Hey guys!

Just a quick thank you for all of the reviews so far. Reading them really does make me want to update faster and keep this story moving for you guys. Definitely let me know what you'd like to see from the characters, especially my lovely OC Gabriella. I know it seems like I say this every time but we will be finding out about her past very soon- perhaps even a little in the next chapter! Even as I update this chapter I am half way through the next, I am having sooooo much fun with this story and I promise you the next chapter is going to be a big one. Gabby will finally learn what it is that Klaus has been keeping from her, but perhaps not how she thought she would. So there's a little something for you lot to look forwards to!

In the meantime, as a thank you for the lovely reviews on Chapter 8, here is Chapter 9 (it's even the longest chapter so far) !

I hope you enjoy it and as always, get back to me!

Who knows, Chapter 10 could be a lot closer than you think...

Enjoy :)

Riley

x

"is this the place?" Gabby asked Rebekah. Honestly she was becoming bored of walking around in the hustle and bustle. It was the busiest part of the day and chasing after witches was not Gabby's idea of fun.

"I believe so" Rebekah started before turning to Gabby "do you know anything of this girl? I can't imagine she'd be too willing to help the Original bitch" Rebekah smirked

"do I look like the type of girl who associates with witches?" Gabby rolled her eyes.

The vampire/witch rivalry in the town was ridiculous. However, unlike a lot of vampires around here, Gabby did not want to see the witches being tortured. She merely was not interested in their kind.

"yes this may be a little difficult…" Rebekah realised. Neither of them had anything to offer this girl, there was not much of a chance that she would help them.

"let's face it, what have we got to lose?" Gabby sighed. She really did not want to have walked all of this way for nothing. They had to at least try she thought. She was this close!

"I suppose you're right, just don't mention my brothers or we will be completely screwed" Rebekah murmured as she walked towards the door to the herb shop.

The shop was shrouded and packed full of hippy dippy things that Gabby just did not have time for. Dream catchers, feathers, herbs of all scents and shapes. Gabby decided to just keep her mouth shut, out of fear of saying something stupid. Rebekah knew what she was doing, Gabby was sure of that. She glanced around and spotted Rebekah fiddling with a necklace near the counter as she waited for someone to appear.

"that's a lucky heather charm, it'd look awesome on you" A young girl smiled politely as she appeared from around the corner.

"I sincerely doubt that" Rebekah smirked "are you Katie?" She went on

"yeah…" The girl seemed uneasy "can I help you?" all of a sudden her polite tone had turned into a far more defensive one

"I'm Rebekah, this is my friend Gabby, we were hoping you could help us" Rebekah bartered, hoping that she would just comply without question

"I know who you are, what makes you think I'd help you?" Katie spoke with a bit of a bite. Well now they were foiled Gabby thought, she was hoping that Rebekah was able to think on her feet.

"a little bit of female solidarity perhaps?" Rebekah tried playfully with a small smirk to which Katie scoffed

"your brother raised the tyrant who slaughters my people in the streets on a day to day basis" She stated matter of factly.

It very quickly became clear to Gabby that this was not going to be as smooth and easy as she had hoped. They needed an in. A little bit of leverage.

As if on cue she heard the bell go signalling that somebody else had entered the shop. Someone who she instantly recognised as a friend of hers. A member of Marcels inner circle who she had spent many nights dancing with at the blood bath parties. Then something clicked.

"Thierry?" Gabby asked with her eyebrows raised playfully

"Gabriella" he responded, a little bit uneasily and Gabby knew why. Gabby did know something about Katie. Something that was going to get her and Rebekah whatever they wanted.

"so this is the girl I have heard so much about?" Gabby smiled obviously, causing Katie's eyes to widen. Gabby noticed her heart rate quicken and knew that she had her right where she wanted.

"yeah…" Thierry answered quickly, avoiding Gabby's gaze. "what're you doing here?"

"we came to ask your little girlfriend a favour, however she wasn't too keen" Rebekah intervened, clearly catching on to what Gabby was implying.

"since when have you hung around with Originals?" Thierry asked her in a hushed tone, as if he was concerned for her. Gabby smiled at the thought, Thierry was sometimes too nice for his own good, it almost made him difficult to use. Almost.

"I need a favour Thierry" Gabby smiled, clearly ignoring his previous question.

"not if it's got anything to do with her" he spat back, glancing to Rebekah who was stood nearer Katie, further in the shop.

"that's a lot of big talk for somebody who really doesn't have a choice, I'm sure you two would hate for this little love story to come out" Rebekah smirked, clearly pleased with that little turn in events.

"it's ok, whatever you want I'll do it" Katie rushed quickly, keen to stop her boyfriend from getting himself into trouble.

"Katie you don't-" Thierry started before Katie cut him off once again

"it's fine, whatever it takes" Katie reassured Rebekah who was stood directly in front of her.

"I swear Gabriella if you hurt her" Thierry started, clearly in an uncomfortable situation. Gabby thought she heard a threat in there somewhere.

"I'd be careful who you threaten sweetheart" Rebekah intervened in an attempt to shut him up so that she could continue negotiations with Katie. This caused Thierry's eyes to narrow and Gabby thought he was about to speak again before Katie jumped to his aid as before.

"what do you need?" she spoke quickly

"well it's simple really, Gabriella is compelled, I need it undone" Rebekah stated simply, hoping that she did not ask too many questions.

"done" Katie forced a small fake smile. Katie just wanted all of these vampires out of her shop, it was making her incredibly uneasy.

"fantastic, be at the cemetery at nightfall and we shall get this show on the road" Rebekah smiled, feeling accomplished as Katie nodded in agreement. Rebekah continued:

"well then that'll be all for now, if you're smart you'll show tonight" Rebekah smirked at Thierry as she walked past him and Gabby out of the shop. Gabby however purposely hung back. She decided she couldn't have any harsh relations with her and Thierry, he was too much of a reliable source. She might need him soon.

"what the hell is going on Gabriella?" Thierry asked with seriousness in his voice, he seemed a little hostile, but no more than Gabby had already expected.

"I know it's crazy, I'm asking you as a friend to not go digging into this…. Seriously Thierry" Gabby said with her most serious expression on her face

"are you friends with Rebekah now?!" he added, ignoring her previous warning

"no, don't be ridiculous! I just need her help to get rid of the compulsion! Just do as she says, for all of our sakes" Gabby pleaded a little.

If she was honest she was not sure how she felt about the Rebekah thing, part of her felt a little friendship towards her. However for the sake of now, she needed Thierry to be completely and utterly on her side.

"but-" Thierry started to Katie's dismay. However, before Katie had chance to stop him Gabby herself had interrupted.

"Thierry I'm asking as a friend, I don't want to see anyone get hurt" Gabby spoke softly, knowing that that was it. Thierry was an incredibly sensitive guy and appealing to that never failed to work with him.

"fine" Thierry sighed, clearly unhappy with the situation. However Gabby sensed that he knew that he could do very little to help it in its current state.

"thank you, don't worry, it'll be fine, I'll see you later" she smiled politely, hoping that he would still trust her in the future.

Gabby did not know where this little adventure would take her. Though she had learnt to value Thierry as a friend over the years, when it came down to it, she only really needed herself. Right now she had to be selfish, more selfish than before, in order to undo whatever lies she was currently bound be. She exited the shop, to find Rebekah waiting for her leaning against a post.

"well that was touching, very well done" she smirked as the two walked away triumphant. Gabby smiled at the thought of Rebekah's approval, she wasn't sure why but she felt pleased about it.

"thank you" Gabby smirked, somewhat pleased with herself. Finally she was making things happen.

"you're welcome, now, you should return home and gather your strength for tonight.

The second that compulsion is undone we will begin building your tolerance to vervain" Rebekah spoke casually. Gabby realised that Rebekah did want to help her, and given the recent events, for that she was extremely thankful.

"alright, thank you Rebekah" Gabby smiled honestly.

She really was thankful to Rebekah. She was the only person who had treated her with any sort of common decency in these last weeks. Rebekah seemed to be genuine and smiled before she responded:

"don't mention it, I'll see you tonight…" She finished before she began to walk in the opposite direction to Gabby's flat. Presumably back to the mansion that Gabby had been at just that morning. It really had been a long day Gabby thought. She needed to get her feet up and have a drink. With that thought she headed back to her small apartment. Luckily in all of their walking, Rebekah and Gabby had essentially walked the bus route back to Gabby's flat so she was not that far away at all.

As she climbed the stairs she couldn't help but feel anxious. Soon she would finally know what was going on. She would know why she was compelled, and she would be free from whatever this whole thing was. Suddenly she heard a clunk at the top of the stairs which caused her to snap out of daze. She glanced up to her apartment but could not see anything. She decided it must've been her imagination and continued on, just a little more cautiously.

When she reached her floor she rounded the corner only to be scared out of her skin by someone leaning against the wall next to the door of her apartment. Someone who she really did not want to see.

"what the hell are you doing here?" she spoke having regained some composure.

"I came to give you this" Klaus spoke with a tone of certainty. His eyes were dark as he stared intently at her. Once again he held out the pencil drawing that Elijah had given to Gabby earlier that very day.

"did you not hear me before?" Gabby started, refusing to make eye contact with him and continuing to unlock her apartment door.

"I drew it as a gift to you and I intend for it to be received as such" Klaus spoke more menacingly. Gabby almost thought he was threatening her but then thought better of it. After all, it was only a drawing. Gabby scoffed before turning to face him and look him in the eye.

"I know you compelled me" Gabby spoke quietly with an equally menacing tone. Klaus was silent again, just as he had been earlier that day. However, after about a 10 second delay of the two just staring at each other, he finally spoke.

"may I come in?" he asked in almost a whisper.

Gabby was confused again, she didn't know why he wanted to come in or why she wanted to let him but she did. She stood aside as he walked into her apartment and began to look around, as if he was taking it all in.

"I see you kept the original brick work" he said with a small smile, as if to attempt to lighten the mood. But Gabby was having none of it. She merely stood there saying nothing, with her arms folded across her chest. He seemed to get the message, glancing down before he continued:

"I did compel you Gabriella" he confessed finally with a sigh.

"and you couldn't have told me that a few hours ago?" Gabby bit back, angry that she had spent her entire day trudging around the bloody French Quarter for him to show up on her door step and admit everything.

"Ella you don't understand I HAD to compel you" he seemed to be getting agitated. He was not making sense to Gabby, not in the slightest.

"why? What could possibly be so important that you don't want me to know?! It's my life, don't you think I have a right-" Gabby started, becoming equally as irate before she was interrupted by Klaus.

"you have a right to live, Gabriella" he spoke with a stern voice. His eyes stared straight through her with an intensity which almost knocked her out. However, she gathered herself and continued with as much collection as she could physically muster.

"…I have a right to know what is going on" Gabby spoke with conviction. She would not back down to him. Despite Gabby's efforts Klaus seemed to become more and more frustrated as he spoke.

"I'm trying to do what is right Gabriella, why can't you understand that?!" he spat as he seemed to quiver with rage. Gabby thought that she would be scared, however, in the moment she was overcome by and overwhelming sense of courage.

"this isn't right Klaus! You've taken a part of my life away!" Gabby bit back with just as much rage as Klaus himself was harbouring. She couldn't remember a time that she had felt this passionate about something.

"because I had no choice! I'm warning you not to get involved in this Ella!" he argued back, thriving off her anger.

"well tonight at nightfall my compulsion will be removed and I will know just what exactly you are selfish enough to have hidden from me" Gabby said with some finality.

She knew she probably shouldn't have told him but she couldn't help herself. She wanted him to know that she had some control too. That he wasn't the only one who could make things happen. It seemed to work. Klaus looked as though he had seen a ghost. He looked like he had been knocked back by the blow that Gabriella would finally know what was going on.

Gabby merely stared at him, expecting some sort of jibe or response but he just stood there. As if he did not know what to say. Then she thought that she saw him go to speak, he opened his mouth, as if he had something to say. However, he did not speak. He simply dropped the drawing that Gabby had twice dismissed and stormed out of her apartment, slamming the door behind him.

Just like that he was gone. For once, Gabby felt like she had won.

But had she?