"What is it Elijah?" Rebekah wondered as he walked in holding what appeared as an invitation.

"It seems we were invited to a ball," Elijah handed her the already opened envelope.

She opened it up.

NiKlaus, Rebekah, Elijah Mikaelson

Your Cordially Invited to

The New Years Ball

A campaign benefit for the mayor himself

Please Attend

Sincerely

Mayor Seurole

"They didn't even invite Elena." Rebekah commented.

"Well she'll be coming anyway," Elijah said.

"Suppose so," Rebekah remarked.

That night.

Klaus stood looking in the mirror at his reflection. He ties his black silk tie around his youthful neck. "Well brother, what do you think?" Klaus asked as Elijah walked in the room.

"Classy. Elena is getting ready with Rebekah in the other room." Klaus chuckles to Elijah's words. "Well you know can't be up there with all that talk about hair and make up and stuff."

"I see. How does she look?" Klaus asked.

"Niklaus, I caution you," Elijah states. Klaus moved in front of his brother. "All I'm saying is that Elena wont live forever and if you well are interested you'll turn her and she'll hate you."

"What are you implying"

"Over the last nine months, I watched her turn from an object to a person in your eyes. I watched her dig under your skin. I saw her get to you in a way I've never seen done. She got to you, its what Elena Gilbert does." Elijah said.

"Listen to me. Elena is nothing more then blood to me. Sweet doppleganger blood." Klaus began to storm out of the room.

"She was at first" Elijah yelled after his brother. Who stopped after hearing his words. Then continued out the door.

An hour later. Klaus and Rebekah arrived at the ball. The two came together while Elijah and Elena drove separately. Rebekah dressed in a long royal blue gown with six inch silver heels. Her hair pinned back in the old fashioned curled style. Her necklace shinned with matching earrings. She word a jewel incrusted bracelet. The two entered the ball with caution - not understanding the true nature of them receiving an invite.

"Keep your eyes open," Klaus reminded his sister.

The two scanned the room. Nothing suspicious. Minutes later the mayor walks up to the. "You must be the Mikaelson's.

"Yes and your Mayor Seurole, I presume," Rebekah says. The Mayor confirms his identification. They three of the them exchange handshakes. "So a benfit ball, how'd are name get thrown in the invite list?" Rebekah interrogated.

Klaus glared at her., "Now Rebekah lets not be rude."

The mayor laughed, "Well I have a list of the highest paid income residents in the city. I simply invited all my supporters or the ones who are undecided."

"Well, if we decide to donate, you'll be the first to know," Klaus said with obvious attitude. The sibilings walked right past him.

Klaus turned and saw Elena and Elijah. Elijah in a gray suit with a fancy darker tie. His polished dress shoes were black and his hair nicely combed. Elena on the other hand wore a stunning strapless, metallic laced gown. She had a beautiful diamond necklace and diamond earrings to go alongs. Klaus stood watching her enter almost drooling. Her hair was curled the way it always is at balls. She stood with such grace and elegance. More than one male watched her with infatuation. Elijah escorted Elena to the dance floor. He whispered in her ear. She smiled at what he said. They intwined their fingers and had excellent posture. Music began to play. The danced. Elena followed Elijah's lead. To the right he stepped moving their hips. He held her hand as she spun under it only to fall back in his arms.

Klaus left his sisters said and walked up to the pair. "May I cut in?" Klaus asked more in a rhetorical manor. Elijah nodded and handed Klaus her hand as he left the floor.

Klaus's eyes locked to Elena's. The two danced to the romantic music of the night. This is the first time they have ever danced with each other. There faces inches apart. "I never knew you could dance so well," Elena remarked.

Klaus smiled in almost a blushing way. "Well I never showed you before." Klaus took his right hand and raised it from her waist to her upper middle back. He applied a gentle pressure to her back. He subtly glanced behind Elena. As he widen his stance her brought his right foot forward. Klaus gently lowered Elena backwards. He kept her spine straight as she soon caught on to what he was doing. His arm raised up with her abdominals as he pressed his foot into the floor.

"Impressed now?" Klaus joked as Elena couldn't help but softly laugh. "Elena, I'm sorry."

Elena's gaze met his," For what?"

Klaus responded, "Keeping you here all these months,"

Elena said with pure kindness, "I know but I understand.."

Klaus interrupted her in mid sentence. "Elena, you can leave. I want you to go home to everyone."

Elena looked at Klaus for a long pause. She took a deep breath. She tries to find a response but doesn't know why she can't. She finally says, " Klaus, I can't go home. They've moved on. Whether or not anybody is happy, if I come into their lives I will screw it all up. I don't know how to go home. To just storm in an pry everyone from a life they built. Klaus, I know that you just said I go home but I'm afraid. They've spent so long away from that what could I do. You said it yourself why destroy it all. They will spend the rest of their lives protecting me, especially Damon and Stefan. Jeremy is happy, I can't take it away. So if you want me to leave I'll go but is there a possibility that I can stay."

Klaus brushed through Elena's hare with his bare hand. "My family will always have a place for you."

Elena smiled and so did Klaus. For the first time since she woke up, she felt like she wasn't alone and maybe she will never be again.

The two of them just danced in that room for the next hour. Neither spoke a word only listened to the sound of the music. Elena rested her head on his shoulder. She could feel warmth from his body. At that moment Elena felt confused. She wasn't compelled to stay or go but was given a choice. She realized that Klaus never hurt her. That he just didn't want to be alone. That he never wanted to be alone. She got this feeling in the pit of her stomach. One she knew what it meant but didn't understand why. She just couldn't have feelings for the hybrid not after everything he's done to her.

After that hour, Klaus went to fetch Elena something to drink. He walked to get her a cup of wine. After he poured it he turned back and she had vanished. Klaus put down the glass and began to search the room. His adrenaline started to increase. He found Elijah with some girl who he would of ended the night with but Klaus grabbed Elijah and told him Elena was missing. Elijah's face dropped out of worry. The two went to each corner of the room and quickly Rebekah joined in. The searched upstairs and down. The bathrooms the alley. Every inch of that property in and out plus its surroundings. Klaus grew more and more impatient as the each minute passed and Elena was still not found. Klaus began shoving and threatening random civilians. He knew she wouldn't just leave so where was she?

Elena's eyes opened. At first it was blurry but the image cleared up quickly. She recognized that she was in some room mostly likely a warehouse. She saw window but nothing outside it but the darkness of the night. She immediately realized there was nothing for miles.

She saw a man's back. Medium height and dressed in dark clothing.

"Ah glad you're awake my dear." the man said. He was playing with items on a table.

"What.." Elena said dazed. "How'd I get here?" Elena questioned.

"I drugged you." The man so blatantly answered.

"Why?"

"Because your the key to getting revenge on those I truly hate. Those who abandoned me."

"The Originals," Elena suggested.

"No not just them. You, your brother, Matt, pretty much everyone you care about." The man turned to her. "And I will get my revenge."

Elena gasped after fully seeing his face. Her eyes widened with fear. Her heartbeat rising in pace. Her hands began to shake. Her breath got louder and louder.

"Kol"