With all the overbearing personalities gathered in Marcel's apartment, it seemed to shrink in size. For a while, everything was silent but laced with tension as no one knew who was going to kick-off proceedings. Camille gave Davina a half smile from across the room and Davina returned the gesture. With all the testosterone in the building, they sensed this could turn into an alpha-male fight for dominance. They just hoped it wouldn't get out of hand and the boys would all behave themselves. Klaus was first to speak up, in his usual sarcastic tone.

"So, brother, you wanted to meet me to talk…so talk."

Kol was in no mood for playing games, as he was all too aware of the fact that Klaus usually outwit him, so he got straight to the point. "Your child is still alive and so It's important that you understand there would be dire consequences following the birth of you baby. Consequences that were set in motion by our darling mother, before we were even born. If your child had died, none of this would apply. However, since that is not the case, it means we are all in danger from..."

"Dalia. Yes, we are well aware of that." Elijah cut in, "However, that is an old wives tale. Surely you're not worrying yourself over something that will never happen?"

"No, you're wrong. It is no tale! Dalia is very real and her spirit will return in the form of another and when that happens she will take, not only your baby, but all of us. I'm a witch, I can feel a storm brewing on the other side. It's in my blood."

"What exactly are you hoping to gain from this little exchange?" Klaus replied, somewhat intrigued by his younger sibling.

"I want us to come together, as a family. It is the only way we can protect ourselves against Dalia, when she returns. We must protect ourselves by protecting each other…a shield of sorts."

Klaus laughed incredulously, he could not believe what his brother was suggesting. "You want us to accept you with open arms, given that only five minutes ago, you were concocting a plan to take me down!"

The conversation had taken a turn for the worst, with both brothers beginning to get very angry. Everyone, except Elijah, took a step back, with Camille removing the glass ornaments on the side table…just in case.

"I have a stake that can be used to put you to sleep and I'll keep that stake as long you have the stake that can put me to sleep!" Kol stood strong, facing his brother.

"What makes you think I could ever trust you when you have a weapon that can be used against me at any moment, when my back is turned?"

"Think of everything you have done to me in the past! Think of all the times you have drove a dagger through my heart and left me to rot in a box for centuries! You treated him…" Kol directed his fiery gaze upon Marcel, who had been standing quietly on the side lines, observing this confrontation, knowing he had seen and heard it all before, "…like a brother, like a son. You took him under your wing, a mere human. Yet I was made to feel like a nuisance who was always in your way. Someone you wouldn't spit on if they were on fire!"

Klaus recoiled, surprisingly affected by Kol's words. He felt something he had never felt before:

Shame.

In a thousand years, he had many altercations with his youngest brother and had never felt an ounce of guilt, but this time something was different. Kol's impassioned speech felt real, he believed his brother meant every word, until…

"Think about how much you hated the way Michael treated you. Now consider how badly you've treated me. Not that much different now, eh?"

"DON'T EVER COMPARE WHAT I HAVE DONE TO YOU TO WHAT MICHAEL HAS DONE TO ME!" Klaus exploded in a violent rage, grabbing Kol by the scruff of the neck, "I never hunted you down for centuries or beat you violently for pleasure, did I? Do not let me hear you mention his name in the same sentence as mine, ever again. Do you hear me…brother?" He spat, letting Kol go, shoving him away in the process.

"Alright! Alright, keep your hair on!" Kol replied, hands raised, in a signal of defeat. "Maybe that was a bit presumptuous of me to bring up Michael, but I'm simply trying to explain how I feel and have felt for years. I don't want to hurt you. I want something I've never had before, to feel like part of this family for once."

Elijah took a step forward and put a hand on Kol's shoulder, "and you shall, brother…" He turned towards Klaus and put his other hand on Klaus' shoulder. "We are a family. The same blood that runs through your veins, runs through mine and runs through his." He said, looking at Klaus.

Klaus looked back at Elijah, unable to see past his own pessimism, "and what of that stake, Elijah? How am I supposed to take him in knowing he has a weapon in his possession that he created purposely to use against me?"

Before Elijah could respond, Kol spoke, answering Klaus, "I guess we'll just have to give each other the benefit of the doubt. I don't intend to hurt you. I swear it on her life." Kol looked at Davina and held her gaze for a moment before looking back at Klaus, "I need your word that you won't try to dagger me again?"

Klaus bore a serious expression, knowing full well that he would never go back on a promise. "I swear I won't hurt you, unless of course, you provoke me first. I'm all for happy families and all that."

"I'm sure you could use an extra baby sitter once this all blows over." Kol gave a cheeky smile. Klaus, not seeing the funny side, glared back at him,

"Too soon."

"Right…" Kol shuffled towards Davina, who had managed to stay out of their messed up family drama. That is until Klaus rounded on her.

"Davina, I think it's about time you and I had a little chat, don't you?"

"Yes, I agree."

"Be nice, Klaus. Remember she's just a kid." Camille piped up, feeling like a bucket of nerves, hoping that they could set aside their differences in a civil manner without any blood, sweat or tears.

Davina appreciated Camille's intervention, but did not want Klaus to underestimate her. She might be young, but age was nothing when you were this powerful, "It's alright Cami, I can handle this."

Klaus shot Cami a look of disapproval. She saw his look and raised him a warning shot in return. She knew her hold on him was strong. If he hurt Davina, she would never forgive him. Likewise, if Davina hurt Klaus, when he was trying to make amends, she would find it very difficult to forgive her.

"I am quite aware of your numerous attempts to destroy me, little witch. I actually admire your tenacity and I don't blame you for wanting me dead. Pretty much everyone I've ever met has wanted to kill me. But hear this, I am alive, I cannot be killed. Any attempts you make to kill me will most likely fail and result in your death or the death of someone you care about."

"You already killed someone I care about, don't forget! Or, have you killed that many innocent people that you've lost the ability to remember? People are just pawns to you in one big chess game. You move your pieces and take people out at will, without humanity. Those people have lives of their own, families and jobs. Some of them like to paint, like you. Some of them may have children of their own. Every person you kill is a life, Klaus. TIM had a life and you took that from him!" Davina's anger turned to pain, as she struggled to prevent the tears from welling up in her eyes.

"Davina, I am sorry for killing your friend. I tried to make up for that in some way by giving you the spell, so you could make a daylight ring for your friend, Josh. I pardoned him so you…"

Davina cut in, "You pardoned him, Klaus? You tried to kill Josh! Remember that bite you gave him? You used him as leverage so you could find Marcel. When I was forced to give you the information you sought, you didn't heal him because you were more concerned with taking Marcel down, also my friend by the way. You're a despicable monster and you will use people until you drain them of their worth, without a single thought. You're the definition of evil."

"I'm the definition of evil, am I? You brought Michael, The Destroyer, back to kill me!"

"Yes, I did resurrect Michael, because he made a promise to save Josh, if I brought him back from the dead. You set that play in motion, Klaus and brought destruction to your own doorstep. How's that for irony?" Davina sniggered, sensing she had Klaus beat. How could he argue with that?

The truth was, Klaus couldn't. His silence spoke volumes. He had been verbally out-fought by the young witch and wanted to shift the blame as soon as possible, "Well, you have that very man, who you brought back from the dead to kill me, to thank for everything that happened with you and I. I am what I am because of him. I am a monster…" Klaus voice broke, the truth really did hurt, even for the oldest vampire in existence, "… because he made me one…"

After a moment of silence, when no one in the room dared speak, Klaus continued, "Now he's loose again, to hunt me down. God forbid if ever found out about my child…" Klaus looked visibly shaken by the very thought. Elijah, worried about his brother, put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Camille, looking on from a distance, wanted so badly to take him in her arms and hug it out. Although she knew that, despite their recent embraces, he was not the hugging type - especially with an audience. Her silent empathy was not lost on Marcel, who studied Camille's face and felt a hollow feeling in the pit of his own stomach at her visible affection for Klaus. They had a friend with benefits relationship once - it seemed a long time ago now - but he thought they had grown closer in the time Cami had spent at his place, particularly when he was teaching her to fight. Their encounters had sparked an attraction that he was now beginning to think was one sided.

Davina and Kol both looked at each other, baffled by this less than Klaus-like reaction. They had never seen him so vulnerable but then again, had never heard him speak like a father, afraid for the well-being of his child. The birth of his daughter had tapped into a humanity in him that was clearly evident now. Everyone in that room wanted to harness that humanity in Klaus, not least, Davina, his nemesis.

"Despite everything that has happened between us in the past, I will help you protect your child. I will not let Michael harm you, or…"

"Hope, her name is Hope" Klaus uttered.

"…or Hope. I could never forgive myself if I had a part to play in your daughter growing up without a father or worse still, anything awful happening to her. I know if something did happen, you'd try to kill me and we'd have World War Three on our hands. That's not something I want either, so I believe it's in all our best interests to work together."

Klaus nodded, appreciating the olive branch Davina had extended, "In that case, let bygones be bygones. I will treat you as an ally, if you will do the same." Davina nodded at Klaus, acknowledging their pact.

There were no peace treaties signed or any formal agreements made, simply an unwritten rule to protect each other at all costs and if any blood were to be spilled from that day forward it would be the blood of their enemies, not each other. The emphasis was now on a tangible alliance. One that would remain strong in spite of all the interwoven drama and distrust that still existed between each one of them. They would have to find some way to work together, if they were to protect Hope and form a formidable barrier to oppose anyone who wished to hurt her or them.