The Vampire Diaries: The Dead Rise

An Invitation

I spent the whole night explaining to Esther who I am and how I'm related to them. I feel like after a while, she did warm up to me as she did the rest of her family. I didn't return to the Salvatores last night like I had planned, but there was nothing I could do about it. This morning, she informed all of us that she was going to be holding a ball tonight and that we were each expected to bring a date. Of course, I knew who I was bringing, but everyone else wasn't quite sure. By 10:30, Esther had invited pretty much the whole town.

"Cordelia," Esther asks me as I walk past her office. I walk in and find that she cut her hair up to her shoulders.

"Yes," I say, stepping in.

"Would you mind delivering this invitation to Elena," Esther says, handing me the envelope.

I nod and take it, "of course." As I turn to walk out, she stops me.

"Who are you bringing to the ball tonight," she asks.

I smile as I turn back to her, "Damon Salvatore."

She smiles, "Elijah told me about you two. I hope all is well between you two."

I nod, "it is."

"Do you have an invitation for him," she asks.

I shake my head, "I didn't think I needed one."

"Of course you do honey," she says. She hands me an envelope with an invitation already inside. I lean down on her desk and write Damon's name on it. When I finish, I place the pen back in its spot and look up at her.

"Should I go shopping for a dress," I ask.

"Of course not, you'll wear one of ours," she says, "a Mikaelson will always wear a Mikaelson dress."

"But I'm not a Mikaelson, not really," I say.

She smiles, "you're of my bloodline aren't you?" I smile and walk out of her office. When I walk past the living room, I see all the Originals seated. Finn has cut his hair and Kol was trying on his suit.

"Cordelia," Kol shouts, "how do I look?" He twirls around, making me laugh.

"I think you looked better in a coffin with your skin all grey," I say back. However, that's a lie. He looked better in 1901 when Klaus first undaggered him in New Orleans. Everyone laughs and I walk out the front door. I bump into Elijah as I walk down the steps.

"Good morning," Elijah says.

"Morning," I say, "where've you been?"

"Talking with Elena," he answers.

"You talked to Elena," I ask.

"The Salvatores are at Elena's house if you're wondering," Elijah says, walking into the house. I sigh and walk the path to Elena's house. The sun is out, but the air is cool. As I walk up the steps to Elena's house, I hear Damon and Stefan inside.

"Anyone else feeling a little used right now," Damon asks.

"Look Elijah promised me that his family wouldn't hurt any of us," Elena says as I ring the door bell. "I believe him," Elena says. I wait a moment before she opens the front door.

I smile, "you would be right to believe Elijah."

Elena's face fills with surprise, "Cecily, it's a surprise to see you here." Damon and Stefan appear behind here and I smile.

"Surprised that I would leave my newly awakened family," I ask. She steps aside, letting me into her house. "Don't worry, I'm not here for Klaus," I say, "I came here to deliver something." I hand Elena her invitation and hand Damon his. They both open the envelopes, but only Damon reads his out loud.

"'Please join the Mikaelson family this evening for dancing, cocktails, and celebration'," Damon says.

"What no invitation for me," Stefan asks.

"You can come if you want Stefan," I say.

Elena turns her invitation over and reads it, "'Elena, I think it's time we finally meet, Esther'."

"Wait, mother witch wants an audience with you," Damon asks.

"Why," Elena asks me.

I shrug my shoulders, "I don't know, she just asked me to deliver your invitation that's all. So are you coming?"

Damon nods, "I'll be there."

Elena nods, "me too."

I look to Stefan who nods, "count me in."

I sigh and suddenly pin him to the wall, "I should've done this a long time ago."

"What are you doing," Damon demands.

"Turn it on Stefan," I compel him. I watch as Stefan searches for his feelings, for anything. I let him go and back away. I turn back to Damon, "it was going to happen sooner or later."

"But you had to do it now," he asks.

"I should've done it the night Klaus compelled him to turn it off," I say.

"The things Stefan has done," Damon says, "do you think today's the best day for him to deal with it?"

"I think Stefan's strong enough to make his own decisions," I answer.

"Oh my god," Stefan says, "Klaus tried to kill Jeremy and I didn't care."

I sigh and look at Damon, "come on." Damon and I walk out of the house, giving Elena and Stefan their privacy. I sigh and sit on the swinging chair at the end of the porch.

Damon joins me and sighs, "Elijah told Elena that Esther told all of her children no fighting with the locals."

I nod, "she did. Esther told us last night that we were to not harm anyone, Elena in particular."

"You know why mother bear wants to see Elena," he asks.

I shake my head, "I don't know. It could be for anything."

"Well one thing's for damn sure," Damon says, "Elena's not going to see Esther alone."

"I'll be there, so will you and Stefan," I say.

"Stefan's not entirely stable right now," Damon says, "he could snap at any second and after what he did to Elena...I doubt she'll want him there tonight."

"There's going to be a dance tonight," I say, "It's a waltz. If this all goes downhill, I want you to be Elena's partner."

He raises his eyebrows at me, "you want me to be her partner?"

"I doubt she'll want to dance with any of the Originals and like you said, Stefan's not stable," I say.

"What about you," Damon asks, "you're obviously not going to dance with Stefan."

"I'll dance with Elijah or Finn. I'll even dance with Kol if I have too," I say, "nothing can go wrong tonight. My family's fate literally depends on tonight's outcome."

"Why," Damon asks.

"It's one of Esther's tests," I say, "She wants to see if this family can pull through something like tonight."

"She's testing you," Damon says incredulously, "she's been on the Other Side for 1,000 years and the first thing she wants to do is test you? Seems like she's been planning this ball for forever."

"Actually, the first thing she wanted to do was forgive Klaus for killing her," I say, "then she wanted us to be a family again."

"You included," Damon asks.

I nod, "she told me that I have to wear a Mikaelson dress tonight since I am a Mikaelson."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing," he asks.

"I guess you'll find out tonight," I answer.