AN: Wow, please don't kill me! I'm so sorry for the long delay. I just couldn't get in the zone for a couple of months and I'm not really sure why. My obsessive tendencies had me doing other things and I couldn't concentrate on this, no matter how in love with Joseph Morgan I am. So I'm sorry! I hope you like it and please tell me what you think.

Nameless Fable: I'm so glad you liked the stories! I'm sorry the delay was so long, but I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Guest: Here's an update!

Federica01: Sorry for the delay! Here's an update.

Karen: Thanks for reading! I hope you like this chapter.

Guest: I don't speak this language, but I think you said to post a new chapter. So here you go!

Sblck: Good questions and they'll be answered in the next few chapters. Kol was really hard to write since I really don't have much to base his character off of, so I'm really just making him up as I go. I hope you like it!

Guest: Here's a new chapter! I hope you like it.

CasieGracie96: Thanks so much! I hope you like this chapter. Let me know!

Rosa: Unfortunately, I'll not be bringing Henrik back to life. He died over a thousand years ago, so it'd be really impossible. The only reason Esther was able to come back was because the witch Ayana cast a preservation spell on her body and she used the Bennett line to come back. Sorry!

MusicalLover17: Thanks so much! I'm so happy you like the story so far!

Sailingsuperstar2016: Here's a new chapter! I hope you like it! Let me know.

Monsta-Starr: I'm so glad you like how I'm portraying Klaus. I feel sometimes that I get his character better than the show writers, lol. But that's just because I'm a little in love with him, haha. Please don't pull your hair out! I'm so sorry about the long wait. I just couldn't get in the zone. But I'm back, so enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Storylover: Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked the last chapter, as it was a doozy to get started, lol. I'm excited to see where I take Kol, and yet a bit nervous since I've never actually read or written anything with Kol being a strong presence. I hope I get his personality right. (Fingers crossed)

Atlafan1286: Sorry about the last chapter's delay. I'm so happy you like the direction I'm going with the characters! I've tried to make them more human since their emotions are all on and they've got friends and Klaus has a girlfriend. I just think if someone would have genuinely been the siblings' friend, they would've acted a little differently than they did on the show. I hope you like this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to TVD.

Chapter 16: Finding Answers

The sunlight slanting over the bed woke her, the light too bright for Sophia to dismiss. She really needed to talk to Klaus about getting black-out blinds so she could sleep in more often, seeing as their bedroom faced east and the rising sun was always their companion. In this one instance, her boyfriend being a more stereotypical vampire would definitely benefit her.

Knowing sleep was out of her reach, the witch slowly sat up and rubbed at her eyes until they were clear. Glancing at the digital clock, she saw it was only 6, making her shake her head before her eyes landed on the prone body next to hers.

Klaus was still asleep, his arm thrown over his eyes to block out the light as the sheet and duvet pooled around his hips. Sophia bit her lip, just as affected by him now as she'd been the first time she'd seen him hovering over her while she'd been shackled to the bed. She thought she'd have gotten used to his beauty by now, but it was just the opposite; the longer she was with him, the more obsessed with him she became. It certainly couldn't be healthy.

Moving slowly so as to not jar him, Sophia slid over so she was kneeling next to his side, her leg pressing against him. She gently tugged the covering down until he was bare before her, making the witch's heart begin to pound in her chest as she looked over his perfect form. His workouts had paid off, giving his once lean figure more definition and making it hard for the girl to resist him whenever he had his shirt off. Which the hybrid used against her as often as he could.

Fingertips lightly skimmed over his hip bone, tracing the small mole that decorated it before glancing up, making sure Klaus hadn't woken before letting her hand trailed to his flaccid member. Biting her lip, she encircled the soft flesh and leaned forward to lightly kiss along his chest, her teeth nibbling at his skin as she worked her hand.

It only took a few strokes before blood was filling him, making Sophia smile against his dark nipple before she started moving down, her lips and tongue finding every dip and rise of his muscles as she went. As she moved, Sophia had a fleeting thought that she was thankful Klaus wasn't one of those guys that were covered in hair, which just made the witch roll her eyes at herself before concentrating again on what she was doing.

When a large hand wrapped itself in her hair, Sophia glanced up with a smirk and nipped at his hip, eyes meeting Klaus's still clouded ones. Not wanting the mood to be broken by words, she blew across his heated flesh, making the hybrid give a slight shudder. Smiling to herself, the brunette gave the head a kiss before enveloping it, Klaus's hips giving a small jerk as the warm wetness of her mouth surrounded him.

Sophia kept eye contact as she started working, the hybrid's eyes hooded and smoldering with want. The eyes alone were making her body tingle and her core to become slick, forcing her to clench her thighs together to try and ease a little of the need. She wasn't ready to release him yet, even if that meant forcing herself to prolong her own torture.

Releasing him, Sophia let her tongue move down his length, one hand holding the base firmly while the other stroked the inside of his thigh, the action heightening his sensitivity even more. She set a slow and agonizing pace, alternating between licking and sucking, getting a thrill when Klaus's hand tightened in her hair or when his hips would buck off the bed, his pretty mouth dropping curses when she denied him.

Sophia released him after several minutes, her own body's demands too loud to ignore now. Tugging on her lip with her teeth, she swung her leg over his hips and settled over him, hands resting against his chest as his came to grip her hips. They didn't need words, their eyes locked together as he positioned himself and she lowered her body, both giving quiet moans as he was finally encased within her.

Reaching down, Sophia interlaced their fingers as she began a slow pace, their gazes never breaking as she began to ride him. They were usually too overcome with their passion to go slow, so she was enjoying the gentleness of this, feeling even closer to him than she normally did. Klaus didn't try to speed things up either; he let her set the pace and he met it with everything he felt for the witch until she was breathless from it.

It wasn't often that Klaus spoke of his feelings, as he thought it made him look weak and that wasn't something he was ever willing to look. But here, now, he told her everything she ever needed to know, all without saying a word. Their bodies spoke to each other more honestly than words could ever convey, pulling them even closer together than ever before. Their bond was unbreakable and grew stronger every single day.

Klaus flipped them over so she was resting against his pillow, his scent surrounding her and making her head buzz as he moved above her and making her gasp at the new angle. Klaus rested their hands up by her shoulders as he resumed their slow movements, her legs wrapping around him to secure him to her as her back arched.

Smirking, Klaus leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, the witch too caught up in pleasure to be concerned about their morning breath. He tugged her bottom lip with his teeth, always envious of hers when she bites it, his tongue soothing the sting before his lips trailed down to her neck and down to her breasts.

Giving each swell a kiss, Klaus rested his face against her heaving chest as his eyes closed, trying to force his body to calm down. She just felt so good around him, her inner muscles contracting in the most delicious way that he had to fight his need to pound into her. Sophia wanted slow and sweet and that's what she was going to get, no matter what his own body demanded.

Sophia wiggled her right hand out of his so her fingers could grip his hair, her back arched as she kept him against her, the pressure beginning to build within her. Klaus took his free hand and wedged it between their bodies, nimble fingers finding her pulsing nub and giving it a few strokes. Sophia threw her head back in a silent scream as stars burst behind her eyes, nails digging into his scalp and drawing blood as she clenched around him tightly.

Giving a few more jerks of his hips, he followed her, spilling within her heat and drawing out her orgasm, her toes curing against the backs of his thighs. Klaus lifted his face so he could watch her as she continued to shudder, his lips stretched into a pleased smirk as his own body went through aftershocks. This was certainly the way he wanted to wake up for the rest of eternity.

They remained like that for several minutes, both supernatural creatures trying to get their breathing under control as their bodies cooled down and relaxed. Klaus rested his chin on her chest as he continued to watch her, Sophia's eyes opening to meet his, her fingers coming up to trace his sharp cheekbones and give a small smile.

"Good morning." Klaus's voice was husky and sent a small shiver through her, making him smirk wider and the teen rolled her eyes, knowing he was very pleased with himself.

"Good morning." She echoed, fingers falling to his mouth. He nipped at the digits playfully, making the witch smile and give a soft laugh before he rolled off her, bringing her with him so that she was resting against his chest.

They laid in a contented silence, Klaus's hand stroking up and down her smooth back while she mimicked the movement on his arm, both just happy to be together. It was still early, so they had some time before they had to face the rest of the world. For now, they could simply be together, not bothered by anything or anyone. It was really too bad it couldn't last forever.

/*/

"I was beginning to think you two wouldn't be joining the rest of the world this morning." Sophia blushed at Elijah's words as they stepped into the kitchen, where the elegant vampire was sitting with the daily paper and a cup of coffee.

"It was tempting; but I'm the only one who can wake Kol, so no such luck."

Elijah gave her a small smile while Klaus moved over to the coffee pot to make them both a cup. He'd have liked to stay locked away all day, but Eric would be arriving today and he knew the longer Kol was forced to remain asleep the angrier he'd be. And the hybrid really didn't have the patience to deal with his little brother on a good day, so he didn't want to push it.

"Yes, I believe waking Kol sooner rather than later would be for the best. He can be quite testy."

Sophia gave a light laugh as she took the mug Klaus offered and sat down next to the older Mikaelson, tugging on the paper until she could see the day's headlines. Elijah arched a brow at her, but she just shrugged and tugged on the paper again, giving a bright smile when he rolled his eyes and released it. Klaus hid a chuckle as Sophia got her way, finding the entire thing amusing as the witch really could get anything she wanted. He had trouble saying no to her, that was for sure.

"When's Bekah coming over?" Sophia asked as she flipped through the paper, looking for anything interesting that was going on in their little town.

"She said she'd be here soon. She needed to visit the next town over to get something to eat."

"Wait, what?" The witch's eyes flicked over to Elijah, her mouth pulled down into a frown.

"I'm sure she'll leave them alive, love. You know she won't risk upsetting you." Klaus said, getting a nod from his brother.

"Yes, she wouldn't risk your wrath. You know Rebekah, she grows tired of things quickly, and so trying to get her to remain on blood bags was an impossible quest." Sophia sighed heavily, hoping her friend really would leave her breakfast alive. She didn't want to think about the other possibility, as it just was not okay.

"She better. So I guess we should go wake Kol up." Klaus gave a sigh as his lips pulled down in a pout, not looking forward to what was to come.

"Yes, I think that's best." Elijah agreed and stood, taking his dirty cup to the sink. He grabbed a couple bags of blood, knowing his brother would need to replenish himself after his long sleep.

"Well c'mon, you big baby."

Sophia grabbed Klaus's hand and pulled him from the table, laughing at the look he gave her as they all made their way towards the sitting room the younger vampire was sleeping in. It was one of the last rooms on the main floor that wasn't decorated yet, making it ideal for the temperamental Mikaelson to be awoken in, as there wasn't a lot he could break.

The room was bright, an overhead light not needed as the ungarnished windows allowed sunlight to fill the room. Taking a deep breath, Sophia moved over to Kol, lightly resting her hand on his forehead as she closed her eyes, concentrating on releasing the sleeping spell she'd cast the night before. Once she felt the enchantment lift, she moved back to stand next to the other two while they waited for the vampire to wake up.

It didn't take very long before the man was shooting up off the couch, eyes wild as he searched his surroundings. When he saw Klaus, Kol gave a snarl and launched himself at the older man, completely disregarding the fact that he was still very weak in his anger. Klaus slammed his brother against the wall, holding him there by his throat as Kol continued to snarl, fangs bared.

"Do you really think you can take me, Kol?" The hybrid demanded, glaring at him.

"I'll kill you!" Kol spit out, struggling against the restraining hands.

"Do not make me regret pulling that dagger from your heart, brother." Klaus said quietly before releasing him, not even fazed by the threats. Elijah tossed the younger man a bag, which Kol caught before it could hit the wall, thankfully. Sophia didn't like the thought of having to clean blood off the wall and floor. Ew.

Kol glared at them as his fangs sank into the plastic, not even bothering with the tube as he sucked it dry. He'd been dead for a century and was hungry, so give him a break. He greedily took the second bag when he'd finished the first, not leaving a drop in either before a tossed the empty bags away, making the witch roll her eyes at his manners. Seriously, alive for more than a thousand years and he couldn't even be polite. Ass.

"I might not be able to kill you. But I can kill your doppelgänger." Kol said before vamping to Sophia and baring his fangs, grabbing her roughly by the throat and glaring at Klaus.

"I would remove your hand before you regret it." Sophia said quietly, not an ounce of fear in her voice.

"I would listen to her Kol." Klaus said casually, not showing the reaction he'd been hoping for. Kol narrowed his eyes and tightened his hand, lunging for her throat to drain her.

The vampire went flying until he slammed into the wall, the drywall crumbling under the impact. The only reason he didn't go through the wall was because the barrier spell was still in place, thankfully preventing him from doing any damage to the room next door. Kol scrambled up to his feet before falling back to his knees, hands clutching his head as the most agonizing pain started in his brain.

"You really should know better than to threaten a witch, Kol. I'm going to tell you this one time and one time only. If you ever come at me again like that, or try to kill Klaus, I'll lock you in a perpetual state of agony, never able to break free. It'll drive you insane, but there'll be nothing you can do about it and no one will be able to help you. There are worse things than death and I won't hesitate to experiment on you if you threaten me or Klaus again. Do you understand?" Sophia asked in a quiet tone as she squatted in front of him, her hand gripping his chin so he had to meet her eyes.

Taking his pained groan as ascent, she released the spell and stepped back, Klaus's arm coming around her waist and pulling her into his side as they watched Kol struggle to his feet. Elijah just sighed, knowing things could get a lot worse before they got better if his brother didn't listen, if he let his temper get the better of him. Hopefully they'd be able to get through this quickly and move on, as he didn't relish in the thought of this being drawn out any longer than it had to be.

"Alright, so since that was taken care of, we should probably fill Kol in on everything that's happened. It's a lot, so we should get started." Sophia said after a moment, pulling Klaus over to the couch to perch on, motioning for him to start. She'd been the one to explain everything to Elijah, so she thought it was Klaus's turn to step up to the plate.

The older brothers exchanged a look before Klaus launched into the long story, explaining everything that'd occurred since Kol had been daggered. It was a very humbling experience, as he had to admit to his failings, but Rebekah and Elijah had both forgiven him, so he could only hope Kol did as well. Not that he'd ever cared what the younger man thought of him; not anywhere near to how much Elijah's opinion had mattered. But he was family and Klaus wanted his family to be whole again.

/*/

"You know, people do still use the doorbell." Bonnie didn't acknowledge the vampire's irritated remark as she moved into the room, sensing that he was the only one in the house. Perfect.

"I need your help."

"And why would I help you? We don't exactly like each other." Damon said as he stood to refill his glass, a little grateful for the interruption. Not that he'd ever tell the witch that. But before she'd shown up, he'd been wallowing about the date Stefan and Elena were on, trying to 'reconnect' and all that crap.

"This isn't a request, Damon. I've been having dreams about the coffins Klaus keeps his family locked away in; there's one in particular that we need to get. The visions are telling me that it's the way we're going to kill him." Bonnie said in a monotone voice, her face completely blank. The vampire arched a brow as he watched her, noting how strange she was acting.

"And why would we do that? After the utter failure that was my last attempt, I was tortured for hours and nearly drained by your psychotic witch sister. I don't really have any desire to repeat that."

"I need to find my mother; she's the key to everything. I'm sure you can find a way to find an Abby Bennett quickly and we can set out. Call me when you find her." Bonnie continued as if he hadn't even spoken before turning and walking back out, leaving Damon completely bewildered.

"I didn't agree to this!" He yelled out, making the retreating witch turn sharply on her heal and narrow her eyes at him. Damon gasped as his body began to burn from the inside, feeling as if there was a fire under his skin, incinerating his organs.

"I told you you didn't have a choice. Now find my mother." Bonnie said in her dead voice once more before leaving, the spell only releasing the vampire once the front door had closed.

Damon leaned heavily against the couch, trying to catch his breath as his nerve endings started repairing themselves. Something was seriously up with Bonnie, that much was crystal clear. But he figured it'd be best to just do as she asked so he could keep an eye on her to try and figure out what was going on before he brought it to the others. Now he just had to find this mysterious Abby Bennett, who he'd have to guess hadn't been in Mystic Falls for a long time if her daughter didn't know where she was. Fun.

/*/

"What are you doing here?" Caroline demanded when she walked into her living room to see Tyler seated on her couch. The hybrid stood and approached her, hands in his pockets.

"I love you, Care." The blonde softened a little, the knot in her chest loosening.

"I love you too. But that doesn't negate the fact that you're loyal to Klaus now. I know he hasn't done anything to us recently, but how will I ever be able to truly trust you? Sophia might trust Klaus, but I don't. He tried to kill Bonnie; he did kill the twins! I just, I can't forget that the way she has. And with you sired to him, I don't think I can ever feel safe with you." Caroline said quietly, arms wrapping around herself as she voiced what she'd been hiding from.

"I know. That's why I had your mom call him." He motioned with his head to the side, Bill Forbes stepping into view.

"Daddy?" Caroline questioned in disbelief, the last time she'd seen her father running through her mind.

"Hi, Caroline." Bill gave a smile.

"I thought that since he could resist compulsion, maybe he could teach me to resist the sire bond. I asked to become a hybrid knowing about the bond, but I'd do whatever it takes to make you happy. And if that means breaking it and not being loyal to Klaus, than that's what I'm gonna do." The vampire's eyes widened as she looked between the two, amazed this was actually happening.

"Can you help him?" She asked her dad with wide, hopeful eyes, wanting her boyfriend back.

"I'm going to try." Caroline gave a bright smile, thinking things were finally looking up. She didn't spare a thought about how this might affect anyone else, too focused on getting her life back just the way she wanted it.

/*/

Eric and Rebekah had both arrived during the explanation, interrupting their talk and allowing the hybrid to escape before he'd had to finish. Kol'd been a lot easier to speak with than Elijah because the younger man really didn't care that much about most of it; except for Klaus killing their mother and daggering him. Those were really the only two things Kol seemed concerned with; everything else was just unnecessary information that he could care less about.

Elijah remained behind the others to tell Kol the rules for living in Mystic Falls, as he was the only one his brother would listen to. Kol was always trying to get to both Klaus and Rebekah, so the oldest sibling saw it as his duty to make sure the impulsive man knew how things ran and that there would be consequences if he decided those rules didn't apply to him. And after Sophia's little demonstration, Elijah knew his brother got the picture, even if he detested it.

Sophia and Klaus made their way into the ball room holding hands, Rebekah trailing behind them as she scrolled through her phone, wanting to see if there was any new gossip at the high school that'd interest her. Eric had set up in the spacious room because he had a large create situated on the floor, which had been pried open so they could peer inside.

What greeted them wasn't what Sophia'd expected. Sure, she knew the vampire Klaus had kept a prisoner had died, but she hadn't know about the other two; they were all positioned inside the wood and hay like ancient artefacts, as disturbing as that was. Two men and one woman, all tinged blue with veins highly pronounced under their skin.

"This is why I was late. My contacts have reported many more unusual and sudden deaths of vampires; these two were the ones closest so I thought the more we had, the better chance of finding out what happened." Eric explained when Klaus gave him an arched look, releasing Sophia's hand to squat next to the crate.

"They've all been without a single mark?" The hybrid questioned as he examined one of the men, shifting the clothing around to try and see any entry wound.

"No, nothing. They all just…dropped dead." Sophia and Rebekah moved to the other side so they could see, the vampire copying her brother's pose while the witch remained standing, not wanting to get any closer to the bodies than need be. It was just…gross.

"You say there have been others like this?" Rebekah questioned with a quirked brow as she lifted the woman's arm up to get a closer look.

"Yeah, all around the world. The number's up to a few hundred already." Eric answered after a glance at Klaus.

"What could kill so many vampires? Without leaving any evidence?" Sophia's eyes flicked up to see Elijah coming into the room, buttoning his suit jacket and looking as elegant as always. Her ears perked up when she heard the rushing of water, meaning he'd most likely pointed Kol in the direction of the shower.

"I don't know." Klaus muttered, the anger at not having answers clear in his tone. Standing, the hybrid turned his eyes to lock on his girl.

"Is there any way for you to find out how they died? How their deaths are linked?" He asked as he walked over to her, his hand finding her arm as he peered down into her doe eyes.

"Maybe. I'll have to look through some grimoires and it may take some time to prepare. I'll get started." Sophia said, leaning up to give him a chaste kiss before she sauntered out of the room, thinking one of the books Gabby had sent probably had something that might help.

/*/

"Come to spy on me, Elijah? I told Nik it'd take some time before the spell would be complete." Sophia murmured as the ancient man's presence came into the greenhouse, where she was situated within a purification circle, grimoire spread out before her. She as surrounded by lit candles and bowls holding fresh herbs, the spell she was evoking needing more materials than she was used to needing, as it was very old.

"Niklaus did not send me, Sophia. I simply wished to get some fresh air and thought I may keep you company. That is, if you do not protest?" Elijah said with a questioning look, which Sophia answered with a shrug, not really bothered by him being there.

"What exactly are you doing?" The Original asked as he leaned against one of the tables that housed pots of flowers. Klaus had had the greenhouse constructed specifically for Sophia, so that she had somewhere to perform her magic the way Greta and Maddox had had. Witches needed to be close to nature, and since living out in the woods was out of the question, this was the best option.

"Before the development of modern medicine, which I'm sure you know plenty about, since you're so old and all, witches would use a revelation enchantment to show how their coven members died, since it wasn't often that they went to physicians. Hopefully the spell will give us some hint as to what killed all those vampires." Sophia explained as she started crushing herbs with a pestle, glancing back at the grimoire to make sure she was doing as it said.

"What type of indication will it provide?" Elijah asked, curious. He'd been alive longer than it was bearable sometimes, but he was always fascinated to learn new things.

"I'm not sure really. I have to spread these herbs on the bodies, so maybe it'll highlight an area of the body or lead us to the cause, like contaminated water or something. I dunno." She gave a small shrug, not really sure as the book didn't specify.

"Hopefully whatever has killed the vampires is not contagious and you are not in danger. I doubt there's anything on this earth that could rein my brother in if something were to happen to you." Sophia glanced up at his words, cheeks flushing a little at the look he gave her.

"I feel fine, so I don't think it's contagious or anything. Eric didn't mention any reports of humans or witches falling prey to it, so I think it's a vampire only thing. We need to figure it out before it can kill any more vampires, though. I don't want Stefan to catch it. Or Caroline, even if she's being an uber bitch right now."

"Well, Eric's been exposed to the bodies longer than anyone, so if he has caught it, then I think the others should be safe. Or at least, he hasn't shown any signs of being ill."

"Hmm. Okay, I need to concentrate, so no talking." She wagged her finger at him, making the vampire's lips twitch into a smile, finding her adorable. It was easy to see, now that he wasn't blinded by revenge, how his brother had fallen for the little witch. She was passionate, strong, and loyal; she was everything his brother needed in a mate.

"Et adiecit Dominus, qui rapto vivere, caesa ligamina perspicuum, mortis oculus, manus, ut nudare" Sophia chanted quietly over the crushed plants, repeating the spell five times for the elements and the spirit, beaming when there was a spark of light before it faded.

"Yes! The herbs are spelled now. Once sprinkled over the bodies, we should learn something." The witch commented as she stood up with the mortar in hand, the candles extinguishing themselves as she stepped out of the circle.

"Fantastic. The sooner this mystery is solved, the happier we shall all be." Elijah nodded as he stood up straighter, moving to follow her before Sophia spun around, knocking into his chest. His hands shot out to steady her before stepping back, brow arched in question to her sudden reversal.

"There's something that's bothered me for a while; since I did the spell on Nik that showed me his memories. From what I've seen, you pride yourself on being an honorable man, a man of nobility." Sophia bit her lip as she gazed up him, her eyes imploring him; to do what, he wasn't sure.

"Yes." He agreed, not knowing where she was going with this.

"Then tell me, please, how you allowed Mikael to beat on Nik since he was a small child?" Elijah's eyes widened a fraction and he took a step back in shock, not having expected that. The guilt he'd carried since he was human gripped his heart painfully, his shame coming back with a vengeance.

"I—"

"He was a baby, Elijah! I witness him, no older than three when the beatings started. THREE! How could you just let it happen? I mean, I get that you were little when it started, but you never stopped it either. When you got old enough, big enough, you never stood up to Mikael to defend him. How could you just do nothing?" Sophia demanded, her eyes glassy with tears as she thought about the horrific memories she'd been witness to.

Elijah looked like he'd been punched in the face, his expression one of shock and guilt. She knew it wasn't really relevant, as it'd been a thousand years, but she just couldn't understand how the man before her had let such a tragedy continue for so long. It made no sense to her.

"Mikael broke Nik's arm when he was twelve. Do you remember that? He'd been play sword fighting with a local boy and Mikael got mad that he'd lost, so he snapped his arm. Like it was nothing; like he wasn't affected by the screaming or the tears. You let that…that monster terrorize your little brother and you did nothing. Nothing!" Sophia was crying as she looked up at him in betrayal, not able to keep the tears at bay as she thought about the broken little boy that'd turned into a broken man.

"I—"

"It was a long time ago, love. No need to trudge up old memories." The two turned to see Klaus standing at the entrance of the greenhouse, face pinched in a scowl with his arms crossed over his chest.

"No…no, I have long wanted to address my failure, Niklaus. I should have stopped father; it was my duty as your older brother to protect you, and I was unsuccessful. I failed you and it has been my greatest sin in our long lives. There are no words I can ever say that will undo what I did or ask for your forgiveness." Elijah said quietly, eyes downcast as he finally put voice to his greatest shame.

"Elijah…"

"Brother, Niklaus, I'm truly sorry I never stood up to Mikael, that I allowed him to subject you to such treatment. I've tried to make up for it over the centuries, but much like you have never felt truly one of us, despite Rebekah's and I's attempts to convince you otherwise, I have never felt truly forgiven for the role I played in Mikael's treatment of you. All I can do is hope that you can find it within yourself to forgive me." Klaus closed his eyes as his brother spoke, the long buried pain of his human life throbbing in his chest. It was amazing that even after a millennia his past could hurt so much.

"I have not been the brother you deserve either, Elijah. We have both made mistakes, but it's time to lay the past to rest and move on." Klaus said after a moment, eyes flicking over to land on Sophia, as it was her existence in his life that allowed him to finally open his heart.

Elijah nodded, nothing more needing to be said between them as he stepped forward to grasp Klaus's hand. He wasn't expecting his younger brother to pull him closer for a quick, hard hug, but he returned it with a small smile. He'd never imagined Klaus could be so open; it was a testament to how much Sophia's presence had changed him.

"C'mon darling, we need to find out what killed these vampires." Klaus said, stepping away from Elijah to wrap and arm around the witch.

Sophia wiped at her cheeks and nodded, still angry with the older Mikaelson on Klaus's behalf. She was glad they'd finally cleared the air, but she couldn't get little Niklaus's pained face out of her mind. She'd just have to move past her own issues with Elijah's actions, or lack of, and be happy the brothers were on better terms. Besides, if Klaus, the victim, could forgive Elijah, than it really wasn't her place to hold on to any anger; it certainly didn't do anyone any good.

The three made their way back into the house, avoiding the movers as they unloaded the truck from the other house, making their way back into the small ballroom. Kol had joined Rebekah and Eric, leaning against the fireplace while the blonde fiddled with her phone again, only looking up when they entered the room.

"Well?" Rebekah demanded, wanting to get this done so she'd know if she needed to be worried about Sophia and Stefan getting sick or not. She wasn't going to be satisfied until their speculation was confirmed true or false.

Sophia stepped away from Klaus's side and walked over to the crate, nose crinkling in distaste at the sight. Reaching into the bowl she carried, the witch grabbed a pinch of crushed, enchanted herbs and sprinkled them over Christopher, before doing the same for the other two corpses. The group all gathered around the box, wanting to see what the spell revealed.

"Maybe your little witch isn't as good as she thought." Kol said after a minute when nothing happened, making Sophia's head whip up with a glare, that he just answered with a smirk.

Truthfully, he was intrigued by Ms. Gilbert, wanting to know more about her and what exactly she'd turned into. He'd always respected and befriended witches in the past, and he didn't see what now would be any different. And if he managed to rile his brother up in the process, well, that was just a bonus.

Before she could retort, the sprinkled herbs began to glow a faint yellow before seeping into the skin. The glow could be seen under the skin as the herbs seemed to travel through the bodies. Sophia nearly jumped back when blood began to seep out of their noses and a thin red line appeared, connecting the bodies.

"What does that mean?" Rebekah asked, glancing up at the others with an arched brow.

"I think…I think it might have something to do with their blood. I mean, the spell is meant to show the cause of death, and then it made them bleed. Which a dead body doesn't normally do, unless you cut into it. Which, gross." Klaus shook his head at her, making the girl blush before giving a shrug.

"When did you say they started dying?" Elijah asked, looking up at Eric.

"I'm not sure. Christopher was fine Friday night and then when I checked on him Saturday night he was dead. The others seemed to have all died sometime Saturday night too." Eric provided.

"What happened Saturday?" Elijah wondered as he titled his head, trying to figure things out.

"Homecoming. Homecoming was Saturday." Sophia said, drawing their attention.

"You mean the night you killed Mikael and didn't wake me." Kol said with a glare, earning an eye roll from his siblings.

"Really Kol, get over it. We've all been daggered. You're nothing special." Rebekah snarked.

"Really you two, now is not the time." Elijah's voice whipped with authority, making the two vampires stand down with a grumble. Sophia swallowed a chuckle, greatly entertained that everyone seemed to defer to the noble man.

"So it's something to do with their blood. But what?" Klaus muttered, examining the bodies, which were beginning to lose the soft glow the spell had created, the cord that'd linked them disappearing.

"It's something they had in common. The link between them means they shared whatever it was that was in their blood." Sophia murmured.

"Maybe it wasn't something in their blood; maybe their share blood." The hybrid said after a moment, eyes jumping up to meet hers as things clicked into place.

"Like they were from the same bloodline?" Elijah wondered, standing up straight.

"From Mikael's bloodline. They died because you killed Mikael." Kol said, his voice showing his shock at the revelation.

"Are you sure? I mean, doesn't that seem a little crazy?" Sophia asked in doubt.

"You're a witch doppelgänger who's now turned into an Original of your own and you think this is crazy?" Sophia conceded Rebekah's point with a sheepish shrug.

"So killing an Original kills their entire bloodline?" Eric asked in alarm.

"It seems so." Klaus nodded, pulling Sophia back against him as he turned away from the crate, his mind working at the possibilities this revelation could mean.

"Let your contacts know that the mystery is solved and that it's in their best interests not to ever attempt to kill one of us." Klaus called back to Eric as the two left the room, getting a confirmation from the vampire before they made their way into the sitting room. The movers seemed to be nearly complete, the designer Klaus's hired (compelled) getting things set up to his specifications.

"I was not expecting that." Sophia said with a shake of her head as they snuggled down into one of the couches, the other siblings trailing behind them.

"Yes, it was a surprise. But at least now we know that it isn't something other vampires, or even you, can catch."

"Hmm. And now Damon and the others will really need to stop trying to kill you, since they don't know who they're descended from. Do you know?" She asked with an arched brow. Klaus shook his head as he reached for his book, glad the mystery was solved so they could move on.

"I'm bored!" Kol grumbled as he slumped into a chair, pouting like a child.

"Why don't you watch TV or something? I gotta go; I told Jenna I'd meet her for lunch at the house." Sophia said, kissing Klaus before standing.

"What's a TV?" She heard Kol ask in confusion as she grabbed her purse and jacket, shaking her head. They were seriously going to need to find something to keep him occupied so he didn't go on a killing rampage out of boredom. She was starting to regret making Klaus undagger him. Well, a little.

/*/

"So, uh, how's the training with Sophia going?" Elena asked after a prolonged silence, needing to fill the air with something. Her and Stefan had gone to The Grill to try and reconnect; but it'd been awkward and confusing, something she'd rarely ever felt around the vampire.

"Good. I've been able to increase my intake a little. Any if I get out of hand…well, Sophia is always ready to knock some sense into me." Stefan said, his expression softening as he thought of his friend and all the work she was putting into helping him.

"Good. Good." The human bobbed her head, wondering once more why things were so stilted with them. She loved him and she hated that this was how their relationship was now.

"Hopefully she'll be able to drill the ripper out of me. Just the thought of hurting someone reminds me of the pain that always accompanies it, so over time, I think my brain will be conditioned not to want to hurt anyone."

"So it's kinda like how Caroline's dad can resist compulsion?" She asked with an arched brow.

"I guess. Actually, it's more like what he tried to do with Caroline, except its killing people that I'm working against, not actually drinking blood. So it should actually work, while that was impossible." Stefan answered, staring down at his drink, fighting the itching in his gums as they talked about feeding. He had enough guilt to last him lifetimes, he wasn't going to let anymore be added to it; plus, he didn't want to disappoint Sophia and the faith she had in him.

Her friendship reminded the vampire of what he had with Lexi, only she wasn't trying to get him off human blood the way his dead best friend had. Lexi had made him go cold turkey, which is what one should do when they were driven by something the way he was blood. But Sophia repeatedly reminded him that if he didn't get a control over his bloodlust, that anytime he fell off the wagon, he'd go on a bender that lasted decades.

And he didn't want that to happen, not again. He'd been controlled by his hunger since he'd become a vampire and killed his father and Stefan just wanted to be free from it. He wanted to be able to be around a bleeding human without wanting to rip their throats out, without blacking out and waking up to find them in pieces. He wanted to retain his humanity.

"Well that's…good. I'm glad she can help you." Elena said quietly, hating that it was her sister and not her that he'd turned to. But the guilt that filled her over her closeness with Damon pushed away every other emotion until she could barely look the younger Salvatore in the eye.

"Yeah." Stefan furrowed his brow as he tried to think of something to say, but he couldn't. It was as if a deep, wide gorge had developed between them and he didn't know how to cross it. It used to be so easy between them.

"I need to tell you something." The doppelgänger said after a minute, unable to keep the secret any more. Stefan quirked a brow at her, sitting back in his chair, waiting for her to continue.

"I…I kissed Damon." She said quietly, throat tightening at the look on his face. The absolute devastation that consumed him before he was able to mask it.

"Oh."

"I'm sorry. I just…I'm so confused about what we are and…"

"You have feelings for him." Stefan said slowly, his gaze tunneling as he tried to get a hold of himself. The urge, the need, to lash out in retribution was almost too much to resist.

"I don't know, Stefan. I don't know what I feel for him. I'm just so confused." She said, her voice breaking.

"Then I guess I'll let you figure that out." Stefan's voice was tight as he stood, pulling his wallet out to drop a twenty on the table.

"Stefan—"

"Don't. I can't look at you right now and it's safer for me to just leave." The vampire said, wrenching his arm away from where she'd grabbed it.

"But I love you."

"I love you too, Elena. But I can't be around you right now. I'm done fighting with my brother over a woman."

Elena watched, her mouth dropped open in an 'o' as he stalked out of the bar, tears unknowing sliding down her cheeks. How had things gotten so complicated? With trembling hands she pushed out of her seat and grabbed her purse, making her way out. She was too consumed with her thoughts to even notice Alaric was seated at the bar with Meredith Fell.

/*/

Sophia sat snuggled into one corner of the couch with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands, Jenna across from her in the other corner with a cup of herbal tea. They'd been relaxing and catching up for a couple hours, moving from the kitchen to the living room to be more comfortable.

"I'm glad Jeremy is getting his stuff together. Why'd he slip back into old habits?" The witch asked as she took a sip, loving that it was her mom's recipe. Even though she wasn't there, it made Sophia feel closer to her.

"I'm not sure. I think Bonnie broke up with him and he took it hard. Even though I know about all the supernatural stuff now, no one really tells me anything still. I don't really know what's going on with any of that or if Jeremy's behavior has to do with it. I hate being out of the loop." Jenna grumbled.

"They're probably trying to protect you. Knowing about this stuff is dangerous; but not knowing it is also dangerous. I dunno." Sophia gave a little shrug, as she wanted to protect her aunt too. And the less involved she was in their world, the better.

"So there isn't anything I should know? For my own safety?"

"Um…well Klaus woke up another brother, Kol. There's only Finn left and we wake him up until we track down his lady love, Sage. Klaus has people working on it now, so he should be awake soon. He'll probably leave the town with Sage, as he doesn't like being a vampire and will definitely not like being around his family. Kol…I would just avoid him if you're alone, as he really doesn't have any impulse control."

"What does he look like?"

"Hmm. Attractive, a mix between Elijah and Klaus. They all have the same chin. You'll probably see them out, especially tonight since we're supposed to meet up at the Grill. Apparently every time a sibling is woken we have to go celebrate. Mystic Falls really needs a new hangout place" The two nodded in agreement.

"I was wondering…have you seen Alaric out and about?" Sophia arched a brow at the question, wondering where that'd come from.

"It's just…lately, it's like he's not really here. Does that make sense? I think he might be cheating on me." The witch choked on her drink before getting control of herself, mind flashing back to seeing him coming to Meredith Fell's rescue at the Council fundraiser.

"Are you sure?"

"No. It's just a feeling. We seem to be growing apart. And I know that not every relationship is the eternal kind; well, most of them aren't. But I'd just thought we were in a good place after everything and now I just don't know." Jenna sighed sadly.

"I'll keep a look out, I promise. If he's cheating on you, he'll regret it." The older woman gave a small smile at the fierceness in her voice, glad to have her niece back. She didn't get to see her as often as she'd like, now that she was living with her boyfriend, so she cherished the time they had together.

"Thank you."

"Course, Jenna. You're family and we have to look out for each other." They shared a smile before Jenna stood, draining the last of her tea and moving towards the kitchen.

"So am I invited to this little party or is it a supernatural thing only?"

/*/

"This is a really bad idea." Damon grumbled.

"All you have to do is get the locked coffin down to the caves without being seen. I've checked and all they're all at The Grill so the coast is clear. There aren't any other people inside." Bonnie said from the driver's seat.

"If I get killed for this, I'm going to haunt you for the rest of your life." Bonnie rolled her eyes and pulled away; satisfied her plan had gone so well. She'd soon have the coffin and Abby was at her house, so they'd begin working to unlock the casket tomorrow. Things were going very well indeed.

AN: There you go. Now, I swear not to take so long on the next chapter now that I'm back in the game. But reviews always help motivate me! Wink Wink!

I still don't have a beta so sorry for any mistakes I didn't catch.