Piece of You | Finn Mikaelson

Chapter 1

October 19, 2012

Sometimes, Finn Mikaelson worried he'd become an alcoholic.

He'd never taken much of a liking to alcohol. No matter how stressed he'd been in the past, he'd never allowed any substances (and especially not blood) to become his coping mechanism. Somehow, that (and other things) made his siblings find him boring. Now, he drank to forget them. And lately he wanted to forget them often.

He'd been going to Rousseau's every single day for the past four months. Though, until tonight, he hadn't had anything interesting happen there.

Esther had tasked him with getting to know Camille O'Connell. He was to obtain information from her and eventually prepare her to be a vessel. Kol's task was to chat up Davina Claire. Finn was satisfied with his instructions, but it did leave him constantly seated at a bar with nothing to do but drink and listen. Never when Cami was working, though.

He had barely introduced himself to her today. And yet, he already knew so much about her. If he were a better man he might have warned her that her coworkers had a habit of talking loudly about her. Never anything bad, but still... anyone could know her whole life story just from sitting here a few days while two particularly vocal bartenders were working.

The bar wasn't interesting. The drinks were simply fine. Sometimes he tried new combinations. He often forgot his mortality and the fact he could now succumb to alcohol poisoning. Somehow, he enjoyed that.

The bell at the door rang, indicating there was a new customer. He was on his fourth glass of bourbon, and didn't look up.

Until he heard her voice.

"Don't you look absolutely darling," said the woman who stood beside him, leaning over the bar to speak to the female bartender, who was wearing a leather jacket and dark red lipstick.

"Thank you," said the bartender kindly. "What can I get you?"

The woman looked into her eyes to compel her. "Do you know Klaus Mikaelson?"

"Yes," the woman replied unintentionally. "He comes by the bar often."

"Wonderful, dear. Where does he live? I don't have the exact address."

"I don't know the number but I know it's on the corner of Royal and Dumaine. The building is hard to miss."

"Perfect." She slid some money toward her. "Your best whiskey, please. I'm going to need it."

"What's your business with Klaus Mikaelson?" asked the bartender curiously as she went to fix the drink. "My coworker is friends with him. He's a vampire, apparently, a really scary one."

"Is he?" asked the other woman sweetly, as if she had no idea. "How terrifying. No offense, darling, but stick with making my drink. My business with that wretched family is of no concern to you. Forget I ever mentioned his name."

The bartender nodded. Finn realized the woman was now facing him, and he'd been gawking at her like an idiot.

"I suggest you turn away," she said lowly. "Before I pluck your eyeballs from your skull."

He snapped his head down, his heart beating a million miles an hour, ready to leap out of his chest. He hadn't seen that face in a thousand years. And suddenly, she was right beside him. So close, he could touch her. Hold her hand.

But if he did, she'd kill him. She had no idea who he really was, given he bore a face quite different from his own.

He blinked several times, taking another sip from his glass, closing his eyes to bring forth memories he rarely looked back on, because they always hurt too much to think of.