The first thing Bonnie noticed when they pulled up to the driveway of the small yellow house that Stefan and Rebekah had taken up in was the former standing on the front steps with a tall dark-haired man in one of those hideous Christmas sweaters; this particular atrocity was bright green with white cartoon reindeer doing some sort of foxtrot around the middle.

"Is that-," she squinted as Klaus unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Good god."

"They look upset," she had to swallow her giggles at the sight of serious and urbane Elijah Mikaelson wearing something that looked like it was knitted by a senile old grandma.

As though on cue, the oldest Original spun around, "Ah, Niklaus, late as usual."

Klaus slid an arm around her waist as they strode over. He looked like he was about to respond with equanimity but a sudden burst of laughter nearly bent him double. Bonnie couldn't contain a giggle or two as Elijah stood there, haughty eyebrow cocked and mouth set in a very serious line indeed.

Bonnie enjoyed hearing Klaus laugh free of some dark purpose or bitter cynicism. It warmed her insides like mulled wine.

Elijah clicked his jaw, "Yes well if you're quite finished, we have a bit of a situation on our hands."

Klaus pretended to compose himself, "Yes, clearly your knitting is disturbingly misguided."

Bonnie noticed Stefan had his jacket zipped up all the way to his neck, "You got a sweater too huh?"

Stefan looked pained, "She wants all of us to wear them. Something about 'more family unity' and all that."

Klaus was positively bouncing on his feet with mirth, "Come on, now, don't keep us in suspense."

Stefan rolled his eyes and unzipped his jacket with a resigned sigh.

Bonnie let out a little yelp. Elijah flicked his eyes away like they were too refined for such puerility. Beside her she could hear Klaus nearly choking.

In the center of Stefan's bright, very bright, red sweater was a digital picture of him and Rebekah silhouetted against a dramatic Aspen background. It looked for all the world like the cover of a seasonal dime-store romance novel.

Just then the door swung open, followed by a wave of smoke smelling unmistakeably of burnt ham. Rebekah stuck her head out, blond hair disheveled and pretty face obviously distressed.

"Could you two bloody get inside? It's all your fault the ham is ruined, and- oh hi Bonnie luv - and now I've got grease on my sweater, and I don't even know what the pie is doing and-," she broke off when Bonnie stepped up squeezed her arm.

"Hey calm down, Rebekah, it's not a big deal, let's go inside and-,"

"Everything's ruined! And it's all Elijah's fault! He confused me with this ridiculous talk of fahrenheit and celsius and -,"

"Because baking a ham at 50 degrees is clearly logical," the older brother rolled his eyes.

"Honey," Stefan began, "he was only trying to-,"

"And you!" Rebekah whirled on him, voice rising "you were supposed to be watching the sauce, now it's-,"

"Alright, Bekah luv, let's calm down for a bit," Klaus joined Bonnie on the top step and gave his sister a comforting squeeze on the shoulder, though Bonnie could see his lips twitching with barely concealed amusement."I'm sure something can be salvaged."

Rebekah leaned into her favourite brother, "Oh Nik, I'm so glad you're here. They've destroyed my kitchen and made an absolute MESS of the tree. Would you decorate it for me, please? You're the artistic one."

Klaus smirked and turned to the two disgruntled vampires, "Why of course I will. Clearly these philistines must be stopped."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. Rebekah perked up with one of those girlish bouts of cheer she was prone to, even after centuries as a vampire, "Thank you, Nik. I'll get your sweater."

"My—wait."

This time it was Elijah who smirked, "Oh don't worry little brother, it's every bit as artistic as ours."