My last chapter was not meant to be divisive I was just trying to clear up what I was trying to do with this story but some good points were made in the comments that I will address it via exposition instead of making another long AN. I just want to say that the people I wrote that last AN for were not haters (though thank you guys for having my back #BestFicFansEver), they were just concerned readers. I love all of your reviews no matter how critical because they help me to become a better writer.


Chapter 50

Flashback

Marcel lifted his mattress, searching in hastened desperation for papers he was sure weren't there but he'd looked everywhere else and found the same results: nothing.

"Well," Marcel spun around at the sound of Elijah's tell-tale voice coming from the hall. Elijah leaned against Marcel's doorway calmly eyeing the remains of his destroyed bedroom. "What has you in a hurry to make such a mess?"

Marcel glanced around his room, his dresser was in disarray, his wardrobe open and empty as his clothes laid scattered across his floor. It was an unsightly scene but he didn't much care about keeping his uncle's tidiness standards at the moment.

"I...lost something."

Elijah's eyes held a hidden knowledge that made Marcel uneasy before he reached into his jacket and grabbed a folded piece of paper from its pocket. "Is it perhaps this."

Marcel recognized the green seal of the United States Army embroidered on the back of the paper: his registration form.

Marcel moved to take the paper from Elijah but he snatched it away before he could.

"I don't think so," Elijah growled, his eyebrows furrowed deep. "The army, Marcellus? In this time of turbulent war?"

"This is my chance, Elijah. My chance to be something other than 'Klaus's son'."

"Is that why you signed this," Elijah unfolded the page to read the signature line, disgust heavy in his voice as he spoke. "Marcel Gerard." He glared at him but Marcel's eyes didn't waver. "I never worried about you calling yourself by that name because I assumed it was a phase, a bit of adolescent rebellion, but now it is starting to irritate me. Do you no longer want to be a part of this family?"

"I love my family, Elijah. But everywhere I go, people only know me as Klaus's son. They respect me because they fear my family, not because they see me as someone deserving respect."

"Making our enemies fear us is the only way to keep them in line."

"They fear you, Elijah! They fear Klaus and Rebekah and Kol! They look at me and they see a little boy under Klaus's protection, not the man that I have become. They see me as a Prince when I'm meant to be a King!"

Elijah forced himself to be calm in the face of Marcel's rage. "You are a Prince, Marcellus. Klaus is King."

"He's been King for over a century! When do I get to reign?"

"When Klaus decides. He will remain King for as long as he desires and when he steps down, that is when your time to reign will come. And not a second sooner." Elijah strolled over to Marcel. "I have worked my entire life to keep Niklaus happy, for centuries I have sacrificed my own happiness for his, and he is finally happy now with a Kingdom of his own, his siblings and his son by his side. I will not let you ruin it because you want to play with your poppa's crown for a bit."

Marcel's face dropped as Elijah proceeded to rip his registration papers apart in front of him. Shoving the papers into his sullen nephew's hands, Elijah said, "Clean this room and never let Niklaus find out about this. It would break his heart to find out his son wants to abandon everything he's worked so hard to build for you to fight in a human war. And if you break his heart, Marcellus, I will make you regret it."

Marcel glared at Elijah as he sauntered back out the room, a hatred in his heart deeper than any he'd had for his family before. Elijah may have controlled the lives of every other Mikaelson, but he refused to let him control his.

End Flashback

-M-

"I just...can't believe it." Josh stood behind his kitchen counter pouring himself and Marcel a Scotch. "You really put Tunde's blade in him?"

Marcel took a shallow sip. He wanted to correct him and say that it was Kol who did the deed but he knew it didn't matter. He knew. He was just as guilty.

"He's...a kid."

"Physically." Marcel cringed at his own foolish defense.

It didn't matter that Finn was a centuries-old vampire, his adolescent body gave him the mental disposition of a child his age that could never grow up. He found that out the hard way after meeting a vampire in France during his time away from New Orleans in the early 20th century.

The boy was three times Marcel's age but had the physical body of an eight-year-old whose mother, after being turned, tried to save her child from dying of an infectious disease but failed. After three hundred years of protecting herself and her son from the world, she was killed by a vampire hunter and he was left on his own. He met his own tragic end at the hands of another hunter six days later after playfully showing off his vampire abilities at the local street fair.

Marcel never forgot the way he felt the day he found out about the child's death. He swore to protect all children then, not just human, but the unfortunate few vampire children that he was sure were still out there.

As he thought about the way Finn looked at the docks, he knew he'd failed himself. He allowed his hatred of another to cloud his judgment, forcing him to see Finn as the monster who would come after an innocent baby rather than the over-emotional teenager he was.

"He's still a kid," Josh bit.

Marcel rubbed his hand tiredly across his face. "I know. I feel bad enough about it."

Josh took a drink from his glass to keep himself from speaking again. He was afraid if he spoke again all he'd say was another reminder that Finn was trapped in a child's body.

"I can't believe it myself. I was so angry at Klaus and Caroline that when I attacked him...I didn't even think about it as attacking a child. I just thought I was attacking Finn. Finn, the common enemy all Mikaelsons can agree to hate. When I was a kid, Klaus would always warn me of how much Finn despised our family and I hated him before I even met him. Then he came here...and went after Hope. I...I've never known anything but hate for him and I let that hate blind me to reality. The reality that, now...he's just a scared kid afraid of being alone. Like I was."

"Like you are," Josh stated slapping his glass on the counter.

"Excuse me," Marcel growled, confused by Josh's statement.

Josh's eyebrows shot to the top of his head. Certainly Marcel realized his own patterns.

"You're serious," Josh asked after the silence lingered too long. "You don't see it? The reason you've been so pissed about Caroline 'moving in' on your territory for the past few weeks?"

"Because she's a vampire I don't know or trust, who's friends tried to kill Klaus on more than one occasion and who actually did get the best of two out of six of the Originals."

"Okay," a smile appeared across Josh's face that infuriated Marcel. "Let's go with that."

"What are you trying to insinuate...friend," Marcel growled.

Unafraid of Marcel's anger, Josh answered, "That you're jealous. All I've heard from you for the past few weeks is this incessant gripping about the vampire who 'moved in to try to steal your city' but all she's done is have secret meetings with Klaus."

"So? She's obviously trying to distract him so her friends can sneak in and take over."

"Doesn't Freya have alarms set up for that sort of thing?"

"Yeah...but-"

"And aren't Hayley's wolves on constant border guard?"

"Yes but-"

"But the only thing under threat of being taken by Caroline showing up now is Klaus's attention to you."

Marcel jumped to his feet automatically. He stared daggers at Josh but his friend's unbroken eye contact remained resolute.

"Are you seriously tryin' to imply," Marcel broken into strained laughter. "You-you can't be serious. I'm not jealous of Caroline."

"You are extremely jealous of Caroline. I can't believe you didn't figure that out for your self yet. You must be in some serious denial."

Marcel marched away from the counter. "I'm not jealous of Caroline. Why would I be jealous of Caroline." Spinning back around to face Josh he stated. "Hope is the one who's jealous of Caroline. She's the fourteen-year-old girl pining for her father's undivided attention. I have Rebekah and you and Lora. What do I need Klaus's attention for?"

"Because it's the one thing he has always given you since, like, you met him."

"I'm two hundred years old," Marcel's voice dragged through the air in anger. "I don't get jealous when my father doesn't 'give me enough attention'. I don't need to be the center of my family's attention all the time."

"Y'see," Josh took another sip of his scotch. When he pulled the glass from his lips, he wore a cheesy smile. "That kinda talk makes me think you do. We were talking specifically about Klaus and yet you managed to make this about your entire family."

"And?"

"And it just goes to prove my point. If history is any indicator, the Mikaelsons stick together. And that's what you're afraid of. You're not afraid Caroline has come to stay. You're afraid she's going to leave. And if Klaus falls in love with her, he may leave too. And the rest of them will follow and you will have a choice. Follow the Mikaelsons to Mystic Falls or you stay in New Orleans and rebuild your kingdom with just us good ol' normal, die-in-the-sun, stake-in-the-chest, eternity-is-finite non-Original vampires."

"I've done it once, I could do it again."

"But you don't want to. You didn't want to then." Josh refilled his glass and dipped slowly from it, gaining the courage to say his next thought. "Y'know, I had always planned to move out of my parents' house when I turned 18 but moving out voluntarily and being forced out are totally different things...just like building a kingdom with your family's backing and building it after they've abandoned you are very different."

"Don't over-analyze, Josh. I love my family, but I don't need them."

"Everyone needs family, Marcel. Why do you think I've been sticking it out with you for so long? You're my brother and I'm not going anywhere. If the Mikaelsons decide to go, they're gonna go. But you're not going to be alone again because I'm staying right here."

Marcel could've slapped himself. As he heard the words fall from Josh's lips, he realized his friend was right. He was afraid. It took months for him to get over his family abandoning him the first time but he got over it...eventually. Though he didn't want to go through that pain again.

Marcel had never been more grateful for the grating sound of his preset ringtone.

He fished it out of his pocket, not in the least bit surprised by the name that flashed across the screen.

"Klaus," Josh asked flatly, knowing the answer just by the faint snarl on Marcel's face.

Pouring a couple more fingers of Scotch and chugging it, Josh stood to leave.

"Guess I'll go meet Lora at the club while you...handle this alone."

Marcel rejected the call and swallowed the rest of his scotch. "I'll go with you," he said to Josh's surprise.

"What about Klaus?"

"He's already pissed. How much worse could it be?"

The moment the words fell from his mouth Marcel sensed a familiar tingle shoot through his body.

As he turned to the front door, Klaus's voice came from the other side, "It could get so much worse."

Marcel and Josh froze, both unsure of what to do next.

In a whisper, Josh asked, "Should I jump out the window?"

"If I were you," Klaus continued barking forcefully outside. "I'd come open the door before the very powerful vampire on the other side grows impatient and opens it for himself."

With a sigh, Marcel walked to the door and opened it to Klaus's surly mug.

"How did you know I was here?"

"You weren't at home," Klaus stated plainly as he stepped past Marcel inside. "This was my first guess. Joshua." The ways Klaus sang his name made a shiver shoot through Josh's body. "If you'd still like to climb out of that window now, have at it."

"Are you trying to kick me out of my own place?"

Irritated by Josh's hesitation, Klaus growled, "I asked nicely. I have a private matter to discuss with Marcel. If you'd prefer, I could help you out of it."

"Klaus," Marcel stepped between the two of them. "Let's just go."

Klaus stared down at Marcel with anger in his eyes but he decided to spare his son of embarrassment for the moment, fearing that doing otherwise would lead to Marcel not speaking to him for weeks again.

"Fine," Klaus started walking slowly to the door. "Let's go."

Marcel glared at the back of Klaus's head as he walked out of the apartment. "What do you think would happen if I just vamped out of that window right now?"

"I'd be right behind you," Josh said with an awkward laugh. "Wherever you go, I go. Besides, I'm sure he'd take it out on me if he couldn't get his hands on you."

Marcel laughed but before he could retort with another joke, Klaus yelled from down the hall, "Let's go, Marcellus! We have a lot to discuss!"

With a roll of his eyes, Marcel started to march to his doom staying at least six feet away from Klaus as they made their way down to Klaus's car.

"Get in," Klaus growled.

Marcel glanced back at his car parked behind Klaus's and said, "It's probably better if I drive myself home. Give you some time to cool off."

"Trust me, Marcel. If I weren't 'cool', you would know it. Get in the car."

Marcel sighed and slumped into the car with Klaus without another argument. As Klaus started driving, Marcel was sure a lecture would come but Klaus said nothing, stop after stop.

"Are you giving me the silent treatment now," Marcel said with a mocking smile.

Klaus couldn't help the smirk that forced its way on his lips. That's exactly what he was doing, hoping to let Marcel stew in the anticipation of what was to come.

"We will have plenty to talk about later," he said. "Enjoy the silence for now."

-M-

Flashback:

Marcel and Kol bounded through the town with bells on. Klaus rarely let Marcel out of his sight but since he'd turned sixteen he'd been allowing his son more and more freedom away from their family home so long as he was always accompanied by another Mikaelson. Just as Marcel suspected, Kol was the best Mikaelson to have around and he'd never appreciated a birthday wish more. Unlike Klaus and Elijah, Kol never treated Marcel like a child so whenever they went out he would be able to drink and make boorish advances at pretty girls without a looming father-figure around to criticize his uncouth behavior.

As they skipped merrily in front of a line of storefronts on their way to the tavern, Kol came to a sudden halt, placing his hand over Marcel's chest to stop him as well.

"Lookit here," Kol sang gazing into the window of a dress show where a beautiful woman stood looking in a mirror at herself in her new lilac dress. "Think she could use a friend."

"A girl as pretty as that," Marcel scoffed. "I bet she has a line of fellas waiting to be her friend."

"I'll take that bet," Kol smirked. "If I don't make her smitten, I'll buy you a bottle of bourbon."

Marcel held out his hand with a smile. "You already owe me a bottle of bourbon. Make it Scotch. And if you somehow do manage to get out of there without her cursing your name, I'll take the blame the next time you do something to piss off poppa."

Kol chuckled as he shook Marcel's hand before walking into the dress shop.

Marcel watched through the window as Kol somehow made the woman smile. He groaned at seeing her giggle, knowing Kol had indeed sealed the deal.

Suddenly, he was jolted forward against the glass as a man walking by somehow bumped against him.

"Watch it, boy," he grunted as he walked by.

Spinning around to face the stranger, Marcel barked, "My name's Marcellus Mikaelson. My father didn't name me 'boy'."

The man turned to Marcel in shock that he would dare speak to him like that.

Kol glanced out the window hoping to see Marcel reveling in his misfortunate bet when he saw the large man walking towards Marcel with a look of hate in his eyes.

"You listen here, boy," the man growled shoving his finger in Marcel's face. Before he could get another word out, Kol's hand was wrapped around his, bending the man's wrist back just far enough to not break it.

"Now, now," Kol shook his head. "Don'tchu know the rules, mate? You're not allowed to talk to a Mikaelson like that." Kol put more pressure on the man's wrist, crushing his knuckles within his hand and bringing him to his knees with a hollow shriek. "Especially not that one. One day this backwater town is gonna be a luxurious Kingdom for the affluent and poised and he will be King of it. You certainly do not speak to a King that way." Staring down into the man's eyes, Kol said, "You should learn to bite your tongue. Do it. Bite your tongue."

Moved by Kol's compulsion, the man sunk his teeth into his tongue, tears welling in his eyes as his canine pierced into it.

"I mean all the way, mate," Kol continued. "Snip it right off."

The drawing crowd made Marcel nervous. He'd heard his Uncle Elijah warn Kol dozens of times about using his vampire abilities out in the open but Kol never seemed to care when he was in a mood.

"Kol," Marcel muttered. "That's enough. Let's just go."

"Not just yet," Kol said smiling back at Marcel. "The fun's only just begun." Turning back to the man, Kol goaded, "Do it. Bite it off."

Tears ran down the stranger's cheeks as he bit into his tongue. He tried to fight his compulsion but it was impossible. Without a choice, he bit off his tongue and spit the tip onto the pavement in front of him.

"That's better." Kol released the man's hand and stood smiling wickedly at the sight of his trying to stop the blood flowing out of his mouth with his one good hand.

"Kol," Marcel grabbed Kol by the hand and started pulling him back away from the crowd. "Let's go. Please."

Seeing the fear on Marcel's face, Kol followed him away from the sight of the onlookers and once they were hidden between two buildings, he lifted Marcel into his arms and vamped them both far away from the dress shop.

"How could you," Marcel barked as Kol sat him back down to his feet on the roof of a three-story hotel, far away from any curious onlookers. "He could die."

"He's not gonna die. You have no idea how many men I've made do that and survive."

Marcel was shocked though he knew he shouldn't be. He could still remember what Kol did those six years ago that made Kol put a dagger in him in the first place. He knew when he asked Klaus to wake Kol who he was asking to be brought back into the world but he did it anyway.

The look of disgust Marcel laced him with made Kol's skin crawl. He wasn't normally one to care about what other people thought of him but he liked Marcel. Most people couldn't stand to be around him but for some reason Marcel did.

"Look...I'm sorry," Kol mumbled. "But the guy deserved it. You're a Mikaelson. No one can talk to you like that. You're just a kid now and you don't have the means to defend yourself but I do and...as your friend, I'm not gonna let anyone talk to you any ol' way just because you're afraid of a little blood."

"I-I'm not afraid of blood," Marcel stated, suddenly feeling as though he was being a bit harsh to Kol when all he was doing was defending his honor. "I just...don't want you to get in trouble with Uncle Elijah, is all."

"Good." The smile returned to Kol's face. "Because if you're gonna be like us one day, you can't be afraid of blood."

Marcel stared wistfully at the small people walking along the street. "I'm not going to be like you. Poppa already said I'm not. He's never going to turn me."

Kol wrapped his arm around Marcel's shoulder and said, "Don't worry. I like you, mate. Can't imagine another century without'cha. So if my dear ol' bastard brother doesn't turn ya, I will."

Marcel's eyes lit up as he stared into Kol's shining eyes. "Really? Promise."

Kol held his hand out to Marcel and said, "Promise. But, uh...we're just gonna hafta wait til you're a bit older. I'm not tryna stomp around with a little twerp for the rest of eternity. Ladies love boyish charms but usually only when you're not an actual child."

Instead of shaking Kol's hand, Marcel wrapped his arms around his friend's waist and hugged him tightly. Kol was caught off guard by the sudden display of affection but unconsciously returned the favor.

"Thank you, Kol," Marcel mumbled, tears of joy prickling his eyes. "You're the best friend I've ever had."

End Flashback

-M-

Rebekah stood over Finn as he quietly slept on the sofa in Freya's workshop. He looked so much more innocent than she remembered him ever looking.

"I can't believe Marcel could be so cruel," she mumbled to her other siblings in the room. "Kol, I definitely believe, but Marcel..."

Freya was standing over a small table containing a certain special spell her brothers commisioned, quietly chanting, while Elijah sat in a wooden chair across from Finn, contemplating his next move.

"What's not to believe," Elijah asked. "Kol did as much to mold Marcel's manhood as Klaus or I did, it stands to reason that his influence would show on Marcel's personality sooner or later."

"Marcel is no longer a child," Freya bit angrily as she finished her chant. "Finn currently is and he did not deserve what our brother and...Marcel did to him."

"I wasn't trying to excuse his behavior, sister," Elijah stood and walked slowly over to Freya, his narrow gait posing no threat the closer he came. "I was simply making an observation. Rest assured that Marcel will be dealt with." Standing beside her, Elijah lowered his voice and said, "But you will remember that Marcel is a Mikaelson and he will be dealt with like any other Mikaelson. Not with your magic."

Freya kept her back turned on Elijah, her voice just as quiet and menacing as his as she said, "The only promise I'll make in that regard is that if I do make a move against him for this, whatever I decide to do will only be a fraction of the pain he put Finn through."

Elijah opened his mouth to object but before he could get a word in, Rebekah's voice came in a powerful bark. "Don't you dare do a thing to hurt him again!"

Freya spun around shocked by her sister's outburst.

Ignoring the looks of confusion her siblings laced her with, Rebekah continued. "Don't think I've forgotten your part in Kol's torturing of Marcel. I reluctantly forgave you then but only because I plan to make sure it will never happen again. I love Marcel and I will protect him with my last breath, even from you, dear sister. I'm sorry for what he did to Finn and I promise to protect our brother from Kol and Marcel's cruelty from now on but what I will never do is stand by and allow you to hurt Marcel. From now on, if you want him, you'll have to go through me."

Freya stared at Rebekah with wide eyes, surprised that her little sister had the guts to stand up to her but her pride in her sister's bravery overwhelmed her anger. Fighting back the satisfied smirk that tried to force its way to her face, Freya responded, "I would die before I ever hurt you, little sister. And for that, Marcel should be grateful."

As Finn began to stir, Freya sat down beside him, running her hands through his hair to calm him as he woke from what she was sure was another nightmare about the Void.

"Hi," Freya whispered sing-song, the gruffness of her voice wiped away as she spoke to Finn. "How are you feeling?"

Finn sat up, his eyes cautiously scanning his surroundings as he were afraid it was all a manifestation of his vivid imagination trying to calm himself in the void. Freya's soft touch verified that it wasn't.

"I...I'm okay," he muttered, his breath coming easier.

"Are you hungry? I could fetch you a servant."

"No. I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You haven't eaten all day. And...after what happened to you, I'm sure you must be starving."

Finn blushed at being called out in front of everyone. He was hungry, starving actually. He didn't eat the night before either. He tried to skip as many meals as he could since the thought of feeding on a live person still made him sick. Freya tried to keep the fridge stocked with blood bags just for him but, in his attempt to make Finn's stay as hard as possible, Kol would drink all of his blood or simply leave them out to ruin so Finn would have no choice but to starve or feed on a human like the rest of them. Finn always chose the former.

"I'm not hungry," he muttered, his blood curdling from lack of nourishment.

Attempting to help his sister convince Finn to eat, Elijah said, "You need to feed, brother. After what you've been through, your body is weaker than ever. You will begin to desiccate if you don't feed."

Finn cringed at the second reminder of what he went through. The dagger forcing him to relive his most terrifying experience of being in the Void while his physical body was ravaged to death over and over by the unforgiving fire that was the salty sea - his only reprieve from mental anguish coming in the form of a temporary death.

"I didn't mean to hurt her," he muttered trying to convince himself more than anyone else that he didn't deserve what Marcel and Kol had done to him. "K-Kol just...he kept taunting me and when he made Klaus's daughter use that spell on me...I just got overwhelmed and...and I lost my temper." Losing the fight to keep his tears at bay, Finn turned his watery eyes to Freya and said, "But I swear I didn't mean to hurt either of them. I was aiming for Kol. Or at least...I tried to."

"That is why I warned you to keep your temper in check. You are too powerful to make such foolish mistakes."

"I know, sister," Finn suddenly wrapped his arms around Freya and tucked his tearful face in the crook of her neck. "I'm sorry."

Freya hugged her crying brother, immediately noticing the weakness of his hug due to his starving body but before she could try to convince Finn to just try to eat a bit, the laboratory door cracked open. All eyes turned to Kol's head peeking into the room, a shit-eating grin on his face. "Heya," he greeted nervously. "Just, uh, checking in."

Elijah folded his arms over his chest, his eyes cold as he glared over at him. "I told you to go to your room and stay there."

"Yeah, well...I was doing that but-uh...considering the late time and all, I was wondering if you could...postpone tonight's events? It's been a long day and I'm afraid Davina might have a hard time getting to sleep so I was kinda hoping to sleep in bed with her tonight and...I feel like me having a hot arse would raise a few red flags."

Unable to resist teasing her big brother after what he'd done to Finn, Rebekah said, "Maybe if you tried being the top for once it wouldn't matter."

Kol cut his eyes at her but he didn't dare retort, not while Elijah was still angry.

"Rebekah," Elijah's voice cut through the air putting an end to his sister's taunting smile. "Do you mind keeping company Davina since neither Kol nor Marcel will need any help keeping their beds warm tonight."

Rebekah blushed at the implication that Marcel was going to be spanked too. "Of-of course, Elijah."

"Good. Problem solved. Kol, go back to your room and stay there."

Kol's face burned with humiliation as he slowly backed out of the door. Then his eyes made contact with Finn silently watching the interaction with a look of curiosity in his eyes, a look that only embarrassed Kol more.

"What are you looking at," he growled. "Coward."

As Kol tried to slip his head back through the door, Elijah sped over, grabbing the collar of his shirt and yanking him back into the room. With a flick of his wrist, he threw Kol on to his hands and knees in front of Finn.

"Apologize," he demanded.

Kol rose from his knees, his face cold, and said, "For what? He is a coward. We've all been tortured before. Some of us a lot worse than he has. He's milking it for more than it's worth."

"He's a child," Freya barked.

"So what?" Turning to Elijah and Rebekah, he said, "If any of us were ever so pathetic, Mikael would've ripped us a new one. And I mean that quite literally."

"Kol," Elijah's harrowing voice boomed throughout the room. "Finn is a child and we are not Mikael. Is that how you want to live your life, following in the footsteps of our father? If so let us know so we can deal with you accordingly."

Kol stared wide-eyed at his brother finally realizing what he must've sounded like. "'Lijah...I didn't mean..." Kol's eyes dropped to the floor and he muttered, "I was only teasin'. You people get so uptight about this one and Marcel." Feigning a devious grin, he said, "I apologize if you can't handle a bit of teasing, Finn. From now on I'll only do it behind your back as I do with Klaus and Elijah."

"And still you persist," Freya bit, irritated by Kol's half-mocking apology. "You've already tortured him. Hasn't he had enough of your torment?"

"As if he didn't deserve it, the little bugger, with all he's done to us."

"Kol," Elijah's strapping voice made Kol jump. "I am the first of our sibling to demand retribution for a misdeed but Finn is a child. You had no right to punish him the way you did."

Kol spun around to face Elijah with angry petulance written across his face. "But Elijah-"

"I am serious! It's almost as if you feel no remorse for what you've done."

"I feel remorse...but only because he's a lad. If he were still self-righteous, hateful ol' adult Finn I'd feel less so. And so would the lot of you, you just hate to admit it."

The room was silent as Elijah and Rebekah shared a look. On their way home from the docks, they had both considered that possibility but were both too embarrassed to say anything about it. It wasn't that they didn't both still love their brother as an adult, but he seemed much more redeemable as a child. Much more under Freya's control. Far less likely to try to hurt any of them.

"I'm not hateful," Finn uttered. "I used to think...that I was helping you all by getting rid of your vampirism but...now I see that you all are happy the way you are. I just want us...to be happy. I don't...I don't have a problem with you being vampires anymore."

"Like we're supposed to believe that," Kol scoffed. "You've always hated who we are. The day I believe you're satisfied with our 'condition' is the day I stop trying to run you away from our family."

Elijah and Freya's admonishing were stifled by Finn's bellowing, "I'm not afraid of you, Kol! You're just a frightened, wicked little prankster just like you've always been!"

"Is that so," Kol's fangs suddenly shot from his mouth, his black eyes shining in anger.

Anger clouding his better judgment, Finn bared his fangs and spat, "Don't underestimate me in this child's body, Kol. I can still rip your-"

"Enough!" Freya jumped from her seat beside Finn and stood between her two fuming brothers, her eyes holding a bit of bloodlust of her own. "Both of you put your fangs away before I put them away."

Finn recognized the determined look in his sister's eyes and it shook him. He realized Kol was trying to irritate him the way he was bound to do to any of his siblings but this time if he reacted, he knew Freya would punish him like she did the last time he let his temper get the better of him.

Without having to be told twice, Finn retracted his fangs and buried his face in the couch cushions, forcing himself calm by vividly imagining himself as a young tot running through a quiet meadow with Freya by his side.

With his face buried between the couch cushions, Finn looked so much more vulnerable than Kol thought he was. He retracted his fangs but continued to glare at his brother.

"He's faking it," Kol muttered. "He's not so innocent. He just wants you all to think he is. Get up, Finn. You're not fooling anyone."

Freya had heard enough of Kol's incessant taunts. She knew he was trying to work Finn up so he would do something vicious and 'prove' to the others that their brother couldn't be trusted.

Marching over to Kol, she pinched his earlobe between her fingers and dragged him over to the nearest corner. Hearing the commotion, Finn pulled himself from the sofa to watch in shock as Freya pushed his face into the corner.

"Stand there," she ordered. "And don't move until I say so."

Embarrassed at being put in a corner by his sister, Kol quickly spun back around. "B-but, I haven't-"

"Kol!" Kol jumped as Elijah roared his name. "Have you forgotten the consequence for turning away from a corner when you're being punished?"

"B-but, 'Lijah...I haven't done anything."

"I beg to differ." A shiver went through Kol's body with every calculating step Elijah's took across the room. "Your incessant taunting and teasing has gotten out of control. Finn has done nothing since his return to indicate that he has any plans beyond settling back into a routine with his family and yet you insist on making his life harder than need be and what is his crime? Returning home?" Elijah stopped in front of Kol, gazing into his eyes. "What if we'd been so cruel to you upon your return?"

"That's different. I've never tried to kill any of you."

Elijah lowered his voice into a soothing monotone hoping that Finn wouldn't listen in on what he has to say next. "I know you're cautious, brother. I am too. That is why I keep my eye on him. That is why I try to make sure no one gives him an excuse to turn on this family again. If he turns and betrays us, let it be on him. But we are Mikaelsons. We have to stay together. We're all we've got."

Kol glared at Finn, anger still rolling through his veins. Perhaps Elijah was willing to wait for Finn to betray them on his own, but he wasn't.

Distracted by his anger, Kol didn't suspect Elijah's next action until it was too late. Elijah grabbed Kol by the arm and spun him back around to the corner landing a series of painful smacks to his backside as he did.

"Now stand here," Elijah demanded loud enough for the room to hear. "And don't move again until you're told."

Tears pricked the corners of Kol's eyes but he stayed facing the corner with his hands at his sides just as Elijah had always required. He didn't have to turn around when he heard the workshop door open. He could sense Klaus's presence a mile away.

"What do we have here," Klaus said taking in the sight of Kol with his forehead pressed against the wall. Marcel entered the room behind him, his stomach fluttering with nerves when he saw Kol. "Thought you'd wait for my return before you started the festivities."

Elijah sighed at seeing Klaus, relieved that his brother was finally back to help him and Freya keep Finn and Kol from killing each other. "I certainly tried, brother," he said calmly taking off his jacket and draping it across the back of the wooden chair sitting at Freya's workbench. "But you know Kol. Sometimes he needs a bit of a warmup before the real games begin."

Kol's face burned with shame but he still didn't turn around.

"Perhaps you should find a corner as well, Marcellus," Klaus said as he strolled further into the room. "Since you're apparently in no hurry to get things over with."

Marcel rolled his eyes and muttered, "I'd rather just do this now, Klaus, so I can move on with my night."

As Elijah began to roll up his shirt sleeves, he noticed Marcel standing with his arms across his chest glaring at no one in particular but with a look of petulance that made the palm of Elijah's hand itch.

"Marcellus, I know when your father speaks to you he does so with such tenderness it almost sounds as if he's making a request but I can assure you the only options you have is to do as he says or you can wait and get a dose of what just happened to Kol before I make you do as he says."

Marcel let out a huff of indignation from his nose, embarrassed that Elijah felt he could 'make' him do anything, but still he marched over to the corner across from Kol and took his place knowing the sooner he complied with their demands the sooner it would all be over.

Rebekah couldn't stand to see Marcel in trouble with her brothers when there was nothing she could do about it. Folding her arms nervously across her chest, drumming her fingers against her elbow, she said, "I should...go find Davina. Make sure she's okay and all ready for bed." She sped out of the room before anyone could say anything.

In the corner of his eye, Elijah saw Kol's hand absentmindedly brush across his behind attempting to alleviate some of his pain.

"What do you think you're doing, Kol?"

Kol quickly pulled his hand back to his side as if hoping he would get away with it. "N-nothing, 'Lijah."

The sound of Elijah's heels clapping against the floorboards as he made his way back over to him made Kol want to turn around but he fought the urge.

"I'm sorry," he finally blurted out once Elijah was standing beside him. "It's just...it still hurts. You-you only smacked me a few times. It shouldn't still hurt this much."

"What you're feeling is the effects of having your vampiric healing eliminated," Freya said.

Kol spun around to his sister with wide, disbelieving eyes. That's when he noticed the small table sitting off by itself, a familiar spell running on top.

Realizing what she meant, Marcel immediately turned around to see the spell as well, suddenly feeling more vulnerable than he had in a long time.

Klaus walked over to Marcel and carefully grabbed his shoulder, guiding him back into the corner before Elijah could get to him. "Keep your nose in the corner. You're going to miss this little respite from pain in a moment."

Elijah shook his head at Klaus's gentleness. Then he took Kol by the waist, bending him over in front of everyone and peppered his bottom with a dozen stinging smacks before standing him back into the corner. Kol no longer felt the need to fight against his tears. He knew they would be coming full force soon enough.

He pressed his forehead against the wall and whimpered silently, wringing his hands together in front of him to keep himself from reaching back again.

Stepping back so he had a clear view of both of them, Elijah started, "Freya, Niklaus, and I have discussed it and we've decided to take a new approach when punishing you all, marketed after the results Freya has gotten from Finn. It's come to our attention that as long as a vampire can heal quicker than he can learn a lesson, spanking you will only have temporary behavioral changes whereas we are searching for more long-term results. So from now on, every spanking you get will be accompanied by twenty-four hours of healing-nullification."

Marcel forced himself to swallow past the knot stuck in his throat. The last time he was spanked without his vampire abilities was more than two hundred years prior but he still remembered how the pain seemed to last for hours, sometimes all day. And then he thought of his time in the basement with Kol and how that pain was intolerable and never-ending. He knew neither Elijah nor Klaus would go that far but a part of him was still nervous.

I believe it goes without saying how disappointed we are with both of you. Especially you, Marcellus. In a thousand years, you are the very last of us I would've ever even speculated would do something so heinous."

Guilt swelled in Marcel's chest but his contempt for Elijah's chastisement was stronger than his guilty conscience. "He's Finn, he hurt Davina. What was I supposed to do?"

"You come to me," Freya barked. "Not...do what you did. I handle Finn."

"I didn't think you would do anything. You're too soft on him."

"About as soft as your father is on you," Elijah scolded. "The fact remains, Marcel, that Finn is a child and a Mikaelson. We do not hurt our own for any reason."

Marcel scoffed and shook his head at the irony of Elijah's statement. Frustrated with arguing at the wall, Marcel decided to stay silent.

"Let's not forget Kol's part in this," Klaus grunted. "I have no doubt that you were the organizer of this brutal act."

Kol groaned but didn't argue. He wasn't surprised that Klaus managed to blame him for an act that he and Marcel committed together. When it came to misdeeds, to Klaus, Marcel was always the innocent one and Kol was always the diabolical mastermind.

"And you had the audacity to bring Hope into it, making her use her magic against her own blood."

"And for that, I am...truly not sorry," said Kol. "Really, I'm not. The girl needs to know that Finn can't be trusted, that if need be, it's okay for her to defend herself against him with any means necessary and let's face it, a girl as gifted as her has plenty means. Magic is one of them."

"He's not going to hurt, Hope," Freya growled.

Without realizing what he was doing, Kol turned to face his sister standing protectively close to their small brother, and said, "He's done it before, what's to say he won't do it again. I love that little girl a hella'va lot more than I've ever loved him and I'll teach her to slaughter him where he stands before I ever let him hurt her."

"Kol," Elijah snapped drawing Kol's attention away from Freya, Finn staring in wide-eyed surprise behind her. "Come here. Now."

Kol's hand began to tremble finally realizing that he had turned away from the corner. He wasn't sure if it were that, or his outburst against Finn that had Elijah walking over to the wooden chair, but he feared the outcome either way.

Growing impatient with his brother's leisurely stroll, Elijah sped across to Kol and dragged him back to the chair. Kol's face burned as Elijah threw him over his lap and yanked his pants down around his ankles, his underwear soon following. He bit his lip hoping to force himself silent before the first strike came across his behind.

He sucked in air between his teeth as the first smack landed on his bottom, shocked at how much less painful it was than usual. Normally, Elijah would lay into him with all the power of a noble Original but Kol felt as if the first spank would barely hurt a human, let alone a vampire. The second spank came with the same cautioned strength. As did the next.

As the spanks began to build, however, Kol realized why Elijah was holding back so much. Without his ability to heal, Elijah didn't need to spank him with such gusto because every smack lingered, igniting a growing fire across his entire backside that wouldn't lessen for hours more.

"Dammit, 'Lijah," Kol grunted feeling the heat rise to his bottom and imagining how red it had to have been. He bit his lip again trying to force himself to stay silent as he always did through a spanking but as his tears feel heavier with every few spanks and Elijah gave no sign of a quick end, he felt his walls begin to break. "Okay," he mumbled so lowly he was sure only Elijah could hear him. "I-I'm sorry."

Elijah suddenly stopped the rhythmic smacking of his brother's behind and asked, "What was that?"

Kol choked on his own sobs in disbelief of how much a spanking could hurt when his body wasn't instantly trying to heal itself. The embarrassment of being spanked in front of others had completely vanished from him and the only thing on his mind was the need to bring an end to his pain.

"I said I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what," Elijah demanded.

Kol was silent, unsure himself what he was apologizing for.

Elijah slapped his hand across the center of Kol's behind three times, causing his brother to scream out each time.

"Do not apologize simply because you think it will bring an end to your punishment," Elijah scolded continuing the onslaught on Kol's glowing red behind.

"Pleeeease," Kol hated himself for begging but he couldn't stand it anymore. "I won't dagger our brother anymore and I won't tell Hope to use her magic against him again unless he absolutely deserves it. I swear it, 'Lijah. Please!"

Elijah paused his hand to examine Kol's behind and Kol's sobs hitched in his chest, hoping it was over but Elijah's examine determined his brother could withstand much more.

"We're not quite done yet," said Elijah, raising his knee to get a better view of Kol's entire behind. "This is an important lesson I'm trying to instill in you." Elijah continued the spanking, punctuating each word with a harsh slap. "Finn is not our enemy, he is our brother and you will not continue to torment him the way you have. Do I make myself clear, brother?"

"Yes, 'Lijah, yes. Please, stop."

After a few more swats, Elijah brought Kol's spanking to an end, lifting his brother upright on his lap as he held him crying against his shoulder.

"I-I hate this," Kol sobbed, covertly reaching down to rub the sting from his bottom hoping Elijah wasn't paying attention. "I haven't been in-in this much pain in a th-th-thousand y-years."

Elijah rubbed soothing circles against Kol's back hoping to ease his brother's sobs as he spoke. "I know, little brother. But you'll be okay," Kol yelped as Elijah's hand suddenly came down across his thigh. "So long as you do not test my patience."

Elijah stood Kol back to his feet and nudged him back towards his corner with his pants still around his ankles.

"Thirty minutes in the corner and then you can go to bed."

Kol wanted to argue but fear of another spank over an already sore bottom made him too nervous to do anything but totter over to the corner.

Marcel knew what the end of Kol's spanking would mean for him but he still jumped when he heard Klaus's voice call, "Marcellus. Come here, please."


This chapter was getting too long so I had to cut it off early. Pt. 2 coming within a week (7 day week lol)