#(and the latter just got launched because of how close she was to the vent)

[fishymedic]

I call this Steb's petition to get Maddie an helmet. For the low price of an helmet, plus spares you too can prevent severe head damage. Featuring: how did this happen Twice, also thanks Loris you are a real one

[that-one-girl-who-writes]

The 100.

Day 21.

The second book picks up where The 100 left off, Earthborns killed Asher and now, Wells is burying him. It's been 21 days since the hundred landed on Earth, being the only humans on the planet in centuries. Or so they thought.

After a the fire ravaged the camp Wells used his architectural knowledge to  build wooden cabins that would be able to contain everyone. However, Graham and his girlfriend take one all for themselves so many of the younger children are left outside, open to attack once more so Wells stands guard during the night.

Clarke and Bellamy are still out in the woods, looking for Octavia, who had disappeared before the fire and was yet to be found. But soon they found a trail, possible leading to Octavia. Bellamy kisses Clarke in happiness but when the moment between the two end Clarke starts to worry about the level of radiation on Earth and it’s dangers for the teenagers. She remembers the one key factor from her parents' research: the patients all got considerably sicker on day 21. She thinks that the low level of radiation on earth is slowly affecting their blood cells, which was why the Colony is not sending anyone else down yet. There soon were people in the infirmary tent waiting for Clarke to aid them due to feeling sick and weak.

Back at the Colony, Glass was still alive. But Walden was in chaos since the skybridge separating them from Phoenix closed. The race for food had turned violent as people attempt to hoard as much as they could for themselves and their families.

During all this, Glass worries over the fact that Camille, Luke's best friend / ex-girlfriend knew her darkest secret. The real reason why Carter, Luke's former roommate was executed. In The 100 upon her arrest, Glass was made to tell who the father of her unborn child was, so that he was to be punished as well. Wanting to spare Luke, she gave Carter's name, because he had once tried to assault her. But she also knew Luke loved Carter so in return for keeping the secret, Glass had to tell Camille the secret way she used to get from Phoenix to Walden.

Back on earth at the destroyed camp site Wells, who was still standing guard suddenly sees Bellamy arrive with Clarke in his trembling arms. It is revealed Clarke was bitten by a snake and is saved by Wells who injects her with some universal antidote from the medicine box that had been made by the engineers in the Colony.

Bellamy reveals that Octavia was dragged away from camp and Wells thinks the Earthborns must have taken her before killing Asher. While both boys stayed awake to look after Clarke, they hear a sound from the woods and Wells ends up capturing an Earthborn girl.

Bellamy wants to roughen the girl up, hoping she would tell him where his sister was. Graham suggests they should kill her to show they were not to be messed with but Wells just ties her up on the infirmary until they decide what to do with her.

In a flashback, more about Bellamy and his time at the Care Center is revealed. He was a janitor and would often get in trouble for protecting his little sister, who would be bullied simply because she was a second child. It was when waiting for his punishment that he met Lilly, the young girl who died in the Griffin's laboratory.

Upon Clarke waking up Bellamy explains that a young girl around Octavia's age was in the cabin and was a captured Earthborn. Clarke, who was eager to speak to her, was stopped  by Bellamy so instead, Clarke mentions the piece of debris they found and they wonder how it got to Earth. While talking with Bellamy, she mentions Lilly, finds out that prior to her, Lilly was the only girl Bellamy had ever cared for other than his sister: his girlfriend.

Back at the ship Glass and Luke are crawling through the vents heading back to Phoenix but they soon realize that the way is blocked from the outside. Glass figures out that Camille must have blocked it and that since they can't find a way from the inside, they might be able to find one from the outside.

At the camp site, Wells brings a sick Molly to Clarke, who wonders how long they have been on Earth. Clarke realizes that Molly's illness doesn't seem to be due to radiation, but instead it was a reaction to something, not the radiations. When asking for the universal antidote, Wells states he used it all on her And suddenly Eric brings in an ill Felix. While Bellamy and Wells go off to hunt, the Earthborn finally speaks to Clarke, and when asked how many they are, she states that they are 365 Earthborn’s and the captive Earthborn’s is name is Sasha. With that Clarke finds out that the 100 were not the first sent to earth and older people were sent a year ago. The Earthborn took them in but Sasha speaks of an incident and that all of the Colonists are gone.

Sasha reveals to everyone that only ten people were on board, seven having survived the crash and that upon the arrival of the delinquents, their people split off and were probably those who attacked Asher and took Octavia. While the discussion is occurring, another arrow launches hitting a girl on the leg. Sasha gets Wells, who has seem to take a liking to Sasha, and they leave the camp in search for food and he feels safe enough to uncuff her and they climb up to a tree to collect corn for food.

Back on the Colony, Glass was able to spacewalk back to Phoenix and manages to open the skybridge, allowing those locked behind to walk in Phoenix.

While Bellamy and Clarke inspect the crash site, Wells and Sasha return with arms full of corn for the delinquents. Wells and Sasha go take another walk and she tells him that the history he was told was wrong and  that only those who paid were allowed on the ships to space. Clarke also finally admits to Bellamy what happened to Lilly and he, seething in anger, tells her she should just give herself up to the Earthborn before storming out.

Clarke, Sasha, and Wells stumble upon Priya’s body hung to a tree with the words ‘Go. Home.’ carved in her feet. Before they noticed her feet, they thought she had killed herself. But they soon figured it out it was the violent faction of Earthborns that had done this sending Bellamy over the edge. He threatens and attempts to scare Sasha into telling him where Octavia is but Wells comes in to protect her.

In space once the skybridge opened, chaos took over Phoenix as those previously locked decide to act out in violence against the Phoenicians but Glass and Luke are able to find her mother and head to the drop ships.

Clarke and Sasha take a walk, the latter explaining that some berries that grow near the camp could poisonous explaining the illness of Molly and Felix and then brings Clarke to a cave where the remains from the first batch of colonists were found.

There, Clarke finds her father's watch and asks to see Sasha's father, in search for an answer but before they could make it very far Graham, Wells and three others catch up to them. Graham attempts to get Clarke but with the help of Sasha she escapes and runs for it. On the run she stumbles upon Bellamy, who was attempting to leave camp to search for Octavia again. Bellamy however remembers how Lilly once told him she'd rather death than confinement and finally realizes that Clarke hadn't lied to him. That Lilly must have made her promise to kill her when the suffering had became too much. He and Clarke make up, and together come to the steps of Mount Weather.

On the Colony, Glass and Luke stumble upon Camille who, in an attempt to get Luke to run off with her, tells him about Carter. Luke gets angry at Glass and end up leaving her behind with her mother and heads for the dropship. Back at camp, Wells frees Sasha after she kisses him due to which he is banished. Glass' mother is killed Sonja by a bullet wound after a fight breaking out between a guard wanting a seat on a ship and Luke trying to protect Glass.

At Mount Weather, Bellamy and Clarke get knocked out with tranquilizers and when they wake up, Sasha walks in and tries to help them. Once they meet Max Walgrove, Sasha's father, Bellamy is reunited with Octavia and they are told of the story of the seven colonists before the hundred.

They colonist were found injured and brought to the Earthborn's village were they were given food and shelter. When a boy from the village went to teach them how to fish, he slipped on a rock and drowned and since Colonists could not swim how they couldn’t save him, and the family of the young boy blamed the colonist and refused to give them anymore food so the colonists started to get violent and Max was forced to banish them, but they fought back. They were all killed except the two doctors — Clarke's parents, who had left before to explore as much of the planet as possible.

Back at the camp before he Wells can leave, Kendall attempts to convince him that she should leave with him. He denies her request and she reminds him that Sasha might be pretty, but that she's not like them and that she is bad for him. While he leaves, he suddenly remembers why the writing on Priya's feet seemed familiar, they were the same as those carved on Asher's grave. The ones carved by Kendall.

After this discovery, he meets Bellamy, Clarke, and Octavia and they are able to convince him to go back to camp. Congratulating him on not having given up for Octavia, Bellamy says a quote his mother often used to say, a quote Chancellor Jaha, Wells father would often say as well. It is then revealed that the Chancellor had told his son about a Waldenite woman, Melinda whom he had fallen loved prior to his mother.

In another flashback, the Chancellor is seen staring sadly at a young boy from the Care Center from Walden. This is when Wells realizes that Bellamy is in fact, his half-brother. The book ends with everyone reunited around a campfire, including Sasha and Bellamy and Clarke spotting the first drop ship in the sky.

[blonde-batgirl]

Day Three: Sacrifice and Day Four: Selfishness

Technically, these are supposed to be separate, but I wanted to go really in-depth on Keith and Pidge’s conflict in Fall of the Castle of Lions (Season One, Episode Four) and Tears of the Balmera (Season One, Episode Five) so here we are.

First of all, let’s take a look at where Pidge and Keith are as characters after the first three episodes.

Pidge

Has her own agenda – her father and brother went missing in space and she wants to save them. However, she currently has no real leads beyond them being sent to a labour camp. The universe is a big place. The Galra probably have a lot of labour camps.

Is hiding her real identity from everyone on the castle except Shiro.

Is the tech person.

Her temper flares when she feels frustrated or cornered (Some Assembly Required, Season One, Episode Two).

Can be blunt to the point of being insensitive (Some Assembly Required).

 Keith

Knew Shiro pre-Kerberos.

Implied to have nobody on earth. I mean, he’s living alone in a shack in the middle of nowhere.

Easily provoked (looks pointedly at how easy it is for Lance to rile him up in episodes one and two).

Seems to be quite goal-oriented. Maybe he just likes to have something to focus on? First, there was the weird energy in the desert (The Rise of Voltron, Season One, Episode One), and then there’s the whole issue of trying to form Voltron in Some Assembly Required. He’s the one who suggests stacking the lions like a cheerleader pyramid and the one who got mad at Pidge when the mind-meld exercise wasn’t working.

Keith and Pidge come into Fall of the Castle of Lions from opposing positions. We know that Pidge had a loving family on earth up until a year (and a bit) ago. We know that her father and brother have been in the hands of the galra ever since the failure of the Kerberos Mission. We know that she’s actually a girl called Katie. Conversely, we know nothing at all about Keith’s past. All we have is a vague inference that he is alone. (There are also some hints that he knew Shiro before the Kerberos mission too – “Good to have you back,” The Rise of Voltron – but at this point most of Shiro’s screentime has been with Pidge and so that hasn’t really been expanded upon.) The clash they have in these two episodes is very much about duty. It’s Pidge’s duty to her family vs the duty she has to the universe as the Green Paladin.

The conflict begins when Pidge tells the group that she’s leaving Voltron to find her family. The fact that she’s telling them instead of just simply sneaking off suggests that she doesn’t feel like she’s doing anything wrong. Keith thinks she’s being selfish: “You’re putting the lives of two people over the lives of everyone else in the entire galaxy.” There’s a cold logic behind this statement because is afforded the same value with no allowances made for emotional attachment. He might think that she is being selfish for wanting to leave, but there is also an argument to be made that he is being selfish in expecting her to stay. The implication here is that Keith does not understand the unconditional attachment that exists between family members, but season two and three show us that this isn’t true. In The Blade of Marmora (Season Two, Episode Eight) Keith describes Shiro as “like a brother,” from which we can infer that their friendship is entirely unconditional on his side. Throughout the first three seasons, it’s made clear that Keith’s judgement is clouded when Shiro is involved. Even going to Zarkon’s base would be stupid until Shiro’s in trouble, when fighting Zarkon suddenly becomes a sensible life choice (The Black Paladin). Giving up the blade isn’t an option until Shiro says he’ll leave, which makes Keith try to chase after him (The Blade of Marmora). In Changing of the Guard, he’d rather there be no Voltron than replace Shiro. I think Keith’s a very idealistic person. He’d like to think that the universe – the greater good – would always come first. We’re shown that he feels guilty about his personal quest for identity in The Blade of Marmora, when holo-Shiro, a projection of his own mind, tells him “you’re only thinking of yourself, as usual.” Admittedly his personal quest is jeopardising the alliance at that point, but that’s because of his lack of communication (if he’d told the others about his blade, they could have warned the Blade of Marmora ahead of time). Wanting to know where you come from is a basic human instinct, not a sign of being self-centred. “As usual,” implies that being selfish is a constant fear for him. Keith’s reaction to Pidge is therefore based on the standards he holds himself to, which are arguably impossible.

What we are not entirely privy to at the beginning of this conflict is Pidge’s past. We know that she is really a girl called Katie, but we don’t know why she was hiding her identity. Over the course of Fall of the Castle of Lions and Tears of the Balmera, we learn how much she has sacrificed to get this far. Pidge left her mother – her only remaining family – and gave up her identity to find her missing father and brother. There’s also a vague suggestion that she gave up her dream as she tells Shiro in The Rise of Voltron, “I’m not a pilot, even though I’ve always wanted to be.” Pidge has already given up so much, and leaving Voltron would mean going alone off alone into a part of space uncharted by humans. She doesn’t know where she is, and she only has the vaguest idea of where her brother might be (the Galra must have tonnes of labour camps), but she’s willing to leave everyone she knows just to try. That’s dedication. When it comes to her family, Pidge is utterly selfless. However, leaving Team Voltron would render them vulnerable to attack as they would be unable to form their greatest weapon. There would also be the issue of them having to find and bond with a new paladin when everyone they know is either millions of miles away on earth (Shiro, Keith, Lance, and Hunk) or dead (Allura and Coran).

There’s a lot of talk about how we haven’t seen Keith and Pidge interact a lot. And we haven’t. I’m not disputing that. However, I do feel that what we have had is frequently overlooked. These two episodes contain an entire relationship arc. A small one, granted, but an arc nonetheless. It starts with the conflict mentioned above. With Keith telling Pidge, “You can’t leave,” and Pidge snapping back, “You can’t tell me what to do!” Here, we have two stubborn, determined characters at loggerheads. This argument is put to an end when Keith steps towards Pidge, she steps back, and Shiro grabs his arm. I don’t personally think that this would have evolved into a physical confrontation if Shiro hadn’t have stepped in. Keith might have a hot temper, but we’ve yet to see him raise a hand to anyone on the team. But he’s a lot bigger than Pidge, not to mention really angry. Still, I don’t think she steps back because she’s intimidated. Fall of the Castle of Lions is the first time Keith really loses his temper. We’ve seen him irritated, of course, in the first two episodes, and there’s the food fight in Some Assembly Required, but that’s in defence of a teammate (Pidge, amusingly enough) and he’s not angry the way he is here. He’s just sick of him and his teammates being pushed around. Up until now, he’s come across as quiet and maybe a little moody so I think she’s startled by his reaction rather than intimidated. Shiro’s intervention ends the argument, and the next time we see them interact the Galra have taken over the castle. When Pidge contacts him over the comms, Keith says, “Pidge, is that you? Where are you?” In spite of their argument earlier, he sounds concerned. In Tears of the Balmera, they briefly fight Sendak together, before Allura and Keith put their plan to trap him into action. At the end of Tears of the Balmera, when Pidge decides to stay, the focus is very much on her and Keith as he tells her that it’s, “Good to have you back on the team,” and they smile at each other. The wording is similar to when Keith talks to Shiro in the desert in The Rise of Voltron. In fact, it’s identical save for the fact that when he says it to Pidge he adds, “On the team,” emphasising the fact that they didn’t know each other prior to Voltron. Keith was Lance’s rival (not that he appears to have known it) and Shiro’s close friend (as close as we can guess), and Pidge knew Lance and Hunk at the Garrison, and is connected to Shiro through her missing father and brother, but the two of them are teammates first. I would therefore argue that the purpose of this two-episode arc is as much to establish some sort of relationship between Keith and Pidge as it is to make Pidge choose between her duty to her family and her duty to Voltron.

What makes Pidge stay, I think, is that the team needs her. If she had left, the Galra would have taken the Castle of Lions. If she had left, there wouldn’t have been a pod set up for Hunk and Coran to go to the Balmera and find another crystal. If she had left, Keith and Allura would be stuck on Arus for the conceivable future. When she first said she was leaving, she told them, “You’re going to have to find someone else to pilot the Green Lion.” This reduces the roles of the paladins to piloting the lions, when they all handle other important responsibilities too. Shiro’s the leader. Keith and Lance are skilled fighters, the former in melee and the latter in long-range combat. Hunk is the mechanic and the cook. Pidge is the tech expert and also skilled in reconnaissance. The team could not have taken back the castle if Pidge hadn’t been there to crawl through the vents and stop the ship from launching because there wouldn’t have been a castle to take back. She might care about her family, but she cares about the people on the Castle of Lions too. She can’t just leave them defenceless.

[lilbreck]

Sequel to Leave a Light On

Title: Chapter 1: New World in My View Beta: @emacsweeny​ Characters: Bonnie Bennett, Brady, Caroline Forbes, Deputy Adams (OC), Elena Gilbert, Elijah Mikaelson, Elizabeth Forbes, Jules, Klaus Mikaelson, Maddox, Paige, Ray Rating/Warning: FRM / graphic sexual language Word Count: 5,903 A/N: A huge thank you to Eileen for beta'ing this for me. Though I list a lot of characters, and some of them actually do get dialog, some of them just pass through.

Read Elsewhere: Personal Archive \ LiveJournal \ InsaneJournal \ Dreamwidth \ AO3 \ FF.net

She was technically supposed to be keeping an eye on Ray until Jules and Brady could get there, but just staring at him would have drawn too much attention. At least, that was what she was going to tell Klaus if he happened to show up while she was on the phone with Elena. Werewolf hunting trip or no, she wasn't going to go without wishing her friend a happy birthday – it was bad enough that she hadn't really done anything for her friend's birthdays over the past year because of the whole Klaus and Silas situation going on.

When Elena picked up she skipped over hello, ignored any pleasantries and went straight into crisis mode.

"Caroline, are you okay? Do you need us to come get you?"

While part of her was very touched that her friend was worried about her, she was also kind of offended that she would assume Caroline would only be calling for help. Before she could get really worked up over it though, Bonnie's voice interrupted.

"I'm sure if there was something wrong Caroline would have said something in one of the daily texts she's been sending us for the past two weeks. Right, Caroline?"

While she was still very aware of Ray sitting at the bar making friendly conversation with the bartender, Caroline let herself be pulled into the easy and familiar rhythm of the conversation between her and her friends back home. She could almost pretend she was back in Mystic Falls instead of a bar in Tennessee.

"Do you have me on speaker? Is the whole town listening in and waiting to hear how my summer vacation is going so far?"

Allowing the subject to change, Elena's voice turned pouty as she replied, "No, it's just me and Bonnie. She's keeping me here and distracted while Stefan's putting together the birthday party I never agreed to."

"You were never going to agree to a big party, Elena. That's why I had to ask Stefan to put it together. It's not every year you turn eighteen, so you should make it memorable. Oh, speaking of which…"

Bonnie's laughing voice cut her off, "He's following your plans down to the last detail. He's been texting me whenever he has questions about what you mean."

She could feel herself getting ready to defend her need to micromanage nearly everything in her life. Bonnie apparently knew her well enough though, to step in and calm her defensiveness. She couldn't remember Bonnie knowing her this well before but she really appreciated it now.

"I'm pretty sure we would be an absolute mess without you, Caroline."

"You'd make it through. Everything would be a lot less fun, but you'd still make it through."

Her response got the laugh she was after and Caroline enjoyed the warm feeling that spread through her at the sound. The two quickly took the time to let her in on all that she had been missing in the couple of weeks she'd been gone. Bonnie, in particular, seemed like she needed to vent.

"And let me tell you, I've never been happier that Pearl and Anna are here. They've been basically acting as a buffer between the Mikaelsons and the rest of us. Finn is alright. He's basically not around much and when he is he's just kind of… there. Kol and Rebekah are absolute nightmares. I can't count the number of times I've had to use my magic to stop Kol from, well, being Kol. I'm also pretty sure that Elena is ready to try and rip out Rebekah's hair the next time she makes some innuendo while talking with Stefan."

Elena spluttered at that while Caroline complained about the fact that she would have the luxury of a buffer with both Rebekah and Kol. She pouted at first as Bonnie and Elena laughed at that, but soon she was joining in. Too soon, the laughter faded and she could almost feel the tension from the other side as both of her friends held back something they were obviously wanting to say.

"Okay, you two. Out with it. What's ruining the happy moment?"

Surprisingly, it was Elena who spoke up.

"We don't want to worry you, Caroline. Lord knows you've got a lot to deal with right now, but Elijah has been spending a lot of time over at your house the past week or so. Like, every day."

Caroline hadn't realized how much she had tensed up until she felt her whole body relax. Her mother had already let her know that Elijah had been coming around and reassured her that it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. While she knew her friends were worried about her mother, she still couldn't resist teasing them a bit.

"I don't know if I should be touched or disturbed that you two are spying on my mom so closely, Elena."

She had delivered the statement in a serious tone of voice but quickly lost the fight against a giggle when she heard Elena and Bonnie floundering to explain themselves. Still aware that she wasn't exactly in a private setting, Caroline made explanation as vague as she could.

"It's okay, you guys. I already knew about it. Apparently, his family hasn't been very good with communication, so my mom's been keeping him up to date. Nothing to worry about."

That explanation would have to do because, just as she could hear Elena and Bonnie begin to ask more questions, she caught sight of Jules and Brady walking into the bar. The latter quickly caught sight of her and Caroline couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes at the scowl he directed at her. Yeah, she had a feeling they were never going to be friends and only part of that was because she couldn't forget that he was capable of torturing her and enjoying it.

"Okay, girls, break time's over. I've got to get back to work."

As they said their goodbyes and ended the call, Caroline watched the scene unfolding across the bar. Jules and Brady approached Ray and sat next to him on either side. Almost immediately she could see his body stiffen. She had warned Klaus that this wasn't the right way to start things off and that he'd be able to tell that they weren't regular werewolves. She was already halfway to them when Ray practically launched himself from the bar stool and started walking away from the pair. Abandoning any pretense, she sped forward to stand in front of him with her hands held up in what she hoped would be a calming manner.

"Please don't leave yet."

She could see the building panic as he looked between her and the two hybrids joining them. "You're vampires."

She couldn't tell if he was expecting help from the people in the bar or if he was thinking of trying to warn them to run, but she needed to calm him down quickly. She knew she had a limited time before Klaus lost what little patience he had and came barging in.

"Yes, I'm a vampire, and I've compelled everyone in here not to interfere. I realize how shady that sounds, but we're not here to hurt you. We just want to sit down and talk."

When he continued to side eye Jules and Brady, Caroline quickly realized that he could sense their hostility. Although he appeared to assume it was directed at him, she knew better. Dropping her hands, she gave a huff of frustration over the hybrids interference.

"Okay, that aggression thing you're getting from them is not because they're going to hurt you. It's because they want to hurt me. It's a gut reaction to millennia of hatred across the species divide that we're still trying to overcome."

The latter seemed to catch his attention and he looked at her confused as he asked, "You guys aren't vampires?"

Caroline could now see a way to steer the conversation the way she wanted it to go. With a calming breath and a smile that she hoped was friendly, she shook her head.

"I am. They were werewolves until very recently. Now they're something else. That's actually why I'm here to talk to you."

Caroline gestured to the table and, after Ray reluctantly walked over to sit down, turned to Jules and Brady. She smiled at them both and then looked to the bar in what she felt was an obvious hint. Jules, for her part, simply rolled her eyes and went to sit back down. Brady crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her. Refusing to let him bait her or intimidate her, she stared back at him silently, smile still in place. Finally, with one final low growl, he turned around and went to join his alpha. The pleasant expression dropping from her face, Caroline then made her way over to join Ray at the table.

"Sorry about that. They really don't like me very much."

While he still looked nervous, Ray shot her a confused and disbelieving look.

"If they don't like you, then why are they here with you?"

Doing her best to turn on the charm and put him at ease, Caroline answered "I'm a means to an end. Kind of a middleman, really. They want their pack and their kind protected, and I can help them do that."

At this, Caroline paused and flagged down a passing waitress. When she asked her for two beers and didn't get carded, Ray's eyebrows shot up. His tone was slightly accusing when he said, "I've never known Jessie to not card someone who she didn't know."

Caroline fought down a small twinge of guilt and tried for nonchalant.

"Compelling her to not feel the need to ask for ID was shady but not evil."

As much as Caroline hated being laughed at, she did feel a small thrill of victory at the small smile that Ray apparently couldn't stop. She took a moment to gather her thoughts as the waitress, who she totally didn't feel guilty for compelling, left two bottles and took the money that Caroline handed her.

She pretended not to hear him ruefully murmur, "At least you didn't steal the beer."

"Werewolves, as I'm sure I don't need to tell you, are an endangered species. I'm convinced that the only reason they aren't extinct is because most vampires don't think you're real. Which, in my opinion, is extremely stupid. Hello, we're vampires! Who knows what else is out there." At this, Caroline paused and couldn't help but voice her next thought out loud. "When I get a chance to take a vacation, I should try and find out if mermaids are real."

She was brought out of her off-topic ramblings by Ray's contemptuous snort.

"Mermaids are just myths."

A part of Caroline wanted to engage in a long debate with him about myths usually having some basis in truth and about how there were still so many undiscovered creatures in the world. However, she just settled for a bland stare as she replied "Said the werewolf to the vampire in a bar in Tennessee."

Caroline took a drink of her beer as Ray seemed to struggle with a comeback. When he finally appeared to give up, she continued.

"Jules and Brady were regular werewolves when I first met them. Now they're hybrids. Specifically, they're werewolf vampire hybrids. They're harder to kill than werewolves, their bites kills vampires quicker without having to transform fully, they have the potential to live forever and are super strong like vampires, and they don't have any pesky issues with the sun. More importantly to them and you I think, they have complete control over their transformation."

Ray sat in stunned silence for a moment and then stuttered out, "How?"

With a small, rueful smile Caroline answered, "There's only one way, and it comes with strings."

As if summoned by her answer, the door opened and Klaus came strutting in with Maddox following closely behind. His grin told her he was unrepentant when he spotted them and then made his way toward their table. Caroline had to quell the urge to snap at him. For what seemed the millionth time, she had to remind herself that this wasn't the same Klaus who was in love with her and would take all her controlling ways with an indulgent smile.

"You were supposed to wait until I called you."

Some of her frustration may have leaked into her voice. However, he just smiled in a way she was convinced he thought was charming. It wasn't.

"I got bored, sweetheart. You know I don't do well with boredom."

He then took a seat at the table with them, lounging carelessly as if he didn't have a worry in the world. Maddox did a fair impersonation of him in the seat to the other side of her. After flagging down the waitress, Klaus gestured for her to continue. Caroline again barely managed not to snap at him as he asked Jessie for a drink. When she looked back at Ray, she could see he was eyeing Klaus warily. This was why she wanted to get everything out in the open before Klaus ever showed up.

"As I was saying, there's only one way," at this, she gestured to Klaus. "And it comes with strings."

Klaus made as if to join the conversation, but Caroline's none-too-subtle cough had him leaning back with a mockingly apologetic expression on his face. His attention was quickly caught by the arrival of his drink, and Caroline continued her explanation to Ray.

"We only need a small number of your pack, perhaps six. Half of them will stay with you, the other half will leave with us." When Ray looked about to angrily object, Caroline continued over him. "We're not doing this out of the goodness of our hearts because we feel so bad that your species is essentially dying out. Nothing comes for free in this world, but we're asking for volunteers, not slaves."

Ray didn't look all that convinced and Caroline had to fight against the knot of panic forming in her stomach. Taking a deep breath and leaning in, she brought out her most convincing argument.

"Imagine it. You and your pack will no longer have to fear being discovered by vampires. You won't have to wait until the full moon comes around to strike back at them, hoping they're still around and haven't killed off too many of your friends and family. You'll have protectors that you can trust with the life of your pack because they are pack."

He seemed torn. It was obvious he was reluctant to trust Caroline, but she could also see how tempting the thought of safety for his pack was.

"I can't make this decision. All I can do is talk to my alpha. If she even considers it, she'll want to talk to you herself."

Klaus looked less than pleased but kept silent as Ray wrote down Caroline's number and promised to plead their case and get back to them as soon as possible. As soon as Ray walked out of the bar, however, he broke that silence.

"What's to keep good old Ray from simply hiding out until he believes we've left the area and he's safe?"

Something in his expression told Caroline that he already suspected the answer and was only waiting on her to confirm it. Maddox looked curious but unconcerned, which only confirmed a suspicion she had.

"You of all people know what it's like to have to hide from something when, by all rights, you should be powerful enough to not have to hide from anything. Freedom from the fear and secrecy will make sure he talks to his alpha. Besides, it's not like you didn't have Maddox put a magical lo-jack on him."

Klaus looked as if she'd done something he had completely expected and yet still made him proud. Sometimes he made it hard to separate him in her mind from the Klaus she once knew.

Over the next eight days that became a bit of an issue as they waited to hear if Paige, Ray's alpha, would talk to them. Caroline was convinced that the only reason Klaus didn't try to hunt down the pack in that time was because Ray called them daily to keep them updated. Maybe he had caught wind of Klaus' reputation as an impatient creature with a ruthless temper.

It was also possible that his new hobby of harassing her kept him from getting too bored with waiting. He didn't consider it harassment and went overboard pretending to be offended when she confronted him. He said he was simply getting to know her.

It became something other than mere harassment, however, during the most recent of his 'getting to know you' sessions when she had told him that a dead witch had bonded part of her soul to Caroline and that that was the reason for the witchy feeling Maddox sensed from her. He didn't look very surprised and Caroline asked why. That's when he said that even he was drawn to her light and he could understand someone who loved her wanting to protect her even after death.

And suddenly Caroline had been reminded that, for all his strength, ruthlessness, and iron will, this was the most dangerous part of Klaus for her. He could make her feel like she was something truly amazing, like the world ceased to exist for him when they talked. For a young woman who, she could admit, if only to herself, was insecure and starved for validation, that could become something very addicting. That was why she had to fight the pull she felt toward him; because if she ever let herself fully experience being the center of his attention, she was afraid of what she would do to stay there.

Caroline was close to giving into that pull after a few days of Klaus 'testing' out her ability to sense other supernatural creatures. In all honesty, he barely bothered to hide the fact that it was a series of excuses to have as much physical contact with her as possible and she didn't bother to hide the fact that she saw right through him. It was a dangerous sort of flirtation that could have led to something she might have regretted had Ray not finally called to let them know that Paige would talk to them.

The negotiation went rather smoothly –they already had pack members who were willing to turn and stay as well as members that were willing to turn and leave with Klaus. Caroline would have dearly loved to know what Ray said to convince them because he didn't strike her as a very persuasive person. Not to mention that everyone was eying Klaus, Jules, and Brady with more than a bit of wariness. Before Paige could hand off members of her pack to be turned, however, there was one more thing they needed to talk about.

"Klaus and I need to talk to you. Alone."

It was obvious by the low growls and spike in tension throughout the room that the pack did not like that one bit. Having expected that –and even talked about it beforehand with Klaus –Caroline quickly said it could just be she and Paige. While the pack members still didn't seem to like it, their alpha agreed. They made to follow, but it only took a quick word from Paige to stop them in their tracks. Caroline could see there was a reason she was the alpha.

"There's something we haven't told you about becoming a hybrid. When they're turned, there will be a sire-bond in place." Caroline could see rage quickly building in Paige's eyes –she obviously knew what a sire-bond meant – and rushed to reassure her. "We're going to help them break it before we even leave here. But no one else, including the rest of your pack, can know about them breaking it.

"There's a... cult, that's going to want to use them for a sacrifice. They're going to try and get the hybrids to turn on Klaus so that he will slaughter them all. If everyone who could know about the sire-bond believes the hybrids are still bound, then they'll use that to try and get them killed. Klaus is aware of this, and we can use it to trap the members of this cult while not actually risking the hybrids."

Apparently, whatever good will Ray had planted with his alpha was not exhausted because she looked pacified by Caroline's words. She did ask, though, "Why are you bothering to tell me this now?"

The grin Caroline sent her way was just a little bit guilty. "I'm hoping that you'll get in touch with other alphas, let them know about the deal you've made, see if they're willing to make the same one to protect their packs. Of course, I'm asking that you only tell them about breaking the bond if you trust them to tell no one else. We're not even planning on telling the chosen werewolves until after they've turned."

Paige was silent for a moment, but agreed to see what she could do. She also promised to tell no one about what had been said. They joined the others as plans were made for both turning the chosen werewolves into hybrids – it seemed the pack had decided it deserved a bit of pomp and circumstance – as well as for the 'training' Klaus had said they'd all need to undergo in order to fully control their transformations. Of course, Paige was now aware this would, in reality, be them breaking their bonds and would be done away from the rest of the pack.

That night, back at the surprisingly upscale hotel Klaus had found for them, she told him and Maddox that she wouldn't be sticking around while they unbound the hybrids. Klaus, who still looked less than pleased about helping his hybrids break the sire-bond, argued heatedly against it. She held firm.

"I have a life that I plan on living as much as possible. I'm not going to be like Stefan and repeat high school again and again for all eternity. It's a onetime thing for me, and I want to milk it for all it's worth. That includes summer cheer practice. I will be back by mid-month and you're going to be so busy that you won't even notice I've been gone. Besides, hanging around here probably won't be all that safe for me."

Klaus was quickly in front of her, his hand a barely-there caress against her hair.

"I would protect you from any danger the hybrids could pose to you, Caroline." He seemed reassured by her small smile and murmured acknowledgement.

As she packed the next morning, Klaus teasingly pouted at her as he threw out wilder and wilder arguments for her to stay. He appeared to be resigned to her leaving and seemed to trust that she would return. After all, they did have more packs to find once they were done here.

She zipped the last suitcase and repeated that, they were ready to leave before she got back, they were under no circumstances allowed to leave her stuff behind. His response was to sigh dramatically and huff, "Fine, go off and play human during this monumental step. We will endure without you."

While Caroline was returning to Virginia for her practice, she didn't have enough time to return to Mystic Falls itself. Had she made it home for the July Fourth celebration like she'd wanted to, she would have been dismayed to see that her mother was accompanied by Elijah.

For about three weeks Liz had been juggling time between both Finn and Elijah. Neither one came out and said they had no wish to encounter each other; still, they both had settled into a schedule that ensured just that. As much as part of her wanted to get the two of them talking about their issues, she forcefully reminded herself that she was not getting involved in Mikaelson family dynamics. Her visits from Finn were spent mostly in silence with occasional conversations about modern technology and culture. Mostly so that he could try and get by in this day and age.

A simple business arrangement – that's how those visits from Elijah had started out – and, at first, they were almost boring. Time spent talking about what his brother was currently up to and where he was. Towards the end of that first week, however, they had quickly evolved into what Liz would almost call a friendship. If your definition of friendship came with a healthy dose of flirting. Liz tried to remind herself not to make too much of it; he was probably just a natural flirt. Unfortunately, that reminder didn't stop the flutter in her stomach or the flush in her face that would occasionally occur with his more suggestive remarks.

As his flirting increased, his questions about what his brother was up to and where he might be decreased. As it was, by the time he escorted her – his words, not hers, and she really tried not to read into it – to the town's Fourth of July celebration, it had been nearly a week since he'd even mentioned Klaus. As they walked by various food stands set up for the occasion, the wind gently blowing the skirt of a rarely-worn dress she'd pulled from the back of her closet, she let herself forget that her vampire daughter was on a summer road trip with his hybrid brother and just enjoy the early evening breeze.

She had just managed to focus on the here and now when she and Elijah were approached by one of her deputies. Given that he was in uniform, it was obvious that it was about work and Liz could feel disappointment settle low in her stomach.

"Sheriff Forbes, I didn't realize you had today off."

The combination of his stutter and the blush he was sporting let Liz know that this had nothing to do with police business. Remembering that he had specifically requested to work the celebration, an awkward and uncomfortable feeling took the place of her previous disappointment. She had been trying to encourage his work ambitions while subtly trying to discourage his obvious blossoming crush on her. It didn't appear to be working.

"Well, Adams, once you get to a certain age, you need a break every now and again." She took pity on him when he started to splutter, obviously looking for an appropriate way to deny she was that much older than him. "I'm pretty sure the pyrotechnics could use another once over. I'll see you Tuesday morning, Adams."

The last was said in a kind but firm tone. With any luck, he would be reminded that she was his boss, not a potential bed partner, and in no way interested in making small talk with him. Adams walked off with a slightly disappointed expression and as he did, she caught a smirk on Elijah's face from the corner of her eye.

Turning to him with a challenging brow raised, she asked, "What?"

He didn't reply immediately, instead tucking her hand into his elbow as he led them once again forward through the cheery crowds before answering.

"You always seem to deflect by referencing your age as if you were far older than you actually are. One begins to question why," he finally said.

Ignoring the knowing gleam in his eye, she answered frankly.

"I'm trying to remind him that there is no romance in the cards for us. When bringing up the fact that I'm the boss doesn't deter them, I find reminding them that I'm near old enough to be their mother dampens small flares of infatuation in the more persistent young bucks."

While he looked as if she confirmed something important for him, he didn't comment any further. Watching the fireworks later, though, she couldn't help but get the feeling that they weren't finished with that particular conversation. Perhaps he had figured out the part of her reasoning she hadn't voiced that only applied to him; that she was trying to remind herself that when dealing with someone who was eternally young and beautiful, she really shouldn't set herself up for rejection.

Elijah made pleasant conversation as he drove her home, managing to put her at ease even as he continued with his habit of flirting semi-outrageously. When he turned off the ignition and asked if he could come in for a drink, even though she knew it was dangerously close to giving her libido the wrong idea, she couldn't resist saying yes.

They had just their beers --she got a bit of a kick essentially forcing Elijah to drink something so common-- when she heard a knock at the door. Knowing no one was likely to visit her this late at night and worried it could be Finn with a problem, Liz stood up, setting her empty bottle on the coffee table and went to answer the door.

As she turned into the hallway, she felt a frisson of annoyance when she saw Deputy Adams through the window of her front door. Seeing him now dressed in civvies, she quickly realized that she was going to have to stop playing nice and just shoot him down quickly and cleanly. Still, as she opened the door expecting things to get awkward, a part of her did hope he wasn't here hoping she would suddenly fall into his waiting arms.

"What can I do for you, Adams?"

Honestly, considering how often she has had to walk the line between nice and hostile with him, she should take up diplomacy.

"Hey, Liz, I thought I'd stop by and see how your night went."

It wasn't the piss poor excuse that let her know she'd be playing hard-ass tonight, it was the fact that he'd used her first name. This was the first time she'd ever even gotten a hint he knew her first name wasn't Sheriff. Just as she took a breath to let him down none too gently she saw his posture straighten and his jaw tighten. Stiffly, he said, "I can see you have company, though. I'll see you Tuesday, Sheriff."

Liz watched him stride away down her porch steps and back to his car parked along the curb, preparing herself for whatever she would see when she turned around. Nothing, however, could have prepared her. Leaning against the doorjamb of the open French doors in her hallway, his feet bare, shirt untucked and halfway unbuttoned, and his hair noticeably disheveled for lack of a better word, Elijah presented the very image of someone interrupted mid-make-out.

Liz almost didn't recognize the full-on belly laugh that came out of her. Still amused, she couldn't help but channel her daughter more than a bit when she asked "Seriously?"

Eyes opened wide in comical faux innocence, Elijah spread his arms out slightly, palms up, as if to ask what she could possibly be referring to.

"I don't know why Deputy Adams didn't stay. He looked like he spent a good amount of time getting his hair to flop just so in his face. It really gave him an air of boyish charm."

Liz was chuckling as she walked past Elijah to collect their bottles. She was halfway to the kitchen before it dawned on her what he had said. Turning around she nearly jumped when she found he had followed her and closely at that. Deciding to ignore his closeness, she grinned up at him.

"Elijah, is that why you cut your hair?" She turned back toward the kitchen and began walking again and continued the conversation.

"You really didn't need to be insulted when I told you that your haircut made you look twelve." Liz quickly rinsed out the bottles and threw them in the recycle bin before turning to deliver the final, and in her mind witty, blow. "It was really... cute."

She wouldn't describe the look he leveled at her then as cute. It made her breath shudder and something deep inside her clench as he began closing in on her.

"I was not insulted, dear Lizbet, nor was it vanity that led me to cut my hair. I simply sought to ensure you had one less excuse to use and remind you that, while I may look... marginally younger than you, I have been alive a millennium longer. So, unlike the way things went with your young deputy tonight, I would like you to be completely upfront and honest with me."

Elijah was well within her personal space at this point, his closeness leaving her unable to even point out that her name wasn't Lizbet. He ran the fingertips of his left hand up along her right arm and across her shoulder until his wrist rested against her neck and he could lightly tug at the hair at her nape. Leaning forward, he continued to speak, his breath ghosting across her temple.

"If I let us continue along the path you have set for us, we will be left with nothing save frustrated flirting. However, I believe we can have something so much more pleasurable."

Another tug to her hair sent her head back slightly and Liz was left trying to hold back a moan as he pulled her against his body with his other hand and placed an open-mouthed kiss just under her ear. A small, sharp nip at that very ear and then he was talking again.

"Tell me to stop, and we will return to the way things were, as if this never happened. But what I really want to do, my Lizbet, is kneel down in front of you in this kitchen, reach up under your dress to pull down your underwear. I want to bury my head between your pretty thighs as you ride my tongue. Then I want to take you to your bedroom and see how many ways I can bring you to orgasm in one night before you pass out."

Pulling back he looked in her eyes and Liz felt like he was trying to devour her with just that look.

"In order to do that, in order to do all that I want to, I need you to say 'yes, Elijah' and mean it. Please, Lizbet, let me have what I want."

Though his words could have sounded as if he were begging, his tone was all demand. Part of her felt she should say no on principle given that tone, but why should she deny herself something she wanted? Reaching up, she buried her left hand in his hair and pulled his mouth toward her. He came easily enough, but quickly took the lead in their kiss. It was wide open and dominating, leaving her feeling as though he had claimed part of her. That feeling only left her eager to see what else she could feel with him.

When he pulled away from her mouth, it was only to drag his lips and tongue down her throat and growl against her pulse, "Say it, Lizbet."

Taking a shuddering breath, Liz let go of her doubts and insecurities.

"Yes, Elijah."