A/N: Hi everyone, I'm glad you've made it this far! Someone asked a really great question last chapter that I just want to talk about for a quick sec. Some of you may be a little confused about Fiona's age, which is totally understandable seeing as I did change it a little bit. If you reread Chapter 1, it has been edited with the correct explanation and current age. Otherwise, here's my crude rundown. Fi was born in 1456, meaning she's existed for 562 years. However, she physically ages very slowly, by only 1 year about every 30 years, so if you divide that out (562/30), she looks to be about 17 or 18. Simple answer would be that everyone views her as 17. When I began this story, I'd written that she looked 13, but a few chapters in I realized that age was a bit too young for some of the things I wanted for her character, such as a love interest, and the attitude I wanted to give her required a more mature age. Again, the first chapter has been edited to coincide with this notion. Also, if you know of any chapters where Fiona is mentioned being 13, please let me know so I can go back and change it! Anyway, I hope that clears things up for anyone that may have been wondering. Enjoy reading! I think you're going to like this one.

Chapter 37 - The Getaway Car Never Gets Far

Elijah barreled down the hallway toward the conference room with me slipstreaming after him. My uncle's confidence and sharpness was contagious, and I was ready to show Tristan just who he was dealing with. I felt my magic empowering me from within, giving me a sense of unrivaled strength, but that invigorating feeling faded almost as quickly as it had come. I trailed further along behind Elijah as I realized that the halls were empty, there was not a single Strix member in sight, and all of them had gathered together in the room we were heading towards. Every. Single. Strix. The mansion was dead silent… frighteningly quiet. The only known fact that lied ahead of us was uncertainty.

"Am I moving too fast for you, Fiona?" my uncle glibly inquired, urging me to resume my pace.

"What if they attack as soon as we walk in there?" I asked, stopping in my tracks.

He paused and turned back to look at me. "You're scared."

"No," I insistently lied. "I just happen to like to know what I'm walking into, especially when it comes to this particular bunch of vampires."

"Tristan is an enfant terrible," Elijah said. "He's powerful, he's influential in the art of manipulation, and his strength nearly emulates my own, but, at the end of the day, he's just a whiny, wayward tyrant. Much like you, my little rascal."

I glared at my uncle. "I said I was sorry, and I know I screwed up. Feel free to stop patronizing me anytime now."

"I suppose you are correct," he granted. "I see you have lost your sense of humor to self-aggrandizement, as well."

I irritably grit my teeth. "Ever heard of the concept forgive and forget?"

"Trouble is, Fiona, I am having a hard time believing you are that sorry," my uncle said. "Nevertheless, that is a discussion for later. Shall we move forward with getting you out of here, or are you rescinding your declaration of a ceasefire?"

"No, Sir," I spat, begrudgingly backing down. We began walking again.

"Excellent. Now, the Strix Charter is quite succinct," Elijah proclaimed.

"Good, then it won't hurt when you stick it up your a- "

"Watch your tongue, Fiona!" Elijah scolded, stopping me from finishing my snarky comment. "Spare me the childish phrases. You've said plenty for one day, don't you think?"

I scowled at his rebuke but obediently shut my mouth, his biting tone made my stomach uneasy. I knew Elijah was purposely being an ass, pointedly trying to get under my skin, but I didn't see what for. Sure, I was having a little difficulty playing nice, but I had admitted to being wrong and needing his help, so why did he have to rub it in my face?

"All right, Fiona, it is time to put your Strix membership to use. When we cross the threshold into that room of egotistical maniacs, I need you to play along. Speak as though you intend to keep your loyalty to them, defend the organization and your peers. Pretend that Tristan is your beloved keeper, be convincing. However you act, whatever you say, do not clue them in that you are switching sides. Follow my lead, and you shall fair just fine, understood?" Elijah said, becoming gentle once more. "You need not be afraid, Sweetheart. I shall not allow anything to happen to you."

I nodded to confirm my understanding and accept his safeguarding words as comfort. "How exactly are you planning to get me out of here?" I asked.

"With a little salt," Elijah said, procuring and brandishing a mysterious-looking scroll from the inside pocket of his jacket, "and an old wound."

Elijah barged right through into the room, which was full of Strix who were presumably convening about their unexpected visitor. All eyes landed on us; Aya looking rather pissed at me, and Tristan matched Elijah's intimidating stare. I instantly hurried to Tristan's side and half-hid behind him as if I was scared of Elijah, causing his lips to form a satisfied smirk as he continued staring at my uncle, who appeared as calm and comfortable as someone getting an oceanside relaxation massage. I, on the other hand, was internally equivalent to someone whose hand was glued to a hot stove burner.

"Hello, everyone. Wonderful to see you all," my uncle greeted calmly and charismatically. "Please forgive Fiona's tardiness, I required her attention."

"No problem," Tristan said diplomatically, putting his cold hand on my shoulder. "We've just been chatting about the Charter and whatnot. She has arrived at the perfect time."

"Ah yes, the Charter, I am so glad you brought that up. Here is the thing; as creator of this boorish organization, I merely came to warn you that I intend to bend the rules a bit and save Fiona from your insanity," Elijah said, emphatic.

"Are you really going to forgo the laws you yourself created?" Tristan questioned of my uncle.

"I would violate everything sacred under the sun in the name of rescuing my niece," Elijah responded fervently. "Allow me to make myself perfectly clear: Fiona will not be your little puppet. She has been underneath your corrupted guidance long enough, she does not belong in this hive of depraved, ignorant savages. I am taking her home, it is where she belongs."

Tristan smiled. "I'm sorry, Elijah, but as leader, that decision is mine. I'm afraid Fiona does not have permission for an extended leave at the moment."

"Tristan, don't we look so very comfortable indeed leading a circus," my uncle continued, giving him a charming, deadly smile. "Sadly, one does not simply ascend to the position of leader, it kind of has to be by my consent. You see, I am the creator, the maker, the founding father; I am the one who chooses the leader here, and fortunately for every last one of you, I have an excellent candidate in mind. See, today is the day that I take back what is mine. Do I hear any objections?"

The room remained as silent as a graveyard at midnight. No one moved, no one breathed. I think a couple of hearts even stopped beating. I was on edge, too, having absolutely no idea where my habitually scary-ass uncle was going with this.

"So ladies and gentlemen, the offer I extend to you is simple enough: You follow me, and I shall return you all to greatness."

"You really just going to come in here and start making demands?" I questioned, smirking in phony amusement.

"Ah, shh, shh, shh. Fiona, the grownups are talking," Elijah tutted. I should have known he was going to have some fun with this. "Tristan, how long has been - eight, nine hundred years since you saw this?" He held up the scroll.

"For the philistines, I present the Charter of the Strix, written by, oh yes… me." Elijah grinned smugly. "Now it says here, 'it shall be my duty to uphold the tenets of the Charter' dah-dah, dah-dah, dah… Oh, this is important, '...in the absence of a worthy leader, the Charter shall be invoked and complete dominion shall be restored to…'" He paused to dramatically squint at the writing. "...Elijah Mikaelson."

"If you are determined to stake this absurd claim as founder, then I invoke the right of Ludum Regum," Tristan declared.

"Forgive me, my Latin's a little rusty," I said. "What does that mean?"

"Ludum Regum: the Game of Kings," Elijah translated, glaring at Tristan. "Let's not do this, shall we?"

"You cannot invoke one element of the charter and disregard the rest, as it happens," Tristan said. "I know the rules. After all, I did help you write them. 'If the legitimacy of de facto leadership status is in doubt and politics prove divisive, a contest of strength and cunning shall determine the line of succession.' So, Elijah, I challenge you to a duel. Whomever holds the Charter at the end of combat shall be the rightful leader of the Strix."

"You would choose strength over cunning?" Elijah queried. "I must say, I am sincerely surprised. I would have thought you would value cunning."

Tristan ignored his comment. "Do you accept?"

"Without hesitation."

"Well then," Tristan said, "perhaps we should take this outside."

My jaw hung agape, I could not believe what was happening. I was bewildered as everyone began migrating outside. My brain was having trouble processing that Elijah and Tristan were about to duke it out skin-to-skin MMA style on the plush green grass of the Davilla Estate yard.

"Let me get this straight; we are the oldest, most sophisticated society of vampire in the world, and we settle our disputes like kids on the playground at recess," I said, following Elijah and Tristan onto the lawn.

"My sentiments precisely," Elijah said.

"Why…" I trailed off, flabbergasted.

"Just stand back, Fiona, and make sure you have a good view when I tear Tristan's heart out," Elijah dismissed.

With nothing but a curt nod of agreement, Elijah and Tristan begun fighting. Tristan rushed at my uncle, but Elijah was ready and hurled him so hard that he flew face-first into a nearby tree. Embarrassed by being bested just two seconds in, Tristan vamp-sped toward Elijah, landing one right hook to his face before Elijah blocked all the rest of his swings and kicks. Their fighting was so rapid that it was difficult to keep up with it at times, but what Tristan lacked in raw strength and speed compared to the Original, he made up for in adept combat training, using impressive techniques to add force to his blows and avoid being hit. I was both worried and entertained as I watched them fight, they were both holding their own, but Elijah would obviously be the victor.

"Are you quite done?" Elijah asked, pushing Tristan away as they circled around each other.

Tristan scoffed. "You'd have me submit? Once again, I prove I have a mind of my own."

Tristan lunged for Elijah and attempted to gain the upper-hand by overwhelming him with punches, kicks, and karate chops in quick succession, but Elijah was easily able to block them all before grabbing Tristan in a chokehold and lifting him into the air.

"Let's not make this more unpleasant than it needs to be," my uncle suggested.

Despite Elijah's tight grip on his trachea, Tristan still managed to gasp out a retort. "After all this time, how could you think that we would follow you?"

Letting go of his throat, Elijah grabbed Tristan by his ankle and flipped him onto the ground. With Tristan lying on his back, out of breath, Elijah turned away from him and addressed the crowd of Strix.

"All of you swore loyalty to a serpent who seized control of this fellowship, all in the name of furthering his tyranny," he said angrily.

"Seize control?! Is that how you rewrite history?" Aya spoke up, appalled. "You ran like a coward, leaving Strix to be slaughtered by your mad father."

"I had no choice," Elijah responded.

"We all have a choice!" Aya shouted. "And that day, I watched as my fellow Strix were slaughtered by the dozens."

I could tell Elijah was on the verge of losing his temper. He raced toward Aya, grabbing her arms and pinning them roughly behind her back. I'd never seen my uncle so violent, never witnessed the dark, ruthless, Mikaelson version of him. It was a bit unnerving.

"I returned," he said to her. "The moment I knew that my family was safe, I returned! To the horror, the wreckage, the corpses, the ruin. The devastation that I felt when I thought of your death."

Aya sneered. "But I did not die! Thanks to the efforts of a true nobleman. Tristan saved us, he earned our loyalty."

"Tristan is a vulture, a usurper who stole our very dream! Violating everything that we once fought for, all in the name of the twisted crusade," Elijah sharply declared.

Aya gave him an indignant look "Say what you will. You choose your own family always, above all. You're as cursed as them."

"ELIJAH!" I cried out, but it was too late. Tristan had gotten up and careened toward Elijah with vengeance. The element of surprise was on Tristan's side, and he managed to take down Elijah by shoving a small branch into his heart. My hand flew up to cover my mouth as his body turned gray. He obviously wasn't permanently dead, but it would take a minute for him to recover. A lot could happen in a minute. Tristan gestured to the momentarily subded Elijah, presenting him proudly before the Strix.

"This is Elijah Mikaelson, traitor to our cause!" he proclaimed.

As Tristan continued talking, I discreetly chanted a spell that would make Elijah wake up faster. "Contrarium converte effectus quae mortes epistolis. Contrarium converte effectus quae mortes epistolis. Contrarium converte effectus quae mortes epistolis."

Tristan was too busy making a meaningless speech to notice that Elijah had fully recovered. My uncle stood up and glanced over at me to give the slightest of nods. He was going to finish Tristan off. I returned the nod, and I noticed the prized Strix Charter lying in the grass. My eyes zeroed in on the precious little scroll, and just as Elijah was about to snap Tristan's neck, I darted over and picked up the Charter. The audience of Strix gasped, causing Elijah to hesitate and look over at me. I looked down and was just as shocked as Tristan and Elijah were to see the Strix Charter in my hands. What had I done?

Deciding to just go with my impulsive move, I leapt onto the mansion's balcony and rapturously held the Charter in the air. "Game of Kings, huh? I've learned that the best way to settle an argument between men is to throw a woman into the mix. She'll best them both. This may have been a contest of strength between the two of you, but, as much as I enjoy the action, I am turning this into a game of cunning. Strength may come into play as well, but seeing as how I'm a tribrid, cunning is likely your best option. So, catch me if you can. Come midnight, if this delicate old scroll is still in my possession, I'm in charge."

I ran away without another word, sprinting as quickly as I could to find a safehouse. I was faster than everyone except for Elijah and Tristan, who both had centuries on me that not even werewolf agility could neutralize. I went up to the first house I saw and pounded frantically on the door. A middle-aged woman opened the door, I made myself look as innocent as possible.

"Hi, sorry to bother you, but I'm not from around here and I've lost my phone. Would it be all right if I use yours to call my parents? I was supposed to meet up with them, but I got turned around and my cell must have fallen out of my pocket. They'll be so worried if I'm late and don't call," I said, faking a nervous and flustered tone.

The woman smiled. "Of course. Come on in."

I entered her home and quickly discovered that she was the owner of the house and lived alone. Perfect. I waved my hand to make her fall asleep so she wouldn't get in the way or invite anyone else in, also it would save me the trouble of having to compel her to forget later. I dashed up the stairs to the second-story window that looked out over the front yard to wait for Elijah and the gang to show up.

I didn't wait long. Less than thirty seconds later, Elijah appeared at the end of the sidewalk. No one had followed him, which was a bit surprising. He caught sight of me in the window and motioned for me to come downstairs. I didn't budge. Elijah raised his eyebrows and heaved a heavy, tired sigh. I almost laughed as he removed his phone from his suit pocket and dialed my number. With a smirk on my face, I pulled my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans and put it to my ear.

"Well, this little escapade has been very cute indeed, Fiona Nikol," Elijah said, incredibly sarcastic. "Why don't you come outside and give me the charter?"

"Mmm, no. Nope, I'm fine right where I am. I've got about three minutes until I'm the new Grand Poobah," I said. "How did you find me so fast?" I asked for the purpose of stalling him.

I watched my uncle roll his eyes. "Fiona Nikol, you are my niece, there is an unparalleled tracker ingrained within my mind, it's comparable to tracing a dotted line. Also, your juvenile belligerence leaves behind quite the stench."

"I knew I should've picked a different perfume."

"Come outside."

"No," I refused.

"Then I suppose I shall have to come get you," Elijah threatened in a bored, unconcerned tone.

"Good luck getting in without an invitation," I retorted.

"Fiona Nikol Mikaelson, if you think I am above burning this place to the ground, you are gravely mistaken," he bullied.

"Well, that's not very civilized, is it?" I said. "I thought you said that the two of us had to be civil today."

Just then, the Strix began pouring into view. They filled the street behind Elijah, and Tristan stared up at me with pure disgust. I smiled big and waved the Charter at him. His disgusted expression turned murderous, but the beauty of it was that there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

"Outside. Now," Elijah ordered.

I hung up on him and looked at the clock on my phone. It changed from 11:59 to 12:00, and a wide grin spread across my face. I had won, the Strix were now mine to command, an army at my disposal, and Tristan couldn't control me anymore. I had accomplished what had begun as a small hunch that led me to join the Strix. I hadn't known how at the time, but I'd known I would seize control. I kicked the window, breaking the glass, and gracefully hopped to the ground.

"It's midnight, Elijah. Time's run out. According to our own laws, the contest is complete," Tristan said, sounding like a sore loser.

"Guess that makes me the winner," I said

Elijah shook his head at me. "Ridiculous. This wasn't a contest. This was evasion."

"Actually, I had a little time to read your charter," I said and began to speak to all of the Strix. "The Ludum Regum - which, now that I'm leader, I think I'll be changing it to Ludum Regale because The Game of Kings is a bit sexist - was never meant to be just a fistfight. Aspiring leaders face off in a contest that requires cunning. Why? Because you want a leader with more brains than brawn. You want someone who is strategic in war and won't just march you right to your deaths. I know I'm just a kid to you all, you forget that I'm a tribrid. A Mikaelson. I was born to conquer cities and vanquish my enemies. I was born to lead. You all thought that when I was initiated, you just never dreamt that I'd end up leading you. I know Tristan has been challenged on many occasions throughout the centuries, and he has always presided. In one night, I took that away. Just one night. Imagine what I can do in a century."

"This is absurd," Tristan said angrily.

"Hey, I won fair and square," I said.

"I do not accept this," Tristan said. "Elijah, you created the Strix. Do something."

"Fiona has won," Aya chimed in, assertively stepping forward to address the rest of the Strix. "Better to stand with her and fight to live than to stand with Elijah. With him, we're guaranteed to be little more than an afterthought."

Aya took a knee. "To the new leader of the Strix... Fiona Mikaelson."

One by one, the Strix went down on their knees and submitted to me exactly as wolves hail to their alpha. Tristan glared at me until everyone else was kneeling before finally taking a knee himself, though the glint in his eye told me he didn't mean it. Still, satisfaction washed over me in glorious waves. My uncle stood with his arms crossed, indescribably furious.

"You too, Elijah," I said, smirking.

"I will not." Elijah slowly walked over to me and began to whisper menacingly in my ear. "It is time to end your little game, Fiona. Congratulations, you are victorious, but this ends right now. You are going to follow my next instructions very, very carefully. You are going to turn away from the Strix with your head held high. You will run with haste back to the Davilla Estate. There you will meet me, and you are to get into my car, and we shall discuss what you have just done here. This is it, Fiona, no detours. You do not want to find out what will happen if you disobey."

My smugness had dissipated, and I was shaking from Elijah's tone of voice. He'd never spoken to me that way, and I'd never heard him use that voice with anyone before. It was inexplicably terrifying, it disturbed me to my core. He vanished from my sight, and I did exactly as he told me to. I could hardly remember the sprint back to the mansion as I stood there and waited for him in the mansion's foyer, absolutely numb with fear. I'd never seen him like this, in full-on Mikaelson mode.

Elijah arrived shortly after I'd gotten to the house. He'd left before I did, but I realized he must've gone a different route that allowed him more time to calm down. He was still visibly furious with me, but he was beginning to look like the uncle I recognized again. Elijah being angry with me was nothing new, but I'd really done it this time. Like really, seriously done it. He flashed in front of me and I flinched, unsure of what he would do. My reaction caught him a little off guard, causing him to pause and take another stabilizing breath.

"I am infuriated, it's true, but I would never hurt you, Fiona," my uncle said. "Your fear of me is unnecessary. I simply needed to get you away from the Strix for a while because I need to speak with you. Why don't we find a nice restaurant in the city and convalesce there?"

"I'm not hungry," I said obstinately.

"You can have a milkshake."

"I don't want a milkshake."

"Then we shall go to the park and find a bench to occupy," Elijah persisted.

"You're going to make me go with you no matter what I say, aren't you?" I assumed.

"Yes," Elijah affirmed. "We can stand here and bicker for a while longer if you like, but one way or another, you will come."

"Fine. The park," I agreed, huffing. "Tristan only ever let me out on his terms, I could use some fresh air."

I unenthusiastically followed my uncle outside to his car. He chivalrously opened the passenger door and helped me in, closing it with flair as I gave him the stink eye. He got into the driver's seat, and I made a point of not looking in his direction, instead choosing to stare intensely out my window. Being in Elijah's Panamera made me miss my own Porsche… Well, my Porsche that I'd stolen, which Klaus had retrieved from the storage unit I'd hidden it in a while back. It currently sat at the compound, untouched for months because the Hybrid never allowed me to drive it, though I suspected he'd taken it out for a spin once or twice himself without asking my permission.

"You could have at least let me drive," I said, intent on starting another petty argument.

"Why? So you can sink it into the river to keep from talking with me?"

"It's not like I could kill you," I acerbically commented.

"No, but is it absolutely necessary to destroy this work of art in the process of trying?" Elijah caustically replied.

I rolled my eyes. "This is going to be a fun night," I bitched under my breath.

"Ah yes, bitter sarcasm is my favorite figure of speech as well," my uncle responded. "It must run in the family."

"So do spontaneous murder sprees," I sneered.

"Goodness gracious, I had no idea," Elijah quipped. "In sincerity, Fiona, I needed to remove you from the presence of the Strix in order to discuss how to get you out of that madhouse for good, a task that has become increasingly complicated since your astonishing surprise party of a coup d'état. I understand you are not thrilled by the thought of spending time with me. Quite frankly, I feel tense around you as well, but the only way to improve any of this is to work together."

"Go team," I sallied, but I knew he was right. "The thing is, I'm the leader now, so the Strix aren't really a problem anymore."

"Tristan will never accept you as his leader, Fiona," Elijah said. "You have a bit of liberty for now because they are all still in shock, but Tristan will begin plotting against you as soon as that wears off."

"So I'll kill him. Problem solved."

"You cannot kill him, Fiona," Elijah said.

"Why not? I know I'm strong enough," I said.

Elijah slammed on the brakes, nearly causing my head to hit the dash, and firmly grabbed my chin. "Under no circumstance are you to kill Tristan de Martel."

I shoved his hand away. "Okay, fine. But why not?"

"We need him alive," Elijah said. "He has priceless information."

"What could he possibly know that you don't?" I asked.

"What is your impression of Tristan?" Elijah asked.

Ugh, I hate when he answers my questions with questions.

"There's a lot of things," I said, "but if it had to put it into a single word, I'd say he seems… incomplete."

Elijah sighed and started driving again. "I will explain everything later, but for now I will tell you this. He has a sister, Aurora. To be perfectly frank with you, I am surprised that he is without her. His devotion to her is absolutely pathological. Dangerous."

"Loyalty doesn't make people dangerous, Elijah," I said. "But betrayal does."

"For some reason I get the feeling that statement is directed at me," Elijah said dryly. "Speaking of betrayal, Niklaus finally told me about the threatening promises you made to one another just this afternoon. I assume those exchanges were made in anger?"

"I was on a power trip," I admitted. "I was upset and a bit full of myself. I didn't mean what I said, I don't want to start a vendetta, but I don't regret reminding him that I could. I guess I just wanted him to realize that I'm not scared of him anymore, that he doesn't hold any power over me now because I've grown into my strength. I was making a point."

"Sweetheart, I know that if nothing else, your father has wanted you to embrace your power from the beginning," Elijah said. "If there is one thing Niklaus has done right by you in fatherhood, it is that he has always encouraged you - in one way or another - to be strong. Why do you feel that you have to prove your power to him when he has already regarded you for it?"

"Because I'm done with him siphoning my power," I told my uncle. "I know he doesn't loathe me like he did when I first found him after five centuries of being forgotten, but he still isn't exactly daddy dearest. Maybe he can't even help it, but every time there's a chance to wield me like a weapon, he takes it. I'm his daughter, and I think he might be trying to figure out how to be a father, but my power will always hold the greatest value in his eyes. If I was normal, if there wasn't anything special about my supernatural, I don't think he'd bother with me at all. My power is what convinced him not to kill me in the first place, remember? I feel like I need to show him that he can't just use me for it whenever he pleases."

Elijah parked the car and turned toward me, cupping my cheek in his hand. "Niklaus has come a long way, Fiona. I have not forgotten the deplorable things he has done to you in the past, but I can tell you that right now he wants nothing more than to be your father. He is sincerely trying; you do not have to be afraid that he will take advantage of you, you have my word that he will not."

"I don't trust easily, Elijah."

"I know," he said softly. "I know. Yet, somehow you found a way to begin to trust me again, in small steps. I am not saying you have to do the same with Niklaus, but I believe you do have to talk to him. Voice your questions, concerns, and fears, Fiona - he is prepared to hear them, I promise you."

"Stop telling me what to do when it comes to him!" I said, frustrated. "I know that you want him and I to bond because you think I'm his salvation or whatever, but I'm not! I can't save him, okay? I'm not a savior!"

I expected my uncle to reprimand me for shouting at him, but he didn't. Instead, he took it in silence. He got out of the car and came over to open my door. Confused, I slowly exited the vehicle, and we began to walk through the vacant park. He didn't speak for several minutes for he was deep in thought, but when he inhaled to begin talking, his gentle words came as a surprise.

"You know something?"

"What?" I griped.

"That night, when you showed up in Mystic Falls, I declared that you would be the savior of this family," he said. "I proclaimed it to myself, the next day to you, and then again to Niklaus after the witches had taken you our first day here in the city. That wasn't fair. I should never placed that burden upon your shoulders. I want you to know that I love you, Sweetheart, regardless of what does or does not happen with Niklaus. You are my family, and my love will always be unconditional."

"But you still think I need to forgive Klaus," I stated.

"Forgiveness does not mean relationship, Fiona," he clarified, halting and grabbing my wrist to keep me from walking away. "I only intend to counsel you for your own sake, I will not meddle in your connection with your father anymore. It was wrong of me to do so to begin with, and from now on, you have my word that I am here solely for you, my niece. What you choose to do regarding your father is simply that: your choice."

My eyes were trained on the asphalt path beneath my feet. "I need more time."

"Take as long as you need," Elijah said compassionately, tucking my hair behind my ears to keep it out of my face. "Now, I believe you and I are due for a conversation regarding our own relationship."

The emotions I'd been struggling to keep bottled up began to stir again. "Do we really have time for that?"

My uncle grimaced regretfully and took a seat on a wooden bench. "We have a minute. This is important."

Tears began streaming down my cheeks before I'd even started speaking. Damnit. My defenses were breaking apart, emotions were flooding back in, threatening to overpower me. I tried to respond, but as soon as my lips parted, a quiet sob escaped, so I clamped it shut again. How Elijah had managed to take me from a confident, powerful attitude to the verge of an emotional mental breakdown was beyond me, but he'd succeeded.

"I'm not ready to forgive you," I sniffled. "I'm not over what you did to me. But, I need someone to hold me right now. Klaus is being Klaus again because of my threats, and when he's being Klaus, I don't get to have my dad, not that I've ever completely had him. Rebekah isn't here, Marcel is across the river, and the circle of people who truly care about me keeps getting smaller and smaller. I barely have a family. I know it's partially my fault, but you guys aren't exactly easy to be related to. As much as I hate you, I was practically your daughter once, so can we please just for a moment pretend that everything is fine? I really need everything to be fine for a little while."

Elijah, who looked like he was about to cry too, opened his arms to me. I walked over to him and in one swift, smooth sweep, he gathered me into his arms. I curled against his chest as if I were a child, my bottom in his lap, and grasped onto fistfuls of his shirt. I allowed myself to fall apart in his arms as I had done many times in the past. His touch was just as soothing as I remembered it, and the cool fabric of his suit against my cheek comforted me like it always had. I was so happy that this part of him was real, that it wasn't the nurturing side of him that was an act, but I was so, so angry at him for what he'd done, acting cruel like that. Though for right now, I was putting my rage and resentment aside because I just needed his love and comfort.

"I'm scared, Elijah," I admitted. "I made a big mistake associating with the Strix, and I grabbed that stupid charter out of impulse, and I don't know how to fix it."

"I know," Elijah said, caressing the back of my head. "But I am here. I am here and I am going to make everything okay."

I struggled to not start crying again as I looked him right in the eyes. "You're the reason everything went wrong."

Tears welled in Elijah's eyes and spilled over. "I never meant for this to happen. I never wanted to hurt you, Fiona."

"But you did," I said. "You did. You deserted me, you took away everything I needed, and you stole from me all that grounded me. In the beginning, there was no one there to love me, to give me comfort. Klaus may be trying to be a better father now, but he's not you. He's not you, Elijah, and I needed you."

"I cannot convey how sorry I am," he said brokenly, shaking his head. "I know that you need me; this very situation is proof of that. On my life, Fiona, I swear to you that I will never take anything from you again."

I wiped my tears. "Do you really mean that?"

"On. My. Life," he repeated. "I will not fail you. I will keep my promise."

I laid my head back against his chest. "I hope that you do."

I stayed in my Uncle Elijah's arms for as long as I could, soaking in his comfort and love, but all too soon, he stood up and placed me back on my feet. He tenderly cupped my face in his hands and pressed his lips to my forehead, soothing me with a kiss. He wiped the tears on my cheeks away with his thumbs and offered me his handkerchief to do the rest. His fingers caressed my hair one more time before settling on my back to steer me back toward the car.

"We need to get to the compound," Elijah said. "You'll be safe there until Niklaus and I come up with a plan."

"Why the heck does Klaus have to be in on it?"

"I thought I could get you out of this on my own, but circumstances have changed because of Tristan's deposition, and it reaches beyond my ability to individually accomplish. We are going to need Niklaus if we are to eradicate the Strix completely without suffering any measure of loss."

"Even though I'm in charge of those clowns now?"

"Especially since you are now in charge of those clowns," Elijah replied. "I contend Niklaus shall be positively intrigued by this information."

I closed my eyes and sighed. "I can't even begin to imagine how he's going to react. I really pissed him off yesterday."

"He is not going to be pleased, I won't lie to you about that," Elijah said. "Prepare yourself, you may have to endure his wrath in acquiescent silence if we are to persuade him to lend a helping hand. Your tongue frequently gets you in trouble, which is why I am warning you straightaway. Now come, we must go."

"Right now? No, Elijah, please!" I complained, my voice whining a little. "He's going to be so mad at me! And he probably won't even help! If anything, he'll make it harder to defeat the Strix! Watch him side with them or something crazy like that. We're better off on our own!"

"He's a challenging one, your father, but I assure you there is none more diabolical, which is precisely what we need in order to vanquish the Strix," my uncle said, taking my hand to pull me along out the door. "And in spite of your quarrels, Niklaus does love you."

"What he's going to love is beating the crap out of me for promising to put him down one day," I muttered.

"Fiona, if I thought for even a second that Niklaus was a true danger to you, I would never consider bringing you to him," Elijah said earnestly. "Yes, he will be angry, but once you tell him that you only seek his help, he will forget all about your strife. You are his daughter, and his first instinct is to protect his family, always and forever."

I had my doubts about Elijah's statement, but he understood Klaus in ways that no one else could. There were times where it seemed that my uncle knew Klaus better than Klaus did. If he claimed that Klaus had a sheer, preordained drive to protect me, then that was probably the case. Though, I wasn't willing to bank on that quite yet. I hoped in the depth of my soul that it was true, but my father was very unpredictable, always turning on a dime, and beneath all of that was where his honest motivations were rooted. It all came down to one simple question; at his core, was Klaus a hero or a villain?

A/N: Uh oh, Fiona has to go confess her sins to Klaus and beg for mercy. Just kidding, we all know that Mikaelsons don't beg. Klaus won't be happy with her though, that's a guarantee. Are you ready to see his reaction? I've been writing many Klaus/Fiona moments that I can't wait for you to see in the future, I feel like it has taken forever for those two to chill out enough to be in the same room together. I know many of you are also looking forward to seeing Fiona and Elijah settle their disputes. There is so much we've yet to explore regarding these characters' relationships, and I'm excited to see how it all plays out. Even as the author, I do not yet know the full story. Thank you so much for the reviews, follows, favorites, and all the other ways you show your support. Also, just out of curiosity, how would you answer Fiona's question? Is the character of Klaus Mikaelson a hero or a villain? As always, I'd love to hear your honest thoughts, and I'll be back with another chapter soon!