Juliette's POV
"Thanks for letting me take the morning shift." I told Sophie Deveraux while cleaning the bar-counter. The sun was shining through the window, but it didn't lighten my mood very much.
"Nah, it's nothing. It's your birthday, after all." Sophie answered with a shrug, while tying on her apron. I groaned in response, following her into the kitchen. I wasn't very good at cooking, but I was hella talented at making beignets, so she would sometimes let me bake them while she made the other dishes.
"Don't remind me." I explained myself when the witch gave me a questioning look. Her brown eyes were as always lined with kohl, but her chocolate hair was tied up in a messy bun at the top of her head. "Boyfriend's being an ass. Did you know he wasn't even at home when I woke up? He left a silly note." Okay, this is a habit of mine. Sharing way too much about myself with people I don't know very well. But, I happened to be having a very crappy morning that day.
"Douche." Sophie shrugged, but something flashed by in her eyes. As if she knew something I didn't. I was about to ask her about it when something–or rather someone– interrupted my thoughts.
"Look who's here." A very familiar british voice exclaimed, setting in motion a chain of feelings in my heart. Dread. Panic. Anger. And something else I couldn't quite explain.
"Klaus. Always the pleasure." I replied, turning to face the smirking hybrid. His blue eyes were watching me with a mixture of fascination and calculation, and I willed my gaze to stop drifting to his lips and the dimples on his cheeks.
"What are you doing here, Klaus?" Sophie intervened, breaking the awkward silence. Klaus's attention turned to her, and the look in his eyes was replaced by anger.
"You and I have to talk." He growled through clenched teeth, and before I knew it, they were both gone. I opened my mouth to object out of pure surprise, but closed it again when my phone started ringing. The name on the screen made me do a double take. Should I answer it? I had made a vow to myself to forget my old life. It was probably the best for everyone. Yet some part of me made my fingers itch with the need to answer the call.
"Dad?" I asked into the phone, damning myself eternally when my voice cracked.
"Hi, sweetie." His rough voice replied in the other end. The little girl in me wanted to tear up at the sound of his voice, but I managed to calm my emotions. "Happy birthday."
"Why are you calling me?" I asked him, still telling myself to slow down my heartbeat. I leaned against the metal freezer for support. I wasn't really ready for this confrontation. "It's been three years."
"Well, you haven't exactly been answering our previous calls, have you?" Dad chuckled in the other end of the line, and I swallowed the lump in my throat. He was right. I hadn't. "Anyway, I called to tell you that something has happened." His voice was grave, which finally made my heart slow. Too much, I'm afraid. Frankly, I think it stopped.
"What? What happened?" My voice echoed through the phone, and I didn't even try to hide the fear and dread in my voice.
"Your mother had a car accident." My father replied, and I could literally feel the color drain from my face. "She came in this morning. The doctors said that she's stable, but she–" Dad turned silent.
"She's in a coma." He finally said, and I could hear the heaviness in his voice. I took a deep breath, gathering my feelings.
"Uhm– Thanks." I replied slowly, trying to get my thoughts clear. My mother is in a coma. She might not wake up. "Thanks for telling me."
"Will you come back?" Dad sounded like a child when he said that phrase. The hope in his voice made my heart ache, especially because I knew that what I was going to answer.
"I– I don't know." I said. "I don't know if I can escape work. But please keep me updated on what's going on."
"Alright."
"Guess that's a goodbye, then."
"Goodbye, honey." His voice was filled with disappointment. Oh, how many times had I not heard that disappointment? It reminded why I wasn't determined to get back to Mystic Falls anytime soon. Even though my mother was comatose. It's not like she would have done the same for me.
Third person point of view
Klaus could still remember the way Juliette had looked at him in the dream when he had given her his blood. It had to have been a dream. What else could it be? But it had felt too real. He had roamed this earth for a very long time now, but he had never felt something like it before. But, in his never-ending curiousness, Klaus decided to pay his favorite little witch a visit.
"I have never heard of something like it. This was only hypothetical, right?" Sophie Deveraux raised her brows at him with disbelief, and Klaus replied with a wide smile knotting his hands together on his desk.
"Of course." He replied. He couldn't have Sophie knowing about Juliette, could he? Whatever she was, that fascinating little vampire.
"Well, hypothetically, I would say that this person is some kind of witch." Sophie explained with an annoyed yet intrigued look. It amused Klaus how she was in fact paying for bringing him to this city by doing his bidding. She knew that he could very well drain her and compel her to do his bidding if she refused to help him. And besides, he had nothing to do for the September morning. A witch. No, Juliette couldn't be a witch. Witches didn't keep their powers if they became vampires.
"And if this person happens to be a vampire?" Klaus asked the witch with a frown, leaning forward in his chair. He could sense how tense Sophie was from being in his office, completely unprotected.
"It's not possible." She shook her head in response, looking at Klaus with a puzzled expression. The hybrid clenched his jaw in frustration but gathered himself. Sophie was under the impression that this was only a hypothetical question. He then looked up at her with a careless expression, and gave her a quick wave of his hand.
"Well, off you go, then."
"What? This was what you brought me here for?" The dark haired witch exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Yes, and you have been of no help for me. Rebekah will see you back to the Quarter." Klaus shrugged, before opening the book in front of him. It was Elijah's, and it was about witchcraft. Perhaps it would be of better use for him than this idle witch.
"Wha–" Sophie started, but Klaus met her gaze with a stern glare. She swallowed her words and got up, silently walking out of his office.
"Alright." Klaus muttered to himself as he started flipping the pages of the yellowing book. Projecting powers. Exactly what he was looking for. With a pleased smile, the Original Hybrid started reading the first paragraph. After about five minutes of restless searching, he shut the book with frustration. There was a lot of information about projecting, but only the power that witches possess. Then again, Klaus was also aware of the fact that vampires had the ability to project dreams and such. But he was fairly certain that Juliette hadn't wanted him to see what he saw. Yet still… It had been so real. He had felt those things from the dream, or whatever it was. Of course, Klaus had been fascinated by the baby vampire from the moment he laid eyes on her, but he had his reasons for that. She was close to Marcel. If he wanted to get to Marcel, she was the key. He knew that by slowly turning the two of them against each other, he was slowly weakening Marcel.
But besides meaningless, nonetheless enjoyable, flirting with Juliette, Klaus had never anticipated that he would feel the things he had felt in the dream. It was stronger than anything he had ever felt before. And when Juliette had confronted him about Thierry in the bar later, he hadn't been able to tear his eyes away from her lips. The memory about how sweet they had tasted against his was still burning fresh in his memory, just like the way she had looked at him as if he was more than–
"BEEEP BEEP BEEP!" The sound of Klaus's annoying ringtone awoke him from his daze and he picked up his phone.
"Marcel. Bit early in the day for you, isn't it?" He spoke into the device, smirking.
"I know, I make this look easy, but I still have an empire to run." Don't worry mate, the empire won't be yours for long, Klaus thought with slyness.
"Rather you than me. All that responsibility seems like such a bore." He said instead, chuckling silently for himself. Marcel sighed at the other end of the line, evidently tired of all the planning.
"Well, this might spice things up- I just heard about a bunch of dead witches out in the Bayou. The kinda damage a werewolf might do, only there was no full moon. I have an informant out there I need to meet, and I would love for you to go with me." Klaus looked down at the withering old book in front of him, suppressing a sigh. Gathering information from Marcel sounded more enjoyable than searching for meaningless intel on his friend's girlfriend in this ancient book.
"Dead witches in the Bayou. Sounds like less of a problem, and more like a cause for celebration." He told his friend with a smile.
"Well, something killed them. And may still be out there. And with your blood the only cure for a werewolf bite, I would love for you to accompany me." MArcel argued, and Klaus got a brilliant idea. If he went with Marcel, he could not only stop him from investigating more into the witches pursuing Hayley, but also ask him about Juliette's "special power".
"Oh, why not? Haven't been to the Bayou in ages. I'm on my way."
"Peace out, brother." Marcel answered before hanging up.
Juliette's POV
I'd like to say that I didn't stomp angrily all the way to St Anne's church that morning, but that would'be been a lie. The anger that had been building up inside of me lately was boiling under my skin, and the unexpected phone call from my dad earlier had not helped.
"Here to see your prisoner again?" Father Kieran was sweeping the floor, looking at me with the same contained anger as always. He tolerated us vampires, but that's all.
"Hello to you too, Father Kieran." I replied with a roll of my eyes, aiming to walk by him. However, he stepped in before me and held my gaze sternly.
"I don't like what you and your friends are doing to my church. Too many atrocious memories in this place already; don't make more." He warned me. Father Kieran looked as if he was about forty or fifty years old, perhaps even older. His eyes were lined with tiredness, but there was a reason why. He had great power and responsibility as the representing human of New Orleans.
"Why would Da– Whatever is going on in the attic do any harm to the church?" I replied with a frown. I stopped myself before uttering Davina's name. My contact with Marcel hadn't exactly been great lately, and I had no idea if Father Kieran knew about her. After all, he had only come back to New Orleans a few days ago.
"You know very well that I'm not talking about that, Juliette." His voice was steady and calm, even though he was face-to-face with a quite young vampire. Then again, I was quite good at maintaining my hunger.
"Okay–" I started, but I was interrupted by the priest. He held up a finger at me while starting to sweep again.
"Tell Marcel I need to speak with him." He said curtly, and I got the feeling that the conversation was over. So I left him there in the middle of the isle with a quick nod, but my mind was spinning with a thousand thoughts. Had something happened here while I had been kidnapped?
I stopped abruptly in the wooden stairs to the attic. I was quite certain that I had heard a man's voice from the room above. But as I listened closely with my vampire hearing, there was no sound at all. Strange. It couldn't be Marcel either. He had gone on a date with Klaus to the Bayou. On my birthday. I swallowed the anger and swung the door to the attic open. I was met with a Davina that was looking a bit too still. As if she'd known that I would come. Nevertheless, her eyes widened at the sight of me and she jumped on me to engulf me in a hug.
"Are you okay?" She said as she pulled back again, and I responded with a puzzled expression. Then it dawned down on me. Right. I had been kidnapped, and that was probably what she was referring to.
"Yeah. Minor werewolf bite, but Klaus healed me." I sighed, fighting back the blush rising to my cheeks. I would not think about that memory now.
"He did? Why?" Her confused voice echoed in my ears, and I found myself wondering the same thing.
"I don't know, but I feel a strange connection to him… I can't put it in words. Anyway, he saved my life. I assume I should be thankful."
"But–Who were they?" Davina asked urgently as I seated myself down on the chair in front of her mirror. "How did you get away?" I turned around and faced the girl who I had come to see as my little sister.
"That's a long story. I'll tell you another time. Now, will you tell me why your eyes keep flickering to behind the curtain over there?"
"What do you mean?" Davina replied, but her eyes instinctively flickered to the drapes in the corner of the small attic. I crossed my arms and gave her a slight scowl.
"Don't try and lie to me, D. I know you well enough to know when you're lying." I argued, and Davina let out a sigh.
"You can come out." She called out to the curtain, and a man stepped out. A man whose memories I had seen.
"Elijah Mikaelson." I said with a smile. I wondered if he knew that I had been into his head. Hopefully not.
"I hear my brother has a soft spot for you. Juliette, is it?" The Original asked me, holding out his hand in a polite manner. Hey, I already liked this man more than Klaus.
"Yes." I replied, taking in the sight before me. You could guess that Elijah was an honorable man just from the way he held himself. He held his chin high, and was straightening his tie. He looked older than Klaus, but only slightly. What really stood out were how his brown eyes were watching me calmly. Not in the same manipulative and calculating way as Klaus's did, but with curiosity. "And I hear you're supposed to be the honorable brother." I added, and Elijah's lips turned up at the corners.
"I'd like to think that, yes." He said while absently fiddling with the hems of his suit. Davina suddenly clasped her hand on her mouth, watching me with wide eyes.
"Oh my God! It's your birthday! I had totally forgotten." She exclaimed, and I shook my head at her sillyness.
"It's alright. You're not exactly the first one who has forgotten it." I replied, and I could see the understanding in Davina's eyes.
"I'm so sorry." She said. "Let me make it up for you. We could–"
"Actually, I have something else in mind." I interrupted her with a small smile. "You can make it up to me by accompanying me to Cafe Du Monde. I've got a lot to tell you."
"But the witches, they'll–"
"Just do a cloaking spell." I shrugged. Elijah cleared his throat, and I jumped in surprise. I had forgotten he was there. "I'd ask you to join too, but I doubt you want to know about my boyfriend trouble." A flash of humor flashed across the Original's warm eyes.
"No one's supposed to know I'm awake." He answered with a small smile tugging on his lips. "Not even your dear Marcel."
"Well, lucky for you, I happen to be quite angry at my 'dear Marcel' right now. Your secret is safe with me." I winked, and was rewarded with an unreadable expression.
"I'd love to go to the cafe, Juliette, but actually, Elijah and I have some talking left. Maybe later?" Davina then broke the silence, and disappointment filled my heart. Of course she couldn't make time for me either. First Marcel, now Davina.
"Sure. I'll be at the bar. Drinking." I rolled my eyes before making my way to the door. "It was nice to meet you, Elijah." I said.
"Likewise." The man bowed his head to me gently before I exited the attic. Melodramatic? Yes. But here's my day so far; Woke up with only a note on the empty bed. Went down to the courtyard, but it was completely empty. Was reminded that Thierry was locked up in the garden. Went to work, only to receive a call from my father who I hadn't spoken to in years. Found out that my mother is possibly dying. On my birthday. Went to my best friend and sister, only to find out that she was keeping things from me. And that she had no time for me. She'd rather chat with Elijah Mikaelson. Ugh.
I'd never really liked the taste of alcohol. To me, it always tasted like hand-sanitizer. Wine, whiskey, vodka. To me they all had the same bitter taste. However, what I did like, was how it numbed my emotions. But to my great dismay, being a vampire I had to drink a lot more to actually get drunk.
"Bad day?" Cami asked me after pouring my fifth drink. And I was still just a little bit tipsy.
"You could say that. You're actually the only one who remembered my birthday." I muttered, taking a swig from the glass, swallowing the bitter liquid before the taste could fill my mouth.
"Really? Prince charming didn't remember?" The blonde bartender raised her brows in surprise while cleaning the counter. The customers hadn't started coming in yet, which seemed kind of strange. It was already six o'clock. People usually came here for dinner around this time.
"'Prince charming' hasn't been that charming lately." I said with a sigh, before looking up at Cami's wise eyes. "If someone in your family you really don't like was in a coma, would you go and visit them? Even if you never wanted to return to that town ever again?" Okay, I'm aware that I made literally no sense. Had I been less drunk, I might have seen the flash of pain in Cami's eyes, and the realization that I was talking about myself hit her.
"Yes, I would. Maybe you don't have the best relationship with that person now, but you're gonna regret it if something happens." She explained slowly. That made sense. "If that person dies, you will never forgive yourself for not being there for them." Her voice had taken a bitter turn, and she turned away from me.
"I–" I started, but I stopped in mid-motion.
"SURPRISE!" Multiple voices shouted out all at once as people started jumping up all around me. Hold-up. Had I been so drunk that I hadn't noticed people around me starting to hide? However, I could barely hold myself from starting to laugh when I noticed they were all wearing party hats.
"Juliette Walters!" Marcel's voice echoed loudly from across the room, and I took in the sight of him while trying to stifle my laugh. He was standing on the stage with a microphone in his hand, his blue party hat nearly falling down from his head as he beamed at me. I turned around in my seat completely to face him. "This song's for you, baby." He grinned, and my heart jumped with anticipation. He rarely sung for me.
"Now I've had the time of my life," He started as someone lowered the lights of the bar, only leaving a couple of spotlights on Marcel. I couldn't hide my laughter as I recognized the song. He knew that my favorite movie was dirty dancing. A bit embarrassing, I know, but who doesn't love Patrick Swayze in tight shirts?
"No I never felt like this before
Yes I swear it's the truth
and I owe it all to you" Marcel slowed down, grinning directly at me. When he beckoned me with his finger, it felt like my heart would explode. "Join me." He called out, and I did as he said. It was after all a duet. I ran to the stage and climbed up, grabbing the mic that Cami managed to pass me.
"Cause I've had the time of my life
and I owe it all to you." I sang, and the music kicked in. I moved closer to Marcel as I sang, not leaving his gaze. God, this man had a way of wooing me, even if I was completely furious at him.
"I've been waiting for so long
Now I've finally found someone
To stand by me." His voice was deep and beautiful as always, and I had a flashback to the first time I heard him sing three years ago. I had barely been able to contain my feelings for him. I felt the exact same way now. As we sang together, I forgot everything. I forgot about my mother, about Davina, about Thierry. I even forgot about the kidnappers who were undoubtedly lurking at the corner of the bar to capture me again. In my world, there was only Marcel and I.
"I've had the time of my life
No I never felt this way before
Yes I swear it's the truth
And I owe it all to you
'Cause I've had the time of my life
And I've searched through every open door
'Til I found the truth
And I owe it all to you." We sang the last chorus and I lowered my mic, smiling at my boyfriend with all the love I head. Perhaps he was Prince Charming after all.
"Happy birthday." Marcel whispered, just for me to hear. I reached up and placed a soft kiss on his mouth.
"I love you." I answered.
The party was amazing, but I was way too drunk to stay in there for more than an hour. After Marcel had explained everything about how he had organized this for days and that Davina knew, I told him I needed to get some fresh air. He let me go and resorted to engage in a conversation with Diego.
The night air was indeed fresh. It was crisp cold, actually, and I found myself happy that I had my warm leather jacket. As I exited Rousseau's, I noticed that there were stands with street painters on the big road in front of me. I crossed the paved way and walked up to the painting that caught my attention. It was quite a small painting of a busy street, specked with colors like rust gold, indigo and white. Something about it was so raw and beautiful, as if the painter had put their soul in it.
"Do you like it?" Once again, I should have heard Klaus coming. Of course I didn't. And I had been wondering why I got kidnapped… I looked up at the Original Hybrid with a small smile.
"I love it. I don't know why… It just speaks to me." I replied, turning my attention back to the painting. I felt Klaus chuckle next to me, and I could imagine how his dimples were showing in his smile. "It's filled with so much sadness. The way it's raining… The street is completely empty, except for the streetlights. Makes me think of loneliness. Don't you think?" I asked Klaus absently, but he didn't answer. When I finally looked up at him, I found he was watching me silently.
"Or maybe I'm completely wrong." I said, feeling a blush on my cheeks. I bit my lip before looking away. Why was Klaus's presence suddenly so intimidating? Perhaps because he probably thought that I dreamed of him, judging by his reaction to my vision.
"Oh no, I think you're right, love." Klaus suddenly replied, tearing his eyes away from me and to the painting. "More right than you might think." His arm brushed mine on my left side, and a shiver ran down my spine. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the night air. "It's yours."
"What?" I exclaimed, turning around to raise my brows at him.
"I happen to know the artist." Klaus smirked at me, his blue eyes showing nothing more than genuine kindness. "Consider it a birthday gift." My gaze flickered back to the painting.
"I can't accept that–" I said as turned around to Klaus again, only to find that he was gone. "Of course." I muttered to myself with a roll of my eyes. However, as I picked up the painting from the easel, I felt no bitterness at all. On the contrary, my heart was beating like a drum in my chest. Why would Klaus give me a birthday gift? It wasn't as if we knew each other very well… Perhaps he just wanted to be nice.
The town was eerily silent when I entered it. I willed myself not to look at the familiar buildings, at the familiar streets. I had chosen to come at night, because it diminished the risk of someone seeing me. It would lead to a whole lot of questions, and I was not ready to answer them.
"I'm going to regret this tomorrow." I muttered as I entered the big building, looking down at my muddy shoes. I had vamp-sped all the way here, which I was sure I would regret later. Even though vampire speeding is a great way to travel, it's also extremely exhausting for the muscles. Lucky for me, it's usually not noticeable until the day after.
"We're closed for visitors." The receptionist said as I walk up to him. I grabbe his stubby chin in my hand and forced him to look into my eyes.
"I'm a special visitor. Let me in." I compelled him, watching his pupils dilate. "And also, in which room is Suzanne Walters?"
"She's in room 202, on the second floor." The receptionist answered in his daze, and I let him go. He slumped back into his chair with a loud thump. I was amazed by the fact that the chair didn't break; The man had a lot of weight on him. Without looking back, I went to the elevators and pressed the button to the second floor. I could have sped up the stairs, but if someone had seen me, I would've had to compel them.
Room number 202 was quite a big room, with large windows and even a vase of flowers on a small table. I guess you get better service if you're the principal to the town's school. In the center of the room, however, my mother was laying in a big bed. Tubes filled with running liquids ran from her arm to a beeping machine, and my heart instantly felt ten times heavier. I dared to take a few steps closer to my mother, stopping right next to her. From up close I could see the bruises and cuts on the right side of her face, and there were casts on both of her legs.
"How could you survive?" I whispered, barely audible. I almost expected her eyes to open and scowl at me for breaking into a hospital, but her dark eyelashes rested still on her cheekbones, her pale lips showing no sign of movement. "I'm so sorry, mom. I'm sorry for leaving. I should have explained."
"I don't want you to die. Chad needs you. Dad needs you." I couldn't say that I needed her. That would've been a lie. "Please survive. Please wake up." I reached out a hand to brush it against her cheek, but stopped myself when I realized what might happen. I might get a vision of her future.
There was some temptation in finding out if she would die or survive, but I didn't want to know. What would I do if I saw her dying? Just forget it and move on? No, it wasn't worth it. So instead of kissing my unconscious mom on her forehead and telling her I love her and miss her like a normal daughter would do, I stood up and left her without another word.
A/N: Hi! Emma here! I just wanted to remind you to please comment and tell me what you think of this story 3 Thanks :D 3
