Sleigh bells ring are you listening? In the lane, snow is glistening A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight, walking in a winter wonderland.
-Marianne-
Christmas songs played as I hummed along making my way to the bar of the Mystic Grill. Ordering my self a cup of hot chocolate and waiting. As much as I loved the holidays, the sucked if you were alone. Don't get me wrong it's all right being on your own, that's until you see all the loved up couples or best friends sharing a good time together. Because I had the last name Mikaelson, those that we know just turn their nose up and judge me from my brothers antics. It honestly makes me want to rip their throat out.
"Plotting your Christmas kill list, sister?" Kol smirked strolling up to me.
"Worse, I'm planning how to charm people." Marianne laughed "That's much more diabolical, watch them running around when they thing we've got a bad id..."
"What?" Kol wondered my hot chocolate was handed to me.
"Oh, brother, I think I've just thought of the best Christmas gift. Wanna help me cause some festive trouble?" I question which only made his smirk grow even more.
"Absolutely"
"Fantastic, call Rebekah and know she wouldn't pass up the chance to make Elena Gilbert shiver with anticipation." he got his phone out and called our sister.
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My great idea was to host a Winter ball. To any normal person living here, it would be just another ball thrown by the rich. However to the ever annoying as ever assuming mystic falls idiots, they would suspect that one of us is up to something. Well we were, I explained that the only thing we were up to was nothing. We wouldn't actually do anything major, just look like we do something. It was genius, they would spend the whole party miserable and on edge while we had all the fun. It was diabolical in its simplicity. I even got Nik to grant a temporary reprieve to Katherine so that she could up the anti in suspicion.
The night of the ball came and I was fitted into my dress. then Kol escorted me downstairs. They all turned out. Damon, Elena, Stefan, Tyler, Caroline, Matt, Jeremy. All to see what would happen. I chuckled to myself as we began to mingle finally coming to them
"I'm so glad you're here. Merry Christmas." I smiled "Don't you worry your heads, my brothers are on the upmost best behaviour tonight. Enjoy the party." I glided away but stopped to listen in.
"Yeah right, like they ever say jump because one of their sisters says how high." Damon scoffed
"Maybe it is just a normal Christmas party." Stefan replied
"I doubt that. But if something happens at least were...." she trailed off
"Elena where are you going? What happened?" Stefan questioned his ex-girlfriend
"I could have sworn I saw Katherine." Elena breathed
"Katherine? Why would Katherine be anywhere near Klaus? That's stupid." You could practically hear Damon rolling his eyes.
"I know what I saw Damon." that ensued a 'heated discussion'
"Looks like that did the trick." Katherine chimed as she came to stand next to me half her face covered by a mask "Toying with people is always fun. Especially the boys."
"I know. THey're all on edge because they think something going to happen. Tell me Kathrine how far are you willing to go, to get under her skin?" Katherine raised a eyebrow
"What you you have in mind little Mikaelson?"
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Okay so nothing was actually something, but It wasn't like it was life or death kind of something. Just toying with the locals winding them up and letting them go. My family called to dance and I came to stand in front of Stefan.
"I've heard your not the dancing type, but would you amuse me this once?" I asked him
"Sure, why not." he offered me his arm and escorted me into the ballroom.
"Don't worry this is a one parter, not running into your ex asking why your dancing with one of the she devils." that got a chuckle out of him as we joined together and began dancing.
"From what I remember you were never one to dance yourself. Back in the 20s you were always one for the sidelines." he commented making her smile a little
"It wasn't that I wanted to be on the sidelines. It was more of waiting for the right dance partner, my expectations stilled remained high then." Stefan twirled her as Elena watched in annoyance.
"What changed?"
"A man isn't that always the case?" she sighed wistfully "Came right into my life and was unreachable. I decided to give up, there was no thrill if I couldn't eventually catch or even get close to." I shrugged.
-3rd Person-
Nik found Katherine watching Stefan and Marianne. Katherine stiffened knowing he was there
"Relax, Katerina. Per my sisters request you are not to be harmed this night in aide with her antics and fun. I hardly give her my word but she is our favourite so that would be a bad idea. Tell me what are her plans anyway. All she said was too occasionally like we were up to something." It was at this point Damon noticed the two and that got things going.
"You're doing it right now. Damon's seen us." Katherine looked to him "Right now he's gonna get everyone in a tizzy that because we're speaking to each other it's going down right now. That's going to be my cue to slip out and pretend I was never here. Goodbye Klaus." she sped off leaving a smirking hybrid. Damon went around telling those in the know about what he'd seen.
"What are you up to?" Damon growled interjecting Stefan and Marianne
"Damon, what's going on?"
"I have no idea what you mean?" Marianne acted confused
"Give it up. I saw Katherine taking to Klaus. They hate each other and he wants her dead, so it must be something big if they're conspiring with one another." Damon started to make a scene
"I knew it, what's going on." the two started to gang up on her
"I have no idea what you mean. This is just a normal christmas party. One to make amends for the disastrous last one. You're seeing conspiracies everywhere." she glanced to Stefan helpless.
"That's enough you two. Katherine couldn't be here. Like you said. Klaus would have killed her the moment he knew."
"Is it me or are my ears burning...Sister what makes you so distressed?" Klaus entered the conversation
"They're accusing us yet again, they say you were talking with Katherine." Klaus wrapped a arm around his sister.
"If Katerina had any sense which she has done for over 500 years she's kept in front of me and stayed away. Knowing what would happen. Delusions." Klaus pointed to Damon "You've upset my sister and ruined her party. Leave, now!" Stefan sighed and dragged the two conspiracy theorists away. Their friends followed cautiously.
"Well that was fun." Klaus muttered
"Oh, I haven't finished yet. Thanks by the way." Klaus continued with the party, and it soon ended. Then Marianne trudged into the Mystic Grill and sat down compelling herself a drink. Stefan found her and sat down.
"Come to accuse me like your brother?" she huffed taking another sip of her drink.
"No. he shouldn't have done that."
"No he shouldn't have. Just because I'm a Mikaelson, doesn't mean I'm like my siblings. See this is the point I was making, there is no point trying because no one ever see's me. They just see my name or my siblings instead. Why did I think waking up in this time would be any different." she finished her drink and went to leave only for Stefan to grab onto her hand. Making her look back
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The next morning Marianne woke up in a pair of sturdy arms, smiling to herself. This had been her aim, the object of her desires since Chicago in the 20s. All she wanted was Stefan Salvatore and after thing smart instead of always with the heart, she finally had what she wanted. All she had to do was manipulate everyone around her. Family, Katherine, the scooby gang. She was fine with those, not with Stefan, but he had a type and well she wanted him. Now don't get he wrong she was under no illusion that this would blossom, a hidden hope but not a necessity.
Stefan pulled her in closer making her smile, that's when she heard a knock at the door and Elena's voice asking talking about last night and where Stefan was. turning she cuddled up to Stefan even more he accosted her move and rested his chin on her head. The door opened and she closed her yes.
"What the hell is this? Stefan what the hell?!" Elena exclaimed and Marianne pretended to wake up with Stefan at the same time. Groaning she looked up lazily and flopped her head back down.
"Dick move, bro." Damon uttered
"Is this the part where Cinderella has to go home now?" Marianne pouted to the sleepy Stefan
"Guess so."
"Damn." she grabbed the sheets and wrapped them around her getting out of bed and picking up her clothes going into the bathroom. She overheard the argument they were having. Once she was dressed again she sauntered over to Stefan and kissed him, the moved to his ear
"Okay a tiny molecule like my family." she whispered in his ear making a small smile raising back up she waved a little at the others. "Merry Christmas." she left them happy at everything going her way.