Disclaimer: I don't own The Originals, The Vampire Diaires, or their characters
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Ace slept through most of the trip waking up to eat and then going back to sleep, and Hayley let him, he's had a hard few days. When they landed Marcel was
waiting at the baggage station. He ran over picking Ace up off his feet. , "You've grown a lot small fry, wait are you actually growing stubble. Stop the presses
Ace is growing up." He said hugging his friend as Ace laughed. , "I'm a kid kids grow up Marcel, you haven't seen me since you moved here." He said as Marcel
put him down smiling at Hayley. Ace was jumping from foot to foot standing right in front of Marcel who smirked as they started going into this intricate
handshake full of complicated steps ending with both of them having a one hip jutted out grinning laughing., "long time no see Marshall." He said as Hayley
laughed hugging him. , "please tell me you're taking care of Rebekah?" She said as Marcel rolled his eyes chuckling as he rubbed the back of his head. , "She's
the love of my life, of course I'm taking care of her, though she does miss the quietness of New Orleans, and I do too, New Orleans was loud but by god this
place is ten times that volume." He said shaking his head as they hailed a cab driving through the streets.
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, "I told Bekah this morning, she's very excited even though I told her not to, in case it doesn't work." Marcel said as Ace smiled. , "Don't worry it works, we took
the piece out of Kol already." Hayley said as Marcel turned to Ace hugging him tightly. , "You little miracle worker!" He said as they pulled up to a house in a
house on the outskirts of New York City, there was tons of traffic and yelling and people walking by Ace had to cup his ears it was so loud. They got inside, it
was still really loud but Ace didn't mind. A blonde haired woman with bright blue eyes walked down the stairs and looked at Ace. , "You must be Ace, Marcel has
told me so much about you." She said hugging Ace tightly. , "Have you eaten, slept, drank enough fluids." She said poking and prodding Ace as Hayley laughed.
, "i've been taking care of him bekah he's fine." Hayley says, as Rebekah looks up shocked. , "Hayley oh my god how are you? How's Hope? Please send her
love from auntie Beks." She said as she hugged Hayley tightly as the hybrid laughs. , "When all of this works out you'll be able to tell her yourself." Hayley says
releasing Bekah as she looked at Ace. , "You can free us, positively?" She asked as Ace nodded.
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, "Kol is hollow free as we speak." He said as Rebekah looked at him shocked. , "You're going through all this trouble to free my family, Why?" She asked as Ace
shrugged. , "You have a family, it deserves to be together, you've fought for each other for a thousand years, one stupid spirit isn't going to tear all of that
apart." He said Marcel nods, Rebekah hugged him again. , "Your parents raised one amazing son. They should be proud" She whispered kissing his forehead. ,
"They would be if they were still alive." Ace said as Rebekah pulled away. , "Marcellus you never told me Ace didn't have a family!" She said turning towards him
angrily. , "I guess it never came up in the conversation." He said slowly inching backwards. , "I met Marcel because some of his vampires were giving me a hard
time, but when one of them wanted something, or got bit by a werewolf. Marcel called me." Ace said as Rebekah turned to the boy. . "You can reverse a
werewolf bite without the blood of my brother?" She asked confused and Ace nodded. , "Well we can't just have Klaus come back to New Orleans." Marcel said
as Ace shrugged. , "Well come on in you two I just finished making dinner." Rebekah said showing them to the double guestroom, which had two queen sized
beds.
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Ace put his bag on one, double-checking that the Kol pendant was still in the box. Hayley set her bag on the other. Ace took his shoes off and slid them under
the bed, before walking out to the dining room where Marcel and Rebekah had made a host of food, soup, salad, pot roast, corn bread, Mac and cheese and
mashed potatoes. Ace washed his hands and face in the bathroom, before helping with setting the table. Marcel helped him. , "So I've heard from the witches
you're the miracle man of New Orleans. How did you end up meeting Hayley?" Marcel asked as he filled up the water glasses. , "She found me in my warehouse
after the full moon, brought me to the Mikaelson house, I woke up and I made a contract with Freya." Ace said as Hayley walked in sitting down next to him,
Bekah joining them across the table. , "So Ace, when should we start this whole ritual thing, do you need supplies for the preparation?" Rebekah asked him as
he shook his head. , "not really I just need to eat before and after, possibly sleep for a long time afterwards and I'll need both yours and Marcel's help." Ace
said as Hayley and Marcel started making a mountain of food on Ace's plate.
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Rebekah nodded and Marcel cocked his head. , "Why do you need me." He said and Ace looked at him. , "She trusts you more, besides I don't like hurting
ladies, and the last time I did this Kol choked me so hard I thought he was going to pop my head off." Ace said shuddering as Rebekah nods. , "I promise not to
rip your head off but if you feel more comfortable with Marcel helping, I don't mind." She said smiling softly, Ace blushed eating some of the mash potato
mountain that Marcel was trying to construct. Ace found it hysterical because he kept eating it on one side so it was slowly falling over, Marcel kept trying to fill
in the holes Ace was making until he gave up and made a volcano with gravy. Ace devoured every bite, he needed his energy if he was going to complete it the
way it was supposed to be completed. When dinner was finished, all the dishes were clean and put away, everyone looked to Ace who nodded walking up the
stairs to get his bag. He came down and motioned them to follow him to the living room. He turned to Rebekah. , "I need your hand for a second. It's going to
hurt but it won't damage you." He said as Rebekah nodded. , "Anything if it means my family can be whole again." She said holding out her hand.
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Ace took the vial of black powder pouring some on her hand as it burned Rebekah pulled her hand away, but there was no mark. , "It burns in the presence of
the Hollow's magic, because the hollow is inside of you it's reacting to that." Ace said taking out a pendant pouring a small salt circle putting four candles
around it, he snapped his fingers all lit as one. Like before he didn't chant, but his lips moved silently as the pendant rose and fell, he was preparing it to hold
the Hollow spirit. When it was done he stood up. , "T-the only reason it worked with Kol, was because I-I snapped his neck, having me rip the hollow spirit from
your head is excruciating and your body would fight me on its own. Would you mind? I know you trust Marcel more that's why I asked him for the help." Ace said
looking down as Rebekah nodded. , "Marcel? Would you do the honors?" She asked as she walked over to Ace and patted his cheek kissing his forehead. ,
"You're freeing me, a little pain won't bother me." She said as she turned kissing Marcel softly as he snapped her neck.
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Marcel laid Rebekah on the ground and Ace poured a salt circle around her arranging the candles accordingly. He put the pendant on her forehead. He started
to chant his voice soft as the candles burst to life. He chanted for what felt like forever, his nose started to bleed but the pendant was changing before Marcel
and Hayley's eyes. It was turning jet black and the second the Hollow symbol burned itself into the metal Ace stopped pulling it away from Rebekah pouring the
black powder on her, it didn't sizzle, he poured it on the pendant and it sizzled loudly. He put it in a separate box than Kol's. Hayley walked over to Ace. , "You
need to sit." She said as Ace swayed on his feet falling over. Marcel picked Ace up. , "Thank god for Davina, she sends me these homemade witchy restorative
bath brews, but I never use them. I'll run a bath, Hayley keep watch on Rebekah." Marcel carrying Ace to the bathroom, he checked the boy's pockets taking off
his coat, just to make sure no electronics were there before he set the boy in the tub running the warm water. He tossed in some small bags, they looked like
tea bags but as they filtered into the water the water began to glow restoring Ace's energy as he lay there. Moments passed and Ace fell into a deep sleep his
magic restoring gradually from the bath pods. Rebekah woke up and after moments of crying and hugging Marcel and Hayley she went to watch Ace.
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As he slept he looked like any normal teenage boy, who knew such power came come from such an innocent face. Hours passed and the tub stopped glowing
and Ace woke up confused, he couldn't figure out how he got there. , "You're awake." A soft voice said from next to him. He jumped terrified, but sighed in relief
when he saw the pale blue eyes of Rebekah. , "How did I get here?" He asked trying to get up and almost falling over. Bekah wrapped a towel around him and
steadied him. , "You did a lot of magic you need rest." She said as he went into the closet carefully getting dressed before walking out shirtless with a pair of
pajama pants on. As she helped him into bed, she noticed the birthmark on his shoulder. , "My brother has a mark just like that, funny coincidence." She said as
Ace nodded sleepily. , "Yeah funny…" he mumbled as he fell back to sleep.
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When he awoke it was afternoon and everything was silent. He got up slowly walking through the house, to find Rebekah and Hayley standing in the kitchen
making lunch. , "Looks like he's finally awake? Did you sleep okay?" Hayley asked as Ace nodded stretching with a yawn. , "We were thinking of shopping
downtown later today, Marcel had a business meeting out of town and he should be back in the morning." Rebekah said as she put four grilled cheeses with
bacon in front of Ace. He didn't take a minute to let the sandwiches cool before he started to rip off pieces to eat. Ace looked at his clothes. , "I think I'll need a
suit for the next league of our journey, don't you think Hayley?" He said after he finished eating. Hayley nodded. , "Do you think you'll be okay being around
that many people?" She asked him and he shrugged. , "It's worth a try." He said as he took a shower getting dressed walking down the stairs his hair was all
combed forward, and the front was flipped sideways. In his dark jeans combat boots and layered tee shirts Hayley rolled her eyes picking up an umbrella. , "Is
it supposed to rain?" He asked as she shook her head. , "This is for when I have to beat the girls away from you because you are too handsome for your own
good." She said as Rebekah walked out of her bedroom in skinny jeans ankle boots and a denim jacket tossing a pair of sunglasses to Ace as she put a pair on
herself.
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, "You're not helping Bekah!" She said exasperated as Rebekah laughed. , "you're yelling at him for being handsome?" Rebekah asked as Hayley threw her
hands in the air walking outside, Rebekah and Ace following as a taxi pulled up outside. They road in the taxi, and ended up in time square. They walked
around, and as they went down a side street Ace stopped in front of a suit shop. , "Can I go in there?" He asked looking up at the two older females who
nodded as he pushed open the door walking into the suit shop. , "Finnigan's, ironic really, this is Elijah's favorite suit shop." Rebekah said as she watched Ace
wander through the various racks of suits until a salesman walked over asking if he needed help. Ace nodded and the man started to measure him all over, his
neck, his legs, his waist, his chest, his shoulders, even how long his arms were.
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The man handed him three suit options as the manager walked over. , "Miss Mikaelson it's a pleasure! How is your family?" He asked as Rebekah smiled. ,
"Doing well, Elijah is on a bit of an adventure in Europe at the moment, but he might be coming back soon." She said as the man sighed in relief. , "He's one of
our best customers. So what brought you to our establishment?" He asked as Hayley looked around. , "My friend's cousin wanted to come in here, give him the
full treatment. I want him to look like a million dollars." She said as the man grinned. , "Excellent. Fredricko don't give him cotton, he's a friend of the Mikaelsons,
have him try on the silk Armani in gray with the matching tie." He said as running over to where the salesman had brought Ace. A few minutes later Ace stepped
out in a pair of new dress shoes, a gunmetal gray silk suit and a fedora. Hayley's mouth dropped. , "In that suit he looks like Elijah." Bekah said as Hayley
smiled. , "You're right Beks he does. We'll take it." Hayley said as Ace went to change back into his other clothes.
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As they shopped they could see various street vendors, ordering food from each resulting in Ace having a mountain of food like usual, he was a growing boy
after all. They walked down the streets and Ace looked at all the people he was passing. Rebekah had given him an insane amount of walking around money
that he used to buy a few things, he saved most of it separated into two bundles, one smaller about five hundred dollars, the other having another thousand
dollars. Rebekah and Hayley didn't understand his reasoning for organizing his money like this, which was until they heard the crying boy. They had been
walking down one of the side streets of New York City that was under a lot of construction, Ace looked across the street to see a tired mother in thread barren
clothes looking down sad at her son.
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The two year old boy looked up at the rusted up scaffolding above him, there perched thirty some feet up was a red balloon, tied to it was a red white and blue
bear, and a small stuffed elephant. It was a big balloon like the ones they gave out of the zoo, and it seemed the boy had accidentally let go of the helium
balloon resulting in it floating the two stuffed animals far out of his reach stuck in the scaffolding. Ace could see the little boys blue eyes full of tears at the
sadness of losing his toys. He turned to Hayley and Rebekah with a smile as he put his bag of food and his shopping bag on the ground by their feet running
across the street sliding over the hood of a cab. He walked over crouching down. , "what's wrong little guy?" He asked softly as the boy wiped his tears with a
chubby hand. , "Trunk Trunk and beary floatied away." He said crying.
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Ace patted his head. , "I'm gonna go get Trunk Trunk and Beary back just no more tears alright?" He asked as the boy hiccuped. The woman looked at Ace. ,
"You don't need to do that, I should have been more carefully. The elephant was the last gift his father gave him before he went to Iraq and the bear was his
first toy. It's okay mister, I should have been more careful I looked away for one second, and they were gone..." She said rubbing her eyes as Ace smiled softly.
, "I'll be right back." He said putting his sunglasses on his head. He grabbed the metal frame of the scaffolding as he started to climb. He didn't look down he
just steadily started getting higher and higher. The frame of the scaffolding was shaking even in the wind, and protested to Ace's weight on it. He was almost
to the balloon, just a few more feet and he could get down. He put one foot on a metal bar climbing up, the second his weight was on the bar, it broke leaving
Ace hanging by his arms. He used the vertical structure of the scaffolding to scramble up balancing on the bar his hands were on.
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He felt the ribbon of the balloon tickling his hand. He grabbed it pulling it closer to him. He wrapped the ribbon several times around his arm, so he knew it
wasn't going anywhere as he started to climb down. He noticed the growing crowds of people just as he dropped five feet from one bar to the bar two below it,
the broken bar in between. The crowd gasped in shock, and as he stepped foot on the ground. The crowd burst into roaring applause as he crouched down
typing a slipknot in the string tying it securely around the boy's wrist. , "Now hold onto Mr. Trunk Trunk and Beary okay? They've had enough adventure for
today." He said as the little boy started snuggling the bear and the elephant. The hand of the woman that wasn't holding her son's hand was over her mouth
stifling her tears as she looked at Ace. , "What can I do to repay you?" She asked as Ace took her hand putting the small roll of money in it. , "Take care of your
son, and yourself. Having a mother is an experience every child should get to experience." He said as he walked back across the street to where Hayley and
Rebekah were standing.
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Rebekah wiped a tear from her eye. , "That was very heroic and sweet Ace." She said as Ace smiled. , "I couldn't just leave him like that. Those were his two
favorite toys, I couldn't let them just stay up there." He said as he poured some water from a water bottle over his hands cleaning off the grime, and rust flecks
that clung to the skin. Ace picked up his bags as they walked the rest of the distance back to the house. , "you could have done magic and gotten them down
instead of almost dying." Hayley said quietly as Ace shook his head. , "it wouldn't be the same." He said as he walked inside looking around as he walked up to
the guest room. , "Marcel's home." He said ominously as he walked into the room taking his boots off and thoroughly washing his hands before he started
eating the cold food still in the bag.
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, "Now how do you know that?" Rebekah said standing just inside the doorway as Ace looked up halfway through a chili cheese dog. , "Look behind you and
find out." He said as she spun around coming face to face with a bouquet of blood red roses held by Marcel. , "Oh Marcel they are beautiful thank you!" She
said hugging him as he smiled. , "I came home early so that I could surprise you, I wanted to make dinner, and I bought Hayley and Ace's plane tickets. I got
the earliest flight I could, it leaves at nine tonight. I thought a night flight would be better because of the time difference and how long the flight is to Marseille."
He said as Rebekah pouted. , "Can't they stay a few more days?" she asked as Ace shook his head. , "Marcel is right, the sooner we can get to France the
sooner we can get the Hollow out of Elijah and Klaus and destroy it once and for all." Ace said as Hayley walked over. , "It's not like you guys won't see Ace
again, you guys are coming back to New Orleans for the ceremony, after that if you want to come back that's up to you, but Ace needs all of our support for this
spell." Hayley said as Marcel tossed Ace his watch.
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, "I got it modified." He said as Ace turned it over seeing a small paragon diamond set in the underside of the watch face. , "If you're going to kill a spirit like
that you'll need a lot of power." He said as Ace nodded hugging him. , "Thank you, it's a very thoughtful gift." He said as Marcel smiled. , "You're saving a legacy
man. I'm the one that should be thanking you." He said as Hayley's face grew confused. , "Ace I have a question what happens when the Hollow dies, what
happens to her magic?" She said as Ace took a deep breath. , "Magic itself isn't good or evil it's neutral it's what is done with the magic that decided if a witch is
good or not. So the magic would most likely be absorbed into my body, and from there I can do the shooting star spell." He said as Rebekah's eyes widened. ,
"My mother designed that spell. When a witch has a large sum of magic she can do the shooting star spell and grant a wish of her choosing to everyone in the
immediate area, but not to the user. A witch hasn't done it in centuries. Wouldn't you want to make a wish for yourself Ace?" She asked softly as all three
immortals turned to the young boy who looked down.
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, "I don't need a wish, all I could ever want would be right there. A family, somewhere to call home, people to trust and rely on just within my grasp." He said
softly as Hayley smiled. , "Come on let's set the table for dinner, it's an hour drive to the airport." She said looking out the window to the setting spring sun. Ace
nodded as he walked to the bathroom to wash his hands and face. He walked down the stairs to see Marcel taking steaks and side dishes into the dining
room. He ran and grabbed plates silverware and cups setting them at the table. Rebekah came over put a hand on Ace's shoulder. , "Just be safe when dealing
with my brothers? Stay close to Hayley, sometimes my brothers can be a bit erratic." She said softly as Ace nodded. , "I'll be careful." He said as they ate dinner
in silence. After dinner Hayley and Ace packed their bags, and took a van to the airport where they would be flying from New York to Marseille France.
As they got to the airport terminal Marcel handed Ace an iPhone. , "Call me when you get to Elijah, and I'll do my part. Be safe keep in touch, and be careful. You
too Hayley." He said as he hugged Ace and then Hayley. Rebekah hugged Ace tears in her blue eyes. , "You're doing something I thought was impossible, but
please don't kill yourself to return my family to its original state." She said putting her hands on his cheeks looking seriously into his eyes. , "I won't, but I still
will try my hardest I made a promise, and I don't break promises." He says as she smiles at him kissing his forehead. , "You've already gotten what being a
Mikaelson is all about." She said smiling. Ace smiled a tear rolling down his cheek. , "I already feel like a part of your family." He said softly as Rebekah laughed
wiping her eyes., "You remind me a lot of my brothers. Especially your determination." She said as their terminal was called. , "I'll see you soon." She said as
they boarded the plane. As they took their seats Hayley smiled. , "Rebekah seems to agree that you should be a Mikaelson." Hayley said as the plane took off. ,
"Yeah but that might change if she finds out I've been her half brother all this time." Ace said looking out the window.