C.2: The Devil Went Down To New Orleans

Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to read, review, favorite, and follow my story! It definitely inspires me to write more and seeing reviews is a huge thing for me. They are a thing of motivation and inspiration to me!

I can only hope I can continue to write well and give a story everyone enjoys.

Be sure to read and review! Suggestions and comments are always welcome and I can't wait to see what comes!

~Nik~

Mystic Falls, 2011

She dares not to come downstairs lest she be caught up in the argument happening.

Nik was used to the arguing by now. Klaus didn't stay with them often anymore since he broke his thousand-year-old curse, but when he did, there was a fight more often than not. Most of them were petty quarrels Nik could ignore easily- they were drowned out by her ear buds or she had the time to run away before things got ugly.

Tonight, she woke up during the worst of the fight. First, it was manageable. Then, anxiety swarmed her and she could hardly keep herself still because she picked up on every horrid emotion that everyone was feeling.

"Can you live a moment without stirring up drama, Niklaus?" bellows Elijah. Elijah is by no means a screamer, but once he raises his voice, Nik knows things are getting ready to take a turn for the worst. Klaus screamed all the time, though- it is nothing new for her.

Then, as if to prove he can scream louder, Klaus yells back. "I won't have my reputation tarnished by a group of petty witches! They will learn to keep my name and my motives out of their mouths!" Something hits the floor- Nik assumes that it is a vase of some sort.

"They are but rumors, brother. Let them die," Elijah begs. "Haven't we gone through enough?"

"I will rest when the rumors are gone. Perhaps even the coven," Klaus huffs. Nik knows that he is smiling like a maniac- well, he already is a maniac.

"Mark my words: if harm comes upon Nik for this, I'll have your head."

At that, Klaus laughs. "All the more reason to cause trouble in the Big Easy." Then, the door opens and slams, causing something else to fall to the floor and shatter.

Once Nik is sure Klaus is gone, she begins to venture downstairs. She can hear Elijah and Rebekah muttering to each other, growling hatefully about Klaus. Then, she stops at the top of the stairs, calling down to her aunt and uncle.

"Has His Royal Highness fled the premises?" Nik calls down, rubbing her tired eyes. She knows she won't sleep any tonight because of this domestic dispute.

There's an inelegant snort from Rebekah and a barely contained laugh from Elijah. Then, she sees her uncle appear at the bottom of the staircase and he gives her a sad smile.

"All of that mess woke you up?" Elijah asks, his smile fading and he frowns deeply.

Nik sighs and nods her head. "I woke when I heard glass shattering. I probably would have gone back to sleep, but Klaus had to out-scream you, it seems." Then, she begins to move downstairs and her eyes sweep over the mess in their grand living room- Klaus has destroyed a crystal vase and a picture from the wall has fell to the floor, glass shattered.

It might have hurt less if it weren't a picture of Nik.

"There is glass everywhere," Elijah says, looking at Nik's bare feet. "You shouldn't be walking through here."

Nik rolls her eyes. "It's fine. Just let me go put shoes on and…" She's cut off by Elijah who scoops her up in his arms, carrying her towards the kitchen. "Elijah! I am not a baby!"

"You will always be my baby," Elijah says, carefully depositing her on the kitchen floor. He drops a kiss on her head and points to the small pantry. "Grab me the broom and dustpan, will you? I have to sweep this mess up lest we have to pull glass from your feet."

Nik complies, going to grab the cleaning items to hand them over to her uncle. "It's horrid you have to keep cleaning up after Klaus' messes."

"Sadly, it has been this way for the last thousand years," Elijah sighs, taking the broom and dustpan and he begins to sweep up the glass from the broken vase. "I doubt it will be different for the next thousand, either."

Nik goes to sit down at the table with Rebekah. The blond smiles at her as she sits down and Nik flashes a smile back. She loves her "Aunt Bex" as Rebekah likes to call herself. At first, Nik was unsure how Rebekah would treat her. She was afraid that she'd be like Klaus, but Nik became fast friends with Rebekah who treated her like she had known her all her life.

Rebekah smoothes Nik's hair. "You, my dear, are a beautiful girl. However, you favor Klaus so much I want to punch you."

"That comforts me. I'm so good looking you wish to disfigure my face," Nik says, making Rebekah chuckle.

"You make up for it by behaving like me, though," Rebekah states proudly, wrapping her arms around the younger girl. Nik laughs, curling close to Rebekah and the two Mikaelson girls watch Elijah who works at fixing Klaus' mess.

After a moment, Nik looks at her uncle. "So, what does Klaus have his panties in a twist over?" She thinks back to Klaus breaking his curse just a few months back. That had been quite the fiasco, although she was never told much besides what Elijah would allow and what she overhead during her late night excursions outside her room.

"They are but rumors," Elijah assures. He tucks away the broom and dustpan after disposing of the glass shards. "He has heard of witches from New Orleans seeking to ruin him. Then, Klaus being Klaus, has gone down to discern said rumors and cause hell along the way."

Elijah sits across from her and Rebekah. Nik frowns a little, wringing her hands. "Do you think that Klaus could be getting in over his head with these witches? You'd think he'd know to leave things alone…" Despite Klaus' hatred of her, Nik loves her father. She worships the ground that the man walks on and she hates to admit it. His treatment is far from fair, but Nik finds herself wishing that Klaus would dote on her and love her.

"Your father's actions are beyond reason," Elijah says knowingly. "He has never done anything rationally or logically."

Nik nods understandingly even though this is nothing new. Then, she looks up to Elijah. "Do you plan on going after Klaus should something happen?"

"I think it's time your father learn to clean up his own mess," Elijah answers. Nik notes that even though he is forever youthful, her uncle has something about him that is tired and worn from his years on this earth. His shoulders are slumped and his eyes aren't at joyful as she remembers them.

He's tired of Klaus' antics.

He's simply tired.

Elijah looks at her and smiles. "Your father has made many mistakes the last millennia. You, however, aren't one of them." He squeezes her hand and stands, pulling her up. "You do not worry after him. You are a child, Nikol. Now, you should get back to bed, little one. It is late and we have plenty of schoolwork to do tomorrow."

"Joy. I cannot wait to learn about Mozart."

"Your lack of enthusiasm concerns me," Elijah says, but his smile is poorly hidden. Then, he kisses her hair and points to the stairs. "To bed with you."

Nik chuckles. "Goodnight, Elijah. 'Night, Aunt Bex."

"Goodnight!" the two Originals chorus and Nik disappears up the grand staircase, traveling towards her bedroom where she drops onto the bed, not bothering with the covers as she drifts off to sleep.

…

~One Week Later~

"So, what happened to allowing Klaus 'Solve His Own Problems?'"

Nik sits on Elijah's bed, watching as he packs a small bag of clothes. As he does this, Elijah looks up at her and he narrows his eyes. "I don't need you mocking me. Your father continues surprising me with the amount of trouble he keeps finding himself in."

"Well, let him put on his big-boy pants and solve this himself," Nik says, anxiousness filling her. She has never been away from Elijah in her life and this trip seems to terrify her more that it it becoming a reality. "You can't leave me here by myself."

"That's why you are coming with me," Elijah says.

Nik grins widely. "Really?" She has been to New Orleans a few times with Elijah when she was little, but she hardly remembers their trips except for a few details.

"Really," Elijah says with a smile. "As much as I love Rebekah, she knows nothing of child rearing and we have powerful enemies I'd rather not take a chance on showing up during my absence."

"Aunt Bex could stab their eyes out with heels."

Elijah snorts inelegantly. He folds a shirt and placed it in his bag, laughing softly at Nik. "She will be too busy buying them. She plans on going on a trip to New York for a few weeks. That leaves you to me and we will stay in New Orleans a few days...a week at the most."

"And what will I do during this trip? I will not play as 'Klaus-Bait,'" Nik comments.

"You will stay at the plantation house and behave. You're very well behaved, but I cannot have you out and running about," Elijah answers. "With that being said, pack a bag for the week and we will be off. Bring something for the trip."

Nik smiles and nods, rising to her feet after she edges off of Elijah's bed. She goes to her room and rummages through her closet where she finds her travel bag that will easily accommodate a week's worth of outfits. She'd pack less, but she knows that her father has never done anything easy. The man is difficult to talk to and sometimes, it is like speaking to a wall. No one ever gets through to the man and Klaus goes on his merry way, destroying everything in his way.

Once she had collected a week's worth of clothing and some toiletries, Nik scouts out some items for her trip- books and her phone for music. No matter how much she loves her uncle, she will not tolerate classical music and jazz down to New Orleans. Similarly, Elijah hates her music- she strongly prefers upbeat music and rock amongst other things.

Everything packed neatly in her bag, Nik pads down the hall to her uncle's room where he neatly lays out his suits in a protective covering and Nik raises an eyebrow.

"Do you really need to bring suits?" Nik asks, setting her bag down. "Be normal for once- jeans never killed anyone."

"One always dresses for the occasion," Elijah replies with a chuckle, bending to grab a second pair of shoes to go with his suits.

Nik laughs softly, crossing her arms over her chest. She leans in the doorway, looking down to the floor a moment and her face falls. Then, she looks up to Elijah and gives him a look. "Do you think he'll prove to be a challenge?"

Elijah sighs softly. "Your father never does anything simple. He could have already slaughtered the entire coven of witches for all we know. He will return home one way or another, though."

"I wonder why I still love him sometimes," Nik comments, voice quiet. She loves Klaus dearly even though he keeps wronging her over and over again. Nik cannot recall the several moment of neglect when she was little- he left her alone on numerous accounts; he threatened to send her back to her stepfather; hell, there was a few times he told her was going to eat her.

Elijah gives a sad smile. "He's your father, little one. All children love their parents despite their mistakes. Even though my father has done the unspeakable to our family, I still love him. I still love my mother although she cursed us to roam the earth forever."

Nik smiles back a little. She watches as Elijah walks over and he kisses her head, smoothing her blond curls. "It is not bad to love your father, Nikol." Then, Elijah cups her cheek and smiles softly. "He, someday soon, will love you as well. Klaus is a difficult man, but everyone breaks. Now, that being said, gather your things and head towards the car. Be sure to kiss your aunt goodbye, too."

Nik nods and sighs, not looking forward to the game of cat and mouse that will be played with Klaus. She bends down to grab her bag and starts towards the car, but not before venturing to Rebekah's room to give the woman a goodbye.

"Is Elijah dragging you Klaus hunting?" Rebekah questions as Nik enters her room. Rebekah is perched on her bed, scrolling through her phone that she hasn't quite learned how to work yet.

"Unfortunately so. I'd much rather go with you to New York," Nik says, giving her aunt a desperate look.

Rebekah laughs. "It's just for two weeks. Being trapped in a coffin for ninety years puts a woman behind the times." Rebekah stands from her bed and brings Nik into a hug. "You're going to be okay, Nik. Elijah surely has something planned for you two after this horrid trip to make up for Klaus' attitude

"One can only hope," Nik says as she hugs Rebekah back. "I'll call you when we're in the city. I love you, Aunt Bex."

"I love you, too, Nik. Be safe and have fun. Guilt Elijah into buying clothes so we can match outfits," Rebekah says, kissing Nik's cheek before the girl breaks away from her aunt.

Then, Nik is off down the stairs and to the car where Elijah waits, his items placed neatly in the trunk. Nik hands her bag over to Elijah who places it in the trunk and he speeds around the car to open her door a moment later.

Elijah gives her a twisted smile. "Ready for our Mikaelson Family Vacation, little one?"

Nik rolls her eyes. She sits down in the passenger's seat, going to buckle her seatbelt. "If you want a vacation, let's leave Klaus in New Orleans and go to the Caribbean."

"We'll do something special while in New Orleans- that I promise." With that, Elijah closes Nik's door and the teen crosses her arms, worried about their trip to New Orleans