"Damn it, Angel! This is no time for games! Please pick up your phone!" Klaus yelled at his phone, swearing loudly as he paced back and forth in the kitchen, then crossed the threshold into the living room "Come on, love, answer your damn phone!" He then prepared himself to leave another message, but he nearly threw his phone across the living room when he heard the next words.
"Mailbox is full and cannot take any more messages. Goodbye." It was basically all he'd heard for the last couple of days and scared him to death.
"Damn it!" he shouted and threw his phone on the sofa, running his fingers through his hair and pacing the living room.
Two days. TWO WHOLE DAYS that he hadn't heard from her, or that she hadn't come home to him, to their home. Their home! Hers and his! He'd left her enough messages to fill up her voicemail box and she hadn't called back or left him any explanatory messages in return. Something was up, and that something was her father, Lucifer Morningstar. He was very sure of that.
He would bet a million dollars that Lucifer had found out about them and given her some ultimatum about killing him or something if she tried to leave his house and be an adult. And of course, because she was such a kind and loving person, she wouldn't let any harm come to him, as he wouldn't for her, especially when it came to an asshole like her father who was not unaware of the power he held over her and wouldn't hesitate to use it if it meant he got his way.
Klaus paused his pacing and narrowed his eyes at the sofa. Then grabbed his phone, furiously scrolling through his contacts to call him. Lucifer, who answered almost immediately. He'd probably been waiting for the call for ages and was more than ready to gloat.
"Hello, Mikaelson," Lucifer hissed. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?" The sound of his voice ringing in Klaus' ears, making him wince.
"What did you do with Angelica?" He growled, not wanting to waste any more time.
"I don't know what you mean by that, Klaus," Lucifer responded, more smoothly this time, although there was definitely wickedness in his voice and a wide grin on his lips that Klaus couldn't see. "Are you suggesting that I've done something to harm my daughter? My own child?"
"Oh, is that how you want to play it, Morningstar?" Klaus asked dryly as he began pacing again. "Just know that whatever your plan is, you won't win."
"Still not sure I'm following you. Maybe one of your brothers for help, because I wouldn't hurt my daughter. And I'm very surprised that you even care. You're in need of serious psychological help, my friend. Maybe you could ask Amy Burke? Or would it be too awkward to ask for that sort of thing from one of your many exes."
Not wanting to take the bait, Klaus gritted his teeth and changed the subject. "Let's put our cards on the table, shall we?" He asked.
"Yes, let's," Lucifer agreed, putting the phone down on his desk and pressing speaking as he sat down in his desk chair,
"For starters, your daughter has chosen to be mine. And I don't like it when people take things that are mine," Klaus said.
"I couldn't agree more," Lucifer returned. "It's something we seem to have in common. I don't know what you did to make her want to abandon me, but I'm sure it wasn't a choice made of her free will. No, I'm not just sure. I'm certain. I don't like the idea of a man taking my daughter from me, especially a rat like you!"
"How about you allow her to leave, and I'll make no protest if she ever says she wants to come and visit you?"
Lucifer chuckled. "You're delusional, and I'm pretty sure I don't owe you anything. Just be grateful you're still breathing by now."
"I see," Klaus replied. "So you did threaten to kill me. I thought that was why she hadn't come home in two days."
"Your house is not her home!" Lucifer cried, his voice nearly a shriek as he began to get worked up. Klaus thought he heard a noise as if Lucifer had pounded on something like a desk in frustration. "Her home is where her family is! Where her father is!"
"No, it isn't," Klaus replied. "She's grown up and changed her mind, and she won't be trapped with you for much longer!"
"If you're threatening me, you know you could easily die for it," Lucifer reminded him.
"See, that's the difference between you and me: I could find a way to kill you myself and do the whole world a favor. I'm sure your wife, Eleanor would appreciate it, since she wants nothing more than to become your ex-wife."
"That's none of your concern," Lucifer hissed, the remark clearly hitting home. "So leave Eleanor out of this!"
"The reason I wouldn't kill you is that I know Angelica would never forgive me if I did. Because for some reason I will never understand, she still loves you, even when you're selfish and treat her like garbage!" He paused. "Then again, kidnapping her and holding her hostage might end that love very quickly.
Lucifer was unmoved. "Shame we can't say she feels the same for you," he said with a smirk. "Or she would have chosen to come home with you. You were just a passing fancy that will soon be a bad memory for her, and I certainly doubt she'll blame me for your death."
Klaus had to chuckle. "Oh, I think she did choose me. She's trapped at your house making herself miserable because she chose me. You were dumb enough to threaten my life to her face, and now you know where her loyalties lie. And unlike you, I have every intention of honoring her decision."
"I'd love to see you try," Lucifer replied, his tone severe. "Just face the fact that I've won and go spend the rest of your life with the sort of lovers who are more appropriate for a man like you. I'm sure there are still some around you haven't fucked yet."
"Are you sure you're not talking about yourself instead?" Klaus shot back.
"At least I'm trying to keep my women in my life. You've thrown all your women to the curb: Selina, Sybil, Amy, and I'm sure there are others," Lucifer shot back perniciously.
"I'll come for her," Klaus proclaimed. "I'll come, get your daughter, and bring her back where she belongs: with me and away from you!"
Lucifer burst out laughing. "Empty threats, Mikaelson. Do what you will, but whatever it is, you have nothing on me!"
"Well, we'll just see about that, won't we?" Klaus replied before hanging up on his enemy, very glad to have the last word.
"Elijah, will you get the door, please?" Selina called. "I have to finish frosting the cake!" Then she licked a little of the chocolate icing off her fingers. Granted, she would have been done by now if she hadn't stopped to eat the frosting every five seconds. "It must be Amy and Kol!"
"On my way," Elijah called, because he'd heard the doorbell too. He grabbed his jacket and tie, putting them on before leaving his office and heading to the front door after stopping by the kitchen to steal some extra frosting because it was just too good, a smile on his face. "Hello, Kol, Amy. Please come in! Selina is putting the finishing touches on your cake. It's chocolate with some sort of cherry filling. I tried a bit last night when she was doing her test run and it's amazing!"
Kol gave Amy a gentle shove and she made her way into the house, dressed all in black. She passed by Elijah without a word and made her way toward the kitchen.
"Okay," Elijah muttered. "It's all right to ignore me. I probably deserve it somehow."
Kol chuckled. "Don't be offended. My fiancée is just in a bad mood. It's not your fault." Then he chuckled. "You know you have frosting all over your face? Are you sure there's actually cake and you didn't eat it all?"
"Oh," Elijah blushed little and wiped his face off
Amy whipped around and glared at Kol. "Oh, you have no idea what a bad mood is, Kol Mikaelson!" Then she turned away and walked toward Selina, who had poked her head out of the kitchen to see what was going on.
"Hormones," Kol winked. "I'm sure you're familiar with that, brother."
"Yes," Elijah shrugged, dumbfounded. "I see it, even if I don't."
"So, you want to tell them the good news, or shall I?" Kol asked as he reached Amy.
"Oh, go ahead," Amy rolled her eyes, her arms crossed over her large chest. "I bet you would just love to! Your ego needs that sort of thing."
"Hi, you two," Selina greeted cautiously, while eying Elijah with concern. She wanted some sort of answers about what was going on, but he could only shrug. "I've just finished your wedding cake! I bet you're happy to hear that!"
"That was very kind of you, Selina," Kol told her warmly. "From what Elijah told us, it sounds wonderful. But you didn't need to go to all the trouble. And I'm very glad to know that Elijah didn't eat all of it since he was covered in frosting when he answered the door."
"No," Selina shook her head and smiled. "I always make extra cake frosting. We like to eat it out of a bowl with spoons."
"Oh, it was my pleasure for sure," Selina smiled back. "Nothing too elaborate, I promise. Just small, tasty, and pretty, if I do say so myself."
Meanwhile, Amy's eyes were narrowed at her fiance's back, killing him repeatedly in her mind.
"Are you all right?" Selina asked her. "Hormone trouble?" It was a joke meant to ease the tension, but she doubted it would work. "I bet Kol thinks it's all about the hormones, doesn't he?"
"Well, in this case, it's accurate," Kol replied. "Amy is pregnant with our child.
Elijah's and Selina's jaws both dropped. "Oh!" He exclaimed. "Sorry, we didn't know!"
"Of course we didn't," Selina said, putting a hand on her husband's arm. "Because it's really none of our business. Nevertheless, it's very thrilling news! We'll both be pregnant at the same time!"
"Oh, you can say it, Elijah!" Amy spat. "How you think it's obvious that the only reason someone like your brother would marry someone like me is because I'm pregnant!" She stomped her foot on the floor.
"What?" Elijah blushed. "Oh, no, I wouldn't…" Not wanting to dig himself into a big hole, he trailed off and went silent, while shaking his head furiously.
"The reason I'm marrying you, Amy Burke," Kol corrected calmly, is because I've always wanted to.
"Wanted to my ass!" Amy yelled.
"A beautiful ass if I may say," Kol complimented with a wink.
"Screw you!"
"Any time," he chuckled.
"I'm sure Kol's telling you the truth, Amy," Selna tried to soothe her. "I have no doubt that he truly wants to marry you. A wedding, whether big or small, can be very nerve-wracking, especially when you're pregnant. I mean, I was pregnant at Elijah's and my last wedding and just the sight of him and Mikael in the same space made me think Mikael was trying to ruin everything, so I got on a horse and took off. Definitely would have stayed where I was if I hadn't been pregnant. Come on." She grabbed Amy by the arm, making her follow her down a nearby hallway. "Congratulations on your upcoming baby. I'm sure you're as excited as you are nervous, but it'll be fine." She turned her head and threw some words over her shoulder. "Excuse us for a moment, gentleman. We're going to freshen up a little before the ceremony. We won't be gone long. I'm sure you'll find a way to amuse yourselves."
Kol and Elijah stood in the middle of the living room, watching their women go. "She's crazy about you," Elijah told his brother. "Be sure and treat her well, because she's truly a very good woman. Not that I'm worried, because you wouldn't treat a woman you're in love with any other way, would you?"
"No, I wouldn't," Kol shook his head. "I know she's in love with me like I am with her, so you don't need to worry, brother." His voice was solemn. "And neither do I, I think."
"What's the point of pulling me out of the kitchen to be here?" Amy snapped at Selina. "You nearly pulled my arm out of the socket!"
"Well, first off, I don't know why you're so mad. I thought you would relish a chance to be away from Kol for a little bit, since you don't seem to like him all that much today," Selina reminded her before giving her a pointed glance. "And second…black? For a wedding?" But she had a grin on her lips.
Amy shrugged, blushing. "Why not? I like this dress."
"If you want to rile Kol up, it's a very good choice," Selina agreed. "But you know you could wear a garbage bag or be naked and he'd still want to marry you!"
"Don't shout so loud about me being naked!" Amy hissed. "It'll give him ideas if he hears!" She paused. "Besides, if I want to piss him off, what business is it of yours?"
"I think he has power over you," Selina added, grinning widely.
"No one has power over me!" Amy shook her head defiantly. "Especially not Kol Mikaelson!"
"In all honesty, since you really seem upset, do you want to have Kol's baby, or would you rather have an abortion?" Selina asked seriously.
"What?" Amy asked. "What would make you ask a question like that, Selina Warren Mikaelson? What sort of woman do you think I am? Of course I want to have my and Kol's baby! Cause it's ours!"
"Got you, Amy Burke!" Selina grinned, waving a finger under Amy's nose. "I thought I would never hear you say it!"
"Say what?" Amy asked, blushing bright red with her eyes on her feet.
"You're as crazy about Kol as he is about you, aren't you?" Selina guessed.
Amy shrugged, tears in her eyes.
"I don't understand," Selina grabbed both of her hands. "If it's true, then why aren't you over the moon to get to marry a man you love?"
"We're very different," Amy replied. "And also, he was married to my sister, he's Klaus and Elijah's brother…I don't have to explain that part any further. I'm sure that one day he'll tire of me, just like everyone else has." She wiped tears from her cheeks.
Selina handed her a tissue. "I think that's very unlikely. He's a grown man who seems to know what he wants, and what he wants is you! I don't know how he could have made that any clearer. As for your differences, I don't believe there are as many as you think. And who cares about all the rest of it if you're not meant to be?" She grabbed Amy's arms gently. "It would take a very long time to list all the men I was with before I finally let myself love Elijah for good. But I will if you want me to."
"No," Amy chuckled. "Please spare me!"
"Hey!" Selina made a face and gently punched her upper arm teasingly.
"I know it's dumb," Amy told her. "But I care a lot about what other people think. Probably too much. And he's driving me crazy!"
"Don't worry about that," Selina smiled. "It just means you're in love."
"I'm not in love with Kol Mikaelson!" Amy lied through gritted teeth.
"Sure you're not," Selina rolled her eyes. "As for what other people think, you shouldn't care at all because you have a wonderful man who truly loves you by your side." She took Amy's hand and they made their way to her and Elijah's bedroom where she reached the wardrobe and opened it, sorting through the dresses. "I truly think you need a new dress, though. No offense." She pulled a red silk dress out and showed it to Amy. "Don't you think this is more appropriate?"
"That is beautiful," Amy murmured, then brought a hand to her lips..
"Yeah," Selina grinned fondly. "A real beauty, isn't it? And it has a bare back. I'm sure your groom would love that and it would make him very happy."
Amy scoffed. "I couldn't care less about making him happy!" She stubbornly rolled her eyes.
"Hey, are you gonna put on this dress, or do I have to do it for you?" Selina asked firmly. "Cause I will."
"Fine, I'll do it," Amy huffed and took the dress from Selina's hand before stomping into the nearby bathroom. "But I'm not wearing a veil!"
"You put that dress on and I'll go make up a bouquet for you," Selina decided, then smiled just before Amy slammed the door on her laughter.
"This is very good whiskey," Kol remarked to Elijah as they sat in the living room and waited for Selina and Amy to emerge so they could begin the wedding.
"I'm surprised you know enough about it to offer an opinion like that," Elijah told his brother and took another sip. "It is good, isn't it?"
But before Kol could respond, Selina and Amy came back and both men got to their feet.
"All refreshed and ready, I presume?" Elijah remarked.
"Oh, yes," Selina nodded and gave Amy a nudge. "Ready, refreshed, and in a much better mood!"
"Let's just get this over with," Amy sighed.
Kol looked her over, liking the new red dress very much. "You're a vision, darling, so beautiful," he winked.
"Well, you can thank Selina more than me," Amy replied, although she blushed at the sweet compliment. "She was the one who forced me into this dress. I would have preferred black!"
Kol reached up and ran his fingers through her hair after closing the space between them. "But the red compliments your beautiful hair so much!" Then he slid a hand behind her neck to place on her forehead.
"The other dress was fine," she said firmly as she raised her head, chin in the air. "Black is way more suitable for this if you ask me!"
Selina caught Elijah's eye and gave him a wink. He shrugged and nodded in Kol and Amy's direction.
"Perhaps," Kol murmured, closing his eyes as his lips slid over her left cheek.
Amy let her eyelashes fall as goosebumps invaded her entire body.
"Red is your color," Kol encouraged. "It shows that you're a…passionate, sexy, and extremely sexy woman, Amy!"
She opened her eyes and pushed him away, placing both palms on his chest. "You like stubborn? Well, you haven't seen stubborn yet, Kol Mikaelson!" She spat.
Before Kol could respond to that, his cell phone rang. He took it out of his blazer and looked to see who was calling. "Saved by my niece, it appears," he said before putting on video chat.
"Uncle Kol! I'm so sorry! Is Mom with you? I'm stuck at school because of a stupid exam." She was not happy about this. "I know about your wedding, but I can't be there because of stupid Mr. Fale, damn him!"
"Language, young lady!" Kol and Elijah scolded at the same time.
"You're there too, Uncle Elijah?" Natalie seemed surprised for a second before shaking her head. "Of course you are! Of course you would be at your own farm! I'm such an idiot. Hi to Aunt Selina too!" She pointedly ignored their scolding. "Milo is with me."
"Hello, sweetheart," Selina greeted with a chuckle.
"Hi, Natalie," Elijah greeted, much kinder this time.
"Hi, Mr. Mikaelson, hello, everyone, especially Selina," Milo waved his hand shyly, keeping his eyes on her because she was the one person beside Amy in that room he felt comfortable with.
"There's a big surprise," Kol growled. "When's he not with you?"
"Oh, for heaven's sake," Amy sighed. "Give me the phone." She snatched it out of Kol's grip.
"It's sweet that you want to be here, but it's fine that you aren't. School is important, but I know you would be if you could."
Natalie sighed. "We have a damn exam that is apparently so important that stupid Mr. Fale won't even let me take it some other time. He said that if you had had it on a weekend, I could have been there!" She spoke through clenched teeth.
"What's wrong with Malachai?" Elijah wanted to know. "He's usually much more reasonable than that."
Milo shrugged. "Ever since he and Aunt Avery stopped sleeping with each other, he's been super cranky. Guy needs to get laid."
"Milo, you really shouldn't say things like that!" Amy scolded.
"But he's right, though!" Natalie defended him.
"It's fine you can't be here," Selina assured her to change the subject. "I'll make sure to have a recording of the wedding so you can watch it later."
"Thanks, Aunt Selina," Natalie smiled. "And Mom?"
"Yes?" Amy replied as tears filled her eyes.
"I'm happy for you. And be nice to Uncle Kol cause he's the man you need. Both of you are great together, and…" She paused to take a breath as Milo put a hand on her back. "I can't wait to meet my new sibling.
"Thanks, sweetheart. Love you and talk to you soon," Amy told her daughter as a tear ran down her cheek.
"You hear that, Amy?" Kol teased. "Natalie wants you to be nice to me because I'm the man you need!"
"Whatever," Amy rolled her eyes and practically threw his phone at him.
"Are you two ready to proceed?" Elijah asked, as Selina tried very hard not to laugh
Kol and Amy nodded and Selina took the cellphone from Kol and turned the video on, handing Amy a small bouquet of white roses she'd put together with a ribbon.
Elijah grabbed his book of sermons and started to speak before Amy cut him off.
"Sorry to interrupt, but there's no need to make this longer and more painful than it already is. Let's make it short and sweet."
"You want to hurry to bed, don't you?" Kol whispered in her ear and gave her a gentle spanking.
"No, I don't," Amy muttered, making Kol nearly cry out as she stomped on his boot with her heel. "I most certainly do not!"
"Are you okay?" Elijah asked his brother.
"Yes, I'm fine," Kol replied. "And short but sweet is okay," he winced. "We have many years to enjoy each other after all."
It truly was the quickest ceremony Elijah had ever performed. After they said 'I do', Kol grabbed Amy and crashed his lips against hers just as she let out a brief cry of protest. Then, Elijah pulled his phone out of his jacket, seeing something surprising: ten unheard voicemails from Lucifer Morningstar!
Heaving a big sigh, Elijah called him back. And, not wanting to deal with him alone, put the whole thing on speaker so that Amy and Selina, who were very experienced in Luciferness, could deal with him too.
"Lucifer, I'm busy now, so what in the world is the problem? Why do you keep calling me?"
"Because your fucking brother Klaus has a battle tank on my lawn and is threatening to blow my house to pieces!" Lucifer snapped. "That's why! And why did it take you so long to answer me? I want you to tell him that if he's not gone in the next hour, I'm going to kill him!"
Elijah looked up in shock and saw everyone else in the room was as shocked as he was. Then Selina strode over to the phone and gently nudged her husband out of the way.
"Lucifer, this is Selina. Do Klaus and the tank have anything to do with Angelica?"
"Of course!" Lucifer told her. "Who else would it be about?"
"Okay, we're on our way," Selina promised, ending the call.
"I think I deserve an explanation for why I was just volunteered to corral chaos at Lucifer Morningstar's house," Elijah said to his wife as she grabbed his hand and rushed everyone to the car.
"You'll get one," Selina assured him. "But not from me. I promised I would keep it a secret!"
"Is it a secret also how our brother got his hands on a battle tank?" Kol asked.
"No," Amy shook her head as Kol listened in surprise. "He got it from an auction and keeps it at a remote warehouse somewhere. I was with him when he got it."
"Selina, I know you promised to keep this a secret, but come on, tell me!" Elijah begged. "I won't let anyone know you said anything."
"Fine," Selina sighed. "It's Angelica. She and Klaus went on a one week vacation to his island and…he felt his inner wolf cry for her."
They all stared at her, speechless.
"Are you saying that Angelica Morningstar is Nik's mate?" Kol asked.
"Yes," Selina sighed. "I presume Lucifer knows too, so he's keeping her locked in the mansion to try and stop them from being together."
"Yes, I think that's something he would do," Amy nodded and then let out a sigh. Whoever was giving him therapy now was clearly not able to handle him.
"Well, then I assume time is of the essence," Elijah said as a way of rallying the troops. "Let's go!"
The twins had been grown for a few weeks, and Sybil still missed the noise and craziness of two toddlers running about the penthouse. It was almost too quiet now. She sighed and strode down the hallway to reach the kitchen, letting out a cry of surprise as two arms grabbed her around the waist and she felt lips on the soft skin of her neck.
"Mikael, what are you doing?" She asked with a soft chuckle.
"What?" Mikael asked. "Can't a man ravage his sexy wife from time to time?" He then bit into her right earlobe, his hands cupping her breasts.
"Stop it," she gave him a halfhearted warning and tried to move his hands. "The twins could show up any minute!" But it was a lost battle when he was in a naughty mood.
"Yes, twins," he grinned. "My grown up pair of twins!"
Sybil turned her head to stare at him, opening her mouth to speak, but not getting any words out before he captured her lips with his and kissed her soundly.
"Mikael!" She snapped, pulling out of the kiss. "I'm serious!"
"I am too!" Mikael nodded. "Never been so happy that our kids are grownups, Sybil. When I was their age, I knew about the birds and the bees. We don't have to hide anything from them anymore."
"I know," she sighed and ran her hands over his bulged chest. "But I miss my babies!"
"Me too," Mikael admitted as Sybil looked at him in surprise.
"Really?"
"Yes," Mikael nodded, "The weight of their little bodies on my chest when they slept was very comforting to me. Now, the toddler part…I'll never miss that!"
"Oh, come on!" Sybil allowed herself a grin at his expense. "Are you saying that you won't miss chasing them around and trying to keep them from breaking all your antiques?" She asked. "Don't think I didn't see the look on your face when Killian accidentally knocked over that Ming vase and it shattered all over the floor."
"I kept a remarkable hold on my temper," Mikael reminded her. "And thank goodness I have so many witch friends to fix toddler messes. They were just insufferable!" He paused. "And don't forget how old I am."
"Oh, you don't care how old you were when you took me last night," she reminded him with a wink as she licked her bottom lip.
"Are you trying to seduce me in an open corridor in broad daylight when the twins could barge in any minute, Mrs. Mikaelson?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I was just teasing," she chuckled and stepped back a little before grabbing his hand. "Coffee?"
"That would be delightful, woman," he grinned and brought up her hand to kiss her knuckles, then followed her to the high-tech kitchen, turning on the TV and grabbing the coffee pot to pour one cup for each of them.
"Hey, Dad!" greeted their son, Killian as he entered the kitchen, throwing his bag on a chair and taking his father by the shoulders. "Did you sleep well?"
"Quite well, thank you," Mikael replied, giving a blushing Sybil a wink.
"Hey, Mom," he greeted her as she tried not to wince at his punk haircut. He had such nice hair, how could he…
But she softened as he kissed her left cheek. Not all the way, though. "Killian, what have I told you about leaving your school bag full of germs on the kitchen table where we eat?" She pointed at the backpack.
He shrugged. "I'm sure you mentioned something but I don't know what it was just now. I bet it was very wise, though. Like every other word that comes out of your mouth."
Mikael grinned into his coffee. "I think your son is buttering you up," he remarked.
"I wonder who he learned it from," Sybil drawled. "Cause it certainly reminds me of someone…"
Mikael grinned and shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Hey, you two," A tall blonde teenager who gave off a strong hippie vibe entered the kitchen. "I'm gonna get some breakfast and then get in the pool!"
"You will not, Kristin," Sybil shook her head. "It's a school day."
"But do we need to go to school?" The young woman countered before taking a seat next to her brother. "I mean, we have the money. Dad could pay for me to have a private tutor and I could travel the world."
Mikael gave her a look. "We do not have money. I have money and I will not spend it so frivolously."
"You will go to school, young lady," Sybil scolded. "And you will get an education."
"You do realize all this school shit is basically unnecessary for us, right?" Killian went along with his sister. "I mean, as half demons, we basically know everything already."
"Exactly what he said!" Kristin gestured at her brother. "We're filthy rich and why should we have to go to some place with poor people?"
Sybil gave Mikael a nudge. "It's your turn to say something," she told him.
"Oh, all right," Mikael nodded and put her coffee cup down. "Your mother is right. You'll both go to school, and if you're so smart, we expect top marks from both of you."
"I gave it my best shot, sister dear," Killian shrugged at her.
"As for looking down on others, Kristin, keep yourself from doing so. Even if it's true, you have to deal with the people at school every day, so at least pretend to be polite. It keeps you out of trouble."
"That's not much help," Sybil sighed. "Do you hear yourself, Mikael?"
"What?" He shrugged. "Do you want me to just lie to them?"
"For you, I'll try, Daddy," Kristin promised, kissing him on the cheek. "I'll do my best to be polite."
"And if you get good grades and behave yourself, I'll see what we can do about letting you see the world," he promised.
"Really?" She exclaimed happily, jumping into his arms and kissing his cheeks.
"So that's how education goes in this house? You'll bribe them to do it?"
"What does it hurt?" Mikael asked. "Why shouldn't I reward good behavior?"
Killian raised his eyes to the television, narrowing his eyes at what was playing out. "Dad, isn't that your mortal enemy, Klaus Mikaelson?"
"Don't say things like that," Sybil scolded. "Killian, remember that Klaus is your father's stepson."
Kristin rolled her eyes. "That is such bullshit, Mom!"
They turned their heads to look at the screen, eyes wide. "What's happening?" Sybil asked, wondering just what her former lover was up to. "I'll turn the volume up!"
"Welcome to WCN Channel 5, the best source for news from all over the supernatural world from right here at the Witches' Council. It appears that Klaus Mikaelson is allegedly intent on wreaking vengeance. He has commandeered a war tank and driven it onto the property of Lucifer Morningstar. That's right: the Hybrid King has invaded the devil's property. He hasn't gotten in yet, but it's possible he will soon."
Mikael chuckled, grabbing a croissant, cut it in half and put jelly on it. "This is something I need to see."
"You rooting for Lucifer Morningstar, Dad?" Killian asked.
"Actually, I know it's a surprise, but I'm siding with Klaus this time. I hate Lucifer even more," Mikael told him.
"You're just full of unhelpful things to say today, aren't you?" Sybil said warningly.
"Sorry, darling, but it's true!" Mikael told her, matter of fact.
Sybil rolled her eyes before noticing a packed set of luggage out in the corridor. It was Nana's.
"Can you tell me why Nana's bags are all packed up?" She asked. "Is she going on some sort of vacation that I'm not aware of? Not that she doesn't deserve it, but I'm afraid that if she leaves, you'll lock the door and not let her back in!"
"Oh, come on, darling, I'm not that petty," Mikael said. "I simply thought that since the twins are grown up now, she might want to move on to other things. I wanted to save her the trouble of packing."
"Fat chance, sexy man!" called a voice that made him wince and startle badly every time he heard it. Why he'd let Sybil convince him to keep Nana around for so long was beyond him.
He turned around and glared at her. "How many times have I told you not to sneak up on me, Nana?" He growled at the small woman.
"Hey, Nana," Killian greeted. "How are you?" He greeted her much kindlier than his father, with a kiss on the cheek.
"Nana won't be leaving," Sybil informed her husband with a broad grin. "Now that the children are grown, she and I have both decided that it would be best to keep her on as a maid."
"That way you won't have strangers coming in here and stealing things," Nana added. "Mrs. Sybil offered, and I accepted."
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Mikael swore. "Why wasn't I consulted about this?" He got to his feet.
Sybil smirked. "Because you would have said 'no'."
Mikael growled, grabbing his coffee cup. "To maintain the family harmony and keep the house murder free, I'll be in my office." Then he strode from the room before anyone could say a word.
Kristin watched her father go and when he was gone, she looked at her mother with something like awe. "Sometimes I think you're the boss here rather than Dad", she said.
Sybil rolled her eyes. "It's about time you noticed that," she said with a sigh.
Angelica carefully made her way down the mansion's main staircase, one hand on the rail, the other holding her cell phone. Then, when her feet touched the floor, she parted the curtains of the front windows to look out.
And yes, there he was. Klaus Mikaelson, her lover, pacing back and forth on her father's lawn in front of a large battle tank that was hard to miss.
The news hadn't been making it up. It wasn't some prank to get people to watch. Klaus actually did have a tank on her father's front lawn and was threatening to blow up the mansion if her father didn't give back what was his!
She then blushed deeply. You didn't have to be a genius to realize that the only reason he would show up at her father's house with a tank was because he wanted to get her back! It was too stunning to think about. Unbelievable to think that someone would go to such lengths to keep her in their life.
Angelica's eyes widened as the front door ripped open and her mother burst in like some tornado, letting out a breath and pulling her into her arms.
"Oh, my gosh, you're safe! I'm so glad! It's all over the news and social media that something crazy is going on here! And yes, I would say the fact that there is a tank in the grass something crazy."
"Yeah, sorry, Angie muttered, squished against her mother. "It's kind of my fault. I guess this is Klaus' idea of a rescue."
Ellie's eyes lit up. "So the handsome prince has come to slay the dragon and rescue the princess!"
"Oh, please," Angelica blushed, although that's how she saw all this too. "It's nothing silly like that." She paused. "I think I know the answer, but…what are you doing here?:
"Like I said, this is all over the news and I wanted to make sure you were safe." Ellie grabbed her daughter by the arms. "I can't believe your boyfriend is outside wanting to blow up the mansion with a tank! And he looks very sexy while doing it, let me tell you," she added with a wink.
"He does…does he?" Angie questioned and ran over to the window to have a look of her own as redness filled her cheeks.
"Yes," Ellie nodded and put a hand on her back as she joined her at the window, a sly grin on her lips.
"What?" Angelica's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Him? In love with me? No, no, no! It's nothing like that!"
"Are you serious?" Ellie looked at her daughter and held up three fingers. "How many fingers do you see? I want to make sure you're not blind. How can you not see he's in love with you?"
Angelica just ignored her mother and took her hands. "I'm touched that you came to check up on me, but with Klaus and his tank here, I'll be fine. You need to leave before Dad traps you too, out of pure spite!"
"Oh, I'm not worried," Ellie shook her head confidently. "I bet your boyfriend will blow the house up before that happens." She laughed.
Angelica frowned and stomped her foot. "Please don't make jokes like that. It's not funny!"
Ellie cupped Angelica's face with her hands. "Sweetie, I know you're concerned, and it's touching, but I've never been scared of your father and his craziness before, and I have no intention of starting now."
Angelica cleared her throat, moving he mother's hands from her face and holding them tight. "You might want to think more carefully. He knows about Julian Johnson, and he's not happy about it. He'll probably kill you, him, or both cause you had an affair behind his back!"
"I wasn't having an affair!" Ellie protested. "Your father and I are separated, and I'm working on getting us a divorce! I didn't do anything wrong!"
Angelica sighed. "Yeah, I know. And especially after seeing how Dad has behaved lately, even toward me, I want to apologize again, for…" She lowered her eyes as tears fell down her cheeks. "For how badly I treated you before. How rude I was. Even though I'm still not ready to accept this new relationship of yours, it doesn't give me the right to be so awful about it. So disrespectful. Especially since you're the only sane parent I've got now."
Ellie hugged her tight "Well, thank you, sweetheart. I understand and I…I appreciate it." Then, when the hug ended, she cast a look around. The coast was clear. "Come on," she whispered, grabbing Angelica's hand. "We're leaving now."
"No, I can't!" Angelica shook her head. "You should go, but I can't! If I leave, Dad will kill Klaus!"
Ellie rolled her eyes. "Oh, for your grandfather's sake, Angie! He's gotten in your head! Don't let him do that! Klaus has a tank out there and can obviously handle himself. He doesn't give a fuck about your father and his stupid threats!"
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Eleanor, dear," Lucifer called. His voice was almost shrill, and they quickly separated, turning to face him. "By slandering me on national television and the internet, I believe I have earned the right to kill him. He has essentially declared war on me. But your being here in our home is a stroke of good luck for me. I won't have to force you to come back now that you've chosen to return by yourself." A wicked grin curved his lips.
Ellie just threw her head back and laughed. "You're delusional, Lucifer. I will never, ever choose to come back to you. If you recall, in the beginning, I gave you a chance take me back and you rejected it. It's not going to happen again! Angelica and I are going to leave now instead of wasting our time here. Goodbye!"
"No, you're not," he crossed his arms and smiled himself. "Because if you do so, that sweet old lady, Mrs. Johnson, might have an accident. And it could be possible she won't survive it!"
Angelica's jaw dropped in shock and then, after her mouth closed, her lip began to tremble, although she never cried, as Ellie moved in front of her to hide her from Lucifer's sight. "What's happened to you? Have you completely lost your mind? You'd injure or kill a helpless old human lady just for some petty revenge?"
"Of course not," Lucifer shook his head. "I'm not unreasonable. All you have to do is remain here as my wife."
Ellie grinned slyly.. "Well, all right. If you're willing to raise another man's child."
Both Lucifer and Angelica went pale at this.
"What…what are you saying, Mom?" Angelica asked. "And are there any other secrets you're keeping I should know about? If there are, please get them out in the open now!"
"I'm saying that I'm pregnant," Ellie repeated firmly. "And the baby is not your father's!"
Lucifer's eyes went red. "Clearly you've lost your mind. What would make you do something so foolish?"
"Well, if you weren't gonna play with your toy since you were obviously busy with other things, I thought you wouldn't mind it if I actually went out and had a life with someone who appreciated me," Ellie said. "I thought you'd be relieved in a way because it would take the burden of having to worry about my needs and feelings off your plate."
"Well, you thought wrong, obviously," Lucifer snapped. "And your fun with your precious human man means you're now carrying his bastard child!"
"Right!" Ellie growled. "I find myself in a familiar situation once again. Why don't you let me go so I can leave and have a life with the father of this child, who is much nicer than you!"
"Oh, no, no!" Lucifer paced back and forth in front of another window with closed curtains, then opened them to see that his father, sister, and a few other familiar faces were on the lawn. "We'll keep the child. And if anyone asks, we'll just say that it's mine."
"What?" Angelica shook her head. "You never lie, but I guess you've lost your mind now and are making exceptions so you can have your own way! I'm not happy about Mom and her relationship with this man, but I won't help you perpetuate a lie!"
Lucifer gave her a pitiful grin, then approached her and took her face in his hands, looking her in the eyes, and using some powers that were much stronger than hers, to make her forget about her mother's declaration.
"I'm sorry that your mother has hurt you," he said. "And you know I don't like to see you in pain. So you'll forget about everything your mother told you about her baby."
"Yes, Daddy," Angelica repeated obediently without blinking. "Thank you. I love you."
Ellie took a step back, her mouth opening and closing rapidly, even though she was so shocked she couldn't utter a word. The devil had gone mad, and the world was never gonna be the same!
As the yelling and the commotion sounded outside, Ellie stood speechless, hand on her chest as she stared at her soon to be ex-husband. Whatever he had done to her, Angelica had frozen suddenly fainted. And she hadn't gotten up since, just lying there in her father's arms.
"Look at your daughter! Look what you did! She's barely moving! She might even be dead!" She spat, trying not to cry as she gestured at her daughter.
Lucifer shrugged. "Of course she's not dead! She'll be back to her old self in a few minutes, minus the knowledge of your horrible affair and who the father of your baby is. Any time it's brought up, she'll just assume that it's me!" He got right up in Ellie's face.
"You know I truly despise you, right?" She lashed out at him, raising her chin.
Lucifer just shrugged. "Remember, Eleanor. We've been here before. Hate is the beginning of a love story." He grinned.
"Not this time!" Ellie shook her head. "Not when I have a man who is a thousand times better than you are!"
"Do you think I care about a human man?" Lucifer asked with a shrug. "Now you have a choice. You can either come back to me willingly and be my wife, or I can compel it. It's really up to you."
Tears started falling down her cheeks and neck, but she made no move to wipe them away. "The man I married, the man I've known so long, would never compel or manipulate me or his children for his own personal gain!"
Lucifer scoffed. "Well, times change, don't they, dearest one? So…what's your choice?"
Ellie swallowed and shut her eyes tight for a few seconds as she came to terms with what she had to do.
"You don't have to compel me," she said at last. "I come to you willingly and go into this with both eyes open."
"Marvelous decision, Eleanor!" He winked.
"Mom?" Angelica blinked and seemed to come back to life. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"
"Oh, nothing to worry about, honey. It's just your father being himself. Nothing new there." Ellie tried not to sound nervous.
"Good news, darling daughter!" Lucifer grinned at Angelica. "Your mother has decided to come back to the mansion! We can be a family again!"
Angelica froze. Although it was everything she'd wanted for ages, something didn't seem quite right. "Why would she do that?" She asked, narrowing her eyes and putting her hands on her hips. "What did you do to her?"
"Nothing, nothing!" Lucifer just shook his head, a grin on his lips. "She'll tell you right here, right now, that she chose to return."
A shocked Angelica swallowed some tears and grabbed her mother, shaking her gently. "Please tell me its not true!"
Ellie shrugged. "Don't worry about it, honey. Things have happened and it's best that I come back for a few days." She bit her lip and tried her best not to scream.
"A few days?" Lucifer chuckled. "Darling, you'll be back for good!"
Meanwhile, on the lawn, Klaus was making his demands clear.
"You have thirty minutes to evacuate this house with your whole family, Lucifer Morningstar!" Klaus called, his voice somewhat distorted by the megaphone he was shouting into. "Do it fast before I plot into pieces!" He paused. "Or just send Angelica out, of her own free will, and I can take her away from this hell. Do that and your house will remain in one piece! No one will be hurt!"
As Klaus was shouting, Elijah drove up and parked his car in the driveway, getting out of the driver's seat. Selina followed, then Kol and Amy.
"Niklaus!" The eldest Original shouted at his brother. "Have you lost your fucking mind?"
Klaus turned and gave Elijah a grin. "Have you come for the spectacle? I would offer to let you help, but let's face it, Angel and I are the ones who are wronged here, not you. Pull up a seat and watch the games begin!"
Selina nudged Elijah aside. "Klaus, think about what you're doing!" She begged. "Think about it for two seconds! This is insane?"
"I know," Klaus assured her after catching her eye. "I do, love. But you know why I'm doing this. Why it's the only way."
Selina sighed. "I do know. And I know you're in a tough spot because you do have true feelings for Angelica, but…do you also realize that Lucifer won't let her go? Especially not to you when you go about it like this?"
"She's right, Nik," Kol agreed, pulling Amy after him. "I admire your determination and this plan of yours is just…amazing, especially bringing in the TV network and papers. And I know you'll remind me that I'd have done something like this myself in the past if I had the reason to. But as satisfying as this is now, it'll just create more chaos in the end and blow up in your face."
Klaus looked back and forth between him and Amy, distracted for a moment. "Kol? Amy? You both look very fancy. Are you attending a wedding somewhere or something?" He grinned.
"Yes, our wedding," Kol replied as Amy lowered her head so that her red hair obscured her face, and no one would see her blush.
"Really?" Klaus cleared his throat. "Wow! Congratulations to both of you! I hope my rascal brother will make you very happy, Amy."
Amy raised her head before she spoke. "Well, I think we're off to a good start. I'm carrying his child."
"Well, even more good news!" Klaus smiled. "Congratulations again. Now, if you'll all excuse me, I need to save my woman from the clutches of a complete and utter lunatic.
"You…you're just going to blow the mansion up? You're not going to think of the consequences?"
"If Lucifer continues to be difficult and it becomes necessary, yes, Elijah! Angelica Morningstar is my mate. No one will keep us apart, especially her father!"
"Oh, boy," Selina rolled her eyes and squeezed Elijah's hand. "Let's all pray for mercy then."
As they talked, a few other cars arrived. Steve got out of his, Gwen following behind. Then they joined Avery and Azrael, who had arrived before them.
"Daddy, did you see this one the news?" Avery asked.
"You think I'd be here if I hadn't seen it on the news?" Steve barked. "It's all over the place! You can't avoid it. How stupid do you think I am?"
"Now, now," Gwen put a hand on his arm. "No need to yell at your daughters and make things more tense than they already are. Let's try and use manners and class to deal with this." She then turned her head and sneaked a look at Klaus Mikaelson in his jeans and leather jacket, his curly hair being tousled by the breeze. "He looks sexy today, doesn't he?"
"Mom, do you mind?" Avery scolded, wide eyed.
"What?" Gwen asked. "Just because I admire a man from afar, it doesn't mean I agree with what he does!" She rolled her eyes at her daughter.
"But Aunt Gwen is right," Azrael said. "Violence won't help anything."
Steve shrugged. "And why are you here? There's not much use for you in a situation like this."
Avery winced. "Well, I know that even though Originals don't die like humans do, something bad could happen between Klaus and my brother so…she's here in case some part of Klaus needs to be dealt with if Lucifer kills him."
"That's highly unlikely!" Gwen shook he head. "Is everyone missing the fact that there is a battle tank on the lawn?"
Steve growled and strode over to Klaus. "Mikaelson, just what do you think you're doing?"
"Sorry about all this, Steve," Elijah apologized. "We didn't mean to ruin your day."
"No need to apologize for me, brother," Klaus told him, before narrowing his eyes at Steve. "I'm not here to cause trouble. Jut to take back what is rightfully mine."
"Oh, nonsense!" Steve spat. "Nothing and no one here belongs to you!"
That brought Angelica to the window with Ellie following as Lucifer stood a few feet away, a grin on his face. "It seems your grandfather has come to tell Klaus Mikaelson exactly where you belong, Angelica. So nice of him to do right by me for once."
"And what do you call him setting us up so that you get a mindlessly adoring family to control while you don't have to give anything back?" Ellie spat. "Nothing?"
Angelica looked at her mother in surprise, then took her hand as Ellie shook her head in despair.
"On the contrary, old man, Klaus shouted angrily. "You know perfectly well that your granddaughter was meant to be mine since long before she was born. Why haven't you told anyone? Why have you kept it to yourself for so long?"
"I…I don't know what you're talking about, Mikaelson," Steve replied, although he was blushing. "Sounds like a bunch of nonsense to me!"
"Oh, dear," Avery put a hand over her heart. "This all happened because of me. I have to stop it!"
"No," Azrael held her back, then turned and saw Angelica staring out the window. She met her eye, hoping her presence was reassuring at least. This whole thing had been a mess for her, and she hadn't always slept, tossing and turning and playing way too much Blue Oyster Cult. 'Don't Fear the Reaper' was good for Halloween, but not right before bedtime. "You can't do anything at this point, so just stay where you are."
"Oh, I think you know it isn't nonsense," Klaus countered. "You know just as well as you know that you're God that Angelica is my mate!"
"What?" Angelica exclaimed in shock, as Ellie's jaw dropped and all the color left Lucifer's face.