#image bank klaus in bed

[ded-and-gonne]

[keepsdeathhiscourt]

Pairing: Elijah Mikaelson x Original Female Character

Rating: Mature (18+ Only)

Story Summary: It's been ten years since Lucie LeMarche last set foot in New Orleans. But when she's forced to return to bury the woman who raised her, she finds herself pulled into the midst of rising supernatural tensions in the city. Entangled in a web of intrigue and seeking answers, Lucie must learn to navigate a powder keg of warring factions, family secrets, and old wounds if she hopes to survive.

Warnings: Canon Typical Violence, Language, Death, Mentions of Violence

Series Masterlist

Read on AO3

Chapter 2: The King of New Orleans

From the time King Louis’ cast-offs built their ramshackle settlement on the banks of the Mississippi, vampires had stalked New Orleans.

At the distance of three centuries, the legend of the Originals lives, a warning to the supernatural communities of Louisiana about what happens when vampires roam the streets unchecked. 

Klaus, Rebekah, Elijah. 

As a little girl, Lucie would whisper their names aloud to the darkness, like in the naming of them she might banish them from her room’s shadowy corners.

Klaus, Rebekah, Elijah . 

She knew their names, but never their faces. A child’s overactive imagination left to run wild, she conjured images of tall, pale beings with shark mouths full of jagged teeth. They reached out to her in her dreams with yellow claws and feverish, hungry eyes. Then she’d wake. Tearful and frightened, she would run from their clutches into the safety of her parents’ bed, where her mother would soothe her with whispers and gentle circles on her back. 

The Originals were the Boogeymen under the bed, but Lucie had grown up around the common vampires. They were more of an occupational hazard than nightmare creatures.

Deep and ugly, the angry red line that marks Jane Anne Devereax’s throat is as telltale as any puncture marks. 

Her dark eyes stare up at Lucie without seeing. Their shining onyx reflects the tea lights of a nearby courtyard. It’s a jarring contrast to the grisly scene in front of her. 

“No, no, no, no.” She drops to her knees in front of the body, eyes wet and stomach sick.

While they had never been close, there had overlap between the French Quarter and Garden District covens and Lucie had known the Devereaux sisters her whole life. She’d been closer in age and personality to Sophie, but Jane-Anne had been a constant presence as well. Lucie recalls she had always shown a particular devotion to her coven and the old ways. As she closes the woman’s eyes, she says a silent prayer to the ancestors for Jane-Anne and the little daughter that she’ll never see again. 

She pauses. Beneath her fingertips, Jane-Anne’s skin still clings to lingering traces of warmth. 

Her blood still glistens like glass beneath the moonlight, drawing Lucie’s eyes from Jane-Anne’s neck and to a jagged branch a few feet away. A droplet wells on the point of a thorn, catching the light as it drips black onto the asphalt. 

It’s then that Lucie realizes that she’s not alone. 

She spots a figure in the shadow of an alley, another two watching from a balcony. Then three more materialize as if from thin air. Before she can even think about running, she finds herself surrounded by a small army of vampires. They watch her with hungry, wary eyes, but none of them move any closer. The air crackles and they stand at the ready as if waiting for a sign to tear her to pieces. 

Then, a murmur spreads through the ranks, the sea of vampires parts down the middle, and out walks the unmistakable form of Marcel Girard. 

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t little Lucretia LeMarche.” His almond eyes crinkle at the corners. His smile is friendly enough but shows a little too many teeth for comfort. “I thought that was you I saw walking out of Rousseau’s.”

“And if it isn’t the head vampire himself.” She spares a sidelong glance at his gaggle of vampires but does not dare withdraw her gaze from him. “You’ve been busy, Marcel.”

“You know it,” he says with a smirk. “Except I prefer to go by king now.”

It’s hard not to roll her eyes. “King of what, exactly?”

“Why New Orleans, of course.” Lucie can only guess at what that must mean, but before she can ask, he continues, “Not gonna lie, I never thought I’d see your face around here again.”

Marcel steps forward and the vampires close in. As Lucie rises to her feet, her hand twitches at her side, and the weak vibration of magic tingles in her fingertips.

A hiss ripples through the crowd and a few vampires edge forward. Marcel stops them with a gesture. 

“Easy, now,” he says with a sidelong glance. Though his voice is level, the command is unmistakable. “Lucie doesn’t know the rules yet, so let’s cut her some slack.” His almond eyes crinkle at the corner as he flashes his teeth. “Just this once.”

“What are you talking about?” Lucie asks over her thundering heart. She knows he can hear it.

“You’ve been gone a long time, Little Lucie,” Marcel drawls, pacing around her like a lion at the kill. “I figured they might have told you, but I guess you aren’t on the best of terms with the witches.”

Fear grates at her fraying nerves. Her temper flares. “I’m done with this game. Spit it out, Marcel.”

“Magic is illegal in the city. By my decree. So you’d better toe the line from here on out.”

The street becomes so quiet that the night hums. 

“How?”

“Well now, that's my business, isn't it?”

The ground wavers beneath her feet. Her mind is reeling as she tries to get a handle on what he said. She can feel half a dozen sets of eyes boring holes in her skin, but she can’t tear her eyes away from the dead woman.

Marcel opens his mouth to speak once more and then stops. His eyes flit over his shoulder and his head tilts to the side, as if listening to something her ears aren’t sharp enough to pick up.

“You’d better get a move on, Little Lucie,” he says, rocking back on his heels. “The entire Cauldron is going to be here any minute, and you know how those French Quarter witches like to talk.”

Marcel’s smile wavers and for a moment, she sees beyond the posturing. Their eyes meet, silent understanding passing between them. 

There’s no time to run and though she knows she’s only delaying the inevitable, she is not ready to face them - not yet. 

Lucie dips around the corner and hides. 

____

He doesn’t plan to follow her, at least not at first. 

Her heartbeat is a blip. A trivial curiosity overshadowed by the gravity of the scene before him. 

Grief hangs over the street like a shroud. Under the streetlights, the French Quarter witches close ranks around their dead. With much larger forces at work, Elijah pays little heed to the eavesdropper around the corner. 

A dark-haired young woman kneels beside the body. Her hair is pulled back in a scarf and tears streaking mascara down her face as she clutches the dead woman’s lifeless hand. There’s no doubt of their closeness. 

He keeps a careful eye on the tableau as the witch Sabine fills him in on the escalations in the French Quarter. 

Witches that can’t do magic, bodies left in the street for anyone to find, and Niklaus’ inexplicable involvement in it all. 

It’s enough to make Elijah’s head spin.

He must find his brother, and soon. 

A loud whistle bounces off the narrow street, drawing his attention out of his thoughts. A ripple of fear spreads through the ranks. The tension in the air is sudden and palpable. 

“You want to know who killed Jane-Anne?” Sabine asks, an undercurrent of anger running through her apprehension. “You’re about to get your first glimpse of Marcel in action.”

“The vampire Marcel?” There must be a mistake. The man Elijah knew with that name perished a century ago. 

“Things have changed since your family left town. Marcel has changed.” 

She’s pulling him backward now, away from the scene. He allows himself to be led, trying to piece it all together. 

“I’m asking you, stay hidden.” Sabine turns to him, dark eyes frantic and pleading. Something about them sends a shiver through him, a reminder of a memory long past. “If Marcel finds out that a witch lured the Originals back into town, my people will be slaughtered.”

He stares at her for a long moment, searching her face for any hint of deceit, but there’s no decision to be made. Elijah finds refuge in the shadows of a nearby balcony as Marcel Gerard steps into view, alive and well. 

“Well, well, well, what have we here?” Marcel’s voice carries up to him as a small army of vampires flood the street. “I gotta tell you, Soph, this street corner is not proving the luckiest spot for your family tonight. Not half an hour ago, we had to teach your sister a little lesson.”

“We’re putting her to rest, Marcel,” the young woman says, not once looking away from her sister. She tucks a strand of dark hair behind Jane-Anne’s ear. “Leave us alone.”

“I never said you could move the body. Matter of fact, I left her here for a reason: send a message.” His posture is a picture of ease as he saunters over to Sophie. Then he turns to address the witches, “If anybody is thinking of joining some kind of rebellion, my rules state that witches can’t practice magic in the Quarter and yet a little birdy informed me that Jane-Anne was cooking up something magically delicious.

Oh, yeah. While I have you, quick Q&A. My old friend—the hybrid, Klaus—he just happened to show up out of the blue asking for, of all people, Jane-Anne. Any idea why?”

Elijah goes stone still at the mention of his unruly brother, not daring to breathe lest he misses something critical. 

Sophie looks up at Marcel. Even from a distance, Elijah can see how miserable she is. “I don’t know. Witches don’t get involved in vampire business.” 

 “Hmm. That would be pretty stupid, that’s for sure,” he says, looking unphased. “Tell you what, go back to the restaurant, cook up some of that famous gumbo, and keep those tourists happy.” The casual veneer shatters as he turns to his crew. “Take the body.”

Her eyes blow wide. “What? No! Stop! Stop! Marcel!”

“I’m gonna hold on to your sister’s body in case maybe you remember why Klaus is here.”

“Marcel, please,” Sophie Deveraux begs. “Her body won’t be at peace.”

A vampire at his left shuffles Sophie aside, hefting the body into his arms. 

“Not my problem.”

With that, Marcel Gerard turns and walks away, his lackeys trailing behind him. There is no body for the witches to mourn as Marcel Gerard walks away. For a moment, he pauses and his gaze drifts off somewhere to Elijah’s right. Then he disappears from view. 

That’s when Elijah catches it again. Now, the sound of the heartbeat is even louder. He hears the frantic patter. He knows that someone lurking nearby has witnessed the same thing. 

The mess unfolding is far worse than he could have expected when he arrived in New Orleans, and that’s without knowing the full story. The city, already a powder keg, can't afford to have its secrets outed because of one human in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

His eyes linger on the bereft and angry crowd below. Then, he steals away from the balcony. 

He follows a steady cadence. It doesn’t take him long to track down its owner. 

He spots her somewhere between Conti and Bienville, surprised to recognize the brown-haired girl from the bar. The cover of night blurs her features, and she’s far more frazzled than she’d been earlier in the day, but it’s her. 

Truthfully, he had not given her much thought when she had ambled into Rousseau’s and occupied the space beside him. While pretty in a commonplace sort of way, there had been little to note. When he’d caught her staring, she had blushed and stared at him with wide, lovely brown eyes. And then Camille swept her into conversation, and he returned to his drink, forgetting the encounter in his quest to locate his unruly brother. 

Now, she’s fixed on his radar and it doesn’t take more than a cursory glance to determine that things were not as they had seemed. 

She’s calmer than she should be. Full of trepidation perhaps, but not the outward terror of someone who had just discovered the supernatural. Her pace is quick, paranoia exuding off of her as she glances over her shoulder every couple of steps. But there are no telltale signs of trembling, just a serious set of her lips as she crosses Canal Street and into the business district. 

Something else bothers him, a small detail needling at the back of his mind as he dogs her steps. There had been a brief second where Marcel had paused as if straining to hear something. He had known of her presence. Elijah is sure of it. 

But why would the self-proclaimed King of New Orleans spare one wayward girl, one who had witnessed something dangerous at that, when it would have been all too easy to snap her neck or leave her to the mercy of his nightwalkers?

Like everything in this blasted city, the discovery only raises more questions. But Elijah is determined to find answers. 

He follows her through the winding blocks of downtown, not stopping until she slips into the refuge of a two-star hotel and disappears from view. 

He does not pursue her. After all, now that he knows where she’s staying, it’s only a matter of watching and waiting. 

With his attention away from the hotel, he retrieves the cell phone from his pocket and dials Rebekah. 

[nofive]

Five’s Bedroom

I have done a headcanon about brief observations I have made on Five’s bedroom before. I have also talked about things in his bedroom in a few other headcanons. But this will be delving into the canon state of Five’s childhood room, and his area in the Apocalypse to get a sense for how Five is as a person and a bit more of what he was like as a child.

Also fair warning, this post is long, and their are lots of big images. If you want, I am tagging this post with a special tag “Five’s Bedroom Meta” so that you can block it if you do not wish to scroll through it on your dash. All images that have adjusted brightness was purely to enhance the background of the image.

Like with everything I may add on to this as time goes by.

The bare bones, no deep diving yet ( Five’s Childhood Room )

Based off multiple images from the Making of TUA book, the show itself, and Aidan’s behind the scenes pictures I’ve put together a very basic floor plan of Five’s room ( please don’t make fun of my handwriting ). I don’t know about y’all but I feel like Five’s door needs to be at a til like Allison and Luther’s. But its not. So this floor plan basically gives a layout of his room in general. Its not to scale obviously, but it gives us a good starting off point. One thing I would like to note, that I think is only applicable to Five’s room as that there are two doors much like Reginald’s office, which I will touch on a bit later. Not drawn are the at least four lamps, one on his desk, one on the small bookshelf by his bed, and one on his nightstand, he has at least two sconces one on the wall near the closet, and one on the wall near the blue chair, he also has a main light fixture with at least three bulbs. But it is simply his closet, a very small closet at that.

Five’s bedroom has two windows, one that leads to a fire escape, which is next to his bed on the wall with the slanted roof. Both windows have radiators beneath them that Five utilizes as shelving. On the slanted wall side of his room Five’s bed is pushed not quite into the corner as he has a small bookshelf there that has more toys on it than books, and has a chest at the foot of his bed, and then he has his bookshelf which due to the slanted wall has the appearance of a built in.

Five’s desk and desk chair are on the same wall as his closet, though his desk chair being on wheels can move about. Above the desk are a set of shelves, Luther’s room has something very similar, with a set of towels and his toiletries. Five’s towels are blue, Luther’s appear to be tan or brown. If I had to guess all the siblings have different colors of towels. Next to his desk in between it and the bookshelf is a basket that appears to have a white board, and a fireman’s hat. There is also a possible laundry basket on the other side of his desk closer to the closet.

On the wall that has the main door to his room you have his wardrobe or armoire. we know thanks to Klaus that this houses jackets, possibly that snazzy coat and scarf from the bank as well as various toys namely baseballs. I know there is a baseball bat in his room but I cannot find a picture of it. Also I should note, I have no idea what is rapped in that white sheet looking thing.

On the other side of the door we have his dresser. The door funnily enough has a window up top sort of akin to an office door implying that Five’s room did in fact used to be an office. In fact the way it’s styled makes it seem like it could be a 1920s styled Private Investigator office. The dresser has a dart board above it that he takes down to write his equations and then puts it back up despite not putting anything else back on the walls. In front of the dress and the second window is a blue chair that we see Delores occupy while Grace patches up his Shrapnel wound she is sitting on his blue desk chair. Next to the radiator under the window we have Five’s nightstand.

The walls of Five’s bedroom are all painted a minty green color. So is all the triming including the the window seal ledges. The only non-painted areas are the bricks under the slanted roof/wall of his room and the boarder wallpaper.

The Deep Dive

So that takes us around his room, now lets actually delve into those pictures and what we see in them. So lets start at the beginning with the closet. To my knowledge Five is the only one with a closet in his room, and a second door. I only bring this up because the parallels and similarities between Five and Reginald is very obvious. And we know Reginald’s office has two doors. I just think that is interesting, not to mention Five’s bedroom was very likely an old office based on how The Academy is multiple buildings together. I should also note that based on the scene when Five is escaping onto the fire escape the window that is not on the slanted wall portion of his room shouldn’t have light coming into it because another building butts up to it.

Five’s bedroom is actually quite large accented with blue of varying shades from the carpet to his main comforter, to his desk chair, pillows, curtains, and his secondary chair. All the wood in his room is a light walnut color. And his doors are painted this minty green color. His second comforter looks to be navy, white, and red plaid. The fact that he has a second comforter that is used means not only has Grace changed his sheets, but he likely has slept in them, which means he likely did sleep. I only say its second comforter and not a blanket because we know Five has a chest at the foot of his bed with a blanket on it that could have been used. The chest likely has his extra bedding in it though. On Five’s bedside table he has a stack of what appears to be text books, but they seem more like workbooks of some sort. So think like SAT prep books. He also has a set of what appears to be five novels on his nightstand, and some sort of CD player or maybe a dehumidifier. 

The blanket as you can see has planets, a moon, and a spaceship on it, which is pretty on par for things that Five likes. All over his room, and in these images you can see images of robots on his walls. Particularly you can see comic drawings of robots. He has a rock-em sock-em robot poster on his wall. He even has a robot on his bookshelf by his desk. Five has a fascination with robots. Which could foreshadow his relationship with Delores, and perhaps something of his relationship with Grace, liking wanting to know how she works. Also foreshadowing of Five and Delores is quite literally in the wallpaper boarder above the chair rail which has a kid pulling a red wagon with a mannequin in them.

Additionally we see lots of building blocks particularly on the bookshelf next to Five’s bed. Five is very hands on when it comes to his hobbies. He has means of transportation all over his room which could make sense given his power, but it could also give him a connection to Luther seeing as Luther also has airplanes and cars in his room. Five has boats, and cars all over his room. Further he also has lots of construction toys including an excavator and a cement truck. On top of his wardrobe he has a sail boat and a covered wagon. He also has a poster of a motorcyle or moped on his wall. If Five had stayed behind he would have been the first to learn how to drive for sure.

From first glance Five’s room seems super organized. But when you actually look at it, its not. Books in particular are stacked where he can stack them. The binders on his desk are initially upside down, and someone put them right side up, I would guess Luther as he is messing around Five’s desk to look for things. Five works in an organized chaos we see this from his equations as he writes over the boarder and such We later see this echoed in his Apocalypse home.

When it comes to other things Five has a few knick knacks all of them are travel based, saved for one. I’ve mentioned the toys. The one I’m referring to can be seen on his desk and I believe it is a nautical instrument used to help measure distance and time or speed. I could be wrong. But it is on Five’s desk along with what appears to be homework of some sort in the trays. He’s also got a stapler on his desk which I simply find ironic.

The one knick knack he has that isn’t related specifically to travel is a wooden basket that has busted up watches. Pocket watches, wrist watches, etc. They are old, and are not digital. My theory on this is that at one point he attempted to use the watch to magnify his power, particularly that of Time Travel. But they kept breaking, but it only fueled his theory that he could do it. This is also a call back to the comic where Five as a kid is always shown to have a pocket watch.

Briefly on his closet, which is best pictured above. It is small. Also it appears to only hold his uniforms, which by the way he is going through them makes him seem like he should have more clothes and he can’t find them. This implies Five does have civvies or street clothes but they have been lost over time which would make Five’s “Shit” make much more sense. Its not that he only has uniforms as his option, its that he can’t find his civilian clothes.

Last but not least the dart board. I do have a headcanon about it. But the fact that you can see the equations go behind the dart board on the wall means he put it back up. Five in the original pilot script had a love of knives quite like Diego. My guess is the dart board is a call to that. But we also know Five is super competitive and I think he tries to get accurate with throwing knives to beat Diego. Also we know that Five has Diego’s knife holster in the apocalypse so Five liking knives is not just a original pilot script thing. 

The Comparison ( his Apocalypse Home Base )

Five’s apocalypse home base ironically takes on many similar characteristics of Five’s bedroom. Meaning the core of who Five is has not changed. He has a love for learning, partially cause he is literally creating new math, but he has a desk still, and he still stacks books haphazardly. He also has his chalkboard which seems to be Five’s favorite way of doing math. I theorize its because he’s working on things that are so large he needs more room than paper can provide. Also paper is hard to come by in the apocalypse, at least blank paper is because he uses Vanya’s book. Five has a habit of placing important things on places he can easily see and find. Such as the probability map ending above his bed, and the equation on his chalk board likely ending up in his copy of Vanya’s book.

Final Thoughts

So what are my final thoughts? I think the making of TUA book has got Five pinned all wrong. Five’s room is sparse because he left early, but not because he didn’t have hobbies or time to decorate it. He clearly did. Five like athletics at least baseball, and he had an interest in robots, comics, and transportation. He also likes building as he has blocks and potentially even legos. The transportation could be an extension of him getting to know his power, maybe. But we know Luther is very similar with transportation just of the aerospace kind and we know that’s likely not related to his power ( unless you include my headcanon that his main power is actual gravity manipulation ). Five had interests and was even starting to personalize his room before he left, he also had an imagination seeing as the fireman’s helmet is still readily out and available to play which plays into Delores being part of his active imagination and becoming the imaginary friend he needs to stay somewhat sane in the apocalypse.

Five’s room tells us of a boy who was active, and had interests, and he still has a liking for those interests as we see him unable to help himself and play with one of the trucks during the show. It gives us a brief look into the boy that we truly know very little about. Because while we have so much of his story displayed for us, we have so little of what he was like before. He has toys and things all over his room with no real rhyme or reason as to why things are placed in certain areas. It makes sense to him obviously, but it is not the key organized thing you would expect. If it was all his trucks would be in one place for example.

We also can see Five is a bit more chaotic than his room implies on first glance. From both the Apocalypse and his kid bedroom Five has a habit of stacking books a bit haphazardly and storing things also a bit haphazardly as seen by the crate on top of his wardrobe, and the fact that he has stuff just piled into said wardrobe that comes tumbling out when Klaus does.

When it comes to his room location I believe it is on the third floor above Allison and Luther’s, on the second, and Klaus, Vanya, and Diego’s on the lower floor. Since we don’t know where Ben’s room is and the door across from Five’s is always shut, I do think that that is likely where Ben’s room was. But according to Five there are 42 Bedrooms in the place so it could be anywhere really.

Five’s room, like Five himself hides behind a layer of sparsity. You have to give him more than a cursory glance to know what is really going to get him deep down.

[one-boring-person]

You Died!

Alaric Saltzman x Reader

Context: Set towards the end of episode 20 of season 3, just after Alaric has completed his transformation. The reader is Ric's best friend and is distraught after finding out he will ultimately die, not yet knowing Esther has made him complete the transition.

Warnings: Blood, some death, "lethal" biting

A/N: This is my first time using Tumblr as a writing platform, so forgive me if the format is a bit off.

Exhilaration courses through me at the sensation of the wind rushing around me, the cold air blocked out by my riding leathers, thankfully, my helmet preventing my eyes from tearing up, keeping my vision clear enough for me to navigate the dark, twisting road with ease. Beneath me, my black and chrome roadster growls loudly, the vehicle responding to my every move with a sensitivity it’s always had, the engines revving as I push the bike into a faster pace, knowing no one else will hear me out here. Normally, I would never consider going out at this time, especially not on the motorbike, and definitely not at this ungodly speed, but after today’s events, I feel as if nothing else will clear my head sufficiently.

Tightening my grip on the handlebars, I try to ignore the grief gnawing away at my heart, planning to deal with it tomorrow in whatever way I feel fit, whether that be drinking ridiculous volumes of whiskey or beating up some poor punching bag somewhere, or doing something much more dangerous. For now, all I want to do is forget about the fact that my best friend died, or is currently dying, and that there’s nothing I can do about it. And I never got to tell him how I really feel. At that, I grit my teeth and accelerate the motorbike again, nearly hitting the 100 mph mark on the metre as I drive around the winding bends of the deserted road, the thrill at riding at such a speed doing little to cure my current state of mind, only reminding me of what he would say if he saw me being as reckless as this. Under my helmet visor, I feel a tear roll down my cheek, leaving a hot trail in its wake.

Turning a corner, I brake a little as I catch sight of the thick bank of fog that seems to occupy the road, unsure of whether or not to continue on into it; after all, Klaus is still out there and up to his tricks. Too late, I figure out the bike won't slow down in time to avoid it, so I carry on through the eerie white mist, cutting the speed slightly, only to push it back up again as I decide to get through it as fast as possible, even if I can barely see a thing. The headlight seems to do nothing, the pale light catching on the fog, making it appear thicker than it actually is, illuminating only what is directly in front of the front tyre.

For what feels like hours but is in fact only minutes, I drive through the bank of fog, slightly confused as to its sudden appearance, until I reach an abrupt break in the suffocating cover, everything becoming clear and visible very swiftly. I only have a second to register the figure standing in the road, in which time I sharply pull the handlebars to the side, tilting the bike dangerously as it skids past, the wheels losing traction on the slick tarmac, careening into the side of the road. As it makes contact with the barrier, I am flung from the seat, the world spinning in my view briefly before I crash to the floor, my body smashing against rocks and tree branches as it rolls over and over, coming to a halt at the base of a road sign, pain exploding across me from multiple points of my body. Breathing hard, I try to move, only to find myself incapable of doing so without invoking a sharp stab of agony from my new injuries, leaving me lying helplessly at the side of the road, bruises littering my skin, my conscience slowly starting to fade.

A pair of hands on my waist snap me from the cloud of pain, the appendages roughly pulling me up onto someone's shoulder as they carry me back onto the road, their breathing as heavy as mine. A whimper of pain leaves my lips at the jolting motions, the air leaving my lungs as I am thrown, violently, onto the tarmac, my head cracking against it slightly as my helmet absorbs the shock. Agony erupts in my limbs and chest, drawing a long, low groan from me as I try to find my assailant, confusion and horror filling me as I recognise the person standing over me. Bending over, he harshly pulls my helmet off my head, revealing my bruised face to the world as he looks down into it in disgust.

“Alaric?” I croak out coarsely, thinking I’m hallucinating, spitting out a mouthful of blood as it wells up in my throat, signalling to me that I have internal bleeding. Above me, my best friend and crush of six years eyes the trail of crimson liquid as it flows over my face, a hungry look in his now-dark eyes.

“(Y/N).” His voice is low and sinister, the tone proving to me it’s not the caring man I know and love, but the side of him I’ve come to call Psycho Alaric, due to his murderous tendencies.

“Y-You died...” The words are forced as I feel the agony of my injuries, both mental and physical, start to take over my body, more blood flowing from my parted lips.

Above me, Alaric crouches down to my level, a predatory look on his handsome face as he stares at my prone figure, taking in the torn riding leathers, as well as the darkening bruises surrounding my jaw and temple.

“I did.” He simply states before reaching down to me, pushing his arms under my torso as he pulls my body closer to his, one of his hands cupping the back of my head, threading his fingers tightly in my hair, the overall movement wringing a quiet whimper from me. Hearing this, Alaric licks his lips, his eyes roaming over the blood covering my chin, dropping to the skin at my neck.

“What...What're you doing?” I question him, fear starting to accompany the throbbing pain in my body as he lowers his face to mine, his breath fanning over my skin, hotly. At any other time, I would’ve felt giddy at the thought of being so close to him, but now it scares me – there’s something off about him.

In way of reply, Alaric leans further into me, his familiar scent overwhelming me, as well as the sharp odour of blood, swiftly swiping his tongue over my chin, drawing up the crimson liquid staining my skin, a surprised grunt leaving my lips as a hungry groan leaves his. Pulling away, he looks down at me with obvious desire, his face suddenly changing as familiar veins form under his eyes, his lips pulling back to reveal razor sharp fangs, the overall expression not unlike that of a vampire's. In seconds, he pulls me to him, crushing my body against his as he sinks his teeth into my neck, biting into the soft skin with ease, blood flowing from the wound into his mouth, his hot tongue swiping over the area a few times to draw up every drop of the hot liquid. Around my head and shoulders, his grip tightens, the sensation of him sucking my blood out of my arteries somehow feeling euphoric in comparison with the previous, agonising pain from the crash, a sigh falling from my tongue, moans and grunts of appreciation and need leaving the lips he has pressed against my neck.

Already, I feel my conscience leaving me, black spots appearing all over my vision as he finally pulls away, blood coating his chin and lips, satisfaction evident in his eyes as the veins and fangs retreat, dropping my limp body to the ground as he stands, wiping the substance away with his sleeve. Giving me one last glance, he smirks down at me before leaving my broken body lying on the tarmac, the pain becoming too much for me to bear as I finally fall into the darkness at the edge of my vision.

*

Bright light assaults my eyes as I crack them open, a dull ache starting in my head as I try to lift my hands to rub them, trying my best to remember where I am and how I got here. Coming up blank initially, I look around at the room I’m in, recognising the bed beneath me as belonging to one of the Salvatores, Damon in particular, meaning I'm in the boarding house.

“Morning, sleepy head.” A familiar voice greets me from the corner behind the bed, a quick look proving to me that it is, in fact, Damon.

“W-what happened?” I manage to croak out at him, confusion lacing my voice as I try to recall how I got here, staring blearily at the raven haired vampire as he rolls his eyes, exasperated at my question.

“You crashed your motorbike, I think. I found you a couple of hours ago with your body broken and bruised as hell, and with an impressive bite mark to top it all off. You were nearly completely drained of blood.” He responds, his tone light even though I can see the worry in his piercing eyes.

At his words, the events that got me here rush back, the images of Alaric drinking from my neck sparking a sense of dread in me.

“Alaric.” I mumble, knowing Damon will hear me, even from his position across the room. Instantly, I find the vampire standing at the side of the bed, having used his unnatural speed to reach me, a confused and curious look in his eyes.

“Alaric? What do you mean?” His voice is tight at the thought of his friend.

Swiftly, I explain everything to him, watching as a look of grim horror crosses his handsome face, realisation setting into me. Alaric, somehow, made the transition.

As if on cue, a bang from another room interrupts the silence that has settled on us, drawing my attention towards the door, a confused look on my face.

“That’ll be Bonnie.” Damon muses, brow creased a little as he stands, looking back down at me.

“Bonnie?” I question him, puzzled.

“Yeah, Alaric got her, too.”

Shock fixes me in place for a second before I can speak again.

“He did? How?”

A pained expression crosses his face at my question, the subject obviously a sensitive one.

“Our old friend the Original Witch possessed her to go and help him complete the transition. It was her blood that sealed the deal.”

“Esther did this?” Horror and hopelessness well up in at the idea of the witch being back, especially when I consider the fact that Alaric's fate has been sealed by her, at which point anger accompanies the initial feelings.

“Yep. I’m gonna go deal with Bonnie now. Get some rest, you'll need it for tomorrow.” Damon suggests, smiling slightly as he turns and leaves the room, allowing me to try and fall asleep once more, which is easier said than done, what with the turbulent thoughts and crippling grief churning around in my mind. Eventually, though, I manage to tire myself out, my body forcing itself to sleep.

[bisexualklausmikaelson]

distant fairytale ;

a/n: au/ or Freya casts a time travel spell to help Klaus bring Hayley back, needless to say he gets stuck in a time loop

―

The first time he goes back - he goes back too far.

(She’s sitting at Rousseau’s - laughing and Declan has a hand resting on her inner thigh. He’s leaning in close, too close. And Klaus needs to tame his anger because he’s not even supposed to be here. He’s supposed to be doing book signings in Monaco, he’s supposed to be off killing a bunch of tourists in New Zealand, having a blood binge with men and women alike, he’s supposed to be anywhere else).

“I haven’t felt this way about someone in a long time,” she says to Declan.

And they press foreheads together, he’s brushing his lips against hers. It’s their first kiss - her first kiss since Elijah. 

(Klaus clenches his fists, and just in time, Freya pulls him back in for another timeline).

―

The second time he goes back - he goes back too late.

(She’s burning - ashes to ashes, dust to dust - her corpse aflame creates images of her last moments in his mind’s eye. Dames dancing, bears chanting, hallucinations of other lives they lives flashing right before him).

“NO!” Klaus shouts again, uncontrollably. 

And, in his very long life, there are only a handful of moments that he would never want to relive. Henrik’s death, killing his own biological father, Mikael’s abuse, Rebekah’s betrayal and this.

(Hayley dies right in front of his eyes. He takes a minute to cry before he goes back).

―

The third time, he’s holding her in his arms and he’s not sure where they are.

Hope is maybe around seven years old - running around what he presumes is their apartment, chasing another child. A little boy; he has Henrik’s eyes, and Kol’s good hair. He has Rebekah’s bright smile and Elijah’s elegance. In this scenario, Hayley holds the little boy and kisses his cheek.

Only then does Klaus realize just how much they look alike.

Maybe - this is the non existent timeline where they are actually a normal family. They actually have another kid - they actually look so fucking happy.

(It takes him all his strength, all his might, all his will...every fiber of his being crumbles in order to walk away from this moment. As much as he loves it here with her, this isn’t right. This isn’t their future - it’s someone else’s).

―

He spits, god-toothed frown and anguish.

“Freya, get it right this time.”

“I’m trying, Klaus, I just have no control on where you land.”

“Well then, try harder.”

“Maybe if I get Hope to help, she is a stronger witch than I am after all.”

“This is black magic, I can’t risk putting my daughter’s life at risk again. You know the consequences of dabbling in the dark arts.”

“I do.”

They both pause, looking at the sacrifices they made in order to bring Hayley back. Freya sighs, then, she meets her brother’s gaze.

“Ready to try this again?”

“Always.”

He’s confident with his response.

―

This time, he’s arrives on the day of her wedding with Jackson, that moment where she had looked at him from across the room, when he almost stopped the ceremony to tell her that he loved her. His time with her is filled with so many ‘what-if’s that it’s almost tragic. It’s not even epic anymore - it’s just pathetic. 

He’s watching himself, watching her, marrying another man.

Just like he’s watching himself, watching her, building a home, raising their child, with another man. Another wolf, no less.

(He feels Freya’s hand wrap around his. 

She pulls him back).

―

The first time they meet is unexpected. And maybe that’s what he should re-do, he should make it so they never meet. That’s what happens in the movies, after all. It doesn’t seems to work though, not entirely in the way one hopes anyway. Klaus never finished those rom-coms though, so he doesn’t know any better. He always fell asleep on Hayley’s shoulder while she and Hope kept watching. 

She shows up to his place right behind Tyler. Klaus bolts out of the room, faster than lightening.

(Turns out fate has different plans for him - they meet anyway - when he’s a famous painter having his solo show in Prague, and she’s there laughing drunkenly at his art. She tells him she’s been following his work for a while. That they both amuse and intrigue her. He doesn’t run back to his sister like he had planned. Klaus takes Hayley out for a drink instead).

―

“Are you just gunna stare or are you gunna buy me a drink already?”

“That’s quite forward of you isn’t it, sweetheart?”

“Well, I’d rather you be direct with me than make me waste my time.”

“Fine, what do you want?”

“Any drink off the menu? Well that’s quite ballsy of you.”

“This might be my one chance to impress you, I might as well make it count.”

“One chance? Chill out, I’m not dying anytime soon.”

“Right.”

“Just get me a vodka cranberry, I’ll drain your bank account some other night.”

“I’ll hold you to that promise.”

―

And they fall in to bed, quite naturally this time.

With her coquettish smile, his snarky wit. Eyes glinting in the moonlight as they undress - her lips are on his neck, biting softly, teasing. There is that moment where he remembers that, in this life, she’s still a wolf. And she’s not the young thing he bedded the night she betrayed Tyler.

She’s older now, with smile wrinkles decorating the edge of each eye. Klaus smiles too, she must laugh a lot in order to have so many of those. It means he gave her a happier life. One free from the Mikaelson name.

Until tonight.

―

In the morning, he’s looking at her like she’s a love story.

“What are you thinking about? Going to ask me if I believe in love at first sight? Or first sex, rather. Whatever it is, the answer is no I do not. I’m a wolf you see, all of this is nothing but primal, my dear Nik.”

“Love? Who cares about love? My sweetest Andrea, I want to know if you believe in eternal damnation, in heartbreak, in loneliness. I want to know if you know what it’s like to mourn, to yearn hopelessly, to live in deep deep regret.”

Her eyes shift in color, tuning liquid gold at the sight of him.

“We’re never going to see each other again, are we?”

He sighs, fearing the look in her eyes.

“Maybe in our next lives.”

―

(The last time he goes back, she’s walking towards him with a hand over her swollen belly - and yeah, that’s where it all started. Only this time, Klaus doesn’t run.

He walks towards her, palm resting over hers. 

“The girl is pregnant with your child.”

“I know,” he says, without hesitation. “I’m going to take care of you, and I’m going give this child everything they could ever ask for.”

Hayley doesn’t know what to say - she hadn’t expected this kind of reaction from him. But, she doesn’t question the only moment of peace he had offered her since this entire situation even started.

She slips her fingers into his and smiles.

And they begin again).

― 

[all-sortsa-stuff]

Natural, part 4

Pairing: Klaus Michaelson x Reader

Word Count: 2731

Warning: Language

 Part 3

Your drive started out a little sad.  Between leaving Mystic Falls which had really turned into a lot of fun, and the fact you were going to try to save your family’s estate, your emotions had been on a bit of a roller coaster.  Sending up a prayer to the Gods for guidance and strength you started the rather long journey.  After the first seven hours you stopped for a late lunch/early dinner and gas.  You called Scarlet and talked to her while you ate alone in the little diner.  She tried her best to cheer you up, which did help slightly.  It made your meal better at least.

After an hour, you were back on the road for another six.  It was hard to keep your eyes open by the time you found a motel to crash for the night.  Originally you had wanted to drive right though until you hit New Orleans.  Of course stopping when needed for gas and a bathroom, but that was not happening.  Pouring yourself into bed, you were out for hours.  Sunlight through the dingy curtain and your phone going off woke you sometime the next day.

It was too bright to open your eyes fully so you did not look at the caller.  “Hello?”

“Did I wake you?” Stefan’s voice asked from the other end.

“Mmmhmm.”  

“I’m sorry.  I figured you would be awake by now.  It’s noon.”

“Noon?  Holy shit.  I slept like fourteen hours.”  Sitting up you tried to remember the last time you had slept that long.

“You alright?”  He sounded concerned as you ran your fingers through your hair, staring out the window.

“Umm yeah, just tired I guess.”

“I take it you didn’t make it to New Orleans yet since you said it’s been fourteen hours.”  With a sigh, you leaned back against the headboard.

“Nope.  I am somewhere in Alabama.”  You heard a soft laugh from the other end.

“Alabama… that place a hundred years ago…”

“It’s too early for a history lesson, Stefan.”  That gifted you with another laugh, which brought a smile to your lips.

“Fine, fine.  Calling me ancient or something.  I just wanted to see how you were.  I was… well honestly I was worried about you.”  That caused a flip of your heart.

“Thank you for the worry but I will be okay.  I promise.”

“You can’t promise that, [Y/N].  You are a witch and our world…. It isn’t safe.  I think you know that more than most.”  He was starting to sound like Scarlet.

“I know, I know.  I will do what I can to stay safe.  Okay?”  

“Please do.  I will always come to help if you need me.”  The rest of the conversation moved on to your plans for travel that day.  Stefan made you promise to call him that night when you arrived.  He threatened to follow you down there if you did not.

 Hours later in the Southern sun and heat, you finally made it to New Orleans.  It had been several years since you had been there but it smelled exactly the same as you drove down one of the main streets.  However, the feel was different.  No longer were you with your parents during happy times and summer vacations.  This time alone, and as a more powerful witch you could feel the essence of magic that permeated so much of the city.

You stopped first at one of the small markets to pick up food, and a few cleaning supplies. Unsure of how dusty everything would be and what your mother had actually kept in stock.  Your parents had last been down over the summer and were supposed to come back for Mardi gras.  But they were killed not long after returning to Salem in September.  It made your heart hurt thinking about it.

As you drove towards the road that would take you to the house, you saw a witch’s shop off to the right. Without thinking, you pulled into the sole parking spot just outside.  As you slowly walked inside the strong smell of incense swirled together with the fragrances of the different herbs that hung from a racks close to the register.  A beautiful woman with dark skin and a high ponytail called out to her from behind the counter.  “Welcome. Anything I can help you find?”

You could see the coven tattoo on her forearm as she set the book down she had in her hands.  “Sage?  I need to bless and purify my home.  Make sure there is nothing there to keep me up at night.”  

“I have a few bundles over here, sugar.”  The woman walked over to the rack that was close to the front window, picking up one of the bundles and extending it out to you.  Your hand brushed hers as you took the sage.  There had been a flash of power between the touch but she said nothing, only eyeing you warily.  “Uhh… is there anything else I can get you?  I have some lovely protection crystals.”

“Not today.  I need to see what is there before I go stocking up. Thank you though.  I am glad to see there is a place if I need anything.” She smiled as you followed to the register.

“Name’s Amberline, sugar. It’s my shop; if you ever need anything just let me know.  I’ve got more than what is out here.  For those… events that need an extra kick.”  With a wink, she finished the transaction handing you the now bagged bundle of sage. As you exited the shop, the bag and your purse went flying as you went to the ground, landing square on your ass.

A flurry of apologies came with a pair of strong hands lifting you at an incredible pace back to your feet.  Hands that were a bit too powerful to be human.  A teenage girl and a guy not too much younger than you… or did not look too much younger than you both were scrambling to pick up your strewn items. “I am so sorry.  I was reading my book and…”

“It’s fine, don’t worry. I’m good.”  You wiped off your now sore ass as you looked between them.  He was a vampire; there was no missing the air about him.  But here in the daylight he tried to hide it.  She, with the book she had now clutched in her arms was a witch.  The book looked to be a tome of spells.  The vampire handed you your belongings with a shy smile.

“Yeah sorry.  We should have been paying attention.” Taking your purse and the bag of sage, you smiled.

“Really, it’s okay. It was an accident.”  A flash of an image appeared in your mind of the girl frustrated over something.  She slammed her hand down on a table as you realized the spell she had been working over. “Add less of the flower petals next time.  Less is more in some cases.”

You walked off towards your Jeep, flashing a wink at her.  The girl looked like she was in shock as her mouth hung open.  The rest of your trip to the house was uneventful.  As you pulled into the driveway and the house came into view, pain gripped your heart.  All the memories here with your parents came rushing back.  By the time, you parked the Jeep you were a crying mess. The flower garden in the front was overgrown but held the ghosts of the memories of you planting all the season’s flowers each summer with your mother.

The old hammock was torn and tattered but reminded you of the lazy afternoons you would drink sweet tea with your father as you relaxed together in it.  Sage was not going to rid the house of everything.  Sometimes the memories would cause more harm than anything else would.

 You made yourself a sandwich for dinner eating it as you stood looking at the formal living room. The house had been part of a large plantation at one time, but much of the land had been sold over the years. The main house had burned in the 1920’s though it was never found out how or why.  The lone survivor was the eldest son who then inherited the land. He took over one of the other larger houses on the plantation that his uncle and aunt had lived in.  There he raised his own family passing the property down to his children.

Many years later when your grandfather had died just before you were born, your father inherited what was left of the land and the house.  Now here you stood looking at all the covered furniture deciding that it would wait until the morning.  You wanted to walk outside and listen to the quiet before you tried to lay down to sleep.

Walking onto the back porch you leaned against one of the large white columns sighing loudly.  You father had told you that he had started building a greenhouse in the back yard.  It was no doubt to entice you to join them during their trips to New Orleans for the summers.  However, it would not have surprised you if they had started to plan to make it more than just the summerhouse.  While they had not been of retirement age yet, Salem was bitter cold during the winters. After a while, it ate away at you.

The basic frame of the greenhouse was up.  It needed a lot more work but it would be almost as large as the one you had back home. The thought of all of the different plants you could grow down here all year long popped into your mind.  Which led to you taking a walk through the framework. Your hand brushing over the wood beams that your father had put up himself.  Another image appeared in your mind of him with his radio blaring 80’s music as he sang along horribly.  Hammering away as your mom was not far off in a lounger reading a book.

There was so much work for you to do around the place but you had to figure out if you could even save the property from being taken away.  Fifteen thousand was a lot, but you would do everything you in your power to make it. Instead of a call, you sent Stefan a quick text that you had arrived safely. It just was not in you to have a full conversation.  Too many things were running through your thoughts. You did not sleep as well that night as you had the previous night.  Nightmares of the house taken away plagued you.

In the morning, you were up early drinking a second cup of coffee by the time eight rolled around. Dressing as nicely as you could in the clothes you had, you made your way to the bank.  A balding man about your height had ushered you to his desk as soon as you walked in.  “Paul Thompson, miss.  Please tell me how I can help such a lovely lady today.”

The strong New Orleans accent could not be missed as he stood until you had sat in front of him. Explaining the situation and him pulling the information up on the computer, he shook his head.  “Now there’s not a whole lot I can do for you in this type of situation.  How hard is it gonna be for you to come up with the money?”

“I only have about five thousand in my savings, which is from my business.  I don’t know how I am going to come up with another five in thirty days and five more the thirty after that.”  He tutted a bit in an attempt at understanding.

“Well are ya willing to sell the property?  I mean that would pay it outright and you would be done with it.”

“No sir, I am not letting my family’s property go.  I will figure out a way.”  You clasped your hands together tightly on his desk.

“Thought so, well Miss Avery I look forward to working with ya on this.  Please call me anytime if I can do anything to help.  And… well I will talk with my manager and see if there isn’t maybe a little something we can do to ease a bit of this.”  Standing you shined the brightest smile you could at him.  Maybe it would soften him up a bit.  Paul’s cheeks went flush red as he shook your hand.

“Thank you so much.”  He babbled something you could not understand as you walked out the door.  Once outside you took a long breath to give yourself a moment before you knew you had to prepare for the worst.  You were going to have to find a job or two, perhaps three in the city to be able to even come close to what you needed.  Even then, it was not likely you would do it.  Nevertheless, refused to go down without a fight.

 After walking along the streets for a while, watching the people bustle about New Orleans you found a little café that had outdoor seating.  You were halfway through coffee and a beignet when something slammed down on the table spilling your coffee over your clothes and sending your sweet treat to the ground.  A woman ran past holding her mouth before violently getting sick in the potted plant close by.  Looking down at the table a purse that did not belong to you sat in the middle of the disaster.

“My apologies, she is… ill. Let me pay your bill and give you something for dry cleaning your clothes.”  One of the most pleasant male voices you had ever heard spoke out as you looked up.  The voice belonged to a face that had you forgetting to breathe.  Handsome was not good enough of a word to describe him.  

“Umm no… it’s alright. These clothes are old, they will wash.”  Standing, you used one of the linen napkins to wipe some of the residual liquid from your pants.  Your shirt font was covered as were both of your thighs.  Good thing the coffee had cooled a bit before it happened.  The woman came back looking embarrassed and still covering her mouth.  The man handed her a handkerchief that she gladly accepted, wiping her face.  

“I’m so sorry.  I couldn’t stop it.  I didn’t mean to ruin your clothes or your lunch.”  You smiled, understanding the cause.  The energy the woman put off was easily recognizable.

“Ginger root and lemon tea with a teaspoon of honey in the morning would help that.”  The woman and man both looked confused.

“For the morning sickness. Ginger root and lemon tea with honey before your feet touch the floor.  It’s a great help for it.”  Both looked like they wanted to deny it but you shook your head.  “If you want to keep it a secret it’s fine.  But I swear it works.”

The man extended his hand towards you though the look on his face was one of serious questioning.  “I am Elijah, Miss?”

Taking his hand you squeeze a bit as you shook.  “[Y/N].”

Elijah nodded before releasing your hand.  “Haley and I are deeply sorry for the trouble.  If you won’t take money for dry cleaning, at least let me pay the check and for more of the beignets.”  

“Yes, please.  It would make me feel better for ruining your lunch and your clothes.”  Haley smiled as she clasped her hands together.  The look on her face broke your resolve.

“Alright, that’s fine. But really, it is no big deal.  I just seem to have that kind of luck lately. Thank you for picking up the check. I hope you feel better Haley.” You picked up your purse and walked back towards your Jeep.  The feeling of their eyes still on you as you walked away.  Stefan’s words of warning came to mind as you climbed up into the vehicle.  The last day made you wonder if everyone in New Orleans was part of the supernatural world. The witches and vampire from the previous day, now this vampire and you were fairly certain a wolf, today.  All you wanted was to save your home and grow flowers.  You really did not think it was too much to ask.

Part 5

Tags: @bolontiku  @aquabrie   @malindacath  @almondbuttercup @hellkat2  @dustycelt  @sassymcgonagal1651  @a-series-of-reasonable-events @dearestniklause  @hannah795 @somethingweird168  @cozyjaws  @graysonmalfoy

[ashleighxx]

Klarolineauweek|Mythical Creatures

So I have been debating on posting this for today or tomorrows as its kinda the same?! But Abby told me to post it today (Such a good pet :P) Thank you for also looking over this for me too! @3tinkgemini

Dedicated to the amazing Kelly @garglyswoof for helping me out on my drabble for Vacay! Hope you like it :D 

Dyfed, Wales, 1002 a.d

The first time he saw her, he thought it was a hallucination, that he was high on the blood he consumed from the fallen.

She was at in the middle of the field, dead bodies strewn about the area, their blood dripping into the soil. Her blonde waves covering her pale skin as he could see her hand clutch around around a man, rocking him back and forth, could hear her wailing over and over. Her body shaking with the wracking of her sobs. Too consumed in her grief, the young woman didn't notice him creep closer, he thought she would be an easy fresh meal to indulge in after consuming stale blood to sustain him until they travelled to the next village.  

She finally looked up and locked eyes with his, her eyes red raw, almost as if she had been crying blood.

Light footsteps in the distance alerted him of his siblings presence, getting closer to him. He turned to see how close they were when he noticed the mist around his feet, growing thick and fast, spreading outwards towards his family. Looking back at the blonde to see where she was, he noticed she had disappeared, a black raven in her place, flying up to the dull, dark sky, taking the mist away with its departure.

When his brothers and sister finally reached where he stood, they dismissed his questions about the mist, the raven and the blonde, neither of them seen anything out of the ordinary, so he shrugged it off.

They had more pressing concerns than a hallucination brought on by tainted blood.

Their Father, Mikael, was hunting them down. Was going to end their existence after him and their mother tried to play God.

Their youngest brother, Henrik, had been ravaged by the wolves in the nearby village. It had been a fascination for the pair for years, to witness the men shift into their wolf forms, and little Henrik was determined to see them, even if that meant he would go alone. So Niklaus went with him, leaving the safety of the caves in order to witness the men transform and to keep his younger brother safe. But he failed dreadfully in doing so. The moment Henrik fell from the tree branch, a wolf came and dragged large, deadly claws down his chest. He was about to sink into his neck greedily, but the sound of a loud howl caught its attention first, sending the wolf after the threat and leaving the bloodied and battered body of Henrik on the ground.

The family was distraught and their mother, who was a healer, tried her all to bring him back to them. With no luck she turned her attention to her living children, tried to make them stronger than the wolves in order to keep them safe, but she didn't know of the consequences of her actions and had turned them into beasts.

Realising what she had done, how little control they had on their bloodlust, she turned her husband into the same creature in order to rid them from the world and correct her mistakes.

Florence, Italy, 1100 a.d

The Mikaelson siblings had settled down in Italy after their stay with the De Martels in Southern France a century ago, settling with the Count and his family after they fled from the old continent via England. It was there that the family gained the knowledge of creating creatures just like them and they had travelled across Europe turning humans into vampires in order to distract Mikael from hunting them.

News of vampires had spread from quiet whispers in crowded dens, to humans becoming hunters and exposing the creatures in front of mass crowds. Even though the family had found the human hunters amusing to watch, they felt safe in the knowledge of them being indestructible. They began inviting the hunters into their home, sharing tales of vampire rampages from other towns and taking delight that the hunters never knew the tales were about them.

This was what led to Rebekah falling in love with one of them, Alexander.

Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah, Finn and Kol were sat around their large meeting room, as was most of the rooms in their manor, holding five large personalities in a small and confined space was asking for trouble. They were discussing what they were going to do about the group of hunters who named themselves ‘The Five’. Too much exposure would be disastrous and the brothers were not happy with Rebekah putting them closer to danger by sleeping with the enemy. No matter how weak they seemed.

Kol and Rebekah had been bickering when there was a persistent knock on the window pane, a raven pecking at the glass trying to get their attention. They had ignored it, would rather throw themselves at each other and throw insults back and forth then deal the a pesky animal.

Elijah's patience wore thin, with both the constant bickering and incessant pecking, and he strolled to the window opening it, intending to shoo the bird but instead it flew inside. Thick, grey mist flooded and filled the room, the temperature decreasing dramatically and disappeared as quickly as it came, revealing a young, blonde woman standing in the middle of the Mikaelsons.

“You look familiar.” Klaus stood up from his seat, confused, trying to place where he had saw this woman before.

“I've never met you before.” She brushed him off, catching the eyes of the family as her voice dropped ominously, “But I am here to warn you.” “Warn us of what?” Elijah asked her.

“Your deaths. It’s getting closer…” the blonde tried to inform them, but was cut off by their laughs, not taking her seriously. She shrugged and muttered Chwandinaidd under her breath before she transformed back into a raven and flying off, leaving the family both stunned at what she could be and amusement to think they could die so easily. That night, after entertaining the hunters to a meal, the family members were daggered and were it not for Klaus’ inability to be put down by the magically crafted weapons, the family would have been taken to the great hunter, The Destroyer.

Devon, England, 1495

Over the course of the centuries, Klaus would be visited by a Raven.

Knocking on his bedroom window in Athens, perched in a tree watching him in Moscow, following him around in Warsaw and again hovering in Prague. Each time he saw the creature, he took it as an omen and gathered the family and fleeing straight away.

His siblings would be confused and curious to know how Klaus would know that their father would be gaining closer to them. News that the village they were staying in would have been burnt to the ground the day after they had fled the area, that they would have been caught and killed, made him trust the beautiful, black raven.

They had stayed in England for the past few decades, travelling from city to town around the country to take in the beautiful countryside sights. He had recently moved to Devonshire after the debacle with the Petrova doppelganger in their previous residence three years ago, as his minions continued searching for the young vampire. His loyal servants knew not to mess up and let her get away from their grasp. They had a healthy amount of fear not to betray him. The last he knew, The Destroyer was causing carnage in his wake through Europe, cleansing the continent from creatures of the night. Rumors were whispered in fear amongst the supernatural that The Destroyer had decided to solely feed off those creatures he deemed abominations rather than from humans to sate his hunger and to destroy them in one fail swoop..

Klaus was sat in his bed, fully sated of his lust and hunger, sketching yet another drawing of the first time he met the blonde. He had a collection of drawings, ravens featuring in most of them from where he had been warned to flee. But the image of what he had first thought was a hallucination was getting clearer the more he drew the scene.

It was real.

She was real.

He awoke to the sounds of wailing in the nearby forest. He placed the sketch book on his side table and used his vampire abilities to dress quickly and jump out of his window, off to see who dared waked him.

He stopped a few miles into the dense wooded area where the river bank would be, he could barely see it through the thick, heavy, grey mist that threatened to consume the forest whole. The wailing that woke him up had dissipated into quiet sobs, but loud enough to know he was close to whomever they came from. The fog had slowly cleared up, eerily in tune with the sobbing, to reveal the blonde woman he had just been drawing. She sat on the marshy area, half in the water, half on the muddy banking. There in her arms was a of a man, drenched and dead, his legs still floating in the river.

He had drowned.

It didn't take too long after his arrival for her to notice his gaze and she carefully placed the man onto the ground as she stood up and turned to leave.

Klaus followed her, the woman of his dreams and the raven who saved him. Wanting, no, needing answers. He didn't like being indebted to a creature for reasons he still did not understand. His mind swarmed with all the questions he thought of in the dead of night.

“What is your name?” His voice stumbled out in surprise that that was the first to form on his lips.

“Caroline.” She replied, her tone a little bit snipped.

He flashed by her as she carried on strolling through the trees, hoping to see her face as she practically ignored him. “And what are you exactly, love?” She have him a pointed look, registering his presence and that he  wouldn't leave her alone until she gave him some sort of answers. He looked into the eyes that still was still red and puffy from crying, but her crystal blue eyes shone through, stunning him at her beauty. “I have been called many things.” She spoke in a clipped tone with her head held high, “The Wailing Woman, Harbinger of Death and Banshee to name a few.”

“So what is it that you do exactly? How do you turn into a raven? Why do you?” Klaus found that once he began voicing his questions he couldn’t stop. The pure need to know more about her taking over every inch of him. She stopped walking and Klaus feared she would fly away without giving him some more answers he wanted, but she turned more toward him and sighed, he held back a flinch at the annoyance written clearly on her face.

“I warn those families under my protection of their death, mourn those who have died and stay with the dying so that they aren't alone.”

The heavy set in her shoulders and the melancholy in her lyrical voice touched him deeply as he whispered,  “Why would you do that?”

“Cause all life is precious, Niklaus. Even yours.” He raised an eyebrow at that, her clipped response had him wonder why she would continue to warn and save his life after he took so many others, others she may have mourned while he relished in their death, satisfied by their blood.

“My family is under protection?” she nodded and turned back to walk away. “Why?”

“I have no idea, but I wish I didn't have too.” She said with as much disdain as possible.

“Why?” He pressed, shocked at her hatred, wanting to know what irked her so much and why she still looked after them.

“Because your kind killed my family.” She snapped, her eyes flashing and her chest heaving.

“Vampire weren't around the first time I saw you.” Klaus scoffed, “And I know my family only fed from the fallen villagers.”

“Your still vikings.” She snarled as if the name alone was like ash in her mouth.

"You hold a grudge,” His blue eyes widened in stun, “not because I am a vampire, but because I am a viking?"

"Vikings killed my mother, my husband. A vampire did not." She sneered in contempt and with that she transformed, her dark raven feathers glistening in the moonlight as flew away, leaving Klaus alone, angry and amaused. His hand itching to draw their newest encounter. Itching to draw her face, now that he knew the exact shade of her blue orbs, knew how bright her light shine within her.

Mystic Falls, Virginia, January 2013

Klaus hated doppelgangers, with a passion.

The most recent being nothing but a nuisance in his life. He finally managed to use her as a sacrifice and become whole again, freeing his wolf and breaking the curse his mother bound it to with her death. But then her pesky friends had managed to safe her life in the process. If it wasn't for her blood being a key ingredient in the making of more hybrids, he would have killed her, again, but this time just for the sport of it. Now that she had turned into a vampire, however, she had made it her life's mission to rid the world of the Mikaelsons. He had finally killed Mikael, freeing himself and his family from the constant torment of having The Destroyer forever nipping at their heels, and now he had three young vampires and an untrained witch on his case filling his life with irritating annoyance. He had made up his mind and was ready to leave them to their pathetic plans and teen drama, but a hunter of the illusive ‘Five’, one that was not an original member, had appeared, piquing his interests and keeping him in the town a little longer. His younger brother Kol, had come back spewing nonsense of some bedtime story they listened to as children, warning them of the first immortal Silas and what would happen should he be awakened.

Klaus didn't believe it then, and he doesn't believes it now, but Kol was determined to stop the rag tag group from doing something they would all come to regret. This is what caused him to stand in a terror induced rage, clutching the wooden doorframe, screaming at the insolent teens to invite him into their home.

Kol was weakened with vervain, trapped in the Gilbert kitchen with the indestructible white oak stake in Jeremy's hand, aiming for his baby brothers heart. Elena spraying vervain laced water from the taps on him to keep him distracted. He couldn't watch another sibling die in this cursed town.

Not after Finn.

Not after...Henrik.

Klaus was stood there, eyes burning from the tears welling up in his despair. The world was about to burn down, just after he tortures Elena and Jeremy. As soon as Jeremy brought his hand up, ready to strike Kol, a piercing squawk nearly shook the house, shocking them all as a black raven flew at the young boy trying to peck at him.   The surrounding temperature dropped suddenly, a cold, thick mist traveled into the house and Caroline stood in between the Gilbert's and his brother, shielding him with her imposing form. She took her entrance and the distraction to her advantage and wrestled the stake out of their possession and helped Kol out of the back door, Klaus meeting them on the other side ready to flash them out of harm's way to the safety of his home. The young hunter snarled in frustration and had managed to grab his crossbow, aiming for Klaus to temporarily take him down so that they could still get to Kol, but Caroline saw it coming and move in its way first, the arrow piercing her through the chest. Klaus roared at the scene, catching Caroline moments before she hit the ground. With his adrenaline and anger pumping, he managed to take hold of both her limp body and his weakened brother and flashed them to his mansion with as much speed he could possess. . She awoke to shouting and the sound of glass being shattered against something. Groggily, she brought her hands up to massage her temples. Dying usually gave her the worst of migraines. Groaning, she opened her eyes to the destruction of the lounge she was placed in. She swung her legs off the couch while she sat up, alerting the Mikaelsons of her recovered state.

“Great, sleeping beauty awakes.” Rebekah muttered angrily as Klaus looked away sheepishly.

That caught Caroline’s attention, causing her curiosity to flare. The two brothers were also present. Kol, the one she saved along with the elder, and reputedly more moral brother, Elijah. All four of them had their attention focused solely on her now, their argument seemingly forgotten as they stared at her expectantly and slightly confused. She pressed her lips, ready to ask them why they were looking at her in such a manner, until she remembered that she had just died.

“Ohh.” She managed to rasp, her voice still sore from death. “I’m immortal, so I can't die. Well I can die but I can’t die-die.” “How are you alive?” Elijah questioned her skeptically, uncertain of who or what she was or if she posed any type of threat to his siblings.

“He can explain that to you.” She waved her hand towards Klaus as she stood up and spotted the front door of the mansion. "Your leaving?" Klaus asked, his bewilderment clouding his voice and features, as she began to walk out of the door.

"You left first, Klaus." She stated primly as she brushed passed him. He grabbed onto her upper arm to halt her steps, forcing her to turn towards him. "What's that supposed to mean?" “I would have ran with you when you left Chicago, you know.” She whispered to him as she smiled a little, even if they both knew it wasn't a real smile.

"I left to keep you safe from my father. He would have killed you." He attempted to reason with her, neither noticing that his siblings had quietly filed out of the room. "But I can't die." She stressed. "I didn't know that. I was afraid he would find you and..." He looked away, sighing as he licked his lips. A clear sign of his that she knew all too well, he was nervous about what it was he was feeling and thinking. He shook his head as if to stop his train of thought before looking back to her. His eyes spoke of his deep desperation, his need for her to understand and believe him. "I tried to look for you.” He laughed humorously, “In fact, my minions are still out searching for you as we speak."

“I'm not just leaving because you left first,” She gave in a little, cocking her hip and waving her hand about, “I do have a life you know. Outside of the whole saving lives and supporting and morning the dead. So once you’re done with whatever mess you got yourselves into here, I’ll be in New Orleans.”

He drew her closer to him as she made to leave his side, the hand still on her arm dragged her near as he bent down towards her ear, his warm breath tickling the side of her neck. “Good, because I intend to be your last love, Caroline.” He whispered and kissed her slowly and lovingly on her cheek.

He watched her leave and caught sight of the small genuine smile she failed to hide from him as the door swung closed behind her. Caroline could swear she still felt his eyes upon her, sending her mind to drift back to a time when his eyes, and hands, rarely left her.

Chicago, USA, 1920

Smoothing her red flapper dress down, she placed her coat on the rack and made her way to the bar.

She had not been in Chicago for long before hearing of the most sought out bar in the city, Gloria’s. Prohibition sucked, but the supernatural underworld usually thrived in these types of scenarios, which led Caroline to assume the woman would be a witch. They were famous for owning pubs and bars these past few decades.

Settling down on the bar stool, she waved a waitress over and placed her order of champagne before she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. A gust of wind shook her beads on her dress, causing them to clank against each other.

“Is my family in danger once again?” A husky voice caught her off guard.

Caroline turned around to see Niklaus Mikaelson. “Nope,” She groaned as she took her glass from the woman tending the bar. “Just a simple case of bumping into each other.”

Sensing her withdrawal from his presence Klaus leaned in further into her personal space.

“Come on, get to know me. I dare you.” He whispered in her ear, causing goosebumps to travel down her spine, leaning back to see her response, his eyes twinkled.

“I’m too smart to be seduced by you.” She protested, chugging her glass of champagne and placed it on the bar.

Caroline stood up to leave with Klaus grinning at her. “Well that's why I like you.”

Unamused, she rolled her eyes and made her way towards the door. Glancing back at the ancient creature, leaning against the wooden bar, staring over her body before reaching her eyes. She couldn't help the shy smile that grew over her lips before storming out of the building.

She had been in the Windy City for a few months now and she really had been enjoying herself. She loved to visit the boutiques and Gloria’s bar was her favourite go-to to let her hair down. It helped that a certain creature resided his time there too. After she first bumped into him, it took her another two weeks to go back to the bar. But after a few sightings of him around the city, she couldn't help but feel drawn to him. Call it curiosity, or her lack of refusing a dare, she eventually dolled herself up and danced her worries away. Klaus left her alone as she worked the room, seducing the men, though she couldn't stop feeling shivers travel down her spine as his eyes bore under her skin.

It took a month for him to dance her off her feet, another to fall into bed with each other, and a third for her to realize that he slipped his way inside of her walls and that she didn't mind at all. She was having the time of her life. They danced, romanced and shared their passions, secrets and fears. Her second most favourite place in Chicago became Gloria’s, the first was Klaus’ studio where they spent hours closed up in the room, the stench of paint and lust on their skins.

She laid in bed, exhausted, sleepy. The slow, lazy patterns being drawn on her shoulder blade, down her spine before travelling to her thigh, lulling her to sleep. "I always wondered..." she heard Klaus murmur. "Hmm?" "Whenever one of us is in danger, you come to me instead of any of my siblings." He paused, but carried on drawing invisible art over her body with his skillful fingers. "Like when my father was going to kill Kol for all his recklessness in Spain. You told me first and we managed to set sail to New Orleans." She hummed as she began drifting off to sleep and she realised she hadn't answered him. "I don't know. Maybe it's something to do with nature." "What do you mean, love?" "Well in nature, ravens and wolves are natural friends. So why should it be different? I'm a raven and your a wolf." She managed to reveal before drifting off into a deep sleep, barely registering him freeze behind her.

New Orleans, Louisiana, October 2013

Caroline brushed past the party goers to find the right spot. Dancing had been her favourite pastime, and even if this era seemed more provocative than she had grew up in, she still loved to let loose of everything and just feel the beat of the music, swaying her hips with the rhythm.

Lost in the music, she didn’t feel the the familiar presence until it was right behind her.

Hands smoothly gliding on her waist stilled her for a moment before she was pressed closer into his chest, her head resting on his body as he swayed to the music with her. His nose brushed the hair that was on her neck away before his lips descended on her, trailing them up and down, nibbling.

She groaned in response and spun around, arms wrapping around his neck as she pulled him close.

“My last love.” She managed to purr before she greedily took his lips with hers.

** Chwandinaidd (Scandinavians in Welsh) **

[neuronary]

[image description: ten gifs of Luther Hargreeves, with lyrics to ‘Only Son’ by Shakey Graves overlayed in grey handwriting font.

gif one: A young Luther Hargreeves from the chest up, standing under an umbrella at his brother’s funeral. His jaw is clenched and there are tears in his eyes. It is snowing. The text reads ‘I used to be an only son’.

gif two: Luther, an adult now, stands in his father’s office, in the centre of the frame. The back of Reginald’s head is visible in the foreground, blurry. Luther is wearing a mission jumpsuit and speaking to Reginald. The text reads ‘My heart was but a stranger’.

gif three: The Umbrella Academy stands outside a bank after their first public mission, in number order. Luther waves to the crowd. Diego stands stiffly with one hand on the knife strapped to his chest. Allison stands, only slightly less stiffly, posing for the cameras and smiling. Klaus and Five laugh. Klaus has an elbow on Five’s shoulder. Ben stands to Five’s other side, covered in blood. He looks nervously off to the side, clearly uncomfortable. The text reads ‘It wallowed in the races won’.

gif four: A young Luther leaps past his father down a narrow hallway as Reginald claps his hands impatiently. He is wearing the same mission suit as in the second gif, in preparation for an upcoming mission. He is grinning excitedly. The text reads ‘And craved the petty dangers’.

gif five: Luther, an adult again, stands on the surface of the moon, alone, staring up at the stars. He is wearing a space suit and sporting a really ugly beard. The camera angle changes to show his back and the stars he is looking at. The text reads ‘When it sat alone and pined and pondered’.

gif six: An adult Luther stares at a framed cross-stitch of an umbrella academy domino mask and a pair of knives, arranged like a skull and crossbones. The camera angle pans in so that his reflection in the glass pane of the picture frame aligns with the domino mask in such a way that he seems to be wearing it. The text reads ‘Oh, the chosen roads it had to wander’.

gif seven: An adult Luther is seen from above, lying on a hospital bed. He is unconscious and his bare chest is badly burnt. Grace applies defibrillators unsuccessfully as Reginald observes. The text reads ‘I used to be an only son’.

gif eight: A close shot of an adult Luther’s shoulder and face in profile as he leans against the side of a boxing ring. He turns towards the wall looking tired and frustrated. He is wearing a plain white vest. The text reads ‘My heart was but a gambler’.

gif nine: An adult Luther sits alone in a room, silhouetted against a bright window and surrounded by unopened packets of his moon research. He is wearing a large overcoat. He slumps, heartbroken and defeated, and looks around at the remnants of his time on the moon. The text reads ‘Heavy as a loaded gun’.

gif ten: An adult Luther stands against a backdrop of the bar in his childhood home, unfamiliar in its sixties form. He looks lost and confused. The text reads ‘And it howled above the weather’.

/end image description]

Luther Hargreeves + Only Son by Shakey Graves

[codenamewitcher]

Mercy Pt 6

Song: 4 AM - Paris Lain / Blood - Paul Butcher; Taylor Hill

I stared into Kol's hazel eyes, my hands on his shoulders and his on my waist, dancing to the beat of the song playing. The bass flowed through my body, sending shivers throughout my veins.

With each lyric, I was put deeper under his spell. Every step made me fall in deeper in love with him, I couldn't help myself. No words were exchanged between us, we just knew.

I felt pure happiness, dancing in his bedroom. I was home.

That feeling was ripped away from me as I woke up to my phone blaring. I reached over, answering the call without looking at the caller ID, pissed beyond belief.

"What?" I hissed harshly.

"Damn, somebody woke up on the wrong side of bed." Damon's voice breaks through the line.

"No shit," I leaned my head back onto the pillow, closing my eyes, and Kol's hazel eyes flashed behind my eyelids. "Why did you call?"

"Silas has Bonnie and he plans on destroying the veil to the other side." At Damon's words, hope blossoms in my chest.

"And why are you telling me this?" I asked, as if I didn't care.

"Because I need your help to stop him." All my hope died, he was asking me to stop something of where I could see my best friend.

"Okay," I agreed, but I was going to go behind his back to make sure the veil dropped. "Where and when is he planning this?"

"Tonight at the high school, I'll see you there." The lone went dead.

I was going to see Kol.

I could barely breathe.

Everything seemed brighter than normal today, even underneath my sunglasses, it was bright. I was happy, smiling even for the first time in a long time.

I was going to get Kol back tonight, even if it meant getting down and dirty.

I felt free.

The was a spring in my steps, I was practically jumping with happiness, glowing with it.

I swing open the Mystic Grill doors, my smile widening, and walk up to the bar, taking my sunglasses off.

"Hi Matt," his eyes widen in surprise.

"No nickname, jokes?" He was generally worried.

"Not today," I slid into a bar stool next to Damon, who also had a look of surprise. "I would like a bourbon though, please." He nodded, still looking at me weird, but went off to go complete the order. "So, what's the plan for tonight?"

"Well-" Damon is cut of as the lights flickered in the grill and then go off. "It's already started." He whispered, then he's phone rings, Sheriff Forbes popped up on the screen.

"Hello," Damon said, taking a slip of his bourbon.

"I need you at the hospital, now." Matt placed my bourbon on the bar.

"Thank you," I said to him, raising the glass to him, and drinking.

"Okay, Y/N and I will be there soon." Damon then ended the call.

"Oh come on, I just got my drink." I whined, not necessarily wanting to deal with this town's problems at the moment.

"And you'll have plenty more, now let's go."

"Buzz kill, literally." I take one last sip of my drink as Damon yanked me out of my seat and to his car.

"Okay, what's so important that Damon yanked me away from my drink?" I asked Sheriff Forbes as we walked up to her.

"I'll show you," she leads us to the hospital's blood bank. When we get in there, she opened the doors to the refrigerators, revealing the hospital's lack of blood. "A vampire took all the blood."

"Not just a vampire, but Silas." I said, my blood running cold with the possibilities of his power. "He's been desecrated for hundreds - thousands of years, he needs the blood to gain the strength he's lost, plus what he's doing tonight. There's no telling the possibilities of his powers, we probably only just got a taste."

I looked at Damon, scared out of my mind. "What have you done?"

"What do you mean, what have I done?"

"We wouldn't be in this mess if you fools never started looking for the cure." After the words left my mouth, they sparked a new type of anger in Damon.

"We wouldn't be in this mess if you and Katherine hadn't showed up on that damn island."

"Guys-" Sheriff Forbes tried stopping our arguing, but I cut her off before she could get another word in.

"Katherine and I wouldn't even have showed up to that island if you hadn't completed the hunters mark, or murdered Kol." Tears were in my eyes as I said Kol's name, I now understood what he was scared of. "You murdered him when he was trying to warn all of you that going after the cure would bring Hell on Earth. He was just trying to help and you killed him, now we're dealing with Silas. Silas who stole the entire blood bank and is probably at his full power, we don't know his limitations, we don't know the enemy." I'm chest to chest with Damon now.

"God Y/N, you're starting to sound as paranoid as Kol did." I felt like I was just stabbed in the heart, but with his words.

"You going to kill me like you did him too?" I soaked the words with vemon and shoulder checked him as I walked out, completely numb.

There went my good day.

I was back at the Mystic Grill, but this time instead of celebrating, I was drowning my sorrows.

I knew Damon hated Kol, but the fact that he went that low, it disgusted me. And even now, Damon's too stubborn to see that Kol was right.

"Another," I said, slamming the glass down on the bar. Matt worriedly watched me as he took and refilled my glass setting it down on the bar.

"Look, I know we're not close and all, but if you need to-"

"What talk?" I cut him off. "No thank you, you're friends with her."

Matt clenched his jaw, holding back his anger, I let out a sigh.

"Look I'm sorry, it's not your fault that I hate her, Damon's just pushed my last buttons."

"Yeah, he has a way of doing that." He started wipping down glasses, getting rid of things such as water from freshly cleaned glasses and dust from others.

"So, let me get this straight: you send out a notice of your impending graduation and people feel obliged to give you money?" Rebekah said sliding in the bar stool next to me, holding up a graduation invitation.

"Pretty much."

"That sounds brilliant. Why aren't you participating?" She asked, I watched her closely.

"I don't have a lot of family." Matt moved to wipping down the counter.

"That makes two of us. Besides, I don't think it was my mother's dream to see me in a cap and gown. How about your mum?"

"Let's just say I'm not holding my breath for a graduation check." Then someone beckoned him over to my my best guess because he's then ending the conversation. "I need to go attend to a customer, sorry."

"Of course!" Matt then walked off.

"You like him." I said, squinting my eyes at her, a smirk playing on my lips.

"I do not!" Her voice raised in pitch in defense.

"Sure," I said as she watches him with heart eyes.

Then, before I could get another word in, the lights flickered, then went out.

"Damn it." I heard Matt curse, slamming a pad of paper down on the bar and grabbing a flashlight.

"Go help him." I suggested to Rebekah, nodding my head towards a frustrated Matt.

She got up, whispering a quiet okay, and followed Matt out to the back.

I lean over the bar, grabbing a bottle of whiskey, and pour it into my glass, kicking my legs up on the bar. Drink in hand I watch as an angry Elena coming into the Grill, followed by a concerned Caroline.

Oh, this is going to be fun.

I watched a happy couple walk into the Grill, wind blowing at their hair while they giggled, ending their night here. That could've been me and Kol.

"Is it supposed to rain tonight?" Caroline asked, my glaze focused on Elena, violently throwing darts at a dart board.

"Do I look like a meteorologist?" Rebekah bit back, I took one last drink of whiskey out of my glass, and plant my feet on the floor.

Grabbing the bottle of whiskey I took from the bar earlier, I get up from my seat, and head towards Elena.

"You know, I've heard liquor takes the edge off, maybe you should try it? It might actual work, because Lord knows I'd be ripping your throat out right now if it weren't for it." I said behind her, inclining the bottle of whiskey towards her.

"I don't take alcohol from trash like you." She hissed, throwing another dart.

"Ouch," I gasped as if her comment actually hurt me. "But honey, you need to relax because you're putting everyone else on edge. I mean, I wouldn't mind watching you blow up, but people come here to chill, and that's what you need to do."

Elena spun around, anger apparent in her features. "You know, I would be imaging your face on that board if my hatred for you was more powerful than my hate for Katherine."

"If you think you scare me, you're wrong." I take a step closer. "Like I said, I'd love nothing more than to rip your throat out right now. If anything, Jer got what he deserved, think of it as an eye for an eye type way, but I'm not sure if I'm done with you yet, I mean, Jer dying drove you to turn off your humanity, I just don't think that's enough."

"He was my brother." Elena hissed, tears in her eyes.

"And Kol was my best friend, along with Rebekah's brother and Klaus and Elijah. Little Jer wasn't the only loved one lost, he just happened to be yours so it makes it so much more important. Well princess, I'm here to tell, it doesn't."

She let out a growl of frustration and stabbed a dart into my shoulder, I seen it coming but didn't stop her because it was the reaction I wanted.

"Looks like kitty isn't all hiss, but actually has claws." I said, pulling the dart out of my shoulder and dropping it on the table nearby.

"I think that's enough Y/N." Caroline said behind me, Rebekah following in suite.

"I think it us too," I smirk at Elena. "For now." I take one last drink from the bottle of whiskey, emptying it, and set it next to the dart stained with my blood. "Give this to Matt for me, please." I asked Caroline turning on my heels and handing her a wad of money.

She took the money from my hands, nodding slightly, I smile at her and leave the Grill, happy with the damage I caused.

I heard Elena grunt and throw another dart, as the dart pierced the board the lights went out.

The wind is blowing hard against the building, making the windows and door rattle. Patrons run out of the Grill for cover, Matt, Caroline, Rebekah, and I followed them out to investigate.

People are running around for cover, a police car drives by, it's lights flashing and sirens sounding.

"The power's completely out." Rebekah yelled over the wind.

"I'll call my mom - maybe she knows what's going on." Caroline replied, Matt following her as she went inside.

"Elena's gone!" Caroline yelled, I smirked at Rebekah.

"Looks like a certain doppelgänger went after another one." I go back into the Grill, Rebekah following.

"I'll call Damon, I'm sure he might know something."

I pull out my phone, scrolling to Damon's contact, I pause. Did I really want to do this, after the things he said to me?

It's my way to getting to Kol, so yes I do, and before I can talk myself out of it I press call, and bring my phone to my ear.

"Hello?" Damon's voice breaks through the line.

"Damon," a smirk spreads across my face. "Your girlfriend is after a certain doppelgänger and I think Silas is starting early."

Next part will be the last!

Tags:

@blue-berry-barry-allen​

Mercy Masterlist

[mon-amour-eternel]

Kings and Queens Part Two

Idk how much I like this, but please enjoy, everybody. SFW for the most part.

Part One

“Listen, you inconsequential thing, borrow my shoes again, and you’ll think back on the days you had feet very fondly! “

Camille gulped and turned to where Klaus and Kol sat, paying the spat no mind. “Klaus! A little help?”

“What?” He looked up and saw Rebekah steaming. “I can’t control her, Camille. Maybe ask Elijah?”

Elijah, of course, would not be helping her, but did she know that? No, no she didn’t.

She narrowed her eyes and fled Rebekah’s ire, stomping to her room like a child. Rebekah laughed and flopped into the seat between her brothers. “Can you the believe the nerve of her? Snooping, texting, stealing?”

“All from her gracious hosts, too,” Kol added with a snort. They thought it was funny, but Klaus was far from amused. Caroline was coming the next morning and she was so angry, he was scared for Camille’s life. Though, it would be very sexy to see his queen rip someone’s head off…. Unfortunately, she was too moral for that, so he doubted he would ever get to see something so delectable.

On the other hand, Caroline had been saying some very werewolf-like things since Camille’s little game and he wasn’t sure she wouldn’t go off the deep end.

(“You’re mine.” Gods, it sent shivers down his spine and made his wolf howl.)

When he’d told his siblings what had happened, Kol had found the thought and image as amusing as he found most things, and assured he would tape it. Rebekah had made interested noises and wondered aloud what Caroline would do if she came face to face with Tatia, or Aurora.

Freya had been more concerned about what she would do to Camille. He couldn’t imagine her being happy about the human overstepping her bounds like she was.

“Are you going to tell our Carebear?” Kol questioned.

Klaus scowled at the nickname, though Caroline insisted she didn’t mind it. “Tell her what? That our dear sister is throwing another tantrum?”

“No, he was thinking telling her about Camille acting like a leech, or worse, an in-law,” Rebekah snapped.

“I don’t want to her kill Camille, you know. Just...gently maim.”

“And behead? My, I can picture it now, it would be better than all the carnage I left in my last one hundred waking years.” Kol licked his lips, a far away look in his eyes.

Rebekah and Klaus both grimaced, but for different reasons. Klaus stood, holding his sketchbook tightly. “I’m not sure if I’ll be telling her about Camille’s other mistakes, but I will be telling her that you’re acting like a sexual predator. Then you’ll never get back to your once legendary restraint.”

As he moved to his room, Kol responded, “please do! I hear she’s into guys with accents and that happen to be mass murderers.” Rebekah cackled, immediately going into a round of take-the-piss-out-of-Klaus. Kol responded in kind.

He sighed and tuned them out, hoping to make sure everything would be perfect for the next day.

                                                     …:::...

The plane touched down smoothly -- of course it did, Klaus made sure the pilot was safe -- and it wasn’t long before he was face to face with her once again.

She was just as beautiful as always, his very own model. The last time this happened, it was Klaus coming off a plane. Caroline had ran at him, a beaming smile on her face, and refused to stop touching him in some way until the next afternoon.

That time, they just moved into a hug, like they’d planned it. Klaus wasn’t all that affectionate with most people, and hugs were out of the question with literally everyone, but Caroline was his exception.

After a long moment, she leaned up and pecked him on the lips. (He became so fond around her. The thousand year old killer in him hates it, but the boy he’d been reveled in it.) “Hi.”

“Hello.”

She moved them toward the car, speaking about college and the gang back home. Evidently, she’d decided not to talk about the Camille debacle yet. The vampire with him grabbed her belongings while they settled into the vehicle. His hand was on her thigh the whole ride home.

He spoke about his siblings, and the sights she would be seeing. It was nice, a small moment together before other people intruded (as they always did).

It all went to hell when they pulled into the driveway.

Caroline gripped his wrist before he could open the door. “Is she here?”

He listened, but somewhere in the house, a sage candle was burning. It was either Elijah or Freya’s room -- neither would be a surprise. Freya liked privacy, and Elijah liked pretending no one knew he was entertaining a certain doppleganger in his room.

He couldn’t hear her anywhere, so he shook his head. “No.”

“Okay, good. When we go in, can we go to your room first? I want to talk about something.”

“Of course.”

A few minutes later, they were in his room, on opposite sides of his bed. “Okay, so half the closet and three drawers?” She said to herself. “Bras, panties, socks. Okay….” She rummaged around in his drawers for a moment, then moved to her own.

“Did you want to talk about where you’re putting your clothes, love?”

She gave him a look that meant she thought he was an idiot. “No, but I have to get this done now so that I don’t have to later.”

“You’ll only be here four days.”

“Four days of not living out of a suitcase. Four days of not having to wear your clothes because I can’t find mine.”

He pouted playfully. “I quite like you in my clothes.”

“Of course you do, you’re a caveman.” She held a dress up to her body. “Does this look good enough to slay this Camille bitch?”

He wasn’t sure what slay meant in this case (was she going to behead Cami like Kol had said?), but nodded. The dress was expensive, but well worth it. It didn’t show off too much, wasn’t too short or too long, and it was both cute and sexy. “Caroline, trust me, you don’t need a dress to slay.” The word came out obviously clunky, but he stood by his use of it. He thought, at least.

She laughed at him. “Aww, thanks. Same goes to you, though the figure you cut in a suit...mmm.”

He had missed their flirting. Texting just wasn’t the same.

“Thank you. Now that you’ve got your dress, what was it you wanted to talk about?”

She stood in front of his mirror, still holding the dress. “You know how you say you like the chase? Well, I was thinking. I’m going to break up with you tonight,” his whole body stiffened, undead heart stopping. He only lost the tension when she continued, “and make Camille think it’s because you’re a cheater. She’ll be happy, thinking I’m out of the picture, and then we can make up in front of her? Like, we agree to be more faithful, act like we never fought in the first place. Act like the disgusting couple that everyone hates. Or maybe we should act like nothing ever happened?” She glanced back at him. “I just want her to be completely disoriented and caught off guard. What do you think?”

“I like your first idea. It’s mean, giving her false hope.” He smiled wickedly, thoughts and plans formulating in his mind. He’d forced himself not to think about it, wanting Caroline to get her revenge on her own, but it was easy to imagine hundreds of scenarios.

Caroline let out a little snigger. “That’s what I was banking on. Now, you need to go invite her to dinner tonight. Everyone has to be there, and they need to be told now or they won’t have enough time to get ready.” She raised an eyebrow like, get to it, Mikaelson.

“Okay, okay. But what shall I do for food?”

“Taken care of,” she said sweetly, walking him backwards to the door. At his look, she explained, “lots of free time plus being a control freak means I’ve got it taken care of. Expect the caterer here in an hour or so.”

“Caterer? Love, it’ll only be us and a few others.”

“Yes, but take in consideration Kol’s appetite and the fact that it’s steak, and you need a lot. Oh! And tell them to look their best.” She gave him a coy smile. “The queen of the French Quarter is here ready to bust the heads of anyone who looks like a ragamuffin.”

He chuckled despite himself, pleased that she liked his nickname for her. “Of course, love.” They shared a quick kiss, and then he was pushed out of his own room.

He swiftly invited everyone, foregoing the guests around the house. He would’ve asked Marcel if not for the fact that Caroline didn’t seem to want to meet him.

Asking Camille was interesting.

Klaus: Dinner tonight at the manor? We’ll all be there, and I’ll make sure Rebekah isn’t too mean.

Camille: Omg thanks for inviting me! I’ll be there, work permitting. What time is it happening?

Klaus: Six.

Camille: I don’t get off until 5:45 :( I won’t be able to get there on time

Klaus: Well then we’ll wait for you.

Camille: Wow thanks Klaus. What’s the dress code?

Klaus: I’d say a nice dress is in order. Just don’t wear black.

Can’t have someone attempt to show up Caroline.

Camille: Alright. I’ll see you later

Klaus: See you later

He’d never thought about it before, but she was a bit of a perfectionist, wasn’t she? Or was that just her need to please him?

No matter.

                                                    …:::...

When Camille got there at 6:15, the only ones at the table were Klaus and Freya. Freya was sitting primly, twiddling her thumbs. Klaus’ chair was tilted onto the back legs. They both looked bored.

She looked around. She moved to take the seat next to Klaus, but on both sides, there were placemats -- one that said Rebekah, one that said guest. She found hers next to Elijah’s and across from Freya after noting Marcel, Davina and Lucien didn’t have seats. “Where is everybody?”

“Oh, I told them they had a few extra minutes before dinner. Guess they didn’t hear you come in.”

Freya smiled gently. “I think they’re just ignoring us, honestly.”

“Nonsense.” He’d told them to be late, actually. Yanking Camille’s chain was fun. “Elijah would never be so rude. Kol, yes, but not Elijah. And not our guest of honor, either.” She was waiting on the stairs for a perfect entrance. Not that Camille knew any of that.

“Guest of honor?” Camille questioned, looking around shiftily. Caroline had told her that she would be there that weekend, ready to tear out livers. She had reason to be scared.

“Yes,” Klaus said simply.

Freya expanded, “she’s a family friend. Well, a friend of Klaus’ that I’m eager to meet. Apparently, she’s pretty intimidating.”

A creak came from the stairs, and the siblings could barely contain their smug smirks. Camille’s eyes widened when Caroline stepped into the dining room. She stopped over Klaus’ shoulder, though she barely acknowledged him. Any other situation and she would’ve kissed his cheek or squeezed his shoulder, but she couldn’t if she wanted to pull this off.

“Talking about me?”

Freya stood gracefully and stuck a hand out. They’d met over the phone but never in person. “Freya Mikaelson. Nice to meet you.”

“Caroline Forbes. You too.” No harm in giving Camille the wrong idea, right? They’d be doing a lot of that, tonight. She turned to Camille, who watched her warily. “And you are?”

She stood shakily. “Camille O’Connell. I’m a family friend.”

All three repressed a snort. Just before Camille got there, Rebekah had been screeching about the little wench stealing her shoes again.

“Nice to meet you.”

Camille nodded in agreement and sat back down. Caroline took the spot next to Klaus. It was conveniently right next to Kol, who had added a part to their plan that she was excited to get started.

Freya immediately started talking to both blonde girls at the table, while Klaus watched. Caroline had told him not to sit her next to him, but he didn’t listen. In lieu of that, he had to act extra like he was hiding something.

Camille watched them like a hawk.

Elijah, Rebekah, and Kol came down after a few minutes. Elijah pretended to be surprised. “Oh. I apologize, I didn’t realize we were late.”

They sat down quickly, and Kol swung an arm over onto Caroline’s chair. No one said anything, though Klaus was very obviously glaring at Kol.

Dinner was awkward, but it was on purpose. Camille looked terribly uncomfortable, clearly wanting to be anywhere but there. Klaus tried to talk to Caroline a few times, but she ignored him for Kol, whose every word she hung onto.

Eventually he sat his utensils down heavily and said, “Caroline.”

“What?” She glared at him.

“Kol? Seriously?” He raised a judgemental eyebrow.

“What about him?”

“He’s the worst possible rebound in the whole world, sweetheart.” Kol made a hurt noise, but was ignored.

The rest of the table watched the interaction, unable to look away. Camille was both intensely uncomfortable and overjoyed. Clearly, Caroline had broken up with Klaus. That meant he was free of all ties now, and she could snatch him up once Caroline left.

“I don’t think so,” Caroline said, “I think he’s a great choice. He’s never lied to me since we met, like someone at this table.”

Kol grinned at his plate, but everyone else shifted appropriately.

“I didn’t lie to you, love, I never have.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but Elijah beat her to it. “Maybe you should take this somewhere else?” At the deadly looks they gave him, he added, “surely, this can be resolved with a discussion away from the table.”

Caroline shook her head. “No, it can’t. He cheated on me!”

The table hushed even more than it had been. Camille bit her lip.

“Yeah, that’s right. He found some two-bit, cheap, human who he only picked because she looks just like me.“ She didn’t look at Camille, but really, who else could she have been talking about?

“Now, love, I think that’s quite far enough.” He employed a tone he didn’t ever use on her. (He really hoped she wouldn’t be too mad at him for that. He was acting, after all.) It was one of his dangerous ones that she pretended to hate.

“Is it?” She hissed. “What happened to forever, Klaus?”

Camille shrunk into her seat, feeling like she’d stepped on a landmine. The others watched her from the corners of their eyes.

Klaus made his face fall. “It had a minor setback, love. I’m willing to work on it if you are.”

She stared at him. “Cute words won’t make this right.”

“Then what shall I do?”

Caroline gave a smile that reminded all of them of Klaus. “Devote yourself to me completely and wholly. And promise on your life that you won’t cheat again.”

“I never -- “ He stopped himself. “Of course. I swear on my life, if I am ever unfaithful to you, I shall burn in the pits of hell for the rest of eternity. You will be my last and only love, Caroline.”

She smiled. “Good. I promise the same.”

There was a moment of nonverbal communication, then they were gone.

Camille scoffed. “She seriously took him back? He deserves better than someone who’s only going to let him continue his bad habits.”

“Well that’s mighty presumptive of you,” Rebekah said, setting her wine glass down.

Camille looked affronted, but Kol interrupted her indignation. “You do realize they’re in love, right? Like, disgustingly so. You never had a snowball’s chance in hell of getting with Nik.”

“And they both know he never cheated,” Freya added, lightly circling her finger over the rim of her glass. Camille had said once it was intimidating, reminiscent of a big cat waiting to pounce.

“This was all an act, Camille. A way to teach you a lesson. You are our guest, a temporary one, and you overestimated your importance to us.” Elijah stated. “I suggest going to bed now before Caroline comes back down here and causes bodily harm.”

She gasped, and hurried to the stairs. Rebekah shouted after her, “return my shoes before dawn or you’ll be at my mercy as well!”

She ran to her room and locked herself inside. She sat heavily on the bed, feeling terrified.

There was noise from next door. She looked at the wall she shared with Klaus’ room, hoping beyond hope that it came from Freya’s room instead, on the other side. The noise came again, a familiar sounding thump.

When she looked around, she saw there were no sage candles burning anywhere, nor could she smell any.

The thump came again, only this time, it was accompanied by a moan. “Mine.”

Oh god, they were torturing her. She was going to have to listen to them all night, wasn’t she? She tried to escape, but even when she unlocked the door, it wouldn’t budge.

There was a shriek that turned into giggles, then moans from Klaus’ room.

Camille sat on her bed again, wondering exactly what the hell she was thinking when she texted Caroline.

[ded-and-gonne]

[jordstyle]

Bundesliga Season Preview Part One: Mid-tablers, strugglers and newcomers

VAVEL UK takes a look at nine of the teams hoping for big things this year.

Hertha BSC Team Photo. | Photo: Ottmar Winter/Bongarts/Getty Images.

After a long wait, the Bundesliga finally makes its return this summer and it will be a welcome relief for German football fans after the failure of the Germany squad at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Many will be wondering if this is the season that someone finally manages to topple the supremacy of Bayern Munich. The rest will laugh off such delusions. But even if the status quo at the top remains, there’s European places to be won and the dreaded drop to be avoided.

In the first part of our season preview, we look at last season’s lower-half finishers – Hertha BSC, Werder Bremen, FC Augsburg, Hannover 96, 1. FSV Mainz 05, SC Freiburg and VfL Wolfsburg, as well as the newly-promoted pair of Fortuna Düsseldorf and 1. FC Nürnberg.

Hertha BSC

Last season: 10th                       

Manager: Pál Dárdai

Pre-season friendlies: RSV Eintracht 1949 (7-0 W), SC Westfalia Herne (2-0 W), MSV Duisburg (1-0 W), MSV Neuruppin (9-1 W), FK Dukla Prague (3-2 W), Atalanta (3-2 L), FC Liefering (4-1 W), Aiginiakos (7-0 W), Hallescher FC (4-1 W)

DFB-Pokal First Round: 2-1 win vs Eintracht Braunschweig

Opening game: Home to Nürnberg (25 August)

Transfers in: Valentino Lazaro (Red Bull Salzburg), Javairô Dilrosun (Manchester City U23), Lukas Klünter (1. FC Köln), Pascal Köpke (Erzgebirge Aue), Marko Gruji? (Liverpool, loan)

Transfers out: Mitchell Weiser (Bayer Leverkusen), Julian Schieber (Augsburg), Genki Haraguchi (Hannover), Nils Körber (VfL Osnabrück, loan), Maximilian Pronichev (Aue, loan)

The pressures of a failed campaign in Europe helped to stop the upward moment of die Alte Dame under Dárdai, but they rarely slipped much lower than their eventual finishing position of tenth, sitting comfortably in mid-table for the majority of the season.

It’s difficult to foresee things being any worse this time around. Their new signings have been unspectacular but all have the potential to be big hits, with the signings of Dilrosun and Gruji? particularly interesting. The latter, on loan from Liverpool, may even start the opening game against Nürnberg despite only joining training this week. Klünter has also shown promise for Köln whilst Köpke provides another option up top, especially with Davie Selke out for the first couple of months of the season.

Weiser is the only notable departure, meaning that Dárdai will be under no pressure to bed in the new faces straight away, and that should stand them in good stead, especially in the early stages of the season, to push for a third top half finish in four years, provided that last year’s plateau was only a temporarily blip.

Werder Bremen

Last season: 11th         

Manager: Florian Kohfeldt

Pre-season friendlies: FC Eintracht Cuxhaven (8-0 W), OSC Bremerhaven (5-0 W), 1. FK P?íbram (1-1 D), Duisburg (1-0 W), Köln (1-0 L), Rot-Weiss Essen (1-0 L), Huddersfield Town (1-0 W), Arminia Bielefeld (1-0 W), FC Groningen (0-0 D), VVV-Venlo (1-1 D), Villarreal (3-2 L)

DFB-Pokal First Round: 6-1 win vs VfR Wormatia Worms

Opening game: Home to Hannover (25 August)

Transfers in: Kevin Möhwald (Nürnberg), Yuya Osako (Köln), Martin Harnik (Hannover), Felix Beijmo (Djurgårdens IF), Jan-Niklas Beste (Borussia Dortmund U19), Davy Klaassen (Everton), Claudio Pizarro (Köln), Stefanos Kapino (Nottingham Forest)

Transfers out: László Kleinheisler (FC Astana), Sambou Yatabaré (Royal Antwerp), Zlatko Junuzovi? (Salzburg), Leon Guwara (FC Utrecht), Thomas Delaney (Dortmund), Jérôme Gondorf (Freiburg), Justin Eilers (Apollon Smyrnis), Ulisses Garcia (BSC Young Boys), Robert Bauer (Nürnberg, loan), Lennart Thy (Büyük?ehir Belediye Erzurumspor), Niklas Schmidt (SV Wehen Wiesbaden, loan), Fallou Diagne (Konyaspor)

Last season took an almost clichéd feel. An awful start, which resulted in the current boss being replaced by the young coach of the under 23. He did enough to earn a permanent appointment, and Bremen flourished in the spring to turn attentions from battling relegation to dreams of Europe that never quite came to pass. That was the story of 2016-17 just as much as it was of 2017-18, although the revival wasn’t quite so dramatic this time around.

But can Kohfeldt succeed where Alexander Nouri failed and take Bremen to the next level? There are reasons to be optimistic on the Weser. No matter how much he struggled in England, Klaassen was a glamour signing suited to an upwardly-mobile club, whilst they are so bursting with attacking options that the re-signing of Pizarro is more a sentimental luxury than a necessity.

If they can avoid the early-season blues that have seen both of their previous head coaches, than a return to Europe after nearly a decade could well be possible. They are more reliable at the back then they have been in recent years, with Ji?í Pavlenka a top class goalkeeper. Further forward meanwhile, there will be goals if they can find the right combination around new skipper Max Kruse. All being well, this will be their best season for some time.

FC Augsburg

Last season: 12th

Manager: Manuel Baum

Pre-season friendlies: SC Austria Lustenau (1-1 D), Würzburger Kickers (2-0 W), Middlesbrough (2-1 W), Sportclub Olching (3-0 W), Borussia Mönchengladbach (2-1 L), Newcastle United (1-0 W), Athletic Club (1-0 L)

DFB-Pokal First Round: 2-1 win vs TSV Steinbach Haiger

Opening game: Away at Düsseldorf (25 August)

Transfers in: Schieber (Hertha), André Hahn (Hamburger SV), Felix Götze (Bayern Munich), Fredrik Jensen (FC Twente)

Transfers out: Ioannis Gelios (FC Hansa Rostock), Gojko Ka?ar (Anorthosis Famagusta), Marwin Hitz (Dortmund), Moritz Leitner (Norwich City), Daniel Opare (Antwerp), Marcel Heller (SV Darmstadt 98), Takashi Usami (Düsseldorf, loan), Tim Rieder (Darmstadt, loan), Shawn Parker (SpVgg Greuther Fürth)

Augsburg seem perennial pre-season contenders to go down, but it’s been a while since they’ve been in a genuine relegation dog-fight. Last year was little different, and if they had won more than two games in their last 13 games, they would have ended up a lot higher in the table than they eventually did.

Losing Hitz is of course a blow, leaving Andreas Luthe and Fabian Giefer to battle it out over who plays in goal, but much will be unchanged in front of them this season. Philipp Max is one of the most dangerous players in the league, despite being a left-back, and will have a point to prove having been snubbed by Joachim Löw so far. Further forward, Alfreð Finnbogason will hope to add to his tally of goals last season, despite currently being injured. He’ll have plenty of support too, especially with Hahn returning to his spiritual home.

There is little cause to believe that Augsburg will struggle this season, and if some of the bigger clubs struggle there could even launch another challenge for European football, but mid-table seems to be the most likely destination once again for Baum’s men.

Hannover 96

Last season: 13th

Manager: André Breitenreiter

Pre-season friendlies: Eiderstedt-Auswahl (14-0 W), SV Ramlingen-Ehlershausen (7-0 W), TSV Havelse (4-0), FSV Wacker 90 Nordhausen (2-0 W), PEC Zwolle (3-1 W), Wolfsberger AC (3-2 L), Udinese (5-1 W), Udinese (2-1 W), Athletic Club (2-0 W)

DFB-Pokal First Round: 6-0 win vs Karlsruher SC

Opening game: Away at Bremen (25 August)

Transfers in: Josip Elez (HNK Rijeka), Leo Weinkauf (Bayern II), Takuma Asano (Arsenal, loan), Kevin Wimmer (Stoke City, loan), Genki Haraguchi (Hertha), Walace (Hamburg), Bobby Wood (Hamburg, loan)

Transfers out: Elias Huth (1. FC Kaiserslautern), Felix Klaus (Wolfsburg), Salif Sané (Schalke 04), Charlison Benschop (FC Ingolstadt 04), Kenan Karaman (Düsseldorf), Harnik (Bremen), Sebastian Maier (VfL Bochum), Florian Hübner (1. FC Union Berlin), Manuel Schmiedebach (Union Berlin, loan), Jonathas (Corinthians, loan)

Making their return to the Bundesliga after a year away, a strong start last season gave Hannover the credit in the bank they needed to avoid any serious concerns over possible relegation. Their strong home form helped as way but an unremarkable squad did struggle at times, including a five-game losing streak in the early spring.

Klaus, Sané and Harnik are all big loses, and a lot of their new faces all struggled with their old clubs last season, including the Hamburg duo of Walace and Wood, plus Stoke’s Wimmer, with all three suffering relegation with their clubs. They have kept last season’s top scorer Niclas Füllkrug though, despite strong interest from Gladbach, with speculation that he’s on the verge of signing a new deal.

Any sort of drop off from last season will see Hannover fighting to avoid a return to the 2. Bundesliga, meaning Breitenreiter will face a big test of his coaching skills to get the best out his side. Another 15 goals from Füllkrug would serve them well and they will hope young talents like Ihlas Bebou can take off as well.

1. FSV Mainz 05

Last season: 14th

Manager: Sandro Schwarz

Pre-season friendlies: DJK SV Phönix Schifferstadt (12-0 W), Rhein-Nahe Auswahl (10-0 W), VfB Ginsheim (5-1 W), KFC Uerdingen 05 (2-1 W), Royal Charleroi Sporting Club (2-0 W), Köln (5-3 L), West Ham United (1-1, lost on penalties), Athletic Club (0-0, won on penalties), Fiorentina (0-0, lost on penalties), Celta de Vigo (2-1 W)

DFB-Pokal First Round: 3-1 win vs Aue

Opening game: Home to VfB Stuttgart (26 August)

Transfers in: Phillipp Mwene (Kaiserslautern), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Olympique Lyonnais), Pierre Kunde (Atlético Madrid), Moussa Niakhaté (FC Metz), Aarón Martin (Espanyol, loan)

Transfers out: Jonas Lössl (Huddersfield), Suat Serdar (Schalke), Leon Balogun (Brighton & Hove Albion), Marin Sverko (Karlsruhe, loan), Abdou Diallo (Dortmund), Kenan Kodro (FC Copenhagen), Nigel de Jong (Al Ahli SC), Yoshinori Muto (Newcastle), Aaron Seydel (Holstein Kiel, loan)

Mainz were perhaps fortunate that there were worse teams than them in the league last season. They spent most of the Rückrunde in the play-off spot, and couldn’t string two wins together until the matchdays 32 and 33, although those wins over RB Leipzig and Dortmund were enough to keep them up, although they finished with their worst points tally since they went down under Jürgen Klopp in 2007.

Nevertheless, they didn’t panic into sacking Schwarz and they clearly thing enough of him to give him a second crack. It won’t be any easier though. Serdar, Balogun and Muto will all be missed, whilst there are several injury concerns already. They will be hoping their new players will take off, although Niakhaté couldn’t have had a worst start, getting sent off in three minutes in the cup against Aue.

Alexandru Maxim had one of his better days in that game, scoring twice, and a good season from the Romanian will help their cause. 20-year-old Ridle Baku will be one to watch after he burst onto the scene late last season, scoring twice in his first three league games for the club. It will be tough for him, and the other youngsters, to thrive if Mainz struggle though.

SC Freiburg

Last season: 15th

Manager: Christian Streich

Pre-season friendlies: FC Waldkirch (15-0 W), SC Lahr (8-2 W), Kehler FV (7-1 W), TuS Efringen-Kirchen (14-2 W), FC Ravensburg (9-1 W), Swansea City (3-0 W), Regio-Auswahl (2-1 W), RC Strasbourg Alsace (3-2 L), Real Sociedad (1-1 D)

DFB-Pokal First Round: 5-3 win on penalties (after 2-2 draw AET) vs Energie Cottbus

Opening game: Home to Eintracht Frankfurt (25 August)

Transfers in: Mark Flekken (Duisburg), Dominique Heintz (Köln), Luca Waldschmidt (Hamburg), Philipp Lienhart (Real Madrid), Gondorf (Bremen), Brandon Borrello (Kaiserslautern)

Transfers out: Julian Schuster (retired), Marc Oliver Kempf (Stuttgart), Georg Nierdermeier (Melbourne Victory), Fabian Schleusener (SV Sandhausen, loan), Mats Møller Dæhli (FC St. Pauli), Rafal Gikiewicz (Union Berlin), Jonas Fohrenbach (SSV Jahn Regensburg¸ loan), Aleksandar Ignjovski (1. FC Magdeburg), Mohamed Dräger (SC Paderborn 07, loan), Karim Guédé (Sandhausen), Lucas Hufnagel (SpVgg Unterhaching), Vincent Sierro (FC St. Gallen, loan), Patric Klandt (Nürnberg), Jonas Meffert (Kiel), Caglar Söyüncü (Leicester City)

After surprisingly qualifying for Europe in their first season back in the Bundesliga, last season was always going to see a drop-off, especially after losing several key players. In the end they did well to stay up, finishing just above the relegation play-off place, with the goals of Nils Petersen crucial for maintaining their Bundesliga status.

There was never any question of replacing Streich, a cult favourite and the longest-serving coach in the league. It is easy to see last season as a hangover from the one before, and with some canny new recruits brought in over the summer to freshen up the team, they will be confident of being closer to mid-table security this time around.

To do so though, they have to tighten up at the back, and handle the departures of Kempf and Söyüncü at the same time. They cannot depend entirely on the goals of Petersen, with Waldschmidt, Janik Haberer and the fit-again Florian Niederlechner needed to take their share of the responsibility. If they fail in those key goals, as well as rectifying their awful away form, they could very easily drop out of the league again.

VfL Wolfsburg

Last season: 16th (won play-off)

Manager: Bruno Labbadia

Pre-season friendlies: Veltins-Auswahl (8-1 W), KSV Baunatal (7-0 W), Lupo Martini Wolfsburg (3-0 W), Norwich (1-1 D), Lyon (2-1 L), AFC Ajax (3-0 W), Napoli (3-1 W)

DFB-Pokal First Round: 1-0 win vs SV Elversberg

Opening game: Home to Schalke (25 August)

Transfers in: Marcel Tisserand (Ingolstadt), Klaus (Hannover), Pavao Pervan (LASK Linz), Wout Weghorst (AZ Alkmaar), Daniel Ginczek (Stuttgart), Jérôme Roussillon (HSC Montpellier)

Transfers out: Max Grün (released), Daniel Didavi (Stuttgart), Landry Dimata (RSC Anderlecht, loan), Victor Osimhen (Charleroi, loan)

With Hamburg out of the way, Wolfsburg are in prime position to become the league’s biggest perpetual crisis club. It is still only three years since they finished second and won the DFB-Pokal, two since pushing Real Madrid all the way in an UEFA Champions League quarter-final, but they finished the last campaign facing a play-off for their Bundesliga survival for a second year in a row.

Labbadia guided them to victory against Kiel, but beforehand he hadn’t been much more effective than Andries Jonker or Martin Schmidt before him. Above him, Jörg Schmadtke and club legend Marcel Schäfer have been installed in administrative roles, and between the three of them it will be interesting to see if things will be any different this year.

Excluding Tiseerand, who are already been on loan, Ginczek is the only new signing that isn’t an unknown quantity in German football, and they will be hoping he will give them the goalscorer they so desperately lacked last season, even before Mario Gómez left, despite his injury problems and modest recent record. Others, most significantly Maximilian Arnold, will know more is expected of them as well. Will they avoid the bottom three this year? Possibly, but not many are convinced.

Fortuna Düsseldorf

Last season: 1st (2. Bundesliga)

Manager: Friedhelm Funkel

Pre-season friendlies: Sportfreunde Eisbachtal (9-1 W), VfB Wissen (10-0 W), TSV Meerbusch (9-0 W), FC Wegberg-Beeck (5-0 W), Watford (3-1 L), Al-Hilal (2-0 W), Fiorentina (1-1 D), FC Remscheid (8-0 W), NEC (3-0 W), VfL Benrath 06 (13-0 W)

DFB-Pokal First Round: 5-0 win vs TuS Rot-Weiss Koblenz

Opening game: Home to Augsburg (25 August)

Transfers in: Benito Raman (Standard Liège), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), Jean Zimmer (Stuttgart), Karaman (Hannover), Diego Contento (Girondins de Bordeaux), Kevin Stöger (Bochum), Aymen Barkok (Frankfurt, loan), Marvin Ducksch (St. Pauli), Davor Lovren (Dinamo Zagreb II), Matthias Zimmermann (Stuttgart), Dodi Lukebaki (Watford, loan), Takashi Usami (Augsburg, loan)

Transfers out: Kemal Rüzgar (Altinordu), Jerome Kiesewetter (released), Julian Schauerte (KAS Eupen), Axel Bellinghausen (retired), Lukas Schmitz (Wolfsberger AC), Marlon Ritter (Paderborn), Emmanuel Iyoha (Aue, loan), Justin Toshiki Kinjo (Thespakusatsu Gunma)

Not many people were tipping Düsseldorf for promotion last season but Funkel and his team got the balance right as, along with fellow Bundesliga newcomers Nürnberg, they proved to be one of the best and most consistent teams in the league to return to the top flight after five years away. They won the second-tier title in dramatic fashion though, beating Der Club in the final day showing with a stoppage time goal from Kaan Ayhan.

It is little secret that they are operating with one of the smallest budgets in the league but they have strengthened their side smartly. Raman, Zimmer and Lovren have now signed permanently after loan spells last year, whilst Usami is back for another. They have signed some of the best performers in the 2. Liga last year in Stöger and Ducksch, the league’s top scorer whilst on loan with Kiel. Lukebaki looks a promising performer for them as well.

Do they have enough to survive though? They certainly have flair, and a strong team spirit, and often the latter can be enough. Most sides who survive in their first season in the Bundesliga are those that bounced back within a year or two, and it will be a big step up for side without huge amounts of Bundesliga experience. Düsseldorf look as likely as anyone to go down, but they have the talent to avoid that fate.

1. FC Nürnberg

Last season: 2nd (2. Bundesliga)

Manager: Michael Köllner

Pre-season friendlies: FSV Erlangen-Bruck (5-2 W), SV Seligenporten (3-0 W), Halle (2-1 L), Regionalauswahl (4-0 W), Würzburg (4-0 W), TSV 1860 Rosenheim (4-1 W), Bologna (1-0 L), Real Valladolid (1-0 W)

DFB-Pokal First Round: 2-1 win vs SV Linx

Opening game: Away at Hertha (25 August)

Transfers in: Törles Knöll (Hamburg II), Kevin Goden (Köln U19), Christian Mathenia (Hamburg), Timothy Tillmann (Bayern II, loan), Bauer (Bremen, loan), Klandt (Freiburg), Yuya Kubo (KAA Gent, loan)

Transfers out: Möhwald (Bremen), Laszlo Sepsi (released), Miso Brecko (released), Enis Alushi (released), Thorsten Kirschbaum (Leverkusen)

Nürnberg are back in the Bundesliga, again. Germany’s ultimate yo-yo club are back after a four-year spell in the second tier for a ninth separate spell in the top flight. They suffered the usual blip after losing the Relegation play-off with Frankfurt two years ago, but after Köllner came into ensure they avoided going the other way, he proved to be the man to lead them back to the promise land as they finished second in his first full season in charge.

Unsurprisingly, many are tipping them to suffer a record ninth relegation, and there does seem to be doubt over whether they are equipped well enough to survive, especially as they are not financially strong enough to have been able to make any high-profile signings. Mathenia and Bauer do add some Bundesliga experience though, whilst Ond?ej Petrák is the sole survivor from the 2013-14 relegation season.

Most of the squad have been solid performers in the 2. Bundesliga, and if Enrico Valentini can prove as effective on the wing, Mikael Ishak can rediscover the scoring form he had before getting injured in February and the entire squad can prove to be greater than the sum of the parts, they’ll have every chance of staying up. It’s likely to be an almighty scrap, however.

Der Beitrag Bundesliga Season Preview Part One: Mid-tablers, strugglers and newcomers erschien zuerst auf XBET.TIPS.

Source: https://www.xbet.tips/bundesliga-season-preview-part-one-mid-tablers-strugglers-and-newcomers/

[memorabilia14-blog]

"Pop art: Material culture ..."

The art of Pop Art was born in the UK in the 1950s. The word "POP" in 1954 was invented by British art historian Lawrence Devil to describe a new type of art inspired by the images of a popular culture. For the first time the term Pop Art was used in 1952-1953 at the Institute of Contemporary Art in London by a group of independent artists. Among the participants were Eduardo Paolozzi, Richard Hamilton, architects Alison and Peter Smithson, as well as critics Lawrence Diwail and Rayner Banham. This movement of visual art coincided with the period of the consumer boom, the globalization of pop music and youth culture, personifying Elvis and the Beatles. Pop art included styles of painting and sculpture from different countries. Young artists viewed pop art as an opportunity for free expression, and its language was adapted from the many collages and associations of Dada. They created irrational combinations of random images to provoke. By creating paintings or sculptures of objects of mass culture and media stars, the movement of pop art sought to blur the boundaries between "high" art and "low" culture. The concept of the lack of a hierarchy of culture and art, which can be borrowed from any source, was one of the most influential characteristics of pop art. Artists believed that there is no free access to anything, whether it's the soul, the natural world or the built environment. Some critics cited the choice of pop art images as enthusiastic approval of the capitalist market and the goods that he distributed. Indeed, most artists of pop art began their careers in the field of commercial art. Andy Warhol was a very successful magazine illustrator and graphic designer; Ed Ruscha - graphic designer, and James Rosenquist began his career as a billboard artist (outdoor advertising boards format 6 × 3). Artists created smart advertising, effective ways of mass communication, involving the public in mass consumption. Over time, Pop-art became known as material culture.

10 features of Pop Art: 1. Very bright colors 2. Recognizable images made from popular media and products. 3. Flat images under the influence of comics and newspaper photos. 4. Images of celebrities or fictional characters in comics, advertisements and fan magazines. 5. In sculpture - the innovative use of the media. Pop art included a variety of styles of painting and sculpture, but everyone had a common interest in the media, mass production and mass culture. 6. The movement originated in the UK, but is considered American. Pop art in America was a reaction against abstract expressionism. 7. An artist who embodies Pop art more than any other - Andy Warhol. Painting Merlin Monroe is considered an icon of pop art. 8. Roy Lichtenstein developed an instantly recognizable style of pop art, inspired by American comic books. 9. Klaus Oldenburg was the greatest sculptor of the "Pop Art" movement, creating a lot of large-scale public works. 10. Pop art coincided with the globalization of pop music and youth culture.

Roots of Pop Art 1. 1914 Pablo Picasso «Bon Marché Au Bon Marché» 2. Marcel Duchamp "Ready-Mades", anti art movement Dada. 3. 1955 year. Robert Rauschenburg "The Bed". Neo-Dada 4. 1960year. Jasper Jones "Beer Banks." Neo-Dada

BRITISH POP ART Independent Group (Institute of Contemporary Art) • Richard Hamilton • Eduardo Paolozzi • Peter Blake • John McHale • Lawrence • Peter Rayner Bahnham • Richard Smith • John Thompson Young contemporaries (Royal College of Art): • RB Kitaj • Peter Phillips • Barrie Bates • Derek Bossier • Patrick Canfield • David Hockney • Allen Jones • Norman Thaynton

AMERICAN POP-ART Pop art in America, in contrast to his British counterpart, underwent numerous changes. English pop art expressed a romantic courage for pop culture, and American was considered symbolic, anonymous and aggressive. The greatest artist in the field of pop art is Andy Warhal. He perfectly understood the laws of shopping, understood the psychology of people and realized the attractiveness of celebrities. He was an astute observer. People magazine Warhol captured the true American aesthetics: packaging products and people. New York Pop art: • Roy Lichtenstein • Andy Warhole • Robert Indiana • George Brecht • Marisol (Escobar) • Tom Wesselmann • Marjorie Strider • Allan D'Arkhangelo • Ida Weber • Claes Oldenberg - common products made from odd materials • George Seagal - white plasters in everyday conditions • James Rosenquist - painting, similar to collages of advertising • Rosalyn Drexler - pop stars and modern themes. Californian Pop Art: • Billy Al Bengston • Edward Kinholz • Wallace Berman • John Wesley • Jess Collins • Richard Pettibone • Mel Remos • Edward Ruscha • Wayne Tiebo • Joe GoodeVon Dutch Holland • Jim Eller • Anthony Berlant • Victor Debreil • Phillip Hefferton • Robert O'Dowd • James Gill • Robert Kunz

Currently, pop art is not perceived as high art, but it is recognized as an art suitable for the advertising and media industries of Western countries.

[all-sortsa-stuff]

Natural, part 3

Pairing: Eventually Klaus Michaelson x Reader

Word Count: 2698

Warning: None

Part 2

“Well isn’t that just lovely.”  Stefan looked over as you climbed into his car.

“Something wrong?”  

“My sister said the lawyers called.  That is never a good thing.”  Slipping on the seatbelt you leaned your head against the headrest.

“Lawyers for what?” He started the car before clicking his own belt.

“My parents’ estate. We have been dealing with them since day one.  All the property stuff and money has been a pain in the ass.  I’m ready for it to be over.  They have us jumping through hoops and I think they just want us to give up and let them take it all.  But I refuse. The houses have been in our families for generations.  I’m not letting anyone take them if I can avoid it.”  The frustration rolled off you as you spoke.  

“I would feel the same if I was in your position.  Fight for your family’s legacy.”  It was nice to have someone to vent to that was not Scarlet.  “You have more than one house in Salem?”

“Oh no.  Just the one in Salem that belonged to my mother’s family. My father grew up between Salem and New Orleans, so his family built a house down there.  We would spend summers there when we were kids.”  He nodded as he drove back towards town.

“New Orleans is quite the town.  Lots of witches I can see why the family stayed.”  The tone of his voice changed as he spoke.

“Is something wrong?”

“No.  New Orleans is just…  There are many dangers there.”  This piqued your interest.

“Like more vampires?” Stefan laughed at your guess.

“You are too smart or too much of a psychic.”  It was your turn to laugh.

“No I think I am just good at reading people, sometimes.”  For the ride home, Stefan steered the conversation away from the phone call you would have to make when you returned to the Brookwood.  When he pulled up to the drive, you sighed.  “I guess this is the end of the good part of the day. Thank you for today.  It has helped more than you will ever know.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. I hope that your phone call is nothing that will ruin the day.  You deserve at least one day of calm and peace.”  Squeezing his hand, you turned to open the door.  “Hey [Y/N]?”

Looking back, you could see he had something weighing on his mind, a conflict of some sort.  “Yeah?”

“My brother is throwing a party tonight at the house…  You should drop by.  I know you aren’t staying in town much longer but… I want to see you before you go.”  It was hard to describe the feelings that warred behind his eyes.  Something between fear and hope.

“You want me to meet the rest of your friends?”  You joked trying to get him to smile.  It worked as a grin broke the seriousness of his face.

“I mean yeah that would probably happen too, and my brother.  But, I do want to see you before you leave.  I’ve… well I have really enjoyed spending time with you.”  Your own smile widened considerably at his confession.

“I would love to. Text me your address and time.  I will be there.”  Climbing out of the car, you waved, watching Stefan take off down the street.  Perhaps today would not be a total disaster.  

 “Do you want the good news or the bad news first?”  

“Ugh I hate that. Just tell me the bad and maybe the good will outshine the bad afterwards.”  Sighing loudly you fell back onto the bed.

“Fine.  We owe $15,000 on the New Orleans property for unpaid taxes. They want $10,000 in the next thirty days and the remaining $5,000 the thirty days from that.  If not the city will set a lien on the house and start the process of foreclosure and seize the property for the unpaid balances.”  That statement sent a dagger through your heart. How were you going to come up with that much money in sixty days?  You felt as though you were going to be sick.

“Do you want to hear the good news?”  After the previous statement, you had forgotten there was good news.  You could only hope that it would be something that could ease the pain.

“Yes please.”  

“This is it; we do not have to deal with the lawyers and the estate issues anymore.  Everything has been dealt with.  The back taxes on the Salem house are paid, as are the lawyers. There isn’t any money left because mom and dad were struggling to pay the two houses and never said a word.  However, I have been left the Salem house and you have been given the New Orleans house.  That way they both won’t be as risk of loss if something happened to one of us.  I was thinking…”

There was no doubt in your mind of what she was going to say next.  “No you are not going to use the house as collateral Scarlet.  There has to be another way.”  The sigh from the other end was one of frustration.

“How else do you think you can come up with fifteen grand, [Y/N]?  Short of selling your body many times over, which I forbid you to do, what else is there?”

“I have some in savings from the business.  I will figure out the rest.  That probably means though I have to head down there to talk to the bank.  Road trip it is.”  Scarlet did not like the idea of emptying your savings leaving your business with nothing.  She really did not like that fact you would be down in Louisiana without her and where she could not keep an eye on you.  But there was nothing that could be done now.  Not if you wanted to save the house and property.  The rest of your conversation centered on what was happening in Salem.  She told you about the coven leader’s declining health.  Emmaline had become frailer over the last few months and would most likely pass soon.  Doctors had been baffled and could not explain why her health failed so rapidly.

When she died, you thought, it would be another devastating blow to the coven, especially after losing both of your parents such a short time ago.  It made you want to drive home but there were more important things you needed to do now.  At some point, you would return to Salem, but your family was the priority now.

Stefan texted you a little while later with the address and to be there by seven.  You did not really have anything to wear as you had only packed for a few days.  There was a thrift shop down the road from the Mystic Grill.  Thankfully, it was cheap since you were now in a whole lot of debt.  An hour later, you had a cute skirt and top that looked pretty good on you.  The drive to the house did not take long but you were shocked at the size of the house.  Well more like mansion.  Of course, Stefan never mentioned that.  

There were cars lined up down the long driveway and loud music blaring as you entered the house. No one would have heard you if you had knocked on the door so you just walked in.  There were people everyone dancing, drinking and having a good time. Stefan saw you from across the room, smiling as he walked over.

“Glad you came.  I hope it wasn’t too hard to find.”  There was nothing you could do but smile at him.

“No it was easy. Though you failed to mention you live in a castle.”  He laughed as he sipped at the drink from the crystal glass in his hand.

“Not a castle, home. Come let me introduce you to everyone and get you a drink.”  Stefan led you over to a group gathered by the French doors.  You recognized a few of them from the Mystic Grill the day before.

“[Y/N], these are my friends Elena, Caroline, you know Bonnie already and my brother Damon. Guys this is [Y/N].”  Everyone exchanged pleasantries and chatted for a little while.  Stefan’s friends were nice and welcoming.  It struck you as odd how the group formed such tight bonds being from so many different places.  Vampires, witches, and whatever the Elena girl was.  Just standing in her presence, you could feel she was not just a human. There was something else to her.  Everyone had his or her own secrets.

Several drinks later, you were dancing with Stefan having a great time.  Probably the best time you had in a long time.  After a while, you were growing tired of dancing and needed a break. He nodded, “let’s go somewhere quieter.”  

It sounded like a bad pick up line but you let him take you by the hand to lead you outside to the large patio area.  There were chairs set in two separate sitting areas.  You sat down next to him one of the long chairs.  The alcohol was swimming in your head as you looked over at him.

“I hope your phone call was better than you thought.”  That brought reality back to the forefront of your mind.

“It was not what I was expecting.  However, it is something I have to deal with.  Which means I will be leaving soon to take care of my business.  Tonight though I just want to be [Y/N] who is a normal human being and having a good time drinking and dancing.”  He laughed as he leaned his head against his hand.

“A normal human being, huh? Well I think we can work on that. For tonight at least.”  The two of you talked for hours.  The alcohol in both your systems only fueled the conversation further.  Some hours later the conversation started to slow as you had both leaned closer to the other.  Before you knew it, his lips were pressed lightly against yours.  You smiled before pulling him closer.  It felt good… He felt good.  

The kiss deepened and lingered over the next few minutes.  Stefan’s lips moved down to your neck causing a warmth to build inside of you.  If this continued, you would happily pull him upstairs to wherever his room was for more privacy.  One of your hands gripped his shirt ensuring he would not pull away.  As his lips returned to yours an image appeared in your mind of the girl with long dark hair, Elena.  Stefan was laying with Elena in his arms looking up at the stars. They were happy and laughing. Another image followed of them declaring their love to one another.

It confused you for a moment not understanding as you had seen Damon and Elena together, looking very much in love.  A last image appeared of a very ugly fight between them.  All the pieces fell into place.  Stefan had loved and lost Elena to his brother.  What you were seeing were his thoughts at this moment as he tried to move on from her.  Pulling back, you searched over his face.  His heart was not over her, as much as he was trying with you.  That hurt for a few reasons.  The most important was that this wonderful man had hurt so much and had to watch every day while his brother openly loved the girl that had once been his.

The other was that you could feel something that could grow deeply between you and Stefan.  But it could not be until his heart was free. He looked curiously at you, unaware of your thoughts and knowledge of his.  “I hope that was not too forward.  Though I think you liked it too, [Y/N].  Or was it just me?”

The warm smile he gave you brought your own out.  Resting a hand on his cheek, you could see the want he had for you but the image appeared of him watching Damon and Elena just before you arrived at the party, was the nail that sealed that coffin.  For the moment at least.  “No I liked it a lot, Stefan.  I like you…”

“I hear a ‘but’ coming.” You sighed as you nodded slowly.

“I like you a lot Stefan. It’s been a long time since I have liked someone.”

“If it’s because I am a vampire…” This time shaking your head.

“It has nothing to do with being a vampire, Stefan.  Though, perhaps me being a witch can cause an issue.  I can occasionally see what people are thinking.”  Narrowing his eyes in confusion, he shook his head.

“I don’t understand.”

“I saw what you were thinking when we were kissing.  I saw Elena.” Running a hand through his hair, Stefan sighed loudly sitting back against the chair.

“[Y/N], I…  Look it wasn’t anything against you.  I have history…”  Holding a hand up, you stopped him from continuing.

“You don’t have to explain anything to me that you don’t want to, Stefan.  They are your thoughts and I’m sorry I inadvertently intruded on them. But I don’t want to be the person you kiss and her the person you think of.”  The sad smile he gave you cause another ache in your chest.

“You’re right, you deserve better.  I am having a hard time… letting go.  You made me want to let go though.  It’s only been a few days, but they have been a great few days.  Maybe someday…”

“Maybe someday we can see what this is.  When you are ready to put everything in the past.”  Stefan leaned over to pull you into his arm, hugging you tightly.

“Can I call you when I’m ready?”  You laughed, whispering quietly in his ear.

“You can call me anytime Stefan.  We are friends too you know.”  He was the one that pulled away this time.  

“Yes we are and I am grateful for that.  You ready to head back to the party?”  You both danced with his friends for a while though you did not drink anymore. Blaming the drive back to the Brookwood and the early morning that you would have to get up and leave for New Orleans.  It was almost three in the morning by the time you made it back to the bed and breakfast. A few hours sleep and a good breakfast later you walked out to your Jeep to start the next step of your journey.

Stefan was parked behind you, waiting for you to come out.  You smiled wide as you saw him climbing out of his car.  “Shouldn’t you still be sleeping off all that booze from last night?”

“Lots of strong black coffee.  I couldn’t let you leave without saying a proper goodbye.”

“I’m glad you did.” Throwing your bag into the backseat, you walked towards him before leaning against the Jeep.  “I’ve had a great time Stefan thank you.  I needed this more than I can explain.”

“I know you did.  I could see it that first day.  But, I needed it too.  Makes me realize there are things I can’t change and many things I need to.  Promise me something before you go?”  That had you intrigued.

“What’s that?”

“Promise me you will be careful.  New Orleans is dangerous for so much more than the drinking and partying.  There is a darkness there that…  You may not come back from.”  The sober look on his face forced you to realize the seriousness of it all.

“I promise I will be careful.  I’m not going there to cause trouble.  I just want to save my family’s history.”  He hugged you close once more.

“You’re a witch.  I have a feeling trouble is drawn to you. If you need help, you know where to find me.  I will be there as soon as I can.  Got it?”  Nodding you squeezed one more time before pulling away.

“I got it.  Thank you, Stefan.”  Walking to the opposite side of the Jeep, you climbed up.  There was no need to say ‘goodbye’.  You both knew you would see each other again, one way or another.

 Part 4

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