Silver Linings {A TVD Fanfic trilogy}

50

We got inside and Elijah quickly called Kol over so they could do their toast. "If everyone could gather please." Elijah requested tapping his glass before he spoke of a tradition to start off with a dance. Kol walked down the stairs and came over to me. "May I have this dance, darling?" He questioned putting his hand out to me as a waiter collected our champagne glasses.

"You may." I replied grabbing his hand.

We walked to the floor and I saw Damon with Elena and my breath hitched.

"Calm down, love, they don't matter remember?" He asked and I turned to him. His smile was reassuring. "Now how about we show him what he's missing." I let out a soft chuckle and I nodded. We started the dance and the two rows faced each other. Damon looked at me and his eyebrows raised. I turned to Kol who was already looking and I smiled. Part of me was pleased to see him shocked.

We went on with the dance. "Stay close." Kol said as we moved and he held onto me. "He's watching." He smiled to me.

I shook my head. "You didn't have to do this for me." I looked at him. "Thank you." I smiled.

"I want you to enjoy yourself." He commented. "I may not know you but I know you most likely deserve to be happy just like the lot of us." He explained as I bit my lip lightly, still smiling. He twirled me and we switched partners.

"So you like my brother now? What, a day since I told you your boyfriend changed his mind?" Klaus spoke as I held onto him. Out of everyone there, why him.

"He's actually being nice to me, something I haven't experience in a while." I replied looking to me.

"And what, Tyler goes away for a while and you are trying to get with Caroline?" I asked curiously.

"What I do with her is not your business." He replied.

"And what I do with Kol is not yours." I retorted as he looked at me with a bit of agitation that I just beat him in that argument.

"Our petty problems aside, you do look good tonight." He changed the subject. "And where did you get the jewels?"

"A courtesy of Rebekah." I replied.

"My siblings all seemed to have taken a liking to you." He observed as we moved with the other dancers.

"It's because we all relate." I replied as he gave me a quick confused look. "We've all been stuck under your control one time or another."

"They act as if I did it to be mean. I did it so they'd be safe." He tried to explain himself.

"And me?" I asked.

"I took you in because you were lost." He replied as I furrowed my eyebrows. "It was only a matter of time before Damon decided to go with Elena. I know people were seeing the signs." He spoke as I thought. Caroline and Dad both were worried about our relationship. "And I could tell you were on the rocks about your relationship too." He continued. "You needed a way to get away from the inevitable. This way it was easier for you." In some ways he was right. Damon and I were never a perfect match we just really understood each other.

"So you're trying to tell me you took my deal because you wanted to help me?" I asked confused.

"I didn't want to see someone as strong as you crack because of something so small." He replied and I looked at him confused. I could understand where he was coming from but it didn't make it any less okay.

"So that's why you kept me from them at homecoming?" I asked curiously.

"I didn't want him to be able to fix things. It would make it harder. By then I already knew what he was feeling. It was a cycle I had been through before." He explained as I shook my head.