Jane Anne was brought to the centre of the circle as Marcel stood before the crowd liek a true king and judge. "Jane Anne, I believe you have something of my good friend Klaus'," Marcel said as he approached her. She followed his outstretched hand to find Klaus taring at her expectantly with golden eyes flashing at her in anger.
"It wasn't me," she immediately defended. "Well, who was it, then?" Marcel asked with a taunting tone. Her eyes flickered over to Klaus and he narrowed his eyes. She clearly wanted to tell him, but not in front of everyone. "I can't say," she choked out annoyed. Maybe she couldn't say it. There didn't seem to be any vervain around after all.
"Then you're of no use to me," Marcel drawled. With a flick of his wrist, the branch he held cut through her throat. Her last words were lost in the gurgling but Klaus did make out a name. Sophie. Marcel and his men disbanded and he asked one where he could find more of the witches. He did, after all, have someone to find.
Elijah was at his side as they went to the cemetery. At the gates they were stopped by a barrier.
"You need to be invited in," a voice called from inside. A young woman with arm tattoos and an ugly hippie look stepped out from the shadows and sniffed. She had been crying. "The sister, I assume," Klaus called back with a tilted head. She ignored his jab and looked over her shoulder as she walked closer. When she looked back to them, she had composed herself.
"You know you're popular around here. Stories about the great hybrid are passed on through generations of not only witches but humans too." A smug look grew on Klaus' face. He had to keep up the persona to keep her safe. "Word is that you made MArcel what he is. That means you're the only one that can destroy him."
The smirk fell from his lips and he stepped to the very edge of the barrier. "I will not do anything until she is returned to me," he warned with a hidden threat. If she isn't returned to him, he would do anything but what they wanted. Probably rat them out to Marcel himself.
"She's inside. Come in and follow me." The brothers stepped over into the cemetery and followed the brave little witch. "There's stories stretching on from all over the globe about you. The immortal, almighty hybrid," she continued. "We needed help but we didn't want you. There's a woman here, an old witch, that's obsessed with you. It wasn't even in our interest to bring you here let alone kidnap your girl. Not in the condition she's in."
That made Klaus snap.
He pinned her against the wall of a crypt by the throat, fangs bared. "What condition?" He demanded with a snarl in his tone. "Niklaus," Elijah warned as he looked around at the gathering witches. The waver in his brother's voice made him pause and look around. Dropping the girl to the floor, his eyes landed on Caroline.
She was greying and limping. There were no signs of torture but it was clear she hadn't been kept in good health. "Klaus?" She croaked out with a thick hoarseness to her voice. "Caroline," he breathed out in horror. How had he let them take her? How could he have let her go?
"Niklaus Mikaelson," the voice let out in awe. His eyes reluctantly moved from his Caroline to the woman holding onto her. She looked somewhat familiar with her red hair and big forehead but he couldn't place her. "Who are you?" He asked coldly as her hand tightened on Caroline's arm. "Genevieve," she answerred sharply, not happy about being forgotten. "You knew me very well when you were here last."
"Well, when I was here last I was too busy building my kingdom to take names of the witches I used," he drawled with a smirk. She looked pained for a moment but hid it well. "Watch it, Klaus. I do have your girl, after all. Sophie, come here."
The girl that led them over took a single step before sighing. "No, Gen. I'm tired and this wasn't our idea. You need to stop this now. Just give him the girl." Genevieves' face fell at the defiance but she didn't have time to react before Caroline swung her fists into her face.
Once the witch's grip loosened, she flashed over to Klaus. He moved towards her, catching her before she fell halfway. "Klaus, we need to... to get out of..." she trailed off, fainting as he picked her up. "Meet me at Rousseau's tomorrow morning before it opens," Sophie rushed out as the witches circled Genevieve. "I'll explain everything. Marcel's involved. Don't trust him."
"What makes you think we won't just leave?" Klaus asked her. "Because Caroline's spelled to die if she leaves New Orleans. We need time to undo what Genevieve and Marcel have done. Please, just come at eight."
Klaus looked to Elijah who nodded. He would watch over Marcel and the witches. Klaus flashed away to the house they procured with Caroline still unconscious in his arms.
After washing the dirt off her and changing her into one of his shirts, he sat and fed her blood until her skin began to turn a more lively colour. "Caroline?" He whispered softly, fingers gentle as they brushed her cheek. "Klaus," she breathed with a small smile, still completely asleep.
He found himself smiling as he left the bedroom to clean up the empty bloodbags but stopped short in the foyer when he saw his guests. "Kol... B-Bonnie?" He stammered, not quite sure if she was accepting of his first-name greeting. His little brother looked up with a grimace fo a smile.
In through the door came Liz Forbes, a gun pointed at the back of Sophie's head. Elijah came up behind her, tense and unnerved by the mother of his... almost sister-in-law. "What did you do?" Klaus demanded slowly as he moved his eyes back over to Kol.
The youngest Mikaelson immediately moved to defend himself but was cut off by another voice. "MOM!" Caroline whined as she ran part way down the stairs. "No guns. Seriously, is that the witch? She could just... poof it away or something!"
Bonnie's eyebrow rose as she smirked but the blonde just waved it off. "Not now, Bonnie... Wait, Bonnie? What are... WHAT DID YOU DO?" She shouted at Kol who flashed behind Bonnie for protection. "Why does everyone assume I did anything? I just brought them here to hel keep you safe!"
Grumbling, Caroline bound down the last few steps to Klaus' side. She wore not only his shirt but a pair of his sweatpants too. "If my mom gets hurt, I'm hanging you from a balcony by your-"
"CAROLINE!" Liz snapped, throwing out her arms and raising her eyebrows. "MOM! GUN!" She shouted back, pointing at the weapon Elijah barely managed to duck away from. "Right, someone take this from me. I'm getting emotional," Liz relented, letting Elijah take it from her. He looked uncomfortable with it as he held it, simply dropping it into the drawer closest to him.
"Thank you, Elijah," Caroline huffed before turning to find Sophie looking down at the floor. "Take her to a room. Not the basement - Klaus. An actual bedroom." Elijah grabbed her arm and led her upstairs. "Come on, Bon, you can share with me." She turned and gave Klaus a cheeky grin to which he only gave her a pleading look back.
Bonnie took Caroline's outstretched hand but immediately threw it away with a gasp. Spinning back around, she found Bonnie shaking as Kol held her up from behind. "Bonnie?" Liz questioned, taking a protective step in front of her daughter.
"No. No way. Not... possible," Bonnie muttered before lunging forward and taking both of the blonde's hands in her own. Caroline looked over her shoulder at Klaus who was beginning towards them. When Bonnie stepped away she didn't look any less scared.
"Bonnie, what is it?" Caroline whimpered, afraid of what the witches had done to her whilst they had her. "You're... you're pregnant, Caroline," Bonnie whispered as she met Caroline's wide eyes. "Nope," Caroline let out before blurring out of the house. Kol looked to see if Klaus would follow but his older brother was frozen. "I'll go, then," Kol offered before following after the blonde.
Elijah returned downstairs to find his brother shaking, stuck in one spot, and Liz sitting down with a glass of scotch in her own shaking hands. "Where are Kol and Caroline?" He asked Bonnie as he cast his brother a worried glance.
"She's pregnant," Klaus said slowly. "Who is?" Elijah frowned in confusion. "Caroline. She's... pregnant," he answered, slow and staring vacantly ahead. "How?" Elijah demanded as he turned to Bonnie. "I don't know yet. I need to talk to my Grams," Bonnie admitted. "I just felt it when I touched her. It's not a lie. She's about... two weeks but..."
After she trailed off, Klaus' worry snapped him out of his daze. "But what?" He growled out. He moved to step threateningly towards her but Elijah held out an arm to stop him. "Bonnie, but what?" Liz stressed as she moved closer to the group again. Her baby was having a baby. It should be impossible but... it wasn't.
"It's a hybrid. It's growing quicker than a normal baby. I still need to talk to Grams but I think she'll be pregnant for less time than normal. I don't know how the child will grow up yet. I need to talk to the spirits."
"And how do you do that?" Elijah questioned as he gently guided Klaus back with his hand on his chest. "I need candles - lots of them. I also might need Caroline to establish a link to the baby and my Grams. She's better at this than I am." Elijah leaned into Klaus, telling him to find Caroline and not scare her off. Klaus simply responded with a growl before taking off.
Kol found Caroline in a park. It was late but there were still some families out and some teenagers milling about. "You can stop hovering, Kol," she called without turning her head. Warily, he joined her on the bench and followed her gaze.
There was a couple with a pram. With their enhanced sight they could see the small newborn wriggling inside. The couple looked tired as they walked the baby around, probably trying to get it to sleep.
Turning back to her, he found her crying. "I can't do that," she breathed out whilst shaking her head. "I can't be a mom. I'm not even nineteen yet. I-I'm a vampire. What if I hurt it? I can't hurt my own child."
He cautiously put his arm around her and she fell against his side. "It'll be a werewolf, won't it? What if it kills someone? I don't want that for my child. I saw Tyler turn so many times. It almost killed him the first time. I don't want that to happen to..."
She couldn't finish what she was saying. The thought was too horrible. What if her baby was just a kid and it was just an accident? Could she stand to watch her child turn into a wolf every full moon as punishment? And what of Klaus' enemies? It was dangerous enough to be with him but now there was a baby involved and those witches knew about the baby... Would they kill her and the child? Or just the child?
"Do you know what I think?" Kol's words broke her out of her inner monologue and she looked up with her head on his shoulder still. "I think that you will be the best mother because you're already so scared for that child and it's not even fully developed yet. You're terrified that a bunch of things in your womb will be hurt. It's not even got a face yet but you already want to protect it from everything."
Nodding slightly, Caroline lowered her head and fisted his jacket. "I know what you're thinking, too. No one will ever touch your child. You know why?" She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut as more tears assaulted her. "Because Nik won't let them. He will be more scared than you are, Caroline. He's spent a thousand years doubting himself and that still hasn't stopped.
"But now he has you and you make that doubt go away some times. It's rooted deep in him but you're everything to him. I'm certain he'll mess up quite a bit and doubt his ability to be a father because, lets face it, we didn't have a role model for that... but he won't let anything take either of you away.
"If that child activates the curse - if it even gets it - then Nik will be there to turn every full moon with it. And you will be there to wrap that kid up and love it more because they will get through it."
There was a small pause of silence as she slowly sat back up to meet his eyes. "Since when are you the smart one?" She sniffled, wiping away her tears. "Excuse you, I am always the smart one," he defended with a small smirk. "If you show Bonnie she might just give you a chance. She's already been with an immature kid and he cheated on her with his ghost ex-girlfriend."
He ducked his head with a blush and Caroline felt herself begin to smile again. A warmth spread over her as she felt a presence join them. Turning to look over her shoulder, she found Klaus waiting with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. Kol stood up, sensing his brother as well, and ruffled her hair affectionately. "Remember what I said," he told her before disappearing.
Klaus came to sit beside her, leaving a little space between them. She turned her head towards him and watched as he shifted uncomfortably. "I'm scared," she admitted as she looked back out over the park. They could hear the shouts and squeals of the children as they played in their last moments in the park before they went home to their families. "So am I," he whispered.
"What's he doing?" Klaus murmured before she could reply. She looked over to find him staring out at a father and son in the park. The father's hand raised to hit the boy and Klaus was up before she could stop him. Trailing behind at human speed, she checked no one saw him blur across.
Klaus grabbed the man's hand in the air as the boy - no older than five - cowered in fear. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" Klaus hissed in disgust at the man as he shoved him back a little. "It's none of your business," the man spat back at him.
"You were about to hit him. Look at him! How could you do that to him?" He didn't realise he was even compelling him until the man took on a dazed look and answered. "I want to. He's not mine. He deserves it." Klaus took a step back and turned to see Caroline comforting the boy but giving him a knowing look.
Turning back to the man, all Klaus could see was Mikael. But a child needed a father, didn't he? "You're going to stop abusing this boy. You're going to stop abusing everyone around you. The only time you will become violent is if someone threatens the boy. Love him. Care for him. Do not be violent towards him. You will stop drinking. You will pull yourself together and get a high paying job. You're going to give this boy the best life you can."
Once the compulsion set in, Klaus turned to Caroline as the the father took the boy by the hand and led him away. She stood up from her crouching position and faced him with a look he couldn't quite place. It was somewhere between awe and adoration. "And that's why you'll be a great father," she breathed as her fingers ran over his cheek.
He wrapped his hand around hers and he leaned into her touch with closed eyes. She stepped closer as his hand flattened against her stomach affectionately. "Can we go home now?" She asked quietly as she looked down at his hand on her stomach.
"Yes, Bonnie should be done now," he murmured as he opened his eyes to look at her. "Done with what?" She questioned as he took her hand and led her away. "She's talking to the spirits about..." He took a pause, eyes drifting to her stomach, "our child."
Bonnie sat with her legs crossed in the middle of the lounge with candles surrounding her. Kol entered the house and smiled at the witch with her eyes closed in a trance.
"I can feel you staring at me," she said with a low, quiet voice. She was still somewhat in her trance but not enough to be focused. "Well, you shouldn't have put on a show, then," he teased as he fell against the door frame, shoulder against the arch and legs crossed over.
With a heavy huff she opened her eyes to glare at him. "I almost got through then without Caroline," she grumbled whilst pushing up off the floor. "Well, I apologise for that but Nik and Caroline are having a moment so you'll have to wait."
The front door opened again and Kol looked over his shoulder with a grin. "You're late to the party," he chuckled joyfully as Rebekah walked in covered in blood. "Oh well, I had my own." Bonnie found it frustrating that she managed to stay beautiful even when completely drowned in blood.
"I can see that," Kol laughed as he picked up a chunk of her bloodied hair and let it sla back against her shoulder. "What did I miss, then?" She questioned whilst looking between them curiously. "Well, Caroline was kidnapped, Nik and Elijah got her back. Me, Bonnie, and Mama Forbes captured a hostage. Oh, and Caroline's pregnant."
"WHAT?" Kol flinched from Rebekah screech and moved unconsciously towards Bonnie for protection. When the door opened Rebekah flashed back over to it to confront Klaus and Caroline.
She kept demanding answers but Klaus just rolled his eyes at her. "Care, come on," Bonnie offered with her hand held out to her. Caroline skipped over and took her friend's hand.
Th two girls sat on the floor opposite each other with their legs crossed and hands held. Kol slapped his hand over Rebekah's mouth to shut her up as Bonnie began to lose herself in a trance. Slapping his hand off her, she watched whilst standing between her brothers.
It was strange to be connected to the Other Side. Caroline and Bonnie stood over their own bodies as they looked around the room. Grams began towards them with a warm but wary smile. "Don't let go, girls," she said with a nod to their joined hands.
Bonnie smiled back and Grams gathered them both in a hug. "Miss Sheila, what can you tell me about..." Caroline trailed off as she placed her free hand on her stomach. Sheila's smile grew slightly but fell when she began to speak.
"Your baby is a hybrid," Grams told them, "he will grow inside you for only six months rather than nine but will age slower once born. As a hybrid, the child already has triggered the curse but it also means that he won't need to turn."
Caroline let out a breath. Her biggest fear was the curse. "But listen to me now, girls. There isn't much time. Esther is working with Genevieve and Marcel. The three of them want Klaus and you dead. This child may have other properties that can be used for... I don't know what. Stay safe and don't trust anyone here."
"Who else is involved?" Bonnie questioned her Grams. "No one on this side. Most witches don't want to get involved with vampire business but those that do want Klaus Mikaelson dead would never hurt a vampire with such a pure heart or an innocent child. Even if that child is natural born hybrid. We have our morals. On this side, we want to protect life. If anything happens to you, Caroline, or that boy inside you... our families are doomed. We wouldn't subject our descendants to Klaus' wrath."
Sheila looked around quickly as if sensing someone nearby then grabbed their hands. "Go now. Don't come back here unless I give you a sign. When I do, bring that Kol boy that's got a sweet spot for you." Bonnie blushed but Grams carried on. "Go, babies. Keep that baby safe, no matter what."
The moment Caroline gasped back into consciousness Klaus was at her side. "Are you okay?" He asked worriedly as he looked over at Bonnie a moment. Her nose was bleeding but Kol was already by her side to help. "I'm tired," Caroline murmured as she curled into him. "Okay, come on. Lets get you to bed."
"I'll tell you... in the morning," she yawned, feeling herself being picked up. "In the morning," he promised before pecking her lips.