Ariana Gilbert sat peacefully in a desk chair of Klaus' study, tucked up beneath a fluffy blanket whilst she listened to him humming gently. Klaus was busy painting away, seemingly having no care in the world but Ariana knew better, she knew he was worrying about the fate of his family and himself. Somewhere out there, Alaric's vampire hating alter ego housed a white oak stake that could kill the Original family and their descendants, effectively all vampires, They had already got Finn.

After a long moment of silence, the blind girls attuned ears picked up on footsteps approaching, her head snapped up in the direction, tilting but she did not recognize the light footfalls as anyone she knew.

"What took you so long?" Klaus inquired.

"Alaric didn't want to hand over the stake" the voice of Rebekah flowed through her ears and she frowned deeply before pulling herself to stand.

"Bekah?"

"Hello Ariana" that was what confirmed the doppelgangers assumptions, never had the blonde female referred to her by her given name, she was always 'little one' to the only female original. "Luckily I'm quite the charmer" she continued to say and the little human inched closer to the hybrid who frowned, sending her a look of confusion as she wrapped her skinny arms around one of his muscular ones. Klaus seemed to ignore the unnerving behaviour of the girl he had caught feelings for and turned to his sister instead.

"That's it?" he wondered as he looked at her, Ariana wished she could see in that moment, as she did in many moments, she wanted to be able to see the liar who wore her friends face and be able to confirm her assumptions.

"The last of the White Oak stakes that can kill us" she stated. "Do you want to do the honours, or shall I?" she inquired. Klaus took the stake happily from her hand and tossed it into the fireplace to the side of where they all stood, watching it burn. "Well that's that then" she smirked as her brother turned back to continue his painting once more.

"Pack your bags, we're leaving" he stated as he continued to paint and Ariana stiffened at his words, where were they going? She could not wrap her head around why they were suddenly leaving now, she had just come to stay with her, where would she go? Home? surely not. To the Salvatore's? After all, Damon was her best friend but could she forgive him for trying to kill Klaus? He lied to her but she always knew he was reckless, this should be nothing new.

"Today?" Rebekah inquired.

"Why not?" he wondered "There's nothing keeping us here." he informed her and Ariana felt like she had had her heart ripped out, could he not see her standing there whilst he spoke as if she meant nothing to him? "We shall take the beautiful Ariana, grab the doppelganger and be off by sunset" he informed and the blind girl felt as though she had had a weight lifted off her chest, at least they were planning on taking her with them.

"But tonight's the Decade Dance" the blonde protested.

"So?"

"So I am head of the committee, we have to go and I am sure Ariana would like a minute to say goodbye to her family considering you haven't really given her a choice" Rebekah retaliated and Ariana frowned, she did not want to be given a choice because that meant she had to choose and such a thing would be impossible to do. Her family? Or the man that she was absolutely in love with, not that she would admit that to him. He had offered her a life that her family never had attempted to give her.

"I am not going to any dance"

"Caroline will be there" the blonde smirked and Ariana decided that she was officially done with that conversation, she exited the room swiftly, hand trailing along the wall as she did so, preventing her from getting lost.

"That means nothing to me!" he sounded furious "She means nothing to me. Why would you choose Caroline when you've got Ariana?" he smiled softly and just beyond the doorway, where she had been leaving the room, she was stood, listening.

________________

"Ariana my love, it seems we are going to the decade dance after all" the voice of Klaus filled her ears and she sat up to the edge of the bed where she had previously been lying, he crouched by her knees and she felt something be placed beside her softly.

"We are?"

"Indeed Darling" he smiled softly, not that she could see the adoration in his eyes in that moment, he softly brushed his fingers over her cheek and she leant into the warmth of his touch. In the next moment, she felt his lips pressed to her own and she cupped his face gently where he still kneeled before her, her fingers locked into the smooth locks at the back of his head, caressing the blond curls softly. "Love, I do not want to take the option away from you, when we return... will you come with me? These past few days of you staying here with me have been utterly incredible, I cannot live anywhere now without it feeling empty."

"Please, don't give me the choice, I cannot choose" she stated, tears dribbling down her cheeks now. It felt like an even playing field her family had began at the top though they slowly descended in value in her mind by all the wrong they caused her whilst Klaus rose, becoming more and more until it was utterly impossible for her to choose.

"Well, I am known to be selfish love, and I choose you. I refuse to let you go" he whispered to her and kissed her lips once more. "When we leave, I will pay for your operation if you choose it Darling, I am not forcing you to have it. And you will never be a prisoner of mine, if you wish to leave, you can leave and I will drive you to wherever you wish to be."

"Thank you Nik, for everything" tears were flowing free now and she knew that she would choose Klaus because he gave her a choice, he let her choose between coming or going and he gave her the choice of having the operation. Both choices, Elena had never given her, she would not accept her leaving with him.

Her lips pressed on his once more, with more passion.

"I will come with you Nik" she whispered and their lips reconnected, they flopped back onto the bed and he pulled her gently to the centre whilst she wrapped her legs around his waist. He soon pulled away chuckling.

"Not yet my Darling, we have to get ready for the dance" he whispered and his lips trailed up and down her neck in a teasing fashion before he stood once more and pulled her with him, her lips pouting whilst he chuckled.