Past and Present
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Avery glances to Damon as he thanks the woman for the wine she had just poured him. She rolls her eyes as he checks the woman's ass out, not discreet in the slightest.
Unaware to her, Klaus was watching her with amusement. A small smile on his face at the girls obvious disgust. He had never seen a woman as beautiful and oblivious as she.
Though, the moment she flickers her gaze towards him, he is quick to drift his own to the youngest salvatore across the table. He eyes Stefan as he still refuses to touch anything on his plate, "You've lost your appetite," he comments whilst gesturing casually to the untouched food causing Avery to let out a sigh. Stefan was supposed to be playing nice, at the moment, he was asking to be staked.
"Eat. I thought we agreed that we would leave the grumpy Stefan at home." Damon gives his brother a stern look as Avery mutters "please, Stefan," her tone enough to urge him towards plucking up his fork.
Vampires don't eat human food, do they?... or at least they have no real need to do so.
"That's the spirit. Isn't it nice? The five of us dining together? Such a treat. Is this what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger from my brother?"
Avery glances between Klaus and Damon, her heart rate increasing as she speaks up.
"You'd think you would be glad to have him up and about with you again." she mutters sharply. Elijah smiles at her words whilst Klaus watches her curiously. But before Klaus can reply, Damon speaks up.
"Well, I know how he felt about you, so I figured the more, the merrier." he sends a playful wink to Elijah, the act alone causing Avery to giggle slightly. That definitely looked more romantic than not. Damon smirks and shakes his head at her, whilst Klaus grins.
"Well, Elijah and I have had our share of quarrels over the century. But we always make it through."
"Kind of like you and Rebekah, right? Where is she, by the way? Last I checked she was still daggered because you were afraid to face her." Stefan smirks as he brings the glass of wine to his lips.
"If you're referring to the fact that Rebekah knows I killed our mother, I've already come clean to Elijah." Avery places her hand on Elijah's atop the table in a comforting manner, sending him a sad smile. She had saw the look of hurt flash across his face for a second, though he had been quick to hide it, she had noticed. He gives her a small smile as Damon clears his throat.
He sends Avery a warning look, clearly not happy about her willingness to be close to the noble Original.
"Hey, Stef, remember when you killed dad? Might want to dial down the judgment until dessert."
"We're here to make a deal, Damon. Doesn't mean we need to kiss his ass for seven courses."
"Don't need to act like a dick either, Stefan. Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Avery snaps in annoyance, she was fed up of Stefan's clear attempts to annoy Klaus. He was putting them all in danger, something that she didn't appreciate.
Damon smirks at Avery before addressing Stefan once more "I'm just saying we have a long evening ahead of us. Pace yourself."
Elijah speaks up in an attempt to defuse the tension, his eyes flickering around the faces in the room. Each one as annoyed as the last.
"Stefan. Where is the lovely Elena tonight?"
"I dont know, ask Damon."
Klaus laughs, his laugh sends Avery's heart rate into a frenzy. A huge smile falls on her face as she watches the hybrid. The sound was music to her ears, she found herself wanting to hear him laugh more often than not.
Klaus meets her eye, his own heart skipping a beat as she smiles brightly at him. Her beauty only grew with each second he spent in her company. Then his eyes flicker to Elijah to see the clear confusion on his face at the whole situation.
"I'm sorry, you've missed so much. Ah, trouble in paradise."
"One more word about Elena and this dinner's over."
There it is; Stefan's clear care for Elena. Avery smiles slightly, feeling warmth fill her as she watches Stefan's eyes swirl with love for the doppelganger.
Klaus smiles wide as he lifts a finger to his lips as a promise to remain quiet on the subject. The whole action making him look like a teenager who had done something wrong. Avery smiles and shakes her head at him.
"You know what, probably best just to keep Elena in the do-not-discuss pile."
"That's a first," Avery mumbles.
"You're probably right."
"Yeah," Damon nods. Klaus eyes Avery before speaking once more, as if he was unsure whether to continue with what he was going to say.
"It's just the allure of the Petrova doppelgänger, still so strong. What do you say, brother? Should we tell them about Tatia?"
Avery frowns in confusion "wait, Elena and Katerina aren't the first Petrova doppelgängers?"
"No, darling. Now why should we discuss matters long since resolved?"
"Well, given their shared affection for both Elena and Katerina, I think our guests might be curious to learn about the originator of the Petrova line." Avery gulps down her glass of wine earning a look of concern from Elijah.
She wasn't sure she could handle another story about a Petrova woman coming between another set of brothers.
She didn't hate Elena, part of her pitied the young girl. She had lost almost all her family, she clearly loves Stefan but another part of her heart belonged to Damon. She just wishes Elena would make her mind up, rather than remaining in the middle of the brothers. She was ruining the Salvatores, not that she really cared about that aspect. She seemed too worried on what she risked losing in all this.
Damon sips at his drink before smirking at Elijah with an underlying meaning to his words. Stall, Elijah. Stall.
"Well, we're not going anywhere Elijah. Please, do tell."
Avery watched Elijah, his movements made it clear that this was still a touchy subject for him. Yet, Klaus sat there quite calm, not a hint of discomfort within him.
Poor Elijah. She thought.
Elijah throws his napkin on the table as he leans back, relaxing slightly as he begins to speak.
"When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia. She was an exquisite beauty. Every boy of age desired to be her suitor, even though she'd had a child by another man. And none loved her more than Niklaus."
Avery's eyes flicker to the hybrid, a sense of shock fills her at the revelation that he had once loved someone. She could see that there was more to him but love? She honestly didn't think he was capable of such a thing, especially from the rumours she had heard about him.
"I'd say there was one who loved her at least as much." Klaus smiles knowingly to his brother as they share a glance.
"Wait a minute. So you both loved the same girl?" Stefan smirks, getting enjoyment from this. Avery growls internally, having half a mind to slap him upside the head for trying to cause another argument.
"Our mother was a very powerful witch. She sought to end our feud over Tatia and so she took her. Klaus and I would later learn that it was Tatia's blood that we consumed in the wine on the night where our mother performed the spell which turned us into vampires. Tatia wouldn't make a decision between the two of us, so for a time Niklaus and I grew estranged. Harsh words were traded, we even came to blows, didn't we, brother?"
Avery smiles sadly, she could see that they both had loved this woman deeply. She felt sympathy for them both, and anger towards their mother for being so cruel.
She reaches across the table and takes both of their hands in hers, both look to her with confusion. The Salvatore brothers share a look before watching her closely, neither happy with what she was doing.
"I'm so sorry. Neither of you deserved that." she gives them a sad smile, she could feel Klaus's hand tensing under hers, it made her quickly pull her hands back from theirs.
"Thank you Ava," Elijah smiles, whilst Klaus simply nods without meeting her eyes.
"Family above all." Elijah smiles to his brother as he lifts his glass, Klaus follows suit.
"Family above all."
They clink their glasses together before taking a sip of the wine, both share a smile.
Damon's checks his phone discreetly to see he has recieved a text from Bonnie that reads 'getting closer. Need more time', Elijah and Avery notice this but remain silent about it.
"So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?"
"That's very simple. Klaus gets his coffin back, in exchange, he and the Original extended family leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Stefan, Avery and Elena live happily ever after. No grudges."
Elijah smiles at the terms of the proposal convincingly, "The deal sounds fair, brother."
Avery watches Klaus carefully, it was clear that he wasn't even considering it. He had other plans, ones that needed Elena with him and alive. Therefore, him leaving without her was impossible.
"I don't think you understand. Elena's doppelgänger blood insures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me. I will never leave her behind." Klaus stands and begins pacing before continuing.
"Let's say I do leave her here, under your protection, what then? How long before one of you turns her into a vampire? Or worse, how long before she dies caught between your feuding? You see, each one of you truly believes that you're the one that can protect her, and that is simply a delusion. Gentlemen, the worst thing for Elena Gilbert is...the two of you."
Avery scoffs quietly, in her mind it was Elena that was the worst thing for the brothers. Damon, smiles weakly as he looks to Stefan. The words had affected them slightly, but not enough to earn a huge reaction. Instead, Damon stands and announces that he needs some air before leaving the room. Not before sending Avery and Stefan a look that said be careful.
"Let me deal with this," Elijah gets up and follows Damon out, leaving Stefan, Avery and Klaus alone.
Klaus smiles devilishly making Avery's heart rate quicken, the uneasy feeling returning within her once more.
"All this talk has made me thirsty," his eyes fall to one of the servants, causing her to walk to him silently. She turns her head to expose her neck to him making Avery visibly shudder.
He isn't.. she thought.
"What do you say Stefan? Can I interest you in a little after-dinner drink?"
Avery takes Stefan's hand as she glares at Klaus, she wasn't going to allow Klaus to bring out Stefan's rippah side once more. Her face contorts into a look of shock and disgust at the hybrid as he bites down into the woman's neck and drinks her blood.
Avery's anger for the man in front of her was growing with each second that passed. She wanted to get up and stop him from drinking the pour woman dry, but Stefan's grip on her hand prevented her.
Klaus finally lifts his mouth from her neck after what felt like hours for Avery, a dark smile filling his face as he simply drops the girls dead body to the floor without a care.
Avery stares at the girls body, as a tear slips down her cheek. She was angry, furious with Klaus for killing her and the pleasure he was getting from it.
"Delicious. Aged to perfection."
"Your a monster. No wonder the world hates you." Avery spits, as she glares at him through her tears. His act faulters for half a second before he licks his lips and winks.
Stefan stands and approaches Klaus, coming to a short stop just a few feet away from him and placing his hands behind his back, almost in an effort to restrain himself from lashing out.
"Well, I guess the only reason you agreed to this evening, Klaus, is to drive a wedge between me and my brother."
"Oh no, you're doing that well enough on your own. Because of Elena, you're gonna lose your brother and you'll only have yourself to blame." Avery scoffs at the hybrid, her anger once again bubbling to the surface.
"No, Niklaus. They have you to blame for the rift between them. You took Stefan away, that left room for Damon to step in and grow close with Elena. You caused all this, so don't you dare try and pin it on them." her words are filled with venom as she stares defiantly at him.
His eyes harden as he stares back at her, shocked to see her so angry and brave. Never had anyone dared speak to him like this, let alone look at him the way she was looking at him. He felt a deep surge of regret fill him, he hadn't wanted the night to end with her hating him. He already had enough people that felt that way towards him, he didn't need another.
Before anyone else can speak Damon and Elijah return, both quick stepping into the room with an agitated look.
"What do you say, Klaus? It's time for you to put something on the table. We've made our offer, now you counter." Damon stops just beside Stefan whilst Avery stays seated, mainly due to the look Damon sent her way as he entered. His tone was sharp and clear as he stared at the hybrid, almost threatening him.
Elijah walks around the table and stays behind Klaus chair, just as Klaus himself sits in it. "Okay. I offer Elena's future happiness. You see, what she needs right now is to be rid of you lot. And to fall in love with a human, maybe that nice football player, you know the blond one?"
"Matt Donovan? Really?" Avery scrunches her face up, clearly not impressed. Elena and Matt didn't fit together well. At all. Damon smirks her way clearly impressed that she shared his line of thoughts.
"And continue the Petrova bloodline. Every few hundred years, you'll have a new doppelgänger to drain and never run out of hybrids, right Klaus?" Avery's eyes widen at Stefan's words, was Klaus really that cruel?
"Consider it a small return on my investment in her well-being. See, after you hand me back the coffin, I'll ensure her safety for the rest of her natural life. You know it's what's best for her."
Avery grits her teeth in an attempt to stop whatever insult she was about to throw Klaus's way. He was beyond infuriating and intriguing all at the same time. She could see why people feared him, a look alone could make her tremble in fear. But she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
Klaus stands and walks towards Stefan making her tense as she watched him. His eyes held an unspoken threat, it swirled within his eyes as he kept his eyes on the youngest Salvatore.
"So, what do you say Stefan, hmm? Do we have a deal?" Klaus holds out his hand as Stefan steps forward with a smug smile, his eyes fixed on the original before him.
Avery glances between the two with confusion and Panic.
"What are you doing?" Damon questions with furrowed brows, his gaze fixed on the two vampires intently.
Klaus smiles wide, clearly feeling smug that he had convinced Stefan to agree to his terms.
"Nice try, Klaus. But no deal." Stefan mutters making Klaus's temper explode before their eyes.
Klaus breaks Stefan's arm, before he kicks his leg and breaks it as well. He pushes Stefan's hand into the fireplace, and watches as it starts to burn. Damon attempts to rush over to him, but Elijah intercepts him and pushes him against a wall.
"Stop!" Avery screams in terror, her gaze fixed firmly on Stefan's hand.
"What are you doing?" Damon questions Elijah with anger earning nothing but a poker face in return.
"Please, Klaus! Let him go!" Avery begs as tears spill from her eyes, her past running throughout her broken mind as she watches Stefan call out in pain at his badly burnt hand that is still engulfed by the flames.
"Now, bring me my coffin before I burn him alive." Klaus stares darkly at Damon before flickering his gaze to Avery, his eyes instantly noticing her tears. He felt something shoot through his heart, something he hadn't experienced before. Guilt? Regret? Sympathy? He wasn't sure, but he didn't like it nonetheless.
"I'll get it," Damon promised, glaring darkly between Stefan's hand and Klaus. Damon storms past Elijah, making sure to nudge his shoulder forcefully as he does so.
"Go with him, brother. You keep him honest. And when you return, I will make good on my promise to you and I will hand over our family." Klaus smiles at Elijah.
Elijah glances to Avery only to receive a glare in return. He looks away with guilt and leaves.
******