Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries nor do I own the Originals or either of their characters, which is a bummer.
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Hayley and Elijah walked downstairs just in time to see Nik and Ace having a chocolate war while making a cheesecake. Both had chocolate covering both of
their faces and they were laughing. Ace washed his face and Hayley grabbed his chin looking at him. , "Did you shave?" She asked as he nodded. , "Nik
helped me because I never learned how." He said with a shrug as the female hybrid chuckled. , "You look very nice, now dinner, and then more planning."
She said as Ace shrugged shaking his head. , "it's all planned out actually. I do the spell on Nik tonight we stay here tonight, and tomorrow we rest up, take
the night flight home from the Marco Polo airport to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and we'll be there by lunchtime the next day, I
texted Freya asking if she can get a witch I know to make me a power amplifying elixir just in case." He said as Nik nods with a shrug. , "We made plans
while the chicken was cooking." He said as Elijah chuckled ruffling Ace's hair followed by Nik's. , "All we have to do is buy the tickets." Ace said as he fixed
his hair setting the table. Hayley and Elijah grabbed the dinner platters while Klaus grabbed drinks for everyone.
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Ace ate hungrily, not really speaking just filling up on as much food as he could, he needed to keep his strength up. Klaus watched as Ace, this feisty young
man inhale as much food as he can in as little time as possible. He didn't say anything, he knew doing spells was taxing on the energy so eating a lot before
a large spell seemed like a good thing to do. When the dishes were cleared and everyone was full Nik turned to Ace. , "When you're ready we can start." Ace
said as he stood up stomach distended and full. , "Where should we do it?" Nik asked and Ace shrugged. , "A room where you don't mind salt going
everywhere?" He asked as Nik nodded. , "The parlor has stone floors lets do it there." He said as Ace nodded walking up the stairs to grab his bag before he
walked down to the parlor. Nik was waiting by Elijah and Hayley both of them setting up candles in a wide circle around a circle of salt. , "We started without
you." Hayley said softly as Ace took out the necklace and strapped the watch to his wrist tightening the strap so the paragon diamond was pressed into his
wrist.
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, "What do I need to do?" Nik asked as Ace walked over. , "Don't get mad at me for doing this." He said as he snapped Nik's neck laying him in the middle of
the salt circle pouring the black powder on him as it hissed. He put the pendant on his forehead and snapped his fingers all the candles lighting. Ace started
to chant softly his voice soft barely above a whisper as the pendant blackened turning darker and darker, until it was darker than night when the Hollow
symbol emerged from the metal Ace pulled it away from Nik sprinkling the black powder on his head, it didn't sizzle this time, but it did when he poured the
black powder on the pendants. He turned to Hayley and Elijah his nose dripping blood. , "All-all of you are free now…"He said as he passed out the candles
extinguishing as he lost consciousness. Elijah ran forward catching his head before it bounced off the stone ground. Hayley ran to Ace's side biting her wrist
forcing it into his mouth. It took him a minute to wake up enough to even do that, but soon he was drinking steadily from her wrist, until he pulled away trying
to sit up. Elijah helping him up so he doesn't fall again.
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Ace had no problem holding his head up, but the rest of him was a different matter. He fell back Elijah catching him helping him back up as he moved to sit
sideways behind Ace so Ace was supported by his shoulder and side. Ace looked up at him. , "T-thanks Elijah." He whispered as Elijah nodded with a smile. ,
"I should be thanking you Ace, you saved my siblings and I, I'll be forever in your debt." Elijah responded as Nik sat up rubbing his neck. , "Where is that witch,
I'm going to-" He started to say before he saw Ace, nose bleeding barely able to sit up on his own, defenseless. , "Is he okay?" He asked Elijah as he
shrugged. , "He's just very exhausted. He just needs some time to rest." He said as he picked up Ace holding him as the boy fell asleep. , "I've never seen
that happen to a witch. Nosebleeds yes, but not this much exhaustion." Nik said softly following Elijah as he walked up the stairs to the room Ace was using.
He opened the door, and sat Ace on the bed, keeping one hand on his shoulder to keep him in a sitting position, until Nik sat next to Ace holding him steady
as Elijah untied Ace's tan boots taking the right one off, before he took off the left one. He took the boy's socks off in the same fashion right followed by left.
When his socks and shoes were off Elijah nudged Ace's shoulder lightly and the boy opened his eyes sleepily. , "Just stay with me for a second Ace, arms
up, let's get you into some pajamas, and then you can sleep." He said as the boy raised his hands slowly above his head, Elijah carefully pulling up his shirt
leaving Ace in a gray tank top. Klaus saw the birthmark hidden partially by the left strap of Ace's tank top, but the birthmark was something he recognized. It
was the same birthmark he had. , "Did you know Ace was part of my pack?" He asked Elijah as the older vampire shrugged. , "I was going to let Ace explain
when he got up, or when he was ready." Elijah said as he helped Ace into a pair of pajama pants before tucking him in, Ace already fast asleep once more.
Both men left the room closing the door softly to let the boy sleep as Nik growled softly in frustration. , "Why didn't you tell me brother?" He asked as Elijah
turned to him. , "There is a lot of stuff that we still don't know about Ace, so I was going to let him explain when he is good and ready." Elijah said as Nik
sighed softly, calming down slightly. , "Fine, I think it would be best if Ace explained himself." He said as he walked to his room to think.
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Ace slept through most the night, until the nightmares came back. It was Mikael, it was when he was desicating him. The father of the Originals grabbed him
by the throat, and he couldn't breathe. Nik could hear him from down the hall and walked into the room, thinking what Hayley would do. He picked Ace up
rocking him as he cried and whimpered. Ace woke up panting. , "It's okay, You're okay." He whispered as he rubbed the younger boy's back. He used to do
the same with Henrick Kol and even his daughter Hope. Ace started to calm down as Hayley and Elijah ran in. , "What happened?" Elijah asked as Nik looked
up. , "He was having a nightmare." Nik said as Ace looked around scared. , "H-h-he's not here, i-i-is he?" He asked as Nik rubbed his back. , "Who?" He
asked as the boy looked down shaking. , "Mi-Mikael." Ace stammered trying to calm down. , "He's gone forever I killed him myself." Nik said as Ace nodded
softly wiping tears from his flushed cheeks. , "Th-that's a little more reassuring." He whispered softly as he wiped his eyes again, the tears no longer flowing
down his pale freckled face.
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Hayley and Elijah watched with soft smiles as Nik softly swayed while holding onto Ace softly humming as the boy started to fall back to sleep slumped
against Nik's shoulder.. Klaus continued to hum and rock the younger boy until Ace was back in a deep sleep, sleeping soundly. Klaus ended up staying in
Ace's room that night sleeping on a sofa across the room. When morning came and Nik woke up, Ace was still fast asleep He walked down the stairs to
Elijah and Hayley sitting at the kitchen counter drinking glasses of juice. , "Ace is still asleep is that bad?" He asked as Hayley shook her head smiling. , "No
he'll sleep for a while, his body needed a lot of rest to make up for all the magic he's been doing lately." She said as she took a sip of juice from her glass. Nik
helped Elijah make breakfast, making waffles bacon and fruit salad. Hayley sat listening to the house. , "Ace is up." She said just as breakfast was finished.
Both Elijah and Nik cocked their heads. , "How do you know that?" Nik asked as Hayley smiled. , "When he wakes up he yawns and stretches." She said
disappearing up stairs coming down a minute later holding tight to a slow moving Ace. Nik looked up. , "Are you hungry Ace?" Elijah asked as the younger boy
nodded.
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Throughout the day all three immortals coddled Ace, he ate and slept, got up and repeated it all over again. Elijah took care of the tickets while Klaus went out
coming back with a brewed tea. , "You need to drink this Ace." He said as the boy drank the tea coughing as the pungent lukewarm tea rolled down his throat. ,
"Davina said it wouldn't taste good, but she brewed it from one of Freya's books. It should help regenerate your strength faster." He said as Ace nodded as he
felt warmth spread through his body. , "I think it's working." He said as he got up without the help of anyone else, something he hadn't done for most of the
day. , "Hayley said I should help you pack up your things, is that okay with you?" Nik asked as Ace nodded. , "Can we walk to the airport, I-I want to see Venice
once more before we go home." He said softly as Klaus nodded smiling. , "I don't see a problem with that." He said as he walked with Ace up to Ace's room.
Together they collected all of Ace's things, as Klaus pulled a zip up tool bag out, "I found this in a leather shop, and I thought you could use it for your magic
stuff." He said as Ace smiled. , "it's perfect, thanks Nik." He said as he packed all of his magic supplies into the tool box, finding all of it fit perfectly. He put it into
his backpack and Nik picked up both bags. , "You've got everything?" He asked as Ace nodded putting his phone into his jacket pocket.
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They met Elijah and Hayley at the entrance. , "We're going to walk to the airport instead of drive, Ace wants to see Venice, and I think we should collect some
souvenirs for him to bring home to New Orleans, we still have a few hours until the flight." Nik said as both Elijah and Hayley nod smiling as they walk through
the streets of Venice, Ace found a secret witch's shop and bought some new supplies that he couldn't get in New Orleans. When Ace came out of a candle shop
with two dozen candles both the Mikaelson brothers and Hayley looked at him. , "I got them from a witch who didn't want them anymore, she saw me in the
witch shop, apparently I saved her only brother from cancer in New Orleans and he told her about what i looked like and what I was like in case I ever came to
Venice, They are made up of thousands of tiny paragon diamonds. They make the flames magical so i can draw the raw magic from the flames instead of my
body having to convert it." Ace said as he put the candles in his backpack. They walked down the long road grabbing lunch to go as they continued to shop for
stuff to bring home, Ace buying the most by far. Soon his backpack was filled up with presents and treasures. When they made it to the airport they had just
enough time to go through security before boarding the plane.
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They sat in a cluster of seats in the front of the first class section, they were meant for families with kids who wanted to sit in a group, but the four seats faced
each other unlike the other seats which all faced forward. Nik kept checking on Ace all throughout the flight, they had gotten an evening flight so after dinner
was served and eaten, Ace fell asleep and slept most of the flight, only waking up to Nik nudging him asking if he wanted breakfast. He nodded his head
sleepily, and opened his eyes. It was morning, he stretched fixing his positions he was sitting up rather than reclining. They ate steak eggs and hash browns
for breakfast, and at twelve noon they landed at the New Orleans airport. They took a cab home, and soon they sat in front of the Mikaelson home. Klaus got
out followed by Hayley Elijah, and then finally Ace stepped out. He was nervous, he knew all the people inside relied on him, what if he failed? He took a deep
breath, that wasn't an option not in a long shot. The four people walked up the driveway to the house and Nik opened the door.
