My Soul to Keep

Chapter 3: Every Mother's Son

Beta: PrincessOfSilence

Disclaimer: I own nothing of The Originals. I only own my characters and my story.


It was the aromatic scents of the decadent food spread in the courtyard of the Abattoir that awoke Giuliana from her deep slumber. At first, she thought that she was dreaming, but once she entered the courtyard, her eyes were greeted by an impressive buffet that was set on the table. Without a second thought, she took a small wheel of cheese and a knife before sitting herself down. Normally, she'd be content with a blood bag, but just because she was a vampire didn't mean that she craved human foods. She figured that perhaps Klaus had wanted to surprise Audrey with a brunch, but Giuliana let that thought diminish as she popped a piece of cheese in her mouth. It melted on her tongue and she gave a soft moan at the rich, delicious flavor. Whoever had laid out this meal had excellent taste. She continued to stuff her face until Hayley had come to join her. For a moment, neither of them said anything, but it was Hayley who had broken the silence first.

"Well, it's a little early to be stuffing your face, isn't it?" She quipped.

"Oh hush." Giuliana pursed her lips. "Nothing can sever the sacred bond between an Italian girl and her cheese."

Hayley chuckled lightly at that and gripped the neck of a wine bottle on the table. "Hmm, I'd hate to let this go to waste."

"Mmm," the vampire swallowed her bite of cheese. "Don't just stand there. Crack that baby open."

It had been months since the two were this comfortable with each other and it was a comforting sight to see as Klaus and Audrey had finally left their bedroom for the first time since the night before. Klaus was now feeling like his old self and Audrey was certainly feeling the effects of it. It wasn't just the sex she missed, although it was an added bonus, she longed to see him at the top of his game and now with his strength fully restored, she felt like she was with the Klaus she knew and fell in love with all those years ago. She looped her arm through his, earning a wolfish grin from him and that made her nibble her bottom lip teasingly. She gave a sudden jolt when she felt his hand grab her behind and squeeze it firmly, a deep blush flushing her cheeks.

"Will you two stop making bedroom eyes at each other?" Giuliana shouted from her spot at the table, a full glass of wine in her hand. "There is food to be had."

"So, which restaurant's missing a compelled chef?" Hayley asked him.

"It's certainly a card I've played in the past, but I had no hand in this." Klaus admitted truthfully and gestured to Audrey. "Is this your doing, love?"

Audrey shook her head and plucked a fig from a bowl that rested on a silver platter. "No, but that doesn't mean I won't thoroughly enjoy it."

Giuliana's eyes nearly bugged out of her head when she saw Audrey pop a fig in her mouth. Oh, how she loved fresh figs. "Mind throwing one down here?"

The witch picked up another fig and gently tossed it to the vampire who caught it with a strong fist. Giuliana then realized that she crushed the sweet fruit when the juices spilled onto her hand. She frowned and peeled the sticky fruit off her palm.

"I'll have to work on that..." She mumbled.

"Perhaps Elijah wanted to dote on us." Audrey guessed.

"This wasn't my doing." Elijah spoke as he walked up to the table, a look of confusion gracing his features.

"Then, where did this all come from?" Hayley wondered.

Suddenly, a silver lid on a platter began to rattle, startling the group so much that they all backed away from the table. Concerned glances flicked between each being in the courtyard and this filled Klaus and Elijah with uneasiness. Giuliana clenched her fists and bared her fangs, as did Hayley, while Audrey's eyes grew dark red. Klaus then stepped forward and removed the lid, releasing two starlings from the platter. Everyone ducked out of their way and the birds flew toward the ceiling and out the window. It looked ridiculous for all of them to be shaken by a pair of birds, but it was the neatly handwritten note under the lid which made Klaus nervous. He reached for the paper and read it silently.

"What the hell was that?" Giuliana asked, still frightened from their feathered guests.

Klaus pursed his lips and flashed everyone the invitation, allowing them all to see who had written the note that read, "Dinner, your home, 8pm." Audrey took up the invite and passed it to Elijah who had been stunned into silence.

"An invitation from our mother."


"It is times like this I'm really glad I never knew my mother," Hayley muttered.

"We have enough enemies here," Klaus growled. "And now, the war for our home is to be fought against my own family."

The entire group of them had retreated to Klaus' bedroom to decide on what to do as far as Esther was concerned. Mikael would be another problem for another day, but as of now, Esther would be showing up for dinner and needless to say, everyone was on edge. Klaus was grasping the invitation so tightly in his hands that it had become crumpled and the edges were ripped. No one knew what Esther's true intentions were, but they were all determined to find out.

"Your wretched mother and her disciples tried to put a carving knife through our baby's heart. I will happily add to the body count." The female hybrid grinned evilly and Klaus smirked approvingly at her.

"You will do no such thing." Elijah scolded her and Klaus' enabling behavior. "Esther's a master in the art of possession. We know whose body she currently inhabits. We must decipher her intentions before she finds a new host."

"Well, her last invitation an assassination attempt on all her children. I think we can assume her intentions are decidedly foul," his brother said.

"Well, she thinks that Hope is dead, right?" Giuliana questioned. "Maybe she's becoming suspicious?"

"Could be." Audrey murmured. "Her coven wanted Hope dead, so if she finds new evidence that Hope is alive, it means she isn't safe."

"I've taken every measure to ensure Hope's safety." Klaus spoke, his fist closing around the invitation.

"No need to get into a snit, Klaus." Her pointed glare shot at him. "But we do have to take it into consideration that Esther is poking her nose where it doesn't belong."

"So, let's kill the witch," Giuliana added.

"Easier said than done," Audrey said. "Esther can jump into any body she wants, so even if we do kill her, she can always find another host. The good news is that I can find her next host once she enters it."

"And the bad news?" Elijah inclined.

"There's always bad news..." Giuliana trailed off.

Audrey swallowed thickly before replying. "Esther could use any of us as her next host. Or she could even go after someone we'd least expect, making it harder to find her."

"Great." The female vampire deadpanned.

"I can try to put a cloaking spell over all of us, but it will take some time." The witch offered. "I'll just need some blood and everyone can be on their way."

"Well, then. We have..." Elijah peered down to check his watch. "This afternoon to prepare for the worst."

"It wouldn't kill you to have a little faith, Elijah." Audrey snickered.

"My apologies, my mind is preoccupied with other things at the moment." He spoke eloquently. "Take mine and Giuliana's blood now since we won't be back until dinner."

Green orbs suddenly snapped up to meet Elijah's dark ones. "We...won't?"

"We have some errands to take care of." He said as he adjusted the cuff of his sleeve.

"We...do?" Her voice was filled with uncertainty, but Elijah's firm look made her rise from her spot at the edge of Klaus' bed and follow him towards the door. "That's right! We do. We'll...see you guys later."

"Leave a vial each in the kitchen." Audrey called after them, so they wouldn't forget to leave their blood for the spell.

"That was odd...especially for Elijah." Hayley gathered. "What errands would he have to do?"

Audrey shrugged her shoulders. "Hopefully ones to help us with this dinner from hell."


Elijah had taken Giuliana to Algiers, a city across the river from the French Quarter. This errand run had two purposes; the first and most pressing was to find a witch that would help him with Esther's nagging ability to jump bodies, while the second was to help Giuliana hone her skills as a vampire as he had promised. Vampirism was much more than preying on the weak and ingesting blood, Elijah considered it to be an art to be understood and Giuliana was very willing to learn. He noticed she had become jumpy as they walked the less crowded streets and that her fingers were anxiously twitching by her side.

"Look, maybe this isn't such a good idea..." She trailed off while biting her lip. He then took one hand in his, holding it firmly and stopping their pace.

"You're shaking," he observed. "I can hear your heartbeat."

"I'm sorry. I can't help it." She removed her hand from his. "I do much better with crowds."

"Crowds?" He wondered.

Giuliana nodded uneasily and bounced on the balls of her feet. "If I'm in a crowd, I hear the blood rushing altogether. I can't just focus on one singular source. It's like my body gets swept up in it all and I find it easier than being in a place that is so quiet."

Elijah had never dealt with a vampire like this, but he was determined to help her get over this fear. Typically when vampires are young, they get overwhelmed by being in crowded places because of the fact that they hear everyone's heart beating at once. Their senses become rammed, pounded like how waves crash upon the rocks in the ocean and it is never a favorable outcome. Many become phobic of leaving their homes and interacting with people, but Giuliana's problem was exactly opposite. She had an issue with being in a less congested area. Here, she could easily become triggered by one singular heart beating because that is all her body can focus on.

Elijah took up her hand and placed it on his chest, making her squirm at the vibrations of his heart thumping strongly. She could feel a cold sweat break out along her back and she knew her fangs were poking against her bottom lip. She would have been perfectly happy melting into a puddle of nothing on the pavement, just anything to remove herself from the situation at hand.

"Elijah...please." She begged and tried to tug her hand away, but he refused to let her go.

"You won't hurt me." He assured her.

"How do you know?" Her eyes became clouded with red and spidery veins appeared from under her water line.

"Because I trust you." His voice was almost muted by the sound of his veins carrying the sweet blood she wanted so badly to taste. He was watching her unravel before him, but he remained set in his ways, trusting that she could pull through this.

"Close your eyes." He commanded and her green and red clouded orbs immediately fell closed. The hand resting against his chest was now grabbing at the material of his suit jacket, creasing the fabric under her iron grip.

"Elijah..." She whimpered.

"I'm here." He promised, moving closer to her. She could feel his warmth, but it did nothing to calm her nerves. "Find something else to focus on. A sound. A smell. Anything."

Giuliana's squinted her eyes closed even tighter, she wasn't sure that she could do this. She was so close to losing control and she feared for the people around her who would be privy to her wrath. Elijah's heartbeat was ringing so loudly that she wanted to vomit from the vibrations it sent through her body. She steeled herself, searching for anything that would take her focus off Elijah. Just when she thought she would explode, the very thing she'd been praying for wafted into her ear canal.

"A...a car door shutting." She stammered and craned her head toward the sound. Another car door closed and the soft purring of the car's engine could be heard from down the street. "The car was just turned on. I can hear the engine."

"Good." Elijah praised, he could hear it too. "What else?"

"The sound of the gravel under the wheel as the car pulls away." She added. For a few moments, she paused before speaking again, this time, a soft smile grazing her lips. "I can hear the radio playing from the open window."

Elijah smiled too, she had finally calmed down all on her own. She willed herself to listen to the sounds around her and she did it with success. He gently squeezed her hand, waiting for her reply.

"It reminds me of the bayou," she said. The melodies twirling in her ear were distinctly country, but she was unsure of the title. "When we would dance around the fire under the stars."

Giuliana suddenly felt comforted by the sensations that normally would have been her undoing. She wanted to hear more of them, soak them in and listen to them for hours. She let the vibrations gently rock her until she was calm enough to open her eyes, revealing the beautiful green orbs Elijah often found himself staring into. She looked over her shoulder, scanning the street before letting a big smile grace her lips.

"I...I did it." She hushed, almost as if she didn't want to jinx herself.

"You did very well indeed, but you will need to keep practicing." His praise only made her smile grow wider. He let go of her hand and a small part of her wanted to frown, but she hid it well. "Next, you shall learn compulsion."

"Ooh, always wanted to do that." She bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet.

"Perfect. We're just in time." As if out of thin air, Marcel was behind Elijah with a young woman by his side. She had olive skin, a shade or two darker than Giuliana with dark brown waves that stopped at her shoulders and eyes that matched her hair. Giuliana noticed that she was somewhat fidgety, much like when she first turned and she also spotted the daylight ring on her finger. Ah, another vampire, Giuliana thought. The woman beside Marcel shifted her weight to the other hip and crossed her arms over her chest with an expression of a mixture of boredom and angst.

"Marcel." Elijah greeted him cordially and turned to face him.

"Sorry we're late, but Gia needed to feed before she came." He explained.

"Have I not made it clear to you that I want nothing to do with this," the Original waved his hand in Gia's direction. "Your new vampire community?"

"Look, Elijah. Gia needs to learn from an expert."

"As you can see, my dance card is full." He motioned and Giuliana waited patiently behind him. "In fact, we were going to look for a cooperative witch. One that is not on a leash."

Marcel grinned and put a hand behind Gia's back. "Well, you're in luck. Gia knows where you can find one."

Elijah took a few moments to gather his thoughts before replying. "I am not running a babysitting service, Marcel. Now, I have one pupil who is willing to learn and-"

"Aw, at least let Gia show you to our witch friend." Marcel interrupted him. Elijah clenched his teeth behind his lips, his jaw shifting beneath his skin. As much as he didn't want to include Gia, he needed a witch that would perform a spell for him. Wordlessly, he turned on his heel and started walking away from them. Giuliana was quick to follow, keeping with his pace, but she barely heard the back and forth banter between Gia and Marcel. She was grumbling that she didn't want to go, but Marcel was nudging her along. Giuliana felt Gia's presence grow closer and noticed that she had come up beside her, but still kept her distance. For a few moments, the trio walked in complete silence, wandering the streets aimlessly and in that time, Gia was now on Elijah's side. Just by looking at him, she could immediately tell that he wanted nothing to do with her, but Marcel had pleaded with her to try to get the Original to see that Marcel's plan of starting a vampire community would be worth standing behind. So far, she was failing miserably to get Elijah to back the idea.

"So, look, I know you're not terribly thrilled about having me tag along, but I'm a fast learner." She offered and kept up with Elijah's quickening pace. The Original neither answered nor regarded her, making Gia frown, but she remained persistent as they all crossed a street.

"You guys don't talk much, do you? That's okay; I'm not a big talker either. I'd much rather listen, but that would help if you guys liked to talk. Like, you can talk about anything, really. It doesn't matter to me. Just say...something." The young vampire hurried to catch up with the pair.

Elijah knew that he would regret taking Marcel up on his offer to coach Gia the second she opened her mouth. Marcel had turned her some time ago and wanted Elijah to teach her how to be a vampire. Marcel was hopeful that he could show Elijah that he was able to lead a group of new vampires, but he needed Elijah's support in order to make it happen. Giuliana and Gia hadn't spoken, only communicating with sideways glances as Gia led the way to Lenore's shop. Elijah hoped that Lenore could help with Esther's ability to jump into other people's bodies and that this family dinner would be a peaceful one.

"You wanna walk in silence? Cool." Gia sighed frustratedly. "But you're going the wrong way."

The Original stopped hard in his tracks; if Gia had been walking behind him, she would have crashed into him. He narrowed his eyes at her, his patience growing thin. "Marcel believes I can instruct you. First lesson: do your best not to waste my time."

Gia stuck her jaw out and her gaze passed between Elijah and Giuliana. As much as she'd rather be anywhere, but Algiers, she promised she'd help Marcel; the man who sired her and gave her a new life. She stepped around Elijah and beckoned for the pair to follow her, which they did and he was sincerely hoping that Gia would heed his warning about making use of his precious time.

After all, he had a dinner to attend.


Audrey struck a match against the match book and watched in fascination how the sparked flame danced on the very tip. Brilliant hot hues of reds, oranges and yellows fluttered before her icy orbs and she touched the fire to a tall, thin candle set in a candelabra that was on the dining room table. Servants bustled around her, bringing in utensils, cloth napkins, glasses and trays of food to get the room ready for Esther to arrive. Things were coming together, but Audrey still heard Klaus barking at some of the servants in the kitchen. She could feel his anxiousness ebbing through every nerve in his thousand year old body, gripping him harshly like a cold hand. Audrey was nervous too, especially concerning Esther being a flight risk and the fact that Klaus wanted her to attend dinner with his family.

At first she was certain he meant for her to be nearby in case Esther tried anything funny, but no. He wanted her sitting at the table at the place next to him. She didn't question it further, but she let it mull around her brain for the remainder of the afternoon and into the evening. She could already hear Elijah's disapproval and she was sure that Esther would have something to say about it, but the thought crossed her mind that Klaus would take care of it. He always did. Audrey had come downstairs, hoping to get Klaus alone, so she could ask him why he wanted her here tonight, but she felt her stomach churning in tight knots.

The witch cursed feeling the sharp burn of the flame against her skin and she had realized that she held the lit match for too long. She dropped the burnt match and examined her fingers. The tips were red from the burn and she guessed she blister at most, so she brushed it off and tossed the match in the garbage to strike another. She quickly lit the rest of the candles on the other candelabras and snuffed out the match just as Klaus entered the room with a servant trailing behind him. Audrey tried to look as if her mind was calm, but in reality, it was running on overdrive. The servant presented two bottles of wine to Klaus and he chose the red since it went better with the meal they would be having.

"Skip the salad course. Let's not make this dreadful evening any longer than it needs to be." Klaus told the servant who nodded and scuffled back into the kitchen. He adjusted one of the forks that was laid on the napkin, making it straight and he observed the other place settings before his gaze stopped on Audrey.

Suddenly, the place settings weren't as important to him as the sight of her in the black cocktail dress she'd picked out for dinner tonight. The dress came down to the knee and had thin straps that were set slightly off the shoulder, giving her a soft look; perfect for tonight's agenda. Small diamond studs sparkled in her ears, but her wrists and neck were bare, something that Klaus never liked, especially on a woman as beautiful as her. He slowly rounded the table, making his way to her and he picked up her hand. He laid a gentle kiss on the back of it and reveled when goose bumps erupted on her skin and tickled his lips.

"You look beautiful." His compliment did little to ease her nerves, but she'd be lying if she said it didn't make her heart skip a beat.

"Thank you." She bowed her head and took notice of his crisp suit, no doubt something Elijah suggested for the evening. "You clean up nicely too."

A playful smirk danced across his face. "You flatter me."

"It's the truth." She countered as she played with the matchbook in her hands. Another servant entered the room, tearing Klaus' attention away from her and she placed both hands on the table, her orbs merging with the flames on the candles. The servant left as quickly as he appeared and Audrey knew that she had to talk to Klaus now.

"I don't have to be here tonight," Audrey spoke softly, her wavering voice making the candle's flames flicker. "This is between your family. I have no business sitting in on a family dinner."

Klaus stepped toward her, gently clasping her hands and placing the matchbook down on the table. He turned her, so they're eyes could meet and one hand reached up to cup her cheek. "You are more family than my mother ever was to my siblings and I. You have made sacrifices for my family and you have stood by me through everything."

Audrey nuzzled her face into his hand, soaking up his warmth. She stared into his eyes, oh, how she missed them. "Think nothing of it."

"Hardly." His reply was gruff and he rubbed his thumb along her cheek, deep in thought before taking a slight step back from her. He sauntered to a cabinet that was against the wall, opened up a drawer, and took something out of it before coming back to her. Audrey eyed the dark blue box, curious as to what was nestled inside it.

"I was hoping to give you this after tonight, but I feel you should have it now." He held up the box and opened up the lid, revealing a white gold and diamond necklace. Audrey gawked at the work of art before her, unable to form words to describe its beauty. Large and small diamonds were connected together, weaving an intricate pattern that would draw anyone's attention. It was a big piece, certainly showy and meant for dressier occasions, but it would accent her simple black dress nicely.

"Niklaus..." She hushed, her icy gaze running over the necklace. He removed the necklace from its casing and beckoned for her to turn around which she did. Audrey scooped up her thick, black waves, allowing Klaus to clasp the necklace at the back of her neck. She let her hair down and faced him, the glistening jewels sparkled in the dim candlelight. Her fingertips reached up to touch the jewels, a cool sensation spiked her skin and she found herself speechless at the gift he'd given her.

"So, which queen or princess did you steal this from?" She jabbed lightly at him when her voice came back to her. It was an ongoing joke between the two of them after they had met in the twenties. Whenever Klaus gave her jewelry as a gift, he always had a story to go with each piece.

"The only queen that has worn this necklace is standing right in front of me," He replied. "A queen that rules beside her king."

Audrey touched his face, the stubble of his beard prickling her fingers. She peered up at him, but her gaze had become fixated on his lips which looked so inviting. She really felt like his queen and would vow to do everything in her power to keep it that way. She drew his face close to hers until their lips touched. The gentle brush of her fingertips against his cheeks were enough to make goosebumps appear on Klaus' skin. His hands wrapped around her waist, gripping her hips as he deepened the kiss further. Audrey whimpered softly into his mouth as one of her hands tunneled into his short hair. Her nails lightly scraped along his scalp, making him purr contently.

"Ah, I see we are ready for dinner." Elijah's voice made the two grimace before stepping back from one another. Audrey smoothed out her dress and then adjusted Klaus' tie.

"Your brother needs a girlfriend...or a hobby," Audrey spat and accidentally tightened Klaus' tie too much, making him flinch slightly.

"Errands run well, Elijah?" She asked his brother.

"Swimmingly," the Original replied.

"Are these outfits really necessary?" Klaus grumbled and loosened his tie.

"Appearance is a way of showing respect, Niklaus. Mother will be more likely to surrender her true intentions."

"Well, I doubt her guard will drop just 'cause I'm dressed like a bloody lawyer." He growled.

"I told you that you look fine." Audrey muttered to him under her breath.

"We need every advantage we can get, Niklaus." Elijah said to his brother.

"You always did excel in diplomacy. Just know, if she tries anything, I'll tear her new body to pieces." Klaus smirked.

"You two haven't changed a bit!" A new voice chuckled from the entrance of the dining room. Three heads turned to see a young dark skinned gentleman sauntering towards them. He had an arrogant air about him, a familiarity that struck the two Mikaleson brothers. The man pointed to Elijah once he was closer and sneered at his fine suit.

"Linens and silk to disguise your pathetic self-loathing." Elijah's eyes narrowed at the man's insult, but held his tongue. The gentleman then turned to Klaus, holding a finger on the cleft of his chin. "And you, despite the arrogant facade, you're still the same paranoid little boy, full of hate and fear."

It suddenly hit Klaus. He knew exactly who this man was, granted he was in a different body, but he'd recognize that attitude of his anywhere. Apparently, mother dearest wasn't the only one who had come back from the dead. Elijah was clueless as ever as to who this man was, but he did not like that he seemed so familiar with him. Audrey could sense the blood connection of the newcomer to the two brothers, so she knew they were family, but the tension between them was strained as if they had grown apart over the centuries.

"Forgive me, I don't believe I've had the pleasure," Elijah spoke up.

"Oh, you mean you don't recognize me?" The man seemed mildly offended, but he brushed it off like a speck of dust. He rounded the table, slowly making his way over to his brothers. "So much for the unbreakable bonds of family, huh? Always and forever indeed."

"It's been a long time, Finn," Klaus sneered his brother's name as if it was the foulest word to ever leave his lips. A realization hit Elijah like a freight train and his mind was slowly unraveling at the fact that yet another Mikaelson had taken a body as a host.

"Yes, it has." Finn agreed and then looked to Audrey who had remained silent during the entire exchange of greetings. "You must be Audrey; mother had much to say about you, however I am unsure as to why you are here for a family dinner. Unless Niklaus has ill intentions."

"You're standing here in one piece, aren't you?" Her question made Klaus smirk proudly and snake a hand to rest on her shoulder. Finn let out a chuckle, dispelling his initial shock that she had given such a daring reply and Klaus reveled in that.

Finn came closer to her until they were practically toe to toe, making Audrey somewhat anxious, but she held herself well. Klaus' hand on her shoulder tightened and he could feel Elijah's gaze on him.

"I can't help but wonder why a smart witch like you has found her way into the lion's den. Vampires are a dangerous breed," he said.

"Comical. Your father said something similar before he put me to death ninety years ago." She countered smartly and Finn chuckled at her.

"Quick wit and a sharp tongue; I see why my brother has taken such a liking to you." He grinned.

"It's part of my charm," Audrey replied and Finn's grin grew even wider. He opened his mouth to reply further, but was stopped by the presence of his mother entering the room.

"Now, Finn. Where are your manners?" She lightly scolded him and he backed away from Audrey. Esther's heels clicked against the dining room floor and Finn rushed to pull the chair at the head of the table out for her. She smiled warmly at him and addressed her two sons with open arms.

"My, how I've missed you both."


Hayley closed the door behind her and Lenore as they entered her shop in Algiers. Cassie and Vincent did quite a number on her after kidnapping her from her store and shackling her inside a mausoleum in the cemetery. The hybrid was able to get to her in time and convince Oliver to let her go. Oliver, of course, was hesitant that Cassie would find out that he was conspiring with Hayley, so she decided to make it convincing by beating him up, making it look like he'd been jumped. Because of Hayley's act of kindness, she agreed to perform the spell to mark Esther's new host body in case she decided to body jump. The hybrid had acquired a necklace spelled by Esther from Klaus and Elijah informed her that Gia and Giuliana had retrieved a python for the spell. She helped Lenore to get settled and removed the necklace from her pocket, placing it on the table.

The bell near the door chimed and the two women froze, thinking they had been caught by Cassie or one of her lackeys, but they both let out a sigh of relief seeing Giuliana step through the door. Wrapped around her shoulders was the python Lenore needed for the spell. The reptile hissed and the vampire craned her head away from his long tongue as she laid him down on the table.

"There, there." She pet the snake's scaly spine.

"Took you long enough. Where's Gia?" Hayley asked.

Giuliana scowled and rolled her eyes. "Well, she failed her compulsion lesson, so she tried to shoplift the damn snake. When the shop owner realized it, he went ballistic and Gia bolted. So, I had to clean up her mess and get Balthazar out of there."

Hayley's eyebrows creased. "Who's Balthazar?"

"The snake." The vampire replied simply and realized that Hayley was staring at her strangely and she shook her head. "Don't look at me like that! That was the name on his cage!"

"Are you ladies ready to start?" Lenore asked them and they nodded.

"So, will this take long?" Hayley asked.

"You want me to soul-brand the resurrected spirit of a thousand-year-old witch." The witch said. "It's best I take my time and do it right.

Lenore set up a small cauldron and tossed in some herbs. Soon, it began to bubble and smoke poured off the edges. She chanted over the cauldron before throwing a bundle of sage into the boiling abyss.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry; no one should ever have to lose a child." She frowned.

Hayley did too, her heart aching to hold her baby girl again. "No. No one should."

Giuliana placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. Even though Hope was very much alive, the mere illusion of pretending she wasn't was wearing thin on the Mikaelsons and others in her life.

"So, how does this work?" Giuliana wondered curiously. "You brand Esther...then what?"

"The next time she jumps into a body, she'll be marked with a distinctive symbol on the back of her hand." Lenore explained while hanging the necklace across the diameter of the cauldron with the starling pendent hanging off the side. "This way, you'll always know who she is."

"And Audrey did a spell to prevent Esther from jumping into any of us." Giuliana added.

"But, we still don't know why she's here. When Esther held you captive, did she give you any idea why she's doing all this?" Hayley asked Lenore.

The witch took up the python, putting it around her neck. "Love."

"How hard did they hit you?" Hayley's question was unanswered. Lenore then removed Balthazar from around her shoulders and held his head with one hand.

"What besides love can inspire such pain and cruelty? And Esther..." Lenore took a knife with her free hand and sliced down the length of the snake. Giuliana gulped, sorry to see Balthazar go since they'd been through a lot today. The witch reached her hand inside its body, disemboweling him and squeezing his blood into the cauldron.

"Her love is very, very strong."


Dinner was well underway and Esther and Finn shared idle chatter while Klaus, Elijah and Audrey were left to their own devices. Mother and son commented on how well the wine paired with dinner and the decorations on the walls as Klaus' patience continued to thin. With Esther at the head, Finn to her right and Elijah to his right, Klaus was wishing he was on his mother's left as opposed to Audrey, so that he'd have less of a distance to cross when he strangled his mother with his bare hands. Audrey pushed her food around on her plate and sent Elijah a shrug from across the table. Her phone vibrated from in her lap and she checked it to see that Giuliana had messaged her.

Lenore is doing the spell. Make sure you tell Elijah that Gia sucks as being a wing-woman. How's dinner?

Audrey bit her bottom lip tightly, her fingers pressing the letters to form her reply and she hit 'Send.'

Dreadful.

"So, Audrey, how did you and Niklaus meet?"

The question from Esther caught her off guard and she nearly dropped the phone to the floor, but she managed to keep herself calm. It was an awkward enough question to answer consider Esther didn't give a rat's ass about her children, but Audrey felt as if she was in an interrogation rather than a dinner.

"Well, we, uh—"

"I don't see how my relationship bares any relevance as to why you invited yourself here tonight," Klaus growled rudely.

"I was simply asking a question." Esther feigned innocence and batted her eyelashes. "I am quite curious as to how my son met the woman he is so taken with."

"Mother," Elijah interjected. "What Niklaus is trying to say—"

"Why don't you say what you came here to say, so this wretched night can end?" He stepped on his brother's words.

"It pains me that you and Elijah look at me with such disdain." Esther frowned deeply. "I wish you could see that my every action has been to protect you."

"You actually believe that, don't you? I knew you were a liar, but now I see you're utterly delusional." Klaus' jab made her pout further.

"If you can forget the hatred that you cling to and remember all the times I've mended and healed you." She spoke and then turned her attention to her other son. "Elijah, do you recall the day Niklaus challenged your father to a duel? Did I leave your brother to die alone? What did I say, when you came to me and asked me to help him?"

Elijah was silent for a long moment, but he collected himself. "That you would rather die than to see any of your children suffer."

"When you were a young boy, I crafted a necklace and asked you to swear to me that you'd wear it always. The one with the starling, remember? I told you that it would always keep you safe, so long as you wore it." Esther's story unfolded and everyone was listening intently. Klaus remembered the necklace vividly. He remembered feeling the comfort of his mother's warm embrace when his father had been cold to him. As the years passed, Klaus was a young man when he challenged Mikael to a duel; one that he lost miserably. Mikael had pinned his son to the trunk of a tree with a sword pierced through his stomach. Klaus held tightly to the necklace and true to her word, Esther came to his side.

A sudden realization came over Klaus as he recalled his mother's stern reminder to keep the necklace on no matter what. He had listened to her because he was young and truly felt that it would keep him safe, but it was a ploy. The day he challenged Mikael, the starling necklace was cut from his neck and as Klaus watched it fall to the moss covered ground, anger and hatred surged throughout his entire body. He was so angry with Mikael, that he thought he would go mad. He attacked Mikael until he was knocked down and pinned to the tree. Once his mother tended to his wounds and fastened the necklace on him again, his raging emotions subsided to a dull burn. The necklace had been a ruse; meant to dispel his anger and deter him from awakening his inner werewolf.

"It wasn't spelled to protect me; it made me weak." Klaus growled.

Esther's mouth was opening and closing as if she were a fish on dry land. "I sought to protect you from yourself! If you had killed your father in that duel, or anyone else in the course of your life, you would have activated your curse!"

Klaus slammed both hands on the table and stood, making Audrey wince at the sound. "You ruined me! You left me to suffer at the hands of a father who valued only strength!"

"I kept you from becoming a beast for as long as I possibly could!" She defended, but Klaus was beyond convincing. He rounded the table, bypassing Audrey to stand over his mother's trembling form.

"You lied to me! To hide your own transgressions because of your own fear! My whole life, I sought the approval I was denied by the man I thought was my father! You turned me into the weakling he hated." He continued.

Elijah rose anxiously and so did Audrey. Her legs were shaking from the intensity of Klaus' raw emotions. Betrayal, hatred, anger. It was singing her flesh and she tried desperately to dispel it, but it was making her weak and heavy. She clutched the edge of the table, a tired sigh falling from her lips and Finn noticed it. He had known she was a witch since the moment he entered the compound. Her powers, although different from his own, were very strong; she wore them like a suit of armor over her snowy skin. Esther looked to Finn, sensing his uneasiness, but Klaus bashing his fist against the table made her watering eyes refocus.

"Look at me! You rant and you rave about the monster I have become, but you, Mother, you are the author of everything I am."

Esther was flustered now and her cheeks had turned bright red. She expected this kind of reaction from Klaus, but the expectation was far worse from the reality. She suddenly began gasping for air, raising alarm from Finn and she fainted at her seat. Elijah sped forward, catching the back of her neck to guide it gently, so her head wouldn't hit the table. All three brothers looked on in shock. Had the stress of the dinner caused Esther to die? Impossible, Klaus thought to himself. It was too easy.

"She's gone," Elijah murmured.

Audrey's body went slack, her eyes turning up towards the ceiling, a black sheen covering them. A vision of a python, bloodied hands and a smoking cauldron bombarded her. She saw flashes of Hayley and Giuliana, but another face was unfamiliar to her. It must have been Lenore. Audrey pushed her visions, asking them to show her more, but her answer was given to her in shadows. She could feel Esther's presence moving quickly until it settled on the woman hunched over the cauldron. The visions then disappeared in a puff of smoke behind her eyes and she was brought back into reality just in time to see Elijah throw a punch at Finn.

The warlock used his magic to push him away, over the table's surface and onto the floor. Klaus then sped forward, grabbing Finn sharply by the lapels of his suit jacket and shaking him roughly.

"Where is she?" He demanded.

Again, Finn's magic propelled Klaus backwards and he readied himself to another attack, but was stopped by Audrey who had flung the silverware at him with her powers. A fork had embedded itself in his hand, allowing Klaus to tackle him to the floor. Both brothers struggled for dominance and Audrey rushed to Elijah to learn he had been knocked out cold by Finn's attack. The table was suddenly flipped over and she tried to escape it, but she was trapped beneath it. It was now that she damned the Mikaelson's expensive taste in heavy mahogany tables as the wood bared down on her body. The loud clanging of silverware and silver platters hitting the floor rang in her ears and the last thing she saw was Finn blowing on his fingers before she succumbed to darkness.


Lenore's body fell over the cauldron and she braced her hands on the edges. Hayley and Giuliana exchanged worried glances and they drew closer to her. The witch opened her eyes and straightened up, looking wildly about her. Giuliana checked down at her phone, but there was no message from Audrey which made her anxious. Had the dinner gone that badly?

"Are you okay?" Hayley asked Lenore.

"Yes," Lenore nodded slowly. Her arms shook weakly and Hayley rounded the counter to help her sit down.

"I'm just getting my bearings." The witch told her calmly as if not to alarm them, but Giuliana yanked Hayley back.

"What—"

"Look!" Giuliana hushed. On the back of Lenore's right hand was a triskelion mark, much like the one she described would be on the hand of the person Esther used as her host. Esther had abandoned Cassie's body and was now inside of Lenore.

"The mark," Hayley gasped.

"It's you, isn't?" Giuliana's green orbs squinted. "Esther."

Lenore eyed the two girls with a knowing smirk. The kind witch that had helped them to soul brand was now inhabited by the very woman they had been trying to run from.


Klaus and Elijah had recovered from Finn's attack, but the same could not be said for Audrey. After the table had been removed off her, Klaus scooped her up in his arms and laid her on the surface. Her heart was still beating, but she had yet to awaken. He paced back and forth anxiously while Elijah questioned Cassie who had no idea where she was. Once a confident witch, Cassie was shrinking back in her chair, her eyes flicking between the two men and the unconscious woman on the table.

"Where am I?" She began to cry. "What's happening?"

"Where is Esther?" Elijah asked her again.

"I told you. I don't know," she blubbered.

"She's useless, Elijah," Klaus said. "Mother was just using her."

"But where is she now?"

Suddenly, Audrey's body shot up from the table with a start and Klaus was at her side in an instant. Cassie jumped in her seat as if she'd witnessed someone coming back from the dead and Elijah dismissed her, compelling her to leave and forget what she saw here. Klaus eased Audrey to the edge of the table, his hand gently stroking her face as she calmed down.

"Easy, love," he cooed.

"Esther...sh-she's in Lenore's body." She stammered. "I saw it."

"Lenore?" Klaus questioned.

"Marcel's witch," Elijah answered and pulled out his cellphone from his pocket.


Giuliana clutched her ringing phone tightly in her hands and looked down at the caller ID. Elijah was calling her and she was afraid to answer it. Her finger hovered over the green button, but she hesitated to answer. Esther was using a cloth to wipe her hands of the snake's blood and remained when she heard the phone. With a smile, she gestured to it and continued cleaning her hands.

"Go ahead. You can answer it."

The vampire didn't waste any time and held the phone to her ear. "Elijah?"

"Giuliana. Are you alright?"

"Yes. We're at Lenore's shop." Esther outstretched her hand and the line went dead. Giuliana pressed the 'Home' button, but the screen was dark.

"That'll be enough."

"They're gonna come for us," Hayley warned, drawing closer to Giuliana's side.

"My darling, that's been the idea all along." Esther's smile grew. "It's nice to finally meet you, Hayley. Tell me, do my sons ever acknowledge the good you bring into their lives? After all, it was you who gave them hope. The promise of a child shows us all the possibilities of a future that could be. Children are meant to save us from the worst parts of who we are. A truth that makes my own circumstances all the more tragic, wouldn't you say?"

"I don't pity you, Esther." The hybrid rolled her eyes.

"It's a terrible thing, for a mother to fail her child." She frowned deeply and picked up the starling necklace. She hadn't seen it in so long, but she remembered every groove on the starling's wings. "But now, I offer you freedom. The gift of a new body. Freedom from being a hybrid. I have the ability to return to you all that you have lost, Hayley. To make it so that you could have a family of your children of your own. Wouldn't that be nice?" The very idea seemed very enticing to Hayley, but at what cost would Esther give her a new life.

"She's bluffing," Giuliana growled and pulled Hayley backwards.

"I would never, Giuliana." Esther spoke up and now focused her attention on the young vampire. "Your family were enemies to my children and now you share the same fate as them; forced to drink blood and have an insatiable hunger. I am so sorry, my dear."

"You're not sorry, Esther," she sneered.

"Of course I am. You were never given the choice to become a vampire. You were a witch with so much power and it was all taken away from you." Esther continued. "I too can offer you the same proposition as Hayley."

"Why?"

"Because Elijah loves you."

Giuliana was going to retort, but Esther's little confession made her fall silent. Hayley cast a glance at her and could see how red her cheeks were getting. She knew that Giuliana liked Elijah a lot, maybe even loved him, but Elijah had been hurt so many times that she feared he'd lost that capacity. Not that his ability to love was completely lost. He loved his family and his niece, but to make room for one special person took a lot of trust, a virtue that Elijah had given away many times over his long life. The front door of the shop rattled as Klaus and Elijah closed it behind them. They came into view and Klaus rushed for the two women, but Esther tossed a powder-like substance into the air which created a barrier, so Klaus could not get through.

"You hide behind your spells like a coward!" He roared at his mother.

"I did not come here to wage war!" She swore and picked up another handful of the powder. Elijah tried coming at her from the side, but he was stopped by the magic she threw at him. The Original stepped back, his eyes trained on his mother.

"Everything you do is an act of war. If you touch her, so help me—"

"Giuliana is free to go and so is Hayley," she interrupted him. "I've spoken my peace and they know why I am here. I have come to heal our family, Elijah."

"Well, that's a grand sentiment, coming from you," Klaus growled and turned to the two women. "Go now. The both of you."

As much as they wanted to stay and not back down from Esther, the pair darted from the shop. Giuliana grabbed Hayley's hand and they rushed back to the compound, far away from Esther, but the Original witch had already planted seeds of a new life inside their heads. The proposition Esther had spoken of had given them a lot to think about.


"Wow, your mother is really insane." Audrey crossed her arms over her chest.

Elijah, Klaus, Giuliana and Hayley had gathered themselves in the courtyard of the compound after Esther had dismissed all of them. She spoke briefly of her proposition, but told them that Hayley and Giuliana would tell them more. Once settled inside and away from Esther, Hayley explained what the Original witch really wanted from them.

"Besides the offer of rebirth, what else did she say?" Elijah asked Hayley.

"I don't know." She shook her head. "She rambled a lot. She blamed the two of you for what happened to Hope; to me."

"She offered all of us a chance to start over." Giuliana added. "She called it "healing the family.""

Klaus perched himself behind Audrey, his hands placed firmly on her shoulders and his burning gaze on Hayley. "Well, I hope you're not thinking of taking her offer?"

Suddenly, all eyes were on the hybrid, but she could not bring herself to look at any of them. Hayley picked at a loose cuticle on her pinky and then bit the skin with her teeth. She knew they wanted an answer from her, but she was afraid that Klaus wouldn't like hers. She'd tossed around Esther's proposition since they left Lenore's shop and a part of her was screaming to take the deal. She had a hard time adjusting to being a hybrid, so the possibility of being normal again definitely appealed to her.

"Hayley?" Giuliana tilted her head curiously.

"Hayley, I'm talking to you." Klaus' gruff voice snapped the hybrid from her thoughts.

"What do you want me to say, Klaus?" She stood and crossed to meet him. "I lost my daughter. So, yeah, when your mother offers to wipe the slate clean, excuse me if I'm tempted."

Hayley stormed out of the room with Giuliana close behind, knowing her friend would need her in a time like this. Both women were at a crossroads on what to do about Esther, but Giuliana was more cautious than her friend was. She heard the stories, hell she even had the displeasure of meeting the man she was married too and those reasons alone were enough not to trust her. But what if Esther's intentions were genuine? What if she actually wanted to come back from the dead to restore her family?

"Leave them be, Klaus." Audrey could feel him squeezing her right shoulder tightly. "They both have a lot to think about."

Klaus sighed and released her shoulders, rounding the chair to grab a decanter of the poison of his choice and a glass. He poured a liberal amount and downed more than half before setting the glass down. He knew his mother was tricking them. It was so obvious to him and it ticked him off that Hayley and Giuliana were really thinking of taking his mother's offer. Audrey sent a look of sympathy to Elijah and rose, walking to meet Klaus. She pressed a soothing kiss to his cheek and rubbed over the skin with her thumb.

"No matter what you choose to do, I will stand by you," she spoke in a soft whisper, but knew that Elijah would hear it. While knowing that Klaus hated his mother with a passion, she couldn't imagine that the possibility of being human hadn't crossed his mind at least once tonight. Being a human and a witch, Audrey assumed that Esther's deal would not be extended to her, but even she wondered if the Original mother's promise was really a faithful one. She kissed Klaus on the corner of his mouth and bid goodnight to Elijah as she headed upstairs to their bedroom.

Klaus poured himself another drink, letting Audrey's words mingle in his brain. He heard it fall from her lips that she would align with whatever decision that he decided to make, but his mind was made up as soon as he and his brother were chased from Lenore's shop by an army of starlings. He'd tell his wicked mother to take her intentions for healing their family and shove it. He set aside a glass for Elijah who held Audrey's confession close to him. After a thousand years, his brother had reconnected with someone who saw him as his true self. Elijah never realized it until now, but it was clearer than ever.

"Our mother, Elijah," his brother began. "The woman who brought us into the world, made us what we are...and the whole time, she lied to me. She made me weak."

Elijah set his drink down and clapped his brother on the shoulder. "You were never weak, Niklaus. You are; you have always been the most fierce of us all. In a thousand years, I have never seen anyone successfully stand against you. Not even our wicked father. Not one of the countless devoted to your destruction. You'll protect our home, even in the face of an adversary such as our mother, because that, brother, that is what you do."

Klaus smirked widely and took a hold of his brother by the back of the neck. He could always count on Elijah to speak the truth. Especially after learning of his mother's betrayal, he needed to hear his brother's words of kindness. "You remain ever the wise counsel, brother. The rest of the family could learn something from you.


Hello everyone! I hope all of you have had a wonderful holiday season! Please give this story some love :) I will be updating The Long Way Home within the next few days. Please review!


elisesellas: Hello my dear! I completely understand about school assignments, so don't you worry. I just finished the Fall semester myself a week or so ago and it feels so good to be free!

I will always have a thing for Elijah…a man in a suit is just…well, it does things to me ;) I still want to make Giuliana loveable, but I do want readers to really understand that she is going through a difficult time as a vampire. She does try to take in stride, but there are times where it hits her and we can see that in the chapters. Klaus and Audrey kind of remind me of Bonnie and Clyde or some kind of dastardly duo. Klaus really needs a woman that can be on the same level as him and Audrey has proved that she would go to hell and back for the Mikaelson family. Mikael has always terrified me, but he is such a great character! I'm excited to write him in the next few chapters and I am anxious for you to read them.

I hope you are done with school and that you had a Merry Christmas (if you celebrate, of course) and please have a Happy New Year. Thank you so much for reviewing!

grapejuice101: Thank you for reviewing! Hope you had a wonderful holiday :)

NicoleR85: Thanks Nicole! Hope you had a great holiday!

CarlyLynn: Thank you for reviewing! Hmm, not sure about a confrontation, but there will definitely be a shock once Giuliana finds out that Kaleb is really Kol. Stay tuned and have a happy holiday :)

Guest: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reviewing and hope you had a nice holiday!

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piper: Here ya go! Enjoy the update and the holiday :)

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