THE DRESS IS A GORGEOUS, PALE BLUE. Pieces of almost rough lace rub against my body. It's skin-tight, hugging my hips and breasts perfectly, it reaches to just above my knees and on my feet a pair of blue strappy heels finishes the outfit. "There has to be more to this dress." Rebekah sighs from the dressing room parallel of mine. She has a sweet voice and I find it nice when I can hear her but not see her, that I remember the tone of her voice so well that I will never forget how she was with me.

"There's not." Klaus answers from the couch where I know he is sipping from a flute of champagne. I'm not sure what we're celebrating, the return of Rebekah, the booming music in this store, maybe it's just the velvet couch that Klaus is sitting on. Maybe it's Stefan.

We get out of the dressing room at almost the exact same time, our heels hitting the wooden floor in rhythm. She is wearing a short black dress with cage detailing, her long blonde hair falls over her shoulders and I remember how I used to braid it. How she would sit in front of me and I'd hum a song I had heard the birds sing earlier that day. That we'd ignore the sounds of the brutalities outside, that she was the first one to accept me to stand beside her.

It feels different now, all grown up into women, with curves and minds. We weren't really allowed to have minds back then, it was almost considered a danger. And I think that's funny, that men knew what we could do if we put our minds to it. That they were always scared of our power.

Stefan is sitting on the other couch next to Klaus, his glass of champagne is in his hand but he hasn't taken a sip of it yet. He prefers something stronger, always has. Doesn't find any beauty in the sparkly, golden liquid. Not as much as he finds in a stiff scotch, or a mouth full of blood. I do find beauty in champagne however, it remind me of things. Of birthday parties and premieres, of charity galas, of nights where we started with champagne. Things I used to despise, but now that danger is constantly around the corner I wish I could go back to the twisted innocence of it all.

"So women in the 21st century dress like prostitutes, then. You know, I got dirty looks for wearing trousers." I scan Rebekah's face. It's so easy to forget that just yesterday she was in an eternal sleep, that when she was awake last she was in a flapper dress.

"You wore trousers so women today could wear nothing." Klaus taps his fingers on the red velvet couch while he looks over me. I can almost feel some love in his gaze, though I must remind myself that Klaus will never be the right choice for me. That he will never be the one I feel safe with.

"And what is this music? It sounds like a cable car accident." Rebekah asks, her hands covering her ears dramatically.

"It's dance music." Stefan answers and I realize I haven't really looked at him today. He looks smart and dangerous when he sits like this, his legs spread and a glass in his right hand.

"People dance to this?" I laugh at Rebekah and bump my hip into hers in the rhythm, she tries her very best to keep an annoyed look on her face but I can see a tiny smile peek through her lips.

"Are we done?" Klaus starts to get up from his seat, I put my hands on his shoulders and push him back down. He lets me, we both know he could kill me within a second.

"And why are you so grumpy almighty Klaus?" he smirks at me but drops his fake expression almost immediately, pushing me back.

"I needed one thing from my sister to find out why my hybrids are dying, one thing." He averts his gaze to Rebekah who is still awkwardly standing in front of the curtains to the dressing room. "Your necklace, and you lost it."

Rebekah rolls her eyes, "I didn't lose it. It's just been missing for 90 years." She looks at Stefan, he is still sitting on the couch with a bored look in his eyes. Slowly tapping his foot.

"So what do you think?" he seems to almost wake up out of a trance when he says this, his foot stops and he looks up at Rebekah. I don't even think he knows the question.

"I like it." Rebekah looks unsatisfied with this answer and crosses her arms while she looks at Stefan, waiting for the answer that will make her happy.

"What? I said I like it." Stefan truly doesn't understand the female mind. At least, not when it's anyone other that Elena. I am afraid that Rebekah might feel it, that Stefan doesn't love her, that he will never get over the girl waiting for him back home. Back in Mystic Falls. That he would do anything to get back to her, do anything. Even the things he never held possible before. And I hope she doesn't feel it, that I would do anything for Stefan, even help him get back to the girl he replaced me with.

The Originals, they don't really get it. That true love doesn't know betrayal, that it will always win out. That the darkness they bring to their family is of their own creation, that it doesn't and never had to be the way it is now.

"I can always tell when you're lying, Stefan." She turns on her heel and steps back into the dressing room, leaving the curtain swinging behind her step.

"Great job, Stef. You're surprisingly intelligent." I cross my arms and look at the boy from above. He looks between me and Klaus, "He is the one who pulled the dagger out of her."

"I heard that!" Rebekah yells from her dressing room, I can hear a zipper.

"Okay, I am gonna get some fresh air. Nik, you're compelling me this dress." Klaus pours himself another glass of champagne and toasts to me.

"I'll go with Lola, keep her under control." Stefan lazily gets up from the velvet couch, Klaus laughs.

"It's not her loyalty I'm worried about, mate."

I look through the large windows of the store and I spot the brown hair of a girl I used to know. I am not sure she's really there, she's like a ghost in my mind sometimes. I find her in every single brunette I see in the streets, searching for her face. Sometimes I see her, sometimes I see Elena. The bell that rings when you open the door goes off and when I look at Stefan I know he has seen her too.

We stalk towards her in an assured tempo, we see her through the crowd every once in a while before she disappears again. It's only when we start to catch up to her, when she has us where she wants us that I'm sure it's her. Katherine.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I whisper shout as I embrace the girl, she doesn't hug me back, but I wasn't expecting her to anyway. The whisper is more because I am still afraid that Klaus might hear me, as I always am.

"You three look chummy. Are we making it a four-way now?" she has that evil grin on her face and I wonder what she is up to. If she has any idea of mortality at all.

"You know, if he finds out you're in Chicago, you're dead." Stefan says, seriously. Katherine turns her head and smirks, "Happy to know that you still care. So tell me if I'm wrong.... Rebekah's necklace that Klaus is looking for, that's the one you gave to Elena." Stefan sighs, exasperated by Katherine's antics, as always. "Goodbye, Katherine." He starts to turn around and I feel immediately uncomfortable.

"Wait, Stef. Hear her out." I can see his shoulders rise in a sigh, but he listens to me and comes back to us. Me, endlessly defending my sister. One day she will do something I can not forgive.

"They don't know where the necklace is. I just have to keep them from figuring it out. I have it all under control."

"Please, tell me you have a better plan than that." She looks at me and I put my hands up in a gesture implying that I don't know anything. I don't.

Stefan doesn't answer either, he looks suspiciously like he does have a plan. I can't deny a pang going through my heart when I realize he can't trust me with it.

"You do," Katherine continues, "come on, Stefan. You're not the diabolical type. Whatever you're planning, it's not gonna work." She mistakes Stefan for someone he isn't. She is so obsessed with this innocence inside of him that she can't see the darkness he is shrouded in. Because right now, he is the diabolical type.

"Well, if the most diabolical woman I know can't seem to figure it out, then I must be doing something right."

"Uh-huh. I forgot. You're bad now. Don't get too cocky. Klaus is smarter than you. He's smarter than everyone. And I've heard about that sister. Be careful. She'll ruin you."

Stefan smirks sarcastically, "Happy to know you still care." He puts out his hand to me and I know he is giving me this choice right now. Stay with her, live a life on the run, but be with family, get to know her better than I ever thought I would. Or stay by his side, live under Klaus's rule until he decides to let us go. If he ever will.

I guess he always knew what I would pick, and I guess I did too. Because I am not for one second confused about which person to put my trust into. I take his hand and look back at her, but she is already gone.

"You know that your side is always my side, right?" I look at him while he guides me through the crowded space by my hand.

"I know." 

Sorry for this super late update! The easter days were upon us and I was very busy making croissants. I hope you like this chapter, it's one of my favorite.

A belated happy easter (if you celebrate)  from me,

Rosie.