Serena

by TheWrittenLawOfMorningStar

Being different was something I was used to. My sister was the normal one, and I was the strange one. But after my sister and I lose our parents in an accident, things start to get strange in our small sleepy town of Mystic Falls. Foggy memoires of my past were slowly becoming my present. The people I believed to be long dead, were starting to reappear in my life.

32. Chapter 32: The New Normal

Chapter 32: The New Normal

It had only been an hour since the others had left the boarding house, but Elena felt as if it had been ages as worry gnawed away inside her. She felt like she was drowning in her own anxiety as scenario after scenario of what could go wrong flashed through her head.

Elena wanted to so badly believe that her sister was safe with Damon and Stefan, not to mention Bonnie, but she was still afraid of the 'what ifs'. Her sister was attempting to do something she had never done before and if things went wrong and Esther somehow hurts Serena, she would never forgive herself.

Elena was being honest with herself when she thought about how unnerving it was when she first met Esther face to face. The Original Witch didn't seem like someone they should underestimate considering even as a dead person she almost succeeded in killing Elena and Serena in a blazing car.

Knowing what Esther was capable of and what her sister was walking into made Elena's thoughts feel like an ongoing tornado that wouldn't stop going around and around in her head. When it finally got to be too much Elena shot up from the couch and was about to start pacing the room, again. But before she could even take a single step, a voice spoke up and she froze.

"Don't you dare start pacing again," Bekah hissed. "I will tie you to chair if you start that incessant circling again." The Original Vampire glared at the teen from the other couch. She refused to be subjected to the dopplgängers aggravating need to pace every five minutes.

Elena sent the vampire a perplexed look. She just couldn't understand why Bekah seemed to be so calm considering what was currently happening with her family. It was alarming seeing the vampire lounging on the couch with magazine in her hands while Elena was on the verge of a melt down.

Before Elena could make a comment on the vampires calm disposition, another voice spoke and said, "No one is tying anyone to a chair. Okay." Caroline walked into the living room and moved to stand beside Elena. She placed a comforting hand on her friends shoulder and told her, "Elena, you need to relax. Pacing is not going to help. You're just freaking yourself out."

"I can't just relax, Care." Elena huffed, dissatisfied by everyone around her seeming so calm, while she felt like she was about to explode from the anxiety of not knowing what was going on. "My sister is out there risking her life all because of my mistakes."

"Elena, this isn't your fault." Caroline tried her best to reassure her friend, but Elena only shook her head, unwilling to unburden herself from her emotions.

"Yes it is." Elena shot back. "If I had just talked to Serena, if I had trusted her. None of this would be happening."

"Elena," Caroline shook her head.

"Oh enough with the pity party." Rebekah threw her magazine down and stood up from the couch. She crossed her arms and looked Elena in the eyes as she said, "Your right, this is your fault."

"Hey!" Caroline yelled at the Original Vampire, baffled that she would say such a thing.

"It's the truth." Bekah stated. "You had every opportunity to trust Serena, but you didn't. My brothers now have to kill our Mother and Serena is taking a huge risk breaking the hold my Mother has on the Bennett witches."

Elena looked as if she had just been slapped as he jaw fell open. "I never meant for this to happen." She said meekly. It was a pitiful argument, but she couldn't find any other words to say.

"That may be so, but it did happen." Bekah snapped back. "Your decisions hurt Serena and they put her in danger. But," Bekah let out a sigh and shook her head. "For some absurd reason, Serena cares for you. She's been thinking of ways to protect you, all while you're making plans with my Mother to kill her Fated Ones." Elena flinched at the reality of Rebekah's words. "I didn't agree to stay here and protect you because I have forgiven you for what you did to me. I stayed because I knew it would make Serena feel better. The love a Fae gives to those they care about is a powerful thing, and Serena loves you. Now's your chance to do better."

Bekah raised her chin and stared the dopplgänger down. "You have no idea how lucky you are to have had Serena born as your sister. My brothers and I have waited a thousand years to be with her again, we will not allow you another chance to hurt her or put her in danger because of the mistakes you make."

Elena could only nod her head. As hurtful as the Originals words had been, Elena knew them to be true. She needed to be a better sister to both Serena and Jeremy. They deserved better than what she's been giving them for the last two years.

Bekah gave her one last look before walking away and heading towards the kitchen. Leaving Caroline and Elena in the living room. Earlier, Alaric had gone to check around the house and make sure things were secure.

"That was harsh." Caroline spoke softly as she awkwardly shifted beside her friend.

"Yeah, but I think I needed to hear it." Elena admitted with a sad smile as she wrapped her arms around herself. She then looked at her friend and said, "I've been a terrible sister, and friend. I've been trying so hard to protect everyone that I've been ignoring what's been going on around me."

"Hey, you haven't been terrible, just, misled." Caroline pointed out, but Elena shook her head.

"No, I've been terrible. I was so blinded by my need to keep everyone safe, that it cost me my relationship with my sister." Elena let out a deep sigh. "Rebekah's right, I need to do better."

Caroline frowned at her friend, but understood where she was coming from. Elena tended to be nearsighted when it came to those around her, so hearing her admit to her mistakes was a big step in doing better.

"Hey," Caroline reached down and took Elena's hand in hers, "How about when this is all over, we have a girls night." Care smiled at her friend and nudged her with her shoulder. "Just like old times. Popcorn, cheesy romance movies. We can drink all night till we cant see straight. It will be fun."

Elena finally gave a real smile and nodded her head. "That sounds great, Care." The two girls shared a smile and for the first time that night, Elena felt as if everything was going to be alright.

"Hey!" Alaric rushed into the room with his phone out and announced, "It's done. Esther is dead and Bonnie and her mom are no longer bound to her."

Caroline let out a sigh of relief while Elena quickly asked, "What about Serena? Is she alright?"

Alaric nodded his head. "Yeah. She's alright. Damon said she did good, but used a lot of energy and fell asleep as they were leaving the witch's house. He mentioned that the Originals were taking her back to Klaus's mansion."

"Great." Bekah spoke up as she reentered the room. "Then I'll be leaving now." Without another word, the Original Vampire flashed away, disappearing from the boarding house.

Elena let out a sigh and felt her shoulders slump. She never did get to say sorry to Bekah.

~ Break ~

I woke up with my head still foggy with sleep as the morning sunlight came in through the windows. I shuffled around the large bed as my eyes adjusted to the light. It was then that I realized that I wasn't in my bed and that I was actually in an unfamiliar room. For a moment I was confused until I felt the air shift and realized whose room I was in.

I peeked out from the fluffy comforter and watched as Nik walked into the room from what must have been the en-suit bathroom. His energy filled the large room as he walked towards the bed and he instantly grinned when he noticed me watching him with curious eyes. He took a seat on the edge of the mattress before reaching out and gently cupping the side of my face in his hand. His hand slipped down my cheek as he lightly grasped my chin and turned my face left and right. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his examination.

With a soft smile, I took his hand from my chin and pulled him closer. He easily complied and moved so half his body was was hovering above me and I had easy access to wrap my arms around his shoulders.

"Good morning, sweetheart." Nik grinned down at me with a dimple filled smile that had my heart leaping in my chest. I couldn't help but shift my hands to the base of his neck and play with the short hairs there as I watched the morning light bounce perfectly off his golden colored curls. The adoration in his eyes had a pleasant warmth coursing through me.

"Good morning." I greeted back softly. I could feel the energy within him humming just beneath the surface of his skin, making the bond between us ignite. I felt a strong sense of gratefulness as I basked in the feeling of our bond, even if it was incomplete. It felt like it was a blessing considering last night could have gone very differently, and while things did end in our favor, there was still loss.

Esther may have been set on killing her children and causing the extinction of all vampires, but she was still my Fated Ones mother. Now she was once again dead, because of me.

"What is it, love?" Nik asked, breaking me out of my thoughts. I could see a flash of concern in his eyes and knew my thoughts must have been written out on my face.

"I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record at this point, but," I stared to explain, doing my best to piece my words together as best as I could. "I'm sorry that Esther is dead. That she died, again." I added the 'again' softly as I looked Nik in the eyes.

I had witnessed first hand the first time Esther had died. I remember her threatening me as we argued over the curse she had placed on Niklaus. I had been so disgusted with her actions and the fact that she had Elijah help her in her schemes just to appease Mikael, the man who made her children's lives miserable with his very presence. Her mistakes in life were not her sons, and to place a curse on Nik just because her actions leading to his birth were too heavy of a guilt for her to deal with. Esther and I would have come to blows that night had Nik not snapped at her threats against my life and ripped her heart out of her chest.

It had been shocking to see, but as soon as Nik came back to his senses and realized what he had done, I had snapped out of my shock and consoled him. I knew he hated himself for what he did to his own mother, but a part of me, the less human and sensible part of me, felt as if Esther deserved it. It was a cruel thought. But I had been there since my Fated Ones and their sister were children. I knew what Mikael had put them through, what their mother had allowed him to put them through.

Nik shifted above me and I was pulled out of my memories as he lowered himself down so the tip of his nose brushed against mine. I felt myself holding my breath as his eyes narrowed slightly and he spoke, "I am not sorry my Mother had to die for a second time." His voice was laced with honesty and it made my eyes fill with concern for him. "She threatened our family, our very existence. She threatened you, Serena. I will burn cities to the ground and kill thousands if it means keeping you safe. My brothers and I," He paused for just a second, "I have done things, horrible things. But I don't consider killing my Mother to keep you safe to be one of them."

I felt my mouth open and close as my I tried to find something to say. I knew he was telling me the truth. I couldn't really grasp his emotions, but I still knew he felt somewhat hurt having to end his mothers life, but the guilt was nonexistent in his eyes. It was oddly reassuring knowing the lengths he would go to just to keep me safe.

With my arms still over his shoulders, I pulled him down and kissed him. I wanted to reassure him that I wouldn't judge him for the things he's done in his long existence. That I still loved him no matter what he's gone through or done in his long life.

I pulled my lips away from his long enough to whisper, "I love you. I will always love you." I wanted him to remember this moment as I pressed my lips back against his and poured as much of my feelings through the kiss as I could. He returned the kiss with enthusiasm as he lowered himself even further so he was practically flushed against my body. Our kiss became heated and I could feel the bond between us begin to spark in my veins.

The bonds I shared with my Fated Ones were unique in their own ways. I could tell the differences between them and knew what emotions they were feeling in the moment. It was hard to truly grasp and I didn't bother worrying over it as a moan escaped my lips. One of Nik's hands had moved to grasp me gently by the throat so he could take full control of the kiss and angle my face the way he wanted it. The gentle pressure against my neck and the feel of his skin against mine had my body becoming heated and the need to move this further along sparked in my blood.

His lips moved from mine and I whined at the loss, but was soon compensated as he pressed open mouth kisses against my jaw and made his way down my neck. The feeling of his soft lips against my neck made me moan and shift as I tried to somehow get closer to him. The feeling of my clothes against my heated skin made me cringe and the fact that I was still under the sheets and comforter made me wiggle against the bed as I tried to escape their confines.

I couldn't stand the constricting feeling any longer and pulled myself away from Nik to try and rid myself of the bedding, but before I could get away, a growl rumbled up from his chest, making my body freeze. My breaths came out in heavy pants as Nik growled at me and the hand around my neck tightened. I couldn't hold back the whine that escaped my mouth. My lust filled brain couldn't understand why he was stopping me from trying to get closer to him, but I didn't dare move or say anything as he growled against the skin of jugular.

He stopped growling once I stopped moving and lost the tension in my body. He then placed a kiss against my neck and said, "Shhh, sweetheart." His voice sent shivers down my spine at the primal tone he took. He placed another kiss against my skin and continued speaking, "We don't have time for all that right now."

I felt disappointed at his words and tears of frustration began to gather in the corners of my eyes. Every instinct in my body was yelling at me to complete the bond between us. My blood was practically boiling with lust and the wetness that had gathered between my thighs was a clear sign that I was more than ready for more. I knew Nik knew this considering his heightened sense of smell and the fact that I was practically rubbing myself against him as he placed kisses down my neck to my collarbone.

"Niklaus." I whined his name as he trailed his lips from my shoulder back up to my pulse point.

"I know, love. But it will have to wait for another time." I whined again and he shushed me. "Not to worry, sweetheart. I still plan on having a taste."

I was confused by his words, but before I could ask him what he meant, his weight was suddenly gone. Now more confused, I blinked and suddenly the bedding was gone, but so were the sweatpants I had woken up in, and my underwear. I gasped as the cooler air hit my bare skin. I sat myself up and looked down to see Nik grinning at me from between my legs. I couldn't help but stare wide eyed as he lowered himself down onto his stomach and maneuvered my legs so they were thrown over his shoulders.

Nik's gaze never left mine as he lowered his mouth down and I watched with anticipation boiling in my blood as he finally swiped his tongue against my sensitive skin. I fell back onto the pillows with a moan and felt, more than heard, Nik's chuckles before he dived in and sent me into madness. My skin was flushed and my blood heated as he licked at my sensitive clit. His tongue was fast and rough, making me reach down and grab at his hair with one hand as the other held onto the edge of the pillow under my head for dear life.

The stimulation I was feeling was both too much and not enough.

"Niklaus!" I shouted my Fated Ones name like a prayer as he probed my entrance with single finger, making my core clench at the emptiness in desperation. "More." I demanded and squeezed my thighs tighter around his head. His finger finally moved deeper and I practically cried out at the feeling. "Oh! Hmmm!" I groaned and rutted my hips as Nik moved his finger in and out of me while simultaneously sucking on my clit.

It was all starting to become to much, but I still needed more. Nik seemed to understand that and added a second finger, making my stomach clench with pleasure. I let out a breathy, "Yes." At the feeling of fullness and I could feel myself getting closer to the edge. "Oh, oh. Ah," The noises that I was making would have had me dying of embarrassment were I in the right mind, but as Nik sucked and licked at my clit I could care less about my moans and whines.

"Ah, yes! Nik!" I shouted his name and my hand tightened its hold on his hair as I felt myself beginning to crash. Nik then sucked hard on my clit and curled his fingers in a come hither motion and that was it for me. I practically screamed as my back arched and my thoughts went quiet. The pressure of my orgasm made tears gather in the corners of my eyes as it became overwhelming. Nik was gently licking at me as his fingers held still. My core spasmed around his digits as I slowly came back down.

Nik was still between my legs as I regained some semblance of control of my body as my hand fell from his hair and my eyes closed shut as I focused on breathing. I couldn't help but whine quietly when Nik pulled his fingers from my core and peaked my eyes open as he sat up on his knees. He smirked when he noticed me looking at him with hooded eyes and held my gaze as he sucked his fingers into his mouth. I felt my eyes widen at the scene and blushed at the way he sucked my cum from his digits.

He chuckled at the look on my face and I sent him a pitiful glare in return. He may have just been in between my bare thighs a moment ago, sending me into oblivion, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to blush at him licking his fingers clean in the aftermath of it all.

Nik's gaze broke away from mine as his eyes flickered between my neck and heaving chest. I could feel my heart pounding behind my rib cage and knew he could hear it too. I watched as Nik zeroed in on my jugular and noticed a faint yellow flickering at the edge of the blue of his eyes.

"Come here," I held up my arms and motioned with my hands for Nik to come closer. He looked at me for a moment, searching my face for what he wanted to see before moving his body so he hovered over me. Once he was close enough, I reached up and locked my arms around his neck and tilted my head back. The expanse of my neck was now in his view. The sleep shirt I was wearing had a large collar, leaving my neck exposed to Nik's hungry gaze. I could feel the energy around him shift as I watched as dark veins spread out from under his eyes. The whites around his iris's turned black just as the blue was swallowed up by bright amber. "Go ahead. I know you wont hurt me. I trust you." I spoke as sincerely as I could. Wanting him to trust that my words were real.

Nik looked into my eyes for a brief moment before he leaned down and tucked his face against my neck. I held onto him as he rubbed his nose against my skin and breathed in my scent. He then placed a gentle kiss against my pulse point before moving down and licking just above the spot where my neck and shoulder meet. I shivered at the feeling of his tongue against my skin before I finally felt his fangs pierce me.

I understood that bites from vampires were supposed to hurt. But as Nik's fangs sank into my skin, all I could feel was pleasure. My still sensitive core pulsed and I subconsciously arched my back into Nik's body. The Original Hybrid had to hold me firmly to his body as I withered against him. I couldn't help but moan at the feeling of Nik drinking my blood.

"Mmm," I moaned softly as Nik retracted his fangs and licked at the blood escaping the healing wounds.

We rested against one another for a moment. I felt content to lay in Nik's arms all day, but after about five minutes of being practically comatose, my stomach decided to voice its own opinion on the matter. Nik chuckled above me before rolling off of me and standing up from the bed.

"Come," He held out a hand to me and I took it, feeling only slightly self conscious of the fact that I wasn't currently wearing any pants. "You can take a shower in here, love. I'll have Bekah bring you something to wear from your room."

Nik showed me to the bathroom and placed a kiss on my forehead before leaving me alone. Nik's bathroom was similar to mine in size. He had a large tub and walk-in shower across from the long counter with double sinks and a large only difference being the color scheme and that fact it had more masculine bathroom products when compared to mine.

I finished getting undressed and jumped in the large shower to rinse off. I used whatever soap Nik had to clean myself with and quickly finished up. I had felt Bekah come and go in the bedroom and knew she had dropped me off some clothes like Nik had said. I grabbed a towel and dried off before wrapping it around my body and heading back into the bedroom.

I found a pile of neatly folded clothes on the newly made bed and quickly got dressed in the designer jeans and blouse, as well all underwear and a bra, Bekah had picked out for me. It had apparently been too much to hope for her to grab me something less expensive, but it was fine.

As I made my way through the large mansion and down the stairs, I did my best to pinpoint where everyone was in the house. I could feel Elijah and Finn near one another somewhere on the first floor while Nik was somewhere upstairs on the second floor. Bekah, I found in the sitting room lounging on the couch with her face buried in a fashion magazine.

"Good morning." I greeted her as I stepped into the room.

Bekah peeked over her magazine and raised a brow at me before looking back at the page and said, "Yes, I'm sure you did have a good morning."

I blanched at her words and sputtered, "H-hey!" I then picked up a throw pillow from the other end of the couch and threw it at the vampire. It jostled her magazine and she had the audacity to glare at me. I stuck my tongue out at her and she even returned the gesture.

In the end, I couldn't help but laugh at the two of us. She rolled her eyes at my giggles, but I could see her ginning as she tried to hide behind her magazine.

I shook my head at our antics and went to take a seat on the couch, but before I could sit, I gasped as a sudden wave of agitation and annoyance washed through me. I noticed Bekah sit up and drop her magazine as I fought through the emotions threatening to overwhelm me.

"Niklaus! Get a hold of your damn mutts or I'll put them down like the dogs they are!" The shouting came from outside. I didn't bother waiting for Bekah and immediately raced through the house towards the back door. Kols emotions did not waver and I could see why as soon as I was outside the mansion. The Original Vampire was facing down the hybrid pack who were all nervously eyeing him as he bared his teeth at them. I recognized Daniel, Beck, and Vanessa as they stood in front of the pack, facing Kol head on.

My stomach flipped at the sight and I quickly rushed forward to try and diffuse the situation, but before I could get close, an arm wrapped around my middle and I was pulled back into Finn's chest. Elijah appeared in front of me and blocked me off from Kol and the hybrids.

It all happened so fast and in a blink of an eye, Nik appeared and stood in front of his hybrids and faced off against his younger brother. Kols irritation spiked at the sight of Nik and I couldn't help but cringe at the emotions flowing through him and into me. It was very clear that Kol wasn't happy to see Nik protecting the hybrids and the myriad of emotions he was feeling was overwhelming.

Nik growled deep in his chest as he spoke, "Stay away from them Kol." I did my best to peak around Elijah and saw Nik's eyes flash gold for a split second as he stood against his brother. I clutched onto Finns arm tightly as I tried to focused on anything but Kols swirling emotions.

Kol narrowed his eyes and looked at his brother with indignation as he snapped and said, "Or what Nikki? You'll dagger me? You care for your new family so much, maybe we should leave, hmm? Let you finally have the family you've always wanted."

I swallowed thickly at the feeling in my chest. Anger, hurt, and fear were the prominent emotions I was feeling though the completed bond I shared with Kol. I could feel bits and pieces from my other Fated Ones, but they were muted when compared to what I could feel wafting off Kol. Vampires didn't feel things gently, and Kols emotions were a testament to just how much all this was affecting him.

"Oh cut it out, Kol!" Nik snapped back at his brother.

"No!" Kol yelled back and I flinched slightly. "You kept me daggered for over a hundred years! I've been carted around in a wooden box, while you got to walk the earth how you see fit. Now you've achieved the means to replace us," Kol waved his hand back to where his siblings and I were standing, "What will you do to us now, Nik. Will you dagger us the second we're no longer compliant with your plans, hmm? Will you drop us in the ocean to be forgotten?"

I was starting to get overwhelmed and couldn't tell my own feelings apart from Kols. It was impossible for me to block Kol off and when I tried to focus on Elijah or Finn, the bond only brushed against them and offered me no reprieve. Tears stung at my eyes and I tried to squeeze them shut in hopes of gaining some sort of control.

"Don't push me Kol," Nik sneered.

"Or what? I could kill every last one of your precious hybrids and it wouldn't come close to the hurt you put us through all these years." Kol seethed with anger and hurt. His talk of daggers and what Nik put him through made me want to sob. It was a reminder of what I failed to prevent and it broke my heart knowing the family I loved so much was so broken.

"Stop," My voice cracked, barely above a whisper, as I tried to find some sort of balance between mine and Kols emotions. "Please, stop.'

My eyes were still shut, but I could tell Finn had heard me as he squeezed me tighter and began to growl low in his chest, sending pleasant vibrations down my spine.

"Do you truly hate me so much brother?" Nik shouted back at his brother. Making it clear to me that they hadn't heard me.

"Enough of this." Elijah finally spoke up. "The both of you need to end this trivial arguing."

"Don't you dare come to his defense, 'Lijah!" Kol snapped at his noble brother. "You've always taken his side! Leaving Finn and I in the dark for years! Excluding us from our own family!"

My heart broke and I felt something inside of me finally snap. I clutched at my chest and felt the powers inside of me burst in a great crash of energy. Finn's arms disappeared from around me as the feelings inside of me peeked and crashed, like waves in a storming ocean. My eyes snapped open in shock as everything seemed to go still. I quickly glanced back towards where I felt Finn and noticed him standing with Bekah as they stared at me in shock and concern.

"Elskan?" I looked forward and saw Elijah standing cautiously in front of me with his hand held up, as if he was trying to calm a wild animal. Which, to be fair, I probably looked the part considering what had just happened.

I looked beyond Elijah's figure and saw Nik and Kol staring at me. Nik was shocked by the sudden force of power and looked to be unsure of what to do, while the hybrids had moved further back and closer to the tree line. Kol on the other hand, he looked at me with shame in his eyes and I could feel him reining in his emotions as quickly as he could.

I took a deep breath and quickly wiped at my eyes, removing the tears that had fallen as I said, "I'm alright." After composing myself as best as I could, I straightened my shoulders and stepped forward. Elijah quickly moved to intercept me, but I shook my head. "It's okay, 'Lijah." He seemed unsure, but allowed me to pass, keeping himself close by. I felt Bekah and Finn move closer behind me as I stepped up Kol and Nik.

Kol was looking down at the ground, his hands were clenched tightly as he focused on calming his raging emotions. Nik on the other hand stood stalk still, waiting for me to say something.

"I know that there's a lot that needs to be discussed between all of you." I stared, speaking softly, yet firmly. "Now may not be the best time to unload all that, but I will make this very clear, there will be no more daggering each other."

Kol's head shot up at my words, while Nik remained stoic and silent. "This family can't survive on hate and distrust. The daggers have to go. Hell, we'll melt the stupid knives down and make them into paperweights. Bottom line is, no one will be getting daggered." I looked at Kol now and added, "And no more threatening the hybrids."

Kol nodded his head in compliance. I then looked at Nik and stepped a little closer to the Original Hybrid. Looking him in the eyes, I could see the walls he had spent a thousand years constructing to keep out those who wished to hurt him. The look in his eyes was different from what I had seen this morning. He was scared. He was scared of being hurt by those who were supposed to love him, but I wasn't going to allow him to self-destruct over his own insecurities, not anymore.

"You're not alone anymore." I moved closer to him. "It may not be perfect, but you have your family. You have me. I made you a promise that I would never leave you, and I will keep that promise. But you can't push everyone away any more." The look in his eyes made my heart clench painfully in my chest. The pain he must have felt when our bond was severed cut deeply. It cut them all deeply. I wished for nothing more than for our bond to be completed at that moment. I wanted him to feel what I was feeling and understand that I was being completely honest with him.

"I made you a promise," I reminded him again. "We have an eternity to live our lives with each other now, and I know it won't be easy, but you're my Fated One, Niklaus. We are bound together, through thick and thin." The walls finally began to crumble. I could see it in his eyes, the wanting and hoping for my words to be true. I stepped up to him and closed the distance between us and cupped his face in my hands. "We'll take little steps. You're going to have to rebuild trust with your family, but it can be done. And I'll be right here with you guys."

Nik closed his eyes and sank into my touch. His hands came up to grasp at my wrists. He didn't remove my hands, just sank further into them as his thumbs caressed my pulse points.

"Little steps." I whispered softly. "I made you a promise, but you also made me a promise." Nik's eyes opened as he looked at me questioningly. I glanced over his shoulder towards where the hybrid pack stood anxiously at the edge of the tree line. "You promised me that you would give them a choice, Nik."

Nik's spine went rigid as he remembered what promise I was talking about. The night he had Tyler bite Caroline we had both made promises to each other, and now it was his turn to keep his promise. I rubbed my thumbs against his cheek bones and smiled softly at him in reassurance. "It's the right thing to do, Nik. Even if you don't like it."

He looked me in the eyes for a long moment before finally letting out a sigh and shaking his head in defeat. While most would say the big bad Original Hybrid could never be tamed, I would like to point out that they weren't me.

"Alright," He finally spoke, straightening up and removing my hands from his face. He kept his hold on me as he looked me in the eyes and said. "Consider it done, love." He then placed a kiss on the back of both my hands and released them. Nik turned to face the hybrids and moved towards them.

The second he stepped away from me, Kol was at my back, pulling me into his arms and burying his face in my neck.

"I'm sorry, darling." He mumbled into my skin. I smiled softly and reached up to pat him on the head.

"It's okay, Kol." He pulled back from my neck to look at me and I quickly placed a kiss on his cheek. I could feel his relief through the bond and I knew he was truly sorry for losing his cool.

"Elskan," I glanced to my left at Elijah. The look on his face made me pull myself from Kols embrace and step up to him. I could feel Kols disappointment, but he begrudgingly let me go. Once I was close enough, Elijah reached out and gently ran the back of his hand down the side of my face. "Thank you, Serena." he then placed a soft kiss against my forehead and I couldn't help but smile up at him with my cheeks tinting with a light blush.

Elijah stayed outside with Nik as he released the hybrids from the sire bond and the rest of us went inside. I wasn't sure if it was in support for his younger brother, or if Elijah was making sure Nik kept his word. I hoped it was out of support. I was relived to know he was there for his brother.

To distract myself from everything that had just happened, I decided to make myself some breakfast. Breakfast meaning toast and coffee. I easily found the bread in the walk in pantry, and after figuring out how the fancy toaster worked, I popped the bread in. Once my bread was on its way into becoming toast, I set my sights on figuring out the coffee machine.

While I examined the fancy looking machinery, Kol had taken it upon himself to hover right behind me and supervise everything I was doing. Bekah took a seat at the kitchen island while Finn stood leaning against the sink. He was effectively keeping an eye on me while also peeking out the back window at where Elijah and Nik were with the hybrids.

"Um, stupid question, but do any of you know how to use this thing?" I asked in defeat. I looked between the vampires and fully understood that asking them was useless considering they had missed the whole evolution of kitchen products. But I had to try and ask. The coffee machine looked like one of those fancy espresso makers that actual coffee shops used. Only this one was smaller so it could conveniently take up less space on the kitchen counter.

Bekah rolled her eyes and got off the stool before striding up to where Kol and I were standing. "It cant be that difficult." She stated with a wave of her hand as she examined the coffee maker. I raised a brow and looked between the once comatose vampire and the fancy machinery.

"Well, give it go, sister." Kol goaded his on sister with a smirk as he wrapped his arms around my middle and pulled me back into his chest.

Bekah rolled her eyes and sent Kol a glare, before looking back at the coffee maker. She pushed a few buttons, but nothing happened. She then pulled on the metal hose thing on the side of it and hit another button. Suddenly the thing started smoking from the metal hose thing and I let out a startled squeak. Kol moved us quickly and we were suddenly standing on the other side of the kitchen island. Finn had moved and placed himself between us and smoking coffee maker.

Then as quickly as it began smoking, it stopped. "Way to go Bex, you broke it!" Kol shouted as he gestured to the coffee maker.

"Shut up, Kol!" Bekah snapped back. "I didn't break it! It's just steam." Bekah crossed her arms and glared at the machine.

I shook my head and let out a sigh. "Maybe there's a less technical coffee maker somewhere." I muttered. I pulled away from Kol as he and Bekah continued to bicker back and forth.

I went back into the walk-in pantry and looked around. The pantry was large and very overstocked with food, but something near the back to the room caught my eye. "Yes!" I cheered. It was a standard coffee maker. Nothing quite as fancy as what was on the kitchen counter.

I picked up the coffee maker and just as I was walking out of pantry I spotted another win and quickly snatched the bag of coffee grounds from one of the shelves with my fingers. The second I stepped out of the pantry Finn was there taking the coffee maker from my hands and placing it on the kitchen island. I followed after him and situated the machine so it was near an outlet, and after plugging it in, I knew I was in business. Finn watched closely as I set the coffee maker up by adding the coffee grounds to a filter and pouring water into the machine.

As the coffee maker slowly began to work, I felt the air shift and looked up to see Elijah walking through the backdoor. "Elskan," He smiled softly at me and motioned for me to join him. I walked up to him as he said, "Some of the hybrids wish to have a word with you."

I nodded my head and Elijah returned the gesture before glancing up over my head. He sent his siblings a reassuring look before leading me outside. His arm was wrapped protectively around my waist as we walked towards where Nik stood with three familiar hybrids.

Vanessa gave me a welcoming smile as she stood between Beck and Daniel. Once Elijah and I were close enough, Nik shifted his position so he stood on my other side.

"We just wanted to thank you for everything." Vanessa spoke up first. "Beck and I have decided to leave, but the rest of the pack is staying here in Mystic Falls."

I titled my head in curiosity and asked, "Where will you go?"

The two mates shared a look and smiled softly at each other. "Anywhere we want." Beck answered as he lifted Vanessa's hand and placed a kiss on the back of it.

The female hybrid blushed and rolled her eyes at her mate. "We plan on traveling to all the places we've never been able to go to because of what we are. And, if we run into any wolves who are interested in turning into a hybrid, we'll be sending them here to Klaus." I looked up at Nik and saw him nod his head in agreement with Vanessa's words.

I then looked over at Daniel and asked him, "What about the rest of the pack?"

Daniel looked at me and answered, "We're staying here. The pack and I have agreed to staying loyal to Klaus. And," He paused, glancing back at the pack still standing near the edge of the words, "We wanted to thank you. Your blood helped us transition and while being half vampire has its challenges, we no longer have to go through the change and it's been a blessing for us. We'll be protecting you in any way we can."

"Oh, you're welcome and I appreciate that. I'm glad I was able to help." I was somewhat embarrassed by the fact that the hybrids were thankful for my help. Daniel bowed his head to me before doing the same to Nik and stepping away. He walked back towards the rest of the pack and I looked back to Vanessa and Beck. "Good luck out there. Try not to get into too much trouble."

Both hybrids smirked. "We'll be doing our best." Vanessa replied.

"Thank you, again," Beck bowed his head and looked to Nik, "Well keep in touch. We'll also be sure to vet the wolves we plan on sending your way."

Nik nodded his head and both hybrids bowed at us before turning away and heading towards the other hybrids.

With the hybrids further away, Elijah looked over to his younger brother and said, "Congratulations, brother. You now have a trusted pack of hybrids." I looked between the two brothers as Nik turned his attention to Elijah. "But you still have a family that needs reassurance you won't be condemning them to a box anytime soon."

I cringed at Elijah's words and the way Nik narrowed his eyes at him. Seeing Nik and Elijah stand off against one another was different then seeing Nik and Kol do it. While Nik and Kol were volatile with one another, Elijah and Nik had a different relationship.

"I believe our Fated One had a brilliant idea," I looked up at Elijah in confusion before he continued with, "What was it, melt the daggers down and turn them into paperweights?" He glanced down at me with a smirk before looking back at his brother.

Nik rolled his eyes and huffed, "Fine, fine. Melt the bloody things down. I don't care." He waved his hand around and I felt a smile break out onto my face. I pulled away from Elijah's side and threw my arms around Nik's neck and hugged him as tightly as I could.

"Thank you." I whispered into his ear as his arms came up around me and held me close to his body. There was a lot of work to be done, but this was a step in the right direction.

With the hybrids now taken care of, the three of us headed back to the mansion, unfortunately we were met with a strange sight as we walked in through back door. A disappointed Finn stood glaring at his siblings as Kol and Bekah bickered. I was confused by the scene, that is until I noticed the blackened pieces of bread sitting on the counter.

"My toast?" I frowned sadly at my brunt breakfast.

The vampires in the kitchen finally looked up and Finn was the first to move towards me. He gently tucked a piece of loose hair behind my ear before saying, "Sorry, my starlight. The uh, toaster, burnt your bread." Finn then sent a glare at Kol and Bekah, both who were standing beside one another looking suspicious. "And those two made things worse."

I could feel Kols emotions and was confused as to why he was feeling remorseful. That is until Bekah and him moved away from each other, revealing the broken coffee machine.

Now I understood. "No, not the coffee maker." I frowned at the sight of the broken glass and plastic on the counter.

"Honestly." Nik sighed and shook his head at the destruction in the kitchen.

"We were just trying to make the stupid machine work faster." Bekah said as she crossed her arms and glared at the broken coffee maker.

"'We!'" Kol looked at his younger sister in disbelief and said, "You were the one who was adamant that you could make it work faster, Bex." Bekah rolled her eyes and snuffed her nose at her brother. Kols glare deepened and I could feel the violence rolling off of him and knew the two siblings were seconds away from physically fighting.

"Enough, you two." Finn shook his head at the bickering siblings. Both Kol and Bekah continued to glare at one another, but the arguing finally ended.

I felt Elijah shift beside me before he let out a sigh and said, "Don't worry, Ástin mín. I'll make you something to eat." I nodded at Elijah, grateful the issue seemed to be defused, but still slightly disappointed with the whole broken coffee maker thing.

Lucky for me having Elijah make breakfast, well brunch I guess, was far better then any toast and boring coffee I could make. Elijah made some of the best scrambled eggs I had ever tasted and had even managed to work the fancy espresso machine. I sat on one of the bar stools with Finn on one side of me and Nik on the other while Bekah and Kol stood leaning against the counter top as Elijah stood across from me and his brothers.

I sipped at my coffee as light conversation filled the air. I had a small sense of déjà vu in that moment. It reminded me of along time ago, back when we would wake the second the sun crested over the horizon and would begin our days right at dawn. We would all sit around the fire and break our fast with small portions of food before going about the day working to survive in the harsh reality that was our life back then. Things were obviously different now, but there was still that similarity between my memories of the past and now.

Yes, things were different now. I felt a sense of ease wash over me as I enjoyed my coffee. Here I was, sitting with those I loved, with no imminent threats hanging over our heads. My Fated Ones and I were safe and it was a nice feeling.

I had just finished my coffee when a knock echoed through the mansion. I titled my head in curiosity before smiling widely and sliding off the bar stool. I was quick as I made my way to front door, but no matter how fast I was, vampires were still faster. Kol beat me to the front door and answered it, reveling Caroline and my sister standing on the front steps of our home. There was a bit of tension rolling off Kol as he stared my friend and sister, but I was quick to push myself in front of the glowering vampire.

The rest of the Original family joined us as I stood in front of Kol. Caroline grinned widely while my sister offered me a warm smile. Both seemed relieved to see me, making me realize they were probably worried about me after what happened last night.

"Hey," I greeted the two girls.

"Hey," Elena greeted me back, "We wanted to come by and check on you."

"Yeah, Damon said you pretty much passed out last night." Caroline added.

Kol, who was hovering behind me, tilted his head at the two girls standing just outside the threshold of the doorway. I could feel the distrust radiating off the vampire behind me, making me shake my head roll my eyes. I could tell Kols glaring was making Caroline and Elena uneasy and I didn't want the two of them to feel unwelcome in the home I was now living in.

I turned to address the vampire. "Kol, cut it out. They're not a threat."

Kol huffed, but before he could make a retort, Elijah appeared beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "Apologies for my younger brother." He looked at the two teen girls and added, "Kols always lacked manners and tact." Elijah squeezed Kol's shoulder. Making his younger brother glare at him.

"Don't hold back, Elijah. We all know Kol is the most feral one of us." Bekah added from beside Nik as she crossed her arms and sneered at Kol. Nik couldn't help but grin at the hounding his younger brother was receiving and I could feel Kols irritation spike as he let out a growl and glared at his sister.

"That's really nice coming from you Bex, when you're standing right next to our brother who is literally half dog." Kol waved his hand at Nik whose grin was quickly wiped off his face as he growled at Kols jab.

I took a step back and stood between Elena and Caroline as the siblings bickered and growled at each other.

"Have they always been like this?" Caroline asked quietly, unable to take her eyes off the fearsome vampires squabbling in the foray of the large mansion.

I nodded my head and answered with, "Oh yeah. They can sometimes be even worse then Damon and Stefan."

"That's hard to believe." Elena commented and I couldn't help but smile and shrug my shoulders.

"Enough, Niklaus, Kol." Elijah sent his brothers a look and gestured towards where Elena, Caroline, and I standing. "We are not making the best impression on our Fated Ones sister and friend."

The siblings stopped their squabbling to look at me and I simply shrugged and said, "No need to ease them into this. I think we've all kind of gotten past the small talk stage." Caroline snorted and tried to cover up her laughter with her hand as Elena shook her head. I then looked between the two girls and asked, "Would you guys like to come in?"

Caroline nodded her head and grinned enthusiastically while Elena was more tame as she nodded her head in answer. I stepped back through the threshold and Elijah was quick to stand in front of me. He tucked some of my lose hair behind my ear and said, "We'll leave you be, Elskan." He then placed a kiss on my forehead and added, "Enjoy your time with your sister and friend."

He then disappeared and I felt his energy retreat further into the mansion. Finn took his brothers place and placed a quick kiss on my cheek before also disappearing. Kol moved to quickly for me to see as he placed a sloppy kiss on my cheek and flashed away. I glared in the direction his energy was coming from and wiped his left over drool from my blushing cheek before looking towards Nik.

The hybrid grinned at me as he approached. Unlike his brother, Nik took hold of my hand and placed a kiss on the back of my knuckles before saying, "Enjoy yourself, love." He spoke softly to me before taking his leave. With all four brothers gone, I looked back at Elena and Caroline, both of whom were grinning fiercely at me.

"Awww." Caroline gushed at the scene and I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I blushed even harder knowing Care and my sister had just witnessed first hand my relationship with my Fated Ones.

A gagging sound came from Bekah before she said, "Please don't encourage it."

I shook my head the Original Vampire before gesturing for Elena and Caroline to come into the mansion and closing the door behind them.

"But it's so cute. We've never seen Serena be affectionate like that." Caroline continued to gush.

"Well, be prepared. Elijah puts on a good show making you think he's noble in giving you space with Serena. But he will happily steal Serena away the second hes in need of her attention." Bekah explained. "That goes for each of my brothers."

I let out a sigh at Bekah's words and rolled my eyes. I knew she wasn't exactly wrong, but it was still sweet of them to give me space with my sister and Caroline. "Come on," I waved Caroline and Elena to follow me. "I'll show you my room and we can talk more there."

"Your room?" Elena asked with curiosity.

I nodded my head, "Mm-hmm, its honestly huge."

"I can believe that." Caroline spoke up as we headed upstairs. "Geeze, this place is massive. I mean, I realized it was huge during the ball, and even before that, but wow."

Caroline defiantly wasn't wrong. I had been living in the mansion for more then a week and I still hadn't ventured into all the rooms. Downstairs was mostly open spaces near the front for party's, while near the back was the kitchen, dinning room and smaller sitting rooms that were all connected and a little more cozy. Upstairs was where it became more personal with bedrooms and study's, as well as Nik's art studio that I had yet to venture into.

I led the way into my bedroom and stood aside to allow Caroline and Elena to enter the large space. While Elena and Care gaped at the room, I looked back into the hall way where Bekah stood. I titled my head in confusion, waiting for her to walk into the room.

The vampire waved her hand as me and said, "I'll be around if you need me." Before she made her way further down the hall way. I frowned slightly, but allowed her to retreat. I knew it would take time before Bekah trusted Elena enough to truly be comfortable around her and I was more then willing to give Bekah the time and space.

When I walked into the room I found Elena alone in the middle of the room. I could feel Caroline off somewhere in the walk in closet. I watched as Elena eyed the familiar duffel bag sitting at the foot of my bed. I stepped closer to my sister and stood beside her.

"You're really not coming home, are you?" She looked away from the bag and our eyes met. I couldn't help but give her a sad smile and shake my head.

"No." I answered her. "I know that's not what you want to hear, but its the way things are now. The bonds I share with my Fated Ones make it hard to be apart for long periods of time." I knew this wasn't what my sister wanted to hear, but it was the truth and I wasn't going to sugar coat it. "I know things were supposed to be different for us, but this was always going to happen. No matter what Fate had planned for me, I was always going to end up here, with my Fated Ones."

Elena took in my words and nodded her head in understanding. "I know that this is the way things have to be now, but I guess I just wanted to hold onto to our normal lives, before all of this, for just a little while longer." Hearing Elena admit her wish made my heart clench.

"It'll be okay, Elena. This was always going to happen, no matter what changes were made to our past. We grow and we move on, but we'll always have each other." I reached out and took my sisters hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I will always be your sister and I'll always be there for you. Even if were on opposite sides of the world."

Elena smiled at me and squeezed my hand in return. This would be a new start for us. It wasn't perfect, and there was still pain between the two of us. But I was hopeful that we would grow stronger. I never stopped loving my sister, even after everything she did, and while the hurt was still there in my heart, I was confident that things were getting better between us. We were healing.

"Geeze, Serena, your closet is like a whole department store." Caroline came marching out of the walk-in closet with a look of disbelief.

I shook my head at the baby vampire and said, "Don't look at me. None of that was my idea." I watched as Care continued her exploration of my room and asked, "How is Bonnie and her Mom doing?"

Elena answered with, "They're doing great. Bonnie is staying with her today and helping her get reacquainted with her magic. She'll be back in Mystic Falls tonight before heading back to her moms house tomorrow."

"Yeah, with Bonnie coming home tonight, we figured we'd have a girls night and hang out." Caroline told me excitedly.

"I offered up our living room," Elena said and added, "We figured Bekah could join us. Give her chance to experience a girls only night and it would give us all a chance to get to know her better." Elena explained with both a hopeful, but cautious, look in her eyes.

"That actually sounds great. I'll tell Bekah. I'm sure she'll be interested in joining us." It was a good first step. They have all had a rough introduction to each other, so maybe a night to get to know one another was a good idea. I wanted the others to see that Bekah wasn't just the cold hearted vampire she made herself out to be in front of those she deemed unworthy. She was more then the frosty woman who sneered at everyone, she was sweet and loyal to a fault. She cared about those she loved and she would do anything for them.

"Kol Mikealson!"

I jumped at the sudden shout. Elena, Caroline and I shared a startled and confused look. We quickly headed for the door and poked our heads out into the hallway, just in time to see Bekah storm out of the room at the end of the hall. I quickly took notice of the dark red fabric trailing behind the irate vampire as she stood facing the stair case.

"Oh no." I whispered softly as realization dawned on me.

"Kol!" Bekah shouted again and with in a blink of an eye, Kol flashed into the hallway, standing in front of his sister with a less then pleased look on his face. "Kol! You absolute Bastard! Do you have any idea how much this dress cost?!" Bekah shook the ruined fabric in her brothers face before answering her own question, "You ruined a seventeen thousand dollar dress!"

I physically felt my stomach flip at the price of the dress Kol had ruined.

"I don't see what the big deal is, sister." Kol rolled his eyes at his sisters dramatics. "I'm sure Elijah or Nik will be more then happy to replace it. Its not like we don't have the money." A devilish grin broke out on Kols face as he added, "Besides, it was an obstacle in the way. And I'm sure our brothers would agree with me." He then looked over Bekah's shoulder and our eyes met. Kol winked at me and grinned when my cheeks grew red with embarrassment. Bekah huffed and stomped her foot at her brothers lack of care towards the ruined dress.

"Hey, isn't that the dress you wore the other night at the ball?" Elena asked quietly from beside me.

I nodded my head before catching myself. I then quickly retreated from the door way and stepped back into the room. Both Caroline and Elena looked at me quizzically. But I couldn't find the words to explain nor could I come up with some sort of distraction. It was like my mind had short circuited when reminded of why Kol had ripped my dress and ruined seventeen thousand dollars worth of fabric. Feeling Kols satisfaction flowing through our bond wasn't helping either. I prayed that they would drop the subject and that one of them would bring up something entirely different than the conversation we just heard between Bekah and Kol.

Unfortunately, my hopes were crushed and doubt set in as I watched Caroline's face shift from confusion to realization.

The blond girls jaw dropped and the words, "Oh. My. God." escaped her lips. Elena looked between Caroline and I as I raised a hand to my face and sighed deeply. Then came the excited shirking. I was suddenly pulled off my feet and into Cares arms as she hugged me.

"Care, what is happening?" Elena asked in pure confusion as Caroline continued to hold me and giggled excessively. I went limp in the vampires arms and just accepted my fate.

"Serena had sex!" Care shouted excitedly.

"Caroline!" I groaned and hung my head in embarrassment. I glanced up at my sister and noticed the girl trying her hardest not to laugh at my disdain now that she understood what was happening. I groaned again and said, "Make it stop." To no in particular.

"I can't believe our sweet innocent Serena is no longer a virgin." Care rubbed her cheek affectionately against my hair. "Shes a big girl now."

"Oh my God, please stop, Care." I cringed at her words and tried to pull myself out of her hold, but the vampire refused to relent.

"No way! This is a monumental moment for all of us. You're now in the, 'I had sex club'." I sank into her arms in defeat as she spoke.

"I hate you." I muttered.

"No you don't." She shot back with a grin.

"Care, you do remember we are in a mansion filled with vampires, right?" Elena verbally pointed out. She then physically pointed towards the open door way and said, "I'm pretty sure they heard all that."

Caroline finally let me go. I cringed slightly, knowing that all the vampires present in the large house could hear everything Caroline had said. It didn't help that I could also fee Kols smugness through the bond and knew he was probably rubbing his small victory in his brothers faces. Nothing I could do about it now though, Caroline had effectively reminded the whole household what Kol and I had been up to the other night.

"Anyway, girls night tonight." Caroline reminded me with a grin. There was still an excited twinkle in her eyes.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her and said, "Of course, I'll be there and I'll be sure to invite Bekah along." I gave the vampire a soft grin as she excitedly clapped her hands.

"Great!" Caroline looked between my sister and I with excitement in her eyes and said, "You can give us all the dirty details about how you lost your virgin status!"

"Oh my god."

"Caroline!" My sister scowled the baby vampire as I titled my head back and prayed for patience from what ever god was listening.

"OK, OK, no dirty details." Care let out a sigh and rolled her eyes as the three of us walked out my room and headed for the stair case. "But we are definitely discussing whats been going on with you and Damon."

I paused at the top of the stairs and looked down at Elena who was a couple steps below me. I noticed her visibly cringe at Caroline's words and asked, "Damon?" Elena quickly shook her head and rushed Caroline the rest of the way down the stairs. I couldn't help but laugh at my sister trying to ignore the conversation.

The two girls headed for the front doors and Elena said over her shoulder, "Anyway, see you later tonight, Serena." She then forced Caroline out the front door, leaving me to shake my head and wonder just what my sister and Damon had been getting up to. From her reaction it was clear to see that something had happened, but I had a feeling I was going to find out later tonight.

"A girls night?" I turned away from the front door and spotted Elijah walking into the foray. I smiled and nodded my head as I stepped up to the vampire. He in turn, reached out to grasp me by the hip and pull me close. I placed one hand on his chest and rested the other on his shoulder as I looked up into his eyes.

The bond between us sparked as his energy wrapped around me like a protective shield. "Yes, a girls night. Just us girls, unhealthy snacks, and cheesy movies." I answered him as I fiddled with the collar of his suit jacket. "We used to have a girls night all the time when we were in middle school, now it seems like we only have them now when something heavy happens to one of us."

Elijah titled his head and asked, "When something heavy happens?"

I nodded my head and averted my gaze down to his chest as I thought back to the last time we had had a girls night. My fingers continued to fidget with his suit jacket. Thinking about that night made my stomach sink and my mind race with 'what ifs'.

"The night you had your witch friends rescue Caroline from the werewolves was the last time we had a girls night." I softly explained. I lifted my head up and looked Elijah in the eyes as I said, "Thank you for saving her. You protected the people I cared about, even though they were never very grateful for it." I was thinking of when Elijah saved Damon from the werewolf pack. Even though Elijah kept his word, Damon and the others had still betrayed him in the end.

Elijah reached up and grasped my hand and intertwined our fingers. He then brought out joined hands up to his mouth and placed a kiss on the back of my hand. "Ástin mín, you do not need to thank me." His breath puffed out against the skin of my hand as he spoke. Our eyes stayed glued to one another as he lowered our hands and said, "No matter the circumstances, I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe and happy. If that means protecting the people you care for, then I will do it."

I felt my heart turn into a fluttering mess as I looked Elijah in his eyes and saw only love and affection. His sincerity made my heart sing as the love I felt for him blossomed in my chest. With my free hand, I gently cupped the side of his face and said, "I love you, 'Lijah."

I then reached up and placed a soft kiss against his lips.

Elijah smiled and replied to my love with, "I love you, Serena. My heart." And sealed his loved with another kiss.

There was warmth under my skin that I knew only my Fated Ones could ignite. The kiss was soft and chaste, but it still managed to spark a need with in me. But before lust, and the need to complete the bond, could over take me, I felt the air shift.

I looked over Elijah's shoulder to see Bekah approaching. The blond vampire stopped and crossed her arms before asking, "Well, what exactly is the attire for a girls night?"

I couldn't help but grin at Bekah before looking up at Elijah. He smiled softly at me before pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead and reluctantly releasing his hold on me.

~Break~

The sun was just beginning to set when Bekah and I pulled up to the Gilbert home. It felt a little strange showing up to the home I was raised in as a visitor, but a part of me always knew this day would come. At least it felt a little less heavy then the day I visited with Finn. I was just going to have to get used to seeing the white house as my old home.

"Are you sure it was okay for us to take this much wine?" I asked Bekah for the tenth time as I pulled two very expensive looking bottles of wine out of the back seat of my new car. Bekah closed the other back door and held up two more expensive looking wine bottles in her hand.

The vampire groaned and rolled her eyes at my question, "Yes, its fine. I doubt Nik will even bat any eye at the missing bottles. Not like he doesn't have a whole collection of the stuff anyway. Besides, its not like hes going to be cross with you for taking it."

I frowned at Bekah as we made our way up to the front door of the Gilbert home. "But I didn't take them, Bekah." I pointed out and the vampire sent me a sly grin.

"He doesn't need to know that." She pointed out.

I let out a sigh in defeat as I opened the front door and walked into the house. There was no point in knocking when Elena was well aware we were coming. Bekah closed the door behind us and I walked into the living room to see the three girls in the kitchen.

"Hey, we brought wine." I announced and set the wine bottles down on the kitchen table; Bekah followed suit.

"Yay!" Caroline clapped her hands excitedly. "We just finished up the popcorn and cookies."

"We would have had ice cream as well, but someone left it out of the freezer." Bonnie spoke up as she sent Elena a look.

My twin shrugged her shoulders and held up her hands in defense. "I'm sorry, I forgot it was even in the bag." I shook my head as I smiled at the back and forth happening between Elena and Bonnie. A strong feeling of nostalgia hit me as I watched the three girls finish setting everything up.

"Anyway," Caroline interrupted Bonnie and Elena's squabbling, "What should we watch first? I brought The Phantom of the Opera or Pride and Prejudiced."

Bonnie and Elena both looked at each other before looking over at me and saying, "Pride and Prejudiced." At the same time.

I rolled my eyes at the two girls and shook my head with a sigh. "Of course." I muttered with faux annoyance. When I looked back towards the kitchen, all three girls were looking at me with grins. "Will you three stop looking at me like that?" I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my eyes at my friends and sister. I then looked over at Bekah to see her staring at me with questioning eyes. I couldn't help but sigh and shake my head as I muttered, "I may or may not have had a small crush on Mr. Darcy."

"Small?!" Caroline butted in and I sent the baby vampire a glare as she scoffed at my words.

"Okay, okay," Elena picked up the bowl of popcorn and walked around the kitchen island before I could argue against Caroline. "Enough standing around, lets get this girls night going."

Bonnie picked up the plate with the cookies while Caroline gathered some wine glasses. I helped her out by grabbing the last two glasses and grabbed one of the bottles of wine off the table and a wine opener. Elena and Bonnie took over the couch while Bekah sat in the arm chair to the right of the couch. Caroline set the wine glasses down on the coffee table before grabbing one of the couch pillows and using it as a cushion to sit on the ground between Bonnie and Elena's feet.

I copied Care and grabbed the other couch pillow and sat on the ground between Bekah and Elena. We all got comfortable before Elena picked up the bottle of wine and the wine opener.

"Um, I'm not sure I should be the one to open this." Elena pointed out as she inspected the wine bottle.

"Give it here." Bekah reached out and Elena handed the wine to the vampire. I watched with wide eyes as Bekah simply broke the neck off the bottle. "Nik stole this wine from a queen some five hundred years ago."

"Hey, you said he wouldn't notice we took these." I glared at the vampire as she poured the wine into a glass and handed it me. I handed the wine off to Elena, who in turn passed it on. "I think he's going to notice wine he stole from a queen has gone missing."

Bekah merely shrugged. Not at all concerned about her brother becoming upset with us taking five hundred year old wine. I shook my head and decided to let this one go. Once all of us had our wine, Caroline started the movie. It was quiet, except for the occasional crunch of popcorn as the movie played. It wasn't until the character, Mr. Darcy, came onto the screen that someone finally spoke of up.

"Of course you'd have a crush on him." We all turned to look over at Bekah who was shaking her head at the screen. "I'd almost forgotten this story. I mean, its been years since I read it back in 1814." The others looked at Bekah with questions in there eyes as I hung my head and tried to disappear, knowing exactly where Bekah was going with all this talk. The Original Vampire waved her hand at the TV screen and said, "The man is basically Elijah."

It was silent for a few beats until, "Oh my god, you're right." Caroline spoke up. "It makes total sense now!"

I sighed. "To be fair, I didn't remember Elijah when we first watched this movie when we were, what, thirteen?" I looked over at the three teens and Bonnie was the only one to nod her head.

"Yeah, but that just proves that some part of you still knew. I mean, come one, Mr. Darcy and Elijah are like the same person." Caroline pointed out.

"Um, while I agree that they definitely dress the same, in a way," Bonnie added. "I think Mr. Darcy is far less dangerous then Elijah. You know with Elijah being an Original Vampire and all."

"That's true. I don't think Mr. Darcy is going around knocking vampires heads off." Elena pointed out. My sister and shared a look and I could agree with her on that.

"Wait," I paused and looked at the TV screen as I came to a sudden realization. "You guys didn't happen to run into Jane Austen at any time before the book was published, did you?" Someone paused the movie and I felt movement behind me as the three teens leaned towards Bekah after I asked my question.

"Not unless she was in New Orleans in the 1800s." Bekah answered. "We were long gone from England by the time Jane Austen became an author."

I let out a sigh in relief, I didn't honestly know how I would have felt if Elijah had actually been the inspiration for Mr. Darcy. But thinking on it, thirteen year old Serena would have been most happy to know she had her very own Mr. Darcy to call her own. Well, a version of Mr. Darcy who had zero problems with yanking a mans heart out of his chest.

"Well, even if he's not the inspiration, Serena probably doesn't care and is just excited to have her very own Mr. Darcy." I sent Caroline a look and the baby vampire simply grinned at my exasperation.

We all somehow managed to get through the movie without pausing it again. The atmosphere felt lighter as the movie continued on and we all continued to make comments and small talk about the film. It was great seeing Bekah beginning to relax as she also added some input about the movie, even offering some insight to what the past was actually like back then. By the time the movie was over, the popcorn was gone and we had all but abandoned the plot to talk about other things.

"So your moms still getting used to having her magic back?" I asked Bonnie. Both Elena and Caroline had headed back into the kitchen to make more popcorn.

"Yeah. She was honestly just to shocked to even process it all that night when you separated us from Esther." Bonnie explained. "We took it slow today and just practiced her magic on the plants in her garden. I think its going to take her sometime to get used to it all considering shes been without her magic for so long. Did you ever figure out how you did it?"

I shook my head. "No. Honestly, that whole process was just me figuring it all out as it happened. I can ask Kol about it, he would know more about the process of it all better then I would."

Bonnie titled her head in curiousness and asked, "So was Kol, like, a witch before he was turned into a vampire?"

Elena and Caroline came back into the living room and my sister put down a full bowl of popcorn and Care set another one of the wine bottles next to the empty one.

"Yes." I answered and smiled as I explained, "Kol had a very powerful magical core and just had a knack for understanding magic. He picked things up with ease, and honestly, he had a better understanding of magic then I had. He was the one I went to when I had questions about my own gifts." I titled my head and added, "I think, back then, he was probably even more powerful then Esther. At least in understanding how magic worked."

"Please don't tell him that." Bekah groaned. "His ego is already big enough. We don't need you inflating it any more then you already have, Serena."

"Hey!" I scowled at the vampire sitting behind me and she simply rolled her eyes at me.

"Speaking of said vampire," Caroline spoke up as she retook her seat on the floor between the coffee table and couch. I looked over at the baby vampire and cringed at the thrilled smiled on her face and knew exactly what was coming next. "It was Kol right? Who you had sex with after the ball?" I watched as Bonnie's eye brows shot up and she leaned forward in interest.

"How about some more wine?" I didn't bother waiting for an answer and handed Bekah the other bottle of wine. She opened it in the same fashion she had the first one. Once everyone's glasses had been refiled, Caroline zeroed in one me.

"All right, now spill!" Caroline demanded.

I sighed and shook my head and finally broke down. "I don't think theirs a whole lot to spill. Kol and I had sex after the ball and that is that." I said and quickly took a sip of wine. The drink was strong and I silently hoped it would get me drunk enough to withstand Caroline's questions.

"Oh please, don't explain any more." Bekah fake gagged. "I'm already doomed to deal with the whole who will be next game my brothers will be playing. Its like a thousand years ago all over again."

Elena perked up a little at the mention of the past and said, "Oh yeah. Who was your first back then?"

She looked at me with curiosity, but before I could answer, Bekah spoke up and answered for me, "It was Finn, of course. With him being the oldest, he married Serena soon after they're betrothal was announced by my parents."

"You were married!?" All three girls questioned me and I simply took another sip of wine and shrugged my shoulders as nonchalantly as I could.

"Its how it was back then." I explained a little, without really explaining anything.

"Aw, so you had like a traditional wedding night." Bonnie commented.

I didn't look up from my wine glass as I twirled the stem in my hands as I muttered, "Not exactly."

"What does that mean?" Caroline questioned, I could hear it in her voice, she was hooked and needed to hear more.

"Yes, what does that mean?" Bekah poked at the back of my head with her finger and I let out another sigh.

I sat up straight and crossed my legs, I held my wine glass on my knee with one hand as I said, "Finn wasn't exactly my first."

"What?!" I cringed and glanced over at Bekah to see her completely shocked by my confession. "How is that possible? You took a vow of maiden hood and were watched all night before the wedding."

"Well, technically, I was a virgin when I made the vow," I explained as I looked back down at my wine.

"Wow. Sweet innocent Serena isn't so innocent after all." Bonnie said with a smirk and sip of her wine.

"So who was technically your first?" Elena asked.

I swirled around my wine before saying, "Elijah."

The three girls to the left of me all gasped as Bekah shouted, "What?!" I glanced over at the irate vampire as she stared at me in disbelief. "I cant believe him. I expected it to be Kol, or even Nik, but Elijah. He was the one who was supposed to be watching you that night!" Bekah crossed her arms and slumped back in the chair. "So much for being noble."

I couldn't help but grin at Bekah's irritation. I was surprised she didn't know the truth after all this time, but I could tell she wasn't really all that upset, just shocked at the revelation. Back then, she had taken the process of my marriage to Finn very seriously. I think back then she was just excited to see it all happen considering she wasn't far behind in getting married herself.

"So how does it all work? I mean, was Finn upset that Elijah was your first?" Caroline asked.

I shook my head, "No, he wasn't exactly upset, maybe a little pissed off at his brother. But he understood and got over it fairly quickly considering our wedding night still happened."

"So no jealous outburst from the four of them over you?" Elena asked next, a hint of concern in her voice.

"Oh there is plenty of jealous tendencies from my brothers." Bekah was the one to answer this time. "But Serena's comfort comes before my brothers ego. In reality, they could care less about who gets to share their bed with her, as long as their Fated One is safe and happy, that is all that matters to them."

"Aw, its almost like a fairy tale." Caroline pointed out.

"I wouldn't go that far, but yeah it defiantly feels like a fairy tale sometimes." I said. I looked down at my wine and stared into the red liquid. "Its not like a normal relationship that can be explained with simple terms. Fae are connected to their Fated Ones on a deeper level then just attraction and mutual feelings. The bond between us is like a physical entity that we can feel. And when its severed, its like a part of you is cut off."

I looked up from my wine to see everyone looking at me with differing emotions. Elena seemed concerned for me, while Caroline had hearts in her eyes. Bonnie just seemed curious and probably had more questions concerning being a Fae. When I looked up at Bekah, I could see a sadness in her eyes. My stomach sank and I knew she was probably thinking back to my death and the hurt her brothers had experienced when our bonds were severed.

I cleared my throat and decided to change the subjects by looking over at Elena and asking, "So, whats going on between you and Damon?" I took at sip of my wine as Elena sat up straight and sent me a glare.

"Damon?" Bekah asked with a curious tilt of her head. "I thought Stefan was you're Salvatore of choice?"

"Its complicated." Elena muttered and took a sip of her wine.

Caroline rolled her eyes at my sister. "Complicated? Nothings complicated about Damon. We all know what hes like and know that Stefan is the better choice." I raised a brow at the blonde teen before looking back at Elena. My sister seemed conflicted and I could see she was ready to argue in Damon's favor, but seemed reluctant to open her mouth.

"You know, Damon wasn't always like this." I spoke up. "He may put on this act of being an asshole who doesn't care. And while he for sure doesn't care about any random stranger on the street or some poor victim that's going to be his next meal. I can say that when he cares about someone, its real."

My words seemed to make Elena relax a little and it was Bonnie who spoke up by asking, "What was he like as your brother?"

"He was protective." I answered. "They both were, but Damon was the one who took care of me. He had to grow up quickly, and at a young age he became like a father to me." I smiled softly as I thought back to my days as a Salvatore and the life I lived with Damon and Stefan. "It wasn't easy for someone like me back then. I got a lot stares and the rumors were terrible. But Damon was always there to defend me. He made sure I had everything I could ever need to live a fulfilling life. Things didn't really change between us until Katherine came along." After saying the clearly detested vampires name, both Elena and Caroline shivered while Bonnie cringed and Bekah rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"She changed him. She changed both of them." I let out a sigh and shook my head. "I know Damon has done things that can be deemed unforgivable, but hes not all bad." My words were true, coming from a place where I had dealt with Damon's bad side first hand. Desperation made him do things he knew would have consequences in the after math. My older brother and I still had a lot to work though and regaining trust between us would be slow, but we were healing. It helped that I knew Damon and why he did what he did. I could forgive him, but trust would take time.

Elena seemed lost in thought for a moment before she spoke up and said, "I don't know what this thing between Damon and I is." She admitted. "With Stefan I felt safe and secure, but with Damon, its the opposite. I mean, I still feel safe with him, but its different. Its more wild and uncontrollable with him. Passionate." It was silent for a moment.

"Sounds like you're figuring out what you really want in a relationship, and its not what you had with Stefan." Bekah spoke up.

I looked over at her and titled my head and asked, "Didn't you and Stefan have a thing like eighty years go?"

Bekah hummed and nodded her head. "Yes, but he was a completely different person back then. Fun and dangerous. All ripper like. Him and Nik were like two peas in a pod, really I was more like the third wheel." I couldn't help but laugh a little at her words, but still cringed at the memory of ripper Stefan.

"Yeah, I can't say I'm a fan of ripper Stefan." I said. "I'll take animal diet Stefan over asshole Stefan any day."

"Here here." Bonnie raised her glass in agreement.

"Well, whatever is going on between you and the Salvatore brothers," Caroline said to Elena. "Its better then worrying over when Tyler is ever going to get back, or if he'll ever come back." I was confused by Caroline's words until suddenly it hit me.

"Oh my god, I forgot about Tyler." I gasped out in shock that I actually forgot that Tyler was hybrid. "I am so sorry Care, I can't believe I forgot about Tyler of all people." I hung my head back in shame as I tried to remember the last time I even saw the hybrid.

"What?" Caroline looked at me in confusion and shock.

"Oh, yeah." Bekah grinned a little as she sipped at her wine. "I forgot about him as well, oh well, We'll just have to wait for him to show up I guess." She dismissed the teen boy with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Were not just going to wait it out, Bekah." I sent the vampire a stern look, one she dismissed with another shrug of her shoulders. I then looked back over at Caroline and explained, "Care, Nik released all the hybrids from the sire bond."

"What?!" Now is was all three girls questioning me with disbelief in their eyes.

I nodded my head and continued to explain. "Yeah, most of the pack is staying in Mystic Falls. They seem to be loyal to Nik, even without the sire bond. Two did leave to go traveling, but they promised to send any lone wolves here if they wanted a way out of changing every full moon."

"I can't believe it." Elena said with shock. "I mean, its just seems so impossible that Klaus would do something like that. Giving up control and all."

"That is the power of a Fated One." Bekah said. "Serena just bats her eyes and my brothers will do anything she asks." I glared at Bekah and shook my head.

"It wasn't exactly like that." I muttered. "I just knew it was the right thing to do. And I think Nik knew that as well." When I looked over at the three teens, I could see disbelief in their eyes. They more then likely didn't really believe the fact that Nik had done something actually selfless. "Okay, and maybe a little bit of pleading was involved." I shrugged sheepishly and hid my face by taking a drink of wine.

"Right," Caroline rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You must be the most powerful person in the world if you can get Klaus to break the sire bond with the hybrids."

I blinked a few times as Caroline's words struck a cord in my mind. I looked up and glanced at the familiar faces around me before saying, "Isobel said something similar to me once."

"Isobel?" Elena looked at me with a questioning gaze.

"Yeah, it was when we traded the device for Jeremy." I reminded her. "She said something about me being the most dangerous thing in Mystic Falls. And before that, after you spoke to her at the Grill, she cornered me near my car that night. I remember her being to afraid to get near me. It was like I had the plague to her or something."

"Huh," Bonnie hummed, "I guess that make sense now that we know the context."

"What do you mean?" Elena questioned the witch.

"Well, she wasn't wrong. Isobel was right about Serena being the most dangerous thing in Mystic Falls." Bonnie said. We all looked at her as she continued with, "Serena has four Original Vampires willing to do whatever they need to do to keep her safe and happy. I guarantee that if Serena asked them to burn down the whole town, they'd do it, no questions asked."

It once again grew quiet in the room. I glanced over at Elena and Caroline to see both girls contemplating what Bonnie had said. I guess that was the truth of it all. It made sense now why Isobel had said what she said. She knew something about my relationship with the Mikealson brothers. She probably didn't know all of it, but she must have known that they care for me in some way, and I had a feeling she may have gotten that information from a certain vampire dopplgänger. But, it made me wonder where Katherine got her information.

I shook my head and took another sip of my wine, finishing the glass.

"Well, changing the subject," Caroline wore a sneaky grin as she looked at me and asked, "Out of your four boyfriends, whose the best in bed?" Groans echoed in the room at Caroline's question. "What? Its a good question!" She argued.

"Oh please, Care." Bonnie rolled her eyes at the baby vampire and nudged her with her foot.

"I'm going to need more wine if these are the questions that are being asked." Bekah announced and I nodded my head in agreement and stood up from the floor.

"Here, I'll come with you." Elena got up from the couch and grabbed the once again empty popcorn bowl, and the two of us made our way into the kitchen.

"So," I spoke up as Elena tossed another microwaveable popcorn packet into the microwave. "How serious are things between you and Damon?"

Elena paused for a second before pressing the start button on the microwave. "I don't know." She replied honestly with a sigh. "Damon's been so hot and cold lately, so I'm not really sure how to navigate this thing between us." The steady hum of the microwave acted as background noise as Elena pieced together what was going on between her and eldest Salvatore brother. "He's just so different from Stefan, and I guess I'm just scared of those differences."

I let out a soft sigh and crossed my arms over my chest before leaning my hip against the counter. "You're not wrong." I agreed with her last statement. "The two of them may be brothers, but they are defiantly different people. But, those differences are not necessarily a bad thing." I pointed out. "Stefan loves you, that's not hard to see. But I think the love between you two is similar to love you shared with Matt, and we both know how that relationship ended."

Elena titled her head and asked, "Stefan and Matt are two very different people."

I nodded my head, she was right, of course. "Not when it comes to loving you. Do you remember what you told me the night before you broke up with Matt? About why you wanted to break up with him?"

Elena cringed, but nodded her head. The night she broke up with Matt was one we both wished ended differently. "You told me that you felt overwhelmed when he brought up your future together. That everything about what he saw you guys going through in the future felt wrong." I could remember Elena being so distraught that she no longer wanted that future with the boy she thought she loved. "You said that the relationship felt too safe. Like if you stayed with Matt, you would be settling for a life you never wanted to live. A safe love that held no intensity. And, well, I think its the same with Stefan."

Now Elena was really looking at me like was crazy. So I quickly added, "I know, I know, hes a vampire. And the furthest thing from safe. But, its true. You broke up with Matt because the relationship wasn't built on passion and desire. Then our parents died and things changed. You craved that safety net again, but minus Matt. Then Stefan entered the picture." I could see the truth of my words start to sink in as Elena looked away and mulled over what I had just said. "Stefan was safe. He was kind hearted and put all your needs before anyone else. He gave into you easily and never really pushed back. Damon on the other hand, he doesn't do that."

"I think now, you're really starting to heal from our parents death and are starting to realize what you really want in a relationship. And what you want is passion and someone who would rather burn the world to ashes then see you hurt." Elena's eyes grew wide as she looked at me. I gave her a lopsided grin, knowing I struck the nail on the head. "Damon is argumentative and bull headed, but I've seen the way he looks at you, and I know he loves you."

"Is that what you have?" Elena asked, her voice low with uncertainty.

"Yes." I answered honestly. "I know for certain that all four of my Fated Ones would burn everything to the ground if it meant I was safe and alive. It might seem a little over kill, but knowing the lengths they would go to makes me see how much they love me. And its all worth it. They're worth it."

Elena opened and closed her lips before swallowing thickly and saying, "I cant love him." Her words made me frown. "Damon, he- he did terrible things. I just, I cant want him as much as I do. Not like that."

It was probably wrong of me, but I couldn't help but laugh at my sisters words and how naïve they sounded. She in turn looked at me with a glare. "Sorry, sorry. You're right. He's done some shitty things. But so have you." My sister cringed at my words. "And so has Stefan. But, that doesn't mean Damon is a lost cause, or doesn't deserve love. If you love him, then that's all that matters. The two of you can work on making each other better."

I let out a soft sigh and added, "I know the men I love are not perfect. I mean, I know a lot of people would even consider them evil, but I don't care about what other people think of them. They are mine and I am theirs. I love them, Elena. I would fight for them. Will you fight for your love? Even if others don't think its right?"

My sister seemed stunned and blinked a few times at me. I offered a small smile and said, "Just think about it. You don't have to make a decision right now, but the time will come, and you will one day have to choose."

I pushed away from the counter and headed for the kitchen table and grabbed the last two bottles of wine. I then looked back at my sister and offered her a few last words of advice, "I want you to be happy, Elena. But you need to be able put your happiness first. The people who care about you will understand." With that said, I turned around and headed back into the living room.

The three girls in the living room all looked at me as I placed the wine bottles on the coffee table and retook my seat on the floor beside Bekah's legs.

"Who would have thought Serena would be the one with the best relationship advice." Bonnie was the first one to break the silence. I shrugged at her words as if it was nothing.

"So young, and yet so full of wisdom." Caroline added and I rolled my eyes at her.

Elena soon rejoined us and after consuming another bottled of wine, the conversation between the five of us seemed to flow as naturally as water.

"I cant believe you did that!" Bonnie snorted with laughter.

"My brother had it coming." Bekah beamed with pride and took a healthy sip of her wine.

"I cant imagine Elijah's reaction to finding a squirrel in his bed." Care giggled.

"Trust me, its as funny as you think it is." I reassured her.

"Did you know Bekah was going to pull the prank?" Elena asked after gaining control of her giggles.

"Well," I looked over at Bekah who sent me a narrowed look.

"We have a pact." She reminded me with a point of her finger. "You keep this secret and I wont tell Nik it was you who set his favorite shirt on fire."

"It was an accident!" I argued. My words set off another round of laughter and I couldn't help but join in. The merriment was infectious.

The night ended just before dawn with Elena, Care, and Bonnie piling into Elena's bed. I learned my lesson from last time and climbed into the bed in my old room with just Bekah beside me. The Original Vampire wasted no time in falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. I smiled softly at the sleeping vampire, but when I rested my head against my own pillow, I found myself unable to fall asleep.

I laid there staring up at the ceiling. My head was slightly cloudy from the alcohol, but even in my slightly inebriated state, I knew something was missing. I could feel the bond I shared with Kol and tried to hold onto the emotions he was feeling which were a mixture of irritation and hunger. I did my best to try and pretend he was close to me and tried to fall asleep that way, but it wasn't enough. So, with a soft sigh of defeat, I slipped out of bed and left my old room. I planned on just laying down on the couch and waiting for morning.

But the second I made it downstairs, my plan went out the window as a wave of energy washed over me. "Elijah?" I whispered his name and the vampire in question appeared from the darkness in the living room.

"Elskan." He smiled softly at me and a wave of relief washed through my body.

Without another word, I closed the distance between us and as soon as I was within his reach, Elijah reached out and pulled me into his arms. I felt my body relax against him as his energy completely envelop me. Elijah was gentle, but quick, as he moved us closer to the couch and laid himself down on the furniture with my body comfortably resting on top of his.

I was more then happy to cuddle against him and placed my head just under his jaw. His sent filled my nose and steady beating of his undead heart echoed in my ears. "You really are my very own Mr. Darcy." I muttered softly as sleep finally crept over my body.

There was a soft chuckle from Elijah before he whispered, "Sleep, Elskan. I have you." He placed a gentle kiss on the top of my head. His presence was like a blanket of peace and safety, the perfect mixture to fall asleep to.

---

A/N: I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for reading and thank you for the support. I love writing. Whether Fan Fictions or original works, I love the process of creating stories. So thank you to the the readers for reading my stories and finding enjoyment in them. I don't see myself as a professional or someone who has honed the craft into something outstanding, but even without the fame and glory, its still something that I love. So enjoy to the fullest. Be inspired.

Stay Safe out there.