a/n: welp here it is, like two months late and probably a rather shitty chapter.

i apologise for being so long between updates - i can only really write when i have the muse and sometimes these little shits come and go so easily. but a really nice review left on the last chapter, got me wanting to continue and give you something a little bit longer this time !

-x-

Charlie hadn't been able to focus on anything other than the fact that her nightmare felt extremely real. That the place she had been transported too was somewhere locally, like that room was rather familiar to her. It was something that was causing shivers to rush down her spine every time her mind lingered on it for too long. The young witch tried to think rationally, that it was impossible for her to be somewhere else when she KNEW she was in bed, but it was hard. She had seen so much that should never have existed, that something as … astral projection couldn't have been too farfetched for herself not to believe, that it was all just a dream. Charlie tried her hardest to focus on the present - she was needed here instead of dream land. It eased her mind slightly that her parents were out of town, they wouldn't be involved with Esther, nor would she feel bad for skipping another family dinner, considering Klaus had practically glued her to his side.

One thing that many vampires, werewolves, and witches never got to see, was the side of Niklaus Mikaelson that was soft and caring and very protective of his family. They saw the anger and the rage and sometimes the psychopath that many had heard about and Charlie was rather grateful to God that she was one of the lucky few, who got Klaus when he wasn't a raging murder man. The pair of them arrived at Marcel's loft within thirty minutes and Charlie ran a hand through brown hair, before she fixed the glasses that rested upon her nose.

She was still nervous.

"Let me guess, you need a favour?" Marcel spoke up as the pair of them stepped into the living room, coming off the stairs, Klaus had a smirk on his face.

"I'm paying this one, I promise," Klaus replied before he placed a hand against the small of Charlie's back, causing her to step just in front of him. Slender arms crossed over her chest. "There was a necklace I gave you a long time ago. It was a leather strap with a metal bird on the end."

Marcel didn't even hesitate as he turned on the spot - a glass of whiskey in his hand – and made his way to the shelf just behind him. His free hand grabbed the small wooden box. "Yeah, you gave it to me when I turned eleven." Charlie couldn't help but smile, she pulled away from the hybrid and wandered over to the shelf herself. There wasn't much on display, but the few photos that Marcel DID have helped the darkness leave her mind. She could feel Marcel's eyes lingering on her face before he focused back on Klaus.

"You remember." Klaus seemed generally surprised, Marcel moved away from the shelf and handed the box over to the hybrid.

"Mikael's back, Elijah's babbling on about family drama, and you're here, with your favourite witch in tow, looking for antique jewellery."

Charlie snorted and turned around. Noticing the faraway look in Klaus' eyes, he must have been remembering something rather important because he never let his guard down. Not even around friends. "Please Marcel, I'm your favourite as well." making her way back over to Klaus. Marcel raised a brow before he crossed his own arms over his broad chest.

"No, that title belongs to Davina. You inserted yourself as the favourite witch when you arrived. I never said it." Charlie smirked - just as Klaus came back to them. "Do I even want to know why you're asking for a necklace that your mother gave you?"

Klaus smiled softly and closed the box, before holding it against his chest. "Believe me, Marcel - you want no part in the latest chapter of our sprawling family saga." Klaus looked at Charlie for a few seconds, he tried to catch her eye, but she looked around the loft. Green eyes focused back on Marcel as his smile fell into a sad look. "Thank you for holding onto this." That's when the hybrid turned on his heel and headed back up the stairs. Marcel nodded his head to no one in particular, while Charlie stayed put - watching Marcel closely.

"Are you sure you want to go along with this?" Marcel then looked down at the small witch. She gave a smile and then turned on her heel, before she started to walk towards the stairs as well - before she hesitated and stopped before she looked over her shoulder.

"They're my family as well, Marcel." Heaving a sigh, Charlie turned back around and made her way to the stairs slowly, she didn't notice Marcel's face dropping.

"You've owed them enough. You don't owe them anymore."

"I do though." With that, Charlie made her way up the steps and turned back around once more - her own sad smile crossing her face. "I owe Klaus my life." She owed that family everything.

-x-

They arrived back at the compound, but Charlie's nose was buried in her phone, while Hayley was filling them in about what her wolves had found out, Charlie was desperately trying to convince her parents to stay away from the city for the night. Her parents had decided to leave the small markets early and Charlie was having a hard time convincing her father. At least – stay out until the dinner was over.

"Marcel's witch is being held captive in the Quarter." A frown was present on her forehead, only coming to a stop when she all but ran into Elijah again. He managed to stop her from falling over as he placed a hand against her right shoulder and his other came to rest on her waist. He turned her around, so that she was facing into the group.

"Oh perfect, Mother's a step ahead." Klaus looked over at the three of them before his eyes settled on Charlie and a frown creased on his own forehead. The hybrid leaned over and ripped the phone out of his witch's hands. "As usual."

"Hey! Klaus!" She exclaimed but was ignored, as Klaus placed her phone in his pocket. It was a couple of seconds later that Charlie realised that Elijah's hand was still rested on her waist. A blush fell across her cheeks and was glad that everyone was preoccupied with Hayley.

"Oliver's with her." Hayley continued. "I'll go, and I'll get her to do the spell, but I need the necklace."

Charlie crossed her arms over her chest, a pout settling on her lips. "I don't like this whatso-"

Hayley frowned and raised a hand, cutting Elijah off. "No. You don't get to ignore me for days and then suddenly act like you're concerned, Elijah." That caused a smile to replace the pout on Charlie's lips. Elijah looked like he was going to continue, but Charlie nudged him with her elbow and Klaus sighed. He pulled the necklace from his pocket and handed it over to Hayley, who looked rather relieved that Klaus wasn't going to argue with her. "Thank you." The newly turned hybrid turned on her heel and started to make her way for the front door until Elijah spoke up again.

"Wait." His hand dropped from Charlie's waist and the pout suddenly returned. Her nose twitched, before she then moved over to Klaus.

"I don't car-"

"No, there's something else." If they kept interrupting each other, Charlie was going to take the necklace and do the bloody job herself. "A disciple of Marcel's was instructed to fetch another ingredient. Ask for Gia." Charlie could tell that the name shook Hayley, annoyed her slightly. To be honest, it did the same for her - not that Elijah wasn't allowed to ... you know SEE other ladies because a thousand years was a LONG time and well - Hayley wasn't exactly giving in and Elijah was skirting around her and -

"Okay." Hayley then left - out the front door and Klaus wrapped his arm around Charlie's waist and he pulled her forward with him, towards Elijah.

"What's going on with you two?" It was Charlie's eyebrow that twitched this time. Klaus damn well knew that this subject was a sore point for Elijah and her. But well - like any brother, he decided to be a little shit about it.

"Nothing," Elijah replied as he fixed his suit jacket. "She's stronger, that's all that matters."

-x-

The brunette witch stared at herself in the mirror for another three minutes and all but scrunched up her nose. Elijah had decided that fancy attire was required for the dinner. Charlie wasn't even supposed to BE there - she knew that she should have followed Hayley to the shop, to face the other witch. A hand ran down the purple fabric and came to rest on her hip - her hair was out, and the dark curls rested on and around her shoulders.

Bangs managed to sit right on her face this time.

"You are looking rather beautiful tonight." His voice caught her off guard, which caused Charlie to jump back from her mirror in surprise and trip over the pair of heels that were placed behind her. A squeak escaped her lips for the second time that day and his arms encircled her waist - yet again. Her eyes slammed shut and her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. God - why the hell was she so clumsy. "I do wish you'd be more careful, Charlotte." Elijah continued as he straightened her up and the brunette opened her blue eyes.

"I'd wish you wouldn't be so damn quiet." She mumbled, and a smirk crossed the originals face. "We need to get you a collar or something. With a little bell – like a cat." It amused Elijah greatly that he was still able to scare her. Bending down then, Charlie picked up her heels and ran a hand through her hair - forcing it out of her eyes. "Why did you scare me, Elijah?"

Elijah straightened out his shirt and held his arm out towards her. "I came by to escort you to dinner." Blue eyes squinted up at the vampire. "I promise you, Charlotte - nothing will happen this evening. You will be perfectly safe." Esther had tried to jump into Charlie's body a couple of months ago. It hadn't been a pleasant experience for both parties involved - it was like a HIGHER power had been watching out for her. This caused the Mother of all vampires (and the son) to not particularly like Charlie. She wasn't like any witch Esther had seen. There was power there that the thousand-year-old witch couldn't control.

Wrapping her own arm around Elijah's and holding her heels in the other, they made their way out of the room. "You know Klaus is gonna hate having to wear a suit and tie." She had been trying to focus on anything other than how amazing Elijah could pull off black tie. He wore them almost constantly - but it still didn't take away his ability to look perfect in them.

"Niklaus needs to understand that we do not want a war with our mother," Elijah spoke as they descended the stairs. "We just want to talk. Peacefully." Charlie raised a brow and let a snort escape her.

"I will pray. But twenty bucks says that he'll blow it." They came to a stop just outside the dining room and Elijah frowned. "Come on, Eli - you know that tonight will NOT go as planned." Elijah's frown turned into a raised brow and a sigh escaped his lips. He hesitated before he held out his hand. Charlie bounced on her feet and dropped pink coloured heels on the ground - before taking his hand. Shaking it once and then twice.

"Deal." Elijah let his smile return to his face, as he turned on his heel and made his way into the dining room. Charlie quickly pulled on the heels, gaining at least two inches, and followed after Elijah. The table was filled with amazing looking food and it was then that Charlie's stomach decided to rumble. She was really the only one that NEEDED to eat in the house, besides Hayley.

"Are these outfits really necessary?" Klaus spoke up, fidgeting at his tie, looking at Elijah - not noticing yet that Charlie had started to pinch some of the vegetables from dishes.

"Appearance is a way of showing respect, Niklaus." The youngest rolled his eyes at his elder brother. "Mother will be more likely to surrender her true intentions." Charlie raised a brow as she moved to the head of the table and then pulled the chair out on the left-hand side - there was no way she'd be sitting down near Esther and the eldest son. Klaus took his time then leaned over to press a kiss against Charlie's cheek.

"At least you are looking wonderful tonight, Lottie." Two lots of compliments in one night, Charlie tried not to let her ego grow. "Well, I doubt her guard will drop just 'cause I'm dressed like a bloody lawyer." Klaus' tone switched tones in three places, Charlie couldn't help the laugh.

"You look dashing, Nik," Charlie tried to comfort as she sat down in her chair already - maybe she should have gone barefoot - Rebekah had ridiculously high shoes, how the hell did she walk in them. "Besides, look good for me. Not Esther." Klaus smirked then as Elijah started to light the candles in the centre of the table.

"We need every advantage we can get, Niklaus. Charlotte is right, you look dashing." Charlie then poked her tongue out at the vampire. To which Elijah almost did the same, instead a roll of his eyes was given her way.

"You always did excel in diplomacy," Klaus mumbled slightly - shrugging his shoulders and resting his hands against the back of his chair. "Just know, if she tries anything, I'll tear her new body to pieces." It was at that moment Finn - in one of the Quarter witches, Vincent - stepped into the dining room. Charlie all but stood up from the chair and moved to stand behind Klaus. Finn and Charlie's first meeting hadn't exactly been a pleasant one - a spell that caused her head to feel like it was exploding from inside out and then ropes, lots of them in a basement. The eldest brother let his eyes linger on the younger witch before he moved onto his brothers.

"You two haven't changed a bit!" Finn let his eyes focus on Elijah then. "Linens and silk to disguise your pathetic self-loathing," Charlie raised a brow, focusing all of her nervous energy into getting a list of come backs ready. "And you -" Finn looked at Klaus. "Despite the arrogant facade, you're still the same paranoid little boy, full of hate and fear." Charlie couldn't see Klaus' face, but she felt his body stiffen and her hand came out to grab onto his forearm. "I also see you haven't given up on the abomination yet either." Charlie's face morphed into one of offense and her brows underneath her bangs tilted downward. Elijah kept his cool, like always, and stepped forward towards Finn.

"Forgive me, I don't believe I've had the pleasure." A tight smile was present on the Nobel brothers face - the man, at the other head of the table, feigned an offensive look and placed his hands against his chest.

"Oh, you mean you don't recognise me? So much for the unbreakable bonds of family huh?"

"It's Finn," Charlie spoke up before the brother had the chance. Eyes all focused on her and she tried not to cower behind Klaus again. "That's your brother." Finn let a laugh escape his lips and nodded his head.

"Always and forever indeed." Klaus scowled, standing up straighter and Charlie removed her hand and crossed them over her chest, fingers digging into the skin underneath her armpits.

"It's been a long time, Finn." Charlie didn't have to be any kind of supernatural being to recognise that Klaus was reigning in his anger. Trying desperately not to tear his brothers head from his body.

"Now that the introductions are out of the way, let's eat!"

-x-

Charlie watched in silence as Elijah poured Finn a glass of wine, her blue eyes had never strained from the eldest brother. The pit of her stomach still tightened at the sight of him. They were bantering back and forth, and she was trying to pay attention like Klaus wanted her too, but she was too focused on the fact that the man who sat at the end of the table had tortured her for a whole day and no one had done a thing. Her ray-bans felt heavy on her nose and she tried to shake her head free of the emotions and the memories of that night.

"What exactly are we celebrating?" Elijah's voice caused Charlie to focus back on the table.

"Why, my return, of course!" Finn exclaimed, leaning forward in his chair. "Remember, I spent nine hundred years - right? - lying daggered in a box. I'm rather enjoying this new body." Finn let his eyes linger on Charlie and her nose turned up in disgust, before she looked down at her plate that was filled with untouched food - waiting for dear old mummy to show up before they ate she supposed. "Strolling about your lovely city that, uh, you've made your home. But, do tell me - what'd I miss? Regale me with your contributions to society! Medicine? Philosophy? Art?" Klaus rolled his eyes then. "Or, have you two merely cut a path of destruction across time? I suppose poor, Charlotte here was one of those many examples of destruction."

"The last time we met, you were helping out mother try to annihilate the lot of us!" Klaus brought the subject to them and not his witch. He hadn't been liking the way Finn, had been eyeing Lottie for the first half of the night. "Let's not throw stones in glass houses."

"Are we expecting another guest?" Elijah butt in then - noticing Klaus' rising temper and Charlotte's discomfort.

"Mother will sit at the head." Finn answered, not letting his eyes leave Klaus' face. "And, as for the seat across from me, that's reserved for another of our clan. Care to wager an educated guess? How about a paranoid one?" Charlie let her own eyes roll, as she tuned the conversation out again - her nightmare coming to the front of her mind again.

Uriel? Wasn't - wasn't that one of the archangels in Christian religion? Uriel - he was basically the angel of death. Charlie's eyes widened ever so slightly, but the three other men in the room hardly notice her internal turmoil.

Uriel was coming? What the hell did that mean? Surely it was only a dream, it had no meaning. But then again - Charlie had dreams that seem to come true most of the time.

"Well, I'd rather enjoy you getting to the point." Klaus' voice was the one this time to bring Charlie back to the present. She cursed herself silently - she should really stop spacing out.

"I had nine hundred years to learn to be patient." Finn answered, and Charlie raised a brow. Finn, patient? That was a laugh. "Although, I am curious why you kept me daggered in a box for so long."

"You were daggered from being an ever-simpering sycophant." Klaus replied, which caused Charlie to place her forehead into her hand. Well - maybe she should have made the stakes ever so higher against her bet with Elijah. "Did Mother bring you back from the dead, so you could wash her knickers?" A smirk crossed the hybrids face, but it caused Finn to lean back in his chair, his face looking furious.

"She raised me because I was treated unfairly! Cheated of all but the smallest portion of my life!" Charlie rolled her eyes then, as she leaned forward and grabbed a bread roll - she wasn't use to being silent for so long. But this wasn't her battle to fight - her input wasn't needed. Yet anyhow. Taking a small bite, Charlie chewed and watched. "Elijah, I can understand such cruelty coming from him, but I always thought of you as being the compassionate one!" Elijah shifted in his seat and took a drink. "What did I do to deserve you turning your back on me? Were you afraid of Niklaus? Are you still? Or perhaps jealousy is what kept me locked in a box?" Elijah didn't look phased as he placed the glass back on the table and simply watched as Finn all but rambled. "You coveted the duties of the eldest brother, in which case you had near - on a millennium to fix the problems of this family, and instead, produced nine centuries of failure." Finn paused then, his fingers pressing against the bridge of his nose as he calmed himself down. Charlie was amazed - he seemed to have learned even more since the last time they had met. His anger was very much still present, but it no longer controlled him. It was then that Elijah took the opportunity to speak up.

Huh – Bread rolls were great. Charlie finished the one in her hand and was almost tempted to just grab the whole basket.

"You might reside - somewhat parasitically, I might add - in another body, but I assure you, in nine hundred years, your tedious sentiments remain quite the same." Charlie looked over at Klaus, who looked at her and the pair of them all but shared a grin. Elijah seemed to have had enough of Finn's whining. "You see, Finn, like Father, you've always despised our supernatural existence. Father, of course, slaughtered and consumed his own, whereas you became pretentious and dull." Oh. burn, Charlie thought. "Much like this meal. I will not ask you again - where is Mother?" Charlie couldn't help but fall against Klaus' arm as the pair of them snickered at Elijah's insults. They were never too upset to not hear the second eldest brother find his humour. But it all seemed to vanish when a rather young-looking girl stepped into the dining room. Charlie all but pulled back from Klaus and frowned.

The young witch could feel the power that was emanating from the girl who had just entered. It was Esther.

"Oh, my darling son." Finn raised to his feet. "I've missed you, too."

-x-

Klaus didn't even bother to stand, nor did Elijah. Charlie just wanted to make herself small. "Why don't you say what you came here to say, so this wretched night can end?" Esther gave a sad smile as she looked at her son before sitting down at the head of the table, like Finn had said.

"It pains me that you and Elijah look at me with such disdain. I would be sad to say that even your look, Charlotte -" Her name caused the brunette to jump slightly in her seat. "Was upsetting. I wish you could see that my every action has been to protect you!" Charlie was starting to worry now. Why the hell did Esther bother about her? Charlie thought that the other hated, she was just a failed body snatching attempt ... oh.

"You actually believe that, don't you? I knew you were a liar, but now I see you're utterly delusional." Klaus was getting angrier and Charlie didn't know if she had enough power to keep him calm.

"If you can forget the hatred that you cling to and remember all the times I've mended and healed you." Klaus interrupted her with a laugh that caused Charlie to wince. "Elijah, do you recall the day Niklaus challenged your father to a duel? Did I leave your brother to die alone? What did I say, when you came to me and asked me to help him?" Well - Mother dearest was number one manipulator. Elijah sighed before speaking up.

"That you would rather die than to see any of your children suffer." It felt like hours, before Klaus jerked in his chair and looked at his mother.

"The necklace. It wasn't spelled to protect me. It made me weak."

"I sought to protect you from yourself!" Esther tried to argue. "If you had killed your father in that duel, or anyone else in the course of your life, you would have activated your curse!" Klaus slammed his hands down on the table in almost his signature rage, it caused Charlie to jump and let her teeth bit down on her lower lip.

"You ruined me!" He wasn't only angry, Charlie noted, but upset. "You left me to suffer at the hands of a father who valued only strength!"

"I kept you from becoming a beast for as long as I possibly could!" The pair of them continued to shout back and forth. Charlie's hands clamped together in her lap - the power that surged around the room was starting to make her feel dizzy.

"Oh, you lied to me!" Klaus was shouting now. "To hide your own transgressions because of your own fear!" Another slam against the table and he stood to his feet - his chair sliding backwards with a force that caused it to fall over. "My whole life, I sought the approval I was denied by the man I thought was my father!" Charlie raised to her feet then as well - a hand reaching out towards Klaus, but the hybrid shrugged her off and pointed at his mother. "You turned me into the weakling he hated." Elijah joined the pair of them on their feet and started to pace anxiously. Esther had the right to look guilty. There was a tiny part of Charlie that couldn't help but FEEL sorry for the thousand-year-old witch. She was doing what she thought was best for her son - but in the end it was for nothing.

Klaus however had no such feeling. Instead the anger boiled in his stomach and his voice grew even louder. "Look at me! You rant, and you rave about the monster I have become, but you, Mother - you are the author of everything I am." Esther looked flustered and Charlie stepped away from Klaus - sensing the magic in the air. Their mother started to gasp and then fainted, slumping over in her seat - to which Elijah managed to catch her head before it slammed against the table.

"She's gone." Charlie spoke up for the first time in a while. The three brothers looked at her - blue eyes focused on the body of Esther. It was then that Elijah placed her head down gently and flew at Finn but the brother used his magic to push Elijah away - all but throwing him over the table and into the wall. Charlie stepped backwards and held her hands out muttering to herself, she was trying to find Esther. If anything - the spell that Marcel's witch had hopefully worked, but Charlie had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that it wasn't that easy.

"Where is she?" the brunette heard Klaus yell until there was a thump and Charlie opened her eyes and focused on Finn. The two of them stared at each other for a couple of seconds.

"We'll stop her." Charlie spoke, and the flustered Finn fixed his jacket.

"Oh, little angel, you have bigger things to worry about." The eldest Mikaelson spoke and Charlie frowned.

"What the hell does that mean?" But she never got an answer, as Finn moved his hand, Charlie went flying back into the wall - whacking her head against the brick she was knocked out cold.

Elijah owed her that twenty bucks now.