Bloodlines

Chapter 36: Moon Over Bourbon Street

Beta: PrincessOfSilence - she kicks ass ;) Please go and check out her stories!

Disclaimer: I own nothing of TVD or TO. I only own my characters and my story.

"They say the passage of time will heal all wounds, but the greater the loss, the deeper the cut, and the more difficult the process to become whole again. The pain may fade, but scars serve as a reminder of our suffering, and make the bearer all the more resolved never to be wounded again. So, as time moves along, we get lost in distractions. Act out in frustration, react with aggression, give in to anger. And, all the while we plot and plan as we wait to grow stronger, and before we know it, the time passes. We are healed; ready to begin anew."

"Very deep, my dear," Audrey purred from her spot on the bed. Her naked body was wrapped like an elaborate gift with the sheets and Klaus was standing opposite her, wishing he could unwrap her, piece by piece.

Some time had passed since Rebekah's departure and Marcel's exile from The Quarter and things were relatively quiet. Klaus and Audrey had been spending their time together making love in his bed and reminiscing about the past while Elijah held his tongue about it; he still held a grudge against the witch for holding him and his siblings in the cemetery and for attacking Giuliana for trying to free them. Elijah never took kindly to people who crossed the line, but he did notice a change in Klaus with Audrey around. He seemed calmer, happier. Elijah wished that he felt the same way with Giuliana, but the two were still somewhat on the outs from their previous argument. He decided to give her space as she requested and she was slowly warming up to him again. She was taking lessons from Audrey on how to properly use her magic which was something Elijah was strongly against, but he kept his opinions to himself to keep Giuliana happy.

"Now, don't move a muscle," Klaus murmured as his paintbrush glided across the canvas. His eyes would shift between her silk-covered body and the painting that he had been working on.

"It sounds like all of your demons have slithered their way into the shadows from where they came." The witch replied, keeping her body still for her artist.

"All but one." Elijah replied as he walked into the room holding Audrey's high heels dangling from his fingers. "You forgot to mention the demon that has slithered into your bed, Niklaus."

Audrey pouted at the Original and climbed out of bed, keeping the sheets around her body. "Come now, Elijah. Are you really going to give me the cold shoulder after I've crawled back from the dead?"

"Might I remind you, Audrey, that you were the reason for my siblings and I being trapped in a cemetery because of your magic. And because of you, our little sister has left her home."

"Rebekah needed to spread her wings and fly a bit. It's been too long that she has been kept under the thumbs of her older brothers." She told him. "Or do you still have a stick up your ass about Giuliana? I know you don't like that I'm training her, but her control over her magic has improved immensely. At least give me some credit."

Elijah didn't answer her, but merely lifted his head, staring down his nose at her and handed over her shoes. "I trust you will find your clothes at the door."

The witch rolled her eyes at Elijah's attitude and took her shoes. She then sauntered to Klaus and cupped the back of his neck, bringing him into a sultry kiss that made Elijah avert his eyes. "We'll continue this later."

"I'll be waiting." Klaus smirked slyly. When she turned to leave, he swatted her behind which made her give a tiny shriek and it was Elijah's turn to roll his eyes. "It's true, brother. You don't give her enough credit."

"What was that scar along her chest?" The Original wondered. He saw a peak of it when the sheet around Audrey's shoulder fell away.

"Ah, yes. That would be when she stepped in front of me and took father's stake to keep me alive." Klaus answered hastily and went back to his painting. "Now, if there is nothing else, please leave me to my work."

"Niklaus, it has been a month. Now, I feel our sister's loss as deeply as you, but you must stop distracting yourself with this ridiculous behavior and channel it into some kind of action." His brother implored and he caught Klaus scowling from behind the canvas.

The hybrid dipped his paintbrush into the vibrant colors of his palette and continued to paint. "Why must I, exactly?"

"Because over the course of Marcel's tenure, the city grew accustomed to having a king. You wanted this throne. Now, you must accept the responsibility that accompanies that."

"Apologies, but I'm rather ensconced in other pursuits." He muttered. Hopefully if he gave his brother enough vague answers, he'd leave him alone.

Elijah gracefully plucked the paintbrush from Klaus' fingers and placed it neatly in the cup alongside his other brushes. "If you can so easily neglect your home, I wonder what will become of your daughter. Have you forgotten what it was like to live beneath the threat of violence? We must work together, Niklaus. Let's make this city whole again."

"Perhaps it is too broken to mend," Klaus growled at his brother. He took back the brush and started working again. Elijah clenched his fists by his sides, but he kept quiet. Turning on his heel, he left Klaus to his artwork.

"If you won't do anything, I will."

The raucous sounds of the bayou greatly contrasted the quiet compound as of late. With Marcel's vampires gone, there was no one to cause trouble or start drama with the witches in the Quarter and while that brought peace to some, others desired for a change of scenery. Hidden away in the thick brush tucked beside a massive pool of water, members of the wolf pack gathered together like it was any other day. Women prepared foods for tonight's supper and set the table with utensils while their young played and ran around with siblings and cousins. Among the wolves were Giuliana and Hayley, who had thought it best that the latter get more acquainted with her family roots. They talked with a lot of the female pack members and cooked over large pots and pans filled with vegetables and meats. Those very sights and smells brought Giuliana back to a time where she would do this with her own family. It brought her a sense of warmth and comfort to be so easily welcomed into Hayley's pack that she preferred the bayou to the compound. And while Hayley was still adjusting to her large, new family, she was certainly making an effort for her daughter's sake.

"My turn! My turn!" A group of young children chanted, eagerly bouncing at Giuliana's feet.

"I need a break, kids," the witch panted heavily with her hands placed firmly on her knees. All afternoon she'd been spending time with the children of the pack. They played games, ran races, and Giuliana's arms were about to give out if she had to give one more child a piggy back ride. "I'm not as fast as you are."

The kids pouted, sticking out their upper lips in an effort to get her to continue playing with them. One of the smallest ones stepped forward, her reddish waves strewn wildly around her face. "Promise you'll play with us later?"

Giuliana knelt down to the girl's level and ruffled her hair. "I promise. Now go help your mothers."

The children ran off, starting a new game as they raced to their mothers and that made the young witch smile fondly. She remembered running and playing with her siblings all day long before being called to supper with the entire village. The life of the wolf pack didn't stray too far from her old life and she wished to stay in the bayou rather than return to the compound. However, she knew that Audrey would come looking for her soon for training, but that didn't mean that she couldn't enjoy the fresh air for now. She'd gone back to helping cook and prepare foods when she lost sight of Hayley. They were together before the kids pulled Giuliana away from her work, but the pregnant mother had happened to wander off. Giuliana asked around the women and they pointed her in the direction where the men had spent their afternoons.

Just off the side of some of the huts, the men were gathered around a wrestling match between two of the younger pack-members. For the boys, getting a chance to compete against each other was a rite of passage and winning was an opportunity to move up the ladder within the pack. Fathers coached their sons and childhood friends would face off in the center of the ring. This kind of competition was all in good fun, but it did mean that the strongest boys would stand out to the Alpha male. The two boys who were currently fighting couldn't have been older than their teens and both were putting up a good fight. One of the boys was a bit huskier than the other, demonstrating his strength through powerful hits, but the other made up for it in speed. They tackled and wrestled and grappled with each other until the stronger one came out on top. The men cheered, smacking the bruised winner on his shoulder while the others helped the loser of the match to the side lines to sit down.

Hayley waved Giuliana over to where she was watching the matches and another one quickly started with the winner of the previous match and Oliver. The wolves stalked the edge of the ring, sizing each other up before one of them blinked and lunged forward first. The crowd roared, shouting and cheering for who they wanted to win.

"Wow, I didn't know that if I wanted to find half naked men wrestling with each other that all I had to do was come here." Giuliana grinned and bumped Hayley's hip.

"Keep your tongue in your mouth." The wolf smirked.

"Enjoying yourselves, ladies?" Jackson waltzed up to stand beside them.

"I'm having a wonderful time." The witch beamed, keeping her eyes on the fight.

"Shouldn't you be out there playing Fight Club with the rest of the frat boys?" Hayley asked the wolf.

"Nah." He shook his head. "That's just for pecking order. They already know who the Alpha is."

Oliver was able to get a good hit on his opponent before plowing him into the ground and being declared the winner. The wolves congratulated him and another fight started, but Oliver had decided to step out of it, allowing another wolf to jump into the fray. Jackson escorted the girls inside where the table was being set and the members of the pack greeted them with smiles.

"You gotta try Tucker's ribs," he told them.

"Then, what? Then we're gonna go play horseshoes?" Hayley raised her eyebrow skeptically and Giuliana threw her a rude look.

Jackson chuckled. "Hey! Don't mock country living, darlin'."

"Sorry. This is just a lot more family fun than I'm used to." She sighed.

"Well, maybe I can help you get used to it." He smiled at her. Jackson had done all he could do to try and get Hayley more comfortable and she was thankful for that. Everyone had jumped through hoops for the pregnant wolf and her friend which only made them feel more welcomed.

"Sure, then all we got to do is just forget that she spent half her life with humans, and the other half with vampires." Oliver's pointed tone managed to make Jackson glare and he stepped between him and Hayley.

"Ollie, back off." Jackson warned.

Hayley was quick to sidestep Jackson and star Oliver down. "It's okay. If the runt of the litter has got something to say, he should say it."

"Our kind doesn't take kindly to vampires, so the fact that everyone has been so welcoming to the both of you is bullshit." He added and his eyes shifted to Giuliana. "Especially you. You don't belong here."

"Oliver," the Alpha growled threateningly.

"That's funny, Oliver. You weren't half as much of an asshole when you first met me." The brunette challenged.

"That's because I didn't know that you were spreading your legs for your vampire boyfriend." Jackson was just about ready to throw his friend outside, but the second he moved forward, Oliver fell to his knees in a heap of convulsions. Both Hayley and Jackson bent down to help him, but Oliver's body shook even harder.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Audrey heeded, keeping her hand extended and her fingers flexed. "This mutt has to be taught some manners, don't you agree, Jackson?"

"He didn't mean what he said." He tried to defend his fallen friend.

"I'm sure." The witch rolled her eyes. "See, if my pupil were to come to training sessions, she would be able to do this." She straightened out her fingers before flexing them harshly again and Oliver screamed loudly. Giuliana immediately jumped in, holding her hands up.

"That's enough, Audrey." She pleaded. "Leave him alone."

Audrey's blue orbs squinted down at the wolf who was curled on the floor in a fetal position. She released him of her magic, allowing Jackson to hoist up his friend and sit him down. "The next time you want to open your mouth, Oliver? Don't."

The wolf didn't reply, but he gritted his teeth and grumbled quietly. He swatted Jackson's prodding hands off of him and glared at the witch.

"Quite the nice setup you have here." Her gaze lingered along the shabby furniture before stopping on Hayley. The expectant mother immediately placed a hand on her belly as a force of habit and her entire body tensed up, sensing this new witch as a threat. Audrey didn't move; all she did was glance down at Hayley's stomach before meeting her eyes again. Before this moment, Klaus' lover and the mother of his child had never met and needless to say, it was quite the awkward moment for everyone in the house.

"It's nice to meet you, Hayley." She greeted sincerely which made the wolves exchange curious glances with each other. Wanting to diffuse the situation, Giuliana walked outside, taking Audrey with her, so that they could talk without anyone interfering.

"I know what you're about to say," the younger witch started.

"Look, I get that you're enjoying it here in the bayou, but how am I supposed to train you when you don't show up?" Audrey raised an eyebrow at the young witch.

"I just needed a break." Giuliana shrugged. "The compound was feeling a bit crowded."

Audrey rolled her eyes. "No one even lives in the compound anymore since Klaus kicked Marcel and his vampires to the curb. My guess is that you're trying to avoid a certain Original vampire."

"Am not," she grumbled.

"We can argue about this all day if we want to, but right now, Elijah is holding a meeting at St. Ann's and all of the leaders of the factions in New Orleans must attend."

"A meeting? Why?"

"Elijah wants to set some boundaries, create peace, to fix things that are broken. You know how he is." The witch muttered rudely. "Tell Jackson and Hayley that their presence is required. I'll be in the car." The girls parted ways, Giuliana to fetch the wolves and Audrey to start the car, but the younger blood witch called over her shoulder.

"You don't even drive!"

"Oh, I do now." Audrey shouted back. "Elijah will get his car back safe and sound."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"You should have been there today." Audrey tsked. "It was quite the scene watching everyone argue."

Just as Klaus had suspected, Elijah's grandiose plan for peace blew up in his face. Not one faction could agree on anything and Elijah spent the afternoon trying to break apart fights between rivaling factions. Even the most civil of conversations quickly escalated to screaming matches just short of objects being thrown across the church. Audrey said not one word the entire meeting and twirled her wine glass while she sat beside Giuliana who shifted anxiously while Elijah tried to separate faction leaders from tearing each other's heads off. All in all, the meeting was a complete and total disaster, leaving New Orleans even more divided than it was before.

Klaus heard what Audrey had said, but he didn't answer her. He was much too focused on his painting. He'd finished the portrait of Audrey, so he started a new one, but he could not get the feel of it right. Many a time he wanted to rake his nails through the painted canvas, but he continued to work, adding little details and splashing colors here and there. Audrey's gaze met his tense form from the reflection of the vanity mirror that she was seated at and wrinkled her nose.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"No," he replied flatly and the witch rolled her eyes, scoffing loudly and fiddling with her appearance in the mirror.

"Well, Hayley was very charming." She mentioned. "She'll make a great mother."

Once again, Klaus didn't say anything. His eyes were glued on his painting, a brush clutched in his fingers and a hand at his chin. His lips moved slowly, muttering some words under his breath for his ears only. Audrey rose from her spot and moved to stand behind him.

"Niklaus," she called gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Just frustrated, darling," he answered with a heavy sigh.

"You should relax." She slid her hands along his tense shoulders and squeezed them. Her thumbs dug into his shoulder blades, massaging his muscles. "You of all people should know not to force your art."

"It's not just the painting. It's Rebekah's departure, Elijah's nagging sense of empowerment, my neglect of my city."

"I wouldn't call it neglect, per say." She walked around to face him, still massaging his shoulders but she had managed to wrestle the paintbrush from his hand. "You know that all of these factions have a history with each other, so you already know that putting them in the same room will be a complete and total disaster. The way I see it, you're more intuitive than Elijah."

Klaus smirked at that. He quite enjoyed hearing that he was one step ahead of his brother. "That all sounds so lovely. It just rolls off the tongue." His hands found her hips, pulling her body into his.

Audrey wiggled her eyebrows at him, biting her lower lip as she swayed against him. She hooked her leg around his waist, making the hybrid's eyes glint with lust. "You know what else rolls off the tongue, Klaus?"

"I'd love to hear it." His lips were inches from hers, just ready to take them in a heated kiss when Elijah burst into the room. The witch made a face at Klaus and backed up just enough.

"I hope I'm not interrupting." The vampire glanced between the two.

"Of course not. Why would you be?" Audrey threw her hands up and stalked about the room. "This is only the second time that you've barged in here unannounced when I'm nearly indecent. You know, Elijah, I think you're enjoying this."

"Please, brother. Leave us." Klaus requested.

"I have held my tongue, Niklaus, but I cannot any longer. I am not a fan of your continued indifference on the issue of restoring peace to our home." Elijah squared off against his brother.

"My continued indifference?" He repeated incredulously. "I will have you know, brother, that I intend to offer you perspective on this so-called issue."

Elijah tilted his head to the side just slightly, showing his intrigue into the mind of his brother. "Really? Well, then I would quite like to hear it."

"So would I," Audrey agreed, leaning against Klaus' art table.

The Original hybrid poured three drinks and passed them out before starting his speech. "If you want peace, you must begin with the werewolves. A hundred years ago, they had a run at ruling this city. As of late, all they've had is time to watch their enemies tear down that legacy."

"All the more reason why their enemies are reluctant to bring them to the table," Elijah said.

"Take a page from Bienville, brother." Klaus placed his glass on the table where Audrey reclined and patted the surface of the table. "If the table's the obstacle, remove it. Do you recall in 1720, the Governor's desperation to secure our help to build the cities first levees? We sat with him and refused his offer. So, he plied us with wine, with corseted women, and with raucous camaraderie until he had his yes."

There was a noticeable glimmer in Elijah's eyes that could be seen by both witch and hybrid. It was like watching the gears and cogs in a clock slowly revolve, the teeth meeting together to make the contraption work. "Are you suggesting that I throw a party?"

Klaus picked up his drink once again and clinked it with his brother's. "Yes."

"Now if I can just keep them from tearing one another to shreds." He grinned.

"It should make for a very interesting evening." Audrey purred and held up her glass. "Cheers, gentlemen."

"An interesting evening indeed," Elijah muttered to himself after dissipating another near brawl between the werewolves and the vampires.

Emotions were running high, grudges were held and tensions were just about ready to snap. He had done a fair job of keeping his composure, but the mood of the evening could switch on a dime, so he had to be prepared for anything. The compound had been decorated beautifully, of course, and each of the factions had come dressed in only their best evening wear. Scanning over the space, he could see that the room was easily divided, vampires, werewolves, humans, and witches all occupying separate corners and giving scathing stares to their rival factions. Elijah supposed that the entire gathering could have gone worse, but for now he settled for the separation. As long as there wasn't blood on the walls, he sighed and sipped from his champagne glass.

"Since you're preoccupied, I'll intuit your flattering compliment." Francesca waltzed up beside him with a wide smile. "Thank you, I think I look stunning, too."

Elijah's eyes didn't stray from the room. "I trust you've spent as much time fortifying alliances as you clearly have selecting that dress."

Francesca moved herself to stand in front of the Original to gain his attention which did work. "So you do notice me." She grinned. "And, yes, I've already settled the dispute over the docks. I pacified the witches with an increased share in cemetery tours, and I've given the Crescents a Welcome-Back-to-Humanity gift in the form of $100 chips to my casino."

Elijah had met Francesca Correa shortly after his failed attempt at a power summit. She had a pretty impressive resume being the owner of the Palace Royale Casino and was one of the city's leading philanthropists. However, not everything about Ms. Correa was squeaky clean seeing that she was also the matriarch to a rather large drug trafficking empire. She approached him with a proposition that he was still mulling over in his brain. Francesca's family had been a part of the human faction for years, so once she heard of the hex Father Kieran had received, she thought herself to be the most qualified to take his place. She had the new mayor, the chief of police and some other important party members in her back pocket, but she had yet to gain Elijah's support.

"So, I think I deserve some champagne, don't you?" She hinted at a passing hostess. Being a gentleman, Elijah plucked a glass from the tray and handed it to her, but pulled it back at the last moment.

"You know, in light of Kieran's deteriorating condition, the others have acquiesced to your proposal. You will represent the human faction until he's ready to resume." He had thought long and hard about a counteroffer to give to Francesca and on this one, he refused to budge.

Ms. Correa thought for a few short moments and then took the glass from him. "Then, I suggest we make the most of our limited time together."

They clinked their glasses together and Elijah lifted the bubbly liquid up to his lips, but stopped midway once his eyes caught a stunning creature from across the room. His breath was knocked from his lungs as Giuliana waded through the crowds, the folds of her emerald green gown brushing against the floor. The dress caressed her body, the deep jewel tone contrasting wonderfully with her olive skin. A nude and diamond encrusted piece covered the top of the gown, serving like a cage by the way the diamonds weaved and crisscrossed across her front. The sides of her hair were pulled back tightly and the rest of her locks were straightened and trailed down her back. A small poof rested atop her head and neutral make-up dusted her already beautiful features.

Their eyes locked and time stopped. Elijah could feel his undead heart lurch in his chest. He hadn't seen her since the summit meeting and that was not the proper place to talk since he had nearly been prying off werewolves and vampires from each other. Tonight would be the perfect setting to indulge her in small talk. Truthfully, he missed her presence in the Quarter. She'd spent a lot of time with Hayley out in the bayou or with Audrey training that he yearned to just see her. He would not let her slip from his hold on this night, he held himself to that promise. Francesca's gaze followed that of the Original and she frowned deeply seeing that she no longer held his attention. She looked the woman in the green gown up and down, but could find nothing to fault her on for the time being. Perhaps she had to work harder to secure a spot in the Original's mind.

All of the air left Giuliana's lungs when she saw the woman that Elijah was standing with move to block his view and run a hand down his arm. She'd never seen her before, but she guessed that she was a member of New Orleans' elite just by the way she carried herself. She watched as Elijah indulged her for a few seconds and she took her chance to duck away into a crowd of people, not wanting to be privy to a woman throwing herself at an Original vampire. She sipped some champagne from a glass she'd snatched from a waiter and went off to find a familiar face to cling onto. By the time Elijah had looked up, Giuliana had already disappeared and he scolded himself for losing her so easily. Francesca continued to talk his ear off, but he wasn't listening, not in the slightest.

Giuliana had found her refuge by Davina who felt just as out of place as she did. They made small talk with one another and nibbled at the tasty appetizers just to pass the time. Davina was happy to be with someone she knew while Giuliana was just happy that she didn't have to face Elijah. She was perfectly content staying in her own little corner of the room. The girls received quite a few invitations to dance from many of the eligible bachelors, but Davina had her eyes on one in particular. She waved sweetly at Oliver from across the room and he smiled back at her as he made his way towards her.

"I think he's gonna ask me to dance." She bounced eagerly, but her excitement was short lived when Monique swooped in. She took the young wolf by the arm and led him to the dance floor, leaving Davina near tears.

"I can always juju her if you'd like." Giuliana consoled the sad girl who let a little giggle fall from her lips.

"No, I have to learn how to fight my own battles." She sighed.

"That's true." It was like when she told Elijah that she had to take care of herself on her own, Davina needed to step up to the plate as well. "You'll get your magic back. You've just got to give it time."

"I guess." The girl shrugged her shoulders like a broken winged bird. The girls spent some more time talking with one another when Giuliana caught Klaus and Audrey walking arm and arm down the steps that led from the upper balcony.

Klaus was dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and black tie which was his regular party uniform. The woman on his arm was wrapped in a black silk gown. The front plunged down to her sternum, exposing her bountiful breasts and her scar. As she walked, a glimpse of her legs could be seen from the long slit along the left side of the dress. A diamond choker looped around her neck, no doubt a gift from Klaus, and a matching bracelet donned her wrist. Her blue eyes were smoky and her lips were painted a deep red. They descended the stairs, overlooking the party as if it were their kingdom to rule and they were quick to mingle with the important parties. A shadow lurked not too far behind them and Giuliana squinted her eyes to see that it was Jackson who had come from the same direction where Klaus and Audrey had entered. The wolf looked as if he was pondering a great question, weighing his choices before making a big decision.

"Pardon me." Her back immediately stiffened hearing that voice from behind her. She knew exactly who it was and didn't feel the need to turn around in order to see if her guess was right.

"Hello Elijah." Davina greeted amicably and Giuliana bit her bottom lip. Well, she was able to avoid him for this long - she had to give herself some credit.

"Good evening, Davina. You look lovely." He smiled at the young witch who bowed her head. He gazed upon Giuliana, as if trying to remember every detail of how she looked tonight. He took her hand in his and gently kissed the back.

"Would you care to dance?" His words were uttered so softly, they almost weren't heard. Giuliana could feel her hand tingling from where he had kissed her flushed skin. Coming back to herself, she nodded wordlessly and Elijah led her out into the center of the dance floor with the other couples.

"This is a wonderful party." She thanked the heavens that she was actually able to form words and speak them coherently. "Even Klaus came to join the fun."

Elijah cast a glance to his brother who had his hand around Audrey's waist and was speaking with Genevieve. "Yes, it seems that only a sizable soirée is enough to tear my brother away from his efforts at the easel."

They danced for a little while longer, Elijah twirled her around, fanning her out only to brought right back into him again. He moved gracefully and elegantly across the floor as if he floated on air and Giuliana was just one to follow his lead. Many of the women on the sidelines whispered behind Giuliana's back, asking one another if she and Elijah were as serious as they appeared to be. The way they danced together made it seem like they were meant to dance with each other only and it made the other women quite envious.

"It feels weird to be back here," she said, completely off topic.

"Not unpleasant, I hope?" He wondered.

"Oh, no; not unpleasant at all. Just strange," she replied simply.

"May I ask the reason for your wish to spend time here?"

Giuliana cleared her throat, knowing that she had to pick and choose her words very carefully. "Well, Audrey's training sessions wear me out, so I like to enjoy some time out in the bayou. Plus, Hayley is out there a lot. I miss her not being here."

"I understand." Elijah nodded. "But, Giuliana, I never want you to feel unwelcome here. I fear that our last conversation pushed you away and for that, I am deeply sorry."

His eyes just looked so sad when he spoke to her. It takes a big man to apologize for something; to Giuliana, Elijah was a giant among men. He always looked out for her best interest and protected her when she couldn't protect herself. She wouldn't have been able to make it in New Orleans on her own without Elijah to help her.

She leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, making him look at her funny. "I forgive you, Elijah. I know now that you were just looking out for me and I can't thank you enough for always being by my side whenever I need it."

Elijah was smiling, no, beaming from ear to ear. "You asked to come to New Orleans to seek refuge from Silas and I made it my promise to protect you. But now I can see that you are learning to slay your own dragons."

"Quite well, I might add." She grinned.

He spun them around and twirled her out. When he brought her back in, he dipped her low, the tip of his nose brushing against hers. She could feel the heat of his face so close to hers, the strong grip of his hands on her body and the beating of his heart in her ears. She could also feel the envious gazes of the other women in the room on her. Their eyes were burning holes in the back of her head as Elijah focused his attention solely on her. He ever-so-slowly brought her back up, still keeping them intimately close together and Giuliana swore that she'd melt in his arms.

"You are the most beautiful woman in this room." He whispered in her ear. Pulling back, they were staring into each other's eyes intensely, neither of them wanting to break it.

Suddenly, a loud crash rang out from across the room, followed by glass shattering and guests gasping. A bruised and bloodied Oliver staggered to his feet after being thrown into a table that held a pyramid of champagne glasses and he growled at Diego who was cracking his knuckles in preparation for another punch. The two men charged at one another, forcing the crowds back and some even went rushing for the exits. Oliver was able to pin Diego to the wall, but he was quickly yanked away by the back of his neck by Elijah who pinned him to a column.

"This ends now. I won't ask again." The Original was livid.

"Oh, we'll end it alright!" Jackson shouted and Elijah looked over to see that he had pinned Diego to the wall with a stake at his heart. Like clockwork, vampires and werewolves had ambushed one other, but they were quickly stopped by Audrey and Giuliana holding their hands out over both sides of the room. The opposing parties were paralyzed, practically brought to their knees in surrender to the two witches. Audrey felt a twinge of pain snake up her right arm followed by a small electrical charge that intertwined around her fingers. She shook it off, trying to ignore it, but the pain only got worse. Klaus noticed it, but didn't say a word to her.

"What's stopping you, Elijah?" Hayley called from the upper balcony. "Kill him. Go ahead. Do it. I mean, it's not like he doesn't deserve to die."

"Shouldn't you intervene or something?" Francesca asked Klaus who was standing smugly and sipping a glass of champagne.

"Why would I? This party just got interesting." He smirked.

"I mean, it was Oliver who handed Rebekah over to the witches so they could torture her. But, then again, wasn't it Diego who led a werewolf massacre last month? And the witches cursed the wolves, while the humans stood back and let it all happen. So when you think about it, everyone here deserves to die." Hayley spoke.

"I wouldn't go that far, Hayley." Giuliana muttered under her breath.

Elijah still held Oliver to the column, this time by his throat, but he turned himself to the pregnant wolf. "Are you approaching a point?"

Hayley descended the staircase to meet the Original in the middle of the dance floor. "My point, Elijah, is this. If we can't all learn to get along, if our families can't create some sort of community, then what's the point? Kill each other and get it all over with."

Everyone looked around the room, taking Hayley's argument into consideration. If they couldn't get along, there was no point to even coexisting together. Audrey nodded to Giuliana and they lowered their powers on the wolves and vampires, testing them to see if they would fight back. When they didn't, they backed away from their opponents and Jackson released Diego. After a few moments, Elijah finally stepped back, allowing Oliver to join his pack.

"Well, tonight was certainly a fun filled evening." Audrey sighed as she hung her gown up on a hanger. The rest of the night went swimmingly once tensions were quelled and the leaders of the factions were actually about to come together to draft a treaty of peace between them. She had signed it since Blood Witches were their own faction separate from the witches while Elijah, Diego, Genevieve, Francesca, and Hayley signed it representing the Originals, the vampires, the witches, the humans, and the werewolves respectively. Klaus had changed into his regular clothes and he had found the inspiration to finish his painting. He had it hung on a separate easel to dry and he was admiring his work with a smile.

"It's beautiful." She stood beside him, gazing at the painting of the New Orleans skyline with a big full moon hanging high in the sky. His arm looped around her waist, bringing her closer.

"Yes, you are." A smile pulled at the corners of her lips and he took her right hand in his and peered down at it. She tried to yank her hand back, but he held onto it tightly. That same green electricity zapped her fingers and she winced. "What does this mean?"

Audrey clutched her hand, massaging the palm and her fingers. "I don't know…" She shook her hand out and flexed her fingers which only made it ache more. "I'm going to get ready for bed." She kissed his cheek and left him to his painting. Elijah then entered the room with the peace treaty and an inkwell in hand. He extended them to his brother who eyed the items.

"Sign it."

"Why? You've already done so on our behalf."

"Brother, I am not a fool. It's clear to me you're not as disinterested as you'd like me to believe. Sign, please. If there is no peace between us, then how can you expect others to follow suit?" Elijah placed the treaty down on Klaus' art table, dipped a pen in the inkwell, and held out the pen to his brother.

Klaus huffed and took the pen from Elijah's hand. He scrawled his name on the bottom of the peace treaty. "Fine, if it will make you happy. But, I assure you, this city's inhabitants will not adhere to this agreement."

"Well, you are welcome to wager against me." Elijah said and waited for the ink to dry on the paper before taking it and the inkwell with him. "You will lose."

"We'll see." The Original hybrid murmured thoughtfully. While he admired his brother's efforts for peace, he knew that everyone mentioned in the treaty would only behave for some time, or until Elijah turned his back.

Well, it looks like something is happening with Audrey. Hmm, I wonder what it could be. Elijah and Giuliana seemed to have patched things up nicely and a peace treaty has been signed, but who will be the first one to violate it? Please review! I want to hear your thoughts! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday for those of you who celebrate and I hope that everyone has a happy and a healthy New Year!

Guest: Thank you for reviewing! I love Cassandra and Damon too! I also can't wait to write them as parents when the time arises. I am glad to hear that you like Audrey :) She's a strong character and Klaus needs a strong woman to give him some lovin' hehe

Shining Ruby: Thanks for reviewing! The Travelers are certainly not going to let Cassandra's baby live, but we will have to see if they succeed in their plan.

elisesellas: Thank you so much for reviewing, my dear! I hope you enjoyed your Michael Buble CD and my chapter update ;) I am so happy to hear that your Thanksgiving was wonderful as well! It is always so nice to read such warm and positive words from my readers and yours always make me smile! I am passing on some belated Christmas blessings and if I do not speak to you before then, have a happy and a healthy New Year's celebration!

NicoleR85: Thank you, Nicole! Here is your chapter update and I hope that you enjoyed it :)

Guest: Thanks for reviewing! I like the names Ava and Aria too, but I can't decide which one I like best. Perhaps I'll put up a poll to see which one readers like the most. For both stories, I don't think there will be a time jump.

Guest: I have a feeling that their daughter will look like both her mother and father and she'll be oh-so-cute! Thank you so much for reviewing!

grapejuice101: Thanks girl! Glad to hear that you enjoyed this chapter! Hope you enjoyed this one too :)

binks13: Hello my dear! I'm doing well and I am glad to hear that you are too! Cassandra and Elena have a wonderful relationship together and it is one of my favorites to write. Damon's got a great sense of humor and I love seeing it in the show. He just makes me giggle lol! The Originals has really outdone itself as a television show and I hope it stays around for a long time! I hope you had a fabulous holiday and a happy and healthy New Year xoxo

twin of a sister: Hi, my dear! I liked the passing notes part between Cassandra and Damon too. It shows that they can be like two teenagers in love. The dreams will be written out in the next TVD chapter and I can tell you from having some of it written, they are tear-jerkers. I hope you enjoyed this chapter update and I'll talk to you soon :)

SomebodyWhoCares: Isn't Day the best? ;)

Guest: Damon has no shame and likes walking around naked, but do we complain about it? Hehe, I don't ;) Thanks so much for reviewing!

Guest: You'll find out what those dreams mean soon enough ;) As for what month the baby will be born in, I am really not sure offhand. I'll have to check the timeline before I give you a definite answer. Thank you for reviewing!