Some hours after Klaus and Elijah had left in search of Hayley in the Bayou, the door to the Plantation house opened. However, only one brother had returned.

"What happened?" I asked Klaus, worry lacing my voice. "Where's Hayley and Elijah? Did you find her?"

"Oh I found her," his voice was even more cynical than usual and his shoulders were hunched. He looked upset and there was blood smudged at the side of his mouth.

"Well are you going to tell me what happened, or do I have to guess?" I demanded.

"Here's the quick version; an old foe of mine, my first Hybrid actually, kidnapped her to test out a little theory about whether my baby's blood can make more Hybrids. Turns out it can and after I sent my failure of a Hybrid away, both my brother and Hayley turned on me and accused me of knowing all along that the baby's blood was the key to making a Hybrid army. According to them that's the only reason I've even shown any interest in my own offspring," his bitter voice made me hesitate, but still I had to ask.

"Well…is that the only reason you're interested?"

He scoffed, his eyes blazing. "Of course you would take their side! Anyone but the evil Klaus Mikaelson's, who apparently can do no good in your eyes. I'm surrounded by treachery and incompetence. Rebekah's left town, Elijah and Hayley turn on me, Marcel and Davina plot my demise, and you!" He pointed at me accusingly. "You side with any of them against me, constantly trying to thwart-"

"Thwart what?" I interrupted, my frustration bleeding into my voice. "Thwart your big plans to take over the city? You really think I care? I'm just trying to protect people that are innocent - Davina and Hayley and your child! If that means that I have to protect them from you, then so be it. I promised Rebekah that I would help Elijah keep Hayley and the baby safe and Davina doesn't deserve any of this! If you would work with us instead of against, then maybe-"

"Elijah beseeches me to care about that baby and when I finally do he concocts some illusion that I only ever wanted it for my own gain! As if I planned for any of this to happen!"

A wave of sympathy washed over me. "Hey," I stepped toward him, catching one of his hands and holding it between my own. "I believe you. I don't think you want to use this baby to create Hybrids or whatever - I just had to be sure." His gaze softened and although his mouth remained set in a frown, his fingers curled around mine ever so slightly. I pulled away, shifting. "Look, I was angry before. At myself and at you. But I think that us hating each other…it's only going to end one way; mutual destruction. if we work together, maybe we can figure out a way where we all get what we want. You get your city, Davina stays safe and alive and so does the baby and Hayley. Everyone's happy."

"Except Marcel," Klaus pointed out.

"Yeah well, Marcel may care about Davina but he's using her. And he kidnapped me! Maybe he deserves whatever he gets."

"Are you proposing we form an alliance, little witch? Even with your precious Rebekah gone?" His usual smirk slowly began to replace the frown on his face.

I felt my heart pounding against my ribcage as if it were trying to break free. It felt strange. "How about we just call it a deal? One thing in exchange for another."

"And what would this deal comprise of, exactly?"

"I'll get you the de-vampirisation spell back and I'll help you protect Hayley, and in return you promise to help me protect Davina. And that you won't hurt her, no matter what. Sound fair?"

His smirk widened. "You have yourself a deal with the devil."

~O~

I walked into the Compound, feeling somewhat apprehensive. Vampires milled around, eyeing me like they either hated me or thought I was their next meal. I gulped, but refused to let any fear outwardly show.

"Madelyn," Marcel came down the stairs and toward me. "To what do I owe this uninvited pleasure."

I quirked an eyebrow. "I'm doing this out of courtesy, because I know somewhere deep down you care about Davina." I took in a deep breath. "She's leaving that dusty old attic. She's going to come live with me."

"Excuse me?" Marcel looked at me as if he expected me to say I was joking. "You want Davina to go and live at the Plantation with Klaus?"

"No, don't be ridiculous," I said. "I have my own apartment, that I was staying in up until I was kidnapped by a certain pompous vampire. She'll stay there with me - where no vampires are invited in. Including Klaus."

He laughed and I felt anger rise in my chest. "You really think I'm just going to let you take Davina? What, so Klaus can use her against me to try and reclaim the city? You're not taking her anywhere."

"You're right, I'm not," I stated and his eyebrows furrowed. "I'm not taking her, because she's not mine to take. She's a person, not a toy or an object. She'll come with me of her own free will, especially after I tell her about your little secret."

"And what secret is that, exactly?"

"Oh, just the fact that the last New Orleans witch elder is dead and you've been hiding it from her."

Marcel's expression dropped and his eyes darkened. "I was going to tell her-"

"Were you?" I crossed my arms over my chest. "Or were you just going to hide it from her so that she'd keep living in fear, thinking she wasn't freaking allowed to go outside? You're using her - just admit it."

"I'm not-"

I put up my hand to stop him. "Actually," I interrupted. "I just realised…I don't care. I'm going to talk to her now. She'll be at my place by nightfall."

"She can't leave the attic anyway. Last time I tried to take her out of there she freaked out and her powers went crazy."

"Yeah she's quite the little actress," I said, remembering the promise Davina had made to me that she wouldn't let Marcel take her out of the church.

"What are you talking about?"

"I told her that if she let you take her away from the attic, that chances were I wouldn't be able to find her again. So she promised she'd find a way to stay. I guess she did."

"She was faking it?" Marcel demanded.

"I guess you're both pretenders then," I replied and turned to walk away.

"She won't turn on me. She won't." He sounded almost…desperate.

I looked at him over my shoulder and wondered why my heart was weak enough to feel pity for him. "No, she probably wouldn't have. If you hadn't lied to her face." I walked away.

~O~

Tears welled in the young girl's eyes as Davina processed what I had just told her.

"Marcel lied to me," Davina breathed. "If Agnes is dead, then that means that I'm safe. The witches can't complete the ritual, I don't need to hide anymore."

"He did lie, but I wouldn't say you're completely safe, not until their power fades for good. But you certainly don't need to hide up in this dusty attic any longer. I want you to come with me, to my apartment. We'll be safe there - no vampires allowed," I smiled.

Davina nodded but she still looked distressed. "He was just using me this whole time. He doesn't care about me. He's just like the other witches."

I let out a long breath. I had two options here; I could lie and tell Davina that she was right, that Marcel didn't care about her at all and that she was nothing but a weapon to him and, in doing so, I would solidify her hate for him and her allegiance to myself. Or I could do the right thing; I could tell her the truth, that Marcel was walking a fine line and that he did love her but somehow his thirst for power had blurred that. After a moments deliberation, I went with the latter.

"You're wrong, D. He does care about you. He just let his need to maintain control blur his vision. I don't think he's a bad person. He and Klaus just care way too much about who's running this damn city."

"Do you trust him?" Davina asked and my eyebrows furrowed. "Klaus," she clarified.

I took in a shaky breath. "I don't-…I don't know. No. Maybe. I don't think he's evil, if that's what you mean. But I wouldn't trust him, not completely. He hasn't earned it yet."

"Yet?" Davina looked unconvinced.

"We're kind of…working together-"

"But you said Rebekah left! I thought that was the only reason you were with them. The Originals…They're dangerous, Maddy. I can feel it," Davina said and I could see the genuine worry in her gaze. I took her hand in mine.

"I know that. And I'm not underestimating him. But I promised Rebekah that I would keep Hayley and the baby safe and I wanna keep you safe too. Teaming up with Klaus…it seems like the best way to do that. You understand, don't you?" I squeezed her hand and se begrudgingly nodded. "Now, pack what you want to take with you, we can come back for anything we can't carry-"

"Maddy, if you're working with Klaus then…there's something you need to know," Davina interrupted me and I noted that she looked torn.

"What is it?" I asked and she winced, looking away. "Davina, what's wrong?"

~~

The phone rung once, twice, three times. I wasn't sure he was going to answer, but finally his distinctively British voice flowed through the phone.

"Madelyn," he greeted. "I trust Davina is settling into-"

"Where are you?" I interrupted. "Where are you right now?"

I heard him take pause at the sound of my distressed voice. "I'm on my way to the Compound. Marcel wants to have a private chat."

"Nik, it's a trap. I just spoke to Davina. Marcel told her that he's planning on having all of his guys ambush you and then he wanted Davina to do a desiccating spell on you, lock you away. She's coming with me, so she won't be doing any spell. But Marcel's still going to try to take you down. You can't go there."

There was silence over the other end of the line and I could practically taste his anger growing, growing, like a simmering beast, waiting to explode.

"Marcel wants to take me down? And here I was thinking he wanted to make peace, to talk," his voice was filled with barely contained rage but she could hear, beneath the fury, an undercurrent of pain. He was hurting. "Well let him try. He won't be able to. I'll tear him apart if I have to-"

"You can't just walk into a trap! He has countless numbers of vampires, all completely loyal to him!"

"Don't worry about me, love. I'll deal with Marcel. You just make sure you get Davina to your apartment where Marcel can't get to her."

"Klaus-"

"Do it Madelyn. Now." He hung up, leaving me to worry whether he would even make it through the day.

I shouldn't have though; there was nothing to worry about. Klaus Mikaelson was immortal, the Original Hybrid, and even Marcel's vast army of vampires could not defeat or overcome him.

~O~

A/N: Hey guys! Omg I'm back?! I wonder if anyone is still reading this hahaha. If you are; I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I know it's short but I'm hoping to get another one up ASAP! I'm feeling inspired! Also, again, I didn't proofread so I'm really sorry about any mistakes!

Pleaseeeee leave a review to let me know that you guys are still alive out there! I'm really sorry that this story has been moving along so slow. PLEASE leave a review! I would be eternally grateful.

Lots of love! xoxo Adios!