Empath ‣ Klaus Mikaelson [1]

Six

Talia woke up to another early morning phone call from the Gilbert clan, expecting it to be Elena or something, but it was Jenna instead.

"What the f-" Talia mumbled.

"I need your help," Jenna interrupted.

"Don't tell me you're in jail. You're better than that. I mean, Jenna Sommers can't get caught ever."

"I'm at home, Tal."

"Who bailed you out?"

"I wasn't in jail. Look, Carol Lockwood is looking for volunteers for a masquerade ball thing happening. She thinks I'm some sort of good parent figure and I'd like to keep it up so I don't get harshly judged by Mystic Falls moms."

"I couldn't give a shit about your social status, Jenny. Please let me sleep."

"I'll buy you chocolate."

"I'll be there in ten."

She opened up the drawer she finished repairing (or at that point, building due to how broken it arrived) filled with clothes and grabbed one of many band tees her father collected over the years. They were huge on her, but she wore them all the time.

It was like carrying a piece of her father with her at all times.

She showered and dressed, eventually grabbing her apartment keys and heading out, locking her door on the way out. Her car was still at the Forbes residence, but it needed looking at anyway. Maybe later.

When she entered Carol Lockwood's home, she marveled at how busy the workers were. There had to be at least one person that was compelled by the way they speedily worked, some without complaint.

"Jenna, thanks for helping round up all the volunteers," Carol praised the strawberry blonde.

"Of course," she responded. "Hey, Tal! Come on over." She turned back to Carol. "It's for a good cause. Plus, I have always been a sucker for the masquerade ball."

"So was Richard. This was always his favorite party of the year."

"Hey ladies," Talia greeted. "Anything you need me to do?"

"Boys!" Carol shouted at Tyler and Matt who were carrying a table. "Be careful with that! It's from the 1800s!"

"Sorry!" Tyler shouted back, Matt echoing him.

"Sorry, Talia. You know...boys. You can help the boys decorate and all. Make sure they don't break anything."

"You got it," Talia said.

"Where's Caroline? I'd think she would love this sort of thing."

"Sheriff Mom got sick, so Caroline's at home, probably making a pot of soup that's way too salty."

"Sounds like her. Well, tell your mom to get better."

"Will do."

Carol Lockwood and Talia exchanged kind smiles before the latter wandered around the home, marveling at all the rich and fancy stuff she never had and probably would never have either. She ran her fingers along the wooden walls and stopped to look at nearly every book she would find in an obscure bookshelf.

She realized she needed to unpack her father's book collection he gathered through the years. Some could rank in a little bit of money if sold to a pawn shop or online, but Talia Sullivan-Forbes was always way too sentimental.

She mazed her way around the rooms, feeling a large bout of anger from a particular Bennett witch, but she ignored it. Bonnie was upset that Caroline was a vampire and so was Talia, but the Bennett witch would have to deal with it. Caroline was still around and she was more herself than before.