It had been a long time since I had been to New Orleans. My brother, sister and I were some of the original settlers. We had helped create the city, even though the French had gotten there first. It even predated the country, even though there were settlers on the East Coast. No one really knew about us, but we ruled the city. It was kept out of the news, even though the news really wasn't much more than what we wanted it to say. The land was mostly divided between the vampires, the witches and the werewolves. We were the primary ruling class even though I had since unlocked my true potential and became a hybrid vampire and werewolf.

The reason that I was in town because I happened to hear something about a witch who was conspiring against me. Normally as an immortal, I wouldn't be afraid of such things, but witches had found out ways to kill me in the past. Just because they were unsuccessful in their attempts didn't mean that I didn't need to be cautious. Part of me also thought it could be a ruse because I got the information from my sworn enemy Katerina Petrova, but it was still worth investigating.

The name of the witch who was supposed to be conspiring against me was Jane-Anne Devereaux. I had never met her personally to my knowledge, but my reputation did precede me and I wouldn't be surprised if the witches were after me because I was the most powerful vampire. It was pretty stupid to try to challenge me, but hundreds had tried and only a few had lived to tell about it.

I went straight to Bourbon St. because I wanted answers. I saw a tour guide. Before we left, my siblings and I were very big into the promoting the tourism. After all it brought in outsiders for the vampires to feed on meaning the city's residents needed to worry less. I found a person who looked like she was a witch. The witches liked to hide in plain sight by disguising themselves as psychics.

"Do you have time for one more?" I asked.

"I have nothing to say to you." She told me.

"Now that's now very friendly of you. You don't even know me." I stated.

"I know what you are." She stated. "Half vampire, half beast. You're the hybrid."

"I'm the very original hybrid actually." I argued. There was more than just me after all. Sure most of them had been killed, but there were still some others. "But that's a long story for another time. I'm looking for someone: a witch. Perhaps you would be able to help me find her. Jane-Anne Devereaux is her name."

"Sorry I don't know." She lied.

"Well now that's a fib, isn't it?" I retorted as I grabbed her hand. "Now you see I know that you're a true witch amongst this sea of posers, so enough with the fabrication. I've quite the temper."

"Witches don't talk out of school in the quarter." She declared. "The vampire won't allow it. Those are the rules. I don't break Marcel's rules."

"Marcel's rules?" I asked. That was a name that I hadn't heard in a long time. "Where do you suppose I might find Marcel?"

I headed to a bar and that was where I found him. Ever the showman, he was performing for everyone. The song was a cover of "How You Like Me Now" by the Heavy. I didn't know he was a fan of British music. After he exited the stage, I locked eyes with him and the room went silent.

"Klaus." He greeted me.

"Marcellus." I responded.

"It must have been a hundred years since that nasty business with your papa." He noted. My father had chased me and my siblings out of town in 1919. We thought he had been killed in the siege, but it seemed we were wrong.

"Well a little over 90." I argued. "It's good to see you, son."

"Welcome home, Dad." He declared before he gave me a hug. Marcel wasn't my actual son, but I have adopted him when he was a child. I had had another child, but she was dead now. "Let's get you a fucking drink."

He took me to a booth in the corner.

"It is good to see you." He told me as he held a bottle in his hand.

"It's good to be home. Although, please tell me the current state of Bourbon St. is not your doing." I responded with a chuckle. He laughed back at me.

"Something's gotta draw in the out-of-towners." He declared.

"I see your friends are daywalkers." I noted as I noticed the rings on a few of the vampires' hands.

"Yeah, yeah, I shared the secret of your ring with a few buddies." He explained. "It's just the inner circle though. They're like family."

"Well how did you find a witch willing to make daylight rings?" I questioned. His ascension to power was definitely a bit surprising.

"I've got the witches round here wrapped around my finger." He boasted as I chuckled.

"Is that so?" I asked. "I'm looking for a witch by the name of Jane-Anne Devereaux. She apparently has some business with me."

"You're lucky for Jane-Anne?" He asked. It seemed he knew where to find her. I smiled. "Then you probably better come with me. Showtime."

He was definitely planning something, but I wasn't sure what. The streets seemed to line with vampires. Something big was about to happen.

"How's the family?" He asked.

"Those who live hate me more than ever." I answered. Only two of them were left.

"If your blood relations let you down, make your own. You taught me that." He declared. "And what's mine is yours as always, even my nightwalkers: the riffraff.

He whistled and they brought out a woman.

"Jane-Anne Devereaux." He declared. This was the woman who was conspiring against me? So easily caught? "Give it up for Jane-Anne. Jane-Anne Devereaux: you have been accused of doing magic beyond the rules set forth and enforced by me. How do you plea? Was that convincing? I studied law back in the 50s. Seriously J, how do you plea?"

"I didn't do anything." She declared.

"Ooh that's a lie. You know it, I know it, and you hate that I know it. It drives you witches crazy that I'm aware of you every move." He stated. I couldn't help but wonder how he had gained such an upper hand on the witches. "That you can't do magic in this town without getting caught. So why don't we just cut to the chase. You tell me what magic you're brewing and I'll grant you leniency. I am after all a merciful man."

"Rot in hell, monster." She cursed. Well that seemed like the dumbest possible move she could make unless she thought that there was no chance of survival.

"I'll tell you what I'll give you one more chance." He offered. I was hoping that he would let me interrogate her. However, he then turned around and slashed her throat. "Or not."

While I could say that things had been solved, I was not a fool. Those who conspired tended to have accomplices and now I had no idea who they were. Needless to say, I was upset by that.

"What was that?" I asked as I grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey. Come walk with me." He declared as we started to walk. "Witches aren't allowed to do magic here. She broke the rules."

"I told you that I wanted to talk to her." I seethed.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I got caught up in the show. Those witches like to think that they still have power in this town. I have to show them that they don't." He replied. "Never waste an opportunity for a show of force: another lesson that I learned from you. And besides anything that you could have gotten out of her, I can find out for you and I will. I promise."

"Well whatever it was, it doesn't matter anymore, does it?" I replied. I knew there was probably more, but I wasn't sure how much I trusted him anymore. I gave him a fake smile.

"Then let's eat." He suggested with a smile. "Cause all that spilled blood makes me hungry."

I could probably go for some andouille sausage and beignets at the moment.

After he was gone, I went over to one of his mates.

"Hey Thierry, isn't it?" I asked. "Any more Devereaux witches where that one came from?"

He told me that Jane-Anne had a sister named Sophie and I was pretty sure that I could get information from her. He also told me that she worked at a restaurant called Rousseau's. I found her cutting up some carrots and she appeared to be crying. She was also frightened upon seeing me. It was good to know that I still had that effect on people.

"You're Klaus." She noted.

"I am and you're upset." I added. "Sophie, isn't it? I assume this is because of what I just witnessed with your sister on the corner of Royal and St. Anne."

"Did you enjoy the show?" She quipped.

"It was a little bit melodramatic for my tastes." I declared. I then decided to cut to the chase. "What did your sister want from me? Why did Marcel kill her?"

"I see you brought friends." She declared. It was bold of her to assume I had friends. I looked at the other vampires.

"They're not with me." I told her.

"They're with Marcel." She declared. Was that how he knew if witches were doing magic? Did he just have vampires everywhere? "That's all that matters. I know you built this town, but this is his town now. He killed my sister because she broke the rules. If I talk to you in front of them, I'm next."

I would have to find a way to talk to her without us being watched then. I could have just killed them, but I didn't want to throw any stones at the moment. I was going to have a nice conversation with them.

"Were you two gentlemen following me?" I asked as I grabbed their shoulders.

"Marcel said we're your guides." One of them declared.

"Well did he now?" I asked. "If I catch you following me again, you'll do it without the benefit of a spine."

"Sorry for the wait. If you're here for the gumbo, you're about to be disappointed." The bartender interrupted. "We just ran out."

"Your oldest scotch for my two friends here, Love." I declared as I laid $100 on the bar. She appeared to check it to make sure it wasn't fake before she went off to retrieve it. "If Marcel wants to know what I'm up to, he can ask me himself."

I later went to walk the streets. Much like New York, New Orleans never slept either. I found what appeared to be a feeding den. I then saw one of the guys with a daylight ring and went over and grabbed him.

"Where is Marcel?" I asked.

"Who the hell is asking?" He retorted.

"I assume you're joking." I declared. It seemed like he was trying to get on my bad side.

"I only answer to Marcel." He stated.

"Well perhaps you'll answer to this. You're aware the bite of a werewolf can kill a vampire? Well as you can see I'm half werewolf and half vampire." I declared as I grabbed him by the neck. "So I'm gonna ask you one more time. Where is Marcel?!"

"Hey, hey. I'm right here. I'm right here. Easy." Marcel interrupted. "Diego is just looking out for me. Nobody harms my guys. Those are the rules."

"I don't care about your rules, Marcel and I don't need chaperones." I told him. "Why are you having me followed?"

"I get it: a show of force. You made your point. Let it go, Dad." He responded. "For me?"

"Fine." I agreed begrudgingly. "Why don't you show me what you've done to the place while you explain exactly what it is you've been up to in my town?"

"Follow me." He instructed as he led me upstairs. He showed me the skyline. "Look at that skyline. More hotels, more tourists, more fresh blood. And the humans, I taught them to look the other way."

"And what of the witches? In my time they were a force to be reckoned with and now they live in fear." I responded. "How do you know when they're using magic?"

"Maybe I got a secret weapon?" He suggested as he looked away. "An ace up my sleeve? Something that gives me control over all of the magic in this town."

"Hm? Is that a fact?" I challenged.

"Might be, or maybe I'm just bluffing." He quipped before he put some vervain on his tongue.

"You take vervain." I noted.

"Burns like a bitch, but I figure that I should limit the number of things that I'm vulnerable to." He said before he put his hand on my chest. "Don't be mad about that chaperone thing. I told my guys that they should look out for you. That's what we do here: look out for each other. Mmm…new blood."

I then noticed that it was the bartender from the restaurant.

"Bartender, walks alone at night. She's either brave or dumb." I declared.

"Let's see brave I let her live. Dumb and she's dessert." He joked.

He then jumped down.

"You know it's not safe here alone." He told her.

"You know I have a black belt in karate." She responded. So she was brave. It was then that I noticed that someone else was with me.

"Evening Elijah." I greeted my brother.

"Niklaus." He replied.

"What an entirely unwelcome surprise." I stated.

"And what an entirely unsurprising welcome." He retorted. "Come with me."

"I'm not going anywhere with you." I declared. "Not until I find out who's conspiring against me."

"I believe I just found that out for you." He remarked. Well that made me interested.

I went with him to Lafayette Cemetery. I never really liked them because they reminded me too much of the dead and I preferred to be among the living.

"What are we doing here?" I interrogated.

"You want to find our what the witches have in store for you? Follow me." He instructed.

We went indide of a crypt and that was where I found Sophie. I knew that she was planning something.

"Sophie Devereaux. What is this?" I asked.

"He's all yours." Elijah declared. "Proceed."

"You know you're famous in this town. Witches tell bedtime stories about the powerful vampire Klaus." She told me. I didn't particularly care for that information as much as I wanted to know what she wanted with me and I hoped that I would be able to get the information without getting my hands dirty. "We know Marcel was nothing but an orphaned street rat until you adopted him. And now he's out of control. He does what he wants, kills who he wants. I'm gonna stop him and you're gonna help me."

"This is why you brought me here?" I questioned.

"Hear her out." Elijah ordered.

"I don't need to hear her out." I pointed out. "I assure you Love, there is not a thing on this Earth that will make me consider wasting not even another thirty seconds of my time. Elijah, what madness is this?"

"Klaus." A voice interrupted. I looked to see Hayley Marshall. "You need to listen to them."

I couldn't help but laugh. Did they think that I cared enough about her for whatever they wanted? There was maybe one girl that I would consider, but it was definitely not her.

"You're all out of your minds." I said through my laughter. "If you think some liquor-fueled one night stand, no offense Sweetheart, means a thing to me."

"Marcel may be able to prevent us from practicing real magic in this town, but as keepers of the balance, we still know when nature has cooked up something only seen once before." Sophie explained. "For example, I have a special gift of sensing when a girl is pregnant."

"What?" I asked. Vampires were not able to breed. My previous child was born before I turned.

"I know it's impossible." Hayley remarked.

"What are you saying?" I asked. Were they trying to tell me that she was pregnant with my child somehow?

"Niklaus, the girl is carrying your child." Elijah stated. It seemed like they were trying to tell me that even though it was impossible.

"No it's impossible. Vampires cannot procreate." I reiterated.

"But werewolves can." Sophie argued. "Magic made you a vampire, but you were born a werewolf. You're the original hybrid: the first of your kind. And this pregnancy is one of nature's loopholes."

"You've been with someone else." I accused. It was probably Tyler. "Admit it."

"Hey I spent days held captive in a fucking alligator bayou because they think that I'm carrying some magical miracle baby. Don't you think I would have fessed up if it wasn't yours?" Hayley replied. I was confused, but above all else I was angry…very angry.

"My sister gave her life to perform the spell to confirm this pregnancy." Sophie added. "Because of Jane-Anne's sacrifice, the lives of this girl and her baby are now controlled by us. If you don't help us take down Marcel, so help me, Hayley won't live long enough to see her first maternity dress."

"Enough of this, If you want Marcel dead, he's dead. I'll do it myself." Elijah announced.

"No. Not yet. We can't. We have a clear plan that we need to follow and there are rules." She replied. What was with everyone trying to force rules upon me?

"How dare you command me?" I challenged. "THREATEN ME WITH WHAT YOU WRONGFULLY PERCEIVE TO BE MY WEAKNESS? I won't hear any more lies."

"Niklaus." Elijah interrupted. "Listen."

I listened closely and I did hear a small heartbeat coming from the girl's womb. It normally wasn't audible to humans or even machinery. She really was pregnant. Still I would not be ordered around.

"Kill her and the baby. See if I care." I instructed before I walked away.

"Niklaus." Elijah declared after following me out. I did not like how persistent my brother was.

"It's a trick, Elijah." I told him.

"No it's a gift. It's your chance to try again. It's our chance to prevent what happened last time from happening again." He declared.

"I've been a father and you can see how well that worked out before." I declared. "One kid is dead and the other has usurped my throne."

"We can take back that throne and everything else that was taken from us." He suggested. "Niklaus, our own parents came to despise us. I understand that there are memories that you don't want to revisit, but don't tell me that you wouldn't do it over again if you got the chance to. We can be a family again."

"I will not be manipulated." I said.

"So they're manipulating you, so what?" He asked as he appeared behind me. "With them, this girl and her child, your child live."

"I'm gonna kill every last one of them." I declared as I shoved him off of me.

"And then what? Then you return to Mystic Falls to resume your life as the hated one, as the evil hybrid? Is it so important to you that people quake with fear at the sound of your name?" He questioned.

"People quake with fear because I have the power to make them afraid." I remarked. "What will this child offer me? Will it guarantee me power?"

"Family is power, Niklaus." He argued. "Love, loyalty, that's power. This is what we swore to one another a thousand years ago before life twiddled away what little humanity you had left. Before ego, before anger, before paranoia created in this person before someone that I can barely even recognize as my own brother. This is us: the original family. Now we remain together always and forever. I'm asking you to stay here. I will help you and I will stay by you and I will be your brother. We will build a home here together. So save this girl. Save your child."

"No." I told him as I grabbed his face. I wished that I had a dagger at the moment because I was ready to use it on him.

I headed back to Marcel's where he was still partying. Vampires didn't really need to sleep that much, but we could still get tired.

"Hey, where did you disappear to?" He asked.

"Your mean your minions aren't still documenting my every move?" I challenged.

"Someone put you in a mood. What can I do?" He asked.

"What you can do is tell me what this thing you have with the witches." I ordered.

"Oh we're back to that?" He asked.

"Yeah we're back to that." I declared. We would continue to go back to it until he gave me an answer.

"You know I owe you everything I got, but I'm afraid I have to draw the line on this one." He declared. It seemed like he had weapon that he didn't want me to know about. "This is my business. I control the witches in my town. Let's just leave it at that."

"Your town?" I challenged.

"Damn straight." He remarked.

"That's funny because when I left a hundred years ago, you were nothing." I replied. "And now look at you. Master of your domain. Prince of the city. I'd like to know how."

"Why? Jealous?" He taunted. "Hey man, I get it. Three hundred years ago, you helped build a backwater penal company into something. You started it but then you left. Actually, you ran from it. I saw it through. Look around. Vampires rule this city now. We don't have to live in the shadows like rats. The locals know their place. They look the other way. I got rid of the werewolves. I even found a way to shut down the witches. The blood never stops flowing and the party never ends. You wanna pass on through? You wanna stay a while? Great. What's mine is yours, but it is mine. My home, my family, my rules."

"And if someone breaks those rules?" I asked.

"They die." He finished. "Mercy is for the weak. You taught me that too. And I'm not the prince anymore. I'm the king! Show me some respect."

I then went over and bit Thierry's neck.

"Your friend will be dead by the weekend." I stated. "Which means I've broken one of your rules, but I can't be killed. I am immortal. Who has the power now, Son?"

I cleaned my mouth and walked away. As I was making my exit, I saw a street performance, as well as a blind painter. I noticed the bartender was watching intently.

"If it isn't Mr. Ben Franklin." She teased.

"The brave bartender." I retorted. "Camille. It's a French name."

"It's a grandma's name." She quipped. I happened to like it. "Call me Cami. Amazing, isn't he?"

"Do you paint?" I asked.

"No, but I admire. Every artist has a story you know." She commented.

"And what do suppose his is?" I asked.

"He's angry and he wishes he could control his demons instead of having his demons control him." She explained. Even though it was a coincidence, I felt like she could be talking about me. "He's lost and alone…or maybe he just drank too much tonight. Sorry overzealous psych major.

"No I think you were probably right the first time." I told her before I disappeared.

I ended up sitting on a bench and much to my chagrin, Elijah sat down next to me.

"Are you here to give me another pep talk on the joys of a second chance?" I asked him. '

"I've said all that I've needed to say." He declared.

"I do miss her every day. I wish I could have been there to save her." I told him. "I couldn't even get revenge because the man who killed her was already dead."

"I know you do and it's eaten you up ever since you found out. She would have wanted you to be happy." He stated. "You know I hated leaving here."

"As did I." I agreed.

"What is on your mind, brother?" He questioned as he sat up.

"For a thousand years, I lived in fear. In time I settled anywhere, our father would hunt me down and chase me off. He made me feel powerless and I hated it. This town was my home once and in my absence Marcellus has gotten everything that I ever wanted: power, loyalty, family. I raised him and he has bettered me. I want what he has. I want to be the king."

"And what of Hayley and the baby?" He asked.

"Every king needs an heir." I pointed out.

The first thing that I did was offer my blood as an apology to him in order to heal Thierry.

"I had time to sleep on it last night. I am not your enemy." I declared. "Where my family and I failed this town, Marcel succeeded. My blood will heal him like it never happened."

Thierry drank the blood and the marks vanished from his body.

"The quarter is your home." I added. "But I would like to stay a while if I am still welcome."

No POV

After Klaus left, Marcel revealed a phone call.

"It's done." The girl on the end declared.

"Thanks, D." Marcel stated.

Klaus's POV

I went back to the cemetery where I found Elijah, Jane-Anne and Hayley. Suddenly, I felt an immense pain and hunched over. I felt my body like I was turning, but this felt different. It was like my hair was getting longer and my limbs were getting shorter. I slumped over against one of the tombs before I passed out.

So I know that I probably shouldn't be writing a new story, but I felt inspired to write this. How's Klaus going to react upon waking up as a woman? Please don't forget to review.