Chapter 27: Story Teller
"Rise and shine!"
A groan freed itself from my lips as a voice pulled me from my dreams and I was rudely awakened. With a single eye peeking open I could make out the blurry image of Bekah as she approached the couch I had fallen asleep on during the night. My head was still fuzzy with sleep and I was very much not in the mood to be awake. So without uttering a word, I pulled my blanket up over my head in hopes of hiding from the vampire set on waking me.
"Come on, have classes to attend to and I have teenagers to torment. So get up!" Before I could even process what was happening, Bekah had taken hold of the blanket I was using to hide from her and snatched it off of my body. I winced at the sudden flood of light and glared up at the grinning vampire who seemed a little too proud of herself.
"That was unnecessary." I grumbled as I sat up and stretched my body. From what I could remember before falling asleep, Nik had led me to this room and stayed with me until I had fallen asleep. I could remember him talking about his plans to finish the mansion in the next few days. He sounded so proud of the large home had built with his family in mind. It made me feel warm knowing that soon we would all be together under one roof.
"Hmm, I disagree." Bekah shot back as she tossed a neatly folded pile of clothing onto the couch cushion beside me. "Now hurry up and get dressed. We are already late as it is."
I narrowed my eyes in confusion and picked up my phone to see that it was well past eight o'clock and we were indeed going to be late for school. I quickly shot up from the couch and Bekah left the room so I could get dressed.
I rushed out of the room as soon as I was dressed and made my way down the stairs. Unfortunately, as I was getting dressed, I realized that I would have to go without my bag seeing as I had left it in the clearing the night of homecoming. I was lucky to have left most of my school work and books in my locker and figured I would just have to use a Bekahs bag for the day and would later have to make a trip to the oak tree to get my bag.
When I made it down stairs I noticed that the mansion was already alive with construction workers and hybrids. There was a strange mixture of energy in the air with the humans and hybrids working together, but as I made my way to the kitchen their energy was snuffed out by someone much stronger.
As soon as I managed to step foot into the kitchen, Bekah was beside me and announced, "Finally, let's get going."
Niks head shot up from the pile of blue prints he was looking over before I had entered the room. He raised a brow at his sister's words and asked, "And where is it that you believe you two are going, sister?"
Bekah let out a scoff as she rolled her eyes and said, "If you must know, Serena and I are going to school. She's quite adamant on completing her schooling and I just enjoy tormenting teenagers."
I couldn't help but smirk as I said, "Don't believe her, she's actually enjoying herself at high school. She loves being a cheerleader." Bekah huffed and sent me a glare. My smirk only grew into a full smile as I laughed softly at the disgruntled look on her face. I then turned my attention to Nik and added, "I do have classes to get to and we are going to be very late if we don't leave soon."
Niklaus frowned and I knew he was less than pleased by what I was telling him. I could feel the bond between us pulling me towards him, and as much as I was fighting with myself to not give in, it was a battle I was weak against.
"Don't worry, brother, I'll keep an eye on her!" Bekah grabbed hold of my upper arm and before Nik could even utter a single word, his sister was rushing me out of the large mansion. She dragged down the front steps and then practically shoved me into the SUV before flashing to the drivers side of the car and quickly starting the vehicle.
As she peeled out of the driveway at an alarming speed, I watched as the mansion grew smaller in the side mirror before it disappeared among the trees. My stomach grew tight as I felt Niks energy fade in the distance. I hated the feeling of him getting further and further away, but I knew this was something I was going to have to learn to ignore. I couldn't just be by his side and ignore the rest of the world.
Life in Mystic Falls was changing, not just for me, but for everyone that I knew. Before meeting Elijah, and regaining my memories, graduating high school was something that was expected of me. It was a normal goal to have as a teenager. Now, attending high school was simply my way to add that bit of normalcy back into my life. Because right now, I could use that tiny bit of normalcy. I've been so focused on finding out about my past and keeping the people I love safe, that I've allowed myself to become overwhelmed.
I wanted nothing more than to set my focus on finding the missing pieces to my heart. But between Nik being out for Stefan's blood and Bekah setting her sights on Elena for stabbing her in the back, I was busy trying to keep everyone alive. The people I loved were waging a war against one another and I had no idea how I was going to keep everyone from killing each other.
Bekah pulled up to the school just before the bell could ring. As the vampire parked the SUV, I noticed Caroline and Tyler standing together on the front lawn of the school. Seeing Caroline instantly reminded me of what today was. Today marked Caroline's eighteenth birthday. I could only imagine that the day was bitter sweet for the vampire. Having to celebrate another year older knowing that your body was forever frozen at seventeen. The thought made my heart ache as anger grew in my stomach. It made my hatred for Katherine grow that much stronger for what she's done to the people I cared about.
Bekah and I got out of the car just as the bell rang. After explaining everything to Jeremy yesterday, I made the decision that I would tell Caroline next. As much as I wanted to tell Elena everything, I just wasn't ready for that conversation.
Caroline was my first real friend, besides my twin sister. As a kid, I was shy and was always hiding behind Elena when confronted with any sort of social gathering. But Caroline Forbes took one look at me on the kindergarten playground and decided we were going to be friends. The expressive and loud little girl that she was, managed to knock down my shy and nervous walls. She was the sun on a cloudy day and I will be forever grateful to her for being my friend.
Now I could only hope and pray that after I tell her everything, that she'll still want to continue to be my friend.
As Bekah and I walked into the school, I made sure to walk close beside the Original Vampire. Even though Bekah's energy acted as a great buffer, my skin still broke out in goosebumps and the hairs on the back of my neck still stood up whenever someone passed by me too closely. There was no way to avoid the onslaught of energy wafting off each of the school's many students as they each focused on getting to class. So I did my best to focus on ignoring the uneasy feeling and bear with it for the time being.
Bekah must have noticed how uncomfortable I was because as we walked down the hallway towards my locker, she looped her arm with mine and pulled me close to her side. I was grateful for her actions and we quickly stopped at my locker so I could grab my books before heading to our first class of the day.
Alaric's class was full by the time Bekah and I arrived. I could feel the stares coming from my sister and our friends as I took my seat in the front row beside Bekah. Alaric stood up from his desk and as subtly as he could, he sent me a concerned look. I did my best to give him a reassuring smile and he gave me a small nod before starting the day's lesson.
~Break~
Klaus was not happy as he watched his sister abscond with his Fated One. While the Original Hybrid understood that his little Fated One was still young in this lifetime and wanted to complete her schooling, he was unhappy with her leaving his side to do so. He had failed in keeping her safe once before and has spent the last thousand years thinking he would never get to see her again.
But now he had her back and the idea of losing her again made him see red. He would burn the world to ashes before he allowed anything to happen to Serena. The bond between them only just repaired itself and was still unfulfilled, making Klaus uneasy anytime she was out of his line of sight. He was a selfish creature and wanted her by his side at all times. While he could somewhat distract himself by putting his focus on finding his brother and completing the home he had built for his family, the need to complete the bond between himself and Serena was constantly itching at the back of his mind.
The second his Fated One was out of the house, Klaus sent four of his hybrids to keep an eye on her and his sister. While he was well aware that Bekah was capable of protecting herself, he did not trust his sister to be as protective of his Fated One as he was. Bekah didn't share the same bond as he did with Serena. Klaus was plagued by an intense need to keep Serena safe. A need that was so maddening for the Original Hybrid that it made him far more distrustful of those around him then he usually was. He knew he couldn't always be beside her and that realization is what pushed him to find his stolen brothers as soon as possible.
While Klaus and his brothers were on less than favorable terms, and he would gladly leave them daggered if it meant keeping Serena all to himself, he also understood what that would mean for his Fated One. Over the years the brothers have come across a few witches and their grimoires that had written accounts of the mysterious creatures that were the Fae. He knew that if he kept his brothers daggered that Serena would never be able to feel whole. She would always be haunted by the incomplete bonds that she shared with her Fated Ones.
Not to mention, with Elijah, Kol, and Finn undaggered it meant Serena had more protection from their many, many, enemies. After a thousand years of making a name for himself, Niklaus had garnered a reputation that made him infamous. But with that kind of reputation came enemies who wanted nothing more than to see him, and his family, dead.
The fact that his brothers had been stolen right out from under him made the Original Hybrid want to cover the little town of Mystic Falls in the blood of everyone who lived there. But before he turned his rage onto the innocent lives of the town people, he wanted revenge on the one who stole from him, and that person just so happened to conveniently walk into his home.
"I'm surprised you're still in town." Klaus looked up at the vampire that had the audacity to walk into his home. "I gave you your freedom, you could have gone anywhere."
Stefan leaned against the door frame leading into the room Klaus was in and stared at the hybrid with an unfazed look upon his face. "I live here, Klaus." Stefan replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Well, if we're playing this game," Klaus walked around the table that stood between him and the younger vampire and gestured around the room with his hands before saying, "I was here first."
The much younger vampire smirked and let his eyes roam around the construction zone, noticing various tools spread out around him and Klaus. "You know, I don't like your hybrid friends." He stated with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. "They're everywhere, kind of like fleas, and I want them gone."
Klaus narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, well I kind of like having them around." He then changed the subject away from his hybrids and onto the vampire standing before him. "You know, I'm hurt. I had hoped that when I freed you, we'd pick up where we left off. But here you are, guzzling vervain like the rest of them. So much for friendship."
"Friends don't strip friends of their free will." Stefan sneered. A deep frown marred his face as he glared at the hybrid.
Klaus shrugged, "Okay, granted, yes, that was a little extreme. But I get a little moody. Just ask my siblings." A little was an understatement, but that was something he knew he would have to work through with his family and Fated One. He doubted that Serena would appreciate him daggering his siblings ever again, no matter how much he would want to. "Speaking of whom, isn't it time you handed them over?"
"Klaus," Stefan growled at the Original Hybrid. "Get your hybrids out of Mystic Falls or I will remove them myself."
"Hmm. You see, if you continue to threaten me, I'm going to be forced to retaliate. Kill people. And it will get messy again." Klaus was willing to act on his threat if Stefan thought he could make him do anything. Klaus wasn't about to send the hybrids away when his brothers were still in coffins. He wanted all the protection he could have while Serena insisted on staying in Mystic Falls.
"Do whatever you want. I don't really care." Stefan glared at the hybrid and narrowed his eyes before adding, "Or, you know what? Maybe I do. Maybe I care so much that I'll drop Elijah in the Arctic."
Klaus did well not to show any emotion. He may not have looked bothered by the vampire's threat towards his brother on the outside, but inside, he was raging. The wolf inside of him wanted to rip Stefan to prices for threatening his brother. Elijah and him may have had their differences, but Klaus would never allow someone to hurt him.
"I would be careful about threatening my family, Stefan." Klaus dropped his tone and allowed his wolf to peek out of its cage, causing his eyes to flash gold. "I doubt you want me to retaliate and kill your own brother."
"Try me. Let's find out." Stefan taunted. He was trying to push Klaus into a corner. Stefan knew he had the upper hand and he wanted to use that to force Klaus to do as he said.
While the two stared one another down a hybrid walked into the room and asked, "Is everything okay?" She could feel the tension in the air and knew things could end badly between the Original Hybrid and the vampire.
"Everything is fine, Mindy." Klaus answered the hybrid. "Stefan was just leaving after failing to make his point."
Stefan waited just a moment before acting. He flashed to the work bench and picked up a hand saw before rushing the hybrid that had walked in on him and Klaus. He swung and severed the hybrid's head from her body. He felt no remorse as the corpse hit the ground. He needed Klaus to take him seriously and he knew bloodshed was the only language the Original Hybrid spoke.
"Well, one down." Stefan tossed the saw back onto the work bench. "You may want to send the rest of them away before it gets messy, again." Stefan threw the Original Hybrid's words back into his face before turning and leaving the mansion.
Klaus glared at Stefan as the vampire flashed away. He could feel his anger boiling up within him, but before he acted, he needed to think of a plan. If Stefan thought he could get away with killing one of his hybrids, then he was greatly mistaken.
"Daniel." Klaus summoned the hybrid and he appeared. "Please take care of our dear Mindy, would you?" Daniel nodded his head and waved in another hybrid to help him dispose of their pack mates body. Klaus turned away from the corpse of his hybrid and walked back around the dining table. He looked down at the blue prints spread out on the fine wood of the table. Klaus had summarized that the home he was building would be completed within the next two days and with furniture being set to arrive by tonight, Serena's room would be the first to get done.
He had the plans in his head the second he left Mystic Falls after finding out about Mikael and learning that Serena was uninclined to leave the small town. Now that he knew her reasonings, he was more than happy to provide a home for her while she finished with her schooling. He of course made sure the home he was building would be large enough to accommodate his brothers and sister comfortably. Having his family all under one roof again would be difficult, to say the least, and he knew there would be bitter feelings from his brothers who he had daggered.
"What do you want done with the body?" Daniel asked as he placed Mindy's head in a black trash bag.
"Bury her out in the woods." Klaus ordered. He had thought about telling Daniel to burn the body, but decided that burying the poor hybrid was less callus of him. He needed his hybrids to stay loyal to him, even if they were already bound to him through the sire bond.
Just as Daniel walked out of the room, Tyler showed up. "You called? I'm here." The teenager watched as Daniel and another hybrid carried a large black trash bag out of the mansion. He could smell blood and asked Klaus, "What happened?"
"What happened is Stefan had two paths in front of him and he chose the one that made me angry." Klaus answered. "I need you to help me with something about that."
Tyler frowned at Klaus and asked, "Can't you just leave me out of it?" The teenager was already having a hard time trying to keep it together and staying on his friend's good side. Last thing he needed was Klaus to order him to do something against Stefan.
Klaus narrowed his eyes at the hybrid. "What would be the point of that?" He questioned with a hint of annoyance.
"Seriously man, can't you just get one of your other hybrids to do your bidding?" Tyler snarked. "I lost my friends, my girlfriend, because of you."
An idea suddenly came to Klaus at the mention of Tyler's girlfriend. As he recalled the baby vampire, Caroline, was Tyler's girlfriend. She had tried to grab Serena that night Klaus had successfully turned Tyler into a hybrid. "Right, your girlfriend. About her," He looked Tyler in the eyes and said, "I need you to bite her."
Tyler paled at the Original Hybrids words. "What?"
"Don't make me repeat myself." Was all the explanation Klaus offered. He wanted to send a message to those in Mystic Falls who were aware of what Stefan had done. What better way than having the town's baby vampire bitten by a hybrid.
"A hybrid bite will kill a vampire." Tyler stated the obvious and Klaus rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah. I know exactly what it will do." Klaus waved his hand nonchalantly at the teenager. "Stefan pushed me too far, and your little girlfriend will be a perfect message to send. So I'm pushing back."
Tyler shook his head. "I'm not biting Caroline." There was no way he would bite his own girlfriend. He couldn't just sentence her to that kind of painful death. He loved her.
Klaus sighed in irritation and explained himself by saying, "Tyler, I've been supernaturally blessed with the good fortune of a sire bond to you." Klaus reminded him. "So, one could consider this me putting your undying loyalty to the test."
"What the hell is wrong with you? I'm not hurting Caroline." Tyler exclaimed. There was no way he was doing what Klaus ordered of him. He cared about Caroline too much to hurt her.
"All right. All right." Klaus relented. "I'm disappointed, but you know, it's your choice. Free will and all that. I'll find another way to strike at Stefan. You can go now." Klaus waved the teenager away.
Tyler seemed unsure for a moment as he tried to figure out Klaus' game. He knew that the Original Hybrid was planning something, but he didn't have courage to ask him what that was and was more than happy to be able to leave.
Klaus watched as Tyler left and smirked at the retreating form of the hybrid. He knew very well that Tyler would complete his tasks, even if the boy didn't want to do it. The sire bond was binding and Klaus had done his part in planting the seed. Now all he had to do was wait.
Niklaus smirked and returned to his earlier task of looking over the blueprints of the home he had built for his family. Just as he was going over the downstairs portion of the mansion, his phone rang. He pulled the device out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID.
"Yes, Beck?" He answered the call. Klaus was curious as to why the hybrid he had assigned to watch his Fated One was calling him.
"We lost her." The hybrid announced into the phone.
Klaus narrowed his eyes in anger and growled into the phone, "What do you mean you lost her?"
"She split up from your sister and walked off into the woods after school. Vanessa and I followed her like you ordered, but she just suddenly disappeared. Even her scent is gone." Beck explained to the Original Hybrid what had happened to the girl he and his mate had been ordered to follow.
Klaus pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh. While he was unhappy that his hybrids had lost track of Serena, he understood why she had suddenly disappeared from their sights. "Return to the mansion. I can find her on my own." Niklaus hung up the phone without explaining any further and returned the device to his pocket. "Tony," He called for his second in command and the hybrid appeared in the doorway. "I'm going out. Keep an eye on the place, mate."
Tony raised an eyebrow at the Original Hybrid and nodded his head as Klaus walked out of the room. Niklaus knew exactly how his little Fated One had disappeared to and knew just where to find her.
~Break~
I was grateful that I was somehow able to get through the day without any complications and was able to focus on my school work. I made sure to tuck all my assignments into the Bekah's bag so I could work on them later. It was strange having something to focus on besides the supernatural drama that was currently taking precedent in my life. The more realistic part of my mind knew that I probably wouldn't get the chance to even think about my homework when I left school. But a part of me still hoped that soon I would be able to find some sort of balance with everything going on.
By the time the last bell rang I was exhausted and ready to be far away from the crowd of high schoolers. I couldn't have been more grateful to Bekah for staying beside me the entire day. I was still so unused to the pressure I was now feeling when surrounded by so many strangers. My senses are more acute now than before I turned eighteen. I could now feel the life force that flowed through everything that was a part of the balance of nature. It was overwhelming being able to feel life and death all around me. But I knew it was something I was going to have to learn to control. I couldn't always depend on Bekah to chase the pressure away.
"I'll be alright on my own." I said as Bekah frowned at me. Bekah and I were back at my locker as I put away my book from our last class. "I promise, I'll be fine. I'm just going to the tree. I'm used to making the walk there by myself and you know that no one can get to me once I'm there." Bekah seemed unconvinced by my words.
"I'm not worried about you being at the tree. It's the fact that you want to go alone that bothers me." She said to me as she crossed her arms over her chest and let out a deep sigh. "Fine. But if Nik gives me any trouble for letting you go by yourself, I'm telling him that you ran from me." I couldn't help but smile at her dramatics and nodded my head in agreement.
"I give you full permission to throw me under the bus." She rolled her eyes at me and I couldn't help but grin. "I won't be gone for too long. I just need to grab my bag." Bekah walked with me out of the school and before we went separate ways, I turned to look at her, "I'll see you later, okay. Try and stay out of trouble." She again rolled her eyes at me and scoffed as she walked off towards the parking lot. I smiled at her retreating figure and made my way towards the tree line.
The pressure I had been feeling started to fade away as I walked further into the woods. It was far more peaceful among the quiet trees than it had been being surrounded by teenagers. I took in a deep breath and felt the tension I had been carrying around begin to fade.
The invisible path that led to the oak tree was ingrained in my mind and I was confident that my hike through the woods would be uneventful. But as I made my way deeper into the woods, and further away from civilization, I felt something in the air. I stopped walking and stood still as I tried to focus on whatever it was that was putting me on edge.
Something was definitely wrong.
I held my breath and focused on the energy around me. The wind rustled through the trees and I could hear birds chirping above me. Then, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when I felt the energy I was looking for. It was a hybrid.
I felt my shoulders fall and I let out the air I was holding in my lungs and sighed. The hybrid's presence was definitely a surprise, but I wasn't exactly shocked. I should have guessed that Nik had sent his hybrids to keep an eye on Bekah and I.
I decided to ignore the hybrid that was following me and continued making my way towards the oak tree. I knew that whoever was following me would lose me the second I passed through the barrier that surrounded the oak tree. I had very little doubt that the hybrid following me would contact Nik right away as soon as I disappeared. I also knew that Nik would have no trouble finding me when that did happen.
A few moments after discovering I was being followed by a hybrid, I spotted a familiar ring of trees. I could see hints of green peeking through the trunks of the trees that surrounded the clearing. I happily passed through the barrier and entered the oak trees clearing.
As soon as I stepped into the clearing, I felt like I could finally relax. The oak tree was the only place where I knew I was completely safe from anyone trying to hurt me. Nothing could touch me when I was here.
I found my bag sitting against the base of the oak tree, exactly where I had left it a couple days prior. I sat down and leaned against the trunk of the large tree as I pulled my bag onto my lap and made sure everything was as I left it. Once satisfied with my findings, I set my bag aside and leaned my head back against the tree and closed my eyes. I was more than happy to take advantage of the peaceful moment. I felt like there was so much that I have to do and I was running out of time.
My decision to tell Caroline everything was an easy decision to make, but I still needed to stop being a coward and talk to my sister. I knew that Elena was dealing with a lot. Both of us had been thrown into this supernatural world without much warning. Granted, it was going to happen to me one way or another, but a year ago Elena was living a normal life with normal issues. Now things were different. Elena was scared and didn't understand a lot of what was happening. Some of her worries were my fault while the rest of it stemmed from her trying to keep the people cared about safe.
Sometimes I think she forgets that she's only eighteen. She's scared and I can kind of understand the decisions she made. I love my sister, and I want her to get back to that place where she can be a normal human girl again. It was my past that was affecting her life in the present so I needed to deal with the obstacles in front of me first before trying to mend our relationship.
I let out a long sigh as my thoughts whirled around in my head. It wasn't just Elena that I wanted to speak to. Damon was someone else who had hurt me in the past, but again, his actions were because he wanted to protect me. Was he still a major dick who went about it all wrong? Yes. But he was still my brother and I loved him. He was still my brother, even after dying and being reborn as someone else, the bond I shared with him was still there.
Then there was my other brother. Stefan was also my brother, but the anger I felt towards him after what he did made me want to punch him in his dumb face. He stole my Fated Ones, and while I understood that he did it because he wanted to strike back against Niklaus, it wasn't right for him to take Elijah, Kol, and Finn like that. He was using Nik's brothers as hostages in a way to try and control Nik and Bekah.
Stefan wanted Nik and his sister gone, but because I didn't want to leave, neither of the Originals were going to be leaving Mystic Falls anytime soon. Especially with their brothers daggered inside of coffins. Coffins Nik had placed them in.
While I was aware that Niklaus was the one who daggered his brothers, I still don't understand why he did it. Granted, whatever his reasons are, I wasn't about to let them remain daggered and Nik was going to have to earn their forgiveness.
I hated having to think about Elijah, Finn, and Kol trapped inside of coffins. It was morbid thinking about them in coffins, unable to wake up and unaware of my existence. Only Elijah knew I was alive and I could only imagine how he was going to react when he was undaggered.
It wasn't hard for me to understand why Elena and the others saw Niklaus as the villain in the story that was unfolding in Mystic Falls. Nik has done nothing but cause everyone pain and even unintentionally hurt me by killing my sister and Jenna. But even after learning about all that he's done, I couldn't find it in myself to fear him. I still cared for him, and yes, I understood that Niklaus was no longer the same man I knew a thousand years ago. He had been human back then and I barely had any time to get used to my Fated Ones as vampires before Mikael had killed me.
The five siblings have had multiple lifetimes, some more than others, to learn and grow as vampires. I've only had my memories of them for a couple of months and was still trying to learn and understand what I even am. Our lives together were so long ago that we basically had a fresh start as Fated Ones, and for many reasons that thought had doubt bubbling up inside of me.
This doubt that I was feeling was nothing new to me. Since the day my memories came back to me, my mind has been haunted by bitter and bleak thoughts. A thousand years. That's how long it's been since my Fated Ones and I were together with full, unbroken, bonds. Bonds that once seemed unbreakable and that were filled with the love we had for one another. But a thousand years changes people. I was dead to them and our bonds were broken.
The doubt I was feeling stemmed from the unknown. I mean, I didn't think I could fault any of the brothers for loving someone else after my death. But even though I understood that they would have needs and crave a relationship with another living being. It still hurts to think of them loving someone else.
Tears burned at my eyes and I quickly tried to brush them away as they built up and overflowed. The thought of them loving someone else made my heart ache, but I knew I couldn't hate them for finding love in someone that wasn't me. The pain and loneliness that they must have felt after my death must have been excruciating. I couldn't fault them for trying to heal and wanting to find love in someone else as a way to feel whole again.
I was trying to rub my tears away when I felt a sudden shift in the air. My head snapped up and I held my breath as someone stepped through the trees and into the clearing. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as Nik walked into the clearing. I had been so distracted by my own thoughts that I hadn't realized whose energy I was feeling.
He approached and kneeled down in front of me so we were almost eye level with one another. He then reached out and gently grasped my chin between his thumb and pointer finger and asked, "What happened, love? Who made you cry?"
I let out a shuddering breath and shook my head. "I think I made myself cry." I admitted with a somber smile. He frowned at my answer and I quickly added, "I was overthinking things. With everything that's going on, I was feeling overwhelmed by it all." It wasn't the whole truth, but I was hoping it would be enough for Nik. I didn't think I could admit to him what had really made me cry.
But the Original Hybrid seemed unconvinced by my words, so I decided to change the subject and made the decision that now was as good a time as any to tell him everything that's happened to me since my death a thousand years ago.
I patted the grass beside me and gave him a small smile. "There's a lot I have to tell you, and I think it's best that I start at the beginning." Nik seemed unsure at first, but moved to sit beside me. He sat close to me and I turned slightly to the side so I could look at him.
"After I was killed by Mikael," Nik flinched at my words and I placed a hand on his out of instinct to reassure him that I was alright. "I was reborn. I don't know the exact dates, but I think it was around the early 1600s. Just in time for the witch hysteria to consume the masses. My parents were Joseph and Elizabeth Smith. They both came from a well off family and after they were married they decided to follow a small group of settlers who wanted to find new, fertile land. They came here and after the village had been established, they had me." I paused and looked down at my hands. I had pulled Niks hand into my lap and was absent mindedly tracing the lines on his palm as I thought back to my past.
"I was quite the shock to them when I was born. White hair and red eyes. They thought I was the child of the devil. I was lucky, in a roundabout way, to not have been killed right after my birth. It wasn't until I turned twelve and my Fae gifts started to manifest that Joseph and Elizabeth took action." I stopped tracing Niks palms as I fell back into my memories. "I was dragged out of our home in the dead of night, along with others that had been accused of witchcraft. They gathered us all near the quarry and tied us to posts in the ground. I remember begging for forgiveness and crying out for Elizabeth. But she did nothing but watch as her husband and the men from the village lit a fire under my feet."
I had become so lost in my memories that I had almost forgotten that Nik was sitting beside me until a low growl erupted from his chest. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked up at him. I was about to say something to reassure him that I was fine, but I was silent as I looked him in the eyes. His eyes kept flickering between gold and blue as his lips curled up in a snarl. I felt the darkness and bloodlust in his energy fill the air around us.
I acted without thinking and reached up and grasped his face between my hands. "Easy now, Niklaus." I held his gaze and gently brushed my thumbs against his cheeks. "It's okay now. That was a long time ago and I'm here now. Alive and safe."
He growled again and placed his hands over mine and intertwined our fingers. He then leaned forward and placed his forehead against mine. "It doesn't matter how long ago it was, if I could bring those vile humans back to life, I would make them suffer for what they did to you."
It was a violent picture he was painting with his words, but I couldn't help but feel warm at his vow to hurt my past offenders. "I know you would." I whispered softly.
"You will never have to endure anything like that ever again." The deep longing in his eyes made my heart pound fiercely against my rib cage and I could only nod my head at his promise. I believed him with all my heart that he would protect me from the pain I've felt in my past lives.
I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath before pulling back and lowering our joined hands. I pulled his hands into my lap and looked back into Niks eyes. "That time in my life is over, and as far as I know, those who hurt me in that life are long dead." I was sure that Joseph and Elizabeth were dead. The chance that they had been turned into vampires was minuscule and I prayed that the Fates wouldn't be cruel enough to bring those two back into my life. "I was reborn again in 1849. Mystic Falls was quite the bustling town back then and I was the third, and only daughter, born to Giuseppe and Lillian Salvatore." I watched as Niks eyes brows rose and he looked bewildered at what I had just said to him.
"Salvatore? As in Damon and Stefan?" He asked with curiosity lining his voice.
I nodded my head. "Yes. I was Damon and Stefan's little sister." Niklaus titled his head and I continued to tell him about my past life as a Salvatore. "Lillian died about two years after I was born. Damon had to step in to take care of both Stefan and I. Giuseppe wasn't a kind man and he didn't care much for his second son and he cared very little for me. He had always believed I was the child of another man considering how different I looked. But Damon made sure I was well taken care of. He was the one who assigned me a governess and made sure I was dressed properly and had schooling." I smiled softly as I thought back to all the care Damon had put into raising me. "He did everything to make sure I had a good life. But things changed after I turned fifteen. A stranger came to town. I think you know her, Katherine Pierce."
Nik's spine went rigid and he narrowed his eyes at the name of the doppelgӓnger. "Yes, I am well aware of Katerina."
I nodded, "Well, she came to Mystic Falls back in 1864. Her and a group of vampires moved into the town and things got complicated. She was compelling Stefan to love her and had Damon wrapped around her finger with her charm. I had no idea what Katherine was back then, but I did know that she was dangerous. I couldn't stand being in a room with her for longer than five minutes and kept my distance." A shiver ran down my spine at the memory of how Katherine made me feel. Niklaus gripped my hands and I sent him a grateful smile. "It was the morning of the day when the townspeople trapped the vampires in the tomb and I had gone for a walk in the woods. I kept a journal that I would draw in as a way to try to understand my past memories. I was planning on coming here that day and sketching a memory that had come to me in my dreams. But Katherine had followed me out into the woods, and stopped me."
I looked back down at Niks hands in my lap and squeezed them to try and center myself. "She frightened me and I dropped my journal. Before I could pick it back up, she had already grabbed it and was looking through it. I remember the fear on her face when she came across a certain drawing I had done. I didn't understand why she was so afraid back then, but now I do." I paused and looked up at Niklaus. "It was a drawing of you that she saw in my journal. She killed me that day out of her fear of you. I think she was afraid of how I knew you and if I had been in contact with you."
Nik moved too fast for me to see as he was suddenly no longer sitting beside me. I looked up and watched as he paced the clearing. The air around him became thick with anger as the energy that surrounded him became dense with his bloodlust. I stood up and crossed my arms and watched as he stalked back and forth. It was easy to see that he was agitated and upset with what I had just told him. His eyes flickered from blue to gold, and gray veins pulsed out from around his eyes. The animal inside of him wanted out.
"Niklaus." I spoke his name softly as I carefully approached him. I knew he wouldn't hurt me, but I was cautious for his sake. He growled softly and stopped his pacing as I approached him. I stood in front of him and slowly reached out to cup his face in my hand. Something inside of me was telling me that I needed to comfort my Fated One and reassure him that I was alright. "Hey, I'm right here. She can't hurt me any more."
"She will pay for even looking at you." Nik took hold of my wrist and pushed his nose into the palm of my hand. "She will have nowhere to run when my brothers are released and I tell them what she's done. I will hunt her down and make her suffer."
I believed him. I knew deep down in my heart that Niklaus would make Katherine suffer for what she did to me and I welcomed that feeling. She was a living nightmare for me. Someone who tormented me in the worst possible way by looking exactly like my sister. I wouldn't mourn her death at the hands of my Fated One.
"Elena and I were born and adopted by Miranda and Grayson Gilbert in 1992." I wanted to distract Nik from what I had told him about Katherine. "Stefan showed up in Mystic Falls over a year ago and the normal life my sister and I had been living was suddenly turned upside down." I gave him a soft smile and added, "Well, normal for some of us. I have been dreaming of my past lives since I was twelve and trying to understand why I was so different from everyone else. I had a loving family, and yet I still felt so lonely and out of place as a Gilbert."
Nik reached out and pulled me into his chest. He then gripped my chin in his fingers and looked me in the eyes as he said, "You will never have to feel that way again, love. I will find my brothers and reunite you with them." He leaned in close and I found my eyes fluttering closed. "No one will ever take you away from me, Serena."
His words pierced my heart as he leaned in and placed his lips against mine. The bond that connected us sparked to life and I felt his energy drape across my body like a protective shield. I felt wholly consumed by him as his lips dominated mine. I tried to press myself as close to him as I could as the voice inside my head begged for me to get closer to him. The bond between us hummed to life and I felt my insides grow warm.
Nik pulled away and I sucked in some much needed air. The hybrid nuzzled his nose against my jaw as I regained my bearings and the fog that clouded my mind began to clear. Niklaus pulled himself away from my skin and looked down and smirked at my flustered state. I couldn't help but send him a small glare at the male pride that was clear to see in his eyes. I was slightly embarrassed by my reaction to our heavy kiss, but then again I was an eighteen year old girl who hasn't been kissed like that for a very long time. So I think I was owed some slack when it came to my neediness for affection from my Fated One.
"Now then, back to business, love." Nik's smirk had me raising a brow and waiting for his next words. "Why don't you join me in attending the town's Restoration Fundraiser. I want this so-called council to see that you are with me and under my protection."
"You know about the council?" I asked in curiosity.
He smirked and nodded his head. "Yes, I am well aware of this town's little anti-vampire council. They are no threat to us, love, but they will do well with a little reminder."
I shook my head and let out a sigh. I pulled out of Niks grasp and walked away to pick my bag up off the ground. "I get the feeling that you mean to threaten the council members into yielding to your demands." I turned back to the hybrid and the grin on his face was one that feigned innocence.
"Don't worry, love. There will be no threats coming from me, only promises." He wrapped his arm around my waist as soon as I closed enough to him and led me out of the clearing. "Best be going, sweetheart. Bekah will become cross if we are late."
The sun had already set by the time Niklaus, Bekah, and I had arrived at Founders Hall where the fundraiser was being held. Nik had his hybrids spread out around the outside of the hall, while Daniel and Tony joined us inside of the building. They kept their distance and blended in with the other party goers as Nik led the way towards the crowd. As we approached, I saw a model of Wickery Bridge in the center of the room and a sign reading 'The Restoration of Wickery Bridge.' I couldn't help but frown at the sight of the bridge that Grayson and Miranda died on. The bridge definitely held less than joyful memories for a lot of people in Mystic Falls.
"Ah, Klaus, how kind of you to join us." I looked away from the model of the bridge my parents died on and saw the mayor approaching. Carol Lockwood wore a strained smile that told me she wasn't exactly excited to see Niklaus and Rebekah at the fundraiser. I stepped out from behind Nik and sent the woman a small smile. Carol seemed shocked to see me but quickly composed herself. "Oh, and Serena. I wasn't expecting you to be here."
"Hi, Mayor Lockwood." I sent the woman a small wave before Nik gathered me into his side.
"Sister, why don't you and Serena mingle with the people." Nik gently nudged me towards Bekah and smiled charmingly at the Mayor. "I believe Mayor Lockwood and I have a donation to discuss."
I looked back at Nik before allowing Bekah to loop her arm with mine and lead me away from the Original Hybrid and Mayor Lockwood. I figured this was where Nik paid off the Mayor and made sure her and the council were aware that if they stayed out of his hair, he wouldn't kill everyone in town.
"Well this is utterly dull and boring." Bekah's comment made me nod my head in agreement as she sneered at the upper class of Mystic Falls who were all socializing and making donations towards the fundraiser. She was right of course, the fundraiser was boring, and a part of me was hoping that it would stay that way.
Bekah and I wandered around the room in an aimless circle, but as we made our way back around towards where Nik was speaking to the Mayor I felt a shift in the air. I pulled Bekah to a stop when I recognized the energy that I was feeling. I didn't have to wait long for Damon to make an appearance and watched as he approached Nik and Mayor Lockwood. But it wasn't just Damon that I had felt entering Founders Hall. I searched for the younger Salvatore but I couldn't find him.
"Oh wonderful, they let the riff raff in." Bekah sneered at the sight of Damon and I lightly elbowed her in the ribs.
"Be nice, Bekah." The Original Vampire scoffed and turned her nose up before leading me away from where her brother and Damon were speaking. I couldn't help but glance back at Damon. I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss the vampire. He was still my brother and the good memories were trying so hard to outweigh the bad ones.
At one point I was able to pull myself away from Bekah for a moment to use the restroom. While away from the Original Vampire, I had felt Stefans energy disappear from Founders Hall and felt a sense of relief knowing he had left. The last thing this town needed was a massacre between Niklaus and Stefan to take place in the town square. I rejoined the fundraiser and looked around for Bekah, but before I could even spot her, a leather jacket and its accompanying vampire blocked my view of the room.
"Little sister." Damon took hold of my arm and pulled me away from the crowd and said, "Just in time, we have a problem. And you are just the person to hopefully fix it."
"What are you talking about, Damon?" I asked in confusion as Damon opened a random door and led me into an empty room. We walked into the room and Damon closed the doors behind us, but before anything could be said, the doors were suddenly reopened and Bekah stormed into the room.
"What do you think you're doing?" She snapped and reached out to smack Damon on the arm that was holding onto me. "Let go of her." Damon released his hold on me and glared at Bekah.
"This doesn't concern you, Barbie Klaus." He hissed at her before looking over at me and pleading, "We seriously need to talk, Serena."
"What's going on, Damon?" My question was laced with concern as the desperation in Damon's eyes grew.
"Our brother is a massive idiot and is doing idiot things, that's what's going on." Damon's words made my heart clench inside of my chest at the implications of what he was saying filtered through my mind. "So, please. Just hear me out."
"I don't think that's necessary, mate." I turned around to see Niklaus walking into the room and closing the doors behind him. He came over and stood closed beside me while his sister took a defensive stance on my other side.
"Yeah well, this doesn't concern you, even though it is your fault that it's even happening," Damon hissed at Nik. He looked at me and I could see the dread grow in his eyes as he said, "Stefan grabbed Elena."
I felt my heart fall into my stomach and reluctantly asked, "What do you mean, Stefan grabbed Elena?"
"He's trying to get to Klaus through you." My stomach dropped at Damon's explanation and I suddenly felt a wave of anxiety wash over me. "He wants to get rid of the hybrids, and he's willing to hurt Elena to get you to do it." Damon shifted his eye over to Nik as he spoke.
"Well, he's getting desperate." Was all Nik said about the matter. "Don't worry, love. Stefan would never dream of killing her."
"You sure about that?" Damon snapped. "He just tried to behead someone in the middle of a Council party. He's operating on crazy right now."
"He tried to what?" I was shocked at what I was hearing.
"Well that's just great." Bekah said as she crossed her arms. "But Stefans showed us time and time again that he loves the doppelgänger. So I doubt he would actually go through with it. He's bluffing."
"Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. But if you don't want to believe him, believe me." Damon looked at me and I felt my chest grow tight at the look I saw in his eyes. "I know my brother, you know our brother. Right now, I don't have a clue how far he is willing to take this." He paused and I saw the desperation in his eyes. "Serena, he's not the Stefan you knew when he was human. He's going to hurt Elena, your sister."
Damon's words hit me like a ton of bricks because I knew he was right. Stefan was desperate and willing to do anything to get at Nik. If I ignored this, then I was sentencing my sister to a world of pain. No matter our conflicts, she was still my sister. I had to do something to help her.
I jumped when I felt my phone vibrating in my back pocket and fumbled to grab it. My breath became caught in my throat when I noticed the caller ID. I answered the call quickly and asked, "Where's Elena?" My heart was pounding in my chest and I felt like I was about to fall off the edge of a cliff as I waited for Stefan to answer my question.
"You need to tell Klaus to get his hybrids out of town." Stefan didn't bother answering my question about Elena. I looked up at Nik and saw his eyes narrow. I knew he could hear everything Stefan had said.
"Tell me where Elena is?" I snapped back. I could feel my nails digging into my skin as I clench my other fist in frustration and fear.
"She's right here, beside me. We're about to drive off Wickery Bridge." Stefan answered and I practically felt my soul leave my body. He sounded so assured, as if driving off the bridge and killing my sister was no big deal to him.
"Don't do this, Stefan. Please, just let her go." I begged and prayed that the Stefan that I knew would hear me and stop all this, but I was sadly mistaken and was only met with a dry laugh.
"Not likely, little sister. Klaus needs to get rid of his hybrids." I could hear the sound of the engine rev and felt my blood run cold. I looked up at Nik for help.
"He won't do it." He stated. But I could see the doubt in his eyes. To anyone else, he looked as if he could care less about what was happening, but I could see the war he was having with himself. Elena meant nothing to Nik, she had played her part in breaking the curse and I was the key that created the hybrids. He had no need for her. But she was my sister. She was someone that I cared about.
"Really?" Stefan scoffed. "Tell Klaus that his coffins are next to go. Say goodbye to your family, Klaus."
Bekah growled at the threat. I didn't take my eyes off of Nik. I knew that this could only end one way, and I was going to have to make a decision.
The engine revved again, and this time I could hear my sister scream, "Stefan, slow down! Stefan! Stop it!"
I felt my heart shatter and without breaking eye contact with Nik I said, "Fine. He'll send them away." Nik said nothing as I made the decision. Elena screamed again and I flinched. "Stop the car, Stefan! You win!" I could no longer hold back my tears as I listened to the car come to a screeching halt. The call was suddenly disconnected and I felt my body grow heavy.
"Serena?" Damon spoke softly but I just shook my head.
"He stopped the car," I muttered and looked up at Damon. "Will you go find them and make sure Elenas alright?" Damon looked at me with reluctance in his eyes, but he ultimately nodded his head and left to go do as I had asked of him.
"Come here, love." With Damon gone, Nik took me into his arms and held me as I tried to keep myself from falling apart.
"Well, Stefan certainly gives you a run for your money when being dramatic, brother." Bekah commented. I had folded myself into Niks arms and was taking in deep breaths to try and calm down my rapidly beating heart.
"Yes, well, this little stunt of his won't be going unpunished." Nik promised. "He can't hide the coffins forever, he's bound to slip up and reveal where he has them hidden."
I said nothing as the siblings spoke to one another. My mind was mainly focused on praying to the Fates that Elena was alright. The fear she must have felt being in a car speeding towards the same bridge that our parents died on, the same bridge she almost died on, must have been terrifying. Elena had survived that bridge once, I didn't think she'd be able to do it again. The fact that Stefan knew to use me to get to Niklaus also struck a nerve. He had used Elena to make me force Niks hand and make him comply with his demands.
My hand was still clutching my phone and when I felt it start to vibrate again, I quickly glanced down at it to see if it was Elena or Damon calling me. But I was surprised to see Tyler's name instead. I quickly warped away the few tears that managed to escape my eyes and answered the call.
"Tyler?" I felt Nik stiffen up when I said Tyler's name. I looked up at him and noticed the deep frown marring his face as he stared at me.
"I bit Caroline." Tylers words came out in a sob. "I bit her. I didn't mean to. It just happened."
I pulled away from Nik and looked down at the floor in shock as Tylers words processed in my mind. "You bit her? Tyler, what do you mean you bit her?" Panic was beginning to burn at my throat. I knew very well what a hybrid bite would do to Caroline, having heard what happened to Rose when she had been bit by a werewolf.
"I didn't mean to. The sire bond made me do it." Tyler's voice was distraught. "You have to get Klaus to save her, Serena. She can't die like this."
I pulled back even further away from Nik at the mention of his name. I looked up at him and could see the guilt he was trying to hide in his eyes. "It's going to be okay, Tyler. I'll take care of Caroline." I hung up the phone after Tyler started to thank me. I took a moment to close my eyes and take in a deep breath. I forced myself to push aside everything that had just taken place with Stefan and Elena, and focused on the matter at hand. Right now, Caroline needed me and I was the only one who would be able to help her.
"Niklaus Mikaelson," I opened my eyes and looked up at the Original Hybrid. He had the decency to look at least somewhat sorry as he winced when I said his full name. "What did you do?" I spoke each word with firmness that got my point across.
Nik frowned at my tone of voice and said, "It wasn't anything personal, love. Just sending a message."
"Honestly, Nik. I expected Kol to be the first one to end up in the dog house, not you." Bekah snapped from behind me. Nik glared at his sister before looking back at me and reaching out to take me back into his arms.
I took a small step back, not enough to put a lot of space between us, but enough to get my point across. I was upset and I needed him to know that. His frown deepened and I could tell it bothered him that I wasn't allowing him to touch me.
"We're going to Caroline, and you're going to give her your blood and cure the bite Tyler gave her." I was upset that my friend was suffering. I couldn't understand why he had made Tyler do it, and I could feel myself growing more upset with him by the second. "Caroline is my friend, Nik. She doesn't deserve to die because of what Stefan has done."
Niklaus looked at me with a blank expression before nodding his head. He then reached out again and this time I didn't step back as he pulled me into his arms. "Forgive me, love." He nuzzled his nose against the top of my head and said, "I'll cure the bite and leave the baby vampire alone."
I let out a sigh and sagged against Niks chest before nodding my head. "Thank you." I whispered softly.
The three of us left Founders Hall and climbed into the SUV. On our way towards the Forbes residence, Nik called his hybrids and gave them the order to leave Mystic Falls for the next few days. I was grateful that he was following through with the deal I had made for him out of fear for my sister's safety.
Before we made it to Caroline's house, I turned around in my seat and looked back at Bekah and asked, "Hey, do you still have that box I put in your bag this morning?" The Original Vampire nodded her head and pulled out the simple white box from her bag on the floor of the car. "Thank you." I took the small box from her and turned back around in my seat. I could feel Nik's eyes on me and knew he was curious about the small box in my hands. "Today is Caroline's birthday," I began to explain, "It's not ideal, but maybe it can be a 'sorry my Fated One made your boyfriend bite you', gift."
I looked over at Nik with a raised brow and couldn't help but smirk softly as Bekah laughed from the back seat. Nik huffed and glared at the road ahead. We pulled up to the house and I placed the box in my jacket pocket before getting out of the SUV. Nik and Bekah followed right behind me as I walked up to the front door and knocked. I wasn't surprised to see Matt when the door opened. He looked relieved to see me, but once he noticed my company, he narrowed his eyes.
"Why are they here?" The teen jock glared openly at the thousand year old vampires standing behind me and I could only shake my head.
"Nik's blood is the only thing that can cure the bite." I reminded Matt. "Can you go and ask Liz to invite them in?"
Matt looked ready to argue with me about letting Nik and Bekah into the house, but was interrupted. "It's alright, Matt." The Sheriff walked out into the hall. "Klaus, Rebekah. Please come in." I offered the woman a soft smile and entered the house.
I led the way to Caroline's bedroom. I could feel her energy seeping through the walls. My chest grew tight as we got closer and I felt her energy beginning to dim. The venom from the bite she received was already working its way through body and I knew she didn't have much time before she succumbed to the wound.
As I opened the door to her room, I felt the imbalance of her energy as her life force was slowly beginning to fade. "Serena?" The weakness in her voice made my heart ache as I looked at her laying in bed. The look of surprise on her face quickly faded as fear filled her gaze when she spotted Nik walking into the room from behind me. "Is he here to kill me?" Caroline choked out.
I shook my head and quickly said, "No, I promise. He isn't here to hurt you, Care. Nik's going to give you his blood to cure the bite." I knew Niklaus was the last person that she wanted to see, but his blood was the only thing that could save her. "We'll leave as soon as the bite is healed."
"Don't," Caroline choked out. "Don't leave." I stared at her softly and nodded my head.
I glanced up at Nik and moved out of the way so he could approach Caroline. He then pulled up the sleeve of his shirt and presented Caroline with his wrist. Care looked unsure and glanced back at me for some sort of reassurance. I sent her a soft smile and nodded my head.
"My apologies about the bite, collateral damage and what not." I glared at the back of Niks head as he spoke. A part of me knew he wasn't as sorry as he sounded and was probably just apologizing for my benefit. "It was nothing personal."
Caroline stared at the hybrid with apprehension and I shook my head. "Niklaus. You're not helping." I nudged at the back of his legs with my foot and he glanced back to see me glaring at him. The hybrid merely smirked and raised his brows.
"No lies here, love." He said before turning back to Caroline.
Caroline looked back at the wrist that was being offered to her and with a bit of hesitation, took Niks arm and bit into his skin. I had to look away as Caroline drank Niks blood. I wasn't a fan of the sight and knew it was a silly reason, but I didn't like the idea of my Fated Ones sharing their blood with others. Something about blood sharing felt intimate and a small part of me felt uncomfortable with Caroline drinking from Niklaus.
Once fed a sufficient amount of his blood, Nik pulled his arm back and the wound healed in an instant. "There, all better." Nik turned away from Caroline and looked at me. "Shall we, love?"
I looked over at Care. There was still so much to be said and I knew I couldn't just leave without giving her some sort of explanation. "Do you mind giving us a moment?" I looked at Nik and begged with my eyes for him to understand that I needed to do this. He seemed unhappy and I could tell he didn't want to leave me alone with Caroline. But he nodded his head and reluctantly left the room.
It was silent as Nik left the room and I felt my heart skip a beat as Carolines energy slowly returned to its normal intensity. I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out the small white box. Without looking up at the vampire I said, "Bekah helped me pick this out for you. I was hoping to give it to you under better circumstances. Anyway, happy birthday, Caroline." I looked up and handed Caroline the small box.
I held my breath as she opened the gift and watched as her eyes grew soft at the necklace nestled inside of the box. "Oh. Serena, it's beautiful." She pulled the necklace out by the delicate silver chain and stared at the small pendant hanging in her hand. It wasn't much, when I saw the necklace on the day Bekah and I had left Mystic Falls to go shopping, I just knew I had to get it for Caroline.
The small silver sunflower hanging at the bottom of the silver chain was encrusted with yellow diamonds that sparkled in the light and surrounded a delicately engraved C. Bekah had suggested getting it engraved, saying something along the lines that it was fashionable and didn't matter since Niklaus was technically paying for it.
"Thank you, Serena." I smiled softly at her and nodded my head.
"Your welcome," I paused and looked down at my feet before saying, "And I'm sorry, about all this. I never wanted any of you to get caught in the middle of Niklaus and Stefans fighting." I looked her in the eye and added, "I promise, nothing like this will ever happen to you again."
"I believe you." She smiled sadly and looked down as the necklace in her hands as tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. "I get that things are complicated right now, but I've missed you so much, Serena."
A sob broke out of her throat and I practically launched myself at her and wrapped my arms around her as she cried. Caroline held onto me tightly and I felt my heart break at her tears. "I'm so sorry, Care. I should have told you what was going on before something like this could happen." We pulled away from each other and Caroline rubbed at her eyes. "I have so much to tell you." I admitted.
"Why don't you start with the whole Klaus thing," She sniffled softly as she spoke. "I mean, you've been with him for the past three days and seem perfectly fine. Elena has been freaking out and saying that he's been torturing you or something."
I shook my head. "He hasn't been torturing me." I quickly said to squash the idea that Nik would hurt me. "Do you remember back when Elijah came to Mystic Falls and I told you that I knew him?" Caroline nodded her head and I continued, "It's a similar situation with Niklaus. On mine and Elena's birthday, my memories of my first life came back to me." I paused and looked down at the space between us. "It turns out that you were right about there being something between Elijah and I."
Caroline's mouth fell open in surprise. She quickly shook her head and exclaimed out of excitement, "I knew it!" She whooped and smiled at me in victory. "I knew you two had some sort of epic love story."
I couldn't help but quietly laugh at her excitement. "Yeah, it's a little bit more complicated than whatever you're thinking. Elijah is my Fated One."
"Fated One? What's a Fated One?" Caroline asked as her natural curiosity to know everything began to surface.
"It's like a soul mate, but deeper. Only someone like me, a Fae, can feel a bond between them and a Fated One. My Father was my Mothers Fated One and they shared a connection so deep that when my Father died my Mother followed him in death." I did my best to explain just how profound the bond between Fated Ones could be. "It's a bond that connects a Fae to the ones Fate deems worthy of a Faes love."
"So, Elijah's your soulmate, or Fated One?" Care asked as her mind worked to understand what I was telling her.
"Yes, the bond we shared was what brought me back after each time I died." Care nodded her head at my words and I took a deep breath as I prepared myself to tell her the next part. "But there's more to my story, Elijah wasn't my only Fated One. I shared this bond with three others."
"What?! But, how? I mean why though?" Caroline was truly baffled by my words and tried to think of the best way to explain it all to her.
"To any normal person, it's a complicated mess, but as a Fae, having more than one Fated One was rare, but it did happen. It just so happened that the Fates blessed me with four Fated Ones. My mother once told me that Fate doesn't make mistakes and it was because the Fates knew I needed them and that they needed me. And I believed her words, because I do need them." I could tell Caroline was struggling to understand what I was telling her, but I was hoping that no matter how strange this all sounded, I wanted her to understand. "I've come back over and over again, because the bond we share has been trying to bring me back to them."
"Who else?" Caroline asked. "Who are your other Fated Ones?"
I could see that she was already assuming the answer to her question. "Elijah's brothers are my other Fated Ones. Finn, Kol, and Niklaus." Once again, I watched as Carolines jaw dropped.
"I, just," Caroline was at a loss for words, which was a rare sight to see from her. "So that means, Klaus is your Fated One?" I nodded my head and her eyes went wide. "Oh my god. Does Elena know any of this?"
I cringed at her question and shook my head. "I haven't told her anything. Not yet."
Caroline looked at me with sad eyes and said, "Serena, he killed Jenna. How can you stand to be near him?" My chest grew tight at her words and I glanced away from the hurt and confused look on her face.
"I know, Care. I know what he's done." I knew Nik could hear me in the other room, but I wasn't about to lie to Caroline for his sake. He needed to know. "I won't lie to you and say that it doesn't bother me. I loved Jenna. She did everything for Elena, Jeremy, and I after our parents died. I know that to everyone else, he's the villain in their story, but to me, he's my Fated One, and I've been waiting a thousand years to be able to be with him again. I love him, Care. I don't think I could ever stop loving him."
Caroline looked unsure about what to say next, so I added, "My Fated Ones aren't perfect, and I know that well. But they're mine, and I'm theirs. And nothing can change that. Stefan took the coffins that Elijah, Finn, and Kol are daggered in and I can feel the hollowness in my chest knowing that I can't find them."
Caroline was quiet for a moment as she absorbed everything I had just told her. While I could only hope for the best, I knew that in the end, however she chose to react to all this, I would accept it.
She took in a deep breath before nodding her head and saying, "Okay." Caroline sat up straight and looked me in the eye as she said, "I may not like it. But I believe you. Serena, you're my best friend and I wouldn't give that up for anything, even if your soulmate is a raging Hybrid asshole." There was a loud laugh from the living room and I knew Bekah found Carolines description of her brother amusing. "Tyler said that you called him the night of homecoming and had him get me out of there. I know you care about all of us and have been trying to keep everyone safe. So, thank you."
My eyes began to tear up at Caroline's words and I couldn't help but reach over and pull her into another hug. "Thank you." I whispered softly to her. The relief I felt knowing that she didn't hate me had my chest feeling lighter as the weight of her reaction was lifted off of my shoulders. I pulled back and wiped away my tears. "You should probably get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Oh yes, We will definitely be talking more about this tomorrow." Caroline left no room for argument and I knew she was serious about wanting to continue this conversation. I left her room so she could rest after having the hybrid bite cured and headed for the living room. I found Liz and Matt on the other side of the room, standing as far away from Nik and Bekah as they could.
"She's going to be alright, Liz." Caroline's mother looked at me with relief in her eyes. I nodded my head at her and looked at Nik and Bekah. "Let's go home."
Nik nodded his head in agreement and offered me his hand. I took it and allowed him to pull me close to his side. I was still upset with him over what he made Tyler do, but I couldn't deny myself his company and was content to be close to him. We all got back into the SUV and Nik drove us back to the mansion. I had a lot on my mind and I was honestly exhausted, but even though all I wanted to do was sleep, I knew there was still one more conversation to be had.
The SUV drove up the long driveway and I looked out at the large mansion.
Bekah walked ahead and headed straight into the mansion while I stood back and stared at the massive home Niklaus had built for his family. In the past I could only dream of living in one home with my Fated Ones. But during our time back then, it would never have been accepted. I had to choose one of my Fated Ones to appease the villagers and their standards. But the brothers had been ready to play their parts. They wanted to prove to me, and my Mother and Father, that they were worthy of a Fae. Now things were different.
"What is it, love?" Nik noticed my gazing eyes and stopped beside me.
I pulled my eyes away from the mansion and looked at my Fated One. I had told Caroline the truth when I told her that I loved Nik. But I was also realistic in my love for him. The Niklaus I had fallen in love with a thousand years ago was different from the man standing in front of me. A part of me feared that the love I had for him wouldn't be enough for the Original Hybrid. But I wanted to believe in my Mothers words, that Fate didn't make mistakes when it came to Fated Ones. That no matter how much he's changed, the love I knew he felt for me a thousand years ago was still there. I wanted my love for him to be enough for him.
"The sire bond that Tyler mentioned earlier, how does it work?" Nik seemed taken back by my question.
"The sire bond keeps my hybrids loyal to me." He explained. There was something defensive in Niks tone, something that told me that there was a deeper meaning to the whole sire bond thing.
"Can you force them to do things that they don't want to do? I mean, what if one of the hybrids doesn't want to be a part of your pack?" I was genuinely curious about how the sire bond worked, but I also wanted to hear Niks reasons behind the bond. "Can the sire bond be broken?"
The Original Hybrid frowned at my questions. "There's no need to break the bond, love. The hybrids are content as it is and they are a necessary part of your protection." Nik looked at me with those deep blue eyes and I could see him trying to hold something back.
I searched his eyes and felt my chest grow heavy knowing that there was clearly a deeper reason than the one he was giving me. "What's the real reason, Niklaus? Why are you holding on to the sire bond so tightly?" There was a small crack in his mask before he schooled his features. That small instant allowed me to place a name to what he was hiding, it was fear. "The hybrids are a part of you, Nik. They're not servants and henchmen. They deserve a choice in whether they want to stay here with you. They can't just be used as props, only good for fighting and doing as you say."
"That's all they're good for, love." Nik hissed. "I made them, and they will never betray me or leave my side. Unlike my own family who I've had to dagger to keep them in line. You don't understand the danger I've kept my brothers and sister safe from and they continued to try and turn their backs on me. You were dead and all I could do to keep my family together was place them in coffins." My heart broke as Nik laid out his emotions for me to see. The fear of being alone, the heartbreaks he's had to endure, and the anger he was holding onto so tightly was all being forced to surface.
"Niklaus." I spoke softly as I reached up and cupped his face in my hands, "I'm so sorry, for everything. The pain Mikael has caused you, your mother for turning her back on you, and even for my own death. I'm so sorry that you've had to hold onto all this for a thousand years." I looked deep into his eyes and laid out everything I was feeling for him to see. "I'm sorry for the pain you've had to endure. I know that there's a lot that I don't know about what you've had to face over the years, but I can promise you this, I will never leave you." His eyes grew misty and I could tell he was desperately trying to hold in his emotions. "I love you, Niklaus."
His chest shuddered as I expressed the love that I felt for him. "You're the first ever hybrid. You've given the werewolves the freedom from the change they all prayed for. They deserve a choice in staying with you."
I could see the war Nik was having with himself as he took in my words. I understood that he had probably built himself up as the villain for a long time. The walls that fortified his heart were solid, but I was confident that I could break them down.
Something inside of Nik cracked and he leaned in to place his forehead against mine. "You will not leave my side, not in death, or any other reason, Serena." He stared deep into my eyes and I could only offer him a soft nod as the look in his gaze made my throat grow tight. The bond between us was humming and sparking to life. "I will discuss the option of breaking the sire bond with the hybrids, but only after Stefan has returned the coffins to us. I will not have you living here without protection."
"Thank you," I said softly. "I promise. I wont leave your side." The desperation in Niks eyes made my heart pound against my ribs like a drum.
Nik searched my eyes before seeing what he wanted. He then shifted and pulled me in closer so he could capture my lips with his. I pressed myself against him and returned the kiss with as much emotion as I could muster. I wanted him to know just how much I wanted to be with him. The bond between us felt as if it was humming and I could feel myself growing warmer with each passing second. Memories surfaced in my head and I was reminded of just how intense the bond between Fated Ones was. This kiss was a reminder of what I shared with him. The intensity of his emotions matched my own.
I was the one to pull away first and sucked in as much air as my lungs could hold. I didn't pull back very far and felt Niks breath fan out across my lips. A subtle warmth spread throughout my body and I couldn't help but grin at the giddy feeling that was coursing through me. Things weren't perfect, but I couldn't help but want this moment to last a little bit longer. Because in the arms of my Fated One, I felt safe. As if nothing could ever touch me while he held me. But the hollow feeling in my chest reminded me of what I was missing.
The moment ended, but I was happy it had happened. Nik needed the reassurance that I was never leaving him, and I needed a moment to bask in the bond that connected us. Being near him helped ease the feeling of emptiness I felt with Elijah, Finn, and Kol being daggered. The warmth I was feeling began to fade away as I was reminded of what was missing.
Nik noticed the change in my eyes and held me close as he said, "We'll find them, love. I won't let you be without them for any longer."
I closed my eyes and placed my head against Nik's shoulder. I believed him, but a small part of me was still scared that something would go wrong and I would lose them again. I prayed to the Fates that after tonight, I wouldn't have to wait any longer and I would finally be reunited with them.
A/N: Thank you so much to everyone whos been reading and enjoying this story. I've been working hard on the next four chapters and have been taking my time with edits and rewrites. Working on this story brings me a lot of inner peace. Its nice to have something to do outside of work and I really do love writing this story. Its been three years and I'm excited to say that were finally getting to the episodes that inspired this story in the first place. The next few chapters are going to pretty lengthy, this one topped off at 31 pages.
Thank you again for reading. I cant believe I've made it this far and cant wait for you all to read the next few chapters.
Stay safe.