A/N: Is anyone actually reading this? Well if you are, we're in the final stretch. I'm planning for a total of 40 chapters, including the preface and epilogue. I do have a sequel planned (also started) but not sure if I'll post it (by the response to this story compared to the first one, I stand by my opinion that I suck at sequels).

I set off early the next morning with a shovel in my hand. I had fed the girls and put them back to bed before slipping out. No one was up yet so I was able to leave without a fuss.

I headed out to the plantation house. I decided to deal with Mikael first since I felt that he wouldn't be too cooperative with Klaus in tow. We'd come to a reluctant understanding the evening before and he'd agreed to direct me to his body, if only so he could get some kind of revenge on the woman who'd taken his daughter. If Dahlia hadn't been such a bitch, I might have felt sorry for what was waiting on the other side for her.

I waited until we'd got out of the town before allowing Mikael to appear. I had a level of control over his appearances I'd learned. As long as I concentrated on blocking him out, even if he was there, he faded away and, presumably, couldn't hurt me like that. I let my concentration lapse and he faded into focus. The wolf, who was at my side naturally, growled automatically. I gave him a look. He fell silent.

"That beast seeks to challenge me."

"Well you did try and kill me. And he's oddly attached to me."

"You are like Niklaus. He too had a ridiculous obsession with the forest beasts. It was that that got his brother killed."

"I don't have an obsession with wolves. They just happen to like me. Which is something I cannot control." He made a noise of disdain. "Look, let's just find your body. Then I can get on with protecting my kids and you can go back to being dead."

We reached the plantation and I leant against a tree, waiting expectantly. I hoped we'd be able to find the body before there was any sign of Klaus. Mikael looked at me, face impassive.

"Okay… where is it?"

"It is nearby."

"What is it with you ghosts? Does dying automatically turn you into someone who can only speak cryptically?" I sighed and closed my eyes. "Please, tell me where your body is so we can be done?"

He didn't reply but I heard the soft sound of footsteps on the grass so I assumed he was showing me. I opened my eyes and followed him. He led me through the orchard to the more wild area behind.

"You died in the orchard, how did you end up out here?"

"The boy decided that my being dead was not enough for him." He reached a clearing with a large wooden structure in the middle. I could see something tied to it and as we neared, a putrid smell hit me.

"Oh god… is that…?"

"Indeed." Mikael strolled over as if it was no big deal. I followed hesitantly. The wolf whined and stayed at the edge of the trees, looking almost fearful.

I almost threw up when I got nearer the body. The Louisiana sun had not been kind to him. It was rotten beyond recognition, almost mummified in places as the heat had sucked the moisture from his limbs. None of the animals had touched it, even the flies avoided it. The smell was repulsive.

"I believe his hope would that the wolves I despised in life would feast on me in my death."

"I think I'm going to be sick…"

"Spare me the theatrics. Just burn my body and be done with it."

I fished a lighter from my pocket and flicked it open. I held it out towards the body, hesitant. The idea of getting too close to it really didn't appeal. I felt queasy, a bubbling twisting sensation in the pit of my stomach.

"I don't know if I can…"

"If you want to protect your children, you have to put aside everything else. You cannot feel fear, you cannot let your personal feelings overwhelm you. You live to protect them, to fight for them. You are a soldier and you can only think about your goal." He spoke with an incredible fierceness, it was surprising. I'd never heard him speak about his children with anything but disdain.

I took a deep breath, stepped forward and held my lighter to the dry leathery skin. It caught quickly and the corpse began to burn. It smouldered slowly at first before the fire built. I went over to where my wolf was and sat beside him, watching the body burn. Mikael remained where he was, looking at the body sadly.

We remained there for several hours until the body burned itself out. I gathered the ashes in a small pouch and pocketed them. When I lifted my head, Mikael had vanished. I was grateful for his help, so rather than just leaving, I gathered up the few bits that remained and buried them. He wasn't a good person but he'd helped me. And he deserved better than being strung up here.

I headed back to the plantation house. I had no idea where Klaus might be but I figured it would be best to try the house and its gardens first, since that was the address that had been circled when Freya did her spell. I looked at the wolf and petted him gently. He still didn't look completely normal. Something about Mikael's body had really upset him.

"Do you think you can find him?" I asked. I hadn't thought to bring anything of Klaus' with me but since he usually understood me, or at least acted like he did, I figured he'd be able to work out what I wanted and find something that smelled out of place.

He wagged his tail and put his nose to the ground, snuffling at the dirt. He headed to the house and nudged the door, which swung open easily. When I got closer, I could see that the handle had been broken. I followed the wolf inside, slowing as I entered the dark hallway. I could see deep grooves had been scratched into the walls and floors as if an animal in a fierce rage had passed through.

We followed the trail of damage which only grew worse the further inside we went. The furniture, previously covered with sheets had been destroyed and was strewn around the rooms. The wolf led me upstairs and went to the room that had been mine. He sat outside the door and looked at me expectantly. The door had been ripped off its hinges and was propped up against the frame. I pushed gently and it fell to the ground with a loud bang. From the depths of the room came a soft growl. My heart beat faster but I ignored it and stepped inside. This room wasn't as badly damaged as the rest of the house. A light layer of feathers covered the floor, a shredded pillowcase discarded in the corner. Sheets, blankets and even shreds of curtain and carpet had be piled up on the middle of the bed, forming a nest of sorts. I noticed the clothes I'd abandoned last time in the pile as well. I took a step towards it and the nest moved as something inside it stirred. I squinted. I could see a fur, curled up in a ball. As I watched, a pair of gold eyes opened, focusing on me.

"Klaus…?"

He made a soft noise and got to his feet, stretching. He prowled off the bed and came towards me. I grimaced at the sight of his malformed body. He padded over and gently nuzzled my hand.

"Hey buddy. I missed you."

My wolf stepped forward, sniffing at Klaus. Klaus growled softly. The wolf whined and tried to lick Klaus' muzzle. I raised an eyebrow.

"Klaus, this is my friend. Please don't kill him." I petted them both, trying to prevent any fighting. "Are you ready to come back? I really need you." He looked away. "Things aren't good at home. Dahlia's after the twins. She said that she'll come back and kill anyone who tries to stop us." He still wouldn't look at me. "Oh and Elijah proposed to me. And so did Kol."

His head shot up. I folded my arm.

"Seriously? That gets a reaction but you ignore the fact that your psycho aunt is trying to kidnap my children?" He looked a little sheepish. "I don't care what gets you home, but please… I need you to come home with me."

He turned away and made to head back to his nest. My wolf pounced on him, pinning him easily despite Klaus' side. He growled and bit hard on Klaus' ear. Klaus snarled and shook before falling still. I got the sense that they were communicating silently.

Eventually, the wolf stepped back. Klaus stood up and turned back to me, head down.

"You're going to come back?" He nodded. "Well, we should probably try and get you back to your normal self."

The three of us headed outside. I had no idea how to get Klaus back to his normal self. I'd originally thought that I could use the same technique that I'd used on Elijah but since he was clearly in his right mind it wasn't a matter of snapping him out of it. I sat down on the grass to think. The wolf lay beside me, resting his head on my lap. Klaus growled softly.

"I don't know what to do. I think… it's one of those things you'll have to do yourself." He whined. "But I promise I'll stay here and wait until you do."

I lay back on the grass with Klaus on one side and the wolf on the other. I played with their fur gently and closed my eyes. It was warm and a gentle breeze stirred my hair. The three of us lay together for a long time. At first I talked. I talked about the important things, what Klaus had missed. I talked about nonsense, little things that I'd seen on the street, about my friends, about the family. Eventually the talk faded to nothing and I lay there in silence for a while. I hummed softly under my breath, a faint lullaby. The sun was so warm and everything felt so peaceful, I couldn't help but doze off.

When I woke up, I could feel that something had changed. The sky was dark, the stars out. The air had cooled off considerably and a shiver ran across my skin. There was no longer the gentle warmth of the two furry bodies either side of me. One was still there but the other had been replaced. A light weight was draped across my chest and I realized that a pair of arms were encircling me. I sat up slowly and smiled.

"Klaus…" He was asleep, naked, legs entangled with mine, and when I tried to wake him, he groaned and curled up tighter. I looked at the wolf who was watching me. "I guess it took a lot out of him."

I carefully untangled myself from him. I knew I couldn't get him home on my own. I got my phone from my pocket and after a moment's consideration, I dialled Finn's number. He'd rescue me.

"Elena?"

"Hey, I'm at the plantation house where Mikael held me. I've got Klaus, come and get me."

"Okay." He hung up. I frowned. His voice had sounded strange, colder somehow.

I sat and waited. Eventually the car pulled up on the plantation driveway. Finn came out of the car and helped me load Klaus into the back of the car. He didn't say a word the entire time. I got in the back with Klaus while the wolf climbed into the front passenger seat. I played with Klaus' hair, happy to have him back. Finn got in the driver's seat and set off

"Are you okay…?" I asked after a few minutes of driving in silence.

"Yes," he said stiffly. I got the impression that he was very much not okay but I decided not to push it.

We drove home. I got out of the car and headed inside. I'd only made it a few steps into the courtyard when Kol and Elijah appeared in front of me. I braced myself for a lecture from Elijah but to my surprise it was Kol who stepped forward and grabbed hold of my arms.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" he roared. I flinched and tried to pull back. I'd never seen Kol act like this and it was terrifying.

"I… I…"

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED WE'VE BEEN? WE THOUGHT DAHLIA HAD TAKEN YOU! WE THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE DEAD! YOU CANNOT KEEP DOING THIS ELENA!" I pulled back sharply.

"I went to get Klaus. Since everyone else seemed to have forgotten about him."

"Oh no," said Kol. "You do not get to play that card! You choose to do this Elena, you choose to make yourself a martyr and do all of this yourself. You could have asked any of us for help but you didn't want to! And I know you're going to turn round and say that we can't tell you what to do or where you can and can't go and you're right. Ordinarily I love it, I love your empowered thing, I am woman hear me roar and all that crap but you can't keep running off and not telling us where you're going. We have children! We need to know you're safe! We need to know you've not been kidnapped or killed! That's common courtesy!" The wolf growled at my side. "AND YOU CAN SHUT UP TOO!"

He turned and stormed off. I looked down at my feet. Elijah didn't say anything, just sighed and followed Kol. Finn, carrying Klaus, paused beside me.

"Nice work Elena. You wanted them to stop giving you attention and fighting with each other, you succeeded." He walked off, dragging Klaus' unconscious body.