dhh: Wauw, you re-read the whole thing? That must definitely make you 'Reader of the Month,'as it takes an awful long time.
And about Niklaus and Mikael; well, Mikael has the Original Witch and a bunch of vampires and Niklaus has Kol, Elijah and Rebekah ... and maybe Finn, who knows? It just seems that Klaus may be the one of the two, who has the most to lose. We'll just have to wait and see. Anyway, thanks for reviewing :)

AN: A bit of and update on where everybody is and what they are doing.

Chapter 24: New Adventures

(Qaanaaq, Greenland 14.06 ADT)

"I'm pretty sure it's oatmeal ..."

"Finn."

" ... But it has cheese in it."

"Finn ... "

"Maybe if I added some ketchup? That can save just about anything."

"Finn!"

"Yes?" Finn finally looked up from the pot, giving Elijah a politely inquiering look.

"Edith was about to tell us her story, "Elijah informed him patiently. "You think you could leave that for a minute?"

"I'd prefer not to, "Finn admitted. "But if you insist ... "

"I do."

"All right." Finn turned down the heat and dragged his feet to the table, where he sat, sending longing looks toward the stove every few minutes.

Kol sat as far away from Edith as the table allowed, making sure not to look at her, and with Elijah and Darwin across from her, she was very much on her own on the other side of the table.

She drummed her fingers nervously on the surface, until she realized what she was doing and then folded her hands instead. "There really isn't much to tell, "she said, looking at Kol for support and getting absolutely nothing in return. "Hans ... the Warlock, I mean, captured me more than 30 years ago and I've been doing his bidding ever since. The chain; it didn't allow me to do anything on my own, it barely allowed me to think independently."

Elijah was frowning, trying to make sense of the chaos he had heard from Kol and Darwin and now this girl. "What did he want?"

"Power, "she answered. "He must've felt it in Kol as well... I know he took a very simple pleasure in watching me bow to his will. He was greedy, but in truth not a particularly competent Warlock. The chain spell was the only one he knew to perfection."

"But ..."

The door crashed open and Klaus walked in, pulling off his gloves. "It's started to snow again, "he said. "We better turn on the heat again to make sure the water doesn't ..." He stopped dead as his eyes fell on Edith. Something like horror-filled recognition crossed over his face.

Edith had pulled her legs up and crouched on the chair, her eyes shining with an orange glow. She growled warningly.

"Edith ..." Darwin began, reaching over the table to touch her arm reasuringly, but was interrupted.

Klaus dropped down on one knee, resting his fingers on the floor, as if ready to jump into action, growling back at Edith with equal menace. And what was even more disturbing; his pupils were dilated and what was left of the irises were forest green.

Edith showed him her predatory teeth as her growl became a furious snarl, which made Darwin and Finn start to edge away from the table ...

"Order!"

Finally, Klaus and Edith looked away from each other, staring at Elijah in shock as if they had forgotten he was there.

"I don't know what is going on with the two of you, "he gave them a withering glare. "But you will be civilized as long as you're in this house."

Edith instantly returned to normal, sitting back down and drawing her shoulders up to her ears in a defensive gesture. "But I don't know him, "she mumbled. "He smells funny."

"I have no idea, what happened ... " Klaus sat a bit dazed on the floor, his legs now stretched out in front of him. He looked up at Edith with suspicion. "What the Hell are you?!"

"It really isn't my story to tell, "she sounded subdued. "I am what I am, because of who bore me. And she keps her secrets close to her body. They belong to her."

"And where would she be?"

Edith sighed. "The last time I saw her, she was living in the white mountains to the North. She's probably still there."

"But if she's so close, why didn't she save you?" Darwin asked.

"She never comes close to humans, "Edith explained. "She's always hungry, and accidents happen."

There was a moment of silence, while everybody tried to digest everything that had been said, and mainly what hadn't been said; what had been implied.

"I could take you to her, "Edith suddenly offered, surprising everyone. "She may be able to help you."

Klaus gave her another suspious look. "With what?"

Edith shrugged. "Whatever it is that you need help with. There must be something, otherwise you wouldn't be here. No one, who wasn't born here, would."

Klaus snorted. "And if an 'accident' should happen?"

"I wouldn't take you there, if I thought she would hurt you, "Edith told him sharply, obviously offended by his disbelief. "Your family saved me from slavery ..."

"Right, "Klaus got to his feet, even more confused now as he hadn't heard the rest of the story. "I would like some answers."

"If you go, Thorstar and I will come with you, "Kol offered, sensing an adventure in the making.

Klaus groaned in despair. "Lucky me."

"I'll help you pack, "Finn offered.

"Yes, and I don't think she'd mind if you brought her some food, "Edith added.

(Break)

(Barrow, Alaska 09.56 AKDT)

Alaric gazed over the seemingly endless sea of drift ice, feeling his irritation that had been growing over these past few days, beginning to spike. "Damn it, Damon! It's cold as crap!"

Damon punched him not too lightly on the shoulder. "Have I mentioned that I am so glad I brought you along to constantly bitch at me about the weather?"

"Tell me again, what we are doing here?" Alaric asked, giving his travel companion a pointed look. "There is absolutely nothing here!"

And there literally was nothing there, except small wooden houses spread over a barren wasteland.

Damon shrugged. "This is just about the most desolate place, I could think of and Stefan's current mood taken into account..."

"Oh, I can think of a few others, "Alaric interrupted sarcastically. "And considering the fact that he was in England less than a week ago, wouldn't it make more sense for him to travel north over Norway or Iceland and then Greenland?"

Damon shook his head slowly, but seemed to consider Alaric's words carefully. "If only we knew, what he's up to."

"Well, isn't that obvious?" Rick snapped, but when Damon just stared at him, he sighed. "We know Esther freed Mikael and that they have banded together, can't you think of why?"

Damon blinked. "To kill Klaus? Could that really be it?"

Alaric snorted. "It would make the most sense. But as we all know, the Original brothers are 'over the hills and far away, 'so ... "

"The Witch need to find them and as they could be anywhere, really,.."

"They'd need several minions to conduct the search, "Alaric finished. "Hence the 'bonding spell'. You know, the easiest solution would be to help them and get it over with."

Damon shook his head. "I can't. Rebekah ..."

"Yes, I know."

They stood in silence for a minute, then Damon pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He pushed a few buttons. "You know, the reception is surprisingly stable for such a remote area."

Alaric sighed. "Who the Hell are you calling, now?" he asked, but Damon ignored him. The phone rang twice, before it was picked up.

"Intergalactic Camel Service, how may I help you?"

Damon rolled his eyes and ignored Alaric's glare. "Darwin ..."

"Yes?"

I was strangely reassuring to hear the Neo-Hippie vampire's voice again. It reminded him that they weren't all alone in the world. And he needed someone who would be sympathetic to their plight and Damon doubted that Elijah would. With him, it was always family before all else. "Just letting you know, you are possibly being pursued by a bunch of who knows how many vampires ..."

"Hey, tell me something I don't know."

"They've taken my brother."

There was a brief pause and Damon could vaguely hear Darwin discussing something wildly with someone else. There was the sound of a door slamming and then a band of barking dogs. "I'm listening."

Damon frowned. "Where are you?"

"Feeding time at the Werewolf Kennel."

"What?!"

"Yeah, if you don't mind, we're kind of busy. It's adopt-a-wolf day."

Damon sighed. "Not funny, Oddball."

"You know I cant tell you where we are, "Darwin said, but Damon could hear the hesitation in his voice.

"All we know, is that Stefan was in London with Esther and Mikael ...

"Mikael?!"

" ... four days ago and now he is moving north to a cold place where the sun never sets."

He could here Darwin swearing under his breath, something he had never heard before. "And what are you saying? That he might be compelled to search for us or something like that?"

Damon shrugged, but realising that Darwin could not hear that, he added: "Or maybe by magic or something ..."

"Can I trust you, Damon?"

"I ... " Damon didn't know quite what to say to that. Not at being asked so directly. And what was the truth in all this? Honestly, their alligiences all seemed to be crossing. He had an allegience to Elena through his brother, and of course Alaric, which put him at odds with Klaus and Finn. But he also had an allegiance to the Original family through Rebekah and to Darwin through friendship. Elijah was a whole other story.

"Yes, you can trust me, "he decided in the end, taking a few steps away from Alaric. It was supposed to be inconspicuous, but it wasn't entirely and Rick noticed, though he said nothing.

"We are in Qaanaaq, which is in the far North of Greenland, "Darwin told him grudgingly. "I suggest you go into hiding. Chances are they'll be coming for you as well ..."

Damon grimaced. There were so many things he didn't know, if any of the Originals knew about. That he was the one, who had brought Mikael back (of course possessed by Esther, but still) about him and Rebekah, about Henrik ...

"I don't know, "Damon glanced at Alaric. "We have powers on our side."

As a matter of fact, they wouldn't mind getting a visit from Esther. They'd been searching for her as well as for Stefan to break her connection with Henrik. Something told him that going to Greenland with the Originals and wait for all Hell to break loose might not be such a bad idea ...

"Damon?!"

"I'm here, "he said reassuringly. "We will have to go back to Virginia to pick up some people ... "

"Jenna and the twins?"

"No, they're in Boston, "Damon couldn't help feeling a little annoyed. "As a matter of fact, I've been seeing someone ..."

"Oh really? When did you and Alaric make it official?" Darwin quipped.

"It's Rebekah!" Damon snapped.

And finally there was something akin to surprise in the smaller vampire's voice. "Oh dear God, I can't tell the others that!"

Damon frowned. "And why's that?"

"Basically because, you know, they don't like you ..."

"That's not true ..."

" ... And quite frankly; I don't like you very much either, "Darwin finished.

Damon hung up.

"So what did you find out?" Alaric asked, trying to fake indifference and failing miserably. But Damon was too distracted to notice. He simply shrugged again.

"We need to talk to Rebekah, "he informed his friend. "And we possibly need a whole new gameplan."

Alaric snorted. "Fine with me."

Damon gave him a sharp look. "We may be going to someplace even colder."

"I don't mind freezing as long as there is a point to it, "Alaric noted.

(Break)

(Qaanaaq, Greenland 17.43 ADT)

"I'm coming with you!"

Caroline stood at her full height, arms crossed stubbornly over her chest as they loaded the dogsled. Luckily, it had snowed enough during the day that they were able to go by sled. The dogs were dancing exitedly around them, all hoping to be selected for the trip. Darwin tried to keep a little order in the chaos, checking the dogs' legs and paws professionally.

Caroline was a powerful, but cute sight in her new pink ski jacket with matching boots. One pink foot was tapping impatiently on the snow-covered ground.

Klaus looked up from where he had dropped a sack of frozen whale meat; Edith's mother's favourite, she'd claimed. "But, Sweetheart ..."

"I don't care, "she dismissed, angrily. "You are not going on some wondrous adventure without me, Niklaus!"

He sighed in something that bordered on defeat, and she knew he would keep arguing for a little while longer, but in truth she had already won.

"It could be dangerous, "he tried weakly, but she just snorted.

"Yes, that's the tenth time, you've said that."

"Yes, but ..."

"Did it work the nine other times?"

"No, but ..."

She threw up her hands. "Then why do you keep saying it?!"

"I don't know, ok?" Kol passed him with an amused smile on his face, placing a large bag on the sled, and Niklaus glared at him, silently daring him to make a comment. Luckily, he kept his mouth shut, and Klaus turned back to Caroline. "Look, if you want to come along, I can't stop you ... "

"Good, "Caroline spun around and skipped merrily back to their cabin. "I'll just get my luggage. I've already packed ..."

Klaus sighed and looked back at his brother, who was still smiling.

"Do yourself a favour, "he told him solemnly. "Don't ever get married ..."

(Break)

(Mystic Falls, Virginia 17.26 EDT)

"Damon's an ass."

But Henrik already knew that as it was the only thing his sister had said to him, first on the flight and then on the carride back to Mystic Falls.

And she had said it often, only giving him a few minutes at the time to fall into gloomy thoughts.

Not that he agreed with her. Not quite, anyway. He had been the first one to suggest splitting up, but he had meant for Alaric and Rebekah to go back. As things were, he still needed to find his mother to break the bond. And though Damon had promised to hunt her down and get a sample of her blood, Henrik knew that that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

Damon would be searching for his brother, nothing else. All he could hope, was that Damon would come across Esther by a freak accident, before she could play out whatever plot she had planned. For no matter what she had in mind, it didn't bode well for him or his siblings.

"We are here."

He looked up to see the Mystic Falls Mansion looming against the sky.

They got out of Damon's car and walked the few yards to the front door in subdued silence.

"I don't care what Damon says, "Rebekah began ranting as she opened the door and entered. "There is no way we are staying here! He does not have the right to ..."

And suddenly they both stopped, their heads turning simultaniously toward the sound of something crystal breaking.

"Sssh, not Mrs. Atwood ... "

Henrik saw his sister's features altering into something animal and she held out an arm tense with the expectation of a fight, but he pushed it away in annoyance. "Rebekah, I ..."

And then someone rushed at them with a wildly swinging fire axe. But Rebekah was more than ready for him and grabbed him by the neck and threw him against the wall.

Henrik sighed irritably. "Please, try to act rationally. Both of you."

Rebekah wasn't listening, she was gaping at her attacker, who sat against the wall where he had fallen with a dazed expression on his face. "Jeremy!"

Jeremy smiled at them sheepishly. "Didn't realize it was you, "he said apologetically. "You weren't supposed to be here ..."

Rebekah put her hands on her hips, her face rapidly returning to normal. "Well, neither were you!" she spat. "You're supposed to be in Boston with Jenna and the twins. What the Hell are you doing here?!"

Jeremy got to his feet, putting on his most stubborn face. "After everything we've been through, everything we've seen, you really expect me to just let you hide me away? No, I'm staying here. This town needs me ..."

"No, it doesn't!" Rebekah yelled. "What exactly do you you have to contribute with? The ability to fall dead at any moment?"

"I have my ring."

"That's not an ability, Jeremy!"

She was inches away from him now, her much smaller body seeming to grow along with her anger. But to Jeremy's credit, he wasn't budging, but continued to stare her down and in the end, she was the one, who looked away.

"Fine, "she conceded, giving him one final glare. "After all, what do you matter?" She bent down and picked up the fire axe. "You two stay here. I'm going to make sure there are no more unwelcome visitors."

"There isn't, "Jeremy mumbled.

"Well, when you say it, it must be true, "she remarked sarcastically before she disappeared into the living room, axe held high.

Henrik and Jeremy were left staring at each other for a few moment, neither knowing quite what to say to the other. In the end, Jeremy sighed and rubbed his neck absentmindedly. "Wauw, she's tough."

Henrik nodded. "She can get quite angry sometimes..."

"Quite angry?" Jeremy repeated, disbelievingly. "More like a Molotov Cocktail of Fury."

Henrik didn't comment and after awhile, Jeremy said: "A box came for Klaus yesterday."

Henrik's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Who was it from?"

Jeremy shrugged. "I don't know."

Henrik bit his lip, a nervous gesture that reminded Jeremy vaguely of Darwin. "Show me."

Jeremy led him into the kitchen, where a large cardboard box stood on the kitchen island. Henrik checked it, frowning. "It was sent from Sweden .., "he said, finally laying his hands on the top. "...and it's a bit cold."

"Jeez, even I could've told you that, "Jeremy commented, but shut his mouth at Henrik's glare.

Without any further hesitation, Henrik ripped the box open and they both looked inside. Then at each other.

Jeremy reached in and pulled out a cooler, just as Rebekah joined them. "What's that?" she demanded, still angry.

Henrik didn't answer, but picked up a note that had fallen on the ground, and read it out loud.

"To Niklaus Mikaelson.

Plasma, O Negative, Elena Gilbert 24th of April 2009.

Sincerely, Erik Sundgren."

Rebekah quickly ripped the lid of the cooler and took out a regular, see-through plastic back. It's yellow contents were almost unfrozen, liquid. "The Doppelgänger's blood plasma, "she told them, completely oblivious to the pained expression on Jeremy's face. She smelled it, catiously. "It's still good."

"And it gives me an idea, "Henrik said slowly, folding the note neatly and putting it on the table.

Rebekah looked at him almost pleadingly. "Please, tell me it's something pleasant."

Henrik shook his head. "For me; no. For you; probably."

(Break)

(Bonn, Germany 23.59 CEST)

Esther held up the ring. It was a plain silverband set with a small lapis lazuli stone. It wasn't particularly pretty, but it would do. She put it down on the altar with the 34 others.

A daytime attack would be the best plan, and thus she needed her little army to be able to move around in daylight. The most powerful vampires were ironically the ones, who were the most affected by the light of the sun. It would be immensely foolish to attack at night, when they were at their peak of power.

For a moment, she was startled as an arm snaked around her waist. She had been lost in her own thoughts; not very prudent of someone, who operated on the brink of war.

She turned in Mikael's arms, and kissed him briefly, then let her eyes sweep over him with cold efficiency. He seemed to be recovering quickly from his decades long confinement. Soon, he'd be back to his former power. It pleased her as a witch working on his side, but as a woman and as a wife, she couldn't care less.

She didn't love him anymore. Hadn't loved him, since before Kol and Rebekah were born. But knowing that leaving him back then had meant losing her children, she had found solace in the arms of another man in secret.

A secret she had never expected to be revealed and most definitely not in the violent way, it had. And if there ever had been any shred of love for her husband left in her heart, it died at the sight of her lover's blood dripping from his sword.

Mikael believed the killing he had regained him his wife and his honour, when in all truth he had lost her forever.

She smiled, tracing a scar on his face with her index finger. "We do not have much time left, "she told him. "I can feel my powers waning."

And it had been going faster ever since she'd had to obscure her link to Henrik. He couldn't completely stop the flow of power, but he could slow it considerably and as it was now, she was burning out a lot faster, than he was.

"We will be together on the other side this time, "Mikael promised, almost making her grimace at the thought, but she managed to keep a straight face. "You, me, our children. Forever ..."

And Niklaus condemned to the inner flames of Hell for his treason as he had told her many times over, since they'd both been back.

'But who the true traitor is ... That is up for debate, 'she thought sorrowfully.

She gave her husband another smile, a watery one this time, and gently freed herself from his arms.

"Step forward, "she said in her midnight voice, the one she reserved for fury and magic.

A hesitant young vampire stepped forward and she smiled as she dropped a ring into his waiting hand.