Hey everyone, we are back in the saddle again. I know that I keep having time between chapters. I am really trying. There are piles of notes that I have on this story (much like the notes that Charlotte has). The problem is getting them sorted and into a cohesive story. I hope that means that you guys will trust me with trying to get this right. This chapter is short and fairly intense.
Thank you to AppleBaby7 for following both me and the story, not to mention favoriting the story itself.
Thank you to for following both me and the story (real original, btw).
Thank you to h1h for following the story.
Thank you to paranoidowl for favoriting the story.
Thank you to with-a-passion for following and favoriting the story. In response to your review, I am glad you like it so much. I am trying really hard to make the whole thing cohesive and true to the show. I am glad it is ringing true to you. I am hoping that if I falter at any point that you will gladly let me know!
Thank you to abc500 for following the story. In response to your review, I am glad that you like it enough that you got mad at Elijah on Charlotte's behalf. To be honest, I go back on forth on the Damon/Elijah issue myself because I think both relationships have so much potential. Please continue to tell me what you think so that I can make the story better. Your feedback is invaluable!
Finally, CalligraphersNib, thank you for your continued reviews! Glad you liked the entrance of Lexi. I wanted to incorporate the entire world of the show rather than just focusing on something small like two characters. Charlotte has been alive for 1000 years and it is reasonable that she would have serious connections to all the characters in the mythology whether directly or indirectly. Please continue to review and let me know how I am doing. Your feedback is what means I can know how I am doing.
"Who is Simon?" Charlotte asked herself. She was back in the ballroom and still wearing Caroline's fluffy pink confection of a dress. She had thought about changing out of it but she also shared with Rebekah that lust for a normal teenage life that was so common now and rare when they were teens themselves.
She had been crossing back & forth through her notes for any mention of any person that she met or heard of named Simon. It is a pretty common name. Still though, she knew so few Simons. Most of them were really bland and boring. Few of them have lived very long. Then, she struck on it. Back in the 1700s, there was a man with similar powers to her. It wasn't the first time that there had been someone with similar powers to her own. She was desperately trying to remember more. His name was Simon. Was his name Simon?
Charlotte started running through the house looking for the thing that would help her to strike the right memory. She ran into the room where everyone was waiting impatiently because there was nothing any of them could do. Klaus, Elijah and Stefan had called any of the people that they could. Waiting for people to call you back was slow business though.
Elijah watched as his wife dug through a box of papers that she had yet to have dragged into the ballroom. He couldn't help but think that she might be the most adorable thing he had ever seen. He practically growled in frustration. The whole situation between the two of them was out of control and had been for nearly 1000 years. Elijah had long ago given up on resolving the problem, but that had been easy with Charlotte being ensconced in her hideaway avoiding all contact. Seeing her made it so much worse. Violence against women is something that Elijah found entirely distasteful, but we would gladly wring his sister-in-law's neck for her actions. Her selfish meddling had effectively ruined his life, and for what? It is not like she was truly in love with Elijah himself. She just liked to have toys to play with. Here he was still bound to the brat.
"Got it!" Charlotte exclaimed. "There was this guy that I heard about back in 1763 who displayed certain aptitudes that were similar to mine. He was a little over a hundred at that time, I think. He would be 400 or so now. Anddddddd his name was Simon!"
"Let's celebrate!" Caroline exclaimed hugging Charlotte.
"I think Charlotte has had enough celebrating," Elijah stated once again belying his displeasure.
"Get off it, honey," Charlotte said with false sweetness. "I don't have much to celebrate but that doesn't mean I shouldn't try and buoy my spirits. So, I slept with Damon, what does it matter? It's not like I am your wife anymore. You could have been granted a divorce on grounds of desertion some 990 years ago. And I drank with Caroline to let off steam. I have a lot tearing me up. What does it matter to you, Elijah?"
Elijah slowly strode over to Charlotte and forced her to make direct eye contact with him. "My dear Charlotte, it will always matter. And you will always be my wife. When I took those vows, I meant them. Nothing on this Earth could change the fact I love you more than anything. Some witch's spell didn't make that false. It just forced my direction elsewhere. I have fallen asleep every night for these past 1000 years of my life with thoughts of you and woke hoping to see your face. Whether I knew it was unattainable or not, my last and first thought of every day since I met you has been you and only you."
Charlotte stood breathlessly refusing to break eye contact with Elijah as plump tears formed in her eyes. "I heard somewhere that true love's kiss could break any curse," she whispered in a tiny and broken voice, willing herself to not let the tears fall. Slowly she got on her tiptoes and gave Elijah's the barest of kisses. She shakily lowered herself back to the soles of her feet. "Feel cured?" she asked in the same small broken voice.
"I am the luckiest man on Earth, but if only we lived in a fairy tale, princess."
Realizing how far on the line she had put her emotions out the line, Charlotte covered her own mouth and ran. A moment later a pulse of air signified that Elijah had left, too.
"Did they forget we were here?" Jeremy asked finally breaking the silence when no one else would.
Rebekah hung her head sadly. "They were so in love before," she said not really answering the question with her voice sounding as if it were coming from the far past that her mind was in. "They were never cruel about it, but they would have those moments where they seemed to be the only two people in the world. It was beautiful. That is why we couldn't bear to give her the hope that she could get her husband back. Especially because we knew how impossible it would be." At this moment, Klaus walked over to his little sister and wrapped her in a hug.
He stroked her hair trying to give her comfort when he knew there was none to be found. "If no one else has anything to offer, you guys should all do whatever it is that you do when you are not actively trying to ruin my life. Fighting over how to destroy yourselves to please Elena or the like. Maybe even go take in a picture. This is family business," he told the rest of the group and signaled something to Kol that no one else understood.
Damon Salvatore went straight from the Mikaelson House of Horrors to the Grill and took his seat at the bar. He ordered for himself and Ric before he remembered that Ric was gone. This way he wouldn't have to tell people not to sit there. They would assume someone already was. He began to drown his sorrows as soon as both drinks arrived. He only drank his though. Ric's was there for Ric. Here he was mourning his best friend when he should be worrying about the girl he was getting too caught up in.
There was something about Charlotte that demanded the metaphors of fairy tales, he mused. He had thought it himself and then it was brought back in that little exchange between her and Elijah he had to witness. The thought of it brought up his anger again. He saw it for the first time in that moment. He saw why people thought she was meant for him. And damn him, but he wanted her to be happy. If Elijah was what she needed, he would do everything he could to help them break that stupid curse. She deserved every happiness in the world. Damn the Southern gentleman lurking deep beneath that she seemed to bring out better than anyone else in the world. Damon finally asked for the bottle and went back to the Boarding House to fall in an unhappy slumber.