On My Own | Hale - TVD/TO/TW [4]

8 | Do Not Want to Care

Lexi stands by the bar as champagne is passed out. She eyes Esther on the banister beside Finn as she holds up her own glass. Elijah joins her, his eyes narrowed at Esther. "You spoke with Mother?"

"You spoke with Elena?" Lexi counters. "Did she lie?"

"I could not tell," Elijah admits. "She says that Mother has forgiven Klaus, but..." He shakes his head. "After everything he's done—"

"She brought Peter Hale back from the dead."

Elijah glances down at her. "The young child? With the yoyo?"

She chuckles. "He's not young anymore. He also didn't die in the fire. He was the one in the coma." She looks up at him with her lips pressed together. "He was killed recently. She brought him back to spy on me while she figured out a way to come back herself. It was all a distraction."

"So you do not believe her either?"

"I don't think I can." Lexi looks back up at the banister. "I loved my mother, Elijah, don't get me wrong. But she left us to Mikael for years. She helped him kill all of us—she just stood by and did nothing as he shoved swords through our chests, and she couldn't even face what she had created." After a moment of silence, Lexi sighs. "I think she's here to kill us."

"Why is that?"

Lexi shrugs. "She said she wanted to reunite us under peace. Either someone in our family is being honest, or she wishes for us to join Henrik and Freya. That is, of course, if she has even thought about them over the years. I certainly have."

Elijah shakes his head. "It could mean a number of different things."

"True." Lexi sends him a tight-lipped smile. "I don't blame you for wanting to believe her. I do too."

Crystal rings through the air as Esther holds up her glass. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Waiters have come 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!"

The crowd echoes her words as people drink.

Lexi catches Esther's gaze as the woman makes her way towards her. Elijah clinks his drink against Lexi's before he takes a sip. "Alexis, why don't you drink?" Esther asks when she is close enough.

"I know better than to accept a drink from one of my parents." She sets the champagne flute down. "Last time I did, you turned me into a monster."

She walks off with a blank expression on her face only to be cornered by the mayor. She talks for a while, her skin itching to be shed; only when a large crack echoes in her ears does she manage to escape only to find the rest of her family and Elena all moving towards the doors.

"Damon!" Stefan shouts when they all see a probably drunk Damon leaning over Kol. "Are you crazy?"

"Maybe a little," Damon replies.

Lexi growls. "What did you do to my brother?" Her eyes flash red.

"Sorry, Eliza." Damon's eyes move to Elena. "Far be it from me to cause a problem. He was gonna kill the quarterback."

Lexi steps down next to Stefan as Damon saunters away. "I might just kill that brother of yours one day," she says as she shakes her head.

"Same here," Stefan sighs. When he looks back at her, he frowns at the defeated look in her eyes. "Are you ok?" He asks.

She blinks, unable to hide her exhaustion anymore. "I just wish everything was different," she replies. "but there is nothing I can do to change that."

He nods along with her words. "Do you want help getting Kol back into the house?"

"No, why don't you deal with Elena?" Lexi takes hold of Kol, throwing him over her shoulder as she motions to Elena. "She looks shaken."

Stefan glances back as Lexi races through the house so no one sees before letting Kol drop onto his bed. "You idiot," Lexi mutters as she looks down at him. "Mother will kill you when you wake."

"It was my idea." Lexi does not turn when Rebekah speaks. The younger blonde leans against the bedpost and sighs. "I just...I just wanted to hurt Elena."

"So do I," Lexi replies. "But right now, we must focus on Mother."

"Why?" Rebekah steps into the room. "She's alive now. She is making our family whole again."

"Do you truly believe that?" Lexi asks as she faces Rebekah. "Do you believe her good intentions?"

"I do."

Lexi runs a hand down her face. "I do not want to argue with you tonight. Just...make sure Matt is ok, please. He's only human, after all."

Shortly after Rebekah leaves, Lexi finds herself walking through the mansion's gardens. It is not much—only a field with a small stream by the edge—but it is quiet. She looks up at the stars and almost full moon, the light reflecting off of her eyes.

With a deep breath, she whispers, "Henrik? If you're there, I—" She closes her eyes and looks down at her feet. "This is stupid. I just...if you're there, I'm so sorry. I just wish I could speak to you one more time or hear your voice. I don't know what to do, to be honest. Would you believe her?" Lexi chuckles, shaking her head as she makes her way to one of the few fully grown trees on the lot. "Of course, you would. Because you always saw the best in people. And she's our mother."

She frowns and turns back to the house as a shadowed man stalks towards her. "What are you doing back here?" Lexi calls out as the moon lights up Stefan's face. "Elena get home all right?"

"I don't want to talk about Elena," he huffs out. His cup her cheeks before he presses his lips against her's. She lets out a surprised squeal before pushing back. "What?" He asks as he pants.

She blinks and shakes her head. "You're in love with the doppelgänger—I'm not going to..." She motions between them. "I'm not going to help you escape whatever feelings you have."

"Oh, really?" He arches an eyebrow. "Because when we were dancing, you had the same pain I did." Lexi clenches her jaw. "None of this means anything. I know you don't want to feel either."

"So what do you want?" Lexi whispers.

"I don't want to care." He kisses her again; this time, Lexi folds into him, her hands coming up to his hair.

As he pulls back to trail soft kisses against her neck, Lexi breathes, "I don't want to care either."

Hehehehe. Thoughts?

Hope you enjoyed!

-L