"Listen to me, Morty. I know that new situations can be intimidating. You lookin' around and it's all scary and different, but y'know … meeting them head-on, charging into 'em like a bull — that's how we grow as people."

~Rick and Morty~

...

"Katherine's not in the tomb." Marcella barely looks up from her book at the disheartened words mutter by the equivalent of her vampire older brother. The long faded bruise on her neck twinge with the spoken words as she remembers her previous attempt to warn him of such. Which he had so rudely ignored.

It had been almost three weeks since the attempt had been made, followed by two long weeks of wearing big scarves and avoiding the Salvatore estate as to not let Stefan suspect anything. Marcella was still majorly pissed a Damon for his outburst that had been the root of why she was going to such lengths. But it wasn't like she wanted to give Stefan any more reason to try intrude of her life choices.

Her best friend was an emotionally unstable vampire. As such there were in fact consequences of such a choice. Marcella knew that, had accepted that, and had move on with her life. She could make her own decisions thank you very much.

Damon slides into the booth next to her, taking one of the fries from her plate while waiting for her to respond to his appearance and statement. As he'd finally come to terms with the news, after going through with his plan of having the tomb opened and searching the wretched thing himself just to prove her wrong. Only to discovered that Marcella had been right and that Katherine was a bitch.

The waters had been testy between them since the incident and Damon was hoping to gain back her favor. Marcella finally set her book down completely reaching over to swat his hand as he went to take another fry. He hadn't earned that privilege back yet, these fries belonged to her and she had no intention of sharing them just then.

"No, these are mine. Get your own fries." She tells him, childish defiance in her voice. Damon proceeded with his thievery. Knowing full well she wouldn't try to stop him. Marcella half glared, half pouted at him in return.

But she turned so she was facing him instead of just looking at him over her shoulder. So Damon counted it as a success besides no matter how much of a dick he'd been about it he hated to admit that he needed her right then. Marcella was now the only person who'd claimed to love him alive. Katherine wasn't in the tomb so she was all but dead to him now. He felt cheated.

"But yours are just so tasty, the perfect temperature." She rolls her eyes and adjust her position so she leaned into the wall of the booth. Legs stretched out over the faux leather and into Damon's lap. He smirks and takes another fry.

Marcella leans her head against the wall tilting to look up at the ceiling of the grill lazily. "What will you do now?" The question wasn't really what he had wanted to hear. But he should have known she'd ask.

His answer is an uncommitted shrug and another stolen fry. Marcella takes her book and lightly smacks his shoulder, the expression on her face is serious and playful all at once. "I'm serious, she hurt you so now you get to retaliate. Make her pay!"

Besides, Marcella knew the perfect way to make that happened. She hadn't heard from Niklaus in a while maybe it was time to take another trip to New York. Roman and Isadora wanted to meet Damon anyhow. A total win win in her book.

Getting away from the ongoing and upcoming drama was always nice. Damon needed a break anyway and it would probably help if she got him far away from the human doppelganger.

Convincing Damon to take a break from the falls was easier than it would have been if this were before. Before he'd tried choking the life out of her that it. Marcella knew that he felt bad about the whole thing, but he'd never apologize not verbally that is. So he would do whatever to make it up to her, even if that meant roadtripping with her to the big apple. Maybe it was vindictive of her, maybe she was being a bad friend.

But Damon owed her. And she would use his guilt against him if it meant getting him away from all this bullshit. From the stupidity that was Elena Gilbert and co. Excluding Caroline of course, her sister was too good for this world.

…

When she texted him the previous morning saying that she'd be in the city for a few days, Klaus would never admit that he felt a bit of excitement from the message. That when she practically demanded he meet her for lunch his eyes didn't roll, he didn't laugh at her abrasiveness. No he would never admit that he actually missed the mortal girl who reminded him of his younger brother.

He was Niklaus Mikaelson, he did not get excited over the mere presence of mortal teen girls. Nor did he get jealous when they brought another vampire to lunch. No sire, not him.

"Nik!" She squealed when their eyes met and took a running step towards him. Throwing her arms around his neck planting kisses on both of his cheeks. Smiling at him like the sun had just started shining for the first time in her life, as if seeing him was one of the best things that had happened to her today.

The vampire behind her sighed, rolling his eyes and shaking his head in found exasperation. It's the look on his face that makes the Original realize that this baby vampire probably knew his mortal well. That he had probably experience such a reaction from her before, that her eccentric didn't surprise him. He had expected them.

"Nik, this is Damon. Damon, meet Nik." She forcing an introduction upon them both once both her feet are back on the ground. She bounds gently on the balls of her toes, bouncing slightly in place. There is a hint of nervousness in her movements that neither of them miss.

Both men size each other up for a moment. Trying to determine who was the bigger threat, Klaus ultimitale knew he was. He was an original, the hybrid, the most feared of all his siblings. The century old baby vampire before him should be quivering. Instead he was being glared at by cool eyes and a stubborn exterior. Eventually the younger man extends his hand, and Klaus swears he hears his human breath a sigh of relief.

"Great! Now that introductions are over let's eat, I'm starved." She claps her hands together obnoxiously drawing both of their attention away from one another and too her. Marcella offers a cheeky grin at the mirrored incredulous expressions she gets.

She hocks an arm in each of their elbows and drags them over to a booth of the small cafe she'd picked as their meeting place. Forces them to sit next to each other once she sits down and decides to sit like a fucking child sitting crossed leg taking up the middle of the booth chair. Damon could have forced her to scoot over as he usually did but he hadn't.

Marcella takes control over the atmosphere, chatting happily with them both drawing them into whatever she decides is worthy topic conversation. Using her hands when something really excites her. She talks about how adorable her dance students are, about making cookies for the new season, about an upcoming show she's in in Richman and that they both better be there. Basically Marcella forces human sentimentalities on both of her vampires and neither protest too much.

It is an educational moment for Klaus to he learns that, whoever this vampire was that Marcella had him practically wrapped around her finger and that he could count on the dark haired male to protect the small human. If the need ever arose that is. If it ever came to that. It offers him something he can use, a new piece to play with.

When she gets up to go to the restroom it's the only time the building tension between the two dominating males can be seen. Klaus turns to appraise the other man cooly. Damon extends the same courtesy after he switches their setting so he's facing the dirty blonde.

"I don't know what she sees in you man, but if you somehow hurt her I'll rip out your heart." The threat from the baby vampire is just so outrageous it's funny. He didn't know who he was talking to in that tone of voice. Klause smirks.

It's feral, dangerous. Cocky and murderous all in one go. "You can try. Same to you mate." He almost growls.

As if she knew they'd be taking out tape measures she bounces back over to the table. A milkshake in her hand, Damon narrowed his eyes at the sugary drink in her hands. He'd thought she'd been gone longer than normal. Marcella looks unrepented taking a deliberately loud slurp of the drink as she raises her brow at the change of setting before shrugging and deciding to use this opportunity to sit next to Niklaus. She misses the smug look the blonde gives the raven man.

"Nik, you've been alive for a long time right? Would you happen to know anything about a woman name Katherine Pierce?" Marcella decides that now is the best possible time to drop that bomb. Damon tenses in his seat across from them eying Marcella suspiciously. What was she getting at?

Klaus stairs down in partial disbelief. He shouldn't have been so surprised she knew about her. "I may know of who you speak." Marcella nods decisively. Her eyes level with Damon, begging him to follow along. She had a reason for this. He just need to be patient enough to see it.

"Figured you would since your old as dirt." Klaus glares at the insult and she smirks at him. Demeanor playful and uncaring. Marcella knew he wouldn't kill her, not when she'd just piqued his interest with her question.

"Why the sudden interest sweetheart?" Marcella cringes in her seat at the pet name. Glares daggers at Damon when he has the nerve to snicker at her discomfort before turning her cool piercing eyes on the Original Hybrid. Then she grins like a demented hyena mischief crackly in her smile, resonating deep within her core.

Katerina would pay. For hurting Damon, for being a bitch, and for you know just existing in general. Marcella could be a rather vindictive person when it came to the people she loved. She wouldn't let this injustice go unpunished. Who better to help with said punishment than the man who'd been hunting the doppleganger for five hundred years.

"She knew Damon way back in the day, and is really just a gigantic bitch. Also my sister's best friend sort of looks like her and were trying to figure out why."

And if it jump started all the drama on her terms than what did she care.

XOXOX

And that's another chapter done! Go me! Super excited for the direction this is starting to go. Looking forward for all the things to come as Marcella's more devious tendencies start showing up. Don't worry she's still going to be her typical ray of sunshine. It's just going to be more pointed and direct from here on out. Most likely.

I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter and as always I look forward to hearing from you guys.

Thank you so much for reading!

Have a great day/night/whatever.

Sincerely,

La'Rae