I do not own TVD or TO. There would have been some seriously altered plots if I did *cough* ELEJAH *cough* KLAROLINE

Sorry for the delay. Technically this one wasn't on the list to update today but I just started writing and got in the zone.

Thierry looked the witch over with narrow eyes as he sat across from her at a small round table. In the distance he heard seagulls and lapping waves but there was only Bastianna inside the warehouse.

"Where are the others: Sabine and Genevieve? I asked to meet with all of you." He picked at a knot in the table. He kept one ear on her beating heart, knowing all the while precisely where he could find Genevieve.

"Meeting you at all is a curtesy for you being a friend to the witches in the past, but even curtesy has its limits." Bastianna tilted her head and raised her brows; a serene smile played at the edges of her mouth. "You said you had information of interest."

He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest.

"Marcel and Rebekah are back. They came for Davina," he tilted his head, waiting for any reaction, "and they think they can get her magic back if they kill all three of you."

He wasn't sure how to take her suddenly amused smile.

"I can lead you straight to them, but there's something I want in return."

"And what might that be?" Bastianna's eyebrows rose as she leveled him with an expectant look.

"Your life," Thierry stood with a smirk. The veins beneath his eyes pulsed violently as he inhaled, savoring the rich smell of hot blood. He bared his teeth and lunged, but before he could sink his fangs into her neck he felt pain shoot through his head; he barely got a glimpse of her before he fell to the ground.

Bastianna's head jerked around and her eyes focused on a rustling tarp several feet to her left. She spun again when the wind moved through her hair and came face to face with the Original sister. She gasped when hands gripped either side of her head and twisted.

"Two down," Marcel rubbed his bottom lip with his thumb, "one to go."

"We have no idea where Celeste is," Rebekah shook her head. She was starting to think they would have been better to risk it and hunt down Freya.

"You want me to open a tomb with Davina's blood?" Cassie shivered. She rubbed the goosebumps from her upper arms.

"I'm sure you've been taught not to trust vampires," Kol slid his jacket off, "but I assure you this is important, love." He draped the warm material over Cassie's trembling shoulders.

"Why should I help you?" Her teeth chattered. The first instinct she had was to refuse the kindness from someone like him, but she was freezing.

"It's not for us," Freya met Cassie's eyes. She could see the trepidation there, the distrust.

"It's for Father Kieran, Cassie," Davina took the small knife from Kol. "He's the one that sent the vampires to stop the Harvest."

"That sounds like someone who should die as punishment for his crimes." Cassie gritted her teeth to keep her bottom lip from trembling.

"Is that you talking or the ancestors?" Davina sliced into her palm. She held out her hand to her friend. "The witches lied to us Cassie, and Sophie and Kieran were the only ones willing to do something to stop them. Please help him; he tried to save you."

"The Harvest worked Davina," Cassie shook her head. She shifted on the balls of her feet as if to leave; she turned around, but froze when Davina called after her.

"You were second," Davina blinked back tears, "and terrified. I know you tried to run when Bastianna cut Abigail's throat. You saw the entire coven box us in and push us forward as we begged for someone, anyone, to help us. Are you telling me after all of that they are the people you'll give your loyalty to?"

"As opposed to vampires?" Cassie bit her bottom lip. She knew what the ancestors would have said. She even knew what Monique would have said, but her own feelings were muddled.

"Those vampires kept me alive," Davina's fingers curled into a fist over the cut; blood dripped from her palm. "I'm not asking you to trust Kol, or even to like him for that matter. All I'm asking is that you do this one spell so that maybe, just maybe we can save Father Kieran."

"Why don't you do it?" Cassie turned back around slowly. Her eyes flickered over Davina's determined features. "Or her for that matter?"

"I have no magic," Davina shook her head, "and Freya practices a different kind of magic."

"It would take me some time to access ancestral magic," Freya leaned against the crypt, "as I've only the faintest link to that plain. And frankly, I'm not sure we've got the time."

Cassie bit her bottom lip and tilted her head. Her footsteps were hesitant as she closed the distance between herself and Davina.

"What happened to your magic?"

"It was stolen," she met Cassie's eyes, "just like yours was, and Monique's and Abigail's. You're alive again and that means the witch who stole your magic is dead."

"You're alive."

"Because of an elixir," Davina held out her hand, unfolding her fingers to reveal her bloody palm. "Please."

Cassie bit her cheek and looked from Davina's eyes to her hand. She remembered what the ancestors had told her about her friend's lack of faith and that she needed to be punished and guided back, but looking at the other girl she couldn't help but wonder if she would have done the same thing. If she had been last, and granted the power of four, would she have sided with the vampires to save her own life?

She lifted her hand from the folds of the jacket and held her palm above Davina's.

"I'm not really sure if that helps," Cami crossed her arms.

"Not sure it doesn't," Klaus grunted. He spared her a glance over his shoulder when Caroline walked in.

"Don't mind him Cami," Caroline scoffed. "He's self-medicating."

"Self-medication?" Cami arched an eyebrow. "And what is he self-medicating?"

"Self-pity," Caroline leaned against the back of the couch. "I suppose that's better than tainted blood. Elijah will be thrilled he's been granted more time to hunt down Rebekah."

"Don't talk to me about Elijah, or Rebekah," he growled, downing half his drink.

"They love you," Cami pressed her shoulders to the wall. "Anyone with eyes can see that."

"What are you doing here Camille?" Klaus poured himself a second glass of scotch.

"I needed to get out of the attic before either my uncle or I snapped." She shrugged. "I wouldn't have left, but your sister is there."

"Kol said he was going to get Freya for something in the cemetery," Caroline frowned. She held up her hands when she saw the expression flicker over Cami's face. "Don't worry. If she did leave she would have taken precautions and sealed him in the attic."

"If it's all the same to you, I think I'll run back and check." Cami flashed out of the compound.

"She's right you know?" Caroline covered the top of his glass before he could pour a third round.

"Caroline." There was a note of warning in his voice.

"The last thing your rage needs is alcohol," she gave the decanter a pointed look.

He sighed and placed the crystal back on the cart.

"What is Camille correct about?"

"That Rebekah and Elijah love you."

"Strange then, that one would summon my father here in order to kill me."

"You don't think she regretted that the moment she did it?"

"If she did she should have come forward and warned us." He grasped Caroline's elbow, spinning her into the bar and stepping so they were pressed together. "She could have said something and we would have had time to run. Elijah wouldn't have had to carry the guilt of being unable to stop Mikael that night, and we would have never spent a century at odds."

He released her arm when his phone vibrated, pulling it out to check the message.

"It appears my sister and her lover have been spotted in town."

"Klaus!" She grabbed his arm before he could move away from her.

"I gave my word I wouldn't harm Jeremy," he worked his sleeve free of her grip. "And I will keep that, but Rebekah must pay for her crimes."

"How exactly are you planning on doing that?" Caroline stalked after him. "The daggers are gone."

"There's a fate far worse than the dagger," he glanced over his shoulder.

Caroline's eyes grew round when she saw the edge of a bone white knife in his palm. She didn't get a chance to stop him before he flashed out of the compound.

"What are you doing?" Cami stepped into the alley a few blocks from the compound and crossed her arms.

Klaus pulled his teeth from the man's neck and sent him along his way before sighing and turning to Camille.

"I am going to kill my sister, love, but first I needed some sustenance that hadn't been tainted with vervain." He braced his hands on the bricks, willing the weariness to leave his bones. "What are you doing back here?"

"My uncle's confined, and I couldn't take the slurs he was throwing at me," Cami looked away. She took a deep breath before raising her eyes back to him. "Caroline texted me when you ran off. I guess the supernatural low jack only works with a lengthy separation, or some sort of physical pain." Her eyes dropped to the knife poking out of his pocket.

"Let me guess," he chuckled, "she went one way and you the other?"

"Yeah," Cami nodded. "And now I've got something to say about that knife you're so intent on driving through your little sister's heart." She started after him when he gave her a dismissive gesture and stumbled down the alley. "I wanted to kill you. I even thought about burying that blade in you like the witches asked me to, but I didn't. I stopped and I thought. I weighed those good things I saw in you against the horrible things you had done, and I realized that if I hurt you, someone I all but hate, I would have been filled with regret."

She stopped up short when he froze midway down the alley. She took a deep breath when he turned around.

"You'll regret it," she met his eyes, "if you hurt your sister, and if you actually kill her you won't survive the pain of it."

"Do you want to know what I almost didn't survive, love?" He stormed towards her and would have been impressed by the way she stood her ground if not for his rage. "I almost didn't survive it when my sister brought the vilest creature to ever walk the earth down upon me."

"Yeah," Cami rolled her eyes, "your father. But," she stepped forward forcing him to take a step back, "if you hunt Rebekah and Marcel down to the ends of the earth, if you terrorize them the way you were terrorized, you'll be no different than him. Don't become your father."

His eyes widened, hurt flashed in the depths.

"I've been called every shade of monster, but that's new," he shook his head. "My father?" His eyes narrowed. "Mikael was the monster that monsters were afraid of. Come on; let me show you."

Cami gasped when he grabbed her arm and sped away. When he stopped they were standing before the burnt out ruins of the old opera house.

Her fingers ran through the thick black fur of Jackson. He was the only one who had stayed behind with her after Elena chased down Elijah.

She shifted on the log and looked up when she heard dry twigs snapping underfoot.

"You came back." She wasn't sure whether to smile or not when she saw Elijah step through the trees with Celeste. Elena was only a few steps behind.

"Of course," he nodded, "I'll always come back; of that you can be sure."

Elena held out her hand, passing Hayley the jar of herbs.

"Take it. It will work." He no longer doubted it because Celeste had been correct, at least as far as she could see it. Hayley would hate him if he destroyed the cure, and she would eventually choose her family when it worked.

"Thank you," she wrapped her arms around her in an impulsive hug. "Eve and I'll round up as many people as we can; come the next full moon I can free my family."

Hayley smiled and turned around, walking through the trees with Jackson in the direction of the encampments.

"Do you think they realize how lucky they are to have her?" Elena stared off in the direction Hayley had gone.

"Do you think she realizes how lucky she is to have you?" He turned his attention to her. "I would have destroyed that little jar if you hadn't come along."

"Maybe," Elena shrugged, "maybe not." She turned on her heel to face him. "I'm gonna run back to the compound and check in. Try not to kill her?"

"How about maiming?" He smirked. Bending slightly he pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek before she flashed away.

"Hmm," Celeste tilted her head, "that was touching," she felt his eyes on her as she arched an eyebrow. "Such a chaste, sweet little kiss; the Elijah I knew was never so meek."

"Well," he straightened his cuffs, "the Celeste I knew was never so cruel. What is it you want?" He fixed her with a dark look he prayed his daughter never learned he possessed. "What's your end game?"

"End game?" Celeste's mouth popped open to omit a trilling laugh. "There is no end to this game Elijah. We're both immortal, you know."

"Then what's the point if you can't possibly win?" His brows knit together. The prospect of being at odds with his former lover for the rest of time made his stomach twist. He would either have to find a way to kill her or spend the rest of his life running in order to protect his daughter.

"I have won," she smirked. "You've lost the girl and your niece, and your family lies in ruins."

"My family," he advanced on her slowly, "despite all that you have done, will heal in time."

"Maybe if you had the time," Celeste nodded in agreement, "but do you really think that Rebekah ran? I'm willing to bet she didn't."

"She's long gone," Elijah shook his head.

"Is she?" She raised her eyebrows in a condescending gesture. "She's with Marcel. Marcel loves Davina, and Davina could help them if she only had her magic; magic that could come back provided the right conditions were met."

"They wouldn't dare," his jaw ticked.

"If you hadn't been so worried about hunting down Hayley and what was her name? Elena?" She tilted her head with a smirk. "You might have figured it out sooner, but do you know who had time to think about it? Your brother. I wonder what he'll do."

She gasped when he grabbed her neck, forcing her head back. She saw his eyes flood with red and his fangs descend.

"Do it," she rasped, daring him. She knew as well as anyone what it meant when he hadn't given his word to the brunette and was curious to see if he would end her life there in the woods.

She released the softest cry of pain when his teeth broke the skin of her neck. Her eyes bulged as the blood was pulled from her body in vicious tugs.

"What were you thinking?" Freya picked up a devil's star and turned to her baby brother. "What explanation could you possibly have for teaching witches how to make these things?"

"There so much energy in here," Cassie frowned at the shelves.

"We've established that I didn't take the loss of my magic well." Kol plucked the star from Freya's fingers, gently poking a point with his thumb. "You're taking it much better than I did, darling."

"Clearly," Davina tore her gaze from the shelves when she heard his voice directed at her.

"Nik and I were at odds a century ago," Kol opened a glass case full of books, "I wanted to protect myself."

"And a devil's star was meant to do that?" Freya frowned.

"Practice, sweet sister," he pulled a book from the shelf. "All in preparation for the piece de resistance," he answered the unasked question when he saw their blank looks. Reaching into the case he pulled out a familiar dagger. "I wanted them to make a gold dagger that would work on Nik."

"Clever," Freya took the ash dagger and set it aside. She accepted the book when he passed it to her. "You're certain it was one of the dark objects that cursed Kieran?"

"Positive," he flipped through the book in her hands until he found the page, "it was one of the cursed rosaries meant to drive a person to madness."

"Can you stop it now?" Davina leaned against the table with Cassie.

"Dark objects don't actually come with an off switch," Kol shook his head.

"But this gives me a better chance," Freya glanced up from the pages.

Finn paused at the foot of the stairs when he heard the click of high heels and turned around. He smiled upon seeing her.

"You're right on time; she's just waking up from her nap."

Elena froze and cocked her head to the side, listening to the lack of sound in the compound while rubbing her thumb over her wrist.

"Where is everybody?" She had expected to hear arguing in one corner and Kol in the other.

"Niklaus took off the moment he got enough strength to move; Caroline followed to try and stop him. Kol said he had an idea to help Kieran and left with Davina to see it through."

"So it's just you?" A line appeared between her brows.

"Do you not trust me alone with your child, Elena?" Finn stepped down in front of her and met her eyes.

"Of course I trust you," she rubbed her wrist, "I was just expecting a full house." She heard the chatter coming through the monitor. "I'm gonna go get her up." She paused halfway up the stairs. "You do know I trust you, right?"

He smiled and nodded.

Elena flashed up the stairs and into the nursery.

"Hello, little miss," she smiled, lifting her daughter into her arms. "Mama's missed you today. I have," she pressed a bunch of quick kisses to Miranda's cheek, "missed you so much."

She moved to the changing table when she felt the full diaper and laid her down, rolling her eyes when Miranda started kicking her legs in the air and tried to roll over.

"You need to quit squirming," she caught Miranda's feet.

Miranda giggled when Mama pulled off her pants and changed her diaper. She wiggled away before she could put the pants back on.

"No bottoms today?" Elena smiled, setting the blue leggings aside. She picked Miranda up and adjusted the tunic so it fell down covering the child's upper legs.

She disposed of the dirty diaper and adjusted her hold on Miranda. Her eyes narrowed when Miranda giggled and tried to reach for her wrist.

Downstairs she placed Miranda on her bare feet in the kitchen where Finn was readying a cup of milk.

Miranda shivered and wiggled her toes on the smooth tile floor. She teetered around the corner with Mama and wrapped her arms around her leg.

"Mama?" She reached up.

"I thought you'd want to walk around a bit," Elena bent to scoop her up. She sat her on the edge of the counter and poked her nose.

Miranda reached for Mama's wrist and giggled when she felt the tingly skin.

Finn frowned, tilting his head. His eyes tracked the movement as Miranda kept patting Elena's wrist; she giggled every time her hand came into contact.

"Wasn't she doing that with Elijah earlier?"

She rolled her head back, grimacing when she felt the stone. Her eyes fluttered open as the shadow passed over her body. Looking up she squinted at her body guard.

"You didn't have to bite me to get me here," her smirk was weak. "I wanted front-row seats to this show?"

"And what show would that be?" Elijah crossed his arms and leaned against a crypt.

Celeste used the tombstone as leverage and stood up. Her energy seemed to grow as she made it to her feet.

"The one where you see your 'Always and Forever' pact come crashing down around you." She tilted her head, meeting his dark eyes. "It's a myth, Elijah; a myth I died for."

"And yet here you stand, alive…" his expression darkened. "For now…"

"Is that a threat?" She smiled and held up her hands in a welcoming gesture. "There's always another pretty, young body for me to jump into." She stepped towards him and searched his eyes. "From now on, every time you feel any kind of connection to someone, you'll be forced to wonder if it's really me."

Celeste hummed and started backing away. She smirked when he followed her step by step.

"You'll trust no one, and you'll spend the rest of eternity alone." She stepped over the threshold.

Elijah tried to run after her only to be stopped short by an invisible barrier. He glared when Celeste bent double and laughed after he was knocked off his feet.

"I'm afraid you're trapped," she held out her hands, encompassing the gateway. "It's a boundary spell. The Originals can enter, but they can't leave."

"You wouldn't," he pushed himself up on the heel of his palms.

"Oh I would," Celeste smirked, "and I did."

"Don't worry," she pushed her hair behind her ears, "it's a lunar spell. You'll be free by the next moonrise. My guess is your sister won't last that long. Now," she ran her hand down her arm and over her stomach, "this body has been a hell of a lot of fun, I do think it's time I find someone else to play in, don't you?"

There was something about the way she said it that set his heart to racing. Who would she target next? Freya? Davina?

Celeste bent and picked up a glass jar from the ground. She smashed it against the stones and picked up a shard of glass.

Blood spurted from her neck when she stabbed herself. A moment later the light left her eyes as she fell to the ground, dead.

Elijah lifted his head from the dead body as another stepped through the shadows. He saw the disappointment cross Monique's features as she looked down.

"You were right," she sighed.

Elijah followed the line of her arm towards the tunnels that she pointed to. He gave her a curt nod before flashing inside.

He stood off to the side as the sheet rose over the returned curves of the restored body. He smirked when she sat up with a gasp and clutched the sheet to her chest.

"Hello, Celeste," he stepped into the light.

Celeste was on her feet in a moment and backing away from him.

"How is this possible?" Her breath shook as she backed into the rough stone wall. She could still feel the pull of magic that had been interrupted.

"Monique Devereux and I had a little wager regarding your ability to keep a promise." He stalked towards her as she continued to back away. He was counting on her disorientation to ensure she didn't attempt a second jump. "It appears that I've won."

He smirked at her blank look.

"You were so consumed with my downfall, that you lost the trust of one of your own."

"Non, Mon Cheri, non." He saw the faint fear in her eyes. "Tout est possible. Ce n'est pas fini."

She gasped when he grabbed her waist, pulling her flush against him and shoving a knife through her heart. The last word she heard was his final farewell, but her promise died on her bloody lips.

Kol frowned when he went to follow the witches out of the cemetery.

"What's the hold up?" Freya glanced back over her shoulder. She frowned when she saw his hands pressed flat against the entrance.

"I appear to be trapped." Kol pushed against the wall.

"I can try and break it," Freya moved back.

"No," he shook his head. "Your skills are needed with Kieran. Most boundary spells are on a clock anyway."

"If you're not out by midnight, I'm coming back," Freya pointed to him. She turned her attention to Cassie as they walked away from the cemetery. "Do you have family, sweetie?"

She shook her head. The Harvest had been chaotic at best, but she vividly remembered watching a faceless vampire sinking her fangs into her mother's neck.

"We've got plenty of room." Freya slipped her hand into the pocket of Kol's jacket, still covering Cassie's shoulders, and extracted the keys. She opened the car door for the girls and slid behind the driver's seat. "You're welcome to stay with us."

Monique slipped into the tunnels after she sensed Elijah had left and pressed her hands to the cold forehead of the dead woman. She stood, retreating from the cemetery when she felt no magic in the body.

Kol paced between the rows of towering tombs while trying to remember the longest boundary spell that had ever been enacted. He knew it would either be sunrise or moonrise before he was released from the cemetery. It was highly unlikely whatever witch had sealed him in had used something strong enough for the spell to last. The only thing with that kind of power was Elena's blood and he highly doubted she had locked him up.

His head snapped up when he heard heels clicking over cobblestones outside the gate.

"You're sure she's here?"

"Positive."

"Bloody hell," Kol swore. He flashed in the direction of the entrance and cursed when he saw he was too late.

"What?" Rebekah jumped when her brother appeared from nowhere. "You scared me half to death. I thought you were Nik."

"Flattering," he drawled. "Marcel, I'm going to go ahead and recommend you get out of here… if you can."

"What's going on?" Marcel's eyes darted from Kol to Rebekah.

"Originals are trapped in the cemetery."

They all turned to the voice as Elijah stepped around a tomb.

"Marcel, you need to leave." Elijah sighed. "I had hoped you would have run."

"I'm not leaving her!" He shook his head.

"Yes, you are," Rebekah pushed him back beyond the boundary. "Find Jeremy and make sure he hasn't gotten into trouble."

Over the rooftops they heard the enraged shouts.

"Rebekah! Rebekah!"

She stiffened.

"Cherish the breath in your lungs! It'll be your last."

"Bet you're wishing you hadn't betrayed me a century ago now," Kol glanced over his shoulder.

"Shut up!" She trembled in her boots.

"Just saying," he shrugged, "we could have had something that worked on him."

"She should have run," Elijah shook his head.

"We all know I wouldn't have gotten far enough," Rebekah steeled her nerves, "nowhere on earth is beyond his reach."

Elijah broke off a piece from a low iron fence and saw Kol do the same from the corner of his eye. They straightened up just as Klaus rounded a corner with Papa Tunde's blade in hand.

"You can't shield her," Klaus' eyes flooded with yellow. The veins protruded and pulsed as his fangs came out.

"I think we've got a better shot than most," Kol bared his fangs. A single glance over his shoulder showed his brother and sister prepared for a fight.

Her eyes fluttered open as a small hand pushed continually over her heart; it pushed again and again until she focused. It took her a moment to place the cool tile on which she laid as a kitchen floor.

"Are you alright?"

Familiar dark eyes stared down at her. She cleared her throat and ran her tongue along her teeth before propping herself up on her elbows.

"Elena," he caught her chin and forced her to meet his eyes, "are you alright?"

"Yeah," she swallowed, nudging his hand away, "I'm fine." She braced her back against the cupboard as the pins and needles sensation faded away. "What happened?"

"You fainted," Finn frowned. "Did you drink the tainted blood?" He couldn't remember her feeding after returning to the compound, but she could have gotten into it after he stepped out to get Ella; it was lucky she had placed Miranda back on the floor beforehand.

"I guess I did," she managed a small smile and turned her attention to the toddler at her side. "Were you taking care of me?"

"Mama?" Miranda tilted her head. She frowned before reaching for Uncle Finn and Ella.

O_o

Drop off a review please. If I stick to my writing plan the next chapter should be up within two weeks.