Summary: The Hollow and its followers attack the French Quarter while Rebekah and Hayley hold them off. Meanwhile Hope sends Keelin into dream world to save Freya.

A/N: TGIF! It's Friday the 13th, but how's it going? XD

Thank you for your messages and words of encouragement. I'm always very grateful when I get a comment and the readers of this lovely f/f couple have so much energy and positively that it makes pen-ing a very enjoyable experience. I'll be working on a series of short stories (instead of chapters) after this ends, continuing vampire Freya and Hybrid Keelin's story so please do keep an eye out for them if you're interested. The frequency will not be weekly as each will be a short standalone story by itself.

Meanwhile, sit tight and I hope that you'll enjoy this chapter. One last chapter to go!

"Hope, are you sure that this will work?" Hayley asked again. "We need this to work for Aunt Keelin to be able to save Aunt Freya."

Young Hope smiled and nodded. "Yes, it'll work. When the Hollow was in me, Daddy visited and gave me strength."

Hayley nodded. "How can we help sweetie?"

"I need Aunt Keelin to be right over…here." Hope pointed.

Rebekah immediately helped Keelin into the magic circle. By now, Keelin had difficulty even sitting on the ground as there was much discomfort due to her bigger than before belly.

A miniature earthquake shook the compound; furniture vibrated and loose objects hit the ground. They knew that were running short of time before Hope's barrier spells were countered.

"Hope, you have to focus and see this through as Mummy and Aunt Bex won't be here with you," Hayley instructed. "Can I leave Aunt Keelin and your future cousin with you here, under your care?"

Young Hope nodded and returned an assuring grip. Hayley returned a smile before she sped towards the compound, following after Rebekah who went off earlier.

There was a bang and then another louder bang, and a third louder than ever bang. Shouts and instructions rang into the air and the order was given for a forced entry. Rebekah watched the compound thick wooden door intensely, her eyes never for once left the door even when Hayley made it to her side.

"I've hidden Esther's Grimoire as per Elijah's instructions. This plan better work, I need my sister back and my future niece or nephew to be alive," Rebekah said without glancing at Hayley. "Keelin too, she has to be fine."

"Currently, Hope's barrier spell is holding up well but it won't be long now."

Hayley processed the information that Rebekah gave. "The barrier is effective against regular witches and vampires but as for spirits like the Hollow…I really don't know, Rebekah."

"At least for now we know what we're up against first. We'll figure out the rest later," Rebekah murmured.

Keelin felt the first droplets of rain as she appeared in the cemetery. It was raining heavily; rain drops pattered everywhere and into her face. It took a moment for her to adjust before reality hit. She was reminded of it every single second by the bulging belly. They were short of time and she had to locate Freya soon.

"Freya!" she shouted and looked around. Her voice echoed into the cemetery and silence greeted her. She explored mindlessly, allowing her feet to bring her to the outside of a mausoleum where sobs were heard.

Keelin entered the mausoleum and spotted Freya hunched in a corner, both arms wrapped around her knees.

Aunt Keelin…please hurry…

Keelin could hear Hope's urges from the real world ringing in her head. She took a step forward expecting to catch Freya's attention but she did not bulge.

"Freya…honey," she called out. "I know it's all confusing for you right now but please, you need to realize that you're still trapped in the Hollow's dream world."

Freya looked up at Keelin, her eyes a swollen red. "You're already dead," Freya's voice was raw with pain. "I'm so sorry Keelin, I didn't mean for you to die."

"Honey, please," Keelin took another step forward and Freya still didn't bulge. It was a dejected Freya, a woman with no fight left. Keelin knew that if she were to retreat, Freya would be lost in the abysmal of depression. Her wife was a proud and aggressive woman, never had she seen her in this state before.

"You're dead, and all because of me," Freya whispered softly and tears streamed down her cheeks.

She squatted in front of Freya, easing over till she knelt by Freya's side. Tilting her jaw, she met her eyes, "Look at me Freya."

"I'm still alive and fine, I really am."

"Do you recall what happened earlier? I was with you and we spent an intimate night by the lake together, remember? Freya?" Keelin gently placed her hands on her knees.

"Now I'm carrying our child."

"I need you. The child and I, we need you." Keelin urged, almost in tears.

Aunt Keelin, please, please hurry…

Keelin heard Hope's voice in her head again, this time with much more urgency than before.

The main door burst open and a dozen intruders barged into the compound.

Rebekah charged forth and attacked the attackers – a mix of witches and vampires. The vampires were easily identifiable from their distorted faces, their blood-shot pupils and fangs screamed for blood, while the witches from the cloak they wore. The vampires were easier to kill as they were no match for Rebekah. She simply ripped their hearts out. The issue was the witches. They were never easy to get close to as they had a mix of barriers cum protective spells that deterred her. Many a times she felt as if her brain was about to burst from a magical grip or that her lungs were magically torched by flames and she had to retreat and keep her distance from the spell casters.

Rebekah movements slowed and she took a few stabs and hits but they were nothing critical as she continued fighting. She showed no mercy in face of threats. She thrusted her hand into chests, wrenched heads, and tore limbs, and was as savage as she could be.

Hayley hid behind walls before the attack started and re-appeared behind the unsuspecting witches, surprising them with a sneak attack so deadly that none survived. The witches were defenceless as they were ambushed and slaughtered.

They gave each other a reassuring nod when the threat was eliminated but were still on their toes, preparing themselves for the final threat. It was too easy a fight, they had expected more from the followers but the regular vampires and witches didn't stand a chance when they walked into their trap.

A gush of cold wind went by and the hair on their hands stood. Slowly but surely, the Hollow materialized before them in the middle of the compound. They readied themselves.

Keelin pulled Freya into a hug and kissed Freya on the forehead.

It was a kiss filled with love, where she wanted to reach out to Freya who was so lost and trapped somewhere in the darkness. As though reacting to Keelin's emotions, a radiance of warmth emitted from her belly and engulfed both Freya and Keelin, a radiance so vibrant and strong that it amplified and reached into the deepest corners of darkness.

"Honey I need you to stand strong. Fight it. Fight the Hollow."

The voice – it sounded so close and familiar. The scent – it smelled like home. Freya took a deep breath and licked her own lips and the taste of Keelin was still there. Her blood was still raging for Keelin.

Keelin's presence sparked Freya's memory. Her fuzzy thoughts tried to make sense of the situation and she tried to find the missing pieces of the puzzle. She recalled an encounter where Keelin was in scrubs, motionless on the ground and with a nasty slid across the throat. It was the Hollow! The Hollow resorted to mind magic and tricked her into believing that Keelin was dead.

Oh right, the Hollow! She remembered. It was all the Hollow's hallucinations.

Freya raised her head and gazed into the pair of concerned brown eyes. The warmth, the comfort and the love. There would be no mistake, it was definitely Keelin before her.

"Keelin!" Freya reached out to hug her.

"Keelin, you're still alive!"

The flash of light was so bright that Keelin shut her eyes, and when they open again, she was back in The Quarter with Young Hope kneeling by her side, holding on to her hand.

"Aunt Keelin, are you all right?" Young Hope muttered softly, exhaustion had sipped in and it was apparent in her voice.

"I'm sorry Aunt Keelin, I…I tried holding on for as long as I can –."

Young Hope slipped into unconscious and gently lay on the floor by Keelin's side before she could complete her sentence.

"Hope! Hope!" Keelin called out and shook her gently but Hope didn't stir.

Keelin tried to sit up but the contractions hit her in waves. It hurt and it felt like someone stabbed her stomach multiple times with a knife. It shouldn't be this painful, she thought she knew what it was like for it was a common scene in her line of work, but she beg to differ now that it was her turn. She screamed out and struggled on the ground in pain. It was time and the baby would be out anytime soon.

The door flew open and the Hollow appeared unscarred.

"Such convenience to have you and Hope here."

The Hollow was delighted. It was the ideal situation; to have Hope and the new born all together in the same location. Instincts took over and Keelin sat up instantaneously but the Hollow beat her to attacking first. With an arm raised, the Hollow pointed the fingers towards Keelin and then clenched them into a fist. Keelin immediately felt the effects. Her body was heavy and she dropped back into the magic circle immobilized, as though the ground weighed her down.

"Where's Hayley? Where's Rebekah? What have you done to them?" Keelin shouted at the Hollow and her eyes turned an amber yellowish.

"You should be worrying more about yourself instead. My dear Keelin, just how are you and the baby doing?"

It was sarcasm that Keelin didn't intend to entertain. She bit onto her lower lips and returned a low growl. That didn't deter the Hollow as it knelt next to Keelin, never once relaxing the clenched fist. As hard as she tried, Keelin was still immobilized even when she tapped into her werewolf abilities to try to break free.

The Hollow's other hand pulled out a dagger and Keelin instantaneously recognized the dagger to be the one that a witch previously used to attack Freya.

"Wait, what are you doing?" There was panic in Keelin's voice. It was way too soon for a sacrifice as the baby was yet delivered.

As though reading Keelin's mind, the Hollow laughed. "Who said that I needed the baby to be born? I shall make do with a sacrifice now."

"Keelin, I gave you a choice to join me but you refused. You shall now pay back double and suffer for all the wrong decisions made."

Keelin's stomach dropped to her feet, she squeezed her eyes shut and tears fell. The Hollow raised the dagger inches above Keelin's stomach, readying to bring it down her bulging belly.