Part 2 of 2

I remember when a family friend had stopped by our house for a week when I was thirteen and they had a small baby with them. The chid had woken up in the middle of the night while everyone was asleep, and I thought I was the only one to hear the baby's cries so I went to the set up nursery and picked the child up doing much the same thing as I was doing to Hope. I had neglected to notice that my mother was standing in the door way smiling at us. I still remember the conversation:

~oO5 Years AgoOo~

I heard the soft padding of footsteps as I bounced lightly on my feet and cooing softly to Wyatt. "I thought that was more of a mother's instinct; bouncing on the balls of your feet. I never did it before I had you." She said. I smiled before laying the baby back in the playpen he was sleeping in. "I don't know I just did it." I gave my mother a small hug before going back to bed.

~oOPresent DayOo~

It wasn't until know that I realized I didn't 'just do it' I had subconsciously picked up the habit from my mother while she was coddling Jeremy when he was younger. "You know I could've got her right?" Rebekah said in a half asleep state. "Well I was hoping Hope wouldn't wake you up, because honestly Bekah you look like the dead." I joked. Rebekah looked at me clearly not finding my joke all that funny. "We're vampires Elena. We are dead." Rebekah said haughtily. "I know it was a very bad pun, but you have to admit… it was… punny!" I resisted the urge to not double over in a giggle fit when I saw Rebekah's irritated face. "Elena just because I trust you with the welfare of my niece doesn't mean that I won't tear your heart out if you annoy me enough. Awe! You know you love me Bekah!" Elena said while wrapping Rebekah into a huge bear hug.

~oO2 Months LaterOo~

It had been two months since Rebekah had taken Hope from the war zone that is New Orleans and asked me to come and protect Klaus' daughter. It had also been two months since we last had contact with Klaus. That wasn't weird though it was expected, but Rebekah still worried daily about her brothers and even Marcel. She really did love him. Much like I loved Damon. I went through with my morning routine before going to the nursery to check on Hope. I saw Hope in her crib and Rebekah asleep on the rocking chair two metres away. I nearly hit the roof with how high I jumped when Rebekah's phone chimed signalling a text. I looked at the screen not meaning to pry, but wanting to see who it was at least. What I saw made my blood run cold.

11:23am. Run! The witches are on to you! –Klaus

Something in the air changed. I could feel it. I looked out the large bay window I didn't see anything, but I could feel them; a fairly large coven of witches coming closer to my home. The home that housed my adoptive niece the one I thought to be my own child. My maternal instincts kicked in and I shook Rebekah awake. "Rebekah you need to take Hope and run; out of the country this time. The witches are close, I can feel them." I tossed her the cellphone and her eyes nearly bulged out of her head as she read the text from her brother. "Elena you're coming with us." It seemed like she was trying to command me, but it came out as more of a plea. "I can't do this without you!" She grabbed Hope as I packed the baby bag. "I will hold off the witches long enough for you to escape, but I need to catch them while they're still in the forest. It's game over if they reach the clearing. I should buy you enough time to get Hope to a temporary safe house. I'll meet you once I know it's safe. I need to do this for Hope." I said while shoving Rebekah with Hope and the baby bag out of the door and down the stairs. They went out the front door and to Rebekah's car. I ran at vampire speed up the stairs to where I know my cellphone is. I pulled up the speed dial I had Klaus' number implanted in and sent him a text:

11:45am. I've got this. They're already on their way out of town. –Elena

I almost cried as I turned off my phone and tucking it away where I know no body would find it.

I heard it buzz once more, but decided against looking at it since it was probably Klaus telling me to forget about it and run with Rebekah and Hope. I knew we didn't have that kind of time though. I knew if I ran Hope was as good as dead and I wanted better for my adoptive daughter. With that I used great speed to burst out of the house and into the woods following the great amount of power the witches were emitting.

The coven was quite large with fourteen witches. They walked with an air of superiority. I hid in the shadows waiting for the perfect moment to start my attack. I know it wouldn't be a far fight, but hopefully I would pick off a few witches before I left this world. I lurched out and grabbed the first witch I could get my hands on and snapped her neck easily. The others hadn't even noticed her absence.

I managed to pick off two more without being noticed, but I knew eventually I would screw up, and I did. One of the witches noticed their sisters weren't with them. I went off pure animalistic instinct. I dropped the body of the witch I had just killed from the tree I was perched in just ahead of the witch coven. They all gasped seeing the twisted neck of their friend. I was behind the coven again before they even felt the gust of wind I left behind. "Vampire, show yourself!" An older looking witch sneered loudly while casting quick glances all around. I was perfectly camouflaged in the shadows and wasn't about to give up my element of surprise. I needed to buy as much time for Rebekah as I could. Even if in the end it meant dying.

When I didn't show myself they kept moving at their leaders command though they were considerably more on edge looking over their shoulders every two seconds and making sure they were all still together. Using every ounce of strength I had I launched at a witch near the back of the group and leaping back up into the trees before the other witches could see me. They knew I was still there though and I could smell their fear it was sweet and gave me a new boost of adrenaline. They had nearly reached the clearing and there were still nine of them left. I decided it was now or never. I jumped two witches at once snapping one of their necks and quickly draining the other. I could feel the blood dripping down my chin as the other witches looked at me in shock. Before they could react I had killed another one leaving six witches.

I did exactly as I had promised. I fought until I could fight no more. I managed to kill three more witches before they crippled me in a brain aneurism. I felt my blood begin to boil and evaporate if that's even possible. They were desiccating me; very slowly and painfully. I would rather them torture me more a millennium than have them kill Hope so I stood above the pain and continued fighting. Trying to pretend I wasn't dying. I fell though as I knew I eventually would. I felt my end was near I welcomed death, knowing that with my death Hope could live, and maybe, just I'd be able to be with Damon and Bonnie again. "Leave her sisters! We must find the baby before it is too late! She already has both feet in the grave as it is." Leader witch says. Her friends oblige leaving me to die slowly. I couldn't move but it would probably take two days before I actually kicked the bucket. I whispered one last statement to the witches before they were out of ear range though. "You will never find that child. I will always be there to protect her even in death." I sneered before passing out.

I woke up I don't even know how long later, all I knew was that I was thirsty and vengeful. I tried to get up, but I just fell back to the ground not even having the strength to lift my own body weight off the ground. I looked down at my hands and saw they had an ashy tint to them. I could practically feel my veins tightening fighting to circulate what little blood was still in my body. I gave in to the pressing darkness once again awaiting my death. At least in sleep I couldn't feel the pain as greatly.

I woke up a few more times after the first and each time the pain was greater. The veins in my hands became much more prominent as time progressed. The pain was now beyond unbearable, but my vocal chords wouldn't even allow me to scream. I could smell the delicious blood of the fallen witches nearby, but definitely didn't have the strength to go and get it. I tried to stay alive in hope that by some miracle if I just tried hard enough I would be able to see my little Hope again. I didn't care if she was Klaus and Hayley's child I would be a strong part in her upbringing.

Hours later I heard feet running nearer and nearer to my location. I didn't even have the energy to try and look alive. I felt someone lift my head up. "Is she still alive Niklaus?" I heard the voice of one of my greatest allies when I was human. "She is, but only barely. Elijah go grab one of the body's she's going to need a drink when she has the strength to even bite down on it herself." I heard a crunch and soon felt a forearm against my mouth. I didn't have the energy to even open my mouth a fraction, but I did feel Klaus' blood drip into my mouth and slid down my throat. I gasped as I let my own fangs sink into his forearm. I sat up and Klaus brought me to his chest with me still latched onto his arm. He petted my hair with his free hand as I stole away his life essence. "As much as I'm enjoying this love if you have any more you are going to drain me of all my blood." Klaus chuckled while I jumped away from him. I wiped the excess of his blood from my chin and sucked it off my thumb. Despite drinking over a pint of Klaus' blood I was still parched. As if reading my mind Elijah came forward with the body of a witch I had killed. "Thanks." Was all I managed to say. I sunk my fangs into the neck of my victim. Once she was completely drained of every ounce of blood she had in her body I dropped her corpse to the ground without care. "What were you thinking love! I told you to run with Rebekah! That you would get killed! But did you listen to me? NO of course not…" Klaus was obviously enraged though I didn't know why. "What I did, I did for your sister and daughter. If I hadn't stayed back Hope would be dead." I said matter-of-factly. Elijah offered me his handkerchief which I took with a small thank you. I dabbed at the blood that gathered on my chin from my not so pretty feeding. I was actually surprised the witches head didn't roll off her corpse with how much I tore at her neck. "You have to hand it to the girl Niklaus not only did she take on a coven of at least eleven witches, but she also survived it." Elijah praised me. Of course Klaus had to find some way to criticize me though. "If we had even been an hour later Elijah she would be dead!" Klaus roared. "Maybe, but she did it to save your daughter, my niece. In my books that makes her beyond brave, but downright heroic." Elijah defended me. I chose to just keep my mouth shut because I really didn't want to get my neck snapped or my heart ripped out. I just overcame death and I wasn't ready to die before I knew that my Hope was safe. "Or she's downright martyr-ish." Klaus sent me a withering glare. I just scoffed. "If I hadn't stayed behind the witches would have gotten Hope. I was her best chance of survival, and guess what Klaus I would happily endure all that pain again if it meant that child could grow up and do great things. She will not only be your salvation Klaus. She will be everyone's including mine. I've known this child for over two months and in that time she made me fall in love with her. I think of her as my own family, and I protect my family with everything I have. I always will no matter what." I said while stalking in the direction of the house. "Now I need to go find Hope and Rebekah and make sure those last three witches have absolutely no clue where they are, even if I have to run them down." I ran into the house getting my phone from the hiding place beneath a loose floorboard and a thick layer of insulation. Rubbing off the layer of dust it accumulated in the hideaway I turned it on to see twenty-one messages all from two people; Klaus and Elijah. They mostly consisted of the same things. "Elena you had better not do anything stupid!" "Do the honourable thing Elena. Please evacuate with my sister." "We're on our way you had better answer this message or I swear to whatever god you believe in I will make your life a living hell!" It wouldn't take a genius to figure out who sent what messages. I stuffed my phone into my back pocket before grabbing anything Rebekah and I would need from the house.

I exited the house to see Klaus leaning against his Lincoln Navigator and Elijah in the passenger seat. "Well what are you waiting for love? Let's go get my sister and daughter." Klaus said before getting in the driver side. I slid in the backseat and threw the bag on the opposite side. I had no clue where Rebekah was, but I knew I wouldn't stop looking no matter what. Not until I found them. I had a feeling Klaus and Elijah were on the same page as me.