A\N: so many reviews! It's so much fun to get feedback on my writing! Thank you guys for reading, following, and reviewing.
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"We all have someone we never speak of.
Someone who meant so much,
That even breathing their names makes your soul tremble
With pain and memories."
New Orleans. They were in New Orleans.
Alaric couldn't believe his daughters had grown up thirteen hours away. They had driven through the night, leaving as soon as Klaus had told them where they were, it was almost six a.m. when they pulled up to the hotel the Mikaelsons had paid for.
They had come back to this place so many times, and anybody they talked to always said the same things: the Mikaelsons were long gone.
The room was on one of the higher floors, the wall of glass looking out over the city that had been Josie and Lizzie's home for over a decade. He fell into one of the leather chairs, Caroline perched on the edge of one of the large, white beds. "We should get some rest, the meeting isn't until noon."
She nodded her agreement, but neither moved, both too wired to even consider sleep. As he sat there the navy sky became tawny with the imminent dawn, golden light flooded the room as the sun breached the city skyline.
Neither spoke but they shared the same thought, that the searching was over, and their children were finally within reach.
Klaus stood in the doorway of the living room, unnoticed by the laughing teens sprawled across the couch. The silly movie that he had never entirely understood played on the TV in front of them, they still found it amusing despite having seen it a good fifteen times.
They were happy, he thought as Hope threw her head back laughing at something Josie had said. He couldn't help but feel pride in that, he had given them a home, one that they felt safe in.
Always and forever had been missing something for centuries, they just hadn't realized it until they were found. His children had repaired a millennia of betrayal and anger in less than two decades.
Nobody was taking his family from him, that was why he had scheduled to meet with Caroline and Alaric before the girls met them, so they were all perfectly clear on the terms of their reentry into their lives.
The sound of coins bouncing made him glance at the screen as another character burst into spare change. He shook his head, the things that passed for entertainment these days.
Caroline paced, her shoes sinking into the plush carpet. The clock on the wall ticked ever closer to the twelve, her panic worsened with each passing second.
They remembered, it figured Klaus would figure out a way to reverse the spell without Bennett magic. It was supposed to be impossible, which was exactly why they had done it. But would they remember how bad things had been? She and Ric had gone to extreme lengths to shield them from the violence that had dominated their lives.
It was meant to be a temporary situation, getting them out of harm's way long enough to eliminate the threat, a few months at most. And then what was meant to be a few months turned into two years of fighting a faceless enemy that hid behind brainwashed supernaturals. Even when the threat had seemed to be gone they had lived in fear, constantly looking over their shoulders, just waiting for the mysterious power to come back with renewed vengeance for an entire year before they decided it was safe enough to look for the girls.
But they quickly realized how long three years really was, Bonnie's locator spells all failed, pointing them in multiple meaningless directions. Klaus must have done that too, the twins had never been immune to tracking spells before.
Alaric stepped into the room, appearing just as unnerved. "We should get going."
She swallowed her fears and followed him out of the room. It was happening, and it was so much more terrifying than anything she had faced before.
Kol stood outside of Lizzie's room, he steeled himself for what he was about to do before he knocked. He was going to tell his nieces goodbye and leave this godforsaken city, his mental stability was more important than a child's whim, he told himself determinedly.
He heard her light footsteps as she skipped across the room and opened her door. "Hey," she smiled brightly when she saw him standing there. "Daddy said you went out."
"I did," he said dismissively, not wanting to discuss his trip to the cemetery with a blissfully ignorant Lizzie. "I'm actually leaving today, I wanted to tell you goodbye before I went."
Her joyful expression crumbled, and he brutally pushed aside the twinge of guilt he felt at the sight. "Oh," she said, barely audible but still filled with disappointment.
"It won't really be that long until you see me though," he hurriedly continued. "You and Josie are coming to stay with me in Madrid this summer, remember?"
She nodded but her expression remained numb. Guilt continued to worm its way through his chest despite his attempts to ignore it.
"You know I can't stay in this city for long," he explained himself weakly, even though he shouldn't have to. If she would just smile, just once, his conscience would be appeased. But she didn't, only dropped her gaze to the floor, her bottom lip trembled as she nodded again.
"They're coming today," she said quietly, "I thought you might stay..."
"I was here for the spell," he muttered, feeling his resolve diminish.
"Daddy will be there," she said after a moment, giving a smile that wasn't genuine. "I'll be fine."
That's practically permission, just walk away! he yelled at himself. "I guess, I don't have anyone waiting... I could stay for a couple more days."
Her smile became real as she threw her arms around him. "Thank you," she mumbled into his shoulder.
"Just a couple days, do you hear me?"
She nodded emphatically, practically glowing with joy. Kol hated this wretched city, he hated this house where he had watched Davina condemned to nothingness, sometimes he even hated his brother, but he could never hate making Liz happy.
"You stupid, worthless, piece of junk metal!" Hope screamed at the machine above her.
"What's wrong with it today?"
She slid out from under the car to see Marcel leaning against her workbench, she had been too caught up in her work to hear him walk in. "The damn catalytic converter," she growled, grabbing the nearest thing she could reach— a wrench— and threw it across the room. The stone cracked as the metal projectile hit the garage wall.
"Better than the wheel bearings being off," he said pleasantly.
She sneered at him, he knew damn well she had had to fix that too.
"Just buy a new car," he said, absently rearranging the tools that were scattered in a seemingly random way across the bench.
She shot off the floor, smacking his hand away. "I don't want a new car," she insisted, "I want that car."
He shook his head at her stubbornness. "Are you coming to the party tomorrow?"
She winced. "About that..."
Marcel sighed. "What did you do this time?"
"I didn't mean to!" she defended herself. "I was walking home, minding my own business, and I see a seventies Twister mustang— in perfect condition— just parked out on the street. It was unlocked, the keys just left under the seat! That's asking to have your car stolen."
"You just can't help yourself, can you?"
"It's a rare car!"
"Your dad could buy you ten of them!" he argued with a much more valid point.
She just turned away from him and returned to her work, slipping back into the tight space between the concrete floor and the underside of the car.
"I was counting on you to make sure this party wasn't a drag," he complained as she began to unbolt the converter.
"I told you not to agree to host this thing, but did you listen?" she huffed in irritation, pulling loose one of the rusted bolts.
"I've done this before, you know? For that whole century before you even existed."
She smiled, glad he couldn't see it. "You'd think a century is long enough to learn what not to do."
"Shut it, kid," he said, though he didn't sound very irritated. "You're making this up to me."
"We'll throw a rager sometime soon," she agreed, dropping the wrench when the bolt stuck and using her fingers instead.
"I'm holding you to that."
She tried to remove the converter, but it didn't budge. She looked closer and let her head fall back against the hard ground with a groan.
"Something else wrong?" he said, much too happily.
"It's welded on," she heard him laugh as he walked out of the room and left her to her work.
Caroline and Alaric walked up to the gated archway of the large town house. Ric gave her a reassuring look before he knocked on the gate, the metal rattled loudly.
Heels clicked against stone and soon a woman with long ash-blonde hair and sharp features appeared, her heart beat human but there was something bright and, if Caroline was being honest, frightening in her grey eyes. She glanced over her shoulder, searching for confirmation from someone Caroline couldn't see, then she turned back to them. "You're welcome to enter," she addressed Caroline, her deep Russian lilt taking her by surprise.
The woman didn't move but the gate creaked open. A witch? Caroline had a hard time believing Klaus would trust the security of his home to a witch, but it had been a long time since she had known him.
"Follow," she turned and walked away, Ric and Caroline shared a look before they did as she said.
She led them down a poorly lit hallway, they came to another archway that opened into a courtyard flooded with natural light. A balcony wrapped all the way around the large room, doors lined the second floor walkway and she wondered if the twins were behind one of them. Large crest emblazed with M's decorated the concrete pillars, time definitely hadn't made them less theatric.
And in the center of the room, sitting at a wrought iron table was Klaus. He looked the same as he had all those years ago, but when their eyes met she saw something different, a coldness she hadn't expected. He looked to Ric with a slight nod, "Alaric," he glanced back to her, "Caroline. Please," he gestured to the empty chairs.
Caroline sat in one of them at the opposite end of the table from him, Ric sat next to her. She glanced up at the balcony again. "Are they...?" her voice failed her but he understood what she was asking anyway.
"Yes, Josie is reading in the den, and I believe Lizzie is convincing Kol to extend his stay," he said, flicking his hand in the air as he spoke.
She began to stand. "Can we—?"
He held up his hand, and she sunk back into her seat. "There's a reason I asked to speak with you," he said, his voice betrayed nothing of what he was feeling. "I understand your desire to be a part of their lives," Caroline's heart sunk at the words, terrified of him refusing to let them be in the twins lives. "But there will be certain terms."
Ric leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "Which would be?"
"Their powers are something they take great pride in, but as I'm sure you know it can be extremely dangerous, that is why only Freya and Kol are allowed to teach them, the Bennett witch will under no circumstances play mentor," he paused and she realized that he was waiting for their agreement, she nodded along with Ric.
"They will not be living with either of you at any point," he continued, "I'm well aware your little group survives like cockroaches but Lizzie and Josie will be staying with people I'm certain can protect them."
They once again nodded, if a bit grudgingly.
"And, of course, you understand that if at any point I think you are a threat to my daughters I will kill you both," he said it calmly, the sincerity of his words shown in his grey-blue eyes. It wasn't even a threat, it was just a fact. In an odd way Caroline appreciated the devotion he had for the girls, it was strange hearing him refer to them as his children, though she probably should have expected it.
Ric's jaw tightened at the statement and she knew it was killing him to hear that Klaus had taken his place.
"Of course," she said quietly.
Ric nodded tightly.
Klaus smiled, nothing happy in the expression. "Masha," he addressed the woman who had stood so silently Caroline had assumed she'd left. "Bring the girls, would you?"
She nodded sharply, going up the stairs and disappeared through one of the doors. Caroline watched her go, she was beautiful in a harsh way, and not that old, thirty, maybe? She wondered if she was an employee or a friend, and then the door reopened and all thoughts left her mind as she watched the girl who stepped into view.
Lucien studied the house from across the street, waiting for the lights in the upstairs bedrooms to shut off. He watched her as she settled on the couch in the living room, her dark blonde hair was cut to her jaw and there were new laugh lines around her mouth, well into her forties she was still beautiful.
It was a nice, little, white-picket-fence life she had made for herself, modern day perfection, a single mom with two kids, a house in a nice neighborhood with a sleek black SUV in the driveway.
Once the breathing from upstairs shallowed to the pace of sleep he slipped silently across the street and onto the porch. He rapped his knuckles against the door, hearing paper rustle and glass clink as she closed her book and set her wine glass down.
Footsteps padded through the foyer, she didn't hesitate to open the door, why should she? It was a safe neighborhood after all.
The pleasantly confused look faded away, replaced with dread. "Lucien."
"Hello, Alexis," he smiled at her. "Nice place."
"What are you doing here?" she said evenly, leveling a challenging gaze on him. It was admirable, attempting to appear indifferent about him showing up. But the facade of bravery was pointless when he could hear her heart trying to beat out of her chest.
"I'll explain everything," he raised his brows, issuing his own challenge. "Care to invite me in?"
Any one else would've laughed at that, it seemed insane to invite an obvious threat into her home. But Alexis was too smart and knew him too well to refuse, besides, who needs an invitation when you could just burn down the house?
"Come in," she stepped back and allowed him to walk past her into the quaint home.
He went to the living room, sitting on the couch that was a repulsive shade of green. "Cute," he muttered as he took in the cheap decorations and crayon marks across the coffee table.
Alexis sat in the chair across from him. "How did you find me?"
"You aren't as clever as you think," it was almost disappointing how careless she had become.
"At least I didn't die."
His mouth twitched with what was almost a smile. "Protection spell?"
"I would've been an idiot not to take that precaution." Lucien didn't miss the unspoken 'like you were' in her statement.
It was true, he had thought himself invincible, that arrogance had cost him his life. Twenty years was a long time to reflect on one's pride, he wouldn't make the same mistakes twice.
"I need you to see what outcomes are possible at the moment," he was almost sure Josie hadn't told anyone, but mistrust was a hard mind-set to shake. Besides, she was a Mikaelson, even if she didn't share blood with those people, there was always the chance she had learned one too many bad habits in her life.
"I don't practice anymore."
That was strange, he didn't recall asking her if she did. He looked over her shoulder, standing to take the picture frame off the wall. "They're just adorable," he said, looking at the photo of the two children, both smiling toothily at the camera. "How old are they?"
"Jamie is seven, Morgan is four," she spoke quietly, knowing he didn't care about the answer but answering all the same.
He nodded, setting the picture on the table next to the chair Alexis sat in and pulled the piece of paper from his jacket pocket. "Call me when you have something," he offered her the number and she took it without looking at him.
Lucien left the house, deciding once he was back in the car that he should call his other witch, the more valuable of the two, and was more than pleased when it only rang once.
Caroline watched as the girl stepped into the walkway, but she couldn't get a clear look at her face because she turned to look at something down the hall, another girl appeared and they walked together down the stairs into the courtyard.
She could barely breathe as they walked towards the table. It wasn't hard to tell which one was Josie and which was Lizzie, no matter how much they had changed their eyes were exactly as she remembered.
Lizzie was all soft features, honey gold curls, and serene smile. Her large blue eyes were full of nervous excitement. She wore pink ballet flats that matched her sundress and the flower clip in her hair. There was a slight bounce in her step that gave her a childish charm.
Josie's features were sharper that her sister's, her white blonde hair worn in two plaits, tied with strips of leather that had antique looking beads strung on the ends. The heels she wore clicked loudly in the silence. Unlike Lizzie she wasn't smiling, and there was nothing nervous about her hard gaze, mistrust was all that glimmered in her dark eyes as she studied the two of them.
They were beautiful, Caroline couldn't have imagined how perfect her daughters had grown to be.
Once they were seated she caught sight of the man she hadn't noticed follow them down the stairs because she was too enraptured by her children. Kol smiled, though it looked more like he was baring his teeth at her.
Worry tinged her elation at the thought of Lizzie and Josie growing up in a home with such a volatile person.
Josie was the first to break the silence, tilting her head as she scrutinized Caroline, then Ric. "So," she drawled, "you were our parents."
"Uh, yeah," Ric said, "I'm Alaric, this is Caroline," he nodded to her and she put on her sunniest smile hoping to sway the impassive teen.
Josie wasn't impressed. Lizzie smiled, clearly trying to break the tension in the room. "I'm Lizzie, that's Josie, you know, in case you can't tell," she stumbled over her words, becoming flustered as she spoke. "But maybe you can, I know we looked a lot alike when we were younger."
"We can tell," Ric told her with a reassuring smile.
She nodded, fidgeting with a charm on her bracelet, Caroline noticed a matching one on Josie's wrist. "Those are nice," she said looking at the small metal charms.
"Thank you," Lizzie said immediately.
"Yeah, they are," Josie said, then jumped slightly and shot her sister a venomous look before she turned back to Caroline with a fake smile that was worse than her stony expression. "But thanks so much for pointing it out."
Kol barked a laugh.
Josie looked over her shoulder at him with a smile that was genuine if mischievous. "Don't you have anything better to do than lurk around like a creep?"
"You know, now that you mention it, I don't think I do," he said.
She lifted a heeled foot to push out one of the empty chairs in invitation, which he unfortunately accepted, falling into the seat next to Josie. "So, is no one going to touch the abandonment incident?"
"Kol!" Lizzie hissed.
"Ooh," Josie put a hand to her mouth in mock surprise, "I think you broached a taboo subject."
"Did I?" he said, playing along with Josie and a sounding absolutely shocked. "My mistake, maybe it's safer to stick with the small talk?"
"Actually," Ric cut in, "we do owe you an explanation." he glanced at her, just as lost as to how they should begin to explain. "When you were three—"
"Ugh, this story starts three years pre-abandonment?"
"Kol," Klaus growled at him, and he finally shut his mouth.
"There was a place, the Armory, it studied supernatural relics and biology, they had caught a creature years before we found it and kept it in a vault."
"They kept someone locked in a vault?" Josie said, this time her surprise was sincere, along with the disgust. Lizzie looked just as disturbed by the idea.
"It was dangerous," Ric began, trying to explain how necessary locking it up had been. "It had killed one of their people—"
"No shit. If someone locked my in a vault I'd be murderous too," Josie said, crossing her legs and her arms with an attitude that reminded Caroline of herself in her teen years.
"When you were three we had to open the vault—"
This time it was Klaus who interrupted, voice full of scorn. "Ah, I see, this happened because of some failed attempt at heroics."
"Bonnie was being controlled—but that's not important," Caroline said, it had seemed important, at the time she had thought it was one of the worst things that had ever happened to them.
"When the vault opened, the creature got out, it took Damon and Enzo with it. Changed them, and if losing some of our closest friends wasn't bad enough they came after you two," Ric shook his head. "We just needed to know you both were safe..."
"So, Bonnie made us a spell that would send you to the only person I could think of who would stand a chance against this thing's servants." Caroline turned to Klaus. "I didn't actually know where you were, turns out that was a good thing, whatever this creature is it can get into a person's mind. The spell would send them to you without telling me where they went."
Ric looked at the twins. "The reverse was supposed to be simple, my blood and Bonnie's magic would be enough to locate you, but it... it didn't work."
"Freya made sure we weren't vulnerable to tracking spells when we were eight," Josie said, tipping her chin up defiantly. "You had two years you could've found us."
"That's how long it took this threat to die down," he said, and of Caroline didn't know him so well she would have missed the spark of guilt in his eyes.
"We've never stopped looking for you," Caroline said, her voice thick with emotion. "You have no idea how much we love you two."
There was silence, something akin to sympathy shined in Lizzie's blue eyes, and it seemed they might have even gotten through to Josie. Then she stood, "Well, storytime has been fascinating," she looked at Klaus, "I promised Eli I'd meet him at Rousseau's."
Klaus nodded, "Be home by ten."
She clasped her hands in front of her chest, bouncing slightly in her platform heels. "I'm eighteen now, can't it be eleven?"
"No later," he relented.
Josie grinned victoriously, it faded fractionally when she looked back to them, she walked away without another word.
They watched their daughter leave before turning back to Lizzie, she looked flustered at the sudden undivided attention. She began to fidget again with the charms on her wrist.
Kol looked at his watch, jumping up suddenly. "We're going to be late."
Lizzie looked up at him in confusion.
"Remember? We had plans in the Cauldron today."
Caroline had no idea what the 'cauldron' was, but it was obvious they hadn't had any plans, that he was just trying to save her from an awkward situation. She stayed quiet.
"Is that alright?" Lizzie asked with no clear indication who she was speaking to.
Klaus nodded.
"Thanks, daddy," she said, she stood, leaning across the table to kiss his cheek. "Back by ten."
"You have until eleven," he said, and she beamed as if it was the most unexpected news.
When she looked back at Caroline and Ric her smile faded as she struggled to find the right thing to say. Then she smiled sweetly, "It was very nice to meet you both."
Caroline watched her walk away, feeling like someone had hollowed out her chest with the polite words.
"I still don't get something," Ric said, looking as calm and collected as usual. "We came back here looking for them, so many times, every time anyone we talked to told us you had left this city ages ago."
Klaus shrugged. "We leave town often, when we do I compel local shop owners and vampires to say we've been gone for years."
"Why?" Caroline asked, knowing he would have a reason, whether it was paranoid and ridiculous was yet to be decided.
"If someone with less than pleasant intentions came looking for us there was less of a chance they would wait and ambush us if they thought we had been gone too long to expect us to return."
Yup, paranoid, but not all that ridiculous, considering the amount of enemies he had.
Ric stared at his hands folded on the table. "I missed twelve years of their lives because of poor timing?"
"Unfortunate," Klaus agreed dispassionately.
Ric stood so fast the chair almost tipped backwards, and walked out.
Caroline knew he felt the same ache as she did, the knowledge that they had found their daughters and still nothing was right. 'What if's were dangerous, and a billion of them ran rampant in her mind.
Klaus interrupted her tormenting thoughts when he stood, "I doubt either of them will be back a minute before eleven, I'm sure you can show yourself out?"
She was surprised by his casual dismissal, why not just tell her to get out? For a moment she just sat there in shock at how the meeting had gone, but when he walked away— not even bothering to look back at her— she stood and, seeing nothing else to do, walked away as well.
Josie flipped through the dresses on the rack with growing frustration, brushing off the saleswoman's offer of assistance. Normally she would have had Masha make her something for such an important event but she didn't want to have to think up another lie to tell her father if he asked why she needed a new dress.
She would have ordered something off the internet but since Lucien had called and asked if she wanted to go out for dinner that evening that wasn't an option either.
Which left her here, retail hell. Where nothing fit right and all of the colors were just slightly the wrong shade.
Everything had to be perfect. She had to be perfect, especially after how awful she had looked the morning before. Unfortunately nothing in any of the stores she had visited had lived up to her 'perfect' vision.
Her face twisted in disgust at the fluorescent green dress displayed on one of the mannequins on the dais in the center of the store. Ugh, nothing was right!
Just when she was ready to give up, to go home and dredge up an outfit from her closet, she saw it, on a hanger on the back wall, half hidden behind a display of cheap jewelry.
She smiled. Perfect.
Caroline sat in the overpriced hotel room, sulking. Ric had left to call Seline and she was left alone to think over every second of the meeting again and again, as she had been doing for hours.
Josie didn't hate her, Caroline decided, she was just guarded. She needed time, which was completely reasonable. Even if it was going to hurt. A lot.
Knocking came from the door. She frowned. Ric had taken his key card, hadn't he?
She crept to the door, annoyed when she realized there was no peephole. Well, if it was anyone who could actually hurt her a locked door wouldn't stop them. She opened the door. Caroline wasn't sure if she should be worried or relieved that it was Klaus who stood there.
"Hey," she said, because what else was there to say?
He looked down at the beige carpet, then the door, finally meeting her eyes. "Was it the truth?" he asked, showing more emotion than he had the entire meeting. "What you told them?"
"Of course it's true," she said, her grief mixed with her surprise at the question and the words came out sounding as horrified as she felt.
"Forgive my doubt, it's not as if you've ever lied about your intentions before."
She was so not dealing with this shit right now. He caught the door when she tried to slam it shut. He sighed, looking to the floor again and she knew he regretted his words, but she didn't expect an apology and she didn't get one.
"It's been a long time, I doubt you're the same person, but is it still safe to assume you won't be leaving this town until you and those kids are on good terms?" he looked up at her.
She crossed her arms, but some of her anger faded at his hesitant— almost nervous— expression. "Yes, it is."
He opened his mouth and closed it without speaking. "You could stay in our home... if you'd like."
She stood, frozen at his blunt offer.
When she didn't respond immediately he shrugged. "You can stay here if you prefer."
"No!" she said quickly, "No, I'd— I'd really like that." Of course, that was only if... "This offer is for Ric too, right?"
"Obviously, I wouldn't trust him all alone with a mini bar."
Caroline rolled her eyes, turning away from him. "I'm going to repack."
"You've been here for twelve hours."
"I stress organized!" she called over her shoulder.
The streets were still busy well after sunset, the French Quarter full of tourists, artists, and plenty of those who only thrived in the darkness. It was obvious how comfortable Josie was wandering the streets, unafraid of the supernaturals she was perfectly aware were all around her.
Lucien kept a possessive arm around her shoulders as they walked, she leaned into his touch happily. They hadn't spoken since leaving the restaurant but it was a comfortable silence.
When they came to an intersection Josie sighed, turning to him. "This would be where we say goodnight."
"I'm not allowed to walk you home then?"
She grinned, twining her fingers with his. "No, but I wouldn't mind a goodnight kiss."
He smiled, tugging her closer. "Is that so?"
"Mhm," she hummed, tilting her face up in invitation.
The heat behind the kiss was far from fabricated. He had wanted to taste her since she strut into the restaurant, the white dress hugging every curve in the most delicious way.
His hand slid down the curve of her waist, resting on her hip. It was a shame he wouldn't get to take it off her, he thought as she pressed impossibly closer.
He wasn't sure how long they stood there, tangled up in each other, far longer than was decent considering where they stood. When she pulled away her lips ruddy from the attention, she looked up at him through her lashes with dark, lust filled eyes.
She took a small step back, smiling. "Goodnight, Lucien."
Her fingers slipped from his. "Goodnight, darling."
Lizzie smiled as everyone else around the table groaned. She had won. Again.
"How do you do that?" Marcus, one of Marcel's nightwalkers, asked.
Lizzie shrugged. Honestly, she had no idea, she had been good at poker since Kol had taught her when she was eleven. At first she had thought he was letting her win, but eventually realized she was actually good at it. Which was odd, since she was a rubbish liar. Maybe it was just good luck. Or genetics.
She would ask Ric if he was good at the game, she thought then realized with some residual shock that she could. She could ask her birth parents all the questions she had thought of over the years. All the things that had kept her up at night.
Kol looked up at her from her phone. "I'm meeting Josh for drinks, you're good here?"
It was a silly question, she felt safe anywhere in the city— she was safe anywhere in the city. She nodded.
He smiled, mussing her hair before he left.
"Another game?" she asked innocently as she absently shuffled the stack of cards.
"Sorry, sweetheart, I don't have any more money to lose to you," Marcus said.
"Yeah," Rio glanced at her watch. "I gotta tap out too."
The others bailed quickly after and she was left with nothing to stop her growing boredom, she was about to pocket the cards and money and go home when a deep voice drew her attention to see a man not much older than herself stood behind the chair Marcus had vacated. "What's the buy in?"
"Fifty," she answered honestly, then realized some people considered that a lot of money and he might think she was saying it just to get rid of him. "But—"
He tossed a fifty onto the disarray of bills already piled on the table's center. Lizzie smiled.
They played in silence for a while, he took the seat across from her and rarely looked up at her, while she on the other hand was much too curious not to stare, not that she was obvious— hopefully.
He broke the silence first. "This might be a rude question," he kept his eyes on his cards, "but what does it feel like, siphoning?"
She blinked in surprise. "You know I can...?"
"I felt it as soon as I saw you," he told her.
That was odd, most people couldn't get away fast enough when they found out what she was, and he had decided to come sit with her?
Odd, but... exciting. He wasn't afraid, in fact he was curious.
"It's hard to explain," she said, well aware of what a cop-out answer it was. But how did she answer something like that? It was terrifying at times, but she didn't want to sound like she was afraid of what she was because she really wasn't. It was just frightening to know the damage her touch could cause another person. And then there was the tiny, terrible part of her that enjoyed it for exactly the same reason.
"I mean, sure," he looked up at her finally, and the chaotic glint in his dark blue eyes should have worried her, "but it has to be a rush, right? Knowing you can destroy anyone you can touch, that you could decide to take everything from someone, and there's nothing they could do to stop you."
"Well, since I'm not a psychopath who gets off on others suffering," she tilted her head at him, her lips popped slightly as she gave a half honest answer, "No."
He smiled devilishly as he leaned towards her. "What a waste," he said lowly, and she felt an unfamiliar heat in her chest.
She snapped her cards down, "straight flush."
His gaze traced the curve of her face with amusement. "Yes," he agreed quietly, showing his hand before she could reply. "Five of a kind."
She stared at the cards. He had won... he had beat her.
He stood, taking his fifty back but leaving the rest untouched. She frowned in confusion. "You're not taking it?"
He looked over the bills with indifference. "I don't want your money, princess. Thanks for the entertainment though."
Disappointment twisted in her stomach at the thought of him leaving. "Do you have a name?"
He paused, drumming his fingers on the table as his mouth curved in a half smile. "Do I... have a name?" he chuckled softly and she found she liked the sound, even if he was mocking her with it. "Yeah, yeah, I got a name."
"Can I know what it is?" a slight edge crept into her voice. She obviously hadn't meant it literally, he had taken it that way just to annoy her.
"Kaleb," he said, turning and walked away before she could tell him her own in turn. That annoyed her more than she could handle.
"I'm Lizzie," she shot at his back, he turned with raised eyebrows and she gave him a sickly-sweet smile. "In case you were curious."
He smiled slowly, continuing to move, backing away from her even as he held her gaze. Then he turned and continued on his way, calling over his shoulder, "I'll be seeing you, sunshine."
He disappeared into one of the alleyways off the Cauldron and she heard the distinct sound of a motorcycle revving to life. The sound faded and she sat there, alone once again, left with thoughts of cinnamon curls and dark blue eyes, his taunting voice as he dubbed her "princess".
Princess had always been an endearing term coming from her father, but it might have been an insult coming from Kaleb, being unsure of the intention behind the name drove her crazy, and she felt for all the world like he had done it on purpose.
Josie walked into the house, wearing the high-wasted shorts and blue t-shirt she had left in, her dress folded neatly and stuffed at the bottom of her purse. The black envelope that had been stuck in the gate in hand. She shook her head at Marcel's theatrics, the official invitation was written in crimson letters across black stationery.
She tugged at the link, feeling her sister had already returned home. She walked up the stairs and headed for the den.
"Lizzie, are you—" she froze when she saw the blonde sitting with her sister.
Caroline smiled in her annoyingly friendly way. "Hey, how was your night?" she asked like it was the most normal thing for her to just be in their home.
Lizzie gave her a please-don't-make-a-scene smile. "Josie, daddy invited Caroline and Ric to stay with us."
She kept her face blank. "Did he now?"
Caroline turned in her seat to face her. "I was hoping we could spend some time together, maybe get to know each other a little better?"
Josie stared at her, she could see Caroline's hopes fall. Good, it was clear words weren't necessary for the blonde to know her answer.
She turned away from her and walked out.
Soundtrack:
Scenes eleven, twelve & thirteen:
Satellite Call — Sara Bareilles
The quote is Nikita Gill