Coming up: this part is filler-esque, next part is filler-esque, part after that is when The Plan gets put into motion, the one after that is going to be another media interlude, and the one after that is either going to be a flashback interlude (Klaroline, I'm thinking) or the next part of The Plan. This isn't set in stone, but that's what I'm doing for the time being.

This is basically more of Rebekah's reunion and Kol's anxiety attack. Next chapter won't be, don't worry.

WARNINGS: stuff that comes with being separated, a lot of anxiety, their childhood and accompanying child abuse, mentioned cheating, mentioned Mikael's dickheaded-ness, insecurity, small amounts of teenage pregnancy/motherhood, implied statutory rape, a lot of sibling bonding.

THIS CHAPTER IS HEAVILY ABOUT ANXIETY AND CHILD ABUSE. BE CAREFUL WHILE READING, EVERYONE.

7.6

With winter break looming ever closer, Henry feels more and more like he has to go see his siblings. Other people get hay fever (or is that the spring?) - he just gets the overwhelming urge to drop all of his homework and drive up to New York City to see the people he knew for less than two years of his life.

He feels ridiculous, but, as everyone in his class says, it's normal. One of his peers even said "being away from your pack is making you feel like you're surrounded. It's obvious you gotta return to them, and asap, so you can feel protected again." And even though Henry had been weirded out, he sees what the guy had meant. With all but he and Niklaus in New York City, he feels like he's the outsider since he isn't with them.

(Freya had remarked that he's closer than his estranged brother, so he feels more reachable to them, which he also attributes to the fact that he has actually contacted them. It seems a little obvious to him why he's easier to connect to than Niklaus.)

On the topic of his older brother, Henry thinks again about the plan. He doesn't know his part in it, or if he even has one, but he's extremely excited about it. He wishes he'd played hard to get, so they could all come gallivanting around the nation to get him.

Theresa had shot that down, citing his uncanny ability to be uncomfortable in every situation. When she'd said that, he'd shrugged and nodded, which is something he's noticed Kol doing in all of his interviews.

He's a lot like his siblings, even though he didn't grow up with them.

Beyond that, he's decided that he doesn't care that they refuse to call him Henry. He's lived so long without them that he's choosing to let them do whatever. Including call him the wrong name and not tell him what his part in the plan is.

He pushes his homework away, already knowing that he won't be getting any of it done. He can't stop thinking about other things, and he knows from experience it's better for him to realize that now. If he attempts anything, he'll just frustrate himself.

The phone rings, and he thanks the fates for the distraction.

It's Freya. He smiles and clicks accept.

"Hey, Freya. What's up?" He leans back and runs a hand through his hair.

Her tone is warm when she says, "hey! I'm calling to see if you're going to be visiting any time soon. I know you told Kol you don't want to, but I kinda need to know. Something's going on right now, and it's important."

"Woah, is everything alright?" 'Something's going on right now' sounds really bad.

He hears her settle on her end. "Yeah, technically. Kol just had a little...thing...and I don't want to set him off again."

Henry's breath catches. "He had an anxiety attack?"

Freya makes a scoffing sound. "How did you know that?"

"He's talked about his anxiety is several interviews," Henry explains before his mouth can catch up with his brain. He hadn't wanted to tell any of his siblings about that, especially Kol and Rebekah, who both tease him all the time. "Um...I mean, it's on his wikipedia." Like that's any better, he thinks to himself in his best Chandler Bing voice.

There's a moment of silence, and then Freya says, "okay then. He did, and if you're coming up soon, I want to make sure we don't trigger another attack, in any of us."

He thanks god for her bypassing it, and responds, "oh, okay. Well, break is coming up, so I want to come see you guys. I wasn't going to at first, because this is all a little weird for me, but…. I decided I can't let this just pass me by. I need to do it sooner rather than later, you know?"

He can almost hear her smile. "Yeah, I do." They're quiet again until she says, "about the plan…."

He settles in and uses his notebook to take notes. Once he hears about it, he gets an idea that keeps him up all night, long after he's gotten off the phone.

3.5

Fred takes everything in stride, and Elijah appreciates it deeply. Sage and Graham aren't like that. Katherine, certainly, is not like that. It's something he doesn't like about her, one of few.

She doesn't know that he has that list - originally made by his college (the first time around) roommate who had hated her with a passion - and that's the way it's going to stay.

That isn't really the point, though. The point is, Fred fits in extremely well. The Mikaelsons have always liked people who are cool, calm, and collected, and Fred is no different.

He whispers in Rebekah's ear, and talks about his job with Katherine and Graham, who have both, once again, fallen into the role of mediator. In this case, mediators make sure everyone stays sane. Usually, they're breaking up fights between Finn and Kol, who are almost exact opposites.

That makes him think again about his little brother. Not the one currently hiding away from them, but the one...currently hiding away from them. Hmm. He's talking about Niklaus, not Kol. (They're more alike than he's thought, aren't they?)

Niklaus was never one for mediating, but when it came to Kol and Rebekah, he was a pro at getting them to play nice. Elijah has never learned his secret, but he's always suspected that he threatened to stop playing with them. That's what Kol did whenever he didn't want to play with Freya and Finn's kids.

Maybe that's what caused it? Radley had to go home, wouldn't return until winter break came, and with his departure, Kol lost the only other young guy., except Henrik Elijah isn't sure why, but Kol has taken much more to Radley than he has to Henrik.

He decides he's going to ask him about that. Elijah sure isn't the oldest, but he's always been the one keeping things together. He's always been there for his siblings. He's always been the one to talk it out, and he won't stop now.

Which means he's going to go talk to Kol whether his little brother likes it or not.

1.9

With Elijah gone off somewhere, the significant others entertaining the grandparents, and Finn and Torunn talking again about the family tree (pointedly ignoring the tension Kol left in his wake), Freya goes to talk to Rebekah.

Rebekah has moved herself to the table in an attempt to distance herself from everyone else. Freya, when she was pregnant, had loved those moments away from other people. She doesn't think it's best for Rebekah right now.

She sits next to her, and watches her look out the window.

Freya remembers Rebekah when she was younger. When she would look out the window in her few quiet moments and when she would just not move. It was when Kol was at tee-ball, and when Niklaus and Elijah were busy with something, like they always were. Her options in those moments were her much older siblings, or her too-young brother, so she chose to be alone.

In those moments, she was silent. In this one, she isn't.

"What do you think set him off? Finn told me he didn't have one before today." Before I came, she means.

Freya shrugs, remembering Henrik's words. She'd looked him up online, and his wikipedia said it was mostly when he was too far into the spotlight. Tonight, she thinks it was the opposite. "It was probably a lot of things. He has a lot going on."

"Being an actor is not that much," she denies, but she sounds like she doesn't believe herself.

"I meant the fact that he has all of us coming at him from all angles, and the public at his heels, and his adoptive family, too. Plus, when Finn and I's kids were here, he and Radley, my oldest, became good friends. Kol confided in him, and now he's gone."

"I think it was because I took the attention away from him. I mean, not really, because I'm supposed to be reuniting, but here we are, talking about him." She looks to the table, and twirls her finger in a string of her hair. "I think he's always hated me for the fact that Father tolerated me and not him."

"That's not true. He loves you. We all do." Freya grabs her hand, and she looks up.

"I know he loves me. I meant deep down. Subconsciously. Father hated him since the second he said he had a girlfriend and boyfriend in pre-school. He's only been one step ahead of Nik since he was four years old, and you know what that means." She sniffles.

"I do. But listen...I think Elijah went to talk to him. He isn't alone. So if you want to have a reunion moment, let's do it."

Rebekah smiles, and says, "I'd love to."

She asks a lot of questions, most of which pertain to their brothers and motherhood. She wants to know what birth is like, how to raise a baby, how to handle a job and a baby.

Freya tries her best to answer, but Rebekah is in a very different position. She has a husband, and she's in college, and she isn't barely eighteen.

Still, she has a lot of fun talking to her baby sister again.

8.25

1981 - 2 ½ years old

Freya toddled around, excited at the prospect of a new baby. She'd known for a while, of course, but knowing was different from seeing. And she wanted to see.

Father was somewhere, she didn't care, but Mother was in front of her. She had a bundle in her arms, and Freya knew, instinctively, it was the baby. They'd said it was a boy, who they were going to name Finn.

She'd wanted a baby brother, and she got one.

When Mother sat down on the floor, Freya leaned over and saw the little baby. He was adorable, with a cute nose and a scrunched face. Way too small to play with, though. That was okay, though, he'd get big soon enough, and when that happened, she'd be there to play with.

1985 - 5 10/12 years old

Elijah came home much the same way that Finn did. Father wasn't present, Mother was showing off her baby like he was a trophy. Finn was the one toddling around, though his walking was much better at three than Freya's was at two. He was also less interested, already having a sibling.

Freya, however, wanted to see the little boy. In some ways, she was curious if he would be dark haired like Finn, or light haired like her. She wanted to see if his nose was small, or big, or if he had freckles. She wasn't sure if babies could have freckles, but she wanted to find out.

When Mother leaned towards her and Finn, Freya saw little Elijah. Much like Finn, he was adorable. He was awake, and when he blinked, she saw the blue eyes Mother said all babies had.

Finn looked, too. And despite telling her he didn't want a new baby, he looked excited at the new playmate.

1987 - 8 1/12 years old

Mother had cheated, and Freya was the only one who knew. She didn't know the guy's name, or what he looked like, or anything like that. She just knew that on one of the nights Father was away, campaigning in Richmond, she had a guy over.

She didn't know Freya knew. She didn't knew that, when Freya looked down at Niklaus, who Elijah called Nik with his clumsy tongue, she saw a boy who was different. He was blonde, he had dimples, and he was different.

She would never tell him, she'd decided. She'd treat him no different, love him like she was supposed to. And she would make sure he was happy and sane, because surely Father wouldn't like his differences.

1990 - 11 ¼ years old

Kol came home to Niklaus bouncing around excitedly. Finn again didn't care much, or so he said. Elijah pulled on her sleeves and demanded to see the baby.

Mother showed them, excited like all the last times.

She let her and Finn hold him, but made Elijah and Niklaus only look. Too young, she said. Elijah was allowed to touch his little fingers and toes, but not Niklaus. The three year old was a little too clumsy for Mother to allow him.

Still, he was smiling brightly and was babbling to Elijah about how Kol would grow up to be the coolest younger brother ever.

1992 - 13 1/12 years old

Freya was so excited about the little girl who was her sister - her only sister - that she forgot to make sure Kol got to the hospital room okay.

When she looked back, she saw that he was walking between Niklaus and Elijah, who both held one of his hands. He was new to walking, and luckily for him, his older brothers would let him walk whenever he wanted.

Elijah was more cautious, but Niklaus was more carefree. If Kol fell, Elijah made sure he was alright while Niklaus high-fived him. Of course, when they walked into the room and saw Father, she was sure he'd be in worried parent mode. Father hated him, even though he did everything he could to to be good, to be the perfect son.

Freya pushed the thoughts away for her baby sister.

Mother was in bed, holding her, and from the door, Freya could see the blonde hair and button nose.

Finn pushed past her, curious. She followed a half step behind him, ignoring Father in the corner. He was barely awake, and she wanted to keep it that way.

Rebekah was beautiful. She was tiny, and cute, and a girl.

Kol thumped a fist on her leg, and raised his arms to be picked up. She did, and moved to let Elijah and Niklaus see.

Kol made gurgling sounds - the happy ones - while Niklaus stared, wide eyed.

"What's up?" She whispered to him.

He ignored her to look at Elijah and Finn. They both nodded, so he told her, "she's so cute we have to protect her. And we'll do it good!"

She ruffled his hair, and smiled at him, and thought he got that cute little smile from whoever his father was.

1994 - 15 5/12 years old

Father had gotten snipped after he found out Mother was pregnant again, so she knew this would be the last one.

But he was so cute, she almost wanted more. Finn didn't feel the same, as he'd confided in her that he hated being an older sibling. She chalked it up to his hormones, even though he was probably too young to get them, and ignored him. Elijah felt like it was time, and Niklaus was just worried that their parents would turn the baby against him. Kol and Rebekah were so excited they could scream - and they did.

They visited in the hospital again, not the house like the first times. That time, Henrik was in the clear bed thing, asleep. Mother was in her bed, snoring. Father was scowling in the corner, not wanting Niklaus in the room but allowing it after Elijah and the kids pitched a fit. Even Finn had gotten angry, insisting.

Freya had been planning on sneaking him in if Father didn't let him, and she was happy to not to have to go through with it.

She stopped thinking about, and instead thought about Henrik. He had the darkest hair of them all, and was tiny, even smaller than Kol had been. She couldn't help but think he would never get bigger, even though she knew it was stupid to think that.

He was lucky, though - if he stayed small, he had six older siblings who would protect him. Some of them were even getting practice in already. They would be ready for whatever life threw at him, at all of them. (At least, she hoped.)

8.26 - 17 Nov 1997

Freya chose the name Radley because it was a Nordic name, and why not continue the pattern.

Plus, it was cute. Cute didn't make up for the teasing he would probably get for being named after Boo Radley - which he wasn't - but whatever. She could name him whatever she wanted.

His father, the man who'd been so nice to her and her foster siblings, wasn't there and he never, ever would be. She would never let her baby be anywhere near him.

She was too young to be a mom, but she already knew she'd do her absolute best. She wouldn't let anyone hurt her little boy.

(Unfortunately, it didn't happen that way, but at least he got a good step-dad, right?)

3.6

Kol's door is locked.

Elijah knocks, then knocks again, then threatens to break the door down, knowing how Kol will react to that.

The door is opened with the chain still on, only allowing one of Kol's eyes and his nose to show.

He looks at Elijah for barely a second before saying, "ugh, no."

Elijah rolls his eyes, responding, "open the door before I send Finn down here."

Kol shuts the door, but Elijah still hears him say, "ew, Finn."

When the door opens again, this time with enough space for him to get through, he says, "Finn isn't the bad, Kol. Really."

"Have you ever tried to talk to him with any amount of emotion? He doesn't feel any of them, so he doesn't recept any of them. He's like a robot. I think he was made in a lab. Don't you?"

"No, I think you're just upset and deflecting."

"Like a pro," Kol comments, as they move to sit on the bed.

"Clearly not if it's so obvious," Elijah snips back, settling down on the edge.

Kol pouts. "Let me have my fun, brother. I need something happy to tide me over until we all go home."

"I'll let you do anything you want if you tell me why you had your attack," Elijah barters.

Kol's eyes light up while his face droops. It's a funny picture, but Elijah doesn't feel very funny at the moment. Mostly, he feels like he's lost all practice at being the compassionate, listening brother he used to be. "Anything? For a stupid heart to heart?"

"Yes." He nods to drive it home. He already knows what Kol will ask for, so he has no doubts on whether or not it's a good idea.

"Take me to the batting cages?" Kol begs, having already asked once before. Kol still enjoys the sport, while Elijah and Freya both go out of their way to avoid it. He doesn't want to go alone, in the interest of not getting mobbed by himself, but no one will go with him. "If you don't want to, I understand, but please." He puts his hands together and shakes them in a motion he's been doing since he first saw it on TV.

"Fine. But only if you tell me the truth." Kol's face lights up and drops again, in quick succession.

Kol sighs and drags a hand over his face, all excitement gone. "I don't know, Elijah. It wasn't just one thing."

Elijah scoots closer, offering comfort where he can. Niklaus, in these situations years ago, would want a hug, but Kol has never been like that. At least, not with Elijah he hasn't.

"Was it Rebekah?" He asks gently.

Kol shakes his head, shrugs, and looks away. "Kinda."

"Was it because...she's different than you remember and you aren't sure how to deal with it?"

"Are you a mind reader or something?" Kol demands, looking his way again. His eyes are dry but his voice says something different. He stands and starts pacing; Elijah tracks him with his eyes. This is a situation they've been in many times - one sibling pacing, one or more siblings watching. "Because that's a huge part of it. She's pregnant. She's an adult. She's married, she's going to school, she's going to be a teacher! She's grown up, and I hate it."

Elijah reads between the lines - she's matured, and I'm not, and I don't know how to feel about it.

"Kol, we've all grown. When we see Niklaus, he'll be different, too." Kol groans, but doesn't respond. "Why do you feel like this with Rebekah, but none of the rest of us?"

"You, Freya, Finn, you were all already acting like adults. You aren't surprising. And Henrik, he was so young he barely had a personality. Rebekah is an adult now," he stresses, "and Nik is going to want nothing to do with us. You know that, right? We're going to go trampling through his territory, and we're going to force his hand, and he's going to want absolutely nothing from us. He'll hate - "

Elijah stands and grabs his shoulders, a little rougher than he'd meant to. "We are giving Niklaus a choice, Kol. If he wants to leave, he will have the choice to. As for Rebekah, you're right. She's grown up. But so have you." Kol snorts, so he continues, a little louder, "you were called Maid Service because you dealt with things violently and messily. This time, you weren't violent, you calmed and took yourself out of the equation. That is not something you ever did. You had to be part of every fight, every argument. You put yourself in the middle of everything, but not this time."

Kol starts to deny it, but Elijah talks over him, wanting him to take this to heart. "You have matured. You've grown up. And you're dealing, in a way I think is helping and healthy for you. But, Kol, I know you, and that is not all that's the issue here."

Kol closes his eyes with a shaky sigh. "I'm scared she won't like me any more," he whispers. "I'm exactly what Father said I would be - nothing. I have nothing to be proud of, not like her."

"What? Kol, you have an Oscar, that's something to be very proud about."

Kol pushes away from him. "A stupid trophy? Rebekah is married, she has a job, she's going to graduate college, and be a mother. She's barely twenty-one years old, and she's got all of that! And where am I? Alone with nothing but a trophy!" He grabs his hair, clenches his teeth and makes a sound that's both sob and groan. It makes Elijah's heart twist painfully.

All of his words smack of Father, and Elijah hates them. He hates that Kol feels this way. He hates his father so much it makes him want to punch a wall and finally have that break down he was due almost twenty years before. "Having a family is not something you have to do right now, brother. That isn't what makes your worth."

Kol turns away from him, shaking his head.

"Get Father's words out of your mind. He wasn't right. He never was. Everything he did to us, everything he said to us, it was wrong. All of it." He wants to say, especially what he did to you, but Kol would never believe him. Everyone has always said poor Niklaus, not poor Kol. He wants to say they all suffered, still do, but he can't. So he stops talking.

"I can't, Elijah. I can't forget what he did to us, what he did to me. He hated me because of something I can't change, and that haunts me every day of my life. I can't even reunite with my sister properly, because of him," he spits, angry again. "I had all these thoughts about how she's better than me, how she wants all the attention that I never got, stupid shit like that. And it's all because Father would have rather ignored my existence than acknowledge he had a son who wasn't straight."

He kicks the bed, muttering about Father and Mother and how he hates them, and Elijah sighs heavily.

He's always had a suspicion of Kol being a little more messed up than the rest of them. Maybe not Niklaus, but he was up there. And this only proves it - Kol has gone through many emotions, all in the span of twenty minutes. He's been happy, excited, angry, upset. He's never been able to deal with his emotions in a healthy, safe way, and it shows.

Elijah thinks, I have my work cut out for me, then goes to tell Kol again about how it's all Father's fault.