When The Stars Align

by MadameXOX

One thousand years ago, a little girl disappeared. There was no body, no witnesses and no answers for her family. They never stopped looking for her, though. In the here and now, though, Elena Gilbert is being haunted by visions of a life that doesn't belong to her. Is she just traumatized, or is there something else at play?

1. Chapter 1

A.N. Hi! For copyright purposes, I do not own The Vampire Diaries or The Originals and I'm not making a profit from this.

If anyone who reads this decides to make some fanart, please link it in the comments! I've also posted this on my AO3 account.

Chapter One

Elena Gilbert could tell you, with absolute confidence, that her friends had absolutely no idea how monumentally they had screwed up.

She couldn't pinpoint the exact moment that they'd all lost their minds, but she suspected that it was around the same time that they'd stolen Klaus Mikaelson's family. All of whom had been incapacitated, or perhaps 'dead', and in their coffins at the time of the robbery.

And she was fairly certain that Damon had definitely lost his around the time that he thought waking Elijah up would be the best next move.

She'd warned them, Damon, Stefan and Bonnie. She'd warned them that no good would come from antagonising the Original Hybrid, and she'd been proven right. Not only had Damon woken Elijah, which meant that there were now two of the Original family back in Mystic Falls, but he hadn't thought to factor in the possibility that Elijah, the second oldest of the Mikaelson siblings, would want to see his family awakened in their entirety.

In other words, the Salvatore brothers had fucked up. The evidence of that fact had arrived this morning, sitting innocently on her porch when she'd opened the front door to let Damon and Stefan in, with it being one of the rare occasions where they'd actually knocked like normal people.

They'd only arrived to fill her in on the events of the previous night, you know, that dinner to discuss her life that she hadn't been invited to? She wasn't sure when, exactly, Damon and Stefan had begun to take over her life, but in that particular moment, she felt like a ridiculously young child, one who needed to be seen and not heard.

Elena flipped the invitation over between her fingers, playing with the expensive parchment as Damon and Stefan left her house, stalking out of the back door and disappearing off to do god-knows-what after declaring that she was not, under any circumstances, allowed to go to the ball. She caught her lip between her teeth as she thought about her own situation.

See, the problem was, Elena was feeling caught between two worlds. In one world, she was Elena Gilbert, the adopted older sister of Jeremy Gilbert, who was hopelessly entangled in the supernatural world. Who was desperately in love with Stefan Salvatore, who was currently running for douchebag-of-the-year, who was still struggling with the after effects of being killed by the Hybrid that Stefan seemed desperate to send into a murderous rage and who was doing everything in her power just to keep her head above water as the dynamics of her world kept shifting.

In the second world, the one that her sub-conscious had created, she was a little Viking child, the youngest child of the Mikaelson family, who was deeply loved and who's biggest problem in life seemed to be whether or not she could find any apples to eat. It wasn't an easy world, there were no ovens or refrigerators, no mobile phones or lie-ins, but it was a good world, a safe world, where hard work was rewarded and she was never short for company.

The problem was, this second world existed entirely in her head, fed to her in a series of black-out visions by her deeply traumatised mind. After all, they'd begun only after she'd died.

She hadn't told a single soul about the visions that had plagued her since the night that Klaus had sacrificed her to break his curse. She wasn't sure why she'd kept it secret, except that she was confident that she was losing her mind and there didn't seem to be any obvious triggers that activated the visions, she'd practiced with trying to force one to happen with no success, so she couldn't even prove their existence to anyone who she could tell.

They were entirely random, sometimes coming to her in her dreams, sometimes haunting her waking hours, giving her black outs that lasted anywhere from a few seconds to up to twenty minutes where she had no idea what had been going on around her. It meant that she'd had to commit a lot of extra time to studying to make up for all the class time she was missing.

It was the things that she saw that cut her deepest, though. The visions were all focussed on The Original family, the Mikaelson's, except that they all appeared to still be human. She had such frequent visions now that she was always surprised whenever she saw Klaus and his hair didn't reach his chest and that he no longer wore a sword on his hip.

Now, Elena was no idiot. She knew that her visions were fake, that something in her brain had just broken and was now building a backstory for her tormentor, but she found herself growing a strange attachment to the people her mind had created.

Her visions were all from a small child's point of view, a younger sister who was never older than six in any vision, which is one of the many reasons she knew them to be fake. Rebekah, the only sister of the Mikaelsons, had told her about her family. She'd told Elena about Henrik, her younger brother who'd lost his life in a tragic accident with Klaus, she'd made several comments about her parents and even her brothers, but she'd never mentioned having another sister.

Oh, but how the siblings doted on her. From what Elena could work out, her little slice of insanity was an unexpected edition to the family, most of the other siblings were grown when this child came along.

She'd witnessed The Child accompanying Klaus while he looked after the animals, Elijah taking her walking in the forest to make her flower crowns, Rebekah braiding her hair while something that smelled delicious cooked around them.

There were three other brothers, as well. Henrik was only a little older than The Child that Elena had created, he was usually working or trailing after Klaus, and she'd had very few visions with him. She suspected that he wasn't old enough to be watching her yet.

Kol was a powerful witch, in her mind. He was younger than the others, probably around sixteen if she had to guess, where she knew the other brothers were in their twenties. He spent a lot of time with his mother, studying from her how to control his power as it grew. He always made The Child laugh, though. In some visions, he snuck her extra food, particularly apples, when their parents weren't paying attention. He reminded her a lot of Jeremy.

Finn was the oldest and he and Elijah no longer lived in the family home, having their own small huts now that they were men. He was quiet and was usually the sternest, always being the one to find her when she was getting into mischief, as if he were a scent hound for naughty children.

The visions were haunting her, and she sometimes felt as though her grip on reality were shaking, that the world may crumble around her, and she wouldn't even notice.

So, why hadn't she told anyone?

The truth was, Elena didn't want to share her secret second world.

These visions, and the people in them, were made by her brain and she selfishly didn't want to have anyone else in her little made-up world.

She was careful, though. She never made eye contact with Klaus, anymore. She couldn't risk looking at him and not seeing him for the monster he is, she couldn't afford to lose sight of all that he'd done simply because he'd broken her brain. She had wondered, occasionally, if he'd done it on purpose. If these visions were caused by some sort of spell that he had her under, but she'd always debunked that theory because they'd started when he had still believed her to be dead.

She chewed her lip as she looked at the invitation again. She really ought to see what Esther wanted; it would probably make Stefan's day if she was indeed here to kill Klaus.

And, she thought privately, it would be nice to see what the others actually looked like. She'd not had the luxury of opening any of the coffins when she'd last seen them, and she was sure that she'd feel a lot better when she could prove her visions wrong, that maybe Finn had blonde hair like Rebekah, rather than the brown locks he had in her vision. Maybe Kol was actually older. Maybe, if she went, the visions would finally end.

Her back straightened as her resolve hardened. She would go to the ball, whether the Salvatore's liked it or not.

Besides, Elijah had reassured her last night that she was safe, that Esther had banned her children from hurting any of the locals, including her.

Yes, she would go.

Elena grabbed her purse as she headed towards her car. She was going to go, and she was going to look fantastic. If Stefan wanted to continue to be angry and destructive, she'd remind him of exactly what that had cost him, what it was continuing to cost him.

Caroline had called her while she drove, telling her all about the dress and bracelet that Klaus had given her. Privately, Elena thought that Caroline was enjoying the attention, as much as she was complaining about the 'Cinderella' vibe that she claimed the dress had. Caroline had sworn that she wouldn't be wearing it, that she'd choose a gown from her wardrobe and be done with it, but Elena was fairly sure her friend would show up to the party in Klaus's dress.

Alaric had phoned her while she was out, though she'd been shifty when he asked where she was. She told him that she'd needed some air and had gone book shopping. He'd accepted her answer easily, sounding exhausted as he told her he was going to spend some time in his apartment until the council murders were sorted out. Her heart had clenched at that, she wasn't sure if she was ready to face an empty home, but she couldn't bring herself to beg him to stay.

She did feel guilty for lying to him, though, but she also knew that if she'd said she was dress shopping then Damon may very well lock her in her house, and she had no doubt that Ric would tell the elder Salvatore. She had ignored the irritation that flared in her at that thought, how was it that she was old enough to live alone but young enough that Damon felt he had the right to control her like that?

So, to get her mind off her multitude of problems, Elena shopped.

It took her the better part of the day to find the right dress, she'd flitted between the shops as if she had her mom with her and they were looking for the next Miss Mystic Falls competition piece. It had to be perfect.

In her mind, she could almost hear her mom critiquing the gowns as she tried them on. Too safe, too showy, too red, too short. Her mom had an eye for these things and Elena found her grief re-awakening with every dress that her inner monologue dismissed. She wondered what her mom would think of her life now, how horrified she'd be at the way her children were living and the choices they were making. The thought that her mom would be disappointed with her hurt, more than she could put into words, but she didn't regret meeting Stefan or loving him and she couldn't muster the same level of hate towards the vampires that her parents were capable of.

She sucked in a deep breath, banishing her melancholy thoughts to the back of her mind as she continued on her mission. There had to be a shop around here somewhere that held what she was looking for…

When she'd finally found it, purchased it and made her way home, she only had a few hours left to get ready. She raced like a mad woman, shovelling down a couple of breakfast bars as she ran a bath. The key was relaxation, she told herself as she flung a lavender bath bomb into the water. She allowed herself to soak for a while, letting the oils from the bath bomb fill her senses while she washed.

She glanced at her reliable old hair straighteners as she flitted around her room after she'd left the water, she felt almost naked without having her hair straightened, but Stefan had told her a couple of times that he loved her natural curls, so for tonight, she'd style the curls into her look, pinning some into the top of her head and allowing others to cascade down one bare shoulder.

Elena was no stranger to preparing for these events, she wielded her make up brushes as if they were her sword and shield and she were going into battle. Tonight, she was going for bold and alluring, decorating her eyes with black and gold, her lips a deep blood red. She dabbed a pinch of body glitter across her chest, applying another layer of mascara as she went.

Her dress fit like a second skin, it was a black and gold ombre sleeveless ballgown that sparkled as she moved, the gold reflecting across all the light surfaces, casting her in an almost mystical glow. She paired the gown with black satin gloves that covered three quarters of her arms and a statement necklace that she'd borrowed from her moms' jewellery box. It was a plain gold band choker with little rubies and diamonds that dangled from it, tickling her throat and collarbone.

Elena grabbed her matching clutch bag, carefully putting her keys, phone and purse in there as she walked down the stairs, ignoring her reflection until she caught sight of herself in the window. Her hand flew to her chest as she looked at herself, her eyes wide. She'd completely transformed herself. Gone was the quiet, awkward girl of this morning, in her place was a dangerous looking young woman, and for the first time since finding out about Katherine Pierce's existence, Elena didn't hate her own face.

She walked slowly to her car; she was running slightly late, and the sun had already set by the time she pulled up in front of the manor. The Mikaelson Manor, in her opinion, was a stunning building on a normal day, with the large white building carefully hidden away from the town in the middle of a forest, and the large, white marble pillars that held up the porch.

It, too, had been transformed. Twinkling lights adorned the doors and windows, candles and fairy lights marking the way to the entrance. Roses were wrapped around the pillars that held up the balcony and for a moment, Elena could only stop and stare.

Without thinking, she whipped out her phone and snapped a photo, committing this moment to memory as her heart thumped in her chest.

She walked slowly to the open front door, trailing her gloved fingers along rose petals as she went.

If she'd thought the outside had looked beautiful, it was nothing in comparison to the sheer magnificence of the inside.

A large crystal chandelier twinkled in the centre of the entry way, a man in a black suit directing the guests and taking coats when needed. Classical music filled the air as she looked around, her eyes trying to take everything in at once. The grand staircase was adorned with flowers and little crystal ornaments, light flickered around the room from the various reflective surfaces, silver streamers lined the ceiling and on one table there was a champagne waterfall.

Waiters and waitresses scurried around the room, silver trays of drinks and starters in their hands.

When she finally came back to herself, she flushed as she realised that she'd frozen in the doorway, stepping forward quickly without realising who was in front of her until Damon's icy blue eyes locked on her face, his gaze furious as he gripped her arm, tugging her towards him,

"What are you doing here?!"

Elena offered him a sweet smile before pulling her arm out of his grasp,

"Well, I was invited, you see. Were you?"

Damon scoffs as Stefan clears his throat from behind her,

"The whole council was invited."

Elena just rolled her eyes, ignoring their attempts to get her to leave as she picked up a flute of champagne from a passing waiter. She took a dainty sip, leaving a red print on the rim of the glass. Of course, it was exquisite.

She wished that she could say her heart didn't ache when Stefan's gaze barely stopped on her for a second, glancing over her as if she were less interesting than the glass of champagne that he was eyeing up. It felt like a kick to the chest every time she saw him, lately.

She missed the way the Salvatore's tensed, too focussed on ignoring them, so she almost jumped when she felt a hand tap her shoulder. She whirled, spinning to greet whoever wanted her attention until the air was stolen from her lungs, her mouth falling open in shock as she took in the man before her. He was dressed in a black tuxedo, his blonde hair meticulously styled so that it fell into his eyes just enough to be suggestive, a smirk on his face that contrasted with his dark eyes. He looked different, sure, but there was absolutely no mistaking it, this was-

"Kol?"

Her voice was barely a whisper, but her free hand flew to cover her mouth anyway as Kol blinked in surprise, reeling back slightly until Elena caught herself and she offered him a weak smile,

"Elijah told me about you, you look just like a younger version of him." She wasn't lying, Elijah had briefly mentioned his brother last night, when he'd warned her that Kol could be temperamental, and Kol really did look like his older brother. But he was also an almost carbon copy of the boy from her visions, the only real difference being his hair length and his clothes.

Even his eyes, the deep brown glinting with mischief, had been plucked directly from her brain.

He offered her a smile in return,

"Ah, all good things I hope?"

He extended his hand towards her and her manners had her responding before her brain could play catch up, sliding her gloved hand into his. He bought it to his lips, placing a chaste kiss on her knuckles,

"Y-Yes, well, kind of. I'm Elena, but I'm guessing you already know that," She gestured to her face when he dropped her hand and he shrugged in response,

"So, you're Nik's doppelganger, then? I suppose you do look exactly like Tatia, though you are more refined than she could ever hope to be." Elena wondered briefly if refined was a compliment. She cocked her head as she thought about it, but Damon's sneering tone beat her to the draw,

"She's not Klaus's anything."

She then wondered how bad it was that she'd been more interested in the almost compliment than on Klaus's claim of ownership?

Kol ignored Damon's existence, as if he were nothing more than a housefly, his dark eyes still locked on Elena,

"You look ravishing, Darling. In fact, you are far too stunning to be left in the entryway. Allow me to escort you to the party?"

She ignored Damon and Stefan's sputtering as she slipped her hand, almost absent-mindedly, into the proffered arm, allowing the man from her visions to guide her into an opulently decorated ballroom, where a live band was playing the classical music that she'd heard as she'd approached the door. Kol walked her around the edges of the room, pointing out where the best spots for certain appetisers were (He claimed to have watched the waiter's patterns when Nik refused to let him help himself to the food.)

He also pointed out the spot where he'd driven a dagger into Klaus's chest last night, the same dagger that had been inside his own for the last century. Elena privately thought that served Klaus right, anyway.

After their second loop of the room, where Kol had delighted in regaling Elena with witty one liners about the other party go-ers, "I mean, honestly, those shoes? At her age?" Kol sighed and brought Elena's hand to his chest, an amused disappointment on his face,

"I'm afraid I must go, Darling. Duty calls," He pointedly directs her gaze towards a red faced Klaus, who looked rather dashing in his own black tux, "I'm being summoned. Perhaps you'll save me a dance?"

Elena smiled up at him,

"I might." He looked as if she'd wounded him, throwing his arms into his chest dramatically,

"Haven't I been a good host? Do you not enjoy my amazing company?"

Elena cocked a brow at him before patting his hand,

"It's okay, I'm sure there are plenty's of ladies here who would just love to be on your arm."

Kol just shook his head, looking at her as if she'd issued him a personal challenge,

"I'm going to find you later, and you're going to have missed me so much that you'll just fall into my arms. I spent all night learning how you people dance; would you deprive me of the opportunity to use my new skills?"

She shook her head with a giggle,

"Until later, then, Mister Mikaelson."

He blanched but nodded, trailing his arm behind him and keeping his eyes on her as he walked away, sending her into a small fit off giggles that had him grinning victoriously. He was utterly ridiculous, she thought. She leaned back into the wall as she watched the people around her, the champagne glass in her hand was now empty so she just twirled it between her gloved fingers.

She spotted the moment Caroline arrived; her friend had a penchant for making entrance.

She looked stunning in a pale blue gown, the bodice littered with little gems and the sleeves just dangling off her bare shoulders. She'd chosen to pile her blonde hair into an updo for the night, showcasing her long neck.

Vampirism suited Caroline, Elena thought. She'd been lucky enough to play witness to the growth of her friend, she'd blossomed from a slightly bitchy teen with self-esteem issues into a confident young woman who let nothing stand in her way. She was one of the few people who didn't flinch under Klaus's gaze, meeting his attention with nothing but derision when any lesser person would have run away screaming.

Elena suspected that Caroline secretly revelled in Klaus's attention, and why shouldn't she? Klaus was the monster under the bed, the thing lurking in the night that inspired fear everywhere he went. If there was a food chain for the world, then Klaus was at the top of it. And what a heady experience it must be, she thought, to be singled out by that kind of power.

She watched as the big bad wolf approached her friend, a dimpled smile on his face as he took her in, his curls left un-gelled and loose to fall around his face. And when Caroline thought no one else was watching her, she blushed and smiled back for just a moment, just enough to let Klaus see that his interest wasn't unrequited.

Elena turned away, aware that she was witnessing something her friend would want to keep private. She took a deep breath as she watched more people flock into the room, clearly, she'd missed some sort of announcement as the music changed and couples began lining up on the dancefloor. She spotted Damon stalking towards her and her heart ached as she was hit with the realisation that she'd truly lost Stefan. It should have been him heading towards her now, his arm extending for her to take. She wasn't blind to Damon's feelings, she knew he loved her, in his own way, but the problem was, she didn't want to be loved by him. Her feelings for Damon were complicated, she truly wanted him to find his happiness, she just heavily suspected that his fascination with her was based more on his lingering desire for Katherine than for her.

Damon was just a few steps away when a throat cleared beside her and she turned, coming face-to-face with her favourite Original. Elijah smiled down at her, a soft, friendly smile, as he extended his arm to her,

"Would you give me the honour of your first dance tonight, Lovely Elena?"

Elena grinned up at him, hyper aware of the fact that he was only offering to spare her from Damon's anger this evening. She took his arm anyway with a small curtsy,

"The honour would be mine."

He guided her past a red-faced Damon and out onto the dance floor, his hand on the middle of her back as he guided her. It was strange, she thought, to feel the same safety with this man as she felt in her visions. She was aware that they weren't the same person, but Elijah in any form just seemed to exude a 'safe' aura. Maybe it was his size, he wasn't the tallest of his brothers, but he was easily one of the tallest people in the room and he certainly wasn't lanky, his shoulders were broad and strong. Maybe it was his seamless confidence, the way he carried himself as if nothing in the world could bother him in the slightest.

Maybe it was watching him slap a head off a vampire.

Maybe it was the numerous times from her visions that he'd caught her before she could fall from tripping over tree roots, or had deftly caught her before she could tumble into the river.

Elijah was just safe.

She knew, somewhere in her brain, that when she was with him, nothing could hurt her. He'd inspired that feeling in her from day one, much to Stefan and Damon's disgust.

She spotted Stefan dancing with Carol Lockwood, his face showing exactly how little he was interested in her conversation. She was likely chatting away about Tyler, her Hybrid son who'd skipped town. Elena thought, if she had a child that had run away, she'd be talking about them a lot, too, so she couldn't really blame the woman.

She bit her lip, sending her eyes back to Elijah as the dance began. He led her with the confidence of a man who had been dancing for a thousand years, and she met him step for step.

"I'm sure you're sick of hearing this by now, but you do look beautiful tonight, Elena."

She offered him half a smile as she twirled,

"You're only the second person to notice, actually," Elijah tilted his head at this, a small frown on his face, "Kol was the first, though. Except, if I'm honest, I'm not positive that he isn't just gearing up to drain me dry to spite Klaus."

Elijah narrowed his eyes,

"Kol won't do that. At least, not tonight. He seemed to be enjoying your company, at any rate," she wasn't surprised to find out that Elijah had been watching them, "And of your Salvatore's? Surely, they have lavished you with compliments tonight?"

Elena shook her head,

"They're too busy trying to get me to leave, I think. They're worried about me meeting your mother."

Elijah frowned at this, as if it were news to him that his mother had sought her out,

"I was unaware that you desired to meet with my mother," he kept them going as the second dance started, refusing to trade her out, "I fear I must ask you to act cautiously, Elena. I don't know yet what her true motives are. Can I trust that you'll find me after your meeting?"

Elena blinked, ignoring the looks that the other dancers were shooting them,

"Well, of course, if that's what you'd like. I'm pretty confident that she won't kill me here with all these witnesses, but you know how Stefan and Damon are."

He nodded solemnly, as if they were more than just annoying in their over-protectiveness. He was silent for a few minutes before he spoke again, the words leaving him slowly,

"If you'd like, I'm sure that between my siblings and I, we can find a way to keep the Salvatore's occupied when the time comes. I imagine she will send Finn to fetch you, he seems to be her errand boy at the moment."

Elena considered this for a moment before cautiously nodding her head. She would need Elijah's help if she wanted to go to this meeting, but she was worried about the scene the two families would make together. She doubted that any of the Mikaelson's were patient enough to handle Damon.

She caught sight of Rebekah in a dark green gown dancing gracefully with Matt, a smile on her usually expressionless face.

Elena sucked in a breath as Elijah lifted her completely off the ground, twirling her in the air as if she weighed less than a bag of potatoes. A startled giggle fell from her lips as he spun her above his head, a smug smile on his face. She thought she could hear a deep growl from somewhere in the room, but she paid it no mind as her feet found the floor.

Elijah artfully guided her across the floor, skilfully dodging the other dancers until he twirled her out, releasing her hand only for it to be caught by another hand much larger than her own and she found herself spinning into Klaus's waiting arms, Caroline masterfully twirling into Elijah's, shooting her a wide smile as they passed each other. Klaus bought her gloved hand to his lips as he pulled her in, leaving a chaste kiss on her knuckle as he guided her into her next dance,

"It's nice to see that my doppelganger scrubs up so well," his face held the barest hint of amusement, "Are you enjoying the party?"

She chose to ignore his prodding at her, giving him a little roll of her eyes,

"It's actually incredibly beautiful in here, you know. I can't believe you put this all together in just a day," it was true, it was astounding that they'd gotten all of this pulled together so fast. Klaus preened under the compliment,

"Yes well, when you have the money, you'll find out just how fast people are willing to bend over backwards for you," he shrugged as if discussing the weather, "Have you tried the food? I hear its quite good." If he flicked a dark look at Kol, Elena didn't comment on it.

Instead, she focussed on her revelation that Klaus had no idea how to speak to her. For the man at the top of the food chain, he suddenly seemed so uncomfortable that she'd almost describe him as anxious. His eyes were continuously flickering around the room, never settling on anything for longer than a few seconds.

She felt a part of her 'Klaus-Shield' chip away as she observed him. In all honesty, she'd stopped truly fearing him after she'd sent Jeremy away, but her pang of sympathy for him was still a surprise. She didn't want to humanise him any further than her visions had demanded, she wanted him to be the villain of her story. Here was the man who'd killed her, had murdered her innocent Aunt Jenna and had thoroughly ruined Stefan… And she found that she no longer hated him.

Maybe she should have stayed at home.

She swallowed her thoughts, trying to ignore the beads of sweat that trickled down his face until her conscience got the better of her,

"I think I'd like to get some fresh air, if you'd like to join me?"

Klaus's shrewd gaze fell on her, as if dissecting her simple request before he slowly nodded, gathering himself and looping her hand into the crook of his arm,

"I think you'll like the garden here, I designed it myself," he led her at a brisk pace from the ballroom and out of the back door, goosebumps erupting across her skin as she felt the cool night air hit her.

Klaus didn't seem to notice a temperature change as he led her into what had to be a different world.

The garden, if she called it that, wasn't fenced in like hers at home, it was open and bordered by the forest that surrounded the property.

Bright, large plumes of Wysteria blossomed across the walls of the back of the house, the flowers swaying prettily as they cascaded down their vines. She could see a natural looking pool to her left, it looked like a pond, surrounded by large stones and plants except for the steps that lowered into the crystal clear water. Marble statues littered the grass and Elena's gaze was drawn to a pair of children, her feet guiding her as she tugged Klaus across the grass.

The statue was beneath a large apple tree, nestled between various beautiful flowers with little lights illuminating the spot. As she got closer, she noted that, though older than the others, this statue was far more detailed.

She could imagine someone painstakingly chiselling out each curl of the girl's hair, the delicate framing of the boy's teeth, for it was definitely a boy and a girl.

The girl was smaller than the boy and Elena couldn't tear her eyes away from the little, chubby arm that was extended into the air, her fingers outstretched as if waiting for someone to hold her hand. The fingers were so detailed, Elena could still make out her teeny-tiny fingernails despite the statues age. The girl had bare feet and wore a simple looking dress that hung below her knees. Her other hand was clasped in the boys larger one. Elena's eyes trailed up until she came to the girls face and her heart ached at the look of joy and wonder that the artist had captured. She looked so real, her little button nose curled up and her smile wide as if she'd been caught mid-laugh. They'd even included the lines around her eyes as she stared at something that Elena couldn't see, her wild curls framing her face and bouncing around her shoulders.

Elena swallowed painfully before she tore her eyes from the girl, turning instead to the boy. He was also bare foot, and he was stood slightly in front of the girl, his trousers floating at his ankles. Her eyes traced up his form, taking in the details of his rumpled tunic, marvelling at the visible stitches in the shirt. The level of detail seemed impossible to Elena, how long this must have taken the artist to make, she couldn't guess. The boys' spare hand was on his face, as if he were shielding his eyes from the sun, his pinky finger poking slightly further out but it was when Elena looked at his face that her heart caught in her throat. The boy was Henrik.

He was looking to the sky with his mouth stretched into a grin, a small scar underneath his right eye.

Elena turned to Klaus, her eyes wide as she realised that she was openly gawking at something he probably viewed as private, only to find him staring at the statues, a forlorn look in his eyes. She tightened her fingers against his arm, afraid that she was intruding on a vulnerable moment that he hadn't meant to share with her.

When he looked down at her, he looked confused, as if he'd forgotten she was there at all. He didn't say anything though, so she bit her lip, her eyes briefly flicking back to the children,

"That's a beautiful statue, they almost look real," She kept her voice soft, afraid of startling him and bringing his temper out, "I can't imagine how long that must have taken your artist."

She had no doubt that every statue in this garden was specially commissioned, but Klaus just shook his head,

"It took me a very, very long time." He laughed at Elena's startled expression, patting her fingers with his spare hand, "It had to be perfect. I could trust no other with this task."

Elena cringed when she realised that he wasn't going to guide her away, clearly, he wanted to stay away from the party so much that he didn't mind her invading his privacy,

"I didn't know you sculpted," she murmured, and he shrugged,

"I enjoy art in all its forms."

"Who are they?" She knew who Henrik was, thanks to her visions, but she had no idea about the girl, and she knew from experience that the pain of loss never truly went away. Perhaps it would do Klaus some good to talk about his little brother. He looked as if he needed to.

He considered her for a moment before looking back to the manor. He sighed and slumped to the ground, shrugging his jacket off and laying it on the grass for her to sit on to which she nodded in thanks before carefully sitting down beside him. This jacket probably cost more than her car.

Klaus ran a hand down his face before speaking quietly,

"I built this house for us, you know. With Mikael gone, I thought my family and I could finally have a place to settle, somewhere to call home. So, I built this house with everyone in mind," he looked down to his lap, "I couldn't have a home built for my siblings and I, and not have these two here."

He looked around the garden, waving his hand dramatically,

"Everywhere I go, if I'm there for any length of time, Henrik and Elena come with me, just the same as the coffins. When I'm between places, they all share a storage unit."

Elena blinked, her eyes growing wide as Klaus looked down to her,

"Yes, yes. It didn't escape my notice how ironic it is that you, the girl I was fated to kill and bleed dry, share a name with my Littlest Love," he swallowed, no longer looking at her, "Henrik was twelve when I got him killed, but I was there for it. He wasn't alone, you know? For whatever comfort that is," he laughed bitterly, "But Elena? She was there at breakfast, and by lunch she was gone."

Elena frowned putting her hand on his arm to offer some form of comfort,

"I didn't know you had another sister," she admitted, and he shrugged,

"We don't talk about her. We lost her about a year before we lost Henrik, she had just come into her sixth year, she was so little," his eyes were glazed over as he remembered, "We all blame ourselves, of course. She normally spent her mornings with at least one of us, helping out with our jobs where she could and being a nuisance the rest of the time," a soft, sad smile split his lips, "She should have been with one of us, any of us and she wasn't. And then she was gone."

He abruptly jumped to his feet, offering her his hand, which she took gratefully as she climbed to her feet. She cringed when she lifted his jacket off the floor, the fabric was now littered with grass stains, but Klaus just shrugged it back on without a care,

"I think it's time we rejoin society, don't you agree, Miss Gilbert?"

She just nodded silently, slipping her hand back into the crook of his arm and letting him guide her towards the open double doors before he stopped just short of the entrance and turned her to face him, his face hard,

"Tomorrow, a nurse will come by to collect blood from you. You can expect her weekly. I expect your cooperation; I don't have to remind you of what will happen to the people you love if you fail to live up to your end of the bargain?"

On finding out that the men in her life were determined to write the story of her life for her, Elena had thrown a bit of a tantrum, and in her temper, she'd contacted Klaus. They'd come to their own arrangement. She would donate blood to him once a week and in return, he'd ensure not only her safety, but the safety of her entire line. A bit of blood in exchange for generations of safety seemed like a no brainer to Elena.

"That's fine, what time can I expect her?"

Klaus narrowed his eyes at her easy agreement. He looked her up and down for a moment before a smug grin spread over his face,

"I think I like you better when you don't have a Salvatore dangling off your arm," Elena didn't want to admit that she was beginning to agree, "I'll have her arrive at midday, make sure that you're at home."

He led her back into the ballroom, offering her a small bow as he took his leave, no doubt going off in search of Caroline, who was currently sipping champagne and ignoring Damon and whatever he was ranting about.

She slunk off before he could notice her, getting herself lost in the crowd of people as she sought out another drink.

Her fingers had just grazed a champagne flute when someone stepped in front of her, obscuring the waiter from her sight. She frowned as she looked up, fully expecting to come face-to-face with either Salvatore brother, only to step back as another face from her visions stared down at her, the only difference being that when Finn looked at her now, there was no emotion at all in his eyes,

"If you wish to meet with my Mother, your friends will need to stay here. The invitation was not extended to them."

Even his voice was different in as many ways as it was the same. It was still deep, rumbling out of him like a storm, but all the emotion had been leeched away. There was no tenderness, no frustration, none of the emotions that Elena just knew he was capable of. She bit her lip and looked around her,

"Elijah said that he'd keep my friends busy. I can go to her whenever she wants me."

Finn inclined his head in response,

"Mother isn't yet ready for company; she will call for you when it's time."

She took that to mean that Finn would find her.

He didn't say anything else before turning and walking away, casually skirting around any conversation that happened to head his way.

Elena waited for just a breath before turning on her heel and marching out of the room, her heart beating hard in her chest as her hands began to shake.

How was this possible?

There was no doubt about it, Finn and Kol were definitely the men in her visions and she was beginning to suspect that Esther would indeed be the woman she had imagined, too.

But how could this be? How was her brain creating scenarios with these faces that she'd never seen before?

What was happening to her?

She slipped away from the crowds, crossing through doors at random until she found herself in an unoccupied study.

The room was dark, none of the lights or candles in here were lit, she could just barely make out the rough shape of a desk as she shut the door behind her, running her hands along the walls until she found a light switch.

The room filled with a gentle light, illuminating the small space just enough for her to be comfortable. It was a decadent room, designed for someone who was used to such luxury. The walls were lined with carved mahogany bookshelves, each one expertly filled. Elena suspected she'd find it organised in alphabetical order.

In the centre of the room was a large mahogany desk, with not a single scratch on its surface. The chair that accompanied it was a thick, brown leather seat that shone as if it had just recently been polished.

There was a single window seat at the only window in the room, it was lined with velvet cushions and matching curtains and Elena ran for it, gently folding herself into the seat, kicking her shoes off so she could curl into a ball.

This was it; she thought. Klaus had broken her brain. She almost laughed, she'd survived, sure, she'd just lost half her mind in the process.

Maybe she could get him to pay for her mental hospital visit, he could certainly afford it, and it'd serve him right.

She should have stayed at home. Her silly plan hadn't even worked, Stefan hadn't paid her so much as a second glance. A broken giggle tore from her lips, it really was over for them.

Sure, she hadn't been sure she could forgive him for the stunt on Wickery Bridge, but a vain part of her had wanted him to try and earn her forgiveness anyway. She'd wanted him to want her, the same way she wanted him.

She'd even left her curls in tonight because he'd preferred them like that, like Katherine, she thought bitterly.

So, she was insane and loveless.

Great.

Klaus was definitely paying for her therapy bills, the bastard.

It was a testament to how used to vampires she'd become that she didn't flinch when someone, who had not been in the room just a moment ago, plopped down next to her,

"You aren't seriously moping in Elijah's study, are you, Darling? When there's a perfectly lovely party just a few doors away?"

Elena sniffled slightly as she lifted her head to meet Kol's gaze,

"I don't really feel much like dancing at the moment," she muttered, wiping a single tear from her cheek. Kol made a tsk-ing noise and rolled his eyes,

"Or are you just not in the mood to waltz?" his eyes twinkled as he held his hand out to her and she offered him a wet smile,

"I'm sorry, Kol, but I'm not going to be great company right now, you should go back to the party. I'm sure there are plenty's of women out there who'd just love to dance with you."

Kol wrinkled his nose,

"Plenty of old vultures, sure. Come on, Little Doppelganger," he slid to the floor and strapped her shoes back onto her feet before dragging her up, wrapping his arm around her hand, "Let's go and show those Salvatore boys exactly what they're missing, yeah?"

A small, tentative smile lit her face, and he grinned, tugging her along gently, far gentler than he'd been earlier.

She let him lead her back to the ballroom. She could enjoy tonight, she told herself. The existential crisis could be a tomorrow problem.

The other dancers were waltzing to the music and Elena watched for just a moment, enjoying the show of elegance as the bodies moved mostly in time with each other, until Kol swung her into his arms, a mischievous grin on his face,

"You ready?"

She frowned at him suspiciously,

"For what?"

And then she was off the floor with a squeal, her body soaring into the air for a moment before gravity caught up and she was falling back into Kol's arms, though her feet didn't find the floor. He carried her bridal style and spun them around the room, she threw her arms around his shoulders as she began to feel dizzy.

Then she was flung over his shoulder, one of his arms holding down her skirt as he continued to duck and sway to music that only he could hear,

"Kol! Put me down!" he ignored her completely, "You're making a scene!"

He shrugged and she was jolted back down to the ground, he strutted towards her while doing the hand jive, his eyes glinting a challenge and she crossed her arms, shaking her head at his antics despite the amused grin on her face. He just smirked before switching it up, suddenly he was twirling an imaginary lasso and wiggling his eyebrows at her, her eyes widened, and she began to shake her head just as he 'threw' it, 'catching' her like a wild horse and began to pull her in. At first, she wouldn't move, but he was persistent, and his good mood was leeching into her. That was the only reason she could think of for why her hips began to sway and she shimmied towards him, stretching her arms out for him to grab. He wasted no time in pulling her in.

He couldn't, or more likely wouldn't, waltz, choosing instead to break out cheesy dance moves that he must have seen online and when he started doing the night fever, Elena lost it. Full body giggles escaped from her as she danced the macarena at him.

She was sure that people were staring at them, but she couldn't bring herself to think about it too hard because every time she started to feel self-conscious, Kol would pick her up and twirl her above his head or throw her up and then pass her underneath his legs in a way that reminded her eerily of the movie Grease.

When he started bouncing as if he were in a club, Elena drew the line,

"Oh, honestly! In these shoes?!"

She'd just lifted the bottom of her skirt to show off her heels when she found herself flung over his shoulder again, his hand locked around her ankle as he examined her shoes,

"Hmm, well, we'll just have to fix these, then."

And then he pulled her shoes off, tossing them with perfect aim into the trash can in the far corner of the room, ignoring her indignant squawk,

"I'll have Nik buy you another pair, Darling. Now dance with me!"

Well, how could she refuse now?

"Kol, I do hope you're minding your manners with our guests," Elijah's voice cut through their rendition of the robot, his tone laced with disapproval and amusement, "Though you should be aware that Niklaus is going to wear a hole into the floor with all the pacing he's doing. Do remember that Elena is not as hardy as we are, Brother."

Elijah patted her on the shoulder as he passed,

"Don't you worry, Brother. Elena is having a fantastic time with me, aren't you Darling?"

Elijah looked her over, his eyebrow quirking as she nodded, unable to remove the grin from her face as Kol began to limbo under her arm, shimmying his chest as he went. The older brother just smiled indulgently before walking away.

Kol spun her around the floor a few more times, she wasn't sure if he was an expert at dodging the other couples or if they simply moved out of the way when they caught sight of Kol and Elena approaching.

She was just catching her breath when she spotted Finn crossing the dancefloor, his eyes trained on her. Kol must have noticed him at the same time because he sighed and pulled her into his chest before subtly turning her head to the left, leaning down to whisper to her,

"Look at him, imagine what he's thinking right now. I'd say he's feeling pretty damned jealous," her eyes found Stefan, he was leaning against the wall, a darkly murderous look on his face as he stared at her. He didn't notice that Rebekah was heading his way.

A thrum of satisfaction flowed through her, and she squeezed Kol in a tight hug,

"Thank you."

He pulled back, using one arm to twirl her one last time,

"It's been my pleasure."

And, with the dark look he shot at Stefan; Elena didn't doubt him.