Episode 18: Heart of the Night

Part Three

Cami's Apartment...

Cami walked into the bathroom of her apartment, closing the door behind her and letting out a sigh. She went over to the mirror and stared at her reflection for a moment. She then slipped off her shirt, unhooked her bra, unbuckled her belt and dropping her jeans down to the ground before taking off her underwear. She then opened the shower door and stepped in slowly. She only turned the hot water knob, a blank expression on her face. She stood under the shower nozzle, standing in such a way that only her face was being washed.

She closed her eyes for a moment, only for her to find herself in the dining room of the Mikaelson compound, talking to Klaus when she opened her eyes again.

"You took longer to heal than what I would've expected," Cami said, not even choosing to say the words she did or know why she was saying them.

"Rub it in why don't you? She must really loathe me to break my neck and leave me trapped in a room with you," Klaus replied coldly.

Cami shook her head, closing her eyes. When she opened them again this time, she found herself back in her shower, small jets of hot water still pouring on to her face.

It had been happening all week, ever since she regained control of her body from Esther. Tiny little bits of Esther's time in her body came to her at the most unexpected times in the form of a flashback that a PTSD victim might have. A part of her wanted to talk to Klaus about it, another part of her wanted to keep the flashbacks to herself. She didn't think there was anything anyone could do for her, she just had to work through it on her own.

The French Quarter...

Klaus walked down the street to meet up with Kol and Davina, the two of them sitting on a bench, Davina looking particularly impatient. Her hatred for Klaus hadn't lessened any; he was still the man who tried to kill her and Josh, and did kill her friend Tim. She was never going to get past all of the pain he caused her, even if the monster was her boyfriend's half brother.

"So, what's the deal anyway?" Davina asked Klaus as he approached her and Kol at the bench, now just a few feet away from them. "Aiden at your beck and call now?"

Klaus sat down next to Davina on the bench, to her annoyance. "I'm simply mentoring a young promising wolf."

Davina rolled her eyes while Kol smirked. "Josh isn't going to be too happy when he finds out."

Klaus chuckled. "And I am shaking in my boots at the mere thought of his displeasure. You see, Davina, Josh and Aiden are in love, which means they both have something to lose, thus making them all too easily manipulated... should the need arise."

"Same old Nik," Kol muttered. "You may be a father now but you're still the Machiavellian you always were."

Davina stared at Klaus for a moment, frowning. "It must really suck to be you all the time."

Kol smiled while Klaus looked a little offended at Davina's remark. Then he shrugged. "...Well, it hasn't been a picnic... honestly."

Davina let out a sigh. "You know, the thing is, you have that thing, too, don't you?"

Klaus and Kol both gave Davina a look of confusion, trying to figure out what she was referring to. "Someone you love more than anything. Even yourself."

Klaus was caught off guard at the mention of his daughter, which he knew now, was who Davina was referring to. "How does that feel?" Davina asked, looking into Klaus' eyes intensely. "To be one of us, with something to lose?"

Klaus opened his mouth, looking like he was about to say something in response, only for Davina to make a gesture, pointing towards a cab that had just pulled up to the curb. "There. He's here," Davina said, cutting Klaus off. Klaus got up off the bench and darted over towards the cab using vampire speed.

Kol immediately grew tense and uncomfortable, knowing who was about to get out of that cab. The back door of the vehicle opened, and Mikael stepped out on to the street, a smug look on his face.

Mikael paused for a moment before turning around, sensing someone's presence behind him. He was now face to face with Klaus, who didn't seem to show a hint of fear in him, unlike almost every other time they met. He didn't like it. Not one bit. "Well, well, well... if it isn't the bastard himself. Have you come looking for another beating, boy?

Klaus seemed unimpressed by Mikael's threat. "As much as I'd love to plunge a white oak stake into your heart again, Mikael, I can't help but wonder if our interests might be better served, joining forces. You know full well the threat we face. So, how about it? Care to join the bastard on a witch-hunt?"

Mikael grinned widely, clearly intrigued with what Klaus had to say. Meanwhile, Kol and Davina watched the conversation unfold between Klaus and Mikael, Kol waiting for the unexpected encounter to turn violent any minute now. He never believed for one minute that his father would ally himself with Klaus, even under the most dire of circumstances. To say he hated him with a burning passion was an understatement.

St. James Infirmary...

Elijah, Marcel, Gia and Josephine stood in the middle of the St. James Infirmary club, which currently looked as though it was in the middle of renovation. Josephine smiled widely as she looked around, to Marcel's curiosity, who had rarely ever seen the woman genuinely smile.

"Well, this was quite the place back in my day. St. James Infirmary. Vulgar. Filthy. Loud. Some of the best nights of my life," Josephine blushed a little. "But, I assume you didn't go through all this trouble on my account."

"You assume correctly," Marcel replied. "For years, this place served as neutral grounds for both our communities. A place where all were welcome and safe."

"And in keeping with that tradition," Elijah jumped in. "We'd like to invite you to cast a spell. One that might prevent the use of magic within these walls."

Josephine looked both appalled and caught off guard by Elijah's suggestion. "You'd ask me to create a place where my kind is utterly powerless?"

Elijah smiled back at her politely, to her mild frustration. "My dear Josephine, powerful as you are, surely you must have sensed this grave new threat? The threat being my aunt Dahlia, a witch who has managed to cheat death for the last one thousand years while staying in her true body. No ordinary witch could accomplish such a feat."

Josephine nodded, but she still didn't look too pleased. "And I am not without empathy. And I am grateful for the return of the eight children and Vincent Griffith, we're still waiting to get young Kaleb Westphall back-"

"You might be waiting a while," Gia interrupted.

"... My loyalty is to the witches of this city. They are my priority. This is not our fight," Josephine finished.

Elijah frowned, to Gia's concern, knowing he was about to get unpleasant. "Well, then, I do hope you understand that anyone willing to stand aside and allow my family to be threatened... I would be forced to consider an enemy. I imagine someone as old and knowledge as yourself would know what it means to be considered an enemy of the Mikaelson family."

Josephine stared at Elijah hard for a moment, mildly disturbed by what the vampire had just said. "As I said, Elijah, I am not without empathy."

"Maybe we could all reach some kind of compromise," Gia suggested. "You know, something that doesn't put the witches at a disadvantage but still protects the baby from Dahlia."

Josephine considered what Gia had just said, looking around the room for a moment as she did. "Perhaps a traditional blessing to dispel unwanted spirits? A barrier against those who mean to do anyone inside harm?" Josephine offered, Elijah smiling approvingly, Gia looking a little relieved that they seemed to avoid making a new enemy. Josephine thought about it for another moment before smiling and nodding once more. "Yes, a blessing combined with a disruption spell will do the trick."

"Not to be a downer here but how do we expect Hayley to stay inside the Infirmary again? The girl doesn't exactly like being told what to do," Gia pointed out. "That and I think Jackson and her will have their own ideas on how to keep the baby safe."

Elijah didn't seem the least bit worried about what Gia had just said. "I'm sure if need be, Niklaus will wait until the vervain drains out of her system and compel her to stay here. Besides, I know Hayley, she'll want what's best for her daughter, and she knows what's best for her daughter - is to be here where there will be some kind of mystical protection against Dahlia."

Rue St. Louis' Bar & Restaurant...

Klaus and Mikael sat on opposite sides of a small table in a restaurant, Klaus openly gripping the indestructible white oak stake in his hand on top of the table while Mikael eyed him cautiously, the tension between the two only rising with each minute that went by in which they didn't talk.

A young, tall, dark haired waitress came up to the pair, a notepad in her hand. She looked at the stake in Klaus' hand curiously. "You want some fries with that stake?" she asked jokingly.

Klaus laughed while Mikael looked annoyed, rolling his eyes at the sound of Klaus' laughter. "I bought one of my own at Marie Laveau's voodoo shop," the waitress added.

Klaus gave the waitress a friendly smile, clearly amused by her. "I'll have a bourbon please, sweetheart."

The waitress turned to Mikael, Mikael sighing in annoyance as she did. "And what can I-"

"Nothing," Mikael interrupted her, growling a little as he did. "Leave us."

The waitress threw Klaus a confused look before turning around and walking away. Klaus gritted his teeth. "I despise this city. Everything about it, the music, the art, the people."

"Cut to the chase, shall we?" Klaus suggested before pausing briefly, Mikael relenting. "Your precious Freya told me she sent you off to procure certain items that will expedite the death of your sister-in-law. May I assume you completed your task?"

"There are three elements total," Mikael replied. "Combined, they represent Dahlia's sole weakness," Mikael continued, Klaus looking intrigued. "If you'd like to take them from me, by all means. Have at it."

Klaus smirked, not the least bit surprised by Mikael challenging him. "Your mind always drifts to violence. Even when you're so clearly outmatched. What is it you tried teaching to your children? Ah yes – 'The true Viking warrior hones his fear, like a blade!'" Klaus mocked, Mikael sneering.

"Did you come here to critique my parenting skills? Or to whine about how little you were loved?" Mikael taunted, the grin on Klaus' face fading. "You were weak before, but you are weaker still."

Klaus held up the stake to Mikael confidently, practically daring him to try and snatch it from his hands right then and there, but Mikael didn't move a muscle, instead, his nostrils flared a little as he stared down at the stake. "If you had truly thought me weak, you would try and snatch the stake from my hands. But you don't. Because you know better. Do keep in mind, father, that I ended your life once before and I could happily do so again. Whatever power you think you still have over me, you don't."

Mikael didn't say a word, though he was clearly angered by Klaus' words. "I suggest we focus on a common enemy. Rather than handing your materials over to Freya, drawing her into a fight she may not survive, why not join me? ... If we win, both our daughters will be free. If we lose," Klaus' grin returned. "Well, at least you'll die, knowing the bastard finally got his due."

Mikael sat back in his chair and sighed, contemplating Klaus' offer. He hadn't given Freya the materials yet, but he did have his blood on her now, all three ingredients they required he currently had on him. Siding with Klaus meant betraying his beloved daughter, but he wasn't going to put her in harm's way, not after being reunited with her after a thousand eyes, believing she had been dead the entire time. Klaus' offer certainly appealed to him.

Mikaelson Compound...

Jackson was laying on a table, topless, Freya drawing an infinity symbol on to his bare chest using the burned end of a sage smudge-stick. "By doing this, we should be able to trace Dahlia's signature all the way back to the source of her power," Freya stated, before looking over to Hayley, who stood a few feet away beside Rebekah. "But I'll need to dig deep," she continued, now looking over at Rebekah, who stared back at her worriedly. "Rebekah, if I may channel you?"

Rebekah nodded at Freya nervously, walking closer towards Freya and offering her hands to her. Freya gestured to Rebekah to go over on the opposite side of the table from where she was standing, and Rebekah did so. The sisters joined hands over Jackson's body, Freya beginning to chant a spell in a foreign language. Rebekah reluctantly repeated after her, and as they continued to chant, Jackson's back began to arch painfully. He let out a moan that made Rebekah cringe a little.

Rebekah looked down at Jackson for a moment, then looked back up at Freya, only to see a shadowy figure standing behind her, the figure's hands on Freya's shoulders. Rebekah stared at the figure, watching as it slowly turned into a tall woman with long, dark flowing hair. She was almost certain who the woman was suppose to be. Dahlia.

Startled, Rebekah stopped chanting, broke away from Freya and took her hands back. Dahlia faded as soon as the spell was broken, not leaving the slightest trace of her behind. Rebekah looked over at Hayley, but it was clear she was the only one who saw Dahlia.

"Rebekah, we need to continue," Freya insisted.

"No. I won't."

Hayley and Freya both gave Rebekah a look of confusion while Jackson tried to catch his breathe, his heart beating at a rapid rate.

"What is it?" Hayley asked.

"You," Rebekah said, looking Freya in the eye. "You're the reason Dahlia is able to cast the spells she does. She's channeling you!"

"No," Freya shook her head, alarmed by Rebekah's accusation.

"You're lying. You're probably also the witch that allowed Eva Sinclair to regain control of this body."

"No!"

Hayley stepped forward, enraged by the revelation. "All this time you were helping her!"

"I had no idea!" Freya pleaded desperately, continuing to shake her head. She paced a little back and forth anxiously. "She must have found me. She's trying to turn you against me!"

Rebekah threw Hayley a look and reluctantly, Hayley took a few steps back, trying to calm herself. "Freya, we're sisters. You saved me from the Fauline Cottage, and you helped save me from Eva Sinclair. I want to trust you, I do... But I can't. You said it yourself, you're bonded to Dahlia. I'm sorry, but it's better that you go. Please."

Freya looked a little hurt, but she didn't bother to say anything in her defense. She knew she was the one who put Rebekah in danger from Eva Sinclair, but if she ever told Rebekah that, if she ever came clean, she could kiss any relationship she could have with her only sister goodbye. Freya turned around and walked away, leaving the compound. Rebekah let out a sigh while Hayley went over to Jackson's side and helped him get back to his feet.

Rue St. Louis' Bar & Restaurant...

"Father and son, working together," Klaus grinned. Mikael lifted the bourbon to sip it, but as soon as he smelled the liquor inside, he grimaced, putting the glass down without drinking a drop of it. "I admit, I never thought I'd see the day."

Mikael didn't smile in return, instead appearing stone faced. "And what makes you think I need your help? Others may tremble at the mere mention of your name. But I know you for who you truly are. A scared little boy desperate for a daddy."

"A thousand years ago, perhaps. But I think we can both agree that over the course of a thousand years, I've become a different kind of beast altogether. Your cruelty made sure of that," Klaus replied, Mikael smirking. "And I am vicious, and hateful, just, like, you. It's precisely those qualities that makes us uniquely suited for murdering that witch."

"And why would I trust you? Esther told me you murdered your own father, your real father, after she went through the trouble of raising him from the dead."

Klaus grimaced at the reminder of Ansel's murder. "Because my daughter's life depends on it. And you love yours, as I love mine. You see, we're fighting for the same thing you and I- to save the lives of the only ones who do not see us as the monsters that we truly are. And for your information, I only killed Ansel for the sake of keeping my child safe. Something I'm sure you would've done as well, were you in my position, granted you might have enjoyed it a little more."

Mikael seemed truly stunned by Klaus' answer, and even a little impressed. "Alright, Niklaus. Tell me what you propose."

Author's Note: I apologize if this chapter was a bit on the boring side or told you things you already knew. I hope some of you enjoyed it anyways. Also, a couple of characters are going to bite it over the next ten or so chapters, as to whether they're minor characters, important characters, characters we like or characters we don't like, etc. I'll leave that up to you, my readers, to speculate.