Oh my god I am so sorry that this is so late. On top of that, it's shorter than the last couple chapters. However, this chapter has some real plot to it, and developments, so yay? Also, there's a surprise at the end! Let me know if you have any questions about it ;)

WARNINGS: anxiety, pregnancy, a few lines about alcohol and drugs, shock/betrayal and relationship drama (if those last two even count).

0.8

A day after the disastrous dinner, Finn and Freya make announcements - they're bringing out their families for the long weekend.

Finn says his wife, Sage, will be coming out, and then tells at least five hundred thousand stories about how cute she was back in high school. Kol pretends to gag behind his back at Elijah, who scolds him. He also texts Rebekah, obviously desperate for someone to be on his side, but his other sister apparently agrees with his brothers - love is Amazing, Awesome, some other 'a' word.

Freya also makes sure to tell him one day, he'll know what they know, and he'll apologize. Fat chance.

Still, when Sage and co., and Radley and co. arrive, Kol keeps his mouth shut. Torunn thinks it's hilarious, but Leif and Aerona see it as something else - he's quiet like that because pushing too far never led to anything good in their childhood.

They've talked about it several times, but they won't be approaching him or any of his siblings about it until they've got a game plan. Plus, with great-grandkids around, they've got their hands full.

Sage's flight is first to land, and Finn paces agitatedly. Kol's eyes follow him, while Freya bites her nails and looks at the flight listings. Elijah, through all of this, talks with Graham and Katherine, and acts like he isn't just as anxious as his siblings.

That's another thing they've noticed. All four of the Mikaelsons they know - and potentially the older two of the three still out there - show signs of anxiety. Not just signs, really - the whole shebang.

They hate it, that their grandchildren were so negatively affected by their childhoods.

Aerona and Leif ignore it, though, for the moment.

Sage is carrying a baby, and has five more kids holding onto a rope with handholds behind her. She's just as beautiful as Finn said, and his kids are just as energetic. When they see him, they screech and drop the rope to crowd around Finn.

It's an adorable sight, especially since Kol pales and steps back. Freya and Elijah, who holds Matt in his arms, on the other hand, move over to introduce themselves to their nieces and nephews. Graham and Katherine watch with a smile.

Aerona and Leif share a smile, overjoyed at the way their family is coming together.

...

With the exception of Finn and his family, they're all still at the airport a few hours later. Kol, apparently exhausted from keeping up with all of the small children, is passed out in his chair. Katherine has Matt in her lap, and she and Elijah are quietly reading to him. Freya and Graham, who sit across from Aerona, Leif, and Torunn, play checkers on their phones.

Torunn, after spending long moments on her own phone, tells her parents, "I think I have an idea on getting Niklaus to be found."

Leif nods encouragingly.

"Elijah told me that Niklaus, if he is anything like he was, won't do it on his own. So I'm thinking that we maybe call his ex-girlfriend, and see if we can reunite them."

Not unkindly, Aerona asks, "and how does she fit into this, Torunn?"

"We can get her to maybe say something, or suggest she wants to go out somewhere, and then she can take him to a place where we are waiting."

Yawning and stretching, Kol inserts, "it's a good idea. Nik will hate it, though. He likes to be in control, and if we all ambush him, then he'll turn into a raving madman."

"Then what do you suggest?" Torunn responds in kind, her tone turning a little sharp.

Kol shrugs with a laugh, not offended. "I suggest we greet the newcomers."

They turn and see the kids in the pictures on Freya and Graham's phones coming towards them determinedly.

The leader of the pact, a boy who looked exactly like Mikael (which upon seeing for the first time in a picture, the other Mikaelson siblings had commented on unhappily) strode toward them, a younger boy who looked a lot like Graham on his shoulders. Freya and Graham stand up and move toward them, meeting in the middle.

Kol stands as well, looking towards his grandparents and aunt instead of the family. "As for Henrik, if we found him and went to him, he might like that. He was so young, he hadn't really developed preferences yet." Torunn nods, and doesn't respond. Kol continues, "I doubt Nik will be happy to see how there's a Mikael Jr here."

"They're going back on Monday, you know that. Unless he comes to New York in the course of the next two or three days, he won't see him in person any time soon."

He waves a hand flippantly. "I'm just saying."

Torunn rolls her eyes. "I know you were. Now come on, let's go meet the kids."

6.4

Fred smooths his hand down Rebekah's side, and curls her closer to him.

She melts into his embrace happily, still reeling a little from hearing from Kol and Elijah for the first time in almost twenty years.

He's aware of how stressed she is, and it's obvious in the way he's forcing her to stay in bed.

God, she loves him.

Growing up, she'd always wanted this type of romance, this type of life. She wanted someone who would hold her, love her, raise a family with her.

On that note, she thinks, and turns around to face Fred.

"I was thinking, we haven't talked about names yet."

He smiles at her gently, a smile she never saw pass between her parents. "Well, what were you thinking?"

"I know what I'm thinking, I want your opinion."

He laughs. "Okay...Ella. Charlotte, that's a cute one. Oh, Mia! Mason - from college, you might remember him, I'm not sure if you guys ever met - he says Mia is a huge deal over in Britain. Hmm…. Maybe Grace?"

"I do remember Mason, he was the one who liked to get blackout drunk and hit on every living thing in shouting distance. As for your names, I like them. Mia is cute, but not enough for me to consider it."

"Fair."

"I like Grace, though."

"I thought you would. Now, what were your choices?"

"Layla, Victoria, Scarlett. Maybe Riley, or Avery. I also liked Leah, but apparently Freya named her daughter that, so I can't use it now."

Fred brushes some hair back from her cheek. "We couldn't have used it anyway. Lee has a daughter named Leah, too."

"I thought Lee never saw his daughter? Why is she practically named after him?"

Fred shrugs. "I have no idea what he was thinking when he named her that."

"He's a crazy one, that's for sure."

Fred raises an eyebrow. "Am I allowed to say the same about Kol? He made you cry, Bekah. That's worse than being a pot-addicted mooch."

"It's really not, and we both know it. And he's always made it his business to make me cry, Fred."

He clenches his jaw, and starts to speak, but she cuts him off.

"Lee always messed with you, right?" She doesn't wait for his reluctant nod. "It's what big brothers do. They mess around with their younger siblings' feelings, they tease them, they make you cry. Fred, I promise, I'm not mad at him, and you shouldn't be, either."

"But Bekah - "

"I only cried because of my stupid hormones. And a miscommunication. Let's just forgive and forget and put it all up to the pregnancy."

He looks at her growing stomach instead of her pleading eyes. Quietly, he responds, "alright, I'll let it go. Are you going to go out there, to New York?"

"I'm not sure. I want to, but they might not let me fly, and I am certainly not driving to New York from Denver." She scoffs at even entertaining the thought.

"You aren't 28 weeks along yet, and that's when they might say you can't fly. They really won't let you at 36 weeks, and 28 is a maybe maybe not, but now should be fine."

"Well, then I might. But if I go, don't worry love, you'll be going too."

He grins, and flips them so she's resting on top of him. "Good."

8.12

Radley has to share his hotel room with Finn's sons, Philip and Grant, and, while it's not ideal, he doesn't mind that much. Leah, Brooke, and Nina have to share with Finn's girls, Lacey and Christine, while Justin is sharing with Finn's sons, Zachary and Adam, and with Elijah's son, Matthew.

All of Finn's and Elijah's kids seem cool enough, for being much younger than him. And his uncles and great aunt are pretty cool, too. As soon as he had a moment alone at the airport - when his siblings were being introduced to their grandparents - Kol had come up to him and offered to hang out sometime. "So you can get away from all these kids, and I can get away from your mom and your other uncles," he'd said.

Being part of a big family isn't something Radley is used to, and having a cool uncle has only been a recent development with Graham's brothers. Plus, Kol isn't that much older than him, only eight years. He's always been the oldest, and unless Niklaus or Henrik had a kid in 1997, he always will be. But with Kol around, he isn't always going to be expected to be the oldest all the time.

Being oldest brings along something he doesn't necessarily like - all of his cousins look at him like he's the coolest thing since sliced bread. Kol whispers to him at dinner the first night they're there that he got the same treatment.

Leah thinks it's cool having cousins, at least. Radley and Leah have always been the closest, and if Leah's happy, then Radley's happy. Even if he's stuck sharing with little boys who treat him like he's some kind of god and won't leave him alone.

7.3

Waiting in airports in far from entertaining. Now even seeing Emily again is enough to quell Henry's boredom.

Watching the latest on the Manhunt is a nice break from the boredom, but the video of the second generation Mikaelsons is only so long.

What's worse is that he goes from bored to jealous. Jason and Theresa have lots of stories about the Bahamas and how they're so happy they got to skip school. Emily and Henry can't just leave school, and they couldn't just leave for the Bahamas.

The car ride back to the house he was raised in after being adopted has him mostly silent, or asking superficial questions about the trip.

His parents corner him when they get home. His mother says, "Emily, Jason, Theresa, go to your rooms, unpack. We need to talk to your brother." When all three give her sly looks, she adds, "now."

They run upstairs, and Henry sighs. "I'm sorry I'm not in a great mood today, I know you guys just got back, and I should be acting happier to see you - "

"Do you know what the Mikaelson Manhunt is?"

"Um, yes? Why?"

There isn't an answer, just - "do you remember what your birth name was?"

Henry feels his stomach sink. He thinks he knows where this is going. Silently, he shakes his head.

"You're Henrik Mikaelson."

Henry gasps. God, he was positive that they wouldn't say that, that his prediction was just some pipe dream. It isn't though. He's Henrik Mikaelson, one of the last Mikaelsons who haven't been found.

Instead of reacting in an appropriate way, he demands, "why didn't you tell me earlier?" He isn't mad, or happy, or anything, really. Just shocked.

His mother grabs his hand. He jerks it away. "Honey, we just heard about this Manhunt."

"We were on internet blackout, and we heard about it last night. We didn't want to tell you over the phone."

"Oh my god." He steps back, and his father reaches out for his shoulder. "Stop. Don't...just, don't."

He runs upstairs like he's still fourteen and yelling about how he hates his life.

8.13

Caroline decides to stop moping...after several days of moping.

She repeats to herself, I am over him, I don't need to be hung up on this.

Her mom agrees, and pushes her out the door. "I want to watch my trashy TV shows alone now. Go talk to your friends."

So, she went. Walking up to Bonnie's door, she doesn't notice the new car in the driveway. However, when she knocks and the door opens, she definitely notices the guy who is certainly not Bonnie.

"Um," he says.

"You're not Bonnie," she replies.

"You're not takeout."

"Nope."

There's an awkward moment of silence, until she blurts, "um, who are you?"

"Jeremy Petrova. You?"

"Caroline Forbes."

He nods his head and purses his lips. "Was there something you needed?"

"I kinda want to talk to one of my best friends if you don't mind. I'll settle for you telling me why or how you got here."

He smiles, and Caroline thinks, that's why she likes him. "I flew out here to see her. I couldn't wait anymore."

"Aww. Well, I'm glad you like her as much as she likes you."

He blushes but can't respond, as Bonnie comes toward the door, looking down at her wallet. "How much do they need?"

"Bon, it's not takeout," Jeremy says at the same time that Caroline laughs, "I'll take anything you can give me."

Bonnie's head jerks up and she gives a sheepish smile. "Caroline! Hi! Oh my god!"

She jumps forward, past Jeremy, to get outside to hug Caroline. Caroline hugs her back, needing it more than Bonnie knows. Jeremy grins, and closes the door just enough that it doesn't click into place.

They pull back, and Bonnie rests her hands on Caroline's biceps. That's when she notices the ring on Bonnie's finger.

Bonnie notices her noticing, and grins. "You remember how I told you I love him?"

"Oh my god, Bonnie."

"I know!"

"Bonnie, when? What happened?"

"He showed up here after you went home a few days ago, and we went to the courthouse that night. Grams was the witness. I was going to tell you, I was. Stefan doesn't know, either. Honestly, we've just been kinda holed up here...if you know what I mean."

Caroline laughs, and it's both out of shock and happiness for her friend.

"Do you want me to clear out, then? Meet tomorrow?"

Bonnie side eyes her flower garden, then nods. "Please?"

Caroline laughs. "Of course. Just let me know when it's safe to come over."

Bonnie steps back into the house after another brief hug. "I will. And thanks, Care, you're the best."

"I know," she laughs, and goes back to her car with a wave.

And even though it's not the right thing to do, the second her door's closed, she calls Stefan, and doesn't wait for him to even greet her before she screech-confesses, "Bonnie got married to Jeremy!"

So, in the ten days I didn't update (again, so sorry), I was writing a prequel of sorts to this, that's a Klaroline fic that tells their six-year story. I don't know when it'll be posted, as it's only in the beginning stages, but here's a little sneak peak:

Caroline bit her lip. His eyes tracked the movement, but changed trajectory quickly.

She ignored it, even though it made her a little hot. She was contemplating something.

After a moment, she offered, "maybe...I could let you come over for a shower. My mom's the sheriff, so she could get you back into your house." She realized something, and added, "but if you try anything, anything at all, there are guns, and I will use them."

He flung his hands up. "Why would I harm you when you're graciously offering your shower?"