When Hope headed downstairs the next morning, she found Klaus in the kitchen, pulling out baking ingredients. "What's all this?"
"Now that you are back and are working on finding my family, my hybrids are doing everything I want, and I woke up with a desire to make beignets. Have you ever had one?" Klaus asked.
"I have. I love them" she admitted, walking closer.
"Do you know how to make them?"
Hope's lips parted open a little, and she shook her head slightly. "No I don't. You know how?"
A soft chuckle escaped the hybrids lips as he looked at her. "I do. I may not need to consume human food, but it is something I enjoy. And whatever I tend to favor, I learn how to cook." He informed her. "Come over here, and I will teach you"
She walked over to him and smiled before starting to follow his directions.
"So when were you first introduced to beignets? Did your parents bring you to New Orleans? You mentioned you were from Louisiana" Klaus said
Hope nodded. "They did, and my dad introduced me to beignets when I was seven" she told him, remembering the table covered in far more beignets than she could eat.
"So have you gotten any closer to figuring out where he is keeping them?" Klaus asked after a few minutes.
"Magically, no. Something is blocking me from being able to find them. I might be able to write something to override it, but chances are magic isn't the answer to finding them."
Klaus sighed. "Wait you said magically, no. Does that mean you have another idea?"
"I do. Unless you're me with a raw amount of power, you're gonna need a good place to channel magic. Enough to conceal four coffins. I'm working on narrowing down the locations in Mystic Falls and surrounding areas. I doubt he went far" Hope said. "If we still can't find them, I'll expand"
"You are quite smart, Hope" Klaus said, pleased.
"A smart boy once said that I should use my brains instead of punching every problem. He'd think this through. And since I dont have him here to consider these things, I made sure to take the time to try to figure this out"
"I imagine this boy is your lover, Landon?" Klaus questioned
Hope nodded a bit as she mixed up everything. "Yes" she confirmed. "I'm gonna find your family. You're going to get them back"
"Thank you, Hope" Klaus said. "You have done far more than you've needed to do and have not really asked anything in return. You truly are far too good to be spending time with me" But he did not wish for her to go.
"And perhaps everyone needs some good in their lives" was her response. "Alright, I think I mixed this enough"
Klaus moved over and helped continue getting it ready. Soon the beignets were baking, and Hope washed her hands off in the sink, thinking. So if Rebekah is daggered and in the custody of Damon Salvatore. And you said there were four taken, who is in the mystery coffin? Finn, Elijah, Kol... There's a fourth" Hope looked at him. "You don't have to tell me. I'm just... curious"
Klaus was silent for a long moment. "Follow me" he said. "I'll hear when they are ready"
He headed upstairs to his art gallery. Hope stepped inside and looked around again briefly before focusing on Klaus. "What is it?"
"My mother is in the last coffin. Her body. I..." He hesitated. "I stored her body, but the rest of my family doesn't know about it. The coffin is sealed securely."
"But wouldn't they have questioned it sooner?"
Klaus shook his head. "No. It is a long story. One i will tell you in detail one day, but for now this is all you need to know. Thank you for helping me" It seemed a struggle to get the words out. Klaus was far from used to saying them.
Hope hesitated and hugged him before pulling away. "You're welcome"
After a nice, long shower, Damon headed out of the bathroom, whistling. All morning, his mind had been on his kiss with Elena. The feeling of her lips on his, the warmth in his heart that he felt as she place her hand on his. The way she had kissed him back. He knew she was still confused. But she was closer to admitting that yes she felt something. Something which he had known was going on between them for a while now. Something she had been denying to herself and to everyone else. But there it was, even for a moment.
However, his mood faded slightly as he saw his brother waiting for him. But thinking about the kiss again brought his mood right back up. "Good morning." he said.
"You're late. We are supposed to meet Bonnie at the witch house in ten minutes" Stefan said impatiently as he looked at his brother.
"Relax, brother. Your hair won't fall out" Damon said. "Besides I'm not exactly late yet." He whistled a bit.
"Would you hurry up? We have work to do. You know, Klaus isn't gonna easily self-destruct" Annoyance was obvious in the younger Salvatore's tone. "Why are you all chipper?"
"No reason" Damon said with a bit of a smirk. "Give me a minute."
He headed upstairs, thinking about everything as he got dressed. Hope was on the loose again, but it was worth it if Elena was safe. But she still needed to be dealt with. Even if Elena wouldn't be happy about it. However, for now this was enough to make him content. Now they just needed to get rid of Klaus for good if they could.
Eventually he and Stefan arrived at the creepy witch place that was finally letting Damon inside. Damon looked around at the coffins, thinking. He saw one coffin not aligned with the others and walked over to it.
"Is this thing jammed or something?" He asked, trying to raised the lid. It wouldn't budge. He moved to try to break it.
"It won't open, no matter what I try to do to it. Bonnie can't get it open either." Stefan replied, watching Damon.
"Wait..." Damon stepped away and looked around the room. "Klaus has 6 siblings. Rebekah is in our basement. There was one dead kid in the old world, one dead kid in the new world, which leaves Elijah and two others. Three sleeping originals, four coffins. So who is in the locked box?"
"No idea. But whatever is in here, Bonnia seems to think that it will help us kill Klaus. So the sooner she can get this open, the sooner we will know if she's right." Stefan said. "And hopefully whatever it is can take care of our Hope problem too. Because once we take down Klaus, she will retaliate. You know that none of this is gonna do any good if Klaus's hybrid friend find our hidding place, right? They need to go away."
"Oh yeah, great idea Stefan. Why don't you ask them just to pack their bag and take a long rest while we are on it" Damon commented sarcastically, looking at him. "How about to keep the peace? Don't attend to the real thing we are trying to hide."
"Well I'm not gonna play defence when I have what Klaus wants" Stefan replied. "He does what I say or I dump his family into the bottom of the ocean."
"And he's going to kill you and everyone you know, like, I don't know... me!"
"No, he is bluffing. His family means more than anything else."
"Does it? Because he kidnapped Elena, and I offered him a deal of Hope or his family, and he choseHope.That doesn't sound like someone who will do anything for family" Damon snapped, looking at his brother.
"We'll see. Now that he has her back, he'll be prioritizing getting his family back."
"Maybe. And what if he doesnt?"
"He will."
"The only way to know if someone bluffs, Stefan, is to be ready to loose everything if you're wrong." Damon said, looking at his brother.
"And what makes you think I have anything left to lose?" Stefan asked
"You saved my life, Stefan. Instead of killing Klaus then. And I know you still care about Elena, despite you hooking up with Katherine"
"You don't know anything" Stefan said and headed out of the room.
Elena was in Alaric's apartment, punching a punching bag as she trainer to get stronger. She knew she needed to be able to defend herself, but if she was being honest with herself, that was far from the only reason she was here. The reason that she was punching as hard as she was, was because of Damon Salvatore.
The kiss had brought to the surface feelings she had been feeling for a while. And if she chose to be honest with herself, she knew how long. Memories flooded back to her. His lips pressing against hers and the rush of feelings it brought back to the surface. The dinner they shared together. How he had danced with her and took her breath away. How all she wanted to do in that moment was kiss him. And now she had.
"So, what's get you worked up?" Alaric asked her
Elena glanced at him before continuing to punch the punching bag. "I didn't really sleep last night."
She had been too busy remembering the kiss and how it made her feel. She was also preoccupied worrying about Alaric's ring and Klaus and Hope and... Stefan. No matter how much she wanted to kiss Damon again (which she wouldn't admit aloud), she still had feelings for Stefan too. And he was in vengeance mode and hooking up with Katherine. And Elena wasn't sure if he would ever get out of this mindset. Even if they killed Klaus.
"Yeah, me neither. Probably something to do with dying."
The memory of the car crashing into him rose in her mind. "You're okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine. I think the ring has no longer batteries."
"Yeah, it's another reason why Jeremy has to get out of the town" Elena sighed, worried. "If those ring have a short last, he is not protected, neither are you."
She continued punching the punching bag harder, and Alaric watched her, unable to help the feeling of pride rising up inside of him at the sight of the girl that was now like a daughter to him getting stronger, even though he wished he could get her out of all of this.
"Nice, you're getting stronger" Alaric told her
"I just evacuate frustration. I need a coffee." She declared stepping away from the training and walking over to his kitchen, where she got herself some coffee.
"Seems Damon's compulsion worked, Jeremy was packing when I left the house, going on about his new school in Denver"
The kiss rose in Elena's mind again at the mention of Damon, and she remembered just how good it felt to kiss him. "Have you talk to Damon today?" she asked.
"No. Why?"
"No reason" Elena took a sip of her coffee to avoid saying anything further or have him notice her expression. "So I was thinking about Hope. I know she's loyal to Klaus. But she's also not a bad person."
"Elena, she kidnapped you for Klaus so he could drain you like you're his own personal blood bag" Alaric said
"I know, but... while we all agree she is powerful, Bonnie and I both see that she doesn't seem like a bad person. Despite everything. She seemed... sad. Lonely. Like she's been through a lot. Which we can all relate to"
"She seemed sad when I first met her too. But not every sad person is a good person, Elena. Think that way, and you might end up getting yourself killed. Something none of us want."
Hope was sitting at a table, ignoring the hybrids working on setting up more of the house to be more suitable for living. Klaus had previously just had essentials, including his art room. In front of her was a list of potential places. She had cloaked the paper and herself from anyone besides Klaus so the hybrids wouldn't see her plans. She knew how the sirebond worked. Relatively at least. And she wasn't sure if her dad had covered the loopholes. On the paper was a list of potential locations the coffins could be and why.
"I have a plan, but I feel you will not particularly like it" Klaus said, looking down at Hope.
Hope set her pencil down and looked up at him with a small frown. "What is it?"
"Oh just some collateral damage with the Mystic Falls group. I need some other retaliation. Some incentive for Stefan to give me the coffins in case you cannot locate them and get them back"
"I'm working on it. Can't you wait a little longer before collateral damage?" Hope questioned.
"If you dont do anything, people will never learn and this could happen all over again" Klaus said. "It's better this way" His face faltered. "Do you now think of me as a monster?" He was terrified that one day she would choose to no longer be by his side. Even moreso now that he considered her family. Things always ended up messy with his family, but Klaus just wanted them all close, willingly or otherwise.
"What? No!" Hope said. "I just dont want the situation to escalate and get worse before we can get your family back"
Klaus nodded and squeezed her shoulder lightly before heading out of the room.
Tyler Lockwood walked inside the mansion and went over to Klaus. "You called? I'm here. What happened?"
"What happened is Stefan had two possibilities and he chose the one that make me angry. I need you to help me to do something about that" Klaus replied, walking closer to Tyler.
"Can't you just leave me out of it?"
"What would be the point of that?"
"Seriously man, can't you just ask another hybrid to do the work? I lost my friends, my girlfriend" The irritation was obvious in Tyler's demeanor. He didnt want to keep doing things for Klaus.
"Right, your girlfriend, about her, I need you to bite her."
"What?" The word came out of both Hope and Tyler's mouth.
Caroline couldn't die. There was too much left. She was important to a lot of things. But if a hybrid bit her, she would die. And why would Klaus heal her? Hope had no idea it this was a timeline change or something else.
Klaus glanced over at Hope before returning his gaze to Tyler. "Don't make me repeat myself."
"A hybrid bite would kill a vampire."
"Yeah, I know exactly what it will do. Stefan push me too far so I'm pushing back."
"I'm not biting Caroline"
"Tyler, you've been supernaturaly blessed for the good fortune I've onto you. So consider me to putting your loyalty to a test" Klaus said, looking at him
Tyler stepped back, looking at Klaus with disgust and anger. "What the hell is wrong with you? I'm not hurting Caroline."
"Alright. I'm disappointed but you know, it's your choice, free will and all that. I'll find another way to strike on Stefan. You can go now."
Tyler looked at Klaus before heading out of the house, annoyed
Hope watched him go and looked back at Klaus. "He won't be able to fight the sirebond"
"We'll see. This is the perfect test to see how strong it is. And it makes the Mystic Falls group suffer. This is the best plan" Klaus said. "Now we still need to get my family back. There's a party tonight. And we are going to go" Klaus said. "You've just about narrowed down your list. Which we will look into thoroughly tomorrow. But we need to make appearances. You dont have to do much, but it would be best to arrive at least. Let the sheriff and mayor see you. It would also be a good break. You've been surrounded by papers since you got back"
"I'll be there" Hope promised. She looked back down at the notebook before starting to write.
Later Hope was at the party, and she looked around a bit, thinking about everything that had been happening recently. She thought it was a bad idea, her being here. But her dad wanted her here, so here she was, despite the risks. However, it soon became apparent that there was nothing to do here. Hope was wearing a red dress and thinking about everything she knew.
She needed to leave. She knew she already messed things up. And she had to go before she made them worse. But she still wasn't sure how to get back and she couldn't bring herself to just get on a bus and leave town. So she watched as her father started to get along with the mayor, knowing he wanted to make connections, especially considering he was planning on staying in town. Soon, however, Hope had joined her father's side and started to talk to him. But it wasn't much later that his phone rang.
Klaus picked up his phone and answered it. "Stefan, how nice to hear your voice."
Hope looked at Klaus curiously, concerned about why Stefan Salvatore was calling. She highly doubted it was to give him his family back. She focused her werewolf hearing to hear what was being said.
"Tell your hybrids to get out of the town Klaus" Stefan demanded.
"Well that's not gonna happen until I get my coffins back"
"Okay, well I'm gonna drive your blood source off the Wickery Bridge"
It unnerved Hope of how calm his tone was, considering she knew his humanity wasn't off anymore and he loved her. Her body tensed at the words, wanting nothing to happen to Elena.
"I don't believe you, Stefan. You won't kill her." Klaus pointed out.
There were muffled sounds before Elena exclaimed. "No! No! No! What are you doing?"
Klaus' body stilled. "What's going on?"
Hope didnt even wait for a response. She took off towards the Wickery Bridge, shifting into a wolf as she reached the woods, knowing she was faster that way. She ran until she got near the Wickery Bridge, stopping as she spotted Elena standing alone in the middle of the road, seemingly shocked and in tears. Hope shifted back before going over to the crying doppelganger and didn't say anything but instead pulled her into a hug.
Without thinking about it, a slightly shaking Elena sobbed a bit in Hope's shoulder as she hugged her back. The tribrid rubbed her back gently before eventually pulling away
Elena sniffles and wiped her eyes, thinking about everything. "Thank you. I'm sorry. I just-"
"I know. I heard part of what he said go Klaus" Hope said. "And I took off to try to get here in time. I'm glad you're okay"
"I'm not okay. I'm trying to keep it together. And I definitely shouldn't be losing it around you or any of Klaus' other allies, but... I couldn't help it. You showed up right when I needed you"
"A little after, technically. But I get your point." Hope said. "And its okay, Elena. Come on. I'll walk you home"
Elena wiped away her tears and started walking alongside Hope towards her house.
After Tyler Lockwood was told to bite Caroline, he had shown up at a little party they were having because it was Caroline's birthday. Despite refusing to do as Klaus asked, while making out with Caroline, he bit her. And that was how Caroline ended up lying in bed, weak and dying because of a werewolf bite.
When Klaus arrived at the Forbes household and knocked on the door, Liz Forbes answered. "I'm here to help. My blood will heal her. Please invite me inside" The hybrid said as he saw her.
"I know how this game works. You want something in return" Liz replied.
"Just your support" Klaus said. "See, I realized, admittedly too late, that this had not been the best course of action. I realized I did not wish for your daughter to die. So here i am to kindly reverse my mistake"
Liz looked at him for a moment before stepping to the side. "Come in"
Klaus walked inside the house and went towards where he heard Caroline.
"Are you going to kill me?" Caroline asked as she saw him come in.
"On your birthday? You really think that law of me?" Klaus questioned, pain showing in his eyes as he looked down at her.
"Yes."
Klaus looked at the wound. "It looks bad. My apologies, you are just colateral damages, nothing personnal. I love birthdays" he admitted.
"Yeah, Haven't you had like... a billion, or something?'
"Well you have to adjust your perception of time when you become a vampire, Caroline. Celebrate the fact that you're no longer bond by trivial human conventions. You're free."
"No, I'm dying" Caroline said, looking up at him.
Klaus was silent for a moment as he looked down at her, thinking. Then he took a seat beside her on the bed. "And I could let you die, if that's what you want. If you really believe your existence has no meaning. I thought about it myself, once or twice, over the centuries, truth will be told" He wasnt sure why he was telling her this. He had never admitted that to anyone. Not even to Hope or Elijah or Rebekah. Yet here he was, admitting it to this girl. Caroline Forbes. "But I'll let you know a little secret. There is a whole world out there, waiting for you. Great cities and art and music, genuine beauty. And you can have all of it. You can have a thousand more birthdays. All you have to do is ask."
"I don't wanna die." Caroline said quietly after a moment.
Klaus moved to sit beside her and drew her in a little, giving her ease of access to biting his arm. "Here you go, sweet heart. Have at it" Caroline sunk her fangs into his arm and began drinking his blood, which started to heal her. "Happy birthday, Caroline"
Hope and Elena reached Elena's house. The tribrid walked inside and looked around a little. The last time and only time she had been here was when she helped kidnap Elena. And here she was now delivering her to safety.
"Look I know you probably brought me home for Klaus because I'm his personal bloodbag, but you really don't have to stay" Elena said.
"That's not why I was at Wickery Bridge. I rushed over once I heard what was happening because I was worried about you. Not what you could do for Klaus. But aboutyou.I want to stay until someone else gets back"
Elena looked at Hope, and her express shifted a bit. "Everyone keeps telling me that basically I'm an idiot for thinking you're a good person because you're working with Klaus. But while I wasn't sure at first, considering you kidnapped me when we first met, its obvious that you are" she said. "Despite your poor choice in alliances, it is clear you care a lot about people"
"I don't want to see anyone get hurt" Hope admitted as she looked at her
"Thenwhyare you working with Klaus?" Elena questioned. "He's always going to get people hurt"
"Why are you close to the Salvatores?" Hope hoped she didnt take that in a romantic sense. But it was a valid point. People got hurt around them. Yet Elena was still by their side.
"They don't go onmasskilling sprees! Or kidnap people and use their blood to make a hybrid army!"
"Um, Stefan is the Ripper of Monterey. He slaughter villages after villages with his humanity on" the tribrid said, watching Elena flinch at his name so soon after what Stefan did to her. "Sorry. I just... I have my reasons. Please just respect that"
Elena nodded and took a seat on the couch, silent. Finally a minute later, she spoke again. "That was the bridge my parents drove over while I was in the backseat. I survived. They didn't. Stefan knew that, and he was close to forcing me to drown there too." Her breath shook as the memories washed over her.
"Yeah well Stefan's an asshole" Hope replied and went over to the kitchen to make some tea for Elena.
Damon came into the house and quickly went over to Elena, who got up quickly and hugged him. They both clung to each other, Elena unable to help herself from wanting the comfort of a hug from someone she... from him after what just happened. From someone that understood where her emotions were coming from. Someone that knew her well.
"Hey, I'm glad you're okay" Damon said as he held her close. "I went looking for you the second I heard about what happened. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you"
"It's okay. Hope was" Elena replied, slowly pulling away.
"She's still here?" Damon questioned, spotting her in the kitchen. "Keeping an eye on you because of Klaus?"
"No. Because she cares."
"Well, you're not alone now" Hope said, walking closer to Elena and holding out a mug with tea. "Just be careful"
Elena took the mug and watched her leave.
"You're not seriously going to drink that?" Damon looked at her
"If she was going to kill me, she had plenty of chances" Elena said. "Besides, Klaus needs me" She started drinking her tea and let out a sigh. "I can't believe Stefan did that"
"He's out of control" Damon said. "I have no idea what he is capable of anymore"
"Well, he's screwing Katherine. He might not care about me anymore. And now that his humanity is so driven to his hatred toward Klaus..." She shook her head.
"You're gonna be okay?" Damon asked
"I will survive. Somehow I always do." Elena said, looking at him.
"As much as his methods sucked and you never should have been put in that position, Stefan won this round for us today. He push Klaus at the edge and Klaus blinked." Damon looked at Elena. "Klaus have been calling on the shaft and Stefan beat him at his own game. He was the better villain."
"Don't seem so impressed."
"Well, I can't help be a little proud" Damon said. "I mean the location was bad, and everything. But he did get Klaus to back down. It was what we needed. Really, tell me, are you gonna be okay?"
Elena nodded a bit. "I'll be fine. I just need some rest."
Damon nodded and kissed the top of her head. "Goodnight, Elena"
The words and action felt familiar, but she had no idea from what. So the doppelganger pushed it away and headed upstairs.
Meanwhile, Katherine was sitting in front of a fancy table with papers scattered across it and a wine glass beside her. She had been contacting her sources and looking up witches that Hope couldn't be. Someone with a large amount of power that Klaus would have connections to. The only ones she was finding were Esther, the creator of vampires, and her sister who had supposedly died a thousand years ago. If she was not one of them, none of this made sense. Yet she didn't seem a thousand years old, based on what Stefan had been telling her. She seemed... young. But her power wasn't that of a young witch.