The Ties That Bind

[A/N: before you start reading this chapter I was wanting your thoughts! It's a while away but I just want to know if you would like Lola to be Hope's mom or if you want it the story to stay with Hayley being Hope's mom? Hayley will still be in the story even if she doesn't get pregnant! I have some storylines for either of those directions but if you want Lola to be the one to get pregnant the story I have in mind will have to start soon so please leave a comment on what you would like to see :)))) also 11K reads?!?! Love you all Xxx]

Lola,

Writing to you like this takes me back to all those years ago when we first met and I would write secret letters to you, putting them under your door.

What we have is a great love, it's complicated, intense, all-consuming. No matter what we do or no matter how much we fight it, it'll always pull us back in.

I know I can't change what I've done lately, nor can I change what has happened between your brothers and I. But know this, I promise you that as soon as you say the word, I'll stop everything so just so I can have you by my side. Please take this necklace as my most heartfelt apology to everything I have done that has caused you hurt, something this beautiful deserves to be worn by someone worthy of its beauty.

Over the course of my life I expect people will have said I had multiple sides to me. However I feel as though I only have two. For example, one side of me knows what to do, while the other side of me doesn't.

There are some days where I do want to stay, but then there are days where I want to go as far as possible. And I don't know which side of me works best with you, in fact, I don't know at all.

But, I do know one thing. Both sides of me think of you all the time and they miss you whenever you're not around.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I will not give up hope. When two people are meant to be together, they'll always find their way back.

I love you, always and forever.

Yours,
Nik

"Aw that was really sweet!" Adrianna pipes up, speaking through my laptop on a video call.

I slam the letter onto my bed and glare at her, "Seriously? He's just trying to butter me up, Ade!" I huff as I fall onto my bed and stare up at the ceiling, "If anything it's insulting."

"How is it insulting?"

I sit up and give Adrianna a dumbfounded glare, "He thinks he can just say all these nice words to me and expect me to go running back to him and leaving my brothers in the dust! Thinking he can buy me off with stupid jewellery..." I stare down at the open box with the diamond necklace shining up at me, "Really nice, sparkly jewellery..." I look over to my screen to see Adrianna smirking at me, I shake my head and close the box, "Shut up."

Adrianna puts her hands up, "I didn't say anything."

I scoff, "That's the thing with you, you don't have to say anything. It's that stupid smirk and head tilt you do all the time, basically telling me I'm an idiot."

"Which you are."

"Why do I even bother telling you things? Because you're always choosing the opposite side to what I'm on."

Adrianna clears her throat, "Not true. I'm curious though, Lo...why do you always assume that this 'look' you claim I give you all the time is me thinking the opposite to what you're thinking?" I open my mouth to reply but clamp it shut when I can fathom any words, Ade laughs, "That's because deep down you are thinking what you assume I am. That's the works of your conscious and you're just so damn stubborn you'll never admit it."

I roll my eyes as I go to grab my mug of blood from my nightstand, but noticing I've actually drank it all. I slump back down wishing I still had some. I sigh as I look back over to Adrianna's perfect little face on my computer screen, "I hate you and your stupid psych major. It's been over 50 years, aren't you tired of being my unpaid therapist?"

Adrianna shrugs, "Well when I feel like you don't need me whispering to you like an angel on your shoulder all the time then I guess I'll retire from it all." Adrianna turns to face the other way on the screen then looks back to me, "I have to go, I can hear Nate pulling up. But Lola just remember to stop being so damn stubborn."

A small smile appears as I roll my eyes, "That will never happen. Tell Nate I said hi."

Adrianna mirrors my smile, "I will. We'll talk soon."

I close my laptop screen, taking a deep breath before heading down into the basement to grab a bunch of blood bags to keep upstairs. Taking this as my opportunity to grab all the good bags while Damon isn't here. God knows where either of my brothers are, I've barely spoken to them lately. I know they're up to something but I'm getting kinda tired being in the middle of all these high school dramas.

I start rummaging through all the bags, that bastard of a brother has took most of the A+ bags. But jokes on him as he clearly didn't rummage around enough as there are a fair few at the bottom of the pile. I grab hold of the 5 remaining bags of A+ and smirk to myself, looking forward to rubbing this in Damon's face but the smirk soon leaves my face when I can hear someone upstairs.

I know my brother's footsteps and those that are upstairs are neither of theirs but I know exactly who it is. Then I can hear music at top volume, I roll my eyes to myself before working myself up to going up those stairs.

I step closer and closer to where the music is coming from, I see Klaus slumped on one of our chairs looking rather proud of himself as he drinks my bourbon.

I clear my throat to indicate my presence behind him, Klaus looks up but not in my direction, the smirk growing even further on his face.

I walk around to be facing him, smiling down at him, "Oh hi. Breaking into my house, drinking my bourbon and playing my records doesn't make you intimidating, you know?" I crouch down so I'm eye level with him, taking the glass of bourbon out of his hand and placing it on the table beside him, I flash a smug smile at him, "It's just rude."

Klaus smiles up at me, he stands up closing the gap between us both, "There she is, I've been wondering where you have been lately, it's been awfully quiet."

I shrug as I turn away and walk towards the drinks table, "I've grown rather tired of all the drama that's going on between my brothers and yourself." I turn to face Klaus and smirk as I hold the glass near my lips, "If I didn't know any better, it's as though we are all in high school together."

Klaus walks over to where I'm standing with a cocky grin on his face, "Well if you read my letter then you would know all you have to do is say the word and I'll stop all of this."

I don't break eye contact as I take a drink of my bourbon, "I did read your letter and I don't buy it one bit."

Klaus smirks as he steps even closer to me, "Is that so?"

I nod, "Yes it is, see it's all well and good you being the romantic soul I've came across many times before, however, I know you." As I step closer to him, Klaus begins to step backwards, "As you've said before, I know you better than you know yourself. I know that even if I do tell you to stop, you won't because you don't have your family back and I also know you would do anything in your power to get them back." I close the gap between us, cupping Klaus' cheeks, "So tell me Nik, if I walked up to you, cupped your cheeks as I'm doing so now, closing the gap between us both, getting closer and closer to your lips, look you in the eyes and tell you to stop this...would you?" Our lips are practically touching, Klaus leans forward, only for a moment before closing his eyes as a sigh escapes his lips and he moves away. I clear my throat as I move away from him, "That's what I thought."

I walk away as Klaus grabs hold of my wrist, he pushes me down onto one of our chairs, hands on either side of the chair. He is now the one closing the gap between us both, the hairs sticking up at the back of my neck as I feel the warmth of his breath on my skin, "Are you saying you don't want my family to return? Our family?"

I switch positions, it's now Klaus on the chair, I have one hand on the arm rest and the other wrapped round his neck with light force yet he doesn't fight, "That's not what I'm saying at all, but surly there is a more appropriate way of handling all of this? What's keeping you in this town for you to be so obnoxious about it all?"

Klaus smirks up at me, "Well isn't it obvious, love? You."

I remove my hand from him and stand up straight, frowning down at him. Before I can respond, I look up to see someone opening the front door, I vamp speed over to the drinks table, resting my hands against it as I take a deep breath for yet more drama I'm about to be involved in.

I look over to the front door to see Stefan walking into the house. He frowns over at me, only thinking I'm here at first but then notices Klaus at the other side of the room.

Stefan enters into the living room fully, grabbing the remote for my record player, turning it down. He glares over to Klaus, "What are you doing here, Klaus?"

Klaus leans back on the chair he is at and looks up at the ceiling, "Enjoying our stalemate."

Stefan tilts his head and scoffs slightly, "What do you want?"

Klaus glares over to my brother, "The question is what you want? My hybrids left town as you demanded, so please tell me what I need to do to get my family back."

"Well," Stefan clears his throat as he places the remote for the record player, he then takes a seat on a chair opposite Klaus, right beside me and the drinks table, he flashes a smug grin to Klaus and shrugs, "See...Klaus...I'm not negotiating."

I roll my eyes as I pour myself another drink, "Lord give me strength."

"And you understand, that holding them indefinitely is the same thing as dropping them in the ocean?" Klaus snaps back at Stefan.

"No, No. You leave Mystic Falls and then give me call in a few years and we'll talk."

Klaus takes a drink, grinning as he does so, "I'm going to give you another chance. Just one more. Let's make a reasonable deal."

Stefan leans forward in his chair, "Or what? You make one move and I will drop..."

Klaus interrupts Stefan's attempt at a threat by laughing, "Yes, right. Crazy Stefan. How is that working out for you? Any friends left?"

I clear my throat, as well as clearing the tension in this room, I glance over to Klaus, "I think you should go."

Klaus shares the glance with me for a moment, before getting up from his seat. Klaus turns to walk away, but halts, he turns slightly to face both Stefan and I once more with a smirk plastered all over his face, "Just remember I will get what I want.." Klaus looks over to me, "In more ways than one." Klaus turns on his heel once more and leaves the house.

A heavy sigh falls from my lips as I put my glass down on the table, "I'll be upstairs." I mumble as I attempt to walk past Stefan.

Stefan grabs hold of my wrist, "Hey, what happened before I came back?"

I huff as I turn to face him, with an unamused look all over my face, "Why do you care?"

"I care because you're my sister and if he hurt you..." Stefan argues.

"Stefan, just stop!" I interrupt him, frustration is building up inside me, "I can't keep up with you lately, is your humanity on or off at this point?" Stefan puts his head down and turns away from me, I sigh and place my hand on his arm, "Stef, you're my baby brother and I love you but this isn't healthy, it just needs to stop." I turn on my heel and head towards the door, "I'll be at the Grill."

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I head straight to the bar when I enter the Grill, not even looking to seeing if anyone I know is in here at the minute. I slump down onto a bar stool and sigh heavily as I look to get the bartenders attention. My eyes follow along the bar to see the bartender already serving someone.

Of course it's him.

I sit up from my stool and walk over to him, looking unimpressed while he has his classic smug grin all over his face. I put my purse down onto the counter next to him, one hand on my hip, "Are you following me now?"

Klaus looks over to me, still with the smug grin on his face as he shrugs, "Well if we want to get technical about it, love...I was in here first."

I open my mouth to slap something back at him when I hear my name getting shouted. I look over to see Alaric stood by the pool table, hands in his pockets looking unimpressed at who I'm standing next too.

I flash a glare at Klaus which he responds with a smirk, "Lovely to see you again, Lola."

I walk away from him, "Bite me." I mumble as I walk over towards Alaric, "What's up?"

Alaric glances over my shoulder to Klaus then back to me, "Thought you might have needed saving from whatever bullshit he is probably trying to tell you."

I roll my eyes and scoff, "Just ignore him, I do. What are you doing here on your own anyway?"

Alaric clears his throat, "You've just missed Damon, he was in here earlier and before that I...uh...sorta had a lunch date."

I smirk over at him, "Oooh is this the doctor I seen you getting close to at the Council meeting the other night? Have you let her examine you yet?"

Alaric rolls his eyes and scrunches his nose in disgust at my comment as he playfully pushes my shoulder, "You're disgusting, you know that right?"

I shrug, "Come on, let's go somewhere else I'm bored."

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I'm sitting on Alaric's countertop, unimpressed while he is across the room on his incline bench lifting weights, "You know when I said let's go somewhere else, I didn't mean let's go back to your apartment while you work out."

"Got any better ideas?"

"Right now I wanna pull my eyes out with this fork instead of watching you poorly bench press." I mumble as I throw a fork up, hm, haven't used a fork against anyone for a while, might have to change that.

Alaric looks up at me slightly, raising his brow, "Why don't you do something then? Let it all out by giving the punch bag over there a few go's."

I scoff, "Ric, if I did that then the bag would be on the floor, along with most of your ceiling."

Alaric shakes his head and laughs as he lays back down, picking up the barbell and starts to lift it again.

Both of our attention goes to the front door when Damon lets himself in. I look over to him confused, his face clearly indicating he is up to something. I throw the fork towards him, "What are you doing here?"

Damon smirks as he catches the fork and puts it down onto the counter besides me, "Ehm...Looking for a bunny." Damon walks over to the stove and looks in an empty pot, he looks over to Alaric and shrugs, "You're good. For now."

"Are you still obsessed of Meredith?" Alaric asks as he puts the barbell back in the rack and sits up to face Damon, "I mean, don't you have an Original vampire to care about?"

"Uh ah ah! Do ten more of those." Damon gestures over to the barbells, he then grabs a mug and pours some bourbon, "You're gonna wanna buff up, if you start dating this one. Self-defense and all."

Alaric frowns at Damon as he walks towards us both, "What's your problem?"

"Your doctor vervained me and then she bloodjacked me."

"What?" I jump off the counter and step towards Damon, who has now taken a seat on one of Alaric's chairs.

Alaric narrows his eyes at Damon, "When did you even see her?"

"When I went to the hospital, to accuse her of killing her ex-boyfriend." Damon says casually, he scrunches his face, "Which by the way, very sensitive subject." Damon takes a sip of the bourbon in his mug.

I laugh slightly as I take the cup out of his hands, "Since when did you turn all Columbo?"

Alaric sighs, "Damon, what the hell are you doing, huh?"

Damon frowns, "Why are you mad at me?"

"I told you I'd handle this!" Alaric raises his voice.

"I proved your theory...diagnosed psycho case." Damon retorts, "You're welcome."

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Damon has wondered off yet again and I'm still stuck with Alaric but now at the hospital.

"Remind me again why I'm still following you around?" I ask as we walk down the halls searching for the crazy doctor.

Alaric shrugs, "Who else do you have to hang out with? Plus, I could do with back up if Meredith turns out to be a crazy serial killer...which I don't think she is."

I scoff, "I do."

We turn the corner of the hallway, as Meredith walks out of a patient's room. Alaric stops in front of her, causing her to come at a halt, "Want to tell me what you're up to?"

Meredith closes the file she was reading and sighs, "You talked to Damon."

Alaric nods, frowning at her, "Yeah, I did." He motions over to me and shrugs, "This is his sister, Lola, I wouldn't try anything while she's here, she gets her temper from her brother."

I flash a sarcastic smile at her, "I would be super nice to me right now after drugging my brother, it's only okay if I vervain him."

Meredith rolls her eyes, "He wasn't supposed to wake up so soon. I used enough vervain, to sedate him for hours."

"Well, he drinks it everyday to build up an immunity, so people like you don't get the jump on him." Alaric snaps back.

"I'm not crazy, Ric."

"Could have fooled me." I mumble under my breath.

Alaric narrows his eyes at Meredith, "Really? Then what are you?"

Paramedics rush in with someone laid out on a stretcher, Alaric puts his hand in front of me slightly to keep me out the way of it all.

Meredith eyes follow the stretcher, she then looks back towards us both, "You really wanna know? Stick around."

Alaric looks at the patient's face and frowns, "Is it Bill Forbes?"

"Wait, Caroline's dad?" I ask as we follow Meredith into the room the paramedics took Bill.

Bill has been moved over to the actual hospital bed, he's in rough shape. Covered in cuts and his own blood, hooked to a machine.

"What happened to him?" Alaric asks.

"He was found in the woods. An actual animal attack." Meredith informs us, "Bite marks and gashes over half his body. Lost about three litres of blood."

I cross my arms against my chest and look over to Meredith, "Is he gonna make it?"

Meredith shakes her head, "Nope. At least not on his own." She pulls out a vial of what looks like blood out of her coat.

Alaric steps closer to her, "What is that?"

"Exactly what you think it is. Vampire blood." Meredith injects Bill with the blood, aka Damon's blood, "You wanna to know my secret? I cheat. I'm a doctor and I hate when people die. So when I have the ability to do something about it. I do."

I look over to Alaric who has this dumb look on his face, I step in between them both as I clear my throat, a cocky grin on my face as I look over to Meredith, "You know, you could just ask us vampires really nicely and one of us may supply you with our blood. You don't need to go drugging us and taking it that way."

Meredith glares at me, not phased by me at all, "Isn't that just kinda the same as you compelling people for you to then drink their blood?"

I purse my lips, laughing slightly as I tilt my head and look over to Alaric, "I like her." I grab my phone out of my pocket and start to walk out the room, "I'm gonna go and ring Caroline and let her know what's happened to her father."

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Once I called Caroline to let her know what happened to her dad, I decided to just go straight home from the hospital, I've done too much socialisation for my liking today.

When I walk in, I'm greeted by Damon hanging around by the fireplace, I fake gasp as I walk over to him, "Say it ain't so, is that my brother?! Twice in one day?! I am so lucky, maybe I should put the lottery on."

Damon rolls his eyes, "What the hell are you rambling on about now, Charlipops?"

I hit him on the back of his head for that nickname, "Okay well one, I still hate that stupid nickname just as much as I hated it when we were kids, you haven't used that for over 100 years, why start using it again and two, I hardly ever see you now."

Damon shrugs, "You told me to keep you out of my plans."

"That doesn't mean just don't speak to me at all, asshole." I say as I walk over to the drinks table and pour myself a glass.

Damon steps towards the table, "You'll wanna know this, Klaus has his coffins back."

I look up at him, furrowing my brows, "He does?"

"Yep." Damon pops the P with a huge smirk on his face.

I point at him, narrowing my eyes as I step around the table towards him, "I know that smirk, what have you done?"

Before Damon can respond, Stefan walks through the door, he glares over to Damon as he walks towards us both, "Oh, you're still alive. I assume, that means Klaus didn't get his coffins."

Damon frowns, stepping closer to Stefan, "Don't look so happy, I was only able to get one of them out in time. The locked one."

I walk over to them both, glancing between them both, "You kept one?"

Stefan shrugs, "Probably a good choice."

"Yeah. You know, if you're banking on Bonnie's momma to open it, you're screwed. She doesn't have any powers."

Stefan sighs, "Nah, doesn't surprise me. It's been that kind of night."

Stefan turns to walk away, when Damon pipes up once more, "Is Elena okay?"

Stefan turns around and punches Damon in the face, Damon groans in pain as he holds himself up by leaning on a chair.

I look over to Stefan shocked, then go over to Damon, checking he's okay, "Stefan!" I look over to Stefan, raging all over my face, "What the hell is your problem?!"

Stefan fixates his glare on Damon, not even bothering to look at me, "Ask him."

Damon sighs as he stands up straight, "I take it you two had a heart-to-heart. And I take it, you don't wanna talk about it. Noted." Damon puts his hand on his back, grabbing something out of his pants, "So why don't we talk about this?" Damon holds up a very familiar looking silver dagger.

Stefan frowns at Damon, "What did you do?"

I run my hands through my hair, knowing fine well who Damon has just undaggered, "I think I have an idea..."

Someone who is just as pissed as my brother's towards Klaus...