Days later

In the days that followed, the girls spent all their time together, getting to know each other better and becoming closer than they could've ever imagined. Davina tried to resist at first, she wasn't sure if she was still a prisoner, a hostage, or just there because they didn't know what to do with her. She tried not to get attached and tried to keep her distance from them. But in the end, she couldn't.

It was hard to resist, especially when one has been starved for company and affection for so long.

As the days passed, Davina got to know all of them more and more and she slowly began to like them and their different personalities.

Lucy was wild, confident, and easy to get along with. Every morning she would blast the radio on and sway her hips to the beat of the music as she cooked breakfast, barefooted, and singing along with each song. She had a nice voice. She was also a very powerful witch, delighting Charlotte and even Davina with her magic tricks. Like the times she used her magic to clean around the house.

Charlotte's eyes had lit up with excitement as she trailed after the enchanted mop, while dishes washed and dried themselves and the dining room chairs tucked themselves in. Lucy wasn't fond of cleaning so she sped up the process with her magic, something apparently her mother had done often while she was growing up.

"What's the point of having magic if you can't use it to make your life easier?" Lucy would said with a wink before digging her hands into a soiled pot and using her magic to create a snowy white orchid which now sat on the kitchen window.

She had showed Davina how to do it too. The young witch didn't have much practice with speeding the growth of flowers with magic. She had furrowed her eyebrows in deep concentration, kept her eyes closed, and her hands buried deep in the pot as she chanted the spell Lucy had taught her. The pretty orchid with soft purple flowers that sprung with the help of her magic was now in her room. It was beautiful and Davina's heart swelled with pride each time she looked at it.

Charlotte had wanted to try to. She had giggled like crazy as she dug her hands on the soil of her own pot. "It feels funny."

They all had chuckled at the look of fierce determination on her face as she said the words Lucy taught her.

"Close your eyes and concentrate," Lucy had instructed.

Charlotte did as she was told. Her orchid was rather small but the color was a vibrant dark pink. "I did it!" She exclaimed happily. She had even pronounced the words right at the first try. She had gifted her orchid to Bonnie of course, giving her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Charlotte loved Bonnie with all her heart.

Bonnie had cried. "Happy tears," she had reassured Charlotte. Her hormones were all over the place after all. She treasured the orchid with all her heart.

Rebekah on the other hand was witty, spoiled, but fiercely loyal and protective of those she cared about. She was constantly looking after Bonnie, making sure she was comfortable and tending to her every whim much to Bonnie's embarrassment because there were times when Rebekah wouldn't even let her lift a book. "Remember that you need to rest," Rebekah would say with a smile. She was Bonnie's self appointed nurse and was always looking out for her.

Rebekah also spent extremes amounts of money online shopping, not just for the twins but she also bought Charlotte an entire new wardrobe and Davina as well. Because according to Rebekah, "a girl can never have enough clothes."

Davina had lost count of how many new dresses, shoes, and art supplies she had gotten from Rebekah. She had briefly wondered if the gifts came with a price, if Rebekah was going to ask her for a favor in return, maybe to help bring her brother back to life.

Davina had heard them talking about restoring Kol's body. When they thought she was asleep she had sneaked downstairs and heard them talk. She had blushed furiously and had scurried off to bed with embarrassment when she caught snippets of a very intimate conversation between the three women. She had never gone down stairs to spy on them again after that embarrassing moment. Davina had learned her lesson.

She waited to see if the gifts she received were to bribe her to help them, but they never asked Davina for help. Rebekah had not asked or demanded anything from Davina in return for the gifts she had given her. Davina appreciated that.

If Lucy was the fun older sister and Rebekah the crazy aunt who spoiled them rotten, then Bonnie was the mother.

She had easily assumed the role, always looking after Davina and Charlotte. Waking them up every morning and greeting them with a warm smile as she helped Lucy with breakfast. She was always reminding them to wash their hands before eating, to brush their teeth before going to bed. She would indulged them with an extra scoop of ice cream for dessert and allowed them to stay late watching TV.

She tried to be firm, sometimes.

"One more please!" Charlotte would beg and Bonnie caved, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head. Charlotte would smile sweetly and snuggled closer to her on the sofa as they watched one more cartoon, or one more movie.

One rainy and thunderous afternoon, while Lucy and Rebekah had gone grocery shopping, Davina, Bonnie, and Charlotte had snuggled near the fire place. The three sharing a thick wool blanket and drinking hot chocolate with whip cream and marshmallows.

Bonnie was warm, gentle, and very funny too. When she smiled she radiated so much light, so much kindness. It was hard not to like her. Davina tried to resist her charm, tried to resent Bonnie's motherly nature but she couldn't. Not when Bonnie let her look through her collection of grimoires, not when she allowed her to walk through the woods surrounding the house and practice her magic alone, in the way her grandmother had taught her.

Bonnie gave her the space and solitude Davina needed but she was also there should Davina needed to talk. If Davina voiced her opinion, Bonnie listened. While Bonnie mothered her to an extent, she also treated Davina with respect, like a girl her age, not a child like Marcel would sometimes. Davina liked that.

Bonnie had a great imagination too. On the nights she tried to get Charlotte to sleep in her own bed, in the room she was supposed to share with Davina; Bonnie would tell her stories, made up stories about princesses, evil sorcerers, brave knights, and dragons that flew on command.

Davina always pretended to be asleep, keeping her eyes tightly shut, but she listened eagerly to the vivid tales that sprung from Bonnie's imagination. After tucking Charlotte into bed and kissing her forehead, Bonnie would always make sure that Davina was tucked in too. Always whispering a soft, "good night."

Davina's mother had never done that.

She would never admit it out loud, not even under extreme torture, but little by little Bonnie wormed her way into Davina's heart. As did Charlotte, and Lucy, and Rebekah.

Their days at the safe house were spent in peace. They were far away from the chaos of the Quarter. There were no vampires, no werewolves, and no witches after them. Life was simple, normal, quiet, and they got to enjoy the last days of summer to the fullest.

They had their meals together. Sometimes they would cook together too, laughing and talking about trivial matters. There was that time when Charlotte helped them make cookies or she tried to because the only thing she did was dip her fingers in the chocolate and eat it while no one was looking. Rebekah had taken a picture as the tiny witch sat on the floor, chocolate bowl in her lap, face and hands covered in it. She had looked up just in time as Rebekah snapped the picture. The evidence of her crime was on proud display on the fridge.

They played games, watched movies, took walks through the woods surrounding the property, or they went to the pond near the house and fed the ducks. They even explored the small lake about a mile away from the house, enjoying a picnic in the afternoons and a swim in the nice cool water.

Rebekah taught Charlotte how to swim, Lucy helped her practice magic, and Davina showed her how to play the different games they had around the house. There was a lot Charlotte didn't know, a lot of things she had never seen or heard of before. It was almost as if she had been living in another planet and had suddenly been dropped on earth. She had endless questions, on why things were there, how they worked, what they were. It was annoying sometimes but everyone answered each of her questions with patience and a kind smile. No one could get angry at the sweet girl that was so starved for company and affection.

Charlotte was sweet, loving, and easy going. She always had a smile on her face, she always said thank-you and please. She was always eager to share with Davina a new discovery, a new game. When Davina sat on the coffee table drawing, Charlotte would sit next to her and draw stick figures on the loose leaf papers Davina had. They could sit and draw in silence, or spend the afternoons watching TV, playing games, or spend countless hours in the garden, making flowers grow with their magic, under the watchful supervision of Bonnie and Lucy.

Little by little, Davina came to enjoy Lucy's signing in the mornings, Rebekah shopping sprees and sarcastic comments, Bonnie's warm and protective nature, and Charlotte sweetness.

Little by little, Davina came to like them, to care for them, and to enjoy their company.

Little by little they became a sisterhood, a family.

It was a beautiful thing to be given a few precious days of peace, of joy, in the otherwise chaotic and dark times in their lives.

The only thing that ruined the peacefulness of their time at the safe house was that Davina got a sudden cold. Other than that, their time at the safe house had been perfect. It was a time Davina would treasure always. The days she formed a different kind of family.


"Remember to crush the petals," Kol said as he looked over Rebekah's shoulder. They were in the basement of the safe house, mixing all the necessary ingredients to restore his body. It was a rather slow and delicate process. Everything had to be done to exact precision.

Kol was inside the circle of candles, his spirit was summoned every night by Lucy as they worked on 'the little project' as Rebekah referred to it, long after Davina and Charlotte had gone to bed. It was easier to do it at night. During the day Bonnie rested. Rebekah and Lucy made sure she got all the rest she needed. And when she wasn't resting, Charlotte demanded all of her attention, much to Kol's annoyance.

The little demon was a hard nut to crack, no matter how much Kol had tried to get her attention she never acknowledge him and of course when she got annoyed with his antics she ran to Bonnie, who always took her side and sent Kol away.

Lucy and Rebekah had taken an immediate liking to Charlotte and to Davina as well. The girls had without a doubt formed a strange sisterhood of sorts, which more often than not, left Kol sulking as they did girly things. He couldn't wait to get his body back and spend time with his brothers, he really needed it. He was sick of girly movies, hair and make-up tips, and slumbered parties that divulged information Kol did not want to hear, ever. Like how many times his sister had sex with that human of hers, or how much Bonnie missed Nik's mouth, or Lucy's fantasies about Elijah. No, thank-you.

Whenever Lucy, Rebekah, and Bonnie sat down to eat ice cream, Kol ran out of the house because they were just some things a guy did not need to hear, particularly about his brothers.

Kol's favorite moment of the day was when they worked to restore his body. Every day that went by was a step closer to coming back to the land of the living.

A tub had been filled with soil, his ashes had been thrown in there, and different ingredients were added each day. Earthly magic was the purest form of restoration and the method Bonnie preferred to use. Had they used black magic it would have taken less time but there were also far more risks involved.

Rebekah helped by preparing the ingredients, Lucy did the chanting, and Bonnie watched from afar as she was forbidden from doing magic still. Sometimes, she would sit on the old desk in the corner of the room and work on the spell needed to complete Kol's return to the land of the living. Changing and rearranging words here and there. Bonnie had an ingenious mind and it was quite fascinating to hear her mumble and scratch things here and there as she came up with the spell.

Not even half away in restoring his ashes and Bonnie had succeeded in creating the spell to put him back into his body. That's how good she was.

Kol felt anxious and he was constantly double checking Bonnie's list and supervising everything (to the smallest detail) much to everyone's annoyance. He asked endless questions, why a certain ingredient was added? Why another one had not been added yet? Was Bonnie sure about the size of the magic roots? Exactly how crushed did the crystals have to be?

It was exasperating sometimes but they managed.

"Don't forget to crush the crystals too," Kol reminded Rebekah.

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "I'm following the instructions to a T, Kol. There is no need to fret." She loved her brother but he could be really annoying with his obsessing. Not that she could really blame him, a tiny miscalculation and they could fuck everything up. "I'm not going to mess this up," she promised. She knew what was at stake.

Tonight was the night.

For the past few nights they had been working nonstop but tonight the last ingredients would be added. If everything worked according to plan, Kol would have his body back in a matter of hours.

Lucy sniggered as she took the bowl with the crush petals from Rebekah's hands and added them to the tub. The water was a murky brown with streaks of green already. "Have you crushed the crystals yet?" she asked Rebekah.

"Yes," Rebekah handed her the small copper bowl with the crushed crystal powder.

Lucy took it and stared at the clock, it was one a.m. "This is the last batch." she reminded everyone as she dumped the crushed powder into the tub.

Small bubbles began forming. It looked like the murky water was starting to simmer. Now all they had to do was wait, the next couple of hours would be crucial.

"I can't believe you did all this to restore Nik's body," Rebekah commented as she stared at the simmering muddy water. They had been adding all kinds of ingredients for the past week or so. Everything was coming along quite nicely. She didn't show it but she was very nervous. The final countdown had begun.

"It wasn't as time consuming as this," Bonnie walked closer to the tub and looked down. The murky water looked to be boiling now. That was good, very good. "Klaus's body was partially destroyed. I only mixed a small amount."

"We're almost done." Lucy muttered as she crossed out the steps they had completed already.

"Yeah," Bonnie agreed. "We just need to add one more thing."

"Our blood?" Rebekah asked curiously. Bonnie had told her and her siblings that their blood would be one of the key ingredients. Elijah had donated a bag of blood which Klaus and Rebekah had brought with them. Klaus had donated bag of his own before returning to the French Quarter days ago. Rebekah herself had filled a blood bag of her own. That was the only thing they had not added yet.

Bonnie nodded. "That's the final ingredient."

Rebekah stood up and went to the small fridge on the opposite wall, pulling out the bags with their blood. She looked expectantly at Bonnie.

"Add then," Bonnie instructed.

Rebekah's hand shook a bit as she tore the bags open and dumped the blood into the tub. There was a spark of something, a current of electricity that was felt all around the basement as their powerful Original blood was mixed with the other ingredients.

Kol watched mesmerized. This is it, he thought. The blood mixed with the murky water, combining together to restore his ashes to flesh once more.

"Now what?" Lucy asked keeping her eyes on the tub. The hairs on the back of her neck and arms stood up, she could feel it. It was happening.

"Now we wait," Bonnie murmured as she also stared at the tub. "It's going to take a couple of hours."

"When do you think-" Rebekah bit her lip. She was a bundle of nerves and excitement.

"Sunrise," Bonnie responded with a soft smile. She could tell how nervous Rebekah was, Kol too, even if he tried to pretend otherwise.

Kol tilted his head to the side. "Just for reassuring purposes," he began nervously. He was so nervous and excited, he could hardly contain himself. This was it, the moment he had been waiting for was finally coming true. He could hardly believe it.

All three women turned to stare at him.

"I'm coming back as an Original vampire right?" he stared at Bonnie as he spoke. "There is not going to be any nasty surprises or a tail, or anything of the like." He knew Bonnie was a competent witch but he wanted to be one hundred percent sure.

"What, you think we're turning you into a mouse?" Lucy asked grinning. Kol tried, but he couldn't really mask his nervousness, it was kind of cute.

Kol shrugged.

"Now, there is an idea." Rebekah winked at Lucy. The two shared matching grins.

"Don't even think about it," Kol glared at both of them.

"Your body will be restored to the form it was before you died," Bonnie assured him. "Don't worry; you'll be back as an Original vampire."

"Good." Kol visibly relaxed at her words. "I love being forever young and handsome you know."

Lucy rolled her eyes. Trust Kol to think of his vanity as such crucial moment.

"Whatever happened to your daylight ring?" Bonnie pondered suddenly. He was going to need it.

"I'm assuming Nik has it," Kol responded with a shrug.

Rebekah nodded.

"If not, I'm going to need a new one." He gave Lucy and Bonnie one of his sexy smirks and wiggled his eyebrows playfully. "Any of you ladies interested in making me one?"

They both just laughed.

It definitely helped to break the tension.

The truth was they were all nervous.


As the sun rose and streamed throughout the house, the basement remained in darkness. The only light came from the candles scattered around the room.

The water had evaporated throughout the night. After all the ingredients had been added they had combined and come together to form a body. The ashes had become flesh and blood once more.

Rebekah pulled Kol's body out of the tub and laid it down on the floor, inside the pentagram of salt Bonnie had made. A blanket was thrown over the lower part of his body.

"No need for that," Kol's spirit told them. "You have my permission to ogle me all you want."

Lucy and Rebekah couldn't see or hear him anymore as the spell to talk to his spirit had worn off. Only Bonnie heard him and rolled her eyes.

"Are you ready?" She asked turning to face his spirit. It was the moment they had all been anticipating.

"Yes." Absolutely yes, Kol thought. "It's going to work right?" his voice was low, almost a whisper. Despite his bravado there was a part of him that was afraid that this would not work. That he would be a spirit forever.

Bonnie nodded. She felt confident that the spell would work. She could feel it deep in her bones. She couldn't wait to see Klaus's face when he got his brother back. Not to mention how nice it was going to be to not be the only one to see and interact with him. With any luck, Charlotte and Kol would learn to get along.

Lucy took a deep breath as she kneeled down next to Kol's body. Bonnie had given her the spell and while Kol's body cooked to perfection, she had been studying and practicing the words. "The moment of truth," she whispered before closing her eyes. She had memorized the words by heart.

Rebekah let out a shaky breath. "Please let it work, please…" she mumbled under her breath. She didn't know what she would do if the spell failed.

Lucy began chanting.

"Thank-you," Kol said suddenly. He wanted to thank Bonnie before he forgot or lost the nerve to get the words out. He wasn't very good at that sort of thing. But he wouldn't be here without her. Bonnie had pulled him out of the other side. Bonnie's spell was going to guide his spirit inside his body. Yes, Lucy and Rebekah had helped but without Bonnie, he would still be trapped on the other side. He owed her. Kol knew better than anyone the importance of owning a debt to a witch. "For everything," he added looking away, almost embarrassed to say the words. I will pay you back by protecting you, he vowed. Always and Forever.

"We're family," Bonnie told him simply.

Kol was momentarily stunned by her words. He had heard Rebekah referred to Bonnie as family, as the sister she always wanted. She knew Bonnie considered his sister and Nik, and even Elijah her family, but he didn't think that notion extended to him.

Bonnie offered him a small smile and he smiled back.

"Yeah, we are," Kol agreed. Bonnie had a good heart.

And then, he gasped. His spirit was suddenly jolted as the spell began to take effect. "It's happening…" he managed to let out before he felt a strong pull and then another.

Bonnie watched as his spirit suddenly blinked away, disappearing completely. She moved her eyes to the body on the floor, waiting for Kol to wake up in his body at last.

Lucy opened her eyes. "It's done," she told them. She stared down at Kol's body and waited.

Rebekah swallowed the lump on her throat. "Did it work?" she asked looking from Lucy to Bonnie who stood across from her. "Did it?" She was terrified that something had gone wrong, that they had failed, that they had wasted Kol's ashes for naught.

Bonnie opened her mouth but before she could answer Rebekah's question, there was a loud gasp.

"It worked," Lucy let out a nervous laugh. For a moment she had been afraid she had messed up the spell. But she hadn't.

Kol's eyes snapped open. He gasped loudly a couple of times as he slowly began to get reacquainted with his body. He was alive! He was finally back! The joy he felt in that moment was overwhelming.

"Kol!" Rebekah got on her knees, next to him. She threw her arms around his neck in a fierce hug. He was back, Kol was back. They had done it. She couldn't contain the tears of joy that gathered in her eyes.

Kol laughed at her enthusiasm and hugged her back. He felt so happy.

Bonnie and Lucy shared happy grins as the two siblings embraced warmly.


New Orleans

The meeting with the Crescents was tedious. Klaus felt like an animal at the Zoo with the constant gawking he got from the pack. They were all watching him, some with curiosity, others pretended to be indifferent to his presence, some even looked angry, but the hint of nervousness and fear coming off them gave them away.

Bloody fools, Klaus thought. His expression gave nothing away of his inner feelings. He stood still, in between Cary and Ishmael. His hands inside the pockets of his black leather jacket as he contemplated the group with indifference. He let Ishmael do the talking. The old man knew how to be polite and act with respect towards the Alpha of the pack. Klaus zoned out for most of the conversation, choosing instead to survey the group and think ahead, plan the way he could use them, assess which ones he could turn into worthy hybrids.

His skin prickled from time to time as he felt Hayley's gaze on him. The wolf girl had been trying and failing miserably to catch his attention from the moment the meeting had started. Klaus had ignored her completely. It was best to ignore her because he hadn't forgotten that she had sided with the witches and her presence at the ball had lured him into their trap. His fingers itched to snap her neck into shreds. He had no choice but to contain himself.

Hayley was standing next to the Alpha of the Crescent pack, a tall brown haired man named Jackson Kenner. His scent clung to Hayley like a second skin, the same way her scent was all over him. It was a clear sign to others that they had chosen each other as mates. They were clearly the Alpha pair of the pack.

Klaus didn't think it would bode well for the alliance if he were to kill the Alpha bitch in front of her pack, no matter how tempted he felt to do so. Instead, he tried to pay attention to what was being said. The less he saw of Hayley the better.

"It would be beneficial if we were to work together," Ishmael was saying. "Our lines are ancient. The Crescents once fought for Fenrir."

"You expect us to be in his servitude," a blond wolf by name of Oliver spat angrily. "To pay our respects to him-" He scowled as he looked at Klaus. He didn't like the hybrid that much was obvious.

"Oliver," Jackson gave him a warning look. The last thing they needed was to antagonize the hybrid. They all had heard the stories. They all knew what he was capable of.

"He's an abomination!" Another wolf pointed out.

"We shouldn't trust them." Another voice spoke up.

Klaus rolled his eyes. It was nothing new, nothing he hadn't heard before. It was tiresome really. "An abomination, a heartless monster, a cold and ruthless killer, the list goes on," his lips curved into a smirk. He appeared proud of the reputation he had made for himself in the past one thousand years. He felt no shame for the things he had done nor did he mind the titles he had acquired. "And I'm also the new king of New Orleans, so you must learn to play by my rules." It was quite simple really. They needed to fall in line and do as he ordered them to.

"And if we don't?" Hayley challenged, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at him with defiance. Oh, how proud she looked standing with a pack watching her back. She no doubt felt important and probably even thought they were standing as equals now.

Klaus glanced in her direction, his eyes cold and indifferent.

Hayley lifted her chin and stared back unflinchingly. Her arrogant posture, the sense of entitlement, and the pride in her face, angered him. She should consider herself lucky that she was still breathing.

"Be careful, little wolf." He was trying to be patient. He was trying to make things work with the Crescents in order to keep the fragile peace in the city. For Bonnie, for his children, for his family, he whispered like a mantra inside his head. Elijah would be proud that he was keeping his temper in check and not retaliating yet. But his patience could only go so far and if Hayley pushed, Klaus would gladly make a demonstration to the Crescent pack as to why he had earned such infamous reputation.

Say another word, Klaus's eyes seemed to say as he stared at Hayley. Do it, he challenged holding her gaze.

Hayley looked away. She couldn't hold that magnetic gaze. No matter how much she had tried.

Jackson frowned and looked between the two of them. "You two know each other?" he asked curiously.

Hayley opened her mouth but Klaus cut her off. "If you don't want to work with me, that is your prerogative," he said turning to face Jackson. He had more important things to do than spend the rest of his day trying to convince a pack to join forces with him. Yes, he could use the Crescent pack in the war to come but they were not essential to his success, contrary to what they might think. "Out of the mercy of my cold and black heart," he offered them a dimpled grin. "I shall give you twenty four hours to get the hell out of my city."

The wolves tensed at his words and protests immediately formed on their lips. The city was their home; it had been their home for over two hundred years. None of them wanted to leave. They had been fighting for control of the city since forever.

"I am fighting a war," Klaus told them as he slid his cold and calculating gaze over each and every one of them. "Those who fight with me shall be rewarded, those who stand against me, will cease to exist." He had no time for games. They were either with him or against him.

"Is that a threat?" Oliver's hands balled into fists. He was more than ready to launch himself at the hybrid, never mind the fact that the man was ten times stronger than him and could have easily killed him.

"It's a promise," Klaus sneered at him before turning back to face Jackson. "Ask your bitch what I do to those who betray me."

Hayley flinched at the cruel tone of his voice while Jackson growled at the insult.

Ishmael shook his head. This was not how he had planned to get the Crescents to help them out. He gave Klaus a look which the hybrid happily ignored.

Cary in turn, moved his eyes over the pack, calculating which wolves he could take out first, should the pack decide to attack Klaus right then and there. Cary would always have Klaus's back.

Jackson bravely took a step forward.

Klaus's next words stopped him cold. "You either accept an alliance with us or you get the hell out of my city." His eyes flashed gold for a few seconds. A few of the wolves standing behind Jackson, took a fearful step back. "Should you be stupid enough to side with my enemies, make no mistake, I will end all of you."

With those words, he took off at vampires speed. He had no time for impertinent wolves who believed themselves to be better than him. He could use the Crescents to expand his army but he was not going to beg or compromise anything.

"Be careful what you choose to do," Cary told Jackson. "He's not joking." He turned around and began walking out of the Bayou, in the same direction Klaus had disappeared.

"You said you wanted to talk," Jackson said turning to Ishmael. "And here you are threatening us." Technically, Klaus had made the threats not Ishmael but still, Jackson wasn't happy about that.

"We are at war Jackson," Ishmael reminded him. "We don't have time for games." A thoughtful look crossed his features as he stared at the young wolf. "You can choose to be on your own, to fight and die for a city that has already been lost. You can relinquish your status as Alpha and join the Navarro's and fight for their ideals if you wish. Or you can accept an alliance with us and remain in the Bayou."

"And accept Klaus as king?" Jackson's jaw clenched. The hope of the Crescent pack was to one day rule over New Orleans like they had done before Marcel took over the city. If they formed an alliance with Klaus and his pack, they would be legitimizing his rule over the city.

"None of those options are good for us," Hayley remarked.

Ishmael's blue eyes were kind and filled with so much wisdom as he stared at both of them. The pride of youth, he couldn't help but think. "In times of war, difficult choices must be made," he said quietly. "A true Alpha, one who values and cares for his people will always choose their survival over his own pride."

Something flickered across Jackson's eyes upon hearing Ishmael's words. Hayley glared at the older man in turn, while Oliver scowled.

"Choose wisely," Ishmael advised before he turned around and began walking away from the Crescent Moon camp. They still needed to meet with Kilian and his pack. Ishmael prayed to Fenrir that Klaus would keep his temper in check.

Long after he was gone, his words echoed inside Jackson's mind.


Thierry and Riley stepped inside the compound later that day. The young vampire looked sad. For the past week, Thierry had been worried sick. Katie had gone missing from her shop. Thierry had been going to see her, happily carrying a bouquet of roses and hoping to patch things up only to find a mess inside and his girlfriend gone. Since then, the young vampire had been a mess, desperately searching for her.

"Any luck?" Belle asked as she spotted them. She and Josh had been making flyers to distribute around the city.

Riley shook his head. They had spent yet another day looking for Katie and once again, they hadn't been able to find anything. Not even Angelica had been able to locate her.

"Here," Belle pushed the stack of flyers she had into his hand.

Thierry took them from her; Katie's picture was front and center on the bright pink paper. He gave Belle a questioning look.

"We made them," Belle murmured softly. "Josh was going to help me put them around the city. You guys can help too."

Josh nodded eagerly; he also had a stack of flyers in his arms. "We made over four hundred copies." He didn't know Katie, but Josh was eager to be included, to be a part of the group. The vampires now knew he had been sired by Klaus; that he had been a spy and they hated his guts for it. The Hybrids didn't think much of him either. He and Thierry were pretty much in the same boat but they weren't friends either. The only one Josh had befriended was Belle and Angelica who seemed to get along with everyone. "I can make more," he was quick to add.

"Thank-you," Thierry felt touched by the gesture. More often than not, he found Belle annoying. She was so enthusiastic about the Mikaelson twins she was driving everyone crazy with her planning and asking everyone's opinions on what gift she could get them. She tended to ramble a lot too and always seemed to know everyone's business. Thierry never thought that she would care about finding Katie. He didn't think they even knew each other. "Why are you doing this?" he asked them suddenly.

Once the vampires had seen his worry over Katie's disappearance and learned of their secret relationship, they hadn't exactly been pleased. Most of them thought Thierry was a fool for getting involved with a witch. He had already disappointed them by proclaiming Klaus king and being the first to kneel before the Original Hybrid and now they discovered he had a witch as a lover. He wasn't exactly their favorite person at the moment.

None of the vampire he had once considered his friends had offered a word of comfort or help. Except for Josh and Belle who had made flyers and Riley who had helped him search for Katie throughout the city. There was another hybrid girl Aiko, whom Klaus had ordered to search for the missing witch as well. The rest of the vampires didn't give a damn.

"Katie helped Klaus," Belle answered with a shrug. For that reason alone they were helping Thierry. Katie had proved her loyalty to Klaus and that meant that she was part of their group. "She's one of us now." She offered him a small smile. "We'll find her." With any luck, Angelica's locator spells would work.

"Thanks," Thierry said to Belle and he also nodded in Josh's direction. He really appreciated that were taking the time to help him. The hybrids were not as bad as he first thought.

"I'll help too," Riley said as he took some flyers from Josh's hands.

Belle smiled sweetly at him. The smile turned sour almost immediately as she spotted the two vampires entering the compound. She couldn't stand them, one more than the other.

"Where is Klaus?" Damon demanded immediately. He was probably the only vampire in New Orleans that could stroll into the compound demanding to see their sire.

Belle glared at him. He was so rude. Stefan wasn't so bad but Damon got on everyone's nerves. All of the hybrids were more than ready to end the insufferable vampire. He got on everyone's nerves with his attitude.

"He's out." Riley informed him. "He and Elijah had an important meeting."

"He told us to meet him here," Stefan said to him. He looked down at the flyers in their hands with curiosity.

"I guess you'll have to wait for them." Riley didn't see the need to inform them that Klaus and Elijah were not going to return until nightfall. They could figure that out on their own.

Damon huffed in annoyance.

"We have to go," Belle took Riley's hand and let the way, followed closely by Josh and Thierry who stared at both brothers with curiosity. He didn't know much about them except that they were Matt and Bonnie's friends and that seemed to be the only reason Klaus and Elijah tolerated them. He couldn't help but wonder what the two Originals were planning with all their secret meetings and how the two vampires were involved. He definitely needed to find out.


The Safe House

"Tuesday at nine a.m.," Bonnie repeated to the receptionist on the phone. She had finally gotten a new cell phone."We'll be there, thank-you." she wrote the date on the sheet of loose leaf paper she had on the kitchen table and frowned. She stared at the date. No, that couldn't be right. September, no…no they couldn't be in September already. Bonnie blinked a few times and gasped as sudden realization hit her like a bucket of ice cold water. "Oh my god," she whispered as she stared horrified at the date she had written down.

"Everything okay?" Lucy asked coming to stand next to her. "Did you make the appointment?" She had been in the kitchen making lunch while Bonnie made the appointment.

"Yeah, I did." Bonnie replied distracted. She kept staring at the paper with the appointment date and time. She had made an appointment for herself, one Charlotte (Bonnie wanted her to have a full check up) and for Davina who had suddenly come down with a cold. Said girl was currently curled up on the sofa, wrapped up in a blanket and taking a nap.

The thing about Davina's cold was that every time she sneezed the lights would flicker on and off for a few seconds, things would suddenly break, and just that morning, the curtains in her bedroom had caught fire after a coughing fit. So, Bonnie was going to take her to see Dr. Mayfair. She had never heard of a cold affecting a witch's magic before and neither had Lucy. Luckily for the rest of the household, Davina's cold was not contagious as no one else had gotten sick.

Rebekah had run to the pharmacy to get her some cold medicine, more chamomile tea, and lots of tissues as well as a couple of other things they needed around the house. She had taken Charlotte with her. Charlotte loved going shopping with Rebekah because every time they went, Rebekah would buy her new things. The little girl was getting spoiled rotten by auntie Bex as she had started to call her. Rebekah was also going to make a quick stop to the hospital and get more blood bags for Kol. Who was hiding in the basement as he didn't have a daylight ring yet. They had to get a lapis lazuli stone in order to make him one. She didn't know how Charlotte was going to react upon seeing Kol. The little girl couldn't keep pretending she didn't see him, not anymore.

"So, what's with that face?" Lucy asked.

Bonnie blinked a couple of times as Lucy brought her out of her thoughts. She looked up into her cousin's face. "I hadn't realized…" she closed her eyes, mortified. "The fall semester at Whitmore started days ago." Her life had been so chaotic in the past month. It had been one thing after another, constantly fighting enemies and trying to stay alive, she had completely lost track of time. Oh my god, her dad! She stood up. Her heart racing and her hands shaking. "I need to make an important phone call. Can you keep an eye on Davina?"

"Sure. The soup is almost ready. I think that'll make her feel better." Lucy didn't like the look on her face. "Bonnie, what's going on?"

"I'm supposed to be at Whitmore, my dad…" There was an anguished look on her face. "I haven't talked to him in days, weeks actually." She had called him a few times after arriving in New Orleans but she couldn't really remember the last time they had talked. "He thinks I'm traveling with Matt and Rebekah you know. I couldn't...I didn't tell him." Tears welled up in her eyes. She was a coward, a liar, and a terrible daughter. Her poor dad must be worried sick about her. She had completely forgotten about him. What kind of daughter did that?

"You haven't told him about?" Lucy probed.

"I haven't told him about the pregnancy." she had chosen the easy way out. She had left Mystic Falls with the assumption that she would have time to return and talk to her dad about her pregnancy. Her life had changed so drastically in such a short time. There had been no time for that. "God, I can't believe I didn't realize this sooner. I have to talk to him. I need to let him know that I am okay."

Bonnie was so used to not seeing her dad for long periods of time that it had been easy to forget that she had left Mystic Falls with a lie. To forget that her dad was waiting for her to return home and go to college. Her father had been such a distant presence in her life that as ashamed as she was to admit it, she hadn't really missed him. She was used to being without him. It was a horrible, heartbreaking truth. But that's how she felt.

She was going to have to go to Mystic Falls, Bonnie realized in that moment. She needed to see and talk to him face to face. What she had to say was not something one divulged over the phone. She might not be close to her dad, but he deserved to know that he was going to be a grandfather. And he had tried his best, especially those last few weeks in Mystic Falls, her dad had tried. He wasn't perfect but he was still her dad. She couldn't keep lying to him, no matter how terrified Bonnie felt of his disappointment and rejection.

"Just take a deep breath," Lucy suggested seeing how agitated Bonnie had become. That wasn't good given her condition. "Just breathe and calm down. Everything is going to be fine."

"He must be worried sick."

"Are you going to tell him…" Lucy looked down at her baby bump. In the past few days, Bonnie had definitely gained a more noticeable belly, even her face looked fuller, and her breasts were bigger too. Something Rebekah liked to tease her about.

"No. I can't do that to him over the phone." Maybe she could go to Mystic Falls before returning to the Quarter? Her bed rest had almost ended anyway. She just needed to see Dr. Mayfair and get the green light from her to resume her normal life and to do magic again. She could make a quick trip to Mystic Falls and see her dad before returning to the Quarter and facing the trouble brewing there. "I'm just going to let him know that I am okay and that I'll see him soon, to explain everything." She chewed on her bottom lip hoping her dad would accept that for now.

Lucy nodded.

"I'm going to call him from my room."

"Good Luck."

"Thanks."


Baton Rouge

The door opened and she immediately flinched, her head fell to the side as the light hit her. Footsteps echoed inside the room and she heard voices. She couldn't really understand what they were saying.

She whimpered when a hand touched her chin and lifted her face up. A figure loomed over her, it said something but Caroline didn't understand. She blinked trying to make out the blurry face.

Thump…thump…thump

Her senses immediately picked up the beating of his human heart. Her throat was so dry but her mouth watered at the thought of warm human blood. She shivered. Sweet human blood, yes, that's what she needed. That's what every nerve in her body craved.

Slowly, very slowly she licked her lips. Her stomach growled and she hissed. The veins underneath her eyes became more pronounced and her fangs descended. A low menacing growl erupted deep within her chest.

Caroline was starving. She was so hungry. Under different circumstance she would have launched herself at the stranger visiting her in her cell, but she was too weak. She could barely keep herself awake. She couldn't really move or say anything. There was only one thing on her clouded and weak mind.

Blood

I need blood…

Her mind screamed for it and her body demanded it.

Caroline opened her mouth but no sound came out. She struggled to get the words out, but nothing.

Please...

She was desperate, she needed to feed. She was dying. She didn't know how much time she had left only that her end was approaching. She couldn't feel her legs. The left one in particular felt like stone.

She was desiccating, she knew. Tears blurred her vision as she fought to get the words out. She would do anything, anything in the world for a sweet drop of blood.

Please…

I don't want to die…

"Take her upstairs," the voice commanded. "You know what to do."

Caroline cried out as she was roughly picked up. Everything hurt. Her extremities felt cold and heavy.

Am I free? She wondered foolishly. Or were they taking her to meet her end?

Her body was limp and heavy but the muscled werewolf easily carried her out of her cell. Caroline did not struggle at all. She couldn't, even if she had a bit of strength left to fight, she wouldn't have done it. After everything she had been put through, death would be a sweet relief. She would welcome it with open arms.

"Are you sure about this?" Victor asked Luis after Caroline had been carried out of the room.

"We are not going to let them win." Luis replied taking his cell phone out of his pocket and sending a quick text to Elijah Mikaelson, a time and a place for the exchange of hostages.

"It's a risky move, Luis." Victor was nervous and uncertain about the whole thing. Ever since Luis had started his secret talks with the Original, Victor had a bad feeling. The fact that they were doing this behind Franco's back made him even more nervous.

"By the time they realize what we've done it will be too late," Luis replied with a smirk. The Mikaelson's had made the biggest mistake of their lives taking his brother. They were so arrogant and believed that they had everything under control, they didn't.

Luis had a very nasty surprise in store for them.

Victor gulped. Many people believed that Franco was the worst out of all the Navarro brothers, Victor secretly believed that was in fact Luis. There were times when Luis could be far more scarier than Franco.

"Come along," Luis ordered. "There is a lot we must do."

Victor dutifully followed him.


The Safe House

After taking a deep breath and maybe practicing what she was going to say in front of the mirror for a minute or two, Bonnie finally dialed the number she knew by heart. Her hands shook and her heart pounded loudly in her ears as she waited for her father to pick up.

The joy in her father's voice was undeniable as he greeted her happily, far too happy for someone who had not heard from his daughter in weeks.

"I'm sorry I haven't called you, I-" Bonnie honestly didn't know what kind of excuse to give him. She had no excuse.

"Oh honey, I know. This is a new and exciting time for you, it's okay," her father replied in a cheerful tone. "I'm so proud of you."

Bonnie frowned. "You're not upset?" Okay, something was definitely not right. She had not spoken with him in over a moth at least, he should be relieved that she was calling but upset that she hadn't done it until now. What the hell was going on?

"Why would I be?" was her father's innocent remark.

Bonnie could easily picture him sitting at his desk, leaning back on his chair and smiling. Before she could reply, Rudy interrupted her.

"Guess what? I bought a new camera," her father informed her with excitement. "When you come home from Withmore, we'll have a new camera to take pictures with. I can't believe that old thing ruined all the pictures we took during the summer."

Pictures we took during the summer? Bonnie didn't have a clue what her father was talking about. "Pictures over the summer, dad what are you…" She trailed off with a sudden cold realization. Her father had been compelled. It was the only explanation she could think of. Her father was compelled to think that she had come home and then left for college.

Bonnie didn't need to be a genius to know who was behind it. Klaus had told her that he had hybrids watching over her dad. She didn't know whether to feel upset that Klaus had ordered her dad to be compelled behind her back or relieved that her dad had not been worried sick about her for the past few weeks. There were mixed emotions inside her in that moment.

"Are you feeling okay sweetie?" there was a pause. "That's a stupid question considering what's going with your friends. I'm sorry," he apologized immediately. "I'm just so happy that you are in college and far away from all this supernatural stuff."

Bonnie's bit her lip and her eyes watered. No, Daddy. She thought sadly. I'm not in college, I'm pregnant and I'm fighting a war. She held back a sob and one hand moved to clutch her baby bump. She was right in the middle of a supernatural war. How could she even begin to explain to her dad everything that was going with her life?

She had to see him face to face. She couldn't just dump everything on him over the phone. Her dad was going to be so disappointed in her. She had a long list of enemies to fight, she needed to keep her kids safe, and she needed to lead a coven into war before she could even consider continuing her education.

"I know you wanted to stay and help but I promise you, we are doing everything in our power to find Caroline," her father continued. "Poor Liz, I had lunch with her yesterday. I had to practically force her to eat something. The poor woman is worried sick. She's not sleeping, she's barely eating. I couldn't imagine being in her place. It's been over a month and there are no clues still about Caroline's whereabouts…"

Her father said something else but his words did not register in Bonnie's brain. The air left her lungs as she processed what he had just said.

Caroline was missing.

Caroline had been missing for over a month.

Bonnie felt like the rug had been pulled from under her feet. She stumbled back and sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling suddenly sick. She could hardly breathe. Oh god!

"Damon and Stefan promised to find her but Liz hasn't heard from them since they went to Louisiana or something," Rudy continued talking. He was blissfully unaware of the anguish, of the turmoil his daughter was feeling at his revelation. "Liz trusts them but if you ask me, I don't think they are going to find Caroline, and with Elena missing as well." There was another pause. "I'm so glad you spent the summer away. If you had stayed you might have gone missing too." He shuddered with the thought. "I know how hard this is for you honey but…"

His voice became an echo. Everything around Bonnie came to a sudden halt.

Caroline and Elena were missing.

Her best friends had gone missing.

Bonnie squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face. Her friends were missing and she was just finding out.

"Dad," her voice broke as she spoke. She was crying and doing her best to get a hold of herself. "I need you tell me everything you know, please." Bonnie begged. She needed to know exactly what had happened.

How had Caroline and Elena gone missing?

But more importantly, why had no one told her anything?


A/N: I don't remember if I mentioned this before but the reason Bonnie's dad can be compelled is that the water supply in MF no longer has vervain, Klaus had something to do with that. Anyway, the cat is finally out of the bag. Let me know what you thought of this chapter and get ready for what's coming. Thank-you so much for all your support.

I wish you all a Happy Holiday!