"It was their mother Esther who was sealed in that coffin." Elena tells me, Stefan and Damon after having a run in with Elijah last night.

"As in the original witch?" Stefan asks and Elena nods.

"What? How is she even alive?" Damon asks. "I thought her hybrid freak show of a son ripped her heart out a thousand years ago."

"I don't know. I'm guessing she has a couple of connections in the witching community." Elena responds. "Elijah said that she wants to live in peace with her family, including Klaus."

"Wasn't their mother supposed to be the one against her own family?" I ask and they all nod.

"Yeah, well, not anymore. At least, not according to Elijah."

"That coffin was the only thing stopping Klaus from tearing us to shreds." Stefan replies to Elena.

"Anyone else feeling a little used right now?" Damon asks.

"Look, Elijah promised me that his family wouldn't hurt any of us." Elena says and the doorbell rings. "I believe him." Elena goes to get the door, which takes her awhile. Us 3 walk over to the front door where Elena was holding 2 envelopes and a box.

"What is it?" Stefan asks.

"It's an invitation." Elena says before reading what it says. "Please join the Mikaelson family this evening at seven 0'clock for dancing, cocktails, and celebration."

"Who the hell are the Mikaelsons?" Stefan asks. "And what is in that box?"

"It's the original family, and I have no idea. What does the box say?" I ask Elena.

"It says your name on it." Elena says and Stefan and Damon look at me.

"Why would I know someone would get me something for this dance?" I ask.

"Ok. It's not bad enough there moving into town. Now they want a housewarming gift?" Damon says, annoyed.

"Wait. There's a note in the back. Elena, I think it's time we finally meet. Esther." Elena reads from her invitation.

—

"If Esther wants to talk to me, maybe I should find out why." Elena says, which Damon disagrees on, obviously.

"Well, that's a dumb idea. She already tried to kill you once." Damon says.

"No, Elena's right. Bonnie was led to pen that coffin for a reason. I think there's more to this than just some family reunion." Stefan says.

"And I'm going if Elena goes." I say which made Damon glare at me.

"No way. Me and Stefan will go, you guys can stay home, do cousin-y things. If you forgot, Esther tried to kill you too, Ash."

"Stefan does have a point. Bonnie had a witch dream, which means the witches were trying to tell her there's something important in that coffin, in which there was. Elena should find out what Esther wants." I agree with Stefan, which i low key hated.

"You guys can't protect yourself. Like I said before, we will go." Damon says. They both leave the house.

"Do you want to see what's in the box?" Elena asks and I nod. I open it and there was this ancient blue dress in it.

"Give me my envelope." I say and Elena gives me it. I open it and I read it. "Save me a dance, Klaus... that's explains it."

"Klaus? Why would Klaus give you this?" Elena asks.

"He has a thing for me." I awkwardly say.

"That's what I thought. Do you like him back? Because I know he's bad but if you're happy, I am." Elena says and I shrug.

"I have no idea. As a huntress, you love deeper than a normal human would. I don't want to, but I really have no idea, I'm still confused." I explain.

"Well, either way, you aren't showing up in that dress. You're going to look hot in a pink one." Elena says and I smile. I thought she would get all mad, but she didn't.

—

Elena went to go meet up with Caroline at the grill after going dress shopping with me, while I spent hours listing the pro and cons of going, which led me nowhere.

I decided to go though, and it took me forever to get ready.

(What you're wearing and your hairstyle)^

I get to Caroline's house, and I drove there myself and didn't crash, which is surprising.

"What are you doing here?!" Caroline asks.

"I drove here." I smile. "You ready?" I ask and she nods.

"Just, be careful. And you look absolutely stunning." Caroline says and i smile, again.

We arrive and this girl takes our jackets and i smile. "This is too fancy for me."

"I found Elena." Caroline says walking over. "Guess what, Ash drove here and didn't crash." Caroline says and Elena was surprise, then Damon and Stefan walk over to us.

"Thought I told you guys not to come." Damon crosses his arms.

"Well, we're here. And I'm not leaving until I find out what Esther wants, so shall we?" Elena tells the boys and they walk off.

"I'm going to find where the drinks are, I'll be right back." Caroline says also walking away.

Then I walk away so I didn't look awkward standing there alone. I begin to walk in this big room, which Klaus was talking to someone random. He looks at me in which we make eye contact. He walks over to Me.

"See me sending you a dress was pointless." Klaus jokes.

"It was. Blue isn't my color." I say.

"I can tell. But pink is." Klaus says, attempting to flirt, which was obvious.

"I'm not doing this." I say walking away going to the main room, in which he stares me down the whole time.

"Uh, if everyone could gather, please." Elijah says beginning to make an announcement. "Welcome. Thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

"Where do you think you're going, love?" Klaus asks me, sneaking up behind me. "You know it's rude not to dance with someone when they ask."

"Well, you asked on an invitation." I glare at him.

"Ok then. Ashley, will you dance with me?" Klaus says and i playfully roll my eyes, and wrap my arm around his, as he was waiting for me to do so.

🎵

We head out to the ballroom floor. I notice as we walked out onto the floor, we were next to Damon and Elena, and Elijah and whoever he was dancing with.

"I'm glad you came." Klaus tells me.

"Well, I've never been to a fancy gathering before and I figured, this will never happen again so why not?"

"How's the seeing Dead Huntresses going?" Klaus asks.

"Don't. Seriously. I need one night not worrying about this curse." I say annoyed.

"Very well. On to more mannered subjects then, like how ravishing you look in that dress." Klaus says which makes a smile form on my lips.

"And nothing you're wearing is mine." Klaus mentions.

"Did you think you would just give me nice things to get me to go?" I ask. "If I'm going to a dance, or ball in this case, I wouldn't wear someone else's clothes cause it doesn't represent me. This outfit, it represents me, it shows off who I am."

"Understandable." Klaus says which makes me laugh. "You know you're quite the dancer."

"I used to dance, competitively. But waltz dancing, eh, not that much training." I tell him.

"I happen to disagree. You are doing good so far." Klaus mentions, which is true.

"Until the partner swap, I'll probably face plant in front of everyone."

"Well, let's see." Klaus says as the partner swap begins and now I'm dancing with Elijah.

"Don't you say one word about that flirting." I tell Elijah and he laughs.

"Then admit it." Elijah says.

"No can do."

"Not surprising. You people were always stubborn. i would say No more about my brother, But you were flirting too." Elijah says.

"Ok, maybe I was flirting, but that doesn't mean I like like him." I say.

"You care for him, at least you're admitting that. Look, one more thing about my brother then I'll shut up. I believe his redemption depends on you."

"Me?" I ask and he nods.

"Yup, you. There is still goodness in Niklaus and you bring it out of him. I got to go talk to your cousin, see you later." Elijah leaves the area and my face quickly turns sad.

—

"What happened?" Caroline asks, sensing the sadness, stress, and frustration on me.

"Trust me when I say this, you don't want to know." I say walking away.

"Ashley!" I hear Rebekah shout.

"Great. More Mikaelson family. I was trying to escape you people for a minute. Klaus with his stupid flirting and Elijah telling me all this responsible stuff."

"What did my brothers do." Rebekah says walking with me.

"Klaus was flirting with me while dancing then I danced with Elijah, and he was saying how his brothers redemption depended on me" I explain.

"Elijah goes to the extremes. And why are you complaining about Klaus?" Rebekah asks. "He likes you and you like him. Figure out what you want to do before committing." Rebekah walks away.

I go outside walking on a balcony, staring at the stars.

"I've noticed you like staring at the stars."

"I'm not talking to you until you tell me why you invited me here, Klaus." I say turning around.

"I fancy you. Is that so hard to believe?" Klaus asks.

"Yes."

"Why?" Klaus asks. "You're beautiful, y-you're strong. You're full of light. I enjoy you."

"So what? You just think saying these incredibly nice things is just going to make me like you back?" I scoff. "You've done so many bad things—"

"Are you still using that as an excuse?" Klaus asks. Now this is turning more into an argument, and I don't think it's going to end well.

"What are you saying? That I'm making up an excuse for you killing my mom?"

"You're using it as an excuse to not like me back!" Klaus shouts.

"My moms death is not an excuse! Yes, it's what's stopping me but that day, that night broke me." My voice starts cracking, which is never a good sign.

"It wasn't—"

"It wasn't what?" I shout, interrupting Klaus. "First, you took me, then you used Katherine to lure her in. Then you turned her into a vampire and locked all of us in ring of fires. Then you made me watch you kill her. You took a perfect innocent soul from this earth and away from me! So don't say I'm making excusing from not liking you cause there's nothing to like about you!" I shout going to punch him, but this time he lets me.

"What I did, it was necessary." Klaus says.

"Necessary for you to kill my mom! Elena and Jeremy's Aunt! There's something wrong with you!"

"Then why are you so bothered about it. Yes, I'm Klaus Mikaelson, I'm the psychotic hybrid who will kill anyone. You know that!"

"You're right, I know there's nothing good about you, especially if you're trying— no, you are justifying you killing my mom. You have no right to even speak of her."

Ash—" before he can even say my full name. I slap him in the face.

"Ash." Elena snaps me out of it, and I look down the stairs and see everyone staring. Everyone heard it.

Elijah tells everyone to stop watching, in which they all leave besides him, Caroline, Damon, Stefan, and some of the Mikaelson family. The people who had no idea what was going on did go into another room and kept dancing and talking.

"Come on." Elena says, grabbing my hand for comfort, then we walk down the stairs. I stare up at Klaus and walk out.

"Ash wait!" Elena shouts and Caroline follows Elena outside. I turn around and instantly hug Caroline and Elena.

"I'm not staying here. I won't." I say, letting go of the hug.

"I'll come with you. Elena, are you going to be ok?" Caroline asks and Elena nods.

We get back to the house and Caroline and me change out of these dresses.

"This is well deserved." Caroline pulls out a tub of icecream.

"I hate that everyone saw that." I say, trying to shrug it off but I can't.

"I thought it was badass of you. I wouldn't be embarrassed cause it wasn't. It was powerful." Caroline says and i let out a laugh.

"I just hate breaking down."

"Ashley, it's ok to break down, you never do. Come on, let's eat this icecream.