We drove a very long time to get to our next destination, Chicago. We then got out of the car and looked around.

"Welcome back to Chicago, Stefan." Nik said to the younger vampire.

"What are we doing here?" Stefan asked him.

"I know how much you loved it here. Bringing back memories of the good old ripper days?" Nik asked him with a smirk.

"Blacked out most of them. A lot of blood, a lot of partying. The details are all a blur." Stefan told him.

"Well, that is a crying shame. The details are what makes it legend." Nik told him and I remembered the last time I was here.


"What are we doing here Katherine?" I asked her as we walked down the Chicago sidewalks. We entered a bar and we sat waiting.

"We have to find Klaus and to do that we need a witch." she told me and I rolled my eyes.

"So who's the witch we're looking for?" I asked her. A bartender gave me water and I looked at the man.

"I didn't order anything." I told him, pushing the drink away.

"Don't worry about it. It's on the house." he told me and I rolled my eyes.

"It's water. It's always free." I told him and he just smirked at me before leaving.

"Now now Nicole. Don't scare away our witch." Katherine told me and I looked from her back to him in surprise.


"Chicago was magical." Nik said pulling me from my memories.

"Yeah, well, I'll take your word for it. Like I said, I don't remember most of it." Stefan told him.

"Going to get down to business, then?" I asked them.

"Why am I still with you?" Stefan asked him suddenly. "I understand why Nicole is with you, she's carrying your baby, but we had our fun, your hybrids failed. I mean, don't you want to move on?"

"We're going to see my favorite witch. If anyone can help us with our hybrid problem, it's her." Nik said and we left to go see his witch.


I drank my water in silence as Katherine spoke to the witch she was wanting to use. She walked back to me with a smile on her face.

"Why this witch?" I asked her.

"Do you know another one?" she asked me and I shook my head. "Then we work with this one. He should be able to tell us where Klaus is."

"How? Does he know Klaus?" I asked her and she shook her head.

"Everyone in the supernatural world who knows about vampires knows Klaus." she told me.


We all walked into a bar that Nik was very familiar with.

"Looks familiar, doesn't it?" Nik asked Stefan.

"I can't believe this place is still here." Stefan told him.

"You got to be kidding me." We turned to see a black woman walking towards us and Nik smiled.

"So a hybrid walks into a bar, says to the bartender..." Nik said but was stopped.

"Stop. You may be invincible, but that doesn't make you funny." she told him. "I remember you." she said turning to Stefan.

"Yeah. You're Gloria. Shouldn't you be..." Stefan said.

"Old and dead? Now if I die, who's going to run this place, huh?" Gloria asked him motioning to her bar.

"Gloria's a very powerful witch." Nik told us hugging me close to him.

"I can slow the aging down some. Herbs and spells. But don't worry, it'll catch up to me one day." she told us.

"Stefan, why don't you go and fix us up a little something from behind the bar?" Nik told him.

"Yeah, sure thing." Stefan said going to the bar.

"You look ravishing, by the way." Nik told her.

"Don't. I know why you're here. A hybrid out to make more hybrids? That kind of news travels. And shouldn't you be careful of what you say now?" she asked motioning to me.

"So what am I doing wrong? I broke the curse." He asked her, ignoring her curiosity about me.

"Obviously you did something wrong. Look, every spell has a loophole, but a curse that old... We'd have to contact the witch who created it." Gloria told him.

"Well, that would be the original witch. She's very dead." I said.

"I know. And for me to contact her, I'll need help. Bring me Rebekah."

"Rebekah. Rebekah is a bit preoccupied." Nik told her.

"She has what I need. Bring her to me." Gloria ordered him.

"What is this?" Stefan asked and we turned to him. I walked over to him and took the picture from him, looking at the two men.

"Well, I told you, Stefan. Chicago's a magical place." Nik told him.

"But this is Stefan. With you." I said showing him the picture of them together, arms around each other. Happy.

"This doesn't make any sense. Why don't I remember you?" Stefan asked him.

"You said it yourself, that time had a lot of dark holes." Nik told him, reminding him of the words he spoke when we arrived.

"No, if you knew me, then why haven't you said anything?" Stefan asked him.

"I'm a little busy right now. Memory Lane will have to wait." Nik told him.

"What the hell is going on? Answer me." Stefan told him.

"Let's just say we didn't get off to a brilliant start. To be honest, I hated you." Nik told him honestly.


After the bar had closed we all went to the bartender's house so we could try and find Klaus. He handed me a ring with a gem in it.

"It's beautiful." I told him

"There's a spell in it." he told me.

"What spell?" I asked him.

"One for you to find the man you're looking for." he said. Katherine took the ring from me and examined the gem.

"This little thing is supposed to find the oldest vampire in the world?" she asked him.

"Yes." he told us simply.

"How so?" she asked him.

"The red stone is the crystalized blood of Niklaus's first victim as a vampire." he told us and I looked at the red gem closely.

"His first victim?" I asked.

"The first woman he killed happened to be a witch. A very powerful witch." he said. "She had a good friend in her coven who helped you find him."


"Your sister. So I knew another original vampire." Stefan asked Nik, pulling me out of my memories as we walked in the warehouse with all the coffins.

"If you can't handle it, then don't ask." Nik told him going to a beautiful coffin. He opened it and inside was a beautiful blonde woman.

"I don't recognize her." Stefan told him.

"Well, don't tell her that. Rebekah's temper is worse than mine." Nik said taking the dagger out of her chest. "Time to wake up, little sister. Any day now, Rebekah."

"Give her moments. She did just have a dagger taken from her heart." I told him and he turned to look at us.

"She's being dramatic." he told us.

"Look, why don't you just tell me what the hell is going on? I mean, you obviously want me here for a reason, right?" Stefan asked him.

"Well, you have many useful talents." Nik told him.

"Do I?" Stefan asked him.

"In fact, I learned some of my favorite tricks from you." Nik told him.


Katherine and I were walking back home in silence after our meeting with the witch.

"Crystallized blood of a witch. They do think of everything, don't they?" I asked her.

"Don't worry Nikky, we'll be able to find him then get rid of that thing." Katherine told me.

"But it's disturbing. Who'd want the crystallized blood of a witch on their finger?" I told her.

"It's the only way to save your sister, remember?" she asked me and I gave her a look.

"Of course I do." I told her.

"Why do you want to protect her anyway?" she asked me.

"She's my sister. Why shouldn't I do what I can to protect her?" I asked her.

"Would she do the same for you? With everything that you've learned about your family, would she risk her life for you?" she asked me.

"Yes." I said simply.

"So she would volunteer to seduce Klaus and pretend to die, then go back home trick you and everyone she cares for just to pretend to be you and die?" she asked me.

"Maybe not." I told her. "How should I know?"

"Just think about it," Katherine told me grabbing my arm and turning me to face her. "How would your sister handle this? Would she do what you are doing or would she run?"

"My question to you is still the same, how should I know what she would do?" I asked her. "She would do what she could to protect me, just as I am with her. Of that I'm certain." I told her.

"How far would she go?" she asked me.

"She's a Gilbert. She'd do what she thought was right." I told her.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked.

"Of course I am." I told her.

"I think you're wrong." she told me continuing her walk to our apartment.

"And why's that?" I asked her.

"You sister isn't as strong as you are, and she never will be." she told me.

"Katherine, that's enough." I told her. She stopped walking and turned to me. "You don't know Elena so don't pretend you do." I continued walking past her back home.


"I was your number one fan." Nik told Stefan.

"Why should I believe any of this?" Stefan asked him but Nik ignored him. Instead Nik grabbed the guy who handled the transport of the coffins and began to compel him.

"When she wakes up, tell her to meet us at Gloria's bar. Then volunteer your carotid artery and let her feed until you die." Nik told him and he grabbed my hand and we left.

"Where are you going?" Stefan asked him.

"You think I'm lying, Stefan. You and I knew each other. You trusted me with one of your secrets and now I'm going to prove it to you." Nik told him.

"How?" Stefan asked him.

"We're going to your old apartment." Nik told him.


When we arrived we sew that the lock had been broken. Nik kicked the door open and we entered.

"What a charming little homestead. Do you feel that? Is anybody here?" Nik called into the room.

"It's been vacant for decades. People must break in all the time. Why'd you bring me here?" Stefan asked him.

"Your friend, Liam Grant, the one who drank his wife's blood... I never could figure out why you wanted his name. And then you told me your little secret. It was all part of your special little ritual." Nik said.

"To write it down." Stefan said, remembering.

"And relive the kill... Over and over again." I watched Nik open a hidden door revealing liquor behind it. "You believe me now?" Nik asked him. Stefan walked to the door and looked inside to the right. I joined him and my eyes widened to see Elena looking at us.

"Look what I found." Stefan said to Nik. Elena looked scared at him but Stefan took a bottle and gave it to Nik. "1918. Single malt."

"My favorite. Let's go and find someone to pair it with." Nik said. I stepped out of the closet and Stefan closed it and we followed Nik out.


We went back to Gloria's bar and she gave Nik and Stefan each a bear and me a water.

"Thank you." I said and she nodded to me.

"Where's Rebekah?" Gloria asked Nik.

"She'll be here. I can't just conjure her on demand." Nik said before looking at Stefan. "What's with you? I thought Chicago was your playground."

"So this is why you asked me to be your wingman? Because you liked the way that I tortured innocent people?" Stefan asked him.

"Well, that's certainly half of it." Nik told him.

"What's the other half?" Stefan asked him.

"The other half, Stefan, is that you used to want to be my wingman." Nik told him.


I was laying in my bed when I heard the door open.

"Nikky?" Katherine called into my room.

"What do you need Katherine?" I asked her sitting up.

"I wanted to apologize for earlier. I shouldn't have said what I did." she told me.

"It's alright. In a way you were right. She wouldn't do what I'm doing, but she would sacrifice herself for her loved ones." I told her.

"Then I was wrong." she told me. I gave her a confused look. "You're both stronger than I am." she then walked out of my room, leaving me very confused.


Nik raised his full shot glass to toast.

"To friendship." he said drinking it down.

"So I'm confused. If we were such great friends, then why do I only know you as the hybrid dick who sacrificed my girlfriend on an altar of fire?" Stefan asked.

"All good things must come to an end." Nik told him. "One night when we were all together, the bar was raided by the police but they were using wooden bullets. I grabbed my sister and compeled you to forget about us."

"You compelled me to forget?" Stefan asked him for clarification.

"It was time for Rebekah and I to move on. Better to have a clean slate." Nik told him but I could see that he was lying. He had been running from something. Or Someone.

"But why? You shouldn't have to cover your tracks... Unless you're running from someone." Stefan said, his thoughts mirroring mine.

"Storytime's over." Nik told him.

"I need another drink. A real one." Stefan said walking away from us.

"Nik are you alright?" I asked him.

"Of course I am. Soon we'll find out why my hybrids are failing and you'll be protected from anyone who'd wish harm to us." he said holding my hand tightly. I smiled at him and saw Damon on the other side of Nik.

"Damon?" I couldn't believe he was here. What about Elena?

"I see they've opened the doors to the riff raff now." Nik said.

"Oh, honey, I've been called worse." Damon told us.

"You don't give up, do you?" Nik asked him, smirking.

"Give me my brother and Nicole back... You'll never have to see me again." Damon told him smirking.

"Well, I am torn. You see, I promised Stefan and Nicole I wouldn't let you die, but how many freebies did I really sign up for? And clearly you want to die, otherwise you wouldn't be here, so..." Nik said smirking at the younger vampire.

"Nik please." I begged him.

"What can I say? I'm a thrill seeker." Damon said sarcastically. Suddenly Nik grasped his throat and he started strangling him before grabbing a toothpick and stabbing him.

"Damon just go home, I want to stay with him." I told him.

"Oh, dear, did you hear her Damon? She wants to stay with me. Now I'm a little boozey, so you'll forgive me if I miss your heart the first few tries." Nik said stabbing him again. "Ohh! No, that's not it. Hmm." He pulled the toothpick out and stabbed him again. "Ohh. Almost."

"You want a partner in crime? Forget Stefan and Nicole. I'm so much more fun." Damon told him.

"You won't be any fun after you're dead. Do you really think I'd push my child and Nicole away just for you?" Nik asked him. Nik then pushed him on the ground and was about to stab him with a stake but Gloria burned the stake with her powers. "Really?" Nik asked annoyed at her.

"Not in my bar. You take it outside." Gloria told him and Nik looked at Damon.

"You don't have to negotiate your brother or Nicole's freedom. When I'm done with him, he won't want to go back and she already wants to stay with me." he said getting up and pulling me with him back to the bar.


Nik and I entered the room with the coffins and saw one empty and a man dead.

"Rebekah... It's your big brother. Come out, come out, wherever you are." Nik called to her. I walked to her coffin before hearing someone behind me. I turned to see the blonde from the coffin stab Nik with the dagger that had been in her.

"Go to hell, Nik!" she yelled at him. Nik took the dagger out of his chest and handed it to me.

"Don't pout. You knew it wouldn't kill me." he told her.

"Yeah, but I was hoping it would hurt more." she told him. "Who's this? You like the blood of pregnant women now?"

"I understand that you're upset with me, Rebekah... So I'm going to let your actions go. Just this once. This is Nicole, and she's carrying my child." Nik told her.

"That's not possible." she said shocked.

"It is." I told her.

"I brought you a little peace offering. You can come in." Nik called out and Stefan walked in the room.

"Stefan..." Rebekah said running and hugging him tightly. Nik got closer to them and began to compel Stefan.

"Now you remember." Nik said.

"Rebekah." Stefan said hugging the vampire.

"Stefan." Nik said, smirking.

"I remember you. We were friends." Stefan said shocked.

"We are friends." Nik told him before looking at his little sister. "And now the reason you're here. Gloria tells me you know how to contact the original witch."

"The original witch?" she asked him.

"What do you have that Gloria needs?" I asked her, curiosity getting the better of me. We watched her touched her neck, as though something was supposed to be there.

"Where's my necklace? What did you do with it? I never take it off!" She yelled at him.

"I don't know. I didn't touch it." Nik told her.

"We need to find it, Nik. Now, I want it back!" Rebekah yelled at him.

"Tell me that's not what she needs, Rebekah!" Nik yelled at her. She looked into the coffin but couldn't find it and she threw it on the ground. I looked at Stefan and saw him looking at the concerned. If he'd had the necklace where'd it go? My eyes widened and I thought of the gift he'd given Elena. A necklace.