A/N: Hi there.

I so am sorry for the late update (again) but honestly, this site has been driving me crazy with their 'prove you're not a robot' BS the last two weeks. I've tried to upload the newest chapter numerous times, and every time I can't because the page won't load. Are there others who have the same problem? And if you do, how do you fix it, because, I'm out of ideas.

Anyway, if you're reading this, I've managed to upload again!

Either way, I hope you all enjoy the newest chapter!

And I want to thank you all for your lovely words. To everyone, I thank each and every one of you.

I haven't been able to reply to all your comments - again Fanfiction doesn't always load so properly, but I'll try again tomorrow - but I've read them all. you're all so lovely, thank you

Lots of Love,

Anna!

o.O.o

Chapter Fifty-One, Imitations Of Immortality

The sun was hot that day, and I'd forgone both jacket and long sleeves, opting for denim shorts and a marine blue T-shirt. Craning my neck, I shaded my eyes with my hand, as I made my way up the gravel path leading up to the Mikaelson Mansion. Klaus's house was grand. Surrounded by a veil of birch trees, the mansion stood tall with its big proud windows and huge front door. Peering at the towering structure, I toed the weeds growing through the gravel drive and bit my lower lip.

If my suspicions were correct the entire Original family, sans Mikael and Esther, was awakened which meant I was truly like the sacrificial little lamb coming up for my slaughter. Rubbing my hands together, I stepped onto the porch and pushed against the front door. I was unsurprised to find it open and quickly stepped inside. "Hello?"

I'd stepped into a large, airy hall, sunlight seeping in through the floor-to-ceiling windows and a grand marble staircase lay before me. The overall grandeur, the crystal chandelier above my head, it was a bit overwhelming.

"Hello? Anyone?"

"Miss Gilbert," Elijah stepped out into the hall. He was in his shirtsleeves, hair slicked back and a small smile grazing his lips. "Lovely to see you here."

"Ah, yeah, I—"

"Yes, yes," he smiled and waved his hand at the stairs, "follow me."

"You have a lovely home," I tried, hand firmly clasped around the railing.

"Hm, yes, Niklaus just finished— decorating," he told me and I almost laughed at the porcelain clean version he tried to create. Reaching the top of the stairs, opening up to a dark landing, I let my eyes flit over Elijah's back. He looked somewhat ruffled and I wondered absentmindedly what he'd been up to. If I was honest, I knew little of Elijah. He was the noble one, the original with honor, but apart from that, I had no idea what hobbies he had, or what he did in his spare time.

Averting my eyes, when he turned his face to me, instead I let my gaze flit over the hall. Heavy curtains on old fashioned brass rings had been drawn, masking the grounds below from view. A vertical strip of light lay like a spectral finger across the dark, rugged floor, muting our footsteps and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust.

The walls were covered with paintings. Varying from landscapes to portraits to even a few paintings of animals and I curiously stared at them.

"This way, Elena," Elijah told me, placing a hand between my shoulder blades.

I wrapped my arms around myself, my feet sinking into the thick carpet. Head cocked to the side, Elijah nodded to a large mahogany door, reaching out for the doorhandles.

"Elena, if I may—"

"Hm?"

"Do not play a game from which you don't know the rules."

"Come again?"

He only smiled pushing the door open. The room was wide, the floor made out of wooden panels and the walls covered by either paintings hanging or stacks of paintings leaning against them. Sunlight fell in slabs across a leather field couch — a Chesterfield, I thought — and over Klaus' crouched back. He was drawing, his hair displaced and damp, curling around his ears. He didn't look up when I stepped inside.

"Brother, your visitor," Elijah greeted.

"Oh, no, I—" I started, but no logical continuance followed.

"Hello Sweetheart," he greeted, pencil poised over his scratchpad, "to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Oh— erm, I'm here for your brother." I muttered awkwardly.

He did look up at that. Sculpted features instantly hardened and a brittle smile tugged at his lips, even though nothing reached the tundra in his eyes. "Oh really?"

"Yeah," I agreed softly.

He was across the room and inside my personal space in less then a second. He was taller than me, not overly tall, yet just as dangerous. His blue eyes were flashing brilliantly and I felt my insides curl together nervously. "And why, prey tell are you here to see my brother?" He asked, rolling his pencil between his long fingers, before tapping the butt against my nose.

"He's helping me, remember?"

"And what does he get in return?"

I pursed my lips, frowning, "Nothing. I thought he was doing this on your request."

Klaus twisted a finger in my hair and, gently, tugged, urging my face to meet his. I wasn't sure what he hoped to find in the planes of my face as his eyes flitted over my cheeks and finally remained solely on my eyes. I knew what he was about to do even before he done it and cold sweat started on the back of my neck.

"Don't lie to me," Klaus instructed, pupils dilating. "Tell me what Kol gets in return."

The command fizzled into my head, curled around my synapses and whirred my brain into overdrive. My mouth opened to answer— and my mind stuttered. "No—" I hissed, forcing it down, the pressure, the electrical current and then it was gone. The need— all of it. "You don't get to do that to me ever again!"

"So it's true," Elijah breathed out.

"So it seems," Klaus retorted, crossing his arms over his stomach.

"This— was this a test?"

"Hm," Elijah nodded, "rather ingenious too."

"I don't understand why— but I can feel it," I admitted and took a step around Klaus. "When you try to compel me."

"Yes," Klaus agreed. "A tacky trait to have too."

I ignored his comment, moving further in the room, trailing my fingertips over the smooth leather of the Chesterfield. Eyelashes fluttered over the arcs of my cheeks as I stared at Klaus's drawing. It was a sketch and my heart missed a beat.

Klaus and Elijah were still discussing my sudden ability to ignore a direct compelled order — something I too was unsure of how I had learned it — but I couldn't concentrate, my eyes glued to the face so well drawn. It was me— the real me and Klaus had gotten ever detail perfect.

"—Elena?"

The slope of my nose, my wayward dark hair, the tiny dimple in my right cheek that appeared when I genuinely smiled, the way the corners of my lips at the left side always reached higher, the smattering of freckles over the bridge of my nose—

"Elena!"

"What?"

Elijah stepped up beside me, his shoulder brushing mine, and I distractedly realized I had never been so close to him before after our initial meeting. His hand had wrapped around my upper arm and I vaguely registered my heartbeat skipping as he leveled his gaze with mine.

"What are you—"

"I'm going to compel you," he informed me drolly.

I inhaled sharply at that my heart starting to pound. "What? No!"

"I'm not going to ask something vile of you—"

"NO!" I almost shrieked. "You're not compelling me to do fucking anything. I don't want you to cuckoo with my head! I mean, how am to know if this command won't screw with my head? For all I know I won't remember it!"

Elijah's composure slipped for a moment and I almost winced at how wounded he looked to be accused of screwing with my mind. It was almost enough to take it back. Almost.

"I give you my word, I won't try anything. Yes, I'll try to make you do something. But it will be like, hopping around on one foot or something like that."

"Really Elijah?" Klaus asked impatiently, "You're bargaining with her?"

"Fine— Elena," he intoned and I tried to turn away from him, but his grip on my arm was unrelenting. "I want you to lift your left foot and hop to the couch."

It was a ridiculous command and I spluttered, a slightly fuzzy feeling churning in my brain and, in a mix of anger and horror as I lifted my left foot, I stomped the urge down. My lower lip wobbled. "Go to hell!"

"Impressive," Elijah mumbled, turning to Klaus.

"Unusual though, I smell no Vervain on her." Klaus said and I felt my face flush in embarrassment or anger. I wasn't sure but I turned away, fingers moving to the zirconia studs in my ears.

Breathing slowly until I felt I regained control over my emotions, I turned to the two vampires, scowl firmly in place. "Well, I hope you enjoyed your experiment because I—"

"Ah! There you are!" Kol called out, his face breaking out into a grin. "Hullo, Elena."

"Yeah hello!" I greeted back and stalked past his elder brothers. "You ready, because I want to go."

Kol lobbed a particularly devious smirk toward Klaus as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Of course I am, Sweetheart."

"Great, I drive."

And I did drive. After Kol had swooped me away from his brothers, flashing us to my car, we'd piled into the SUV. Kol had popped his feet on the dashboard and, scrolling through his iPhone, he told me to head to Charlottesville. I left the long asphalt road from Mystic Falls, merging onto the highway, and kept checking my rear-view mirror, expecting a tail any moment, but when Klaus's car didn't appear, I felt my shoulders sag in relief. The relief was short-lived when we were stuck in traffic.

Kol was looking at me with abrupt attention, eyes following my every move, from the way I gripped the steering wheel to the way I changed gears. It made me somewhat uneasy.

"Why are you being stalkerish?"

"Explain the poke thing," he demanded, gesturing to the gearshift and I snorted.

"What?"

"Klaus refused to explain the automobile in any way." He decided, tapping his long fingers together. "You on the other hand should be willing enough. After all, I am helping you."

"Yeah, to annoy your brother."

He shrugged. "Same difference."

"It's called a gearshift." I decided after a few seconds. "When you depress the clutch," I explained waving at the clutch pedal, before tapping my left foot on it, "you can change gear. You select a gear, which you can see here, look, that's the shift pattern. The faster you go the higher gear you settle for. And the slower you go, you use a lower gear. I don't really know how to explain this."

"It sounds like this is made much harder than necessary."

"Well, you can get yourself a car with automatic transmission, I guess. Then, it's either drive forward, park or drive back." I drolly replied. "Who are we meeting in Charlottesville?"

"A witch."

"Yeah, thank you, captain obvious, I got that." I answered irritably, and sighed in relief when I noticed the car before me gearing up again. "No, I mean who, like what is she called. Did you actually get someone willing to help you?"

"Yeah," he agreed and his attention switched to his phone. "Sharon's Place— must be new."

I inhaled sharply, "You've been away for over a decade."

"Sure, rub it in Sweetheart." He replied, tapping the screen hard. "Well, that's where we're going."

"Wonderful," I remarked.

It was midday when we arrived in front of Sharon's Place, a small diner on the edge of Charlottesville, leaving the rushing of traffic on nearby roads behind. The large glass windows were tinted, smudged and a queue of customers had collected around, holding ice creams and fries and I arched an eyebrow. A faint sheen of sweat was clinging to my skin, pooling between my collarbones and I killed the engine. "Is this it?"

"Yes," he agreed. "Let's go. Drira doesn't like waiting."

"Right."

We stepped inside, leaving the sunny spring day behind. Slowly, my eyes adjusted to the darkness. The diner was rammed with people, the background music a dull crescendo. I pushed my sunglasses up and looked around. There were dark booths lining the walls and framed pictures hanging everywhere. I couldn't make out the details, the lighting inadequate, but they seemed like pop art versions of some of the monuments in the city.

"This doesn't look all that witchy," I mumbled, and removed my sunglasses. "It's just a diner."

"Yeah and vampires are just people, come on Elena."

"Okay, Jesus, calm down." I muttered and sank down into one of the booths, fingering the saltshaker.

"Stay here." He told me.

I rolled my eyes, hooking my sunglasses in the front of my shirt, and peered through the diner. It was busy, many people had already gathered inside, either waiting in line in front of the counter, or hanging around the booths. Kol had approached a girl, looking to be in her early twenties with shoulder-length auburn hair and an olive complexion, at the other side of the diner. She was facing the entrance, fiddling with a straw. They seemed to be arguing and after several minutes, I shuffled over to the booth as well. As I drew closer, Kol gave me an irritated look and the girl briefly stared up from her phone. I watched her fingers fly over the screen of her cellphone, words curling over the screen without her even looking.

"Doppelgänger," she whispered and I detected some awe in her voice.

"I— yeah," I muttered and drew in a shallow breath.

"Neat," she grinned and her thick hair fell over her forehead as she placed her phone down, "I've never met a human one."

"You never— how old are you?"

"That's a rather impolite question, is it not?" She said and I forced an easy smile I hoped didn't come off as strained as it felt. "Well, it's a natural one I suppose. I'll turn three-hundred-and-forty next week."

"Excuses me?"

"Drira is a powerful witch. Special spell keeping her alive."

"Oh, okay," I muttered. "So you actually know her from—

"The eighteen-hundreds," he grinned. "Awesome right?"

"It has its drawbacks." She shrugged and her eyes flitted to Kol. "Some bigger than others."

"I can only imagine."

"Yeah," she agreed, nose wrinkled. "It's hard to get rid of certain people."

"Agreed. Like ripping off a plaster." I mumbled. "He's—"

Kol puffed out his cheeks. "Handsome is the word you looking for."

"Why don't you find a mirror?" Drira drawled. "I think your reflection is getting jealous."

I laughed at that and Kol pouted not unattractively. "Not fair. The two of you ganging up on me."

"Ganging up?" I echoed and he shrugged.

"But Elena," Drira asked, flicking auburn hair away from her clavicle. "What did I hear about needing help with a ring?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "It was made for protection. The ring brings its wearer back to life if they die at the hand of a supernatural being."

"Invincibility Ring," she nodded. "Did you bring it?"

"I did."

And getting it had been hard. I almost had to beg Liz Forbes for it. She'd only allowed me to take it once I mentioned needing it for a spell and that was after Caroline had talked to her. Wetting my lips, I placed my handbag on the table, holding the box where I'd placed it in, between index finger and thumb. "It's in there."

Drira gave me an amused smile, taking it from me, her brilliant dark eyes bright. "I don't think it can hurt you unless you die first, Hun."

"Yeah, well, not taking any risks here."

"Fair enough."

A waitress came and Kol whispered some drinks at her. At this point, I hardly cared what he ordered, too busy staring at Drira as she wiggled her fingers over the ring, sprinkling salt over it. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to determine what kind of protections it has."

"I wasn't aware that was a thing. Does it have any?"

"Hm— seems it's linked to the spirit world."

"Like the other side?" I asked and when Drira nodded, I continued. "It's where he goes, isn't it? The Other Side. Like the in-between before he can get back to his body?"

"Hm, no, not exactly. It seems like this ring is tied to a spirit…" she cocked her head to the side. "It's not unusual. A spirit holding on to something that can pass. It happens to witches and warlocks often. At the spirit— the other side as you call it, we have free rein. Coming back to life is a tad more difficult, of course, but when there is magic already linking someone there and dragging it back, tethering it…"

"I understand some of what you're saying. Some…"

"I'm sorry," she didn't sound apologetic at all. "Give me a minute. Kol you said there was a grimoire? Did you bring it?"

"Of course, my fair lady."

"Well, go fetch it."

Kol's lips turned up in amusement and I stared at him with a frown. Was he into that? Getting ordered around? My mouth turned a bit dry. Would this end in some kind of terrifying hook up I had no desire to be witness of? Or did that only happen to Damon Salvatore?

"Okay, okay, I go get it."

"Please do."

He jerked to his feet and moved to the car outside with an expression not unlike a child in Disneyland. I had never really considered how Klaus's siblings had learned to get used to the technologies of the twenty-first centuries. "So you and him—?"

"Oh God, no." she laughed, the sound strangely daunting in the crowded diner.

"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to picture how you two came to meet."

"He tagged along various witch covens. At some point he joined ours."

"What did he promise you?" I asked, holding my breath. "In return, I mean. I can only assume he—"

"Having someone like him owe me a favor never hurts, does it?"

"I suppose."

When Kol returned in a flurry of dark smiles and flashing eyes, a blonde, perky waitress followed. She was holding a tray with our drinks and I was unamused to learn, Kol had ordered us all strong alcoholic drinks. He smiled like a Cheshire Cat when the girl settled a baby blue cocktail in front of me. It looked like smurf had died in it and I glared at Kol who was already knocking back his vodka.

"It's half past two."

"So?"

I snorted, shaking my head, dragging my straw along the salted rim of my glass. "Okay, never mind."

"So, Drira," Kol said, "do you think you can help us?"

"Well, Invincibility Rings are incredibly tricky." Drira muttered, tapping manicured fingers against the table. "I've known some of these before— and yes, these are linked to the other side. And yes, I can see how someone would be vulnerable to manipulation."

"So you said before." Kol answered.

"Yeah, she did." I agreed, frowning, rolling an anaemic-looking lime wedge around my fingers. "But what does that even mean? How do you get rid of someone's manipulation? Or someone's possession? Can you get rid of it? Because, well, it is through a form of magic, isn't it?"

"We should be able to." Drira nodded. "After all, every bit of magic has a loophole."

"Really?" I whispered, my cheeks flushing.

"I'm quite sure."

Reluctantly, I picked up the glass, watching the cocktail swirl and I brought the glass to my lips, taking a small sip. I was bitter and sweet at the same time. It was like Tequila. And I liked Tequila. God, I could hardly believe my luck. Coming out here might actually fix Jeremy's problem. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and Kol, having downed his vodka, searched out the blonde bartender.

Smiling wickedly, she jerked her chin at our empty glasses and he nodded, holding up three fingers. I wavered. "Kol, I haven't had breakfast yet! I can't have so many drinks!"

"Oh Elena, you need to live a little." Drira grinned.

"Live a little, yeah, sure—"

Kol was looking at me again, hand reaching out, catching a loose lock of hair and pushing it back behind my ear. I froze as his index finger pressed against the underside of my jaw. He slid it along my jaw, down my throat and followed the beating vein in my neck. He scraped his nail against my collarbone— and the spell was broken.

"Erm—"

"What do you need Drira?" He asked, grinning, folding his arms on the table top, hunching forward.

"Several herbs, I need to meet with your brother—" she muttered, drumming her nails against the table top. She didn't seem to be talking to me, or Kol for that matter, and I watched her face morph in one expression to the other. "I'll need to consult my grimoires."

"Oh—"

"Don't worry, Elena," she shrugged. "I can come your way when I find something."

"Thank you!" I answered sincerely.

The perky waitress placed three new drinks in front of us and this time I clicked glasses with the people around the table. It was strange. Kol and Drira were both stronger, not human in the way I was human, yet, I felt perfectly comfortable. Perfectly equal. I supposed I only had to wait before it would implode in my face. But, I had hope and my mouth was pulled back in a smile as I twirled my straw, bumping it against the rapidly melting ice cubes—

I was still utterly optimistic when we passed Wickery Bridge. Well, I might have been slightly tipsy too. I had always been a happy drunk, and alcohol hitting me just right and Kol was sitting next to me, watching with bemusement. He was driving, strangely natural at it— although his supernatural reflexes might have had something to do with that.

"I can't believe this, you know," I said. "I didn't think you would actually manage."

"You're hurting my feelings."

"No, I am not." I laughed. "So you and Drira? You were an item?"

"An item?"

"Erm, you were courting?"

"We were." He agreed. "Until we weren't and she went anatomic."

I laughed again. "Who taught you that expression?"

"Bekah," he shrugged.

"She did hm?" I asked, flicking my tongue over the ridge of my teeth.

"Drira is rather scary when scorned." He muttered.

I snorted. "You scorned her?"

The beam of incoming headlights illuminated Kol's face and I laughed. He looked somewhat peeved, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Well, no, not exactly." He finally decided on.

"Not exactly?"

"Drira was quite young." He replied.

"And you thought it was a casual fling, while she thought you were serious?"

He shook his head. "Oh God, no. She was aware of my intentions. Her father was not."

"Well, share with the class?"

"Her father went after me, I went after him and she almost burned down an entire city in her rage to get to us." He remarked. "Has been cross with me ever since. Well, she still likes the magical problems I find me in. Don't be surprised if she'll let me squirm."

"And yet you went to her?" I asked, utterly dumbfounded by his fit of optimism.

He shrugged. "She is the best witch I know."

And Kol liked witches. I wasn't sure how I knew, but I thought I'd learned about Kol and his fascination with them. I was also quite sure he'd been able to practice magic as a human, and my lips pursed. He was unlike anyone, really. Pushing Klaus's buttons when around, yet perfectly amiable when alone with me. He was confusing, like a jigsaw. Only I didn't have the entire picture, slotting random pieces together, until they started to make sense aligned. I was never good at puzzles.

Yet that didn't mean I didn't find them fascinating.

The car drew to a halt outside the Gilbert house and I helped Kol to kill the engine. He had angled to the side, his shoulder tucked against the leather seat, his elbow resting on the cupholder. His hand was hiding his mouth, but I could still tell he was smiling into his palm. I suspected he was reminiscing about the good old days and left him to it, unbuckling my seatbelt and clambering out of the car. Kol followed after a moment.

"So my little light, what are your plans now?"

"Little light?"

"Your name has various meanings, but most are related to light." He smirked. "I find it fitting."

"I think you're a weirdo."

He seemed mildly offended, but remained silent. I suspected he was waiting for me to answer his question and my eyebrows drew together. "To be honest, I'm not sure. I'll wait for Drira to ask around and look into her grimoires. I'd considered asking Bonnie but—" I shook my head, "—I don't want her to feel obligated to do anything. Not after she'd lost her mom to Jeremy's possession— So, there isn't more I can do at the moment though."

"You're going to leave him at the police station?" He asked, his mouth forming wildly around the unfamiliar words and I smiled lightly.

"He's dangerous, the way he is right now. At least, at the station, he won't pose a danger to anyone."

"That's kinda cold."

I shrugged. In the original timeline, Elena and Matt had tried to free Alaric, and had, in my opinion, only made it worse. I didn't think Jeremy deserved to stay in a prison cel, but, I did truly think he would be safe there. Or, if anything, people around him would be safe.

The moon came into view, bathing the spot where we stood with a pale, ethereal glow. Stars were dotting the sky here and there and I crossed my arms over my chest. Jeremy— God, if I allowed myself to give it more thought, I would remember he was only a fifteen-year-old child, and already had he managed to be labeled as a serial killer. And his parentage — something I still had not come to terms with yet — had been plastered all over the Mystic's Daily News. I honestly wasn't sure how Jeremy being Mayor Lockwood's son was even possible, since Jeremy hadn't been a werewolf in the original series. It wouldn't have made much sense becoming a hunter if you were a thing you should be hunting in the first place. Had me being here changed something so fundamental that somehow things that not only would happen, but things that happened prior to me arriving here, had been changed?

I understood that my actions had consequences. I'd understood that even in a fictional world, my choices had consequences, but— me being here shouldn't change any rules that should already have been set.

"Elena?"

"Hm?" I answered absentmindedly.

"Why are you not dating Nik?" He asked and I stared at him, mouth slacking open.

"Excuse me?"

Kol cocked his head to the side, looking a lot like a curious cuckoo. "Well, he thinks you're— fascinating and all that." Exasperated fondness was coloring his tone and one eyebrow arched up. "You could do worse."

"I don't think I want to date someone who considers me to be the equivalent of a House-Elf. Ready to serve, with no opinion or whatsoever. And if an opinion does cloud my judgement, just compel or threaten the family." I told him blithely. "Klaus needs someone he treats as an equal, not like some pet."

"I found you quite an equal when you ignored his command."

"You heard?" I asked, looking at him askance. And he stepped closer.

"I think Elijah felt pretty bad."

"Your oldest brother needs a lesson on boundaries as well."

"That's Finn," he told me and I flicked my tongue over the ridge of my teeth.

"Oh."

His eyes are flicking over my face, over the angle of my cheeks, the sharp jut of my cheekbones and finally settled on my lips. I realized belatedly he was flirting with me, courting me? I wasn't sure, and his hand came up to cradle my cheek.

"What are you—"

The pad of his finger dragged down the slant of my cheekbone, tracing the harsh line of my jaw and finally settled on the back of my neck. I knew what he was about to do, even before he bent forward, fusing our mouths together. I had and hadn't expected it and—

I hadn't accounted for my reaction.

I hadn't had any physical contact ever since I'd become Elena Gilbert. I hadn't had any physical contact like this— And, I froze— for like a millisecond, before my hands clasped his shoulders and I kissed him back. There was no hesitation when tongues clashed and a flood of want pierced through my bloodstream. He buried one hand in my hair, the other fisted around the hem of my t-shirt. All thoughts about why this was wrong and how this was not my body disappeared, took a backseat for the ride and I—

"What the fuck is going on here?"

I wrenched myself away from his demanding mouth twirling around sharply. Kol's hand was still woven into the roots of my hair and I felt my face flush. Uncle John looked ready to kill and I had sobered up— immediately.

(To be continued)

A/N: Tiring isn't? When being seen as a play thing. Anyone expected this? Kukuku, I guess some might've...

Anyway, let me know what you guys think about this. What do you think should happen now (although, knowing how obsessive a certain somebody is, I guess everyone can guess how well this will go)...

I will try to update again soon! If everything goes well, you can expect it somewhere between next weekend and the beginning of the week coming after that.