Elena was sitting on the couch on her living room sucking on a blood bag while Marcel was on the phone with Davina. She could feel her strength returning to her. The stake to the heart hadn't killed her, but it had significantly weakened her. It was like someone had sucked a good amount of energy out of her. Luckily, no one had been home when she got there, so there was no one to fuss over her for the moment.

"Yeah, she's fine, D. I don't know how, but she is," Marcel said into his phone. He'd gotten a call from Davina not long after getting Elena away from that café. She'd sensed the magic. He told her what happened, and she had been livid. She was beginning to see Elena as a friend. "The witch who did this will pay. I have to go for now. I'll come see you when I'm done."

"When you see her, tell her I appreciate her concern," Elena said once Marcel got off the phone.

"How are you?" Marcel asked.

"I'm almost back at full strength," Elena said.

"I will find out who did this. Unfortunately, Davina can only sense where and when someone does magic, not who. Usually, it's not an issue because we can get to them quickly enough to stop the spell or in the immediate aftermath," Marcel said.

"But this wasn't a spell. It was telekinesis," Elena said.

Marcel nodded. "Most witches aren't stupid enough to risk getting caught over telekinesis. They're also usually not stupid enough to do so in public, and right under my nose." That alone infuriated him. Whoever had done thing had flouted his rules right in front of him. Not to mention that they'd gone after one of his allies. If it weren't for the fact that he knew Elijah was going to demand personal retribution, he'd make an example of this witch himself. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Elena gave him an annoyed look. "Marcel, I have enough overprotective family members. I don't need another. I'm fine."

"Sorry. It's just that I thought you were dead for a second," Marcel said seriously.

"What did I just hear?" another voice asked.

Elena cringed as she recognized the voice of her father. She turned to see him and her aunt walking towards her. "Hey, guys. How was your afternoon?"

"Elena, what is going on?" Elijah demanded to know.

"Okay, it's not a big deal. Everything is fine," Elena assured them.

"Not a big deal? We just walked in as Marcel said something about thinking you were dead," Jenna said.

"But I wasn't dead. It looked worse than it was," Elena said.

"Elena," Elijah said in a slight warning tone.

"Alright. Marcel and I were talking outside a café. Everything was fine before a stake found itself lodged into my chest," Elena said.

"What?!" Elijah asked in a rage.

"Dad, I'm okay. It hurt and it weakened me, but it didn't do any lasting damage," Elena assured him.

"Elena, you could've been killed. Stakes are dangerous to vampires, not to mention that sharp things lodged into people are also dangerous," Jenna said.

"Well, apparently stakes are not dangerous to me, at least not normal ones. It was a theory we were curious about," Elena said.

"It was also a theory I made it clear I didn't want tested. Who did this?" Elijah demanded to know.

"We didn't see who it was. It was a witch. Someone used telekinesis," Marcel said.

"A witch. How would a witch find out that Elena is my daughter, Marcellus? How would they know to use a stake?" Elijah asked. The accusation in his voice was clear. Only his family and Marcel and Davina knew that Elena was the daughter of an Original. They were keeping that secret for this very reason.

Marcel put his hands up in surrender. "I haven't told anyone, not even my guys. I don't want anyone having that information either."

"Dad, it wouldn't be hard to figure out. The witches know who I am by now. It wouldn't be farfetched for one of them to follow me home and put two and two together when they saw all of you. This was never going to stay a secret for long," Elena said.

"She's got a point, Elijah. We always knew this wouldn't stay secret forever," Jenna said.

Elijah sighed and looked at his daughter. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, Dad. I'm still a little weak, but the blood is helping," Elena said.

"Elijah, I will find who did this and they will pay," Marcel promised in a strong tone. He was pissed too. This witch had attacked Elena right in front of him. She'd made a mockery of his leadership. She'd pay for that alone.

"This person will not face your judgement, Marcellus. I want whoever it was thrown at my feet," Elijah said in a tone that booked no room for argument.

"Understood. You'll have the witch by the end of the week," Marcel promised.

"Two days. If you haven't found them within forty-eight hours, I will work my way through every witch in the French Quarter until I find the right one," Elijah warned.

Marcel snored. Elijah said that as though it was supposed to bother him. "If you're trying to motivate me, you're going about it the wrong way.

"Dad, you can't kill all the witches. I'm going to need their help to figure out how to save Freya," Elena said.

"That is not my concern right now. We can always find another way to do that. My concern right now is your safety. I want this witch's head," Elijah said.

"You'll have it," Marcel promised.

"Marcel, I know I'm putting a lot on your plate, but please consider what we were speaking about earlier. I still need someone to help me get in and out of the Fauline Cottage," Elena said.

Marcel nodded. "I think I know who to talk to in order to solve both those problems. I'll get on it right away. In the meantime, rest, Elena," he said before heading out of the room.

"He's right, you need to rest. I'm going to get you some more blood," Elijah said before heading for the kitchen.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

By the next day, Elena was back to full strength. A few pints of human blood and some sleep, and she was good to go. Of course, that didn't stop her entire extended family from hovering over her. She'd barely been left alone since Marcel had brought her home. She could understand it, of course, but it that didn't mean it wasn't annoying.

Elena made her way to the front door after hearing the doorbell. She opened it to find an elderly woman there. However, despite her appearance, Elena could tell she was far from weak. She could sense power from her. She was a witch. "Can I help you?"

"Elena Mikaelson?" the woman asked.

"Who's asking?" Elena asked.

"My name is Josephine LaRue. I was hoping we might speak," she said.

"The last witch I encountered attempted to kill me," Elena pointed out. She supposed it wasn't exactly an encounter. She never even laid eyes on the witch, but she still counted it.

"Yes, I believe I can help you with that. May I come in?" Josephine asked.

Elena stepped aside and motioned for her to come in. She didn't know what this woman wanted, but she doubted anyone who lived as long as her would be stupid enough to attack her in a house where five Originals resided.

"Thank you," she said before stepping inside.

Seconds later, Elijah and Klaus walked into the room. Followed closely by his other siblings. Jenna and Jeremy were the only ones not present, as they were out at the moment. They'd all heard the exchange between Elena and this witch. "Ms. LaRue, I suggest you state your intentions quickly," Elijah said in a cool tone.

"This is my father, Elijah Mikaelson, and my uncles and aunt, Finn, Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah. As you can see, my family is very overprotective," Elena said.

"Especially when one of your kind tries to harm my niece. Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now," Klaus said.

"I had nothing to do with the attack on your niece," Josephine said.

"I find that I don't care which one of you it was. I have no trouble taking it out on all of you," Klaus said coldly.

"Uncle Nik," Elena admonished.

"And that is partially why I am here. I have no desire to see a war between our kinds, especially as my kind already suffers under the tyranny of Marcel Gerard," Josephine said before turning to Elijah. "The witch that attacked your daughter is Jane-Anne Deveraux."

"Deveraux? As in related to Sophie Deveraux?" Elena asked.

"Yes, her sister. I do not know if Sophie played any part in it. Jane-Anne has been angry that you have not only refused to take out Marcel Gerard, but that you have been seen conversing with him as though you are allies. I believe her attempt on your life was an act of rage after seeing the two of you dining together yesterday," Josephine explained.

"And why would you offer this information up? What do you expect in return?" Elijah asked.

"This was a peace offering, Mr. Mikaelson. As I said, I do not want a war, and if your daughter means as much to you as witch children to us, there would undoubtedly be a war," Josephine said.

"I'll call Marcel and demand he bring the witch to us immediately," Klaus said before leaving the room.

"You do realize you've just signed this witch's death certificate, don't you?" Rebekah asked.

"She sighed it herself by being so foolish," Josephine said before turning to Elena. "Don't misunderstand me. I think you're dangerous. I detest vampires, and a child of a vampire is even more of an abomination."

"Listen you stupid little…"

"It's okay, Aunt Rebekah. I no longer care what others think of me. She can think what she wants. Her people murdered three innocent girls and tried for a fourth. Her opinion means nothing to me," Elena said as she eyed the old woman coldly.

Josephine continued as though no one else had spoken. "But Jane-Anne's actions were rash and could've had devastating consequences. As I said, I believe you are dangerous, which is why her actions were so foolish. The power comes off you and waves. You aren't one to be trifled with."

"It's good that someone realizes that," Elena said.

"There is one other matter that I wished to discuss with you. I've spoken with Marcel Gerard. He says that you wish to visit the Fauline Cottage. You seek a witch that is a resident there," she said.

"A witch that may be a resident there, yes," Elena said.

"I don't think I need to tell you that the witches sent there are insane and dangerous. That is why they are there," Josephine said.

"Yes, I'm aware that the place is considered an asylum. It doesn't change my need to get inside. Someone I care about is inside. I do not believe she was sent there because of anything she did. I believe she sought it as refuge," Elena said.

"Even if you are correct, the other witches inside are dangerous. It is currently being run by dangerous witches sent there themselves because of their abuse of magic. You would be at their mercy," Josephine warned.

"That is why I'm trying to figure out my way in and out before I go in," Elena said.

"I may be able to help you with that. Perhaps we can be of use to each other," Josephine said.

Elena sighed. She'd have to be an idiot to not figure out what this witch wanted. "Let me guess, you'll help me if I turn over Davina Clare. It's not going to happen. I'll find my own way in and out."

"You do realize that the girl will die either way, don't you? The power she wields is too much for any witch to bear. It was never meant to remain in one person. It will kill her eventually," she warned.

"If that's true, I'll find a way to stop it. I am not handing her over to be murdered for your quest for power. Like I said, I'll find a way in and out of the Fauline Cottage myself," Elena said. She wanted to rescue Freya, but not at the expense of Davina's life. That girl trusted her. She would not betray that trust.

"Unfortunately, I believe you, which is why I will help you," Josephine said.

"What does that mean?" Finn asked.

"It means that I can't chance that your niece will unleash the other witches in that house if I leave it for her to figure out, so I will help. I can get her inside. Every witch in there was sent by me," Josepine said.

"And how do we know you won't just leave her there?" Kol asked.

"For the same reason I just mentioned. I have no doubt that your niece would figure out a way out eventually, and then every witch there would be able to get out," she said before turning back to Elena. "My offer is as follows. I will find a way to get you in and out, but when you leave, you will ensure that just yourself and the witch you seek are the only ones to leave. And should it turn out that this witch is dangerous enough to belong in the Fauline Cottage, she is your responsibility."

"Deal. I have no interest in releasing a bunch of insane witches," Elena said.

"I'll be in touch, Ms. Mikaelson," Josephine said before headed for the door.

"Are we really going to trust that woman?" Kol asked.

"We don't have a choice. She's my best shot of getting Freya out," Elena said.

"Not without a backup plan. I won't leave your safety in the hands of a stranger who has already stated her disdain for what you are. If you want to use her, I will support that, but only once we've come up with another way to protect you if things go wrong. Understood?" Elijah asked his daughter.

"Yeah. I wasn't planning on going in with just that witch's plan alone. When do this, I will have my own plan," Elena assured her father.

"Good," Elijah said before putting an arm around her and hugging her tightly.