In her apartment, Amarrah passed the pages of Abigail Rowan's spell book silently, still searching for a spell to help Maleny. She was sat on the couch chair beside the longer couch...where Cami laid unconscious from Elijah's earlier attack. With the help of Alton and Yamilet, they had carried the blonde vampire, along with the coffin holding Maleny's body, to Amarrah's apartment. It had been several hours since the daggering of Klaus, and frankly there was a large question of what to do next.

"You don't have drinks," Yamilet walked out from the kitchen with Alton moments after, "You're French - why don't you have drinks?"

Amarrah raised her look from the spell book, unamused by the woman's antics so far, "Because all I've done since I've gotten to this Quarter is perform spells for vampires. Forgive me if my grocery shopping is a bit lacking."

Yamilet rolled her eyes and plopped down on the smaller couch across her. Just then, Cami began to stir and slowly woke up. Her eyes scanned the immediate area and when it appeared she was confused, the others gently spoke to her.

"Hey," Alton helped her sit up straight, "Do you remember what happened?"

For a moment, it seemed she was going to say 'no' but when her eyes narrowed into a deep glare Amarrah knew she was remembering it all. "It's okay, Cami," Amarrah leaned forwards, "Let it out, it can't be easy to-"

"Screw him!" Cami erupted into loud, angry shouts as she jumped to her feet, "He actually snapped my neck! I can't believe it!"

Yamilet looked upon the blonde in mere amusement, although she did have some sympathy for the woman. "Honey, I learned the hard way that family only uses people." She was completely outraged with the Mikaelsons, or specifically the eldest of the siblings and the mother. To work for them nonstop, going against even your own boyfriend, only to be snatched and used for a wicked revenge plan was an understatement for a "stabbed in the back" statement. It angered her more that the two responsible for losing her body were already dead and not by her hands. "Unless you're one of them, you're dispensable."

"This wasn't any normal back-stab," Cami stopped pacing to take a deep breath, needing to calm down. She straightened and looked around for something.

"It's okay, we brought Mal's body with us," Amarrah assumed that was the blonde's concern. She assumed after what happened last night, Cami would not want to go anywhere near the compound. Alton and Yamilet were then called upon to help move the body out of there at once. Neither of the three remaining Mikaelsons had a word to say about, all feeling terrible for the consequences of their actions...yet not enough to undo it.

"Okay," Cami took another breather, her hands running in her hair while she thought, "Mals' body is here, you've got the spell book…"

"If we could get the spell we need we could have Mal back," Amarrah lightly smiled.

"Yeah, and then she'll wake up to see the giant betrayal her so-called family committed against her boyfriend," Yamilet scoffed and slumped back against the couch.

Amarrah playfully glared at the woman, "You know, I liked you better when you weren't in control of the body."

Yamilet rolled her eyes, "It's only the truth and you all know it. Think about it, do you really want to bring back this Maleny right when her family is quite literally at the brink of war?"

"Yes," Cami firmly replied not even a second afterwards, "Because no matter what they would never hurt her. No, she needs to be here so she can set things straight. And besides, if we don't bring her back who will?"

"What do you mean?" Alton frowned at that.

Cami sighed and stepped back from the couch, once again picking up a slow pace, "Well, the way the Mikaelsons work is they prioritize. Klaus and his paranoia was the biggest problem right now...so they took him out," she shook her head, "Dahlia's deadline is the next thing, meaning," she looked at the trio sadly, "Mal's the last of the priorities right now."

"You think they would forget about her like that?" Amarrah quietly asked, almost appalled at the idea.

"Answer me this," Cami turned to them again, her hands behind her back, "Have they even mentioned bringing their brother Kol back yet?"

The reality hit Amarrah and Alton fast and both sighed. If they didn't work to get Maleny back, then she really wouldn't be back until the whole Dahlia fiasco was completely finished.

They couldn't wait that long, and they wouldn't.

~ 0 ~

Dahlia resided in an unknown crypt of the Quarter's cemetery, preparing for a spell no doubt as she mixed several ingredients inside a cauldron. She dipped her hands into the cauldron full of blood and slowly mixed in the ingredients. The red pendant necklace in which she'd trapped Maleny's soul was now tied around her neck, glowing.

"We define ourselves by our family. From birth, we share their names, entrust them to protect that which we hold most dear. We value them above all others, and yet we are inevitably forced apart. Promises are made and left unkept. Children, in particular, turn their backs on those who raised them, seeking lives of their own. The bond of family is not a bond forged on choice. In fact, some would see family as a terrible burden," she smiled wickedly ahead, expecting some sort of response.

"And you tell me this as a lesson of some sort?" came the bitter, sassy response of Maleny. She stood several feet away from Dahlia, though visible only to the witch. "A lesson where I'm supposed to repent for ever sticking by the Mikaelsons?'"

Dahlia slowly got up and turned to the blonde, "Because of them you are now in my hands," she reminded, gesturing to Maleny, "With one word of mine I can destroy your soul and finally put your dusty old life to sleep for eternity," Maleny gulped, momentarily quiet against the threat. Dahlia went on, "You're only here by my gracious hand, don't forget."

"...and you clearly want something from me," Maleny spoke up again, her voice bearing a hint of more visible fear, "Or else you wouldn't have interfered with my spell."

Dahlia mockingly laughed and turned back to the altar, "Oh I saved you before you really harmed yourself. The spell would not have worked."

"It too would have," Maleny declared sternly, but Dahlia just laughed again, "We had everything we needed. The spell was handed to us by your sister, Esther, before she died."

"And she clearly had to have written the large amount of energy it required, no?"

"Of course, but my friends were more than capable-"

"Your two weaklings of friends?" Dahlia rolled her eyes, "The girl can barely handle herself and the other does not have the skill needed. You would have doomed yourself, Maleny. I saved you."

"Don't pull that crap on me," Maleny crossed her arms, "Get to the point instead. What do you want from me? And fair warning, if it involves harming my family, you might as well kill me."

Dahlia evilly smiled before glancing over her shoulder, "Oh, I should probably mention that your 'family'," she created air-quotes, "has already begun crumbling down with betrayal. You may not be so inclined to defend them when you know."

"Know what?" Maleny stepped towards the woman curiously, detecting a hint of satisfaction from the woman and that, honestly, made her stomach churn.

"Niklaus has been daggered by his family with a dagger made by your very own witch friend," Dahlia turned around to the wide eyed, gaping blonde.

Slowly, Maleny began shaking her head, "No, n-n-n-no...you're lying. You're-"

"I'm not, and you'll see that after I talk to him," Dahlia promised with a pointed finger at Maleny, another arm gestured to the altar, "You see, the spell I'm creating is to speak to him and make an ally of him."

"You're out of your deranged mind if you think he'll accept," Maleny declared, though she was a little nervous of what tricks Dahlia could be trying to pull on Klaus. If he was daggered by his family, then he would wake in terrible fury...fury that would drive him to make awful decisions.

"And, I'm sorry," Dahlia's voice brought Maleny back to the present. She was once again facing the alter, now on her knees and her fingers bloody from the cauldron.

"Sorry for what?" Maleny dreaded to ask, knowing nothing good would be coming out of the woman's mouth.

"You won't be a part of this conversation," Dahlia mumbled a couple of spell words, and though Maleny missed it, her eyes rolled back as the spell began to take effect.

"Stop!" Maleny exclaimed and rushed towards the witch, but it was too late. The witch dropped to her side on the ground, unconscious. "Dahlia!?" Maleny tried shaking the woman awake but her hands made no contact. She couldn't feel anything.

With a defeated sigh, Maleny dropped to the floor herself, leaning against the altar. She pulled her knees to her chest and tilted her head back. She would have to wait...wait and see what her fate, along with the Mikaelsons' would be after Dahlia's 'talk' with Klaus.

~ 0 ~

Rebekah impatiently waited in the St. James Infirmary, where no magic would be able to hurt her, for Marcel. She didn't like being the weakling in her family, but until she managed to de-link herself from the kids Eva Sinclair used for her plan she couldn't jump bodies. So, when she saw Marcel dragging Vincent into the place she was more than urgent to get things started.

"Woah!" Vincent grumbled as Marcel pushed him forwards, "You could have just sent me a text, you know."

Rebekah tilted her head, lightly smiling, "Well, then you wouldn't have answered and only hid from us. And seeing we're a bit short on helpful witches, we couldn't take that risk. I need you to de-link me."

In any other case, they would have asked Amarrah for help, but seeing she was against them at the moment, and Davina having no knowledge of such spells, they wered forced to get Vincent.

"Get on it," Marcel ordered Vincent.

"This kind of dark magic?" Vincent gawked, scratching his head, "It's tricky. Alright? I can reverse-engineer Eva's work, but it's gonna take some time," he glanced at Rebekah, "And you're gonna have to do your own magic!"

Marcel rolled his eyes, "She's not exactly a pro."

"Well, she is exactly in the host body of the witch that's at the center of the link. Besides, I've done my last bit of magic. Now, I wanna help the kids, but after that? I'm done. No more witch business."

"Fine! Get it done," Marcel repeated before addressing Rebekah, "I'll touch base later."

But Marcel only made it a couple of feet when Vincent shouted, "And when we're done? We're all done! I'm not your witch for hire!"

~ 0 ~

"Yeah, Amarrah, I'm on my way back," Cami assured the French woman through the phone, simultaneously sifting through a couple of her family's dark objects in her home.

They had agreed she would go and collect the ones that would possibly help bring Maleny's soul into another inanimate vessel much like Dahlia was using to keep her in. While she looked through objects, Amarrah would try a locator spell on Dahlia. The woman was now in the Quarter and thus much easier to find, considering her deadline was coming up rather fast.

Cami had managed to locate a box that could possibly help them. However, she was interrupted by a knock on her front door.

"Call you back, Ams," the blonde hung up and stuffed her phone back into her jeans pocket before going to answer. The person on the other side was the least person she wanted to see in the world. "And just what the hell do you want, Elijah?" she tilted her head, feigning thoughts of his intentions.

Elijah was equally as uncomfotable as she was, but the problems at hand demanded he forget his own issues and went straight for the solutions. "You don't have to speak with me-"

"Good," Cami grinned and moved to shut the door when Elijah put a foot in between it and the doorhinge.

"-but you do have to help," he finished with a small sigh.

Cami had a good laugh, "Right. I have a lot of things to do, actually, so if you could just go…"

"It's serious, Camille," his sharp, almost scolding tone, angered Cami.

"I assure you what I'm doing is just as serious," she snapped, stepping forwards, "I'm trying to bring my cousin back from the clutches of Dahlia. You do remember her, right? Busts her ass to help you and your family all the time?"

Elijah sighed again, "Of course we mean to help Maleny. But right now, she would agree Hope is the priority."

"And I agree with her, we all do," Cami assured, "So you go do that and leave me the hell alone so that I, along with Amarrah, can help Maleny."

"We need your help as well!"

Cami rolled her eyes, "About what, Elijah? Cos it turns out I don't know much about this Dahlia plan as I thought I did before getting my neck snapped."

"I'm truly sorry about that," Elijah meant to touch her but she stepped away, warning him with the door should he try it again, "I know you must be angry about it-"

Cami's light scoff made him stop, "I was in the beginning, but if you think that's what I'm angry and upset about then it just shows you still don't know me. Just tell me what you want so you can leave."

"It seems that Niklaus' distrust of Freya wasn't entirely misplaced. Freya wants to use Hope to lure Dhlia in to a trap," after hearing that from Elijah, Cami was speechless with horror.

"That's...that's horrible!"

"I have another idea," Elijah began again, "Perhaps we can use something else to ensnare Dahlia. I was hoping your dark objects would generate power to create a decoy for Dahlia."

"Okay…" Cami stepped back and turned to the many boxes she had piled around, "...yeah, I can see that working. Dahlia is using Hope as the new beacon for her salvation, but I think I may have some things that could help," she walked towards the needed boxes.

"Thank you," Elijah honestly said as he watched her pick up a box.

"I'm only doing this for the little girl, Elijah," she warned and returned holding the box, "I've learned to love that girl as much as you all have. But that's it. You can take that to Davina who will also probably help if you tell her it's for Hope," she pushed the box to him for him to take, "And also, I should mention that Klaus didn't kill Aiden."

Momentarily confused, Elijah narrowed his eyes at her, "What are you talking about?"

"Before you and your family rudely came in to dagger him, he confessed to Amarrah and I that he didn't kill Aiden. He just took the blame because of some insane dictator-edict about making people fear him."

Although horrified to know they had wrongly accused Klaus, Elijah shook his head, "Nevertheless, had I left Niklaus standing, the very army protecting Hope would have revolted."

"I should be more surprised that this is what you've decided, but I'm not," Cami swallowed hard, "But I should warn you of the wrath he will unleash because of this," and although she was still heavily angry with Elijah, she was still scared of what Klaus could do to him when he was undaggered.

"I am more than aware, believe me," Elijah assured, "But until Hope is safe I cannot undagger him."

"That's on you, then," Cami crossed her arms, "Now can you please leave? I have many things to do."

Elijah nodded, resigned to her anger as he knew he had it very well deserved. "Thank you, and...I'm sorry."

"So am I," Cami whispered and stepped back inside her house, shutting the door and locking it. She breathed in a shaky breath, intending on calming down. She couldn't get emotional, not when, as she had said, there was plenty of important things to do.

~ 0 ~

Klaus didn't know what was worse, still being daggered or being forced to witness Dahlia's memories. Dahlia led him through the solitary woods, no doubt about to show him another memory of his young mother, Esther, betraying Dahlia.

"Very cliché," Klaus remarked about the entire show he was witnessing, "Tell me, did you inspire the witches of Grimm lore? Enslaving young children in a hut on the edge of a dark forest? I suppose you plan for this to be Hope's fate. And yet you foolishly think you can make an alliance with me?"

Dahlia seemed to take offense as she snapped back, "I did not enslave Freya or Nicolas, I kept them from those who abuse our craft, demonized us... and, most importantly, I shielded them from themselves."

The scenery before them changed so that there was a wooden table covered in different herbs and plants. Beside it was a small fire, and around it all were trees with hanging dolls. However, the scene was not part of Klaus' attention - it was the young, teen-looking boy standing in front of the table. While the teen's back was to him, Klaus easily identified him as Nicolas, his son. Without thinking, he stepped towards the scene, almost forgetting it was just a memory and that he wouldn't even be able to touch nor talk to his son.

"Nicolas!? Nicolas!?" he then heard Freya's distinct voice calling. Out came the blonde witch rushing towards Nicolas, "What are you doing out here?"

Nicolas had been holding his hands together in front of him, eyes shut, as he whispered words of a spell. Even when Freya came to him, he didn't stop.

"Nick, stop it," Freya watched the wind pick up around them, "You're gonna hurt yourself…"

"I don't care!" Nicolas suddenly shouted, startling Freya. "I want to find my mum!"

Dahlia sighed at the same time Freya did, making Klaus look at her, "For the entire time I had that boy with me, he only ever uttered two sentences to me: 'I hate you' and 'I'm going to find my mother'."

And although Klaus had several, probably many insults to give to the old witch, he returned his attention to Nicolas. He was studying the teen's features, down to the very last strand of dirty blonde hair on his head. Freya was right, as had been Maleny, Nicolas did look very similar to him.

"Nick, stop this!" Freya was still ordering her nephew. The small fire Nicolas had beside the table grew larger, a dangerous size that even Dahlia had come out to see.

"Nicolas!" she came running towards the teen and violently shook him to snap him out of the sell. She snatched from him the herbs he held between his hands, "Where did you get the yarrow flower?"

Nicolas didn't say anything, only maintained a deep glare on the woman. Dahlia then glanced at Freya for the explanation.

"I did not…" she shook her head.

Dahlia groaned and threw the petals to the side, "You cannot go past the stream, it is too dangerous!"

"I don't care!" Nicolas erupted into yells, "I don't care about your idiotic boundaries! I don't care what punishments you create for me! I simply do not care! And frankly, I don't care for you! Have you ever thought I may want to encounter another person besides you and my aunt? Perhaps my mother? My-"

Dahlia forcibly grabbed his hands, "People are frightened of that which they do not understand."

"I would rather take my chances with them than spend another minute here!"

As the scene progressed, Klaus watched with a hint of a smirk at the corner of his lips. It was more proof that Nicolas was truly his son, and Maleny's. The snaps were of hers, and the booming shouts of his. A perfect blend. A perfect blend that he and Maleny didn't get to see because of Dahlia.

Klaus was brought out of his thoughts at the harsh sound of screams. They belonged to Nicolas who was still furious as ever against Dahlia. There was a strong wind that suddenly picked up around them, clearly due to Nicolas.

"Dahlia…" Freya breathed in evident fear, even taking steps away.

"Freya, leave," the older witch urgently ushered the blonde to leave, "Nicolas, control it. Control yourself!"

Nicolas clasped his hands over his head, the overwhelming power hurting him. As the blonde grew stronger, blood ran down Nicolas' nose. Soon enough, he began coughing up blood as well.

"Focus!" Dahlia ordered repeatedly but things only got worse. Dead starlings along with crows dropped from the sky as if it were pouring rain.

Nicolas dropped to his knees and screamed at the top of his lungs as the pain literally felt like bricks pounding down on his head.

Dahlia did the same and took him into a hug, still mumbling to him the orders to focus on his control. Slowly, the wind began dying but Nicolas was still shaken up and trembling as his power settled down.

"Sing with me. Calm your heart," Dahlia grabbed him by the head, beginning the familiar tune and soon joined in by Nicolas himself.

Dahlia glanced at Klaus to see he was completely horrified by all that he saw. "Your son had no control over his power. And with his ridiculous temper it was worse."

Although shaken, Klaus didn't fail to throw the blame on her, "You rapidly aged him in a year, after you'd stripped him from his mother."

"A mother who hadn't been there for a over a year," Dahlia calmly reminded him, "And it was not due to my age spell. First-born witches in this bloodline possess devastating power. But do you see…?" she walked towards her younger self and Nicolas, gesturing to their tight embrace, "Freya has painted me to be a thief who enslaved her and Nicolas. But the truth is I helped Nicolas - I saved him," Klaus scoffed, rolling his eyes. Dahlia persisted in her declaration, "If it hadn't been for me arriving to take him your son would have been thrown into the same cycle his mother was forced into. Or worse, he would have been sacrificed completely and died. You may not admit it, but I am the reason Nicolas lives to see the day. Because of me, you will get to see him again."

Although he would never openly admit it to her, Klaus accepted the truth. With Maleny gone, and he unaware of his existence, Nicolas could have easily been killed or cursed. Still, that would not change the fact Dahlia was the enemy hell bent on stealing his other child for revenge. She was the enemy...and she needed to die.

~ 0 ~

Cami wandered through the cemetery searching for Davina in order to get more help for Maleny's cause. However, she stumbled across something far more different instead.

Maleny was still sitting on the ground, against the altar, when she spotted Cami hurrying in from the entrance. "Oh my God," Maleny quickly got up just as Cami came to a stop beside Dahlia on the ground.

"Oh my God," Cami breathed in shock at the sight of the old witch. She was clearly under the influence of a spell.

"You can't hear me...nor see me," Maleny realized sadly, "But I'm right here…"

Cami's eyes were drawn to the red pendant necklace on Dahlia's neck. She gasped, "Mal…" she bent down and with a shaky hand reached for the pendant.

"Cami, don't…" Maleny watched the entire thing in terror. She didn't know when Dahlia would wake up but she certain didn't want to find out when Cami was right there.

But Cami ripped the pendant from Dahlia's neck and cheered, "Oh you're coming with me, Mal!" she stood up and looked around, suddenly seeing the altar, "Ew…we should go, before Dahlia wakes up. I'm sure she won't mind me taking you, Mal."

Maleny scoffed, "No, I mean, she clearly went through the trouble of intercepting the spell for you take me away."

Cami quickly sped out of the crypt, forcing Maleny to disappear and consequently follow.

~ 0 ~

Freya was up in her bell tower performing a locator spell that would find the whereabouts of Hayley in the bayou. She was startled by the presence of Amarrah.

"I'm not here by choice," Amarrah laid the truth, "I'm here because I need information on the pendant you wear," she pointed to the blue pendant necklace wrapped around Freya's neck, "For Maleny."

Freya shifted and pushed some hair behind her ear, "I promised Maleny I would return her to her body, and I do intend on keeping my word-"

"Yes, before or after you kill your loony aunt?" Amarrah strode into the room, half irritated, "Must I remind you Dahlia controls the soul? You don't know if we might need her-"

"You won't," assured Freya, but it wasn't enough for Amarrah.

"Thing is, I no longer trust you or your family. Actually," Amarrah bitterly laughed, "Right now, I would trust Klaus a hundred times more than all of you put together."

Freya sighed, "I'm sorry you got caught in the crossfires, but it was necessary to dagger Niklaus, he would have gotten us killed for sure."

Amarrah rolled her eyes, "Look, I don't care anymore. I only came for information."

Freya looked past the French woman to Elijah who'd appeared at the doorway. Immediately she forgot Amarrah's request and warned Elijah, "I have located Hayley, and I strongly advise you not attempt to stand in my way."

Amarrah glanced back at the suited Original, "Great, two more Mikaelsons' than I needed."

Elijah addressed far nicer than received, "Tell Camille her objects did help us. We'll be using a golem for a decoy," his eyes then darted above her to Freya, "Niklaus' paintings contain Mikael's ashes and the soil. Go to the compound."

"You cannot stop me from getting that baby," Freya warned him again. She didn't want to actually hurt Hope, they only needed to use her as bait against Dahlia.

Elijah disregarded her warning and informed her, "You begin the spell. Prepare the battlefield. I'll bring Hope to you."

Amarrah was horrified to hear such a plan between the family. As Elijah left, she turned back to Freya, "You people are awful - and I thought that way before any of this happened."

Freya sighed, "We won't let Dahlia anywhere near Hope. We only mean to use her as bait to lure Dahlia into a boundary that would render her mortal."

"Clever," Amarrah remarked, mildly impressed, "but that doesn't change the fact you're all evil betrayers."

Freya turned around to the table behind her and gathered up small books, "These are the ones that could help you with Maleny."

"Thank you," Amarrah took the books, displaying a light surprise in her face.

"We may be indeed evil betrayers, but I do genuinely love Maleny and only want her to be safe and back in her body," Freya softly said, "I hope you find what you're looking. And, when this is all over, I will help you sincerely."

"Well, I hope you make it out alive to do so," Amarrah responded with and turned to head out.

~ 0 ~

"So," Klaus took several steps around the now empty woods as Nicolas and the younger Dahlia had made way for their cottage, "Do you intend on receiving a 'thank you' from me because of what you did to my son?"

Dahlia stood across him, watching him carefully, "I would be lying if I said 'no' but I also know that's not how you work so I'll just cut straight to the point."

"Please do," Klaus sarcastically smiled, motioning her to do so.

"I propose a deal in which both sides would win," Dahlia stepped forwards, "I need to rid myself of this slumber spell and at the moment Hope is the only witch with the power to do so. You," she gestured to him, "want to find your eldest child and bring him home. I can make that happen, so long as you allow me to link myself to Hope in order to break the spell."

"And so you would have open range on Hope's power," Klaus scoffed at the terrible idea, "Guess again."

"No, no, I only mean to link myself to Hope for a short period. She's not the first of her generation, Nicolas is," Dahlia smiled wickedly, "And like it or not his power owed to me. He needs me, and when he gets back I will only channel what is necessary from him...while also continuing to train him."

"My, my, that does sound tempting," Klaus said, although whether it was true other yet more sarcasm Dahlia wasn't sure.

"Think about it," Dahlia gestured, "Although, your time is short and really, there is nothing to think about," she waved a hand towards him and suddenly the memories were over.

Klaus awake with a deep gasp inside the coffin his siblings had placed him in. He chucked the golden dagger to the side and scrambled out of the coffin, though his legs weren't quite to the challenge just yet. He was still weak and in desperate need of blood to replenish himself. Still, he needed to leave and figure out what had happened in his absence.

~ 0 ~

"And you just found it!?" Amarrah held up Dahlia's red pendant necklace, still gaping at how Cami had been able to find it so easily.

"Dahlia had it around her neck so I just took it," Cami sighed, once again pacing back and forth.

"And you didn't think to kill the bitch?" Yamilet walked in from the kitchen holding a glass of wine. She flashed a smirk to Amarrah, "Good news, I bought wine now."

Amarrah rolled her eyes, "Of course you did."

Cami stopped pacing to answer Yamilet, "I couldn't have. Dahlia's protected by that immortal slumber spell. If I did anything she would've killed me the moment she woke up. I had to leave her there."

"But that's okay because you took the most important thing," Amarrah gently placed the necklace on the table side of the couch, "Now at least we have a chance at helping Mal."

"We have the body, we managed to get the spell books and the pendant," Cami smiled proudly, "Let's get to work, ladies."

~ 0 ~

Elijah and Rebekah gathered in a lounge room to hear a rather devastating voicemail from Hayley. Unbeknownst to them, Klaus was also listening in from outside.

"Elijah... I'm calling to say goodbye. Hope and I... we can't be part of your family anymore. All Hope's life, her family has tried to destroy her. That can't be my little girl's story. Family is supposed to love you. Even if you take down Dahlia, Hope would still be Klaus' daughter. She'd inherit a thousand years of enemies, all his anger and rage... I don't want Hope to be a Mikaelson, all the pain that comes with that name... She doesn't deserve that. Goodbye."

Klaus was beyond reason to hear his daughter was being taken from him. This was why Elijah had daggered him!? That would not be how the story ended. He would not lose his second child, not if he had anything to say about that.

~ 0 ~

Dahlia was in a near similar rage as Klaus was, but hers was directed towards the thief who'd taken her pendant off her neck. While she left a new spell working on the altar, she performed another one to see who had entered the crypt beside her. After a moment though, she heard someone else coming.

She smiled upon seeing Klaus stumbles his way inside, "I knew you were the smartest of your siblings. There's no brute Viking blood in those veins. I'm glad to see you made the right decision."

"You're gonna have to do one more thing for me to truly accept," Klaus warned her, masking the anger he held inside, "Maleny, you took her - I want her back, and I want her now."

If he had come in earlier Dahlia would've felt a little nervous, but now that she had an idea of where the soul of the lost woman was, she merely smiled, "Lucky for you I have a pretty good guess where is right now. But you will have to acquire strength for you to retrieve her. Shall we?"

"You need to hurry, Hayley is attempting to flee with my child," Klaus made way to sit down across her.

Dahlia scoffed as she mixed her fingers in the cauldron of blood, "They won't get far," she assured.

Her spell caused a rather violent Crack of thunder above in the sky, specifically the bayou. There was no way Hayley would be able to escape anytime soon.

~ 0 ~

Dahlia watched Klaus place Maleny's empty body over a sacrificial table inside the crypt, mildly surprised at the upmost gentlest way Klaus dealt with the blonde woman. After having him feed all morning on various tourists for strength, the change was by far drastic.

"Did you bring it?" she inquired soon after the body was put down.

Without looking away from Maleny, Klaus pulled out the red pendant necklace of Dahlia and held it out. However, when Dahlia reached for it he jerked it back. He have her a sideways glare, "If you do anything to prevent her from returning to her body I will tear you to pieces myself."

Dahlia took the threat with a mere nod and finally took her necklace. She turned for the altar that was now altered to fit Maleny's spell. "Such measures you go for that woman," she remarked casually.

Klaus passed a hand down Maleny's hair, "She's the only one that ever stood by me, in all her lifetimes."

Dahlia dipped the pendant into the cauldron, glancing over her shoulder, "And are you so sure she would continue to do so even after she learns of your alliance with me?"

"Yes. She wants Nicolas just as much as I do, and she wants Hope to be safe as well," Klaus spared her a momentary glance, "She'll do it."

"If you're so sure," Dahlia mumbled before speaking at normal volume, "Step back, I'm about to begin."

Klaus hesitated a minute, knowing the complete risk he was taking. But time was running out and Amarrah, although powerful in her own way, compared nothing to Dahlia's skills. Taking a breath, he took steps away from the body and allowed Dahlia to take over.

Dahlia held the pendant over Maleny's body, circling as she chanted her spell. The pendant glowed a crimson red, growing stronger the more Dahlia chanted. Like a horror movie, Maleny gasped awake at the same time thunder rumbled. She sat upright with a terrible yelp, as if being attacked. It didn't get better when she saw Dahlia right in front of her.

"Dahlia!"

Klaus sped up to her, at the same time pushing the old witch away, "Mal! Mal! It's okay! Look, it's me!" he grabbed her head, forcing her scanning eyes to land on him, "It's me, you're gonna be fine now, I promise you."

As everything settled inside her mind, she released a breath, "Klaus? What happened? One moment I'm at Cami's, and the next moment you come in and steal the necklace and my body…" her eyes moved past him to Dahlia, her tone turning distasteful, "...for her?"

"You saw?" Klaus asked, glancing back at Dahlia for an explanation.

"The soul was able to portray itself outside the necklace," she shrugged, "Only visible to me of course."

"Lucky me," Maleny threw her a glare, "I would have rather been completely trapped inside a two inch necklace thank see you all the time."

Dahlia looked at Klaus instead of responding to the blonde, "She's a lovely one, there. We have work to do," she seemed to be turning back for the altar when she feigned a surprised gasp and faced the pair, "And if you were thinking about double crossing me, Niklaus, you may want to hold off for now."

Klaus saw the devilish smile the woman had specifically for Maleny and frowned, "What did you do?" he didn't think twice before speeding the woman against a wall.

Dahlia remained at ease and simply reached for a nearby herb with thorns. She pushed Klaus away from her and gestured to the root and her palm then gently pricked her skin.

"Ow!" they heard Maleny yelp from her spot on the table. Klaus turned around to find the blonde staring at her palm that now had a small blood circle...just like Dahlia did.

"You linked yourself to her!?" he angrily turned back to Dahlia, "I warned you-"

"It's a one-sided link. Anything that happens to me will happen to her. It's simply an insurance for me that you won't try to pull one over me," Dahlia crossed her arms, "She'll be fine, and once I can link myself to Hope's power Maleny will be free."

"What did she just say about Hope!?" Maleny had completely disregarded about her linking and focused on the delirious idea of Dahlia linking to Hope, "You're gonna what!? Klaus, is there something you want to tell me!?"

Dahlia smiled calmly, "I should let you two have word, I'd rather none of this couplish stuff come out at the wrong time and cost us the child."

Maleny watched the woman head into a small side room in horror, "Cost you the what!?" she hopped off the table, ready to go after Dahlia.

"Maleny!" Klaus grabbed her from behind, yanking her away, "We have to talk…"

Maleny pushed him away, getting riled up with him as well, "What are you doing? What am I doing here!? What is going on!?"

"Shh, shh," Klaus tried to calm her but she swatted away his hands.

"Don't shh me!" she exclaimed, now warning him with a finger, "Do not ever 'shh' me!" she stepped closer to him, "I don't care if you're a bad hybrid I will make you regret that."

"MALENY!" Klaus finally lost his patience and shouted, startling the blonde quiet for a minute, "You have to do as I say for this to work…"

"I'm honestly afraid to listen," Maleny crossed her arms, "I know you're angry for what your siblings did to you, so I imagine your next actions will be painful and pretty gruesome."

"Mal," Klaus rested his hands on her arms, "I have a plan that can save Hope and bring back our son, I promise."

"But with her?" Maleny whispered, fearing Dahlia could be overhearing.

"For the time being, yes," Klaus nodded, moving his hands to cup her face, "But you have to do exactly as I say. And I'm sorry, but there's already one complication."

Maleny searched his eyes for any glint of deceitful hints, but once again for her they were truthful. She walked away from him, trying to think for a moment. "You're not an idiot-" behind her, Klaus playfully rolled his eyes, "-so there has to be something to this." She turned sideways, her face displaying the weariness that was slowly filling her up from the inside. "Will it really bring back our son? And keep Hope safe?"

Klaus walked up to her again, confidently nodding. He laid a hand on her cheek and looked her directly in the eyes. "I promise you it will. And we will put this curse of yours to an end for good."

"Prioritize me last please," she whispered, "I want my son. And I want Hope. I want them both in our home, getting to know each other and living peacefully like they deserve."

"All of it will happen, Maleny, but do you promise to listen to me?"

"I do...but you should know by now I am probably your weakest link in this plan-" she truthfully tried to warn him but Klaus chuckled. "You should get your family and-"

"You are my family," Klaus had lost his playfulness and spoke with the utmost honesty. He cupped her face and gave her that crooked smile she came to love so long ago. "Out of everyone you are always standing beside me, never giving me a reason to doubt you. You are my strongest link. You're my motivation."

Maleny felt she was blushing like a teenage would after hearing all that. "Pretty words, Mr. Mikaelson...I think I may just accept..."

Klaus' lips stretched to smile wider. "My love, we have a lot of work to do."


Author's Note:

2. more. chapters. to. go. Yowzah! I'm so excited can you tell!? And I'm sorry but when I watched this episode and saw Dhalia in that cemetery crypt I always wondered if she protected the entrance or not while she was in her mind with Klaus. Like, you realize you just let yourself defenseless if anyone happened to pass by xD. That's why in this chapter I had Cami find her. And again, sorry for the lack of Maleny but I promise she's back now!

For the Review:

Yes I promise you Elijah will have quite a pickle in getting Cami to be okay with him again *evil smirk* ain't no one mess with Cami like that. I know, poor Mal. But like I said before she's done swapping bodies for this story and the next - promise! Thank you, I most certainly did have fun on vaca! And yes, I'm ashamed but my brain doesn't stop wondering 'oh but what about this oc and that show hmmm'. I've got drafts everywhere but 2 drafted stories are nearing the end of editing so they can be published soon ^.^


As always thank you for reading and feel free to leave behind a thought or comment! Until next time!