An: thanks for everyones reviews! keep it up please!

Chapter 57

It had been two days since the lake house.

They had a plan figured out. Now all someone had to do was go over and let Klaus know what was going on.

Which is why Cassie was standing in front of the Mikaelson mansion.

She didn't want to go and Damon knew it, in fact he volunteered to go instead of her but Stefan pointed out the fact that if Damon went Klaus would probably get annoyed with him and kill him before they talked about the plan.

Cassie raised her hand to knock but then hesitated. "Screw it," she mumbled to herself. She opened the door and walked in.

"Nik" she yelled as she walked through the house and made her way into the study. "Nik" she called again.

"You know love, I am a vampire" Klaus said walking out of the kitchen ending up behind her. "Super hearing."

Cassie rolled her eyes "we have come up with a plan" she said "that is if it's ok with you"

Klaus was upset at the sound of her voice. "Well that depends on what it is" he said.

Cassie looked up at him "bait and trap" she told him.

Klaus raised an eyebrow.

She walked into the study and sat in a chair. Klaus followed her, "please, sit down" he said.

"Well I've been stressing over how to save your life for the past two days, so if I want to sit, I'm going to sit." She almost sneered.

Klaus was shocked at that information. "You didn't have to" he began.

"You know I did," she said looking up at him. "While you may not care what others think about you, I happen to care a lot"

"Cass" he began.

"Do you want to hear the plan or not?" she asked avoiding the elephant in the room.

Klaus sighed and motioned his hand for her to continue.

After Cassie had finished her plan. She looked into Klaus's eyes, the first time since she walked in. "is this ok for you?" she asked.

"Its good" Klaus said, "you and Damon worked hard on it."

"Damon wasn't a part of it" Cassie spat "it was me and my dad"

Cassie stood up and began to walk out.

"Cassie" Klaus called after her as he followed her.

Cassie stood around.

"What happened?" he asked, "How did we get like this."

"Well I'm pretty sure it has something, to do with you insinuating I was getting chummy with Damon while I was at the lake house." she said.

Klaus ran his hand through his hair. "Ya" he said.

"Are we done?" Cassie asked.

"Are we?" Klaus asked back.

"What?"

"Are we done? Have I screwed up one to many times? I mean the first time we have an argument I leave, don't say goodbye to you when you leave. Barely talk to you for three weeks until your birthday, then are fight about Damon."

"Do you?" she asked her voice getting caught in her throat. "Do you want to be?"

"Cass" he said.

"Because I'm not going to apologize for being friends with Damon, or going to the lake house with Mason and Damon. They are my friends and they mean nothing to me like that."

"No" he said, "no I never want to be done with you."

"Then you have to trust me," she said, "because I'm not Katherine, nor am I Tatia. I'm not going to play with your feelings for fun."

"I do," he said stepping closer to her. "Care about what you think about me. When I said that I was angry and I wasn't thinking."

"You can't keep pushing away from me," Cassie said

"I'm trying" Klaus protested "but it's hard"

"You don't think it's hard for me?" Cassie asked "Nik, you're the first person since Mason who I have even started getting close to you."

Klaus chuckled "well you're the first person since Anita, who I've even tried to close to"

Cassie raised an eyebrow "did you really just one up me while your trying to apologize?"

Klaus was at a lost for looking down at her with confusion in his face.

Cassie broke out in a smile, "and that's why I lo- like to be around you." She said trying to cover up the fact that she almost told him how she felt.

Klaus smiled "do you know how long it's been since someone said they enjoy my company."

"I can't imagine why?" Cassie teased.

Klaus gave her a cheeky grin but it didn't reach his eyes. It wasn't that easy, it cant have been that easy to get her to smile at him, to notice him again, to be his again.

"Yes" she said suddenly.

Klaus raised his eyebrow.

"It really is that simple" she said softly.

"How can it be?" he asked needing to know her answer. "How can after everything I've said, everything I've done can be forgiven with a few simple words."

"Because its not just you" Cassie said, "You keep saying the things I've done, the things I've said. But it takes two to fight Nik. I haven't forgotten the things you said or how you didn't trust me enough to know that I would NEVER cheat on you."

"I know" Nik said, "I know that you wouldn't"

"You say it but deep down there is still that doubt, its understandable, it hurts me but I understand." Cassie said

"I don't know what to say" Klaus confessed, "I always know how to work a crowd, a person to get what I want from them, but with you, it's different."

"Because you care," Cassie said simply.

"It hurts me," Klaus said almost begging for her to understand. "To hear that it hurts you, it tears me apart because if anyone ever hurt you I would hunt them but, to hear that its me that's doing it."

Cassie stepped forward and grabbed his hands. "We will just work on it." She said "together, the two of us."

Klaus stared down at her, "ok" he said. "Together, the two of us" he brushed her cheek with his thumb.

Cassie stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips lightly. She took a step back and turned to head out of the door. "Nik" she called back.

Klaus looked at her wondering what she was going to say.

"If you ever accuse me of cheating on you again, we are done. No second chances" she threatened, her voice deadly serious.

Klaus didn't have words for her threat, knowing how serious she was. So he just nodded.

Cassie turned around and left.

"Please tell me you didn't" Rebecca said storming into the room as soon as Cassie left. "Please tell me you didn't accuse her!"

"I cant" Klaus said "because I did"

Rebecca was stunned for a few seconds. "You realize how lucky you are," she told him.

"Lucky?" he said

"That she is still with you, that she is still talking to you, hell that she hasn't even killed you yet." Rebecca said walking out of the house.

"Where are you going?" he called.

"To go comfort my friend" Rebecca called "because despite her forgiving you, I know she is hurting." She finished slamming the door and leaving Klaus alone.

Cassie was sitting at the bar of the Grill.

"Hey" Rebecca said sitting down next to her.

"Hi Becca" she said smiling at her.

"I know what my idiotic brother did," Rebecca said.

Cassie took a deep breath "I don't know how to react" she answered honestly for the first time since it had happened. "If I say I'm fine, that looks like I'm a pushover. If I make a big deal about it, that looks like I'm trying to be the center of attention."

Rebecca took her hand "how do you feel, no judgment from me, just support."

Cassie was silent for a while; she took a sip of her chocolate milkshake that was in front of her. "I'm confused," she finally said. "I keep playing what happened, if maybe I did something with Damon that could possibly give him the idea."

"And you couldn't find one" Rebecca said, "Because you didn't do anything because my brother is stupid."

Cassie smiled a little bit. "We were making plans, Nik and I hadn't eaten breakfast yet and I always think better when I am doing something else, when my hands are busy. Damon came over to help, like he had almost every morning while we were at the lake house."

"Where was everyone else?" Rebecca asked.

"Sitting around the kitchen island adding their input to everything." Cassie answered.

"Did you two touch or share a look?" she pressed.

Cassie shook her head "no," she answered, "I gave him the batter bowl and then took it back to pour it."

"If you want my input then I'm going to say that Nik overreacted, you have always liked hanging with the boys better, I've seen you with Kol, and I've seen you with Damon it's the same. You guys are friends and nothing more." Rebecca said.

Cassie smiled and turned to her "thanks" she said.

Rebecca smiled "that's the first time I've ever comforted a friend" she smiled happily. "Now lets go" she grabbed her hand and started to lead her out of the grill.

"Where are we going?" Cassie asked.

"Its time for your birthday present!" Rebecca cheered.

"Becca" Cassie started to protest.

"I will here no protests." Rebecca said, "lets go"

Damon walked into the boarding house with the slam of the door.

"What's your problem?" Stefan asked him.

"How close are you to figuring out every detail for carol." Damon asked.

"Elena and I are close." Stefan said "what's wrong?" he asked again.

"I have this really bad feeling that something is going to happen to Cassie," he confessed.

"Explain" Stefan said sitting forward.

"Besides that threat that Mikael gave us. I just have this feeling." Damon said.

Stefan gave Damon a small smile. "You have feelings for her." He stated.

"Of course, Cassie is the closest thing I have to a best friend that I have. I don't want something to happen to her."

Stefan just gave Damon a look.

"Don't," Damon warned his little brother.

"Damon" Stefan began.

Damon stood up and walked over to pour himself a drink.

"You fell for her again, didn't you?" Stefan asked.

Damon downed his drink. "Mikael compelled me forget to my feelings for her, not to never have any feelings again. How could I not? I mean that is my MO isn't it? Falling for girls who I could never have."

Stefan remained silent. He felt so bad for his big brother, because it wasn't as if Cassie was leading him on, he had seen how she interacted with him and it was the same way she interacted with Mason, or him, or even Matt. Like friends.

"I'm going to keep her safe" Damon promised, "Nothing is going to happen to her."

Stefan smiled "does Cassie know this?" he asked.

"I told her something of the sort." Damon countered.

"Is being friends with her not enough?" Stefan asked.

"I had her Stefan" Damon said "I had her, I won, then Klaus and his stupid father with their stupid problems came and ruined it. Ruined what we had what I had worked so hard to get. And what happened, He gets her, he gets to hold her and kiss her and be there for her like I could have been."

"Damon" Stefan said standing up to walk over to his brother.

"And do you know what he did?" Damon just continued on "he didn't say goodbye to her when they left, hardly talked to her the entire time we were gone then he accused her of cheating."

"Someone is a little bitter," Caroline said hearing all of this as she walked in.

"Do you mind?" Damon asked "I'm burring my soul to my brother here."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Mason convinced Tyler that he wants in." she said, "We know his plan."

"I'm not coming out" Cassie called from the dressing room.

"Yes you are." Rebecca called for the fourth time.

Cassie pressed her head against the door "I look ridiculous"

"Impossible, I picked out the dress" Rebecca said.

Cassie opened the door and stepped out and stood on the platform in front of the 360-degree mirror.

The dress was a dark rich emerald green. Her back was bare till right about three inches above her butt; the dress flowed to her feet and slightly hugged her body. (Keira Knightly's dress from Atonement.) It was the perfect balance between adult and youthful. Which had been Cassie's problem with all of the other dresses. Either to poofy and prom like or too old for her.

"This is it" Rebecca said. "You look fantastic."

"Do you think so?" Cassie asked turning slightly.

"I know so" Rebecca confirmed "you're wearing this to the ball."

Cassie kept looking over herself in the mirror.

"Stop fussing" Rebecca lightly scolded, "You look good."

"I'm not good at being a girl" Cassie said "are you sure?"

"Cassandra" Rebecca said exasperated

"Fine" Cassie said walking back into the dressing room and changing back into her jeans and t-shirt.

"Happy birthday" Rebecca said giving her the dress "now run along home I have to Match the color for Nik."

Cassie rolled her eyes but took her dress "thank you" she told her friend "for everything."

Rebecca smiled and shooed her away while she looked at vests.

Cassie was sitting in her living room couch with some popcorn.

When Elena walked in.

"Hey sis" Cassie said, "sit" she told her patting the couch.

Elena sat down and rested her head on Cassie's shoulder. She grabbed a piece of popcorn and popped it in her mouth.

"We have to talk about it" Cassie said.

"I know" Elena said sadly "I just don't know what to say"

Cassie remained quiet. "You know I'm your sister" she finally began "and there is hardly anything in the world that you could do that would make me hate you"

"Even being terrible to you?" Elena asked.

Cassie chuckled a little bit "if every time we had a fight I would hate you, we would have stopped talking a long time ago."

Elena laughed again. "I feel like nothing is going to be the same again." She said.

"You're probably right," Cassie said "but when we get the cure, you need to realize that as long as you remain here, and as long as you remain in the world of the supernatural, you cant have normal. You tried and this is what happened. I'm not saying that the supernatural life or the normal life is the right one, but you can't have both."

Elena took everything in that her sister was saying. "Which one do you think is right."

Cassie chuckled "I couldn't tell you" she retorted.

"Cass" Elena began "I'm sor"

"Don't" Cassie interrupted. "Don't say you're sorry. Honestly I've heard to much from you, it's just become words."

"But I mean it" Elena continued.

"Then show me," Cassie said.

The doorbell rang.

"That will be Rob" Cassie said standing up to answer the door and let Rob in on the plan.

Elena sat and started eating the popcorn that Cassie had left and thought about what her sister said.

"So is that ok?" Cassie asked.

Rob nodded "its good, it's a good plan" he praised

Cassie nodded as the two of them walked down the sidewalk. "After everything we have done, I haven't been as worried as I am now."

Rob laughed, "I know what you mean" he confirmed "but I know how important details are for you, so I know everything will go smoothly."

Cassie and rob kept on walking, "I'm sorry I haven't been a good friend lately" she told him.

Rob just slung his arm around her "don't worry about it, you're helping my family. And we are still close."

"Good" she said.

It was Christmas Eve, the day of the town party and Rebecca's ball.

Cassie was running her normal route when she saw Klaus leaning against the tree in front of her house.

"Hey" she said softly seeing him.

Klaus walked towards her and kissed her.

"Well hello to you too" she said as they broke apart.

"I've missed you" Klaus said softly still cupping her face.

"Nik" she said, "you saw me two days ago."
"Before you left for the lake house we never went a day without seeing each other." Klaus countered.

"I thought we were in a different place then were we actually are before I left for the lake house." she said.

Klaus was silent; Cassie took a step back and started to head up the stairs.

"Am I going to see you tonight?" he asked.

Cassie turned to Klaus "that's up to you Nik," she told him.

Klaus watched her walk up the steps. "Wait" he called stopping her again.

"What?" she asked.

Klaus walked up the steps to her. "Of course" he said

"What?" she asked again slightly confused.

"If it's up to me, then of course I want to see you tonight. I want to spend every moment I can with you." He begged.

"Ok" Cassie said "then, I'll see you tonight" she said walking away from him.

Klaus let her walk into the house this time. Something was wrong and he knew it. He didn't know what it was but something was seriously wrong.

Cassie walked into her room and grabbed her shower stuff. She quickly showered and laid out all of her supplies for tonight.

Because Rebecca had told her that she was in charge of doing her hair and stuff tonight, for both the party and the ball.

Klaus walked into the mansion and headed to the living room where Rebecca was sitting and plopped into a couch.

"Some one is grumpy" Rebecca said.

"Something is wrong with Cassie" Klaus said frowning.

"Well, what did you expect, that you would say I'm sorry and she would just jump back into you arms?" Rebecca said.

Klaus looked up "she said she forgave me." He said.

"She also said she wouldn't forget" Rebecca countered. "You honestly don't see how hard this is for her?"

Klaus just raised an eyebrow at his sister.

To which Rebecca just rolled her eyes and left the room.

Rebecca had finally got Cassie into her dress for the party tonight. It was an off white one shoulder dress with a gold belt right underneath her bust. From then it just flowed out to right before her knees. After two very long debates and one almost vote including the people in the house. Cassie got to wear a pair of off white ballet flats with this dress.

"What's that?" Rebecca asked seeing the picture that Klaus had painted.

"My birthday present" Cassie said smiling.

"Its beautiful" she said.

Cassie smiled as she stared at the picture.

"Now sit" Rebecca instructed.

Cassie just rolled her eyes and sat down.

Rebecca started to curl her hair when she finally started to bring up the topic.

"Nik came home in a fuss." She said.

"Oh" Cassie said

"He seems to think that since you forgave him, everything should go back to normal." Rebecca said.

Cassie remained quiet while Rebecca finished curling her hair and started to pin it to the side.

"Cass?" she said.

Cassie took a deep breath, "I love him," she said. "I love him and he doesn't trust me."

Rebecca froze "oh sweetie" she said.

Cassie felt tears prick her eyes at hearing the tone of her voice.

It was understanding.

"I don't know how to act around him," she said.

Rebecca put everything down and spun the seat around. She hugged Cassie and Cassie buried her face into Rebecca's neck.

Rebecca heard Cassie sob and pulled back to see tears come down her face.

"Cassie" Rebecca said softly.

Cassie hiccupped "this is ridiculous" she said standing up.

"Cassie" Rebecca said again.

"No, this is stupid," Cassie, said, "tonight isn't about pretty dresses and dressing up. It's about saving Carol, and stopping Mikael."

Rebecca grabbed her hand as she started to put away all of her stuff. "Tonight is also about Christmas, and about keeping up appearances, so if you don't want to just dress up for the sake of dressing up, then let me do it to keep up appearances." She reasoned.

Cassie stopped for a moment and then nodded as she sat back down in the chair.

"Here" Rebecca said wiping the tears from Cassie's face "your lucky that I haven't done your make up yet."

Cassie gave her a half smile as Rebecca started to pin her hair again.

"I'm sorry" Cassie said, "I didn't mean that your ball wasn't important."

Rebecca just waved her apology away "you needed a break down, so you lashed out, trust me I've done worst." She told her sympathetically.

"You can't tell him." Cassie whispered.

"I wont" Rebecca said crossing her heart.

"Maybe I have been acting differently, but he wants to go back to normal and I don't know how." She confessed.

"Well, tonight, I can keep you away for the party but for the ball." Rebecca said, "I suppose I can get Kol to hog you."

Cassie gave Rebecca another smile this one a little bit more sincere.

Rebecca had started on Cassie's make up, giving her just a light eye shadow and a little blush.

"He didn't ask me" Cassie finally admitted, "I thought that maybe he would, but it was stupid for me to think that he would."

Rebecca felt a pang of sympathy go through her for her friend. She understood perfectly what she was talking about. Nik hadn't asked her to go to the ball with her. Before the lake house Rebecca was super jealous of the relationship that Cassie and Nik had. They were always together and he would take her on dates and ask her to go with him. And since he hadn't said goodbye, they were falling apart. And it broke Rebecca's heart. She knew Nik loved her, hell he pouted almost the entire time she was gone, and now she knew in stone that Cassie loved him as well. But her brother's insecurities and his big mouth have destroyed what they had.

And if you asked Rebecca, she didn't think that it could be fixed.

"There you go" Rebecca said, "I'm done"

Cassie looked at her reflection, Rebecca had curled and pinned up her hair to the side and down, a very light make up job, just enough so Cassie couldn't even tell she had been crying.

"Thanks Becca" Cassie said standing up and hugging her. "For everything, these past few days have been hard and you have been a great friend."

Rebecca beamed at Cassie "well, it's my turn to get dressed up" Rebecca told Cassie.

"I'll see you there" Cassie said as Rebecca walked out of the room.

Cassie slipped on her shoes and picked up a small bag that was lying on her bed.

"Thanks Rebecca, you've been a great friend," a voice mocked from behind Cassie.

"Screw you" Cassie spat at Katherine.

"Someone is mad" Katherine commented.

Cassie spun around to face her. "Seriously?" she asked.

Katherine held her hands up in surrender "hey, just pointing out the obvious."

"Well here is another point, you haven't been here" Cassie said.

"Your point?" she asked

"You don't get to know why I'm mad," Cassie said.

"Well since you are crying to Barbie and not me, it has to be about your beau" Katherine said.

Cassie raised an eyebrow at her. "You do know what is going down tonight," she asked.

"Why do you think I'm here?" she asked smirking.

"No idea" Cassie said.

"Don't be that way," Katherine said strolling into Cassie's room "we have the team back together again. You, me and Rob"

"Expect you made it clear on where you stand" Cassie retorted.

"Oh we had a fight" Katherine said "does that really mean that we aren't besties anymore."

"Did you really think I was going to hunt vampires forever?" Cassie asked.

"No not forever." Katherine said playing with the end of her hair.

Cassie raised her eyebrow "seriously!" she said

"What? Your good but one of those times a vampire was going to be better." Katherine said not really understanding the implication of her words.

"I can't deal with this tonight" Cassie said leaving her room.

"Wait" Katherine called.

"Screw you" Cassie called as she walked down the steps and out the door.

Cassie was walking around the town square, taking in every sight and the decorations.

"Cassie!" Caroline squealed

Cassie turned around and saw the young blonde running towards her.

"Hey care" Cassie said hugging the girl.

"Merry Christmas!" she said happily.

Cassie smiled "you too!"

"So you look amazing," Caroline gushed.

Cassie felt herself blushed "thanks, Becca did it"

"Well, Mason says everything is ready to go." Caroline said quickly.

Cassie nodded and then Caroline left her alone again.

Cassie pulled her phone out and called Stefan.

"You ready?" she called.

"Five minutes" Stefan replied.

"Ok, as soon as you are good to go, your clear." Cassie said.

"We will let you know when we are clear," Stefan said.

Cassie agreed then hung up.

"Well look at you" Damon said behind Cassie.

Cassie turned around and saw him standing in his usual black attire.

"Stop it" she said blushing again.

"You're blushing," he teased.

Cassie rolled her eyes.

"Everything good?" Damon asked.

Cassie nodded "mason is ready and Stefan and Elena are almost there."

"Good" he said. "Have you seen Mikael?"

Cassie shook her head no.

Damon just nodded and looked around the town.

"Hey" he said finally.

Cassie looked up at him.

"You really do look beautiful," Damon said.

Cassie smiled up at him "thanks" she said.

"You just keep your head in the game" Damon said, "I've got your back"

Cassie just nodded as Damon disappeared back into the crowd.

"There you are" Rebecca said.

Cassie smiled in relief. "Thank god you are here." She said.

"I would say you look good but that's obvious because I did your hair and make up" she said taking Cassie's arm.

"Ready?" Cassie asked her.

"As ready as I will ever be" Rebecca answered truthfully. "But something else is wrong with you, I can tell so don't bother to lie."

"Katherine showed up," she told her.

"Ah" Rebecca said nodding her head.

"But I don't want to talk about it." Cassie said, "We have enough to deal with tonight"

"Noted" Rebecca said.

"Hello ladies" Kol said sliding up and taking Cassie's other arm.

"Hey Kol" she said.

"So I heard that I'm suppose to kidnap you tonight." Kol said.

"Kol" Rebecca chastised

"What?" Kol asked, "You told me that she knew"

"It was just an idea," Rebecca said.

Cassie laughed, "Its ok guys, and Kol I will let you know if we need to." She told them.

"Well, it's my turn to get ready" Kol said "later darling"

"See ya Kol," she said.

Rebecca sighed "its my turn to get ready" she told him.

"Ok" Cassie told her.

"Are you going to be ok?" Rebecca asked.

Cassie nodded "I'll be fine" she told her.

Rebecca nodded then left.

Cassie stood alone in the center of the town square; she watched the families together and thought about how her family was here just a few years ago.

Shaking her head at the thought she walked towards the Grill.

She walked up to the bar and had a glass of champagne.

"I don't suppose telling you to leave this alone will have any effect?" a soft voice called behind her.

Cassie spun around and saw Ester.

"Ester?" Cassie asked.

"Cassandra" ester greeted "nice to finally meet you."

"I wish I could say the same" she retorted.

Ester just gave her a sad smile "I've wanted to met you for a while. You honestly look just like her."

"Well, that is what the definition of a doppelganger." Cassie said.

Ester turned her head to the side "why are you so cross with me?" she asked.

Cassie scoffed "leaving aside the fact that you and your husband are trying to kill my boyfriend. You took away my sister's chance a being human again."

"I'm sorry about your sister." Ester said.

"No, your not. You knew what we were doing and you still decided to go ahead, and it wasn't just my sister's chance you took. Rebecca wants the cure as well." Cassie said.

"There is still one dose" ester said, "Rebecca could still have it."

"Everyone could have had it" Cassie countered, "no fighting, no double crossing, but working together and you ruined that."

Ester just shook her head "Niklaus needs to be punished. The things he has done."

"Just stop" Cassie said. "I know the story"

Ester just smiled at her "you even act like her to, I can see why Niklaus fell for you."

"I'm not Anita" Cassie defended "Nik knows that."

"Sure he does," she said sweetly.

"You know what I've never understood why Mikael is hunting Nik down to the end of the earth for your mistake" Cassie retorted.

Ester just looked at the girl, her eyes giving nothing away.

"Stop what you are doing and let my husband do what needs to be done." Ester said before turning to leave again.

"That's not going to happen" Cassie called.

Ester turned back to her "I know, which is why I was able to de spell both of the two of yours blood."

Cassie looked at her in confusion.

Ester chuckled "oh you don't know do you?" she asked.

"Know what?" Cassie asked.

"Well I guess he wasn't as honest as you thought." She countered and turned and left.

The knowledge of that hit Cassie like a ton of bricks. Klaus had lied to her? Kept something for her? About the cure? He knew how important this was to her and her family and he hid something?

Then she cursed herself, she sensed something was off. That he was actually hiding something from her and she just put it aside because he told her that he was telling the truth. She just shook off her feelings because she wanted to believe that she was the only one, the one he told everything to.

She felt like a stupid girl, a stupid ignorant schoolgirl with a crush. She believed him because she wanted to. She wanted to believe that she was special to him. After living for over a thousand years she could be the one to finally break through his brick wall and be allowed into the mind of him. Maybe ester was right, maybe the only reason she got as close as she did because she was a reminder of her to him. A ghost. And if he tried hard enough he could pretend that she was her in his mind. She was nothing more than a placeholder. A shell.

She felt tears prick at her eyes again. How could she be so stupid to not see this?

Cassie set her glass down and walked out the grill, heading to the back alley.

"Hey" Damon said suddenly appearing "I saw ester are you ok?" he asked seeing her.

Cassie leaned her head against the wall of the alley and closed her eyes, forcing the tears back, she opened her eyes and look at Damon "for right now, I am" she said "but its looking like I'm going to need a bottle after tonight"

Damon nodded understanding that she was taking his advice to put a smile on for everyone then break down with a bottle behind closed doors.

"I'll bring two," he said.

She smiled at him "thanks" she said "so you saw ester?" she asked.

"Yep" he said popping the p "what did she want?"

"She wanted me to stop this plan and just let Mikael kill Nik," she said.

"Ah" Damon said, "To which I assume you said something along the lines of screw you."

Cassie smiled at hearing this.

"There is that smile" Damon said, "that one was a little bit more believable."

Cassie gave one chuckle "I've got to go" Cassie said "its my turn" she said noticing that the sun was starting to set.

"I've got your back" Damon said then blurring away.

Cassie headed over to Tyler. "Hey Ty have you seen Nik?" she asked.

Tyler looked at Cassie feeling guilty that he had to lie to this girl who was practically family. "Ya, he was heading over to the town hall." He lied.

Cassie spotted the lie right away. His eyes widened slightly and he looked to the left, like he was remembering a lie and not an actual fact.

"Thanks" she said smiling and started to head that way.

Mason appeared by the edge of the party, about two hundred yards from the town hall.

"He is in the woods, in our clearing" mason said.

"Thanks" Cassie told him "get Tyler out of here and to safety."

"Stay safe Cass" he said kissing her cheek and then leaving.

Cassie's phone beeped and she looked down at the message.

Carol is safe all clear

Cassie gave a breathe of relief and h=made her way over to the clearing where Klaus was.

She hurried over there and saw Klaus and Mikael fighting.

She looked to her right and saw Rob there. He looked towards her as she nodded and the two of them walked forward as quietly as he could.

Klaus was pinned underneath Mikael; he had the white oak stake raised about to strike when Rob shoved him away. Cassie helped Klaus up.

"Cass" he said seeing for the first time tonight.

"Not now" she said.

Klaus tried to focus on the fight that soon ensued. Between Cassie and rob and him sometimes helping rob managed to get his arms held back as Cassie daggered him with the dagger in her bag.

Mikael fell to the floor dead.

Rob and Cassie looked at each other, each breathing deeply.

Klaus however could only look at Cassie. She was beautiful, radiant even. And watching her fight. She was amazing, he realized never once did Mikael get close thanks to how the three of them worked together but every time Mikael got near her his heart squeezed and he couldn't move for a second. But then she would move away and he could breathe and react again.

"Nice job" rob said high fiving Cassie.

Cassie smiled a little catching her breath back again. "Just like old times."

"Just like old times" rob said. "Except for you little brother, your old age getting to you?"

Klaus just rolled his eyes and started to walk over to his body.

"Do we kill him?" Klaus asked.

Rob and Klaus started to look at Cassie when she held up her hands. "He is a part of your family." She said "its up to you guys."

"Its Christmas" Rob said "let's hide his body and deal with this later, once we get everyone's say."

Nik thought for a moment "ok" he said.

"Plus Rebecca will kill us if we miss her ball" rob said

Cassie laughed, "that's true, she has worked hard on this."

Rob picked Mikael up in a fireman's hold.

"I'll take him," Klaus offered.

Rob looked at his little brother "you have a breathtaking beautiful women standing behind you, who I know for a fact you haven't seen all night." He told him.

Klaus looked back at Cassie who had her back turned giving the brothers some privacy.

"Go get her" rob said "because form what I've heard from Rebecca, you have some serious things to make up for."

Klaus nodded his head and rob blurred away.

Klaus made his way over to Cassie.

"Cassandra" he said grabbing her hand.

Cassie looked up towards Klaus.

And everything that she felt when she left the grill came rushing back to her.

"I've got to see if everyone else is ok." Cassie said pulling away from Klaus.

Klaus didn't know if there was something wrong, this wasn't Cassie this was Cassandra, the hunter and he didn't know if she was still on hunter mode and that there wasn't something wrong with her.

Cassie was checking up on everyone.

Elena and Stefan were safe and back at the house with carol.

Damon and mason took care of the vampires who were waiting for her at the town house.

Tyler was safe with Jeremy and matt.

Rebecca and Kol had found where ester was keeping her home base and managed to gather some information.

It seemed like everything went smoothly.

"Is everyone ok?" Klaus asked.

Cassie nodded and turned to answer him when her phone beeped again.

"That's Rebecca, she is telling me its time to get ready for the ball tonight." Cassie said.

"You have to go now?" he asked slightly heartbroken. "But I haven't gotten to see you all during the party."

"You knew where I was going to be" Cassie said "and now I have to go let your sister get me ready for tonight."

"But I'll see you tonight?" Klaus asked.

"I told you already, that's up to you." She said before walking away.

Klaus blurred in front of her, he cupped her face and kissed her. "Thank you" he said as he pulled back. "For everything and I just wanted you to let you know that you look beautiful and I can't wait to see how gorgeous you look at the ball."

Cassie stepped back and nodded, and then left.

Klaus was officially confused. He didn't understand what he had done to deserve this cold shoulder treatment from Cassie, she said she forgave him. And what did Rebecca mean earlier today? Maybe this was still her in hunter mode. It couldn't be easy for her to just snap out of it right? Maybe this was just her still coming out of it and by the ball she would be back to her old self?

Right?

An: wooo! party! longest chapter yet! plus i hit 150,000 words in this chapter... cyber party.

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