If there was something Elena Gilbert was good at, it was keeping secrets. Much like a perfectly defined mastermind, she could take down whole cities with the secrets she possessed. She had the Original Family at her side, a bloodline that was recognised as powerful, a history of magic that saw the creation of immortal beings and the very blood in her veins could see factions massacre each other, just to obtain a drop.

Yet, here she was, sat on the floor in the courtyard with Elijah and Hayley, ready to tell all. She had been overwhelmed, vindictive, completely erratic since that day in the warehouse and it was time to let it go.

She had a lot to let go, not only her problems but the city too. It was time. She was packed and ready to leave, she just couldn't do it without saying a proper goodbye - she always did say she would go out with a bang.

"We need to talk, guys."

She took a deep breath, separated from the embrace and headed for the liquor cabinet. She grabbed the usual, a bottle and two glasses and filled them up. She handed one over to Elijah before speeding off into the kitchen, taking the mint-choc ice cream out of the freezer, fetching a spoon and returning to them. She passed it to Hayley and sat down in the centre of the courtyard.

Elijah was dumbfounded by how casual this was, but this wasn't new to Hayley, Elena never failed to provide ice cream in place of scotch.

"I didn't turn completely deranged because Marcel and Davina tortured me," She almost laughed, almost - it was a funny thought, she barely noticed pain, torture wasn't going to hurt her, "you guys should know me better than that by now. No, something else happened and that hurt more than any knife wound - it was awful."

"What was it, 'Lena?" Hayley asked between scoops of ice cream, it was almost cute to watch.

"So, you know about doppelgänger blood, right? The powerful and annoying blood that haunts my bloodline?"

"Sort of, I know it's the ingredient Klaus needs to make hybrids."

"It's more than that," She took a large sip of scotch and turned to look at Elijah, giving a solemn look that he understood all too well, before turning back to Hayley, "witches use it, it's quite a potent ingredient in powerful spells, if there's a strong enough witch, they can do pretty much anything with it. Just like Esther did a thousand years ago to create vampires, then to shackle away Klaus' werewolf aspect and again, nearly two years ago, in a ritual to break said curse."

"History lesson is great and all, but what does that have to do with you now?" Hayley stopped eating, spoon dunked into the ice cream as she flickered her gaze between the two nervous vampires.

"Well, somehow, I don't know how, Davina managed to create a ritual that reinstated the mystical properties of my blood," The secret was out, it was big, Elijah's shocked expression was enough to confirm that.

"It's impossible, you're technically dead, Elena," Elijah protested, mainly out of disbelief - but he knew what he saw.

"I thought so too, but apparently not," She pursed her lips together and popped her eyebrows in a nonchalant manner before knocking back the rest of her scotch. Elijah did the same, Hayley didn't understand how bad the situation was yet, "Davina told me that magic that old and powerful doesn't die, it's infused in my bones, written into every cell and ounce of DNA within my body. And although I died, it still remained, just lay dormant."

"That reminds me about what Sophie said when we consecrated Esther, that the magic stays in the bones until it's released back into the earth," Hayley was starting to put the pieces together. Elijah and Elena gave a nod simultaneously and it made them smirk.

"Exactly, she technically consecrated me and channelled the power back into me," She started filling her glass up again, "she said something about a consecration but that I didn't need to buried, just that I needed to have nature infused back into me, stated it was a loophole of some kind since nature created the shadow-selves."

"How bad is this?" Hayley asked, face and voice filled with solemn.

"Considering we're in a city overflowing with powerful witches that mean to destroy us with magic, I'd say quite bad," Elijah took a deep breath, trying to collect his thoughts, "To what end did Davina expect to gain from accomplishing this? Surely she was aware of the dangers having your blood restored could bring."

"Yep and that's the kicker, apparently in one of your darling mothers grimoires, there's a ritual that can be performed to kill you all, once and for all," Elena responded, "all that was missing was-"

"Your blood," Elijah pursed his lips together, silently cursing his mother's continued ploy to end her children, "and this would have been simple for Davina to accomplish, she had the power of four witches coursing through her veins and access to mothers power from consecration."

"And I think she fully intended on doing it," Elena continued, her theories bustling around her mind, "The other night, when we were in the bar and I asked you what time she died," he nodded, "I realised about the sleep spell but she didn't have enough time. I don't think she ever intended on me leaving that warehouse but-"

"They underestimated how far we would go to see you safe," Elijah and Elena shared in a soft look, along with a soft smile and she rolled her eyes playfully at the sentiment. He chuckled - far too sweet for her liking but she enjoyed it.

"And then we had someone watching you constantly," Hayley chimed in, their conversation turning into that of a brainstorming session.

"So there was no way she could get my blood, not without starting a war and then her magic went on the fritz, nearly took the city down with her and I assume killing your family was the least of her concerns," She paused, taking a quick breath to settle her erratic thoughts, "The only thing we have to be cautious of is the spell, if she had it, then that means Marcel must have took the grimoire from your collection, Elijah, and considering the amount of witches in this city that hate your family, I'm sure he won't have a hard time finding one powerful enough to finish it."

"We need to get that book back," Hayley was starting to panic, her voice was becoming urgent.

"We will," Elijah assured her, "I give you my word, both of you, that this will be handled, I won't let anything happen to this family."

"God, you're far too sweet, it's nauseating," Elena quipped and she nudged her arm against him playfully, "Right, Hales?"

"Painfully so," She tilted her head, shining that crooked grin she wears so well and Elijah laughed, a genuine laugh that was rarely heard from the Original Vampire.

"You two are impossible."

"Aw, thanks," They said it simultaneously, sarcasm on point and they shot each other a playful glare - it was hard to deny the force of reckoning that was Hayley and Elena.

"Anyway," Elena said with a smirk, "I got to thinking about the whole 'loophole' thing and how every spell has one, I got a bit wary about what could have happened with her ritual, something about me hasn't felt right since she did it."

"What do you mean?" Elijah asked, the lines on his forehead ever prominent with his confusion and stress.

"I can't explain it well, all I've got is that everything feels more heightened than before," She shrugged lightly, trying to make it come together in her mind but failing, "I mean, I took down Marcel like he was nothing and he was angry, hurt about Davina and I was vengeful, more vindictive than I've ever felt, it was consuming. I went a bit mad there for a minute and it didn't feel like a switch thing, I've had it off for what? 6, 7 months now? And yet, physically everything still feels different."

They were silent, contemplating and trying to make sense of it but they came up blank.

"This is why I have to leave, not only is it safer for my blood to be out of this city, I have to know what she did to me," She paused to take a large sip of scotch, "and I only know one witch powerful enough to find out."

Elijah's eyebrows raised and he looked at her in disbelief, "The Bennett witch."

"Yep," she popped the 'p' dramatically.

"You planned on returning to Mystic Falls, even after everything those that claim to love you put you through," he shook his head, tapping his finger against his temple, "You cannot go back there, if Davina has done something to you, then we will figure it out here."

"There isn't a single witch we can trust here, Elijah, the second word gets out about my blood, I'm doomed," She argued.

"I'll find one," He was adamant.

"It's not just that, once Klaus learns about all this, what do you think he's going to do to me then? Just ignore the fact that he'll be able to sire hybrids again? Is that really what you both want?" Her case was compelling.

"You believe Niklaus will just use you as his personal blood bank again," it was more of a statement than a question, he knew how much Elena detested this in Mystic Falls and now that she was immortal, she would be an endless supply of doppelganger blood.

"Don't you?"

"I don't," Hayley looked to Elena, her eyes offering more reassurance and comfort than she had expected from her.

"You weren't there in Mystic Falls, Hayley, he was obsessed with creating hybrids, the things he did to get my blood were... Creative, to say the least."

Senior prank night flashed into her mind, how he had killed Tyler and forced Bonnie to find the answer to creating the hybrids - how he compelled Stefan to hunt her and then turn it off. She woke up in a hospital that night, hooked up to an IV that was siphoning bags of her blood.

"A lot has changed since then, Elena, you know he car-"

"No, that won't matter, not when it comes to the potential hybrid army he could create, quite literally for all eternity," She filled up their glasses, "he cares about that more than anything else."

"You have to tell him, 'Lena," Hayley was using her sweet and persuading tone of voice, the one that made everyone cave but Elena just looked at her with wide eyes and utter disbelief.

"Did you not hear a word I just said?" She tapped her hand against her forehead and sighed, "Endless hybrids, Hayley, it won't matter how useful I am to him, this will be more important to him and I'll never be able to leave, he tried to take me away from Mystic Falls countless times, anything to have the constant supply of my blood. Except this time, I'll end up choosing to stay because I'm annoyingly invested in this stupid family."

"Such a sweet sentiment, Elena, I don't know what we did to deserve you," Elijah quipped sarcastically and she shot him a playful glare.

"You don't deserve me," she retorted, smirking.

"I believe that you are, in fact, quite right," his playful demeanour ceased and he turned quite serious, "I still think you are completely demented for joining with this family considering everything we have put you through but I'm happy that you did."

"Me too," Hayley nudged her with her elbow and grinned.

"You're both going to make me hurl," She rolled her eyes, "And buttering me up won't convince me to stay, there's far too many downsides to my presence in New Orleans."

"I don't believe Niklaus will use your blood to sire hybrids and you can't just leave us, you've become an integral part of this family now, Elena, he's changed since you came into our lives, I don't know what effect your absence may have on him," Elena pulled a face, a completely unconvinced look and he sighed in disapproval, "Besides, Hayley will be devastated."

"I'm sure you'll all live."

"But to live without you, sweet Elena, there would be no-one to torment us relentlessly," his words made her laugh, Hayley too and he persisted, "I have grown quite accustomed to your challenges and games, I am clueless as to what I would do without them."

"And who else will kill perverted truckers, just to get me ice cream?" They continued to laugh, liquor flowing, teasing seemingly unending and she relished in those few fleeting minutes she had left in New Orleans, "Klaus won't do anything to hurt you, Elena, just tell him."

"Tell me, what?" He stood in the entrance of the compound, watching as they laughed, seemingly bonding without him made him nervous and perhaps a tad frustrated, "I thought you'd be long gone by now, little raven."

They all fell silent by his sudden appearance and the tension in the air became thick. Elena watched as he walked through the courtyard and went straight for the scotch. She was starting to question whether they all drank too much, it seemed to be the go to for any mood.

Elena looked between both Hayley and Elijah, taking a deep breath before giving them a nod of her head. She wasn't entirely sure she was going to tell Klaus about her secret but she knew she had to talk to him at least, if only to end their quarrelling and leave on somewhat positive terms.

"Elijah, we should go out, I'm craving ice cream," Hayley gave the worst excuse ever and Elena rolled her eyes at her.

"Of course," he sped to his feet and helped Hayley onto hers before vacating the compound and leaving them alone.

Elena watched him curiously, he had one hand gripped tightly on the edge of the cabinet and the other housed his glass. He was tense, frustrated, she expected no less but she still had the urge to calm him. He had his typical indestructible and monstrous facade put up around him, it was clear in his withdrawal from her.

"Can we talk?" She broke the lingering and awkward silence between them but he barely flinched at the sound of her voice, just kept his back to her and looking forward.

"I'm not in the mood, Elena."

"Wanna tell me about it?" She tapped the space beside her on the floor, "Unfortunately, I've become quite a good listener in recent months."

"Your mood has changed," he finally turned around, his demeanour less than welcoming, "I'm shocked to see you're not challenging me or attempting to attack me."

"Do you want me too?" She inhaled a quick breath and sped to her feet, instantly regretting what she said, "I didn't mean that, it's like a reflex, I'm sorry."

"Did you-" he was taken aback, lips parted and finger pointing loosely at her for a long moment before he let his arm drop, "You apologised?"

"Right... I guess I did," she shook her head, a small chuckle emitting from her lips and he looked at her in disbelief.

"If this is one of your games, Elena, I'm warning you, I am in no mood for it," He snapped, tone filled with venom and he finished his drink, quite quickly.

"Look, they told me, okay?" She exasperated and took a few careful steps towards him, "they told me everything you di-"

He drew in a quick breath, lips parted and face crumpling ever so slightly as he realised he was about to be forced into another vulnerable situation that was only going to be one-sided. She couldn't feel, didn't know what it was like to be vulnerable anymore and he detested she had that effect on him.

"It was nothing," he kept his facade up, refusing to be a part of another meaningless and infuriating void conversation, "you're under the protection of our family, Elena."

"I know I'm not exactly filled with fluffy feelings or emotional dribble but I can recognise when I've been unfair," she took an extra step forward, "I can also see how much you have done for me, I can't feel the emotion behind it but I can appreciate it, so thank you."

"Is that all?" He was nonchalant, closed off and heading for the bottle once again.

"God, you're annoying, I'm trying to apologise, to reach out-"

"You are not obligated to do so, love," he poured her a glass, closing the distance between them to push it into her hand, "you have been useful, it's a shame you're time here has to come to an end, just as it was getting interesting-"

Eyes blackened, spider veins spreading and she let the glass drop from her hand as she grabbed onto his shoulders and crashed his back into the stone wall, "Don't!"

She had more of a fightback, he tried with strength to budge her but she pushed back harder. This only seemed to anger him further and his eyes revealed their hybrid nature - he was like a blur, spinning her so she collided with the brick and her back hit with a thud, "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

"No!" She yelled back, "Not with you, I can't."

"The games, Elena, they have to stop," his voice was turning into more of a roar and she was currently trying to fight fire-with-fire. And both their fires were strong, Petrova and Mikaelson, two forces that shouldn't ever battle, as the consequences were often catastrophic.

Wickedly beautiful catastrophe that echoed through the ages.

"You don't get it, I'm not playing a game!" She took a deep breath, using every ounce of strength she had to compose herself, even a little bit would suffice, "For the first time since I came here, I'm trying to be honest, you have no idea what it was like, when I woke up and saw Marcel, I wanted to kill him, thought I deserved that considering how much I've done for you but then you stopped me and I thoug-"

"That we didn't care," he softened, eyes returning to normal and his grip loosened slightly, "that the attack on you meant nothing to us."

"Yes!" She was far from relenting, she was struggling to contain herself, "and then you told me to leave, Klaus, just because he was coming here and you may as well have said that I was completely insignificant. I guess you could say my pride was tested."

"I regretted that the second I said it."

"So yeah, I lost it a bit, became heavily vindictive I and may have took it on you, I'm sorry!" God, she was still yelling, still unravelling and she couldn't get herself together. She could see how he had relented, his temper was dissipating but she was still unable to contain herself.

Why did her senses feel so heightened? Even in her fightback, she was relentless.

"You don't need to apologise, Elena, I understand," he sighed, taking a step back away from her and letting his grip of her fall.

"I don't want to leave knowing we're in a fight," she closed that small distance between them again, battling the urge she felt to touch him by focusing on a steady breathing.

"If I asked you to stay, would you?" His voice was quieter, softer even and his lips came together in a flat line. His emotion seeped out slightly and she relented.

"I don't know, Nik," she looked to the ground for a long moment and sighed, her mind was a mess, racing faster than she could comprehend... but then she realised and so did he, -Oh no- they both snapped their gazes on each other with widened eyes and in complete shock.

"You called me Nik..."

Nik.

Oh freaking god.

"I'm sorry," she pressed her hand to her forehead and shook her head, "I don't know why I did that, I'm so used to hearing it - god, I don't know what is happening to me!"

"Stay," He spoke firmly but his vulnerability was starting to show.

"What?"

"Don't leave, you have to stay."

She turned around, avoiding eye contact whilst she thought. She was normally good under pressure, she'd handled way worse than this in the past but yet, it still seemed like a loaded request - how could she stay? There was so much that could go wrong with her presence in the city, her blood was like a ticking time bomb that could see to the end of the Mikaelson's and the city as they knew it. She felt weirdly protective of her blood, more than she ever did before, like it was trying to force her from the city and the man that once terrorised her for it.

She took a quick breath, why did she need so many of those tonight? She didn't turn around, couldn't look at him, "Do you truly want me to consider this?"

"If I said yes?"

"Then I would have to ask you to make me a promise," she paused, fighting all of her logic in a quick mental battle and taking a leap of faith, "then I would have to tell you something that is going to change everything."

"Elena, what is it?" His concern came flooding to the surface and seeped out into his voice.

She plucked up the courage to face him, to look him in the eye and take a hold of his hand, "You have to promise me you won't use me anymore, I know I'm useful, being slightly demented and completely emotionless does have it's perks in battle but you have to let the choice be mine, I have to be able to choose what I want, choose whatever fight I can be involved in - if I stay, a lot of things have to change. I haven't felt free here since the day I arrived, I've felt obligated to do yours and your family's bidding and that has to end, now. Promise me?"

"I promise, little raven."

"Oh," she smacked her lips together, quite stunned, "that was easier than I thought it was going to be."

"Is that truly all you think your worth is to us? To me?! It may have started that way, but I can assure you, a lot has changed since then," he fought back, blue eyes staring deeply into hers and she was quite taken aback by his abrupt response.

"Good to know," She smirked.

"Now tell me what it is you've been keeping from me, Elena, I need to know."

So she did. She told him everything, about Davina, the ritual, her blood, Marcel's plan to kill them and the entire time, he was a mess of emotions. They ranged from shocked, apprehensive, angry, frustrated, guilty, confused and settled on full blown rage when he was informed of Marcel attempting to use her to kill his entire family. They must have got through a bottle and a half of scotch before the conversation had finished. But she managed to relay all the information and answer his rather temperamentally asked questions the best she could.

And now, he was pacing up and down the courtyard with a stomp in his step that indicated his anger. She couldn't tell what he was thinking or how he was feeling beneath the anger and she didn't feel like prodding the bear mid-psychotic episode.

"I'm going to hurt him in ways his insignificant mind won't be able to comprehend," his voice was a growl and he didn't cease in his strides, "Then I'm going to kill him in a spectacularly brutal manner."

Elena was sat on the liquor cabinet, she gave up on walking to it constantly and filling up glasses, and chose to just have the bottle, "I bet you're wishing you let me stake him now, huh?" She smirked.

He stopped briefly to throw a disapproving snarl her way, "Not now, Elena."

She chuckled, then jumped down from the cabinet and walked towards him, "Come on, lighten up," she held the bottle out towards him, "I've had far too much liquor to devise a battle plan now and your pacing is making me dizzy."

"This isn't something to make light of, he's trying to kill us, he hurt you in ways I can't even imagine and he's restored your doppelganger nature," even though some of his words had actually been quite sweet, they were diminished by the enraged manner he spoke in, "In a city with no shortage of ruthless witches, I don't think he realises how dangerous that could be."

She paused, the cogs in her mind working overtime and he noticed the change in her pace. It was disconcerting - he was worried and she had this overwhelming need to know.

"Is it just the witches I have to be cautious of?"

"I can't imagine who else would require your blood... Unless there are vampires colluding with th-" he stopped pacing, froze dead a short distance away from her when he realised and woefully met her gaze, "You don't mean vampires, do you?"

She shook her head.

"You mean me."

"I need to know."

"You need to know if I intend on using you as infinite supply of blood to make hybrids," He sighed, he wasn't angry at her accusation, he understood it, he'd never be able to take back what he did to her in Mystic Falls but he was trying to make amends, "No, Elena, I have no intention of creating more hybrids."

"Isn't that all you've ever wanted?"

"It was," Klaus sighed, "I obsessed about it for a thousand years, I was consumed by your bloodline and I hunted your ancestors for centuries. All I thought about for so long was becoming my true self, I tore your life apart to do it and here you stand now, endless supply of blood and I don't see you as a means to making the army I've always dreamt of, not anymore."

She was going to push him, of course she was, this wasn't as simple as a few reassuring words and kind sentiments - no, this was the potential to create a whole new superior species and that burden fell on her to protect against it. She was logical, she knew Klaus having an army like that would see to the end of everything she knew again.

"I can give you everything you have ever wanted, Nik," she sped towards him, gazed locked and he gasped lightly, "I can't die, you won't be able to kill me, I'll be here forever, I could even stay by your side through all of it and everything you've ever wanted from me is right here, coursing through my veins."

"Stop this, Elena," he growled, taking a step back but she followed.

"You could just take it, whenever you want, how can I fight you? Im completely at your mercy," She edged closer to him, his face a picture of violent distress and he was cracking, slowly but surely, he was coming undone, but she only pushed harder, "Just take it!"

A growl burst from his lips and in one explosive moment, he seized his arm around her waist and crashed his lips onto hers like a nuclear detonation. He was a man possessed, kissed her with urgency and god, it was urgent. It was unbreakable, desperate and heated, so very heated.

Her fingers slid and pulled through his hair and she reeled him in closer, as close as he could be and her back arched into his hold. Like finding the last piece of an almost complete jigsaw puzzle, she fit into him perfectly. She couldn't help but think this was going to happen all along, predetermined by a higher force of power long before she was even a thought in her mother's mind. The doppelganger that would break his curse, sire his army... And the one that fit so perfectly against him, that she made him forget all about those ambitions.

His hands gripped at her waist with fervour and she felt small in his hold, a petite figure unmatched in his build and he backed her into the wall in a heated stride, one that shook the brick and made pictures fall and break. But it didn't distract them, not even for a moment.

He ran his hand up her thigh and lifted her, her legs wrapped around his waist so fluidly and tightly that she felt like she had no control of herself with Klaus. She was caught off guard, pulled in like a wave that brought her to the depths of the ocean and they sunk together. Sunk into each other, their breathtaking kiss and the wildfire that spread ferociously within them.

Shirts were torn, ripped savagely in half and she realised how exposed they were, skin meeting skin and it was electric. She spun him so he was against the wall and his lips found their way to her neck, tongue massaging against the spot that he once drained her from. He was likely thinking about that night, when she gave himself over to him without a fight - and much like she was now, except in a whole different way.

How could she feel nothing and everything at the same time? He made her feel things she'd never felt before.

His mouth trailed down lower, catching her collarbone, gliding over her bra and she hung from his arm when he found her centre. A soft and endearing moan left her lips and it encouraged him. He Needed to hear it more. Wind blasted around them as he brought her onto the table, back crashing against it - he stood firmly between her legs and she couldn't hold him in them any tighter. Glasses smashed, bottles flew and she could have swore she heard the wood crack under the slam of his hand against it.

Her hands smoothed across his chest and around to his back, nails digging into skin like a lion clawed his meal and their lips found their way back into a deep and passionate kiss. And he kissed her like he was a dying man and she was his only salvation. She pushed her hand off the table and like they were pulled by a magnetic force, she clung back onto him. Hands gripping onto the nape of his neck, his squeezing at her hips and she felt the blast of wind again - a tornado unleashing around them as he raced her to his bedroom.

The door slammed shut when he pushed her back against it and he kissed her hard, as though if he kissed her hard enough, she'd feel what he did and it was consuming, intoxicating, a thousand years in the making. He slammed his hand onto the wall above her and pushed into her more, causing their hearts to race and breathing to become ragged. In one fleeting and tender moment, he rested his forehead onto hers, eyes meeting for barely a few seconds in what could have been an intimate and emotional moment. But they came back together like gravity pulled them in and she was consumed by fire, intoxicated by his lips and her body begged -no, demanded- for more.

She slid down from his hold, his lips still stuck on her neck as she pulled at his belt until it came undone and pushed his jeans down. Hers where next to go and their was only thin fabric separating them now.

They crashed around the room like two bulls in a china shop, every meticulous and vehement move created chaos and they revelled in it, succumbed to the passion of it and she pushed him onto the bed with speed. She didn't stay on top for long, one swift move and he was towering over her. Hands exploring, mapping out her entire body like he was a man at sea, trying to find his way back home and he grasped at her with desperation. It was reciprocated. The last of the fabric that covered them had been torn away and they were completely exposed, body and souls -no matter how blackened they were- and their darkest demons connected, tamed and they fulfilled their most twisted desires.

Another game? Another battle for control?

This was to be the most spectacularly destructive one yet.