#forbes march

[haveyouseenthisseries-poll]

[jessmalia]

The Vampire Diaries 5.21 // Little Women (2019)

[daenysthedreamer101]

Sisters, Mothers, Aunts, Daughters and Wives

In honor of International Women's Day aka 8th of March, here are some of my favorite female characters from TVD.

Happy 8th of March if you celebrate! ❤☺🌹

[elliesndg]

Ok but the way Amy March and Caroline Forbes relate to each other in the sense they’re never the ones chosen. Always overlooked by their unrequited love, at first glance, they seem shallow and superficial, feeling like no matter what they do, they will never be enough. Amy always being second to Jo, Caroline never being the one. Guys fawning over their sister/best friend. Never being the ones chosen. Stefan chooses Elena. Laurie chooses Jo. Waiting on the sidelines for they day when they’ll finally be noticed. It’s the right person, wrong time. Until BOOMMM they reach their character development and realize their own worth and completely blossom. They recognize their worth, they become their own person and learn how to grow with their past and pain. Instead of seeing their past as a failure, they see it as a lesson. They completely flourish and realize that they don’t need to be validated by others to feel truly happy. And just as they find themselves, love comes to them again, in a completely different way. Now their love is reciprocated. And even though they don’t need their love interests to survive or feel validated in life, they want to be with them. They choose to. And all the years of longing, angst, self-consciousness, sadness and heartbreak make their love so much more pure when the feeling is finally reciprocated. Like, all those moments led to what they had always wanted and deserved. To the place where they needed to be, with the person they always dreamed of. It’s the right person, right time. I just can’t, my girls are so precious 🥹 Care and Amy would definitely be besties and nobody can change my mind.

[sserendlplty]

I love you Amy March, I love you Posy Fossil, I love you Daisy Buchanan, I love you Galinda Upland, I love you Caroline Forbes, I love you sensitive, ambitious women

[claudia1829things]

"THE BARRETTS OF WIMPOLE STREET" (1934) Review

"THE BARRETTS OF WIMPOLE STREET" (1934) Review

I first learned about the mid-19th century British poets, Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, from an obscure history book about Great Britain during the 1850s. The latter had provided only a brief peek into the pair's lives and work. And that peek included their courtship and the difficulties it faced due to the former's tumultuous relationship with her father.

There have been other books on the pair's biographies and works. However, the Dutch/English dramatist Rudolf Besier wrote a stage play about their romance and the difficulties they had encountered from her domineering father, Edward Moulton-Barrett. The play, "The Barretts of Wimpole Street", became a hit at the Malvern Festival and in London's theater district in the West End in 1930. A year later, actress Katherine Cornell produced and starred in the American production on Broadway. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios acquired the film rights to the play. In 1934, MGM executive Irving Thalberg produced and released the film version, which starred Norma Shearer, Fredric March and Charles Laughton to critical acclaim and box office success.

"THE BARRETTS OF WIMPOLE STREETS" opens with Elizabeth Moulton-Barrett consults with her doctor in early 1845. Elizabeth is in the process of recovering from an illness that has kept her bedridden for a long period of time. In fact, the published poet has suffered from ill health since the age of 15, due to head and spinal pain and the use of laudanum. Elizabeth loves socializing with others, especially with her surviving eight siblings. But Mr. Barrett, who never hesitates to remind Elizabeth of her frail health, seems to go out of his way to maintain a tight control over his children's lives and especially Elizabeth's. In fact, Mr. Barrett has forbidden for all of his children to marry. This edict first ends up being challenged by his second child Henrietta, who is secretly courted by an Army officer named William Surtees Cook. Elizabeth becomes the second offspring to challenge Mr. Barrett when she meets and falls in love with fellow poet Robert Browning.

I can recall encountering negative opinions of "THE BARRETTS OF WIMPOLE STREET", in which critics accused it of being a creaky melodrama based on a creaky stage play. I had these criticisms in mind when I first watched the movie. But I was surprised to discover that "THE BARRETTS OF WIMPOLE STREET" proved to be a lot more interesting. Yes, there were moments when Sidney Franklin's direction made the movie seemed more like a stage play than a movie. Many films produced and released during the first decade following the advent of sound films had possessed this particular flaw. More MGM films seemed to have this flaw, especially if the movie was an adaptation of a stage play. However, thanks to the screenplay written by Donald Ogden Stewart, Ernest Vajda and Claudine West; along with William H. Daniels photography of the Barretts' London home, "THE BARRETTS OF WIMPOLE STREET" proved to be a lot more than a creaky movie, based on a creaky stage play. In fact, I have doubts that Besier's stage was no more creaky than the movie, thanks to the main narrative.

Speaking the main story, I have to confess . . . it pretty much blew me away in the end. Who would have thought a movie about a possessive and tyrannical patriarch could be so interesting? The idea of a father attempting to maintain a tight control over a daughter's love life or sexuality is one thing. But Moulton-Barrett also tried to do the same to his sons. Out of his nine surviving children by 1845, at least three of them had married before his death. That is simply odd. But the movie mainly focused on his relationship with two of his daughters - Henrietta and especially Elizabeth. I wish I could give away the plot. All I can say is that in this tale, Elizabeth Barrett's romance with Robert Browning proved to be not enough to defy her father. It took two mind-blowing scenes - one that featured Mr. Barrett's bullying of Henrietta and his . . . um, confession to his oldest child to finally encourage the latter to make her escape from the Wimpole Street townhouse.

Looking past the costumes, Sidney Franklin's direction, and the movie's screenplay; I came to the conclusion that the real backbone of "THE BARRETTS OF WIMPOLE STREET" may have been its cast. I find it odd that many had doubted Norma Shearer's ability to portray the Victorian poet, Elizabeth Barrett. By 1934, she was already an Oscar winner and had starred in at least two or three period dramas. Someone had credited Franklin's direction for her Oscar-nominated performance. Personally, I believe a director can only do so much. I believe Shearer proved she had the talent and presence to do justice to the Victorian poet, struggling to escape her father's tyranny . . . especially in the last scene featuring daughter and father together.

Shearer had a strong cast to back her up. Fredric March, with whom she had co-starred in 1931's "SMILIN' THROUGH" portrayed poet Robert Browning. And he did so with an American accent, a great deal of energy and a lot of charm without resorting to hammy acting. I felt more than surprised by Charles Laughton's portrayal of the tyrannical Edward Moulton-Browning. I have accused Laughton of the occasional hammy acting in some of his earlier films. Laughton had plenty of opportunities to ham it up in this film, and yet he managed to project his character's complex and strong emotions with a great deal of skill and self-control. The movie also featured excellent support from the likes of Una O'Connor, Ralph Forbes, Katherine Alexander, Marian Clayton, Ian Wolfe and Leo G. Carroll.

I have two minor issues with "THE BARRETTS OF WIMPOLE STREET". One of them proved to be Maureen O'Sullivan's portrayal of Henrietta Barrett. I am not claiming that O'Sullivan gave a bad performance. Overall, I thought she was excellent as the emotional Henrietta. She was impressive in the scene that featured Henrietta's clash with her father, later in the film. However . . . there were moments when O'Sullivan's portrayal of the emotional Henrietta had edged toward over-the-top acting. My second issue featured the costumes designed by Hollywood legend, Adrian. If I must be honest, I found his mid-Victorian costumes rather beautiful, despite the film's black-and-white photography. However, the film was supposed to be set between 1845 and 1846. Then I found myself noticing Adrian's costumes in the images below:

They seemed to hint the mid-1850s. The wide skirts, flounces and ruffles practically screamed the mid-1850s. Ironically, the men's costumes struck me as more historically accurate.

Although I had a few issues with "THE BARRETTS OF WIMPOLE STREET", I found myself surprised that I managed to enjoy it very much. Between Sidney Franklin's competent direction, William H. Daniels' photography, an excellent cast led by Norma Shearer and Fredric March, and a surprisingly powerful screenplay written by Ernest Vajda, Claudine West, and Donald Ogden Stewart; the Oscar nominated "THE BARRETTS OF WIMPOLE STREET" proved to be far from "creaky", despite being at least 90 years old.

[letterboxd-loggd]

Smilin' Through (1932) Sidney Franklin

August 3rd 2023

[astro-tag-9]

Hiii

I love your blogs about character assigning. Can you assign a character for me also? Here’s my placements including house :)

Sun in Aries (1H)

Rising in Pisces (12H)

Moon in Scorpio (8H)

Venus in Pisces (12H)

Mercury in Pisces (12H)

Mars in Cancer (4H)

Jupiter in Capricorn (10H)

Saturn in Virgo (6H)

Uranus in Pisces (12H)

Neptune in Aquarius (12H)

Lilith in Scorpio (8H)

Pluto in Capricorn (10H)

Chiron in Aquarius (11H)

❤️ Tyler Lockwood 🧡

( The Vampire Diaries )

[nikonladyz4]

Forbes Article - Jimin’s Single SGMB

by: Hugh McIntyre Senior Contributor

2024 is turning out to be a very busy year for the members of BTS in regards to their solo careers. Several of the singers that make up the band have already dropped songs and albums, and there are more projects expected in the coming weeks and months. Jimin, one of the seven men in the vocal group, has launched the latest chapter in his time apart from the septet, and fans in America are apparently very interested in what he’s up to.

Jimin’s new single “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” currently sits at No. 1 on the iTunes chart in the U.S. The track was released early in the morning on Friday (June 28), and it shot right to the top of the list of the bestselling tracks in the country.

“Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” fronts Jimin’s upcoming project Muse. The set is scheduled to arrive on July 19, so fans will get to listen to the complete effort in only a few weeks.

Jimin is not alone in his new win. “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” credits South Korean rapper Loco, so both musicians currently appear at No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes tally.

The BTS artist beats plenty of superstars to the top spot on the iTunes ranking in America. This Friday, new music arrived from musicians like Camila Cabello, Drake, Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan, and even Blackpink singer Lisa. All of them pushed their latest tunes to the sales chart, but none of them are competing with Jimin at the moment.

Based on how well “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” is selling, and considering Jimin’s popularity, the singer may have a new hit on his hands. The just-dropped single already stands a good shot at reaching Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart next week, which is a list that the BTS star is familiar with.

If “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” can continue to sell especially well throughout the next several days, Jimin may be able to score a new Hot 100 hit as well. That ranking, which is the most important songs chart in America, uses a methodology that combines sales, streams, and radio play to show which tunes are the most consumed in the country. It’s unlikely that “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” will become a radio hit–at least not at first–and streams may not match purchases. Sales are likely the BTS singer’s best shot at reaching the tally, and all signs point to success.

[graphicpolicy]

DC's Gotham City Sirens are back in August for a monthlong adventure!

DC's Gotham City Sirens are back in August for a monthlong adventure! #comics #comicbooks

The Gotham City Sirens are back! For the month of August, DC’s Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy ongoing comic book series will pause while a new four-issue Gotham City Sirens series connects the characters for a monthlong adventure! It’s been over a decade since Gotham City’s most notorious female criminals converged as the Sirens, and in August 2024 they don’t care which side of the law…

[theoryofwhatnow]

yeah aha, so normal! we’re soooo normal about them. *feral noises*

All of My Devotion Turns Violent

Hello:) I wanted to share with you all this very unfinished drawing of Alex and Nigel I made- which I unfortunately won't get to finish anytime soon because of work.

This was my second time ever trying digital art, and I want to apologise for the terrible quality, I made the canvas size too small and only realised halfway through. It's definitely not perfect, and hopefully, once I get a little bit of free time, I'll be back with something so much better.

Special thanks to @not-a-heretic for being there to watch it all come together (we are so normal about them)

( listened to a lot of Hearing Damage by Thom Yorke and Take Me To Church by Hozier while making this.)

[jessmalia]

The Vampire Diaries 6.14 // Little Women (2019)

[door]

more queer houses!

Klovharu Summer Cottage by Raili Pietilä for Tove Jansson and Tuulikki Pietilä

1964-1965, Klovharu Island, Porvoo Archipelago, Finland

Tove Jansson and Tuulikki Pietilä spent every summer in this cottage for nearly 30 years. Tove chose the site by camping on various places on Klovharu, and they designed it with Tuulikki's sister-in-law, based on a fisherman's cabin on the island of Pellinge. It lacked electricity and running water, and if guests arrived, Tove and Tuulikki would give up the bed and camp outside. the cottage is a single room, with a cellar underneath--for food storage and a small sauna--built into the rock. the cottage is now an artist residency--with the original interiors preserved--but can be visited during one week in July. More about the cottage. Interview with Raili Pietilä. Tuulikki's films.

Hangover House by William Alexander Levy for Richard Haliburton

1937, Laguna Beach, California, USA

Hangover House, or Halliburton House, was designed by William Alexander Levy (he later dropped Levy from his name) for celebrity explorer Richard Halliburton and his ghostwriter and lover Paul Mooney. Supposedly, by the time the house was completed Halliburton and Mooney's relationship had expanded to include a third: Alexander himself. The house was built of concrete, with large public rooms and three small bedrooms, one for each of the men. Sadly, Halliburton and Mooney were lost at sea in 1939, and Halliburton's family sold the house and buried all references to his queerness. The house still stands today and is a private residence. More images here.

Azurest South by Amaza Lee Meredith 1938, Ettrick, Virginia, USA

Azurest South might be the first International Style home to have been built in Virginia, and instead of in a wealthy white enclave like you might expect, it's located just off of the campus of Virginia State University, an Historic Black College/University. it was built by pioneering artist, architect, and educator Amaza Lee Meredith for herself and her partner, Dr. Edna Meade Colson. colson was the head of the education department at VSU, and meredith was head of the art department (which she had created in 1930). we know from her scrapbooks that meredith was looking at european designs and experimenting with them in the house. the result was something unlike everything around it--flat roofs, glass bricks, bright paint and tilework inside--an antidote to traditionally conservative virginia architecture. azurest south today belongs to the vsu alumni association. it is not open to visit, but has received increased attention and grant funding over the past few years, so it may well be someday! More about Meredith as architect. More about Azurest South. And more! (additionally, if you're near richmond va there's an exhibition about meredith & azurest south at the institute for contemporary art until march 9 2025)

Six Acres by Mary Imrie and Jean Wallbridge 1954-1957, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Mary Imrie and Jean Wallbridge were partners in work and life, establishing the first all-female architectural firm in Canada. in the 50s, they built a house to serve as their home and office along the banks of the north saskatchewan river and called it "six acres" after the size of the lot. they traveled enthusiastically and widely (pdf) and were avid outdoorspeople. like a lot of women architects at this point in the 20th century, they were largely relegated to residential commissions, which they found frustrating. that said, they gained a reputation for helping clients who were struggling with construction costs by encouraging gatherings of friends and neighbors to assist with the work, something they had hands-on experience with, having assisted in the building of their own home. the house is still standing and is now the office of the alberta land stewardship centre. timeline of their lives and careers. more about the house itself.

Finella by Raymond McGrath for Mansfield Duval Forbes c. 1850, renovated 1929, Cambridge, England, UK

Mansfield Forbes was an english don at clare college, cambridge. in 1928 he leased a victorian home called "the yews" and spent the next year working with Raymond McGrath (previous seen here) to transform it into a modern fairyland, named in tribute of Finella, a 10th century Pictish queen. the interiors were a celebration of new materials--there were floors made of induroleum (wood and asbestos powder), walls painted with iridescent cellulose paint, something called copper plymax (??), and the entry hall had a vaulted ceiling covered in glass panels backed with silver leaf. forbes intended it to be a gathering place of sympathetic minds, to host salons in celebration of modern art and architecture in a setting a queer and future-looking as he himself was. unfortunately, he vastly overspent in outfitting Finella, and when he died suddenly in 1935, the contents of the house were auctioned off. Finella is still part of Cambridge and houses fellows of gonville & caius college. the college recently restored the hall, which can apparently be toured on specific days. interior photos from 1929 and 2004.

112 Charles Street by Eleanor Raymond 1868, renovated 1922, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

When Eleanor Raymond began work on 112 Charles Street, it had recently had the front 10 feet sliced off to allow for the widening of the street, so her renovation was essentially a reimagining. eleanor designed the house for her mother, who had her own apartment, as well as eleanor herself, her sister rachel, and her partner ethel powers. the three of them shared a floor. powers wrote for the magazine House Beautiful (and would go on to be its editor) and featured the home three times. in the largest feature on its interiors, she emphasized that since it was a home of three business women, it needed to be "self running." raymond would go on to design and build much more modernist houses, and the conservative appearance of this one might be due to how early in her career it was (she graduated from her architecture program in 1919), but i think it's more likely that she was aware of the necessity of appearing somewhat inconspicuous in her surroundings, as a queer woman with a career. read more about her work here. and here.

[breelandwalker]

In case anyone is wondering....

"When does the full moon next coincide with...."

Candlemas / Imbolc - February 2026

Leap Day - February 2048

Vernal Equinox - March 2038

Beltane / Mayday - May 2025

Summer Solstice - June 2062

Lughnasadh / Lammas - August 2042

Autumnal Equinox - September 2029

Halloween / Samhain - October 2039

Winter Solstice - December 2094

"When is the next blue moon?"

August 19, 2024 (seasonal)

May 31, 2026 (calendar)

May 20, 2027 (seasonal)

December 31, 2028 (calendar) - plus total lunar eclipse

August 24, 2029 (seasonal)

August 21, 2032 (seasonal)

May 22, 2035 (seasonal)

January 31, 2037 (calendar) - plus total lunar eclipse

(Phases calculated for Northern Hemisphere and are subject to slight changes by time zone. Southern Hemisphere dates may vary.)

[Sources: The Old Farmer's Almanac, Everyday Calculation, Wikipedia, Forbes.]

[gemini-enthusiast]

Tonight, there's a partial lunar eclipse which will be passing over the supermoon which should be visible with the naked eye. It'll begin at around 8:41 EST and peak at 10:44 EST which will be the best time to see it. For more information on the timing, Forbes has a nice guide.

Now, this is a lunar eclipse, which is when the moon is in such a position that the earth blocks the sun, creating a shadow on the moon. You won't need viewing glasses like you would with a solar eclipse, since it's still just light reflecting off the moon that you're seeing, rather than staring directly at the sun.

The eclipse will likely be fairly subtle, like holding your finger over the edge of the moon. But you won't get to see another one until March, so if you're itching to see an eclipse, this'll be the one for you.

As a bonus, keep an eye out for NASA's advanced composite solar sail system (ACS3) moving across the sky. You can find sighting opportunities on NASA's app. It'll appear as a bright, square-ish object that travels fairly quickly across the sky. It may only be around for a few minutes at a time, so it might be hard to catch, but it's worth the search if you're willing to track it.

[fanficimagery]

The Lost Girl

You just wanted to travel and forget all about the drama you left behind. You didn't expect to fall in with four boys who would become another family. Maybe more.

[Part Three of Three]

Author's Note: Y'all remember Elena's dress when she went to the party at the Mikaelson's? I think it was black and gold? Well anyway, that's what YN's dress is gonna be like except it's black and maroon. I'm totally unoriginal lol. The fight is totally anti-climatic and the end just… ends. I was so ready to end this. I'm sorry.

Words: 7.2K

The only good thing about your upcoming party is that Rebekah's completely taken over all the planning. She's recruited Elijah since he's the easiest to talk to between her brothers, leaving Klaus at the mansion with you and the boys. David and Dwayne love to hear about the history Klaus has seen, whereas Paul and Marko love hearing about all things chaotic and bloody.

You're all lounging around the sitting area as Klaus fills in your friends on the drama he caused when he first waltzed in Mystic Falls from his point of view when the front door opens and closes.

"YN. Gilbert."

"Uh oh. Someone's in trouble." Marko giggles.

You flip him off and then turn towards the archway where yet another blonde marches through. "Hello to you too, Caroline. It's rude not to knock, you know?"

She huffs. "Oh shut up. We've all tried ki-" She immediately shuts up herself, taking stock of the new faces in the room. But she's Caroline Forbes, so she rolls with it, easily lying. "We've all tried sabotaging each other multiple times. There's no need to knock between friends."

You and Klaus both smirk, but don't call her out on it.

"Whatever," she grumbles. "I just came over to demand why you didn't tell me you were planning a party?! You know I love planning parties."

"I don't even want this party, Care, but Paul and Marko are all about seeing what type of parties I had to attend when I was younger."

At her pout and look of indifference between your friends, you quickly introduce them to each other. All the boys politely greet her and she them, and it hardly takes her a moment to deduce who your boyfriend is.

"So you're the boyfriend?" Her eyes narrow at Dwayne. "Figures."

"What's that supposed to mean?" You ask.

"It means you have a type. Dark hair, broody looking…"

Klaus chuckles. "She's not wrong, love."

"You're both annoying," you deadpan. Then glancing back at Caroline, you ask, "Is that all you came over for? To demand why you're not part of the party planning committee?"

"Yes. And to see if you already have a dress all picked out."

"I do. Rebekah had a bunch of dresses delivered and I chose one. You want to see what's left on the rack?"

"Yes, please! I hate shopping last minute."

You grin and walk over to Caroline, hooking your arm with hers. "Let's go upstairs then." Looking at Klaus and the boys, you wink. "If there's trouble you want to get into before Elijah comes home, now is the time to do it. Caroline and I are long overdue for some girl talk."

"You heard her, boys, let's go." Klaus downs the rest of his drink before settling the tumbler aside and then standing up. Marko and Paul cheer, shoving at each other as Dwayne and David casually climb to their feet.

Everyone except Dwayne makes their way out and then he walks up to you. "Need anything?"

"No, I'm good, but thanks." He nods before leaning in to kiss your forehead, cheek, and finally your lips.

You're laughing as you shove him away, eyes twinkling. He returns your smile before nodding at Caroline and turning to go catch up with his brothers and Klaus.

As soon as he's out of earshot, Caroline gushes, "Oh my god, that was so adorable! Where did you even find him?!"

"In his hometown." You chuckle and then lead her towards the stairs so you can show her the dresses in your room. "I actually met Paul and Marko first, but when I met Dwayne.. it was like love at first sight." You smile as you remember meeting the dark haired vampire for the first time. "We kind of tortured everyone else with the 'will they or won't they' schtick, so it became public knowledge that we were both off limits."

"What changed?"

Getting bit by a werewolf, you mentally admit, but can't say that out loud. Not yet. So instead, you choose something that's easily believable because the scenario really did happen. "After missing a day of hanging out with them, some girls decided to move in. When I decided to surprise them one night, one girl was standing too close to Dwayne, so I walked right up to him and kissed him."

"You didn't!?"

"I did." You laugh. "And then Elijah and Klaus visited, informing me that Elena was getting impatient that I hadn't come back to Mystic Falls to make sure I was really okay."

"Oh so you'll let Klaus know where you now live, but not us?"

When you glance at Caroline, you notice she's not truly upset about it. "Yes because Klaus won't drag me back to Mystic Falls the moment something inconveniences Elena's life."

Your friend winces, but doesn't refute your words.

In your room, you walk to your closet while Caroline walks to the rack of dresses that's in the opposite corner. You grab the dress bag, pull it out and unzip it to show your friend. "Anyway, this is what I'm wearing." The strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline is maroon with a fitted bodice covered in black beads and black ribbons right beneath your bust. The skirt slightly flares out with an overlay of black tulle so the maroon still peeks out.

Caroline sighs. "This is so pretty. Is your boyfriend matching?"

You laugh as you zip the bag back up and put it away. "I'm pretty sure Elijah will get him a matching pocket square or something."

"So he's got Elijah's stamp of approval?"

"I think so."

"Sounds serious." She turns back to the rack, moving aside dress after dress. "Is he the reason you're staying where you're staying?"

"No. I was already planning on staying there. Dwayne was a surprise, but a welcomed one."

Caroline glances at you. "Ohhh, you're in deep. Look at that smile."

You purse your lips, having been smiling without knowing you were smiling. But seeing as she's already seen it, you give up and laugh. "Ugh, this is gonna sound stupid, but remember when I said seeing Dwayne was like love at first sight? Do you believe in that?"

Your friend freezes and then fully turns to face you. "Spill. Now."

You groan again and head over to your bed, dropping down on the edge. "When I first met Dwayne, it was no shock that I instantly found him attractive. What was a shock, however, is how jealous and protective I am of him. We haven't even known each that long to warrant such loyalty, but when Damon threatened Dwayne… Caroline, I saw red. I wanted to rip Damon's heart out right then and there."

"Hmm. That is weird. You've never been one to get worked up over a guy. You usually just shrug it off and move on."

"I know!"

"And how does Dwayne feel?"

"I'm assuming the same. Damon pinned me to the wall by my throat and Dwayne saw, and he was visibly shaking. I could see it took everything in him to hold himself back and then when I got back to the table, his hand gripped my thigh and didn't move until we stood up to leave."

"How insane would it be if it turned out that soulmates were real?" You laugh. "I'm serious! Ugh, you're so lucky. I wish I had someone who looked at me the way Dwayne looks at you."

"You do have someone who looks at you like that, but you refuse to entertain him because you're afraid of what everyone else will think."

Caroline frowns. "He hurt us. A lot."

"So did Damon, but that didn't stop Elena from jumping on his dick."

The blonde vampire grimaces. "I rather not think about that."

"Mhmm."

"Now will you help me choose a dress?"

Without even glancing at the rack, you say, "Go with the blue one that looks like mine, but has off the shoulder straps. You always look good in blue."

The day before your party, Rebekah had the ballroom completely transformed. You had happily stayed out of her way, listening to her bark orders from the comfort of your room. Dwayne and David took refuge with you, purposely not saying a word to their brothers as they wandered downstairs and got roped into lending a helping hand. And with Rebekah barking orders, Paul and Marko stayed in line.

Then the morning of your party, Rebekah had even taken it upon herself to have a buffet of breakfast ready for everyone. Marko practically salivated at the sight of the food, mentioning that they'd never eaten like kings and queens before. David then reminded him that they never had the appetite for human food quite like they have now after wrapping the bracelets around their wrists, and Marko conceded while stuffing his face with sausage and eggs.

You don't get to rest long after eating, Rebekah whisking you away to bathe and pamper before getting ready for the night. You end up in a bath with so many essential oils and salts that you nearly doze off, but Dwayne enters the bathroom and decides he wants to wash your hair.

Rebekah enters the bathroom when she hears you groan, only to huff and cross her arms over her chest. "Why are you two disgustingly adorable? Stop it right now."

With your head tilted back and Dwayne's fingers scratching against your scalp, you grin. "Shut up. If our positions were switched, you'd be smug as hell right now. Let me enjoy this."

"I'm honestly surprised he's not in there with you."

"And have your brothers glare at me throughout the party?" Dwayne asks. "No thanks."

"Fair." Rebekah continues to watch you with a fond smile on her face. "Well when you get out, Dwayne can help David wrangle his other brothers while you and I get ready in my room."

"Okay."

Dwayne finishes washing your hair before you stand, uncaring that your body is bare beneath the suds. He watches as you scrub your body down in the shower before grabbing a towel and handing it to you. Then after wringing out your hair and drying your body, you use the towel to wrap around your hair before taking the offered robe to drape around your body.

"Thank you." You reach up on the tips of your toes, giving him a chaste kiss. "Now it's your turn. I'll be with Rebekah and most likely won't see you until the start of the party."

"Mmm. Have fun." Dwayne kisses you once more and then pats you on the butt as you walk on by.

You're still smiling as you enter Rebekah's room, laughing when she's waiting for you with a champagne glass nearly filled to the brim. "Happy birthday, darling."

"Thank you, Rebekah." You accept the glass, clink it against the one she produces herself, and then proceed to down it in one go. "Now can I nap?"

"No."

You groan as Rebekah leads you to her vanity, making you sit.

. .

. .

Rebekah starts on your hair first, making sure to detangle it and then spritz various hair products into it. She leaves out a couple of strands on either side of your head to frame your face and then loosely braids the rest of it to hang over your left shoulder. She sprays your hair again to make sure the hairdo holds, and then gets started on your makeup.

The make-up is kept mostly natural and nude, the only color being a hint of blush on your cheekbones, smokey black eyeshadow, and black eyeliner. Throughout the entire time, your phone was dinging with text messages from your family and friends, and you took the time to thank each of them.

Taking a break, Rebekah has sandwiches and fruit delivered to the room via Elijah, and it isn't long until Klaus shows up with presents with the rest of the boys trailing him. The Mikaelson's give you jewelry and money, a proper camera to capture the sights you see, and a brand-new laptop to edit and post the photos. You thank them profusely and even assure Dwayne, David, Paul, and Marko that you hadn't been expecting gifts from them so they can stop with the guilty expressions.

Then after kicking out the men from the room, you get started on Rebekah's hair and make-up. With her instruction, you get everything done pretty well.

When the time comes to finally step into your dress, you shamelessly drop your robe and step into a pair of panties. Rebekah holds your dress low for you and you step into it while she slides it up your body. Then after arranging your breasts to fill the cups, Rebekah zips you up.

Rebekah can only smile as she helps you don your newest necklace and bracelet, and then quickly dresses herself in a dress similar to yours, except the colors are black and gold. Plus, she dons a pair of black satin gloves as well.

"Well don't you two look beautiful."

You turn around to find Dwayne decked out in a suit with a maroon pocket square to match you. He has a few thin braids on one side of his head, only for all of his hair to be tied back in a stylish messy man-bun. "Holy shit." You look him up and down, licking and biting your bottom lip as you try to reign in your spiraling thoughts.

"Down girl," Rebekah muses, patting your shoulder. "It sounds like your guests are starting to arrive, so there's no use in messing up all the hard work I've done."

"Yeah, yeah. Get out." Rebekah laughs as you shoo her out of her own room, bidding Dwayne good luck as she passes him. He steps further into the room, and you readily accept him as he goes toe to toe with you. You lean up and kiss him. "You look handsome."

"It's all thanks to Elijah and Klaus. They really know how to style the riffraff."

You chuckle and kiss him once more. "So, how's it looking down there?"

"Marko and Paul are regretting the fancy suits, but David's keeping them well in line. And Klaus has already plied us with several blood bags each so we're not feeling peckish around your guests."

You sigh. "I think I should have indulged in a little blood myself. I have a feeling I'm going to need it."

"Come on. It won't be that bad."

"Famous last words."

Dwayne smirks. "Let's go greet your guests."

Looping your arm around Dwayne's, you rely on him to get down the grand staircase. And by the time you make it to the main floor, Caroline is arriving on the arm of her mother.

"Caroline! Sheriff Forbes!" You greet them with smiles and kisses to the cheek. "I'm happy you two could make it."

"Likewise." Sheriff Forbes smiles before warily glancing around. "When I got the invitation, I wasn't aware if the party was legit or if the Mikaelson's were up to no good again."

"I can see why you would think that," you say. "But when it comes to me, the Mikaelson's are family."

"But Elena-"

"Mom." Caroline politely nudges her, shaking her head.

Sheriff Forbes closes her mouth and takes a breath. Then smiling sadly, she says, "You never forgave her for the… attack on you and Caroline," she says while glancing at Dwayne.

"Oh. I'm sorry!" You say. "Liz, this is Dwayne. My boyfriend." Sheriff Forbes and Dwayne smile at one another, shaking hands. "And I forgave my sister for that a long time ago," you assure her. "What I don't care for is the way she and Damon treat me or my friends whenever something doesn't go to their liking. They don't take others' feelings into consideration."

Sheriff Forbes smiles tightly, nodding. "Fair enough."

"Well, happy birthday!" Caroline chirps. "Now point us to the food so we can get out of your hair."

Laughing, you're about to tell Caroline where she and her mother can find the food when you spot Bonnie and your brother coming up behind them. "Uh, Dwayne will show you," you tell her. "He's gotta check on his brothers anyway and make sure Klaus isn't getting them in trouble."

And without missing a beat, Dwayne detaches himself from you and offers his arm to Liz as he dips his head in politeness. "Ladies, if you'll follow me."

Dwayne ends up with a Forbes woman on each arm and you smile as he leads them towards the food. Then turning back towards the door, your smile widens as you accept a hug from Bonnie. "Hey! Long time no see." Bonnie is stunning in her own black and silver dress, and Jeremy surprisingly fills out his suit. Then again, he's been rather buff ever since he became a hunter. "Jer, you're looking muscular. Kill anything lately?"

"Ha. Ha," he deadpans while hugging you. "And you look good as well. I didn't expect…"

"Yeah, yeah. You didn't expect me to be alive and thriving just because of the Mikaelson's and blah, blah, blah." Both Bonnie and Jeremy chuckle, and you nudge them towards the party.

More people show up- Tyler, Elena, Damon, Enzo, Alaric plus his date, and several other locals that you hadn't seen for a while. You greet each and every one, thanking them for showing up and wishing them a good time.

Rebekah pulls you away from the door when it seems like no one else is showing up, leading you towards the bottom of the staircase where her brothers are waiting. Both Mikaelson men smile as you approach, but Rebekah leads you a few steps further up the staircase before telling you to stay put before joining her brothers.

You're confused, but no one says anything. Dwayne and his brothers are lined up just across from the Mikaelson's, each of them holding a champagne flute. Elijah, being the more diplomatic Mikaelson, calls for everyone's attention. And as a crowd gathers, you're not very surprised when the hired help walks around with platters full of champagne flutes to pass out to everyone.

"Thank you, everyone, for attending on such short notice," Elijah says as the gathered guests fall quiet. "Miss Gilbert has been off traveling the world and seeing everything this life has to offer, so we weren't sure she would be back in time for her birthday. Luckily for us, she decided to visit with some new friends of hers."

Paul whoops and you shake your head at him, grinning.

"So let us raise our glasses," everyone follows Elijah's lead as he raises his glass in a toast, "and wish Miss Gilbert a very happy birthday and safe travels when she no doubt leaves us all behind again." Elijah, Klaus, and Rebekah turn, grinning. "Happy birthday, sweetheart."

"Happy birthday!" The crowd then cheers.

You smile bashfully, nodding your thanks to those whose gazes you catch before walking down the stairs. Rebekah hugs you whereas her brothers kiss each of your cheeks, and then Dwayne takes hold of your arm while leading you to the main room.

Immediately, the humming and clapping of Hozier's Work Song fills the air, and Dwayne leads you to the center of the room before turning to face you. As he takes a step back and then bows at the waist, your eyes light up. "You dance?"

"Obviously. Don't you?" As you grab the skirt of your dress and curtsey, you can't help but laugh. "And besides, the birthday girl has to open her own party with the first dance."

"I'm pretty sure that's not a thing, but I'll take it." You and Dwayne step forward and then back, close to touching but not. He raises his hands, palms out, and you laugh some more as you hold your own palms just an inch from his as you walk in a circle. "Who told you about this dance?"

"Rebekah might have mentioned something about a pageant this little town holds and the dances forced upon you."

Dwayne then takes you in his arms and the two of you sway back and forth before he's gently pushing you out and then bringing you in on a twirl. The smile never leaves your face, not even when you can hear his brothers ribbing him.

Halfway through the dance, others join you. Dwayne's dancing skills make him that much more attractive to you and you let him know when you can't keep your lips to yourself.

The party goes on and you make your rounds while on Dwayne's arm. You introduce him to everyone you know, talk about the places you've been with some curious individuals, but refrain from mentioning where you met Dwayne in case others were listening in.

You eat and drink and dance some more, and all in all it's a good time.

Until it isn't.

Elena hadn't said much to you other than wish you a happy birthday, so you're resigned to hearing her out when she asks for a moment of your time when the party starts winding down.

She leads you to an empty room just down the hall and turns to face you with a frown. "So, you're leaving again?"

"What?"

"Elijah's speech. He said you were going to travel again."

"Oh. Maybe." You shrug. "I still need to find a house and set down roots before I start taking trips again."

"Your house is here!" She says, hurt lacing her tone. "Why are you so dead set on getting away from me?"

"Elena," you say softly. "I love you. I do! But I can't be here anymore. I'm so over the drama where you somehow manage to be ground zero for it all. I'm tired of being hounded by Damon for not jumping when he says jump and I'm just- I'm over it. You have your life and I have mine. You don't have to like it, but you will accept it."

Done with the conversation, you turn to rejoin the party, only for your sister's words to make you freeze. "Jenna would be so upset to see you so chummy with her murderer."

There's a gasp from the door and you realize the others have followed. Bonnie, Caroline, Damon, Stefan, Alaric, Dwayne, David, Paul, Marko, Rebekah, Klaus, and Elijah have all entered the room and you have no idea how you and Elena didn't sense the big group sooner.

The group from Mystic Falls knew how close you were to Jenna and how hurt you were over Klaus killing her, but they didn't know about Klaus' apology months later when you started having dinners with Elijah. It wasn't an easy apology to accept, but he promised to make it up to you for as long as you lived.

But not wanting to get into all that, you look at your sister and swing even lower than her. "Yeah? Well mom and dad would be even more upset to see you fucking your best friend's rapist." Elena gapes and her eyes fill with tears, and you roll your eyes. "Come now, Elena. Don't start the waterworks now. You wanna be Katherine 2.0, then be Katherine 2.0. If you're gonna be a bitch, then own it."

Your back suddenly hits the wall and you have a face full of an enraged vampire. "All right. That's enough."

"Damon!" Bonnie yells.

"What the fuck was that?" You hear Marko murmur, biting back a smirk at the fact that they're still playing human.

"That was a low blow, YN," Damon says, tightening his grip around your throat.

"Careful, Damon, your lap dog is showing," you muse. "This is between me and my sister."

"Yeah? Well, it becomes my business when you make her cry."

"Oh, how noble." You huff. "Now kindly take your hand off of me and leave. You're no longer welcomed here."

You hear a bit of a scuffle and look over Damon's shoulder to see David holding Dwayne back by the arm. You can see the rage in his eyes even as he attempts to keep his cool, and subtly shake your head.

Damon glances over his shoulder as well to see who you're looking at and turns back to face you with a smirk. "You're so quick to drop everyone in Mystic Falls, let's see if your newfound family will stick around after they find out that you're a monster."

Your expression hardens. "Damon, do-"

CRACK!

Damon has all of half a second of smug satisfaction as he watches your body collapse lifelessly to the floor before a heart stopping roar practically shakes the walls of the room. He whirls around, eyes wide, and braces himself for the truly monstrous individual advancing on him.

Dwayne's features have shifted, his features more sharpened and defined. His eyes are now yellow and red, and his fangs and claws have elongated in his rage. He grabs a stunned Damon by the shoulders before savagely sinking his fangs into Damon's neck and pulling free a chunk of flesh.

As Damon gurgles on his blood and Elena shrieks in horror, Stefan speeds at Dwayne to pull him off. Only then do David, Paul, and Marko fly at him and throw him across the room before making a wall in front of YN's body. Dwayne continues to attack Damon, snapping each and every bone in his body that he can to prevent the raven-haired vampire from fighting back.

Elena tries to intervene when it appears Damon can't defend himself, but Rebekah catches her by the arm. "Stay out of it. Damon made his bed, now it's time for him to lie in it."

Alaric pulls free a wooden stake to help his friend, but all it takes is Klaus tutting in his direction to give the history teacher pause.

Then having heard enough snarling and snapping bones, Elijah approaches Dwayne cautiously. "That's enough, Dwayne. I believe Mr. Salvatore has learned his lesson." Panting and heaving, Dwayne snarls one last time before kicking Damon so hard in the ribs that he sends him sliding across the floor towards his panicked brother. Dwayne then turns and his brothers part so he can make a beeline to YN's body. As he does, he sits on the floor to cradle her lifeless body in his arms. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why you should never touch a vampire's mate," Elijah says.

Everyone seems surprised, but it's Caroline who steps forward with a frown. "Mate? And vampire?" She asks incredulously. "What is going on, Elijah?"

"Dwayne, David, Marko, and Paul are vampires," he tells the room, ignoring Elena's whimpers as she tries to offer aid to Damon. "A different species, obviously, but vampires nonetheless. When Niklaus and I noticed some differences, I decided to do a little research after learning of how quickly Dwayne and YN became attached."

"And your research proved that our kind has mates?" Paul wonders. At Elijah's nod, he beams. "Fuck yeah! We totally called it after YN got bit by that werewolf."

"What werewolf?" Caroline's eyes widen in alarm.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. It's all been taken care of," Klaus assures her. Caroline huffs at him, but all it does is make him smirk.

"That's nice and all, but can I have a little help?" Elena grouses. "Damon's really hurt."

"Oh boo hoo," Rebekah deadpans. No one makes a move to help Elena except for Stefan and Alaric.

The three of them are doing their best to tend to Damon when Enzo enters the room. He takes a look at the Lost Boys before taking a look at his injured friend and then glances at the Mikaelson's. When his gaze finally lands on Caroline, he sighs. "I always miss the fun. What happened this time?"

"Damon's a bloody idiot, is what this is," Rebekah says instead. "He snapped a vampire mate's neck and said vampire didn't take too kindly to that."

Enzo shrugs. "Fair enough. Now if you're all done in here, some of the humans heard the ruckus. Jeremy and I have been doing damage control, but some of these locals are too nosy for their own good."

"Thank you, Mr. St. John. My sister and I will take it from here." Elijah beckons Rebekah to join him and she grumbles about missing all the fun.

Enzo, now too invested to see any more drama go down, walks over to stand next to Caroline and Bonnie.

"So, you four are vampires?" Bonnie wonders when no one says anything. "How come we didn't know?"

"Because YN wanted it that way," David says.

"And you just do what she says? How long have you even known her?"

"Long enough," you grumble. Immediately you feel yourself being squeezed and you groan as your eyes flutter open. You're staring up at the ceiling and you realize you're on the floor. "Dwayne?" The head tucked into the side of your aching neck lifts, and you smile at the vampiric face of your boyfriend. Reaching up, you tap on the tip of one of his fangs. "You can put these away now. I'm fine."

"He snapped your neck," he grumbles.

"Is he dead?"

"No."

"Pity."

"YN!"

"What?" You whine. You attempt to sit up, letting Dwayne help you. Then glancing over at your sister, you have no fucks left to give her. "He snapped my neck. The way I see it, if he's still breathing, he got off easy."

"You could have told us your friends were different vampires."

"But then Damon wouldn't have gotten his ass kicked." Then glancing at those standing, you ask, "Did anyone record it?" Everyone with the exception of Stefan, Elena, Damon, and Alaric find your question funny. Dwayne stands and helps you to your feet, and you stretch a little with a groan. "But now you all see why I left, right? I refuse to live a life that Damon wants to control."

"But you'll live a life that the Mikaelson's control?" Elena huffs.

You stare at her, shaking your head. "When are you going to get over your hate for them? You all refuse to forgive the Mikaelson's, yet Damon somehow gets a free pass?" You ask.

"Damon didn't kill Jenna!"

"No, but he did kill the love of Enzo's life and then left Enzo to burn alive," you say. Then looking at Stefan, you say, "He killed Lexi. He's killed Ric, Jeremy, and even me a few times." Looking at Bonnie, you add, "He threatened Grams into using too much magic that led to her death and let's not forget everything he put Caroline through. So why the hell is Damon forgiven for all of that, but yet you're so appalled when I associate with Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah?"

No one has anything to say, and Elena can't even look at you. She's too busy making sure Damon is healing properly.

"She has a point," Enzo says, breaking the silence.

Glancing at him, you offer him a smile before looking at each of your friends. "I'm tired, hungry, and pissed off now, so the party's officially over. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

As you walk off, Dwayne takes hold of your hand. "Go up to the room. I'll grab some blood bags and liquor from the kitchen."

"Thank you." You squeeze his hand before letting go, grabbing the skirt of your dress and lifting it just a little so you can walk up the stairs without tripping.

. .

. .

In the comfort and safety of your room, you strip out of your dress and run yourself a hot shower. The first thing you do is wash all the hair products out of your hair before scrubbing your face free of makeup, and then wash your body before standing under the rainfall of water. You sigh, reaching a hand up to rub at your sore neck.

The sound of the shower drowns out the outside noise, so you startle a little when you feel a hand land on your shoulder. Uncaring of your nudity, you turn around and are met with an equally nude Dwayne. He hands you a blood bag that's a little warm to the touch and you don't waste a moment. You grab the bag and immediately bring it up to your mouth, letting your fangs pierce the bag.

As you suck down your meal, you let Dwayne lead you a few steps back so he's standing under the rainfall of water as well. His hands gently cup your face, thumbs brushing the veins beneath your eyes that have slithered to the surface. Your eyes flutter open and you drop the bag when you're done with it.

Dwayne then leans down so his forehead is resting against yours, and his hands move down so his fingers gently probe around your neck. "I wanted to kill him," he quietly admits. "It took all my self-control to not rip his head from his body."

You huff a laugh as you wrap your arms around his waist. "As much as I wish you would have, it's best that you didn't. If anything happened to poor Damon, Elena and Stefan probably would have hounded us until the end of times."

"Then they would have met the same fate. You were dead at the time, but apparently we're mates and our instincts to protect each other are insane."

"Excuse me?" You pull back a bit, staring at Dwayne in disbelief. "Mates actually exist?"

"For my kind, yes. It's why I knew something was off that first day we were here and Damon had you pinned to the wall. It's also why I flew into a rage when he snapped your neck."

Mouth agape, you shut it with an audible click. A moment later, you shrug. "Well, that explains the rage I felt when Damon threatened your life. Normally I'd have laughed a threat like that off, but I got severely pissed off."

Dwayne chuckles. "This is going to be fun."

"For you, maybe. Protective instincts aren't the only instincts that rears its ugly head thanks to our apparent bond."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm possessive, dear mate." You smile up at him. "I noticed it the last time that one female tried gaining your attention, but it wasn't too bad of an urge to rip her head off. If she had touched you, however, I'm pretty sure it would have been game over for her." Dwayne slowly smirks and you slowly raise your arms so they're wrapped around his neck, and you hop up as you wrap your legs around his waist. "Now are you going to fuck your mate or just stand here under the water?"

"I wasn't sure you were up for anything after having your neck snapped," he says while reaching below you and grabbing hard length to notch at your entrance.

"For you? I'm always up for something." You slowly lower yourself on Dwayne's cock, head tilting back as your mouth opens in a silent moan. He grunts when you're fully seated and when you meet his smoldering gaze, you clench around him and cause him to grunt. "Now come on. Make me scream and embarrass my sister who is no doubt still trying to play victim downstairs."

Smirking, Dwayne places one hand on your ass as he walks over to the wall and then places his other hand on the wall for a bit of balance. "Hang on…"

Dwayne pulls out nearly all the way, and then a moment later he thrust back in. Hard. You moan, fingernails digging into the flesh of his shoulders, and then beam brightly at him. "Again."

The following morning, you have absolutely no shame when you and Dwayne enter the kitchen together. Everyone, with the exception of Elijah and Klaus, are all smirking at you.

"Well, well," Rebekah muses. "Look at you. I'm surprised you're not walking funny."

Paul and Marko immediately laugh, and Klaus looks quite appalled.

"Rebekah, please, can you not?" Elijah asks, already exasperated with where the morning conversation is clearly headed.

"Oh hush. We're all adults here."

You chuckle as you head towards the refrigerator, pulling out a pitcher of orange juice to pour yourself a glass. "Who all got an earful besides those in this room?"

"Well Damon thinks you were faking it."

"Of course." Your eyes roll.

"Stefan looked like he had sucked on a sour lemon, Elena turned beet red as if she was some prude, and Caroline and Enzo couldn't help but be impressed."

You chuckle some more as you sip your juice and then make your way to the table where Dwayne is already seated. You help yourself to a few slices of bacon and pay no mind to Dwayne's brothers who are patiently waiting to tease you. Unfortunately for them, you're not bothered by it at all.

"So will you be leaving this afternoon?" Klaus asks in order to break the silence.

"Yes." When you glance at Rebekah, you smile at her pout. "But you guys will always be welcomed in Santa Carla and I'll do my best to visit every other month."

"You better."

"What about these bracelets?" Marko asks. "Are we supposed to give them back once we're back in Santa Carla or…?"

"The bracelets are a gift," Elijah says smoothly. "And as a token of our appreciation for being on your best behavior and abiding by the rules we set out, we will pay for a trip for all of you to wherever you want."

"We appreciate that," David says, "but we need to settle our claim on Santa Carla before we can take off again. And speaking of Santa Carla, how is our home?" He then asks Klaus.

Klaus shrugs. "My hybrids have dispatched a werewolf pack looking to make camp in your woods. Your territory is as you left it- dirty and nearly uninhabitable."

"Klaus." You shake your head in amusement at him. "I've made my decision."

"I'm well aware."

"Then don't be a dick."

"I said nearly." You chuckle as he smirks. "Now let us have a nice breakfast before you and your friends start to pack. The jet is being fueled as we speak."

. .

. .

After a very talkative breakfast and barely half an hour of packing, you and the boys are on a private jet back to Santa Carla. You had immediately made a beeline for the singular bedroom at the back of the jet to go back to sleep, and Dwayne joined you for about an hour before rejoining his brothers.

You join them sometime later, taking the time to sip a drink as you listen to the boys brainstorm the perfect location for the trip you're all going to take once David's confident enough with his grasp on Santa Carla.

And it's only once you've stepped foot back in Santa Carla does your phone ping with a text message from Klaus. It's directions to a location and instructions to call him when you get there.

"What do you think it is?" Dwayne asks as he reads the message himself.

"I have no idea, but it's Klaus, so anything is possible."

You can see Paul and Marko are anxious to get back to their cave, but David wants everyone to stick together. So, after procuring- er, compelling- a car, you drive to the location Klaus had sent you.

Pulling up to the location that's still in Santa Carla, you're not surprised at its remote location, but you are surprised with the steel gate blocking a driveway and the steel fence that wraps all around the property. Off in the distance, up on a hill, there's quite the house sitting there.

"What the hell is this?" Paul asks, leaning forward between the seats.

"I have no idea." You pull out your phone and dial Klaus' number, still staring at the house in awe while holding the phone to your ear. When the line clicks over, you immediately ask, "What did you do?"

"Welcome home, love. The code to the gate is your birthday." You glance at the small box just outside the driver's side window and punch in the code. When the little red light turns green, the gates start to open. "Since there was no way you were going to leave Santa Carla, I figured that you could at least live in a proper home rather than that dark, dank cave your boys are apparently so fond of. Honestly, they needed to get out of there as well."

"Klaus… this is a lot," you utter in awe. You drive all the way up to the front steps and everyone hurriedly vacates the car to take a look around. "I can never repay something like this."

"Family doesn't repay family back. At least not ours."

"Klaus."

"I'm serious. It's done. Now since you're all vampires, I had a witch spell the house for you."

"How so?"

"No guest, whether they're supernatural or not, can enter your home without your permission. There was a little blood magic involved, so you'll have to invite your mate and friends in."

You walk up to the front door and enter the house with ease, smirking at Marko when he tries to enter behind you but can't. You quickly invite all four boys in and then turn to stare at the lavish home. "Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, truly… thank you."

"Think nothing of it. But if you truly want to repay me back, you can take Rebekah on your next trip. She truly is aggravating."

You laugh and nod before saying, "Yes. Of course. Anything."

"Mhm. Well, I'll let you and the boys get acquainted with your new home. Have fun. Don't murder too many people."

"We'll try." You end the call with Klaus and only then does the sound of Paul and Marko's excitement reach your ears. You feel pressure at your elbow and find Dwayne standing there, looking down on you. "It's ours."

"What?"

"It's ours. Klaus obviously didn't like the living conditions of the cave, so he bought us a house."

"Well… shit." You snort at his utterance. "It's been a long time since any of us have lived in a proper home."

"Hey! If this is our house, do we get to call dibs on a room?" You hear Paul shout from somewhere deep in the house.

"Dwayne and I get the master!" You shout back. "It's a free for all for the rest of you."

All of a sudden you hear footsteps pounding on the hardwood floor, followed by grunting and whining, and protests of David being unfair.

Smiling, you turn back towards Dwayne and grin. "So, I guess this is home?"

"Do you want it to be?"

You shrug. "Home is wherever you are. If you want to go back to the cave, then let's go back. But if you want to stay here, then we'll stay here."

Dwayne flashes you one of his rare smiles as he reaches for you, and tugs you close. "Well, I wouldn't want to piss off the big bad hybrid by taking his precious baby sister back to the dark, dank cave."

You laugh and quickly lean up on the tips of your toes, pressing your lips to his in a chaste kiss. "Then we'll stay." You kiss him again. "Now come on. Let's go break in our new bed."