Breathing ∞ Kol Mikaelson [1]

[28]

By the time Emma woke up the next day, it was well past noon. She wasn't surprised by the fact that she slept in for so long, after all, yesterday was... eventful. She also wasn't surprised with her aching muscles as she put in the effort to drag herself out of bed and get on with the day. A bed, which, was by now empty, unlike how it was when she finally fell asleep last night.

Looking towards her nightstand and at the alarm clock on it to check the time, it wasn't long before Emma's eyes fell upon a note leaning against it. As she picked it up, checking over the words in the unfamiliar handwriting, Emma couldn't help but chuckle. Thousand-year-old vampire and yet he runs away at the sound of her mother returning home. While imagining what that must've looked like was funny, ultimately Emma was grateful. She definitely didn't feel like explaining Kol's presence in her bed to her mother.

Luckily, by now her mother was probably also gone again, back at the hospital for another shift. As she got out of bed and started to get ready for the day, Emma debated on what she could do to pass the rest of it. She could be a normal high school senior and spend her Sunday afternoon doing homework, or... She could dive back into her father's journals and get more information that her mother was continuously unwilling to provide.

Honestly, the choice was clear. So before vacating her bedroom and moving to the kitchen to get something to eat, Emma pulled the door of her closet open, ready to grab the next journal from the stack and dive into the story which was actually her life. However, after a moment or so, she realized something was wrong.

By now, the journals were carefully organised in order and topic. And while the majority were still there, it was obvious some were missing. Including the one she was hoping to read today. She knew it was there yesterday. And considering Kol didn't really have reason to take her father's journals, nor did he know they were there, there was only one other possibility.

"For fuck's sake." Emma muttered angrily.

With the box of her father's research at her feet, Emma knocked on the large door of the mansion. After a long evaluation of where she could take her journals to keep her mother from snatching away any more of them, Emma came up with a simple solution; a place where she could be sure her mother couldn't and wouldn't look.

"I don't remember extending an invitation for a visit, love." Klaus' voice was the first thing Emma heard as he started speaking even before the door was fully open. He seemed annoyed.

"You didn't, but I'm here nonetheless." She announced with a teasing smile. "I won't take up much of your time, I just need to hide some things and I thought this would be a great place to do it." She explained, making Klaus' brows furrow as he glanced down at the box.

"And who's to say I won't become interested and snoop?" Klaus questioned with a smirk on his face as he leaned against the door.

"Then it's a good thing you're not the one I'm hiding it from. And be my guest, you'll probably get through them a lot faster and understand more. You can give me a CliffsNotes version." Emma said sarcastically, shaking her head at the failed attempt at teasing.

"Well, I am much too busy to help you navigate the world of witches and vampires, but alright. I'll hide your precious belongings in one of the guest bedrooms." Klaus caved in, swiftly picking up the box from the ground and placing it on a table on the other side of the door. If there was one unsaid thing that Emma could get from their interaction, it was that Klaus didn't want her to come inside.

"Thank you." She didn't prod at it. Whatever Klaus was hiding, Emma was pretty sure she could live with herself if she didn't know. "Is Rebekah home?" Although, she did want to make sure it wasn't a daggered sibling or something of the sort.

"No. You can find her at the Grill. Goodbye." Klaus announced, soon after closing the door in Emma's face before she could return the goodbye. With a shake of her head, Emma started to head back to her car. She knew better than to bother Klaus too much when he was like this.

So, she decided to go looking for her favourite Mikaelson instead. Not having heard from Rebekah since the Ball, Emma wanted to check in on the blonde after all that had happened in the last couple of days. And finding her wasn't too hard thanks to Klaus. The ride to the Grill didn't take up much of Emma's time, and when she arrived, it wasn't hard to see. Walking over, Emma watched as Rebekah was ditched by the Salvatore brothers for a game of darts.

"Well now I understand why I haven't heard from you lately. You're too busy organizing your next booty call." Emma teased as she appeared next to the blonde in the newly vacated seats. When she first appeared, a smile spread over Rebekah's face, by now it was gone, replaced with a glare.

"You know, one day you'll make a drunken bad choice, and I'll never let you live it down either." The Mikaelson threatened before waving over the bartender so she could order more drinks.

Emma couldn't help but laugh at the statement as she muttered to herself. "You might not have to wait long." Of course, whatever you mutter around a vampire, expect them to hear it.

"I'm sorry? What?" Rebekah's head snapped back to her in an instant, both surprised and eager to know more. "You slept with someone, and I only get to find out now?"

"It just happened last night, Bex. Don't feel slighted right away." Emma shook her head with a smile. She didn't feel hesitant in revealing the information to Rebekah, after all, she didn't plan on keeping it a secret anyways. Keeping such secrets could never end well.

"So while my mother is trying to murder me, you're enjoying sinful pleasures. What a true friend." Rebekah's tone was laced with sarcasm, but the teasing look on her face made it clear that she didn't really mind. Especially not considering she knew Emma had already helped last night.

"It happened after your mother tried to murder you." Emma pointed out, not even thinking it through.

"And how would you know that? Because unless it was with one of my... " And Emma's words turned out to be telling enough for Rebekah. At least she spared herself the awkward part of being unsure of how exactly to say it. "Bloody hell, do I dare ask which one?"

"Kol."

"Lord help us." Rebekah's face paled at the revelation, although she should have deducted it herself. She'd seen the signs, should have figured it would happen. "That is not only a bad decision in regard to taste. Emma, Kol is-" The blonde started to speak in a warning tone, but Emma turned to her soon after she started.

"Rebekah, before you go on a spiel about him not being good enough, or dangerous, or not the type to care about humans, I already know all of that." Emma interrupted with a reassuring tone. "I didn't profess my love for him, I just slept with him. Once. And I doubt it'll happen again. It meant nothing."

For a moment, Rebekah regarded her friend with a wary expression on her face. Emma didn't seem to be lying about her affections, or better said, lack of them, for her brother. But she knew Kol, and she knew how he could be. She didn't want to have him play with her friend solely because it was fun before ultimately hurting her in the end. However, at the same time, she knew Emma was more than capable of making her own decisions and handling herself. Even when it came to any of her brothers.

"If you say so. But if he ever does anything wrong, just come to me and I promise to hurt him... A lot." Rebekah announced, the threat making Emma burst out laughing. But she did nod her head in acceptance, choosing to focus more on how glad she was that Rebekah didn't get angry with her because of what happened. "Now come, I'm not done here yet." Rebekah announced soon after, picking up her drink and moving away from the bar as she headed back towards the Salvatores.

For a moment, Emma watched her go, one simple thought running through the brunette's mind. "How in the world did I become the drinking buddy of vampires? On a school night no less?" She asked herself. And then stood from her seat to join the trio.