Two months after the Mikaelsons returned to New Orleans Elena leaned back in her chair, her mind unable to focus on what she was doing.
Pregnancy brain and researching spells were not a good mix, and the falling rain was no help. Instead, her mind drifted to what had happened in the last few weeks.
In that time, Hayley settled into her pack, the other wolves accepting her, not just because of her blood, or because of their plan to gain control of their turning, but because they respected Jack and jack loved her.
The witches regarded the newcomers with terrified regard though, especially Elena and Ryan, their reputation spreading quickly throughout the entire city. Fortunately, the Regent declared Elena and Ryan off limits after their actions in saving the children, so few tried to do anything to them.
Davina still refused to return to the witches, not trusting them to keep her alive until the time of the Reaping, and to punish her for trying to stay alive. Instead, she chose to stay at the compound and to Elena's delight, started growing closer to Ryan, calling him her brother and including him in her spells and education.
If she was going to be successful, she needed to ask someone who knew more about magic than she did. Who was around though? Elijah wouldn't be back yet from his meeting with Josephine, which left Kol.
As she stood up, one of the twins kicked, prompting the other one to start.
"Calm down," Elena murmured, rubbing her belly. "It's only going to get tighter, so get used to it."
When she approached the room, she heard Kol and Davina talking.
"You think I'm that pretty?" Davina asked.
"Why would I lie to you?"
Elena entered the room at that moment, not comfortable with hearing Kol flirting with the underage witch. Even though they got together in her other life, it wasn't until Davina was a little older.
Davina glanced up when she saw Elena and her ears turned red.
"I um, I was researching a spell for Hayley. I'm gonna go do it now," Davina muttered, fleeing the room.
"You know she's sixteen, right?" Elena asked as she leaned against the door frame.
Kol looked up from where he was pouring himself a tumbler full of bourbon, a smirk on his face.
"Kol."
"I'm from a different time period." Kol shrugged as if it explained everything, which to him, it probably did.
"But in her time, a guy of your physical age flirting with her can make her uncomfortable, even without adding in the number of actual years you've lived. So, yeah, you need to understand that."
Kol rolled his eyes, and said, "Fine."
"I mean it. In our world now, she's a kid. Let her grow up a little. Yes, it may be flattering for her to receive attention from an older guy, but at the same time, she might be uncomfortable with it, and not sure how to express that."
"You didn't mind Elijah coming around. The two of you got together when you were seventeen."
"It's different with me. I'm different. Not to mention, she's dealing with the trauma of her entire coven lying to her and killing her friends right in front of her. So, be kind. Make sure you're not pushing her for something she's not re."
"When I was put down, it wasn't uncommon for a sixteen year old girl to be considered a woman." Kol took a sip of his drink and raised an eyebrow.
"Play by her rules. It'll go a long way to gaining her trust."
"I feel like I'm the only one of my siblings who doesn't have a partner." Kol held up his hand. "And don't mention Freya. She's unconscious."
"I wasn't going to say that. I was going to say that if your feelings are genuine, you'll respect her needs and boundaries until she's ready to open up to you. And don't do it just because you're waiting for her to grow up so you can sleep with her without me yelling at her. Be her friend because you care about her."
"I do care about her."
"I know you do. Which is why I'm not giving you a migraine right now."
Kol sighed, but relented with, "I'll behave, I promise. You don't have to worry about me doing anything you would disapprove of."
"If it's meant to be, it'll be, so just be patient," Elena said softly.
With a final smile, Elena left Kol to his own devices.
As she walked down the hall, someone caught her wrist and she found herself face to chest with Elijah and she giggled.
"Do you think you can wrangle him?" Elijah asked, brushing his thumb across her lower lip. "We've tried for centuries and haven't managed it."
"I think as long as he knows he has a supportive family, it may go a long way to curb his desire to act out." Elena kissed his fingertip.
She remembered vague references to Kol over the years once he was brought back, but not in the way she'd expected to hear about him. From what she'd gathered it was mostly because of Davina, because she loved him and he wanted to be a better man for her.
"You would know, wouldn't you?" Elijah pressed his lips to her forehead.
"Like I told Kol, what is meant to be will be."
Elena wrapped her hands around the hand Elijah held to her face and kissed his knuckles.
"You continue to amaze me, Elena, no matter how well I think I know you."
"You know me better than anyone in the world." Elena stood on tiptoe and kissed him lightly.
"How are the twins?" Elijah asked suddenly, framing her belly with his hands.
"Restless. But that's normal."
Elena rubbed the spot where one of the twins kept kicking. They were so small still that it was hard to feel from the outside, but she could feel their movements strongly within her.
"Elena!" Klaus's voice carried through the compound. "Elena! I need your help."
"Say please," Elena replied in a much softer voice, knowing the hybrid could hear her.
Klaus appeared in a burst of speed and crossed his arms, but all Elena did was raise an eyebrow.
Rolling his eyes, Klaus said, "Please."
"What do you need?"
"I need you to go with me to Rousseau's to make sure Jane-Anne remembers her place."
"You're not going to kill her."
"No. But I heard a rumor and I need to make sure it's not happening."
"She promised to work with us," Elena sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"It may be nothing," Elijah assured her.
"It's not Jane-Anne. It's Celeste. I need to have a word with Jane-Anne about getting a handle on this."
"What's Celeste doing?"
"Trying to turn people against us. Jane-Anne needs to be reminded of what happens if the witches of the Quarter try to turn on us."
"And you want Elena to go with you?"
"The ancestors don't dare go against her."
"I don't like it."
"It's better to be safe, Elijah. We're so close to getting this city the way we want it to be and we need it to be safe for when Hope is born. Celeste has no business stirring up trouble." Klaus scowled at Elijah, his mouth thinning.
"Niklaus, kindly remember that Hayley isn't the only pregnant woman in the family. I won't have you putting my children in harm's way." Elijah raised an eyebrow and folded his hands behind his back.
"I don't plan on getting into a fight, brother."
"You always plan on getting into a fight."
Klaus smirked and shrugged.
"Niklaus."
"I want to bring Elena because they'll listen to her. I do want this city at peace by the time Hope is born," Klaus assured Elijah.
"Give me a minute, then we'll head out." Elena kissed Elijah's cheek. "I'll be fine. Don't worry, not that that will stop you from doing so."
"You know me."
Elena cupped his cheek, then headed for their bedroom to get a jacket.
When they walked into Rousseau's, Cami smiled widely.
"Klaus! What brings you here?"
"Some business with Jane-Anne."
"You've got a lot of business with her, don't you?"
Was it just Elena's imagination? Or did Cami blush when she said that?
"We do," Elena cut in, raising an eyebrow in Klaus's direction.
Klaus shook his head just a little in response.
"Could you tell her we're here?" Elena asked.
"Oh, yeah, sure." Cami seemed to jerk out of whatever hold Klaus held over her and headed to the back.
"Really?" Elena whispered.
"I have done nothing to encourage this crush of hers, I assure you."
"I believe you. I'm just surprised."
"She's studying abnormal psychology and apparently, Sophie has complained about me enough, it sparked an interest in her."
"She may want to rethink her life if she's chasing the bad boy when she's studying people like you."
"What makes you say that?"
"If she's got a crush on you because she heard how bad you are, it doesn't bode well for her future patients. She'll run the risk of crossing doctor/patient lines if she doesn't get help for herself."
"Klaus, Elena," Jane-Anne greeted them, coming from the back of the bar.
"I heard a rumor and I just wanted to make sure it wasn't true," Klaus said as he helped Elena onto a stool at the bar.
Once she was seated, he took the seat beside her.
"We want this outcome just as much as you do. We wouldn't jepordize that."
"Then I suggest you do something to get Celeste under control. Or I will. And I've got people on my side who have no problem with blood letting." Klaus smirked.
"We'll handle it," Jane-Anne said quickly.
"You'd better." Klaus shifted out of his predatory state and his smile turned more friendly. "Now, I would like some gumbo. Elena, what would you like?"
"Something blander, if it's available." Elena grimaced and then smiled.
"Heartburn?" Jane-Anne guessed.
"Yes."
"I'll get you a fruit salad. Bananas and grapes did wonders for me when I was pregnant." Turning to Cami, Jane-Anne said, "Water for Elena and bourbon for Klaus."
"Coming right up," Cami said and did as Jane-Anne instructed.
Jane-Anne disappeared for a moment, then came back with Klaus's gumbo and Elena's fruit bowl.
"Here you are."
"Thank you." Elena picked up a fork and pierced a slice of banana.
"I'd have had Sophie make banana's foster, but alcohol. Even though it's cooked out…" Jane-Anne trailed off.
"It could make my heartburn worse."
"Exactly."
Klaus's phone buzzed and he checked the message, a smile forming across his face when he saw what was written. As he ate, he texted a reply with one hand.
"Caroline?"
"Yes. And no, I'm not telling you what she said."
"Trust me, I love her, and you're Elijah's brother, so you're family, but I don't want to know about certain aspects of your relationship."
Klaus snickered and took a sip of his drink.
"You have a girlfriend?" Cami asked, disappointment coloring her voice.
"Yes, I do. One of Elena's closest friends, so she gets a front row seat to everything."
"Not everything. I think I'd want to gouge my eyes out if I saw that," Elena drawled.
This caused Klaus to laugh and then choke on the sip of bourbon.
"I feel the same way about you and my brother," Klaus retorted when he recovered. "Though I'm sure that Hayley and Jack both are happy I'm with Caroline. She makes the whole situation easier to navigate."
"Baby mama and soon to be step-mama getting along is the best thing we could all hope for." Elena side-eyed Klaus when she said, "Now if only baby daddy and soon to be step-daddy could get along."
Klaus shrugged, but said nothing.
"Sounds dramatic," Cami murmured and hurried away, pretending to be busy at the opposite end of the bar.
Elena felt sorry for the woman, in a way. Having feelings for an inappropriate guy wasn't an easy thing to work through and Elena could only hope she found her way through it and whatever drew her to dark psychology. She didn't need to be pulled into the world of the supernatural any more than she already was.
Jane-Anne returned just then.
"Well?" Klaus asked.
"I've spoken to Josephine. We'll deal with Celeste in the best way we see fit."
"As long as she is no longer a problem for us, you do as you wish."
Jane-Anne nodded once and Klaus settled into his seat more comfortably.
As far as he was concerned, the matter was closed, though Elena knew that any wrong move on the witches part, he would spring into action and nothing anyone did could stop him.