A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers, followers and favorites! You guys are the best! I would have never made it this far without all of you!
Okay, so, I have a question. I'm getting closer and closer to The Originals, and I was going back to read some about it and I'm kinda confused... Was Elijah daggered all summer? 'Cause the pilot episode too place near the beginning of summer and then Elijah was daggered until Rebekah got to New Orleans and she had been gone all summer... So I don't know if I'm just slow or what but if someone could clear it up for me it would be great.
Also, have any of you seen Thor: The Dark World? If not, then you need to! Tom Hiddleston was the best! Christopher Eccelston wasn't bad either an Chris Hemsworth was beautiful as usual. I just can't wait for Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy in Days of Future Past!
Okay, so now that my nerdgasm is over, get to the chapter!
Poison & Wine - Chapter XLVIII
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Like I agreed to doing, I gathered my things and moved in temporarily with Klaus that night. Jeremy and Elena were both reluctant - they'd rather me stay at the Salvatore Boarding House - but eventually accepted they had no control over where I was going. Apparently I wasn't alone in spending time away from Jeremy because Elena was staying with the Salvatores while Matt stayed with our younger brother. I did feel a little guilty for abandoning him, but he said over the phone that this could be a good thing so I took his word.
Klaus gave me the room across from his. We ended up staying up late drawing pictures of the other and other goofy things. The thing I enjoyed most about that night was that he seemed like he was genuinely happy and was openly talking about past relationships.
He explained he had taken up many lovers over the years and still kept the letters he had been given. We went through the letters and read them in odd voices, but going through those I realized how much the women favored him. They made him seem like he was Mr. Darcy himself.
The most recent letter was from the eighties. It was a girl named Jordan Jones who was a psych student at NYU. He said what he liked most about her was that she could actually hold a decent conversation. Reading those letters made me feel extremely self-conscious, though. He had had so many lovers... How could I even hold a flame to them? Then again, Klaus had shared those letters with me, I didn't seek them out. Maybe he was hoping it would improve our relationship.
After reading those letters we both fell asleep downstairs. When I woke up the next morning he was still asleep on the couch so I decided to take a shower. After getting ready for school he was still fast asleep so I decided that I would fix him breakfast... Or at least try to fix him breakfast before I had to go to school.
My should-be circular pancake ended up looking like a chernobyl Mickey Mouse, but I gave up after the third trying to make a perfect pancake.
"Andy, what's going on?"
I glanced over to see Klaus in his jogging pants and white shirt. "Hey, sleepy head. What does it look like? I'm making you breakfast!"
"You're my guest," He reminded as he walked to my side and studied my work. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he looked at the deformed pancakes but he did his best to hide it.
"What?"
"Hmm?" He looked over at me, unable to hide the smile now.
I scoffed and playfully nudged him. "Well, I'm sorry that we all can't be five-star chefs like you. Maybe if I had a thousand years of practice my pancakes would be circular and perfect."
"Maybe," He chuckled and wrapped an arm around my waist, putting his chin on my shoulder. "Don't go to school today."
"I have to go," I sighed as I flipped the pancake I was working on over. "With my attendance record, I'm afraid no university is going to take me."
"Then don't go to university,"
"Where do I go then?"
"With me, all over the globe,"
I put the finished pancake on the plate and turned towards him. "Klaus, as tempting as that is, you know I can't,"
"What do you mean 'I can't'?"
"My family's here. I could never leave Jeremy or Elena behind as we're going through this right now. I don't even know if I'm going to go be able to college," I slid the plate in front of him. "Speaking of education, I have to get to school. I'll see you later?"
"Of course. Are you not hungry?" He asked, looking down at the pancakes.
I kissed him on the cheek before I could second-guess it. "Not particularly, but I gotta hurry or I'll be late."
"Please be careful, Andy," Klaus called to me as I picked my bag up and headed for the door.
When I got to school, Elena immediately found me. "How was your night?" She asked as we headed into the school.
"Good," I smiled brightly over at her. "I really missed spending time with Klaus and I'm glad he invited me over. And, no, I didn't have sex with him last night."
Her cheeks heated. "I didn't think―"
"I'm only kidding, my sweet sister," I said as I put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close to me. "How's Jeremy this morning?"
"Good, I think," She exhaled. "Over winter break I think we're going to take him to the lake house."
I nodded, pursing my lips slightly. I started to say something else, but we were stopped by Bonnie and Caroline at their lockers. "Elena, Andy, hey," Bonnie said. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?" Elena's forehead scrunched up.
"Well, Caroline told me you both had to move out to stay away from Jeremy," Bonnie glanced briefly at me.
Elena continued speaking. "Matt is at the house staying with him right now to make sure he keeps all of his hunter stuff in control. He's okay."
"But are you?" Caroline interjected. "I mean, clearly, they don't have a flat iron at hotel Salvatore." She giggled.
Elena touched her hair and I noticed that it actually wasn't straightened as usual and was in a bun. "Oh - I was in a rush. I mean - look, do you girls have any plans tonight? I'm in desperate need of some girl talk." As she spoke she took her hair out of the bun it was in.
"I'm in. Shane taught me some small spells I've been wanting to try," Bonnie nodded.
Caroline looked over at her with raised eyebrows. "Oh, creepy Professor Guy is just Shane now,"
"He's not creepy," Bonnie insisted.
"We're not judging," I said, holding my hands up.
"I am," Caroline interjected.
"Don't listen to her, judging's in her blood," I rolled my eyes.
Elena changed the subject. "So, girls' night? We can raid the Salvatore wine cellar,"
"I guess it'll be juice for me?.
"Of course," Elena gave me a look.
Caroline suddenly became uncomfortable. "Um, are you sure that Stefan and Damon are cool with us crashing at their place?"
Right then I caught sight of Damon walking in the school, him motioning for Elena to talk to him. She noticed him to and spoke to us, "I can't go home because my brother is trying to kill me. So their place is mine now, too. I'll see you in a bit."
Elena walked away to meet Damon with us looking on. Caroline looked back to me once they disappeared. "Elena said you moved in with Klaus,"
"I did," I confirmed as I adjusted the bag on my shoulder.
"I'm surprised there aren't anymore bite marks on you," She snorted.
"Yeah, they healed," I snapped, glaring at her just as the bell rung. I headed off to first period.
The day went by slowly. It seemed like forever until I finally got back to Klaus' mansion where he was working on a painting. "Hello, love," He greeted with a warning smile. "How was your day?"
"Boring," I sighed and sat my bag down. I crossed the room and stood by his side. "What are you painting?"
"Something for the Winter Wonderland charity event,"
"That's, like, two weeks away,"
"Figured I'd get an early start," He glanced up at me. "You seem a little distracted, love. What's wrong?"
"Nothing, it's just... Elena wants to have a girls night at the Salvatores," I exhaled and ran a hand through my hair. "But I don't know whether I want to subject myself to Caroline's judgmental lectures or Elena's romance mess. Maybe we could just spend tonight together again unless you have other plans?"
He sat his paintbrush down and walked over to me. "Andy, I would love to spend some more time with you, but if you want to go with your sister and friends then it's fine. We'll have plenty of time to catch up again."
I smiled brightly at him. "You're awesome, you know that, right?"
"Of course, love; I don't need your reminder though it is flattering," He grinned and I rolled my eyes.
"Mind driving me over to the Salvatores then?"
"Of course not,"
Once I was ready he took me to the Salvatores and when we got there he insisted on coming in to make sure it was okay. As soon as we walked into the parlor where Bonnie, Caroline and Elena were, Caroline blasted us. "This is a girls' night not bring your own hybrid night!" She snapped.
I rolled my eyes and turned towards Klaus. "I told you everything's fine, Nikki. I'm with a witch and two vampires, I think I'm pretty okay."
He put his hand on my neck wound from Kol, making me slightly wince at the pressure I thought he was going to apply but never did. "Be careful, Andy, for my sake,"
"Of course I'm going to be," I said before I could stop myself. I hugged him as tight as I could without hurting my ribs. "What time are you picking me up?" I wasn't going to spend the night because I didn't feel exactly comfortable leaving Klaus alone for that long.
"Eleven?"
I glanced over at Elena before looking back at Klaus and nodding. "Eleven it is,"
Caroline huffed. "Just go already,"
Klaus turned towards them. "If Andy is hurt or upset in any way when I return, I can assure you the consequences will not be pretty. So, treat her as if your life depends on it, which it does."
I rolled my eyes before pecking him on the cheek. "Be careful, Klaus,"
"Of course, love," He smirked at me before strutting out of the room.
"So, are you two, like, exclusive?"
I turned my head to Caroline. "What?"
"Are you two seeing each other?"
I shook my head quickly as I faced my body towards them. "Oh, God, no!"
"Then why are you all touchy-feely with him?" She raised an eyebrow. "You've slept with him, haven't you?!"
"No, no! We've not had sex, Caroline, okay?" I walked over and laid myself down on the couch. "We're platonic friends."
They all glanced at each other before Elena left the room for a moment but returned with a wooden crate. Opening it, she started handing out wine bottles. "One for you," She said a she took one of the bottles and handed it to Bonnie who gladly accepted it. "One for you," She handed another bottle to Caroline who took it as well.
"Ooh," Caroline's face lit up.
"And here's yours," Elena said, passing me a bottle of sparkling grape juice.
"Life of an ex-alcoholic," I sighed, leaning back into the couch again.
Bonnie had moved over by the crate. "I'm assuming this is for Caroline," She said as she held up a bloodbag.
Caroline reached out for it, but Elena grabbed it before she can. "Actually, it's for me," My sister revealed.
The rest of us exchanged a glance, our faces surprised. "I thought―" Caroline started to say the same time Bonnie said, "Oh. Are you saying that―?"
Elena drunk the bloodbag and took it out her mouth, showing us that she can now keep blood from a bloodbag down. "Thanks to Damon, I am now a functional dysfunctional vampire," Elena smiled.
"That's amazing," Bonnie said and I nodded in agreement.
"Uh, what do you mean 'thanks to Damon?'" Caroline asked, her face scrunching up.
"Well, he suggested that I try it again. So I did and it worked. No more snatch, eat, erase," Elena explained
Caroline folded her arms after sitting down, the bottle of wine in her lap. "So where is my least favorite Salvatore?"
"There's only one other Salvatore, Caroline. You make it sound as if there's a town full of them," I said as Elena sat on the couch I was lounging in, which was opposite the one Bonnie and Caroline sat on.
Elena held up her phone and read the text message Damon sent her. "'Out with Stefan for the night, don't wait up. Brother bonding.'"
"Hm, so you guys check-in text now? What else do you do?" Caroline tilted her head and I rolled my eyes at her.
"I know that you're not the biggest fan, but he kind of just changed my life. Would you mind laying off on all the hate?" Elena requested.
Thankfully, Bonnie spoke up to break the tension between the two. "Okay, new girls' night rule - no boy talk, yeah?" She glanced at all of us looking for approval. "Plus, why talk when we have this?" She held up a bag full of a black herb.
"Is that stoner tea?!" Caroline exclaimed.
"It's spirit tea. It opens up your chi or whatever," Bonnie said, but Caroline and I both didn't look convinced.
"I'm pretty sure that's drugs," I said, taking it to examine it closer. "And I was a past user, so I know from experience."
"Come on, it's not drugs! Shane is helping me do natural magic without having to access the spirits," Bonnie tried explaining as she took it back from me.
Caroline shook her bead. "Mm-hmm,"
"Don't judge,"
Caroline looked at Bonnie, who stared back at her straight-faced. "Okay, fine! I hereby vow not to be judgmental for the rest of the evening! Even if you three are potentially ruining your lives as I stand idly by, it's your choice,"
Elena stood up. "I'll drink to that," Bonnie and Caroline held up their wine bottles while Elena touched their glasses with her bloodbag. "Cheers."
They were going to be drunk within the hour. I was completely sober, though, and just sat by and watched as they danced and drunk while Bonnie was capturing it all on her phone.
Elena poured another glass of champagne for herself, but realized the bottle is empty. Elena used her super speed and goes into the dining room, stood on the table, and grabbed another bottle of champagne. Caroline and Bonnie cheered for her as she super sped back into the room and popped the cork off the new champagne bottle. She poured herself another glass and they all hugged each other and fell on the couch.
"Andy, you should join us!" Elena giggled.
"I'll pass," I said as another song came on and they got to dancing to that. I snuck away from them and went to Damon's room. I started to go sit on the bed but thought better of it. I didn't need to sit in the place he had got it on in multiple times. Instead I elected to go into the bathroom and sit on the toliet. I pulled out my phone and gingerly dialed the number. After a few moments of ringing it went to voicemail.
"Jeremy, hey. Just calling to check up on you," I exhaled. "I hope you're not mad at me for not staying with you. I, uh, I miss you, buddy, so call me back whenever you get this message. Bye." I ended the voicemail and put my phone away again. Leaning back on the toliet, I sighed.
"What are you doing up here?" Caroline demanded, walking in with Bonnie and Elena. "Girls' night is downstairs."
"Wait, no, this could be comfortable," Elena said as she climbed into the tub. Bonnie and Caroline accepted that we were staying here and took a seat next to her.
Bonnie held her phone out to me. "Check this out: Vamp speed video,"
I stared at the small screen. "Yeah, I know; I was there too."
Bonnie handed Elena her phone next and Elena played the video. She laughed at it. "I look like Superman,"
"Superman is a attractive male who wears tights and saves the world, flying horizontal more often than vertical," I pointed out but they didn't listen to me.
"Watch this," Elena said as paused the video at a point and held it out for us to see. The capture shows a giant blur behind her due to the speed at which she was running. "This year's Christmas card," She joked and they all laughed while I wished desperately it was eleven o'clock. "Being a vampire is so weird... Oh my God, I love this bathtub. Why don't we come and hang out here more often?" Elena questioned, leaning her head against the side of the tub.
Caroline sat forward. "I'll tell you why. Cooties. Think of all the germ-ridden skanks that Damon has lured into his den of enequity," She giggled, but Elena sat up in the bath tub and does not look amused. Bonnie also looked unamused by Caroline's attempt at a joke. "Okay, I'm sorry. I've been good all night. I am stopping now," She promised.
Elena, sarcastically, responded with, "No, don't stop on my account. Rip away. I mean, it's only Damon, right?"
"Well, say what you want about Ripper Stefan, but at least he wasn't a man slut," Caroline said.
"Come on," Bonnie sighed.
Elena folded her arms and tilted her head slightly. "So, what exactly was it about him that made you jump right into bed with him as soon as you met him?"
"Yikes," I muttered, twisting my body so I could completely see them.
"I didn't know what a sociopathic narcissist he was," Caroline snapped back.
"He's always been there for me when I needed him," Elena pointed out.
"Yeah, because he's hoping you'll sleep with him,"
"Well, maybe I did,"
We all looked at her in shock, unable to say anything. Well, except for Caroline. "You did what?!" Our blonde friend shrieked.
"Yeah, I did. Look, I know you two have issues with him, but I'm happy, and I wanted to spend tonight with my best friends so that I could tell them about it," Elena got up from the bathtub and walked away, leaving the rest of us in the bathroom, still in shock.
Standing, I went after her with the others on my trail. When we got downstairs, Elena was cleaning up the mess from the party in the parlor. "Elena, come on," Bonnie said.
"Party is over. You guys need to leave," Elena said harshly.
"Don't be mad, okay? We're just looking out for you," Caroline tried explaining, but it only made it worse.
Elena turned around and looked at them. "Do you think it makes me happy that you guys hate him? I get it. His track record has been kind of spotty but I don't hate him. I can't. He's - I think I'm falling in love with him,"
I couldn't help but smile for some reason. "Really?"
Before my sister could answer me, Caroline stepped in. "Ugh, you're not falling in love with him, Elena. You're sired to him,"
We all looked at her in shock and Caroline seemed slightly ashamed. "What?" I demanded.
Elena said at the same time, "What are you talking about?"
Caroline walked down the steps towards Elena. "I... Look, I'm sorry that it came out like that, but it's true. Damon's blood turned you. You couldn't feed from animals or blood bags because he told you so. Then he suggested that you try again with blood bags and suddenly... "
"No. There's no way, I... " Elena trailed off, her voice becoming smaller and smaller with every word.
Bonnie asked Caroline, "Are you sure?"
Caroline nodded. "Yeah. Ask Stefan about it. He can explain it better than I can,"
Elena, within two seconds, became angry again. "I'm sorry, you talked to Stefan about this?"
Caroline mistook who Elena was angry at. "It's not your fault, Elena. Okay, Damon took advantage of you,"
"Ok, you need to leave," Caroline was shocked and speechless at Elena's command. "Now!" She strided past Caroline and Bonnie and walked to the front door.
"Elena!" Bonnie exclaimed.
Caroline sighed. "Come on!"
"I said leave, both of you," Elena opens the front door and looked at Caroline and Bonnie, evidently excluding me from her eviction notice. I noticed two strangers stood on the porch, but I knew they were hybrids because they had been around Klaus' mansion before.
"Hello girls," the woman greeted, causing the rest of our group to look at them. The woman rushed into the house and knocked Elena into the wall. She then rushed at Caroline and grabbed her by the throat. The man rushed in and shoved me back into the ground before grabbing Elena who fought back and pushed him against another wall. I watched from the ground as the male got the upperhand and slammed Elena into the wall. Both of them have their hands wrapped around the others' throat. Bonnie started to perform a spell which was so powerful it made the lights flicker and break.
The woman hybrid yelled, "Stop!" which caused Bonnie to look at her and stop the spell. The hybrid woman's eyes have turned yellow. "One bite from a hybrid and she's dead, remember?" She smirked at Bonnie.
"Unless you happen to live with the Original hybrid whose blood is the cure for said bite," I snapped as stood to my feet. "And unless you leave here now, I can assure you that Klaus won't be the very merciful, especially if someone I love is injured. So I'll leave your make your choice."
The male threw Elena to the floor and Bonnie helped her to get up. I moved over to them to make sure they were okay before turning around to see that not only the strangers have gone, but that Caroline had been kidnapped as well. "Caroline?" I questioned out before I pulled my phone out with every intention to call Klaus.
"Don't call Klaus!" Elena quickly said as she stole my phone.
"What? Why?" I demanded, attempting to steal it back but failing.
"Because... " She trailed off for a moment before finding the explanation she wanted. "Because Klaus will kill them and they're innocent. You're not going to let them get hurt, are you?"
"Well, they're hardly innocent, Elena! It's them or Caroline, I'll let you decide," I snapped, going into the parlor and taking a seat on the couch. I heard the door shut then Bonnie walked into the room.
"Tyler and Elena are going to handle it," She said. "She said to give you your phone back once they have those hybrids under control."
"I don't care," I kept my eyes trained on the unlit fireplace. Anger radiated through me but I knew I stood no chance against a witch.
"Andy," Bonnie exhaled as she took a seat across from me. "We're all worried about you... You're-you're changing. Before it was as if you were neutral in the war with the Originals but now you've completely jumped to their side."
I finally brought myself to look at her. "I don't think you see how deeply I love all of them. Each and every one of them are apart of me - even Finn was despite everything that happened..." I sighed, running my hands through my hair. "It sucks knowing that the people you consider family cannot even stand being in the same room!" I laughed bitterly and sat forward.
"You never said which side you're on,"
"I don't want to choose, Bonnie!" I yelled as I stood and turned my back to her. "I care for everyone equally! I don't want to choose between the two halves of my heart." My eyes were watering and my arms folded around my waist.
"Are we talking about the same thing?" Bonnie questioned.
I turned back to face her. "Bonnie, I think I'm fa―"
"Andy?" Klaus' voice startled me and my eyes cleared as I looked to see he had entered the room. "What's going on?"
"Oh, hey," I forced a smile for his sake. "Is it eleven already?"
"No, but Elena said that you were ready to leave," He explained as he walked over and put his arm around my waist. "Are you ready?"
I looked over at Bonnie to see her silently pleading with me not to mention the hybrids. So, like any good friend, I turned back to the hybrid and answered yes. Just as we were about to leave Bonnie returned my phone to me. I curtly said a good-bye to her before heading off with Klaus.
Once we got back to Klaus' mansion, I changed into my pajamas and got ready for bed. As I was braiding my hair, I got a text from Elena that Caroline was okay and it was a misunderstanding with the hybrids. I turned my phone off and went to Klaus' room where he was lounging on his bed, sketching on some paper.
"Hello, Katniss," He grinned at seeing my braid.
"Ha ha, because I totally know how to shoot a bow and arrow," I snorted as I sat beside of him and glanced to see what he was drawing. It was me, but I looked so much more beautiful than I actually was. "Is that―?" I begun to ask but was cut off.
"You? Yes, it is," He glanced over at me. "You're the most beautiful creature to walk this Earth, Miss Gilbert."
"Well, I think you perjured yourself quite profoundly on that one," I snickered. "Besides, Kol would argue with you on that one!"
"You underestimate yourself too much, at least give yourself a little credit," He said as he closed the sketchbook and turned towards me. "Are you tired?"
I shrugged as I turned towards him. "I don't know..." I exhaled. "There's something you should know, Klaus."
"Yes?" His brow instantly furrowed.
"I sent my application to PSU yesterday, but I also applied to CSU," I bit my bottom lip as I spoke. I had sent in my application to both Portland and Chicago, but I had only considered coming to Chicago after Klaus mentioned at the twenties decade dance that's where he was leaving for.
A smile broke out on his face. "You want to go to Chicago?"
"I might want to go," I admitted in a soft tone.
"I could―"
"Don't you even dare suggesting compulsion," I quickly interrupted, covering his lips with my palm. "I don't want to cheat my way in. I want to get in fair and square."
He nodded and grabbed the hand I had over his lips and turned it around to run his soft lips across my knuckles. "I understand and I apologize for my discretion for your morals,"
"Thank you,"
"Hmm," He exhaled, pushing some hair out of my face. "It's taking everything in me not to kiss you right now."
I let my eyes fall to his lips. "You know we―"
"Can't, yes I do know," He sighed. "Well, I could and remain with a clear conscious, it would be you who would oppose it."
I looked back up into his eyes. "It seems we just have the same conversation about our relationship over and over again,"
"Oh, we do, but at this point I think it's more to remind yourself than it is for me," He softly stroked my cheek.
"Don't flatter yourself," I said with a roll of my eyes as I stood up. I wouldn't dare say it aloud, but we both knew he was right. "I'm off to bed, don't let the bedbugs bite." I called as I made my way to the door, resisting the suddenly strong urge to run back and kiss him.
~ * • ° • ° • * ~
The End of Chapter XLVIII
So, please review and tell me what you thought. Please answer earlier question! The next chapter is a time jump, only two weeks. It's the Winter Wonderland fundraiser... It'll leave it at that.
~ The Onceler's Unless