Chapter Six
Hello! Thank you for the reviews, favourites and alerts, as always. Here we have the big reunion we've been waiting for :D PS – I know Elijah had the shoe in the scene, but I changed it 'cause I could.
Disclaimer – I do not own the Vampire Diaries but I do own Teagan.
The house was magnificent – all white, with large windows and sharp points. Areas of greenery rested around the edges of the driveway and in the centre, thick trees reaching for the Heavens. I casually walked through the tall, double doors as I didn't see the need for knocking – everyone knew I was coming.
I stepped straight into a majestic foyer, with a double staircase surrounded by wrought iron rails. A medium sized, marble topped table sat between the sets of stairs, holding a luscious bouquet of flowers that oozed exquisite taste. A chandelier that reminded me of days back in the fourteen hundreds hung from the carved ceiling. Klaus certainly wasn't subtle, I noted as I followed the sound of music and talking.
Taking the corridor to the left, I got closer and closer to the noises, smiling at the familiar voices of my family mingling together. Eventually, I ended up close to the doorway through which I would find them, just as my favourite brother started speaking loudly.
"Rebekah, tell me how handsome I am," he ordered and I could just picture the superior arrogance on his face. Grinning, I slipped around the corner and leant against the doorframe, watching the antics.
"Oh Kol, you know I can't be compelled," Rebekah retorted, analysing her freshly painted fingernails. Kol was dressed suavely in a tuxedo that looked like it had been fitted just for him, whilst someone I assumed was Finn analysed a shoe in his hand with interest. Elijah was just observing with obvious affection.
"You never could drag your head out of your ass," I remarked casually, raising a challenging eyebrow as Kol spun around with an expectant look. It quickly dissolved into a gleeful smile and I was whisked into a spinning hug.
"If it isn't my favourite partner. It's about time you showed up, darling, I was beginning to think you weren't coming," he joked, letting me go. I swatted him playfully before grinning at Elijah cheekily. He looked suspiciously calm and I was beginning to think that something was off.
"What are you all dressed up for and why wasn't I invited?" I asked cheerily, plopping down on the sofa next to Rebekah as her manicurist departed the room. Kol gave a low whistle and started admiring his reflection once again, whilst Rebekah stared a little too hard at her nails. Elijah was the one to answer, seemingly deciding it was best not to hide it.
"Things have taken an unexpected turn," he began just as Klaus burst into the room looking furious. His eyes narrowed immediately at Rebekah, who had a Kol-like smirk on her face.
"You tried to kill Elena?" he demanded and I couldn't help the snort that escaped my mouth. Unfortunately, that caused Klaus' eyes to swivel to me and I swallowed thickly. It was the first time I was seeing him since he'd kicked me out of the car in 1922 and he had hardly changed. His blonde hair was no longer slicked back, but the blue eyes were still there, along with the cheekbones. Like Kol resembled Elijah, Rebekah resembled Klaus.
"In case you haven't figured it out, we're no longer leaving," Kol commented briskly and my face slackened slightly as the words registered. I had returned to Mystic Falls, only to find out that I was not getting to leave with the people that thankfully still considered me family. Klaus glowered at me.
"You returned only so you could leave with them?" he questioned sharply and I stood up strongly, staring at him. I would not show the fear he desired from me as I took a probably stupid step forward.
"What did you expect? Unlike you, they still think I am family," I bit out slowly, gritting my teeth to stop myself from admitting the hurt that still surged through me from ninety years ago. Klaus' expression twitched and I decided the flicker of pain I saw there was a figment of my imagination.
"Teagan," Elijah warned softly. It was not his usual reprimand, but rather an urge to get away from Klaus. We both knew how temperamental he could get and I had not encountered him since his becoming a hybrid – I had no idea just how strong he really was.
"No, let her tell him. After all, we know he would never hurt her," Kol goaded bitterly and Klaus spun to stare at his younger brother. I could see that Kol was purposefully irritating Klaus in the hopes he'd get a reaction. After all, there was a lot of anger in my brother after what Klaus had done to him.
"This doesn't concern you. Go back to staring at yourself," Klaus ordered and I restrained myself from commenting as I saw anger start making its way onto Kol's face. Usually, he concealed his true emotions with dark humour or cheekiness, but Klaus was clearly pushing his buttons.
"Enough," someone new said as they appeared in another doorway. Turning, I stared openly at the beautiful woman. She had dark blonde hair that fell to her shoulders in soft tendrils, and a cream dress that revealed her higher class. Although I had never met her, like Finn, I knew very well who she was. "You must be Teagan. I am Esther," she greeted, holding out her hand. In a daze, I stepped forward and shook it.
"It's lovely to meet you, ma'am. But I really must dash, I have other engagements in Chicago," I replied, the ease of lying all too familiar. She smiled at me and I stepped away before turning on my heel and making for the door. Kol's arm shot out and caught me before I could make it another step.
"Oh no, you expect me to be fooled with techniques I taught you? Dear Teagan, you are not that good," he scolded, twisting me back so I faced him. His brown eyes looked at me with a mixture of excitement and a nervousness that I rarely witnessed in him. "Mother, please tell Teagan that your presence does not change anything. She is still a member of this family."
My curious expression fell away to accommodate an enraged one as Kol broadcasted the problem I was experiencing to his entire family. Previously, I had been all too willing to fall into the baby sister role of the family, but Esther's presence reminded me that I really wasn't a member of their family. Naturally Kol knew what was bothering me and why I wanted to flee.
"Of course, she is very welcome in this family. My sons and daughter see you as their sibling and I would not have it any other way. Kol, see to it that she is fully informed on tonight's events? Niklaus, come," she ordered before leaving with the grace of a Queen. Klaus grudgingly walked away from us all, leaving the rest to stare at me. I rolled my eyes as Elijah opened his mouth.
"Alright, I'm very stupid. I am also Teagan, you must be Finn," I said with a gentle smile, sticking my hand out to Finn. The oldest Original took it firmly before going back to admiring his shoe. I turned my attention to Elijah, smirking at his haircut in appreciation. The shorter locks were much better suited to him than the floppy style I had seen on him before.
"Kol, I believe mother asked you to do something," Elijah prompted as I playfully ruffled Kol's hair and he lunged at me. I squealed and tried to wriggle free but he would not let me go and did so without even exerting himself or ruining the tuxedo. "Kol," Elijah repeated and, laughing, we both collapsed next to Rebekah, who simply rolled her eyes.
"Mother is hosting a ball for the entire town tonight in order to celebrate our reunion as a family," Kol informed me in a bored voice. I raised an eyebrow and he nodded. "Yes, I know. But such frivolous events do have good opportunities. For example, I can investigate this Stefan Rebekah has been telling me about thoroughly." I whipped my head to the right to glare at Rebekah.
"I did nothing wrong, he would have discovered the truth eventually," she responded easily, blowing on her nails idly. Sighing, I turned back to Kol, who looked too excited for his own health.
"Come now, Teagan, it has been a long time since a man has caught your fancy and you are in love with this one," he began, looking like he genuinely cared before a mischievous grin lit up his face. "Maybe I can persuade him to turn his humanity back on," he finished and I gave up, letting my head thud against his shoulder. I could feel the surprised tense in them and I groaned.
"Kol, you don't understand. He's been compelled to turn it off and no one is going to make him feel if he doesn't want to," I complained, voice muffled by the material of his jacket. He snorted and used his index finger to ease my head up once again, looking at me with chocolate eyes.
"He is a fool if he does not want you, Teagan. And, from what I hear, he loved you dearly once. He can again." I wanted to curse loudly at the hope that arose in me, especially as Kol knew exactly what would happen with those words. But, for once in his life, Kol seemed utterly serious and supportive. I smiled weakly.
"I mock others for being so hopelessly in love with someone they cannot have, yet I am one of them. I never believed I would be so pathetic," I moaned, wanting to put my head back on my brother's shoulder but unable to, because his hand still held me firmly in place.
"I always knew," he joked and I grinned properly before smacking the back of his head. Finally, he let my chin go and pulled me into a warm hug, the same kind of hug that I had missed dearly for ninety years. "And I saw to it that you had a dress," he added after a minute, pulling me to my feet. Although it was unusual behaviour, I could not wipe the smile from my face because I was just so elated. My family was back together.
"So, you tried to kill Elena?" I asked Rebekah as Kol disappeared behind the mirror he had been looking in for a moment. My blonde sister smiled darkly.
"Yes, but Elijah stopped me," she answered and we both rolled our eyes towards Elijah, who ignored our prodding. Kol coughed conspicuously as he came back around the mirror, holding a garment bag.
"Enough on that, I'm bored," he said, dismissing it with a wave of his free hand. He handed the bag over to me and I stared at it for a few prolonged moments, wondering at the contents. "Don't worry, precious, Rebekah saw to it that the design was to your tastes," he assured me and I grinned.
"Teagan, I must ask you to behave yourself tonight. Leave Elena be," Elijah put in, shooting me the usual warning glance. We shared a long stare and I eventually conceded to the authority he was exuding with a firm nod. As he re-entered the room, Klaus' face was thunderous as he looked directly at me. I took an instinctive step backwards as Kol crossed his arms threateningly. Silence reigned as he jerked his head in the direction of the door. I breathed a sarcastic laugh, believing he was kidding.
"Five minutes," he suggested.
"Three," I negotiated and took his departure as agreement. I spared a look for Kol, who looked very grumpy, before I left too, following the sound of Klaus' footsteps down the hallway. We ended up in an art room. Paintings covered the wall, historical pieces that he had stolen no doubt, and then his own work littered several tables. Pens, pencils, paintbrushes and palettes were scattered everywhere and the room had a very creative atmosphere. Leaning against a nearby worktop with a tall easel next to me, I waited whatever he had in store for me.
"Kol does not trust us alone with one another," he finally told me and I just looked at him like he was joking. "Kol does not trust me."
"Can you blame him?" I asked immediately, as though it should have been very obvious. He sighed and I simply waited for the explosion that was likely to occur. Instead, all I received was silence as he breezed over to a pile of papers, all with pencil drawings on them.
"I am very used to you simply forgiving me for my actions," he noted but I didn't say a word. He knew what my silence meant. "I see that won't happen this time. What I did was insensitive." I scoffed rather loudly, refraining from rolling my eyes as Klaus stared resolutely at his work. "I lied, Teagan." I was so stunned that he had admitted it that I could not control the short gasp of air that escaped me.
"What?" I asked ridiculously, as though I had not just heard him utter the words. I couldn't wrap my head around it, though, it seemed bizarre. Klaus was admitting he had lied, that what he had done was wrong, and that was something I had hardly seen in my existence.
"I lied to you ninety years ago. I should not have said you weren't my family, no matter how ambiguous the statement was. You of all people should understand what happens when tempers get out of hand." I laughed hysterically as he tried to turn it around on me.
"Don't flip the situation, Klaus. You were wrong and you've admitted it. And you're right; I'm not going to just forgive you with no apology and no act of contrition to prove you are anything but a disgusting pain in my ass," I informed him, hoping Kol or Rebekah or Elijah were fast enough to intervene if things got out of control. After all, Damon was right. I wasn't an Original. There was a long silence and the three minutes quickly disappeared, yet I did not move.
"I apologise, Teagan. My family are finally coming back together – will you be a part of it?" he asked, unable to keep the hint of sarcasm from his voice. I quickly dismissed the tone because I was attempting to process his very real apology. I wondered if it was a dream.
"You're still a dick," I responded, moving to the archway that linked the room and the hall together. Pausing before I rounded the corner, I moved my head slightly, just enough that I was looking at the room again but not enough to see Klaus. "But I can see you being my big brother again." And I left the room.
XXX
The house that had once been magnificent had been transformed to spectacular. Lights wound elegantly around the iron railings, champagne was carried around by waiters and served at a bar constructed specifically for the event, whilst people were bustling around. Still upstairs and staring critically at my reflection, I was not surprised when Kol ambled in with a pout on his face.
"How is it a party if I cannot eat anyone?" he asked as he flopped on my bed. Apparently Klaus had made a room especially for me – and it was eerily accurate to my tastes. The bed was king sized, with princess hangings in dark red. The carpet was a rich cream and a walk in wardrobe was to the left of the door. I was staring in the full-length mirror attached to the inside of the wardrobe as Kol huffed.
"I plan on drinking – lots," I answered with my own solution, glancing at him through the mirror. He raised an eyebrow before looking extremely appreciative.
"That sounds like a marvellous suggestion. Now, why are you still hanging around the mirror? You look beautiful and you know it." He stood up behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders, eyebrows both raised.
"I don't . . . Stefan will be there," I complained and was not surprised at the snort that Kol emitted. "Do not mock me, Kol," I snapped but he did not wipe the smirk from his face.
"Teagan, we've discussed this. If Stefan does not want to recall the love he has for you, then he is a fool. We will not pay attention to the Salvatore vampires, rather enjoy ourselves and maybe . . . play some games?" he asked, whispering the last part teasingly. I immediately perked up and a wide smile spread across my lips.
"It has been a long time since I properly played," I said slowly, licking my lips in excitement. Obviously pleased with himself, Kol smirked darkly.
"I too find myself in need of some good, old fashioned fun. Come, darling, let's join the party," he suggested, holding out his arm. I took a final glance at my reflection before allowing my brother to escort me from the bedroom and to the top of the double staircase. Down below, I saw Stefan standing alone and he looked up as I eyed his elegant form, eyes connecting with mine.
We stared for an immeasurable amount of time before Kol tugged on my arm and led me down the stairs. I dragged my eyes from Stefan and promised myself I would focus on Kol's plan for the evening – many games awaited.
And three you have it – Kol and Teagan are back to their old tricks and Stefan will definitely be back properly in the next chapter. Oh, and I'm working on a sequel for this story and, considering this is AU from the end of season 3, it's set in New Orleans but not following the events of The Originals. It'll be Kol/OC, though everyone will still be in it. Does this sound like a plan? Let me know. Love, Bianca :) x