Chapter 29: Welcome to the 21st Century

'This isn't my world anymore, 'Kol realized, walking down the high way. He had never truly known what fear was, until he was passed by a truck and blown off his feet.

And to make matters worse, he thought he heard a gruff voice yelling 'Get off the road, jackass!' in the midst of the ear splitting noise ... No, he had definitely underestimated humans and their machines and now he was flat on his back, wondering just what the Hell he was doing here.

Quite frankly, he had absolutely nowhere to go and he was terribly out of sync with the world ... Lately, even Finn seemed to fit in better than him.

He had always felt just a little lost, no more then he had been able to deny it, but now he truly was.

He hardly dared to move and if he'd remembered to bring his phone, he would've been calling for Elijah or Finn to come pick him up.

Because he wasn't angry anymore. His emotions were always violent, but they passed through him quickly. It had been that way even when he was human. He would punch a man in the face one minute and the next he would be sharing a drink with him.

He hadn't been cruel or scheming back then. That was something that came with his vampire nature. But unlike so many others, he did not look back at what he'd become with any regrets.

Because what was the use? It wouldn't change anything, anyway, except to possibly make him bitter. Like Finn. Like his father had been.

And why the Hell was he thinking about this now? He never really had before.

Possibly because as much as he enjoyed his vampire nature, he had never actually turned off his humanity. He couldnt. Thorstar was his humanity. And it was precious and it was fragile and it was slowly killing him.

As much as they felt bound to each other, they had never been on the same side. Thorstar had taken one stand after the other, while Kol had never cared about anything. Even now Thorstar was determined to keep Nik from triggering his wolf side and Kol, as much as he resented his brother for what he'd done to him, didnt care about this either.

Maybe it would be good for them to take some time apart? Just to seperate themselves from one another.

He sat up as another truck went past, ruffling his hair, and he felt a moment of panic.

Yes, he definitely had a lot to catch up on and so did Thorstar.

He got to his feet, wiping his hands on his jeans. Maybe he would just go, whereever his feet would take him. Having nowhere to go, it seemed as good a plan as any.

He started walking again, beside the high way this time instead of down the middle of it, diving for cover everytime a truck passed by.

See? He was learning already.

(Break)

By nightfall, he came to a small town, much smaller than Mystic Falls. By that time, the world seemed so ridiculous to him, that he was surprised the houses weren't made of gingerbread. This wasn't shopping with his sister, or going to school with Stefan. He wasn't transported from one point to another, he had to walk his way through it.

But he'd made stops along the way. He had spent an hour staring at a fifteen feet tall billboard of a girl in nothing but skimpy underwear, as a matter of fact he'd been distracted enough by it to walk head first into a lamppost. Of course, he'd seen scantily clad women before, just not in that scale. It was alluring and at the same time quite disturbing. Then there had been the two girls, who had been making out on a bench in the park.

So maybe this new world wasn't all bad after all. It did seem to have it's perks.

He had no money, (not that that had ever been a problem to him,) and he wasn't even wearing a jacket. The few people he passed were giving him odd looks and as snow flakes started falling from the sky, he realised that it had to be a cold night.

As emerged on the other side of town he came to a bar that for a second looked like it actually had been made of gingerbread, but when he got closer it turned out to be seashells. Nevertheless, his interest had been sparked and he entered, not really expecting much.

And he wasn't surprised. Not at first anyway. Not when he saw the rickety tables, or the scruffy patrons, not even the dark, walnut tree bar carved with images of cavemen and horses. Not until he saw the woman behind the bar.

Tall and sturdy like a heavyweight boxer with long, platinum blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. And then there was the baggy leather pants and blood red shirt ...

He blinked a couple of times. "Hanna?"

She gave him a measuring look, then smiled. "Whoever you want me to be, darling."

He had to laugh as he took a seat at the bar. "If I had a penny for everytime I've said that sentence ..."

"Let me guess, " she said, drily. "You'd almost have a dollar."

He shook his head, and she put her hands flat on the counter. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"What do you recommend?" he asked.

"Well, "she tilted her head to one side. "I need you to order. Otherwise, how am I to know what mood you're in?"

He sighed. "A Fallen Angel."

"Ah, "she smiled knowingly. "Lost and sentimental ... I am going to do you a favour and pour you a double whiskey."

"That sounds about right, "he admitted.

She placed the drink in front of him. "So, Kol. How's my son?"

He frowned. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

She was still smiling. "You know I can't. He wouldn't want to know what happened to me."

Kol drained his drink and gestured for her to pour him another. "Maybe it's better than the alternative."

"Hm." Instead of pouring him a drink, she set the bottle down in front of him. "You know I'm never far behind. I'll know when the time is right."

"I think it is now."

Her smile disappeared and she shook her head slowly, piercing him with those penetrating eyes. "What happened, Kol?"

He shrugged. "Beside the fact that no one needs me, anymore?"

"That can actually be quite liberating, "she noted. "But you have to remember that you're not exactly a good person, Kol. And Thorstar still loves you more than anything. I say that's pretty amazing."

He didn't answer, and eventually she looked away.

She found a pack of cigarettes and handed it to him. "So, where do you plan to go from here?"

"I have no idea, "he sighed again. "I had a run in with Nik and a dagger in the beginning of last century. I just came back to life a couple of weeks ago. Honestly, I have nowhere to go."

"Then why don't you stay with me for a couple of days?" she offered. "I could show you what this new era is all about."

He sent her a suspicious look and she rolled her eyes. "In a totally platonic sense, of course."

"Good, "he smiled wryly. "Because I don't go for my brothers' leftovers."

"Kol ..."

"No, "he held up his hands, smiling. "Really, I'm glad Thorstar decided not to burn your body after all."

"Thanks, "she was smiling again. "He should've known I never would've let him drink your blood without trying it myself, as well."

(Break)

Elijah sat on the steps to the porch of the Gilbert House, staring straight ahead, but without seeing much of anything.

"What now?"

He looked up at Finn, slightly startled, not even having heard his brother approach.

"Well, are you sure you want to know?"

Finn shook his head, sitting down beside him. "No, but tell me anyway."

Elijah sighed. "I just called my bank in Charlottesville. Someone emptied my safety deposit box a few days ago."

Finn frowned. "They had a break in?"

"Oh no, "Elijah shook his head. "The woman, who emptied it, had the key."

Finn rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. "Rebekah?"

"Yes, that's what I'm thinking."

"Are you going to tell me that it contained ..."

"Yes, "Elijah nodded, feeling tired. "The moonstone."