Chapter 45

Sage twisted the lapis ring on her finger with excess nervous energy, occasionally looking over at her lover. Finn's mouth was set into a deep frown as they made their way towards the agreed upon meeting place in the French Quarter for all the supernatural factions.

"Do you trust them?" She whispered quietly, low enough that only a vampire within close range could overhear the couple.

"I was raised by a witch in the midst of the Viking age. Witches were frowned upon for a gift that was out of their control. I don't judge them because of their ability to use magic, what I don't trust is how easily it is for their kind to succumb to the allure of magic," Finn answered honestly.

"I'm more worried about Marcel," Sage sighed.

"Marcel was raised as a Mikaelson," Finn said firmly, "I may not have seen him grow but I know my siblings. They would have raised him with the same values we hold dear. No matter how far he might have fallen, Marcel will return to the flock."

"Like you did," Sage teased, "If I recall the only reason you're here is because of Caroline's influence."

"She helped soften my siblings' behavior towards me, that was all. I worry that these witches are up to something more than just this harvest."

Sage frowned as the two came to a stop in front of a side-walk. The most annoying thing about meeting in the middle of the day was the occasional need to act like a human depending on the area. "You are worried about why they needed the harvest in the first place."

"Both my sister and the Bennett witch looked into the ritual. Not only does it renew their connection to nature, it amplifies it through sacrifice. Obviously they wanted to use that power against Marcel but it went wrong."

"You think someone made sure Marcel ran into them that night?" Sage hissed, "What good could delaying the harvest do for a witch?"

"The magical energy could be harnessed for something else, someone else."

"Who?" Sage questioned.

"That's what we'll need to ask my siblings about. Kol and Klaus both were especially well-connected during their time in New Orleans. I bet they could name a few powerful witches with strong ambitions even in death."

"What do you need me to do?" Sage asked unflinchingly. If Finn agreed to meet with the witches despite his concerns about what else the harvest could be used for, it must be vital that Caroline's well thought-out plan not to be discarded unnecessarily.

"Until we know everything, Caroline's plan needs to go ahead. It's possible that her knowledge doesn't extend this far, perhaps this information was never found out. Our family tends to deal with enemies as they come, it's entirely possible that we missed something and therefore Caroline did not know."

"The wolves?"

"Most likely have no knowledge. They have been cursed up until this point."

Sage nodded, "Caroline said that even after Hayley's death the wolves remained closed off from everyone else. They welcomed Hope into the fold but other than the faction meetings, they remained separate."

"It would be prudent to keep them as allies." Finn nodded as the two watched the sign turn white, allowing them to cross the street. Waiting for them on the other side, were two alpha wolves with their arms crossed. Jackson stood protectively in front of Hayley, causing Sage to smirk over at them.

"Don't worry this Mikaelson is very much taken. He's not the Mikaelson brother that likes to cross over to other supernatural species," Sage winked over at Hayley who blushed before quickly hiding it behind a light scoff.

"Which brother might this be?" Jackson grinned, wrapping an arm around Hayley's shoulder, nudging her teasingly. "Should I be concerned about any past supernatural boyfriends coming to town?"

Sage eyes rove over Hayley like a predator would its prey, analyzing the she-wolf within seconds. Licking her lips the redhead smiled, "Unless you count being rebutted by a taken male, I don't suppose so."

Jackson raised a brow over at Hayley who scowled, "I never tried to sleep with Klaus or any other Mikaelson."

Sage tapped her lips as if she was thinking before clapping, flashing her lover a sly smile when his hand tapped her ass lightly. She should behave herself although- "My apologies, you were simply trying to get him to do your dirty work for you. A whole pack of wolves slaughtered all for information on your parents that we ended up giving you anyway."

"Sage," Finn pulled on her red curls roughly. "Must you antagonize our allies?" He looked over at the two wolves with indifference. A small part of him shivered knowing that a pack existed so close to his family. The part of him that still remembered his human life, the fear and the grief of losing his brother. If allying with the wolves would protect his family so be it. But that didn't mean he would be happy about it.

"Sage is right" Hayley gritted out through her teeth, eyes flashing, as the trio sensed just how close to the surface her inner wolf was. 'It was a good thing that they didn't offer to give them the gift of transforming at will' Sage thought to herself, stepping just behind Finn.

"I was desperate, but the Mikaelson's pulled through even after I destroyed the pack that Klaus had built. Even if he built it on the threat of death." Hayley shot back at Finn.

The dark-haired brother shrugged his shoulders, "It's true our family doesn't have a history of free will with others. We weren't given a choice either."

"The woman you're protecting, does she have a choice?" Jackson questioned. "I believe her name is Caroline?"

The two vampires looked over at Hayley who rolled her eyes, "Did you expect Caroline to remain a secret? She is pregnant for god's sake, I could practically smell Klaus on her the moment I ran into her and Rebekah."

Jackson sighed, "Hayley-"

"Caroline is with Klaus of her own violation," Hayley shook her head, "That part I know well enough. Tyler was very pissed off about it."

"If you all are done questioning my brother's honor, I believe we have a faction meeting to start" Finn suggested, stepping into the chosen restaurant where Sophie and Josephine stood waiting for them. The younger witch held a paper in her hands, obviously the demands of the French Quarter coven.

Finn let out an exasperated sigh that looked more like he was bored to death about the entire situation. The elder witch, Josephine nodded her head towards the newcomers.

"Welcome, I believe we all have much to discuss."

"How do we know none of Marcel's minions are here?" Sage asked, looking around for any unknown vampires.

"Marcel would never allow the ritual to take place. We won't allow him to get the upper hand," Sophie snapped, "Some of us still have family among the living."

"Maybe we should have brought Caroline." Finn whispered in Sage's ear as the redhead snarled at the witch. "She'd be just as furious." Sage hissed back.

"We are here to do you a favor. It's only your bond to Caroline that keeps you alive." Finn reminded the witch. "You're on thin ice. I understand the desperate things people do for their family." His gaze went towards Hayley who flinched as Jackson wrapped a comforting arm around her.

"Shall we get started?" Josephine sipped on her tea.

XXX

Liz looked over at Klaus and Elijah who walked a few steps away before turning to her irritated daughter. The mother raised her brow in a way only her daughter would understand, Caroline sighed, "They've become over-protective as of late. I told them that I'll be fine but Klaus won't listen and Elijah is the only one who can remotely keep him from a murder spree at the moment."

Elijah snorted in the background while Niklaus grumbled so quietly that the two humans could not hear. Liz chuckled to herself, "I was under the impression that was your job."

"Mom!" Caroline gasped scandalized, despite knowing that mother's knew far more about their daughters shenanigans than they liked to think. Courtesy of her own former motherhood, Caroline was well aware how poorly a child's lies could be. A part of her hoped that as a child her own lies were a bit more believable.

Caroline internally snorted, who was she kidding? If it weren't for her mother's busy schedule, teenage Caroline would have been constantly busted. Liz's lips tilted up in a half smile, "Caroline, I've met your beau's family. Now why would they," Liz pointed behind her where the two Mikaelson brothers were pretending not to be able to hear, " Be following us around as if you were a princess of a foreign country?"

Caroline paled at the direct question. She had planned this out to the T, about how she was going to inform her mother. As this was likely going to be her last pregnancy, Hayley didn't stay alive during her own delivery. Despite her partial knowledge of the events around Hope's birth, the blonde doubted she would truly stay human following this pregnancy. Even if everything went according to plan.

And Caroline planned.

She had backup's to her own backup's and even those had more plans in case they failed. What could she say, Caroline liked to be prepared. Originally the plan was to get lunch with her mother, place a bunch of food with the word baby in its name in front of Liz. Hoping she would take a hint, the sign for a restaurant flashed in front of her just as it appeared in view, Caroline knew that this would have to do in order to enact her plan.

"Love, Mom and I are going into the restaurant. Do not decrease your distance for at least 20 damn feet." Caroline ordered her boyfriend, who rolled his eyes in amusement as he watched the two Forbes women walk into said restaurant.

Elijah chuckled from beside his brother, "She had a plan didn't she?"

"As many baby foods as she could fit on the table and I believe I saw charades hidden in our closet." Klaus sighed.

Elijah let out a laugh earning a scowl from Klaus. "Laugh all you like now brother. You're in bed with the devil."

Elijah snorts, "I thought that was dealt with, brother."

"It's Katherine. We always find ways to insult each other." Klaus shrugged. "Come Elijah. I'm sure there is something we can occupy ourselves with until Caroline decides to spill the beans to her mother."

In the restaurant, Caroline was smiling as the waitress sat them at a small table near the front with a large bay window. Giving their Mikaelson bodyguards a perfect vantage point. Liz allowed Caroline to carry the conversation, her heart breaking at the thought of dimming the joy in her daughter's face. There would be no easy way of explaining her extended stay in New Orleans. After all, Liz was well-known for her workaholic tendencies.

"Mom, I'm so excited you're here. How long are you staying again?" Caroline questioned, smiling at their waitress who took their drink orders.

Liz was not fooled, she knew her daughter was fishing for information. She could hardly blame her, Liz didn't give much information when she called to let her know of her coming visit. Waiting until the waitress had walked off to fetch their drinks, Liz decided it was time to inform her daughter.

"I'm staying for a few months."

"What? Really? But you're the sheriff. Did something happen?" Caroline quizzed her mother trying to wrack her head for information. The traveler's most likely were beginning to become active, that she knew. A feeling of dread filled the blonde knowing that their little gang hadn't really fixed the problem, it imploded on its own. Leading to a series of long and awful events that Caroline did not want to see happen again.

Then her thoughts drifted to Alaric. Would he ever be resurrected again? That would mean the twins would never be born. At least not her twins if Josephine Parker ever got pregnant. Would Josephine even be at the hospital right now? Time was a funny thing for a vampire, most of her past she could remember, but time no longer meant the same thing it had once to her.

"Caroline," Liz called her daughter's attention back to her with a gentle smile, "Remember when you asked me to keep a better eye on my health? Well, you were right. They found something. Cancer…a pretty nasty one but imagine my surprise when a hospital in New Orleans offered me an aggressive treatment plan."

Caroline didn't know whether to let the affection in her heart bloom or allow the irritation in the back of her mind to grow, "St. Anne's?"

"So, you did know," Liz sighed back, "I swear sometimes it feels like you're so much older than you appear. And I was there when you were born, you might not age but you are still so young."

"I had nothing to do with St. Anne's," Caroline shook her head, "Elijah went and bought a hospital. He must have overheard me talking to Klaus about my concerns and kept an ear out."

"So, you didn't know?"

"Mom I knew but not for the reasons you think," Caroline laughed awkwardly, pausing as the waitress returned with their drinks, "Can you give us a few more minutes please?"

"Mom…man this is hard to say…But I've lived this life before," Caroline admitted, "I lived to see Bonnie die in her nineties. Then I was attacked by a werewolf and I woke up to Tyler biting me on Klaus's orders."

"Klaus ordered Tyler to attack you?" Liz hissed.

"Stefan was being an idiot by hiding Klaus's siblings from him," Caroline shrugged. "That's why I wanted you to be careful, last time you found out too late for us to do anything. Vampire blood can't heal cancer…I tried."

It was hard to believe. Liz frowned but it was no harder to believe than accepting her daughter had been transformed into something she was taught to hate. Liz reached forward and grabbed her daughter's hand. The two shared a smile.

"Mom, I'm pregnant."

XXX

Klaus tapped his foot, watching as his lover and her mother chatted together in the restaurant. After the whole Freya fiasco, he was not convinced he could leave the city despite the situation with Elena. He had yet to inform her that her friend had been missing for a few days, and that her other dear friend Enzo was on his way from Mystic Falls in search of her. Watching his love from afar, his eyes glanced towards his pocket just as the phone began to ring.

"Stefan what a surprise," Klaus purred into the phone, locking eyes with his brother. Elijah stepped just a step closer as the younger Salvatore greeted the original.

"I didn't expect such courtesy. After all, you did leave town with a certain convict." Klaus smirked over at his brother who was shaking his head. The elder of the two frowned at the way Klaus was taunting the other vampire on the phone.

"I'm not in the mood Klaus. Your dear friend Enzo has just arrived, talking about Traveler's and their obsession with doppelgangers. Elena has been taken Klaus."

Klaus pursed his lips taking a glance over at his brother, the narrowing of his eyes the only hint that his brother was paying attention to this phone call. "You allowed your great love to be taken? Here I thought you were concerned for her welfare. I mean you did sneak her away from right under my nose."

"Elena told us what happened, how Caroline wanted her to drink from her. She knows that she never should have tried forcing the cure on anyone. But you don't tend to listen, we had to make sure she stayed safe." Stefan argued.

"Ms. Gilbert should have thought about that fact before picking a fight she wasn't sure she could win. After all, Katerina is much older than her, and clearly her vampire training has been lacking" Klaus drawled slowly.

Klaus could hear Stefan growl in frustration, "Klaus, there was another reason I called you."

"You mean, aside from informing me of you and your brother's complete lack of competency in keeping one measly little human safe from all the horrors you believe to be after her."

"I just wanted to know the likelihood of my own beheading if I stepped foot into your city to see my friends."

"Why Stefan, here I thought you were the smart Salvatore. Was I mistaken all these years? Do you really think I have control over who Caroline sees?" The truth was harder to admit than Klaus liked. Stefan could be heard chuckling over the phone, both vampires knew just how forceful the blonde human could be.

"I see Caroline has her hooks in you deep, huh?"

"Stefan, you've known the woman before me. Do you really think Caroline could be anything less than exceptional?" Klaus allowed the veiled threat in his voice to remain. Disagreements on how to live a vampire life aside, Stefan had been a close compatriot at one time, then becoming one again for Caroline after her initial turning.

He could allow some leeway but not much. After all, he still had a reputation to uphold.

"Caroline has always been exceptional. What I need to know is if her overprotective boyfriend is going to murder me for stepping into his city despite what said blonde would do if he did."

"I believe Caroline would be happy to see you. I take it you're still playing the hero in the everlasting saga that is Elena Gilbert? Enzo was under orders to help keep the Travelers from you. With Elena taken I see he will have to help you retrieve her."

"He's with Damon now going back towards the restaurant in hopes that perhaps he will catch a scent," Stefan sighed. "Elena disappeared after she went on a date two nights ago. All we managed to find out from the restaurant was that they left alive."

"Surveillance cameras?"

"Followed them up until they reached the middle of the parking lot. It appears they stopped and next we see them they're on the ground then the cameras fuzz out."

"Magic." Klaus muttered glancing over at his brother who was already on his own phone muttering in low hush tones. "Is there anything else we need to know? Did anything strange happen after Elena was taken?"

"It looked like she was with me."

Klaus chuckled, "Another doppelganger. Not feeling so special now are we? Do you really want to leave now that Elena has gone missing?"

Stefan sighed, "I won't leave until I know Elena is safe. Damon would probably kill me if he knew I was speaking to you, but I needed to know there was somewhere else I could go after this."

"Need to get away from your precious Elena." Klaus said knowingly.

"Elena wants to move on, I think it's time we do the same."

"You're not afraid I will come after her once this is all done? She did give the woman I love the cure forcibly. Without you and your brother Elena will be nothing but a sitting duck."

"Caroline would never forgive you for attacking Elena for no reason. You've been dead quiet. While I assume you've kept tabs, you are not planning on hurting her. Klaus you do have this habit of enjoying the chase far too much."

Klaus smirked next to his brother who was whispering orders into his phone, "Stefan you are welcome to come to New Orleans but first I have a job for you. Allow Lorenzo St. John to help you locate Elena. From what the Augustine vampire said, he and your brother go way back so I need you to play babysitter."

"Then what? I won't hurt Elena."

"Even after all the trouble she has caused? What a pity. Now for what I was actually going to ask. I need you to find out who took her and why. Elijah has sent out a few of our friends to help you if needed."

Elijah nodded his head, "You should be receiving a text with a contact of mine's information. Once you find out, call us back."

"That's it? Just find out who is after Elena? No warnings or threats of revenge for Caroline's humanity?"

"As you said I do love the chase," Klaus hung up on the vampire. Elijah only took a millisecond to retort, "Must you always antagonize them?"

"In another life, he married Caroline then left her to martyr himself for Elena Gilbert. Of course, I do." Klaus smirked over at his brother. "Are you not even the least bit upset that according to Caroline, Stefan is also the one who makes sure Katherine stays dead?"

XXX

Elena looked over at the food Hazel Parker had dropped into their laps, a couple of sandwiches along with a bag of chips and bottles of water. She didn't know how long they had been trapped here. Two days at least, she thought to herself pushing half of the food over closer to her fellow kidnap victim. Tom immediately grabbed his sandwich, biting into it. The brunette couldn't help but feel guilt growing inside her as she contemplated the information that Hazel had told her.

Gemini Coven. A coven of witches known for giving birth to twins, with a mission of protecting the world from a group of witches known as the Traveler's. They, by design, work to protect doppelgangers from the Travelers who seek to use them and their magical properties. Traveler's who also serve Silas.

Elena shivered remembering the island that Silas had been trapped under. Even though the former warlock was powerful, his abilities almost affected Bonnie. It was only thanks to Caroline's sudden influx of information that Bonnie was able to withstand Silas's influence.

"Why do you want us?" Elena asked again.

"The two of you are the last human doppelgangers. While you each have the originals still living and one set of doppelgangers each, you are the last human doppelgangers" Hazel said not fully answering the question.

"Does being human really have anything to do with it?" Tom asked aloud, once he finished his sandwich placing the empty wrapper down. "Do you need us to be the last ones living as in alive or the last ones in existence?"

Hazel let a sly smile slide slowly across her face. "Elena, this one is an intelligent one. Aside from actually having a pulse I can see the preference."

Elena winced, "That's not—"

"It's okay." Tom whispered in her ear. Elena's heart hurt at how he was looking at her with so much understanding. She couldn't allow anything bad to happen to him.

"Which is it?" Elena asked. "Do you need us to be the last in existence or is it just easier to keep the human doppelgangers alive than dealing with the vampire ones? Or is it because we're human that you need us?"

Hazel rolled her eyes, "I don't need you for anything the Travelers do. My coven has been watching them for generations, their preparing for something soon. They have never been this active. It was my duty to watch over Tom here then he found you."

"You think I brought danger to him." Elena whispered her heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly. She couldn't be the cause of another loved one's pain she wouldn't survive it.

"I think keeping you both safe is better than allowing you to roam free," Hazel shook her head, "I have to keep you away from the travelers at all costs."

"But you don't know what they want.'' Tom pointed out.

"They are followers of Silas. They believe as he did, that magic was to do more than simply keep balance. In fear, witches who believed in said balance cursed them. It's caused a schism in witches allowing for varying types of witchcraft in ways they never thought of. It led to covens like mine who are strong in certain types of craft and others that receive magic not through nature but through ancestor worship."

"If the travelers are cursed, what is their end goal?" Elena pondered.

"At first they wished to help revive Silas, but soon whispers spread that they began to hate magic, specifically because they weren't allowed to use the very gift they have."

"But magic still exists, wouldn't their magic just find a new way out?" Elena pointed out earning a smile from Hazel.

"Their magic began to differ from ours of course. In the end travelers were so segregated and their magic has changed so much that it is believed that their latest generations wish to destroy it as it is. They wish to make it start again."

"How could we help you?" Elena questioned. "You can't keep us here. As you said we are human and someone is going to notice we're gone."

"I've called my family," Hazel reassured Elena with a smile, "It's been decided that the most important thing we can do in order to keep you out of Travelers hands, and ensuring that their spell will never work is if they believe you two to be dead therefore lost to them."

"How?"

"The Gemini Coven has a few particular traits, one of them is our ability to create a pocket in space, we call it a Prison World. It's a mirror image of the time it was created and no one has ever escaped. It would keep you safe until a permanent solution for the Travelers can be found. It would also allow you free movement and safety without risking you getting into the hands of the Travelers."

That was when Hazel turned around raising her hands up as another pair of hands grabbed her by the shoulders, sharp teeth immediately attaching to her neck. Elena couldn't make a peek as two familiar faces made their way inside, the dark haired vampire coming to her side immediately.

From her peripheral Elena could see the way Tom's face whiten considerably, whether it was from being face to face with someone who was definitely his twin or at the way Hazel was slumped against the chest of an actual vampire who just drained her entirely of blood was unknown.

"Elena?" Damon called her attention towards him. "Are you okay?"

The brunette kept glancing over at the witch who was now dead at the feet of an unknown dark-haired vampire. The vampire grinned over at Elena, "I don't believe we've had the pleasure. The name's Lorenzo, call me Enzo."

"Who is he?" Elena asks, forcing herself to look away from Tom and Stefan. Stefan who at the moment was helping the other man up even as Tom looked up at him in shock. Damon looked over at Enzo as he was wiping away a bit of extra blood.

"He's an old friend of mine. Looks like he's befriended Blondie and her Evil boyfriend."

Elena looked over at Enzo, "You know Caroline? How is she?"

Enzo chuckled, "Knocked up believe it or not. Also has no idea I'm here but yes her Evil boyfriend does. And really, Evil boyfriend? Couldn't come up with anything better than that, Damon?"

"Evil Spawn was getting boring." Damon snarked back at him, helping Elena to her feet automatically wrapping an arm around her. He didn't notice the way she flinched looking over to his brother and Tom. Enzo however did, as he smirked to himself.

XXX

Love,

Something has come up. My siblings and I will be away for a while. Sage and Katherine will keep you company. Will discuss everything with you when I get back.

-Nik

Caroline raised her brow as the waitress finished taking away their empty plates. Looking up she spotted Niklaus waving at her from outside the restaurant before leaving with his favored brother at his side. Frowning, the blonde turned to her mother who was looking at her with a skeptical look.

"What is it Caroline?"

"Seems Klaus and the rest have left town for a few days. He won't tell me why." Caroline frowned, subconsciously rubbing her growing belly. Luckily she had not started to show yet, but a small bump was noticeable if someone really looked at her.

"Worried?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit concerned. He's been glued to my side since we found out about my pregnancy. Nor have we made much progress on the city front. I'm worried because I don't know what could drag him away. It's been relatively quiet." Caroline frowned.

"Well, I'm sure it will be fine. He is, after all, one of the oldest vampires in existence." Liz smirked over at her daughter who blushed.

"I know it's silly to worry about him. I mean it is Klaus Mikaelson."

"You love him. It's never silly to be concerned over someone you care for. Caroline you never did say when you were due." Liz asked with a smile.

"March, April. Most likely late March, considering how many I'm carrying." Caroline smiled. "Can you believe it?"

Liz shook her head with a laugh, "It's a miracle. I didn't even think this would be a possibility after-"

"I know," Caroline nodded, "I didn't realize reversing the vampirism would allow me to be pregnant." Technically, she knew Elena and Damon had children once both of them had ingested cure. But that had been years after, Caroline hadn't been sure if she could get pregnant because Klaus had only ever had one child, with a fellow werewolf.

She honestly thought it was the wolf- hybrid gene that allowed someone as old as Klaus to have children. Damon and Elena had been significantly younger, which Caroline assumed increased their odds. Liz continued to smile, grabbing her daughter by the hand as the waitress returned with their check.

"All that matters is that you're happy about it. Are you?" Liz asked hesitantly. She recalled how down her daughter was for a time, how difficult it was for Caroline to come to terms with things she could no longer do.

"Absolutely." Caroline smiled, rubbing her slowly growing belly. Wondering how different this pregnancy would be. Before, the twins had grown quickly, most likely a result of the magic that was used to transport them between wombs and their status as siphoners.

Liz picked up the check giving her daughter a look before she could argue about it. "I'm your mother Caroline."

"Fine," Caroline said with a smile, "Bonnie must be finished with Freya by now."

"A witch project?" Liz asked as the two stood up exiting the restaurant arm in arm.

"A major one." Caroline sighed. "Now let's talk about what I'm planning for the nursery."

That's how Bonnie found them, walking back through the front doors discussing how Liz and her father's boyfriend had decided to decorate her nursery. Debating whether to wait until a gender reveal or to decorate it with neutral colors.

"My children deserve a fully decked out nursery." Caroline laughed.

"Their baby daddy is an overly powerful ancient being with many enemies, even with vampire speed, I doubt he'd be willing to have them sleep in separate rooms even as infants. They'll most likely be sharing rooms for many years to come, we'll definitely have multiple chances to redecorate." Caroline intoned.

"Keeping it neutral will prevent you from having a panic attack later when you're about to go into labor, because you'll have to redecorate if the doctors get the genders wrong on even one of my grandchildren." Liz said in one breath proving to the young witch just who Caroline got her personality from.

"Already fighting you two?" Bonnie called from the hallway where she was holding onto one of the many grimores in the Mikaelson library.

"Just providing some last bit of motherly advice for my daughter," Liz said, pulling Caroline into a one armed hug.

"Don't say that. You're going to be around for a long time." Caroline disagreed, gripping her mom's hand. Their earlier talk about why Liz had come to New Orleans was still fresh in her mind. "The doctors will know how to help you here. They have specialists."

"Sheriff Forbes are you sick?" Bonnie asked concerned, stepping towards the two Forbes women as they opened their arms to pull her into their grasp.

"Oh Bonnie, I just found out I have cancer, a rare one at that. But somehow I was recommended to a specialist here in New Orleans." Liz looked over at Caroline with a teasing tilt of her voice.

"Elijah." The two young women murmured, sharing a laugh together as they noticed they repeated exactly the same thing.

"I wonder exactly how many people he has under surveillance." Bonnie questioned quietly.

Caroline snorts, "Probably every person I named or anyone vital. Or descendants of humans they owe a great debt to."

"They have those?" Bonne asked incredulously. Who would the mighty Mikaelsons deem worthy?

"They're a rare breed." Caroline hummed.

"Alright then Bonnie, how have the Mikaelsons been treating you? Your father keeps on whining about you, going off on a road trip right before college. You are enrolled with Caroline right?" Liz asked, narrowing her eyes at the young witch.

"Yes, we're taking the same course load. Caroline insisted even if it required compulsion." The witch glared at the younger blonde.

"You moved here far too late!" Caroline exclaimed. "I didn't think it was fair to make you wait when we both could use the extra study partner." Caroline continued on ranting between her best friend and her mother ignoring the amused looks the two sent each other.

XXX

Smirking as her slender hands adjusted the dark sunglasses as she walked down the streets of the French Quarter, passing by the old Mikaelson complex where, from her little informant Katherine knew Marcel would be at this time of day. Her informant, Josh, told her that Camille had refused to speak to the Mikaelson protégé since returning.

Admittedly, it had only been about a day or two since her return but to say no to Marcel as a human was rather impressive. The man had his sire's temper. The brunette sat at the bar earning a raised brow from Camille, before she returned to her work. Once the dirty blonde gave her last customer a drink she turned towards Katherine.

"What can I do for you?" Camille asked, leaning against the bar. "I hope it's alcohol related because I'm not going to be shrinking anymore lookalikes."

Katherine perked up considerably, "How do you know I'm not your good friend Elena?"

Camille pointed to her hair, "One, Elena keeps her hair straight. Two, you smirked. Three, there's no way Elena would have beat me here and finally, Elena is someone deathly afraid of Klaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes despite the latter being a childhood friend."

"I am starting to see your appeal, O'Connell," Katherine smiled. "Martini please."

"That I can do." Camille nodded before turning her back on the brunette. Before she could even begin speaking, Katherine suddenly turned around crossing her arms. "No wonder Camille cut our conversation short. It's you."

"Katherine Pierce, I thought you would be long gone from this city. Yet here you are doing the Mikaelson's bidding. Weren't you in exile?" Marcel mocked taking the seat next to her as Camille placed her drink in front of her.

"Camille-" Marcel started only to be glared at, before the blonde walked the other way waving down her fellow bartender.

"My friend, it looks like you will not be tapping that." Katherine wrinkled her nose. "Aside from a decent attitude. What's her allure?"

Marcel smirked over at the brunette, "Nice try. Trying to lure me into a false sense of security. I hear the Mikaelsons are out of town, but they left their human pet. I'm assuming they haven't given up?"

"I'm not trying to do anything." Katherine denied. Taking a sip of her drink, her gaze darkened as she glanced over at Marcel. "I'm here to give an old friend a warning. Don't forget that the Mikaelsons are possessive. You may think you know them Marcellus but it's been a long time and things have changed. Take a look at me for instance, before I was in exile and now I'm in the fold."

Marcel snorted, "In the bed of the most boring Mikaelson."

This time it was Katherine who let out a loud laugh, "That's what he wants people to think. Elijah is much more than meets the eye. Yes, I am in Elijah's bed but it's Caroline's confidence that I have."

"A human's confidence. Is that worth anything?" Marcel said in disdain.

"Is Camille's?" Katherine traded with a cruel smirk. "Caroline is just as much of a Mikaelson as the rest. She may not have their name, but she belongs to them. I'm simply warning you not to mess with what they have claimed. You've already tried to claim their city, how long do you think they will let that stand?"

The brunette kept her face neutral as Marcel's easy-going grin was replaced with one of heavy thinking. She didn't blame him, making an enemy of the Mikaelsons was the last thing any supernatural wanted. The only reason Marcel had lasted these last hundred years was because the Mikaelsons assumed he was dead and wouldn't dare go back to the city they built for a long time. With Mikael on their tail, it was difficult to stay in one place for too long, returning would make Mikael assume this city was important to them.

Marcel didn't have to worry about any of those consequences when he rebuilt the city. Now though, they were back and that put the vampire protégé in a terrifying position. Especially considering he had a human or two of his own to protect. Klaus has already proven capable of getting to Camille. While the blonde was still angry at the Mikaelsons, she was just as pissed at Marcel. Davina was the one he truly wanted to protect. The problem was, she needed help and that required knowledge of magic.

Attacking Caroline while the Mikaelsons were away would put Davina in danger. Not only of her life but of the help they were offering. Katherine knew Marcel would hear about the Miakelsons uprooting from town leaving a vulnerable human behind. Hence, why she bothered to lure him into this establishment. Warn him of the dangers attempting to attack Caroline would mean. As if, she and the Bennett witch would allow a single hair on her head to be harmed.

What could she say? The blonde was interesting and she came with friends that managed to get Katherine out of her 500 years worth of trouble. "So, what's it going to be Marcel?"

"I know Klaus Mikaelson. This blonde that he is with- She's the real deal isn't she?"

Katherine smirked, "Abso-fucking-lutely. He's rather possessive of her in truth, but he did manage to knock her up as well."

Marcel's eyes widened, "The pregnancy? It's his?"

"Hybrid loophole apparently." Katherine shrugged. "Now Caroline has sent me to schedule a good time to meet with sweet little Davina."

XXX

A.N: Do to challenges in keeping up a two week update schedule. I will be aiming for once a month if not more. My goal is three weeks between chapters but it may vary. Please let me know what you think about the chapter!