The Compound - Klaus.

Niklaus Mikaelson was an ambitious man, sought to rule, possess power of a great magnitude, instil fear into those that dare to stand against him. His name echoed through the centuries, everyone that knew of the supernatural world, knew to fear his name, to quake at the mere mention of him and to fear the strongest creature in existence and now, he was King. All had been achieved, he claimed the city back from Marcel, took control of the powerful witch Davina and the masses of vampires that Marcel had accumulated during his century in power and his rule had begun.

He wanted to enjoy it, relish in the power - when he first returned to New Orleans, that's how he pictured it, when he eventually took back the city, he saw himself celebrating endlessly, basking in his new found power and

But he couldn't, he was a mess.

He kissed Elena.

In one weak moment, a fleeting moment of vulnerability and emotional turmoil, he let her in, sought her comfort and her touch, to feel anything but the anguish that riddled him through and through.

And she left, ran faster than he had ever seen her run before, she felt no emotions, so she clearly hadn't been affected by their moment on a deeper level, but what was it that made her run? Run and not return? She left 24 hours ago without so much as a word and he was left in a state of confusion and surprise. But he didn't have time to process futile feelings and moments of weakness, he was King, had a city to rule, power to establish and it hadn't been easy.

No-one was happy about the regime change, a meeting with the inner circle lead to the order of a wolf hunt, just to appease their doubts about his intentions with his child. Hayley didn't approve. Elijah and Rebekah put a stop to the act upon her request.

He failed to heed Marcels warning regarding the human faction, how he had to play the politics, be democratic and find a way to work together. He didn't - it lead to vampires being killed and a massacre of the faction at St. Ann's church. Marcel didn't approve, but it worked out it in the end. All's well that ends well.

He wanted to move Davina into the compound, to keep her close and protect her from those that sought to harm her. He didn't care for the witch, only the power she possessed, the power that he wanted to use for himself to keep control of the city. Marcel talked him out of it, requested Klaus wait a day or two whilst the he settled into his new role as King. Marcel claimed it was to prevent Davina from becoming collateral damage but he was being suspicious. He was reluctant at first but agreed to keep the peace.

Then there was the matter of his family, they argued once again after they revealed they had discovered a part of his family had moved into the Bayou. The family from his true father's bloodline. He was abhorred at first, but Elijah apologised for his behaviour and he invited them to live at the compound, to live as a family and move past their dispute. They agreed.

Klaus was in the courtyard, nursing a glass of scotch in his hand and reflecting on the events of the past 24 hours. As much as he kept trying to focus on the city, his new role as King and how he possibly could have made better decisions that day, he kept falling back into thought about Elena. His little raven, the kiss - no, stop, don't think about it - she meant nothing to him, reminding himself constantly that she meant nothing to him, she was a pawn, a tool in the fight against Marcel and she was good at it, so good, a perfect emotionless soldier.

"Niklaus," Elijah's sudden appearance broke his thought processes and he snapped his line of sight onto him.

"Yes, brother?"

"I thought since me and Rebekah have rejoined with you in our family home and considering your new found position within the city, we should discu-"

"Not tonight, Elijah," he sounded melancholic, distracted by a heavy thought and he sipped at his scotch, "I'm not in the mood."

"I thought you'd be overjoyed by your take over of the city, we're together again as a family, everything you've wanted since our return and yet, your mood remains unchanged," Elijah, now at the liquor cabinet, took the bottle of scotch and sat beside his brother at the table, "what is wrong, Niklaus?"

"I'm hardly in the mood for sibling bonding," Klaus deflected, watching as Elijah poured them both a drink out and they clinked glasses quickly, "besides, this isn't something worth the discussion, brother."

"You have succeeded in your mission to reclaim the city, if something is effecting your mood on this day, then it must be a substantial issu-"

"Hey," Hayley interrupted, much to the relief of the hybrid, as she came down the stairs quite hastily and joined in the courtyard, "have you seen Elena at all today?"

Klaus' eyes widened ever so slightly and he pursed his lips together. His reaction was uncontrollable and not as subtle as he thought, considering Elijah noticed.

"I have not," Klaus responded quickly, as indifferently as he could and continued to drink.

"Come to think of it," Elijah tilted his head slightly, "I haven't either, not since the Bayou yesterday."

"Damn, I really wanted to apologise for ambushing her yesterday," she looked up to the ceiling for a quick moment, arms now folded firmly.

"Ambush?" Klaus raised his eyebrows, curiosity apparent.

"Yeah, at the bayou, I may have yelled at her, tried to get her to switch it back on," she shook her head disapprovingly, "I was tired, annoyed, I shouldn't have tried to change her, she is who she is."

"Oh," Elijah looked between them both, his disappointment apparent too.

"What is it, Elijah?" Klaus took a frustrated breath and closed his eyes for a long moment. It was starting to make sense.

"I may have done the same, I tried to appeal to the side of her that can love," Elijah admitted, he was clearly regrettable in his actions but he didn't think his attempt was futile, "I could have swore I got to her, she seemed riled."

But then Klaus kissed her that same night and probably tipped her over the edge.

- Information he shall keep to himself.

"Then I can assure you, she is fine," Klaus stood from the chair and went to the liquor cabinet, retrieving a fresh bottle, "both of you have clearly riled her up and she's not taken kindly to it. I shall find her, most likely at the end of a trail of dead bodies she'll probably leave in her retaliation."

"No, she is used to us trying to appeal to her humanity," Elijah started on a theory, a line of thought he would stay on, "I doubt a lecture from Hayley and shows of affections from me would be enough to send her on a murderous rampage."

"Shows of affec-" Klaus had attempted to reiterate, he was aggravated by even the notion of him and Elena being close, especially in that way...

But Rebekah interrupted, sped down the stairs with her phone in hand and a slight look of panic in her features, "she texted me last night, asked to meet at Rousseau's for drinks, said she wanted to talk."

Klaus zoomed towards her and snatched the phone from her hand, eyes scanning over the messages and he hit the call button.

"She wasn't there, Nik, I thought nothing of it, I was late and assumed she had come home," her panic was heightening and it didn't help that Klaus was glaring at her disapprovingly. It wasn't her fault, but he wanted someone to blame that wasn't himself.

"She's not answering," he shoved Rebekah's phone back into her hand and turned to face Hayley, "Try calling her, she won't ignore your call."

So, she did - but once again, no answer. Elijah tried and was met with the same voicemail. But they all kept trying.

"Surely she wouldn't just leave us?" Hayley asked quite abruptly, punching her number in once again and pressing the phone to her ear.

This was what Klaus was concerned about, Elena had been a flight risk, she never wanted to be here in the first place. If she was subjected to a day of tedious attempts on her humanity and she was exhausted by it, their kiss would have been what sent her over the edge. Forced her to leave and never turn back.

"No, we were close, her humanity was there, I saw it," Elijah argued, and Klaus knew he was right, their night spent together, with the painting, a night of endless fun, bonding, he saw the glimmer of humanity within her too.

"How does that help us now, Elijah? She probably skipped town, you've all attempted to restore her bloody humanity and failed, she was probably bored of it," Rebekah sighed, her guilt rising considering she was the one who brought her to them in the first place and they all had become close, something she didn't anticipate.

"That's just it, Rebekah," Elijah countered, dialling a different number in his phone, "I don't believe we were failing. We should go look for her."

He pressed his phone to his ear and the caller immediately answered, "Ah, Marcellus, have you seen Elena?"

"Not since fight night. Why, what happened?"

"Gather the vampires and search the city for her," he hung up the phone instantly and slid it back into his pocket.

"Rebekah, find Sophie Deveraux, confirm the witches haven't got her," she nodded her head and he turned to look at his brother, "Elijah, she had become quite accustomed to the night life, search the clubs and the hotels, if she's still in the city, that is where she will be."

"What should I do?" Hayley asked stubbornly, clearly firm in her stance.

"Stay here, little wolf, if on the off-chance, someone has taken Elena, then it won't be safe," he argued as he started on his exit out of the compound and she followed behind.

"Like hell I'm staying here, she's my friend, Klaus, probably the only one here who cares about her for who she is, you're not leaving me here," she folded her arms, each of her steps loudening in her adamant chase after Klaus.

"Enough, Hayley," he turned quickly, forcing her to crash into him, "you're not the only one who cares about her."

"is this the part were you tell me you care about her too? All of her? Not just the version of her that is useful?" Hayley was unconvinced, they spent months fighting, hurting each other, she didn't believe Klaus cared about anything that couldn't benefit him.

"It doesn't matter, she's under the protection of our family, an attempt on her life is an act of battle against us," He spoke strongly, "I'm going to Rousseau's, I'll follow her trail from there."

"I'm coming with."

"You're pregnant, Hayley, with my child," He raised his voice slightly, his emotions got the better of him for a fleeting moment and he suppressed it, "if something happens to you, then it happens to my child also, I will not risk that. Stay here, keep trying to reach her."

"Fine," She huffed, "but I have an idea, I'll have the bayou searched."

"Thank you."

Klaus stormed out of the compound, his growing rage apparent as they started on the hunt for Elena.

Jardin Gris - Rebekah.

It took longer than anticipated to find Sophie Deveraux, mainly because Rebekah had a side venture. Another secret meeting with Marcel. Since her return to the city, she had felt obligated to her siblings to take it back for their family. An idea that was changed by Klaus' pursuits forcing him to take everything a step too far. Threatening to dagger her, biting Elijah, the constant arguments and scheming behind her back.

She was tired of it, exhausted, angry, so she went Marcel to plot his downfall. To subdue him in the garden so she could be free. Even Elena had tried to free her from his tyranny with the Vegas trip. They were both trying to free each other and she failed, brought back into the city of death by Hayley's disappearance and the bond she had inflicted upon Elena by bringing her into the family in the first place. Even emotionless vampires can show loyalty and respect, even for the wrong reasons, and since this was a quality Elena had in her human days, it was only heightened in her transition to vampire.

She met with Marcel, the entire conversation was on repeat in her mind and she was hurt, annoyed that he had chose Klaus and the city over her once again. Even after she stood by his side, plotting against her own brother, so they could be happy, he still chose him.

"Rebekah, I got people to look out for. And Klaus is offering me a chance to do that. With Davina working her magic against the witches, and an Original by my side, that's not something I can just turn my back on. Not even for you."

"When you were reliving history with my brother, did you happen to revisit what came next in 1919? Or have you forgotten our little secret? I know the words that will make him hate you forever. Remember that when you're embracing your new 'family.'"

Her darkest secret. One she could never let see the light of day, for all family would be lost to her. Klaus would kill them mercilessly.

She pushed open the door with a bang and she saw Sophie taking inventory until she was brought to a sudden stop by the interruption.

"What do you want, Rebekah?"

Sophie was defeated, she failed to complete the harvest and return her niece back to the land of the living. She was tired of the Originals, the witches and everything in between, didn't have much left to be scared of.

In the blur of vampire speed, Rebekah entered the shop and snatched Sophie by the neck. She slammed her onto the counter and darkened her eyes, "Where is Elena, Sophie?"

She was gasping for air, trying to fight against Rebekah's hold but she failed, "how would I know?" She was coughing between words, voice raspy and she was panicked.

"If you're lying-"

"I'm not," she coughed, gasped and pulled on Rebekah's arm until she released her. She shot up into a sitting position and massaged her neck.

"Do any of your bloody witchy friends have her?"

"No, there isn't many left of us, there's nothing we have to gain by taking Elena, I know you're family would kill all us if we took her," Sophie furthered her cause, arguing relentlessly, "whatever has happened to her, the witches weren't involved."

Rebekah searched within her eyes for any doubt of a lie but when she found none, she stormed out of Jardin Gris and instantly called Klaus, "the witches don't have her."

"I'm becoming more convinced she's left us, Bekah," Klaus said, voice blank and unreadable. She couldn't figure out why.

"She wouldn't do that, Nik," she was being reassuring, for reasons unknown, she felt the need to bring him comfort.

"She's unpredictable in her emotionless state, sister. We don't know what she would do."

"Don't doubt her, brother. She wouldn't leave without saying goodbye, I know that much about her."

He abruptly hung up, causing her to be more suspicious of his intentions with Elena. But he was unpredictable, she highly doubted she could guess the reason as to why he suddenly cared about whether she lived or die. After all, he only ever did what he wanted or when it benefitted him. She was done with family drama.

The Cemetery - Elijah.

Elijah was honourable, a noble man at heart, loyal to a fault but above all else, he was a brother, family meant everything, he had spent a thousand years honouring his commitment to the vow he and his siblings made when they first turned.

Always and forever.

There had been many he had met over the years that he became acquainted with, friend to very few and loyal to even less. Elena was one of those select few that he became committed to.

He knew Elena was doomed to die by his brother's hand, a ritual that occurred almost two years ago when she was barely 17, he swore to protect her, he failed. Swore to protect her loved ones, he failed.

And just like he swore to love Tatia, to protect Katerina from Klaus, he failed.

Where he had failed to protect the Petrova line, she hadn't failed to protect his family. Spent months returning him to his home, infiltrating the vampires, fought against the witches, protected Hayley, saw him through his guilt ridden fever and brought a sense of peace to his family. Even without emotions, she was loyal, attached to them and he cherished that about her.

He sought to return that loyalty and nothing would stop him in his path to finding her.

He had searched every hotel, nightclub, bar and restaurant in the French Quarter, joined with the daywalkers whilst they scoured the rest of the city but she was nowhere to be found.

His last attempt at finding her was a desperate one. He went to Lafayette Cemetery in the pursuit of Sabine, the witch that found Hayley with a locator spell and he sought to do the same for Elena. She was reluctant at first but he was quite compelling in his argument. A threat of death usually got him what he desired, this was no different. A hairbrush and a spell, simple.

His phone rang, the caller ID read, 'Klaus', and he answered, "Have you found her?"

"I've just arrived at Rousseau's, before I kicked up a storm, I thought I'd check in but I'm assuming by your abrupt answer, you haven't found her."

"No, we searched the city, she's nowhere to be found," he said frustratedly.

"She's likely left us, Elijah."

"I highly doubt that, Niklaus."

"Both you and Rebekah truly believe that, am I the only one that remembers she is without emotions? She's unpredictable."

"You know very well, Niklaus, she wouldn't just leave us," he sighed, "I'm at the cemetery, Sabine is working her locating magic as we speak, she'll find her."

"Keep me updated."

He hung up and Elijah was left just as confused as Rebekah was, he seemed far too invested in the safety of the doppelgänger, beyond that of just mutual interest and her usefulness. Something he would have to ponder and overanalyse at a later time.

"I can't find her, Elijah," Sabine interrupted his train of thought, "I can sense her in the city still but her exact location is cloaked, whoever has her is powerful."

"Keep trying," he practically demanded.

"If she's cloaked, I'm not going to be able to find her."

"That's not good enough," his voice became threatening and without restraint, "find her."

Rousseau's - Klaus.

When family was threatened, there was none more ruthless than Klaus in the pursuit of their safety. There had been many times over his long history where he had committed many diabolical and heinous acts of violence upon his enemies.

He didn't know what to think about Elena or how to process what they had done in that one moment of weakness, but he was certain he wouldn't see harm befall her. She was under his protection, she was his doppelgänger, she wasn't a tool to be used against him. She wouldn't be the weakness his enemies sought to use against him. Not her.

Arriving at Rousseau's with less than a good mood about him, he stormed in, noticing the bar was empty and the only one in attendance was Cami, his therapist, stenographer, tool for blackmail against Marcel and she was compelled.

All her memories returned to her the second she looked at him - that's what the compulsion was, to keep Klaus' secrets, forget everything she knew about him and the supernatural world, until she saw him again.

She hated it, offered only a look of disgust and disapproval when she saw him enter the bar. But she knew better than to start a fight, especially at her place of work.

"Camille," he said, as he approached the bar and pressed his hands onto the oak wood in a frustrated and tight grip, "have you seen Elena?"

"Not since last night, why?" She hated how he used her, stole her time away from her, messed with her mind but she was powerless against him.

"What happened?" She saw the panic in his face, the tone of his voice was urgent - she hadn't witnessed that from her before. So she done what she knew best when was someone was clearly struggling, she got him a drink, "tell me everything."

"There isn't much to tell, she came in for a drink, seemed a little off, I tried talking to her but she shut me down," she shrugged lightly.

"Yes, she can be quite unhinged when in one of her moods," he couldn't help but curl a small smile, she was fascinating, "what happened next?"

"She had another drink and then left."

"Where did she go? Did she leave with anyone?"

"I..." she trailed off, her brow furrowing slightly and she seemed to go blank, "I'm not sure. I can't remember."

"You've been compelled," his lips parted, eyes widened slightly as the realisation hit him. She didn't leave, someone had, in fact, taken her and the panic set in, "my compulsion is stronger," he grasped her chin, bringing her line of sight to his and he focused his compulsion, "Remember, Camille, remember what you saw that night with Elena, who took her, remember."

She inhaled a sharp breath, the darkness that shrouded those memories lifted and they flashed across her mind, the images becoming clearer by the moment and she saw it all.

"Oh my god, she attacked me," she sounded more surprised than hurt, she was used to vampires by now but she was shocked that she was compelled to forget.

"Who took her, Camille?"

"She attacked me, but then he came in, stopped her," she looked down at the bar, brow furrowed as the memories kept returning and she was piecing them together, "he snapped her neck and compelled me to forget..."

"Who did?"

"Marcel."

His jaw clenched, rage, betrayal and frustration all came to the surface and he vanished from Rousseau's. He was a mix of emotions, it was easy to hide his panic and concern with his rage but it was still there, it made him unhinged, ruthless,

Once he was on the street, he slid his phone out of his pocket and attempted to call Marcel several times, each time was met with his voicemail and his frustration was growing.

He dialled Elijah's number and pressed the phone to his ear. As soon as he answered, he spoke, "Marcel has her."

"I'm going to murder him," Elijah's rage was clearly growing, "Niklaus, if Marcel has her and she's cloaked, that means-"

"Davina is involved," He pursed his lips together with rage, "Have Sabine try and locate him and call Rebekah, tell her to check St. Ann's."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to start killing his loyal subjects one-by-one until he dare to face me."