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𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 - 𝐂𝐡. 06
"𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔,
𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆"

┗━━━ ━━━┛

         — SKYLER TAPPED HER FINGERS AS SHE WAITED FOR HER COFFEE.
Drip, drip. It slowly poured into the coffee pot, her fingers tapped on the counter anxiously, and her back turned from the kitchen entrance. She wasn't paying attention to anything but the sound of her coffee as it dripped into the coffee pot.

"You know me better than anyone." A voice behind her, Damon, started, as he stood at the entrance of the kitchen, "So why do I feel like I don't know you anymore?"

Skyler sighed, there goes her getting her coffee before having any sort of conversation with anyone but her husband, the only person she had ever been able to tolerate before her morning cup of coffee or blood. "This again?" She muttered, knowing he'd hear it anyway.

"He's right you know." Stefan's voice called as he walked up behind Damon. "You've changed Skyler, and you won't even tell us why."

"I have though." She responded, "I have told you why. I've changed because it's been a long time."

"It's not my fault you two are stuck in the past." She told them, and shook her head with a huff as she thought of Elena, "In more ways than one."

"Now can I have my damn coffee please?"

Startled by her rather blunt and cold response, the brothers went silent long enough for Skyler to pour her coffee into a mug and take a large sip, the burn didn't bother her, and at this point neither did the bitterness of the plain black coffee. Although she did normally like her coffee with plenty of sugar, when she really needed a coffee, it didn't bother her how bitter or sugary it was.

Unfortunately, Skyler was only halfway through her coffee when Stefan composed himself, "Time changes things, but this is more than just time, Skyler. Everything's changed, all we're asking is what made you change."

Before Skyler could speak, Damon continued, since apparently, her brothers decided it was the perfect morning to gang up on her, "You keep saying that it's been over a hundred years. That things have changed, you've changed, and I get that, Skyler. Trust me I do. But you haven't even told us what's happened yet. You haven't told us anything."

"Maybe there's a reason for that." She muttered, looking down at her coffee.

Now it was her turn to speak before her brothers could as she moved on her feet, grasping her coffee tightly, "You know, you two care so much about what happened, why I changed, but neither of you seem to care about actually spending time with me. You know getting to know me now?" She huffed, "I guess you're too busy with Elena for that."

Skyler went upstairs before either of them could say anything, she slammed the door behind her and chugged the remainder of her coffee before she leaned against the vanity, looking in the mirror as she witnessed her own frustration, her eyes narrowed subconsciously, her grip on the vanity tight.

At her wit's end, she shook her head and went to her closet, shutting the door behind her as the darkness of her closet swallowed her.

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"Where are you off to?" Damon called out to his sister as she made her way to the front door swiftly, her signature leather jacket wrapped around her like armor.

"I'm gonna get a bite, a few towns over so Stefan doesn't flip." She told him, with a roll of her eyes, "Don't wait up."

The front door closed before Damon even fully registered her response, and just as Stefan came downstairs, he heard the sound of her car speeding away, her tires squealing under pressure.

"Where'd Skyler go?"

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Outside a large rustic yet modern house, a classic black Mustang rolled up into the long thin driveway, parking right in front of the garage. The car was barely stopped before the driver-side door swung open and Skyler stepped out with an anxious grin on her face. She swiftly made her way to the front door which was left wide open.

"Honey," she called loudly, "I'm home." She smiled softly as she heard the wind whoosh, blowing unnaturally strong just before two men appeared in front of her as she walked past the large staircase that was beside the front door, into the kitchen. Being originals had perks, including being even faster than regular vampires. She had not gotten that luxury, despite being Kol's soulmate, but she enjoyed the benefits plenty.

"Good, you're here." Klaus said with relief and irritation in his voice, "Your lover boy's been driving me bloody mad."

Kol rolled his eyes but surprisingly, he didn't argue as he moved forward, pulling her into his arms as fast as he could.

She closed her eyes as he held her close against him, she wrapped his arms around him in return and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Finally feeling that sense of home, she relaxed.

When they pulled away, he kept one arm around her waist and held her at his side with an enamored smile, "What do you think?"
He asked.

At his prompting, she looked away from the brothers and examined the house. They were stood in the kitchen, a long large island at the center. She took a closer look at the rest of the house, deciding to familiarize herself with the room she was in later. The house was large with an open concept and rustic style, several large windows which all had a view of the forest that surrounded the home.

Kol hadn't been exaggerating when he said it was right on the edge of Mystic Falls, while it was out of the way of the town, she was certain if she looked at a map it would be literally on the edge of it. It was on a road right by the town sign, that led to seemingly nowhere but actually belonged to a small neighborhood which included the house. The house was on the corner of a small neighborhood and had a good amount of distance between the neighbor on the right side and no neighbors on the left.

"I love it." She said with a smile.

"Good." Klaus spoke up, "It's yours." He said and put papers down on the counter in front of them, ownership papers with her name and Kol's. Well, their first names. The last names had been changed to the ones on their fake credentials they used most often if they decided to do anything without the help of compulsion, like buying a house.

"I'll have a witch come out soon to put up spells to protect the place." He continued and added, "She owes me a favor." Most likely her life, Skyler thought but didn't care to say out loud. She'd rather not piss off the man who just gave her and her husband a house, even if he was also her best friend.

"Thank you." She opted to say instead, with a smile on her face. Klaus didn't often show his kindness, most believed he didn't have any at all. When he did show it, nobody took it lightly.

Klaus only nodded in return, "Once it comes time for everyone to come to town, I'm of course going to get a house for us all, but this will be yours for as long as you wish."

Skyler nodded, glancing at Kol before she pulled away and enveloped Klaus in a hug. His eyes went wide before, albeit reluctantly, he hugged her back.

"You're welcome." He whispered to her quietly, Kol politely pretended not to hear.

When they pulled away, Skyler chuckled softly as she went to stand beside Kol who immediately wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close as she looked around the house, "This is ours." She whispered with a smile.

Kol smiled in response, and pecked her lips affectionately, "Our home."

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Ours. Our home, the words echoed in her mind as Skyler parked her car outside of the Salvatore house with a smile. She hadn't wanted to leave, but eventually, Klaus had to pull the couple away from each other and nudge her out the door not unkindly, so nobody in the town would become suspicious.

She shut her car door, not bothering to lock it as she made her way to the front door, which of course had been left unlocked. Her brothers' secret wouldn't be hidden for long if they didn't learn how to lock a door, she thought, licking the tip of her fangs subconsciously. At least she knew how to hide.

Or, in cases where she couldn't hide, fight like hell. Or rather, fight like a Mikaelson.

She opened the doors, pushing them fully open. She didn't get a chance to close them when her eyes found a large group of teenagers stood in the living room with Stefan, while Damon was at the bar with Alaric, his so-called drinking buddy.

Her hand which held her keys fell to her side as she looked around the room, "What is going on here?"

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1,526 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔

The house —->

Skyler's Car —>

(A 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback)