Destroy the house to find the treasure chest

Then, when the treasure's found, you may invest

In building there a palace even more

Sumptuous than the one there was before.

His powers won't bend to your earthly wish

Spiritual power was sent to astonish

You and me with the wonder of His ways

From purple dawn to sunset's orange haze.

- Rumi, Destroy to build

1919

The Compound

New Orleans, Louisiana

"I fail to understand how this is supposed to be our last alternative, Klaus," she paced around the room, worry etched over her features.

Klaus who was lounging on the sofa with a drink in hand looked up and smirked, "Dear Maeve, leave the stipulations to us. We just have to be discreet with the proceedings if we want to succeed."

"And using my name will give you that? We are not helpless and I certainly do not believe you have started using your resources yet."

"Indeed. You get to represent our deals and people will enjoy the Prohibition, ultimately giving us an upper hand in the wake," he smiled at her when Elijah entered.

"Elijah, please be kind and say you disagree with this obtuse plot. There has to be another way," she offered and sat beside Klaus who wound his arm around her shoulder which she immediately slapped away.

"Your involvement provides us with a direct approach to the matters without a third-party and guarantees secrecy. If this plot keeps us in an advantageous position over others, then why not, dear," he gave her a look while pouring himself a drink.

She sighed and looked at the two as they clinked their glasses.

"To victory," Elijah said and she got up, defeated.

"To victory and Maeve," Klaus grinned as she left the room annoyed.

Elijah leaned against his car away from the runway and waited for his wife to step down the jet. He fixed his cufflinks the moment he saw her walking towards him while the attendants loaded the car with the luggage and walked away with a small nod.

As soon as they were left alone, Elijah pulled her against him as Adelia's lips connected to his. Her hands went up to tug his hair and clutch at his suit jacket while their mouths devoured each other. He pulled her even closer gripping her waist tightly as their lips danced in perfect harmony.

The Original's fingers traced her spine acutely while he cornered her against the car, feeling her smile into the kiss. When a moan threatened to escape her throat, they broke apart reluctantly and Adelia caressed his jaw, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek before she stepped away from him.

Elijah held the door open, waiting for her to climb in and then fleeted away to the other side, taking his seat behind the wheel.

"It's been four days," she said, breaking the silence when she noticed his lips twitch.

"Not complaining at all, dear," Elijah offered and buckled his seat belt.

"Now I would hate to miss out on details," Adelia smirked, her own seatbelt going in with a click when they began their three-hour drive to the quaint little town called Mystic Falls.

On the way, he informed her of the events that took place when she couldn't take it anymore and started chuckling.

"Elijah you're telling me that you were bested by a tedious coat rack, two impulsive amateurs who were on a rescue mission to save the human doppelganger when their sire is the vampire doppelganger stuck inside a tomb with the moonstone in her possession. The squad is busy obsessing over The Sun and The Moon curse so they can stop Klaus from terrorising their lives? Quite an interesting turn of events darling," she humoured, her laughter echoing inside the car bringing an involuntary smile to Elijah's face.

"That's why we need to protect her; the Salvatores' recklessness will get her killed."

"What are you suggesting?" She proposed.

"They are not likely to trust me after the debacle so I need you to do it for me," he answered when she nodded and pondered over the situation.

"That is a rather devious scheme you have," Adelia told him, fiddling with her pendant.

"And I am assured that we will accomplish it well."

"You think Niklaus will return our family to us if we do this for him? Get the moonstone, protect the doppelganger, and help him break the curse?" The Original's wife looked out at the passing trees.

"We must. I have faith that he will. The doppelganger must be saved if your suspicions prove to be correct. For family, always and forever," he placed his hand over hers and reassured silently.

She intertwined their fingers and Elijah caressed them lightly as they passed the signboard welcoming them to Mystic Falls.

"Any luck?" Rose asked the doppelganger.

Elena placed back the frame and tried logging into one of Slater's computers and failed, "Um... it's password protected. I can't get in," she answered dejectedly.

"No, this is fine. Let's just go."

They heard a doorknob rattling from inside the apartment, catching their attention.

"Stay here," Rose told her before walking past her to open the door and saw a girl hiding in a corner, "Alice?" She called out.

"Rose!" Alice exclaimed, rushing towards the said girl to embrace her crying heavily, "he's dead!"

"Kristen Stewart. God, was he obvious," Alice said as she logged into her late boyfriend's computer.

"These are all leads to vampires?" Elena questioned as Alice scrolled through the files.

"Slater was obsessed. Almost as much as me," she answered.

"What about that one? Cody Webber. They exchanged dozens of emails about Elijah. Maeve informed him so she knows," Rose said.

"Who is Maeve?" Elena asked curiously.

"Maeve has always been linked to Klaus. She is some sort of a mystery to the supernatural faction for her relationship with the big bad Original and Slater confessed that she was a part of the chain to contact Elijah," the vampire replied.

"I could call him. The Cody guy," Alice looked at her.

"Tell him that we're trying to send a message to Klaus. The doppelganger is alive and she's ready to surrender," Elena calmly remarked.

"What?!" Rose exclaimed.

"Oh my god, I knew I recognized you," Alice commented.

"Get him the message, please," Elena told her walking out of the room, Rose hot on her tail.

"What are you doing?" the vampire asked.

"I'm getting Klaus' attention," the doppelganger replied.

"If Klaus knows that you're alive, he'll find you and he'll kill you," Rose started when the realization hit her, "which is exactly what you wanted all along," she finished.

"It's either me or my family," Elena merely said.

"So this whole charade is some suicide mission so you could sacrifice yourself and save everyone else?" Rose questioned when Alice entered the room.

"Cody is on his way and he really wants to meet you," she told Elena making the female vampire sigh.

Elijah parked before the building, took out the bags and led Adelia inside the elevator. The location was secluded from the rest of the town, a good caution for their proceedings if they were to be careful.

He opened the door to the apartment as she stepped inside and glanced around. He smiled at her eagerness to a new place and moved them towards their room.

"I am going to meet Jonas, the Martins have agreed to help us," he announced after some time, helping her unpack their belongings.

Adelia's fingers caressed her husband's ties in the bag, lost in thought. She rolled them up loosely before putting them in drawers closing it shut with a springing click and turned towards him.

"Martin... the girl working for Klaus," Elijah nodded to her inquiry as he hung her dresses beside his suits. She spared a glance at his work and rolled her eyes as she took note of his color-coordinated arrangement.

The doorbell rang, interrupting them as they glanced towards the direction.

"That would be him," he said, exiting the space and walked towards the entrance while Adelia followed him as he pulled open the door.

The Martin patriarch was shocked to see a well-dressed woman standing beside Elijah in a poised demeanor at the utmost culmination of elegance and integrity. When he heard that the noble Original had a wife, he didn't expect the couple to turn out so precise to what they were known in the supernatural community—The Noble's Ressurection.

"Welcome, Dr. Martin. We were expecting you. Meet my wife, Adelia Laurentis," Elijah introduced them to each other.

"Dr. Martin, please come in," she led him into the house, silently guiding him to take a seat while Elijah and she occupied the couch.

"You are a witch?" Jonas pointed out, staring at her with a curious glint in his eyes.

"And a vampire. Have been for a century and a half," Adelia answered honestly.

"You cannot be both at once," he said with horror written all over his face.

"I am here, aren't I? The fewer people know the better, wouldn't want to give people a possible advantage now," she quipped with an innocent smile while Elijah looked at her, fondness evident in his eyes.

The Original's wife got up to make tea for them as her husband went through the plan once more. When she returned, he passed over the teacups to their companions when Adelia took her seat once more.

"My son befriended the Bennett witch, we might be onto the moonstone soon," Jonas said.

"We will keep Adelia's involvement under the wraps. We have a plan in order and we would not like to prolong it for its detrimental consequences. If word gets out, our deal is off," Elijah told him gravely.

"As you wish Elijah," replied the warlock with slight reluctance.

"We will get some people over here to monitor the supernatural activity. Might help us when Klaus arrives in town," Adelia proposed with a calculating look. "Getting him here interjects to be of utmost importance, but we also require time to assemble everything."

"What do you want from Klaus?" Jonas questioned taking a sip from the cup.

"What we want is in his possession for too long, it's about time he does the right thing," Elijah remarked, placing his cup on the table and got up. He glanced at his wife as she put on her woollen overcoat. "Are you certain about it?" He asked her again.

"Yes, we cannot afford to have more problems. I should go remove the possible traces of Maeve and resolve it," she replied.

"The name has been nothing but trouble even after his disappearance," he sighed.

"I put the blame on you two," she chuckled and looked at Jonas, "That will be all from me, Dr. Martin. I apologize for my hasty departure," she finished with a polite smile.

Too dumbstruck at her politeness, the warlock replied, "Thank you Mrs. Mikaelson. We will meet again".

"Please call me Adelia," she requested and he nodded.

"Stay safe," Elijah said and she pecked his lips before walking away. The ping of the elevator was heard and she was gone, leaving the warlock and the vampire to their discussion.

A bar outside Richmond was bursting full of people and drunk men as they hollered loudly for multiple drinks. The door opened loudly, but the sound was dissolved in the sickening silence and the stench of sweaty men and foul food options.

A man exited the establishment and walked along a secluded alley when he heard footsteps behind him. Turning around he came face to face with a pretty woman looking at him questioningly.

"Does anyone know about your sudden peak of interest in... Maeve?" Adelia questioned him suddenly. "Heard you came across a few leads."

"Who are you?" He asked her in suspicion.

"Forgive me. Your assistance was very much appreciated, but then equally not," she gave him a somber look while he frowned in confusion. Glancing back at the empty alley, she looked at him intently before tugging her hand towards herself as his heart flew out of his chest into her waiting palm.

His body dropped on the floor as it turned grey when she put it in a bin and closed the lid. She could have erased his memories like the two before him but this one had a mean streak and was notoriously wanted by the human officials, she did a favour.

Sighing, Adelia cleaned her palm with a tissue before walking away. Richmond–three down, one more to go.

Damon exited the bedroom after compelling Slater's girlfriend when Rose and Elena looked at him from their seats. "Time to go. Alice is soundly sleeping and won't remember a moment of this horribly stupid day," he said.

A woman walked in, inspecting the open door cautiously and stopped in her tracks when she noticed the occupants in the apartment. Her eyebrows ascended in mild surprise as she glanced at the doppelganger.

"Forgive me. I am an acquaintance of Slater's and was here for a lead that I was promised some days earlier," Adelia spoke, breaking the silence.

"Who are you?" Rose asked, coming forward.

"Rose, she must be the one Cody sent," stated Elena.

Damon was quietly studying the woman standing in front of them. She was quite beautiful with her chocolate brown tresses up in a bun and red lips and he would've totally hit her up if he wasn't stuck in this headache inducing situation. Elena was his priority—pleasure will have to wait.

His observation was cut short when three men burst in through the door and all heads turned to look at them.

"We're here to meet the doppelganger," the first man who seemed to lead the troop said.

"Thank you for coming," Elena replied, getting up from her seat to walk towards them, but Damon pushed her back to block her from their view.

"I will break your arm," he harshly whispered to Elena and looked back towards the first man, "there's nothing here for you."

"I agree with him," Adelia quipped as she stood in front of the Salvatore and Elena. She finally understood what was happening and it was a very foolish move from the girl. Without warning, she took off her wooden hairpin, broke a claw and shot it down the third man's heart, killing him instantly.

The man dropped to the floor and behind him stood Elijah. Her burrows furrowed in confusion and shock at the sight of her husband, mirrored by the rest of the occupants in the house.

"Ah yes. Unfortunately, I happen to agree too," Elijah drawled from the doorway and walked inside. He concluded it must have been Maeve business that led her here. He turned his attention towards the man that had temporarily killed him.

Rose's face dissolved in fear and she sped out of the apartment frightened for her life, not looking back at her present allies.

"I killed you. You were dead," Damon blurted out, ignoring the 600-year-old vampire's departure.

"For centuries now," the Original mockingly replied. "Who are you?" He asked one of the men.

"Who are you?" The first man questioned back.

"I am Elijah," he stated before looking at Adelia, "I appreciated the help with the man back there, dear."

"You're welcome," Adelia replied.

The men looked like they had seen a ghost after hearing his name and glanced at her who smiled back coyly.

"Elijah?" The second man fumbled.

"We were gonna bring her to you. For Klaus. She's the doppelganger. I don't know how she exists, but she does. Klaus will want to see her," the first man said.

"How chivalrous of you gentlemen. You must be mistaken if you think gifting the doppelganger to Klaus will earn you a favour from him," Adelia clarified sternly.

"Does anyone else know you're here?" Elijah questioned.

"No," replied the man.

"Well, then you have been incredibly helpful," the Original said before plunging his arm into their chests at once and ripped out their hearts. He dropped the organs as Damon took a stance in front of Elena. With a last glance at his wife, he sped away shocking the rest.

"I hate leaving messes, not an ardent lover of blood and gore unless it is necessary so to speak," Adelia scoffed after a moment of examining the bodies.

She turned towards the remaining occupants and continued, "Please make yourself comfortable. We have a lot to talk about."

Elena fearfully took a seat, but Damon didn't relent and continued to glare at her. She sighed exasperatedly before waving a hand towards the front door which closed with a thump.

He darted over to attack and she stopped him by giving him an aneurysm, holding onto his neck. When his other hand went over to punch a hole through her ribs, she grabbed it and snapped it in half as his ears began to bleed.

The doppelganger got up to help him, and Adelia gave her a look that made her rethink. The woman looked at Damon with distaste as sweat rolled down his temples and she released him abruptly. He fell onto the floor convulsing in pain.

She crouched down to his level and lifted his chin with her finger and touched his upper lip. Adelia showed him her finger coated with blood which had rolled down his nose and went on to wipe it on his sweatshirt.

"I prefer my discussions to proceed without the inclusion of violence and... in polite company. You appear to lack both," she breathed out while pushing Damon on a chair and paralyzed him with a spell. He stared at her warily, giving up on his efforts to move his body as it started healing.

Damon would have least expected a woman of such finesse to inflict said torture with ease. Her heels came to a halt as she took a seat across from them. Certainly, a poise he hadn't encountered since his human days.

"How is Elijah alive? I killed him, he should be dead," he spoke, breaking the staring match between the woman and himself.

"That Original back there? No, Elijah shouldn't be dead," Adelia replied tersely but continued with a chuckle, "The Originals cannot be killed." She turned towards Elena and assessed her that made the doppelganger squirm under her gaze. "The thing you did today was extremely foolish..."

"Elena Gilbert," she answered.

"And you must be...?" The witch glanced at the vampire expecting an answer.

"Damon Salvatore," he answered offhandedly.

"Mr. Salvatore, Miss Gilbert. A pleasure to meet you two. Now that Ms. Gilbert has exposed her existence to the supernatural chain; threats, abductions, and Klaus are going to be in a loop. Thousands of people from all over the world won't leave the chance to gain favour from him. He is both feared and worshipped and you've just added yourself to every hit list at the top," she added with a sardonic smile.

"Who are you?" Damon asked.

"Adelia."

"You knew Elijah," he almost accused.

"Everybody knows Elijah. He is an Original," she looked around, inspecting the house.

"You appear to know Klaus too," Elena chimed in.

"Oh well, I do and now you have aggravated Elijah and may or may not have Klaus on your tail."

"Why did you save me? And why did Elijah?" Elena questioned.

"Having second opinions for your martyrdom, Ms. Gilbert?" She replied with a smirk. "I assure you my presence here was solely a coincidence."

"What were you doing here and what are you?" He questioned again, earning a raised eyebrow from the woman in front of him.

"Concluding by the lack of owner's presence, he is dead. He had some information that I needed and what am I is none of your concern, Mr. Salvatore. Keep her safe, feel free to call me if you need help. I'll be around," she said and handed a piece of paper with her number to the doppelganger. Sparing Damon a last look, she uncrossed her legs to get up and made her exit swiftly.

"That was weird," the vampire commented, realising he could move his limbs again, "and painful." He pondered over the recent events and walked over to Elena who was still looking at the open door.

"She knows about the Originals. We have to talk to her," said Elena.

"We will see," he muttered under his breath.

Adelia stepped out of the building and crossed the street to see the headlights of a car blinking. She smiled and fleeted towards it to see Elijah in his suit again. She got inside as the car took off the street towards Mystic Falls.

"Rose-Marie. She was there," she said.

"Good thing an Original can compel other vampires. I shall take care of it," he replied. "The doppelganger was missing for quite a long time so I had Jonas do a spell and found her."

"Situation Maeve is resolved."

"I am glad to hear it."

"You gave me the exact opportunity to do what is required. I should thank you."

"And I presume you claimed it?" He asked with a smile.

"I would be a fool to miss it. Out of resources, no information, and desperation. They will need help and I generously gave them mine," she gave him a dazzling grin.

As they transcended the secluded road to the town, Adelia mischievously unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned over the console to nuzzle his ear.

"I am driving Lia and do wear your seatbelt," he hoarsely said as she continued her ministrations down his neck, kissing gently. His grip on the wheel tightened when her finger traced his face. He stopped the car to turn towards her, looked at her lips and started leaning in, their faces inches apart when she suddenly pulled away.

"You are an Original, darling. You should not lose focus this easily."

With a teasing grin, the witch turned his face sideways with a finger to the road ahead and buckled up her seatbelt. "Do keep up. No wonder the Salvatore got you to befriend a coat rack."

He secured his cufflinks, ignoring the humorous jibe before keying in the ignition. "Let's get home. You must be tired from the journey," he cleared his throat.

"I am a vampire dear husband or have you forgotten that? But it was very gentlemanly of you to ask."

"Aren't I always?" Elijah coaxed with a chuckle.

"Are you sure?" They turned to look at each other and Adelia smirked.

As the apartment door closed behind them, Elijah grabbed her face and slammed his lips against hers. Everything seemed to have stood still as the sensations began to rouse and stir in a conundrum.

Instantaneously she reciprocated as his hands slid down her arm. Adelia placed her hands on his chest and shoved the jacket off his shoulders to continue unbuttoning his shirt.

At a moment's notice, she was laying flat back in their new bed all set to christen the hefty furniture. He took off his unbuttoned shirt and began trailing kisses along her neck while unzipping her skirt, removing her shirt in haste.

"Not very gentleman-like of you now, is it?" She whispered against his lips when his hand slipped behind her back to unclasp the lace brassiere.

"Mrs. Mikaelson, are you doubting my intentions?" He replied, sucking on her earlobe and she closed her eyes.

"Certainly, Mr. Mikaelson," her lips parted for a moan to escape before Elijah captured her lips again.

He discarded her brassiere when her back arched as he nibbled her collarbone and hooked her legs behind his waist. Her skin palpated from his feather-like touch that suddenly resembled a fire pit.

He cooed sweet nothings into her ear and the night dissolved in their shared breaths. The touches lingered and the taste of her rosy lips turned euphoric as they gave into their pleasure all ways.

Elijah glanced behind at his sleeping wife while on the phone as Jonas updated him on the whereabouts of the moonstone.

"How is Luka?" The Original asked referring to the young Martin after the unsuccessful attempt of the Bennett witch in lowering the tomb barrier. The witch had channeled the boy almost rendering him dead.

"Asleep," Jonas answered on the phone.

"We had a little run-in with one of the Salvatore brothers that killed me, I was able to track the doppelganger," he moved towards the bed and sat down.

"I assume he didn't live to tell about it," the warlock queried.

"Actually, I spared him. He would die before he'd let anything happen to her. Adelia agrees and I trust her judgment. Both the Salvatores would. The doppelganger will be kept safe," he confessed, running his fingers through Adelia's hair when she stirred, her fingers seeking him out.

"For now," Jonas worded.

"Well, that's precisely what we need her to be," his wife opened her eyes to look at him, "safe," he said before ending the call.

He got under the covers and switched off the lamps. The streetlights illuminated the room through the flowing curtains, their fingers intertwined.

Winter 1859

Laurentis House

Cloverville, Louisiana

Elijah looked out the window of the room towards the garden and sighed again. It had been a week since he was residing here and his thoughts were always on Adelia.

They had talked a lot in the past few days and she had an uncanny ability to read his mind. Her views on certain topics and her willingness to listen made her dear to many.

How she preferred ginger tea and her authoritative demeanor with a mischievous streak was truly adorable. She would debate with him on issues and then grow abruptly anxious when it came to her, displaying her innocence and vulnerability altogether. She was daring but not used to affections from men, clearly a doing of the protective Arnold Laurentis.

She was beautiful but he knew not to indulge himself to feel all these when it came to Sharel's granddaughter. The elderly witch had been their strongest ally for decades and he wouldn't want to risk their relationship by jeopardising it due to his copious behaviour.

He saw a carriage coming to a stop in front of the manor and opened his pocket watch to see it was beyond two after midnight. The girl in question stepped out in a maroon gown as the driver handed her an armful of papers. She thanked him with a smile and Elijah concluded it to be another business to which she was ardently devoted.

Elijah came outside his room to glance down the banister as she entered the house. A handmaiden came forward to empty her arms of the load and proceeded to help her remove her coat and shawl.

"Long night, is it?" He appeared on the staircase all of a sudden, startling her.

"It is. Have you forgotten your way to your chambers?" Adelia inquired as she reached out to grab the candlestick from the corner.

"No," he chuckled, "as I cited earlier, long night."

"Then I must not keep you for long. I apologize," she immediately stated.

"You are not to blame, Miss Laurentis."

"You are allowed to call me Adelia."

"I might. It is a lovely name," he said as they walked along the corridor. Her fingers started fidgeting with her sleeve as she looked down, biting her cheek.

"Thank you."

"It appeals with your attributes," Elijah glanced at her.

"Should I take offense to that statement?" She raised an eyebrow, daringly looking back at him.

"A form of admiration if you will," he told her when she suddenly stopped in her tracks, turning her gaze away from his.

"Uhh... I shall see you in the morning, Mr. Mikaelson," Adelia replied foregoing what he said altogether.

"Elijah. If you are willing of course," he smiled at her as she handed him the candle in a hurry, her fingers lightly grazing his, wracking her nerves even more.

"I might," she repeated his words and curtsied, turning on her heels and left before he could respond.

He merely shook his head in amusement walking towards his room, blowing out the candle on his way.

The Original knew engaging with her was grievous but he just couldn't stop.

He had started to associate her with comfort and he was not willing to let it go, not that easily. Adelia made him want her selfishly and maybe for once in his life, Elijah wanted that too.

A/N: The wife has arrived and she is definitely miffed with Elijah's defeat to a tedious coat rack.