I woke up in my bed, looking over to see Caroline sitting silently on the end of her own. I sat up, looking over at her before smiling. "Happy Birthday." She frowned, looking down. "What's the matter?"
"I'm just not feeling it this year. Being a vampire sucks." I made my way over to the girl, sitting beside her. I turned to face her, smiling.
"Well, maybe we just make it a normal day? I haven't had one of those with you in a while, and I have a lot to catch you up with." I watched as the blonde smiled slightly before me.
"I think I'd like that."
My smile grew further. "Great! Give me ten minutes to get ready, and then we can head to school." Caroline nodded. I got ready as quickly as possible, returning to Caroline fully dressed with a packed bag. I looked at her, handing her a small box with a red ribbon. "I know we're not going to celebrate, but I think you still deserve a gift." She opened it, spotting the necklace inside which had a dark blue gemstone on it.
"This is beautiful. Thank you."
I smiled. "It works the same as a daylight ring. I promise you I had it tested. I can see how much you hate that ugly ring."
I heard the blonde chuckle. "How'd you even get this? There's no way Bonnie would make me another one of these."
"I have my ways." She looked at me with a questionable expression before I continued. "You ready to go to school?"
"Of course."
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Caroline drove us to school, both of us acting as though it was a normal day as we rolled into the parking lot. As soon as we parked, Caroline's mood dropped, her eyes lingering on Tyler who was making his way over.
"I'll stay in the car, give you two some space." Caroline nodded, making her way out of the car and over to Tyler. I watched as the two spoke, unable to hear what they were saying. I could see the pain on Tyler's face, him seeming to be apologizing to Caroline. Their conversation was short, with Tyler placing a small black bag into her hands before he walked away, Caroline making her way back over to me in the car. She hopped in, sighing as she closed the door.
"I can't do this today. Can we go somewhere?" I looked at her.
"Wherever you want." She smiled slightly, masking the sadness she was feeling before she reversed. "How about some girl talk? I really need your advice with something."
"This isn't about Klaus, is it?" I stayed quiet, the silence answering for me. "Look, Amity. You're my cousin, and I love you. If being friends with Klaus is what you want, then I'll tolerate it."
"It's about Klaus, but not like that." She looked at me for a moment, a questioning look on her face before she returned her attention to the road. "I feel like he and I are really close, but he just like blew up yesterday when I was asking him about Jeremy."
"What did you expect, Mita? He is quite literally the angriest person I've ever met, and he has a tendency to act on a whim."
I sighed. "Caroline, I really care about him, and I don't know what to do. He'll treat me like a princess for days, and then ignore me like we literally haven't spent hours together every day the past month."
"Wait, you've been seeing him every day?"
I laughed it off. "Uh, yeah."
"Oh my god, Amity. So when he was MIA and had Elena in shambles over his whereabouts, you knew where he was the whole time?"
"It's not like I could tell her! You all assumed that we hadn't spoken since homecoming and I didn't want to let you all down." I frowned. "I guess that doesn't matter now anyway."
I could sense the atmosphere in the car change, Caroline now becoming more sympathetic instead of mad. "You didn't let us down. You made a friend, there's nothing wrong with that. Given, it was sort of like Stockholm syndrome, but that's beside the point."
"You said he was the enemy. And he's totally brainwashed Tyler, so I can see why. I just don't understand why I care so much about him." I went quiet for a few moments. "He's a good guy. To me at least."
"He also killed Jenna, and brainwashed my boyfriend to ambush Jeremy, and is constantly trying to kill Elena and her loved ones, but you see a different side to him I guess."
I sighed, knowing there was nothing I could do to change her mind, and instead changing the subject.
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Caroline and I arrived back at her home, the blonde dropping her keys at the entryway. She was smiling, which was all I had aimed to achieve today, which made me smile in reaction.
Both of us quickly jumped, Bonnie, Matt, and Elena jumping out with balloons and party hats. "Surprise!"
"Happy Birthday!" Matt spoke, making Caroline stiffen her shoulders.
"What are you guys doing here?"
Elena and Bonnie looked to each other before the human replied. "Well, you blew off school and missed our work of birthday art, so, uh..." The doppelganger placed the crown from her head onto the blonde, smiling before Bonnie continued the sentence.
"Change into warmer clothes, we're going to the falls. S'mores, campfire."
"Cake, like when we were little." I smiled at the doppelganger, the memories of our birthdays as children filling my heart with warmth.
"Except with tequila!" Everyone chuckled at the boy's input.
"Uh, thanks, guys. Really. I'm just not really feeling my birthday this year." All of them looked slightly shocked at Caroline's reply, Bonnie putting the surprise into words.
"I'm sorry, what? You've already claimed your birthday as everyone's favorite day of the year."
"Yeah, and now it's just a reminder that technically I'm dead." I watched as all the teenagers' faces dropped. "Look, I didn't even like 17. The only point of 17 was to get to 18. It's a filler year. I am stuck in a filler year."
"You're not stuck, Caroline."
Caroline looked to the doppelganger before replying. "Yeah, I am. But it's okay. You know, it's all good. I will be fine, but I just need some time to wallow in it."
"Okay, well, I think I have another idea."
I became distracted as my phone began to ring. "Sorry, I'll be back in a second."
I quickly walked out the front, closing the door behind me as I answered the phone "Hello, love."
"Klaus. To what do I owe this pleasure?" I heard him chuckle through the call before continuing.
"I've been invited to a special event tonight, and I need you to come as my date."
I scoffed. "You expect me to be your date after you quite literally left me stranded in your almost mansion in the middle of nowhere?"
"Yes, love, I do. You are technically invited due to being related to the Founding Families, so it's a nice way to kill two birds with one stone."
I looked inside, seeing all four of my closest friends from my childhood have some good laughs while waiting for me to return. "Sorry, Niklaus, but I already have plans for tonight."
"You mean Caroline's little birthday bash? Haven't you spent enough time with her today? Give her friends a chance, Amity." I sighed, looking inside once more to see them all having a good time.
"You provide the dress, the shoes, the jewelry, and the transport."
I could imagine him smirking in my head as I heard him exhale through the line. "Done. I'll pick only the most elegant of looks."
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"You've got to be kidding me." I looked at the dress in the mirror, face-palming as I looked at what Klaus had selected.
((you know the deal. this is what i think but you can imagine it as something different))
It was short. Extremely short. I sighed, attempting to pull it as far down my legs as possible before seeing Klaus behind me in the mirror. His outfit was business casual, being a dress shirt unbuttoned a bit too far for casual, as well as a blazer and matching pants.
"My precious Amity, you look stunning." I turned to face him.
"This is you teaching me a lesson, isn't it."
He raised his hands in surrender. "I am doing nothing of the sort, sweetheart. I just picked a dress which I thought would look good on you, and I was correct."
I scoffed. "This is a Founders Event, Niklaus."
A flash of pain was evident on his face as I used his full name, it quickly returning to his upturned smirk. "More the reason to prove to them that old traditions are out of season."
I shook my head before he offered me his arm, beginning to walk as I link my arm with his.
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We arrived at the Lockwood mansion, many of the guests yet to arrive as Carol Lockwood greeted us at the door.
"Klaus, how nice to see you again." Her eyes traveled to me, meeting my eyes with a warm smile. "Amity Romero!" She reached forward wrapping me in a hug. "How nice to see you! I hadn't realized you were back in town."
"It's nice to see you again too, Mrs. Lockwood." She smiled at me before welcoming the both of us inside, Klaus leading us to the bar. "She didn't question us arriving together?"
"You aren't a child anymore, my precious Amity. Although you act like one at times, you are almost an adult and are capable of making your own decisions." I remained quiet, the hybrid ordering himself a drink and looking to me for my drink of choice.
"Too many adults here, Niklaus. Although being seen with you brings me down quite a few notches, I still do respect my self-image." He chuckled, taking a sip of his drink before linking his arm with mine once more, making his way to Carol Lockwood who had settled once all the guests had arrived.
She smiled at us. "Hello again, do make yourselves comfortable."
"Mayor Lockwood, I really do feel as though this is a really good cause we are working for here today." The woman watched the hybrid with full interest. "I feel as though it is only right for me to match every dollar raised here tonight if that is okay?"
I watched the mayor become flushed. "I- Wow, that would just be absolutely amazing, Mr. Mikaelson. I'm sure the Council will extremely appreciate that."
"It's the least I can do for the town which I've grown to love."
I excused myself from the conversation, making my way over to Damon, who looked me up and down as I settled beside him.
"I'm surprised you're interacting with the Founders Council since they can easily find images from yours and Stefan's human lives, hmm?" The raven-haired vampire didn't respond, his eyes locked onto Klaus. "What's your deal?"
This question caught the vampire off-guard, him looking down at me. "What do you mean 'What's my deal'? I don't have a deal."
"Well, every time I've seen you, you've been trying to save Elena, so I assumed that you two were together, but then I've come to learn that she and Stefan are on the outs, so what's your deal?"
He scoffed. "I'm not always saving Elena. She just happens to be in a lot of places which involve taking down Klaus."
I nodded in acknowledgment. "Well, you would be going after the girl too if she could make you your own species that praised you like a king, would you not?"
"Unlikely." I went to start another conversation with the vampire before he made his way over to Klaus and Carol, inserting himself into their conversation. I followed soon after, listening in to what Carol was saying.
"-Klaus has made a very generous pledge. You know how we're chomping at the bit to begin the renovation."
The vampire hummed. "Carol, don't take this the wrong way, but do you realize you've been kissing the ass of an immortal hybrid who ruined your son's life?"
"Oh come now, some might say I saved it, what with all that nasty full-moon business." Klaus turned to the mayor, softening his tone. "I never had to go through it myself more than twice, to be honest, but still, I am very sympathetic."
Carol nodded in agreement before turning her attention back to the raven-haired vampire. "Klaus has promised to protect Tyler, Damon. And our town."
"From who?" He turned his attention to Klaus. "His hybrids are the ones the town needs protection from."
"Well, I'd have no use for them if your brother would kindly return my family." I watched the tension grew, making me step between them and look at Klaus.
"Not the place. Remain civilized."
He smiled at me softly before continuing. "Which is why the mayor and I have come to an agreement. You and the council stay out of my hair, I'll stay out of yours. Your town gets protected, my hybrids get left alone and everybody will be happy." Klaus stepped forward once more to get closer to the younger vampire in front of him. "All you have to do is get Stefan to stop decapitating my friends."
"Please, Damon." I looked to the mayor, who didn't seem to be compelled. "Just get your brother under control or the council will be forced to take action against him."
"You have got to be kidding me."
"Oh, come on mate." The hybrid smirked. "Give peace a chance." The hybrid reached for my hand before bringing me with him away from the conversation.
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I ran to Klaus outside, seeing him hang up his phone and meet my eye. I quickly grab on his hand, going as fast as possible to his car. "What's the matter, love?"
"Matt just called me. Tyler bit Caroline." The hybrid didn't seem surprised but entered the car nonetheless, starting the engine. I was distressed, to say the least. Over time creating hybrids with Klaus, I saw firsthand how badly their bites affected vampires, as well as how easily Klaus could heal one. I tapped my fingers on the dash before I let the stress overwhelm me. "Go faster, Nik!" He looked at me for a moment before speeding up, making us arrive at the house within minutes. I quickly got out, making my way upstairs without even a thought of inviting Klaus in as I made my way upstairs.
I entered the room, sitting on the bed beside Caroline. She looked up to me, smiling slightly. "You look so beautiful."
I smiled down at her with tears in my eyes, caressing my hand against her face. "I'm so sorry, Caroline. I promise I'll fix this." She nodded, wincing in pain as she did so. "I never thought he would try to hurt you."
I stopped speaking as Klaus appeared in the doorway, looking at me before I stood up, making my way outside. I closed the door behind the two, sitting beside it as I listened to their quiet conversation through it.
"Are you here to kill me?"
I could hear the astonishment in his voice as he replied. "On your birthday? You really think that low of me?"
"Yes."
There were a few moments of silence, Klaus' voice breaking it. "That looks bad. My apologies, you're what's known as collateral damage. It's nothing personal." There was a moment of silence once more before he continued. "I love birthdays."
I could barely hear Caroline's meek reply before she carried on the conversation. "Aren't you like, a billion, or something?"
"Well, you have to adjust your perception of time when you become a vampire, Caroline. Celebrate the fact that you're no longer bound by trivial human conventions. You're free."
"No. I'm dying." My heart broke at Caroline's response, beginning to feel my eyes become glassy.
I had to pay more attention as the volume decreased. "And I could let you die if you wanted. If you really believe your existence has no meaning. I thought about it myself once or twice over the centuries, truth be told." There was a moment of silence. "But I'll let you in on a little secret. There's a whole world out there waiting for you. Great cities, art, and music." The was a moment of silence once more. "Genuine beauty. Beauty that could change everything in your life." Silence fell over the two once more before I heard Caroline speak.
"You mean her, don't you?" I heard him question her with a hum. "The beauty that changes everything in your life. You're talking about her." I didn't hear him reply, but I could hear the heartbreak in Caroline's voice as she spoke her next sentence. "I don't want to die."
"There you go sweetheart, have at it." There was a slight movement. "Happy birthday, Caroline."
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