EDITED OCT22

"Morning," Brenna sighed as she rolled over to look at Kol.

"Good morning," he smiled at her, brushing some hair out of her face.

"What?" Brenna asked as he stared at her.

"Has anyone ever told you how stunning you are darling?" he smiled as he leaned in to kiss her.

"Urgh, no," she complained as she tried to pull away. "You have morning breath."

"Excuse you!" Kol gasped as he rolled on top of her, trapping her so she couldn't escape. "Say sorry," he teased as he kissed her face.

"Never," she giggled as she squirmed to get away from him.

"You know I could always just keep you here."

"It's been nice hasn't it?" she smiled.

"Just the two of us," he agreed, as he rolled off of her and let her snuggle into his side.

"Turning off our phones was the best idea."

"My idea," he bragged.

"Yeah, yeah," she waved her hand.

"We could stay here forever."

"I told you," she whined. "I want to finish high school and then we can go away. There's not long left."

"I know," he sighed as he kissed the top of her head. "Would you want to live here?"

"I always love New York," Brenna lay her chin on his chest. "We could use it as a holiday house? Nik won't get rid of this apartment. We could live in the English countryside? I think that's my favourite."

"Well," Kol said tracing his fingers up and down her arm. "I think we could do that."

Brenna went to lean in for a kiss when his phone rang. She quickly pulled away, her mouth wide open. "Your phone is on!"

Kol smirked before reaching across to grab his phone from the side table drawer. "Hello?" he answered.

"Babe, seriously," she groaned. "You need to slide the green button across," she showed him. "Ok, now you can talk."

"Hello?" he repeated. "Seriously Nik?" he whined as he sat up and leaned against the headboard. As soon as Brenna heard that, her face dropped and she dropped her head into her pillow. If Nik was calling, it meant they'd have to go home. "Fine. I said fine Nik. We'll come back today. No, I'll tell her. Go away Nik," he said hanging up.

"Noooo," Brenna whined to Kol.

"I'm afraid so. And we need to move fast. I'll pack while you have a shower."

"Is everything ok?"

"We're breaking the linking spell today," he said and Brenna's face lit up. He quickly pecked her lips before moving over to the cupboard and biting down on his wrist.

"Ah, oh my god, ew, what the hell are you doing?" Brenna gasped as Kol grabbed a small vial and let the blood fall into that. "Umm, why?"

"To break the spell the witch will need a vial of blood from all my siblings. You're in charge of mine."

"You're not coming with me?" she asked sadly.

"No, unfortunately. I have to go… somewhere else."

"Somewhere else?" Brenna asked crossing her arms.

Kol sighed. "Do you trust me?" he asked as he sat down next to her on the bed. "Because if I tell you, you'll be mad, but you have to trust me. I won't do anything that'd hurt you. I swear."

"Why can't you tell me?"

"You definitely wouldn't approve. Trust me?"

"Alright, alright fine," she nodded hesitantly. "Just this once. I don't like it when we keep things from each other."

"Neither do I, darling," he said kissing her quickly. "Come on, we have to get you on a plane to help Rebekah and Nik," he said ushering her along. "Get moving."

Brenna groaned. "I can't believe you're making me take a flight by myself."

"Well, I have to go on a four-hour flight so count yourself lucky. Much longer than yours."

"Ah-ha, karma," Brenna teased.

"Get moving," Kol laughed.

"Ummm, go fish," Sage said to Brenna.

"Seriously," Brenna whined.

"This game is boring Brenna," Sage complained as she threw down her cards.

"I was told to keep you company!"

"Yeah well now you're actually rotting my brain," Sage joked while Brenna glared.

"Well, I think it's fun," Brenna said irritated.

"You've lost 10 games in a row."

"Shut up," Brenna scoffed.

"Was that the door?" Sage asked sitting up straight.

"I think so. But we haven't finished the game."

"Who cares about the game," Sage said standing up and running out of the library.

Brenna groaned. "I was having fun," she whined before following Sage out of the library. "You can go down you know," Brenna whispered to Sage who was standing at the top of the stairs staring at Finn as he was thrown through the front door.

"Gather your witch," Rebekah said as she and Nik walked in after Finn. "Let's get his blood and get on with it."

Sage slowly took a deep breath before slowly walking down the stairs, Finn hadn't noticed her yet.

"You can't force me to help you," Finn spat back at his siblings.

"Oh, I most likely could," Nik smirked. "But why force when I can persuade?" he said gesturing with his arm out towards Sage, who was walking down the stairs towards them. Brenna was watching as Finn slowly turned his head, as soon as he set eyes on Sage she saw him stop breathing for a moment.

"Hello, Finn," Sage greeted nervously.

"Sage," he whispered in shock and a wide smile erupted across Sage's face. Finn scrambled to his feet and Sage began running down the stairs to meet him at the bottom and pull him in for an embrace they hadn't been able to share for 900 years.

Brenna smiled at the pair as she leaned excitedly over the banister.

"What do you know?" Rebekah said rolling her eyes. "True love prevails," she said bitterly.

"It does occasionally have its uses," Nik said, subtly flicking his eyes to look at Brenna while he replied to a text on his phone. "Brenna!" Nik snapped. "I've asked you before not to do that," he warned as he pointed a finger at her.

"What?" she asked. "This?" she leaned further over.

Brenna only blinked and she felt herself being lifted up and found herself standing beside Nik. "Spoilsport," she grumbled.

"You behave like a child sometimes, you know that right?" he asked.

"I'm only 18," Brenna shrugged.

"You're over 1000 love," he rolled his eyes.

"I have something to do," Rebekah said. "What do you need from me for this spell?"

"Just your blood and your blessing. Where are you going?" he asked.

"I have some unfinished business with Damon Salvatore," Rebekah said with malice. "Ask Sage what he did to me, and then you'll understand why retribution is in order."

"Yes, well, don't be gentle," Brenna smirked at Rebekah before she walked away. "I have no idea what happened," Brenna shrugged at Nik. "So what are we doing today?" she excitedly clapped her hands together.

"I have things to do love."

"Nik," Brenna whined. "You pulled me all the way over here, you have to keep me entertained."

"I'll give you until Rebekah gets back. What do you want to do?" he sighed.

"I need a Go Fish partner."

"Isn't that a card game for children?" he asked.

Brenna slumped down. "Sage beat me 10 times before you guys got here. I need to know if she's just really good or if I just really suck. Come on, please."

"You owe me," Nik scowled.

"Yay, let's go," Brenna squeaked, grabbing his hand and dragging him to the upstairs library to play.

"There we go, Rebekah's home," Nik said dropping his cards.

"Dammit," Brenna whined.

"You're not that bad love."

"I only won once and that was because you let me win."

"Come on, let's go," Nik said helping her up and following her as she walked downstairs and into the ballroom in time to see Rebekah running a knife across Damon's throat.

"Ew," Brenna groaned. "What'd you do dude?" she asked Damon, who only groaned in response.

"Well, look what you caught," Nik said proudly. "If you're trying to bleed him of vervain don't you think it would be easier to hang him upside down?" he asked tipping his hand to demonstrate.

"Oh, use gravity, good idea Nik," Brenna nodded with a smirk.

"I'm perfectly capable of inflicting pain, thank you very much," Rebekah said.

"Oh, well, excuse me. It's not like I have any expertise in the matter," Nik playfully smirked at Brenna.

"I'm not going to approve that comment."

"You know, why don't you two just leave me be and go and manage your witch? I hardly need a running commentary."

"I don't think we're welcome love," Nik said holding his hands up and walking out of the room.

Brenna turned to follow when Damon spoke up. "Brenna," he groaned. "I have to talk to you."

"I think you're a bit busy Damon. You must've done something seriously bad if she's got you like this," Brenna grimaced as she surveyed the scene.

"I've been calling you it's urgent."

"My phone's been off," Brenna shrugged. "I was on vacation."

"It's about Stefan, he's not in the right frame of mind," he said weakly.

"The Mystic Falls Club's problems aren't really my issue anymore Damon. Sorry," she shrugged before following Nik. "So which witch did you manage to wrangle up?" she asked and he just smirked at her. "Which witch?" she asked with a laugh.

"Try saying that ten times fast," he smirked before they entered the parlour. "Ticktock. I should hear chanting by now."

Brenna and Nik walked into the room and Brenna froze. "Oh," she said as she saw Bonnie sitting nervously on the couch. "That witch. Nik, seriously!" she complained.

"She was the closest," he shrugged at her. "I just need her to unlink us that's it. She's been here a week already, what's another day?"

"A week! You've had her for a week! Nik, that's kidnapping," Brenna said putting her hands on her hips.

"Well if you and Kol had answered your phones it might've been quicker. One more day," he smirked at Brenna before turning to Bonnie. "How goes it love?"

"I'm still studying the unlinking spell. It's not that easy, especially under duress."

"Trust me," Brenna said as she leaned in the doorway. "Compared to some other things currently taking place in this house, this is not duress."

"You've been warned," Nik hissed moving closer to Bonnie. "If you're looking for a way to send for help I will kill anyone who comes to your rescue."

"This is the spell," Bonnie snapped standing up. "I just don't know if I'm strong enough."

"You are strong enough Bonnie," Brenna interrupted as she walked to stand in front of Bonnie. "Kol's taught me plenty about magic, I know a powerful witch when I see one, you're just delaying it."

"Thanks love," Nik smiled. "You should have a little more faith in yourself, Bonnie. Your energy helped my mother link us."

Brenna smirked at Nik. "I've seen Bon Bon here open a magically sealed tomb. She also resealed it to keep my sister trapped in it. Trust me, she's more than capable."

"Honestly, I think someone isn't trying very hard," he said and Bonnie glared in retaliation. "Very well," he said pulling out his phone and dialling someone.

"Kol," he said on the phone and Brenna stood up straight.

"How's the weather up there in Mile High City?" he asked. Brenna's eyes widened and Bonnie looked over at her confused. "And how's our friend?" Nik asked. "May I see him?"

Brenna raced forward and grabbed the phone. "I'm going to kill you Kol!" she roared. "You jerk-faced bozo! You're top of my list now!"

"Relax love," Nik rolled his eyes as he took the phone back and turned it to Bonnie. "There's Jeremy," he said, showing Bonnie the video feed of her brother playing with his new dog in the park. "Playing fetch with his new puppy." Brenna was still angry he'd been able to convince their relatives in Denver to adopt a puppy. They'd been working on their parents and then Jenna to get a pet, but no one ever caved. And suddenly he goes to Denver for a few weeks and he gets a puppy. It was rubbish.

"Isn't that just the most adorable thing you've ever seen?" he asked Bonnie before pulling away. "Thank you Kol, we'll be in touch," he hung up. "So, Bonnie," Nik said turning back around to face the young witch. "How about that spell?"

"Nik!" Brenna yelled.

"Come on love," Nik said grabbing her elbow and leading her out of the room. "Keep working on it," he yelled back at Bonnie.

As soon as they were out of earshot Brenna smacked him upside the head. "What the hell!"

"Ouch," he complained as he rubbed his nose.

"What. The. Hell!" she emphasised as she flicked his nose.

"Alright, alright," he smacked her hand away. "To be fair, I didn't think he'd keep it a secret from you."

"Well, you asked him to!"

"Yes, but he always tells you," Nik shrugged.

"I am fuming!" Brenna growled.

"I can tell," he said before walking away.

"Wha... where you going?" she ran after him.

"Look," he turned back to her. "It's only until the spell is broken. Your brother is in no danger. I wouldn't ask Kol to do anything and Kol never would anyway. Think of it as a good chance for them to bond." When he said that, Brenna instantly paled. "What?"

"Jeremy has a lot of dirt on me. Things I don't need Kol knowing."

"Here," Nik pulled a book off the shelf. "Peace offering," he said, handing her an old copy of Jane Eyre.

"Ooo!" she cooed at it. "This is my original copy."

"We'll sit in the room with the witch, you read your book, she'll unlink us, and it'll have been a productive day."

Brenna was trying to read her book when Damon's scream pierced through the air causing her to look up from her book.

"What was that?" Bonnie asked panicked standing up to face Klaus.

"The duress I mentioned earlier," Brenna said as she turned her page. "I've been assured it's well deserved."

"I wouldn't let it bother you, love," Nik smirked at Bonnie.

"Well, it does bother me," she snapped back. "You bother me," she aimed at Klaus and he mockingly placed a hand on his chest in pain making Brenna snort. "It's not funny!" Bonnie snapped and Brenna rolled her eyes before going back to her book. "The way you use people to get what you want. It's not right."

"You're being emotional, Bonnie," Nik warned.

"What are you doing?" Bonnie aimed at Brenna. "He threatened your brother! He's your best friend, don't you care."

Brenna slammed her book closed and stormed towards Bonnie. "You want to know what bothers me, Bon? My husband is linked to his siblings and is vulnerable. Obviously, I care about Jeremy. Don't insult me by implying I don't. His safety depends on you doing what we all know you are very capable of doing. But you caused this. You and Elena and Stefan and Damon. All of you think you're so important. Do I think Nik is a good guy? No. But do I think you have the right to kill our entire family? Absolutely not. It's not justified, Bonnie. It's murder. You're all nothing but insignificant children meddling in a world much bigger than you. You're out of your depth. So stop complaining, and do what you're told, and then you can go back to algebra homework like a good little teenager."

Nik smirked at Brenna and walked to stand next to her. "I understand that things have been rough for you, Bonnie. You know, with your mother leaving again," he said, clearly hitting a nerve in Bonnie as she flinched. "It's very sad. I can help you find her if you want. I have people who can find people. I can bring her back to you. Or, if you choose, I can just bring parts of her back," he smirked at her, changing tone quickly, and making Bonnie jerk away from him. "Isn't it obvious that I'm just going to continue to hurt the people you love until you do the spell? Now, I know it's in the Grimoire. And I know it requires the blood of my siblings," he said walking over to the coffee table and grabbing the case he'd stored the vials of everyone's blood in. "So here we are," he said opening it to show Bonnie. "Elijah, Rebekah, Kol, Finn," he said pointing them out before he bit into his own hand making it bleed.

"Urgh, that's twice today I've had to watch that, it's so gross," Brenna complained to Bonnie. "You're bleeding on the rug!"

"Where do you want us?" Nik asked Bonnie and she turned around to grab a glass to catch Nik's blood in.

"Thank you, protect the rug," Brenna said throwing her hands up. "Seriously though, I want that rug steam cleaned Nik."

"I promise I'll get on it as soon as this is done."

"At least Rebekah laid down a sheet to keep the blood off the floorboards."

"I said I'll fix it."

"I mean everyone else got vials first, you just immediately got blood all over the floor."

"Brenna! Love! I'll see it gets cleaned."

You better," Brenna mumbled as Bonnie began her spell. The two of them stopped bickering as they watched Bonnie pour all the blood into the same cup and then pour it onto the table.

Brenna opened her mouth to complain and Nik immediately glared at her. "Not a word."

After a minute, the pool of blood began to separate into five separate circles. Bonnie yelled in Latin and all the candles in the room lit up violently. Brenna yelped and pulled Nik in front of her.

"It worked," Brenna breathed in relief as the flames settled. "Oh my god it worked," she laughed as Bonnie breathed heavily. "I'm texting Matt!" Brenna cheered as she pulled out her phone. "Let her go now Nik."

"Certainly," he smiled at Brenna. "Grab your stuff Bonnie," he said and Bonnie quickly ran around the room gathering her belongings.

B - Linking spell is broken. Partyyyyy

"Paint quieter," Brenna asked.

"Painting is pretty much one of the quietest things you can do," Nik replied.

"I can hear the brush on the canvas."

"I can hear you turning the page of your book. Why so snappy?"

"You know why I'm snappy."

"Your brother was never in any danger," he sighed.

"You should have told me," she mumbled.

Nik then smiled. "Stefan's here."

"He's probably here for Damon," she smirked as they left the painting room and headed to where Rebekah was torturing the Salvatore brother.

"Oh, good, a hero," Nik greeted Stefan. "What do you want?" he asked. Stefan threw a duffle bag on the ground in front of Nik. Brenna went to open it but Nik stuck a hand out in front of her to stop her. "What's this?"

"I'm here to make a deal," Stefan offered.

"Stefan, what are you doing?" Damon groaned.

"Eight stakes made of white oak," Stefan said. "The part of Wickery Bridge that you forgot to burn."

"What?" Brenna asked eyes going wide as she looked at Rebekah.

"That's impossible," Rebekah said shaking her head.

"Actually, it's not," Stefan disagreed. "Finn's dead."

Brenna let out a choking noise and covered her mouth as her eyes immediately filled with tears. "No."

"You killed my brother?" Rebekah asked shakily.

"What?" Damon groaned. "No, Stefan, no. We told you that wasn't the plan," he yelled in pain. "We were waiting," his head lolled to the side. "We had to unlink them. That wasn't the plan."

"Is that why you kept calling?" Brenna breathed and Damon nodded. Brenna cried as tears began falling. Nik sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort briefly.

Stefan took a step forward. "Damon in exchange for the last eight weapons that can kill you."

"And how do I know there aren't any more left?" Nik asked and Brenna could feel his rage bubbling beneath the surface.

"Because there aren't," Stefan assured.

"He's lying," Brenna said glaring at him.

"Let's be certain, shall we?" Nik asked. He then stormed over to Damon. "Leave," he ordered.

"No," Damon snarled back.

"Go on, leave."

"Nik, he's my plaything, not yours," Rebekah whined grumpily.

Nik then grabbed Damon's face and forcefully turned it to look at him. "I said, go home," he compelled. Damon groaned when Nik let go of his face and then began trying to pull his arms from the bear traps, all it did was make an awful mess of his wrists and Brenna had to look away it was too much for her to watch. As soon as Brenna turned her head Nik yelled, "all right, stop. Stop, before you hurt yourself," he laughed to himself as Brenna turned back around. "Well, I see that he can finally be compelled. Now… minus the stake that's in my brother, how many more stakes are out there that can kill me?" Nik asked.

"Eleven," Damon reluctantly answered.

"Eleven! Really. So not eight, then."

"You really shouldn't have lied," Rebekah hissed.

"I'll get you the other three," Stefan assured as he hung his head.

"Yeah that'd be nice," Nik growled. "Or, since you lied maybe I'll just compel your brother to chew out his own tongue."

"What is wrong with you?" Stefan asked.

Brenna scoffed and whispered to Rebekah. "He just killed your brother, and Damon is only being threatened with a mutilated tongue. Not exactly an eye for an eye."

"What is wrong with you?" Nik bellowed at Stefan. "Do you really have no appreciation for me? I have given you someone to hate. To loathe. A target for all your anger so you don't have to turn it on yourself. I've given your life purpose, as your friend," Nik hissed. "I mean, I really think you should be thanking me."

"Enough," Stefan yelled and slammed Nik against the wall, holding a stake to his chest. Neither Brenna nor Rebekah flinched though. Nik would never be in danger from such a young vampire.

"Step down or you both die," Nik warned menacingly. Stefan slowly stepped back and handed the stake to Nik. "There. Now you only have to get me the other two."

"This is ridiculous," Rebekah complained as she pulled away from Brenna and walked over to Damon before tearing the bear claws off of him, causing him to fall to the ground.

"What are you doing?" Nik asked moving away from Stefan.

"Yeah, what are you doing?" Brenna asked curiously.

"I brought him here. I get to release him," Rebekah explained as Nik groaned. "My rules now. Bring us the stakes and you both live. Take your brother as a sign of good faith," she said walking forward and grabbing the duffle bag of stakes in one hand and Brenna's wrist in the other as they both walked out of the room and towards the parlour. Rebekah and Brenna started throwing the stakes in the fire in silence when they were joined by Nik. "I can't believe Finn is dead," Rebekah said in shock.

"Good riddance. He was an embarrassment, Rebekah," Nik dismissed.

"Nik," Brenna chastised.

"He was still your brother. Mind your tongue," Rebekah snapped at Nik.

"Fine. If you both want to yell at me, let's all say a prayer for Finn who slept in a box longer than he lived as a man. He was a lovesick fool, he's better off in death," Nik was lashing out, but Brenna knew it was to cover up the pain he was actually feeling so she didn't say anything, but Rebekah did.

She stormed up to him. "Is that how you would speak of me if I died?"

"Well, you let the Salvatores loose with two stakes that can kill us so I guess we'll find out soon enough. Since when did you have a soft spot for them?" he retorted. Brenna immediately dropped her head into her hands, this family did not handle talking about their feelings well at all.

"The Salvatores may fight like dogs, but in the end, they would die for each other. At least they know what family means. You destroyed ours."

Brenna knew this wasn't the right time for her to pipe up so she stayed silent. "I wanted a family, they just didn't want me. And now we're unlinked. We're no longer responsible for each other."

"So are you leaving?" Rebekah asked.

"Soon as I get my stakes, I'm gone," he said and Brenna looked up from the fire to look at him sadly. "I'm going to take Elena and use her blood to create a new family of hybrids," he said and Brenna rolled her eyes and looked back down at the fire. That was never going to happen.

"And if I choose to stay?" Rebekah asked bitterly.

"Then you're just as pathetic as Finn," he snapped before storming out of the room.

"Hey," Brenna said grabbing Rebekah's arm lightly. "You're not pathetic. Go lay down for a bit ok? I'll come find you later." Rebekah nodded before leaving the room.

"Nik," Brenna sighed as she followed after him.

"I don't want to hear it."

"I know, just..." she said before pulling him into a hug. After a minute, she pulled back a bit. "I know you're sad. It's ok to show it. Just remember, he wanted it to end. He never could handle this. It was never for him. Finn wanted to die. Sage coming back just delayed the inevitable, this is what he would have wanted, don't feel guilty for it, I know you do. Just do me a favour and call you brothers. It's better they hear about this from you than me, it's a sibling thing," she said sadly before leaving the room without a response. She walked back into the parlour and grabbed her phone off the table and saw numerous missed calls from Matt.

"Brea!" he yelled as she answered. "Oh thank god."

"Hey Matt, now's really not a good time..."

"Brea, we're so sorry. We tried to stop it."

"What are you talking about Matt?"

"Stefan. He locked Elena and I in the storage room at the Grill. We told him no. He's gone rogue Brea. I'm so sorry."

"You and Elena tried to stop him?" Brea asked shocked.

"Yeah. Elena said we wouldn't do anything until the Original's were all unlinked."

"Matt... I just... thank you, but I can't really talk about it now."

"There's something else."

"What?"

"Sage died."

"Stefan killed Sage?" Brea sobbed. "My Sage!"

"No. She died an hour after Finn. Stefan thinks that when an Original dies, their whole bloodline dies with them."

"Thanks for letting me know Matty," she said quietly before hanging up.

"Hey," Brenna greeted 15 minutes later as she made her way to Rebekah's room.

"Hey," Rebekah answered weakly. Brenna came over and lay next to her on the bed. "I heard your phone call," she said and Brenna looked over at her sadly. "I never liked her, but I know you loved her. I'm sorry about Sage."

"Her whole life she was in love with Finn. She spent her whole life waiting for him to be released and she only got to spend one day with him," she said sadly. "I can't talk about it."

"Neither," Rebekah agreed. "Can we just lie here please?" she asked and Brenna nodded and the two girls just lay there, with their thoughts, not talking.