#oc: Marlenie Mikaelson

[saiilorstars]

Ch.7:  My Beloved

Current Story Masterlist  // Previous story // Maleny’s Masterlist

Pairings: Klaus x OFC || Elijah x Cami  

Pronunciation of OC’s name: Ma-leh-nee

Taglist: @ocappreciationtag​​​​ @arrthurpendragon​​​ @anotherunreadblog​​​ @transformerfan97​​​ @stareyedplanet​​​ @foxesandmagic​​​​​

If you’d like to be a part of this OC’s work/edits, let me know!

"Mummy! Mummy!" A young, five year old, Marlenie came running inside the cottage where Maleny, in the body of Iris Velden, was separating straps of cloths the witches had ordered her to do.

"What is it, Marls?" Maleny looked up momentarily to see the girl looking crossed as ever.

"It's Nick, he won't let me play with him," Marlenie huffed and crossed her arms. "He won't share the wood with me."

Maleny smiled. "And why not?"

"Because he's making something special," Marlenie rolled her eyes, grumbling. "He can't make anything, Mummy!"

Maleny chuckled and went back to the cloths. "Don't be mean, Marlenie. He is, after all, only five years old - like you are."

Marlenie ignored her mother and dashed for their room, seconds later returning with the wooden craft of two joined stars in her hands. "No one will be better than Daddy, though," she sprinted back to Maleny. "Don't you think, Mummy?"

Maleny briefly glanced at the craft, no longer easy to see the craft without shedding tears. "Of course, but I bet if Nicolas keeps practicing, he might be able be just as good as your father."

Marlenie grinned at the craft, just like she always did when she held the craft in her hands. But when she looked up and saw her mother silently working, her smile waned. "Mummy, why don't we run away?" Maleny froze in the midst of her work. "Why don't we go find Daddy?" Marlenie climbed onto Maleny's lap, innocently looking at the woman. "I want to see him."

Maleny sighed and wrapped an arm around the small girl. "Marls, you know why we can't do it."

"Because the bad witches…" Marlenie glumly said, looking down at the craft.

"Hey," Maleny gently swayed her, pressing a kiss on Marlenie's dark hair, "Now you know what I told you - you and your brother - about your father. Can you tell me?"

Marlenie sighed and proceeded to recite the words she had heard since she could remember. "Nick and I will find Daddy as long as we're under the same stars."

"Exactly," Maleny took the craft from Marlenie and held it in front of them both. "Your father travels all the time, but no matter where he ends up at, you and your brother can find him. The stars are the same, and no matter where I am, you know that I will always love you."

Marlenie looked up at her mother, teary-eyed. "But I want you to be with us, Mummy."

Knowing it was impossible, Maleny became teary-eyed as well. "I would like that too, sweetheart, but Mummy made a bad decision that got her into this mess. But wherever I am after this, you look up to those stars, Marls, and remember that I am with you - will always be with you."

Marlenie sniffed and leaned on her mother's chest. "Always and forever," she reminded, wrapping her small arms around Maleny's waist.

She may have been only five, but Marlenie knew that her mother would soon be leaving her - that was what the bad witches were beginning to murmur. She wished she was big enough to protect her Mummy from the bad witches, to help her Mummy run away and find her Daddy, along with Nicolas. She wished on every star that she could just have her family together, doing family stuff….

"Okay! I think we just need one more," Maleny beamed at their almost finished Christmas tree. "Marls, hand me a gold bauble?"

Marlenie had been caught up in the memory while she and her mother decorated the Christmas tree the Mikaelsons had brought into the courtyard for the holiday.

"Marls?" Maleny called again and glanced back to see her daughter lost in thought. Slightly concerned, she left the tree and walked up to the young-looking woman. "Marlenie?" she gently shook Marlenie's arm, snapping her out of her trance. "Hey," Maleny chuckled, "what happened there?"

Marlenie sheepishly smiled. "Sorry, I, um…" she shook her head, fully embarrassed as she tried to talk, "...I was just thinking back to when I was a little girl and how much I wished we could do normal family stuff…like that," she gestured to the large Christmas tree.

Maleny softly smiled, half-remembering those certain memories. Now that more days had passed by, and with Marlenie's help, she was beginning to remember a lot more of her days with her twins...and Maleny felt incredibly happy. It was surreal to know she had children now, and even more-so to have one of them with her at the moment. Marlenie had made it her business to know as much as she could of her parents and their family. If she wasn't with Maleny, then she was with Klaus, and if she wasn't with either she was with her uncle Elijah or aunt Freya. She wanted to know every last thing about her family and no one was telling her 'no'.

"Well," Maleny began, walking towards a box set on the couch, "you can help me finish my very first Christmas tree by putting one of these on," she turned to Marlenie, holding out the golden bauble.

Beaming, Marlenie rushed to retrieve the bauble and place it to where Maleny pointed at. "Like that?" she glanced back at her mother questionably.

"Mmm," Maleny took a couple steps back, hands together as she stared the tree up and down. "Perfect!" she declared a moment later.

"Really?" Marlenie went to stand beside Maleny as they both took in the tree. "Ooh, I think we did good."

Maleny chuckled and went back to the boxes, figuring which ones needed to be put away where. She and Marlenie had taken out every last bit of decorations they could find to use on the courtyard and several other rooms. Being it the first Christmas Maleny would spend in her original body, and the first to spend with her daughter, she wanted everything to be perfect.

"Dad!" Marlenie's sudden exclaim startled Maleny into dropping a bauble onto the ground, making instantly shatter to pieces.

"Marlenie!" Maleny turned around, half irritated with her.

"Sorry," Marlenie winced at the scolding she knew was heading her way. But she just went to meet her father instead, Klaus distracted with the courtyard's appearance for the moment.

"You two went all out…" he remarked slowly.

Marlenie beamed. "Do you like it? Mum and I decorated it - well, Mum did a lot of the job. I just hung the ones she couldn't reach."

"Hey," Maleny hissed, crossing her arms.

Marlenie giggled. "You should have seen her trying to hang up the lights herself."

"Marlenie!"

Klaus, trying not to look as amused as he actually was, interjected the conversation. "Marls, go upstairs," he ordered lightly.

Marlenie pretended to gasp. "Is there a present for me upstairs?"

Klaus reiterated his order with a pointed finger to the rails. "Go upstairs."

Marlenie rolled her eyes and did as told, grumbling things under her breath that Maleny couldn't hear, but Klaus could. When Marlenie was gone, Maleny loudly sighed.

"You know, she reminds me of Kol a lot," she bent down to pick up the shards of the bauble she dropped. She thought that Marlenie had inherited some of Kol's mischievousness as well, because there were certain things Maleny knew for a fact neither she nor Klaus had ever acted like.

"Let's not go insulting the poor girl," Klaus joked and came to help her.

"Don't be so rude," Maleny playfully scolded. "You should have seen Marlenie in her younger days - she was an outright terror sometimes. I really wish good luck to Hayley with Hope. If that little girl inherits your awful temperamental genes like Marls...oh dear."

Klaus quirked an eyebrow at her, surprised. "Well, now who's being rude?"

Maleny sheepishly smiled and straightened with the bauble pieces in her hands. "Sorry," she uttered a minute after, reverting back to her shy demeanor. "Can I take those?" she pointed to the bauble pieces he held.

"How about I take them instead?" Klaus offered, not waiting for the answer as he took the pieces off her hands.

When his fingers touched her palms, Maleny felt a warm tingle that she was sure caused a bright blush across her face. Wanting to move on before Klaus could get a good ear on her racing heart, she brought in conflicting subjects to the table.

"I need to go out today," she announced while Klaus went to dump the bauble pieces over a small table for the meantime. "I need to see Davina. I know she hates me and all but I heard from Cami that she got shunned from her coven. I need to see her and see if she's okay."

"It's probable she won't want to see you, though," Klaus warned her, wanting to prepare her for the worst.

Maleny sighed, agreeing. "I know, but I have to go see her. It's Christmas."

"It's Christmas," Klaus agreed, lightly smiling towards her.

"And…" Maleny bit her lip, suddenly nervous which did make Klaus suspicious of what else she was thinking of. In the end, Maleny took in a deep breath and just came out with it. "I want to go see Lucien too."

"What?" Klaus nearly growled, his teeth gritting together.

"Look, it's been a couple days and I'm worried about him," Maleny tried to explain in a way that would make it easy to see her affections were completely platonic. They hadn't yet completely made up but Maleny would like for Klaus to see that her affections were never going to be on Lucien again.

"If he was worried then he would've came already," Klaus dismissed her statement and began walking away.

Maleny scowled and went after him. "You know damn well the moment he walks in you would snap his neck - at the very least anyways."

"Does he deserve any less?"

"He's not the villain here, Klaus," Maleny reminded, forcing him to stop by grabbing his arm. She turned him around, looking him in the eyes. "Lucien may have made some remarks about me I didn't like but last time I checked, he wasn't the one who kidnapped me. He wasn't the one who fed off me. He wasn't the one who hurt me."

"I don't think you need to go," Klaus declared after a minute or so before heading up the stairs.

Maleny, more than irritated with him, crossed her arms and called from her spot, "Well, it's a good thing I wasn't asking for your permission then!" Klaus stopped and looked over the rails, glowering. Maleny upheld the look on her. "I was only letting you know my plans should you need to find me. I need to see how he's doing and that's that." She left him to think about that and headed for one of the downstairs rooms.

~ 0 ~

Marlenie had laid down several evening dresses over her bed and was sipping some blood from a glass when Klaus walked into her room - well, her aunt Rebekah's room. She would have taken her mother's bedroom but unfortunately her parents were refusing to just make up already.

"So, did you and Mum and talk?" Marlenie barely turned to Klaus when he snatched her glass right from her hand to drown it all in one go. Marlenie blinked and watched him go lean against the dresser, taking a big breath in. "Um...how do I put this delicately - that was mine!"

"Lack of blood is not a problem here," was all Klaus had to say on the matter. His eyes trailed towards the bed with the evening dresses and made a face. "Funny, I don't recall having a gala tonight."

Marlenie playfully rolled her eyes and turned to the bed. "They're options for tonight. It's Christmas, haven't you heard? Plus," she smiled softly as she ran a hand down one lavender dress, "I was looking for something for Mum. Which do you think suits her best?" she glanced at Klaus. "You know her likes better than I do - as well as what looks better on her."

At her suggestive look, Klaus rolled his eyes. "I need you to do something today," he announced instead.

"Oh, like what?" Marlenie made a face. "You didn't let me help uncle Elijah go get aunt Rebekah."

"Elijah was more than capable on doing that himself," Klaus said back, leaning off the dresser. "Maleny has...these ideas, that, well...aren't safe."

"Like?"

"She wants to go see a friend who, currently, hates her. But, being who she is, Maleny is going to go anyways. She's a witch, and she's angry, so it wouldn't bode well for Maleny to go on her own."

Marlenie nodded in agreement. "Okay, I can do that." But just by looking at her father she knew that wasn't particularly what was troubling him. "What's the other idea Mum wants to do?"

"...she wants to go visit…" Klaus balled a fist, the mere name of the man making his insides twist with rage, "...Lucien."

Marlenie immediately crinkled her nose. "Ugh, why?"

"I don't know!" Klaus exclaimed, throwing a hand. "But she is going to do it and I'd rather you go with her to…" he paused momentarily, his gaze falling low.

Marlenie studied the sudden change in her father's face, unable to keep her smirk hidden. "To make sure she doesn't stay again," she finished what he couldn't. Klaus looked to the side as Marlenie approached him. "You want me to go make sure she comes back."

"Just do it," Klaus ordered her, attempting to keep his feelings away.

Marlenie widely smiled, chuckling to herself. "Alright, I'll go. Mostly cos I agree - I don't want her getting brainwashed again by that man. But you want to know something? It might be better for you to tell Mum about this. I assume you argued it out with her again?" by the silence she was given as a response, Marlenie sighed. "Not the best way to go, Dad. But, who am I to get into that, right? Only the daughter," she playfully rolled her eyes and headed back to the dresses.

"It's complicated," Klaus said as if it were obvious but he got a rather rude scoff in return.

"After a thousand years what else can there be that's complicated for you two?" Marlenie shook her head. "Be the bloody straight forwards man I heard you always are and just go to Mum already - clear the air! I just want to spend Christmas as a family...our first Christmas together?"

She met Klaus' amused look with a smirk. After a minute of silence, Klaus walked towards her, wagging a finger at her. "I should ground you for that big mouth of yours…"

Marlenie clapped her hands sarcastically. "First of all, it's your big mouth, actually. Second of all, I would just escape like I hear Mum tends to do."

Klaus rolled his eyes, letting another moment pass as he cast a look at the dresses Marlenie had placed on her bed. "That one," he touched a white, laced dress on the edge of the bed. Marlenie raised an eyebrow as he looked at her with a soft smile. "It makes her eyes look more beautiful."

A wide smile spread across Marlenie's face; she nodded her head and watched him leave the room. She then scurried to the side of her bed and picked up the white dress, smiling excitedly the more she gazed over it.

~ 0 ~

Cami walked into St. James' and was mildly surprised to see Tristan comfortable at the bar counter doing paperwork. She cast a brief look towards the vampire guard standing not too far from Tristan.

"Are you taking over the bar now?" she asked. "Funny, you don't seem like the one who listens to jazz."

"You're a Strix, Camille," Tristan said without looking up yet. "What's yours is ours and vice-versa. You should be grateful. You'll need my help, as I imagine the Mikaelsons still want your head."

Cami raised her eyebrows, deciding to leave the part out where she met Elijah to give him the information she gathered on a couple days ago.

Tristan went on without noticing. "This venue is brilliant. A neutral space where magic is useless. It should do nicely, at least until I install a suitable Regent to shepherd the local witches."

"Oh, well that might take a while," Cami said, pushing down her triump. "See, the last Regent was shunned, and the one before that murdered. No one is really eager to step up."

Tristan scoffed. "As a member of this organization, you should know that we do not wait for men to step up. We step them up."

As he got up, Cami walked towards him. "Alright, then, so we get an ally as a Regent - it's not a bad plan. However, how easy can it be to find a witch willing to do your bidding?"

Tristan smirked. "I already have a candidate. He's young, malleable. His name is Van Nguyen. It seems someone killed his mother. As it is Christmas, and I am- despite reputation- a charitable man, I made an offer. He'll use his powers to do as I ask."

Cami took his pat on the arm and watched the man go with his guard. Knowing she had to do something to be a step ahead, she pulled out her phone and marked towards a familiar number.

~ 0 ~

"So, am I to assume you just randomly wanted to come with me to meet a girl you don't know?" Maleny was giving suspicious glances towards Marlenie as the two walked down a street.

Marlenie was walking beside her, polite smile across her face with her hands behind her back. "Mother, I haven't seen you in almost a thousand years. I just want to be where you are."

"Hmm," Maleny looked straight ahead, then. "You know, you're almost a good liar like Klaus."

"Mum, I just want to spend time with you," Marlenie said softly, casting her blue eyes towards her mother. "Plus, you have to admit, with that Aurora still running around I can't leave you alone."

Maleny playfully rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine. But this girl I want to see, she's like my little sister so be nice to her. She's going through a rough time."

"Got it," Marlenie mimed-zipped her mouth as they came to a stop at Rousseau's. She opened the door and let Maleny walk in first.

Maleny immediately scanned the area for Davina, disappointed to find the girl sitting lonesomely at a booth. "Marls, give me some time with her alone, okay?" Marlenie nodded and headed for the bar counter while Maleny went for the booths.

Davina was blankly staring ahead of her, an untouched plate of food in front of her. When Maleny came up to the table, she made a face. "What do you want?"

"I heard what happened," Maleny sighed, "and I wanted to see how you were doing."

Davina scoffed. "Or maybe you just wanted to see what spell I was thinking of doing to hijack it."

Maleny sighed again. "Davina, I apologized a million times for that. I'm truly sorry but there is nothing I can do. Now really, I just wanted to see how you were doing. May I have that privilege?"

Davina cast a glance towards the blonde, reluctantly motioning her to take a seat across. "I do have to tell you you're the first one to come and see me after I was shunned."

"I'm sorry," Maleny felt the need to say again. "I've been through some stuff, and…"

"Oh, I know," Davina cut her off. "You were kidnapped by some psycho vampire hell bent on making Klaus pay for whatever he did to her." At Maleny's surprised face, Davina added, "I have a civil connection with Cami due to the faction - or had anyways. Now that I'm no longer regent, I won't have that."

Maleny reached for Davian's hand, silently gracious Davina was allowing it. "No matter what happens, Cami and I will always be your friends. It doesn't matter how you view us, we love you."

Davina's eyes teared up for a second but she masked it with disinterest. "I don't know about you but I'd rather keep away from the Mikaelsons and anyone associated with them."

Maleny tilted her head. "That's kind of going to be hard if you bring back Kol. He can be whatever he wants but he always comes back for his siblings." Davina knew that she was right, but didn't agree out loud. "Davina, who are you spending Christmas with?"

"What?" Davina's eyes snapped back onto the blonde.

"Amarrah's having her own Christmas gathering with Cami, Alton and Yamilet. They would be more than happy to have you with them," Maleny smiled, patting Davina's hand affectionately. "Plus, Alton and Yamilet are leaving the Quarter tonight, so it's sort of a combined Christmas party and 'going away' party."

"Are you serious?" Davina looked more weary than irritated.

"It's Christmas, Davina, and I don't want you spending it alone. I hear Cami's going to be dragging Marcel too. Now that you don't have to answer to the witches, what does it matter who you spend Christmas with?"

Davina began to smile, the idea making sense to her. "Well…"

"I'd offer you my place but I know how you feel towards us now," Maleny sighed, pulling back her hand. "I want you to be happy and comfortable."

After a moment, Davina nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Maleny."

The blonde scooted out of her seat to go hug Davina in her spot. "Stay away from the drinks, though," she joked, making Davina chuckle. "Hell, what am I saying, like Marcel's gonna let you anywhere near bourbon."

The two laughed together, more than used to Marcel's overprotection with Davina.

~ 0 ~

On a gas station at the roadside, Elijah was finishing up putting in more gas in the car when Rebekah stepped out of the gas station's convenience store.

"Ugh," the blonde crinkled her nose as she wiped her mouth with a paper towel. "I think I prefer the bottom of the murky sea to that restroom."

Elijah was more than amused by his sister. "Still hungry, are we?"

Rebekah groaned, frustrated, while she relentlessly rubbed her wrist. "I'm not hungry, I'm angry. Staked by your ex, drowned by Nik's. Do me a favor and just stick with the ones you already have please." Seeing Elijah's confused face, Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Maleny and Cami, clearly." Now flustered, Elijah focused on the gas. Rebekah sighed. "Do those lunatics actually believe the prophecy? I mean, to kill me just to get me back in this body because of some stupid fortune?"

Elijah sighed then,. "You'd be foolish to ignore the manifestation of these omens."

Rebekah scoffed and leaned beside the car. "We can't be killed, Elijah!"

"This prophecy does state one of us will fall by family."

"Well, I would never harm you, you killed half the Navy rescuing me, Freya hates traitors…"

"Yes, Freya. Let's not forget her allegiance to Finn. I do want to trust her, but…"

Rebekah felt a jab at her wrist but ignored it for the moment. "So, that leaves Nik. Do you think he's learned his lesson about backstabbing his family?"

"Hmm," Elijah shook his head, "I think he learns that lesson all the time. He's just a terrible student." He took the nozzle from the gas tank and put it back in place. He then moved to the driver's seat but was stopped by Rebekah, whose eyes were in a dazy state for a second or two before darkening up with hunger - even her fangs bared out!

"Do you ever want to just rip out his heart and see how long it takes to grow back?" she growled. It only lasted a minute before yelping in pain and clutching her arm. She slowly raised the sleeve of her arm to reveal a skull-shaped weal on her wrist.

"What is it?" Elijah asked in concern as he held his sister's arm to study the mark.

"Marvelous," Rebekah rolled her eyes, more tired than anything else. "What do you get the girl who has everything this Christmas? A cure to a magical mark growing on her bloody arm."

~ 0 ~

After Maleny had left a somewhat happier Davina, Marlenie pulled her mother towards the busy streets of Jackson Square. She knew Maleny still wanted to go visit Lucien and she wanted to put off that stupid visit for as long as possible. Plus, she did want to spend time with her mother. So, it was a win, win for everyone.

"Look, Mum!" Marlenie held a little mistletoe hanging by a red ribbon. Maleny, who had been looking at other decorations from the next stall, looked up in confusion. "Maybe we can put it up at home for a certain Original to walk through it at the same time you do…"

At Marlenie's suggestive look, Maleny coughed and blushed. "That wasn't funny!" she scolded when Marlenie laughed.

"What? I was just saying," Marlenie put down the mistletoe.

"Mhm," Maleny rolled her eyes. "Your first Christmas is going to be spent in your room if you don't watch what you say."

"You would actually ground me?"

Maleny glanced at the vampire. "I am your mother, and therefore I have the authority to."

"But I'm nearly a thousand years old—"

"I'm your mother."

"Yeah, but I'm past the adult age—"

"I'm your mother."

"But I'm a vampire!"

"I'm your mother."

Huffing, Marlenie walked past Maleny. "Can't believe I'm being threatened to be grounded - on Christmas!"

Maleny chuckled and walked after her. "Be polite and you can have a wonderful Christmas."

"Well," Marlenie came to a stop and played with her fingers, "the only way I can have a wonderful Christmas is if my parents work things out." Maleny's amusement faded from her face as Marlenie went on. "I mean, when I came into the Quarter I was only looking for my Dad. I never thought Mum would be here too. And now that she is, I would really like to have my parents content and together."

Maleny sighed and rubbed her arm. "I'm sorry, Marls. It's just compl—"

"Don't say it's complicated!" Marlenie exclaimed, whirling to face her mother who was surprised by the sudden louder voice. "I don't understand what is so complicated, mother." She ran her hands through her hair. "You clearly made a mistake going to Lucien's because you still love Dad. He made a mistake going to Aurora, and guess what? He still loves you. Please, point me to the complicated part because I don't see it."

"I'm—"

Marlenie whined and came back in a rather childish way, taking Maleny's hand. "Why can't just one of you just speak up with the truth?"

"Marls—"

"It's Christmas!" Marlenie continued on. "I don't want you guys fighting like I know you did earlier."

Maleny cut her daughter off by placing her hands over Marlenie's cheeks. "No matter what happens, I promise you today there will be no fighting. You're right, it is our first Christmas together and I would like one family night in peace. Everyone will be on their best behavior."

"But what about you and—"

"Marlenie, sweetheart, everyone will be on their best behavior," Maleny smiled. "I am only making promises I can keep. Now c'mon, I still have to go see Lucien."

Marlenie groaned, rolling her eyes. "That guy? Honestly, I don't know why Dad didn't kill him on the spot after what he said about you."

Maleny shrugged and started walking again. "Lucien is always throwing comments like that. Now I really don't like what he said about me but I still need to make sure he's okay."

"You're too nice to that guy," Marlenie crossed her arms, glumly following beside Maleny.

"No, I'm really not," Maleny said earnestly. "What he said about me did hurt me, but what I did was worse."

Marlenie sighed deeply and almost stomped after her mother, unable to believe Maleny could feel guilty towards Lucien. Who gave a damn about that guy?

~ 0 ~

"Look, Marcel, I know it's another hassle but please? Can't you do anything to help me?" Cami was in the church gym having trouble convincing Marcel to help her out with a Strix problem.

"Cami, this is a dangerous game you are playing with the Strix," Marcel had his arms crossed, firmly looking at her.

"You have to understand that if we put Vincent as Regent, we can ensure that the Strix don't activate the Serratura," Cami insisted.

"Except we'd be placing our friend in danger," Marcel gave her a narrowed look, feeling more like a parent than a friend to the blonde.

Cami scoffed. "Oh, c'mon, we both know Vincent would love to kick some vampire ass. He won't be manipulated so easily."

"While I can agree on that," Marcel began, walking past Cami, "How would we even get Vincent to accept the offer? That's the whole reason he got Davina into the mess of Regent in the first place."

"I don't know," Cami admitted, flapping her arms. "But we have to come up with something. The Strix already have Van Nguyen in their hands - they transferred a heavy amount of money to his bank account." Worried, Marcel turned back to the woman, listening as she continued on. "His family business got shut down because of his mother's death so he didn't have money for his sisters. The Strix have him in their hands. It won't bode well for any of the factions if a kid with a debt to the Strix is placed as Regent of the witches. Marcel, he's going to become Regent tonight."

"Okay," Marcel sighed, he too would rather see Vincent as Regent than some kid. "So how do we do it, then? How do we get Vincent to agree?"

Cami was a little relieved and so felt more confident now that there were two people working. "Well, I think we should go with the most basic thing: guilt."

"Guilt?" Marcel quirked an eyebrow up, doubtful of the tactic.

"Look, Vincent put Davina as Regent because he didn't want to do it. Now she got shunned because of him and now he's going to let some kid take Regency."

"You want us to throw it back into his face, then?" Marcel could see that actually working, and impressed with her, he smirked and nudged her. "You're good at this."

"I'm not proud of it," Cami sighed, thinking back to all that she had done lately because of the Strix. "So, you think you can help me out? Vincent's my friend, but you and him…"

"Aren't exactly on good terms, got it," Marcel nodded, making a face that had Cami chuckle afterwards.

~ 0 ~

"I can't believe we wasted all this time for a guy that wasn't even home," Marlenie complained for what Maleny believed was the tenth time since they left Lucien's apartment.

"I'm frankly a little worried," Maleny admitted with a light sigh. "He hasn't answered any of my calls nor has he appeared anywhere in the Quarter since Thanksgiving. That's well over a month now."

"And here's to more months," Marlenie widely grinned at the idea of never seeing Lucien again.

Maleny rolled her eyes and turned down a new street. "Honestly, Marls, can you stop being so bitter? You're like the Scrooge."

"Oh," Marlenie came to an abrupt stop, letting Maleny walk on ahead. "That's rude! You don't know squat about Christmas but you know who 'Scrooge' is?"

"To be fair—" began a third voice behind Marlenie, "—that is an interesting character."

Marlenie gasped with delight and turned around. "Dad! You're here!"

Maleny stopped walking to turn as well, surprised to find Klaus with their daughter. He had a wide smile across his face as he looked between both women.

"What are you doing here?" Marlenie asked him.

"I realized you were right about it being your first Christmas - how it's the first Christmas for both of you," Klaus met Maleny's look for a minute, "and I—" But Marlenie's excitement cut into his words.

"And you wanted to spend time with us!" she beamed, nearly hopping of her joy. "That's what you meant to say, right? Right?"

Klaus chuckled but nodded, making her squeal. While she proceeded to babble on about what they could all do, Klaus' attention drifted towards the silent blonde who had yet to say a word.

"Mal, is that fine with you?" he forced himself to ask after a moment. He admitted it was a rather abrupt idea of his to come and find them. Partly, his idea sprung out from fear of Maleny visiting Lucien - and a little jealousy - but he felt the need to make the first step to make things return to normal.

Maleny cleared her throat as she slowly came towards the two. "I'm alright," she shrugged. "I promised Marls there would be no fighting today. Plus, I wouldn't mind having a nice first Christmas."

"Ooh! This is so exciting!" Marlenie exclaimed, clapping her hands.

~ 0 ~

Back in the compound, Freya had taken a closer look at Rebekah's mark on her wrist. Unfortunately, as the time passed by, the mark grew larger and painful.

"Give me the bad news, Doc," Rebekah sighed as Freya finished up.

"Aya's stake was cursed. It infected you," Freya regretted to inform. "As this mark grows, you will go mad. Left unchecked, you will become a relentless, unstoppable Ripper."

Rebekah rolled her eyes, ungracefully leaning against the couch cushion. "Aya was always thorough."

"The Strix always employ a safeguard," Elijah sighed. "In the event that we were successful at retrieving your body, you were cursed. You see, if one is on a rampage, one is not difficult to hunt." And of course that would be their downfall, he thought. He glanced at Freya. "Can you fix this?"

Freya grabbed the enchanted stake to study it a little more. When she noticed a set of carved runes running down, she nodded. "The spell is carved here. I can... I can reverse it." She made the mistake of rising up to her feet quickly. Her head felt fuzzy, and the way she spoke was not a good sign. "I just... need some time... and a hell of a lot of magic."

She then fainted, falling almost to the ground if Elijah hadn't caught her in time. Placing her back on the couch, the others exchanged looks of worry.

"She was fine. Hayley healed her," Jackson felt the need to say before accusations started flying about. They thought they had cured Freya of the attack the Strix had done against her.

Elijah then noticed a puncture wound on Freya's neck which was still bleeding. "This scratch is not healed," he realized with horror. "This is poison. This is an assassination attempt."

~ 0 ~

Marlenie was somewhat disappointed to find her parents still watching the ongoing Christmas musicians play across them. She'd gotten sidetracked by a couple of holiday trinkets and so when her parents began paying more attention to the music, she felt more comfortable looking at the trinkets. But now that she was done, and they were still intently watching, she was bored.

"Why are you still watching this?" she came to stand beside her mother. "It's just random music."

"Be more appreciative, Marls," Maleny smiled softly, her eyes locked on the musicians. "These people are out here, choosing to play wonderful music for people they don't even know. I love it."

Marlenie rolled her eyes and leaned forwards to see Klaus. "Dad? Please tell her something? I'm bored."

"You haven't told her about the piano?" Klaus asked Maleny instead, sounding rather amused much to Marlenie's dismay.

Maleny shrugged. "I haven't had a mood for the piano nowadays so she hasn't seen it."

"Seen what?" Marlenie asked curiously.

"Your mother has an exceptional ability with the piano," Klaus explained to her. "And one of her favorite pass times is to come out and listen to these 'random musicians' and you say."

"So...you come out to watch these people?" Marlenie asked Maleny, chucking a thumb in the direction of the musicians.

"Well, not alone," Maleny shrugged, glancing at Klaus with a sly smile, "I have to force him to come along. And then I have to deal with his nonstop commentary that's almost always annoying."

"Oh, is that the case?" Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Because I don't recall you having any problem with my 'pretty words' for you that I would whisper to you while we watched."

Maleny then awkwardly coughed and looked to the musicians. "You can be quiet now."

"Oh no," Marlenie beamed, seeing a playful (and hopefully helpful) banter start between the two, "Please go on, Dad. I'd love to hear more about these 'pretty words'."

"No, you wouldn't," Maleny shot her a warning look before quickly changing her look towards Klaus, even more threatening, "She doesn't need to hear them - you know some of those were not for others to hear."

Marlenie snickered while the two went at it again. Klaus dramatically sighed as he went on, ignoring Maleny's looks. "So I can't tell Marlenie how I often say you would make a lovely pianist? Because your tunes are the only ones that would actually make people give a damn about the classics?"

"Is she really that good?" Marlenie asked curiously, seeing her mother was becoming flustered.

"Marvelous," Klaus assured, now only looking at Maleny.

Marlenie saw she was no longer being paid attention, and figuring they could probably use a moment she made her exit. "I'll be back, I want to go get some of those snacks…"

"Do you know Mal," Klaus went on, neither of them really noticing Marlenie leaving, "I think you could acquire a renown piano teacher…"

"Oh, I think Elijah has done a good job with my lessons," Maleny chuckled. "Despite all the headaches I probably gave him, he did manage to make progress with me."

"Perhaps an abroad teacher could continue that progress? I know of excellent Italian ones…"

Maleny met his look with a surprised one of her own. "Venice…" she whispered, reminded of the last time they'd spoken about 'Italy' and all that traveling stuff. It seemed like such a long time ago for her.

"Ah yes, we could always make that stop," Klaus smirked at her.

"You still...you still want to g-go?"

"You don't want to go anywhere?"

"U-um," Maleny nervously scratched her cheek, glancing at the musicians, "I just figured you would have thrown those plans out the window - considering everything that's happened. We haven't 'decided' yet what...we are..."

Klaus reached out and took Maleny's hand from her cheek, making her look back to him. "If it means spending lovely afternoons like this with you - like we used to - then I would leave today."

Maleny displayed a warm smile across her lips, gripping his hand that was in hers. "I would like that too. Oh, we can go to the water-filled streets—"

"Its streets aren't covered with water, Mal," Klaus chuckled, "Just where...well, where the roads are meant to be."

"Ooh," Maleny blinked, looking to the side while she processed that new detail. "That would make a lot more sense."

"And we could take our twins with us - because they're twins now," Klaus once again had to redirect her gaze back onto him, though he felt less anxious around her now that the, quote on quote, 'ice had been broken'. It almost felt like old times.

"Marlenie," Maleny whispered, the idea of them actually having twins was still such a novelty. They had never expected to have a child between them, let alone two.

"Yes," Klaus nodded, moving his hands to her arms, discreetly moving closer to her. "We can visit any place you want…"

"Marlenie did mention there were fantastic shopping stores—"

Klaus dramatically groaned and shook his head. "Except there - anywhere but there."

Maleny giggled, deciding to tease him further. "Oh, but we are going to go there. I want to go to those cute little shops I see on the magazines. Oh! And the shoe stores - I definitely need to go to the shoe stores."

"Absolutely not," Klaus declared, shaking his head with genuine horror. "Do you know I once took Rebekah to get modern clothes - after I daggered her for a near century - and all I heard was 'where's the rest of the dress' or 'why isn't this in red' or-"

"Good, then you already have practice!" Maleny leaned forwards, beaming. "And since Marlenie does lead a very successful designer company you can rest assure we'll be spending a lot of time at the stores."

Klaus suddenly placed his hands on her cheeks, taking a minute to just look at her. "I suppose if it keeps you happy - like this—" he rubbed circles over her cheeks, making her smile even bigger, "—then make your list and we shall go."

"Don't I feel special," Maleny chuckled to herself, actually sporting a blush she wasn't fully aware of.

"Because you are, and I failed to show you for a while…"

"It wasn't just you - I did my fair share of bad stuff."

There came that awful, awkward silence that neither wanted. With his hands already placed on either side of her face, Klaus meant to lean down and kiss Maleny. And it would've happened, seeing as Maleny was already under his charms with her eyes closed, but then came the lovely interruption...

"Uncle Elijah just called," Marlenie was meekly smiling. Her parents turned in her direction, sending her very annoyed looks. "There's a problem with my aunts. It seems like aunt Rebekah has been cursed and the only way to help her is by reversing it with some stake. However, aunt Freya's been poisoned by the Strix. The ingredients for her poison antidote are a bit complicated so we should get a move on to help—"

"You don't need to find the ingredients," Maleny declared, earning herself confused looks from Marlenie and Klaus. "Look, it was 2 weeks at Lucien's and when I got bored...I snooped. He has a bunch of strange things and one of them was a strange chess I couldn't open on my own. Odds are, he keeps his defenses well guarded."

"Like antidotes," Klaus realized, thinking back to Lucien's magical cure for the werewolf bite he received from Jackson.

Maleny nodded. "If the Strix poisoned Freya then we can probably find the antidote there."

"That's great!" Marlenie cheered and rushed to the two. "I can't believe I'm saying this but let's go back to Lucien's!"

"I hope you never say that again," Klaus grumbled under his breath, leading the two women away. Marlenie giggled and cast a wink towards her mother, who sheepishly looked elsewhere.

~ 0 ~

Much time had passed and Freya discovered her power alone may fail to reverse the curse set on Rebekah. She had called upon the spirit of Finn - which was still locked away in her blue talisman necklace - to get help but he outright refused to do so. So, Freya ventured on her own to do the required spell. However, in the midst of her cast, she felt the power begin to overwhelm her - telling her to stop or she would die - but it wasn't going to make her quit...even as the blood began pouring from her eyes.

Finn's spirit stood across from her, wearing a mixture of anger and concern across his face. "You are dying for her!" he said to Freya. "Let Rebekah go. Let them all go!"

"Nu-uh," Freya vigorously shook her eyes, squeezing her eyes shut to focus better.

"It will just be the two of us again!"

"I will save her," Freya angrily insisted. "If I am at all important to you, brother, help me!"

A second later, Elijah came into the room with a glass of water Freya requested. Seeing her terrible state, he sped up beside her. He put the glass down and tried to stop her as well.

"Freya, stop! Please!"

Freya turned away from him, keeping her eyes shut. "No!" she argued with him as well. "Don't touch me! Do not stop me!"

"At least wait until Maleny returns," Elijah persisted, trying to get her to snap out of her spell trance. "Together you two can do it - we cannot lost anyone else in the process." But seeing Freya wouldn't listen to him, he grew more frustrated. He shook off his jacket and tried more forcibly to get her to stop.

Unbeknownst to him, Finn was watching rather surprised of the act. He believed firmly that none of his siblings truly cared for Freya...but perhaps he was wrong.

Freya was having none of the pleads getting in her way. Nearing a rage, she shouted a warn to both brothers, "Help me, or get out!"

A couple minutes later, she started breathing heavily, like there wasn't enough air to fill her lungs. Worried she might actually die from asphyxiation, Elijah bit into his wrist and practically forced Freya to take his blood. "This will strengthen you."

With a light sigh, Finn walked over to stand on Freya's other side. He leaned closer to her, speaking softer, " As will my power. Just this once, sister. For you." Just like Freya had pleaded with him earlier, he gave her his strength to help her finish the spell.

And perhaps it was fate putting everything together, because not too far from them there was a brewing fight between Hayley and Rebekah - the latter beginning to lose her sanity. Eventually, the strength boost given to Freya began fading as the spell required more of her power. Combined with the poison deteriorating her health, the spell had to be done between pauses as she threw up considerable amount of blood on the side.

"Ugh! I can't do it," she finally stopped for a minute to rest. "I can't focus."

Jackson came into the room and saw how awful the woman was, instantly becoming worried. He hurried to check her temperature and was appalled to feel her skin like it were fire. "She's burning up!" he looked up at Elijah. "I guess a hospital's out of the question?"

"A hospital won't help her," Elijah shook his head, internally wishing the little trio he called earlier would hurry the hell up.

His thoughts were interrupted by the loud crash outside. Exchanging a seconds-look with Jackson, both of them made to go see for themselves...when Freya chucked up another worrisome amount of blood.

"You stay with her, please," Elijah said to Jackson, assuming Rebekah was in need of help only he could give. Jackson sent him off with assurances to look after Freya.

Outside in the courtyard were both Hayley and Rebekah, barely waking from their violent tumble from the second floor. Rebekah woke up with a ferocious growl, her eyes pitch black as she jumped to her feet. She turned for Hayley, intending on a second round with her. Hayley already had her hybrid face out, preparing to at least take down the woman long enough for the spell to be done.

However, Rebekah was a bit quicker and kicked her in the stomach before backhanding her across the face. Hayley landed with a thud on the floor, and struggled to get back up as Rebekah came towards her. When Rebekah lunged for Hayley, at vampire speed, Elijah cut in and roughly grabbed her by the arms.

"Listen to me. Listen to me!" he tried capturing Rebekah's attention, but she was growling at Hayley like she were a wild animal. "Rebekah, look at me! Rebekah!" Slowly, Rebekah was able to do so. "Control yourself."

Rebekah sighed and closed her eyes, doing as he wanted. A couple seconds later, she re-opened them to reveal her blue eyes. "Dear brother... I have control."

Elijah released her then, sighing with relief. "Good."

But not a second later did Rebekah smirk and her eyes returned to their dark orbs. She swung a hand to Elijah's chin, the force of the hit sending Elijah to the floor with a near-snapped neck.

"Ha!" Rebekah cried with actual joy.

Hayley didn't waste a second in trying to take her down again, before she actually hurt someone. Rebekah growled and sped Hayley up against a pillar, shooting her hand through Hayley's chest for her heart. Hayley frantically squirmed as she felt her heart tightened by Rebekah's hand. Another minute and perhaps Rebekah would've actually ripped it out, but thankfully the required trio had returned.

"Rebekah!" Klaus called out to her, appalled of the sight. He sped to her, grabbing her wrist to force her to let go of Hayley's heart. "Not her!"

Hayley loudly gasped when she finally felt the hand leave her heart. She slid to the ground as Klaus pulled Rebekah away.

"Oh my God!" Maleny rushed to Hayley's side, ignoring Marlenie's exclaim for her.

"No, Mum!"

Rebekah caught site of the human blonde and tried lunging for her next. Klaus yanked her back, even more annoyed. "Not her either!"

Without a further word, he slammed Rebekah onto a table across them. Marlenie, who held the black briefcase they'd taken from Lucien's (still lonesome) apartment, called out to Klaus. "I'm giving this to aunt Freya!"

"Go," it was Maleny who responded back, frantically motioning to her daughter to hurry up. "C'mon, Hayley," she then helped the healing brunette up.

Right after Hayley mumbled a 'thanks', Rebekah called out, eyes flickering from Klaus and Maleny, "Aah! Dear, sweet Mal, stuck forever behind glass like the breakable object she is." She managed to push forwards and get to her feet, but Klaus still tightly restrained her by the arms. "Tick-tock will go the clock, and before you know it you'll have withered away from age…"

"Rebekah…" Maleny feebly said, visibly hurt.

"She's not precious, Nik," Rebekah went on like the blonde hadn't spoken. "Every woman that you and Elijah bring into our lives turns to poison. She'll grow toxic, too."

Klaus looked back to Maleny, horrified, while Maleny became overwhelmed. She shook her head and dashed away.

"Mal!" Hayley went after her, slightly better enough to run.

Elijah, who had recovered from the nasty attack, got to his feet and hurried to help Klaus keep Rebekah back. But the blonde was persistent and tried fighting them both. Minutes felt like hours as the two brothers worked to keep her in one place. In the end, they threw her back on the table, each pinning her by one arm.

"No!" Rebekah growled at them both, pushing forwards. "No! Aah!"

"Hold her!" they heard Freya's frail voice from the stairs. She was coming down holding the needed blade in her hand.

As Klaus and Elijah pinned Rebekah to the table, Freya came forwards and used the blade to slice the part of Rebekah's skin that bore the deadly skull weal, all in the meanwhile she chanted the spell. Rebekah screamed in utter pain until the spell finished, and then she fell limp. Hesitantly, Klaus and Elijah let her go, stepping back to where Freya was as Rebekah closed her eyes for a second.

When Rebekah opened her eyes, they appeared to be her normal blue hue. She sat up with a groan, speaking in a sarcastic tone. "Well," she rolled her eyes, "that was annoying."

~ 0 ~

Much time later, Marlenie knocked on the open door of Maleny's bedroom. Maleny stood in front of the window, which was opened and letting in a breeze.

Marlenie came in holding the dress that had been chosen in the morning. As she put it down on the bed, she glanced at her mother, seeing the conflict in Maleny's eyes. "I know this is a stupid question but what's wrong?"

Maleny couldn't force herself to look away from the window. "I...well," she sighed, "forgetting all of today, the problem now is...well...I don't know." Marlenie straightened up, crossing her arms while she looked at her mother. "There's just something…" Maleny put a hand on her stomach, "...like a feeling, yeah - it's a weird feeling that I have in the pit of my stomach. It's not bad, I...I actually feel like I want to cry…"

"But that's not bad?" Marlenie arched an eyebrow, struggling the urge not to make another sarcastic remark. She may be nearing a thousand years of age but her mother could and still would smack her if she tried getting smart.

Maleny shook her head, her eyes quickly returning to the sky which bore only a couple of stars due to the overflow of Christmas lights in the Quarter. "They're...happy tears," she tried explaining, "Like...like it's...a relief. I…" she sighed, unable to find her right words to correctly explain the odd feeling she felt.

Marlenie walked up to her mother, hugging her tight from behind. "Oh, Mum, let's get ready for Christmas instead? Aunt Freya says you make mean minty fresh brownies."

Maleny lightly chuckled. "If you only knew who taught me how."

Marlenie let go to give her a curious look. "Who?"

Maleny turned around, a smirk spreading across her face because she knew the reaction she would get from Marlenie. "An alien Queen who traveled through space and time."

Marlenie's eyebrows shot up. "What!?"

The white dress on her bed caught Maleny's attention, and so she left her confused daughter to go examine it. "What's this?"

"Alien Queen?" Marlenie whispered to herself as she went for the bed. "It's the dress you're wearing for tonight." She picked up the dress and smirked. "Someone special chose it for you."

Uncomfortable, Maleny hugged herself and looked to the side. "Dare I ask how this happened?"

"Oh, before he asked me to come with you because he was overly scared you would leave again," Marlenie knew her answer would startle her mother, and so when it happened she chuckled.

"He said that?" came the low whisper from Maleny, now eyeing the laced dress.

"Mother, it is completely obvious," Marlenie rolled her eyes and put the dress on the bed. She took her mother's hand and led her towards the dresser. "And I think it's high time this silly, childish game came to an end."

"What are you—"

"Hush," Marlenie covered her mouth, ignoring the looks she received as she thought of the look she would create for her mother. She would be damned if her Christmas wasn't like the proper family one she always dreamed of.

~ 0 ~

Down in the courtyard the large Christmas tree that had been set up was now being covered in different wrapped-up gifts. Freya and Elijah were sifting through some of them, while also dropping off their own. They had dressed up for the night, Elijah dawning a sharp dark suit, while Freya wore a tight, dark blue dress.

"Where in the hell did Marlenie get the time to put all of these?" Freya couldn't help laugh at the influx of gifts from her older niece.

"Sneaky just like someone I remember," Elijah mused, sharing a knowing look with Freya before the two chuckled.

"I suspect they are talking about you, Nik," Rebekah also laughed as she and Klaus came with two drinks in their hands for them and the others. Her berry dress matched the shade of Elijah's shirt under his jacket.

"Well, just like me, Marls doesn't take it lightly," Klaus warned as he handed Freya a drink. "And she's also quite the match in a fight."

"That I am," Marlenie strolled in with her own drink in hand, fashioning a bright pink dress with no sleeves and an opened black jacket. "And I can ruin that nice jacket," she winked at Klaus, nodding to his silver jacket, "so I best get my present."

"Don't be smart with me," Klaus warned her, and paused suddenly to look around, "...where's your mother?"

Marlenie beamed. "Oh, she's coming, trust me! She was just on the phone with aunt Cami."

"And bidding goodbye to 'aunt Cami'," Maleny came in with her phone still in hand. "She wishes you all a merry Christmas," she looked to the siblings, "Actually, there's a long list of people but you get the gist."

"Thank you," Elijah said first, resigning himself to receiving only that from the distant blonde vampire.

They heard a noise upstairs and looked up to see Jackson leading Hayley, who held Hope in her arms, down the stairs. The others gathered closer to welcome them in. In the process, Klaus 'discreetly' pulled Maleny closer to him, looking her over in the dress he had chosen for her. Maleny caught him and smiled, her face warming.

Her face was brightened up with the stark red lipstick over her lips, her pretty blonde hair curled and let loose with only two twists to keep it from getting in her eyes. The laced, straight-across dress was a pure white, its lace reaching down to her wrists in long sleeves. Matching lace went around the hemline of the dress which settled right above her knees.

It was exactly how Klaus pictured her after seeing the dress in the morning.

"You said you wanted a happy family Christmas. Well," Jackson helped Hayley take the last step of the stairs, "the family's all here."

Hayley was ecstatic to see everyone there, and more so knowing her husband actually wanted to be in there same room as them. She immediately rushed to them, more than ready for one peaceful night.

"I will take her," Marlenie declared as she took her younger sister into her arms. "You won't believe what your big sister got you for Christmas," she kissed Hope on the head.

"Thank you for helping Freya," Klaus walked up to Jackson holding a new glass of wine for him. The level of shock on Jackson's face by the genuine kindness Klaus portrayed was clearly evident, and so Klaus felt the need to add on a special joke afterwards, "Unfortunately, we're all out of mason-jar moonshine."

"Well, Nik, you are positively merry tonight," Rebekah rolled her eyes.

"Ooh, but not for long," Maleny laughed as she smelt the beginnings of wood burning.

Klaus gave her a look of confusion until he too began smelling the burning wood. It was fairly comical of the rapidness in which his expressions turned into terror. "Oh, no!"

"It's not exactly a bonfire, but I improvised," Rebekah laughed herself. "Come on. It's tradition!"

"What is?" Marlenie asked then, beyond confused on what apparently was so funny.

Klaus sighed, still explaining to her, "We write our wishes and then burn them for luck. Strangely, I don't recall wishing for an influx of enemies, and yet year after year…"

Elijah smirked as he took a sip of his wine. "How odd. Forever on Santa's naughty-list."

Marlenie then huffed mockingly, remarking, "Well, I find myself to be a delightful gift, don't you think?" Klaus smiled, unable to say much when Marlenie added, "And Mum's here too - oh, and we can't forget Nick is coming home soon. We're good gifts...aren't we?" she asked in an unexpected soft voice.

"Marls," Maleny gave her daughter a good stern look, but in the end Klaus had the last word.

"Excellent gifts," he smiled wider at the two.

~ 0 ~

A middle aged taxi driver was stuffing in a suitcase into the back of his cab while the customer patiently waited on the side. "Where are you headed, young man man?" he asked after shutting the trunk. "And I must warn it'll cost you double the rate for Christmas."

The customer nodded. "Can you get me to the French Quarter please? As fast as possible?"

"Of course," the cab driver nodded and went for his seat while the customer got in the back. "Address?"

"You just drive," the customer said, getting comfortable in his spot. "I'll tell you where to turn."

~ 0 ~

Even as the night progressed and peace did continue, there always had to be one upsetting detail. In the Mikaelsons case, it was the departure of Rebekah. As far as anyone knew, she was still at the bottom of the sea and it was best it stayed that way for strategic points.

As Rebekah returned to the courtyard with a suitcase in hand, and black coat around her, the others were in the process of opening up the gifts. While Marlenie helped Hope onto her new tricycle, gifted by Elijah, Maleny busily unwrapped a cream-colored present.

"Oh my God it's a reversible sweater!" Maleny gaped as she raised the red leather jacket which clearly had a white side underneath. When she heard the others snicker, she blushed and lowered the jacket. "I said that too loud, huh?"

"I'm glad you liked your gift, Mum," Marlenie said, struggling not to laugh as she added, "Though I don't know who's more excited for their presents: You or Hope?"

Maleny sent her a playful glare. "Keep it up, smart-alec, and you'll find yourself grounded on Christmas."

"Don't be so hard on her," Klaus came by her side, holding another glass of wine for Maleny.

"Thank you," Marlenie faked a dramatic sigh.

"I was talking about Maleny," Klaus clarified, causing Maleny to snicker as Marlenie huffed and looked away.

"I need you to grow up so we can outnumber them," she said to Hope, who merely responded with a grin.

Klaus bent down beside Maleny, handing her the drink. Shyly, Maleny took the glass. The exchange between them made the others feel like they were intruding on an intimate moment. Still mighty excited over it, Maleny showed off her new reversible jacket to Klaus, who laughed at her in amusement. It was apparently still a big deal to her.

When Rebekah came to bid goodbye, the group rose to their feet and each said their farewells. Second to last were the older mother and daughter.

"I'm sorry for all that I said," Rebekah pleaded as she hugged Maleny goodbye.

Maleny pushed down the ache of those words away and smiled at the honest blonde. "It's alright. I'm glad you're better."

Rebekah looked grateful for the forgiveness, and soon her eyes flickered to Marlenie, immediately perking. "You take care of your mother, then."

"Doesn't everyone," Maleny mumbled under her breath, clearly upset by the overused instruction.

"Of course I will," Marlenie said without letting her mother's words go. "But I think Dad's going to have that covered."

"Marlenie!" Maleny scolded, but Marlenie just shrugged and hugged her aunt. As she walked away, Maleny went after, continuing the scold.

Rebekah laughed lightly at the two, already knowing she would miss hearing those interesting arguments. When she met with Klaus last, she had only one warning for him. "You realize those two will be forcing you to pick a side against the other in arguments?"

The expression Klaus gave off said it was something he had already thought about. Rebekah had to laugh again, but she sobered when Klaus gave her his warning. "Run far and fast, stay on the move," she nodded, "And- should you happen to meet some handsome fool- know your weaknesses."

Rebekah playfully rolled her eyes. "Oh, ha, ha, ha. If we're on that page, then I'll advice you to run towards love." She cast eyes towards Maleny and Marlenie, the latter being still lectured. "The Girl in the Forest, it's a nice name…but I think she's earned her 'always and forever' don't you think?"

The idea put Klaus in a nervous state, something Rebekah wasn't quite used to seeing so openly. "I don't want to do this, Rebekah, especially not tonight."

"Yes, tonight," Rebekah softly insisted. "My words, as harsh as they were, had truth—,"

"No, Rebekah," Klaus shook his head, "Not—"

Rebekah put a hand on his arm. "Time will pass and before you know it, our Mal will age." She sighed upon seeing the refusal in her brother. "What is it, Nik? I don't...none of us understand. Why won't you relent and turn her? Between us," she whispered, "what's the real reason?"

Klaus hesitated to confide, but seeing everyone else distracted, he gave in. Astonishingly feeble, he explained. "I have met, killed, and hurt so many people. I am the ruthless monster people fear. I am the monster that plucks hearts out, slices people's necks without a second thought. To turn Maleny, she needs to die. And I know that she wants me to do it. I would have to—" he swallowed roughly, "—kill her. I have to take her life, and I...not her, Rebekah, not her."

Rebekah tilted her head, a half-smile working its way across her face. She put a hand on his arm, affectionately squeezing it. "This is something completely different. Think about it like this: one split moment of death for an eternity with your love? A hell of a bargain if you ask me."

Still mildly unsure, Klaus stayed silent. He glanced to where Maleny was, the blonde now intently watching Marlenie show her the reversible jacket. She was far too focused on it, and heavily awed by it, to notice any stares. To have that — a woman who managed to be wonder-struck by a material of clothing despite the terrible, dangerous situations she often found herself in — was comforting and...warm? Was that the right word? Well, it certainly felt like it. In all his centuries of life, he found no one could give him those same feelings. Could he bear to lose Maleny again? Forever?

~ 0 ~

Not too long after Rebekah left, Elijah took a lonesome drink inside the upstairs study. He heard the steps of his sister nearing and looked up with smile as she entered the room.

Freya held her phone in one hand while the other a wine glass. "Do you know, one hundred years ago, I snuck into a Christmas ball here." Elijah lightly chuckled. "I wanted so much to be a part of it, but I thought I was forever fated to be an outsider, always looking in. I know this hasn't been your most elegant family Christmas, but, well, it's already been the best one I've ever had."

"I suppose some things are worth the wait," Elijah clinked his glass with hers, both exchanging smiles.

As they drank, Freya stared intently at him, barely containing her excitement as she spoke again. "You would know. But you know what, brother, I think you should be done waiting." Elijah gave her a look, but let her continue as she waved her cellphone. "And I think Cami thinks the same, considering she's going to be waiting for another ten minutes out at Jackson Square."

Elijah's brow knitted together in fear, and mild confusion. "Freya, what did you do?"

Freya smirked and took a casual sip from her drink. "If Marlenie can play matchmaker why can't I? I phoned Cami, giving her some excuse of business to get her to come. She's waiting out there...so go."

"Freya," Elijah seemed almost mortified by what his sister had done. "This...this is completely-"

"A waste of my minutes if you don't hurry up," Freya cut in, finishing her glass of wine.

"But she's upset with me-"

"She was," Freya clarified. "But right now she's merely acting tough for show. Give her your charms and—" Freya winked, "—have a wonderful Christmas night."

For a minute, it looked as if Elijah wouldn't take the opportunity. But soon, he began smiling, and handing Freya his drink and kissing her cheek, he sped off. Freya laughed and finished his drink, turning to join Marlenie and Hope - who were given permission to continue with Christmas gifts in the lounge rooms downstairs. She was to be the supervision of her two nieces, and she couldn't think of a better way to end the night.

~ 0 ~

"Look, I know this is probably the thousandth voicemail I leave you, and if you want me to stop just give me a sign you're okay…" Maleny paused, simultaneously stopping and leaning against the second-floor banister, "...you can text me a simple word, one word to show me you're fine, and I promise I will stop these calls. I know I'm redundant and that I've said this so many times now, but...I'm sorry. I am so sorry for everything. I shouldn't have led you on to believe what couldn't work again. I should have just told you who I am, and...clarified where I was. I needed a friend, but instead I deceived you. I'm sorry. I understand you don't want to talk to me, nor see me, but please, just give me this last thing and you won't ever have to hear my voice nor see my face again. Please, tell me you're alright. And, merry Christmas, Lucien."

Maleny pulled the phone from her ear, looking at it a minute before hanging up. The chances of getting a call back, or a text message, were almost non-existential, but Maleny kept hope.

"Mal," the call had her gasping loud and whirling around to find Klaus coming her way.

She sighed, assuming he had heard everything she left in the voicemail. "I don't want to argue," she said. "If you heard, then you know it was all genuine platonic concern."

Klaus nodded. "I still don't like it," he admitted, not that it was much of a surprise.

Maleny rolled her eyes, thanking her stars it wasn't going to be turning into an argument. "I wouldn't expect you to. This is just...something for me. I need to set things right, and doing so means I need to apologize."

"I'm not surprised," Klaus tried his best not to chuckle at her. Things were delicate as it seemed and he had to be extra careful with what he had planned next for her. "It's very like you."

"Hmm," Maleny hummed and turned to the balcony, clearly upset despite their ongoing civilized conversation.

"What's wrong tonight?"

"Just…" Maleny bit her lip, glancing his way, "...I just can't stop thinking about Rebekah's words. I mean, you once said the same thing. I'm fragile, I'm...soft," she rolled her eyes, "And that's fine - for a while. I love that you care for me, that you want to protect me but...at the end of the day, I don't like knowing that you see me as this little breakable object—" she mimicked with her hands, "—that...that has to be put behind some glass. You didn't see me like that back in the village, did you?"

"No," Klaus answered quietly, coming closer to her. "But the times are different, and there are so many people who would be happy kill you just to spite me. It wasn't long ago when you were kidnapped because of me."

"I remember," Maleny made a face at the reminder of crazy Aurora. "And, I guess, on some level, I probably am this breakable thing. But I don't want to be treated as so, because believing it is what makes me so. It's what allows others, like Aurora, to take advantage. Don't view me like that please," she whispered. "Don't put me behind glass like a doll."

The frailty in her voice shook Klaus deep inside. Her glossy eyes staring up at him, pleading him to do as she requested. He rested a hand on her cheek, smiling as she leaned into his touch. "I could never put you behind glass 'like a doll'," he began, finding it amusing when she scrunched her nose in confusion, "because if I did that, I wouldn't get to do this," he leaned down and kissed her.

Maleny kissed back rather quickly, draping an arm over his shoulder. She had missed his lips and was eager to remember what it felt like to be kissed by him. Unfortunately, she had to pull away after a while because her human lungs needed air.

"I suppose that would be kind of awkward to do if I were behind a glass," she giggled.

"Your sarcasm is something I truly missed, you know," Klaus kept surprisingly serious, Maleny noticed he seemed a bit different and she couldn't help feel nervous of it.

"Then why does it look like there's something else you're worried about?" she asked him. "For tonight, we are allowed to forget everything outside this building. Example," she pointed at herself, "I forget that my son is still out there somewhere, celebrating Christmas with God knows who. I also forget that I am competing against a deranged, thousand year vampire for your love. Oh, and let's not forget the prophecy that foretells the downfall of our family."

"One of those three are completely irrelevant," Klaus informed, though Maleny laughed. "Mal…" he said more sternly.

"C'mon, Klaus," she gave him a sharp look, "You know it's true. When you loved Aurora, you were you - in all your complete senses. What I had with Lucien was under a false identity. I didn't even remember him up until a month ago. And you? You're seriously going to say you never thought about that redhead in all this time? At least once?"

"My mind was occupied with a different woman—" Klaus said, or at least tried to anyway but Maleny cut him off.

"It's okay," she firmly assured. "I was the past — I was where I belonged."

But Klaus shook his head, looking more so determined then. "Come with me," he suddenly grabbed her hand and led her down for a room.

~ 0 ~

As Freya had told Elijah, Cami was beginning to get impatient waiting at Jackson Square. It was night and any people passing by were giving her odd looks for her solitude. She wrapped her arms around herself, cold in her dark, violet dress. Thinking it would only take a couple minutes with this sudden business call, she had only grabbed her purse and left for the place. But after an hour or so, she was growing irritated for being so 'stupid'.

"Camille?" the voice made her freeze for a minute. She shut her eyes, then, squeezing them hard like doing so would make it not real. Elijah came a couple steps closer, but still kept a respectful distance from her. "Camille, please…"

Opening her eyes, Cami turned around, surprised yet somehow believing she had known something wasn't right in Freya's request. "Getting your sister to trick me…?" she began, but Elijah was quick to clarify.

"Freya did this without my knowledge. You must understand I could not let this opportunity pass me by."

"What opportunity?" snapped Cami, "To see me like an idiot who waited for the Mikaelson witch?" she made to walk past him but he grabbed her arm, forcing her to stay there, and close to him.

"Don't leave me," Elijah whispered, looking down to her softly. She looked beautiful in her dress, her curled hair complimenting her angel-face as he thought it was.

"Elijah, I don't want to do this," Cami sighed, shaking off his hand from her arm. "It doesn't work between us - it can never work."

"If you believed that you wouldn't have helped us retrieve Rebekah," Elijah said sharply.

"I did that because I wanted to help you guys. Not to mention there's the little detail of my life hanging onto yours," Cami pointed. "You die, I die. Call me selfish, if you'd like."

"I will call you a liar," Elijah came up with instead, surprising her with his bluntness. "I'm not asking anything from you except this one night. Allow me to take you to dinner, anywhere you'd like—"

"Elijah—"

"We can just stand here if you say so," Elijah persisted, growing more determined by the second, "and I will be content. Please?"

Cami sighed and looked to the side. "If the Strix see us together…"

"Then maybe standing out here isn't the right thing to do," Elijah half-smiled. "But I do know of this lovely restaurant you might like."

Cami playfully rolled her eyes. "We don't even need the meal, you know that."

"I frankly don't care," Elijah chuckled. "It's the mere thought that counts, don't you think? Please, shall we?" he gestured.

Biting her lip, Cami racked her mind for any possible way this could go wrong and she would wind up hurt. And even as she came up with about ten, her hand automatically reached for his. Elijah smiled for a moment before the temperature of her skin got to him. He shook off his black coat and gently placed it around Cami's shoulders. The blonde flushed and smiled, allowing him to take her hand soon after.

~ 0 ~

"I don't understand what we're doing here," Maleny said as Klaus pushed a dresser away from a wall. They were in his art studio but apparently there was something she hadn't yet seen in the room.

"I often regretted not showing you this earlier," Klaus said as he put a palm on the brick wall, bitterly laughing to himself. "I suppose it would have avoided us many arguments if you realized how much you meant to me."

"Showed me what?" Maleny stepped forwards, crossing her arms.

"Life is like a city- built in layers. No matter what new experiences come along, the foundation remains," and then with such severe force, Klaus punched a fist into the wall.

Maleny jumped in her spot, alarmed with the action. "We're okay!" she quickly shouted, looking out to the open door where she was sure the others would have heard. "Klaus, what the hell was that?" she hissed and returned her attention back to the wall.

But as the last pieces of the wall fell to the floor, she caught sight of a never before seen portrait of herself. It was old, that much she could see straight off.

"When was this…?" she stepped towards it, her eyes scanning every last feature of it.

She was, once again, the simple village girl in a portrait that was far too kind with its beautiful colors and scenery. She suddenly laughed, her hand going up to her hair. "My flower crown…"

Klaus backtracked till he stood beside her, also viewing the portrait like it was his first time. "Two hundred years ago, it was my art studio. It became a tomb for my memory of you."

Maleny blinked, glancing sideways at him. "But I was dead to you. I mean, I was Maya at the time but I—" she gestured to herself, "—was dead to you."

Klaus nodded his agreement with her. "I thought if I painted what haunted me, I could free myself of you forever. But centuries have proved I have never been more wrong about anything."

Maleny moved to stand in front of him, her back to the portrait. "But I was dead. You couldn't have...you shouldn't have…" she shook her head. "You should have let me go."

Klaus reached to touch her face, making her stay still. "You think there's a competition between you and Aurora, but you won the moment you returned to my life. I suspect the only reason I was ever able to love her was because, as you said, you were dead in my mind. But now you're here. You're standing before me - your beautiful self with your pretty blonde hair."

Maleny smiled, flushed. "And would you really be content with someone like me? A girl who made flower crowns," she pointed back without taking her eyes off him, "Or, a woman who barely understands the concept of 'Halloween'? Because you were right, we are opposites sometimes. And I think it's only fair we finally discuss all this. I don't want to go back to ignoring everything we are. I am naive, and you are clever, I am clueless of this new world, and you almost run it."

"You're progressing, Maleny," Klaus assured, "And you will continue to learn like you have. You are a fighter, but with different weapons."

"I'm a weak fighter," Maleny quietly said. "Fragile one…"

Klaus traced his fingers over her cheeks, becoming nearly entranced with her scent. "There is beauty in the courage of the fragile fighter — those who persevere despite all they've been through. That is what I admire most of you."

"Hmm, really?" Maleny arched an eyebrow.

"Absolutely," Klaus nodded. "And I know that within the next week, the next months...within the next years..." he paused suddenly, pulling his hands from her. That nervous glint Maleny identified earlier had returned to his eyes, to his entire body. She watched him reach inside his jacket, pulling out a small silver box. He placed it over her palm, encouraging her to open it with a silent look.

Maleny looked at the box, gently raising its top to see what laid inside. The sight made her freeze.

"And hopefully, if it's not too late," Klaus continued, his voice now shaking, "...within the next centuries, you and I could learn of new things to admire about each other."

Maleny lifted the vial of blood from the box, her face pale with shock. Her fingers curled around the vial, gripping it tightly like it would slip away from her. "I-it's…"

Klaus took a deep breath before making his final statement. "You have given me your 'always', would you give me your 'forever' as I wish to give mine to you?"

Maleny shuddered a breath, her hand dropping the empty box to the floor. With teary eyes, she nearly lunged for Klaus simply to give her response in the form of a passionate kiss.

~ 0 ~

Just as Elijah returned to the table he and Cami had taken, Cami hung up on a phone call. She thanked him for her glass as Elijah took a seat across the table.

She sighed. "That was Alton and Yamilet. They're leaving the Quarter tonight."

"The best thing they could do, honestly," Elijah admitted. "This place...it's about to become the scene of a war."

"Yeah," Cami muttered. "Tell me something else I don't know."

There was a moment of awkward silence, but when Elijah spoke up again Cami wished he hadn't. "I would prefer if you left as well."

"Excuse me?" The blonde blinked rapidly.

"Save yourself, Camille, and leave," Elijah requested with a near broken heart. "You deserve far better than being constantly thrown into my family's fights. You deserve to…" his eyes bore into hers with such intensity Cami felt overly nervous than irritated, "...you deserve to see wonderful places. You deserve-"

"Stop," Cami ordered, her voice soft. "Please, stop. Is this why you took me here? To tell me to leave?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "But seeing you, all beautiful and dressed up, reminds me that this is only for one night. For mere hours. By tomorrow morning you'll be back with the Strix, fighting more of their enemies - coming to fight me."

Without thinking, Cami took his hand over the table. "I'm in this for you and your family. Because no matter what happened between us I want you alive."

Elijah gripped her hand, his fingers finding a way to interlace with hers. He relished in the rare moment of peace and affection. "Camille," he began quietly, never knowing the effect of using her full name had on Cami, "I appreciate your attempts, your time on me and my family, but—"

"No," Cami cut him off, startling him with the determination in her tone. "Elijah," she sighed, "it's no secret I, um…" she blushed then, coughing awkwardly, "...I, uh...have feelings for you, so of course that's an extra motivation," both shared flustered smiles, "But I am doing this for my city, for people who don't deserve to die. I like helping people, don't take that away from me."

Elijah looked at her a long while, and finally placed his other hand on hers as well and smiled. "It seems like I now understand the troubles Niklaus goes through with Maleny - it is almost impossible denying you something."

Cami laughed wholeheartedly, knowing she was blushing like mad. When Elijah raised her cupped hand to kiss it, Cami discovered the conflict Maleny went through with Klaus. It was nearly impossible breathing right with such intense looks from them.

~ 0 ~

Maleny and Klaus had moved to the latter's bedroom. In the middle of the room they stood, kissing, until Maleny pulled away for a moment to catch her breath. With an incredibly happy smile, she held the vial of blood between them. "Tonight? Or tomorrow?" she asked curiously.

"Whichever you please," Klaus replied, honestly. The excitement on her face was unlike anything he had ever seen - it was impossible not to laugh just a little.

Maleny considered the upsides for a minute before returning her eyes to Klaus. "I think...tomorrow." Although the answer was a little surprising, Klaus took it with a simple nod. "I waited long for a proper Christmas, and I'd like to finish it as how I started it - a human."

Klaus took the vial from her then, speeding to the dresser to leave it there. He returned in a flash, taking her by the waist. Maleny giggled as he turned them for the bed.

"Take your last look at this human because tomorrow she's gone," Maleny warned with a wide smirk. "And then—" she kissed him softly, "—what wonders await us, hm?" she asked with a suggestive look on her face.

"I'd be happy to discover," answered Klaus all too quick, making Maleny laugh. He started kissing her again, backtracking her to the bed. His hand trailed searched for the zipper of her dress, causing Maleny to pull away with another smirk.

"You're gonna have to work for that," she warned, sitting on the bed first and scooting a bit back.

"I accept that challenge," Klaus moved to get on the bed with her, crawling over her. He truly was never one to let a challenge just slip by.

~ 0 ~

"I can't believe that just happened," Marlenie looked at her aunt Freya as the two returned to the compound after a...interesting meeting with Rebekah. As it turned out, the cure had not been enough and Rebekah was on a one-way path to insanity if she was not subdued. So, they had to dagger her. But on Rebekah's request, they would not tell either of his brothers for the time being.

"I can't believe we just did that," Marlenie feebly remarked, holding little Hope closer to her, the baby completely unaware of what happened around her. She chewed on the wooden craft Klaus had made for Rebekah when they were children.

"For now, it's best we follow Rebekah's instructions," Freya sighed, coming to sit at the couch.

"I know," Marlenie nodded, resigned. She turned her head to Hope and smiled. "If your mother knew where we took you she would kill me!" Hope responded with a giggle, flapping her free hand. "Let's go get you changed, yeah?"

Freya nodded for her niece to go while she took a moment to herself and processed what they had done. They hid Rebekah's body in a temporary location, for it was dark and with a baby it was impossible to go far away.

Freya shut her eyes, letting her head fall back as she groaned in frustration. "Ooh, why can't anything be simple?" she asked herself.

Suddenly, she heard noises coming from the front entrance. She believed it to be Elijah so she quickly sobered from the tragedy. "Elijah?" she called but when she heard the distinct noise of suitcase wheels she knew it wasn't her brother.

A young man with dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes nervously came out from the dark, and upon seeing Freya he froze in his spot. "A-aunt Freya?"

It took only a second to realize who the young man was, and immediately Freya dashed to go meet him in an embrace. "Nicolas!"

Nicolas Mikaelson took his aunt into a tight hug, laughing as he was taller than she was and planted multiple kisses on her hair. "I-I can't believe it's you! Like, proper you…" he pulled away, eyes big as he studied her fancy clothes and genuine happier face.

Meanwhile, Freya took to studying his face. He looked exactly the same as the last time they saw each other - centuries ago. But being free of Dahlia's control was a reason to be more joyful, and it showed on Nicolas' face.

Freya remarked the first thing that popped into her head. "You really do look a lot like your father."

Nicolas warmly smiled, eyes roaming up to the second level of the compound. "I-is he...is he here? I...I don't know what's going on, aunt Freya. How did you defeat aunt Dahlia? How did my mother escape those awful sacrificial witches? How did she find you all? How did you find them? How-"

"Aunt Freya!" Marlenie called from the lounge room, coming out with Hope (now in a Christmas onesie) in her arms.

Freya turned around in time to see the woman coming in, and wondered how they would all react to the new arrival. Nicolas looked over Marlenie with a sense of familiarity, but the centuries had turned the once child Marlenie into a proper woman. The same happened to him.

Freya looked between them curiously. "Oh, don't tell me you don't know who they are," she spoke to both, chuckling. "I'm sure even Hope would know judging by the fact all three of you share the same eyes."

Marlenie fit the pieces in rather fast when she saw the suitcase behind Nicolas, and the clear travel clothes...and the eyes. The eyes were what told her exactly who he was.

"N-Nick?" her frail voice dared to ask.

"That's...impossible," Nicolas breathed in. "Marlenie?"

"Oh my God!" Marlenie cried out in utter happiness and rushed to hug her slightly older brother. "It's you! It's you!" she draped one arm around his neck, the other still holding Hope.

Nicolas leaned the side of his face on Marlenie's head, grasping the fact she was there - alive. "Of course it's me. But...you...you're a…"

"...vampire," Marlenie sniffed and pulled away, sheepishly smiling. "I had to meet my father, remember?"

Nicolas chuckled, and at that moment he made Hope squeal out like she clearly wanted to be included in whatever was going on. Nicolas laid eyes on her, evidently confused by the presence of the toddler, but nonetheless pleased to have the child. "And who's this little one?" he eyed the wooden craft in Hope's small hand.

"Oh, well...this is Hope," Marlenie slightly turned to bring Hope closer to Nicolas, "...our younger sister."

Nicolas' eyes widened in shock, flickering to Freya for confirmation. Freya chuckled and nodded. "D-did our mother…"

"No," Marlenie cut in before he made the assumption. "Hope is our step-sister. And, just before you get the idea, her mother is married and loves another."

That did make Nicolas feel a little better. What a disillusion it would have been to come home and see his father was with another woman, with a child as well.

"Hope, meet your big brother," Marlenie handed the toddler over to Nicolas, who nervously took her. "You and I are gonna make sure to annoy him like the good little sisters we are."

Hope tilted her head and looked at Nicolas, much like he did to her. Suddenly, Hope flapped a hand on his cheek, giggling.

"That means she likes you," Freya came to stand beside Marlenie.

Nicolas smiled and tickled Hope's stomach, eventually moving onto the two people he was dying to meet. "And, um…" he looked upstairs again, "...Mum...she's...and Dad...they're…"

"They're here," Freya nodded, smiling softly. "And they have been waiting for you for so long now." The piece of information made Nicolas brighten up. He had been rather nervous coming over to practically introduce himself to the two parents that he assumed new nothing of him except of his existence.

"But," Marlenie said before he could move a step, "I don't think you'll be meeting them today." Nicolas raised an eyebrow. "They had problems before, but I'm pretty sure they fixed it. So...you can assume they're, uh…" she cleared her throat, awkwardly finishing, "...a bit busy."

Freya snickered, mockingly scolding her niece with a look...while Nicolas just laughed and returned his attention to Hope who was flapping her little wooden craft in front of his face. He didn't mind spending the night with them.

[saiilorstars]

The Girl in the Forest

Chapter 26: To All My Children

// Story Masterlist //

Fandom: The Originals

Pairings: Klaus Mikaelson x OFC

Pronunciation of OC’s name: Ma-leh-nee

Requested tag: @queenmj10​ @ocfairygodmother @anotherunreadblog @maaaaarveeeeel

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Chapter Summary: Maleny succumbs to a spell that allows her to relive her time as Iris Velden, the body in which she gave birth to her son. At the end, she shares her memories with Klaus, though admits that there's a part of the story she feels she can't remember, and two then promise that they will bring their son home. But what Maleny couldn't remember will end up coming for them later on.

Because Maleny has been switched bodies once again, her temporary face claim is Adriana Louvier.

Iris Velden walked alongside Klaus in the courtyard of the Velden residence during the middle of the day. There was no one around for the attractions were inside for one of the family's daily celebrations.

Iris giggled as Klaus spoke of his younger siblings who apparently drove him mad. It was part of the reason for him being outside. He had gotten into some sort of argument with one of them and preferred to be alone.

"I must say I never heard anyone talk about their family that way," she looked at him.

"Because no one has a family like I do," Klaus said as if it were obvious. Then again, she thought he was just another human being. She truly had no idea the complications within his family.

"Well, my brother does often anger me," Iris shrugged, "but I suppose it's never been enough to get me really angry like you say you have. Still, I should like to help you distract yourself from your family troubles," she reached for Klaus' hand.

Klaus stopped walking and turned to face her, "Do you have an ideas?"

Iris blushed and looked down, "Well, I was thinking...just...spend time together…" she looked up to see his response but was met with a pair of lips pressed against hers. With a giggle, she broke the kiss and looked up at him, "I was not going to suggest something like that."

Klaus tilted her chin up, his eyes flickering from her eyes to her lips, "Then let me suggest it…" he leaned down for another kiss.

"You think we can break her out soon?" Amarrah was questionably flickering her gaze from the unconscious Maleny on Klaus' bed to Freya who stood beside her.

"No," Freya regretted to admit, and as soon as she did, Klaus (who'd been standing beside Maleny) turned on the two women.

"You did this!" he furiously stalked up to Freya, "And you need to fix it!"

Freya wished she could do so and win back her brother's good side, but she could not as the spell didn't permit her so. She shook her head, "I can't. Maleny has entered a dream induced coma-" but seeing the explanation was only making him act worse she quickly added, "But she will wake up! No later than tonight she will be up and she will be okay. Her mind is just releasing all those subdued memories - the best we can do is let it be exposed."

Before Klaus could come up with another gruesome threat he'd been throwing Freya's way, they all heard a loud crash coming from another room. The three went out to the corridor and realizing the noise was from Hope's nursery, Klaus sped towards there. Rebekah stood over Hope's crib inside a rattled up nursery while Hayley was recuperating from a clear attack.

"Rebekah! What are you doing?" he lunged for her, meaning to bring her down not to hurt her.

However, Eva cast a pain infliction that forced him on his knees. Hayley ran back to fight but with the same spell she was brought down and forced to choke. With the pain, Klaus forcibly brought out his wolf claws and gnashed Eva's thigh with them. Eva screamed and dropped the spell. Knowing she would not win then, she made a dash for the open window and jumped out for a clean escape. Slowly regaining their strength, Klaus and Hayley got to their feet and checked on Hope. The baby was sat in her crib, completely at ease and calm.

"We need to do something," Hayley told Klaus in a heavy pant. Clearly Rebekah was no longer in control of Eva Sinclair's body and it was only a matter of time until she returned to cause more chaos.

~ 0 ~

"I don't understand how this happened," Amarrah sat on the edge of Maleny's bed and gazed upon her friend, not even surprised something like this had happened to her.

Freya kept her distance for she knew Klaus would come back and push her far away if she was closer to Maleny than his liking allowed. She crossed her arms and rubbed her face, "Maleny wanted to remember more of her son, so she asked me to perform a spell. I warned her of the side affects and she said it was fine. I never thought it would actually happen."

Amarrah didn't display the same anger Klaus did towards Freya. She only sighed and patted Maleny's hand, "Maleny would, of course, take the chance if it meant she could remember her long lost son. I'm not mad with you, Freya, I'm mad at the luck she has. To not even remember she had a son…"

Freya had long been examining Amarrah - the moment the woman walked in with a French accent actually. She stepped closer, but still not too much. "You're one of them, aren't you?" Amarrah looked up, confused with the brief accusation. "You're a descendant of the Collin bloodline?"

Amarrah nodded. "Yes, and I suppose the story of a man and a woman dropping off Maleny's body to my oh-so-many-times grandmother was you and Nicolas?"

"Yes," Freya lightly smiled. "Thank you for taking care of her - Nicolas will be very happy to know your family has taken care of her all this time."

"We really have," Amarrah smiled and looked down at Maleny again. "Ever since I could remember, the story of the sleeping girl in the attic was told to my cousins and I. We were told that long ago, she was left at our care because evil witches had put her into a sleep curse. It was our duty to make sure no harm ever came her way so long as she was still asleep. I guess none of us ever really thought about what would happen when she woke up..."

"Where is she!?" they heard the voice of Alton from outside. Amarrah's face dropped even further when she realized Alton was going to be matching Klaus' horrible mood. This was, after all, his girlfriend's body Maleny was taking over.

Minutes later, Alton came into Maleny's room and ran straight for the brunette. "Yamilet!"

Iris was coming out of her bedroom chamber when she heard distinct shouts coming from Rebekah and Klaus. While she didn't make out all the words, she did hear Klaus threatening Rebekah which concluded with a louder shout from Rebekah followed by angry stomps going away. When Iris was sure there was no one left to see she made way for Klaus' room. He was just returning when she arrived.

"What's happened?" she whispered for fear of being overheard by someone, "I heard shouts and…" Klaus didn't let her finish and instead brought her inside his bedroom.

"Rebekah is making bad decisions as usual," was his brief response as he closed the door.

Iris had come to learn poor Rebekah was always judged by her siblings too wrongly because they didn't understand her. Crossing her arms, she gave Klaus a sharp look, "And just what exactly has Rebekah done to earn so many of your shouts?"

"She's in this phase of apparently loving someone and she cannot see it is completely wrong!"

Iris chuckled, confusing him, "Oops, I suppose this would be my cue to leave as well, then?"

Klaus' anger simmer upon hearing her words, unable to return the playful banter, "Things are different with you, love," he walked up to her and cupped her face, "You are nor treacherous nor a liar."

The smile widening on Iris' face assured Klaus he had chosen well with her, "I am glad to be on your good list. But perhaps if you listened to Rebekah's words then you could try to understand her."

"Rebekah has a way with words that leaves me wanting to cut them off," Klaus rolled his eyes and dropped his hands from her face.

"Well, someone has to listen to her…"

"Someone did - Maleny had the patience we all lacked with Rebekah." Klaus blurted before realizing. When he did, he felt the pang in his heart scold him for bringing her up.

Iris warmly looked at him, understanding his guilt. It would happen on occasions now, slowly less and less but it was still strong enough to make him feel guilty for it. She reached for his arm, gently making him look at her, "It's fine," she whispered calmly, "Bringing her up is not some sort of sin, you know."

"I know," Klaus gave a small nod, "But it's…"

"Complex?" she finished and received another nod in response, "Well of course it's complex. It's a first love, my dear. Those are always difficult. But it is possible to move on from when proposed. Remember, under the stars?"

'Under the Stars' had come to turn into something deeply important for Klaus as his newfound relationship with Iris developed. It told him, it reminded him, that Maleny Rowan, albeit deceased, was now in peace. She was the stars that lit up the dark skies that led him where he wanted to go. And under those stars, he would always love her, and they would, in turn, want him to be happy - as best as he could in his situation.

Klaus gave in with a sheepish smile, "Under the stars," he agreed in a quiet whisper.

"FREYA!" Klaus' loud shout startled the blonde witch along with Amarrah. However, upon entering the room he was met with hostility from Alton who had remained by Maleny's side.

"This is why you had me leave with the pack for the bayou!?" he angrily stalked towards Klaus, but the hybrid remained unphased, "So yet another member of your family could hurt her!?"

"Um, Alton…" Amarrah's shaky voice made no effect on the wolf man. Freya knew at the moment it was better to keep her mouth shut.

Klaus was near the brink of his patience and so he calmly instructed Alton, "Take a step back and listen to what I have to say."

"We are done," Alton shook his head, "From day one I should have taken Yamilet's body to the bayou where I would protect her until the spell was broken. I am taking her with me-"

"You are not taking Maleny anywhere," Klaus cut him off, though calm his words were laced with a dangerous warning of a challenge, "And if you should try then it will be no one's fault but your own when I tell dear old Yamilet - when she wakes up - that her boyfriend had his heart yanked out of his body."

The threat wasn't taken lightly by Alton - it infuriated him more the situation was being taken so calmly, "For someone who claims to oh-so-love this woman," he extended an arm back to Maleny, "You sure seem to let your family harm her more than anyone else. In fact, you also keep hurting her."

Patience was gone and replaced by the usual murderous instincts. Klaus had grabbed Alton by the neck and pushed him against a wall, "So then, what exactly will I tell Yamilet first when she regains control? How you died or how I chucked your body out into the street?"

"Klaus, stop!" Amarrah exclaimed and went to try to get the hybrid to back off. But of course her strength was of no use.

"Don't act like it's not true!" Alton snapped, continuing with his accusations against Klaus, "I know your story, Maleny told me. How do you live with yourself knowing that you not only hurt her but now - because of you and your family - your own son was taken and turned into a slave."

"STOP!" Amarrah screamed in horror as Klaus flung Alton out of the room, the man crashing against the rails and promptly falling to the floor.

Klaus walked out of the room with all intentions of ripping the man's heart out of his body, "I never did like you," he muttered as he made way for Alton.

"ENOUGH!" it was Freya who ended the quarrel with pain infliction spells that forced both men to back down, "Now I may have done wrong but it was all Maleny's choice," she angrily told both, "and I know she wouldn't like it if she woke up to see both of you dead."

"You are the last person to speak about this," Klaus got to his feet, glowering at her for her spell.

"And yet I am but of one of the two people who could help you with Rebekah," Freya stood her ground and stepped forwards, "Now I may have indirectly caused this but Maleny will remember her son and that will make her happy. Isn't that what matters in the end?"

"I want her awake!" Klaus frantically came at her, not to attack but to turn her to the room where Maleny laid asleep, "That is what matters to me!"

Freya sighed, understanding his pain. She looked at him softly, "I promise you by tonight she will wake. Allow me to help with Rebekah in the meantime, please?"

"Alton and I can stay with Mal," Amarrah offered for extra comfort, "And I promise he will behave himself," she added with a small glare towards Alton, daring him to say otherwise. "Maleny will stay right here."

With one last glance at Maleny, Klaus agreed with a small sigh. However his threatening mood took over his face when directed towards Freya, "If she does not wake by tonight I will make sure your suffering is tenfolds than what ever it is Dahlia had put you under."

"Understood," Freya nodded and motioned for Klaus to lead the way.

Amarrah waited until the two siblings were gone before she went for Alton, "You really ought to stop picking fights," she sighed as she helped the wolf man to his feet, "Especially with Originals and one that has such a short temper."

"He needed to hear it," Alton grumbled, gently shaking off her hands and entering Maleny's bedroom, "It's his fault."

"Weeeeell," Amarrah began in a sing-song manner, "technically this isn't his fault," Alton turned on her menacingly, "I know Klaus has many...many faults," she made a face when she got to thinking about it, "but this one isn't one of them. Finn cast the spell because Mal pissed him off. And the Dahlia curse? That was on Esther Mikaelson. This is not Klaus' fault and you shouldn't blame him because you miss Yamilet. Don't forget he kind of lost Mal too in this."

Alton rolled his eyes and made way for Maleny, "At least he can talk to his girlfriend. Yamilet is lost in her own body and I can only watch as someone else walks and talks in it."

Amarrah felt sympathy for the man, able to half understand his anger directed at the Mikaelsons, "Yamilet will come back, I promise you that. But in the meantime you have to understand that everyone here is always trying to protect Mal."

"I can understand that," Alton nodded and looked at the French witch, "but they have to understand they're not the safest people she should be around with. They are a warzone."

On that, Amarrah remained silent.

~ 0 ~

Cami found Vincent in Rousseau's helping himself to plenty of bourbon. She was both glad she found him for Rebekah's sake but annoyed she found him in the state he was in. She agreed with Elijah to split and conquer for Rebekah - he, Hayley and Gia would go back to Josephine for a hopeful extension on the ultimatum given to them, Marcel would continue trying to track Eva down and she would try to get Vincent to help them.

"It's a bit early for that, don't you think?" she pointed to the glass Vincent held.

The man sighed, "You know why I'm sitting here day-drinking in the Quarter all by my lonesome? Because I'm pretty much done and through with the vamps, wolves, and witches of this town. And, from some of the looks I've been getting, they're through with me, too. So, if I'm sitting here, they don't see me, and if I drink... after a while, I don't see them, either."

Cami raised an eyebrow before tapping the photo of Eva that laid on the table, "And how many is it gonna take before she disappears?" Vincent reached to take the photo but Cami pulled it away, "You need to know that she is back and on the loose, and we need to find her before the witches do so that we can save my friend, who is trapped inside of her," and before Vincent could get a word out she added, "and simply because you choose to turn your back on us does not mean I will accept it. I don't take 'no' for an answer so…"

Cami made a motion for Vincent to get moving and or talking. With a roll of his eyes, Vincent began talking, "If Eva is back then, you need to let the witches put that body down! Eva will use up your friend, just like she did the others."

The last part caught Cami's attention, "Others? What does that mean…?"

"The first of the kids went missing two years ago. Feels like a lifetime. I was, uh, clocking in: college, work, coven. Felt like a normal life. But, um, had this woman. Met when we were sixteen years old, did our first bit of magic together... it was so insanely intense. And then the children began to disappear. First was a little girl named Amelie Dupree from Algiers. Then, Lou-Anne Hughes from the 9th, Nicholas Alseis from the Tremé. All young kids, all witch prodigies...phew... vanished into thin air. So, I put together a posse of guys from each of the covens, but the killer cloaked the kids so quickly, our locator spells was useless."

"Eva did all that?" Cami gaped at the horrors the woman was able to do.

"I was able to slap a locator spell on one of the kids right after he got snatched, and I got nothing at first. And then a car, and then a face... But that face, man- it was Eva. The love of my life. So, I caught her, confronted her... and then I saw the truth. She kept pleading with me... "Vince! Just three more little girls, Vince! Just three!"

"But...why did she need three more exactly?"

"To complete the Rite of Nines. Eva thought if she sacrificed a witch from each of the nine covens, it would create a new witch order in New Orleans. She would have been more powerful than any Elder. Any Harvest girl."

"Wait, wait, wait- but why kids?"

"Because their magic is untapped. It's pure. And, they're a hell of a lot easier to subdue."

"I never found those kids. They died; unconsecrated, unable to be with our ancestors," Vincent bitterly admitted, "Used as a source for Eva's magic."

"Okay then," Cami nodded, "So, help me find her before she takes any more lives, including Rebekah's. Help me stop her."

Vincent didn't answer right away, for he was torn with the heavy decision that now rested over his shoulders.

~ 0 ~

Freya was more than irritated to be walking with her wrists shackled with the magic-disabling manacles from the O'Connell's dark objects room. Klaus had snuck them up on her right before they left the compound and never explained why.

"I fail to see the need for these. I'm not your enemy," she told Klaus while the two walked down an aisle in the cemetery, "What happened to Maleny was an accident."

"Oh, they're not to protect me, love," Klaus rolled his eyes and yanked her into a main room of a tomb, gesturing over to a corner, "They're to protect her, the one who knows more about mind-invasion and body-jumping than all of us put together," he chucked two blood bags into the room.

Curious to see who he had locked up in there, Freya stepped forwards. She saw a hand reach out for the blood bags. As Freya studied the conditions of the woman she began to realize it was Esther.

"No!" Freya cried in horror and turned to leave but Klaus was blocking the way, "No! Stop!"

Klaus grabbed her by the shoulders, completely at ease as he turned her to Esther, "Mother? Freya. Freya? Mother," he introduced.

Esther, while still weak and almost desiccated, was in disbelief at the sight of Freya, "It... can't be."

Freya angrily turned to Klaus, "Is this some sort of punishment?"

"Esther is now a vampire," Klaus began to explain as he left her to go to Esther, "and as such, she's vulnerable to my compulsion," he grabbed Esther by the face and compelled her, "You will answer me truthfully," and right after he forced Esther up and dragged her to where Freya stood, "Now, at least everything that comes out of her wretched mouth will be honest. We're going to raid her mind for the spell to get Rebekah back and - since you have proven useless in your promise to Maleny - she's going to tell us the spell to get Mal back in her own body."

~ 0 ~

In an abandoned warehouse was Eva where she frantically applied some remedy for the horrible injury Klaus had done to her earlier. Just when she felt the remedy take effect, she found herself pinned against a wall by Marcel who snuck up the magic-cancelling shackles on her.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho! Not really keen on another witch headache!" he smirked, remarking of their earlier incident.

"Dark objects?" Eva looked at the shackles around her wrists, "How did a damn vamp find me?"

"That would be us," Cami entered the place along with Vincent, both looking not too pleased to be there.

Vincent, of course, wanted nothing to do with Eva but in the end his morality for the innocence had won him out. So, there he was. Cami's irritation originated from Elijah. After Vincent agreed to help, Cami phoned in Elijah with the news only to be then instructed to head on home while Marcel took care of things. Cami knew Elijah was trying to pull the 'trying-to-protect-you' crap Klaus always did with Maleny and she was not going to let it happen. They argued and argued over it until someone snatched the phone and compromised for the both. Hayley had declared Marcel would accompany Cami and that was that.

"Release Rebekah!" Marcel angrily got to the point and shook Eva violently.

Eva remained at ease, wearing a wide smirk across her face, "Best not damage the package, or you may never see her again. Or your little adopted witch Davina."

At that, Marcel and Cami exchanged glances of shock.

Eva wickedly laughed, "Oh, some friends you are! I've been feeding off of her for days, and you didn't even know she was gone?"

Marcel could not contain himself and slammed the woman against a table, "WHERE IS SHE!?"

Cami sped up and pushed him back before he truly hurt Eva, "Stop!"

But Marcel went against her and tried walking back to Eva, forcing Cami to use all her strength and keep him back, "I'll just torture you until you give me what I need!" he shouted at Eva.

"Torture ain't gonna do it, man!" Vincent pointed out, "Half the witches in this city went after her, she ain't say a thing."

"He's right, Marcel," Cami finally pushed the man away, "We have to come up with something better that doesn't involve hurting the body Rebekah may remain in."

"Then what do you suggest!?" Marcel couldn't help glare at her. Apparently, not only were they fighting for Rebekah, they were also fighting to get Davina back.

"Let me talk to her," Vincent's idea left Marcel and Cami surprised and frankly a little suspicious. Still, with time running out there wasn't much to debate about.

"I would have liked to travel. Yes, that is my biggest desire," Iris was remarking as she and Klaus walked down a corridor for Iris' room, "but clearly that is not going to happen in this lifetime."

With a curious look, Klaus questioned, "And why do you say that?"

"Because I am a woman," Iris gestured to herself with a chuckle, "And unwed. Without a husband to travel with I have no hopes in leaving this place."

"Such optimism for a young lady," Klaus joked, coming to a stop in front of Iris' bedroom door.

Iris gave a light shrug of her shoulders and mischievously looked at him, "Well, unless some sort of gentleman - say a certain someone in front of me - marries me," she innocently said as her fingers danced on his shoulders, "then I shall remain here for the rest of my life."

"Such straightforwardness, how can someone not marry you?" Klaus went on with her play. He stepped closer, backing her against the door, and putting a hand on her waist.

Iris pretended to pout, "I know. I am a complete delight."

"Fortunately I'm here to make you feel loved," Klaus said before placing a kiss on her lips that turned into many more.

Iris giggled and managed to break the kiss for a moment, "Ooh, am I ever so lucky."

"You are so," Klaus smirked and continued to kiss her.

Iris melted in his arms and felt like the entire world was slipping away from her. At the sudden moan that escaped from her lips Klaus pulled away and smirked at her bright pink cheeks.

Iris was not about to let him tease her about it. She wanted something different from him and she proposed to get it, "Not a word," she whispered before grabbing his face and passionately kissing him again. Before either could realize, Klaus had opened the door to Iris' room and backed her inside, promptly shutting it behind them.

Back in the tomb where Klaus kept Esther, things were still rocky with Esther processing the fact Freya lived and Freya practically wanting to shred Esther to pieces.

"My beautiful girl. My first born!" Esther tried reaching for Freya but was met with incredible hostility.

"Touch me, and I will use these chains to strangle you!" Freya snapped and raised her shackled wrists to show she was serious.

"Yes, now that we have the pleasantries out the way, let's begin, shall we?" Klaus did not hide well his impatience with the two women, "It appears that your delightful sister Dahlia is on her way to New Orleans, hell-bent on stealing my child - well, second child apparently. I need Rebekah back in her original body so she can help me destroy her."

Esther was left speechless for a minute or two while she processed just what she had heard, "Child? Second child? Dahlia?"

Klaus rolled his eyes in annoyance but briefly broke it down for the woman, "Oh, I suppose it is difficult keeping up on current events whilst rotting inside a tomb. Very well. The short version? My second child is alive. And, somehow, in one of her past bodies, Maleny gave birth to my actual first born who was successfully taken by Dahlia in that period. But due to his escape, as well as Freya's, Dahlia is now on her way to steal my second born for revenge and power. And, on the other side, the previous tenant of Rebekah's body has seized control and isn't keen on giving it up," towards the end Klaus felt almost the need to take a big breath. That was a lot of problems, enough for a lifetime.

Esther was gaping at all she had heard, "But…"

"Oh, I'm not finished," Klaus wagged a finger at her, "Young Freya here, although powerful, lacks the spell to put Rebekah back in her true body. And that's where you come in. I need you to be a dear and dig deep into that ex-witch mind of yours," he pulled out a folded pack of paper from his jackets pocket and forced it onto Esther's hand, "Give me the spell that puts Rebekah back. And, since your son Finn decided to play a nasty game with Maleny, I need the spell to put her back into her own body as well. He's locked her into a new body with this mark," he unfolded the paper and tapped on the symbol that Maleny bored on her body, drawn by Amarrah who'd been studying it for such a time now.

Esther glanced at Freya silently and immediately saw it was all true. While being branded as evil and sadistic she did always want to help her children, and even Maleny who wasn't hers. She never intended on actually hurting them. Grumbling, she nodded and began with the task of the spells.

Time seemed to pass so very slow, and with the impatience Klaus had he stood right beside her ushering her to hurry up. "What is taking so long?" he rolled his eyes, "You didn't tarry when you attempted to kill my child!"

Esther stopped and looked up, apparently hurt, "I took no joy in that! I knew if your daughter lived, Dahlia would come, not only for her, but for all of you if you stood in her way. And however you may despise me, I would not wish that upon you."

"How touching!"

"Isn't it?" Freya had to agree with Klaus' sarcasm, "I always wondered what maternal compassion sounded like. Of course, I wouldn't know, since you sold me into slavery at the age of five!"

"When I made that bargain with my sister, I had no idea what it meant to be a mother!" argued Esther, "I thought if I had a dozen children, I would not miss the one. And then, you were born. You were beautiful. You had a light about you that put a smile on the face of the hardest man I had ever known. And when Dahlia took you, I thought that same light might warm her embittered heart. That you might lead a good life."

"A good life?" Freya had a good scoff and stomped up to Esther, "You were my mother! You should have come for me!"

"Yes. I should have," Esther said calmly before her tone took a sudden cold turn, "But, it would have been a mistake," her eyes flickered to Klaus, "The same mistake you will be making if you let this girl help you."

"For God's sake, speak plainly!" Klaus motioned with a hand to hurry up.

"The light I saw in Freya as a child, it's gone. While she was mine for five years, Dahlia was her mentor for a thousand. And, like her mentor, she will offer to solve your problems, but for a price."

Freya felt like she could literally strangle Esther, "There is no price! I know the…" she went for it to attack her but Klaus yanked her back by the arm.

"No violence until she's finished writing the spells, please!" Klaus snapped, "Honestly, it's all temper and no timing with this one," he joked to Esther, "for one, am glad you gave her away so that I could be born. You should think of me as an upgrade!"

Freya heavily sighed in irritation, wondering if this was typical sibling arguments. After a couple minutes more, Esther declared she was finished with the spells. Freya took a look at the spells to get a clear view of what would be needed.

"Mal's spell is fine but to place Rebekah back in her body requires an enormous amount of power," she looked up at Esther incredulously.

Esther remained at ease, "Which you have."

"And that power needs to be anchored, or I'll be lost inside Eva's mind along with Rebekah. Unlike your magic, mine isn't anchored to any one place. Because of you, I have no home."

"Perhaps," Esther shrugged and glanced at Klaus, "But, there is no other spell."

"Unless…" Freya began to think, "You," she turned to Klaus, "I can use you as my anchor. I'll channel your power while I breach Eva's mind."

For once, it appeared Klaus and Esther were on the same page of suspicious.

"And there it is. The price," Esther said, "If she channels you, she will have access to your mind, past and present. She will know everything about you."

"All of my strategies and all of my secrets laid bare to give to Dahlia," Klaus realized during his small pace back and forth, "You must think I'm a fool, Freya."

Freya rolled her eyes, "I am not acting with double reasons. You have me looking at Maleny's spell-"

"Don't confuse that, love," Klaus cut her right off, "Amarrah Collins will be performing that spell. There is no way in hell I would ever allow you to do it."

Freya took on an indignant aura after that, "Maleny has been the only friend I ever made, I would never harm her. And as for Rebekah, she is my sister and the only family who's shown me a bit of kindness. Rest assured I will not double cross you."

But that was not enough to convince Klaus.

Iris kicked and shouted to be let free as two older men practically dragged her through the forest. In front of them were two women, middle aged, and in the back two more men.

"Let me go! Let me go right now!"

One of the women in front laughed and glanced over her shoulder, "You can kick and scream all you want but it's not going to happen. It took us a while to determine whether or not you were actually Maleny, and now we're not letting you go for anything."

"What? Maleny?" Iris was thoroughly confused, and beyond terrified of these strangers. She had been on her way to find a trusted witch to determine or not if she was actually...well, with child. She had her suspicions but she didn't want it to get out before determining if it was even true. But she should have known better than to flee home during the night. She was ambushed by the two men and was now in front of several more strangers.

Iris was brought into a small village and promptly thrown near a fire in the center. She clutched her stomach and glared up at the group that was crowding around her. She breathed in rapidly, waiting for someone to explain what the hell was going on.

"Maleny Rowan, what a pleasure to meet you," an elderly woman made her way to the front of the crowd. She chuckled as Iris' brows furrowed together in confusion, "The spell has not allowed you to remember yet. That's a good thing. It's better this way."

"What is going on?" Iris' voice shook with fear as she looked around her spot. Everyone was staring at her like she was some grand prize - even the children looked in awe. "H-how do you know that name?"

"Our spell worked," the elderly woman declared to the group and bent down in front of Iris, yanking her golden chained necklace forwards for the others to see, "The mark is the chain, owned by the original body. This is how we will identify her in the next generations. Understood?"

"Yes," the group answered together.

"I-I don't understand, what's happening?" Iris got to her feet and kept a well distant from her and the woman, "I am Iris Velden and I order you to take me back to my-"

But the woman laughed, as did many others in the crowd. The elderly woman sobered first and put a hand on Iris' arm, "My dear, you are never going back there. It is time for you to live up to your word and die for our coven."

Iris' eyes widened and immediately she tried to run but the crowd blocked her way. She whirled back around to the woman, "Please," she swallowed hard, "I have no idea what you are talking about. My father, he's...he has power, and…"

"Our power does not come in the form or wealth, child," the elderly woman said calmly, "It comes from you and your death."

"But you cannot kill me," Iris' voice shook again, her eyes filling with tears while her arms wrapped around her stomach, "Please, I am with child," the news left the crowd and the woman stunned, "If you hurt me you will hurt my baby and I...I don't want that. Please, let me go."

The elderly woman got over her shock and walked up to Iris, grabbing her by the chin, "Your lies will not get you anywhere," her dark voice implied things would go bad in a very short time if Iris didn't do anything.

"Please," Iris resorted to beg on her knees for her child's life, "you have to believe me. My baby is very young, but he is inside and he is just starting to live. His father doesn't even know he exists."

"Father?" the elderly woman glanced at the crowd for an opinion.

"Maybe she hasn't met him yet," a young woman spoke up and walked up to the elder. The elder seemed to consider the idea and while she did, the young woman turned to Iris, "Who do you claim the father is?"

Iris knew she wasn't even sure about the pregnancy but at the moment it was apparently the only way she might be able to save her life. And furthermore, she saw no point in keeping the identity of the child's father a secret, "He's, um, he is a visitor in my father's residence. His name is Klaus Mikaelson."

"She lies," the elder declared instantaneously, "The man cannot possibly procreate."

"He has," Iris snapped, "I didn't know how to tell him and now he may possibly never know."

"Is it possible it has already happened?" the elder was now rethinking things.

"..what...?"

"The fertility spell may have worked after all," the elder continued on like nothing. "And as such, we should not waste the opportunity to have more power. Your sacrifice will happen, but…after the child is born, if there truly is a child to begin with."

"You are all mad," Iris began to insult, clutching her stomach once more.

Eunice had begun to come around on the idea by the wide smile breaking across her face, "Gentlemen," she called, "take Miss Rowan into my cottage. We have a lot to discover from the child - starting with is existence."

"N-n-n-n-no!" Iris began to shout as the two men who had carried her in were now coming for her again, "Stay back! Stay away from me!" but her shouts were of no use as they grabbed her again and dragged her towards Eunice's cottage.

Hope was placed on Maleny's beside beside the sleeping brunette and as if wanting her to wake up, Hope yelped every now and then and clapped her small hand on Maleny's arm. Beside the edge of the bed was Hayley who was staring at Maleny with her arms crossed and a grim, yet overly concerned, face.

"She'll wake soon, baby girl," she whispered to Hope and glanced at Amarrah and Alton who had remained in the room as they had promised earlier, "It surprises me how Hope knows it's Mal in there," she gave a light smile as her daughter continued to do everything in her power to wake Maleny up, "In such a little time she's managed to get Hope's affections."

"That's Mal for you," Amarrah clapped her hands together and walked closer to Hayley, "When I was a little girl and I first discovered that we harbored a woman in our attic that had been sleeping for centuries, I was terrified. I knew it was our responsibility to protect her, but...I was like six so...yeah, I was a bit scared. And then one day, one of my cousins dared me to go into the attic. I so scared I kept shaking," Hayley and Alton smiled in amusement as they listened in, "But when I opened the coffin and saw Mal unconscious, I realized there was nothing to be afraid of. On the contrary, I was afraid for her."

"Why?" Alton asked, even Hayley curious of the answer.

"I knew the stories of the girl in the coffin, how she was always living in lies and never being herself. I was afraid of what she could be experiencing at the moment," Amarrah sighed deeply, "I was so scared of where she could be and if she was okay. The sleeping girl in the coffin-I always wondered if I would get to see her awake in my lifetime."

"You did," Hayley gently clapped a hand on Amarrah's arm.

"But for so little time," Amarrah pointed out and moved to sit down on the edge of the bed, right beside Hope, "Ever since she woke up, Mal has never had a good moment. I'm her friend and I just don't like seeing her in these conditions."

Hope continued to yelp and let her head drop onto Maleny's shoulder, babbling to her oh-so-many things. At the same moment, Klaus and Freya entered the room.

"I see you have the wolves ready for Eva's return," Klaus remarked off-handedly while coming straight to Amarrah.

"Elijah said to gather them up," Hayley sighed, "but he's not exactly quite up for the fight since Cami ended up getting hurt when Eva escaped with Vincent."

"Ah yes," Klaus wasn't so surprised to hear about that.

Even though it was a petty injury - a neck snapping - it was enough to have Elijah ballistic of the idea of Cami still going out with Marcel to look for Eva. That was why he went out for Cami himself to the location where apparently Eva kept the missing children in. Vincent had called them in with the location, also admitting and apologizing for his rather abrupt plan of pretending to go with Eva's doings.

Klaus pulled out Esther's papers with the spells and held them to Amarrah who took them in confusion and gave them a mere glance, "What are these?" she raised an eyebrow.

"One of them is to get Rebekah back in control of Eva Sinclair's body," Klaus tapped one of the papers, "And the other is the spell to return Maleny to her original body."

Amarrah's mouth dropped open as she quickly looked at the spell for Maleny, "You found the spell!?"

"Yes, and since time is of the essence I need you to do Rebekah's first."

Amarrah's eyes flickered to Freya who, although no longer wore the shackles, looked pretty angry this was being asked to someone else. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked Klaus, "I mean, you have a sister."

"The spell requires an anchor," Freya spoke up, "and it appears my dear ole brother doesn't have the trust in me to be my anchor."

"Because you don't have a home," Amarrah realized the problem and looked at Rebekah's spell again, "I can do it. I can draw on my family's power."

"That's all that matters," Freya said, giving her a lighthearted smile, "Someone needs to save Rebekah."

"Okay," Amarrah nodded and turned to Klaus, "We can do it."

"What are we supposed to do, then?" Hayley asked then, gesturing to herself, Alton and Freya.

"Stay with Maleny, of course," Klaus answered as if it were obvious. With a grin he walked over to Maleny's bed, reaching to tickle Hope beside the brunette, the baby promptly giggling in response. He then passed a hand down Maleny's hair, "Hang on, Mal. I got the spell," he whispered to her, "You'll be back in your body very soon now."

"Klaus," Amarrah cleared her throat, sheepishly waving a hand to grab his attention, "We have to go. Rebekah is literally running out of time."

Klaus nodded and straightened up, turning to head out. As he and Amarrah left the room, Alton stopped them.

"You mean that?" he demanded of Klaus, and if it weren't because Klaus too was content with the results they were going to receive he would've snapped the man's neck there and then.

"Yes, my mother gave us the spell needed to place Mal back in her own body and thus release Yamilet."

Alton's face changed into a brilliant joy and once Klaus and Amarrah had left, he rushed to Maleny, "Yamilet, you're coming back! Do you hear that? You're coming back to me again…" But while he was cheering and even Hayley and Freya were relieved to hear the good news, Maleny/Yamilet were far from hearing it.

Iris stood before a window inside a cottage, staring out to the dark sky filled with its many stars. She held in her hand the wooden stars craft Klaus had made so long ago. She sighed and rubbed her now swollen, pregnant stomach. It had been months since she'd seen him, her family and home. And now that she understood and even remembered some, she knew she would never see that residence again. Iris Velden had completely ceased to exist in her mind.

Maleny Rowan was alive. She was her.

"Under these stars," she remembered her ironic words. How could life be so cruel to make her say those words to the man she had loved for years and years.

"What is that?" a young woman stood behind Maleny, having come out of another room in the cottage. She was the owner of the cottage where Maleny was to reside during her pregnancy.

"A gift," Maleny answered briefly, hugging the wooden craft closer to her, making the woman laugh.

"I won't steal it," she went to a table where several herbs laid, "It can make a nice gift for your child when it is born."

Maleny rubbed her stomach and turned to her, "I wish to sleep. I have no intention on sticking to this conversation as if were friends or even acquaintances."

The girl, Laura, sighed and turned from the table, "Listen, Iris-"

"Maleny," she fiercely corrected. "My name is Maleny Rowan and I despise you and your stupid coven."

"You are the one that made this deal with us-"

"Because you lied to me about it!" Maleny shouted, once again getting angry this was being blamed on her, "Your ancestor told me a lie! She said I would live forever, and that I would be with my love."

"And you were," Laura gestured to her stomach, "and that is a consequence."

"This is some miracle," Maleny snapped, "But this was a miracle in some wicked story your ancestory had pulled. I do not want to live this way."

"Well, that is not up to you anymore," Laura declared coldly and made to leave the cottage when Maleny called out, her voice turned softer and meek.

"If I am to live this way...then I only plead you not force my child into this same cycle," her tear-filled eyes made Laura shift uncomfortably, "I made the deal, not my child."

"That is not up to me," Laura said after a moment, though did feel guilt for it. Maleny moved to take a seat on a chair, her feet now more fragile as she grew closer to her due date. Laura's guilt did not allow for her to leave. Instead, she found herself clearing her throat and asking, rather awkwardly, "So, um...have you thought of any names yet for the child?"

Maleny raised her gaze to the woman, confused of the question. Over the course of her pregnancy not one person had cared enough to ask how she was doing nor how she felt. Perhaps for that reason she had decided to answer Laura's question.

"I am not sure," she rubbed her stomach, "If it is a boy, then...I was thinking of Nicolas."

"Why that one?"

"Because it sounds like his father's name. And if shortened, it will be exactly like his," Maleny began to smile at the idea, "Nick?"

Laura smiled lightly, "That's a nice name, then. It has a lot of meaning. What about a girl?"

Maleny's smile widened. "Marlenie. We always wanted a 'Marlenie'. But, I just really hope the baby does not inherit his temper."

"Is it that bad?"

Maleny scoffed, "Imagine the worst temper possible and then chuck it out the window because it will never measure to Klaus'. God help my baby if he does inherit that."

Laura chuckled, for a minute forgetting who she was talking to, "My mom used to say that I had my father's impulsivity and that is why I would never get married."

"Used to?" Maleny had picked up on the key words and her stomach churned as she assumed what that meant.

Laura sighed, "I lost my mother when I was a little girl, unfortunately. My dad's off in a battle so I'm here on my own."

Maleny could feel a small empathy for the woman, having practically lived in the same conditions, "I lost my mother when I was girl too. And, even though my dad was still around it felt like he wasn't. He absolutely hated me."

"Why?" Laura frowned.

"Because I was born a girl and my mother didn't stick around to bear him a son. So, I was more like a slave to him than a daughter."

"I am very sorry about that," Laura honestly said and Maleny knew it, "I don't feel very lonely out here, though. Our coven is united."

Maleny made a face, wanting to say 'of course, united over my looming death' but she felt Laura was being kind enough for a minute and she wanted to keep it that way. "I didn't feel very lonely either," she admitted with a small smile, "I had the Mikaelsons with me and they were enough."

"Enough for you to get yourself cursed," Laura blurted and gasped once she realized.

"I didn't get cursed because of them," Maleny corrected calmly, "I did what I did because I wanted to secure myself a good future with Klaus. But he, just like the rest of his family, is not to blame for what I got myself into. Just like this little one," she rubbed her stomach, "does not deserve to get pushed into the life that awaits me," realizing where Maleny was headed with in the conversation, Laura shifted and tried to leave but Maleny was quick in her talk, "Laura, please. Kill me if you must but let my child live. Let him live until he is old enough to leave and find his father. Don't curse him because of my choices."

Laura stared at the woman for a long while, and in that while Maleny began to weep again, her hand clutching the wooden starcraft in her hand as if her life depended on it.

Amarrah cursed herself for ever thinking this was a good idea. The amount of power the spell required to get Rebekah back was taking a toll on her body and if it weren't for the two Originals practically keeping her on her feet she was sure she would have passed out a long time ago. She had conducted the spell needed and had sent in Marcel and Vincent to help Rebekah fight Eva off and regain control of Eva's body. However, there seemed to be a fight inside and it was only making it harder for Amarrah to keep the spell going.

Inside, the war was waging at terrible costs. Eva had knocked out Marcel across the room and was almost to the point of killing Vincent herself when she felt a stab on her back. It had been done by a young aged Rebekah who remained stoned-faced as Eva fell over Vincent and gasped for air.

The force of the spell pushed everyone away from each other and onto the floor. Vincent and Marcel woke up with loud gasps.

"Please tell me that worked," Amarrah raised her head with a heavy pant.

"You're the witch," Cami said, not too far from her, "you tell us."

"Oh...right…" Amarrah blinked and glanced over to Eva where Marcel was already carefully checking her.

They all started hearing several noises and so Cami went to find its source. She was relieved to see it was Davina waking up from her slumber on behalf of Eva's plan.

"Where am I?" the young teen looked around, barely remembering anything. After a couple minutes, more of the other children were beginnign to wake up along with Josephine who had been taken at the last minute by Eva and Vincent.

"You're okay," Cami laughed and gave her hug, "Oh thank God!"

"What the hell happened?" Davina struggled to stand on her feet for a minute but eventually got it down, "I remember Rebekah coming in and then…"

"Best not to think about it too much," Cami made a face then patted the girl's arm before taking her back to where the others were.

Klaus and Elijah were looking over Eva who had yet to wake up. Concerned, Klaus glanced to Amarrah, "Why isn't she waking?" unsure herself, Amarrah gave a big shrug.

"I did everything the spell needed me to," she promised him and raised her hands in solemn swear.

Thankfully, 'Eva' gasped awake then and looked around, exclaiming words only said by Rebekah Mikaelson herself, "Bloody hell!"

"Mummy! Mummy!" cried a young boy of a mere five years old. He was cheering for himself as he picked up his small wooden craft and hurried to where his mother was, "Mummy, look what I did!"

Maleny was helping Laura prepare some sort of spell when the boy arrived and tugged on her dress for her to look down. She chuckled and mishapen craft he held, "And what is that supposed to be, Nicolas?"

"Like the stars!" he happily replied and waved it in the air, "Like the one daddy made!"

"I think you could compete with him, you know," Maleny knelt down in front of him, "He used to make a lot of these but I don't think they were ever as good as yours."

Nicolas crinkled his nose and declared, "You are lying, Mummy," he accused, "But I don't care because I'm going to get better and then I will compete with daddy and win him!"

Maleny chuckled again, "Of course you will, sweetheart."

"Do you think maybe Ma-"

"Maleny?" Laura whispered suddenly, causing Maleny to glance at the woman, "Don't you think it's time to tell him that-"

Maleny knew where Laura was heading and tried to hurry Nicolas towards the doors, "Nicolas, go outside and play with your-"

"Maleny," Laura said again, "Six years of age is coming and you know what that means. It's time to reveal the truth."

Maleny knew exactly what that meant. And knowing what was to come of her made her eyes fill with tears again, the only thing stopping her from bursting into sobs was her son still happily babbling on to himself about his wooden creation.

Back in the compound, Rebekah was explaining to Klaus and Amarrah the reason for her choosing to stay in Eva's body - she needed to help resurrect Kol. Along with that existed the fact the children used in the spell by Eva were still linked to the body and if Rebekah were to leave it they would all die, including Davina.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Amarrah couldn't help ask three times in a row, "Because I assure you I can do the spell."

Rebekah smiled and shook her head, "I need to help get Kol back and being in this body can help me do it. Is that a problem?" she asked, more for Klaus than anyone else.

"Of course not," he replied rather fast, "Keep your promise to Kol."

Rebekah rolled her eyes, almost amused at his impatience. They all knew what he was waiting for and it was frankly novelty to see him excited for something that didn't involve the death of someone.

"I should warn you that I can't do the spell until Maleny has woken up from her dream coma," Amarrah told Klaus, as if reading his mind she smirked, "So quit waiting for that to happen tonight."

"Simply because you are friends with Maleny does not mean I won't hesitate to hurt you," Klaus replied with, narrowing his eyes at the unaffected woman.

"Actually it kind of does - hurt friend," she gestured to herself, "means mad Maleny, and made Maleny equals shouting at Klaus which really has no happy ending you see."

Rebekah watched the exchange of sarcasm with a chuckle. She grabbed Amarrah's arm and gently pulled her away from Klaus, "C'mon, we have a lot to work on since you're going to help me practice this magic stuff."

"I am?" Amarrah made a face as she started to walk away with her.

"Did I forget to mention to that?"

"Uh, yeah!"

"Well there you have it!"

Klaus rolled his eyes at the two and headed out of the lounge room, intending on staying with Maleny for the night until she woke up. He bumped into Hayley instead just outside in the corridor.

"I can't find Freya," Hayley announced as soon as she saw it was Klaus, "She disappeared over an hour ago."

"Let her," Klaus shrugged and started for Maleny's room when Hayley called again.

"You know, if you're going to want her to help us you're going to have to be a little nicer."

"I reserve that notion for people I deem likable and I've yet to decide on her status."

Hayley rolled her eyes and walked up to him, "That woman is here to help us. If she wanted to do more harm she would not have stayed here to look after your comatose girlfriend," and at that small insult Klaus nearly lost it but Hayley was guilty enough to retract from it, "I'm sorry - you know what I meant. You need to trust a little more to get people on our side. You lost one kid, you wanna lose the second one?" she knew those were harsh words but it was the only way to get the message through to someone like him.

However, Klaus didn't reply due to familiar noises not too far away from him and Hayley.

"Klaus?" Maleny stood just at the doorway of her room, looking fragile and weary. Her mind was buzzing with new memories and new feelings while her body screamed for her to go lie down again. But, there was one thing that overpowered it all, and as Klaus quickly returned to help her, she voiced it outloud, "I saw him," she breathed and clung onto Klaus like her life depended on it, "I saw Nicolas…"

~ 0 ~

"Mal, you really ought to get back to bed," Klaus told the brunette as she took a seat in the lounge's couch.

Though clearly needing more rest, Maleny had refused to go back to her room, claiming she was tired of being there. She looked at him with a smirk, "If I had a dollar for every time you used that one on me in my lifetimes I'd be rich enough to own the Quarter."

"And that's how I know you're getting back to normal," Klaus dismissed the comment with a roll of his eyes and joined her on the couch.

As soon as he did, Maleny turned to him with that big smile of hers, "Klaus, I saw him. I saw our son. He was…" she couldn't find the word to describe Nicholas as much as she wanted to, "...beautiful," she settled for.

The revelation still seemed to put Klaus on edge. The idea of having a son with Maleny was more than shocking enough, but now to have clear proof of it was something else. But for Maleny the stage of shock had passed with all that she saw. In her excitement she got up and started to describe what she saw of Nicolas, "He looks like you! He has your hair, your eyes and your crafting skills - well that last one was in developmental stages cos he was - oh," in her excitement she had overused what little strength she had left and stumbled.

"Mal," Klaus has gotten up fast and caught her by the waist, "this is why you need to go to your room and rest."

Maleny shook her head in refusal, "You have to hear more. Please?" she insisted softly, looking up at him with pleading blue eyes that reminded him who was really in charge there unfortunately.

With a deep sigh, he settled them back on the couch, refusing to let her go for another of those excitement moments that could very well have her falling to the ground. It didn't look like she minded too much sitting on his lap as she comfortably snuggled closer to him and rested her head over his chest.

"You should have seen him," she said again, her voice laced with the tiredness she was refusing to fall under, "I only saw certain memories up until he was five. But he was amazing."

"Tell me then," Klaus suggested, wishing he could see for himself those images. Since they were barely resurfacing in her mind they wouldn't be too clear to view. Besides, her mind was probably weary already after so many new memories had resurfaced.

"He was incredibly smart," began Maleny.

"Well, he clearly had somewhere to get it from," Klaus cleared his throat and earned a whack on the chest, making him laugh.

"Nicolas was a little copy of you when you were a boy, I remember it. He wanted to show everyone his little crafts. When he got a tantrum, which were often, he would turn into this fierce little boy."

"I...don't know where he could have gotten that from," Klaus feigned innocence as he looked around the room.

"You cannot deny he is your son,' Maleny playfully joked, "Not with that awful temper binding you two together. But it was okay, because it reminded me of you during that time. Thanks to a brief friend I made, the witches only allowed me six years of his life to before I was to be killed."

Klaus held her tighter, the bile of guilt rising within, "I'm sorry for not being there."

Maleny looked up at him, not at all sad, "I don't care. I'm happy right now, I got to see Nicolas and now I know I want him back faster than ever. I want to see how he's grown - I want him here with his little sister, and with his family where he belongs."

Taking her hand into his, Klaus said, "And he will come back to us, I promise. I know I make those promises and rarely come through but this time it will happen. You will see your son again, Mal."

Maleny smiled, "I know it. I don't know why you always act like you fail me so much. Partially it's my fault for never keeping my nose out of trouble."

"Well, that would make things a lot simpler I can't deny…"

Maleny chuckled and once again looked up at him, "But that wouldn't be me, and you don't want that other me, right?"

Klaus gave her a long look, and while the face he was looking at wasn't hers, he still felt beguiled by her beautiful features of within, "I want my Mal who never listens to me."

"And I want my bad-tempered hybrid," she replied back and as seconds ticked by Klaus watched her smiles fade and a distant look take over her eyes.

"What is it, Mal?"

Maleny looked away from him as she felt another memory try to come through but she lost it just as fast as it had come up, "It's just...I feel like there's something important I didn't get to see – like there was something else to the story."

"Like what?" Klaus took that as a red alert. Anything not remembered had proven to be dangerous or at the very least agitating for them later on.

"I don't know," Maleny sadly said, "But I just know it's important…"

For the moment, Klaus would let it slide. He rubbed her arm up and down and kissed her hair, "Perhaps it will come to you later."

"Perhaps…" Maleny whispered and rested her head on his shoulder, choosing to relish in their moment instead. She was actually very tired, but she didn't want to be anywhere Klaus wasn't at. Besides, the memory would probably resurface later on. And if it didn't, it probably wasn't that important.

She was wrong.

Early 11th century.

A grand party was being celebrated in the Velden residence for one of the nobles. Everything was going as planned with the celebration until one of the double doors was flung open by a guard who was thrown inside. The music stopped and the guests looked upon the guard who was definitely dead on the ground. It appeared he had blood oozing from his neck. Just like that came two more guards that shared the same injuries.

"Mmm," the nobles heard coming from the doors.

"Who's there?" One of the Velden nobles demanded as guards from the room came to the opened door, "I demand you show yourself."

"Wow, that is delicious," they heard a young English woman's voice and a couple seconds later she walked in holding a guard by the neck.

The sight of her was appalling yet no one dared to move. Her fangs were displayed for all to see, and the trail of blood led down to her neck and parts of her tattered dress.

"Nobles always do have a better taste," she declared. She let the guard drop to the floor and opened her arms in a very familiar way, "Well, don't let the celebration stop - I do like to be honored."

"What in heavens sake are you?" the same noble from before asked.

"One very special woman, sir," the woman could almost promise. As her tongue licked off the blood from her fangs, her hand pushed back strands of her long, black hair, "I believe you know my mother? She was one of you, you know - Iris Velden?" She watched with satisfaction as the crowd went in awe and confusion. "And my, my it has taken me a long time to find you all. But now that I am here, I expect to be welcomed. If not, well…" she pretended to flick something off her nail, "...that's one catastrophe I won't be happy to cause."

"Iris Velden disappeared more than 10 years ago," the noble declared, still meaning to be brave but it was crumbling quick.

"Oh yes, and for very awful reasons," the woman wickedly smiled, "But I am here because if I cannot find my brother nor my father, then I shall have to make a home for myself in the meantime. This will be my home now," she walked forwards, "My name is Marlenie Velden - well," she smiled to herself in thought, "That shall be my name to the outsiders. In here," she gestured to the room, "You will address me by my true name: Marlenie Mikaelson."

Author's Note:

THIS was the second twist I was waiting so badly to release! Haaaa, did you guys think that one was coming? Twins? Well, even if not, I present to you the Mikaelson twins - Nicolas & Marlenie ;). (Marlenie being pronounced as Mar-leh-nee'. The middle 'e' is a short 'eh' sound!

[saiilorstars]

Ch.4:  Shadows of the Past

Current Story Masterlist  // Previous story // Maleny’s Masterlist

Pairings: Klaus x OFC || Elijah x Cami  

Pronunciation of OC’s name: Ma-leh-nee

Taglist: @arrthurpendragon​​ @anotherunreadblog​​ @transformerfan97​​ @stareyedplanet​​ @antonybridgertons​​ @foxesandmagic​​​​​​

If you’d like to be a part of this OC’s work/edits, let me know!

Lucien was having himself a relaxing drink on his couch, preferring to move on from losses. It had been several weeks since he lost Alexis, and though it was a severe disadvantage not to have the future foretold, he wouldn't dwell on what he couldn't change. The knocks on his door interrupted that relaxing time and with a groan, he got up to go answer.

When he opened the door and found a woman with straight, long black hair and piercing blue eyes he didn't know what to make of it. Marlenie had on a wide smile, because she knew this would be it.

"You haven't changed much," she remarked curiously, taking in the man's appearance.

"Come again?" Lucien frowned.

"I suppose you wouldn't remember me," Marlenie continued without problem. "We met briefly and when we did you only did it to feed off me." Lucien furrowed his brow, confused and without much patience to learn what she was talking about. "And you didn't even bother to make sure I actually died. Well, I let bygones be bygones, but now I require your help."

"And why the hell would I consider helping a stranger?" Lucien scoffed, but Marlenie remained unfazed. She took his drink and walked right in, proving she was of his sireline which did slightly ease him if he had to admit.

"Because, as you can see, I am no enemy of yours in this sireline war." Marlenie turned around to face him, smirking as she took a sip of his wine. "I want to find my father and I have a very good notion that you know where he is in this ridiculously packed city."

Lucien raised an eyebrow, closing the door behind him. "And how would I know?"

Marlenie's smirk widened. "Because, he's our very sire — Klaus Mikaelson."

~ 0 ~

Klaus and Elijah were returning to the compound and discussing all they had learned in the previous weeks. New things would surly arise and both needed to be up to speed and on the same page for their planned attacks.

"So, my first sired wants to kill you. Yours wants to kill me," Klaus rolled his eyes at such a lack of surprise. "Makes you regret turning vampires in the first place."

Elijah sighed. "Well, the division of labor seems crystal clear — two of them, two of…" But he trailed off when he and Klaus saw an unusual sight in the courtyard.

"Hello, nice to see you're back," Maleny sat on a chair, one leg crossed over the other, and waving one folded letter in her hand.

In between her and the brothers was a young woman lying over a bed of lavender sprigs with her wrists slashed. Poetic in a way, of course that was to match a very poetic letter...

"Maleny…?" Klaus took a step towards the dead woman, stunned. This wasn't at all like her...

"What, you don't think I did this?" Maleny scoffed loudly. "I'd have to be dead, first of all. No," she dramatically sighed. "I found this sight after coming back from Amarrah's. Oh, but that's not the best part, you've got a letter my love. Shall I read it?" Before Klaus could say anything, she went ahead and read aloud the contents of the letter.

"Roses are red, lavender is blue. Come find me before I find you."

Maleny lowered the letter and now grimly looked at the hybrid. "She's not much of a poet. Though I must admit her actions are...something completely different."

Klaus came towards her as she got up, chucking the letter behind. "She wants us to find her…" he said shakily, unsure how to take the new event.

"I kind of got the gist," Maleny answered bitterly and walked past him. "I think it goes without saying how uncomfortable this is."

Elijah cleared his throat to grab both's attention. "We are going to need to find her, I'm afraid."

"I never said you shouldn't," Maleny looked between both brothers, but kept a longer look on Klaus. "This is not about me, or us, or anyone else. This is about the bigger picture. So go."

Elijah exchanged a look with Klaus, both nodding in agreement. Elijah took his leave first and would wait nearby. Maleny kept staring at the woman grimly, her expression unreadable. She wasn't going to start a fight, especially now that she knew she had absolutely no right getting upset over past lovers. She hadn't even mentioned the new life she remembered. And she doubted she ever could.

"Mal," Klaus walked to where she stood, visibly nervous. He turned her to face him, cupping her cheek.

"I guess I shouldn't be so surprised she's back," Maleny said, her eyes drifting to the side.

"I don't want you to be overwhelm yourself with this. Let me handle it," Klaus told her to stop her from overthinking things.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Maleny muttered, her eyes gaze shifting to the side. Klaus rolled his eyes and surprised her with a long kiss. Maleny hummed as he pulled back. "I love your persuasion tricks..."

"I am quite charming," Klaus dramatically fixed his jacket, making her roll her eyes.

"Aaaand moment's over. Go," Maleny gestured for him to leave. "I'll distract myself with something…"

Still rather nervous, Klaus stayed where he was. He anxiously awaited for some type of angry burst from her but she remained in place, just sadly smiling. Eventually, he sped off to go find Elijah. Maleny sighed and turned away from the dead woman on the ground, walking to where the letter had landed. She picked it up again and read it over.

"Why do I have this dread-some feeling?" She rubbed her stomach, fearing how the day would go by.

~ 0 ~

Lucien and the newly arrived Marlenie strolled down a festival packed street of the Quarter. In their short time together, Marlenie had jogged Lucien's memory of their rather brief encounter centuries ago, and Lucien wondered if the fact he had practically killed and turned Klaus' daughter would become an issue later. Then again, if he hadn't done it, then Marlenie would be dead so...really Klaus would have to thank him? Right?

Marlenie was intently observing the people and their customs, their shops, their basic everything. She was in awe that this was the place her father had chosen to reside at. She had heard some very 'bad' things about him, mostly that he was probably the most feared vampire among their kind...but really that just made her even more excited to meet him. With her hands behind her back, much like a certain someone, she walked a little faster, turning her head every now and then to observe a new place.

"Do these silly humans find every excuse to party?" she finally made a question. "I hardly ever go to packed places," she glanced back at Lucien with a devious smirk, "I do hate people sometimes."

"This is New Orleans, my dear," Lucien gestured with open arms, "A city that rarely sleeps. Now if you do plan on staying—"

"Oh, I plan to," Marlenie cut him calmly.

Lucien gave her a sharp look. "That's if your story is believed."

"He will believe me," Marlenie seemed to take offense of Lucien's stance. She turned to face him. "Because I know about the one person hardly anyone would know of. She's my insurance."

"And who would that be?" Lucien clearly was having fun time doubting her - it was a rather funny story to him.

Marlenie stayed unfazed by his doubts. "My mother," she answered and continued to walk.

"And who, pray tell, is your mother?" Lucien called after her, fairly curious of the second - or first in technical terms - woman Klaus had managed to impregnate.

"You wouldn't know her," Marlenie said as if it were obvious. For her, her mother was still jumping bodies and never remembering who she was - and her father with no idea left her unprotected.

"Because she's dead?" Lucien had caught up with her.

"My mother is not dead. Currently, she's living in another body as a different person, with no memory of who she really is."

Lucien was left thinking on that statement for about a minute before geniously coming up, "What?"

Marlenie rolled her eyes and crossed the street to go look at a stall selling handmade bracelets. Lucien, having thin patience, stopped her from picking one up. Marlenie instantly glared.

"You came into my home asking me for help, the least you can do is tell me the story," Lucien said sternly.

"If I do then will you bring me to my father?" Marlenie inquired. She had been heavily irritated Lucien withheld the location of Klaus' residence and the only reason she hadn't fought him for it was because...she was clever. Fighting at this point, being so close to finding Klaus, wouldn't get her anywhere but a giant step back.

Lucien swayed his head, feigning thought. "I might be persuaded to."

"You win nothing from keeping me away from him," Marlenie scowled at his childish behavior. "If anything, you would have him trusting you more for bringing his daughter to him. And in this awful sireline war, you need every advantage at your disposal."

"Well," Lucien looked at her as if he were pleasantly surprised, "You definitely have Klaus' mind in that little head of yours. You sound like him."

Marlenie gave half a smile and tilted her head. "I should like to meet the man from whom I inherited this mind, then. Do we have a deal?"

"Fine," Lucien nodded. "So, the mother?"

"She has a name," Marlenie scowled again. "Though at the time she was called Iris Velden - a noblewoman my father met while his family was hiding apparently. I don't know much of the details on that part."

"And you know what her real name was?"

"Of course, she remembered shortly after being taken away."

"Care to share it, then?"

Marlenie smirked and turned away. "It's Maleny Rowan - the village girl my father fell in love with as a human."

She walked towards a different stall, therefore missing Lucien's gaping face behind.

~ 0 ~

It didn't take much for Klaus to find Aurora. She had kept hidden in a perfume shop, the same one she used to send her little letter earlier in the day. She stood across him, making it seem like there was to be a joyous reunion.

"A thousand years," she breathed in awe, "Can it really have been so long? Looking at you now, it feels like yesterday."

Klaus had a scowl plastered over his face, from the moment he saw her it refused to leave. "If yesterday were the apocalypse."

"Are you saying that leaving me felt like the end of the world?"

"Leaving you alive."

Aurora chuckled then pretended to look past him. "I notice Elijah's not with you. Was he reluctant to tag along?"

"On the contrary, he's been calling me incessantly since I ditched him to find you, raving about some ancient secret and the possibility of using your head as a footstool." And frankly, Klaus was not interested to hear it. He merely wanted to find Aurora before she learned of the many people he now held so dear.

A knowing smile spread across the redhead's lips. "Well, I'm sure he would rather have his footstool that have me share that little secret."

"Let me guess- in the time between being with me and seeking refuge in the arms of your brother, you slept with mine?"

"Oh, your accusations are so banal. The truth is, I've never been with your brother. At least, not in the way that you think."

"Why are you here, Aurora?"

Aurora took a minute to answer, but when she did she was on a whole new topic. "The witches here, they celebrate Fête de Cadeau- Feast of Gifts. It made me remember that very intimate gift we gave each other so long ago."

Knowing she spoke of his used-to-be-secret he smirked widely. "You should know my siblings know the truth now. There's no need to blackmail anymore so if that was your purpose in coming here, feel free to exit now."

Although mildly hurt he was discarding what used to be a special memory for them, Aurora, annoyed, declared her main priority. "I am here for the same reason Lucien and Tristan are: to protect my sire. Now, if you'd turned me that night like I'd asked, I would be here to protect you. But, since you didn't, I need to know...where in the hell is Rebekah?"

~ 0 ~

Outside in the festival, Lucien and Marlenie were still conversing, now specifically over the story of Marlenie's parents. "So," Marlenie turned to face the older vampire, "my mother has been forced to jump bodies after being sacrificed to fuel a coven's power. I would imagine she currently inhabits the woman my father has with him now." And afterwards, a threatening glare took over her face.

"Which is another reason I need to see my father now. If I can explain to him the situation then we can work together to save my mother before she is viciously sacrificed yet again."

Lucien rubbed the side of his neck and looked away from her. "Klaus isn't exactly the one to listen to every stranger that comes into his home—"

"I am not a stranger," Marlenie snapped, her voice visibly rising in annoyance. "I am his remaining child and he will listen to me."

"Do you know anything about Klaus?" Lucien gave her a curious look. It appeared Marlenie was behind in news regarding 'her father' from what he gathered.

Marlenie tilted her head, her eyes boring into his. "He is not exactly the easiest to track. For a while he became more of a myth than an actual person. So no, I don't know much about him except for what my mother told me."

"Right...Maleny…" Lucien repeated, still overly stunned of the irony.

Marlenie's eyes narrowed down at the way his voice suddenly changed. Lucien wondered how this could work best for him. Because Marlenie was right, if he were to bring Klaus his long lost daughter, it would score him immense points in his favor. But in his time in the Quarter he learned something quick: get to Maleny first, make her happy, and you would have Klaus' good side for a long while.

"I'll tell you what, Marlenie," Lucien finally spoke up again, suddenly with a bright smile, "Let me ease in the topic to Klaus and when I see it fit I'll take you to him."

Marlenie scrunched her nose in distaste. "Excuse me? I will not wait to be brought to my own father. You have to take me right now."

"I can't do that," Lucien shook his head. "At the moment, Elijah's sireline is in the Quarter, and they're not nice. I bring you into the war zone and you get killed? That wouldn't work for me."

"I am not that younger than you therefore I am far older than those of the Strix." And at the face of surprise Lucien had on, Marlenie explained. "I know of my enemies, and the Strix are very important."

"Then you know I am right. Go back to your place and wait for my call." Lucien didn't wait to see if she agreed. He walked away from her, intent on finding the blonde witch next.

Meanwhile, Marlenie puffed out and crossed her arms, watching after him with narrowed eyes. He wasn't telling her something and she wasn't very patient to wait it out.

~ 0 ~

Back in the perfume shop, Klaus was nearing the end of his thin patience. It only plunged deeper after hearing Aurora was there for Rebekah. "You came all this way to protect Rebekah?" he scoffed. "Bit of a wasted trip, really. Your sire has moved on to greener pastures. So, once again, goodbye," he went for the doors but Aurora, frustrated, shouted after him.

"My fate is bound to hers! I should be allowed to protect her," Aurora argued.

Klaus rolled his eyes and turned back for a minute. "You needn't concern yourself with Rebekah. Besides, I doubt she'd make the same mistake twice."

"The first mistake being...?"

"Ever trusting you."

Aurora was left confused for a moment until he realized he spoke about the manner of her turning. She laughed lightly. "I thought we were past that. You sure didn't seem so perturbed with the idea after our first encounter afterwards…"

Klaus scowled at the insinuation, wanting to hear nothing more of it. The action confused Aurora. It was as if he was regretful of their relationship?

~ 0 ~

In the cemetery, Davina was being celebrated as the regent, and thus being gifted with various gifts by the witches. Unbeknownst to her, Maleny was watching the exchange from across, in silent. She knew Hayley and Jackson were there as well, looking after the teen Regent and she just wanted a glimpse of her old friend in her new job. She hadn't spoken to Davina much after the incident with Kol's ashes and she doubted they would exchange words anytime soon. Standing at a distance was the closest she would get.

"She really looks uncomfortable with all those loud animals," the voice made Maleny jump in her spot. Lucien stood right beside her, feigning interest in the ordeal across them. "Not to mention she probably hates the outfit."

Maleny stared at the man with wide eyes, shocked to find him. "Lucien...what are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same thing about you," he countered. "I thought witches were welcomed into this place. Why are you standing here so lonely?"

Maleny sighed and changed gazes to Davina. "I'm not exactly friends with the Regent anymore. She hates me. So I stand here and just...watch. So let me get back to that, okay?"

"That's not very nice," Lucien shook his head. "I thought we were friends. You know I have been cleared of any suspicions from the murders right?"

Maleny gave him a sideways glance. "My friend Amarrah still thinks it's you."

"And you? What do you think?"

With a deep sigh, Maleny turned to him. She found it was difficult to look him in the eyes after knowing what they...had. She involuntarily swallowed hard, the feelings too overwhelming. "Honestly, I don't know what to think of you anymore." And that was nothing but the plain truth. Her mind was all jumbled up with resurfacing memories she didn't quite want to see.

"My, my, now why is it I can hear your little heart racing all of a sudden?" Lucien asked, amused by the changes of the blonde. He stepped towards her, reaching for her face.

"You need to leave me alone," Maleny mumbled and walked past him. "I don't want to see anyone right now."

Curious of her new cold behavior, Lucien turned and walked after her. "Now why are you mad? Don't tell me you and Nik have had another spat?"

Maleny could not take his mocking laugh and flat out told him, "Aurora is back and Klaus and Elijah are tending to her while I try not to scream out in frustration to the very first person I see."

Several emotions took over Lucien. First, confusion and then surprise, but the most severe one was the rage that filled his dark eyes. "She's back? Why didn't Klaus tell me?" he gritted his teeth and made to walk away this time, apparently to find the redhead himself.

"Don't you dare go after her either!" Maleny found herself shouting after him. She blinked rapidly for a minute, embarrassed by her warning.

Lucien seemed more annoyed but turned back to her anyways. "You know what she did…"

"Yes," Maleny released a big breath. She wondered how she could make it look like her new concern for him was simply out of politeness. "I understand that, but you need to let Klaus sort things out first and—"

"NO!" Lucien abruptly shouted. The blonde gasped and momentarily stayed silent. "Aurora is here and I need to see her—"

"But you shouldn't," Maleny said meekly. No matter what she thought of him and their toxic relationship of the past, she didn't want to see him getting entangled into something bigger. "At least...at least not right now. Please," she suddenly walked up to him, pleading to him, "can you take me to the festival? I think it would do both of us good if we distracted ourselves."

Lucien scoffed at the idea. "No—"

"We are the same," Maleny said softly. "You lost Cecilia to Aurora. And she has the power to take Klaus from me."

Lucien tilted his head, narrowing his eyes at her. "You expect that to work?"

Maleny pursed her lips together, half irritated. "I expect you to take me where I asked. Unless you want me to make up some story to Klaus where you upset me. Your choice."

After a minute of silence, Lucien sighed in resignation. "You are good."

A sneaky smile spread across Maleny's face. "I actually am."

~ 0 ~

Elijah had found Marcel in the now-gym of St. Ann's and was glad to see that Cami wasn't anywhere nearby to listen to what he had to say. He had met with Tristan and accused him of working with someone, clearly both against the Original vampires. Now he needed Marcel's help.

But it appeared Marcel wasn't so willing to give that help. He wasn't very pleased with the recent news of Cami joining the Strix and Elijah not doing anything to keep her away from that group. "Is that all you got? A hunch?" he briefly glanced at the suited Original, pretending to be more interested in a table of equipment beside him.

"I don't do hunches," Elijah snapped, irritated. "I've known Tristan a thousand years. He's not easily shaken, and yet I heard that little weasel's heart pound when I accused him of working with someone, and, strangely, nothing when I mentioned Aurora. He may be telling the truth about that."

"But, he could be hiding something," Marcel finished for him. "So now what? You think I'll just help you? After what you didn't do for Cami?"

"You are mistaken if you think I happily let her join that group," Elijah glared. "But that's the thing, I can't do anything to force her to leave. She told me herself, Marcel. Now if you see another way to make her leave, by all means do it or tell me about it. In the meantime, I need you to do this for me. While Cami may be in control of the Quarter, you're the one with the connections."

Marcel lightly sighed, of course agreeing with the last statement. "Fine. I'll have my people trail your boy. Let's see what they find out."

"Thank you," Elijah nodded civilly.

~ 0 ~

In the perfume shop, Aurora had taken to pricking her index fingertip while babbling on about something irrelevant to the main problem. "You can always catch an insect with the smell of a flower…" she let her blood drip into a perfume bottle then dabbed the newly blooded perfume over her neck. Afterwards, she held it towards Klaus. "But it's the smell of blood that draws a carnivore."

Klaus snatched her wrist and pushed her away. "And what draws a snake?"

Aurora smirked, "Ooh," she backtracked a couple steps, "how you loathe me, so certain I've come to do you harm. Yet, as I recall, we did plenty of harm to each other. And, if I'm not mistaken, we both rather liked it, didn't we? Do you remember what that first time felt like, to be with someone every bit as powerful, as tormented, and as cursed as you?"

It was inevitable for Klaus to consider the answer. As crazy as Aurora was, she did match him in every aspect of their personality and physical aptitude. He had even told Maleny weeks ago, how opposite she was to him. She was gentle, she was soft, and no matter the many times she claimed to 'not be a good person' she would never match the things he had done in his lifetime.

"Yes…" he finally answered, going with the truth for that time.

Aurora took it as something else and smirked. "Look me in the eye and tell me that you haven't thought about what we had every day for the last thousand years."

That one was easy for Klaus. "I haven't," he replied back with an even bigger smirk than hers.

Aurora narrowed her eyes, refusing to believe him. "Do you want to know why I have come? Because after a thousand years of trying to erase your touch, your smell, the taste of your lips... I'm here for you." She walked up to him, leaning closer as if to kiss him when she caught a scent she knew she hadn't been responsible for. She pulled away, tilting her head as a look of curiosity settled over her face. "That's a lovely perfume," she remarked, feigning a smile. "May I know who's the owner so I can acquire it myself?"

"Over my burning corpse," was Klaus answer, which came far too fast and protective for Aurora's taste.

~ 0 ~

Now in the festival, Maleny sat on the edge of a lonesome bench waiting for Lucien to return. She was beginning to regret having asked him to bring her there, like they were the best of friends. Would it be considered cheating? There was certainly not going to be any kissing or hand holding...so it was fine, right?

She just didn't want Lucien meeting with Aurora thinking that because of her 'Cecilia' was forever gone when in reality the real person he had "fallen in love with" was very much alive...and loving another. The churn of her stomach made her feel sick to the bone with guilt. She felt guilty for both men she loved in the past...but it also made her feel torn.

"You might want to at least blink," Rebekah whispered to Maleny who quickly followed the advice and shook her head, blinking rapidly. Rebekah smiled teasingly as they continued to watch her brothers in a pseudo-sword match. They were taking advantage that neither Esther nor Mikael were not around, because if they were Mikael would have put an end to it as soon as it started. In the last moment, Klaus was able to gain a quick upperhand against Elijah and the two brothers laughed, ending it with the winner.

"I would like a chance," Rebekah sighed.

"I think absolutely not," Elijah gave her a warning look, knowing his sister often got with her ideas.

"You would hurt yourself," Maleny agreed and looked back at the two brothers. "I much rather prefer to watch." Rebekah rolled her eyes at the comment, as she assumed Maleny's mind was being once again over-flooded with thoughts on Klaus.

"I rather like it when you do," Klaus came by Maleny, both smiling at each other.

Rebekah mocked a deep sigh and languidly looked around. "Well you have bored me now. I'm going to go see what else I can entertain myself with," she deviously smiled and turned away.

"You should probably go see she doesn't actually do anything," Klaus warned Elijah, but the elder brother knew Klaus could care less what Rebekah was up to. Still, he gave a nod, collected their swords, and went after Rebekah.

"Would you teach me, then?" Maleny innocently asked after they were left alone.

Klaus took a moment to think about her request but was still confused. "I thought you just said you wouldn't want to...?"

"I thought you would like an excuse to hold me," Maleny took on a similar devious smile Rebekah had.

"Very true point," Klaus thought himself stupid for not thinking of that sooner.  Maleny inched closer, gently dragging her fingers along his arm. "And I suppose I could also use it as an excuse to tell you...things..." he discreetly took her hand from his arm and gripped it.

"Ooh, I'm fairly interested to hear those words..." Maleny smiled.

Discreetly, the two made it out from the village in time before Maleny started giggling while Klaus took a hold of her from behind, beginning to tell her those words she so liked to hear in the middle of their first kisses.

Maleny released a breath. "I love you too," she whispered guiltily. She did, she knew she did. But now her mind was truly playing a cruel game as it constantly reminded her of moments with Klaus...and then Lucien.

"Do you know how boring it is to have to listen to my cousin Tristan give speeches all the time?" Cecilia thought it rude but she laughed anyways.

Lucien, walking beside her in a lonely part of the castle, smiled. "Well, I was never one to truly like your cousin, but..."

Cecilia giggled and turned to be in front of him. "Well, you do not have to pretend to like him in front of me."

"Oh, I know," Lucien reached to touch her face. "With you I never have to pretend. I can love freely when I'm with you."

"As can I," Cecilia agreed with a smile. "You are the only one that makes living here bearable."

"Funny," Lucien stroked her cheek, "you do the same for me, my dear Cecilia."

Cecilia's smile widened as he leaned down to kiss her.

Maleny covered her mouth and shut her eyes as she wished hard for the memory to fade away.

What would happen if she told Klaus about the newest life she remembered? The extreme jealousy rage would be the first phase, no doubt. He would shout and throw things, destroy some of them, while he raged. The next phase would no doubt consist of him finding Lucien and killing the poor man for something he hadn't chosen.

And what if she told Lucien? He would react with disbelief at first, reviewing what he thought he knew about Cecilia. That she was dead, that she was murdered by Aurora and probably buried by himself. But when she told him all she now knew about him, he would have no choice to believe it. And then? Well, he would surely get himself into trouble with Klaus by coming in and telling him he loved the same woman.

The two options were eating at her mind, and Maleny felt she couldn't talk about it to anyone. Cami was far too wrapped up with the Quarter's issues, and now the Strix unfortunately. Amarrah was still working hard with Vincent to solve the murder cases. Davina was a clear 'no', and Hayley had to look after Hope and tend to the Regent teen to keep the curse away. Freya? Well, she was Klaus' sister. That ended that.

For the first time in a long time, Maleny felt alone.

"I don't understand what this is supposed to be…" she heard Lucien's voice not too far from her and looked up to see the vampire walking towards her holding a purple smoothie.

A sheepish smile worked its way across her face as she took the smoothie from him. "It's a berry smoothie," she informed while he took a seat beside her. "I like berries," she said before taking a deep drink. Lucien watched as a weird expression took over her facial features. She yelped and rubbed her temple, and so he laughed. "It's not funny," came her weak scold, followed by a whack on the arm. "You'd be the same if you had a brain freeze. Of course, you'd have to be alive first."

"Ooh," Lucien feigned offence as he put a hand over his chest. "That wounded me deeply. Reminding me I have not been alive for centuries."

And while it was meant to be sarcasm, Maleny could see there was more of a meaning behind his words...evidently speaking out of a restless heart. She looked down to her lap, licking her lips nervously. "I didn't mean to cause you pain. I have a mouth that won't stop."

"Wouldn't be the first time I encountered that type of woman," Lucien sighed, straightening on his spot.

Maleny felt worse for making more similar remarks and acts of that Cecilia. That wasn't her plan either, to torture the poor man. "You want to go look at stuff?" she suddenly suggested and jumped to her feet.

"Excuse me?" Lucien looked up, amused by her sudden excitement. "I brought you to the festival like you wanted. Now you want me to take you out to the stalls?"

"Aha," Maleny nodded, innocently sipping her smoothie's straw.

Lucien watched her curiously, genuinely wondering how in the hell a woman like that was, by choice, with someone like Klaus. She seemed too bright, too...fragile. But then again who was he to judge, Cecilia was the same way. With the sense of familiarity again, Lucien found himself agreeing to her request.

~ 0 ~

Aurora, surprisingly, kept her calm attitude as she took several steps around the perfume shop. "I'm not one to openly display jealousy," she remarked, and received a loud scoff from Klaus. "But I am curious to know what little harlot you have in this city."

Klaus angrily sped towards her, grabbing her in a choke-hold as he pinned her against a glass counter. "Choose your next words with care for they will be your last ones before you die."

Aurora gasped, but not from lack of air. She was more exhilarated by the force than anything. "Ooh, such actions. Am I to assume you've taken this one as a pet, then? Your favorite one?"

Klaus' response was plunging his hand through her chest for her heart.

"Kill me now but you will never know the dark secret that has kept us apart for so many centuries," Aurora gripped his arm with the hand near her heart. "Because I promise you as soon as I tell you, you will chuck that other woman to the side and come to me."

Klaus laughed and let her go, stepping back to give her a pitiful look. "Don't make promises that will never come true."

Aurora crinkled her nose, a bit discouraged by this new attitude, but not about to give it up. "Listen to me, Klaus, just listen. Listen to what I have to say and then you will see for yourself why you will ultimately come back to me."

Klaus rolled his eyes, "You are wasting your time—"

"The night you left without me," Aurora, frustrated, interrupted to make her story known. "You didn't even bother to look back."

"Why would I have?" Klaus snapped, taking a step towards her as the rage, and immense pain, filled his heart at the reminder of how the woman had broken him centuries ago. "You said everything you wanted to. And you know, you should count yourself lucky. In a thousand years, only one person has talked to me that way and lived."

"I was rather cruel, wasn't I?" Aurora ignored his anger, still firmly believing it would vanish when she revealed the truth. "Some might say uncharacteristically so."

"What are you getting at?"

"I was not the architect of our heartbreak. In the moments before you asked me to flee with you, I saw your brother...and foolishly I let it slip of the secret you shared with me. When he asked me to tell, I told him I wouldn't betray you, and that true love transcends blood, but he wouldn't listen. He just had one question. He ordered me to speak…"

"And so you told him," Klaus finished for her, his anger, honestly, simmering as the shock took him over. Elijah had to have compelled her or else she probably wouldn't have spoken up.

Aurora's tears welled in her eyes. "I couldn't stop the words flying out of my mouth- words I swore I would never tell to another living soul, about how you killed your mother and blamed your father, and you had to lie to them so that they would flee with you. When you came to see me not minutes later, begging me to go with you, I could not say yes. I had been compelled otherwise. I was to see you for the monster you were. Now I believe it was the first time Elijah experienced the ability to compel, and when he understood what he did, he did not come and undo it."

"So, that's it…?" Klaus blinked with wide eyes, feeling like the air had been sucked out of him. "Elijah's secret?" he could now understand the persistence of Elijah earlier, trying to tell him something. He just never thought it would be something like this.

"Yes. You made him suffer the loss of a mother, and this was his revenge." Aurora had been right about something, his anger for her would vanish. But it didn't mean what she wanted to happen would happen.

His anger, now turned fury, would turn onto another Original.

~ 0 ~

Maleny laughed when Lucien refused to try a sample a nice old woman was trying to give him. She stood at the other end of the stall, trying what looked like salsa, but she was more willing apparently.

"I'm not having it," he rudely told the old woman who, in response, glared and 'hmphd' away. "Humans have the annoying habit of pushing their luck," he muttered afterwards, walking for Maleny.

"Hmm, watch it," she playfully warned as eyes scanned for a new sample to taste, "Need I remind you I am still one of them."

"Yes but you have a talent of being more...less annoying."

"Oh, wow, thanks. I feel so special," Maleny picked up a small bowl of a new kind of salsa, ready to try it. "I think I'll drown my specialness with food."

"I wouldn't do that…"

Maleny rolled her eyes and turned to him, about to make a witty remark but Lucien had been far closer than she imagined and so the two bumped into each other and the bowl of salsa was dumped over Maleny's blouse.

"That's cold!" the blonde screeched and let the bowl crash to the floor.

Lucien hadn't intended on that and openly apologized, which for him really only ever happened with one person - and he took notice of it. "I'm sorry," he tried to help Maleny but she swatted his hands away from her. She wasn't going to let him touch her, especially her blouse!

"No, I got it!" she turned to the stall, calling out for the old woman.

Lucien felt a light pick up of wind behind, and nearly froze when he heard the voice behind speak. "Is this what I was ditched for? Some petty game of flirting with a human?" Marlenie tilted her head at the back of the man, her voice an eerie calm.

Lucien turned to her, for once totally lost on his next move. Marlenie looked past him just as Maleny took the cloth from the old woman and turned to the two. "Can we please go? I'd rather smell like salsa in a bar," Maleny glumly remarked as she wiped at her blouse.

Marlenie's eyes widened as Maleny raised her gaze to the two vampires. But of course, she viewed Marlenie as nothing but a stranger. "Is this a friend of yours, Lucien?" she asked, disinterested.

"Uh…" Lucien scratched his head and looked between the two women who seemed roughly around the same age.

"...yes," Marlenie was the one to answer. Her voice was frail and her eyes were with tears. "What...what are you doing here?"

Maleny arched an eyebrow, slowly answering, "At a festival, clearly. Why are you looking at me like that?"

The way the glossy blue eyes of Marlenie were boring into hers made a strange feeling start in Maleny. She didn't understand what it was, but it didn't make her feel well.

"Wh-what is your name?" Marlenie then asked, needing a final confirmation that the woman standing mere feet from her was…

"It's Maleny, and yours?"

"Marl…" but Marlenie stopped herself from finishing. "Marly. Marly, that's my name." She flickered her eyes to Lucien, immediately suspicious of him again. "How do you know Lucien?"

Maleny coughed awkwardly, briefly answering, "He's a friend of my boyfriend's."

Marlenie's eyes snapped back on the blonde, a sudden fury lacing every last of her facial features. "Boyfriend?" she repeated the word with hatred. Could it be possible that her m-mother spoke about someone else? She was not supposed to be walking around in her original body, it was almost impossible! Could she be walking about with no memory of who she was still? Who it was she truly loved? Who she birthed?

Lucien could see what Marlenie was thinking and before she said something wrong, he stepped in and clarified Maleny's words. "She's the woman of our sire, my dear Marl...Marly, Klaus."

Marlenie slowly softened again, her heart swelling and her lips curling into a wide smile. "Klaus? Really?"

Maleny was becoming uncomfortable with the woman's radical changes of behavior. One moment she seemed upset, the next angry, and now she was happy?

"Yes," Lucien gave Marlenie a hard look warning her to control herself. "So we better treat her right."

Maleny rolled her eyes. "Please tell me now if that's how Klaus is referring to me when he's with you people. Because if it is, I'll slap him."

Marlenie immediately chuckled at such a joke she knew only her mother would make. "I like your sense of humor, Maleny." Saying her mother's name, to her mother, was a feeling so indescribable, yet so memorable.

"Thanks," Maleny nodded, momentarily studying her. "You have pretty eyes."

Marlenie smiled, her hand slowly reaching near her eyes. "Thank you. I got them from my father, apparently. And your hair…" her smile widened, recalling that her father, apparently, would always compliment her mother's hair with, "...it's such pretty hair."

Maleny liked the compliment and ran a hand down her blonde hair. "Thanks, that's what my boyfriend says. So," she looked between Marlenie and Lucien, "you both are part of Klaus' sireline, then? Are you here to protect him as well?" she asked of Marlenie.

"You can say that," Marlenie nodded. "Do you think I can see him?" it was a difficult struggle not to sound so excited.

"Look, he's not exactly fond of being 'protected'. He's not even happy this guy's here," Maleny chucked a thumb to Lucien.

"Well," Lucien feigned offense at the comment and looked away.

"I'd still like to see him," Marlenie meekly insisted.

Maleny then sighed, setting the cloth on the stall counter. "To be honest, so would I. But he's a bit busy with…" she took in a breath, just the idea of Klaus being in the same room with Aurora put her into a dangerous anger. Marlenie could see that her mother was troubled by something, and had it not been for her incredible resistance she would have asked about it. Maleny soon shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled at the two vampires. "I'm going to go see if I can find a new blouse around here for cheap," she looked down at her stained covered blouse.

"Here," Lucien pulled out his wallet and began taking out a couple of bills.

"I am not taking money from you!" Maleny exclaimed, sounding offended by the gesture.

"I would have figured since it was technically my fault you would be more open to the idea," Lucien said, honestly surprised.

Maleny thought about for a minute before swiping the money from his hands. "Good point. I expect drinks after this too."

"I more or less knew you would," Lucien playfully rolled his eyes. Maleny chuckled and went off to find her a blouse.

Marlenie, dumbfounded, watched her mother leave and suddenly punched Lucien on the arm. "Why are you flirting with my mother!?" she glared openly, and frankly a little darkly. "She's with my father if you forgot!"

"Who, you should know, is spending quality time with his ex," Lucien bitterly replied back.

Marlenie stepped back, narrowing her eyes. "What?"

"Aurora de Martel, the first sired of Rebekah Mikaelson has just arrived today. Klaus is currently with her."

"You're lying," Marlenie scowled, her voice slightly softening.

"You could discreetly ask Maleny about it and see for yourself. By the way, any particular reason you didn't tell her who you were?"

"I wasn't expecting her to be...her," Marlenie sighed. "Now it's more complicated. She doesn't remember us. And why is she…" it seemed like she was deeply disturbed suddenly, "...still mortal?"

Lucien widely smiled, almost mocking. "Perhaps Klaus is unwilling to turn her because he does not think it would be worth it?"

Marlenie reacted fast and sped him to a wall of a street. She curled her hand around his neck and gritted her teeth. "You would do well not to speak badly about my parents. I may look like a nice little girl but I assure you I fight like a right terror," she gripped her hand on his neck and pushed him again. "I may not know how my parents may be today, but I know they love each other. You will not persuade me to believe otherwise."

Unimpressed with her, Lucien pried her hand from his neck and stepped off the wall. "You are such a small thing to hold all this rage. Might I suggest you out it towards the real cause? Preventing our sireline's demise."

Marlenie glanced back towards the festival, quickly scanning the area until she found Maleny at a stall, curiously looking through blouses. "For right now, I only want to spend an afternoon with my mother. If I cannot see my father today, then I will spend my first day here with my mother. I want to learn everything about her, how she broke the curse, what she remembers...how she and my father are doing. Everything."

"Slow it down, princess," Lucien forced her to turn back to him. "Need I remind you if you choose not to tell her who you are, you can't expect to have some deep conversation with Maleny. She's smart, she'll know you're up to something."

Marlenie ignored him in favor of her mother. She walked towards the blonde who was looking between two blouses, a pink and turquoise one. "Oh, neither of those are pretty," Marlenie clicked her tongue and looked at the other blouses hanging.

"I'm trying not to be picky," Maleny sheepishly said. "I just want something that doesn't smell like tomatoes and chili."

Marlenie hummed as her fingers tapped along her cheek, her blue eyes jumping from one blouse to another. "Doesn't mean you can't look for something nice. Trust me," she flashed Maleny a proud smile, "I'm a designer."

Maleny cocked an eyebrow, about to say 'yeah right' but the woman was centuries old, and much like Lucien, had probably gotten to where she was due to her vampirism. In the end, her shoulders shrugged and motioned for Marlenie to do her thing. As she did, Maleny curiously studied the dark-haired vampire.

Something about her made Maleny feel odd, almost uneasy. Before she knew it, she found herself remarking, "You're awfully young."

Marlenie glanced sideways to smile warmly. "You and I both know it's only an appearance. I'm nearing my thousand years now."

"I know," Maleny nodded, "but I meant that when you turned you must have been what? Twenty?"

Marlenie looked back to the blouses, a little more quiet now. "Round there."

"That's a really young age. May I ask why you turned?"

"I didn't turn by choice..." Marlenie paused, debating if it was a good idea specifying how she had been turned. For now it would only sadden Maleny, but what would happen when she found out it was her daughter's story?

Maleny assumed by her sudden silence that she had overstepped her boundaries. "You don't have to. I...I have a way of...saying things I shouldn't. Sorry."

"It's alright," Marlenie waved off the subject and pulled out a nice white blouse with short sleeves. "How about this? I like what it does to your eyes."

Maleny took the blouse and gave it a once over before nodding. "Yeah, it's fine. You do have good taste."

Marlenie chuckled. "Thank you. Shall we pay and go get those drinks you wanted?"

"You want to spend the day with a human trying to escape problems?" Maleny chuckled herself now. "I mean, you don't have to. Lucien has to because I'm his ticket to Klaus' good side. He thinks I don't know that's his plan," she gave a light snort, "Men are idiots."

Marlenie narrowed her eyes at the slightly smaller blonde. "You're a sneaky one."

"When you live with vampires as long as I have, you have to learn how to be sneaky," Maleny waved the blouse and went off to go pay, leaving Marlenie to ponder of her mother's new demeanor.

She concluded she very much liked it.

~ 0 ~

Elijah was back in the compound waiting for word on Marcel task. He had expected to find Maleny around but when she didn't appear, he assumed she'd gone out to distract herself. If only he could do the same.

Just as he finished leaving Klaus another voicemail, Marcel walked into the courtyard.

"Yep. We got a problem," was his declaration.

With a resigned sigh, Elijah turned to meet him. "Well?"

"My guy stayed on Tristan's tail all day. Followed him to this place called the Candide Royale. He goes in, never comes out. So, he's obviously using it as a way to get to somewhere."

"How and where?"

"The building has hidden passageways leading out the back. Now, bootleggers used them in the '20s to run booze to a secret storehouse on Dauphine, and you'll never guess who just bought that storehouse. Kingmaker Land Development, owned by one Lucien Castle. Now, that sure as hell isn't a coincidence. Either they're brokering some kind of truce…"

Elijah was honestly surprised, and a little mad at himself for not thinking about it sooner. "...Or, they've been working together the whole time."

~ 0 ~

"You've had a thousand years to tell me of Elijah's betrayal. Why now?" Klaus was still having trouble resigning to the harsh betrayal of his brother. Coming from Aurora, he was justified to.

"Well, there's never been a prophecy witch spelling all our doom until now!" Aurora frantically flapped her arms, making look like it should have been obvious.

Seeing she had knowledge of the now dead witch, Klaus curiously asked, "What do you know of her?"

"I know I killed her," Aurora, unperturbed, answered. "My brother told me of her prophecy, but I needed to see her for myself. And what did she show me? The clan Mikaelson destroyed, including my sire. And I believed her. But, a dangerous toy in dangerous hands must be removed, so I poisoned her. And now, I'm going to change the future she saw."

"By turning me against the only brother I have left."

"The prophecy said that you would fall one by friend, by foe, and by family," Aurora listed off her fingers then gave him a narrowed look. "Have you thought of who that family might be? 'Cause it might just be the one closest to you."

Her words rang a truth in Klaus' mind.

~ 0 ~

Still at the festival, Lucien stood on the sidelines watching a group of musicians playing across the street. When he smelt the familiar scent of, well, berries, he gave a mere clear of his throat and continued to watch the musicians.

Maleny had now changed into the white blouse Marlenie picked up for her. She had only come to find Lucien for their drinks. But now that she saw how interested Lucien appeared to be with the musicians, she became curious. "Do you play anything?"

"I hate it," was Lucien's answer, sounding bitter and a most hateful towards it.

"Well, I love it," Maleny declared, much more cheerful. "Back in my village I used to love watching our musicians. I loved the tunes they managed to play with such simple instruments. The melodies are so interesting and so much fun to dance to."

"Yes," Lucien sighed, and Maleny noticed his tone shift to that familiar melancholy one.

She turned and stared at him. "Have I said something I shouldn't have?"

Lucien raised his look that turned sour all of a sudden. "You have this amazing ability to remind me of her…"

The guilt flashed in her eyes and so Maleny looked down before he could see it. "I'm...sorry."

"Cecilia loved the music," Lucien glanced back at the musicians. "Like you said, the melodies are interesting and fun to dance to. She loved it all…"

"I'm sure you had nice dances," Maleny tried to uplift the mood.

Lucien scoffed instantly. "Are you forgetting who I was back then? Who she was?"

"U-um…"

"It was impossible to ever have a dance together, a real one anyways…" Lucien sighed deeper, berating his mind silently for the flashes of memories he was beginning to remember.

It was night time and in the De Martel castle there was a fun evening party. The noblemen and women were dancing to the tunes played by the Count's musicians. Others were still eating and the rest were merely talking. Cecilia de Ark stood on the sidelines of the dancing area, staring in awe. She wanted to go out there, but there was not anyone she really wanted to dance with.

"My lady," Lucien appeared behind the table she was standing by. Cecilia looked back, looking as if the evening had just gotten better. Lucien looked out to the dancing guests. "Will you not dance tonight?"

Cecilia shook her head. "I shouldn't think so. The music is great but I wish to dance only with you."

Lucien warmly smiled at her. "What I would give to have a dance with you, Cecilia."

Cecilia pushed some of her hair from her face and smiled back. "Do you know how to dance?"

"Um, well...not exactly…" at the nervousness Lucien displayed, Cecilia giggled. "I never had the time to, you know...learn."

Cecilia sobered from her giggle and discreetly stepped back until they were side by side. Lucien was startled when he felt her hand taking his behind their backs. Cecilia looked at him with a soft smile. "I would gladly help you."

"The chances of that are almost impossible, my lady," Lucien gripped her hand, and now both sadly stared back to the dancing guests.

Maleny was overwhelmed with guilt and, almost frantically, told him, "We need drinks, now! Marly got a head start to Rousseau's, I only came to get you. C'mon."

Feeling for a drink himself, Lucien gave in and the two walked away to meet with Marlenie.

~ 0 ~

Aurora was satisfied to see the rage Klaus had first shown towards her now fading away from his eyes. She only needed to wait perhaps a night or so for him to come back to her. "I've given you much to think about," she began, walking towards him. She reached for his jacket's lapels, intending to tug him closer but he pushed her hands off him. Irritated nonetheless, she bid goodbye. "I'll leave you to work through-"

Klaus grabbed her and sped her to a shelf, shoving her back to it. Aurora remained calm, expecting something more or less like that from him.

"Go to Elijah," she said. "Ask him yourself. I suspect you know what you will find. And, when you do, come find me. See who's really on your side." It was she who took the first leave from the shop.

Klaus stood there, alone, unable to understand so much...betrayal. He was shocked, he was furious, and he was hurt. Well, he wouldn't stay like that for much longer.

~ 0 ~

In the compound, Elijah was having himself a drink at the bar, basically waiting for Klaus to come home and reproach him. He knew better than to expect Aurora to keep quiet.

"She told you," he spoke up as soon as he felt Klaus' presence in the room. "How convenient, to voice this ancient grievance in the very moment we need to stand united against our enemies."

"You speak to me of enemies when the greatest traitor of my life stands before me," Klaus half-shouted before speeding up to him and shoving him fave first to the shelf of bottles. In the attempt, the wooden counter broke into pieces as well. As Elijah got up, Klaus took opportunity and kicked him in the chest, forcing him back down.

Once Elijah finally made it to his feet, he was punched several times on the face. Elijah recovered more or less fast and quickly made his retaliation by headbutting back. Klaus snatched him by the neck and pinned him against the balcony rail. Elijah managed to get a punch in so hard that Klaus went backwards and fell on his knees. Elijah reached out and grabbed him by the back of his coat to smash him on your the coffee table. As Klaus recovered, Elijah unbuttoned his jacket, foreseeing quite the fight.

"What you did to me - you set my course!" Klaus accused in a loud roar.

"What does it matter now?" Elijah snapped, unable to comprehend the necessity for a fight over a woman that didn't matter anymore. "Maleny is the one you care about, have you forgotten?"

"Do not bring her into this!" Klaus snapped, even more angry Maleny was being used as a ploy to subside his fury. "This is not about her, this is not about Aurora, this is about what you did to me."

"I protected you!" Elijah argued back. "I protected our family. Aurora was the sister of a lunatic, and a powerful lunatic at that! Father was in pursuit. What was I supposed to do, Niklaus? And despite every one of your despicable deeds, I alone have always stood by you."

"And why is that? Guilt," Klaus lunged for Elijah to begin a new fight, one he intended on winning at.

~ 0 ~

"You are not drinking that," Marlenie swiped a glass off the bar counter, the glass filled with bright yellow fluid, before Maleny could reach for it.

Maleny pouted, no longer in her full five senses. "Hey…"

Marlenie pulled the drink further away, exchanging a look with Lucien who sat on Maleny's other side, before deciding to drink it herself. "Oh, just as well, this is disgusting," she crinkled her nose afterwards.

Maleny groaned and turned her stool towards the other customers of the bar. "You suck. Here I am trying to not rip someone's head off because of my jealousy, and you're not letting me drink a lousy glass of alcohol?"

"There are other, more productive ways, to expel jealousy," Marlenie chuckled, surprised she was handling it with amusement. But she saw her mother wasn't worrying as much so why should she?

"Good point," Maleny nodded, pursing her lips while she thought of something else. "I want to dance! Can I do that?"

"Sure, if you want to Klaus to come and rip off the head of whomever you're dancing with," Lucien muttered as he drank down another glass.

Maleny rolled her eyes and leaned on the counter. "Like I give a damn. I deserve a free pass. I want to dance," she hopped off her stool and turned to Marlenie and Lucien. "Actually, I wanted to drink a little more, buuuut…"

"Not happening," went Marlenie and Lucien together.

"Vampires are annoying," Maleny grumbled to herself as she turned for the dancing area.

Marlenie accepted another drink from the bartender and turned her stool to watch her mother dance. Lucien also took another drink and lightly sighed. "Aren't you going to follow?" he asked.

"Nah, I don't do dancing," Marlenie shook her head. Lucien rolled his eyes and downed his drink. Marlenie watched the action with amusement. "Easy there, you'll get properly drunk quicker than my mother."

"I'm simply following into Maleny's game. I'd like to forget that the woman who murdered my love is in the same city as I am," Lucien gripped the glass in his hand.

Marlenie's eyebrows raised upwards. "Quite the tragic story."

"Says the woman who lost her parents to some curse and lived alone for centuries."

Marlenie, now irritated, scowled. "That wasn't an insult I was trying to make."

"Like I care," Lucien put down his glass and pulled out a couple bills to cover the drinks. "I'm done here," he declared as he got up from his stool.

"Where are you going?" Marlenie turned her stool as he walked past her.

"Home, before I rip someone's head off," Lucien snapped. "You don't need me, darling. There's your mother," he gestured with a hand towards Maleny who was nearing closer to them.

Marlenie scowled but let him go. He was right, she didn't need him anymore. Why should she care if he left? Now less annoyed, she returned to her drinks. However, before Lucien actually left, Maleny caught him by the arm.

"Where are you going?" she pouted at him.

"Home. I'm done playing babysitter," Lucien harshly shook her hand off his arm.

The remark took Maleny by surprise, and soon took offense. "I-I didn't mean to make you feel like a babysitter…"

Lucien stared at her, confused. She was acting far too serene for someone who literally forced him to talk in an interrogation room. But her big blue eyes were boring onto him, and its way was strikingly familiar.

"Instead of going home to brood because of that stupid redhead, stay and dance," Maleny persisted yet again, but didn't touch him anymore. "I promise I'll tell Klaus all about how you took good care of me," she giggled. "Okay, so maybe you are like a babysitter."

"This is supposed to make me stay?" Lucien cocked an eyebrow at her, although he did have to admit she was beginning to amuse him.

"No, the dancing is!" Maleny yanked him from the door.

"I don't do dancing, I already told you," Lucien groaned but nonetheless allowed her to lead him away.

"And I don't care!" Maleny declared and turned to him wearing a smirk. "You're doing it and that's that!"

Any other moment perhaps Lucien would've outright refused, but he was transported to a similar memory of his past.

"Cecilia?" Lucien called as soon as he got into her bedroom chamber.

She was already waiting for him at the edge of her bed. "I'm here," she chuckled and got up. "You, however, are late."

"Apologies, but being who I am does not allow me to leave my work as I would wish," Lucien sighed as he walked up to her.

Cecilia's smile faded at the remark. She draped her arms around his neck. "Do not belittle yourself, please," she requested softly. "You are an honest man, who works for a living."

"I stopped being honest the moment I turned, my dear," Lucien corrected quietly. "And though I work for a living, it does not matter if I am not a noble person like you. Being who I am will never allow me the privilege to marry you. Or," he gave a bitter chuckle, "to have something as simple as a dance with you."

Cecilia traced her fingers over his cheeks. "You know very well the moment you ask me to run away with you I will. The minute you ask me to tell everyone who I love, I will. You are stronger than them, Lucien. You shouldn't feel inferior to them. You are unique."

"Leave it to Cecilia de Ark to make a beast feel loved," Lucien dramatically sighed, making her chuckle. He pepper-kissed her face and she laughed louder.

"Stop it! Stop it!" she swatted him away. "I wanted to remedy our dancing problem."

"How so?" Lucien curiously asked her.

"It's quite simple actually. Dance with me," Cecilia requested, once again wrapping her arms around his neck. "Please?"

"There's no actual music, Cecilia," Lucien sighed. He appreciated her attempt but it simply wasn't the same.

"Oh, just do it!" Cecilia playfully scolded him.

"But-"

"It's don't care. You're doing it and that's that!"

In the end, Lucien chuckled and gave in. "As my lady wishes."

Marlenie thanked the bartender for another drink and looked out to find her mother. She was more than surprised to find Lucien was still there, and dancing with Maleny! It was actually quite amusing at first, to see a half drunk Maleny attempting to uplift the thousand years old vampire.

"You are horrible at this!" Maleny giggled as Lucien whirled them around. "How could a vampire be so awful at dancing!?"

Lucien rolled his eyes. "You're not very nice…"

"It's not my fault you're God awful at this! Thank Lord you have good looks or you'd be lost!"

The familiar spark happened again.

Entranced, Lucien pulled her towards him. "Why are you so familiar to me?" he whispered.

Maleny curiously looked up at him, swallowing hard. She was well aware this would be considered bad, and she wanted none of it. "N-n-n-no," she shook her head and pushed him away. "I...I should go. Th-thank you for spending your day with me. I...I...bye," she hurried on out before Lucien said a word.

Marlenie jumped out of her stool and hurried up to Lucien who was still slightly out of it. "What just happened?" she demanded, fairly angry.

"I would be lying if I said I knew," Lucien shrugged, scratching his head.

"Where did she go!? She can't leave me! Take me to her please!" Marlenie begged and started pulling him for the doors, desperate to follow after her mother.

"Oh calm down," Lucien harshly yanked her back. "Let her go back. Your parents are probably going to need a word with each other after Klaus returns from his day with Aurora. I don't think it will be a place for kids."

Marlenie pushed his hand off her and crossed her arms, still struggling to relax. She didn't want to wait more when she had her mother with her for an entire afternoon. She was so very close, and yet she still had to wait?

~ 0 ~

Maleny was coming into the courtyard rather slowly, and a little stumbling due to her excess of drinks. However, when she heard the violent sounds of smashing and shouts, it all subsided. Recognizing the voices, she ran further inside the courtyard and screamed as she ducked abruptly, barely dodging the incoming piece of table flying in her direction. Her presence stopped Klaus and Elijah in the middle of fight.

As Maleny got back to her feet, she took notice of the aggressive dishevelment state the compound was in...not to mention the state of the two brothers.

"Can either of you explain what is going on here?" Maleny walked up to the two, grabbing Elijah's arm that bore a nasty hybrid bite. "Klaus, I'm fairly interested here."

Klaus took a long stare at her, lightly sniffing the air she came in with. "You've been drinking," he said.

Maleny threw him at sharp glare. "And you saw your ex. Don't keep at this game because you will lose. Explain. Now."

Elijah cleared his throat, expectantly glancing at Klaus for him to explain. "Well, brother?"

Klaus glared right back at him. "I will not take the blame for something not remotely my fault! You forced Aurora to break my heart. You are the architect of that ending!"

Maleny blinked, clearing her throat right afterwards. "You're...you're fighting...over her?" her voice was a mix of shock and pain. "Aurora, is the reason our home is destroyed?"

"Maleny, you misunderstood," Klaus began but she cut him off sharply.

"Really? So, you didn't bite your brother because of the demon woman?" she asked but didn't wait for him to answer. "You didn't break tables and…" she walked past them to the bar room, "...the bar over her!?"

"No," Klaus shook his head, but Maleny scoffed loudly and turned back to the two.

Maleny's eyes flickered to Elijah, her voice low yet dangerously full of growing rage. "Elijah, you tell me what happened. Tell. Me. Now."

Elijah exchanged a look with Klaus before answering, figuring she would one way or another find out. "Before leaving the De Martel castle, I compelled Aurora to 'see Klaus as the monster he was' and thus break his heart in retaliation for him killing Esther."

A visible hurt settled over Maleny's face as she processed the answer and viewed the state of the courtyard. "So...you did...fight over her." She bitterly chuckled. "Because she broke your heart."

"That's not what it is," Klaus shoved Elijah back and moved for Maleny.

Maleny's eyes teared up. "You said you would handle it. Is this what you meant? That you'd create this chivalrous fight in her honor?"

"You are not listening!" Klaus shouted in frustration.

"I AM!" Maleny screamed right back. "I may have drank but I know what the hell is going on!"

"I am not angry because of her, I am angry because—"

"Because Elijah compelled the woman you loved to break your heart," Maleny pushed past him. "Look me in the eye," she turned to him, forcing him to face her, "and tell me you're not remotely fighting for what you could have had with her. Look. Me. In. The. Eye."

Klaus did as told but at the last moment he found his eyes flickering away. Maleny visibly shook soon after, swallowing roughly. "Elijah, leave us."

"Maleny, perhaps—"

"LEAVE US!" Maleny screamed suddenly, and with no option Elijah sped away. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, hm. She did occupy your heart perhaps as much as I did before. And I honestly don't care if you fell in love with her in the past...because, Maleny Rowan was dead for you - I was the past and I was meant to stay in the past." Maleny shakily breathed in and stepped closer to him. "But now? You have her here, and I do not plan on fighting with a lunatic, murderous vampire. That is a fight I cannot win."

"Aurora will not touch you, Maleny!" Klaus exclaimed, reaching to grab her arm but she stepped back. "And I can assure you my thoughts are in order. You are blowing it out of proportion."

Maleny raised an eyebrow, looking indignant. "You bit your own brother because of her, Klaus! How can you tell me that!? C'mon, she murdered her own cousin!"

"That's not important!"

"YES IT IS! It so is!" Maleny knew she would probably regret it later but the words seemed to flow out of her mouth. "Because I was Cecilia de Ark! Me! Me! Me!" she hit him on the chest repeatedly, her tears getting the best of her.

For a minute, Klaus let her hit him, his eyes wide with shock while he processed. He eventually grabbed her by the wrists, the same level of anger she displayed now working it's way into his eyes. "You were Cecilia? The noblewoman Lucien was so fond of?"

Maleny took offense of the belittling of Lucien's feelings for her. If he could say Aurora loved him, why couldn't she say Lucien loved her as well? She tugged her hands from the grip on her wrists but Klaus refused to let go. "He loved me you idiot! And yes, I was her!"

"And you loved him!" Klaus finished the story he knew so well. "You...you had chosen another one before I even arrived there."

Maleny swallowed hard as the anger subsided in his eyes for a minute to show the pain. "You fell for Aurora the minute you saw her," she spoke quietly, "You didn't even give me a chance."

"You knew this all along and you never told me!?"

"You never told me about Aurora either!"

"And you spent time with him!" Klaus began remembering all the little remarks of familiarity Lucien had made since meeting Maleny. His felt his insides twisting with fury, and jealousy. There was dangerous jealousy at work.

Maleny watched now the fury reclaim its place and knew all danger now laid ahead for Lucien. "Don't you dare hurt him!" she warned, unknowingly provoking Klaus more.

"You defend him now?" he let her go but got closer to her face, narrowing his eyes at hers. "Why?"

"Because maybe I don't want to see someone die because they loved someone?" Maleny flapped her arms in frustration. "Because Lucien never did anything wrong except fall for someone he shouldn't have. Sound familiar?"

"Do not compare me with the stable boy!" Klaus roared, snatched her by the arm, gripping it tighter than what her humanity was able to withstand.

Maleny gasped. "You're hurting me! Klaus, let go!"

It finally registered he was actually hurting her and so Klaus released her instantly. He blinked, coming to the realization as Maleny checked her now red arm. It would be turning into a right painful bruise in about an hour or so.

But then something else registered in Klaus' mind. "You changed blouses…"

Maleny momentarily froze, alerting Klaus there was more in that area he needed to know about. "Why would you do that?"

Maleny coughed awkwardly. "I, um...I spilled salsa on my other blouse so I bought a new one. Problem?"

Klaus studied her suspiciously. "You're lying," he declared a mere minute afterwards.

"What? I'm not—"

"DO NOT LIE!"

"DON'T YELL AT ME!" Maleny had had it and pulled the same stunt he had. She got into his face and revealed the truth. "Much like you spent the afternoon with your ex, I spent it with mine."

Klaus' eyes widened for a minute before a snarl escaped through his lips. "You were with Lucien!?"

"And a friend," Maleny added. "He showed up, I thought why not? Don't tell me that was a problem because it would just be plain hypocrisy."

Unable to hold himself, Klaus sped her up against the wall besides the staircase. Maleny yelped at the pain she felt on her head from the smack of the wall.

"You're hurting me," she gasped, trying to form a glare but the pain she felt in the back of her head was more prominent. "Need I remind you I'm not as strong as her. I'm human, mortal - which is also because of your indecision. Your refusal. Do you know, Lucien was more than willing to turn me back then?"

"It would've been impossible," Klaus smirked, still keeping her locked between the wall and himself.

"But it was the mere intention, the willingness to do it," Maleny said quietly. "He loved me enough to see eternity as our future. You never saw that, even now...you don't want it. Because if not you would have turned me the moment we broke the curse."

"If Lucien is so willing to do what you desire, then perhaps you should go to him," Klaus blurted, the pain and misunderstanding of her accusation clouding his mind.

Maleny froze after hearing his quiet, yet more painful than anything else said, words. "...maybe I will," she whispered. "And in the meantime you can go back to your Aurora, who so matches you in every way I could never."

Not wanting to seem so desperate and weak, Klaus nodded in agreement. "Maybe I shall. She did say she would wait for me…"

"Alright then," Maleny said, her voice barely audible even with supernatural hearing. She looked to the side and pushed Klaus' hands from her so she could step away. She walked only a couple steps before glancing back. "But when you're with her, remember that she killed me. Now I might not remember how it happened, but I'm sure you do. Remember how she murdered the mother of your child and how she still managed to take you from me in the end. Against vampires, witches, werewolves, humans will always lose and I am sick and tired of this happening to me - the useless witch." And as the repressed anger cursed through her, she said her final words on a whim, "Don't be surprised if the next time you see me I have a dead heart in my chest and blood on my lips."

Klaus watched her take her leave, almost shaking from how furious he was. He roared yet again and punched the wall, smashing a large hole going deep in. He looked around at the mess created and suddenly he sped out.

It wasn't difficult to find Aurora, and when he did find her, he wasted no time in explaining. Her desires were completed - he'd gone for her.

~ 0 ~

"Today was...incredible, despite my mother's abrupt leave," Marlenie said, still very much in awe, as she headed for Lucien's door. "My mother lives...and she broke her curse."

"Yes, yes, incredible," Lucien rolled his eyes, really ignoring most of her words. "So, what happens next?" he curiously wondered.

Marlenie opened the door and turned around, looking thoughtful. "I...don't know. I came with the idea that I was searching just for my father. Now...I don't know how to approach them. I'm gonna have to sleep on it for tonight. Though I will wait until they make up."

"You're waiting the storm out," Lucien said in amusement.

Marlenie smirked. "I waited for centuries to see my parents. I can wait a little longer. I have to make arrangements so that I can stay in the Quarter, I should be back soon. I ask you take special care of my mother. She is still mortal, and that is a dangerous leverage the other sirelines have on my father. I'm trusting you and you should know I don't trust many people."

Lucien feigned a gasp of surprise. "Don't tell me that, mini-Klaus."

Marlenie rolled her eyes. "My mother always did say that it was so unusual for a girl to show so much...anger," she smiled to herself. "She said I was the true copy of my father. Now if you wanted someone a little more like my mother, you would have liked to meet my brother."

That one left Lucien gaping. "Brother? How many kids does Klaus have running around here?"

Marlenie sadly smiled, and because she had no clue of little Hope Mikaelson, she answered, "Just me. When I was a little girl my older, twin brother, Nicolas, was taken from me. I never saw him again. He's long dead now. So it's just me."

The pain in Marlenie's face was still raw, but she was more than resigned to her brother's fate. With a final look at Lucien, Marlenie walked out of the penthouse. Lucien closed the door and returned to the couch, for once able to honestly say he was beat. So when there was yet another knock on his door, he audibly groaned in annoyance. He assumed it was Marlenie coming back to reiterate something, probably about Maleny.

What did he look like? The official Mikaelson babysitter?

He opened the door and was about to snap at the woman he believed was on the other side...until he saw a teary-eyed Maleny instead. Before he said anything, she spoke up.

"Cecilia de Ark," her voice was scratchy and shaky from her tears, "That's why I'm familiar to you. I'm - I'm her. I'm Cecilia." As was expected, Lucien stayed silent and wide eyes for a couple minutes. Maleny sniffed, awkwardly shifting on her spot. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you...but I'm her."

"What kind of awful joke is this?" Lucien soon recomposed himself and moved to shut the door on her when she rushed inside.

"I'm telling the truth!" she exclaimed and turned around. "I don't know if Klaus told you about my story. I was in this curse cycle that had me jumping bodies without a memory of who I was before. In one of those lives, I was Cecilia de Ark. I was her."

"Lies…" Lucien said again, although there was a trace of weakness in his voice now.

"If it were a lie would I know how she - I - convinced you to dance in my room without music? Or, how I always asked you to escape with me into the forest every afternoon? Or how about me making sure your father received food every day for as long as he lived?" Maleny paused as the realization hit Lucien. She knew she was dumping it all on him in a way she shouldn't be. "Or how about me telling you I love you for the first time at our spot…" she genuinely chuckled, "...near the stables? And you were so flustered you bumped face first into a horse?"

Lucien blinked rapidly as his heart hammered upon hearing memories only he had knowledge of. He slowly walked up to her, setting his hands on her arms. But as soon as he did Maleny hissed and jumped back. Her hand flung over the harsh red skin he hadn't taken notice of.

"I-it's fine, it wasn't you," Maleny sighed and sat down on the couch. "Klaus knows, and...he wasn't happy." She swallowed hard and sniffled. "In fact, I think he kicked me out."

Without really knowing what to do or say, Lucien sat down beside her. Maleny rubbed the back of her head and sheepishly looked at him. "I don't mean to be rude, but do you happen to have aspirin? Or something for the head?" Lucien narrowed his eyes, confused. Maleny cleared her throat and looked away. "I think it goes unsaid that Klaus and I got into an argument where he forgot I was human. Apparently, it's okay for him to have a past love but mine was immoral and betrayal. Well," she huffed.

Lucien reached out and gently turned her head with a finger under her chin. He bit into his wrist and held it towards her. Maleny looked at him a minute before taking his blood. The effects were instantaneous. She pulled away with a relieved smile, the sting on her arm and her headache vanishing.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Lucien reached with a thumb to clear off the dripping the blood from her lips. He locked eyes with her afterwards, and he deeply looked into them like he would find the confirmation he needed.

"Cecilia?" his unintentionally broke.

"Hello," she smiled softly.

The wonder-struck expression made its appearance on his face. He rested one hand over her cheek and leaned forwards. Maleny's breath hitched as soon as his lips met hers. Immediately she remembered dozens of their kisses from the past. She found herself kissing back, roughly. He pushed her down on the cushions and kissed her with more passion. All the thoughts that weren't of the current moment evaded Maleny's mind.