*French Quarter - New Orleans - 2012*

The Feast of Blessing parade has begun, humans watches as the witches march down the street. Laurette among them as she watches her people celebrate smiling slightly

She had refused completely and had threatened other witches of hurting them badly if they forced her to go up with the other Harvest Girls. She had a point for it. She wasn't a Harvest Girl as Genevieve had told her, no she wasn't...

She was replacing one.

She had refused but that didn't mean she wasn't in mood of the celebration. She was representing the fifth girl but not up there. She was wearing a gray dress representing Alex's element in the Harvest. Metal

She had rolled her eyes when she was told that because there was no way that was the fifth element. It was the spirit.

But they had wanted to use something to impress humans without the need of showing them magic really existed so that's why they opted in using metal.

Laurette watched with a smirk the three currently-alive Harvest Girls dressed for the element they had represented in the Harvest hoisted above the crowd on thrones.

Monique in floral earth tones, for earth; Davina in bright red-orange, for fire; and Abigail in white, for air.

"Now, in accordance with the Fête des Bénédictions, the witches of New Orleans bless you all!" Genevieve called with a smile as the girls greets the crowd. The humans cheered as Genevieve steps offstage

Laurette's smirk grew seeing the impressed and awed expressions of the humans as the girls uses their magic

She claps smiling seeing Monique stepping forward first raising her hands creating a mild earthquake that rumbles the ground below them.

Then, Abigail steps forward and raises her arms to create very strong winds that blow around the crowd of tourists.

Finally, Davina steps forward and turns around raising her palm to the sign behind her which immediately ignites with fire and sets off dozens of fireworks, which makes the crowd cheer again

Laurette smirked proudly of the girl that days earlier couldn't even lit up a candle

~8~

Genevieve and Laurette makes their way to entrance of the party seeing Elijah and Davina talking

Davina snapping at Elijah making Laurette furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as of why she was treating the Original Brother that way

Genevieve sighed walking from behind her. Laurette in tow "Davina, that's enough. Elijah has been a patron to us this evening. We will show him respect" She turns to Elijah smiling slightly "Thank you for all of this"

Elijah shook his head slightly "This isn't for you. You know as well as I that your people would never accept a truce unless we showed them some respect. So be it. Enjoy your party"

Genevieve and Davina walked away but Laurette didn't move at all. Elijah noticed and gave the witch a small smile in greeting

"Evening, Laurette. Didn't you see up there with the other girls"

"I'm not a Harvest Girl, Elijah. I'm replacing one remember?" She said crossing her arms "And let me tell you something. You and your vampires don't full anyone. There will never be peace between any of us. This is just a wish"

She then proceed of starting to walk away as Hayley was entering "A wish that won't be bless by any witch if they tried. I just hope you realize that before it's too late" she told him cryptically and turned around not before wriggling her fingers in greeting at Hayley with a small smile

~8~

Laurette found Abigail speaking with some people and approached her with a smile

"Hey, there little witch" she spoke into her ear startling her

"Laurette! You scared me" Abigail turned around placing a hand in her chest breathing heavily. Laurette chuckled

"Sorry" she said smiling not sorry at all "You look amazing tonight"

Abigail smiled brightly "Thank You. So do you. I missed you up there with us"

Abigail meant it. She had started to like Laurette Better as she had done nothing to hurt her. She realized Laurette was the 'I treat you as you treat me' kind of person

Laurette smiled slightly "I'm not Alex. I'm not your friend or a Harvest Girl, Abby. I couldn't be up there, it didn't feel right" she sighed

Abigail pursed her lips "Yes, you're not. You and Alex are different. She was... Is my best friend you know?"

Laurette cringed at her tone. She knew Abigail wasn't doing it on purpose but it stung. She didn't want her presence to hurt anyone and Abigail was a sweetheart to her.

"I'm really sorry for keeping your best friend's dead by being here" Laurette told her quietly "Tell me about her" she suddenly asked her

Abigail bit her lip softly "I'm not blaming you, I know you want her back but killing yourself won't be the answer..." She sighed and then smiled fondly "Alex may be different from you but not at all. You share some qualities. You're both with people but Alex is kind of more blunt, she can be mean and really protective of people she cares about but what's really a big flaw of her its that she really holds grudges for a long time... You would get along fine, but it's a shame you won't get to meet and there's a chance she could held a grudge on you"

Laurette bit her lip hearing her speaking so fondly of her friend and couldn't feel more desire of what she was feeling right now of killing herself to bring her back...

But she wasn't able to kill herself due to Elijah and the witches keeping an eye on her besides that she hadn't found someone she wanted to kill her yet

Laurette instead shook her head smiling slightly "I'm sure she would" she grabbed Abigail's hand and squeezed it "You'll get you best friend back, all right? But I'm not killing myself if that's what you were gonna ask me. I don't know how but I'll make sure Alex lives again"

~8~

"Welcome. As is our time-honored tradition, you are all welcome to deliver your offerings. It is our custom that no one should be turned away, no blessing be denied" Geneveive announced

Laurette watches a line up of guests about to bring their offerings to the Harvest girls.

She watches with a smile Hayley about to give her gift to Davina but frowns when Marie Rose, a witch she had met days prior redirects her towards Monique

She watches with an angry frown as how people, werewolves and even vampires are being forced by her own people to ignore Davina.

She narrowed her eyes as the line continues and can't help but feel angrier and such a hate she hadn't felt before towards Monique as every time she gets a gift she sends a smug smile towards Davina when she doesn't get anything.

She's about to follow her when she runs almost in tears when she's stopped by her shoulder by no other than Elijah Mikaelson

"What are you doing Laurette?"

She purses her lips at the sight of him and being stopped and her anger towards Monique made her accidentally burned his hand on her shoulder

Elijah hissed in pain by the intensity of the burn and was shocked to see such anger in the girl's warm brown eyes

Laurette's eyes widened, her anger disappearing from her eyes "I'm sorry" she whispered at him apologetically

Elijah shook his now healed hand and looked at her "Why did you look so furious, Laure? I had never seen such image on you"

"And I never thought I could feel such anger towards a witch" she whispered to herself

Elijah hummed in understating "Let me guess, Monique Devereaux?" Laurette looked up surprised but didn't answer. Elijah nodded "It isn't hard to guess due to glares you sent on her way when you think no one is watching"

Laurette looked at him sheepishly "You noticed?"

Elijah nodded simply. She sighed and was about to talk again when she got interrupted by Niklaus Mikaelson over the stairs holding Josh, Laurette's newest friend next to a nervous looking Davina

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please. We are gathered here today to pay homage to our beloved witches, but one very special witch has been utterly ignored. That seems a little unfair to me"

Klaus hands Davina a small box as his offering

"No. I don't want your gift" Davina told him pursing her lips

Klaus smiled slightly "I understand why you would reject me, given our past. In truth, many of us here today have been wronged in the conflict which my brother's treaty ended. Your friend Josh was involved in a plot to kill me. It would be well within my right to execute him here and now. But, in the spirit of solidarity, and for your favor, Davina, I hereby pardon him. Josh from this day forward, you have nothing to fear from me. Please"

Klaus hands Davina the box before he leaves the two of them

"What a clever bastard" Laurette mused to herself chuckling. She sensed Elijah's curious but reprimanding gaze and felt herself the need to explain "Giving her an offering in public made it easier for her to accept it. The Fête des Bénédictions is about offerings like Genevieve said no offering is denied specially if it's given with a crowd" Elijah nodded in understanding "Which leads me to believe you haven't talked to brother..." She turned to Elijah "He's up to no good. I would figure it out quickly if I were you"

She then walked away.

~8~

Laurette stood alone watching people dancing with a small smile that it soon faded away seeing a large group of drummers marching into the middle of the party having a bad feeling about it

"Happy Fête des Bénédictions. We have a message for all of you from Marcel Gerard"

Laurette held her breath in panic as she watches the drummers taking out straight razors and shakes her head in disbelief as they slice their wrists open, bleeding all over the floor.

She quickly looks to the crows seeing the vampires starting to get antsy and vamp-out at the smell of blood

Elijah then steps forward "Control yourselves. This is a vulgar trick" He shouts to the crowd "We do not violate our agreement!"

The lights suddenly go out making Laurette look around in panic hearing the screams of the drummers and humans being fed off and killed by vampires

She backs away scared starting to chant to protect herself and screams feeling someone grabbing her from behind. She felt a rush of wind and suddenly wasn't inside the party anymore

She struggled in the vampire's grip and was about to cause it an aneurism

"Laurette, stop it damn it! I'm not hurting you!"

She froze and looked up seeing Josh's brown eyes looking at her worriedly.

"Laure! Are you okay?" She turned her head seeing Davina and sighed in relief throwing her head back on Josh's chest in relief

"I'm okay now" she replied breathlessly closing her eyes

"Yeah thanks that I arrived" Josh said making her open her eyes "I saw witches taking the other Harvest Girl's out but I didn't see you with them, Davina was here with me when I took her out and there's another person I thought you will be with but you weren't so I panicked thinking you were dead when I heard you chanting... A vampire was about to kill you"

"Thank you" Laurette whispered closing her eyes. She clearly didn't want to be killed by an unknown vampire.

She wanted to be killed by someone of her taste not someone randomly

She had the feeling she was going to get killed soon