Disclaimer: I don't TVD, no matter how much I wish I did. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to the L.J. Smith and the CW.
AN: Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and alerted this story. Every one makes me smile.

Kol

Kol was bored. As happy as he was to be out of his box after a century, this ball almost made him wish for a dagger buried in his chest. All his siblings had agreed that they wouldn't cause any harm tonight, and there was no fun in that, but they did have their mother back. If she meant what she said about wanting them to all be together, Kol would be happy to have his family again.

He participated in the opening dance but had since moved to an open space along the back wall. Here, he was able to survey the ballroom and the grand staircase. It also allowed for plenty of women to approach him and try their hand at flirting with him. He turned few away, enjoying their attention, but once they realized that he wasn't returning to the dance floor, they moved on to his brothers. Though Klaus and Elijah each only had eyes for one woman - a blonde baby vampire and a doppelgänger, respectively.

Speaking of the doppelgänger, Kol saw her making a beeline for the stairs. Elijah was not far behind her, and Kol chuckled at the implications of that. Especially since she had come in with a man on either arm, but Elijah wasn't either one of them. Elijah had never been able to resist the doppelgängers, and Kol liked that some things never changed.

However, Kol frowned Elijah returned to the ball only a few moments later, brow creased with concern and steps stiffer than usual. While Elijah returned to dancing and chatting with their guests, Kol noticed that his eyes rarely wandered from the staircase. Kol wondered what had his brother so worried, and he felt a hint of worry himself when he saw Elijah fumble a dance step.

Any of the Mikaelsons could do this waltz in their sleep, but it was Elijah who knew it better than anyone. After he faltered, he excused himself from the dance floor, and as he made his way across the room, Kol saw him wipe his brow. As soon as he reached a wall, Elijah collapsed against it before shivering.

There was nothing but magic that could warrant that kind of reaction from someone like them. Color Kol intrigued. Perhaps he had found a mystery to assuage the boredom of the night.

Just as he was settling on that idea, he saw his mother descending the staircase. He saw that Elijah, through glazed eyes, was watching her as well. Kol glanced up when he saw movement on the mezzanine and saw the doppelgänger there. Her eyes were sweeping the room, wide and worried. Kol couldn't decide if she was looking for the pair of protectors she had come with but misplaced during the night or his brother. Her frown increased; whoever the target was couldn't be found.

She rushed down the stairs, head still swiveling as she searched, and was met at the bottom by the dark-haired man who had been on one arm at the start of the night. Kol vaguely remembered him introducing himself as Damon before Kol had brushed him off. A few short statements were exchanged, but then the vampire pulled her onto the dance floor, which coincidentally brought them closer to Kol, who was pleased he would be able to eavesdrop more easily.

He saw Elijah move, apparently completely recovered from whatever had been ailing him, to prowl around the room's perimeter. Again, Kol idly wondered what had his older brother so on edge. There was supposed to be peace tonight. But he had to admit that this unrest was interesting at least.

Damon's voice grabbed at Kol's attention as he said, "So, is Mama Original going to help us?" Kol quirked a brow at that. So, Elena had been meeting with Esther. What could they have had to talk about? And help with what? He listened intently for the answer, which came hesitantly.

"Yes, but-"

"But? What could there be to 'but'?" Damon asked. "Either she's gonna help us with our hybrid problem or not."

Elena frowned. "There's a price. It's high."

"Who the hell cares? Please don't tell me you put yourself on the line - again - and we're still not going to get rid of Klaus - again."

Kol scowled at that. Nik might be a bastard and the reason Kol had been in a coffin for so long, but he was Kol's brother. No one outside family got to threaten him. He focused even more on the arguing couple. He saw Elena wince, glancing at the hand Damon was holding - incorrectly for this dance Kol couldn't help but notice. Damon, however, was so focused on his tirade that he didn't notice her pain.

"Well, if you're going to be difficult, there's no reason to stay here any longer." Damon abruptly ended their dance and started to lead a lagging Elena to the door. Kol hoped to glean more information from their argument, so he followed them through the crowd of gowns and tuxedos. Damon was still ranting as he pulled Elena after him. "We've talked about this. You only get one suicide attempt a month, and with this stunt, you are waaaay past your quota."

Elena pulled a face and dug in her heels. It barely slowed Damon down, but it did earn her a look from him - a scowl etched deeply on his face. Kol saw Elena wince again as Damon's hand squeezed hers - the only point of contact between them.

"Damon, no!" she exclaimed. "I can't-"

"Oh, yes, you can, Elena."

Kol wished that Damon would let her finish her sentences. He was sure he would get more information if she could speak. He didn't know how she put up with such overbearing behavior.

"But, I need to- Elijah-"

Kol was hardly surprised to hear his brother's name pass her lips, and by the way Damon's scowl deepened, he wasn't surprised either. But he was confused because he had seen Elena and Elijah pass by each other at least twice since coming downstairs, and neither had made a move toward the other.

"No. Absolutely not," Damon snapped. "Your infatuation with him is going to get you killed. We. Are. Leaving," he snarled before trying to pull her toward the door again.

"Is that why you're mad?" Elena asked. "Or is it because you know that he lets me make my own decisions, something you don't respect me enough to do!"

"Only because you make such stupid ones," Damon said. "But no, I'm mad because I love you. I love you, but you're intent on risking your life for someone who's proven he will betray you!"

Kol frowned. Were they still talking about Elijah? That didn't seem right to him…

"You've done the same, Damon! Maybe that's the problem. Maybe you care too much!" Damon's face immediately closed off, and he pulled back from her as though Elena had slapped him. In doing so, he released her hand, and Elena immediately clutched it to her chest, gently running her other thumb over the palm.

Kol winced in unexpected sympathy while leaning against the bannister. That had to sting. Obviously, a love confession shouted in a room full of people some of whom would kill you without a thought was not ideal, but to have it thrown back in his face like that… Kol almost felt for the guy.

Elena tried to apologize as soon as the words left her mouth, but Damon wasn't having it. "Oh no, you said exactly what you meant," he hissed in a low, dangerous voice. "I care too much. I'm a liability." He spat the last word like poison before he turned on his heel and walked away from her without a single glance back.

Had he looked, he would have seen Elena watching him go with a heavily conflicted look on her face. Elijah stood a mere six feet away, and Kol was surprised when he didn't move to comfort the distraught doppelgänger. Perhaps he, Nik, and Rebekah had read that relationship all wrong. Nik would be thrilled.

Just then, the sound of ringing crystal came from behind him. Kol turned to see his mother and Finn standing on the stairs - time for another speech. His mother raised a glass of champagne as she addressed her guests.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. As you can see, waiters are coming around with champagne. I hope you will join me in raising a glass. As my son Elijah," she paused and smiled at him as she spoke, but Kol saw something insincere and sad in her eyes, "said when welcoming you all, it has been a long time since my family was all gathered together as we are now."

That's quite the understatement, Kol thought as he took a glass of the pink champagne from a passing tray.

"My life has been devoid of this joy for what feels like a thousand years," Esther continued, and Kol quirked his lips in amusement at his mother's tongue-in-cheek comment, "and the joy is only increased by the presence of your warm and welcoming community. Already, it feels like this has been home all our lives. I would like to thank each of you for your part in this magical evening." Kol caught the way his mother's eyes lingered on Elena then, and he felt himself grow a little cold. Witches, particularly his mother, mixed with doppelgänger-influenced magic had never turned out favorably for him.

His mother was certainly laying it on thick, but he enjoyed the truths hidden among her words. He glanced over to see Elijah's reaction. He was frowning at his mother's words, hearing the double meanings, but he looked more concerned than amused. Not far from Elijah, Elena stood. She looked like she was going to be sick while she looked up at Esther for the rest of the toast. What exactly had the doppelgänger and his mother talked about?

"To the rest of our time together," Esther concluded. "Cheers!"

The crowd responded in kind, but Kol mulled over the meaning of his mother's last words. He saw Elena searching the crowd again as he raised his glass to his lips. Her fingers were twitching with nervous energy, and he paused as he watched her. She hadn't touched her own champagne yet. When her eyes met his, he raised his glass in mock salute at her and raised a curious eyebrow.

She glanced back at his mother before turning to face him completely. She mimicked his action of raising her glass, but when it was almost at her lips, she shook her head fractionally. Kol saw her mouth move, but as conversations around them were picking up again, he had to strain to hear her carefully quiet words.

"Linking spell." It was just two small words, but Kol didn't know what to do with them. He felt a cold spike of concern, but he had known two other women with her face, and both had had a loose relationship with the truth. He couldn't think of any reason for her to say it if there wasn't something there, but she wasn't inherently magical, so she might not fully grasp all the possibilities behind that phrase.

He knew that Elijah would likely believe her without a doubt, but he needed more information. What kind of linking spell? Who was being linked? Because surely it wasn't everyone who drank the champagne at the party. Would there be benefits or only dire consequences? However, his glass was already tipped, and without thinking, a sip of champagne slipped past his lips. He kept his face passive, but he saw Elena react.

She closed her eyes and released a deep sigh as her whole body sagged. She downed her whole glass in one swallow, which Kol hadn't expected. She lowered the glass, glaring at it. She put it down on the first flat surface she passed as she headed for the door. Kol watched her go. She was waylaid twice before making it twenty feet. He frowned as he wondered what was going on in the doppelgänger's head.

But then, Rebekah walked by, smiling at and flirting with the football player. All other thoughts flew out of his head. Rebekah had promised violence earlier, and even though she changed her mind, that didn't mean Kol had to. Kol saw that Matt was headed upstairs, so he followed him before luring him out onto the balcony over the front porch. Shaking Matt's hand, he began to crush it, savoring every crunch and whimper. He felt the dark grin grow on his face. He enjoyed the feeling of being in control again.

"Hey, hey, hey. Careful with the hand. The guy's a quarterback."

Kol found Damon standing behind Matt. One look in his eyes showed that his humanity was holding on by a hair. It was good to be old enough to see these things. He grinned at the raven-haired vampire before making a show of releasing Matt's hand.

Suddenly, Damon had his arms wrapped around Kol's throat. Kol hadn't expected him to be quite that fast, and with a quick move from Damon, he paid the price of his underestimation.

When Kol came to, his neck healing, he found himself lying on the front walk. A group was standing nearby, watching Damon as he stood over Kol's body. Kol heard Damon growl to the others, "Far be it for me to cause a problem."

Then, he was gone. Damon's brother and the doppelgänger stared after him, but Elena quickly looked down and away. Her eyes lingered on Kol for a moment before she shook her head and turned to Matt, who was approaching slowly. At least someone was properly afraid of Kol… Matt clutched his broken hand to his body.

"Oh, Matt," Elena sighed. "I'm sorry you got hurt."

Matt turned burning blue eyes on Kol. "You don't need to apologize, 'Lena. Not your fault."

Elena grimaced. "Still… Let me at least take you to the hospital."

Matt nodded, and the pair walked away. The other brother left not long after without a word to Kol. He clambered to his feet, dusted off his tux, and sauntered back inside.

Which is where he was abruptly blocked by Elijah, who looked every bit the authoritarian with his creased brow, crossed arms, and pursed lips. Elijah demanded to know where Kol had been, and Kol smirked as he answered.

"Merely getting to know the neighbors." Elijah said nothing, and Kol savored the minute tic in his brother's jaw. "Fine. There may have been a quarterback, a broken hand, a brief tussle, and a snapped neck, but I can't be sure. Everything's been so crazy around here lately."

"Mother told us not to harm anyone tonight, brother. You know how she wants peace."

"Yes, one big happy family. That's the dream. Don't worry, last I saw, the doppelgänger was ensuring the quarterback went to the hospital. And, not that you asked, but the snapped neck was mine, brother. No need to worry about me though. It is concerning though that, at your age, you still take orders from our mother." Kol shook his head mockingly.

Elijah frowned. "You saw Elena?"

"That's what you take away?" Kol asked, chuckling. "I call you subordinate, but all you can focus on is that I mentioned the doppelgänger? Yes, I saw her. Why, concerned another one's gotten away? You and doppelgängers…"

"You and witches," Elijah fired back. Kol m raised a brow, knowing that he had touched a nerve.

"Hmm, yes, I suppose." Kol paused as if in thought. "I do almost feel bad though. Paying her back for trying to tell me something earlier by hurting her friend." He shook his head. "Positively medieval."

"What did she try to tell you?" Elijah asked, anxious curiosity positively radiating off him, tinged with jealousy.

Kol shrugged. "Don't know. It sounded like 'blinking swell,' but that makes no sense." He shook his head. "Maybe your doppelgänger is addled. Anyway, there's still a party going on, so I'm off to join it." He might have told Elijah the truth if he wasn't always so condescending.

Kol sped past Elijah, leaving him to puzzle through things. Kol was bored again.

AN: This chapter brought to you a day early by the fact that I'm going to a party tonight and didn't want to make you wait too long.