If you recognize it, I don't own it! I own the OCs and a lot of CDs from my early pre-teen years (I'm aging myself by admitting that, lol)

Reviews feed the muse, my people!

TW: Miriam has a nightmare, but it's not super long, detailed, or horrifying.


Miriam hummed a song that wouldn't be released for another ten years as she worked on knitting a colorful blanket. "And isn't it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?" she whispered the lyrics, conscious of the fact that though she was outside on the porch and June was somewhere in the house, her superior vampire hearing could pick up Miriam's pitchy voice.

It had been a week since the dinner party, and every day had been busy. The day after the party Elijah had gotten a lead on Klaus and had taken off in search of his wayward younger brother. Miriam had told him that Klaus would come to Mystic Falls soon, but Elijah wanted to meet up with him before that happened. The problem was that Klaus was actively evading Elijah. It was like a game of tag, just at an adult level.

Even with being gone, Elijah was able to make things move. On the way home from the party he had convinced Miriam to look for a house that was big enough for her and her bodyguards. The day after she had agreed (and also the day Elijah had left) August had presented her with several house listings. The male witch had just grinned cheekily when Miriam asked him if they had already been planning on getting the house. She was half annoyed and half grateful that they had tricked her instead of forcing her to move before she was ready. She had picked a house that looked like it would fit everyone while also being close to town. The house had already been bought by Elijah; apparently he had bought several pieces of property in Mystic Falls. Within a couple of days furniture was delivered to the new house, which was on a large piece of property just outside of town. The house was a large colonial-style house that sat on a hill. It had three levels and five bedrooms. There was a room that was supposed to be a study but August and Dr. Martin had taken it over as some kind of witchy laboratory. They warned Miriam to stay away, but she needed no prompting; the room smelled weird.

The bedroom situation had caused a minor fight. Without Elijah there to charm her, Miriam stood her ground for much longer than she would have if he would have been there. August and June wanted her to have the largest room, the master bedroom. Miriam argued that she didn't need it; she had a limited amount of clothing and didn't need that much space. The argument went on for longer than necessary, in everyone's opinion. The end result: Miriam was sleeping in the master bedroom.

June had claimed the only bedroom in the basement, claiming that her vampire nature liked the limited light. August took one of the three bedrooms on the second floor, while Miriam's bedroom was on the main floor.

They had only been in the house a couple of days. It was an adjustment for Miriam, to live in such a big house after years of small apartments. Her room in the new house was as big as her previous apartment. The bathroom was gloriously big. Even better, there was hot water. Her first night in the new house was spent in the large bathtub, soaking in the heat from the water.

Her small amount of clothing looked ridiculous in the enormous closet. She had two boxes of pots, pans, and other kitchenware in the back of her closet, abandoned in favor of the newer stuff that August had purchased. Miriam knew she no longer needed them, but she couldn't bring herself to get rid of them. She had bought every piece with her own, hard-earned money. She had a feeling that even if she never used them again, she would keep them forever.

Miriam had also quit her job. It hadn't been an easy decision, but she knew it was the right one. Elijah promised to get her legal documents, and since he was also housing her, there was no reason for her to continue her cleaning job. She would miss the security the job had given her. Even with the horrible people and difficult manual labor, the job always guaranteed that she had some sort of income.

Elijah had insisted his money was her money now. It was a strange feeling, paying with a credit card again. It was also strange to know that she could buy anything and everything she wanted… and what she wanted was fruit.

Miriam went grocery shopping once they moved into the new house. The bill was enormous, and she felt guilty, but she still did it. June had been with her, and the female vampire had been a helpful, encouraging presence through the entire grocery run. Miriam got salads, several different types of fruit, juice, whole wheat bread, and other healthy foods. It was a comforting feeling, knowing that she had a fridge full of food.

The past week had been nearly perfect, minus Elijah's absence. Miriam had gone to bed each night with a full belly, which was something she would always appreciate. The house was warm, clean (for the most part), and there was hot water to use for showers. She didn't have to worry about rent, or food, or security. Honestly, she felt a little spoiled.

A week after Elijah left Baahir arrived in Mystic Falls.

Miriam waited nervously on the front porch of the new house, waiting for her soul brother to arrive. It was eleven in the morning, and she had been outside since nine, knitting and watching the road. The house was located on a street with several other houses, and whenever a car went by Miriam's eyes followed it, just to see if it would turn into the driveway. A big grin broke over her face when she saw the rental car turn into the driveway. Baahir parked haphazardly in front of the house, then rushed out of the car.

"Sweeting!" Baahir opened his arms and Miriam threw her knitting in a basket and jumped off the porch to get to him. She laughed as he swung her around.

"I missed you!" she said once he put her back on the ground.

"Me too. Now, let me look at you," he stepped away from her. He frowned. "You lost more weight since the last time I saw you."

"It doesn't matter now. I'm eating better, I'm living here. It's all fine now," Miriam tried to convince him.

Her efforts didn't seem to sway him, because he just narrowed his eyes at her.

"Hmm. I need to grab my suitcase, and then you will introduce me to your new roommates," he said, and vamp-sped back to the car.

Out of the corner of her eye, Miriam could see August and June watching them from just inside the front door of the house. She was suddenly nervous about her brother meeting her bodyguards.

Baahir had finished retrieving his small suitcase. He smiled at Miriam, and the two walked up the stairs of the porch.

"Baahir, this is August and June, my Elijah-appointed bodyguards slash roommates. Guys, this is Baahir Abadi, my brother is every way but blood. Please don't kill each other," Miriam chuckled nervously. She reached down to pick up her basket of knitting materials, while watching her bodyguards and brother face off.

"Baahir, come on in," August said, an inscrutable look on his face.

August, not Miriam, was the owner of the house. Elijah had wanted the house to be protected from vampires, so June wasn't the right person to own the house. She and August decided Miriam was too soft-hearted to be allowed the power to let in vampires, so it had gone to August (She had tried to argue otherwise, but they pointed out that August would never let a strange vampire into the house, while Miriam could be tricked or persuaded. She had begrudgingly agreed to their assessment of her character). At the moment only two vampires were allowed in the house: Elijah and June. Baahir made three.

Miriam showed Baahir to his room so he could drop off his suitcase. After, they went back downstairs to the kitchen, where June and August were making brunch.

"So… which one of you will tell me the uncensored truth of Miriam's exploits of the last few months?" Baahir asked casually as they entered the room.

"Baahir!" scolded Miriam.

"Ooh, ooh, pick me!" August grinned from his spot at the stove. He was making eggs manually and flipping pancakes with his magic.

"Tell me everything," Baahir prompted.

August did. He told Baahir about Miriam's awful living conditions, the racist landlord, her fighting off a werewolf with a shotgun, and her being kidnapped with Caroline. August and June were painfully truthful in their stories, and Miriam winced at each one. With each story Baahir's face became more and more stony. June finished her account of Miriam's injuries from her night with the werewolves and there was a tense silence. August was no longer teasing; his face was serious and he was eyeing Baahir like he was a wild animal. June had a similar look on her face. Miriam tried not to look at Baahir's face; she was scared of what she would see.

Baahir stood up at vampire speed and his chair went flying. His fingers curled into fists and Miriam could see the muscles in his arms straining in anger.

CRACK.

Miriam yelped as the granite countertop was cracked by Baahir's fist. Food and plates bounced and broke due to the force.

Baahir shook dust off his fist before grabbing Miriam by the shoulders. "You have been lying to me for months! Why didn't you tell me your situation was that bad? I could have helped! Philip could have helped! You didn't need to do it on your own, you stubborn girl!"

Despite his anger his hands were gentle. That gentleness, more than his words, caused tears to well-up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry!" she sniffled. "I didn't want to worry you!"

He gathered her into his arms. "Miriam, you are worrying me now!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she gasped out, vision fuzzy from her tears.

"Shhh. Calm down, sweeting. Everything is alright now," he vamp-sped them to her room and onto her bed.

Miriam clutched at her brother like he was a life-raft and she was drowning. "I-I was so, so scared!" she sobbed. She wasn't sure exactly which circumstance she was talking about; maybe everything she had been through since Baahir had moved to New Orleans.

The two remained embraced for a while. After Miriam had calmed down and her tears had dried, Baahir gently pulled away from her. His dark eyes, usually so joyous, now seemed their ancient age. Baahir was nearly as old as the Originals. He had seen the best and the worst of people. He had seen dynasties rise and fall. He had every right to be jaded, cruel, and callous. Instead, he believed in love. He had endlessly searched for his soulmate, and had been rewarded for his centuries of diligence with Philip. Despite being family-less, he had opened his heart to Miriam and allowed the sibling bond to fully form. She had been a stranger and an anomaly, but he had sheltered her and provided for her. Baahir might look like a young man, but he was ancient, and right now he was hurting because of the pain Miriam had caused herself.

She knew she had to be truthful to him; fully, brutally truthful. Slowly, with great hesitance, Miriam began to tell Baahir everything that had happened to her since he had left a year prior. She told him every grizzly detail, from her strange dreams of her mates to her living situation to her tentative attempts to change the timeline. Every story she told was told candidly; she was done sugar-coating things.

Baahir held her hands throughout the entire re-telling of her year. Despite his earlier act of frustration, he remained calm as Miriam told her story. Every now and then he asked questions. Finally, after over an hour of talking, Miriam fell silent.

"I understand why you thought some of your choices were for the best," Baahir started, speaking slowly, "and despite wanting to, I cannot change the past. You know you made mistakes and let your life be more difficult than need be. I… I hope you know that I would have helped you in any way that I could."

Miriam nodded, her throat tight.

"I am happy that you found one of your mates," he continued, his tone slightly lighter than before. "I am looking forward to meeting Elijah in person, and I cannot wait for you to meet your other mates."

Miriam laughed shakily. "I have four mates! What even is my life?"

"Your life is blessed, sweeting. You just need to accept it," he said firmly.

Miriam was still having trouble believing that her luck had changed. But she would try to believe it, because Elijah- and her other mates- deserved someone who didn't second-guess themselves at every turn. It would be hard to wrestle with her self-doubt and imposter syndrome, but she knew it would be worth it in the end.

Baahir spent three days in Mystic Falls. The first day had been the heaviest. They had spent the entire day at the new house, talking about Miriam's life and what Baahir had accomplished in New Orleans.

The second day had been more fun. Miriam and Baahir had spent the day in Richmond, shopping, eating, and drinking on Elijah's card. She had mostly (not at all, if she was honest) become alright with using Elijah's credit card, though every time she went to pay for something she half-expected the card to be declined and the cops called. Miriam hadn't been a big spender in her before-life (being raised by her middle-class, religious grandparents had instilled a deep value on the worth of a dollar), and certainly hadn't gained a shopping addiction in her new life. She was lucky Baahir was there to encourage her to pick items or food that she wanted, not the ones that were the cheapest. They bought her a variety of new, better quality clothes. They didn't shop at ridiculously expensive stores, but Baahir had convinced her to shop in stores that she actually wanted to go into. They also spent a good chunk of time at a hair salon. Miriam had needed a haircut, and she also had wanted better hair products. The day had been long, but the end result had been worth it.

On the third and final day of Baahir's visit Elijah came back.

The eclectic group had just finished breakfast and were cleaning up the dishes when the vampires perked up.

"Someone's coming up the driveway," June said, then vamp-sped away.

"The wards aren't going off, so I assume it's either a human or Elijah," August said.

"Elijah?" Miriam tried not to sound too eager, but by the knowing expression on Baahir's face, she failed.

June came back into the room. "Yes, it's Elijah," she confirmed, not even breathless from her speedy run.

Miriam hesitated. Baahir rolled his eyes.

"Go greet him, sweeting," he said, and Miriam didn't need any more encouragement. She set the dishes she had been holding down, and rushed out the front door.

Elijah was climbing out of his expensive car by the time Miriam made it to the porch. He smiled warmly up at her.

"Hello, vorgyðja," he greeted. He grabbed a suitcase from the trunk, then made his way to the porch. He stopped on the step below her.

"Hi," she said shyly, and before she lost all her nerve, she stood on her tip-toes and kissed him on the cheek.

When she pulled away she could see that Elijah looked pleasantly surprised.

"You are full of surprises," he murmured. He looked at her lips, and for one glorious second she thought that he was going to kiss her. But he must have decided against it, because he nudged her back and came fully up the stairs. "I heard your brother is visiting."

"Yes," she confirmed, and opened the front door wider so he could fit his suitcase through it. She wanted to warn Elijah that Baahir was planning a shovel talk, but she knew that Baahir and June would hear her. Stupid vampire hearing, she thought sourly.

June, August, and Baahir wandered into the hallway.

"I'll take that," June offered, motioning to Elijah's suitcase.

Elijah handed it over with a soft, "Thank you."

"Where should I put it? Upstairs, or…" June trailed off, looking pointily at Miriam.

Miriam blanched. She wanted to be close to Elijah, but she hadn't known him for very long. As safe as she felt with him, she didn't know if she was ready to share a bed with him. It was a weird situation: she knew more about him than he knew about her. It was an unequal situation, but she wanted to get to know him, the Elijah of this universe.

Elijah must have seen the indecision in her face, because he said, "Upstairs, please, June."

Baahir stepped forward as June walked past him.

"Baahir Abadi," he said, his hand outstretched. "You must be Elijah."

"Yes. It is nice to meet Miriam's soul brother," Elijah said, and accepted the handshake. Miriam could see both men's hands straining with the effort to hurt the other. She rolled her eyes. Men.

"I know you've been here before, Elijah, but do you have any opinions on kitchen counter colors? We are in need of a new one," August said, grinning from cheek to cheek.

"Oh?" Elijah pulled away from Baahir and started to walk towards the kitchen. "What happened?"

"It was my fault," Baahir admitted. "August and June told me several things Miriam had been leaving out of her phone calls, and I got angry."

They reached the kitchen and its new plywood countertop. Baahir and June had removed the old, cracked one. August had a shortlist of new countertops that he was interested in.

"I see," Elijah smiled slightly. Miriam thought that he approved of Baahir's unhappiness of Miriam's secret-keeping. She knew that if she wasn't careful the two men would gang up on her.

They had all settled in and were comfortably chatting in the kitchen. Miriam had just started to relax when Elijah completely pulled the rug out from under her.

"I am working on getting you legal documents and papers, vorgyðja," he said, and she nodded. "We can talk about that later. In the meantime, I am going to buy you a car."

Miriam's jaw dropped.

"Nice," Baahir nodded in approval.

"You can't buy me a car!" Miriam exclaimed.

"Why not? Do you want several cars?" Elijah asked, his grin cheeky and boyish. The grin made him look youthful and carefree.

Miriam wasn't truly mad at him, just shocked. "A car is too much, especially after getting the legal papers."

"You need a car, sweeting," Baahir insisted, fully on Elijah's side, damn him. "You live further from town now, and you can't always rely on using August or June's car."

"A car is a practical gift that I can afford to give you," Elijah added, his brown eyes sincere. "I can buy you a safe car that will last you a while. Please, let me."

She caved. Of course she caved.

They spent the rest of the day at a car dealership. Elijah had obviously done his research with cars, because he had a shortlist for Miriam to look at and test drive. She called him out on it, but he was unapologetic. He was even smug when his research paid off and they went home with a new car for Miriam. The next day she drove Elijah and herself to the Richmond airport in her silver 2009 Audi Q7. Baahir was driving his rental car. The two cars parked in a restaurant parking lot just outside of the airport to allow Miriam and Baahir enough time to say goodbye before he had to return his rental car and check-in for his flight.

"Calling and texting, both of which you will do bi-weekly and you will not leave anything out," Baahir said firmly. "If I could compel you to be truthful with me, I would. But for now I am just going to have to settle for your word."

"I promise to be truthful," she swore. She had seen how her dishonesty had hurt him. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

"I will miss you, sweeting," Baahir pulled her in for a tight hug. "I promise I will visit more often."

"You bet your ass you will visit more," she grumbled half-heartedly.

"I love you," Baahir said seriously, pulling back to look her in the eyes.

"I love you, too," her lower lip wobbled. They hugged again. When they finally separated, Baahir shook Elijah's hand.

"Take care of her," he ordered.

"I will," Elijah vowed.

Baahir nodded, satisfied. He shouldered his luggage, kissed Miriam's forehead, and deeper into the airport. In no time at all Baahir was out of Miriam's sight. She drew a shaky breath and reached for Elijah's hand. He offered her comfort willingly, and held her hand as they walked back to her new car.

Miriam drove them to a nearby park. She and Elijah started to walk down the shaded sidewalk path, just like they did the day after they met for the first time.

Just like that first day, the park was filled with all sorts of people enjoying the warming weather. Spring had fully settled into the earth, and plants were growing. The air smelled of freshly cut grass and hotdogs. Young families picnicked on the grassy areas and pre-teens rode their skateboards and bikes down the windy park paths. Dogs chased after frisbees and young children decorated the sidewalk with chalk.

"I have been keeping things about my past from you, though you know this," Miriam said, and he nodded. "I'm willing to tell you the full truth, if you are willing to keep an open mind."

"I will withhold judgement until the end of your tale," he said.

"That's all I ask," she said, and then launched into her story.

Just like with Baahir, Miriam told Elijah every gritty detail of her journey. She told him about the TV shows she watched, and how she had suddenly found herself in their world. She told him how she met Baahir, and how she learned about where she was. She explained in greater detail what she was hoping to change in the universe she was now living in.

Miriam left out a couple of non-important things, like her background and childhood. Those were things that needed to be learned naturally in a relationship. She already had a disadvantage with knowing his history; she didn't want to screw up their relationship even more. She also didn't tell him that she had Baahir infiltrate Marcel's organization; she only told Elijah that Baahir was playing a role that would eventually bear fruit.

Finally, after several loops around the perimeter of the park, she finished talking. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. Would he reject her now that he knew everything? She didn't think she would blame him if he did.

Elijah stopped walking and gently pulled on her arm until she faced him. She was afraid to look in his eyes, but a soft pressure under her chin encouraged her to look up.

Elijah's eyes were warm, and filled with great emotion.

"You, Elskaðir, are a wonder," he said seriously. "I am in awe of you. You could have gotten into contact with Niklaus or myself as soon as you realized where you were and tried to blackmail us, but you did not. The only thing you have asked of me is ID, to make your life easier. You did not want money, or power, just a life with less troubles. You are just-"

He swooped down and kissed her.

Miriam only had a few seconds to register the feeling of his lips on hers when he pulled away.

"I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me," if vampires could blush, his face would be red.

Miriam didn't let him move away. She grabbed fist-fulls of his blue dress shirt and pulled him back down. His strength was vastly superior, so she knew that he let her move him, but she didn't care. Their lips met again, this time with more intensity.

"Ew, gross," muttered a pre-teen boy as he and his friends went by on their skateboards.

Miriam and Elijah broke their kiss.

Feeling giddy as a school girl, Miriam grinned up at Elijah, who returned her grin.

"Come, let us get an early dinner," Elijah said after they finished another loop around the park.

They ended up in a casual Mexican restaurant. It was a bright, happy space with colorful art and friendly service. In no time at all Miriam and Elijah were munching on chips and sipping their respective drinks.

"So, does this count as a first date?" Miriam asked, her expression sly. "Or do we count the shared dreams as dates?"

"Seeing as this is the first real time we are out in a romantic setting, I would say this is our first date," he chuckled. "But by all means, consider the dreams as dates as well."

"Have you been on a date? I mean, the modern definition of a date?" Miriam was curious.

"No… I did have a witch lover in the 80s, but the past 100 years have been spent searching for the components of the curse, and mourning the supposed deaths of my siblings," he said, his eyes fogging with sorrow.

She immediately felt bad for accidentally bringing up Elijah's painful past. "Well, then this will be your first date of the new century!" she said brightly, and reached across the table to grab his hands.

He squeezed her hands gratefully. "Yes, it will. And I look forward to many dates in the future."

Miriam blushed. The waitress came by and took their orders, then left them alone.

"Did you have any luck finding Klaus?" Miriam asked.

"Somewhat. Like you said, he is close by. I have a lead that I will follow the next couple of days," Elijah answered. "I also had luck with finding my siblings. I'm close. If I can find them, I will free them and obtain the daggers that Niklaus uses as leverage over us. And then, hopefully, my wayward brother will realize that family is a powerful force."

"He will understand in time," Miriam assured him.

"I hope that you are correct."

"You know, he was always one of my favorite characters, but now, faced with actually meeting him in person… I'm kinda scared," she admitted.

"Why? I know my brother is threatening, but is there any specific reason that gives you reason to fear him?" Elijah questioned.

"As you know, he is impulsive," she smiled when Elijah gave her the long-suffering look that older siblings had when discussing their crazy younger siblings. "In a couple of years, he will get a werewolf girl pregnant. When her life is used as leverage to try to force Klaus's hand, he tells the witches holding her to kill her and the baby," Miriam shook her head sadly. "It was an impulsive, spiteful decision that you were able to stop. But if he was willing to say that, when he actually wanted the baby, what would he do when he meets a girl that knows too much about him?"

"You said much that needs to be discussed," Elijah looked shocked at the serious piece of the future she had just given him. "First, I do not care what my brother's initial reaction to you will be, because he will not hurt you. I will not allow it," he said seriously, his brown eyes hard. "Second, how can he impregnate someone? Vampires can't procreate."

"But werewolves can, and Klaus is part werewolf," Miriam pointed out.

"That… is good to know for the future," Elijah tucked the piece of information away. "Regardless, I hope that by reconciling with him, events might go smoother than in your tales."

"I hope for that, too," Miriam said.

Elijah smiled at her. "Enough about my brother. Dates, from what I am led to believe, are about getting to know one another. Tell me about yourself."

There's not a person on earth that liked the question 'tell me about yourself', Miriam thought wryly. To Elijah she said, "What do you want to know?"

"Tell me about your childhood," he prompted.

So she did. She told him about her parents, and how they died when she was two. "My grandparents raised me. They sacrificed their cozy retirement plan to raise me. I know they felt obligated, but still, they could have passed me onto my uncle and let him raise me. But they didn't. I never called them 'mom' or 'dad', but they were my parents."

"They sound like amazing people."

"They were. My abuela died two years before I arrived here, so when I was eighteen. Pops died two weeks before I arrived here… I think that's what triggered it," Miriam admitted. "I asked my family for someone to love me, and not ten minutes later I was hit by a car that my soul brother was in. And then later I find out that I have four mates! I like to think that my parents and grandparents are responsible for giving me four mates."

"Which one of your parental figures would have chosen me?" Elijah asked.

Miriam didn't even have to think about it. "My dad. He was the oldest of him and his brother, and he was the oldest of all the cousins. He was also the first person on that side of my family to go to college. He valued education, family, and loyalty, but he also had a vengeful streak. From the stories Abuela and Pops told me, I think you two would have been very similar."

"I will endeavor to make your father proud of his choice of mate for you," Elijah promised.

Their waitress returned with their food, refilled their drinks, and left again.

As they started to eat, Elijah continued their conversation: "Tell me about your childhood."

Miriam chewed a bite of her enchilada before speaking. "It was normal, I suppose. I went to Catholic private school, got average grades, and was generally a good girl. I mean, I got into trouble, but it was mostly because I was either exploring somewhere I shouldn't have been, or because I was defending younger girls from being bullied. I spent more time with my dad's side of the family, the Mexican side, in Arizona. My mom's side, which was mixed African American and Caucasian, was based in Georgia, so I rarely saw them," she took a sip of her water. "Tell me about your childhood."

"Don't you know about it?"

"Yes, but I want to hear you tell it."

"Very well. I was four years younger than Finn, the oldest, but when he married, I became the de facto oldest."

"Wait, Finn was married?" Miriam didn't remember that detail.

"Yes, and so was Niklaus and I. Finn married early, even for our time. He was barely sixteen, and his wife - I've forgotten her name- was young as well. They lived in the same village, and so did Niklaus and his wife, and me and my wife."

"Did… did any of you have children?" Miriam was confused. This tale was vastly different from the one in the show.

"Yes. Finn had four children. I had one, a daughter, Revna. A plague swept through the village two years before our mother changed us into vampires. The sickness took Finn's entire family, my wife and daughter, and Niklaus's wife. We almost lost Father and Rebekah, but both recovered. I believe the loss of her grandchildren and her daughters-in-law in one season, along with almost losing her husband and only daughter, damaged my mother beyond repair. And when Henrik was killed, she shattered completely. My father used her weakness to his advantage, for you see, he had lost his favorite grandchild, and did not want sickness or death to be able to reach our family again. I believe he thought that Mother's magic could make us impervious to sickness, and that we could pass this immunity down to our future children. Instead, he created monsters."

"You are not monsters!" Miriam insisted.

Elijah smiled self-deprecatingly. "I believe, Elskaðir, that we do, in fact, meet the requirements of the textbook definition of monster."

"Maybe so, but I'm going to have to insist that you use a different word to describe yourself," she said in her most haughty voice.

"As you wish, Elskaðir," he bowed his head slightly, a true smile on his face.

"Thank you. Would you mind telling me more about your wife?"

"I will attempt to keep nothing from you," he assured her. "Her name was Gertrud. We had grown up together, and were comfortable with each other. We didn't love each other, not romantically. Looking back, with modern words to describe sexuality, I believe that she had been an aromantic asexual. She enjoyed my friendship and protection, but she had little interest in sex or romanticism. We conceived Revna on our wedding night, one of the few times we engaged in intercourse," Elijah smiled sadly. "She was just shy of her fifth year when the sickness took her."

"I'm sorry," Miriam said, hating how hollow the words tasted on her tongue.

"Sickness does not discriminate, which makes it all the more tragic. I was young, only twenty-four when I lost my family. I was still of marrying age. So was Tatia. She was a young widow with a child of her own. I fell in love with her. Niklaus, who had lost his wife as well, fell in love with her, too. It was the first time a doppelganger got in between our relationship," Elijah noted. "Do you know the rest of that story?"

"I believe so," Miriam said, though she wondered if other aspects of the story she knew were different.

"Good. I have to say, it is a relief, you knowing all my hidden secrets," Elijah admitted. "It is freeing, in a way. You say you have seen the worst of my actions, and yet you still sit there, willingly eating with me."

"I'm not expecting you to be perfect, you know. It's actually kinda hot that you are willing to do anything to protect your family," Miriam said, but then froze when she realized what she had said. She ducked her head, embarrassed.

"Hot?" Elijah was smirking.

"Shut up!" Miriam groaned.

They moved on to lighter subjects. They ate their dinner lazily, in no rush to get home. When the waitress came back and asked if they wanted dessert, Elijah motioned to Miriam to answer the question.

"Whatever my fiancé desires."

It was an encouragement, and a challenge. He had seen her eyeing the dessert section earlier, and she had made a comment about missing her favorite dessert, which this restaurant served.

"We'll have the sopapillas, please," Miriam said confidently.

She enjoyed every bite.


Miriam was running.

She was barefoot, and the rocks and twigs cut the soles of her feet as she ran. She didn't care that she was bleeding, she only cared about getting away from the werewolf that was hunting her.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Brady taunted, too close for comfort. "You blonde vampire friend is dead. No one is coming for you. I'll be gentler if you give up now."

Miriam didn't believe him. There wasn't a gentle bone in his body. He was going to hurt her if she slowed down. She couldn't stop running, but she was getting tired.

As she ran, she turned to look behind her, to see how close he was. She slammed into a body, and big, strong hands clamped down on her arms.

"Got you." It was Brady. He smiled maliciously down at her, his eyes devoid of humanity.

"No, got you," another voice said.

A body pounced on Brady, yanking him away from Miriam. She watched in horror as the new person tore Brady limb from limb. She gasped and stumbled into another person. Unlike Brady, his grip was gentle on her as he steadied her.

"It's alright, Miri," it was one of her soulmates, one she hadn't met in real life before. His features blurred when she tried to look at him. "We will protect you from the nightmares. Wake up, now. Elijah's worried."

Miriam gasped and shot up in her bed. The nightstand lamp was on, giving her enough light to see that Elijah was sitting on the bed, looking worried.

"Are you well? You were having a nightmare," he said, his voice tight.

"Yes, a couple of my other mates protected me," she was trying to slow her breathing. She felt overheated, and sweat beaded her forehead. She gratefully accepted the cup of water Elijah offered her. The liquid was cool and she gulped it down greedily.

"I am grateful for that," he said, his pinched expression easing. "Do you wish to talk about your dream?"

Miriam hesitated, but thought he deserved to know. "Brady, the werewolf that tortured Caroline and I, was chasing me through a forest. I know Stefan killed him, but I have had a couple of nightmares since that night."

She hadn't had many- and she knew she had her soulmates to thank for that. They either woke her up or kept her safe during the dream.

"Stefan did not kill the werewolf," Elijah said slowly, watching her face intently.

Miriam frowned, then the realization hit her. The calm she had just barely achieved flew out the window. "He-He's alive?!"

The only reason she wasn't a complete mess was because she thought Stefan had killed Brady! She started to breathe heavily. If he was still out there…

"No, that's not what I meant!" Elijah climbed onto the bed and wrapped his arms around her. "Calm down, I didn't mean to scare you. He is dead, I assure you."

Elijah spent the next couple of minutes stroking Miriam's damp curls until her breathing calmed down.

"Explain, please," she said, her voice weak.

"I killed him. I had June grab him from the Gilbert lake house. She brought him to me, after I saved Damon from the rest of the wolf pack. I killed him, Elskaðir, don't worry about that. The only wolves still alive are the female pack leader and young Tyler Lockwood."

"You… killed him," Miriam repeated, trying to wrap her disoriented head around the fact.

"Yes… are you disappointed?"

"No!" She turned to look up at him. "I told you earlier tonight at dinner that I didn't care about your murder-y side. Especially when it comes to protecting me or your family. I was just surprised."

They remained quiet for several minutes. Miriam had fully relaxed against Elijah, and was almost asleep when he spoke up.

"Do you wish for me to go?" he asked.

Miriam shook her head. "No. I'd like you to stay and hold me."

"Then that is what I will do," Elijah leaned over and turned off the light. He nudged Miriam until she was tucked under the covers, and he joined her. He tugged her into his strong arms. She nuzzled deeper into his embrace, shamelessly drawing comfort from him.

"Sleep, vorgyðja. We will protect you from the nightmares," he said softly.

Miriam slept.


The next day Elijah left around noon to hunt down a lead about Klaus's whereabouts. He had stayed with Miriam the entire night, and she hadn't had another dream after falling asleep in his arms. She had woken up feeling fully rested and fully protected.

She was seriously falling for Elijah. He protected her, and when he couldn't protect her, he avenged her. She didn't want to know exactly what he did to Brady before he killed him, but she knew it had probably been awful. Despite knowing it wasn't moral, Miriam was glad that Brady had suffered before dying. He had hurt her and Caroline, and by the looks of the cage in his RV, it was clear that he went around torturing any vampire he could capture. He, and the rest of the werewolf pack, had been evil. Sure, Elijah and the other Mikaelsons were no paradigm of virtue, but they didn't outfit their homes as torture chambers for unsuspecting creatures.

A couple hours after Elijah left, Miriam received a call from Caroline; Jenna could be heard shouting in the background. Caroline, obviously tense and bewildered by the older woman's ranting, asked if it was okay if she and Jenna visited. In no time at all the young vampire and Jenna Sommers arrived at the house.

"Hi, do you have any alcohol in there?" Jenna said as she marched up the porch and into the house.

"Hello to you, too?" Miriam shot Caroline a perplexed look.

"Like, so much stuff has gone down the last week, I can't even," Caroline huffed. She tried to enter the house, but the boundary wouldn't let her. She looked at Miriam, confused.

"Yeah, I'm not the homeowner, so I can't invite you in. Let me grab Jenna and some snacks and meet you over there," Miriam pointed to the table and chairs that were set up on the spacious porch.

She went inside and found Jenna poking around their kitchen and an amused August watching her.

"Girl doesn't even care that I'm a witch or a stranger," August said, clearly delighted with Jenna's attitude.

"I'm at, like, my max quota for reacting to new people and things in my life," Jenna said as she grabbed a couple bottles of white wine. "I'm so done, Miriam."

"Alright… I'm gonna grab a couple of things. Caroline's out on the porch," Miriam said.

"Awesome," Jenna grabbed a bottle of red wine and tucked it under her armpit before stomping back outside.

Miriam grabbed a water bottle, some cheese, crackers, and a box of donuts that June had brought home that morning and joined Jenna and Caroline on the porch.

"Okay, got the snacks," Miriam said as she dumped the food onto the table. She twisted the cap off the water bottle and took a swig just as August came outside with three wine glasses.

"I'm not sure if you ladies even need these, but I thought you might like the option," he teased before going back inside.

Miriam rolled her eyes. "Okay, Jenna, spill. What's happening?"

"You know, I think I handled the reveal pretty good," Jenna said as she poured herself a large glass of wine. "Vampires, werewolves, witches, check. Elena being a doppelganger? Check. Evil vampire hunting my orphaned niece? Check. I was cruising. Cool as a cucumber. But then Alaric is some kind of vampire hunter, but his friend is a vampire who killed a bunch of people last fall. Also Elena is dating a vampire, the murderous vampire's brother. Side note," Jenna said, pointing at Miriam. "What do I do about that? Like, a week ago I thought Elena and Stefan were a cute high school couple. I knew they were bumping uglies, so I gave Elena birth control and condoms and the talk. BUT. Now he's hundreds of years old. Does he qualify as a pedophile? Because the age gap is honestly getting to me.

"Anyway, I was handling it great. I was the bomb. I lost it a bit," she held her fingers together (almost touching), "when John told me there was this magical ring that brought people back to life, and that Jeremy had been wearing it, and also that Damon 'killed' Jeremy but this ring brought him back."

"She punched a hole in the Salvatores' wall," Caroline whispered to Miriam.

"And I don't regret it!" Jenna took a big gulp of her wine. "And then. And then John has the gall to tell me to calm down?! Fuck him!"

"She punched him," Caroline added.

"And I don't fucking regret that either!" Jenna reached for a chocolate donut and took a vicious bit out of it. Caroline and Miriam just watched, wide-eyed. "But you know what really takes the cake? Elena's birth mother is still alive, and is also a vampire!"

Miriam winced.

"Yeah! Yeah, so she rolls up, announces who she is to me, and Elena knew but didn't tell me. Isobel snooped around for a little while; she found Elena's vampire doppelganger locked in a tomb or whatever, and that Elijah has this moonstone thingy. After finding out this information, she left Mystic Falls. Elena claims she doesn't care, but that doesn't change the fact that she kept this pretty important piece of information from me! Both of Elena's biological parents are still alive, one is a vampire, the other keeps trying to get the magical ring from Alaric, and both of Jeremy's parents are still dead," Jenna slumped in her seat. "My sister is still dead."

They were all silent as they pondered that statement. Miriam agreed; it wasn't fair that some people lived and some people died. The Gilberts didn't deserve to die. Elena and Jeremy deserved to have two loving parents. Jenna deserved to have her sister, and to be a twenty-something, not a mother to two angst, reckless teens.

A thought came to Jenna and she jerked upright and glared at Miriam, though Miriam knew Jenna was mad at the situation, not her. "Also the Lockwoods are apparently werewolves, and Tyler Lockwood ran off with some lady werewolf? Like, what even?"

Caroline flinched. She and Miriam had been texting over the past week, talking about their shared trauma. Caroline admitted that she didn't think of Tyler as a friend anymore, since he didn't help her when she was trapped in the cage. Caroline also told Miriam that the thought of another werewolf rolling into town was unappealing, and Miriam agreed with her.

"And," Jenna continued, completely oblivious to the tension in Caroline's taunt body, "I broke up with Alaric. He's been lying to me- they've all been lying to me- but Ric is a goddamned adult! This isn't a stash of pot or a broken curfew, this is Elena's life and the safety of the entire town! He should have told me everything immediately instead of agreeing to Elena's ridiculous 'keep Jenna stupid' plan. I am the motherfucking guardian, not Elena or the Salvatores, I decide what happens to my underage charges," Jenna declared.

"Where are Elena and Jeremy right now?" Miriam asked.

"They are fucking grounded. Bonnie, who is a witch, has spelled the house so Elena and Jeremy can't get out," Jenna said. "Apparently Bonnie did it earlier this year, and I didn't even notice. Anyway, Elena keeps trying to convince me that she needs to either run away or kill Klaus the evil vampire. I have vetoed both options, and forced Bonnie to lock my kids up until I decide they can leave. Luckily the Salvatores agree with me, or Elena would be halfway across the world by now," Jenna scoffed bitterly. She took another drink from her glass.

"Stefan and Damon think we need to regroup," Caroline added. "Damon's stupid plan to kill Elijah failed, so everyone is taking a break until a new plan can be formed. Bonnie keeps trying to convince the Martins to join the 'cause' or whatever. Luka is pissed at Bonnie, because she tried to invade his mind. Dr. Martin threatened to take her powers away if she kept it up, but she found this witch burial ground and got this extra power. I… I don't think she's going to stop," Caroline revealed nervously.

"It's fine, we'll figure something out," Miriam reassured her.

"These kids are going to be the death of me," Jenna groaned. She looked at Miriam with red, sleep-deprived eyes. "They keep trying to bullshit me, but I got a hold of some vervain tea, and your Elijah dropped off a bracelet that has vervain in it, so now it'll take a lot for them to use their vampire mind tricks on me."

"Hey!" Caroline warned half-heartedly.

"You're telling me that Elena didn't suggest to compel me to be ignorant again?" Jenna said, an eyebrow raised in challenge.

"That… may have been suggested," Caroline admitted. She grabbed a glazed donut and took a delicate bite out of it.

"Wait, hold up," Miriam raised a hand. "Elijah gave you a vervain bracelet?"

"Yep, the day after you guys told me the truth," Jenna confirmed. "He was also the one who said I should also drink vervain tea."

"Wow." He was sweet, her mate.

"And how twisted is it that the 'bad guy' of Elena's stories is one of the only ones making sure that I don't get bulldozed by my teenage niece and her friends? Shouldn't it be the other way around?" Jenna wondered.

"You're going to find that the terms 'bad guys' and 'good guys' can be interchangeable with certain people," Miriam said. "It really depends on what side you're on."

"What side are you on?" Jenna asked, not unkindly.

"My side," Miriam said immediately. "And my side just happens to mean the survival of Elijah and Klaus. I'm sorry, but Elena and the others are placing themselves on the opposite side. I'm doing everything I can to keep them alive, but if they continue to antagonize Elijah or Klaus…" Miriam hesitated, but Jenna just nodded.

"I understand. That's one of the reasons why I had Caroline bring me here. You are more honest than almost anyone else right now. You are clear about your motives, and you haven't sugar-coated anything for me. Thank you," Jenna reached over and patted Miriam's hand. "I really appreciate it."

Miriam was touched. "I hope you don't come to hate me for it."

"Eh, at this point I agree with everything you've said so far. If Klaus's MO is to burn villages and kill people when he gets angry, why would we endanger the people of Mystic Falls? I believe that you and Elijah have a way of saving Elena. If everyone would just chill the hell out, only a vampire and werewolf need to die. The kids and the Salvatore brothers don't seem to believe in this sentiment, though."

Miriam shook her head. "They are going to get more people killed."

"Caroline filled me in on some of the people that have already died since this past September, and it's a scarily large number. And the fact that vampires and werewolves are fighting to break this curse is crazy," Jenna looked scared.

"The curse doesn't actually have anything to do with vampires or werewolves," Miriam revealed.

"What?!" exclaimed Caroline. "I thought that if vampires broke the curse we could walk in the sun, and if werewolves broke the curse they wouldn't have to turn on the full moon!"

"It was a trick that Elijah and Klaus made up centuries ago to get both races to look out for the moonstone and the next doppelganger," Miriam said, enjoying the looks of shock on Caroline and Jenna's faces.

"Wow," Caroline blinked rapidly. "Then those stupid wolves that tortured Damon for the moonstone's location and tried to kidnap Elena didn't need to be involved!"

"Yes. But you have to admit, it was a clever plan."

"Maybe it was clever for Elijah and Klaus, but that's not a good thing for Elena or Mystic Falls. Other magical creatures don't know that the sun and the moon curse is fake. Won't werewolves and vampires continue to try to get Elena and the moonstone?" Jenna asked.

"According to my knowledge of the future, they don't," Miriam said, but doubt began to fester in her mind. Different werewolf packs and vampires should have continued to search for the moonstone and doppelganger. Maybe the vampires stopped because they knew that Klaus arrived in Mystic Falls, but that wouldn't have stopped the werewolf packs.

Miriam also wondered what she had inadvertently changed that had caused Isobel to live. Katherine was still compelled to stay in the tomb, which was good for Miriam; she was one less player to worry about. She wondered what Klaus's plan for Elena's vampire mom was. It couldn't be good.

Not for the first time Miriam worried that she had changed things too much.

"Enough talk about the future," Caroline insisted. "Let's just eat and drink and forget about curses and moonstones. Please? Elena and the others are getting on my nerves, and I just want to be around people who aren't full of drama."

"Amen!" Jenna raised her glass in salute.

Miriam laughed. "Yes, let's just chill for now. There's time for worrying later."

They spent the rest of the afternoon drinking, eating, and trying to ignore the impending feeling of doom.


At the same time Miriam, Jenna, and Caroline sipped wine and ate donuts, a group of people listened to Jules speak in a muggy swamp in Florida. After a full afternoon of talking, Jules and Tyler Lockwood had convinced a pack of a dozen werewolves that Mystic Falls held the key to the end of turning on the full moon…


ELIJAH'S POV

Elijah felt guilty that it had taken a horrific nightmare for Miriam to share her bed with him. He desired the close contact, but not at the expense of her mental health. The past night had found him still awake, checking his emails before bed. When he heard her increased heart rate and erratic breathing, he hadn't hesitated to speed down the stairs and into her bedroom. He was thankful that her other mates protected her while she dreamed; at the moment he would protect her while she was awake.

Their day together had been perfect. She had finally been honest with him about her past. He revealed aspects of his past that she hadn't known. He had kissed her, and she had kissed him back. She was a wonder, a marvel, a miracle. She was the promise of a new, better life, and Elijah wouldn't allow any harm to come to her. She was worried about meeting Klaus, but if Elijah had his way she wouldn't meet his younger brother until after he completed his quest to release his werewolf side.

He was reluctant to leave her after the nightmare, but she insisted. She didn't seem too shaken in the morning, so he did not feel guilty, just wary. He knew he had to leave. She was safe with August and June in the house, and he needed to find his brother.

Miriam had told him that Klaus would arrive in Mystic Falls around this time, and she had been correct. Elijah had tips and found leads that hinted that Niklaus was residing close to Mystic Falls. It had taken some bribery, a little blackmail, and an abundance of sleuthing, but Elijah had finally pinpointed his rebellious brother's location.

Elijah stepped into the abandoned barn. He was at an equally abandoned piece of property just an hour away from Mystic Falls. He could feel the steady thrum in the air that hinted that some powerful magic was building. He looked around the decrepit building. Sunlight streamed in through cracks in the walls and holes in the roof. There was a musty odor in the air that told Elijah that wild animals frequently used the abandoned barn as shelter. A rat ran across the floor and a bird let out a cry.

Movement drew his attention to the opposite end of the falling-apart structure. Niklaus, tall, blond, and fierce-looking, stood in the doorway. He smiled; it was a sharp, feral thing.

"Hello, brother. I heard you were looking for me."


AN: We finally reached Klaus!

Drop a review if you feel like it!

vorgyðja = spring goddess

Elskaðir = beloved

SO, a couple of the rough cannon ages of the Mikaelsons are Finn: 27/28, Elijah: 23/24. So that means Klaus is probably 21, which just feels weird to me. So I aged everyone up by a few years. MY ages for them are; Finn = 30, Elijah = 26, Klaus = 23/24, Kol = 20, Rebekah = 18, Henrik = 12. I also changed some of the background details concerning the Mikaelson family, cause I felt like it.

(Whit's life update: So the first story of my house is now floor-less. It will be over a week before new tile is put in, so we're basically living in a construction zone. I'm excited for the new floor, but not looking forward to the in-between bits. Also the sleeplessness, which was a main factor to why this chapter was out kinda late: I was just SO tired this past week.)