Hello, all! Here's a new and very long chapter. I was proofreading and kept changing the chapter, essentially merging two chapters because I just didn't want to prolong the plot anymore and there's a lot that I could omit. So, this resulted in an extra long chapter. It's a bit of a filler, but it's a necessary filler. Instead of making two filler chapters, you guys get one and we dive back in.
Now, let me respond to your awesome reviews:
-xenocanaan: Thank you so much for the support. Here is another update for you to enjoy!
-brigitm28: Thank you! Curious to know about that feeling you got from the conversation between Sage and Damon.:) Yes, developing Gwen and Rebekah's friendship is so fun. Rebekah needs someone to give her some experiences she missed out on. Oh, Kol and Gwen will be interacting a lot more soon, just need to be patient. I am itching to get the chapter out!
-sammyleann: You have no idea how much you made me laugh! Thanks!
-MarvelousMsMaklin: I am so happy you're liking June. I often get a headache incorporating her because I want to do her justice.
-Lalalal8765: I am so happy you love it!
-Kitttkatt01: Hello! Sorry, I didn't get the question.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Vampire Diaries and claim no ownership over anything pertaining to it. I only own my characters.
just another day
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The trip to the city had been quite…an interesting experience, to say the least.
Days cooped up in a hotel with only Juniper as his only company had not been relaxing for Klaus, but mostly because his mother and oldest brother's betrayal had him on edge. He could barely sleep, fearing that each night would be his last. It was unnerving having to close his eyes to get some rest but having his mind conjure such disturbing dreams where his mother succeeded. He also often dreamed about Gwen's bloodied body at his feet. On more than one occasion, these dreams had him practically jumping out of his bed at night, needing to stop for a moment to listen if his undead heart still pulsated within his chest and make a call home to make sure his ward was safe.
Other than the constant worry and paranoia, he had to admit that the brunette witch kept him distracted. There was never a dull moment when in conversation with her, not when she loved to talk about magic or finding logic in spells. He found that conversing with her was easy and kept him interested. And having to share breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the same person led to more topics for conversations, teaching him a lot more things about the witch that he didn't know before.
Klaus learned that Juniper preferred coffee and barely functioned without it. When deep in concentration or worried about something, she always chewed on something, be it her nails or a pencil, or a straw. She loved to eat any dish that had meat in it. She also had a lot of energy, but she sometimes crashed and needed another dose of caffeine to start the engine back up again; otherwise, she would laze around and read her grimoire all day. And he somehow learned that her favorite color was green.
Learning more about Juniper made their relationship better and their hostile behavior became constant teasing and bickering that no longer had any real bite or threat. It was quite the change for both of them to get accustomed to, but it was preferable, considering that they no longer had to be on constant alert around one another.
Juniper turned to Klaus with a smirk. "I told you we'd find him today, so lunch is on you."
"Whatever," Klaus said with a roll of his eyes as he watched Finn walking on the other side of the street from his seat on the terrace of a bistro where he was having lunch with Juniper. He leaned back as he finished his beer. "Do you sense Esther?" he asked her.
"She's either hiding very well or is nowhere near us," Juniper answered, scanning for any strong presence of magic. "I think they're taking their chances by splitting up."
"Smart," Klaus snorted. "Now, I'd prefer to get him back to Mystic Falls with as little problem as possible."
"His ladylove from a thousand years ago is in Mystic Falls. Just tell him she's waiting for him with open arms," Juniper supplied as she recalled Gwen's update about a vampire called Sage staying at the mansion and how she was Finn's lover.
Klaus snorted. "As if he'd trust a word that comes out of my mouth. She'll be of more use after we get him back." He exhaled heavily, eager to be rid of the spell that bonded him to his siblings. "I am in no mood to torture anyone today. I just want this done."
"Got you covered. With a quick and simple spell, I'll have him following us back to Mystic Falls like a lost puppy," Juniper said as she finished her dessert. "Did you get the Bennett witch or what?" She took a sip of her beer. "I want to cover all bases and avoid unnecessary interference."
"Working on it," Klaus said as he texted one of his hybrids to ask for an update on the acquirement of the resident witch of Mystic Falls. He then raised an eyebrow at Juniper and said, "You know, you should be careful with how you talk to me."
"What, you mean making sure you're doing things right?" Juniper taunted in response, smirking widely.
"I could very easily tear your tongue out," Klaus huffed out, lips quirking up a bit in a lopsided smile.
"You'd be depriving yourself of such splendid company," countered Juniper.
"Or saving my ears from further torment," Klaus shot back before he glanced at where his brother was waiting at a stoplight to turn green. "Let's get this over with." He leaned forward on the table. "I'll lead him to you, so just do as I say."
After Klaus explained what they needed to do, they left the bistro and went their separate ways. Juniper was a bit worried and hesitant about Klaus' plan, considering that Finn was still an Original who had Esther on his side. The only reason she felt a bit confident in their plan was the fact that she felt no trace of Esther's magic, not even a speck. Still, it concerned her what Esther's next move would be. If the matriarch of the Original family truly wanted to destroy her children, then she would find another way. Facing such a witch made Juniper question herself, believing that she lacked the knowledge to go up against Esther's magic, but she would still try.
Klaus caught up to his oldest sibling with a grin, walking down the busy street. "Hello, Finn."
"Hello, Niklaus," Finn exhaled heavily, opting to ignore his brother if only to buy himself time to escape. He may be older, but he spent most of his immortal life in a coffin. Even his youngest siblings would be stronger than him, having more experience as vampires and whatnot. "I have nothing to say to you."
"Well, I'm not here to chat, but I still need to ask," Klaus began as he tried his luck. "Where's our mother?"
With a shrug, Finn said, "Gone to find another way to end our abominable lives. When she does, I will sacrifice myself all over again."
"Well, how fortunate that I found you," said Klaus. "I require your assistance."
"I have no wish to help you," Finn scoffed. "Only to see you dead."
"Right, well, that's the thing. You see you won't be able to see me dead, because if I die, then you die," Klaus said while grinning, dimples showing. "So, wish unfulfilled, I'm afraid."
The way Klaus was acting reminded Finn of decades past when they were human, how his younger brother used to bewitch others with pretty words and a wide grin, like a cat who caught its prey. The only ones who didn't completely fall for such an image were himself and his family, given that they saw Klaus for who he truly was. "Oh, bother someone else with your hollowed charms, Niklaus," he huffed as they crossed a street.
"Why, when I can bother my big brother?" Klaus chuckled mirthlessly. "I need you to accompany me back to Mystic Falls, my witch may have found a way to undo Esther's spell that linked us together."
This made Finn pause. A witch that could trump his mother's spells was no laughing matter. Not only would Esther's plan to correct her mistake fail, but his desire for death would be nothing but a dream. Esther was a strong witch if not the strongest, one who could grant his wish, but Finn was no fool. Witches grow and evolve, becoming strong through their bloodlines. This was a problem. He needed to get away from Klaus and return to his mother's side.
With a frown, Finn stopped to face Klaus. "I have no wish to be unlinked."
The hybrid stepped closer to Finn with an impassive gaze. "Again, with the wishes," he sighed heavily. "Let me rephrase, you will come back with me, or I will put you back in that coffin in which you rotted for nine hundred years."
Feeling a bit confident, Finn remarked, "What happens to one, happens to all. You may not feel the effects of the dagger, but you'd lose your precious Rebekah."
With a blank stare, Klaus countered by saying, "Wouldn't be the first time."
Finn scoffed with a shake of his head and decided it was time to elude his brother, so he walked past Klaus with his only choice being to run away and hope to lose himself in the crowd. In a blink of an eye, the oldest of the Original siblings disappeared from the hybrid's sight as he planned to use an alleyway to escape but gasped when he was met with familiar blue eyes and wavy brown hair that were matched with a grim smirk.
"Hello," Juniper greeted a confused Finn. "I can't believe he guessed you'd try to escape through an alley. It's like what happens in movies but this is how it must look like when the disappearing act fails."
"Heed my warning, witch," Finn said to Juniper. "Being by his side will bring nothing but death and misery for you."
"Maybe, but I don't have much to lose in terms of loved ones and stuff," Juniper argued. "I'm kind of a side character, so I just go with the flow."
When the hairs at the back of his neck stood up, Finn turned to find Klaus a step away from him. "What are you gonna do, kill me?" he challenged his brother.
"He would, but it would be a bit counterproductive," said Juniper.
"Remember, June. He's got a death wish," Klaus said to the witch before turning back to stare at Finn. "Fine, pathetic, but fine. The thing is, I'm not going to let you take the rest of us down with you."
Before Finn knew what happened, Klaus had grabbed him with ease and thrown him against the walls of the alley a few times. With a pained grunt, Finn crumpled to the ground in a wheezing and gasping mess.
Klaus looked up at June. "Now what?"
"Patience, young padawan," Juniper snickered as she crouched near Finn, placing a hand on the panting Originals' chest before looking up at Klaus and offering her hand for him to take. "You both being brothers makes this a lot easier, so give me your hand."
Klaus rolled his eyes and grabbed Juniper's hand, watching as she closed her eyes and mumbled a spell under her breath. "What are you doing?"
After she finished, Juniper stood up after releasing Klaus' hand to stand beside him. They stared down at Finn as she explained, "Nothing much, but now he has no choice but to follow you back to Mystic Falls."
"What have you done to me, witch?" Finn hissed as he sat up against the wall with a grunt.
"The spell is very simple," she explained to Klaus before looking down at Finn. "Think of it like a magnet that pulls you to your brother through your blood. Unless you want to be quite literally dragged back, don't struggle. I'll dispel it after we get what we want."
"Color me impressed," Klaus said as he shared a wide grin with Juniper before returning his gaze to his brother. "Let us return home, brother."
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Gwen hummed the tune of "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" as she drew on her sketchpad, sitting on a cushioned windowsill in the living room. Her focus was entirely on drawing foxes in different styles with the morning light falling over her. Save for the situation at the bridge, the days that followed the ball had been quiet, so the young hybrid had time to focus on her hobbies and forget about anything troubling, like the threat that Esther posed and Kol's proposal. Also, she had to come up with ideas as to what she'd paint for Klaus. She only recently picked up painting and now she owed him after losing that bet.
"What have we here?" Rebekah greeted the halfling as she entered the room, taking a sit on the windowsill opposite Gwen. She leaned closer to Gwen to take a peek at what the young hybrid was drawing. "The willy fox, huh?" she hummed, grinning at Gwen. "Any reason for the particular interest?"
Gwen shrugged. "I don't know, I just think they're cute."
"Maybe so, but they are quite the tricksters," said Rebekah.
"They keep things interesting," Gwen said with a smile, her eyes trained on the cartoonish version of a fox she was now drawing, making it as cute as possible. "They can be misunderstood."
Rebekah hummed, leaning her head against her hand that was propped by her hand with the elbow on the edge of the windowsill. "Still, cunning little things."
The calm atmosphere was broken when hurried footsteps entered the room. Gwen and Rebekah looked up to find a nervous Sage had approached them. The redheaded vampire was called by Rebekah to come to the mansion after being told that Finn was coming home. She would finally have what she's always wanted, even if it took betraying her favorite pupil. For Finn, she was prepared to do anything. She spent centuries dreaming about him but also trying to forget him. Time may have challenged her loyalty to her one true love, but she always remained true. She knew they would be reunited one day, and she was right. She found it funny how she was able to withstand years and years of waiting to see Finn again, but now that he was just a distance away, waiting was unbearable.
"How much longer?" Sage asked Rebekah.
The blonde vampire rolled her eyes, tired of hearing the same question all morning and afternoon. "They are on their way."
Sage scowled at Rebekah. "That answer is not good enough."
"It's going to have to be," Rebekah said with a grin.
"Bex," Gwen warned as she kept drawing.
"Fine," Rebekah huffed. "They should be arriving right about…" she paused when she heard doors being slammed, "…now." She grinned up at Sage.
The three women left the room and entered the foyer to find Finn on the floor, staring up at Klaus and Juniper as they stood above him with matching grins. Behind the hybrid and the witch stood a terrified Bonnie Bennett, who hugged her bag to her chest.
"Oh, my," Rebekah chuckled as she stepped closer to her eldest brother. "if I'd known we would have so many guests, I would have prepared a banquet." She crouched next to Finn and smiled. "Good of you to come, brother."
"You side with him?" Finn asked his sister while nodding at Klaus.
Rebekah tilted her head to the side. "Let's not make this any worse than it has to be."
"Rebekah," Finn almost growled as he stood up with his sister following his move, looking up at him. "He stored us in boxes."
"At least he's not trying to make us extinct," Rebekah argued before turning to Klaus. "Took you long enough. Not only that, I see you've failed to make him comply."
"You can't force me to help you," Finn said as he faced his siblings.
"Oh, I most likely could, but why force when I can persuade?" Klaus grinned as he lifted a hand and gestured for Sage to step forward.
It was when Sage stepped forward that Finn finally acknowledged her presence, shocked and speechless when his eyes landed on her. For a moment, he saw the young woman with beautiful long hair that fell down her back like a waterfall of fire in what had been his favorite green dress that brought out the color of her hair and eyes. He had to blink a few times to clear his mind. Yes, she looked different, but it was most certainly Sage. Ever since he had been awakened from his slumber, he had not thought about her. Maybe it was because of the shock of having found he had been sleeping for so long. Maybe it was because his mind was still processing everything. Maybe because he lost a part of himself throughout the years in a never-ending sleep that only ever offered him the most terrible nightmares.
"Hello, Finn," Sage greeted her past lover with a trembling smile as she took slow steps toward him, unsure of where she stood in his life, but her doubt was erased when she found herself wrapped in his arms.
"Sage," Finn breathed out as he tightened his arms around her. Finally, he found something familiar, a place where he felt like he belonged in such a strange time he knew nothing about.
If she hadn't had a good grip on her emotions, Sage would have tears streaming down her cheeks. She breathed Finn's scent and became elated to have found that it hadn't changed so much. Suddenly, she remembered what true happiness felt like.
Rebekah rolled her eyes at the display of love as she approached Klaus and Juniper. "What do you know," she sighed. "True love prevails."
"It does occasionally have its uses," Klaus said as he took his phone out of the pocket in his jacket. "Easier than torturing him."
"Hey," Gwen greeted Juniper, hugging the witch.
"No hug for me or are we too old for that?" Klaus teased Gwen, but he found himself surprised when she hugged him as well with a smile that reminded him of a younger version of her running into his arms. "This is unexpected," he chuckled as he wrapped an arm around the young hybrid and squeezed her tight before letting her go.
"I like to keep you on your toes," Gwen said with a grin.
Klaus grinned before his attention focused on the text message he received from his younger brother. 'Let me know when I'm needed', the message said. Things were so easy with his siblings when they banded together, but he was aware that it wouldn't last for long. Granted, he was the very reason his siblings couldn't stand each other, not after so many betrayals and schemes that have fragmented the trust that they used to have in one another. Klaus wrote back to Kol by drawing the text that said, 'I will'.
"Well, good that you're both back and I can be relieved of babysitting," Rebekah said as she threw Gwen a teasing smirk. The halfling stuck her tongue out at the blonde as she continued to hug Juniper's side. "I have something to do," she told Klaus. "What do you need from me for this spell?"
"Just your blood and your blessing," Klaus said as he pocketed his phone. "Where are you going?"
"I have some unfinished business with Damon Salvatore," Rebekah said with a chilly tone of voice. "Ask Weny what he did to me. Then you'll understand why retribution is in order." She then took that moment to take her leave. "Good to have you back, June," she said in passing, receiving a smile in return.
"Do we want to know?" Juniper asked Gwen.
"Let's just say that Damon's pride and joy will probably be the reason he dies someday," said Gwen.
"Wouldn't be surprised," said Juniper.
Gwen then remembered that Bonnie was also there and glanced at the resident witch. "Why is Bonnie here?" she asked.
"About that," Klaus began.
"He threatened to kill what remains of my family and my friends if I didn't come," was Bonnie's blunt answer as she glared at Klaus.
Gwen hummed. "Sounds about right." She turned to Juniper. "Why do we need her?"
"Think of it as a precaution," Juniper answered. "You see, I'm still figuring out how things are done in this town, but I imagine it's the same as any other place that has a witch," she said as she approached Bonnie. "We are always dealt with the brunt of the work, so I can imagine that whenever your friends are up to something, they'll run to you to either help them or fix something, so I'm taking you off the board. If by some coincidence, they try something when I am doing the spell, I will be very pissed off and I promise you that you don't want that to happen."
"She gets really angry when someone messes with her spells," added Gwen.
Klaus took out his phone once more as he also approached Bonnie. "Now, before you start with your pouting and scheming and whatnot, I want you to keep in mind what's at stake." He dialed a number and waited until his call was picked up.
"Hello," Kol's voice sang in greeting.
"Kol," Klaus greeted. "How's the weather up there in Mile High City?"
"No real complaints, but Denver is slowly losing my interest," said Kol.
The Original hybrid hummed as he glanced at Bonnie. "And how's our friend?"
"As boring as ever," Kol huffed. "I ran into him at the park just now, but we went out separate ways."
"Before you leave, may I see him for a moment?" asked Klaus.
"Sure," Kol responded.
Klaus stood beside Bonnie and leaned close as he picked up Kol's video. "There's Jeremy, playing fetch with his new puppy," he whispered, hearing her suck in a sharp breath, her heart jumping as she watched Jeremy playing with a dog in a park. "Oh, isn't that just the most adorable thing you've ever seen?" He chuckled as he pulled the phone away and raised it to an ear. "Thank you, Kol. We'll be in touch."
"Just break the damn spell," said Kol. "Also, how is the pretty fae doing?"
The Original hybrid's face dropped as his eyes darted to Gwen, watching her talk animatedly with Juniper about something. "And why on earth would you be interested in anything that has to do with her?"
Kol chuckled, having expected that sort of reaction from his older brother. "Calm down, Nik. It was an innocent question."
Huffing, Klaus mumbled, "As if there's anything innocent about you."
"You still haven't answered," Kol chuckled.
Klaus could just picture the huge grin on his brother's face, so he opted to hang up the call. His brother thrived on teasing others, so he wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. While he was also bothered that Kol asked about Gwen, he wasn't as upset as he usually would have been. She was with him and under his watchful eye, while Kol was very far away, so there was nothing to worry about.
"All righty," Juniper clapped her hands, gaining everyone's attention, including Finn's and Sage's. "Let's get this spell started," she said with a Cheshire grin.
.
Gwen stared at the vials of blood stored in a small case that Klaus had asked her to find, counting four of them. Having found them, she was walking toward a living room Juniper was using to cast her spell. Bonnie had been safely placed in another room with no way of contacting others, but the threat to Jeremy was more than enough to keep her in check. Finn had miraculously given his blood with Sage's persuasion after Juniper figured out that she only needed his blood for the spell. He was initially hesitant about it, but the redhead cleared any doubts he had. From what Gwen could tell, being with Sage had somehow given him a new purpose. It made her question what it was about that kind of love that had people changing their minds so quickly.
A pained yell startled Gwen as she paused in her steps, her eyes going to the room that had been used for the waltz. She took slow and careful steps toward the room, hearing only sounds of pain that were accompanied by the snapping and rattling of metal. Sliding close to the doorway, the halfling took a peek inside and raised her eyebrows in shock as her eyes also widened.
"Bekah?" inquired Gwen.
Rebekah turned to Gwen after clamping a bear trap around Damon's wrist as he hung from the ceiling. "Oh, Weny," she greeted with a smile before she gestured to the metal traps. "I found these in the shed. June helped me set them up."
Gwen hummed as she looked up at the traps that were attached to the ceiling with the teeth biting down hard the oldest Salvatore's wrists, keeping him in place and vulnerable. "Right," she mumbled as she stepped into the room, noticing the tarps below Damon's feet with blood leaking from his torn wrists.
If she were normal or maybe anyone else who wasn't an Original or familiar with them, Gwen would have been terrified, but this wasn't her first time seeing such a scene. Klaus tended to never censor the horrors of the world or himself when he wanted to drive a point home. Being raised by the Original hybrid had desensitized her to displays of violence and bloodshed. She was still frightened of what the Originals were capable of, but she still felt safe when around Klaus and now Rebekah. It made her question her sanity, but they were her family. Yes, Klaus and Rebekah were cruel and sadistic at times, but she's just learned to accept them as they were. And even if they did horrendous things, she still saw the humanity in them.
"What am I looking at, Bex?" Gwen asked the Original vampire.
"A poor, defenseless animal," Rebekah answered as she picked up a knife from a nearby cabinet table.
"Got to admit, even for me, it's a little kinky," Damon remarked.
Gwen huffed out a small laugh. "You're still capable of making jokes right now?"
Damon shrugged as he looked at each trap, finding it impossible to break free of them. "Might as well."
"You pretended to be interested in me," Rebekah began as she walked circles around Damon, like a predator toying with its prey. "And then you slept with me so your trampy friend, Sage, could steal my thoughts." She shrugged her shoulders as she came to a stop in front of him. "Ever since then, I've felt this incessant need to one-up you. So, I've decided to bleed the vervain from your system." She reached up and ripped open the younger vampire's shirt with a few buttons sent flying.
Damon grinned as he made a sound of pleasure before a groan left him when Rebekah dragged the knife across his chest, his blood dripping down his chest. "You want to compel me to be your boyfriend?" he taunted.
"Actually, I'd rather compel you to kill your brother," Rebekah countered. "Or Elena." She grinned when she saw his face fall. "But, since vampires heal, bleeding you may take a while. We should probably stick to the major arteries." She went ahead and cut his neck, which bled profusely.
Gwen gagged as she saw the knife open Damon's neck. Watching such a thing gave her the unpleasant feeling that a knife was also slicing her neck. "Why am I here?"
"It's what I would like to know," Klaus said as he entered the room and stood beside Gwen. He stared at Damon and found himself impressed with his sister's idea of torture. "Well, look what you've caught." Still, he did find a flaw that he thought his sister should know about. "If you're trying to bleed him of vervain, don't you think it would be easier to hang him upside down?" he supplied as he made a gesture with his hand to show her what he meant.
Rebekah scoffed, annoyed with her brother's criticism. "I'm perfectly capable of inflicting pain, thank you very much."
"Well, excuse me, it's not like I have any expertise in the matter," Klaus said as he sarcastically rolled his eyes.
"You know, why don't you just leave me be and go and fix our little problem?" Rebekah huffed with her arms crossed over her chest.
Klaus grinned as he lifted his arms in defeat before reaching for Gwen to lead her out of the room with Damon's grunts of pain fading behind them. The pair of hybrids entered a nearby room where Juniper was hunched over a round table with a variety of items. The witch was currently studying the linking spell Bonnie had told her that Esther used to link her children and taken from a Bennett grimoire.
"Tick-tock," Klaus said as he approached the table. "I should hear chanting by now."
Juniper lifted her head to shoot a glare at Klaus, which he matched with a grin since he knew she loathed being rushed. "I can tell you about the perfect spot where you can shove it." She stood from the chair and stretched. "Besides, I already know what I need to do. We just need to wait for the moon to be high in the sky."
"It's not going to be a full moon," Gwen pointed out.
Chuckling, Juniper began to arrange all items she would need for the spell on the table. "Well, unlike other witches, I don't waste valuable objects and their potential. The moon is still a celestial object." She placed some candles around the edge of the table and a goblet at the center, removing all other items that would not be needed. "The full moon just gives you a mega boost, which I don't need. It's harder to create a link between people, but breaking it is so much easier, so I only need a bit of extra power."
"So, we just wait," Gwen said as she sat on a loveseat with the vials of blood.
"Yeah, I just need to meditate a bit and gather myself," Juniper said as she sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the fireplace, closing her eyes with her hands resting on her knees.
Elsewhere in the mansion, Rebekah continued to torture Damon, but cutting him had lost its fun, so she focused on torturing him from the inside. She stood behind him with an arm propped on the other that was across her stomach. The fantasy she had created for him was one she imagined would be so beautiful for him, one where Elena would drop everything to save him, to choose him over everyone else. He reminded her so much of Kol, always looking for somewhere to belong or someone to belong with.
The blonde Original grinned when she heard him groan after the illusion that she placed him under broke. Pity, he almost reached the good part of the dream. There was nothing more blissful for a vampire than to share blood with a lover. It was such an intimate act that showed more than trust between the couple. It was an indescribable experience for both parties. So, giving that dream to Damon with Elena and then ripping it away was so satisfying. The shock of it had woken him up.
Damon groaned as his eyes fluttered open, the haziness in his eyes fading away to reveal reality. "Bitch," he mumbled.
Rebekah chuckled. "It's not fun when someone messes with your thoughts, is it?"
"Actually, I was having a pretty good time in there," the raven-haired vampire said, grinning.
The blond-haired vampire hummed as she nodded, swinging the knife in her hand. "Well, I hope you were nicer to Elena than you were to me."
"Come on," Damon scoffed. "I couldn't have hurt you that bad. You didn't really think I had a thing for you, did you?"
"Not really. I mean, I used you as well," Rebekah wondered out loud. Like all other men she had met throughout the centuries, she was used to being betrayed by them, including those in her family. Still, she always held out hope that there would be one who would choose her. She froze as she realized she was similar to Kol in some ways. "My problem is that I don't get over it. See, you're not the first one to do such a disgusting thing," she began to explain. "But there are times that it gets to me, and I need to let off some steam." She then stabbed Damon in the stomach and twisted the knife further in, eliciting a scream from him.
The howl of pain was heard throughout the mansion, reaching the ears of Gwen, Juniper, and Klaus, which had them looking up as more screams resonated throughout the halls. This was nothing new for Klaus, but both Gwen and Juniper were a bit worried for Rebekah.
"Do you think she's doing all right?" asked Gwen.
"She's just venting her frustrations out," said Klaus from where he was leaning against a doorframe.
"So that she doesn't take them out on you?" Juniper teased with a grin.
Klaus rolled his eyes. "Well…"
"Where did Finn and Sage go?" Gwen asked Klaus.
The Original hybrid sighed. "They're probably going to reminisce, and she will most likely convince that dull brother of mine that there's more to life as a vampire than blood and whatnot before riding off into the sunset."
"What's their story?" asked Juniper.
Taking a deep breath, Klaus prepared himself for a trip down memory lane. "Finn was born in the Old World, so moving to the New World was a shock to him. Well, that's what Esther said to explain his isolated behavior. While he did play with us when we were small, he became cold as we grew and focused more on being a dutiful son than a good older brother." He cleared his throat as he kept himself from any emotions attached to those memories. "Sage was the first person to make him question his devotion to our parents. Unlike Mikael, Esther, and Rebekah, I thought they were a good pair, and so did Elijah, Kol, and Henrik."
"So, your family was split in their opinion of her," said Juniper.
"Yes, but the only opinion that mattered was Mikael's and he didn't approve of her," said Klaus.
"A forbidden love story," Gwen said with a hum.
Klaus nodded. "After we found out how to turn others into vampires, Finn was quick to find Sage. I believe turning her was the only thing he ever did for himself."
"Aww," both Juniper and Gwen uttered.
Their reaction had Klaus huffing as he rolled his eyes. "Yes, very romantic," he muttered sarcastically.
The group of three spent their time waiting for nightfall doing whatever they could to keep themselves entertained with the sound of Damon's screams filtering throughout the house now and then.
Juniper continued meditating, focusing on her magic. While the spell wasn't too difficult, she had to be careful when it came to focusing on what needed to be severed. From what she sensed the night that Esther had almost killed her children, the link was strong. It felt like a thick rope, or more like a metal chain. While it was a strong bond that had been created, finding the weakness and cutting it would sever the bond instantly. She just needed to be careful. It was a terrifying spell due to the people who were involved, but she was also excited to have found yet another spell that she could decode. It wouldn't be fun if it was easy to deal with.
Gwen had gone back to drawing on her sketchbook, but she kept the case with the vials of blood close to her. She was no longer drawing foxes, choosing to focus on what would be good to paint for Klaus. There was no way she was making a portrait, preferring making landscapes or abstracts or anything else. She would have wanted to paint his wolf form, but she had never seen it and she wouldn't ask him to shift just to know what his wolf form looked like, even though she was curious. That was when it occurred to her. She would make a drawing with the moon as the theme. With that idea in mind, Gwen began to sketch moons with different settings and backgrounds as she thought about what she would be bringing to life.
Klaus drifted from checking on Bonnie and peeking in on Rebekah's project with Damon. He constantly made sure that Bonnie was aware of what was at stake if she tried to do anything funny, reminding her what he was capable of doing to Jeremy, her friends, and even her mother. Rebekah didn't let him do anything else than watch, so he had to entertain himself by giving her ideas. And much like any older brother, he also annoyed her.
As soon as night had fallen and stars decorated the night alongside the moon, Juniper opened her eyes as she ceased meditating. She stood up and approached the table where she would perform her spell, causing Gwen to put her sketchpad away before approaching her. "It's time," the brunette witch announced.
Gwen looked behind her and called out, "Nik!"
It wasn't long before Klaus entered the room and stood by the table. "Finally?"
"Yes," Juniper said, annoyed by his impatience. "Do you have the blood of your siblings?"
Klaus glanced at Gwen. "The case, love."
Gwen went back to the loveseat and picked up the case that she had left on the end table next to it. She unzipped it to reveal four vials of blood. "We're missing yours, Nik."
"Right," he mumbled as he looked around and picked up the goblet that Juniper intended to use for her spell. His face morphed to reveal veins under his darkened eyes and a set of elongated canines when he opened his mouth before biting into the palm of his unoccupied hand. He clenched his wounded hand to keep it from healing, squeezing tightly to have his blood drip into the goblet until there was a good amount. "Here we are," he said as he offered the goblet to Juniper.
Juniper's face scrunched up as she took the goblet. "You're so lucky I was going to use this for the blood." She placed the goblet back on the center of the table. "Next time, ask before you do anything that can potentially ruin a spell."
"Will do," Klaus said without promising anything, preferring to annoy the witch.
"Whatever," huffed Juniper. She turned to Gwen. "Pour the other vials into the goblet. The sooner we're done, the sooner everyone can breathe easy." She snapped her fingers and then the candles lit up.
The halfling took care to pour every vial into the goblet, watching as the thick liquid settled in the cup. Even if they were vampires, Gwen could feel the presence of magic just by mixing their blood. It made sense, given that they were created with magic and were tied together with magic. After pouring the last vial, Gwen put the case away and stood with Klaus to watch Juniper perform her spell.
The witch looked at both Klaus and Gwen. "Shall we begin?"
"Go ahead," Klaus said with a nod.
"Be careful," Gwen added, which earned her a wink from Juniper.
Taking a deep breath, Juniper closed her eyes. She lifted her hands to have them hover at her sides as she focused on the magic that she was slowly bringing it out, causing the fire of the candles to intensify. The room became quiet, and the air became dense with Juniper's magic that was slowly taking shape into what the witch wanted. "Chaidh ceangal a chruthachadh le fuil," she began her chant as she tilted the goblet to pour the blood onto the table. "Feumaidh an ceangal seo a bhith briste. Tha mi ag iarraidh gun tèid an ceangal seo a bhriseadh." The puddle of blood began to move as Juniper repeated her chant over and over, feeling like she was slowly and carefully cutting the correct strings and nothing else. It was quite tedious, but she needed to be wary.
"It's working," Gwen mumbled as she looked at the blood. Both she and Klaus watched as the blood began to separate into five smaller puddles.
With one final chant, Juniper's magic finished breaking the link between the Original siblings, which caused the fire from the candles and the fireplace to flare up for a moment before they died down. The room's atmosphere felt less heavy once the spell was finished. The three supernatural beings looked down at the blood to find that the small puddles of blood were far from one another.
"It's done," Juniper breathed, taking a moment to gather herself.
Gwen turned to Klaus. "I think you should let Bonnie go."
"Fine," Klaus sighed before leaving the room.
Juniper yawned as she walked over to a loveseat, dropping heavily on the cushioned furniture with a whine. "That was a lot easier than I thought," she remarked. "Still, my head is throbbing."
"You okay?" Gwen asked as she sat on the arm of the loveseat, stroking Juniper's head with a hand that glowed a light green, using her magic to soothe her friend's headache.
"I'll be fine," said Juniper. The witch leaned her head back as she allowed Gwen's magic to alleviate her aching mind. "I just don't like messing with another witch's spell. It's like trying to pick up a story where someone left off and rewrite it. It's not your style and it already has some work done, so you don't have much room to breathe."
Gwen hummed as she continued to stroke Juniper's head. "Thank you for this," she said. "And for everything else you've done. You didn't have to help Nik or any of them, but you did, so I'm grateful."
The witch chuckled as she looked up at Gwen. "You are my first and only friend," she began. "I didn't have anyone who truly cared about me, and I didn't have anyone to care for. You tried to help me find my parents and kept Klaus from ripping my head off."
Gwen laughed. "As if I'd let him kill my first real friend."
"My point is that I'll do anything to protect what I have now," Juniper said as she smiled at Gwen. "Because of you, I have other people that are growing on me, even though they're annoying vampires who are a couple of centuries older than us and are quite the pain." She sighed as she closed her eyes. "I'm not alone anymore."
"And you don't have to be," Gwen said as she leaned over the back of the loveseat to coil around Juniper's head. "Not anymore."
Both girls stayed in their positions for a while, enjoying the calm. While it had been a rather uneventful day, they were both tired. Having to deal with Original family drama wasn't easy. While it wasn't easy and it was dangerous, Gwen would rather be living through all of it than be sequestered in a city with no real freedom.
"Klaus, I'm here!"
The yell had startled both the halfling and the witch from their peaceful rest. Gwen had stood up and glanced at the doorway from where she heard the yell echo, whereas Juniper remained where she was with no intention of moving.
"The hell?" Juniper wondered out loud as she straightened up.
"That sounded like Stefan," said Gwen.
Juniper hummed as she waved a hand in dismissal before relaxing against the loveseat once more. "Yeah, well, I'm done for tonight."
Gwen shook her head at Juniper in mock disappointment before leaving the room. She followed the sound of voices to the room Rebekah had been using to torture Damon. She found a bloodied Damon still chained to the ceiling with Stefan standing in front of him with a duffel bag in hand, squaring off against Klaus and Rebekah.
"A hero," Klaus said to Stefan mockingly. "What do you want?"
Stefan dropped the duffel bag at Klaus' feet, which confused both Originals and halfling. "I'm here to make a deal."
"Stefan, what are you doing?" Damon groaned as he fought to stay conscious.
Stefan ignored his brother as he focused on Klaus. "Eight stakes made of white oak." He glanced at Rebekah. "The part of Wickery Bridge that you forgot to burn."
Klaus looked at Rebekah with a raised eyebrow. "Forgot about that, did we?"
"Oh, shut up," snapped Rebekah.
"Finn's dead," Stefan announced, which was followed by silence.
Both Klaus and Rebekah felt differently about Finn's death. First, they could hardly believe it, not when it came from the mouth of a young vampire and without any proof. When they both felt the telltale sign of grief creeping into their bodies, Klaus and Rebekah pushed it aside quickly to not be consumed by it. Rebekah wanted nothing more than to go to her room and curl into a ball before she allowed her sadness to pour out. On the other hand, Klaus itched to rip both Stefan's and Damon's heads off, as well as torture and kill everyone they loved and cared about.
Gwen's eyes shifted between Klaus and Rebekah. While she wasn't used to Rebekah's way of coping, she was familiar with how Klaus dealt with grief or pain, and it wasn't a good coping method. He would simply cast aside his emotions and become volatile. He was the most unpredictable when he was angry or upset.
"You killed my brother?" Rebekah said in a low but deadly voice.
Stefan looked at Klaus. "Damon in exchange for the last eight weapons that can kill you."
"And how do I know there aren't any more left?" Klaus countered, no longer in any mood to play games.
"Because there aren't," said Stefan.
"Let's be certain, shall we?" Klaus walked around Stefan and approached Damon, leaning close to the raven-haired Salvatore's ear. "Leave."
"No," Damon exhaled, avoiding Klaus' eyes.
"Go on," Klaus urged. "Leave."
"No," Damon said once more.
Klaus grabbed Damon by the throat with a vice grip and turned the young vampire to lock eyes with him. "I said," he began, using compulsion on the oldest Salvatore, "go home." He released his grip on Damon and took a step back.
Damon took deep breaths, grunting and groaning as he began to pull a wrist from the snare snapped around it, peeling his flesh off in the process. This had him screaming in pain. Both Stefan and Gwen looked away when their eyes caught what Damon's wrist looked like as he continued to try pulling it free from the bear trap.
"Alright, stop. Stop," Klaus ordered through his compulsion with a grin. "Stop, before you hurt yourself." He glanced at Stefan before looking back at Damon. "Well, I can see that you can finally be compelled. Now," he said as he carefully stepped around blood on the tarp to reach for Damon's chin, angling his head to lock eyes with the raven-haired vampire. "Minus the stake that's in my brother, how many more stakes are out there that can kill me?"
As Klaus released his grip on Damon, Stefan hoped that his brother was feigning being compelled and would lie to Klaus. They had been so close to killing all the Originals mere moments ago. It would have almost been over, but luck hadn't been on their side. He needed Damon to lie to at least have an element of surprise by hiding the remaining stakes that weren't in the duffel bag.
"Eleven," Damon mumbled, which had Stefan cursing under his breath.
"Eleven!" Klaus huffed as he turned to Stefan. "So not eight, then."
"You really shouldn't have lied," said Rebekah.
"I'll get you the other three," Stefan promised.
"Yeah, that'll be nice," said Klaus. "Or since you lied, maybe I'll just compel your brother to chew out his own tongue."
Stefan made a face of disgust. "What is wrong with you?"
Gwen scoffed. "Are you really asking that?"
"Do you really have no appreciation for me?" Klaus ranted as he glared at Stefan. "I have given you countless opportunities when I would have given none to another. I have spared your friends and loved ones. I've given you a target to place all your hatred and anger on. I have given your life purpose as your friend."
The thousand-year-old hybrid meant almost every word. The young Salvatore had made quite an impression on Klaus back in the day, so he was entertaining his crusade against him for his own amusement. Stefan had been a good companion when he needed one most after having been separated from Elijah. They had some good times and created a bond that he didn't think would have been so frayed and messy when they met again.
"I really think you should be thanking me," Klaus taunted with a chuckle.
Gwen sucked in a breath when she saw Stefan about to rush at Klaus, so she raised a hand that had a green mist glowing around it and pointed at the young Salvatore. Stefan was stopped in front of Klaus with a hand that held a white oak stake raised high in the sky, which had been ready to strike down the Original hybrid. Stefan's body was covered in the same glowing green mist that shifted around his body, keeping him in place. This had surprised everyone in the room, but more so Klaus.
Shaking himself out of the shock, Klaus looked at Stefan and reached for the stake. "Step down, or you both die."
Stefan's hardened glare softened a bit as he realized he was at a complete disadvantage. Klaus glanced at Gwen and nodded for her to release the young Salvatore, which she did by lowering her hand and dispelling her magic. The green mist that held Stefan disappeared, causing his body to sag before he stood upright.
"There," Klaus said as he looked at the stake that had the power to kill him and his siblings. He turned his attention to Stefan. "Now you'll only have to get me the other two."
Rebekah scoffed in annoyance as she walked over to Damon. "This is ridiculous," she mumbled before reaching up to release Damon from the snare traps, uncaring if she was gentle or not.
Klaus sighed. "What are you doing?"
"I brought him here, so I get to release him if I want. My rules now," Rebekah argued with Klaus before she looked at Stefan. "Bring us the stakes and you both live. Take your brother as a sign of good faith." She picked up the duffel bag and left the room.
"Bring us the stakes. All of them," Klaus told Stefan, stepping closer to the vampire. "Or I will wage a war against everyone you love. I hope I'm being clear." He then left the room after making sure Gwen would follow.
Stefan released a heavy breath he didn't know he had been holding once Klaus and Rebekah left. He had taken a gamble and it hadn't worked. He then looked at his brother and sighed heavily before approaching him to help him stand. Without protest, Damon allowed his brother to help him, finding such relief to have been let go of the traps that were no longer biting into his skin. All he wanted was a few blood bags, a bath, and his bed.
After the Salvatores left the mansion, Gwen and Rebekah worked on burning the stakes in the fireplace of the room Juniper had used to perform the unlinking spell. The witch had already gone to bed so that left Gwen and the two Originals to finish the day's business. There was nothing but silence as they waited for the stakes to finish turning into ash that would also be disposed of.
"I can't believe Finn is dead," Rebekah said, breaking the silence as she stared at the fireplace with the dancing flames reflecting in her eyes.
"Good riddance," Klaus said from where he leaned against the table that was in front of the fireplace, his arms folded over his chest. "He was an embarrassment, Rebekah." This comment had Gwen frowning from where she sat on a loveseat nearby.
Rebekah scowled at her brother. "He was still your brother. Mind your tongue."
"Fine," Klaus sighed with a shrug. "Let's all say a prayer for Finn, who slept in a box longer than he lived as a man." He kept his gaze on the fireplace, wanting to avoid talking about Finn's death and the many complicated emotions tied to it. "He was a lovesick fool. He's better off in death."
Steeling herself, Rebekah walked over to Klaus. "Is that how you would speak of me if I died?"
"Well, you let the Salvatores loose with two stakes that can kill us, so I guess we'll find out soon enough," he answered as he met her gaze before his eyes narrowed. "And since when did you have a soft spot for them?"
"The Salvatores may fight like dogs, but in the end, they would die for each other," Rebekah argued. "At least they know what family means. You destroyed ours."
"Can you guys not?" Gwen spoke up as she stood, causing both Originals to stare at her. She turned her attention to Klaus. "They're your family," she told him. "You can't speak about them like that. You should have some semblance of respect for him." Her eyes softened. "He's dead, Nik."
Without a word, Klaus left the room. They both knew better than to follow him. It was best to leave him to himself until he calmed down. He had too much on his mind; Finn's death, the threat of white oak stakes, and Esther. While his emotions were numbed, they were boiling under the surface. They knew him best, so they knew not to push him.
Gwen glanced at Rebekah and grabbed her hand. After locking eyes with the blonde, she offered, "I'm here if you need anything."
Smiling, Rebekah exhaled. "I could use some wine, a few bottles to be exact. Some good company would also be nice."
"Whatever you need," Gwen said as she linked an arm through one of Rebekah's, leading her out of the room. "I think June would be more than happy to join in drowning away any sorrow after the day we've had."
They both chuckled as they looked forward to putting the day behind them.
Rough Translation (Scottish-Gaelic to English):
Chaidh ceangal a chruthachadh le fuil. Feumaidh an ceangal seo a bhith briste. Tha mi ag iarraidh gun tèid an ceangal seo a bhriseadh.—A bond was forged with blood. This bond must be broken. I ask for this bond to be broken.
End of chapter!
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