"Not Katherine. The other doppelganger. They come in pairs."
Maya's words rung in the air as all the Mikaelson siblings exchanged disbelieving and confused looks. Damon was the only other person present who seemed to have understood Maya's simple statement.
"Explain." Klaus demanded.
"Ask nicely," she retorted, her voice carrying a hint of challenge that sparked hidden amusement among her siblings, who watched the exchange with thinly veiled grins.
"Try, Maya could you please explain what you mean by 'they come in pairs'" Elijah suggested when it was clear neither one would back down.
The request, though softened, did little to quell the tension between father and daughter, both equally obstinate in their own right. Klaus begrudgingly echoed his brother's words, knowing well that his usual tactics would be futile against Maya's resolve. His relationship with his daughter was already strained, he was behind his siblings when it came to bonding with Maya, not to mention miles behind Damon in her affections. If he wanted to remain a part of her life, then he needed to figure out how to become the father she deserved.
"Firstly, they're not really doppelgangers. The proper name for them is planētōn synodias zeugē. They come in pairs, a male and a female, they're copies of these two people from like a billion –"
"Two thousand." Damon corrected, ruffling Maya's hair fondly.
"– Two thousand," Maya repeated grudgingly, "years ago. They became true immortals through magic, which breaks celestial law, but since no one could kill them, Lady Magic, and Lady Life created mortal shadow selves to die instead of them. So, there's two, which is why you could just use the other one and then Elena can stay away."
"That is essentially correct." Damon said. "You need doppelganger blood right; doesn't particularly matter which doppelganger it comes from?"
"No, it doesn't." Kol replied, his face bore a troubled frown, which he quickly wiped away, to be replaced by his usual mischievous grin. "It's the binding magic in the blood that's important."
"If we can find him, then you can use his blood. He may not even know about vampires or the supernatural, in which case you can just compel him to believe he's making regular blood donations. No agreement or deal required."
"Yes. Well, there's still the problem of finding whoever it is, there's only seven billion possibilities after all," Klaus tone was laden with sarcasm.
"Closer to 3.5 billion really, since it's a male we're looking for." Finn interjected.
Klaus scoffed frustration evident in his voice.
"Yes, because that really narrows it down. We don't even know what they look like."
"Yes, we do." Maya and Damon spoke in unison, their revelation sparking a second ripple of astonishment among the siblings.
"They'll look like Uncle Stefan."
Damon sighed and ran a hand through his hair,
"Maya's right, according to Aradia, Stefan is a doppelganger as well."
"Fine we know what they look like. It'll still be like looking for a particular needle in an exceptionally large pile of bloody needles."
Elijah, ever the voice of reason, intervened with a calm assurance.
"It narrows down our search considerably. I have contacts who can utilize facial recognition software to narrow down the possibilities."
Klaus, however, remained resolute.
"And how long will that take? I have a doppelganger right here; I don't need to go hunting down another one."
"And if Miss Gilbert refuses your deal?" Elijah countered, pointedly.
"Then I'll compel her instead,"
Elijah's scepticism deepened, his brow furrowing as he considered the implications.
"Compulsion may not be the most diplomatic approach. It could lead to unforeseen complications. Her family and friends are unlikely to be very receptive to it."
Klaus waved off Elijah's concerns with a dismissive gesture.
"Complications, Elijah, are a part of our everyday existence. We've faced worse than anything this town can throw at us."
Maya rolled her eyes as her family continued to bicker and debate. You'd think mega old semi-immortal beings would be better at seeing the simplest solutions to things. Elena was not a simple solution, even she knew compelling her was just asking for trouble, and she really didn't see Elena blithely accepting the deal her father had offered her. Or maybe she would, but seeing how everyone had reacted to Elena accepting Elijah's deal, Maya figured it would just cause more trouble than it was worth.
Nope. She was right about this, they should just find Stefan's doppelganger, then her father could use his blood to make his hybrids, and Elena could stay far away from her home and her family.
"Why don't you just use a tracking spell?" she interjected, her voice cutting through the clamour with a clarity that demanded attention.
Maya's suggestion hung in the air for a moment before her uncle Kol, ever the quick-witted one, offered a response. His eyes, sharp and calculating, met hers with a mixture of curiosity and scepticism.
"Because we'd need something belonging to the doppelganger for that to work," he replied.
Maya's lips curled into a wry smile. Leave it to Uncle Kol to state the obvious, even in the midst of chaos. But she wasn't about to back down. Not when the solution lay within their grasp.
"You mean like Uncle Stefan?" she shot back, her words laced with a touch of sarcasm. "His physically, and more importantly, genetically identical double."
The room fell into a stunned silence, every pair of eyes turning to Maya with a mixture of surprise and realization. It was a moment of clarity amidst the chaos, a glimmer of hope in the face of uncertainty. And Maya couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction at being the one to provide it. She folded her arms across her chest and smirked at them all, looking more like Klaus than ever.
Klaus stood next to Damon, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he observed the chaotic scene unfolding before him. Ever since Maya had pointed out the obvious solution, one the rest of them had all missed despite their centuries of experience, she had been engaged in a debate with Kol about how to go about it. Maya, hands waving vigorously through the air, seemed to have the upper hand for the moment. As she vehemently defended her choice, her arguments laced with conviction and a touch of impatience.
On the other side, Kol, ever the mischievous one, met Maya's fervour with a playful grin. His eyes sparkled with mischief, and his words danced on the edge of mockery as he countered her every point with a sly remark or a cunning suggestion. Despite being seemingly outnumbered, he held his ground with the ease of someone who thrived on chaos.
Elijah, caught in the middle of their clash, attempted to offer his own input, but his words seemed to fall on deaf ears as Maya and Kol continued their verbal sparring match. His patience wore thin, evident in the furrow of his brow and the slight edge to his voice, but even he couldn't help but be drawn into the infectious energy of their dispute.
As the debate raged on, Klaus couldn't help but be entertained by the spectacle before him. It was a sight to behold, watching his thirteen-year-old daughter hold her own against not one but two of his siblings. She was a force to be reckoned with, he'd say it was her Mikaelson genetics, but Jasmine had been just the same, wilfully determined, and stubborn to the core. Maya had inherited it from both sides of her family tree, and as with the rest of them he was sure it would prove to be both a strength and a weakness.
Personally, he was of the opinion that Maya was correct, and not just because she was his daughter. An atlas laid out on the table, seemed to be much more useful than the globe Kol was suggesting. He was no expert in magic, but surely Stefan's blood would just drip off of the globe and muck up the spell.
"So why doesn't Maya like the doppelganger?"
Distracted from watching his daughter run rings around Kol, by Rebekah's question, he turned his head towards her. It was a question he wanted to know the answer to as well, not that he disapproved of Maya's clear dislike of his doppelganger, but it was surprising considering that she seemed to like just about everyone else in Elena's circle of friends and family.
Stefan gave a very unhelpful shrug.
"I don't know, she just doesn't, hasn't since they met."
Klaus transferred his gaze to Damon.
"Do you know?"
He just shook his head in reply. Klaus wasn't entirely certain Damon had been following the conversation and knew what he's asked. He seemed to be too wrapped up in watching Maya and Kol's continuing argument, his expression one of mingled fondness and worry. He was prevented from making any follow-up questions though, by Caroline's scoff.
"Isn't it obvious?" She asked, in a tone that said it should be, at least to Stefan and Damon.
Klaus found himself in a perplexing predicament regarding the young vampire in their midst. Despite her recent transformation, she exhibited an astonishing level of control, a feat not often seen in fledgling vampires. Her demeanour was friendly and welcoming, even towards Klaus and his siblings, despite the fact that he had been prepared to kill her, and two of her best friends, to break his curse. It was a fact that both intrigued and unsettled him.
What truly puzzled Klaus was the ease with which she navigated her relationships, particularly with his family. She had managed to forge a genuine friendship with Rebekah, a feat that even Klaus himself found challenging given his sister's often prickly disposition. And then there was the matter of his daughter's attachment to her, claiming Caroline as an older sister without hesitation. It blurred the lines of allegiance and kinship in a way that left Klaus feeling uncertain about how to approach her.
It wasn't just Caroline who left him conflicted. The younger Lockwood, Tyler, also held a significant place in Maya's life, referred to as her "big brother." The familial ties they shared added another layer of complexity to the situation, making Klaus question where exactly he stood in relation to these newcomers in their lives.
As Klaus pondered these dynamics, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of his stomach. The lines between friend and foe, family, and stranger, seemed to blur in the presence of these unexpected allies. And for someone as accustomed to drawing clear boundaries as Klaus, it was a disconcerting sensation indeed.
"What do you mean?" Rebekah once again asked the question before he could.
Caroline waved her hands in the direction of the Salvatore brothers, her expression conveying a mix of exasperation and understanding.
"It's because of them."
"Us?" Stefan's surprise was evident, and even Damon turned to Caroline with a raised eyebrow, momentarily distracted from the ongoing debate.
Caroline rolled her eyes in a manner reminiscent of Maya when she believed something should be blatantly obvious to everyone. Klaus couldn't help but wonder who had picked up the habit from the other.
"Elena was the catalyst for your argument," Caroline explained, her tone matter-of-fact. "I'm not saying it was Elena's fault, but as the daughter of divorced parents, I can tell you that kids always find someone to blame."
"But that was months ago," Stefan objected. "Maya didn't even meet Elena until after that was resolved."
Caroline shook her head, her expression serious.
"True, but because of that, Maya was already predisposed to dislike Elena. Add in the fact that Elena treats her like she'd a little kid most of the time, coupled with the way she talks to and about Damon, especially in front of Maya, and, well..." Caroline trailed off with a shrug. "Let's just say Maya doesn't and probably never will like Elena."
"Good," Rebekah declared, a pleased smile adorning her face. "I'm glad to see my niece has such excellent judgment in people. Petrova doppelgangers are the absolute worst."
Klaus couldn't help but smirk at his little sister's remark.
"In that case, 'Bekah, I'm sure you'll be quite disappointed to know that Maya is apparently fond of Katerina."
Rebekah's expression shifted, her smile faltering as she processed Klaus's words.
"Fond of Katerina?" she repeated, her tone laced with incredulity. "Well, isn't that just delightful," she muttered sarcastically, a hint of annoyance seeping into her voice.
Klaus chuckled at Rebekah's reaction, thoroughly entertained by her thinly veiled disdain for the notorious doppelganger. It was rare to see Rebekah ruffled, but the mere mention of Katerina Petrova seemed to have struck a nerve.
"And how exactly did Maya come to have a fondness for Katerina?"
"They met Christmas before last." Damon explained, "Katerina sought Maya out, bought her a necklace and took off. Since then, she's sent presents and letters. She apparently knew some of Maya's ancestors on her mother's side."
Rebekah turned to Klaus, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Is that why you let her escape from Mystic Falls unscathed?"
Klaus shrugged casually, enjoying the opportunity to tease his sister.
"Well, I wasn't going to do anything to disappoint my daughter now was I? Katerina is an annoyance, but one Maya has taken a liking to, so she gets to live."
Rebekah let out an exasperated sigh, her frustration evident.
"Well, isn't that just perfect," she muttered, shooting a disdainful glance in Klaus's direction.
"We're ready." Kol announced, distracting all of them from their discussion of Maya's opposing feelings towards the two Petrova Doppelgangers.
Maya couldn't help but feel a rush of exhilaration as she emerged victorious from the debate with Uncle Kol. The thrill of triumph coursed through her veins, buoying her spirits as she basked in the satisfaction of having prevailed. Yet, amidst her jubilation, a nagging suspicion lingered in the back of her mind.
She couldn't shake the feeling that Kol had been deliberately engaging her in argument, not out of a desire to oppose her, but rather to ensure that she thoroughly considered all the possibilities before making her decision. It was a subtle yet undeniable display of mentorship, one that both surprised and touched Maya.
She handed the knife Dobby had fetched for her to Uncle Stefan and he sliced his palm, squeezing a few drops of blood onto the atlas she had laid out on the table, before it healed over.
"Mésa apó to chóro kai ton chróno,
Oi planētōn synodias zeugē blékontai,
Me aíma na dénei,
Vreíte tin topothesía tous."
Maya tilted her head in concentration as the blood from Stefan's hand obediently spread out, coating the southeastern coast of the United States on the atlas. It was a relief to see it remain localized, signalling that her father wouldn't have to venture too far to find the other doppelganger. But their work wasn't done yet. They needed to refine their search, as Uncle Elijah wisely advised.
With precision, Kol laid out a map of the USA, its vast expanse stretching out before them, dotted with cities and towns. Stefan, once again, offered his blood, allowing it to drip onto the map, marking their starting point.
"Mésa apó to chóro kai ton chróno,
Oi planētōn synodias zeugē blékontai,
Me aíma na dénei,
Vreíte tin topothesía tous."
As Maya chanted the incantation, her eyes widened in fascination as the blood split into three distinct paths. One remained stationary over Mystic Falls, where Stefan was located. The other two lines stretched out in opposite directions, one coming to a stop in Atlanta, Georgia, and the other hovering off the coast of Nova Scotia, a mystery waiting to be unravelled.
Before Maya could lean in closer to examine the map, Kol abruptly snatched it from the table, crumpling it up and tossing it into the fireplace, eliciting gasps of surprise from the assembled group.
"Kol!"
"Go to Atlanta," Kol instructed Klaus, his tone carrying an unfamiliar seriousness. "Find your doppelganger there, and forget about the other location. Some things are best left unwoken."
The gravity of Kol's words hung heavy in the air, casting a palpable sense of confusion and unease over the room as everyone struggled to process his directive.
"Is this about Silas—" Damon began, his voice trailing off as Kol cut him off abruptly.
"Don't!" Kol's voice carried a hint of fear that startled them all. "Just forget about whatever story you heard, forget what the spell revealed. And don't ever mention it to anyone outside of this room. As far as anyone else needs to be concerned, the spell led us to Atlanta and nowhere else."
Finn spoke up cautiously, his tone tinged with curiosity and concern,
"Kol, perhaps if you explain—just enough for us to understand what's got you so worried."
Kol hesitated for a moment, his gaze flickering around the room before he began to speak.
"I've spent a lot of time with witches over the years. Africa in the fourteenth century, Haiti in the seventeenth century, New Orleans. They all knew about Silas; that he needs to stay buried."
"Who is Silas? Why are you so afraid of him?" Finn asked, still seeking to understand what was causing his youngest brother to behave so uncharacteristically.
"He's the original," Kol explained tersely, his eyes dark with concern. "The one Maya mentioned earlier, the one all the male doppelgangers descend from. The witches knew the story—they all said that if Silas rises, he'll unleash hell on Earth."
His gaze passed over Damon and Stefan, before falling on Maya, where it lingered with a mixture of regret and apprehension.
"Aradia should never have told you that story."
"It's not as done with as you seem to think. He wants Elena to donate her blood to him so he can make more hybrids."
"I'm working on it. I have a lead to someone who may be able to help, but it's going to take time. Tell Elena to play along for now until I can find a way to get rid of all of them. For good."