⌜ .·:·.        ☽     ✧       ✦      ✧     ☾        .·:·. ⌝

( 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 )

𝐊𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐀.

⌞    .·:·.        ☽     ✧        ✦       ✧     ☾         .·:·. ⌟

"What does it really stand for? Someone beautiful and scary?"

"The too beautiful that its scary," Rebekah shrugged her shoulders, answering.

Karolina huffed out, "Okay, that doesn't make any sense. Do I have to learn it?"

The Mikaelson shrugged her shoulders, sitting down, "Well, you already are beautiful. So that one is crossed out," Karolina's cheek had a shade of red on them as she looked at her black heels and Rebekah continued, "As for the scary portion...that's going to be tough."

"Hey! I can be scary!" The brunette claimed, taking offense as Rebekah raised a challenging eyebrow to which she trailed off, "...When I need to."

"Really, sweetheart? I mean I don't want to doubt you but—"

"Dance with me!" Karolina cut her off, asking aloud as the blonde furrowed her eyebrows together, "Pretend that you are a man, dance with me, your hands wondered somewhere they shouldn't and you will see my reaction. It will prove the point."

Rebekah shrugged her shoulders, a sinful smirk dancing on her lips before she stood up and pulled Karolina's body against hers, "Oh, that was fast."

The blonde smiled in response, intertwining her fingers with Karolina's before placing her other hand around her waist. Karolina instinctively placed her hand on Rebekah's shoulder, "Ready?"

"Mhm," Karolina nodded, running her tongue over her bottom lip. She could understand now what Rebekah meant as she looked at her, the blonde Mikaelson didn't look intimidating or scary. She was just extremely beautiful, from her ocean blue eyes and pink lips to her gold locks that shined as though they were the sun rays on Earth, revolving around the kindest girl she had ever met.

It made her seem extremely out of Karolina's league.

As a friend, of course.

"You have really nice eyes," Karolina stated, looking up at Rebekah.

The blonde chuckled, raising her eyebrows, "Is that how you will deal with it?" She leaned down, towards her ear, whispering, "Flattery will get you nowhere, Karolina."

She smiled, attempting to hide the blush on her cheeks with her, saying, "I was just saying the truth."

"Who are you and what have you done with the cute shy Karolina I know?"

Karolina chuckled, shrugging, "I am a fast learner."

"Yeah, you are," She nodded, expressing her amusement, "Now, back to the point of this very comfortable dance."

The brunette dying girl frowned as Rebekah pulled her closer if that was possible. Instead of it feeling mildly inappropriate, and it was, it felt serene. Karolina liked the feeling of Rebekah's hand around her waist, sliding down to places it shouldn't. It felt like a sin to like such a thing with a girl but it was, without doubt, one of the best things she had ever endured.

"And your proof is?"

Karolina pursed her lips together, "I don't know...I just thought it would feel extremely inappropriate and pull out something inside of me but it didn't," She said as Rebekah smiled, raising an eyebrow, "I think that whole other thing could wait for another day."

She wrapped her arms around Rebekah's neck before resting her head on her shoulders, "I like this."

°   °   °

Karolina walked back home, smiling as she stopped in front of her father's study, "You look...happy."

She shrugged her shoulders before leaning over to plant a kiss on her father's cheek, "I am," Karolina sighed, putting down her bag on his desk, "Its a good day."

Seeing that glow in her doe brown eyes, that hadn't been there for months, made him happy although he knew he could never treat her the same after everything. Liam could still be happy for his daughter's happiness, "I am glad you are happy."

Karolina nodded, exhaling, "So...I wanted to invite Rebekah and her brother for lunch with us, is that okay?"

"Rebekah? The friend from last week's party?" Liam raised his eyebrows, recalling before Karolina nodded, mumbling a short 'yeah'.

He didn't want to ruin her mood and bring her back to reality but he had to ask, "Does...does she know?" Liam paused, inhaling sharply, "About that...thing?"

"About me being sick and about to die?" Karolina rose her eyebrows, asking casually, "Yes, father. She does know."

"Karolina," He shook his head at her, asking, "Could you not put it out like that...please?"

The brunette looked down at her feet, apologizing, "I am sorry, father but not saying it aloud will never make it less true..."

Liam shook his head, attempting to say something before he decided against it and walked out of the room.

"I still love you, you know!"

°   °   °

Rebekah Mikaelson was not a realist of any sort. She loved the unexpected and wasn't grounded by any rules of any kind. The blonde girl only wanted a normal life that many people would run from. She wanted a family of her own, someone to love and to hold through thick and thin but life wasn't fair...least of all to vampires.

Although Karolina was honest with her from day one about her sickness and nonexistent chances at staying alive for longer than a few months, Rebekah wasn't entirely honest...about many things.

She pitied the girl and promised to make those months the best of Karolina's life but she didn't want an innocent girl to die with many unfulfilled dreams.

Rebekah knew lots of doctors and scientists. The Mikaelsons' libraries were filled with many books about medicine and unknown diseases. Vampirism might not be the cure for all diseases but she intended to find a cure for Karolina. She had hope, everything had a cure. It must.

"You have been cropped up in this room for hours," She looked up when Niklaus stopped at the door, "Now I don't care about your decreasing social skills but my curiosity was sparked when a little thing stopped by today offering cookies? Rebekah, really?"

She rolled her eyes, sitting up, "Those cookies were for me, not you. So you shouldn't have helped yourself through them."

"I never said I ate them."

Rebekah huffed out, folding her arms together, "No, you didn't, Nik. Then again, I didn't meet you yesterday."

He breathed out a small chuckle before asking, "What were you looking for in those books?"

"It's none of your business."

"Oh, sure it is."

Rebekah smiled reluctantly before informing, "We are invited for dinner. Tomorrow at Mr. Liam's—"

Niklaus interjected with a knowing smirk, "Ah, at the cute little thing's place."

"She is not a thing. She is a girl. A very clever and unique girl that I am lucky to know."

"How unfortunate...shall I expect her death in the span of the next two weeks?"

Rebekah hummed softly, responding, "I am not you, brother. I don't kill people I like...it would make me sick and in desperate need of mental help. Chicago hospitals are open 24/7, you should check-in."

"Aww...did I hurt your feelings, sister?"

She smiled, raising an eyebrow, "Did I hurt yours?" Rebekah patted his shoulder, "Be ready tomorrow at 4 sharp."

°    °    °