The Past is but Bittersweet..

Katherine walked in. " I am sorry you didn't meet my brother he was suppose to be with me in the carriage. However there was a certain someone who was jealous would not allow him to." Rebekah sighed taking a champagne glass with a smile. Katherine looked into the stunning ballroom. " I do not mind. I enjoyed the carriage with you."

" Even if it was just the two of us.' She tilted her chin up gazing at her holding her glass and looked at Katherine hardly able to look her in the eyes. She sighed. " Katerina you are a terrible liar. A bit of advice if you're going to lie to an Original, do it with your eyes. But I suppose in your case you do it with your words and lips. You'll learn especially when you meet. Kol." Rebekah spotted him. " Excuse me just for a moment. I need to get the host to come greet you." Rebekah said leaving across the room picking up her dress.

Katherine smiled as people passed not certain what to do with a gathering party such as this that did not formally introduced its guests by a butler. So she stood swinging her hips a bit smiling in hopes Rebekah would return soon. Her instincts being heighten now that she was a vampire was warning her that Rebekah hadn't invite her to a normal party. It seemed there were few in the room aware that when she had noticed started smiling while gazing from afar.

One of the men sat at one of the white table cloth tables. Two ladies with fans near an alcove were smirking. Then she glanced over to her left far away to notice a handsome gentleman with a lady trying to grab his attention. But being bored with her he sipped his glass of champagne. Katherine tried to see over the shoulders of people she noticed started to suddenly crowd around her that were not there before. Across from her she felt an odd sensation in the air. For a second she thought had to been a witch. She turned her head moving trying to see where Rebekah might have gone. That's when she noticed a man she felt uneasy coming towards her until that handsome man she remembered stepped in front of her. Her eyes lit up recognizing him instantly.

" Hello. You seem to be new here. Are you with someone I know?"
Rebekah walked up quickly. " She is with me."
Kol turned to her. " Hello sister." He smiled.
" Why haven't you introduce me to this lovely mademoiselle, yet."
" I would have if you had not try to escape from me coming to get you."
" Were you? I hadn't notice. For I was not escaping you sister but Lady Angelina." Rebekah frowned at him whispering as softly she could in a growl " If you don't like her then why turn her or.." then cleared her throat remembering she still wanted to introduce someone to him. He whispered heatedly back still smiling. " Her father is a wolf dear sister. I cannot just ' he nodded his head so she knew what he was referring to. Rebekah sighed heavily. And lecturing him would only ruin her careful plan. Katherine watched the two trying to hide their bickering.

Rebekah smiled and turned back towards Katherine.

" May I introduce my brother the host of tonight's party. Lord Mikaelson." She smiled. Finally glad to have introduced them.
" I am Kol Mikaelson." He held out his hand to grasp her's awaiting him.
"And you are, darling?" He waited for a response.
" Katerina Petrova, my lord. We met before. Do you not remember me? "
" We have never met. But I am sure if we had I would have not forgotten such a lovely creature such as you, darling." He kissed her hand still holding onto it. Let go when Rebekah noticed with a smile behind her glass.
" She goes by the name Katherine Pierce is what she told me."
" Petrova. Ah I see.' He nod his head at his sister. She smiled at him for understanding." So you are hiding from my brother as well as my sister is. Well then Lady Katherine.' he bowed almost quite dramatically she thought as she giggled and he smiled at her for it. " Welcome to my home. Anyone who is hiding from him is welcomed to my abode."
" Why thank you my lord." Katherine curtsy.

Kol grabbed two champagne glasses. " A toast to my sister's new friend. For she is picky when it comes to females."
Rebekah scolded. “I am not.”
Kol smiled ignoring his sister's comment. Rebekah pouted for a second then stopped. She turned to one of the waiters grabbing a glass of champagne for Katherine for his toast. “To you Lady Katherine.”
Rebekah held her glass up, others started doing the same when they noticed the Originals doing it. “I'm flattered my lord. But isn't it someone's day of birth today. Should we not toast to him.”
He whispered in her ear. “ Oh but we will, later when night comes we will celebrate.” Katherine giggled. Kol smirked at her.
Rebekah smiled feeling her plan was working she left the two alone and went to find her lover. And then she thought of something and went to get Frances.

“Lady Katherine may I have this dance.” Kol bowed holding his hand out. Katherine smiled at him amused at his gentry act.
Katherine was about to take Kol's hand until he saw Frances walk up to him. “ I think the honor should be mine my dear friend.” Kol pulled back his hand. “Of course you are the guest of honor Frances.”
“ Surly I'm not the guest of honor. It is not my day of birth Kol.”
“ That's right it's mine so that means I should have the honor of the first dance.” He said smiling again.
A dark haired woman with short hair walked up. “And I believe you owe me a dance Lord Mikaelson.” She grasped onto his arm.
Kol wanted to roll his eyes when he heard that voice had found him.
“Ah Angelina. How nice of you to join us.' he sighed. “May I introduce to you Lady Katherine.”
“ Pleasure.” she smiled thinly at Katherine. “I am Lady Angelina.” she held out her hand. But Katherine instead of taking it curtsy and said. “No the pleasure should be mine.” Then she stood back up. “ I'm sorry Lady Angelina I didn't mean to steal the host's attention from you.”
Kol smiled wanting to laugh if it hadn't been the fact Rebekah elbowed him in the stomach when she returned with her date.
“Ah you've come back sister. How we missed you.” he said trying not to sound sarcastic.
“ The orchestra is waiting to play Kol. Should you not start the dance as the host responsibility.”
“It's not my responsibility during the day dear sister.”
She smiled at him. “Kol.”
“I'm leaving.” he said not happy to do so.

Katherine turned her head to whisper to Rebekah. “He doesn't remember me. Why is that?”
“Perhaps Nik compelled him to forget meeting you when you released him from his coffin.”
“ He would do that?”
“If its necessary for whatever reason. Nik would.”

Then Frances turned to her hearing the music start to play. The others began to set themselves in rows to dance with their partners. Kol waited until it was his turn to dance with Katherine. “Rather boring isn't it having to dance like puppets waiting in line. Like were in some musical box.” he said looking at her.
“ Do you prefer not being a puppet Lord Mikaelson.”
“ It's Kol. Lady Katherine. And no I do not.”
“ Well I find one must play a role if it is necessary to fit into society.”
He rolled his eyes not pleased with this answer. Then he heard her say. “But that does not mean one cannot play other games under the guise of others eyes.” She looked up at him with tilt of her lips in a tease.
“ You are not what I imagine when my sister said she had a friend to introduce me too.” he said gazing at her.
“ I am not. Well I would like to think I am not of the ordinary.”
“ Do you play games behind closed doors, darling.”
“ Lord Mikaelson. I am a lady. We do not speak of what is discussed behind closed doors.”
“ So you do then.”
Katherine lifted her hands to her lips “Shh. A lady does not tell her secrets.” He laughed at her. The song ended. He took her hand in his. “Again, darling, it's Kol' he kissed back of her hand”, not Lord Mikaelson. I'm not like my other brothers.” Then as he passed her. “You will see that in time I'm sure. Perhaps behind closed doors.”
Katherine turned around to watch him walk away. Stunned. She touched her lips smiling. Then she noticed Rebekah smiling at her from afar. She looked away and then back again. Katherine licked pressing her lips together getting her composure back into control then picked up her skirts walking towards her near one of the white table cloths.

“ You were dancing with my brother.”
“ It's a dance of course I danced with him.”
“Yes but he did not have to kiss your hand, again.” she smiled.
Katherine looked away then was going to speak until Rebekah asked.
“Do you like Kol? Lady Katherine.”
“ Perhaps. He is charming. I expect a bit naughty.”
“ It is a shame though that he is taken.”
“He is? He didn't seem to be when he spoke to me.”
“That is because Lady Angelina is a wolf and will not let my brother go.” she said frowning at Lady Angelina standing next to her brother. Then still frowning she turned to look at Katherine shocked to hear the news.
“ Rebekah your not suggesting.”
“ I told you I needed your help. Unlike last time.”
“ Could he not just let her go.”
“ No. He impulsively turned her. So she is sired to him I suppose.”
“ You suppose.”
“ That or she's obsessed with him. I'm not really certain. But I don't like her.” he fanned herself.
“ I hadn't noticed.” Katherine lifted her eyes at Rebekah sarcastically.
“ Don't tell me you like her. I saw how you greeted her. Which did amuse Kol.” she turned teasing her.
“ Rebekah. What you are suggesting.”
“ Are you not my friend?” Rebekah asked.
Katherine not knowing how to answer turned her head. Seeing two men staring at her. “Am I wrong or is there other vampires here? And a witch.” Rebekah sighed at the change of subject. “Your not wrong. Kol's idea of a party is different from others.”
Then she started walking away towards the alcove. “If your worried then we can talk at the alcoves. Near the balcony. I feel a bit of fresh air. Shall we.” Katherine followed her to the balcony.

They stood at the balcony staring off at the sights of Paris. Hearing the music play louder. They begin to talk.

“ Not to be blunt Rebekah. Why are you hiding from your brother?”
Rebekah sighed then flounced her dress. Well since we are friends now. I suppose I could tell you.' she sighed. “Nik isn't one to take rejection lightly especially when one chooses outside their own family.” Both of them gazed out.
“Did he kill your last lover?” she looked at her.
“Why would you ask? Did he do that to you Katerina?”
“ It would not be the first time for me Rebekah.”
“ I see he did the same to you then. Mine was a hunter. We were going to marry.”
“ Niklaus found out.”
Rebekah nodded her head. “My lover he put a dagger in all of us. The dagger did not work on him. So he cut off his tongue and stabbed him with a sword through the wall.”
Katherine looked away when she saw Rebekah wipe her eyes on her handkerchief. “ I'm sorry for your loss.”
Rebekah tried to smile. “ And yours?”
“Which one? There were so many I lost count.” She looked at her. For some reason they laughed instead of cried together. Then sighed.
“ At least Kol is an Original. Killing him would only piss him off.” Rebekah said her hand to her face.
The two of them laughed even more.

The same Original they were laughing over showed up opening the curtain holding two champagne glasses in his hands. “What is so funny? That has you two in such a fit of giggles.”
“ Nothing brother. Woman's talk.” she smiled at Katherine. Then she noticed her brother smiling at her. And the couple champagne glasses he held. She got the signal and left the alcove.
“ Why did you send your sister away. We were talking.”
“ Yes but it is my day of birth. I should be granted at least one request.” He said.

" I'm sorry darling. I had to pretend not to know you. The room was watching." He kissed her on the cheek.
" So you do remember me?"
" I said it before and I will say it again. How could I ever forget such a lovely creature as you. "
"Then why pretend? Not like you to care if people know you knew me."
"Usually I don't but because darling, Angelina is not a tempered wolf. She would bite you if she knew we met before and few of her friends were watching."
" Does her bite have venom in it."
"I do not know. I do not allow her to bite me. So I do not know if I did properly turn her."
"What makes this less dangerous now from before?"
"I asked a favor from a witch in the room to cast a spell on everyone inside the ballroom dancing during the song."
" Then shall I give you a proper kiss since it is your day of birth."
" No,no darling. A kiss is given when one apologizes for it speaks in words that could not be spoken within a thousand letters. A kiss to thank someone is pointless for there are other ways to show gratitude."
He gave her glass of champagne. " Then does that mean you owe me one." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
" Do I?" He smiled pleased. "Then I shall my Lady Katherine." Holding onto the glasses he leaned in to kiss her on the lips. She placed a hand on his cheek as they kissed. He wrapped his arm around her with the glass in his hand kissing her to show how sorry he was for pretending not to know her. He felt annoyed that he had to so he set the glasses on the balcony and holding onto her chin he placed his hands on her face deepening the kiss. Katherine sighed then gasped.
"Should we not tell your sister we met before, in Asia." She sat on the balcony. He leaned against it sipping champagne.
" And spoil my sister's match making plan. You know I do not do love Katherine. Let her have her fun, while we have are's, my Lady." He kissed her hand.
"This is much more fun."
"I knew you would see this my way." He handed her the drink. She took a sip leaning against his shoulder blade and laughed.
"How is Pearl? And her daughter?"
"They are both fine. I am expecting a letter from her soon."
"That is good. I guess you are hoping that they have good news for you."
"Yes. Hopefully very good news."
"I am a bit thirsty. Shall we." He takes her hand as she gracefully lands.
"A dark haired beauty or shall it be a dark haired handsome one for you." he whispered in her ear holding her hand up while they walked back to the ballroom. He opened the curtains.
" Surprise me. Kol." She turned to look at his face near hers.
He lifted his eyebrows. "Then I shall."he said suggestive tone. She slipped her arm around his. Then let go when they entered the ballroom walking opposite direction to later appear in the same room with him behind closed doors. The two of them drinking the lives of two strangers.