"Hope?" Freya stopped by Hope's bedroom just as the teen had put down her cellphone.

"Just called aunt Mal, see how she spent her birthday." Hope bit her lip nervously. "Have you and Vincent...found…?"

Freya was sad to say they hadn't found any trace of Hayley nor Nicolas. It was as if the ground had swallowed them up.

One moment, Hayley was trying to make amends with the Crescent wolves and the vampires while Nicolas worked on a way to calm the Quarter down...and the next moment they were both gone. All they had as evidence was Hayley's blood against some cracked bricks and her cellphone, but nothing of Nicolas'.

"Aunt Freya, we have to find them," Hope practically begged of her aunt.

Freya walked over and gave the girl a hug. "Vincent is already working with the witches to track both of them down. You just get some rest."

Hope agreed to get some sleep while Freya continued to do some of her own spells to find Nicolas and Hayley. A couple spells worked its way into hours of work, she almost didn't notice the new visitor the compound had.

"Sister," Klaus' voice pulled Freya out of her work. She turned around and felt somewhat relieved to see him around. She hurried to greet him with a tight hug. Klaus relished in some more familial contact. He missed his family, not that they would hear it out loud. "The years have been kind to you."

"Well, you know, just sunblock, the love of a good woman and literal witchcraft," Freya stepped back and offered a small smile. "Nick's done the same thing…"

At the mention of his disappeared son, Klaus swallowed hard. "Is there anything…?'

"No," Freya's answer was a meek one. She felt awful for not being able to do anything since her attempts had been, so far, futile. "I'm trying, but...it might be easier if we can get something of Nick's. I've already got Hope's blood but it bodes better for Hayley's."

"He's more tied to his witches' ancestry," Klaus knew that rendered his blood rather useless in this situation. "Particularly his mother's…"

Freya gave a nod of her head. "I was thinking of getting Abigail to get some of her own blood but...maybe Maleny's…"

"We can't risk her being here," Klaus immediately said. "Abigail's should be enough, after all it's where his and Maleny's magic originate from." Freya hoped he was right.

"You shouldn't stay here, Hope's asleep," she felt awful reminding him to be cautious like he hadn't been doing that for years. The Hollow inside him would urge to get power from Maleny the most, but a close second was Nicolas and Hope.

"I have no interest in infecting my daughter with this darkness. Once we've found her mother and brother, I'll crawl back to whence I came," Klaus reassured then cast a glance at the open window of the room. "Freya, this city reeks of blood like it hasn't since the War-"

Freya scoffed at his oblivion. "Yeah, well, you're to blame this time." Klaus frowned at the accusation. "Cami told me you spoke with Elijah and then hours later, it rained red. No story that begins with water turning into blood has ever ended in triumph."

"I need to leave or things are gonna get worse. Just tell me about Hayley and Nicolas," Klaus urged her to speak fast. Despite neither Hope nor Nicolas being in his vicinity he could feel the Hollow whispering in his head to get close to one of them.

"...tried every locator spell I know in every language I know and I…" Freya may was well have been speaking to a wall.

Klaus tried to finish but when he felt a particular familiar presence making a rush for the room, he had no option but to speed out of the place and leave Freya midword. However, the witch didn't have much problem understanding because a second later Hope came into the room, running to a stop a couple feet away from her. Seeing it was just her aunt in the room, Hope disappointedly looked around.

So close, she felt her chest compress with sorrow for herself.

~0~

The city of New Orleans was on the brink of another supernatural war. This was what Marcel found upon his return. The hybrid Hope created had already claimed one victim because of his inability to control himself. The victim, Poppy, was being given a traditional funeral but it didn't do much to quell the vampire's hunger for revenge.

"So, that's it, then?" one particular, louder vampire, with short curly hair and fire eyes walked over to Marcel and Josh. "A toast? A platitude? What about justice?"

"Excuse me?" Marcel eyed her with weariness. He didn't want an argument right after his arrival, much less with someone he didn't even know.

"It was a beautiful speech, your majesty-" the woman, Greta, spat, "-but Poppy wasn't prey to the city of New Orleans. She was gutted by a jacked-up half-breed who can't control his aggression."

"Hayley and the Crescents will handle Henry," Josh reminded her of the plan.

Greta almost snorted. "The Crescents are building their float and toasting to a prosperous year. They're protecting him!" she shook her head and stormed away from them.

Josh just rolled his eyes. "Look, don't worry about her. She's been here for a couple of years now, but overall, she's a pretty upstanding citizen. We're all just a little on edge at the smell of blood."

Marcel still did not get a good vibe from her. "I don't like her tone. When there's one voice of dissent, there's usually more. What have you heard?"

Josh did not have energy to lie at this point. 'Yeah, all right. Uh, a few people are suggesting that you can't be the king of the vampires because... well, because you're not a vampire." Marcel tool quite an offence to that. "Hey, they have a point. I mean, that hybrid bite that could wipe the rest of us out, basically just a hickey to you."

Marcel had something to say about that but he felt someone just at the front door. "Excuse me a minute." He left a confused Josh to wait while he went outside to the street. "You can't be here. Crashing a funeral…"

Klaus raised his hands to show this time he was on a good path. "My favorite way to spend a Friday night. It's good to see you, Marcellus, after all this time. Sorry about Rebekah."

Now the last thing Marcel seriously wanted to talk about was how Rebekah left him at the altar. "I'm sure you are. It's good to see you, too. Why are you here?"

"Nicolas and Hayley are missing. It's been days," Klaus took a good look at the streets, though yhey were familiar they were now filled with strangers. Any one of them could have taken his son. "Don't worry, I'll stick to the shadows, but there's certain leads I can't follow."

"What do you need from me?" Marcel inquired.

~0~

As soon as Hope woke up that morning, she got the idea - a stark determination - to see her Dad and help fix things. There was no stopping her, not this time. She even went as far as leaving an old friend - maybe a crush, who knew - in her room after making him swear he wouldn't let her aunt Freya find him.

She trudged along the Quarter, going straight for the essence of magic she'd used for a locator spell. It led her into Rousseau's, just in time because the moment she walked in she heard in a loud bang from the kitchen. She knew exactly what was going to happen so she ran directly for the room, saving a poor human in the process.

"Seriously, Dad?" Hope forced her father to remain on the ground for a moment with a simple aneurysm.

Klaus had found Hayley's boyfriend, Declan, who as of now was the only lead he had on the disappearances.

"Compel him," Hope said just before releasing her magic from Klaus.

Klaus got up from the ground and grabbed Declan by the shoulder. "Looks like you need to go back to the butcher's immediately. You won't remember meeting me today."

Declan obediently went around him for the door. He only stopped when he saw Hope. ""Ah. Mornin', kid. Um... I'll be back. I forgot to stop by the Shank. But saved you a bread pudding in the fridge. Your favorite."

Hope gave him a smile then waited for him to leave the building. When they were alone, she waited for Klaus to say something but it appeared he was having some trouble. He'd turned his back on her, unbeknownst to her he was fighting off the whispers in his head... urging him to go to her.

The Hollow, if anything, was a nuisance.

"You're not even gonna look at me?" Hope's demand made him wince. "Mom's missing, Dad. So is my brother. I'm scared."

"I know, but we can't be too close," Klaus finally turned around and saw his daughter for the first time in seven years. She'd grown so much. Unlike Nicolas and Marlenie, Hope was his only child to be a complete physical blend of her parents. The eyes were Hayley's, but around them was all him. The hair was Hayley's, but the fervor was his.

"The Hollow wants aunt Mal, not me, not Nicolas-"

"Were that true I wouldn't be hearing her voice in my mind to get to you," Klaus couldn't help snap. She was being completely wreckless in this crusade to see him.

"Let me help you find them," Hope begged. "You went to the wrong partner, Dad. Declan's a human, but the girl Nicolas knows is all witch-"

"Woman?" Klaus repeated, stunned of course.

Hope gave a slow nod of her head. "If you called you would've known Nick's been seeing someone for about a year now. He says it's nothing but-" she rolled her eyes, "-we all know it's a lie. She's a Quarter witch. Maybe she could help us, maybe I can take you to-"

"You are not going anywhere!" Klaus' sudden shout startled her. "If you don't do as I say, I'll have Freya bind you to the compound with a spell. I don't want it to come to that. Go home!"

Hope pursed her lips, anger seething between them. "Fine," she spat and started to leave but stopped under the threshold to give one warning, one she was particularly happy about, "But if I were you, I'd come home around noon. Something's coming."

Her smirk made Klaus dread for the worst. That...that was all him.

~0~

When Hope returned home, she was a little startled to find her friend, Roman, lingering in the upstairs living room. "Uh... you weren't in my room... I thought you left."

"Still here," Roman gave a wave of his hand.

"You weren't scared someone would catch you sniffing around?"

"Well, according to my school files, I have a rebellious nature and a callous disregard for authority. So... no."

Hope's smile didn't last long because now she knew that Roman discovered more about her than any of her friends had in seven years. "Just ask," she sighed. "Okay? I-I know you want to."

"This is like a house of horrors," Roman pretended to shiver, ultimately eliciting a smile from her. "Viking grimoires. A million weird knives. And did you know you have a dead redhead wrapped in a sheet in your parlor?"

"Yeah…" Hope hadn't orally heard the story of Aurora de Martel but she learned a good deal through journals left behind by Cami. "That's my dad's crazy ex and I guess my aunt Mal's mortal enemy. It's a sleeping spell…Just...no one really knows what to do with her."

Well that wasn't entirely true, she thought. Marlenie once advised they should throw Aurora's body into the ocean and let the fishes have a feast. She even overheard Maleny once saying they should bury Aurora six feet under the ground, and then some.

"Normal," Roman chuckled. "Hey. Look, I can keep a secret. I got plenty of my own. So, what are you?"

Hope sighed. She was tired already and it wasn't even noon. Why should she keep hiding who she was? Everyone would eventually know. "My name is... Hope Mikaelson. My grandmother practically invented dark magic. My mom is the Crescent alpha. And... my dad is... Niklaus Mikaelson."

Roman's eyes slowly widened, his finger coming to point up at her. "So that makes you…"

"The mythical tribrid freak show," Hope finished bitterly. She moved to the couch to take a seat and just...breathe. It felt good being able to tell someone who she really was. It made her lies of life feel just a little less.

"And so, your blood turns werewolves into... vampire hybrids," Roman said, and for her it seemed just like an obvious thing to realize after what he heard of her stories and Henry's fate.

"Yeah," Hope rubbed her face, dropping her hands to her lap afterwards.

"So then...your family…"

"Oh boy," Hope leaned back on the couch and sighed loudly. "Take your pick. My siblings? They're both miracles. My brother's mortal but he's a very powerful witch and he still has a chance of being a triggered hybrid. My sister might as well count as a triggered hybrid with how vicious she is. Plus, she already has a few hybrid perks thanks to their, uh, unique parentage and conception." Hope shivered and pushed away all thoughts about that last part.

"You have siblings?"

"My brother you know," Hope couldn't help smile when she told him. "Mr. Rowan?"

"Oh God," it was Roman's turn to bury his face in his hands. "I mouthed off to him so many times-"

"Yeah, I know," Hope patted his arm.

"But who's his mother? You're Marshall by your mother, but…"

"My aunt Mal," Hope smiled. "Maleny Rowan."

"She's the freak witch-vampire some ancient spirit created-"

"She's not a freak," Hope immediately clarified for him. "She's kind, she's so funny, and I happen to love her a lot, alright? She gave me my brother and my sister and she's fought for me and my family countless times. My family may be the darkest family in history, but they're mine," Hope said with a casual shrug of her shoulders. Broken and cursed, but mine, she thought.

Roman came to sit beside her and brushed some hair out of her face, smiling with her. "An unorthodox family is something I know pretty well," he promised.

And suddenly, Hope didn't feel so alone.

"HOPE!" they both heard Klaus' roar echo throughout the building.

Hope jumped from the couch, eyes wide with recognition at what was coming. "You have to go! He will literally wear your spine as a necklace! Leave!"

Roman didn't need to be told twice to know the truth behind her words. He was gone within the second.

Just as Klaus walked into the room, Freya came in behind. "What is going on!?" the eldest sister blinked fast with confusion.

"That's what I'd like to know!" Klaus kept furious eyes on his daughter who was having a hard time finding her courage. He'd gotten a call from Marcel and Josh with some interesting news discovered after apprehending Henry. "Please tell me it isn't true. What have you done with your mother and your brother?"

Freya was dumbfounded, but not stupid enough to believe Klaus would make something like that up. "Hope…"

"Yeah, fine, I did it," Hope raised her hands, showing she wasn't going to lie when everything was on the table. "I knew it would take something big to bring you all home."

Freya was the first to realize the key word in that admission. "All?"

Hope, however, was still processing how her plan actually resulted. "Gotta say I'm a little shocked it wasn't enough to pull Marlenie from whatever bubble she's living in. If your twin is missing, you come home!" she balled a fist and scrunched her face, rather irritated with her older sister.

"Hope," Klaus called again, now on the same page as Freya. "Tell me you didn't…"

Hope raised her head high. "I had to do something."

"Hope-"

"Hellooo?" the three heard the indistinct voice of a petite blonde downstairs.

"Oh no…" Freya dashed out of the room to the courtyard.

Klaus' hand did a series of movements between pointing at Hope and the open doors of the room. Hope gulped with actual fear of what kind of punishment she would get for this. It was worth it, but...it was still a bit scary.

Down below, Maleny cautiously walked further into the courtyard, eyes and ears keen on movements.

"Maleny?" she looked up to find Freya coming down the stairs, almost running actually. "What are you doing here!?"

"Well, Hope called and she said the family was in trouble," Maleny shrugged, eyes going above Freya to the second floor. "Hayley and Nicolas are missing - poor thing was sobbing begging me to come to the city. I couldn't say no."

As he heard from upstairs, Klaus was fixing a rather furious - never before seen by Hope - glare on his daughter.

"You shouldn't have," Freya came up to Maleny, first giving the woman a hug but then taking matters into her own hands. "You need to leave, right now-"

"-what?" frowned Maleny. "I am not going until I know where Hayley and Nicolas are. I just spoke to them yesterday, how can they be gone?"

"They're not really gone, but-"

Maleny's head snapped to the left, towards the second floor to be precise. "Someone else is here," she said, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Freya's head went from Maleny to the balcony at least three times before she could muster up some words. "Mal, where's your mother? She wouldn't have let you come-"

"I know," Maleny said distractedly. She started heading for the staircase much to Freya's dismay. "It's why I lied to her and told her I was going on a walk into the city. I'm sure she's probably fuming right now trying to get a flight here."

"Mal, you can't go up there!"

"Why not?" Maleny stopped on the first step to look at Freya's overly scared face. "Who's up there, Freya?"

Freya's mouth opened and closed without ever saying a proper answer. Hope really did a number on them all with this game of hers.

"Freya?" Maleny's voice called the mortal witch back to the present. "What's going on?"

"Aunt Mal!" Hope burst from the second floor living room, at least cheerful that this part of the plan was working. The teenager came running down the balcony and down the staircase to hug Maleny.

Maleny laughed as she was forced to take the step down in order to hug back. "Hey, haven't seen you in person in a while."

"I know," Hope hugged the blonde tightly. "I missed you."

"Missed you too," Maleny could honestly say. While she loved her mother to bits and pieces, Maleny did miss the rest of the Mikaelsons. She always wondered why they preferred to be scattered around the world when there was a perfectly nice city in New Orleans.

"Hope," Freya's tone was hard and warning. Just because Maleny arrived did not mean Hope was in any less trouble.

Hope cleared her throat and stepped back from Maleny. "It's done, aunt Freya."

"What is?" Maleny repeated as she looked between the two witches. "Is anyone finally going to tell me what is going on? Freya, you still have ever to answer why I have to go."

Freya bit her lip nervously, wanting so badly for everything to just stop a moment to figure things out. Maleny waited for the answer though she began to hear a faint whispering around her.

"It's because of me," answered someone knew to Maleny, at least in her perspective. Her head raised to the balcony to see Klaus standing there, looking at a cross between anger and fear. He was doing his best to keep his feet locked in his spot and not going for Maleny. Seven years. Seven years since he last saw her in person and now...here she was. Her big, shiny blue eyes and pretty blonde hair continued to be his favorite (physical) things about her. The things within her, well...what he most missed was how she always had an aura of innocence that somehow made her see him as someine worthy to be loved by her. He didn't get how it worked but he was eternally grateful for it. She always had the best way of seeing him. Even when he was an outright monster, she would give him the warmest, kindest eyes.

And right now, she was looking at him like he was a complete stranger. There was nothing inside them, no love...nothing.

"Klaus? You're here…" Maleny cleared her throat, unsure how to take his presence. In her mind, he'd never directed a word to her. It was almost as if he didn't even like her.

Klaus closed his eyes for a second, willing himself to do the right thing and get her out. When he opened his eyes again, he had his best "evil" face as Marlenie once remarked. "Yes," even his voice had turned cold towards Maleny, something she picked up on rather fast. "My son is missing and so is the mother of my other child. You, however, have nothing to do here-"

"Dad-" Hope began, offended on behalf of Maleny, and even more irritated he was pulling that sort of trick on Maleny.

Klaus knew it but he forced himself to continue. He could hear the Hollow inside his head, louder than ever, ordering him to get to Maleny. "We have the witch in my sister and a hybrid present. Thank you, now go."

Maleny blinked rapidly as she processed his rude behavior. "I...I only came to help-"

"-and I just explained to you how unnecessary you are around here. Grab some sunglasses and get back to your comfortable beach."

Freya shook her head but did not scold her brother. She knew what he was doing and actually applauded him for the will inside him. He was trying. "Mal, let's go outside. We can talk there."

"You needn't be so rude," Maleny still had her own go at Klaus. "You may have turned me but I am not here to obey you. Hayley and Nicolas are missing so like it or not I am here to stay. So get that through your head. And the next time you yell at me, I'll give you a taste of what type of hybrid I am."

Inside, Klaus almost smirked as the fire came to her eyes. Though innocent, she was not the same village girl who let things go. If she was crossed, you would know. And he loved that about her so much.

Freya rushed Maleny out of the compound, throwing Hope a look in the process. Once alone, Hope turned to her father again. "Did you have to do that?"

"You mean fix your errors that could cost Maleny's life?" Klaus' snap made her wince. "Of course I had to. You have been incredibly irresponsible bringing Maleny here, Hope!"

"I had to do something to get you both in the same city!" Hope exclaimed.

"Your mother, your brother!" Klaus reminded her of the high stakes she'd pulled for this game. "You attacked them-"

"I did not attack them!" Hope frowned. "They're both fine. I put them in really nice coffins. I cloaked them in sleeping spells that I wrote myself."

"Oh, well, in that case, I've never been prouder!" Klaus sarcastically went. "Where are they, Hope!?"

"You're just gonna go disappear again if I tell you," Hope shook her head. "I'm not having that."

"Hope, the Hollow will take any victim it can get to and I don't want to put you in danger!"

"The only one in danger is aunt Mal and she's already here so it doesn't matter!"

"We could be putting others in danger, too-"

"-I don't care-"

"This is not a debate, Hope!"

The argument between father and daughter echoed in the streets for anyone vampire. Maleny could only gasp after she learned exactly what happened with Hayley and Nicolas. "I can't believe Hope would do something like this."

"Oh, no, she's, uh, right on schedule," Freya gave a light shrug of her shoulders. "My teenage temper tantrums involved birds falling out of the sky and entire villages burning. Nicolas was the same even though his age was sped up. So... family tradition."

Maleny's face was comical. "Well, I'm glad I never had any children with your family."

Freya almost choked on her own saliva. Oh, Maleny.

"So what happens now?" Maleny came to a stop on the street, turning so that she was in front of Freya. "I'm sure it's just a matter of talking to Hope-"

"Mm, I don't think so," Freya shook her head. "Hope did all this to get the family back together-"

"-understandable, for a child," Maleny gave a light smile. "Why aren't you guys together, Freya? Elijah's in some desolate town and Rebekah's somewhere grieving over her break up with Marcel, last time I heard from Cami. And Kol never even gives a peep that he's alive."

"It's... complicated," Freya left it at that. "And dangerous. Which is why you can't stay here."

"There we go again! Why do you keep saying that?" Maleny began to frown at the repetition. "I would sort of get this from Klaus but you? What did I do?"

Freya looked around and noticed how several people, specifically the Quarter witches, were giving them - specifically Maleny - suspicious glances. They were beginning to notice Maleny's arrival. Freya wanted to lie and say that Maleny did nothing wrong, but she knew it wasn't true. Maleny couldn't remember the past, for her it was freedom and bliss.

"The city is on the brink of war yet again. We don't need collateral damage," Freya cautioned Maleny to stay with her as a group of witches walked past them.

Maleny stared at the trio of women who kept a rather cold glare on her. "Why are they looking at me like that?" She didn't even know the women!

"No reason," Freya hurried her along the street but Maleny took notice of more similar glances she was getting from all types of people.

~0~

"The little girl I knew would never have dreamed up a scheme like this," Klaus was back to pacing in front of Hope.

"Well, sorry to disappoint you. But that little girl hadn't read your memoirs," Hope's admission made Klaus stop for a moment. The teen crossed her arms, not backing down at all. "You compelled aunt Cami to write your story. About a guy who used to put his family members in coffins and use them as leverage."

"So you've studied my old tricks. Did you learn this one?" Klaus startled her when he sped up to her, putting his hands on her head to search her mind. "They're at St. Anne's."

"Get out of my head!" Hope ordered, causing a small burst of energy to force him away. "And you are not leaving until I say so!" she commanded every window and the door to close and lock up.

"Hope, for the love of God, let this go! I'm sorry things are like this but I can only make sure you are safe if we're far away from each other-"

"I don't want that! I'm tired of this life, Dad. I want my family back," she let her head hang in shame, an all too familiar motion Klaus recognized. "I want to make things right. I want...I want to fix things."

"Hope, I understand your intentions were good but...but we can't. I can't be near you, nor Nicolas or...Maleny. I just can't."

Hope looked up with teary eyes, a sad smile across her face. "Things shouldn't be like this. It's my fault they're like this-"

"-never," Klaus cut her off, his voice final. "This is not your fault."

"It is. And I haven't even done anything to fix things," Hope exhaled a shaky breath. "Aunt Mal sacrificed herself so that the Hollow wouldn't reach Nick or I. Now Nicolas knows more advanced magic so he searches day and night for a spell that can allow him to seal the Hollow away. Sometimes I catch him in his office really late at night, sleeping over a grimoire. He's hurt. And Marlenie doesn't even speak to him nor me, nor anyone in the family. She's probably mad that her family is apart again. And then you and aunt Mal can't see each other. You can't see me or Nick and...and I can't pull my weight to help anyone."

It was then that Klaus realized this whole ordeal was about Hope intending on helping the family to ease her guilt. She was an extraordinary witch in training but at the end of the day, she was just a witch in training. A spell to seal the Hollow away for good required a powerful, skilled witch like Freya, Nicolas or Abigail. Hope was a fifteen year old girl.

"Hope, sweetheart, listen to me," Klaus tool cautious steps towards her. "You are not meant to burden yourself with our problems. Each one of us made our decision - we never intended on making you feel guilty for anything."

"I want to help you," Hope sniffled. "I want to help like Nick and aunt Freya. I want Marlenie to speak to us again. I want aunt Mal to remember you."

"This idea of yours was dangerous from the start, Hope. You shouldn't have done this-"

"-it was the only thing I could come up with!"

"I'm sorry," Klaus felt like a broken record repeating his apologies. It was the only thing he could offer her besides a distant love. "But you know what? I know that Marlenie is not mad at you, she's like me - she prefers to distant herself to cope. But she loves you. And Nicolas knows you want to help but he also knows that you're still young and you shouldn't be working with such dangerous spells. And you know something else?" his lips stretched into a wide smile. "Your aunt Mal would want nothing more than for you to just be a girl living a good life."

Hope tried to contain her sniffles to minimum, but the feelings bested her. When she burst into sobs, Klaus couldn't help himself. He needed to hold her and comfort her.

~ 0 ~

While Freya was probably going crazy somewhere out in the quarter, Maleny walked up to a vintage-looking voodoo shop. She remembered Nicolas mentioning it a couple times so she hoped it was the right one. She pushed open the door and jingled the beed curtains on her way in.

There was a brunette woman focused on a book at the counter, but when she heard the bead curtains swishing she quickly shut it and put it underneath where no one would see it. Maleny smiled, knowing that'd been a grimoire, but her smile was short lived when she noticed the woman's red, puffy eyes. She'd clearly been crying for a while now.

"So sorry," the woman rubbed away the tear stains on her face, "What can I do…" she trailed off upon seeing Maleny. "It's you…"

The blonde vampire frowned. This was the same reaction she got at Rousseau's too when the bartender, now Josh, saw her coming up to the bar counter. That prompted Maleny to skip her drink and leave.

"Do you know me?" Maleny finally asked the woman.

The woman cleared her throat and adopted a polite smile that Maleny didn't believe one bit in. "N-no, I...I just didn't…"

Maleny walked up to the counter and stared at the woman with a straight face. She could hear the woman's heart pounding in her chest and wondered if this was out of fear or nervousness. "Do you know me?"

The woman's chocolate brown eyes flickered to the side as if wondering what she should say. Maleny sighed with annoyance, but for the sake of her assignment - which she took upon herself - she moved on. "Look, I know you're unofficially dating Nicolas Mikaelson so you must know by now that he's missing." The woman froze, but her heart seemed to skip a beat at the mention of Nicolas. "I forgot your name, so...can you tell me or are you not going to tell me that either?"

"Zara, ma'am," the words just blurted from the young woman's lips. From her perspective, she was meeting the mother of her unofficial boyfriend who didn't even know she was the mother of Nicolas.

Maleny's lips twitched into a smile. "You don't need the ma'am thing. So, Zara...do you know why I'm here?"

"I can...honestly say no," Zara's voice was hushed despite there being no one in the store but them.

Maleny's smile widened a bit more. "You do remember that Nicolas is missing right? I just - I just said that…"

"Um, well...yes, but…" Zara fiddled with her fingers over the counter, "...I'm not...I'm not technically supposed to really know. I-I mean, not that I'm not supposed to know but-but I can't…"

Maleny saw that the stammering woman wasn't really going to be able to finish that statement so she just saved Zara by cutting in. "I understand the witches are doing what they can to help, but most of them are down at the cemetary. Why aren't you?"

Zara gestured to the empty store. "It's my shift. Besides, they have the most skilled witches on the job."

"You look pretty skillful to me. You hid that grimoire pretty fast for someone who seems to have been crying for quite a while."

Zara looked down as if in shame.

Maleny examined the woman who, so far, seemed to be rather shy. "You know, I never really understood this whole 'unofficial' boyfriend/girlfriend thing but...on further thought, I'm going to go on a guess and say no one really knows about you two…"

Zara looked back up with widened eyes. "I-it's complicated!" How could she put into words that Nicolas wanted to put off telling both their families about their relationship until Nicolas' parents were back together? Was there a way to put it into words?

"Why? Every time I get a call from Freya, Hayley or Hope, it sounds like the Quarter is enjoying blissful peace. There's no rule that witches and a Mikaelson can't date is there?"

Zara's mouth opened twice and shut. "It's...it's just that we want to find a right moment to. I'm sure you know that Mikaelsons are not really, um…"

"Beloved in this place?" Maleny finished with a soft laugh. "Yeah, I know. I just thought that was over since Nicolas isn't really a vampire, so…"

"I do care about him, and I know he cares for me too...which is why I'm going crazy trying to find him with a spell," Zara sighed and pulled out the grimoire she'd been looking at earlier. "And yet, no such luck."

"Yeah, Freya had the same bad luck," Maleny looked around the store, noticing how Zara's stare was just glued onto her no matter what she did. "I thought that you perhaps would be able to help."

"I would do anything to help if I could," Zara quickly said. "I just don't know what to do. Whoever took him put a good cloaking spell on him and-"

"-yeah, Hope is a very skilled witch like that...I can't even break it," Maleny's words stunned Zara.

The brunette woman blinked rapidly for a couple of seconds before she spoke again. "H-Hope? Hope Mikaelson did this to him? But...but they're siblings!"

"I don't know the exact story but she did this as a way to get her father to come back and see her. I don't know why she pulled me into this…"

Zara silently watched Maleny fiddle with some trinkets in a vase on the counter. Zara knew why; Nicolas was always grim whenever he thought about his separated parents. Hope probably assumed she would be helping Nicolas in the process.

"Anyways," Maleny pulled the witch back into the present, "You think you and I can help each other out a bit?"

"W-with a spell?" Zara blinked in surprise. "You want me to help?"

"Yeah, you're a witch...I'm a witch - partly anyways - so why not?"

Zara's expression was indescribable at the moment, which was what made Maleny more suspicious. There was something the woman - along with everyone else - was keeping from her. Maybe Zara would be more kind and let her in on the secret.

~ 0 ~

"What do you mean you lost her!?" Klaus' shout was now directed at Freya in the courtyard. Against her wishes, both had sent Hope to her room to pack because she would be returning to school immediately.

"She's not a child, Klaus, I can't keep Maleny from leaving!" Freya huffed at his incessant shouting.

"This place is dangerous for her! Everyone knows who she is-"

"-yeah, believe me, I know that. And to be honest...I think she started to figure it out too," Freya crossed her arms. "She noticed some of the looks she was getting from people. I think that's why she skipped out on me."

"Freya, we can't let her stay," Klaus didn't think this needed to be discussed. Many people learned of Maleny Rowan's unique presence and anyone who knew she didn't have her memories was prime to take action against her. "She needs to go back to her-"

"It's too late, Klaus. Abigail is on her way and I doubt Maleny will leave until she knows Nicolas and Hayley are safe."

"Then it's good news that we know where they are," Klaus took lead towards the streets. Freya hurried after him but the conversation wasn't over.

"I think we should discuss what should happen in case you and Maleny stay," Freya warned but Klaus shook his head at the idea.

"We don't because it's not happening. As soon as we get Nicolas and Hayley, I'm gone again. This is what our lives are and we can't do anything about it," Klaus said it with absolutely no hope that Freya felt overwhelmingly sorry for him. She'd promised him she'd work hard to find a spell that would let their family be together again, but here they were seven years later with no such progress.

When the two arrived at St. Ann's, they headed up the staircase for the room in which Nicolas and Hayley were kept in.

"You should prepare yourself to take down that cloaking spell," Klaus warned as he led the way upstairs. "Hope was practically boasting about that and a sleeping spell."

Freya smiled a bit. "You should have heard Nicolas when we were with Dahlia - he was always saying to me he'd find a way to turn her into stone."

Klaus smirked with nothing but pride. "That's my son."

He pushed open the door of the room, only to find it stuck on some rubbish on the other side. With more force, he broke the door off its hinges and came to an ugly scene. There were indeed two coffins but the room was destroyed. Tables turned over, broken, along with the other furniture in the room.

"Oh my God," Freya crinkled her nose at all the blood in the room.

Klaus panicked. He went to the first coffin which already had its top blown off. Inside there was even more blood and wolf claws against the wood. "Hayley!? Nicolas!?" The sound of a dim heartbeat pulled his attention to the second coffin which seemed to be about the only thing left untouched in the room. He sped over and yanked the lid off to find Nicolas still sleeping inside, seemingly unharmed. "Freya!"

~ 0 ~

Hope was right outside Nicolas' bedroom when her father and aunt returned from the church. She was rather confused to only find Nicolas with them and not her mother. It wasn't until Klaus told her what they'd found that she gathered some sense.

"This can't be right, I protected them both!" Hope peeked through the cracked open door to see Freya working on undoing the sleeping spell on Nicolas. "I wrote the perfect cloaking spell, I kept them safe. I...I don't understand."

Klaus hated to be the one to tell her what they'd found, he really did. "Hayley's coffin was destroyed. Whatever happened to your mother didn't happen without a fight."

"A fight that didn't include Nicolas," Hope was left to wonder just why Nicolas was spared. She was grateful for it but it didn't answer any questions at the moment.

"Look, I know it wasn't your intention for someone to get hurt. I know you did this because we left you with no choice," Klaus set a hand on her shoulder, ignoring the heightened whispers in his head. "Sweetheart, look at me. This... this is our fault. We're going to fix it, I swear."

"How?" Hope looked him in the eyes. "Between you and aunt Freya you're going to fix everything? I've made a mess and I want to clean it up."

Klaus shook his head. "I've already spoken to Alaric. You'll go back to Mystic Falls tonight. I need to know you're safe. And, provided that Nicolas wakes up well, he'll help too."

"...and aunt Mal?" Hope knew that the blonde vampire hadn't returned since Klaus kicked her out. "If something went after my mom, how do we know it's not coming back for us?"

"I-I will find her, and we'll make sure that she's safe in her own home," Klaus made that promise to her and himself. Seven years of long distance would not go to waste, no.

Freya walked out the room that moment, sheepishly looking at the two. "The sleeping spell is undone but Nicolas is still going to need a couple hours to get better."

"But he'll be okay, right?" Hope anxiously peered around Freya to see her older brother still with his eyes closed.

"Yes," Freya answered for both her and Klaus' sake. "I'll need to go back to St. Ann's to see if any spells could give us any clues of what happened."

"Thank you," Klaus told her and moved away so that Freya could leave. He then went into the bedroom with Hope to see Nicolas.

Nicolas slept soundly in his bed, but the promise that he would wake up relieved his family. Hope rushed to his side and gave him a sloppy hug. "I'm so sorry, Nick. I didn't mean to hurt you. I-I just wanted to fix things."

Klaus watched from the foot of the bed. His heart ached for the two of his kids, while another part of him yearned for Maleny and Marlenie to be with them. He missed all of them, along with his family, and he would do anything to get them back.

Even if it was just for a little bit…

~0~

There was soothing jazz music playing in the town square when Klaus arrived. His eyes gazed over the familiar setting he hadn't seen in seven years. Everything remained the same despite the time.

The whispers in his head were heightened.

He didn't have to search much to spot a blonde sitting at a public bench. She was sitting with her legs crossed, one arm over the bench's top and her cheek resting over her hand. He made himself walk towards the bench even though the whispers were getting louder.

Without ever moving, Maleny sensed the approaching visitor. Her eyes narrowed on the jazz musicians, though her interest wasn't exactly on them anymore. "You know, in seven years I don't think I've ever heard music like New Orleans plays. It's one of the things I miss from this place." She uncrossed her legs and shifted on the bench to see Klaus coming around. Her bitter smile was a warning she was still getting over his rudeness from earlier. "So imagine how...surprising it is to have so many people in the Quarter give me dirty looks."

The only person she could think who hadn't given her the same looks was Zara, and that was only because it was expressions of nervousness that the young witch gave her. Maleny thought the witch was pretty harmless after spending an afternoon with her. While neither woman made progress to find Nicolas and Hayley, Maleny could see that Zara was a kind woman.

"People brand you as a Mikaelson and that unfortunately does not give you the best of attention," Klaus' voice pulled her back to the present.

Maleny didn't buy his excuse, in fact it only seemed to irritate her more. "Please, you may not like me but don't ever insult my intelligence." She looked back to the musicians, though she wasn't listening to them much anymore.

Klaus swallowed hard and cautiously sat at the edge of the bench. The whispers were bombarding his mind and he thanked God - or Abigail - that Maleny couldn't hear the whispers. Abigail made a complicated spell to keep Maleny's mind abliss from the whispers plaguing the Mikaelson siblings.

"What do you want, Niklaus?" her sharpness made the man wince. It was cold and angry, two emotions she'd rarely used on him. "If you're worried about me coming back to the compound rest assured I received your message loud and clear. I wouldn't want to be the reason Hope doesn't see her father."

"I'm...sorry," Klaus spoke slowly, putting his hands together. He kept his eyes trained on the musicians because if he looked at Maleny he wouldn't be able to keep his distance. "I was upset over Nicolas' and Hayley's disappearances."

"You're apologizing? The great Niklaus Mikaelson apologizing to someone? That's a story for the headlines. I don't expect you to like me, nor for you to apologize, but I do want to make it clear that until Nicolas and Hayley turn up I am not going anywhere." There was a light shift in the air and suddenly Maleny had pinned Klaus against a wall, "Now you may hate me, you may not want me around but I am here to stay. So if you try any tricks to get to me to leave you'll have me as an enemy too. And just so we're clear, there are no cures for my abilities."

Her threat was meant with full force. Klaus knew that and it just pained him. Besides that, he was intoxicated with her closeness. This was the first time he had her so close in seven years. Her scent filled the air around them. It brought back the memories of situations that he would really like to repeat.

But the whispers were excruciatingly loud.

There was a scream in the town square that made Maleny let go of Klaus to turn around. Her eyes landed on the fountain that spilled blood into its contents. People noticed it and were scared as they watched it. As Maleny stepped forwards, she felt something coming up her throat.

She clasped a hand around her neck when the clawing turned into a lump that wasn't going away. Her loud, violent coughing caught the attention of nearby civilians but Klaus swept her away from the scene. He took her to a nearby alley and thought of what to do to help her. She was coughing for air, choking on whatever was in her throat but he couldn't understand what.

"Mal!? I'm going to take you to Freya-"

Maleny waved one of her hands, but he couldn't tell if it was her way of ordering him to shut up or if it was a cry for help. Suddenly she threw her head down as if she was throwing up, but in reality she was letting a snake out of her mouth. Both she and Klaus stared with wide, stunned eyes at the swiveling snake on the ground with wide.

"Wh-wh-what just happened?" Maleny's voice shook as did her entire body. Her eyes were glossy when she looked up at Klaus. He was guilt-ridden.

"This is why we can't be under the same roof," he whispered, but was heard perfectly. "I don't hate you, Mal. In fact, you will never understand just how much I care for you."

"I-I don't - I don't understand-"

Klaus helped her get back on her feet but he immediately took steps away from her. Maleny breathed hard, her eyes never straying from his.

"Go back to the compound, okay? Nicolas is there. I'll go find Hayley," Klaus offered her a bit of a smile before speeding off.

Maleny used the brick wall to keep herself on her feet. Her breathing became heavier as she processed what happened. The snake was still slithering somewhere but she just couldn't understand why this happened. What the hell was going on?


Author's Note:

The Coronavirus shut down has brought me back to this story. Work's been cancelled for a week and I had a dream last night about these two for some reason. Anyways, here I am hoping to finish this story once and for all!

P. S: I have created a tumblr account dedicated to my fanfic works! It's also a place where anyone can comment about a story or even just talk to me! I often drop aesthetic work belonging to my stories too! Feel free to check it out, my URL is "noble-crescent" and the tag I created for any posts having to do with my work is # noblecrescentedit.

For the review:

CJ/OddBall: There's more to Julius I promise! And don't worry about it, glad to have you around for this last story! I got sidetracked myself as you can see! Oh totally, Julie Plec had no idea how to end this story - personally I think she stopped figuring things out since Cami's death - so she just slapped some things together for the finale and said 'here you go!'. Klaus will not die in my story, no way!