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Klaus Pov

Coma.

A state of deep unconsciousness that lasts for a prolonged or indefinite period.

The definition of a coma was insipid and bland at best.

It stated that it was nothing more than a state in which someone was unconscious for a period of time.

There were more textures and layers that were in play when someone was in that state of deep unconsciousness that lasts for a prolonged or indefinite period.

That definition, as uninformative as it is was, explained nothing but a tiny fraction of it. That definition didn't even give the smallest hint or a hushed whisper of what happened outside the world when said person was in a coma. The definition said nothing about the agonizing pain loved ones would feel. It didn't mention a word about the overwhelming sense of helplessness, knowing that there was nothing, absolutely nothing, you could do. The feeling of helplessness didn't appear at first. The shock was the first feeling that appeared. Unbelievability came next, then panic, and finally, the helplessness began to sink in tortuously slow. There was no worse feeling than being a powerful immortal, perhaps the strongest being to ever walk the earth, yet unable to help the one who meant the world to you.

With this, there was no sense of period where there was a steady calmness or sense of peace.

You weren't saying anything, but on the inside, you were just screaming in pure suffering and wretchedness. Maybe, that was just me though...I couldn't speak for everyone else...All I knew was that my best friend, the one who blessed my dreams every night with her presence, the one who stayed up all night talking to me when I needed it, the one who I painted with, the one who had the ability to comfort me whenever no one else could, the one who tore me apart on the inside until she had reached my heart, the one I had fallen for a hundred lifetimes over, the one who was by my side day in and day out wasn't...anymore...and I didn't know when she would be back...until then I was going to remain by her side...

I didn't give a damn what everyone else thought...

I know that she would do the same for me. I could clearly see and hear her telling me after she woke up how grateful she was for me being there for her. She would say it with this appreciative look in her eyes, and she would hug me afterward to make sure that I knew just how thankful she was for me and what I had done for her.

I often tried to show her how thankful I was for her. I have told and shown her things I wouldn't dream of showing anyone else, private and personal things, feelings, emotions, and such.

Luna wasn't one to just go out and exploit someone's secrets. Luna, unlike some women of this time period, and any other valued the smallest of things equally as much as she valued the biggest. She was extremely appreciative, considerate, and polite. I could open the door, or push in her chair, and she would thank me with overflowing gratitude, using both her words and her eyes. Even at her worst moments, she never forgot to say thank you. Her kindness is something I admired, how she managed to be that way with strangers was always a mystery to me. Those were only a few of her qualities. She could be quite irritated when playing chess or cards with Elijah. It was quite a sight to witness. How flustered she would get, was cute, how she would scrunch up her nose. She was willing to die for the ones that she loved. She would fight with everything in her. She was protective over the ones she cared for. The only thing I disliked was her selflessness/self-sacrificing. If it came down to it, I would do what I had to, but it seemed that Luna was risking her life more than often than normal.

It was the reason why she was in the situation she was in now.

I wanted to be the one in the line of fire. I wanted to guide her away, but she was willing to stay in harm's way rather than someone else take her place. It's one of the only things we ever argued about. Either she was worried about me, I was worried about her, or we were both worried about each other. We would rather, put ourselves up than have the other one suffer. I didn't have a problem with her handling things by herself. In fact, I loved to watch her do so. It was beautiful. But when things became too much, or the weight became too heavy for her to carry on her own, then I would come in.

Danger happened to follow Luna everywhere she went.

Sometimes I might let her go somewhere. Alone. Without me. In truth, I was supposed to go do my own things, with Marcel or Elijah. The city needed tended to. I couldn't stop, though. I had to follow her. I never listened in on her conversations, I just had to be close.

Needed to be close.

If anything were to happen, I would be there to protect her. No one knew this. Not even Elijah. I had no intention of telling anyone of this either.

It blew me away to know that we had only known each other for almost three years.

A lot had happened in that short span of time.

The truth was it didn't even take her a whole year to break me down. On day three, I was telling her one of the times that Mikeal beat me. I shared with her the pain I endured. I have never before found it so easy to confide in someone else. She had said that she would say sorry, but she knows that it doesn't make it hurt any less. I appreciated that. In return, she told me what the witches did to her. I've never wanted to murder an entire coven so much before.

Whatever wish she had, I wanted to have the absolute honor, to grant it.

On the fourth day, she asked me a question, one that was simple, one that put a smile on my face for the first time that day.

I remember it like it had been yesterday.

She had knocked first, timidly, three times. I knew it was her. I could smell her unique fragrance through the door. It wasn't perfume, it was just her.

I put the grimiore I had been looking at down. Wanting to give her all my full undivided attention. Something I never gave Hayley, Rebekah, or even Elijah.

"Come in."

She opened the door and calmly walked in: wearing an olive green camisole top, a pair of light-colored frayed cut-offs, her hair was down and around her shoulders. Rebekah must have straightened it, of course. I wish she wouldn't try to alter her appearance so much. Luna was fine just the way she was. By fine, I meant beautifully stunning. She didn't need makeup, or any lavish clothing to prove this fact.

"Hello, love. Welcome to my office. Feel free to treat it like it's your own."

"Oh, um, thanks...There is something I would like to ask you, that is if I'm not interrupting anything, of course..."

"No, you aren't interrupting anything at all. Ask away..."

Her heartbeat quickened, puzzling me. It sounded almost as if she was nervous. That couldn't be right. I must be hearing things.

She looked down at her feet, brushing a piece of her hair back, before looking back up at me.

"I was wondering if you could take me to see the city at night...I know that it's not the most opportune of times given the witches and everything, but I could use a break from your sister."

I chuckled at this.

"Not that she isn't great or anything, because she is. Hearing about clothes, shoes, and places is interesting and everything, but I just want a little serenity before I take any big steps. I'm not trying to be rude or ungrateful by any means, I-I'm just not ready..."

I nodded, understanding what she meant. My sister, at times, could be overwhelming and overbearing. It had only been days since she came out of the witches' place. It was much too soon for Rebekah to be planning shopping trips to Paris and Italy.

"I'm sorry, I just-"

I stood, afraid she would leave.

I didn't want her to go.

I couldn't help but be astounded that she had asked me, Klaus Mikealson, of all people, to take her somewhere. I was floored, flattered more like it. There were others, yet she chose me.

"No, love, don't apologize. I would love to take you out to the city at night. I could use a break from both of my siblings, actually."

"Thank you, Klaus, I really appreciate it."

A genuine smile made it's way to my face. Warmth filled my entire being, because of her 7 little words. Luna never forgot to say thank you. I know that every time she said it, she meant it. Everything about her was genuine. After learning the horrors she endured, this girl was not at all, what I had expected. I knew what she told me barely scratched the surface of her torments over the years...

"What's it like, Klaus? The city at night...I mean...Elijah says it shines at night, but I would like to hear your view on it. You are an artist after all..."

I smiled, yet again, at her words. She had said I was an artist. She had asked my view, my perspective on things. No one asked my view on things...they usually didn't want it...

"My brother is not wrong. The city at night shines in its unique way. Neon lights of all colors attract people who pass by them. People come out and shop, they sit on benches and talk. There is a certain serene sense to it. Bands play softly in the background. At night is when it truly comes alive. It's beautiful."

"I can't wait."

Even after she left, a small smirk remained on my face. The rest of the day, I looked forward to the following night.

Whatever she wished, I wanted to have the honor to grant it. Whatever was important to her, was important to me. Whatever made her happy, I wanted to have it around constantly. Whatever scared her, I wanted to tear apart.

Every word was true. I wanted to do whatever I could to aid her in any way, even if it was just as simple as holding her.

I trusted Luna without the slightest bit of hesitation.

There was this vibe, or rather an aura, about her that I found myself drawn to. A magnetic pull of some sort. From the very first day, week, and even month, selfish thoughts would enter my mind. Jealousy flared up inside me whenever I saw her with Elijah and Rebekah. I wanted to be the only one she would talk to. I wanted to be the one to show her things she had never seen before. That look on her face would be priceless and worth everything at the same time. I wanted to be the cause of that expression on her face. Never, have I felt so much pleasure spending time with someone. I feared if I told Elijah, he would think I was exaggerating things and blowing them out of proportion. I wasn't a saint, and I didn't always tell the truth. This was one of those rare times that I was truly being honest with myself. She had this way of pulling me out of the darkest of my moods. Even now, I still don't understand it. All it takes is a look from her. One look and the frustration and rage will fall to the floor now, unapparent as if I had never felt those things in the first place. As if those feelings had never existed. She had this way with words.

I didn't just let any girl or woman sleep in my bed. I haven't since Luna arrived, with the exception of Genevieve. That hadn't been an enjoyable experience, to say the least. Whenever Luna slept in my room, whether it was my bed or couch, I would always wake up holding her. When she woke up, she didn't turn away, she just stared blinking sleepily, as she thanked me. Part of me wondered if I was making her uncomfortable when I was close to her like that. Yet, she didn't shy or turn away. She would usually put her head on my chest and stay there for the rest of the night or morning. It was almost like she would curl up there beside me like some sort of small woodland creature. In the early hours of morning in her sleep, she would put an arm around my shoulder or torso as if she was keeping me there. Usually, I had to leave her in the mornings. With everything going on lately, I haven't gotten the opportunity or chance to stay with her in bed all night and most of the morning. I missed those times when we would wake up around the same time. Then I allowed myself to gently move the pieces of hair that were strewn, across her face. Obstructing, my view. After, that I would caress her cheek, marveling at how warm it was from the sun's rays. Usually, she would fall back asleep after we exchanged a few words. I felt so close to her in those moments. I wanted more of those moments. I was greedy for them. In those moments that I shared with her everything, and everyone became nothing but background noise. In those moments, nothing else mattered but her. I became tuned in to her and her alone. Even when I was asleep, if her breath stuttered, I was awake, and I didn't go back to sleep until I made sure she was okay. Luna never mentioned anything besides her having a good peaceful night's sleep, even if she had nightmares when she slept with me. I would often wonder if offering my bed to her meant as much as it meant to me.

If waking up in my arms meant, something if anything at all to her? If she wanted to go to sleep in my embrace and wake up in it the next morning?

There wasn't an exact science to telling someone you loved them. The talks with Elijah and Stefan were helpful, but not at the same time. They had experience, yes, but no experience with Luna what so ever. She wasn't like any girl or woman I had ever met. I couldn't do things the boring or cliche way. She deserved more than that, and I wanted to be the one to give that to her. The only one, to give that to her. I had gotten over refusing my love for her. It was pointless. There was no going back. I was long past the point of no return. Even if I could, I wouldn't want to. I liked this feeling, all the feelings, she gave me without knowing. She had made her mark on me, it wasn't washable. It was permanent.

I know I wasn't good enough, let alone good, for her, but I didn't want to be without her. Not for a second. I wanted her to be more than a friend, more than family to me...

I wish I would have told her before all of this. Should have, I just didn't know how. The perfect moment never came.

By perfect, I don't mean weather or a beautiful sunset. It could have been below zero and a blizzard outside. Of course, the sunset, and perfect weather, would be a plus, but not necessary.

The truly perfect time to tell her of my feelings would be when she was okay. By okay, I mean not breaking down and crying for hours on end. Not that Luna was emotional in a bad way because she had every right to cry and be upset. Her reactions were expected to be much worse than they were. Telling her my feelings could change our relationship forever. If I told her I knew there would be no going back. It would change everything, either for better or for worse.

Whichever one it was I knew one thing was certain.

Luna wasn't ready and neither was I.

She was dealing with too much at the moment, I didn't want to add anything to her plate if I didn't have to. Everything was so heavy on her, it hurt me to see her so weighed down with stress and everything else she had to do that day...I needed to sort some things out as well.

One little mishap and I could ruin our entire relationship. One miss-worded sentence, and everything between us could be destroyed. This had to be handled with care, and taken with the utmost seriousness.

This current experience, her being in a coma, changed the way I thought about a lot of things. One of the most re-occurring ones seemed to be my love for her...what I should have done...what I'm going to do when she wakes up...

Luna's friend Brennan said that the chances of her waking up were higher than the usual coma case. They had done scans, and tests upon tests, before announcing this. Seeing her body moved from bed to table and back to bed was jarring. She was still...too still. The way her arm would fall away from her body, it dangling freely in the air, was too much for me to bear.

Her mind, as well as her body, were damage free, and she had no pre-existing conditions. Brennan's boss, Cam, agreed with her. But their words didn't soothe me.

Nothing anyone said could have.

Only two things would make me feel better:

1. For Luna to wake up.

2. To have Abbraxas' un-beating heart in the palm of my hand.

Cami was worried, almost as much as I was.

I wasn't aware, but Luna had been talking to Cami about her past, and how she coped with it. Cami had pulled me aside, and away from everyone else to tell me her fears. She didn't tell me exactly what Luna had talked to her about due to being her friend and patient confidentiality, but she did tell me what she suffered from: PTSD, Panic disorder and anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, insomnia, agoraphobia, and genophobia. There were others too, but these six were the main ones she faces every day.

I knew what all of them meant, and now that I know about them the way she acted made sense.

Whenever she would break down crying, as I held her, when she complained, of intense tightening chest pain, when her hands would shake.

The reason why she wanted to sleep in my room with me and didn't want to leave the compound, and stay a night somewhere else. Even when her sister insisted upon it.

The reason why she had nightmares when she was alone in her room. Her trouble, falling asleep alone.

She feared being in a dangerous situation, that's the reason why she would look over her shoulder, even when she was with me.

Her genophobia was the reason why she refused to go out on any dates that everyone had tried to set her up with. She was afraid of being taken advantage of again. Genevieve was to blame for that fear. She controlled Stefan, used him, to hurt her in the worst way. I, of course, didn't blame him, it was not his fault. Luna brushed up on how Stefan told her that he had to hurt her, that Genevieve was controlling him. She told me how he would tell her every so often how sorry he was. Pain like that isn't something you can forget about or just get over in a day, a week, a month, or a year. It stays with you. One night, just one was all it took to do enough damage to last a lifetime, another unwashable stain and mark upon her being. If I could go back in time, I would save her from Stefan and Genevieve. I wanted to eliminate her fears. The one's that prevented her from living her life.

They had said that there was nothing they could do; no shot, no spell, and no amount of healing power to wake her from her slumber.

She didn't look peaceful at all. There was a crease between her brows, and her mouth was slightly, parted open like she was about to say something. I knew her enough to know, that she looked both worried and scared.

I also knew her well enough to know that, that worry and fear wasn't for herself but for us...for my family...for me...

It was strange, in a way, how we thought so alike. I always thought about Luna and everyone else before doing something. How would they feel? How much would it impact their lives?

Before Luna, I didn't care what my family or anyone else thought of me. I cared now, I've cared since the first day she came into my life.

Now she was here asleep in her bed, and I was beside her in a chair. So close, but so far away at the same time.

Castiel, an apparent Angel, who had been watching over her for most of her life had said that she was at a crossroads. He had said that she didn't know where to go, and that emotionally she was experiencing high levels of pain. Being pushed off the tallest building of New Orleans only to be caught by Castiel supposedly aided in her deep sleeping state. With everything going on it became too much, and she just shut down.

My mother had said something similar to that. I didn't want to believe her or Castiel.

I tried to make her feel at peace as much as possible, tried to protect her, tried to make her smile and laugh. I held her when she was cold or scared or just wanted to be held.

It wasn't enough.

I wasn't enough.

Not after what happened, hours ago. When I was forced, to face a situation that I was completely, and utterly powerless in.

So because of my inactions, Luna told Cole to get us out. Which I later learned had always been the plan. If anything had ever happened to get us, her family 'her words' out before her. This plan had been made months ago, since the first week, she knew Cole. She had made him promise her.

Like Elijah, Luna took her promises very seriously. Unfortunately, the promise she made, as selfless as it was, put her in the situation she was in now. The promises put her in many of the situations she found herself in.

A day ago, the girls had come into the her room to clean her up. They removed the make-up, the rubies, and the diamonds. They took her out of the dress and put her in a long-sleeve blue t-shirt dress. They even washed her hair and combed through it.

After they were done and satisfied, I returned satisfied to see that Luna looked more like Luna. My Luna.

She looked like she could be sleeping, the only thing about was if you shook her or said her name, she wouldn't wake up.

Everyone reacted differently. The second I heard her heartbeat, I knew that something was wrong, I just didn't know what.

Hayley was the first one who tried to wake her up. Shouting her name and shaking her. I was thankful Hope had been in the another room, sleeping. Elijah had to psychically pull her away while Jackson stood there stunned as his wife cried, "Why won't she wake up?" over and over again.

Her room's lights, were dimmed, her balcony had been closed off. There was an IV in her arm. A monitor to track her heart and blood pressure. Those beeps didn't help my stress levels or anxiety at all. Though, I didn't plan on sleeping for hours on end anytime soon, much less leaving her alone in this vulnerable state.

"Luna, if you can hear me-"

I paused, not knowing how to continue. A hot metal rod being stabbed, into my heart was the most describable feeling. I was half expecting her to turn her head in my direction as she usually did every time I spoke to her.

But she remained still. Her breathing and heart retained their slow pace.

"I need you."

I sank back into the chair I had been sitting in. Feeling like a weight had been lifted, off my chest. I had said what I had needed to say. And I prayed that she had heard me. It's only been, 1 day. I wasn't sure how much longer I could take.

Shadow, her newfound faithful companion, hadn't left the room. He was sitting next to my chair, his eyes and ears droopy, his tail motionless. The girls hadn't forced him out. Hours ago, I had brought in his food and water bowl. It lay untouched in the corner, just like the still full blood bags that sat on the other side of the room.

I wasn't hungry nor thirsty. The only thing I wanted, needed, was for Luna to wake up.

I reached down and picked Shadow up, cradling him in my arms. He gave a heavy sigh and lifted his head.

He looked over at Luna before he looked back at me.

A pitiful whine sounded, and he buried his face into the crook of my arm.

"I know, I know...There's nothing I can do..."

Cole Pov

Klaus' along with Shadow's head, lifted at my silent arrival. My sudden appearances usually startled people.

Shadow hopped down off of Klaus and started walking in my direction. His chest puffed out, he was growling, and his eyes glowed red.

"Easy boy," I said, holding my hands up.

I reached down to pet him. The hellhound pup only snorted and made his way to the edge of Luna's bed.

"Sorry about that. He doesn't seem to be in the best moods here of late."

"Looks like it's going around."

It was nice to talk, even if it was just for a few moments about something of unimportance. I was surprised when Shadow jumped onto the end of her bed, curling up. He was bonded, to Luna. That was manifested, in their first interaction. I wouldn't want to be the person to take him off her bed.

"Has there been any changes?" I asked, looking at the monitors.

My medical knowledge wasn't plentiful. Klaus had noticed that something was wrong with her before anyone else did. If anything had changed, he would know.

"No. It's been two weeks, and nothing has changed."

I took in his appearance. The original hybrid usually wasn't this sloppily dressed. The pale tone of his skin told me it had been a few days or more since he had fed.

"Do you sleep?"

An unamused smirk formed on his face, "Elijah makes me, and I do. In her room. I avoid leaving the room as much as possible. Everyone thinks it's unhealthy for me to be up here with her, but I don't give a damn what they think."

I nodded, deciding that I had asked enough. He wasn't in the best mood. He wouldn't be in a better one until Luna was awake. I wish I had good news to deliver, this family needed it. I, unfortunately, had no good news to give.

"Abbraxas recently contacted me. I've already tried to trace it before but was unable to find the original origin. I contacted the few witches I knew, and still nothing..."

Out of my cloak, I pulled out the opened envelope, he frowned as his eyes read over what was inside.

I imagine that was the same expression on my face when I had first received it.

"He is the one who pushed her off the bloody building. Why would he think that I would allow him to come anywhere near her?"

I observed as he tore the paper apart. Silently, watching as the pieces float down to the floor.

"My guess is he thinks you are on the edge of your breaking point. Even if you were, I would not recommend entertaining time with him unless it was to put him through days possibly even wees and months of torment or a slow excruciatingly painful death. Afterward, I would personally escort him to Purgatory and The Wasteland. We would trade off every couple of months. Three things, that would be not only beneficial but also satisfying, especially right now."

He chuckled, a glint in his eyes. "We shall see, all in good time."

"Have you discovered anything about him that would aid us in his demise?"

"No. However, I did manage to find parts of his family tree. The Underworld has hundreds of thousands of species of demons. Each one belongs to a particular group, faction, or family. Something that they all have in common. That something is a weakness of some kind. It might not be easy, but we will find what we are looking for in time."

Among worrying about Luna and searching for a weapon to kill Abbraxas, I had The Source's duties to take care of.

Being the Source of All Evil, or rather The Source (as it was now, called) wasn't about taking down The Charmed ones or any elite witch groups anymore.

Those days had died down the moment I came into the grasp of power. I wasn't the only one who believed that some demons (not all) would be able to coexist with the human world. Others weren't on board. Some solely having the mentality of the old days. At first, there was only a handful willing to change, to try and live a different life. A life of peace, they were tired of fighting. That handful was slowly, but steadily growing day by day. I understood, I had been there once, in their shoes. Trying to kill witches. Yeah, you succeeded in killing one, but then more came back ten times stronger. It gets tiring fighting a battle you are going to ultimately lose in the end. There were meetings and greetings that I had to attend: letters to send, calls, and summons to conduct. These weren't a meaningless waste of time. Every demon that I persuaded over to the peaceful side was a witches' life or an innocent and their family that I saved. It was hard to keep the peace when war was close to raging with The Triad and The Elders.

"Might I suggest a boundary spell of some kind? I don't know his full set of capabilities, but I would hate to see what happened before happen again. Taking precautions like that can go a long way as simple as they may seem."

Klaus winced, shifting his feet. "Would you mind staying here while I talked with Freya?"

"I won't be long..."

He wasn't looking at me as he was saying this, but Luna. A longing look on his face.

It was apparent that he resented leaving her. If rolls had been reversed, I'm sure Luna would be doing the same thing.

"I wouldn't mind, not at-"

I stopped mid-sentence, realizing that I was talking to nothing but air, he was already gone.

I don't know how he was able to do it. Sit here in this room with her. Seeing her in this state made me antsy. I wanted to do something to help, I had to. She looked younger in her sleep, almost like her mother. I knew that without a doubt, despite the hell she went through and the hardships, her parents would be proud.

A whooshing on the other side of the room nearly startling me, "Back already?"

"Yes, my mother and sister are putting up boundary and protection spells as we speak. Have you had any look finding her brother?"

"No. Chris cares, don't misunderstand. The Elders are up his ass regularly, the same with Leo whether he sees it or not. They want to keep him from her as much as possible because they feared Madeline. Luna's mother, unlike The Sisters, didn't exactly follow their rules to heart if you know what I mean."

"I don't care for these Elders characters much."

"Few do. Madeline wasn't afraid to stand up to their entourage. She wasn't afraid to expose them for their lies and for who and what they really are. I fear once Luna goes to the Manor, they will try to drag her into their unholy unity. And use her as a weapon against my kind."

"A weapon?"

"Luna, rather, she knows it or not, is extremely powerful. It's in her blood, it's in her family, and it's in her history. The strongest of dark spells wouldn't be able to take her powers from her. I don't know if you are aware of this, but the witches at the cemetery kept records, and Luna's great grandmother x10 was a voodoo priestess. If anyone's prophecy comes true, it's her own, hands down. She has the power and potential, but the means and motivation not so much. Needless to say, if Luna knew what she could do, the power in her...she might have destroyed that entire cemetery and then some. Being one of the last Halliwell witches alive isn't something that can be overlooked. That in itself makes her valuable to anyone she is with. They would do anything to have her on their side. Even if that meant violating their own jurisdictions."

"I won't allow her to be used in any way." I nodded, agreeing with him.

"That's the last thing I want to see again, trust me. The Sisters: Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige, were given ridiculous practices to follow. What to wear, what not to wear, what to eat, when to wake up, etc...I watched them put their life on hold. I watched as The Elders looked down on them for finding love, or taking personal time off. I can't tell you how many times they tried to break Phoebe and me apart. Brainwashing is one of their strong suits. I'm not speaking for myself when I say not all demons are evil. The Elders have turned themselves into a cult. It's not about helping people, innocents anymore, it's about slaughtering an entire population."

I returned to The Underworld, after speaking to Klaus about the conflict with The Elders. I missed Luna, talking to her.

Going through this, watching all these plans in motion was anything but easy and stress-free. When I met up with her every couple of days in the week, I felt all the pressure ebb away. She reminded me of both her mother and Phoebe for this reason. The one thing all three women had in common was their compassion. If a friend was in trouble, they would make time even if they didn't have any. There was a natural calm aura surrounding them, under everything else. We had long conversations. The bad news was always on the table first. That way, it was off our minds for the rest of the time we spent together.

"Mr. Turner, how were your travels?"

"Smooth and regretful."

"Regretful, sir?"

I sighed, grabbing the papers and folders that were given to me by my correspondent that had just recently converted over to the peaceful, side. Until young Maxwell proved to The Round Table and I, we could trust him, he would be stuck doing political paper-pushing.

If you wanted a chance for a better life, then you had to earn it. Things couldn't just be handed to someone without there being any work involved. Demons were known universally, for being deceiving. Before accepting them into The Circle of Reconciliation, a truth test was in order. This was done for the sole purpose to make sure their intentions were pure and true.

Not everyone passed.

Political paper-pushing wasn't something that was too serious and it held some importance.

As I shuffled and briefly scanned through them, I realized that these would need to be looked over, before the next commemoration took place.

Though, today, I had some mid-level public figures in the hierarchy to meet with, privately. A member from my round table who was also a close friend would be joining me. That wasn't supposed to take place for another hour and a half. Hopefully, I could squeeze in some sleep.

"I wish I could do more."

"Well, I hope all goes well with the moon child," was the last words from Dimitri, one of the guards to the gateways of The Underworld. I smiled a little at that, moon child.

Yes, I couldn't wait to bring the moon child down here.

I wasn't worried about Abbraxas making an unexpected appearance. I had more allies than enemies for one thing, and for another, unless he intended to die, he would be making a grave mistake. Even if he managed to escape, I have placed certain enchantments that would leave a visible impression of where he traveled from. It would leave, a trail easy to trace. He was smarter than that, as much as I wanted him not to be.

The Underworld had many entryways and portals alike. There were planes among its existence. Innocents and witches, young and old, would discover a gateway accidentally. By placing guards along the entrances, I saved human and witch lives and protected those demons who had converted to the side of peace.

The Tribunal, a council, made up of Elders and Demons monitored magic, to make sure nobody ever finds out about its use. They were of neutral status. Unlike others of The Underworld regime, they did not participate in politics unless absolutely unavoidable. Their main concern was protecting all supernatural beings from exposure and war among the mortals. At first, they were hesitant to my idea of some demons one-day living amongst humans, and witches, in peace. After many trial runs and tests alike, they agreed to let me pursue my theoretical prospect of new alternatives and options for the ones who wanted to take a chance at something different.

The Dark Lords, as well as The Old Ones, and The Triad had voiced their dismay.

They had made many moves against us, which we thwarted with little or no casualties. Yet, they still called us weak when we were the ones with the upper hand.

Some of my sources of information had said that three had banded together and tried to convince The Vampire Queens around the world; Delphine, Bronx, Lacey, and Zhen. There was once five, and now there were four. If you killed the queen, then you killed the hive. Of course, it would be difficult, given that each of their divisions was up in the thousands nowadays. The Demon Vampire species was near extinction, and their faction had dropped out of the underworld regime centuries ago...

The word was that if necessary, they would join our side in a war. Either against The Triad and their associated parties and even The Elders. I would have to send my thanks to each of them and to, of course, offer my services in return should they ever find themselves in need of help. It would be the right thing to do.

These days that's what I strived to do, the right thing...

When I walked into my private quarters, I was not expecting to see Jonathan Draven.

The Draven family was one of the oldest and robust in all the demon hierarchies. Draven meaning, 'of the raven'.

The raven is their family symbol and represents loss and ill omen. They were clever, enough to avoid all interaction with the Halliwells and witches for centuries. This was one of the few demon families that didn't solely focus on world domination and destroying all witches. The family explored much of the outside world, particularly the architecture industry under the name ARC. For centuries, The ARC. has built from homes, to large cooperations. Wealth is considered powerful. Not to mention when the Draven's went against The Old Ones. It was a decade-long battle, and when the smoke cleared, The Old Ones were nearly extinct. The Draven's were a predominant family of mainly men. The looks were a giveaway; the pale skin, the dark grey eyes, and the pure white hair. The family looked more angelic than The whitelighters, who were the supposed angels that The Elders created.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here," I looked down at my watch before relieving myself of my cloak, hoping to wind down. "Not for another 45 minutes."

"Something came up."

Almost. I had almost sat on my sofa. "What happened? Are the meetings still happening? They didn't post-pone us again, did they?"

"No. All is well with the meetings and greetings scheduled for today."

I sighed, settling down and propping up my feet on the wooden table in front of me.

"It's my father."

"Apollo? Is he alright?" I asked, with my eyes now open. Apollo was also a good friend of mine. He wasn't doing so good ever since Maddy's death, he had taken to her. There was a history between the two.

Jonathan was not a planned child. Though, that didn't mean that he wasn't cherished. It is possible for demons to love, despite the misconceptions, The Elders fed their followers.

When a demon loved, they loved like no other. I should know...

Apollo had fallen hard for the girl who had almost ensued in killing him. It was how they met. Even today, as he spoke of it, he would smile. Them the empty look would return in his dark eyes.

"He's not getting better. It doesn't matter what I say. I think it's time he meets the moon child."

"You know her name. Why don't you ever say it?"

"There's nothing wrong with the name Luna. It's quite pretty and fitting, I suppose. However, moon child sounds more mysterious."

"I'm afraid that isn't even a remote possibility. Given the fact that she is still in a coma."

Jonathan sighed, "Her mom really did a number on my dad, eh?"

I nodded, this was true.

"Is Luna anything like that?"

"Patience, Jonathan..."

Elijah Pov

Luna was an indispensable part of our family. Her untimely absence had greatly, wounded us...

We weren't holding together well; Kol and Rebekah would spend hours bickering over the simplest of things, for example: the wall color, the kitchen floor tile, the sky being blue. Mikeal and Ester would argue, Ansel would sometimes participate. Damon and Kol would routinely get into it, both verbally and physically. I can't remember how many times I've had to pull them apart using force. I've even snapped their necks in order to get a few hours of some form of peace. Davina and Freya would loudly voice their disagreements over spells and potions that could wake her from her sleep. Hayley, Marcel, and Cami remained neutral. I was thankful that they weren't, being as argumentative as the others.

Castiel had disclosed that there was nothing he could do, nothing anyone could do. Still, his talks did not do a thing to discourage Vincent, Freya, Davina, or Ester. All remained determined to wake her up. It's been two weeks, and I can't help but find myself surprised that she's not walking beside me right now in this very moment, helping with plans.

She was quite the strategist.

This was one thing that was most underlooked, about her. Luna had always been more than a pretty face. These past two weeks everyone, (with the exception of Klaus) had been clambering around, not knowing what to do.

When she fought with Mikeal, she would come up with something new nearly every week. It was inspiring to see the look of astonishment on my father's face when she took him down. Klaus was expressly delighted in those moments.

Outside of family matters, things weren't holding together well either.

Luna had been pushed off the tallest building in New Orleans. She had the misfortune of falling into a coma. Since, then it seemed as if the world was crashing and burning down all around us.

We had it bad, Niklaus, had it worse. Those were the facts. I've never seen him this afflicted. He would put on a front whenever he was with Hope, but it was just a front, a mask, a lie...

The North-East Atlantic wolf pack and The Crescent wolf pack were on edge. They could hardly stand to be in the same room. Hayley's pack was convinced, that Ansel poisoned Luna, causing her to go into her coma. It was only a conspiracy that held no truths. Ansel would never hurt Luna, any more than Klaus or myself would. Both Jackson and Hayley feared a war between packs, with Hope being so young and Luna being incapacitated at the moment...things wouldn't fare well for either side...

There were centuries of resentment mounted up among the packs. It was clear that a few peace talks and lectures wouldn't mend the hate and rivalry between them.

Among other things, people were going missing in the Quarter and all across New Orleans. The human faction was threatening war, accusing the supernaturals of the city as they regularly did. Our relationship with the mayor was not at it's best.

I had conversed with Cole recently, and he speculates that demons connected and associated with a group called The Triad were involved. He had promised to look into it, though I hadn't heard anything back. I understood, Cole Turner was a busy man. Who had his own problems, who had kindly set time aside for my family and me. I was thankful for everything he had done.

Marcel and I had just got back from a meeting with the human faction. Of course, they didn't buy that we had nothing to do with it, even though we all had an alibi, a solid one. Tensions were only rising by the day.

"Oh, good, I was hoping to catch you, Elijah," said a clear feminine voice.

I looked up to see Camielle Saroyan, she was the head of the Jeffersonian Institute Forensic Division and the boss of Brennan, Hodgins, and their other colleagues back in Washington D.C.

My impression of her was that she was diligent in her work. At times like this, thoroughness went a long way. We had spoken many times throughout the week. Despite the subjects we discussed, one thing grew apparent to me. I quite enjoyed our little talks.

I was grateful, not only for her help but for the others as well.

"What's happened?" I asked, aware that something must-have. The people of the Jeffersonian were quiet until they found something.

"Out of the seven, John Doe's recovered from the shallow grave this morning, only six of them show any signs of foul play. The seventh has been dead for twenty years, natural causes, his discovery was accidental. Still, we notified the family."

"Any clues as to how the six died?"

"No, not yet. The skeletons have been blackened, in color. I've never seen anything like it. Removing it could destroy evidence and the quality of the bone. I was looking for you to show you these." I frowned as she handed me photographs. We began to walk in the direction of the sick-room/ lab, when I finally glimpsed down at the photos.

Blood-red, ornate symbols were carved, upon each of the six blackened skulls. In all my years I hadn't seen anything like it.

"All the skulls have a distinguished symbol that is set apart from the others. One of the members of my team back in D.C. should be able to find something that would be of use to us. But I was hoping if you saw them, then you could maybe help us identify the meaning. It might shed some light on who killed them and why. One mystery solved at a time is better than everything coming at you."

"I am sorry, I am unable to help Camielle. I haven't the slightest idea of what the symbols could mean."

At first, she didn't say anything, instead kept her gaze forward and her steps even. True, I had only known her for a short while, but something in me knew this woman never stumbled. Attire said so much about someone; if they were stressed, insecure, shy, etc...Today she wore: a Herve Leger one-shoulder symmetrical dress in cobalt blue the color complemented her warm almond skin tone, she paired the dress with a pair of black Louboutin heels, her hair was ebony, to her mid-back in a sleek low ponytail, the ends would sway, gently as she walked. The only jewelry she had on was a black and rose gold Michael Kors watch on her left hand and some small Cartier earrings. She dressed similar to this every day, radiating self-confidence. Was this simply her personality, or did it hold a deeper meaning? Admittedly, I was curious.

"There is no need to apologize, Elijah. Don't worry too much about the John Doe's and any other future murder victims. My team and I happen to be the best in the world at what we do. Eventually, we will find the purposes of the symbols, if there are any. In the meantime-" She paused before putting her hand on the door handle, "please, call me Cam."

"Old habits, die-hard," I replied smiling, she smiled back before opening the door to the crowded sick room/make-shift lab.

It's been roughly eight hours since I last checked on my brother.

I made sure to grab a few blood bags before going up, four days since he last fed. If he was going to go through this, he was going to have to be at full strength.

The door was wide open. I knocked anyway, and my brother's head, along with Shadows, turned in my direction.

"What do you want, Elijah?" He asked, returning to his sketching. I didn't need to look to know who it was.

I wordlessly handed him the blood bags. He sighed, annoyed.

Luna's room was clean as always. Her three dark oak bookcases were full. Some books were, even stacked neatly on the tops of them. Her walls painted a light beige. The floors were dark and hardwood. Her bed set covers were an aqua blue, her sheets beneath white. Before everything went down in flames, she had talked to me about renovating her room.

Her breathing was steady, as was her heartbeat. She was in perfect health, yet she wasn't able to wake up. She didn't look at all peaceful. She looked conflicted, even in her current state.

"Are you happy now?"

I looked up at my brother as he disposed of the blood bags. "If you are asking that I am satisfied that you are no longer going hungry, then my answer is yes."

"How are things?"

"It would appear that everyone is on the brink of war if that comes as a surprise to you. Marcellus and I took up a meeting with the human faction. Naturally, they all blame us. The Crescent wolf pack is clashing with yours. The witches have been unnervingly quiet, Vincent is on the inside for us. As you remember, he offered for Luna's sake. Because of his help, we now know more than we have before. They have been corrupted, by none other than the ancestors. More missing people were found dead. Buried in a shallow grave. Seven in total, only six were surmised, of foul play."

"Any leads?"

"So, far, none yet. Cole conversed with me and spoke of a group called The Triad. He thinks that particular demon organization could be tethered, to the murders and disappearances all over the city. The skeletons, have been blackened by some unknown substance. They worry if they attempt to rid the bones of the substance that it could destroy evidence. Distinct blood red-ornate markings are carved, into the surfaces of the skulls. I assure you, Cam and her team are tirelessly working to the best of their ability."

He smirked, and I shook my head, frustrated that he would think being at the brink of war, finding dead bodies in the city, and being blamed for it was humorous.

"Discovering bodies all over the city. On the brink of war with not only the witches, but the packs, and the humans. Why is this entertaining you? Forgive me, brother, but I have begun to question your sanity."

"Not to worry, Elijah, I am perfectly sane. As for thinking that our current situation is funny, no, I do not. However, seeing my brother smile at the mention of another woman's name besides Hayley's does entertain me."

"I did not smile," I calmly replied, straightening my suit.

Klaus chuckled as he stood with his hands behind his back. "But you did, right after you said her name. It was small, but it still means something. There is no need to get so defensive."

"Ansel wishes to speak with you about the pack," I said, wanting to change the subject. Over the past days, I had found Camille, or rather Cam, uncomplicated and effortless to talk to, even if it was just about murder and a potential war breaking out in New Orleans. If I talked to Hayley at all, there were moments of empty silences. With Ms. Saroyan, there was nothing of the sort.

"I am aware that he wants to speak with me. Don't try to change the subject."

"There is nothing to discuss. Cam is dedicated, to what she does. I happen to respect and admire that."

"As you should. Having dedication is a suitable quality for a significant other," was his response to my previous statement. Before I could reply, he picked up his sketchbook before sitting back down.

"Ansel wants me to take over the pack."

"As-"

"Their leader."

I hadn't expected this. Once upon a time before Luna, he would have wanted this. To b alpha of his own pack. I wasn't so sure that he wanted it now. Things were different...he was different...

"How do you feel about that?"

"I feel that I am unable to even think of his proposal until Luna wakes, and I speak with her."

Of course, he would want her stamp of approval. Ansel most know that everyone should.

"Everyone is quite lost without her, wouldn't you say?"

"Withdrawal can be painful for those involved."

I sighed, sitting in down in a chair beside him. Shadow hopped down off Luna's bed and up into my brother's arms, where he was given affection.

"You are comparing her to narcotics, now?"

He didn't reply at first. He just scratched behind Shadow's ear. "I find that she is addictive; physically, emotionally, mentally. Through everything, she's been a guide, showing me where to go, reviving what had been dead inside me for so long. Now that she is in this state, I am at a loss of what to do. I am lost. I can't leave her. Not for more than half an hour. It feels like a heavyweight is pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe."

Maybe, the witches weren't so quiet after all. Perhaps, that was their plan all along was to try and take my brother down. It wouldn't be the first time they inflicted pain on him. It was a long shot, but the less pain my brother had to undergo, the better.

I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Hayley telling her to come to Luna's room and stay until Klaus returned. She responded in no less than thirty seconds.

"What are you doing?" He asked, standing up, gently setting Shadow down on the floor.

"Talking precautions to make sure our family is safe."

In the end, our mother found nothing supernaturally unusual about Niklaus.

He wasn't happy about coming down and leaving Luna in the first place. He didn't look too well. It had nothing to do with anything or anyone besides the sleeping girl upstairs.

"You see? I am fine."

"Elijah, what made you think the witches in the city had something to do with this?" My mother asked, a concerned look spreading across her features.

"They've remained quiet, too quiet. Intuitively, I assumed the worst."

"You can never be too careful," voiced Mikeal.

"Niklaus, Elijah said you've been feeling some pain. Where?" Asked Ansel, looking his only son over, his expression mirrored Ester's.

I didn't miss the scowl in my direction.

"No one can help me. I know what the predicament is and what the resolution is. As it stands, I am going to have to endure the pain for the time being."

Everyone in the room gave a heavy sigh. I prepared myself for the headache I was going to have after this.

I tried to be considerate to be a good brother. I somehow feel as if I've only made things worse for him.

"Why must you make things harder than-"

"We are all here to help, whatever you need-"

"Wallowing won't make anything better-"

"Dear, please tell us what's wrong-"

I remained silent, recognizing the look on my brother's face. It wouldn't be long now.

"NO!"

Mikeal, Ester, and Ansel stopped speaking after his outburst.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! NO ONE CAN!"

"Then help us to," mother said, reaching out to touch his arm. She pulled back when he lashed out and began breaking the glass that had been on the counter.

"I AM LONG PAST THE POINT OF NO RETURN! YOU CANNOT HELP ME!"

"Maybe, we can't, but we are ready to try. And if we can't understand, then we'll listen." I was surprised to hear my father speaking in a calm tone.

"We are prepared to do whatever we need to. Everyone here in this room cares about not only your health but you're well-being," Ansel added.

I hadn't bothered to say anything. I already knew of my brother's predicament and the resolution to it. How everyone else wasn't aware of it baffled me.

"Everything means nothing if-"

"You can't have her," Mikeal said a faraway look in his eyes.

Silence fell over the room once again. I was puzzled. Maybe everyone else was aware, after all.

"Yes, I know all too well about the helplessness you feel. True, our circumstances were entirely different. Some aspects, however, are worthy of being comparable. They can be charming in more ways than one."

My mother smiled, "Remarkably so, I suppose it's just their nature."

"Who's nature?" I asked, wanting to know who 'they' were. Whoever 'they' were had something in common with Luna.

"That's a story for another time. Perhaps later tonight..."

Freya Pov

The strength I took to walk to Vincent and I's usual meeting place was absurd.

My energy, unlike my stubbornness, was not everlasting.

For the past week, my nights had been restless. Nightmares, mainly, and memories of my time with Dahlia. No one knew of this.

With the threat of war on the horizon and Luna's current confinement situation: I didn't deem it necessary. Right now, for the greater good, my needs needed to be set aside.

In a family, you did one thing frequently. You sacrificed.

I was ready to give my all for the people I loved.

Even if that meant; skipping meals and losing hours upon hours of sleep. Tirelessly, working hard on something that might turn out or not, putting everything into it, my blood, sweat, and tears. A slim chance of it succeeding, praying that it does work. Only to have it fail after everything. Afterward, I would cry into my pillow, muffling the sound so no one would hear. How Luna managed to perform under pressure is something I couldn't understand. I would have to talk to her after she woke up.

The cafe we visited regularly wasn't ideally what we wanted, but we had to work with what we had; the food was usually lumpy, underdone, overdone, and the coffee was warm at best. There was one crucial element that this cafe offered that the others did not, privacy. It was because of privacy that we chose Moka for our daily meetings.

When we met at Moka's, we discussed delicate subjects. Magic, in other words, dark magic. If unprecedented measures are what it will take to awaken Luna, then so be it.

Everything was falling apart without her.

Despite my exhaustion, seeing Vincent walk to our table was still able to make my heart beat a little bit faster.

Vincent was a powerhouse. I was glad that he was on our side. Not because I feared him, but because I didn't want a war with the guy I secretly liked.

I confessed my feelings for him to myself. It might have been a simplistic thing, but simple things developed and transformed into something intricate.

Not all complex conditions were horrible.

They were growing, my feelings, budding from the earth. The soil below was anything besides fit for sustaining life. Nothing had grown there for hundreds of years. If something were to grow, that something would have to be resilient, among other things. The environment was unpredictable, with ground shaking earthquakes one day and raging floods the next. Vincent had been married once. He was even expecting a child. Sadly everything turned sour for him as things were sour for me. Both of us have experienced losing the one we loved. We had so much in common. Despite my feelings, I was glad to call him a friend for now. I would have to wait and see if that small delicate bud would grow and blossom into something more.

"Freya."

The sound of his voice pulled me out of my head. I smiled, handing him the coffee I pre-ordered. "Vincent."

He took a drink, and I found myself doing the same with my own beverage. I wondered why people were able to drink it with nothing added to it. It was much too strong for my taste. I, myself, preferred a latte. The taste was off, but it did energize me to some extent.

"How is it?" He asked while getting something out of his bag.

"Pleasant," I replied cringing, lightly as I forced myself to take another sip.

"How about you?"

"Perfect. Then again, I would think it would be hard to mess up a plain black coffee. How many hours did you spend working on that new spell you talked about?"

"Two."

Vincent raised a brow, and I crumbled. I couldn't lie to him. Lies only set people apart unless you were trying to protect them or someone else.

"Okay, all night. It's just I've been having problems going to sleep."

"This has been going on for a week, correct?" I nodded before I drunk down my latte, finishing it. There wouldn't be enough coffee in the world to make me feel awake. The man, Jerry, came out to get our now empty cups. I knew we were their favorite business. It was small and family-owned. Vincent and I always tipped extra. I thanked Jerry before turning back to Vincent.

"How did you know?"

"For starters, you have dark circles under your eyes. And I recognize what sleepless nights look like."

I was shocked, he noticed. Then again, he was attentive. I watched as he began putting away the books and papers he had gotten out. I was confused. He had just gotten here. I've been looking forward to this since yesterday when our last meeting ended.

"What are you doing?"

"I am going back to Lafayette to meet up with someone who says they would like to help me form an alliance with your family."

"The cemetery?"

"No, it's going to be more out in the open, so nothing looks suspicious."

"That's great and all, but what about me?"

Vincent didn't answer my question at first as he was rummaging in his bag for something. He pulled out a smaller one, drawstring and the material was a deep purple.

He stood, and I did too.

"You, Freya Mikealson, are going to go home and get some sleep. If I have to, I will call your brothers to drag you there."

Vincent handed me the small bag, and I took it. All the while, wondering about what was on the inside.

"One candle will last three days. I gave you six. Put the candle on your nightstand, and light it. When you wake up, blow it out. If these don't work, I can make up a more potent batch if necessary."

I shook my head, smiling, looking down at the little bag in my hands from him. Glad that he was thinking of me.

"No, Vincent, this is fine, perfect. Thank you."

He smiled and put his hand on my shoulder. "Your welcome, now please at least try and sleep. Don't call again until you are well-rested. In order to do the spells, you found you have to be at full strength. And you aren't at full strength when you are tired. Everyone has their limits."

His deep brown eyes were softer than they usually were, and they held my gaze; his voice and words soothed me. It sunk in then.

He was right.

Everyone has their limits, and I had reached mine. I didn't feel ashamed. In fact, I was proud I lasted this long.

"Good luck with your meeting."

"Oh, I'm not going to Lafayette yet." I frowned confused, "Then where are you going?"

"I'm walking you home."

My heart picked up again at those words. Okay, try to hide the excitement, I mentally told myself.

"I am a Mikealson witch. I think I can take care of myself."

Vincent chuckled, putting an arm around my shoulder and looking back. "I don't doubt that. However, strength is in numbers. And with the city at the brink of war, it's best not to travel alone."

"Yeah, your probably right."

Was it possible for something good to come out of war?

The walk home consisted of conversation and laughter. Two things I would have been without if Vincent hadn't walked me home.

He even opened the door for me.

I wasn't even past the entrance when I saw nightwalkers head for the door. I stopped one, a friend of mine. We sometimes went out for a drink.

"Bree, what's going on?"

"One of our properties mysteriously blew up. Marcel and your brothers are sending us to go and see if we saw anyone lurking around the scene."

"What will happen if there are?"

"Then we will do, exactly, what Klaus said," answered a man who had stopped next to Bree. Jonas, I think his name was.

"Which is?"

"Listen, we don't have time to screw around. Bree, let's go!" Jonas yelled, causing the petite vampire to jump.

"Sorry."

"No, it's fine, Bree, go."

After putting Vincent's generous gift on my nightstand, I searched the compound for my brother.

He wasn't with Luna. Instead, Hayley was there, with her head on the edge of her bed. Shadow was on Luna's other side. He stood at my entry. He groaned and laid back down once I had turned to leave. I checked the sick room last. Thankfully, that's where he was, along with Marcel, Ansel, Klaus, Elijah, and Cam's team.

"Dr. Hodgins, now is not the time for you to start raving about your conspiracy theories."

I was surprised to hear Cam use this tone. Usually, she was calm. She reminded me of Elijah because of this. I wondered what could have gotten her this disgruntled.

"I'm not raving, and before you call me a loon, listen first. Prominent public figures have been murdered, and eaten before. There is evidence that secret societies are targets. The kind of societies, that have great influence in the halls of power. Like the Bureau, for instance. Do you think it would be so uncanny for the mayor of New Orleans to try and take out their main competition by blowing up a property or two?"

Cam opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Booth did.

"Wait, Cam, he might be on to something. It's not completely unrealistic."

"Everyone has the right to have their own opinion. Right now, all I want is the facts, concrete proof."

Hodgins sighed, "Fine. I'm just gonna go back and look at very, small things under my very, large microscope."

"And for the record, Hodgins," he stopped in his tracks, turning around slowly at Cam's words, "I don't think you're a loon."

He nodded, smiling before heading back to his workspace. Microscopes, computers, and bags of dirt crowded the area.

"What is going on?" I asked, looking between my brothers.

"Freya, I suggest you go rest-" Elijah stopped talking, cut off by the loud vibration of Marcel's phone.

Marcel didn't greet the caller. Watching his face fall told me something was wrong. "No. Stay there. I'm going to send some people to try and identify the bodies. See if there's any evidence that would lead back to anybody."

His voice broke at the last word, and he hung up the phone.

"What happened?"

"Three bodies were in the smoldering ruins of one of our safe houses," was Marcel's response to Klaus' question.

"What are we going to do?" I asked, now needing no further information to understand the current situation.

"I will go and arrange a meeting with the pack." Ansel left his posture rigged.

The room was still. If the bodies were of three vampires, that would be catastrophic.

"Oh my god."

All heads turned to Brennan, Luna's friend who had just broken the quiet stillness that had settled over the room.

"Bones, what's wrong?" She didn't answer Booth's question as she wordlessly handed the file to him, a smirk on her face.

At times like this, it was hardly a time to be showing such enthusiasm, especially from her. Dr. Temperance Brennan, seemed like a methodical type of person. Whatever it was must have been something of meaning for her to act like this.

"You solved Amber's case?" He asked, and Brennan's smile widened, "Nope, it wasn't me. Luna solved it."

"If she solved it, why didn't she say anything?" Asked Cam after reading the file over, flipping pages over and over again.

Luna wasn't the type to spring anything on someone. She would wait for a suitable time. In other words, when everything wasn't falling apart.

"Her and Amber were friends, and there was a lot going on at the moment. How did she die?" Klaus asked, pulling himself out of his trance.

It was hard being without Luna. He appeared to be taking the brunt of things here lately.

"She was struck in the frontal bone with a wooden bat. After being unconscious, she was staked, most likely from what remained of the bat."

Brennan held up a small bag containing what looked like shavings of woods covered in blood. She also found pictures, the scene of the crime possibly.

I was shocked. My brothers, my father, and Marcel were too. I knew we all had the same question.

How in the hell did Luna manage to do all this without anyone noticing?

"So, we are ruling out a crime of passion, right?" Hodgins asked, pulling himself away from his computer.

"Yes, in fact, she's narrowed down the search for us to one name, and times the murder could have taken place. She even gave a list of motives, a full page."

"Who?" Elijah asked, and Cam dropped the file to the counter.

"Oliver," I said, somewhat surprised seeing his name in Luna's neat fluent cursive handwriting.

Damon Pov

One word is all I needed to describe the whole two weeks, one little four-lettered word.

"Shit."

"Damon," my brother said, sighing into the phone.

"What, you asked. Luna is in a coma, Abbraxas remains as ominous and dangerous as ever, people are turning up missing."

"Missing?"

"Yeah, and did I forget to mention that they are all turning up dead."

"You might have left that part out."

"Oops."

"I imagine you aren't letting Cami leave your sight."

"I can only hope you care enough for Caroline to do the same."

"Things aren't the best here either, Damon. The humans are trying to kick us out, so far, their efforts have been unsuccessful. I worry how far they'll go. The gang and I have been discussing where to go if things go south."

I laughed even though I wasn't at all amused. I took a sip of the best alcohol the Mikealson compound had to offer. There wasn't enough alcohol in the world to push down and make me forget the worry and stress.

And it certainly didn't keep me from missing my daughter with her defying attitude, intelligent quips, and the hits she would dish out to me whenever I said something stupid.

I would give anything to argue with her about Klaus about anything. I didn't care. I just wanted her to wake up and be better. I could worry about the war another day. I knew we couldn't fight without her. Instead, we needed to fight with her/for her and each other.

"Well, as always, your welcome here. Of course, it would be slightly pointless. You're talking about leaving a place of war and then coming here where there is about to be a war. Against all the supernaturals of New Orleans, plus the humans. I've got to say, Stef, that's not one of your most brilliant ideas."

"Are you sure there isn't thing anyone can do to wake her up? You know the second you mention it, both Jo and Kai will come up there to help in a heartbeat."

"Stefan, if an angel can't wake her up, no offense, but I'm sure Jo and her demon of a brother can't help."

"We want to. Caroline's been dying to take her to Vicki's shop, so they can get their hair done together. I think she's lonely. Only having a handful of friends. I don't think she's used to being so isolated."

"I wish there was something I could do. Maybe if and when Luna wakes up and things cool down, we'll drive down there. If you want to help, then stay back on the sidelines for now. I'll call if anything happens or if I need you to come in."

My brother said nothing. What I heard next sounded like a window breaking.

"Stef?"

I repeated his name, setting the now empty glass on the hood of my car. "Sorry about that. Just some kid, playing a prank."

"Sounds like a dangerous one-" I stopped talking, seeing Marcel, Booth, and Hodgins walkout. This had to be good.

I meant that in the most sarcastic way possible.

"Hey, I have to go. Don't do anything stupid."

Stefan laughed, "How can I? All the stupid's down there with you?"

I smiled before hanging up the phone.

"What's up?" I asked Marcel, noticing that he looked down. Everyone looked down, with Luna being in her coma and all, but he was more down than usual.

"One of our safe houses got blown up. Three bodies were, found I, would appreciate it if you would take these gentlemen down to the scene."

I nodded, "Yeah, sure. Whatever I can do."

"Call me when you find out about something," were the last words from Marcel.

Hayley Pov

Was I wrong for thinking about Elijah not being able to look at me a minute?

Something had changed between us.

He's treated me this way ever since I became Mrs. Marshall-Kenner.

I loved Elijah, he cared for me, and in return, I had hurt him over and over again. I could understand why he was so distant.

It was like sticking your hand on a hot stove top, and you got burned every single time. It was pointless, expecting a different result other than the stinging, searing pain.

I didn't blame him. I blamed myself.

How could I do this? To him...To me...To us...

I knew what I was getting into when I married Jackson. I didn't think marriage would be hard. I've been selfish, caring only about what I wanted and not thinking once about Jackson. He was a good alpha, a good leader, a good man.

He deserved more than me, that was for sure.

I wish Luna were awake. I would give the world to talk to her, ask what I should do.

Luna was not afraid to call someone out. I should know she's done it to me. I deserved every word.

The pack needed someone like that.

To call others out when need be.

I wasn't the person for the job. I didn't come up with those great ideas everyone liked Luna did. She never took credit for them either. Just because you were older didn't mean you were a better person, let alone alpha...

Coming across my sister's journal had been an accident. It had been under her mattress, I had seen it sticking out, and my curiosity grew.

The journal was deep purple in color, book-like and thick. I was curious as to what was inside. There was no lock, no form of protection from an outsider. Though, she had hidden it deliberately. She had wanted it to remain unknown. There was no doubt that reading my little sister's journal would be wrong of me. Before I could put it back down, the first page flipped open, and a splash of color caught my attention. A red forest is what she had drawn. It looked so real from the mud and puddles, the rocks on the path, the rain falling, the wind moving the leafs, the tree bark, the stormy sky. It was beautiful.

Luna's elegant cursive script was in the middle. Her neat handwriting was something I had always admired. It had the ability to look good in any color or ink, including the white that it was in on the first page.

I couldn't help but read it. My curiosity getting the best of me.

Darkened courses and blackened ways are the paths that the wicked take

I am omitted, left to bask in the shadows, hearing as they sharpen their blades to use upon me

Shallow and deepened cuts cover my body. Every prick, poke, nick, stab, swipe, cut, jab, and slice leaves a mark on my skin. My streams of tears and seeping blood come down like a rain that never ends, the ground beneath me a sea of red.

Indecisive and uncertain are the paths that I take. The streams of tears, and the seas of red have gone. I will forever carry the scars on my being, for they are part of me.

My heart ached after I re-read what she wrote.

It was no secret that Luna had a hard life. I never imagined it would be anything like she described. I knew that cutting wasn't the only thing they did, but this was bad enough. I'll never understand how she survived. To live through that would take a hell of a lot more than just strength.

I turned over the second page, latin. Drawings of different herbs and plants filled the next ten pages.

However, the next page was a charcoal sketch of a bench in Jackson Square. It was as beautiful as the forest, but what interested me was the piece below it.

Today was hard. Every day had been since that day two months ago. It makes things easy to reminisce about the good times I spent in Jackson Square on a bench, next to Klaus, watching the world fly by. Three things I would give my life to do just one more time. Every reminisce, no matter how big or small, caused me pain. The little moments were worth it.

The next twenty pages were similar.

She described her scars, her pain, her loss.

As I read on, I noticed that Klaus appeared quite often. Of course, he would. They were close.

She wrote his name, telling little things that happened. Sweet things, for instance, him texting her even though he was out. Even when he wasn't really supposed to. She drew places they visited, often like a restaurant in the Quarter and the roof of the compound.

Black leather, denim jeans, and refined words, they run and hide in fear while I stay and stare in awe. I have no reason to fear this man, for he is golden.

I smiled, touching the pages, simple illustrations of birds flying off the page.

Klaus had a bird tattoo, but that was just a coincidence.

The next pages made me doubt my previous thought as she wrote described him as a protector, her knight in shining armor. She would describe the deep fear she had of Abbraxas and then say that she would be able to keep it together as long as Klaus was there.

I reveled in his company; how the deep sea of blue and green of his eyes brought me a sense of peace, how the words of comfort flowed past his lips brought me comfort, how his soft caress brought me gratification because they took my pain away. There are things in this world I have yet to experience. He talks of many places; Maya Bay in Thailand, a park in Shinjuku Gyoen Tokyo, an art museum in Paris, The Louvre. I would go anywhere with him, even if it was just a ten-minute walk down the street in the Quarter while it was storming.

I didn't realize how much everyone meant to her. Klaus was set apart from everyone else. She saw him differently. I read where she depicted him as a rock, explaining how steady and sturdy he was. She described him as her shelter in a couple of pages. She put him on this pedestal no one could take him off it. Now, I realized it was wrong of me to even try and do that...Everyone in the Mikealson family meant so much to her. But Klaus was different and separate from everyone else. She adored him.

Could that adoration mean more than I originally thought?

And what about Klaus?

I knew he had feelings for her but to what extent?

Before I could think of any more questions, the door opened. Elijah stood on the other side, eyes narrowed and locked on the journal in my hands, Luna's journal...