Klaus felt his phone buzzing in his pocket as he tenderly nudged Vinny into the elevator and finished wiping the tears from her eyes. He ignored the phone, drinking in every detail of her face. He'd seen it so many times, in so many different ways and never failed to be shocked by the beauty he found there. "Love, why were you crying?"

Vinny turned half away, as if she didn't really want to talk. Klaus prepared to drop it, but this was when she finally spoke aloud. "Damon made me remember he said something that I apparently meant more than he did. It was a long time ago, but...some part of me, Vinny agrees with what Emily said to him even now." Emily? I don't recall any of her lives having that name. "I mean I can see why she loved him." Vinny felt quiet.

Klaus took her hand in his, lacing their fingers and rubbing the back of her hand with with his thumb. "You don't have to explain yourself to me. I've loved and lost before. The only difference is we have each other now and I don't intend on letting go. Not again." Vinny leaned into him for a hug, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face into his shoulder. She had to stand on the tips of her toes to reach. Klaus let her snuffle around, drawing in his smell. He stroked her back before leading her out the now open elevator door and up the hall to the one door on this floor.

"The couple's suite for us, of course." He opened the door and stood back so Vinny could step in first. She let out a soft gasp and went over to the hot tub sunk into the floor by the massive television.

Vinny slowly turned around to face him as the door shut, nerves alight in her eyes. "B-before we do what you brought me up here to do, is it alright if you just hold me for a while? Stroke my back. Maybe braid my hair or something." She felt the pink deeply tinging her cheeks and turned her head a little, suddenly so shy it was unreal. A gentle hand turned her eyes to meet Klaus' gaze.

"I like the color pink on your cheeks." He rested his forehead on her own and placed both is hands on her shoulders, smiling at her and breathing in and out softly. "It's much nicer when the blood stays in that pretty face."

Unbidden an image of her dismembered arm clutched in his hand at another time and another place filled her head and panic rose up without any permission, choking her on her own tongue. Vinny stepped back and panicked a little when his arms were still on her own, vividly as she was recalling the pain of having one torn from her body. Klaus was immediately back across the room, sitting in a chair with his arms and legs folded. "I won't touch you again unless you ask, Vincent. I meant only to cuddle and enjoy the feeling of your presence. Nothing more."

Vinny dropped to her knees, feeling all the world an omega in this moment as she made herself smaller to escape the choking, screaming fit going on in her mind. She began to crawl toward him, shuffling at her own pace and whining with her lips closed. "But Klaus, I'm beyond tired of being alone and scared. I'm less defenseless now sure, but that's enough anymore. If I die, I don't want it to be alone. At this point, I'd rather it be one of you than...whoever did this to me. I'm sorry if that's selfish." She reached his legs and wrapped herself around them, bear hugging Klaus like he might dissipate into smoke at any moment. "Please don't close yourself off from me."

"I...alright, omega." Gentle hands began to work in her hair, combing through the curls with his fingers. "You requested braids I believe. Inga also liked having one of us plait her long hair every couple days. Just relax. I'll do my best."

Vinny was already in heaven from the massaging of her scalp and simply groaned in answer. "Klaus...I love you. I want you to know that. Whatever else has gone wrong, that's never changed. But you should know I love Elijah, too. And I'm sure I'll remember how much I care for Rebekah in time."

"I know." He was pensive.

"So...?" Vinny gently prodded not willing to let go of this topic just yet.

"Omega..." Klaus became a little more tense. "This isn't relaxing, not for me or you."

"I think we should consider-"

He cut her off by blurring around to crouch on his knees in front of her. He gently took her hands, one in each of his own. "Omega, every time you suggest we share you. And something always goes wrong. It's not safe. Please just...let us have today."

Vinny got quiet, but nodded in an effort to pacify Klaus. He went back to braiding her hair and when he was done, he picked her up bridal style and crawled on the bed with her, curling around Vinny from behind. He made low rumbling noises in his throat that weren't growls or purrs but sure did the trick at soothing Vinny. One hand went over her belly and the other under her head to support her neck. "This is what you wanted, right?" He nuzzled at the back of her head, clearly scenting her shampoo of choice.

Vinny's face colored, but she decided she was a on roll with the whole being brave thing today. So she took a breath and asserted herself. "Actually...what I wanted was some skin-to-skin contact. If you could take off your shirt and let me roll over...Listening to your heart sounds like the best thing I would've done in weeks."

"Of course."

x

Elijah glanced worriedly at the speedometer. "Rebekah I cannot compel every cop we come across. I agree there is a need for haste, but if we keep getting stopped, it'll take longer anyway."

Rebekah swore under her breath. "He'll kill her, Elijah." She was just as worried. Her tone was filled the anguish all three of them had known for centuries. "And we'll have to start all over again. I can't do it. I can't have another funeral."

Elijah sighed quietly and tried to phone Klaus again. "No good. He's shut it off. It isn't even ringing now." He strained to reach through a bond to his omega that was barely there. "But she isn't dead. We would have felt that much."

Rebekah let out a sob. "I can't do it. I can't stand the feeling of losing something like that. It never gets less sad and each time it's harder and harder to make myself care again. I'm afraid if I lose her this time, all my emotions will leave me."

"I can drive for us, if you'd like." He offered, not happy to see Rebekah crying.

"No need." She said tensely. "I think this is the place here."

x

Inga was laughing and darting through the trees. Her heart pounded with excitement as she leapt over a fallen log and landed gracefully. She stopped for a mere moment to consider. She could hear the footsteps approaching rapidly from behind her and to the left as well. So right or dead ahead. Hmmm. Hearing the panting breaths of her pursuer, Inga took off again, to the right. I risk losing the advantage of cover, but there are wolves deeper in. Bad idea. Her bare toes expertly avoiding the hazards of the woods she called home. Behind her were three vampires, faster and stronger than she. But Inga had a headstart, no matter how motivated they might be to catch her.

"Omega..." Called Klaus with a sing-songy voice that echoed off the trees until Inga wasn't sure where it came from. "We're coming for you." Maybe I shouldn't have goaded them by saying they'd have to catch me if they wanted to mark me. It's already strange the three of them are intended to me.

Wild laughter spouted from directly in front of her as Rebekah stepped into view and Inga pivoted on her heel to go the direction she didn't take. Instead of escape, she found herself bouncing off Elijah's chest and quickly ducking under his arms. He grabbed her from behind, gently lifting Inga off the ground by her waist as she played at a struggle. The other two were there, nuzzling in close and biting down on her skin, one on each wrist. Elijah's breath panted against her neck before he laid his own claiming bite, lips kissing before his fangs pierced the point right over her pulse.

Inga groaned, a sense of abject pleasure filling her as their minds connected and she felt their sheer enjoyment of her taste. Rebekah and Klaus pulled back, their mouths dripping red, as Rebekah spoke to Elijah. "Alright Elijah, let her go. I want to chase her some more. And this time whoever gets her first..."

Inga was beginning to feel a little fuzzy. "Elijah." She tried, only to feel him bite down harder and fill her with actual pain. Inga screamed, but it was gargled as blood bubbled past her lips.

x

"Shh." Klaus shushed Rebekah and Elijah as they entered, hands gently rubbing Vincent's back. "She's sleeping and she's already had a rough day."

Rebekah narrowed her eyes at him and drew closer, listening to Vincent's heart, no doubt. "You didn't-"

Klaus made a noise of annoyance. "Of course not. Pushing her too fast has really backfired in the past. She wanted to be held. She specifically asked me to take my shirt off." Elijah glanced to where Vincent was curled with her head over Klaus' heart and he believed it. That still didn't assuage his anger. "You've made a foolish choice, brother. The curse-"

"Is taking a back seat. The omega was in distress. I could not stand her agony." He gently stroked Vincent's braids. "She is afraid of dying alone and insisted she'd rather die next to us. That clearly, she's capable of dying even when we hang back for her own good. Join us." Rebekah crawled up onto the bed, kicking her shoes off and resting the back of her head against Vincent's belly. She needed no further convincing. Elijah sighed and loosened his tie, removing his own shoes before laying next to Klaus on the side that would let him gaze at Vincent's sleeping face.

x

Even before her dark eyes opened, Vinny knew something had changed. Her heart rate spiked as she silently realized that her legs couldn't move as they were being weighed down and there was an odd pressure on her belly. Gently peeling her eyes open, Vinny was met with Elijah's face; staring back with what she could only describe as love. Vinny had a bare moment to enjoy this before the memory of Inga's violent end seized her again and a lump rose up her throat, choking her. She let out a subdued whimper as her heart hammered and she fought to draw in a full breath she could actually hyperventilate with.

Elijah's face saddened almost imperceptibly before he calmly spoke aloud. "Rebekah, our omega would like to get up." Rebekah shifted, sitting up just enough for movement. The second she had turned to look, Vinny wiggled out from under her long blonde hair and clambered over Klaus, dropping off the side of the bed with a loud thump as she finally found her breath.

"I've already called Damon." Klaus spoke softly, making careful eye contact. "He's on his way up here." Vinny furrowed her brow, finding time for something other than simple fear. Now she was angry too and turned wordlessly from the door despite her very soul whining about how wrong it was to separate from her alphas willingly. Wrong. Dangerous. Mates are perfect. Go back. You can't die alone. Then her calmer, more experienced self, the part that wasn't an omega.

They're at least as dangerous as anything else that's killed you. More dangerous, usually. Get a grip, you sappy bitch. Go home and break the curse. Let them make their way to you.

x

Damon watched Vinny shoving things in the suitcase she had arrived with, pointedly ignoring him. Elena put a worried hand on his shoulder and mouthed. "Let me try, Damon." He stepped back, watching his wife get closer and sit on the guest bed next to the case. "Vinny, I heard you decided to go home back to the Quarter. Could I ask why?"

"To finish breaking my curse." Vinny said, her mood both foul and frantic. "Then I'm going to collect my passport and go home to Italy where I belong. I'm going to disappear and go completely off grid, maybe farm some grapes for wine and pigs to make smoked bacon."

"Vinny...if this is about something you remembered... I think you should consider that you could easily be found anywhere you went. Doing all this probably won't achieve much in the end." Elena tried gently.

Frustrated tears welled up in Vinny's eyes. "I'm not safe anywhere. Not even next to Elijah Mikaelson." She finally said, grimoire gripped in her hands as she slid to the floor with a sob. "The most powerful supernaturals in the supe community can't keep me alive even with all their fancy resources! I'm going to die and there's probably jack shit I can do about it." Her tears fell on the book, dripping across the surface. Faint magic ripples on the cover made the salty droplets briefly luminescent. Damon looked at it in interest. Vinny was speaking again as it fell open seemingly on its own. "I can't..." Vinny noticed and was reading the spell it sat on.

She calmed significantly. "Maybe I'll be okay but I still need to relocate. I'm grateful for your hospitality Elena, but it's time to move on."

"Let us extend one more helping hand, then." Elena smiled. "You can have a small wing to yourself if you move to the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted. You'll be able to get assistance for gathering the resources on whatever you just found."

"Thank you Elena."

x

The second Vinny was alone again, she studied the page in depth, reading the note she scrawled in the margins sometime. Don't forget the sap. Then Vinny flipped to the back and saw again the globule of amber tree sap she'd seen the first time she flipped through. It contained a handful of carefully separated hairs and in a flash Vinny realized. "Thank you, Nonno Vincent. I understand now, why I needed this." She pulled out her phone and shot Rebekah a text.

I need Freya's number if you don't mind. Thanks...Beks.