AN: I wanted to get this out before March, and I did!

Last chapter before the move! The theme of this chapter was closure.

TW: Caroline talks about her experience with Damon, Miriam has a nightmare, and there is a description of menstruation in Miriam's POV.


CAROLINE

The flames of the bonfire were high in the sky.

Caroline, the other vampires, and the witches diligently fed pieces of Wickery Bridge to the fire. The sign had already been disposed of, and now they were nearly done with the bridge. Elijah had already compelled and influenced his way to respectability in Mystic Falls, so it was easy for him to tell the Mayor that the bridge should be replaced with a newer, safer one. The new, non-white-oak bridge would be named the Gilbert Bridge, in honor of Miranda and Grayson Gilbert, who had tragically passed the year before. The Mayor had loved Elijah's idea, and the very next day workers loyal to the Mikaelsons removed the bridge.

"After this we need to get rid of the ashes," Miriam reminded her mates as they tossed pieces of the bridge into the fire.

"We understand, vorgyðja," Elijah said.

"No smuggling the dangerous weapon that can kill us, Kol," Klaus said with a pointed look to Kol's jacket pocket.

Kol shrugged and pulled out a sliver of white oak. He chucked the sliver into the fire. "Worth a shot."

"It's crazy that this can kill you guys," Caroline mused as she snapped a piece of wood in half before tossing both halves into the fire. "Like, how weird that this certain tree can kill you, but not other kinds of oak tree. What would happen if someone cross-bred a white oak with another type of oak? Would the wood of the hybrid tree only half kill you?"

"I'm not sure. Nik, want to test that theory?" Kol taunted.

Caroline giggled as the Mikaelsons began to bicker. Their squabbling had a lighthearted air; the words were teasing, not harsh (well, not overly harsh. Kol and Klaus constantly threatened to stab each other, but Caroline was getting the sense that death threats were their love languages). Caroline knew that the Mikaelsons weren't the best example of a healthy sibling relationship- Klaus letting Elijah believe that their siblings were dead didn't scream healthy- but she was enjoying being around them. Caroline was an only child, and wasn't used to the dynamics of a big family. And she knew that the Mikaelsons weren't a typical family. Their issues were not the typical issues a typical family dealt with, like moving to a different city. No, the Mikaelsons had deep, dark issues. But they also acted like the siblings that Caroline grew up wanting. Elijah made sure his brothers were comfortable. Finn would make little comments that made his brothers laugh. Klaus pretended to be aloof, but he cared deeply about his family. Kol was always ready with a quick retort, but Caroline had noticed that he had begun researching ways to protect the new Roanoke house.

They weren't perfect, but they were a family. Caroline was immensely jealous.

For one horrible, long second, anger threatened to overwhelm her. Why couldn't her parents have stayed together? Why couldn't they have given her siblings, so that she wouldn't be constantly alone? Why did her life have to be so fucking lonely?

A laugh broke Caroline out of her dark thoughts.

Miriam (who had been forbidden from helping, just in case she got hurt) was standing by Finn. Caroline had been distracted, but apparently the Original had said something that made Miriam laugh. The two spoke in a weird combination of English, Spanish, Old Norse, and hand motions and pointing. Miriam was chatting with him, using her hands to talk. Despite herself, Caroline smiled. Miriam was quick to laugh and easy to talk to. Caroline had only known her for a short time, but she already felt more connected to Miriam than to Elena or Bonnie. Miriam had fought for Caroline in a way no one else had. Even though she didn't always succeed (Caroline still had nightmares of Damon's treatment of her and the werewolf trailer), she tried, and that meant more to Caroline than a sleepover with Elena and Bonnie where they talked about Elena's love life the entire night.

Miriam was Caroline's sister now. She cared about Caroline in a way that was better than her mom's unavailable love or her friends' half-assed protection. Even though Miriam had four mates, Caroline didn't feel like she was playing second fiddle. Miriam didn't make her feel like an afterthought or a nuisance. She made her feel cherished.

Caroline wasn't going to give that up.

After everything was burned they gathered the ashes. The Mikaelsons agreed that the ashes needed to be disposed of, but they couldn't agree on the method.

"If we keep them until the move, I can mix the ashes into the soil," Kol suggested. "And then the weapon that could have been used to kill us is now helping to feed us."

"Would we be able to eat any food nurtured by the ash?" Elijah challenged.

Kol hesitated. "I… am unsure."

"I would rather not test the theory," Klaus said dryly.

"It would be a rather… undignified way to go," Miriam snickered. "Death by home-grown tomatoes."

Finn chuckled.

"What if we bury the ashes?" Greta suggested.

Elijah shook his head. "There is no certainty that they would not be dug up and extracted from the earth."

"Can we burn them again?" Miriam asked.

"If we apply flammable fluid, the ashes can burn again," Klaus allowed, "but there would still be ashes that remained."

"We could throw the ashes into the lake?" Luka said. "They would dissipate in the water."

"Maybe," Dr. Martin said to his son, "but unless there is a river that leads away from the lake, the ashes could be recovered from the stagnant body of water."

"So we need to get the ashes dissipated and away from the area?" Caroline clarified.

"Yep," Miriam responded, popping the 'p'.

"Well.. then couldn't we flush them down the toilet?"

Silence.

Stunned silence.

"... That could work," Elijah said after a moment.

Miriam laughed and held up her hand for a high-five. "Way to go, Caroline!"

Caroline beamed.

And so unceremoniously the ashes from the deadliest tree in existence were flushed down the toilet.

After, the household split up, with each member doing their own thing.

There wasn't much space in the farmhouse. Almost everyone was sharing a room. The common areas were always occupied by multiple people, so privacy wasn't really a thing anymore. Caroline liked the feeling of a full house, for the most part. She had grown up in a quiet home, with only one parent and no siblings. She compensated for the quiet by being loud. She would sing and dance and make her dolls perform intricate plays. She played her CD player loudly in her room and the TV was always on high volume. She remembered her mom always getting mad at her for being so loud.

Turn the TV down!

I have a headache, can you sing for me tomorrow?

Why can't you play quietly, like little Elena Gilbert?

Caroline loved her mom, but she was beginning to realize that her mom didn't understand her. Caroline was glad that her mom didn't put up much of a fuss when she went back home to pick up her stuff, and she knew that she had Miriam to thank for some of that willingness.

Caroline had heard Miriam talk to her mom about giving Caroline a family that would last as long as she would, and the memory of Miriam saying that still made tears prick at her eyes.

A family.

One that wouldn't die. One that was strong. One that wanted her. It was a revolutionary thought.

Caroline had always wanted a big, loud family, and she had found one in Miriam and the Mikaelsons. It was loud, and messy, and kind of violent, but it was hers… or at least, it was becoming hers. The Mikaelsons accepted her because she was Miriam's soul sister. One day they would become hers, too.

In the meantime, maybe they would help her out of loyalty to Miriam.

With this thought in mind, Caroline confidently approached Elijah, who was elegantly sitting on the couch, reading a grimoire that was older than she was. Klaus sat on the other side of the same couch, a notebook and a pencil in his hands. Miriam was in the backyard knitting with Finn, Kol and the witches were huddled around the dining room table, discussing magic-y stuff.

The atmosphere was relaxed, and Caroline hated to disrupt it. But she squared her shoulders and marched up to Elijah and declared: "I need your help."

Elijah looked up when Caroline approached him. "You look rather serious, Miss Forbes," he said, and closed his book. "What can I help you with?"

"I want to talk to Damon," she said, "on my own terms. Without Stefan or Elena there."

"Why?"

Here she faltered. "I… I need to talk to him." Her words were failing her, and she hated it.

"Is 'talk' code for murder?" Klaus asked. "Because if so, you would need to surprise him if you wanted even a chance at tearing out his heart."

"I don't want to kill him," Caroline said, frustrated. "I just want to talk to him."

"Then we will both go with you," Klaus said.

And so Caroline found herself sitting in the backseat of Elijah's car, driving to the Salvatore house. In her purse were three letters, sealed in envelopes. She didn't want to say goodbye to Elena, Bonnie, or Matt in person, so she wrote them letters to explain why she was leaving. After all the history they had shared, Caroline owed them an explanation, but she was too afraid to do it in person. As she watched the trees wiz by, she wondered if that made her a coward.

"Do you have a goal in mind for this little adventure?" Klaus asked, breaking her out of her melancholy mood.

"Closure," Caroline said simply.

Klaus just nodded, as if her one word was enough for him. Maybe it was. She had a feeling that neither Elijah or Klaus would judge her if she killed Damon. They were hundreds of years old; no one could stick to their morals for that long. From what Caroline had gathered, Klaus would do anything to have power, and Elijah would do anything to protect his family. She highly doubted that either of them had stayed pure.

Caroline thought about Stefan, and his animal diet. Stefan, who was like the vampire version of an addict. Stefan, who was clinging to humanity and Elena like they were the only things that were going to save him. Stefan, who allowed Damon to abuse Caroline. How moral was he, really? He wouldn't kill a human, but he would let his brother kill humans and hurt her. Who is more evil, someone who commits a crime, or someone who lets the criminal continue to hurt people?

Caroline didn't know the answer to her own question. But she did know that after today, she wanted nothing to do with the Salvatores anymore.

In no time at all they arrived at the Salvatore house.

Caroline's heart was in her throat, but she got out of the car and marched right up to the front door and walked in like she owned the place. Fake confidence, she told herself sternly. Don't show fear. Caroline could only hear Damon in the house; she had gotten lucky. She didn't want to have this conversation with Elena or Bonnie watching.

"Barbie?"

Damon came out of the parlor, a glass of bourbon in his hand.

Caroline didn't know why seeing Damon drinking at 1:00pm in the afternoon made her anger spike, but it did. Before he could blink she was on him, hissing and clawing at his face. The glass he was holding shattered on the floor, but the sound was miniscule compared to Caroline's steady stream of words:

"I hate you! I wish you were dead! I'm going to rip your spine out of your fucking throat-"

"Whoah! Get off!" Damon had finally recovered from her surprise attack. He grabbed Caroline and threw her at Elijah, who caught her easily and set her on her feet. "What's your problem?!"

"This is amazing!" Klaus laughed from the doorway. He hadn't been invited in by Elena, so he was forced to wait outside.

"Elijah, hold him still for me, please," Caroline said, her eyes firmly fixed on Damon.

Without hesitation Elijah did what Caroline asked. In an instant Damon was forced to his knees, with Elijah holding him by the throat from behind.

"If you so much as twitch a finger," Elijah said conversationally, "I will paralyze you from the neck down. Young Caroline has a few things she needs to get off her chest, and you are going to let her."

Damon scowled, but Elijah's grip tightened, so he kept his mouth shut. A thrill went through Caroline at the sight of him on his knees, obedient to Elijah. He was helpless. He was weak.

Caroline wanted him weaker.

She sped over to him and thrust her hand into his chest. She wrapped her fingers around his beating heart and squeezed.

"You used me," she seethed as he choked up blood. "You used me as a pawn in the sick game you and Stefan were playing, fighting over Elena and this town as if we were all expendable. You held a grudge against Stefan over Katherine of all people, and so many people died because of it. Was it worth it, Damon? Katherine never loved you!"

Even though she held his heart in her hands, she could still see defiance in his eyes.

"She never loved you, and I hate you for everything you put me through. You used me, and yeah, Miriam stopped you from raping me, but she wasn't able to stop your other abuses. The name calling"- she squeezed- "the excessive drinking of my blood"- another squeeze- "the threats of rape"- squeeze. Elijah looked up sharply at that, but she ignored him: "You never put your dick in me, but that didn't stop you from rubbing up against me, or laughing as I struggled to get away from you."

There were two men that haunted her dreams: Damon and Brady the werewolf. Brady was dead, but Damon wasn't, and that didn't seem fair.

"You belittled me and told me that I was stupid, and shallow, and useless, but now that I actually have a family to support me, I can see that you are the one who is stupid, and shallow, and useless." Caroline moved closer until she was staring him right in his eyes. "You are going to live through today because I allow it. But if you hurt my mom, or if you come after me or Miriam, I'll kill you."

"And if she can't kill you, I most certainly will," Klaus said gleefully.

"Caroline, this isn't you," Damon said hoarsely.

She scoffed. "You don't know me well enough to say that. You never bothered to treat me like a person while you used me, and you never once made an effort to know me once I became a vampire."

"Care-"

"Don't!" she snapped. "I'm Barbie to you- just a doll for you to play with- so don't you dare try to use my real name to make me stop hurting you."

"The Mikaelsons are influencing you," he tried to convince her.

"Maybe. But if feeling loved, and a part of a family that appreciates me is the price, I will pay it. They have been kind to me, Damon, unlike you. Elijah never left scars in the shape of his teeth on my body. Klaus never called me pathetic. Kol never compelled me. Finn never threatened to rape me. You did all that."

"Elena-"

"This isn't about Elena! This is about me. For once, I am making a decision for me," she said firmly. "I am choosing Miriam and the Mikaelsons as my family, because they have welcomed me with open arms. I am choosing my own happiness, over Elena's, over Bonnie's, over Matt's. I am done bending over backwards trying to keep everyone around me safe and happy and getting nothing in return. No more."

Just then the sound of a car coming up the driveway made all of the vampires stop.

Outside a car skidded to a stop. Caroline could only hear one heartbeat, and she was thankful that she wouldn't have to deal with Elena's crocodile tears if she saw what Caroline was doing to Damon.

"What's going on here?!" Stefan made to charge into the room, but Klaus stopped him. In one swift move he swept Stefan's legs out from under him and pinned the younger vampire to the ground just outside the front door. "No interfering, old friend. Caroline has business with your brother, and I have business with you."

Once Klaus dragged Stefan away Caroline turned her attention to the pathetic man in front of her. She

"When I leave here, I never want to see you again. I don't want to hear your name. Do you understand, Damon? I'm no longer going to bother with you. And even though I'm not going to kill you, if you make a move against me or my family, I will end you. Do you understand?" When he didn't answer she squeezed his heart again and snarled, "Do. You. Understand?"

Damon nodded weakly.

"Good." Caroline finally let go of his heart, and he slumped in Elijah's grip. "Tell the others that we are leaving and not coming back. If Elena or Bonnie want to see me, we can meet in the next town over, because I don't want to set foot in Mystic Falls for as long as I can help it."

"Are you finished with this… vermin, Caroline?" Elijah asked, his lip curled in disgust as he gazed down at Damon.

"Almost." She zoomed back to the car and grabbed the three envelopes before zooming back into the house. She tossed the envelopes to Damon, who let them flutter to the ground. "Those are for Elena, Bonnie, and Matt. Make sure they get them."

For the first time ever Damon looked as helpless and weak as Caroline felt when she was under his control. And for the first time ever Caroline felt powerful as she stood over the pathetic man at her feet.

"I don't want to see your pathetic face ever again," Caroline told Damon forcefully. And then she marched out of the house.

Klaus was waiting for them, a mischievous look on his face.

"What did you do to him?" Caroline asked Klaus as she passed a near-comatose Stefan. The poor guy was sitting on the ground, in shock.

"I reversed a compulsion I gave him decades ago that made him forget me and Rebekah," Klaus said. "Now he remembers the love he had for Rebekah, and also the affection he had for me."

"Oof, that has to hurt," Caroline winced. Stefan wasn't her favorite person in the world, but she still felt bad for him.

Klaus shrugged. "Maybe he will think twice before moving against me. We were friends, after all."

With that the three of them climbed into the car and left.

"Do you feel better?" Elijah asked as they drove further away from the Salvatore house.

"Yeah… it felt good to hold his heart in my hand" Caroline admitted. "I felt powerful. I've never felt powerful before."

"He took away your power, but today you took it back," Klaus said. "You deserve to be in control of your own actions, and to be true to yourself."

"I'm not sure who I am," she whispered. "I'm a vampire, and a bad friend-"

"You are a vampire," Elijah interrupted, "and a good sister to Miriam. You are a quick learner, a fierce fighter, and a person who cares deeply about the happiness of others. You are a kind person who radiates light. Damon tried to dim that light, but you didn't let him. Put him out of your mind, for he is nothing to you anymore. Think of the future, and who you want to be. You can be anything, and you will be whoever you want to be. Miriam will be there to help you, and so will we."

"That sounds nice," Caroline said.

And it did. She had a future! It was a blurry future, with many unknowns. She didn't know who she would meet in Roanoke, or if she would even like it. She didn't know if she would ever have an epic love. She didn't know if her moving would permanently break the bonds between her and her mother and her and her friends.

But what Caroline did know is that she had support. Miriam and the Mikaelsons, and even Jenna and Jeremy, would be there to help her. She wasn't alone anymore. She didn't need to put others first anymore, because there were people in her life that were willing and able to support her. Caroline could truly be whoever she wanted to be. The world belonged to her now, and she could do anything she wanted with it.

Caroline couldn't wait.


MIRIAM

Miriam woke up feeling like shit.

It was a few days after her date with Kol, and the day after the Mikaelsons had burned the Wickery Bridge and the sign, and life was getting hectic. Jenna and Jeremy were still intent on moving with Miriam and the Mikaelsons to Roanoke. June had taken them with her to Roanoke; the three of them would look over the house in-person and finalize the plans for the move. Elijah had called a moving company that was composed of supernaturals: mostly witches, but even a few vampires. The company was packing up the Gilbert house and were starting on the farmhouse and Klaus's house.

The plan was to pack up and finally leave Mystic Falls and head to Roanoke. Once there, Miriam, the Mikaelsons, and the rest of their group would move into a hotel for a few months while the mansion was fixed and all of the furniture and stuff was moved in. It was hard to tell who was most looking forward to leaving, Klaus or Caroline.

(It was probably Caroline).

They were going to join June and the Gilberts in a few days, once the three houses were packed up. No one trusted the Mystic Falls gang to not do anything stupid, so they wanted to hang around until the very last minute, just in case something happened.

Miriam was anxious to leave. She couldn't wait to see what was going to happen with the Roanoke pack. The pack alpha and Klaus had exchanged a few more phone calls, and the two seemed to get along. Miriam hoped that the werewolves' willingness to turn would ease something in Klaus. He was still smarting over Rebekah's admission of her betrayal, and would need something to distract him. Tensions had eased, somewhat, since the Big Talk, but there was still an undercurrent of stress that wasn't helping anyone. Maybe once everyone could have their own rooms there would be less tension. Until then, Miriam would live with the Mikaelson brothers and their drama.

So when Miriam woke up feeling horrible, she blamed the tension that was in the house. She practically crawled out of her bed and into the bathroom. After slowly moving through her morning routine, she left her room.

The others were already up and spread throughout the living areas. Finn and Caroline were in the kitchen pulling out items for breakfast. Elijah was in the living room reading the newspaper. Kol was in front of the TV, flicking through the channels. August and Klaus were at the kitchen table; Klaus was on his computer and August had a label maker and was printing out a plethora of labels for his potions and things.

"Hey! I'm so glad you're up! Oh my god, I'm excited for today!" Caroline squealed.

Miriam smiled through the pain. "I'm excited for you, Care."

"What's wrong with you? You sound weird," Caroline noted.

At that, all four of Miriam's mates were suddenly watching her intently.

She blushed, embarrassed at the attention. "I'm fine, just not feeling too great."

"Do you want one of us to stay home with you?" Elijah asked, concerned.

"No," Miriam waved a hand through the air, "I just have an upset stomach. It's nothing to worry about. And August will be here, and you guys will only be a phone call away."

No one looked happy at her words, but no one argued.

"I shall call the Martins; they will stay here today," Klaus said firmly, leaving no room for contradictions.

"Fine." Miriam didn't roll her eyes, but it was a close thing.

After a quick breakfast the Mikaelsons and Caroline hurried and got ready for their outing. They were going to hunt together, and then go to a mall in one of the bigger cities a couple of hours away. The reason for the mall was to introduce Finn and Kol to several modern things, like security cameras and the prevalence of cell phones. They could compel as many humans as they wanted, but if a video of a vampire accidentally got released, there would be a huge problem for the supernatural community. Walking around the mall and observing small details was the goal for that day. The secondary goal was shopping. Caroline was also hoping to score the newest cell phone model (she was probably going to get it, too; Finn couldn't resist her puppy dog eyes) and Elijah and Klaus were going to help Finn and Kol get new clothes.

Caroline was excited to go. After her confrontation with Damon the day before, Miriam believed that the younger girl needed a distraction. She had had a difficult past year, and deserved to have a fun, relaxing day.

"Don't buy Caroline too many things," Miriam warned as she walked the group out to the car.

Caroline made an affronted noise, but Elijah chuckled.

"We have more than enough money to spend on whatever catches young Caroline's eye," he said, but at Miriam's hard look, he amended, "but we will limit her spending. A few thousand dollars is a nice small amount, I believe."

"What?!" Miriam gaped.

"Yes!" Caroline punched the air. "Let's go before she talks you out of it!"

Elijah chuckled again and kissed Miriam on the cheek. "I shall see you late tonight, or sometime tomorrow morning, vorgyðja."

"Have fun," Miriam managed.

Finn, Klaus, and Kol said goodbye to her as well, and then the five of them piled into Elijah's car and drove away.

August nudged her as they watched the car turn onto the main street and disappear from sight. "It's just me and you, doll face. What do you want to do now?" He waggled his eyebrows.

Miriam shoved him and laughed. "You're gross. Go do whatever it is you like to do until the Martins arrive. I'm going to start packing up my room."

Even with Elijah spoiling her-items of clothing that she needed randomly appeared on her bed, and it didn't take a detective to figure out who put them there- Miriam did not have an abundance of clothes. Still, it was taking her a while to pack up her room. It was emotional, to pack up the first place she had felt safe in since she lived with Baahir. Her room at the farmhouse was cozy and colorful, and she would sorely miss it. She would especially miss the memories she had made in this room. She had bonded with Elijah, Klaus, and Caroline in this room.

A gentle knock on her open door made Miriam look up.

"Hey." It was Greta. "We've all arrived. Do you need any help packing?"

"No, I've got this," Miriam rose to her feet but then stumbled.

Greta made a concerned noise and started to wade through the boxes covering the floor to get to Miriam. "What's wrong? Where are you hurt?"

"I'm okay! I just felt light-headed for a moment," Miriam insisted as she righted herself.

Greta looked unconvinced. "I should call Klaus."

"No, I'm fine! And I don't want to worry him over nothing," Miriam said.

"If you're sure," Greta said slowly.

"I am. I'll take it easy today, and I'll take a nap after lunch," Miriam bargained.

"Fine. But you'll tell me if you feel worse," Greta said sternly.

"I will, I promise."

"Alright. We will be packing the kitchen and our witch tools if you need us." And with a final unsure look at Miriam, Greta left.

Miriam spent the rest of the day miserable. Her body felt achy and sore all over, and made packing boxes and lifting boxes a trial. She had skipped lunch in order to take a nap, but even after taking several aspirins, her headache refused to lessen and interrupted her sleep. Her stomach had rolled at the smell of the delicious home-made pizza Maddox had made. And her headache developed into a migraine that chased her to bed early.

Her sleep was restless. The pain in her head and in her pelvis refused to be cowed by the aspirin she had downed. She tossed and turned...

She was drowning, she was falling. She could only watch as Jules in her werewolf form raked her claws across Miriam's belly. Mr. Schmitt was beating her in his kitchen, and this time his wife did not stop him as he approached her prone form. His hands reached for his belt and Miriam screamed as pain bloomed in her waist. And then Elena, Alaric, Bonnie, and Stefan were standing in front of her, evil smiles on their faces. Bonnie held Miriam still with her magic as Alaric approached and ripped her heart from her chest-

Miriam woke up gasping.

Pain, shape and relentless, pulsed in time to her rapid heartbeat. Her stomach rolled as a cramp seized her. She looked around frantically, but her room was dark. The alarm clock on her nightstand boasted a time of 11:18pm.

Miriam hadn't had a period in six months, but she could feel the sticky blood on her thighs. The cramps, usually a mild irritant, were debilitating. Her head was pounding, and she felt as weak as a newborn foal. Something was seriously wrong; her periods had never been this bad before.

"A-August!" she called, the panic making her voice crack. She swallowed a mouthful of bile and screamed, "Greta! Someone! Help!"

CRACK.

Miriam's bedroom door was pushed in and fell lifeless to the floor, broken in several pieces. The main lights were turned on and Miriam's room was filled with her mates.

"What's wrong?!" Klaus was by her side first; his cool hands pressing against her inflamed skin was sinful.

"Where are you hurt?" Elijah wanted to know. He was on her other side, and he grabbed one of her hands and seemed to track her pulse.

"I smell blood!" Caroline exclaimed. She and the witches pushed their way into the room.

"Where is it coming from?" Kol asked. But before Miriam could answer, he pulled back the blankets. Nearly every person in the room gasped at the amount of blood that stained her clothes and the sheets.

"Let me through!" Greta shouted. She bullied her way past Finn and Elijah to reach Miriam's side. Her dark eyes were concerned. "Stay still for a moment while I examine you."

Staying still was only marginally better than moving, but Miriam did as the witch said. Greta raised her hands above Miriam's body. They glowed for a moment before she lowered them.

"Dad, I need ingredients for a strong pain reliever and a fever reducer. I also need something to help replenish the blood she is losing."

"Luka and I will make the potions now," Dr. Martin said.

"I'm coming with you," Kol said. At the witch's dubious look, he added, "I've studied magic for one thousand years, young man, I know more than you ever will."

"Kol, go with Dr. Martin. Caroline, go with them," Elijah ordered.

"I need to ask you a few questions," Greta said once they were gone.

"Okay," Miriam gritted her teeth as another wave of pain threatened to make her vomit.

"When was your last period?"

"Months ago," Miriam said. She hadn't been keeping track; she had been too concerned about the story starting, making ends meet, and her horrible landlord to really care about her period.

"Alright. Now I'm going to ask you an uncomfortable question. Um… is this a miscarriage? Are you pregnant?" Greta's eyes slid over to August.

Klaus, who had been drawing patterns on her hot skin, went completely still. A low growl cut through the silence; Miriam was positive the sound was coming from Finn. Maddox took a step away from August in an act of self-preservation.

"Oh my god, no!" Miriam squeaked.

"I swear I haven't touched her! I value my life!" August defended.

"Peace," Elijah said, holding his hands out to both his brothers. "August would never betray my trust like that, and Miriam does not find him attractive in the least."

"Yeah! Wait, you don't find me attractive?" August asked Miriam.

She grimaced. "The man-bun and the beard don't do it for me. Sorry."

August made a hurt noise and self-consciously touched his beard.

"Okay, there's too many people in the room. Babe, can you and August get my books on menstruation?" Greta asked Maddox. "I'm fairly sure I know what to do, but I want to double-check. I haven't practiced feminine magic since before we began to help Klaus."

"Will do," Maddox said, and he and August left.

"Finn, can you go run a hot, shallow bath for Miriam? Caroline!" Greta called, "Grab the hot water bottles out of the pink bag that's in the dining room and fill them with hot water."

"On it!" Caroline shouted back.

"The pain potion is almost ready," Luka peeked into the room.

"Good. Make sure dad knows it's got to be maximum strength," Luka nodded and left. Greta looked at Elijah and Klaus and explained, "I want her to sleep most of tomorrow away while her body puts itself to rights. She hasn't had a period in months- I'm guessing from stress and lack of food?"

"Yeah," Miriam confirmed.

"Right. So now that her body is stronger and she is experiencing less stress, it wants to continue normal female body functions. I want to keep her on bed rest for the next two days."

"You will find no arguments from us," Elijah promised.

"Good, because the four of you will be catering to her every need. She will need a steady stream of pain potion, hot water bottles to help with the cramping, juice to help her blood sugar levels, amongst other things."

"It will be done," Klaus swore. Greta nodded, then left the room to help her family. Klaus looked down at Miriam, his blue eyes intense. "Why did you not tell us you were feeling bad?"

"I didn't think it would get this bad," she admitted. "It's never been this bad before."

They sat in amiable silence as Greta ordered her troops to complete one task or another in the common rooms. Finn returned from the bathroom and rattled something off in his native tongue.

"Miss Martin, the bath is ready," Elijah called.

"Good!" Greta and Caroline came back into the room, arms filled with linens and several potion bottles. "Caroline and I will clean her while you guys clean the bed."

Klaus looked like he wanted to object, but Elijah nudged him, and he relented.

After a bath in hot water, Miriam was dressed in another pair of pajamas and a fresh pair of underwear with a sanitary pad that she hadn't used in too long. Her bedding had been changed, and there were several vials of potions on her nightstand that her mates made her drink. She was then unceremoniously placed into her bed and a hot water bottle was placed on her lower stomach before the blankets were pulled up to her chin.

"Rest now," Elijah kissed her forehead. "We will be here if you need us."

"Okay," Miriam said sleepily. Three other pairs of lips kissed her forehead and then she was asleep.

The next couple of days were foggy for Miriam. She woke up periodically to change her sanitary products and to eat and to drink the potions that Greta had prepared for her. One of her mates was always with her- she believed that they had a rotation list, though they denied it when she asked them. She woke up once to find Klaus sitting in her bed with her, texting on his phone. Another time she woke up to see that Kol was asleep next to her. During the day Elijah would read her poetry from different cultures and in different languages. Finn made sure that she ate and, if she was lucid, they would continue their lessons on learning each other's languages.

And even though she felt weak and gross and sore, their attention made her feel… precious. Kol asked questions about her knitting hobby. Elijah wanted to know her opinions on the poetry he would read to her. Klaus discussed the move to Roanoke with her and actually asked her for ideas for bonding with the pack. Finn had found a cookbook in the farmhouse and was making baked goods for her to try. None of them looked at her like she was a burden despite her feeling like one.

When was the last time she had been cared for while sick? Probably when Abuela was still alive, she mused. Pops, though he loved her, hadn't been the type to bring her medicine or food when she was sick. He had been from a generation and a culture that insisted on men being tough bread-winners, not sensitive care-takers. Pops had never been cold to her, but he had never made her soup when she would catch a cold. And since arriving in this new world, Miriam had heavily relied on herself. Baahir had been a protector, not a care-taker. And once he was gone, Miriam had been by herself until Elijah arrived, less than two months ago.

She thought giving up control would have been more difficult after years of autonomy. But it was nice to be pampered. Her mates were attentive to her needs, and to have people around her that were willing to get her food or water or just sit with her was a novel experience. She had nearly forgotten the feeling of being cared for. Despite her deep desire to not be a burden, she could do nothing but cave to the comfort that they offered her.

And it was a care that was freely given. There were no strings attached to their attentiveness. She didn't have to trade her secrets for service. In the face of their sincere willingness to care for her, her heart softened towards the four of them.

Maybe their relationship could be successful. Maybe they could all live harmoniously together. Maybe Miriam didn't have to rely just on herself any longer.


Miriam had been fed a nutritious and delicious dinner and was now lounging on her bed. Finn covered her with her warm duvet before moving to the small table that had been brought into her room at the beginning of their care-taking. Elijah had set up a game of mahjong, and he and Finn began to play as they chatted in their mother tongue.

"Sit up for a sec; I want to braid your hair back," Caroline said as she entered Miriam's bedroom with Kol following a few seconds later. Miriam did as Caroline said, and in no time at all she was sporting a loose braid.

Kol, who had sat down on Miriam's other side, looked intrigued. "I want to learn how to do that. Miri, your hair looked very fetching on our date the other night. I would like to copy that look."

"Working with hair takes time and practice," Miriam warned. Caroline tied the end of the braid and Miriam relaxed back into her mountain of pillows. "And my hair is thick and curly."

"Ooh, you can practice on me!" Caroline proposed cheerfully. Before Kol could decline, the blonde vampire plopped herself down in front of him on the bed. Kol froze for a moment, then shrugged and sat up so he could reach Caroline's head better.

Miriam smiled, then flinched as a cramp seized her stomach. "Klaus?" she called.

"Yes, love?" he said from the doorway, a bag of blood in his hands. He tossed it to Caroline, who began to drink.

"Can you…?" Miriam motioned to her stomach.

"Ah. Yes, give me a moment," he said, then disappeared into her bathroom. He returned after a minute, now in his werewolf form. He jumped onto the bed, jostling all three occupants. After a little rearranging, they all settled into comfortable positions.

They had discovered that Klaus's werewolf form generated quite a lot of heat, and Miriam preferred his constantly warm head on her belly as opposed to a hot water bottle that would quickly lose its heat. Klaus said he didn't mind, and by the way his eyes would roll to the back of his head when she stroked his large head, Miriam believed him.

"Kol, you crossed the wrong strand," Miriam said as she watched Kol attempt to braid Caroline's hair.

"You gotta keep track of the pattern," Caroline added.

"I used to braid Rebekah's hair, I should know how to do this," Kol muttered.

"It has been centuries since Rebekah has allowed you to touch her hair," Elijah commented dryly.

"Here, this should help," Caroline said. She pulled her hair into a ponytail, then resumed her original position. "Split the tail into three sections."

"Use your thumbs to help juggle the different strands," Miriam explained. "Once you get the motion down it's pretty easy."

"It cannot be that difficult," Elijah goaded his brother light-heartedly.

"Shut up, 'Lijah!"

Caroline giggled. Klaus, his head a comfortable weight on Miriam's stomach, snorted. Miriam just smiled and closed her eyes. She could hear Finn and Elijah talking in Old Norse, Caroline giving Kol advice on braiding, Kol's frustrated mutterings, and Klaus's steady breathing. This was family. This was belonging. Miriam was going to fight to keep this moment her reality.

But before fighting, she was going to take a nap.


KLAUS

They waited until night fell and their mate had fallen asleep before leaving the farmhouse. Klaus had suggested what Elijah and he were about to do several nights before, and the four of them had debated for hours on the execution of his plan. Klaus had been inclined to violence, and Kol had agreed. Elijah, sentimental fool that he was, insisted on mercy. Finn had agreed with him, citing Miriam's penchant for kindness as a reason to show mercy.

It was times like these that Klaus almost wished that Miriam had a fifth soulmate so that person could be the tie-breaker. Of course, he didn't actually want another soulmate to contend with; he was barely surviving with his three brothers all vying for the attention of the same woman. Often he felt like a child once again, all six of them competing for their mother's rare affection.

But anyway, the tie had finally been broken once a compromise was reached. And now Klaus and Elijah were walking through the remains of the Fell's church. The nights were losing their chilly bite as summer approached. May was half-gone, and June was coming quickly. The wind stirred the leaves on the ground lazily, as if it were bored. Next to him, Elijah walked with a stiffness that belayed his discomfort.

They didn't speak to each other as they descended into the tomb that lay beneath the church.

Katerina was waiting at the mouth of the tomb, at the edge of Elijah's compulsion rules. She had been fed sparingly by June over her time in the tomb, so her body wasn't desiccated. But her clothes were filthy, and there was a look in her eyes that reminded Klaus of asylum patients.

When she saw them, her eyes widened and she jumped back. "Elijah! Klaus!"

"Astute as ever, Katerina," Klaus grinned sharply. He could smell her fear as plainly as he could see it in her eyes. She was shaking slightly, and her eyes kept darting around, looking for weaknesses and escape plans.

There would be no escape.

"What do you want?" she asked warily.

"What I want has been overridden by my pesky siblings," Klaus shook his head sadly. "I wanted to begin your rightful punishment for running from me for 500 years. My plans were grand, but alas, I was swayed by the pull of brotherly affection."

"... So you aren't going to kill me?"

Klaus laughed. "Dear Katerina, you will die tonight. Just not in the way that I had planned."

"Enough, Niklaus. Would you give us some privacy?" Elijah asked.

Klaus nodded and left the space with a bounce in his step- he would return after Elijah spoke to the once-doppelganger. And Klaus could still hear their conversation from his spot just out of sight.

"Elijah, please, please don't leave me here! He will kill me!"

"Undoubtedly."

"Just release your compulsion, please!"

There was a long pause before Elijah said, "I loved you once."

Katerina rolled with the topic change like the slithering snake she was. "We can be in love again! I loved you, too, Elijah. It was always you. Even when I was playing with the Salvatore brothers, it was always you. Just… Just let me go, and we can be together again!"

"I wish you meant that. Just as I wish you had believed me five hundred years ago that I could have saved you. But you did not trust me, and my misguided affection for you nearly destroyed my relationship with my brother."

"Misguided?" Katerina picked out the key word in Elijah's speech.

"Yes, misguided. I have found my mate, Katerina, and for the first time I have experienced love in its proper form. And now that I have her, I will never settle for the pale imitation of love that you offered me once upon a time."

"Elijah…"

"Goodbye, Katerina."

"No, wait, Elijah! Elijah, please! Elijah!"

Elijah walked up to Klaus, his eyes suspiciously wet. "I will go take care of Elena. Remember your promise, brother."

"I will," Klaus responded, and Elijah left the tomb with a woosh.

Klaus reentered the space. Katerina was just standing there, despondent.

"You know," Klaus said conversationally, "I do believe you actually once cared for my brother. Maybe he wasn't your epic love, and you certainly aren't his. But regardless, the affection Elijah once held for you is the only reason your death will be quick and painless. And the only reason I agreed to your quick and painless death was out of brotherly loyalty. I am… turning over a new leaf, one might say. Less daggering of siblings and more family potluck meals."

"Kl-"

"My original plan," he cut her off before she could continue her attempts at escaping her inevitable situation, "was to rain down pain and suffering upon you for five hundred years, as punishment for every year I could have been a full hybrid. But no matter! I will have to make do with your boring, quick death."

And before she could protest, he thrust a hand into her chest and grabbed her heart.

Katerina choked and gagged as blood spilled over her lips. Her eyes held fear and despair, but even that was not enough for Klaus.

He had spent five hundred years knowing that he could have been running free as a wolf. Those centuries had been so painful, knowing that Katerina's escape had been the one thing keeping him from his caged werewolf side. His relationship with Elijah had deteriorated during those years, and even now, Klaus knew in his heart of hearts that he still held a measure of anger towards Elijah for developing feelings for Katerina.

But Klaus was trying to do better with his siblings, dammit! He hadn't killed Rebekah for her part in bringing Mikael to New Orleans, he hadn't daggered his brothers when he found out they all shared the same woman as a mate, and he was willingly sharing (some) of his plans for the future with his brothers and sister. He was trying!

Case in point: Katerina would die once he removed her heart from her chest. To placate his brother for losing one of his loves, Klaus was willing (somewhat reluctantly) to fulfill Elijah's wish for mercy. Klaus was going to end Katerina's life as quickly as possible, but first…

"I killed your entire family in 1492 when you escaped your fate," he said, bringing their faces closer together. "But there was one person I was never able to find: your daughter."

Katerina's eyes went wide.

Klaus grinned. "Yes, I looked for her. But without a name, I had no idea where your parents had hidden her. But I know something you do not: she is currently a vampire."

"No!"

"Her name is Nadia Petrova, and I am going to find her, and kill her. But I want you to know, before you leave this earth forever, that she lives and you never got to meet her. And that I will be responsible for her untimely demise."

And with that, Klaus pulled Katerina's heart out of her chest. He smiled, slow and satisfied, as her body went gray and fell to the dusty floor of the tomb.

Shamelessly, Klaus raised her heart to his mouth and took a savage bite out of it. He took dark satisfaction from ingesting her blood, even if it was vampire blood. He should have drank her dry half a millennium ago; it was about time that he tasted her blood.

Once he was finished with Katerina's heart, he took one last look at the dead vampire before climbing out of the tomb. Elijah had promised to kidnap Elena so that Klaus could get enough doppelganger blood to turn the Roanoke pack. Klaus was excited about turning the pack- his very own pack of hybrids! People like him! People who he could run under the full moon with. People who were strong, who could help him protect his siblings, his mate, from any threat that came their way.

Filled with thoughts of the future, Klaus didn't spare another look at the dead vampire as he left the tomb.


Next chapter is a time jump and we see the character in Roanoke! We are meeting the pack next chapter!

Miriam's period scene was one of the first scenes I thought about when I started this fic. The scene was inspired by a Hobbit fic called Mountain Mother by illyth (one of my comfort stories, for sure). It was also inspired by my own experiences with menstruation; stress plays a huge impact on my cycle. It is rare for me to have consistent periods during the school semester, because of the stress from school. So I imagine that Miriam, who has been under extreme stress and malnourishment, would have issues with her own cycle.

(Whit's Reno Update: nothing to update. My mom is looking at our neighbors' homes for inspirations for paint colors for the exterior of our house.)