July 2nd 2015

New Orleans

(Klaus POV)

The kids were gone. I was free! Okay so maybe that's a bad thought but it's true. Now that I don't have to worry about anyone but Marcellus, who is mostly a good boy, I had many things to get accomplished this month. That includes finishing my plans with Kara, getting Elijah married to Katerina, and sending them on a honeymoon. It was all more work than it sounded.

Like getting our parents over here, getting Katerina's vampire 'parents' back, planning the wedding in the first place, planning the honeymoon, and I need to check my calendar. I pulled out my phone and checked my schedule. I would put things that I don't mind others knowing, the other stuff I kept in my head where I could pull it out whenever I pleased. Today… tonight I need to go see my father for my initiation ritual.

(Stefan POV)

I woke to Damon wrapping his arms around me in bed. It was just like he used to do when we were kids. I opened my eyes. "Damon?"

"Hey. I needed to wake you up so I did. I wanted to talk to you." He removed his arms and I gave him a quick hug. Damon froze and then hugged me back. It's been a while since we demonstrated our love this way.

"What is it Damon?" I asked as I let go. He let go like I did and then looked at me.

"I did as you asked. I know last night you didn't get a chance to talk to her, none of you did. I'd sent you all to bed the instant we got home." I nodded, agreeing that this was true.

"I'd wanted to say something but I didn't know what to say exactly. What's she like?"

"Our mother. Today we're going to go get her a car. I've done more than what you asked. I integrated her into modern life. I even taught her to drive."

"That's brilliant Damon. I'm proud of you." I smiled at him. He gave a quick smile before frowning. "What?"

"Is it true that this was a test Stefan?"

"The only test was to see if Mother could be Mom again."

"What do you want with her now? Send her on her way or keep her?" I was surprised. What the hell is wrong with him?!

"Damon!"

"Hey! I was just asking. We don't need her to have a family. We have each other."

"You're lying. You missed her just as much as me when you thought she was dead."

"She's not a human, Stefan. She's a ripper! I have enough trouble with just you! What do you expect me to do with her? I'm not going to keep her in line. If she becomes her ripper self then I'm sending her away from Mystic Falls. Liz doesn't need another ripper or vampire problem either."

"I'm happy you're thinking of the city but you can't just send her away. She's our mother, Damon." He motioned me to get dressed so I stood up and walked over to my drawer. I pulled out a shirt and jeans and walked into the bathroom to dress up.

"Then you watch her. You're a ripper too."

"I'll try to help you watch her and I still can't control my own blood lust Damon."

"Oh… yeah. Then I'll see if I can teach both of you to be normal vampires instead of falling off one side or the other."

"I don't want to risk it. I've not been feeding on humans for the last week."

"Bet Klaus wasn't happy about it."

"I don't care what he thinks about it, I mean yeah he and I have a past and he likes this side of me but I prefer to do what's right. Besides he said I can feed on anyone who isn't a New Orleans citizen."

"So even he has limits for you."

"Wrong, he doesn't even get angry if I feed on one of them. Instead he says it was his idea and that since he's King of New Orleans that he does what he wants. Reminds me kind of someone else I know." I said pointedly as I came out dressed for the morning.

"Hm… I wonder who." Damon said evasively.

We ate breakfast and got in the car as Damon drove us towards the closest city to go pick up a car for Mom to keep. Damon left us in the lobby with only one warning. "Stay. Here." He left Kol, Kai, Tyler, Jeremy, and I here by ourselves. So I took up the responsibility of making sure everyone was enjoying themselves.

Though eventually Kol got bored and started flirting with every girl who came in. I tried to stop him and he just went out after Damon. Kol and Damon have never liked each other but at least he wasn't Klaus. Klaus wanted Damon last I checked.

Kai was staring after where Bonnie left with Damon, Elena, and Lily. Tyler and Jeremy were enjoying each other's company and laughing together. I was left just staring at the television they provided us with. It was playing Modern Family.

It took a while but eventually Damon came back with Lily, Elena, Bonnie, and 'dragging' Kol. Kol was smirking and 'struggling' to get free. Clearly he wasn't worried and Damon was annoyed. He let go of Kol and shoved him towards us. He pulled out his wallet and turned to the man who came in with them.

"How much for the Midnight Amethyst GMC Yukon XL 4WD 4dr SLT?"

"How do you want to buy it? In payments or just one payment?"

"One payment."

"$67,687."

"Do you take debit cards? Or cash?"

"Either one works." The man headed out of sight and I got up and followed them. "Okay swipe your card." Damon opened his wallet and swiped the card. "Here's the papers, the paperwork to prove you bought the car. If you would just sign here."

"Wait a minute, let me read this." Damon muttered something about sales people and a few minutes later I recognized the sound of pen on paper. He was signing the document. "There. Now give me the key." Really Damon?

"Don't be rude Damon." Mother whispered. I smiled. That sounded exactly like Mum.

"Yeah, whatever you say Mother." Damon whispered back. I walked over to stand next to Damon and read the contract myself. The man was digging through something to get the key we needed to get the car. It all seemed in order but Damon might have accepted more services, they had gone outside and I'd not been listening in on the deal.

"Damon, there's no reason to be rude. He's doing his job. He gets paid to do this you know."

"Shut up Stefan." I chuckled. "Thanks." Damon reached out for the key and then handed it to Mom. "There, you have a new car. Take Bonnie and Elena. I'll take the others home." He grabbed my arm and headed off.

"Congratulations!" I said, smiling at my mom. I was so proud of her learning to drive, getting a driver's license (hopefully Damon got that for her first), and having her first car. We went back to the lobby where Kai, Tyler, and Jeremy were still waiting. "Damon, where did you tell Kol to go?"

"I told him to go sit down. Don't worry. He's around." We left the building with Tyler, Jeremy, and Kai following. Kai having to be told twice. "Kai, today you are apologizing to Ric and Joe for taking the crossbow."

"If anyone should apologize to you guys it's Joe. Have I not told you how I found your stack of weapons? I got it from her-"

"Stop now or I will make you even more sorry than you are now. I don't want to deal with any misbehaviour today. I have to deal with Lily right now. Get in the car. I need to go find Kol." However the next minute Kol was in the car. "Where did you come from?"

"No where."

"Stefan."

"Kol, no alcohol for the week."

"Are you telling me Klaus let them drink?" Damon asked, a tone to his voice.

"I'm not telling you that at all. No, Kol drinks. Jeremy is clean and so is Tyler and Kai." Damon looked at me suspiciously.

"You're not lying to me are you Stefan?"

"Don't put your short comings on me Damon." He slammed the door when I got in and he got in the driver's seat. He pulled out and pulled away.

(Klaus POV)

I was in the bayou and headed toward my father's wolf pack, in wolf form. Today I had spent time with Kara, Davina, Marcellus, and Elijah. I'd had fun, I'd also done work on all my plans and schedule. I was headed for my initiation ritual.

I padded into camp and sat in the centre. Quickly one of the wolves brought me herbs. I sniffed them. "What do you want?"

"You're headed toward the Sacred Pool with the Alpha, correct?"

"Yes. He calls it the initiation ritual. The initiation into the Akatai clan." He nudged the herbs towards me.

"You need to eat these. The Sacred Pool is a long ways off from here. At least a three hour walk." I blinked at him. Wasn't he the Healer of this clan? Not that they need one, their Alpha is a hybrid like me. A little blood and it's good.

"I am a hybrid, the hybrid." I heard a bark of laughter and turned my head to see my father.

"Niklaus just eat the herbs that Aphrodite offers. She has already given me mine. We will not leave until you eat yours." I sighed and gobbled them up. "That is not what I meant but let's get going. Thank you Aphrodite." My dad walked toward the entrance of the camp. He looked at me. "Keep up. We're headed to the Sacred Pool." I stood up and padded after him to go to the Sacred Pool. Why they have such names for things I will never understand. I know it's important but it is still strange.