"I like her. I think we should keep her around. Not that we could apparently do anything to get her to leave even if we wanted to."

Elijah watched as Bekah snorted in response to Kol's declaration and felt a flash of fondness. This was the first time all of them had been undaggered and together in centuries. Screaming at Niklaus had allowed his younger siblings to do away with some of their anger, and the familiar bickering caused an intense longing to grow in him at the idea of them staying together.

Finn hadn't said much so far, but Elijah had seen the warm curiosity he had been looking at Vivienne with. It wasn't fondness so much as appreciation – something Elijah could relate to.

Elijah detested feeling indebted to someone. But Vivienne's actions had created that feeling. However at the same time she caused a protective instinct to well up inside of him. She had united his family. That was something he could never pay her back for, no matter how hard he tried. The moment it had truly sunk in that Vivienne had accomplished her goal, he had vowed to do his best to protect her.

It was backwards, he was sure, to try to protect someone who very literally called herself the protector of his family. But Vivienne seemed unused to social interactions and displayed both unimaginable power as well as startling naivety. Elijah figured that it was the least he could do to try to guide her as she acclimated back into this realm – if her explanations were to be believed.

Elijah had always loved the classics. Both Greek and Roman epic tales lined his bookshelves, so his understanding of the Greek concept of the underworld was quite comprehensive. But to think that it existed in a sense was entirely strange. The epic tales were truly that – mere tales. But Elijah figured that many who were ignorant to the supernatural probably regarded his species in the same way.

He had resolved to find a period in time to ask her more about the plane of existence she called the underworld. But for now, he would simply try to keep his siblings from attacking one another as they decided where to head next.

The conversation that followed, however, was surprisingly civil. There was one place that all of them but Finn had ventured to at different times, and Finn hadn't expressed a desire to go anywhere in particular. But the city the rest of them had in common would be entertaining enough for Kol and Bekah while he and Klaus reestablished the Mikaelson name as one to be feared and respected.

Besides, New Orleans had an enormous werewolf population that Klaus could use as he began trying to make more hybrids.

Rebekah was – well, perturbed was most likely the most accurate description for the emotion that she was experiencing.

"The thing is incredibly peculiar. Why on earth did she insist on laying down in the trunk of the automobile?"

Nik's response was a bored drawl, as if he was already used to the creature's strange bizarre when he spoke.

"Most likely so she could lay down and fall into the strange coma she seems to be in currently."

Rebekah glanced over the seat she was in to peer at the woman and saw that she indeed hadn't moved for the entire duration of the drive thus far. The automobile Klaus had compelled for the family was enormous, with seven seats. Of course Rebekah would have insisted on the girl not sitting beside her – muddy and uncouth as she was – but she still could have had her own seat.

Vivienne was still in the state of hibernation she'd entered four hours before. She had not woken up when the family had bickered once again and Elijah had been forced to shout from the driver's seat to calm them down. But the appearance of the woman had dissuaded anyone from touching her.

The woman was stretched out, and black veins covered all of the skin she was baring. Talons of the same shade were extending from her fingers and toes. After Klaus had described the power she held, none of them wanted to risk moving her or attempting to harm her. Thus far she had not directly attacked any of them, and Elijah had insisted on allowing her to accompany them.

Rebekah slumped back in her seat, bored once more and not enjoying the 'rock' music that Nik had chosen to play throughout the vehicle. The accessibility of music in this millennium was wondrous, however, and she intended to explore it as soon as she could.

Kol chose in that moment to once more pipe up in some attempt to provoke Nik to violence – Kol always craved violence of some sort.

"Well Nik, it'll be strange not having the daggers to hold over our heads whenever you become upset or offended. Especially with the psychotic bodyguard apparently keeping the peace."

Instead of rising to the bait, Nik looked quite serious when he replied, "Do not underestimate her. She had the power to subdue me and read my mind."

They all quieted at that, and Rebekah could admit that it was a frightening concept. There wasn't supposed to be any creature in the world that could overpower them, and she had taken for granted her safety from any and all.

Finn was the one to ask about her next, looking at Klaus and Elijah seeing as they were the ones who had been around her longest. Finn had not engaged in conversation very often, and the despair he radiated was something Rebekah wished she could ignore. Instead she felt a pang of pity and resolved to try to bring him out of his depression, even if they had not been particularly close during their lives or afterlives.

"The conversion of time in the underworld to the time on earth seems fascinating. We should find out more when she –"

"It isn't as linear as one would think. Five thousand years on earth may be twenty in the underworld. Or in this case, one thousand years in the underworld may be approximately one or two on this plane. It was entirely by chance – I'm unsure of the mechanics."

They all startled when Vivienne suddenly spoke with arms crossed and propped up on the edge of the seats, head nonchalantly resting on her forearms. Her appearance had reverted back to that she had first looked like, the veins and talons gone.

Vivienne looked Rebekah up and down while scrutinizing her in a way that made her feel strangely vulnerable, especially after having just heard about the extent of the creature's powers. However, her next words were the exact opposite of what she had been expecting.

"I appreciate your style of dress, it's quite lovely. When we reach New Orleans shall we venture off and procure new garments? I wish to bathe and would prefer to change out of my uniform as soon as our circumstances allow it."

Completely caught off guard, Rebekah didn't rein in her disdainful and mocking tone when she said, "That dreadful thing is your uniform? You look as though you've been rolling around in mud."

Vivienne looked unbothered by her comment and shrugged in a surprisingly human gesture when she said, "Almost, but not quite. To reach this realm I had to swim across multiple rivers in the underworld and crawl out of the body of water I died in, where the my portal deposited me. I didn't have the time to alter my appearance before materializing where Klaus and Elijah were located."

There was a beat of silence in the car, but after a second Rebekah eloquently replied to Vivienne's words.

"Oh."