Some things you should know about this story before you read it. (1) I'm not totally ignoring Vampire Diaries but some parts of it I am, like the part when all of the Mikaelsons come together. (2) Although the beginning of the story will start off following the TV series, I will eventually venture off to my own story. (3) This story does steal some dialogue from the series but I'm going to try my best to avoid it whenever possible but it's not easy with this kind of story.

Chapter 1

Hayley stepped quickly into the parlor but the two Mikaelson brothers sitting in the room barely stirred from their perspective forms of repose. The eldest, Elijah, with his book and the Hybrid, Niklaus, with a bottle of gin.

"Guys, I don't mean to startle anyone but I was just down stairs and…I think there's something alive in one of those coffins."

Elijah looked up from his book attentive. "What do you mean you think something's alive?"

The calmness of the two brothers in turn calmed Hayley as she spoke. "I mean, I heard something coming from inside one of them. A voice. It was faint but I'm sure of it."

Elijah turned to his brother intrigued but Niklaus was still very much engulfed with the bottle in his hand.

"Brother, what do you make of this?"

Klaus, boarding drunk, didn't bother to look up to the mother of his child as he said, "She's hysterical. Losing her child was too much for her and now she needs some sort of distraction. Do us a favor, sweetheart. Pick up a bottle. I find it relaxes me quite well."

Hayley visibly flinches at the reminder of her lost daughter. She does nothing to reply to Klaus. She could have very well barked some sort of indecent response but it wouldn't have eased her pain. All she wanted to do now was go kill something, the best way to placate her grief.

"Niklaus, this 'voice' she heard must be put under investigation." Elijah said as Hayley left the room.

"Then you investigate it, brother. It's been a week since my daughter was taken away from me and if you still insist that this is not the time to retaliate then I will sit here and drink."

Elijah stood in preparation to leave his brother to grieve alone but first left him with a few parting words, "Perhaps your time could be spent doing something a little more productive. It's been more than a week since I've last seen you paint."

Just as sure as Hayley did, Elijah heard the voice coming from a coffin in the basement. He recognized it as their youngest brother's, Godric. The coffin wasn't hard to distinguish as it was the only one wrapped in pure silver chains and the only one sized for a pubescent child.

Elijah sighed outwardly and inwardly. Klaus had daggered the boy over four hundred years ago for attempting to call down the wrath of their father on them after being bested in a duel by the older brother. It wasn't the first time the younger brother had to be daggered and Elijah was certain it wouldn't be the last.

Though their father was no longer a threat, Elijah still loathed the thought of the younger brother being released. Still there was nothing he could do at this point. Their mother cursed the youngest Mikaelson's body for his own protection. Any spell placed upon the boy, no matter how dire or presumably permeant, it would eventually always fade – even that of the mystical daggers.

"I thought the dagger had to be pulled out for the vampire to wake back up." Hayley questioned. Elijah had called a special family meeting to tell his brother and Hayley of his new discovery.

"After turning him into a vampire, our mother cursed Godric and now any spells placed on him, prior to the ones she casted beforehand, either fail immediately or dissolve after time. She wanted to make sure her youngest child had double the protection."

"That sounds more like a blessing than a curse." Hayley stated.

"A blessing for a vampire, a curse for a witch because it would mean even her own spells would fail."

"Okay, so how bad is this brother? He had to be pretty gruesome for you to leave him daggered for this long."

Klaus put down his drink just long enough to answer, "He tried to bring father to us. He wanted me dead."

"He was angry, Klaus." Elijah defended.

"If he's caused you so much trouble, why haven't you guys just left him somewhere in the Himalayas yet?" Hayley continued, still confused about the Mikaelson family dynamics.

"Because he's our brother." Elijah quickly answered, offended by the thought. "We made a pact with him too. Always and forever. He may be a horrid example of a brother but he is still our family and we cannot leave him."

Klaus took another sip of bourbon and added, "Besides, mother also endowed him with the ability to always find me. It was supposed to help him if he ever got lost but it just ends up costing me. If father would have ever gotten his hands on him, I was as good as dead. Doesn't matter now. Father's gone. I say let the boy roam where his wicked little heart desires. But, dear brother, if the boy should turn on me again, brother or no brother, I will kill him."

"Ni…Klaus," The words trembled from half-conscious lips. "Niklaus."

Eyes shoot open and stare into the darkness. A boy, outwardly that of a 12 years old, trapped in a coffin with a dagger through his chest. Confusion quickly changed to anger. The boy punched the coffin lid with all of his vampire might and it flew off.

"Now that was quite unnecessary." Godric sat up to see Elijah, his good brother, sitting nobly in a metal chair that, with Elijah's presences, resembled a throne. A pile of silver chains sat on the floor in front of him. "I'd unchained it hours ago, patiently waiting for you to wake, little brother."

The boy's eyes shined dark black. His fangs bared savagely. "Where is Niklaus?"

Elijah remained calm as his youngest brother's anger raged. "Knowing our brother, he's probably somewhere around here, drinking to dull the pain as he does."

"Not for long." Godric jumped from the coffin that had for so long confined him. The dagger still in his chest, piercing through his centuries' old clothing. "I will call father and he will punish Niklaus for what he did to me."

As the boy began to stomp away, Elijah casually stated, "I don't think that will be possible, Godric. A lot has changed since you were last awake. Please," Elijah motioned casually to another chair sitting across from him. "Sit. I'll be more than happy to fill you in."

Elijah went on to recant the tale of the past four hundred years to the boy with as much detail as he could remember from his many years alive and when he finished the boy seemed quite entertained.

"Niklaus, a father? Oh that's just rich!" The boy laughed loud enough to resound throughout the basement floor. "Good thing the little abomination was killed rather than be raised by a bastard."

In the blink of an eye Elijah had his hand around Godric's throat, the boy pent against a support beam, his feet dangling in the air.

"You will not speak of our brother or his child like that again or so help me I will put you back in that box myself." Elijah's voice was promising and a part of the boy was truly fearful but he knew not to show it. He knew showing fear to his brothers would be an open invitation for them to dominate him.

Once finding his place back on his feet, Godric glared daggers at his older brother. "Niklaus is a bastard." The boy mumbled. Louder he stated, "You wouldn't be treating me like this if father was still here. I was always his favorite."

"Don't be ridiculous," Elijah smoothed down his suit with his much regal-like demeanor. "We all know Rebekah was his favorite."

"I was his favorite son." The boy argued.

"That's because you were the most bloodthirsty." The good brother spat the words as if they disgusted him. "Even as a mortal child you thrilled in the kill. From as early as I can remember, you've always been a monster."

"Klaus is the monster!" Godric was sure of his words. "A bastard abomination. Hybrids shouldn't exist, Elijah."

Elijah wasted neither time nor strength when knocking the smallest brother clear across the room to the concrete wall.

"Always and forever, brother. Did you forget that?" Elijah barked after regaining his composure. "We made that pack together and you will not speak of our brother as if he is the enemy, do you understand me?"

Godric struggled to his feet. "You do not rule me, Elijah. I am just as immortal as you."

"Perhaps, little brother, but I still have the means to put you in that coffin for another four hundred years. If that's what you would prefer then, by all means, continue your hate speech against our brother but I guarantee if you do, you will not be leaving this basement for a very long time."

Godric carefully weighed his options. He may have had the body of a boy but he had almost a thousand years of experience to know what he must do.

Submissively, the boy said, "I do not hate our brother, Elijah. I was just angry. You would be too if you were confined in purgatory for four hundred years."

"I understand your anger, brother, but we are a family. No matter how angry we get we should never hate or wish death upon one another. A lesson I hope to instill in you now that father is gone."

Elijah held out a docile hand. Godric examined it from his spot by the wall daring to trust it. He quickly realized that Elijah was not the brother to be feared. He took his brother's hand and the two walked quietly upstairs hand-and-hand like they used to do all those years ago.

"Hayley," Elijah and Godric met the Hybrid girl in the hall on their way out. "I'd like for you to meet our youngest brother, Godric."

Hayley stared at the boy a bit taken aback at his size. "Oh, you're…smaller than I'd imagined."

"And your beauty is much more radiant than my brother described." Godric released his brother's hand to bow properly to the young lady.

"Wow, such a little gentleman. Are you sure this is the same brother you and Klaus were talking about?"

"Don't let my brother fool you. He's always had a golden tongue with women. And he is quite the trickster so be sure not to fall for his seemingly innocent smile. I can assure you that it's not so innocent."

"Duly noted. Where are you off to?"

"He needs to feed." Elijah answered almost ashamed. "I must accompany him since he's too much of a 'gentleman' to spill blood on his own."

Godric smirked. "Please, Elijah, you flatter me."

"Oh if only, brother. Come now. Hayley, I will bring supper home but I must warn you: be prepared for conflict. My brothers don't get along well."

Hayley nodded and Godric rolled his eyes. The thought of Klaus angered him but he couldn't express that anger without the probability of being assaulted by Elijah. If he managed to get through this evening without being daggered by one of his brothers then it was progress.

The table was set for a feast. Godric sat in his chair waiting greedily to swallow every ounce of food set before him. As he reached for the mashed potatoes, however, his hand was swatted away.

Elijah reproached, "We do not eat until everyone is at the table, Godric. Four hundred years in a coffin did little to improve your table manners."

Godric scoffed and glared at the food so close yet so far away. "Where is Niklaus?" The boy demanded. "Out ruining the life of some unfortunate soul I presume.

"Last time I saw him he was in the parlor painting." Hayley answered. She pushed her chair back to stand. "I'll go get him."

"Please, don't bother yourself." Elijah disputed. "Godric can do it."

"ME?" The boy stated in shock.

"Yes you. You and Niklaus should smooth things over before you ruin our dinner. Go on now."

He wouldn't admit it but Godric greatly feared seeing his brother without the protection of his father. Niklaus was much stronger than him and he knew it but he refused to let that fear show. He was immortal after all. The worst he thought Niklaus could do to him was dagger him for another few hundred years or, if worse comes to worse, he could be bitten. Either way, both were temporary.

"Ah, baby brother." Klaus didn't bother to look away from his newest masterpiece when his brother entered the room. "How nice to see you awake after all these years. Tell me, did you have a nice rest, Little Ricky?"

"You know how I hate being called 'Little Ricky', Niklaus. I'm a thousand years old now. It's demeaning."

"Then I find it fits you quite well."

Fueled by anger and the desire to defend his honor, Godric attacked Klaus, charging him like a mad man. The older brother simply catches the younger's arm and tosses him aside.

"If you were to damage my painting in any way, I would've killed you." Niklaus threatened insincerely.

Godric stood and looked at his brother's work for the first time. It was a baby. He looked around the room. The other paintings were darker, the way he remembered his brothers paintings used to look. This baby, however, was seen in a much brighter light.

"Choosing a painting over your own family, brother. Is this what you've resorted to?"

Klaus returned to his painting, turning his back once again on Godric. "This painting has been more of a family to me than you ever have. It has never attempted to call down the wrath of father on me like you've done so many times before, Little Ricky."

"Stop calling me that."

"Or what? You're going to attack me again?" Klaus put the paintbrush down and turned to his brother. "Let's go then."

Godric hesitated at attacking his brother for a second time. It was obvious that Klaus was stronger than him but he couldn't back down. He couldn't show his brothers weakness. Taking a deep breath to keep down the nerve, Godric attacked Klaus.

The fight was completely one sided. Godric attacked and Klaus deflected, easily throwing him around without really trying. The boy's pride hurt almost as much as his body.

"If father was here you wouldn't be smiling." Godric growled.

"If father was still alive you would be locked in a box downstairs."

Angry, Godric bared his fangs and growled, "If your baby was still alive I'd rip out her filthy werewolf throat out."

It wasn't until the words left his mouth did Godric realize his mistake. In the span of less than a second, Klaus was in front of Godric. He picked the boy up by a handful of his blonde hair and bit into the boy's throat, snatching a large chunk of it out between his teeth.

Godric's scream was loud enough to call Elijah and Hayley into the room.

"What is going on?" Elijah demanded but after examining the scene he immediately assess the situation. "Brother, heal him."

"I refuse." Klaus answered, suddenly calm. He used the sleeve of his silk shirt to wipe his brother's blood from his chin. "He can suffer until he learns respect."

"Hayley," Elijah didn't need to say anything else for the Hybrid girl to know he desire. She bit into her wrist but as he moved towards the boy, Klaus stopped her.

"I wouldn't," He said standing between the woman and the feverish boy.

"Why not?" Hayley growled.

"Because I might get angry. And then I'll have to take those boiling emotions out on the boy, beating him until he's a motionless shell of a man before biting him yet again. And then this cycle of me beating and biting him and you healing him could go on for days, causing the boy more pain than I'm sure either of you would like so why don't you spare him that torture and just let him suffer from this bite until he heals himself."

"Brother, what did he do to deserve such a harsh punishment?"

Klaus glared at the beaten and bloody boy.

"He knows his indiscretion. I will not allow him to be healed until I feel that he's been punished sufficiently."

Elijah knew there was no getting through to Klaus at the point. He picked the trembling boy up in his arms and carried him away from their angry brother.

"He's burning up." Hayley fretted. "Why is it effecting him so fast? You had hours before you got to this point."

"It's because his body is smaller than mine. The venom travels faster and does more damage. I suspect he will slip into a temporary coma soon."

"For how long?"

"A day or two…maybe longer. I don't know. He's been bitten by werewolves before but not a Hybrid. We need Niklaus to heal him."

"Your brother's an asshole." Hayley asserted as she placed a towel on Godric's head. The boy was shivering feverishly, his once ice cold body now had a fever of 125 degrees. A human would have died and gained reprieve from their suffering but there is no reprieve for an Original.

"I wonder what he's thinking."

"You can connect with him now." Elijah reminded the Hybrid woman.

Hayley touched Godric's head, not yet used to the concept of reading someone's mind, and focused on the boy's thoughts.

Flashback

A slightly younger Godric hid behind a tree in the forest, watching as Niklaus took aim at a feeding buck. As the eldest brother prepared to shoot his arrow, Godric saw two wolves sneaking behind him. The boy held up his bow and shot two arrows in rapid succession, hitting both wolves through their throats, killing them instantly.

Niklaus turned in surprise at the two dead wolves and his youngest brother smiling broadly. When he turned back to his prey, Niklaus was devastated to find it gone.

"You fool," Niklaus barked. "You scared it away."

"I saved your life!" Godric yelled back.

"Yes, and I'm sure you can't wait to boast to father about it."

"I'm not going to tell father. If he found out about this, he'd-"

"I know what he'd do and I don't need father's favorite little monster following me around and reminding me of it. You want to make yourself useful? Put one of those arrows through your own throat."

Niklaus stomped away leaving Godric to brood. The boy's sadness turned to anger. Staring down at the carcasses of the dead beasts before him, Godric dropped to his knee, retrieved his hunting knife from his leather belt, and stabbed the dead carcasses over and over again. He didn't stop until blood coated his entire body veiling his tears but not the sound of his sobs.

End Flashback

Hayley pulled herself away from Godric, unwilling to see anymore. "Niklaus'…a real asshole."

"I remember that night." Elijah solemn voice caught Hayley's attention. "Father beat Klaus for failing to bring home food. Godric tried to explain but it only made it worse to know that Niklaus had to be saved by his younger brother."

"Is that what this is about?" Hayley motions to the shuddering boy. "Klaus is still angry that Godric was a better hunter than him?"

"Godric was a better hunter than us all and we all envied him for it." Elijah admitted. "This animosity between my brothers delves far deeper than that. Godric was our father's favorite son and Niklaus was his least favorite child. Niklaus was probably his least favorite being. Before we became vampire, however, I know that Godric would've done anything to ensure Niklaus' safety. But that was a thousand years ago."

Flashback

Niklaus returned to the village alone and empty handed. His mother was out gathering and his father hunting with his brothers Finn and Kol. Only Elijah and Rebekah remained home to greet their weary brother after a long day hunting. The sun was setting and the rest of the family was soon to return so Elijah was especially surprised to see Niklaus without the boy Godric.

"Niklaus, where is Godric?" Elijah asked his younger brother afraid of the answer.

Niklaus shrugged but guilt shrouded his eyes. "How should I know, Elijah? I don't spend my life chasing after the favored son."

"He went on the hunt with you. Where is he, Niklaus? What did you do with our brother?" Elijah demanded an answer and he was motivated to get one.

Niklaus quickly glanced around to make sure no one but his brother and sister were around to hear his confession.

"I left him in the Southern forest." Niklaus whispered.

The two other siblings stood in shock. Rebekah was the first to voice her displeasure.

"What do you mean 'you left him'? In the forest. The Southern forest. There are monsters out there. Oh my," A sudden realization had hit her. "Elijah. Tonight's a full moon."

"Niklaus you fool." Elijah yelled. "How could you leave him out there? The sun is going down. He could be killed."

"That's the plan." Niklaus whispered in frustration. "I am tired of being compared to that boy. I am tired of father looking at him with pride but we see only disappointment in his eyes. He is our younger brother but he is a better hunter than us, he will probably be a better warrior than us, I refuse! I had to do it, Elijah. Believe me, it hurt to leave him there but I had to, brother. There was no other way."

Elijah sent a punch that knocked Niklaus to the ground. Then he pounded his brother all the while yelling, "He is our brother! Always and forever! Always and forever, Niklaus!"

Rebekah managed to pull the two apart before Elijah was able to do too much damage to Niklaus but for the rest of the night, neither brother nor sister would speak to him.

Godric returned later that night to his sibling's surprise and his father's rage. The boy was covered in cuts and bruises but that garnished no sympathy from Mikael.

"Where have you been?!" Mikael raged at the small boy. His siblings had gathered around to watch as the boy was reprimanded and to learn how he managed to get home alive.

"I went out on the hunt." Godric answered timidly.

"By yourself?"

The boy chanced a quick glance in Niklaus' direction but he just as quickly brought his chin back down to his chest.

"Yes father." He lied.

"How many times have I told you not to go off on the hunt alone? Huh?!"

"I thought I was old enough now…but then I got lost. I-I'm sorry. I brought you this."

Godric pulled out an animal's fang from the waistband of his pants. He handed it to his father and looked back down to the ground.

"It's from a wolf. I killed it with my blade after it broke my bow."

Mikael was silent as he examined the fang. When his narrow eyes locked back in on Godric, no boy in the house was surprised by the slap that sent Godric head first to the ground but it still made them all flinch.

"You will never disobey me again. Have I made myself clear?!" Mikael bellowed.

"Yes father." The boy answered from the floor fighting back tears.

Mikael left with the fang still gripped tightly in his hand. The boy was left on the ground for his siblings to mend his wounds and sore pride.

"Why didn't you tell him the truth?" Niklaus dared ask.

With a trembling bottom lip as he tried to keep in a sob, Godric answered, "He would've beaten you, or worse. I couldn't let that happen. Besides, it was my fault. I shouldn't have asked to come with you. I know how you like to hunt alone. I was a distraction and a bother. I'm sorry, brother."

Niklaus was riddled with guilt. He fell to his knees in front of his little brother and swore, "It will never happen again, Godric. I promise I will protect you from now on. Always and forever."

Godric smiled for the first time that night.

End Flashback

"After that night, mother cursed those two to always be linked. Niklaus can feel Godric's fear, his pain. And whenever Godric's afraid, he's able to find Niklaus as if a magnet were pulling them together. The two were almost inseparable after that night. Godric would even go as far as to pass his killings off as Niklaus' so as to not reckon father's scorn."

"So there was a time that they…didn't completely hate each other. Is this what becoming a vampire does to you? Make you hate your family to the point where you would willingly let your little brother writhe in pain all night?"

"No." Elijah brushed a lock of sticky blonde hair from Godric's burning, drenched forehead. "I'd do anything to end his suffering. Even if I have to stab Niklaus with Papa Tunde's blade"

"That's nice to know brother." Elijah and Hayley turned to see Niklaus standing in the doorway with a smug grin on his face. "I will be sure to add extra security to my bedroom now."

"Klaus, just heal him. Mother's spell also forces you to feel his pain and fear. I know he should be suffering enough to drive you crazy by now."

"He hasn't suffered enough. I don't think I'm going to release him from this pain for at least another few days."

"We are supposed to protect each other, Niklaus. How is this protecting our brother?"

Niklaus stared at the boy sprawled out on the bed. A tear rolls down Godric's face.

"Now's not really a good time for me." Niklaus smiled. "Try again tomorrow. And until then, I'll be sure to sleep with one eye open. Just in case you get a little frisky tonight."

Niklaus walked away conceitedly.

"I think Niklaus has found something to take his mind off losing Hope." Hayley stated.

Elijah sighed. "Yes. Torturing our brother."