Old Lockwood Cellar
November 26, 2010
It was remarkable feeling with what hosting a traditional family Thanksgiving meal can do to a person's spirits Elena reflected as she waited for Bonnie and her mother to join her.
Before Elena's trip into the past, she'd often worried what there would've been to really celebrate during the holiday season with everything that had happened in the Gilbert family. The family cemetery plot didn't have anymore room for another body, not that she would ever have need for one. However, since the accident, her life had taken a strange meandering path for sure. Glancing down at her phone for the dozenth time, she noted the time and lack of reply to her previous message before she sighed in resignation. She wasn't about to go inside and miss them she hadn't seen any other vehicle nearby so it was probably a safe bet that neither Bonnie nor Abby were down in the cave network.
Elena had wanted to prove that she still cared deeply for her best friend, but that gesture was only possible if they chose to join her that is, she thought with building frustration.
Unlike Caroline, who would characteristically be sending literally walls of text repeatedly while in comparison she'd only received sporadic terse responses from Bonnie since they had parted ways on Monday. Nor wasn't it a good sign that her friend had entirely stopped, including her favorite emojis in the few texts she bothered to send Elena. For Caroline, their usage while a given was quite literally treated as another written language.
She was even now slightly baffled by odd collection of emojis that according to Caroline, somehow clearly stated that Tyler might be cheating on her with some werewolf bitch he met while trying to break his sirebond. After waiting for her friend to switch back to texting like a normal neurotic person, Caroline had with painful detail described how she had distinctly heard a woman's voice in the background when Tyler had checked in after leaving Mystic Falls.
It was only afterwards that her friend realized she'd affectively betrayed her boyfriend regardless of his cheating status having been fully verified or not, but using Caroline's doctrine on said relationships Tyler Lockwood would be found guilty until proven innocent.
In truth, Elena really didn't want to share this latest revelation with Klaus since it would most definitely get her childhood friend killed by her brother in law. Family or not, she wasn't going to let Klaus kill him unless he proved to be a threat to her family, but it did emphasized the point she'd tried to address when they were alone at their sacrifice site. His hybrid management paradigm most definitely was in urgent need of an overhaul, but ultimately it was up to him Elena noted sadly. So she waited until she felt the air move as she silently took note of the arrival of the Bennett's she had hoped they would come.
"Hello Bonnie, Abby thank you for coming," Elena started turning to face them both. Bonnie's mouth instantly snapped closed as if she was about to announce their arrival. A part of Elena was curious about what her friend might have said in greeting, instead she focused on more important matters.
"Well? Were here what do you want to show us?" Bonnie asked her expression neutral. Elena felt her heart stutter for a fraction of a second, it really hurt, how one of her closest friends was acting towards her. Elena could have confronted Bonnie about it now, but it most likely would cause more harm than good, so instead she handed her friend a flashlight.
Neither Abby nor she would have need of one, but Bonnie probably wouldn't appreciate stumbling in the dark without a light source.
"Come on it's down here," Elena motioned for them to follow her into the cave network. It had been a rush job with the holidays, but she and Elijah had both been persuasive and they had offered the Mayor seizable compensation for the property. But in Elena's mind the money had been for a worthy cause. With that in mind, Elena felt for the deed in her coat once again just to reassure herself she hadn't forgotten to bring legal papers along with her.
As they moved deeper into the network, the awkward silence started to eat at Elena's own insecurities, it wouldn't do if they didn't at least try to communicate.
"So Uh… Bonnie how was your Thanksgiving?" Elena asked already mentally kicking herself for how it had sounded to her own ears. She honestly had no idea how it might have come across to Bonnie or her mother.
"It was fine I guess, dad couldn't make it, because of last minute flight cancellation. So it was just the three of us. So Uh… how was yours?" Bonnie answered back somewhat awkwardly. By her voice and telltale skip in Bonnie's heartbeat, Elena could tell that wasn't exactly the truth, but she saw no reason to pry.
"It was different from our previous family get together, to say the least, but Jer and I adjusted well enough."
Elena stopped when she sensed that Bonnie had stopped following after her.
"Are you okay, Bonnie?" Elena asked, looking back at her friend. There was a troubled expression on her friend's face, and it took a minute for her to realize what it might be about. Or at least she thought she did until Bonnie answered her with a question of her own.
"Lena, why is Jer living with you and them? I mean doesn't he have a perfectly good house of his own?"
Elena was almost too stunned to respond. It almost seemed like her childhood friend was trying to start an argument with her, and she didn't understand exactly why that would be the case.
"He is free to leave whenever he wants Bon, but in light of past events and given the fact that my childhood home as of late has too many vampires coming and going. We both thought that at least for now, this is the best alternative until ownership of the house and the family lake house are legally signed over to my brother."
Elena was upset with her friends questioning her that she did add that while they were acquiring the land from the Lockwoods Elena had taken the opportunity to legally transfer both the Gilbert Family home and the lake house to her little brother. Jeremy now could have a say in who has access to who does or doesn't have permission to enter. Thanks to Elena's unique nature she really didn't need permission, but that didn't mean she ever planned on abusing it either.
"I see doesn't that mean you'll need a invitation from him to enter your former home?"
There was something in how Boonie had phrased the question that almost felt as if she was taking some level of satisfaction, and that knowledge angered her to some degree. Instead of snapping at her friend Elena tried a different tack by addressing Abby with a subtle question.
"Abby, I guess you didn't tell Bonnie then, if I'm not mistaken?"
"What are you talking about? Mom, what is she-"
"Bon as a witch vampire hybrid we don't exactly need a invitation into a home or property." Abby sighed, but not before shooting Elena a rather annoyed glare.
"Then why?" Bonnie asked confused. Giving both Elena and her mother a wary look of alarm. To the point that Elena felt measure of regret for bringing the matter up but it would have come out eventually and in her mind there had been enough things hidden by secrets for far too long.
"Why did I wait until you invited me inside your home? Easy, I didn't want to assume that although I'm your mother, I didn't have the right to enter your home without at least your permission." Abby answered succinctly.
"I would never dream of violating your privacy without first asking permission to enter Bonnie."
"You could always order me to do it," Bonnie said indignantly. Which only reminded Elena that she needed to fix things before their friendship was put in jeopardy.
"I could but I won't, come on it's not that much further ahead."
She could have continued trying to reassure her friend instead, Elena increased the distance between herself and them giving Bonnie and her mother some semblance of privacy as for herself she was left alone with her own thoughts. Even after her revealing her Tribrid nature to Klaus, she still hadn't shared that specific detail with the remainder of their family, in particular her own husband. Klaus said he understood, but he did remind her that it would be harder on her if she waited too long.
It wasn't that she believed that Elijah would reject her or their children, but she wasn't exactly sure how best to tell him.
"How are you two little ones doing, Elena?" Abby inquired, her question having caught Elena somewhat off guard in the process.
"Um… Abby, they uh… are both doing very well now thank you for asking." Elena answered, then shared a minor point of contention within her family.
"Although Elijah has to compete with his own sister to have any sort of quality time with them."
Once again they lapsed into a silence as they continued their passage through the cave network it wasn't until they were standing in the antechamber just outside Ayana's Spellchamber that Bonnie asked Elena question.
"Just what are we doing down here, Elena? I mean what is so special about this place?" Bonnie complained.
Just as Elena was trying to formulate how best to respond, Bonnie's mother answered.
"Can't you feel it, Bonnie?"
"Abby?" Both Elena and Bonnie responded in unison.
Ignoring Elena, Abby turned to face her daughter, taking care not to blind her with the light.
"Bonnie, close your eyes, allow your other senses to wander and you'll feel the magic it… it calling to us you just have to lower whatever defenses you've erected around yourself," Abby explained. For a half a heart it appeared to Elena that her friend wouldn't acquiescence to her own mother's plea before she felt her own shoulder muscles relax when Bonnie reluctantly closed her eyes and then slowed her breathing.
She had found it simply fascinating to watch how the ebb and flow of magic drifted about the antechamber when considering how it was even more intense in Ayana's former Spellchamber. The pang of the memory of her old friend helped to steady herself, but the lingering loss of Ayana's sage advice had become something she missed dearly. Even now Elena felt a measure of guilt that she had been given the opportunity to know Bonnie's direct ancestor in such a manner why her friend hadn't.
"I… I feel something!" Bonnie said in wonderment. Abby and Elena watched together as Bonnie reached out with her hands as if to trying to touch the ambient magic. Elena found herself smiling wanly at her best friend's mother who returned her smile with one of her own. At the time she wasn't in Astral Form when the mother daughter duo were looking for a secure place to hid themselves and Elena's formerly sealed coffin. She suspected Bonnie might have suggested the chamber from how Damon couldn't gain admittance even into the antechamber. Not that anyone of them were even aware of the much larger chamber beyond. It felt like she was to some degree coming full circle considering how she had all but stumbled into the Spellchamber where she'd found what she thought incorrectly at the given time was a stone statue of herself.
"Then you should even have a stronger reaction in the larger chamber," Elena said her response brought their attention back onto herself. Bonnie's weary eyes snapped open and Elena felt a measure of guilt once again for her subtle manipulation, but it was necessary all the same.
Elena proceeded to follow just after Bonnie and then Abby into their ancestor's chamber, she wanted to give both of them time to take it in for themselves without her intruding. When she had learned to Astral Project herself, she'd discovered much to her annoyance that the spell chamber was one of the few places in existence she couldn't enter. In retrospect, after talking with Freya she understood why, but it still had left a sour note in her soul she couldn't see her own children.
"Is… that whatever it is, solid crystal?" Bonnie's voice echoed from the chamber, taking that as her queue to enter Elena stood just inside the entrance. The magic which flowed about in the room but was muted but seemed to grow in waves, leaving Elena to consider if the spell chamber was readying itself for its true masters. The large crystalline structure, to her surprise was starting to emit light again.
"Yes, your ancestor Ayana once told me she and her student my mother in law found it when they made this place their home centuries ago. This chamber, in particular, is why I wanted to bring both of you to see it."
"Why, what is so special about it other than the magic it feels-" Bonnie asked, but stopped when a curious frown creased her brow.
"Abby, Bonnie, could you tell me how the magic feels to you?"
Elena having made eye contact with Abby really didn't need her response, but she didn't want to be rude in not including her best friend's mother. Bonnie, oblivious to the interchange closed her eyes and extended her senses.
"It… It feels like…," Bonnie started but just as quickly her eyes snapped open looking first at her mother then at her estranged friend. "It feels like Grams!"
The dam broke, loosing her unshed tears as Elena acknowledged Bonnie's statement. "Boonie, the Bennett witches have always had a unique connection with those of their bloodline as well as communicating with supernatural beings that no longer walk this world." Elena started her arms sweeping out to take in the entire circular chamber.
"This place is a focal point that allows such interactions. It wasn't until my trip into past that I really understood the full implications, but there was a reason that my brother can communicate with ghosts and it's related to your Bennett bloodline."
"Jer? Focal Point? What are you saying?"
Elena had only just parted her lips in preparation to formulate a answer when a voice she hadn't heard for what felt like a lifetime spoke first.
"Child, your friend is trying to say that within these stone walls all Bennett witches can converse with ghosts. Especially with those of our bloodline."
As one, they turned to face the Spell Chamber's latest visitor. Elena felt her heart skip as she took in the apparition of someone she had long regretted her role in the elder Bennett's passing. The old woman's head briefly turned to regard her with a expression that reminded her of her mother, before returning to her best friend.
"Grams? How?"
"Hush child, I think your friend has something else to say to both of you," Shelia Bennett admonished her grand daughter. Even Elena wasn't immune to Shelia's scrutiny when she noticed Shelia watching her out of the periphery of her vision. She was suddenly overcome with a embarrassing memory of Bonnie, Caroline, and herself as preteens having been caught by her grandmother trying to smoke one of in her grandmother's bathroom. At the time, they assumed that Grams was too inebriated to even be aware of their transgression.
"Abby, Bonnie of the Bennett familial bloodline. I, Elena Mikaelson, born of the Petrova line do hereby now, and forever release you and your kin from your oaths," Elena said, putting as much heartfelt honesty as she could into the effort.
She'd long rehearsed that particular oath for decades once she learned that she alone had the power to do so. For whatever reason her and Bonnie's ancestors forged that bond through blood magic, it was her responsibility to release them from something they had no means of doing it themselves.
Elena could both feel and see the magical aura that bound the two witches to her pull back into themselves. While the effect on her was minimal at most how it affected her child friend and her mother was more profound to say the least.
"Elena? What did you do?" Bonnie asked both in awe and with some trepidation for which Elena didn't hold against her friend. Far too often she had asked Bonnie for help with all of the supernatural nonsense that seemed to find her regardless of her feelings on the matter.
"Child, she released our family obligations to her bloodline. Which means if you or your eventual descendants which to aid her at some future time, it will be their choice to do so," Grams smiled at her grand daughter.
As the full implications of what Elena had done for Bonnie's family, Elena silently watched as more and more ghostly apparitions of whom she could only assume were former Bennett witches. Like Emily and her daughter, for example Elena not wanting to intrude in the long overdue reunion turned to leave when she found a familiar friendly face blocking her escape.
"Hello Ayana, my apologies for taking so long in releasing your family," Elena spoke softly so only Ayana could hear, but a quick glance at her child hood friend she was too busy with her discussion with her grandmother.
"Thank you for doing what you did." Ayana said, moving closer to her former charge.
"It was long overdo, I only wish I had done it sooner before-"
"Hush child, what happened is now in the past, are you going to tell them about the deed?"
"How? Never mind stupid question. You'd think I would considered the chances you witnessed my actions earlier. Perhaps when you talk to them yourself, you can tell them. I have all the paperwork ready they only need to stop by my home and sign with a witness and this land will be legally theirs."
"Your birth mother, Isobel, always said you were a compassionate person. I never doubted it."
"Isobel? How? I-"
Ayana quickly pulled Elena in for a hug and before Elena could think of resisting. Ayana whispered into her ear.
"Elena, you don't remember visitations to the other side such as the thankfully few times you have been there, but sometimes what transpires there is purposefully excluded from your mind just prior to your return to the living."
"I don't understand," Elena responded, trying to pull away, but somehow Ayana held her firmly in place.
"Hush Elena Mikaelson, right now just watch and learn. There will come a time when you will help another who has traveled to the other side just like you have. Someone who will need to remember, too."
Elena watched in utter fascination as the ambient magic surrounding them slowly weaved itself into a pattern that while complex seems so obvious that its structure was almost like it was meant to be.
"Memento quod semel oblitus!" Ayana whispered.
Elena slowly started to understand in order to replicate it, she most likely would need to cast a memory charm to recall the spell itself. However all of this wasn't as important right then she'd reflect on it later when thanks to Ayana's spell. She was suddenly overwhelmed with memories Elana hadn't even realized she had forgotten. Ayana was right it seemed that these specific memories were all from when she was technically deceased. Seeing both her aunt and then her birth mother's again was almost too much for her to endure. To her own surprise Elena found herself crying, and she did rightly care if anyone saw her, right at that moment.
Mikaelson Mansion
November 26, 2010
"Niklaus, alright then just when can I finally get up, I'm getting hungry again?" Tatia huffed, mainly in defiance to his order to remain in the same pose. Feeling rebellious, she intentionally made a show of blowing away a strand of hair which had come free from the sloppy pony tail she'd pulled it into the prior evening before turning in with him, for the night.
As it was becoming the norm for them, he'd woken up long before she had and he'd naturally been inspired by the alluring brunette sharing his bed. Never in his long life had he thought he'd hold her again and thanks to his restored memories curtsy of his sister in law the long held belief that he and Elijah had fought over the same girl was nothing more than a mental fabrication to reconcile their shared experience with a Petrova Doppelgänger. Although in Elijah's circumstance it had been Elena Gilbert, sent back into time when they were all still human.
It still amazed him to learn that she was a Tribrid of all things something he had never considered a possibility but in retrospect it did make a perverse sort of sense that if werewolf and vampire hybrid like himself. Not to mention that a witch and vampire could exist, then why not a amalgamation of all three species?
"Be still my Love, I'm almost finished, I just need to get this one tiny part done while I still have the proper amount of lighting."
"Niklaus? What are you up to?" Tatia answered, drawing out his name.
He always had hated his birth name. Even when he was still a child, his eldest brother Finn, had explained to him that their father had picked it to honor a slain warrior from the old world. So even from the start he had to live up to Mikael's near impossible standards of what someone with the name of a fallen warrior should behave or act. Hence his preferred usage of it either as Klaus or Nik. Which, for the latter, only his closest family members used it. And yet only Elijah and Tatia seemed to address him by his given name.
Elijah did more so because his brother was firm stickler for protocol and formality. He honestly didn't know how she did it, but hearing his name fall from her lips would awaken something primal in him, and he found he really did like hearing his name come from her lips.
"You know patience is a virtue, love," Klaus smirked over at her before disappearing back behind his easel.
"Oh? Is that so? You seemed to be lacking of said 'patience', when I was trying something out on you last night just like what I saw on that television thing. Indeed you seemed to very much approved of my ministrations of your uh…. Well, let just say I've never seen your eyes turn such a captivating shade of gold before," Tatia answered coquettishly.
"Tatia? Love, I'm really need to concentrate over here," he admonished her although not in his tone he reserved for others, which would in all probability have indicated their fate as a would be snack if they continued to disturb his focus. Tatia was one of the rare individuals he could lower his guard around others. Even his own siblings and sister in law were not afforded that glimpse of his vulnerability.
"It's such a shame then, I was really wishing instead, you'd might have perhaps given me a very good reason. Why I shouldn't get out of bed to start our day, but-" Tatia purred, stretching her lithe body out over their bed. She had only just started to sit up, pulling her silk robe back over her bare shoulders, covering them much to his displeasure.
Tatia gasped with mixture of surprise as well as pleasure as his hard body molded into soft curves. Klaus was sorely temped to shred her silk nightgown, but it had been a gift from him. In the tenth century the existence of silk hadn't been introduced but even if it had Mikael would rejected such a waste of his fortune on what he know doubt would've proscribed a useless luxury.
However aroused he was at that very moment the second when his enhanced hearing first detected her elevated heart rate in tandem with her own heighten arousal, but it was only afterwards he could also discern the faint fluttering heartbeat of their unborn child.
"Niklaus? What's wrong?"
Klaus didn't have to endure his own paranoia filled temperament that their conversation would be overheard thankfully do in part to his witches, sound proofing everyone's apartments.
"I… I don't want to hurt you or- Tatia?!" Klaus answered back but when she started to turn sickly pale he promptly moved back in alarm, worried he might have hurt her, but how?
"Bathroom!" Tatia choked out and while it felt like a eternity as the rusty memory of his sister in law in a familiar predicament flashed to the forefront of his brain. He acted quickly, whisking her to their apartment's bathroom.
The memories of holding his brother's mutilated body was the last time he felt so utterly helpless, but now it was even worse to witness the love of his life puking her guts out into the porcelain bowl. The only thing he could do was just hold her long brunette hair out of the way while trying his best to comfort her as her stomach rebelled.
"I'm fine…" Tatia tried to reassure him right before another bout of queasiness hit her. So he waited. It took her sometime to recover and when she finally sat up straight, Klaus handed her a glass of water.
"Do you want me to get Elena or one of my witches to help you?" He answered after insisting she finish her water first.
"Klaus, it's just morning sickness it's not like I've never had to deal with it before."
"I know love I… I just-"
Tatia reached for his hand, taking it firmly pulling towards her chest.
"I know Niklaus, you just being here is good enough for me. Are we still going to do as Elena suggested and tell everyone about the baby?"
After her question Klaus arm's stiffen around her, then just quickly relaxed his hold on her small frail form. He had faced many foes, including his own supposed father, but there was something about his Tatia that he both cherished and feared. And he really didn't know which of those worried him the most.
"Niklaus?"
"Yes… Love, I'm just trying to work out in my head how best to break the news to everyone." Klaus declared.
"Well? We don't have very much time, based on what you and the others have described about your uh…. heightened senses. They should all by now be able to detect the extra heartbeat too, knowing them they will really start asking questions. And Niklaus, I refuse to deny you the right to declare your paternity!"
For his part, he didn't let his outside demeanor reflect how he was reacting to her distress internally. From what Elena had tried to describe about the magic used to alter their collective memories, it had crafted false memories that justified Tatia being the focal point of a lovers triangle between him and his older brother. But it had also altered everyone's perception of the type of person his Tatia was.
Other than her very late husband Lodur then himself, his Tatia contrary to the what these fictitious memories portrayed her as, Tatia Petrova was not a harlot. Thankfully to his restored memories the belief that he and his siblings intellectually restored understood, but they all had at least a thousand years of built up emotional feelings, his sister Rebekah had conflicting memories of Tatia being her friend then someone she disliked which she attributed to the supposed love triangle that was in reality a magically induced mental fabrication.
"You're right love. And with Katerina doing her part she will be on a 'date' with her boyfriend Stefan Salvatore this evening. With her out of the way we can share the news with the family," Klaus explained he still didn't fully agree with letting Elena's ancestor out but even he had to agree that with the town's water supply contaminated with vervain they couldn't compel anyone to think otherwise.
Mikaelson Mansion
November 26, 2010
He didn't understand why, but something was pushing him to explore the Klaus's studio. Ever since he had woken up at the Mikaelson Estate just after Damon in a fit of rage had snapped his neck for his part in helping Elena escape, there was something about the studio that almost seem to call to him.
Anybody in their right mind would avoid pissing off a thousand year werewolf vampire hybrid with anger issues, but ever since waking up Jeremy had felt off, and he didn't understand why. Right when he did come around, he also felt like he'd just finished saying goodbye to someone too, which would have been disturbing enough by itself.
"Jeremy, are you really sure, you want to do this now?" Anna asked nervously.
Jeremy quickly dropped his frown, before turning back to answer his former vampire girlfriend. Even now, they were still working out the mechanics of their unusual relationship. It wasn't like she could possess someone body not that they tried, but they both agreed it would have been weird experience kissing a stranger all the while knowing that Anna was controlling those stranger's lips.
"Why not? Elena is still out with Bonnie and her mom. As far as I know Elijah, still has my niece and nephew. And everyone else is still busy with their after school business," he asked not entirely understanding her reluctance to explore the very room he's felt a unearthly urge to explore.
"I just don't want Klaus to catch you in here digging through his things," Anna retorted defensively. Jeremy didn't entirely know why, but ever since waking up from the result of Damon's latest temper tantrum, there was something off about how Anna had been acting lately. Like she was holding something from him.
"He is upstairs with Tatia and you heard Elena describe how all the apartment suites are magically soundproofed? Besides, if he didn't want anyone to enter his art studio he should have locked the freaking door. Now come on."
Jeremy slowly opened the French doors which marked the entry point to the homicidal Hybrid's inner sanctuary and without really intending to, he instead of moving deeper inside Jeremy stood on the threshold in stunned silence. At first glance, it appeared the lavish studio was almost as large as the first floor of his and Elena's family home. By a quick estimate at least two thirds of the walls were floor to ceiling windows, not only did they offer a good view of the manicured landscape just outside, but even his budding artistry eye found the layout offered enough natural lighting for several hours over the course of a single day.
Several dozen or more canvas in various states of completeness were either carefully stacked against the interior wall or still on easels almost as if they were waiting for their creator to return only after he found the necessary inspiration to continue.
Oddly enough, Jeremy found he could relate he had dozens of sketchbooks himself. And while he preferred to work in either pencil or chalk. By all appearances, his aunt and sister's killer preferred oils or watercolor.
"I must say this uh… painting over here is rather um… detailed!" Anna's voice called out from a far corner he hadn't yet reached in his exploration.
Intrigued, Jeremy started back over towards where he found Anna inadvertently blocking the supposed painting she was still admiring, but before he could get a better look she quickly turned away from it and tried to wave him off.
"What?"
"Jer, I don't think you want to see this one!"
"Huh? Why not?"
"Because I don't think you'd want to see a very good likeness of your sister in the semi nude!" Anna started trying to placate him but visibly winced when his response was louder than either of them had probably intended.
"WHAT!?"
"QUIET!" Anna hissed, before lowering her voice to a whisper. "Are you trying to get caught!? I said it looks like your sister and I'll stand by that. But think about it for half a bloody minute before you go off half cocked. Who else could it be?"
"What do you mean… Oh!" Jeremy started to ask but abruptly stopped his face turning hot when realization slapped him square on the forehead.
"Tatia?" He asked weakly while desperately hoping that he was right.
"Well Duh! What's with you? You've been acting weird ever since-" Anna answered, rolling her eyes before cutting herself off.
Jeremy didn't seem to notice considering he was still feeling rather embarrassed about seeing a painting that while it was of Elena's ancestor didn't entirely matter considering their supernatural origin. Trying to push whatever Klaus had painted out of his mind, he returned to his exploration. He didn't know why but it felt as if something was calling to him thankfully whatever it was no where near the painting Anna had found. But that didn't stop her from teasing him at his expense.
"Are you sure you don't want to take look?" Anna asked innocently, making him wish she were still alive so he could throttle her.
"Ha ha… Very funny," he snaked back.
As they both continued to explore, he had to force himself to cease rubbing the back of his hand again. Lately even he had started to notice the odd behavior himself. He knew he'd most likely developed Post-Traumatic Stress ever since his own introduction to the supernatural world, but even this behavior seemed unusual even for him. Maybe when Elena got back from her errand, he might bring it up with her privately.
He was standing near a work table when he felt the urge to turn towards a antique glass inlaid cabinet tucked in the far corner.
"Uh… Jeremy, what are you doing?"
Jeremy's consciousness of Anna speaking faded into the background as he opened the cabinet, his hands reached almost instinctively for a wood carved figurine.
"Jeremy what the hell?"
As soon as his fingers touched it, he felt the world suddenly shift around him. Momentarily startled Jeremy looked down where to his surprise and growing confusion. He found the wooden figure clasped in one hand as the other expertly whittled fine pieces of wood from it with a very sharp looking knife. Was it the same figurine the one in his hands looked familiar but not quite.
But the hands were not his by any measure instead the fingers looked thinner than his own, but also had callouses and thin scars. Which neither of his hands had traces of. Dumbfounded, he watched as those fingers worked diligently over the wood block. Jeremy slowly realized he wasn't in control of either hand almost as if he were a mere spectator going along for the ride.
"Bróðir, hvernig mjök longer?" A cheerful voice asked, making Jeremy or whomever body he was residing in to look up at the person who had just spoken. Even though Jeremy didn't understand a word, he somehow knew what the question had been.
"Soon enough, Henrik, what do you think it should be?"
Jeremy blinked and nearly stumbled back into the still open cabinet when a pair of fierce golden eyes seemed to bore straight into him.
"I'd asked you a question?!" Klaus Mikaelson's voice grated out harshly.
"I… I…"
Jeremy could only watch as if he were a mere spectator, as a rather infuriated Original Hybrid ever so carefully removed the wooden wolf figurine from his own fingers. The very instant it left his grasp he felt a pang of loss he didn't fully understand, but that was the least of his problems at that moment in time.
It wasn't until Klaus had with utmost care, as if the wooden wolf was religious icon returned it to the exact location in the antique cabinet that Jeremy even considered the possibility that it was magically charmed. If that were the case, it might explain why he had a out of body experience, but that could only mean those were the Original Hybrid memories he accidentally witnessed. So why did the kid with the cheerful voice seem so familiar to him? What had Klaus called him?
"Jeremy, it is only out of respect for my dear sister that I don't tear your head from your very shoulders, so I will ask you one final time. What were you doing with my things?"
"Your things? I… I don't know I just-" Jeremy asked dumbfounded his fingers twitched to reclaim the wooden wolf figurine.
"You just what, Jeremy? Wanted to invade my personally space?" Klaus hissed. Jeremy could only watch as his sister's brother in law and murder turned his back to close the glass door of the antique cabinet before he visibly shook himself and refaced his sanctuaries interloper once more.
"I had a entire mansion built for my extended family, including guests, and this is the thanks I get?"
Before Jeremy could even formulate a reasonable response, his other brother in law, Elijah intervened.
"Niklaus, is there a problem here?"
Jeremy tried his utmost best to unobtrusively peer between the two originals all the while measuring his likely chances of escaping the coming encounter. His hopes of escape came crashing down around him when he a large hand come to rest on his shoulder he applauded his self control not to pull away. Elijah gazed stoically back at him, offering no indication of than he was there to keep blood from being literally spilled.
There was something about the possibility of a fight both sicken and excited Jeremy, which was something he would need to dwell on at a later time. Rubbing his wrist again, Jeremy waited for Klaus to finish his tirade. It did help that as the Original Hybrid continued complaining about invasion of privacy allowed Jeremy to study the wood wolf figurine through the glass door.
There was just something about it that called out to him and if neither vampire had been present, he would have opened the cabinet to reclaim it once more.
"Elijah, he isn't even paying attention!" Klaus thundered, bringing Jeremy back to the present.
"Did you tell him that the art studio or the contents of the before mentioned cabinet were off limits?"
"Brother, I know what you are trying to do," Klaus warned unnecessarily.
Jeremy's eyes focused on Klaus there was something about it that triggered something perhaps it was only déjà vu but he could almost swear he heard Klaus say that more than once before but for the life of him he didn't understand how or why his words had a odd familiarity.
Elijah unmoved by his brother's outburst shifted his attention to his wife's brother.
"Jeremy, I think from here on out, it would be best for all of us if you gained permission before exploring. Does that sound agreeable?"
"Elijah? I-"
"Niklaus, aren't you coming back I starting to get hungry again- Oh! I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt-"
Klaus flashed over to stand with Tatia, for Jeremy it was a little disconcerting to see how the Original Hybrid's entire demeanor had shifted so swiftly. He was only just now starting to get used to seeing his own sister and Elijah have 'eye sex' almost every time but witnessing the same thing occur with Elijah's brother and Elena's Doppelgänger was almost too much to reasonably stomach.
Jeremy and Elijah watched as Klaus escorted Tatia out of his studio, but not before glaring pointedly at Jeremy.
Well, that could have gone somewhat better, you should know by now not to provoke my brother," Elijah sighed sometime afterwards.
"I didn't mean to, but there was just something about that wood figurine, do you know if it has been charmed or something?"
Elijah frowned as he digested Jeremy's question. Jeremy, without being too obvious looked around in order to find where Anna had moved to, but to his own aggravation couldn't find her anywhere in the vicinity. That really did mean too much considering she can make herself invisible even to him.
"Far as I know it has a preservation spell, he has had that since- well that isn't important, why do you ask?"
"So only a preservation spell? Then how could I possibly know Klaus made it for his little brother Henrik? What look I don't why-" Jeremy explained, but Elijah interrupted which from what he knew of the vampire Elijah Mikaelson wouldn't do something as crass without a good reason.
"Did Elena or any of my siblings tell you anything about my baby brother's like, for instance, what was his name?" Elijah asked his dark brown orbs searching deep into Jeremy's soul. Jeremy had the strangest feeling that he had once before undergone such scrutiny, but couldn't remember when that might have occurred. Had he been compelled to forget, but why would he even have any recollection?
"No… I don't think so," Jeremy started part of him hesitated to continue before he decided to just go with along with it by adding.
"But when I picked up that wood carving he made, I… I had this uh… vision."