CHAPTER SIXTEEN
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. That's where the three vampire's ended up next. Hadiya had no idea why, nor did Stefan. Klaus enjoyed the element of surprise. The hybrid told them they were going to see a witch. This made Hadiya a bit upset, thinking she wasn't good enough to solve the issue.
Once the car pulls over, the three landed at a bar. It's empty and quiet inside.
"I can't believe this place is still here." Stefan let out a breath. Hadiya was confused as she was disgusted. She's never seen this bar before nor has she seen one as dusty.
"You got to be kidding me." An older black woman walks out. Hadiya can feel the magic radiating off of her.
Klaus smiles, "So a hybrid walks into a bar, says to the bartender..."
"Stop. You may be invincible, but that doesn't make you funny," She glances at Stefan, then to Hadiya, "I remember you. You, not so much."
Gloria introduces herself, taking Hadiya's hand into her own. An electric shock pulses through her as Klaus pulls their hands apart.
"Oh, dear." The bar owner sighs.
Klaus looks at Stefan, "Why don't you go fix us up a little something from behind the bar?"
Stefan brushes off the abrupt incident between the two witches and obeys to Klaus's request.
"You look ravishing, by the way." The hybrid tells Gloria but his tone is very misleading.
She tuts, "Don't. I know why you're here. A hybrid out to make more hybrids? That kind of news travels."
"So what am I doing wrong? I broke the curse." A snarl grows on his face. Hadiya gets bored with the conversation and walks over to Stefan.
There's pictures hanging on the wall. The fashion showing that they're from the early 1900s, if Hadiya were to guess. It's not like she was conscious. Her eyes stop when she spots a familiar duo.
She pulls it off the wall, "Why don't you do your hair like this anymore?"
Stefan takes the picture out of her hands, his face coated with shock.
"What is this?" He asked Klaus.
"Well, I told you Stefan. Chicago's a magical place."
He still fits a confused look, "But this is me. With you."
Klaus shrugs it off as he drags the two back into the car. He drives to a warehouse. Stefan's eyes remain on the photo as they walk through it.
Stefan began asking questions to which lead Klaus to explaining their time in 1920. A name came up. Rebekah. Hadiya remembers her. They spent a brief time together in 1492, becoming friends during the time.
"Your sister. So I knew another Original vampire." Stefan inquired.
Klaus groans, "If you can't handle it, don't ask."
Klaus walks over to a number of coffins which contain Original vampires. Klaus opens one. Rebekah is lying dead in it with a dagger stabbed in her chest. He smiles and gently touches her face.
Stefan says that he doesn't recognize her. Klaus complains about Rebekah's temper to which Hadiya scolds him. She's quite fond of Rebekah. Rebekah and Katerina on the other hand... not so much.
Klaus pulls the dagger out of his sister's heart, though it takes awhile for her to wake. He uses this as an advantage to make another snide remark about her. He decides he's bored and begins walking out.
"When she wakes up, tell her to meet us at Gloria's Bar. Then volunteer your carotid artery and let her feed until you die." He compels the guard who nods in return. "Hadiya, you go on to Gloria's while Stefan and I go on a little adventure."
The witch makes it back to the bar. She wasn't going to lie, she'd love to talk to another witch about anything really.
"You're the first of your kind. You're very special, my dear." Gloria tells Hadiya which makes her smile. The heretic throws a whiskey shot down her throat.
"Is it normal to feel draining? As if I'm about to run out of magic?" Hadiya asks her. Gloria said she'd be happy to answer any questions she had.
"Yes and no." The older witch begins, "You don't want to use too much of your magic at once. Savor the feeling. Don't let him push you. Or use you. No matter how sexy the accent is."
The Petrova girl laughs, nodding.
"It's not just the accent. I feel safe with him. I'm at ease, knowing he won't let anything happen to me." The heretic trails off as Gloria gives her a sad look.
"Is he protecting you because he needs you, or is he protecting you because he loves you?" The question sticks in Hadiya's mind. She truly doesn't know. He doesn't show her any affection and only compliments her every so often when she does something to please him.
Just as she shrugs, the door opens. Klaus and Stefan walk back in.
Gloria lays her hand over Hadiya's, "Ask yourself that every time that accent seems just so compelling."
Hadiya noticed how she put emphasis on the last word. The two arrive at the bar, Klaus putting his hand on her shoulder.
"What are we chit-chatting about?" He asks.
Gloria looks at Hadiya who shakes her head 'no' subtly, "Witch business. Where's Rebekah?"
"She'll be here. I can't just conjure her on demand." He grabs a drink and looks at Stefan, "What's with you? I thought Chicago was your playground."
"So this is why you asked me to be your wingman? Because you liked the way that I tortured innocent people?" Hadiya drowns out their conversation, Gloria's words embedding themselves in her mind.
—
STEFAN AND HADIYA stand outside of the warehouse, waiting for their cue to come in. They thought it was polite to give Klaus a moment with his sister.
"I heard she was your girlfriend. Do you remember anything about her?" Hadiya asks Stefan out of pure curiosity.
He shrugs, "She was blonde, I think?"
This leads Hadiya to burst out with laughter. Stefan eventually cracks a smile too.
"You'd think a girl like Rebekah would leave a more memorable impression." Their laughter dies down into comfortable silence.
Stefan sighs, "I know she was full of light and joy. She had this look in her eyes that... god, you couldn't not fall in love with her. She liked painting, it would soothe her. I'd watch because it soothed me too. She had these gorgeous brown eyes and a nice smile. A laugh that made you laugh, you know?"
Hadiya nods, soaking in everything he's saying. Though, one thing does stump her.
"Rebekah's eyes are blue, I thought?" She questioned.
"Right, yeah. Blue."
Uncomfortable silence blooms between them as Klaus shouts for Stefan to come inside, leaving Hadiya out in the dark. She wanted Stefan to also have a moment with her. It truly sounded like he loved her.
we're slowly making progress
~c