As the trio step out of the car Ismene looks to the stars, Chicago… it's been so long and even though there are new sights and taller buildings the air is still sharp and crisp, the stars still so bright and soothing and she closes her eyes, the past swimming around her
Chicago -1920's
The sound of the body hitting the hard ground is drown out by the flowing music and endless voices, Ismene gingerly licks at her bloodstained lips and steps over her meal, examining herself in a car mirror before strutting back into the club, the crimson tango dress matching her heels and birdcage vial, making the light red shine on her lips look less like the remains of her date.
The vampire stealthily makes her way into the club and slips past the swaying bodies, her eyes locking on her target from the moment she walked down the stairs; she slips between the two and starts to dance with him "um excuse me, we were dancing."
As he twirls his new partner the vampire smiles to the annoyed woman "and now he's dancing with me."
The woman looks to the male for some help but he just pulls Ismene back into his chest, arm rounding her waist as the human walks away he says "you scared off my dinner."
"Like you couldn't have any woman in this room with a single look, maybe even some men" she chuckles and he spins her around once more, so their face to face
His blue eyes smile down to the brunette and "so true…"
They laugh and continue dancing "so I assume you ended your date"
"He was boring, he kept talking about savings bonds and he laughed at me when I asked what a savings bond was" she pouts in annoyance
Klaus lifts her chin with a tender hand "silly boy got you down? Don't fret over the child petal, just dance."
She laughs as he lifts her up and spins her round and as they sway to the music Ismene looks over and sees Rebekah lick the blood of a vampire s lip, she can't make out his face, but as the blonde reaches the top tier of the club she raises her glass to the brunette and sips with a smile. That is the moment Ismene giggles in the originals arms, knowing her best friend found a new toy
Present Day –
They walk into Gloria's bar and Ismene smiles to her, Klaus too but Stefan just stands there, his broody self. The female vampire takes a seat on a table as Stefan goes to make drinks, her face set into a frown as the witch and hybrid talk shop but her head snaps up in curiosity and intrigue at the mention of her friend "Rebekah? Does this mean…"
Klaus gives her a hard look but she just keeps smiling, just managing to stop doing a happy dance. At Stefan's baffled question they all turn to him, a picture from the good old days in his hand, making Izzy's smile widen, everything was falling into place
"This doesn't make any sense. Why don't I remember you?" the Salvatore boy questions, Izzy smiling despite herself
Klaus doesn't look to him as he answers, the two walking to the warehouse "You said it yourself, that time had a lot of dark holes."
"No, if you knew me, then why haven't you said anything?" Stefan asks getting frustrated
Izzy just laughs and skips happily as she spins to him "well it's not like you asked is it?"
Klaus just sighs in annoyance "I'm a little busy right now. Memory Lane will have to wait."
She watches as the two men have a stare off and then groans "oh for god's sake just tell him!"
The blonde doesn't look from Stefan as he says "Fine. Let's just say we didn't get off to a brilliant start. To be honest, I hated you."
"You were dating his sister, Rebekah, beautiful, blonde and absolutely brilliant!" the caramel orbs of the vampire sparkle
Klaus scoffs with a shake of his head "your opinion is prejudiced."
Izzy's only reply is to stick her tongue out at him as they reached the coffin filled room "Your sister. So I knew another original vampire."
The younger questions, but the moment that coffin is opened she becomes mute to the conversation, seeing the grayed face of her friend, her best friend. She bite back a breath as he pulls the dagger from his sisters chest, her eyes closing and a small smile on her face as Klaus reveals on old memory to Stefan…
Gloria's Bar – 1920's
The four of them are sat round a table "So Stefan, enlighten me. What makes you worthy of an original like my sister? She's pure vampire and you're no more than a diluted bloodline"
"Don't be such a snob Nicky, I think he's cute…" the brunette smiles playfully
Rebekah gives a roll of her eyes and says "Don't listen to him, Stefan. Nick's an elitist. Ismene however has a soft spot for puppy dog eyes"
"Hmm and where's the rest of your family?" the boy asks boldly
Ismene smiles as she sees Klaus mock thinking and takes a sip of her drink "Well, let's see. Um ... I killed most of them"
"But not all" the blonde vampire state is an obvious tone
Her friend laughs lightly and says "thank god, otherwise I's have to deal with his mood swings all on my lonesome"
Stefan gives his girl a curious glance "And you're ok with that?"
She simply shrugs "Well, we all had the chance to choose a side. I chose the right one, eventually.
She touches Klaus' hand just as a man stops by their table "Where the hell's my wife?"
They all watch in intrigue as Stefan calls over his wife, compelling them both to sit and he opens up a vain, pouring her blood into a glass for the man to drink, demanding his name. The four vampires take enjoyment from his horror and fear, Izzy leaning into Klaus with a bright smile "and you said you didn't like him…"
Present Day –
The brunettes head falls back as she smiles "oh, those where the days, the music, the fashion, the blood… we had some good times"
Stefan looks to her in amazement as Klaus explains he was his number one fan, he walks off, compelling the security guard to be his sister's breakfast and tells them he can prove it all. Ismene already knows where they're going so she lingers, looking to her old friend "Izzy, coming sweetheart?"
She turns to him with a shake of her head "I think I'm going to wait here until she wakes up, don't want her to be alone…"
He nods and gives that toothy smirk "better you than me petal"
She gets a look from Stefan and smiles as they leave, but then she turns back to the blonde, walking over she brushes a hair from her face with a bright smile, she was getting her friend back…
Gloria's – 1920's
The two women are walking up the high-street, arm in arm as they shop "So, Stefan seems like a hoot-and-a-half, how long do you plan to keep him?"
"Indefinitely… I love him Meme, I think this is it!" the blonde confesses
The two smile brightly and Ismene embraces her friend "oh Bex I'm so happy for you, I'm sure Niklaus will be pleased to; he seems quite keen on him."
The blonde nods lightly "yes he does, I'm glad they're getting along."
At her friends fallen face Izzy tilts her head "Bex, what's the matter?"
"Everything is so wonderful lately… but it never lasts does it? Maybe monster's don't get happily ever after" her sad eyes morn
The brunette takes her friends hands and says firmly "that's ridiculous! Rebekah look at me, we have lived long enough to see how twisted life is, things may not end like we'd want them to, they may not even end well, but however we will always end them together, that is our happily ever after…"
A smile graces the originals faces and she gives a firm nod "together… now let's go celebrate, I saw this cute hat in a shop we just past…"
Gloria's Bar(2#)-
The vampire sits in the booth of the club, sipping her dink and scanning the crowd below, the heated bodies moving against each other with the flow of the music, her caramel orbs locking on Klaus as he dances with his latest conquest, she doesn't move as another body slides into the booth "Lose your girl?"
Stefan chuckles and follows her gaze "nope, she's just cleaning up…"
"I hope you didn't rip that dress, it's a favorite." She says blankly
The murderous vampire gives a sly smile as the girl turns to him with a shake of her head, turning her back to the ground. Stefan looks where her eyes had been glued and gives a knowing sigh, seeing him passionately kissing some girl "you do know she'll most likely be dead in the morning?"
Her eyes fall to her glass as she shrugs "I don't know what you mean by that…"
He just raises an eyebrow at her "please, an old person off their meds and living with pigeons while thinking their cats could see the way you look at him."
"You don't know what you're talking about!" she snarls and storms out of the booth, snatching random drinks and devouring them
It's just a few short hours later that Stefan stands outside the club, licking his lips clean of his meal he hears a whimper from the ally, the familiar scent fills his senses and he rounds the corner "Ismene?"
her head shoots up, her form slouched against the wall and tears pouring down her face "go away Stefan…"
He takes a look around then walks to her "what's the matter?"
"He left… with that tart, he'll drain her dry while putting a smile on her face… she wasn't even pretty!" the vampire sobs and starts to crumble to the floor, Stefan grabs her so she sits alright, the stench of alcohol brisk from the girl
"you know he'll be back tomorrow, why are you so worked up or better yet tell him your crazy about him?" he asks curiously
She just shrugs and the shakes her head "it's not that simple, Nicky and me… did you know he locked me in a room for a year just for going to my son's wedding? A fucking year!" she slurs and her head lulls back
"I can't imagine it…you had a child?" he asks confused
"Three actually, Krill, Philip and Rainer, my white nights and my princess… When I heard that Philip was getting married I just wanted to watch him on the happiest day of his life, see his bride, Krill was his man of honor, Rainer was the flower girl, Krum looked so proud… I never told Niklaus I was leaving, I knew he wouldn't let me but I had to… he was so mad at me, he didn't yell or scream or anything he just gave me this look, I'd never been so scared." She says in a mournful tone
He takes a seat beside her and questions "and still you stayed? That's some loyalty… I admire that, loyalty is a rare trait"
"I know him better than anyone, I've seen things that would make your ripper head spin but he has no idea, I've done things the human me would have repulsed. I turned myself into a monster…" she says in an indifferent tone
A smirk comes to Stefan's face "but you can't tell me that since you died you haven't lived!"
She laughs with him "very true… could you not say anything to Niklaus about this?"
"What about Rebekah?" he asks helping her up
She just gives him the first real smile of the night "Bex is my best friend, we have no secrets… I even know your score in bed"
He watches as she walks off with a slight stumble "What did I get? Ismene?"
Gloria's Bar(3#)-
The four friends dance happily, Klaus sending a smile to his friend and sister as he sways the vampire in his arms, she laughs lightly and whispers in the hybrids ear "he smiles!"
He lets out a chuckle and twirls her, then pulling her body flush against his own, chest to chest "don't pretend you don't love it petal"
"I never said that. It's good to see you happy Nicky." The girl beams up at him
They share a moment; their orbs locked but just as Izzy's bravery attempts to strike the loud echoing of gunfire surrounds them. They duck then run to the couple, Klaus thrust his sister into her best friend's arms, who quickly pulls her out of the club "No, Meme we have to get Stefan"
"He knows where we meet, come on… please Bex, it's over, time for a new happily ever after." She assures her friend and they make their way to the warehouse.
The two women waited patiently for their men, but when only one came through the door, saying they needed to go and couldn't wait for Stefan, Rebekah refused, her best friend gasping in shock as she chose to leave them "goodbye Nick."
The two girls share a sad glance as the blonde turns, both with tears in their eyes, but its Ismene who is shocked to watch Klaus dagger her best friend and runs to her as the blonde falls into her brother's arms. He looks down to her regretfully then to his friend "we can't leave her behind, willing or not"
She just nods lightly, a tear rolling down her cheek as he picks up his sisters lifeless body, carrying her to the truck.
Present Day –
Izzy jumps at the large gasp and stands, looking her friend in the eye "it's alright, Bex you're alright, you come here"
The guard walks over, but the blonde is already out of the coffin, pinning the brunette to the wall by her neck "how long?"
"Nighty years" she lets out a strangled breath
The blue eyes of the original burn into her old friend "you let that son of a bitch dagger me."
Izzy kicks the blonde hard and her grip loosens slightly "what do you expect? You think you get to leave us behind, no!"
"Stefan and I were in love, we were happy" she screams to Izzy
The brunette screaming right back "and what was I, a pastime puppy? Elijah had left us and then you want to go and do the same?"
The blonde drops her, Izzy falling to the ground and rubbing her healing throat "it was nothing like that!"
"You were leaving us Rebekah, for a guy, yeah you were in love and sick of running but when push came to shove you were choosing a guy over us, so we did what we had to do to keep the debris of what we had from becoming dust in the wind. So yeah we daggered you and put you out of the game, fucking get over it!" she stands, yelling at the original
They stand there for a long moment, ocean blue meeting caramel swirls and then Rebekah sighs "a new Happily Ever After?"
They smile and hug each other securely. Izzy smiles into her friend's hair and squeezes her close "oh Bex, you have no idea how much I've missed you…"
At the sound of the main door clanking open the newly awoken girl turns, sucking the guard dry and the vanishing from sight, Klaus walks in, seeing the body and the empty coffin, the quickly fading bruises on Ismene's fair skin. He calls out to his little sister, only for her to impale her dagger through his heart "Go to hell Nick"
He pulls the dagger out with a slight grunt, informing her that he has a piece offering and calling for her old lover. The blonde girls eyes shine at the sight of him, the hybrid rushing over and restoring his memories. Stefan looks at them as it all floods back, his small smile as he looks to Rebekah and then from Klaus and Izzy "I remember you, we were friends…"
"We are friends." Klaus smile, but when he looks to his sister for what he needs they speak of her necklace, the same one draped around the supposedly dead doppelganger's, the two originals frantic over the pendant
That night they get to the hotel and Ismene goes to Klaus's room, she takes a seat on the bed as he stares out the window "are you going to be mopey for the rest of the night?"
He sends her a light glare and she sighs, pushing herself off the bed and over to the window, her hand traces his arm, slipping his hand between hers as she rests her chin on his shoulder "we'll figure it out, we always do. Tomorrow Gloria will find the necklace, we'll find out what went wrong, fix it and everything will be perfect!"
He looks down at her little smile and snaps "everything worked out for you; this was what you wanted right, all your dreams come true"
As he pulls his hand from hers she takes a shocked step back, the two fierce ones forward "how fucking dare you. Yeah I wanted us to be together again but I have been trying to help you from day one and you fucking know it. Don't blame me for this shit"
She goes to storm out but the hybrid grips her arm, she turns and thinks to yank her arm away "Izzy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap like that, I'm just stressed, frustrated, you know how I get… forgive me"
She wants to be mad, wants to kick him and tell him no, but he's doing that bloody pout face and she can't fight off the smile, followed by a giggle "whatever…"
He smiles and pulls her into his arms, placing a light kiss on her head and they rap their arms around each other in a comforting embrace. The brunette nuzzles happily into his chest as he stroke her curls lightly, but as she looks out the window she sees something… no, just her mind playing tricks, she clenches her eyes then opens them again, the image still before her, a quick wave, cocky smile and broken eyes looking up at her… her mother…