After several minutes of watching the ambulance deal with Mrs. Johnson's body from the front porch, Angelica took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her cheeks as they drove away. Of course, she'd been questioned by the ambulance, police, and emergency team about what had happened, and of course she'd lied about it all. Not because she was full of love for her father and wanted to protect him. No. But because it was way too much trouble to put a supernatural creature in the human justice system and when he wasn't being a big baby and crying about how she'd betrayed him or whatever, her father could actually be quite cunning. So, it was just easier to look the humans in the eye and say that Mrs. Johnson had just returned from visiting a relative and had fell and hit her head while looking at her flowers. It was a very obvious lie because anyone with eyeballs and ears would have been able to point out her father's involvement in the whole mess, but luckily no one else had seen or heard a thing, and the authorities were satisfied with her answers, so they didn't question anyone else.
She kept her eyes locked on the horizon, still trying to come to terms with the fact that her father, of all people, the man who always went on and on about how not evil and unfairly judged he was, was the one who had killed Mrs. Johnson. She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice Elijah Mikaelson drive up and make his way to the porch.
He touched her hand in an attempt to get her attention. "Angelica?"
She started badly and stared at him wide-eyed for a moment before coming back to reality with a shake of her head. "Elijah, hello! I'm sorry, I was, well…I was lost in my thoughts and didn't…didn't hear you come up." Her voice cracked and to stop herself from crying again, she took a deep breath and looked down at her hands.
"I am so sorry for your loss, Angelica," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder and giving her a kind smile before taking her hand for a moment.
"She…for a human, she was a kind lady, if a bit of a pain in the ass," she remarked with a nervous chuckle.
"I'm glad you have good memories of her," the Original gave the younger woman a wink and a smile in an attempt to raise her spirits.
"Yes," Angelica pulled her hand out of his wiped away tears that were starting to fall. "Thank you for your kind words. I can really use them now."
"Of course. Selina wanted to be here and give you her support in person, but something came up. So, I want to pass along some good thoughts from her. Because it should go without saying that what your father did tonight was absolutely monstrous."
"Oh, believe me, I know that very well," Angelica assured him. "The rose-colored glasses have finally come off where my father is concerned. And I suppose it's about time, too!" She paused and cleared her throat, eager for a change of subject. "Are you here to help your brother with Julian Johnson's transition?"
"Yes," Elijah nodded. "I really should be betting inside now."
"Of course," Angelica nodded. "I'm sorry for detaining you. Klaus is in the basement with Julian, who is currently tied to a camp bed. Good luck."
"Thank you," Elijah told her, and gave her arm one last supportive squeeze before heading into the house and down to the basement where his brother was indeed standing by a camp bed containing a restrained young man.
"How is he?"
"He hasn't come out of it yet," Klaus informed his brother with a sigh. "But I have no doubt it'll happen soon, if all went well." He paused and gave his brother a smirk. "Thanks for coming. I hope it didn't spoil you and Selina's orgy. I would have waited until you were done having sex, but it's hard to find that time and this was an emergency!"
"Oh, you're hilarious, aren't you?" Elijah drawled as Klaus laughed. "Is it really time for making jokes?"
"Just trying to lighten the mood," Klaus replied. "I think we could both use it. "You know I'm only teasing you." He paused. "I assume you saw Angelica on your way in. How is she? Is she doing all right?"
"She looked as well as can be expected of someone who discovered that their father is a murderous lunatic," Elijah replied with a shrug. "I wish I could tell you more."
"No, that's good enough," Klaus assured him. "At least she has Selina for company."
"Not at the moment," Elijah sighed. "I mean, Selina wanted to come, of course, but you know how uncertain and possibly dangerous transformations can be, and since she's pregnant, I didn't think it was worth the risk. After a civil discussion, she agreed to stay at home as long as I called her to give her updates."
"I understand," Klaus nodded. "I want Angie to stay upstairs as well. But…more for Julian's safety than her own."
"Yes," Elijah nodded, a small laugh escaping his throat. "She's her father's daughter after all."
"I'm very aware," Klaus rolled his eyes. "You don't have to remind me, brother."
Elijah grinned. "You must really like Angelica if you're willing to put up with having Lucifer your life." Then he raised an eyebrow.
Klaus actually gave his brother a shy smile. "I love her in a way I've never loved anyone before. I know I've said that a lot over the centuries, but somehow, this time it feels true."
"Of course it does. She's your mate."
"Yeah," Klaus nodded. "But it's more than just that." He blushed a little. "You know she said she loved me earlier."
Elijah's jaw dropped a little. "And how do you feel about that?" He asked his brother, genuinely curious.
"Lots of different things," Klaus admitted. "And of course, in true Angelica fashion, she picks the worst possible time to say it, when I don't have time to analyze it all!"
"Maybe it's better if you don't," Elijah winked.
"Yes," Klaus sighed. "Maybe you're right. " He then turned back to the camp bed as Julian made some noises and seemed to be coming out of what happened to him. "Looks like he's coming out of it," he warned his brother unnecessarily and removed his shirt.
"Where…where am I? What's happened?" Julian cried, opening blood red eyes, stammering and disoriented as he looked around the basement, struggling against the restraints on his wrists and ankles.
"Good morning sleepyhead," Klaus tried to tease as he bent over Julian. "Rise and shine!"
"Eleanor…you…Grandmother…" Julian tried to make sense of the past hours and get through the physical and mental pain while also trying to break free of his restraints.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Elijah chided and gently pushed him back. "Calm down and relax. Being overwrought won't help anything."
Julian then turned to Klaus, fury in his eyes. "You bastard!" He yelled. "You gave me your blood! It wasn't your choice to decide whether or not I would die!"
"I did what was best on both counts," Klaus defended himself without shame. "I'm going to sleep easier at night. I forgive you for calling me a bastard even though I saved your life. I've been called worse." He gave Julian a wink.
Julian started to pull him up to sit as both brothers did their best to hold him down. "Let me die!" the once human man yelled as he struggled against them.
"It appears that, thanks to my brother, that's not an option anymore," Elijah tried to reason with him. "So the only real choice you have now is to move forward. We're here to help you." He then winced and strained. The man's new supernatural strength was making controlling him surprisingly difficult.
"Who is this asshole?" Julian yelled at Klaus, his eyes on Elijah.
Klaus smirked. "May I present my brother, Elijah Mikaelson!"
"Great, another Mikaelson! Another fucking Mikaelson like that damn Eleanor!" Julian hissed and then spat in Klaus' face. "This is all her fault! Let me die!"
"Well, it's not very nice of you to spit in my face," Klaus remarked as he wiped off the saliva. "Though I suppose I deserve it, as I have many times in my long existence."
"You won't die today," Elijah told Julian before biting his wrist. "But the ball is in your curt now." He showed his wrist to the transitioning man, whose eyes turned bright red. "Would you like some?"
"Fuck you!" Julian cried. "Fuck all of you!"
Klaus and Elijah shared a look. "This is gonna be a long night, isn't it?" Klaus groaned and sighed.
"Yes," Elijah agreed. "Yes, it will."
Elijah got up and grabbed the bottle of water Angelica had placed for them on an old dresser by the camp bed, gulping some down and sprinkling more over his bare chest. He had come into this knowing there would be some difficulty because there always was, but…Julian Johnson was definitely a force of nature! As stubborn as all the Mikaelsons combined, he thought, and apparently as strong as a horse. He was going to be a terrific vampire once he accepted it as his new normal.
"Here, catch!" Klaus turned just in time to catch the bottle his brother threw at him.
"Thanks, brother," Klaus told him and covered his own chest with water.
"Are you done with me?" Julian growled. "Will you finally just let me die in peace? Because you mark my words, there is no way I'm going to become a vampire!"
"Are we done Elijah?" Klaus grinned at his brother.
"No, in fact we haven't even started!" Elijah teased.
"Nope, sorry," Klaus told Julian. "We're very far from being done." He didn't sound sorry at all.
"This whole thing where you take off your shirt…it doesn't do anything for me. I like women!" Julian protested. "At least I did until Eleanor came along, ruined everything, and got me killed! He muttered between clenched teeth as his complexion got whiter and whiter.
Time was of the essence in transitions. Some took days. Others took just hours to die. But unfortunately for Julian, fighting it just hurried it along.
"Are you trying to seduce Julian, Elijah?" Klaus teased his brother with a wink. "Shame on you! What would your wife, say?"
"No," Elijah scoffed and shook his head. "Are you?"
"Not at the present, no," Klaus shook his head and wiped the sweat off his brow. "I mean, I have no reason to, considering Angel's told me that she loves me."
Julian raised his head and an eyebrow. "Do you want me to congratulate you or feel bad for you? She could just be stringing you along, you know. She could be just as cruel as her mother."
He was beginning to sound like Lucifer, but Klaus didn't think it was a good idea to bring it up. Instead, he just slowly approached the human man and settled by his side. "No, I just thought that while we fought, we could have a talk. Or we could talk instead. Get your mind on something else."
Julian growled. "Great, you want me to share my feelings? Okay, here's a feeling: you could have warned me that my murderer's daughter lives upstairs! And is your girlfriend!"
"She's not like him at all," Klaus assured him. "And she won't hurt you. She's actually wonderful and I was very pleasantly surprised that she said those three little words to me."
"I know that finding out about Eleanor's marriage is infuriating and heartbreaking because it sounds like you really and truly loved her," Elijah told Julian. "I know it's hard and you can be mad at me for even suggesting this, considering what you're going through, but…think about her point of view: She's stuck in an arranged marriage with a man who held her hostage and probably still is at the moment. She just wanted a little happiness. And she also knows that lying to you was a mistake. She's going to carry the guilt around forever, probably. But she's truly a good woman."
"Well, that knowledge isn't going to do me a lot of good, considering the fact that I'm dying," Julian told him slyly. "And frankly I'm ready for it!"
"Or you could complete your transition," Klaus told him. "Wouldn't it be the best kind of revenge against Lucifer to choose to live after everything and steal his ex out from under his nose for real?"
"Niklaus!" Elijah chided. "That's not how we should be looking at this!"
"Why not?" Klaus asked. "I think it's a wonderful way to look at it!"
"I'm just curious," Julian told him. "Wouldn't it get you in trouble with your girlfriend if she knew you were training me to get back at her father?"
Klaus lowered his gaze and swallowed before standing up and approaching his brother. "Could you take him for a little bit? I think I need to go take a walk."
"You have to admit he's got a good point," Elijah chuckled.
"Yeah, yeah," Klaus waved the remark away as he headed upstairs. "Whatever."
Angelica was sitting on the leather sofa in the living room, her mind still someplace else, anywhere else, than the present. She still couldn't believe what her father had done. And now both Klaus and Elijah were in the basement with Julian Johnson to turn the human man and her mother's alleged lover, into a vampire! She was so lost in thought that the doorbell ringing made her jump about a mile as she was abruptly jolted back to reality. Groaning, she got up and dragged herself to the door, opening it and finding herself face to face with a couple of very surprising visitors. "Mikael Mikaelson?" She addressed the first, her tone full of surprise.
He nodded, his chin raised slightly. "Where is Julian Johnson?" He demanded.
"My goodness," his wife Sybil remarked by his side. "At least say 'Hello' first. Could you be ruder if you tried?" She knew this was just his way and that she shouldn't be shocked, but she punched him in the arm anyway. "Hello, Ms. Morningstar. Please excuse my husband's attitude. He meant to greet you first."
Mikael just frowned and rubbed his arm where he'd been punched without saying a word.
"Don't worry," Angelica assured her. "My father has behaved worse. Please come in."
"Doesn't surprise me your father is a scoundrel," Mikael told her. "I never liked him much.
"Oh, my god!" Sybil groaned and put a hand to her forehead, unsure of what to do with him. "Again, please accept my apologies on my husband's behalf."
"No need to apologize for him," Angelica assured her as she led them both away from away from the door. "I don't like my father now either." She paused. "Mikael, Julian is the basement with both your sons." She pointed. "Down that way."
"Kol is here?" Mikael asked in surprise as he began to make his way toward the basement.
"No," Angelica grinned slyly. "I meant Klaus."
"My dear, you have much to learn about your lover's place in our family."
"I don't know how many times I'll have to apologize for him, but I hope it's not too many more," Sybil said with a blush. "He really isn't the rude asshole he appears to be!"
Angie chuckled, surprised that the tall blonde could make her laugh. "Nice to see you again, Sybil. Have a seat on the sofa if you're tired of standing."
Sybil smile warmly as she crossed the threshold into the living room taking her hand and a spot on the sofa. "Very nice to see you again, Angelica!"
Angelica managed a smile for the other woman. "The feeling is mutual. Can I…can I get you anything? A drink? Something to eat?" She knew that the woman was one of Klaus' numerous ex-lovers, but it didn't make her feel jealous or uncomfortable. Maybe it was because she'd grown since cutting ties with her father. Or maybe…maybe she just needed a friend.
"Thank you," Sybil smiled back. "And if you have tea made, I wouldn't mind a cup."
"It just so happens that I just made up some water for tea," Angelica assured her.
"Can I go to the basement now, dear? I have I been polite enough?" Mikael snapped. He'd paused on his way to the basement and come back at Sybil's insistence. "I don't have time for tea and cookies!"
"He means to say 'Please' also," Sybil informed Angelica with a forced smile. "He's usually much nicer. But maybe it's only to me and I'm just lucky. Let's remind him where the basement is, then we'll follow him and chain him to the wall!" She narrowed her eyes and showed Mikael her teeth.
"What's that for?" Mikael bellowed. "Sybil, don't start!"
"Why not? You're acting like a giant jackass," Sybil reminded him as she stomped her feet on the rug. "And I won't keep apologizing for you! Be kind to the hostess when she's been so generous to invite you into her home!"
Mikael sighed and crossed his arms as Angelica struggled to hide a giggle.
"What's so funny?" Mikael narrowed his eyes at the beautiful brunette
"You two fight just like Klaus and I do sometimes," she confessed with a smile.
"Please," Mikael scoffed and frowned. "He's not my son. I doubt we have anything in common."
"You're right, we certainly don't!" Klaus' voice suddenly rang out and they both turned in his direction as he gave Sybil a polite smile. "Always nice to see you, Sybil."
"Thanks, Klaus," she returned. "Nice to see you too!"
Then he turned back to Mikael, eyes narrowed. "What do you want? Why are you in my house?"
"I want to see my chauffeur, of course," Mikael replied. "If anyone will help transition him into a vampire, I think it should be me. He's a good man and it should be as smooth a process as possible."
"Well, it's good we both agree on that," Klaus nodded.
"I want to help him transition into his new life," Mikael repeated, unwavering.
Klaus shook his head and gave a dry laugh. "Oh, that's precious. You want to give him the same gentle, smooth transition you gave the rest of us?"
"I know more than you do, boy!" Mikael growled. "And may I remind you that having us all together for eternity was your wish in the first place and I was only doing what needed to be done! Now, stand aside and let my son and I do what needs to be done to save Julian!"
Klaus paled, shaking his head. "Right, Elijah! Your precious son! My brother too! And the husband of the woman he loves in spite of the fact that she made you look like a fool for years! I hope you don't forget about that!"
"I wish I could," Mikael shot back. "But unfortunately, it's impossible!" He raised his chin
"If you insist on intruding where you aren't wanted or needed, follow me," Klaus told him.
"I will not," Mikael shook his head. "Show me the way and I'll go first!"
As they headed down to the basement, Angelica sucked in a breath and put a hand over her heart. "Those two truly hate each other don't they?" She remarked, realizing for the first time how bad it was.
"Yes," Sybil nodded. "I know I should be used to it by now, but sometimes it scares me how much." She then gave the devil's daughter a smile and gently took her hand.
"Why are you here?" Julian asked Elijah. "It's not like you know me the same way Klaus does."
Elijah stared to respond but paused as Julian coughed up some blood. "Here," he said, wiping the mans mouth off. "Let me help you with that." He paused. "It's true that I don't know you, but…I can't help but have empathy for you. I still remember my own transition. It's very hard to forget it."
"How did you turn?" Julian asked as he continued to cough. "I know it was ages ago."
"Are you calling me old?" Elijah asked playfully.
"Sorry," Julian apologized. "I mean, you look young, so I didn't think it mattered."
"My wife calls me old all the time," Elijah smiled. "She's about…eight hundred years or so younger than I am." Then he got serious. "Actually, it does matter though. Our father was the one who insisted we transition."
"What?" Julian's red eyes widened. "Mikael?"
"Yes, it's a very long story," Elijah continued, his voice cracking as he nervously rubbed his hands together. "It…it involves a lot of heartache."
"I see," Julian nodded. "But…does it get better? Have you been happy at all since then?"
"I…it took time, but yes, I have managed to find happiness after being hurt and lonely," the Original answered, not wanting to lie to the other man. "I know it's a sore subject, but I met a woman who's a force of nature and I…I love her very much, and over the years we've had ourselves quite a large family. And we live in a farmhouse that I had built for her."
"I…I'm happy for you," Julian replied honestly. "I know that Klaus is feeling resentful about what happened to me because of its effect on Angelica, but please…will you let me die? I truly want it. It's what would make me happy. Did you ever think of dying when you turned?"
"Oh, yes," Elijah nodded. "Believe me, I have. "After trying my best to change your mind, if you still would rather die, I'll let you. I don't want to doom you to eternity if that's not what you want." The Original assured the man, his words honest and raw as tears filled his eyes. Julian Johnson was a man of honor and morality and had a very kind soul.
"Do you promise?" Julian asked. "Even if Klaus feels differently?"
"Yes," Elijah nodded, gripping the man's hand tight. "I promise."
"Julian!" the word burst through the basement in a way no one could ignore, as they watched Mikael stride purposefully through the basement and up to the camp bed, their eyes wide with shock.
"Mikael?" Julian asked, dumbfounded and feeling much more alert than he had for some time. "What are you doing here? I don't mean to hurt you or inconvenience you in any way, but…I can't handle being a vampire. I think it's best for me to end my life rather than continue on like this. I hope it won't be too difficult for you to find a new chauffeur."
"Don't say that nonsense, young man," Mikael replied, sitting next to Julian on the camp bed and putting a hand on his arm. "This isn't an ending. It won't be horrible like you fear. It's a new beginning for you! You just need to take a deep breath and give yourself time to think about it and accept it."
Klaus growled and narrowed his eyes, following Elijah to the door. "He wasn't as kind to us when we transitioned. Julian will have to thank Sybil for giving Mikael such a generous change of heart." He paused. "I'm surprised you let him in your house."
Klaus shook his head, eyes narrowed. "Of course, I didn't. Angelica did. She's upstairs with Sybil now."
"Well, I think it's good for her to have company after all that's happened," Elijah remarked. "With the way she's probably feeling, it's not good for her to be alone, and since we have to give our attention to Julian, you can't be there for her."
"Yes," Klaus nodded. "That's the only reason I let Mikael in here. And for Julian too. Maybe seeing someone familiar will help him feel better about transitioning. Do you think?"
"I hope, brother," Elijah sighed. "I really do."
It didn't take long for Angelica to rejoin Sybil in the living room with a tray of cookies, tea, milk and sugar.
"Here, let me take that from you," Sybil told her. "Then you can just sit."
"It's okay," Angelica replied and set the tray down on the table herself. "It's nothing that I can't handle, especially after everything else I've been through recently. Would you like sugar or milk in your tea?"
"A little bit of both, please," Sybil told her, then took the cup from her hostess's hands, drinking deeply. "Oh, this is wonderful!"
Angelica smiled. "Mom used to say there was nothing in life that a cup of tea or cocoa and some cookies wouldn't cure." She then sighed mournfully as she looked around the otherwise empty room. She liked having a place of her own with Klaus, but even then, the silence could still be a little unnerving after how loud and busy things had been at the mansion.
"How are you?" Came Sybil's voice, shocking her out of her reverie.
"What?" She asked. "Sorry, my brain was somewhere else."
"I don't blame you," Sybil nodded, her eyes full of kindness. "I just wondered how you were doing. And I didn't mean to startle you."
"I'm fine," the devil's daughter lied through her teeth as she looked at the tall blonde and sipped her own cup of tea.
"I know we're not close at the moment, but…if you need someone to talk to, I'm here to listen."
"Talk about what?" Angelica asked and then gave a shrug. "I don't have anything I need to talk about."
"Well, for starters, I thought you might have some feelings about the fact that your mother's alleged lover is a guest in your home now," Sybil told her. "Not that I'm judging her one bit. While your father is handsome and can be very charming and kind when he puts his mind to it, he can also be very angry and difficult. I've known Julian for some time now and he's honestly one of the sweetest men I know. It doesn't surprise me that your mother found happiness with him."
Angelica rolled her eyes and reminded herself not to be defensive. The woman was Julian Johnson's employer. Of course she would speak highly of him. "Lots of people say that he's nice," she replied carefully. "And I'm sure he is. I used to think I had every right to be mad at my mother and that the man she cheated with was the biggest asshole in the world who shouldn't even be given a second of my time.
"I understand," Sybil nodded and squeezed both of Angelica's hands. "And that's reasonable. Considering the circumstances, your feelings are very normal."
"Yes, but I used to love Daddy too," Angelica continued as tears started to fill her big brown eyes. "And now…now all I think of when I think of him, instead of years of love and care, is the look of cruelty on his face as he pushed Mrs. Johnson to her death!"
"Mrs. Johnson….? Oh, Julian's grandmother!" Sybil nodded. "That's who you mean, correct?"
"Yes," Angelica confirmed, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "And then on top of that, I learned that Julian wasn't even aware that Mom and Dad were married. He was innocent, as much a victim of all this crap as me! Now I'm all confused. Cause I still have the right to be angry about everything that happened, but I can't hate Julian, even if I don't like him. And after seeing how my father acted today, I can't blame my mother for not wanting to be with someone else. Things must've been hell for her before Julian came along!" She growled. "If only there were someone I could just wholeheartedly be mad at without any other stupid feelings getting in the way, this would be so much easier!"
"I agree that things must have been very difficult for your mother for her to decide she needed to seek affection elsewhere," Sybil agreed with a kind smile. "As for you, give yourself time to process all this. It only happened a few hours ago. I know it would be very convenient, but you can't brush the feelings away, or make them disappear, but you can give yourself time to digest it all, and once you have, you'll be able to decide what's good for you and how you feel."
Angelica nodded. "And then there's Klaus too!"
Sybil bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. "I know he takes a lot too."
"Not that I mind," Angelica shook her head. "But I finally realized just how much he means to me and how much I want him in my life." She smiled down at her belly and put her hand on it. "We're going to have a baby."
Sybil's eyes widened. "Oh, how…is it nice? Are congratulations in order?" She thought so but wasn't sure.
"Yes, thank you," Angelica nodded. "It's scary and wonderful at the same time. I can't say it's the best timing, given the fact that my relationship with the only other man I've loved as much is falling apart, but…I suppose it can be both painful and wonderful." She was sharing deeper feelings with Sybil than she'd shared with most other people, but she felt that it needed to be done.
"I bet it is," Sybil nodded and wiped her tears away. "I think you're handling yourself very admirably. You can do this!"
"I'm sorry," Angelica abruptly shook her head and tried to regain her businesslike manner. "I'm…I'm so sorry you have to see me cry and freak out like this. I know we're not that close and it's not the least bit professional."
"Oh, honey, don't you worry about that!" Sybil shook her head. "I mean, you're not doing a job for us at the moment, now are you? So, for the time being, what do you say to changing our relationship from a professional one to a friendly one?"
"That's very kind," Angelica said, the thought of having a friend making her want to cry from happiness. "Because I…I've never really had any friends or been close to people who weren't relatives or employees." She blushed. "When you're as sheltered as I was with a business being your only outside experience, you don't really have a lot of time to form friendships." The realization hit her hard and she began blinking rapidly to keep the tears away.
"Well, how about I be your friend then?" Sybil smiled warmly and patted Angelica on the arm. "I mean, if you want me to. I realize it might not be my place and that with everything going on, you'd probably rather be left alone, but…" She chuckled nervously and wiped her hands on her white trousers.
"No, I would love it!" Angie told her. "But just to warn you, and Klaus will agree…I'm not always the easiest person to get along with."
"Well, everyone has their difficulties," Sybil assured her. "But that doesn't mean you aren't lovable. I mean, look at the man I married. I would give you more credit, though. I think you're a wonderful hostess. You brought me cookies and tea and how can I hate that?" She gave her a playful wink. "Plus, you were very patient and kind when my husband was so rude to you." She winced.
Angelica chuckled. "Is it just me, or do Klaus and Mikael have more in common than either of them will admit to?"
Sybil rolled her eyes and heaved a loud sigh. "They're both very stubborn, that's for sure. And I think we need to stick together if we're going to stay sane while in relationships with them."
Angelica bit her lip on a smile. "I think you're right. And…how are the twins?"
"Oh, I bet you haven't heard, but they grew up at last. Turned into replicas of my husband with his pretentiousness and everything! They think they're entitled to all they come across!"
"Well, that's precious!" Angelica snorted into her cup of tea.
"Isn't it, though?" Sybil winked back and took another drink from her cup.
Selina Warren Mikaelson parked in the driveway of Lucifer's mansion, then got out and carefully closed the door of her very distinctive pink VW bug, her kitten heels clacking on the pavement as she made her way to front door, running into Amy Burke, which was definitely an unexpected surprise.
"Amy, what are you doing here?" She asked the redhead, wide-eyed with shock.
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Amy returned.
"I can only guess you've heard about the state Lucifer's in now, haven't you?" Selina asked with a tilt of her head.
"You mean about the fact that he has a body count to his name?" Amy sighed. "Yes, yes, I have, unfortunately. Kol told me after Elijah called him. But Kol's gone now. A friend of his in Africa had an emergency and he had to take a plane straight there." She waved her hand dismissively so it would seem like she cared much less than she actually did. "If you ask me, the timing couldn't have been better. Now I can figure things out about us with him being in my face all the time and focus on other stuff!"
"Yeah," Selina nodded and crossed both arms in front of her chest. "Right, I see."
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Amy demanded, her eyes narrowing on the other woman. Selina had a twinkle in her eye that was really annoying.
"Like what?" Selina teased. "How am I looking at you?"
"Like that!" Amy shook her finger under her friend's nose.
"Well, first, why do I have the feeling even though Kol requested you stay out of Lucifer's path while he's away in Africa, you're ignoring him and doing the exact opposite by being here?"
Amy blushed deep red and avoided Selina's gaze, saying nothing.
"Second, you're so crazy about him that you want to make him really mad because you know that if he finds out what you did, he'll drag you off to his bed, lock the door, and teach you a lesson!"
Amy's jaw dropped in shock as her hand went to her heart. "Selina Warren Mikaelson!"
"What?" Selina asked with a grin.
"I…I'm not going to respond to all the ridiculous things you're saying because they're…they're ridiculous!" Amy shot back angrily.
Selina rolled her eyes at her stubborn sister-in-law. "Blah, blah, blah…what do you think I am, an idiot?" She asked as she examined her nails that had just been done. "Remember that I was at Mikael and Sybil's wedding too and I have eyeballs. You could have cut the sexual tension between you two with a knife then just like you can now. Nothing's changed. I don't know why you can't just admit it. It would make things so much easier for you!"
Amy narrowed her eyes. "Has anyone told you that you're annoyingly perceptive?" Then her eyes widened, and she stepped back, clearing her throat. "I mean…I have no idea what you're talking about!" She continued, avoiding Selina's knowing gaze and smirk. "And while we're criticizing, let's talk about you! I bet Elijah told you not to come within a hundred feet of here. And you're ignoring him!"
"Yeah," Selina nodded and shrugged. "Of course I am. It's not the first time. And the supernatural world will be better for it because I am one of the few people who knows how to handle a crazy Lucifer. And on top of that…I get to go home to a grumpy husband when it's all over and have hot, angry fight and make up sex!" She chuckled. "I mean, it's much hotter than what he did this morning when he put his tongue…"
"Stop!" Amy cried, putting her hands over her ears. "La la la la la! Don't tell me that! I was married to him once!"
"Well, not anymore," Selina grinned. "You're with your ideal man now. And don't be so prudish. People who love each other can do really sexy stuff with one another. It's not a bad thing." She began following Amy up the steps to the mansion's front door.
"I don't really know what people who love each other do," Amy admitted sadly. "No man I've married has ever really loved me," Amy pointed out before pressing the doorbell.
"Oh, that's not even true!" Selina protested. "Kol has lots of deep feelings for you! You can see them all over his face!" She leaned in a bit closer. "And I bet he even had them for you when he was married to your sister," she added in a scandalous whisper.
"You couldn't be more wrong!" Amy shook her head. "We had a fling, I got pregnant, and then, because he's a gentleman when he wants to be, he agreed to marry me." She took a deep breath and then began rummaging around in her handbag to distract herself.
"I see," Selina chuckled. "And since the wedding was all just obligation, how was the wedding night?"
Amy froze and turned her head to face the brunette. But she was only able to mutter an outraged "Selina!" before blushing bright red and having to turn away again.
"That good?" Selina grinned. "Well, well, well. I was always curious to find out how the youngest Mikaelson was in bed. Now I know cause his talent is written all over your face. I don't think you've ever blushed this much about a man before, Amy."
"Whatever!" Amy spat, turning to face the door just in time for it to open, bring them face to face with Lucifer himself.
"Selina! Amy! Well, it's certainly a surprise to see you two." He gave them a bright but very fake smile as they waited to see what he would do next.
Finally, chins raised, both women narrowed their eyes at the devil, arms crossed over their chests
"Where are my manners?" He asked easily. "Please come inside, ladies. Don't feel like you need to just stand on the porch. Would you like me to order something for you to eat or drink?"
"Where are his manners indeed," Amy muttered under her breath for Selina's ears only as they crossed the threshold into the mansion and followed Lucifer.
"Yeah, I'd sure like to know," Selina agreed, before she turned her attention back to their host. "Sorry," she replied. "We don't need any food or anything, thanks. We're not planning on being here that long."
"And on that note, what brings you here precisely?" He questioned, a fake smile plastered on his bearded face. "It's always such a pleasure to see you, of course. How's the farmer?"
"Who's the farmer?" Amy asked, confused.
"He means Elijah," Selina supplied. "You remember Lucifer's twisted, some would say lethal, sense of humor, don't you?"
"I wouldn't go that far," Lucifer winked. "It's not so much of a joke. He used to be dashing, sophisticated, and feared, but…now he's shoveling horse manure and collecting eggs. Life does have its funny ways, doesn't it?" He chuckled.
"Well, I can promise you that the hard word and the clean country air does him a lot of good and keeps him in excellent shape for his husbandly duties," Selina shot back, tit for tat. "He was so ready this morning that I was barely able to keep up with him, and you know that's saying something coming from me!" She grinned widely, not done yet. "And now, he's with Klaus helping a poor, nearly murdered human man become a vampire." She shrugged. "Seems to me that the farmer is still quite capable."
"You don't say," Lucifer gritted his teeth and tried to keep his frustration at bay, but both women saw a vein jump in his neck anyway. Seeing that he wouldn't get a rise out of Selina, he turned his attention to the redhead.
"I'm surprised to see you here, Amy," he told her. "What exactly are you calling yourself these days? Is it just Amy Mikaelson Burke? Or Amy Mikaelson Mikaelson Mikaelson Burke? Considering you've now married three Mikaelson brothers, Kol just being the most recent." He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "You know I wish you the best of luck, but I'm sure if things go south, Mikael will be free in a few years and your streak can continue."
Amy gave him nothing but a forced chuckle. "You're right," she said with a nod. "It is Mikaelson Mikaelson Mikaelson Burke now," she nodded. "Don't forget that in the magical community, women are in charge, not men!"
"And because of that," Lucifer answered, unperturbed, do you consider Kol weak or worse in bed because he's a man and not a warlock? What would your witch friends say if they knew you'd done what you did with a vampire?" He was absolutely vicious!
Selina reached out to put a stabilizing hand on Amy's arm, but she needn't have worried. The witch was ready. "Oh, that couldn't be further from the truth!" Amy returned. "My husband is excellent in bed, thank you very much. And any decent witch wouldn't view a man as lesser just for being what he is. You're another story, but we're not talking about you!"
"Well, I don't know how much Lucifer needed to know that," Selina whispered. "But I'm very glad to be informed about Kol!" She grinned.
Amy turned and narrowed her eyes at her friend for a few seconds before turning back to Lucifer. "While we're here chatting, tell me something, Lucifer: Since you seem to be intent on maligning every other man you bring up, how do you feel about your own abilities in bed? Because word around town is that your wife has taken another lover, and, human though he may be, he's surpassed you in that area on many levels!"
"I've heard that too," Selina grinned widely. "Something about you being so jealous of the affair that you actually killed an innocent human who had nothing to do with it was just bystander to the whole thing!"
Lucifer paled and swayed on his feet a little before getting his bearings back, uncomfortable laughter escaping his throat as he watched them. "That's just…simply ludicrous! An urban legend that my enemies have taken to spreading around in an attempt to weaken my power in the supernatural community!" He turned and took a few steps to the nearby parlor so he could pour himself a drink. Both women followed, of course. "I would offer you a drink too, ladies, but I can see that since you're both expecting, that wouldn't be appropriate." He grinned and toasted them. "Wouldn't want anything terrible to happen to your babies, would we?"
"What do you mean by that?" Amy cried. "Don't you dare threaten my baby in any way!"
"What would make you think I would do something so cold?" Lucifer protested, falsely outraged. "I was simply referring to the damage alcohol can do! Nothing more!"
"I've had enough!" Selina said at last. "Let's just cut to the chase so we can get out of here. No matter how much you deny it, we all know that you killed an innocent old human woman and nearly murdered her grandson, Julian Johnson, in the process.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he shrugged, unaffected. "I've never heard the name Julian Johnson, not once."
"You're lying now?" Selina asked. "Wow, you must be really desperate to cover your butt. Since Klaus and Angelica saw it, it won't be so easy to pretend. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to be witnesses at your Council trial. You're in deep shit, Lucifer. Now's not the time to play games."
"My trial?" He laughed. "That's just…that's ridiculous!" He burst out laughing. "Thank you for that, darling. It's been a while since I've laughed." He paused to catch his breath. "I'm sorry an old woman is dead, but the older humans get, the easier it is for them to pass on. My sister can attest to that. She could have passed on in a number of ways, none of which have to do with me."
Just then, Ellie came in, something Lucifer was quick to notice, pulling her close to him and kissing her soundly, but the kiss was much shorter than usual and when he pulled away, she was clearly trying hard not to look disgusted. "My darling wife, here you are!" He said. "Come and tell our friends that this idea they have in their heads is simply ridiculous!"
Ellie looked pale and tired, as if all the life had been sucked out of her, something that Amy and Selina were definitely concerned about.
"Ellie, it'll be okay, we're here for you!"
"You don't look well," Amy added. "If you need to leave, that's okay. Pack a bag and we'll take you away from here!"
Ellie stared at them both. She wanted nothing more than to take them up on their offer and get out of this place. But that wouldn't help Milo. Only playing Lucifer's twisted little game would, and she had to save her son! So she ignored them and went to stand by her husband.
"What's ridiculous?" she asked him in a low voice. "What's happening?"
"Well, it's the darndest thing," Lucifer gave a small laugh. "I know you'll find this impossible to believe darling, but…Selina and Amy have just come into our home and accused me of killing an innocent human woman and almost killing her grandson, who was your lover! Is that the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard? He rolled his eyes and pulled her against himself. "You would never do something like that to me, would you?" He rolled his eyes at their silliness. "And along with that they think Klaus and Angelica watched the murder. I couldn't have murdered some random woman I've never met, could I? I wouldn't waste my time with such things. And I mean, you and I were out and about all day! I picked you up after you had lunch with Charlotte and then took you straight to your meeting at the library!"
"Yes," Ellie nodded, doing her best to avoid Amy and Selina's gazes by keeping her head down. "You're right. I have no idea what they're talking about. Why would I need to have a lover?" Then she looked up. "I don't know what made you need to come and make up stories, but…none of this happened. Not to me, or my husband."
Amy put a hand to her forehead. "You've got to be kidding me!" She cried as she began pacing back and forth. "He's making her lie!"
"Now, now, Amy," Lucifer clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Why would I do something so horrible to my wonderful wife?" He crossed both arms in front of his chest. "I think you should go home and lie down. Your hormones are making you think irrationally."
"You!" Amy yelled, her eyes flashing. "You wanna see hormones? I'll show you what hormones can do!" She started to run at him, but Selina put a restraining hand on her arm.
"It's not worth it. He's not worth it. Think of your baby!"
Amy stopped, closing her eyes and breathed deeply, and rested her hands on her belly. "You're right," she nodded and took another deep breath.
"I think we've done all we can here," Selina decided. "Let's leave." She grabbed Amy by the arm and began pulling her back to the front door, pausing one last time to try and catch Ellie's eye. "Anything you need, you call me, okay? Day or night. Please."
"Thank you, but I'm fine," Ellie replied in that terrible, monotone voice. "Why would I need you when I have Lucifer?"
"You heard her," Lucifer grinned and waved them out. "Bye-bye, ladies! Go home, rest, and take care of your precious babies! We have one on the way too, don't we, Eleanor?"
Not wanting to stay any longer, Selina and Amy practically threw themselves out the front door and onto the porch.
"Well, that was…horrifying," Selina got out.
"Yeah!" Amy agreed. "What are we going to do? He's keeping her prisoner!"
Selina let out a breath. "I don't know. But for now…I think he needs her, and he knows it, so even though he's making her miserable, she's not in physical danger. We need to hold on to that. It means we have time to think of what to do for her next."
Back in the mansion, Ellie scoffed and growled, wanting so badly to drive the heel of her stiletto into Lucifer's foot. "You know, if you're gonna smooch me like that…if that's part of what I have to do to make it through this sick game of yours, the least you could do is use a breath mint beforehand. You've taken up smoking again, and it's just…it's disgusting!" Then, without giving him a chance to respond, she strode off to her room, leaving him alone and miserable.
Natalie Mikaelson paced the length of the apartment's small living room, biting her lip and nails as she tried to think of something other than what Milo had sounded like in that phone call. Finally, after what seemed like way too long, there was a knock at the door. She opened it and threw herself into his arms, his eyes wide with shock.
"What took you so long?" She demanded after pulling him inside and slamming the door closed. "Well, explain yourself! You made me worried sick!" She crossed her arms and waited.
"Well, I don't know! Traffic can be stupid sometimes," he shrugged. "It took me ten minutes to get here!"
"Do you know how you sounded on the phone?" She chided. "That was ten minutes that I was wondering what the heck was wrong with you and being terrified out of my mind!" She threw herself in his arms again, her head buried in the hollow between his neck and right shoulder.
"Oh, wow!" He exclaimed, surprised by their closeness. Then he brought his arms around her and closed his eyes, allowing himself the chance to finally relax and breathe.
"Tell me you're okay, Milo," she whispered near his ear as she caressed the nape of his neck. "You're shaking. What's happened?" She held on to him for a little longer and then detached herself from the embrace.
"Well…" Milo coughed uncomfortably and then made his way to the living room. "Nothing's wrong, I'm fine. Where's your mother?"
"I've told you a million times," Natalie replied as she trotted behind him to keep up with his longer strides. "Since Mom and Uncle Kol got married, she moved into the bigger apartment. The smaller one is all mine now."
"Wow, lucky you," Milo said with a shy smile and threw his leather jacket on the couch before sitting down and put his feet on the table nearby. Then he blushed and gazed guiltily at Natalie, putting them on the floor. "Sorry. You get this whole apartment to yourself and here I am messing it up."
"That is an old table, and I don't give a damn if you put your feet on it," Natalie told him. "Everything here is worn and loved and comfortable, not new and fancy and expensive like you have at your mansion. It's meant to be used. It's all mine and that's how I want it!"
"Sounds like a wonderful plan and much better than anything at my stupid pretentious home. It's your apartment, so full of life and character and…all that stuff. For me, it's everything, Natalie Mikaelson!" He hoped he sounded humble rather than cheesy as he watched her reply.
She blushed and lowered her eyes. "I just texted Nico a little bit ago to see if he knew what was up with you."
"Of course, your old pal Nico," he rolled his eyes. "Your good friend."
"And yours too," Natalie reminded him, stomping her foot on the carpet.
"Well, he bites my head off about stuff a lot, and I like to mess with him to see the look on his face, but…I wouldn't consider him my friend, at least not in the same way you are." He put his hands on his hips and gave her a look of challenge.
"Nico isn't my best friend," Natalie corrected, shaking her red curls. "What are you babbling about?"
"Well, you sure fooled me, cause it seems like it's always Nico this and Nico that. It seems very obvious that he's your best everything!"
"Nico is just a friend! You're my best everything, you dummy! We're practically joined at the hip. I don't know what you're going on and on about Nico for."
"I am?" Milo asked, his jaw dropping a little.
"Well, duh!" Natalie nodded. "I thought it was obvious!"
"To you, maybe," he replied. "But not to me! You hate everything about me!"
"Well, yeah, but that makes it interesting!" She laughed. "And besides, your head is big enough already without me showering you with compliments all day and making it bigger!" She shook her head and grinned. "Just because you think I'm the ugly duckling, that doesn't mean we can't hang out, right?"
Milo rolled his eyes. "Oh, for fuck's sake, Natalie, I never thought you were ugly. I've told you a million times. It's just the opposite. I think you're very beautiful," he confessed, locking eyes with her. "I only said you were ugly because I knew I had nothing to bring to a relationship except the fact that I'm a Morningstar and if you think about it, that doesn't mean a lot these days! I know I've been a bit of a pretentious jerk too."
Natalie snorted. "Nothing to offer? You know the whole cheer-leading squad wants to go to bed with you. And if the rumors are true, some of the football players too."
"Oh, which ones? And don't just say the ones with the nice butts. You have to be more specific." Milo gave her a wink.
Natalie bit her lip on a smile. "Sure you used to be a pretentious jerk who marked me with a knife, but you changed. You changed and grew on me like a bad rash!" She chuckled.
"Gee, that's nicest thing anyone's ever said to me," he told her with a grin.
"I know you're trying to distract me, but it's not going to work," she told him, taking his left hand in hers. "Talk to me, please. I heard you sobbing on the phone before and it…it broke my heart."
"What?" Milo asked and backed away defensively, even as tears fell from his eyes. "What are you talking about? I don't sob!"
"Milo," she whispered, seeing right through him.
"My father killed an old human lady," he confessed. "Then he tried to kill her grandson. Came really close too."
"What?" Natalie's eyes widened. "Why would he do something so horrible?"
"He's turned into a monster, Natalie. And he threatened my mother to play along with some game he's concocted, or-" He broke off and shut his eyes tight.
"Or what? Milo, talk to me." She gently squeezed his hand.
"Or he'll kill me!" Milo burst out, opening his eyes and staring. "I'm bait or collateral or something so my mom does whatever my dad says!"
"Please tell me you're joking!" Natalie demanded. "And never make another joke like this again!"
Milo shook his head. "Sounded real to me. I'm not joking."
Natalie growled and grabbed her own leather jacket off the chair, putting it on and stomping toward the front door.
"Where are you going?" Milo asked.
"To plow my fist in your father's face!" She replied. "How dare he threaten you like that! I'm going to show him what an angry Mikaelson woman can do to a rat like him!"
"Are you crazy?" Milo asked and tried to pull her away from the door. "You try and start anything with him, he'll probably kill you too, seeing as how it was the relationship between your father and my sister that started this whole mess. Please stay. Please don't leave me alone. I need you."
"Okay, fine," she sighed, reaching out to caress his cheek. "Look," she realized. "When did you start growing facial hair?"
Milo chuckled uncomfortably. "Since I became a man, I guess."
"I know it's a sore subject, but…tell me more about what your father did. Why he's become so horrible."
"Well, Mom and Dad have grown apart since Angelica, you know," he continued. "And Mom…she met a human man by the name of Julian Johnson."
Natalie's eyes widened. "My father's neighbor's grandson? Oh, my Steve!" her brain began to put two and two together. "Your father killed Mrs. Johnson, didn't he?"
"You knew them?" Milo asked in shock.
"Well, yeah," Natalie nodded. "The guy is a hunk, I'm telling you! Your mom has very good taste."
"Really?" Milo made a face. "Is it really appropriate for you to-"
"Oh, relax," Natalie told him. "I don't have a crush or anything, I'm just stating facts! So this was like some stupid petty jealous revenge?"
"I don't know," Milo shook his head, running his fingers through his dark hair. "All I do know is that Dad is now threatening Mom by saying he'll kill me if she doesn't pretend they're happily married still. Or something like that."
"Oh, Milo, I'm so sorry!" Natalie shook her head and put a hand over her heart.
"Maybe you shouldn't be with me. What if I turn out like him? What if I become a monster too?" Milo asked. "Maybe it would be best if I just…stayed by myself, away from everyone in some isolated mansion. I'll pass my days killing humans as a hobby and everyone will hate me because I'm his son…" He trailed off and sobbed. "Love hurts, Natalie. All this time, I thought my father loved me in his own way, but apparently not. And that hurts, so much."
Then he let out a cry, startled as his eyes popped open. Natalie took his face in her hands and crashed her mouth on his. He finally relaxed, closing his eyes and lowering his hands down her back before gently squeezing her butt.
"What…what was that for?" he breathed when he could speak again.
"You're nothing like your father," she insisted. "You're sweet and kind and you would never kill an innocent person like he did. Never."
"How do you know that?" Milo questioned. "How do you know I'll never hurt you that way?"
Natalie shrugged. "Maybe you will, but I'm choosing to trust you because someone should." She kissed him lightly and then stepped away. "I trust you that we'll never be like your parents."
Then she slowly peeled off her t-shirt and threw it on the carpet nearby, her bra joining the pile next, so that her small but perky breasts were visible to him. He couldn't look away. "Natalie…" he breathed.
"Come on," she said, then held out her right hand to him.
Without hesitation, Milo put his hand in Natalie's. She gave him a smile and pulled him along behind her to enter her bedroom.
After closing the door behind her, she turned to face him, smiling shyly. She wasn't wearing any makeup and her bobbed red hair was a mess of tangles, but she was still the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen in his life.
He stared back, putting his hands on her hips to pull him to her. "You're beautiful," he whispered, his lips against her earlobe.
"You said otherwise," she reminded him, like always, untucking his white shirt to get access to his belt
"Well, I lied," he grinned, pushing some loose strands of hair behind her ears.
"Lift your arms," she commanded.
"Are you ordering me around, Miss Mikaelson?" He smirked, tilting his head as he brought his hands up to cup her perky breasts.
"Maybe," she replied in a low whisper, letting out a low moan as he stroked her erect nipples.
Then she got his shirt free of his belt and threw it into the pile once he'd gotten his arms in the air.
They stared at each other, grins on their lips as she gently traced the 'M' on his chest with her finger. "I did that to you."
"Yeah, Miss Mikaelson," he teased. "You were very naughty." He spun her around and she cried out in surprise as he kissed a fiery trail down her neck and unzipped her skirt, slipping his fingers under the waistband of her panties to rub her gently. "Feels like someone is wet for me already," he remarked.
"Milo…" Natalie moaned his name, resting her head on his chest, continuing to cry out his name over and over and wrapping an arm around his neck.
"Fuck!" He whispered. "You're so perfect, Natalie!" He then cupped her chin and raised her head so he could easily crash his lips against hers.
The kiss soon turned hot and heavy, it didn't take long for them to start stumbling toward the bed as he pushed her skirt down her long legs and she lowered the zipper of his jeans.
"Thank Steve it wasn't stuck this time!" She exclaimed happily, the memory of the dance contest still fresh in their minds as they both burst into laughter.
As her skirt pooled around her ankles, her panties followed, Milo gently parted her legs and began tasting her.
"Oh, my god," she breathed, steadying herself by grabbing a fistful of his dark hair. Then she let out a moan
"You taste so good," he complimented before standing up to kiss her deeply again.
She then pushed his jeans down and it didn't take long before she realized he'd gone commando underneath.
"Oh!" Natalie blushed bright red as she realized just how aroused he was.
She eyed him and he shrugged. "I was in a hurry and I couldn't find any boxers, so…."
That made her smile, and she began sliding her hand down his stomach. "You know I'm not complaining," she murmured. Then she wrapped her fingers around his shaft, squeezing gently and repeatedly.
He growled with pleasure, and then raised her up, her long legs wrapping around his waist as he carried her to bed, on his knees at the foot as he positioned her entrance over his hard length before slowly entering her.
She let out a small cry of pain, which made him pause for a moment. "Are you okay? Try and relax. Give it time, baby."
Natalie nodded, and in a few seconds, she gently lowered herself over his shaft, moaning with pleasure as he thrust slowly inside of her.
"I've waited so fucking long for this, Natalie," he whispered, thrusting deeper insider her. "This is everything!" Then he took her smiling face in his hands and gave her a sweet, tender kiss.
Later, as Natalie lay in his arms, a big smile on her lips, he asked, "On a scale of 1 to 10, how was I?" She seemed to have enjoyed herself, but he was still nervous to hear her answer.
"Milo Morningstar, only you would ask me a question like that," she replied, wide-eyed as she raised herself up on her arms. "Why?"
"Well, I just…it's important for a guy to know, he replied. "I don't want to be a huge disappointment to you like my father is to my mother."
"You've slept with practically every girl in school!" She commented. "And if you say you haven't made progress with the male population too, I wouldn't believe you. I doubt that would be the case if you were terrible."
"I actually...this is my first time in a year," he admitted, although couldn't help but grin a little at her words. "A whole fucking year. By myself. In the shower. And in the bath sometimes if I want a bit of variety. All because of you!"
"What?" She asked, surprised. "You mean, you seriously haven't…"
"No!" He shook his head. "Simply because…" he lowered his gaze and gently caressed her arm. "Because now, I'm ready. I want you and only you." He paused. "I branded you too, you know." He grinned as he gently ran his fingers over the *M* on her stomach.
She giggled and blushed. "And after all that waiting…was it worth it?"
"Oh, I can't believe you have to ask. I particularly liked the way you wrapped your legs around my hips. I do love your legs." He grinned seductively and caressed her cheeks. "You know, I used to try and count how many freckles you had because I thought it was freaking adorable!"
"No, they're not!" Natalie shook her head and pouted. "I hate them!"
"No they aren't. They make you you," Milo told her. "So perfect!" He then sighed loudly and lay down again with her head on his chest.
"Well, you're a fifteen out of ten then," she teased with a grin.
"That good, huh?" he chuckled and kissed the top of her head.
"Well, there's always room for improvement. I know I have a lot to learn," she told him, her eyes wide.
"I think you know plenty already about how to drive me crazy with desire for you," Milo informed her with a smirk.
"Milo," she whispered after a few seconds of silence.
"Mmmm?"
"Stay here with me," she said. "I mean, there's another bedroom, if you want…" she sounded hopeful. "If you wanted another place to be, all things considering, I wouldn't mind sharing the apartment for a while."
"You want me to stay in another room when I've already fucked you in this bed?" He asked, astonished.
"Oh, that's a very romantic way of putting it," she said, rolling her eyes. "No, but…maybe…I don't know, if you want to…"
"Heck yes!" He lifted her chin so she could stare into his eyes. "If you think we're not doing this again, you are sorely mistaken, Natalie Mikaelson!"
"Good!" She grinned and kissed him. "But don't you go thinking I'm your property or whatever, cause I'm not!"
"Well, considering that we branded each other, we could say we're each other's property!" He corrected, unwavering.
"But what about your mom?" Milo asked. "What will we tell her?"
"I'm sure she'll understand once she knows the whole story," Natalie assured him. "You know that everyone in our circle tells each other everything. She might even have a lot of the information now except for the stuff about you!"
"She does, but your uncle doesn't," Milo realized, worryingly. However bad the thought of being killed by his father was, the thought of being killed by Kol Mikaelson if the Original knew what he'd just done his niece was even worse.
"Don't you worry about Uncle Kol," Natalie said and kissed his hair. "I'll make him understand. You'll be all right."
"Thanks," Milo said with a sigh, hoping with everything he had in him that she was right.