Previously on ATCL: "This would be a Christmas he would never forget."

A loud banging interrupted everyone's sleep early that Monday morning, waking nearly everyone across the house. Or at least, all the vampire personages were awoken. The others managed to sleep peacefully. Caroline beat everyone downstairs, followed shortly by the Mikaelsons, who all were attired in silk robes over their pajamas. Even early in the morning, the three managed to appear regal. A tinge of inadequacy flew through the baby vampire's mind for a moment as she thought about her own baggy clothes and messy hair, but it was thrown out of her mind by the incessant pounding. Klaus rolled his eyes and yanked the door open, lazily raising an eyebrow when the sight of a tall, curly-haired, woman appeared on the doorstep. He, however, was cut off from saying anything when the woman pushed her way inside.

"I assume this is the Mikaelson residence?" She asked in a thick European accent. "I would like to see my mother."

"You must be Nadia!" Caroline plastered on her happiest face after the sleep cleared away from her eyes and she saw the woman properly. She had only seen her once before, and that had been very brief, but they had spoken the previous afternoon. She did not necessarily expect her this soon, however.

Rebekah was torn between disgust and humor when she saw who was standing in her foyer. On one hand, it was her bloody luck to have the chick she had a threesome with show up at her doorstep. Then again, it was also her luck to have the woman be Katherine's daughter. Talk about weird.

"My name is Nadia Petrova, yes. Now may I see my mother?"

"Wonderful." Klaus muttered. "Another irritatingly undead Petrova. Just what I need." When he received a glare from everyone in the room, he just rolled his eyes and headed back towards the stairs. "Whatever you decide to do with the little street rat, I don't care. I'm going back to bed."

Caroline just waved him off, too tired to deal with drama right now. She turned back to Nadia. "Katherine's sleeping right now, because it's like…just after six in the morning, and she normally sleeps for another couple of hours, but you're welcome to go sit upstairs with her! If you'd like, I can bring you some coffee or tea or something." Smiling, the blonde held out her hand. "I'm Caroline by the way, and these are Elijah and Rebekah Mikaelson. Klaus is the one who went upstairs."

"Thank you, Caroline, though it will be unnecessary." Nadia nodded coolly at Elijah, though greeted Rebekah by name, and the latter responded in kind. "Rebekah and I met in Prague over the summer" was all that was offered by way of an explanation.

They all stood around awkwardly for a few more minutes. "I will take you to see Katerina." Elijah offered. Nadia agreed brusquely and followed him upstairs.

Caroline yawned, stretching her arms above her head. "Well, I'm not going to be able to go back to sleep after this. I think I'll make some coffee anyways. You want any?"

"Actually, I kind of want to get out of here. We could go out for breakfast instead?" Rebekah asked, still a bit unsure how this whole friendship thing worked in situations such as this.

The other blonde smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Give me half an hour minutes and I'll be ready to leave."

"Great." With that, the two blondes went to their separate rooms to get presentable.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"So, anything on your mind?" Caroline asked, glancing briefly over the menu at a little breakfast place Rebekah had patronized before.

"A lot, actually." The Original sighed. "First of all, Matt and I had a threesome with Nadia in Prague."

"I did not need to hear that. Gotta be a bit awkward, though, to have your former threesome partner show up at your house." Caroline smirked. "Though it explains why Matt always seemed a bit smug around her." She shrugged. "Next?"

"You aren't…weirded out by it?" Rebekah asked. "I mean, you're like Miss Small-Town America. It would be fine if you were."

"Please." She rolled her eyes. "Your entire family is a thousand years old. I assume you've all had wild orgies by now. Though…hopefully not with each other. That would just be keeping it in the family a bit too much." Rebekah broke out in laughter, causing Caroline to join in. "I mean, sure, it's a bit intimidating at times. I can feel like a bit of a child, I guess. But then I've grown to realize that you're all still a bit childish at times, so I don't really think about it all that much."

"Good. I'd hate for you to feel uncomfortable." The other blonde smiled. "Now, for the next topic… How do you feel about Nik having a kid of all bloody things?"

Caroline's face dropped into a pensive state. "I guess… It's weird, most of all. Really weird. And I think he could have chosen a better person to sleep with than Hayley, but that was his decision, and I can't make that choice for him." She shrugged. "How do you feel about it? I know you wanted the cure for a family and all of that."

Rebekah took a sip of her latte, closing her eyes and breathing deeply before answering. "I'm jealous." She pursed her lips. "Nik was never a fan of children as a human, and he is even less so now. But I have always dreamed of a family. I want kids, and a doting husband, and everything that comes with it. It's just… It isn't fair that the one who never wanted one is getting a baby."

"He loves his child, if that's any consolation." Caroline feared she may have spoken out of turn, but she felt that Rebekah needed to know her brother was not the cold monster she had a tendency to paint him as. "I've seen it, in the way his eyes focus on Hayley's bump sometimes, and he's got a stack of sonogram pictures in his desk. I found them one day when looking for a pen. I mean, I don't know how on earth he'll act once the baby is born, but he's, you know, improved a lot. I think he'll be okay." Caroline turned to the waiter who came to their table and placed her order. After the man left, she continued. "Besides, you may not be having a baby of your own, but you're going to be living in the same house as one. You'll be an integral part in her life."

"Would you hate me if I asked you to go baby shopping with me after this?" Rebekah winced. "Because we literally have nothing for a baby in that house, and she's due in like a month."

Caroline sighed. She did not particularly want to go baby shopping; normally she would have, but she was still having a hard time getting over the fact that it was Hayley's baby. If it was any other woman, maybe she would have gotten over it more easily. But this was the girl who had done a lot of damage to her life, and really, Caroline just did not like her. It was not even the grudge they mutually harbored against each other, it was just that she did not enjoy her company, and Hayley rubbed her the wrong way. On the other hand, it was not like she would get to go baby shopping for any other kid anytime soon. And they did need a nursery… "Fine." She rolled her eyes. "I'll go. But only because you're my friend, and no one should go shopping alone."

Rebekah laughed. "Get back to your coffee, Forbes. You're going to need the energy."

-0-0-0-0-0-

When Katherine woke up, the first thing she noticed—after her eyes took a minute to get into focus—was Nadia sitting on the chair Elijah normally occupied. "You showed" was all she said.

"Yes, I traveled this distance to save your life. You traded Bulgaria for a strange group of people, I must say." Her daughter crossed her legs, and fixed Katherine with a look that strongly reminded her of one of her sisters.

"I like them, though don't ask me to admit that publically." She shrugged. "Besides, they're the ones who found the spell to save my life. I do owe them."

"Well, I do hope you will come to your senses and leave this city once the ritual is done. I have tracked down the Petrova family lands, and figured we could take a look." Nadia looked hopeful, though with an underlying hint of dread. She could not seriously be thinking what she was thinking.

"Yeah… Not going to happen, creepy-vampire-daughter." Katherine rolled her eyes.

"And why not?"

"Because I have a home here. I have roots being established for the first time in five hundred years, and I will not be giving that up to jet off to backwoods Bulgaria with a woman I have interacted with a handful of times." She fixed her daughter with a smirk. "I appreciate the help you're giving me—really, it's sweet—but I'm not leaving with you, and you knew that when you came here."

"You," Nadia spat "are an extremely selfish woman."

"And I always have been." Katherine crossed her arms. "I have been a selfish person since I was born, and that will never change. It would serve you well to get that fact through your head, and accept it." She knew she was being unnecessarily cold, but Katherine knew how Petrova women worked. It was that damn fire which served to fuel their perseverance. Petrovas did not give up until they were forced to do so. She had other priorities now; better ways to spend her time than running around spending time with a woman who claimed to be her daughter. This was a necessary step.

"Sometimes," The woman who was older than her but happened to be her daughter—yeah, awkward—sighed exasperatedly and sunk back into her chair "I wonder why I even care."

Katherine crossed her arms and huffed. Looks like she was going to have to be nice. If this was motherhood, she was not too fond of it. "Oh, don't be so damn pouty." When Nadia met her eyes, she gave her a look. "Petrova women don't pout unless something truly tragic has happened. Like…if those really sexy Louboutins that make your legs look fabulous aren't in stock, or if another woman is making a pass on your man, and he lets her." Smirking, she continued. "Therefore, suck it up. I never said I was cutting you out of my life; I do have a heart. I simply have higher priorities right now. Shoot me an email every so often, and maybe in the future we'll meet up and do the whole Bulgaria thing, okay?"

The mother of the pair felt her heart melt slightly when her daughter gave her a bright smile. "I can agree to those terms."

"I'm glad." Katherine reached over and squeezed Nadia's hand.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Okay, so I think this room will work for a nursery. Plenty of natural light, plenty of space, and it's close to both mine and Nik's rooms." Rebekah stood in the center of a room on the family wing of the manor. It was a large bedroom with a spacious closet and ensuite bathroom, just like all of the others. "I'm thinking lavender for the walls."

"Lavender's a good choice." Caroline looked up from one of the many baby books Rebekah had purchased that day. "This says bright colors aren't good for developing eyes, so more muted ones are better."

"Well, it's not like I'd do my niece's room in hot pink." The Original scrutinized every inch of what was to be the new nursery. "That's just tacky. This baby is going to be royalty, you know."

"Yeah, like, is the whole royalty thing you all have going on just in concurrence with the whole kingdom of New Orleans, or is it something else? Because I'm seriously confused." Caroline crossed her arms.

Rebekah breathed out sharply through her nose. "Please, Caroline. While my family is desperately fond of New Orleans—we built this city from practically the ground up, after all—it is not a symbol of our status within the supernatural world. Niklaus, Elijah, and I are choosing to take back this city because it should never have been Marcel's at all. Besides, it does make a lovely place to raise a child, no?" She took out a notepad and, from what Caroline could see, was sketching a design plan for the room. "My family are the progenitors of the vampire species. We are the Original Family, and the name Mikaelson is synonymous with royalty in the supernatural world. To be in the favor of one of us is a highly valued prize. It is why Kol drew bands of witches to his aid, and Niklaus was able to attract packs of werewolves for his hybrid army so easily. Each of us has our own contacts; our own private group of followers."

Caroline was awestruck. Excepting for a few times—the night of their ball being one, where the glitz and glamour struck her full-force—she had always seen the Originals as slightly more dangerous and scary people than her and her friends. She never considered how…revered they could be. "You… Your family could have decimated my friends and I back home, and yet you didn't. You were never really trying, were you?"

The ancient woman laughed. "Not particularly. Sure, there were a few moments I genuinely feared for my family, but not many." She shrugged. "Our time in Mystic Falls was more like something out of another life; it was an attempt at a reset for my brothers and I. We were weary of our lifestyle, and Mystic Falls was our home first, after all. Even with the new construction and decimation of the best spots, the town still felt like it could be enjoyable. And so we stayed."

"I just… I never really considered your family like that. I don't know why. It just wasn't like that for me. I mean, you all were scary and more than a little bit intimidating, but it just never really took root in my mind how the rest of the world viewed the Originals." Caroline was about to continue her thought when Klaus's voice resonated through the hall.

"Bekah! There are a fleet of what appears to be delivery men at the front door carrying an obscene number of packages which is ridiculous for even your shopping expeditions, so could you please clarify to me what in the bloody hell is going on?" His footsteps could be heard making their way to where the two women had been chatting.

"We're decorating the nursery, Nik!" Rebekah cocked her head to the side sweetly, laying on the 'darling baby sister' vibe thick.

Klaus's eyes flickered between his sister and Caroline, confused. "Her idea, not mine." The latter gestured. "I just wanted to go grab coffee, and instead got dragged along on a four-hour shopping trip involving fifteen stores and so many fancy baby items it gave me a headache. And I don't even know if vampires can get headaches."

"Oh, you enjoyed it." Rebekah nudged the other blonde with her hip. "Especially the little tiny dresses at that last store. I could barely drag you away."

"Baby clothes are just so cute!" The younger vampire crossed her arms and pouted at the amused looks she was getting. "You can't judge me, Ms. 'I must spend fifteen minutes choosing between three different crib bedding sets before picking the one I liked first'. Which, will lavender even work with that one?"

"It's a pale green with purple flowers and sheep. It'll match." She affirmed.

Klaus sighed and ran a hand through his hair at the prospect of a room decorated with sheep of all bloody things in his house. Why on earth was he having a child again? Oh, that's right, somehow or another the stuff down there still worked and here he was, eight months later, with sheep being put into a nursery. Why anyone would ever willing want children was lost upon his mind. "I'll go let them in. But remember you are all meeting at nine for the spell, so I would have your decorators gone by then."

"Don't worry Nik! We'll make the room perfect for my little niece soon enough!" Rebekah laughed as he exited, teasing.

"So I'm decorating now as well?" Caroline crossed her arms, eyebrow raised. "Wish I had gotten that memo before now."

"You went shopping, therefore you're my co-decorator." Rebekah retorted, glaring. She would get help with this. "Look, I think you loathe Hayley just slightly more than I do, but you've got to stop thinking of the baby as her kid and more as my brother's okay? I mean…the little werewolf has all but signed a contract stating that, once she gives birth and recuperates, she's out the door. She won't be around for the next eighteen years—thank all holy things for that—and if you want to continue your association with this family, you're going to have to accept the imminent child."

The younger woman sighed. "I know. I'm coming to terms with it." She continued on, laughing. "And you're not getting rid of me that easily, Mikaelson. I will have you know that you're going to have to put up with me for quite a long while."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Forbes."

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Are we ready to get this shit done?" Kol asked, his hand on the small of Bonnie's back.

They had all gathered in Davina's little room above the church, the group of people clumping together in the room. Everyone but Klaus was present, for he had agreed to play Marcel's distraction after some wheedling by Caroline, and really, he had had no great interest in watching a witch he had never spoken to before perform some spell on the woman he loathed for five hundred years. Caroline and Rebekah came along as Katherine's mental support team, and they stood together in the corner of the room, just staying out of the way. Kol was there to co-coach Davina with Bonnie, and Elijah and Nadia were participants in the spell.

"If anyone's ready to 'get this shit done' as you so delicately put it, it's me." Katherine groaned, in pain as she laid down upon the table which had been set up in preparation for this spell. She was just ready to be…not dying. Elijah stood by her head, Nadia at her feet. She breathed in deeply, waiting for the spell to begin.

Davina squeezed Katherine's hand, smiling slightly. "I know you're putting a lot of faith in me, but Bonnie and Kol have been good teachers. I believe I can do this." The dying women just nodded, steeling herself. "Um… Would you like to…say anything before I knock you out? I mean, just on the really slim chance I fail?"

Katherine looked at those who were standing beside her, and at the women on the far side of the room. She reached her hand out to Elijah, and when he took it, squeezed lightly. "They know." The brunette sighed, closing her eyes as Davina chanted a quick spell to make her slip into unconsciousness.

"Alright. Then, let's get started." Bonnie smiled reassuringly. "Davina, you have the pages Kol and I translated?" Her protégé nodded at the stack of papers which contained the spell, now in Latin. "Okay. Then light the candles." Davina waved her hand, and the rows and rows of candles stationed throughout the room came to life. "Now, I want you to focus on the full moon outside. Feel the power, and draw upon it. Your body will channel the power into your magic, enhancing the intensity of the spell and increasing your wellbeing at the end of this." Davina closed her eyes and concentrated. "Got it?" When the witch nodded, breathing calmly and deeply, she continued. "Alright. Now, repeat after me as I begin reciting the spell. The part where we need our participants is not until the end."

The witch and the anchor continued in this manner through an obscene amount of pages, working their way through segment by segment. Every so often the candles would flare up, or the air would seem to crackle with the magic being performed in that attic in New Orleans. Soon, however, the stack of pages grew smaller and smaller, until Kol gestured for Elijah and Nadia to step forward. Their part was coming up.

Davina began the last page of the spell, her body tingling with the magic flowing through her. The combined magic of the other three girls as well as herself had lain dormant for so long, and for the first time since The Harvest, she felt like she was meant to be something great. "cinis cinerem, terram ad pulverem," She repeated after Bonnie, feeling the tensing of the power within her as the spell came to its climax. "hoc sacramento corpus restituere," The witch looked up at Nadia, who stood before her. It was time. "et sanguis in domo," She drew the ritual knife Kol had known where to procure, and reached for the vampire's hand. Slicing Nadia's palm, internally wincing at the sound of flesh slicing, Davina took the bloody hand, and placed it, in order, on Katherine's forehead and heart, and then let the remaining drops of blood seep into her mouth. "et sanguis in corde," Davina repeated this same process with Elijah, who looked upon Katherine with a mixture of hope and trepidation as his lifeblood fell into her throat. "sana quod est nocere, mutare consilium In Fatis, quam quod amissum est, `reverti ad tempus," Now it was time for the very final portion. Whether or not she had managed to fail or complete this spell to victory would be revealed within a few seconds. "reddere salute, sanitatem, restituere animam," The witch's voice grew louder and louder as she chanted the last few lines, her effort to channel as much power as possible into this spell evident. "nam nunc et usque in aeternum". She stopped, breathing deeply. The spell was finished.

Everyone looked at the limp Katherine, expressions filled with worry and undisguised anticipation. This could either send them into unending joy, or disastrous grief. Then, the vampires in the room picked up on something they had not even noticed missing.

Katherine did not have a heartbeat.

AN: *awaits flying tomatoes of worry and rage* Give me your freakouts and your opinions everyone! I'd love to hear them!

I can't really say much on this chapter like I normally do because I don't want to give anyone any big spoilers for the next few chapters, but I can certainly tell you all this: A Tree Called Life will end with 24 chapters, and then I have an epilogue to go with the story, and that will be the end of it. But don't worry! I have plans to continue this universe as it's my baby, so the epilogue won't actually be the end of it all. I just won't be telling you all what I do afterwards quite yet, because, well, I cannot give away my best secrets now can I?

I also have another Klaroline project I may or may not be starting, and it caused my part-time beta and real-life best friend to yell at me over the phone about it, simply because of the sheer awesomeness of what's in store. Well, that, and the fact that she knows I really don't have time to take on another project... Whoops. My brain will do what my brain will do. But it's still in the planning stages, and I don't have much written, so it's going to be my summer fic. The title will be revealed in the final Author's Note of ATCL, just so you all know.

One spoiler for next chapter that I can give you is this: we get to see Bonnie experimenting with what exactly she can do as the Anchor. I think it's going to be different than anything you all have ever seen before, so I await your reactions.

See you next week lovelies, and thank you all so much for reading and reviewing!

-Abi