Venice, Italy-1183 AD

The air was warm tonight, perfect for the fair. Crusaders from the holy lands were returning to their homes and brought many exotic items to sell. Everything from wine, jewelry, silk, and so much more. The streets were packed as thousands had arrived to buy a piece from the Holy Land or to celebrate with drink. The Taverns were overflowing with customers and coin. But one person amongst the crowd wasn't there to purchase something or celebrate. She was there to get back what was stolen from her. Sixty-nine years, eight months, and sixteen days. That was the last time Sage saw her love's face.

A woman born a commoner, highborn would rather avert their gaze or spit on Sage then say two words. Her father was a simple carpenter who traveled throughout Europe looking for work and took his daughter along with him. Sage learned how to weave baskets to help supplement their income. They didn't have much but at least they were happy. Then her father passed away and she had no one.

For years Sage was alone until one day some traveling nobles had come to visit her village. They were not like any other highborn though, they were immortals. A powerful and fearsome family that somehow attracted followers and admirers. There were five in total. Niklaus was the dominant one of the family, giving orders and expecting them to be obeyed. If they didn't, he would make them regret it. Elijah was charming and composed but seemed to excuse the terrible acts his siblings committed. Kol was a charismatic and charming womanizer that could quickly turn into a raging psychotic within seconds. Rebekah was the youngest of the siblings and seemed to take the simplest things very personally.

All of them were monsters in their own way, feeding on the blood of anyone they chose. But one of them was different. One of the siblings was shy and often kept to himself. People called him Finn and he never joined with the others in their feeding habits and shunned anyone who approached him. At least until Sage accidently ran into him. He was off in the woods hunting a squirrel to feed on their blood. While he was draining one he caught, Sage had stumbled upon him. She was terrified at first until she realized the man was embarrassed by being seen like this. He quickly ran off and in a way, Sage felt sorry for him.

She later saw him at a festival where the siblings were dancing with and feasting on the guests. No one seemed to mind as people from around had heard that they could grant their immortality to someone who proves themselves worthy of it. Everyone gladly tried to appease the beasts, hoping one day they too could become just like them. Sage kept her distance from the others but couldn't stop herself from approaching the man she saw in the woods. Finn recognized her and apologized for frightening her. His voice was kind and gentle, something Sage had never heard from any nobleman she had ever met.

The two started talking and didn't stop for hours. They talked about their lives, their families, their hopes and dreams. Sage found herself smiling for the first time since her father died and Finn was actually smiling instead of brooding off in a corner away from his family's antics. He even agreed to walk her home, saying her company was much more preferable then his brothers or sister. She invited him to come inside her home but he refused, saying it was better this way. Finn didn't want to risk being able to attack her should he ever become unstable. As she went to bed, Finn's charming voice and handsome smile was all Sage could think about the rest of the night.

Sage's mind returned to the present as she continued her mission through the city. Hearing of a group of recently arrived nobles in the city who matched the description of the Mikaelsons, Sage had compelled hundreds of people across the city hoping to discover where Niklaus kept his secret and treasured items. It took some time but eventually she heard that Klaus and his family owned a boat in the harbor. Sage scoped the area out and noticed that there were always guards patrolling one particular boat. Klaus probably compelled them to do it and it probably wasn't just to protect the ship. If there was anyplace Finn was being kept it was here.

After that first night with Finn, Sage couldn't stay away from him and vice versa. While his siblings continued their hunting expeditions and parties, Finn and Sage would sneak off somewhere private and just spend hours together. It didn't matter what they talked about or did, Sage never wanted it to end. But their continued time together started attracting unwanted attention. Kol was the first to notice and immediately started hounding both of them. First it was just petty insults like calling Sage an unworthy little harlot. Then it got worse when he knocked Finn to the ground and bite Sage's neck. He didn't drink from her but instead shoved her on top of Finn and Kol told his brother to have a drink. When Finn refused to drink her blood, Kol left disgusted.

Soon afterwards, the rest of the siblings caught on. Elijah didn't seem to mind but Rebekah was the complete opposite. She called Sage a commoner slut and always went out of her way to let her know it. Klaus by far was the worst of them all. He enjoyed tormenting Sage and Finn more than even Kol. Klaus hated that Finn only drank animal blood and not human blood. So his favorite past time was drinking Sage's blood right in front of Finn. Drinking animal blood made Finn weaker than his siblings so Klaus told him to either start with the human variety or he'll never be strong enough to stop him.

Sage finished reminiscing as she got closer to the boat, ready to tear the guards apart and free her beloved when she saw someone else strolling on the deck. The psychotic little brat of the Originals himself Kol. Sage could handle the others but not him. She watched the Original as he paced back and forth on the ship. Kol looked pissed and Sage realized this might not be so hopeless after all. The fact that he was angry and patrolling on a boat instead of partying with the rest of his siblings meant this was most likely a punishment from Klaus. Kol was about ready to leave, all he needed was just the right incentive.

Sage found some prostitutes and compelled them to pass by the boat, batting their eyes at Kol as they went by. They caught his attention and soon enough, the Original leaped off the boat onto the docks and followed them. Sage waited until he was out of sight then zipped around the guards, snapping their necks, before rushing onto the boat. She checked the lower deck and her heart flustered when she saw the coffin. She ripped it open and there he was, the man she loved. Finn was desiccated, his skin pale and dry with a silver dagger sticking out of his chest. Sage had heard of what happened to him but seeing it was heartbreaking. She couldn't imagine what it was like to be in this state.

Outrage by what his family had done to her, Finn left them. He and Sage planned it soon after Klaus's abuse and the two ran off without any warning to the rest of the Mikaelsons. Finn had no regrets, saying he felt liberated finally being away from them. For the next several years the couple traveled the continent, visiting the likes of Rome, Athens, Constantinople, and countless other cities and wonders.

Then two years into their journey, Sage asked Finn the biggest question ever in her life. It wasn't asking for marriage but asking him to turn her into a vampire. She had so much fun and she never wanted it to end. Sage wanted to be with him forever. Finn at first refused, thinking that turning her would somehow corrupt her and change her into someone other than the woman he loved. But when Sage caught a disease and her health quickly deteriorated, Finn changed his mind. He made her drink his blood then Finn did something that he admitted would be traumatizing to the both of them. Without warning, he snapped her neck.

Sage later awoke, healed and with a thirst. Finn compelled a local peasant from the village they were staying at to be Sage's first victim. She bite in the man's wrist and started sucking blood out of his veins. Sage just wanted a quick drink but the more blood that touched her lips, the harder it was to stop. Finn had to physically restrain her from killing the man and calm her down. After compelling the man to forget what happened and leave, the two lovers knew this wouldn't be easy but at least they had each other.

Back in the present, Sage grabbed the dagger and pulled it out of Finn's chest. She wasn't sure how long it would take for him to rejuvenate but she didn't have time to wait and find out. Using her strength, Sage picked him up with ease and carried him to the upper deck. The dead guards on the docks were starting to get attention and worse, Kol was returning. Rather than face him head on, Sage turned and jumped into the river. Swimming through cold water carrying dead weight was a small price to pay to escape.

Finn gasped as oxygen filled his lungs for the first time in who knows how long. His whole body felt decrepit and withered. His vision was clouded, barely able to make out any shapes or colors. He screamed in pain as he moved his bones which had felt stiff and took effort to snap them into moving. Finn didn't understand what was happening. The last thing he remembered was going to bed after a heated argument with Klaus and then nothing.

For almost a century, Finn and Sage had lived together traveling the European continent and experiencing everything there was to experience. They had lived lives as farmers, nobles, poets, singers, or anything else they wanted to be. Life was so short for humans and they didn't even get to experience a fraction of what this world offered. While in Germania, Finn received a message from his half-brother. Klaus had sent out hundreds of compelled messengers throughout Europe to find all the members of his family. He wanted them all to talk and discuss something important. Sage begged him not to go but Finn didn't really have a choice. If he didn't go, Niklaus would later hunt them down for not heeding his command. Finn traveled to Italy to hear his brother out then tell him to stay out of his life. Clearly something went wrong because he was just waking up after God knows how long.

"Easy easy," a voice tried to calm him but it was distant. He didn't know what has happened to him but it was someone's doing that was for sure. Maybe the voice belonged to whoever did this to him. He wouldn't let this happen again without a fight. Finn reached out, trying to grab his attacker. His hands grasped flesh and squeezed with an iron tight grip.

"Finn wait stop," the voice pleaded. Wait he knew that voice. His eye sight began to clear up as he realized someone was standing over him, being forced to lean over by Finn who was grasping a thin arm.

"Sage?" Finn gasped. Her beautiful face began to form before his eyes as his vision was restored. He quickly released her. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Sage smiled. God he missed that smile. Just being away from her for the week it took him to reach Klaus was nearly unbearable. When he first became a vampire, Finn was ashamed of his existence. He lived by consuming the blood of other people. While his siblings reveled in it, Finn was disgusted by it. The urge to inflict harm upon another human being was revolting. Still he carried on though he didn't know why. He hoped things would get better but Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah, and Kol only became more monstrous with their behaviors. Over time, Finn began to question what why he wanted to even remain alive. He was a monster just like the rest of his family and that wasn't going to change. Until Finn met Sage and then for the first time since his change into a vampire, he had a reason to live.

Sage leaned down and the two kissed passionately. She climbed on top of Finn as the two started to undress one another. Wouldn't be the first time they made love on top of a wooden table. Afterwards, Finn dinned on some rabbits Sage caught earlier. She then explained how she found him and that he had been daggered for nearly ninety years. Almost an entire century of Finn's life taken away by those damned hunters and more importantly his own family. The hunters may have put the silver dagger in his heart but Finn's own siblings left it inside of him and kept him stuffed in a box. He knew Klaus, Elijah, Kol, and Rebekah were monsters but Finn never imagined that they were capable of this.

"Those bastards!" Finn snapped.

"Forget them. Let Mikael chase them all off the ends of the Earth," said Sage.

"Forget them? Sage they took away half a century of my life and separate me from you!" shouted Finn.

"All the more reason to stay away from them. There's a ship in the docks that's sailing to Cyprus in the morning. From there we can find another ship to take us to the Holy Lands. There's so much fighting going on there we can easily dine on the locals and no one will ever suspect a thing," Sage urged him.

"You know I don't drink human blood," Finn glared at her.

Sage threw him a look, "Not drinking human blood is why your siblings were able to bully you. We can't afford to be weak again."

"We were never weak," protested Finn.

"Is that why Kol was able to shove you around the first time he caught us alone? Or the time Klaus ripped out your tongue for defending me from him?" scoffed Sage.

"We didn't stoop to their level. We're not monsters like them," replied Finn. Though there were plenty of times he wanted to drink human blood just so he could be strong enough to fight back, Finn couldn't bring himself to do such a thing. The Mikaelsons were the exact same creatures as their Father, the man who murdered their Mother. And Finn refused to be the same monster as him.

"You ever witness a Viking raid Finn? No offense to your ancestors but they were vicious animals who looted, raped, and killed anything they wanted. The only way you stop them from attacking you isn't to be civilized, it's to be just as ruthless as they are. Bullies don't fight those who fight back and when you do, you make them so afraid they'll never attack you again," said Sage.

Finn couldn't believe how their happy reunion had suddenly turned into an argument. He's never enjoyed violence. One reason among many Father considered his eldest son to be a disappointment. Mikael didn't get the bloody thirty warrior son he wanted from Elijah either and Freya's sacrifice only made him more distant from his family. Klaus's birth seemed to bring everyone together again but Mikael later began to loathe and hate him. First for being weak then for taking Henrik out in the woods and not defending him from a werewolf attack. Add to the fact that Klaus wasn't really his son and its little wonder Mikael hated him so much. Finn used to believe that Klaus didn't deserve the hatred Father harbored for him but after the things his younger brother did, Finn was starting to think perhaps the half-breed got what was always coming to him.

"Please Sage. Can we not talk about this right now?" sighed Finn as he touched her face with both hands. "We'll leave and go wherever you want to. I'll stay with you and never go back to my family ever again. But please don't ask me to change into something I don't want to be. We're not monsters," he pleaded.

Sage's expression softened as she took Finn's hands into her own. "Alright you softie," she sighed.

Finn frowned, "Softie?"

"Finn Mikaelson. One of the strongest beings to walk this planet and yet shudders at the thought of accidentally stepping on an ant," teased Sage.

Finn and Sage enjoyed their night back together at a small brothel near the docks. Not exactly the appropriate place for such an event but they had to make do. Klaus and the others were still in the city. The last thing Finn was wanted to see was anyone in his family fight now. From now on, he had no obligation towards them. They left him in a box to rot now they can do the same as far as Finn is concerned. He was going to take Sage somewhere far away and spend the rest of eternity seeing everything this world has to offer. Now the two of them were waiting at the docks for their ship to sail.

"I'll never understand how some place that has so much blood spilled over it can be considered holy," commented Finn as he glanced out into the Mediterranean with Sage on their ship.

"Especially a desert of all places. If they said the holy land was filled with wine and naked men then I'd agree with them," chuckled Sage.

Finn threw her a look. "As long as naked women are with them as well," he laughed. Sage punched him in the arm which only made him laugh harder.

"Well isn't this just sweet," a familiar voice spoke them. Finn's blood ran cold when he realized who it was. He turned to see Niklaus standing on their boat. Finn's younger half-brother had a neutral look on his face. He didn't seem angry but he didn't seem happy to see them either. "Together again after more than half a century. I guess true love really does overcome all obstacles."

"Klaus," gasped a terrified Sage.

"Hello my dear. You aren't suffering from some form of aliment I trust? One affecting your memory perhaps? I hope not but in case you are, allow me to refresh it," Klaus glared at her.

"Brother please," pleaded Finn. If Niklaus decided to harm Sage, there was little he could do. Aside from Father, no one could match his strength and speed. It allowed him to bully and intimidate his siblings. Finn might have stood a chance against him if he had consumed human blood but that went against everything he believed in. He didn't want to become the same monsters as his family.

"I'll get to you in a minute," Klaus said to silence Finn then turned his attention to Sage. "I told you that your beloved belongs to this family and he will remain with us even if I have to leave him in a box. I also warned you what would happen should you ever try to take what belongs to me."

"Enough Niklaus," said Finn, getting in-between his brother and Sage.

Klaus stared at him, "Such loyalty to your beloved carpenter's daughter. If only you had the same loyalty to your own family."

"Ah yes, now and forever," mocked Finn. "Somehow over the years you twisted that family vow into living only for your own pleasure. We either fulfill your whims or we suffer the consequences. How many more of Rebekah's lovers have you killed since we last spoke? How many more trivial demeaning tasks you forced Kol to carry out? How many sadistic acts did you force Elijah to watch and remain silent?"

Klaus smiled, "Glad to see you finally found some backbone."

"Why can't you just leave us in peace?" asked Sage.

"Because none of us can be left in peace. Mikael seeks our family's death and has the means to do it. But instead of doing his duty as the eldest brother and protecting his family, Finn here would rather run off with the first pair of lovely tits that catches his eye," replied Klaus.

"The same family who left me daggered in a box for sixty-nine years!" shouted Finn.

"Because you betrayed me!" Klaus shouted back and getting into his brother's face. By now members of the ship's crew noticed what was going on. Sage moved over to the captain and compelled him to get the crew to leave. "You were the oldest of us. You were supposed to protect us. Protect me," Klaus continued. Strangely he almost seemed on the verge of tears. "How many times did Father beat me and not once did you ever lift a finger to stop it. Rebekah, Kol, and Henrik I understand why they couldn't do anything. They were too young to stop him but not you. Elijah was too afraid but you were old enough to challenge him."

"Is that what this is about? You're angry because I didn't stop the beatings Father gave you? To take them instead of you?" asked Finn.

"Yes!" shouted Klaus. Finn couldn't believe what he was hearing. Klaus actually expected his eldest brother to suffer for him. Forget that such love is earned but to think that he was actually entitled to have his family endure Father's abuse instead of him was just selfish. Sure Finn considered trying to stop the beatings but he was always too afraid and Mikael was still his Father. You honor your parents.

"But that's all in the past Finn," Klaus continued. "Mikael is still out there hunting us. We need you at our side. I need you at my side. Come back to us brother and we can all be a family again."

Finn didn't even need a second to consider his brother's request. "Do you even hear yourself Niklaus? You talk as if our entire family revolves around you. The years I spent alongside you, Elijah, Rebekah, and Kol were hell. But instead of simply letting me leave to find happiness for myself, you'd leave me rotting away in a coffin. I want nothing more to do with you or anyone else in this family!" he snapped.

Klaus stepped back, seemingly offended by his brother's remarks. "I see," he sighed as if disappointed. "Well go on then. Leave. If you don't want to be a part of this family then do us all a favor and run off with your little harlot!" Klaus shouted. He turned and stormed off.

Finn and Sage both breathed huge sighs of relief. Klaus wasn't known for taking rejection very well. More than once during his time with his family, Finn remembered seeing his half-brother rip people's hearts out for sometimes the most trivial slights. Perhaps he shouldn't have lost his temper with Niklaus but after everything that happened to him, Finn just couldn't contain it. At least he was gone.

"Are you alright?" Sage asked, touching her lover's shoulder.

"I will be once we leave here," Finn sighed.

Sage nodded and said, "I'll go get the Captain back."

She headed off towards the gangplank when suddenly Klaus reappeared, zipping right in front of Sage. "I said my brother is free to leave. I never said you were," Klaus spoke before suddenly thrusting his right hand into Sage's chest. His fist burst through the back of her spine, clenching a bloody lump.

"NO!" Finn shouted as he raced forward and knocking his brother down, dislodging his arm from Sage's chest in the process. Finn managed to catch Sage before her body slumped to the ground. He checked her vitals but she was dead, her heart had been ripped out. Finn eye's swell up in tears as he clenched his love's body. It couldn't end like this. Not after they finally found each other again.

"Oh dry those tears Finn. She was nothing but an anchor dragging you down into mediocrity. She would have died eventually anyways. It may not have been for another century or two but you would still be experiencing exactly what you are feeling right now. Better to get this out of the way and move on," Klaus said as he got to his feet.

At the sound of his brother's words, Finn's mourning turned into blind rage. He gently set Sage's body and sped right into Klaus, tackling him through the entrance into the underdeck. The two of them crash landed on a series of wooden cargo boxes, shattering them all to pieces. Ignoring the pain caused by the landing, Finn on was Klaus within a heartbeat punching him again and again and again. Klaus finally caught one of the blows and hurled Finn overhead, sending him into the wooden hull. The impact cracked the hull and Klaus was upon Finn instantly, slamming his head into hull over and over until Finn's skull had left a hole in the wood. He was starting to see stars and nearly blacked out before Klaus released him. Finn slid to the floor, his vision blurry and unable to stand.

"I understand you're angry Finn but you need to understand you belong with us. You want to know why the others left you daggered? It's because you abandoned us. Elijah, Rebekah, Kol, you left all of them when they needed you. That's why no one bothered to rip that dagger from your chest," Klaus said as he pulled out a silver dagger. Finn managed to gather what strength he had left, charging at his brother. But Klaus easily sidestepped his attack and kicked him away, sending Finn flying back to the ground.

Klaus leaped on top of him and stabbed his brother in the chest. "Think on that while you sleep," he whispered before darkness overtook Finn.

(Originally this whole fic was going to be about an OC but the more I came up with the character, the more he sounded like Finn so I just decided to use him instead. It's gone through several changes to try and stay consistent with the flashbacks shown on the Originals but the fact was that we didn't know much about Finn before he became a vampire. We only saw him after being daggered nine hundred years which probably sent him over the edge. So I feel I can change him for this story but not too much. I know some people might be questioning why Finn/Rose but the pairing does have a reason that will be explained in future chapters. Hope you liked and please review.)