The Missing Piece

Did You Miss Me?

I sat, sipping at my third glass of wine as I listened to the flowing conversation between my two families.

"I thought we agreed to leave grumpy Stefan at home tonight," I heard Damon mutter as he went to take a sip from his drink.

"Oh, is Stefan not happy to be here?" I joked, swirling the wine glass in my hand. "You're both always welcome to-" I felt Nik's hand on my knee, signaling me to stop, I rolled my eyes, lifting my glass up to my lips.

"Isn't this nice? The five of us dining together." Nik said glancing at me.

"Such a treat," I sarcastically remarked, "Is this what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger out of Elijah?"

Damon looked at Nik instead of me, "Well I knew how he felt about you, so I figured the more the merrier." He shrugged before smirking, his gaze falling on me. "I didn't expect for you to be joining us, dear sis-"

"Yes, well after your stunt this morning, I wasn't too fond of the idea." I finished my glass, signaling for one of the girls Nik had compelled to be our waitresses to refill it. "Thank you, darling." I smiled as she retreated back to the edge of the room.

"What 'stunt'?" Elijah questioned, Damon's cool facade seemed to shift as he picked up his glass.

"Nothi-"

"Oh, just how he had their little witch give me one hell of a headache in the middle of town." Both Nik and Elijah's attention went directly to Damon who now seemed just as nervous as I had hoped. Stefan glanced at me with furrowed eyebrows.

"Bonnie tends to have a mind of her own, you're sure Damon told her to?" He questioned, causing my face to go from amused to annoyed.

"We're here to make a deal," Damon tried to change the subject.

"Yes, and where is the lovely Elena?" I teased.

"I don't know, ask Damon," Stefan said as he took another swig of his drink. Elijah looked between us all very confused.

"You missed so much, I'll have to catch you up later." I smiled reaching across the table and patting his hand.

"One more word about Elena and, uh, this dinner is over." Stefan glanced at me and I held my hands up in surrender.

"It's probably best to keep Elena in the, 'do not discuss' pile." Damon looked around the table, his eyes also resting on me.

"You're probably right," Nik smiled towards me and I nodded, "It's just the allure of the Petrova doppelganger is so strong. What do you say, brother, should we tell them about Tatia?" I rolled my eyes, my attention going back to my glass. I'd heard all about Tatia, the original doppelganger. How both Elijah and Nik lusted after her, how similar it was to my brothers.

"We later learned that it was her blood that our mother used to turn us." I heard Elijah say, I listened to the story, though I hated it, I did find it amusing how they went back and forth, filling in the missing pieces for the other.

"Family before all," I echoed after them before downing the rest of my glass. I tuned out as I waited for my glass to be refilled, they were only talking about the 'new deal' since Stefan had stolen Nik's coffins.

"Klaus gets his coffin back, and the original extended family leaves Mystic Falls, forever," Stefan said nonchalantly.

"Me, Stefan, and Elena get to live here happily ever after, with Cleona if she wishes. No grudges." Damon further explained. I scoffed and shook my head, taking another sip.

"Elena's blood is what allows me to turn hybrids." I tapped Nik's arm gently. "Say I do leave her here, in your protection, how long until one of you turn her?"