YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE.

Klaus and Stefan were in a clothing store, out of their damn minds as they drank champagne, waiting for Rebekah, who was trying on clothes. And Clementine was having a fashion show of her own, knowing she'd never be able to afford such nice clothes. It didn't hurt to try them on, though.

"There has to be more to this dress," Rebekah called from the fitting room.

"There's not," Klaus said, not even having to see it.

"I wish there was less of my dress," Clementine said, stepping out in a short, blue sundress. Part of her thought Enzo might like it, but then she frowned, remembering he wasn't around.

Rebekah soon came out as well in a short black dress with polka dots on it, a displeased look on her face. "So women in the 21st century dress like prostitutes, then. You know, I got dirty looks for wearing trousers."

"You wore trousers so women today could wear nothing," Klaus smirked, subtly eying Clem in her dress.

"And what is this music? It sounds like a cable car accident," Rebekah complained.

"It's dance music," Stefan told her.

"People dance to this?" she asked with a frown.

Clementine grinned and grabbed Rebekah's hand, beginning to move to the music. "C'mon, Bekah. Loosen up. You're free!"

Rebekah fought off a smile, but there was something calming about the human, so she copied her moves and moved to the music, much to Klaus' annoyance.

"Are we done?" he asked.

"And why are you so grumpy?" his sister asked.

"I needed one thing from you for my witch to find out why my hybrids are dying, one thing. Your necklace. And you lost it. And all Clem knows is that it's going to be stolen soon."

"I didn't lose it. It's just been missing for ninety years," she shrugged before looking at Stefan, gesturing to the dress. "So what do you think?"

"I like it," he said indifferently, clearly not meaning his words. Rebekah shot him a withering look. "What? I said I like it."

"I can always tell when you're lying, Stefan," she said before disappearing into the fitting room again.

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Nice one. Good work."

"You're the one that pulled the dagger out of her," Stefan muttered.

"I heard that!" Rebekah snapped.

"All right. I'm going to get some fresh air," Stefan said, getting up from his chair and leaving.

Klaus poured some more champagne and held it out to Clem, who shook her head, denying the drink. Then she looked back at her reflection in the mirror.

"What do ya think, Nik?" she asked, trying out the nickname.

Klaus' eyes raked down her form, and she suddenly felt shy. "I think I'd like it to be shorter too."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, it cost about a whole month's paycheck, so it's going back on the rack," she decided, moving back toward the dressing room.

But Klaus caught her wrist, a gentle look in his eye. "Let me buy it for you, love. As a thank you for all you've done. Besides, you must be tired of wearing my clothes."

"You don't have to thank me, Nik," she said softly. Then she smiled. "And the big bad hybrid is quite fashionable with all his henley shirts."

"C'mon, love," he said, moving closer. "Pick out anything you'd like."

As someone that'd grown up with very little money — and still had very little money — she couldn't help but blush at the offer. "Okay," she said quietly, and Klaus adored the blush on her cheeks. "Thank you, Nik."

Then she surprised them both by kissing him on the cheek before scurrying back into the fitting room, hiding away from him and the consequences of her actions.

☽︎

Clementine was fiddling with her fingers anxiously as Gloria searched for Rebekah's necklace. Of course, Clem could just tell them that Elena had it, but the last thing she wanted was for them to open any kind of communication channel for Esther.

Stefan entered after his little rendezvous with Katherine, looking at all the candles lying around. Rebekah pouted at him.

"You left us," she stated sadly.

"Yeah, sorry. Retail therapy was making my head explode," he complained.

"Tell me about it," Klaus groaned, earning an elbow from Clem, who he just smiled at. Rebekah raised a curious eyebrow, knowing that anyone else who acted so casual with Klaus would get their heart ripped out.

"What's she doing?" Stefan asked, looking at Gloria.

"She's failing," Klaus huffed impatiently.

"It's hard to find something when you don't have anything to go on," she shot back.

"So use me. I only wore it for a thousand years," Rebekah volunteered.

"See? Now this one offers a solution."

Rebekah sat on the table and gave Gloria her hand. And each second that passed made Stefan nervous — he was the one to steal and give away the necklace, after all. He was scared of Rebekah hurting Elena.

"I can sense something," Gloria said before casting a spell. She opened her eyes, a peculiar glint in them. "I found it."

Rebekah removed her hand and raised an eyebrow. "So where is it?"

Gloria shook her head. "It doesn't work like that, doll. I get images. There's a girl with her friends—"

"Yes, a dead girl with dead friends, if I don't get my necklace back," Rebekah seethed, confirming Stefan's fears.

"Well, I'll have to dive back in to get the details," she told them.

"So dive," Klaus ordered.

"I need more time," she said stubbornly. Klaus walked over and leaned over the table she was seated at threateningly. "And space. You're harshing my ju-ju."

"We can wait," he said stubbornly.

"I'm sure you can. But that's not what I asked," she said, just as stubborn.

"Hey. Hey, you know, why don't we just come back later?" Stefan asked, not wanting them to be around when Gloria found out it was Elena anyway. "I'm hungry anyway. I'll let you pick who we eat."

"You guys go ahead," Clementine said, speaking for the first time. She kept her eyes on Gloria. "I need help with something."

"Why didn't you ask me, love?" Klaus questioned with a frown.

She smiled, surprised he'd want to help her at all. "I need someone to find Enzo. A witch is my best bet."

Klaus' face fell a bit at the mention of the other man but he quickly covered it up. "Ah, well, I have vampires planted all over the planet. I don't mind them looking for him for you. It's my fault he scurried off anyway."

"Thank you, Nik," she said, managing a smile. "But I'll still stay here."

He nodded in understanding before leaving with his sister and Stefan. Gloria eyed the supposed Seer with interest, wondering how she got mixed up with Klaus in the first place.

"Who's this Enzo?" she asked.

Clementine slipped the ring off her finger, placing it on the table. "The vampire that gave me this. I just need to know where he is. To know he's safe."

After a moment, Gloria nodded and took the ring. She shut her eyes and muttered a spell, it lasting for a minute. And when she finished, she had an answer.

"Seems he's in New Orleans," she said while sliding the ring back to her. "Simpler than finding that necklace."

"And would sending him a message be simple?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'd need more than a ring. Were you close enough to him?" she questioned.

"Very close."

"Then give me your hand," she requested.

Clementine hesitated, knowing what she was risking. But she needed to see Enzo again. "Tell him Clementine is alive. That she's gonna be waiting for him in Mystic Falls."

Then she placed her hand in Gloria's, who didn't notice anything at first. But then she began to channel Clem, reaching out to Enzo with her — it was when she felt the connection to their souls.

After delivering the cryptic message that was ringing in Enzo's head, Gloria pulled back from Clem with a gasp, her eyes going wide.

"You're not supposed to be here," she muttered, slowly standing.

Clementine began to back away, feeling a bit threatened. "But I am here."

"That's why Klaus is keeping you around," Gloria said, narrowing her eyes. "You've got a soul bond with that abomination and his brothers."

"He is not an abomination!" she spat, feeling a need to defend Klaus. She didn't have time to process what Gloria told her. "Now, thank you for your service, but I'll be going."

"I don't think so."

☽

︎

When Clementine woke, she was strapped to a table in the empty and dark bar. Gloria was hovering over Clem, rubbing some kind of red powder on her hands.

"I'm impressed," Gloria said. "Having so many soul bonds makes you practically immortal until you meet them all. But with enough power, I can send you back to where you belong."

"Stefan will kill you," she threatened. "Klaus too."

"And it'll be worth it," she said lowly. "Soul bonds are rare for a reason — they're too powerful. If Klaus were to complete the bond... his power would know no bounds."

Clem scrunched her face up. "What do you mean? Complete the bond?"

"Don't you worry about it, child," she said, shaking her head. Then she pulled out a long knife. "You won't be here much longer to ask such questions."

Gloria came closer and dragged the tip of the knife along her collarbone. She winced as Gloria cut into her skin, drawing blood. Then she began carving sigils into Clementine's skin with the intent of sending her back home with a very powerful spell.

"Stop," Clem begged as Gloria began carving on her thighs. She was choking on a sob from the pain she was in, feeling lightheaded from blood loss. "Please, stop this! Why are you doing this?"

"Because someone has to," Gloria said, dipping her thumb in Clementine's blood before smearing it on Clem's forehead. Then she began muttering in Latin, an odd feeling overcoming Clementine.

She didn't feel like she was completely in her body. And it hurt, like her soul was being ripped apart.

Thankfully, before more damage could be done, Klaus rushed into the bar. He'd already been on the way, thinking that Clem was gone far too long. But when his chest began to ache and burn, he sped to the bar, seeing the horrific scene before him.

Gloria's eyes snapped open, but before she could utter a spell to stop him, Klaus was on her, snapping her neck. Then he hovered over Clementine, his eyes wide as he got rid of the restraints.

"What was she doing to you?" he asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I don't know," she lied, shaking her head. "She just - just knocked me out. I don't know."

Seeing her injuries, Klaus quickly bit into his wrist and brought it to her mouth. As Clem drank his blood, he ran his fingers through her tangled hair comfortingly.

"There you go," he said softly. "I've got you."

Once she was fully healed, she collapsed against his chest, crying heavily as she realized she almost died permanently that time.

"Nik," she said in a small voice, sniffling a bit. "I hate Chicago."

"I'm beginning to hate it as well, love."

☽︎

Clementine leaned her head weakly against Klaus' chest as he carried her into the warehouse, walking quickly. Rebekah was already there with Stefan.

"Gloria's dead. She was getting a bit too friendly with my Little Seer," Klaus muttered, still angry about the condition he found Clementine in. He gently set her on a crate and pushed her hair behind her ears, studying her blood-covered face. But finally, he looked away and noticed the suspicious look on Rebekah's face.

"What's going on?"

"Something's wrong," Rebekah said warily. "He was asking about Mikael. He's not with us, Nik. I can sense it."

Stefan shook his head. "She's wrong. Klaus—"

But it was too late as Klaus rushed to snap Stefan's neck. And then he turned to Clem, who smacked her head.

"Why do I keep forgetting that," she muttered.

"What do you know of Mikael?" Klaus asked, prepared to kill her, all the sympathy he felt earlier long gone.

However, Clementine grinned goofily at him. "Your dad's dead."

"I beg your fucking pardon?"

☽︎

Kai looked up from the magazine he'd read a hundred times before, looking at Clem as she appeared at the ice cream parlor on the hard ground, her head twisted at an odd angle. But a moment later, she was waking up.

"Damn," Kai said, shaking his head. "People really like killing you, huh?"

Clementine sat up on her elbows, a pout on her face. "Don't I know it."