Dangerous Liasions

"It was their mother Esther who was sealed in that coffin," Elena told Stefan, Damon and I.

My face, along Stefan and Damon's faces, twisted in confusion. "As in the Original Witch?"

"What? How is she even alive? Thought her hybrid freak show of a son ripped her heart out a thousand years ago," Damon said.

Elena shrugged. "I don't know. I'm guessing she has a couple connections in the witch community. Elijah said that she wants to live in peace with her family, including Klaus."

Stefan looked positively melancholic. "She was supposed to be the weapon to help us kill Klaus."

"Well, not anymore... at least not according to Elijah," Elena said.

"That coffin was the only thing stopping Klaus from tearing us to shreds," Stefan stated, pouting.

"Anyone else feeling a little used right now?"

"Look, Elijah promised me that his family wouldn't hurt any of us." The doorbell rang. "I believe him."

Elena went to open the door. "What is it?" Damon asked her.

I walked over to the doorway. There was a piece of paper and a box. "It's an invitation. 'Please join the Mikaelson Family, this evening at seven o'clock. For dancing, cocktails and celebration.'"

"Who the hell are the Mikaelsons?"

"Mikael... son?" I explained. "Mikael's son... Mikaelson!"

"The Original family," Elena concluded.

"It's not bad enough they're moving into town, now they want a housewarming gift?" Damon asked.

"Wait, there's a note on the back." Elena turned the invitation around. "'Elena and Louise, I think it's time that we finally meet, Esther.'"

"What does she want with me?" I questioned, taking the note from Elena.

"You're some odd kind of witch, Louise. So, like Elena, you have duties to fulfill," Stefan teased, grinning. I was glad we were getting the old him back. Even if it was little by little. "What's in the other box?"

Elena picked it up. "'To Louise."

She handed it to me. I brought it onto the kitchen table and opened it. Inside, there was the most beautiful blue ball-gown dress I had ever seen, not that I ever went to a ball. Could this even be classified as a ball?

There was a note on the lid of the box. 'Save me a dance. Fondly, Klaus.'

I quickly shoved it into my jeans' pocket and shut the lid. Damon was growling. Not that he had any right to be. We broke up, end of.

I told Bonnie in the end and she took away my powers. That way, I couldn't use them accidentally at night or on a full moon. Maybe now I wouldn't have to die.

"Moving on..." I urged.

Elena took the heat off me. "If Esther wants to talk to us, maybe we should find out why," she said.

"Well that's a dumb idea, she already tried to kill you once. This time, she might be going for serial killer status," Damon said.

"No, Elena is right. Bonnie was led to open that coffin for a reason. I think there is more to this than just some family reunion," the former ripper replied.

"Can we go back in time where the old Stefan cared if Elena and Louise lived or died?" Damon asked.

"What for? It's your job now," Stefan answered. "But looks like Louise-"

Knowing that he going to say something about Klaus, I swooped in and said, "Stefan has a point, Damon. We should find out what she wants."

"You guys can't protect yourselves," Damon argued.

"Okay fine, then I'll go."

"You've pissed off enough Originals to last a lifetime. I'll go," he said.

Damon snatched the invitation out of my hand. "Hey!" I protested.

He grinned down at me. "End of story."

I looked through my closet for anything to wear. Surprisingly, I didn't have a freakin' ball gown. And Elena only had the one. I threw my hands in the air in frustration and plopped down on the bed. The dress Klaus got me was pretty... No. Nuh-uh, don't even think about it, Louise. Well, I couldn't show up naked now, could I? I had to wear something and I was already late. Damon wouldn't be very happy... but then again, he didn't own me. I owned me.

I sighed heavily and picked up the blue dress. Damn Klaus and his amazing taste.

I left my hair down and it fell to my waist in an abundance of chocolate brown curls. The dress reached my ankles. I didn't know how to handle a dress. I fell over the end of it about ten times already. Thankfully, it didn't get too dirty.

When I walked into the Mikaelson Manor, a fancy mansion that looked rather aristocratic, I felt two pairs of eyes on me: Damon's and Klaus'. I ignored them both and went to look for Elena. On my way, I bumped into Klaus.

"You look stunning, Louise," he complimented.

"I need a drink," I deadpanned, walking right past him.

Elena was on the other side of the room with Stefan. I made my way over to her, but Damon stood in my way. "Is that the dress Klaus got you?"

I pursed my lips. "Yes, it is."

His expression contorted in anger. "Why the hell did you wear it?"

"I didn't have anything else," I hissed. "Now, can I please get past."

"Save me a dance?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes, but smiled nonetheless. "We'll see."

I burst past him and went over to Elena and Stefan, third time lucky it seemed. "Hey," I said to them.

"Had to strangle your many suitors, huh?" Stefan taunted. I smacked him on the arm. "Ow!"

"You're a vampire, that shouldn't hurt."

He put on a wounded expression and lifted his hand to his heart. "But it hurt me right here."

"Shush you," I said in a fit of laughter. I soon sobered up and turned to my doppelganger twin sister. "Have you talked to Esther yet?"

She shook her head. "No. She wanted to see us both, so I don't think it'd be a good idea to go in without you."

I nodded understandingly. "Right."

"Damon's going to be a problem," Stefan said.

I bit my lip nervously and said the only idea I could come up with. "Maybe you should... um... snap his neck?"

"If everyone could gather, please."

The crowd edged in together. The Original family were standing on the staircase. It looked like they were all perfectly sculpted or something. There wasn't a hair out of place from Finn to Elijah to... Klaus to the fourth male Original I hadn't gotten the name of yet to Rebekah. It ought to be illegal to look that beautiful.

Elena, who had been talking to Finn, stood beside me again, Damon on my other side. I had a very unfortunate run-in with the eldest Original earlier. He's not very nice... "Welcome, thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance," Elijah said.

His voice was... wow. I just mean... wow.

A woman with short blonde hair descended a few steps of the blue carpeted stairs. "Do you see who I see?" Damon said.

"Oh yeah," Stefan replied.

"Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

"Come on," I said to Elena, moving towards the stairs.

Damon gripped my wrist and pulled me back. "Don't even think about it."

I snatched my wrist back from him. "She wants to see us alone, Damon," I reminded him.

"Well sucks to be her then. Was I not clear this morning?" Damon repeated himself.

"You don't own me, Damon," I spat. "And Elena and I were invited. You weren't."

"You have to tell me before you walk into a lion's den," the raven-haired vampire said.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "So you can stop me?"

"Ugh... yes!" Damon exclaimed in a 'duh' tone. He offered me his hand. I noticed Elena had gone with Stefan. "It would be rude not to dance, you know."

I smiled despite myself and took his hand. "It is tradition."

He led me to the ballroom and gripped my waist tightly. "Can I tell you a little secret?" I whispered.

"Mhm," he muttered, twirling me around.

"I can't dance."

"Lucky you have me here, then," he whispered huskily into my ear. As always, that mere voice of his made me shivered and - dare I say it - aroused. "Look, about our break-up... I shouldn't have-"

"Damon, stop," I said. "If I'm gonna... you know... I don't want things between us to be bad. I just need time to grasp the fact that I'm... I'm going to..."

He nodded. "I know."

He twirled me around and I bumped into the strong chest that was Klaus'. Time to swap partners then...

"Hello, Louise," he said, grinning.

"Klaus," I replied briskly.

He was quite the dancer... better than me anyway, but that wasn't too difficult. "I'm glad you came," he stated. "Has Damon told you..."

I nodded. "Yes. He did, but no one else except for you guys and Bonnie know."

"I'm sorry-"

I shook my head. "Don't. I don't want pity."

"Very well. On to more mannered subjects then, like how ravishing you look in that dress." Klaus smirked.

"I don't exactly have an array of dresses at my disposal," I replied.

"And the bracelet I gave you, what's your excuse for wearing that?"

I looked down at the bracelet on my wrist. I don't know why I wore it... I just... did. It looked pretty, anyway. Klaus certainly had style for an old man.

"Shut up," I grumbled, it came out kind of playfully. Damon was glaring at us from behind the shoulder of Mrs. Lockwood.

He chuckled. "I've noticed you're not as friendly with Damon Salvatore."

I knew Damon was listening and I'd bet a couple hundred dollars that Klaus did too. "We broke up." I ignored the joy etched on the hybrid's face. Did he gain pleasure from people's misfortunes? "Wipe that smirk off your face, Mr. Mikaelson."

He leaned into my ear and whispered flirtatiously, "Or you'll what?"

I stepped away from him, a smirk of my own plastered on my face. "Or I'll wipe it off for you."

Stefan and Elena entered the ballroom. I wasn't aware they left. Elena gestured for me to leave and I did.

"Finn asked me to come alone," she said. "I just need your blood."

I nodded and walked into the kitchen. There was a knife on one of the table. Elena handed me a phial. I sliced my hand and the blood dripped into it.

I gave it to her. "There. Why does she need my blood?"

"I'll ask her." She shifted awkwardly. "You just need to... uh... distract Klaus."

"Wait, what? How am I suppose to do that?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Use that charm of yours."

With that, she left. "What charm?" I called after her.

Honestly, I didn't know what the hell everyone was talking about. I stared at the white horse in the front garden of the Mikaelson Manor. I loved horses. When I was younger, my dad signed me up for horse-riding lessons. He encouraged my tomboyish behaviour, Mom wanted me to become the perfect Founders' daughter. She loved me, though, and I loved her more than anything.

I called my old horse Bobble. A totally lame name... but I was seven and it was a week after Christmas. I quit horse-riding after my parents died, along with soccer and athletics. I used to be quite the hurdler. Maybe this will all blow over before the end of senior year and I could have my old life back.

"You like horses?"

I snapped my head over to the source. "What's up with this? The dress... the bracelet?" I jiggled the gold, diamond bracelet. "I told you before, Klaus, I don't like games."

"I fancy you." My jaw dropped. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed.

"Why? You're beautiful, strong, intelligent... brave. Not many people would take their impending death as well as you have."

"You terrorise the people I love... and-and you just expect me to believe that you 'fancy' me?" I scoffed. "Wow, you must really think I'm stupid."

He grabbed my wrist as I stepped away. What was up with people and my wrist? "What would you say if I told you that what I said... was the truth?"

I snatched my wrist away from him and folded my arms. "I'd say you suffer from multiple personalities disorder."

He grinned a boyish grin that made me want to punch his face in. "Planning to become a psychologist?"

I groaned. "Why does everyone think that? No! A doctor! I want to be a doctor." Klaus laughed. He was laughing at me... he was actually laughing at me. "Hey, hey! Stop laughing!"

He tightened his lips. "Alright, alright. I'll stop." I smiled. "You know you're even more beautiful when you smile."

I laughed and backed away from him. "A little cliché, don't you think? 'You're even more beautiful when you smile,'" I said in my best British accent. "Get that off the back of a tin can?"

"I thought it was quite original," he said with a grin.

I shook my head, amused. "I'll be inside."

The hall was still full with merriment as people danced. Elena walked down the stairs, gripping the railings as she did. She looked relieved when she saw me. "Louise. Esther... she wants to talk to you."

"I thought that she only wanted to speak with you?"

She shook her head, her brown hair flipped behind her shoulders. "I don't know... but she seemed pretty adamant that you go to her."

I nodded. "I'll go."

Turns out, Klaus was quite the interior designer. His house looked superb. Every inch of it was lavishly designed. Even the hallways made me feel like I was Cinderella!

The eldest brother, Finn, stood outside of a room. I guessed that his mother was inside. "Mother wishes to see you."

He sounded like he was from the early middle ages. I snorted. "You sound like you were stuck in a box for the last three hundred years."

"Nine hundred, actually."

Oh, right. Klaus kept his family in coffins. How could I forget that? Insensitive, insensitive, insensitive! "I'm sorry, I-"

"It's quite alright," he assured, opening the doors for me. "It's an easy mistake to make."

"Right." I nodded to him as I entered the room. It smelled, eh, interesting. A woman - Esther - was preforming a spell. "Uh, hi?"

She stopped chanting and looked up. She smiled creepily. "You must be Louise. I've been watching you."

"What's the smelly thing?" I asked her.

"It's sage," she told me. "It prevents my children from hearing us, as I'm sure at least one of them are listening."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"You," she replied simply. I urged her to continue. "You're kind have had many names. The Spanish call them luna bruja, the people of my village called them 'Ladies of the Moon.' Some of us call you lunar witches, or the Morte de la Lune."

My French wasn't amazing, but I had taken enough classes to know what that meant. "Death of the moon," I muttered.

"It does not end well for people like you," Esther said. "One person was not meant to hold that much power. at one time It will kill you."

"Bonnie took my magic away," I said. "That'll slow the process down, won't it?"

She shook her head. "It will manifest itself somehow. Magic like that cannot be controlled."

"Then what can I do?"

"Nothing. It will take you as it has taken many of your kind before you. It is a tragic fate and I do pity you. It must be horrible to see your life come to a close at such a young age..."

"Help me!" I begged. "There has to be a way! I bet you didn't just call me up here to give me your pity."

"Perhaps I did." I gaped a little, but covered it up quickly. "The girl of my village, Lucrezia, she was a cousin to a girl named Tatia."

I shrugged my shoulders. What did that have to do with me and my impending death? "So?"

"Tatia was a doppelganger."

"So, am I..."

"A doppelganger?" I nodded. "No. You look nothing like her, but both of your blood is a powerful binding agent. When combined with the doppelgangers', it is perhaps the strongest binding agent in the world. That is why nature found a way to keep you both together."

"So, Elena and I are like destined to be reincarnated as relatives for eternity?"

"Not reincarnations. Your blood is all that is similar to the former witches of your kind."

I took a deep breath. "Have there been many of us?"

"A handful, I believe. You're the only one in existence as of late."

"Has there ever been two?" I asked the elder witch.

She shook her head. "Never."

"How was your talk with Esther?" Elena asked. Beside her stood Elijah.

"She's very... blunt?" It came out like a question. I didn't know what to make of the Original witch.

"What did she say about your, uh..." Her voice turned into a whisper. "...monthly problems?"

'Monthly problems.' I laughed, but shut my mouth when Elena shot me a glare. "She didn't know anything," I lied. "Except about this girl in her village, here, actually."

"What happened to her?"

I was flustered, trying to think of something to say. "She... uh... left."

Elijah shot me a look and I non-verbally told him to shut up. "So you'll be okay?" she exclaimed happily. I nodded, guilt racing through me. Elena wrapped her arms around me. "I knew it!"

"Good Evening, Ladies and Gentleman." We broke apart when we heard Esther's voice and listened to her. "Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater joy then to see my family back together as one. I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

Everyone drank their champagne. Elijah, who was now standing next to Elena, clinked his glass to hers and said, "Cheers."

As I drank the champagne, I got a vision. All five of the Originals were drinking their wine: Finn, Elijah, Klaus, Kol and Rebekah. I saw Finn at a sacrificial alter. Never before had I a lightbulb moment quite like this one.

Esther didn't just want to kill Klaus, she wanted to kill all of them.

Said hybrid swaggered over to where I stood. "I'd like to show you something, if you'd let me?"

I shrugged. "I have nothing better to do."

"So what did you want to show me?" I questioned Klaus as he led me into a room full of paintings.

"One of my passions," Klaus replied.

The paintings were amazing. I never painted or drew, but I could admire. "Oh, impressive. I take it the curators at the Louvre aren't on vervain?"

Klaus chuckled. "Yeah, well that's their mistake."

"What about these?" I jiggled the bracelet. "Where'd you steal this from?"

"Well, that's a long story. But rest assured it was worn by a princess almost as beautiful as you."

I rolled my eyes and smiled. Klaus actually looked... embarrassed. Was that even possible?

I looked down onto the table and noticed a notepad and some loose sketches. "Wait, did you do these?" I asked, amazed.

He rubbed the nape of his neck nervously. "Yeah, um... actually one of my landscapes is hanging at the Hermitage, not that anyone would notice. Have you been?"

I shrugged. "I've never really been anywhere out of America."

"I'll take you," Klaus stated. "Wherever you want Rome... Paris. Tokyo?

I laughed, as did Klaus. He looked human when he smiled. Someone who had done so many bad things... I didn't think it was possible. And he had dimples... were bad guys even allowed to have dimples?

"I never pegged you as someone who drew," I said, looking at his marvelous sketches.

"Art, drawing and painting are sheer force of will," he replied. "A metaphor for control, if you like."

"Control freak, much?" I teased with a smirk.

He grinned. "Aren't we all? All humans, vampires, witches and werewolves want to be in control. Those who say they are not are only kidding themselves."

I suppose he was right. Who didn't want to be in control of something? Some of us want power or the ability to shape our future without the unfortunate interference that was destiny. But his methods to be in control were extremely tragic. Maybe it was because his father abused him, that he hated being defenseless. Mikael was a monster for abusing him and as if it was a cycle, Klaus turned into a monster after him.

"Is that why you make hybrids?" I asked. "To be in control of their lives?"

"You're making assumptions," Klaus accused.

"I've always hated compulsion unless it's necessary and there's no way to avoid it, but the sire bond is just... atrocious. They deserve their freedom, and you've taken it from them."

Klaus was getting angry, but for some reason, I wasn't afraid. "You know, this has been a fun evening, but I think it's time for you to leave."

"I get it. Your father never loved you, so you assume no one else will. That's why you compel people or you sire them or you try to buy them off." I took off my bracelet and tossed it onto the table. "But no, that's not how it works. You don't connect with people because you don't even attempt to understand them."

I stormed out of the room and back into the 'ball.' I was confronted by an angry Salvatore brother. "Did you get what you want?" he asked.

I was still a little shaken up from the talk with Klaus. I shook my head and forced myself back to reality. "Yes."

"Good, tell me on the ride home. We're leaving. Come on."

Damon gripped my upper arm. I twisted and tried to pry him off of me. "No, Damon let go of me. Look, I'm sorry that we had to cut you out of the plan."

"There shouldn't have been a plan. You shouldn't be here," Damon said.

"Do you think I like going behind your back? I don't. But if I hadn't asked Stefan to help, then you would've tried to be the hero, and it would've ruined everything."

"Sorry for trying to keep you alive. Clearly Stefan doesn't give a crap anymore," Damon spat.

"You're mad at me for including Stefan?"

"No, I'm mad at you because I love you!" he exclaimed.

I flinched back, a little shocked. I heard him say that before... but I thought he didn't anymore or he didn't mean it when he said it. I replied quickly, "Well, maybe that's the problem." I regretted it as soon as I saw the hurt etched on his face. "No. That not what I-"

"No, I get it Louise. I care too much, I'm a liability. How ironic is that?" he snapped.

Elena couldn't have come up to us at a worse time. "Have you guys seen Matt?"

Damon, after our talk, decided to lash out. He threw Kol, an Original, over the balcony and snapped his neck.

"Damon! Are you crazy?" Stefan yelled.

The rest of the family rushed out of the manor, as did Elena and I. He looked at me as he responded, "Maybe a little. Far be it for me to cause a problem."

Stefan and Elena shot me sympathetic looks as he walked away.

"Damon, I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't... I didn't mean it. I still care about you. I'm... I don't know. Just please call me back."

I hung up and walked into my bedroom. On the bed, there was a drawing of me and a horse. It was beautiful, but I didn't like being bought.

I scoffed. "Seriously?"

Picking it up gently, I noticed that there was writing on the back. 'Thank you for your honesty, Klaus.'

Was it wrong that my heart skipped a beat when I read it?

A/N: Am I writing anyone out of character do you think?

And I'd love it if you'd tell me what you'd like to see in later chapters, especially season four. I'm usually a few chapters ahead of what I post so that if I don't like it, I can change it.

Reviews? Klouise or Damise?