Sunlight

Chapter 21: What Are You Doing New Years Eve?

New Years Eve dawned brightly, the sun glimmering on the snow that had fallen the night before. The Originals and their guests woke up in very different ways.

Klaus and Caroline woke up quite happily curled around each other. Caroline liked their quiet moments before they entered the reality of the world outside their bedroom door, when Klaus would encounter his siblings and become his usual slightly harsh self. In those moments before he became the fearful Klaus Mikaelson, he was just Nik. And she liked both, really. She liked Niklaus, the man who was both of those personalities in one very agreeable package.

Rebekah woke up in another house, in another bed, with a gorgeous blonde man asleep beside her, still sporting the marks she had given him on his neck. She licked her lips, remembering the taste, and rolled over ontop of him. It was a good wake up, but she knew deep down who she would rather be waking up with, in a far sweeter manner. Unfortunately, he was a continent away.

Eva woke up terribly. In an effort not to give into Kol's persistent charming by placing herself as far away from both him and a bed, she had taken refuge in the study, a place she was not known to frequent, and spent the night attempting to sleep on the window seat.

Kol woke up terribly. He had gone to Eva's room and when he hadn't found her or Rebekah in the main areas of the house, had assumed the worst – she was out trying to find a guy for the night. He had attempted to fall asleep on the couch near the front door to anticipate her return.

Elijah woke up best out of them all, well rested and with clear thoughts. Yes, he also woke up alone, but at least he knew he wasn't worried over it. He had spent a thousand years in his own company and he liked it, thank you very much.

However, when he came downstairs to the sight of Caroline introducing Klaus to the delights of pancakes, for Klaus had never bothered with such simple things, Elijah felt a pang of loneliness that he had spent decades suppressing.

Caroline giggled at Klaus' attempt to show off and flip a pancake by tossing the pan, her smile growing as he flashed his own grin, grabbing her by the hips and kissing her. When she noticed Elijah, she cleared her throat and tapped Klaus' hands away.

"Morning, Elijah." She said brightly, turning to save the pancakes from burning. "Hungry for breakfast?"

"Yes, thank you." He nodded. "Anything I could do to help?"

"Set the table, perhaps?"

"Certainly." Elijah retrieved the stacked plates while Caroline busied herself with the pan until she knew Elijah was preoccupied. She glanced after his retreating back with a look that caused Klaus to frown in confusion.

"What is it, love?"

Caroline placed her finger over Klaus' lips to hush him, not wanting Elijah to know that she thought something wasn't right. He would guess far quicker than Klaus, and she knew in a way that he was the proudest of all the Originals, even if he didn't let his ego show as much as his flashy younger siblings.

"Elijah," She mouthed to Klaus, still covering his mouth with a finger. "He's alone."

Klaus raised his shoulders as if to state that they could do nothing to change the situation. Caroline heaved a sigh in return, signaling that she knew, but it didn't change her feelings. Klaus ran a hand through her hair to soothe her, and she traced her fingertip along her lips, outlining his perfect cupids bow and full bottom lip.

"I'll talk to him." He mouthed against her hand, and she pressed her lips to the hollow under his jaw.

"Thank you." She breathed into his skin quietly, before turning back to the pan to ensure breakfast didn't burn.