Chapter 29

The trip was spent quietly, even Diego who was a bit of a chatter box on normal days focused on driving. Marcel suspected some of his silence was due to Elijah's presence though.

Soon they were in their part of town.

Marcel looked at the streets where he grew up, a bittersweet feeling of being home rising in him.

The car stopped before their office. Elijah and Marcel exited the vehicle.

As they entered the building the men working welcomed Marcel return, some by greeting him verbally or with a pat on the back, others just nodded before going back to their work.

"Klaus is waiting in his office." Kol informed them before leaving through the door they came in from.

To be honest Marcel wasn't sure what to expect when he stepped into Klaus office.

Maybe Klaus felt the same toward him as they looked at each other in silence and as neither side seemed to erupt, Klaus smiled and rose from behind his office, reaching Marcel in a few steps.

"Klaus."

"Marcel."

Klaus looked him over noticing the few bruises on his face, but that he was overall in a good state. Nodding, he grinned at him and opened his arms to give him a brief hug. "Welcome home."

"Yeah." Marcel returned the hug. It seemed his time away had let Klaus cool down. And everything was forgiven.

Klaus went back to his desk.

"A lot happened, we'll need to catch you up. But you just got free, take today, it will wait tomorrow."

-O-

Rebekah was finishing to eat her breakfast when Kol came home. With a teasing grin like he knew something they didn't, he immediately addressed his younger sister.

"Marcel's back." He announced.

Clang!

Rebekah dropped her cutlery as she stood up in a hurry. She was already running out of the house before her siblings could react.

"This girl." Sighed Freya, but a smile curled up her lips.

Marcel had reached the street where his home was already. While walking from the office to here he'd seen the Mystic still under renovation but he hadn't stopped by. However, his thoughts darkened at the sight.

"Marcel !" A familiar voice called out to him.

As he raised his head, Rebekah was running toward him smiling brightly. He barely had the time to think she was a vision before she threw herself in his arms. Automatically he closed them around her as she clung to him, he felt his heart that he'd tried to keep hardened since coming back here soften.

He tightened his hold on Rebekah, pressing his face in the crook of her neck.

-O-

Elijah had done some research since yesterday, now feeling more ready he punctually presented himself to the Kenner Estate for his appointment with the Lady Kenner.

He was shown to a comfortable receiving room to wait for the servants to notify their employer.

After fifteen minutes, during which he enjoyed the tea served while observing his surroundings, Lady Kenner finally appeared wearing an equestrian outfit. Elijah appreciatively thought she looked as lovely today as she did in her red grown before.

"Sorry for the delay, since we didn't fix any precise time I went about my usual day, and was out riding." Hayley walked into the room, sat on the opposite couch from Elijah and dismissed the servants.

"Not to worry, I was made very comfortable. But now that you're here Lady Kenner, I admit being curious as to what you could possibly want us to discuss."

He truly was. Hayley Marshall Kenner, the young widow of the Kenner Estate. Her husband Jackson Kenner had died about a year ago. A respectable family like the Kenner should have no point of interaction with the Mikaelsons.

"I hear you are looking for an alliance, I can help with that." Hayley looked him straight in the eyes.

"And may I know how you came across such information ?" Although he knew news traveled fast in town, especially in some circle but he wasn't particularly pleased by it.

"Briggs has made his displeasure over your brother's business practice known in the last months or so." She gave a crooked smile that showed the disdain she held for the said man.

It seemed his threats to the man had not been as effective as he'd hoped in shutting his mouth. Then again the stupid pig might not have understood he was even being threatened. That would teach him to use subtlety with that type of people.

"I see. Am I to understand you are proposing an alliance between you and my family ? You should understand that being associated with the name Mikaelson might be a stain on the good respectability of the Kenner Estate."

"Are you trying to talk me out of an alliance with your family ? Not much of a businessman are you ?" She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at him.

"This is indeed a domain my brother excels in more than me. However, I believe myself to be quite good in negotiations, and right now I am trying to understand the underlying motivation, and what you stand to gain from this."

The Kenner family were originally horse breeders, and had race horses in all the racecourses in Chicago and Illinois state. Of course with the prohibition most race courses closed down which should have impacted the Kenner family, but Jackson Kenner had the good sense to invest in automobile factories when he was alive. Their profits actually increased thanks to that, and now the sole beneficiary of that fortune was the young woman sitting before him.

"My husband was killed by the De Martel. I want them dead." She didn't shy back from his gaze as she announced such a thing many would think outrageous.

"I had heard it was an accident ?"

"I'm sure your family being in such a line of business, you understand sometimes what seems like accidents are not. I don't have enough evidence to insure Tristan De Martel and his sister pay for what they did to Jackson, which is why I hope to come to an agreement with you Mikaelsons."

"However, my family situation is already threatened by the Salvatore family, not to mention the police sniffing at our heels. Adding another enemy is not wise." He crossed his fingers over his laps.

"What if I told you the De Martel were already your enemies, whether you wanted it or not?"

"It is not a secret that my family and the De Martel do not get along well."

"Yes. And on the surface that's all it is, but Tristan De Martel is a snake who loves to plot in the dark while pretending to be a good member of society for the world to see." Her expression darkened as she talked. "I have spent the last year investigating him and his sister. Who do you think nominated Inspector Coleman to come to Chicago specially to go against your family ? And recently who helped the inspector push for a raid and at the same time was exchanging letters with Salvatore ?"

Elijah expression turned somber. He couldn't appear relaxed anymore. The raid truly had been a blow to them.

"It wasn't just recently either. Although I do not know about the extent of Tristan involvement, Aurora was definitely related to what happened with Lucien Castle."

"Do you have any proof ?" Elijah asked sharply.

"I told you, I've spent the last year exhausting every possible way to investigate the De Martel to take revenge upon them. It might not hold up in court, but I do not come to you with only suspicions. I have better things to do than waste both of our time."

Elijah sank into silence for a while, needing to think.

"I will need to discuss this with my brother before we talk further."

Hayley nodded.

"Take your time. You know where to find me."

-O-

Although with the Mystic still not completely finished renovating, Caroline didn't have work she hated to stay confined in her flat. However, she couldn't visit Bonnie all the time, her friend still had her shop to tend to, she didn't want to be a bother. But other than grocery shopping and taking walks, she didn't have much to do, so she could only hope the Mystic would reopen soon.

Today she went out to buy bread, but recently she sometimes felt like a gaze was following her. And not the gossipy people type of gazes because of her relationship with Klaus. No, it was for one more covert and it also made her uncomfortable, creeping her out.

And right now, she felt it again. She hurried down the street and then quickly hid behind a few crates.

As expected, a man soon entered the small side street looking around before walking to the other side exit.

Was someone really following her ? Could it be an enemy of Klaus ? A Salvatore man ? But the man didn't look like a thug, his suit was rather the common cheaper kind and a round hat shadowed his face.

Caroline stepped out from her hiding place to rejoin the main street, but she'd taken a few side streets while trying to escape her stalker. Before she could, however, a hand shot out from an alley and dragged her in. She fought back, but the man was stronger and he slammed her against a brick wall. Thankfully releasing her at the same time.

Swallowing her fear she clutched her handbag tighter and looked carefully at the man who'd been following her.

It was the officer in charge back during the whole incident with Silas Salvatore. Was the police following her ? Did the inspector set a trail on her ?

"Did you think you could lose me ?" He leered at her.

"Why is the police following me ?" She asked back, standing her ground.

"Tch. When the Inspector told me about you, I knew you couldn't be trusted, a whore like you has no loyalty.

There was that word again. Always calling her a whore. She felt anger spark in her.

"I don't know what you heard, but I am not a whore." She glared at him.

He sneered at her.

"Seeing Klaus Mikaelson often spend his nights in your apartment I think that's exactly what you are. I wouldn't mind a taste too, of what you got that could hold that man's attention."

Caroline did not have the time to speak back as he lunged at her, trying to reach for the lapel of her jacket and her skirt. She struggled preventing him from his goal but he was stronger than her. She kicked him hard in the knee and he loosened his grip from the pain, giving her precious time to take her gun out. He seemed to have been angered by the kick though, and tried to lunge at her again.

A gunshot rang out.

Caroline eyes widened as she held the gun before her with both hands at chest level. The end of the barrel smoking.

Brady O'Leery looked as surprised as he crumpled to the ground. The hole in his chest sipping out blood on the street under him. Soon he was just a cold body.

Caroline was shocked at what had just happened, but kept enough sense to know she couldn't stay here. Quickly she left the alley never noticing a dark haired woman had seen the whole thing.

A/N: Brady is of course based on the werewolf who tortured Caroline in season 2, for those who missed it, however there's no problem if you did because I myself just can't picture Stephen Amell in this role (he's Oliver Queen!). So, like me feel free to picture whoever you like, I usually imagine Cambell's sidekick policeman from PB.