled. "How very altruistic of him."
"He saved my life," Gwen argued, disliking how Kol was trying to degrade what Klaus had done for her.
"That's what he says," argued Kol. "When it comes to Nik, there's always something else."
"I'm quite familiar with how twisted he can be, but that doesn't change the fact that he could have used me or left me to die instead of taking care of me my entire life," Gwen huffed, not raising her voice but managing a grave tone that left no room for further argument. "We're here," she sighed as she parked the car in a lot near the Mystic Grill. "So, um, what kind of lunch are you having?" When he raised an eyebrow, she elaborated. "Actual food or some unfortunate person who I urge you not to kill?"
Kol chuckled. "Technically, blood is 'actual food' for vampires."
"I just want to know if I have to wait up for you to go back home," she clarified.
"Sweet of you to ask, but I'll behave for once and get familiar with modern-day environments," Kol said as he stepped out of the car, closing the door behind him.
Gwen took the keys off the ignition and went to open the door, but it was already open with a smirking Kol holding the door for her. "Thanks," she said with a small smile as he closed the door behind her before she started walking to the entrance of the restaurant, café, and bar with the Original beside her.
The pair stepped inside the establishment and were met with mixed chatter from the many people inside the restaurant. A waiter greeted them and asked if they preferred a table, booth, or seats at the bar. While Kol would have preferred the bar, he wanted a bit more privacy this time, so he chose a booth close to the bar. This was also his chance to get to know Gwen, see how close she was to Klaus, and use her against him if need be. Not only that, but he also held faeries in much higher esteem than witches due to their raw and strong connection with magic. She was the last person to have fae blood running through her veins, which was something that drew him in. He would be lying if his interest weren't fueled by memories from his days as a human, reminding him of things that he would rather keep locked away in the darkest parts of his mind.
"I'll be right back," the waiter said after taking Gwen and Kol's order, leaving them right after. Gwen had picked the same burger and drink she had ordered the last time she had come to the Mystic Grill, whereas the Original settled for some bourbon as he surveyed the person that he would choose to have them donate some of their blood.
"So, are you going to answer my question?" Gwen asked Kol, her arms folded on the table.
"What question?" Kol asked with a playful grin.
"About whom Nik took in before me," she said.
"Jealous?" Kol teased, his grin slightly irking Gwen.
"Curious," Gwen corrected.
"So, Nik hasn't told you much, has he?" Kol taunted.
Gwen sighed. "There are a lot of things that Nik doesn't like to talk about." She looked at Kol. "But you don't have that problem. So, who did Nik take in?" she asked, interested to know a bit more about Klaus' past. "Are they still around?"
"Marcellus Gerard," Kol sighed just as the waiter brought their drinks, huffing at the memory of a person he loathed. "He was the illegitimate son of the Governor of Louisiana back in the 1800s and a slave. Nik took a liking to him, so he adopted the young chap into the family, elevating him to the rank of a noble."
Gwen hummed as she listened to Kol, taking note of his change in demeanor. "You don't sound very happy about that."
"A stranger comes into your home and is treated more like family than you, essentially replacing you. Wouldn't you have a problem with that?" he countered with a question.
"You have a point," she answered. If she really thought about it, Gwen wouldn't like someone trying to take her place. It's not that she would hate the other person–she doesn't believe she's capable of truly hating someone–but she wouldn't be all right with someone else pushing her aside. "What happened to him?" she asked, looking to steer away from whatever might put him in a bad mood. If he were anything like Klaus, he could do something on an impulse or whim.
"Not sure on the details. From the summary Nik gave me, Mikael arrived and so they were forced to leave," Kol explained with a shrug of his shoulders, taking a sip of his drink. "Rebekah mentioned that Mikael got to Marcellus and that they couldn't save him." He turned to Gwen. "So, how good are you with fae magic?"
That was a quick way of changing the topic of conversation, but Gwen shrugged it off. "I can do basic things," she said as she looked down at her hands to escape his penetrating gaze, focusing on her fingers that were fiddling with one another. "Nature is easy to connect to. I can generate raw magical energy and manipulate it to a certain extent." She perked up when she recalls something she enjoys doing. "I'm good with herbs and can make their properties more effective."
Kol was pensive, thinking over her skills and how useful they could be. "So, very basic things." He frowned. "What about your blood?" he asked, taking another sip of his bourbon as the waiter arrived with their food. "Does it still have magical attributes, even though you're half-fae?"
Gwen waited for the waiter to leave before she glanced around the establishment, making sure she didn't see any familiar faces that belonged to anyone with heightened hearing. "Um, yeah," she mumbled, a bit surprised that Kol knew so much about faeries.
With a raised eyebrow, Kol asked her, "Are you a secret?" A nod of Gwen's head was his answer, which had him laughing as he rubbed a hand over his face. "Not that I blame you. I mean, your scent is as intoxicating as that of a true faerie. That is enough to get almost every vampire obsessed with you."
Gwen took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to force back memories she would rather forget of her time with Albert and his friends. "That is why nothing good comes from others knowing what I am," she said.
Kol hummed with a nod of his head. "I can't argue with you there. To most vampires, you're a personal blood bag and a toy for them to satisfy whatever need they have," he begins to explain. Gwen shook her head and tried not to think about what some vampires do to faeries when they weren't treated as blood bags. "Now, let's change topics. Any witches or werewolves or anything else supernatural in town?" he asked her.
"I only know of one witch, a medium, and a doppelgänger," she answered before taking a bite of her burger.
"Yes, Nik told me of Tatia's descendant and a Bennett witch," Kol hummed.
"And he turned the only werewolf in town into a hybrid," she added.
"Of course, he did," Kol chuckled. "Yeah, this place won't do for me." He glanced at Gwen. "What are some good places to visit this day and age? I am going straight there once I satisfy my mother's requirements for some family bonding."
"I'm not really sure," Gwen answered with a shrug.
"Come now, there has to be a place you must like better than the rest," Kol prompted. "Spain? Africa? Tokyo?"
"I can't tell you, I haven't been anywhere outside of the United States," she told him, earning an incredulous look from the Original.
"I know Nik is quite the paranoid fellow, but he must've taken you places or let you go experience the world," Kol said but paused. "Do I even realize who I'm talking about? Of course, he didn't. I imagine you were never out of his sight for too long."
Gwen nodded. "And if I was, I would be under someone else's supervision and not for very long."
"Nik's always been a killjoy like that," Kol sighed.
"Not all the time," argued Gwen. A small smile worked its way on her lips as she twirled her drink in her hand, recalling her childhood and how happy she was while still being ignorant of the world around her. "There were many good times, and still are quite a few."
With a roll of his eyes, Kol huffed after taking a sip of his drink, "You're too infatuated with Nik to find any faults in him."
The halfling narrowed her eyes at the Original. "I'm not infatuated with Nik. The man raised me, so him being anything more than a father to me is never happening," she argued, disliking what Kol was suggesting. She needed to correct that because the thought of feeling anything romantic toward Klaus unsettled her stomach. "I admit that he is not perfect, but no one really is."
"Especially when it comes to my family," said Kol.
A thought occurred to Gwen, how she could get some information about what happened to Esther and her motives. She was still bothered by the thousand-year-old witch, unable to ignore the bad feeling she felt. "About your mother," Gwen began, forcing herself to remain strong and confident, receiving a hum in response. "Um, how is she…?"
Seeing her struggle about what was on her mind, Kol decided to help her. "You're wondering why and how she's here with us," he stated. "I'm having trouble trying to understand that myself."
Frowning, Gwen looked at Kol. "What do you mean?"
"Do you know about my parents?" he asked the halfling.
With a nod, Gwen said, "Yes, a bit." She felt the wound on her lower back pulse. "I actually met your father." She exhaled heavily as she tried to forget that encounter. "He was quite the character."
"Well, while my father was a man who dealt with things by using brute force, my mother is quite the intelligent woman," Kol said, huffing out a laugh as he recalled what she mumbled to herself when practicing her craft and he peeped on her when he was a child. "Quite disturbed from time to time, which makes her quite frightening. Her resurrection does not surprise, not with the power I know that she has."
This worried Gwen and didn't help to settle her nerves, but she now had reason to think that something might happen later and that she should be on high alert around Esther. She would have to talk to Klaus about this and the gut feeling that was telling her that there was something wrong with his mother.
"It also strikes me as odd that she had no problem forgiving my brother for killing her, so I wouldn't put it past her having a hidden agenda," Kol continued to explain. "She feels odd."
"Right?" Gwen blurted out but collected herself, clearing her throat. "I don't know your mother, but even I think it's strange that she would even live in the same house with Nik instead of throwing him out or exiling him or something."
"Or my family has finally gone mad and there's no explanation for what we do," said Kol.
Gwen gave the Original a pointed look. "There has to be an explanation."
"Sometimes there isn't," Kol hummed.
"Isn't it dangerous to ignore this?" she asked.
"My mother loves her children above anything." Kol paused and thought about his father, recalling the unpleasant memories he had of him. "Well, almost anything. Sometimes a bit too much," he explained. "I mean, she gave us eternal life because she couldn't stand the thought of losing any more children."
"Still," Gwen mumbled.
"You're as paranoid as Nik," he chuckled before he glanced at the bar when he felt like there were eyes on him. He smirked when he saw a beautiful blonde giving him a coy smile over a companion's shoulder. She would have to do for lunch. "This town may be boring, but it has quite a few perks," he said as he downed the remaining bourbon in one gulp.
Gwen noticed the blonde who Kol was eyeing and sighed. "If you're so hungry, go ahead." Kol turned to look at Gwen. "I can do without the flirting with the eyes, but I do recommend you don't kill her," she advised. "Deaths are investigated nowadays."
"Yes, Elijah mentioned something like that. Gave me quite a lengthy sermon," Kol groaned as he stood up. "I'm going to miss how you could have fun without worry. A body could drop dead on a curve and no one would bat an eye." He smirked at Gwen. "Shame, right?"
Gwen rolled her eyes as she watched Kol walk up to the blonde woman he had been eyeing earlier. It bothered her to an extent, but she pushed away that feeling. She felt bad for the blonde who seemingly thought she would have a good time with Kol. The blonde would only be his meal for the night and will have her mind be manipulated into forgetting what happened to her.
The halfling was so glad to be impervious to such a trick. Gwen couldn't even begin to imagine how it would be like to live life without certain memories that could range between vital or not important. It was a scary thought. Would she feel empty? Would she feel like there was always something missing? Would she feel hollow? Those were the thoughts that came to her at the thought of her mind being susceptible to compulsion.
With a shake of the head, Gwen took this time she had alone to relax and not think about what might be waiting for her back home or anything else.
.
"Not the most fun outing, but I can't complain," Kol stated as he stepped out of the car as the sun began to set. "It's better than being daggered."
Gwen sighed as she also stepped out of the car. "Be a little more grateful," she mumbled as she walked around the car, only to squeak in surprise when she found the youngest Original brother standing in front of her with a wide grin. "What?" she asked when he did nothing but stare at her, folding her arms over her chest.
"Nothing, but I do find you quite interesting," Kol responded while leaning his side against the car. "You had the guts to spend the day with the man who almost killed you. You're either crazy or dumb."
"I prefer crazy," said Gwen. "I mean, I kind of have to be able to deal with Nik and now your family somehow. You guys are the definition of dysfunction."
Kol nodded. "Touché." He chuckled as he began to walk toward the mansion with the setting sun splashing the building in warm orange shades. "I'm liking you more and more."
"I don't know if that's a good thing," Gwen said as she walked beside Kol, sharing a small smile with him.
"It is," Kol said with confidence.
"Says the guy who almost made me his snack," Gwen countered playfully, finding herself comfortable enough with him, even though she was still waiting for him to turn around and sink his fangs into her neck.
Kol chuckled as he glanced at Gwen. "You still could be."
Gwen rolled her eyes at him and opted not to answer as they stepped up to the front door. "Keep dreaming." She glanced at Kol and saw him frowning as he stared at the front door. "What's wrong?"
"Someone's arguing with Nik," he said as they stepped up to the front door. "And it's not Rebekah."
Curious, Gwen opened the door and stepped inside with Kol behind her. Her ears perked up when she recognized a familiar voice throwing an insult at Klaus as she stayed on the foyer with Kol on her side. She tried to follow the source of the voice and went to the living room, which was where she assumed the voice was.
"Honestly, you couldn't call me to tell me that you guys are all right?" said the feminine voice that was spewing annoyance.
Klaus scoffed. "I texted you."
"That could have been anyone," the person countered. "And you didn't answer my calls. I was worried about Gwen."
"She is fine," Klaus argued.
"In a house full of your vengeful family members, one of whom you said tried to kill her," stated the other person.
"She has a point, brother," Elijah's voice piped in.
"Hysterical woman," said Klaus.
"Oh, you think I'm being hysterical," the person laughed. "Okay."
Just as she reached the room, Gwen saw Klaus crouch down to avoid a vase that was now heading toward her face. She only had time to release a gasp as she closed her eyes to wait for the impact, but it never came. Her eyes fluttered open to find a hand holding the vase an inch away from her face and she followed the arm to see that it was Kol who helped her from having her face busted.
"Are we late for the party?" Kol chuckled as he placed the vase on a nearby table.
Klaus turned around to face Kol and Gwen with Elijah doing the same from his spot on the couch. The hybrid opened his mouth, intending to interrogate both Gwen and his brother on their whereabouts, dislike the thought that they had spent time together on their own, especially with how unpredictable his baby brother could be. His questions were put on hold as a figure went past him to approach Gwen.
"Hey!" Juniper greeted the halfling with a wide smile and her arms outstretched.
"June!" Gwen's lips mirrored the witch's smile as she wrapped her arms around her friend in a tight embrace. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she pulled away from Juniper's arms, but they still held on to one another. "Not that I'm not happy to see you. I've missed you very much."
"That makes one of us," Klaus mumbled.
Juniper rolled her eyes at the Original hybrid's words as she looked at him with an unimpressed gaze. "I can't imagine you being better company than me." Then, she noticed that someone was missing. "Where's Rebekah?"
"Grounded," all the Mikaelson brothers said in unison.
"Oh, well," Juniper hummed with a shrug before she turned back to Gwen with a smile. "You have me for a few days before I go on my way to Florida to see Missus Bixby." This had the halfling deflating, but Juniper was quick to turn her friend's frown upside down. "After that, the store will be sold, and I'll be free as a bird again. So, you'll be seeing a lot more of me."
Klaus released a groan at the thought of having Juniper around more often, but he did so more to annoy the witch than anything else. The more time he spent around Juniper, the more he got used to her. It wasn't like he could drop his guard around her, something that he didn't even do around his family—Gwen is the only exception. He was still waiting for the day that she would betray him and was always prepared for that, but he had to admit that he was beginning to get comfortable with her presence. He wasn't on high alert, but he kept his guard up.
Gwen smiled at this. "I'll tell you where we'll move."
"No, we won't," said Klaus, but he was ignored.
Elijah cleared his throat as he stood up and approached Juniper with a kind smile. "Well, I extend the invitation for you to stay with us until your departure."
"Great," Klaus sighed.
"This will be good, especially because we will be hosting a ball," said Elijah, causing Kol, Juniper, and Gwen to frown at him.
"Ball?" Kol, Gwen, and Juniper asked at the same time.
"Mother's idea," Klaus explained. "The Mikaelsons will be making a comeback to society with expensive wine and ballroom dancing. Be sure to bring a partner for the event because there will be dancing."
Kol nodded, his interest piqued. "Very nice." He had been stuck in a box for over a century, so he was looking forward to a good time. He glanced at Gwen as she stood beside Juniper, an idea already forming in his head as he looked at Klaus for a moment.
"And an open bar," Juniper beamed, excited at the idea of going to a formal party with free food and drinks.
Gwen turned to Elijah and asked, "When's the ball?"
Klaus grinned. "Tomorrow."
End of the chapter!
I hope my dear readers enjoyed it and that it was good. I was worried about so many characters and how to portray them to be as accurate as possible. If not, then I'll just have to get better, so don't be afraid to voice your opinions and such!
I am loving the love I receive from this story and it pushed me to continue to correct this hell of a chapter to post it and to finally be off to the ball!
See you guys in the next chapter! It won't be too long, I promise!