Chapter 40

Suffice to say Caroline's plan did not go as planned. The blonde rubbed her head as Katherine rolled off of her, shooting glares at the witches who stood in front of them.

What was she thinking? Things never go according to plan! The fact that the whole Silas situation went swimmingly was a rarity! Ignoring the fact her Mystic Falls friends were now in New Orleans because of the Travelers. Good news is that the magical barrier was not yet in place. Bad news is her mother was now in town with only Enzo for protection!

Caroline cursed her selfish thoughts, now was not the time to be worried about her mother. She and her friends just walked into an Asylum of witches, some in there for good reasons, at least she hoped so. Bonnie had immediately winced upon entering, when prompted the witch explained.

"The aura of this place… it's dark Care. What kind of covens do they have locked in here?"

Caroline wished she could answer her. All she knew about these witches were that in order to strengthen their coven they went through a Harvest ritual. Hope's Aunt, Davina, had said it was a ritual done rarely.

When asked to look into it, Bonnie had said that the Harvest ritual had been twisted. Originally, all it would had taken was a cut on the palm of your hand, something that could be healed easily. But someone had twisted the ritual to suit their own needs.

The blonde vaguely recalled Niklaus muttering about a bloody witch that Elijah had gotten himself involved with. Now she wished that she had pressed for more information.

That was when one of the witches on guard spotted them. Luckily Bonnie's magic was not bound to the town and she could withstand the blow. Her brows furrowed, "Their magic is different here and no, not like the difference between nature and ancestral."

Katherine spoke quietly, "Does this help us or hurt us?"

"I don't know."

That was when everything went straight to hell. As usual soft footsteps of witches dressed in all black with two small marks below their eyes walked straight into the foyer. The witches immediately snapped their fingers as a balls of energy shot towards them.

"Great!" Katherine exclaimed sarcastically, grabbing Caroline and pressing her down to the floor as one of the witches capable of practicing magic in the house shot at them for a second time.

"Witches abandoned by their coven and the bloody coven keeps their magic active?" Katherine cursed looking over at Bonnie who had also ducked. "Looks like you will be taking the lead."

"Joy." Came Bonnie's own slice of sarcasm before she whispered a chant that blew a magical wind towards their attackers that knocked them off their feet. Caroline grunted as she pushed herself onto her knees, wincing a little as her hand brushed against her forehead to feel blood on her fingers.

"Shit." Caroline muttered.

The witches had two weird marks on their faces. "What an ugly tattoo." Caroline couldn't help but think as they stood up. The witches hadn't said anything, yet something passed between them because one of them began to speak.

"Who are you?" An African American witch asked, his voice low and mono-tone, almost as if he held no emotion at all. Not that Caroline would blame them, being trapped in a house would do that to you.

"Visitors," Katherine snapped, "Who the fuck are you? Don't you know it's rude to attack guests."

"We are the Kindred." Another voice replied, this one a witch with a pixie cut, "You are not welcome here. Why have you come?"

"Someone came here by mistake. We are simply rectifying it." Caroline answered, ignoring the scolding look Katherine sent her way.

"No one leaves. The Kindred control the witches here." The two witches said in unison.

"Lovely. A bunch of psychotic witches control the asylum of even crazier witches." Bonnie rolled her eyes as she magically took a table from the end of the room and lifted it into the air to slam against the Kindred.

Katherine could hear a door opening and a young woman appeared. She had to be in her mid-twenties but her green eyes looked familiar. They were the same hue as the others in the Mikaelson clan, such as Niklaus. Most importantly, they were not the lifeless eyes of the witches who were attacking them. That was when Caroline turned to look towards the sound and her eyes found the woman's', as Bonnie shielded them from the Kindred's attack.

"Freya." Caroline breathed out her name, recognizing the slightly younger version of the Aunt Freya she had gotten to know as the Headmistress of a magical school.

Freya looked startled at hearing her name, her green gaze looking over towards the Kindred, silently nodding towards the group just as more of the Kindred came into investigate the noise. The Kindred split up; a couple went toward the girl, now known as Freya while the rest walked closer to the intruders.

Katherine grinned grabbing her companions, "Perfect! The missing Mikaelson found us!"

Bonnie cursed as she magically levitated more furniture to block the magic of the Kindred. Freya was busy chanting in order to press all the members of the kindred into the wall.

"Quickly, go to the other room. There are vials-grab them!" Freya gave the order to Katherine, recognizing a vampire when she saw one. Nodding over to Bonnie as the witch began to chant the same spell, both witches working together to pin the Kindred to the wall. Over powering what power the Kindred had.

Katherine flashed over with a bunch of syringes, "What the hell are these?"

Freya's face turned grim, "How they control the witches. Keeps other witches from using their power."

Bonnie looked at the needles with disgust, "Trapped and without their powers?"

"The Nola Coven only places witches who they can no longer trust with their magic in here. Allowed to live but no longer a threat because of the barrier. Even their magic cannot get past the barrier." Freya announced grimly. "I did some digging after…"

"Your nap." Caroline supplied helpfully.

Freya looked over at the blonde with curious eyes, "How did you-"

"No time," Bonnie snapped, "We won't exactly be able to hold them forever. And I'd rather not leave them here to torture the others or free to leave with the barrier broken."

Freya nodded silently using magic to raise the needles and stabbed the Kindred in their brains. Bonnie screamed, her magic coming to a halt as Caroline came up from behind and wrapped her arms around the witch. Looking over at the Mikaelson, she suddenly understood why this was never talked about.

Freya had killed the Kindred.

"You just killed them," Bonnie looked over at Freya, the witch gripping her childhood friend's hand tightly. "We could have-"

"Could have what? Kept them locked up? Take away their magic? They were deranged. Leaving them alive would have been a death sentence to everyone they met. You destroyed the barrier!" Freya countered.

"You're a witch. We don't kill!" Bonnie accused.

"That's a lie. Witches have and will kill. Most just don't use dark magic. How do you know of me? How did you know I was here?" Freya's eyes narrowed.

The air in the room was heavy with the amount of magic that was used. Sounds of the other prisoners could be heard. Katherine could hear them asking where the Kindred were.

"We are here to take you to your siblings." Katherine told the eldest Mikaelson. "There is much more to the story but your fellow prisoners are noticing the Kindreds are gone. We have to go now!"

Freya's eyes hardened unsure of whether to trust them when they heard the noises of the other residents getting louder.

"Freya, please I know you came to look for your family," Caroline whispered. "We will tell you more later. Just come with us."

"Fine."

XXX

"Are you sure?" Elijah asked over the phone. Niklaus watched as his brother held his nose with two fingers along the ridge. "Alright. Thank you, Hayley."

The siblings had returned from their meeting with Marcel. Niklaus relatively chipper knowing that Marcel would now be curious about the little witch in his protection. While Marcel would be doubtful of anything coming from the mouth of a Mikaelson, he would not be stupid enough to ignore it completely. Nor did he miss the way his former protégé kept staring at his sister.

"Well?" Rebekah asked impatiently, earning a fond smile from Niklaus. He really loved his little sister but she truly had a terrifying temper. Niklaus decided to place his concerns in regarding the young vampire and his sister to the back of his mind.

Temporarily.

"The wolves used the scent given to them by the shirt you provided, Rebekah. She's not in the bayou, but Hayley managed to make it into the city without being detected. She tracked Caroline's scent to the Dowager Fauline Asylum."

Kol continued to drum his fingers on his leg, allowing his extra energy to be released that way. He paused at the mention of the old cottage to meet Klaus's gaze. "You know I heard a rumor that our dear New Orleans witches keep their unwanted members there. Is your barrier spell still up? "

Niklaus stood up, his siblings right behind him. Each siblings sharing a look with one another. After seconds worth of a conversation without words Finn asked, "Are you sure it's wise to go after her? She does have Katherine and Bonnie by her side. As they certainly are not here."

"Nor are they answering their phones." Elijah muttered to himself, his hand casually touching the phone in his pocket. Where several of his calls went straight to voicemail. Rebekah held back a groan at the untethered look on two of her brother's faces. Looking over at Finn and Kol, the blonde could not believe that it would be her oldest and youngest surviving brothers that remained calm and collected. Finn kept silent watch over his siblings with Sage by his side, her oldest brother seemed to be at peace for once in his life. Had Rebekah ever felt that way? The blonde shook her head as her most protective brother began to speak.

"Caroline is no longer a vampire. The witches, batty or not, could do her harm. Could harm the babies, which she would never forgive herself for. So unless any of you have a better idea now would be the time to tell me." Niklaus snapped.

"Nik, by coming to their rescue we could be putting them in more danger." Rebekah pointed out as Sage furthered her point with a, "If you think your little girlfriend left without a plan then you don't know her."

Niklaus twirled around and stared at Sage, who had the courage to look the hybrid in the eye without flinching. Her red curls bounced from her face with the speed in which this happened.

"You then also know that Caroline has a weak spot. Her family, friends and everyone she bloody well cares about! The only reason she would go to that blasted place if she was keeping something from us. Now, I don't suppose you have any idea of what that secret might be?"

Finn frowned, stepping up to grab Sage by the shoulder, "Niklaus remember what our mother said."

Kol rolled his eyes, "You want us to believe that Caroline's disappearance has something to do with our mother's sordid deal with our Aunt?" Kol paused after he said it as the siblings shared a look.

"What exactly happened at that meeting?" Sage questioned looking over at Finn beseeching him to answer her.

"Our beloved Aunt practiced dark magic, using it to ensure that our mother could have children taking the eldest."

Sage furrowed her brows, "Freya."

Finn nodded, "Our mother hinted that Freya may still be alive along with Dahlia."

Sage blew a raspberry, leaning her head back as a hand came up to rub the back of her neck, "You think Freya might really be in that house? Didn't Niklaus and Kol have a fight in that building that lead to a witch being stuck inside forever?"

"Mary Alice." Kol said fondly, "Witches don't really do loyalty unless it's to their own but she was a friend to me for a time."

Sage turned to look at Niklaus, "Do you really think you should be going to the place that has a boundary spell in place because of you? Are you trying to get her killed?"

Finn stepped in front of Sage as Niklaus took a step closer. Elijah slipped his arms under Niklaus's armpits just before the hybrid rushed forward to attack Sage. Finn had his hands wrapped around Sage's middle pulling her to the other side as Elijah held back their brother.

"Niklaus." Elijah grunted.

Niklaus growled, "Don't you dare suggest that. EVER!"

Sage growled right back, fighting against Finn's hold. "How about you stop being an ass and GIVE CAROLINE A CHANCE!"

"Finn take Sage away. Nik we will go to the cottage only if you can control yourself!" Rebekah took charge, ordering her elder brothers with a finesse that would shock the vampires of New Orleans.

The original sister steeled her spine as her brother shot her a look so dirty Rebekah was sure if she could die that she would be six feet under, twice over. Instead of wavering, Rebekah raised a single brow before crossing her arms, "Well?"

"Fine." Niklaus growled.

"Again. This time like you mean it." Rebekah barked as the rest of her brothers shared worried looks.

"I will not burn the cottage to the ground the moment I get there. Nor will I get into an argument with Caroline unless she starts it." Niklaus glared at her, daring her to make him try again.

Rebekah smirked, "Caroline can't say I didn't try. Let's go find our little human shall we?"

Sage snickered, "Don't call her that to her face."

XXX

Atlanta Georgia was a thriving city. After living all her life in a small southern town, the change of scenery was both thrilling and nerve wracking to Elena. Denver was a major city and now being in Atlanta, Elena was without a doubt sure that she preferred visiting big cities as opposed to living in them.

What Elena disliked, was how she left things with Camille, her therapist had been a great help to her. It eased her conscience knowing that Camille was heading back to New Orleans. Yet she couldn't get what the woman said out of her head. Klaus had sent her to them. The man did not forgive easily, she had hurt his love.

Her best friend.

Elena winced as the irritated voice of Damon brought her back from the dark turn her thoughts were taking. "Yes, Damon. I just have to pick up a few more things. I'll be fine. I will see you when I get home." Elena inwardly groaned as she pressed the red disconnect button on the screen. Looking up at the Atlanta skyline the brunette couldn't help but smile.

She saw couples walking the street, mostly individuals walking silently or on their phones. She even saw a mother walking with her child out of the bookstore Elena had just exited. The most important thing was, she couldn't hear their heartbeats. She was human and free from Klaus's clutches.

One thing Elena was grateful for was that she was human again, with less sensitive senses. She loved the social scene, multiple libraries and old bookstores, parks all across the city. There was more than one of everything. Elena could step into a shop and not know a single soul! It was a relief not to be concerned about the new gossip her town would spread about her. As much as big city living was a relief, Elena wondered how long it would last.

Visiting was what she was used to, craved even, but living here? Damon had managed to find them a house for sale in the wealthier part of the city, yet even with her human hearing she could still here the frequent calls of the ambulance sirens. It was much easier to get lost in a city this size. People were less friendly too.

As much of a relief as it was not being the center of the story, Elena missed her home.

She had only been in the city for a few days yet Elena could feel the call to Mystic Falls. Being even this close to her hometown, it was almost like a magnetic pull to go home. She didn't dare voice her feelings to the Salvatores' knowing that they would automatically assume it was some magical voodoo.

Well Damon would.

Stefan would understand. Elena smiled at the thought of her ex-boyfriend. He has been a God-sent in handling Damon's overprotective urges, with more skill than he had managed to show back home. Perhaps he had finally learned? When he would take a stern tone with Damon, trying to use logic to calm his brother's more volatile urges, Elena could feel her insides shake.

She missed him.

Missed what they had and yet Elena couldn't get her therapists words out of her head. A part of her wanted to go back to Stefan, but another still yearned for Damon. Frankly the yearnings for Damon, the brunette could now say for sure, were more physical. She desired Damon Salvatore, found him incredibly attractive, yet his brash personality made her wary.

Stefan on the other hand was safe, personality wise at least, when he was not drinking human blood. His control and concern for human life made Elena love him. She loved him, and a part of her always would. But would he take her back? After admitting she had feelings for Damon?

The brother's relationship might not be able to handle it. Would she be able to forgive herself? After everything Katherine had done to tear them apart? Elena closed her eyes blocking out the city sounds as she took a deep breath.

She couldn't believe that Caroline would ever consider helping that bitch. Elena knew that Katherine would still be in contact with the originals, the vampire's obsession with Elijah was different than the one with the Salvatore's.

"Perhaps she still needed therapy." She thought to herself when the familiar anger coursed through her veins.

Stefan….Katherine had craved him in the same way. Elena could understand as Stefan had a way of making you feel cared for, loved, but it was more than that. It was as if when in his vincity you couldn't help but be drawn in. Knowing what she did, Elena was almost sure that was a part of the doppelganger curse.

She was sure her blood was trying to get her back to Mystic Falls, because for some reason her doppelganger blood needed to be there. Like it needed to be around Stefan. It was muted as a vampire. Stefan explained that her bond with Damon had smothered everything else. Elena stopped at a crosswalk, pressing the button as she waited in the crowd. She couldn't help but wonder should she stay away from Stefan?

He was her friend, someone she refused to lose even if it meant she never acted on her growing feelings. How could she? After everything she had done? Because even now knowing she wanted Stefan to hold her again, a part of her still craved Damon's bruising kiss. Thinking she saw the light flash her foot took a step onto the street.

"Miss wait!" Came an achingly familiar voice as a warm hand wrapped around her shoulder, keeping her from taking another step into the street.

A car honked at them as she was pulled into a warm chest, a large breath escaped her as it set in that Elena almost stepped into oncoming traffic. Oh god. Turning to her savior Elena was opening her mouth to apologize when her eyes met the eyes of Stefan Salvatore.

Only it wasn't him. His grip was not as strong, hands slightly warmer than she was used to. Vaguely she recalled something Caroline had said….Stefan was also a doppelganger.

"Stefan?" Elena asked momentarily confused.

"Pardon Miss?" The Stefan look alike gazed over her in concern.

"I'm sorry you look a lot like someone I know." Elena let out a small chuckle as a smile spread across her face. Immediately she raised her hand reaching out to clasp his, "My name's Elena Gilbert and thank you for preventing me from becoming roadkill."

"Tom Avery, it would have been too much of a shame to allow you to be roadkill."

XXX

"Where are your friends?"

Enzo took a large swig of whiskey before turning towards the man who interrupted his moping. Bonnie had yet to text him back, the vampire huffed. Was it too much to ask she alerted him to her safety? Luckily, Caroline had sent him a text herself.

Good Blondie, Enzo thought fondly.

"Now that's a loaded question." Enzo smirked over at the brown haired man to his right. On the man's other side was a woman not that much older than the two of them. Her dark brown hair, tanned skin and dark eyes alerted Enzo to the woman's identity.

"You see… it depends on what you mean. Do you mean if I know exactly what they are doing this instant? I have no clue brother. Now if you want a general location, perhaps I have it. So I'm going to need more information to answer your question." Enzo spotted the tilt of the woman's smile as she rolled her eyes, knowing exactly where the vampire was going with this.

"We've seen you with them. The ones who went to the island. We know they did something with Silas." The man stressed with a thick accent. Obviously not from around here.

Enzo continued to sip on his beer knowing from the infrequent texts of his witch that the travelers had indeed already sent people after them. "Your little spies not up to the task?"

Nadia smirked over at the vampire, "Gregor, I told you this would be a waste of time. He won't speak with us."

"Well Nadia, it's a good thing we have other forms of persuasion then." Gregor looked over to his partner. Nadia nodded taking a knife from inside of her boot. Instead of hitting Enzo with it, the woman hit Gregor on the side of the head.

"It's amazing how you Petrova's manage to keep procreating when you treat men like you do." Enzo said casually as he finally finished his beer.

"We wouldn't have to if men knew how to please us." Nadia tossed a stray hair over her shoulder. "He won't stay down forever. Did they make it to their destination?"

"Yes." Enzo looked down at the unconscious witch before him. "Anything we should know?"

"They tried feeding me some bullshit version of their goals. I did some digging after Katherine's little reveal. The traveler's want to purify magic by reversing the curse on them. The only way they can do that is if only one pair of doppelgangers exist. Right now we have Silas and Amara and-" Nadia drops off looking over at Enzo.

"Stefan and their little friend Elena."

"Plus one unknown human doppelganger that was Elena's original doppelganger mate." Nadia nodded in confirmation.

"They need doppelganger blood but they also need all but one left. The fact that the cure was lifted but Silas remains trapped is unthinkable to them. They plan on taking over Mystic Falls in an attempt to lure them back. Since they are the only ones who know where Silas is."

"And in doing so, either kill his doppelganger or get rid of Silas altogether." Enzo guessed.

"They only need one. They already have eyes on the other doppelganger."

XXX

Hayley let out a huff of annoyance gazing up at the full moon. She could feel the pull of the moon and the ache in her body to shift. Yet the lessons from Shane remained allowing her to prolong the change just enough to be able to have another short conversation with the man before her. Originally that was the only way the she-wolf thought she would be able to talk to the actual shifters.

The longer Hayley remained within New Orleans the stranger her body felt on the full moon. In the months she's been here it takes longer to shift each time. Longer than her own ability to keep it at bay. It was as if the curse was trying to pull her into its fold. Hayley's gaze fell to the naked man, quickly slipping on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt left by one of the pack children and elders who no longer shifted thus safe from the curse, waiting until their soldiers were human once more.

Jackson.

The only one left of what was apparently her werewolf royalty lineage. At least the only one left trapped under the curse. It was Jackson's theory that since the curse attached itself to their clan, Hayley's return and continued presence activated the curse in her. The problem appears to be that Hayley did not grow up there, she had been adopted out prior to the curse being placed and was not in the area when her wolf gene was activated.

According to Jackson, the curse most likely was trying to place itself onto Hayley but because she was not here initially nor when she had activated the wolf gene it was having a harder time finding a way in. Prolonging her change, forcing her to stay human for longer periods was the only way the curse could flex its muscles. Eventually Jackson doubted she would change at all if the curse remained. Hayley couldn't help as her eyes looked over at the man, watching as the muscles in his torso flexed as he lifted the t-shirt over his chest before turning towards the plaid shirt.

"Like what you see?" Jackson's voice was teasing but it sent shivers down Hayley's spine. This was a true alpha, one born into the role. In her life Hayley has only ever found two types of leaders, one that was born for it while the second took it and tried to form it into a second skin. Yet trying to play the role they forcibly took never suited them the way it was supposed to.

Maybe that's why the second type were always so insecure about their role, not knowing who to trust and were known to the world as tyrants. Hayley chuckled. That reminded her of Klaus, who was merely a lonely little boy who changed the world to fit his needs. Even Tyler who forced himself into a leader.

Yet there was something Klaus had that Tyler never did. Real strength. In time Hayley was sure Klaus would have rose to the occasion, yet circumstances warped him into what he was now. Now that didn't mean she liked the original hybrid, just that he was more fit for leadership than her former lover.

Tyler was a spoiled boy who was angry at world yet never managed to see past his anger. Jackson was a man who spent his life looking after the whole rather than just himself. "What would I get if I said yes?" Hayley shot back with a grin.

Jackson let his teeth show as he chuckled, "Come on the elders will want to know more about this deal you've made."