"So you're telling me you're actually a witch stuck inside a body that's not yours?" Cami believed she'd gotten nearly everything explained to her over the couple of days she'd stayed with Maleny. Still, one had to be sure - there had been plenty of information to retain.

"Long story short, yeah," Maleny nodded. She sat on her bed, against the headboard, nervously watching her blonde cousin.

Cami had stayed for a couple days at the compound to help Maleny get through her murder attempts as well as to finally listen to the truth. After listening and listening she could finally comprehend all of Maleny's odd background.

"This is something you should mention at firsthand to family," Cami stopped her pacing to face Maleny, "Instead of letting arguments happen."

"I'm sorry," Maleny honestly said, "but at first I wasn't sure."

"That doesn't matter anymore, I guess," Cami took a moment to gather herself and think clearly, "Now we just need to find your original body and break this curse. How long do we have again?"

"I suppose until someone kills me," Maleny shrugged, preferring not to find out, "Or until I age and die."

"Well," Cami sat at the foot of the bed, "this is one hell of an opportunity to fix it. All spells have loopholes and the fact you remembered quicker than the last is a warning you need to get a move on," Cami was convinced the fact Maleny kept her original name in her current body and that she remembered far quicker of her last was some type of loophole the spell gave.

"I only have one real clue right now," Maleny admitted and quickly got Cami to listen, "Genevieve said someone named Emily Cordera was looking for Maya Sterling in 1919. What ever she needed, it's a possibility she got it."

Cami tried to recall the name of 'Maya' because she was sure she'd heard it somewhere in the past.


"The woman, Maya, she was no ordinary human…Klaus thought her to be dead," Marcel sighed, speaking to Cami sitting beside hi,, "I regained consciousness and just as I was about to leave…she gasped awake."

"She survived being hung like a prop?" Cami blinked with wide eyes, "But…but how…?"

"I have no bloody idea," Marcel honestly said, "But we got out and the more I pestered her on how she survived, the more she avoided me. I kept a close eye on her for the next couple days...but then she disappeared."

"Just like that?" Cami was now intrigued but even that wouldn't make her disbelieve in her cousin.

"I don't know…" Marcel replied in a way that let Cami know even he wasn't fully over the mystery.


Cami's eyes widened, "Oh my God, was Maya this ginger woman Klaus was with in 1919? Here, right? In the Quarter?"

"Yeah, why?" Maleny raised an eyebrow, confused as to how Cami knew all that without having been told.

Cami was reluctant to answer, nervously biting her nail, "Do you know how she died?"

"Klaus said she was killed by his father and set to hung like a play prop in the old theater."

Cami stared at Maleny for a minute in silence, understanding that not even Klaus knew what really happened to Maya. Maleny knew Cami was hiding something and another mystery she would not handle.

"What is it?" she asked the blonde.

"Um...Maya didn't, uh...didn't actually die at the theater," Cami slowly confessed.

Maleny now looked at Cami with narrowed eyes, "How would you know?"

"Because I had a witness tell me," Cami answered nervously, "Marcel."

"What?"

"He once told me that Maya woke up just like he did. The two got out but after a couple of days..Maya disappeared."

Maleny considered the possible idea on the side, "Well...I supposed she could have avoided death like me. But disappeared?" she certainly did not like that last part, "I'd like to know why so I don't repeat the same mistakes."

"Marcel never knew why," Cami promised.

"So...I disappeared again," Maleny realized with a slow breath, "Something happened...but what?"

"Well maybe it does have to do with that woman you told me about. Emily?"

"Definitely," Maleny said without a second doubt, "but how am I going to find out? Klaus already thinks it's not real so he's not going to look in that direction. What am I going to do?"

Cami smirked, "Lucky for you, I'm no Klaus. I think you're right. And, if this Emily married here then it probably means she was buried here too which would mean…?" she waited for Maleny to put the pieces together.

"There has to be a tombstone with her name on it!" Maleny grinned, "Oh, that's good!"

Cami nodded and headed for the doors to peer out, "You know, no one's home and probably won't be for another hour or so. We could easily go and-" suddenly, Maleny's cellphone went off.

"Probably Klaus," Maleny sighed as she reached for her cellphone on the nightstand, "I swear it's like he's psychic knowing I'd try to escape."

Cami rolled her eyes, "You can't listen to him all the time you know."

"It's not him," Maleny was reading off the ID. She took the call and motioned to Cami to wait, "Riley? Listen, I'm so sorry about what happened at the party but-"

"Don't worry about it, Mal, there's more important things," Riley responded with a solemn tone.

"What is it?" Maleny picked up on it fast.

"It's Kieran...and he's not doing so well anymore."

Maleny quickly straightened up, "What's happening? What's-"

"Mal, I'm going to be frank, I don't really see him going past a day anymore…"

Maleny's heart nearly stopped, her eyes landing on Cami, "We'll be right there, hold on," she quickly hung up and jumped from the bed.

Confused, Cami could only watch from the doorway as Maleny scrambled to get her bag, "What's going on? What did Riley want?"

"It's uncle Kieran," Maleny swiped off the cellphone from the bed and stuffed it in her bag, "He's not doing so hot."

"So what is it this time?" Cami blocked Maleny from the doorway, "And you better not lie, Mal. I'm sick of being lied to."

Maleny looked to the side, "...Riley says he won't make it past today," as bad as it was Cami did deserve to know what was really happening.

Cami's eyes widened and instinctively her arms dropped from the doorway, "That bad?"

Maleny sighed and went back for Cami's bag on the bed, "We have to go fast. Klaus is tricky and a liar. If he says he'll be back in three hours, he'll be back in two. We need to go," she returned and yanked Cami out of the room.

~ 0 ~

When the two women arrived at the church attic, they found Riley trying to give Kieran a glass of water. The man was sitting on a chair at the center and rambling on.

"Just drink, please," Riley was trying to say but Kieran was in a fit of delusions.

"No. Uh! I know who you are, you hateful bitch," he shook his head, "Oh, Sean, I tried to help you. I tried to save you, but this city... this city is full of monsters."

"Uh, yeah," Riley sheepishly glanced at Maleny, though seemingly happy she'd arrived, "Mal," he turned around and put the glass down before coming over to greet her.

"Riley, what is it?" Maleny swallowed hard, knowing there wouldn't be good news but she was still clinging to a little bit of hope.

"Like I said, Mal, he's getting worse," Riley sighed.

"But this can't be it," Cami declared and took steps towards Kieran, "it can't be," at the same time, Kieran began having a seizure. Cami dashed to help him but found he was too heavy, "Help me lay him on his side!"

Kieran momentarily calmed and looked at his niece, "Cami."

That sparked enough hope in Cami to believe he was still in there, "Uncle Kieran?"

But the moment didn't last long and he returned to his delusional state, "What do you want from me?" he picked himself up and backed into a corner.

"You saw that, right?" Cami glanced at the others, specifically Maleny, "Mal, you saw it. It was just for a second…"

"I...I think I did," Maleny couldn't be so sure but she wasn't going to lose hope, "How can we get him to do that again?"

"Ladies, I'm not sure it was," Riley slowly told them, seeing a new emotion in Cami's eyes which he could tell wouldn't lead to good things, "Remember, the curse is complex with many layers."

"But if the real personality is still within, no matter how deep, there's a chance to get him back," Maleny breathed, "We just have to think about a way."

"And I think I have the way," Cami announced, her hand reaching into her bag for her cellphone, "But we'll need some help."

~ 0 ~

Whilst Cami waited below the attic for the requirements of her plan to arrive, Maleny and Riley remained by the doorway of the attic. The two hadn't seen nor talked to each other since the day of the witches' festival. Needless to say, things were a bit awkward between them. It didn't help that Kieran had been restrained to a heater across the room.

"How are you feeling?" Riley asked, probably the only question that was safe for them.

"Um," Maleny crossed her arms, taking a breath before completely answering, "I suppose right now I'm a little better. You should have seen me that first night, though - I was a mess."

Riley dimly smiled, "I would have liked to help but before I knew it you were nowhere in sight at the party."

Maleny raised her eyebrows, realizing he was right, "I'm sorry. Klaus has this tendency to speed out of the room. I didn't even realize it, I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's okay. You were safe," Maleny unintentionally flinched when his hand touched her cheek, "That's all that matters."

"Th-thank you," Maleny managed a smile back, "Um," she turned her head to the side, forcing his hand away, "so listen, I don't know exactly what Klaus told you back at the party but whatever he told you I'm sorry."

Riley shrugged, apparently not as conflicted as Maleny thought, "I don't think you should be apologizing to me. He didn't say anything bad. You were on a date, nothing strange about that."

"It wasn't a real date," Maleny found herself saying before she thought.

Riley seemed to take the words in a good way judging by his smile, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, it was…" Maleny sighed, wondering if she was doing well in telling him the truth, "It was a deal I made with Klaus to get my mother's spell book back. It was just a silly thing, nothing more."

"Well, that, um...that makes things look a little better," Riley sheepishly stared at her.

Maleny thought it was best for there to be no misunderstandings between them. After all, Riley was doing everything he could to help Kieran. The least Maleny thought she should do was be honest.

"So where have you been all these days?" Riley asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, um," Maleny didn't know how to put 'I've been under house arrest' into words that didn't make it sound as bad as it was, "I've been...home…" that technically was not a lie.

"Home?" Riley already suspected there was more to it than he was being told.

"Yeah," Maleny sheepishly smiled, "Cami stayed with me too, to help me and stuff. And you are very welcomed to come by as well. I need to solve this curse before I'm murdered."

"Um, I don't think that's a good idea…" Riley rubbed his neck, "I get the feeling I'm not very welcomed at that place."

"You are," Maleny assured, "Stop by any time, okay?"

Riley was only able to nod when Cami arrived. Behind her was Josh the vampire, and an older man no one had ever seen before.

"What did you do?" Maleny asked Cami the moment she saw the new arrivals.

"For the record I am totally against this," informed Josh as he led the human man behind.

"Cami, I don't understand what you're trying to do here," Riley frowned, "but it's not going to end well."

Cami ignored the two and turned to Josh and the man, "He's compelled to forget everything after leaving right?" she asked Josh.

"Yeah," sighed Josh.

Cami nodded then spoke to the man, "Dr. Sheski, my uncle needs to be sedated. Something strong."

Sheski took a look at Kieran, "Sedation? He looks like he should be in an ICU," he went to get a better study.

"Um," Maleny scratched her head, "Yeah, he's kind of stuck in here."

Sheski was able to diagnose Kieran rather quickly, "This man is malnourished, severely dehydrated-"

Cami rolled her eyes, "Which is why you're here. But first- Doctor, what do you know about shock therapy?"

Maleny was stunned, "Cami!"

Cami knew what she was thinking and she was right, the method was wrong and dangerous...but it was the only option left.

Sheski seemed to agree with Maleny, "It's incredibly dangerous."

"But, it has been known to help treat cases of extreme psychosis," Cami reminded.

Seeing the doctor a bit hesitant, Josh ordered, "Answer the nice lady."

"We don't fully understand it yet, but, yes, in some patients, using electrical current to induce seizures can subvert a psychotic episode- in effect, rebooting the brain. But, only in the most extreme cases, do we even consider…"

"Cami, we can't," Maleny swallowed hard, "It's dangerous."

"Mal, time is running out. It's this or let the hex take him over," Cami sharply told her.

Maleny silently gave a nod. There was nothing left to do.

~ 0 ~

Kieran had been moved from the heater to the center of the room again, strapped and being prepped for ECT. Out of everyone Riley was the only one still continuously trying to stop it all.

"We're going to kill him," he was telling them, "Mal, you're smart, you have to stop it."

Maleny bit her lip as she looked at her uncle, "I...I think this is the only way."

"There's a special place in hell for your kind," Kieran told Josh as the teenager readied to gag him.

"Not the first time I've heard that one," he honestly said before gagging Kieran's mouth.

"Well, isn't this a gruesome little scene?" a different voice asked from the entrance of the room.

Maleny checked her watch and sighed, "Told you Cami - it's been one two hours and he said three."

Klaus was in no mood for her sarcasm, especially when she'd disobeyed his biggest order, "You were supposed to stay at the compound, Maleny," he strode in.

"And did you really expect me to listen?" Maleny raised an eyebrow, "I'm a little surprised, you're getting rusty."

Klaus harshly took her by the arm and dragged her to the side, leaving a very awkward air among the others, "You're not supposed to leave," Maleny rolled her eyes again.

"What are you doing here? How'd you even know I was here?"

"There wasn't anywhere else you'd be," but Klaus wasn't about to tell her he'd had someone do a locator spell for her - a very reluctant Davina, "We're going home."

"No, we're not," Maleny stepped away before he grabbed her again. She knew in less than a second he could have her out of the church, "We have to help uncle Kieran."

Klaus took a look at the priest and raised an eyebrow, "That's helping?"

"In a sense, yes," Maleny moved back to the others, "Look, Riley says we really don't have much time anymore."

And before he would be attacked Riley quickly defended himself, "But I also said I completely disagree with this," he gestured to the ECT preparement.

"First useful comment you can make," Klaus wasted no time to make a sarcastic remark, "But you realize you are the reason Maleny exposed herself? It will also be the reason of your demise."

"I didn't know she was under lockdown!" Riley exclaimed, huffing at the threat, "Though frankly, I can't see that working either. You can't have her locked up like some prisoner, you know-"

The words evaded Klaus' mind and instead charged for the man but Maleny quickly put herself in front of him, "No!" she pushed back with all her might, though in the back of her mind she also knew it wouldn't matter. No strength would ever outmatch Klaus', "We have to help my uncle!" she reminded him in a loud shout, "Klaus, please!"

Reluctantly, Klaus stopped and looked at Maleny, "This will not help him," he honestly told her.

"But we have to try," she weakly responded with then glanced at Cami, "Let's do it."

Cami had taken liberty of acquiring the ECT handles from the terrified doctor, "Let's," she moved to Kieran.

"We can always search for another way!" Riley insisted, "Spell books or something?"

"There isn't time," Maleny sighed.

"Maleny," Klaus took her arm again, gently making her turn, "your uncle is a good man. He shouldn't suffer."

"He's been suffering for weeks and now he's dying," Maleny took a deep breath, "This might be the only chance he's got. Don't interfere, Klaus," she warned him lastly.

Without hearing anyone else, Cami placed the electrodes against Kieran's temples, successfully shocking him. Kieran's screams were unbearable. One attempt became another, and another that moved the man to the bed for strength reasons. A heart monitor had been required as well. The last attempt knocked him out for a good while and when he woke up the first thing he saw was Cami.

"Cami," he said, sounding in relief. However, the moment lasted seconds before he returned to his agitation, "What the hell did you do to me?"

"But that was him!" Maleny blinked, rushing over to Cami's side, "It was him!"

"We have to do it again," Cami announced, surprising the others she was willing to keep going.

"You cannot be serious," Riley crossed his arms.

"He looks real bad, Cami," Josh agreed as he took a look at Kieran, "I don't think he'll last much longer if we keep it up."

"But that was something coherent. It's working," Cami snapped at both of them, only particularly caring for what her cousin had to say.

"Maybe one more might get him back," Maleny theorized but before she or Cami got a chance to head for the electrodes, Klaus blocked the way. Maleny groaned, "Oh c'mon! We have to try again!"

"Doctor, see to your patient," he ordered the human instead.

"You get away from me!" Kieran began struggling against Sheski.

"Heartbeat is irregular," he concluded and looked at the two women, "You can't keep this up. It'll kill him."

"But just one more," Maleny insisted.

"Mal," called Klaus, making her turn, "we need to have a word in private."

"No, you'll zoom be back to the compound," she stepped back, genuinely afraid he'd take her away.

"I won't," Klaus assured and took her out of the room.

"Then we're wasting time!"

"We really are," Klaus agreed though not in the way Maleny was talking about, "I think you need to prepare yourself. This story does not have a happy ending."

Maleny's eyes watered but her face stayed firm against her real emotions, "I already lost my family, my own body, I can't lose my uncle too."

"At the rate you're going you'll end up pushing him to his own death. Stop while you can and just…"

"What?" Maleny scoffed, "Let it go?" she indignantly asked, "When the hell have you let things go? You are the man that keeps rages for centuries and you're telling me to let this all go!?"

Surprisingly, Klaus remained at ease despite being yelled at, "Moving on, Maleny. That's your only and best option."

"Don't make me surrender," Maleny nearly pleaded, "That's not you - that's never you. I learned a thing or two from you and I'll put them to action. Just watch me!"

"Maleny!" they heard Cami calling from the inside, sounding terrified.

Maleny dashed back into the room, leaving Klaus no other choice but to do the same. Kieran had lashed out and bitten his own thumb off in an attempt to be free.

"We have to restrain him again, quick!" Riley motioned to the others to grab something for help.

"His wrath burns against you, demon!" Kieran shouted at them all one by one.

"Uncle Kieran, please," Maleny begged for the man to stay still and was about to ask for reinforcements when she saw Klaus attending to a cellphone call whilst actively trying to help. She'd managed to hear him say 'Hayley' giving out the identity of the caller.

"I'm in a bit of a situation here, love," he was in the middle of saying when something changed his entire expressions. It was something dangerous no doubt, "What? Where are you?"

Maleny shook her head and tried getting herself back into the prominent situation (for her anyways), "Josh, get the doctor out of here and make sure he really forgets."

"On it," Josh nodded and hurried the doctor out while the man blabbed on about the authorities and what not.

"Hayley, listen, I assure you, once I am finished here, you will have my undivided attention. In the meantime, please stay out of trouble," and with that, Klaus ended the phone call.

Maleny felt guilt rise within her just thinking that Haley was in trouble and she needed help...yet Klaus told her to practically wait. Maleny thought his priorities were out of balance and it was all her fault.

~ 0 ~

"Are you sure there's no spell we can use anymore?" Maleny whispered to Riley, more for Kieran's sake since he'd fallen asleep and that alone was rare.

"Nothing but the boundary one," Riley gestured to the doorway, "I'm really sorry, Mal. We've done everything we can."

"But it can't end like this," Cami said from her spot beside the bed, carefully attending to her uncle, "There has to be something. Klaus? You've been alive for some time, you've had to have picked up on something about hexes?"

"If I knew something I would have done it already," Klaus said if it were obvious, "Hexes are different, each has a loophole while others...don't."

"So that's it, then?" Maleny raised an eyebrow, unable to believe the end was coming, "We just...surrender?" she rubbed her face while deeply sighing, "I can't...we can't...we-" the heart monitor began beeping in an alertive way.

"He's in cardiac arrest," Klaus moved over to Cami's side and began rolling up his sleeves, "You might want to look away."

"What are you doing?" Maleny frowned and hurried to the foot of the bed just as he dug his hand into Kieran's chest.

"Massaging his heart. His body is shutting down. Even with my help, he doesn't have much time."

Cami had been staring with a sense of awe - as well as a new spark of hope, "Your blood," she looked up at Klaus, "If you fed him your blood, he'd wake back up, right?"

"As a vampire in transition, yes. As for the hex, perhaps his death will be a mercy."

Cami glanced back at Maleny, wanting to see if they were both thinking of the same thing. Apparently, they were, because Maleny soon declared, "Then do it, Klaus. Just do it. Please."

"Mal-" Klaus reluctantly tried to argue with her.

"This isn't like my dad," she quickly interjected, "These family stories may be just a story in my head but my love for them is not. Please?" Maleny's voice unintentionally broke down.

For a minute, Klaus had to wonder if she'd been peeking into his head due to the way she'd just manipulated him to do something for her without even trying. In the old days a pair of watery, blue eyes and a sad pout got him moving in a second. Although now the eyes were chocolate brown everything still worked the same way. It was astounding to him.

Maleny had always been a mystery herself to him. She could make him nearly do anything she wanted - except to be turned - with so much as a snap of a finger. The story repeated itself throughout the centuries.

So now, the story repeated itself again. Klaus bit into his wrist and gave Kieran blood. After pulling out his hand from the man's chest, it was only a matter of minutes before Kieran died.

~ 0 ~

Nearly an hour had passed after Kieran's death but no one in the room dared speak for that time. It really wasn't until Maleny heard vibrations of a cellphone she knew belonged to Klaus that she broke the silence. She headed for him leaving Cami and Riley for a second.

"Hayley's in trouble, isn't she?" Maleny asked quietly.

"That may be a possibility," Klaus cleared his throat, ignoring his phone.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"You needed help-"

"Let me tell you something," Maleny stepped closer, "You will never put me before your baby, do you understand? Haley is in trouble and you should be with her, not me."

"Elijah is with her, I know she's okay," Klaus informed, startled by her bluntness of words.

"That's not my point," Maleny shook her head, "Nothing is more important than your baby and while Haley is still pregnant then she is the top priority," she sighed, "I'm just an asset, nothing more."

Without thinking, Klaus placed a hand over her cheek, her words puncturing something within him and spurring him to make her think differently, "If that was true I would've left hours ago, don't you think?"

Half of a smile made an appearance on Maleny's face, her heart skipping a beat, "But Hayley needs-"

"I let you disappear centuries ago, I'm not letting it happen again," and that Klaus swore, determinant to stop the awful cycle someone put her under.

"Thank you," Maleny honestly said, "but I really do mean my words regarding the baby and Haley. I would never forgive you if you put me over them, no matter how bad the situation is. So go," however that time she seemed happier which did allow Klaus some consideration about leaving, "I know well enough what happens next with uncle Kieran."

"I'll be back before then," Klaus assured, getting ready to leave.

"Don't know if it'll make any difference, honestly," Maleny sighed and turned to face her uncle across, "He'll never agree to turn."

"Turning him wasn't the goal. It was to give you a chance to say good-bye."

Maleny stiffened though wasn't surprised. She knew very well it would happen, but it didn't mean it hurt any less.

"This time, however, I only ask you don't leave the church," Klaus managed to say in in a kinder tone than previous attempts, "I'm actually leaving you in the care of that guy over there."

Riley made a face and looked at the two, "I heard that."

"Good, then also hear this, if anything happens I'll make you responsible," Klaus warned, and not lightly, "Don't mess up."

"Mal," Riley frowned, waiting for her to make some type of remark on his defense.

However Maleny seemed rather amused, "You didn't have to be rude," she told Klaus, not even scolding.

"Fear gets the point across," was all Klaus had to say before leaving.

Maleny smiled to herself, forgetting about any defenses she was supposed to be making. Later on the remaining three were gathered around Kieran's bed. Eventually, the man woke up, startled by his sudden clearness.

"Cami, Mal, what happened?" he sat upright, trying to think of the past, "The hex... I could feel it, like a living thing inside of me," he looked at his hand where the mark of the hex had been only to find it wasn't there anymore, "It's gone."

Happily, the two women hugged him from either side of the bed.

Kieran then noticed he was short one thumb, "Oh! Oh my god!"

Riley moved over, "Yes, you've had a trying day, Father. Although it appears the hex was broken by your death."

Kieran blinked, "Back up. I died? For how long?"

Maleny shifted her on feet uncomfortably, "A few hours, give or take."

"We're sorry. We just couldn't lose you, not like that," Cami shook her head, "We made Klaus give you his blood."

"I see. So the devil has a deal for me, after all," Kieran looked around, his true emotion unable to be read.

"Uncle Kieran... that hunger you feel, it'll only grow stronger," Maleny dreaded to explain.

"I know how it works."

"Then you will soon know if you do not feed, you will die," Riley slowly said, "There is always a choice."

"I know if that's the choice that I have to make, I'm dead already," Kieran declared, "Please leave me with my nieces. I'd like a private moment to talk with them."

Maleny glanced at Riley then walked over, "Thank you for everything. We can take it from here."

"I don't know…" Riley nervously admitted, "You heard Klaus. I like being alive, it don't know about you."

Maleny laughed, "I know how to control Klaus, believe me. You can go."

Seeing no way to convince her otherwise, Riley left. Maleny returned to her cousin and uncle, unsure of how they would be able to go on after what would happen to soon.

~ 0 ~

"So, you see, I'm not really your niece. I'm more of a centuries-old witch trapped in a different body," Maleny finished telling her life story in an incredible ten minutes.

Kieran was left blinking rapidly, wearing a shocked face that in any other occasion would have made Maleny laugh, "Witches are a pain," he declared, "Besides you of course."

Maleny allowed herself a small chuckle, "Thanks. I thought you should know the truth, after everything you know."

"I'm glad you did, because now I know I can count on someone to keep Cami safe."

"Definitely," Maleny nodded fast, "The memories might be false but my love for my cousins is real."

"Maleny, with what you told me I want you to find a very important key for me, okay?"

Maleny sensed this was a bit more than just a key, "Un, okay. But why didn't you ask Cami since you sent her downstairs?"

"I was, but...you're more adequate now. It's a very important key, part of the family legacy, and it needs to be in your hands, no one else's."

"Uncle Kieran, what's the key for?" Maleny sternly asked.

"For your kind, I suppose," was all he intended to say, "It should be in one of the drawers downstairs. Find it and keep it hidden."

Cami came in after a couple minutes, "Everything is where you said it would be," she tried to sound cheerful.

"Then everything is in place," Kieran concluded and gathered the two women, "Listen. I don't know how bad this is gonna get, and I don't want either of you to see it. So, in a moment, I'm gonna let go, and you're gonna turn around, and you're gonna both walk out of here without looking back. Okay, kiddos? Promise me. Without looking back."

Both nodding, Maleny and Cami walked out, holding in their tears for the moment.

As soon as they got downstairs, Maleny rushed into the small office by the altar. She wanted to find that key before Cami had the chance to spot it. If she were to share with Cami Maleny wanted to know exactly what the key was for. Eventually, Maleny found the key buried under a couple files in the bottom drawer. She stuffed it into her jeans pocket and fixed everything as Cami had left it. As far as Cami knew Maleny was only looking for her purse she'd misplaced over the day.

"Hey," she walked over to the blonde by the altar, unsure of how to even talk at the moment.

"Hey," Cami mumbled, feeling the same exact way as Maleny.

They heard footsteps coming towards them and found Kieran just at the doorway leading to the attic. The first thing Cami thought was, "Have you changed your mind?"

It was Maleny who noticed a sinister aura in Kieran first, "Uncle Kieran…" something was not right.

The man pulled out a knife from behind and sliced one of Cami's arm.

Something was definitely not right.

"Ah!" Cami stumbled back but quickly thought to run with Maleny.

"What's the matter with you!?" Maleny was being pulled by Cami but the brunette kept forcing a stop every second or so down the aisle, "It's the hex, isn't it? Death wasn't enough!"

"Time to be sacrificed again," Kieran threatened with the knife.

"Sacrificed?" Maleny was left dumbfounded momentarily.

"C'MON!" Cami shouted and finally yanked Maleny with full force down the aisle.

"But what did he mean 'sacrificed'?" Maleny was trying to think when she looked back at her chasing uncle, "What did you mean!?"

"It's not the time, Mal!" Cami scolded as they rushed up the stairs to the balcony.

Now as a full vampire, Kieran easily caught them upstairs.

Cami turned to the balcony and looked below, "Mal, that memory where you and I climbed a tree as kids...that was false wasn't it?"

Maleny saw where Cami was going with the question and sighed, "I assume so."

"Well then," Cami took Maleny's hand, "Here's to our first, real memory together."

And before Kieran could catch either woman, they leaped off the balcony. They each fell on the ground with harsh injuries but not enough to stop them. As Kieran followed down, they took refuge in between the pews.

"Don't fight it, girls," Kieran stalked after them, "In death, we are whole again."

"I disagree!" Maleny hopped to one bench behind, pulling Cami with her. While it broke her heart to think about it, Maleny began searching for something wooden to...end Kieran. But the benches were too strong for her break down.

"Maleny!" Cami shouted just as Kieran grabbed her arm.

Maleny looked back, terrified beyond belief, "No!"

However, out of the nowhere, Klaus appeared and took Kieran away from the women, "You deserved far better than this," with a makeshift stake he dug it into Kieran's heart, effectively killing him.

Maleny rushed to Cami, and although they were battered and bruised they were both alright. They slowly made their way towards Klaus.

"You knew this would happen?" Maleny asked Klaus as they gathered together. The way he had zoomed into the room like he knew there was trouble left nothing else to say.

"I'm sorry, Mal," he looked around the room and immediately remembered the person he left in charge around the place, "Where the hell is the witch I left in charge here?"

"Don't blame Riley, I told him to go," Maleny quickly said, "Can we just...can we go home please?"

Klaus had much more to say about the stupid witch but he took in Maleny's appearance and agreed it was better to get her home.

~ 0 ~

Maleny stepped out of the guest room that had been given to Cami during her stay in the compound. Klaus was waiting for her just outside. She quietly closed the door and turned to him, wearily smiling, "Well, she's asleep. That's good."

"You need to do the same," Klaus motioned for to start walking.

"I don't really know how I'll manage to do that," Maleny sighed, "It hasn't been an easy thing to do lately with everything that's happened."

"Well I could always knock you out with a little ability vampires have..."

"Don't you dare," Maleny shot him a playful look, "I'd rather not sleep."

They stopped in front of her bedroom door, "And I'd rather you did so I would do anything despite your wishes."

"One of these days you'll learn I do as I please and no one will make me do otherwise."

Klaus smirked at her, "You clearly have not remember everything about us."

"Oh," Maleny put a hand on her hip, "so our relationships in the past only worked because I did what you said? You lucked out then because it's the modern world now," Klaus quietly chuckled, making the brunette smile herself.

However, it didn't last long as she felt a light pain on the side of her head...


A dark-haired woman laughed as she turned to lie flat on her back on a bed, "I thought you said you had work to do today," she reached for berries on bowl sitting on the nightstand.

"I changed my mind, am I not allowed?" Klaus cast her a smirk as he locked the door to their bedroom. He shook off his coat and let it drop to the floor.

"Not when your brother comes looking for you," the woman chewed on a berry as she sat up.

"He will not," Klaus assured and made his way to the bed, "The day is all ours, Victoria," he'd crawled up to her, his hand trailing down her cheek, "and what we choose to do throughout it is completely up to us."

"Well, what if I had plans of my own?" Victoria impishly smiled as she dropped a berry into her mouth, "Do not forget my family still thinks I am in this town for business with our cousins. I have to show my face a couple times in the town or people will begin to talk."

The matter didn't seem to concern Klaus in the least as he began to kiss her, "Show your face tomorrow; it's not happening today," he murmured and pulled her down so that she was underneath him.

"So that's just how it is going to be, then?" Victoria managed to pull away for a moment, struggling not to laugh again, "I'm supposed to listen to you like that?"

Klaus pushed some hair from her face, "I can promise you I would make it worthwhile..."

Victoria draped her arms around his neck, "Well I do recognize you have definitely lived up to your word in past times."

"You'll see this won't be the exception," promised Klaus with one of his usual smirks. He leaned down to continue their kissing, listening to her giggles as he left a trail down her neck.


In the present time, Maleny snapped out of her trance and immediately felt her face burn with a blush. Klaus had been looking at her for a good minute while she'd stared into space. He had assumed she was remembering something else and didn't want to interrupt until it looked like it was over.

"Did you see something?" he asked after she began shifting.

Maleny felt awkward now under his look and turned to her bedroom, opening its door, "Nope, nothing," she said and hurried on in.

"Mal-"

She turned to face him and felt like it was a grand mistake as she felt her blush only intensify, "I have to sleep. Goodnight."

Klaus frowned, "Maleny, what-"

"Goodnight," she reiterated and shut the door on him, locking it and turning to lean back on it, "Ooh I hope that doesn't happen again," she whispered to herself, shutting her eyes.

Outside, Klaus was still staring at the door, irritated with Maleny's behavior. He was pretty sure he'd done nothing wrong this time. He'd been with her nearly all day and saved her from dying. This was what he got in return?


Author's Note:

Hello! Apologies for the 1 day tardiness in updating. My Spring break started with homework deadlines online so I was a mess. Plus, I'm guilty of starting yet another show and obsessively watching it on Netflix. But hey, 1 day isn't so bad right lol?

So I hope this chapter was well-liked and I'm super duper happy that I can finally write Maleny and Cami happy together again. I'm sorry for the lack of Hayley/Elijah/Davina in this chapter but that will change as the story moves onto the 2nd season, promise!


For Reviews:

Well, I don't think the person knew what Marcel was going to do. He/She probably took advantage with the distraction to act. As for the ancestor...you will know eventually. It won't be the last time you hear about it ;) And yeah, after so long of knowing him I couldn't see Maleny stupidly going behind Klaus' back to take something. I feel she more of a trust for him after getting back on good terms with him. Maleny deserves better and I am totally on board with it ^.^

Thank you! I hope you liked this newest chapter then :)

Yeeeah, I liked writing that small bit. I thought it was funny too xD. You'll eventually know who planned it all and for what, promise ;). Thanks and I really hope the wait was worth it for this chapter ^.^


Soo, thanks to those who read and I hope to hear some thoughts. Also, happy Easter! :)