Heartless to Heartfelt, Rewrite

by SmallTimeWriter

Daggered and buried deep within the ocean, Klaus has spent the last 9 years in a torturous state. Haunted by memories of the past and images of a child he never got to meet. Now awakened, but not the same. He is faced with a decision, can he forgive those who wronged him when a threat larger then they could anticipate appears? They must reunited to survive. All Main Characters.

18. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own The Originals, all credit goes to the writers and creators.

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Chapter Seventeen

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"How are you, Damon? I bet it was a shock to see me."

Damon knew if a vampire could faint then he would have, walking into the house and seeing Alaric in the living room with the Elena would have been enough to send any human into cardiac arrest. Surprisingly Elena was smiling radiantly as if it was a normal occurrence. For Damon this was a nightmare.
Alaric was alive.
Alaric. Fuck.
His first thoughts were of the twins and Caroline.
Damon had practically fled the room while trying to maintain a façade. He had thrown the excuse of a blood bag and headed for the kitchen. His thoughts scattering. It had not taken Alaric long to follow him. How was he standing here? Bonnie and Katherine had killed him. The thoughts were turning in his head along with the knowledge that he couldn't leave a prolonged silence. Alaric thought they were friends, he had no choice but to maintain that façade knowing it would give them an advantage. "Shocked is an understatement. You were dead Ric." It took all he had to keep the hatred out of his voice. Despite what Elena would like to believe. He didn't, nor would he ever agree with the things Ric did. How he had chosen to love one child and not the other. Little Lizzie held a place in his heart, the way Alaric had discarded her reminded him of his own mother, the one who had abandoned him without a thought.

"I'd never leave myself unprotected. I have a daughter to raise."

He'd never let Alaric get anywhere near the twins, certainly not raise them. "Daughters." Damon couldn't stop himself from correcting him. Elena might have shrugged it off as Alaric misspeaking, just as she often had in the past but Damon knew better. Alaric didn't love Lizzie. She was the opposite of everything Jo was.

Alaric gave a small laugh, waving it off. "Yes, of course. Twins." He glanced around the room. "Elena mentioned Katherine and Bonnie paid a visit just a while back. Have you seen Josie, Damon?"

"Not since Caroline took them out of Mystic Falls." It was the truth. It would be a lie to say he didn't think about that side of his family. He hadn't had much of a relationship with Josie, but little Lizzie, he remembered the sweet little one who had hid her head in his shoulder and cried for what she did not have. Her little voice engraved in his mind "Why doesn't daddy love me, Uncle Damon?" It was because of Lizzie that Damon didn't feel the same sadness that Elena did when Alaric died. He'd never tell her that. Better for everyone to keep Elena happy. No doubt what she would tell the world if he left her. The last thing anyone needed was for humans to find out vampires existed among them. "How is this possible?"

"Powerful friends, Damon. Powerful friends." Alaric smiled.

Damon felt sickened. Something very sinister was lurking in his former friends eyes. "Who..."

"Let's not dwell on that. Come, let's have a drink. Celebrate my return and my impending reunion with my little girl."

Damon watched him swoon out of the room as though he owned the house. He wanted to throw up, the sight was sickening. He had to contact Caroline. He could only imagine how she would react to the knowledge of his appearance.
He went to reach for his phone, only to pull his hand back the moment Elena entered the room. He couldn't allow her to see him warning them.

"Are you going to join us?"

"Yes. I'm coming." Damon followed her from the room, he had a feeling that they would not give him a moment alone. No trust in this house, his house. "So Ric," Damon moved across the room to pour himself a drink. "What's your plan?"

"His plan is to bring Josie home. Caroline kidnapped his daughter."

Damon tensed, forcing himself not to snap. Had he expected Elena to say something along those lines? Yes. Did he agree with her? No. Fuck. Everything was a mess. He never wanted this life. He only stayed to make sure Elena didn't do anything stupid. He wasn't an idiot. Damon knew that she was living a life outside this house, with people he had never met. Damn, they only had children because she had threatened him.
Big bad Salvatore that he was should have been able to deal with her, and her useless threats but not at the cost of his family. The family whom he had chosen to not to follow. "You're after Josie?"

"She's my daughter."

"Lizzie is your daughter too." Damon picked up his drink, turning to face his former friend. "You remember her don't you?"

Ric grimaced. "Of course. Elizabeth is..."

"Lizzie." Damon corrected. "She prefers Lizzie." Damon breathed deeply. "You haven't seen either of your daughters in..."

"I was murdered! Their mother stood by and watched." Ric's voice rose, bringing a deadly vibe. "You think my Josie should be with a woman who thinks murder is acceptable?! You would want your children to be with Elena if she allowed her friends to kill you?"

Damon kept himself from rolling his eyes but just barely. It was clear to anyone who knew the real Caroline, the caring mother version, that she would never condone murder. Alaric was an exception. The hurt he had caused. The pain he had brought upon not only Josie but Lizzie, well, it only justified the consequences of his actions. "Do you have a plan to get her back?"

"Of course, Damon; how would you like to come to New Orleans with me? Watch my little girl kill Klaus."

What the fuck? Damon struggled to control his facial expression. "Josie?" Oh hell no, he drew a line at using little children as pawns in a dangerous game.

"Yes, Josette is going to get our revenge on the monstrous hybrid. I thought you'd be pleased, after all he put Elena through."

Damon took a sip from his cup, hiding his grimace. "I'm delighted." He finally spoke, knowing it was best to play along. He would have to call Caroline, tell her everything but first... "Tell me more."

"That's the spirit."

---

Klaus leant against the doorframe watching Caroline as she slipped her dress on, a wolfish grin appearing on his lips. "Beautiful."

"Charmer. Come zip me,"

Klaus pushed himself off the doorway, walking towards her. "I'd rather not," Seeing her look, he only smiled wider, reaching for her zip, he slowly dragged it up. "What are you plans for today?" He gently turned her to face him.

"To relax. Enjoy some quality time with our family. Maybe take the girls to do a little shopping." She wrapped her arms around his waist. "And you,"

"I said I would help Lizzie with her project, then I thought I might take Marcel and Kol out for a drink."

Caroline's eyebrow shot up. "You believe you can get them to agree to that?" The ins and outs of Kol and Marcel's relationship was not apparent to her, she didn't know exactly why they disliked each other, only that it revolved around Niklaus.

"You underestimate me, love." He loved the way her nose scrunched up, annoyed that she didn't have all the facts. "Their issues may have everything to with me, but they also will do everything to keep me happy and if that means tolerating each other if I invite them to get a drink, they will."

"The center of this family." She patted his chest right over his heart.

Klaus rolled his eyes, all those times he had felt unloved, the black sheep of his family. With those words he felt more loved then he could have imagined. "I don't know about center."

"Don't be modest. It doesn't suit you." Caroline jested, seeing the look in his eyes. She knew that there was a time in his life when he didn't receive much love, nor believe in it but she vowed that she would never let him feel that way again. It had taken them time to get to this point, and she loved him always and forever. "I love you."

"I love you, sweetheart." He kissed her, gently nipping at her bottom lip, to which she smiled against him. "The dress really does look better off." He mumbled against her lips.

"You can take it off me later."

"Rip it off you."

Caroline laughed. "Not unless you will be replacing it."

"Better buy two then just incase I get a little carried away." He placed a trail of kisses along her jaw line. "Mmm, think the kids are busy?"

"Not busy enough for what you are suggesting." Her words muffled by a moan. "Niiiik!"

Klaus smiled, pulling back from her slightly. "Tonight then?"

"You shouldn't start what you cannot finish."

"I would if I could but..." His eyes twinkled knowingly as the door to their bedroom opened. "Yes, firecracker, how can I help you?"

"Are you going for your run? I wanna see you turn into the wolf?"

"I swear all I am good for is turning into the wolf."

"So cute, fluffy and good to snuggle with." Caroline teased, earning herself a glare from Nik, she only laughed at it.

"Daddy!" Lizzie demanded his attention.

Klaus sighed. "Yes, yes. Come along. You are not petting me this time."

"Yes I am."

Caroline watched them leave the room, a smile on her lips. He was so good for her girls. So good for her. And she, yes she was so good for him too.

---

Kol leaned against the railing, sigh escaping his lips when little Lizzie glared at him hatefully and slipped down the hall away from him to her parents room. The blonde twin clearly hated him for what he had done to Davina.
To be fair, he understood that feeling as he hated himself for his actions.
But this was Nik's daughter, how was he to forge a bond with her if she refused to be in the same area as him.
Davina didn't want to talk with him. Kat and Stefan were gone. Marcel, well, that was his doing, he was avoiding him. Nik and Caroline were often together, busy dealing with bigger things. He was very quickly running out of people to speak to. Hope and Bonnie being the only two, apart from Nik that he had interacted positively with.

Movement caught his eye, and he tilted his head to see Josie. He opened his mouth to speak, but ended up closing it. She was the shy twin, the one who had gone through so much. He doubted that Josie would wish to speak to him or that she would take kindly to his attempt to speak to her.
Yet, he supposed he wouldn't know how the interaction would go if he didn't try. If she loved Katherine then she should be able to get along with him.

"Hello, Little Darling." He greeted, not moving in her direction. He didn't want to startle her, to make her run away.

Josie clutched the door handle in one hand, her little stuffed animal tucked under her arm. This was Kol. That she knew. Her Momma and Daddy had spoken about him, about how he would be living in the house with them but Josie hadn't spoken to him. Another man around. Would he be like Daddy, or like the bad man? That was the question that circled her mind.
Her lips pressed into a hard line, her eyes just staring through him, looking for an indication that he was like her Daddy. They were brothers, so to her they could be the same but then she knew that her and Lizzie were sisters but so different.

Kol could see her mind ticking over, and over. He could hear her heart racing, which he figured would be because of her anxiety. "I was just about to go to the kitchen and make some pancakes," He certainly didn't want them, nor need them but judging by the time, Josie was awake because she was hungry. "I've never made pancakes before, do you put orange juice or milk in them?" He felt a small spark of happiness when her lips quirked slightly, but when she didn't speak, he spoke again. "Or was it apple juice, that sounds right, do we have apple juice here?"

A very small and hushed giggle escaped Josie's lips. "Not apple juice." Her nose wriggled. "Milk."

Kol smiled. "Are you sure? I thought juice went in pancakes." Josie shook her head at him, so he gestured with his hands the direction of the kitchen. "Do you think you could help me? Can you put bacon in pancakes?"

Josie giggled. "Ew." Kol was funny, why didn't anyone tell her that? "Chocolate chips..."

Kol's lips quirked that. "So, you are a chocolate chip pancake eater. My favorite type. Do you want to help make them?" He saw her weighing up the decision in her eyes, the suspicion was lingering on the surface with a bit of tension but he could see that her muscles had relaxed a bit, she wasn't terrified of him, wary maybe but not terrified. That was a good start. "Shall we?"

Josie looked towards the hall then back to him. "Okay," Her voice was barely above a whisper as she stepped out of the room and they headed towards the kitchen together, a good distance between them.

Kol kept sneaking side glances at her, if he could win over this little one then perhaps with time he could win over her twin. "Are you a chocolate milk or strawberry milk kind of girl?"

"Strawberry." Josie clutched her stuffed animal tighter.

Kol's lips quirked. "Then I think we are going to be great friends...unless, do you like carrot juice?"

"Ew!"

Kol chuckled, seeing her little smile. "Yup. I think I've found a new little best-friend."

"Best-friend?"

He saw her interest pipe as they entered the kitchen. "Yes, best-friend. I don't have many friends here." He opened up the pantry. "So, my little princess, what do I need to make pancakes?"

Josie tilted her head. Little Princess, that was a new name. She had never been called that before and she liked it. Maybe he was nice. Nice like Klaus. "Flour and milk..."

Kol's features lit up, little Josie was happy to speak to him. That was a start. "Alright, little princess, let's get started."

---

Hope knocked on Caroline and Klaus's bedroom door, listening to the shuffle before it opened and Caroline came into view. Hope didn't like this feeling, the anxiousness, the worry that she felt. Waking up with the heavy feeling in her chest. She hated it. Unable to understand how one life can be so different from the next.

"Hope, honey, is everything okay?" Caroline frowned at how pale the little girls features were.

Hope looked up, her bottom lip trembling slightly, as she moved forward and wrapped her arms around Caroline's waist burying her head in Caroline's stomach. She hadn't expected to do that, to seek comfort in her but she needed it.
Feeling Caroline's arms wrap around her, no hesitation, Hope let the sob rip from her lips.

Caroline held Hope in a gentle but firm embrace, completely stunned by this situation but not rejecting it, she welcomed it. She didn't know what had happened but she would never turn the little one away, not when she was seeking comfort. "I'm here, honey; right here." She promised, holding her close. Her own heart cracking at the sound of Hope's sobs. "You're going to be okay."

"I don't understand." Hope mumbled. "I don't understand." Her dream that she had woken from played over in her mind. Her heart pounding in her chest. All those questions, feelings, comments she had, she had buried them all and now they were back. Why did her mom and Elijah not want her to have this? Why was Klaus hidden from her? Why was this family different from her other one? Why did Elijah lie to her? Why did her mommy never tell her the truth? Why did Auntie Bex and Auntie Freya let Elijah take her?

Caroline scooped Hope up into her arms and carried her over to the bed, sitting down on it and adjusting Hope on her lap. "I'm going to help you, I promise." Caroline rubbed her back gently, trying to sooth away her worries. "What happened, Hope? Did you have a bad dream?"

Hope nodded, sniffling. "Uh, huh. I don't understand."

"What don't you understand, little one?"

"Why my family is different? Why it is different here? Why did Elijah not let me do normal things? Why couldn't I go to school? Why did I not get to practice magic? Why did Elijah get to make all the rules? Why did they keep my daddy from me?" All the questions exploded from her lips at once, a rush of need springing from her because she didn't understand.

Caroline heart ached for Hope, for all that she had been through and all that was taken from her. It yet was another reason that her fire to hurt Elijah was fueled. Gosh, she'd hurt Hayley to but she suspected that Hope would not like that. Despite everything Hayley was still her mother. "I wish I could answer all of your questions, sweetheart, I really wish I could." She kissed the top of Hope's head and took a deep breath trying to steady her own thoughts. She'd give anything to have the answer but she didn't. "I don't know why they did as they have done. I don't know their reasons."

"I thought they loved me." Hope cried, tears were running down her cheeks, and she buried her face in Caroline's shirt.

"They do love you."

"Don't say that to make me feel better."

"I'm not, Hope." Caroline pulled back so she could tilt Hope's head up to make eye contact. "Your mom, your Aunts and even Elijah, they love you." The words leaving her lips felt sour but she said them anyway, for Hope. Despite how Caroline felt about them, she had to acknowledge they were Hope's family, they had raised her and although what they had done was terrible, they did love her. "And we all love you too."

Hope sniffled and leaned her head back into Caroline. "It's not fair."

"You're right, it isn't fair. They took away a lot from you, nothing can replace that but we have you now. You are here with us and we will make sure you get to experience it all. I promise you." Caroline lifted her hand up to swipe away Hope's tears. "You are going to go to school. You will continue to learn magic with Bonnie. We will do fun things, take vacations and you will be loved beyond words."

"Promise you won't let them take me away?"

Caroline frowned, she thought Hope knew that she would be here with them for the long haul. Klaus would not give her up. Never. "You dad and I will never let them take you away. This is your home."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Caroline kissed her forehead, giving her a soft reassuring smile. "Hope," Caroline remembered exactly what it was like to have parents who weren't together. Who had done terrible things to each other. She knew from experience with Alaric and her girls, how they felt. It was hardest on the child.
Although her feelings on Elijah and Hayley were anger, it could never be that way in front of Hope. She knew better and would do better. "You do understand that it is okay to love them. You may be angry with them and their choices but you are a child. You are allowed to love them. No one will ever try to stop that."

Hope blinked through her tears. "But..."

"There is no buts, sweetheart. Your dad would never want you to think otherwise."

"He said that I could still love them and he won't get mad but I think Elijah would be mad if he saw me love my dad."

Caroline swept the little girls hair out of her face. "Elijah's feeling have nothing to do with you, Hope. If he loves you, if he wants the best for you then he will not be mad. He would not be angry at you for loving your dad."

"And my mom?"

"Is your mom. She loves you, she wants the best for you and you can love her. That will never be held against you." Caroline slowly set the little one back on her feet, turning her so their eyes connected. "You seem to be in knots, I know you had a dream but what brought the dream on. Was it Freya being here? Did that upset you?"

Hope shrugged, wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "She knows I am here."

"She does." Caroline agreed.

"Does she want to see me?"

Caroline knew where this was heading. "Yes she does." She hadn't heard it from Freya's mouth but she knew that the woman would wish to see her niece. She hadn't asked because Klaus had told her Hope wasn't ready for it because that was what Hope had said. "Your family, your Auntie will always want to see you, to be able to have a relationship with you."

Hope tilted her head, nose slightly scrunched up. Feelings, emotions that were whirling inside of her. She didn't understand all of this. Why she felt this way. Freya had done a terrible thing, so why did it matter if she was upset. "Was she sad that I don't want to see her?"

"Your Aunt understands." Caroline framed Hope's face with her hands. "Together we all want what is best for you. Is Freya a little sad? Probably. But she loves you, and loving you means respecting your boundaries. And if at any point you change your mind and you wish to see her, then you tell your dad or me and we will call her for you."

Hope leant forward, wrapping her arms around Caroline's neck. "Thankyou."

Caroline squeezed her gently, pleased that she had been able to comfort her. This relationship was one she had been worried about navigating. She wanted to love on Hope as her own but it was different then the relationship that Klaus had with her daughters or their relationship with Davina because Hope's mother was still alive and despite everything they still loved each other. "I know right now things do not make sense but you have a place here, and everyone, both sides of the family, love you. We want the best for you Hope, never forget that."

The door to the bedroom opened, both of their gazes drawn to the intruder. He was back from his run.

"Dad."

Klaus's entire body stiffened when Hope ran over and wrapped her arms around him. Not from the action but the word that left her mouth. Dad. All his daughters seemed to be on the same wave length, each using the name at their own pace which happened to be so close together. Yet he would never tire of hearing it. Each time it left any of their lips was another time his heart grew a little bigger, softer. His girls.
But this time, this time was special. He never thought he would see Hope again, to hear this word, this name be said to him. Klaus felt his eyes tear up. Years of wishing to hold his little girl. Years of her being raised by another. Here she was, his baby. "Sweetheart." He lifted her up into his arms and felt her grab onto him. He was sure his tears were dropping onto her skin as he closed his eyes and held her tightly, breathing in her scent.
Everything he endured was worth it. For her. For this moment.

"Promise me. Promise me I get to stay forever."

Klaus looked at Caroline slightly alarmed but he received only a reassuring smile. "Always and forever, my littlest wolf. This is your home."

"Promise."

"I promise." He placed kiss on the side of her head. "Are you okay?"

"Uh huh." Hope's voice was muffled against his shoulder. "I got you."

Klaus felt his heart expand at her words. "Yes, sweetheart and I have you."

"I love you, dad."

"I love you, Hope."

---

Kol watched Josie sneak another handful of chocolate chips into her mouth when she thought he wasn't paying attention, so he leaned over. "Hey," She looked at him, startled that she had been caught. "Save some for me." He popped some into his mouth, seeing her relax. Had she expected him to reprimand her? He knew that with time she would see that he was the fun one, the one who was going to spoil her. "Hey, little princess, want to see it snow?"

"How? You don't have magic."

"Magic would be effective right now but I meant this." He lifted some flour into his palm and blew it so it filled the air.

"That's flour." Josie giggled, the white powder covering her brunette hair. "My turn." She scooped some up, blowing it at him.

Kol chuckled, looking down at the white mark on his black t-shirt. "Are you trying to turn me into a polar bear?"

"I can do that." Josie told him, a serious expression taking over her face. "Auntie Bonnie turned Uncle Stefan into a frog once."

"I don't want to be a polar bear." He told her, not liking the idea of being turned into an animal. "But...you can turn you dad into one." That made Josie giggle.

"Our daddy is a wolf." Lizzie came into the kitchen and climbed up onto the stool.

Kol was slightly surprised, after the death stare she had given him this morning, he had not expected Lizzie to speak to him. "His is. He's the hybrid."

"Are you a hybrid?" Josie asked curiously.

"Nope, sorry little love, plain old original vampire."

Lizzie leaned forward on her elbows. "How old?"

"Ancient old." He jested, grabbing the bowl of chocolate chips and putting them in front of her.

Lizzie didn't smile but she did immediately grab a gigantic hand full. "What are you making?"

Josie was the one who answered. "Pancakes."

"Can I have ice-cream on mine?" Lizzie tested, looking at Kol to see what the answer would be. She didn't like him, he made Davina cry but her daddy had said she had to give him a chance and be nice.
Lizzie had not wanted to but he promised to look at boxing lessons if she tried to make friends with Kol.

Kol nodded his head, Caroline would probably not agree but she was their mom, he got to be the fun Uncle. "Sure." He looked at Josie, she was sitting up on the countertop, the flour now in her palm. "Wait...Wait..." He jested as she blew it straight at him. "Ew." He heard her chuckle and that made him smile. "Would you like some ice-cream, little princess?"

"Yes, strawberry please."

"Ice-cream for breakfast, Mom is not going to be happy." Davina stepped into the kitchen wearing her cheerleading uniform, her best-friend Bianca at her side.

"Mommy is upstairs." Lizzie stuck her tongue out.

Kol bit the inside of his cheek, he was tempted to tell Davina how good she looked but knew it wasn't his place, at least not now so he bit down that compliment choosing to motion to the plate of pancakes he had already made.
Friendship. He forced himself to remember that word.
"Pancakes, ladies?" He offered them.

Davina raised her eyebrow, eyeing him cautiously as they slid onto a stool each. "Sure." She was still unsure about Kol and his sudden declaration that they could be friends, but it was better then him moping around after her.

Bianca leaned over to whisper in her friends ear. "Who is the hottie?"

Davina nudged her shoulder. "Kol this is Bianca, Bianca meet Kol." It irked her a little that Bianca thought Kol was hot but she knew she couldn't exactly be annoyed. Kol was hot. Bianca was just being honest with her thoughts and it wasn't like she knew the history.

Kol gave a nod greeting wise. "Hey," He placed to plates in front of them. "You can top them up with whatever you like."

"Can you get the blueberries? I want some." Lizzie spoke up.

Kol walked over and grabbed them out of the refrigerator for her. "There you go, kiddo." He put them in front of her. Perhaps there was hope for him to have a relationship Lizzie.

Bianca leaned closer to Davina again. "Is he your friend or brother?" Whoever he was, he was finnnnneee.

"Not my brother." Davina immediately shut that down, it was a gross thought, she didn't need that in her head.

Lizzie grinned with delight, leaning towards them, mischief written all over her face. "He is dads brother." She loved causing chaos.

"Your Uncle?" Bianca's eyes widened.

Davina looked mortified at that idea, sharing a quick look at Kol who did not seem impressed either. It was complicated, the relationships being as intwined as they were but she couldn't see Kol as an Uncle. She never would. Their relationship started before she begun to look at Klaus as family, as her father.
Although Kol was her fathers brother, so if all was legalized then he would be her Uncle, but she would never see him in that light. He would be her ex-boyfriend. The man that left her alone.

"Nah uh. Davina was Uncle Kol's girrrrrlfriend."

Davina shoved at Lizzie. "Stop being a brat." She scolded her little sister, turning to Bianca who Lizzie had just purposely confused. "I dated Kol before Klaus adopted me." She clarified. "I do not think of him as an Uncle. Trust me."

"Don't call me a brat." Lizzie shoved at Davina. "And don't push me!"

"You were being one and don't push me!"

"You started it."

"Did not."

"Yes you did."

"Nah uh,"

Josie looked at Kol, wondering if he was going to stop her sisters. "You better stop that or they will fight."

Kol shared a smile with her. "But I like watching."

Josie giggled. "Me too." If it wasn't her that was going to get in trouble, or fighting with her sisters then sometimes it was funny to watch.

"Girls." Caroline walked into the kitchen with Klaus and Hope. "Enough."

"She started it." Davina and Lizzie spoke at the same time.

"I do not care who started it." Caroline raised her eyebrow at them. "Unless you would like to be holding hands for the rest of the day, I suggest you stop arguing. Understood?"

"Yes Ma'am." Davina and Lizzie muttered.

"Hello Bianca," Caroline smiled fondly at the teenage girl, she had met her a handful of times now and it soothed Caroline's mother heart to know that Davina had made a good friend.

"Hi Mrs Mikaelson,"

Klaus chuckled, seeing Caroline's look in his direction but neither of them corrected the teenager. They both knew Caroline would be a Mikaelson soon enough. "What happened to you, little lady?" Klaus ran his hand through Josie's hair that was covered in white flour.

"Uncle Kol made it snow," Josie was delighted when Kol blew a puff of flour in her direction again.

"I hope Uncle Kol knows how to use a broom." Caroline grabbed herself a mug of coffee, hearing the two teenagers giggle at that.

Kol rolled his eyes. "Well adverse in the art of sweeping, Caroline." He handed a plate of pancakes to Hope. "Good morning darling,"

"Morning Uncle Kol." Hope grinned. "You're a mess." Hope's eyes widened when her dad tipped a little big of flour on her head. "Dad!" That was crazy. He had...that was not something Elijah would ever do. He would have gotten upset at her if she had made a mess like what was in this kitchen.

Klaus chucked. "Now you look like a snowman."

Hope picked up a blueberry and flicked it at him, immediately wondering if that was the right thing to do. Was it okay? Or was it just flour that was allowed? "I..." When she saw his smile her fears eased slightly and he flicked one back at her. "Dad!"

Klaus leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "I'll never get tired of hearing you call me that." He ruined the moment by squishing a blueberry against her forehead, hearing her shriek with laughter, laughter that made his heart expand.

"Nik!" Caroline spoke.

"Come on, love, lighten up." He flicked a blueberry in her direction, smiling when she rolled her eyes.

"Please tell me there is coffee?" Bonnie walked into the kitchen, Marcel trailing in behind her. "Liquid gold." She grabbed the mug that Caroline was drinking out of.

"Bon!"

"Thanks Care. I need it more then you." She practically inhaled it.

Bianca leaned closer to Davina. "How many people live in your house?"

Davina shrugged. "Too many. Come on, let's go." She spun on the stool to look at Klaus. "Can you drop us at the field?"

Lizzie frowned, her eyes turning back to Davina. Their argument springing straight back into her mind. "He can't, daddy said he'd help me with my project."

Davina glanced at Lizzie. "He can help you after, I need someone to drive us."

"He can't. I asked him first."

Caroline cleared her throat. "Do not start."

"But..."

Caroline looked between the two of them, unsure what the heck was happening. It wasn't like the girls never argued but this was out of nowhere. "After practice, Davina, you can help Lizzie with her project, bonding time for the pair of you." Maybe spending some time together would be good for them.

Davina looked annoyed at the idea. "Not fair." The last thing she wanted to do was work on some stupid elementary school project.

"I don't want Davina's help."

Klaus whistled, causing them both to snap their heads in his direction. "Stop arguing. Davina, I am certain your friend does not wish to witness this. Lizzie, stop arguing for the sake of arguing."

"But..."

"Need I say it again?"

Davina and Lizzie both squirmed in their seats at the look given to them. "No Sir,"

"Good, Lizzie, you can come with me to take the girls to practice."

Caroline glanced at Bianca, the teenager was staring at her plate of pancakes. "A morning in the Mikaelson household, is a lot isn't it?"

Bianca blushed. "Yeah. Kind of. But it's just my mom and me at home so this is kinda crazy but kinda cool too."

Marcel laughed. "Crazy is the right word for it."

---

He felt a bit like a creeper, watching her from the distance. She had to know he was there but was refusing to acknowledge him. Not that he had wanted her to speak to him since setting foot inside the place. He was doing this as a favor to Klaus, to keep Freya in New Orleans but not near him or Hope.
Josh hadn't wanted to get involved. He didn't have any direct feelings towards Freya, not as strong as Davina, Marcel or Caroline had. Not how Klaus felt. But he did feel anger toward her. For the pain that she had brought to those that he loved, that he called family.

But...

Josh held empathy. It was just who he was. He couldn't change it. So it bothered him a little. The way she was acting since she had come back from the compound. Since he had heard her mumble those names.
Aiden was right. He was embedded within the Mikaelson family now but he didn't want to continue in their path. In their pain and trauma.

He looked down at the two cups of tea that he had made a few minutes prior, gathering them in his hands, he approached her. "Here, tea." He held it out to Freya who looked up at him slightly startled which confused him, surely she knew that he had been there. Had she been that lost in her mind?

Freya took the tea from his hand, turning to look back out the window again. "Thank-you."

Josh sat down beside her, watching with interest as she curled her legs closer to her body. "It must have been confronting diving into Josie's mind."

"I've seen terrible things, but seeing her screams, hearing them. I cannot shake them from my mind." Freya stared down at the birds on the sidewalk, trying to distract herself.

Josh frowned, he knew he couldn't do it. It had already happened, so nothing could be done to stop it but Josh knew he couldn't see it because it had to be hard witnessing something but knowing there was nothing you could do. "Josie is okay,"

"Is she?" Freya whispered, could one ever move on from that trauma? She knew the pain that Dahlia had caused was still heavy in her heart and mind. Not just the physical sense but the emotional. The trauma. "That kind of hurt, it stays with you."

"Speaking from personal experience?"

Freya hummed in response. "Would it matter if I was?" She doubted it.

Josh frowned, the look on her features told him that no one had cared before. He wondered if she had ever had anyone before she had ran off with the family and Hope. Had she been all alone? It was no excuse for what she had done, but he did wonder. "Who is Mattis?" He drove straight into the question. Not hiding from the point. That was all Mikaelson's did, they avoided their trauma as though it would fade.

Freya was alarmed, unhappy by the line of questioning and yet she still answered. "He was someone I loved dearly."

Loved. Josh knew what that meant. Whoever it was, was probably long dead. "What happened?"

"Dahlia killed him." Freya sipped her tea. "It was my fault. The idea that I could love someone. It was foolish."

"Love is not foolish." He had known it had to be Dahlia, the witch was crazy like that. "Unless you killed him, it was not your fault, that action is the fault of that who did it."

"Happiness, love, it was all nothing but a dream then. I couldn't have it. Dahlia wouldn't let me." Freya sighed. "I might not have been the person who delivered the final strike but it was I who brought Dahlia's wrath upon him."

Mikaelson's. Josh wanted to shake some sense into them all. They trifle over the things they cannot control. Saying it was not her fault would do nothing to change her mindset. That was something he had learnt from his time with the rest of them. "Freya,"

"I think it is a penance that I had to pay for all the sins that I am to commit in this life. The horror and trauma that I brought to my family. Their deaths, that was my punishment."

"For acts that you had not yet committed. You do not believe that do you?" Josh wondered if he should bring up the wording...Their deaths...who else had died?

"Shouldn't I? Look at what I did to my family."

"It was not all your fault."

Freya looked straight at him, her eyes piercing through his. "If I had not come, you think it would have ended the same? Hope being taken from Niklaus."

Josh looked thoughtful for a moment. "Elijah was always a crazy if you ask me. Hid behind his nobility, his savior complex when it came to Klaus. With or without you, I think he would have tried to separate them. You were a convenience, a piece of a puzzle for him." He took a sip of his own tea. "It was not you who decided the course, or else you would have known what you were to do from the moment you arrived in New Orleans."

"When I came here all I wanted was to be a family. To be surrounded by my brothers and sister, how I should have grown up."

"Then why betray Klaus?"

"I was hurt. He didn't want me to be apart of the family. Would not accept that I was his sister."

Josh rolled his eyes, another case of her being a classic Mikaelson. "So it was a tantrum? A way to get payback?"

"No...I don't know. I was angry, upset. My judgement clouded by the knowledge that Dahlia had always been right. To him I would never be family. Then Elijah came to me."

"And let me guess, he had always the right words to say."

"I still chose to act, Joshua, no matter what Elijah said. I still chose this path."

That made his lips quirked. A Mikaelson who owned their wrongs, that was pleasant. "You own your part, the damage that you caused. That is good. But don't discount the fact that you were a puppet, Elijah's puppet."

"That's all I am to anyone. My mother traded me to a life as a puppet. Dahlia's, Elijah's, now Niklaus's." She paused for a moment before continuing in a rush as if she expected an outburst from Josh. "I'd help anyway, regardless of the fact that I owe Niklaus, I'd help little Josie." She turned away from him, but indeed she felt like yet a means to an ends.

Josh looked down at his cup, taking in the things that she said. "You see yourself in Josie." He gathered from the way she spoke.

"She is far to innocent for me to see myself in her." Freya told him honestly. "I took Hope's father from her, they are reunited now. I simply want to do good, to make sure Josie is safe with her father. With Niklaus."

Josh frowned. "What about when this is all over? When you have completed your part?"

"I plan to go somewhere far away. Distance myself so that I can not hurt my family any longer." Freya smiled softly at him. "I want the best for them. I'm not that. I don't deserve them."

---

"We have thirty minutes." Kat told Stefan as they walked into the hospital room. "You take the bathroom and vents. I'll take the artwork and furniture."

Stefan gave a slight nod of agreement. "Sure babe." He headed for the bathroom. "How long till the nurse returns?"

"I compelled her to return in thirty minutes, better move this along." She gently moved the frame away from the wall, eyes scanning behind it. Nothing. Katherine knew why they had to be here, why they did what they did but her patience wore thin for needle in haystack missions like this one.
She pulled the cartoon frame out from behind the wall. Nothing. "If I was a psychotic sadistic manic where would I hide a taunting piece of information?" She heard Stefan's laughter at her from the other room but simply ignored it, eyes scanning all of the furniture. Not under the bed, to easily found. Not behind the tv, if it needed maintenance it would be discovered. Her eyes scanned the room again. It was a room in the childrens' ward, a small toy chest in the corner beside the wardrobe. No scuff marks on the ground, wear and tear, it had been there a while.

"Babe?"

"I haven't found anything yet." Kat stalked over to the toy chest ripping it open. "Do you think Lizzie knows more then we think she does?" The thought had been on her mind since Lizzie had reacted to them leaving.

"Kids listen. I'm sure they know things that we wish they didn't."

Kat tossed a few of the toys to the side. "Do you think Caroline should tell them? They're young."

"To young to know the extent of the truth," Stefan agreed. "But they should be told something, this uncertainty, the fact that we will be leaving more often. It is only fair that they receive an explanation for that."

Kat hummed in agreeance, frowning at the contents of the toybox. "Lizzie took us leaving harder this time."

Stefan stepped out of the bathroom, heading for the vent on the right side of the wall. "She misses you,"

"Us."

He rolled his eyes at her correction, both of them knowing Katherine was the one Lizzie missed most. "We'll take her out when we get back, do something special with her."

"She'd like that. Being the center of attention."

"Much like her Aunt."

Katherine glared at him but it held no real threat and he laughed. "We should do the same with Hope."

Stefan popped the vent off, looking at Kat. "Okay. I suppose we'll do the same with Josie and Davina?"

"Yes." Kat agreed, pulling out the ratted old teddy bear that sat at the bottom of the toybox. "We might have to take Davina out of town to Mecca. Stef, do you think this looks like Josette's old bear?"

"Take her there so you two can spend my life's savings, unlikely Kat, very unlikely." He replaced the vent upon seeing nothing in it and turned to look at the bear she was holding up. "Looks like it, but its a replica. She has it back in New Orleans."

Katherine tossed the bear over in hands. "I bet you the trip with Davina that he hid it inside."

Stefan hopped down and moved to lean against the end of the bed. "I'm not making that bet."

"Stefan,"

He rolled his eyes at her whine. "Saying my name like that doesn't make me change my mind, baby."

"Yes it does." Kat's lips quirked, knowing that was exactly what it did. "Stefan,"

He loved to see her happy, even if happy meant spending every dollar he had. "Fine but if it's not then I get a month, no pranks pulled on me."

Katherine's eyes twinkled. "Ready to lose?" She ripped open the inside of the bear, two sheets of paper falling out among the stuffing.

Stefan shook his head, a trip to the makeup store with the girls, just what he wanted. "What does it say?"

Katherine handed him the piece of the information that Bonnie would need. "Hold onto that for super witch," She unraveled the other piece of paper. "Congratulations Caroline. One step closer...shall we continue on this journey. Let's move onto the next piece of the puzzle. Your next piece lays were Josie learnt that only I can protect her." Katherine grimaced. "What does he mean by that?"

"I don't know," Stefan was honest with her, but he immediately had a bad feeling. "I don't like it." It didn't sound to bad but way it was implied, Stefan knew it would be. "Come on, let's get this cleaned up and call Caroline."

"Stefan,"

He frowned when he heard the unease in Katherine's tone. "What is it?" He stepped forward, noticing the note she was holding unraveled a little more. Attached was a photo of Josie standing next to the body of a man, clearly dead, the little girl had been crying when the photo was taken, and there in the corner of the photo was the hand of the asshole that was Alaric, a bloody knife in his hand. "Fucking sadistic prick." Stefan hissed, Josie had clearly been forced to witness a murder.

Katherine normally would have commented on Stefan's language as he normally didn't curse but she didn't, instead she quickly folded the note back up. Her heart breaking for what Josie had experienced, the trauma she had gone through.
The little warrior.
Katherine wondered how after everything Josie had gone through, she still turned out to be the sweetest little angel.
"When I die, I am going to find him in the pits of Hell and torture him beyond anything he could imagine."

Stefan could see the pain in Katherine's eyes, he knew that she was hurting for Josie, just as he was. "Come on Kat, we have to call Caroline." He wasn't sure how the blonde would take this news.

---

Marcel took one step into the room, only to wish he hadn't. Every instinct in him telling him to retreat. He'd been avoiding being in rooms alone with Kol since he was a child and he certainly was not going to be breaking that habit now.

"Did I scare you away already?"

Marcel bit the inside of his cheek to bite down the retort that went to flow naturally, instead he kept his feet planted on the ground. Eyes wondering over to Kol who was leaning back on the sofa, bottle of bourbon cradled in his hands. "Drinking the day away."

"As if there is much else to do...well, in your case there is Bonnie."

Marcel once again ignored the jab. Reminding himself that he did not need to get along with Kol, nor be friends with him. He just had to be civil. Not for Kol or for himself, but for Klaus and the family. "Davina still not talking to you?" Valid question, slight jab to hurt the older vampire but not down right nasty.

"Nope."

"Drowning your sorrows then?"

Kol took another sip of the drink, leaning back to stare at the ceiling. "So it would appear." Bonnie's words from yesterday flipping over and over in his mind. Perhaps in another life, in another time, he could have been close with Marcel. They could have been friends.
Why was he jealous? He had Nik long before Marcel had him.
He had a connection with Nik that Marcel could never claim. And yet...he was jealous. Jealous of the connection that Marcel had had with his brother from the beginning. Since Nik had rescued him as a child.
His mind came back to Bonnie's words. "Marcel never took your place, Kol." It was logical. Marcel was a son not a brother. But that also irked Kol, he was more then just Nik's brother.
He heard Marcel's footsteps on the floor, went to open his mouth into another smart retort when Nik's words simmered hot in his mind. "Try for me, little brother. For you to get along with Marcel, well, it would mean more to me then you could imagine. So much time wasted, all I want is for my family to be together. United." He had to try. For Nik. For him, he would swallow his own feelings. "Want some?" Kol picked up another bottle from the table and flung it in Marcel's direction, the vampire catching it.

"Is it poisoned?"

Kol smirked. "You know I'm more gruesome then that. Sit," He flicked his fingers in the direction of the sofa. "Don't overthink it, Marcel." He said when he saw the look of surprise on the vampires face.

Marcel sat down cautiously, twisting the cap off the bottle. "How much have you had to drink?"

"Oh please. Like the drink is the reason I'm civil." He closed his eyes and leaned back against his chair. "So you bedded a witch."

"We are not talking about Bonnie,"

Kol's lips quirked. "So you've only been with one witch." If he instantly knew he was speaking about Bonnie then it meant that he had not been with another. "You've been missing out if you've only been with vampires all these years, or are you a human lover?"

Marcel shifted uncomfortably, taking a sip out of the bottle. "I'm not speaking to you about who I've dated,"

"What about who you fucked?"

"Kol."

"Marcel." Kol mimicked.

Marcel breathed deeply, moving to stand up. "Why do I bother?"

Kol groaned, why did he have to be so sensitive. This would never progress if Marcel was irritated by everything he said. "Alright. Alright. Calm down, Marcel. Sit down. I won't mock your love life."

Marcel was wary as he slipped back onto the sofa. He did not know what the point of this was. He did not wish to be in the same room as Kol. There was a reason they had not got along in the past.
Marcel despised the cruelty that he faced from Kol. He wasn't willingly to forgive nor forget that. The child within him would not allow him too.
He only just had a conversation with Josh. They had not gone into depth but it brought more to the surface. "What is the point of this?"

"To drink."

Marcel was exasperated, did the older vampire never give a straight answer. "You are irritating."

"Most find me charming." He heard Marcel's grunt. "Relax would you. Nik wants us to get along, and for the love of all that is my brother, in order for me to attempt that you need to drink. Loosen up. On guard, stone faced Marcel is not easy to get along with."

"Ever wonder why I feel that way around you?"

"Ever wonder why I make you feel that way?" Kol retorted. "Drink."

Marcel took another sip out of the bottle, leaning back to adjust himself in the seat. Although he did not relax. "You're his brother."

"I'm aware. Same last name and all." He saw Marcel roll his eyes. "You're his son."

"Barely."

Kol scoffed, as if Marcel would downplay his role in this family. "He chose you. Named you. Gave you a life worth living. Claimed you as his. You are his son." A role in the family that they had argued and fought over.

Marcel blinked, unsure if he was hearing the words correctly. Listening to Kol say that he was Klaus's son, that had to be a victory on his part. Was this first time that Kol had openly admitted who he was to Klaus. He wasn't sure how to process that. "I was a child who lost his parents."

"You aren't the only one who lost parents."

If there was one thing about Kol was he could never let someone else have the last word. "At least you had your siblings. When Klaus took me in, I had a family again. Or at least I thought I did. You made it clear I was an outsider. No more then that."

"Of course you were more then that." Kol muttered, opening one eye to look at Marcel. "You think Nik picks up just any child and raises them..." He saw Marcel's look. "Yeah, I suppose he's gained four more children in recent times, but you were the first. The one he saw potential in."

"Compliments now? What happened to you?"

Kol shrugged, taking another sip out of his bottle. He hadn't wanted this chat but apparently what he wanted did not matter, not in his household. He had to keep the peace.

"Pouting, little brother,"

"I'm not pouting."

Klaus raised his eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe, watching Kol close the book in his lap. "Lying too. Intriguing. Is this about Davina?"

"You do not need to worry. Katherine and Bonnie have been kind enough to threaten me on Davina's behalf. I'll behave, no pressuring her."

Klaus's eyes narrowed. "Very good. Pressure her in any form and it will not be Katherine or Bonnie you face." He saw from his little brothers expression that he got the hint. "Is it Freya that bothers you then?"

"I don't pretend to understand your motives, Nik, but I respect them." That was the understanding that they had. Although it was not a decision he would make if Josie was his child, it was a decision that Nik and Caroline thought best and he had no reason to argue against it.

Niklaus's lips quirked. From the moment Kol had witnessed that terrible moment in their childhood, Nik knew he could count on his brother. United even when they didn't agree with each other. "I appreciate it brother, so is it our siblings?"

"No."

Klaus took a deep breath. Knowing exactly what it was, or better put who it was that had his brother in this sullen mood. He did not understand. The rift between his brother and his son was to him quiet ridiculous. Surely they understood by now that he loved them both. "Marcel." He knew from Kol's look that he had pin pointed the exact point of Kol's mood. "Little brother, you must settle the issue between the two of you."

Kol rolled his eyes, opening his book again to avoid the conversation. "There is nothing to settle."

"Do not pretend there isn't a grievance between you. What is it, jealously? Jealously over me? Did I not love you as I should have when Marcel came into my life? Give you enough attention? Please, little brother, you know better. How many years before Marcel did you have my attention, including that of our human lives? How many years after have you had my attention?" Klaus assaulted his brother with questions. "I've always loved you. Valued you as my brother."

"Nik,"

"Do not try to sweep this away. Do you think I have time to deal with this hostility? I do not. I am creating a steady loving environment for my daughters, Marcel is their brother. If you cannot find it within yourself to settle your differences and move on then you must be civil."

Kol sighed, giving a slight nod of his head. "Fine."

"I am not saying this to spite you Kol, nor to make you feel unwanted. Keep the peace."

"Alright. I will."

Nik rolled his eyes at the huff that escaped his brother. Having to remember that although Kol was indeed over a thousand years old. He was still a teenager, some of those traits would remain forever as that was the age he was frozen. "I love you. No one can replace you, Kol. You are the only person," He saw Kol glance in his direction. "The only one," He reiterated. "That knows the truth. The entire truth. I trust you with it, so please do not doubt me when I say you are irreplaceable."

Kol's lips quirked into a relieved smile. Nik had noticed the hostility before but this had to be one of the most honest conversations about it, the reassurance paramount. "For you." Kol concluded. "For you I will try."

"That is all I ask."

"Nothing happened to me," Kol admitted. "Maybe I am to old for the drama."

"You live for drama, but if you do not wish to share. Fine." Marcel took another long sip. "It could have been different you know,"

"How?"

Marcel shifted uncomfortable, unsure if he should say anything but decided he owed it to Klaus. "I looked up to you. I didn't have the term for it then but if I had then I would have thought that you were cool. The things that you were interested in, I wished to for you to teach me, to take me under your wing. Yet, you saw me as the enemy."

Kol looked perplexed by the idea. It was as though he had never thought of it like that. Could it have been different? If he had treated Marcel as a nephew, or perhaps a brother. If he had taken him under his wing, the mischief that he could have caused with Marcel.
Their lives would have changed dramatically.
Yes, he was jealous of Marcel. It was disturbing to put a label on it. Not fond of him, but he was never the enemy. The enemy was his emotions. He hated how he felt when it came to Marcel. He despised it. "You were never the enemy."

"I felt like it."

"You weren't. If anything my anger was spurred on by my inability to control my feelings when it came to you."

Marcel titled his head, unsure if he was hearing right. "You were cruel."

"I've always been cruel. They do call me a psychopath or did you miss that?" Kol smirked, though he did feel a little pang of what he could only describe as guilt. After all he had witnessed when it came to Nik and the pain his brother had gone through, perhaps he should have done better with Marcel. He had never been cruel in the physical sense but the emotional damage would have been done. "I was unfair."

"You admit it?"

"Didn't I just?"

Marcel huffed, leaning back. He wasn't completely innocent. He had taunted Kol in the past, words that he had said to make the older vampire jealous of his presence. Was it payback for the words that Kol spoke to him? Yes. But did it make him guilty too? Yes.
If Kol could admit this part then perhaps he had to admit his, so that they could move forward. "I was a snarky child at times."

"Justified perhaps."

"Not always." Marcel admitted. "Maybe should leave it in the past? If not for ourselves, for Klaus?"

Kol gave a slight nod of acknowledgement. "Hmm, for Nik." He tossed a blood bag from the table at Marcel. "Drink up."

"Thought you preferred a tapped vein. Straight from the source."

"I do but Caroline will bitch a fit."

Marcel chuckled at that, finding himself agreeing with Kol. He drank from blood bags to not draw suspicion but the source, the vein had always hit that sweet spot for him. "I may know a willingly participant or two," He lowered his voice slightly, not to draw Caroline's attention. A peace offering to Kol, a way to move forward.

"I look forward to meeting them."

No more was said as they both sat back, Marcel ripping open the blood bag and Kol taking a drink from his bourbon. Both knowing they would do their best this time, to keep the peace, for Klaus.

---

Hope stood side by side with her dad, both of them staring intently at their own canvases, the sound of the brush strokes reaching their ears. Her heart felt a little lighter after her talk with Caroline, and then her cuddle with her dad, the words he confirmed.
Her family had lied to her but they were still her family. It was okay for her to be mad and still love them. But it was a relief to know that her dad and Caroline would never let her be taken away again. She didn't want to leave this place. It was completely different to the life she had had with Elijah and her mom but it was a nice different. It was really good to have other kids around. She'd never been allowed to play with other kids before. And the toys! Hope was stunned. Why did she not get to have any of them when she lived with Elijah and her mom. How come she'd never been allowed a barbie?

"Hope, come and play with us! Auntie Bonnie got us the new adventure barbies. Look mine is a rock climber." Lizzie held it up to show her.

Hope frowned, looking at the plastic doll in Lizzie's hand. "That's a barbie?"

"Yeah. Look, we have heaps. Auntie Bonnie brought you one too. Didn't you Auntie Bonnie?"

Bonnie who was sitting on the sofa reading through a book, looked over the ten year old. "I thought you might be a little old for barbies but I also thought you might like to play with your sisters." Bonnie grabbed the barbie that was beside her and held it out to her new niece.

Hope took it from her hand gently, almost hesitantly. "Thank-you, but you didn't have too."

"Of course I did, honey, you're my niece." Bonnie saw the confusion in Hope's eyes as she stared down a the doll. "Do you have a favorite kind of barbie? Career, fashion, mermaid?"

"This one." Hope smiled at the barbie who looked like a horse rider.

"I have a horse you can borrow." Josie held it up to Hope. "And we have a stable. Come and play."

Bonnie was stunned with Hope launched herself into her arms. "Whoa, hey kiddo, everything okay?" The affection was welcomed, but it through her a little.

"Thank-you Auntie Bonnie. I've never had a barbie before."

That stunned Bonnie a little. Surely with all the money they had, Hayley and Elijah had brought her a barbie, and if not them then at least Rebekah or Freya might have. "You're welcome, Hope." Bonnie's heart did flutter a little at the name she was called, but more so she just held concern. If a simple barbie made Hope this happy then what else had she been missing out on. "I'll get you your own barbie horse tomorrow."

Hope pulled back, alarm in her eyes. "You don't have..."

"I want to." Bonnie smiled softly. "In fact, you can come shopping with me and chose it yourself."

"Hope, you okay sweetheart?" Klaus asked his daughter when he noticed she had stopped painting and was staring at the canvas blankly.

Hope unfroze, her gaze turning to her dad. "Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Dad, will you buy me a baby doll? Like the one Josie has?" Hope felt a little guilty for asking but Caroline and her dad had both said she could ask them for anything that she needed or wanted.

Klaus was a little shocked by the request, half expecting Hope to be to old to play with baby dolls. "Of course I can." Was his immediate response. If she was fighting against her instinct and being brave enough to ask him then he would not deny her. "Would you like to go shopping for one after your first day of school on Monday?"

Hope's eyes lit up. "School? I get to go to school?"

"Yes. Yes, you do." He cursed Elijah out inside his mind. His little one was so excited over the prospect of going to school because she had been denied it for so long. "I take it you are happy?"

Hope dropped her paintbrush and launched herself at him. "Thankyou dad! Thankyou!" She was going to get to go to school with other kids, and real teachers. She was going to get to learn what the other kids learnt. She'd get homework. "Thankyou."

Klaus wrapped his arms around her, the reaction was more then he had thought it would be. Both heartbreaking and heartwarming. "You're welcome, my littlest wolf." He was going to give Hope the world, and god forbid Elijah ever stepped foot in New Orleans, Klaus was worried he wouldn't be able to stop himself from taking his brothers head.

---

Finn walked around the table to stand beside his mother, his eyes wandering over the books that laid before her. Trying to take in as much of the information as he could before it became suspicious and she turned him away.
She claimed Niklaus as paranoid, but if he was then it was her that he inherited it from. Claiming to trust him but not willing to share the information of the plan incase of betrayal. Yes, he was moving to betray her this time but he had been so loyal in the past. It seemed that did not matter to her.
All he had done.

"Finn, lurking does no one any good. What is it you want, dear?"

Finn straightened up and took a step back, her noticing him was warning enough. He wondered if it was wise to broach the topic, yet there was not another option. How could he stop what she was doing without knowing what was to happen to one of the most important members? "What are you to do with Hope, mother?"

Esther turned away from her books, eyes moving to his, laser focused as if they were piercing right through his soul. "Finn,"

"I do not wish to see her dead." Hope was an innocent in all of this. Never asking to be born into this life. Why was it she was to suffer for the mistakes that they as a family had made. "She is a child."

"The tribrid." Esther reminded him harshly, before schooling her features. "Balance must be restored, and for that to occur completely, the tribrid must die. Finn, darling, you must understand that Hope was never supposed to exist. It is a consequence of the choice I made."

Finn couldn't agree with that, why did Hope have to pay the price for the choices that his mother made. "You wish to end the family line, she could carry it on." He had seen the lengths that humans would go to, to protect their family. Their children. Why did his mother not care to protect hers.

"My family line ended when my children died,"

"Mother,"

"When my children died, my family line ended and blood lusting monsters were born."

Finn hid his reaction, burying it beneath his mask. He couldn't allow her to see the affects her words had on him. It appeared his mothers love had an expiry date and that he did not understand. "Do you hold any love for your children, for me, mother?"

Esther's gaze softened slightly but her words were harsh. "My love for you, died with you."

"Did you ever love Niklaus?" Although it had been quiet some time since they were human children, he still remembered her treatment of him. The way she had dragged him harshly by his ear when he was in trouble, the sharp words and the sound of skin hitting skin. Yes, his mother may have loved him but he doubted that she ever loved his brother.

Esther's eyes darkened, she turned away from Finn back to her books. "Niklaus was a curse, from the moment I birthed him. Your father wished for a girl, Niklaus was a boy. Since his entrance into this world, he has caused me nothing but pain." If she was in luck then his death would finally put an end to her suffering.

Finn should have thought through his next words. Instead he kept speaking as though she wouldn't find the next sentence insulting. "Do you hate him for not being a daughter because you regret not fighting harder for Freya? Do you hate him because Mikael lost his precious baby girl and it took you three more children before you could birth another daughter?" He had a feeling the loss of her daughter was the real source of her pain. She placed the blame on Niklaus, ignoring the facts and claiming him to be the child who ruined everything,

Esther's grip on the book she was holding tightened, trying to shaking away any pain that she felt. The mission. The plan. Correcting her mistakes that was all that mattered. "If you cannot carry on with the plan, if your judgement has been clouded."

"Mother,"

"Finn, darling, I always thought you to be better then them. That you understood the unnatural state you are, but if you are like your siblings then..."

Finn knew he had to back peddle now. Erase suspicion from himself. "Mother, if you think that this is for the best then I believe in this. I only wished for you to answer my questions so that I could understand why you felt this way. If the girl must die, then so be it." He would never allow it but for now he would continue to play his part. "Please, the next step. I am eager to know."

"Marcel must be brought to me. Rebekah must be returned." Esther smiled at her son. "You believe that redemption is fit for your siblings?"

"If you do not, then I do not, Mother."

"Let us see if the abomination has any love for his little sister. Will he heal her, or let her suffer?"

Finn kept his features neutral, though he would be lying to himself if the word abomination did not anger him. Yes, his brother was not a whole, he was two halves but he was not an abomination, he was simply his brother. "He has always had a sweet spot for Rebekah, mother."

"She betrayed him. You think back on all she has done and still believe that he will forgive her? He is ruthless, darling."

"Do you believe he will, mother?"

"No I do not." Esther did not believe that her son would show such compassion. He was a monster, that sort of empathy was beyond him. "Come closer, dear. Alaric will get the child. Marcel will be delivered to me, as Rebekah will to be to Niklaus. Hope should be brought to me first, I want to speak with her and the other child, Davina. Word of mouth is she is both witch and vampire."

"What do you wish of her?"

"I wish to see if simply staking her is enough to end her life, or if the witch blood in her veins prevents such a simple death. If so, I must see if there are others like her only then can I erase all of her kind."

"Mother; why Marcel?"

Esther's smile grew wide. "Finn, my dear, all your siblings must die. I cannot do it, while I hold no love for them, they are still my children. Others must be put to work. Marcel is the only son among the girls. From the information I have, he does not get along with Kol. Niklaus has never allowed him to be with Rebekah. Marcellus was left behind when they retreated. His place in Niklaus's family is vulnerable, knowing that gives me the ability to shape him. He will be the one to kill the remaining family. As for Niklaus, two of his so called children will stand side by side to murder him."

"Why?" That was manipulative, even for his mother. Sadistic.

"Why not?" Esther smiled. "Perhaps then he will feel a fraction of the disappointment and anger I feel for him, in his own children when they take his life."

---

Damon's hand hovered over the call button, he was hesitating, not because he wanted to keep anything from her but because he was afraid that she would not answer. It had been so long since they had spoken. But this was their lives, the lives of Klaus and the girls.
He hit the call button without a second thought, holding the phone to his ear, listening to the calling tone.

"Damon?"

"Caroline, you need..." Damon didn't get another word out before he hit the floor, neck snapped, body hitting the ground with a loud thud.

Elena ran into the room, surprised by the loud thud, shocked to see Alaric standing over Damon's body. "What happened?"

Alaric picked up the phone, holding it up to Elena finger against his lips to tell her not to make a sound. "Caroline," He mouthed.

"Damon?" Caroline's voice came through the phone. "Damon, are you there?"

Alaric snapped the phone shut, inside he cheered when he saw the fury on Elena's face. "Elena,"

"He was going to warn her! Why the hell would he do that?" Elena looked down at Damon's lifeless body. "The whole time he was against us, wasn't he?" Elena was furious with herself, she should have known why Damon had stayed with her when they left town. "You bastard." She screamed at him.

Alaric only nodded agreeing with her assessment, moving closer to her. "Luckily, I caught him in time. Let's get him downstairs. I can't have him ruining this for me. I want my daughter back."

"You'll get her back." Elena walked forward and snatched the ring from his finger. "Stupid Damon, you are so stupid."

---

"Lizzie, honey, that is the third time you've stopped." Bonnie spoke as Lizzie once again gave up on the spell she was attempting to do. "What's on your mind?" Normally the little girl was eager to learn, would completely be entranced in whatever magic spell they were doing but since she had walked through the door today, Bonnie had been able to sense that something wasn't quite right.

Lizzie let out a frustrated groan, looking at her Auntie. "I don't know,"

Bonnie gestured to the two seated sofa. "Come sit, Lizzie." She guided her over, both of them settling on the sofa. "Talk to me, is this about you argument with Davina this morning? Is that what is bothering you?"

"No." Lizzie mumbled, she wasn't even really annoyed with Davina. She had a bad feeling that was all, and she kind of took it out a little on Davina. "I don't know what's wrong, Auntie Bonnie, I just have a bad feeling."

Bonnie was a little surprised when Lizzie scooched over and nestled into her side. They loved each other, enjoyed their time together but the little blondes favorite was Kat, they were affectionate with each other, just as Josie was with her. This was more then just one of her and Lizzie's quick hugs, the little one had buried into her side and was grabbing onto her shirt. "Hey, everything is okay."

"Nah uh," Lizzie mumbled, disagreeing. "You said when it doesn't feel right that I should trust that, Auntie Bonnie, and something really doesn't feel good. Something bad is going to happen."

Bonnie could hear the unease, the slight scared tone in Lizzie's voice. "Hey, honey, nothing is going to happen to you. I wouldn't let it and neither would your mom or dad."

Lizzie tilted her head to look up at her Aunt. "But something bad is going to happen, Auntie Bonnie, I just know." Lizzie didn't know how to explain it so that she would understand. But when she woke up this morning, Lizzie just knew that it was going to be today that something bad happened. "It's not me Auntie, nothing is going to happen to me...but..." Lizzie sighed, frustrated with herself. She didn't know what was going to happen, or to who but inside her belly she felt sick. "I'm not telling a fib, I promise, really I'm not."

Bonnie rubbed Lizzie's back, kissing her on the top of her head. "Okay," She could see how much Lizzie wanted to be believed, she was afraid that Bonnie would shrug it off. "Okay, I believe you."

"Promise,"

"I promise, honey. Can you tell me when you got this feeling?"

Lizzie's body relaxed a little. "I was dreaming about Marcel taking me for ice-cream but then he was gone, he disappeared and then I was in in Uncle Stefan's house and Uncle Damon was there but he..." She frowned when Bonnie's hand stopped rubbing her back. "Auntie Bonnie, are you okay? Your eyes look weird."

Bonnie made a small noise from the back of her throat, Damon's name leaving Lizzie's mouth caught her completely off guard. It wasn't like she had never heard it before, Lizzie had spoken all about Damon when they first left him but over time that had faded. The older she had gotten, the longer they went without seeing him, the more Lizzie must have noticed that no one else mentioned him so she no longer did.
That was a mistake on all their parts, Lizzie was only a child, she shouldn't have had to keep quiet about a member of her family.
"I'm..." Bonnie cleared her throat. "I'm fine, honey. So you woke up from your dream feeling bad?"

"Uh huh. I think something is gonna happen. But is it gonna happen to Marcel or Uncle Damon, Auntie Bonnie?"

"Lizzie,"

"Bonnie! Bon," Caroline opened the door with force, phone gripped tightly in her hand. "Damon called..."

"Uncle Damon?" Lizzie piped up.

Caroline immediately locked eyes with her daughter, suddenly remembering what room she had walked into and what they were doing. "Uh, yeah, Uncle Damon...Hey Marcel has to run an errand for me and he needs a buddy to go with him. You want to go?"

Lizzie frowned, that sinking feeling still in the pit of her stomach. "Mommy," She whined at her mother before her gaze snapped up to Auntie Bonnie, eyes exploring hers as if to say, this is the bad thing, isn't it. "Grown up talk right?"

"Sorry baby," Caroline spoke watching Bonnie help Lizzie off the sofa.

Bonnie looked straight into the little girls eyes. "I heard what you told me, and I believe you." She saw the relief. "Let me talk to your mom and we'll figure it out. I won't let anything happen, okay?"

Lizzie smiled just slightly, happy that her Auntie hadn't thought she was being silly. "Thanks, Auntie Bonnie."

"You're welcome."

Caroline gave her daughter a brief hug as she passed before turning to Bonnie. "What was that about?"

"I'll explain it later. Maybe Damon misdialed?" Surely that had be it, because otherwise it had to be the worst timing ever. Her heart ached a little as she spoke his name, all these years an suddenly he was as present as ever in her life. Just as she had started to move forward.

"He said my name, Bon, it...I swear there was panic in his voice." Caroline looked slightly alarmed by it. This was the first time anyone apart from Stefan had heard from him, and even the contact been the brothers was pretty nonexistent. Just a few brief texts, the trip that Stefan and Kat had taken to Mystic Falls to go through Alaric's belongings was the first time he had been back there in a while.

"Caroline," Bonnie's voice was suddenly strained at the thought of Lizzie, Damon, the bad feeling, panic. "I..."

"You know, Bonnie; you know that there is only three reasons he'd call. A threat to the girls or our family, trouble with Elena or..."

Bonnie knew exactly what Caroline was going to say. You. Bonnie hated that she knew the third reason was herself. "I can't." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I cannot be a part of this. He's fine. He's always fine."

"I called back, multiple times Bonnie, he hasn't picked back up. You know that despite everything he would answer."

"Would he?" Bonnie snapped, only to then look apologetic. "I'm sorry, I...that was uncalled for. He's probably busy."

Caroline had the decency to look sheepish as the next line came out of her mouth. "Can you call him?"

"No,"

"You know if you call he'll answer."

Bonnie wanted to get out of this room, the last thing she wanted to do was call the man she loves...loved...that she loved. But the desperation in Caroline's eyes was clear and the words the Lizzie had spoke flooded her mind. She had always told the twins to not ignore the bad feelings as it always meant something, so it wasn't as if she had a choice in this.
Pulling her phone out of her back pocket, she scrolled through to until she found the number, it was simply under the letter D, her finger hesitated over the call button. Unease spreading through her, what if he actually answered. She wasn't ready for that. Still for Caroline and the twins, she would do anything.
Bonnie worked up the courage and called the number, putting it on loud speaker because if she couldn't speak then Caroline would have too.

Except the phone call went unanswered, and Bonnie could see the alarm in Caroline's eyes.
Caroline was right, Damon would have answered if she called, no matter how busy he was. He didn't which only meant trouble.

"Bonnie," Caroline called out to her friend, her sister. "Bon,"

Bonnie stared at the phone in her hands, watching it tremble slightly. Aware that her entire body was shaking. "Fucking Damon." Bonnie cried out, anger in her eyes. How could he do this to her, pop back into her life. Even though it was not his physical being, his emotional presence in her life was enough. "I can't go, and I will not ever go back their, back to him..."

Caroline knew she could not ask that of Bonnie. There had to be a line that she could not cross, a line that asked to much of Bonnie. "You don't have to...I...either Stefan or I will,"

"Stefan is in Nashville. Your children are here. You can't leave them Caroline, but..."

"I'll go,"

Caroline and Bonnie both turned, shock covering their features when they found Kol leaning again the doorway. Neither believing what Kol was offering.

"Don't look so shocked, darlings; anything for family."

Caroline raised her eyebrow. "Family?"

"Yes, family. Is that not what you are, sister?" Kol winked at her, telling her all that she needed to know. Now that she and Nik were an item and raising children together, it meant they would be apart of the his life. They were all his family now. Mikaelson's not by blood but by heart. It meant doing what he could for them. "I'll check in on Damon."

"So eager to leave New Orleans, you just arrived?" Caroline did not see why he was so eager to get out of town. "Nik would not like it if you left so soon,"

"Nik will understand. It is for the family, and he is all about family these days."

Bonnie tilted her head. "Leaving Davina so soon?" Although she appreciated that it wouldn't be her that had to leave, that would have to face the man she once loved.

"You said so yourself, witchy; friendship first. She doesn't need me right this moment, she needs her mother, her father and her Aunt. I must accept that. So I will do what I can so that you may stay together. She doesn't deserve to lose time with people she loves to this mess that is our lives. Neither do my nieces." He had been mourning the loss of relationship with his girlfriend but the idea of friendship had given him a new hope. Davina had told him, that she needed time. He couldn't expect them to be best-friends. She needed to grow, experience a life without him and that meant not crowding her.
He hated the thought but it also meant he needed to live a life without her by his side. He couldn't just pout in the shadows and wait, he had to move forward. "Do you want me to go or not?"

Caroline smiled. "Yes," She was worried, and perhaps it was nothing but at the same time it could be something. "Thankyou."

"You're welcome."

Bonnie tucked her phone back into her pocket, trying to ease her feelings by taking in a deep breath. "Don't call me. Call Caroline, or Stefan but don't call me. I don't...I..."

Kol's lips quirked. "I'll keep Caroline updated." He pushed himself off the doorframe. "Hey, do you think Marcel would want to come?" He saw Bonnie's furious glare and he held his hands up in surrender, chuckling. "Kidding. Kidding. Sheesh, darling, unresolved feelings or what?" He left them alone.

Bonnie opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. What could she say to that...yes, yes, she did have unresolved feelings.
She might have moved on with Marcel but that didn't change who Damon was to her.
Biting her bottom lip she sunk back down into the sofa recalling her conversation that she had had with Stefan just hours earlier.

Bonnie sat on the sofa, phone to her ear, foot jiggling against the floor impatiently as she waited for Stefan to answer. It seemed like forever but in reality it was only a moment. Not letting him get out a greeting, instead thoughts springing from her mind, information she had needed to tell him. "He asked me about children. I haven't thought about children since I...since Damon." It hurt to speak his name, and she knew it shouldn't. Not after all this time. "Is it supposed to hurt this much? I agreed to be his girlfriend. I...last night I was ready. I was ready to commit myself to him but it shouldn't hurt right? Not still."

He didn't have to know all the details. This was his sister, regardless of blood. It pained Stefan that she was struggling with her feelings and thoughts regarding Damon.
Although his brother was one of those people that once you loved them it was hard if not impossible to let go. "Love is a complex and uncontainable emotion, Bonnie. In some aspects I truly believe more so for those of us that stem from supernatural circumstances."

"I do not like to think about him, or the past. If I do then..." She took a deep breath to steady her thoughts. "Maybe I am not ready to move forward. I don't want my life with Marcel to be doomed because of my feelings for Damon." Stefan was the one person she didn't have to hide her thoughts with because he understood. He knew that despite everything, the choices that Damon made, he was someone they could never give up on. Not even if they tried so hard to convince themselves. "I don't want to hurt Marcel. It's the last thing I want to do Stefan. I agreed to be his girlfriend. What if I do hurt him? I'm not ready for this."

"Bonnie," Stefan's voice was soft, comforting. "You're ready."

"How do you know?"

"You have never looked in the direction of another, not since leaving him behind. Never appeared interested. That changed when you met Marcel. You care about him and how your past with Damon affects him too. No one said moving forward is easy but you are ready. You were ready the moment you started caring about Marcel. It's time to let Damon go."

Bonnie's hands shook slightly, her eyes on the window. "Stefan, I'm not in love with him, but I love him. I think about him. I want him to be happy. I hope he is doing well and I...I hate to think about him being miserable."

"We've spoken about this." He thought back to the night in the compound. "He gave up his right to his hold on your life. Anything he could have offered you, it disappeared when he made his choice."

"Marcel is..."

"Marcel is the perfect person for you, Bonnie." Stefan told her, there was not an ounce of hesitation in his voice.

"He's amazing and I...he makes me smile, laugh and he cares, Stef, he worries about me. But how do you know?"

"Because out of everyone in this world, he will understand exactly what you are going through. You have your past with Damon and he has his with Rebekah."

Bonnie sighed. "I'm being silly."

"No." He immediately disagreed. "You aren't. You are seeking reassurance on your decision but you do not need it. You made a good choice, the right choice. You wouldn't have said yes to Marcel if a part of you thought it was wrong."

"Thankyou Stef."

"Anytime B." He really did love her as a sister, and while he wished that her and Damon could have gotten their act together, because they would have been a power couple, he respected Bonnie to much to let Damon ruin her life. "You're amazing Bonnie, remember you don't need a man and any man is lucky to have you."

"Why can't every guy be like you?"

"I'm a rarity and sorry to say, but I'm taken."

Bonnie laughed at that. "Love you."

"Love you too, B."

Bonnie exhaled deeply, feeling Caroline sit down and wrap her arms around her. "I'm okay. Stefan's right. I made a good choice. I really like Marcel."

"I know." Caroline squeezed her gently. "He really likes you."

Bonnie raised her eyebrow. "He told you?"

"He told me." Caroline confirmed, that had been the little conversation right before she left for date night with Klaus. She had been flattered that Marcel had confided in her because although he was going to be her stepson, and she would love him as her own despite the age difference, it was a different type of relationship to that she could have with Davina or Hope.

"Caroline,"

Caroline pulled on her jacket and looked over to see Marcel standing at her bedroom door. "Yeah? I'm just getting ready, you still okay to look after the girls?"

"Think Bonnie is doing the looking after, she's getting them ready for bed." Marcel smiled. "You look good."

"Why thankyou." Caroline grinned at the compliment. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Lie," She crossed the floor to be closer to him. "A mother know when something bothers her children. You sort me out for a reason, something on your mind?"

Marcel stared at her. "Creepy that we haven't known each other that long and you already know when I lie." He didn't touch on the line of her being a mother and her claiming him as her child. It was still weird but felt good.

Caroline only smiled at him, a little amused. "Not creepy. Motherly. Now, talk to me..."

Marcel tilted his head. "I like Bonnie,"

"Like?" Caroline gave him a knowing look. "Might be a little more then that don't you think, Marcel?"

"Maybe,"

Caroline could sense it, the vulnerability, he was here for her reassurance, that much she could gather. "You don't need to worry, the fact that Bonnie enjoys spending time with you, is interested in the things you say, and is eager to tell me things means her interest is genuine. She likes you too, Marcel."

"She tells you things?" He looked quiet mortified by the idea. "If I am to be in a relationship with her that needs to stop...immediately. She can tell anyone else, just not you."

Caroline laughed freely. "Oh sweetie, calm down...wait, relationship? You are going to ask her to be your girlfriend?"

Marcel's lips quirked. "Mmm. I think it's time we defined whatever it is that we have going on and like I said...I really like her."

"Bonnie is like my sister, you know that. I only want the very best for her." She saw Marcel's vulnerable look, and quickly moved to sooth any fears. "I think you will be amazing for her, Marcel. Just as Bonnie is for you, I trust her with your heart. She knows what it is like to be broken, to have trust shattered. If Bonnie isn't ready, you'll be the first to know." Caroline reached out to place a hand on his arm. "You will be great together. You don't need me to tell you that to know that it is true."

"So you think..."

"Yes. I think she'll say yes."

Marcel breathed a sigh of relief, it was nice to know that Caroline thought he would not be rejected. "She still can't tell you everything...she just can't."

Caroline laughed. "Oh sweetie, the last thing I want is Bonnie telling me about your private intimate moments. A mother doesn't need to know. So don't worry, no need to be embarrassed."

Marcel breathed in deeply. "Good..." He turned to leave the room, but paused for a moment. "Hey, thanks Caroline."

"Anytime, honey, anytime."

"I don't want to hurt him."

"You won't."

"I want to love him."

"You will."

Bonnie looked at Caroline, seeing the confidence in her eyes. "Caroline, I'm moving on."

Caroline smiled, moving the hair out of Bonnie's eyes, running her thumb over the tears on her friends cheeks. Tears she wasn't sure Bonnie had realized she cried. "You are."

---

Kol was on his way to inform Nik of his departure when his phone beeped with a text message. He grabbed his out of his pocket, the unknown number on the screen accompanied by one sentence. Marcel is in danger. Kol didn't need to question who it was from, somehow he knew.
Finn.
Fuck. He should have told Nik sooner. Had the talk.
Fucking Finn. He was playing the good brother this time.

"Nik!"

...

Marcel blinked, believing that his eyes were deceiving him. It couldn't be. "Rebekah?" He put his arm out to stop Lizzie from moving forward.

"Marrrrrceel!" Lizzie whined, almost dropping her ice-cream cone. "Why did you do that?"

Marcel tilted his head to the side, looking at the woman on the ground. It couldn't be. Why would she have returned here, surely she understood how unwelcome she would be.
The groan of pain reached his ears, a shutter running through him. "She's hurt." He mumbled the words to himself. "Lizzie, stay here."

"Marcel, what are you doing? Mommy said..."

"Lizzie, listen. Just stay there."

He went to take a step forward, only to hear the footsteps, he went to speak to Lizzie again only to hear the sound of the voice that sounded to close for comfort.

"If you wouldn't mind..."

Marcel turned to his left to seek the voice only to end up on the ground, his last memory of the pain from his neck being snapped and Lizzie's cry.

"Marcccccceeeel! Noooo! Marceeeeeeel!"

...

Rebekah's head lulled to the side, the blurry figure of the man she loved falling to the ground beside her, hands upon his body as they removed him from her view. The terrified little girl that was beside him was screaming. "Marcel," Rebekah spoke his name softly. "Owww." She whined at her own pain, the little girls screams invading her mind. "Co...come..." She wanted to call out but nothing else came. "Mar..." The name fell silent on her lips, her eyes rolling back into her head as she succumbed to the excruciating pain of the werewolf bites that littered her body.

...

"Daddy!" Lizzie jumped into Klaus's arms the moment he appeared beside her. "Daddy, they took Marcel. Get him back! I want him back."

"Marcel?" Klaus called his name loudly, eyes darting around as he spun in a circle to take in the scene. "Marcel?!"

"Daddy." Lizzie whimpered.

Klaus cradled the back of Lizzie's head, letting her bury her head into his neck, his eyes roaming the scene. "I'm here Lizzie. We'll find Marcel, we'll find him. It's going to be okay." He tried to sooth her.

"Marcel?" Kol vamped around at quick speed assessing the scene before he came to a sudden halt. "Well, hello, little sister."

Klaus's eyes were drawn to Kol who was standing over a body. "Kol,"

"Looks like the family is returning."

Klaus took a step forward, rubbing Lizzie's back as she cried into his shoulder. "Shh, darling, I've got you." He soothed, eyes hardening when he saw the body withering on the ground. "Rebekah?" He wasn't sure how to feel in the moment, the eyes of his sister staring up at him, the bite marks that covered her body, the pain in her features. It was a lot to process. The betrayal in his heart.
Klaus would be lying if he said he didn't consider turning around and walking back to the compound. He would be lying if the thought of leaving her there withering didn't sound appealing but it was the name that left her lips.

"Marcel."

Klaus's jaw clenched. "Bring her."

"Nik," Kol did not look at all pleased by the idea.

"My son is missing. My daughter is crying. She knows something. Bring her."

Kol glared as he roughly drew his little sister into his arms. "I hope it hurts, sister." He hissed into her ear.

---

Thoughts?

It's been a while, for that I apologize.

I hope you enjoys this chapter as it sets up the start of the end of Esther's plot. Will she succeed? You won't have to wait to long now to find out.

Much Love. x