*meredith's dress for the ball is above*
NEXT MORNING, MIKAELSON MANSION, MYSTIC FALLS, VIRGINIA
The next morning, Meredith woke up and when she looked to her side, she saw her soulmate fast asleep, his face peaceful and brown hair flopping over his forehead. She smiled and brushed her fingers through it gently, as to not wake him up, before she sat up and went to the bathroom with a change of clothes.
After she brushed her teeth and washed her face, she got dressed and then brushed her hair, and tied it up in a messy bun. She did her makeup, layering on her signature red lip and some eyeliner and mascara before walking out of the bathroom.
She headed for her shoes and grabbed a pair of heeled ankle boots, slipping them on silently before walking downstairs to the kitchen. Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah were all there. Elijah was reading the newspaper, a mug of something hot gripped in his hand, Klaus had a crystal glass of an amber coloured liquid, and Rebekah was rummaging through the fridge.
"Morning."
They all looked up and Elijah and Rebekah replied back, smiles on their faces. Klaus simply nodded. "Bekah, toss me a blood bag please. They're in the bottom drawer in the fridge."
Rebekah nodded and pulled out two blood bags, tossing one to her sister-in-law and keeping the other for herself. Meredith opened the bag and stuck it in her mouth, squeezing it to get every last drop of blood out of it. "I miss drinking from the vein."
"When did you last drink from the vein?" Elijah asked, placing his newspaper on the kitchen island.
"Before I came to Mystic Falls. I haven't had the time, and also, knowing the people that live here, they're all very irritating, so if I was to drink from one of them, I would kill them. And I'd rather not have to run from investigations again." She finished the blood bag and tossed it in the trash.
"Again?" Rebekah asked.
"There was maybe a century, after the first time Kol was daggered, I think, when I turned my emotions off. People called me the Manslayer." Meredith explained.
"I'm glad you and Kol are back together, Mer."
"I am too, Bekah. Thank you." Meredith smiled at her best friend.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you! Mother says we're hosting a ball tonight. Invitations are being sent out already." Rebekah remembered, piping up, a big smile on her face.
"What did I tell you?" Kol sped into the room, wrapping his arms around Meredith from behind. He was dressed in some clothes that had been left on the bed, clothes he presumed someone had been compelled to bring him so he wouldn't look weird when shopping.
"Suppose you were right, Kol. We get to dress up now." Meredith smiled as she turned around and kissed him briefly before pulling away. "I'm taking Kol to buy some new clothes."
"Be back by the afternoon. There are tailors coming to make the suits for my brothers." Rebekah said.
"Will do. See you all later." Meredith linked her and Kol's fingers and dragged him outside to where her beautiful car sat. A Bugatti. "This is my baby."
"I thought I was your baby." Kol pouted, causing his wife to giggle.
"You are, but I got another one while you were gone. She's brilliant." Meredith let go of Kol's hand and opened the driver's door, before sitting in the car. Kol walked to the other side and sat in the passengers seat.
As soon as he was in and buckled up, Meredith started the car, grinning at the roar it made, and then she revved the engine and raced out of the driveway of the mansion and headed for one of the malls.
She spent the next few hours compelling Kol all the clothes he could ever dream of having, and getting herself a few new things as well, grabbing a dress for the ball and some shoes. Once they were done, they headed back to the mansion, where Kol was grabbed by Rebekah and pushed into the living room to be fitted for his suit.
Meredith merely shook her head in amusement and walked off upstairs to drop their things in her bedroom. She laid her dress out on the bed, making sure it wasn't wrinkled.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Rebekah sat getting her nails painted, Kol was in front of a mirror, wearing a suit whilst a tailor adjusted it for him. Finn was stood on the other side of the room, also being tended to by a tailor. Elijah was there as well, looking over shoes.
"Rebekah? Tell me how handsome I am." Kol admired his suit in the mirror.
"Oh Kol, you know I can't be compelled." Rebekah retorted, causing Finn to smile, amused. "Besides, I'm sure Mer would be very happy to do that for you."
And as if on cue, Meredith walked into the room, her eyes going straight to Kol. "Hello, handsome." Her lips curl up into a smirk. Kol turns to face her, a smirk on his face as well.
"At least someone thinks so." He said, looking pointedly at Rebekah. Meredith laughed, leaning against the wall beside Kol. Suddenly the door bursts open, and Klaus comes in.
"You went after Elena? What is wrong with you?" He walks towards Rebekah.
"Here we go." Rebekah sighs.
"Do you want another dagger in your heart?"
"Again with the dagger threats? Don't you have any other tricks?" Kol chimes in, eyebrows raised.
Klaus turns to his younger brother. "Oh, go back to staring at yourself."
"And who are you, my father?"
"No, Kol. But you are in my house." Klaus walks towards Kol, who also stands and walks towards his brother till they're both stood facing each other.
"Then perhaps we should go outside." Meredith tensed slightly, ready to intervene should Klaus try and do something. Her eyes were cautious as she watched them.
Then, Esther walks into the room. "Enough!" She's dressed in a white dress, her hair cut shorter to look more modern. "Niklaus. Come."
As soon as Klaus leaves, Meredith relaxes and turns to Kol. "Please try and not rile him up. You know how bad his temper is, and I can't have him daggering you again."
Kol's eyes softened and his mischievous smirk melted into an apologetic smile as he took his wife into his arms, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I know, I'm sorry. But, I can't help it. I won't take it that far, I promise."
"You better not."
"Mer, I'm headed to the Grill. Join me?" Rebekah asked, standing up and placing her hands on her hips.
"I'd love to. I'll see you later tonight, Kol. Try and not kill anyone without me." Meredith kisses him before flashing away with Rebekah.
MYSTIC GRILL, MYSTIC FALLS, VIRGINIA
They appear outside the Grill and walk in, catching the last part of Elena's conversation with her friend Caroline. "Careful, Caroline. It's all well and good until she stabs you in the back." Rebekah warned the other blonde, causing the two younger girls to jump and look at Rebekah and Meredith, who smirked at them.
Elena looks up at them, a smug look on her face. "What are you doing here? I know your mom's rules. No murdering the locals."
"Get over yourself, Elena. It's not all about you." Rebekah retorts. "I'm sure you've met, but this is my sister-in-law, Meredith."
Meredith waves, a malicious glint in her eyes. "Never really understood the hype about the Petrova Doppelganger. Katherine's a bitch, and from what I've heard about you, you're not that different."
"You knew Katherine?" Elena asks, intrigued.
"Indeed I did. I met her the same time Niklaus did. Then, she ran, and we had to hunt her down. Spent quite a lot of my life running after that bitch." Meredith said, an unpleasant look on her face.
"How old are you?" Caroline gaped. If this girl knew Katherine when she was human, then she must be over 500 years old.
"I'm Kol's first sired. Let that be enough for you." Meredith winked before both her and Rebekah left. The blonde headed for where Matt was stood, and Meredith to the bar, grabbing a quick drink.
Caroline panics when she sees Rebekah handing an invitation to Matt. "Oh my god. She's inviting him to the ball. Why is she inviting him?"
"Probably to get this reaction from us." Elena rolled her eyes.
Caroline looks over to the pair, and sighs angrily when she sees Matt and Rebekah smiling at each other. "What time is this stupid dance?"
MIKAELSON MANSION, MYSTIC FALLS, VIRGINIA
Later that night, the ball is in full swing, cars pulling up outside, and people inside dressed in dresses and suits, sipping from champagne glasses. A band is in the corner, playing classical music. Damon Salvatore approaches Carol Lockwood with a smirk and two glasses of champagne.
He hands her one. "Hello, Carol."
"Hello."
"Hanging out with your new besties?" He raises his eyebrows.
"I'm the mayor, Damon. When the oldest, deadliest family of vampires moves into town, you welcome them with a smile." She stretches her lips into a smile.
"Mm, well, at last you know who you're borrowing that cup of sugar from."
"I'm trying to protect this town. They've assured me they want peace, and I've assured them that I'd enforce it."
Then, a voice from behind Carol speaks. "Mayor Lockwood." Both her and Damon face the person, who is Kol. He walks over with a smirk on his face, dressed in his custom tux. "We haven't formally met. Kol Mikaelson." He kisses her hand. "I hope your lovely town embraces us just as much as we plan to embrace it."
Carol nods with a smile, then Damon holds his hand out. "Damon Salvatore. Have we met?"
Kol ignores his hand. "I've met a lot of people. And you don't particularly stand out."
Then, Damon snaps his fingers, as if remembering something. "I knew there was something familiar about your name. You're the one married to Meredith, aren't you?"
"So you've heard of me?"
"Only from Klaus. He was telling us about Meredith's involvement with your family." Then, his gaze snaps upwards, noticing someone coming down the stairs. Rebekah, and beside her Meredith.
The female Mikaelson was dressed in an emerald green dress, with her blonde hair sleekly tied back. While her darker haired companion was dressed in a gorgeous scarlet dress, her hair in curls hanging down her back and her red lips curled up into a smirk as she surveyed the room.
"Speaking of my wife." Kol smiled at the sight of his soulmate before nodding at Carol and walking to the base of the stairs.
"That's his wife?" Carol asked Damon, eyes wide.
"Yeah. She married into this mess, would you believe? Apparently she's just as bad as the rest of them. Known as the Manslayer or something."
Kol watched with fond eyes as Meredith made her way down the steps. He held his hand out, and as soon as she was close enough, she placed hers in it. "You look radiant, darling. Belle of the ball." Kol kissed her hand, grinning when he saw she had on the rings he got her. Kol loved to get her rings, and she loved wearing rings in general.
Meredith's smirk melted into a genuine smile. "You look very handsome, Kol."
"Control yourself, Mer." He said, a teasing smile on his face.
"It's hard to." She whined playfully. "Don't act like you aren't struggling."
"Well, when my soulmate looks as ravishing as you do, it isn't very easy." He whispered in her ear as he lead her away from the stairs and towards the drinks. "Want something to drink?"
"I'd love some." He picked up a glass of champagne and handed it to her. "You don't want any?"
"We both know what I want to drink." He gave her a look, then his eyes trailed down to her neck.
"Well, I promise I'll let you as soon as we finish dancing. Sound alright?" She took a sip of her champagne, before linking her arm through his, and beginning to lead him into the throngs of people.
"Sounds brilliant. Now, let's go introduce ourselves to some people, yeah?"
"Oh, yes please."
And so, that was what they did. Walk around, gaining lots of looks for their expensive looking clothes and the mere fact that Kol was a born Mikaelson, and Meredith married into the family. But, soon enough, Elijah calls out for everyone to gather, and the pair excuse themselves from whatever conversation they were having, and head to the stairs, where Meredith stands beside Kol.
Elijah addresses everyone. "Welcome, thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."
As soon as Elijah finishes talking, Kol turns to Meredith and holds out a hand, corners of his lips curled up. "May I have this dance, Mer?"
"Of course you may, Kol." She places her hand in his and lets him lead her to the ballroom. When they started dancing, she has her hand on his shoulder, and his on her waist, while the other hand gripping her own. "I've missing dancing with you."
"Not taken up another dance partner over the years?"
"Other than Julian, never." She smiles.
"Speaking of Julian, where is your brother?" Kol furrowed his eyebrows.
"Somewhere. Everywhere. I don't know. I haven't seen him in a long time. We call, but it isn't the same. I miss him." She shrugs. Then, she gets distracted by something, and a smirk overtakes her face. "Would you look at that?" She nods her head in a direction and Kol looks over.
Both their gazes were drawn by Klaus dancing with a familiar blonde, dressed in a gorgeous blue dress. "That's Caroline, I believe. Met her when I was with Rebekah earlier, she doesn't seem as bad as the doppelganger, but then again, no one is."
"Doppelgangers are the worst." Kol agrees. Everyone spins, and Meredith finds herself dancing with Klaus.
"Niklaus."
"Meredith."
"Pretty blonde you had on your arm earlier. Caroline, I believe?" Meredith raised an eyebrow.
"Leave her alone, Meredith. I don't want her involved in whatever revenge plan you have for me." Klaus growled, eyes flashing a slight golden.
"How little you think of me, Niklaus. Don't worry, I won't hurt her... much." Meredith smirks as she's spun into the arms of someone new. Her face transforms into an impassive one when she sees who it is. The brother. Damon Salvatore.
"Nice to see you."
"Can't say the same to you."
"Happy now that your husband's back?" Damon asked.
"Quite. Would have happened sooner, had it not been for your brother." Meredith commented bitterly.
"Stefan was trying to get back at Klaus."
"So am I. But I wouldn't try and piss of a bunch of other vampires, who are all very much older than me at the same time." Meredith scowled. The dance ended and Damon merely bowed his head and then left towards where the doppelganger stood.
Kol approaches her, a concerned look on his face. "My brother didn't give you much trouble, did he?"
"Don't worry, love. I can handle Niklaus." She smiled at her soulmate. "Now, about that drink you wanted."
Kol brightened immediately, and took her hand, leading her into one of the studies. There, they were, for a few minutes of peace as he drank her blood. Then, he offered his wrist to give her back some strength, and she happily took it, never one to turn down the most delicious blood she would ever have the pleasure of tasting.
"Want to go for a walk?"
"I'd love to." Meredith smiled and linked her arm through his, allowing him to lead her through the mansion, out the front door and towards the back. They stayed away from the stables after seeing Klaus head there, and instead walked through the gardens, occupying the time with mindless conversations, Meredith telling Kol about what she had done during the time he was... incapacitated.
But soon enough, they were called back inside, where waiters were handing out glasses of a red-tinted champagne. Esther stood at the top of the staircase, her own glass of champagne in hand. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater joy than to see my family back together as one. I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers!"
Everyone raises their drinks. "Cheers."
Kol excuse himself from Meredith for a while, and she heads to Rebekah, who was stood with both Elijah and Klaus. But, soon after she feels a sharp pain through her neck and drops her champagne, pressing a hand there and gasping out.
Rebekah immediately turns her attention to her friend. "Mer, what is it?"
"Kol. Someone's hurt him." She lifts up her dress and speeds to where she could feel Kol's presence be the strongest. The Mikaelsons follow behind her. She appears on the balcony to see the love of her life on the ground, neck snapped, and Damon Salvatore stood over his body.
She snarls and veins under her eyes appear as her eyes darken. She speeds forward and wraps her hand around his neck. "Give me one good reason not to end your pathetic life, right here, right now."
"Draw too much attention?" Meredith scowled and squeezed his neck harder, her nails digging into it and letting drops of blood squirt out. "Do it. Go on."
Meredith seems to notice his gaze towards the doppelganger, almost wistfully. But, the brunette seems to be wrapped up with the other Salvatore. Meredith drops the blue-eyed brother. "I'll let you live. Live with the fact that the person you love, loves someone else."
She turns to Kol, and drops to her knees beside him, bringing one hand to his face and the other one to his hair. She runs her fingers through his brown locks. "Kol, hey, love. Wake up, come on. I threatened someone for you."
The other Mikaelsons stand there, watching as their sister-in-law displayed the most emotions she would ever show. They knew what Meredith was like, that she only truly showed her real self around Kol, or if Kol was in trouble. Their brother was the same, the supposed cold-blooded psychopath was a softie around his wife. There was no doubt about it.
Kol stayed still for a while, but then, his neck slowly snapped back into place, and he groaned, opening his eyes. The first thing he saw was his beautiful wife, sat beside him, her face a mask of concern, her red lips turned downwards in a frown. As soon as she saw his eyes open, they turned up in a brilliant beam. "Hi."
"Hi." He smiled, sitting up and leaning his head on her chest. He looked up to see the rest of his siblings, sans Finn, stood there as well. They nodded at him and left.
"You feel alright?" Meredith asked, bringing her hand to his face.
"Brilliant now that you're here." He replied, reaching up to kiss her, before standing and helping her. "That Damon Salvatore is really getting on my nerves."
"I might have scared him a little." Meredith shrugged as they headed back inside.
"That's my darling." He kissed her temple, a smirk on his face.
MEREDITH'S RINGS
i mentioned that meredith wears rings, most of them that kol gave her, so here they are:
^that ring was given to her by kol - it's her most expensive one, he got it for her for their 500th anniversary^
^that ring was also given to her by kol and it's very special to her because he gave it to her when they were only human and was also the first ring he ever gave her^
^that is her engagement ring, obv from kol. they didn't have rings that extravagant when he first proposed to her (he gave her a piece of twine) but as the times progressed, he gave her this^
^that was her mother's old ring that was passed to her when her mother died^
^that is her family ring, that she had from when she was very little^
^those are her and kol's wedding rings^