"Stefan. Where is the lovely Elena tonight?" Elijah interrupted the silence. I knew he don't feel anything for her, but she looked exactly like Tatia and Katerina and that made me feel uneasy. I mean, what can garanty that he won't fall for her too.

"I don't know. Ask Damon." Stefan answered. I don't know if I ever saw Elijah so confused. Nik laughed from Elijah's face.

"I'm sorry, you've missed so much." he said amused to his brother. "Ah, trouble in paradise."

"One more word about Elena and this dinner's over." Stefan threatened. Nik smiled and put a finger to his lips as a promise to keep quiet about her.

"You know what, probably best just to keep Elena in the do-not-discuss pile." Damon suggested.

"You're probably right." Niklaus agreed.

"It's just the allure of the Petrova doppelgänger, still so strong. What do you say, brother? Should we tell them about Tatia?" Niklaus just couldn't keep his mouth shut. Only from her name my whole body went rigid.

"Now why should we discuss matters long since resolved?" Elijah tried to avoid the subject, while stealing a glace at me.

"Well, given their shared affection for both Elena and Katerina, I think our guests might be curious to learn about the originator of the Petrova line." I had no idea why, but Nik didn't want to let it be.

"Well, we're not going anywhere Elijah. Please, do tell." Damon encouraged Elijah.

"When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia. She was an exquisite beauty. Every boy of age desired to be her suitor, even though she'd had a child by another man. And none loved her more than Niklaus." Elijah started.

"I'd say there was one who loved her at least as much." I wanted to pull Niklaus tongue out for knowing how I feel about Elijah and Tatia being together, but still bringing it into the conversation. But before I could explode from anger, Elijah took my hand in his and sqeezed it for me to calm down. This small gesture made me relax instantly.

"Wait a minute. So you both loved the same girl?" Stefan asked amusedly.

"Our mother was a very powerful witch. She sought to end our feud over Tatia and so she took her. Klaus and I would later learn that it was Tatia's blood that we consumed in the wine on the night where our mother performed the spell which turned us into vampires. Tatia wouldn't make a decision between the two of us, so for a time Niklaus and I...grew estranged. Harsh words were traded, we even came to blows, didn't we, brother?" Elijah explained.

"But in the end we realized the sacred bond of family." Nik ended the story.

"Family above all." Elijah stated.

"Family above all." Nik repeated and they both clinked their glasses.

"So, Aria, when did you decided to become Mrs. Mikaelson?" Damon asked me after a while.

"Actually, it wasn't really ours decision. Our marriage was arranged by our parents when we were still humans." I answered sincerely. I knew that there was no point in lying.

"Wait... Your marriage wasn't from love, but even after a thousand years you're still together?! Wow... This is what I call a perfect marriage." Damon was clearly shocked. "Elijah, you're probably the happiest man from four of us." However, Elijah wasn't smiling. He kept his head low looking at his food, probably trying to find right words to explain the situation for Damon and Stefan. I sighed when I understood  that I need to help him.

"It's far from perfect. There were difficult times for us, but we try." I said the truth.

"We try to make this work. And maybe, one day we will succeed. After all, we have an eternity for that." Elijah continued while looking at me with a small smile on his beautiful face. I smiled back at him slightly.

He's right. We are immortal, so we have whole world's time in our hands. We don't need to rush.

"Let's do a toast for that." Nik said and raised his glass of wine. "For eternity and for what we can do with it."

"Cheers!" everyone said and drank their wines.

******************

"So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?" Elijah suggested.

"That's very simple. Klaus gets his coffin back, in exchange, he and the Original extended family leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Stefan, and Elena live happily ever after. No grudges." Damon said.

"The deal sounds fair, brother." Elijah looked at his brother.

"I don't think you understand. Elena's doppelgänger blood insures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me. I will never leave her behind." As always. Obsessed with his hybrids.

"Let's say I do leave her here, under your protection, what then? How long before one of you turns her into a vampire? Or worse, how long before she dies caught between your feuding? You see, each one of you truly believes that you're the one that can protect her, and that is simply a delusion. Gentlemen, the worst thing for Elena Gilbert is...the two of you." Nik said directly at Damon and Stefan. It was a harsh truth. It always happens. Because of Nik and Elijah, Tatia was killed and Katerina became a vampire. It never ends

"I'm gonna get some air." Damon said with a weak smile and got up.

"Let me deal with this." Elijah follows him leaving Niklaus, Stefan and me alone.

"When you're done, let me know. I'm going to find a snack for myself." I said and left the room too.

When I went to the kitchen I found a good looking servant.

"Like knowing what I want." I smirked while walking towards and compelling him. "Don't scream."

I dig my teeth into his neck. His blood was so sweet, like a dessert for me.

*********************

I was peacefully feeding on a servant, until I heard shoutings and something breaking. I unwillingly pulled away from a human and rolled my eyes. I left them only for a few minutes and they already try to kill each other.

"Go clean up and forget this." I compelled him and made my way to the room from were all the shouting came from.

When I re-entered the room, I saw Niklaus holding Stefan's hand in the fire while Elijah held Damon against the wall.

"Now, bring me my coffin before I burn him alive." Nik threatened.

"I'll get it." Damon said quickly.

"Go with him, brother. You keep him honest. And when you return, I will make good on my promise to you and I will hand over our family." Nik told Elijah. Before they exited, Elijah looked at me and offered me a small smile, witch I returned.

"Go ahead and kill me. I know you'll do it when he brings the coffin." Stefan managed to say through pain. With that Niklaus pulled Stefan's arm out and released him.

"You really have given up, haven't you? Where's the fight? Where's the ripper?" Niklaus tried to provocate by pushing Stefan in which Stefan pushed him back. I speeded between them and gave Niklaus a warning glare.

"Niklaus, stop this now." I demanded. I hate what he did to Stefan. It's horrible when a vampire turns off his emotions, however it's still his choice. But when we use compulsion for this only because we can... It's unforgivable.

Suddenly, Elijah and Damon re-enter the room next to the other female servant who was carrying a tray. I thought they left for the coffin.

"Elijah...why haven't you left?" Niklaus asked the question that I wanted to ask.

"Where are your manners, brother? We forgot dessert." He answered and took the cover off the tray, that the servant was carrying. Two silver daggers lied on it.

"What have you done?" Nik asked with anger and fear on his face.

"What have you done? You see, I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus. We're doing this on my terms now." In a blink of an eye I was next to Elijah with his arm around my waist protectively. That's when Kol entered the room.

"Kol." I could now clearly see fear in his eyes.

"Long time, brother." Kol spoke with a smirk on his face. Klaus started to back away, but Finn suddenly appeared.

"Finn, don't!" But before Nik could say anything more, Finn stabbed a dagger through Niklaus' hand. Niklaus tried to run away, but ran into Rebekah.

"Rebekah!" He gasped, his voice pleading for mercy, but she stabbed him into the stomach with another dagger.

"This is for our mother." She whispered into his ear and pulled the dagger out letting Nik fall into Kol's arms only to be restrained.

The fact, that Nik is my best friend will never change, but I didn't helped him or even tried. I knew that he deserves it. He put them, his own family, into those coffins just because they couldn't do that to him.

"You're free to go." Elijah said to Salvatore brothers with a small smile. "This is family business."

******************

"I like what you've done with the new place, Nik." Rebekah said and threw a vase into a picture on the wall.

I flinched at her movement. I knew that they didn't feel anything against me, but I still felt a little bit guilty for not pulling the daggers out and that's why I felt like they are going to attack me as they attacked Niklaus.

"I wanted it to be for all of us. A place we could all call home. A place we could all be a family. None of us would ever have to be alone again." Nik tried to explain himself.

"Well you're right, none of us will be." Elijah said and made his way towards the door.

"You're staying behind." Finn did the same as all the others. I decided to stay in my place, on the caught. This doesn't involve me.

"We're leaving you, Nik. Right after I kill that doppelgänger wench, then you will be alone. Always and forever." Rebekah said.

"If you run, I will hunt all of you down." Nik threatened furiously. That's when all my pity for him disappeared l like a smoke. I couldn't believe him! Instead of trying to apologize and convince them to stay, he threatens them.

"Then you'll become everything you hate. Our father." Elijah warned him.

"I'm the hybrid! I can't be killed! I have nothing to fear from any of you." Niklaus started shouting now. O my god...

"You will when we have that coffin." Elijah stated and Niklaus couldn't say anything after that, because he knew that Elijah was right. Suddenly, the doors opens and we all turn around only to see the person that we all haven't seen thousand years. Esther Mikaelson.

"Mother?" Rebekah gasped, but Esther walks straight to Niklaus, who avoids looking at her. After all, he's the one who killed her.

"Look at me!" Esther demanded, when she reached him. "Do you know why I'm here?"

"You're here to kill me." Niklaus answered with tears in his eyes.

"Niklaus, you are my son and I am here to forgive you." Esther turned to the rest of us. "I want us to be a family again."

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