Surprisingly, Avery's haircut went over well with everyone. Isaac really liked it and even caught himself playing with the strands whenever Avery plopped herself in his lap to watch TV with the boys. Given her full stomach and slight hangover, she didn't want to do much so watching TV while being cradled in her boyfriend's lap was the perfect day to her.
By the time John got home and got over the shock of Avery's short hair, he asked about her sudden decision to chop it all off. Avery told him about wanting a change and that Allison was the one who actually suggested a haircut though she kept quiet about alcohol being involved. Scott and Stiles snickered when they heard her leave out that little detail but John didn't pay them much attention.
With Scott and Isaac sticking around, John happily ordered in and bought everyone Thai.
The following morning, Stiles and Avery wake up to find John making a pot of coffee and bacon sizzling on the stove. While Stiles made a be-line for the fridge, Avery makes quick work of dropping slices of bread into their toaster and cracking a couple of eggs into a pan to scramble.
Once everything was done, the Stilinski's had their breakfast before moving sluggishly into the living room where majority vote ruled on what was displayed on TV. Since it was still a bit early, the news droned on about the world's activities and as the time slowly passed, John and Stiles outvoted Avery and football was put on.
Of course, being bored out of her mind, Avery fell back asleep on the sofa and didn't wake up 'til a little after one in the afternoon. When she woke up though, she found her Dad still sitting in his recliner watching yet another football game and found Stiles rummaging around in the kitchen.
"What's for lunch, Thing One?"
Stiles chuckled at his given nickname before shrugging and turning to look at her. "Whatever we can toss in the oven or in the microwave."
"Hot pockets it is then."
"Yep."
"On it."
Avery moved forward to raid the freezer of it's hot pockets and while she was busy heating those up, Stiles opened the fridge once more and started pulling out lettuce, tomato, onions, and dressing. When Avery merely quirked an eyebrow at his ingredients, he shrugged once more.
"Dad's been getting away with eating too much fast food. It's time I put him back on his diet again."
Avery opens her mouth to argue but the moment she realizes that Stiles and John had a schedule of their own before she showed up, she snaps her mouth shut and grins. She ruined their schedule the moment she stepped foot inside their home and she'd be damned if she permanently changed it.
Avery makes work of heating up enough pizza and ham with cheddar hot pockets while Stiles throws together a salad and sprinkles cubed ham and cheese pieces- that he also found in the fridge- onto the top of said salad. Stiles then calls for their Dad to eat and when John enters the kitchen, he groans upon seeing the bowl that Stiles points out to him.
"Sorry, Pops." Avery laughs while plating her and Stiles' food. "Majority rule. You eat healthy today." John grumbled the entire time to his seat and continued to grumble as he harshly stabbed at his salad, and ate.
Halfway through lunch, Avery's phone chirps- signaling her to a text message. So far, John had been laid back about cell phones at the table so Avery doesn't even bother hiding her phone when she pulls it out to see who it is. It's Allison.
'Mind telling me what's going on? My dad and I just got two rather large packages delivered from the Reynolds brothers along with a note that says to be ready by 6PM.'
Avery's brows furrow in confusion before she quickly cleaned her free hand of any grease or salt from her chips. The second both her thumbs hit the screen to type out a reply, a text from Lydia comes in.
'What's going on at 6? I just got a really marvelous dress from Elijah and Nik.'
Mouth gaping, Avery quickly types out replies to both ladies telling them that she has no idea what's going on. Before she moves into her contact's list to find Nik's number, yet another text message comes in but this time it's from Scott.
'Are we going to a party or something? Isaac, Mom, and I just got these fancy-looking clothes from Elijah and Nik. We have to be ready by 6. And btw, next time you talk to those guys, tell them I said thanks. My dad is secretly fuming because two strange men bought us nice things.'
"What the hell is going on?" Avery mumbled.
John and Stiles freeze mid-bite, eyes glued to Avery as she taps away at her phone screen before putting it up to her ear. They watch silently as she waits for someone to answer only to see her frown before looking at her phone screen. Once more, she taps at her phone before putting it up to her ear again. And just like the first time, no-one picks up.
Before either Stilinski men could answer, the doorbell rings followed by three quick knocks.
As Avery and Stiles glance at one another without moving a muscle, John rolls his eyes and moves to stand up and answer the door. When their father exits the kitchen, Avery and Stiles finally make a move and follow him. The second the door is swung open, three large yet slim boxes are stacked on top of each other with a black silk ribbon tying them together. Beneath the ribbon is an envelope which John reaches for and immediately opens it up. As his eyes scan the card, he huffs a laugh before handing the card to Avery and pulls the boxes inside.
Eyebrows raised at each other, Stiles and Avery huddle together to read.
'Dearest Stilinski family, it would be an honor to escort you and friends to dinner tonight. Please wear the chosen outfits and be ready by 6PM. We'll pick you up then.- Elijah and Nik Reynolds'
Stiles whistles lowly and helps their Dad pick up the boxes. They walk into the living room where John peels off the ribbon only to find Avery's name scribbled on the top box. The box in the middle has Stiles' name and the bottom box has John's. With a shrug to her Dad and brother, Avery pulls the lid off her own box and after pushing aside the white tissue paper, she brings out a little black dress. Avery beams at it and catches her Dad scowling at it and Stiles chuckling at their Dad's reaction.
Stiles opens his up next and pulls out a pair a gray jeans, a white collared shirt with three buttons, and a dark gray military jacket. As Stiles studies his outfit, John opens his box and finds a dark blue blazer, a shirt similar to Stiles', and dark denim washed jeans.
Each Stilinski eyes their chosen outfit with appreciation and there's only one thing on Avery's mind. She really can't wait for this dinner tonight.
..
..
While John had seemed relaxed about the upcoming dinner, Stiles and Avery were anything but. Stiles was worried about going out in public with the Reynolds brothers given his hyperactive nature, and Avery just didn't like not knowing every detail about the upcoming night's events.
Stiles had pestered Avery to get out any and all information from Elijah and Nik- and she had complied- but the brothers were ignoring her.
It had eventually became too late that Avery had to get over it and start prepping for the night.
The boys had let Avery shower first since they knew she was the one who had to prep more. The second Avery was done with her shower and stepped out with a blue towel wrapped around her body and a white towel wrapped around her hair- Stiles complained about seeing her in such undress while John laughed at his son and told him to get over it. While Stiles was busy complaining, John slipped into the shower and Avery quickly locked herself in her room while Stiles then complained about being the last to shower.
..
..
Six o'clock came down on them faster than they anticipated. John and Stiles are both busy sitting in the living and fidgeting with their sleeves that they don't notice the vehicle pull up outside. Avery is still upstairs and adjusting her outfit when the doorbell finally rings.
Glancing at each other, John and Stiles jump to their feet- both men walking to the door to greet their guests.
As soon as the door swings open, Elijah is dressed immaculate in a dark blazer, a white button down shirt, and slacks while Nik is in jeans, a dark henley, and a black military jacket hanging from his frame.
"Excellent." Elijah smiles at them and takes in their dressed state. "Are you ready to go then?" He gestures his head to the side and it's then that John and Stiles realize their vehicle of transportation.
It's a shiny black and silver hummer limousine.
"Uh-huh. Yeah." Stiles squeaks while his Dad continues to gape at the limo. "Avery just needs to.." He trails off now because yeah, he's never been in a limo in all his sixteen years and there's one waiting by the curb to whisk his family away to dinner. "Avery should be.." He tries again only to be cut off by the clicking of heels on their stairs.
"I'm right here." She calls out. "Don't get your knickers in a twist."
Elijah and Nik smile proudly upon seeing her and when Stiles and John look over their shoulder, their mouths drop open.
Avery is standing there at the bottom of the stairs in black lace Louboutin peep toe pumps, a little black dress that stops well above her knees. The shoulder straps are a bit thick but the neckline still swoops down to show off a little more cleavage that John is comfortable with his daughter showing. Her hair hangs down to her shoulders in waves and her eye makeup is done darkly while she added a bit of blush and nude lip gloss.
"What are you all staring at?" She asks while biting the bottom corner of her lip and gripping a black clutch nervously in her hands.
"You, love." Nik smirks at her. "You look beautiful."
"Yes, well, you always did have great taste is dresses." She slowly grins at him. "And I'm assuming you picked it out because Elijah would never pick something so short."
"And with good reason." Elijah finally speaks up. "Your Father is about two seconds away from marching you upstairs and locking you in."
Avery rolls her eyes when she sees John glaring at her dress and when Stiles finally snaps out of his horrified daze of his baby sister dressed like an adult, he laughs at his Dad's expression. "As much as I wanna do the same, we have friends to pick up and a dinner to get to."
"Wise choice, Mr. Stilinski." Elijah claps Stiles on the shoulder. "Shall we?" He asks while taking a step back.
Stiles follows Elijah and Nik as they disappear from the front door and as Avery follows suit, she whistles lowly when she spots their vehicle. "A hummer limo? Classy."
She hears her Dad finally chuckling and when she turns to look at him, he's locking up the door before facing her and offering his arm. She takes it with a smile, walking down the side-walk and noticing that a couple of their neighbors have come outside to gawk at the fancy vehicle. As soon as she is situated in the spacious vehicle, she tells the driver which house of her friends is closest before telling him how to get to the others. With a nod from their driver, they're soon off to pick up the McCalls and Isaac.
..
..
The entire short ride to the McCall residence, John couldn't help but feel a bit ashamed with how his children were acting. Almost immediately, Stiles and Avery pressed every button their fingers were able to reach. Any glare of warning that John sent their way completely went over their head and both Avery and Stiles continued on with quest to press every button available.
With a frustrated sigh, John was slightly amused to hear both Elijah and Nik sigh with him. When he turned to face the brothers, Elijah shrugged with a grin. "You'd think she'd outgrow the impulse to press every button she comes across." He says before turning his amused expression to the twins. "But now I see it just runs in the family."
John snorted with a shake of his head just as Avery clicked a button and the sunroof opened up causing John and Nik to both groan at the squeal that escaped the girl's mouth. Before anyone could tell her to stay seated, Avery scrambled to feet who was closely followed by Stiles as they both shoved their upper bodies through the roof. The two teens laughed as the limo came to a stop but before Elijah and Nik could make it out the door, Avery and Stiles were already hollering.
"Yo, Scott! Come check out our ride!"
"Scooby! Get your ass in gear and bring Isaac with you."
John was so close to face palming but only stopped himself because Elijah and Nik chuckled with their antics. The three men eventually made their way outside the limo to stand outside and greet the three new guests when the front door to the McCall residence opened up.
Scott and Isaac ran out first, their amused grins immediately dropping in shocked awe at the limo while Stiles and Avery laughed joyfully from their spot standing through the sunroof. Scott and Isaac were both wearing slacks- Isaac's being black while Scott was wearing a dark navy blue color. Both had white shirts, Isaac being a fancy button down tucked into his pants while Scott wore a fitted henley shirt, and blazers that matched the color of their pants. As they neared the vehicle and greeted Elijah, Nik, and John- Avery playfully wolf-whistled in appreciation and winked at her boyfriend when he looked up and smirked at her.
The next person to walk out of the McCall residence was a sour-faced man and Scott groaned. "He's still pissed because we're being taken out." He muttered lowly. "And the fact that my Mom looks gorgeous in her dress just pissed him off even more. He's going to make a scene."
John sighed, having dealt with Scott's father in the past but it was Elijah who took charge and stepped forward while putting everyone behind him- almost as if he were protecting them. Scott's father hadn't moved an inch from the doorstep though when Melissa came forth and made her way to them- he followed.
Avery beamed and wolf-whistled yet again. "Dang, look at those legs!"
Melissa laughed wholeheartedly, her legs looking like they went on for miles. Her feet were encased in high-heeled ankle boots, her hair hanging in perfectly tame curls down to the middle of her back with some hanging over the front of her chest. A black- satin looking dressed hugged every curve of her body down to the tops of her knees- the shoulder area and sleeves that ran down to her wrist being black lace.
"I know, right?" Melissa winked at Avery. "Whoever chose this dress has great taste."
Avery grinned and gestured to Elijah who took Melissa's hand in his and brushed a kiss upon her knuckles. "That would be I, Miss, and I must say you do look quite lovely."
Melissa blushed and gave her thanks while Nik greeted her the same- John being the only one to hug her in greeting. As John released her from the hug, he gestured to the limo and let Melissa climb in while Scott's father stood on the sidewalk.
"I've never seen you before." Scott's father finally spoke while narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Elijah. "How do I know my kid and the mother of my child are going to be in good hands when they don't even know where they're going?"
"We're family, you dolt! Of course they're in good hands."
John, since he was seated inside the limo with Melissa, swatted at Avery's legs for her outburst but couldn't help the snort that left his lips. Elijah and Scott's father were busy exchanging words that Scott and Isaac finally tired of it- both teens climbing into the limo next and taking their seats.
With an aggravated sigh, Scott tapped on Avery's calf to gain her attention. When she turned back into the limo and bent down, Scott shook his head. "He isn't going to let us leave until he has every detail about tonight's events and from the sound of it, Elijah isn't going to give any up."
Avery pursed her lips in contemplation as she thought about their situation, her mind whirling with the possibilities of how they could get away. Her mind came to one conclusion but she'd need permission from Scott and Melissa first. "There is one way." She tells them. "But I'm not sure what your thoughts are about this specific topic."
"Which is?" Melissa asks.
"Compulsion." She told them bluntly. When Melissa merely stared at her because she didn't know exactly what it was, Avery told her. "It's pretty much mind control. They can get your ex-husband to believe that the two of you are in good hands and make him not worry. They can even erase his memory of him seeing us off and make him believe that you and Scott went out on your own. They can make him believe whatever it is you want but I won't let them do it until I have your permission."
Melissa bit the corner of her lip in worry as she actually thought about it and Scott wrung his hands. Neither of them saw eye to eye with the man who abandoned them so long ago but they didn't know if they were comfortable with messing with his mind like that. The second the voices from outside started to get louder, Melissa sighed.
"Do it." She shrugged. "Make him believe that Scott and I went out to dinner with friends, and that he shouldn't worry. Tell him to get on with his nightly ritual and to not wait up for us."
Melissa didn't say more after that, choosing to sit back with a tired sigh as she nervously bit at her thumb nail. When Avery turned her attention to Scott, he smiled feebly at her and nodded. Without questioning them, Avery turned towards the opened door and softly called out Nik's name.
When Nik's face appeared in the doorway with a smirk, Avery rolled her eyes. "You heard the woman. Compel him."
Nik's smirk widened even further and once more, he disappeared from sight. Moments later, Elijah and Nik were climbing into the limo and Avery quickly took her seat situated between Stiles and Isaac as Elijah called out that they were to head to the Martin residence next.
..
..
As the four adults conversed and laughed among each other, and Avery ignored the the three boys around her as they continued to look around in awe, she texted Lydia that they were on their way to her home before texting Allison to tell her they'd be there shortly.
Avery had just finished reading her text from Lydia where her friend told her that someone better walk to the door to get her when the limo pulled up to a stop. As the limo's occupants sat there patiently and quietly, Avery rolled her eyes with a laugh.
"Nik, come on." She said as she struggled to maneuver around while also keeping the hem of her dress down. "Let's go get her."
No-one said anything as Avery made it the door without flashing anyone but Nik did allow himself to chuckle when Avery huffed and adjusted the top half of her dress while also pulling down at the hem- only to have it crawl back up. He quickly offered her his arm- Avery taking his elbow with a smile as he led them to the front of the Martin residence where he then proceeded to ring the doorbell.
Seconds later, the door swung open to reveal an elderly woman with copper hair cut in different lengths above her shoulders. The woman seems very well-mannered and strict though when she took a moment to look them over, her gaze softened. With Nik clearing his throat, Avery was brought out of her musings with a shake of her head.
"Oh, um, hello." She bashfully greeted her. "I'm Avery Stilinski, Lydia's friend. Is she ready?"
"She is." The woman answered kindly. "I've heard quite a bit about you, Ms. Stilinski. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Lydia's Mom. You may call me Mrs. Martin."
"Of course. You too, ma'am." As Mrs. Martin's eyes traveled to Nik, Avery nearly face-palmed again. "I'm sorry." She blurted before gesturing to Nik. "This is Nik. He and his brother were my Guardians before I found my family here in Beacon Hills. They're visiting for the week and decided to take my friends and I out to dinner."
At Avery's explanation, Mrs. Martin's eyes seemed to soften even further. "Well isn't that kind." She smiled. "Thank you for doing this for the kids." She told Nik. "After the month this town's had, it's nice to see them having a bit of fun."
"Of course." Nik bowed his head to her politely. "I apologize in advance seeing as I'm sure we might be out a bit late tonight."
Before Ms. Martin can reply, the sharp clicking of heels against the marble floor cuts her off. "It's totally fine." Lydia waves off Nik's apology. "Dad's away on business and Mom works late tonight."
The moment Lydia came into view, Avery's own jaw dropped. The shimmering dark gray and black dress was totally Lydia's taste. The front hemline of the skirt stopped well above her knees but there seemed to be another skirt attached that fell down to her ankles on either side of her legs and back. It was a sleeveless dress, it's shoulder straps being jeweled lace that wrapped behind her neck and the front neckline dipping dangerously low- even lower than Avery's own.
Lydia practically purred at the attention on her and giggled when Avery continued to ogle her. "Not that I don't enjoy the attention but I'm pretty sure your boyfriend wouldn't like the way you're staring at me."
Nik snorted as Mrs. Martin tried to hide her own amused smile and Avery snapped her mouth shut. When she looked Lydia in the eye, she winked. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. After all, he is a guy."
Lydia rolled her eyes though the twitch of her lips let Avery and Nik know that she was amused. "Okay, well, would someone like to tell me where we're going? I'm dressed rather fabulously with my hair all did up," She pointed out her hairdo which was slick and pulled to the back only to have her red curls cascade down the front of her chest on the left side. "-and I have no idea where we're going."
"All in due time, little one." Nik slowly smirked. "But come now, we must be on our way to pick up our last two remaining guests."
Lydia huffed but took Nik's offered arm and with a goodbye to her Mother, she was quickly seated in the limo with her friends.
..
..
Allison and Chris were the last two to be picked up and when Avery texted her they were near their apartment complex, Allison replied that they would be waiting outside for them.
The closer they drew near, there was a mad dash of teens to stand up through the sunroof but with a single glare, Lydia had the boys backing off as she and Avery took the spot. Melissa didn't bother hiding her boisterous laugh at the effect Lydia Martin had on them and shrugged innocently when her son pouted at her.
Avery and Lydia peeked their heads out of the opening just enough so they could see Chris and Allison and they weren't let down when Chris' mask of indifference faltered upon seeing the limo. Even Allison gaped in awe at their shiny ride but as soon as Avery and Lydia stood to full height, Allison threw her head back and laughed.
"What is this?" She asked as she pointed out the limo when her laughter resided.
Avery shrugged sheepishly. "Elijah and Nik are a bit of snobby prats- OW!" She yelped when she felt a sharp pinch to her calf. Glaring down back into the vehicle, she caught Nik smirking and Elijah rolling his eyes at his brother. With a huff, Avery stood back to full height and smiled at Allison. "Nice dress, by the way. Totally cute."
"Right?" Allison giggled before giving a small twirl. The skirt of Alli's dress flared out, the rather large flower decorations of fabric swaying in the wind along the hemline. The top half of her dress was fitted and only had one shoulder strap on the left that looked to be made up of the same fabric of flowers at the bottom of her dress- the entire hem (bottom and top) being white while the dress itself was a dark navy blue.
Chris rolled his eyes at his daughter though they all knew it was all in good humor. "You look good, too, Mr. Argent." Avery called out with a small smile. "I bet you twenty bucks it was Nik who picked out your outfit."
"Yeah? How'd you come to that conclusion?" He asked and the door was finally opened as Nik, Elijah, John, and Melissa got out to let Allison crawl in with her friends.
"Because only Nik would dress you in a henley. Elijah would have gone for a fancy dress shirt."
Chris snorted before smoothing down the black blazer jacket they had given him. "Yes, well, I'm more comfortable in this." He says before looking to Nik. "Thanks."
"It's no problem." Nik assured him. "And now that we're all together, what do you lot say to climbing on in so we can make it to our reservations on time."
Everyone nodded with a small laugh before climbing in and it was only then after they were settled down in their seats and the driver took off did Nik and Elijah finally indulge everyone with where they were going.
The two brothers told them that in celebration of the McCall and Hale Pack being triumphant in taking down such a powerful enemy, they were being treated to a fancy dinner with one another at Sicilly's. Everyone had nearly gaped at hearing where they were going to be dining- the place being a very expensive Italian restaurant that only people with money could afford. When Avery pointed out that the Hale Pack- at least what was left of it- wasn't present, Nik and Elijah assured her that they'd be getting in contact soon enough with them to see if there was anything they needed help with. Derek, Cora, and Peter- in their eyes- were heroes along with everyone currently in the limo and they'd be getting a gift of their own soon enough.
As their conversation makes a quick detour to the events of that night, word slips about Lydia being a Banshee which of course catches Nik's attention. They briefly try to work out her family's background but Lydia tells them nothing of importance and they let it drop. After Lydia's background is out, the Argent's go next. There's a tense moment when Elijah and Nik realize they're Hunters but after Allison assures them of their family motto changing, Elijah can't help but pull out flutes of champagne and make a toast to new beginnings.
After that was settled, the adults start their own conversation for the duration of the ride while the teens all took turns swapping seats and taking pictures with one another.
..
..
The drive to Sicilly's was a little under thirty minutes but no-one was bothered by the drive. Chris had quickly grew accustomed to Elijah and Nik's presence when he learned they had rules among themselves and didn't kill for fun or food, and was eventually openly laughing with everyone.
When they finally pulled up to the restaurant, the group went quiet as they stared through the tinted windows to see a line of people already waiting by the front entrance to be let in. They pulled into the valet area and soon stop so that the back door they were to climb out of is right there in line with the front entrance.
"Well, at least we won't look out of place." Lydia mumbles as she took in the other guests' fancy dresses- some skirts falling down to their ankles while others stopped right at their knees. There were even some fur coats wrapped around shoulders out there.
Elijah and Nik grin at her attempt to lighten the mood but Avery's the only one to chuckle- and nervously at that because now everyone in line is staring to see who gets out of the limo.
The driver finally makes it the back door and opens it. "Heads up, lovelies." Nik smirks at them while wagging his eyebrows. "Don't let them intimidate you."
Nik and Elijah climb out first, cheeky grins tilting the corners of their lips upward as the whispering fires off around them. Heaving a sigh, John exits next though he can't help but chuckle when he sees everyone staring. He turns back to the limo, holding out a hand which Melissa grasps as he helps her out. Once Melissa is steady on her own two feet and adjusts the skirt of her dress, John offers his arm and they walk together to stand behind Nik and Elijah who are talking- compelling- the Hostess to hurry and get their table.
Chris soon exits, amusement passing over his face as he sees a couple of women look him up and down. Isaac climbs out of the limo next, his werewolf hearing picking up on the giggling and pleased whispers of the younger ladies but they soon turn to jealousy as he reaches back into the limo to help out Avery. The whispers turn harsh and though he doesn't let them sour his mood, he does the next best thing by publicly and quickly pecking Avery's lips before wrapping an arm around her waist and leading them towards their group.
When Avery turns back around, she sees her twin offering his elbow to a very gleeful Lydia and a sheepish Scott doing the same to a bashful Allison. Avery mentally coos at her friends and before they know it, they're being led inside and seated around a rectangular table.
Nik and Elijah take the two ends with Melissa and John seated on either side of Elijah, and Chris and Avery on either side of Nik. Isaac is of course seated next to Avery, Lydia next to Isaac, and Stiles in between Lydia and John. On the opposite side of the table, Allison is seated next to her Dad with Scott seated between Allison and his Mom.
Almost immediately, one waiter passes out their menus while another deposits a glass of ice water with a lemon wedge in front of everyone. As one waiter leaves, the other stands silently behind Elijah with a pen and a pad of paper to take their drink orders.
Elijah and Nik both order red wine and after a bit of encouragement- John, Chris, and Melissa order the same. The boys order glasses of soda, Avery gets sweet tea, and Lydia is happy with her water and lemon.
As they start looking over the food selection, Avery can see Stiles, her Dad, Isaac, and Scott looking wary about whatever it was that caught their attention. Catching Elijah's eye, she frowned momentarily before he cleared his throat and assured them all to order whatever they want and how ever much they want.
When the waiter reappears with their drinks, he takes his place behind Elijah once more before people start spouting out their meal of choice. Stiles and Scott were the only two to get spaghetti and meatballs with garlic sticks while everyone else went the fettuccine route. Melissa, Avery, and Elijah got shrimp- John, Chris, and Nik got theirs with strips of beef- and Lydia, Allison, and Isaac got chicken.
While they patiently waited for their food and pleasantly sipped at their drinks, Lydia's audible sigh caught the attention of her friends. "Guys, Halloween is only days away and we've yet decided on what we're going to do." She frowned. "I usually throw a party but it's too late to plan and last second costumes are usually horrendous."
"Please." Stiles snorted. "You are the Queen of last minute party planning. I'm sure you can come up with something."
Lydia's frown twitches as she frights down a smile but nods nonetheless. "Even if I were to plan a party, we still have to brainstorm costume ideas."
"Ms. Martin." Nik speaks up. "I believe my brother and I have the solution to your Halloween problem." Everyone's attention- including that of the parents and Elijah- turn to Nik. "You see, in New Orleans, my brother and I are known for the fantastic parties we throw."
"Showoffs." Avery suddenly muses. With just those words, she already knows where this is headed. Nik's attention is suddenly on her and with a wink, Avery huffs a laugh as she sits back in her chair.
"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," He mock glared at Avery. "-is that we're known for our parties. And since we're here in Beacon Hills for Halloween, I ran the idea by my brother about a Ball."
"A ball?" Stiles mutters. "Like those fancy shindigs with suits and gowns?"
"Yes." Elijah answered for his brother. "But since it is Halloween, it's a Masquerade Ball." Lydia's sudden squeal of delight made Avery and Allison grin in amusement and anticipation. "Suits, dresses, masks, and shoes have all been picked out for everyone so there's no need to worry about money or be frantic about choosing something appropriate to wear."
Lydia claps happily in childlike glee but it's Melissa who speaks up. "Now when you say everyone.."
"I mean everyone." Elijah turned towards her with a smile. "Even you have a dress, a mask, and shoes waiting to be delivered to your home."
"That's quite presumptuous." Chris stated. "How do you know she or the Sheriff don't work that night?"
"Because the Sheriff has enough deputies to cover for him and the man is in need of a vacation." Nik drawled. "As well as the lovely Melissa." He raised his glass towards her before winking. "And if anyone has a problem, well then they can speak to myself or Elijah." He then turned his attention back to Chris. "Don't worry, Mr. Argent. You're invited as well."
Chris didn't say anything right away but he did shrug. "While I feel honored to be invited to one of your infamous parties, I have somewhere to be that night. I'm sorry but I won't be able to make it."
"Fair enough." Nik nodded. "We'll be sure to keep a close eye on your daughter."
Chris could only nod because he knew that Allison wouldn't miss it if she had any say so.
..
..
Their food was quickly brought out and in between bites of their food, the teens talked about the upcoming party. Allison and Lydia were excited to see their dresses and masks, and Avery was just excited to have her family and friends experience one of the Reynolds' parties.
Every now and then, Avery would feel a gently squeeze on her knee and when she'd glance at the culprit, Isaac would simply grin at her before digging back into his food.
In between their small talk and laughs, the food was eaten and drinks were drunk. There was not a single plate with leftovers on it- including the petite females of the group- and when it came time for the bill, Elijah wouldn't let anyone see it. He quickly snatched it up with speed that no-one other than his brother could match and placed a card in it without even looking at the price.
And after a quick signature, the group was herded back into the limo where Nik then proceeded to tell the driver to head to a nearby park they had passed when they first came in. When everyone seemed puzzled about stopping by the park, Nik told them it was too beautiful of a night to pass up without a brisk walk in the park with such excellent company. When he asks for any objections about taking the walk, Stiles quickly raised his hand but Avery slapped it down with a grin.
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"You were right. It is a beautiful night." Melissa murmured as she held onto John's blazer loosely around her shoulders.
The night was beautiful as she said, not a cloud in the sky to obstruct their view of the twinkling stars. The air had a chilly bite to it- hence the reason Melissa was wearing John's blazer, Lydia was wearing Elijah's, Allison wore Scott's, and Avery wore Isaac's. There was not a single bug singing in the night nor a person around to interrupt their peace.
As they continued to walk around, Scott and Stiles kept slyly grinning at their parents but with one single glare from Avery, they quickly put a stop to it.
"About this party." Lydia suddenly mused causing Elijah and Nik to peer over their shoulders. "Who's all invited?"
"Anyone you can think of." Elijah told her. "We have a few friends driving up from New Orleans so if there's anyone you want to invite, feel free."
"Thank you." She smiled kindly. "We all have a mutual friend and I'm sure if he doesn't get invited to the biggest party Beacon Hills is about to endure, and finds out we all attended, he won't speak to us for a month or two."
Elijah chuckled while Allison, Scott, Stiles, Avery, and Isaac all glanced at Lydia. "Danny." They said in unison which caused the elders to laugh.
"Yep." Lydia smirked.
"But if we invite Danny," Scott nervously voiced. "-he'll wanna bring Ethan."
"And wherever Ethan goes," Allison suddenly realized where Scott was going with this. "-Aiden goes."
Lydia didn't see anything wrong with this but after a moment's hesitation, all eyes- sans the elders- swiveled to Avery. "What?" She bristled. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Uh, maybe because you have beef with him." Stiles exclaimed. "You're the one who attacked him, remember?"
Elijah and Nik merely raised their eyebrows in amusement while Chris looked at her curiously. "Pft. That? That's behind us. Invite them if you want." She shrugged. "We're civil enough around each other."
"Excellent." Nik clapped loudly, the sound echoing through the trees surrounding the park. "Now that that's ou-"
Nik gasped- cutting himself off as everyone turned to see what his problem was. They see that his hand is clamped to the side of his neck, something thin and shiny protruding through his fingers but he's not saying anything. His eyes glow golden yellow in the dark, his veins slithering the surface, and it's only when he staggers to the side does everyone go tense and worried.
Elijah is immediately by his brother's side. "Nik? What's going on?"
Nik snarls in anger causing Scott and Isaac to instantaneously wolf out against their will. When they realize that Nik's snarl made them turn, they easily shake away their transformation before giving the brother's their full attention.
When Nik pulls his hand away, he pulls out a dart from his neck and within seconds, he's flat on his back- unconscious.
Lydia yelps in fight and Avery's eyes bulge at what she's just witnessed. Elijah looks flabbergasted but he immediately pulls himself to full height before looking out and around at their surroundings. "You have no idea who you're messing with!" He calls out, his voice echoing eerily throughout the night. John and Chris don't think twice about pulling Melissa and Allison between them. Stiles herds Lydia and Avery to form a tight group with Scott and Isaac on the outside in case a fight breaks out. Elijah is the only one standing alone though the anger is easily recognizable. "Come on out, young one. I know you're a vampire! Your heart beat is slower than someone al-"
Elijah cuts out now though this time, there's no dart in his neck. Instead, there's a figure standing directly in front of him with a stake embedded in Elijah's chest.
"No!" Lydia and Melissa both scream, tears already streaming down their faces.
Chris and John push closer to the girls, their heads whipping around to see what was going on. Stiles clutched at his sister's hand, gripping her hand tightly in his own as Scott and Isaac wolfed out and advanced.
There was no need to be gentle once they wrestled the stranger to the ground, the vampire hissing his anger and snapping at the boys with his fangs. Throughout all the commotion, Avery stayed mute as the shock slowly faded from her features until there was nothing left but a fierce warrior looking for revenge.
The moment she took a step forward and was tugged back by Stiles' hand, Avery immediately shrugged free from her brother's hold. "Avery, don't."
She didn't say anything, instead she squared her shoulders and masked her features as she walked up to the vampire, Scott, and Isaac. "Let him stand." She voiced loud and clear. Scott and Isaac frowned at her, their features fading away until she was faced with a set of yellow eyes and red eyes staring at her. Slowly but sure, Isaac and Scott stood with their grips never letting up on the vampire. "Who are you?" She voiced right away, her hands clasped behind her back. The vampire struggled in his captor's hold, his stringy- somewhat shaggy- dark hair clinging to his forehead. "Well?"
"Fuck off." He snarled. "I don't answer to low-life humans."
There was an audible snap before the vampire groaned in pain, Isaac smirking in delight when the vampire turned to glare at him for breaking his arm. "Stupid and young." Avery reasoned just as the vampire turned his glare on her. "That explains your actions against your king. Against your superiors."
"I answer to no-one!"
"And that right there is your fourth mistake of the night." Avery told him as she reined in her anger. "Tell me, vampire, what's your name?" The mysterious vampire struggled before spitting at Avery's feet. "Hmm." She hummed. "John Smith it is then." The vampire's brows pulled together in confusion before he got over it and continued to struggle. It was like a switch was flipped in Avery as she drew herself up, chest puffed with one hand held behind her back, the other hanging limply at her side. "As the recognized Princess of House Reynolds from Louisiana, you John Smith, are sentenced to death."
Before anyone had a chance to blink or even protest, Avery's arms shot forward with her hands gripping either side of the vampire's face and snapped his neck.
With the shock of what they just witnessed, Scott and Isaac dropped the 'dead' vampire in a heap on the ground.
As Avery peered down at the body, the only person who didn't seem disturbed by her actions was Chris. When she finally caught the shocked expression of her Father, Avery seemed to have deflated. "I'm sorry you had to see that." She told him honestly. "But it had to be done. He's not dead, at least not yet, but death by my hands is a whole lot better than what Nik would have put him through."
John gulped. "And what would have Nik-"
"Don't ask." Stiles blurts causing his dad to turn his attention on him. "It's better if you don't know. Nik can be ruthless."
John paled but nodded, he and everyone else slowly backing away from one another now that the threat was taken care of. When they turn back to Avery, they follow her gaze to a grayish looking Elijah who lay on the ground, dark veins bulging from his colorless skin.
"Oh, honey. I'm so sorry." Melissa murmurs when she finally finds her voice.
"For what?" Avery asks, her eyes seeking out Ms. McCall. Melissa blinks rapidly, her gaze darting from Avery to Elijah's still form. "That?" Avery then scoffs. "Don't be." She says as she walks over to Elijah now, bending down and yanking out the stake. With a swift kick to Elijah's leg, everyone gasps. "Wake up, you wanker! Stop being dramatic."
"Avery!" John scolds. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to wake him up." She answers as she now walks over to the vampire whose neck she snapped. "The thing about Originals," She says as she stops by the vampire's body. "-is that they can't be killed like any other vampire. To take down an Original, you need a special stake. Not some ruddy plain one that you can make on you own." With lightning fast speed, the stake in Avery's hands is soon embedded in the chest cavity of the young vampire. "Now he's dead." She says as she stands back up, clapping her hands together to get off any lingering dirt.
Everyone watches on in horrified fascination as the vampire's skin grays right before their eyes, dark veins slithering to the surface in a bulging manner.
There's a moment's silence as everyone stares down at the vampire before someone gasping for air catches their attention. They look towards the place where it came from only to find Elijah sitting up as the gray color melts away from his skin. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he carefully stands before brushing at his pants to make any lingering dirt and debris fall away. When he glances behind Avery, he sees the vampire dead on the ground and nods his understanding.
"While all this has been fascinating in some ways more than others, what are we going to do about Nik?" Scott asks.
Everyone then turns to Nik's unconscious form, Elijah getting to his brother's side within the blink of an eye. Avery starts making her way towards him when she sees him bend down to pick up the alien dart, and when he makes a move to sniff it- Avery slaps his hands away.
"It took down Nik, you prat. Maybe someone else should sniff it. Someone who's not a vampire or werewolf." Elijah takes her words to heart, immediately offering up the dart to her. As Avery sighs and takes a whiff of the dart- her nose crinkles in distaste. "Peppermint and Lavender."
"How does that," Chris points to the dart in Avery's hand. "-take down that." He then points to Nik.
"It's the two substances most lethal to his kind." Avery mumbles. "Since Nik is both vampire and werewolf, whoever that vampire was did their research- though not nearly enough- and combined both vervain and wolfsbane." The group falls silent as they drink in what Avery just told them. Another moment of silence passes before Avery starts to chuckle. "Oh man, Nik's going to be pissed when he wakes up."
"Indeed." Elijah agrees before bending down and picking up his brother, hoisting him up on his shoulder. "Shall we get out of here before anyone stumbles upon us?"
Everyone seems skeptical, including Chris who's staring at the body of the deceased vampire but it's John who speaks up first. "What about the body? Someone's bound to find him."
"They will." Elijah nods along as he starts to walk. "But by the time they do, the sun will be up and will burn his body to ashes. If anything, just grab the stake. It has Avery's fingerprints."
Avery starts to follow Elijah wordlessly, leaving everyone else behind. Quickly exchanging glances with one another, Isaac quickly leans down and plucks the stake from the vampire's chest before following after his girlfriend.
Life sure was interesting around the Reynolds brothers.
I know, I know. Avery's little death speech was a bit comical but hey.. Nik and Elijah are royalty over in New Orleans. And Avery is still considered family to them so she can still pass on sentences to those who wrong them.
Please point out any mistakes I missed and head over to Polyvore for most of tonight's outfits :)