"i touched the sky, and i swallowed the stars."
11 | PROGRESS
December, 1865
It had been nearly six months since Charlotte's first date with Kol Mikaelson, and the months after that fateful night were a whirlwind of emotions and feeling. She'd somehow kept most of her secrets to herself whilst still sharing a few of them with Kol whenever he asked; she didn't find it difficult to be truthful with him, but sometimes, she actually had to stop herself from saying things she'd rather keep buried. She had started to care for Kol—she wasn't naive enough to think that she could ignore her own heart—but she was still hesitant to give him a peek at her truth. Giving her heart was one thing, but giving her soul was another, and she wasn't quite ready to do that just yet.
Despite this, she and Kol were on good terms—so much so that she was actually getting to know his family a lot more too. Rebekah was her favorite, and it was obvious that the blonde Mikaelson girl needed a friend to confide in. Charlotte was that person for her, and she felt honored that Rebekah had slowly become her best friend; she never thought she'd see the day where she was dating an Original and talking about gossip with his sister. Her life had changed drastically in New Orleans, but she found herself enjoying it thoroughly.
Elijah was kind—albeit a bit too proper and uptight for her tastes—and he often times talked to her about literature and the world. After the incident where she sent Kol Mikaelson a clue as to where she was hiding out through a poem, Elijah knew that she was an avid student of the arts, and he complimented her intelligence on more than one occasion. It made her feel proud to obtain his approval, especially when the man was constantly berating his younger siblings for their actions and behavior.
Niklaus was as suspicious of her as ever, but he didn't seem to mind her presence around the Abattoir. He seemed to realize that she was genuine with her words, and she never gave him a reason to suspect her of doing something ill-willed against him or his family. He regarded her with his normal paranoia, but there were even times where she could talk to him too. Underneath all of the cold and ruthless persona was a man just as charming as Kol and just as observant as Elijah. He was complex, and often times mean just for the sake of it, but Charlotte found herself tolerating the Original. He never told her how or why he knew Katherine Pierce, but she never really asked him about it either. She knew when to stay silent around the temperamental man, and he seemed somewhat appreciative of her decision to keep out of his business.
And then there was Marcellus, the slave boy that Klaus had taken in as his own. He was a sweet kid, with bright smiles and a gratefulness following him around everywhere he went. He looked up to Klaus the most, but he also spent a lot of time with Elijah during his studies. Rebekah only spent time with the boy whenever he came up to her and asked questions, but Charlotte could tell that the blonde thought Marcel was just as sweet as the rest perceived him to be. He was also quite funny when he wanted to be, and the Salvatore girl found herself laughing in his presence many times.
Kol didn't seem to enjoy the boy though, and usually regarded Marcel with disgust or annoyance. She wasn't sure why he wasn't civil with the boy, but she chalked it up to the way his eyes always narrowed when the boy made her smile or took her attention away from him for too long. She'd realized over the past few months that Kol was a possessive man, and for some reason, he saw Marcel as a threat—not just to Charlotte, but also to his place in the Mikaelson family. Charlotte was often pulling him away before he could make good on the threats he spewed toward Marcel, and she was more than a little surprised by the awe on the other Mikaelsons' faces when she did.
They told her that they'd never seen someone handle Kol the way she did. He was never able to be controlled before, and yet, with a simple brush of her hand on his arm or a short, pacifying phrase, he was doing everything she asked of him. The siblings were flabbergasted, and it seemed to give her even more points in their books.
Somehow, someway, she had managed to avoid Kol's advancements—they still hadn't shared a first kiss yet—and she was surprised that he never got angry with her because of it. He was a patient man for sure, and she could tell that he held no qualms about waiting until she was ready for that. Until then, they continued their game of asking each other questions and feeding on others with a clash of euphoria. There were a few moments when they were drenched in blood that Charlotte almost did it—where she almost leaned forward and pressed her lips against his—but every time, she stopped herself before she could. She managed to overthink everything about her relationship to Kol, and she couldn't shake the self-doubt and insecurity that settled in her stomach.
Sometimes, she needed to get away from Kol, and there were moments in the past few months where she spent days without him around. Eventually, he always popped back up, but she told him numerous times how thankful she was for the space he offered her. He could've easily gotten frustrated with her lack of romantic gestures, but—like she said before—he was always patient, always waiting for her to choose the moment that would eventually happen. She knew that she was in too deep to get out now, but she wasn't particularly trying to either.
Lola commented on her newfound happiness every time she got home, and Jamie sent her all-knowing looks now and then—the older woman had been right about everything she said to Charlotte, and the girl couldn't even be mad at her about it. The mother and daughter duo were great at giving the vampire advice, whether that be in the form of what dress to wear on a particular day or how to deal with Kol when she was confused and lost. They were slowly becoming family, and Jamie sometimes joked about needing to meet the Original vampire herself soon—as was custom in usual dynamics between a mother and her children. It took Charlotte off guard the first time that Jamie mentioned it, not aware that the woman would see her as another daughter of hers. It warmed her heart immensely, and Charlotte had to admit that she was truly happy for one of the first times in her undead life.
It was a chilly day in New Orleans when Charlotte was walking with Rebekah from a shopping trip they took. Two compelled humans followed after them with bags in their hands, and the blonde Mikaelson was prattling on about a party that was being thrown for Christmas. It was to be held at the Abattoir, where Klaus could keep an eye on the civilians of his town, and Rebekah had bought a million dresses to try on. Charlotte bought a few herself, but then Rebekah shoved them away and went toward the much more expensive fabrics. When the Salvatore girl declined the generous offer, Rebekah scoffed, saying that they were practically sisters with how much she was around—not to mention the relationship she had with the girl's brother.
Charlotte didn't say anything to that, remaining silent as Rebekah went nuts on all of the stores they visited, nearly scaring some of the clerks and workers to death when they didn't do exactly as she asked. Eventually, once the day had been spent and the sun was setting, they headed back toward the Mikaelson abode. Charlotte would walk Rebekah home, probably say hello to Kol, and then head back to Lola and Jamie after such a long time running around the city. For a vampire with endless amounts of stamina and energy, she was surprisingly ready for sleep to come.
"So," Rebekah said, turning her head to regard Charlotte with a small smile. "Are you going to come to the Christmas party on the arm of my brother, or should he expect someone else?"
Charlotte smiled as well, rolling her eyes a little. "Well, he has to ask me first," she replied with a small shrug, shifting the white sweater on her arms. There was a coldness in the air, signaling winter and new seasons, and even the long sleeves of her beige dress weren't enough to keep the chill out.
Rebekah scoffed. "I have no doubt that he'll make a spectacle out of the invitation," she commented idly, raising her eyebrows at the brunette girl. "He's always one to be bold when it comes to you. Which reminds me, why haven't you two made your courtship official?"
Charlotte sent a pointed look to her friend. "Rebekah, we talked about this," she began calmly, but the girl wasn't having any of it.
"Well, I still can't understand it," Rebekah replied with a huff, pouting her lips. "He's clearly in love with you, and you tell me yourself about how he makes you feel like you're in the clouds. What's the holdup?"
"You know I don't really want to take that next step yet," Charlotte reminded her, laughing a little as Rebekah's pout grew more obvious. "I'm taking my time. Why should I rush when I have eternity?"
"The wait is killing me," Rebekah mumbled, and Charlotte shook her head, bumping her shoulder with her friend's. Rebekah laughed as they were finally reaching the house, and the two compelled humans stumbled after them into the Abattoir. The place was busy—Charlotte came to realize that it was usually the spot for all of the supernatural creatures to meet and talk about the future of the town. Klaus was King of the Quarter, after all, so he needed a base of operations to keep things running smoothly. Charlotte tried her best to stay out of the way, but Rebekah walked in strutting with confidence and ignoring the other people in the courtyard when they entered.
Klaus was speaking with a woman off to the side, so it was Elijah that greeted them when they entered. He was sat on the couch, reading a book in his hands with Marcel next to him. "Was your shopping to your tastes, sister?" He inquired, and Rebekah smiled brightly at him, gesturing to the compelled humans who were already moving the bags upstairs to their respective rooms. The bags meant for Charlotte remained downstairs, ready to be taken back to her home whenever she was prepared to leave.
"It was wonderful, despite the incompetent girls at the shop on the corner," Rebekah replied, glancing to Charlotte with a roll of her eyes. "They could hardly do anything right, and when I asked for blood red, they only gave me maroon. It was irredeemable."
Charlotte laughed, and Marcel was leaning forward, his wide eyes looking up at them in clear curiosity. "Oh Rebekah, don't be so mean," she told the girl lightly. "They could hardly stop trembling when they caught sight of you."
"Good," Rebekah replied with a firm nod. "I'd expect nothing less."
"Well, well," a voice interrupted, and both girls—as well as Elijah and Marcel—turned to face the woman that Klaus had been speaking to earlier. The man in question stood behind her, but Charlotte wasn't paying attention to Klaus when she caught sight of what the woman looked like. "If it isn't Charlotte Salvatore, back out of the shadows."
A wide smile spread on Charlotte's face, and she couldn't help the excitement from seeping into her voice. "Eloise?" She breathed. When the vampire in front of her only tilted her head, Charlotte didn't hesitate to squeal loudly and flash forward. Within a millisecond, she was hugging the other woman, squeezing her tightly as Eloise laughed in her ear. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still in Europe!"
Pulling away, she examined her old friend closer. The woman's hair was cut short near her shoulders, the auburn locks falling around her face in waves. Unlike the rest of the female population, she didn't wear a dress; instead, she stood there in men's pants and a white, button-down shirt that was tucked in. Her clothes showcased her petite frame, and the boots she wore were dirty—a far cry from their perfect state the last time Charlotte had seen her. Eloise's green eyes sparkled when Charlotte met her gaze, and the Salvatore girl felt her heart leap at the prospect of finally seeing her after all this time. Any thoughts of leaving the Abattoir to find sleep were thrown from her mind.
"I could ask the same of you," Eloise replied, shifting so that she was leaning on one leg with her hands on her hips. "Last I heard, you were still ravaging the eastern seaboard before you completely vanished from my radar."
"Well, you'd know where I went if you ever read my letters," Charlotte reprimanded with a small shove aimed at the girl. Eloise laughed again, a lightheartedness embracing the two.
"You know how often letters get lost? With all my moving around, I don't doubt that's what happened," she shrugged with a small grin. "I'd say sorry, but I'm really not."
"Would anyone like to explain how you two know each other?" Rebekah cut in, and Charlotte blinked when she remembered that the two girls weren't alone in the room. Klaus and his sister were looking between the two vampires in confusion while Elijah took Marcel upstairs and away from the reunion. Within the next moment though, the suited Original was back in his previous spot—both his book and Marcel didn't return with him.
Charlotte shook her head as if to remember her manners. "Oh! Sorry," she admonished quickly before gesturing to the green-eyed girl beside her. "Eloise is the first vampire I ever met after I turned. She sorta showed me the ropes, even helped me track down a witch to make me a daylight ring."
"Yeah, who you killed afterwards, if I'm remembering correctly," Eloise narrowed her eyes, but Charlotte only grinned innocently.
"You know she would've ratted me out within seconds. Besides, no loose ends, right?"
Eloise sighed, but there was a smirk on her lips. "Throwing my own teachings at me?" She drawled, draping an arm around Charlotte's shoulders and bringing her to her side in a friendly way. "That's a low blow, even for you."
Turning her attention to the others, Charlotte focused on Klaus with a questioning expression. "Wait, how do all of you know Eloise?"
"Simple," Klaus mused, hands clasped behind his back whilst still looking between the two vampires with mild interest. "I'm the one that turned her in the sixteenth century. She's been a loyal servant ever since."
Eloise rolled her eyes, but there wasn't any negativity behind the action. "I'm basically an errand girl," she added dryly, and Charlotte didn't miss the way that Klaus tried to hold back his laugh, ducking his head low. "But enough about me, what about you? Obviously your emotions are back, or this reunion would be playing out very differently."
Charlotte closed her eyes gently at the words; she had neglected to tell the others about her brief time without humanity, wanting to keep that part of her past hidden and forgotten. She heard the silence that stretched on at Eloise's statement, and she briefly dreaded what they might be thinking. However, when she opened her eyes, she realized why they were so quiet.
Kol stood on the stairs, looking to Charlotte in confusion and with a bit of hurt. She knew that he wasn't happy she neglected to tell him about this particular fact, and she also knew that he'd definitely be interrogating her about it later. One of her secrets was out in the open now, and she wondered what he was thinking as he stared back at her with narrowed eyes.
Klaus finally let his laugh from before echo in the room, and the attention shifted off of her for a moment to land on him. He was shaking his head, looking to Charlotte with bemusement and intrigue. "Well, it seems there's still a few things you didn't share with the rest of us, sweetheart," he raised his eyebrows, smug that he'd been right about her in one way.
Eloise looked between everybody, eyebrows furrowed together in obvious puzzlement. "Wait," she turned to Charlotte, her eyes sympathetic and worried like the usually were. "You never told them?"
Charlotte shrugged, avoiding Kol's gaze from across the room like it was the plague. "I didn't think I needed to," she told her friend, seeing Eloise's sympathetic expression grow even more so.
"Well, I'd personally like to know the story," Klaus stepped forward, his eyes piercing and calculated. "I'm sure my brother would too, seeing as you obviously never mentioned this little piece of your history to him either."
Charlotte's eyes flickered over to Kol as he silently approached the rest of the group, crossing his arms across his chest. She looked back at Klaus, sighing a little, before she shrugged once more. "I flipped the switch right after I turned," she explained as deftly as she could. "Spent a year or so running around, and then I turned it back on before I came to New Orleans." She looked to Kol again, remembering what she had told him on their first date. "Fresh start and all that, right?"
Kol's face shifted a bit at her words, but she couldn't decipher the emotions in his eyes.
"Why did you turn it off?" Rebekah asked, not looking as hurt as Kol did, but more curious than anything.
Charlotte smiled a bitter smile at that, shaking her head wryly. "Why does anyone?" She responded simply, and they were quiet at that.
"Fair enough," Klaus replied, his face smug and arrogant at catching Charlotte in the midst of a lie—and if not a lie, then at least a non-truth.
Elijah stepped forward, but Charlotte wished that Kol would say something instead. He was still staring at her with a blank expression, and she wished that she didn't have to explain in this way. She wished that she told him earlier, even if she didn't want to. Maybe then, she wouldn't feel hurt by the possibility of his rejection.
"After you turned off your emotions, you went ravaging towns?" The suited Original asked, but it didn't sound like a question—more like an observation. Charlotte nodded, and Eloise stepped in; the older vampire probably felt guilty for outing Charlotte without realizing it, and the Salvatore girl sent her a grateful look at her support.
"Oh, she was phenomenal," Eloise commented, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere while she gestured widely with her hands. "The first baby vampire without emotions that actually knew how to keep her tracks covered. I showed her a few tricks, but she was a natural. A true Infernal Queen." She sent a wink to Charlotte, but the other girl only shoved Eloise with her elbow.
"You're spilling all my secrets now?" She snapped sarcastically, trying not to glance at the curious gazes of the Mikaelson family.
"Hold on," Rebekah raised her hand, her face a mask of incredulous surprise. "The Infernal Queen was you? The same one that supposedly went on a murderous rampage and left people without their eyes? We heard the stories, but we thought it was just some bedtime tale."
Charlotte nodded, smirking slightly as a hint of her old darkness came through. "Guilty as charged," she replied plainly. "It's why I needed a fresh start once my emotions came back."
"What made you turn it back on?" Elijah inquired, and even Eloise turned to hear what she had to say, having not been around to see it firsthand.
Charlotte frowned, her gaze becoming distant as she thought of how much emotional turmoil it was to find out about Stefan and Damon. Both of her brothers killed on the same day by some idiot with a gun. They should've lived longer. They should've known that she was still alive. They should've been around to be her anchor in a world that had treated her so harshly. The thoughts made her swallow thickly, consumed by emotion for a moment.
When she finally found her voice again, it was much smaller—almost reminiscent. "I had two older brothers," she began softly, her hands twitching as she shifted her stance. She hadn't talked about them since she became a vampire, and she'd tried her hardest not to think of them since she attended their joint funeral. "They were everything to me, and when I died and came back, I knew I didn't want to bring them into my new world. I didn't want to accidentally hurt them, but..." She sighed, looking up and glancing between the Mikaelson siblings. "They were killed. They were killed and I no longer had any family left in the world. Not only that, but they died not knowing what happened to me. I never got to say goodbye, and it's been my deepest regret since."
The others were quiet at her story, and she could see the pity in Rebekah's eyes. She risked looking in Kol's direction, but his face was still unreadable, and Charlotte tried not to be hurt by his extended silence. She knew that every Mikaelson had difficulty trusting people, and—excluding Klaus—Kol was the most careful with who he placed his trust in. She could see him debating whether or not he made a mistake in doing so, and for some reason, it made her angry.
"Look, I'm not obligated to tell you anything about me, so I don't understand why this is such a big deal when I came here to forget that part of my life," Charlotte explained sharply, shifting her gaze to Rebekah and happy to see that the blonde girl looked as if she understood. Rebekah had always been easy to get along with—right from the start—and Charlotte was comforted by her unspoken support when Kol was still looking at her in guarded speculation. "Also, if you haven't noticed, it's not like any one of you are spilling all your deepest, darkest secrets, especially about when you were first turned," she raised an eyebrow, glancing to Klaus when the man smirked at her words. He seemed impressed by her gall. "It'd be hypocritical to condemn me. But I guess this town isn't as much of a fresh start as I thought it would be..."
Frowning slightly, she turned to Eloise, bringing the older vampire in for a quick hug. "I'll see you later," Charlotte whispered in the girl's ear, and then she was heading toward where her shopping bags were. She picked them up and flashed out of the Abattoir without a second glance back. She needed a little time to cool off and to think her options through—especially if Kol refused to forgive her for leaving this little story out of all of their meetings. Again, she didn't understand why it was such a big deal, but she assumed it was because all of the Originals were paranoid—none more so than Klaus and Kol.
She only hoped that her explanation had been enough for him.
<<>>
Kol Mikaelson was distraught—an emotion that he swore never to feel again until he met a certain blue eyed girl. He'd thought that they were getting along nicely, that she was being honest with him when she said that he was the only person to know this much about her. Obviously, that'd been a lie, and he was even more shocked to find out the story behind it.
To know that Charlotte had flipped the switch so soon after turning was surprising, and to know that she was the infamous Infernal Queen was even more so. He'd heard the stories from a few years ago, tales about a blood-soaked girl walking through towns and killing ruthlessly wherever she went. He'd heard that she lived under the radar, and nobody could quite remember what she looked like after the Infernal Queen crossed them on her path. She was a figment of many imaginations—or at least, he thought she was. Knowing that Charlotte was behind it all and she negated to tell him hurt just a little, even if he tried to hide it under his cool and indifferent expression.
It had only been ten minutes before Kol was following Charlotte to her home in New Orleans, desperate for answers as to why she never told him these things. He knew she wasn't obligated to tell her story—she'd said as much in the Abattoir—but he thought that she trusted him enough to explain her past. He thought that she was comfortable enough to share that with him, and the ache in his chest deepened when he imagined the many reasons that she didn't tell him. Was this all just a ruse? Was Charlotte only using him to hide low in the city? Did she even feel the same way about him as he did about her? He had confessed his feelings to her, something that he never thought he would do, but she never openly reciprocated them. Her adamant way of shutting down any thoughts of courting only intrigued him further now that he knew she was keeping things from him.
He reminded himself not to jump to conclusions, lest he be something just like his older half-brother. He didn't want to scare Charlotte off, but he wanted an explanation. Was that so much to ask after everything he felt about her? Was it so ludicrous to want more from her? Perhaps it was, since—like Charlotte said—he didn't exactly spill his entire life story to her either. Neither of them knew every little thing about each other, but Kol was addicted to her. He wanted to know her and the way her mind worked, not for any other reason than for his own selfish gain.
He sighed deeply to himself, approaching the quaint house on the outskirts of the French Quarter with slow, steady steps. He hesitated on knocking, wondering if he should give her the space she so readily asked for. He didn't want to come off as overbearing, and he definitely didn't want to come across as a love-sick puppy—though, there was a possibility that he already appeared that way.
Deciding that it didn't matter what he thought—he was here for Charlotte's opinion—he knocked on the door, waiting patiently for it to open. He heard some bustling from inside, and then a short moment later, the door opened toward him. There was a dark-skinned woman on the other side of the threshold, with thick, curly hair and wide brown eyes. She fixed her gaze on Kol evenly, and the vampire tried not to be offended by the somewhat distrustful gaze she looked upon him with.
"Yes?" She began, obviously waiting for an introduction, and Kol swallowed once before answering her.
"Hello," he started off by saying, not completely sure if this was the home that Charlotte lived in. He had seen her run this way multiple times—and the vampires that he had trailing her for the first part of their relationship told him that the girl lived here—but he wasn't certain. "My name is Kol Mikaelson. Does Charlotte Salvatore live here?"
The woman narrowed her eyes, but answered him nonetheless. "Yes," she replied curtly. "But why are you here?"
He sighed, running a hand through his unruly hair. "I wanted to speak with her, if that's alright with you?" He was trying his best to be polite, but it wouldn't be long before he started getting frustrated with the servant.
The woman's gaze turned even more distrustful—if that was in any way possible. She pointed an accusing finger in his direction, frowning deeply. "If you hurt that girl..." She trailed off, not wanting to say more—or at least, she was incapable of saying more. "She's endured enough. She doesn't need more turmoil from you."
Kol shook hid head, placating his temper for the moment. "I want nothing of the sort," he explained to her. "I apologize if I came off in such a way. I just want to speak with her, only for a moment."
The woman looked at him for a long time, pursing her lips in thought. Eventually, she nodded slowly. "Alright, I believe you," she said, making the Original vampire breathe easier. "But I have to ask the Misses if she wishes for you to come inside."
Kol nodded, expecting this. "That's fine," he replied simply. "I can wait." And oh, how true those words were.
The woman nodded, and the door closed upon him. While he could curb his curiosity, he couldn't help but listen to the servant's footsteps as she went upstairs, questioning the vampire about whether she wanted him inside or not. There was no reply, but Kol heard as two sets of feet descended the stairs instead of one. That was enough hope for him.
The door opened again, but this time, it was Charlotte Salvatore behind it. The vision of her took his breath away, but he didn't allow her affect on him to be shown. She was dressed differently than she had been earlier in the day, now wearing a white robe over her body. In any other scenario, this would've been considered inappropriate, but Kol couldn't manage to turn himself away when faced with her exquisite blue eyes.
"Charlotte," he breathed, at a loss for words at the moment. The way that the robe dipped low toward her cleavage made his breath hitch, and he pushed back any and all thoughts of lust from his mind. This was a time for serious discussion, and he didn't want to mess it up. "May I come in?"
"Depends," Charlotte spoke slowly, her eyes taking in his form with careful calculation. "What is it that you want?"
He took a deep breath, but Kol knew that it would be best to tell the truth. "I wanted to talk, about what happened back at the Abattoir," he explained, and he took notice of the way Charlotte's jaw clenched tightly. He could tell that she was tense, but he hoped it wasn't because of him. He didn't want to waste six months of hoping for her affections only to waste it.
Charlotte narrowed her eyes. "We can speak freely here," she replied instead of inviting him in, and although he felt discouraged by her choice, he didn't push her on it.
"Why didn't you tell me of your past?" He asked gently, watching her face for any possible clue as to what she was thinking. Like normally, her face was devoid of any expression, and it frustrated him to no end. He wished he could read her easier.
It was a long moment before Charlotte spoke again, and during that time, she analyzed him closely, her eyes roaming over his form. When she did speak, it was with a somewhat bitter tone. "Why should I?" She asked softly. "You know nothing of my past, and for good reason. Anything during that time is bound to bring bad memories."
"I wanted to know more about you," he told her honestly. "And I know that I haven't been completely honest, and I apologize for it." He paused, looking over her fair features. "I will tell you about my past, as long as you tell me about yours."
Charlotte gazed at him for a long moment, her blue eyes entrancing him even as they flickered over his current state. He looked distressed, and he hoped that his appearance would emphasize just how much that he cared about her. He knew that Charlotte had a hard time of accepting his affections—for reasons unknown to him—but he wanted her to know that he was sincere with his words.
Eventually, Charlotte tilted her head. "Jamie," she called, and the woman from before appeared not a second later. She looked to Charlotte for instructions, and the girl smiled warmly at her before responding. "Invite him in."
Jamie glanced at Kol, narrowing her eyes even as she followed the orders. "Come in," she told him softly, and Kol waited for the servant to leave before stepping over the threshold. Charlotte backed away from the door, looking up to Kol with a mixture of emotions that would take him another century to decipher. Eventually, she smiled gently at him, gesturing to the sofa in the living room.
"What do you want to know?" She asked, reminding him of the time that she'd asked almost the same thing at the gala. He could tell that Charlotte was thinking of the same occurrence, especially with that special glint in her eyes. He moved across the hallway, settling himself into the cushions of the couch that was placed there.
Kol looked toward her, wondering if now would be the moment that she was being completely truthful with him. While he could see the honesty in her eyes, he could tell that there was still something that she was hiding. Instead of commenting on that, Kol smiled at her widely.
"Everything," he answered, and Charlotte smirked.
<<>>
hey hey hey! double update everybody!!
i felt super bad about how much i've been neglecting this story recently, so i wanted to give you readers a treat today! i hope you enjoy the double chapter and the progression of kol and charlotte's relationship! it was really fun for me to write.
anyway, thank you again for reading and i hope you liked it! please leave a review if you can (because i will seriously love you forever if you do :))
-kay <3