I do not own Vampire Diaries, The Originals or any of its associated characters. Just Tessa and the ones you don't recognize, thank you.

Alright, here is the chapter that takes place over Episode 3 the majority of this chapter is focused on an emotional build up, so not a whole lot of physical activity, thanks all, and let me know what you think.

BTW; I wanted to say that Tessa character is modeled after the woman in the cover photo, who is a very pretty model that goes by the name of Ebba Zingmark. Just in case anyone was curious. Thanks all, hope you enjoy!

Thanks, guys!

Chapter 2: Every Mother's Daughter

Tessa hadn't seen Klaus all day, she was unsure if he was avoiding her, or simply retreating back to his mansion as he'd been doing since before she'd even arrived. She was still reeling from the fact that he'd even had a child- let alone that he was mourning the loss of one. She sat at one of the tables alone, this midday heat was growing unusually warm for her so she took up residence in the nearest bar. Her hopes of hunting to pass the time were squandered due to her lack of bloodthirsty vampires within the quarter. She sighed bringing her drink up to her mouth throwing back the bourbon. Tessa leaned back in her wood chair as she took a look around, everything seemed in ordinary and Tessa could feel herself growing bored. She'd stuck to blood bags for the last two years, but upon having her daughter taken she'd lost her best behavior streak. She'd catch, compel, and released since she entered town nightfall was usually when she waited to make her move, but at the sudden appearance of Klaus she could feel an itch she needed to be scratched, and she wasn't referring to bloodlust.

Their relationship was a complicated one, it had started out by him kidnapping her, using her to get to the rest of her family. Somewhere along the way she fell for the charm that was Niklaus Mikaelson. She sighed as she sensed the familiar crackling of electricity by the bar. Tessa turned as she watched a skinny, yet toned man with a dark umber skin tone and, closely cropped hair rubbing two fingers together. The man beside him was a pale, muscled man with curly blond hair to his chin and a steadily growing five o'clock shadow. Tessa watched curiously as the blond man hunched over the bar in pain. Tessa could hear the sounds of bones cracking- ah, so he's a werewolf. She thought to herself, only to be left with more confusion. Since when do witches work with Werewolves? Or threaten them in broad daylight? And, since when do werewolves just sit and, take it?

Tessa rolled her eyes as she placed the darker man to be one of the big, bad witches of the French Quarter, Tessa hadn't just sharpened her banshee abilities, she tried to feed and nurture her Fae instincts as well. In which she was able to sense when magic was used nearby her. Fairies weren't like witches in which their magic came from ancestral beings or the Earth, it came from within. Every Fae had their own magic tapped inside them- unfortunately- due to Tessa being a vampire she was an undead fairy-hence, the Banshee side so while she held no magic of her own anymore, she could still sense it.

The blond man sat up glancing around, Tessa took this time to pick up her glass and move to his other side. As she came up she heard the other man mutter, "That ring comes at a price, and you'll be paying for it today." She saw his stare linger over her face for a moment longer than she liked, but she shrugged it off, and with that, he walked out of the bar and out into the sunlit, busy New Orleans' streets.

"Can I get another, please?" She hollered down to the bartender as she hit her glass harder than appropriate for someone with the tolerance for alcohol like she had should've.

"Whoa, hey." The blonde man said with a glance over his shoulder at her. His voice filled with concern as he took her in from head to foot. Tessa smiled at him, acting drunk was like second nature to her. She'd gotten quite good at it over the last couple of weeks.

"Well, hey." She greeted, her tone rather suggestive. As she leaned on the bar with her arms crossed. The bartender dropped off her next drink while snatching up the empty glass before making a quick getaway to the other side of the bar as he wiped down glasses.

"You-uh-you good?" He asked her his soft green eyes stared into her blue ones. Tessa smiled, she felt her nose crinkling a bit at how big it was.

"Just dandy." She replied as she took a gulp of the Bourbon in her hands. "I'm Tessa." She introduced sticking her hand out to him. The blonde man hesitated, but took her hand in his- his movements careful. Tessa was surprised by his intense grip, but let it go, her curiosity was peaked now.

"Oliver," He introduced as he released her before turning back to his own tall drink of something. "So, what's a pretty girl like you doin' here all by herself on a fine day like this?" Tessa scoffed at his advance but answered him all the same.

"It got hot, and I got thirsty." She smirked at her double meaning. Oliver chuckled at her blunt explanation but accepted it none the less. "I haven't seen you around here before, you just passing through or something?" He asked as he took a drink from his glass again.

Tessa shrugged, "Yeah, something like that. Mostly here for work." She saw his black ring flash in the sunlight spilling in through the window. "Nice, ring. What is it onyx?" She asked him as her hands moved to touch his. Oliver's hand twitched away quickly.

"S-sorry, it's a family heirloom and no, it-it's black kyanite, actually." He answered as he twisted it around his finger. Tessa watched as Oliver pulled his phone out and, began texting someone at a speed she didn't think his thick finger capable of.

"Ah," Tessa muttered as she continued to drink her bourbon, looking thoroughly put off by his rebuff to her advances she glanced around the nearly empty bar.

"So, Tessa." He began as he slid his phone into his pocket. He was now giving her his full attention, "What do you do for work?" He asked. Tessa turned to face him, taken by his forest green eyes. Tessa sent him a dazzling smile turning on her charm quickly.

"I'm in the medical business." She lied easily, technically it wasn't a lie. She took the occasional shift at the Tulane University Clinic and Hospital. She compelled herself a nursing job, there, but it was just per diem. She originally took the job when she'd been unsure if she wanted to use blood bags or not, but clearly, her self-control was slipping.

"Oh," Oliver said his eyebrows going up. She had surprised him. His eyes traveled over her body. She crossed her legs encased in the black torn skinny denim jeans. Her sweater was a deep gold-yellow color. Her foot rested on the bar under the seat on Oliver's stool as she grew more comfortable.

"What? Did that surprise you?" She asked after sipping more bourbon down, now assessing him. The way his grey flannel hugged his arms and hung off his chest, his plain white tank underneath. Her eyes moved down to the laid-back jeans, and hardcore boots he wore. She took him for a hard worker. One that was laid back, and albeit drank during the day- but, she didn't get a sense of evil, or anything other than him being a werewolf.

"Kinda, yeah. I can't picture you running around in some hospital catering to the sick and injured."

"You don't even know me," Tessa told him as his phone went off. Oliver shrugged not bothering to glance down at it.

"You seem more of the lone wolf type." Tessa bit her lip at his choice of words, "Besides, you're too pretty to be running around covered in other people's blood and god knows what else." He drank the rest of his beer after his speech.

"Careful there, the pretty ones are usually the ones you have to be wary of." She grinned as she finished her drink, and moved to get up. Oliver's phone went off now he was being called. Tessa saw the name Hayley flash across the screen.

"Guess you're busy. I'll see you around, Oliver." With that Tessa left some bills under the glass and grabbed her bag before headed back out the front door. She was off in search of what exactly black kyanite was.

"Wait, I never got your-." Tessa continued on smirking pointedly leaving him wanting to know more about her. Tessa however, didn't get very far. There was some chanting behind her, and before she could react there was a sharp pain rolling in through her head, and then her world was thrown into blackness before she could even feel the warmth of the sun.

Tessa awoke to someone humming, and a scraping noise about her. She groaned feeling her head throb, she sat up from her position lying on the cold concrete. Upon opening her eyes she found a young woman- her hair was styled into a pixie cut, dark brown, her blue eyes were bright as the turned on her.

"Hello dear," She greeted. Tessa sat up quickly- too quickly. She regretted it due to the increase in pain that rolled through her skull. "I remember you," The girl continued.

Tessa's brows pulled together in confusion, where am I? Who the hell is this? She asked herself, as she moved, slowly this time, to her feet.

"I'm not sure you remember me, we never got to officially meet, but I was told about you. The girl to evoke emotion from my son that felt nothing."

"Esther," Tessa said as everything clicked into place. "You look quite different from the last time we meet. I guess blondes don't have more fun." Tessa shrugged.

Esther chuckled, coldly. "Well, my dear, the body that you knew was killed, by none other than your boyfriend. Don't think I didn't see you walk into my ball with the hunter turned original vampire on your arm. If I remember correctly I think his name was-."

"Don't you dare." Tessa cut her off angrily. "Don't you dare say his name. You don't get to."

"He's back from the dead, is he not? You've no right to be angry any longer. At least not with me." Esther pointed out. "It is not I that have taken your daughter."

Tessa paused now. Esther's confession caused her to backtrack in her mind. "The-they aren't working for you?" Tessa asked finally.

She watched as Esther shook her head slowly, "However, that doesn't mean that I cannot get her back, for you. In fact, I have a someone working on that right now."

Tessa felt her jaw drop in surprise, "Wha-what?" She asked softly.

"Yes, dear. I have no ill will or bad intentions towards you. You have suffered enough at the hands of my son. He systematically took everything from you two years ago."

"You did too." Tessa cut her off quickly. "He was my everything, and you destroyed him, and everything he stood for."

Tessa watched as Esther continued mixing something with the pestle and mortar, "And, for that, I am deeply sorry. I do want to make it right, so I offer to you, your child."

Tessa stood there trying to sort through her emotions; she was elated, but her mind turning over the facts before her. "Why?" She began softly. Esther simply stared. "Why would you want to make it right? What do you want in return."

Esther looked up at Tessa and grinned, "Simple. I need him alive and, I want your assistance in convincing my son in taking my offer, who knows, maybe you will accept it together? After all, from what I recall of the teasing by his sibling You and, Niklaus were once close, very close, were you not? "

Tessa glared at Esther still very much untrusting of the elder woman.

"I'm not toying with his emotions, Esther."

"My dear girl, it's not toying with his emotions when you reciprocate those very same feelings."

"I never said I did-."

"There's no sense in denying it. It's as plain now as it was when I saw your interactions at the dance. A connection like that doesn't just go away- no matter the actions you two have taken against each other."

Tessa remained silent not wanting to comment any further on her complicated relationship with Klaus. She crossed her arms defiantly as she waited for Esther to speak.

"Your child will be safely returned to you by tonight if I have your word that you will join me in my pursuit to enlighten my son in the error of his ways."

"You're insane." Tessa muttered shaking her head, "You have to know that your children would never accept a word you say to them. The last time you were resurrected you tried to kill them!" Tessa's voice grew louder as she finished her sentence.

"I've since found a better way to right my wrongs from the centuries before," Esther argued, she paused and took a breath gathering her composure together. Tessa finally took in the nice dress Esther way wearing.

"Where're you going?"

"A dinner party and you are to join…" Esther trailed off. "However, not dressed like that." She finished her eyes moving down Tessa's figure. Another figure entered from the doorway behind Tessa, and her world stopped.

While she didn't recognize the man holding her, she immediately knew the little voice that called out, "Mama!" Tessa couldn't believe how quick it was. She scanned her daughter for any differences but found none. Tessa moved quickly in towards her daughter.

She saw the hesitation on the young man's face, he looked past Tessa towards Esther- who must've nodded given that he wordlessly handed the toddler over to her. "Oh, I've missed you," Tessa muttered as she pressed kisses to her daughter's forehead. Tessa's arms wrapped around her daughter, holding her tightly against her torso. She never wanted to let her child go again, unfortunately, she knew she would have to.

The young man cleared his throat interrupting the moment Tessa was having with her daughter who babbled on some baby talk. "This is also yours." He said in an accent Tessa could quite place. He was a tall, man of an athletic build, he had brown curly hair and blue eyes. In his outstretched hand, she saw a dress help within a plastic covering. "Mother's orders." He added with a shrug and wily grin.

"Kol," Tessa said in shock.

"How'd you figure it was me, darling?" Tessa eyed the young man before her- he appeared about her age, maybe younger. He handed the dress off to her with a glance to his mother.

"Thank you, Kol. I believe you have other things that need doing?" Tessa heard it in her voice, she'd rather Kol not be here. Tessa put the dress on the nearest surface and resumed devoting her attention towards her daughter.

"Thank you." Tessa sighed out, her eyes were watering as she held her whole world in her arms. Memories of the long lonely nights just the pair of them in her small apartment in Laurel, Mississippi. Late nights, Early mornings, the constant feeding.

"You're welcome," Esther told her with a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"I hope you don't mind, but I've taken to finding a sitter for tonight's activities. I don't find it wise to be bringing a child into the family reunion I have planned."

"No," Tessa said shaking her head. She hated the next thought, but she didn't have another choice. She needed to keep her daughter safe. "I have someone else in mind." Tessa saw Esther expression change to a suspicious one, "Please. It will keep my daughter safe. I just need four hours tops, and then I will join you at the dinner party you have tonight. I swear it." Tessa told her. Esther wasn't one to put her trust in people, but Tessa could see the war waging in her mind.

"Go, but you had better show up at Niklaus's home no later than 8 pm, or your daughter returns to the witches that had her before."

Tessa nodded obediently as she moved quickly out of the lycee. She moved at quick speed through the town before making it back to her rented place. She yanked her cell phone out and finally called the number she'd been avoiding since she arrived in New Orleans.

"It's about time you called me back, I've only been trying to track you down for the last month." Alaric's voice on the other end filled her with a relief she wasn't expecting, "Where are you?" He sounded more worried than angry, but the anger was there none the less.

"It's sort of a long story, I'll explain when I can, for now, I just need you to meet me." She said as she hefted her daughter up higher on her hip before walking into her bedroom and placing her on the bed.

"Where?"

"I'm in New Orleans." She admitted finally.

Thank you for your views! Hope you enjoyed the read.

XXTigerXEyesXX