03. The End Of The Affair

"Welcome back to Chicago, Stefan" Klaus said, as one by one he, Stefan and Lily stepped out of the car, Lily still exhausted from her transformation the night before.

"What are we doing here?" a confused Stefan asked, as Klaus opened the door to the warehouse they were in and allowed Stefan and Lily to look out at the city lights.

"I know how much you loved it here" Klaus replied, "Bringing back memories of the good old ripper days?".

"Blacked out most of them" Stefan informed, "Lot of blood, lot of partying, the details are all blur".

"Well, that is a crying shame" Klaus said, "The details are what makes it legend, Chicago was magical".

"Yeah, well, I'll take your word for it, like I said, I don't remember much of it" Stefan reminded.

"Down to business, then?" Klaus asked, closing the warehouse door.

"Which is what exactly?" a curious Lily asked.

"Why are me and Lily still with you?" a confused Stefan asked Klaus, "We had our fun, your hybrids failed, I mean, don't you want to move on?".

"We're going to see my favorite witch" Klaus informed, "If anyone who can help us with our hybrid problem it's her", Klaus then looked at Lily, "And she might also be the one with answers to all your questions".

"About the dreams?" a shocked Lily asked.

"About the dreams" Klaus confirmed.

"Wait, what dreams?" a confused Stefan asked.

Klaus smirked, "Lily didn't tell you?".

"Lily didn't tell me what?" Stefan asked, he then looked at his best friend who was glaring at Klaus, "What are you hiding from me Lily?".

"Me and Lily have been having dreams about each other long before we actually met each other" Klaus revealed, before Lily could even open her mouth.

A shocked Stefan looked at Lily, who had closed her eyes in frustration, this is not how she wanted Stefan to know about her dreams.

"You knew about Klaus before he came to Mystic Falls?" Stefan asked.

"No" Lily quickly replied, "I mean, I knew his face, but I didn't know the person I was dreaming about was the person who was going to sacrifice your girlfriend, when I found out it was too late, everyone in Mystic Falls had already met him".

"Why are you two dreaming about each other?" Stefan asked confused, not liking this at all.

"I'm hoping that's what Klaus's favorite witch will reveal to us" Lily replied.

***

"Looks familiar, doesn't it?" Klaus asked Stefan, as the trio entered Gloria's bar.

"I can't believe this place is still here" a slightly amazed Stefan said.

"You gotta be kidding me".

The trio turned to the voice and saw an middle aged black women standing there.

"So a hybrid walks into a bar, says to the bartender--".

"Stop", "Just no" Both Lily and the woman said in unison, immediately causing Klaus to stop talking.

"You may be invincible, but that doesn't make you funny".

"Exactly" Lily whispered to Klaus, who in turn just playfully rolled his eyes at her.

The mystery woman looked at Stefan, "I remember you".

"Yeah" Stefan said, "You're Gloria".

"Mm-hm" Gloria confirmed.

Stefan looked at Gloria in confusion, "Shouldn't you be--?".

"Old and dead?" Gloria finished, "Now, if I die, who's gonna run this place, huh?".

"Gloria's a very powerful witch" Klaus informed.

"I can slow the aging down some, herbs and spells" Gloria clarified, "But don't worry, it'll catch up to me one day".

"Stefan, Lily, why don't you two go and fix us up a little something from behind the bar?" Klaus asked the best friends duo.

"Yeah, sure thing" Stefan said, realising Klaus didn't want them to hear his conversation with Gloria, Lily went to protest but Stefan simply grabbed her wrist and dragged her with him.

"Stefan!" Lily complained.

"Shh" Stefan simply said in return.

"Don't shh me" Lily snapped, slapping Stefan's chest as they walked over to the bar.

"Ouch" Stefan said, rubbing the place Lily had smacked him.

"Serves you right" Lily said.

Klaus rolled his eyes in annoyance at Stefan and Lily and then turned to Gloria, who looked at him with amusement, having seen the jealous look on his face.

"You look ravishing, by the way" Klaus said, before Gloria could say anything to him.

"Don't" Gloria warned, as the two of them sat on a table together, "I know why you're here, a hybrid out to make more hybrids? That kind of news travels".

"So, what am I doing wrong?" a confused Klaus asked, "I broke the curse".

"Obviously you did something wrong" Gloria pointed out, as Stefan started using his super hearing to eavesdrop on their conversation while Lily was busy making herself a cocktail, "Look, every spell has a loophole but a curse that old, we'd have to contact the witch who created it".

"Well, that would be the original witch" Klaus reminded, "She's very dead".

"I know" Gloria said, "And for me to contact her, I'll need help, bring me Rebekah".

While making her drink Lily eyes landed on the bulletin board where a bunch of photos were pinned, forgetting her drink for a second, Lily started looking at the photos, but one photo in particular shocked her, after ripping it off the bulletin board, Lily tapped Stefan's shoulder in urgency, once a confused Stefan looked at her, Lily showed him the photo, looking at it, Stefan was left equally shocked as Lily, if not more.

"Rebekah" Klaus said, "Rebekah is a bit preoccupied".

"She has what I need, bring her to me" Gloria demanded.

"What is this?" Stefan asked, gaining Klaus and Gloria's attention.

"Well, I told you, Stefan" Klaus said, standing up from his seat after seeing the photo in Stefan's hand, "Chicago's a magical place".

"But this is me" an extremely confused Stefan pointed out, "With you"

***

"This doesn't make any sense, why don't I remember you?" a frustrated Stefan asked, as the trio walked into the warehouse Klaus kept his family.

"You said it yourself that time had a lot of dark holes" Klaus reminded.

"No, if you knew me, then why haven't you said anything?" Stefan snapped.

"I'm a little busy right now" Klaus said, "Memory lane will have to wait".

Stefan grabbed Klaus's arm and stopped him from walking any further, "What the hell is going on?" he asked, feeling like he was about to lose his mind, "Answer me".

Klaus removed Stefan's hand from his arm, "Let's just say we didn't get off to a brilliant start, to be honest, I hated you".

Klaus then went on to tell Stefan about his affair with his younger sister, Rebekah.

"Your sister?" a shocked Stefan asked, "So I knew another original vampire?".

"He dated a original vampire?" an equally shocked Lily asked.

Klaus proceeded to start walking again, "If you can't handle it, then don't ask" he said, walking over to a casket, as he opened it, a fond smile formed on his face seeing his sister, he crassed her cheek lovingly.

"I don't recognise her" Stefan said, looking at the daggered original.

"Don't tell her that, Rebekah's temper's worse than mine" Klaus said, taking the dagger out of Rebekah's chest, "Time to wake up, little sister", the trio waited for a moment for Rebekah to wake up but she remained sleeping, "Any day now Rebekah, she's being dramatic".

"So being dramatic runs in the family, I'm guessing?" Lily asked, sitting on top of  a wooden crate.

Klaus chuckled, "Oh you have no idea" he said.

"Look, why don't you just tell me what the hell is going on?" an annoyed Stefan asked, "I mean, you obviously want me here for a reason, right?".

"Well, you have many useful talents" Klaus replied.

"Do I?" Stefan asked, not knowing what talent Klaus was talking about.

"In fact, I learned some of my favorite tricks from you" Klaus revealed.

"Mm" Stefan said, clearly not believing the hybrid.

Klaus then told Stefan about the time Stefan made a human drink his wife's blood.

"I think I'm going to be sick" Lily mumbled.

"I was your number one fan" Klaus informed Stefan, forwarding his hand towards Lily, who placed her hand in his and let him help down the crate.

"Thanks" Lily whispered, looking into Klaus's eyes and for a second getting lost.

"You're welcome, little luna" Klaus said, his hands on Lily's waist.

"Why should I believe any of this?" Stefan asked, breaking Klaus and Lily's moment.

Lily quickly stepped away from Klaus after hearing Stefan's voice, causing Klaus to look at the youngest Salvatore in annoyance, "You really need to get better timing mate" he said, before walking over to the warehouse security and compelling him, "When she wakes up, tell her to meet us at Gloria's bar, the volunteer your carotid artery and let her feed until you die", the security guard simply nodded his head.

"Where you going?" a confused Stefan asked.

"You think I'm lying Stefan" Klaus replied, "You and I knew each other, you trusted me with one of your secrets, and now I'm gonna prove it to you".

"What secret?" a curious Lily asked.

"You'll find out soon enough, at Stefan's old apartment" Klaus replied.

***

"What a charming little homestead" Klaus taunted, as the trio walked to Stefan's old apartment, as they arrived at the door, Klaus frowned seeing it unlocked he pushed the door opened to see if anyone was in the apartment, but he saw no one, "Do you feel that?" Klaus asked, as he and Lily both stepped into the apartment, both feeling like someone else was here, "Is anybody here?".

"It's been vacant for decades, people must break in all the time" Stefan stated, entering the apartment, "Why'd you bring me here?".

"Your friend Liam Grant, the one who drank his wife's blood, I never could figure out why you wanted his name" Klaus replied, "And then you told me your little secret, it was all part of your special little ritual".

"Which is what exactly?" Lily asked.

"To write to down" Stefan whispered, finally starting to believe Klaus was telling the truth.

"And relive the kill over and over again" Klaus added, he then went ahead and opened the pantry door, letting Stefan know he knew exactly where he wrote those names, "You believe me now?".

Stefan walked into the pantry to see the names he wrote, while Klaus turned to Lily.

"You want to see?" Klaus asked.

"No thanks" Lily replied.

"What?" Klaus asked, "Don't want to see your best friend's true side".

Lily rolled her eyes, "We all have multiple sides Klaus, no one in this room is a saint".

"Look what I found" Stefan said, coming out of the pantry with a bottle of alcohol, "1918, single malt".

"My favorite" Klaus said, grabbing the bottle from Stefan's hand, "Let's go and find someone to pair it with".

Lily and Klaus walked out of Stefan's old apartment, both unaware that currently Elena was present in the pantry, Stefan had seen her but stayed quiet to protect her from Klaus.

***

Gloria placed three bottles of bear infront of Klaus, Lily and Stefan as they sat down on the bar, "Where's Rebekah?" she asked.

"She'll be here, I can't just conjure her on demand" Klaus replied, handing Lily her beer and grabbing himself one, he then turned to a quiet Stefan, "What's with you? I though Chicago was your playground".

"So this is why you asked me to be your wingman?" Stefan asked, "Because you liked the way that I tortured innocent people".

"Well, that's certainly half of it" Klaus confirmed.

"What's the other half?" a curious Stefan asked.

"The other half Stefan is that you used to want to be my wingman" Klaus informed, pouring three shots, he then slid one shot over to Stefan and gave one to Lily, while he held the last one, he then held his shot up, "To friendship", he then glanced at Lily, "And forgiveness".

Lily looked at Klaus then at the shot, without saying anything she simply downed the shot.

***

"So I'm confused, if we were such great friends then why do I only know you as the hybrid dick who sacrificed my girlfriend on an alter of fire?" Stefan asked.

"That's something I'd like to know as well" Lily said, looking at Klaus with a curious look on her face.

"All good things must come to an end" Klaus simply said.

Realisation suddenly drew on Stefan, he finally figured out why he didn't remember Klaus, "You compelled me to forget".

"It was time for Rebekah and I to move on" Klaus said, Lily looked at his facial expression and to her he seemed sad, but she didn't call him out on that, knowing he wouldn't open up to her infront of Stefan, "Better to have a clean slate".

"But why?" a curious Stefan asked, "You shouldn't have to cover your tracks, unless you're running from someone".

A suddenly tense Klaus, looked at Stefan, "Story time's over" he stated, no longer wanting to talk about him and Stefan in 1920s.

Stefan wanted to ask Klaus more questions, but he stopped when his eyes landed on his brother standing on the back entrance of the bar, with his head Damon gestured Stefan to follow him.

"I need another drink" Stefan told Klaus, "A real one".

Klaus gestured for Stefan to go and once Stefan had walked away, Lily turned to Klaus.

"You still haven't talked to Gloria about our dreams" Lily pointed out.

Klaus looked at Lily, "I figured you would be the one who started the conversation".

"Why can't you start the conversation?" a confused Lily asked.

"Because you're the one who wants to know the mystery about these dreams" Klaus replied.

"So you don't want to know why we are having dreams about each other?" Lily asked.

"No, not really" Klaus replied.

"Why not?" a confused Lily asked, "Are having dreams about a stranger normal to you?".

"Of course it's not normal, I just have a feeling I know why we're having these dreams" Klaus replied.

"And all this time you didn't think to tell me?!" an annoyed Lily asked.

"You never asked" Klaus defended.

Lily scoffed, "You are unbelievable, you know that?".

"Thank you" Klaus said.

Lily shook her head, "Are you going to tell me what you know about our dreams or not?".

Klaus sighed, "When my family was first turned into vampires, when the original witch first put the hybrid curse on me, a witch named Ayana Bennett couldn't stand back and watch me and my siblings embrace the darkness, so she did a spell on us, well one of us".

"What was the spell?" Lily asked.

"I don't know what she did, all she told us was that one day someone will come in our life, someone whose fate will be tied to our family, someone who will help one of us get out of the darkness and into the light, who will be that person's redemption" Klaus informed.

"And you think I'm that for you?" Lily asked, Klaus nodded his head, in return Lily shook her head, "Klaus, I can't be the one who takes you out of the darkness".

"And why's that?" a confused Klaus asked.

"Because I am darkness" Lily replied, "I can't be your redemption when I myself don't deserve to be redeemed".

"You should give yourself more credit, little luna" Klaus said, "Because from where I'm sitting, I don't think you're darkness, you're the opposite, you're the brightest light in the room".

Lily looked at Klaus, "I'm damaged".

"So am I" Klaus retorted, "Can't two damage people try to heal each other?".

"How can I heal you, when I can't even heal myself?" Lily asked.

"Let me heal you then" Klaus suggested.

"There's too much baggage to uncover" Lily retorted.

"Trust me, you can't have more baggage than me" Klaus said, "I have one thousand years of baggage".

Lily chuckled, "Fate is such a weird thing, isn't it?" she asked, "Fate decided to pair two damaged people together in hopes of them healing each other, how weird is that?".

"You believe in fate?" a curious Klaus asked.

Lily looked at Klaus, "Well I don't think it was a coincidence that I just happened be in the town you came to break your curse".

"I didn't come to Mystic Falls to break the curse" Klaus admitted.

Lily looked at Klaus in confusion, "Then why did you come to Mystic Falls?".

"To get to know you" Klaus revealed, "I had seen you with Elijah in my dreams, and once the witches protecting him died, my witch easily did a locator spell on him to know where he is, I knew if I found Elijah--".

"You would find me" Lily finished.

"Yeah" Klaus confirmed, "Finding the doppelganger in Mystic Falls was the actually coincidence".

"I don't know what to say to that" Lily admitted.

"I didn't tell you this because I wanted you to say something, I just wanted to let you know that I'm serious about wanting to get to know you Lily" Klaus said.

Lily sighed, "I'll let you get to know me, but from now on, you have to promise me, that you won't kidnap me or render me unconscious , you won't force me to do something I don't want to do".

"I promise not to do anything that you won't like" Klaus promised.

Lily gave Klaus a grateful smile, she then slid a shot over to Klaus, "Seal it with a drink?".

Klaus chuckled, "Gladly" he said, as both him and Klaus clinked their shot glasses together and then downed it.

***

"Last call, drink them up".

Klaus and Lily were still sitting on the, this time silently drinking their drinks when suddenly Damon came and sat next to Klaus, immediately Lily rolled her eyes in annoyance at the oldest Salvatore, knowing wherever he was, trouble usually followed.

"I see they've opened the doors to the riffraff now" Klaus taunted, also seeing Damon.

"Oh, honey, I've been called worse" Damon said, he then glanced at Lily, who was sitting on the other side of Klaus, "Thought you would died by now".

Lily gave Damon a sarcastic smile, "Sorry to disappoint" she simply said.

"You don't give up, do you?" Klaus asked, twirling an small umbrella in between his fingers.

"Give me my brother back and you'll never have to see me again" Damon said, "You can keep Lily, no one really misses her, only her sister and mother do and eventually they'll forget her and move on just like everyone else in Mystic Falls".

"Same way when you die, no one except Stefan and Elena will care, I'm pretty sure others might even throw a party in celebration of your death" Lily retorted.

"I am torn, you see, I promised Stefan I wouldn't let you die but how many freebies did I really sign up for?" Klaus asked, glaring at Damon, "And clearly you want to die, otherwise you wouldn't have dared spoke to Lily the way you did, that to infront of me".

Damon looked between Klaus and Lily, he then let out an amused chuckle, "Don't tell me the Klaus Mikaelson has taken a liking towards the damaged goods of Mystic Falls".

Suddenly, Klaus wrapped his hand around Damon's throat, "Don't speak about her in that way" he warned, tightening his grip on Damon's neck, chocking him.

***

With his hold on Damon's neck, Klaus started lifting him up from the floor.

"Oh, dear, what was that?" Klaus asked, pretending not to hear Damon's chocked out words, he then grabbed the wooden umbrella toothpick and put it against Damon's neck, "I'm a little boozy, so you'll forgive me if I miss your heart the first few tries", Damon let out a chuckle that was quickly replaced with a painful groan as Klaus stabbed him in the chest, "No, that's not it".

"Aah!" Damon yelled, as Klaus once again stabbed him.

"Oh, almost" Klaus taunted, driving the tooth further into Damon's chest.

"You want a partner in crime?" Damon asked, while groaning in pain, "Forget Stefan, I'm so much more fun".

"If he's in, then I'm out" Lily told Klaus, while sitting on the bar and happily watching Damon's torture.

"And we just can't have that" Klaus said, before throwing Damon on to a bunch of tables, he then walked over to a chair and ripped out one of its wooden leg, he then started walking towards Damon, "You won't be any fun after you're dead".

Lily looked towards Gloria, who was looking at her, she then gestured her head towards Klaus and Damon, indicating Gloria to stop them, who shook her head in annoyance but nonetheless decided to help Damon out.

Just as Klaus lifted the stake up to kill Damon, Gloria used her magic to light the make shift stake on fire, immediately causing Klaus to throw it away.

"Really?" an annoyed Klaus asked Gloria.

"Not in my bar, you take it outside" Gloria said, "And plus, your girl was the one who told me to stop you".

"Really?" Lily asked, glaring at Gloria for outing her.

"Why stop me?" Klaus asked, standing up and looking at Lily, "Don't tell me despite everything he said to you, somehow you care for him".

"Yuck!" Lily stated, shuddering in disgust, "Me? Care for Damon? When pigs can fly, the only reason I told Gloria to stop you was because I care for Stefan who unfortunately cares for Damon, and plus, if you want Stefan as your wingman, then killing his brother is probably not a good idea", Lily then downed a shot of tequila and looked at Damon, who was still laying on the ground, "For once in your life, stop being suicidal, because Stefan's not going to be able to save you everytime you screw up Damon".

And with that Lily stood up and walked out of Gloria's bar.

Klaus looked at Damon who had finally stood up, "You don't have to negotiate your brother's freedom, when I'm done with him, he won't wanna go back".

***

Klaus and Lily walked back into the warehouse where Klaus was keeping his daggered family.

"You realise this is really morbid, right?" Lily said.

"What is?" a confused Klaus asked.

"Carrying your family around in caskets" Lily replied, "It's messed up".

"It's for their own safety" Klaus defended.

"Do they know that?" Lily asked curiously, "Because whenever you wake up, I assure you, the first thing they're going to do, is hurt you, not hug you".

Klaus opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when his eyes landed on his sister's empty casket and the dead security guard laying next to the casket.

"Rebekah, it's your big brother!" Klaus called out, "Come out, come out, wherever you are".

Suddenly someone speeded over to Klaus and shoved him to the side and stabbed him with the dagger, "Go to hell, Nik!" Rebekah snapped.

Klaus removed the dagger from his chest and threw it on to the ground, "Don't pout, you knew it wouldn't kill me".

"No, but I was hoping it would hurt more" Rebekah retorted.

"I understand that you're upset with me Rebekah, so I'm gonna let that go, just this once" Klaus said, "I brought you a little peace offering".

That's when Rebekah's eyes landed on Lily, "Oh good, I'm still so hungry" she said, with veins appearing underneath her eyes, but before she could rush over to Lily, Klaus grabbed her wrist.

"Not her" Klaus said, restraining his sister from attacking Lily, "Him", Klaus pointed towards the entrance of the warehouse where Stefan stood.

"Stefan" Rebekah whispered, happy to see the man she loved before she was daggered by her brother for choosing Stefan over him.

Klaus walked over to Stefan, he put his hand on his shoulder, "Now you remember" he said, finally breaking his compulsion on Stefan.

Stefan closed his eyes as the memoires he was compelled to forget suddenly started flooding his brothers, eventually he opened his eyes and looked at the vampire infront of him with a small smile on his face, "Rebekah" he whispered, taking small steps towards Rebekah.

"Stefan" Klaus called out, stopping Stefan from walking towards Rebekah and instead face him.

Stefan looked at Klaus in shock, realising everything he said was true, they really were friends in the 20s, "I remember you" he whispered, "We were friends".

"We are friends" Klaus corrected, walking over to Stefan and patting his shoulder, he then turned to his sister, "And now the reason you're here, Gloria tells me you know how to contact the Original witch".

"The Original witch?" an amused Rebekah asked, making Lily look at her curious, wondering why did she say it like that.

"What do you have that Gloria needs?" Klaus asked, in no mood for his sister's games.

Rebekah's hand went up to her neck to grab her necklace, but she didn't feel it, immediately causing her to look down and realise the necklace was gone.

"Where's my necklace?" Rebekah asked, "What did you do with it? I never take it off".

"I don't know, I didn't touch it" Klaus defended.

"We need to find it, Nik" a panicked Rebekah said.

"Tell me that's not what she needs" a frustrated Klaus said.

"Now, I want it back" Rebekah demanded.

"Tell me that's not what she needs, Rebekah!" now an angry Klaus yelled.

Rebekah shoved her brother away from her and started searching her casket for the necklace, when she didn't find it anywhere, in her anger and frustration she ended up shoving the casket to the ground.

"Yeah, anger issues definitely run in the family" Lily mumbled, flinching once the casket hit the ground.

***

Presenting 2x03 of Fire & Flame!

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