—————
My hands rake over the different fabric hanging on the racks as I search for clothes Rebekah might like.
She had hated everything she picked out for herself, so she sent me to work.
"There has to be more to this dress." I hear her complain from the dressing room.
"There's not." I say regretfully, walking over to the couch, where Nik was comfortably sitting with a glass of champagne.
Rebekah walks out of the fitting room wearing a short, black dress.
"So women in the 21st century dress like prostitutes, then." She grumbles.
But as soon as she sees the death glare Nik is shooting her, she quickly corrects herself.
"Not you of course, Ivy. I quite like your clothing choices."
"Good, because I picked you out a bunch. Here." I say, handing her the clothes.
"You know, I got dirty looks for wearing trousers." Rebekah states.
"You wore trousers so women today could wear nothing." Nik retorts. I gave him a gentle slap on back of the head, making him chuckle.
"And what is this music? It sounds like a cable car accident."
"That I agree with. You know who I think you'd love?" I speak.
"Who?" Rebekah asks eagerly.
"Lana del Rey. She makes such good music. I can't even begin to explain it."
"Show me later okay?" She tells me.
"For sure." I smile excitedly.
"Are we done?" Nik asks impatiently.
"And why are you so grumpy?" Rebekah questions his sour mood.
"I needed one thing from you for my witch to find out why my hybrids are dying, one thing. Your necklace. And you lost it." Nik responds, getting irritated.
I rest my hand on his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"I didn't lose it. It's just been missing for 90 years." Rebekah responds.
"So what do you think?" Rebekah asks Stefan his opinion of her dress.
"I like it." He replies.
I roll my eyes and shake my head at his obvious lie.
"What? I said I like it." Stefan says when he catches the less than satisfied look of Rebekah.
"I can always tell when you're lying, Stefan." Rebekah states. "Ivy, come with me. I want you to try something on." She adds.
"Uhh, I think I'm good on the couch." I try to politely decline.
"Would you just come on?" She groans, pulling me by the hand into a dressing room.
"Nice one. Good work." I hear Nik scold Stefan.
"You're the one that pulled the dagger out of her." Stefan retorts.
"I heard that." Rebekah calls out.
She rolls her eyes at their comments, then she hands me a pretty dress and closes the curtain.
I quickly slip it on.
"Ok. You can come in." I call out to Rebekah.
Rebekah immediately pulls the curtain back. I watch as her eyes light up when she looks at me.
"Oh it's gorgeous. Come on, let's go show Nik!" She says excitedly, pulling me out to where he was sitting.
Nik looks at me with an expression that's something like adoration mixed with lust.
He can't seem to find the words to speak, so Rebekah takes it upon herself. "Doesn't she look pretty Nik?"
"You look absolutely ravishing, angel." He finally speaks, a grin taking over his face.
"Thank you." I smile back, my face turning a light scarlet.
"Ugh she's perfect. Like my own little doll!" Rebekah says, squeezing me in a hug.
I giggle at the comparison.
"You have to wear the dress all day. Promise?" Rebekah says.
"It's a little fancy for day wear don't you think?"
"Oh nonsense. You look beautiful. You'll wear it." Rebekah responds. Not leaving much room for argument.
"Okay then." I giggle.
———
When we got back to the bar, I showed Rebekah my Lana playlist and she loved it. Just as I thought.
I look up when I hear Stefan enter the bar.
"You left us." Rebekah states.
"Yeah, sorry. Retail therapy was making my head explode." Stefan responds.
"Tell me about it." Nik adds.
"I'm sorry." I whisper to him, feeling bad about taking up his time with shopping.
"It's okay, angel. I was just joking." He reassures me, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead.
I catch the last second of Stefan's glare on us before he looks over at Gloria.
"What's she doing?" Stefan asks.
"She's failing." Nik grumbles.
"It's hard to find something when you don't have anything to go on." Gloria retorts.
"So use me. I only wore it for a thousand years." Rebekah suggests.
"See? Now this one offers a solution." Gloria says.
Rebekah walks over and sits on the table she's working at.
"All right, give me your hand, sweetheart." Gloria says, and Rebekah complies.
"She's, uh, she's looking for the necklace, huh?" Stefan asks. I hear a hint of panic in his voice, but don't think much of it.
"I can sense something." Gloria announces.
She then starts chanting in a language I don't understand.
Gloria suddenly drops Rebekah's hand after a moment and looks at Klaus, Stefan, and I.
"I found it." She says.
"So where is it?" I ask, excited for Rebekah to get her necklace back.
"It doesn't work like that, doll. I get images. There's a girl with her friends..." Gloria explains.
"Yes, a dead girl with dead friends, if I don't get my necklace back." Rebekah cuts in.
"Well, I'll have to dive back in to get the details." Gloria replies.
"So dive." Nik orders.
"I need more time." She states.
Nik grabs my hand and walks us over. He leans on the table Gloria is seated at.
"And space. You're harshing my ju-ju." Gloria adds.
"We can wait." Nik responds.
"I'm sure you can. But that's not what I asked."
"Hey. Hey, you know, why don't we just come back later. I'm hungry anyway. I'll let you pick who we eat." Stefan suggests.
He then walks out the door, prompting the rest of us to follow.
"I'm hungry too. And I don't think we have the same diet." I say, dramatically sighing.
"Fret not, angel. We'll get you something on the way." Nik tells me.
"Yes! Thank you." I cheer, giving him a quick hug.
———
Nik had taken us to the warehouse to feed after he got me my promised McDonald's.
He sat me on a nearby couch and set me up with my food, and my favorite tv show blasting through the earbuds attached to his phone.
I take them out and tune back into reality when I hear Rebekah start speaking. "My girl's dead. I'm bored."
"You weren't kidding about being hungry." Nik ignores her, looking at Stefan.
"Yeah. It's been a long day."
"Try being related to her." Nik jokes at Rebekah's expense.
"You're being mean. And why are you being mean? You used to love me." Rebekah directs her last sentence to Stefan.
"It's been ninety years, Rebekah. Give him a minute." Nik responds.
"Why are you taking his side?" She complains.
"Because, my dear sister, I feel pity for any man who doesn't give you what you want." Nik says.
"Nik stop making fun of your sister, please." I beg from my spot on the couch, knowing they'd just keep bickering if he didn't stop.
Nik only smirks at me.
"Will you stop making me out to be a brat? I am not a brat!" Rebekah whines.
"A thousand years of life experience says otherwise." Nik retorts, making me roll my eyes.
"Well, you're no picnic, either. I mean, I've only spent one summer with you and I feel like I want to blow my head off." Stefan chimes in.
"Fantastic." Rebekah laughs.
"Aww don't pout. I warned you to stop." I walk over to Nik, giving him a hug.
"I need to go." Stefan announces, suddenly dropping the girl he was feeding on.
He then gets up and walks away.
"Where's he going?" Rebekah questions.
"To write a name on a wall. It's a long story." Nik explains, still holding onto me tightly.
———
Nik had left not long after Stefan.
I had spent most of my time hanging out with Rebekah, still at the warehouse.
She told me to call her Bekah from now on, which I instantly agreed to.
But after awhile I got tired, so she told me to go nap on the couch, and I didn't need to be told twice.
I was awoken a couple hours later by a gentle hand shaking my shoulder. "Hmm?" I groan from my sleepy state.
"It's me, angel." I hear Nik's voice announce.
"Hi." I smile at him.
He smiles back, but it seems a little forced.
"What's wrong?" I ask immediately.
"Stefan has been keeping something from me. We've got to go." He explains.
"Oh." I reply, sad that Stefan has been lying, but not all that surprised.
"Be honest with me, Angel. Do you know what he's keeping from me?" Nik asks me, worried of what my answer would be.
"No. I promise Nik, I have no idea what he's lying about." I reassure him, gently resting my hand on his face.
"I know. I'm sorry, I'm just a little paranoid now."
"I understand, but just know. I would never betray you." I say, completely serious.
He smiles warmly at me.
———
I slept for most of the road-trip back.
I only opened my eyes when I felt the truck come to a stop.
My eyebrows furrow in confusion, as I take in the familiar sights.
"Welcome back to mystic falls!" Nik cheers jokingly.
—————
Hey babies! I think I've settled on Klivy for the ship name. What do you think?