When they arrived in Chicago, Lucy looked around in awe. She had traveled a lot but Chicago was one place she'd never been. Nik stepped out of the car and clasped her hand in his. "I told you that you'd like it, love."

When she merely nodded her head in agreement, he chuckled. "Come." He pulled her toward a bar. "I have to see a witch about my hybrids."

Lucy and Stefan exchanged a glance and shrugged. As usual they had no idea what Nik was really up to. Once inside, he sent her with Stefan to make drinks behind the bar. Lucy knew he just wanted to have a private word with his witch so she let Stefan make the drinks while she looked around. Her eyes fell on a black and white picture with two familiar people in it. Reaching over, she unpinned it from the wall and held it out to her friend. "Stefan?"

He took it with a frown then glanced over at the hybrid. "What is this?"

"I told you, Stefan. Chicago is a magical place," Nik said with his normal smirk. He came over to join them at the bar.

"But this is me. With you."

"That it is, mate. Come with me and I'll tell you a story," Nik said before turning to Lucy. "We need to go retrieve my sister."

Lucy sighed. "Can I stay here, Nik? I'm so tired of running around." She gave him her best puppy dog eyes which only made him roll his own.

"Gloria, can my lovely Lucy stay here with you? Apparently she grows weary of my company." Lucy opened her mouth to argue then his teasing tone registered.

Gloria came over to the bar. "It's fine with me, as long as she's willing to work. No freeloaders here."

"That sounds wonderful actually," Lucy agreed, anxious for a bit of normalcy.

"All right, love. I'll see you later." Her eyes followed them until they walked out the door.

"He seems to really care for you," Gloria said, a touch of wonder in her tone. "How long have the two of you been together?"

"I..." Lucy's voice trailed off as she tried to remember. "I don't remember. Isn't that odd?"

The witch frowned. "Odd indeed."

***

Once the bar was open it didn't take long for it to fill and Lucy was happy running around helping out where she could. It was nice to feel like she was accomplishing something for once. She was chatting with a table as she delivered their drinks when she heard a familiar voice.

"Gloria, damn. If I knew you were going to age like this, I would have stuck around."

She turned and glanced behind her to see Damon striding across the bar. A grin split her face. It was so nice to see someone from home. And oddly, she found that she missed the elder Salvatore. "Damon!"

He spun at her shout, a look of pure surprise on his face. Tears welled in his eyes as he moved people out of the way to get to her. His arms wrapped around her and he squeezed her tightly against his chest. Lucy returned the gesture just enjoying the feeling of being held by him.

When he finally pulled away he cupped her face in his hands. "Jesus, Lucy. I've missed you so much." He looked around frantically. "Where's Stefan and Klaus?"

She shrugged. "Taking care of some things. How have you been? I've missed you."

He flashed his famous smirk. "You have?"

"Of course." She reached out and took his hand before pulling him over to the bar. They perched on a couple of the stools.

He seemed reluctant to release her hand so she let him keep hold of it. It wasn't like it would hurt anything. Besides, Nik wasn't here right now anyway.

Gloria stepped over and looked between the two of them. "I take it you two know each other." Amusement colored her words. She turned to Lucy. "How long have you known this one for?"

"Fifteen months, give or take a few days," answered Damon before Lucy had a chance to.

Gloria studied him as she slid him a glass of bourbon. "That's oddly specific for two people who are just friends."

"Isn't it though?" His tone was caustic.

Lucy frowned at Damon's bitter smile. She wished there was something she could do to make him feel better. She didn't like when he was upset.

He downed his drink then turned to her. "Listen, Lucy. There are some things I need to do but I'll be back later, okay?"

She smiled. "Sure. Do you want me to tell Stefan you're here?"

"No, don't do that. I want to surprise him."

She nodded not liking the desperate note to Damon's voice. He stood and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. He glanced at Gloria. "Take care of my girl."

He was gone leaving Lucy frowning after him before she could protest that she wasn't his girl.

***

"There's my Lucy," Nik exclaimed joyfully as he and Stefan returned to the bar. Gloria had been watching Lucy intently since Damon left and she now shifted a portion of that to Nik. It made Lucy uneasy but she made a point not to go around irritating witches if she could help it.

She sat on the stool beside Nik nursing a beer as she watched him and Stefan bond. It was...boring. She sighed at yet another story from Nik about the good ole days and took a long pull from her beer.

It wasn't until Stefan left and Damon took his seat that she became interested again. Nik glanced at the Salvatore then looked over at her. "Do me a favor and run along, Lucy. I need to have a word with your friend here."

She started to protest but knew the only thing she would accomplish was pissing Nik off. She rolled her eyes and moved to the other side of the bar. That didn't keep her from listening in.

Nik gave a low chuckle. "She's a handful that one. You must miss her."

"You could always give her back. Stefan too. We could all get out of your hair," Damon suggested.

Lucy frowned. They made it sound like Nik had taken her from Damon but she'd remember that. Wouldn't she?

"Sorry, mate. I'm afraid I've grown rather fond of her. I have to say you're persistent though. You don't give up, do you?"

"Give me Lucy and Stefan back and you'll never have to see me again."

"Well, I am torn. You see, I promised Stefan I wouldn't let you die but how many freebies did I really sign up for? And clearly you want to die or you wouldn't be here," Nik said as casually as he'd discuss the weather.

Lucy's chest went tight and she didn't bother trying to hide that she was watching now. She couldn't let Nik kill Damon. She just couldn't. Even as she had the thought, Nik grabbed Damon by the throat and lifted him into the air.

"Nik, stop it!" Lucy yelled as she hurried over.

He ignored her and jabbed the toothpick end of a cocktail umbrella into Damon's chest.

"Stop it," she yelled again and grabbed at his arm.

Nik growled and shoved her away. "Not now," he snarled. She crashed through a table and groaned.

Lucy pushed herself to a sitting position and slid back against the wall. Relief flashed through Damon's eyes when they met hers. It was short lived however because Nik launched him through the air next. Thick tears rolled down Lucy's cheeks and she sucked in a breath, ready to scream as Nik broke the leg off a chair and prepared to stake Damon.

The stake went up in flames and Lucy's gaze darted over to the all but forgotten witch.

"Really?" Nik said.

"Not in my bar," Gloria snapped. "Take it outside."

"Nice job, Klaus," Damon grunted from his spot on the floor. "Do you hurt all the women in your life or is Lucy just special?"

Lucy could see the moment realization set into the hybrid, the moment he realized what he'd done. His head snapped in her direction and his eyes looked her over for any injury. He was in front of her in a moment. Damon forgotten on the floor behind him.

Nik reached a hand toward her face and she flinched away. "Don't."

"Lucy, please," Nik pleaded. "I didn't mean it."

Her eyes met his. "What did Damon mean when he said you could give me back?"

The hybrid tilted his head. "Nothing. He's just upset I took you with me when I left Mystic Falls."

"You're lying."

"Lucy." He reached for her again.

Once more, she flinched and shifted away from him. "No. You don't get to touch me right now." She got to her feet and ran to the door before he had time to process what she was doing. She just needed some time to think.

"Lucy," he called, stopping her at the door.

She looked back at him to see a tear running down his cheek.

"Please."

She wasn't certain what he was asking for and in that moment she didn't care. She threw open the door and disappeared into the night.