Again, I own nothing in relation to the Vampire diaries. All rights go to their rightful owners. I only own my character and the scenes that I add and make my own.

Enjoy!

The night went quicker than I thought. Damon, Alaric and I stayed inside the cave longer than expected. With Alaric and I being the only ones to be able to get inside the cave. We did all the leg work.

I craved sleep more than anything else. My body had to rest after being sliced like a chicken tender earlier. I just wanted to grab something to eat and get some sleep. Once I grabbed something from the fridge, I made my way quickly up the stairs and entered my room. Kicking off my shoes and slipping my jacket off, I frowned as I passed the mirror.

"That's weird."

As I looked at my reflection in the mirror, the cut on my arm was all but gone. All that remained was a slight opening on the skin that began to heal back together. I chose to drop the matter for tonight. I was too exhausted to think into it too much. I'd ask my mom what Mason was talking about the next time I saw her. She would have the answers.

She has too.

The morning sun woke me as it came splitting through the gap in the curtains. Kicking off the covers to the bottom of the bed, I rolled onto my back and twiddled my necklace in my fingers. The silver metal chain with a butterfly in the middle made me smile. I had worn it since I was 16. The present from my mom was always my favourite. She knew how much I loved them since I was little. So getting something from someone special like her was a true gift. And I cherished it everyday since.

After laying there for a while, staring at the small crack that was above me on the ceiling. I slid my legs over the side of the bed and sat up straight. I was now fully replenished from last nights activities. Checking my phone as I walked out into the hallway. I saw that I had a message from Damon on the screen, letting me know that Elena and Alaric were headed to the cave to meet him there and if I wanted to tag along. Thinking it over for a few minutes before I replied with a simple 'no'.

I didn't want to go back there, well, not right now anyway. I wanted to know what they found, but I was thinking of the outcome that will result in the death of Klaus, and when I did, I got a huge knot in my chest and an overwhelming sensation coursing through my body.

I shook it off, and decided not to think about it or him today.

Showered and changed, I was ready for the day of cheer-training ahead. Since coming home, I hadn't really been in the right head space to get back into it but I felt today was the day to put everything else aside and have a bit of normality.

Low-and-behold, I could't have a normal day without having a little supernatural thrown into the mix, could I.

Walking out onto the field with the other girls, Rebekah was a few steps behind me as we all split up to practice moves.

"Why are you here?" I asked the original as I stretched my leg out by my side.

She sniggered, "The same reason you are here, darling."

I rolled my eyes, "You're telling me, someone of your... age, would rather spend their free time training with cheerleaders, over, I don't know, pretty much anything else?"

"Mock if you may, but I rather enjoy being here." She replied, and I couldn't tell if she was being sincere or sarcastic.

I just nodded my head in response and continued to do my stretches beside her.

Surprisingly enough, she wasn't the worst company to keep around.

My blissful silence was broken when Elena showed up and approached us on the field.

"You! Goody." Rebekah groaned as Elena stopped beside her.

"I was hoping we could talk." Elena said.

I got back to my feet from stretching on the ground. "I'll give you some privacy."

"No, you can stay." I turned around at Rebekah's words.

"Why?" I wondered and raised a brow.

She shrugged, "I'm being nice."

I frowned, "Sure."

I walked a few steps forward until I stood beside her facing Elena.

"Talk about what? Stefan?" Rebekah smiled, "Don't worry. I'm off of him until he starts treating me better. In fact, you should probably take a leaf out of my book."

"Actually, I'd rather talk about this." Elena held up a printed photograph of one of the symbols Alaric and I found in the cave. "I'm curious why you and Klaus have spent a thousand years running from your father."

Rebekah tensed beside me, I could feel the fear radiating from her as she backed up a little.

"We should get back to the girls. Homecoming's right around the corner." She turned to leave but froze at Elena's next words.

"Well then, maybe we'll ask Mikael when we wake him." Elena said in a cocky tone. It wasn't like her.

It lead me to believe that they had found something inside the cave after all. Something that might actually kill Klaus. But the name Mikael... I remembered hearing Damon mention it to Klaus on prank night, right before he fled.

Rebekah turned around, "Your bluffing!" She spat, "You don't know where he is. No one does."

"So, who's rotting in that old cemetery in Charlotte?"

"If you wake Mikael, we are all doomed." Rebekah's voice broke slightly at the end.

Was this Mikael truly this bad?

"Why don't you want me to wake him?" Elena pushed and I could see Rebekah wanted her to stop.

"Elena..." I spoke softly.

"I need to get back to the girls." Rebekah said once more, trying to get away and this time, she did.

I turned to Elena and lowered my voice. "What was all that about?"

"I'll fill you in later." Elena said before turning on her heels.

I looked on in frustration. I was in the dark, and I didn't like it one bit.

A while later, I returned home and whooshed straight up the stairs into my room. Strangely enough, It was actually beginning to feel 'homey' as more of my things were here now. Even with Rebekah living here as well, she wasn't as bad of a house mate as I thought she was going to be. I hardly seen her and with Stefan gone, I could return home but it was just a matter of time before Elena let him out of his cell.

As I changed out of my practise clothes and into something comfier in the form of a skirt and top. The racket of music caught my ears as it radiated from downstairs and filled every corner throughout the house.

"Damon?" I called as I opened the door to the hallway. He never answered, so I went to investigate.

Walking down the stairs, I was taken aback as I saw Rebekah walking in front of six perfectly dressed girls. Each of them wore gowns in various colours and styles. It was like she was having her very own little fashion show right in the middle of the living room.

I stepped off the last stair and walked over to the entrance of the living room. My arm lightly brushing the wooden frame that surrounded the doorway.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked her as she finally noticed me.

"Ahh, Jessica." She smiled gleefully.

It was a little unnerving actually.

"Here." She passed me over a glass of champagne, which I took graciously.

"You still didn't answer my question, you know." I reminded her as I took a sip from the glass.

"Well, Homecoming Is coming soon, and I want to pick the perfect dress." She sipped from her glass, too. "I couldn't pick from these ones. What do you think?"

I frowned, "Are you asking my opinion on a dress?"

"Well, what else?" She looked me over briefly, deep in thought as she inspected me.

"What?" I asked in haste as she examined me like a lab-rat.

"You're not the worst dressed person I have come across in this town." She smiled.

"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or a dig?"

"Ohh, it was a compliment, sweetie."

I took in the sight of the girls and I was a little shocked that I wasn't as disturbed by what was standing in front of me, hollow and completely oblivious to their surroundings as I thought I would be.

Hmm...

I looked over the girls in front of me, each of their dresses were beautiful, but I was looking at which one would be better on Rebekah.

"The red one." I told her.

"Really?" She asked, slightly shocked.

I smiled, "Really."

"Pick one for yourself, too." The original instructed.

"I..."

Before I could reply to her the front door opened and I peered to my right as Elena walked inside.

"Hey! What's up?" Rebekah asked her.

Elena looked between us, shocked as I walked over to the sofa and sat down, my champagne glass in hand.

"You invited me over? To talk?" Elena reminded her.

Rebekah cleared her throat, "Alright girls, have at it." The six members of the squad that she compelled entered into the room. "Okay, now twirl." Rebekah asked them and they obeyed. Showing off the dresses in all their glory for Elena to witness.

Elena looked at her in disgust, "You compelled your own runway show?"

She shrugged, "I needed a homecoming dress. So, what do you think? Pick one." She instructed her.

"I'm not here to help you shop. I'm here to talk about why you don't want me to wake up Mikael."

Rebekah rushed over to one of the girls, her fangs on full display as she tilted her head to the side.

I sat forward on the sofa, literally sitting on the edge of my seat at the scene unfolding before my very eyes.

"I said 'pick one', Elena." She instructed her once more.

Elena jolted forward, fear in her shaky voice. "The... red one."

"There. It wasn't so hard, was it?" Rebekah mocked before facing the girls and telling them to leave and remember nothing. She then made her way over to Elena who tensed up. "You do not threaten me. You'll learn what I allow you to learn. Is that clear?"

I frowned, "I just told you the red one."

She stopped and smiled wickedly, "Always get a second opinion, honey."

Elena just watched as Rebekah walked past her and headed up the stairs.

"You coming?" Elena asked me, almost like she was begging.

I shook my head, "She invited you here to talk to you, Elena." I placed the empty glass on the table beside me. "Besides, I'd rather not hear more about Klaus."

She pressed her lips onto a fine line before leaving the room to search for Rebekah upstairs.

I remained in the living room and sipped away on my glass of champagne as they disappeared from sight. Every now and then I'd hear a few words, but nothing I could fully understand. They were too far away for me to hear clearly.

An hour or so had passed since Elena and Rebekah walked up those stairs, never to be seen again. Not knowing what was being said was excruciating. I had to know what was being said. I snuck up a few stairs until I could hear them clearly, and what I heard was eye-opening.

It was a witch who put the hybrid curse on Klaus and turned the rest of the family into Vampires.

I rushed down the stairs as I heard footsteps heading in my direction quickly. Just as I threw myself down on the sofa, Rebekah rounded the door and we locked eyes immediately.

She smirked, "I'm sure you've been listening in, my sweet."

She was toying with me as she stood in front of the fire.

I smiled back, "A little hard not to, your voice travels fairly easily."

She smiled, almost like she enjoyed this little to-and-throw that we had between us. Elena walked in shortly after and sat beside me on the sofa, picking up from where the conversation left off.

"So, vampirism was a form of protection?" Elena asked.

"What else would it be?" Rebekah asked back.

"A curse." Elena replied quickly.

A curse indeed.

Rebekah scoffed, "My parents only saw a way to keep their children safe."

"Yeah, but why stay, if they were so afraid of werewolves? Why not... leave?"

"Pride..." I spoke up from the brunettes side.

Rebekah nodded absentmindedly, "Pride indeed. My father didn't want to run anymore. He wanted to fight and be superior to the wolves. Where they could bite, we had to bite harder. Where they had speed, we had to be faster. Agility, strength, senses..."

Rebekah told us that the witch wouldn't off set the natural balance and that it was now in the hands of their mother.

"In her hands?" Elena asked confused.

"Because my mother was also a witch." Rebekah replied.

"What?" Elena gasped.

"The witch of the original family. The original witch?"

"Where do they keep their best vintage?" Rebekah asked as she stalked the shelves in the library. Elena and I followed her inside. I was now truly invested in the story that she told. It was like it was straight out of a book, and if she hadn't have told us it herself, I don't think I would have ever believed it if it had come from the lips of another.

"I'll get it." I said as I walked over to the other side of the library and reached behind a shelf, pulling out a vintage bottle, just what she was looking for.

She smiled.

"Damon doesn't know I found it yet." I smiled as I handed over the bottle. "He just thinks he's drank to much the next time her comes and there's less in the bottle."

"You are wicked." Rebekah joked as she poured us both a glass. "Elena, would you care for one?" Elena shook her head and Rebekah shrugged, "Suit yourself."

"How did you turn?" Elena blatantly asked.

I saw Rebekah's body tense, the anger brewing inside of her as she clenched the glass tighter. So much so that I could hear the minuscule cracking of the glass beneath her strong grip.

She blew a sigh and faced Elena, the glass still in one piece. "She called upon the sun for life, and the ancient white oak tree, one of natures eternal objects, for immortality. That night, my father offered us wine laced with blood. And then he drove his sword through our hearts."

Elena's mouth was agape as she whispered, "He killed you?"

I, too, was taken aback by her confession.

Her father had killed her, and her other siblings... all for his pride.

"And he wasn't delicate about it either." Rebekah swallowed what was left in her glass as she tensed once more before taking the bottle and snapping the neck swiftly off, throwing it into the fire place.

She told us the rest of the story of how she and her family turned as I stared at her in awe.

"It was euphoric! The feeling of power was indescribable... but the witch Ayana was right about the consequences. The spirits turned on us, and nature fought back... For every strength there would be weakness. The sun became our enemy. It kept us indoors for weeks. And though my mother found a solution, there were other problems."

I absentmindedly ran my hand up to my neck where my necklace hung. I thought back to what Mason said back in the cave. What he desperately wanted to say before he vanished. I still needed answers myself.

Rebekah continued, "Neighbours who had opened their homes to us could now keep us out. Flowers at the base of the white oak burned, and prevented compulsion. And the spell decreed that the tree that gave us like could also take it away... so we burned it to the ground." She stared into the fire, the flames lighting up her face in warmth and light as the amber flames rose. " But the darkest consequence was something my parents never anticipated. The hunger. Blood... had made us reborn and it was blood that we craved above all else. We could not control it... And with that, the predatory species was born..."

My own temperature was beginning to rise as Rebekah told us a piece of her history. It was hard to hear. Her life was filled with pain and resentment against her own family, but she also spoke highly of them. Not her father however.

Elena interrupted my thoughts as she asked, "Why did Mikael start hunting Klaus?"

"When Nik made his first human kill, it triggered his werewolf gene. With that, he became my fathers greatest shame."

"But... he was his father." I whispered, but then I remembered what my own father put Caroline through weeks earlier, and decided to close my mouth.

"No," Elena looked at me, "Elijah told me this part of the story. Your mother had an affair, with one of the werewolf villagers. Klaus wasn't his son."

Rebekah nodded, almost hanging her head in shame at Elena's words. "She tried to make it right. She put the hybrid curse on Nik to suppress his werewolf side, and then she turned her back on him. But Mikael's greatest weakness as a human was his pride. As a vampire, that was magnified. He went on a rampage and killed half the village. Then he came home and killed her."

"Your father killed your mother?" I gasped, almost in disbelief at her words as she nodded.

"He said that she broke his heart so he would break hers. He tore it from her chest as Nik watched." Rebekah's voice wavered a little as she recalled that painful night. "Afterwards, my father took off in a rage, and the rest of my family scattered. Nik stayed, so he could help me bury her. He knew I had to say goodbye to her. Elijah, Nik and I said that we'd stick together as one. Always and forever."

Elena sighed, "Always and forever... Even though he locked you in a coffin for ninety years?"

Rebekah narrowed her eyes at Elena's words, "We're vampires. Our emotions are heightened. I'm stubborn, Elijah moral, and Nik..." She smiled to herself. "Nik has no tolerance for those who disappoint him. Over a thousand years as a family, we've all made that mistake at least once. I've made it several times."

Elena swallowed as she got to her feet, "But you still love him?"

Rebekah faced her, "Hes my brother. And I'm immortal. Should I spend an eternity alone instead?" Her body language flipped like a switch in a matter of seconds. She was tense, red, and almost fighting back tears as she walked around Elena. "You've heard the story, it's time to go." Elena turned on the spot but didn't move an inch. "I said leave, Elena! I don't know what you're up to, but I'm no longer playing along."

Elena slapped her hands against her thighs, taking a deep, reassuring breath before saying, "I'm just looking for one good reason why we shouldn't wake Mikael."

Rebekah scoffed, "And I've given you a thousand! But you will anyway. I know you want him to help you kill my brother, I'm not stupid."

"It's no secret that I want Klaus dead. He has a hold over Stefan's life, and over mine."

The glint of a smile appeared on Rebekah's lips as she looked at the brunette, "Do what you need. Wake Mikael at your own peril." She walked closer to Elena, closing the gap almost completely as her eyes bore into hers. "But make no mistake, if you come after my brother, I will rip you apart. And I get my temper from my father. Now leave!" She snarled.

Her warning tone was all it took for Elena to close her mouth and finally leave. The rooms of the Boarding house were now silent as Rebekah stood frozen in the spot, an I hanging over the sofa from behind. Her hands lightly shook as she stared into the roaring flames once more.

I climbed over the sofa and walked over to her, carefully.

"Are you okay?" I asked in a whisper.

She blinked and a stray tear rolled down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away with the back of her hand.

"I'm fine." She sniffled and rubbed her eyes quickly. She faced me more as she asked, "Why do you care anyway?" She frowned, "It's not like we're friends."

My lips curled into a sincere smile. "I have just heard of a story about original vampires, and the death and abandonment of said originals." She looked at me, almost smiling back as the creases of her lips lifted ever-so-slightly. "I don't know about you, but I'd certainly need another drink after reliving those memories."

She chuckled lightly, "You're not like the others, Jessica."

I walked over to the drinks table and poured two glasses of Damon's finest as I looked up at Rebekah through wondering eyes. I asked, "What do you mean?" As she walked over to the sofa and sat down, making room for me to join her. I did so in a timely fashion with the drinks in hand, passing her one before crossing my legs and facing her like I was at a kids sleepover.

"Do not get me wrong, when I first met you. I wanted to snap that pretty, little neck of yours."

I snorted, "Thanks."

She smiled and took a sip from her glass. "However, now that I have spent a little more time with you, you're not so bad."

"Wow, another compliment." I joked and she lightly swatted my shoulder. "Even I have to admit, when I first met you in that gym hall, I wanted to snap your neck too. Especially after I saw Care's phone in your hand the second time you came back in."

"And now?"

I thought it over for a few moments, after all, this was Klaus' sister. An original. Much, much older than I, and for some reason I felt comfortable around her. Like, we were cut from the same cloth. Just centuries apart, yet the same person. I don't know much about her, but maybe that will change.

"You're alright, I suppose."

She snorted, "You love your sister, don't you."

I dipped my head and took a sip from the glass, "With every fibre of my being."

She gleefully smiled back and her eyes glinted at my words. Almost like she was wanting me to say it back.

Maybe she just needed a friend.

A while later, and Rebekah and I were still on the sofa talking and drinking. It was like time stood still when Elena left. We were on the same wave-level as we talked about our pasts. Her about how she and Klaus were the closest in the family and I about how Caroline and I fought a lot of the time, but we loved each other dearly.

"I'll get these ones." Rebekah grabbed my glass and walked over to the table. Just as she started pouring the drinks, the door opened and slammed shut.

"I thought I told you to leave. Twice." Rebekah spat as Elena entered the living room with more photographs in hand and a determined look on her face.

"How do you know that it was Mikael that killed your mother?" Elena asked quickly, her mind ticking quickly.

"Nik was there. He told me." She replied stoically.

Elena smiled slightly, "He lied to you."

Rebekah clenched her jaw. "And how do you know that?"

Elena walked closer to her, armed with pictures taken from inside the cave.

"The cave where you carved your family's names is covered in symbols." She showed her the photos and I got to my feet to see them as well. "The story of your family: how your parents arrived, how they made peace, the spell that turned them into vampires, and this. This is the symbol for hybrid. It's a combination of the werewolf and the vampire symbol. And this is the one for your mother."

Elena handed over a picture, "Her necklace." Rebekah gasped.

"And this is the story of her death," Elena showed her another photo with symbols on it. "The hybrid killed the original witch. Not Mikael. Klaus."

Rebekah stepped backwards, her eyes filled with fresh tears. "No! No, he wouldn't."

Elena stepped forward and pressed her more.

"She put the curse on him, made it so that he would be the only one of his kind, and then she rejected him. With the werewolf gene comes aggression and violence... when he turned, all of that was heightened. He killed her, Rebekah. And then he made up this entire lie about your father, so that he wouldn't lose you."

"Elena..." I said in a warning tone, but she didn't listen and pressed the original more and more. She interrogated her like she was some kind of criminal. Making her relive her painful past, all so she could get her on her side.

"These mean nothing!" Rebekah grabbed the pictures from Elena and began to shred them to pieces. "They're just stupid drawings, done by stupid people who had no idea who my family was!"

"Then why are you so upset?" Elena asked.

I looked at her, shocked that she was pressing her more as the tears were running down Rebekah's face.

"Why are you doing this to me?" The original asked, her voice breaking like glass. "I've done nothing to you!"

"Klaus killed your mother. He has a hold on you, on me, on everyone. He has for a thousand years. We have to make it stop!"

Rebekah flew past me and straight for Elena, her hand grasped tightly around the brunettes throat as he teeth elongated and the veins protruded from under her eyes.

"Shut up! Shut up! Don't talk anymore! Nothing!" Rebekah pleaded with her. Her grasp loosened and Elena caught her footing as Rebekah backed up, her hand on her stomach as she collapsed to her knees on the floor, sobbing.

I felt a little piece of myself break in the process as her pain-filled cries travelled through the house.

I looked at Elena, "You should leave."

She looked from Rebekah to me, baffled by my words. "What?"

"I said leave." I repeated once more.

She frowned slightly, "Who's side are you on, Jessica?"

I sniggered, "Sides?" I walked closer to her, my own anger bubbling inside. Rebekah talked about heightened emotions, and I knew all-to-well about what they were. Mine was also stubbornness, but I also carried a load of rage deep within myself, and sometimes, It comes out. "How can you talk to me about sides after what you've just done?"

She cast her eye to a sobbing Rebekah on the floor. Guilt was written on her face as she looked at the consequences of where her actions had taken her this time.

"I didn't mean to, I-"

I cut her off, "You did mean to, Elena. You had plenty of opportunities to stop and you chose not to." I glared at her. She was one of my oldest friends, but I seen a side to her that I never imagined she had. "Just go." I told her.

"Jess..."

"Elena, please just get out of here before I make you." I warned her.

Her eyes widened at my response, a glint of fear and sadness from within them as she backed up.

"I'm sorry." She said as she left.

I waited for the door to close before I approached Rebekah. Kneeling to the floor in front of her. She dragged her head up to meet my gaze. Her face was stained with tears, her eyes were red and puffy as she blinked. I reached my hand out and pushed back a strand of hair that was stuck to her wet face behind her ear before wiping her cheek.

The radiating sorrow and despair that was vibrating from her was intense. My heartbeat slowed as I held her face with the palm of my hand.

In all honesty, I wasn't sure if she was going to break my arm of embrace what I was offering her.

I pulled her closer and she clung onto my arm, her head buried in the crease of my neck as she began to sob once more. I was at a loss for words, all I could muster up was, "I'm so sorry, Rebekah."

I sat with her on the floor by the fire, watching the pictures burn as I held her.