The Missing Piece

The Ball

I stood, trying to fix Bekah's dress, though I hadn't even picked out a dress for myself. "Hold still, you're moving to much." I turned her to face the mirror again as Kol walked in.

"Rebekah, tell me how handsome I am." He said in a nonchalant tone causing me to chuckle as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"Kol, you know I can be compelled." I finished pining Bekah's dress and so I stood up. "Looks wonderful Cleo." She smiled.

"It really does Bex, now go change out of it so I can sew." I clapped my hands.

"You went after Elena? What is wrong with you?" Nik was yelling as he entered the room.

"Here we go," I sighed as I sat the pin cushion back on the table, turning my attention to Kol. "Any alterations needed?"

"Do you want another dagger in your heart?" He asked, stepping closer to Bekah.

"Again with the dagger threats? Do you have any other tricks?" Kol asked, I hit his shoulder and chuckled softly.

"Oh go back to staring at yourself." Nik shot back. I sighed, straightening Kol's jacket.

"And who are you? My father?" Kol stood still enough for me to accurately see that there were no alterations to be made on the jacket. "How on earth did you get stuck with him." He asked me.

"No Kol, but you're in my house." I shook my head, stepping back to look at Kol.

"Then maybe we should step outside."

"Enough," I sighed, "Kol step up on the box, I'll need to pin the hem on your pants."

"Niklaus, come." I looked to the doorway to see Esther, Nik had filled me in on the whole story, and she had been nothing but nice to me since last night.

"Up Kol," I motioned to the box Rebekah had been standing on a few minutes ago.

"Cleo you're such a sweetheart," Rebekah said as she reentered the room, now wearing jeans and a nice shirt. "How ever did Nik manage to catch you." She smiled, draping her dress over a chair.

I chuckled to myself, "Kol, go change so I can sew." I moved, out of his way and picked up Bekah's dress, moving to the sewing machine. "Bex, perhaps you aren't aware I left him for quite a few decades." I said, pulling out pins as I sewed the hem of the dress. She stepped closer and sat next to me.

"I wasn't," She watched as I turned the dress right side out. "Why did you come back?"

"Because, as much as most of you hate to admit it, we're a family. A dysfunctional one at best, but still a family, and I'm lucky to be even a part of it."

"Here you go," Kol walked up and held out the dress pants. Rebekah swatted at him.

"Kol, manners, you're just lucky Cleo is willing to help. She hasn't even picked a dress yet." I handed Bekah her dress with a smile.

"It's fine Bex, it's easy alterations and I still have plenty of time." I checked my watch, "or at least enough time." It was two hours until the ball began. "Where's Finn and 'Lijah, do they need anythin-"

"Cleo, you've done more than enough just finish Kol's and I'll help you get ready ok?" I nodded and began the hemming of Kol's pants.

Bekah sat on my bed and watched as I pull dresses out of my closet. "How about this one?" I held up a dark blue sleeveless dress with a sweetheart neckline and shook her head. "Alright," I sighed turning back to the closet. We had been there for at least half an hour as I pulled dresses out and trying to get her to agree to one. "Oo, wait here," she ran out of the room and I moved to sit on my bed and grabbed my phone. I was about to text Nik when she came back in carting a black dress with a gold beaded bodice and white skirt.