Chapter 55

"Come right this way," The nurse who called Elizabeth's name smiled, holding the door open to allow Elijah and Liz to pass through.

Elijah followed Liz, keeping a few paces behind her. The Brunette kept the elderly blonde in his sight. The nurse asked how they were doing and about Liz's condition since her last appointment. Elijah held back a chuckle at the friendly but curt way Liz answered the questions. As friendly as her daughter but not nearly as bubbly.

Soon the nurse opened the door where a familiar doctor was waiting behind the desk. The doctor stood upon their entry to the room, "Mrs. Forbes, Mr. Mikaelson-welcome!"

The two were ushered inside, "Tea? Orange Juice?"

"No thank you." Elijah declined while Liz shook her head.

Elijah motioned for Liz to take a seat first. Liz let out a soft sigh as she determined that this was the most comfortable doctor's chair she had ever sat on in her life. She watched with a great amount of amusement as the doctor was stared down by none other than Elijah Mikaelson. The hospital's current owner. The doctor did a fine job of not appearing nervous.

Elijah waited a few minutes as the doctor looked over Liz's file. If it wasn't for the way the doctor's eyes would shift towards Elijah rather than Liz herself, the former Sheriff would assume the doctor did not care that the man who had bought the hospital on a whim was sitting across from him.

"Well?" Elijah demanded.

It startled Liz just how alike the Mikaelson siblings were, they were as similar as they were different. Each sibling had a shared trait that demanded respect and a need for information. The younger members of the siblings, Rebekah and Kol were the most outlandish in their ways of getting things done. Niklaus was the most violent, while Elijah and Finn were the most successful.

The doctor startled. Liz had to hide a chuckle behind her hand, earning a slight twitch of Elijah's lips as he glanced towards the elder Forbes. The doctor coughed, fidgeting in his chair, hands clumsily fixing the papers.

"Mrs. Forbes, we've received your latest results. I have good news," The doctor began, causing both Elijah and Liz to lean forward in their seats. Elijah's movements were the least noticeable.

"Well, tell me Doctor. Is the treatment working?" Liz asked, her eyes scanning for any lines of deception. While she firmly believed that the Doctor would not outright lie, with such a major figure in the room it was possible they might sugarcoat the truth.

"As we told you Mrs. Forbes, we managed to catch it early. With your cancer that is quite rare, truth be told, you're a very lucky woman. Based on the questionnaire you answered, are you beginning to feel any ease of the symptoms?"

Elijah's irritation rose, "Is it possible for you to get straight to the point? How is the treatment going?"

Liz smirked as the Doctor's back straightened and firmly said, "We require a confirmation from Mrs. Forbes. She is the only one who can tell us how she's feeling."

"The chemo was difficult," Liz admitted. "Luckily my future son-in-law's family has been very accommodating."

"We are a very close family. With Caroline marrying my brother, Elizabeth Forbes became a part of our family. We protect our family." Elijah said firmly. His brown eyes narrowed at the medical professional until he was satisfied that the man understood Liz Forbes's importance to him.

He wouldn't punish them if Liz Forbes died, only if they tried to hide information that was pertinent to ensuring her comfort, if the worst possible outcome came to pass.

"Having a strong support system is a key part of the healing process." The doctor smiled. "From your scans, it appears you are in remission Mrs. Forbes, congratulations."

"Remission?" Liz repeated, the words ringing in her ears. Could it be that simple? When her daughter had expressed concerns over Liz's health at first the Sheriff had shaken it off. Thinking Caroline had gone down one of her thought spirals, Liz true to her word had gotten a check-up.

She had been overdue anyway.

"Yes, currently there are no signs of cancer in your body. Still, you will be required to continue some medications for a while. You just finished your last round of chemotherapy, yes?"

Liz nodded.

"We'll schedule some check-ups. If this progress continues they will get farther apart. We don't say you're 'cured' until five years of remission. Even then you'll need to be careful and return for check-ups."

"I can do that." Liz sighed in relief.

"I understand that your home is not New Orleans but Virginia. I'd advise you to stay near here for at least another year. Once we're comfortable after more prolonged check-ups then I think it will be okay to travel. If you decide to move back home sooner, we can of course transfer your files."

Elijah snorted, earning a curious look from the doctor. "I'm a new grandmother," Liz explained. "I won't be going anywhere for the time being."

XXX

When Elena no longer heard the sounds of a supernatural battle, she opened her eyes. The first thing the doppelganger saw was Tom standing before her; the safe house, the Mikaelson's had promised, surrounding them. Turning her head to look around, dropping Tom's hand on the way Elena began to explore. It was decorated richly in warm colors, a warm brown and tan coloring the walls. They had landed in the living room, where they had several couches.

"They really don't know the meaning of spending less, do they?" Tom shook his head, as the pair stared at the painting of Starry Night.

"You don't think that's the real one, do you?" He asked.

Elena blanched, "I don't think they'd allow a fake on any of their properties. I mean Elijah only wears brand name suits for god's sake."

"How does it feel knowing Katherine and him are together, but she looks like you?"

"Creepy that he technically knows what I look like naked, and I had no say in the matter. Also horrified at what he and Katherine could do together. It was bad enough when Elijah was trying to reunite with his siblings and Katherine was trying to make my life miserable over Stefan."

"And how easily anything they do can be blamed on you…" Tom muttered.

Elena's eyes softened, "Are you worried someone will mistake you for Stefan?"

"We look exactly alike, and I've heard about the Ripper days." Tom informed her. Elena pulled her lip between her teeth. It had been hard for her to see past the Stefan she had come to know, the one who'd do anything to protect her, and the monster lurking underneath. Damon had always appeared to be the most dangerous Salvatore.

When Caroline had walked in with the elder brother that day at cheer, Elena's heart had stopped. She didn't know how to protect her friend, if said friend would even listen to her in the first place, especially since Caroline had always felt second fiddle to her. Yet it was Stefan, who knew the real dangers, he said he would always protect her, but it was not until recently Elena knew the true damage Damon had caused one of her best friends.

Stefan had not protected Caroline.

"They are good people, the Salvatore's," Elena said softly. "They won't do anything to hurt you. You're family after all."

"Like Katherine wouldn't hurt you?" Tom muttered.

Elena let out a sigh, "Katherine is a selfish bitch, but it appears she's getting what she wants…I think as long as she remains satisfied people are safe."

"So, our safety depends on you not being near either Salvatore brothers or Elijah Mikaelson when they're no longer enough?" Tom looked her in the eye. "You told me once that when this was all over you wanted a normal life."

"With everything in me?" Elena replied, reaching out, letting out a small laugh as their hands entwined. "I want to go to college, start a career, eventually get married, and have a family. It's been my dream for years."

"Then your parents died."

Elena smiled sadly, "And I met the Salvatore's, and my life has never been the same since, hell most of my friend's lives have been changed forever too. I mean Caroline…"

"Is the mother of a supernatural hoard of children any day now." Tom quipped.

"Yeah," Elena smiled, "She's always wanted to be a mother."

"What about you?" Tom asked softly. The two of them walked side by side looking around the safe house.

"It was never a question of if, but when?" Elena laughed. "My parents used to say that I would always mother Bonnie and Caroline to the point that people joked they were my dolls."

"Could you have a normal life?" Tom asked, glancing over at the pretty girl he had gotten to know over the past few weeks under the roof of the Mikaelson's house.

Elena frowned, "What do you mean?"

"The Salvatore's- Damon and Stefan. They seem rather attached to you," Tom looked at her softly. No judgment in his eyes, "Do you think you could live without them? Live a normal life?"

It was almost the exact same thing Caroline had said to her before, what Bonnie had hinted at over the past year. Stefan had saved her when she felt like she was drowning. Damon had been protective of her from the get-go, even when he had used her to get under his brother's skin. She still cared for them deeply.

"It's not like I don't like them," Tom said, crossing his arms as he looked at her with concern. "It's just very clear to me that when you're a doppelganger it seems surrounding yourself with the supernatural only leads to danger."

"You're right." Elena felt her throat close up. It pained her to say it but as she looked at Tom, a very human version of the man she had developed feelings for…She could see his imperfections where Stefan and his supernatural beauty had none. "I can remove them from my life. I loved Stefan but he can't give me the life I want and whatever is developing with Damon I know it won't give me what I need either."

Tom nodded, "You know, I think that despite all this you're a pretty awesome person."

Elena laughed, "Really? I got you kidnapped."

"I'm a doppelganger too," Tom shrugged. "It seems my line is more able to stay away from the supernatural than yours though." He smirked over at Elena who punched him in the arm.

"Where would we go?" Elena asked. Tom looked thoughtful for a moment, "Well I'm trained as an EMT, I could go anywhere as long as they have an opening."

Elena said, "I always wanted to be a doctor. I just can't leave Jeremy."

Tom immediately said, "We could bring him with us. I imagine getting away from the supernatural would do him some good."

Elena thought about how much her brother had lost since the Salvatores had entered their lives. First, in Elena's opinion, was their Aunt Jenna. Even their uncle, who turned out to be Elena's birth father. Aside from their further dwindling family members, Jeremy had lost not one but two love interests, the first being Matt's sister Vicky and the second being the young vampire girl Anna… Add in Jeremy's potential as a supernatural hunter and then Alaric-

"I'll talk to him," Elena vowed. "I just… are you okay?"

Tom chuckled, "You're really asking me that?"

"I did have the unfortunate luck of helping you get kidnapped not once but twice if you count your stay in Mikaelson land before a major supernatural battle."

"I'm way over my head here," Tom admitted. "But I trust your friend Caroline. She said that they would help keep us safe. It's worked so far, hasn't it?"

"Surprisingly." Elena's reply was spoken quietly. "What I mean to say is…do you really want me to be with you?"

Tom looked at her warmly, "I think you are an amazing person who has been through a lot. I'd like to see where this takes us…without the supernatural popping in to complicate it."

"I'd like that too."

XXX

Caroline had seen what a first-born Mikaelson was capable of, after all she had gotten to teach Hope Mikaelson and meet the formidable Freya in her prior timeline. Now as the mother of not one, but four very tiny and oh so obviously not fully human children, Caroline was grateful for the lack of being able to die of a heart attack.

In her arms was Conall, who looked at her with flashing amber eyes whenever she tried to get him to leave her breast. The spell Bonnie and Freya had done worked wonderfully, as Caroline was once again able to be a vampire. Conall had baby blue eyes that flashed a familiar amber every time he seemed to be irritated with something.

"What is it, love?" Niklaus softly questioned as he held both Ingrid and Elise in his arms. The two girls were fast asleep, Caroline could tell based on the soft pattern of their breathing.

"It's…" Caroline hesitated glancing over at Niklaus who began to look at her in concern.

"Love?"

"Conall," Caroline said quietly as the baby stared at her. "His eyes keep flashing amber, Nik."

The blonde quietly placed Conall back in the crib next to his brother, Henrik. Henrik was sleeping peacefully. Niklaus gently placed the two girls in their own cribs, his arms encircling Caroline as she looked down at Conall.

"We have a little wolf in the making." Niklaus murmured.

"It's different this time," Caroline muttered. "Before… your child, well Hope was the only one, but she had powers from the get-go. "

Niklaus pressed his lips against the back of her head. "Say it." He said gruffly.

"I'm worried about what it means…Hope eventually becomes a full Tribrid. If all our children have the same blood… Did I somehow make them more vulnerable?" Caroline voiced her concern with a quivering lip.

Caroline gasped as she felt Niklaus's grip on her tighten,"You didn't do anything to our children, Love."

"But Hope…"

"Hope was all alone with no siblings. Our children will grow up with each other and their parents. Our family is united in ways we never were before and that is because of you."

Caroline took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. "I'm worried, Nik. Hope used to be in a lot of danger, but you protected her. Until she could protect herself. If Conall is more wolf, does that mean he won't have access to magic? What about Henrik? Ingrid? Or Elise?"

Niklaus had enough and turned his fiancée around and tilted her head so their eyes met. "Sweetheart, look at me."

Caroline's worried blue eyes gazed up at his own fierce ones. "What is the one thing about me and my family that you know without a doubt."

"Always and Forever." Caroline quoted their vow, automatically.

"Then, do you think that even for a moment if any of our children were more vulnerable to anything that a single one of my siblings or your friends would ever allow harm to come to them?"

"Don't you think having more of them is a protective factor? If the Mikaelson gifts are distributed between the four instead of all wrapped up in one…"

"It could be. But I also recall a lot of sibling rivalries over the years. If only one of our children were to be gifted with magic that would definitely be true."

Caroline's lips twitched as she let out a groan, burying her head into his chest. He laughed, rubbing her back, "What is it now, Love?"

"You and your siblings take sibling rivalry to a whole other level. Kol is just waiting to corrupt them, Elijah and Finn are more dangerous than they look and don't get me started on Rebekah or Katherine."

Nik chuckled, rubbing her back as he quietly turned her towards the door. "May I suggest banning Katerina?"

Caroline shot him a dirty look, "Elijah will follow and he is the only one capable of even attempting to keep you lot in line. She stays."

"Who stays?" Katherine walked up with a knowing look on her face. Niklaus sent a pained look towards his fiancée, who shrugged. "She makes Elijah happy."

Katherine's lips morphed into a smirk, "I send him to Valhalla and back."

Niklaus gagged and Caroline laughed, "See! Your brother would mope without her."

Niklaus muttered under his breath but both female vampires said, "I heard that!"

Niklaus sent Katherine a glare, "Don't you corrupt my children, Katerina."

Katherine rolled her eyes, "As frightening as you are. I think parenthood has softened you."

"I'll rip your intestines out and spread them across the globe. Elijah will need to hunt for centuries to gather them all."

"Love you too, Wolfy!" Katherine sang, winking at Caroline. "I was sent to grab Caroline. She needs a Girls Day out."

XXX

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Rebekah asked in concern, glancing over at her older sister. The two Mikaelson sisters had driven out to a nearby neighborhood within an hour's distance of New Orleans. Rebekah had to hand it to her brothers; they had picked out an excellent hiding spot. The GPS coordinates took them to a quiet-looking house, just as grand as any other Mikaelson property. The house was surrounded by a white picket fence of all things.

Freya chuckled, glancing up from her grimoire as the blue house came into view. "Our brother truly has a remarkable sense of humor."

"Elijah's idea actually," Rebekah snorted. "Niklaus wouldn't be able to resist flaunting his wealth to our mother."

Freya snorted, "May the Gods have mercy on us now that he is a father."

"Speaking of brothers, I'm surprised Niklaus allowed you to have access to our mother. You do realize that this is the woman who gave you away in exchange for being fertile?" Rebekah phrased her words carefully, her eyes glancing over at her passenger.

Rebekah still couldn't get over the fact that she had a sister, one that had not died long ago like she was told. When she had first heard of the story, she was devastated. Freya's death had haunted them all into the new world. It was Freya's loss that initially caused the rift between her parents that led to Niklaus's unusual heritage. Now that the truth had been revealed and her sister returned,

Rebekah couldn't help but stare at a woman she had always assumed was lost too soon. Her sister looked like a typical Mikaelson with dark blonde hair, tanner than most of them as she was still human but held the same eyes as their brother Finn.

The two sisters parked in front of a house, one jam-packed with wards to keep one Esther Mikaelson inside. Ever since she had come to warn them about Dahlia. Freya let out a shaky breath. Rebekah immediately took her hand inside of her own.

"I don't even remember what she looks like," Freya whispered. "Dahlia…She took care of me. But she was fearful of being alone. All she would talk about was how others could not be trusted. More importantly, she taught me the spell that sold me to her."

"What could anything Esther have to say be helpful? It's been over a thousand years," Rebekah questioned softly. Her hands curled into a fist; Rebekah loved her mother and had mourned her loss, but Rebekah was not blind. Her mother allowed their father to beat obedience into her children and when that did not work she used her words, carefully crafting them as she would a spell. It's why Rebekah had believed everything Caroline had said about Esther's actions in the future. Her mother always had a habit of regretting decisions.

Freya sighed, "Because while Dahlia taught me how to be powerful, she always ensured she was stronger. The only time I had seen her tender was when she talked about family…I have no doubt Dahlia will come for Caroline's children but Esther might know more about the why or a weakness Dahlia had long since learned to cover."

"You'd think she'd have used it to help keep you," Rebekah muttered to herself.

Freya laughed, "I missed Elijah being born. Finn and I were so looking forward to his birth and I missed it."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Rebekah asked again.

"We don't have a choice. Our mother is the best source of information about Dahlia outside of me. I'm not foolish enough to think Dahlia would not have held onto secrets."

Rebekah couldn't say anything to that. Instead, the younger sister took Freya's hand in hers, "She did ask about you. Asked how Dahlia had treated you."

"What did you say?"

Rebekah's nose twitched as she said haughtily, "If she wants to know then she should ask her oldest child herself." Freya laughed at her younger sister's antics. Rebekah watched as she unclicked her seatbelt and took a deep breath.

"Remember you are a Mikaelson" Rebekah nudged. "There is nothing we do better than handling our dysfunctional family."

Freya laughed, squeezing Rebekah's hand, "I'm glad it's you who's with me, sister."

Rebekah smirked, "As if any of our brothers could handle a sentimental moment. Ready?"

The two sister's stepped into the grassy area that lay next to the driveway they entered. Freya took one look at the house and whistled, "What was Niklaus thinking? This is hardly…"

"Discreet?" Rebekah offered helpfully.

"Nor a prison" Freya returned as the two sisters fell into step with one another. The younger gripped the pair of keys Elijah had reluctantly given. "Niklaus always had a soft spot for Mother."

"Wasn't he the one who killed her?" Freya asked skeptically as her sister unlocked the door, causing the servants inside to pause and stare at the newcomers.

"Where is our mother?" Rebekah demanded, not missing a beat walking into the foyer as if she had always lived there. The maid's hands fell from rearranging the flowers and bowed, "Ms. Mikaelson and . Forgive us Mrs. Mikaelson was not expecting visitors."

"No, she wasn't, "Freya answered. "We have a family emergency. If you can just point us in the right direction-"

Before Freya could finish her question, a gasp alerted her to the entrance of a familiar woman. Freya's shocked gaze met that of a blonde-haired woman, slim build with far more lines than Freya ever remembered but she could see her siblings in the woman.

Niklaus and Rebekah's golden locks, Elijah, Finn, Kol, and her own eyes reflected at her. "Freya?" The woman whispered, stalling at the top of the stairs.

"Mother" Freya breathed, staring at her mother for the first time in centuries. "We need to have a talk." The eldest Mikaelson child glanced over at her sister, "it concerns our family."

Esther let out a shaky breath before smoothing her dress, "Emily please bring us our evening tea into the Family room, please. This way, the girl's" The Matriarch'' beckoned her children with a smile.

The three Mikaelson women found themselves in a circle, all holding a warm cup of tea. As soon as Emily had served the tea and left the room, Rebekah placed her cup down and Esther glanced at her daughter warily. "Rebekah?"

"You never told us about Freya," Rebekah recounted with anger. "You never spoke of her, we all thought it was too painful, not that you willingly let a child go-"

"I was never willing!" Esther hissed, slamming her cup down only to catch herself before it could hit the table. The sisters watched as their mother let out a calming breath, "I made a deal. One I regretted immediately when I realized that it would cost me my first born."

"Now Niklaus will pay for your deal" Freya muttered her eyes, meeting Esther. "Unless we can find a way to defeat Dahlia."

"First-born witches are always the strongest of their line" Esther informed the two, giving Freya a soft pitying glance. "Something I'm sure Dahlia has informed you of Freya."

"What are you saying, Mother?" Rebekah questioned. "You can't help your family, not when they are actually asking for your interference?"

"Dahlia has always been the stronger witch," Esther admitted with a grimace. "We came from a small village that your father's people invaded. That's how I met him when we were their captives… your father's people valued other people's cultures, especially women for the fresh blood they brought."

"Dahlia said you both learned the same magic" Freya prodded.

"Dahlia was always the one with a stronger gift. I wanted to get married and have a family…Mikael didn't look too fondly on magic so I made sure to only practice what would be deemed helpful. It's why I had to go to Dahlia for help in the first place. But ever since she took Freya I have searched for ways to make sure it never happened again."

"Well?" Rebekah asked impatiently, earning a scowl of disapproval from Esther.

"I have a plan."

XXX

A.N: Thank you all so much for your patience. I know my update schedule has not been consistent but I'm still alive!