When Elijah stepped into his bedroom, he was surprised to smell the sage burning from the silencing spell. What could Mackenzie possibly have to tell him she didn't want Klaus to hear? It made him a bit nervous.

She had taken a shower and was ready for bed, although he doubted she would stay until morning. She would probably join Olivia downstairs in Klaus' study once he fell asleep. He tried not to be too curious about what she was doing, but he couldn't help but worry.

"Something wrong?" he asked as he started to undo his tie.

"Plenty wrong," she replied with a sigh.

She sat on the edge of the bed as she watched him cast his tie to the side and remove his jacket.

"I found Marcel's secret weapon."

The vampire froze. He frowned as he tilted his head to the side. He certainly wasn't expecting that. He threw his jacket onto the bed as he stepped towards the elemental.

"You did?"

"Well, Olivia and I did. She took me to..." she paused, looked up at him warily, knowing he would get mad, "and don't be angry," she added, "she took me to the French Quarter, where she sensed some strange magic the other day with Lizzy."

"You went to the French Quarter?" he repeated quietly, the mere implications were enough to cause terror to take over his mind.

"And I'm fine," she insisted. "I was with Olivia, and I would have probably been fine on my own," she told him as she stood up, looking away from him as she couldn't stand the look of horror on his face. She was tired of his overprotectiveness.

"Mackenzie…"

"That is not the point of the story, Elijah," she cut him off. "We found Marcel's secret weapon."

The Original seemed conflicted, although he should be relieved by the news as it meant their plan was progressing slowly, he still couldn't help but imagine what would have happened if Marcel or one of his daywalkers had found her wandering around the French Quarter. Although there was a tiny voice in his head that reminded him it would have been an awful encounter for them, he couldn't help but picture Mackenzie getting hurt, like everyone else he had cared about in his life.

"Where?" he asked, choosing to let it go.

"In the attic of a Church."

"What it is?"

"It's not a what. It's a who. About sixteen years-old we think," she said as she turned around to face him. "Olivia says she has powerful magic, but it's weird… like it's not hers. And she can barely control it all. She could be dangerous, to some people… but we think she's in danger too."

"From Marcel?"

"No, he's clearly protecting her. We think she's in danger from the magic. There's something really wrong there, almost… unnatural. I think we need to ask Sophie about it. That might be what the witches are hiding from us."

"I think you may be right. What's her name?"

"Don't know. She tried to attack us, Liv stopped her, erased her memory of us. She won't be telling Marcel."

"That's good," Elijah nodded. "We can call Sophie the day after tomorrow."

"What's wrong with tomorrow?"

Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Tomorrow's your birthday. Heidi and Alexander are supposed to arrive in the late morning."

"Right," Mackenzie frowned as she was surprised she would forget about her own birthday. It seemed to be the least of their problems, though. Like they had better things to do than celebrate her twenty years on this planet.

"We shouldn't tell Niklaus. He'll want that power for himself, and she'll die refusing him."

"Hence the sage," Mackenzie smiled as she stepped towards him. "I'm sorry you have to figure this out," she sighed as she brought her hands to his abdomen and slid them slowly onto his back, resting her head on his chest, "I'm so tired of having to worry about every unhinge decision Klaus will take…"

"Tell me about it," Elijah chuckled quietly as he wrapped an arm around her and brought a hand to her head. "We'll figure it out. Everything is going to be okay."

Mackenzie scoffed. She didn't believe it and she knew he didn't believe it himself.

To his pleasant surprise, Mackenzie was still in bed with him when he woke up around eight in the morning, and it seemed she hadn't left the bed at all that night. She was wrapped around him, her head resting on his chest. He brushed her hair away from her beautiful face and cupped her cheek with his hand, stroking her skin with his thumb. He carefully moved and let her lie back on the mattress before placing kisses on her neck, her shoulder, down her chest, down her body, going down, down under the sheets.

Mackenzie woke up, hot and bothered, moaning deeply.

"'lijah," she breathed out, but got no reply from him. She wasn't going to complain.

She bit her lips, trying to silence an uncontrollable groan, fisted the sheets as she arched her back. Elijah was relentless, he wouldn't stop until she was done. He was careful not to overstimulate her though, that would be beyond the point.

She gasped as she met her end and her climax exploded through her, leaving her trembling under his tongue.

"Happy birthday," he said as he emerged from under the cover.

She giggled and took his face in her hands, pulling him to her, crashing her lips against his.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Their good mood only lasted as they walked down the stairs and vanished as they walked into the kitchen where Klaus and Oliver were having a heated argument. Felicity and Olivia were watching with amused looks on their faces while Hayley looked more annoyed than anything else. She was used to Klaus' outbursts by now. She had grown tired of it months ago.

"I want you out of my house!"

"We were invited to a birthday party," Olivia reminded him. "Which is today."

"And you better be gone by tomorrow, all of you," the hybrid growled, "or I'll get you out myself!"

"You and what army?" Felicity scoffed.

"You overestimate your power, little witch."

"Do not talk to her like that," Oliver growled back as he came inches from Klaus' face.

"You three really seem to be under the impression I'm not a threat to you."

"There's a very simple reason for that," Olivia said.

"You're not," Felicity finished.

"Allow me to prove you wrong," Klaus smirked, seizing Oliver by his hair but releasing him almost as fast as Felicity used her magic to take him down, having him fall to his knees.

"Need your girl to defend you, eh?"

"My girl can kick your ass."

"Allow me to prove him right," Felicity said, ready to follow on her words.

"That won't be necessary, I'm sure," Elijah intervened. "Isn't that right, Niklaus?"

The hybrid growled and remained silent for a moment before a laugh escaped his lips.

"You are correct, as always, brother," he said and after checking with Mackenzie, Felicity released him from her grasp. "You know me, just jesting."

The three companions from Germany scoffed in unison as Mackenzie offered her hand to the original hybrid. He gave her a strange look, and she could see he was pondering about whether or not to ruin the day. Her day.

"Please," she whispered as she insisted.

He sighed, rolled his eyes, then took her hand.

"Am I still invited to your party?"

"If you promise to behave," she nodded with a small hopeful smile.

"I promise I'll try," he told her before vanishing.

"I apologize for my brother's behavior," Elijah said, as the good host he was. "Let us resume our breakfast."

"Yes," Hayley said, her mouth full of cereals, milk sliding down her chin, "let's."

"May I ask what this was about?" Elijah inquired as he made his way towards the coffee machine.

"We went to the Bayou yesterday," Oliver answered. "Met some interesting wolves."

"Interesting how?" Mackenzie asked, taking a red apple from a plate.

"They were werewolves, in daylight," Hayley said as if there was nothing more to it.

"Right."

"That is interesting, indeed," Elijah nodded.

"Felicity says they're cursed."

"Couldn't you smell it on them?" Oliver asked the pregnant wolf. "They reeked of misery."

"Well, I think they knew me. They… they looked at me weird."

"One of them certainly did more than the others," Oliver chuckled. "Any idea why?"

"I wish," Hayley scoffed. "I came to New-Orleans to find my people, my family. Maybe they know a thing or two about it."

"They probably know more than just a thing or two," Olivia replied. "And if they're cursed we'll need to know exactly how to find a cure."

"Which will be hard to figure out since we can't talk to wolves," Oliver said.

"Every curse has a loophole, we just need to find it," the princess shrugged.

"But not today," Felicity said. "Today, we party."

"Yes, let's have a big party while a pack of wolves is cursed out in the Bayou…" Hayley disapproved.

"Well there's nothing we can do about it now. Let's not ruin the day. The wolves will have to wait just another day, I'm sure they'll still be waiting tomorrow," Olivia said.

"Speaking of party," Oliver interrupted, "are you sure you want to invite the hybrid? Sounds like a terrible idea."

Mackenzie chuckled. "Yeah? Excluding him sounds like a worse idea, trust me."

"I'm afraid she's right," Elijah sighed as he brought his cup of coffee to his lips. "If there's one thing my brother hates, it's to be excluded, especially by family."

"He'll ruin the day either way, you know how Nik gets."

Mackenzie turned around as she recognized the familiar voice and she almost shrieked of joy at the sight of the blonde standing with her arms crossed over her chest in the doorway.

"'bekah!"

"Happy to see you too," she said as she opened her arms to the ultimate.

"Wha- I thought you were in Europe. Where's Matt?"

"Mystic Falls," she sighed. "We broke up."

"Oh no, I'm sorry."

"It's fine," she shrugged. "I guess we were doomed from the start anyway… a mortal and an immortal… it's not meant to last…"

Mackenzie frowned as a shudder travelled throughout her body.

"Obviously if the mortal is the most powerful creature on the planet, that doesn't apply to her," the blonde added.

Mackenzie chuckled. "Well I'm glad you're here. I'm sorry about Matt."

"Don't be. I was growing tired of him anyway," she lied. "So, who's this?" she asked as she stepped inside the kitchen.

"Rebekah, this is Olivia, Oliver and Felicity, guys this is Rebekah."

"Witches and werewolves," she sighed. "This is gonna be a fun party."

"Happy birthday to you!"

The guests sang, even Klaus, even Hayley, as miserable as she was, as Mackenzie stood, leaning back against Elijah's chest as he had his arms wrapped around her, his mouth close to her ear, as she watched her friends, her family, wish her a happy birthday.

The evening had been flawless so far, Klaus surprisingly keeping his promise, and even more surprisingly, making good friends with Alexander. Heidi and Olivia were inseparable, Oliver and Felicity kept Hayley company while Rebekah got to know the mother of her unborn niece. Elijah had been spoiling Mackenzie with gifts, and even Klaus had had a few thoughtful presents for the elemental. Jewelry, dresses, grimoires, magic artifacts… everything she had never asked for, never needed, but made her happy in more than one way. She wasn't alone anymore. She had a family. A family that loved her enough to be so thoughtful. That was the ultimate gift.

"Kol sends his best," Rebekah said as Mackenzie opened the absent vampire's present.

"Well, I guess we know what he's been doing in Brazil," she chuckled as she found talismans and spells inside the box. "Twenty years is enough to stop time," she read the note that puzzled her.

"Immortality in a box," Heidi said as she took a peek inside. "Not bad," she approved as she inspected the spells.

"Better than sucking the life and magic out of my family tree."

"What?" Hayley frowned.

"Forget it," Mackenzie chuckled.

"Yes, let's forget it," Elijah said before planting a kiss on the top of her hair.

"Who wants cake?" Klaus grinned, happy to change the subject.

The party was surprisingly perfect, if Mackenzie had to be honest. Laughs and smiles, music and dancing, fun and practical gifts, although Elijah being Elijah, the car he got her, which came with free driving lessons, from him, was more practical than fun, as it would serve as a mean for Mackenzie to escape New-Orleans on her own one day, should she have to. She tried to ignore the implications of the gift, tried to ignore how much money he had spent on it, on her, and just took it with a smile, thanked him, and promised she would be the most careful driver in the world.

As the party had reached a point where the couples were slow-dancing in the ball room, Rebekah watched as she was reminded that she was once again alone, that once again she hadn't gotten what she wanted, no matter how bad she had wanted it, no matter how hard she had worked to get it, to be honest and true, to change as much as Matt had wanted her to. But no matter what she had done, she couldn't change the fact that she was an Original vampire whose siblings had caused pain and grief to his friends and to his town, and she would have never stepped out of that shadow that her brother had cast on her. She hadn't come to New-Orleans to stay, although Hayley and Mackenzie were two perfectly good reasons to, but New-Orleans came with a mountain of memories and regret she would rather not awake. She wondered how she would tell Mackenzie that she would be leaving before dawn. Before she somehow came across Marcel and awake those old wounds she had tried hard to hide and put behind her.

Even Klaus had been the perfect guest/host tonight, towards Mackenzie's friends, and towards the future mother of his child. Rebekah frowned as she watched the two dancing and tried her best not to eavesdrop on her brother and the wolf.

"You're quite charming tonight," Hayley noticed.

"I'm quite charming all the time," Klaus replied, making her scoff.

"You're up to something."

"Aren't I always?" he smirked.

"Something bad."

"As always."

"So, what plan are you cooking up?"

"Nothing you should worry yourself about, little wolf."

"Should Mackenzie and Elijah be worried?"

"Perhaps… I'm just trying to find a way to get to what I want faster. Elijah likes to use diplomacy, but it takes too long."

"As opposed to maiming and killing your way through it?"

"Exactly," he smiled. "But don't worry. I'll never do anything to compromise the wellbeing of my child. That includes protecting its mother."

"I'm glad to hear it," she sighed. "Do you mind?" she asked as she stopped dancing. "My feet are killing me."

"Not at all. I was on my way out, actually."

"You're leaving? Where are you going?"

"On an adventure."

"Well, have fun," she breathed as she walked away, towards the couch. "Don't kill anyone."

"I can't make that promise, love."

"Just pretend you're not going to kill anyone."

"As you wish," he chuckled before he silently made his way towards his brother.

"Niklaus, enjoying the party?"

"I am, Elijah, tonight was lovely, thank you for inviting me," he told Mackenzie with a smile.

"Thank you for being a lovely guest," she smiled back.

"Happy birthday, love," he said as he took her hand and brought it to its lips before placing a kiss on her knuckles. "Enjoy the rest of your party."

"You're leaving?" Elijah asked.

"Yes, I have… somewhere to be."

"Don't kill anyone."

"Why does everyone think I'm going to kill anyone?" he sighed.

"Because that's what you do, Nik," Rebekah said as she joined them. "Where are you going? Can I come?"

"Bored already, sister?"

"No offense, but yes. This party has come to an end, it was fun while it lasted."

Mackenzie laughed. "Well, I had fun. Thank you for coming, I'm really happy you're here."

"Well, enjoy me while you still can," she said, making Mackenzie frown, before turning back to her brother. "So, can I come?"

"I don't see why not," Klaus shrugged. "Although, I really am not planning on killing anyone."

"Ugh," Rebekah rolled her eyes, "whatever, let's go."

Elijah and Mackenzie laughed as they watched them exit the room, bickering in good fun, like normal siblings. It made Mackenzie wonder if they could ever truly have that, every day of the year, not just on her birthday.

"Did you really have fun tonight?" Elijah asked her.

"I did," she smiled. "This was really relaxing, to be honest. I needed that."

"I think I did too."

"Sorry to interrupt," Heidi said as she appeared from behind Elijah. "May I have a word with my goddaughter?"

"Of course," Elijah nodded. "Where's Alexander?"

"Went with your siblings, I can't believe they're getting along."

"Me neither," Mackenzie nodded. "Although I think he could be a good influence."

"I would tend to agree. Now, come."

Mackenzie smiled, amused, as Heidi turned her back to her and made her way out of the room. She wasn't one for small talk. And she wasn't one to wait either.

"Any idea what she wants?"

"Yes," Mackenzie said, although she wouldn't say what. "We won't be long. Keep Hayley company, she looks miserable."

"I'm not sure how I can fix that."

"Just talk to her, Elijah. Tell her everything is gonna be okay."

"I'm not sure she'll believe me."

"She will. Because you'll mean it."

She tiptoed and kissed his lips, then his cheek, before following Heidi's footsteps. He watched her leave, trying to convince the part of him that wanted to follow them that it was a bad idea. The reasonable, honorable part of him won the argument, and he made his way towards Hayley and sat down next to her on the couch.

Mackenzie found Heidi on the porch, and closed the front door behind her as she joined her. She tried to breathe through the pain in her chest, tried to chase her worries and anxiety away. She didn't want to get her hopes up and tried to dial down her excitement, so she wouldn't be too disappointed if Heidi hadn't been able to find what she had asked for. She had been waiting for this moment ever since the witch had arrived at noon.

"So, do you have it?"

"I do," Heidi said as she rested her elbows on the wooden railing.

Mackenzie's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't believe it.

"You… you do?" she asked as she practically launched herself towards her godmother. Heidi nodded. "Oh my God," she breathed, her knees almost giving up under her, but she held onto the railing. "And… and it works?"

"Yes, it works," Heidi nodded again, looking at the quiet forest before her.

"Are you sure? How did you get it? Where did you find it?"

"I cheated," she admitted with a smile. "I asked Ambrosia. I knew she'd have it."

"How…"

"She was in love with a vampire once. It didn't end well…"

"But it works."

"Oh yes, it works."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because I used it," she said as she turned towards the elemental. "Alexander and I, we tried it. And it worked."

Mackenzie stared at the witch speechlessly. It took her a moment to understand what she was saying.

"You… you're pregnant?"

Heidi smiled. Heidi grinned. A genuinely happy smile Mackenzie had never seen on her godmother's face before. She almost couldn't recognize her. She looked like a different person entirely.

"The oracles confirmed it. That's why we couldn't come sooner, I'm sorry."

Mackenzie breathed out a laugh. "You're sorry? Are you kidding, oh my God, Heidi!"

She wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug Heidi wouldn't normally lean into, or allow.

"I have to thank you. If you hadn't insisted, I wouldn't have allowed myself to hope for it. But I did, and it was worth it."

"Congratulations. You're going to be an amazing mother."

Heidi chuckled. "Alex is over the moon. It took everything he had in him not to let anything show."

"I bet."

"He'll be the greatest father."

"We know he will."

"Your Elijah would make a good father, too."

"Yeah, he really would," Mackenzie nodded as she too leaned over the railing, elbow to elbow with Heidi.

"You're too young to have kids, Mackenzie. Now is really not a great time to have one either."

"I didn't ask you for the spell so I could have a baby right now," Mackenzie reassured her. "I just wanted the pain to go away."

"His pain?"

"I can see it on his face every time he looks at Hayley. Every time he talks to Klaus about it. He envies him. And he deserves it so much more."

"You went to all this trouble just to give him the possibility of having children?"

"To be fair, you went to all this trouble."

"It kept me busy."

"It took you like a month."

"I told you, I cheated."

"How did you find Ambrosia anyway?"

"The oracles knew where to find her, she wasn't hiding, for once. I'm sure she promised Pandora not to. She's in Rio."

"Brazil? Maybe she'll meet Kol."

Heidi gave her an amused smile.

"Oh, they've met."