𝟑𝟗

a/n: Lottie's outfit for the chapter is on the right and her dress for the 60's decade dance is on the left!

☆═━ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 ━═☆

Charlotte played with the ends of her sleeve from where she stood outside with Damon and Stefan as Elena signed the deed to the Salvatore's Boarding House with a lawyer.

"You two really think Bonnie can take on Klaus?" Damon asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"No. I mean...I don't want to seem like I am doubting her. She said she could," Charlotte paused, shoving her hands in her pockets, "But ever since I got into the loop of all these hectic things...I realized that everything comes with a price. It can't be that easy."

Damon, refusing to look at a kink in their plan, shook his head, "No, it will work. We just need to find him."

Stefan nodded as Damon questioned, "Could she do one of those witch tracking spells?"

"Nope," He shook his head, "Not without something that belongs to Klaus. Believe me, I already asked."

The oldest Salvatore paused for a few seconds before asking, "Do you think he killed her?"

"Katherine? Maybe," Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, "Although that would be a very sad ending."

"It's not like she didn't have it coming," Damon crossed his arms, finishing.

Elena opened the door before the lawyer got out, "Thank you, Mr. Henry."

The three vampires walked to the threshold but an invisible force kept them out as Elena shook her head, "I'm sorry. I completely forgot."

Charlotte smiled, shrugging her shoulders as Elena smiled, "Charlotte, would you please come inside my house?"

"Gladly," She pushed her way through Damon and Stefan, walking inside as Stefan raised his eyebrows in confusion.

Elena then turned to her boyfriend, "Stefan. Would you like to come inside my house?"

"I would love to. Thank you," He entered safely, standing beside Charlotte.

Elena looked at Damon, still standing at the door, "What are we, twelve?"

"One of us is," She responded, shrugging his shoulders before she asked, "If I let you in, do you promise to obey the owner of this house?"

"No."

"Seriously, Damon. My way. You promised," Elena reminded him as she folded her arms together, "I call the shots. No lies, no secret agendas. Remember?"

He rolled his eyes, "Yes, Elena. Sure."

"Then please, come in."

Damon walked in, taking a look at Stefan and Charlotte who were both smiling smugly, "Shut up."

"We didn't say anything," Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, holding back a chuckle.

She turned around as Bonnie walked back with Elena's jacket and her pack back, "Thanks, Bonnie."

Stefan raised his eyebrows, "Wait, where are you going?"

"To school," Elena shrugged her jacket, answering simply.

"Huh?"

"No, no, no. We didn't create a safe house for you to leave it," Damon shook his head, stating before he turned to Charlotte, "What...are you going, too?"

"I missed yesterday. I can't miss two days in a row," Charlotte claimed, adjusting her pack back on her shoulders.

"Guys, Klaus is out there. We know that." Stefan reminded them.

"Right," Elena nodded before asking, "But where? No one knows. Look, I really appreciate what you guys are doing," She added, smiling in appreciation, "And I'll be able to sleep at night knowing that I'll be safe here, but I'm not going to be a prisoner."

She looked at Damon who shrugged, "Tsk. Your way, Elena."

"Plus, what good is living with an academically terrible life?" Charlotte asked, crossing her arms.

Elena chuckled at that as Bonnie reassured them, "Don't worry, I'm ready. If he shows his face, I can take him. I know how."

The human doppelganger placed an arm around Bonnie's shoulders, finishing, "The way I see it, next to Bonnie is the safest place that I can be."

"Come on," Elena walked out, followed by Bonnie and Charlotte.

Stefan looked at Damon before shaking his head, "Wait, um, coming!"

✵ ✵ ✵

In School, everyone was taking their seats in History class. Charlotte sat in front of Elena as the human brunette took the poster of the 60's decade dance out of her bag and showed it to Stefan with a smile, in return, he shook his head in disapproval.

She tapped on Charlotte's back. The vampire took a look at the poster and she smiled, giving her a thumbs up. Bonnie, too, agreed, nodding.

Elena looked back at Stefan as Alaric walked into the classroom, "Hello, class. What are we learning today?"

Dana spoke up, "With the decade dance tonight, we've been covering the sixties all week."

"Right. The sixties," He watched as Charlotte turned around, writing something down in Elena's notebook that made the brunette giggle before they both turned around to look at what Alaric had to write on the board.

"The, uh, ahem...," He stammered a little, turning to write on the board, "The sixties. I wish there was something good I could say about the sixties, but..."

Alaric trailed off, shrugging, "Actually, they kind of sucked. Except for the Beatles, of course. They made it bearable," He paused to remember, "Uh, what else was there? The Cuban missile thing, the...we walked on the moon. There was Watergate."

Elena chuckled, correcting him, "Watergate was the seventies, Ric," She noticed the looks she was getting from her classmates before faking a cough, "I-I mean, Mr. Saltzman."

Alaric paused before nodding, "Right. It all kind of mushes together up here, the sixties, seventies. Thank you, Elena."

✵ ✵ ✵

Serena shook her head, "Nope, she is all good. She didn't stop smiling ever since she got back last night. What did you do, exactly?"

Charlotte shrugged, holding her tray in her hands as she walked into the cafeteria, "We just went out for ice cream and played at the park."

"Wow, just that and an everlasting smile?" Serena was surprised, to say the least.

Charlotte sighed, turning to Serena, "We talked as well and she really needs you right now. I know that between school, studies, and your shifts at the Grill that it's hard but please try...you guys should stick together. You are family."

"What? Our family has a saying about sisters too, now?" The brunette smiled jokingly, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded, "Actually, we do," Charlotte smiled sadly, remembering, "My mother made it. An older sister helps one remain half child, half woman...just to inspire Emmeline to take good care of me."

"Wow...real classic."

"It's the 1800s, what do you except?" Charlotte chuckled, rolling her eyes.

"Right," Serena nodded with a shrug, "The dance, tonight? You coming?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Nope, I have to study for my Chemistry test later next week. I haven't touched it in weeks," Serena sighed before taking a look at her watch, "Well, I have got class, I will see ya."

Charlotte nodded, walking up to the table where Bonnie and Elena sat, "Hello...so I have got to know what in the hell does mustard taste like and should I have gotten it with the fries or no because the lady asked and I was like...what?"

Bonnie and Elena chuckled before the witch answered, crossing her arms over the table, "Well... it's like ketchup but worse."

"Noted."

Elena laughed before Dana walked over to their table, "Hey, Elena, there you are," The three brunettes turned to her as she started, "Okay. This is going to sound freaky, but this totally hot guy just asked me to ask you if you're going to the dance tonight."

"She is taken, Dana," Charlotte reminded their classmate.

Bonnie added, "Yeah, tell him she has a boyfriend."

Dana offered, raising her eyebrows, "You could at least meet him. He'll be at the dance tonight. Look for him. His name is Klaus."

Charlotte's eyes widened as she looked around them with Bonnie, "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

"His name's Klaus. I know the name's stupid, but I swear he's hot."

Charlotte asked, "And where is he, now?"

"Is he here?"

Dana frowned, shrugging her shoulders, "I don't know."

Bonnie stated, "She's been compelled."

"But he wants to know if you'll save him the last dance," Dana said, smiling in admiration, "How cute is that?"

"Scary cute, Dana. We get it."

✵ ✵ ✵

In the Salvatore Boarding House, Charlotte sat on the couch. Still getting over the fact that Paulina was back in town after she escaped from the basement's cell. Somehow, she was on their side.

"So, we will go to the dance and we will find him," Paulina shrugged her shoulders after the girls finished telling them the story, "There's nothing to panic about."

"Really? How are we going to do that? We don't even know what he looks like," Stefan claimed, shaking his head.

The Gilbert vampire rolled her eyes, "But I do, so I will help and you better be thankful after that stunt you and your girlfriend pulled with Elijah."

"Something tells me he's not going to be sixteen and pimply?"

Paulina chuckled at Damon's remark as Stefan shook his head, "He could be anywhere at any time. He compelled somebody at school," He turned to three brunettes at the end of the room, raising his eyebrow, "I guess it's not as safe as you guys thought, huh?"

Charlotte looked down at her hands before tugging at her sleeves as someone knocked on the door then Alaric entered, "There you are."

"Sorry, I'm late."

"Hey, I need you to put me and Lina down as chaperones at the dance tonight," Damon started before informing, "Klaus made his first move."

He raised his eyebrows, turning to the Gilbert vampire standing a few feet away. She waved her hand slyly in greeting as he asked, "What is she doing here?"

"Haven't you heard? I am team good guys now," Paulina shrugged her shoulders, smirking.

Elena sighed, speaking up, "Okay, so we find him and then what, hmm? What's our plan of attack?"

"Most of us are vampires...He is old but yeah, we took on Elijah...How hard could he be?" Charlotte looked up, asking as Paulina turned to her, crossing her arms.

"You didn't take on Elijah, he was gentle because I would have killed him if he hurt you," She clarified before knitting her eyebrows, "Regretting that now."

"Look, I am sorry, that's not what I meant," Charlotte apologized, shrugging her shoulders, "Umm, you know?"

Paulina rolled her eyes as Bonnie claimed, "I'm the plan. He has no idea how much power I can channel," She paused, insisting, "If you can find him, I can kill him."

"And you are sure that this is safe?" Charlotte asked.

Bonnie nodded, "Yes, Elena will be fine."

"I didn't mean Elena, I meant for you."

Bonnie frowned, not expecting that question from anyone, let alone Charlotte Bernard. She might have just misread the vampire way too many times. She sighed, nodding, "Yeah...yeah, I will be fine."

Alaric furrowed his eyebrows, stating, "That's not going to be that easy. I mean, he is the biggest, baddest vampire around."

"Alaric has a point. I mean, what if he...," Damon trailed off before rushing at Bonnie but she threw him on the other side of the room with her powers, without touching him.

"Well, I was impressed," Stefan claimed, taking a look from his brother to Bonnie.

Charlotte shrugged, noticing Paulina send Alaric a look. She frowned, not understanding what was going on but she chose to shrug it off, believing it must mean nothing.

Bonnie turned to Elena, lastly, "It doesn't matter if he's an Original. I can take down anyone who comes at me. I can kill him, Elena. I know I can."

✵ ✵ ✵

Charlotte put on her cap, twirling around to see her full look in the mirror before smiling widely. Unlike Elena and Paulina Gilbert who had to dig in the Salvatore women's packed up boxes for costumes, Charlotte had her own.

Not that she had time to buy one but Caroline knew her size and got her a black and white outfit that she just couldn't stop admiring from the 'each boot a color' part to the dress to the everything!

She smiled at her reflection one last time before walking out of the room, straight to Stefan's where she knew Elena was supposed to be getting ready.

Charlotte walked inside as Elena's eyes widened, a smile taking over her features, "Wow...that's some Caroline Forbes magic over there."

"I know right," She smiled, tapping her feet on the floor in excitement.

Charlotte frowned, noticing, "Why aren't you ready yet?"

She picked two outfits, asking for her opinion, "Okay, so what do you think? Twiggy or sexy hippy?"

She pursed her lips in a straight line, knitting her eyebrows, "Hmm...tough call."

✵ ✵ ✵

Charlotte, Stefan, and Elena arrived together, considering Paulina and Damon left earlier than the trio. She walked up to Bonnie and Jeremy, who were accompanied by Damon and Paulina before she greeted, "Hey, you two look extremely cute that I might cry."

Bonnie chuckled, embracing Charlotte as she greeted back, "You look amazing, too."

"Thank you," Charlotte shrugged, smiling before she turned to the two sarcastic vampires, "Hello...your date?"

"Yep."

"Ew, no."

The Bernard nodded to herself, "Okay...yeah, I shouldn't have asked," She shrugged to herself, leaving the two on their own.

"You guys ready to do this?" Stefan asked and got no reply.

Everyone was inside the gym, decorated to fit the sixties decade, dancing along to the music. Dana went onto the stage and spoke into the microphone, "Thanks for being here, everybody. We have a special shout-out tonight."

Everyone stopped in front of the stage, including Elena, Stefan, Bonnie, Charlotte, Jeremy, Paulina, and Damon as Dana said, "This is for Elena. From Klaus."

A song started playing, Elena was stunned as Charlotte squeezed her shoulder in reassurance and Damon claimed, "That was a lame, cheap shot. He's just trying to bait us."

"I know everyone here," She looked around herself, stating.

Stefan suggested, shrugging his shoulders, "Maybe he's not here. Just wants us to believe that he is."

"Yeah, sure because an Original vampire is bound to be that childish," Paulina huffed out, rolling her eyes.

"It's a party, people," Damon reminded, dancing along with the beat, "Blend. Let him come to us."

He took Paulina's hand after that as Charlotte raised her eyebrows, shaking her head at herself as her former— or current best friend let him take her hand and agreed to, very excitedly, dance with him on the dance floor.

"Good idea," Bonnie nodded, taking Jeremy's arm.

"No, no, I really don't feel like dancing."

"Too bad."

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders as Stefan and Elena contemplated dancing before Elena turned to Charlotte, "You sure you will be fine if we left for a quick dance?"

Charlotte nodded, clapping enthusiastically before she nudged Elena, "Yes! I mean c'mon, go for it."

They went on the dance floor as Charlotte stood aside, tapping her foot on the floor in rhyming with the beat before Alaric joined her, "Hey."

"Hi, Mr. Saltzman, cool look," She greeted, smiling politely.

He frowned slightly, considering everyone in her group just called him, Ric but Charlotte preferred to be polite about it since he was still her history teacher, "So...why aren't you dancing with the others?"

"I don't have a date," She shrugged her shoulders, answering simply.

Alaric raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

Charlotte folded her arms together, reasoning, "Well, you know with all of the drama lately and school homework, I don't have time to be a normal high school girl who searches for a date before the dance with months, let alone days."

She kept glancing around at the dance floor, smiling in greeting when one of her classmates waved at her before someone tapped her shoulder. Charlotte turned around, finding Oliver Wilson, her partner in Chemistry class, and a waiter at the Grill who covered for Serena plenty of times.

"Oh, hey, Oliver."

"Hi, Charlotte," He greeted back, smiling as his weight shifted from one foot to another before he asked, "Would you like to dance with me? Unless you have a date then I am sorry—"

She interjected, shaking her head with a small chuckle, "It's fine, Oliver. I would love to," Charlotte took his hand before glancing at Alaric, "Excuse me, Mr. Saltzman."

Charlotte was shocked. Oliver had some moves, no joking and he kept making a conversation, complimenting her about her outfit and other things that involved their class where he straight-out declared that he would fail if she wasn't his partner in class.

It was actually fun.

"So, I will go get us something to drink, yeah?" Charlotte said, raising her voice over the music as Oliver nodded.

She laughed, dancing her way through the crowd before stopping near the drinks table, finding Elena on her own, "Hey..."

"Was that you, dancing and having actual fun, with Oliver Wilson?" Elena asked, smiling in disbelief.

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, "He is quite the dancer and he is not a vampire that lived in the 60s so that gives him credits."

Elena chuckled, nudging Charlotte before the vampire looked at the gym's door, noticing Stefan and Jeremy calling them over, "Hey, c'mon."

Stefan informed them in short that Charlotte was right and if Bonnie goes through with her plan and channels all that power, she is going to die.

Elena stormed back into the gym, followed by Charlotte and Stefan before she found Bonnie, "I need to talk to you."

Bonnie glanced at Damon before leaving with Elena and Charlotte. They moved to the playground of their school before Elena questioned, "How could you not tell me?"

Bonnie shrugged, "'Cause I knew how'd you react."

"No," Elena shook her head, insisting, "No way, it's not an option."

"It's our only option."

"No, Bonnie," Charlotte cut in, shaking her head, "You don't stop Elena from dying by dying, yourself. It's not okay and none of us are going through with this."

"I have the power to save her!" Bonnie claimed, shaking her head before she turned to Elena, "If I don't use it and something happens, that would kill me more."

"I can't let you," She shook her head.

"Just answer one question...if the situation was reversed, would you do it for me?" Bonnie turned to her best friend, looking her in the eye and Elena didn't answer, "So you know why I have to."

"No," Charlotte shook her head, "No! Can we just hit pause on this plan?"

Alaric ran up to them, outside, calling over, "Elena!"

"What is it?" The brunette turned to him.

"He has Jeremy."

"What?!" The three screeched out in unison.

Alaric repeated himself, "Yeah, Klaus has Jeremy," He lead them through a side door and into a hallway, "Come on."

"Okay, so where are you taking us?" Elena questioned, following him.

"Just a little further," He murmured to himself.

"Wait...Something's not right," Elena stopped in her place, making Charlotte and Bonnie do the same.

Bonnie raised her eyebrows, asking, "Where's Jeremy?"

Alaric stopped walking and laughed, "I just had to get away from that dance. The sixties, ugh. Not my decade," He laughed once again, questioning, "I mean, whose call was that, anyway? I much prefer the twenties. The style, the parties, the jazz."

Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows. That didn't sound like Mr. Saltzman.

"Alaric, are you on vervain?" The doppelganger asked, looking over at him.

He titled his head back, raising an eyebrow, "Now why would you ask me that question, Elena?"

"He's being compelled."

"Nope," He chuckled, shrugging, "Try again."

"That's not Alaric," Charlotte realized, backing away as she clutched Bonnie's hand and Elena's in hers.

"Bingo," He clapped his hands congratulating, "We have got a winner. I knew there was a reason Lina liked her."

"Oh, no," Elena gulped, shaking her head, "No, it's not possible."

Alaric/Klaus shook his head, reassuring, "Just relax, Elena. I'm not here to hurt you. You're not on my hit list tonight," He looked at Bonnie, "But you are."

He started walking towards Bonnie but she threw him against the wall with her powers. He got up, "Now, did I mention that I knew a witch? You're gonna have to hit me a lot harder than that."

Alaric/Klaus rushed over to them again before Charlotte vamp-sped in his way and punched him in the face. She kicked him back with enough force for him to fall against the display case, smashing the glass.

"Run, both of you, run!" Charlotte looked back at Elena and Bonnie, urging them to move faster.

"Now that puts a little kink, I am supposed to provoke her," Alaric/Klaus got off the floor, laughing as he turned to Charlotte, "And somehow, I am not supposed to hurt you because that will get Lina real mad."

Charlotte's face showed just how confused she was before she punched him back against the smashed glass, "Well, you will have to deal with what you get."

"Sorry, Cherry," Paulina walked into the hallway, shrugging her shoulders, "I can't let you get in the way of that plan. Don't hold it against me, pretty please."

Charlotte couldn't respond before Paulina vamp-sped over to her and snapped her neck.

✵ ✵ ✵