Business As Usual:
"Kol, we need to get out of here." Anna implored him. Kol was too busy feeding on the maid. She had come in time to see that he had drained nearly the whole household. As much as she hated to see that, she knew that it was too late. She would have to speak with him later. Mikael was in town, which means that Elijah and Klaus wouldn't be far. "We have to go now."
"Where's the fire, darling?" He questioned as he pulled away grinning, blood dripping from his mouth.
Anna tossed him a rag. "In town, because Mikael is there. Elijah and Klaus are not far behind. We need to depart before they do something worst to you. Come,"
"I like it here, it's cozy."
"Kol," She began, but they heard footsteps enter the house.
"Kol! There's no time for games." They were here. Kol, however having the need to push their buttons came out, grinning.
"Come, come, brother. There's always time for games." He drank from the stein. Anna came out of the back room as well. Klaus met her gaze, but he backed down from it. Elijah was tactful enough to ignore their tension in the room, but not Kol. "Oh, another lover's quarrel? That's surprising." He said sarcastically as he sat down.
"We must leave. Mikael is very nearly upon us," Elijah told them.
"If Mikael were upon us, Klaus would be quite dead." He pointed out.
"I very nearly escaped. Father left the head of my horse, on a pike in the town square." He snarled.
Kol pretended to look appalled. "He killed poor Theo? What a beast, but then father's always hated you the most. Surely he would flee after you leaving me here." He decided. "Perhaps I'll make myself mayor."
Anna decided this was the time to intervene. "I will take him away, somewhere else. I would keep him out of trouble, make sure Mikael isn't near." She promised. They already an argument on her not wanting to go to the colonies and although Kol felt the same, he didn't do well with covering his tracks.
"Rebekah and Finn are already on the ship. It is imperative that we remain together." Elijah asked of her.
"Rebekah does what she's told because she fears Nik," Kol said standing up between his two brothers. "And Finn, is in no position to argue given the dagger in his heart."
"Kol, stop it," Anna stood in front of him, warning him to back down. Klaus and Elijah would not conceded, especially if they thought he was a danger to all of their safety.
"Let him go on," Klaus smirked as he took a step towards him.
"I'll take my chances here. Anna, as usual, is free to make her own decisions. I have feeling, she'd rather spend her time here then with you." He grinned as he turned. Elijah stopped him though and Klaus was on his other side.
"I find it amusing that you think you have a choice."
Elijah held her back as Nik positioned the dagger over Kol's heart. "No, Nik! Please, we won't stay. We will leave." Anna pleaded with him. Kol being daggered would not affect them as much as it would her. He was her best friend, even as humans they were very close, which was very much the reason she had more faith in him then his siblings."
Nik glanced over at her, eyes filled with guilt. "I swear to you, the day will come when I'm not so easily subdued and on that day, I will make you suffer." He threatened.
"Perhaps, but today is not that day." He plunged the dagger into Kol and Anna watched as his skin turned grey. Kol was daggered and for who knows how long this time.
Anna walked around her city after months of a deep sleep. There seemed to be more life in it since she last remembered. It felt so good to be back in the quarter, even better, Francesca and her werewolves were gone. It felt like it did so many years ago, full of opportunity. She knew better now than she did back then. If you wanted something done right, you do it yourself. She felt eyes on her as she made her way out of town. Behind her, she glanced and saw a young man. Kaleb, she believed his name to be. He looked at her a certain way. It felt familiar and he smirked as he walked away. He would have to be looked into at another time.
She made her way across the river. She had been back a day, but the reunion with Klaus went as well as expected. Although, seeing Hayley dead made her feel a little better,
Klaus looked stupefied. Anna zipped up and snapped Hayley's neck. "That felt good." She exclaimed with a smile as she turned on her heel. "I was hoping you would've tossed out the dog by now."
"H-how are you? W-when, Anna?" Klaus for the first time was stunned.
"I'm surprised you noticed my disappearance by the way you were all over her."
Klaus' jaw clenched. She had no idea how the past few months had affected him, out of all of them. He had lost his child and he believed that she was lost to him as well. "And you leaving us, letting us think you were dead, what exactly was that?"
"Do not think that I would simply run off without telling anyone." She snapped back. "I have just awoken, after who knows how bloody long in a hotel room wearing the same clothes, covered in the same blood, with barely any recollection of how I am still alive and breathing, no thanks to your girlfriend. So before you start throwing accusations, I
believe I deserve a bath and good night's sleep, don't you?"
Klaus watched her move past him and step over Hayley's dead body. He could smell her in the air. Her scent as potent as the day she died. She was actually there. Klaus looked over at her. A part of him still couldn't believe that she was here."We mourned you for months. I didn't want to believe you were dead, but,"
"Yes, I can see that you did a lot to try and find my body." She replied with malice. She had thought maybe he hadn't given up on her but by the looks of it, he hadn't left the house in a while. "Forgive me for my disbelief in you."
"Annie," He begged as he zipped in front of her. He touched her cheek but she pulled away, as though his touch burned her.
"I thought of all people, you would be the one to come and find me, Niklaus." She admitted in a small voice. It was worst than upset, she was disappointed. The guilt grew in her. "I was mistaken again and I won't make the mistake of putting my trust in you again." With that final sentence, she stalked off away from him.
Anna stood on the building of where Marcel lived. She watched below as he attempted a speech on the humans. Right on time, she heard someone behind her. "Hello, Josh. Long time, no see." She smiled.
He was stunned for a moment, as though trying to figure out if this was real or not. "That's impossible. H-how are you? I'm freaking out right now. Davina is going to be psyched," Josh rambled. "Does Klaus know your back? Does Marcel? How are you back here?"
"Breathe." She suggested glancing back down at Marcel. "Klaus does, Marcel doesn't. What is he trying to do? Start up another one of his armies?"
Josh walked over to that. "Something like that. He inspires people."
"Yet, he has a hard time following through with his promises, though." She reminded him. Josh glanced over at her. "Tell me you don't feel those doubts, in the end, Marcel failed. He failed to keep this city under his rule, to protect his vampires, he didn't follow through because he didn't have the power to do that. I just don't understand why they would go back to being under his rule." She shrugged, carelessly, but she could see the doubt starting to form in Josh's mind as the crowd disassembled. "Don't tell Davina. I'd like to see her myself." She requested as she walked off.
As she jumped off the roof, landing on the hard pavement behind the building. "What the hell?" She saw Marcel gaping at her.
"Marcellus," She greeted him. "Finishing yet another speech about what it takes to be a vampire? Are you sure that you're qualified to be inspiring them?" She stalked over to him.
Marcel was stunned. "Y-you died, you can't...you can't be here."
"And yet I am. I'm sorry to disappoint."
Marcel finally seemed to believe it. "Anna, how did this happen? How can you be here?"
"Magic, what else?" She retorted simply. "Why are we still having this conversation? It didn't take you long to mourn before jumping in bed with the bartender."
"It was easier that way." He cleared his throat, avoiding her gaze guiltily.
"You sound just like Niklaus." She grit her teeth. "Good luck with your so called army." With that she turned on her heel and and left. Marcel blinked and she was gone from sight. What he didn't realize was that Elijah was watching the whole interaction take place from behind them.
xxxxx
"Kol!" Anna ran into the room, past Elijah, to where Kol was currently playing chess with Nik. He grinned as he stood up and wrapped his arms around her, spinning her around as she laughed. "I came as soon as I found out." It had been a while since she had last seen him. There was apart of Anna that was scared that she wouldn't know when the last time she'd see him was.
Kol put her down. "Annie, darling. It's been too long. You're just as beautiful as always. Some things never change."
Anna rolled her eyes as she wiped blood from his chin. "Apparently they don't. Behave yourself, Kol."
"I do try, dear." He chuckled as he pulled her over to the chair. Klaus smiled over at her. It had been a while since Anna had come back to the house, let alone smile. This made her happy and that made him happy. "Do tell, Elijah to relax. He's getting his knickers in a twist again."
"Why don't you tell Kol that his reckless and dangerous behavior will be the end of our stay here, if he is not careful?" Elijah replied frustrated. "Not only that, but Marcel will not be safe here if this continues."
"And they would rather keep the little whelp than let me stay!" Kol snapped back.
"Enough!" Anna shouted at both of them. "Marcel is family, but so are you Kol. You just got back. You're going to stay here, with us." She looked at Klaus and Elijah, daring them to say something in opposition.
Kol seemed to calm down before kissing her hand. "It's nice to know someone still knows the meaning of family loyalty."
Anna shook her head. She had been thinking of Kol all day. She missed him so much. He was the closest thing to a best friend that she had, for however short time it had been. Kol always was on her side, as she was his. Despite his faults, he was very loyal and he loved them. Anna walked into the trees of the Bayou. There she would find the person who would be of use to her.
"Well, look who's here. Lost, sweetheart?" She turned around grinning at the wolf.
"Oliver, exactly who I wanted to see." Without warning. She had him shoving into the tree snapping the branch and shoving it into his stomach. "What did I want to say? Oh yes, you've been conversing with that witch, yes? Cassie?"
"Bite me." He spat out.
Anna's fangs came out. "Don't tempt me. I'll take that as a yes," Her hand squeezed around his jugular and he struggled to breathe from the lack of oxygen and the pain of her twisting the branch. "So, what I would like is that you tell me every little thing that you will be telling Hayley or that you learn from Cassie. Trust me, darling, you won't like the alternative. It involves your head on a pike, so do we have a agreement or should I move this farther up your chest?"
Oliver hesitated to which Anna gripped his hair about to feed. "Yes! Yes! I-I will.I swear." He coughed out as she tossed him to the side. 'Why do you want to know anyways?" He held his neck.
"That's my business. And word to the wise, Oliver, don't try and tell anyone about this or I will rip you limb from limb to the point where you wish I would kill you. Trust me, I've done it before. It's long and tedious, but very effective." She threatened as she zipped away from him.
xxxxx
Anna walked down to Rousseau's. After the past day, a drink was needed. However, when she got there it was completely empty except for two people. Anna saw a man with the stake about to shove it into Elijah's heart, who struggled to keep it from reaching his chest. Without thinking, Anna zipped, slamming the man into the wall opposite her, snagging the stake from him. It was then, she finally got a good look at him. "Mikael," His name left her teeth with a snarl.
He grinned, maliciously. "Another person I wasn't expecting to see. I had hoped to see Niklaus first, but killing you may be better." Anna launched the stake at his chest, missing his heart by an inch. He yelled out in pain as he pulled it out. "You missed. Wrong mistake."
He launched at her with the stake. She twisted his arm back but he was stronger. Mikael pulled her off back slapping her into the chair. She zipped to her feet immediately with a broken leg, burying it into his shoulder, missing his chest. Before he could retaliate, Davina pulled on her bracelet, muttering an incantation. "Go back now." She commanded. He grit his teeth zipping back to the attic.
Anna glanced over to see Kaleb behind them bar, staring at her and Elijah. "Take a picture. It'll last longer." She suggested as she walked past Marcel, stepping over the broken glass.
xxxxx
Anna sat in her room, nursing her red wine on the couch. "That's a 80 year old bottle of cabernet." Klaus looked at her as he came in. His eyes were glued to her. He couldn't believe that she was back. That she was alive.
"And you can taste each year with a sip." She grinned as she put it down. "Mikael is back."
"So is my mother, in the form of the young witch, Cassie." He replied as he sat besides her. "What were you up to day?"
Anna barely looked his way as she took another sip. "My plan is a backup plan, in case, as usual, yours fail."
He was surprised that she didn't immediately kicked him out. She must've been exhausted.
"Are you alright?" His hands reached out to brush her cheek, but she moved an inch.
"Fine."
"Tell me, Anna. How are you here?" He pleaded. He needed to know, it would haunt him.
Anna hesitated before pulling a necklace out of her shirt, showing it to him. "Kol gave this to me, years ago. He once told me it was for protection. I recently found it. It is the reason why I'm alive. Some how, it is the reason I didn't die. I looked it, but I was desiccated and eventually I woke up in a hotel room. Imagine my surprise when I realized it was months later.'
Klaus touched her shoulder. "I am sorry."
"I'll be better once I get my hands on that stake." Anna said coldly as she stood walking to the window, seeing all of the Quarter. "Then I can use it to make that bastard suffer and bleed until I can get him out of my city."
Klaus glanced up, concerned. "I don't want you going after him. He is dangerous, Anna. He will kill you if given the chance."
"Do you remember when you undaggered Kol? Marcel was a child and I left. I came back as soon as I can when I got word that he was back. He was happy to see you. He forgave you for daggering him in the first place, as he always did eventually. Even when he caused mayhem, he was happy to be doing it with his brother." Anna looked over at him. "You staked him in favor of Marcel. I loved Marcel and he was family, but so was Kol. You used him for your entertainment until you got bored and he had to go."
"Annie," He began.
"I'm not here for you, Klaus. The quarter is my home. I don't owe anything to you, you didn't even try to look for me, did you? I'll no longer be expendable to your needs."
"You were never expendable." He argued standing in front of her. Klaus looked sincered as he touched her cheek. "I love you, as I've always have. I was devastated when you died, in my arms. Anna, you have no idea what that was like me. I couldn't cope. I still love you. You can hate me. I understand why you're angry. I should've come looking for you. I won't fail you again."
Anna searched his eyes. "Keep Hayley's mutts off the second floor, I'd hate to see their innards splattered across the compound. Red isnt'a good look." She said simply as she turned around. Klaus grabbed her arm. She shoved him off, but he grabbed her hand, spinning them around, pinning her to the wall. She zipped him onto the floor. "Don't try that again."
He flipped them, hovering over her. Before she could argue he kissed her. He pulled her flush against him deepening the kiss. He felt her lips move against his, unforgiving. The kiss was filled with anger and love and sadness all at the same time. He wasn't the first to break away. He felt her pull away before she shoved him off of her and walked off, without looking back.