Mystic Falls: 21st October 2010

A snarl slipped from his lips as the flames scorched his hand. Stefan clenched his teeth, his hand being held firmly into the lit fireplace by Klaus, the hybrid using over eight centuries more of strength to hold it there. The smell of burning flesh permeated the lavishly decorated room.

Stefan spoke through a snarl. "Go ahead -kill me." He seethed, struggling against the hybrids hold. "I know you'll do it when he brings the coffin."

He was up, his hand out of the flames, within a second. Klaus smirked, goading him. "You really have given up, haven't you eh?" He taunted, his eyes widening with delightful malice. He spoke with a wide grin. "Where's the fight?" He mocked. His smile vanished as he scowled angrily, his face smoothing out as he gave a shove to the Salvatore's chest. "Where's the ripper?"

Stefan shoved him back, and off him, but before Klaus could retaliate, his eyes drifted over his shoulder and his lips quirked up in a smug, albeit somewhat bemused smile. "Elijah," he murmured. "Why haven't you left?"

The older original gave a smirk of his own, holding his hands out to the sides mockingly. "Where are your manners, brother?" He stated, his tone one of barely concealed, contemptuous amusement. The serving girl to his right held a silver tray, its contents concealed. As he spoke, he pulled the plum coloured, velvet cloth off, revealing two ornately engraved silver daggers lying side by side upon the tray. "You forgot desert."

Klaus paled, taking a step back as horror lanced though his very being at the thought of what had been done. "What have you done?"

"What have you done?" Elijah fired back briskly, anger lacing the sound of his words as he spoke. "You see, I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus," he stated coolly, looking slightly behind him to the left. "We're doing this on my terms now."

Once the words had left his lips, a man with short, dark brown hair appeared from around the corner dressed in a dark shirt and black waistcoat, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His smirk set the hybrid on edge. Klaus took a step back, holding his hands up slightly as his eyes widened. "Kol," he uttered, the name shaking from his lips.

Kol gave a smirk. "Long time brother." He greeted back apathetically.

Klaus dashed forward, only to have a dagger plunged through his hand even as he warned the man who looked like he hadn't seen daylight in almost a millennia -Finn- not to do so. He screamed as the silver dagger which had once impaled his siblings impaled his own hand. A clicking noise greeted him as he turned around, his only living sister -Rebekah- plunging her own dagger into the hybrids abdomen. "This is for our mother," she stated, a smirk being drawn from Kol's lips as he saw her. She pushed Klaus back, Kol grabbing him and holding his arms behind his back, effectively restraining him.

Elijah looked at the two Salvatore brothers. "You're free to go," he announced. Damon motioned for them to do so towards Stefan, his brother wasting no time in doing so. Elijah refocussed his attention to the struggle before him. "This is family business."

-M-

Her feet ached as she walked around the bar inside The Grill, her whole body aching, especially her feet and back. At twenty five weeks tomorrow exactly, her abdomen had swelled substantially. It was distended and bloated, stretch marks lining her once tight and flawless skin. Just four small months and the child would be here. Liana could feel the power it held, the magic thrumming through the still developing veins in its tiny body. It moved frequently too, amazing her when she saw the tiniest of feet press against her skin, or hand, and the tiny spark of connective, familial blood magic she experienced as her hand brushed against it.

Swiftly restocking the booze that was on tap, she returned to her duties with a bright smile, albeit a pained one as a small pain overtook her palm. It had been happening all evening, as if there was something at work. It wasn't the Calev coven, her old one. Her location was thoroughly concealed through the use of ancient charms that predated the vampires themselves.

Mystic Falls was a hub of supernatural activity and the creatures that came with such drama. She'd seen witches like herself, werewolves, vampires, original vampires. The latter was extremely rare to see let alone be in the presence of. The acclaimed hybrid frequented the bar, but, thankfully, he'd remained at a great distance from her. Her Calev tattoo, the once symbol of her faithfulness and loyalty to the coven, was cleverly covered up with make-up. Anyone with any significant knowledge of the magical covens around the world would know as soon as they saw it who and what she was, something she didn't want broadcasted around this tiny town where nothing good ever happened.

Liana gave a soft sigh, her tattoo burning again. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. It held her magic and it was as though someone was weaving something else inside with it. She glanced down at the stinging limb, rubbing gently as though to make sure it wasn't an allergic reaction, something which was highly unlikely considering her almost daily use of the applicant. She wiggled her fingers over it, her magic searching out the root cause. It didn't yield an answer, but it certainly wasn't a reaction to the foundation and concealer themselves.

Someone motioned for her attention at the bar and she gave a wide smile, plastering it on her face as she moved over towards them, serving them, already putting the unpleasant feeling to the back of her mind as she threw herself into work.

-M-

Her heels clicked across the ground as she walked around the room, the flames from the fire casting a glow around it. "I like what you've done with the new place Nik," came her scorned comment before she picked up a glass vase and threw it at one of the many paintings that hung around the room. It shattered easily and knocked the painting down with the force behind the throw.

Klaus kept his eyes on the ground as he answered Rebekah. "I wanted it to be for all of us, a place we could all call home," he answered sorrowfully. "A place we could all be a family." He looked shamefully up at Elijah. "None of us would ever have to be alone again."

Elijah gave an open mouthed smile. "Well you're right," he stated as he walked away. "None of us will be." He added. Finn walked over towards him too. "You're staying behind." The oldest brother commented.

"We're leaving you Nik," Rebekah chimed in. "Right after I kill that doppelganger wench. And then you will always be alone," she stated contemptuously. "Always and forever."

Fury shone on the hybrids face. "If you run, I will hunt all of you down," he threatened. Elijah turned towards him. "And then you will become everything you hate," he shot back. "Our father."

Klaus exploded. "I'm the hybrid!" He roared. "I can't be killed!" He pointed at all of them. "I have nothing to fear from any of you," he spat.

Elijah remained still. "You will when we have that coffin."

All of the siblings stared at each other for a silent moment before the opening of a door behind them drew their attention and they all turned. A choked gasp left Klaus as tears filled his eyes, as if he were unable to believe what he was seeing. Rebekah gasped every so quietly. "Mother," she whispered, her eyes wide as she watched the matriarch of the Mikaelson family walk through the four siblings, all of them wide eyed and unable to comprehend what they were witnessing.

Esther Mikaelson came to a stop in front of Klaus. "Look at me," she commanded, Klaus unable to raise his eyes for a moment before he lifted them up from the floor and settled them onto her face. Her gaze was hard. "Do you know why I am here?" She questioned.

His voice shook as he answered. "You're here to kill me," he uttered lowly, full of shame, but she remained firm. "Niklaus you are my son," she answered. "And I am here, to forgive you." She revealed, his choked gasp echoing her words.

Esther turned to the rest of her children, a small smile blooming across her face as she took them all in. "I want us to be a family again."

-M-

Liana grimaced as she took a seat upon one of the only few stools that lingered behind the bar, sighing wearily as she laid a hand upon her stomach, the child within pressing its hand connectively against her own, soothing her worries with its touch. It was as if the child could sense her feelings and emotions, something that wasn't out of the realm of possibility. It had been heard of that children bearing magical abilities could connect with the mothers inside the womb. With how powerful this child was, at just over half gestation, it wasn't unlikely.

With a heavy sigh, she glanced at the cracked clock that hung above the shelves of liquor. Only two hours of a ten hour shift left. It would most definitely be a hot bath and then immersion in her soft sheets afterwards, that much was sure.

-M-

Esther gazed around at her children. "I have something to tell you, all of you," she reiterated as Kol began to back out of the room. He turned to her with a cocky grin. "Must you? I need entertainment." He commented broodily, Rebekah nodding as she seconded his protest.

The honey blonde haired woman gazed impassively at them. "A thousand years ago, I created a loophole. When you were transformed into vampires, I each took the smallest piece of your soul and transferred them to each of the most powerful covens around the world. This would result in a companion for each of you, someone to be your confidant throughout the centuries, someone would could remain loyal and by your side, regardless of any atrocities you had committed. They would give you a beacon through the darkness you would all experience over the centuries. I made sure of it, guiding the witches from the other side without their knowledge, watching as each of your companions were born, as each of your soul mates grew up in this world, all of them aware of the supernatural."

Elijah frowned. "Why were we not told of this a thousand years ago?"

His mother hummed, gently pulling a drawing out of her pocket. It was a shaded in, eight pointed star. She motioned to it. "I never got around to informing you of such an occurrence. This will appear on the skin of those individuals. It will be noticeable to you, and them. They are special individuals, and sought after by many if others knew of their existence. They are a loophole, something never designed to exist in the natural balance. They are able to continue on the Mikaelson bloodline, and any other immortals bloodline."

A sharp scoff came from the youngest male in the room. "So you're telling us that you basically created breeding mules for us? And I wasted valuable time listening to this? I already spent a bloody century in a coffin so excuse me if I'm not up for talking or listening about mystical soul mates who probably don't even exist considering you created them over a millennia ago." He exclaimed.

Esther was silent for a moment, watching as he moved towards the front door. "Then why is it I sense such a being in this town, my son?" She stated calmly. He stopped, turning back to look at her. "Why is it I sense a piece of your soul in another in this town?" She added.

Kol gave a snort, Rebekah echoing him. "His is here? Poor girl." She commented haughtily, Kol's smirk widening, and darkening. "Then blood will paint the streets tonight, or maybe, just maybe, have you ever thought that your senses have been placed out of calibration over a thousand years of not using them?" He sneered back, hand closing around the door handle before he pulled the door open, his last words floating through as it slammed shut. "I need a drink."

-M-

Liana glanced back towards the clock. Fifteen minutes until twelve and then she would be free to return to her apartment and sleep. Her hand hadn't stopped tingling since halfway through her shift. It was a strange feeling. Her coven symbol was still firmly covered.

Immersing herself in scrubbing the bar with a wet cloth to clean the glass rings off of it, she didn't notice that someone had slid into the seat in front of her until they rudely cleared their throat to garner her attention. Raising a brow, Liana raised her head until she was face to face with the individual who'd attempted to acquire her attention. "Can I help you?"

He flashed her a charming grin, one she didn't take notice of, remaining plain faced. His grin widened at her resistance. "I'll have your strongest." He commented and she raised a brow. "I think I'll need to see some ID." She answered back airily and his grin widened even more, if that was possible.

The man leant over the counter a little, his dark brown eyes staring deep into her green ones. "You don't need to see any identification." He stated firmly, her own eyes watching as his dilated.

Fury swept through her. Compulsion, her mind tittered. Vampire, it hissed at her. Liana glared. "I think I do." She stated strongly and his eyes widened as he realised it didn't work. A slow grin spread across his face as he leant back on the stool. "You're a witch, or you consume vervain," he commented, his grin growing. "Which one is it darling?"

Liana quirked a brow up. "What makes you think I'm either of those things, darling?" She fired back and he chuckled. "Not many individuals are immune to compulsion. I don't believe werewolves are, although I personally haven't tested that theory. Which one are you?"

Her heart raced, something he picked up on, tilting his head ever so slightly, watching as she pulled out a glass and a bottle of bourbon. She filled it silently, picking it up and holding it out to him. He went to take it but she pulled it back, her features tight. "If I give you this, you move away from the bar and me for the remainder of my shift, deal?" She bargained coolly, his eyes watching hers as if to see if she was bluffing.

A wide smile spread across his face. "You have a deal," he answered, keeping that deceptively bright smile on his face. She placed it in front of him, moving backwards as she withdrew her hand.

Suddenly, the vampire snatched her hand, holding it tight in his grasp. Liana gasped loudly, the grip tight enough to hurt as she tried to pull it from his grasp. His eyes stared at her hand before back to her, widening a little. "You're a Calev witch," he accused, her eyes widening as she looked pleadingly at him. "Keep your voice down!" She hissed, raising her other hand and using her magic to burst the blood vessels in his brain. He released her instantly, his hand going to his head. She released her hold on him as soon as he let her go. She stared down at her hand, the limb shaking as she tried to contain her fright. Cleaning the table had caused the damp to wipe away part of her make-up, leaving half her tattoo extremely visible. He raised his head and glared furiously at her, his eyes landing on something else that had become unconcealed with the make-up removal. It was an eight pointed star, exactly like his mother had shown him.

Snatching his drink off the bar counter, he retreated to the far side of the room, his eyes never leaving her as he sat down, taking in her frantic demeanour as she bustled about the bar, her body still shaking violently as her heart pounded wildly.

-M-

Liana was still shaking at the end of her shift. Jeffery, the manager on that night, eyed her strangely. "You alright Lia?" He asked and she nodded, willing her limbs to stop shaking as she put a warm smile on her face. "I'm just tired and relieved to be done with this shift," she joked and he laughed, her relief evident as he forgot about her demeanour. She clocked out, noticing the vampire still sat in the corner, his empty glass in front of him, his eyes focussed straight ahead, but not on her, on some other woman across the dining area. Thank god, her subconscious deflated, her worries gone. He had seemingly forgotten about her, something which brought great relief to her as she pulled her coat on, fastening it up over her distended stomach, the baby within slumbering just as its mother had hopes to do within an hours time.

Jeffery caught her on her way out, a trash bag in hand. "Would you mind putting it in the bin on the way out back?" He asked and she gave a slight smile, taking the flimsy black carrier bag from him as she nodded, agreeing to do so. He gave a grin and bid her goodnight, something she returned before heading out towards the back of The Grill. A quick glance told her the vampire was gone, a thankful sight in her eyes.

Pulling the heavy bag outside into the cold October chill wasn't pleasant, but she managed, using her magic to levitate it up into the bin after a quick glance around to make sure no one was there. She slammed the lid shut, adjusting her bag around her as she made to head down the back alley, up the steps and head back to the apartment before going to bed.

Something slammed her back into the brick wall and she cried out, pain exploding in her head. A hand gripped her throat and squeezed, holding her up against the wall. She felt herself being raised, her feet barely scraping against the ground.

Her eyes flew open, having instinctively closed themselves during the initial assault. It was the vampire from the bar, his brown eyes cold as he stared, or much rather glared at her. His fingers flexed around her throat as he gave a malicious smirk. "Soul mate or not, darling, I'm going to rip your pretty little throat out for that," he stated airily, as though this was an everyday normal occurrence for him.

And what the hell was he on about, soul mate?

"Please," she choked out, her mind instinctively going to her baby, now awake and squirming frantically in her womb. "My baby!" She wept, fingers scrabbling as those that covered her throat. "Please don't kill my baby!" She cried out.

His brow furrowed as he pulled back to look at her, his eyes falling to her stomach which he hadn't before noticed from behind the bar. He fingers loosened somewhat, his brows furrowing further as his brown eyes lost a little of their harshness before they hardened again.

That slight moment was all she needed. Her hand pushed against him and flicked to the right, his body flying away from hers. He landed with a thud and a quiet groan while she gasped desperately for air, heaving as she bent over, clutching at her throat as she desperately tried to inhale enough air to replace what she had lost, to replace what her baby desperately needed.

A whoosh of air made her look towards where the vampire had landed; he was gone, not even a trace of him left behind. Trying to desperately quell her trembling, Liana picked up her bag that had fallen during the attack and shakily made her way towards the steps, her heart pounding as she hurried up them, flagging down a passing taxi hurriedly, clambering inside and frantically rattling off her address. The driver gave her a strange look but pushed her strange demeanour no further, much to her relief.

As the cab pulled up outside her apartment, and she shakily rushed inside of it, she didn't happen to notice the dark eyes watching her from the shadows of the alleyway across from where she had once stood just moments ago.