Chapter 37 - A Crescent Wedding

"Cass, you need to come home," Caroline blurted the words out. "It's mom. She's dying."

"Wait, what?" Cassandra blinked in surprise, unsure if she'd heard correctly. "Did you just say mom's dying?"

"Yes," Caroline fought back tears as she spoke. "She has a brain tumor. It started out on her brainstem and spread to her spine. They can't operate and it's spreading too quickly for chemo to work effectively."

"Vampire blood?" Cassandra pinched her eyes shut. She couldn't fathom the idea of her own mother being a vampire, but if it meant she would be alive, she didn't care.

"It won't work either. I tried it on a patient who was sick with the same cancer mom has. All it did was speed up the growth of the tumors, killing him over and over. There's nothing anyone can do. Look, I am so, so, so, so sorry for not telling you sooner. I thought if I could find a way to save her then I could spare you considering everything you're dealing with right now, but I couldn't."

Cassandra's eyes popped open. "Wait. How long have you known about this?"

"A couple of months now. Since the holidays," Caroline whispered.

"A c-couple of months?" Cassandra's heart began beating faster. "A couple of months?! You've known she's had terminal cancer for a couple of months and you're just now getting around to tell me? How could you?! She's my mother, too, Caroline! You had no right to keep this from me!" Her eyes filled with tears as she yelled into her phone.

"I know, and I'm so, so sorry," Caroline was crying.

"So help me, Caroline, if she dies before I get there to introduce her to her granddaughter and say goodbye, I will never forgive you!" Cassandra screamed into the phone.

She pulled the phone away from her face and hung up before Caroline could respond, then stared at the blank screen. A sob made its way up her throat, making her cover her mouth as it left her lips. She swayed on her feet, but before she crumbled to the floor Klaus was there to catch her in his arms.

"I've got you, love," he murmured softly as he spun her around and engulfed her in a warm embrace. She slid her phone into her pocket and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his chest as her body shook with sob after sob.

Eventually, he began to guide her away from the cemetery and down the quiet street back to the compound. Cassandra walked in a daze, numb from the news of her mother's terminal illness. She was unaware of her phone as it started to buzz in her pocket. Klaus heard it, and when she made no move to pull it out, he carefully reached over and slid two fingers down into her pocket, using them like tweezers to pull it out. After seeing who the caller was, he answered it and brought it up to his ear.

"Hayley," he spoke in a soft voice. "Cassandra is unfortunately unable to take your call at the moment. May I give her a message for you?" He paused, listening to what she had to say. "Really? Well I happen to think that is a splendid idea. The sooner the better. In fact, I might know of the perfect place to host an extravagant event on such short notice. Give me a couple of hours to look into it and I'll get back to you on the details." He hung up a moment later and put the phone back into Cassandra's pocket.

When they arrived at the compound, Klaus led Cassandra upstairs the parlor room and sat her down on the leather couch. He walked over to the small wet bar and poured some bourbon into a glass. He brought it back over to Cassandra and handed it to her. She took it and sipped it slowly, letting the liquid warm her insides. Klaus sat down next to her and started to reach for her hand when his phone began to ring. He let out a sigh and pulled out his phone from his inside jacket pocket.

"Elijah," he murmured, leaning back against the couch once he'd answered the call.

Cassandra's ears perked up slightly at the mention of Elijah's name. She tuned in, listening to his voice as he described what had happened. Finn had found him at the safe house, but Cami had been out at the time with Hope. The house was now a pile of ash due to Elijah causing an explosion after Finn magically propelled him into a wall which broke a gas pipe. Now he and Cami were headed back to the compound with Hope. Cassandra perked up at this and calmly set her empty glass on the small coffee table before whooshing out of the room.

She didn't stop until she was in the bedroom, standing in front of the closet door. She opened it and pulled out a duffle bag. She opened it up and grabbed a couple of shirts that were hanging up in the closet, quickly stuffing them inside, before whooshing over to the dresser. She was in the process of putting a couple pairs of folded jeans into the duffle when Klaus walked into the room.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked calmly as he walked across the room to her.

"Elijah said they're on the road," she briefly glanced at him in between her movements. "I'm gonna meet them half way and get my daughter so I can take her home to meet her grandmother before it's too late." Klaus started to open his mouth to protest, but Cassandra slammed the dresser drawer shut and pointed a finger at him. "Do not tell me that it's not safe. I'll tell you what's not safe. Blowing up a house just to keep your evil brother from finding her."

"We will deal with Finn," Klaus told her in a firm voice.

"And then what?" She sipped up the duffle bag and walked towards him. "Every time you kill him, he's just gonna jump into another body.

"We tried running. We tried hiding. Neither will work."

"So, what's your bright idea?"

"As it happens, I'm working on a plan as we speak, one which will be bolstered greatly if you just calm down and listen to me for a moment."

Cassandra started shaking her head back and forth as she raised voice to speak over him. "Do not manage me. I have every right to freak out."

"Hayley and Jackson are getting married, an act which will seal the loyalty of all the wolves that answer to Finn, thanks in large part to you. You must attend, and moreover, they will want you there. Then," he paused and reached for her free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You can take our daughter to Mystic Falls to meet her grandmother." She nodded and allowed him to take the duffle bag from her other hand. "I'm making arrangements to have the ceremony here. Tonight. Why don't you take a hot bath and get some rest. Elijah and Camille won't arrive for some time with Hope."

Cassandra couldn't deny that it wasn't a bad idea. She walked around him to the luxurious bathroom and turned on the water in the clawfoot tub. As it began to fill, she added her favorite bath salts and slowly began undressing. She didn't wait for the tub to fill before getting in, instead stepping into the tub and lowering herself until she was laying down, allowing the water to slowly cover her body as it rose. The warmth of the water along with the soothing scents of lavender and vanilla relaxed both her body and her mind, allowing her to give in to the rest her body desperately needed.

-o-

Cassandra and Hayley both let out heavy sighs as they stood side by side in front of an enormous closet later in the afternoon, thumbing through the dresses hanging inside. Hayley had come to the compound early to get Cassandra's help with finding a dress to wear for the wedding. Cassandra had jumped at the chance, but that was before she knew what abysmal choices Hayley had to choose from. None of them were right for a bride to wear.

"Alright," Rebekah appeared in the bedroom doorway and leaned to the side. "Bad news first. Hayley, I will have to miss your nuptials. My brother Kol has a bit of a life-and-death matter needs help with."

"Oh no," Cassandra whispered. "Is he—"

"It's nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about, Cassandra," Rebekah shook her head. "It's witch business, which now seems to be my thing. Besides, you have enough to deal with right now. On that note, I have something for you, Hayley. I had a feeling you weren't going to have something suitable to wear on such short notice so," she paused and moved her left arm into the room, revealing a beautiful white lace wedding dress that she'd been hiding behind the door frame. Hayley and Cassandra's eyes widened in surprise as she held it up. "It's white, which won't fool anyone, but you can't get married in skinny jeans and combat boots."

"Oh! Rebekah, this is…wow," Hayley stammered softly as Rebekah handed her the dress.

"It's beautiful," Cassandra smiled.

"Thank you," Hayley beamed at her. She walked over to the floor length mirror and held the dress up against her body to see how it looked.

"Well, consider it my wedding gift to you. I happen to be the only woman alive who's commissioned wedding dresses in five different centuries. Never made it down the aisle of course. Perhaps this one," she turned to Cassandra. "Will be able to do the impossible and get my brother to tie the knot one day. When you do, I have the perfect dress for you, too."

Cassandra felt her cheeks grow warm as she smiled. "Well, you know it's not too late for you. From what I understand, Marcel is still single."

"Have you told him yet that you're you?" Hayley asked after hanging up the dress from the top of the mirror.

"I thought I'd hold off on that for the moment. It only complicates matters, and I'm not exactly sure how long this," Rebekah motioned at her body. "Is going to last."

"Right," Hayley chuckled softly.

"Well," Rebekah smiled. "I'll leave you to it. Congratulations, Hayley."

"Thanks," Hayley murmured as Rebekah turned around and walked out of the room.

A little while later Cassandra and Hayley greeted Jackson as he arrived at the compound. Together, the group of three strolled around the huge ballroom, watching decorators set up for the upcoming wedding.

"Oh, we so do not belong in your world, Cassandra," Jackson exhaled deeply as he took everything in.

"Hey," Cassandra scoffed softly. "This is in no way my world. This is the Mikaelsons world. Then again, I would not put it past my sister to go all out like this so…I guess maybe it is a little bit my world."

"Like I said," Jackson chuckled softly. A moment passed, then his faced softened. "How're you holdin' up? Klaus told us about your mom. If you need to miss the wedding—"

"It's okay," Cassandra held up a hand. "I'm…coping. I want to be at your wedding. I'll see my mom tomorrow. I already smoothed things over with my sister and made plans to surprise our mom. It's going to be fine."

Jackson and Hayley nodded in understanding. Before they could say anything more, Klaus strolled into the courtyard.

"Cassandra," he called out as he walked toward them with his hands resting comfortably behind his back. "If I might intrude, there's someone who wishes to say hello."

Cassandra shared a blank look with Hayley and Cassandra before eyeing Klaus curiously. She took off, heading past Klaus with Jackson, Hayley, and Klaus following behind her. As they walked out into the courtyard, her eyes landed on Elijah and Cami who were walking towards them. Cami held Hope in her arms and smiled at Cassandra as she and Elijah came to a stop a couple of feet away from her. She smiled back and glanced from Cami to Elijah who nodded encouragingly. She smiled back and turned to Cami, grinning as she stretched out her hands, carefully taking Hope into her arms. Hope squealed in delight and smiled at Cassandra, making her and Cami giggle. She turned around and slowly walked over to Hayley and Jackson who had hung back by the stairs. They grinned as she approached them.

"Hope," Cassandra grinned back as she came to a stop in front of them. "These are my very good friends Hayley and Jackson. Hayley and Jackson, this is Hope."

Jackson slowly stretched his hand out toward Hope. She squealed and placed her tiny hand on top of his long finger, almost as if to shake it. "She's beautiful, Cassandra."

"Thank you," Cassandra beamed.

While the three of them continued to become acquainted with Hope, Klaus disappeared to the parlor room upstairs. He stood in front of the wet bar and poured himself a shot of bourbon which he proceeded to drink immediately. He heard the door to the room open and glanced up for half a second before pouring himself another shot.

"I thought your daughter's return would please you," Elijah spoke in a low voice as he walked into the room.

"I'm overjoyed, believe me. It's just…" he paused and set the shot glass down before turning around to face Elijah, his face somber. "I'm worried about Cassandra. She received a phone call from her sister. Their mother is dying. It's a brain tumor. Inoperable. Incurable."

Elijah stared at Klaus in shock and slowly sunk down into the nearby desk chair. "Oh no," he whispered, his face contorted in concern and worry.

"She wants to take Hope to Mystic Falls to meet her mother," Klaus murmured. "I convinced her to wait until after the wedding to go, but she cannot go alone. With Finn still out there in an unknown body, it's not safe for Hope."

"You're going to accompany her," Elijah stated.

"Of course I am," Klaus stared at him, disbelief that he even had to ask written all over his face.

"Are you sure that's a wise plan?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Tyler Lockwood."

"What about him?" Klaus snapped in a low voice.

"I believe you've just proved my point," Elijah continued to keep his voice light and calm. "The mere mention of his name is enough to infuriate you. You have despised him more than ever before since learning that he and Cassandra share the same father. If you go with her to Mystic Falls, you will be in the same small town as Tyler, her now human brother. And, as her brother, not only will he feel completely untouchable by you, regardless of his new mortality, he will also want to be there for her, and she will want him to meet his niece. Are you going to be able to keep your temper in check and behave no matter what he may do to provoke you?"

Klaus tightened his jaw as he gave Elijah's statement a moment of thought. He knew Elijah was right, but the last thing he wanted to do was admit it because he knew what his brother's solution would be and he was one thousand percent against it. "Okay, brother. Let's say, hypothetically, that you're right, that I won't be able to be on my best behavior around a very human Tyler whilst in Mystic Falls. Where does that leave us? Oh!" He raised a finger. "I know where. It leaves us with you." His light-hearted, contemplative facial expression was replaced with a sneer. "You think you would be the better fit to go with her, but, unfortunately for you, that is the last thing I will ever allow."

"I was under the impression that you'd forgiven me for that indiscretion," Elijah stared at him.

"Oh, I have. But, just because I've forgiven you doesn't mean I trust the two of you being alone together for any length of time, especially within the confines of a car, or anywhere else for that matter," Klaus shot back.

Elijah rose to his feet and strided over to Klaus to look him in the eyes. "So, you're going act civilized towards Tyler Lockwood? Resist every urge to taunt and harass him?" Klaus remained silent, but he kept eye contact with his brother. "Very well," Elijah nodded. "I shall look after things here while you're away." He turned and began to walk towards the door.

"Wait!" Klaus called out with a resounding sigh as Elijah started to step through the doorway. "I cannot believe I am about to say this," he continued while Elijah turned back around to face him once more. "You are right about me, brother. While I could try to be as civil as possible for Cassandra's sake, there is no guarantee that Tyler would do the same. Quite the contrary, in fact. I have no doubt he would use every opportunity to test my patience. And, as much as I desperately hate to admit it, he is her family, and family is what she'll need the most to help her get through the grief she'll endure. I do not wish to add to that turmoil by lashing out at Tyler, and if were to go with her, well, let's just say that the odds are tremendously stacked against me. Therefore, I am left with no alternative but to have you accompany her in my stead. But make no mistake, Elijah, if anything transpires between the two of you—"

"I give you my word, brother. Nothing of the sort will happen," Elijah cut him off. "She has made where her heart lies abundantly clear, and I shall respect it."

"Good," Klaus nodded once. "Then it's settled." He walked around Elijah and left the room to check on how everything for the wedding was coming along.

-o-

Cassandra stood in front of the full-length mirror, turning her body from side to side as she admired her reflection. She'd chosen a sleeveless pale sage floor length dress with a plunging V-neck line and deep V-line back. The dress was simple and fit like a glove, though it had a slightly flowy skirt so it wasn't slinky. She'd decided to put big, wavy curls in her hair to dress it up some, and pulled a little of it back, pinning it with a diamond barrette she'd borrowed from Rebekah. She kept her makeup simple and natural. This was Hayley's special night after all. All eyes were and should be on her.

The sound of Hope's happy cooing drew her attention away from the mirror. Satisfied with her appearance, she turned around and gazed down at her daughter who sat on top of a blanket on the floor next to the bed. She wore a cute pink polka dot sleeper set and held a little orange stacking cup in her hand as she gazed up at Cassandra in wonder.

Cassandra grinned and laughed as she walked over to the blanket. "Oh, I still can't believe that you're here." She carefully dropped down to her knees and let out a soft breath as she leaned forward to take Hope's tiny hand into hers. "Now, mommy has to go to her very good friends' wedding. But don't worry because Cami will watch you."

She grinned as Hope dropped the cup and picked up a small stuffed monkey which she proceeded to put her mouth on as she cooed in response to Cassandra's voice. "And after that, we're gonna go to the small town where I was born and that's where you'll finally meet your Aunt Caroline and Gramma Liz. Won't that be fun? After that, I'm not letting you out of my sight." Hope squealed in response, making Cassandra laugh and grin wider.

The sound of approaching footsteps alerted Cassandra to someone stopping in front of the open bedroom doorway. She was still grinning when she lifted her head and found Elijah gazing back at her, looking dashing in a black suit and tie. He hadn't shaved in recent days, and the dark whiskers making up his five o'clock shadow was proof. Cassandra quickly looked back down at Hope, giving her one last tiny nudge before rising to her feet. She ran her hands over the fabric of her dress, smoothing it out as she turned to face him.

He gazed at her for a long moment before speaking. "You look beautiful."

"Uh, thanks" she murmured softly. She didn't know what else to say and winced inwardly at the awkward silence that followed.

He softened his face as he stepped forward into the room and made his way closer to her. "Niklaus told me about your mother. I'm so sorry, Cassandra. I cannot begin to fathom what you must be feeling right now."

"Yeah. I'm still processing it. It kinda feels like a bad dream I can't wake up from. I'm trying not to think about it too much right now. I don't want to start crying again because it'll take me forever to stop." She turned her head and glanced down at her daughter with a small smile. "Having her here helps."

Elijah nodded in understanding as he gazed down at his niece with a smile. "He also told me about your desire to take Hope to Mystic Falls to see your family. He's —"

"Elijah," Klaus called out in a gentle voice as he appeared in the room just inside the doorway. He had changed into black dress pants and a white dress shirt. He hadn't tied his black tie and had it draped loosely around his neck. "Let me be the one to tell her."

"Of course," Elijah gave him a nod and left them to talk.

"Tell me what?" Cassandra eyed Klaus curiously once they were alone.

"Well, for starters," Klaus walked toward her and took her by the hands. "How exquisite you look."

"Thank you," she beamed. "What else do you need to tell me?"

Klaus guided her over to the bed to sit down and held her hands clasped together between his own. "It's about your trip home."

"You're not gonna—"

"No, nothing like that. I want our daughter to meet her grandmother as much as you do."

"Oh. Good," she let out a soft breath of relief.

"Elijah and I discussed it and we both agree that he should be the one to accompany you," Klaus spoke in a gentle voice.

"W-what?" Cassandra's eyes widened in surprise. "I thought that you'd be coming with me."

Klaus brought a hand up to cup the side of her face. "I would love to be the one to go with you, sweetheart, but I don't think it's a good idea for Tyler and me to be in the same small town. It's recipe for disaster, and I do not wish to add to the stress you are already dealing with."

"Oh," Her heart sank. She'd been counting on having him there to cling to and hadn't given any thought to how his presence would affect Tyler, and vise versa. "I hadn't really thought about it like that."

"Please, don't be angry with me."

"I'm not, just disappointed."

"You should know that when Elijah and I first discussed it, I was adamantly against the idea of him being your travel companion," He brushed her cheek with the tip of his thumb. "To be quite frank, I still am, but what other choice do we have?"

"I could always go by myself," Cassandra suggested. Klaus raised his eyebrows slightly, giving her a look that clearly said Not a chance.

"Or not," she chuckled softly. The sound of her soft laugh caught Hope's attention and made her respond with a coo of her own. Cassandra and Klaus turned their heads toward her with a smile, their tender moment effectively brought to an end. "I need to go get her settled with Cami before the wedding begins," Cassandra stood up. She carefully knelt down and scooped up Hope into her arms. When she stood up again, she found Klaus back on his feet. "And you," she balanced Hope on her hip with one arm and ran her free hand along his loosely hanging tie. "Need to finish getting ready." She leaned and pecked him quickly on the lips. "I will see you out there."

A little while later she stood on the upper floor of the ballroom between Klaus and Elijah, watching the wedding ceremony as it took place below. Jackson's grandmother began to lead them through the unification ritual. As she started to speak, Hayley glanced in their direction and met Cassandra's eyes, flashing her a tiny smile. Cassandra smiled back at her. Her eyes drifted to Hayley's right hand where she wore a small, silver band with a familiar black stone set into it. She felt Klaus take her by the hand and laced their fingers together. She glanced up at him and found him stealing a glance at her. She smiled and pressed her shoulder into his.

Mary wrapped a strand of baby's breath flowers around Hayley and Jackson's wrists as a symbol of their unification and commitment to each other. As they exchanged vows, Mary placed a long match in their linked hands to light a ceremonial candle when they were done. They went back and forth, reciting lines and making promises. When they'd finished, they lit the candle together and blew out the match before setting it down. As they leaned forward and kissed for the first time as husband and wife, Cassandra felt her eyes start to water and used her free hand to gently wipe away the tears before they fell. She watched in awe as the eyes of every crescent wolf in attendance, including Jackson and Hayley, glowed gold, indicating that the Unification Ceremony had worked. A murmuring in the crowd grew when they came to the same realization. Cassandra eagerly broke away from Klaus and Elijah and hurried downstairs to celebrate with everyone else and congratulate the newlyweds.

In traditional New Orleans fashion, a parade was held on the streets of the Quarter, led by several police officers on motorcycles. Cassandra had been reluctant to go but could not say no when Hayley begged her to join them. After walking for a little while at the front of the group, watching Hayley and Jackson dance around joyfully as a jazz band played upbeat music and people who were watching cheered, Cassandra could not deny she was glad Hayley had convinced her to come. When Hayley twirled her white paracel in front of Cassandra's face, Cassandra tilted her had back and laughed, and Hayley grinned in victory.

"Oh, come on. You gotta dance, Cassandra!" Jackson hollered over the music. "This is a celebration! Enjoy it with us!"

Reluctantly, she started to move her body to the beat of the drums. She laughed, feeling completely ridiculous, but didn't stop. Eventually she was bouncing around with Hayley and Jackson. As they passed by the front of the compound on Royal Street, Cassandra glanced up while she as dancing and spotted Klaus standing on the balcony. She met his eyes and raised her eyebrows, challenging him to come down and join her. He simply grinned back at her but remained still. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the bride and groom.

After the parade, they returned to the compound for the reception. The courtyard had been completely decked out in bright twinkling lights and cascading sparkling gems. Cassandra grabbed a glass of champagne and sipped it while she watched Jackson and Hayley dancing in the middle of the dance floor. They were soon joined by other couples, and while Cassandra would have loved to be out there too, she was content to watch from the sidelines. As Jackson twirled Hayley around, white rose petals began raining down on them and everyone else out on the dance floor. Cassandra stretched out her hand and caught a few pedals. She brought them up to her face and inhaled deeply for a moment before letting them float to the ground.

"Ladies and gentleman," Klaus's voice echoed through the courtyard. "May I have your attention, please?" Cassandra looked up and saw him standing at the base of the stairs with Hope in his arms. Her heart swelled at the sight of her daughter wearing the cutest pale pink dress and white tights she'd ever seen. "Cassandra, if you would join me, I would like to propose a toast."

Cassandra eyed him curiously as she set her glass down and walked out into the middle of the courtyard where he stood. He carefully handed Hope to her and placed a hand on her back as they stood side by side to address everyone.

"I want to welcome you all," Klaus went on. "As you know, last spring Cassandra and I had a daughter. Due to tragic circumstance, she was lost. Now, she has returned home." He moved his hand from Cassandra's back to their daughter's. "Her name is Hope. She will live here among you. It is my greatest wish that you accept her into your pack and into your family as you have her mother. We," he motioned at Cassandra. "implore you protect our daughter. Teach her, love her, as one of your own." Cassandra was staring at Hayley and Jackson who both nodded their heads at them in agreement. She would never be able to tell them how much it meant to her.

Klaus wasn't finished, though, and his next words surprised Cassandra. He picked up a glass of champagne that a waiter had brought him and directed his next words toward the bride and groom. "Jackson, Hayley, I invite both you to live here, uniting your proud and noble people in peace. For any friend of Cassandra's is a most welcome friend of mine." He raised his glass. "To Jackson and Hayley."

Everyone raised their glasses in agreement with his toast and then brought them back down, taking a sip. The music started back up, signaling that the party could resume. Cassandra made her way over to Hayley and Jackson so they could see Hope again. They waved at the baby and shook her little hands. She gazed back, though she was unable to make any noise with the bright pink pacifier in her mouth. More people began crowding around, wanting a closer look at the miracle baby. Being unaccustomed to so many people, Hope began to fuss, so Cassandra politely excused herself and made her way upstairs. She stopped in front of the balcony, watching the party for a moment.

"You know," Elijah appeared beside her. "I believe I stand corrected. There is one who is even more beautiful than you tonight." He grinned as he ran his fingers against Hope's head.

"Now that," Cassandra turned and smiled at him. "I don't think anyone, including me, will disagree with."

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm okay, at the moment. Hope was a little uneasy when people started crowding around us to get a closer look at her, so we came up here."

"Yes, I suppose she's not accustomed to being around so many people."

"In any case, it's probably time she went to bed, so I think I'll go get her settled." She flashed him a tiny smile and turned around, making her way down the hall to the nursery connected to her and Klaus's room. After changing her diaper and putting her back in her pink polka dot pajamas, she carefully laid Hope in her crib and placed a brown teddy bear next to her. Her lips curled into a smile as she rested her arms against the top of the crib frame and gazed down at her daughter. A couple of minutes later, she felt a presence beside her and turned her head to find Klaus standing beside her. She slid her arm around his waist and leaned her head against his shoulder. He brushed his lips against the top of her head as he slid his arm around her in return and gazed down at Hope. Hope cooed softly as she looked up at them. They both heard the sound of approaching footsteps after a couple of peaceful moments and instantly knew who they belonged to.

"Must you intrude on every moment?" Klaus spoke softly without moving.

"I'm not here to quarrel, brother," Elijah murmured.

"Kol," Rebekah spoke next in a shaky voice. "I couldn't help him." This got Cassandra and Klaus's attention, making them spin around to face Rebekah and Elijah.

"He's not gonna last the night," Rebekah told them with a somber look on her face.

"Oh no," Cassandra whispered, her heart sinking for the second time that day.

They retrieved Cami to continue looking after Hope and hastily left the compound together. Cassandra gripped her dress with one hand so it was off the ground, making it easier for her to walk faster, while she held onto Klaus's hand with the other. They made it to Lafayette Cemetery in a matter of minutes. As they walked through the entrance gate, Klaus, Elijah, and Cassandra exchanged looks with each other. They could hear the sound of music playing from somewhere in the cemetery. Elijah took the lead, guiding the group through the maze of tombs to the source of the music. As they grew closer, they could hear Kol coughing and Davina asking if he was okay.

"I think I wanna be alone for this bit," He told Davina in a soft voice, covering his mouth as he started to cough again.

They rounded a corner and finally saw Kol as he walked away from Davina to go inside a tomb.

"I'm afraid that's not an option," Elijah spoke up as they approached him. Kol wiped his mouth as he turned toward them in surprise.

"Always and forever is not just something you weasel out of, brother," Klaus gave him a small smile.

Cassandra smiled at him, too, and could tell by the look on his face that he was incredibly touched that they all showed up for him. They followed Kol into the same tomb Esther had once imprisoned Elijah and gathered around him. His coughing grew worse, and eventually he started to bleed from his nose and mouth. He doubled over in pain and collapsed on the ground. Elijah and Klaus knelt down on either side of him and held him up while he coughed. Cassandra and Rebekah stood by his feet as Davina worked on one last spell attempt in the corner.

Kol winced and gasped from the pain growing inside of him. He glanced from Elijah to Klaus as he gripped the lapel of Klaus's suit jacket for support. "All my life," he murmured softly. "All I ever wanted was you lot to care about me."

As a tear started to roll down Klaus's cheek, Kol began to laugh and ended up being overcome by another coughing fit. Elijah helped him sit back up and then stepped out of the way so Rebekah could move behind Kol and help hold him. Cassandra moved next to Elijah and dropped to her knees beside Kol. He caught his breath after his coughing fit and carefully leaned back with the help of Elijah and Rebekah until his head was resting comfortably in Rebekah's lap.

Cassandra reached for his hand and held it between both of hers. He met her eyes and smiled at her. "Well, at least you get to say goodbye to me this time."

"Yeah," Cassandra smiled weakly as tears trickled down her cheeks. She continued to hold his hand with one of her hands while she reached out with her other hand and stroked his forehead in the same manor that she had when she saw his dead body at the Gilbert House two years earlier. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he remembered, and his smile confirmed it. Not caring that both Klaus and Elijah were right there with them, she took a deep breath and leaned in, brushing her lips gently against his.

"Well, fancy that. All it took was me on my death bed to get you to kiss me all on your own," Kol chuckle-coughed as she leaned back. "Thank you, Cassandra."

"You're welcome," she gave his hand a small squeeze.

"Kol," Rebekah murmured, cupping the side of his face to get his attention. He lifted his head slightly to look up at her. "Listen to me. You don't have long. You're going to die. But you will die a witch and we will consecrate your body. You will join the ancestors of the French Quarter and those spirits can be brought back. And I promise you, brother, I will not leave this body until I find a way to bring you home."

Kol gazed up at his baby sister, smiling at her as his eyes glistened with tears. He moaned softly in pain and began to cough harder. Davina finally finished her spell and scurried over to them.

"I tried a different spell," she murmured as she dropped to her knees beside Cassandra.

"It's okay," he whispered, meeting her eyes. "I'm not scared."

He managed to choke out one final laugh before his body went completely limp in Rebekah's arms. Davina broke down sobs, rocking back and forth as she held Kol's other hand in hers. Cassandra cried silently, bringing Kol's hand up to her face one final time. She kissed his knuckles, then gently laid his hand onto of his chest. She slowly rose to her feet and brushed herself off as she moved over to Klaus. When she reached him, she slid her arms around his waist and laid her head against his shoulder. He kissed her forehead as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

After a long couple of silent moments, Klaus, Cassandra, and Elijah left and headed back to the compound, leaving Rebekah and Davina to handle Kol's body. When they arrived, Cassandra changed out of her dress and into a pair of jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and slipped on her Richmond University hoodie. She quickly finished packing for her trip to Mystic Falls and met Klaus in the nursery to gather up Hope. They gazed down at their daughter as she lay fast asleep in her crib for a minute before Cassandra carefully scooped her into her arms and placed her into the baby carrier. She buckled her in before tucking a blanket around her and brushed her lips gently against the top of her head.

Klaus reached for the handle and lifted the baby carrier. Cassandra grabbed the baby bag containing all of Hope's things and followed him out of the room. When they got outside, Elijah was loading their bags into the truck of his car. He quickly opened the backseat door and assisted Klaus with securing Hope's baby carrier. It didn't take them longer than a few minutes to finish and shut the car door. Klaus turned around and walked up Cassandra, pulling her into his arms. Cassandra threw her arms tightly around his neck and buried her face against his shoulder.

"I know it's going to be the most excruciating pain you've ever endured," Klaus whispered in her ear. "But I also know how incredibly strong and resilient you are. You will get through this. And whenever you feel like letting go because the pain becomes unbearable, I want you think of our little girl and how much she needs her mother. Can you do that for me, sweetheart?"

Cassandra sniffed softly and raised her head to meet his eyes. "Yes," she murmured softly.

"Good," he gave her a small smile and cupped the side of her face. He brushed her cheek lightly with his thumb and leaned in, kissing her gently. He let his lips linger against hers for a few long moments before pulling away and guided her to the passenger side of the car. She leaned against him as he opened the door for her, and then slowly slid down into the seat.

"I'll call you when we get there. We're driving through the night, so we should be in Mystic Falls by morning," Cassandra told him.

"I'll be waiting," He gave her one last tiny smile before shutting the door.

She fastened her seatbelt while Klaus and Elijah exchanged a few last words. With a final nod, Elijah walked around the front of the car and climbed into the driver's seat. He buckled up, started the ignition, and drove off down Dumaine Street. They were both quiet at first, neither knowing what to say to the other. Cassandra gazed out of the window at the nightlife that continued to go on around her.

"You should try to get some sleep," Elijah spoke in a gentle voice once they were cruising on the I-10 freeway."

Cassandra slowly nodded her head. She sent Caroline a quick text to let her know she and Elijah were on their way and would be there sometime during the morning. When she was done, she plugged her phone into the charger and set it in one of the cup holders. As she adjusted her seat so that she was leaning back more, Elijah turned on the radio. It wasn't long before she was lulled to sleep by the sounds of Hope's breathing and the soft music that filled the car. When she woke, she would be home in Mystic Falls for what was going to be the start of the most heartbreaking day of her entire life.

Whew! You guys still breathing? This chapter is definitely the first of a series of extremely emotional chapters. Keep those tissues and hankies nearby. I guarantee you'll need them. I can finally confirm that yes, Cassandra will be taking Hope back to Mystic Falls to meet her family. And that million dollar question of will she or won't she turn off her humanity will finally be answered once and for all. It's going to be one hell of a ride that has been a couple of years in the making, and I cannot wait to finally share it with all of you.

Thank you all so, so much for all of the incredibly kind words in your reviews. I can't believe this story is at 430 total, and growing. And I meant to do this a long time ago, but to the communities that added my story, I am so flattered and touched. Thank you for liking (or loving) my story enough to add it to your collections.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Until next time!

PS. Originals. Season 5. Teenage Hope. I cannot wait til I get to this point in the "Crazy" saga! So many ideas swirling around, and we're only two episodes into the final season. (Noo! I refuse to say goodbye to the Mikaelsons. Who's with me?) Just a little something to look forward to.