Elena

I wake up. I was dreaming Caroline, Bonnie, and I was practicing cheers in Bonnie's living room. We were laughing and dancing. A laugh is something I haven't experienced in what seems like an eternity. The happiness from the thought quickly fades. I step back into reality - my prison sentence.

I change into a purple tee-shirt and some athletic shorts. No need to impress. Not like there's a guy my age lying around.

I brush my teeth and comb my hair and as I look into the bathroom mirror I cling to the familiarity of my reflection. The only sense of me I have left.

Peering at the clock, I realize how late it is. After the long talk with Elijah, it makes sense I would need to sleep in. It's not like I need to wake up for school or anything. God, I miss school. It's weird because I've slept here one night and it already feels like a lifetime. A lifetime with three crazy originals as my only company.

I miss it. If I were home I'd probably be in history class. Ric would be teaching some stupid lesson that he is overly into. And I'd be making swift glances at Stefan as his eyes never leave my body.

I pray that they find me. I know my friends are looking and they'll stop at nothing but I need them to find me. If not now, by the time they do, who knows. I could go mad.

My stomach growls as I know I need to head downstairs. In my room, their sanctity. At least vampires don't invade privacy. Downstairs, I'm lunchmeat.

Yet, I know I can't stay in my little room all day, no matter how many books there are to explore.

As I walk into the kitchen Rebekah is cooking.

"Oh, you're up, lovely," her sarcasm apparent. I give her a fake smile and preceded to open the refrigerator. I've never seen a fridge this big and yet there is two adjacents.

"Close the door, I'm making lunch. It's rude to not eat when someone cooks," Rebekah bitters. Despite being in the kitchen she still looks radiant. Hair curled and make-up all done. She's dressed in a tight skirt with a beautiful white lace tank top.

I oblige. Besides the kitchen smells phenomenal.

"It will be done in less than five, my brothers are waiting at the table you can join them," she gestures her head toward a door.

I make way through it and see the long table all prepared. Only there are three men seated not two. Klaus seated at the head and Elijah beside him. The table could probably fit 20 people but only five placements are set. All at the very end so we could be one big family.

The other brother sits neither next to Klaus or across from Elijah. Those two seats I assume are reserved for Rebekah and myself.

Elijah stands when he sees me and pulls the chair beside him out. I sit in it and he pushes the seat in. The cushion on the chair is soft making the situation a little more bearing.

"Such a gentleman," Klaus mocks. His right elbow resting on the table as his chin sits on his hand. I can't help but look at the other man in the room. He has yet to speak and I cannot read him. He has dark brown hair that matches his eyes. He's tall similar to the rest of them - as much as I can tell from him sitting down. Broad but not as much as Elijah. And then it clicks. He's one of the bodies in the coffins where I found Elijah. He's their brother.

He's just sitting there, staring at me.

"Can I help you?" I finally ask condescendingly.

I think that surprised him because he flinched. Not in a burst of movement but his eyes, they were slightly taken back by my unfriendly approach.

Klaus grins. He finds amusement in people's aggression and discomfort. "Elena I'd like you to meet my younger brother Kol," Klaus introduces us. Not as friendly or inviting as most introductions but it is sufficient.

"I'd say I was s a pleasure but your rhetoric said otherwise," Kol says. He speaks like Elijah, unnecessarily formal. Maybe they went to the same etiquette school if that were a thing for the Vikings.

"Kol just woke up from a rather long nap," I can't tell if Klaus is mocking his brother or just insensitive.

"Well yes and I'm starving so if you don't mind," his eyes point to my wrists as I shove my hands under the table, out of his eyesight.

"What did I say?" Klaus bickers.

"Not even a taste, it's an injustice really," Kol speaks. The way he talks formal but I can not tell if he's being serious or not. He may just be the most sarcastic of the siblings. It could be refreshing though, a sense of humor not riddled with a psychopath. Lord knows Elijah or Rebekah has no comedic genes.

But Kol he, he may not be like his siblings. Elijah isn't. I mean there has to be a good sibling but I don't know if Elijah qualifies to be the purest of them all. Not with what Elijah has done in the past.

Rebekah comes in holding salad and we begin our course. Rolls are already on the table and I notice so our the wine glasses. Yet I don't have one and then I conclude the liquid is not red wine.

We dig into our salads and everyone finishes rather quickly. Then Rebekah comes back with three trays: one chicken, one grilled asparagus, and one red potato. it looks delicious. I can smell the seasoning on the chicken and already know it's gonna taste divine.

But once I taste the food I realize these simple foods are nothing short of extraordinary. My dinner companions must realize my approval of the food.

"Rebekah spent much time learning the culinary arts from royal chefs. She's quite talented," Kol said with no hint of sarcasm or underlying meaning.

"Well it's delicious," I say looking straight at Rebekah.

Holding her fork in her hand, Rebekah genuinely smiles. I think she truly appreciated the praise.

"Well each of us has our hidden talents," Elijah informs me.

"Such as," I dig.

"You'll see as they come up," Elijah says.

We finish our meals. And for a solid thirty minutes. I forgot I was a captive. The meal was peaceful and after Kol's snark comments about eating me, the lunch was surprisingly normal. The food immaculate. I can't help but wonder what is on the menu for dinner. Despite them being insane. They truly are a family. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between their family dinners and mine (minus the choice of beverage).

"It was a lovely meal but I'm going to take a walk in the town square. Elena cares to join. We can get to know each other," Kol suggests as he wipes his mouth for any last remnants of food particles.

"Elena can't leave," Klaus's tone immediately becomes dominant as if a switch was flipped.

"It's a walk Nik. It's not like I can't catch her," Kol argues with his brother.

"She can't, I had a spell cast."

"Are you ever going to let her go outside the walls? Just for a bit?" Elijah butts in.

"Once I trust she won't leave or make contact with Mystic Falls," Klaus explains.

"And when will that be?" I ask.

"However long it takes? But I will say if tonight's lunch is any indication, not too long," Klaus says. There was something about the second half of what he said. I don't know if it was approval or if I was the dog that correctly performed the trick. Either way, approval from Klaus is rather rare.

"Well, I would love to get to know our guest, Miss Gilbert would you like to go for a walk?" he asks as he gets up from the table and puts his arm out for me to take. Another walk? Is that all I'm ever going to do? But I am curious about what this brother is like. Each one of their endless siblings has a completely different personality.

We walk outside. Seeing the grounds in daylight, I can see everything. Before when I first got here I was paying attention to the elaborate mansion but the landscape is something else. It goes on for miles to the outer walls, making me feel a bit less trapped. The grass is green like stunningly green. Trees and flowers surround the land.

"There's a large pond over there. If I recall, it is quite nice to walk around," Kol says pointing to a body of water - one that looks minuscule in the distance.

I follow him over.

"So what's your story," I jump right into it.

"Well, I've been daggered for almost a century. I'm still trying to figure that out," his voice is sincere. Oddly, sincere. I will say despite the remark at lunch (actually with remark) he wins the best first impression among his siblings.

After some small talk, we arrive at the pond. And it is breathtaking. It's so massive, it should be a lake.

"So Elena, how'd did you end up here," he asks. I can tell Kol is a curious one but as am I.

"Still trying to figure that one out. But I'm the doppelganger," I clarify.

"Yes," he sighs a little too heavy. "But I've met other doppelgangers as well. Katerina wasn't as intuitive and Tatia was well a literal archetype of a damsel in distress."

"Well, at least that means I don't look as helpless as I feel," I guess there's relief in my words.

"I feel that you're pretty interesting, not to mention absolutely stunning," he smirks. I pause and look down evading the topic. Kol catches on, "I'm not courting you or anything. I'm just a little curious. It's a weakness of mine.

I look at him for a long moment. He knows I'm not trying to hide my stare. though, I can't figure this man out. Do I trust him? Will he become a friend?

"What?" he says with a slight them. One that almost sounded flirty.

"I'm trying to decide if I should trust you or not," I say in the most serious of tones.

"Don't," his response shocks every part of me.

Don't? He is asking me not to trust me? Is that a warning or is that a man knowing his own history?

Kol stops walking and halts me to my own type of stop. He's looking at me dead in the eyes and leans towards me. Placing his lips beside my ear, the man whispers, "I'm not the type you trust Elena, trust me."

"And why is that?"

He pulls away from my ear and looks directly at me. "I'm assuming you have knowledge of vampires. Hopefully, you know everybody's outlier characteristic is heightened."

"Elijah moral, Rebekah petty and Klaus impulsive. So what does leave you?"

"Take your pic - arrogant, reckless, void of empathy." his eyes appear sterner as the voice tone turns to sadistic. Everything that seemed normal and good about this conversation turned dark instantly. His expression releasing a smile. One I can only compare to the joker after torturing someone. Although physically Kol hasn't touched me, Kol knows he still got under my skin. Really under my skin.

And thus Kol begins to walk away. Leaving me standing at the pond, processing the darkness he is. With him, goes my hope of finding comfort from a pure soul one that could help me escape this hell hole.

"Wait," I call out. He glances back at me and continues to head towards the outer gate, one I cannot pass. Something takes over and I proceed to run and catch him. I don't know why but like I said, I'm a curious little human.

I place my hand on his shoulder, stopping him from continuing. obviously, he wanted to keep talking to me or wouldn't have let me catch him. I step in front of him.

"Yes Miss Gilbert," he grins almost like a villain when their master plan works successfully.