i wanted to be brave.

“considering the face that i am underage, probably a soda,” the brunette commented before ordering herself a club soda, “were you greatly affected by the earthquake?”

“you are? i’d no idea that was a thing” he knew of people who knew much about wine, but beer? no “alright, maybe i’ll try whiskey. i have heard it might be strong, though” maybe it was different with various whiskey’s. at her question his eyebrows raised “uh yeah. why, do i look young?” he chuckled.

“it’s not, i made it up. still, if it were true i’d definitely be one. blame my irish roots.” her whole life she’d grown up around parties and beer was definitely the first type of alcohol she’d tried, at an embarrassingly young age. “i have a feeling whiskey is a bestseller around this parts, so you’re in good hands.” she’s met a family of vampires that was obsessed with whiskey. ordering another beer for her and a whiskey for her companion she laughed. “definitely, but in this town, i know better than to let myself be led on by appearances, so i trust you.” 

Klaus understood what she meant but he shakes his head, “I’m not certain this wasn’t supernatural.” He admits tossing some broken brushes into the large trash can he had nearby, “Earthquakes aren’t known to last as long as this, nor is this area of the United States known to have such powerful earthquakes.” He wasn’t nearly as paranoid as he once was but that worry would always be eating at the back of his mind. “She is, her eldest daughter has a broken leg and concussion. How about your own children?” He hated to see his granddaughter in that state but at least he knew she would be okay and with them all moving into his home he can keep a close eye on them. “I’d ask if that goes back to your bar tending days but I know for a fact that place was sticky no matter where you stood.” He couldn’t say he blamed her for that fact, drunks in New Orleans would always spill their drinks with unsteady feet. He nods at the state of her office, “Well that’s very lucky, I would think you might be very busy after all this trauma.” He chuckles looking around at the mess, “I’m sure to the right audience I could convince them this is an art piece in itself.” He muses, kicking softlt a small spilled over can of paint. “Perhaps private classes at my home will have to conducted. So not all is loss, you’ll have to watch out before you find yourself enrolled.”

Cami stopped mopping for a second to think. She’d been so caught up in the aftermath she hadn’t stopped to think that maybe there was more of it than meets the eye. What Klaus said made perfect sense, after all, when was the last time she’d felt an earthquake? “Do you think something or someone caused this?” She said curiously, it had to be an immense amount of power. After hearing the news of his granddaughter Cami’s face fell, “I’m so sorry, that sounds horrible. I’m sure she’s being treated by the best and smartest, right?” She said with a small smile if anything she recalled clearly was of Klaus’ protectiveness over his family. Nostalgia invaded her body but she shook it off. “My son is fine, thankfully. I’d rather have a thousand material losses than anything happen to my family.” She said grabbing a towel and cleaning a few paint splotches on the table. “I miss my bartender days,” She says with a laugh, “things were... simpler.” That Cami would have never imagined being here right now. “I’ve gotten more calls today than all of last month.” She joked, but in all honesty, she was worried that she wouldn’t be able to consult properly due to recent events. “Klaus, you could draw a happy face on a piece of paper and people would be bidding thousands of dollars for it.” It was true, Klaus was a magnificent artist, she had analyzed many of his painting in the past. “I’ll keep a lookout for the sign-up sheet. I’m no stranger to Mikaelson’s manors, I sometimes miss New Orleans.” 

isabelle smiled over at her once more as she spoke about her father. “ well my dad has to realise that i’m legally old enough to drink now, and if i want to drink with my cool aunt cami then i can. ” she responded. “ you definitely are a cool aunt. responsible is boring. ” she laughed, taking a sip of her drink when cami handed it to her. “ that’s good at least, glad the place is still standing.” a lot of them weren’t, after all. “ i was out when it happened, took shelter under a table like taught. luckily the place stayed standing and i was unharmed. ” though she’d gone out to help people after it was over, earning a few scrapes.

“i like the way you talk, kid.” she said smiling widely. when had all of the kids grown up so much? “that earns you two free drinks, keep it up and i’ll pay the whole tab.” she rather enjoyed being with family, o’connell side speaking, ever since her brother and uncle died she tried to enjoy the little family she had left. “i’m glad you’re safe, well, that the whole family is safe. that earthquake was big enough to scare the crap out of me.” now that she knew everyone she cared about was okay, she was much more at peace. “this town is going to need a lot of help after it.”

Thirty-two years old and his mother still mommed him as if he was younger, watching as she looks him over he couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m fine, mom.” He reassures her, “And it’s a little beat up, but nothing I can’t fix and just clean up. What about yours? You need my help with anything?” He wouldn’t call himself a mama’s boy as he loved both his parents equally, but if you were to get down to the technicalities of it he was always trying to make sure she was safe, appreciated and happy. So maybe he was a mamas boy. “It’s… coincidental, considering the other half of it.” He nods his head side to side before brows come together, “Have you heard the other side of it?” 

There was something strange but at the same time fascinating about the way that she stayed the same age but she could watch her kids grow. She couldn’t shake old habits and it was very difficult to stop seeing Aiden as a little boy, maybe not that difficult but she just simply let her mom instincts take over. “You know I worry, and that earthquake was no small thing. Something could’ve happened to you.” She shook her head and tried not to think about it. At his question, she simply nodded her head, “The office is trashed, I’ve put off cleaning it but maybe you could help you not-so-old mother out?” She said with a smile that quickly turned into a frown, “The other half of it? What’s that supposed to mean?” Had something happened after the earthquake that she was unaware of? 

“do you regret coming to this town?” she asked the older blonde curiously. bree wandered if either of her parents regretted coming to town; unable to ever leave. “i just don’t want to leave my family. it is not like i can go visit them on weekends or holidays,”

Was she old enough to be there? Not quite yet, but who was going to bother about that after everything that had happened? Looking over at amusement at the other woman at the bar, she let out a soft laugh. “Having a good time?”

“Having a not so good time actually,” Cami said with a sigh, “but that’s exactly why I’m drinking tonight, to forget.” She said raising her glass in a ‘cheers’ motion and sipping on it. “With the earthquake and everything that came with it, I’m surprised people are functioning normally.” She said pouting her lips, “How did you deal with it?” 

“what my heart pleases? okay, cool” the young vampire nodded his head. maybe could he order the most expensive champagne just because someone else paid for it. or nah. he could not throw away someone else’s money on that “tequila shots, that’s what i’d like to have. i have never tried to get drunk since i got… “ there was a few seconds pause “well, yeah, not on almost two years soon, i think”

she watched him carefully as his mind turned, but when he mentioned tequila shots her curiousness disappeared and a big smile showed up in her face. “ risky choice, ” she started, tequila always brought her a hangover since it hit her so fast, “ i’ve had some very good nights and some very bad ones with tequila. i’ll join you in one shot. ” cami said ordering both of them. “ please tell me you’re not a recovering alcoholic and i’m not helping you fall into the habit again. ” she said with the shot in her hand.  

“well okay then” landon chuckled after hearing what the blonde said. despite that he had lived a long life now, or well half of it, had he not tried many alcoholic drinks. whenever he drank something was it usually beer “hmm, i drink beer most of the time. maybe should i try something new.. any recommendations?” he asked. could be fun to have something new to order, change a little. 

“ well, you’re talking to a beer connoisseur as well. nothing beats it if i’m being all that honest, but, ” she paused to take a sip of her drink as she looked around the bar, “ if you’re drinking anything else, vodka or whiskey will do the trick. ” she managed to take a good look at the kid and furrowed her brow, “ you are of age, right? ” 

turning to her father’s cousin with a grin on her face, isabelle nodded her head in response. “ well thanks cami. ” she offered a smile back in response, turning to bartender and ordering herself a vodka and lemonade. she heard the hint of tipsiness in her voice, and smiled once more. “ we definitely deserve a night off. did your place take any damage ? ”

“ it’s the least i can do, just don’t tell declan, you’re all grown up but he’d still say: ‘be a good example’ or something along those lines, ” she said smiling, she enjoyed being around her niece and considered her to be a part of her close family. “ i much rather be the cool aunt. ” she said passing her drink and taking a sip of the one in her hands. “ it’s not that bad, nothing my abilities can’t clean in a night, ” she said with a small head tilt, “ what about you ? where were you when it happened ? ”

JJ chuckled as he looked at the woman that was almost like an aunt to him. “wow, there should be earth quakes around here more often.” the hybrid said with a laugh before ordering himself a beer.

“ or, you know... you could just give me a call,” she said laughing, she was happy to have found JJ to be safe after everything. the kid was part of her extended family since she considered hayley like a sister. “ doesn’t take a natural disaster for me to buy you a free drink, you know ? ” she teased.

Word obviously got around to the townspeople of Hollow Valley. Malivore was back, Mailovire being something that Aiden learned about in school knew that it wasn’t a good thing. Especially for him and everyone he cared about. Hollow Valley was like an all you can eat buffet just waiting for Malivore. He sucks in his cheeks before looking to the tender, “I’ll just have a beer.” He smiled his thanks before looking to his mom, “You okay?” The town was upside down - the bar still surprisingly standing, people hurt left and right and his mom was here.

Cami almost spilled the beer out of her mouth when her son arrives and she was more than ecstatic to see him safe and sound. “I hadn’t heard from you for a while since everything went on. How’s your home?” She said, grabbing him by the arms and checking on his face. Her son might be quite strong and, well, durable, but she still couldn’t help but worry. “I’m just fine, an earthquake has nothing on me.” She joked, after all, what would a few books dropping do to her? She was a vampire. “It’s just strange, isn’t it? Hadn’t heard of earthquakes rocking Virginia for a while. Not a perfect week overall.” She reflected, she had no idea anything else was wrong. She had spent most of the day helping around and hadn’t heard other rumors spread around. 

“unless you were born here, i don’t think you will be going far for your vacation,” she didn’t mean to be rude but this was the facts and the reality of the situation. if you came to town, you were stuck here. “you could say that again.”

Katie laughed. “Oh, you know that magic old as hell stuff behind the bar that not just anyone gets. I got it here last time because i agreed to dancer on the table,” she chuckled. “Though i have no regrets.”

Well, if Cami wasn’t excited before she is sure as hell is now. “Old magic stuff? Dancing on tables?” She said with a raised eyebrow as she cheered and counted to three before downing the next shot. “You sure do know how to have fun.” She said smiling. “I’m definitely in. It sounds like this stuff is really worth it.” 

“Okay but i do have to buy the one after or someone is going to run out of money,” he chuckled. 

“Oh, I can absolutely take you up on that.” Camille wasn’t one to refuse free drinks. Give and receive, and all that. “But how do you know I’m not some billionaire looking to spend all of my money recklessly who won’t run out of money?” 

“Well at the end of the day, they are all still blood no matter the type,” she laughed. “We do what we can.” She nodded. “I have some animal blood if that is more your type. Whatever you need we have. Clearly,” she laughed. All vampires came to her at least once since she had taken over 6 months ago. “Oh, no. I think i’m good here. But i know the apartment unit on jackson street is in need of massive help.”   

“Very true,” she said nodding her head, “You’d think as vampires have a little bit more variety. Maybe even some desserts.” As soon as the words left her mouth she realized why it hadn’t happened, it sounded absolutely disgusting –– blood desserts? yuck, besides she hadn’t grown tired of drinking out of a bag. So she simply shook her head. She really tried to always drink animal blood but when her cravings were really bad she had to settle for human blood. Still, as much as the temptation was high, Camille decided for the safer guilt-less option, “Yeah, I think animal blood will suffice my needs for now.” She bit her lip as Caroline mentioned the apartment complex, “I’ll be sure to check it today, I had been giving rounds in town to see if anyone needed help but this earthquake caused quite a disaster.” 

“You might just live to regret that,” she joked, picking up a shot and downing it. “I’m going to need another 3. Before we get into the good stuff.”

“Maybe we both will live to regret this.” She said with a laugh, signaling the bartender for two more shots. “You have me hooked, but... the good stuff? Care to explain what that’s about?” Cami was imagining singing nineties songs in the karaoke, so she really needed to know.