Thanks for reading.
AU
The night before-
"Witches can't kill other witches." Klaus said, pondering the new information. His mother had said this was one of the only laws that didn't have a balance. A witch who kills another witch gains immeasurable power, but loses any humanity, any connection to nature. It was maddening for the witch involved. It was actually what inspired Mikael to make them vampires, the consequences of a witch's murder. Even the eyes of a vampire were somewhat reminiscent of that of a witches eyes when they killed. Except, a witches eyes would turn completely white, to the point you couldn't see the pupil and iris.
"Why not?" Damon asked genuinely curious, "They can kill others, your mother even tried killing her own children. I think that is even more against any sort of morals, than killing a random witch.
Rebekah shook her head, she may not like her mother anymore, but she still held on to the memory of the way she used to be. She remembered her mother teaching her the craft, even when she had shown no natural ability. So it was she who answered Damon.
"It's like nature's way of punishing it's followers. Nature is all about peace, not war and killing. So if one of its follower's upsets the balance there are consequences, but if you kill someone trying to keep the balance, nature turns on you, because nature protects its own. However you have to choose Nature. You can reject the boundaries of Nature, and become a,... Do you remember what that word was Elijah?"
Klaus looked extremely happy in that moment, he was even smiling. All but Elijah was surprised at his reaction.
"There called Alver. Or I believe you would call them elves. They are rarer than a doppelganger though, for many of the same reasons. Those who reject Nature's reign are always punished by Nature. The benefits of being an Alver are far outweighed by the consequences. Their blood is potent. It is sort of the holy grail of most witches to get their hands on it. They become hunted. Werewolves can smell them from miles away. The only creature they do not fear are vampires."
"The one I met is defiantly not normal. The feeling of being in touch with Nature is so euphoric, it's like bloodlust. You it's really hard to control when you're young.. It takes more self-control than most witches posses to resist Nature's call. It usually takes a serious hatred of witchcraft to give up that high.
"So their pretty much useless, except for their blood?" Stefan asked, eyebrows scrunched up.
The originals laughed.
Elijah took pity on them and replied, "No, they usually have more powers than you would think. They need it if they are going to try survive, but they do not use them very often, witches can sense free magic leagues away. And they can sense witches."
"So what are the chances of us finding one of these's 'elves' and getting them to help us? Or is can there be a more pointless conversation." Damon asked, rolling his eyes at their attempt to pull one over on them.
Klaus and Elijah looked at each other a long while. Maintaining eye contact Elijah replied, "I think you realize Niklaus, she will kill you for even considering it."
"Oh brother, what's life without a little bit of fun."
"She's moved lately."
"You still keep track of her?"
"No, the return address changed when I send her the checks, and remember Kol lived with her a few years back"
"Why do I have the feeling it's time for another road trip." Stefan sighed.
"Yes, Nik, why don't you go pick her up, whoever she is, and let us get on with our lives." Rebekah stared at her perfectly manicured nails.
"Kol isn't doing anything, I'm sure he would be happy to see her again."
"Niklaus, you claim to love us. Would you really wish Kol to die at the hands of a sixteen year old girl?"
"Hmm? No, maybe castrated, it would be amusing." Klaus grinned. "Besides I haven't seen her since she was eight. Kol's probably the only one who can identify her right now, besides you Elijah. And I would rather a witch's heart be ripped out, than she be bludgeoned by an aluminum bat. Less messy that way."
Elijah looked faintly amused.
"I didn't know you cared so much."
"Then again I could just send a hybrid to fetch her, but that would be a little crass wouldn't it?"
"We have to change our plans." Klaus mused.
"What plans?" Kol asked as he started looking for a blood bag. He was feeling a mite peckish, and was wanting to start getting the vervain out of his system.
He really hated his mother right now. His veins burned.
"We were going to have you pick up the Alver." Klaus said this as casually as possible. All of Kol's siblings were waiting with baited breath for his reaction. They weren't disappointed.
He stumbled, eyes growing dark as the veins around his eyes were revealed. He kicked a table nearby at Klaus, before stalking forward.
"You. Would. Send. Me. Your brother, on a suicide mission?"
Kol looked ready to kill. He grabbed a pencil off the desk and threw it at Klaus. Elijah was laughing so hard, he couldn't breathe. The humans and the Salvatores looked at the original siblings with growing awkwardness. This was obviously a family problem.
So they were about to make themselves scarce when Rebekah stopped them with a look. Her smile spoke to Damon of worthy blackmail. So he sat himself down and grabbed a pillow. He motioned Elena to sit next to him, and then threw his arm around her and Rebekah's shoulders. Stefan was more cautious, sitting next to Elena, but on the edge of the couch hands folded, leaning forward, eyes looking for any danger. Jeremy was smiling. He had often heard of the Alver from Kol, and knew how much she scared him. He knew Damon was going to get his blackmail. He flexed his wrist, wincing, not at the scars, but at the newfound siblings he seemed to have gained. Even before Elena had claimed the both of them, they had slowly been looking after him more and more. Alaric and they were the only family had stuck with him. But he had no doubt about the Salvatore brothers, he was their family only for Elena. And Elena, though she may have thought it was best to leave, she should never have cut off contact. He had been inducted into the brotherhood of the five, and she had no idea what that meant. What it meant to be a hunter who was friends with vampires.
And he really needed to stop dwelling on this stuff, he thought.
Or he needed a friend he could talk to, instead of just Kol, (the original ass who was going to die at the Alver's hands) and Tyler, (whose life was going to shortly end once Klaus could find a way around the truce.) Why in the world were all of his friends either a.) involved, or were, with his sister in some shape or form, or b.) going to or already dead? Was he just that weird?
Elena tried to be as relaxed as she could be under Damon's arm. She had already talked to both of them about what she was going to allow and what she wasn't. She wasn't going to give them false hope like Katherine did. She really wanted to protect them and loved them as she did her own brother. She had to be firm with both of them equally. She made sure to talk to them both with someone else. Not because she didn't trust them, but she didn't want the other to think she favored a certain brother. They were still getting comfortable with each other again. Stefan treated her with an old fashion manners, and Damon acted like they had on their trip to Georgia. There was no tension, but it could feel a bit smothering having all these male family members. Rebekah leaned forward and smiled at Elena, completely understanding. Older brothers could be a bit overprotective. Damon looked ready to race Elena out of the room at the slightest provocation, and Stefan had inched his way in front to her enough to stop the fight from getting messy close to her.
But Rebekah wasn't really surprised. A small ache for when Stefan used to be protective around her entered her heart, but she dismissed it. She was more concerned about the Alver and who was actually going to go get her. She shifted getting comfortable, waiting for Klaus to kill Kol for the insults flowing from his mouth.
"Do you have a death wish?" Klaus asked in a low dangerous voice.
Kol spat at him. "I would rather die at my brother's hand than hers."
Elijah got off the floor from laughing, adjusted his coat and became once more the image of a dangerous vampire.
"Enough." he said with finality. They ignored him, and as they raced towards each other. He stepped in between them quickly, putting a hand on each of their shoulders, and thrust them apart. Each went into an opposite wall.
"Enough, " He repeated."I will go to get the Alver. You will do what you can to get the rest of the grimore. Rebekah, you do anything that will stop mother from testing the bloodline of Massey and Cavin."
Rebekah nodded and raced out of the room.
Though he loathed to say it, Klaus knew it must be said.
"Take the doppelganger with you."
Elijah nodded, but as he turned away, Klaus put a hand on his arm.
"But you will promise me, " he said with steel eyes, "You will turn her, or kill her to prevent her from getting into Mother's hands."
"Of course, brother. You have my word." Elijah then went forward to grab Elena, but was stopped by the Salvatore brothers, Alaric, and Jeremy.
"Elena, run." Jeremy said as he pulled out a stake. She barely made it to the door, before being grabbed by Elijah, and rushed off to who knows where. Kol stood by the door as the group tried to rush after them. They barely fazed him.
Caroline tried to run to Elena, before she was thrown down on the floor and trapped, by Klaus. Blue eyes met blue. Stubbornness met panic. He gently caressed her hair trying to get her to calm down.
"She'll be safer with Elijah and the Alver. Shhhhh. Shhhhhh. Come on sweetheart."
"You promised you wouldn't hurt her, she's all I have left. " She growled and pushed him against a wall. He grabbed her wrists trying to get her, stopping her from ripping out his heart.
"She would be killed at my mother's hands. Elijah would protect her from the fate worse than death."
He waited silently as she raged against him. He watched her battle with herself, and then the defeat enter her eyes. She knew she couldn't win this, but she was going to make life hell for him while Elena's future was at stake. Then she did something unexpected. She leaned into him, and cried.
"She is all I have left." She got out in broken sobs. He let go of her wrists, and put his arms around her. He kissed her soft blonde hair.
"It's going to be fine, Caroline. I promise."