Emma laughed along politely to something the mayor said as she swirled the half full champagne glass in her hand. As expected, she was bored. So much so, that when Klaus offered it to her, she accepted. One wouldn't kill her, and just holding it would give her something to busy herself with moments like these when Klaus and Mrs. Lockwood's conversation took a quick turn towards the flirtatious.

To make matters worse, they hybrid Klaus chose to accompany him for the evening wasn't one of those Emma had already been introduced to. When Klaus announced one would be joining them, Emma really hoped it's be Tony. He was fun and, unlike other hybrids, actually gave her the time of day. The others were to Klaus obsessed to believe they could ever take their eye off of him to speak with her it would seem.

"You know Carol when I think of a mayor I think of an old fuddy-duddy, but you really have changed my perception!" Yup, Emma was really starting to feel like she was about to gag. And as mayor Lockwood giggled and thanked Klaus for his complement, she was about to excuse herself. Even mingling with old farts whose proudest moment is that they're a member of a founding family seemed better than this. But then things turned around.

"Look at what the cat dragged in. Nice vest." Damon snarked as he approached their position, finally bringing an end to Carol and Klaus' flirty exchange. Emma suspected this might be the one and only time when she'd be grateful for the appearance of Damon Salvatore.

"Thank you very much, good to see you, Damon. Carol and I were discussing about whether you would be the other big benefactor." Klaus smirked at the Salvatore, almost as if mocking him. But hey, if they planned on having a pissing contest over which one donated more money, at least this one would be for a good cause.

"What do you say Damon? Klaus has made a very generous pledge. You know how we're chomping at the bit to begin the renovation." Carol turned to the younger vampire curiously, hoping to draw some money from his pocket as well.

"Carol, don't take this the wrong way," Damon started to say, his face already scrunching up in that way where he was about to say something that will definitely be taken the wrong way. "But do you realize that you've been kissing the ass of an immortal hybrid who ruined your son's life?" Emma had to pretend that she was drinking from her glass in that particular moment as she tried to hide the chuckle that threatened to escape her. Damon did, somewhat, have a point. Although, Emma suspected nobody wanted to hear her say that out loud.

"Oh, come now. Some would say that I saved it from all that nasty full moon business." Klaus said tenderly, turning back to the mayor with the utmost sympathy in his voice as he continued. "I've never had to go through it myself more than twice, to be honest, but still, I'm very sympathetic."

While she suspected he was playing the part with only one goal in mind, she couldn't help but wonder whether some of it was real. She didn't know much about werewolves, but only imagining how painful the transformation might be, perhaps really did see what he was doing as saving them. Independent of what the werewolves he'd turned thought themselves.

"Klaus has promised to protect Tyler, Damon. And our town." Carol pointed out to the Salvatore, wanting to stop any argument from erupting before the seed was even planted. "And Emma assures me he can and intends to keep that promise." Carol's addition had Damon's annoyed eyes turning to her while all Emma did in response was send him a sickly-sweet smile as she rose her glass as if saying 'Cheers'. They both knew she was lying through her teeth. God knows what Klaus intended to do with this damn town.

"From whom? His hybrids are the one the town needs protection from." Damon pointed out, thinking he'd make some headway with his argument, but alas, both Klaus and Emma weren't about to be stumped.

"When you think about it, mayor Lockwood, Klaus may be powerful, but he alone can't protect a whole town. It's good that the hybrids are here, helping him uphold his promise." Emma spoke to the woman, a smile on her face as she saw the mayor's face morph into relief as she heard Emma's words. Whether Klaus planned on protecting the town or not, it was easy to spin that he needed his hybrids to help him do it, in turn making the mayor more willing to let them too stay here.

"Don't sell me short, Emma darling. Really, I'd have no use for them if your brother would kindly return my family." Klaus seemed as if he were completely calm and collected about the issue, simply asking Damon for his help nicely.

With both their arguments they covered their grounds with Mrs. Lockwood. If the hybrids stayed, she'd be relieved because they're just an added layer of protection. And if she really wanted them to go, then the pressure on Damon and Stefan to return Klaus' coffins would multiply. Two birds, one stone...

"Not gonna happen." Damon rebutted, unwilling to budge on that particular issue. As was entirely expected of him.

"That's what I thought, which is why I've come to an agreement with the Mayor. You and the Council stay out of my hair, I stay out of yours. Your town gets protected, my hybrids get left alone and everybody will be happy." Klaus explained the agreement, the mayor nodding her head in confirmation as he listed off all the requirements.

"All you have to do is to get Stefan to stop decapitating my friends." The final addition Klaus made was now turning into a clear threat. If Stefan didn't return the rest of the Mikaelsons, Klaus wouldn't stay out of anyone's hair, the town wouldn't be protected, and nobody would be happy. And it would seem that Carol caught on to it too.

"Please Damon, just get your brother under control, or the Council will be forced to take action against him." Carol spoke in a warning tone. So far, the council hadn't intervened, but if this continued, and Klaus started to fulfil his threats, something would have to be done.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Damon didn't hesitate to show his displeasure at the ultimatum.

"Oh, come on, mate. Give peace a chance." Klaus' face bore the familiar smirk, the Original happy with the victory he achieved here. It may not have been a fight with someone throwing stakes and daggers around, but it was still a victory. With the mayor on his side, the council would be too. Even Emma couldn't hold back a pleased smile, amused as she watched Damon storm off like a child throwing a temper tantrum. She had to admit, another perk of siding with Klaus was how fun it was to watch just how much he could get under someone's skin.

"Yes, I do believe it'll be much safer for everyone in town. It's a great thing that the council is doing here." Emma smiled politely, her face already hurting from doing it so often, as she spoke to a member of the council whose name she'd already forgotten.

Not too long ago she was ready to corner Klaus and announce she was leaving. After all, she'd served her purpose. Even more so as all those who were privy to Mystic Falls' secret underbelly showed an interest in Emma, believing that cozying up to her was a way to get Klaus to like them. How wrong they were. However, she was unlucky, because just as she'd finally located him again, it happened just in time to watch Damon drag him into an empty room.

Unsure of whether she could interrupt, Emma returned to the party. Either he and Damon would sort through their issue politely, in which case the biggest fatality would be their patience, or... Well, everyone would be aware of their presence at the party by the end of it. Either way, Emma doubted she was going to be forced to stay here for much longer. And soon enough, she was proven right.

"Mr Fell, I do hope you don't mind, but I must steal Emma away." Klaus spoke as he approached, his words making a lightbulb go off in Emma's brain. Richard Fell! Thank god, trying to remember his name was all she could do the last couple of minutes.

"Of course not, it was a pleasure speaking with you Miss Park." The man said with a smile sent to both Emma and Klaus, for a moment he looked like he was even about to bow before Klaus until he walked off and left them alone. Emma wondered whether she'd ever be able to intimidate people that much that they'd feel the need to bow, even if it was stupid as hell.

"Are you ready to head out, love? This place has become quite boring by now." Klaus asked, the smirk on his face letting Emma know that he was aware of the fact that she was ready to leave the moment she walked through the door.

"This thing became boring five minutes after it started." She said, eagerly starting to follow him out of the house. "Shouldn't we wait for... Whatever the hybrid of the night was called?" Emma started to think that maybe she should get to know the names of the hybrids, beyond Tony, Tyler, and Mindy (especially considering that, according to the first on the list, the last was dead).

"He's dead." Klaus said, Emma's eyes widening. Of course, she wasn't surprised at the casual tone in which he shared the news, but more about how the hell it happened in the first place. "It would seem the Salvatores are getting a bit desperate. Stefan snatched up Elena, of course, he's bluffing. And Damon thought threatening you would actually accomplish something." Now that last part truly did make Emma laugh.

"So, you're sure Stefan is playing a game?" Emma asked, because while she doubted Klaus would give up his hybrids to save her, Elena was a different story. God, that girl really had everyone wrapped around her little finger. Even her enemies seemed keen to keep her alive. If only the idiot brothers could see that.

"He loves her. He'll huff, and he'll puff, but he won't blow the house down." Klaus said with a smirk and while on the outside he seemed confident, something in his eyes told Emma that he too was, perhaps, questioning it just a bit.

However, before she could even debate whether to point that out or not, Klaus' phone rang forcing him to pull it out of his pocket. "Let the huffing and puffing begin." He announced, Emma easily gathering it was Stefan on the other line. Emma was ready to listen in, even as Klaus stepped away, but her plans were ruined as she heard her own phone ring within the pocket of her jacket.

"Well, it would seem we're both popular this evening." She muttered, more to herself than anyone else as she pulled out the device. Looking down at the name flashing across her screen, Emma wasn't really sure as to why Matt would be calling her at this time. Nonetheless, she answered the call, really not expecting what she was about to hear from the other end of the line.