Chapter 19: Reunions

Mystic Falls: Salvatore Boarding House

[Damon's POV]

I feel a tear slip down my cheek. Within a few seconds Bella walks into the drawing room. She sees the tear. "Damon, what's wrong." She is at my side pulling me into a hug.

"Within the hour both you and Charlie stood up for me. You evicted Caroline from the house for disrespecting me and Charlie told Stefan a few home truths about his behavior. I couldn't have said it any better."

I think I love my new family more than I ever loved my old one. "My mother when she was alive protected me and believed in me. When she died that went away, I have that kind of love again."

"We all deserve that kind of love. Charlie is good at it. Be warned his version of love is very blunt." I pull her into a tight hug. "I'm counting on it."

"I am going to be on the lookout for any repercussions from Elena's little clique. I am glad Elena's true colors are showing. She hasn't gotten to Katherine's level of evil, but she is working on it." I caution Bella.

"I can't wait to see Stefan's face when the rest of the members of our 'new family' show up."

She smiles softly. "The sheer number of us is daunting. Are we going to let him in on our secret?"

"Not until he really needs to know." I kiss her on the forehead.

"I can live with that. How long do you think it will take Pete to do something?"

"I would bet as soon as Charlotte isn't looking." I point out.

Bella pulls out her phone and texts a few people. "What did you do?"

"I'm taking bets to see how soon Pete will give the secret away." She starts laughing hard, "Charlotte bets five minutes, before he spills or does something."

Something that has bound my heart for decades releases, "I would bet three." I join in her laughter.

[Stefan's POV]

I'm still smarting from the set down Charlie gave me. I admit it was well deserved. I am going to have to change and to do that I need to analyze my reasons behind my anger at Damon. But first I need to apologize to him. I fully deserved his retaliation. I won't make the same mistake again.

I hear laughter coming from the drawing room. I peek in. Damon and Bella are laughing at something on her phone. "Sorry to interrupt, Damon I'm sorry that I disrespected your privacy. I won't do that again. Is there any way I can make this up to you?"

Damon sobers and looks directly at me. "Stefan, our guests will be arriving soon. You may not approve of them. It is not your call. I trust each one of them more than I trust you at the moment. We both have issues we need to work out, but this is not the time. I expect you to show respect for our guests. If you have problems with them, I strongly suggest you room elsewhere for the remainder of their visit."

"I will be on my best behavior."

"I will hold you to that promise Stefan."

Richmond VA: Mikaelson Mansion

[Niklaus POV]

I catch the scent of my brother standing behind me. I turn around to deck my brother, he is standing on the other side of the room. "Elijah, where the hell have you and the rest of the family been? What is Esther up to that you needed to see me in person?"

Elijah smirks at me, "Before we destroy the room like you are going to, I brought you a very important item." He hands me a small quartz stone. "It's pretty but I have no clue why I would need it or want it."

"It's a truth stone. It detects falsehoods within a small area, this room for example. It hides the bearer from detection spells. It will heat up at an attempt to deceive, the more intense the lie the warmer the stone will become. For example: Mother is telling us the whole truth behind her intentions."

I almost drop the stone due to the heat in my hand. "Elijah!" I put the cooled stone in my jeans pocket. The stone will be useful. I swing at my brother.

[Elijah's POV]

"See it works." I deflect the first blow and take a swing at Niklaus hitting his jaw and knocking him back into a Victorian walnut side cabinet splintering it into kindle, taking out most of Nik's liquor collection. "Each of our siblings has a truth stone except Freya. She will have her own stone soon."

Niklaus rushes at me in a tackle and we land the Victorian walnut settee, crushing it. "Freya is alive?" He relaxes his attack pose due to shock.

"Yes, and she will be with us soon. That is a complicated story for another time. I want to show you something else your stone can do."

I toss him off me and walk around the room and the stone heats up mildly. I go into the bedroom adjacent to Rebekah's study. The stone in my hand gets very hot when I stand next to one of the bedposts.

Nik follows me into the room then pulls his stone out of his pocket, "Fuck. Why did it heat up this time?"

"You have ancient white oak hidden inside this bed post."

"Damn I am going to have to find another hiding spot." Nik grumbles.

I laugh at him. "All of our siblings will have stones and so do their significant others. You will have to find a really good hiding spot next time."

"What significant others? Where have you been and how did you manage to find these stones?"

"Nik there is another form of magic that is called Leyline energy. Leylocks can utilize that energy to create 'truth stones' for example. Finn, Kol, Rebekah, and I have activated our abilities. Each Leylock has an Elemental affinity at the time of their birth. Finn for example has the affinities for Earth and Fire. He had the affinity for Earth the day he was born. When he activated his Leylock heritage he gained the affinity for Fire. The longer he practices using Leylock energies and masters them he will gain another affinity."

"How many affinities are there?"

"As far as we can determine: Air, Earth, Water, Electricity, Fire and Astral."

"How do you activate your affinity for the first time?"

"Nik concentrate on your stone and choose an ability that you think you will be useful. Mine is programmed to let me know if one of our family members or my mate is in immediate danger and where they are located."

Nik concentrates and his stone glows for a brief second.

"You have activated your Leylock affinity Niklaus. Rebekah is going to be angry at you because you destroyed her Victorian study."

"She will get over it."

Nik's eyes pop open the same time my stone tingles with a premonition, we both say "Freya" at the same time.

Whitlock Ranch: Hacienda

[Charlotte's POV]

I hear a whisper in my mind, "Charlotte it's Freya, can you come to me? I'm in a graveyard in New Orleans."

"I will be there in a minute." I concentrate on standing next to Freya.

"Oh you startled me. I didn't expect you so soon." Freya hugs me. "We need to leave here now." I nod and pull her hands into mine and visualize the Study in the Hacienda.

Freya looks at me startled. "Where are we?"

"You are in my home. We are located near Lubbock Texas."

"Once you have practiced your Leylock abilities with us. We will port to Mystic Falls to join the rest of the Family there. You will be reunited with your brothers and sisters. We have a lot of things to discuss."

"I have been able to watch you and your Leylock experiments. I really want to learn with you."

Richmond VA: Mikaelson Mansion

[Elijah's POV]

My cell rings with Charlotte's chimes. I answer. "What's going on?"

"Don't worry Freya is with me. We will see you soon at the Salvatore Boarding House." She disconnects.

"Nik we are going to use Leylock energy to transport to the Salvatore Boarding House. Freya and the rest of the family will be arriving there soon. I promise to fill you in once we get there. We will be safer there." He nods at me. I gently grab his arm and visualize the Drawing Room of the Boarding House.