Forever

I swear to you, Drew Gilbert

Kol led me down the stairs.

It was more me leaning on him than anything.

Music drifted softly through the courtyard where decorations hung freely.

An intimate gathering.

"Happy Birthday, my love."

Was it really?

I'd thought my twenty first birthday would've gone differently.

Mainly, drinking with Jeremy for the first time legally.

"We wanted this to be a happier occasion." Elijah smiled.

"If only Klaus would stop being a little bitch about giving me the cure, maybe I could enjoy this more."

"Dear sister, he can hear you." He nodded up at the closed doors of the studio.

"Oh, I hope so."

"Perhaps, not furthering his rage would get you what you want."

"Elijah, leave it be." Freya picked up a cup. "It's supposed to be a party, right?"

Yeah, a party.

Kol took my hand as the group began to disperse into their own conversations. He and I swayed along to the music.

"What's happening?"

"I never did get to dance with you that night in Mystic Falls."

"We've definitely danced together before." Didn't we just have a ball not too long ago, to 'celebrate my return'.

"Not on your birthday." I couldn't say that I hated it, and it was hard to keep myself upright, so I leaned further into him.

"I know what you're doing."

He hummed. "Can't I just enjoy this with my soulmate?"

Fine.

We danced and eventually, Elijah offered to step in while Kol went to go get something, whatever it was.

"Happy birthday."

"I need to talk to Klaus." I didn't know if he'd actually heal me, and I was kind of okay with dying before they did, but if I could save myself, I would.

"All in good time, dear sister. It is best to let him stew.

"How much time, because this bite is making me weaker by the second."

Elijah tightened his grip, as if afraid I'd fall. "I know it has been hard, getting to this point, and you have lost too much." Where was he going with this? "My siblings and I are not trying to replace yours, but look at them." They were standing near the food table, it wasn't those cheap ones mom and dad had stored in the attic for special occasions, but a really nice wood table, with quite the spread of what I recognized to be my favorite foods. "We love you, and Kol? He's an entirely different man to the one I knew. You are my brother's refuge, Drew Gilbert, one he would not be able to survive without."

I bit my lip, holding my tongue.

Was he seriously saying that his siblings could possibly replace mine, the ones they murdered.

Instead, I offered a smile, swallowing the building grief. "That's really sweet Elijah." When was Mikael going to show his stupid face?

Kol walked in and Elijah stopped us, I leaned against his side involuntarily, however what I saw, made my stomach drop.

Stefan and Damon Salvatore trailed behind Kol, and when we made eye contact, they gave me a panicked look that matched the anxiety crawling under my skin.