It's funny how death can give you perspective. In his thousand-year existence he had never taken much time to ponder the circumstances that lead him to where he was, and yet now with the shadow of the Other Sides permeating his system, he had nothing better to do than to observe and think, actions bettered suited to both of his brothers than him.

Niklaus and Elijah enjoyed their schemes, the plots within plots, but he deplored such things. To him instinct existed for a reason. He had always been the wild one, reckless, passionate and uncaring of the devastation he left in his wake.

Looking back, he could admit that he had often gone too far, especially considering the need for discretion with his father hunting them. Some of his masterpieces as he called them had been giant beacons drawing the murderous family patriarch to where his family had been hiding.

He had not responded well to the loss of his magic. That connection that had been second nature to him for most of his life was now gone, replaced by teeth and fury and an unquenchable thirst for blood. Ironic, that he would have more in common with his half brother than he realized, for a part of himself had also been lost by their parents betrayal. He raged against the loss of his connection to the spirits and endeavored to keep as close to magic as he could in the centuries to follow.

He seduced and frolicked amongst the covens. Studied and compiled mystical knowledge wherever he could find it, and even established his own groups of followers and cultists throughout the years. He was proud to say that even without the ability to cast a single spell, that few sorcerers in history could claim to have the well of knowledge that he possessed. Still, even centuries later , the lack of connection to the spirits burned, and he raged against the world in his pain.

It had impacted his relationship with his family as well. He felt stifled under the need to hide and chafed under Elijah's rules and Niklaus's schemes. So did Rebekah, but being the only girl as well as Niklaus's favorite sibling, prevented her from rebelling too much, at least at first. But he could not help himself and admitted at times he felt envious of their closeness.

His family loved him. he knew that… but they did not understand him, could not, because they had never felt the loss that he had, not even Nik who had never known his werewolf side before his transformation. They could not understand why he lashed out, and even he understood he was causing too many problems for them. he was ever the outsider and he felt less and less connected to them. wanting to go his own way and wallow in his torment. When he learned of their vow, protect and be there for each other, Always and Forever, he felt certain that it did not include him.

He remembered very clearly the first time he was daggered by his brother. In a fit of stubbornness after learning that yet again they would have to run, that father had found them, he refused, stating that the only one of them in danger was their bastard brother. He remembered even more than the feeling of slumber consuming his consciousness, the look of hurt and shame in his brothers' eyes.

It was a betrayal in its own right, and yet when he awoke over a century later, there was a small part of him that was relived . despite his actions, despite the war and enemies waiting in the shadows, his family and not abandoned him. They had kept him close and safe.

It was not the last time he would be daggered and while the losing time was unpleasant, truthfully, he did not hold much anger against his brother for his actions. He could recognize in hindsight the danger he put his family in, and understood that while Nik loved and was possessive of his family, he was not secure in the fact that his feelings were returned. Not surprising when he thought about it. Their family had never been a beacon of stability and trust even before their transformation.

Mikael had abused them all, but it was Nik that felt the depths of the man's cruelty. Esther did little to stop it and would then go on to bind half his soul and reject him. Finn had always been distant, trying his best to mimic fathers stoicism, and even though he and Elijah had been close, there was a part of him that never fully trusted the elder Mikaleson. No doubt due to their tension over Tatia and Elijah failing to help him when he was being bound. His relationship with Rebekah had always been the purest, until the girl discovered other men and the fear of rejection and abandonment began to color their interactions.

It was a bit tragic really, and Kol swore that when he returned, he would thank his brother for the sacrifices he had made. He recalled Marcellus asking once, why Nik lead the family despite Elijah being the eldest. His response had been flippant, a way to dig at his brother and drive a wedge between him and his protégé, But with nothing to do at the moment but dwell on his relationships with his family, he understood the reason.

The Hybrid lead because he was the one, they secretly trusted the most to keep them safe. He was not bound by Elijah's honor, Kols recklessness or Rebekah's whimsy. He would do whatever it took, no matter how heinous or difficult to keep his family safe. He would protect them from Mikael, from themselves. He would shoulder the weight of eternity by making the decisions they could not. He was willing to absorb their hatred and disappointment if it meant their existence would not be threatened.

Rebekah could rage about the loss of time or the death of a suitor, but she would be alive to do so. Elijah could hold onto his honor, allow himself to feel above the gritty work of trying to thrive in a world of monsters while running from one of the few beings with the ability to end them. And he could be put to sleep until the rumors and consequences of his rampages had ended. Asleep in their coffins, they could not feel the fear for their father, did not have to strategize and plan a shadow war while keeping those close to them safe, He could only imagine the logistics of keeping their bodies safe and secret for centuries. of the loneliness of carrying the burden of Always and Forever with by coupling it with whatever it takes.

Kol's eyes shifted from his musings as he noticed his brother and his new paramour had reached the Mikaelson mansion. It was odd thing, having a bird's eye view of your family. He knew that normally this shade form of his would have passed on, but luckily, he retained some power even here. He was touched by his brother's grief and grinned at the knowledge that his time on the other side would be brief. Like Elijah, His brother was not one to break his Promises. Twist them perhaps, be strategic in the wording, but never outright break them.

He could not wait to exact his revenge on those who had dared to ambush him. They were lucky he had taken it so easy on them. Wanting to avoid the hunters curse and being fearful of his brother's wrath if he harmed the doppelganger too much and made him pull his punches, and a surprise aneurism spell from the Bennett witch had been enough to give them the opening they needed.

He was enjoying watching his brother toy with his teenage hybrid, amused at the boy's arrogance in thinking he had his sire at his mercy. The world was littered with the bones of those who had thought the same. He was surprised to see the arrival of Caroline Forbes. He had only interacted with his brother's obsession a few times, but even he could admit there was something unique about the girl.

She had looked gorgeous at Mother's ball, he remembered. She entered with all the grace and poise of a queen, as if the ball was in her honor. All lush curves in the brilliant blue dress, he knew his brother must have given her. He had been tempted to play with her, knowing that she had been invited by his brother. Seducing her out from under his brother and then killing her sounded like a lot more fun than interacting with the other peons at the party. Until he saw how Nik looked at her, as if she was the whole world in human form. He approached her with none of his usually cockiness and to his surprise she dared to brush past him. Never had his brother tolerated such disrespect.

When he met her again at the bar, it was clear she was up to something. She was dressed to ensnare, an easy confidence in her step that drew the attention of every male in the place. He hadn't lied, she indeed looked tasty, but despite her standoffish act, it was clear that her eyes roamed his brothers form and he could swear sparks were flying between them. This did not stop him from teasing his brother, and he could tell from the brief stiffness in his body language that his brother was suspicious of her intentions as well. He was tempted to remove her head after the ambush by her friends, but a look from Nik quelled that quickly.

It was clear watching them that their relationship had changed in the time since he had left mystic falls. There was a reverential look in his brother's eyes that he had never seen in him before, and although her body was stiff and hostile, Caroline's own eyes held a certain softness as well.

His brother was in love. How interesting. How fitting. Deciding to give them some privacy, he focused his energy and headed towards the family home.

Things were in a fervor there. His sister was locking Damon Salvatore in a cell, and from the lack of screams in appeared he was unconscious. Upstairs in the library his brothers head witch. Renee. Reynalda. No …Ruby, was going through his mother grimoire. Ruby he knew was a distant member of the Claire family, a powerful family from New Orleans, but he did not know much else about the gray haired witch

As always, he marveled at the sheer scope of his brother's preparation. Nik had always been good at planning, but the shadow war with their father had honed his skills to a razor-sharp edge. It had to.

Their father was an extremely talented warrior before his death and had been leading men in battle since before their time. That had only heightened with his transformation into an original. His speed and strength surpassed any of theirs, and his ruthlessness and knowledge of war meant he was rarely vulnerable to attack. He appeared as a phantom, destroying everything in his path and vanishing just as quickly. He came up with methods of utilizing their vampiric powers that took them years to learn. You never knew who could be under his compulsion, never know if one of his witches or followers had infiltrated your city. There were even times where he sent his most hated enemy, the werewolves to attack them. Countless cities had burned in their conflict over the centuries, and Mikael earned his moniker: The Destroyer.

Niklaus had learned his father's lessons well, and despite the man's death continues to use the forward thinking that had served them well for centuries. This town may have thought themselves safe with the knowledge of their existence and the strategic use of vervain, but truthfully it was more of an annoyance than a real obstacle. It was easy to bleed out and a little of their blood would heal up any evidence of the act.

Whenever they set up in a new city, Klaus would go to work. People with access to information like bartenders and priests were compelled to relay any information that could potentially be of use to them. Those in power like the mayor or police, were either coerced with their wealth and charm or compelled (sometimes both). His brother always made sure he had a witch or two loyal to him enter the city in secret, and had his followers obtain information on anyone he found of note.

He imagined his brother had taken a similar approach in mystic falls, although why he allowed the Salvatore brothers to continue their little rebellion was a mystery. Perhaps it was because of their closeness to the Bennett witch. Witches and Werewolves could not be compelled, even by them, and strong witches were even able to remove compulsions from others, though the process itself was painful. Either way it seems his preparation would serve them well ,as it appeared that work was already underway to begin his resurrection.

...

A part of him could not believe the roller coaster that this day had become. From losing his brother, to finally tasting the sweetness of Caroline Forbes's lips.

Never had he felt so at ease, so at peace. Even hours after their return to the Mansion, he had not been able to bring himself to stop smiling.

After securing Tyler and his brother's body, they had immediately joined Ruby in the Library. Perusing ten centuries worth of magical knowledge wasn't easy, but luckily his brother had been obsessive about the arrangements of his books. Caroline seemed at peace as well, as she helped him go through grimoire after grimoire, searching for the right spell to bring his brother back.

"I believe I have what we need" stated Ruby. "it will need to be done simultaneously with your other request, But with minimal adaptation it can be done. We will need to move quickly, as the Nexus Vortis will only last so long"

"Then lets not waste any time. Elijah will be here soon, and we will begin"

...

A few hours later the entire remaining original family joined them in the Library. Caroline decided to step out and check on her mom, knowing what happened next was family business.

"Niklaus, as always your plans move quickly" stated the Noble Original as he sipped on a glass of scotch." Are there any other ingredients that we need to acquire for the spell?"

"No brother. With the help of Ms. Bennett and a few of our dark objects we should have more than enough power to perform both spells. We will be drawing on the Nexus Vortis to facilitate the needed changes. All we need to contribute is some of our blood and Kol's ashes"

"Very good. Now as for your other spell… are you sure about this?"

"I love her brother… I know what I have always vowed. That love is a vampire's greatest weakness. But I will not allow that to happen. I need to make sure she is as immortal as we… only then can I guarantee her safety and ensure she cannot be used against us."

"All those years scoffing at the idea of love, of killing every suitor that dared to approach me. and you choose the cheerleader? "Scoffed Rebekah angrily "After all the treachery of her friends, do you really trust her so much, that you would offer her an eternity at your side?"

despite her angry tone, there was a hint of worry in her voice. For a thousand years she had been the only female in the family, a status she both loathed and cherished. She would not allow an interloper to steal her favorite brother.

Regardless their fights and antics over the years there was no one she trusted and loved more than Niklaus. Even as children he had been her favorite sibling. He was her protector and friend. Shielding her and her brothers from the cruelties of their father as best he could. She remembered many times that he took the blame himself, to spare Henrik and Kol from their father's lash. Even now she remembered him attempting to shield her with his body as their father approached with his sword to kill them and start their rebirth

She had enjoyed being a Vampire at first. Being the apex predator had freed her from many of the expectations that had been there for her gender. Rebekah refused to be subservient and a victim of abuse like her mother had been. Still the longing for love and children had never completely died off, even after centuries of existence. She and her brothers had accumulated wealth and status that they never could have achieved in their mortal lives, had seen nations rise and fall and even destroyed a few of them themselves, and yet with each new adventure, new location, something was missing.

Perhaps it was the constant fear of their father, or the annoyance of being the baby sister to monsters who took overprotective to an insane degree, but the weight of eternity had started to wear on her more and more. It was likely this that made her so reckless. In hindsight she doubted she had truly been in love with most of her suitors. It was the thrill of the new, and the different that called to her.

She knew it hurt Nik when she threw his bastardy and attempts to protect her in his face. Despite their insults and anger, she knew her brother would never allow her to be harmed. She recognized the burden he carried trying to protect their family, and while she appreciated it, she could not help but chafe from it.

She had been hopeful with Stefan, here was finally a man that her brother seemed to respect and trust. And yet when Mikael descended, she knew that even their friendship would not be enough to stop him from sacrificing the ripper. Nik liked him. But he wasn't family.

When she awoke, she had been pleased to see him, even if she rolled her eyes at the games he was playing with these children. He had confided in her that he found their attempts to thwart him entertaining, like watching a gazelle trying to square up to a lion.

She had been hurt knowing that he was trying to build hybrids. trying to replace their family with one he could control. Their father was dead, they had no longer needed to run, and yet his controlling nature had not waned. In a moment of weakness in learning about what happened to her mother, she had betrayed him.. yet again.

Her heart shattered when she thought him dead and learning that he had not only survived but choose to save the blond cheerleader over her was the final straw. If her brother did not want her anymore then she would take the cure and make her own family. Why deny herself a chance to live one of her dreams if she no longer had a reason for eternity.

Kol's death had shaken her from that nonsense. Any lingering feelings for Stefan were erased when he had the gall to approach her after the fact, trying to use her feelings and desire for the cure to stay her wrath and get her to forget that they had just killed her brother. No one attacked her family and lived.

She may not share the love of combat that her brothers did, but Rebekah Mikaelson had not survived for ten centuries depending on her brother's protection. She had killed thousands who thought they could take advantage of her, and these children would learn as well. She would bathe the entire town in blood just as soon as the cure was in her hands. Only her brothers call and promise to restore their brother had stayed her plan.

"She does have a point, Niklaus." Stated Elijah, drawing her from her thoughts." From what I understand you have allowed these children to run rampant, and Ms. Forbes has been apart of their schemes. I fail to see a reason to trust her, let alone invite her into our family"

Rebekah watched in surprise as instead of an angry outburst at their distrust and questioning of his plans. Her brother merely nodded. His eyes elsewhere, no doubt thinking of the cheerleader.

"She saved me from myself" he said finally. Reverence in his tone.

At their look of confusion, he set his drink down and explained.

"Caroline would probably tell you that I opened her eyes to all that the world has to offer, but the reality is quite the opposite. I had no idea what my life could be before I met her." He studied them quickly before sighing. "I am a monster, Brother. I am every bit the cruel and controlling bastard that you both sometimes think of me as. I have reveled in death and bloodshed for as long as I can remember, and I have done heinous things in service of myself and our family. I have denied you all your freedom, your ability to decide your own fates in an effort to keep you safe from Mikael and to prevent myself from being alone"

He waved off their protests and continued "I thought it would ease with his passing, that once he dead I would be able to change, to let go, but I couldn't. still too afraid of facing eternity alone. I still needed to control, to protect and after Rebekah's betrayal of me to Mikael, I knew that I would never fully trust again and keeping you all around would only deepen your hatred for me. So, I decided to create a new family of hybrids, so I could finally free you all to live the lives you chose"

Both of the Mikaelson siblings looked affronted at this and torn. Rebekah felt her heart break at the sorrow in her brother's voice. Perhaps they had taken his loyalty and commitment to their family for granted, stopped appreciating his sacrifices. She still felt shame that she had allowed her emotions to cause her to wish death upon her brother. To conspire with his greatest enemy.

" Caroline's defiance even in the face of death is what drew me to her, but it is her loyalty and light that make her special. I never expected to be able to connect and feel for someone outside of our family" He smiled "truth be told, I still cannot believe she feels the same, that she has pledged eternity with me. "

He flashed over to Rebekah, and held her face in his hands " You are My sister. and I will always be there for you. Our vow remains intact despite our mistakes. But Mikael is dead, and we are all free to decide for ourselves what our future is to be. But our family is not fracturing but growing. Always and Corever is not something you weasel out of sister." He kissed her forehead, and unable to restrain herself she hugged him hard.

"I love you Nik, and I am grateful, I truly am for all you have sacrificed for us. If she is truly who you have chosen, then I will embrace her as a sister" She smiled "It will be nice not to be the youngest anymore".

" I wholeheartedly agree with Rebekah." Said Elijah, moving to join their embrace" What is it you need?"

"A little blood, both mine and some of the doppelgangers that I have stashed away for a rainy day, a piece of the white oak stake and help from a certain Bennett witch" stated the Hybrid. "Caroline's rebirth as an original, coupled with the lingering disturbance caused by the death of Kol should create the Nexus Vortis needed to lower the veil to the other side and revive our brother."

He smirked. "All that's left is to convince little Bonnie Bennett to help us."

...

It took some convincing but he was able to convince bonnie to help with the spells. A promise to spare her life and show mercy to her friends had been enough to persuade her, that and the promise that if she didn't, he would wipe out what remained of her bloodline.

The fact that he had already promised as much to Caroline did not enter into the negotiations.

They moved quickly after that, and after a few hours Caroline's eyes popped open, marveling and the new strength and energy she felt. Unexpectedly the use of his blood had turned her into a hybrid as well, and he was looking forward to exploring her new instincts with her.

The resurrection of Kol was next, and it came with a bang, the force of his return knocking both witches unconscious. The youngest Mikaelson brother stretched his newly reborn limbs and with a large smile, raced and hugged his brother.

"Thank you for everything, Nik" he said into his shoulder" I will never forget it or doubt my place in our family again."

"Always and Forever, Brother" said Klaus, holding back his own tears, when his brother echoed his vow.

...

So ends the largest chapter to date. The next one will be the last and I promise that one will have all the juicy revenge and torture you guys have been waiting for. Once I started on this chapter, It became apparent that I needed to fix some things from canon and really highlight the family relationship. I needed a reason to explain why Kol was able to be overcome by Elena and Jeremy (he should have quickly slaughtered them all), and actual reason for Rebekah to consider taking the cure and highlight the dysfunctional but loving family that really should have been highlighted more in the series.

Both spells used were taken from canon. The revival spell that Davina used as well as the Immortality spell used by Esther.

I hope you all enjoyed, and I would love any feedback you have.