"You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.Some windows are lighted. but mostly they're darked.But mostly they're darked.A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?How much can you lose? How much can you win?"

~Oh, the Places you'll Go~

xXx

Rebekah glared at her brother. At the story he was telling, the picture he was painting for her. It sounded all too much like he'd gone and replaced her with some two bit blonde child and she was not the slightest bit pleased. Klaus couldn't keep the smirk off his face at the reaction from his darling little sister. She'd stolen his phone and was going through the process of aquanting herself with the new technology when Marcella had called.

Klaus had snatched the phone from her quickly at the sound of the familiar tune. He hadn't heard from her in a few days. She was apparently to caught up in the spider's web to talk to him. "Hey! So I might have confronted Katerina on my own last night." Is the first thing out of her mouth, Klaus' fights the desire to snarl. Why did she insist on doing such dangerous things?

"How did that go sweetheart?" He asks, fighting to keep the concerned anger out of his voice. Ignoring the raised brow from his sister. They'd have much to talk about once Marcella hung up.

"Well I'm still alive, and Katerina is taken care of for the time being. So I'd assume well. Anyway not really the reason i'm calling. You need to talk to Elijah if you haven't figured out a way to keep the human doppelganger alive yet. The full moon is fast approaching and I'd assumed you'd want to break the curse sooner rather than later." Marcella tells him all in one breath, he can hear the sound of a bag hitting the ground and then subsequence rummaging through. She takes another breath before continuing, the sound of her voice distant she must have put him on speaker.

"Also John Gilbert is back in town, I told Elena she needed to send him away if she wanted to survive the full moon. He told her about the Sun and Moon curse-the fake one- and then she slapped me. Can you believe it? She slapped me." He narrows his eyes at that piece of information turning his back to Rebekah so she wouldn't see just how much that irritated him.

"What did you do to her in return sweetheart?" It's almost threatening, but he knows that Marcella wouldn't succumb to her darker needs. She wouldn't kill someone who was still useful to her.

"I threw one of Damon's crystal glasses in her direction. Then I left before I did something regretful. Which brought me to my fun introduction to Katerina. Hey, you wouldn't happen to have my ipod would you? For the life of me I can't find it anywhere. I've been using my laptop for the playlist but it would be more convenient if I could find the damn thing." Klaus furrowed his brows, scrunching them by the absurdity of the conversation switch.

Sometimes she really reminded him of a child.

"No I haven't seen it. How are your rehearsals going?" He questions walking over to his desk to lean against it. Rebekah follows intrigued. Never had she heard her brother ask someone how they were doing and mean it. To actually care about the answer.

It had been a long time.

"Darn it. Oh they're going great my ballet students will be performing a twist on the classical Swan Lake in May. I'll be dancing too, since it's just for the Mystic Falls community theatre." He shakes his head.

"Odette I presume is what you'll be dancing." Klaus can almost hear her satisfied smile in the next response.

"Odile was always my favorite, but yes I'll be dancing Odette. The performance won't be the entire ballet as that is a little long for my students attention span and I'm only taking inspiration from it. I have to go right now, but I'll call you later. Talk to Elijah and give Rebekah my love. I expect to be introduced soon Niklaus. Bye." Cue Marcella hanging up on him once more. Rebekah raises her brow.

"You called her sweetheart, do you love her?" Is the first thing out of his sister's mouth. Klaus just smirks.

"She hates being called sweetheart. Our brother would kill me if I ever dared." Is his cryptic response.

"So she's with Elijah, yet she talks to you as if she's family? Who is this girl?" Rebekah demands and Klaus laughs. Marcella was not with Elijah, that statement was just a funny image.

"Dear sister, there is so much you don't yet know. Marcella is family, she's one of us in her own special way. And it is not our older brother who has laid claim on her soul." Her eyes widen at that, her thoughts rage at what that could mean.

"Kol." Rebekah stated, knowing on her tongue. Eyes wide with the implications of that. If this girl didn't belong to Elijah. There was only one. It could only be him.

She remembered that he use to speak of finding it. Back then she'd thought her brother had been mad, to think such a thing existed. One of the last things he'd said to her comes jolting forward. I will find my Eden, it's the least I deserve, I find her and I will never let her go.

Rebekah had thought him mad, insane after the loss of their magic. Which now pegged the question.

What had Kol done?

x

Elijah was not expecting her to show up at his door that morning. Yet there she was barging into his apartment as if she owned the very air around them. Taking a seat on the bar and stealing the cup of coffee he'd just made for himself. Marcella smiles coyly at him before taking a sip.

"Good morning Eli." She tells him childish whimsy in her voice, playful eyes. Marcella was obviously plotting something.

"Good morning Marcella." He replies, raising his brow as she takes another sip of his coffee.

"Has Niklaus been in touch with you?" She questions once setting the cup to her side. Ah. So this is what this was about.

"My brother might have called me, why does it concern you?" Marcella rolls her eyes at his answer. She offers him a beaming smile in retort.

"Wonderful, it means you'll be up to coming back with me to Mystic Falls then. Right Eli?" His brow raises even higher at this child who presumed to be able to tell him what to do.

Elijah offers her an unimpressed look. He isn't sure what sort of games she's playing or why she thinks to be able to play him. But he would not stand for such insolence. She may have reminded him of his younger brother but he was still the older sibling and he wouldn't be bossed around.

"I actually have more pressing matters to attend to than humor your whim little girl." His tone is threatening, political, Marcella rolls her eyes.

"Shame. I was going to help you get your siblings back, but now… I guess not since you don't have time." Marcella goes to jump off the counter but she is suddenly pinned in place by a very irate Elijah. She grins at him, satisfied.

"What did you say." His words come out structured, punctuating every word. Disbelief I his eyes.

"Niklaus didn't drop them to the bottom of the sea. And if you actually helped him instead of plotting against him then you'd know this. If you knew him at all you would have known he wasn't capable of such cruelty." She sneers pushing him away from her. Ducking under his arm and skipping to the door.

"Now are you going to come home with me or not?" It's the last time she'll offer. Marcella had things to do, Elijah was wasting her time.

He nods slowly, grabbing his coat before following. The coffee mug left abandoned on the countertop.

x

Marcella felt like an evil genius, all the pieces on the board coming together nice and neatly . She felt like a madman who's delusion was winning and the world had turned blue. It was a different sort of high. Watching the web break, the pieces fall. If she were being honest it was a weird feeling.

To have things actually work out well for a change. Founders Day had passed peacefully, John Gilbert was still in town but he was at least no longer seeking her out. Stefan and Elena knew that there was a curse, that she had to be sacrificed. Marcella had the moonstone, acquired it while the miss mystic fall pageant was going on-Caroline had been very helpful there. Her sister was in the fold and up to date with what exactly Marcella had been doing.

Caroline decided she didn't care as long as her friend really didn't die. Once Marcella had assured her that that would not be happening everything was fine. Marcella loved Caroline, she loved that this Caroline had just enough gray in her soul not to care about the vampire and werewolf who would be dead.

Marcella might have mentioned to Niklaus that there was a certain werewolf in Mason's pack that liked to torture vampires. She'd never forget what that man could have done to her sister in this life had she not started intervening. He might not have hurt Caroline this time around but there were others that he had. Mason was still in town but he avoided her like the plague and she was okay with that, he needed to keep his distance.

Rebekah was undagger and she'd finally get to meet the girl. Marcella was honestly quite excited about this prospect. She knew that there was great potential for friendship, that they could be great for each other. As the days went on she could feel her connection to Kol growing, the protectiveness he felt for his family that betrayed him intensifying. It was complicated, Marcella knew they were connected, she knew inherently that Kol was the reason for everything, her existence here. But she didn't know why. The 'why' is what frightened her most.

She already knew that she loved him. But what if whatever reason he brought her here for wasn't out of love. It felt like dancing on coals. Euphoric and amazing, but painful and hot. Marcella couldn't think about the what if's. Right now she needed to focus on the man standing next to her and the blood curling tension in the air.

Niklaus was finally here. It was time to get the show on the road. She was ansty, the full moon would rise in less than three days. There was no time for whatever petty argument these two brothers were about to have. Elijah wanted his family returned to him, Niklaus wanted to break his curse, and Marcella, Marcella just wanted them to get their shit together so she could be one step closer to freeing Kol.

His magic, cursing through her being was burning for him. Yearning to return to him. Marcella didn't know how it was possible to be a vampire and yet feel the pull so strongly. The connection to everything around her. No wonder he went mad after becoming a vampire, for this feeling to just be gone. She supposed he felt rather empty.

"You're awfully quiet sweetheart, and here I'd thought you'd missed me." Niklaus finally acknowledging her presence causes her to smile. She takes a step towards him before a leap throwing herself into his arms. Kissing both his cheeks as she usually did. He chuckled at her.

"I was waiting patiently for you to finish your chat with Elijah. Now where is my reward?" He lets her fall to her feet. Elijah raises a brow at the back of her head and Klaus smirks at him. Marcella is bouncing excitedly on the balls of her feet.

"I give you my word brother that once I break the curse I will reunite our family. But I suppose that for the moment having our sister back will be enough to sate you. Rebekah." He calls her name over his shoulder and the original sister makes her grand entrance.

Marcella can't help the smile that takes over her face as she watches the two siblings be reunited. Rebekah soars past them and straight to Elijah throwing her arms around him. He places a delicate kiss to the top of her head. Her still beating heart feels a bit of warmth. Then she tilts her eyes to Niklaus, she takes in his small smile, the peace that's settled over his eyes.

Everything was going to be okay. It had to be. Because if anyone ever tried to take that peace from him again she'd rip them to shreds. She reached for his hand and offered him a light squeeze. Niklaus look down at her and she smiled vividly at him. He shook his head and mouthed a small 'thank you'.

Elijah lets go of Rebekah after a moment and his fiery little sister turns sharply on her heels to finally take in all that was Marcella Forbes. Seas of calm waters but harsh blues meet that of honey and coffee. Marcella smiles brightly, kindly, at the other girl. She feels a strange kinship with the original already, both turned young, their choices taken from them, cursed.

"Hi." But Marcella knows that Rebekah is just as volatile as her brothers and she wants to other girl to like her so badly. Wants the older girl to love her as much as she already did. Marcella hoped they would be great friends, but she also knew that the other woman had been hurt to many times by those supposed to be friends that it was a long shot. Her greeting is muttered shyly, she's reverting back to her human tendencies of tucking a curl behind her ear when nervous.

Niklaus looks down at the turn in her voice, at the display of sudden reserve shyness. He snickered drawing both of their eyes to him. Marcella looked at him curiously, eyes narrowed before he even spoke. "Where is the girl who practically demanded we be friends? You are not shy sweetheart." She pouts at him, eyes drifting back to Rebekah who is watching with veiled amusement.

"I am too shy, I have my moments. Sometimes.." She trails off unconvincingly. Klaus rolls his eyes and then looks over at his sister.

"Rebekah this Marcella. Don't be mean." Rebekah just smirks, she wasn't one to just take orders.

"We'll see." Elijah chuckles at the petulant statement from his baby sister. In his own thoughts he had a feeling that the two of them would get on just fine. His brother met his eyes, Elijah knew him well he could see what they were silently saying.

I have kept my end, now it's your turn.

x

Full moon raises. The day is here. Everything is in place, Damon had handled the problem that would have been his brother by snapping his neck that morning and throwing him in the cellar. Elena's vervain necklace had been removed -and put away so it could be returned to the rightful owner- so Marcella could compel compliance from the whiny girl. Elijah had handed the life potian over to Marcella as she'd have the best chances of getting it too the doppleganger. It couldn't have been anymore perfect.

It was so perfect, so well planned out, all of the at risk variable taken care of and handled that the whole thing for once went off without a hitch. There were no Martin's to intervene since there was no Greta performing the ritual. No pesky Bennett witches sticking their nose in business that didn't concern them, Caroline had volunteered for that one keeping Bonnie busy, distracted. John Gilbert was apparently in the hospital after an unfortunate accident with a cutting knife.

There was no Katerina to get in there way, no scorned witches or humans out of their league. It was the best articulated plan Marcella had ever constructed in her entire life. And it went beautifully.

She should have been more concerned with just how well it went, except Marcella was too excited to care. His magic buzzing under her skin heightening the whole thing distracting her from the reality. That if this had gone so wonderful what horrible thing would take its place. But Marcella didn't even think it.

When the ritual is over. Marcella scoops the currently lifeless doppelganger into her arms leaving the clearing and the original family behind. Damon is quick on her heels as they race back to the boarding house. She lays Elena on one of the many guest beds before settling in an armchair with a book, tucking her legs under her.

Stefan arrives in the doorway a moment later looking absolutely ragged. Like his necked had been broken and he didn't have enough blood in his diet to heal it quick enough. He snarls at her when he finally takes his eyes away from Elena's lifeless body. "What have you done?!" She simply raises a brow and motioned back towards the supposed dead girl, at the subtle slow beating heart, the gentle fall and rise of her chest.

"As you can see there is nothing wrong with her. She survived, like I said she would. Now if you'll excuse me I have an errand to run." Marcella closes the book softly setting it down. She knows that her errand will take a while but she is certain that it will be over before the girl actually awakens.

Damon nods his head as she ascends the stairs at the question in her gaze. "Are you sure you are okay with this?" She asks once her arm is linked with his pulling him along gently. There is a moment of hesitance before he gives his consent, but he does and that's all that matters.

"Alright then, let's get this over with. I still have to compel Elena to forget everything." Marcella tells him when they're in the safety of the car, just them, with no chance of eavesdropping. Damon rolled his eyes.

It doesn't take long for them to arrive at the destination. The old dungeon, something that her family owned for some reason but never actually used. In the middle of the room chained by iron and vervain is none other than Katherine. Desiccating slowly from the week she'd been without blood, not much but surely enough to hurt.

Marcella glided down the stairs with ease, Damon still with her. He held his resolve firm when he stated he wanted to see whatever it was that Marcella was going to do to her. She smirked down at the pathetic looking vampire, at just how miserable the woman looked. It served her right.

"Let me go." Katerina spit at her once she was finally close enough. Marcella wiped the saliva from her cheek.

"I'm afraid not darlin'. Letting you go would get in the way of killing you and I've been waiting to do so for a while." Marcella couldn't wait any longer. The pyre was built and Katerina was going to burn. For once everyone got what they wanted.

Niklaus broke his curse. Rebekah and Elijah were reunited. Damon got the justice he deserved, Katerina got the freedom she thought she'd wanted. Elena got to keep her life. Marcella, Marcella got the satisfaction that she was the one who made it all possible and that she was now one more step closer to being reunited with Kol.

March was off the a great start.

XOXOX

So I am not entirely happy with the execution of this chapter on my part. I'm terribly sorry. I feel like I wrote this a little lazily but the plot needed to move forward from the curse and onward to more pressing things like seeing Kol again, and what I have in mind for MIkael and Esther return. I also feel like this was probably the best way for it to be at the same time since all the dramatic variables were handled the curse would have just gone off without any problem. No problem means no long drawn out scenes of things that we've seen take place already.

I apologize if this doesn't quite meet everyone's expectations. I do hope that you did all enjoy it and will keep hanging in there with me to see what's to come.

Please let me know what you think!

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Thank You for reading!

Sincerely, La'Rae