God, I missed writing these two together, they give me life.

I imagine her homecoming dress in this to look like that mf iconic black Chanel Met Gala gown worn by Lily Rose Depp in 2019 (you know the one, black with gold chains), but on a curvier model of course, I'll link it below so you have an idea. Idk why but it gives me Klaus vibes, I think It's very on brand for him to get her a designer dress and this one matches her wings, imagine that sight! :)

( pin/582723639283945429/ and for a more general view pin/22447698131793579/ )

Guest 2.0: Sis you're fast! Hahahaha. I know! It's gorgeous. I imagine it with less accessories tho, I'm not a fan of the accessories the original model wore but it was the 90's and fashion shows don't often translate into real life outfits. I especially loved how Stefan was the one to sorta save face, I want him to grovel almost as much as Klaus. And speaking of which, I loved writing this chapter exactly for that too :).

Klaus is not obviously not the kind to get down on his knees and beg or to cry for her but he'll definitely show it through body language, we all know damn well those two can't keep themselves away from each other. It was so fun to write her in control of things for a change, oh man. I'm so glad you picked up on the fact that the dress was Klaus' gift, I tried leaving it sort of implied lol.

Blu3b3rryT3a: Yes ma'am he is! He's just beginning though, it'll be a while before he manages it properly, he fucked up quite a bit.

LexiMason: Aaa thank you :). It's because of inspiring people like you that I did. I have many of the chapters until very far from here already planned out, and like I said, it'd be unfair to you guys, me and to Gia herself if I didn't carry this idea forward. This is a character that I didn't expect, but completely came alive in my mind, and now has her space rent-free in there lol.

TheQueenofGoodbyes: Me too, I love writing him. He's human in the story but without being all "boo hoo I hate vampires, I'm a victim" like Matt is. I think at this point he's just so desperate for a connection with his daughter that he's willing to stomach all that for a chance for their relationship to work, and I think that's beautiful. You didn't jinx Kol and Bekah hahaha don't worry! They'll come back next chapter. I didn't want Elena to dagger her, Gia would literally see red if that happened, and the two have that protection now that they didn't have in the show. I won't say nothin' about the injured comment, only that she did manage to take Klaus down a peg a few times in the past, and Mikael has a deal with the Salvatores that would clearly involve her not getting hurt. She's tiny, a young girl and people often grossly underestimate her actual strength since we don't know that much about succubi but that's all I'm gonna say. Argh, not giving spoilers to my own story is so hard.

This is Grasshopper - by Tkay Maidza.

To me this song has just the right amount of badass chaotic feminine energy to work with this chapter, even if the song itself is kinda niche and very intense. And therefore of course I know it by heart lol. This chapter right here is why succubi are generally categorized as demons in lore :)). Gia's badass, she always has been.

Now, this isn't the heartfelt reunion we all want, don't worry. They have a lot to talk about at a time when he's not dying and she's not trying her best to play tough, with all the adrenaline going on, and come on, she's cried enough.

I don't own anything y'all recognize from somewhere else.

September 17th

She laughed out when Bonnie spun her around, taking her hand and jumping up and down with Caroline, letting go for the night as she let all her worries slowly melt away. The blonde took her in her arms, dipping her dramatically to the floor as the two danced to the rhythm, completely disregarding the strange looks and the moments when they had been out of sync with the song.

Gia had been chatting with Bonnie about the band, amidst a fit of giggles when she heard his voice, interrupting the music promptly as soon as it ended and making her gasp, smile falling immediately off her face as if she had been pulled back to the real world. Her mind went blank, heart beating faster, eyes searching for him before she found him right where he belonged; always in the spotlight and taking her breath away.

"Gia, what is it?" Bonnie asked with concern, following Gia's gaze and tensing up immediately.

"Good evening everyone!" He said excitedly, earning all of their attention as he stood in a dashing suit on the stage, illuminated by the strong lights. "I want to thank you all for being here with me to celebrate,". His gaze settled upon her in the stunning dress he had bought, standing out against the common crowd; a vision in black and gold.

He caught her eye then, noticing the way they widened at the sound of his voice and smirking at the sight with one single thought occurring to him. Mine. Today he would get everything back, and all would be alright. "It's been a long time coming" He finished, now looking at Stefan, the smirk still on his face.

"Dammit why does he have to look so good" She thought aloud, Caroline inching closer as her voice was drowned out by the sound of the band once they resumed playing.

"What?"

"Nothing, I said I'm gonna go find some food" Gia answered loudly, giving Bonnie one last twirl and Caroline a kiss on the cheek before walking back inside, trying to get her mind off of him. She wasn't about to let him ruin this for her, even if she should've known he'd come.

Not even ten minutes later, the succubus was getting her third drink that night when he appeared behind her, compelling the boy who had been flirting with her to go away and hearing her sigh in annoyance, not even sparing him a glance.

"You ruined my dinner, Klaus".

"I'm sorry love. Fancy a replacement?" He said, sliding his hand around her waist and pulling her back against him, enjoying the bare skin on the right side of her neck to leave a soft kiss. The sound of her soft voice was even better in person, making the warmness that he felt whenever he was around her return at full force, his whole body seeming to sigh in relief as soon as he had her in his arms. "Hmm I knew the dress would look ravishing on you. That it would match your wings, your hair… the earrings I gave you were a nice touch too".

He heard her hum in pleasure and felt her relax at his familiar touch involuntarily, before pulling away almost as if snapping out of a trance and turning around, keeping their distance by her hands on his chest. He let his hands slip down to her hips as he looked down at her, paying attention to every detail of her features and committing it all to memory, her voice as if deep in thought when she next spoke.

"'K' for 'Klaus'. Oh my god, you're the one that bought the dress!"

"Yes, who else?" He clipped, jealousy starting to bubble up at the thought of her wearing it because of someone else.

"You know who else starts with your initials and is loaded, Klaus" she said, now looking up mindfully at his angry tone and feeling his grip on her hips tighten despite the collected look on his face.

"Ah. My little brother. Why would he be buying you dresses?"

"He was supposed to be my date. It made more sense" she answered with a tight lipped smile, his eyes narrowing and jaw clenching at the answer.

"And the little coward ran as soon as Mikael came into town" He said, a sense of superiority in his tone making her scoff and pull away, eyes narrowed up at him and making him frown. "I thought it would please you."

"Then we clearly don't know each other as well as I thought we did. You should know you can't just buy me off" she hissed out, moving to walk away before his words pulled her back, his hand gripping hers in his own.

"I do know you. I know you seek affections wherever you can, even if you know it's not right or good for you." he pressed, watching her scoff, hiding the pain in her eyes from him as she looked away, tone angry and cold.

"Yeah, and look where that got me"

His eyes narrowed at her words, jaw setting. "You don't mean that"

"Kol was a platonic date so I wouldn't come alone. Something I wouldn't have to worry about if you had been here in the first place. You don't get to be jealous about it, you lost that right when you walked away from everything we had without even saying goodbye".

"You're mine." he growled out, watching her eyes narrow angrily at his words, pulling away from his touch harshly.

"You left me, I'm not yours anymore." Her voice was low, dangerous, and it hit him harder than he would admit. "Maybe I was once. Before you decided to throw me away the second I got attached and showed feelings"

"That's not what I meant to-"

"It doesn't matter what you meant or didn't mean to do, Klaus, it matters what you did." her voice raised, earning some attention from the passerbies before she lowered it to a whispered hiss. "I'm gonna go dance and enjoy the last homecoming I have with my friends before they graduate, and you're gonna leave me alone. You're good at that" she breathed out, moving to turn around and in the next second being pinned to a wall in the upstairs room. She let out a small scream at the sudden movement despite the way his hands were always gentle on her skin; looking up at him with wide, fearful eyes and making him frown, his chest tightening painfully.

"You're scared of me" He stated, releasing her but keeping his body close to hers, not bothering to move an inch.

"You killed your own mother" she breathed out, now making his eyes widen, her voice a hissed whisper, and he noticed how she refused to hold his gaze for too long. "They know, Klaus. Mikael is coming to kill you and I know it's probably the stupid sire bond thingy that you created with me, but all I know is that I can't let you die, no matter how fucking furious I am with you right now". It felt as if minutes of silence passed, with him trying to absorb everything that happened, a blank, sad look on his face before he did his best to hide it, looking back into her eyes.

"It's a blood bond. It's stronger than sire bonds" he corrected, making her look at him in disbelief.

"Really? All that and the only thing you worry about is semantics?"

"I know you're not angry, you're hurt" he corrected, voice gentle. "You can't even look at me" he pointed out. "I'm sorry, love"

"Don't call me that"

Her tone was soft, almost sad, as she let go of some of her pretense, knowing he could read her like a book. She did her best to hold herself together in front of him, ignoring every instinct, every cell in her body that just wanted to feel his arms around her again, melting at the way his voice called for her attention every time.

"You do look stunning in that dress" he said, making her raise her eyebrows, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away. "Did you truly not like it? I know it's not traditional for homecoming".

His voice implied some insecurity, Gia still avoiding his eyes as she answered. "I… the dress is lovely, Klaus. It really stands out though, I mean it's couture, it must've been really expensive"

"Money has never been a problem, my love. You know that. You deserve to feel like a goddess every day; occasion or not. I hope you know I wasn't trying to buy you off" he assured, watching her sigh deeply, serious once more when she looked back up at him.

"I don't understand. Why are you doing this? Why are you here?"

"Stefan called me" he answered as if it was obvious, watching her roll her eyes.

"Not in Mystic Falls. Here with me. You should be downstairs wreaking havoc and making blood rain down on your dad, not buying me fancy dresses"

He laughed at her words, shaking his head at the floor before looking up at her, a hand gentle on her cheek. He didn't miss the way her eyes fluttered closed as she furrowed her brow, seeming to struggle not to lean into his touch before gathering the strength to push his hand away. "I can work with both, each in its time. Tell me their plan".

"I can't because I don't know, all I know is that I'm supposed to be Klaus-bait."

"You do make wonderful bait" he hummed, Gia rolling her eyes. "Especially when you look like that. Was it your idea to come and distract me?"

"Damon was suspicious, I didn't want him to think there's anything between us so I had to say yes. I knew you were coming back when we called, I just didn't know when, although I should've guessed that you'd make a big show out of it."

"I like flair." he shrugged.

"You like drama, that's completely different" she pointed out, earning a chuckle from him, fingers running gently through her soft strands when she next spoke, involuntarily finding any excuse to touch her, keep her close, as he struggled with his burning veins screaming for her. "They didn't trust me with the plan since Kol and Bekah have been really close to me and I'm the one who undaggered Elijah that first time; they think I'm 'team Originals' now." she mocked.

"Well are you?"

"I'm certainly not team Elena" She scoffed, earning a chuckle from him.

"You really didn't know about her being alive, did you?" he asked regretfully, noticing the way she avoided lingering those golden eyes on his for too long, while right now that was the one thing he wished for more than anything.

"Nope. Stefan covered it up and since I was stuck in the loft throughout the whole 'after sacrifice' get together, I didn't really see the magic of resuscitating the one person that didn't deserve to get all this trouble being done for her" She sighed out in exasperation, Klaus looking amused at the girl's dislike for the doppelganger and assuming that it was partly what had bonded her with his sister over the past weeks. "You should've trusted me".

"I know, love. I've regretted that every day since I last saw you. I can be a bit difficult, I know".

"Yeah, algebra is difficult, you're like… A.P. trig." she mumbled, watching him chuckle, the sound a low rumble coming from his chest that had always managed to ignite her body or make her smile, not any different now.

She furrowed her brows when she finally gathered the courage to take a good look at him, noticing how desperate his body had been acting, his paler face and jumpy actions, almost congratulating herself for being observant as his eyes drifted down to her throat and he swallowed back his need.

"Stop looking at me like I'm food".

He laughed at her, shaking his head as he took in a sharp breath. "Oh how I missed you, Gia".

"Good. Maybe then you'll think of everything you gave up when you left me." she started, voice angry with a seductive edge as she narrowed her eyes up at him, leaning closer to him slowly and noticing him tense at the sudden change.

She didn't know what was going through her head, as she internally chastised herself not to start something she couldn't finish, but she was too far gone in her anger to stop it. He looked taken aback when she next spoke, eyes darkening and focusing solely on her, doing his best to keep his distance and failing miserably.

"It must suck to know you'll never get to have me in the same way. To be stuck thinking about all the things I used to do to you, I know you remember". Her hands ran up his chest over his suit, making him shiver in pleasure, body desperate for her touch as he had never been before, Gia only leaning closer as she noticed, a smirk on her face as she let the succubus in her take over; whispering her words in his ear and leaving a small kiss over his jawline. "Forever thinking about how you'll never get to taste me again, feel my lips against your skin, run your hands through my hair like you used to love doing."

"Never is a big word, sweetheart" he mumbled, eyes pleading and wild as they met her stubborn ones once she pulled away, almost twinkling with anger. "I'm sure you can find it in your heart to forgive me. You're kind and forgiving by nature".

"I'm so sick of everyone underestimating me. You get so wrapped up in how nice I can be that you forget succubi are their own kind of monsters. I could have you on your knees in a second if I wanted to" she breathed out, a hand tangling in his hair and tugging on it just as she knew he liked, hearing him let out a deep groan. She relished in the power of watching him crumble, always so dominant and collected and now a mess before her as his need consumed his every nerve.

"Don't play games with me love, I don't have as much self control as you think I do. I might just take you right here and now if you keep this up". He argued, voice deep and menacing even if she paid it no mind.

She smirked, her free hand sliding up his light grey dress shirt, gripping his tie as she inched closer to him, breath ghosting over his lips. "Oh we wouldn't want that. I know how much you like to be in control, and you're well aware that I know just how to make you lose it".

"Gia" he growled out, making shivers run up her body at the way he said her name, the girl pulling away from his lips when he took a step closer.

"You're hungry, aren't you? It's really messing you up" she teased, her hand running through his short curls, Klaus leaning into her touch and resting his forehead against the wall just beside her own, doing his very best to keep his hands to himself, afraid that if he touched her, she would stop completely. "Poor thing".

"Are you offering or torturing me? I truly can't tell" he breathed out in annoyance.

Noticing her hesitation, he brushed his stubble against her neck, her body reacting despite herself as he heard a small whimper, head leaning back to grant him access. He littered wet kisses up her neck as soon as he had her silent permission, his hunger and lust muddling into one as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her roughly to press her chest up against his, nibbling on her skin and feeling her grip his bicep over his suit, nails digging into the fabric.

"T-trevor told me that my blood is like a drug to vampires, and you just quit cold turkey, with every emotion and sense heightened." she panted out, doing her best to hold onto the power she had stumbled into and earning an acknowledging grunt from him as his fangs brushed over her neck. "You're in withdrawal".

He struggled to block out the sound of her accelerated heartbeat, feeling her warm skin under his touch and earning a gasp when he sucked on her sweet spot. "So are you, I can sense it. Tell me you've been with no one else since I left".

His words were almost a demand, Gia's heart tightening with guilt in her chest before she pushed him away. She watched as his face changed into yellow eyes and dark veins, Klaus pushing it down as he fought to control himself before he met her gaze, back to his blue orbs, Gia avoiding her question and noticing the way his jaw clenched.

"Mikael's here. I don't want you to die. You'll need your strength, all of it, if you're going to walk it off tonight."

"I don't want to give you more reasons to hate me. I won't use you".

"I don't hate you, Klaus, I can't hate you. Believe me, I've tried to hate you, to forget you, I just…" she trailed off, letting out a deep sigh before her eyes were upon his once more. "Save your strength, walk out of this alive. I may be angry but I don't want you dead. It's why I was never included in their plan. I wouldn't help them hurt you".

"You still care" he realized with relief, watching her jaw set as she looked away, running a hand through her hair as she did her best to collect herself.

"How I feel about you doesn't matter. I couldn't live with myself if I just let you get hurt at the hands of your abuser and did nothing about it, you know that I know what it's like. Feed, after Mikael is gone, you're free to walk out again. I won't stop you."

"I'm not leaving. I'm not giving up on you this easily, even if I have to spend a century making it up to you, I will. I'm never losing you again." he answered, watching her eyes soften at his words, the real pain buried beneath shining through for the first time that night as they met his own, before he leaned down to leave a gentle kiss over her forehead, surprised she didn't push him away. "I'm going to fight for you, Gia. Letting you go was the biggest mistake I've made in my life. I'm not going to leave you again, I give you my word".

Klaus watched as her anger slowly dissipated when he said the words she so desperately needed to hear, seeming deep in thought before she settled for what to say.

"Good"

"Good? That's all you have to say?"

"I'm trying really hard not to kiss you right now, so yes, it's all I have to say."

He looked down with a smile at her words, hearing her let out a small laugh to match his own.

"I wouldn't deny you. God only knows how much I've been craving you. These past few weeks have been unbearable without you".

"Don't take this as forgiveness. It's only a start. I'm gonna need more than pretty words this time"

"It's a second chance, that's all I could ask for" he breathed out in relief. She smirked slightly, finally getting enough courage to meet his eyes for longer than five seconds. Blue with flecks of green, just as she remembered, looking down at her with love and need.

She took a moment to trail her gaze from his eyes to his lips and slowly down the length of his suit before catching his own smirk once she looked up, biting her lip and watching his eyes darken at the action. Her hands played with his tie shamelessly before she ran them back down his chest, feeling him press against her touch. "I take it you like the suit"

"You're not getting compliments from me anymore, not until you earn it."

He sighed deeply, shaking his head as he looked back at her. "You don't plan on making this easy for me, do you?"

"Easy is boring" she answered with a smile, watching him shake his head with a small laugh. "I plan on making you suffer, work for it, and you can't suffer and regret your decisions if you're dead".

His gaze deviated back to her neck and she watched him swallow down the lump in his throat. "I should've known you had a sadistic little plan for me in that beautiful mind of yours"

"And I'll start following it tomorrow, when you live" she answered with a pointed, worried look, catching his smile before she raised a warning finger, pressing it against his chest. "Drink. But don't try anything else with me tonight or I swear I will rip your fangs right off with my bare hands and watch you bleed on the floor until you manage to grow new ones".

He chuckled at her threat, nodding in acknowledgement and watching as she slid her long hair out of the way, leaning her head back slightly against the wall while looking at him attentively with those seductive eyes he had grown to long for. Klaus braced himself to take control of his body with a deep sigh. His orbs glowed the beautiful yellow she had grown accustomed to and she watched the veins snake beneath them, mouth opening slightly to reveal his fangs before he gently leaned down and bit into the soft skin of her neck, movements slow and steady, sighing in content as soon as the first drop touched his tongue.

It was like heaven to taste her again after craving it for so long, Klaus vaguely hearing her small whimper when he bit harder than usual, closing his eyes and pulling her body flush against his, nearly moaning at the taste. He had been too lost in the pleasure that she provided him to notice how her heartbeat grew weaker as she struggled against his hold, calling out his name and catching him pull away reluctantly once he was within himself again to notice how her breathing was shallow and her eyes were nearly closed.

"Gia? Oh bloody hell, I'm so sorry, love. I look too much" Klaus stumbled through his words.

"I'm ok, don't worry, I just need a tiny little nap."

"I knew I shouldn't have done this" he sighed out in his panic. He fed her his blood instantly, watching the color return to her cheeks slowly and laying her gently on the bed with a kiss to her forehead, her eyes opening to meet his guilt-ridden face.

"Klaus? I'm fine, I'm stronger than I look. Now go. If you die, I'll kill you" she mumbled, missing the way her words made him chuckle slightly, pushing her soft hair away from her face as he allowed her to slip into peaceful sleep and regain some of her energy, doing his best to keep her out of tonight's conflicts.

...

Gia woke up a few minutes later in an unknown bed, still feeling a bit weaker than usual, but not enough to keep her down. Looking at the alarm clock beside her, she saw that only about fifteen minutes had passed, making her sigh in relief and go downstairs, meeting the empty mansion as she tried to find Klaus. Not much later, she heard voices coming from the front door, walking towards it until she recognized them, her fists clenching at the harshness of Mikael's words.

"The big, bad wolf" He taunted. "You haven't changed. Still hiding behind your playthings like a coward" He spat, his voice harsher than she had ever heard from him before. "Oh and you forget, they may be sired by you but they're still part vampire, and they can be compelled by me".

Gia walked forward as she felt it again, the tug at his heartstrings, the need to keep him safe. She was still hidden, and her heels were off as she walked slowly to avoid making a sound, already formulating a thousand plans in her head for all kinds of scenarios. Of course he was using Elena as bait, the two too distracted by the newcomer to notice her presence.

"Come out and face me, Niklaus. Or the girl dies"

"Go ahead" Klaus answered, surprising them all. "Kill her"

"No, Klaus he'll… He'll do it" She answered, the fear and desperation clear in her voice.

"If she dies, this lot will be the last of your abominations".

"I don't need them, I just need to be rid of you" Klaus answered coldly.

"To what ends, Niklaus? So you can live forever, with no one at your side? Nobody cares about you anymore, boy" Mikael said, his voice rising as he was now in her full view. Gia felt the tug in her heart, the pain that he was feeling making her clutch her chest and close her eyes. She knew the bond was stronger now, if she was able to share his feelings, but this was not an extent that she had anticipated. "Who do you have, other than those whose loyalty you force? No one. No one". He finished with a taunting whisper, watching as Klaus tried to hold back a frown, tears now swimming in his blue eyes.

Gia was about to intervene, yell out to Mikael, prove to Klaus that he would never have to feel that way again, but when she opened her eyes she was somewhere else; a clearing with sunlight streaming through the trees as a young boy in medieval clothes cried leaning against a tree. Despite her confusion, she couldn't do anything but kneel in front of the boy, moving to touch him comfortingly and feeling her hands go straight through his figure, as they would with a reflection in the water. She looked at her outstretched hand, wondering what was happening.

"Niklaus, mother is summoning you for supper" came a voice, followed by the figure of a teenage boy with oddly familiar features. It was at the mention of the name, that she recognized him as a young Elijah, causing her to smile affectionately before her attention was diverted back to the boy, whose blonde head had snapped up at the voice as he furiously tried to rub away his tears, his blue eyes bloodshot.

"I hate him, Elijah. I don't want to see him ever again. I wish I could run away and never look back"

"Did he hurt you?" Elijah questioned, being met with a nod as the youngest closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on pushing his feelings down, like he had done many times before, lifting his shirt to reveal horrible bruises and cuts.

"He said I was a worthless boy who should've never been born, that I deserve nothing good that ever comes my way" Klaus answered, Gia wanting so badly to reach up and hug him, but being unable to. "I will be alone forever".

With his final words, Gia found her eyes opening again, back at the Lockwood mansion, with the same heartbroken feeling still in her chest. Tears swam in his blue eyes, and she saw that boy once more, right in front of her. Only this time, she had the choice to act.

"You're wrong" she growled out protectively, drawing their attention and watching Klaus' eyes widen with fear for her, before he did his best to keep it from his father as Gia stepped forward menacingly, 'Elena's' eyes narrowing at her in a familiar way that had her stopping in her tracks, questioning her sanity for a second before she realized it. Gia allowed herself to smirk internally, nodding her head ever so slightly to Katherine and watching her eyes shine with pride and understanding at the recognition, before the girl stood beside the scene, Katherine watching attentively as she tried to gauge the next move. "The only person who's gonna die alone here is you".

"My whole life you've underestimated me" She heard Klaus say, his voice cracking slightly. "If you kill her, you lose your leverage. So go ahead, kill her. Go on, kill her. Come on old man, kill her. Kill her!" He yelled, tears now flowing down his cheeks as Mikael chuckled darkly, sighing almost as if he was bored at the whole situation.

"Your impulse, Niklaus. It has and will forever be the one thing that keeps you from truly being great" He said, looking back at Gia who was now in full view and smirking before driving a knife through Katherine's back, hearing her gasp dramatically before falling to the floor with a loud thump, almost amusing the girl. In a second, Mindy had Gia in a tight grip, taking her to Mikael as he continued. "You're next, girl".

At that, almost as if a cue, Damon appeared, driving the white oak stake through Klaus' stomach and hearing both him and Gia scream in pain, the girl's dress soaking with blood causing everyone's eyes to widen in surprise as she fell to her knees on the floor, clutching the wound and panting heavily. Klaus looked at her with horror and worry, realizing what he had done by the time it was too late, their bond too strong to avoid.

"Go on, kill him. She will survive" Mikael assured, a dark smirk plastered on his lips and Klaus' eyes meeting hers, filled with pain as she breathed out a small apology. The sight of her pain mixed with his own and the loathing for his father collided into an angry roar, giving her the strength she needed to fight, rushing with a plan in her head that had only the slightest odds of her not ending with her bloody heart on the floor by the end of the night. She knew it was the best way, it just had to work, and she was more than willing to risk her life on the thought.

She groaned in pain as Mindy pulled her unceremoniously from the floor, overreacting about her wound to throw off the enemy. If she had to do this, she would use every single weapon she could against him; she would fight tooth and nail to rid the world of the monster who had abused and terrorized Klaus for centuries. Mindy handed her to Mikael, a large hand around her throat as he held her in front of him, forcing her to watch the scene as Damon tried to take on Klaus. It would do him no good to underestimate her, she thought, no matter how the deal he had made with the Salvatores had kept her out of the picture and she knew he was doing it all for show.

"Gia! No!" Klaus screamed with worry. He looked heartbroken, terrified to see her in the grip of the man he hated most, the one man he truly feared, and it levelled the fight to Damon's side as he twisted the stake painfully in his abdomen, earning another painful groan from the pair.

The vampire managed to stake him once more through the chest, trying his best to shut out Gia's high-pitched scream, before Stefan pushed him away, surprising everybody. Gia saw the opportunity to nudge Katherine with her heel in warning, meeting Klaus' eye with a knowing look as she realized her plan would work after all and bracing herself for a fight.

His eyes widened as he heard Mikael scream out in pain from behind her, bones shattering with a sickening crack as Gia's foot shot back to kick in his knees as hard as she could, making his legs twist painfully in the opposite direction. The hunter fell to the floor, stunned for long enough for her to break his neck with all her strength and watch his body fall helplessly to the floor, twisted and lifeless. She sighed in relief, turning back to Klaus and meeting his eye with a smile, strength seeming to radiate off of her; and he could swear in that moment he had never been more attracted to a woman his entire life.

She caught Klaus' hybrids instantly starting to react from the corner of her eye, Katherine rising from the floor easily and triggering the wolfsbane grenades to explode in their faces long enough to stun them as the black haired girl rushed back inside in her adrenaline rush. Mindy was upon her for not even two seconds before her head was on the floor, body falling to its knees not nearly fast enough to catch up, not even enough time to stand in the way.

"Klaus!" she called out, throwing the discarded white oak stake a few feet away on the floor into his grip, watching him catch it midair. "Send him to hell".

He didn't need to be told twice, smirking proudly at her and pouncing over his fathers' body, Mikael waking up with a guttural scream, eyes meeting that of his bastard son as he stood over his burning corpse with nothing but satisfaction in his gaze, wiping the tears off of his face before he walked back inside.

"What the hell did you just do?" Damon growled out at Stefan from the floor.

"He's earned his freedom" Klaus muttered, watching the girl pant in exhaustion at all the events from tonight as soon as the adrenaline was gone, the scent of her blood filling the room as she rested her hand over her wounds with a painful grimace. He went straight for her, holding her in his arms protectively.

"Oh thank God. It worked, I can't believe it worked". She fell into his grip, Klaus trying to balance her and keep her on her feet, before he allowed her to lean against the wall for support, looking up at him with a relieved smile, eyes hazy and tired from the blood loss. "You're alive".

"You're absolutely insane, woman" he breathed out, voice filled with admiration and love as he caught her tired smile. "You just saved my life".

"And would again, just for that look" she echoed his words, remembering the night that he had saved her from one of his failed hybrids vividly; the night of their first kiss. Klaus smiled down at her, leaning his forehead against hers and sighing in content, Damon looking between them in disbelief and disgust until Stefan was off of him, standing and meeting Klaus where he stood, eyes desperate and filled with expectation. "Go, I'm ok" she mumbled, looking back at Stefan, before her eyes settled on him once again. He let go of Gia at her assurance, turning to the other Salvatore for a minute as she allowed her head to rest on the wall, breaths ragged as she closed her eyes, holding onto the last bit of energy she had left right now as to not collapse on the floor.

"Thank you my friend. You no longer have to do as I say. You're free"

He watched Stefan take in a breath, closing his eyes as he felt the compulsion wash away, meeting Klaus' hopeful smile, likely believing the action would turn back time to their friendship in the 20's, and noticing Damon was nowhere to be found. He looked around for Gia then, only to be met with disappointment and anger once he realized the place where she had been leaned against the wall was now empty, a few drops of her blood leading out of the front porch.

…

Two hours ago

"Stefan" she called, watching him rest a hand over his sore neck as he laid on the floor, lifting his head up with a small frown as he looked up at her.

"Elena?"

"Not exactly", Katherine answered, tossing him a blood bag carelessly as she looked around warrily. "Here, pep up. We got about a minute before they realize I'm not at the party"

He grabbed the blood bag, sitting up on his knees and drinking until his veins didn't feel like sandpaper anymore, sighing in relief before she helped him to his feet.

"If Klaus gets killed, he's taking Damon down with him." she explained, wasting no time with pleasantries and watching his face turn into one of pure anger as he groaned in frustration.

"Dammit" he growled, doing his best to reign it in, before he turned back to her with a scowl. "So pull the plug on the plan"

"And face the wrath of Mikael? We'll all be dead" she added.

Stefan looked around, heaving out a deep breath as he knotted his eyebrows, shaking his head down as he closed his eyes. "Great. And what do you want me to do then, Katherine?"

"Klaus can't die, but we can't stop the plan either. Which means that when all seems to be going according to plan, you're gonna stop Damon from the final blow before he gets himself killed. We need him to kill Mikael instead, so he can't come after us".

"That's trading one monster for another"

"I thought it'd be worth it, considering that choosing Klaus also means choosing Damon, your family" she rationalized.

He nodded in agreement, turning back to Katherine with determination. "As soon as we get Mikael out of the picture, you take Gia away. I don't want her involved in any of this any more"

"What? What part of my plan implies that I'm a babysitter?" she scoffed.

"You don't understand. She won't let him die, I knew it when we made the plan. She's there to distract him, but she won't get involved I just know it" he started, locking eyes with Katherine warrily. "She has feelings for him"

"She what? How is that even possible?"

"And he has feelings for her. Spent the whole summer trying to get her".

Katherine laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "Klaus doesn't feel, Stefan. He'd never allow himself to be weak like that". She stopped for a second, mind racing on the possibilities of what his words could mean. A weakness. She would've smirked victoriously, held onto the information so she could use it against him without even blinking an eye, but this was Gia they were talking about.

She internally groaned at the realization, sighing out before she turned back to Stefan. "Fine. I'll get her out".

Oh to be a switch *sigh*, I wouldn't know.

I saw this video talking about how vindictiveness and anger and malice can be feminine traits, and powerfully feminine traits at that (Think of Lilith, often referred to as the first succubus, for example). Gia being strong both in her stubbornness when going against Klaus and her actual badassery when it comes to fighting with him is up there on my top favorite moments to write, I just couldn't wait to publish this one, their relationship is so dynamic and I can't wait to write him grovelling when all this Mikael mess is behind them. :) I love it so fucking much.

Stay safe, take care, the next chapter is adorable if I do say so myself, we'll start seeing more and more of them together.

Much love,

Bela