A/n: Edited on 10/9/2019.

Disclaimer: I do not own TVD.

Chapter 6: Bones

Mystic Falls

Present - January 18, 2011

It had only been a couple of hours since Elena, Bonnie, Rebekah, and Jeremy came back to the boarding house. Ever since they got back from the almost annihilation Klaus tried to execute, they were limited to waiting up on Damon and Stefan. When it was only hours that had passed, it felt like more like centuries. Not many words were exchanged between them, and one more was appreciative of the silence than Rebekah.

The constant and incessant whining of Elena Gilbert tested her patience to the limit at times. Oh, how easy it would be to just take just any wooden stake she could get her hands on and stab her through the heart. A taste of her own medicine would just do the trick.

Of course, Rebekah thought Elena deserved it. She partook in killing two of her brothers already with just Niklaus and Elijah left as her family. The grief of Kol's death was still fresh, and she didn't need more of doppelganger-wench's drama to add onto the weight she was already times of how she imagined it, there was one thing that stopped her every time. Or more or less one person. Stefan.

She couldn't pinpoint the right word to describe what she has with the younger Salvatore currently. To be honest, Rebekah was too afraid to even take one peek. She didn't want to ruin this, whatever "this" was.

She knew of the lines that were drawn in the sand. Rebekah cared too much to let some of her ill fantasies of Elena's death come to fruition. She was still in control. Although, that's what she tried to believe.

Rebekah figured out that anyone can put on a mask and keep the act up to par. It just depends on who that person was, and if they had the skill to pull off such an act. Rebekah had put on the charade for over a thousand years. It wasn't a choice for her dreams as a human to be stripped away from her, but the charade became so natural to her like a second skin. Vampirism was a part of her like D.N.A.

It wasn't long before Rebekah's inner weakness would come into light if the current problems in Mystic Falls persisted. Once in a blue moon that side of her would show. She was more determined than ever to keep that side to herself after everything. After being ridiculed because of her emotions, especially from her own brother, she kept it under lock and key.

"They should've been done by now," Jeremy stated.

Rebekah sighed heavily from watching the silent show of wondering when the Salvatore brothers will ever return. She pushed herself up from the couch, browsing around to see if there was any more drinks. "I wonder where Damon keeps his secret stash of bourbon. It has got to be around here somewhere. Can someone make themselves useful and help me find it?"

Bonnie hadn't said much at all. The combination of losing her magic and her best friend's death took its toll on her. The witch felt useless, void of any purpose left. Without her magic, she couldn't do anything.

Rebekah was tired of all of the gloom and despair. "All of you stop worrying so much. Give yourself a break and take a drink." She opened a bottle of one of the best bottles of bourbon out of Damon's stash and poured the amber liquor into glasses. She took a swig of it, downing it all in one try. "I have to hand it to Damon. He knows his poison."

"How can you not be worried right now?" Bonnie asked brokenly, getting herself a well needed glass of bourbon.

"Do you really think I'm that heartless? That I don't have feelings like the lot of you?" she asked with gritted teeth.

"Well, after everything that has happened, yeah," Bonnie answered back. Jeremy watched as the magicless witch and blonde Original exchanged words.

"Let me give you a little reminder, witch. As much as it may surprise you, I have feelings too. I don't know whether my brother is going to kill me again yet I'm so worried about his safety. Just because I am not vocalizing whatever I feel doesn't mean I don't have a heart." Rebekah spoke out harshly. Questioning her about feelings was like assuming she didn't have a soul. Sometimes, she even wondered about herself at times if she even had one. Even when she wasn't at her best, she knew the right answer in the end despite how sometimes faint it could be.

"Still, it's still out of character for you to be against your own brother. Aren't you two close?" Curiosity was picking at Jeremy's brain as he tried to understand Rebekah.

Rebekah had to give him credit. At least, he wasn't as annoying like his older sister. Ugh! She cringed at the very thought of imagining herself being related to her on such terms. That would be a living hell for sure. The doppelganger was already stretching her restraints to their limits. She was surprised she hadn't killed her already with her head on a spit. Rebekah did say once that she got her temper from her father.

"Due to some circumstances, we aren't speaking at the moment." The blonde Original vaguely responded.

Trying to get along with her brother was like walking on a tightrope. No matter what step she took even if small and cautiously, she would always fumble and lose her balance and his lashing out would be monumental. She's so close to the end of her rope, and she wouldn't dare to approach him now with the death of Caroline still fresh. At this point, the thought of not being able to talk to him ever again seemed not so bad if it meant for her self-preservation to be intact.

A sharp knocking against the wood of the door interrupted their conversation. Rebekah and Bonnie sprinted to opposite ends of the living room, ready for any action to be taken. Jeremy pressed a single finger to his lips signaling them to be quiet. The young hunter grabbed the gun filled with wooden bullets soaked with vervain, silently cocked it back, and raised his pistol in his hands. He aimed at the door directly ahead, ready in case for shit to hit the fan.

Another sharp knocked repeated again.

Jeremy, with a gun in his hands, hesitantly waited. A little later on, it was the next voice that almost startled him.

"Hey, kid! Open up, it's us!" The elder Salvatore yelled in an annoyed tone.

Of course, it was Damon Salvatore. There was only one of him.

Jeremy turned the knob of the front door to let the Salvatores in assuming that Stefan was with Damon too. However, that wasn't the case when not only were the brothers there, but also the new mayor and a couple of the police officers too. Both of the Salvatores were bound with ropes tied around their hands with evident burns on their hands, indicating the ropes were soaked in vervain too.

"Put the gun down, or there's going to be trouble," one of the officers sternly ordered as the group had their guns raised in defense too.

Reluctantly doing what he was told, Jeremy set his gun down.

"Get them in." Mayor Hopkins commanded. Soon enough, the officers shoved the brothers into the living room. Wordlessly, Stefan and Damon stepped in towards the living room as they looked back to the humans in the law enforcement uniforms. The last person who came back in through the door was unexpectedly Sheriff Forbes.

"That's enough, guys. Back off slowly, they can't untie themselves. The ropes are tied too tight for themselves to slip through without help. They can untie the ropes later." Sheriff Forbes said in an emotionless tone.

Her face may have been unreadable, but her eyes said it all. Bonnie, Rebekah, and Jeremy had never seen it before, but Damon and Stefan have. It was the same cold eyes of contempt when she hunted the boys finding out what they were prior coming to know that her daughter had been turned into the very same thing.

"Dad?" Bonnie said his name, astonished that he would even be here right now.

"I thought you would be here." The mayor commented as he gazed to the other supernatural beings in the room and glancing at his daughter. "It turns out I'm right after all."

"What is this all about, Stefan? Where were you?" The blonde Original tried to attend to him coming towards the younger vampire, but the officer that stood next to him raised his gun up to aim warning her to back off. Agitatedly, she exasperated, "What is the meaning of this?!"

"I'll tell you what it means. From here on out, this town will be on lockdown. No one goes in and nothing comes out, whether it's human or supernatural."

After the mayor explained, confusion began to set in every one of the gang's faces. Bonnie walked towards her father, trying to see if she could change his mind. "There's no need to do this. We can take care of ourselves."

"It's already been done, Bonnie. There's been enough murder in this town. Too much has been running around unattended, and you're coming home with me now. Let's go." He told his daughter hoping that she would obey.

But, she was doing this the hard way. "How many times do I have to tell you? I can take care of myself." She was on the edge of lashing out from being so tired of repeating herself. She had proven too many times that she can protect herself. Why can't he understand her?

"Bonnie," he addressed harshly. He was tired of her disobedience. "I know about you not having your magic. That makes you human as much as I am. You're still my daughter, and you will still do as I say because I am your father. I'm not losing you to this supernatural stuff again. Now, come with me."

Before she could yell at him, Bonnie halted in her steps gazing at her father. Her olive green eyes grew bewildered in shock. "How did you know?"

No one could have told him. It was impossible, and none of her friends had said a word. Questions of how he had gotten hold of such information raced through her mind.

Her father shook his head. "I can't tell you. Now, let's go Bonnie. Sheriff, I think you can take care of the rest."

"Gladly."

The Sheriff stood there with the officers still around, but the mayor took his daughter by the arm, guiding her to outside. Before they went through the door, Bonnie gave one last glance to the others prior to the door closing shut. The Sheriff kept a fixed stare at everyone else.

"Liz, there's no need for this." Damon carefully spoke trying not to rile her up.

"Damon, shut up. I didn't come here to chitchat," the sheriff said. "I'm giving you a heads up. Mystic Falls is under lockdown. No way in, no way out. I've seen enough reckless damage caused by your little quest for this cure. You're lucky that I'm not arresting you. Everything is going to be kept under wraps, and we made sure of that too. "

"What did you do?" Stefan asked not sure if he really wanted to find out what she truly meant behind the words she said.

"You'll see, we have are sources. Come on, guys. We're heading out." Without a moment of hesitancy, the officers and the sheriff included gathered themselves to make their way through the front door, leaving the sheriff last to go out. She gave one last look to them, her eyes glancing at the young hunter for a brief second before leaving them.

As soon as the door closed, the full blown realization had it them. They were stuck in Mystic Falls. For good.

"What happened?" Elena asked surprised to see Stefan and Damon in such a condition. After being shot with vervain, her head was still hazy somewhat.

"Oh, now the sleeping useless beauty awakens. What else is new?" Rebekah exasperated throwing her arms into the air.

Elena too tired to come up with a combative retort, she ignored Rebekah. She went to Damon to unbind the vervain ropes, but they burned the skin of her hands. "Ow. Vervain. Jeremy, can you unbind them, please? We can't touch them."

Jeremy walked over to the brothers and began unwrapping the vervain-soaked ropes with his strong hands. Rebekah made her way to the younger Salvatore making sure he was okay silently as he rubbed the tender wounds on his wrists, which were healing slower. Damon made a beeline toward the glasses full of bourbon needing a drink after what had transpired.

"Oh, hell. Who broke into my secret stash?" Damon complained, not liking intruders snooping into his special stockpile of the best bourbon he collected over the years. He especially didn't like Barbie Klaus getting into it.

"Guilty as charged." Rebekah's mouth turned up into a smug smirk. Oh, how funny it was to get under Damon's skin.

There wasn't much fun to do now except maybe Stefan. Of course, the sex was great. She definitely could keep up with those two lady-magnets. She acknowledged the fact that both of them were good in the sack, but her taste had to lie with Stefan this time. Damon was great, but her own opinion was quite different unlike hearing about the women he charmed into his bed. She thought he had rather grown too soft for her liking. And, falling in love with Elena tends to do that. Or at least that's in Rebekah's opinion.

Hey, at least that didn't dampen the wild one in Stefan she had known so personally in detail. Many times personally from the old days. God, she loved the advantages she had. There was no hesitancy, no caution, and it was raw and untamed. Just the way she liked it.

"Brother, what do you see in this chick? Tell me honestly." Damon grabbed one of the second bottles of bourbon in his hands and took a swig tired from all of the crap. Fighting and a questioning just had him beat. If he was human again, he knew definitely he would have passed out by now.

"Damon, now isn't the time to play around. Not after the fact we just got our asses kicked, and now we're probably even more in deep crap than we thought." Stefan lectured him.

"Care to clarify?" Jeremy pressed on as he pondered what happened with the brothers all this time.

"Well, let's say how we failed to realize that Klaus let the dogs out." Let's just say Damon wasn't all too pleased having one of Klaus' pets kicking his ass to the ground.

"Werewolves? I thought there were no more of them in town." Elena pointed out in confusion.

"Obviously not then, Elena." The blonde Original plopped herself onto the couch opposite of where the youngest vampire had slept on before. No way am I sitting there, she thought stubbornly, though it was a bit childish in a way.

Stefan gestured the living room with his arm. "We need to have a meeting. There's stuff we need to talk about."

Damon nodded to him in agreement for a change, and sat on the couch with his girlfriend where she had previously rested on before. Stefan and Rebekah sat on the other couch across from them. Unfortunately, that resulted with Rebekah sitting across from Elena just within Rebekah's sight. Her icy blue eyes squinted in scrutiny as Elena squirmed a little, uncomfortable under the blonde bitch's harsh gaze. Oh, Rebekah loved being…well she loved being Rebekah. Elena didn't so much agree with that statement. The hunter planted himself in one of the wooden armchairs on Damon and Elena's side, waiting for the explanation.

"Start from the beginning. Hopefully, we can get this show on the road." Rebekah crossed one of her sinfully long legs over the other, setting up the bait. Damon's eyes flickered over to Rebekah's legs for a moment, his male instincts clouding his mind. No harm in checking someone out, but it wasn't right now that he and Elena were together. Elena caught Rebekah's ploy, and her face flared up in agitation as Damon's flickered over.

"Oh Elena, don't be mad. It's not Damon's fault. I mean after all, he's still a man." Rebekah delivered a false smile that just made Elena want to scratch the blonde's eyes out.

"Cool it, Bex." Stefan urged her before speaking. "So, where do you want to start?"

"How about you start after we left?" Jeremy suggested, hoping to get to the bottom of this. He listened in by trying to keep himself busy with his gun by taking out the clip, turning the safety on, and started to clean the inside of the barrel.

"Very well then," Stefan took a short breath before speaking. "We were fighting Klaus. Both of us thought it was risky, but worth it to take Klaus on. It was only him against me and Damon. I tried to keep Klaus distracted while Damon would back me up. What we didn't count on was the reinforcement that came to his aid."

It did throw them a loop. An incredibly confusing one that made you doubt things.

"There's no hybrids anymore. Tyler flew the hell out of dodge. Who would in their right mind help him of all people?"

Any average person would have a difficult time wrapping their brain around trying to figure out that question, but it still mattered. Other than family, who would come to his aid when half the world were his enemies? Any loyalty to Klaus was enforced. Evidence had proved itself repeatedly through Klaus's actions: the compulsion done to Stefan, the sire bond with the hybrids, and the whole craze with his overly dysfunctional family brought it to new heights. But, it was still questioned if this was out of forced obligation or out of free choice. No one had the answer to that question.

"I suppose this is the part where it gets interesting or am I wrong?" Rebekah yawned bored already with all of the talk. Geez, is there anything exciting in this town besides another episode of "The Bitchy and Miserable Woes of Elena Gilbert"? Someone please change the channel.

"I can't tell you really. Only Damon can."

All of their eyes turned to the bad boy Salvatore waiting for his reaction. Damon shook his head in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me. Do I really have to say it?"

"You experienced it. Only you can tell us what happened." Stefan explained to his older brother.

"God, sometimes I wonder why I am even related to you. A wolf kicked my ass, okay? It almost tore me into bits like I was some piece of meat." He has had enough with werewolves to last a lifetime. Bitten by one was an experience enough for him, but not to be caught up with one so close in combat. He planned to make sure it wouldn't happen again.

"Do we even know what it is? Is it a werewolf or something else?" Jeremy inquired to Damon not purposely trying to ruin his pride, but it had that effect.

"The bitch got to me! I wasn't ready for her. Quit rubbing it in." Damon said annoyed, his pride wounded.

"Oh, come on. Lighten up, Damon. You're taking your first step. You're admitting the pride that cometh to your fall. I mean look at you. I don't need to say it out loud. It's written all over your face." Rebekah sneered.

Elena had enough of it. Not wanting to feed her more satisfaction, she stood up and walked out of the living room. Damon followed closely behind Elena hoping to find out what was wrong.

"Was that necessary?" Stefan asked.

"You're lucky that's all I'm doing to her. I am capable of much worse. Don't push me to test that theory," she warned him leaning towards him seductively with a glint of forewarning in those icy blue eyes.

"You're not going to hurt her." Stefan called her bluff.

"Oh? What makes you think that?" Rebekah leaned closer to almost to the point of the brim of their noses touching. Her long blonde hair tickled his skin with her face close to his.

"Because you care too much to jeopardize what could be yours."

Rebekah frowned at his answer. Before she fully answered, she grabbed the black tie he had on earlier with his suit today and pulled him to her lips. Their lips melded together with the Original in full control.

"Get a room. Damn, I'm out of here." Jeremy stood up disgusted with the lust and feelings spreading all over the room. Mainly on the couch, though.

Rebekah pushed herself off the younger Salvatore, and started to walk out in a brisk pace, her heels clicking behind her as she went. Stefan's face confounded itself by her actions. She remained back to the stubborn, apathetic vampire she usually was. "I'm going to see what's going on outside. I'll be back."

"But, Rebekah! I'm not finished-" Stefan tried to say, but she had already left out of the door, "yet."

Back into the kitchen, Elena stood against the sink in the kitchen holding herself steady with her hands on the counter. Her chocolate eyes were hard with an emotion she would rather not contend with, but Rebekah just gets under her skin. She never had girl problems before, but she would definitely admit that she hated her. After all, Rebekah did try to kill her.

"Blow it off, Elena. Just because she showed off a little eye candy doesn't mean anything has changed," he joked.

She huffed angrily spinning around meeting his eyes. "Blow it off? Wow. That really helps out, Damon. Got any more advice I need to know?"

He just stood still waiting for Elena to be done with her rant. He knew she could only keep so much inside of her before she would explode.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "So much had happened. She just doesn't help the situation. I want her gone."

"Everyone has their own way of coping. Let her roll off your back. That's how I do it." He gave away a half-smile to her.

There he goes with his "Damon Logic." She wrapped herself into his embrace taking in his scent. Somehow, he always managed to make her smile. Even if a little bit, she always felt there was a bit of hope. That's all she needed. Hope, perhaps.

"So what's about this wolf you were going on about earlier?" Elena questioned her boyfriend curious about the so-called wolf who had beaten Damon at his own game.

"It just came out of nowhere, and it kicked my ass. That's all I can tell you," he answered stubbornly holding onto the pride left inside of him.

Elena cupped his face into her hands with one of her thumbs brushing against his cheek. "Don't shut me out, Damon," she implored him. "I love you. You can tell me anything. Please…"

He leaned in kissing her urgently slowly relaxing into her touch. He blocked out everything around leaving just the two of them together. He didn't want to think about all that has happened. He just wanted it to be him and Elena. After what seemed to be a while, they took a breather. Now, he may be a little more inclined to speak.

"Damon, there's something else. Be honest with me."

She hoped that one more try would get to him. What's happened to make him reluctant? Ever since she told him of her feelings, something changed between them. The sire bond strained the relationship enough, but Damon's insecurities and doubts kept nagging at him. As much as she tried to convince him that he deserved her, it's still like he didn't win the prize in the end after all. Only that he still lost altogether, and she hated how he beat himself up. Why can't Elena ever get through to him?

"When I fought the wolf, it was different. Usually, I don't miss a beat when it comes to scents. As vampires, we usually can pinpoint them out, but I couldn't. It was too unfamiliar. If it weren't for Klaus calling his bitch off, I would've been her vampire chew toy." Damon's body didn't deny the shudder that crept into his core just imagining the pain of a wolf's bite. The memory of the last time still came fresh to him.

"Since when does a werewolf obey Klaus?" Elena asked with bile rising up to her throat.

There was no explaining it with the factors of the situation were too confusing and complex. This situation kept adding more weight to the heavy atmosphere that blanketed over the small town.

Suddenly, a loud bang boomed throughout the house. Rebekah stomped in not pleased at all with what just happened. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now.

"DAMON! STEFAN!" Her voice bellowed in fury.

She swiftly flashed into the kitchen with her icy eyes burning holes to the two annoying lovebirds finding them gazing at each other. She had no qualms for trivial feelings. Both Damon and Elena reeked of it, and it didn't help for Rebekah's benefit.

Her hands found themselves around Damon's neck in a steel grip. With one hand on his neck, her other hand went inside his chest grasping his heart. Damon stilled himself making sure he wouldn't be dead by the sister of a murdering psychopath.

Elena stood up in rage wanting to protect Damon. How dare she? She had no right!

But, Rebekah had the upper hand.

"One try out of you, Elena, and I will kill your lovesick puppy of a boyfriend," she threatened.

Stefan rushed in, but seeing where Rebekah's hands were, he stayed in his spot. Very cautiously, he approached the furious female vampire knowing one wrong move could mean the end of his brother.

"Rebekah, calm down. There's no need for this despite how upset you are." He slowly spoke in a calm tenor hoping her anger would have the same effect.

But, it was to no avail. "Upset? UPSET! That's how you think I feel? Bullocks! Not only did you fail to tell me or either of us for that matter that I would be shot at, but that there was a damn barrier spell on the outer part of town!"

Now, there's a part they didn't expect. Damon wheezed sort of cursing under his breath as he struggled against Rebekah's hard grip. She turned back to Damon, not knowing what she should feel more: anger or stupidity. Those emotions seemed to have always run amuck in this bloody place. "Something you want to share with the class?"

Damon wheezed a few more words before he passed out. "Just…what…we…need…an…other…wi…tch…"

Rebekah choked all of the breath his body stored, rendering him dead at least for a little while. God. She made a mental note to herself to hold back a bit on her immortal strength. Hurting Stefan was the last thing she wanted accomplished on her list. Bored, she effortless dropped the elder Salvatore to the hard tile floor.

"I officially understand now why Caroline got so agitated with him. Oh, well. He's rather useless in my opinion." She wiped her hands of Damon's blood with a rag. "Here," Rebekah tossed another rag to Elena, "be a dear and clean up the mess. I'm sure he doesn't look so good with what my temper can do. I told your ex not to test me. It doesn't mean you're the only target."

Elena was speechless at this point. She kept quiet for Damon's sake not to rile Rebekah any longer. The female Original already had her on her list to kill.

"Let's just sit and figure out what we need to do." Stefan soothed Rebekah's temper by rubbing her shoulders a little bit, but Rebekah shook her shoulders off to pry his hands away from her. Despite how great it felt, she wasn't going to let Stefan have his way with her while Elena was watching with nosy eyes.

"Clean this up, Elena. Who knows how long that will take?" She sauntered off flipping her hair back heading back to the enormous living room.

Stefan was glad he didn't chastise her about how she left before he could finish what they were talking about. He didn't want to be the bloody result like Damon had been just a few minutes ago. Then again, his older brother always had a certain way of aggravating certain blondes.

Frustrated to the point to where she was almost about to cry, Elena pushed all of her feelings into cleaning the bloody mess around Damon. Stefan wet a few dishrags with water from the sink and started to help Elena trying to help her at least.

Elena sent an appreciative glance to Stefan.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

Stefan finished cleaning the mess with Elena and replied to her. "You're welcome."

He didn't have to explain in words knowing how Rebekah was. It was his decision to partner up with her. Not that he would say aloud, it was easier. There was a weight lifted off his shoulders never entangling himself with the drama that seemed to transpire between him, Elena and Damon. Rebekah and he had a sort of mutual understanding to a certain level. He would just have to wait and see how this turns out in the end.

Rebekah drummed her manicured nails impatiently against the arm of the couch. It doesn't take long to clean up the mess. Funny, it was a mess she made. Oh, Nik would be proud of her. Maybe Kol too.

Before her thoughts dwelled to them, her eyes caught Stefan and Elena walking in. Elena's eyes avoided Rebekah's and focused on listening to Stefan as he began to talk.

"So, this barrier spell. What can you tell us about it?" Stefan posed the question.

"What else is there to say, Stefan? No supernatural can get it. No supernatural can get out. I thought that was quite clear. Now, we know what the mayor meant. And let's not forget those damn officers shot at me!" Bekah snapped, greatly annoyed by repeating herself.

Honestly, it was like working with children.

"Let me rephrase that. Is there anything particular about the spell that you noticed that stood out?"

Rebekah thought for a moment trying to recollect from her memory. That's when it dawned in her head like a bucket of cold water dumped on her. "Oh, my God."

"What is it?" Elena didn't like the tone present in Rebekah's voice. It made her nervous.

"The barrier spell. It's similar to the one my mother used." Rebekah's shock was present in her face.

Stefan ran a hand through his hair, glancing back to Rebekah and Elena's nervous wracked faces. None of this made sense. First off, there's a loose she-wolf running about. Now, the whole town is under lockdown with a barrier spell with their witch currently magicless. There were whole new questions they needed answers to. Too many to list. And without the spell lifted, they were sitting ducks.

And, the worst part?

They didn't know where to start.

New Orleans

Past - January 1910

Klaus returning to New Orleans?

It seemed impossible, but denial wasn't going to help Caroline this time. It would only prolong the inevitable.

Nevertheless, Kol's news still rung in everyone's ears, especially with Caroline's. As much as Caroline hated the silence, she didn't find any words to remedy the situation. It was so screwed up, and she was at a loss of what to do. This wasn't how Caroline was supposed to be. She usually always thought on her feet without any problems. Where was the Caroline that she knew so well before?

It seemed like an impossible question to answer. Every time she thought she had just found some stable ground, another botched up twisted piece of fate was thrown at her causing to lose her footing. Then she had to start the course all over again in disappointment.

"Well, that was...unpleasant." Kol muttered.

Adelaide processed Kol's news thinking silently of what precautions they would need to make. There were numerous, and this was just the beginning.

"Do you know when he is coming?" The eldest witch asked Kol.

"It's too soon to tell," he answered not knowing. "Who knows when really?"

"Regardless," Adelaide sighed and went to her secret cabinet of herbs and other items bringing them to the dining table. "We need to be prepared for anything. That's why I always keep these nice and handy for any situation."

Smells of all kinds wafted through Caroline's nostrils, puzzling her wondering on which scent was which. She watched in fascination as Adelaide expertly worked her magic. Adelaide set four pieces of cloth on the table first, then she placed black charred of something unknown on the cloth, and also threw other things into it. With just one item to finish her work, the dark skinned witch looked to the girls and Kol with a knowing look. "Okay, I just need one thing from you four."

Kol's chuckle sounded as he saw Adelaide with that certain look. "What are you up to now?"

Adelaide rolled her eyes. "Kol, I am not the one who us always up to something. I am a very innovative witch, but you're the one who lives up to the title you presume me with."

"What is she doing, though?" Caroline asked Charlene.

"You'll see." Not much of an answer the female hybrid was looking for.

"Do we really have to do this? We can take care of ourselves. Well, I can't say much for the…hybrid," Maggie grudgingly put it forcing herself to be less harsh, taking more effort than she anticipated.

"Oh, for goodness sake." Adelaide moaned. With a snap of her fingers, each of the four except for the elder witch felt a slight burning sensation from their hair. "Incendia."

"What the hell?"

"Seriously?"

"Come on!"

"That wasn't bloody necessary! Bugger!"

Adelaide laughed to herself at their reactions. It was always like that with these typical young kids, whether vampire, witch, or hybrid. In a way, they were still young in that mentality. She concentrated and levitated each lock of different-colored hair onto each cloth. "Finally, it's done."

"I hate it when you do that," the blonde witch remarked, mildly annoyed with Adele's spell. "You could have asked."

"As much as I hate to agree with Charlene about anything, you really didn't need to do that." Magdalena reluctantly agreed with the blonde.

"Well, what do you expect? All of you were wasting my time so I had to improvise. I have my ways so work with it." She tied off each cloth as a small bag containing herbs, a lock of their hair, and some other stuff Caroline's eyes did not recognize. Adele finished up, and tossed one by one their own little bag.

"What's in this thing?" Caroline asked.

"Your own little bag of goodies. No, I'm just jesting you. It's a hex bag. It should help all of you for the time being." Adelaide at least hoped it would work out, but it was up to these kids how careful they are if they don't want to get caught by Niklaus.

"So it's like protection," Caroline surmised as she thought more about it.

"Sort of in a way, it has a number of uses. It's a little something I came up with. I have yet to teach Maggie or Char this yet, but it won't be long. For your use, it's a means of hiding. This will throw off your trail, since I am thinking Niklaus is going by scent. That's why I did my little trick to get your hair, and I didn't burn the hair too badly. I only needed a small lock of it."

Charlene and Maggie listened to her words as for their knowledge to use this in the future. They knew their teacher was clever, but this brought their opinion of her to new heights. Who knew what else she could do?

"If you're so clever and powerful, why can't you defeat my brother alone?" The Original asked.

Adele sighed and started to put her things back to where they belong before explaining to him. "That's a foolish question to ask, Kol. A powerful witch I may be, but I know my limits. And I am not going to recklessly assume I would beat him. That would definitely be a wrong move to make." She closed her eyes, chanting one last spell to do the trick. "There, my work here is done."

"I guess we're just going to have to keep these." Charlene said as she put the small bag into one of the pockets of her dress.

"Yes, but you have to be careful. It's very easy to lose these. If you lose it, it'll be easier for him to tract any of you down," Adelaide warned them carefully and then she turned to Kol. "Especially for you, Kol. I don't want to clean up any more of your messes."

"Yes, ma'am," he saluted her in respect. The elder didn't know why she even let herself socialize with him. It still made her wonder sometimes.

"Maybe later, I can give you a small tour of New Orleans. Well, at least this part of it." Charlene offered hoping to come off as friendly to Caroline.

"I'd like that. By the way, though. What's in these?" Caroline stared at Kol to see if he knew the answer.

"Don't look at me. Even I don't know the answer. And I've lived for how long? Anyway, I need to be on my way. Can't stay in one place for long and all of that. Maybe I should get you drink after that little incident." He tried to charm an apology, hoping she would forgive him.

Caroline didn't want to give in, but one drink shouldn't hurt right? "Fine. It better be good and no funny business."

"Of course, I promise. I shall look forward to see you again, Caroline." He kissed her hand before swaggering out of the witches' home and into the bustling streets of New Orleans.

"Promise, my ass." Caroline muttered to herself, wiping off Kol's remains off the back of her hand. No matter how charming, he still wasn't her type. Not that she had a particular taste. Oh, let's not go into that.

"I think we're going to get along just nicely."

Caroline smiled at Charlene, happy to have at least make one friend around here despite the seriously screwed up situation she got herself into. Magdalena came up behind them ready to finish cleaning up the dining room when she spoke. "By the way, if you're wondering what's in there, I can tell you. It has herbs, your lock of hair, and…oh! The burned stuff is bones of a black cat."

"Eww! It wasn't necessary to hear that, Maggie!" Charlene said in disgust. Caroline wasn't grossed out by dead animals since she did do the animal diet as a vampire. But, the thought of dead cats really made her want to throw up.

"What? She asked a question, and I gave an answer."