Elena was sitting on the couch going through her grandmother's grimoire. She was trying to prepare to go into the Fauline Cottage. The first thing she had to do was find a way to conceal her vampire side without concealing her witch side. No one in that house could know she was a vampire, but they had to be able to tell she was a witch if she was going to avoid suspicion. There were plenty of spells in Esther's grimoire that worked to conceal supernatural beings, but nothing that would only conceal one aspect of that supernatural being without affecting the rest. That was quite probably because no one like Elena existed. She might have to go see Davina and see if she could help.

Soon, Elijah and Jenna entered the room. "Hey. We've barely seen you without that thing in the last twenty-four hours," Jenna commented.

"I'm trying to get everything together for when I go into the Fauline Cottage," Elena said.

"It's not going to help if you spend every waking moment looking into it. I'd rather you take your time so that you can do it right. Rushing this could be dangerous," Elijah said.

"So could waiting, Dad. Dahlia hasn't surfaced yet, but we all know she's going to, especially now that I'm starting to make a name for myself in New Orleans," Elena said. She hadn't meant to do that. The plan had been to keep a low profile, but circumstances beyond her control made that impossible.

"To be honest, Elena, I don't want you to do this at all," Elijah said.

Elena sighed and closed the grimoire. "I know. I know you'd like nothing more than to keep me cooped up in this house and put bubble wrap around me. I appreciate the fact that you haven't. You've respected my choices, even when you don't like them."

"As much as I want to keep you safe, I can't stop you from living your life. It wouldn't be fair," Elijah said.

"Thanks, and I promise, I will be careful," Elena told him.

Just then, they all heard a knock at the door. Moments later, the door burst open, and they heard a struggle, causing Elijah to smile slightly. "I believe Marcel is here."

Elena stood up just in time to see Marcel walk in with two other vampires. Marcel threw a woman down at her father's feet.

Marcel smirked at Elijah. "Jana-Anne Deveraux, at your feet as requested.

Elijah looked down at the witch at his feet. She looked up at him, and he could feel the fear coming off of her. Good. "Jenna, Elena, if you wanted to leave the room, now would be the time." Undoubtedly, both of them knew what he was about to do. They knew he was ruthless when it came to his family. However, neither had ever seen him take a life, and knowing it and seeing it were two different things.

"No," Elena said. She knew what her father was going to do. Leaving the room while he did it would be like pretending that she didn't know what was about to happen. That wouldn't be right.

"I'm staying too," Jenna said. She typically did not condone killing, but this woman had tried to murder her niece and would undoubtedly try again.

Elijah nodded before swiftly bending down and pulling Jane-Anne up by the throat. He held her like that for a moment and watched her struggle for air for a minute before decreasing the pressure a bit. He wasn't ready for her to die just yet.

The rest of the originals soon filed into the room. "I see the guest of honor has arrived," Klaus said with a cruel smirk as he looked at the witch in his brother's grasp.

"Jane-Anne Deveraux. I have it on good authority that you put a stake in my daughter's heart. Do you know what I do to those who harm my family?

Jane-Anne groaned in pain. She could breathe again, but the vampire was still putting a lot of pressure on her throat. She thought about trying to deny it, but what would be the point? He knew it was her. "She was supposed to help us! She sided with our enemy!"

Elijah increased the pressure on her throat just for a moment as a warning.

"I never agreed to help you. I don't aid people who kill kids," Elena said coldly.

"They would've come back once Davina died. You condemned my daughter," she said as she tried and failed to claw the hand holding her throat away.

"You condemned your daughter when you allowed her to be slaughtered for power! I am not about to let you murder an innocent girl on the theory that it might bring back those you killed!" Elena snapped.

"You're an abomination!" Jane-Anne snarled. In most cases, she knew her words would be a death sentence, but she had nothing to lose. She would die today either way.

Elijah slammed her against the nearest wall. "Watch your tongue!"

Elena laughed. "This coming from the woman who volunteered her daughter to be murdered. You'll excuse me If I don't put any stock in your words."

Elijah gave the woman a withering glare. "You are a disgrace to all parents. You sacrificed the life of your child for something as trivial as magic. It would be a cold day in hell before I allowed anyone to harm one of my children for any reason. I do not care if the entire world would come to an end! No one will ever harm my children, and anyone who does will be met with a painful end." With that being said, He increased the pressure on the witch's throat and watched as she struggled for air. He didn't release until he heard her heart stop.

Marcel stepped forward once the witch was dead. "We'll take care of the body. I want to send a message to any witch thinking of trying something like this."

"See that you do, because if this happens again, I will not stop with the witch who did it. I will wage war on all of them," Elijah warned.

Marcel nodded and motioned for the two other vampires with him to step forward. They caried Jane-Anne's body away, and Marcel followed them.

Elena put a hand on her father's shoulder to let him know that she was there and that she didn't think any less of him for what he did. Murder wasn't something she took lightly, but in their family, they had to do what was necessary to protect themselves. That woman had condemned herself when she came after one of them.

Elijah turned and put an arm around his daughter's shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I cannot allow anyone who arms you to live."

"I know. I love you, Dad," Elena said before hugging him.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Several days later, Elena found herself in the living room watching a movie with her father, her aunt, and her brother. She was almost fully prepared to go into the Fauline Cottage. Jenna had convinced her to take a day off from her preparations so that they could spend time together as a family. She'd reluctantly agreed, and she was glad. It had been a while since she'd been able to just unwind with her family.

They were about halfway through the movie when they heard someone at the door. Elena stood up. "I'll get it."

Elena went to the door and opened it, finding Josephine LaRue on the other side. "Ms. LaRue, I wasn't expecting you."

"Yes, my apologies for that Ms. Mikaelson. It was a bit of a last-minute decision. I have two witches I need to send into Fauline Cottage. It would be best for you to go with them to avoid any suspicion," Josephine said.

"Now?" Elena asked taken aback. She wasn't expecting it to happen so abruptly. She thought she'd have some warning so that she could get all her affairs in order.

"Yes. I know it's a bit sudden, but that is how it typically happens when I sentence a witch to the Fauline Cottage. There isn't time to prepare. Are you ready?" Josephine asked.

"Absolutely not!" Elijah's abrupt voice called out.

Elena turned to see that her father, Jenna, and Jeremy had entered the room.

Elijah stepped towards them. "This is not happening today. She isn't ready."

"It either happens now or not at all," Josephine said firmly.

"Then it doesn't happen at all," Elijah said.

Elena went over to her father and put her hand on his arm. "Dad, it's okay. This might not be what I had in mind, but I am ready." That was mostly true. She wasn't entirely confident in her skills to get out of the Fauline Cottage if Josephine betrayed her, but she had a tentative plan in place. She also had figured out how to conceal her vampire side with Davina's help. She was as ready as she could be.

"I'm not," Elijah said.

"You never will be," she countered.

"Elena, we need more time. The others aren't even here to say goodbye," Jenna said.

"Maybe that's a good thing. I don't need a big spectacle. I'll be back soon. I will, Aunt Jenna. There's no need for goodbyes," Elena said.

Elijah motioned for Josephine LaRue to come inside. Once she did, he approached her. "What's your plan for getting my daughter out of that house?"

"I have several witches ready to break the spell on the cottage long enough for your daughter and her companion to get out," Josephine said.

"And if they fail?" Elijah asked.

"Then I'm certain whatever contingency your daughter has set up will get her out," Josephine said. She wasn't an idiot and neither was the Mikaelson witch. Josephine knew that she'd have her own plan for getting out. She would expect nothing less.

"How long?" Elijah asked.

"One week. She will be released in exactly one week's time," she told him.

"Wait, what if I'm not ready to leave in a week?" Elena asked. In theory, a week seemed like plenty of time, but there was no telling what could happen once she was inside.

"You will have to be. I have no way of contacting you once you're inside. This is the only way it happens. A week should be plenty of time for you to find the witch you're looking for. If you haven't by then, she probably isn't there," Josephine said.

"One week then. If my daughter isn't returned to me in one week, I will hold you responsible," Elijah said dangerously.

"Understood."

"I'll be back in a second," Elena said before heading for the stairs.

"Dad, are you really going to let her do this?" Jeremy asked.

Elijah put a hand on his son's shoulder in comfort. "I don't have a choice, Jeremy. She's an adult, and she's more than earned the right to make her own choices. We just have to trust her judgement.

Elena came down with a small bag. A few minutes later. She was putting a bracelet on her wrist as she walked. It was the same bracelet her father had given her to shield her supernatural nature from others. She and Davina had tweaked it to make sure it only hid her vampire abilities.

Josephine smiled at the young witch. "I assume that bracelet hides your vampire nature. Witches wouldn't be able to tell without touching you, but it would still be a risk. Impressive."

"I'm ready," Elena said.

Josephine took several vials from a purse she was carrying. "The witches inside the Fauline Cottage are controlled with a supplement that makes them too weak to do magic. This will counteract that. Take one teaspoon daily. There should be enough to last you more than a week."

Elena took the vials and put them in her bag.

Elijah went to his daughter and pulled her into his arms. "I love you. Be careful. Promise me that you will do whatever is necessary to stay safe."

"I promise. I love you, Dad," Elena said before pulling away.

Jenna hugged her next. "I hate this. I know you have to do it, but I hate it."

"I'll be okay, Aunt Jenna. I'll be back before you even have a chance to miss me." Elena said.

"No chance of that, kiddo," Jenna said before pulling away.

Jeremy stepped forward next. "I don't want you to do this."

"I know. You're clearly not alone in that. I have to do it, Jer. Our aunt is trapped in that house. I can't let her stay there. Plus, she and I are going to need to work together when Dahlia does show up. I'll be okay," Elena assured him.

"You'd better be. I'll never forgive you if you're not," Jeremy said before hugging his sister.

"I love you, Jer," Elena said before pulling away. She then turned to Josephine. "Alright, I'm ready to go."

Josephine nodded before leading the way out of the house.