#two stepping

The air in the motel room felt thicker than Mississippi mud, sticky with unspoken tension. We were halfway to Nashville, me and Klaus Mikaelson, the Original Hybrid, on what felt like the strangest, most surreal road trip of my life. I was Hallie Cassidy, small-town girl with a big voice and even bigger dreams of country music stardom. And he was…well, he was Klaus Mikaelson. Need I say more?

"So," I said, breaking the silence as I rifled through my suitcase. "About this magic thing…"

Klaus leaned against the weathered dresser, arms crossed, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Yes, Hallie? Are you finding yourself eager to embrace the…extraordinary?"

I pulled out the worn leather-bound grimoire Gloria had given me. Gloria, bless her witchy heart, had seen something in me, a flicker of latent power I never knew existed. "Eager might be a strong word. More like…intrigued. And slightly terrified."

"Fear is a powerful motivator, love," Klaus drawled. "Now, let us see what wonders this little book holds."

I flipped through the pages, stopping at a simple fire-starting spell. "Gloria said this is a good one for beginners. Just gotta visualize the flame, say the incantation, and…poof?"

He chuckled, a low, rumbling sound. "Poof is rarely the case with magic, Hallie. It requires focus, intention, and a touch of…well, magic."

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and pictured a flickering candle flame. I muttered the words, "Incendio candela," but nothing happened. I tried again, and again, each time feeling more frustrated.

"Perhaps," Klaus suggested, his voice laced with amusement, "you need a bit more…oomph."

Next, I tried a pain infliction spell. Gloria told me to use it only as a last resort. I pointed my finger at a pillow on the bed and tried to make it “ache”. I said the incantation but nothing happened. I tried again, nothing happened. Klaus laughed saying with my luck, I’d end up hurting myself not the pillow.

Then there was the healing spell. I cut my finger with the small knife I use to whittle wood, nothing happened. I really felt like I was in over my head.

Defeated, I slammed the book shut. "This is useless. I can’t do any of this."

"Don't be so quick to dismiss your potential, Hallie. Magic is not a talent easily mastered." He paused, a strange look crossing his face. "Tell you what. I can assist. I can offer you a conduit."

I frowned. He might as well have been speaking Latin. "A what now?"

"A way to channel magic. I can…lend you some of mine."

My eyes widened. "You can do that?"

"Indeed. I am a rather unique being, after all." He smirked. "However, there is a catch."

"Of course, there is," I muttered. "What is it?"

"Siphoning magic can be…intimate. It requires physical contact."

I hesitated. Physical contact with Klaus Mikaelson? That was a whole other level of complicated. But…I wanted to learn. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do this. "Okay," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Okay, let's do it."

He stepped closer, his eyes locking with mine. There was a dangerous intensity in his gaze that made my heart pound. He held out his hands, palms up. "Are you certain, Hallie? Once we begin…"

"Just do it," I said, swallowing hard, placing my hands in his. They were warm, surprisingly gentle. A strange energy flowed between us, a tingling sensation that made my skin prickle. It felt…powerful.

"Now, focus," Klaus instructed, his voice low and steady. "Visualize the flame. Feel the energy flowing from me to you."

I closed my eyes, focusing on the image of a flickering candle. I felt the power surge through me, a raw, untamed force. I whispered the incantation, "Incendio candela," and this time…it worked.

A tiny flame flickered to life on the wick of the candle sitting on the bedside table. It lasted only a second, then vanished, but it was enough.

"I did it!" I exclaimed, grinning like a fool. "I actually did it!"

Klaus smiled, a genuine, pleased smile that made my stomach flutter. "Indeed, you did. See? You have potential, Hallie. You simply needed a little…push."

A few minutes later, my stomach chose that moment to rumble. Loudly. I blushed, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "Guess all that magic made me hungry."

Klaus chuckled. "I believe I could arrange for some sustenance. What would you prefer?"

As I reached up to push a stray strand of hair away from my face, I inadvertently exposed my neck. Old habits, formed during my brief, compelled stint as Damon Salvatore's girlfriend, died harder than I thought. I just assumed every vampire was like Damon. Klaus stiffened, his expression shifting from amusement to…something else. I couldn't quite decipher it.

"Hallie," he said, his voice low and controlled. "What are you doing?"

I shrugged, trying to play it cool, even though my heart was hammering against my ribs. "Just…making it easier for you."

His brow furrowed. "Easier? For what?"

"You know," I said, feeling like an idiot. "To…feed."

The look on his face was priceless. It was a mixture of shock, confusion, and…disgust?

"Hallie," he said slowly, carefully, "I assure you, I have no intention of…feeding on you. Do you believe me to be so…crude? So lacking in control?"

My cheeks burned with shame. "I just…I thought…"

"That I was like Damon?" he finished, his voice tinged with ice. "I may be a monster, Hallie, but I am not without my standards."

“I’m sorry, Nik.”

He turned away, running a hand through his hair. "I think we both need some air. Perhaps a distraction." He eyed my suitcase. "Are those…cowboy boots I spy?"

I looked down. Sticking out from under my jeans were my favorite pair of worn leather boots, the ones I wore for every gig back home. "Yeah. So?"

A slow smile spread across his face. "So, I believe it's time we introduced you to the wonders of two-stepping."

"Two-stepping?" I repeated skeptically. "You know how to two-step?"

He paused, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "Well, not precisely. But I'm a quick learner. And I'm told Nashville has a plethora of establishments that cater to such…festivities."

And that's how I found myself, a few hours later, standing in the middle of a crowded honky-tonk, clutching a cold beer and staring in disbelief as Klaus Mikaelson attempted to two-step. He was…terrible.

He was all elbows and awkward steps, his movements stiff and unnatural. But he was also laughing, genuinely laughing, and that made it all worthwhile.

"You're awful!" I yelled over the music, grinning.

"I'll have you know, love, I am a master of many things," he retorted, stumbling over my foot. "Dancing, apparently, is not one of them. Specifically this type.."

I couldn't help myself. I grabbed his hands, placed one on my waist, and started to guide him. "Just relax. Feel the music. It's all about the beat."

He followed my lead, slowly, awkwardly, but he followed. And as we stumbled and swayed across the dance floor, something shifted between us. The tension that had been simmering beneath the surface seemed to dissipate, replaced by a sense of…fun. We danced for hours, or at least it felt like hours. We drank beer, ate greasy bar food, and laughed until our sides ached. Klaus told me stories about his past, about the centuries he'd spent wandering the earth. He revealed a vulnerability I never expected to see in the Original Hybrid.

And I, in turn, told him about my dreams of singing on the Grand Ole Opry stage, about the heartache of always being on my own, about the fear of failing. I told him about Damon Salvatore, about the violation and the violation of my mind and body. He just listened, his eyes filled with an understanding and compassion that surprised me.

As the night drew to a close, and the band played its final song, Klaus led me outside. The air was cool and crisp, and the stars twinkled in the inky sky.

"Thank you, Hallie," he said softly, turning to face me. "For tonight. I haven't…well, I haven't had this much fun in a very long time."

"Me neither," I admitted, shyly.

He reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from my face. His touch sent a shiver down my spine.

"You know," he said, his voice low and husky, "this entire time, I've been planning to create my own army of hybrids. I have been hoping now that you have magic that you could help me. But - every time I look at you all my plans go out the window and all my attention focuses on you, little Songbird.”

"Why?" I whispered, my heart pounding in my chest.

He hesitated, his gaze searching mine. "Because you are…interesting, Hallie Cassidy. And because, against my better judgment, I find myself wanting to see you succeed. Not because it benefits me, but because you deserve it."

I didn't know what to say. I was speechless. He leaned closer, his lips hovering just above mine. "May I?"

I nodded, my eyes fluttering shut. His lips were soft, gentle, hesitant. It was nothing like the forceful, possessive kisses Damon had forced upon me. This was…different. This was…nice.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. The kiss deepened, becoming more passionate, more urgent. It was a kiss that promised…something. Something I couldn't quite define, but something I desperately wanted.