5th March 1850

Damon- 10 years old

Stefan- 7 years old

TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF SLAVERY AND CHILD ABUSE

The lights in the house flickered as the tropical storm angrily beat down upon them. Loud slams could be heard as the wind attacked the shutters hanging neatly against the windows. A distant crack of thunder sounded throughout the entire town shortly before a bolt of lightning came and struck through the air lighting up the entirety.

Damon bit his lip anxiously as the storm raged outside, he had never liked storms. That hatred had only increased when Giuseppe had locked him outside during one as punishment for speaking out of turn at dinner one night.

Damon was not outside at the moment though; no he was in his chambers attempting to fall asleep. It seemed his efforts would be futile though as every time he closed his eyes he could see his father's looming figure behind his lids.

He knew he need not worry about Giuseppe at least, not since Mr. Mikaelson had come about. Father had seemingly ignored him since Mr. Mikaelson had sat down with him and claimed guardianship of Damon.

Another lightning strike flashed by his window, causing him to yelp in both surprise and fear. His eyes began to sting as they teared up; he couldn't help it, if his Mother was here she would have held him in her arms throughout the storm till he fell asleep.

Lillian often did this against the wishes of Giuseppe who thought that Damon should just man up, after all, it's not like Giuseppe hadn't let him back in the house before the tornado touched down the next morning.

The house shook as the wind beat harder against the window panes, rain splattering against the eaves creating the sound of nails scraping down a screen door. Damon bit his tongue desperately to keep any sound from escaping as tears finally started to cascade down his face.

Grabbing his pillow Damon shoved himself fully under the blankets that lay across his bed. Just because he had to suffer through the storm in his chambers alone did not mean he had to watch as it attacked the house.

Niklaus glared down at the inquiry from Elijah; Marcellus had decided to harass the kitchen help they had on hand and of course, Elijah was blaming it on him. His letter was lamenting quite thoroughly the fact that Niklaus did not properly handle the boy and that he was just ruining him for the future.

As if the rest of the family did not spoil the child as well no, Elijah perceived all the blame to be placed on Niklaus. Now he was attempting to persuade him to come back and help corral the boy despite how Elijah said he could control him without any assistance from Niklaus while he was away. 'It's not as easy as it seems, is it brother?' Niklaus thought moodily as he began the trek to his chambers.

He had quite a few things still to do including, finding a home for Damon and him to stay in temporarily until the boy adjusted.

While they could very well stay with the Salvatore Patriarch, he felt that would do more harm than good for the boy in the long run. Damon needed to feel safe and trust Niklaus before he was moved to New Orleans to meet the storm that was the rest of the Mikaelson siblings.

Niklaus paused in his footsteps as he heard a soft whimper coming from down the hall. The only people who were in the Salvatore residence were Damon, himself, and the elder Salvatore's slaves to keep the house put together.

Giuseppe had left for 'church' for the night which was ridiculous as everyone knew he was going to the local brothel for a little bit of fun. Another whimper broke Niklaus out of his stupor with a quick glance to make sure it was not emanating from around him, he strode purposefully toward Damon's room.

He lay his hand softly on the cool brass knob pausing slightly in hesitation before, slowly advancing inwards.

"Damon?" Niklaus called out softly as he stood by the young child's bedside. The nest of blankets that lay tented in the middle of the bed rustled as a young boy's head appeared from the middle of them. Niklaus forced himself to not react as Damon gazed at him with a bright red face and terrified glistening eyes that were filled with tears.

"I-I'm sorry. I d-didn't mean to awaken you Mr. Mikaelson." Damon whispered fervently as he stared up into his new guardian's eyes.

Giuseppe had always lamented to him that maintaining eye contact was important as it was a sign of respect. Damon found he hated it though, looking into another's eyes always made him wish that he could disappear from their gaze.

Niklaus's eyes softened as the apology left Damon's lips but, his blood boiled as he wondered how many times Damon had been punished, instead of reassured for being frightened.

"You did not wake me. I was on my way to my chambers to handle some business. Did something frighten you?" his tone was light as he probed Damon gently for answers. Perhaps, he would be able to aid his young ward and ease his mind on whatever dangers he might be visualizing.

As Damon shook his head no, a bolt of lightning struck right outside his window followed by a booming crack of thunder. Damon jumped, a soft yelp escaping from his lips despite his attempts to keep from uttering another sound. Understanding blanketed Niklaus as his eyes flickered to the window and back towards Damon. He contemplated his inquiry to Damon for a few moments before daring to utter a single word. The last thing he wanted to do was give the boy the wrong impression or worse frighten him more.

"You know when I was much younger, about your age actually, my brother Elijah used to let me lay beside him during storms. I was terrified of them but, he always let me stay with him through the night until long after the storm had passed. Would you care to stay in my chambers with me while I work?" Niklaus worded his question carefully keeping a close eye on Damon's reactions.

Damon chewed on his lip as he considered the offer, his voice soft as he voiced the worry that blanketed his mind every time he was around a male adult recently. "You w-won't…" he trailed off unsure how to word the question without offending the man who stood before him.

The rage in Niklaus's blood increased tenfold as he realized the question Damon was attempting to voice. Damon flinched as he saw the fury rolling off Mr. Mikaelson in waves. All the anger that had filled Niklaus quickly drained as he saw Damon move away from him as if he expected to be struck.

"I will not and will never lay a hand on you in such a manner so long as I shall live, Damon. Of this, you have my word." Damon found that he couldn't but want to believe the words despite the evidence he had to prove they had been false in the past.

Mr. Mikaelson was not the first and would probably not be the last to promise him safety and kindness. Yet, the others who had promised it had broken their promises relatively quickly to making them.

Niklaus held out his hand for Damon to take if he wanted to, making no move to encourage or discourage him from the action. The choice would be up to his young charge and in that moment as he stared at the fearful young lad that sat before him Niklaus promised something to himself that he had never promised to anyone before.

He swore he would do everything in his power to always give Damon a choice in the decisions made concerning him. This promise would be upheld in everything so long as his safety was not called into question.

Damon's small hand slipped into Niklaus's and he was quickly guided into the neighboring room that Niklaus had claimed as his own. "Let's get you settled down, love." Niklaus spoke softly as he helped the young boy into the bed, tucking the sheets in tightly around him. Turning to the desk to begin his work, a noise of distress sounded softly from the boy causing him to spin around quickly in concern. "Is something the matter, Damon?" Damon nodded his head yes then just as quickly shook his head no. "I-I just…Can you lay with me?" Damon whispered as if speaking any louder would cause Niklaus to say no to him instantly.

Glancing at his work and then the bed, Niklaus nodded quickly gathering his work. "Alright, then you have to go to sleep. Deal?" Damon nodded his head eagerly as Niklaus came to lay beside him. His papers clutched tightly in his grip while he laid his ink well on the table by the bedside. Niklaus began his work keeping one eye on Damon who stared at his face intently.

Slowly, Damon moved closer to Niklaus before finally settling with his head resting against the man's side. Damon's hand clutched at Niklaus's shirt tightly as his eyes finally drifted shut and his breathing evened out.

Niklaus lay frozen in his spot as he gazed at the boy laying connected to him through a tight grip on his top. No one had ever trusted him enough to lay by his side in such a manner. No one since Henrik that is and he could not help but, feel his dead heart ache at the thought that the boy was so starved for the gentle hand of a parent that he would trust a stranger so readily.

Never again would he allow Damon to suffer at the hands of another. He would do everything in his power to protect the boy for all of eternity. After all, he was family now and family meant, Always and Forever.

Damon moved quickly through the cabin as he got ready for the night. The last thing he wanted to do was go to a high school dance as a chaperone but, Klaus was supposed to be there. If he wanted to find out what was going on he would have to research what he could on this end while Liberty took care of everything on hers.

With any luck, one of them would be able to manifest the answers they were looking for. Damon's eyes surveyed the pendant as it hung softly against his chest, he didn't understand how one little thing could lead to so much attention.

The vibrating of his phone broke him from his stupor, a quick glance told him that it was time to head over to the school for the stupid dance. He hoped against hope that Klaus was actually there and that this would not be a massive waste of his time. The gym was packed with teenage bodies, strobe lights streaming everywhere, and music pounding through the air as the DJ kept up with the requests. His eyes scanned the dance floor as he made an effort to keep himself separate from the scooby-gang. The last thing he needed to happen was for there to be a repeat of what happened in the alley in a school full of witnesses and original vampires.

He paused in his search as his eye's landed on Alaric standing in the middle of the room. He looked anxious like he was waiting for something to happen, his hands fidgeted every now and then twisting and turning around each other. Damon hadn't even known about the dance until he got Ric's text.

60's dance at the school tonight. Klaus is supposed to be there. You're

down as a chaperone.

Ric

He had spent the better part of an hour debating actually going to the dance before ultimately deciding that he couldn't trust the scooby gang not to trade his life for Elena's. Throughout all of this Ric was the one who at least had tried to be a good friend and warn him about their plans. Sadly, Damon knew his loyalty couldn't be completely trusted with him dating Elena's aunt.

A dead niece did not a relationship make after all especially if she found out that he had chosen Damon over Elena.

"Damon." Elijah's hand brushed softly against his shoulder blades effectively bringing his train of thought to a screeching halt. His eyes broke away from where he had been eyeing his friend to fall onto Elijah's broad form. "I did not expect to see you tonight. In fact, perhaps it would be best for you to head home, it tends to be dangerous for those connected to certain individuals to be out and about."

Damon bit back a laugh at Elijah's subtle attempt at warning him off before shrugging off Elijah's hand that lay firmly on his shoulder. "Since, you seem to be the only one who knows the true connection that would make you the threat wouldn't it, Elijah?" Elijah's eyes narrowed and his voice lowered significantly as he whispered fervently, "I wouldn't hurt you, Damon. You must know that. So long as you breathe I'll be keeping you safe and within close proximity." Elijah finished his words with barely a foot of room between the two of them.

His words rang loudly in Damon's ears, "Is that a threat?" Damon forced the smirk to lay carefully on his face as he took in the towering form of the original. A smug grin forced its way onto Elijah's face, his eyes deadly.

"A promise. You should know that once claimed by one of the Mikaelsons you are claimed by all of them. So, you should heed my warnings when I say go home and stay as far from Niklaus as you possibly can. I can not promise your complete safety if he manages to gain possession of you." "If you want me to trust your judgment then maybe you should learn to trust me with the truth. For instance, How do you know so much about Klaus?"

Damon watched carefully for any indication of an answer in Elijah's gaze but, as soon as it appeared he might actually reveal something his expression turned completely blank. Confusion seeped through Damon but, he soon got his answer as to why he went silent when Alaric strode up to them concern clearly etched along his features.

"What seems to be the problem?" Alaric questioned an aggravated edge clear in his voice as he took a place on Damon's left hiding him from the wandering gazes of Elena's group.

"No problem at all, I assure you. Damon and I were just…catching up. If you'll excuse me." Elijah disappeared into the sea of teenagers, blending in perfectly as he left Alaric and Damon standing near the entrance.

Klaus swallowed down the growl that was threatening to rip its way from his throat as he stared at his brother's retreating figure. Of course, his brother would find a way to get in his path. He was not afraid to admit that he wanted his brother as far from Damon as possible, at least, until he had broken the curse that is.

Now, here Elijah was getting close and trying to fill Damon's head with stories of him. Normally, he wouldn't care if someone feared him but, Damon was the last person he wanted to be afraid of him.

If Damon started to believe the stories Elijah told, Klaus feared that Damon would refuse to join him when all was said and done. It sounded really childish, even to Klaus's ears, but, he had found Damon first. He had called dibs on the boy when he had adopted him back in 1850 and yes dibs counted, Klaus would rip the heart out of anyone who claimed otherwise.

"—Klaus?" Klaus startled out of his thoughts as he heard his name leave his cub's lips. "What?"

"I said, Have you seen Klaus? Are you feeling okay, Ric? You're acting a little out of it." Concern flitted through Damon's gaze as he stared at the motionless figure of his best friend. Klaus cleared his throat as he shot Damon a smile, "I'm fine. Just concerned is all. I don't like leaving you alone when so many people are after you. I have not seen anyone who could be Klaus though." He had to admit it felt really awkward to speak of himself in the third person but, he was slowly getting used to it.

"Aw, Ric I didn't know you cared so much." Damon joked, "It hit me right in the feels." A snort escaped Klaus as Damon brought his hand to his chest while feigning a swoon. His son had certainly gotten more dramatic and theatrical over the years; he relished the precious time he got to see his boy act as himself, instead of closed off. It seemed every time he was around any of the doppelganger's little clique, his blackbird became a shadow of himself.

The very display of it made Klaus want to rage as his son became everything he never was in order to make others happy. Now that he was with him again, he would never let his cub hide who he really was ever again. He would burn the world to the ground to keep his child safe from harm even if it meant going against his siblings to do so.

He allowed a small smile to grace his lips as the DJ finally came on to issue the dedication he had made earlier. "This is to Damon from Klaus." Elijah froze as the gym was suddenly filled with the song 'One Call Away', his eyes immediately scouring the room for any sign of Damon. A persistent hand pulled at his suit jacket as he finally, laid eyes on Damon who was busy searching the gym himself.

It was clear to Elijah that Damon had no recollection of ever having met his younger brother. As it stood Elijah could not fathom a reason as to why Niklaus was doing what he was. With Miss. Gilbert it was at least obvious his intentions but, until now Elijah could not for the life of him guess the motives he had for Damon.

The dedication made it perfectly clear to him now, Niklaus intended to take the boy as his own. Damon would be forever by Niklaus's side whether he be willing or unwilling. The tugging on his arm became even more persistent until, he finally turned to the source, annoyance radiating through his blood. "May I help you, Miss. Gilbert?" "I know everyone here and I haven't been able to find Klaus anywhere." "He will show himself when he is ready." As Elijah spoke he watched Damon wander off with the history teacher, Alaric out of the corner of his eye.

Perhaps it was paranoia or maybe he truly saw something but, Elijah quickly bade Elena goodbye before heading for the door that they had just left through. His gaze narrowed as he took in the empty hallway that stood before him. He could not deny the way his flesh prickled immediately after having stepped into the room.

Jonas stood at his back, his gaze sweeping the room. At the end of the hall, Alaric came strolling out of a classroom sans Damon. "Niklaus."

The name sounded deafening in the silence of the hallway. "So, it seems you did find me, dear brother." Klaus mocked as he stood at the other end of the hallway. "Where is the eldest Salvatore boy?" Elijah ground out as he stepped ever closer to him. "None of your bloody concern." Klaus growled, the sound reverberating through the room as if amplified by a speaker.

"Niklaus?" Elijah called out inquiringly as he stepped closer. "You just keep getting in my way Elijah." Klaus moved to attack Elijah but, was quickly thrown back as Jonas stepped in.

A laugh bubbled up from Klaus as he stood with his arms spread out wide. "Please. Go right ahead. If you kill this body I can always go find another one. Perhaps, that boy of yours." Jonas growled lowly through his teeth as he hit Klaus with another blast, knocking him back further.

While Jonas handled Klaus, Elijah started looking through the classrooms in search of Damon. Each door led to dead end after dead end before he finally found him laid flat out on a desk in the last room.

"Damon." Elijah breathed, a quick glance back showed that Niklaus and Jonas were still in the throes of battle. Elijah shot into the room like a cannon, his hands coming to cup the sides of Damon's face softly. "Little one, you need to wake up." He hissed as he shook him gently.

Fear bubbled in his throat burning through his veins as all his attempts to wake Damon were in vain. The sounds of fighting that had previously been so prominent came to an abrupt halt, the hall filling with an unbroken silence.

Elijah did not have to look back to know that Jonas had perished at the hands of his younger brother. So long as there were no more interruptions Niklaus would be joining him and Damon shortly. There was still time to leave before Niklaus got to them but, he found he could not leave the young boy he had come to care for behind for Niklaus to find.

Elijah moved quickly, barricading the classroom door, he ensured Damon was tightly within his grasp before he tore from the building leaving a fuming Niklaus in his wake.

Rage. It encompassed him like a burning fire as he finally broke into the room his brother had fortified him and Niklaus's blackbird in. He had left his boy alone for 10 minutes to handle the threat that was posed to the both of them and now he was gone. It felt as if the world was crumbling at his feet 154 years of looking for his son only to lose him mere minutes after gaining him back.

Klaus swallowed the despair threatening to envelop him and tore from the school. He no longer cared to play games with the doppelganger. All that mattered at the moment was finding where his wayward elder brother had taken his boy.

Everything had been perfectly planned out for tonight but, of course, his buzzkill elder brother had to make a mess of his fun per usual. Katherine froze as the still-fuming Klaus tore into the apartment. "Long night?" A growl tore from Klaus's throat as he rounded on her.

"Where would my brother go if he was hiding in this bloody town?" Klaus pinned Katherine to the wall, his eyes burning brightly as he continuously added pressure with every second she didn't respond.

"H-his warlocks may have an apartment. I don't know. Elijah and I haven't really been on speaking terms." The door opened with a soft creak as they stood there, "You ready to get out of that body?" Klaus stepped back allowing Katherine to drop away from the wall and to the ground.

"Absolutely. As soon as we are finished, I have another task for you." Maddox nodded as he pulled out his grimoire, his brow furrowing in concentration on the spell he was about to perform.

"Are you certain it will work?" Elijah had tried everything after leaving the school to awaken the boy and nothing had worked. Jonas after having awakened at the school had immediately met him at the old witch house. It seemed the spell they had done to keep Jonas alive in case he perished had worked. As far as Niklaus would know Jonas had died in the school and would not be able to interfere with his ritual.

Elijah feared compulsion had been performed on Damon and if that were so there would be nothing they would be able to do until Niklaus was dead. When he had mentioned this to Jonas, he had brushed it off. Jonas had mentioned a spell that could erase any and all compulsion from the boy but, doing so would cause extreme pain. "Yes, if we do the spell and he is unconscious due to compulsion he will wake up. Moreover, he'll remember everything that has ever been compelled away. It will be as if he has never been compelled before."

While Elijah was more than willing to assure the boy's safety, he hesitated at the mere thought of causing harm to the one he had sworn to protect. Elijah's eyes caught on Jonas's as he contemplated the path in front of him. His eyes radiated with power and interest as he watched the 1000+-year-old Original in front of him.

Elijah swallowed thickly before looking at the boy, his sleeping form relaxed as he lay unaware of the decisions being made for him. "Do it." The words sounded so final in the empty basement of the old witch's house.

"Alright then." Jonas nodded as he grabbed the grimoire from his bag beside him and flipped to the correct page. The room darkened as the candles surrounding them began to burn. Elijah found himself wishing and praying for the safety of the child he sat beside as the spell commenced. He had already lost most of his family, he refused to lose another.