Bring Me To Life

by BehindGrayEyes

Imogen Claire Saga Book 1: After the events of the Harvest, Imogen left the French Quarter coven and vowed to do anything to protect the last of her family. With the arrival of the Original Family the vampires are thrown into complete upheaval and Imogen is caught right in the middle. With the supernatural community of New Orleans prepping for war, which side will she fall down on?

19. Le Grand Guignol

Bring Me To Life

Le Grand Guignol:

The morning sunlight spilled in through the window, illuminating the brunette hair of the witch sitting on the couch with a mug of steaming hot coffee in her hand. The atmosphere in the study was stilted from the events of the past night, not a sound could be heard other than the occasional muffled groan coming from the bedroom upstairs. It should have disturbed her, but she just leisurely sipped her coffee and nibbled on the artisanal raspberry and white chocolate muffin that she'd found in the kitchen earlier that morning.

It seemed as though the world was paused, but Imogen knew that wasn't the case.

The events of the last day filtered through her mind as she leaned back against the comfortable couch with her legs tucked underneath her body, her hands curled around the mug to keep it balanced on her knee. She had attempted to stay awake until everyone arrived back at the compound but she'd ended up surrendering to her exhaustion, curling up like a slumbering cat in the comfortable armchair in Elijah's office. She had woken up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting in from the kitchen and the sensation of somebody gently stroking her cheek with the back of their fingers, a feeling she thought she could've gotten used to if given the chance. Elijah had gone on to explain that he had saved Rebekah and Marcel from Klaus' wrath by stabbing him in the chest with the bone blade that was spelled by the witch Papa Tunde, who enchanted it using sacrificial magic gained by killing dozens of vampires.

"You seem to be at ease in my office. Are you acquisitioning it for yourself, darling?" Elijah asked teasingly as he strolled into the study with a faint smirk on his lips and Imogen lifted her head with a smile, loving the way the moniker flowed off of his tongue.

"Hm. Well, this couch is very comfy." She replied in the same light-hearted tone as she caressed the seat next to her fondly and he chuckled lowly as he came to a stop on the opposite side of the coffee table with his hands stuffed in his pants pockets. "Do you have a problem sharing with me?"

"Not at all. In fact, your presence seems to have brightened an otherwise dreary room."

The compliment caused a blush to spread across the witch's cheeks as she ducked her head in embarrassment with a small grin on her lips, not used to someone showing her genuine affection. She was used to people making outrageous declarations in hopes of gaining something from her, in hopes of taking advantage of her, thinking that a few kind words would manipulate her enough to give in to their demands. But the spark in Elijah's brown eyes or the faint upturn of his lips like he wasn't even aware that he was smiling, it made her believe in the sincerity of his words.

Elijah watched the slight reddening of her cheeks as she avoided his gaze with an adorable twitch of her lips and he tilted his head to the side in fascination as she tucked a strand of brunette hair behind her ear. He could remember running his fingers through the silky tresses when he kissed her other morning in the kitchen and he ached to be able to do it whenever he desired, to be able to express his feelings without censoring himself. The taste of her lips was lingering, a sweet torture he'd endure for the better part of a day, and he found his gaze drifting down to her mouth as she took a sip from the porcelain mug in her hand. Never before in his existence had he been envious of an inanimate object, but a severe envy built inside of him when he saw the way her lips curved around the edge of the coffee cup. Her expressive blue eyes lifted to meet his gaze, captivating his full attention as she tilted her head to the side curiously and he instantly diverted his gaze away from her when he realised he had been staring at her a moment too long to be considered polite. He cleared his throat discreetly as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly with a small downturn of his lips, feeling awkward under her questioning gaze and he knew that they'd have to discuss their kiss at some point in time but he wanted to live in a state of hope instead of facing reality.

"Perhaps we should talk." He stated apprehensively as he shifted his stance, appearing almost nervous about what he was about to do but he knew that he needed to make it clear where his attention had to lie.

"Elijah, I'm not some naïve little girl." Imogen reminded him with a soft laugh as she quirked an eyebrow at him and he couldn't help the dubious expression that flashed across his features because he wasn't used to dealing with someone so mature. "We don't need to have 'the talk'. I don't need an explanation. You thought I was dead, when you found I wasn't you were overcome with affection, relief, guilt? It was just a kiss. An amazing, phenomenal kiss, but just a kiss all the same."

"Imogen, I apolg –"

"I don't need an apology either, but thank you for the consideration."

"I feel as though I've misled you. That was not my intention, I assure you."

"I know that." she told him soothingly with a gentle smile as she set the empty coffee mug down on the table next to the couch, noticing how troubled he seemed to be over what he felt was an injustice towards her and she curled one leg underneath her body as she tilted her head to the side compassionately. The witch bit down on the corner of her lower lip contemplatively as she regarded him thoughtfully and he raised an eyebrow at her in amusement as she released a sigh with a small grin appearing on her lips, "I like you, Elijah. You're intelligent, and funny, compassionate. Loyal to your family to a fault, and I'm saying that as a positive attribute. You wear a suit better than anyone I've ever met. I like spending time with you. I know how I feel about you. I don't think I'm the one who's having difficulty accepting their feelings, and that's okay. I'm fine with that. Because if we're just friends, at least I get some of you. I still get to talk to you, and see you. And if that's all you can offer, I understand. Your main concern is your family, and I know you have a lot going on right now. And my main concern is my family, and I'm going to do whatever in my power to get Davina resurrected. I don't need anything from you, Elijah. But I do want you in my life. Even if it's just doing what we've been doing the past few months."

Imogen shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly like she hadn't just made the most nerve-wracking speech of her entire life even though her stomach felt heavy with dread, the fear of rejection eating away at her insides. She could feel her heart racing, trying escape the confines of her chest as she took a deep breath and attempted to appear calm under the Original's burdened stare.

"The extent of your understanding in astonishing." Elijah whispered in an awed tone of voice as he tilted his head to the side with a soft smile touching his lips and she couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her as she shook her head in denial but he quickly interrupted whatever she was about to say with small grin, "No, it's the truth. I'm constantly amazed by the way your mind functions. It's one of the things I admire most about you. I've spent the last thousand years expecting the unexpected but yet, somehow, you always manage to surprise me with what comes out of your mouth."

"Thank you." she said in a with a touch of a grin on her lips, a slight blush spreading over her cheeks at the flattering remark because she could hear the honesty threaded through his words.

"There's no need to thank me. I've always been truthful with you, and I'll continue to be." He stated nonchalantly as he strolled around the coffee table separating them and she turned her body slightly to face him as he gracefully sat down beside her on the couch. "Imogen, I…I enjoy your company. Far more than I care to admit. I'm aware that both of our current familial obligations place a strain on even attempting to develop a relationship, but I don't wish to lose what little relationship we've established."

"So, then we just continue how we were before the kiss. Being around you just feels so natural to me, like I don't have to be anything other than myself and I don't want things to be awkward between us. I was happy getting to know you gradually and being friends, with a little flirting."

"Yes, I agree. It seems as though you're the only one I can be assured isn't working against me. You've always been quite clear where your loyalties lie. And because of that, you are the only one I can fully trust." Elijah murmured thoughtfully as he draped his arm over the back of the couch with a slightly troubled expression and Imogen knew that his mind was no longer on the topic of their non-existent relationship but on the latest Mikaelson family dilemma.

Betrayal was a hard thing to process, especially when it came from someone you trusted explicitly and that was the saddest thing about treachery, it never came from your enemies. Imogen could see the hurt that both of the male Originals were going through, could see the torment Rebekah's past actions had caused for her brothers but she didn't know what she could do to ease their pain except be there to witness it.

"Are you okay, Elijah?" the witch asked softly in concern as she reached out to place a hand on his knee, a small gesture of comfort in an otherwise helpless situation.

"I'm concerned I will not be able to contain my brother's wrath like have in the past. This situation is utterly unique and I'm not entirely certain how to go about lessening his ire towards our sister." He answered her question carefully after a moment of contemplation, choosing his words in a thoughtful voice as displeasure dripped from his tone and his forehead furrowed slightly as his lips turned downward at the corners.

"The significant word in that sentence being 'our'. How are you, Elijah?" she asked firmly with an eyebrow quirked in question as she squeezed his knee gently in reprimand, knowing that he was deflecting in hopes that she wouldn't pursue that line of questioning.

The indecision was evident in his oak brown eyes, even as his expression remained neutral and Imogen couldn't help the small swell of disappointment in her stomach but she ignored the sensation as she bit the corner of her lower lip.

"You know what? Don't worry about it." Imogen stated with a defeated sigh as she pulled herself up from the couch, her shoulders slumped slightly as she avoided looking in his direction. She didn't want him to see the hurt in her blue eyes, the wounded glint that his obvious hesitation had caused.

"Imogen..."

"It's fine. Really, Elijah, it's fine."

"I was under the impression we didn't divulge in half-truths." Elijah said in a light manner as he stood up from the couch with an enviable grace and the witch tilted her head to the side as she looked over at him with a small smile on her lips. He raised an eyebrow in question as he stuffed his hands in his pants pockets and she couldn't help sighing in defeat as she took a small step forward, looking up at him earnestly.

"That night in my apartment, after Davina died? I can count on one hand the number of times I've felt that vulnerable. Marcel is the only other person that has seen me breakdown like that, the only other person I trust enough to let my walls down around." She told him honestly with a delicate shrug of her shoulders as she tucked a strand of brunette behind her ear almost sheepishly. "It's just – I know you've had a thousand years of not trusting your own shadow, but I want you to be able to tell me how you're feeling. I want you to feel comfortable letting your walls down around me."

The Original's forehead furrowed in what appeared to be confusion as she stepped towards him until she was right in front of him and she curled her hands around his biceps with a small smile on her lips, "Like we said before, we're still getting to know one another. It's okay. I can tell that you're slowly starting to relax around me, and I'm so glad about that."

"Well, I am glad that you're glad about that." he admitted softly with a half-grin spreading across his lips as he carefully placed his hands on her waist, as though he was afraid that he had overstepped their newly established boundaries.

"I'm glad that you're glad that I'm glad about that."

"This may go on for a long while. Perhaps we should stop before we get too committed to the cause."

"Good self-preservation instinct."

"Thank you. Now, tell me," he started to say coyly with a roguish smirk on his lips as he tightened his hold on her waist and she sucked in a sharp breath at the mischievous glint in his oak brown eyes, "These new regulations on our relationships, do they prohibit me from mentioning how stunning you look this morning?"

"No, no, that's always allowed," she assured him with a slight blush reddening her cheeks and her smile widened in pleasure, showing him that his comment was taken the way he intended. A shot of realisation went through her as she scrutinised his expression with narrowed blue eyes and she quirked an eyebrow at him as she tilted her head to the side, "But why do I get the feeling you're buttering me up to ask for a favour?"

"Because you're very perceptive." He teased quietly as he gently tugged her closer so that he could feel the heat radiating off of her body and he was rewarded with the melodious sound of her startled giggle. "I was hoping you would do a quick locator spell for me. It seems Hayley has vanished from the compound and with Celeste still causing a ruckus in the Quarter, I'd rather know exactly where she is at all times. Celeste has already tried to harm Hayley in an arson attempt, and gone after you when I put a stop to her plans, I shudder to think what she'd do to get her hands on Hayley. And Niklaus' child."

"Absolutely. I'll just need to grab something from Hayley's bedroom." Imogen said nonchalantly with a nod of her head as she tightened her hold on his upper arms and he hummed in acknowledgement as she bit her lower lip in hesitation before meeting his gaze solemnly, "Elijah, I'm really sorry that you're going through this. If I had known that Celeste made you choose who to help– "

"You were going to die in that fire, Imogen. There was no choice."

The intensity of his gaze caused a shiver to run down her spine, the emotion and honesty in his eyes shone through and her breath caught in her throat as she started to feel weak in the knees. She was aware that his main concern had to be for Hayley and his niece but the sentiment was appreciated greatly and the part of her brain that was flooding with oxytocin didn't care about the semantics. All she cared about was the fact that he was looking down at her in a manner she had never experienced and she was suffering a longing in her chest that was both pleasurable and painful all at once.

Imogen breathed out a laugh as she slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning into his muscular chest and he instinctively curled his arms around her waist as he drew her into an embrace. He could feel her body pressed up against his, sending a lightning bolt of lust through his core but he kept his hands respectfully on the small of her back and he inhaled the intoxicating scent of vanilla that emanated from her skin.

"There's always a choice. And I'm sorry you were put in the position where you had to make one." The witch whispered earnestly as she tightened her hold on the Original, placing her gratitude and empathy into the gesture.

Elijah turned his head into the crook of her neck as he inhaled sharply while his eyes fluttered closed and some of the tension that he had been eating away at him since the night of the plantation fire eased under her soothing touch. He had felt such guilt over his decision but here was this mere human girl who understood the responsibility of being the head of the family and who empathised with the burden that had been thrust upon him, who could alleviate the weight resting on his shoulders with a few supportive words.

Imogen pulled back from the embrace slowly without removing herself from the circle of his arms and pushed herself up on her toes as she pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips, lingering momentarily to appreciate the pressure before taking a step backwards out of his arms, "By the way, that wasn't a kiss. Because we're friends. And friends don't kiss."

"Oh, Imogen…" he murmured in an almost condescending tone of voice as he reached up to cup one side of her face and his leaned forward so that she could feel his warm breath on her lips, "When I kiss you, there won't be any question."

Lust erupted in the witch's stomach when his words reached her clouded mind, a sharp spark through her veins forced her spine straighter and her blue eyes widened in surprise at the dominance in his voice. It was such a drastic change from the usual kindness he displayed that it shocked her body and she shivered at his sudden drop in timbre as her breathing became shallow, quickening in a way that made it hard to catch her breath. A swarm of butterflies went wild in her stomach as she studied the desire and promise written plainly in his oak brown eyes and she was almost positive that the emotions were replicated in her own.

The smouldering stare he gave her as he strolled passed her while maintaining eye contact made him look like the phrase 'tall, dark and handsome' personified. Her gaze followed his retreating form until he had disappeared from sight and she fought the heat that had risen to her cheeks during the intense encounter.

Imogen exhaled slowly in an effort to regulate her breathing as she placed a shaky hand on her flushed cheek and a small startled laugh escaped her as she grinned uncontrollably. It was a strange sensation, the insane desire to completely submit to someone and for her, it was completely unprecedented.

Sex had always been something Imogen could control, something that made sense to her when everything else in her life had been absolutely unknowable. Whenever her parents harsh treatment made her feel weak or inadequate in every aspect of her life, she needed a release where she had total control over herself. Whenever the stress of raising a child became too much to handle or the pressure placed on her by the coven and her mother made her feel as though she was suffocating, she needed an escape from the mind-numbing routine of her life. There was a part of her that was terrified of letting herself be that vulnerable was another person, of being metaphorically stark naked in front of another person and not caring that they could see deep within her soul to the dark crevices she kept hidden from the entire world.

It was startling that someone could make her actually want to surrender her body or that someone could make her feel comfortable enough in their presence that she was actually eager to hand over control. There was something about the way the Original looked at her with such intensity and desire, with such longing and hunger that she had no doubt she would be safe in his skilled hands.

Imogen chuckled softly to herself as she tried to stifle her grin by biting down on the corner of her lower lip and she dropped her hand from her cheek to her side as she spun around on her heel. She practically skipped in the direction that Elijah had exited, somehow her subconscious knew exactly which room he had headed towards when he'd left the office.

Elijah lifted his head to glance at the witch as she entered the bedroom, his gaze instantly seeking her out when he felt her presence and he sighed almost in relief as some of the weight on his chest was relieved when she made her way over to where he was standing.

"Are you okay?" she asked in a concerned tone, her voice completely devoid of any malice or judgement as she came to a stop next to him. She remembered the haunted look in his eyes earlier that morning when he recalled the events of the night before, the troubled set of his mouth as he told her that he had to stab Klaus in order to stop him killing Marcel in front of Rebekah.

"This was all him." the Original replied in an upset manner, a conflicted expression fluttering across his face as he watched his shirtless brother writhe in pain on the king size bed in front of him. Guilt settled in the pit of his stomach as his eyes flickered down to the handle of the bone knife cursed by Papa Tunde that was embedded in the hybrid's chest. A pain filled gasp escaped Klaus' lips as his back arched off of the bed, his eyelids fluttering restlessly like he was dreaming and Elijah closed his eyes because the sight of his younger brother in agony was nearly too much to handle.

A hand silently slipped into his own as their fingers intertwined, causing his eyes snap open in surprise as he turned his head to look at Imogen but her attention was solely focused on the incapacitated hybrid on the bed. A faint smile played on the corners of his lips as he stared at her profile and he opened his mouth to say something but the hurried sound of footsteps below caught his attention. He gave the witch's hand a small squeeze before releasing his hold, making her look at him in confusion and he offered her a small reassuring smile as he headed towards the open double doors of the bedroom.

Elijah quickened his pace as he exited the bedroom, heading down the corridor towards the main area of the compound and he stopped on the balcony overlooking the courtyard as he rested his hands on the wooden railing. A familiar blonde human was standing in the middle of the courtyard with an anxious expression on her pretty face and some of the vampires milling around glanced over upon her arrival, confused by the presence of a human in the middle of vampire territory.

"Camille!" the Original called from upper tier in order to draw her attention towards him, along with the other vampires in the audience and the blonde lifted her head with wide eyes as he gestured for her to come upstairs, "Please."

It had confused Cami when she had gotten the call that summoned her to the Abattoir. First of all, she had no idea that the oldest Original even knew her name let alone to phone number. The pair had only one conversation to date and if it had been anyone bar a hot ancient vampire that chat would have blurred into the monotonous predictability of bartending until 2.00am every night. Secondly, she had no clue why Elijah Mikaelson would want to speak to her, a boring psychology student slash bartender with nearly no expertise in anything supernatural.

"Why did you call me? Have you found a way to help my uncle?" Cami asked him in a rushed voice as she cleared the last of the stairs, her mind going to the only logical explanation as to why the Original had called her while she was getting ready that morning.

"I can try, and I'm sure Imogen will do everything she can, but first, we need your help." Elijah answered easily in a polite tone but stern tone of voice, finding it uncommonly natural to speak on behalf of both himself and Imogen as though they were one being instead two separate entities.

"I don't have time for games, Elijah. The hex on him is getting worse by the day."

"My brother has a mystical torture device buried in his chest, and the mother of his child is inexplicably missing. So, I can assure you, I have no time to play any games, either."

Shock coursed through the blonde's veins as her eyes widened, her lips pulling down in a frown at the corners as she froze for a moment before hurrying after the Original and composing her face into a serious expression as she struggled to control the slight quiver in her voice, "What do you need me to do?"

"Come along." The Original murmured softly without answering as he gestured for her to follow him into one of the extravagant double doors and she frowned in confusion as she trailed after him slowly with some reluctance.

Walking inside the bedroom was like stepping into another era. The ambiance was stilted but there was an undeniable power in the atmosphere and there was a definite royal quality to the sleeping quarter, like it was fit for a king. It was obvious that all of the furniture was incredibly expensive, the wood hand carved back in the 1800's by men commissioned for one specific purpose.

"Imogen!" Elijah exclaimed in a scandalised voice when he caught sight of her on the other side of the room and the witch snapped her head up from the leather brown journal that was open in her hands, her blue eyes wide in surprise as her cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment.

"Oh. Hey. You're back." she pointed out the obvious as she closed the journal with a sheepish expression and he quirked an eyebrow at her with a faint amused smile playing on his lips.

"Are you snooping, Miss Claire?"

"No." she replied immediately as she placed the journal back on the mantle above the fireplace but he just tilted his head to the side silently as he stuffed his hands in his pants pockets and she bit her lower lip with a reluctant nod of her head as she quickly changed to answer, "Yes. What's Cami doing here?"

Elijah gave her a pointed look as she fought back a smile, glad that he wasn't offended by her evading his brother's privacy and she focused her attention on the blonde human with a confused frown on her lips. It was strange seeing Cami standing beside Elijah in Klaus's bedroom, at the epicentre of the vampire compound. Imogen had tried for so long to keep her friendship with Cami separate from the supernatural but now it was like the two worlds were colliding before her eyes and there was nothing she could do to stop it, she wasn't sure she wanted to.

"If you've had your fill of snooping…" The Original trailed off with a teasing lilt in his voice as he watched the witch narrow her eyes in his direction but didn't protest as she wandered towards where he was standing with the blonde Camille.

Cami's forehead furrowed as she witnessed the interaction between her friend and the ridiculously good looking vampire who had requested her presence. Imogen had always acted carefree and confident but there was a sadness in her eyes that couldn't be denied and in the time that they'd known each other, through the small snippets of the past that had inevitably come to light, Cami was aware enough to know that the pain was justified. Cami was extremely cautious around all members of the undead, always overwhelmed with nerves when she was forced to interact with a vampire, but Imogen seemed to come to life around them, like someone had breathed pure energy into her as it leaked through her skin and illuminated the entire room she was occupying.

"Firstly, are we removing Papa Tunde's blade now? And secondly, can I have it when we're done?" Imogen asked in a slightly excited voice, her blue eyes lighting up in intrigue at the thought of studying a magical object she previously hadn't had the chance to experiment with her during lessons at The Lycée. The witch looked over at the Original with an innocent expression on her face, knowing that her request was unorthodox to someone who didn't know how her mind worked and she was surprised to see that Elijah was glancing over at her with a small smile on his lips, a knowing glint in his eyes. A blush spread across her cheeks as she raised her eyebrows, not even questioning how he knew the route her thoughts had taken because somehow he always seemed to understand.

"The dagger the witch gave me is inside of him?" Cami asked incredulously with a look of horror on her face as she stared at the hybrid and Imogen winced slightly when she remembered that the blonde wasn't as used to the hazards of the supernatural world.

"And every second it remains causes Niklaus untold suffering." Elijah added solemnly as he stripped out of his grey suit jacket, dropping it on the end of the bed and then he rolled the white dress shirt sleeves above his elbow.

"Who stabbed him?"

"I did, and now I intend to remove it. You might want to take a step back."

"You didn't answer my question." The witch reminded him as she crossed her arms over his chest, quirked an eyebrow expectantly as she watched him stroll over to the side of the room at a leisurely pace.

"Yes, Imogen, you may play with the blade when I'm done." He told her slowly as though speaking to a small child, sneaking an amused smile over his shoulder in her direction to let her know he was teasing and she scowled at him playfully, her blue eyes twinkling with mirth.

"That wasn't the question I was referring to. What's Cami doing here?" she repeated her question in a serious tone as she glanced at her shell-shocked friend in concern, noticing the pallor of her skin and the slight tremble of her lower lip.

"Yeah, why am I here?" Cami asked suddenly as she snapped out of her stunned state, turning her head towards the Original with what she hoped was a serious expression on her face.

"Because of all the people that could be here, you're probably the only two he wouldn't immediately slaughter." Elijah explained flippantly as he carried a first-aid kit towards the bed and Cami felt her eyes widened in surprise that someone had commented so openly on the connection between the hybrid and herself. The Original opened the metal box, pulling out a scalpel from inside before positioning the blade along the pinkish scar bisecting his younger brother's chest and he applied enough pressure to break the skin as he sliced open the previously made wound adorning his sternum.

"Also, he speaks of you with what is a rare degree- for him, at least- of respect. I can see you challenge him to see himself and others in a new light." He continued with in a strained voice as he tossed the scalpel on the bedspread before forcing his hand into his brother's chest cavity and ignoring the matching exclaims of disgust that emanated from the girls behind him. He shifted his hand around, searching for the remaining fragments of blade until his fingers curled around the hard bone material of the knife and he almost sighed out loud in relief as he slowly removed his hand.

"AGH!" Klaus screamed in agony as his back arched off of the bed, his face twisting up in a grimace and Elijah tried his best to hide the cringe that crept up on him when he saw the pain his brother was going through because of his actions.

Cami wouldn't help the shocked gasp that escaped her when she caught sight of Elijah's bloodied hand appearing from inside Klaus's chest, the action revolting her more than it should have now that she was part of the supernatural world.

"A wonderful skill that I shall be counting on very shortly. You see, Niklaus will be weak as he recovers. So, watch over him and feed him, if you would. But slowly, please, and from your wrist." The eldest Original continued to inform the blonde human behind him, forcing his gaze away from his brother as he dropped the blood covered blade onto the tray on the bed and reached for the towel he had set aside to wipe the blood off of his hand.

"Don't you guys have bags of blood in storage?" Imogen asked him incredulously as she took a step forward, not liking the idea of her friend being used as a human blood bag.

"We do, but your blood is laced with vervain. So, it will burn him. He'll ingest it slower."

"Well, why can't I do it?"

"Because we cannot afford to have you weakened from blood loss when the Celeste is making a final move against us. Furthermore, I'm in need of your magical expertise." Elijah explained in a soft tone of voice as he cleaned the blood off of his hand and he noticed that he was subconsciously moving closer to where she was standing, her stance defensive as she crossed her arms over her chest with her feet shoulder width apart. "Once Celeste manipulates those around her, she will do what she has always done. She will jump into another body and disappear, leaving the witches powerless and us without a clue who the next victim of her possession will be."

"I don't know a spell that can counteract that." she protested sadly with a shake of her head, a distressed expression on her face as though she was taking it as personal offence that Celeste knew something she didn't.

Elijah couldn't help the small upturn of his lips when he caught sight of the adorable pout on her lips and he gingerly curled his fingers around her biceps as he stepped into her personal space so that she was forced to meet his gaze, "I found a spell in my mother's grimoire. If you can alter the wording, the next time she sacrifices herself she'll be directed to a host of our own choosing."

"You have a host in mind, I'm guessing?"

"Celeste has taken extraordinary measures not to die in her own body, I don't want to give her the satisfaction of getting what she wants."

Imogen quirked an eyebrow at him but didn't say a word as she nodded in understanding and she sighed heavily in defeat, unhappy that she wouldn't be out in the field but knowing that she was better equipped to handle the magical component of the fight.

Cami gaped at the scene unfolding in front of her, the intimacy that was between the two of them was almost overwhelming and she felt uncomfortable watching them but she couldn't make herself look away. It was easy to see the emotional connection between the witch and the Original, in the way Imogen let him touch her without flinching like she did sometimes, in the way Elijah studied every minute expression that flickered across her features for any sign of distress, in the way they both unconsciously gravitated towards each other while speaking. It was like they slipped briskly into a world of their own and it was something that Cami had only read about in tacky romance novels but seeing it in action was more profound than anything she had ever witnessed.

"Perhaps you could use the time constructively? Persuade him not to murder his baby sister." Elijah stated in a slightly raised voice, including the human in the conversation and she snapped her head up in response with a startled expression before blushing in embarrassment at being caught not paying attention. "Now, I fear Celeste will be making a final move against us. I intend to find her and to end this."

The Original sighed heavily in anticipation as he slowly walked back over to the bedside, his gaze drifting as he scrutinised every micro-expression that crossed his younger brother's face. Guilt churned uneasily in his stomach as his chest tightened uncomfortably and he slipped his hand into his brother's discreetly as he leaned down so that his mouth was besides Niklaus' ear before whispering in a sorrowful voice, "Niklaus, it was not my desire to bring you pain, but I will not see you hurt Rebekah."

"Elijah. You will pay for this." Klaus whispered in a strained voice as his eyelids fluttered open to reveal light blue eyes narrowed at the blurry figure standing above him, the betrayal obvious in his tone of voice.

No one but Imogen noticed the way Elijah flinched at the declaration and she closed her eyes for a moment in empathy for the vampire, understanding the indescribable bond of siblings in a way most people wouldn't. She had been living in a world without Davina for months, and while it was unpleasant and she still clung to the knowledge that she was coming back to life, Imogen felt she was handling it better than predicted. But the thought of Davina hating her, of looking at her with blue eyes filled to the brim with loathing, it was painful to even thinking about hypothetically. It caused her chest to ache in a way that gave a new meaning to the word 'heartbreak'.

"Imogen, darling, walk with me?" Elijah asked politely but there was an underlining demand in his tone of voice as he gestured with his hand for her to follow him and she stifled an eye roll at the command, knowing that he wasn't trying to be commandeering with her but just used to having authority over the people he interacted with. She noticed him wrap Papa Tunde's knife in the towel it was lying on, the scarlet red blood seeping through the material and she gave him a questioning look she headed towards the double doors but he just offered her a small smile as he placed a hand on her lower back.

"So, what's up?" Imogen asked curiously as she ignored the burning sensation his touch caused even through the material of her blouse and he guided her out into the corridor as she kept glancing at the mystic blade in his hand, causing him to grin in amusement.

"For your locator spell." He told her smugly as he handed her the cloth wrapped object, holding back a chuckle when her eyes widened with shock as she accepted the bundle as though it was a precious gift instead of a bloodied torture device. "I know you've used Niklaus' blood to locate their child. I was hoping that it would work a second time."

The witch hummed in acknowledgement as she unwrapped the cloth carefully, studying the magical object with a serious expression and her hand hovered over the blade as she felt the magnetic pull of magical energy pulsating in the air almost tauntingly. Her blue eyes were alight with fascination as she used her own magic to test the strength of the power that had been absorbed into the blade. Dark Objects had always engrossed Imogen's sense of the macabre, ever since they started discussing their origins at The Lycée when she was thirteen years old.

Dark Objects were ordinary objects which were enchanted with dark magic, commonly used by the New Orleans witches to carry out malevolent tasks but exactly like a regular enchanted object a witch would attach a spell to the object and that object will contain the spell from the moment it is created until the moment it is destroyed or a witch removes the spell. The objects could also be used by humans against the supernatural and that's what Imogen found appealing, the symmetry and equilibrium they created between the inhabitants of the world.

"I get to keep this, yes?" she asked hopefully as she let him guide her down the main staircase to the ground floor of the compound and he chuckled lowly as she looked up at him with a faux innocent expression on her face.

"We'll discuss it later."

"That always means 'no'. It's the exact phrase I used when Davina asked me if she could get a kitten from the pound when she was seven."

Elijah shook his head with a grin curling the corners of his lips, glad that she felt comfortable enough in his presence to mention her sister so casually when only a few weeks ago she had a hard time breathing her name. "That blade is one of the only weapons that can severely incapacitate an Original vampire, much like myself."

"So, you'd prefer to keep anything that can inflict excruciating pain locked away from people looking for an advantage against you and/or your siblings." Imogen finished knowingly with a defeated sigh as she glanced down at the blade longingly but there was understanding in her voice that was undeniable. "Fine. I get it, but you owe me. Something amazing, because this? This definitely would've gotten you at least another kiss."

"Oh, is that so?" he asked playfully with a quirked eyebrow as they came to a stop near the main entrance of the Abattoir and she hummed in acknowledgement as she carefully rewrapped the cloth over the bloodied knife. "I'll be certain to think of something befitting."

"Gold. Godiva. Gerber. My jewellery, chocolate, and flower preferences." she told him confidently with a smirk on her lips as she patronisingly patted him on the chest and he nodded seriously in understanding, his eyes sparkling with mirth as he tried not to smile while mentally filing away the information for a later date.

"Be safe. My brother is going to be ill-tempered as he continues to regain his strength." He warned her sagely as he placed a hand on her upper arm and she nodded in understanding with a small smile.

"I should get back. I don't want to leave Cami alone with him when he's being starved for so long." She said nonchalantly with a dismissive wave of her hand, but the concern for her friend was in her voice and her eyes as much as she tried to mask it in front of him. He offered her a small smile as he gently squeezed her arm in understanding and she returned the smile as she extracted herself from his tender grip. "I'll text you when I have Hayley's location."

Imogen gave him a lingering look that promised a continuation as she walked backwards for a few feet before spinning on her heel and sauntering across the room. She could feel the heat of his gaze on her retreating back, the realisation bringing a smirk to her lips and she purposefully swayed her hips slightly knowing that he was watching.

"Imogen!" Elijah called out to her when she reached the base of the main staircase and she turned around to face him with an eyebrow quirked in silent question, a knowing smirk on her lips. He crossed the courtyard in a few long strides, his stance purposeful and determined as he came to a stop in front of where she was standing. His oak brown eyes smouldered with lust as he placed a hand on her hip, squeezing in a mixture of pain and pleasure as he leaned his head towards her so that their faces were only an inch apart before whispering sensually, "There was another reason I requested Camille's presence here today."

"And what reason is that?" she asked breathlessly in a whisper as she subconsciously leaned into his chest and somewhere in the back of her mind she had the clarity to hope that he wasn't listening to her rapid heartbeat.

The Original's lips quirked up in a wicked smirk as he turned his head to the side, tauntingly brushing his lips against her cheek until his lips were directly next to her ear and he enjoyed the way she shivered in anticipation as he whispered, "Because if anyone is getting a taste of your delectable blood, it's going to be me."

Imogen couldn't help but the tingling sensation in her stomach when she heard the possessiveness in his voice, the low growl that vibrated through his chest. Some part of her hated that he thought he could decide who drank her blood, and another part realised how ridiculous that thought would sound to someone normal, but most of her wanted to melt into a puddle on the ground.

There was a whistling sound as the air around them displaced when Elijah used his superior vampire speed to leave the compound and Imogen gasped out loud as the sudden gust of wind blew her brunette hair around wildly. Her lips parted in surprise as she looked around the courtyard instinctively even though she knew he was already gone and she scoffed out a laugh as she rolled her eyes fondly before heading up the stairs without a backwards glance.

The Abattoir was silent as she walked down the corridor towards Klaus' bedroom, quickening her footsteps when she remembered that Cami was defenceless against a starving hybrid. The door was still open from when they'd left as she slipped back into the room and she immediately caught sight of the human standing by the window overlooking the city with a slightly disturbed expression.

"Hey. Is everything fine in here?" Imogen asked her friend in concern with a frown as she started walking towards the antique desk and Cami turned her head around to look at the witch with a small upturn of her lips.

"I'm okay. He hasn't woken up yet, so I've been making up stories about the people outside the window. This one guy," Cami started in an amused voice as she pointed at someone out the window, her lips turning up in a smirk and Imogen raised an eyebrow in intrigue as she looked over at the blonde, "He's definitely love in with the girl in the purple sweater. But the girl in the purple sweater is in love with the dude with the guitar. And I'm pretty sure guitar dude is gay because he keeps checking out the first guy's ass."

"I see you're putting that psychology degree to good use."

"Yeah, well. What are you doing?"

"Elijah asked me if I could do a spell to locate Hayley." The witch explained to her as she turned back around to face the covered surface of the desk and she searched the papers for a map of New Orleans as she heard the blonde walking across the room towards her.

"Does he ask for your help a lot?" Cami asked in a forced casual tone of voice as she came to a stop next to her friend, some of the concern leaking into her words and she leaned back against the edge of the desk as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm the only witch in the French Quarter that's sympathetic towards the vampires." She replied nonchalantly as she stifled an eye roll at the uneasiness in her friends voice and then she exclaimed happily when she found a folded up map in the disaster area of a desk. "Listen, Cam, you're not the only one of us with degree in psychology, so if you're going to try and profile me, at least do it with a little more subtly."

"You're right. I'm sorry. I just don't want you to be taken advantage of." The human told her solemnly with a slight frown on her lips and her forehead furrowed as she watched the witch spread the map out on the desktop.

"Trust me, I know exactly what I'm doing in regards to my place in the supernatural community. It's actually really simple. I do whatever I have to in order to protect those I love. Davina, Marcel, Josh, you." she said casually as she lifted her to head to glance at the blonde with a fond smile on her lips and Cami returned the gesture briefly as Imogen reached for the cloth covered knife she'd set on the desktop previously.

Cami scrunched her nose in disgust with her blue eyes wide in interest as she watched Imogen hold the knife over the map so that the scarlet red blood dripped into a small puddle at the centre of the map.

Imogen held her hands over the map as she closed her eyes to block out her surroundings so that she could focus solely on the magic energy encompassing her and she could feel the familiar tugging at her stomach as she let the magic in her veins flowing without restriction onto the map. The magic emanated from deep within her as she slowly blinked open her bluish eyes with a frown of deep concentration and they both watched as the small puddle of blood slowly traced a path from their current location across the map. She narrowed her eyes at the blood when it stopped in the middle of the bayou and she sighed knowingly as she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket so that she could take a photo to send to Elijah.

"That was freaking awesome." Cami breathed out in awe as she stared at the map with wide eyes and Imogen clicked send on her cell phone as she tried not to laugh out loud at the mystified expression on the blonde's face.

"Please. That was nothing." Imogen said dismissively as she placed her phone back in her pocket after getting an affirmation message from Elijah and Cami made a disbelieving noise in the back of her throat as she raised both her eyebrows at her friend. "If you're going to be a part of the supernatural community, you really need to raise your level of expectation."

The witch sent her friend a teasing wink as she started strolling towards the king-size bed where Klaus was moaning under his breath, his face tightening in pain as he squirmed in his unconscious state. The wound that had previously been carved into his sternum was healed completely, the only evidence remaining was the blood that had dried onto his bare skin. His complexion was paler than average, causing the tattoo of an intricate feather on his upper left arm near his shoulder that gradually transformed into a series of flying birds on his clavicle stand out. Klaus released a gasping breath as his eyes flew open, his back arching off of the bed and he slowly started to regulate his breathing as he relaxed against the comfortable mattress.

"Hey there, sleeping beauty." Imogen greeted him hesitantly as she positioned herself in front of Cami in case the hybrid reacted violently to unwanted visitors, her feet shoulder width apart in a defensive stance and her fingers twitching in anticipation.

"Blood…" Klaus whispered in a hoarse voice as he turned his head towards the brunette, his light blue eyes pleading in a way most people wouldn't be able to comprehend but Imogen was someone who understood the subtly of asking for something without asking for help.

"Cam, you're up." She said in a slightly concerned tone as she gestured with her hand for the blonde to come forward and Cami cautiously walked over to stand next to the bed, feeling slightly comforted when the witch stayed close by her side in case of an emergency.

"Wow, things I never thought I'd be doing- feeding a vampire. My 16-year-old self would think I'm really cool right now." The human murmured in a forced good-natured tone of voice as she rolled her shirt sleeves up above her elbow, not wanting to appear weak or creeped out by the turn of events when the others seemed to simply roll it. Her eyes widened slightly when the veins surrounding his eyes darkened until they were almost black and his canine teeth elongated into sharp points as he carefully curled his hands around her forearm. Their eyes met as he bit down on her wrist, the puncturing of flesh making an audible 'crunch' sound and Cami's muscles tensed as she winced in discomfort at the sudden stinging sensation. Klaus closed his eyes in pleasure as he tried to quench the famished feeling in the pit of his stomach and she hissed in pain as she pursed her lips together in an attempt to stop her whimpering, "Ah! Slow down. Doesn't the vervain burn?

The hybrid released his clamped hold his teeth had on her wrist as he reopened his eyes to look at the blonde, his vampiric features fading as he licked the remaining blood from the corner of his mouth, "As you may have yet to realize, Cami, the line between what brings us pain and what sustains us is far thinner than one imagines."

"You talking about my blood or your need to hunt down the people you love most?"

"I'm too weak for one of your talks right now."

Imogen narrowed her blue eyes at his serious expression, scrutinising the way his jaw clenched at the mention of his sister and the pain his was trying to hide behind a wall of indifference. She knew it couldn't be that simple, that after a thousand years together he wouldn't able to flip the switch that easily. Maybe it was her own attitude clouding her judgement, her own experiences with Davina that drove the endless devotion towards siblings, but the optimistic girly-girl part of her mind refused to believe it could any way other than happily. "She's your sister. How can you hate her?"

"Because she has done what no one else has managed to do to me for 1,000 years...Rip my heart out." Klaus explained in a strained voice as he weakly lolled his head to look at the witch and she gingerly sat down on the edge of the bed with a curious frown on her lips, blue eyes shining with sympathy he didn't want to acknowledge. "I remember a time when this city was facing a new era. Collaboration in the face of Prohibition. Werewolves, vampires, witches and dirty cops, toasting their glasses and drinking to the occasion. Marcel and…Rebekah, they were pretending to be apart while so clearly a pair. Over the years, I've thwarted her loves simply to protect her. I knew if we had to run again, her heart would be broken, but we didn't have to run anymore. We'd found a home. I wanted my sister to be happy. I'd let my guard down and given in to happiness- more fool, I. Turns out, they'd already betrayed me, and brought to town the one thing I'd been running from for centuries... my father."

"Oh." Cami mumbled in understanding as she stared wide-eyed at the man in front of her and Imogen snapped her head over to look at the human, shocked that she seemed to know the story of the Originals when not many had the privilege.

"Yes. Oh."

"So, you're consumed by revenge you'll never achieve. Elijah implied Rebekah and Marcel could be anywhere in the world by now."

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that. They'll need a cloaking spell, and for that, they'll need a witch. And since I'm in the presence of the one witch they would trust. There's only one place they can go... "He trailed off victoriously with a smirk as he realised exactly where the two traitors could be found and he carefully pressed himself upright as he swung his legs over the side of the bed next to Imogen."...Home."

"You think they're going to resurrect Davina." Imogen stated knowingly with a sigh as she tilted her head to the side, the mention of her sister subconsciously bringing a spark to her eyes.

"I know they're going to resurrect Davina. Don't fret, love, I'll wait until they're successful to enact my revenge." He assured her with a wicked smirk on his lips, although it looked a little pained and forced as he carefully reached over to open the top drawer to the bedside table. He chuckled slightly when he noticed her rolling her eyes playfully with a grateful smile hidden in her expression and he reached into the drawer to grab a black shirt from inside.

"So thoughtful." She murmured under her breath sarcastically as she watched him attempt to button up the shirt with shaky fingers and she sighed heavily as she pushed his hands aside, ignoring his confusing look as she expertly buttoned the shirt for him. He offered her a grateful look as she stood up from the edge of the bed when she finished and he made an attempt to stand up with the help of the bedside table but his knees were still weakened from the vervain in his system. Cami and Imogen both reached out to steady him by the arms when he nearly stumbled backwards but he brushed away their concern as he stabilised himself on his feet.

"You're still weak." Cami scolded him gently with a slight scowl as she tried to push him back down on the bed but he resisted her prodding and Imogen rolled her eyes at him as she used her magic to push him backwards until he fell onto the edge of the bed with an indignant huff.

"I'm still hungry. There's a fresh blood supply in the kitchen." Klaus told them feebly through laboured breaths, uncomfortable with the display of weakness he was currently showing in front of them.

"You won't make it that far. So, be a good little boy and get back into bed." Imogen said in the same soothing tone she used when Davina was younger and feeling sick, making her life difficult by refusing to admit she was ill at all. She could still remember sitting at her sister's bedside in the middle of the night, holding a cold compress on her forehead as she read storybooks well into the early morning.

"If I had a quid for every time a woman has tried that line on me."

"You'd have, like, no money." Cami quipped drily as she stepped back with her hands resting on her hips, one of her eyebrows quirked an amusement and Imogen breathed out a laugh as she wandered back over to the desk she'd used to do the locator spell.

"I beg to differ. Some women actually find me quite charming." He replied honestly with a small chuckle as he looked between the two women and Cami rolled her eyes at him with a disbelieving scoff as she shook her head slightly, although she knew that he was telling truth because she had fallen victim to his charms many times before.

Imogen tuned out of their conversation as the Original started speaking about a werewolf from the Crescent Wolf pack he'd bedded back in the 1900's and she felt her cell phone vibrate from a text message, causing her to pause in her mindless snooping. She smiled slightly to herself when she read Elijah's name on the screen, the sight causing a warm sensation to spread through her chest as she opened the message.

You'll find the spell and all ingredients needed in my office. Elijah.

The impersonal message was slightly disheartening but she reminded herself that Elijah was old-fashioned and text message etiquette was something he wasn't completely familiar with. She shook her head to herself as she slipped her cell phone back into pocket and turned around to face the other occupants of the room as she tuned back into the conversation taking place.

"Why am I not surprised you like opera?" Cami asked in amusement as she rolled her blue eyes at the pretentiousness of the pastime and Imogen hummed quietly to herself as she filed the information away for later, not wanting to interrupt their bonding moment.

"I always had a particular soft spot for Le Grand Guignol. I like the story. It was a tale of forbidden love, a Romeo and Juliet of sorts. On the day they are to marry, family and long-festering hatred intervene. Thousands are massacred. A father even kills his own child in the final act. I can almost appreciate the irony." Klaus told her sincerely as he pushed himself onto his feet with help from the bedside table and Cami tried to control the horrified expression that momentarily passed over her features. "I can see that I've made you uncomfortable. Good."

"Where's the bathroom?" she asked quietly as she avoided looking directly at the hybrid and instead turned her gaze to the witch standing across the room by the desk.

"Down the hall, second door on the right." Imogen said softly with an understanding smile on her lips as she pointed towards the set of double doors and the blonde nodded once with a brief quirk of her lips as she headed to the door without another word.

Silence fell over the two remaining occupants of the room as Klaus stared at the door the human had disappeared through and the witch watched the candid emotions flicker across his face when he thought no one was observing. It was obvious that Cami's opinion was important to him, even if he didn't want to admit the truth to himself let alone anyone else. He had spent so much time hiding his emotions from those around him, pretending that they weren't there in hopes that they would simply fade out of existence.

"Come on, you need a change of scenery." The witch announced in a bright tone, her voice drenched in false cheer as she made her way over to where he was standing and he looked at her with a frown as she wrapped an arm around his waist. She supported most of his weight as she guided his arm over her shoulders and she offered him a small smile, wordlessly assuring him that this moment of weakness wouldn't be held against him. "Relax, okay, I waited until Cami left the room before helping you. I know you don't like people seeing you vulnerable."

"I could rip your throat out with my teeth. I am not vulnerable." He hissed indignantly as he allowed her to help him walk towards the door and she rolled her blue eyes at his comment as she pushed the door open with her foot. She carefully led him in the direction of Elijah's office, deliberately not mentioning where they were going because she was sure he wouldn't be receptive to any reference of his older brother.

Sunlight shone in through the window, illuminating the office in a warm radiance and the pair slowly stumbled their way towards one of the leather armchairs in the centre of the room. Klaus groaned in the back of his throat as Imogen unwrapped her arm from around his abdomen, patting his shouldering in reassurance and gently pushed him down onto the comfortable chair before walking over to the main antique desk off to the side of the study.

Everything on the desk's surface was neatly compiled into stacks, all assembled with painstaking detail that screamed 'Elijah' and Imogen easily found the ingredients he'd left because it was the only thing out of place on his immaculate desk. A piece of faded parchment sat in the middle of the desk, drawing her attention as she picked it up carefully to she read over the exquisitely written spell and she quirked an eyebrow at the complex wording in front of her but was delighted that Elijah thought so much of her abilities. She hummed to herself as she placed the parchment back down on the desk and she picked up the small vial filled with grey ash, a small sample of the cremated remains of Celeste Dubois.

"What are you doing over there?" Klaus asked her curiously as he craned his neck around to look at her with a raised eyebrow and she lifted her head to look at him with a small smile as she grabbed the ceramic bowl Elijah had left out for her to do the spell.

"I'm – Oh, what was it? – Ah, mind your own business." She told him light-heartedly with a stern undertone as she raised an eyebrow at him pointedly and he scowled at her but there wasn't any real malice in the interaction.

The Spirit Trapping Spell from the Original Witch's grimoire allowed a witch to return a spirit jumping witch back to her original body, entrapping her within it and it was powerful enough to reconstitute an entire body from just its bones if the caster had strong enough magic. Imogen poured the ash into the ceramic bowl before adding a small amount of water from the glass left on the table, watching the grey particles float to the top of the water. She took a deep breath as she felt the magic stirring to life in the bottom of her stomach and she held her hands over the bowl as she blocked out her surroundings so that she could focus solely on the magic energy encompassing her.

"À ses restes, retourne au sol." The witch murmured the incantation under her breath as she watched the ash slowly started to swirl around like a whirlpool, gradually picking up speed until it was a blur of grey. The electricity flowing through her faded as the spell came to an end and Imogen took a shaky breath as she glanced down at the newly combined grey liquid in the bowl. She hummed in satisfaction when she saw the results of the spell and she couldn't help grinning at her accomplishment, happy that she was able to prove Elijah's assumption correct.

Imogen sunk down onto the comfortable chair behind the desk as she brought one of her knees up to her chest and she wrapped her arms around her leg as she used her other foot to spin the seat slightly. A groan caught her attention as she snapped her head over to see Klaus carefully standing up from the armchair and he slowly sauntered over to the makeshift bar Elijah had fully stocked in the corner of the room.

Klaus gripped the edge of the wooden counter, his breathing slightly laboured as he gritted his teeth against the echo of pain that still lingered in his muscles and he ignored Imogen's gaze burning into the back of his head. His hand shook slightly as he reached for the crystal decanter of scotch and he poured some of the amber liquid into one of the goblets he was sure had been a gift presented to his brother back in the 1500's.

"Not sure that helps." Camille's voice rang out from the entrance to the study and he placed the decanter down on the table with an audible 'clang' as he sighed heavily in frustration.

"Not sure it doesn't." he replied easily as he turned around to face her with a blank expression, holding his tumbler of alcohol in plain view out of spite and she rolled her blue eyes at him as she walked further into the room with her arms crossed over her chest.

"You want to self-medicate your self-pity, fine. Better scotch than my blood, no matter what Elijah says."

"Don't speak to me of Elijah."

"He loves you." Imogen murmured sincerely from where she sat off to the side of the room as she looked over at him with earnest eyes because she heard Elijah declare his devotion to his siblings and Klaus turned in her direction to face her as he pointed towards her with the hand holding the glass.

"Yes. He does, and he proves it time and again, even when my father enlisted him to kill me." he agreed with the witch emotionlessly but his light blue eyes shone with everything he couldn't face in the light of day. "That night, before we attended 'Le Grand Guignol', my father cornered Elijah. Here, in this very room. Mikael claimed he merely wanted to speak with him, that it was only me that he'd been hunting mercilessly for centuries, that he was his blood and he'd be proud to call him son. He offered him a chance to help put down the whelp for good. Elijah, of course, didn't believe a word he said and defended me against our father. Told him he was a fool without equal if he believed he'd betray his own brother for him. But Mikael was insistent that I was an abomination and you didn't reason with or try to change an abomination, so yes, he was asking Elijah to help kill his own brother."

"You keep saying kill, but you're immortal. You can't be killed." Cami interjected in confusion as she sat down on the arm of the chair with an intrigued expression and Imogen propped her chin up on her knee as she tilted her head to the side in fascination.

"Oh, but we can, love. And my father was the only one with the means to do it. A white oak stake, fashioned by my father to take from us the very thing he forced upon us all- our immortality. Elijah has always carried guilt for that night for not stopping our father. I told him not to blame himself. When your father wants to kill you, he wants to kill you. Nothing you can do about it." Klaus told them in a solemn tone of voice as he lowered his gaze to the ground, his mind getting lost in the memories that haunted his past. The sound of his cell phone vibrating in his pants pocket caught his attention as he snapped back into the present and he pulled out the device with a small frown but his lips quirked up into a smirk when he read the text message he'd received before lifting his head to look at the women in the room. "Oh, I hate to be a know-it-all. My sister and her lover have been spotted in town. So, story time endeth here, I'm afraid."

Imogen lifted her head from her knee when he spoke those ominous words, concern for her friends weighing heavily on her mind and she bit the corner of her lower lip as he strolled across the room with determined strides. He approached a small table off to the side of the study, knocking a ceramic statuette of a cherub onto the ground with a loud 'smash' and jagged shards of pottery scattered across the floor at his feet.

"What is that?" Imogen asked in horror as she stood up from her seat abruptly, her blue eyes wide with alarm and her lips parted in shock as she stared at the white stake laying in the middle of the mess. The magic emanating from the weapon was almost overwhelming, the energy pulsating from within made it obvious some kind of magic had been used when developing the stake.

"A white oak stake, my own special version. And, unlike my father's, this one cannot be destroyed." Klaus told her pointedly with a wicked smirk on his lips as he twirled the stake around in his hand and she shook her head in protest as she hurried around the desk with the same frenzied expression on her features.

"Klaus, think – " she started to say consolingly as she held her hands up in surrender, her open palms facing him but he ignored her calming tone as he used his superior vampire speed to exit the room. The displacement of air caused her to look around the study wildly, her brunette hair flying around her head with the sudden movement. "Damn it!"

"Oh, my God." Cami whispered in horror as she stared at the place he had once stood with wide eyes and she ran a hand through her blonde hair as she turned to face her friend with a questioning glint in her eyes.

"Call Rebekah, call Marcel, warn them! Now!" Imogen ordered in a harsh tone with an anxious expression as she pointed a finger in the direction of the human while rushing towards the entrance of the room. She vaguely heard Cami's affirmation as she ran out of the study, hurrying down the corridor towards the main exit of the compound and she fumbled for the cell phone in her pocket as she ran down the staircase. She quickly dialled Elijah's familiar number from memory as she stepped out into the sunlit French Quarter street and she held the device up to her ear as she hurried down the sidewalk, following her intuition as to what direction Klaus had gone in.

"Imogen, darling, now is not the best – "Elijah greeted in a slightly hurried manner with a hint of apologetic sincerity and she ignored the sudden warmth in her chest as she shook her head at his dismissive words.

"Klaus has the White Oak stake!" Imogen interrupted whatever he was about to say in a firm voice as she turned down the next alley and she heard his sharp intake of breath as she pushed past a crowd of tourists that were going to slow for her liking.

"What did you just say?"

"Klaus has the White Oak stake! It was hidden in some statuette in your office."

"Right under my nose, of course. Only my devious brother would thinking of something so ingenious."

"Cami is trying to call Rebekah or Marcel and warn them. And I'm trying to track down Klaus. I might be able to talk him down."

"No! Imogen, stay away from him." he warned her sternly as his voice dropped to a whisper, the protective rage in his voice causing shivers to travel up her spine and he sighed through the phone line as he tried to reign in his apprehension. "Please, darling, I don't trust my brother not to harm you in his rage."

"Elijah, I'm the only one who can relate to what he's going through and if there's a chance I can save Rebekah and Marcel? Then I'm going to take it." she said in a gentle voice as she tried to stop the smile that played on her lips, knowing that it wasn't the appropriate time to be acting like a lovesick teenage girl.

"Imogen, this is a bad idea. Just go back to the com – "he started to protest in a strict demand but she just rolled her blue eyes at his misbelieving attitude and she paused in her running when a man in a business suit stepped out in front of her without looking.

"Oops, the phone's going through a tunnel. Call you later!" she interjected in a false bright tone of voice before hanging up the phone and she slipped the device into her pocket as she turned down an abandoned alley way. The heel of her shoe caught on the cobblestone pavement but she quickly righted herself as she looked around for any sign of the Original Hybrid and she sighed in relief when her gaze landed on a familiar head of sandy blonde hair a little way down the alley.

Imogen strolled forward, her gaze lingering on Klaus's back as he feed roughly from the cardioid artery of a random human man he'd stumbled upon and her heels made an audible 'clack' on the pavement as she hurried towards them with a small frown on her lips. "What are you doing?"

Klaus extracted his fangs from the stranger's neck, letting the man drop to the ground without a care and he sighed loudly in satisfaction as he turned around to face the witch with a grim smirk on his lips. "Well, if you have to ask, you obviously haven't been paying attention. I'm going to kill my sister, but first, I needed some sustenance with a little less vervain in it. No offense to Camille."

If there was one thing all of the Originals had in common it was there stubborn streak, their ability to blindly fight for something out of spite, and Imogen was well aware of this trait within the bloodline. But she also knew that something like this would end up destroying whatever humanity Niklaus Mikaelson still had within him and she was determined to do her best to preserve that light.

"When you poisoned Davina, when you forced me to watch my baby sister choke on her last breath, I wanted to kill you. I almost did that night when we returned, I almost ripped your heart out of your chest but I didn't. I stopped. I thought. I weighed the good I see in you versus the horrible things I know you've done, and I realized if I hurt you, I'd be filled with a terrible regret." She declared honestly in a rushed voice because she knew that she would only get one chance to speak to him before he was running off to find Rebekah and she didn't want to waste a second of the precious time she had to change his mind. "You will, too, if you hurt your sister. Your sister, Klaus. As a person who has lost a sibling, who has felt that pain, you won't survive if you're the one who kills her."

"I'll tell you what I almost didn't survive, love- My sister bringing the most vile creature ever to have walked the earth down upon me." he murmured quietly as he stared into her blue eyes with a sorrowful expression on his face and she nodded in understanding with a small smile as she took a step closer like she was approaching a frightened animal.

"Yes, your father. If anyone understands, it's me." she reminded him solemnly as she straightened her shoulders with resolve and she wrapped an arm across her stomach, subconsciously forming a barrier to protect herself from the world.

This was a crossroads moment in her life where she was going to have to make a decision whether or not to show Niklaus Mikaelson the most vulnerable side of her and allow him to see pass the crack in her armour. It always made her feel raw, like her skin had been scrubbed clean, whenever she told someone about her past but she knew that vulnerability was the only bridge needed to build a connection and a connection was exactly what she needed to convince Klaus not to harm his sister.

Imogen took a deep breath to steel her nerves as she cleared her throat delicately and she forced herself to meet his questioning gaze as she ignored the voice in the back of her mind telling her to stop speak. "I know Marcel told you a little bit about my past, about my family. He's the only one who knows the whole truth, not even Davina knew all of it. I can remember the first time he hit me. I was ten, Davina was six and I'd been up with her all night because she had a fever. I'd gotten up to get a glass of water from the kitchen and on the way back I tripped and spilt water on the carpet. My father was just coming home from…somewhere, I don't know, I don't want to know. I remember being surprised when he slapped me. I mean, it had never happened before. But after that night it never stopped. Every little thing that happened, it was somehow my fault. My mother knew all about it, of course. She'd seen it happen more than once, but she just looked the other way and pretended not to notice."

"No one knew? The neighbours? Your teachers? The other witches in your coven?" he asked her in a soft voice as he studied her expression with worried light blue eyes and she sniffled slightly as she abruptly wiped away the lone tear that ran down her cheek, turning her head away from his prying gaze.

"My – my father, he, um, he used to play in an underground poker game with a bunch of rebel witches, vampires and humans that knew about the supernatural. They'd bet spells or incantations, elixirs or money or blood, human and vampire. There was always vampire blood in the house to heal whatever injuries he caused."

"What?" he asked sharply in a dangerous tone of voice as he stepped closer to where she was standing, looming over her almost threateningly and she looked at him with startled wide eyes as she blinked in surprise at his dark tone.

"What 'what'?" she asked in confusion as she took a step back from him and she reviewed what she had previously told him before realisation made her eyes light up as she tilted her head to the side with a quirk of her lips. "Oh, the underground poker game. Yeah, Marcel shut that down right away. Let's just say, they had no more blood left to bet with."

She could remember that night in vivid detail, the pounding on her apartment door at midnight, the devastated expression on Marcel's face when she opened the door, the scarlet blood that drenched his clothes. They sat up all night speaking in hushed tones, sipping red wine until that wasn't strong enough and they moved on to the expensive bottle of scotch that she kept harboured in the back of her cupboard. Hearing that the underground gambling ring had been dismantled and the people responsible had been taken care of, released some kind of tension inside of her that hadn't even realised was there.

"The point remains, I know what it feels like to be afraid all the time. To live life looking over my shoulder, to never feel safe in your own home. To be – to be terrified for someone else's safety more than your own. Your father and my father could've gonna bowling together. But, by hunting Rebekah and Marcel down to the ends of the earth, by terrorizing them the way you yourself were terrorized, you'll be no different than him. Don't become your father." Imogen pleaded desperately with tears in her eyes as she reached out to touch his forearm gently, the thought of anyone being put in the position where they were terrified to breathe too loud out of fear of someone hearing them causing her to tighten her grip on his arm.

"I've been called every shade of monster, but that's new. My father?" he asked rhetorically, spitting out the word like it left a bitter taste in his mouth and he clenched his hands into fists at his sides as his eyes filled with tears he'd left let fall. "Mikael was the monster monsters were afraid of. Come. Let me show you."

Klaus took a step forward with a blank expression as he almost hesitantly reached out to grasp her waist, aware that the traumatising nature of her past might cause her to be troubled with the touch of a man. When she didn't reject his advance, he wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and lifted her feet off the ground as he used his superior vampire speed to run from halfway across New Orleans.

Imogen gasped in surprise as the scenery suddenly blurred, causing her to slam her eyes closed so that she didn't get nauseous from the movement and wind blew her brunette hair around her head as she pressed her face into the side of his neck.

It was only a few moments before everything seemed to freeze as they came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the street and the hybrid carefully lowered her to the ground as she sighed in relief that the trip was over. Imogen ran a hand through her hair to straighten out the mess the wind had made and looked around in confusion when she saw that they were at the remains of the Rue de Main opera house.

"You know your city's history. That night in 1919, when the opera house burned down on this very spot? That was my father at his worst." Klaus told her in an emotionless voice as he directed his gaze onto the shambled remnants of the opera house and he ignored the feel of her eyes on his profile as she shifted slightly closer to him, placing her hand on his arm in a comforting manner that urged him to go on. "My family and I were given a private box at the opera house night. Elijah and Marcel were running late so Rebekah went to search for them in the lobby. Moments later I felt the sharp prick of a stake at my back, right above my heart, and I discovered that Mikael had ascertained our whereabouts. I was no longer the animal begging for scraps of his affection. I could die knowing my hatred for him was just. I could fall proud of all I had achieved here. He said I was right to be proud. That he'd heard my name being spoken of in reverent tones by the city's finest. He would remain here in New Orleans until every last person who remembered me was dead. The deeds of the mighty Klaus would be remembered by no one. And it'd be simply as though I'd never have existed."

Imogen tightened her hold on his arm in empathy as he paused for a moment, lost in the bitterness of his memories and his blue eyes were clouded with pain as he fastened his gaze on the ruins in front of him.

"The orchestra began to warm up in front of the stage. Mikael had made some alterations in my honour. And what a show it was. The curtain opened to reveal Marcel staked to a wooden cross, the palm of his hands nailed to the plank and he was barely hanging on to consciousness. Lana, the woman I was bedding at the time, a high-ranking werewolf in the Crescent Clan, her corpse was propped up on a swing with her mouth taped shut and a stake impaling her through the chest." He continued in a solemn tone of voice as his hands clenched into fists at his sides until his knuckles turned white under the pressure. "Mikael compelled the audience to watch it all, applaud as if it were the drollest of comedies, and then to leave celebrating a terrific night at the opera. I tried to save Marcel. My father had other ideas. Rebekah attempted to intervene. All these years, I actually believed she was trying to save me."

There was a touch of dry humour in his voice as he peeked at the witch from the corner of his eye, expecting to see pity or horror on her expression but there was only understanding and he quickly looked away from her before she could read the grief inside of him. Imogen may have been one of the only people who could relate even slightly to his pain but he needed to remind himself that she had an innocence, a lightness inside of her that he couldn't even imagine. After all of the destruction he had caused, he didn't deserve to be in the same orbit but he knew someone who was nothing but honourable and virtuous.

"But then big brother swooped in. Just when we thought all was lost." Klaus whispered in a wistful tone of voice as he turned his head to meet her eyes, allowing her to see the admiration he held for his brother without having to voice it out loud.

Imogen's breath caught in her throat when she saw the silent declaration of love for his brother in his eyes and she nodded stiffly once in understanding as she wrapped an arm around her stomach in a protective manner. That was the closest Klaus would come to validating her relationship with Elijah, the only time he would even come close to stating his endorsement and that was a victory in itself when it came to someone with such obvious abandonment issues.

The hybrid had kept a leash wrapped so tightly around his sibling's throats for so long it had started to feel like a noose, his fear of being alone had caused him lash out against any relationship that threatened to take them away, but somehow the mortal woman standing beside him had successfully slipped through the cracks.

Klaus sighed to himself as he turned his gaze back to the Rue de Main, feeling more vulnerable than he could remember being anytime in the recent past and he glanced down at the ground in shame as he felt her shift closer to his side. "And so I ran, beaten like the dog my father believed me to be. And as we fled for our lives, he burnt it all to the ground. And with it, we assumed, Marcel. I lived, but all that we had built died, as did the last shred of me that felt human. That is what my father took from me that night."

A heavy stillness fell over the pair as they silently mourned the loss that took place that night, the faint scent of smoke just lingering in the air even though it was long gone and the terrified screams of the people inside haunted whoever would stop to hear the cries of the dead.

After a moment, the Original hybrid turned his body around to face the witch full on so that she could see his earnest expression because for some reason it was important to him that she believed him. "I assure you, Imogen, I will not terrorize my sister and her lover for centuries. Nor will I humiliate and torment or dehumanize them. No, none of that. I will simply and quickly end them."

"And I can't stop you." Imogen said plainly with a shrug of her shoulders as she met his gaze evenly and she took a deep breath as she straightened her shoulders in attempt to appear more confident than she felt. "This is your decision, and you're the one who has to live with it. I'm just saying, eternity is a long time to live with regret. But can I speak freely without you snapping my neck in retaliation?"

"Just this once." He replied with a small smirk playing on her the edge of his lips, finding her bravado amusing as he raised his eyebrow and she nodded once as she tucked a strand of brunette hair behind her ear.

"Rebekah isn't just your sister. She's also Elijah's, and it's not just your life, or your relationship that has been tested by what she's done. But he hasn't had time to be angry, or sad, or betrayed, because he's too busy trying to save the both of you. Rebekah from your wrath, and you from yourself." She reminded him gently with a soft smile lips on her face as she took a small step forward and his expression immediately became closed off as he listened to her speak intently, taking in every word without giving away his true emotions. "I lost Davina, and it nearly killed me. Elijah and Marcel basically had me on suicide watch for a while there. I want you to close your eyes for a second. Don't look at me like that. Just close them. I want you to remember one memory with Rebekah that made you happy. One time that something she said made you smile, or something she did made you laugh. I want you to remember the times when you were human, and she was just a little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, and all she did was follow you around, wanting to be like her big brother. That little girl doesn't deserve to die. And the little boy you used to be, the man that you are now, they don't deserve to live with that on their conscious. You deserve more than that, Niklaus Mikaelson. I believe that."

Klaus stared at the witch in front of him with tears in his light blue eyes, his lips were parted slightly in disbelief and he felt his chest tighten almost painfully as an uncomfortable warmth spread through his veins. It took him a moment to realise that the unfamiliar feeling was appreciation, something he hadn't felt in quite a while and he quickly closed his mouth with a firm nod of his head like he was coming to a decision. He placed a hand on her upper arm as he leaned forward to press a brief kiss to her cheek and her eyes widened in surprise at the action but as she opened her mouth to speak, he disappeared in a blink of an eye.

---

Moonlight shone through the clouds in the sky above Lafayette Cemetery, casting a spotlight on the unconscious witch propped up against one of the many mausoleums. A soft groan escaped the dark skinned woman as her head lolled to the side and she slowly blinked her eyes open as she awoke from her forced sleep. The pain radiating from the side of her neck caused her to frown in confusion as she gingerly reached up to touch the spot with her fingertips and was met with a sticky substance as she lowered her hand, moaning when she noticed the blood that coated her fingers.

"Now, you didn't have to bite me to get me here. I wanted front-row seats to this show." Celeste stated groggily in a low voice with a tired smirk on her lips as she flexed the rope that bound her wrists together and she lifted her head to look at the well-dressed Original standing guard with a bored expression on his face.

"And what show would that be?" Elijah asked drolly as he raised an eyebrow in a questioning manner and she chuckled drily without any real amusement as she struggled to climb to her feet.

"The one where you see your 'Always and Forever' pact come crashing down around you. It's a myth, Elijah. A myth I died for."

"And yet here you stand alive... For now."

"Is that a threat?" she asked in an indignant whisper as she narrowed her eyes at him angrily and she slowly started walking backwards in the direction of the entrance to the cemetery, smirking internally when he followed after her with a blank expression. "Oh, there's always another pretty, young body for me to jump into. From now on, every time you feel a connection to a woman, you'll be forced to wonder if it's me. You'll trust no one and spend the rest of eternity alone."

Elijah's expression hardened as he listened intently to the cruel taunts that came from his past love and the words 'rest of eternity alone' echoed through his mind in a merciless carousel of derision. The pain that flooded his veins was replaced with rage, the anger pulsating through his blood and he couldn't help rushing forward with the help of his vampire influenced speed. An invisible barrier blocked him from crossing the threshold of the cemetery and he released a pain filled groan as he was propelled backwards until he was sprawled on the ground.

A vicious bout of laugh escaped the dark skinned witch as she watched him glance at the entrance of the cemetery and she smirked maliciously as she tilted her head to the side, observing him climb to his feet with unbridled glee in her eyes. "I'm afraid you're trapped. Boundary spell. The Originals can enter, but they can't leave."

"You wouldn't." he breathed out in disbelief as his eyes widened a fraction but there wasn't any doubt in his voice and the words slipped from him before his mind had actually registered the significance.

"I would, and I did. Don't worry. It's a lunar spell. You'll be free by the next moonrise." She told him almost coyly with a mock-innocent expression as she fluttered her eyelashes and he clenched his jaw in annoyance as her lips twisted up in a wicked smirk, "My guess is, your sister won't last that long."

The mention of his baby sister made Elijah's blood run cold, the feeling of dread freezing him in place for a moment before it was replaced with fury and he tried to flash towards the offending witch but he was blocked by the invisible force between them. He closed his eyes for a moment in despair as he rested his hands against the barrier and then dropped them down to his sides with a hardened expression on his face as he lifted his head to glare at the smirking witch.

"Ah, while this body has been a hell of a lot of fun, I do think it's time I find someone else to play in, don't you? Hm. I think I'll take the lead of your darling 'friend' Imogen." Celeste taunted him spitefully as she bent down to pick up a candle in a glass jar that was sitting on the ground at the base of a memorial. The Original frowned in confusion at the jeer but she ignored him as she smashed the glass candleholder against the metal fencepost and her fingers curled tightly around one of the larger shards of glass, paying no attention to the stinging agony it caused when it broke the skin or the scarlet red blood slowly flowed from the wound. She raised the glass to her jugular threateningly as she pierced her carotid artery and Elijah's oak brown eyes widened as he tried to take a step forward but was stopped by the barrier over the threshold. Celeste let out a choked gasp as blood trickled out the corner of her lips while she coughed weakly and her eyes fluttered closed as she stumbled backwards feebly until she collapsed out of exhaustion.

Elijah watched with a solemn expression as his past love took her final shuddering breath, he knew that he should have been saddened by her demise but Celeste's last words were echoing through his mind: 'I think I'll take the lead of your darling 'friend' Imogen' before stabbing herself in the throat. The vision of Imogen choking on her own blood, of her lips stained scarlet red as the life faded from her vivid blue eyes plagued his thoughts and he shook his head slightly to rid himself of the image as he turned away from the corpse of Sabine Laurent.

The sound of footsteps approaching from behind caused him to stiffen in expectation and the familiar scent of vanilla assaulted his senses as he relaxed at the presence of the woman walking up to him. A shiver coursed through his veins as he felt her place a hand in between his shoulder blades, feeling her touch burn him even through his winter coat and he turned his head towards the brunette witch standing beside him, "Were you going to inform me of your apparent suicide?"

"No." Imogen answered honestly without a hint of hesitation as she ran her hand across his shoulder and linked her arm through his as she started leading him away from the entrance of the cemetery.

"We should discuss that."

"Elijah, there's nothing to discuss. I'm alive and I'm fine."

"Imogen…" he trailed off with a sigh as he forced them both to a stop outside one of the mausoleums and she released a soft exhale, her breath visible in the chilled night air as she meet his oak brown eyes. "I don't like you putting yourself in dangerous situations."

"I understand that. And I appreciate it, but I'm capable of handling myself. I'm a grown woman, Elijah, able to make my own decisions. I stand by what happened that night. If I had the chance to do it over, I would." She told him with a small upturn of her lips as she tightened her trench coat around her body and he subconsciously moved closer to block her from the wind as he placed a hand on her elbow.

"I assumed that Celeste would come after me when you saved me from the fire at the plantation, so I cast a revival spell on myself as a precaution. I was never going die, Elijah. I'm not stupid, you know." she scolded him in mock indignation as her lips twitched into a scowl and he couldn't help the smile that fought its way to his lips as she playfully pushed his shoulder.

The Original chuckled under his breath as he dropped his hand from her elbow, basking in the feeling of contentment that the witch's smile offered him and he sighed in resignation as he cast a dreading look over his shoulder at the mausoleum. He placed his hands in his overcoat pockets as he started strolling down the pathway towards the entrance, a heaviness settling in his stomach like he was walking towards his own execution instead of someone else's.

"Elijah, wait!" Imogen called urgently as she hurried after him at a quick pace and he turned around to face her with an eyebrow raised in question as she came to a stop in front of him. She bit her lower lip for a moment in contemplation as she glanced to the side before meeting his eyes with a steely determination and she took a deep breath to prepare herself as she said in a soft voice, "Don't kill Celeste."

"Excuse me? Imogen, this woman has taken over countless lives in the last two centuries, attempted to set you ablaze, inflicted horrendous pain on my brother, tormented my sister with delusions of the past, all in the name of vengeance. Not to mention, her death might be the answer to resurrecting Davina. I'm afraid she has to die. There is no choice."

"I agree. She has to die, but you do not have to be the one to kill her." she reminded him gently as she reached out to take his hand, intertwining their fingers and Elijah's forehead furrowed in confusion as she stepped forward so that they were nearly touching. "Somewhere deep, deep down inside, she's still your Celeste. Some part of you still cares about her, despite all that she's done, and I care about you, so I'm offering you an out. Walk away. Go find your siblings. I'll finish this for the both of us."

Elijah stared at the witch in front of him with a disbelieving expression, examining the intense ferocity in her blue eyes coupled with the evident affection he had only ever seen when in the presence of her sister. People had offered to eliminate threats on his behalf more than once, often hoping to gain his favour in useless matters or one of his siblings attempting to acquit themselves for some wrongdoing, but Imogen wasn't thinking of anything expect his comfort and mental welfare. She simply didn't want him to tarnish the memories of his time with Celeste and he couldn't put into words how remarkable it was that she was standing in front of him offering to kill someone so that he didn't have to.

The Original reached up to cup one side of her cheek with an adoring glint in his oak brown eyes, a small upturn of his lips as she leaned into his touch instinctively and he gently guided her head upwards as their breaths visibly together mixed in the cold night air until his lips captured her upper lip in a gently whisper of a kiss. She smiled into the kiss as she curled her hands around the lapel of his winter coat, drawing herself closer to his body as she deepened the kiss and she revelled in the warmth spreading throughout her veins as he placed his other hand on her hip. He pulled back from the kiss as he rested his forehead against hers with a small smile on his lips and she struggled to catch her laboured breath as her eyelids fluttered open.

"Okay, you were right. There definitely isn't any question. That was a kiss." Imogen whispered in amusement with a small grin on her lips as she ran her hand down his lapel and he chuckled slightly as he leaned down to sweep his lips over the corner of hers in a ghost of a kiss.

"Come along, darling. We have a meeting to get to." He told her softly as he slipped his hand into hers with a smirk on his lips, his skin tingling when their fingers intertwined and she allowed him to lead her towards the entrance to the mausoleum where he'd deposited Celeste's remain earlier in the day.

The moment they stepped into the burial chambers an ominous sensation settled over the couple, a feeling of finality as they walked closer to the main section of the mausoleum. Elijah heard a faint gasp from the end of the tunnel as Celeste awakened in her original body and he dropped Imogen's hand, silently signalling for her to stay behind in the hidden alcove when she offered him a questioning look. She narrowed her eyes at him in defiance as she shook her head in protest but he just tilted his head to the side with a small smile and she rolled her eyes without a word as she took a step back, silently relenting to his request.

Candlelight illuminated the cavernous room as the dark skinned witch stumbled to her feet, clutching a white sheet to her chest in order to keep her body covered and she looked around the dimly lit room in a mixture of confusion and shock when she realised that was in her own body.

"Hello, Celeste."

The sound of his voice sent a cold shiver down her spine, and for the first time in over two hundred years she felt true terror encompass her entire being. She slowly turned around to face him with a horrified expression marring her pretty face, her fingers clenching around the material of the sheet until her knuckles were white under the pressure as her French accented voice whispered in the stilted atmosphere, "How is this possible?"

"You were so consumed with my downfall, it seems you underestimated a very cunning young witch." Elijah told her in a cold voice as he stuffed his hands into his suit pants pockets and her eyes narrowed in confusion as his gaze drifted towards the entranceway.

"Hello, Celeste." Imogen greeted the other witch in an emotionless voice as she stepped out of the alcove and she strolled over to stand next to the Original with a blank expression on her face, a determined ferocity in her blue eyes.

"Cela ne se peut pas. Comment êtes-vous vivant?" Celeste asked in a whisper as she stared at the brunette with wide eyes, her hands trembling with fear as she slowly backed herself against the solid concrete wall behind her. She couldn't stop herself from feeling humiliated that she had been bested by the young witch in front of her when she had over two hundred years of experience and slightly jealousy about the close proximity between Imogen and Elijah, the envy gnawing at her stomach without her consent.

Elijah schooled an impassive expression on his face as he cast a longing look at the dark skinned witch cowering against the furthest wall, studying the gentle slope of her nose, the curve of her lips, the colour of her eyes, committing everything about her to memory, aware that this is the last time he would be able to see her in the flesh. He cleared his throat to dislodge the uncomfortable reminiscences of the past as he shifted on his feet and he turned his body slightly towards Imogen as he bent his head down her whisper in her ear, "Secure your sister's revival."

Imogen turned her head towards him when his lips brushed her earlobe and she could hear the pain in his voice as he essentially gave her permission to execute the woman he once loved. He gently touched her hand for a moment, taking comfort in the contact before he exited the mausoleum without glancing behind him and she watched his retreating back with a regretful expression but she knew that this was an inevitable outcome.

"I did love him, you know." Celeste told the brunette witch honestly with tears in her eyes as she clutched the sheet tighter to her chest and she could feel her heartbeat pounding rapidly in her ears, making everything sound further away than it truly was.

"I believe you." Imogen assured her with a nod of her head as she slowly started walking forward and she stopped with a few feet between them as she stood in a defensive stance in case Celeste tried to make a move against her. "Love makes you do crazy, insane things. Things you'd never see yourself do in a million years."

"Please, heed my warning, Imogen Claire, that family is poisonous. They are toxic and they will ruin you." she said in an almost pleading tone of voice as she stumbled forward a few steps with a panicked glint in her eyes and Imogen inclined her head impassively, not wanting the woman to see the effect her words were having on her even though they edging their way into her subconscious.

A heavy silence fell over the two witches as a sort of truce was formed between them in the candlelit room, an understanding that couldn't be explained in simple terms and Celeste took a deep breath to settle her racing nerves as she accepted the fate that awaited her. If she thought about it, maybe it was appropriate that Imogen was the one to end her life, that Elijah's new love was the one to finish what was two centuries in the making. Round and round the circle of misery spread by the Mikaelson family continued one generation after the next and Imogen was the next in a long time of women ruined by the eldest son.

Celeste exhaled slowly in acceptance as she gave a small nod of her head, indicating that she was ready to move on to be a member of the ancestors and Imogen lifted her arm out towards the dark skinned witch with a blank expression on her face.

"Goodbye, Celeste." She murmured softly as she slowly her outstretched hand into a tight fist until her knuckles were white under the pressure and she maintained eye contact with the other witch as she rotated her hand to the left, trying not to wince at the audible crack when Celeste neck snapped in the same direction. She collapsed into a heap on the ground with a distinct thud as the sheet fell from her grip, her lifeless eyes staring up at Imogen as she strolled forward and crouched down beside Celeste's corpse with her head tilted to the side.

She reached out to close the fallen witch's eyelids with her fingertips as she gently pulled the sheet up to cover Celeste's bare chest, showing the powerful witch the respect she deserved even after all the choices she had made. There was no denying that Celeste Marie Helene Dubois was a talented witch, and there must have been something admirable about her if she had succeeded in endearing herself to Elijah Mikaelson.

Imogen stood up from her crouch as she ran a hand through her brunette hair with a sigh and she started wandering towards the entranceway of the crypt, a sense of relief saturating her veins. She paused on the threshold of the mausoleum as she stumbled to a stop, reaching out to grip the edge of the entranceway to keep herself balanced and she laughed slightly in relief at the thought of seeing her baby sister's smile, of hearing her infectious laughter, of seeing Davina alive and well.

A massive grin spread across her lips as she straightened herself from her slumped position and she cast one last look over her shoulder before she rushed out of the mausoleum, intent on being wherever Davina was.