Maeve twisted around on the bed, getting more tangled in her sheets as she tried to reach for her phone. "Goddamnit!" she cursed as she lifted her upper body up by her hands trying to find her phone. She found it discarded on the edge of the bed. Maeve stretched her hand out to pick it up and pressed it to her ear, plopping her head back down on her pillow.

"Hello?" she moaned answering the call.

"Maeve! How fast can you get to the mansion?" Maeve pulled away the phone from her ear to check the time.

With a groan she began, "Rebekah? My sweet sweet beautiful original vampire friend...let me sleep, be merciful. Just because you have a tendency of waking up at ten in the fucking morning don't you fucking disrupt mine!"

"Uh! Just come here. I've got news." said Rebekah ignoring Maeve's words.

"I don't think I was clear, let me try again..." Maeve turned around again on her back and cleared her throat to sound less groggy, "for the love of Godric let me sleep!" she ended the call abruptly not waiting for Rebekah to say anything more.

After numerous attempts, Maeve couldn't fall back asleep. She laid wide awake in her bed, staring at the dull coloured ceiling. She stretched her hand out reaching for her phone.

"You are a bitch, do you know that?" she cursed into the phone.

"Always. Get to the mansion now."

"Order me breakfast. You owe me for waking me up." she grumbled ending the call once again. Maeve rolled over once again without checking her position on the bed. She let out a low moan as she fell face front of the floor, still tangled up in the sheets.

"God I hate this world." she dramatically groaned untangling herself from the sheets.

After many curse words and stubbing of toes onto various furniture pieces from sofa to chair to bed and stool by the kitchen, Maeve finally walked out of her apartment to get herself some breakfast that Rebekah must have had delivered.

Maeve parked her bike into the driveway and walked to the front door. She noticed a young delivery boy standing in the doorway and a man paying him off. "Hold on." she shouted. Maeve pulled out a 20$ bill from the pocket of her jeans and skipped ahead. She stretched her hand over to the delivery boy, holding out the money.

"I was about to pay." she heard Elijah state, who was holding the cash between his two fingers.

"I can see that. I asked for breakfast, I should pay." said Maeve and turned to the boy. She furrowed her brows seeing the boy's face had paled and was drained of any color. He lightly trembled, eyes frozen on Maeve. It took another second for Maeve to realise who the boy was and why he was so afraid of her.

"Hey! Aren't you the guy from the other day?" she asked. "How's it going man!"

"Uh...great. Enjoy your breakfast!" he started sprinting away from her.

"Take the money at least!" shouted Maeve. He turned around, fiddling with the keys to his bike.

"No worries. I──I uh...I got it. It's on me." saying this he drove off without so much as another look. Maeve snorted a laugh shaking her head.

Elijah stared at her bemused with her actions. Maeve took the breakfast bag from Elijah and sprinted inside the house trying to find Rebekah. She hoped that would avoid the conversation.

"Bekah!" screamed Maeve merrily seeing the blonde original sitting on the couch as a woman tended to her nails. Kol stood across from her looking at himself in the mirror.

"Maeve! How nice of you to join. Tell me how do I look?" Maeve eyed him carefully before she leaned closer to Rebekah and asked,

"Is his ego as big as Nik or bigger or smaller?"

"Almost the same." whispered back Rebekah grinning as she did.

"You look as handsome as you did last night, Kol." said Maeve.

Elijah entered the room again and addressed Maeve directly, "What did you do that scared that boy so much he was looking almost ghost-like."

"What?" asked Kol.

"The delivery boy who delivered breakfast got so scared of Maeve that he left without taking the money." explained Elijah before returning to look at Maeve, waiting for an answer.

"I may have pranked him a little." she confessed.

"How so?" asked Elijah.

"So I was helping Nik find you guys because there was a cloaking spell on the coffins. I used this Shaman's spell to do that. Now these spells need some arrangement which Hollywood has depicted as cult worshipping 101. Nik ordered food for us, he came to deliver it and saw it."

Elijah hummed, "why do I think that is not even half of the story?" he asked her curiously narrowing his eyes.

Maeve shrugged her shoulders giving him a sheepish smile, "okay so maybe he asked something and I may have said something that basically scared him."

"I want to know, darling." said Kol leaning on the table behind him, "what did you say?"

"He asked what was going on, so I pointed at Nik and said 'me and my boyfriend are making a sacrifice of the blood of young teenage boys to the devil for a more passionately aggressive sex life." everyone burst out into loud laughter hearing her. "That's not all..."

"Wh──what more could you have said that topped that!" exclaimed Kol.

"I asked him if he would like to make a donation." finished Maeve scrunching her nose making a foolish face.

Kol was in bits laughing as was Rebekah. Elijah tried his hardest to avoid laughing but even he cackled hearing the story. The oldest Finn however remained indifferent paying no heed to their conversation.

"What was Nik's reaction?" Rebekah asked wiping away a stray tear from the corner of her eye.

"He looked like a deer caught in the headlights when I said that. He asked me later if I had no filter to my mouth."

"Clearly you don't." answered Rebekah.

"Now what's the fun in having one?"

Before anyone could speak further, the door was thrown open by Klaus who stormed in quite angry. "You went after Elena? What is wrong with you?" he asked staring down at Rebekah.

"What? What did you do?" asked Maeve taking a seat next to her on the couch.

"I tried to bite her last night." said Rebekah, "she stabbed me in the back with the dagger I wanted her to know that it hurt." added Rebekah reasoning with her.

"Are you kidding me?" shrieked Maeve crossing her arms, "and you tried to bite her? Was that the right thing to do?" she glanced at Klaus who held a discreet smile due to her words.

Rebekah furrowed her brows. She had not thought that Maeve would feel as she did. "Rebekah the woman stabbed you in the back. And you tried to bite her? Was that legit? No. Absolutely not." Maeve shook her head sideways showing her disapproval toward Rebekah's actions. "The least you could have done was stab her in the side. I mean...yes, I agree it isn't nearly as hurtful as daggering but bitch you could have made her bleed! Obviously wouldn't have killed her, one of her boy toys would have saved her before she bled out, but bitch would that have been awesome."

Kol chortled hearing Maeve, while Klaus only grew more angry. Rebekah sighed in relief hearing Maeve, "thank God. I thought you genuinely didn't like what I tried to do."

Maeve drew yet another confused look. "Are you seriously encouraging this?" asked Klaus before Maeve could say anything else.

"Yes I am. Hold on, let me get back to you." she rudely waved her hand at Klaus before shifting on the soda to face Rebekah. "What do you mean tried to? Please tell me there was some blood involved. Come on, Bekah, my respect for you rides on this."

"Elijah stopped me before I could do anything." Maeve rolled her eyes turning her head to her right where Elijah now stood examining a shoe. He looked at her with a sly smirk making Maeve turn away again.

"Of course. The noble buzzkill." she commented making Kol let out another cackle. "And Elijah, what exactly are you trying to see in that shoe? Is it some way you used to try on new shoes before?" she asked.

"Just because we're old doesn't mean we're senile." snapped Klaus in defence of his brother.

"Alright then. Uh...do what you were doing." Maeve took a big sip of her coffee and began again, "about you asking why I am encouraging Rebekah. Let's rewind shall we? When Stefan stole the coffins you compelled Jeremy to stand in front of a moving car. You used your sire bond with Tyler and made him bite his girlfriend just so you could force Stefan to give you them back. That was justified. Now, when your sister was stabbed in the back literally and she chooses to inflict some pain in return it's wrong? So you can retaliate and she can't? Damn it Wolf boy, the stench of hypocrisy is nauseous." Maeve conferred walking over to him.

Klaus tilted his head, growling lightly, "You really love to get on my nerves don't you? I could kill you with just a flick of my wrist."

"Yeah, see Wolfie. You have been making death threats all summer and I am still alive. So, I'd say you are more like a chihuahua than a big bad hybrid. Your bark is worse than your bite." Maeve scoffed with laughter.

"Oh, that must have hurt, brother." Kol snickered, winking at Maeve who giggled in response.

"Oh go back to staring at yourself." Klaus exhorted with a glare.

"And who are you, my father?"

"No, Kol but you are in my house."

"Then maybe we should go outside."

"Enough." A female voice said, "Niklaus come." She ordered. Her eyes quickly fell on Maeve, "oh, I wasn't aware that we had company."

Maeve was taken aback to see an elderly looking woman with blonde hair standing in front of her. Seeing the way she carried herself and she was the eldest in the house, Maeve deduced it must be their mother. "Hello Mrs Mikaelson. I am Maeve." Maeve introduced. She took a look at the woman's eyes and got a cold feeling that sent a shiver down the spine. She tried to shake off the uneasy feeling but all in vain.

"Call me Esther and it's nice to meet you too." She walked inside another room and Klaus followed.

Maeve watched Klaus follow his mother. She leaned closer to Kol with a snicker and said a little loudly, "someone's getting told by Mommy." She gave a high-five to Kol who let out a strong laugh.

Maeve giggled before she yelped loudly as a hard object hit her in the head. She pressed both her hands on her head rubbing the sore spot. Maeve looked at her feet to see an ice bucket fallen at her feet.

"Dude at least you could have hit me with an ice bucket with ice in it. Would have helped." she complained, picking up the bucket and discarding it on the couch.

"I like you, Maeve." said Kol making Maeve grin in response.

"Of course you do! What's not to like?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and a sly smirk. "So..." began Maeve, pulling out a breakfast burger. Maeve took a big bite of it and asked, "whafs wifh fhe cosfumes?" she asked with a mouthful.

"Mother's organising a ball." revealed Rebekah. "That is what I wanted to say." Maeve hummed taking quiet tiptoed steps closer to the other exit in the room. "What are you doing?"

"Shush!" She silenced Rebekah, "trying to hear Nik get scolded."

"A certain blonde." Maeve gasped dramatically hearing Esther. She skipped over to the couch and sat back down. She cleared her throat and began again. "A ball then? That's out to be interesting."

"You are attending." said Rebekah.

"Really?" Maeve made a disgruntled look, "Can I skip it? My track record with ball dances isn't exactly a good one."

"How so?" asked Elijah walking closer to the couch.

Maeve craned her neck up to meet his eyes. "Firstly, high school dances were partnerless. When I joined the pack there were three ball dances I attended. In one I got my dress ripped in the middle of the waltz, the second one I had wine spilled all over my dress and the third one...let's just say I pulled a princess Mia."

"A who?" Maeve looked between the three Mikaelson siblings in the room.

"Princess Amelia Minonette Thermapolis Renaldi? Princess of Genovia?"

"Of what?" Maeve slapped her forehead.

"I've been in the company of uncultured idiots!" she grimaced. "Basically I caused a chain of events and the entire decoration panel came tumbling down and food was everyone but in people's mouths."

"You're fun." Kol said gleeming instantly at the chaotic nature of Maeve.

"Wait till you see me try out the new spells I've been working on."

"You're a witch?" a fascinated look came over Kol hearing this.

"She's a Serene witch, Kol." answered Elijah, much to his dislike with a bit of rudeness. The common traits between Kol and his growing fascination for Maeve didn't sit well with him. Rebekah glanced up at her older brother, a look of know in her eyes and grin curling slowly on her lips.

"Really?"

"Also the Alpha of the Kalon pack." said Maeve craning her neck up pridefully.

"That's enough talk. Maeve do you have a dress?"

"No." Maeve turned her head around instantly seeing Klaus walk back into the room. "So Nik...you going to ask someone to the ball?" she asked batting her eyelashes.

"Shut up."

"Really?" everyone except for Finn watched both Maeve and Klaus staring intensely at one another. All three of them were curious just like the others.

"Yes." grunted Klaus annoyingly before he began to storm out of the room.

"Come on...I know what you did." Klaus stopped mid step and turned to face Maeve.

"And what did I do?"

"When Tyler bit the person I know and you know, you went to help and I know and you know that you know what I know."

"Not a word." warned Klaus. "Don't you have better things to do then spend your time here? You don't live here. Get out of my house."

"Make me." challenged Maeve. "Come on, don't be grumpy! It was sweet and holy shit were they real or like, American? Where did you get it?" Klaus stared down Maeve, sending a clear warning sign for her to silence any further words.

"Wh──what are you two on about?" asked Kol impatiently looking between the two.

"None of your concerns." snapped Klaus, gritting his teeth.

"What? Don't deny it. I heard your mother, Nik. Even she sees something and she came here yesterday! I've been here for days. What you di──" the rest of Maeve's words drowned into a gasp as Klaus sped her out of the room.

The three exchanged looks confused about what happened mere seconds ago. "Are they always like this?" asked Rebekah.

"You spent longer with the two. You tell me." said Elijah, his tone slightly harsher than he intended.

"Are my ears deceiving me or do I hear correctly?" began Kol with a hum, "is Elijah jealous of Nik?"

"Nonsense." Elijah said dismissing any further arguments.

"Denial. Where have I seen that before?" Rebekah asked in a rhetorical manner, incredulously eyeing Elijah before turning to Kol.

Kol walked closer to the sofa keeping a playful grin on her face as he asked Elijah, "if you're not jealous...you wouldn't mind if I ask Maeve to be my date for the dance, right?" Elijah licked his lower lip before he gritted his teeth. He didn't want to show his irritation to his younger brother or even show his ire at the mere thought. But any answer he gave would be taken as jealousy. He knew that.

"Do whatever you like." said Elijah with a simple tone before he walked out of the room.

"Are you really going to ask her to the ball?" asked Rebekah keeping her voice low so it wouldn't reach Elijah.

"As a friend, Bekah. Didn't you just see how jealous he got?"

"You should see Maeve. It's worse." added Rebekah. "It's as if neither wants to agree to the undeniable attraction."

Outside into the driveway, while the Mikaelson siblings gossiped with each other, Klaus stood with a slightly dizzy Maeve holding onto his hands to stop her world from spinning.

"That is the last time I ever speed like a vamp. Woah!" she exclaimed trying to regain her balance.

"You just had to bring up Caroline into the conversation didn't you?" Klaus scolded Maeve.

"Hey, I wanted a yes or no answer. You decided to be vague." defended Maeve. "Just between you and me...where did you get that bracelet?"

"It was in my collection of antiquities I collected over the years." informed Klaus.

"And you gifted that to Caroline. How nice! I knew there was something there that wasn't there before."

"Now you know, now drop it."

"So you going to ask her to the ball?" inquired Maeve.

"Maybe." said Klaus with a slight smile on his face.

"Oh my god! Niklaus is smiling, Caroline Forbes you are amazing!" cheered on Maeve quite childishly. "I can see it. Oh I am digging....uh, Klaroline. Yes, Klaroline." Maeve clapped her hands jumping on her two feet. "I'll be going back inside now. Need Rebekah to buy me a dress. You are going to invite Caroline as your date. You are going to woo her and show her how true men woo women."

"You are really after this whole match making, aren't you?" asked Klaus even though he already knew the answer.

"You both deserve someone like each other."

"And are you expecting an invite from my brother then?"

Maeve pulled a disdainful look, "we doing this? He's your brother."

"So we can discuss my date but not yours?"

"I don't know. I don't think he likes me that way. I mean, he's nice and genuinely cares but a little goofy conversations don't automatically mean he likes me. Besides, I'm too quirky for a man like Elijah...you know a noble man with a way with words." said Maeve with a saddened voice. "On the bright side I can always walk in solo and make jaws drop on the floor. That'll be something. So, good luck on the invite."

Maeve patted his shoulder and walked back inside the house humming to herself. Little did she know, Elijah had heard the last part of their conversation and couldn't help but feel sadder than he did before at how Maeve let herself down in her own eyes.

Maeve walked back into the house, searching for Rebekah whom she found in the long passageway. "Yo Bekah! You, me, dress store. Now." she commanded placing both her hands on her waist. Rebekah smiled seeing it as an opportunity.

Maeve stumbled into her apartment in the afternoon after a two hour dress shopping with Rebekah. Maeve placed the dress carefully on the coffee table before she made her way into the kitchen desperate for some chocolate.

Her eyes fell on a blue velvet box neatly placed on the kitchen table and an envelope on top of it. She picked up the envelope and pulled out the card inside,

Please Join the Mikaelson family this evening at Seven O'Clock.

For dancing, cocktails and celebration.

Maeve flipped the invitation to see another note on the back.

𝑰 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒓

- 𝑬𝒍𝒊𝒋𝒂𝒉

Maeve opened the velvet box. A light gasp left her lips when she saw the necklace he had gifted her. A double layer sterling silver necklace with a single star and the crescent moon.

"It's beautiful, Elijah." she said although he wasn't there.

After much deliberation Maeve settled on some light makeup and pulled on her dress. She tied her hair up into a bun with beads tucked into the princess twists and made her way to the door.

Maeve hesitated as she made her way outside. She had called a cab for herself. The Mikaelson mansion was lit up extravagantly. Almost the entire town had been invited to the event.

She nervously glanced around the room studded with dresses and waiters carrying expensive champagne. Maeve kept twitching her fingers trying to avoid the unnerved feeling that bubbled up into her chest. She felt eyes on her. Maeve could feel eyes and avoid her when she looked back at them.

Across from the room, it was Elijah from the Mikaelson family who first saw Maeve. The conversation he was having with someone from the town long forgotten, his eyes remaining fixated on her.

The color black of her dress had rendered her appearance even more beautiful, if such a thing was possible. The dress boasted a high standing collar that extended up to her mid neck from back and descended into a deep V neckline. On the shoulders, golden flowers had been embroidered. The tulle skirt cascaded down to the floor. He noticed her wearing the necklace that he had gifted to her.

Not long after he soaked in the beauty of Maeve, Elijah noticed people whispering about Maeve. The words 'beautiful', 'gorgeous' and 'hot' registered quite easily and prominently. All he could think of hearing the whispers was to steal Maeve away from those eyes or stay by her side throughout the evening keeping her away from them.

Excusing himself from the woman he was talking to quickly, he made his way to Maeve who stood frozen in place. She looked straight at him as he made his way through the crowd.

Elijah stood right in front of her with a soft smile, "hello." he wished.

"Hi." she answered with a blush.

"I have to say you look absolutely stunning today." he said taking her hand to place a kiss on the back.

"Are you saying I do not look stunning everyday?" she teased him with a sly smirk, "that is not a way to a woman's heart Elijah, surely you'd know that."

"I didn't mean it like that, you look beautiful every day."

"So not stunning then. Huh? You hurt me, Mikaelson." Maeve feigned hurt and decided to walk away from him. Elijah watched her slowly walk away into the crowd smiling widely.

"Are you alright brother?" asked Rebekah teasingly. She patted his shoulder.

"Quite alright, actually." replied Elijah.

"Is it because of Maeve?" asked Rebekah with a knowing look. He didn't respond. He didn't want to.

"Did you pick Maeve's dress?" Elijah asked instead.

"She did. I paid for it." Rebekah told Elijah, before even she went the same way Maeve did but stopped to turn around and tell Elijah, "with your card."

Rebekah approached Maeve who stood by a side holding a glass of champagne. "Maeve! You look amazing!"

"Me? Did you look in the mirror?" asked Maeve staring at Rebekah who wore an emerald green dress.

"Elijah was gawking at you." said Rebekah nudging her playfully. "He's fallen for you."

"Nonsense."

"If so, then why did you flirt with him?"

"I did no such thing." said Maeve, instantly panicking at the thought. "Drop it Rebekah."

"Clueless idiots that's what you two are." exasperated Rebekah with a roll of her eyes.

Their conversation seized instantly as Kol joined them. "Hello darling. You look beautiful." he kissed Maeve on the cheek making Maeve giggle.

"Why thank you, Kol. You look handsome."

Rebekah looked over Maeve's shoulder, someone catching his eye. "Maeve, say the word and I'll kill him." Rebekah threatened. Maeve looked over her shoulder to see it was Damon, at whom she pointed at, in conversation with Carol Lockwood. Maeve figured either of the other Mikaelson brothers told her about what happened with their father.

"They told you what happened at homecoming, didn't they?" Rebekah nodded.

"What happened at what?" Kol asked looking at the two confused.

"Damon, her ex-best friend helped Mikael use her as bait to kill Klaus and left her for death." Rebekah premised angrily.

"Let me see for myself who and what this Damon Salvatore is. Who does that to one's friend?" Kol said and took Maeve's hand and started to walk towards Carol and Damon.

"Mayor Lockwood. We haven't formally met, Kol Mikealson." He introduced himself. Maeve looked at Damon who was staring at her. She wasn't sure what? Her dress or that she was with the youngest Mikaelson.

"Hope your lovely town embraces us just as much as we plan to embrace it."

"Damon Salvatore. Have we met?" Damon interjected stretching out hos hand for Kol to shake. Kol looked at him with a slight smirk.

"I've met a lot of people but you don't particularly stand out." said Kol with a condescending smile. "I prefer my company to be of interest and not traitorous monkeys." Kol guided Maeve along with him. It wasn't long before Maeve laughed boisterously drawing attention to her but she didn't care.

"Traitorous monkeys? That is my new favourite insult." she laughed clutching her stomach.

Maeve composed herself quickly before gesturing behind Kol. Finn approached the two. He whispered something into his ear and walked away.

"Excuse me, darling. Family duty calls." he said and walked over the long spiral staircase.

The entire Mikaelson clan stood on the stairs gazing down at the people who were invited. Elijah clicked his glass and addressed the attendees.

"If everyone could gather, please." Elijah paused for a moment as people gathered closer to the stairs. "Welcome. Thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz. So if all of you could find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

The crowd made their way to the ballroom. Maeve made her way along the crowd but stopped when she felt someone grab her hand. She looked to her right to see Elijah standing there, still holding her hand.

"May I have this dance?" he asked her. Maeve blushed lowering her head to look at the floor.

"Sure." Maeve mumbled. Elijah placed a hand on her lower waist and led her to the dance floor. Elijah stood alongside the other dancers. Maeve in front of him next to the other women. She looked to her left quickly before the music began. Her eyes widened to see Caroline standing next to her in a blue dress in front of Klaus.

"Hi Care." mumbled Maeve

"Hi Maeve." she replied avoiding to look at her. The music began and dance commenced before Maeve could get another word out. Maeve looked around the room confused about the dance steps. Elijah interlocked their hands like the rest. He whispered as they danced in sync with the rest

"Follow my lead." he told her. Elijah placed his hand on her back while the other grabbed her left hand. Her right hand rested on his shoulder.

"You truly look beautiful, Maeve." admired Elijah, his hand intertwined with Maeve's as the other rested on the curve of her waist.

"Thank you, Elijah. You look passable." Maeve blushed.

"Just passable?" he asked her as they danced. Maeve chuckled in response.

"The necklace really suits you." he said changing the topic. Elijah was entranced with Maeve and so was she.

"I have you to thank for that. It's really beautiful. I must ask though, why this particular one?" Maeve asked as Elijah gently twirled her syncing with the music. He pulled her closer to him than before making her feel flustered as she let out a breathy gasp of surprise.

"It's because in a sky full of stars, you are the moon." he whispered to her, his voice dangerously low and flattering. Maeve looked at his brown eyes that were already on her. Ever cell in their body was screaming at them to do initiate the first step to lean in as a sign, but the fear that the other might not feel the same made them pull away. Elijah spun Maeve around and she was now dancing with someone else.

"Hello Maeve." he said with a smirk.

"Hello Nik."

"So I was right then. There is an impact."

"Don't be so sure. I don't think Elijah feels anything." Maeve voiced her concern. Her cheeks were still red from feeling flushed because of Elijah. Her heart was racing with no sign of settling down.

"Why would you think that?" Klaus spined her around once before they once again danced in a circle.

"Because, I am a Lycanthrope and someone who is bi-polar at times. Not to mention the rudeness, arrogance and snarky comments. You know it better than anyone. Men don't want that kind of attitude."

"Maeve, believe me when I say, he truly likes you. In a thousand years there's not many times I have seen my brother have a smile as wide as he has when you are the one in front. He really likes you." Klaus told her assertively.

"Thanks but I still think your brother would prefer anyone else over me." Maeve said. The song had come to an end. She walked away. But, Elijah stopped her near a hallway. He didn't hear any of her conversation with Klaus as he was still figuring out why his mother wanted to speak with Elena alone.

"Come with me. There's something I want to ask Elena about." He said. Maeve nodded and followed him.

"Elena." Elijah stopped her. Maeve was on his tail.

"I understand my mother requested to see you."

"Yeah. Why is something wrong?" asked Elena, now walking alongside him. She wearily looked at Maeve for a second before returning to look at Elijah.

"Well, her ability to forgive my brother after everything he's done to destroy this family strikes me as a little strange to say the least."

"Do you think that it's an act?" Elena asked stopping in her tracks.

"It has me asking questions I never thought I'd ask." He whispered.

"Can I depend on you to tell me what she says?" Elijah asked as Maeve now stood next to him looking at Elena.

"Of course." She replied, "I'll find you later, okay?" She walked away.

"Yep. She is not telling you anything." Maeve confirmed as soon as she saw Elena walking out of earshot.

"What are you saying?" Elijah asked.

"That Elena is going to lie to you and not be truthful about what happens with your mother."

"What should we do?" Elijah asked.

"Now, is the time for me to put my witchy powers to test. I can try and spy on them." Maeve offered. "Can really try to." Maeve muttered to herself. Maeve grabbed Elijah's hand and dragged him into an empty room. She stood facing Elijah and closed her eyes.

"Invisique" she muttered. Elijah stood in the room staring at Maeve who slowly disappeared into thin air. Maeve waved a hand in front of Elijah's face to check if the spell had succeeded. When Elijah didn't flinch at her movements, she triumphantly smiled and exited the room.

Maeve made her way to the way Elena went. She saw Finn standing there. Passing by him she walked to the door.

"Silencio disruptus." She muttered once again and leaned in to hear what was going on.

"In order to be linked as one." Maeve heard Esther speak.

"What do you mean linked as one?" came Elena's voice.

"You said yourself Klaus can't be killed. But tonight's spell links all my children together so that if one goes, they all go."

Maeve moved away from the door shocked to hear Esther say those words. Never in a million years would she have imagined a mother saying those words for her children. She leaned back in to hear the rest of it.

"But they are an abomination. I betrayed nature when I created them. It's my duty to kill them."

Maeve scrambled on her feet and dashed into the room where she walked out of. Elijah was still there.

"Occulacs" Maeve muttered and was now visible. Elijah sighed seeing her but furrowed his brows at her pale white face.

"What is it?" He inquired seeing the panic look on Maeve's face. She looked sympathetically at him, trying to find words to explain everything to him.

"I don't know how but your mother is hell-bent on killing you and there's a hundred percent chance that Elena will lie to you." Maeve rambled. Elijah was hurt to hear Maeve say those words. He knew something was wrong but to hear that their own mother wants to kill them is something no one wishes to hear.

"Maeve. Listen." Elijah said placing a hand on her cheeks trying to calm her. Maeve was still in a bit of a shock.

"What kind of mother says that?" Maeve whimpered placing both of her hands on top of his arms, "I am sorry, Elijah. It's completely unfair what Esther is doing." Maeve shook her head not letting it sink in that a mother was wishing death upon her own kin. Her blood, her children.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You hear me? We'll figure something out." Elijah assured. Maeve smiled lightly at him. Elijah kissed her forehead and looked back at her. He looked down at her lips, he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to kiss her ever since that day of the sacrifice. The girl had managed to let him open up his heart which he rarely ever did in the past thousand years of his life.

Maeve looked up into his eyes. Upon noticing the butterflies in her stomach and tugging of her heartstrings that made her chest constrict, Maeve cursed internally. Her heart raced at the closeness but it didn't feel strange, there was longing for it. She couldn't understand why but she liked it so much. His hand on her neck and thumb on her cheek made electricity pass through her veins and butterflies in her stomach.

"Come on. Let's see what Elena says." Elijah said taking his eyes off her lips. Maeve cleared her throat and nodded agreeing. Both of them walked out the room and back into the main room.

Elijah walked ahead and stood next to Elena, "So how was my mother?"

"Intense."

"And for what reason did she need to speak with you in private?"

Elena looked up to see Esther walk down the stairs. Maeve looked at Esther who was smiling as well but Maeve knew better.

"Elena. Should I be concerned about my mother's intentions?" Elijah asked again. Elena looked back at him.

"She just wanted to apologize for trying to have me killed." Elena breathed out trying to sound confident.

"So it's true, then? She's forgiven Klaus?"

"It's true."

The sound of glasses clinking made them look up at Esther. Maeve was still trying hard to figure out what Esther would do to link all of them together?

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentleman. Waiters are coming 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." She raised her glass. Everyone raised her respective glasses and took a sip of the champagne. Maeve took a sip as well from the glass Elijah handed her while Esther made a toast.

The crowd dispersed. Maeve backed away as well wanting some air. She walked out of the hall. She sat on the stairs just outside the door. The night was cool. She shuddered slightly at the goosebumps that rose because of the wind. She hugged herself but didn't want to go back inside.

Do you really like him? She asked herself.

I mean, he does make you feel things you only read in books. You never felt like this before.

But why would he ever go for you. He would be insane to even think about a girl like you.

Maeve's thoughts were cut short when she felt a jacket drape over her shoulders. Standing behind her was Elijah who had slipped his jacket on her shoulders.

"What are you doing here?" Elijah asked as he sat next to her.

"Just wanted to escape the dresses and string quartets."

"I thought you'd like them." said Elijah shifting closer to her.

"Nah, I am rather picky about social interactions that way." She told him. Both sat silently gazing at the night sky forgetting the music and the chattering crowd inside the mansion.

"You know Elena lied to you right?"

"Yes, it seems she did."

"Never expect a doppelganger to be honest. Of course there's compulsion to bring the truth out."

"Of course." Both chuckled to themselves.

"You really look beautiful tonight Maeve."

"Thank you Elijah. You look handsome as well."

"So not just passable then?" he teased making Maeve look away to hide her blushing smile. "I always wanted to go to a ball, you know?" Elijah hummed in response as Maeve continued on, "ever since the Goblet of Fire I've wanted to attend a ball."

"What's the Goblet of Fire?" asked Elijah. Maeve snapped her head at him staring with shock.

"Harry Potter?" Elijah shook his head denying it.

"Say yes or no..." said Maeve turning to her left slightly so she didn't have to crane her neck to keep looking over at him.

"Star wars?"

"No."

"Star Trek?"

"No."

"Hunger games?"

"No."

"Lord of the rings?"

"Yes."

"Really? Gandalf but no Dumbledore or Captain Kirk or the Sith?"

"I have no idea what you're saying." replied Elijah truthfully.

Maeve grimaced placing a hand to her chest above her heart. "Oh Godric! You call yourself old but don't even know the classics?"

"I am sorry I don't meet your expectations of being a company." he said trying his best to not grin.

"Ar──are you mocking me?" asked Maeve narrowing her eyes at him.

"I wouldn't dare." he faux gasped. Maeve slapped his chest before falling into a fit of laughter.

"Okay, so Goblet of Fire is the fourth book in the Harry Potter series. Without much spoilers, there is a Yule Ball that happens in the book. Snowy white decorations, bright dresses. It was so beautiful...just reading it made me feel like I want to be a part of that. The way Rowling described it. It was dream like." Elijah watched with admire in his eyes as Maeve kept talking about the particular ball in the novel.

Inside the mansion, by the door stood three siblings watching their other brother and the newly accepted part of the family.

"Either I am too drunk or Elijah is actually...laughing." Said the youngest glancing at his fifth or sixth glass of champagne before looking back up at his brother.

"No. Not drunk. That is Elijah, laughing with Maeve."

"Oh God just kiss him you fool!" came the strenuous voice of Caroline Forbes as she walked and stood next to them, even her eyes set on the two settled outside on the small flight of stairs.

"I don't think she will. To be honest, neither will he." Rebekah told her. "Both are stubborn that way."

"Great." groaned Caroline watching her friend laugh and be at peace with Elijah. All of the four of them watched both spend time, each happy with both as a feeling of peace clouded the two who ignored the world around.

**************************************
What a long chapter!

Thoughts on the chapter?

Question; Marauders or Golden trio?

With the amount of times I've referenced HP, I feel like making a Marauders fic ;)

Anywho...hope you liked the chapter

Take care everyone!

Raven :)