I was in my room, packing, when I heard Nik come in.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked me.

"Elijah said they're on the road. So, I'm going to go to them and get our children." I told him.

"Nicole-" he started but I turned to him quickly and spoke over him.

"Do not tell me that it's not safe, Nik! I'll tell you what's not safe- blowing up a house just to keep your evil brother from finding them!"

"We will deal with Finn." he tried comforting me.

"And then what? Every time you kill him, he's just going to jump into another body." I reminded him.

"We tried running. We tried hiding. Neither will work." he told me.

"No, we tried hiding them without us. We forced them to run away from our problems without us. If we were with them... If we were with them they couldn't use our blood to get to them." I told him.

"No, but they could use our siblings to find us." he reminded me.

"Then we use another cloaking spell." I said. "We'll get Bonnie to hide us and them."

"The Bennet Witch wont help us. You know that." he told me.

"Then what, Nik? What is your plan, because I don't see one right now!" I shouted angrily.

"As it happens, I am working on a plan as we speak! One which will be bolstered greatly if you just calm down!" he shouted back.

"Do not manage me, I have every right to-" I tried shouting, but he just shouted over me.

"Nicole!" He stared at me before sighing. "Hayley is getting married today. An act which will seal the loyalty of all the wolves that answer to Finn. She will be queen to an army for our children. She will need my queen to help her." He took my bag from my hands and set it on the bed before holding me close to him. "And my queen does not run."


I was with Hayley in her bedroom going through old dresses, hats and jewelry for the wedding. We didn't have time to have a dress made for her so she'd have to live with my family's old clothes. We were laughing about a particular dress style when Rebekah walked in, hiding something in her hand from view.

"Hey Bekah. Want to help us find a dress for our Bride-to-be?" I asked her and she just smiled.

"Bad news first- I will have to miss your nuptials." Bekah told her looking guiltily. Hayley's face fell in disappointment. "Kol has a bit of a life-and-death matter he needs help dealing with."

"Anything I can do to help?" I asked her.

"It's witch business. Which now seems to be my thing." Bekah said making Hayley laugh and roll her eyes. "Besides, you have enough to deal with! On that note..." Bekah pulled out a white lace wedding dress that she was hiding behind the door frame. "It's white, which won't fool anyone, but you can't get married in skinny jeans and combat boots." she handed the dress to Hayley who awed at is.

"Oh, Rebekah... Thank you." Hayley said softly. Rebekah smiled at her and watched as Hayley stood in front of her full-length mirror and held the dress against her body to see who it looked. "It's beautiful."

"Well, I happen to be the only woman alive who's commissioned wedding dresses in five different centuries. Never made it down the aisle, of course." Bekah said sadly.

"It's never too late for that!" I told her. "From what I understand, Marcel is still single..." Rebekah smiled shyly and licked her lips. "Have you told him yet that you're... you?"

"I thought I'd hold off on that for the moment. Only complicates matters. And, I'm not exactly sure how long this-" she gestured to her current body. "- is going to last."

"Right." I chuckled.

"Don't let what's happened worry you so much, sister." Bekah told me taking my hands in hers. "Elijah will protect Nikolas and Katherine with his life."

"So long as they all come home safely I'll be happy." I told her. Bekah smiled before turning to leaving the room. I turned back to Hayley to see her admiring her new dress.


I was in the ballroom trying to help organize everything when Hayley and Jackson walked in staring at all the decorators and caterers.

"What do you think?" I asked them.

"Ohhhh, I so do not belong in your world." Jackson said.

"My world?" Hayley scoffed. "Give me some credit. I'm not exactly the girl who sat around fantasizing about her wedding day. And, if I had it probably would have looked a little less... this." she gestured to a huge wedding cake being pushed on a cart by a caterer.

"So sue me I went a little crazy." I told her making her laugh.

"Yeah..." Jackson agreed before turning to Hayley. "You getting cold feet?"

"No. This is what's right. For Nikolas and Katherine, for our pack." Hayley told him and I raised an eyebrow at her as he nodded in agreement.

"Nicole. If I might intrude, there's someone who wishes to say hello." Nik told us and I looked at him confused before joining him as he walked into the courtyard with Hayley and Jackson behind us. Just as we made it into the courtyard, Cami and Elijah walked in from the opposite direction. I gaped at the children in their arms.

"You brought them here? Finn could be anywhere!" I reminded him staring at our children.

"I've taken precautions. There'll be no uninvited guests at the wedding, and after, the wolves will be the first line of defense to this home. No more running, Queen." he told me and I glanced at him. He smiled at me and gestured for me to go to children with Elijah nodding encouragingly. I went to Cami and took Katherine from her arms before taking Nikolas from Elijah. Katherine immediately began cooing and babbling happily making me smile and tears rushed to my eyes. Nikolas was just playing with the chess piece his father had given him as he looked around. I turned to Hayley and Jackson, the later who was just staring at them with wonder in his eyes.

"Katherine, Nikolas, this is your Uncle Jackson. Jackson, this is Katherine and Nikolas." I introduced. Jackson smiled at the kids before he and Hayley, whose hand was in his, joined me in fawning over the kids.


I was playing with Nikolas and Katherine in my room dressed for the wedding. I was wearing an ice blue dress that fell to the bottom of my thighs with designs done in dark blue gems. I was sitting on the ground playing with Katherine and Nikolas with their toys and cooing happily.

"Ah-ha-ha! I still can't believe the two of you're here!" I told them smiling. "Now, Mommy and Daddy have to go see this big thing, but don't worry! Because Cami will watch you, and after that, I'm not letting you out of my sight!" Katherine made a squeaky excited noise as she chewed on a little teddy bear and leaned into my face making me laugh. After a moment, I looked up to see Nik in the doorway smiling down at us.

"Perhaps its best we don't attend the wedding." he told me and I looked at him confused.

"I would have thought you'd want to make sure this plan works." I said standing up.

"I do, but then all eyes would be taken from Hayley and placed on you." He complimented. "You know I hate how other men look at you."

"Thank you, I think." I said smiling at him. "I almost don't want to leave them again."

"I feel the same, but we must see this through. Hayley will need your strength." he reminded me.

"Will she?" I asked him. "She'll have Jackson, Mary, and the wolves surrounding her."

"She is family because of she's close to you, Nicole." he said placing his hands on my shoulders. "She will need your support."

"You're right. I know you're right, but I still don't want to leave them." I said looking down at the two children.

"We have all eternity with them after this." he told me and I looked up at him. "This night is the beginning of our lives with them." I smiled at him before giving him a hug. He held me tightly before Cami entered the room and we left for the wedding.


Nik and I stood on the balcony across from where Mary stood waiting for Hayley and Jackson. The orchestra started as Hayley and Jackson made their way down the aisle. When they reached the two staircases, they split apart so they could each walk up them and meet on the balcony.

"Please, be seated." Mary told the guests when the couple stood before her. "We gather together as a community seeking peace, inspired by this couple standing before you." Hayley looked to us and I smiled at her happily as Elijah joined us so I stood between the two brothers. "There was a time when werewolves saw themselves not as cursed, but blessed with connection to our most pure selves. And tonight, we honor that blessing with the long-awaited unification of the two Crescent bloodlines." Mary perform a hand-fasting by binding Hayley and Jackson's wrists with baby's breath flowers. "In doing so, we choose to embrace Hayley's vampire nature. With this union, Hayley will share her unique gifts with her pack." Mary placed a long lit match into their linked hands to light their ceremonial candle. "And now, your vows."

"I pledge to honor you and defend you and yours above all others."

"To share in blessings and burdens. To be your advocate, your champion."

"To be your comfort, your sanctuary, and for as long as we both shall live."

"To be your family."

"To be your family." they smiled at each other before lighting the candle together. I looked to Elijah to see tears in his eyes. I placed a hand on his for comfort before turning back to the ceremony.

"You two have endured all the traditional werewolf rituals and trials. There is only one remaining- Jackson, you may kiss your bride." Jackson looked almost scared, but Hayley smiled at him encouragingly. He stared at her for a long moment before he cupped her face in his hand and kissed her. Elijah's hand tightened in mine and he looked away. When Hayley and Jackson finally pulled away, both of their eyes glowed gold, indicating that the Unification Ceremony worked. They smiled at each other happily and turned to look at the crowd. I looked below us to see the wolves in attendance eyes glow the same gold and smiled. I immediately moved to look over the wolves in the courtyard and gasped in relief at the golden eyed wolves.

"It worked." I told Nik happily as he and Elijah joined me.

"I know that look. I see it all too often. What are you planning?" Elijah asked and I looked to Nik.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." Nik told him walking away with us following him.

"Jackson marries your wife's friend, in our home, solidifying his rule over the wolves you yourself once sought to control. Talk to me." Elijah encouraged.

"Let Jackson have Hayley. Although, he isn't exactly fit to lead an army tasked with protecting my daughter. His reign will be short-lived." Nik assured him.

"Niklaus, you cannot honestly believe that I would allow you to harm Jackson on the day of Hayley's wedding-" Elijah started saying.

"He's not one of us, Elijah! He's mortal. Mortals perish." Nik reminded him. Nik went to continue on his way, but Elijah grabbed him roughly by the arm and stopped him.

"What are you doing?" Elijah asked him.

"Confide in me, brother- how do you feel when you see Hayley look at him?" Nik asked him.

"Nik." I said in a warning tone.

"Niklaus, I'm warning you-" Elijah started telling him.

"Face the facts! You're even now forcing yourself to deny you want Jackson dead just as much as I do. In fact, I think you want it more." Nik pointed out. Elijah let go of Nik enough to where Nik could walk away, leaving Elijah alone to think as I followed him.


I walked into the nursery to see Cami holding a slightly-fussy Katherine in her arms as she looked out the window. By now, Hayley, Jackson, and their guests would be parading down in the streets.

"Hey," I said alerting the human to my presence. "Thanks for watching them for us."

"They're actually pretty low-maintenance. She's been smiling and looking all around. I think she likes it here. Feels like home for them." she told me and I smiled before going to them.

"Where's Nikolas?" I asked her.

"Sleeping." she said and I followed her gaze to see him sleeping on the floor making me laugh lightly. "Yeah, he was knocked out soon after the ceremony began." I went and picked him up gently before putting him in his bed. I smiled down at him before moving to Katherine. Cami handed her over and my daughter just cooed while staring outside.


I could hear the party going full swing downstairs as I played with Katherine before Nik joined us.

"Where's Nikolas?" he asked me.

"Sleeping in his crib." I said looking at the sleeping boy. Nik moved towards him and picked him up gently waking him up slightly.

"I'm sorry, but I need you to wake up for just a moment." Nik told him before joining Katherine and I. "Come with me."

"What are you doing?" I asked him, but followed. We moved down into the courtyard with our children in our arms as he gestured for the band to stop playing.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please? Nicole and I would like to propose a toast. I want to welcome you all. As you know, last spring, Nicole and I had a daughter. Due to tragic circumstance, she and her brother, Nikolas, were lost. Now, they have returned home. Her name is Katherine." the guests gasped and began to murmur amongst themselves about this revelation. "Nicole only joined your pack when she activated her werewolf gene just last year, but, together, we hope they will live here among you, her pack. Her family. We implore you- protect our children. Teach her. Love her, as one of your own." I looked to Jackson and Hayley in the crowd and smiled at his nod of agreement. Nik took a glass of champagne from a nearby tray and passed it to me before grabbing for for himself. "Jackson, I invite you and your bride to live here, uniting your proud and noble people in peace. Welcome to the family, mate." Jackson and Hayley nodded before Nik held up his glass. "To Jackson and Hayley!"

"Cheers!" the rest of us said as we took a drink. Katherine tried to take the drink from me, making me laugh at her before putting it down so I could focus on her.


After the party, Nik and I stood in the nursery looking at our children. Nikolas was sleeping once more as Katherine fidgeted around. Our bubble of happiness only lasted until Elijah and Bekah walked in making Nik sigh in annoyance.

"Must you intrude on every moment?" Nik asked them.

"I'm not here to quarrel, brother." Elijah assured him.

"It's Kol. I couldn't help him." Bekah told us. I looked up at her with a shocked expression mirroring Nik's. "He's not gonna last the night." I quickly hunted Hayley down and asked her to watch my children before making my way to Lafayette Cemetery with my family.


We arrived in time to see Davina comforting Kol after a coughing spell.

"I think I want to be alone for this bit." Kol told her as he continued to cough and walk away from her.

"I'm afraid that's not an option." Elijah said causing both of them to turn and see us.

""Always and forever" is not something that you just weasel out of, brother." Nik told him. Kol stared at us in surprise but managed a weak smile which Nik returned.


We moved to the tomb where Esther had once imprisoned Elijah, which was surrounded by candles. Davina was sitting a few feet away, whispering a spell over a necklace that she was gripping tightly in her hands. Kol was lying on the ground, surrounded by candles and family, bleeding from his mouth and nose, groaning in pain as he gripped the lapels of Nik's jacket.

"All my life, all I ever wanted was for you lot to care about me." Kol told them. I could see Nik struggling to hold back his tears as Kol was overcome by another coughing fit that startled Bekah. Bekah moved to sit on the ground where she and Elijah rubbed his back as he coughed before leaning him backward so Bekah could cradle Kol's head in her lap. Kol grabbed mine and Bekah's hands and squeezed as he groaned.

"Kol, listen to me. You don't have long. You're going to die." she told him crying. Kol could no longer hold back his tears as he gripped our hands tighter. "But you will die a witch, and we will consecrate your body. You will join the ancestors of the French Quarter, and those spirits can be brought back. And, I promise you, brother, I will not leave this body until I find a way to bring you home." Kol smiled at her, despite his pain, but quickly began to cough even harder.

"You will come home to us." I promised. "You know how stubborn this family is." Davina, having finally finished her spell, crawled towards Kol to give him the necklace, both frantic and in tears.

"I tried a different spell." she told him. Kol released my hand and took hers, squeezing it as tightly as he could manage.

"It's okay. I'm not scared." Kol told her. She does her best to smile through the tears, and Kol managed one last laugh before he died in Rebekah's arms. Davina breaks down in sobs with my arms around her, tears streaming down my face. I looked up at Nik and Elijah to see them now crying freely over their fallen brother's body.