Chapter 21

a/n: Hey all! I have not forgotten this story. I actually had to go back and read it myself. I haven't been updating it as I should between Life and reading other stories myself lol I'll try to work on updating more. I know this chapter is short but as a show of good faith I decided it's better than nothing. Hope you enjoy!

As the light faded, the sound of broken glass was the first indication that the spell had worked.

Followed by a scream by someone who sounded like Evan.

I turned to the group that filled the all too familiar room of our home...home. We were back and we had reinforcements.

A slow vindictive smile curled my lips. These witches were in for a world of pain. Klaus' next words only proving my case as the sound of Kol's metal bat swung through the air.

"Anybody up for a witch hunt?"

"Funny you should ask. We have quite the infestation of them here." We all turned to look in the far corner where my father leaned against a wall. Siren and I raced over to him in the next second. He managed to catch us as we launched ourselves at him.

He chuckled. "It's nice to see you again. Here to help your papa burn a few broom sticks?"

We pulled away. The scream must have come from him. I spied a broken glass across the room. It was nerve recking to say the least. That's when I noticed something was off about his demeanor. I was tempted to read his mind.

"Dad, where is everyone?"

My aunt Bekah walked closer to us. "Yes Nik, where is everyone?"

My father's face grew dark as he looked at each of us.

"A group of them came for us. Just after Kol and Bonnie sent Rebekah and Elena back."

A ire silence covered the room. It was Siren who spoke this time.

"Dad...everyone else...are they? Wheres mom?"

The original hybrid looked his son in the eyes and for the first time ever he let the tears slid down his face. My heart stopped as I looked at him wide eyed.

"Dad...where is mom?"

His eyes met mine.

"I was fighting off a group of witches with your mother, Kol, Bonnie, Elijah, Stefan, and Damon when Evan showed up. He helped sway the fight in our favor. We managed to do away with nearly twenty witches before more showed up. At that point, I told the others to run. Get back here within the safety of the barrier spell."

The room was silent as we all continued to listen to my dad's tale.

He looked to Stefan.

"You were running with Damon and Evan and then you just vanished into thin air. Damon lost his shit and nearly went on a suicide mission to attack the witches. Evan broke his neck and vamped him away. Evan and Damon made it back here. They are upstairs sleeping. I'd told the others to leave me to fend off the witches. I was cornered and knew for certain I would die. But just as I awaited my fate. Bonnie showed up chanting handing out headaches. It wouldn't hold them long but it was enough for me to rejoin her Caroline, Elijah and Kol. We ran back here...Caroline and I were the last ones to cross the barrier on the porch. She was right behind me. Then she tripped. Witches seemed to materialize out of thin air from the shadows in the front yard…."

He paused a snob getting stuck in his throat. I reached out and hug him as he continued. His gaze on the floor.

"They had Caroline. She was right in front of me. They told me all I had to do was reach out and grab her. And I would have, they knew it. And so did she. That's why she snapped my neck and threw me into the house safely behind the barrier. When I came to she and the witches were gone."

From the corner of my eye I saw Klaus pull Caroline closer.

I met my brother's face. His eyes hard. "So that means she's alive. If they have her that means we can get mom back."

"We need a plan. I love Caroline too but I'm not going to get myself killed going in blindly." That came from Elena. I glared at her. Ready to rip her a new one when a new voice spoke from the hallway.

"She's right. We have the numbers on our side now but we need a plan. I won't fail her because we're being too stupid about it," I sighed.

Standing in the hallway with a weary look of his own was Evan. The others began to trickle into the room behind him. It was quite the experience seeing doubles of my aunts and uncles in one room. Some talking to their future/past selves..

Then a thought occured to me.

"What happened to Uncle Stefan?"

The room went silent. It was Stefan who answered as he looked from his past brother to my Uncle Damon who looked as if he had cried.

"I think he disappeared because...somewhere between our present and your future...I die."