Chicago. One Week Later. 1920


"You call this a grand estate?"

The fire in Rebekah's voice was not unheard of to him. Although she typically reserved such disdain for when he had offed one of her beaus or daggered her for just a few years too long.

He supposed he couldn't really blame her. The townhouse was far from what had been described to him by the banker Wells.

"This is a hovel, Niklaus!" she continued to shriek as she made her way from room to room, each more disappointing than the last.

Dust covered everything, cobwebs and spiders abound. The floors were in serious need of repair and several windows were cracked, one with a baseball size hole.

"It seems our friend Mr. Wells was of the exaggerating sort," he leaned against one of the thinly wallpapered walls "If I hadn't already broken his neck, I would return to Savannah and rip out his heart."

"This is no home!" Rebekah came racing down the staircase from the upper floor "Everything is in such disarray. How am I to make a home of this? Is this what Elijah will come to? This...this eyesore?"

The amusement slipped from Klaus' lips and his face grew more serious. He walked toward his distraught sister and held her shoulders between his hands.

"Absolutely not. This home make us land owners in this city, which is all I need to begin my takeover of territory. I will see to that while you will spare no expense renovating this place. Make it as extravagant as you like. When Elijah returns to us, he will be welcomed into a home fit for a Mikaelson."

"So I am to choose wallpaper patterns and chandeliers, while you do what exactly?" she almost pouted, her eyes dancing around the dilapidated sitting room.

"You dear sister, will sit back and enjoy the luxury that is provided to you, while I become king of yet another city."

"You're up to something," she raised an eyebrow at him "You are far to happy with the way things are going. Can you not see what a disaster this has started out to be?...It's bad luck, Nik."

"We have been through far worse," he reminded her, turning to gaze out one of the front windows at a couple pushing their newborn along in a stroller.

"Yes, and look at us now," she joined him "Two brothers boxed, one dead mother, a father who wants to murder us and one brother missing in action."

"Oh Rebekah," Klaus groaned, moving away from the window and heading toward the front door.

"Where are you going?"

"I have connections to make, contacts to visit...Do try and do something with the cobwebs while I'm away will you?"

His playfulness returned, as he reached up and allowed a rather large spider to crawl onto his finger before tossing it onto the floor in front of her and going out the door.

"Nik!"she shouted after him.

But all she heard was his pleased laugh as he took off down the street.


Within one week, Rebekah had totally transformed their home in the city. Lavish rugs and wallpaper. Grand chandeliers. Fine china and crystal in the dining room. She naturally gave herself the largest bedroom, but Klaus did not protest. She even designed a room for Elijah. She compelled an entire wait staff and immediately started throwing grand parties. The guest list was of Klaus' choosing however.

Despite how wonderful the city was, despite the fact she had managed to bury her heartbreak, Rebekah couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was coming.

And something was.