{"id":655,"date":"2024-08-18T15:21:39","date_gmt":"2024-08-18T15:21:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=655"},"modified":"2024-08-18T15:37:04","modified_gmt":"2024-08-18T15:37:04","slug":"chapter-12","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=655","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 12"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 12<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cI met you, dumbass,\u201d Bella let out a snort after seeing the dumbfounded look on Kol\u2019s face. \u201cIt hasn\u2019t been two years for me, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not funny. For a moment there I thought I had to go and kill someone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo killing,\u201d she replied as she, too, set down the glass of wine and pulled him into her arms, holding him close. \u201cI\u2019m sorry for the last two years, Kol. I\u2019m sorry for what she did to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alright, this certainly was strange, but he decided to roll with it because it was actually quite nice to be in her arms. Shifting so that he was comfortable too, he sighed as he laid his head on her breasts – comfy pillows. \u201cIt\u2019s alright, Bella, you know I\u2019ve been through worse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still not okay,\u201d she replied softly as she ran a hand through his hair. \u201cYou were violated and taken advantage of. That\u2019s not alright.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He let out a huff. \u201cGood thing I killed the bitch, then. I took my revenge, Bella. It\u2019s alright now. Now tell me about your time spent with Hades.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHades had me clean up my own mess, there were thousands of souls that I brought to him – apparently I freaked out that much that I did a very big ghost cleanse,\u201d she said hesitantly, not sure how to explain the experience to him. \u201cIt was strange, you know. All these people from different times, different ways that killed them\u2026 there were small children\u2026 who wants to kill kids, Kol? Who does that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He knew damn well that she knew that he once considered killing Marcel when he was still a child. \u201cVery disturbed minds, I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut also happy stories, you know. Like Virginia and Elizabeth. Elizabeth died a long time ago, she was drowned in the water by a very powerful man, and her spirit rested at the banks near the bridge. Virginia wasn\u2019t a witch, but slightly sensitive and a believer of anything supernatural, and she happened upon Elizabeth\u2019s energy one day. And never stopped bringing Elizabeth gifts, even in her old age. Until she died herself; at the same time I freaked out while we were crossing the bridge, Virginia had a massive heart attack and died on the spot she came to to visit Elizabeth. They were both at Hades, and finally able to meet and interact and…. It was so sweet, Kol. And they decided to stay with Hades. I mean\u2026 that was beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re joking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not,\u201d Bella replied, shaking her head. \u201cI even went to visit Virginia\u2019s urn at the Columbarium at Mt. Olivet in Gentilly and she died on the exact date as we crossed that bridge.\u201d She smiled then. \u201cI know she\u2019s not around anymore, but I brought her flowers and a teddy bear anyway, just like she\u2019s done for Elizabeth all these years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou need to start protecting your heart more, Bella,\u201d he looked up to her from his comfortable position, still in her arms, still his head resting on her breasts. How they made it work, was beyond him. \u201cYou care too much about people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my caring too much that got you back in the land of the living so don\u2019t even start,\u201d she said with a warning. \u201cHades dialed down the whole ghost thing for me so I can have a normal life as much as I can. Anytime I want, I could open myself up again, he showed me how, but I am so glad that for the first time since it all started, I can breathe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol could feel her getting restless, but didn\u2019t move. She was going to have to sit down and deal with whatever was bothering her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe also opened up other things for me, such as me being able to turn invisible or to turn into someone else on the surface; it\u2019s all an illusion. If you look real close or if you know; you can see right through it. And other stuff. And stuff I didn\u2019t want. Either never or not yet. I\u2019m not ready for it all and Hades understood that. He was so\u2026 understanding and pissed off at the same time. Patronizing. But understanding and kind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you were Davina\u2026 at some point I thought I was seeing things because Davina sounded so unlike herself and more like you, I thought I saw a shimmer of you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, you could have,\u201d she replied with a smile. \u201cMy abilities aren\u2019t fool proof because I\u2019m a demi-Goddess, I\u2019m not a full God. Like\u2026 with Henrik? I had to have Hades with us because I can\u2019t do the things he can do. Well, that, and he\u2019s the friggin\u2019 God of the underworld.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd I saw your confrontation with Hades in the street,\u201d Kol moved so that he was sitting upright and could pull Bella into his arms. \u201cMy little tiny ball of fire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah well, I was angry with Davina and the witches and I would have done something stupid if he hadn\u2019t stopped me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd I would have lost you again. This time for good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d she let out a breath as she tried to relax. \u201cDon\u2019t have to worry about that anymore, either. With this apartment came the gift of sense. It\u2019s likely the result of Helios making a bargain with Hades.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust wondering, who made Hades the boss of you? Shouldn\u2019t it be Zeus or someone else?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shrugged. \u201cAccording to Hades, Helios fucked up big time with me. Treating me like a grand daughter instead of a human girl who got into her powers and not knowing what to do with them. There\u2019s this whole story to the Battle of the Gods that isn\u2019t in the history books but compared to the Titans, the Olympians are innocents and that\u2019s why Hades and his brothers went after the Titans in the first place. To restore order.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd Helios is a Titan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019m the daughter of a Titan\u2019s daughter,\u201d Bella nodded and let out a breath. \u201cEverything I do gets scrutinized because I\u2019m the first one in centuries that\u2019s shown promise of being a good girl and not something chaotic or unbalanced. One of the first things Helios said to me was that Psyche said I was a good egg. Promising. And because I said I was afraid of myself and of what I could do, we tested a few of my abilities, and I decided I don\u2019t want them active. Most of them. Jesus, Kol, I could take over the world if I wanted to – cause chaos all over and fuck, I don\u2019t want that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, I know I won\u2019t because I\u2019m in control now. I know what I can do. I just need to manage my anger a little bit so I don\u2019t fuck up and do a lot of damage because in the end, it\u2019ll be me who\u2019s caused harm or mayhem. It\u2019ll be on me and even now that I don\u2019t have a permanent eviction order over my head, it\u2019ll be on me. I\u2019ll have to clean up my own mess – or else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol let out a snort. \u201cYou know what you sound like?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA whiner?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d He kissed the top of her head. \u201cA vampire. Granted, a very souped up vampire who\u2019s more powerful than Niklaus Mikaelson the big bad hybrid, but a vampire nonetheless. We can break someone\u2019s neck with our pinkies. Take over countries by compelling people. Power is all consuming and it\u2019s difficult to find a balance and not let it take you over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella let out a huff and yawned, the events of the evening finally wearing her down. \u201cI\u2019ve got control over that<\/em>. Don\u2019t worry, I won\u2019t take over the world or anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCould be fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d she shook her head, yawning again and shifting to get more comfortable. It didn\u2019t take long for her to doze off completely as Kol remained quiet, knowing that she needed her sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had to admit, he was loving this. His girl back in his arms where she belonged, happily snoozing away as if nothing was wrong, but then there was her apartment and it was a mess. She was likely dealing with a lot more stuff than she was letting on and he felt like he needed to fix it. Fix her<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a couple of hours, he carefully brought her to her bedroom and tucked her in. There were even more wayward clothes in the space and he simply couldn\u2019t deal with this himself. Using his speed, he picked everything up and made sure the bedroom was nice and tidy before heading downstairs. Putting a load of laundry in the washing machine and cleaned up the rest of the apartment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol knew that he was risking Bella\u2019s anger, for cleaning up, but he just couldn\u2019t bare to see her like this. Her problem wasn\u2019t her abilities. No, she was emotionally a mess, because of the witches, because because of them, she got hurt. Her heart was broken. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, he needed to fix that. This wasn\u2019t about him, this was about her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella felt slightly disoriented when she woke up to the smell of fresh bagels, coffee and orange juice. While she felt as if she had had a decent sleep, a long sleep, something was off. There was no one else in the house that could have made the— Shit.<\/em> Bella shot up straight in bed, finding her bedroom clear of her clothes and items. Had she been sleep cleaning? No. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Realizing she was still dressed, she carefully made her way out of the bedroom. Her house smelled of cleaning detergent. Items that were previously on the stairs were now gone, everything looked clean and organized. It didn\u2019t feel like her cozy home anymore. \u201cNo,\u201d she said softly as she stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked around, devastated – almost as if someone had kicked a puppy or as if she had lost everything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMorning,\u201d Kol greeted her as he walked up to her with a steaming hot cup of coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right. Kol came home with her last night. Last night had been fun and she had taken him back home with him. They had talked. They had kissed and she had fallen asleep against him. Last night had been the first time she\u2019d been around the family again. Kol was in her house. It had been a spur of the moment thing because she wanted him back and she hadn\u2019t cleaned up her house, which only meant that he cleaned up. \u201cYou cleaned up,\u201d it was a statement, not even a question, as she kept looking around. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, if I\u2019m going to move in, there needs to be space, right?\u201d He smiled at her as he handed her the mug of coffee. \u201cAre you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWaking up, thanks,\u201d she muttered as she forced her head to jolt in gear. It had been difficult lately, sleeping in late, or not leaving bed at all. \u201cYou cleaned up my mess.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes I did. The last load of laundry is currently in the washer as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s my mess. Not yours to clean up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, but now your mess is my mess too,\u201d he said as he pointed to the coffee. \u201cDrink up and come join me in the kitchen for breakfast, we\u2019re going to have a little chat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right. Kol was moving in, because that was what she wanted last night, what she\u2019d wanted for weeks now, because she loved him. He was hers. But she wasn\u2019t ready. Whatever the alcohol had her think last night, she wasn\u2019t ready for this. Following him to the kitchen, she was amazed by the amount of food for the two of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol helped her to sit down on one of the bar stools and made her a cream cheese bagel before putting it down on a plate in front of her, carefully watching her as she slowly woke up while sipping her coffee. When she started to nibble on her bagel, curiously eyeing him, he knew she was ready for a conversation. \u201cYou do know that I know what it\u2019s like to be taken out of life only to return years later. It sucks. I suppose you\u2019re lucky that it was only nearly two years instead of a hundred,\u201d he said with a slight chuckle, earning him an angry look from his goddess. \u201cIt\u2019s alright, Bella. I understand that it\u2019s frightening as well, because you\u2019re in this completely different world where you\u2019re aware of time passing and knowing that down here, it passess differently. And I am sorry, truly, I am. But look at it this way; it\u2019s another part of you that you\u2019ve discovered.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella let out a grunt as she chewed on her delicious bagel. \u201cIt\u2019s the stupidest part of being what I am.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he said wholeheartedly. \u201cBut know that I understand how it feels. Besides, two years, no big deal, I\u2019ve done longer!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a joke, Kol,\u201d she said angrily. \u201cWhat if it happens again?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t. And if it does, well, I\u2019ll just have Nik dagger me until you come back so I don\u2019t get into trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you dare,\u201d she told him before she took another bite of her bagel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He cheekily smiled as he took a sip of his bloodied up coffee. It was the worst mistake he\u2019d ever made, but he was hungry. He\u2019d gone through quite a lot of blood bags during the night while he\u2019d been fretting and cleaning, but it was all out of love, for her. As was him trying to mask the blood by mixing it with coffee. Kol knew that he\u2019d even out again soon, Bella\u2019s presence had always made him feel better and more in control. It\u2019d just take a few days – worst case scenario would be weeks. \u201cWe have all missed you very much, despite what happened with the Ancestors. Ever since you freed us all, we have this Bella shaped hole in our lives, so last night was brilliant. It was fun, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Bella nodded as she took a sip of her coffee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe last thing you should be afraid of is for us to reject you. Myriam, for one, kept texting me all night, seeing if she could break the deal we made last night as to who gets to spend time with you first. Nothing has changed, Bella.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut it has.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, it hasn\u2019t. You really need to get that out of your head, darling, because you\u2019re the one who distanced yourself from us, not the other way around. You shouldn\u2019t punish yourself for what happened after Hades took you for some lessons, you shouldn\u2019t. You needed it, even I couldn\u2019t help you with that. We all just wished that he would have said something before taking you away like that. That would have made it a lot better for all of us,\u201d he set down his mug and made his way over to her, kissing her on top of her head. \u201cHadn\u2019t the Ancestors meddled with our lives, we would have never turned our backs on you. Ever. You\u2019re family, Bella. You\u2019re mine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, I don\u2019t know if I—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you get to live as long as we have, you tend to forget that events like these – attacks like these – can have a big impact on someone who hasn\u2019t. We brushed this off while our hatred towards the witches grew. We know that what made us act differently was beyond our power – of course, then you\u2019ve got Nik, the special snowflake, whom they had a harder time controlling,\u201d he said slightly frustrated, he always hated that special side of his brother. \u201cI understand that it might be a little bit harder for you to trust us again. To allow yourself to be loved and adored as before. So, here\u2019s my proposal to you,\u201d he tucked an unruly strand of her hair behind her ear. \u201cYou and I aren\u2019t going to move in together. Not just yet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d She nearly dropped her mug of coffee in shock. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had thought long and hard about this while cleaning up the mess that was her apartment. She needed room to grow. Room to heal. He understood her distancing now. It wasn\u2019t good, but she really needed more time. And he figured the best way to do that was to give her everything she\u2019d never had before; new experiences. Being treated proper. Like the lady she was. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, darling,\u201d he smirked as he placed another kiss on top of her head. \u201cOh, make no mistake, you and I are together. There\u2019s no looking at other guys for you or I will snap their neck or make a meal out of them, but\u2026 you see, Bella, your only experiences with men are with boys, high school. No real dates, no real courting\u2026 even you and I didn\u2019t quite date. We met and we were together. Just like that. And that\u2019s not going to change. I plan on being here with you as often as you allow me to, but no sleepovers. No. I\u2019m going to court you as well as I can. Treat you to dinners, the cinema, the whole potential eternal and forever love experience before I\u2019m moving in. To show you that it\u2019s possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can do that while being here.\u201d Why was she feeling so panicky? She had admitted to herself only moments ago that she wasn\u2019t ready for him yet, and now he was giving her the space that she still needed, and it wasn\u2019t good enough. She wanted him close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, there\u2019s nothing more that I\u2019d want, but you are not ready for me yet, for us. Not in that way. I\u2019m going to talk to Elijah to have us swap bedrooms so that all I have to do is jump balconies to be with you, but I\u2019m going to make you feel like the beautiful girl that you are again. Do things proper, like making you breakfast. I\u2019ll do that every morning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She couldn\u2019t breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not rejecting you,\u201d he said, slowly prying her hand off of her coffee mug and put his arms around her. \u201cI am loving you. I\u2019m not moving in, I won\u2019t sleep here, but I will be with you every day to hang out. Or go on silly little dates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat if Myriam wants to hang out?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen you and Myriam hang out and I\u2019ll stay here. Or I\u2019ll be at the compound waiting for you to return so we can watch a movie. Or for me to watch you slave away over that laptop of yours was you type your stories. It\u2019s going to be alright, I\u2019m going to show you that you can trust me. Prove myself to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I do!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, not fully, darling, I can feel it,\u201d he sighed as he lifted her chin and softly kissed her lips. \u201cBut that\u2019s alright. I can be very patient when it comes to you.\u201d Kol kissed her again and then released her from his arms. \u201cFinish your bagel and go take a shower, freshen up. Oh, wear something pretty. I have the perfect idea for our first date!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

There was something about taking things slow enough<\/em>. Bella started smiling more as weeks passed, relaxing in Kol\u2019s presence and even coming to the Compound on her own, spending time with Myriam. Girls nights out for Myriam, Rebekah and Bella, spa days – to which Bella reluctantly agreed because she still didn\u2019t like them, romantic dates and mostly spending time in each other\u2019s presence while Kol played video games and Bella wrote. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea was to bring Bella back to her humanity, back in touch with her feelings because there were more emotions than anger and the fear of abandonment – while it was different for the Mikaelsons as they were all vampires, Bella was still very much human despite her status as a demi-god. It was what made her human that set her aside from everyone else, it was also what had allowed her to roam the Earth instead of being destroyed or taken back – it wasn\u2019t rocket science. Easy to figure out, but not for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And not only did Bella get better, Kol finally evened out again too. Even under Davina\u2019s thumb he had been erratic and more prone to bursts of anger, and in the weeks following that when Bella needed some distance, it only got worse, but he was back to his happy self, and he was itching to get out of New Orleans for a while. Saint-Tropez sounded nice. Hell, the whole French Riviera sounded nice about now. Sun, warmth, water, good food\u2026 Bella in a bikini\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They deserved a break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had spoken to Nik and Myriam about it and while Myriam wanted to go, Nik wasn\u2019t too keen on leaving New Orleans now that it was back into their hands and peace had once again descended upon their city. However, they both agreed that it would be a good thing for Bella and Kol to travel like they did before all of this. Europe would be a nice change of pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPack light!\u201d Kol announced as he walked into Bella\u2019s apartment that morning, the thud told him that he had scared her awake and out of bed. He quickly made his way up to her bedroom to make sure she was alright, and all she did was look at him angrily. \u201cGood morning, darling,\u201d he smiled at her and softly kissed her. \u201cGet dressed and grab your essentials, we\u2019re going on a trip.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCoffee?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll get some on the way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere we going?\u201d Bella mumbled as she made her way to the bathroom to freshen up and tame her hair that had gotten tangled during her uneasy sleep. When she emerged again, he was holding out one of her summer dresses for her. \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he smirked. \u201cTrust me on this. And pack some comfy slippers. That\u2019s all, the rest we can buy when we get there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere we going?\u201d She asked again, reluctantly rummaging through her underwear drawer to find matching underwear to wear underneath that dress, deciding to humor him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a surprise, but hurry up, there\u2019s a car waiting downstairs,\u201d Kol sat down on the bed and kept his eyes on her, admiring her, as she got changed. It had been a challenge to keep his hands to himself over the last few weeks, but it had also been very exciting. It had been a mess of his own making; he had insisted on taking things slowly with each other. With her. No sleep overs and nothing more than a little snogging and cuddling. But that was going to change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella grabbed her bag and packed her laptop, phone, wallet and digital camera before finding her fluffy pink bunny slippers and putting it in there as well as she decided to humor him even further. \u201cAnything else?\u201d But she really wanted coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNah, we\u2019ll buy whatever we need when we arrive at our destination,\u201d Kol smiled at her as he took her hand and started to lead her down the stairs to her front door. \u201cLet\u2019s go, my gorgeous goddess.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere are we going?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI applaud you for using complete sentences, but I will not award that with a destination,\u201d he laughed as he closed the door behind her before helping her into the car, crawling in beside her and tapped the driver on his shoulder to drive to the airport. \u201cI know how much you love surprises, but trust it\u2019ll be only you and I going to this destination.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She cuddled up against him in the car, her arms around his waist, her head against his shoulder. \u201cYou still owe me coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d he laughed. Kol blindfolded her before the airport got in sight of them and Bella didn\u2019t like it at all. She was still rolling with it, which was great. He carried her all the way through the building to the private plane waiting for them, ignoring the strange looks he was getting. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, she\u2019s still very much alive and awake, aren\u2019t you darling?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHelp, I\u2019m being abducted,\u201d she said with a slight giggle. \u201cCan I pull off my blindfold now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d he playfully smacked her ass and got her inside the plane. Setting her down with ease, he removed the blindfold and smiled widely. \u201cTadaa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She looked around, unsure where they were and peeked out of the window. \u201cWe\u2019re on a plane?\u201d Bella sounded surprised, because she was. She\u2019d never been out of the country before – that is, if they were going out of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere are we going?\u201d Bella then realized that she and him were the only ones on the plane. \u201cAren\u2019t planes supposed to be like buses instead of mini apartments?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPerks of being a Mikaelson, darling,\u201d he fastened her belt before sitting down next to her and doing the same. \u201cWe travel in style. We have an amazing car waiting for us when we land in\u2026 ohh\u2026 twelve hours?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were definitely going out of the country. Kol was taking her away from everything. \u201cWe\u2019re not going to Greece, are we?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, hell no. We\u2019re going to some place much better and comfortable for the both of us,\u201d he smiled as the plane started to move. \u201cBut until then, we\u2019re traveling in all the comforts in the world, and you\u2019ll get your coffee as soon as we\u2019re flying.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrance?\u201d Bella was bouncing on her feet after they left the plane. \u201cYou took me to France?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe best area in France, mind you,\u201d he laughed as he pulled her into his arms, kissing her gently on her lips. \u201cWho needs Paris when you have the French Riviera? Beaches everywhere! Who knows, we might even go on a yacht for a couple of days! Allow me to spoil you rotten, Bella,\u201d he then pointed at the silver Porsche 911 that was waiting for them. \u201cAnd spoil myself in the process, I couldn\u2019t help myself – don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s a rental, but isn\u2019t it gorgeous?\u201d Kol smirked as he helped Bella into the car. \u201cI love fast cars.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI doubt you\u2019re going to hold to the speed limit?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDarling, this car is made for speed, don\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll take real good care of you,\u201d he kissed her before going around the car and hopped in. \u201cSaint-Tropez here we come!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella didn\u2019t know what was worse; the plane taking off or landing or Kol skidding away in the car, but she loved the big smile on his face as they raced over the road towards the city. She had already told him that she didn\u2019t need fancy vacations, but Kol had insisted and it wasn\u2019t anything fancy. Well, that was a lie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only the best was good for them, there were reservations for them for a large suite in a 19th century castle that was on a hill and close to the sea. Granted, he wanted a hotel at the beach, but sleeping in castles was something Bella had to experience, according to Kol. And it wasn\u2019t as if it wasn\u2019t a great hotel; there were swimming pools, a wellness centre, hot tubs, restaurant, everything they\u2019d ever need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol was saddened by the fact that it hadn\u2019t been a long drive to the castle, but it had been a fun one, seeing Bella look at the scenery in awe, and laugh at him when he was frustrated that inside the city, he had to comply with the speed limit because the alternative was to run everyone over and ruin the car. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella was amazed by the size of the suite; it was almost as big as her apartment in New Orleans. There were two bedrooms, a large bathroom with a hot tub and a regular shower\/bath combination, a large walk in closet, a living room area and so many extras that it was simply ridiculous. She loved the view they had from their balcony – they could see the sea from where they were at and had a lovely view over the garden. There was a table with two comfortable chairs on their balcony and Bella could see herself write a little there while they enjoyed the sun. It was perfect. Very over the top and likely very costly, but it was perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since they still had most of the day to be awake, Kol took her into town to shop. They both needed clothes, and he was wondering if he could convince Bella to simply walk around in a bikini all day long – embrace the fact that nobody could care about what she wore, she\u2019d look stunning either way. Much to his surprise, she agreed that with the heat they were experiencing, the less clothes was better, and she picked out a few sets that she liked, accompanied with some skirt item to cover herself up significantly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, yes, for appearances sake in case they\u2019d visit a restaurant, they bought a set of normal clothes as well. Kol was happy with a few t-shirts and swimming trunks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella could see why Kol had picked Saint-Tropez as the place to go to; the atmosphere of the city was infectious; everyone seemed to live without a care in the world and the people were friendly. She was surprised to see little shops by the biggest and most expensive brands that you\u2019d normally see in Paris or London or even New York, but Kol explained to her that Saint-Tropez was the world\u2019s worst best secret ever. A lot of billionaires choose the area to spend their holidays because of the scenery and the people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And should Bella see something she\u2019d like for her own home or maybe as a gift for Myriam or Rebekah, or even Nik, they\u2019d send it home by mail. No expenses spared. Not a care in the world. Just enjoyment and debauchery; something the Mikaelsons were very good at in times of peace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, Kol knew that he was probably taking things too far; Bella was still looking at the price tags and nearly fainting at some of the prices. Yes, they were ridiculous. Who cares? Only the best for his girl. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They went back to the hotel room where Bella happily changed into one of her new bikinis and joined him on their balcony after room service brought them a bottle of Ros\u00e9 wine. \u201cWow,\u201d Kol nearly choked on his glass of wine as she sat down in the lounge chair beside him. \u201cYou\u2019re trying to kill me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou wanted me to buy bikini\u2019s,\u201d Bella pointed out cheekily. \u201cI\u2019ll be happy to wear them for you, but just for you. Not in front of the family,\u201d she added quickly. \u201cHell no.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was just happy that she\u2019d taken to the idea so easily and wasn\u2019t shying away from showing off that magnificent body of hers. Kol handed her a glass of wine and sighed happily. \u201cIt\u2019ll be quite hard for me to keep my hands off of you now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She playfully smirked at him as she sipped her wine. \u201cThank you for taking us away from New Orleans for a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He brought his chair closer to hers as he sat down again. \u201cThe only reason we remain sane, or at least I do, is to travel after something has happened. Rebekah, Elijah and Nik are always together, now with Myriam thrown into the mix as well, but me? I\u2019ve always gone off on my own because the longer I was away from Nik, the longer I got to live outside of my box. Sunny Europe has always been a favourite of mine – unless they\u2019re all in Europe, then Australia will do,\u201d Kol sighed happily as he took a sip of his wine. \u201cGet used to this, Bella, we\u2019ll be doing this a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut what about—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you worry about that, this is all peanuts for us. We live to enjoy ourselves, with the occasional killing, but this is what I like. I loved it when we traveled through the United States, just the two of us. I can give you the world, we can go anywhere,\u201d he raised his glass to her with a smile. \u201cHere\u2019s to never getting bored,\u201d he toasted before he took another sip. \u201cAnd to you never to bring up the price of anything ever again,\u201d he added with a grin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJerk,\u201d Bella huffed, taking a sip of her drink, really liking the taste of it, but she wanted to taste something else and she hoped that she was going to have a taste of that soon, or else she figured she might burst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, but you love me and my handsome face.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella sighed exasperatedly. \u201cUnfortunately, I do.\u201d She then looked at her wrist, as if there was a watch on it. \u201cHmm, I must say, you have excellent self-control, Kol Mikaelson,\u201d she noted. \u201cHere I am, dressed in almost nothing, still with the glass of wine in my hand\u2026 you in that chair next to me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He looked like a fish on dry land, gasping for air as he really hadn\u2019t wanted to impose on her, to make it clear that he was that<\/em> interested. Because he was. And he wanted her now.\u201cBella, I—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about time, isn\u2019t it?\u201d she looked at him before setting her glass down and moving so that she was on her knees in her chair. \u201cFor the first few weeks after\u2026 I was glad that you left at night, but as weeks progressed\u2026 I kinda wanted you to stay\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen why didn\u2019t you say anything?\u201d she smiled at him, lightly brushing her hand on his cheek. \u201cWere you leaving it up to me? That\u2019s not like you, at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol sighed and nodded as he leaned into her hand. \u201cI believed you weren\u2019t completely done healing yet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She bit her lip as she carefully looked at him, although she already knew the answer to her question. \u201cAm I now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He lifted her out of her chair and into his lap, putting his arms around her. \u201cI don\u2019t know, are you?\u201d Kol asked playfully as Bella\u2019s hands slid underneath his shirt, trying to get him out of it. \u201cMaybe another night in a separate bed\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you dare,\u201d she tugged fiercely on his shirt, causing him to have to give in to her pulling it off of him. \u201cThat second bedroom is offensive,\u201d Bella replied happily once she\u2019d discarded his shirt. \u201cBesides\u2026 we do need to work up an appetite for dinner\u2026\u201d She pressed her body against his naked torso as she fiercely kissed him, burying her hands in his hair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you sure?\u201d He muttered through the kiss, earning him a tug on his hair as an answer. Putting his arms around her again, he made sure she could cling on to him as he got up and headed to the bedroom with her, careful not to bump into anything, although the wall sounded pretty good right now. No, they were both still too dressed for that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breaking off the kiss, he gently set her down on the ground and undid himself from his shoes and pants before tearing up her new bikini. She had others. This hadn\u2019t even been the prettiest one, who cared? When he looked at her, she appeared to be pouting. Well, Bella obviously cared about that one. \u201cWe\u2019ll get you another one tomorrow,\u201d he promised before backing her up against the wall as he kissed her again, hard and hungry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh,\u201d she let out a moan when she realized what he was going to do, a shiver running over her body in anticipation as she eagerly answered his kiss and jumped up to wrap her legs around him at the moment her back hit the pristine wall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the wall, the bed, the bathtub and the bed again before they both fully had gotten rid of the tension that had built up between them in the past few weeks and before Bella really needed to take a break, unable to feel her legs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol ordered room service and snuggled up to Bella in bed, taking her into his arms, where she belonged. Bella let out a slight giggle, still floating on cloud nine. \u201cYou know, you might have to carry me around for the rest of our lives when the feeling in my legs don\u2019t return.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be weird,\u201d he laughed and kissed the top of her head. \u201cNothing my blood can\u2019t cure, and for God\u2019s sake, Bella, you\u2019re a demi-Goddess, no doubt you have the ability to self-heal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella huffed. \u201cAnd here I thought it\u2019d be a romantic thing for you to carry me everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d he shook his head. \u201cAbsolutely not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She stretched herself as if she was a kitten and rolled further into him. \u201cI\u2019m only teasing, don\u2019t worry,\u201d she replied as she drew a circle on his bicep with her finger as she looked up at him. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat for now?\u201d Kol laughed as he softly kissed her. \u201cThe great sex? That was both of us, darling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo\u2026 well, yes, but for not giving up on me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNever,\u201d he kissed her again. \u201cI will always find my way back to you, and if you get lost, I will help you find your way back to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She giggled then. \u201cGood, because I kind of suck at reading maps.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 12 \u201cI met you, dumbass,\u201d Bella let out a snort after seeing the dumbfounded look on Kol\u2019s face. \u201cIt hasn\u2019t been two years for me, remember?\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s not funny. For a moment there I thought I had to go and kill someone.\u201d \u201cNo killing,\u201d she replied as she, too,…<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":601,"parent":598,"menu_order":11,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-655","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nChapter 12 - MeekoBuggy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chapter 12 - MeekoBuggy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Chapter 12 \u201cI met you, dumbass,\u201d Bella let out a snort after seeing the dumbfounded look on Kol\u2019s face. \u201cIt hasn\u2019t been two years for me, remember?\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s not funny. For a moment there I thought I had to go and kill someone.\u201d \u201cNo killing,\u201d she replied as she, too,... 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