Disclaimer: I do not own the Originals! I only own my OC, Juliet Jordan Gilbert, and any other characters I make up along the way!

Author's Note: Here's the next chapter!

Enjoy!

I was wandering along the Bayou, looking for the way back to my car, when the wind carried a familiar scent to my nose. I instantly chased after it, and I came to a stop in front of a werewolf encampment. Standing in the middle of the encampment surrounded by terrified werewolves was Klaus, holding a baseball in his hands.

"I wonder if you lot can help me- I'm looking for the werewolf who calls herself your queen," Klaus started, and when no one answered, he said, "I'd prefer you tell me where she is before I grow irritated. After all-" He tossed the baseball back to a young boy. "-there are children present."

"Always with the theatrics, eh, Klaus?" I asked, and he turned around at the sound of my voice.

He smirked at the sight of me. "Ah, Juliet! How nice of you to join me."

Hayley Marshall skipped rocks along the lake at the edge of the woods. Her head was a mess of thoughts, and she thought that skipping stones would help clear it a little.

From the very beginning, Juliet had trusted Hayley. She spilled all the details about the baby, and even denied allowing Klaus to compel her to think that Charlotte had died, saying that she trusted Hayley with her life. Jules was more than a cousin to Hayley, she was a sister. When Hayley had no one, Jules stepped up. She did everything she could to make sure that Hayley could get to know the family that she never knew, and this was how Hayley was repaying her? By giving up her deepest, most dearest secret?

Hayley angrily threw her stone at the water, the rock making a loud "plunk" sound as it crashed into the waves.

The stupid skipping stones idea wasn't working.

"You scared me."

Hayley jumped at the sound of the voice, obviously startled, but she turned around and was instantly calmed at the sight of Jackson.

"I was worried you ran off in the middle of the night," he continued.

She shook her head. She must have been so lost in thought that she didn't even notice him come up. "No. I was just out here, thinking..." She turned back to the water and tossed another stone. Jackson picked up a stone of his own to skip as she said, "Jack, I know I'm supposed to divulge my great secrets, but I-I can't. I can't even tell you why I can't."

"Hayley, do you really think there's a secret you have that's so bad you can't tell me?" Jackson asked.

Hayley sighed, thinking of her part-namesake. "It's not safe, Jack."

"When have we ever been safe, Hayley?" He questioned. "Now, our people have been cursed, hunted, exiled. But you and me, this wedding? We can change all that. We can create a new pack, one with Jules's ability to turn at will once you two do the merge! So, we give each other our secrets. If we don't, then the transfer of power won't work, and we're back to where we were."

Hayley bit her lip anxiously. "Listen, if we can't get Jules to agree to this, then there's no point of even doing the wedding."

"We can get Julie to listen to reason," Jackson argued. He sighed. "Look, even if we call off the wedding, there's still something that I need to tell you."

"Jack, I'm sure you've lived quite the life, but I can't imagine that your secrets are anything like mine," She retorted.

Jackson turned solemn as he said, "There's one." He took a deep breath, preparing himself. "That has to do with... how your parents and Jules's parents died."

Hayley was immediately piqued with interest as she turned to face the werewolf, eager and worried to hear what he had to say.

"Klaus, at least listen to what I have to say!" I called out after the hybrid. Klaus had gotten whiff of Mary, and he was running to where her little cabin was. I hadn't had the chance to even bring up the marriage ritual, because Klaus had just said, "I'm going to find your cousin and kill her" before taking off.

The scent of potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers hit my nose as we came to a stop at Mary's cabin. Klaus stooped in her doorway, obviously not allowed to go in since he had to be invited. Mary turned to face us, and Klaus smiled at her as she clutched her knife in her hand protectively.

"What do you want?" She practically snarled.

"Well, we could start with some common courtesy. You could invite me in?" Klaus started.

The Elder scoffed. "Not likely, vampire."

Klaus smiled. "I'm a hybrid, dear. Half-wolf. You and I could be distant relatives, for all you know! Matter of fact, I'm looking for another of my kind. Rumor has it she's nearby."

"What do you want with Hayley?" Mary demanded.

I stepped up. "He just wanted to have a civil conversation with her and her fiance," I said, giving Klaus a pointed look telling him that if he even attempted violence I'd toss him into the river.

Klaus nodded. "Of course. I wish only to remind her of the importance of family. Dissuade her from foolish mistakes."

"Jackson's with her now. They can look out for each other. Why don't you just leave them alone?" Mary asked.

"Well, perhaps I should," Klaus said sarcastically. "Clearly, I can trust Jackson's selfless nature, as willing as he is to marry Hayley and save her from the horrors of her current existence. And, in exchange for nothing more than an empowered werewolf pack to serve as his own personal army. Hmm. You know, on second thought, I think I'd like to congratulate the bride and groom." Klaus smirked amusingly. "No doubt they're close by, attending to their prenuptial observances. And since you've been unable to help me find them, well... I suppose I'll have to hunt them down myself, won't I?"

With that, he grabbed my hand and vamp sped us away.

Meanwhile, deep in the Bayou, Jackson had brought Hayley to a makeshift graveyard.

"What is this place?" the female werewolf wondered.

"It's where wolves bury those who walk away from the pack. Traitors, murderers... like this one," Jackson stopped, pointing at a rudimentary grave marker made out of wood. It had the initials RXD carved into it above a crescent moon.

"Richard Xavier Dumas," he started. "He was Mary's husband... my grandfather. He was an Alpha of his time. He was a militant radical hell-bent on raising war with vampires. When he found out that your parents and mine planned to join the packs and that Jules's mother was marrying and having a baby with a warlock, try for peace with Marcel and his crew, he... he went ballistic."

The shock and horror hit Hayley like a ton of bricks. "...It was him, wasn't it? He was the one that killed my parents, and my aunt and uncle."

"He wanted to stop them and everything they stood for... and he did," Jackson said sadly.

Hayley could feel herself starting to be choked by her own tears as she said, "I have spent my entire life wondering what happened to my parents. And-and even though I know Jules thought of Miranda and Grayson as her parents, she always wondered." Hayley took a deep breath. "Why did you wait so long to tell me?"

"I didn't know until Mary told me. She said she'd held onto the secret about what my grandfather did for two decades, and knew it was time for it to come out." He bit his lip anxiously. "And I knew I had to be the one to tell you. Truth is, I didn't know if I could. I also wanted your advice on how to tell Juliet. You two are like two sides of the same coin."

Hayley shook her head. "I don't blame you, Jack. I guess... I just really hate secrets."

"That was my secret. Whatever yours is... If you don't want to tell me, then don't. It doesn't change a thing. Least of all, how I feel about you," Jackson said.

"Quite the romantic sentiment."

Jackson and Hayley turned to see Klaus, Juliet behind him, the female hybrid trying desperately to catch her breath. "I am out of shape" she grumbled as she straightened her back.

"I wonder, however, if I might impose on this lovely tableau long enough to have a word with Hayley," Klaus asked, looking to the werewolf.

Jackson looked hesitant, but Hayley gently squeezed his shoulder. "It's okay." She gestured to her cousin. "Jules is here, it'll be fine. Go ahead. I'll meet you back at Mary's."

Jackson pat Hayley on the back before he reluctantly left the three to talk.

"Have you lost your mind?!" was the first thing out of Klaus's mouth as soon as Jackson left. "Are you seriously considering this preposterous truth-telling idiocy?"

"Actually, I'm kind of on the fence," My cousin responded calmly.

"Well, allow me to make this simple for you- under no circumstances will you divulge any family secrets, especially none that would endanger our child!" Klaus thundered, gesturing at me and him when he said "our child".

"Except it's not that simple, Klaus," She retorted. She turned to me. "You saw what Finn did. He's growing more powerful by the day. Right now he controls over half of the wolves. This marriage could change that."

Klaus, knowing that she was right but not wanting to admit it, said, "The outcome of your strategy is not worth the risk it imposes on our daughter."

"Well, it's not a risk if I trust Jackson," Hayley said in frustration. She looked between the two of us. "Klaus, Jules, think. We could have a whole army of super-wolves who could protect Charlotte as one of their own."

"With all due respect, Charlotte doesn't need a wolf army," I cut in. "She has her Mom and her Dad to protect her."

Klaus nodded in agreement. "And an easier time we'll have of it, too, without you running off sharing secrets with every motley member of your werewolf brethren."

"Damnit, guys!" Hayley growled. "This is your chance! We can bring her home. We have to at least consider this!"

"I have considered it, and I have deemed it absurd. And in this matter, there is no one above my decree, not even you," Klaus said. He took a step closer to Hayley. "You will tell Jackson the wedding is off."

Hayley glared at him. "It's a good thing I don't take orders from anyone. Especially not from you." She turned to me for support. "Jules?"

I sighed. I was really on the fence about all of this. While I wanted to help my werewolf family, Charlotte's safety trumped all of that. "I signed up to merge my body with yours to let our wolves control when they shifted, not to tell people that my kid is still alive."

"But you trust Jackson, don't you?" She demanded.

I growled. "Yes, I do! Of course I do. He's an Alpha, and I obey orders from Alphas. But when it comes to my baby and her safety, the only person that I trust on this Earth is Klaus."

He turned sharply to look over at me. "Really?"

I felt myself blush under his stare, and I quickly looked away from him as I looked back at Hayley. "It's not as simple as you're making it out to seem."

"It really is, Juliet," she argued. "Can't you see? All our people have ever tried to do is help you and Charlotte. They gave you a place to stay when you and Klaus were on the outs-and let's be real, that happens way too often-they fed you, clothed you. It was our wolves that protected you two. It was his-" a sharp finger in Klaus's direction "-mother who tried to kill her, and who knows what his equally psychotic brother is up to!"

"I will deal with Finn," Klaus cut in.

"And then what?" She demanded. "Charlotte will always be the daughter of Klaus Mikaelson, the hybrid killer with a thousand enemies!"

I couldn't help the small stab at my own heart at the look on Klaus's face, and I was about to interject but Hayley kept going, "Don't you get it, Jules? It's Klaus." I looked over at the hybrid, who was looking at me desperately, as if he was hoping and praying that I didn't think the same way as Hayley did. "He's the threat. He's so paranoid that he can't see that this wedding can help her. She can come home. The wolves will be on our side."

Klaus finally broke my stare as he barked at Hayley, "The wolves cannot be trusted!"

"In your paranoid mind, nobody can be trusted!" Hayley shouted back. "Where does it end?"

"There is no end!" Klaus screamed. "Need I remind you I killed my own father in order to protect her?"

"Really?" Hayley demanded. "That's why you killed him? Or is it just that you were so terrified of letting someone- anyone- in?"

Klaus's gaze flickered to me as Hayley turned to me. "I know this wedding can work. We can bring your little girl home. But you have to trust me."

I felt my heart begin to swell. There was nothing more that I wanted than for my baby girl to be home, in my arms, safe. Not having to worry about someone hunting her, able to go to school, free to live her life. But that wasn't her reality. And I had to face it.

I turned to Klaus. "I trust Hayley, and she trusts Jackson." I took a step towards Klaus. "And if you trust me like you say you do, then you'll trust me on this."

Klaus nodded at me, and gently caressed my face with his hands. "I do trust you," He whispered, and I felt my face burn. The two of us were completely oblivious to the fact that Hayley was still there. "More than you know."

He gave me a gentle smile, and I had just started to return it when I felt a sharp crack in my neck, and I fell backwards as I slipped into the cold darkness of death.

I slowly regained consciousness, and I shakily opened my eyes to see the darkness of night. There was a terrible pain in my neck as I slowly sat up. I rubbed my neck where Klaus had obviously broken it and started to look around at my new surroundings.

My eyes settled on a dark figure leaning against a tree, and I recognized it to be a bound and gagged Hayley. I slowly crawled over to my cousin and pulled the gag off of her mouth. She had a bruise on her head from where I assumed Klaus had knocked her out. It took a little shaking, but she finally came to as I started untying her bounds.

"That bastard always hated me," She groaned as I tore off the restraints on her feet.

"No," I responded. "What he's always hated is that I choose other people over him. Back when we were dating, I always picked him. But now that there's more stuff at stake, my priorities are shifting."

"Thank you for taking my side," She said to me.

I shook my head. "I'm not taking your side, and I'm not taking Klaus's. I'm taking my daughter's, and the best chance she has at being safe. Honestly, a werewolf army doesn't sound that bad."

Hayley could only nod, and her head snapped up as she realized something. "Where's Klaus?"

It hit me at the same time it hit her. "Jackson!" I said as I scrambled to my feet.

"You go on ahead," She said as she shakily got to her feet. "Save him please, Jules. I-I think I love him."

"No problem," I told her as I turned my face to the wind like Klaus had taught me. When I caught his and Jackson's scents, I bolted after them.

When I came to the spot in the forest where their scents had led, I found Klaus holding Jackson in a choke hold. Desperate, I threw myself at Klaus and tackled him to the ground. I landed on top of him, straddling him as I pinned his wrists to the ground. "You once told me that you admired how determined I was to protect my own." I leaned closer to his face. "Jackson is my own." I tossed Klaus's hands to the ground as I got off of him and ran to stand in front of the bloodied, beat up werewolf. "And if you want to get him, you have no choice but to go through me."

Klaus cocked his head to the side as he looked at me. "You truly believe that he is worthy of your trust?"

In a small voice, I said the one thing that I knew he wouldn't dare argue with, "I believed that you were."

I had hit the nail on the head. Klaus nodded at me. "Well, you are stubborn, Juliet Gilbert. I can attest to that." He sighed deeply. "Fine. Let Hayley tell him, let them have their wedding. Save your wolves." He looked over at Jackson. "But, you mark my words, if you ever betray us, I will find you, and I will deposit your head on the end of a spike. Perhaps I'll leave it in your grandmother's garden."

Klaus gave the two of us one last look before vamp speeding away. I immediately let out a breath as I turned around and dropped down next to Jackson. "I'm so sorry about him," I said as I threw his arm around my shoulder.

"No, it's okay," he said. "I'm just glad that you chose us."

"I chose my baby, Jack," I told him. "There's a difference."

Hayley joined us shortly after, and I handed her an ice pack for the bump on her head. She gave me a grateful smile as I turned around to walk back into the cabin to grab a glass of water. Mary was patching Jackson up, and we were all on her back patio overlooking the lake. She finished up by placing a bandage on Jackson, and I heard her say, "There. You let that sit. You'll feel better in the morning."

I heard her walk in, and I went over to her. "Mary, I am so sorry."

"For what? Loving a monster?" She asked, and I opened my mouth to protest the whole, you know, "love" part when she cut me off. "Honey, I've seen the way you look at him, and the way he looks at you. If you didn't love him, you would have taken Hayley and Jackson's side, no problem."

I opened my mouth again but found no words coming out. Mary patted my back in comfort and walked away, leaving me standing in the middle of her kitchen holding a glass of water.

Hayley came in and immediately sensed something was wrong. "What's up?" She asked.

I cleared my throat and turned to the sink. I dumped the water into it, suddenly not all that thirsty. "Nothing." I looked back over at her, and noticed the serious look on her face. "Is it time?"

She nodded. "It's time."

With that, Hayley held out her hand, and I placed mine in hers. She gave it a squeeze, because she knew how hard this was for me. I didn't want anyone knowing Charlotte was still alive, but, well, this was family. And I was thinking of letting my Mystic Falls family know that Charlotte was still alive, and it wouldn't be fair if I didn't tell Jackson at least, and the thing with Jackson was much more important.

We walked to the patio where Jackson was, and I sat down across from him as Hayley settled in next to him. "You okay?" She asked.

He shrugged. "I'll live. That's the thing I can't figure out- why didn't he kill me?"

"Take it from someone with a lot of Klaus experience," I started. "Klaus doesn't like trusting people. He took a long time to trust me. But when he did, he trusted me with everything he had. I think he realized that if he didn't trust you, I'd turn on him, and Klaus being alone is the one thing that he fears above everything. He's always counted on me for support and loyalty, but he has to realize that that's changed." I leaned forward. "And it's changed because of one thing."

I looked over at Hayley and nodded. This was her ritual to complete, so I'd let her do it.

She nodded back, and she turned to Jackson. "I wanna tell you a story... about a beautiful baby girl." She looked over at me again. "And the parents who swore they would die to protect her."

TBC...

School's started so I don't know what my updating schedule's gonna be like, just a fair warning!

Sorry if this chapter and the next are kinda crap, but I'm just trying to power through!

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Next chapter...

The Devil is Damned...

FAMILY IS POWER — More dangerous than ever, Finn remains one step ahead after joining forces with a powerful figure from his past. As the threat to Charlotte's life grows stronger, Klaus realizes he has no choice but to place his trust in his siblings to ensure she remains protected. Meanwhile, after being presented with an enticing proposition, Kol is forced to make a difficult life or death decision, and Elijah finds himself in the fight of his life after an unexpected visitor arrives at the safe house. At the bayou, Juliet continues to help Hayley and Jackson prepare for the unification ritual as well as the merge, but things quickly go awry when they become pawns in Finn's dangerous plan.