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Family Reunion

"This has to be one of the worst ideas you've ever had," Scarlett informed Klaus as they were getting ready for dinner that night. She, Elijah, and Klaus were all dressed for a formal dinner that Esther and the other two Mikaelson brothers were going to be attending. Still not knowing what they were up to, Scarlett didn't think it was the best idea to invite them to their home for dinner.

"They've had worse," Savannah teased, not coming to dinner, wearing her usual clothes.

"You don't get an opinion," Scarlett told her seriously, even more annoyed with Savannah's part in this plan. While they were having dinner Savannah was going with Marcel to meet a witch that was helping him make daylight rings, Lenore. They were hoping she could help prevent Esther from jumping bodies; while Lenore said she couldn't do this, she could brand Esther so a mark would show on the arm of the witch she had taken over.

"In case you forgot, Esther invited herself over," Klaus reminded Scarlett of the note sent to their home that morning.

"And in case you forgot," Scarlett said sarcastically. "The last time she saw all of you, she tried to kill you. And she's the reason..." She stopped when she saw Elijah shaking his head no, warning her not to bring up Hope or Hayley.

"It'll be fine," Savannah promised Scarlett, grabbing her bag so she could leave to meet Marcel. "Just keep them occupied until we have a way to keep track of your mother."

"You don't have to do this," Klaus told Savannah. He was more than happy to let Marcel go on his own to do this, knowing the plan wasn't safe.

"I don't think we're in a place for me to meet your mom," Savannah said lightly as they still hadn't determined what they were.

"Be careful," Elijah emphasized to her as she was leaving, Klaus going with her to see her out.

"This plan sucks," Scarlett muttered under her breath to her husband.

"We need to find out what Esther's intentions are," Elijah explained. "For our safety, and more importantly..." He trailed off, nodding at growing stomach.

"Fine," Scarlett agreed hesitantly.

"You weren't waiting around to meet mommy dearest?" Marcel mused as he and Savannah met across the river, heading to Lenore's shop.

"I think I want to skip that step for now," Savannah said lightly as they made their way down the street. "Did you ever meet the other two brothers?" she asked curiously. Klaus never talked about them much. From what little was said she knew that he and his oldest brother Finn never really got along. Kol was more of a trouble maker, which she got from Scarlett; she also knew that Klaus was really broken up when he was killed.

"Never Finn," Marcel shook his head, leading her up to the entrance of the shop. "Just Kol."

"And?" Savannah asked curiously. "You're not going to tell me about him?" she teased.

"Guy's a pain in the ass," Marcel said honestly, opening the door for her.

"Scarlett didn't think he was so bad," Savannah reminded him as she stepped inside. "Especially since he protected her from Mikael the other day."

"Scar was always sticking up for Kol," Marcel rolled his eyes at the memories as he followed her. "Still don't get why."

"Well, even if she is with Elijah," Savannah pointed out. "She's got a soft spot for trouble makers."

"Ah, I see what you did there," Marcel said sarcastically, to which Savannah made a playful face back. "Come on," he nodded towards the back of the shop where Lenore was waiting for them, though he couldn't help but smile.

"I'm starting to agree with Scarlett on this," Klaus murmured as dinner drew closer, the three of them waiting around the table, though Scarlett was the only one who had taken a seat; Elijah stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders. Scarlett was happy someone was finally agreeing with her.

She had obviously never met Esther and she certainly didn't want to. She never met Finn either, though she hadn't heard many good things about him. She had met Kol and they got along pretty well; she had been upset when Elijah told her how he had been killed in Mystic Falls. Now that he was back though things seemed to be about the same for them as he pulled her away from the fight with Mikael; even if he was back with Esther he still seemed to care.

"Everything will be fine," Elijah said reassuringly.

"Some things just don't change," they heard someone saying, looking over to see the witch that was always with Cassie coming in to the dining room. "Klaus paranoid and Elijah ready to fix everything."

"The only thing that's changed is you," Klaus told his brother, his voice stiff; Elijah was helping Scarlett up. "You've changed a lot actually."

"I know it's different than seeing me in a box," Finn quipped back, before looking to Elijah. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your new wife?"

"Scarlett, this is my older brother Finn," Elijah was starting to say as Finn was finishing his question. Scarlett politely exchanged a handshake with Finn.

"It's nice to meet you," Scarlett told him as sincerely as she could.

"You as well," Finn said politely. "Kol's told me a lot about you already."

"Will he be joining us as well?" Elijah asked.

"He's unable to make it tonight," Finn told them. Scarlett silently wondered if he was with Davina and what they were up to with Mikael.

"And mother?" Klaus asked impatiently.

"Will be here soon enough," Finn said as he sat across the table from Scarlett, Elijah next to her, and Klaus at the head of the table between Scarlett and Finn.

"I don't suppose we can just get to the point of what you're doing here?" Klaus asked Finn.

"I patiently waited 900 years to be let out of that box," Finn reminded him. "Then, soon after I was out I was killed anyway, so I continued to be patient on the other side waiting for mother to bring me back."

"Well, of course she brought back her favorite," Klaus mused sarcastically. "What errands does she have you running?"

"She brought me back because of how I was treated by both of you," Finn snapped at him, then looked across to Scarlett. "Don't think that just because he doesn't act the same as Klaus he isn't just as bad. He's enabled him."

"I don't mind it," Scarlett said simply, sipping her water. "And I've learned accepting your brother is a lot easier than fighting to change things."

"Thank you?" Klaus questioned Scarlett, not sure how to take that and she shrugged, but smiled sweetly.

"Oh, sweetheart," Esther said, entering the room as Cassie. "I'm hoping I can change your mind on that."

"How long do you think this is going to take?" Savannah was asking Marcel as Lenore was wrapped up in her spell work.

"I'd rather it take awhile," Marcel said lightly, taking a seat with her to watch. "Than her not do it right and then we lose track of Esther." Savannah looked at him seriously.

"Do you think she's going to go after Scarlett's baby?" Savannah asked. "Like she did with Hope?"

"She's not going to get the chance," Marcel said, echoing Klaus's sentiment. Klaus wasn't willing to let his brother and sister in law experience the same pain he had; Marcel would never let anything happen to Scarlett or Aurora. "And, besides," he sighed, though he wasn't quick to finish the thought.

"What?" Savannah asked curiously.

"There's a lot more...resentment," Marcel decided. "Between Klaus and their parents. And, he is the one that killed Esther the first time." He looked at her sadly. "Unfortunately, I think that it might have just been something to hurt Klaus." Savannah sighed sadly as well, shifting awkwardly as she continued to listen to Lenore perform the spell, wondering how Klaus was doing.

As Savannah was wondering this, dinner was spiraling out of control at the compound. Klaus had discovered that a gift that his mother had given him when he was young was meant to keep him weak, this way he would never kill anyone and therefore wouldn't activate his curse. He then, of course, blamed his mother for Mikael hating him because he was so weak. As he was berating her for what she had done for him, Cassie quickly passed out, Elijah moving to catch her as they realized that she had jumped bodies. Noticing Lenore having to catch herself from falling, Marcel and Savannah went over to her.

"Everything ok?" Savannah asked Lenore, looking her over once.

"Fine," Lenore assured her, touching her hair; Marcel noticed the mark on her wrist.

"I think it worked," Marcel told Savannah, nodding at Lenore to show her what he meant. Seeing the mark, Savannah's eyes went wide.

"Esther," Savannah said and she smiled at her.

"It's nice to meet you Savannah," Esther told her. "After all, I had the pleasure of meeting Scarlett earlier this evening. I wanted to meet the girl that managed to make the angriest of my children so happy."

"Well, if he hadn't been made so angry in the first place," Savannah pointed out smartly.

"Savannah," Marcel was trying to get her attention but she was focusing only on Esther.

"I want to right the things that I've done wrong," Esther told her. "I want to make an offer to my children, an offer that I would like to extend to you as well."

"And I'm sure they'll jump right after it," Savannah said, hoping the brothers pieced together what Esther had been up to quickly. It was obvious now that she was one step ahead of them, knowing they would go to Lenore and would be able to see them all in one night by taking over Lenore's body.

"That's the plan," Esther smiled. "And I'm hoping you will too." Her eyes became sad. "I know how hard it must have been, watching the man you're in love with prepare to have a baby with someone else." She gave her a soft smile. "What if you were able to give him a child yourself?"

"I'll just dial up the witch that helped Scarlett and Elijah, thanks," Savannah said sarcastically.

"I mean naturally, without magic," Esther said and Savannah was confused. "If I were to put you both into new bodies-"

"We need to get out of here Sav," Marcel cut of Esther, though he was sure the ancient witch was going to just allow them to leave. Thankfully, Elijah and Klaus were showing up now.

"Excellent idea Marcel," Klaus chimed in. "Get her home with Scarlett." He turned to his mother now. "If you come near her again, I swear I will-"

"You can stop," Esther cut him off. "I never wanted to hurt her, or Scarlett," she assured Elijah. "You're all free to go. I've given Savannah plenty to talk about on your way home."

"Let's go," Klaus took Savannah's hand, rushing her out of there.

Leaving Marcel on his side of New Orleans, Elijah and Klaus took Savannah back home, with her telling them everything on the way. She explained how Esther wanted to put them in new bodies just like she had with Kol and Finn, making them a family of witches again. As soon as they got back, Scarlett rushed to make sure that Savannah was all right, with Elijah telling her everything once they were alone. In her room now, Savannah looked over when she heard someone at the door.

"Are you all right sweetheart?" Klaus was asking her and she sighed, sitting on her bed.

"She was never going to hurt me," Savannah reminded him, trying to get the worried look off his face that he had been wearing all day since she decided to go with Marcel. The more she thought about it though, he had that look since he had to send Hope away with Rebekah.

"Ah, well, I've been a victim of my mother's mind games before," Klaus said, coming over and sitting next to her.

"No one is actually going to want to become human again," Savannah pointed out like it was obvious. "I mean, if I wanted what she tried to bait me with I'd..." She stopped realizing what she was about to admit.

"What?" Klaus asked curiously.

"Um," Savannah started off. "She tried to tempt me with being able to have kids." She shrugged. "If we wanted that we could just do what Elijah and Scar did."

"We?" Klaus asked now and she shrugged.

"That's what your mom said," Savannah said simply.

"I didn't realize that's something you wanted," Klaus offered genuinely.

"I don't really think we should talk about this," Savannah said, getting up now.

"Why's that?" Klaus asked her, her back to him.

"Because we don't even know what we-" She started off as she turned back but couldn't finish her sentence as she was met by a kiss and tight embrace.

Scarlett waited until Elijah was asleep before slipping out of their room, phone in hand. They had talked extensively about what Esther was up to, both having the same thought: they had everything they wanted as vampires, nothing was going to change that. They were worried, however, about what lengths she would go to in order to prove her point. Knowing they couldn't trust her or Finn, she decided to call someone else.

"Hello?" Kol answered his phone, alone with Davina as they worked on a spell.

"Kol?" Scarlett asked and he was surprised.

"How did you get this?" Kol asked and Davina realized who called.

"Davina," Scarlett informed him. "And, by the way, if you hurt her I will send you back to the other side screaming."

"Pregnancy hormones making you a bit testy there darling?" Kol mused and she rolled her eyes.

"Can we not?" Scarlett asked of their bantering. "I just want to know one thing."

"And what's that?" Kol asked. "If it's if I'll run away with you, don't hold your breath," he smirked, feeling her annoyance with his joking through the phone. "I'm afraid Elijah would kill me, not that Marcel wouldn't be far behind him."

"Kol," Scarlett said seriously.

"I called that one decades ago, about him wanting you," Kol continued.

"Kol, I'm serious," Scarlett warned. "What's your angle?"

"What do you mean?" Kol asked.

"I mean, you wanna be a witch again fine," Scarlett stated. After all, she knew how much he had missed having powers which drew him to make friends with most witches in the Quarter. "But, I know there's no way you're just going along with this family reunion shit your mom's selling."

"Ah, well you got me there," Kol agreed. "That's just a little act for self preservation."

"What's your endgame?" Scarlett asked him.

"Do you trust me?" Kol asked, though since she called him and asked who's side he was on he knew the answer.

"So?" Scarlett replied.

"So, don't worry about it," Kol said as he hung up.

"Ugh," Scarlett groaned, turning and jumping when she saw Elijah behind her. "Well, he's on our side," Scarlett told him, knowing there wasn't any point in hiding who she was talking to.

"Why didn't you tell me you were calling him?" Elijah asked. He understood Scarlett's relationship with Kol, that the two of them looked out for each other like siblings because they were both the outcasts in their own families.

"Because you would have stopped me," Scarlett pointed out and he relented, knowing this was true. "I trust him Elijah."

"Why?" Elijah asked.

"Um, because he's never locked me in my family's tomb," she reminded him of what Klaus had done to her. "I never suspected him of killing my sister. He never locked any of you in boxes, even after you all locked him away so often." She sighed. "Why are you so ready to trust Nik again and again but not Kol?" Elijah didn't have an immediate answer. "We need to have someone on our side. And not just for our safety," she echoed his sentiment from earlier at dinner, glancing down at her stomach.

"You're right," Elijah agreed with her, taking her hand and bringing her close to him. No, he had never trusted Kol and it was always harder to let him back in that it was with Klaus. But, he trusted Scarlett, and they needed someone else on their side in this war against Esther.

thanks for reading! :) i really hope you liked it! what do you think of the kol and scarlett friendship? let me know what you thought of this chapter, more soon! thanks as always :)

and for anyone that reads look after you i am so sorry it's taken so long but i am working on it now and hope to be done very soon and get something posted asap! i'll be updating that before this :) thanks for your patience!