Flashback
Freya raced through Lucien's penthouse, running into the living room and sinking to her knees beside her brother.
"Don't leave," he gasped breathlessly. His eyes were shut and his head swung from side to side, as large droplets of sweat slide down his face.
"Don't leave me here alone, I beg of you!" he sobbed.
"I am here brother!" Freya said grabbing his hand and pressing it to her cheek. "It's me Freya, stay with me, Finn,"
"Please," he whispered, still hallucinating but at the sound of Freya's voice he appeared to relax slightly.
She pressed a cold compress against his forehead and whispered soothingly to him.
The doors of the living room flew open again and this time, Klaus came charging in.
He stopped short next to Freya.
"How is he?" he demanded.
Freya sighed.
"Deteriorating," she replied "I can slow the process down, make it less painful for him. But I don't know how much longer he'll…" she trailed off looking down at the carpet.
"There must be something that can be done," Klaus insisted.
"I've sent Lucien to get me some things that I'll need for a spell, I may not be able to save Finn's natural body now but I can preserve his soul in my pendant, until I can figure out a way to cure this bite," Freya explained.
Klaus stood and sighed. Shutting his eyes and clenching his fists.
"How many more members of this family, must made victims before this ends," he growled, an agonized expression written on his handsome features.
"I will find a way to help him," Freya said firmly stroking the hair out of Finn's face.
"And what of Kol? Who lays daggered in the other room; our sister is the captive of our enemies. How long before they get to Elijah… Or you?" he asked.
Freya looked up at him and met his eyes. She extended her hand, a gesture for him to help her stand. As he pulled her up she smiled gently and rested her hand on his shoulder.
"Whatever happens, we will get through it Niklaus. As a family," she assured him.
He shook his head.
"Look where that's gotten all of us so far. No, it's me they want," he said decisively
Freya frowned in confusion.
"What are you saying Niklaus?" she asked, her voice suddenly filled with worry.
"I will go to Tristan, if he wants to make a show of punishing me in front of his followers, let him. I won't stand and watch, as any more of you are hurt,"
Freya stood in shock at first, as he turned to walk out. Suddenly the weight of his words hit her and she chased after him, grabbing his arm before he could walk out.
"Niklaus no! Have you taken leave of your senses!? You honestly believe Tristan will just leave the rest of us alone once he has you? Regardless, Elijah is still in danger; all the sirelines are at war" she pointed out to him.
"Tristan and Aurora are family. They will easily be able to talk their underlings out of trying to destroy one another. That only leaves my sireline. I am therefore their only enemy, once I give myself in it will give you lot a chance at least,"
With that, he once again started pacing determinedly toward the door.
Freya reached out to grab him again. This time with more force.
"You really expect me to let you walk out of here into certain death!?"
He sighed heavily and locked eyes with her sadly.
"You don't have choice,"
Freya started to shake her head frantically at him and he quickly gathered her into his arms.
"I have to do this," he murmured. "It is the only way,"
"And I expect you-" he said, pulling back to look at her. "To take care of our siblings. Save Kol and Finn; keep Elijah safe; figure out a way to get Rebekah home. Promise me."
She nodded.
"I will Niklaus but-"
He grabbed her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"I love you… sister,"
Freya ran after him as she turned to leave.
"No,"
"NO,"
"Wait!"
"KLAUS,"
"NIKLAUS!"
Present
Freya gasped and sat bolt upright in bed. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling how drenched she was with sweat.
She shut her eyes and attempted to level her breathing. That recurring dream had been causing her many sleepless nights for months now.
She jumped, hearing a light knock at the door.
"It's me, love," came Lucien's muffled voice from behind the door.
She hesitated and then answered.
"Come in,"
Lucien pushed the door slowly.
"You were crying in your sleep," he informed her.
"Oh," she said, ducking her head bashfully.
He came toward her and sat down on the edge of the bed.
Hesitantly he reached his arm out and brushed back the hair, sticking to her face.
Freya relaxed into his gentle touch.
She knew she really shouldn't allow such intimacy between them and had been steadily ignoring her feelings for Lucien for a long time now.
When she'd taken Kol and Finn's body and fled the quarter, Lucien hadn't thought twice before following her; in order to keep her safe.
Or so he claimed.
She was well aware, that he could've gone anywhere else in the world and yet risked staying in New Orleans.
But she had bigger thing to focus on than her feelings or Lucien's potentially romantic motivations.
"Why don't I get you a glass of water? Or some tea, to help you sleep?" Lucien suggested.
Freya shook her head dismissively.
"I'm getting up anyway,"
Lucien laughed incredulously.
"Sweetheart, it's 5 in the morning?"
She pulled the covers off and stood to her feet, raising her eyebrows at him.
"Exactly, so we'll have an early start. After all; we have work to do,"
In the dead of the night, the Quarter was eerily quiet. The sound of Caroline's heels clicking against the sidewalk, appeared to echo as she tread through the streets.
The lack of noise was strange considering it was a city filled with vampires. But after what she'd seen tonight, she could understand being too scared to come outside.
She turned a corner and finally found the place she'd been looking for. An old church, covered in scaffolding stood erect on the edge of the street.
She tarried by the entrance for a moment, wondering if she was making the right decision.
Perhaps she should've brought Marcel for backup. Ah well, too late to second guess now.
Inhaling deeply she stepped inside.
Whoever lured her there had definitely intended to create a creepy atmosphere. The church was dimly lit by only the candles lined around the room and there were various statues all around, which seemed to follow her every move
"Hello?" she called out.
In the pin drop silence, Caroline found herself jumping at the slightest sound as she walked down the aisle.
The creaking of the building; a church mouse scuttling across the floorboards.
When she approached the front of the church, she decided that she'd been there long enough. If her mysterious host didn't have the decency to show themselves; then she was going to leave.
Caroline turned on her heel and in a split second, she was surrounded by a group of women in black cloaks.
She made an attempt to scream but her fear swallowed the sound before she could make it.
The smallest woman stood directly in front of her. Red hair. Smirking.
Aurora.
"Be calm my dear," she purred. "We mean you no harm,"
"What's going on!?" Caroline demanded.
"All in good time; Anastasia. Follow us,"
Aurora and the rest of her hooded gang turned and headed in the direction of the stairs.
Caroline followed out of a mix of fear and curiosity.
The attic of the church was freezing cold; it made Caroline glad she was a vampire or else she'd be shivering.
And the cold may not be the only reason.
Aurora's minions seated them in various corners of the room, their faces stone cold and unreadable.
When Aurora had finished lighting some candles around the room, she turned to face Caroline.
"Naturally, you are wondering why you're here," she begun.
"I saw you this evening, at the choosing. And what I saw, I was impressed with. You are a baby. You cannot be more than ten years old,"
"But your moxie and determination when you fought your opponent; even in those last seconds when he was about to take your life: all I saw in your eyes, was more fight,"
Aurora paused and gazed at Caroline for a moment before continuing.
"My brother and I are two of the first sired vampires in the world. My sire was not only one of the first vampires to ever exist but the first and only female original vampire,"
"By her benevolence, I am the first ever, sired, female vampire. In keeping with that tradition, I made a vow, to only ever sire other females and instructed them to do the same,"
"I have single-handedly created the largest network of female vampires in the world. And if you joined us, you would be the first vampire from another sireline to do so-"
"Wh- wait, I'm sorry. Join you!?" Caroline spluttered.
"We see potential in you Anastasia," Aurora replied, with a shrug.
"What about the strix?" Caroline asked.
"Oh, you'd still be a part of it. But your allegiance-" she said, stepping forward to clasp Caroline's hand in her's.
"-Would be to me."
"And if do. What happens then? Is there some ancient ritual I have to complete. Do I have to sign my name in blood anywhere?" Caroline asked, dryly.
Aurora let out a high pitched laugh and shook her head.
"Oh, nothing so macabre. And there will be no barbaric fight to the death either, so you needn't worry,"
"The only thing required of you, is for you to pledge your loyalty; to me,"
As Aurora's big green eyes bore into hers, Caroline quickly realised that this wasn't the kind of situation whereby; if she wasn't interested, she could politely decline and they'd let her leave.
She was really in deep now. Whether she liked it or not.
"I'm in," Caroline nodded.
The predatory smirk that crept onto Aurora's face, was enough to chill the blood.