Hello loves!

Now I don't have much to say for once, but I would like to quickly clarify something. Whenever I'm writing from Davina or Aria's point of view - despite not writing in first person - I'll be referring to Kol as Kaleb. Whenever I'm writing from any other point of view, it'll be Kol. Until, of course, the big reveal. Now, let's get on with it! I own nothing.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Aria stirred awake in the comforting familiarity of her own bed in her apartment and, pushing away the uncertainty as to why she was there at least for a moment or two, she buried herself beneath the sheets of the bed. There was a chuckle from the opposite side of the room and Aria shot up in the bed, eyes zeroing in on the form in the corner of her room before groaning in annoyance. "Go away, dad." She grumbled from beneath the sheets.

Marcel chuckled from his spot in the corner of the room before sighing and walking over to her, pulling the covers off of her head, "Get up, Aria."

One of Aria's eyes opened and she glared at him, Marcel feeling, not for the first time, slightly nervous all of a sudden. He'd learnt a long time ago not to disturb his daughter's sleep. Shaking off the nerves, he looked at her stonily, "Aria, you need to get up."

"Happy?" Aria asked, eyes narrowed and hands crossed over her chest after she'd left the warmth of the bed.

Marcel sighed and sat down on the bed, patting the spot next to him for Aria to sit on. Reluctantly, Aria lowered herself down onto the bed and stared ahead to the blank white wall across from her.

"I met Evanna." Marcel said after a moment of silence.

There was no visible reaction of Aria hearing him other than the slight tensing of her shoulders, "Don't worry, she's fine. Worried but fine." He waited a beat, "How'd you find her?"

"Davina helped me." Aria said simply.

Marcel sighed, hand coming up to his forehead to push away the headache that was forming, "So you helped her resurrect Mikael?"

Aria scowled at the mention of the Original, "It's not what you think. Besides, it hasn't exactly been sunshine and rainbows. I'd happily send him back to hell."

"Why'd you do it?" Marcel asked quietly.

Aria looked up at her father through her eyelashes, eyes dubious, "Seriously? Klaus and Elijah have terrorised Davina and I. Besides, Mikael's ghost wouldn't leave her alone. And honestly, I didn't want to risk being as powerless as I was with Dahlia again. That was… horrible."

Marcel softened, "What did that witch do to you?"

"I don't want to talk about it." She snapped, grimacing a moment later, "Sorry."

"No, no. It's fine. Listen, I've been a dick, kid. I know that, and since the Originals have come to town, I've just been pushing you and D to the side. But I-I am trying. I promise. Just… God, Aria, stay safe. Please." Marcel begged quietly, eyes and voice reflecting his desperation, "When I lost you in the Harvest Ritual, I was a mess. And when you didn't come back with Davina…" He trailed off, flinching at the reminder. Aria didn't answer, favouring leaning into Marcel as he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

It was good enough for now, he supposed.

~*•°•*~

Aria looked around the small glade she found herself in, in annoyance. For the past forty minutes after leaving the Quarter, she'd been trying to find Davina's cabin with no such luck. She remembered that Davina had said it was about a mile away from a chapel and she'd already passed it. Twice.

"Where the hell are you, Davina?" She murmured to herself.

Before she could take another left, she heard a twig snap to the far right of her. Her head snapped in the direction of it when she heard another twig snap and, with a hopeful look, she gradually walked closer, smiling in triumph when she saw the small cabin Davina had always talked so fondly about.

"Finally, one of you picks up your phone! I've been trying to get a hold of you two for days! Way to leave a girl hanging." Aria heard Cami say as she walked up to Davina, stopping just behind her to listen in on the conversation without Davina knowing she was there.

Davina sighed, "I know, we should have called you back. We didn't want you to worry. I just… things are complicated."

Aria's eyes drifted to Mikael across from them, narrowing dangerously as he trained with his staff, oblivious to their stares.

"Yeah, well, word on the streets - and, by streets, I mean Josh - is that you and Aria have gone totally MIA. Seriously, are you guys okay? Where are you?"

Aria sighed and plucked the phone out of Davina's hand, "We're fine, Cami. We'll be back soon, I promise. And... thanks for checking up on us. It's really good to hear your voice." With a glance to Davina, asking for permission to which she received a nod, she hung up on Cami and sighed.

After handing the phone back to Davina, the teenage witch ran up to her and hugged her tightly, gripping her like she'd disappear, "Oh, God Aria. I was so worried." She pulled back and looked her over, searching for any sign of trouble, "You're okay?"

"I'm okay. But, D…"

"I heard what Mikael did. And honestly, say the word and he's gone." Davina said instantly, face hardening in anger.

Aria smiled weakly, "If you'd said that two days ago, I would've done it myself. But there's a bigger picture now."

Davina looked at her questioningly, "What?"

With a glance over to Mikael, Aria took a shuddering breath, "Esther's back." Aria whispered as Davina's eyes widened, widening further at Aria's next words.

"Last night, just before I went to sleep, I heard a tune from outside my window. Dahlia's tune. I think she's coming after me."

~*•°•*~

"Où tu fuis, a pouvoir la trouver. Yonn souri nan zeb- Kol! Concentrate." Esther scolded. Kol rolled his eyes and, with another slightly worried glance to the phone he was holding, he put it away, "Unless you've finally heard from our missing witch? She's already caused me far too many problems in the last two days alone." Esther said, voice trailing off into a murmur at the last sentence.

But apparently she wasn't as quiet as she'd thought because Kol's eyes narrowed dangerously, watching her as she took a handful of rose petals and dropped them in a glass bowl of water in front of her.

"Well, it's only a matter of time. I mean, look at this face! How long can she possibly resist?" Kol smirked before frowning slightly.

She'd been able to resist his face…

"Given your progress, I'd say indefinitely." Esther scoffed, pricking one of her fingers with the end of a dagger and dripping the blood into the bowl, "But no matter. I'll find her." She said, holding up the bowl slightly, "Now, focus. Conjure her in your mind."

Kol gulped inaudibly and closed his eyes, trying to picture anyone but Aria. Against his will, each person he pictured slowly changed. Blonde hair turned the most beautiful shade of brown. Weak green eyes turned the brightest sapphire he'd ever seen. Tanned skin turned pale and smooth. Chapped red lips turned soft and pink. God above, what was happening to him? He sighed and rolled his shoulders back, trying to think of anyone else before his eyes snapped wide open in alarm as he heard Esther begin to chant, "Ma te ak san sou ki à lumière la fille-"

Before Esther could continue, the bowl shattered in her hands suddenly, startling her as the bloody water and rose petals spilt over the map on the table below them.

"She's somehow blocked our locator spell." Esther said in confusion as Kol's eyes closed briefly in relief.

"Not entirely my fault, then." He said cockily after another moment, opening his eyes again just as Finn entered the Lycée.

Finn scoffed, "Considering your sole task was keeping track of a teenager, you might want to draw a little less attention to your absolute failure to do so."

Kol's eyes narrowed, "Oh, you're one to talk about failure! Have you got that human girl to bare her soul to you, yet? Or are you too busy playing captain to a pack of mangy dogs to have any success as a fake headshrinker?" He judged.

"You know what your problem is?" Finn asked, walking up to Kol.

Kol scoffed, "Oh, I would love to listen-"

"Boys." Esther interrupted, frustrated as they both turned to her, "Now, if I'm right, Aria and Davina have the White Oak stake. Find the girls, Kol, and get it and Aria back. She's far too dangerous to be working with your siblings."

Kol's eyes narrowed once more.

~*•°•*~

"Think we should check up on him?" Davina asked, looking out the window of the cabin towards Mikael where he was training.

"I'd rather let him rot." Aria murmured, eyes closed as she placed her feet up on the small coffee table across from her spot on the sofa.

Davina hummed in agreement, "Still, we should probably make sure he's not gonna succumb to them. After all, isn't Klaus' blood the only thing that can cure a werewolf bite?"

Aria nodded and smirked, "And no way in hell am I giving up the small supply I have left."

Davina laughed slightly, "Of course you have some."

"Elijah gave it to me." Aria explained, opening her eyes and gesturing to a small vial of blood hanging around her neck, below the locket Kol and Freya had gotten her all those months ago. The locket she still hadn't managed to open, "Said it was a precaution."

Davina sighed and stood up, walking out of the house and after a moment of mental debate, followed after her friend.

"You don't look so good. Those bites…" Davina trailed off, "Of course, you also did try to kill Aria. I can't imagine her magic let you off nicely for that."

Mikael snarled quietly at the reminder, "Werewolf venom is to be purged by force, not acquiesced to."

"And what is that? A Viking bumper sticker?" Aria scoffed, stopping just behind her friend.

Mikael ignored her, "Exactly how much longer are we going to be hiding here? Like cowards?"

Davina took over again, "Elijah saw you. If he knows you're here, then Klaus does, too. So, I'm sorry, but until we unlink him from our friends, you're stuck here with us."

"Confrontation is inevitable, children. The fear you two hold will prove to be our greatest disadvantage." He snarled.

Davina scoffed, "We're not afraid."

"Well, you should be. You two are weak."

Aria snarled at him, "But we're still in charge." She held up her wrist and showed him the bracelet, "And by the way, I spelled them both while you were purging. Neither will come off again."

"Ah, yes. Your magic. How well did that serve you when the wolves attacked, Aria? Hm? Magic can only ever fight half your battles. Remember that."

"Okay. Fine. You're so tough? Teach me." Davina called out as Mikael began to walk away.

"Teach you what?" Mikael scoffed, turning back around.

"How to be strong."

Bad idea, Aria decided as Mikael smirked darkly.

~*•°•*~

"What's that?" Davina asked curiously, walking over to Mikael where he was carving into a wooden staff he'd made.

"The crest of our clan. A reminder that we always carry the honor of our ancestors before we go to battle." He explained, placing the knife down and throwing the staff towards Davina, the witch barely catching it.

"I wasn't ready!"

"First lesson - always be on your guard."

Aria snickered slightly at the similarity of Mikael and Elijah. As much as they hated each other, they were definitely more alike than either would care to admit. She was brought back to the present when Davina weighed the staff in her hands for a moment, "It's heavy." She commented.

Mikael sighed impatiently, "I was half your age the first time my father gave me the staff. I would have torn every muscle rather than let him see me strain. And, had I-" He swung his staff at her, "He would have corrected me."

"No offense, but your dad sounds like a jerkwad." Davina scoffed.

"Mothers love their children. Fathers make them strong." Mikael snarled, going to attack her again. Aria tensed up in worry before grinning as she noticed Davina was blocking every hit Mikael made.

"My mother tried to sacrifice me, and my dad took off when I was born, so…" She struck again as Mikael dodged out of the way.

"You're anticipating. Do not let me see your move before you make it!" Mikael yelled, striking at her staff as she was knocked down to the ground, landing on her ankle.

"Davina!" Aria yelled in worry, running over to her and dropping to the ground.

"Get up." Mikael snarled.

Davina groaned and Aria looked up to Mikael, "She can't. She's hurt her ankle."

"The ability to end your pain is a warrior's true weapon. Master that, and nothing holds power over you." Aria glared at him, "Now, on your feet, both of you." He waited a beat, "I said, On. Your. Feet."

With a glare to Mikael, Davina grabbed onto the staff and pulled herself up to her feet, leaning against it for support as Aria hovered beside her, eyes darting down to her ankle and then back up to her face for any visible trace of pain.

Mikael looked mildly impressed, "Good. Perhaps you've actually learned something today."

With another glare over to Mikael, Aria turned back to Davina and helped her inside before sitting on a chair. Davina gingerly took off her boot and sock before wincing as she noticed the dark bruising and swelling around her foot.

"Can you still feel it?" Aria asked as Davina nodded, "Alright… Uh, I'm not-I'm not sure what to do." She worried before her eyes widened.

"Aria?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course." Davina replied instantly.

"I have an idea. But you might not like it." Aria trailed off, Davina looked at her oddly for a moment before nodding.

"Alright." Aria picked up her phone and dialed a number, holding it up to her ear as it run before someone picked up, "Hi. Uh, I know I haven't called in a while. I'm sorry." She said almost instantly.

From the other side of the call, a small, cocky smirk graced Kol's face at the tone of her voice, burying the mild surprise he felt to actually be hearing her voice after the way their last meeting went, "Don't be silly, love. Are you alright? Where are ya?"

Aria hesitated slightly before sighing, "I'll text you the address… And maybe a list of some things you can bring me?"

"Alright, I'll be right there."

After hitting the hang up button, Aria looked over to Davina, "Kaleb will be here soon."

Davina's eyes widened, "He's a witch?"

"I didn't tell you that?" Aria winced.

Davina grinned, "Alright, tell me everything."

~*•°•*~

Aria knelt down next to Kaleb on the floor after he'd arrived as he looked at Davina's ankle, "Will she be okay?"

Kaleb nodded, "I've heard about this, never actually seen it firsthand." He looked up to Davina, "It appears someone has knocked you head over heels quite literally." Davina laughed and Kaleb turned to Aria, "Just glad I still have the chance with you." He grinned as Aria blushed slightly.

"I like him." Davina decided, sending a smile to Aria.

Kaleb picked up a bowl he'd placed next to him and scooped some up before brushing it over Davina's ankle. As the smell travelled towards her, Aria wrinkled her nose, "Oh God, that smells like-"

"The wrong end of something quite dead?" He finished, "Yeah. It's just a little something I picked up from a shaman bloke in Uganda." He explained, turning back to Davina's ankle before sighing, "There you go!"

Davina looked down at her ankle and her eyes widened as she tried to stand up, "Wow, the pain is just-" Before she could finish, she stumbled on her foot and fell to the side, Aria barely catching her before she could hit the floor, the latter not being lucky enough.

"Aria! I'm so sorry, are you okay?" Davina worried as Kaleb walked over to Aria's laughing form, pulling her up off of the floor.

Aria's laughter slowly trailed off, "I-I'm fine. Really. I should be the one worrying about you, D. Kaleb gave you magic, not a miracle."

Davina nodded sheepishly, "Mind taking me to the bedroom? I think it'll be better if I lie down." Aria nodded and, saying she'd be back in a moment, helped Davina through to her room. Kaleb took the chance to look around the room curiously, taking note of the vials, herbs and papers scattered on the table.

"That's quite the spell you've got going here." He commented as Aria walked back into the room and nodded, "I mean, not to pry, but I figured you had your secrets after our last date ended in a werewolf bar brawl."

Aria gave him a weak smile and wrapped her arms around herself sheepishly, "Yeah, I'm really sorry about that."

Kaleb chuckled, "It's alright. I've never really liked dull girls, anyway. That said, what exactly is going on here?"

Aria sat down next to him and opened her mouth to speak before hesitating slightly. How could she explain this?

"You're still not the trusting sort." Kaleb observed after a moment as Aria shook her head slowly before sighing, "Do you trust me?"

Kaleb stared at her for a moment before speaking, "Are you slicked? Those sad eyes might fool some people, but not me. I know what you're after."

Aria tensed up slightly in confusion and fear before his next words, "You've got a lecherous heart, Aria Gerard!" Aria burst out laughing and Kaleb continued, a smile of his own on his face, "I won't be used, not for my body, nor my medicinal herbs!"

Aria laughed again, "We can hold hands, that's it!" Kaleb grinned, looking at her softly for a moment, "Whatever it is you're up to, well, you can tell me when you're good and ready." He murmured, brushing a stray lock of her hair behind her ear as she smiled at him.

~*•°•*~

Hours later, Kol gently placed Aria down on another bed he'd found in a room next to Davina's. He searched her face for a moment and softly tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before, with another small glance, he left the room and turned into the hallway. Pausing at a half-open door, he pushed it open further and looked around the room, noticing dozens of candles dotted around the room. He walked inside and looked through the desks, sending a glance to the door every moment or two. Before giving up, he opened a final drawer, his eyes widening as he found the stake. Before he could take it, his arm was twisted around his back.

"What have we here? A liar and a thief?" Mikael spat.

Kol groaned, "I'm just looking about!"

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right here?" Mikael hissed.

"The bracelet!" He yelled after a brief second, already regretting what he was about to say, "The one the girls use to control you. I'm a witch. I know the magic to turn it off. You'll be free to do whatever you want, provided you promise not to harm me. -Or Aria." He added quickly. Mikael roughly let him go and Kol winced, rubbing his hand in pain.

"I take it we have a deal?"

Mikael stared at him, eyes narrowed in contemplation before giving the witch a small, almost imperceptible nod.

Kol slowly backed away from his father toward the door, eyes fixed on the Original the whole time before he slipped out of the room and made his way down the hall and over to the door that led into Davina's room. It was surprisingly cold, he noted absentmindedly as he walked into the room, hands wrapping around himself in an effort to keep the minimal amount of warmth he had left in his body.

He found himself not for the first time cursing the fact that he no longer had his strength that came with being a vampire as he almost tripped over a dresser at the end of Davina's bed. Freezing as Davina stirred slightly before simply rolling over in the bed, he walked over to her bedside table when her phone lit up, small beeps echoing around the room. Fingers struggling to find the button that would mute it, he almost dropped it before the beeping stopped.

His eyes closed in a silent moment of respite before he clumsily placed the phone back on the nightstand and reached over to Davina's wrist, cursing silently when she rolled over yet again so that now, he couldn't get to the bracelet.

Seeing no other option than to wake her up, he gently shook her awake before crafting an expression of tired confusion onto his face as she gazed up at him questioningly through bleary eyes.

"Kaleb?" Her voice came out scratchy from the lack of use since she'd gone to sleep hours before, "What are you doing in here?"

She was becoming more self-aware by the second, which meant he had to act as though he was doing the same, "Your phone." He said simply, running a hand through his hair in annoyance, "It's been bleeping non-stop the past ten minutes, can you please sort it out so I can get some bloody sleep."

Davina's eyes narrowed slightly at the tone of his voice before she plucked the phone from the stand and it lit up, her eyes gazing over the screen before sharpening suddenly.

HE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE!

She looked up to Kaleb, "We need to wake Aria up. Now." She muttered breathlessly. Davina shot up from the bed and ran over to Aria's room, slamming the door open and shaking Aria awake.

"Davina?"

"It's Klaus." Davina muttered as Aria's eyes shot open, "He knows."

Aria shot up from the bed and stood up, running into the main room and sparing a glance out of the window, once to the ground and then to the sky.

"Alright." She muttered to herself, "Alright. Uh, tonight, is Luna Sanguinis. A blood moon." She turned around to look at Davina and Kaleb, "I'll draw from it, alright? And you, Davina." Aria took a deep breath, "You channel from me."

Instantly, both Kaleb and Davina began to object, "No! Davina, you channel from me. Kaleb? If you can help…"

"This is dangerous, Aria!" Davina yelled.

"I know. But I trust you, okay?"

Davina took a deep breath and nodded. Minutes later, the trio were sat on the floor, chanting.

"Keschede sede ni canun. Keschede senu ni..."

"Excede canun infernum da ba nunc canun. Senon canu ni…"

Before they could continue chanting, one of Mikael's staffs came crashing through the window. Davina screamed and Aria pushed her out of the way, both ending up hitting their heads on the desk behind them.

"Enough games, Davina! Send out my father! Let's finish this." Klaus yelled.

Kaleb scrambled over to Aria, picking her up and placing her head on his lap as he checked her pulse, sighing in relief as he felt it despite how weak it was. Before he could do anything else, Mikael grabbed him and held him up in a choke hold.

"Release me! Or I will kill you and the girls right now!" He yelled, dropping Kaleb down onto the floor. With a small snarl, Kaleb gently took Aria's wrist and began chanting,

"Dinti tu e sedo per un dayen un trahen ble doce mozore. Un frantue e sedo per un dayen un trahen ble do sedo per."

He repeated the chant with Davina's bracelet and as soon as Mikael left, succumbed to the exhaustion.

~*•°•*~

As Always, SecretMidnightRose