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"But I can give it back!" I grin.

After my big revelation, Kol decided to stop in the nearest motel and after compelling a room we got inside and he immediately turned to me. "You can give me my magic back?"

"I could've answered that in the car. This was just some wasteful ten minutes." I mutter and when he sends me a look I clear my throat, "Yes I can."

"How? You better not be jesting darling, cause my patience is as short as the amount of time it would take to drain you of your precious golden blood." He says and I give him a blank look. Is he for real?

"Look, darling, I do not jest. I know how magic is important to you so if you don't mind dial down the death threats before I let loose the hellhounds." I say and he looks at the floor guiltily and then looks up at me with a grin.

"You can really give me my magic back?"

"I'm a Goddess," I say as if it explains everything. "I gave Vina her powers back after slicing the relationship between the bitches and their ancestors. I can do the same to you. Make you vampy witchy hybrid. I just forgot..."

"How does it work? Do we need a ritual or something?" He asks. He's getting really excited and all giddy. He's the cutest.

"First of all," I start as I sit on a bed and he proceeds to sit on the one in front of me, "I wouldn't be giving you your magic back. It will be a different kind. With no link to nature or grandma witches. It'll come from within you. It's core magic, per se."

"Ok..." he says after my explanation.

"And no there's no need for a ritual or all the juju mumbo jumbo extra crap witches need to do. No Phesmatos or shit." I say.

"Then how?" He asks confused and amused by my statement.

"Well, I don't really know how to explain." I shrug then think of Kol with magic and then grin at him, "Try it."

"What?"

"Try to levitate something. Just imagine it and try. But focus." I say and he nods with a frown and a few moments later I feel myself getting a lift off the bed and carried through thin air to sit next to him.

"Just like that?" He asks and I grin.

"Just like that." I smile, "This magic comes purely out of your imagination. It is advised to use spells in order to control it better because if you're not fully focused and aware of what you're trying to do it can go berserk."

"I don't know how to thank you, darling." He says and I smile at him shaking my head.

"You don't need to. Magic is a part of you. You should have it."

"I just want us to be even. You gave me my freedom and magic." He says and I feel my heart skip a beat at the former sentence that when said not in a murderous way makes your heart flutter. Well, in a murderous way is hot. But...

"We are even. You did agree to spend nine days on the road with me." I smile at him then I get an idea and gasp clapping my hands, "You know, we could take a day off, today and I could show you the best ways to use this type of magic! Unless you don't want to that is."

"Of course I want to, Alma. One more day isn't at all a bad idea. Besides I need to re-learn everything." He says and I squeal and hug him. He was frozen at first but soon his arms wrapped around my waist and his head in my neck. We stayed there for a while until I pulled apart and we spent the rest of the afternoon doing magic. So much so, that our feet didn't touch the ground once. Literally. We were levitating ourselves through the day.

By the end of the day, we were exhausted so we fell asleep pretty quickly. That night I just slept. No freaky but awesome dreams or visits to the Underworld. Just good old sleep. The next morning or afternoon, as we shall call it as both of us, woke up at two o'clock in the afternoon we packed our unpacked things and went to the car after we ate breakfast at an empty dinner, allowing Kol to have the waitress. I do not pity her. She was a bitch anyway. Glaring at me for being ten times more gorgeous than she was. At least I think that was the problem. Eh. Who cares?

After breakfast, we got in the car but instead of driving Kol tried a new thing and spelled the car to drive on its own and take us to Oregon without a hitch. It actually worked pretty well so we pent that day's drive talking and playing car games (which Kol loved). We didn't have lunch because technically our breakfast was our lunch. So we stopped in another motel had dinner slept and went off to the road again.

This was pretty much our routine for the next few days. And I must tell you I had the most fun I have had in a long time. Kol also ended up murdering an entire bar of (bad-ish) people for the fun of it and I just watched him from atop of the counter thinking how hot he looked with blood dripping from his chin. I did convince him to let some people who looked decent go so he didn't actually murder everyone.

On the third day or so - I honestly lost count - we stopped in Chicago and decided to spent there the whole weekend and to take a few extra days more. We were walking inside a random bar in the center of the city and guess who we ran into?

"SEXY LEXI!" I scream as I throw myself in the arms of the pretty blond vampire who's just awesome and loves Bon Jovi.

"ELLIE?!" She screeches as we pull away, "What are you doing here? Is Stefan with you?"

"No, Stefanie is in Mystic. I'm on my way to Oregon but decided to spent here the weekend with Kol," I say and then turn to an awkward (who would've thought) standing Kol, I grab his hands and pull him to my side, "Kol this is Lexi, Lexi this is Kol."

"Pleasure to meet you," Kol smirks, back to his own self. Thank God! Awkward Kol is just... awkward.

"Nice to meet you too." Lexi grins, "Lee is getting us drinks. Do you want to join us in a booth?"

"Of course!" I grin and she leads us to a table and Kol excuses himself saying he'll just get us some drinks leaving Lex and me to catch up.

"Is the handsomely hot British vampire you're boyfriend, Ellie?" She asks and I shake my head.

"No. He's just... Kol."

"I think he likes you," Lexi says off-handily and I give her a thoughtful look.

"People have been saying that lately. I don't get why Kol Mikaelson would fall for me though. Apart from my looks that is. But everyone falls for those." I say with a sigh and she laughs, "Don't laugh Lex. It's not funny. I bet you were enthralled by me too."

"True indeed, Ellie dear." She grins, "Your hair is different." She points out referring to my at the moment wavy shoulder-length hair.

"Why yes, it is indeed. I thought I was in for a change." I say and she nods in agreement. After that in came Lee and Kol and we spent the night talking, dancing and drinking and had a lot of fun. I don't get why Stefan doesn't get together with Lexi more times. She would slowly but surely strip him of his broody self and let his Ripper loose without the need for blood. When we got to the hotel we were exhausted but still put on a movie and sat on the couch watching Friends. I introduced Kol to the show in one of the days on the road and he loves it now. I think. Or he's just watching it for my sake. Either way, it's sweet. I lay my head on his shoulder as I feel my eyes droop from tiredness.

"I really am liking this trip." I mumble, "The others were crazy if they thought it would be hell."

"I'm too enjoying it. And honestly, I much prefer the journey without their company." He says and I snort.

"Come on. My friends are not that bad." I say.

"I never said they were." He whispers back and I hum in agreement and eventually fall asleep. I felt myself being picked up from the couch and Kol carrying me to my bedroom and Laying me on the bed. I don't know if it was the alcohol in my system or the sleepiness but I grabbed his hand as he was walking out.

"Would you mind staying?" I ask quietly looking up at him. He looks at me and smiles.

"Not at all, darling." He whispers and gets in bed as I snuggle to his side and he wraps his arm around me. That was how we woke up the next morning and after much embarrassment and awkwardness on my part while Kol was just smirking and mocking me we got on the car to get back on our path to Oregon.

However, before we got there we made a final important stop that needs to be told. We talked. *Shudder*. A talk about feelings and all that mushy stuff. Not a romantic-wise talk but rather a really emotional me-breaking-down talk. Here's how it went.

We just had a few (lots of) drinks and were laying in the bed of the motel looking at the ceiling when suddenly Kol says, "Can you tell me about the other universe?"

"There's not really much to tell. It's pretty much the same minus supernatural crap." I say shrugging it off.

"I meant of your family."

"I told you I don't like to talk about it."

"Why not?" He asks rotating so he was facing me, with his arm tucked under his head. I, however, continue to look at the ceiling. Look there's a spot there. It must be cleaned. But then again it would look kind of stupid to mop the ceiling. Right? "Alma?"

"I just don't," I say and proceed to watch the ceiling.

"You miss them." He states.

"I died," I say as if that's a valid counterargument. "I can't miss them."

"Why not, darling?" He asks and I turn to him.

"Nuh-hu. We're not doing this." I say shaking my head.

"Do what?"

"We're not talking about me and my feelings. I'll probably end up pulling an Elena and cry my eyes out and I don't do that. I don't cry nor do I talk about my feelings." I say.

He reaches for my face with one hand and puts a fallen piece of hair behind my ear, "You should, Alma. I told you once I wasn't going to pressure you. But I'm here. I'm a good listener and I sure as hell won't judge you if you cry."

"I can't... I can't talk about them, I can't miss them." I whisper.

"Why?"

"Because I died. But I moved on. I got a new family and they just lost a daughter." I whisper.

"That doesn't mean anything, darling. So what if they lost a daughter? You lost a family. You're allowed to mourn them too." He tells me and I look at his eyes biting my lip to prevent a sob from coming out. Then I sit up and hug my knees to my chest, burying my face in them. I feel Kol sit up beside me.

"I really miss them," I whisper hiding my tears away, "They were the best."

"Tell me about them."

"Well... I had two siblings. Both younger and brats." I say lifting my head and wiping my tears so I could face Kol, "My sister was amazing. A real pain in the ass sometimes but a great sister. She was really good with a skateboard too. My brother was really sweet but always grumpy. They were always fighting but their worlds revolved around each other. Kind of like Stefanie and Damon. My mom was the best I could ask for. And my dad was really funny and loved movies. I guess I get that from him. We loved each other and were really close, unlike some other families. But then me and my dad got hit by a car and I died. We were just on our way home. I think it was Friday night so we were probably having our pizza and movie night. It was sort of a tradition." As I finish my story Kol reaches for me and brushes a tear away. I didn't even know I was crying anymore.

"They sound like great people, Alma. I'm glad you had them." He says and I smile at him.

"You know, you're the first one to ever ask me about them. I never felt like I could miss them so I didn't even bother to share." I say and he smirks.

"I want to get to know you, darling. Your past is part of you too." He says and I smile slightly.

"Well, you should know that all of your doubts about your family are misplaced. They truly do love you. You are part of the Always and Forever even if you don't know it." I tell him and he smiles.

"Well, they sure have a way to show it." He mutters, "They are better though. I heard what you said to Elijah." He suddenly says.

"What?"

"About me and Finn. I could hear you from the coffin. I was aware of my surroundings. I believe Finn heard it too." He says and I open my mouth in realization and blush in embarrassment, "Thank you. For believing in me."

"Well, you're welcome. And for what it's worth you can be part of my 'Always and Forever'." I say and don't even realize the meaning behind my words - Kol does though, unknowingly to my oblivious ass, of course. "Now let's get over our sappy little moment and have some sleep. Emotions exhaust me." I say and then make my way to my own bed and tuck myself in only hearing a faint 'Good night, darling' before falling asleep.

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