Dangerous Liaisons

Lorilei looks at everyone and feels a deadly feeling bubbling around the Original Family. She can't help but move away from Stefan and Rebekah, who try to stop her, but she pushes them away as she steps toward Klaus. Lorilei stands between Klaus and Esther, glaring at the woman, who looks back at her. Finn and Kol look at the strange brunette who stands in front of their half-brother before their mother. "Ah, you must be Lorilei McKnight," Esther smiles politely at the other woman, making Elijah and Klaus stiffen, fearing their mother hurting the person they care about the most.

"That's me. I have to say thank you for helping my parents to try and kill me," Lorilei replies, making Klaus growl, but she takes his hand, calming him down slightly. Elijah looks at them, and he can't help but realise that his younger brother and former ward are a couple, and Elijah fears what could happen to her. "As you can see it didn't work. But fair warning, if you ever lay a finger on any of your children again I will kill you. And no Bennett Witch Bitch will ever be able to save you." She warns the Original Mother. Finn and Kol look at this new woman in surprise.

"Well, I'm leaving," Stefan mutters, getting up and kissing Rebekah on the cheek. "This has been an awkward evening, but I'm going home before Lorilei kills Mama Original." He heads for the front door. "Night everyone." He rushes off, heading back for the Pack Den and away from the madness that is the Original Family.

"Yeah, I'm going to bed," Lorilei agrees. "Nik, bedtime." She looks at him, seeing the welling of tears.

"I didn't realise you were a child, Nik?" Kol teases his older brother, who glares at him, fighting the tears that burn away with the anger at his little brother for trying to make fun of her and their relationship.

"If he wants to share our bed, then, yeah, it's bedtime," She retorts, clenching his hand and pulling him along. "Night. Rooms are upstairs. Guess mother dearest can stay in one of the guest suites. Names are on the doors." The couple head to the stairs and go to their room. "Night, Bekah. Goodnight, Lijah. Night the rest of you." Klaus clings to Lorilei, still processing everything.

The same night, Matt is standing in the hospital hallway when Elena walks up to him after they take Alaric; once, Elena kills him, and it takes a while for him to wake up. "How's Mr Saltzman?" Matt asks.

"Resigned to spending the night in observation, so long as I promise to change the lock on the house," Elena replies, unaware someone is watching them through a room window as they walk towards the exit. "So I talked to Bonnie earlier. She and her mom are fine. Have you talked to Caroline?"

"Yeah, she's holding it together, considering how close she and her dad used to be. Any word on who's behind these attacks?" He asks her, making Elena sad as she is sent away after trying to talk to her friend, who seems to be becoming friends with Klaus' Pack members.

"No, Sheriff Forbes said there's no real suspects at all," She tells him, opening the doors to the hospital's main entrance that leads to the car park.

Matt and Elena walk outside the hospital to the car park, wanting to get home. "How are you dealing with everything?" Elena asks him. "I mean, you keep getting dragged into all of this?"

"Honestly... I'm kind of lucky, the only thing that I have to worry about for tomorrow is showing up for my shift at the Grill." Matt replies.

"Thank you, for everything today. Really," She tells him.

"Get home safe," he warns her.

"Thanks," The Doppelganger replies and sighs before walking to her car as Matt gets into his truck and reverses out of the car park. Elena gets into her car and waves goodbye from inside her car as he drives away. She starts her car and begins reversing when she hits something, making her stop immediately. "What?" She gets out of her car and checks the bumper, but there's nothing there. Suddenly, Rebekah appears.

"Drive much?" Rebekah snaps, glaring at her as she needs to get her revenge for Homecoming.

"Rebekah," Elena gasps, and the blond Original grabs her and pushes her against the car.

"Surprised? You drove a dagger through my back, Elena. It hurt," She sneers, vamping out as she goes to bite Elena, who screams in fear. Suddenly, Elijah rushes over and stops his little sister, grabbing her and pushing her away. "Elijah."

"Leave," Elijah orders her, releasing his grip, and Rebekah steps forward, not backing down. "Are you challenging me?"

"You're pathetic. Both of you," She snaps and runs away back to the mansion.

"Well...I believe we have a little catching up to do," He says, looking at Elena, who is still in shock.

The following morning, Elena, Alaric, and Damon are in her kitchen at home. "It was their mother Esther who was sealed in that coffin," Elena explains to the men.

"As in the Original Witch?" Alaric questions, looking at her.

"What? How is she even alive?" Damon asks in shock. "Thought her Hybrid freak show of a son ripped her heart out a thousand years ago."

"I don't know. I'm guessing she has a couple connections in the Witching community," Elena replies. "Elijah said that she wants to live in peace with her family, including Klaus."

"She was supposed to be the weapon to help us kill Klaus," Alaric argues.

"Well, not anymore...at least not according to Elijah," She retorts, shrugging.

"That coffin was the only thing stopping Klaus from tearing us to shreds," He groans, feeling tired of the Original Hybrid looming over them.

"Anyone else feeling a little used right now?" Damon remarks, looking at the others.

"Look, Elijah promised me that his family wouldn't hurt any of us," Elena assures them, and the doorbell rings. "I believe him." She opens the door, but no one is there. She looks around and finds an envelope on the doormat with an ornately handwritten 'Elena Gilbert' on the front. Elena picks it up, closes the door and turns around to find Damon and Alaric in the hallway near her.

"What is it?" He asks, and she opens the envelope and removes an invitation card.

"It's an invitation. 'Please join the Mikaelson Family, this evening at seven o'clock. For dancing, cocktails and celebration'." She reads aloud, making Damon and Alaric look at her in shock.

"Who the hell are the Mikaelsons?" Alaric frowns.

"The Original Family," The Doppelganger answers, looking at them.

"It's not bad enough they're moving into town; now they want a housewarming gift?" Damon questions rudely, and Elena inspects the invitation. Turning over the card, she sees something written on the back.

"Wait, there's a note on the back. 'Elena, I think it's time that we finally meet, Esther'," Elena informs them, which gives the others a spark of hope about their plan to rid themselves of Klaus.

At the Original Mansion, most of the Original siblings are in the living room with music playing in the background. Rebekah has her nails done by an assistant as she sits on the couch. Kol is standing before a full-length mirror on a platform, wearing a black evening suit, and a tailor adjusts it. Finn and Elijah also stand in the room doing little preparations for the ball tonight. "Rebekah? Tell me how handsome I am," Kol says, admiring himself in the mirror, his hair much shorter like Finn's.

"Ah Kol, you know I can't be compelled," Rebekah jokes, making Finn and Elijah snicker behind her. The living room door bursts open, and Klaus storms into the room and up to Rebekah.

"You went after Elena? What is wrong with you?!" Klaus snaps at his little sister.

"Here we go," Rebekah groans, glaring at her nails.

"Do you want another dagger in your heart?" He warns her, not wanting the Save Elena Gang to take matters into their own hands.

"Again with the dagger threats? Don't you have any other tricks?" Kol muses, stepping down from the platform.

"I think what your brother meant was he doesn't want the Doppelganger and her moronic friends daggering any of you and stealing your bodies again," Lorilei explains, stepping into the room, holding some bags.

"I see. Are we talking for each other now, brother?" He asks, looking at the Original Hybrid.

"No, Kol, but it's true, and don't disrespect Lorilei again," Klaus warns his baby brother, who glares back at him.

"I'm sure she can take a little disrespect," The mischievous Original smirks, looking at the Siphon as the door opens and the teenagers come inside with their open shopping bags. Lorilei smirks, moving her hand onto Kol's, who smirks back at her. She siphons magic from him, which makes him flinch.

"Enough!" Esther demands, making everyone look at her as she enters the room from the other door. "Niklaus. Come." Klaus kisses Lorilei's cheek before going into the other room with his mother, closing the door behind him, though he knows it won't do any good with his siblings' excellent hearing.

"Rebekah wasn't even out of her box a day before she tried to ruin my plans," Klaus snaps. "What happened to peace, acceptance, family?"

"You put daggers in their hearts," She argues. "You want them to go down on their knees and kiss your feet for reuniting them?"

"So it's a crime to want our family to be as we were?" he wonders, looking at her and thinking about what Lorilei said last night about not trusting her. He has to agree: Something doesn't smell right.

"You need to give it time, Niklaus. I've had a thousand years on the other side to be angry and to heal. I'm here to make sure this family does the same," Mama Original lies through her teeth.

"I just don't understand. I killed you, and still you forgive me," The Original Hybrid questions, looking at her.

"It's been my dream for a thousand years that this family could be as one. Forgiveness is not a chore. It's a gift. Now, are you bringing Lorilei to the ball this evening?" Esther asks him, making her son sigh.

"Don't be ridiculous, who else would I be taking. You're lucky we're even going," Klaus sighs, rolling his eyes.

"Well, I wish you both the best. It is going to be a magical evening," She smiles fakely when there's a bang from outside and something falls to the floor.

"Strike!" Edward shouts, and Klaus opens the doors to see Kol lying on the floor in the large foyer. Lorilei holds her hand out before placing it back at her side. Rebekah looks up from her nails and laughs at her brother's misfortune.

"Did we not mention that Lorilei was a Witch?" Elijah muses, looking at Klaus, who walks towards his girlfriend, kissing her on the back of the neck.

"Not-A-Witch," Lorilei counters, smiling. "I'm a Siphon." Kol looks up at her from the floor with interest and a beaming smile.

"If Esther wants to talk to me, maybe I should find out why," Elena argues after Damon explodes at the idea of her going to the Mikaelson ball. She moves around the kitchen, making breakfast for Alaric and herself before she tries to find a dress for the ball tonight.

"Well that's a dumb idea, she already tried to kill you once," Damon retorts, glaring at her as he wants to protect her at all costs.

"No, Elena is right," Alaric defends her. "Bonnie was led to open that coffin for a reason. I think there is more to this than just some family reunion."

"Can we go back in time where the old Alaric cared if Elena lived or died?" He questions, making Alaric scoff.

"What for? It's apparently only your job now," The Vampire Slayer snaps, shrugging passive-aggressively.

"Alaric has a point, Damon. I should find out what she wants," Elena argues, making the older Salvatore look at her in surprise.

"You can't protect yourself," Damon retorts.

"Okay fine, then I'll go," Alaric offers.

"We've pissed off enough Originals to last a lifetime. we'll both go," He demands, snatching the invitation out of Elena's hand.

"Hey!" Elena exclaims, looking at him.

"End of story," The cocky Salvatore retorts, looking at her and then at the invitation.

Caroline is sitting in her room when her phone beeps twice. She picks it up and listens as if it's a voicemail from Tyler. "Caroline, it's Tyler," She hears his voice after a long time. "I know I should have called sooner, it was just really short notice before I left. But I heard about your dad, and I'm sorry. I'm really sorry Caroline. I know we're not together anymore, and I'm okay with that. I'm trying to fix myself, and I want you to know I do still love you, but we both know that we couldn't work out. I'm sorry, just be happy." Caroline wipes the tears that fall as she listens to the voicemail and hears a knock on the front door. She jumps from her bed and opens the door to find a box with a blue ribbon around it on her welcome mat. Caroline brings it inside and looks at the envelope with her handwritten name. She opens the card to see an invitation to the Originals' Ball. The blond Vampire looks at it, smiling and turns it over to see something written on the back: 'Save me a dance. Bobby Bear'.

"Seriously?" Caroline mutters, her smile brightening. She opens the box to see a beautiful blue ball gown. Thinking about everything, she places the lid on the box and heads back into the room, carrying it.

Elena comes inside the Mystic Grill to find Caroline sitting at a table. She abruptly sits down, surprising the blond Vampire. "It's all so weird. The Originals are throwing a ball. Like an actual ball," Elena scoffs as if she's not going.

"It's some twisted Cinderella fetish is what it is," Caroline replies sharply. "And why does the Evil Witch want an audience with you?" She asks, remembering the earlier text she got from the Doppelganger.

"I have no idea. There's only one way to find out," she replies, not realising that Caroline doesn't care and that she wants to know what's going on.

"I thought you told Damon and Alaric that you weren't going," The blond Vampire argues, looking at her as a waitress hands over a coffee mug. "Thank you."

"I did, which is all the more reason why I need a drama free bodyguard," The Doppelganger retorts, shrugging and waiting for a coffee she never ordered.

"Well, whatever floats your boat," Caroline replies, looking at her former friend as she drinks her coffee.

"Uhh, I can't deal with either Damon or Alaric right now. Whatever Damon is feeling, he is channelling it all against Klaus. And Alaric... it's just been really stressful lately." Elena argues.

"Why, cause you and Damon made out?" She asks, shocking the Doppelganger. "Bonnie spilled the beans."

"I was gonna tell you. Just after everything happened with your dad..." The Doppelganger argues, looking at the blond.

"Elena, when you and Matt kissed for the first time freshman year, you called me the second it happened," the young Vampire snaps, shocking Elena. "And now I don't hear about this til now, and from somebody else."

"I'm sorry. It's just I, I don't even know how I feel about it yet. All I do know is that it just used to be so much easier," The Doppelganger argues, and Rebekah walks up to them, spotting the both of them.

"Careful Caroline. It's all well and good until she stabs you in the back," Rebekah warns the other blond Vampire and glares at the Doppelganger.

"What are you doing here? I know your mum's rules. No hurting the locals," Elena retorts, cowering under the harsh glare from the blond Original.

"Get over yourself Elena. It's not all about you," She sneers, storming away to Matt and handing him an invitation envelope to the ball.

"Oh my god. She's inviting him to the ball. Ah that's sweet," Caroline comments, watching them.

"I wonder why she'd go with Matt?" Elena wonders, looking at them.

"I don't know, but they'll be cute together," She replies, shrugging.

It finally comes. The Mikaelson Ball. Cars pull up the driveway before the massive Original Mansion, as almost everyone in the False Moon Pack and Mystic Falls is invited to the event. Many people talk happily inside, and a live band plays classical music. Damon walks over to Mayor Lockwood and hands her a glass of champagne, needing to speak to her quickly. "Hello Carol," the older Salvatore greets her, smiling stiffly.

"Hello," Carol replies, and they clink their glasses.

"Hanging out with your new besties?" He asks her, being harsh on her as if the Original Family isn't terrifying in the Supernatural world.

"I'm the Mayor, Damon," She argues. "When the oldest, deadliest, family of Vampires moves into your town, you welcome them with a smile."

"Hmm, Well at least you know who you're borrowing that cup of sugar from," The cocky Vampire retorts sarcastically.

"I'm trying to protect this town. They've assured me they want peace, and I've assured them that I'd enforce it," The Mayor tells him angrily, not wanting to be questioned. Seeing his chance, Kol walks over to them.

"Mayor Lockwood," Kol says, making Damon and Carol look at the chaotic Original. "We haven't formally met. Kol Mikaelson. I hope your lovely town embraces us just as much as we plan to embrace it," He charms her, kissing Carol's hand, almost making her blush. Damon holds out to shake Kol's hand, trying to be as friendly as possible.

"Damon Salvatore. Have we met?" Damon asks, looking at him, but Kol looks at his outstretched hand, dismissing it.

"I've met a lot of people. And you don't particularly stand out," He replies, smiling and walking away, angering Damon. He soon spots Elena entering the mansion wearing an exquisite dress, and the older Salvatore can't help but stare at her.

"Excuse me, Carol," The cocky Vampire tells her, walking over to Elena, who takes off her shall.

"What are you doing here?" Elena asks him, seeing Damon approaching her.

"I could ask you the same thing," Damon replies, looking at her. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Well, I am. And I'm not leaving until I find out what Esther wants. So, shall we?" Elena argues. Damon thinks about it for a moment before offering his arm to her. She happily accepts, wrapping her arm around his, and they head into the party.

Meanwhile, Caroline frantically searches through her giant closet, looking for something else to wear instead of choosing the dress Bobby got her. Though she really likes the dress, she's unsure if she should wear it because she just got out of a relationship with Tyler. Caroline looks at the dress box, deciding it's too late, and she really loves the dress Bobby picked out for her. Caroline takes the dress out of the box, admiring the beautiful blue ball gown.

A little while later, at the Mikaelson Ball, Caroline enters, wearing the dress. Bobby talks to Blake and Stefan when he notices Caroline approaching them from across the room. "Go talk to her," Blake encourages him, pushing her fellow Werewolf, who nods mutely and walks over to meet Caroline.

"Good evening," Bobby greets her, smiling as he looks at the dress.

"Hey, thank you for the dress," Caroline replies, smiling back at him.

"Need a drink?" He asks her, and she nods, so they both walk off, heading for the drinks bar, passing Blake and Stefan. Jenna arrives at the mansion, looking around for her nephew or anyone she likes and recognises. She spots her nephew with Edward and Alexis, looking around, when they all turn to see Lorilei coming towards them without Klaus.

"Well, don't we all look nice," Edward remarks, looking at everyone as they stand around.

"We'd better," Alexis smiles, wrapping her arm around Jeremy. "Lorilei paid a lot of money for these."

"Indeed. Right, I need to find Nik before he does something he'll regret later," Lorilei says, smiling at them and kissing her siblings on the cheeks before walking through the people trying to find Klaus. Meanwhile, Finn walks up to Elena at the drinks bar, finally finding her alone.

"Elena Gilbert, I presume? I'm Finn Mikaelson," he introduces himself to the Doppelganger. "You're here to see my mother."

"Is she here?" Elena asks, looking around.

"Her request did not include your friends," Finn replies, glancing at Damon and Alaric.

"They're protecting me. You may not know but your mother's already tried to kill me once," She argues.

"If you want to see my mother, you'll need to be alone," the oldest Mikaelson son warns her. Elijah begins his announcement, standing on the staircase with most of his family, minus Klaus and Finn, who walk over, finding Lorilei and taking her hand.

"Uh, if everyone could gather, please," Elijah requests, looking around at everyone as the guests turn to the second eldest son.

"What are you doing?" Lorilei hisses, looking at her boyfriend.

"You belong up there as much as any one of us. You're a Mikaelson," Klaus replies, kissing her hand, and he drags her up the stairs, joining the others. Kol looks at his older brother in surprise, though Elijah smiles, glad to see Lorilei with them. Rebekah beams, seeing the other woman, but Esther at the top of the stairs glares at the Siphon, which is a little-noticed by some Pack members.

"Excuse me," Finn mutters, watching Lorilei stand with Klaus on the steps. The Original Hybrid wraps his arm around her waist. The Original Family and Lorilei stand on the staircase, and Elijah stands at the front, addressing the company. Esther walks down the stairs from the balcony to join her children and Lorilei.

"Welcome, thank you for joining us," Elijah says. "You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance." Damon looks up to see Esther glancing over at the people below.

"Do you see who I see?" Damon questions, looking at Alaric, who stands next to him.

"Oh, yeah," Alaric mutters, looking at Esther too.

"Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom," Elijah explains to the guests. Esther silently retreats back upstairs to Lorilei's office, knowing the Siphon hides some of her Witchcraft tools inside. Elena moves to go upstairs as everyone heads into the large ballroom, but Damon blocks her from going any further.

"Don't even think about it," Damon warns her.

"She wants to see me alone, Damon," Elena reminds him.

"Well sucks to be her then. Was I not clear this morning?" He questions, not wanting her to get in harm's way.

"I was invited," She argues, glaring half-heartedly at him.

"You have to tell me before you walk into a lion's den," The older Salvatore brother tells her.

"Why so that you can stop me?" The Doppelganger retorts.

"Uhh...Yes!" Damon exclaims, extending her hand towards her. "It would be rude not to dance, you know." Elena relents, taking his hand and curtsying jokingly.

"It is tradition," Elena replies, and they walk into the ballroom with everyone else.

Everyone enters the ballroom, standing around as a few stand in the middle of the large room as they begin the dance. "You look stunning, if it isn't obvious," Damon compliments her.

"Thank you," Elena replies, smiling bashfully. Caroline and Bobby dance together, both smiling at each other.

"I'm glad you came," Bobby tells her.

"Well, it was either caviar or sympathy casseroles," Caroline retorts.

"I heard about your dad," He comments, looking at her.

"Don't. Please," She argues, not wanting to cry right now.

"Very well. On to happier subjects then, like how ravishing you look in that dress," The Sullen Werewolf retorts, smiling at her and making her blush a little.

"I didn't really have time to shop," The blond Vampire argues, though she does love the dress.

"And the bracelet I gave you, what's your excuse for wearing that?" Bobby questions, looking at her. "You know, you're quite the dancer."

"Well, I've had training. I happen to be Miss Mystic Falls," Caroline replies.

"I know, Tyler told us. Couldn't stop boasting about it," He jokes, making her laugh. Klaus spins Lorilei, looking at her happily and lovingly.

"Don't look at me like that," Lorilei warns her boyfriend.

"Like what?" Klaus muses, smirking at her.

"You know what," She argues, faking a glare as they dance. Stefan smiles at Blake as they dance, the pair enjoying themselves as they look at each other. Damon twirls Elena around with everyone else, spinning them into the person on their left. Elena suddenly finds herself in Stefan's arms, and they dance together.

"Hmm. He dances, and Blake didn't even have to beg," Elena muses, looking at her ex-boyfriend, a little hurt by this.

"Well, she kinda dragged me out here. Couldn't exactly say no to my girlfriend," Stefan argues, breaking Elena's hope in them getting together again. Meanwhile, Caroline ends up in Matt's arms, dancing together.

"What are you doing? Why are you here with the She-Devil?" Caroline asks her ex-boyfriend with concern.

"What was I supposed to say, no? And why the hell are you here with one of Klaus' Hybrids?" Matt argues, glaring at her.

"Don't even get me started," She snaps back at him.

"Took you about thirty seconds to put Damon in a mood," Stefan remarks, looking at his older brother.

"He's just looking out for me," Elena argues.

"I think he needs to figure out that you can look out for yourself," He retorts, though he doesn't really care.

"I need to talk to you," She pleads with him, making him sigh.

"Okay, so talk," The former Ripper replies.

"Not here," The Doppelganger says, moving away, but the dance changes partners. Meanwhile, Rebekah lands in Damon's arms as they dance. Rebekah stares at Caroline as she dances.

"Stop staring. It's creepy," Damon warns her.

"Of course she looks beautiful. Bobby gave her everything she's wearing," Rebekah grumbles, jealous that even someone else can find happiness. "Same for Lorilei, Nik gave her everything, too."

"Well, you're no dog yourself," He argues, smirking.

"Was that supposed to be a compliment?" She wonders, looking at him.

"Heh. You tried to kill Elena last night. You don't get compliments," The cocky Vampire retorts, faking a glare.

"Caveman," The blond Original sneers.

"Where is Elena?" Damon wonders, missing her, disappearing as she partners up with Alaric, both disappearing out of the ballroom.

Outside, Elena and Alaric walk onto the lawn alone, needing to talk about their plan to distract Damon while she talks with Esther. "If Esther is secretly on our side, we need to know. But I can't get to her with two bodyguards," Elena explains.

"Why are you telling me this?" Alaric asks, looking at her.

"Because Damon won't let me anywhere near her without protection," She tells him. "And you two care about killing Klaus more than you care about anything, so…" Alaric nods, looking down, and Elena notices. "What? Am I wrong?"

"No, you're not wrong. What do you need me to do?" He asks her.

"Make sure that I can get into that room with Esther. Alone," The Doppelganger requests.

"You sure you can do this?" The Vampire Hunter wonders, though he knows she is strong, but this is dangerous.

"I can do this," Elena assures him, starting to walk away, but stops and turns around. "I can do this, Ric."

In the foyer, Kol and Rebekah talk as the dance finally ends, and everyone pairs off. "Where's your date?" Kol asks his baby sister.

"Flirting with his ex," Rebekah retorts, glaring at Caroline across the room, who is talking with Matt and Bobby.

"You've changed, Bekah. You know, settling for mortals is the first sign of weakness," He remarks, looking at her. "I mean, you saw Nik and his little girlfriend."

"I'm not settling, and neither has Nik. I brought him here to kill him. He's Elena's friend. If he dies, she suffers. But I've already been scolded once, so I was hoping you'd help your baby sister out," she argues angrily at her brother.

"And spit right in the face of mother's rules?" The chaotic Mikaelson replies, smiling. "I'm in."

In the library, Elena is alone by the window, looking out at the gorgeous landscape and lights in the garden. Damon walks into the room, finding the Doppelganger. "Got your text. What are we going in here?" He asks her. Alaric comes out of nowhere and breaks Damon's back, using a dagger, making him collapse on the floor dead.

"Well, better hurry up. He won't be down for long," Alaric warns him, and Elena hastily rushes out the door, looking at Alaric, then exits, leaving Alaric with a dead Vampire and moves him to the couch so he doesn't wake up uncomfortable and moan about it later when Damon berates Alaric.

Later, Elena walks down the hallway, heading for the foyer to go upstairs and meet Esther for their secret meeting, when Elijah walks up from behind, needing to talk to her. "Elena," Elijah greets her, looking at the Doppelganger. "I understand my mother requested to see you."

"Uh, yeah. Why is something wrong?" Elena asks him, faking an innocent frown.

"Well, her ability to forgive my brother after everything he's done to destroy this family strikes me as a little strange to say the least." He argues, hearing her heartbeat spike from nervousness.

"Do you think that it's an act?" She wonders, though she already knows the answer.

"It has me asking questions I never thought I'd ask. Can I depend on you to tell me what she says?" The Nobel Original requests, looking at her.

"Of course. I'll find you later, okay?" The Doppelganger lies to him and heads to the foyer.

"You know she was lying, right?" Lorilei asks her former guardian, who watches the Doppelganger.

"I do," Elijah confirms.

In Lorilei's office, Finn sharpens a knife while Esther burns some sage in a bowl by the door when there's a knock. "That'd be the girl," Esther announces, and Finn walks over to the door and opens it, revealing Elena standing there alone.

"You're alone. Wise choice," Finn comments. Elena walks into the office, admiring the white, classy space, and notices Esther holding the sage.

"It's only sage," she assures her. "I've spelled it so we can speak freely without fear of being overheard. That'll be all, Finn, thank you." She dismisses her eldest son, who nods and leaves. "You must have a million questions for me Elena. Please." Esther gestures towards the white plush spade, and they sit on it together.

"How are you alive? Are you a ghost? Or…" Elena asks her, still curious.

"Not exactly. When I died the Witch Ayana preserved my body with a spell," The Original Mother explains. "She was a close friend of mine, an ancestor of your friend Bonnie."

"So that's why only Bonnie and her mother could open up the casket," She reasons.

"They complete the Bennett bloodline. I drew power from them and their ancestors who were with me on the other side," Esther tells her.

"So you've been on the Other Side for a thousand years?" The Doppelganger asks in shock at thinking of being alone forever like that.

"Nature's way of punishing me for turning my family into Vampires," She lies, as that is not how the Other Side works. "But there is a way for me to undo the evil I created."

"You're gonna help us kill Klaus, aren't you?" Elena asks with hope as she looks at the older woman.

"One thing at a time Elena. For now, I simply need your help," The Original Witch retorts, changing the wording.

Lorilei goes outside to admire the horses, get some fresh air, and think about everything. Klaus spots her outside and grabs glasses of champagne for the pair of them, and he heads outside to join her. "You like horses?" Klaus wonders, looking at his girlfriend, who turns around to look at him.

"Not really," Lorilei replies, "I just needed to think about a few things with Elijah back."

"What is there to think about?" He wonders, moving toward her and joining her at the pen.

"Elijah has been a big part of my life, Nik. When I left home after getting Carried by my classmates and my parents beating me for the last time and me killing them. I ran away from this hellhole and as if by magic, Elijah was driving by as I made my way to New York to get a new life away from everything. He gave me a second chance," She says, feeling close to tears. "I need to tell him everything that's been going on between us and since you daggered him. Because there have been a lot of things and over the years I have talked to him about almost everything. When I first got pregnant in University with my first boyfriend, I talked to him about it and when I lost the baby he was there for me." She lets the tears fall, and Klaus moves closer, placing the glasses down, wrapping his arms around her, and hugging her.

"I get it," Klaus mutters, kissing her head as he holds her. "I wish I had someone like that."

Caroline stands with Bobby at the drinks bar, enjoying spending time with him, though she does miss Tyler, even if they aren't together anymore. "I'm not talking to you until you tell me why you invited me here," Caroline informs him.

"I fancy you. Is that so hard to believe?" Bobby questions, looking at her.

"Yes!" She exclaims, looking back at him.

"Why? You're beautiful, you're strong, you're full of light. I enjoy spending time with you," he argues.

"Well I was spoken for. By Tyler," The blond Vampire argues, looking at him, unsure how she feels.

"But I thought you two ended things. Look, I'm not trying to sweep you off your feet while you're trying to heal," The sullen Werewolf assures her, surprising Caroline a little.

"You're not?" Caroline questions, looking at him, and can't help but smile.

"No, I'm not. See, when my parents died," Bobby confesses, looking at her as she gasps. "My big sister took me and my brother, and you know what her old girlfriend did? Came back and ruined everything because my sister, Stella, wasn't ready to begin her life again."

"I'm sorry, you never talk about your parents," She remarks. "Sorry."

"I don't really remember them. I was 4, and my brother was 1. I just remember my sister looking after us," he replies. "Stel always tells us stories about them. I think you have it worse sometimes, knowing your parents. I am sorry about your dad."

"Thanks, but I let my father go with no regrets. And I am sorry about bringing up your parents," The young Vampire apologises.

"Come on, let's find Blake and Stefan, so we can ask them awkward questions about their new budding relationship," The sullen Werewolf jokes, making her laugh, and they walk off together.

In Lorilei's office, Esther lights candles and turns off the light as Elena watches her. "I understand Rebekah shared the story of my family," Esther remarks. "How I upset the balance of nature by turning my children into Vampires."

"She said you did it to protect them from the Werewolves," Elena adds, watching her as the Original Mother moves around the room collecting things from parts of the office.

"It's true. But in no time at all, they began to feed on human blood. They ravaged the town with no remorse. Eventually, Niklaus turned against me," She replies as if she did nothing wrong.

"How are you gonna kill him? He's immortal," The Doppelganger wonders, not having too much hope.

"It will take time, magic, and your assistance," The Original Witch informs her, looking at Elena.

"What do I have to do with it?" Elena asks, frowning.

"My children believe I'm holding this ball to celebrate our reunion," Esther replies. "But in truth, I've gathered them together to perform a ritual. The first step requires blood from the Doppelgänger. Only a drop. Its essence will be in the champagne toast later on this evening. Will you do it, or shall I?" She holds a long, thin knife in her hands, making Elena stare at it taken back, but after a moment's consideration, she removes her glove and gives her finger to prick. Esther obliges, pricking her finger and squeezing the blood into a glass chalice filled with a strange dark liquid. "Elijah is more suspicious than the others, so he may need more persuasion," She warns the young girl. "But they must all drink at the toast in order to be linked as one."

"What do you mean 'linked as one'?" The Doppelganger asks, looking at her.

"You said yourself Klaus can't be killed. But tonight's spell links all my children together, so that if one goes, they all go." The Original Mother explains. "And I will be linking Lorilei McKnight as well."

"What?" Elena questions, looking at her.

"I love my family, Elena, but they are an abomination," Esther argues. "I betrayed nature when I created them. It's my duty to kill them, and Lorilei has done a lot of damage to you and others."

In the foyer, Kol walks along with Rebekah as they devise a plan to kill Matt as revenge against Elena and her friends. "I'm itching to kill something," Kol tells her. "What are we waiting for?"

"The Mayor cornered me. Give me fifteen minutes to lure Matt outside," Rebekah assures him.

"Outside? What's wrong with right here on the stairs? Make a spectacle of it," He argues, looking at his little sister.

"You sound like an idiot, Kol. Mother would kill you if you ruined her party. See you outside," She snaps and storms away, going to find Matt to begin their plan.

Damon begins waking up on the couch in the library with Alaric waiting for him. "Easy, buddy. Don't want you doing anything stupid," Alaric warns him, and Damon gets up, rushing at Stefan.

"Where's Elena?" Damon asks him frantically.

"Exactly where she belongs, talking with Esther," He tells her.

"What did you do?" the older Salvatore brother snaps, glaring at him.

"Ah, don't blame me. This was all her, right down to the broken neck," The Vampire Hunter argues and pushes him off. "You know, maybe you should stop being such a controlling dick, Damon."

"Wait. Hang on. I'm the problem here?" Damon questions, pointing to himself.

"You're a liability, friend," Alaric retorts, shaking his head.

"I'm trying to keep her alive, Ric," he snaps.

"Yeah, well, your emotions are getting in the way of our plan," The history teacher warns him.

"My emotions? How is this even happening right now?" The sassy Vampire questions in shock as he looks at the human.

"Maybe because we care too damn much," Alaric retorts, looking at him. "But we have different ways of showing it."

Rebekah and Matt walk outside through the cars parked along the beautifully decorated front garden. "So… What are we doing out here?" Matt asks, looking around at the grounds.

"Just taking a break from the polite chit-chat," Rebekah replies nervously.

"It's freezing. Let me get my coat," He tells her, walking over to his car and opening the door.

"This is your car?" She questions, looking at it as he picks up his jacket from the car seat.

"Yep," the blond quarterback replies, closing the car door. "If I could compel myself a Maserati, I would. But I can't." Matt puts his jacket over Rebekah's shoulders, making her blush at the attention.

"Oh! I'm a Vampire. We don't…" the blond Original argues but stops. "Thanks." She looks around briefly, thinking about her plan to kill the kind human. "Let's go back inside. I got all the fresh air I need." Kol stands hiding in the background, watching them coldly.

Back in the foyer, Elena finishes her secret meeting with Esther and stands alone, looking at everything. Elijah slides up to her, needing to talk. "So how was my mother?" Elijah asks her, curious to see what she will say.

"Intense," Elena replies, looking at him.

"And for what reason did she need to speak with you in private?" He wonders, offering her a glass of champagne. Elena notices Esther on the staircase looking at her, making her nervous. "Elena? Should I be concerned about my mother's intentions?"

"She just wanted to apologise for trying to have me killed," She lies to his face, unaware that he can hear her erratic heartbeat.

"So it's true, then? She's forgiven Klaus?" The Noble Original asks her, knowing it's a lie.

"It's true," The Doppelganger replies, and they hear crystal ringing, making everyone turn to look at Esther as she stands at the top of the staircase with a flute of red-tinged champagne in her hand.

"Good Evening, Ladies and Gentleman," Esther addresses the guest. "Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater joy then to see my family back together as one. I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Everyone repeats and drinks their glasses, including the Original Vampires and Lorilei.

"Cheers," Elijah repeats, looking at Elena and clicking their glasses together.

Later, after the Original Mama's toast, Klaus and Lorilei wander alone in a room filled with his paintings on the walls. "So, what did you want to show me?" Lorilei asks, not having been inside this room yet.

"One of my passions," Klaus tells her, and she looks at him.

"Oh. Impressive. I take it the curators at the Louvre aren't on vervain," She jokes, smiling at him and moving toward him.

"Yeah, well that's their mistake," He chuckles.

"What about these?" the Siphon asks, gesturing to the canvases in the middle. "Where'd you steal this from?" She shows him the necklace she's wearing tonight that he sprung on her.

"Well, that's a long story. But rest assured, it was worn by a princess almost as beautiful as you," The Original Hybrid retorts, making her blush and roll her eyes at him; Klaus looks away in embarrassment. Lorilei smiles, moving towards him and taking his hand. Then she notices some sketches on the table.

"Wait a second. Did - Did you do these?" Lorilei asks, admiring them as she looks through them.

"Yeah, um...actually one of my landscapes is hanging at the Hermitage, not that anyone would notice." Klaus confesses, making her look at him, and she kisses him. "Have you been?"

"I've never really been anywhere except here and New York. Oh, I did go to Mexico once," She argues, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "University trip. I found Maddox making out with our TA." Klaus laughs, shaking his head at her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'll take you. Wherever you want Rome. Paris. Tokyo?" He assures her. "I can paint you anywhere."

"Oh wow!" The oldest McKnight laughs, making him join her. "What are we in the Titanic movie? But to be fair, I love painting as well."

"I did not know that," The Original Hybrid muses.

"We don't know a lot about each other. That's what relationships are all about, getting to know each other," Lorilei assures him. "We've got the time."

"I know," Klaus replies, leaning his forehead against hers. "I know."

"I love you," She whispers, surprising herself and Klaus, who looks at her. "I've never said that before."

"I love you, too," He says, cupping her cheek as he looks at her. "I don't think I have ever felt like this for someone like I do for you, Lorilei."

"Same. Though I do feel like a schoolgirl confessing to my high school crush," The Siphon laughs, looking at him, and she leans into him, kissing him, to which he returns passionately.

Meanwhile, under the foyer stairs, Kol walks up to Rebekah. "There you are," Kol snaps, looking at his little sister. "I was waiting outside for you. Where's Matt?"

"About that, I, uh...I changed my mind. I don't want to ruin mother's night," Rebekah lies.

"Don't tell me you like this boy. What did he do? He gave you five seconds of his attention?" He sighs, knowing her pattern. "Don't be so predictable Rebekah."

"You don't have to be rude about it. Just leave him be, okay?" She snaps at him and storms away.

"As you wish, sister," The manic Mikaelson mutters with a smirk as he thinks about screwing up the perfect night.

In the foyer, Damon finds Elena and walks up behind her. "Elena. Did you get what you want?" Damon asks her, feeling the betrayal.

"Actually, yes," Elena answers firmly, though she isn't sure she can go through with it after learning about killing Elijah, who, unlike Klaus and Lorilei, hasn't done anything to them.

"Good, tell me on the ride home. We're leaving. Come on," He demands, grabbing her by the arm.

"Uh no, Damon let go of me," She snaps, trying to free herself. "Look, I'm sorry that I had to cut you out of the plan."

"There shouldn't have been a plan. You shouldn't be here," The older Salvatore snaps back at her.

"Do you think I like going behind your back? I don't," The Doppelganger argues. "But if I hadn't asked Alaric to help, then you would've tried to be the hero, and it would've ruined everything."

"Sorry for trying to keep you alive. Clearly Ric doesn't give a crap anymore," Damon retorts angrily.

"Now you're mad at me for including Ric?" Elena questions, looking at them.

"No, I'm mad at you because I love you!" He yells, making her look at him in shock, though she had a hunch about his feelings for her.

"Well, maybe that's the problem," She retorts, making him visibly rocked by this. "No. That's not what I-" She tries taking it back, but he hardens up again.

"No, I got it, Elena. I care too much. I'm a liability. How ironic is that?" The cocky Vampire questions and Caroline comes up to them.

"Have you guys seen Matt?" Caroline asks them, not seeing the blond quarterback since the waltz.

Meanwhile, Matt is walking past the upstairs balcony when he hears his name creepily whispered at him from out on the balcony. Matt stops and walks onto the balcony. No one is there. Matt turns and is just about to leave when Kol appears behind him. "Good evening," Kol greets him. "You're Rebekah's friend. We haven't met."

"Matt Donovan," He introduces himself, and they shake hands, though the psycho Mikaelson has other ideas.

"Kol Mikaelson," The chaotic Mikaelson replies and starts squeezing Matt's hand tightly with an audible cracking sound, making the blond quarterback scream in pain and fall to the floor. Damon appears behind them and stops Kol from doing any more damage to Matt.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Damon snaps as Matt cringes and yelps in pain. "Easy on the hand. Guy's a quarterback." Damon rushes at Kol, pushing him off the balcony, and jumps after him.

Damon lands behind Kol and continues beating on the chaotic Mikaelson before snapping his neck. Alaric comes running out of the front doors to find Damon. "Damon! Are you crazy?" Alaric shouts as the rest of the Mikaelsons, the McKnight siblings, some of the Pack, Stefan, and Elena come out from the open door and see what's happening.

"Maybe a little," Damon retorts, looking at Elena as if his impulsive nature is her fault. "Far be it from me to cause a problem." Damon turns his back on them and walks away.

"Hey!" Lorilei snaps, making everyone look at her as she stomps towards the cocky Vampire. "Phasmatos navaro pulsus sanguinox," She looks at him as he becomes uncomfortable, cringing as he feels his blood bubble under his skin.

"What are you doing?!" Elena shouts as she watches with everyone. Finn watches, too, as this strange woman defends his little brother.

"I'm showing you, because for some reason, you don't seem to understand what happens when you mess around with things you have no idea about, Doppelganger. You think you and your gang of misfits are special. Trust me, you are not. Katherine is more special than you," She retorts, glancing at Elena and the others. "I think this night is over." She walks through them, leaving Damon to writhe in pain as she stops the spell. Klaus looks at Damon before heading inside after Lorilei, knowing she needs to talk to Elijah.

"Brother, why don't you talk to her?" Klaus suggests, looking at Elijah, who looks at him and nods. They head inside, too, after Lorilei, as they both know that she needs to talk with Elijah about something or everything like they have done for the past decade.

"I will," Elijah replies, seeing the look in his brother's eyes.

Later, Caroline goes home and heads into her bedroom, leaving a message for Tyler, who needs to talk to him after everything and because of her growing feelings for Bobby. "Tyler, it's me," Caroline says into her phone. "Look, I understand what you're doing, but… I miss you…and I really wish you were here." She hangs up, looking in her dresser mirror and noticing another present from Bobby on her bed. "Wow," She laughs. "What are you doing?" She opens the present and takes out a rolled-up piece of paper. It's a sketch of her in her blue dress, and on it, Bobby writes, 'Thanks for the talk, Bobby Bear'. "You're welcome…" She places the drawing on the mirror, tapping it on the glass.

Esther stands in Lorilei's office, and Elijah walks past on his way to speak with Lorilei when he spots his mother, who scoffs in disappointment. "No violence, that was all I asked. Rebekah and Kol disgraced our family tonight," Esther snaps at her second eldest son.

"It won't happen again, mother. I'll deal with them," Elijah assures her, though he knows he can't control either Kol or Rebekah.

"Thank you, Elijah. I wish the others were more like you," she replies, looking at him. Elijah leaves, heading to Lorilei and Klaus's bedroom. Finn comes in after his brother and shuts the doors.

"Are we all right to speak freely?" Finn asks his mother, beginning to have some doubts about what they're doing.

"Yes, the sage still burns," The Original Mother assures him, writing her children's and Lorilei's names on a piece in Runic handwriting.

"You aren't having second thoughts, are you?" He wonders, hoping she says yes so they can both back out.

"Of course not, it's just Elijah. He's so moral," Esther argues, making Finn internally cringe at the thought of going through with this.

"You're doing the right thing, mother," The oldest Mikaelson male tells her, though he knows he's lying.

"You understand what this means, don't you? This spell I'm casting tonight will bind you all together as one," She reminds him.

"I understand. When it is time, I will be ready to die," Finn replies, though he's unsure if he can really go through with it after all the doubts the past two days.

"Then we must complete the link," The Original Witch replies, cutting Finn's hand and letting the blood spill onto the paper. Esther starts reciting the spell. "Phasmatos inta grum vin callus...Amalon callagius accodam...Cosom naben dox...Callagius amalon...Gaeda callagius ceremum...Phamato descendium vinum...Phasmatos inta grum vin callus...Cosom naben dox." She chants, making the blood spread across the scroll, connecting the names like tree branches. "The link is complete. You are one." The paper begins to burn as the spell finishes its completion; the Mikaelson siblings and Lorilei are now connected together, which may not make them as easy to kill as Esther thinks with her eldest son having second thoughts, Elijah is suspicious of her, Klaus doesn't trust his mother, Kol is unpredictable, Rebekah wants a second chance, and then there is Lorilei, the Siphon on par with the Original Witch.

Alaric walks Elena inside the house after the disastrous Mikaelson Ball with Damon's declaration and almost death from Lorilei McKnight. "So uh, Esther wants to kill her whole family. How is that for Mother of the Year?" Alaric jokes.

"Yeah. And I got to look Elijah right in the eye and lie to him about it," Elena replies, feeling the guilt.

"Well, good. I can't say I'll be sorry to see any of them go," He laughs.

"I just signed their death sentences, Alaric," She argues.

"No, you signed Klaus' death sentence, Elena," The Vampire Slayer assures her. "Everyone else is just collateral damage."

"It's not that simple," The Doppelganger retorts.

"Their family has brought you nothing but darkness, Elena," Alaric reminds her. "It is that simple. So, uh... where's Damon? I would think that he'd wanna make sure you got home safely."

"I'll call him and let him know," Elena replies as Damon runs away after Lorilei lets him go.

"What was with him going after Kol?" He asks, not understanding why Damon defended Matt from the psychotic Mikaelson.

"Damon being self-destructive. I said something I didn't mean," She tells him, not revealing everything.

"So did I. Anyway, uh, good night," the history teacher says, going upstairs and leaving Elena alone.

Lorilei sits in her bedroom's walk-in wardrobe, taking her shoes off slowly, deep in thought. She doesn't notice Elijah coming inside behind her and sitting on the cushion behind her. "What's wrong, Dear Child?" Elijah asks her, making her hang her head.

"So much," Lorilei mutters, rubbing her eyes and smearing the eyeliner, nearly giving her panda eyes.

"I know you and Niklaus are together, though I can't understand why," He retorts, making her look at him. "But you seem to make each other happy."

"I love him, Lijah, I even told him," She confesses, surprising the Noble Original. "He said it back and now everything seems to be falling all around us."

"I see. I never thought I'd hear that from you or him. But I'm happy for you if you are. But that's not what's got you so sad," The Noble Original argues, looking at her.

"It happened again, Lijah," The Siphon whispers, looking at him. It clocks, making Elijah wrap his arms around her.

"I'm so sorry, Lori," Elijah mutters, stroking her back as she cries into his chest. "I thought you were always careful after last time?"

"I was," Lorilei sobs, moving her head to look at him. "But I thought Nik being part Vampire wouldn't be able to give me children." She tells him, and Elijah looks at her in shock.

"Wait… Niklaus was the father?" He questions, looking at her and wiping the tears from her face gently.

"Yeah, I was just as shocked when I woke up in the hospital," She sniffles and can't help but laugh a little.

"I never thought it was possible," The suit-wearing Vampire muses, looking at her in shock.

"He's part Werewolf, Lijah. That part of him is still active and kicking," The older McKnight tells him.

"Does he know?" Elijah asks her, and she shakes her head.

"I couldn't tell him that I lost his baby," Lorilei confesses, unaware that someone overheard them.

Later that night, Matt sits at the bar at the Mystic Grill, drinking coffee with his right hand in a cast because Kol crushed it. Rebekah finds the blond human, feeling a little sorry for him, and walks up to him. "Hi. What are you doing?" she asks him.

"Well let's see, I went to a dance and got my hand crushed," Matt retorts snarkily. "I found out that I don't have health insurance, so I just needed a minute to myself."

"Well, I thought, maybe I'd buy you an apology drink," Rebekah replies sincerely.

"Maybe you could just leave me alone," He requests, wanting to be alone.

"Look, I'mI'm really sorry about Kol. He's a lunatic," she says, apologising for her brother.

"Look, Rebekah, you're 5really fun and pretty and all, but I really need you to leave me alone." The blond quarterback tells her, not looking at her, and gets up, leaving her alone at the bar. Damon replaces him, walking up to the blond Original carrying a nearly empty bourbon bottle.

"Burn. Rejected by the captain of the football team. Welcome to adolescence," Damon teases her, drinking the last of the bottle.

"Shut up, Damon. Knew I should have killed him. Mother wouldn't let me," The loveless Original argues, and Damon grabs another bottle from behind the counter.

"Well...never let people tell you what to do," He retorts, pouring a shot for himself and Rebekah. They both drink, though Rebekah frowns as she thinks about his words. "Besides...you would have broken him in a second."

"Are you suggesting I can't be gentle?" Rebekah questions, looking at the tipsy Vampire.

"No. I'm just saying that you should find someone a little more durable. That's all," The cocky Vampire argues, looking at her lustfully.

"And who would that be?" She wonders, looking at him.

Rebekah and Damon end up back at the Salvatore Boarding House, entering the older Salvatore brother's bedroom in a heated make-out session that grows hotter as they rip each other's clothes off. Damon continues kissing Rebekah, moving slowly to her neck, backing them up to his bed, both wanting to forget about their disastrous failed relationships.