Chapter 31
Many things might have changed since the hundred years absence of his family in New Orleans. Yet there were many more that had stayed the same including the amount of diverse supernatural creatures that called the city home. Based on his conversations with his little blonde baby vampire, Klaus knew that his son Marcel ruled the city with an iron fist. It was fitting he thought, after all, it was how his own family had ruled a hundred years ago.
Before Marcel's betrayal, the hybrid felt himself shift into the persona he portrayed to the outside, known simply as Klaus like it was a second skin rather than a pulling back of gentler emotions that he saved only for family. If he knew Marcel, which he did, then he knew that the vampire would have the city under guard. The moment Klaus was spotted, Marcel would know he was back in the city.
It was vital that Marcel knew of his arrival and accepted him back into the city. Niklaus would not allow his temperamental relations to put a very human Caroline at risk. With this in mind, he stepped into Rousseau's establishment. Scanning the room, he noted a pretty dark blonde playing bartender amongst all the liquor. The blonde hair made him reminiscent of both his sister and Caroline, causing the hybrid to pause in his examination of the room noticing two obvious minions in the corner of the bar.
If Niklaus was a betting man, truth be told he was, then he would put money on his little prodigy to already have an eye for the pretty blonde bartender. When he felt a pair of eyes on him Klaus flashed the bartender a smile only for her to narrow her eyes and roll them to the back of her head before continuing taking the orders from her current guests.
Niklaus laughed, what a cheeky little thing now he was almost sure Marcel would have noticed such a woman. He had fallen for his sister after all. With his advanced hearing, it was of no trouble when Marcel's two minions came up to him. He growled lowly causing the two to flinch when he grabbed their arms and hissed "tell your master that Klaus Mikaelson is back in town and would like to catch up. Unless you would prefer if I sent him a more colorful message? Perhaps your intestines gift wrapping your head?"
Luckily for the two minions, that's when the pretty bartender came up the trio with a smile, "I'm sorry for the wait but I regret to inform you that we are out of gumbo."
"No problem ma'am" Niklaus answered for them giving her a sly grin his flirtatious nature coming to play.
The bartender raised an eyebrow at him, " the name is Camille, and does that line usually work for you?"
Niklaus inwardly rolled his eyes as Marcel's minions quietly made their way out of the building causing Camille to turn to him, "friends of yours?"
"Let's just say we have an old friend in common, love."
XX
Stefan Salvatore did not mind living in Denver, Colorado where the Gilbert's had living relatives. For one it allowed Jeremy to move in with them, distant relations but still relations under the guise of allowing Elena to have a more normal college experience. Truthfully Elena was constantly looking over her shoulder, sure that Caroline would have failed in her quest to keep Klaus from sending minions after them. Stefan wanted to point out that it's been a whole summer and there was no word from the Mikaelson's that perhaps they had better things to worry about. Such as having a very human Caroline, once Elena broke the news that the blonde told her to drink her blood in order for her to become human.
"Stefan" Damon hissed at his brother knocking him out of his wandering thoughts.
"What is it, Damon?" Stefan muttered groggily, as a vampire he did not need much rest, but his thoughts had brought him close to a much-needed sleep.
"I'm worried about Elena."
Stefan had to roll his eyes. Of course, he was worried about Elena, the girl that even after all these months had yet to start a relationship with either brother. Damon muttered that he thought once they left the hell of Mystic Falls behind that perhaps the girl would seek out one of the brothers for comfort. To be honest Stefan was relieved that she had not gone to him.
He would always love Elena; this was a fact that Stefan knew deep in his blood as if it was always meant to be. He loved Elena Gilbert in a way that he doubted he could ever love another woman. That didn't mean he wanted to be in a relationship with her. Every so often his thoughts would drift to his last conversation with Caroline.
Finally, he said, "maybe it's time we consider that she needs more help than we can give."
Damon groaned as he sat beside his brother outside the suburban house their family-owned, now firmly under Elena's name. "That's not what you're supposed to say!"
Stefan scoffed, "and tell you what? That Elena is going to get over the fear of Klaus hunting her for killing her best friend? She drank her dry, Damon. I don't think even Caroline can get Klaus to budge on that. Even if he wants to get his revenge, his focus will be on Caroline for a while yet. Elena however still needs to deal with everything that's happened. Did you know she hasn't gone to therapy once? Not when her parents died not with Jenna and definitely not since becoming a vampire."
Damon looked over at his brother with a thoughtful look that was still very close to disgust, "you want us to send her to therapy?"
"I want us to send her to a supernatural therapist" Stefan corrected softly.
"One problem brother."
"Oh, what would that be?" Stefan had a pretty good idea of what Damon's concern would be. It was one that he struggled to find an answer to as well.
"How the hell are we supposed to find one?"
XX
Bonnie was packing her things for her dorm room in Whitmore College when her ringtone for the most annoying Mikaelson started to echo through her room. During her last meeting with Caroline before the blonde left, she had taken the witch's phone and changed the ringtone for all the Mikaelson's. Bonnie's personal favorite was what she chose for Kol, the witch giggled every time "I'm a Gummy Bear" rang out.
"Hello, Kol" Bonnie sighed answering the phone, her giggles long gone as she finally voiced her hello.
"Ah if it is not the famous Bennett witch!" Kol cajoled joyfully, "how is that little town of yours now that the party is gone?"
"Blissfully quiet" Bonnie deadpanned earning a soft chuckle from the original.
"Have you found anything?" Kol asked carefully aware of the witch's temper if she thought one was dismissing her efforts.
"I was able to track down the original Immortality spell that was used by my ancestor. Based off what Caroline has said that she can't drink vampire blood and turn. Her body will reject it-"
Kol interrupted, "The cure was meant to cure Silas of his immortality ensuring that Silas once he took the cure could not drink blood and somehow bypass the spell. But all spells can be tweaked."
Bonnie growled, "You want me to tweak a two thousand-year-old spell?"
"No sweet little witch. It's already been tweaked by my mother" Kol reminded her.
"Esther bound the magic to doppelganger blood, but Elena's taken the cure how could we be sure it would even work again?" Bonnie questioned but her thoughts were spinning. Kol was right in a sense, all spells can be tweaked. A Bennett witch gave Esther the spell, tweaked it to suit Esther's needs but it was changed.
That means they could change it again.
The sound of something getting smashed around by was that metal? Bonnie thought remembering Kol's fondness for bats. "Kol are you playing baseball?"
"Not exactly."
"Kol" Bonnie sighed, "what are you hitting?"
"Sila's tombstone with my favorite bat."
"WHAT!" Bonnie could feel her eyes twitch as her grip only tightened around her cellphone.
"We were going to destroy it. Turns out can't really be destroyed so Sage and I are using it as batter practice."
Good lord Bonne couldn't help but think that only Caroline could possibly handle the Mikaelson's fulltime. Shaking her head Bonnie said, "Listen I think you just gave me an idea. It'll take some time. I might even need your family's help if this does not work out, but I'll keep you updated okay?"
"Anytime Bonbon."
Bonnie growled when he hung up before she could berate him when a familiar chuckle caused her to turn around and pout, "Enzo! That is not funny."
"Oh, I think it's delightful. Kol is a rather funny fellow" Enzo hummed softly stepping into her personal space as he held a strand of her hair.
"He's using an ancient witch tomb as batter practice!"
XX
It didn't take long for Marcel to come out of his hiding place and find Niklaus sitting on a table at Rosseau's looking at the bartender, Camille. Marcel's face turned into a frown upset that his maker, the one he had sent packing a hundred years ago. The maker who left him during the commotion, despite Marcel knowing that Klaus had a deep real fear of the man he called father.
"Marcellus."
"Actually, I just go by Marcel now" He corrected firmly allowing his face to relax as both vampires hugged in greeting.
"Marcel it is then" Niklaus gritted his teeth, " I see you're alive."
"I'm not just alive my friend, I'm thriving in what was a little backwater town your family helped get started but things are different now" Marcel nodded towards his goons in the back smirking at Niklaus as he waived the pretty bartender over.
Niklaus hummed noncommittedly, "it's been a long time. I understand the city is under your control? How did you manage that?"
"Protection" Marcel grinned, "under my rule the werewolves are no longer a problem staying out of the city in the bayou. The witches don't dare come after our kind. The city belongs to the vampire's now."
Niklaus raised a brow at that remembering New Orleans witches as he did, the hybrid doubted they caved without a fight. "Witches are stubborn creatures" He mused.
Marcel shrugged, "I've gotten them under control. Now I have a few questions, security reasons."
Niklaus let out a soft chuckle, his fangs showing off just slightly, "go ahead, Marcel."
"Are your siblings here?"
"All but Finn and his lover a vampire named Sage" Niklaus answered honestly, enjoying the narrowing of his former pupils' eyes.
"Kol?"
"Is under my protection, Marcel. He is family after all" Niklaus growled in warning. Marcel leaned back with his hands up in the air, "I remember he could be a bit of a loose cannon. I can't have that here."
"He'll be on his best behavior" Niklaus chuckled knowing that his brother would be fuming at how he talked of him as if he were still a child.
XX
Rebekah looked around nervously, in search of the absolutely furious gaze of her brother. Caroline had managed to convince her to escort her human self into the French Quarter for a day of sightseeing. Rebekah caved if only to stop having to dodge the pouty looks both Caroline and Kol gave her.
Rebekah growled at the way her brother teamed up with the younger blonde, how dare he! When she looked over at the smiling face of Caroline who was looking over some custom-made clothing being sold by a street merchant, Rebekah rolled her eyes fondly.
"How much?" She asked the merchant pointing to the sky blue scarf that Caroline was holding. When the man named a reasonable price, Rebekah grinned at the god smacked look on the human blonde's face when the original handed over the exact cash. Waving off the merchant with a friendly wave, Rebekah looped her arm through Caroline's laughing at how she just open and closed her mouth.
"Rebekah!" She cried finally finding her voice.
"Thank of it as a very cheap going off to college gift' Rebekah shrugged grinning happily at the pout on the other girl's face. Soon Caroline's fond pouting stopped as the two descended into a day of shopping.
Hayley Marshall was walking out of one of the restaurants that were still werewolf friendly when looked up to spot two familiar blondes across the street looking at clothing. Internally Hayley cursed as she quickly made her way past the duo, luckily both were immersed into other activities not sensing her presence.
Panic began to fill her after all the time away from Mystic Falls, the werewolf that thought she was safe. Hayley quickly made her way towards the Bayou where she had finally found members of the Crescent Moon pack, placed in a curse that created the opposite reality of the normal werewolf myth.
She had been searching for ways to break it, even wrapping Tyler into the cause when he saw what the pack was forced to endure. Hayley stopped before reached the bayou in hopes of calming her heart. She had yet to inform Tyler about the truth of his hybrid pack, how she drugged them with a mixture to weaken both vamp and wolf sides. Hayley had no idea what she was going to do.
She saw the archives of the city's history, the Mikaelson's had built this city originally no matter what the vampire Marcel said. The she-wolf doubted that the ancient vampire was going to leave anytime soon.
"Hayley?" Tyler's tired voice echoed from the trailer that they shared out on the bayou. It was a far cry from his pampered life in Mystic Falls, even with his mother consistently sending him money. Always with a note that it was for him, not the whore. Tyler sent her an apologetic smile, but he rarely had the fight to defend her against his mother. Hayley constantly pointed out to him. He was the one who chose to stay, with her. If he was not willing to defend her or even demand that his mother at least act respectfully towards her this would never work.
"Hey Tyler" She smiled softly. Knowing that no matter how mad she was at him there were so few people in the bayou that they could talk to. Mostly children who were not under the curse. She might be a wolf queen, but her subjects were still far from her reach. She just had to find a way to break the curse.
"How was your day in the quarter?" Tyler asked Hayley could tell by his tone that he was barely listening. Doing it mostly out of obligation, not that the she-wolf could really blame him. Their lives had been dreadfully the same for the length of their stay.
Hayley bit her lip, should she tell him? That his ex-girlfriend was in town with her new family. If he stayed in town he would most definitely spot her eventually.
"Tyler, there is something you should know" Hayley started as her bottom lip began to ache at the pressure her teeth pressed down.
"What is it? Did something happen in the quarter? You don't look like you got bite" Tyler stood taking the few steps that separated them. Hayley had to laugh as he started checking her for any unseen injuries.
Taking a deep breath, "I saw Caroline."
Tyler paused what he was doing to look up at Hayley, "What did you say?"
"I saw her and the original sister, Rebekah out and about in the French Quarter. Tyler they can't find you here" Hayley knew that the man would never be able to sit by while the originals were in town. He had to leave if he wanted to live. Yet a nagging sensation would not leave Hayley knowing that she kept a secret from him.
"Caroline's here? With the originals?" Tyler laughed lowly, "of fucking course she is. I'm actually surprised that she left our hometown."
Hayley's lips quirked but said nothing. She knew all about his thoughts and feelings about the blonde vampire that had the galls to break up with him. He thought her to be a small-town girl that would never leave not because she couldn't but because she was afraid. After all Caroline Forbes practically rules Mystic Falls, Tyler thought it was preposterous that she would leave fearing she could never achieve that success elsewhere.
"I'm going to see her" Tyler decided.
Hayley's eyes widened no matter what she could not allow him to find out her lies by the originals. "Tyler wait there is something else."
The wolf girl felt her heartbeat heavily in her chest as the man paused at the door turning his attention towards the brunette. His eyes held curiosity and impatience, "Hals?"
"You assumed that it was Niklaus that killed the hybrids. It wasn't the plan was that he was supposed to, I was supposed to get him angry, but he wouldn't give me the time of day" Hayley admitted, a small part of her still angry at how he completely brushed her aside.
"Then who killed them?" Tyler barked, the hand he held to the door frame squeezed the wood until it splintered. Hayley winced unable to look Tyler in the eye not wanting to see his rage.
"I did" She whispered.
XX
Sitting cross-legged in the abandoned house at the site of the death of over a hundred witches, Bonnie Bennett clutched tightly to the flimsy connection she had with her ancestors. Taking a deep breath, the witch focused her energies to connect with the witches of the past.
"What are you searching for young one?"
Bonnie frowned at the unfamiliar voice, whenever she contacted the ancestors it was always Emily or her Grams that spoke with her. The witch frowned as she opened her eyes and a light-skinned figure arose.
"Esther Mikaelson" She let out a shaky breath.
"I mean you no harm child. Despite my actions during my temporary return to the living" Esther soothed as she stepped closer to the witch sitting cross-legged in front of her.
"I didn't realize Klaus has buried you" Bonnie frowned trying to think of a conversation she missed. She was trying to contact her ancestors for help, but Esther was a witch too. The one who helped to create vampires in the first place.
"He has yet to decide where I should rest, the boy has me locked away in the protective casket. Our time is short, isn't there some other question you wish to ask?"
"The witch… my ancestor is the one who created the immortality spell, for herself and Silas. It was that spell that was the basis for yours wasn't?"
Esther smiled as she could feel the pride of the Bennett witches surround them. Finally, the girl was asking the right questions to the right people. "I was friends with a Bennett witch during my lifetime. As when we spoke before because of this friendship I was allowed to access their powers."
"Only it failed" Bonnie pointed out.
"I was hasty in my observations. There are other ways of taming the worst of my children's impulses. Such as the bond between my son and your dear friend, Caroline?"
"She's taken the cure, but I wasn't sure if there was another way to change the immortality spell, again to fit her situation."
"You wish to know if you can duplicate our magic, rendering Caroline the same as my children?"
Bonnie bit her lip, "Caroline…. She never asked to be a vampire, but she changed for the better because of it. She's found someone I think will love her for a thousand lifetimes… if not longer. Without her, I fear your children will not have a moral compass to fall back on when someone undoubtedly will get in-between them."
"My thoughts exactly" Esther closed her eyes, "if my children are anything. They are loyal to those who earn it. Be that as it may, the only way to circumvent the instances of the cure would be to ensure your spell has a stronger anchor."
"Both were created by Bennett witches and both…. Involved the doppelganger. Esther, what could be stronger?"
"The werewolves as you know were a creation of a witch, yet the magic within them changed to only allow transformations safely but a few if they were strong enough had…"
"Mates" Bonnie gaped, "That lore is true?"
"My son is the first hybrid born to a wolf and a witch, became one of the first vampires. His entire being is made of the strongest magic this world has known. The magic passed down from his father would potentially lead him to a mate, if that mate were to be human…."
"Could I harness that magic? The bond as an anchor allowing Caroline to be a vampire?"
"I believe you could use any dominant amount of magic in my son should stabilize the spell and render Caroline, an original vampire" Esther assessed carefully. "The power from a mate bond would be strong and draw from both my own spell and the spell to create the werewolves. I doubt the effects of the cure would stand."
Bonnie let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Esther."
Esther offered a sad smile, "don't thank me yet child. I fear what your ancestor's whisper will come true."
"What exactly are they whispering?"
"That the cure that turned Caroline human combined with the undefined power of the first original hybrid allowed for my future grandchild to be conceived."
"She died"
Esther laughed," died young and in perfect health. The cure returned her to her pre-death state in perfect fertility. Add in my son's dualistic nature and being the first of his kind perhaps even the mate bond."
"Does Caroline know?"
XX
Back in Denver, Colorado, the two Salvatore brothers stared at each other in a standstill neither one willing to back down. Elena was still at the local community college getting her enrollment and class registration finished. Damon looked towards the clock at most they had maybe an hour before she would come home.
This was not how Damon thought Elena would come to live with him, but it was what he had.
"Stefan, are you hearing yourself? A supernatural counselor?" Damon scoffed thinking the idea blasphemous. "How do you know they even exist? The supernatural is not exactly known for asking for help."
Stefan glared at his brother, "if you must know Lexi was one. She studied psychology, would go back to school every few decades to ensure she had all the latest certificates and tools. Lexi said plenty of supernatural creatures entered into helping professions in an attempt to help keep it secret. Lexi focused on helping supernaturals with PTSD like problems."
"Bloody woman still manages to annoy me from beyond the grave" Damon growled to himself, his younger brother simply smirked at him. He knew of Lexi and Damon's troubled dynamic his friend a hundred percent sure that his brother was a blood influence. The minimum worry was that they would get into fights and Stefan would be alone again at worst Damon's feeding habit would allow Stefan to turn back into his ripper days.
To this day Stefan wondered if Lexi was right.
"So how do you suppose we find a new Lexi?" Damon snapped, "it's not like we have a supernatural yellow page."
"No, but we have a list of contacts. We could also compel a counselor to keep our secrets" Stefan pointed out, at that Damon looked thoughtful nodding that it was not a horrible idea.
"Fine. We will try it your way let's give it a month if we cannot find a supernatural psych major then we will compel one for ourselves" Damon decided looking over the corner of his eyes to check his brother's compliance.
"For Elena" Stefan murmured taking a drink of whiskey.
"For Elena" Damon muttered taking a swig of his favorite bourbon.