Professor Mephisto stood at the front of the coach, his voice cutting through the chatter with an unmistakable edge of authority.

"I would like to remind you all that you are representatives of the Academy. Anyone not living up to that responsibility while we are on this trip will serve detention with me for the rest of the year," he declared sternly, his gaze sweeping across the rows of students. "While we are among the general public, there will be no magic, no enhanced strength or speed, and no revealing any inhuman features that cannot be explained away. If any of you do anything that results in the aurors being called to obliviate witnesses, you will face severe disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion from the Academy. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Professor Mephisto," the students chorused, their voices a mix of apprehension and reluctant agreement.

The professor's piercing eyes scanned each student, lingering just long enough to ensure they felt the weight of his words. Satisfied, he nodded.

"Good. Everybody put your seatbelts on, so we may depart."

Maya turned to buckle her seatbelt, her fingers fumbling with the strap. As she was about to click it in place, she felt a persistent poking on her shoulder. She didn't need to turn to know who it was; the giggles of Kamala and Sora were a dead giveaway. She spun around to glare at her Uncle Kol, who was grinning mischievously.

"Yes?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"Budge over. I've been elected to sit at the back and keep an eye on you all for the journey," Kol announced, feigning seriousness but unable to hide the twinkle in his eye.

Maya eyed him sceptically.

"There's a seat right there," she pointed to the empty middle seat they had been saving for Aiden, who had apparently chosen to sit elsewhere. She didn't need to ask who had influenced that decision.

"I don't want that seat," Kol replied, his tone dripping with faux disdain. "You can sit there, and I'll take your spot."

With an exasperated sigh, Maya rolled her eyes but complied, grudgingly moving over so her uncle could squeeze in between her and Ronan. As she settled into the middle seat, she muttered, "How much is Klaus paying you?"

Kol gave her a mockingly offended look.

"Maybe I'm here because I wanted to spend the week with my wonderful students, and of course, my favourite niece."

Maya's expression remained unimpressed, though the corners of her mouth twitched slightly as Kamala and Sora burst into laughter, and even Ronan couldn't suppress a grin.

"Uh-huh? How much?"

Kol sighed dramatically.

"Oh fine, he said he'd give me his Aston Martin."

"Sell-out," Maya retorted, smirking.

Kol shot her a playful glare. "

At least I didn't cheat to win a bet."

Maya shrugged nonchalantly, giving him a pitying look.

"Is it really cheating if there were no established rules against it? Just because I thought of it, and you didn't."

"You cheated," Uncle Kol insisted stubbornly, crossing his arms. "The only reason we had to pay up was because you're Elijah's favourite."

Maya smirked, leaning back in her seat.

"Maybe you should have been more careful with those items the twins sent. Perhaps if you hadn't ruined his suits, you'd rank somewhere closer to the top than the bottom right now."

Kol rolled his eyes, pouting.

"If someone had been honest about what they really were, I wouldn't have hidden them in Elijah's wardrobe."

"I told you they were from the twins, what more of an explanation did you need?" Maya shot back, her tone dripping with mock innocence.

Kol grudgingly nodded.

"Okay, fair point," he admitted, sighing. He should have known better after meeting the mischievous twins over the summer and hearing all about their antics from Maya. Anything they sent for "testing" was bound to be a prank in disguise.

Maya's eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned closer.

"How much to get you to forget about whatever my—Klaus—asked you to do this week?"

Kol looked at her with mock seriousness.

"Witchling, my big brother asked me to keep an eye on you, make sure you were safe. There's nothing in the world that could make me forget that."

"You know what I mean," Maya pressed, her tone dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

Kol tilted his head, considering.

"What are you offering? Because Nik's giving me an Aston Martin. Do you have an Aston Martin?"

"I have a castle," Maya countered, a proud smirk playing on her lips.

Kol laughed, shaking his head.

"Witchling, this is an amazing car. It's the car, it's literally James Bond's car. Do you really think a castle comes anywhere near that?"

Maya huffed in mock frustration, slumping back in her seat and crossing her arms. Uncle Kol was one of the coolest people in the world, except he'd developed an absolutely terrible taste in movies despite Maya's best efforts to show him what good cinema was. Of course, her dad would choose something to bribe Uncle Kol with that she couldn't possibly match.

As the coach hummed along the road, an idea sparked in Maya's mind. If she couldn't bribe Uncle Kol into giving her space, she could at least make the trip equally uncomfortable for him. It would be a fitting payback for not letting her sit next to Ronan. With a mischievous glint in her eye, she turned away from Kol and began signing to Kamala and Sora, who quickly caught on and nodded enthusiastically.

Once the plan was set, the three of them started singing, their voices filling the bus with a lively, if somewhat off-key, rendition of 'Ninety-Nine bottles of beer on the wall.' It didn't take long for the other students to join in, creating a chorus of enthusiastic, if not entirely harmonious, voices. Uncle Kol, caught in the middle of it all, had no choice but to endure the impromptu concert, his expression a mix of exasperation and reluctant amusement.

As the students sang louder and more energetically, Kol shot Maya a look of playful irritation. She responded with a cheeky grin, knowing full well that while Kol might be able to tolerate her mischief, he wasn't prepared for the full force of the students' enthusiasm. It wasn't a bribe, but it was definitely a way to make her presence known—and maybe, just maybe, get him to back off a little.


Klaus paced back and forth in the living room, his steps restless and tense. His mind was consumed with worry as he waited for Maddox and Greta to report back. He kept glancing at his phone, hoping for updates, but the screen remained stubbornly silent. Allowing Maya to go on her school trip had been a difficult decision, and now he was second-guessing it with every passing minute.

Kol was with her, which had been a non-negotiable condition, as had been the hourly updates he'd demanded. Klaus trusted his brother to keep Maya safe, but it didn't fully assuage his fears. Washington DC was closer to Mystic Falls than her school, sure, but the distance wasn't the issue. It was the thought of Maya being away for an entire week, exposed to potential dangers that had been lurking in the shadows lately. The threats had been increasing, and Klaus couldn't shake the feeling that something might go wrong.

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing heavily. It wasn't like him to be so anxious, but when it came to his daughter, all his usual calm and control seemed to vanish. The living room felt too quiet, amplifying his thoughts. Every creak of the old house and rustle of the wind outside seemed to heighten his unease.

Klaus paused by the window, squinting at the annoyingly sunny afternoon. The vibrant light seemed to mock his unease. He knew he had to trust Kol and the Academy's rigorous measures to protect its students, even during school trips. But Klaus also knew better than anyone that no protection was foolproof. The thought of Maya spending a week in a crowded public city like Washington DC, far more exposed than she would be on the Academy's private campus, gnawed at him.

As Klaus made another restless pass across the room, Damon reached out and snagged his wrist. Though Damon wasn't strong enough to physically stop Klaus, the gesture was enough to catch his attention.

"Sit down," Damon suggested, his tone calm but firm. "Maddox and Greta won't report back any faster if you keep pacing, than if you sit with me."

Klaus sighed, feeling the weight of his worries pressing down on him, but he followed Damon's advice. He sank down next to Damon on the sofa, and after a moment's hesitation, pulled him close. With no one else around, Klaus felt comfortable enough to let his guard down, allowing a rare moment of vulnerability. Damon always had a way of calming his anxiety, and Klaus needed that now more than ever. He leaned in and kissed Damon gently, their lips meeting in a soft, reassuring embrace.

"Did we do the right thing?" Klaus murmured against Damon's lips, his voice laced with uncertainty and the weight of a parent's fear.

Damon pulled back slightly, locking eyes with Klaus, his gaze steady and reassuring.

"We did," he replied with quiet conviction. "There's always going to be some element of risk when it comes to Maya, not just because she's your daughter, but because of who she is in the Wixen World. And even if she wasn't unique in that sense, if we were just a normal family, there would still be risks—the world being what it is. But we can't let that stop us from giving Maya as normal a life as possible. That means letting her go on school trips, hang out with friends, and go on dates, whether they're with boys or girls. Wrapping her in cotton wool and hiding her away from the world, no matter how tempting it might be, would be wrong. It would be just as damaging as what the Dursleys did to Maya, maybe on the other end of the scale, but it still wouldn't be right."

Klaus nodded, a deep sigh escaping him.

"I worry about her all the time. It never stops."

"That's part of being a parent, Nik," Damon said softly, his hand resting on Klaus's arm. "The worrying never stops. 90% of being a parent is worrying about your kids."

Klaus arched an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"And the other ten percent?"

Damon grinned his eyes sparkling.

"90% worrying about them, 2000% loving them more than anyone else, 50% exasperation over their antics, 5% anger whenever they do something stupid enough to get hurt, and 70% enjoying the time spent with them –"

Klaus laughed softly, shaking his head at Damon's playful breakdown. He leaned in, silencing Damon with a tender kiss. When they pulled back, Klaus couldn't help but smile.

"You know you've already gone way past 100%, right?"

"Being a good parent is about being more than 100%," Damon replied with a smirk, his tone warm and affectionate.

Klaus pulled Damon closer, resting his forehead against his. The closeness provided a comfort he desperately needed. "I know you're right," he admitted, "I just can't shake the feeling that we shouldn't have let Maya go to DC. I know it's irrational—it's so much closer than the Academy, and she goes there every day, but—"

"But it's new," Damon finished for him, understanding the unspoken fears. "It's not something Maya does every day, and this is the first time she'll be away from either of us for longer than a single night."

Klaus nodded, a heavy sigh escaping him.

"It's hard. It feels like every time we deal with one threat, five more crop up."

Damon gently cupped Klaus's face, pressing a tender kiss to his lips.

"I know," he whispered. "But we're doing the best we can. Maya is strong and smart. She understands that she's not a normal kid, and that there are people in the world who might target her because of her status. She knows how to defend herself, and we've drilled it into her so many times what to do if something happens. We have to trust that even if something does occur, Maya is clever enough and strong enough to survive until we can get to her."

Klaus looked into Damon's eyes, finding solace in the depth of his partner's confidence. He knew Damon was right; they had prepared Maya for this. But the protective instinct was hard to quell.

"I just want to keep her safe," he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

"And you are," Damon reassured him, wrapping his arms around Klaus. "We're giving her the tools she needs to be safe, to live her life. We can't shelter her forever, much as we'd like to. She's growing up, and part of that means letting her face the world. It's scary, but it's also necessary."

Klaus nodded, feeling the tension in his shoulders ease slightly. Damon was right. Maya was capable, and they had done everything they could to prepare her. Now, they had to trust in her abilities and in the measures, they had put in place, that the academy had in place.

"You're a good father, Klaus," Damon murmured, resting his head against Klaus's shoulder. "We're in this together, and we'll get through whatever comes our way. Just remember, you're not alone in this."

Klaus tightened his hold on Damon, grateful for his presence and support.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," he whispered.

Damon smiled softly, pressing another kiss to Klaus's lips.

"Luckily, you'll never have to find out," Damon reassured him with a soft smile.

Klaus rolled them over until they were lying down on the couch, his body protectively layered over Damon's. He looked down at Damon, a mix of affection and concern in his eyes. "Maya's not the only one I worry about, you know," he murmured. "I worry about you too."

Damon reached up, gently tracing Klaus's jawline with his fingers.

"I know," he replied, his voice soothing. "But just like with Maya, you need to trust that I can take care of myself long enough for you to ride to the rescue."

Klaus smiled, though the worry in his eyes didn't completely fade.

"It's hard to let go," he admitted. "You're both so important to me. The thought of losing either of you..."

Damon pressed a finger to Klaus's lips, silencing him gently.

"We all have our strengths, Klaus. You may be the one with the hybrid power and the centuries of experience, but I've got my own skills. And Maya—she's a force to be reckoned with. Even as young as she is she's well trained in magic and in combat. We've got each other's backs, and together, we're a pretty formidable team."

Klaus nodded, a sense of calm washing over him as he absorbed Damon's words. He leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to Damon's lips, savouring the closeness and the reassurance it brought.

"You're right," he whispered, pulling back just enough to look into Damon's eyes. "We'll get through whatever comes our way. Together."

Damon smiled up at him, wrapping his arms around Klaus's neck.

"Exactly. Now, let's stop worrying for a moment and just enjoy the fact that no one else is in the house right now."

Klaus chuckled softly.

"You're right," he repeated, leaning down and capturing Damon's lips with his own. Greta and Maddox should be reporting in soon, but for now they were alone.


Elijah idly flipped through an old book, whilst keeping one eye on Mason Lockwood as he paced up and down the room – he was itching to go and kill the hunter who had shot him twice now, even after being told why he couldn't - and the other eye on Finn who was also flipping through a book – possibly a grimoire – much more angrily than Elijah was doing, as he searched for a spell that would allow him to find Freya without Esther's help. He sighed, how had he been the one elected to watch other the two of them again?

Then he remembered why he'd left the Salvatore house this morning to return home, Niklaus had been pacing just as agitatedly as Mason was, if for a slightly different reason. Elijah had abandoned him to Damon, who had a surprisingly calming effect on Niklaus, and returned home, only to find himself having to keep an eye on two more individuals who were just as stressed. Either Pearl and Rose-Marie didn't have the same effect on Finn and Mason, respectively, as Damon had on Niklaus, or they themselves were too worried to try. With Kol off on Maya's school trip, and Rebekah attending Mystic Falls, it was left to Elijah to ensure neither his older brother, nor his younger brothers favourite hybrid, did anything stupid.

When his phone rang, Elijah hoped it was Niklaus calling to report that Maddox and Greta had dealt with the hunter, allowing them to focus solely on the situation with their aunt. Without checking the caller ID, he answered, "Tell me they're dead."

"That depends on who you mean," came Katerina's purring voice, tinged with amusement. "The two idiots who've been trailing me for the last few days are definitely dead, but I don't think they're who you were referring to."

"Katerina," Elijah acknowledged, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Elijah," she replied smoothly.

"My apologies. We have a bit of a situation here, and I thought Niklaus was calling to tell me it was resolved."

"It seems to me that all you ever have in Mystic Falls are situations," Katerina noted with a chuckle.

"They do seem to have become a bit of a problem," Elijah admitted. "Who was following you?"

"I'm not sure. I had to kill them before I could get any information. They had surprisingly little on them, not even IDs."

"Vampires?"

"Witches," Katerina corrected.

"Is that why you called? Do you need help?"

"No, I called to ask if you could put me in touch with your younger brother, actually."

"Niklaus?" Elijah's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He would have thought Niklaus would be the last person Katerina would want to speak to, despite her recent assistance in helping Maya plan a date for Niklaus and Damon. His surprise only deepened with Katerina's next words.

"No, it's Kol I need to speak to."

Elijah was perplexed. As far as he knew, Kol and Katerina had never met. Kol had been in Africa when the whole ordeal with Katerina unfolded in England. If they had crossed paths since then, Kol had never mentioned it. Elijah struggled to understand what business Katerina could possibly have with his youngest brother.

"He's out of town for the week. Maya had a school trip to Washington DC, and Niklaus insisted Kol be one of the Academy staff members in attendance," Elijah informed her.

"Of course he did," Katerina muttered, seemingly unsurprised. "Could you give me his number? I have information he needs to hear."

Elijah hesitated, unsure if he should comply.

"May I ask why Kol and not me?"

Katerina's tone shifted to one of seriousness.

"Has your brother ever mentioned a certain immortal being who would endanger the world if awoken?"

Elijah paused, considering her words.

"Once. He's refused to speak of S—"

"Don't say his name!" Katerina interrupted urgently.

Elijah's intrigue deepened.

"What is it about this man that frightens both you and Kol so much that you won't even allow his name to be spoken?"

"What's the old saying? Say the Devil's name and he starts listening?" Katerina replied, a note of caution in her voice.

"I believe you mean, 'Speak of the Devil and he shall appear,'" Elijah corrected, though he was clearly intrigued by her reaction.

"I hope not," Katerina said with a shudder. "He's better off entombed and forgotten about, which is why I need to speak with Kol. Can you give me his number?"

Elijah sensed the gravity of the situation.

"Are you going to explain?" he pressed.

"Not over the phone. It's too dangerous," Katerina replied firmly.

"Where are you?" Elijah asked, realizing that this was more serious than he had initially thought.

"As it happens, I'm not far from Mystic Falls. Whitmore College, about two hours away," she answered.

"Will you still be there tomorrow?" Elijah inquired, already considering the logistics of the meeting.

"Will you give me Kol's number?" Katerina countered.

"I will, if you'll agree to meet me at Whitmore College tomorrow to talk," Elijah offered, needing to understand the full extent of the situation.

"It's a deal," Katerina agreed, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

Elijah ended the call, his mind racing as he messaged Katerina Kol's mobile number. Whatever she had stumbled upon, it was significant enough to require Kol's involvement and warranted a face-to-face meeting. He glanced at Mason and Finn, both still engrossed in their own frustrations and concerns. It seemed that their troubles were far from over, and Elijah knew they needed to address this new potential threat quickly and decisively.