Breathing ∞ Kol Mikaelson [1]

[75]

Had someone told Emma how she'd spend that morning in Rio, she probably would have been highly doubtful of it. And yet, here she was, sitting in the passenger seat of a rental car which was bring driven by Katherine Pierce. The doppelgänger had all but compelled Emma into a day out on the town together, insisting on some much needed shopping once she noticed how little luggage Emma had with her.

During the drive back to the house, Katherine had stirred the conversation towards something she was highly curious about. Having never met a siphoner before, Katherine's calculating mind was in need of some answers, not only to understand the situation better, but also to account for how much of a threat the Park could possibly be. However, Emma didn't shy away from giving the answers Katherine wanted. It wasn't a secret anymore, and Emma saw no reason to hide for the most part.

So as she gave an answer to Katherine's previous question, she was more than ready for the next one. Or so she thought.

"So why practise and make yourself stronger if you plan on turning into a vampire?" Katherine's question had Emma's eyes widening in surprise this time. But for a moment, as she added on, Katherine hadn't yet noticed the look on Emma's face. "You'll lose it again, witches always do."

For a few long moments, Emma remained silent, her mind now trying to wrap around what she'd just been asked. It wasn't the first time she was thinking about it, but it was the first time she'd have to put all of her messy thoughts into words. And for a moment she wasn't exactly sure how to do that.

The silence had Katherine's eyes turning away from the road for a moment so she could look at the brunette beside her. And then she finally noticed the expression. She didn't need to question it to know what was behind it. "You haven't had that talk yet." The words weren't a question, but rather a statement of understanding.

"I think he picked up on my stance on becoming a vampire while we were in Mystic Falls." Emma finally spoke, knowing that she wasn't bothering to hide that at the time. "Back then I was a hundred percent certain I never wanted to be one."

"Back then?" Katherine easily caught on to the specific word choices in Emma's explanation.

Emma started to elaborate further. "For six years I knew I was dying. I'm sick, and I knew it was bound to happen... I thought I'd made my peace with it." She said honestly. "Only when I was actually moments away from death did I realize that I'm not ready yet. I have things I want to do and places I want to see, people I want more time with."

"Kol." Once again, the single word wasn't a question, but rather a statement. Katherine was connecting the pieces on her own as she always could.

But Emma still had to add. "And Rebekah."

"You have somewhat questionable taste."

The comment had Emma laughing in amusement. She took no offence. Knowing that the history behind Katherine and the Mikaelsons was a tense one, Emma couldn't really fault the woman for disliking some of them after her own experience. As long as Emma wasn't dragged into the middle of it all, she'd let them all have their own opinions without trying to force her own on them.

"So you think you might want to become one?" Returning back to the topic, Katherine asked. She had to admit, it was a relief to see that while Kol and Emma may not have had the discussion between themselves, it wasn't the first time Emma was thinking about it.

She would have been rather disappointed to find out this seemingly intelligent girl she'd heard so much about turned out to be just as stupid and naive as Elena had been. Clinging to her humanity while simultaneously being in love with someone who would live forever (or in Elena's case, two someones).

"I don't think I'd rush it or force myself into it until I'm sure, but a part of me seems to have accepted the possibility of it happening." It took Emma a couple of moments to come up with an answer as she sorted it out in her mind. "When I first found out how my mother was keeping me alive with vampire blood, I decided to stop accepting that kind of cure. Yes, the supernatural world comes with dangers, but so does any other normal day. Right now the car could skid across the road and we could crash and I could die with Kol's blood in my system."

"I'd save you before you died..." Katherine was quick to interject. "Probably."

"Thank you very much." Emma laughed, tone laced with sarcasm since she noticed the joking one in Katherine's voice as she added the last bit. However, soon after, she went back to the topic. "What I'm saying is, if by some accident it happened right now, I wouldn't say no. But as long as I have a choice, I want to stay human for a little longer."

Emma knew all the perks which would come with vampirism, even if it did mean losing her magic. But she wasn't in dire need of them at the moment. And she didn't want to do it during an unpredictable time out of possibly desperate reasons. Her father had done the same, and Emma never wanted to take the risk of turning out like him.

"So you love him enough to spend the rest of eternity with him?" Once again, the Park found herself somewhat stunned by the question, but not as much as before.

Of course, it wasn't the first time someone was mentioning love in regards to Kol around her. But all the times before it had simply been Klaus' teasing meant to get under her skin. This time, someone was asking expecting an actual answer. And Emma had to admit, she wasn't too sure on what it is.

She'd never been in love before. She may have had crushes or been attracted to someone, but never did she let things become too serious. However, she and Kol had certainly passed the serious threshold. And still, she wasn't sure what love felt like.

But there were two things she could be sure of. The first was that, whatever Kol made her feel it was more than she'd ever felt before. And the second was that both her present and her future were entirely unpredictable. She didn't know so many things. Where she would be; what her life would be like; whether she'd be a witch or a vampire? But among all possibilities, among all outcomes she could think of, only one thing was permanent. She could see it all with Kol by her side.

"I can see a future like that being possible." She finally answered the question to the best of her ability. She couldn't answer the love part, not yet.

"Vague." Katherine teased openly, making Emma laugh, the amusement back on her face.

"And not really your business when you think about it."

"I can make anything my business if I'm interested enough." Katherine pointed out in a confident tone, making Emma shake her head at her even though she suspected it was entirely true.

"You're kind of a bitch, aren't you?" Emma turned to the vampire with an amused smile, making Katherine raise an eyebrow at her in an inquisitive manner.

"I thought that was old news?" The Pierce questioned. She knew Emma was aware of who she was before they met, and considering she doubted Elijah was her source, Katherine suspected that Emma had been told all the worst things about her.

"Oh it was. I just wasn't sure whether I'd like you or not because of it?" Emma replied honestly, and Katherine couldn't help the curiosity in her.

"And what's the verdict?"

"I definitely like you."

The response had them both laughing, and what Katherine didn't say out loud was that, it seemed that the verdict was the same on both sides.

-----

I'm on a serious roll today. And I'm really happy we're getting to the discussions of the l-word hehehe. Wonder when they'll say it for the first time?