THE MIKAELSONS ARE THE MOST POWERFUL FAMILY OF VAMPIRES IN EXISTENCE. STEFAN SEEMS TO HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT.
[ 3.11 — 3.13 ]
THE ONLY TIME THE PEOPLE OF MYSTIC FALLS HAD SEEN LOTTIE LANCASTER IN A WORSE MOOD was when her parents died. The only problem was that they had no clue what happened in her life to make her so sad, to have her isolate herself from practically everyone in her life. And if she wasn't isolating, she was ignoring you while throwing herself into Founders' event planning.
Lottie's dreams were haunted by images of Finn, Elijah, and Kol, only to be hit with the reminder that they were gone when she woke each morning. They were stolen by Stefan and cloaked from location spells by Bonnie. And no one dared to tell Lottie where the three coffins were being hidden. No, they didn't know she was the soulmate to four Originals, but they knew she at the very least had feelings for Klaus in addition to whatever happens with Elijah. In their minds, she was in the exact same predicament as Elena, and so they wouldn't risk revealing where the coffins were. And Stefan, who hadn't been compelled to forget all his knowledge from the summer, knew how Klaus felt for Lottie.
There was one person that might could bring Lottie comfort, but he was far too busy with his hybrids, remodeling a permanent home, and trying to get his family back. Lottie didn't want to bother him, but going so long without any of her soulmates was certainly taking its toll on the girl.
"You look exhausted," Jenna noted as she met Lottie outside the Founders' Hall. There was a charity event for restoring Wickery Bridge.
"Thanks for not sugarcoating," Lottie said, rolling her eyes. But she was exhausted. She wasn't sleeping well at all, as proven by the dark circles under her eyes that she couldn't quite hide with concealer. "But yeah. I've had a few rough nights."
"Well, I'm sure if you need to sneak out early, I can distract Mayor Lockwood for you," Jenna offered.
"I'll probably take you up on that," she said, managing a small smile. "I so don't want to be here."
Jenna scoffed in amusement. "Does anyone?"
Then they were joined by Damon and Alaric just as Damon was muttering a, "Screw you!" to the history teacher. Alaric sighed and looked at the building. He didn't want to be there either.
"Can't a Council meeting ever just be a Council meeting?" Alaric grumbled.
"You can't get drunk off free alcohol at a regular Council meeting," Jenna reminded him. After learning about vampires, it wasn't long before Liz Forbes got Jenna on the Vampire Council as well, who welcomed the woman who was an extension of the Gilbert family. Lottie was the only one there for the actual charity event.
Though they were friendly, Jenna still didn't love spending prolonged amounts of time around Alaric, so she and Lottie wandered away from the men, looking at all the information posted about the bridge's history.
"Ooh," Jenna said, sipping on a glass of champagne while looking toward the staircase. "I spy a hottie with a body kissing the ass of Mayor Lockwood."
Lottie giggled and turned to check it out, only to see Carol speaking with Klaus just under the stairs. He had a charming smile on his face, and the mayor was giggling at whatever he was saying. Lottie'd hardly seen him in days and she instantly wanted to go over to him.
"That's Klaus, Jen," Lottie informed her.
"Seriously?" she asked, her eyes wide. She'd never actually seen him outside of Alaric's body. "Why did no one tell me he looked like that?"
"Well, Elijah is his brother, and you also think Elijah is handsome," she reminded her.
"True. True," she mumbled while nodding. "I get why you have crushes on both of them now."
Lottie's cheeks instantly heated up, and when she spotted Klaus' head whip over toward her from her peripheral vision, she wanted the ground to swallow her whole.
"I do not—"
Jenna cut Lottie off with a single, knowing glance. "Try that with someone who doesn't know about your cutesy summer phone calls." Lottie was taken aback by that. She thought she'd been rather sneaky with her calls — not even the vampires with enhanced hearing knew. "I've gotten a lot more perceptive since learning about all this."
"Why does it feel like you're supportive of this?" Lottie asked, frowning. She'd been preparing for shouting matches and scolding when and if anyone picked up on her deeper feelings for the hybrid. "He killed Elena. He admitted to thinking about sacrificing you."
Jenna shrugged. "Elena's alright, and so am I. And Klaus arguably wants her the safest and human the most out of anyone, so as her guardian, I don't mind so much. Ya know, he's allowing her to live here. And even when he could've killed Jeremy to make a point last week, instead, Elena said he just threatened his life unless they gave Rebekah back. So not okay with threatening Jer, but his dead sister was locked in the cellar of the Boarding House, so I kind of get it." After all that, Jenna frowned and tilted her head. "What even is my life now?"
"Better than Twilight," Lottie joked, both knowing she loved Twilight. Then she sighed. "I didn't know about Jeremy."
"He's not dead, and that's what matters. After Elena handed over Rebekah, Klaus promised to never hurt him, which is reassuring."
Lottie nodded and looked down. Klaus hadn't undaggered Rebekah, which she found odd. Yes, she knew about Klaus killing their mother, but surely she'd get over it. Even Finn got over it — sort of. And even if she couldn't, surely she'd stay in town long enough to save her family from Stefan.
"He just wants his family back, Jenna," Lottie whispered. She felt horrible about Jeremy being threatened.
"And I'd tell you if I knew where they were keeping them," Jenna admitted, squeezing Lottie's hand. "They aren't thinking about long-term peace and the least amount of casualties — just revenge."
"You're being surprisingly reasonable and level-headed about this," she noted, raising an impressed eyebrow. "Kind of suspicious."
"Yes, well, I'm much more reasonable when the villain is hot," she joked. Then her eyes spotted Damon over Lottie's shoulder, who was making a disgusted face as he listened in to Klaus kissing up to Carol. "I'm less reasonable when that one's involved."
For some reason, Damon thought talking about him meant they were summoning him. It only took seconds for him to reach the girls, but he wasn't there long. Lottie couldn't even protest as Damon took her by the arm and pulled her away from Jenna and toward the stairs.
"Hey!" Lottie whined. "I was talking."
"And now you're walking," Damon said. He didn't say it out loud, but all the Originals seemed less scary when Lottie was around for some reason, and Klaus was no exception to that.
As the distance between Lottie and Klaus got smaller and smaller, she could feel her pulse rising, her body's reaction to being away from him for almost two weeks. She found that she didn't resist as Damon took her over. And her eyes stayed on Klaus as Damon began to speak.
"Look at what the cat dragged in," he said, eyeing Klaus unhappily. "Nice vest."
Lottie thought it was a nice vest, which he wore over a casual long-sleeved white henley.
"Thank you very much, good to see you, Damon," Klaus greeted. Then his blue eyes fell on Lottie and he smiled genuinely for the first time all night. He'd been so distracted and worried about his family and seeing her eased his stress instantly. "Good evening, Lottie. You look lovely."
Damon rolled his eyes childishly as Lottie blushed. "Thank you, Nik," she said. "It's nice to see you again."
"Carol and I were discussing about whether either of you would be the other big benefactor of the night," he said.
"What do you say, Damon, Charlotte? Klaus has made a very generous pledge. You know how we're chomping at the bit to begin the renovation," Carol said happily.
"Carol, don't take this the wrong way, but do you realize that you've been kissing the ass of an immortal hybrid who ruined your son's life?" Damon asked flatly.
His bluntness made Klaus chuckle. "Oh, come now. Some would say that I saved it from all that nasty full moon business," he said. Then he turned back to Carol. "I've never had to go through it myself more than twice, to be honest, but still, I'm very sympathetic."
"Klaus has promised to protect Tyler, Damon. And our town," Carol informed them.
"From who?" Damon asked, scoffing. "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," Klaus replied tensely.
"Not gonna happen."
"Damon," Lottie muttered, shaking her head.
"That's what I thought, which is why I've come to an agreement with the Mayor. You and the Council stay out of my hair, I stay out of yours. Your town gets protected, my hybrids get left alone and everybody will be happy. All you have to do is to get Stefan to stop decapitating my friends," Klaus said.
"Please Damon, just get your brother under control, or the Council will be forced to take action against him," Carol whispered.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" he exclaimed angrily.
"Oh, come on, mate. Give peace a chance," Klaus said with a little smirk.
"This one doesn't know the meaning of the word," Lottie muttered, nudging Damon's arm.
Again, he rolled his eyes, more playfully now. "Go write a check, Charlie."
"You're the one that dragged me over here in the first place," she reminded him before leaving the group under the stairs.
Damon watched as Klaus' eyes followed after the girl with interest. He had to hold back a scoff of disbelief, realizing that Lottie managed to snag the attention of both Mikaelson brothers and it was more than a one-sided, girl crush. If Elijah was undaggered, would said feelings come between the two brothers? While Damon didn't love the idea of using Lottie as leverage, he still kept a few Lottie-doesn't-get-seriously-hurt plans in his back pocket.
"Mayor Lockwood," Klaus said, finally dragging his eyes off Lottie.
"Call me Carol," she said with a smile that Damon figured was supposed to be flirty.
"Carol," Klaus corrected, smirking at her. "It's been wonderful getting to know you, but I'm sure you have plenty of very important guests to speak to. If you'll please excuse me."
Lottie hadn't even made it halfway across the room and back to Jenna before her phone was ringing. She pulled it out of her bag and answered the call from Tyler, finding it odd because Tyler didn't contact her much.
"Hey, Ty," she greeted. "What's up?"
"Do you happen to know where Caroline is? Matt didn't tell me where they were taking her for her birthday," he said, sighing. "I've got to talk to her."
"Oh, they're at the cemetery in the middle of the woods. Bonnie texted and said Elena had the idea to have a funeral so Care could move on from her human life or something like that," she said. Then she cringed. "But Tyler, it kind of sounds like they don't want you there if they didn't invite you."
"I know," he said, sighing heavily again. Then he groaned. "This day has been horrible. First, I give Caroline a bracelet but then screw it up by making her mad. Then Klaus told me to freaking bite her just because he's mad at Stefan — which, no way am I doing that. And now this hybrid thing is making my friends hate me."
Since it was a phone call, Tyler had no idea how Lottie's eyes widened in worry. She quickly found Klaus in the crowd, who was already making his way to her while saying a few polite greetings to people he passed.
"Ty, I know that right now, everything sucks. Literally everything," Lottie said, her throat feeling tight. "But this isn't going to last forever. And you and Care — you'll work out once you've got this hybrid thing figured out."
"I'm sure you're right. You're basically always right," he mumbled, trying to feel a little better.
"I am older and wiser," she said, nodding with a smile.
Tyler scoffed at that. "By a year and a couple months," he reminded her. Unlike Elena, who was one of the oldest in her class, Lottie was the youngest. She was one of the last in her school year to do the big things like get her driver's license and turn seventeen.
Lottie rolled her eyes playfully. "Go crash your girlfriend's funeral, kiddo."
Just as Lottie hung up the phone, Klaus finally reached her. He hadn't bothered to listen in, so he didn't understand why her smile dropped as soon as she saw him.
"Hello, love," he greeted much softer than when next to Damon and Carol. "It's been far too long since I've seen you."
Lottie had to steel herself when Klaus' hand shyly brushed against her fingertips. She took in a deep breath — which probably wasn't a good idea, as now her head was swimming with his comforting smell.
"I don't know how your stupid sire bond works—"
"I wouldn't call it stupid," he said with a frown.
She just kept talking, ignoring him. "But you're going to call Tyler and tell him he absolutely under no conditions is to bite Caroline anymore." Klaus went to say something, but Lottie didn't give him time. "No! Okay, this isn't me trying to change you or taking Stefan's side. If you'd have told him to bite Damon or Stefan or, like, turn Alaric and bite him, I wouldn't really say anything. I want you to get your family back."
Lottie took a deep breath before continuing. "But Caroline and Jenna are off limits. They aren't involved at all — I know more than they do, and I don't know anything."
"Love—"
"A - and it's Care's birthday. That's just, like, the worst present ever."
"Lottie—"
"And if Tyler's dog teeth get anywhere near her—"
"Darling," Klaus said in a firm tone. The only reason Lottie ceased her rant was because he used Kol's name for her. Her worry for Caroline was quickly replaced with a longing for him and Finn, but she didn't let it show on her face.
"What?" she asked in a quieter tone.
"I'll call Tyler," Klaus simply. He didn't look mad or anything about Lottie altering his master plan.
"Really?" she asked hopefully.
Klaus nodded. "She's not even the best option to go after — I don't believe she and Stefan are close. But I was in a foul mood, and Tyler was there. You'll come to learn I have an unfortunately rash temper."
"I already know that," she said with a small smile. Then she surprised him by hugging him tightly. "Thank you. Now, go call before he reaches the party at the cemetery and loses service."
Klaus looked at her questioningly. "Who has a birthday party in a cem — never mind," he said, sighing. Klaus stepped away and pulled out his phone, but not before looking back at Lottie with his eyes narrowed. "Don't think I didn't catch that dog teeth comment. We aren't dogs."
"Sure," she said, dragging out the word. She'd been hearing Kol refer to him as a dog long before the curse was broken.
Lottie felt much better as she moved around the Founder's Hall, letting Klaus have a moment to speak with Tyler. She ended up going upstairs, just looking at the crowd from above. She was incredibly bored but didn't want to go anywhere near Jenna, who looked to be having an unpleasant conversation with Alaric. It was probably because he had been talking to Meredith Fell — between Logan and Wyatt, he had no business getting close to anyone in that family.
Her boredom was pushed to the sidelines when a hybrid joined her. Just not her hybrid. It was Daniel, one of the ones she remembered from the beer pong game.
"Hi, Daniel," she greeted, giving him a polite smile.
"Lottie," he said. Then he nodded his head to the study, wanting to talk with her where no humans or council members would overhear them. "Klaus is trapped by the Mayor again but he wanted me to tell you that Tyler isn't going to bite your friend — or anyone. You don't have to worry about it anymore."
Lottie sighed in relief and nodded. "Thank you for letting me know, Daniel."
"Don't sweat it. Honestly, all the hybrids should thank you," he said, shrugging. "It's... hard to deny Klaus, not that we want to much."
Lottie looked at the ground, hating that all of the hybrids were trapped at Klaus' side. "Well, maybe after he gets his family back, he'll loosen the reigns—"
She cut herself off as Stefan appeared in the study. Before either could react, Stefan stabbed Daniel in the stomach with a knife. Lottie screamed and backed away as he then grabbed Daniel's head and held the knife to his throat, ready to behead him.
But then Damon appeased and got in the way, slamming Stefan against a wall while Daniel's body dropped. Stefan wriggled in his brother's hold until he was free.
"What are you doing?" he all but shouted, glaring at Damon.
"What are you doing? No dead hybrids at the Founders' party!" he snapped. "And no traumatizing Charlie!"
Stefan shook his head stubbornly. "No, I told Klaus to get his hybrids out of town, he didn't listen, so I'm gonna say it louder."
"You don't think there's ten more where that came from? And if you kill them, Klaus won't make twenty more?" Damon questioned. "Have you forgotten about Elena's part in all of this? Or do you not care if she is a human blood bag for the rest of her life?"
"Protecting Elena is your problem now. See, I'm not compelled by Klaus to do that anymore," Stefan replied, shrugging.
Damon rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that no-humanity crap, you can't just flip your switch! Your switch is fried, Stefan, just like your brain! You wanna take Klaus? You wanna beat the villain? You've gotta be smarter."
"To beat the villain, Damon, you have to be the better villain."
Then Stefan sped from the room before Damon could get another word in. He groaned in annoyance. "Charlie, what are your thoughts on brother-on-brother violence — shit."
As Damon turned, he saw that Lottie was no longer in the study. It seemed Stefan thought it'd be a good idea to take her. And if Damon's hunch about Klaus and Lottie was right, then his brother had just done something incredibly stupid to try and force Klaus' hand.
"Oh, Klaus is so gonna kill you."
☽︎
The blood was pounding in Lottie's head when she regained consciousness. The last thing she recalled was Damon chastising his brother for nearly beheading Daniel in the middle of the Founders' event. Someone — Stefan — grabbed her, and everything was dark after that. That would be because the vampire harshly knocked her head against a wall.
It took Lottie a moment to open her eyes, and she found that she was in the backseat of Stefan's car, which felt as if it was going far too fast. She'd woken up just in time to see Stefan throw a cell phone out the window, causing Elena — who was in the front seat — to yell at him.
"What are you doing? Stefan, let me out of this car. Do you hear me? Let me out of the car!" she shouted.
"Stefan? Elena?" Lottie said, managing to sit up fully. Elena's head whipped around, thankful that she was awake. All she'd known was that Lottie's head was bleeding, and Stefan hadn't said a thing about the unconscious girl in the back seat. "Wh - what's going on?"
"Like I said, Lottie. I'm being the better villain," he said, eyes glued to the dark road ahead.
"So, what's the plan, Stefan? What's the big move you're making?" Elena asked, frightened by the look on his face.
"I took Klaus's family to make him suffer. I'm not gonna let him make himself a new one," he explained.
"So, what are you gonna do, huh? Are you gonna lock me in some cave and keep me hostage?" she asked. "And why take Lottie? What's she got to do with this."
"Lottie has everything to do with this," he spat. "And maybe, I'll just turn you into a vampire."
That made Elena's blood run cold. "Stop the car, Stefan. Stop the car, Stefan!"
"You can't be serious about this," Lottie said, shaking her head. But Stefan only tightened his grip on the steering wheel, not responding to either girl. A moment later, he dug out his phone to make a call, having it on speaker for them all to hear.
"Stefan, how nice to hear your voice," Klaus greeted sarcastically. Lottie's chest felt heavy, terrified of what would happen next if Klaus said the wrong thing.
"Tell your hybrids to get out of town, Klaus," Stefan ordered.
It only made Klaus chuckle. "Well, that's not gonna happen until I get my coffins back."
"Okay, well then I'm gonna drive your blood source off Wickery Bridge. And Lottie."
The line was silent for a moment, the reality of the situation sinking in for Klaus, who realized his mate was in danger. "I don't believe you, Stefan. You won't kill them," he said, calling his bluff.
In response, Stefan bit into his wrist and forced it to Elena's mouth, giving her no choice but to drink his blood. Elena struggled, but he was too strong.
"No!" Lottie shouted. "You can't!"
"No! No! No!" Elena repeated, beginning to cry. Becoming a vampire was the last thing she wanted. "What are you doing?"
"What's going on?" Klaus asked, concern lacing his tone.
"I just fed her my blood. No more hybrids if she's a vampire," Stefan revealed. Then he glanced at Lottie in the rearview mirror. "And no blood for Lottie."
"You won't do it," Klaus said, though he felt panic building in his chest. "You know what I'll do to you if you harm Lottie."
"Really? Because, I think you'll be a useless, vulnerable shell once she's gone," he taunted. "You may have compelled me to keep it to myself, but you didn't compel me to forget what she is to you."
"I will kill you and everyone you've ever met," he threatened.
"Really? Try me, because your coffins are next to go. Say goodbye to your family Klaus — all of them."
With that, Stefan sped up even more, the engine roaring loudly. They weren't far at all from the bridge now.
"Stefan, slow down! Stefan! Stefan, stop it!" Elena screamed fearfully.
"Fine, I'll send them away," Klaus immediately gave in. "You win."
But he didn't slow down any. Tears were in Lottie's eyes as she tried to open the door, prepared to jump out. But Stefan had it locked. "Stefan, stop!" Lottie cried. "Slow down! The bridge — stop!"
"Stop the car, Stefan!" Klaus roared, feeling as if his heart was ready to beat from his chest.
Stefan slammed on the brakes suddenly, making the car skid to a stop on the bridge, leaving marks on the road. After the sound of stopping reached Klaus, Stefan hung up the phone. With the car in park, the doors unlocked. Both Elena and Lottie scrambled out and ran away from it. Elena instantly rushed to Lottie, crying as she hugged her, hiding her face in her neck.
"Get back in the car," Stefan ordered, getting out as well.
"Stay away from her!" Lottie snapped, moving so that Elena was behind her.
"Elena, Charlie, get in the car," he tried again, no sympathy to be found in his expression.
Elena looked at him from behind Lottie, clutching the back of her shirt for comfort. "How could you?" she screamed, choking on her tears. "My parents died going over this bridge. I almost died! You knew that. You're the one who saved me."
Stefan sighed, refusing to look at Elena's face. "Look, he had to believe that I would do it, all right? Your fear sold it."
"What if he hadn't?" Lottie asked, her voice hardly above a whisper as she wiped her eyes.
"He did."
Elena raised her voice, shouting so loud that her voice cracked. "Well, what if he hadn't?"
"He did, Elena! He backed down! He has a weakness. If I know his weakness, I can destroy him!" Stefan shouted just as loud, his eyes falling right on Lottie, who flinched.
"After everything, that's what mattered? Destroying Klaus?" Elena asked, completely defeated.
"Destroying Klaus is all I have left," he said, looking away again.
"You had me!" she cried.
"I lost you the minute I left town with him," Stefan said. "You just haven't let yourself admit that yet."
"Is that what you're doing?" Elena asked, stepping out from behind Lottie. "Trying to make me hate you?"
Stefan shrugged while moving back toward his car. "I don't really care what you think about me anymore, Elena."
As Stefan got back in the car and drove off, abandoning the crying girls on the bridge, Elena turned to Lottie once more and cried in her arms. She held the younger girl tightly, wishing that life didn't have to be so horrible for her.
"So," Lottie said, sniffing a little as she reigned in her own tears. "What are the odds your phone survived that? Because he didn't exactly think to grab my bag before kidnapping me."
☽︎
Klaus was pacing anxiously back and forth on the front porch of the Lancaster estate. After Stefan ended the call, he ran right for Wickery Bridge, only for Lottie and Elena to be nowhere in sight. Based on the lingering scents, Damon beat him to the location, even arriving before the girls reached Elena's shattered phone. Knowing that they'd eventually bring his girl to her home, Klaus settled for waiting — and he hated waiting.
But finally, Damon's car pulled up to the house. Even before the door opened, he was listening as Lottie moved to get out.
"No, it's Klaus," Elena said nervously, spotting him even with how dark it was. "Lottie, you can stay with m—"
"Elena," Damon cut her off, sighing. "Just let Charlie go. He won't hurt her."
That was all the go-ahead Lottie needed to get out of the car, forgetting all about Damon and Elena and Stefan. She started out walking, but as soon as he was down the porch steps, she started running until she was in his arms.
All the tears from earlier returned against her will as he held her tightly. Lottie hardly felt them move as he sped them to the swing on her porch. All she felt was one hand running through her hair comfortingly and the other around her waist as Klaus held her on his lap.
"I've got you, love," he whispered comfortingly. Then he smelled the dried blood on her forehead, causing the rage from earlier to build back up. Damon healed her, but the proof was still there. "I'll kill Stefan."
"No," Lottie mumbled after a moment. She shook her head and pulled back from his chest so that she could look up at him. It wasn't quite fury that Klaus saw in her eyes, still red from crying, but Lottie seemed determined more than anything. "You're not going to kill him. You're going to get your family back, and then all five of you will show him that you're not to be messed with. The Mikaelsons are the most powerful family of vampires in existence. Stefan seems to have forgotten that, what with only having to deal with one of you at a time."
Klaus looked down at his delicate soulmate in his arms in awe. Though she was still crying and shaken from what happened, his family was still the first thing she thought of. She didn't want him to spare Stefan because she didn't agree with his violent ways. Lottie wanted Stefan spared so that he'd have an eternal life of knowing he lost.
"Make sure he doesn't forget again."
☽︎
Lottie was better about seeing her only mate standing after that. But even so, Klaus was still busy, and she'd never want to get in the way while he hunted down his family. His hybrids may have been sent from town, but that didn't mean they weren't working from the outside. And Klaus made sure to keep Lottie in the loop — he was the only one that would tell her anything now that most everyone was clued into the fact that she and Klaus were closer than they were comfortable with.
It was when Bonnie Bennett decided to track down her long-lost mother that things changed. And they changed so quickly that Klaus didn't even have time to call Lottie and fill her in about finding all but one of the coffins containing his family.
But Lottie jerked awake when a warm, tingling sensation ran through her chest. The feeling that accompanied one of her mates being undaggered. She was so stunned that she could only sit on the edge of her bed in shock as she processed the feeling. It was Elijah that was undaggered — she didn't know how she knew, she just did.
A condescending text from Damon confirmed it.
I pulled the dagger out of your fancy boyfriend before your hybrid boyfriend got most of the coffins back. Probably gonna regret it, but thought you'd want to know.
Most of the coffins? That was the part Lottie focused on. She knew there were four of them, not counting Rebekah, but Klaus never told her who was in the last one. She knew for a fact that he had no other Original siblings he could dagger.
And just when Lottie considered throwing a sweater on over her pajamas and rushing to Klaus' newly finished mansion, she felt that warm feeling again.
"Kol," she breathed out in disbelief, knowing the dagger had been removed from him. The biggest of smiles appeared on her face as she rushed around her room, certain of her decision to leave now.
Lottie's sneaker-clad feet didn't even reach the bottom of the stairs before a sharp pain twisted around her heart.
"No," she cried, beginning to tear up as she sank onto a step, holding her chest. Kol hadn't been undaggered a full two minutes, wherever he was. Was that the coffin Klaus was missing and the others were toying with him? Had Elijah tried to free his brother only for Klaus to stop him — given his paranoia, she wouldn't put it past him to wait until he had all the coffins together.
"I just want you back," Lottie whispered to the empty air where she wished Finn and Kol were standing.
☽︎
Lottie didn't get a bit of sleep that night. She tossed and turned, any attempted dreams filled with Finn and Kol that left her tearful when she opened her eyes again. And when she decided to get up for the day, she was determined to go to Klaus and demand answers. As his mate — even if he didn't know she knew — Lottie deserved to know why he hadn't undaggered the ones he had.
The world, it seemed, had other plans. Plans that involved Bill Forbes being brutally murdered at the hospital just hours after consuming vampire blood. A mess of a Caroline called Lottie to tell her that her father was choosing to not go through with the transition.
Lottie'd always been there for Caroline while growing up. She was there when Caroline didn't make captain of the middle school cheerleading squad. She was there for her first terrible breakup. She was there to walk her through the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant. She was always there for the younger girl that looked up to her and loved her.
So, she'd be there when she lost her father as well. Though she didn't want to, Lottie could survive one more day with Finn and Kol trapped in a coffin. She had to give Caroline her time now because Lottie wasn't planning to have any free time for quite a while once reunited with the two she loved and the two she was growing to love.
With a tote bag full of anything comforting that Caroline might need, Lottie rushed out of her house, keys in hand. But she came to a sudden stop on her mushroom-shaped welcome mat.
Because making his way up the front steps was Elijah, dressed in a clean suit with a fresh haircut and a bouquet of blue Canterbury bells. And he smiled for the first time since being undaggered the night before as he looked at her.
"Good after — oh!" Elijah didn't even get his greeting out before Lottie hugged him. He returned it quickly, burying his nose in her hair and taking in her calming scent.
Being daggered always felt like nothingness, at least until meeting Lottie. After the fact, the time spent with a dagger in his heart was agony. Though his mind wasn't actually conscious, he still felt a painful longing. But holding her chased away all those feelings. And now that he had her, Elijah was wishing he'd gone to her first instead of meeting with Damon, who left a cryptic note in his pocket after pulling the dagger out.
"I missed you," Lottie finally said after several moments of silently hugging, just like the last time they were reunited after he was daggered.
"Yes, I missed you as well. It seems my brother was content to steal away all your time while I was gone," he said, trying to curb any jealousy.
"No," Lottie said, shaking her head. "Look, I don't pretend to know the reasoning behind every single decision Nik makes and I don't like that you were daggered. I hated it. But it was all about creating his hybrids so that they could help fight Mikael. And as soon as he was dead, he made plans to wake you all up. But Stefan stole you first."
"It's not that simple, though, Charlotte," he said softly. "He killed our mother and lied about it for a thousand years."
Lottie knew that if Kol was there, the words, "So, what?" would've escaped his mouth.
"I know what it's like to lose a parent and I don't mean to cheapen your grief," she said quietly. "But every single one of you has killed people for less than her treatment of Nik and the things she did — things she allowed your father to do. And I don't want to ruin seeing you for the first time in months with getting into an argument about your mother."
"I don't wish for that either," he said, the charming smile returning. Then Elijah held out the flowers for Lottie to take. "For you."
"My favorites," she said, sniffing the bouquet. "They're beautiful." Then she shyly looked back up at him. "I like your haircut. You look very handsome."
"And you're growing yours out," he noted. Elijah gently brushed some strands of blonde hair behind her shoulder. It had been nearly an inch above her shoulders last time he saw her but now it hit her collarbones. "You look lovely."
"Lovely might be pushing it," she said with a smile. Lottie was only wearing an old cheer camp shirt with a few small holes around the collar and bottom, as well as some jeans. She was prepared to be cried on.
"You always look lovely, Charlotte," he told her sweetly.
Hearing him say her full name made her smile. "You're not ever going to call me Lottie, are you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Not when your name is the most beautiful to ever pass my lips." His words had Lottie's cheeks turning pink, which was exactly what he wanted. But Elijah then focused on the car keys in the hand not holding flowers. "Am I keeping you from somewhere?"
"I really want to say no," Lottie said with a grimace. Then her shoulders sagged. "Caroline's father is dying. She needs to be around friends right now."
"That's kind of you. I know how much you care for her," he said, nodding. "I'm afraid I couldn't keep you company for long anyway. My brother and I have dinner plans with the Salvatores."
"I'd bet that'll be a horrible dinner," she muttered under her breath, which he easily heard.
"Niklaus believes they are there to negotiate some kind of peace," he informed her, a dark look taking over his face.
"And what exactly is the real reason for the dinner?" she asked, getting a bit worried. Did Elijah want to harm Klaus for daggering him again? It wasn't out of the question.
"While Niklaus is distracted, likely tormenting a deserving Stefan Salvatore, I shall be removing the daggers from each of my siblings — with or without the mysterious coffin my brother so craves."
Lottie's pulse sped up and she couldn't help but grin. So, it wasn't one of the siblings that was still missing. "All of them? You're really waking them?"
"I am. My brother claims he needs the final coffin — that it contains something that could do us all harm. I don't believe him. I will wait no longer for my family to be reunited."
"You shouldn't wait," Lottie breathed out. "I can't wait to meet your other brothers."
"Perhaps not Kol," Elijah said quietly. He hadn't even considered inviting Lottie to the dinner as Klaus had. He feared Kol would sink his fangs into the closet human once awake, so Elijah was comforted by the fact that Lottie would be in the house of the Sheriff on the other side of town.
Lottie pretended not to hear his comment. Nothing — not even Bill Forbes' death — could bring her down. Not when finally, after so long, she would really meet Finn and Kol. She'd be able to touch them. And all four soulmates would be up and walking at the same time.
"You seem genuinely happy that they're being awoken," Elijah noted with a soft smile. He hoped his other brothers adored Lottie as much as Rebekah loved the shared soulmate of his and Klaus.
Joke's on him.
"I am happy," Lottie told him. "Everything will change tonight, Lijah. And it will be wonderful."
☽︎
Lottie spent the entire rest of her day at Caroline's house. With Bonnie busy reconnecting with her mother and Tyler leaving town to try and find a way to break the sire bond, the only two that were at the Forbes residence were Lottie and Elena. Caroline tried everything to talk Bill into completing the transition and become a vampire, but the man was content to die.
Now, while Liz was inside and discussing important things like his will and the funeral, Caroline was sitting outside in between both girls.
"Did you hear back from Tyler yet?" Lottie asked. Caroline was leaning on her shoulder, letting the older girl run her fingers through her hair to get the tangled out.
"No. And I've left messages for him everywhere," she said sadly. Then she glanced at Elena. "So, does Alaric really think that Dr. Fell did it?"
The current theory was that Meredith Fell was the one to attack Alaric — as well as killed a few other council members in the last few days.
"He doesn't know what to think," Elena said, sighing. Then she frowned. "Jenna definitely thinks so, but she thinks everyone with the last name Fell is capable of being a serial killer."
"What about you?" Caroline asked her. Even though Jenna and Alaric broke up, Elena was still extremely close with the history teacher.
"I wish the girl Alaric liked wasn't in the middle of all of this. He deserves to be happy even after Jenna. But yeah, she looks guilty. It's why I told your mom," she admitted.
It was quiet for a moment as they thought it over. Then Caroline looked back toward her house. "My mom's in there sitting with my dad. And I don't think they've been in the same room this long since I was ten years old," she mumbled. Then she looked at Lottie with wide eyes. "Is there any chance that Tyler did it?"
"What?" Lottie asked, wondering where an accusation like that would come from.
"If Klaus was trying to mess with Elena, and he's sired to Klaus — and, I mean, he does everything that he's told—"
"No, Caroline," Lottie interrupted softly. "I don't think Tyler did it. Trust me. Klaus would make sure you knew it was because of him." And he was far too busy with family issues to orchestrate this.
Caroline nodded and looked down at her hands. "I can't just let my father die. You know, I'm... I'm gonna force him to feed."
Elena quickly spoke up, shaking her head. "Hey, he doesn't want to, Caroline. The only thing your dad has is his choice." After Stefan nearly forcing her to turn, she understood better than anyone.
But that answer had Caroline crying once again. "I hated him so much for what he did to me. So much. Now all I want to do is save his life," she said weakly.
"Of course you do, he's your dad," Lottie said quietly. She didn't want Caroline to ever feel guilty about forgiving him.
"What was the hardest part for you both? When you lost your dads?"
Elena and Lottie shared a sad look, both having lost their parents suddenly and tragically. "Realizing all the things that he wouldn't be there for," Elena said after a moment of silence.
"The things that... that you just need your dad for, you know?" Lottie continued, thinking the same.
Elena then moved closer so that she could be hugging Caroline as well. That was how Matt found the three of them — all huddled up and teary-eyed — when he approached the house, finished with his work shift.
"Hey," he greeted quietly, hands shoved in his pockets. Though he and Caroline hadn't been close since breaking up, he hadn't thought twice about coming over after getting the message about Bill.
"Hey," Caroline repeated. She quickly got off the porch and hugged him tightly.
"I'm gonna go put on a pot of coffee," Lottie whispered to Elena, who nodded, thinking it was a good idea. But as Lottie stood, for the third time in twenty-four hours, she felt someone being undaggered.
A tall someone with long, Disney Prince hair that hadn't been out of his coffin for nine hundred years.
A someone that Lottie couldn't run to. Not yet. Not until Caroline's father was gone. But that would be her first stop as soon as she was free to go.
Without even realizing it, Elena voiced Lottie's thoughts, following her into the house and to the kitchen.
"It's gonna be a long night."
No kidding.