Chapter Twenty-Three: Four Hundred and Eighty-Four


Auxor Castle

Southern France

September 2010


Caroline d'Ebanne paced the great hall of Auxor Castle as the group strategized over their next move. In front of her, laid out on a long table, were several maps of the castle, the grounds, and all of the Ebanne territories. The coven, joined by Mariko and Emmeline, flanked the table. Rebekah stood a little off the side with Bonnie, who was trying to pay attention to the meeting, but kept getting distracted by the architecture of the grand room. Elijah was sitting at the table, sifting through the papers, scrolls, and tomes he had brought with him from New Orleans. He was nervous about Esther and Mikael having so many weapons against them and was hoping to find useful information in his mother's notes.

It was the morning after the group from Des Cendres had arrived. Silas had been locked in the old dungeon where Mikael had once been stored, centuries before. Amara was thawing out in a sound-proof room guarded by both witches and vampires, but she was not exactly coherent.

"Silas does not know yet that Amara is the anchor?" Verenice questioned.

Caroline shook her head. "We need to use that knowledge to our advantage."

"Agreed," the young witch said.

"I didn't want to lead Mikael and Esther to Des Cendres; I'm sorry we had to come to Auxor, but you have the anchor, and Qetsiyah and her hunters are on their way here to defend it from Silas; the last thing Qetsiyah wants is to allow Silas and Amara to die together and destroy the Other Side. It all just fell into place," Caroline apologized to Verenice's mother, the leader of the coven.

She waved her hand dismissively. "Under no circumstance could we allow your students to be compromised. We are well-equipped for war. Besides, Caroline, we are only stewards of your family's estate. We will do as you say, sister."

Caroline nodded gratefully. "So, what's next?" she asked the group.

Instead of a centralized debate, everyone began talking at once. Rebekah and Bonnie joined the rest around the table as the dialogue grew livelier.

"The coven asked us here so we can do all we can to help them. Once they discovered the anchor was not a statue, but a two millennia-old desiccated immortal, they figured they'd call in the favor," Rebekah explained to Mariko and Emmeline.

"Then what is the plan for Amara and Silas? Let him give her his blood so he can kill her, destroy the Other Side, and then kill himself so they can live happily ever after in the afterlife?" Bonnie asked Verenice.

Another witch responded, "Will he even be able to go through with it, though? The reason Qetsiyah made Amara the anchor was she was the one thing on Earth he could never harm."

"If the Other Side was created by Qetsiyah as a purgatory for her and Silas, then why should we allow it to exist any longer? It's become a waiting room for every single supernatural creature in the world," Verenice argued.

"But at least on the Other Side, we can watch over our loved ones and communicate with them via mediums. Even interact with them without a medium on special occasions. And there is the possibility of coming back over, when the Veil is raised," her mother pointed out.

"Does Silas deserve the happy ending he wants? He completely upended our lives this summer," Rebekah muttered to Mariko.

Caroline shook her head. "I've recently realized, grudges are cumbersome things to carry. It will certainly make our lives easier to just be done with Silas and let him die in peace."

"But if we allow Silas to destroy the Other Side and die with Amara, what the fuck will Qetsiyah have in store for us?" Emmeline worried.

"Is she as powerful as Silas?" asked Bonnie.

"She's more powerful," Mariko confirmed.

Elijah had not been participating in the conversations; he was flipping through the pages of his mother's notes when a particular passage caught his attention. He frowned at it. He could decipher the literal meaning of the Elder Futhark, but he was never any good at understanding witchcraft terms. "Caroline," he called softly.

Caroline stepped away from the other witches for a moment and peered over the passage he had pointed to, her eyes widening in a way that made him very nervous.

"What is it?" he demanded.

"Esther definitely has Elena's blood?" she asked him.

He nodded. Mariko walked over to them and glanced down at the passage.

"She's linked you; all of you. Whatever happens to one of you, happens to all," Caroline said grimly, making everyone in the great hall fall silent.

"Then why aren't we dead yet?" Rebekah asked after a beat.

Caroline glanced at Mariko.

"Because Esther must not want to kill you; she must have intended for Finn to take the Cure and make all of you human again," the Undying Witch told them.

"But Mikael never had the Cure," Elijah said slowly.

"Well, they know that now. That's why they're coming here; they want Silas' blood," Mariko clarified.

"And if they can't get it?" Rebekah asked.

"Then there probably isn't much Esther can do to stop our father from stabbing Finn with the white oak stake," Elijah told her.

Mariko winced and looked at Caroline again. "You up for it?"

Caroline nodded firmly. "But can we do it without Elena's blood? I don't want to wait for her to get here to undo this."

The coven leader stepped forward. "You can probably reverse it with blood from any Petrova descendent, doppelgänger, or even ancestor, if you catch my meaning."

Mariko smirked. "Where're you keeping the anchor?"

"This way," Caroline said. "Ladies, we'll have to table this conversation for now; my family needs me. Silas and Amara aren't going anywhere."

Caroline and Mariko started to leave the room, but Elijah stopped them.

"What are you doing?"

Caroline turned around. "We're going to use Amara's blood to reverse Esther's linking spell before Mikael loses his patience and stabs your brother. Bonnie? Want to learn some advanced magic?"

Bonnie's mouth fell open slightly before she strode across the hall to join her mentors. The three witches exited. Elijah turned to his sister tiredly.

"There's always something, isn't there?"

But his sister was not paying attention to him.

"Finn," she murmured under her breath.

Elijah rolled his eyes. "He's lost to us."

"Not entirely; we must gain the upper hand," she muttered, tapping her fingers on the table as she thought. "I need to track down an old acquaintance."


On the flight from Virginia to France, cramped quarters in the plane forced some old scars to reopen. Pacari was grateful he was a trained pilot; he stayed in the cockpit with the co-pilot for all eight and half hours, flying the plane and trying to filter out the awkward conversations he was overhearing. Kol kept giving Damon rather blatant suggestions about Elena, while plying Elena for any information about Bonnie Bennett. Niklaus was making various phone calls to his allies around the world. When Kol grew bored of Elena and Damon, he turned to his brother and put his foot in his mouth.

"You know I never slept with your wife, right?"

Damon stood up rapidly and wrapped his arm around Elena. "That's our cue."

They joined the hybrids in the back of the plane. Niklaus blinked before lowering his phone and calmly folding his hands on the table.

"My, my, Kol, I always knew you had a death wish, but this is something else, even for you," he said serenely.

Kol leaned back in his chair and saluted his brother. "I would prefer the term 'impulsive'. Reckless, certainly. But death wish? Nah."

"And the reason you're bringing this up now?"

Kol smirked. "Well, we can only fight so much on a metal machine flying thousands of feet in the air before destroying it and imperiling the lives of everyone on board. Or, more importantly, delaying your reunion with Caroline."

Klaus tried to summon every ounce of patience he possessed.

"Caroline and I worked through this quite a while ago, Kol," he said flatly.

"Oh, excellent. I was hoping my confessions that day didn't upset your marriage," Kol continued snidely.

Klaus smacked his hands down on the table. "Kol!"

"Alright, fine. I'll admit they weren't so much confessions as they were-"

"Lies?" Klaus hissed, his eyes glinting dangerously yellow.

"Misdirection?" his brother offered.

"I get it; you loved her once. And then she chose me. Were you just being a sore loser?"

"No. Well, maybe a bit. But, mostly, I wanted to hurt her. And you."

"You can consider your mission accomplished. Did Elijah tell you how long my wife and I were separated after we finally confronted each other about what you said to me that night?"

"No," said Kol, looking uncomfortable.

"A very long fucking time. It took a lot of work for us to reconcile, but by the end of the Second World War, our marriage was stronger than it had ever been. Oh, sorry, World War II was-"

"Yes, thank you; Pacari finally introduced me to Wikipedia yesterday," Kol interrupted. "Then, congratulations. Are you saying what I did helped you two out?" he asked cheerfully.

Klaus closed his eyes. "You are insufferable. If it wouldn't delay holding Caroline in my arms again, I would throw you off this plane."

"Duly noted, brother."


Mariko would have felt guilty for taking Amara's blood when the girl was so clearly distraught, but then she reminded herself of the colossal ripple-effects of Amara's actions and some of her pity abated. She and Caroline reversed Esther's linking spell and everyone rejoiced that there was at least one less thing to worry about. Kol apparently, decided there was a lot of silver lining to appreciate.

"Our mother doesn't want us dead; she wants us to become pathetic humans again! She doesn't hate us after all!" he proclaimed as he entered the castle foyer. "Small victories, friends."

"I would say she hates us more, if she wants us human again," Niklaus muttered beside him.

Pacari flashed right to Rebekah while Niklaus glanced around the room for his wife.

"Niklaus," she whispered from behind him.

He turned around. She was framed in the doorway of the keep, the lush grounds behind her and the sun in the distance. Her eyes burned into his. A beat later, they were holding each other.

"How could I have forgotten you, Nik?" she asked remorsefully.

"You didn't," he told her firmly, running his hands down her back soothingly. "Your body certainly never failed to respond to my touch."

She let out a watery laugh.

Mariko raised an eyebrow at Kol. "Welcome, Kol. Did you really think it was necessary to bring the entire town?" she asked drily, gesturing to Damon and Elena.

"Doppelgängers are always useful in a pinch," he grinned at her. "Never know when you might need one."

Bonnie descended the grand staircase and shrieked, "Elena!"

The best friends ran to each other. Mariko watched Kol's expression soften.

"She shouldn't be here; it's dangerous," he said quietly.

"Bennett witches are always useful in a pinch," she retorted.

He rolled his eyes.

"Alright, we can save the epic reunions for later. We have a lot to discuss," Elijah declared.

He shepherded everyone into the great hall. The hybrids stood near the back, while the rest huddled around the long table and attempted to strategize.

"Esther and Mikael have yet to arrive, but when they do, there's no way they can penetrate the protective spells on the boundary lines," Caroline explained to the newcomers.

"And you thought it was a good idea to bring Silas to the anchor because…?" Kol questioned.

She fixed him with a steely glare. "I knew your parents were going to come for Silas as soon as they realized they do not have the Cure. I wasn't going to let dangerous people come to the school; I try not to make the same mistake twice."

Kol opened his mouth, but Pacari punched him in the arm.

"Besides, it's better to have everyone in the same place, so we can finish this all at once," Mariko said. "We aren't going to end this by having all the players scattered around the world."

Niklaus ran a hand through his hair. "What's the running list? Silas is not immortal. He drank the Cure before coming to Mystic Falls, with the intent of using us to track down the anchor. We find Amara, who is not dead as we all previously thought. She's still immortal. Oh, and she's the anchor that Silas wants to destroy, but now he won't, because it's Amara. When he finds out she's here, what's his move? Give her the Cure and then they perform a double-suicide?"

"Or he gives her the Cure and they live happily ever after," Rebekah said.

Mariko snorted. "For the past two thousand years, Amara has been frozen in a box, as every single supernatural creature who dies passes through her, forcing her to experience the pain of their demise. I don't foresee her dreaming about retiring to a beach bungalow with Silas. I've entered what's left of her mind; she craves death."

"But what's the consequence of destroying the Other Side?" Elena asked.

Kol shook his head emphatically. "Unknown. This is why everyone always said Silas' rising spelled the end of the world."

"I agree; we're going to have to kill Silas, and then we'll figure out what to do with Amara," Caroline said with a frown.

Kol turned to look at her in surprise, but she did not look at him. Mariko's features twisted as she thought.

"We shouldn't kill him, yet. We need to get the Cure out of him first," she murmured.

"Why?" Rebekah asked sharply.

"Because then we can use it," the witch told her simply.

As the Original family considered the weight of her words, the coven leader stepped forward.

"Let's also hold off on killing him until we come up with a solution that works for all of us, including the spirits."

"Fine. What about Esther and Mikael?" Niklaus asked the room.

Kol shrugged. "We prepare, they arrive, we fight them. They die. Simple."

Caroline exchanged a glance with Rebekah. It was never that simple.


That night, Pacari was undressing in his bedroom when he heard the door open.

"Why aren't you in my room? Our room?" Rebekah demanded.

He froze. "I wasn't entirely sure…"

She flashed across the room and stood right in front of him.

"This is it; I'm in this for good," she vowed.

He lifted her chin and stared into her eyes. "It's only ever been you."

"Ari," she murmured.

He placed a gentle finger over her bottom lip. "My one, it's been far too long."

He slid his thumb over her lip, staring at her hungrily. Her tongue flicked out and licked him suggestively. As he ran a hand through her hair, she stroked his toned chest, down his stomach, and reached his waistline. She played with the dark hair leading downwards and toyed with his zipper. He sucked in a breath. She leaned forward and kissed his lips. Suddenly, his pants were gone, and he was bare before her. She took a step back and trailed her eyes over his taut body with a heated expression. He stepped towards her, but she shook her head coyly. He watched as she deliberately unzipped her dress and shimmied out of it, his body responding to her flesh quite obviously.

She pointed to the bed and he obeyed immediately, lying down on the black sheets. She crawled between his legs, grasped his throbbing member, and lowered her face until her lips were wrapped around him. As she sucked and licked him, his back arched off the bed and beads of sweat dripped down his face.

"Bekah," he gasped out as she worked.

She glanced up at him, her mouth covering him completely. He nearly erupted. A second later, she was on top of him, lowering her body onto his. They thrust into each other wildly, their bodies covered in sweat, their faces wet from tears. It had been centuries since they had been together; neither of them was going to last very long. Pacari snaked a hand down and stroked her nub, staring into her eyes.

"Ari!" she screamed, her body tensing up and then seizing all over. As her insides squeezed him, he exploded into her.


When Mariko and Emmeline entered the dungeon, Silas was waiting impatiently, pacing his cell like a caged tiger.

"Are you going to bring me to the anchor now, as Caroline promised?" he snarled.

"All in good time," Mariko assured him.

He scoffed.

"You implanted a false image into Pacari's mind of Mikael stealing the Cure from you?" she said calmly, placing a case on a table and snapping it open.

Silas winked at her. "I didn't have to implant anything; Mikael really did have the Cure. For about a minute."

Emmeline grabbed Silas' arm to temporarily weaken him. He fought against the siphoning, but she was too strong. She held his other arm for Mariko, who sat next to him and pulled a needle out of the case.

"I don't like it when people think they can outwit my friends and me. It makes me get a little jumpy," she continued.

"You're still not more powerful than me," he muttered. "Ow!"

She smiled grimly as his blood filled the syringe. Once it was full, she put it back in the case and started pulling out materials for a blood donation.

"More?" he huffed out.

"That was just a sample. We'll need a lot more than that, my friend."

She stuck an IV into his forearm. Silas glanced at Emmeline.

"You're not as amusing as your girlfriend," he noted.

Emmeline didn't smile. "I know."

Silas furrowed his eyebrows and mouthed "Wow" to Mariko. They stared at each other for a long moment. Mariko felt the slight pang in her brain that she had been waiting for; she used his spell against him and mentally ricocheted it back at him. He winced.

"Did you really think you could liquidize my insides? Me?" she asked rhetorically.

He shrugged. "Had to give it a try."

As the first drops of blood hit the bag, he winced again. Mariko gave him an unimpressed look.

"Are you kidding me?" she mocked.

But then his wince grew; he let out a low moan. Another second later, he was hissing and grabbing his head. Emmeline glanced at Mariko warily.

"Are you doing this?" she asked.

Mariko shook her head. "I thought you might be."

"No."

His moans turned into full-out screams of agony and his body began seizing violently. The IV slipped out of his arm as he fell to the floor.


Qetsiyah pulled her fingers away from Stefan's head and smiled triumphantly as the doppelgänger collapsed to the forest floor, blood pouring out of every orifice. Jeremy rushed over to the vampire.

"He's fine," Qetsiyah drawled lazily. "I could have done a lot worse."

Jeremy glanced up at her in disgust before turning back to Stefan.

"Stefan? Stefan, wake up!" he insisted.

"He needs rest, Hunter," she said, her annoyance evident.

The lead hunter approached her. "What next?"

Her eyes narrowed as she assessed the castle through the trees. "We wait. With Silas' powers compromised, I've bought us time. I want Esther and Mikael to barge in, raise hell, distract them all, and then we can serenely stride into the castle as the dust settles and take what we want. I hope you brought camping gear, gentlemen."


Mariko left Emmeline and an Ebanne witch in the dungeons with Silas and headed upstairs to search for the family. She found them in the expansive chef's kitchen on the first floor. Rebekah was near the pantry, having a serious phone conversation. Elijah and Caroline were chopping up vegetables at the island and discussing recipes. Kol and Pacari were going down a list of hybrids and making notes about each one, while Niklaus was sitting opposite them at the table with his feet up and his sketchbook in his lap. His eyes kept wandering over to his wife. Mariko was not especially interested in breaking their peace, but she needed to let them know.

"Qetsiyah and the Five have arrived. She just fried Silas' brain," she announced once she was in the middle of the kitchen.

"What does that mean for us?" Elijah asked.

"It's actually somewhat helpful; she stunted his powers for at least a week," Mariko explained. "She doesn't want him to escape our watch."

"She probably wants to wait it out," Caroline said as she chopped an onion aggressively.

"Wait what out?" Pacari wondered.

"Wait for our parents to arrive, fight us, weaken us, and distract us, so she and her hunters can slip in and steal Amara and Silas," Niklaus summed up, tapping his pencil against the sketchbook.

Mariko nodded.

"If we don't have to deal with Qetsiyah and Silas for at least a week, and Esther cannot get past the protection spells, perhaps we should take advantage of this time and consider it a blessing," Kol said.

"And do what? Take more time to prepare?" asked Elijah.

"No, we've done all we can at this point. We'll keep training the hybrids, but really, I was thinking more along the lines of a celebration," Kol said.

"Celebration?" Elijah repeated drily.

"Why not?" Caroline said suddenly. "Why shouldn't we celebrate? Make the most of our time while we are all still together; worst case scenario in mind. Then, on our own terms, we lower the wards and allow Esther and Mikael to come in. It's not like we can escape them, anyway. As soon as they arrive, they're going to surround us; a fight with them is inevitable."

They looked at each other and smiled, silently agreeing.

"Believe me, I don't really care about you either, but this is what you have been waiting for for a thousand years, so when I tell you to get to southern France, you get your ass on a goddamn airplane," Rebekah hissed out before ending the call and stuffing her phone into her back pocket.

Pacari came up behind her and ran his nose along her exposed shoulder. She relaxed into him.

"What did I miss?" she asked the room, picking up on the charged mood.

Kol smirked at the couple. "Nothing much; just that we have decided to delay all future battles for one week. Wasn't it only a few days ago you two lovebirds decided to marry, or remarry, or whatever?"

"Yes," Rebekah told him; her tone suspicious. "What of it?"

"What are you waiting for? How 'bout you kids wed within the next seven days?" Kol suggested.

Pacari blinked. Rebekah laughed. "Yeah, right."

"If this is to be the end of days, then we may as well go out with a bang," Kol insisted. "When was the last time we were all together for a giant party?"

"With you there? Top of the 15th century; Caroline and Niklaus' wedding," Elijah said thoughtfully.

Mariko smiled. "I think it's one of your better plans, Kol."

"What do you think, Care? Do you think you could organize a wedding in such a limited time?" Rebekah asked.

Caroline grinned. "I thought you'd never ask."


It took longer than Esther would have liked to travel to France, but their entourage had grown exponentially in the past few weeks; it took a lot of organization to get their army to southern France, especially since she did not comprehend modern technology. When they finally reached the boundary line of Ebanne territory, Mikael smiled triumphantly. She held up her hands and chanted under her breath, testing it.

Finn glanced at his mother. "Should I try to go through?"

A few seconds later, she lowered her hands grimly. "No. They have a massive collection of warding curses and protective spells over the entire territory. It's got to be even stronger around the castle grounds."

"How long will it take to bring them down?" Mikael asked arrogantly.

Esther scowled. "It's not so simple; there have to be hundreds of witches in there. And this is their ancestral home, so the spirits are on their side."

"What are you suggesting, then?" Finn asked.

"We surround them, make sure no one can get in or out. They can't stay holed up forever."

"I don't like waiting," Mikael snarled. He ran towards the invisible boundary line.

A moment later, he was blown back hundreds of feet before crashing into a distant pine tree. Finn watched his father impassively before turning back to his mother.

"You were saying?"


The following week was hectic. Most tried to stay out of Caroline's way as she torpedoed around the castle and its grounds. She had to open several portals for allies and wedding guests, along with musicians and a waitstaff, dress designer, baker, and florist – and compel all the humans. Kol and Niklaus continued combat-training the hybrids and vampires. Pacari, Mariko, and the coven worked with all the new witches flooding in from all over the world, strengthening the wards and exchanging spells and curses. Mariko and Emmeline continued to take blood from Silas; it was easier now that he'd been weakened by Qetsiyah. Esther and Mikael and their entourage were amassing more soldiers, tightening their perimeter around all of Ebanne. With Damon training with Klaus and Kol, and Bonnie occupied with the rest of the witches, Elena assisted with the wedding planning, but it was Elijah, surprisingly, who had become his sister-in-law's right-hand; he was making threatening phone calls, manicuring the vast landscape, enlisting a couple hybrids to help build a pavilion on the riverbank, and working on his speech – Bekah had asked him to officiate. When Caroline wondered why he was so eager to help, he answered succinctly.

"My sister deserves a perfect wedding."


Two days before the big day, Niklaus decided to give Pacari and Rebekah a break from Caroline and her uncompromising neurosis. The trio were in the middle of going over seating charts when he strolled into the room, cradled his wife to his chest, flashed out of the castle, and didn't stop running until he reached a clearing, as she smacked his chest with displeasure.

"Nik!" she screamed.

He gently placed her on the ground and fixed her with a defiant look. "You were tense; I thought you'd like to relieve some of it."

"I have so many things I need to get done! A wedding does not plan itself!" she argued, gesturing towards the castle.

He grabbed her hands and kissed them. "Well, you've been hounding the happy couple all week; I thought they deserved a break."

There was a brief silence. "Did you just say hounding?" Caroline pulled her hands out of his.

"Calling it as I see it, love. Why? Did I upset you?"

"Are you trying to get me going?"

"Oh, I'm trying to get you something. What are you going to do about it?" he challenged.

"You could have just asked me to come upstairs if you wanted privacy," she huffed.

"As if you would have come," he scoffed. "Anyway, I've always appreciated you best in the moonlight," he continued huskily.

She took a flirtatious step away from him. "Are you calling my skin pasty?"

He grinned. "I'm saying I want you to take off your clothes, before I remove them."

The air in the clearing stilled as the electricity between them exploded with tension. Without another thought, they were both stripping. His wife hadn't even gotten to her lingerie before he grabbed her and flashed them to a tree. He ripped off her bra and panties and hoisted her up against the trunk. Her arms locked around his neck and she leaned her head back with her eyes closed as he entered her. His thrusts were chafing her bare back against the bark, but she didn't care. In fact, she enjoyed it; it reminded her that this was real. As his thrusts grew deeper and harder, she opened her eyes and showed him how much she loved him.

"Caroline," he murmured. "Mine."

His fangs descended and he bit down into her ivory skin.

"Yours," she agreed throatily, her own fangs dropping down into his neck.


Jeremy was trying to find the opportune moment to ask Connor, the de facto leader of the Brotherhood, if he could contact the outside world. Qetsiyah was safely out of earshot, meditating in the forest. The Hunters were all sitting around the campfire; Stefan sat opposite them with his head in his hands. Qetsiyah had greatly weakened him when she cursed Silas via the vampire, because he was Silas' doppelgänger. None of it made sense to Jeremy, but he didn't really care. He just wanted this to all be over with so he could return home. He was playing along as best he could; he actually did appreciate the training the other warriors were giving him. When Galen pulled out a six-pack, Jeremy decided to take his chance.

"Hey, Connor, do you think it'd be okay if I called my sister and let her know I'm alright?" he asked, trying to remain casual.

Across the campfire, Stefan took his head out of his hands to look up at him. Connor and Galen exchanged a glance.

"I suppose that'd be fine, as long as you do not give her any information about where we are or what Qetsiyah's plan is," Connor told him.

Jeremy nodded eagerly. "I just don't want her to worry; we've had a rough summer."

Galen tossed him a phone. "Put her on speakerphone."

Jeremy fumbled with the phone clumsily in his nervousness. Once he finally tapped out his sister's number, he waited with bated breath for her to answer. After a short moment, the call cut off.

"That's weird; maybe I should try Jenna?" he muttered.

"We're in France, Jeremy," Stefan said impatiently. "They don't have international service. Give me the phone; I'll put in Damon's number."

Jeremy started to hand the phone over, but Connor grabbed his arm.

"I don't think so, vampire. Why don't you just say the number out loud?" he suggested belligerently.

Stefan huffed out an irritated sigh and complied; Jeremy tapped in the numbers as he recited them. Three seconds later, the cocky voice of the elder Salvatore punctured the air.

"Who is this and what do you want?"

"Damon, it's Jeremy. Can you get to Elena?" Jeremy asked hurriedly.

The vampire sucked in a deep sigh. "Little Gilbert, thank god. Tell that witch to stop frying my brother's brain and tell the Hunters you are not for sale. It's Jeremy," he said to someone on his side.

"Jer?!" Elena's frantic voice crackled through the phone. "Oh my god, I've been worried sick. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, 'Lena, really," Jeremy assured her.

"Where are you? Caroline told me the Five are with Qetsiyah right outside the castle grounds; are you with them?" she asked. "We're surrounded on all sides."

Connor shot him a warning look. Jeremy swallowed.

"Um. I can't really tell you that, Elena. I just wanted to call and – wait, what? Are you – are you in France, too?" he demanded hoarsely.

"We all are, Jer," she told him grimly. "Bonnie, Damon, Klaus, Caroline. Even Ty-"

"Elena, you're on speakerphone," Jeremy warned.

There was a short pause. "Don't worry about me, Jer. Are you really okay? Supposedly, they took you because you're a Hunter. They haven't hurt you?"

"Not at all," he confirmed. Galen made a motion with his hand to tell him to hurry it up. "Elena, I got to go. I was only calling to tell you I'm fine. I'll see you soon."

"I love you, Jer. Don't worry-" she started.

"Get out of that castle, Elena!" Stefan shouted suddenly. "Qetsiyah is going to sneak in as soon as Mikael and Esther attack. I'm a dopp-!"

His warning was cut off as he fell to the ground with a thud, unconscious. Behind him, Qetsiyah lowered her hand slowly.

"Stefan? Jeremy, what's going on?" Elena's voice rose with alarm. "We already know she's waiting-"

"Don't call this number, 'Lena. Love you," Jeremy said quickly before ending the call.

Qetsiyah rolled her eyes. "Even their doppelgängers are a pain in my ass."

"If they already know we're here and waiting for the Mikaelsons to attack, shouldn't we change our strategy?" Connor asked the ancient witch.

She shook her head and stared into the fire. "It doesn't matter; there isn't anything they can do about it, and they know it. We stick to the plan."


The night before the wedding, Caroline hosted a cocktail party in the great hall. All the weddings guests, including Klaus' army, were milling about, drinking, laughing, dancing, and eating. A Peruvian band was playing traditional Andean music.

Caroline was giving Rebekah and Pacari notes on the dress rehearsal when Niklaus came up behind her.

"Nice necklace," he murmured, his lips grazing her ear lobe.

She suppressed a shudder and turned slightly as he joined them and handed her a martini. Elijah and Kol were beside him.

Rebekah narrowed her eyes at the sapphire necklace adorning Caroline's throat. "Did you give her that, Nik?"

Niklaus raised his eyebrows and turned to his wife with a pointed look.

"Er, not quite. It was a wedding gift from Eleanor," Caroline explained vaguely.

"Eleanor of Aquitaine?" Elijah asked with an amused glance between them.

Niklaus smirked. "The very same, brother."

"She gave it to you for your arranged marriage to Andre? It's not exactly a token of a successful match, is it?" Rebekah joked.

"I forgot Nik wasn't your first husband," said Kol. "Still pining for him after all these centuries?"

"It matches my dress!" Caroline protested.

"Do you think you're related to the queen through your kinship to Eleanor?" Elijah asked curiously. "The Windsors are direct descendants of her children with Henry II."

Pacari rolled his eyes at Elijah's expertise in the British royal lineage.

Caroline shook her head. "My father was her cousin; I don't really know if that makes me an ancestor to Queen Elizabeth."

There was a silence. Niklaus was the first to crack. When Caroline saw his grin, she let out a loud laugh, which set off Rebekah into a round of hysterical cackles. Elijah, Pacari, and Kol were soon roaring, making the people around them glance at the Original family as they made a spectacle of themselves.

"We've had a good run, haven't we?" Rebekah choked out through giggles, tears of laughter running her mascara.

Bonnie Bennett was gazing out the windows at the sunset when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Gita!" Bonnie exclaimed, surprised to see the Indian vampire again so soon. "I thought you had to stay and protect the school," she said as she hugged her.

Gita smiled at the teenager's exuberance. "I'm only here tonight and tomorrow. I couldn't very well miss my mother's wedding."

Bonnie pulled away with a confused look. "Mother?"

"Rebekah raised me," Gita explained. "I was only ten years old when Kol attacked the original school. After Caroline went into isolation, the Mikaelsons were responsible for my upbringing. Rebekah took on the bulk of the child-rearing."

"Deepest apologies, Gita," a voice cut in. "As always."

The two women turned; Kol had come up to them. Gita placed a hand on Kol's shoulder.

"I'll find you later, Bonnie," the vampire said with a smile, before walking away to rejoin Emmeline. Kol turned his gaze to Bonnie.

"I'm glad you're here," he confessed, handing her a glass of wine.

"I'm here because my boyfriend has been kidnapped," she told him pointedly, but she took the glass.

"Ah, yes, dearest Jeremy. But if you really missed him that much, wouldn't you have left Des Cendres after you and Iki reversed the spell on Caroline?" he said slyly.

She gave him a sour look and took a swig of wine.

He smiled. "Anyway, he's in no danger from the Five; the Hunters consider him their brethren. Now, when it comes to fighting Silas, I can't give you any assurances."

"Thanks," she said drily. "You've made me feel much better."

He held up his own wine glass and toasted her. "Is he even still your boyfriend? Elena was quite vague on the flight over."

"You questioned my best friend about my relationship? With her brother?" she demanded, aghast.

He held up his hands in surrender. "It was a long flight. But that's beside the point; it seems to me the two of you were in a pretty rocky place."

"That doesn't mean I don't care about him. I'll do whatever it takes to save Jeremy," she vowed.

A small smile played on his lips as he watched her. "I love your loyalty, Bonnie. I haven't experienced much of it in my long life."

"From my understanding, you have yourself to blame for that," she retorted, tossing back the last of the wine.

He flinched. "Whoops?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Regardless, back to my original intent for coming over here. Would you care to be my date to Rebekah's wedding?" he asked without a hint of humor.

She took her time placing the empty glass down on a high-top table before turning back towards him. "You're serious?"

"I'm deadly serious, Bonnie Bennett."

She looked him over and tried not to smile. "I can't be your date."

"Can't? Or won't?" he asked with a knowing grin.

"Once I see Jeremy again, I can give you the answer to that."

"And another witch leaves me hanging," he sighed.

"But I'll promise you a dance."

"I'll take it; I'm an excellent dancer."

"One dance," she clarified sternly.

He took her hand and kissed it very slowly. "Then I must make the most of it."

On the other side of the room, Elena was dancing with Damon, but his eyes were focused on something over her shoulder. She glanced up at him.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I just hope Bon-Bon knows what she's doing," he muttered.

"Kol?"

He nodded.

"He wouldn't stop bothering me about her on the flight over; it's kinda cute."

He raised his eyebrows. "I know her status with Jeremy is "It's complicated," but shouldn't you be on your brother's side?"

Elena considered that. "I love my brother, but Bonnie's too good for him."

Damon whistled. "Ouch."

"I know how that sounds, but he keeps repeating this pattern of cheating on his current girlfriend with his dead girlfriend. He has plenty of time to grow up and find someone. Do you think Stefan's okay?"

"I have a feeling Qetsiyah will not be able to hurt him," he said wisely.

"What do you mean?"

"He has the face of the man she threw out all the rules for. She turned the world upside down for Silas. She's still not over him, two thousand years later; she won't kill his shadow-self. Impossible."

A sad look crossed over the doppelgänger's face. "You're still not over Katherine."

He stopped dancing and pulled away to look her in the eye. "What makes you say that?" he asked sharply.

"The way you just described Qetsiyah's devotion to Silas."

He shook his head emphatically. "I stopped loving Katherine a long time ago."

Elena smiled and made to start dancing again, but he caught her arms.

"What does it matter to you, anyway?" he questioned. "Why do you care whether or not I still love Katherine? Shouldn't you be more concerned with your boyfriend's feelings for her?"

She frowned. "Stefan made it pretty clear the night he was taken that he is not interested in fixing our relationship. Besides, I know he was heartbroken over her death. I was distracted by John's death, but I wasn't that oblivious. It was on the list of things we needed to discuss. Before Klaus messed everything up," she finished quietly.

"Right," Damon said slowly. "But that doesn't answer my first two questions."

She bit her lip. "Can we take a raincheck on that conversation until this is all over and Stefan is safe?"

He looked like he wanted to argue, his piercing gaze roving over her face. Finally, he nodded.

"As you wish, Elena."

Encircling a high-top a few paces away, Caroline, Niklaus, Pacari, Rebekah, and Elijah placed their bets on the fates of two couples.


Auxor Castle

Southern France

October 2010


Caroline had forgotten how jaw-droppingly beautiful southern France was in autumn. They had decided to hold the wedding outside, at the edge of the field surrounding the castle. The vows were to be exchanged under a wooden arch overlaid with ivy and roses, right beside the forest. The leaves were starting to turn amber, rust, bronze, and shocking scarlet and the weather was perfect; a soft, warm breeze blew across the dying foliage as the processional started. A single cellist serenaded the guests as the bride appeared at the end of the petal-covered aisle.

Rebekah wore an empire-waisted gown with lace overlay and long sleeves. It was soft, flowing, and bohemian and its impressive train rustled gently over the lawn. Her hair was left down, plaited into a loose braid and entwined with flowers, pearl clips, and diamond-encrusted combs. The gold bangle that had once belonged to her beloved's mother adorned her wrist. Pacari stunned in a burgundy suit jacket trimmed in black and black pants, all in velvet. He was looking at his bride as if she were the first summer sun rising over the horizon after a brutal winter.

As maid of honor, Caroline had convinced the bride to let her wear a shimmering pale pink dress with a subtle slit up the side; Kol, in a black tux, stood next to Pacari as his best man. Elijah swelled with pride as his baby sister walked towards the arch, escorted by Niklaus, who had to blink rapidly to hide his tears of joy. When they reached the arch, he kissed Rebekah's cheek gently and placed her hand in Pacari's with a warning glance at the Incan hybrid.

Elijah began speaking. "Welcome, all of you. It's true we do not know what tomorrow looks like. But today, we honor two inspiring people, who never stopped believing in the possibilities of the future. Today, we come together to remind ourselves of the deep bonds we have forged between us. Some of those bonds go back centuries, while some of them are just a few weeks old. All of these bonds are equally important; they have helped us appreciate the love we have for Rebekah and Pacari, and the love they have for each other. This couple has long been devoted to one another, however hidden that devotion was, and now we can all finally celebrate this love as a family."

Pacari stared at Rebekah in awe and whispered, "Last time we did this, it was you and I on a cliff in the middle of nowhere; sans witnesses. Are you sure about this?"

With an intense expression, she answered sincerely, "I've been sure about you for 484 years."

From her position next to the arch, Caroline's eyes wandered over the guests. She saw Elena and Damon clasp hands as if on instinct. Bonnie was trying to avoid looking at Kol in his dapper tuxedo and failing spectacularly. Gita was leaning against Emmeline with a soft smile as she watched her mother figure wed. Tyler's gaze kept flicking over Caroline, so she continued appraising the crowd. The Ebanne witches were trying to engross themselves in the ceremony, but they were clearly on edge, their eyes darting around the field as if the apocalypse would descend at any moment. The students from Des Cendres were clearly living out their fantasies as they watched the wedding without a single jaded look. All their allies were there, including associates of Mariko's, Nik's hybrids and witches, and various friends the extended family had made over the centuries: Kol's Hungarian progeny Mary, the nearly thousand-old Maria, witches from across the globe Pacari had befriended, and even some of the vampires Kol had turned when he was running Versailles. Mariko was sitting in the front row, her amethyst eyes overflowing with rare tears. Niklaus had taken a seat beside her.

And he was staring straight at Caroline. With a jolt, she realized this was the exact spot where they had first met. She let her freshly unearthed memories take her back in time nearly nine hundred years.

Caroline barely heard Elijah, for Niklaus had looked away from the sky, at her, and his gaze on hers felt like fire scorching her face, her chest, her entire being down to her soul. Her breath hitched and he stopped growling. They stared at each other. He looked so hurt and confused and miserable, but most of all, agonized. He was a man in his own personal hell. Elijah pulled her away, and she stumbled a little, reluctant to stop looking at that terrible gaze.

His gaze now was not agonized, but it was equally passionate. As for herself, she knew her eyes were filled with the same wonder they held all those centuries ago. The past summer had proven he would always remind her of what was important, no matter what. And she would always push him to be a better man, with or without memories. They had passed some sort of existential test.

Elijah was wrapping things up. "We remember the ancient laws of Pacari's homeland: ama sua, ama llulla, ama quella. I considered this wisdom as I thought about the social contract that is marriage. Ama sua, do not steal; appreciate your spouse's time, affection, and sacrifices. Ama llulla, do not lie; honesty is crucial to any relationship. Ama quella, do not be lazy. This is particularly relevant in a marriage, because marriage requires effort and work."

Niklaus raised an eyebrow at his wife; Caroline felt her skin flush.

Rebekah and Pacari were not the type of people who desired to proclaim their undying love with their own vows; Elijah led them through the traditional words. By the time they got to their 'I dos,' both of them were tearing up.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," Elijah declared with a wide smile.

When she finally pulled away from Niklaus' intoxicating gaze to look back at the couple, Caroline caught Kol's eye over the groom's shoulder as the newlyweds kissed. They had reached an unspoken truce in the past week, but they both knew they needed to have a tough conversation in the near future. He gave her a small smile, which she returned.


They partied that night in a pavilion on the riverbank, under the stars. All the trees surrounding the pavilion had been wrapped in twinkle lights and there were gondolas floating lazily in the water for anyone seeking a more private moment. A nine-piece band played lively music and the waitstaff kept the partiers' plates and glasses full. Blood-infused wine was being poured with white gloves and complete discretion. This was not Caroline's first rodeo.

Despite what Bonnie had told him, the witch spent hours dancing with Kol. As he twirled her enthusiastically on the dance floor, Bonnie almost crashed into her blond friend, who was dancing with her husband.

"How did you do this in one week?" she asked with a laugh.

Caroline smirked. "I'm one of a kind."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "I think I'd sum it up to compulsion and ah, experience."

"Are you calling me old?" she demanded.

He dipped her low and put his mouth very close to her ear. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Bonnie blushed at their newly rediscovered affection and turned back towards Kol, but this didn't help her much. His dark gaze was devouring her.

"You, Bonnie Bennett, are a joy in yellow," he said huskily.

Her blush deepened and she let go of his hand. "I should go, um. Check on Elena."

He smirked at her. "She's in one of those cozy boats with Damon, simultaneously worrying about Jeremy's safety, Stefan's well-being, how she's going to tell him it's over when he is returned to us, and she's trying not to make-out with his older brother in the meantime."

Bonnie's jaw dropped. "She is not!"

"Well, I didn't say she was thinking any of that out loud. But I'm pretty good at reading people, little witch," he teased with a wink.

He held his hand out to her again. "What are you, scared?"

Her eyes widened. After another moment's hesitation, she took it.

Across the dance floor, Pacari was entertaining Elijah with a story about his time in Jacobean England. His wife was a few feet away discussing the politics between the different covens in the area with some of the Ebanne witches when a musical voice whispered in her ear.

"Could I have a moment?"

Rebekah was somewhat surprised, but she excused herself from the conversation and followed Mariko out of the pavilion and a little way into the trees. The witch was in a dramatic, backless number, the wine-colored silk so dark it appeared black to the casual observer.

"What is it, Riko? Why do you look so serious?"

"I know ever since I transformed Caroline, you haven't been my biggest fan," the witch started. "The past weeks haven't helped."

Rebekah opened her mouth to protest, but Mariko cut her off.

"Don't deny it, please. You know it's true."

The bride closed her mouth slowly before swallowing. "I'm sorry for my hostility towards you; I was wrong to blame you for the distance between Caroline and myself, then and now," she apologized.

"I get it, Bekah. Please, don't worry about it; I've certainly played my part in all this drama. And I'm loyal to Caroline and Nik to a fault."

Rebekah nodded slowly, wondering where the witch was going with this.

"I wanted to make up for that. I know the only thing you've desired longer than being reunited with Pacari has been becoming human again. So, I thought you'd appreciate this," Mariko explained. She held out a fist and unfurled her fingers to reveal a glass vial. It was filled with blood.

Rebekah gaped at it. "Is that…?"

"It's Silas'," Mariko confirmed.

The Original looked up at the witch in awe.

"It's the Cure," the witch said.

Rebekah took the vial from her with careful fingers; her new rings clinked against the glass. "Do you have more of it?"

"I do. But, the funny thing about the Cure is, if it's in your system, any vampire, or hybrid can drink your blood and be cured," Mariko said meaningfully.

"Do you think…?" Rebekah wondered leadingly.

Mariko smiled at her. "I think he'll want what you want," she said gently before frowning. "But don't do anything stupid, like take it before the battle. We need you to fight – both of you. And you should probably prepare the family."

Rebekah shook her head and gazed across the clearing. Pacari was gesturing wildly as he reached the climax of his story; she was fairly certain it was the one about The Globe burning to the ground. Elijah had been joined by Caroline, Niklaus, Kol, and Bonnie to hear his tale.

"No; I'll wait until this is all over, when the moment is right."


A/N: Some well-deserved fluff to counter all the angst (before the shit hits the fan). If you'd like a visual for Rebekah's dress, it is essentially Kelly Clarkson's wedding gown, but with a longer train and without draping sleeves. Only eight chapters left! Stay safe. Thank you for reading. ~ L