Ordinary People

LOLA POV:

I've been in L.A. for a couple days now, I've had countless missed calls and texts off Damon. I'm so close to throwing my phone into the sea if it means I don't have to see his name for the time being.

As I walk down the busy streets of L.A., I think back to when I first came here over 50 years ago.

Flashback 1954:

I've been in L.A. for a few months. I was supposed to be meeting Damon here after not seeing each other for a couple years but he never showed. I've stayed a while longer with the thought that he is just tying up some loose ends somewhere.

Before I was here I was in Chicago, this is what I haven't told Damon yet. I feel like there is a huge part of my life that is missing, between the late 1800s up until the 20s when I bumped into Damon.

I've been seeing a witch, Gloria, who I apparently already knew and she's been helping me try to remember. Gloria has said to me before that she knows what I have forgot but she said she doesn't want to be the one to tell me everything that happened, I should find it out myself. I was quite annoyed at first that she said this, given that she knows everything I have for some reason forgotten.

Damon told me that I've said to him in the past that I was spending time with a family, but that's all I told him and also that I was dating someone in that family. Gloria has been casting all sorts of spells on me to help my memory come back, it's hurt like a bitch but I do feel some improvement.

I pretty much remember everything but for some reason whenever I have tried to remember names or faces, it doesn't work. I have a feeling whatever happened has hurt me deeply and maybe its my conscious blocking the last parts of the memories out of my mind.

I've started to pick up a few new routines while I've been staying in L.A., every sunset I'll go and sit on Venice Beach and watch the sunset. There's something about watching sunsets every night. Sunsets are proof that no matter how bad your day may have been, every day will always end beautiful.

Once the sun has set I then take a walk and watch performers perform. Whether it be a singer, singing about heartbreak, or dancers, dancing to the latest popular song. But my favourite are the artists. I don't really remember ever being interested in art when I was younger but ever since Gloria has been trying to get my memories back, there's always been something about art that has created an interest for me.

There's one artist that I admire greatly. He looks no older than 17 and is here every day painting on a new canvas every day. There's something about his artwork that I can relate to. His art is so dark and empty which is honestly how I feel inside.

"His work is fascinating isn't it?" A mans voice comes up behind me.

I glance up at him and smile as I look back at the artist, "It really is."

"Do you paint?" He asks.

I tilt my head as the artist continues to paint, "No. But I admire it, every artist has a story."

The man stands a bit closer to me, "And what do you suppose his story is?"

I frown as I think about his question, "He's...angry. Dark. Doesn't feel safe and doesn't know what to do about it. He wishes he could control his demons instead of having his demons control him. He's lost. Alone." I laugh awkwardly as I get no response, "Or maybe he drank too much tonight." The man laughs, "Sorry, my roommate is a psych major, thought I'd read one of her books at like 3am the other night."

"No. I think you were probably right the first time."

His blue eyes stare into my green ones, a smile that feels familiar to me from somewhere before. We both stare into each other's eyes for a moment which feels like forever.

We both then snap out of it and both laugh awkwardly at one another. That laughs feels so familiar too, I smile up at him, "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

The smile soon drops from his face, he looks panicked as he shakes his head and avoids eye contact, "No, I don't think so."

"No I do, I definitely do." The man starts to walk away but I grab onto his arm when a gust of energy rushes through me like I've been hit with lightening.

I stand back in shock as my head gets flooded with past memories, all the memories I've tried to remember now have faces in them all. The woman I met in New Orleans I now remember to be Rebekah. Elijah and Kol I remember from the first time I met them all at a dance and then him. Klaus. Nik. My Nik. Flashes of memories with him from our first dance to all the happy memories throughout the 30 odd years I spent wondering what happened but now I know.

I look back up at the man I now know is Klaus. He is looking down at me, his eyes glossy and mouth agape. A shaky breath falls from my lips as I look up at him as tears run down my face, "Nik?"

He looks at me with a mixture of confusion and shock, "How did you remember me? I compelled you."

My thoughts go back to that night in the twenties, everything comes back to me. Klaus compelled my brother, oh my god. I seen Stefan! All these years I've been thinking Stefan hates me after he didn't show up to my wedding. But no, we made amends. Then Klaus compelled me.

I look up at him, my face is now full of anger, "You compelled Stefan." Klaus opens his mouth to respond but I don't give him chance, "You compelled me. How could you!"

"I couldn't have you be with me when Mikael was so close. I was doing it to protect you, Lola." Klaus says softly as he holds his hands up.

"Protect me." I repeat in a much bitter tone, "Protect me?! You've just let me live all these years knowing 30 years of my life were a complete blur. I drove myself insane trying to remember it all! I put myself through pain, Klaus, to try and remember something, anything!" Then I think back to when I was in New York a few years ago, I look down to the ground and shake my head in confusion, "Oh my god. Elijah. I spoke to Elijah and I didn't even know it was him." I raise my head, but not looking at Klaus when another realisation hits, "Wait. This isn't the first time I've seen you."

Klaus shifts uncomfortably, "Lola..."

"We've spoken. A dozen of times, only brief." I mumble as I remember everything. Every conversation would just be as brief as the one we just endured but they were all before Gloria used a bunch of spells on me so he was just a regular stranger to me. There would be at least 5 years in between each encounter so I wouldn't even remember his face. I frown as I look at Klaus, "Is this some sort of game to you? You erase my memories then taunt me by speaking to me when I just thought of you as a stranger."

Klaus sighs, "I would never do that, Lola. The truth is that over the decades where you've not been with me, I've been a mess. Ask Elijah, I've hated every second of it."

"So why do it?" I retort.

"I couldn't have Mikael use you as bait so I compelled you to forget about me to keep you safe. It hasn't just been those few encounters where I've seen you. I've actually always been around you, just at a safe distance and then at times I couldn't help myself but go up and speak to you. I needed to speak to you, even if it was just for a moment. Those moments have helped me through all of this."

I laugh spitefully, "Oh poor you, let me get my violin out! You can't really expect me to feel sorry for you considering you're the one who done all of this?"

Klaus looks down in shame, "No I don't. It was all my fault, I don't expect to have your forgiveness either.."

"You've got that right." I interrupt.

Klaus sighs, "But, I just hope in time you would understand why I did it."

I step closer to him and glare at him, "I will never understand it." I push past him and begin to walk back to my apartment.

Klaus follows me, I try to vamp speed away but he just vamp speeds after me. I continue to ignore him as he continues to play the victim, "I had to do it, Lola. Mikael was in Chicago, he intension was to kill Rebekah and I."

I stop walking and turn to face him, "Where's Rebekah?"

Klaus looks away, he bows his head, "She's still daggered."

I scoff as I roll my eyes, "So not only did you take my life away from me, you're preventing Rebekah to live her life. You're pathetic." I turn away and begin to walk again.

I finally reach my apartment complex as Klaus still continues to follow, "My father took away so many things in my life that I loved. I wasn't going to let him take the one person I love the most in this world."

I turn to face him, full of anger, I storm towards him and prod him in the chest, "Fuck you!" Klaus stands, a little taken aback by my burst of anger, I run my hands through my hair, "God I am so sick of your victim crap! Yeah I know people have made mistakes that have hurt you, or scarred you, or whatever. But here you are and you turn around and do the same thing to me." I stare up at him with tears filling my eyes, "I was there for you, through everything. Then you threw me away like I was nothing to you."

Klaus looks at me, hurt as tears fall down his face, not responding. I sigh, "Please just leave me alone." I walk into my apartment building, leaving Klaus standing there alone.

I get back into my apartment, as I close the door I can hear glass breaking in the bathroom, "Adrianna?" I get no response.

I walk over to the bathroom and slowly open the door to see Adrianna crouched down onto the floor picking up broken glass, "Shit." She mumbles to herself as she cuts her hand.

I lean against the door frame to the bathroom, "Really Ade?"

She turns around and looks at me in shock, "Lola! I didn't know you were back."

I stand up straight and walk into the bathroom, "I've just came back. What happened?"

Ade sighs, "I'm just nervous about my final exam tomorrow. So I came in here to use some of those essential oils you always go on about and I dropped them, sorry."

I roll my eyes, "It's fine. Here." I bite my wrist and hold it out of her, she looks at me and hesitates, "Come on, you've done it before. That cut looks nasty, you'll need stitches."

Adrianna nods and drinks from my wrist. She pulls away and frowns, "I'll never get used to that. Or even get used to the fact my roommate is a vampire." We both laughs but she can tell it wasn't a happy one, she looks at me concerned, "What's up?"

I tell her everything. She already knows about me not remembering certain parts of my life and Gloria trying to help me remember them. I tell her how Klaus is here and that I remember everything from my past.

Adrianna sits back on the couch and sighs as she looks up at the ceiling, "Wow."

I sit back the same and sigh, "Tell me about it."

---------------------------------------------------

I smile to myself as I remember Adrianna. She was such a good friend. She turned the day after that night. Some asshole attacked her, mugged her and stabbed her and leaving her to die in some trashy ally way. Luckily my blood was still in her system when it happened. Adrianna got her revenge on him, a slow and painful revenge.

I always wonder how she's doing, we've sent letters to each other occasionally after I told her to leave this city. She used to always go on saying she wanted to travel the world and help people, and she did just that.

I was so mad at Nik back then. In time I did realise he was just doing it to protect me, which I admired about him. He never shown anyone his vulnerable side other than me, he used to always say to me that I knew him more than he knew himself.

But I also did have every right to be angry at him for everything but his bastard smile won me over not longer after that heated argument. That damn smile, it's like kryptonite.

After a bit of shopping, I walk down Rodeo Drive smiling as I remember my time here in the fifties. L.A. has a way to make people feel free, you're able to start a new life here without any judgement and that's exactly what I did all those years ago.

I tense up as I can sense someone following me. I don't turn to look and make it obvious. I get my acting skills out and just continue to walk down the street, I turn down into an ally and hide. Just as I expected, I hear footsteps following me into the ally. I speed out from the shadows and pin the person against the wall by their neck as my vamp features appear. But it's not long after they disappear and I look at the person in shock.

"Well...hello to you too."

I smile, "Adrianna." She laughs and I pull her into a hug, "What are you doing here?"

She pulls away from the hug, "I could ask you the same thing. I thought we both agreed we wouldn't come back here?"

I shrug, "Change of plan." I narrow my eyes at her, "How did you know I was here?"

She scoffs, "Please, I have eyes and ears here. I originally done it just to see if any Originals came back, or worse, that father of theirs."

I frown, "Why would you do that?"

Adrianna smiles, "Well I had to make sure my best friend was safe, didn't I? Even if you weren't here but they showed, at least I could warn you. So tell me, Lola, what brings you back?"

I laugh, "We're going to need a lot of drinks for this story. Come on." We both link arms and head to the nearest bar.

------------------------------------------------------

"Okay, okay, okay. Wait." Adrianna interrupts in story, I take this as my chance to down yet another tequila, "So he makes you hike, bites your brother because apparently he does that sort of thing, then you sleep with him? All in the same day? Then he forces your brother to turn off his humanity?"

I glare at her, "There were a few things in between each of those that happened you know? Have you been listening?"

"Yes I've been listening! But they were the parts that stood out for me." Adrianna bursts out laughing.

I groan as I bury my head into my hands, "I'm an idiot, aren't I?"

Adrianna leans forward and removes my hands from my face, "You're not an idiot, Lo." She purses her lips and shrugs, "Okay maybe you are."

I throw my hands up and slam them onto my lap as I raise my brow, "Thanks for that."

"You didn't let me finish." Adrianna continues, "You're an idiot for not leaving with Klaus when you had the chance." I frown as she continues, "You stayed to help your brothers, and for what? To reunite with your ghost fiancé who then tells you that it was your brother that killed him over 100 years ago."

"Pretty much." I mumble into my drink, "But if I left with Nik, I would never have found that out. I would still be thinking Damon is this great big brother who is always there for me when I need him."

"True." Adrianna admits defeat, "So have you told Klaus you're here?"

I shake my head, "No."

Adrianna scoffs, "Why not?"

I shrug, "I don't know. I should still be mad at him for what he done to Stefan."

Adrianna pours me another drink, "Well from what you told me about Stefan, it sounded like he was going to turn it off anyway, being a ripper and all that."

I roll my eyes, "Nik said exactly the same thing to me."

"Life is too short to spend days on end dancing around the truth. The truth that you love Klaus. I know the things he's done aren't great, I get that. But, I seen how he was when he had you back in the fifties. He was nothing like you have just explained. You're the one person who lights up his darkness, the one person who keeps his demons at bay and he does exactly the same to you. He lights the spark inside you that has been dull for as long as time. I think it's time to let him light it once more and you do the same for him."

We both stare at each other seriously for a moment before we both burst out laughing, "Don't use your psych major on me, Ade."

Adrianna laughs, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, that was my degree talking...also the tequila. But what if I'm right?" I shrug as a response, "You'll never know unless you try."

Ade was right. Just like Dominic was right. I need to start thinking about what's best for me and what I want. The truth is I do want Klaus here with me. He is the reason I'm here in the first place, I would never have came back here unless I had him by my side.

Adrianna and I continue to catch up for a couple more hours. I head over to Venice Beach, it's been a while since I've watched the sunset from here. There's about an hour before the sun sets. As I'm walking towards the beach, I text Klaus, telling him that I'm here.

I sit down on the sand and start to people watch. Everyone looks so happy and free, I want to be like that again. I can't be like that back in Mystic Falls. How can I be happy when I'm surrounded by darkness? Stefan is a lost cause with his humanity off and having his ripper tendencies appear once more. Then you have Damon, my big brother who I always wanted to be like when I was younger. Now I want to be nothing like him, the man who destroyed my happiness for his own gain.

I take a deep breath as I start to watch the sun setting. Thinking about what I used to tell myself every night watching the sunset. The sunset is proof that any bad day can end beautiful.

I smile as I feel a new presence next to me, "You found me then?" I turn to see Klaus sitting beside me.

Klaus smiles as he watches the sunset and then looks over to me, "Hello love." He places a soft kiss on my cheek.

"How did you get here so fast? I only text you about an hour ago?"

Klaus smiles as he puts a piece of my hair behind my ear, "I was already on my way. Rebekah text me to say you had left Mystic Falls, she was wondering if you were with me. So I figured I would find you here."

I smile at him as I place my hand on his cheek and peck him on the lips. My happy expression turns into sadness as I look down at my lap.

Klaus holds my hand, "What happened to make you leave?"

I sigh, "I told you about Dominic before didn't I?" Klaus nods, "Well something happened back home and a bunch of ghosts came back and well, Dom was one of them."

"You never told me he died?"

I shrug, "I didn't know until then." My eyes start to fill as I try to find the words, "It was Damon. Damon...Damon killed him, the night before my wedding."

Klaus looks at me shocked but also confused, "Your wedding?"

I nod as I wipe the tears away, "I never told you that before. I was going to marry Dominic but yeah the night before Damon ripped his heart right out of his chest and then went on to tell me that Dominic left because he didn't love me anymore." I laugh slightly, "He didn't feel like telling me that until about 30 minutes before he was due to walk me down the aisle."

Klaus' eyes are full of anger, he has never liked Damon ever since the whole 1919 situation so this definitely isn't getting him any brownie points, "Lola..."

I turn to face him some more and interrupt him, "Rebekah said to me in the twenties before that you needed to pluck up the courage to propose to me but what I never told her is that you had proposed to me back in New Orleans." Klaus looks down, hurt, as we relive that memory, "I said no to you because of my parents. My parents relationship was anything but happy, with that being the only relationship I seen growing up I was always afraid if I got married, I would turn into them." Klaus opens his mouth to respond but I interrupt once more, "The main reason though was because I was still in so much pain about Dom, I was scared that if I accepted your proposal you would have done the same as he done and I couldn't bare to be hurt like that again."

"I would never do that to you."

I smile, "I know you wouldn't. I now know that Dominic wouldn't do that either, it was just a facade from the truth which is my brother is the one who broke my heart. I'm done with choosing him over my  own happiness." I cup both of Klaus' cheeks, "I love you."

Klaus smiles as he pulls me in for a long and love-filled kiss, we pull away from each other and rest out foreheads into each other, Klaus gazes into my eyes, "I love you too. Always and forever."

"Always and forever."

Klaus stands up and holds his hand out for me, "Come on."

I look up at him confused, "Where are we going?"

I take his hand and stand up. Klaus keeps hold of my hand, "Our last night together here all those years ago, I was waiting right here for you to take you on a date." I look down at the ground, ashamed of that night, Klaus lifts my head up by my chin and smirks, "It would be a shame if you never got to see what I had planned." Klaus starts to walk away so I follow, still hand in hand.

We arrive at a little bakery we used to always go to. I look up and smile, "I can't believe this place is still here."

Klaus stands in front of me, "I remember how much you missed the New Orleans beignets and this place was somewhere I found that had beignets almost as good as the ones back home." He takes hold of my hand once more and gestures to head into the cafe, "Let's go."

We take a seat outside on a small table. As I take a bite of the hot beignet, memories flash back from being here almost every night with him. But then also memories from our time back in New Orleans, the one place I truly felt at home.

"Do you miss it?" I ask.

Klaus looks at me confused, "Miss what?"

"New Orleans."

His expression turns to sadness, I know he is thinking about him. "I miss Marcel too." I say softly.

Klaus flashes a smile, he comes to his feet and holds his hand out for me, "Time for our next spot."

We walk along Venice Beach, hand in hand, watching all the performers and singers. We reach an artist who's art looks familiar.

"Do you recognise him?" Klaus asks.

I tilt my head, "Is that..."

"The artist from the fifties." Klaus finishes my sentence, "73 years old and he still comes here almost every night to paint." Klaus takes hold of both my hands as he faces me, "I know you already said no to my proposal in New Orleans, but that night back in 1958 I was going to try my luck once more and propose to you."

"Nik..." I coo.

Klaus nods, "I know, I know your feelings towards marriage." He takes one hand and places it on my cheek, "Just because you don't like marriage, doesn't mean we can't spend the rest of our immortal lives together as one. I love you, Lola. I always have and I always will. I don't know how many times you've been broken and I don't know how many times you have fallen, but I do know one thing." A shaky breath falls from his lips, "You make me want to run with you. You make me want to find that once place, where I can surrender and make sense of all this love I have contained within." Klaus wipes away my happy tears off my cheek, "I want to run away with you, somewhere far. Where the wolves have gone missing and the butterflies continuously spread their wings. I want to find this place with you and I want to stay there with you. Always and forever."

I smile up at him, unable to find any words, "I don't know what to say..."

"Say yes." Klaus says softly, "Say yes to a life with me, wherever we end up, we will always end up with each other."

I pull him in for a kiss, a long and passionate kiss, not caring about any tourists around us. We pull away and smile at each other, I wrap my arms around his neck, "I love you, Niklaus Mikaelson. Always and forever."

Klaus smirks, "So is that a yes?"

I laugh and nods, "Yes."

Klaus reaches into his back pocket and reveals his old daylight ring, "Take this as a promise. A promise that as long as you have this, I will be there for you through everything we have to endure. A promise that I will love you until the end of time." I get taken aback by this which Klaus notices as I remove my hands from around his neck, "Don't think of it as a proposal. Just think of it as a promise and also that you will always have a piece of me by your side."

He places the ring onto the palm of my hand. A gesture that is so simple yet means the world to me. We pull each other into a long hug. Both of us sighing with relief that we are back in each other's arms. Neither of us able to function unless we have each other. We stay standing in each other's embrace for a while before Klaus pulls away and takes me to his next destination which is only a few steps away to a singer performing.

Klaus reaches his hand out for me, "I know how much you love to dance."

I smile as I place my hand into his and we begin to sway along to the music. I rest my head on his shoulder, completely content with where I am right now.

"Where were you before you came here?" I ask.

"Portland. The most recent pack I found was there, I was just about to continue with my plan but that's when I got the text off Rebekah so I came straight here." Klaus responds.

I remove my head from his shoulder and look up at him, "Why did you stop? You should have finished what you've started and then come and find me."

Klaus smiles softly at me, "You're more important than that."

"What's important to you, is important to me. Which is making hybrids. So let's go back to Portland, tonight."

Klaus raises his brow, "Tonight?"

I nod, "Yeah, let's go." I pull away to start walking but Klaus keeps hold of my hand which stops me, I turn to face him confused, "What?"

Klaus smirks as he shrugs, "Well I was hoping we could do something else before that. We've still got a lot of lost time to make up for."

I kick my hotel room open with my back to it, without breaking away from Klaus' lips. As we enter the hotel room, Klaus kicks the door shut. The only time we break away from each other is to rip each other's clothes off. We are both now just left in our underwear. Klaus grips onto my thighs as I jump up and wrap my legs around his waist. He vamp speeds us over to the bed, with him on top of me. I then turn us around so I'm now on top. I sit up without breaking from our kiss as I straddle him. Klaus' lips move from mine and move down from my cheeks, to my neck, to my collarbone. I can feel his teeth against my skin, "Do it." I breathe out. Klaus moves away from my skin and looks me in the eyes but doesn't respond. I trace my thumbs under his eyes which make his vamp features appear, I smile at him, "Do it." Klaus smiles back and continues to kiss my neck and then his fangs pierce into my skin. My head arches back as I close my eyes, biting my lip to stop myself from moaning. It's been so long since I've felt this way, the sensation that comes from a vampire feeding from you, it's euphoric. Although now that Klaus is a hybrid, there's a subtle sting to his bite from his werewolf venom. I push Klaus onto the bed, I lean over him as my vamp features now appear, Klaus smirks up at me, "You're beautiful."

I lean down and bite into Klaus' neck and begin to taste his addictive blood, once the metallic liquid runs down my throat, it becomes hard to stop. Klaus spins is around so he is down back on top, he smirks down at me, "Now, now love. I'm not going anywhere." He slams his lips back onto mine, if I didn't know any better I would think fireworks were literally flying out from us.

That's how it always felt when I was in his arms, we're electric together.