Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Esther Mikaelson stood just a step above her immortal children in the home her son Nikalus built for them. A thousand years had passed since she had last seen her children with living eyes, but they seemed to have changed more than she had.

Finn, her eldest son, so loyal to his parents, filled with hatred towards his immortality. Elijah, her wise and noble son that hides from the monster he has become, even from himself. Nikalus, her kind and gentle son, turned into an angry and vengeful beast that lashes out against the world before it can attack him. Kol, her wild trickster who had become a nightmare to the Supernatural World. Rebekah, her beautiful daughter that loved so freely and completely turned into a spiteful and wicked girl.

Esther masked her contempt for what she had done to her children. She had wanted to protect her children, instead she had destroyed them. She must hold onto her purpose, to fix her mistake and purge the world of Vampires. Only Finn was aware of her true intentions as she used what influence she had on the Other Side to speak to him while he remained daggered.

Esther walked across the hardwood flooring in the sunken living room her children had gathered in. She moved with a grace few others, but her children could match as she came to stand before her son that had killed her. His eyes stayed on the ground as tears fell from his eyes, head hung in shame at facing his mother. Her eyes softened just a fraction as she looked at him, looking so much like her young child that would pull mean pranks against his sister. Her fingers twitched at her side as she withheld the deep desire to pull him into a hug and kiss his forehead like she always did. Despite her plans, she loved her children in the way only a mother could love their children. She made to open her mouth to speak when a throat cleared behind her.

She turned and saw a young man near the age of Nikalus' own twenty-four winters. He was around six feet with short blonde hair that almost matched her own and the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen. He was slim, similar to how Kol was built but the tight shirt he wore showed that he was solid with muscle. He stood in the spot that Esther once stood with a confidence that she only thought her children had mastered. He looked around the room with a softness in his eyes that could only come from knowing someone for years, but all of her children looked at the man with no recognition in their eyes.

"Sorry to show up unannounced but it seems like we are having a family reunion, and I could hardly miss out on that." The man spoke with a slight accent similar to Nikalus'.

"Who the bloody hell are you? If you couldn't tell, we are in the middle of something." Rebekah snapped at the man. The man looked at Rebekah with a look so soft that Rebekah was actually brought up short. The look spoke of a deep love of the immortal though Esther could see the slight hidden pain at the tone.

"Tongue still sharper than our father's sword I see little sister. I was hoping for that by showing myself before all of you, it would cause the memory spell to naturally fade away. Guess it's a good thing I brought some companions to help me." The man said as the door opened and in walked two witches. The power that rolled off of them was enough that even the vampires could sense the magic caressing their skin.

Their appearances seemed to contrast the two perfectly. The young woman was tall with the blue eyes that she inherited from her father with long blonde hair like her mother. She was dressed in a simple white blouse with dark blue jeans and dark boots. The older woman had dark hair that matched with Elijah and Kol, dressed in a dark pant suit that radiated power and authority. Her dark eyes had locked onto Esther as they burned with hatred and sorrow.

Esther was frozen in her place. Her sister was here before her with her eldest daughter, the children that broke her husband's heart. Freya had walked past them to stand before Finn, glaze soft and kind as she stared at him. Eyes wide, Finn raised a single hand and placed it tenderly against her cheek as Freya grinned at him with tears in her eyes.

"Freya. Is it truly you?" Finn asked so softly that Esther could barely hear him from her place.

"It is I dear little brother. I have missed you so much." Freya said as she wrapped her dear brother and best friend in a tight embrace. Finn wrapped her softly in turn, mindful of his vampiric strength. The others could hear him whispering thanks to every god that would hear him.

"Well, dear sister. It would seem we are having a proper reunion now, doesn't it?" Dahlia spoke as she walked further into the room as the man presented his room to escort her in. She smiled kindly at him as she him a soft peck on the cheek before she locked her arm with his.

"Sister. How are you here now? I thought you would still be asleep for a few more years." Esther said as she carefully took a step back from her advancing sister.

"Oh? I see you have been spying on the Other Side. Naughty little sister. Freya and I had reworked that old spell centuries ago thanks to my dear nephew here. He really is quite clever with magic and finding out loopholes." Dahlia said as she glanced over to Freya who nodded at the unspoken question. She stepped back from Finn's embrace, whispering that she would return in a moment and she would never leave her family again.

"Please pardon me but could someone explain what is happening now?" Elijah asked, brow furled as he pondered what little information he had been able to gleam.

"Family reunion that has a thousand years of history." The man replied sarcastically.

"Erik. Please be nice to our brother." Freya said as she rolled her eyes fondly at the man.

"Oh. come on sister. If they can handle our little brother Kol for a thousand years, they can a handle a little bit a snark." Erik replied as Dahlia covered her laugh with her free hand.

"Explain what is going on right now or I'll start ripping off body parts." Klaus growled, eye glowing gold showing his annoyance.

"I am your brother although I am not blood related to any of you. However, we did do a familial bonding ritual between all of us when we were all still human. Mikael, our father, took me in after I had been abandoned as a newborn. When Mother turned all of us into vampires, we discovered something unusual with my transformation. I became known as the Original Heretic. An Original Vampire with the ability to still perform magic by siphoning magic either from myself or other sources. When Mother discovered this, she forced Mikael to capture myself and Nik, to lock away our other half. I wasn't in control of my magic, and I accidentally sealed all memory of myself from everyone that had met me. When I realized what I had done, I fled back to the Old World, both to protect myself and to discover a way to remove the memory block. The block did more damage I discovered later. It warped all of your memories of our childhood and turned Father into a monster to his children. He became the Original Vampire Hunter, bent on the destruction of his children that he loved deeply. I am... I am sorry for all of the pain I caused you all." Erik hung his head in shame for the torment his siblings had endured due to his actions.

"Are you saying that you are a vampire that can do magic?" Kol said with a deadly calm that caused the others to tense in the room. He wasn't known as the Wild One and the worst of the worst for nothing.

"Actually, I think I have discovered a way to recover your connection to nature. I am not sure how this may affect your magic or your vampiric abilities. Between the combined power of Freya, Aunt Dahlia, and myself, we should be able to restore your connection. I would recommend we wait until the next Winter Solstice or the Spring Equinox. I promise you dear little brother, we will return your magic to you. You will be made whole again." Erik said as he stepped away from Dahlia and pulled his little brother into a tight embrace. Kol remained still before he returned the hug just as tightly. Some part of him could remember being hugged like this before, faded and dull but there.

"Thank you." Kol whispered, tears gathering in his eyes. He had waited for centuries to feel whole again, he couldn't wait.

"Well that's your story but what about the others?" Klaus demanded as his patience began to wear thinner the longer this night went on.

"Dahlia is our mother's elder sister. Our family line has a sort of blessing on the firstborn of the family. They will have a deeper connection to the ancestorial magic of our family; however, it does mean that they have a harder time controlling their magic. Dahlia and Esther were captured as young girls by Father and his people. Dahlia was both feared and respected due to her considerable power while Esther abandoned her magic to marry Father. When Esther discovered she couldn't have children, she went to Dahlia for help."

"Dahlia had accepted for a price, the firstborn of every Mikaelson forever. Esther could have as many children as she wanted so long as she turned over the firstborn of each generation. The deal became a bloodline curse in that Esther had to turn me over to Dahlia or every child would die before their next Spring." Freya explained as she rubbed her arms. Dahlia glanced over at her daughter in her heart. She herself had no interest in laying down with a man and as such, in her own way, had adopted her niece and nephew as her own children.

"Is this true Mother?" Rebekah questioned as she began to think back their human lives. Rebekah remembered members of the village questioning her parents about why none of their children ever married or had a child. She remembered hiding every relationship she could have had because of her mother's wrath.

Esther stared at her sister with a burning mixture of fear and hatred as so many of her hardships could be laid down at Dahlia's feet. She glanced at her youngest daughter before giving a slight nod.

Rebekah and all of her siblings' faces twisted in disgust and horror at their mother's actions.

"After I left our village and returned to the Old World, I went to our mother's homeland to find a magic that would help me. I came across Dahlia and Freya arguing about something or another. I could instantly see the resemblance between all of us and so I began to live with them. I even helped redesign the link that Dahlia had created along with her immortal sleep spell to include myself. Essentially, I helped make both of them immortal like an Original and I even added in the ability for them to draw in more magic than a normal witch should be able to handle. I basically made them immortal powerful witches." Erik said with a nonchalant shrug, as if breaking the laws of magic and nature was an everyday event for him.

"What the hell brother?" Kol muttered as he slammed back his glass of bourbon. Freya let a small snort as she shook her head.

"I've known him for almost a thousand years, and he still surprises me with his use of magic and finding loopholes. Speaking of, Dahlia, perhaps this conversation would be easier if we remove the memory block fully now." Freya said as she looked at her aunt. It had taken centuries of talking and Erik mediating for her to be able to even talk to her aunt without trying to rain hellfire upon her.

"Of course, dear Freya." Dahlia said as she crossed her arms in front of herself as Freya and Erik did the same, linking their hands together.

"Memoria restoria. Memoria phastmatos restoria. Memoria restoria. Memoria phastmatos restoria." The three chanted as the pressure of the air in the room became heavy.

Suddenly all of the others grabbed their heads as memories flooded into their minds. Memories of Mikael finding the young babe, welcoming it into the family, the babe growing up and cooling Mikael's rage, and other random moments of the child growing into the man before the family.

One such memory that seemed to burn the brightest in everyone's mind was from about two years before Henrik's death. Visitors from the Old World had come to their village to trade and perhaps settle down. One of the men had attempted to rape Rebekah in hopes of forcing Mikael's hand in wedding her to him. Erik had discovered this plot and stopped the man before he could go further than ripping her dress. He had brought the man before Mikael as chief and father of the victim to request permission to end that man. Mikael nearly blind with his rage allowed his son of his heart to deal with the man as he saw fit. He dragged the man out to the center of the village, before the White Oak tree, and took his head before any could blink. The words he spoke were burned their minds even with the memory block.

'My sister is not a prize to be taken by force. If another man ever lays their hands on her again without her permission, I will erase your family line from the face of Midgard and will salt your family home. I will not be as kind or as swift as I was with this man if I find out this happened again.' Erik said loudly and clearly as he cleaned his sword on the headless corpse of the man he had killed.

Esther, Elijah, Klaus, and Rebekah recovered fairly quickly from the influx of memories while Finn and Kol took a bit longer.

"What did you do? I have memories of things I couldn't have." Finn questioned as he shook his head.

"I transferred some my memories over to both you and Kol that I thought would be helpful for your both. I included some of my schooling in business, law, and history to you Finn while Kol got agriculture, music, and art. I also included knowledge of modern culture and recent technology." Erik said as he stepped away from the other witches.

"Erik is an eternal student. Constantly going to university or studying some new advancement. I am beginning to think he did that partially for all of you." Freya said as she wrapped her arm around Finn's waist.

"That would explain a few things." Kol muttered as he worked on sorting all of the new memories.

"Well now that is all taken care of, I believe it is getting quite late and I am sure Auntie would like to get to bed soon. Elijah, do you have a tailor that we can have come to the house to get clothes arranged for Esther, Finn, and Kol? They'll also need a haircut so a salon appointment would be needed also. Nik, can you help me get everyone settled in?" Erik said as he pulled his phone from his back pocket and started texting someone.

"Of course. I'll give Giovanni a call first thing. He's actually in Richmond right now so perhaps we can go to him." Elijah offered up.

"Sure, I can drive everyone there. Also, Nik, can you make sure that Finn's room is big enough for two people? Sage just told me that she'll be arriving in the morning." Erik informed them as he returned his phone to his pocket.

"Why is that peasant coming anywhere near here?" Rebekah sneered. Finn, who had beamed at the news, turned a hard glare at his little sister.

"Because she's his wife and a part of this family. She's also been a good friend to me by keeping me updated on all of you." Erik replied with a bland look at her distaste.

"Ugh. You need better taste in friends, dear brother." Rebekah said as she adjusted her dress before her hand froze as the dress slipped a little due to the dagger wound.

"I am going to kill that little wrench." Rebekah growled.

"She is not to be harmed!" Klaus yelled at her.

"Who are they arguing about?" Freya questioned as she watched the ensuing argument with part concern and part amusement.

"Elena Gilbert. The current Petrova doppelganger." Erik replied with an eye roll.

"How are you aware of Ms. Gilbert?" Elijah asked as he pinched the bridge of nose.

"I tracked the Petrova line for centuries alongside the other doppelganger bloodline. Stefan Salvatore is one of the doppelgangers of Silas, The First Immortal. I also became rather skilled in divination magic so I peaked in on few future events." Erik said with a shrug. That little nugget of information was enough to stop Klaus and Rebekah's fight as they gapped at their brother.

"I didn't know there was a second doppelganger bloodline. Even after a thousand years, you can still learn new things. Does this mean there is another Stefan Salvatore walking around somewhere?" Elijah questioned.

"Name's Tom. Perfectly normal guy living in Atlanta." Erik said simply.

"Well no offense children but I do believe this has been a long evening for all of us. We should all be getting some rest." Dahlia said as she snapped her fingers, and three large suitcases appeared before her.

"Of course, Aunt Dahlia. I believe we can have everyone set up in their own rooms." Elijah said as he stepped up to his aunt and grabbed one of the suitcases.

"Thank you, dear nephew." Dahlia said with a small smile.

"What are we to do about Mother?" Rebekah asked as she glared at the woman who had given birth to her.

"Already ahead of you sister." Erik said with a malicious grin that him being related to the other Original couldn't be more obvious. He had vamped over and slapped a silver cuff on Esther's wrist. Esther, unable to react in time, collapsed to the floor as her own magic and the magic she was channeling from the Bennett line was reduced to barely a trickle.

"Anti-magic cuff. It'll allow enough magic for you to live without worry but not to have enough to cast any spells. I've also spelled it so that only I can remove it from your wrist." Erik said with a smirk as he grabbed her by the arm and hauled her up.

"Where should I stick her?" Erik asked Klaus who looked like Christmas and his birthday had come early.

"Normally I would say the cellar but I suppose there is enough rooms that we can just toss her in a guest room." Klaus said with a shrug as he began to lead everyone to the various rooms.

Erik, Dahlia, Freya, and Finn would all be on the East wing of the house while Elijah, Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah would be on the West side. Esther was thrown into a simple guest room that was sealed by both Freya and Erik to allow everyone to enter but Esther was seal within the room. Everyone went quickly to sleep, all wondering how things would change with their family reunited.

Chapter Text

The morning after started with screaming and threats of dismemberment. Erik shot up from his bed, still adjusting to hearing others so close by. He listened in before rolling his eyes in annoyance.

'Seems Sage just arrived and of course Rebekah saw her first.' Erik thought as he threw on a pair of basketball shorts and an old t-shirt he had gotten at Woodstock. He padded his way to the entryway to see what damage had been inflicted onto the house.

There he spotted Sage and Rebekah trading targeted barbs against each other. Niklaus was watching the argument while seemingly making bets with Kol on who snapped first. Elijah was rubbing his temple, trying to starve off the headache. Dahlia came down the stair with a tired glare at everyone. Rebekah and Sage suddenly stopped shouting and grabbed their heads. Dahlia was never a morning person, even after a thousand years of life.

"If you two ladies are quite finished, is there perhaps any food in the house? Some of us do still need to eat regular food." Dahlia muttered out as she glared at the sunlight streaming through the windows.

"As luck would have it, we do have the kitchen and pantry fully stocked. I can summon the chefs to whip something up." Klaus said as he raised his glass of bourbon. Kol muttered about her ruining all of his fun.

"No need to bother them. I can handle it. I am in the mood for crepes. How does that sound Aunt Dahlia?" Erik said as he waved off Klaus. He smiled at Sage who had finally recovered from the aneurysm that Dahlia had given her.

"Oh? Do we have any Nutella? Ever since that recent trip to Paris, I have been craving that." Freya said as she walked into the entryway with Finn. He was still in the same clothes had had been daggered in. He stared at Sage for a few silent moments before he vamped over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, twirling her around. Sage seemed to be just as stunned as the rest of his family at his action.

Once he had set her down, he gently cupped her face like she was the most precious thing in the world. She wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling sweetly at him.

"Missed me?" Sage teased him with a slight giggle.

"Every day of every century, my Firefly." Finn was only one that could get away with the nickname. Anybody else would be on the floor holding their family jewels. He pulled her into a deep kiss, causing several of his other siblings to mime gagging and vomiting. He flicked his middle finger at his siblings before breaking away from his wife. The look on Kol and Rebekah's face was absolutely priceless.

"Did you have to include that vulgar gesture?" Dahlia said as she slapped Erik upside the head.

"It's an important cultural gesture to know. I can't just let my big brother walking around oblivious all the time." Erik whined as he rubbed the back of head. He slowly backed away from his aunt as she leveled him with a harsh glare, hand raised.

"Nik. Kitchen. Please." Erik begged as his brother smirked at him. He simply waved for everyone to follow him for those that wanted food or blood.

Freya and Erik quickly got to work preparing batter, toppings, and drinks for everyone. Dahlia took a seat at the island, watching the scene with a fond look. This was a common scene in her small house that she kept near Oslo when the two would come by for a visit.

It had taken many years for Dahlia to accept and master her fear of abandonment. Erik had studied psychology and helped both Dahlia and Freya to resolve their issues with each other and their own. She loved her homeland too much to leave for longer than a short trip anywhere while Erik and Freya seemed to be constantly on the move. Her home had become the meeting point for the three over the centuries. Erik would come by; eyes bright with joy about some new magic he learned and wanted to show his family. Freya would visit less often but would always have some small token or picture of the many sites she would visit.

Erik and Freya worked seamlessly around each other while still keep up with some conversation with their family. Erik even had a chance to make a cup of herbal tea that Dahlia preferred in the morning.

"Do they do this often?" Klaus asked as he sipped his glass of blood, leaning against the island to Dahlia's left.

"Not as often as I think we would all like to. Freya and I... we did not always get along like we do now. Much of that was my own fault, I admit. Erik was always the peacekeeper for us during those fights. It took the two of us many years of work to be able to be within a ten-mile radius without trying to kill each other. After we resolved our issues, both Erik and Freya began to travel often, seeing the world and learning new things. When we do get together, they enjoy cooking or just spending time together. I was never skilled with cooking. Far too domestic for my taste." Dahlia said as she sipped her tea, watching the children of her heart working like a well-oiled machine.

"Mm. I see." Klaus said as he watched his brother and his sister dancing around the kitchen. The small part of him that screamed to never trust anyone tried to convince him that they had some other agenda than what they were saying. Although... the part of him that was a wolf was curling around his heart, feeling happier and more content than he had ever had before.

"Is someone going to get the Evil Witch out of her tower?" Kol asked as he causally tried to sneak a strawberry. Erik slapped his hand, not even having to look away from where he was finishing another crepe.

"I can go retrieve here. I have some words I need to have with her." Finn said as he and Sage entered the kitchen. Sage smirked at the wrinkled noses of the Mikaelson, her hair was a bit of a mess.

"Thanks brother. Let me just do the spell you'll need to get her out of her room." Erik said as he finished plating the food. He waved his hand in Finn's direction, muttering the incantation under his breath.

"There you are. Just keep in mind that the spell will now prevent her from moving more than twenty feet from you. She may also be a bit weak. The cuff is restricting her magic so she could still be sleeping." Erik said as he passed over a plate of strawberry and whipped cream crepes to Sage. Sage gave him a small peck on the cheek.

"Don't worry dear. I'll be sure to save you a plate. Tell me we do have someone coming to dress him properly." Sage asked as she took her seat at the table they had moved closer to the kitchen.

"I just got word that Giovanni, the family tailor we have on retainer, will actually be coming up here and should be here in about another hour or two. I have also arranged an appointment with a stylist. They'll be here tomorrow around 10." Elijah explained as he sipped his own mug of blood.

"Oh wonderful. I do love you, but those clothes need to be burned right away." Sage said before she took a bite of her food. She had to withhold a moan at how good the food was. She would swear he added magic to make his food amazing even to vampires.

"Gods. If I didn't love your brother, I would marry you just for your cooking abilities." Sage said as she took another bite.

Erik snorted as he past another plate over to Rebekah who took it with a smile.

"You know every well that I have no interest in women. You sent enough of your girls to try to entertain me. I was even nice enough to not kill any of them... well most of them. Some of them caught me at a bad time." Erik said as he sipped his own cup of coffee that he had added a small amount of A positive to. Both Sage and Erik started chocking on their laughter at the stunned faces of his siblings. Dahlia and Freya shared a small smile.

"Since when have you like men?" Rebekah questioned. She remembered the numerous girls from when they were humans that would try to turn her brother's head.

"Since before we became vampires. Do you remember that one group of traders from the Old World? There was a young man, Ragnar, that we would sneak out to the woods to fool around while his father would argue with Father. Over a thousand years, I have never been with a woman, and I have no intention to change that." Erik said with a shrug. The others in the room could see the slight tension in his shoulders.

"It's not like any of us can judge you. Remember when Nik fancied that one artist in Florence during what was that, the fourteenth century? Antonio, I believe his name was." Rebekah said as she smirked at her brother. Klaus gave a slight shrug; he could hardly deny that he had some interest in the young artist. He did always have a weakness for artists.

Erik chuckled as his siblings continued to rib each other about their torrid affairs throughout the centuries. He knew that none of his siblings would judge him, but having the confirmation helped him quite a bit.

Finn hummed as he stepped up to Erik and ruffled his hair fondly.

"I'll go retrieve Mother before the food gets cold." Finn said as he vamped up to Esther's guest room.

He knocked on the door, waiting for permission to enter. His mother bade him in, sounding far more tired than Finn could remember her ever sounding. He looked around the spacious room. It seemed to be similar to his own room, minus the few personal touches that Klaus had added to personalize his room for his taste. The walls were a plain cream white with a few landscapes paintings clearly painted by Klaus. The king size bed was rather plain with a pair of nightstands and a small desk near one wall. It had a wardrobe; all made from what Finn could see was pine. There even was a large window with a small bench to sit and see the gardens. All in all, it was a much nicer room than Finn expected Klaus to put his mother in.

He finally looked over at his mother and frowned. She did seem more tired than before. The dark bruises under her eyes spoke of a sleepless night. Her long blonde hair seemed paler and lifeless. She was pacing around the room like a caged animal; in way she was.

"Finn. We must speak about our plans." Esther started before she noticed that the door was still opened. She moved to close it before she was once again stopped by the barrier spell and stumbled back a few steps. She had tried many times throughout the night to leave the room but she could not get close to the door. Even the window was resilient to shattering. She had gotten so frustrated that she had thrown the chair by her desk at the window. It had simply bounced off the window, both window and chair undamaged.

Finn raised an eyebrow before he closed the door for her. He knew that without a silencing spell, his vampiric siblings could still hear everything they said.

"What did you want to speak about, Mother?' Finn asked, already knowing what she wanted to speak about.

"The plans we made while I spoke with you while you were daggered. We'll need to change our plans now due to my sister and your other siblings. Erik and Freya are skilled enough it seems to be able to stop our plans." Esther said as she continued her pacing. Finn managed to withhold a sigh as he watched her frustration and listening to his siblings' angry mutterings.

"Mother." Finn said as he stepped within her path that she seemed intent to wear into the plush carpet. She looked up at him, a slight frantic gleam in her eyes.

"Your plans will fail no matter what you try to do. I will no longer be your lapdog. If you try to force me or if you harm any of my siblings, I will be the one ripping your heart out, not Niklaus." Finn said as he stared at his mother. He could still faintly hear his siblings silence which was more telling than their anger.

Esther gapped at her eldest son, the one child that had never disobeyed her in his entire life.

"Finn. If you don't help me, Nikalus will just put you back in a box for another millennium." Esther pleaded with her son to see reason.

"I won't help you to harm my siblings anymore! It's time I started acting like the brother I should have been. I may not be the patriarch of the Mikaelson Family, that has always been Elijah, but I will be their protector. You can either come with me to have breakfast with our family or you can stay here in own misery and starve till dinner." Finn snapped at her. The return of Freya and Sage had made him reevaluate what he had believed was a curse, but he now began to see as a blessing; to never be parted from his family.

Esther flinched back at his words. She couldn't understand how her once loyal son would turn so suddenly against her.

'Erik must have done something when he broke the memory spell. That must be it. I don't have the strength to fix this while I wear this Hel damned cuff. I must play along I suppose.' Esther decided as she thought over how she can persuade her children to trust her.

"I will join... our family for breakfast." Esther said, barely keeping her tone even.

Finn studied her for a few moments. He could tell she was plotting but he knew that nobody in the family would trust her. He nodded before he grabbed her hand to walk her through the door. He continued to hold her hand as they moved to join the rest of the family.

Most of the occupants glared at Esther when she entered though Erik and Elijah made a good attempt to keep their faces neutral.

"Here you are mother." Erik said as he pointed to a Chicken Florentine crepe on the opposite side of the table from him. Esther did not reply as she sat down in her seat. Finn watched her make her way before he sat next to his wife who slide over his own plate of chocolate crepes. Esther stared at the item for a few moments before she cut a small piece and picked it up. She had to cover mouth as she gasped at the incredible flavor that filled her mouth. Erik allowed a smirk to stretch across his face.

"I figured you would prefer a savory style crepe. Dahlia is the same way." Erik said as he continued to work on his own food.

Rebekah took a moment to look around the table and saw that everyone outside of Dahlia, Esther, and Niklaus had sweet crepes.

"Wait. If both Mother and Dahlia like savory foods, does this mean that we all got our sweet tooth from Father?" Rebekah asked with a manic light shining in her eyes. Everyone paused in their eating to look around and saw what she saw.

"Now that is ironic. Father is the one we got our sweet tooth from!" Erik managed to choke out through his laughter. Kol and Klaus both joined in his laughter while Finn and Elijah 's lips twitched in amusement. Dahlia simply smirked over her mug of tea.

The conversation continued to flow easily between the family, minus the silent glaring from Esther. Once everyone had finished eating, Erik and Freya turned to face other with their right fist in their palm before slamming it down three times. They were playing rock-paper-scissors and Freya had won... for the tenth time in a row.

"Bloody hell sister." Erik grumbled before he snapped his fingers. All of the dirty dishes began to float up and moved back to the kitchen to begin cleaning themselves. Kol watched the scene with a sense of longing to do that himself.

"Do you both do that every time you two cook?" Kol asked as he watched the plates begin to return to the cabinets.

"Not every time. Usually, we would have the person that didn't cook clean up. If we're making food for more people, then we'll play rock-paper-scissors. Dahlia is exempt from that though. She is terrible at household magic. Once she had tried to clean her house out in Oslo before we arrived. It somehow ended up dirtier than before. She was just standing in the middle of the main room looking around completely bewildered when we opened the door." Erik and Freya started laughing at the fond memory. Dahlia shot them a smirk as she conjured two balls of water above them before dumping it on their heads. The two sputtered at the freezing cold water suddenly drenching them, somehow sparing the people even right next to them from the splash.

"Good thing I needed to finish getting ready for today." Erik growled at his aunt as he vamped back to his bedroom. He quickly dried himself with a thought before he changed into a pair of well- loved jeans, black motorcycle boots, and a forest green long-sleeved v neck. He made it back downstair just as Elijah was greeting Giovanni, the tailor.

The rest of the morning was spent getting Finn, Kol, and a reluctant Esther fitted for formal and casual wear. Erik would occasionally confer with Giovanni, Sage, and Rebekah on various styles and colors for the three.

Giovanni eventually left with assurances that he and his team could have some formal wear and a few casual pieces within a few days. Erik had asked for a copy of everyone's measurements so that he could do some shopping.

"Ok, so it looks like Finn is a similar enough size to Elijah that you can borrow something from him. Kol, you and I are similar enough except in the shoulders and arms. You can borrow something from my closet. Both of you get changed and Rebekah and I will drive you to Richmond to do some shopping. Mother. It seems like your similar enough to Dahlia's measurements that I'll just order you some things." Erik said as he is eyes seemed to brighten with the idea of shopping with his little sister.

Finn nodded as he grabbed Esther to return her to her room. Nobody trusted her to be out and about in public just yet. Kol grumbled as he still had nightmares of shopping with Rebekah centuries ago. Somebody would end up dead by the end of this trip, he was certain of that. Rebekah smirked as she high fived her new favorite big brother.

While his two brothers went to get dressed, Erik spoke with Elijah and Klaus to arrange a gala to celebrate the reunion of the family. He had even suggested sending personal invites to all of the Mystic Falls group to discuss the possibility of a truce between them. Klaus frowned as he thought about it before he agreed that maybe it would be better to have some sort of peace between them all. Elijah of course was on board for the idea the moment the words passed Erik's lips. He left the two to handle the planning as he herded those going to Richmond into Klaus's SUV as both Freya and Sage wanted to join in the trip.

Kol only tried to escape twice when he heard that both of his sisters and Sage was joining them. Erik rolled his eyes at his whining and told him to stop being such a little bitch.

The following two weeks passed quickly in a flurry of event planning, threats of violence, actual fighting, pranks (Kol tried to prank Erik and Freya before he quickly began to realize that he was outmatch by the two working together), and working out everyone's issues with each other.

"Hey Nik! The invites are ready. You had asked that I save one for you special." Erik yelled at his brother. Klaus vamped over as he snatched the invite out of his hands.

"Thank you, little brother." Klaus said as he inspected the invite. He pulled out a fountain pen before scrawling something on the back as he grabbed the box that he snarled at anyone that tried to peak at it. He vanished without another word, causing Erik to roll his eyes at his brother's antics. He passed over the invite that Rebekah had requested to hand deliver herself. She gave him a soft smile and a peak on the cheek.

"I'll be back shortly. I want to drop this one off at the doppelganger's house." Erik said as he headed towards his dark blue Camaro. He revved it up before he drove through the place that he had been born in before it had even been settled.

He pulled up to the two-story house that Elijah had informed him belonged to the doppelganger. He took his time to walk up the walkway and stepped up onto the porch and knocked. He barely had a moment to wonder why he had grabbed a second invite before he had to restrain himself from attacking the girl that opened the door.

He knew that she would look just like that bitch Tatia, but he still had to take a moment to control his anger. He had disliked the woman from the moment he had meet her, considering he was still a babe when he did, that should say something. As he got older, his dislike had hardened into hatred as he had to watch her play with both Elijah's and Nik's heart. If it wouldn't have hurt his brothers, he would have gotten rid of her years before her blood was used in the Vampire Spell. The rest of his siblings shared his hatred for the doppelganger, and it would seem that their looks wasn't only thing that reappeared. Every one of the doppelgangers seemed to enjoy playing with brothers every time.

"Hello? Can I help you with something?" The young woman asked in that grating innocent voice that seemed to bewitch every male with pulse or not. Erik spotted a young vampire walking up behind her. He would be quite handsome with his dark eyes and blue eyes if it wasn't for the subtle scent of alcohol that Erik could smell off of him. Even as a vampire, he rarely drank alcohol except for celebrations mostly due to that he hated not being in control of his actions.

"Sorry. You simply remind me of someone I once knew. I am Erik Mikaelson. I believe you have met my older brother, Niklaus. I am here to drop off this invite for our family reunion gala to be held in a few days on the 10th." Erik managed to say without any venom dipping through.

Elena's eyes widen before the vampire grabbed her and pulled her back.

"I don't remember you in one of the coffins Klaus likes to keep them all in." The vampire sneered before he wrapped his hand around Erik's throat. Erik simply glanced at the toddler before he snapped his wrist and tossed him back into the house, sliding into the dining room table.

"I have been estranged from my family for the last thousand years, but I can assure you I am a Mikaelson. My family is finally whole, so we are celebrating and we're even being polite enough to discuss a truce with your little group. Come, don't come, it makes little difference to me." Erik said as he tossed the invite at Elena before he spun on his heel and headed back to his car. He saw that a taxi had parked behind him as a young man finished grabbing his bags from the trunk. He was probably around sixteen or seventeen, defined muscles that spoke of someone active, and dark brown hair and eyes with seemed to sparkle in the morning light. Erik subtly checked the young man over with interest causing the young man ears to flush red.

"Um. Hi. Can I help you with something?" The man asked. His voice sounded like music to Erik's ears.

"Simply dropping off an invite for Elena Gilbert. Are you perhaps related to her?" Erik asked, partly hoping that he wasn't so he didn't have to be around the doppelganger more than needed.

"I am her younger brother, Jeremy." Jeremy said as he held out his hand to shake. Erik took the hand but twisted it palm down to place a chaste kiss to the back of it.

"Hello Jeremy. I am Erik. It's a pleasure to meet you." Erik smirked that was so much like Klaus that Jeremy blushed that much redder.

"Jeremy! What are you doing? Get inside!" Elena screamed as she tried to move the vampire out of her way. The vampire was watching the scene with a slight frown, rubbing his still healing wrist.

"I am just being friendly. Not everyone in this town is trying to kill us." Jeremy muttered under his breath. If Erik didn't have his vampiric hearing, he would have missed the words. He gave a small shrug as he smirked at Jeremy.

"Well, I am Mikaelson, so it would be safe say that it's a good reason to be concerned." Erik said plainly. His family had earned their reputation from throughout history. While Erik was nowhere nearly as ruthless as his other siblings, he was hardly innocent. He didn't feel shame for it, waste of time feeling shame from something that has already happened.

Jeremy shot a surprised look at the charming vampire he supposed. Memories of Klaus killing Jenna and all of the other crap that Klaus had put him and his family through flashed through his mind. Despite all of this, he still looked at Erik without fear or worry. If he wasn't already on vervain, he would be worried that he was being compelled. Just something about him made Jeremy relax and at peace like he hadn't felt since before his parents had died.

"I don't think I've met you before. Did you just get into town?' Jeremy asked, still allowing Erik to hold his hand as he stared into his beautiful blue eyes. They reminded Jeremy of the summer sky or like pieces of aquamarine he had seen in a jewelry shop one time.

"I've been estranged from my family until fairly recently. We're having a gala to celebrate the reunion of the whole Mikaelson family. I actually happen to have a spare invite here. I hope to see you there and that I can have a dance with you." Erik said as he finally let go of Jeremy's hand to hand over the invite. He gave him a small bow before he moved to get back into his car. He turned the engine over as he looked at Jeremy who was staring at the invite with a frown and slight blush that run up the back of his neck. He shifted his glance over to the Camaro before he looked back at his sister who was still trying to push the vampire out of her way.

He took a finally look at the invite before he turned to the Camaro and gave him a shy smile and a nod. Erik let out a small chuckle as he watched the doppelganger's face dropped in shock. It looked like she had been slapped by a dead fish.

He was still chuckling as he drove off. He decided that maybe he should keep an eye on things. He pulled over and vamped back to the Gilbert House, throwing on an invisibility and silencing spell to avoid the alcoholic vampire.

"What are you doing back here? You're supposed to be back in Denver, safe and far away from the Mikaelsons!" Elena yelled at her brother. Erik frowned at her tone, it almost seemed like she was trying to parent her own brother. The only reason his own siblings did that when he was growing up was because Esther was constantly busy with his other siblings and Father was off traveling or protecting their home.

"Your compulsion wore off somehow, I don't really know or care. I am still pissed at you for doing that to me... again despite your promise." Jeremy growled back at her. Erik's frown deepened even more. Compulsion was the one skill as a vampire he hated more than anything else. As a witch/ siphoner, he was meant to be a protector and servant of Nature. He refused to strip people of their free will unless he had no other choice which didn't happen often since he still had magic.

"I could always try to compel him again." The vampire said casually as though he was discussing the weather. Erik had to resist the urge to march in the house, invitation be damned, and remove the vampire's head from his shoulder.

"Nice try Damon. I started taking vervain once the compulsion wore off." Jeremy said smugly. Erik raised an eyebrow; it would seem the young man was smart and resourceful.

"Jeremy. I was just trying to keep you safe. I am the doppelganger. I can't leave the Supernatural World, but you're human. You can have a nice long normal human life. Not having to fight against unstoppable vampires bent on killing everyone." Elena tried use the pity route on her own brother. Erik did actually let out a soft growl, thankfully shielded by his spells. They had no interest in killing everyone, only their enemies.

"How am I supposed to move on with my life and let you deal with this alone? The Mikaelsons may have done some terrible things before, but they have one thing right. Family is Always and Forever. I am not going to run away while my family and friends fight for their lives, and you can't force me either anymore." Jeremy snapped back at his sister before he stomped up the stairs and slammed a door.

Erik had heard more than enough, tuning out Elena complaining about her stubborn brother to Damon. He turned and vamped back to his car. It would seem that there was a spine of steel underneath those soft brown eyes. He always did enjoy his men stubborn and protective. He pulled out his phone and called up his favorite jeweler.

"Nico. Bonjour. I need a rush commission, and I don't give a damn about the cost. I need something special made. How much vervain do you have left in stock?" Erik said as he provided the jeweler what he wanted for. He was going to get Jeremy something special to keep him safe from all outside influence. Erik always gave everything to protect his family and those he called friends.

Chapter Text

The evening of the gala came with excitement for those not aware of the supernatural and fear for those aware of the truth. Many members of the Founder's Council and other prominent member of the community came to the gala as though they were attending an elite party of high society. The Mikaelson siblings were working the crowd with the elegance and charm that they had mastered over the centuries.

Not even Carol Lockwood was safe from the magic of the Mikaelsons with Finn and Sage working together in a way that few could resist with Finn's dry humor and Sage's bluntness.

Kol and Elijah were talking with various members as Elijah had volunteered to help Kol from going on bender with the locals. Rebekah already had her arm wrapped around a young man with blonde hair that was laughing and talking with the two Mikaelson sisters. Dahlia and Esther were observing the procession of people with a sharp eye, Dahlia keeping her sister in line while Esther was hoping to find a member of the Mystic Falls group that she could persuade to aid in her plans.

Klaus was talking with a few people, barely keeping the bored look from his face. By the gods, he hated these dull small-town folks. He would glance at the entryway, clearly hoping for someone to walk through. His eyes suddenly brighten when a young vampire walked through, wearing an elegant gown that would not be out of place at a red carpet showing. Her blonde hair seemed to reflect the moonlight causing several heads to turn at the beauty that walked in. He quickly excused himself from the group that he was talking with and made his way over. Her sharp retort to his painfully obvious flirting caused the Mikaelsons with enhanced hear to choke on their laughter. Erik let out a soft chuckle as he continued to look around the slowly growing crowd before he snapped his head to the entry.

In walked the man that he had been waiting for. Jeremy Gilbert in a tailor black suit the made him look like timeless work of art. Behind him was Elena in an elegant ball gown that seemed to detract from her supposedly natural beauty, though Erik could be biased. With her came the two Salvatores brothers, looking like the proper Southern gentleman that they had been raised as. He walked over as the crowd seemed to naturally part for him, allowing him to admire the handsome young man that blushed as he spotted Erik approaching the small group.

"Jeremy. I am so pleased you could attend our little gala. My, aren't you a vision this evening." Erik said as he kissed the back of Jeremy's hand once more. Jeremy blush deepened once more as he smiled at the vampire.

"Thank you for having me." Jeremy said as he ran his eyes over the figure that Erik cut his tailored suit that probably cost more than some people's mortgage.

"Of course. It's a celebration of reunited families for everyone, not just us Mikaelsons. Ms. Gilbert. Glad you and your escorts decided to join us this evening." Erik said as he released Jeremy's hand. Elena gave him a harsh glare that Erik almost allowed a frown to stretch across his face.

'I have a feeling that she did not want to come. I wonder who persuaded her to attend.' Erik wondered.

"You said that there would talk about a truce?" Elena said, tone almost on the wrong side of hostile. Both of the Salvatore's eyes narrowed at the tone, it vaguely reminding them of Katherine at her worst.

"Yes, there will be although that will occur later in the evening. In the meantime, please enjoy our hospitality. Jeremy. If you would like to join me, I would love to introduce you to my eldest sister." Erik said, easily sidestepping the doppelganger, hold his arm out for Jeremy to take. Jeremy who had been frowning at his sister, looked up at Erik and saw his arm held out. He paused for a moment before he stepped away from the others and locking arms with Erik.

Erik allowed a small smirk at the glare the doppelganger was leveling them.

"I would love to meet her." Jeremy said as he dismissed his sister. He would not allow whatever her issues with Erik disturb his evening with the charming immortal.

"Wonderful. I believe you and Freya will get along smashingly. Ms. Gilbert. Misters Salvatores." Erik said as he walked away from the trio. He could hear a few mutterings from the locals about Jeremy Gilbert on the arm of one of the Mikaelsons. He hardly cared for the opinion of those he would outlive a hundred times over.

Rebekah and Freya leveled a frown towards the doppelganger, clearly upset at the hostility towards their favorite brother. They managed to smooth out their faces as Erik and Jeremy joined their small group.

"Hey Jere. Glad you could make it. Is something wrong with Elena? I couldn't hear what she said but even I could tell she was upset about something." The blonde man said as he glanced over their shoulders with a frown.

"Honestly, I have no idea Matt. She's been like this ever since Erik came to visit the house." Jeremy replied as he worried his bottom lip. Erik glanced over at him as he squeezed his hand still locked onto his arm. Jeremy looked at him with a soft smile.

"Doppelgangers seems to always hate Erik for no reason. Tatia hated Erik just as much as he hated her. I still owe her stabbing in the back before Homecoming." Rebekah said, venom dripping from her tone. She shared his disdain for Tatia, which only grew with each doppelganger she met.

"Rebekah. We all promised Dahlia that we would not start any conflicts tonight. Wait until tomorrow." Freya said, smirk twitching on her lips as she sipped her wine.

"Let us not worry about whatever is her issue. This is a celebration, and we should enjoy it. Freya, this is Jeremy Gilbert. Jeremy, this is my eldest sister, Freya." Erik tried to smoothly move the topic away. Rebekah shot him a look that spoke she saw through his tactic but would allow it for now.

"It's lovely to meet you, Freya." Jeremy said as he bowed his head to the stunning blonde. If he wasn't already interest in her brother, he would be stunned by Freya's beauty and grace.

"It's lovely to meet you as well, Jeremy. My, dear brother, you were right. He is charming." Freya smirked at her brother. Erik leveled a glare as a blush rose up his cheeks. Rebekah hide her giggle behind her hand while Matt simply laughed at the blush that Jeremy had.

"I am going to make you regret that, dear sister." Erik vowed. Few things could get to him like his siblings could with their teasing.

"Bring it on. I am still up by four in our little war. Shall we make it five?" Freya replied smugly. Jeremy glanced between the two, amusement in his eyes at the sibling byplay. Erik made to open his mouth when a hand dropped on his shoulder. Finn had appeared with Sage a step behind him.

"As much as it would be entertaining to watch this, Dahlia is needing us to take our places for the start of the dancing." Finn said. Erik let out a soft growl towards Freya that made Jeremy's pants tighten just a bit.

'God. I am so far gone, and this is only the second time we've met.' Jeremy thought as he pulled his arm away from Erik.

"I'll return shortly for that dance I promised." Erik said as he gave a small bow towards Jeremy before he locked arms with Rebekah who smirked at the two young men remaining.

The Mikaelsons began to take their places on the stairs descending in order of age. Klaus smirked at Erik who narrowed his eyes at his older brother.

"Say anything and I tell your date about that Spring Solstice celebration." Erik said under his breath. Klaus paled before glaring at his brother.

"Good evening, everyone." Dahlia spoke before Klaus could reply.

"I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude for your attendance this evening. It has been many years since the Mikaelson Family has been together under a single roof. Although I am not a Mikaelson myself, I was given the greatest honor to open this celebration of my sister and her children. As is a tradition when our family comes together, we shall begin this evening with a dance. Tonight's selection is a centuries old waltz. For those that wish to join us in the ballroom, please make your way with a partner and we shall begin." Dahlia said as she waved her hand over towards her right that led into the ballroom. Kol made his way up from near the bottom of the stairs as he had volunteered to escort Dahlia for this opening dance. Elijah shifted over to allow Freya to join him as the only other two Mikaelsons without a date for the evening. Esther was forced to follow due to the tethering spell still in place.

Erik and Rebekah returned to their dates swiftly. Matt smiled softly at Rebekah as he held out his arm to escort her. Jeremy looked over at Erik, nervous as he was not sure if dancing with a man would be the smartest decision in the small town.

"Might I have this dance with you?" Erik asked with a small bow. Jeremy blushed as the muttering from the others could be picked up.

"I would love to dance... but I've never followed. They don't exactly teach that for guys here." Jeremy admitted shyly. Erik simply gave him a reassuring smile before he shifted to Jeremy's right side and locked his arm with him.

"Luckly for us, I can follow just as well as leading." Erik said with a tone that spoke of innuendos. Rebekah wrinkled her nose at the blatant flirting from her brother. Matt let out a soft chuckle at the blush that burned across Jeremy's face.

'Maybe this evening will be more fun than I thought it would be.' Matt thought as he watched the emotions play across Jeremy's face before it finally settled on determination.

Jeremy squared his shoulders before he led the group to the ballroom, ignoring the disgusting muttering from people that he had known all of his life.

"Don't pay them a moment of your thoughts. The people that care don't matter and the ones that don't care, those are your true friends." Erik softly said as he began to move with Jeremy in the first dance. Jeremy nodded as the floor became filled with the dancing pairs. Despite that it should be awkward dancing with another man, Jeremy found it, strangely comfortable as Erik and he twirled around the dance floor.

Erik and many of the others with supernatural hearing chuckled at the young vampire's retort to Klaus. Jeremy cocked his head at him, curious what was so amusing.

"Forgive me. That young vampire dancing with Nik. Her sharp tongue is quite amusing for his siblings." Erik explained softly to which Klaus growled softly as he and his date danced near them.

"Caroline? She has always been a force of nature even before she was a vampire. I think she is the one person destined to be a vampire no matter what." Jeremy replied as he stared into Erik's blue eyes. He could get lost in them forever, no longer pay attention to the others in the room.

Erik raised his eyebrows in surprise, He could sense she was young, but he never excepted her to be that young.

"She must have an incredible amount of control to be around so many people that you knew her as a human." Erik said, stunned. He had rarely met anyone that had such amazing control. Not even he or his sibling had such control when they first became vampires.

"Yeah. She'll be the first to tell you that she's a bit of a control freak. She grew up with Elena and Bonnie, their other best friend. I heard that she'll be arriving later for the peace talk. She wanted to spend a bit more time with her mom." Jeremy explained as he spun Erik around. Erik was silent for a moment as he continued to dance around the ballroom with Jeremy.

"You'll need to introduce me to her later. She sounds like the perfect person to send Nik's head spinning. He always did have a thing for blondes that didn't take his crap. Now, however, I want to learn more about you." Erik replied as the duo moved seamlessly into the next dance.

Jeremy's brown eyes seemed to glow as he talked about his love of art and his family history. Erik would silently listen to everything he said, glad that he had perfect recall as a vampire. The two continued to exist in their own little world as they spoke, danced, and laughed at each other. They had been dancing so long that the rest of the people grew tired of staring at the two men dancing.

With a short nod off to the side, Erik led Jeremy off the dancefloor to give him a moment of rest and refreshments. They continued talking about everything they could think of; the conversation flowing naturally from one topic to another. Many of Erik's siblings watched the duo with a soft smile, clearly happy that Erik had found someone that seemed to be able to keep up with him. They even did their best to distract the doppelganger that continued to glare at the pair anytime she tried to go to her brother.

Erik escorted Jeremy out to the garden to enjoy the fresh air and give his sensitive ears a break from the noise of the party. He could never remember a time that someone's presence felt so natural. His siblings would like to say that he was a grumpy old man around others than his family. He simply liked his privacy and solitude but with Jeremy... he couldn't get enough of speaking with him.

The conversation was cut short as a horse let out a loud whine. The duo traded a look before moving around the hedge and spotting Klaus and Caroline backing away from the horse drawn carriage.

"Oh Nik. Didn't you learn not to spook horses? Should I perhaps tell your date about that one trip where..." Erik stared before Nik suddenly vamped to him and slapped his hand over his mouth. Jeremy raised an eyebrow at Caroline who seemed interested to hear the rest of the tale.

"We swore to never mention that Gods-forsaken trip." Klaus hissed, the tips of his ears reddening. Erik narrowed his eyes at his brother with a wicked gleam in his eyes. Klaus had opened his mouth before jumping back from his brother, wiping his hand on his pants. Erik had actually licked his hand, like a child.

"You barbarian." Klaus growled.

"Heathen." Erik smirked back at his brother. The two silently stared at each other before Klaus and he started to laugh loudly with each other.

'That's what he sounds like when he's around his siblings? He sounds... free.' Caroline thought as she stared stunned at the two Originals laughing. The pleasant sound echo across the grounds, almost forcing away the November chill with how bright it sounded. Jeremy smiled softly, happy at the simple joy the two were having at each other.

"It's good to have you back with us, dear little brother." Klaus said as he regained his composure. His eyes usually filled with paranoia and anger, softened, making him look more like his physical age than the ancient nightmare he acted like.

"It's good to be back, dear big brother." Erik said as he pulled Klaus in a tight hug. His smile, to Jeremy, seemed like the sun with its brightness. Kalus returned the hug, rubbed his nose into the crook of his neck, his wolf humming content at having his pack returned to him.

"Now. I've heard all about this vision of grace with you, but I have not met her yet. Do be a good brother and introduce us." Erik said as he pulled away from the hug, his eyes gleaming with a mischief that most would associate with Kol.

"I am going to regret this moment I am sure one day. Erik, this is Caroline Forbes. Darling, this is my little brother, Erik Mikaelson." Klaus said, his tone warry, not sure if he wanted the two to get along or not.

"It's lovely to meet a woman that can keep my brother on his toes, Ms. Forbes." Erik said with a bow towards the young vampire. Caroline, already charmed by Erik's manners, raised her hand which he kissed the back of it.

"It's nice to meet you too. I see you got all of the manners in this lot." Caroline smirked at Klaus who pouted outwardly though happy that the two got along with each other.

Erik joined in smirking at his brother as he moved to wrap his arm around Jeremy's waist. Jeremy once again blushed even as he shyly smiled.

"I saw you two on the dancefloor. It would seem you two are having a lovely evening." Caroline said as she softened her smirk towards Jeremy.

"Erik has been a wonderful host and gentleman." Jeremy said as he shifted his weight more into Erik, who had to hold back from kissing the man's cheek.

"I am glad because if he wasn't, he would be answering to me." Caroline said as she turned her sharp glare towards Erik. Erik actually felt a shiver of fear run down his spine.

'I am an Original and a Heretic at that and yet...' Erik silently vowed to never upset this young woman. She seemed like someone that could and would actually end him.

"I vow to continue to be a gentleman towards Jeremy." Erik spoke as he saw Klaus' eyes basically turn into hearts towards Caroline. He rolled his eyes and made to speak before he cocked his head to the side.

"We are needed to be heading back to the entryway. It would seem we have been occupied longer than we realized. Elijah is informing us that Dahlia wishes to start the final toast soon." Erik said as he began to pull Jeremy towards the front of the house. Klaus lifted his arm towards Caroline, who paused for a moment before locking her arm with him once more. Erik's eyes softened as he saw the contentment in Klaus' eyes.

Servers were weaving through the crowd, expertly ensuring that everyone had a champagne flute for the final toast. Erik grabbed two for Caroline and Jeremy while Klaus grabbed one for himself and his brother. Erik spotted his various other siblings spaced around the room, still with their designated partner except for Kol, who seemed to have been elected to keep an eye of the Salvatore brothers and Elena. Dahlia and Esther stood above the others, one with eyes kind at the gathered crowd and the other with barely concealed contempt.

"Attention everyone." Dahlia called out, bringing an end to all conversations in the room.

"As we begin to draw this evening to a close, I would like to raise a final toast. My nephews and nieces were the ones that came up with our family motto, Always and Forever. If they would allow me, I would like to add to that motto in honor of my nephew, Erik, and my dear niece-in-law, Sage. Family does not end in blood, nor does it begin in blood, but it is Always and Forever. To Family!" Dahlia announced as she raised her glass.

"To Family!" Everyone called out as they too raised their glasses.

Sage had to visibly withhold the tears that had gathered in her eyes as Finn clinked his glass with her. For the first time in her nine hundred years of existence, she had found her family, and she would fight for that with everything she had to keep it.

Erik raised his glass towards his aunt as she caught his eye with a smile. He turned and clinked his own glass with Jeremy's as he took a small sip.

"That was nice of her." Jeremy said after his sip.

"It was, and I think it is the perfect addition to our family motto. Dahlia has always valued family above everything. Once she decides you are family, she will never leave you. It's why I love her so much. She has been everything I wish Esther could have been for us." Erik said as his eyes unfocused, lost his in his memories. Jeremy frowned as he grabbed Erik's hand. Erik looked at him with a sad smile.

"I'll be fine. I promise. We should begin heading to the room for our peace talks. Dahlia offered to keep an eye on everything for us." Erik said as he took both his glass and Jeremy's and placed in on a passing tray. The duo moved through the crowd after a few more moments, Erik waiting for the perfect time to get there after everyone else.

Erik pulled Jeremy back from the dining room that they had sealed for just this talk. The sounds of snapped comments and snark heard loud enough that even Jeremy could hear it through the wooden doors.

"Before we get started on the boring discussions, I have a gift for you. I hope I am not being too forward with it." Erik said as he pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket and held it out to Jeremy. Jeremy raised an eyebrow as he picked it up. He held it for a moment, frowning before snapping it open.

Inside was a silver necklace with a small crystal charm that threw off rainbows when the hall lights hit it. There was also a small replica of... Jeremy peered closer before snapping his eyes up to Erik who looked nervous. Jeremy looked at the Mikaelson Family crest laying there, not fully understanding the implication of Erik giving him his family crest. Jeremy pulled the necklace out of the box as he turned it over in his hand when he saw that on the back of the crest was a series of four runes, Erik's name in Norse runes.

"The necklace is spelled so that once you put it on, only you can remove it. I can't even remove it as Freya and I... well I am a Heretic...." Erik had started to say before Jeremy looked confused.

"Heretic?" Jeremy asked, frowning as the term seemed more like slur towards him than a title.

"It means that when I was human, I was a siphoner, a witch that could only use magic if I absorb it from an external source. When Esther turned all of us into vampires, I somehow retained the siphoning ability. As Dark Magic is what animates vampires, I can siphon that magic and use it freely. If you want it in more basic terms, I am a vampire with magical abilities." Erik explained.

"Oh. Wow." Jeremy said stunned. Erik nodded before he waved back at the necklace.

"Anyways, Freya and I created a spell that can make a spell immune to siphoning by making the magic toxic to the siphoner. I wouldn't kill me as I am an Original, but it would knock me out for a few days till I can purge the magic. It's also indestructible. You could take a jackhammer to it, and you would break the jackhammer long before you broke the necklace. The charm is filled with preserve vervain... it's actually the last of the preserved vervain I had left from the original White Oak tree in our village." Erik explained as he rubbed the back of his head.

Jeremy stared open mouth at him. This was a gift more valuable than anything he had ever owned in his life.

"I can't accept something like this." Jeremy tried to return the necklace to the box. Erik simply grabbed the necklace, ignoring the burning from the charm as he undid the clasp and locked it around Jeremy's neck. Jeremy watched the scene in stunned silence.

"It's a gift freely given. I want you to have it... so that you know that your mind will always be safe, even from me. The crest will also serve as a warning that you are under my protection. I will always protect those that are important to me." Erik said simply as he stepped back and admired how the crest rested perfectly on him, telling everyone what this man meant to him.

Jeremy looked down at the crest, a strange mix of longing and happiness at basically being claimed by the vampire. He looked up at Erik's blue eyes before he smiled brightly.

"Would you like to go out on a date sometime soon?" Jeremy asked, not even second guess his question. Erik looked stunned for only a moment before he nodded, beaming.

"I can't wait. We should get in there before your sister breaks down the door. I can hear her worrying about your absence." Erik said as he held out his hand to Jeremy. Jeremy didn't pause before he twined his fingers with Erik, opening the door to begin the peace talk.

Chapter Text

Erik flicked his wrist, causing the doors to open for him and Jeremy. The battle lines clearly drawn in the room between the two groups with the Mikaelsons glaring from one side of the table at the Mystic Falls group on the other side. Erik looked around with a frown, worried that this might be a longer meeting than he had planned if this was the start.

He spotted a young woman that was clearly related to his mentor, Ayanna, speaking with Caroline as she glanced at the doppelganger currently glaring at Erik and Jeremy's joined hands.

"I do apologize for the wait. Shall we all take a seat and get started?" Erik said as he moved towards the middle of the table. He pulled out a chair and motioned for Jeremy to sit. Jeremy gave him a soft smile as he sat. Erik pushed his chair in before taking his seat to Jeremy's left.

The others took a moment to sit. Freya took the head of the Mikaelson side with Finn, Sage, Kol and Erik to her right-hand side while Elijah, Klaus, and Rebekah sat to her left. Elena took the head for the Mystic Falls side. Stefan, Caroline, and Matt sitting to her right while Damon and Bonnie sat on her left. Bonnie glanced over at Jeremy with a confused look as she spotted the necklace still showing visibly on the outside of his suit. The Mikaelson only allowed their surprise to show for a moment before they smoothed out their expression.

Erik waited as everyone took their seats before snapping his fingers. A piece of parchment and two wooden boxes appeared before his spot, causing the Mystic Falls group to jump at the appearance. He ignored their reaction as he shifted one of the boxes closer to him. He pulled out a slim metal rod from his jacket pocket. It was about the size of a normal pen with vines wrapped around it with a crystal at the base of it. He placed the crystal against the lock on the box, which clicked opened. Inside the box was two jars of ink and two old fashion fountain pens. He only removed one jar and one pen before he closed the box and slide it away from him.

Kol was watching the process in fascination. He had glanced at the parchment before he snapped his eyes to his older brother.

"You don't do anything by halves, do you brother?" Kol said, almost breathlessly at what he was looking at.

"Of course not. I am not going to be pulling my punches." Erik replied as he placed the rod against the top of the ink jar as it clicked open. He filled the fountain pen with the ink that Jeremy tried to understand what color it was. It seemed to shift each time Jeremy looked at.

"Can someone explain what the hell is going on?" Damon demanded, glaring from his spot.

"This is geas. A binding contract enforced by Magic itself. If you try to violate one, you will be praying for death. The last person that tried to break one... well let's say there wasn't much left of their family within two generations." Erik said as he finished his prep work.

"And that rod thing? Also, how are you doing magic? I can sense your vampire even from where I am sitting." Bonnie asked as she tried to understand how a vampire could be doing magic like he was doing.

"A stele. It's a tool mostly just used in Runic Magic. Mine is specially crafted to only work from my magic." Erik explained as he returned the stele to his jacket pocket.

"As to your other question, I am the Original Heretic. I was a witch that had to siphon magic from external sources. When we became vampires, I retained the ability to the point that I can absorb the magic that animates vampires. Layman's term, I am a vampire/witch hybrid." Erik explained as he began to write out the geas they would be signing.

Upon this tenth day of November 2010 Common Era, The Mikaelson Family comes to this table to discuss peace with the Mystic Falls Group. The following members of the Mikaelson Family are in attendance; Freya Mikaelson, The Immortal Viking Witch, Finn Mikaelson, Elijah Mikaelson, Patriarch of the Mikaelson Family, Niklaus Mikaelson, The Original Hybrid, Erik Mikaelson, The Original Heretic, Kol Mikaelson, the Original Ripper, Rebekah Mikaelson, The First Original, and Sage Mikaelson, the First of the Finn Sireline. The following members of the Mystic Falls Group are in attendance;

"Who is the oldest of your group? Damon, correct?' Erik paused in his writing to look over at Jeremy. He took a moment to respond, too busy admiring his elegant handwriting. 

"Um. Yeah, that's right." Jeremy said after he realized Erik was talking to him. Erik chuckled at him, amused by his distraction. 

Damon Salvatore of the Nikalus Sireline, Stefan Salvatore of the Nikalus Sireline , Doppelganger of Silas, the First Immortal... 

"Wait! Stefan is a doppelganger too?" Jeremy shouted as Erik finished his titles. The Mystic Falls group all stared open mouthed... though Elena had a weird look in her eye at the information. 

"Yes, Stefan is the doppelganger for Silas, the First Immortal, while Elena is the doppelganger for his one true love, Amara." Klaus said, smug about the revelation. Stefan and Elena traded a loaded look while Damon glared at the hybrid. Erik rolled his eyes at the enjoyment his brother was getting from them.

Elena Gilbert of the Petrova Doppelganger line, Doppelganger of Amara, Caroline Forbes of the Niklaus Sireline, Bonnie Bennett of the Bennett Bloodline, Matthew Donovan, and Jeremy Gilbert. Both parties to this meeting with the intention of broking a lasting peace agreement for the benefit of both parties.

Section 1.) Both parties hereby agree to cease all current and future hostile actions against each party. The Mikaelson Family and the Mystic Falls Group do hereby agree to aid in the mutual protection of each group if requested. 

Section 2.) The following individuals are to be classified as a protected individual under the terms of this agreement. This list may be expanded if the person to be added is recognized by at least three members of either group. The list of protected individuals are as followed: 

"Who would you all like to have off limits?" Erik spoke to the room. Everyone traded silent looks as the debated who to add. 

"Also, before anyone thinks they can be clever, the number of people has to be limited to only a select few people. You can't simply request to add everyone in town to the list." Erik explained as he pulled his phone from his pocket to take notes. 

"My mom, Elizabeth Forbes... do I need to include her title as Sherriff?" Caroline asked.

"Since it's an elected position, it does not need to be included. All of the titles listed are either due to our bloodline or titles that we have carried for more than a century." Erik explained as he typed out her name. 

"Alaric Saltzman, he's the history teacher at school and... well since Aunt Jenna died, he's the closest thing Elena and I have as a guardian." Jeremy said, his eyes clouded as he realized how pathetic it was that only his aunt's boyfriend and his sister was left of his family.

Erik frowned as he squeezed Jeremy's left hand. Klaus actually looked away in shame. He didn't regret breaking his curse... though he could have used a different sacrifice than destroying the young man's family. 

"Carol Lockwood and Tyler Lockwood." Caroline said as she saw Klaus look away from Jeremy. She saw the brief flash of regret on the hybrids face. 

'Maybe Klaus isn't the monster we seemed to make him out to be.' Caroline thought as she gripped her knees to keep from going to comfort Klaus. 

Klaus glanced over at Caroline before sighing. The rebellious hybrid was honestly so low on his priority list, he hardly cared that he could no longer go after him. 

"Katherine Pierce or Katerina Petrova." Stefan said to the surprise of his brother and his sort-of still girlfriend. Damon actually opened his mouth to ask before Stefan shot him a look that spoke of later. Elijah actually stared at the young vampire in shock; he had thought that Stefan hated his sire more than anyone else.

"My mom, Abigail Bennett and my dad, Rudy Hopkins." Bonnie said softly. 

Erik nodded as he noted all of the people as he waited for any other people to be added but no others were offered up. 

Dahlia Hagan, Matriarch of the Hagan Bloodline, Katerina Petrova of the Petrova Doppelganger Bloodline, Doppelganger of Amara, also known as Katherine Pierce, Rudy Hopkins, Abigail Bennett of the Bennett Bloodline, Elizabeth Forbes, Carol Lockwood, Alaric Saltzman, and Tyler Lockwood, First of the Sired Hybrids.

Section 3.) Education of Witchcraft of Bonnie Bennett...

"Why are you including that into this agreement?" Jeremy questioned, confusion apparent.

"An untrained witch, especially a Bennett, is a recipe for death and destruction on a global scale. Ayanna, one of her ancestors... she was the closest thing I had to a mother back then." Erik explained as he thought of how to word this section. 

Kol looked over at him, understanding his feeling better than their other siblings. Ayanna had taken both Erik and Kol under her tutelage growing up after their skills surpassed Esther... she also helped protect them both from Esther's rages. 

"How about if I agree to train you in magic twice a week until such time that I am confident you can continue studying without my supervision? We'll also include a provision for if I am not able to meet with you in person." Erik said as he looked past Jeremy to speak directly to Bonnie. 

Bonnie could hardly believe that he was offering to teach her without expecting anything back. Even if he only taught her Dark Magic, it would still be worth it to learn from him although... something about him made Bonnie believe that he could be trusted. 

Ever since he had walked in the room, Bonnie's magic seemed to be singing, trying to pull her towards him. Not in a romantic way thankfully but also like it was trying to guide her to him. She gave him a reserved smile, nodding. 

"That sounds perfect. Thank you." Bonnie said. 

"Of course. Simply returning the favor to Ayanna's descendant." Erik waved off her thanks. 

Erik Mikaelson, the Original Heretic, hereby agrees to educate Bonnie Bennett of the Bennett Bloodline in the magical arts. The lessons will occur a minimum of at least twice per week, not to exceed five hours long each lesson unless circumstances require a longer period. The duration of the lessons shall continue at such point that Bonnie Bennett can continue learning the magical arts without needed supervision. Erik Mikaelson will also offer guides and other resources if he is unable to attend in person. 

"I believe that is everything I can think of. Does anybody have something they want to add to the agreement?" Erik questioned as he set the pen down. Jeremy looked over the agreement with a frown as he wondered what else could be added. 

"Elena." Klaus said with a smirk to the uproar of the Mystic Falls group... well except for Stefan who raised an eyebrow at the hybrid. 

"Elena is not a bargaining chip you can demand, you bastard!" Damon shouted at Klaus, whose glare darkened further at the term. He knew he was a bastard, he just wished people would stop reminding him of that fact. He opened his mouth and tried to form words, though no sound came out. He blinked before he realized that nobody could speak. 

"Quiet." Freya said as she placed her finger to her lips, eye sparkling with mischief. Erik just shot her a bland look as he simply siphoned the magic from his throat. 

"Freya. This meeting will only take longer if we can't speak." Erik said as he placed a finger against Jeremy's own throat and siphoned away the magic as well. 

"Thanks. That felt a bit... weird." Jeremy said, not looking at Erik's eyes. He wanted to saw that it tingled all down his spine, straight to his pants. He shifted a little to adjust himself. Erik raised an eyebrow, clearly knowing what he was doing to the younger man. 

"Might make it go faster without the shouting." Freya rolled her eyes before releasing the magic. Damon was already flicking his middle finger at the witch as she ended the spell. 

"How about if Elena agrees to a standard blood donation once every six months, done by a licensed medical professional. Just to sweeten our end of the deal, we can include that the Mikaelsons will also provide a specialist to ensure that she doesn't suffer any side effects from multiple blood donations. We can even include a clause that she won't be required to the blood draw if Klaus no longer needs to or if there is a medical reason that she shouldn't have her blood drawn, like pregnancy or nursing." Erik offered up the room, causing several to look at him in surprise. 

Jeremy beamed at him for working out an extremely fair deal for his sister. Despite how she had been acting towards Erik, he still loved her and wanted her safe. 

"Fuck that! She won't be giving you assholes shit!" Damon slammed his hands on the table as he glared at the Mikaelsons. 

"Damon." Stefan said as he looked at his older brother. Damon turned his glare at him. They seemed to communicate without a word spoken between them before Damon growled as he dropped back in his seat. 

Elena looked down at the table, studying the pattern of the woodgrain. She hated the Mikaelson for all of the crap they had done to her and her family but... she couldn't deny that it was tempting to agree their conditions. 

"Fine. I will agree to that." Elena said as she turned her eyes towards Erik, who met her stare straight on. He waited a moment before she looked away from his staring. He allowed a small smirk to celebrate his victory. 

Section 4.) Elena Gilbert of the Petrova Doppelganger Line hereby agrees to a blood draw not to exceed five hundred milliliter once every six months. The blood draw will be done by a licensed medical professional registered within the state or country of her residence. The Mikaelson Family shall in turn provide medical services to ensure that Elena Gilbert will suffer no long- term negative consequences from repeated blood draws. The blood draw can be suspended if there is a medical reason that the blood draw cannot occur at the appointed time which can included but not limited to pregnancy or nursing during the first year of the newborn's life or turning into a vampire.

"Anything else?" Erik asked as he paused for a few moments. Nobody spoke up. 

"Excellent. Now, we can write up the Allowance of Retaliation for grievances." Erik said to the horror of the Mystic Falls Group and the joy of Kol and Klaus. 

"What do you mean by that?!" Elena shrieked. Erik wrinkled his nose at the high pitch whining. 

"What I am sure my brother was going to explain is that all agreements of this nature require some kind of provision to handle grievances." Elijah explained as he rubbed his temple. This entire meeting was an exercise in patience, even for him. 

Erik leaned back in chair, staring up at the ceiling. He was trying to figure out how to word this section in just the right way. He had seen what can happen if these sections weren't done properly. Jeremy stared at the agreement with a frown before turning towards Erik. Erik was knocked out of his wondering by Jeremy touching his shoulder. He raised an eyebrow at him as Jeremy leaned forward, clearly intending to whisper in his ear. Erik, amused that whispering in such a small room with so many supernaturals was pointless, throw up a muffling ward with a thought. 

Jeremy explained his idea to Erik who nodded along with his suggestions. He actually leaned back from Jeremy with a stunned look at how brilliant his suggestion was. Gods, he was falling harder each moment with this man. The others in the room look on, confused by what was going on but interested in what the youngest in attendance had offered up. 

Section 5.) Allowance of Retaliation: This provision allows for grievances to be resolved by one protected within this agreement. The protection granted by this agreement can be removed so long as two members of the Mikaelson Family and two members of the Mystic Falls group agrees to the revocation. The protection can also be lifted from an individual by said individual so long as the retaliation does not cause permanent physical or psychological harm to the individual. The revocation of the protection afforded by this agreement can be prevented by a majority agreement made up of both groups. 

"I do believe that is everything we need to add." Erik said as he pulled the second box towards himself. He once again pulled out his stele and placed it against the lock to reveal an athame with rubies in the hilt and the Mikaelson crest on the blade. He then pulled out the unused ink jar and placed his stele to the lid which clicked open once again. 

He pushed his chair back and stood up. He grabbed both the athame and the new ink jar and placed them in front of Freya. She took the athame, slicing her left pointer finger, and allowed a few drops of blood to drip into the ink. She flipped the athame expertly in her hand and held it out to Finn who repeated the same process. Each Mikaelson adding their blood to the ink in order of age. 

Once Sage had added her blood, she stood up, carrying the athame and ink, and placed them in front of Damon. 

He simply blinked up at his old mentor, confusion clear about why he needed to bleed. 

"In order to blind ourselves to the geas, we have to use our blood in the ink that we will sign our names." Erik said as he frowned towards the Mystic Falls Group. Realization struck through him like a lightning bolt. 

'By the Gods, do all of them not even know the basics of magic?' Erik thought in horror. He would need to correct that right away, especially for Bonnie and Jeremy. 

Damon hesitated for a moment before he followed the Mikaelson's examples. The Mystic Falls Group quickly worked down the line in age until it came to Jeremy to add his. 

Erik plucked the athame from Matt before he could pass it over to Jeremy. Jeremy raised an eyebrow at the action. Erik gently took hold of his wrist and flicked the athame so fast that it took Jeremy a moment that his finger was cut and already over the ink. 

"No sense making you suffer more than needed." Erik said quietly as he placed the athame back in its box and resealed the lid. He raised Jeremy's bleeding finger before blowing on it, causing the wound to close and the blood to vanish. Jeremy looked at Erik with hooded eyes, the sensation of his magic dancing across his skin. 

Erik gave him a small smirk before he grabbed the second fountain pen. The Mikaelsons began to stand up from their chairs, causing the Mystic Falls Group to follow their example once more. He held out the now filled fountain pen to Freya who took it with a nod before signing her name in runic. She held out the pen to Finn who followed her example. This continued until everyone had signed their name. 

Erik gentle moved Jeremy over as he stuck hand above the agreement. He muttered a soft word as a second copy suddenly appeared next to the original. He pulled out two pieces of string from the box that held the ink and pens. He rolled up each copy, tying them with the string, and handed the original to Freya. He tossed the copy to Elena who almost fumbled to catch it. 

"The deal is signed and accepted. May our peace be long and prosperous." Erik solemnly spoke, a rush of magic filling the room, felt even by the humans in the room. 

"I believe that is it for tonight. I understand that most of you have school tomorrow, so we'll release for the evening. Bonnie, please be ready to meet with me after classes tomorrow. We'll go ahead and get started. Elena. One of us will reach out to you about your appointment for your first blood draw. Jeremy." Erik said as he turned towards the young man. 

"I hope to be seeing you again soon." Erik said as he raised Jeremy's hand to press a final kiss to the back of it. Jeremy gave him a wide grin, nodded. 

"Let's go." Elena said as she turned and marched out of the room. The rest of the group following with a mixture of nods and goodbyes. 

The Mikaelson family remained in the dining room, pondering the meeting with a mixture of apprehension and worry. 

"Nik. You're the strategist in the family. How do we do in the agreement?" Erik said as he snapped once more, vanishing the remaining supplies and pushing all of the chairs back in. 

"The contract is as sound as we could make it. I am more concerned about..." Klaus trailed off as he thought of how to word it. 

"How little even the Salvatores knew about magical contracts." Elijah finished with a matching frown. 

"I am not really surprised. I ran into Damon when he was relatively a newborn vampire, and he had no knowledge about how to be a proper vampire." Sage said as she leaned back against Finn's chest who wrapped his arms around her waist. 

"Is this a common issue among vampires? To not even be aware of the most basics of magic?" Finn questioned, still being the most out of touch with the modern supernatural world. 

"Most just if the vampire's sire doesn't care to teach or if they die suddenly." Erik explained with a grimace. 

"I did advocate for more involvement with our sirelines." Elijah stated. 

"Are you talking about the Strix? That group of pompous wannabe dictators should never have been allowed to last as long as it has. I wanted to obliterate them for centuries." Erik growled, causing the table to shake slightly. 

"I take it you have met Tristan then?" Kol asked, wondering what that idiot had done to anger his usually calm older brother. 

"Him, Aurora, and Lucian. Those arrogant bastards thought they could order me around just because their the first second generation vampires. They're lucky I didn't just kill them. I did vow that if our paths ever crossed again, I would go scorched Earth on their asses." Erik sneered at the thought of the so-called Trinity. 

"Enough Erik. If you get any angrier, you'll wake up our aunt and I don't need to remind you how bad that would be for everyone." Freya said with a tired sigh. She understood his anger with the three but now was not the time or place. Erik glanced at her before taking a moment to settle down.

"You should honestly hate them more than I do. They snapped your neck back in the 16th century." Erik grumbled at his older sister. The entire Mikaelson family stiffened at the words, rage filling each of them at the words. 

"Who?" Elijah asked with a deadly calm that everyone knew hide how angry he was. 

"Tristan. He was upset that I refused to help his sister with her episodes or help him make her more malleable to his perversions. I refused of course. Thanks to the link I have with Dahlia and Erik, I can't really be killed." Freya said with a tired wave as she tossed the agreement in the air, sending to her safehouse in Paris. 

"I see." Finn said, eyes burning with promises of vengeance of horrible torment for the vampire. 

An ocean away, Tristian felt a chill running down his spine. 

"Look. We can all get together to plan a family bonding session of torturing the Trinity if we must but tomorrow. It's quite late and this evening had been exhausting." Freya said as she covered her yawn with a hand. 

"Of course. Go get some sleep dear sister. We will see you tomorrow." Finn said as he kissed her forehead. The others all mutually agreeing that they would plan out their vengeance first thing tomorrow more. Nobody messes with the Mikaelson and lives, nobody. 

Chapter Text

Erik was leaning against his Camaro, texting with Sage and Freya. The three were working on planning a few family vacations. He was already coordinating with Elijah for a guy's trip, but he wanted a separate trip with his sisters. He might also be trying to avoid the interrogation about giving Jeremy their family crest.

He looked around at the rush of students walking around him, giving him a wide berth without realizing it. He had cast a slight aversion ward around him, not really in the mood to talk to people outside of the small group of people he was waiting for.

"Erik!" Jeremy called out, running up to the vampire with a bright smile. The rest of the Mystic Falls group in high school were following him at a more sedate pace. Rebekah was even with them making cutting remarks towards Elena while also talking with Matt. Stefan was doing his best to keep the two ladies as far apart from one another as he could. Erik simply shook his head, amused by his sister's actions. His younger siblings shared his disdain for the female doppelgangers, Rebekah being the most vicious out of them.

"Hello Jeremy. How was class?" Erik said, pocketing his phone to give Jeremy his full attention.

"Eh. It's the same old stuff every day. If I didn't need at least a GED, I would probably just drop out." Jeremy said as his smile dimmed. Erik frowned, knowing that just from the conversations he has had with the young man that he was brilliant with a sharp wit. Jeremy's dislike for school showed more of his teachers' failings than Jeremy's abilities.

"If you want, you are welcome to come with Bonnie and I to her lessons. Afterwards, I would be happy to help you study. College was always a fun activity to do throughout the centuries." Erik said as he rubbed Jeremy's arm.

"Really? I remember you saying that you went to college several times but, why would you go so many times?" Jeremy questioned. The others that had finally arrived seemed interested in the answer just as much... well except for Stefan who understood his reasoning better than the others.

"When you live for centuries, you have to find new things to learn or experience to starve off the boredom. College is a popular method for vampires to break the routine." Erik explained.

"Huh. Do you think you could help me with History? The sub they brought in for Alaric is so boring I can't stay focused for more than two sentences." Jeremy asked, pulling out the best puppy dog eyes Erik had ever seen.

"Absolutely, just put away the weapons of lethal cuteness. Why is there a sub for Alaric?" Erik wondered. He couldn't care less about the man, but he was important to Jeremy.

"Oh. I guess we didn't talk about that. Alaric is currently spelled into his apartment. He..." Jeremy trailed off, trying to figure out how to explain what was happening to his guardian.

"The Gilberts have these family rings that one of my ancestors spelled. They allow the wearer to resurrect if killed by a supernatural. For some reason, Alaric has been... basically, he's developed a second personality that only wants to kill Vampires or those close to vampires." Bonnie explained with a grimace. She did not have any happy memories of Emily with her habit of possessing her.

"What?" Erik asked confused. The only thing he could think of how they worked would be if they created a temporary link with the Other Side or create some kind protection ward on the wearer. Either option would be dangerous for a regular to be exposed to long term.

"Yeah. He'd blacked out and then killed a bunch of people that had some sort of relationship with vampires. He even stabbed himself to make him black out more... I think." Jeremy expanded on as he rubbed his matching ring. Despite the dangers of the rings, he would rather go insane than die from some random vampire or werewolf.

Erik saw the movement and grabbed Jeremy's hand and held it close to this face to inspect the ring. He had noted the family ring last evening, though the amount of magic around the manor had it difficult to register the exact sensation of the ring. He twisted the ring around Jeremy's finger, looking at from every angle.

'It almost feels like the residual magic off of Esther. A mixture of the Bennett family magic and the Other Side. It must allow a human soul to appear on the Other Side instead of dying. If that's true, it's possible a powerful witch must have infected Alaric's soul with Dark Magic. If that's so, these rings are a lot more dangerous than I think they realize.' Erik pondered, not noticing the worry and confusion on Jeremy's face as Erik's silence continued.

"Erik? Is everything ok?" Jeremy asked, breaking Erik's focus.

"Hm. Oh yes. I think I have an idea on how these rings work now. I should be able to help restore Alaric back to himself. It'll take about a day or two and I'll need Bonnie's help... maybe even my sister's help." Erik said, mentally going through what ritual would work best and what ingredients he'll need to gather.

"Really? You think you can help Alaric?" Jeremy asked, beaming.

"I can't make any guarantees until I see Alaric in person or until I speak with Bonnie's ancestor that spelled the rings. I would rather talk with Alaric. Necromancy is my least favorite form of magic out there. If you mess it even a little bit, you can rip a hole in the veil. If that happens, you'll have a whole new mess of problems." Erik grimaced.

"Got it. Maybe after your magic lesson, we could go have dinner then see Alaric." Jeremy offered, ignoring what sounded like a scuffle behind him and muffled yelling.

"Sounds perfect to me. After we see Alaric, we can work on your schoolwork. I am not going to allow you to fail due to incompetent teachers." Erik counteroffered, getting lost in Jeremy's warm brown eyes.

"You drive a hard bargain, but deal." Jermey said, feeling warm that Erik cared so much about his success.

"Then we had better get started so we're not up all night." Erik said, finally looking away from Jeremy before having to bite his lips to stop from laughing.

Caroline currently had her hand wrapped around Elena's mouth and holding her back. Elena, for her part, looked near apocalyptic with rage and was fighting to get away from her friend. Bonnie, Matt, and Stefan were glancing between them all, part concern for Jeremy and part annoyance with Elena. Rebekah was ignoring the doppelganger, watching the scene between her brother and partner with a mixture of sibling disgust and love.

"I would love to stay and watch the rest of this, but I promised to spend the evening with Freya. Erik. Matt. I'll be seeing you both later." Rebekah said as she gave both Matt and Erik a peak on the cheek before vamping away.

Caroline, who seemed to be struggling her friend back, finally let Elena go with a snarl.

"Elena! What the hell is your problem?" Caroline snapped, finally sick and tired of her friend's behavior.

"How can all of you just stand there and let this man put his hands all over my brother? He's a fucking Mikaelson. How do you all know that he hasn't compelled Jeremy?" Elena demanded to the horror and disgust of everyone around.

"He would never do that! He even gave me this necklace to protect me from compulsion, which is more than I can say for you. You had me compelled to leave Virigina and move to Denver." Jeremy snapped at her while holding up his necklace for everyone to see.

"Is that his family crest?" Stefan asked as he stared wide-eyed at the necklace. Out of everyone in their group, he understood the importance of Erik giving someone their family crest.

"Yes. It also has preserved vervain in the charm next to it. Not just any vervain either, but vervain from the original White Oak tree. Do you have any idea what giving me something like that would mean for him?" Jeremy growled as he stalked up to his sister. Elena backing away from her furious brother, terrified by the rage burning in his eyes.

"Wait? He gave you vervain from the original White Oak from a thousand years ago?" Bonnie asked, stunned by the gift. She couldn't imagine how unique and valuable this gift was.

"Yeah. He has done more for me than you have in a long time. Leave him alone!" Jeremy screamed at his sister.

"I know you may not care for my opinion, but I feel I should mention something important." Erik said as he laid his hand on Jeremy's shoulder. Jeremy looked over at him, his rage dying instantly as he looked at the man that had already capture his trust and heart.

"A Mikaelson would never compel someone into loving them. If you are implying that I or any of my family could commit such a vile and disgusting act, you clearly know nothing about us." Erik said, tone dark and heavy, as he locked eyes with Elena. Elena finally began to understand that maybe she shouldn't have accused him the way she did. Erik stared at her for a few more moments before he let out a heavy sigh.

"I am sorry for everything my family has done to you, but I have not done those things. If this might bring you some sort of peace, then here." Erik said as he pulled out an original dagger and held it out to Elena.

Everyone staring at him in shock, understanding what he was offering to someone that hated him just to keep the peace.

"Dagger me. You know that'll break any compulsions I have ever done. If you truly believe that I can commit such an act, then here you go. I give you permission to dagger without reprisals so long as the dagger is removed within twenty-four hours." Erik intoned, magic swirling around the group, enforcing his vow with magic.

"What? No, absolutely not!" Jeremy yelled as he tried to move towards Erik to grab the dagger. Erik gave him a sad smile before using his magic to hold Jeremy and the others in place.

"Please don't. I think she need this to finally understand that hurting me will just keep hurting you. She needs to let go of her hatred. Here." Erik said as he handed the dagger to Elena, who looked at the dagger with a blank look.

"I best make it count." Elena muttered before she turned another glare at Erik as she slammed the dagger into his heart. He let out a small gasp as he felt the power of the dagger slow his heartbeat. He could feel the blood no longer flowing in his veins, his muscles turning into stone. He fell back onto the ground with a heavy thud, eyes closed, expression frozen in shock.

The magic holding back everyone was released. Stefan reacted first, grabbing Elena and holding her back. Caroline and Jeremy ran over to Erik, kneeling on either side of him. Jeremy grabbed the dagger and pulled it swiftly out. Bonnie and Matt stared at Elena, who was struggling with Stefan to let her go, with a mixture of disgust and horror.

Jeremy held the dagger and sliced his palm. He held Erik up before placing his bleeding hand next Erik's mouth.

"Please. Erik. Please wake up. Please, I need you. Wake up." Jeremy begged, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes. Erik began to stir after only another moment of the blood against his mouth. Jeremy felt a slight pinch when Erik's fang came out and bit into his hand. The greyness of his skin faded as he drank. Erik's eye snapped open, looking up at Jeremy, with vampiric red eyes and veins pulsing on his face. He pulled the hand away from his mouth, blowing on it gently, healing and vanishing the excess blood.

"Hi handsome." Erik said as he began to sit up.

"Hi Starlight." Jeremy said, letting the little nickname he had thought of last night. It made sense when Jeremy thought of how his eyes seemed to reflect the starlight when he was happy. He turned bright red when he realized what came out of his mouth.

Erik raised an amused eyebrow, smirking at the nickname. He finished sitting up fully, turning to face Jeremy. He moved his hand to rub the few tears that had leaked out with a soft frown.

"Are you ok?" Jeremy said as he leaned into Erik's cool hands.

"I am fine. It just felt really odd is all." Erik reassured him.

"I've never really thought about how daggering must feel for you all." Jeremy said with a frown. He reached out and wiped away the small amount blood on his chin.

"It's... hard to describe. I could feel the dagger entering my heart, slowing it down to a stop. I barely had a moment to process the fact of my blood freezing in my veins before everything went black. Remind me to yell at Nik for doing that so often to Kol and Rebekah." Erik said.

Jeremy nodded with a small frown. He looked over Erik once more before his eyes stopped on the dagger hole in his shirt, causing his rage to burn ice cold.

"Stefan." Jeremy said with a tone so frozen Erik nearly shuddered.

"Yeah?" Stefan asked, worry evident in his voice.

"Get her out of here before I shove this dagger in her." Jeremy vowed. Stefan didn't need to be told twice, vamping the still screaming Elena away.

"We need to do something about her and soon." Matt said as he looked down at Jeremy and Erik, still not looking away from each other.

"Yeah. I think we can go talk to her after your lesson, Bonnie. I'll come with." Caroline said as she stood up and moved over to Bonnie's side.

"I wish I had an idea what is actually going on with her. Jeremy said that she's been like this since Erik stopped by their house with their invites. I would join y'all, but I have a shift at the Grill tonight." Matt said with a grimace. He was so lost on what was happening to his ex and friend. He had never seen her so irrational before.

"I thought you were off tonight?" Bonnie asked, still staring at the spot that Elena had vanished from.

"I offered to pick up a host shift for Tiffany. She's been out sick for the last few days." Matt said with shrug. He was hardly going to complain about extra shifts.

"Oh ok. Maybe after we finish talking with Elena, we can come by and give you a rundown. Something tells me we'll need to vent about her craziness."

"Sounds good. Jere. Erik." Matt said to the duo still sitting on the ground, lost in their own little world with a smile. Man, those two were so far gone for each other already.

"Huh?" Jeremy asked as he finally looked away from Erik's blue eyes.

"I am heading out to get ready for a shift. If you guys decide to swing by the Grill, I'll make sure you get the best seats in the house." Matt said with a grin.

"Oh ok. We actually should be heading out also for Bonnie's magic lesson." Jeremy said as he stood up, hold out his hand for Erik. Erik gave him a small smile as he griped his hand and hauled himself up. They walked up to the trio still holding hands. Caroline and Bonnie having to hold back cooing at the adorable scene.

"True. Bonnie, is there a specific place you want to do lessons at?" Erik asked.

"Well... there is a place, although... a hundred witches were burned at the stake. They may not be happy about us meeting there." Bonnie said, biting her bottom lip as she glanced at Jeremy.

"Ah." Jeremy said as he reached up and rubbed his chest with his free hand. He still sometimes could feel the bullet hitting and entering his heart.

Erik raised an eyebrow, somehow sensing that he would not enjoy the explanation for their varying reactions.

"My mom. She kind of had a hard time accepting that there are good vampires. She accidentally shot Jeremy while aiming for Damon. Bonnie managed to force the spirits to resurrect him but since then, they haven't really been our biggest fans." Caroline grimaced, knowing her mom still felt really guilty about accidently killing Jeremy when he was around.

Erik blinked, processing that information, before he turned to stare at Jeremy who was avoiding his eye.

"We'll be discussing that later and what consequences have come from that resurrection. For now, I have a good idea on how to help you appease the spirits and better guide you. If you want to lead to the spot, I can follow with Jeremy in my car." Erik said, still staring at the side of Jeremy's head.

"I can ride with Bonnie. We'll meet you both there." Caroline said as she and Bonnie started to head back her car. Matt joined in walking away to give the two men some privacy for what would be an awkward conversation.

"Jeremy." Erik said softly. Jeremy's shoulders tighten up before he looked over at Erik once more. Jeremy's guarded eyes vanished as he looked at the sympathy in Erik's eyes.

"I am sorry you had to go through that, but I am glad you are here now with me." Erik said as he tightened his hold. Jeremy let out the breath he had been holding.

"I don't like thinking about it. I didn't mean to keep it from you." Jeremy said softly as he rubbed his thumb over the back of Erik's hand.

"I haven't told you everything I have been through or done. I don't expect to know everything about you, but I hope one day to get know everything about you you'll share. Come on, handsome. We should get going." Erik said as he pulled Jeremy over to his car. He held up the passenger door for Jeremy to get in. He vamped over to the other side after closing the door.

He got in, turning over the engine. He shifted it into drive before holding his hand for Jeremy to take once more. He brought it up and placed another soft kiss on his knuckles.

"I'll make you a promise right here, right now. You can ask me any question you want, I may not always answer them right then, but I'll never lie to you. You have my word, just as you can tell me anything you want to tell me. No judgement, I swear." Erik vowed as he began to drive forward behind Bonnie's car.

"Thank you. Maybe not right now, but maybe one day, we can just be together and talk about everything." Jeremy said as he rubbed his thumb once more over the back of Erik's hand.

"I'd like that." Erik said, smiling softly. Today seemed heavier than before, but the two felt closer than before. They both prayed that nothing else happened today.

Chapter Text

Eric frowned as he pulled up to the abandoned house behind Bonnie. As a Heretic, his ability to sense magic was second to none. As the Original Heretic, he could sense even the slightest traces of magic. What he was sensing was not good, in any sense of the word. He parked, vamping out and around the Camaro to hold the door open for Jeremy. Jeremy could tell that something was wrong with how quiet Erik became as they got closer to the house.

"This is it." Bonnie said as she and Caroline came to join the two. Erik hummed as he stared at the house for a bit longer before sighing.

"Well. I think you all have underestimated how much they hate you." Erik said as he turned away from the house and went to his truck. He opened it and pulled out a faded canvas duffel bag.

"So, what does that mean?" Caroline asked as she looked around.

"It means that my idea to help you is about the only way Bonnie will be able to do magic here." Erik replied as he looked at the house once more, closing his eyes. He could almost hear the faint echoes of the spirits that dwelled within the house.

"And that would be what exactly?" Jeremy asked.

"We're going to be digging up some bodies. Follow me." Erik said as he started to walk off away from the house, heading towards the woods.

"Um... what?" Caroline asked as she and the others began to follow Erik.

"The spirits are angry. Too angry to ever listen to Bonnie anymore. What we are going to do is to give them a proper witch burial. If we do that, there is a much better chance that they'll work and teach Bonnie." Erik said as he continued walk, occasionally stopping to change direction randomly.

What the others weren't aware was that Erik was using his magic sense to find the bones of the dead witches. Despite being dead for nearly two centuries, their power still lingered in their bones, not in the earth as they should have. That was the fate of witches not given their proper rites, forced to linger, to never rest until their bones turn into dust.

Erik stopped at a seemingly random part of the woods. He set down his duffel bag and looked around.

"Here they are." Erik said. The others looked around, not seeing anything special about this part of woods from any other.

"Um... are we supposed to dig them up with our hands or can you summon up some shovels?" Caroline asked, bit sarcastically.

Erik snorted as he turned an amused glance in her direction. He waved his hand in front of him, muttering something too soft for even Caroline to pick up. A soft rumble echoed as the ground began to shift and swirl like water set to boil. After this went on for a few moments, bones began to rise up to the surface. Skeletons, white with age, appeared as the ground began to settle once more.

"That was... horrific. Thank you for that nightmare fuel." Bonnie muttered, looking a little green. Caroline and Jeremy shared her sentiment completely.

"Eh. Live for a more centuries and this won't even make it to the top hundred horrible things you'll see." Erik said, amused by their squeamish stomachs. He waved his hand once more before grabbing his duffel bag and turning on his heels.

"Ok. We should head back to the house. We have some prep work we still need to do back at the house." Erik said, the others running to keep pace with him.

"We don't have to do anything else?" Caroline asked, confused by what was going on.

"Not with their bones right now. I tagged the bones with my magic so I can simply summon them when we need them. There is a specific spell and ritual that I need to teach Bonnie to forge her connection with the spirits of the witches. For future reference, you would call this type of magic as Ancestorial Magic. You are forging a bond between you and these spirits that no matter where you go, you'll always been bound to them. There is a whole new branch of magic that you'll be able to do due to your connection. There are a few important duties you'll be in charge of handling but that can come later." Erik explained as they finally arrived back at the house.

While the others simply walked into the house, Erik stood at the doorway. Jeremy turned back and saw that Erik was still waiting.

"Are you coming? You shouldn't need an invite." Jeremy asked, confused by the action. Bonnie and Caroline looked back when they noticed that Erik and Jeremy weren't following them.

"Bonnie needs to welcome me in. One should never enter a witch's space without permission. It's part curtesy and part respect that should be given to a protector of Nature." Erik explained. Bonnie looked at him, somewhat understanding what he was saying.

"Please enter." Bonnie said, as swirl of magic twirling around the house. Her eyes widened as she felt, almost approval, at her action.

"I, Erik Mikaelson, thank you for your hospitality and vow not to betray your trust." Erik said with a slight bow. He stepped over the threshold, the spirits seemingly welcoming him with open arms.

"Is there a specific room you do magic or where the spirits like to meet?" Erik asked as he looked around. He made note of a few structural concerns that he would need to talk to Nik about. Nik was the better architect then he was.

"Down in the basement. The spirits like to meet there." Bonnie explained as she walked the group to the basement. Erik looked around and nodded, setting his duffel bag at his feet. He knelt down and began to remove several jars filled with water and herbs and a grimoire. This grimoire was a special one, written and compiled by himself from the various covens he met that practiced Ancestorial Magic.

"Bonnie, can you come here? I am going to go over the various tools and the spell you'll be doing. While we are doing that, Jeremy and Caroline, can you work on cleaning the space a little? We don't need it spotless, but a little work will go a long way to getting the spirits to work with us." Erik said as he sat down, snapping his fingers and summoning a couple of brooms and dusters.

"Sure." Jeremy said with a shrug. Caroline seemed to take the task as a challenge for her. She was already directing Jeremy where to focus on and what needed the most work.

"Ok Bonnie. The first thing I want to clarify with you is that Ancestorial Magic is different from all other types of magic you have probably always done. It is about connecting you to your roots, remembering where you came from and thinking about where you want to go. Once you do this, there is no going back. This is permanent. They will forever be your kin. The power that you can draw from them will be far greater than you could call before when they were allowing you to channel them. The downside to this type of magic is that it's limited to Mystic Falls. If you leave, you won't be able to call up the Ancestorial magics, but you'll still have your own magic. Understand?" Erik explained as he turned the grimoire so Bonnie could see what he was explaining.

"I think so." Bonnie said, some part of her worried about what this would mean for her.

"Good. Now, under normal circumstances, the Ancestors would have been established centuries ago, and their key roles would have already been decided. Now, we are starting fresh. The key roles would the Voice of the Ancestors, the spokesperson for the Ancestors so you're not having to answer to hundreds of witches at a time, and the Gatekeeper, the one that welcomes fallen witches to the Ancestorial space, the part of the Other Side that the Ancestorial will exist in. My recommendation would be to have someone you trust to be the Voice while the Gatekeeper would typically be the oldest Ancestor. You can raise that question to the Ancestors when we get to that point.

"Now, to establish the link with these witches, I am going to summon the bones here. You use this jar of Rosewater to sprinkle it over their bones. This purifies their bones from any lingering dark magic that may still exist on them. After that, you'll need to cut your finger, doesn't matter which but most use their dominant thumb, and smear blood on the forehead of each skull. After that." Erik paused to flip through the grimoire to a specific spell. Just looking at it, Bonnie could tell that was a simple but powerful spell.

"You would normally use this spell to draw the spirits to the Ancestorial Plane that would be created for them to commune with you and funnel their power into you or other members of your coven. I would instead recommend this spell." Erik said as he flipped a dozen more page before he came to a much more complex spell. Bonnie frowned as she looked over it before snapping her eyes up to Erik.

"This spell would..." Bonnie trailed off, causing Caroline and Jeremy to stop their work.

"Yes, it would call all of your direct blood ancestors that still remain on the Other Side to this Ancestorial Ground. This would allow you access to some of the greatest and most powerful witches of your family. You would be able to speak to any of your ancestors, even your grandmother." Erik said with a soft smile. Caroline and Jeremy shared a smile as they got back to work. Both knowing how much Shelia Bennett's death had hurt their friend.

"Once they accept you as their descendent, you'll have a deeper understanding of how the Ancestorial Magic works. I am not much help with this type of magic. As a Heretic, I can't use Ancestorial Magics since I can't create a connection to my Ancestors. Most of my knowledge come from the French Quarter Coven in New Orleans, the main coven that practice Ancestorial Magics, and my aunt. As the Matriarch of the Hagan Bloodline, she has the strongest connection to her Ancestors. Most of that grimoire was written by me or by her." Erik explained. Bonnie looked down at the grimoire with new eyes, understanding that few if any had read from this book.

"Before you get started, the rest of us will need to leave the house. Once you connect with the ancestors, this entire house will be consecrated ground, and no vampire can enter without permission. I would also recommend that Jeremy not be here either due to his resurrection. You can do this Bonnie, trust in your family and they will guide you." Erik said honestly, Bonnie meeting his eyes with a determined nod. He smiled before snapping his finger, a hundred skeletons suddenly appearing laid out perfectly. The spirits seemed to begin to swirl around their bones, their joy palpable even to the vampires.

"Um. What are supposed to do with their bodies after this?" Bonnie asked as she stood up.

"I can return them to the earth after you consecrate them. From there, we can just get a memorial plaque for them. After their spirits join their Ancestors, most witches aren't too picky what happens after as long they are given their honors. We can discuss setting up a proper crypt later. We need to be going now." Erik said as he stood up, dusting off his jeans. Jeremy and Caroline following him out, each giving Bonnie an encouraging nod and smile.

The trio went out of the house, each sitting on the porch for now.

"How long will this take?" Jeremy wondered.

"As long as it takes. There is no set time frame. The longest part is just the prep work before the spell. After the spell locks into place, Bonnie's soul will commune with her new ancestors. Time moves differently while communing so that part usually only takes a few minutes for us." Erik shrugged. Jeremy hummed.

"While we're waiting, I am helping you two with your homework. No reason not to get started now." Erik said to the groan from Jeremy. Caroline rolled her eyes as she got up and vamped over the Camaro then to Bonnie's car. She returned and tossed Jeremy his backpack. Erik plucked it out of the air before it hit Jeremy with a bland look at Caroline. She simply shrugged as she sat down and got started her little bit of homework. Erik passed over the backpack to Jeremy, who began to pull out what he needs to work on.

Erik would occasionally glance between the two, offering advice and tips when the two got stuck on some part. After a while, Caroline set aside her notebook and seemed to be studying Erik for a few moments.

"Something I can help you with?" Erik asked, not looking up where he was helping Jeremy edit his history assignment. He had to stop from making disgusted noises about the details that they claimed were facts but were in fact not.

"Just curious, but how old are you all? Like not in vampire standards." Carolien asked. Erik paused as he thought back to then.

"We didn't track things like we do now a days. My best estimate is that Rebekah would be around seventeen. That would make Kol twenty, myself twenty-two, Nik twenty-four, and Elijah twenty-seven. Finn is around thirty while Freya is around thirty-five. She's a bit harder to pinpoint since her and Dahlia did their immortality spell after about a year or so after we became vampires." Erik tried to puzzle out. It also didn't help that the calendar used in modern days is different than the one they used back then.

"Huh. You guys were so young." Carolien mused.

"Not really. Back in our time, the oldest of us were around middle age for the life expectancy. Rebekah was considered an almost spinster since she wasn't married by fourteen. Probably why some idiot tried to assault her back then." Erik said with shrug. Jeremy and Caroline stared up at him in horror and anger.

"Somebody did what?" Caroline spat. She started to realize that maybe her and Rebekah had more in common than she at first realized.

"He didn't get far before I killed him. Nobody was stupid enough to try again." Erik smirked, both amused and pleased by their reactions.

"Good. Anybody who does that should be ripped apart limb from limb." Jeremy growled, eyes flashing murder if someone tried to do that his family or friends.

"I agree. I am glad Father gave me permission to deal with him as I saw fit." Erik said, turned on just a bit by the darkness in Jeremy's threat.

"On a happier question, when is your birthday?" Caroline asked, almost innocently if not for the sparkle of mischief in her eye so much like Nik.

"Closest date would be March 6th. I was found about a fortnight before the Spring Solstice which is the 20th. We never did find out where I came from outside of that." Erik shrugged. Jeremy frowned and made to speak as a rush of magic blasted like a wind cannon from the house. The trio had been knocked back but quickly got up. Erik ran up to the doorway, sensing that the spell was completed.

"Bonnie! Are you ok?" Erik yelled, Jeremy and Caroline standing behind him, waiting on an answer.

Bonnie came up the stairs, exhausted but smiling wide with tears running down.

"It worked. It worked. This is the new Ancestorial Ground for the Bennett Mystic Witches." Bonnie said as she ran up to Erik and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Thank you so much. I got to speak to Grams again. She's going to be the Voice of the Ancestors. Emily Bennett offered to be the Gatekeeper for us." Bonnie mumbled into Erik's shirt. He, after a stunned moment, returned the hug.

"I am happy to help you. I love helping young witches grow into their gifts." Erik said, content at helping his old mentor descendent.

"Ayanna said hello and to give Kol a smack upside the head." Bonnie said as she stepped back from Erik.

"Haha. That sounds like her." Erik chuckled; she would never change it would seem.

"Erik Mikaelson. Caroline Forbes. Won't you please be welcome into this Ancestorial ground?" Bonnie said, magic swirling around her. Erik raised an eyebrow before he gave a slight bow.

"I, Erik Mikaelson, thank you for your hospitality and vow to not betray your trust." Erik said as he walked over the threshold. Caroline smiled as she gave her friend a slight dip.

"I, Caroline Forbes, thank you for your hospitality and vow to not betray your trust." Caroline said as she too walked over the threshold. Erik returning her smile with a proud look. Jeremy watched the scene with a considering look. He turned to Bonnie before he bowed to her also.

"I, Jeremy Gilbert, request entrance into this Ancestorial Ground." Jeremy said as he rose from his bow. Erik giving him a smile at his action.

"Please enter and be welcome." Bonnie responded. Jeremy repeated his thanks before stepping over the threshold.

"Well. I think this is great place to stop for now. We'll have another lesson tomorrow after school once more. If you all want to join, you're welcome to join. I'll even treat everyone to dinner if you ladies want to join Jeremy and myself. " Erik said as he snapped his fingers, Bonnie gaining a vague sense that the bones of her new ancestors were returning to the earth.

"We would love to, but we need to have a talk with Elena, now." Caroline said with a scowl; she was this close to just dropkicking the girl into the quarry.

"Ah. Best of luck to you both. Looks like we get to have that date after all." Erik said, hiding his concern on how Elena would react to the intervention and what she would do to Jeremy.

"We can handle her. You two enjoy your evening. If you need anything, Jeremy has our number." Bonnie said with a wave of her hand, slight sparks leaving her fingertips. The others stared at the sparks fizzling out in the air.

"That's new." Jeremy remarked.

"It's the increased magic still settling. She'll be fine in like an hour or so." Erik said, unconcerned by the scene.

"Oh. I'll have to be careful." Bonnie said with a slight frown.

"Here." Erik said as he pulled out a business card from his pocket.

"If it gets too much for you to control, give me call at any time. I can get you set up with a focus or just siphon the excess magic if you want me to." Erik said as he passed a second on to Caroline.

"Thanks Erik. We should all get going if we don't want to be out all night." Caroline said as she stuck the card in her pocket. Erik nodded as he snapped his fingers, summoning Caroline's and Jeremy's backpacks.

"Alright. Well, you ladies have a safe evening. If you need anything, please reach out. See you both tomorrow." Erik said as he began to guide Jeremy back to his car with Caroline and Bonnie doing the same. None of them could have imagine how much everything would change that night.

Chapter Text

Caroline and Bonnie drove to the Gilbert house in silence, both trying to think of how to confront Elena. They were no longer able to recognize their oldest friend.

"Do you think Elena will even listen to us?" Bonnie broke the silence first.

"I... I don't know anymore. With the way she had been acting..." Caroline trailed off. She didn't want to continue the train of thought she had.

"Yeah. If it was just because Erik was Mikaelson, I would be able to make sense of her issues. Erik, though, has the strongest protective instinct I have seen. He gave Jeremy vervain from the Original White Oak. I mean, seriously, who does that?" Bonnie said. Erik had already charmed her with his curtesy and kind actions. Because of him, she could feel the bond with each of her Ancestors, their support, and comfort.

"Right? Jeremy could ask him for anything, and Erik would get it for him. Jeremy is probably the safest person in the state, if not the world." Caroline said, still looking out the passing scenery. They finally arrive the house that they could walk around blindfolded, worry filling them both. They spotted Stefan sitting on the porch, looking utterly defeated.

"For Jeremy, we need to handle this now." Caroline's resolve hardened as she saw how broken Stefan looked like.

"For all of our friends, even Erik." Bonnie declared as she turned off the car and went up to the house with Caroline.

"Stefan?" Caroline asked softly, her hand hovering above his shoulder.

"Thank God you are both here. I am not sure what to do anymore. We've spent the entire time just fighting and going back and forth about Erik." Stefan said softly, looking younger and more broken than both girls had ever seen him.

Bonnie let the scowl that she had been holding back to form on her face. She and Stefan didn't have the best start, but she had started to try to make up for it lately.

"Come on. We need to get this finished." Bonnie said as she stormed up to the house, the front door slamming open before she got close to it.

"What the hell?!" Elena demanded as she walked out of the kitchen, relaxing when she saw Caroline and Bonnie before frowning.

"Where is Jeremy?" Elena asked, more like demanded.

"Not here and not your problem right now." Bonnie snapped at her, causing Elena to flinch back as though struck.

"Bonnie?" Elena asked softly.

"Living room, now." Bonnie demanded as she and the others went to the living room, Elena meekly following them. The flickering lights giving her some indication that Bonnie was pissed.

Caroline, Bonnie, and Stefan stayed on one side of the room with Elena staring at the three from the other side.

"What is your problem with Erik?" Caroline finally said, breaking the tense silence.

"He's a Mikaelson. They're all monsters. Klaus killed Jenna, he had you fake your death, he actually killed me if not for John. Do I need another reason to hate them?" Elena said, crossing her arms as she glared off to the side.

"Erik didn't have anything to do with any of that. In fact, my mom has told me that things have been better since Erik got here." Caroline said, frowning slightly. Something about that excuse sounded hollow to her.

"He's a Mikaelson! He'll get bored of Jeremy and toss him aside and who will have to deal with the fallout? Jeremy should have just stayed in Denver, away from them." Elena snapped back at them. Stefan looked at her confusion and worry in his eyes.

"He has never hurt you or Jeremy... and I honestly don't think he ever will. You don't know what it means to be cared for by a Mikaelson. They will do anything and everything to protect those important to them. Klaus... back in Chicago, he was like my brother. He was even better than Damon has been." Stefan replied, confident evident. Elena snapped her eyes at him, sneering at him.

"Is that what you think? They only gave a damn about you because you were a Ripper. Once they were done with you, they tossed you out like trash." Elena said harshly. Caroline and Bonnie dropped their mouths in shock at the words from their friend. Stefan actually flinched back from her venom.

"You don't ever talk to him like that again." Caroline said, moving to stand in front of Stefan.

"Oh? What about you and your obvious feelings for Klaus? I saw you at that party, constantly dancing with him, or talking to him. How can you stand there and defend the Mikaelsons after what they did? Klaus had Tyler bite you." Elena said. Caroline actually took a step back.

"What is the real problem with you Elena? Because I can't recognize you anymore." Bonnie said as she stepped next to Caroline.

"I don't have to tell any of you." Elena said, cutting her eyes to Bonnie.

"Actually, yes you do. Veritas." Bonnie intoned, knowledge and power from her ancestors sweeping through her.

Elena's eyes widened as she knew that Bonnie just spelled her, not sure with what.

"What is your real problem with Erik?" Bonnie asked, fearing the answer but needing the truth for once.

"He's corrupting my brother into liking men. Jeremy has to continue the Gilbert line since I'll probably end up as a vampire to screw over Klaus someday." Elena said in a rush, the truth spell pulling the answer from her. Elena's eyes widened at what she had said.

The others stared at the young girl in horror. Of everything they imagined being the reason she hated Erik, that was never it.

"He can't make Jeremy like men. It doesn't work like that. You should know that considering my dad." Caroline said quietly, remembering the nights she went to Elena's house when her parents first divorced.

"Which is why I know that he has to be compelling Jeremy or using some kind of love spell on him. I am going to break whatever hold he has on Jeremy and then make him regret his immortality." Elena said, still under the effects of the spell.

Stefan stared at her silent for a few moments before walking around Caroline and Bonnie. He moved to stand in front of Elena, inspecting her face before he shook his head.

"Somehow, you are worse than Katherine has ever been. I am done with you. I can't be with someone so... disgusting." Stefan said quietly. Elena flinched.

"Stefan." Elena tried to say before he raised his hand, stopping her words.

"I never told you this... but I have loved a guy once. His name was Thomas. He meant enough to me that I refused to turn him into a vampire. If you can say that about your own brother, then I can't be with you anymore. Goodbye Elena." Stefan said as he turned around and left out the door still open from Bonnie's magic. Caroline and Bonnie shared a brief look, promising to help their friend after they finished this and talked to Jeremy.

"Elena." Caroline said to the stunned girl staring where her ex-boyfriend had walked out the door. She snapped her head to her two oldest friends, tears in her eyes.

"Elena. We are leaving too. Jeremy is going to stay with me from now on. I quite frankly don't trust you around him. Don't talk to me ever again." Caroline said simply, hollow and worn out.

"Same. Don't go near the abandoned house. It's mine now and you will never be welcome there." Bonnie said as she turned on her heel, Caroline following a step behind her. The door slamming shut behind them.

Elena stared at her friends' retreating forms, wondering how everything fell apart so quickly. It was all of that man's fault. She would make him pay one day.

----------------------------

Caroline and Bonnie had returned to the car and drove away, hearts breaking into a thousand painful pieces.

"How?" Caroline asked, not sure what she was asking.

"I... I don't know." Bonnie said, a few tears falling as she drove. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, devastated by the loss of the girl that she had talked about her magic with first.

Caroline took a shuttering breath as she pulled out her cell phone, hitting the speed dial for her mom.

"Sherriff Forbes speaking." Her mom's voice, kind and authoritative, rang out.

"Mom." Caroline said, wanting nothing more than to fall into her mom's tight embrace.

"Caroline? Sweetheart? What is it? What's wrong?" Sherriff Forbes tone shifting right into worried parent.

"It's... It's Elena. She... She can't be around Jeremy anymore. He's staying with us. She... I don't trust her with him. I don't want her anywhere near him or me." Caroline said, tears falling from her eyes.

"Sweetheart. What happened?" Sherriff asked, thrown by the sorrow in her daughter's voice and the request to keep Jeremy away from his sister.

"She's been acting off since Erik came into town. She has... issues with Erik being around Jeremy so much. I don't know what she would do to keep the two apart, but I am worried about Jeremy." Caroline explained, seeing that they had gotten into the main part of town.

"Issues... please tell me my guess is wrong but are those issues..." Sherriff Forbes trailed off, unable to speak the words into existence.

"Yeah. Erik and Jeremy... I am not sure if they're official but I am sure they care about one another. Elena said that she would never support them, threatening to keep them apart. Please mom, just until we can get something figured out for him. Just let him stay with us." Caroline begged, hating that she no longer knew how her friend would react.

"He absolutely can stay with us. He shouldn't be around her. I was actually going to surprise you by leaving early today. I can head home and get the guest room set up for him." Sherriff Forbes said as she finished putting away the last file she had been finishing. The Mikaelsons certainly helped keep thing quiet in the small town.

"Thanks mom. We're going to tell Jeremy that he's staying with us. After that, I think Bonnie and I need a girl's night at home." Caroline said softly as Bonnie pulled into a spot near the Grill.

"Sure. I'll pick up the perfect things for you girls. Be safe and I love you, all of you." Sherriff Forbes said, her own heart aching both at losing the girl she thought of as her own blood and the pain that girl caused her own daughter.

"We will. Erik is the safest person to be around. I love you too. See you soon." Caroline said as she hung up the phone, leaning back in her seat. Bonnie watching the scene as she reached out and grabbed Caroline's hand.

"We should go before they leave." Bonnie said, giving Caroline and herself a few moments to compose themselves.

"Yeah. Yeah, let's go." Caroline said, rubbing her eyes. The duo stepped out and made their way to the Grill. They opened the door and nearly broke down all over seeing Matt. Matt looked up and made to say hello before his expression shifted to concern.

"Care. Bon. What is it? What happened?" Matt asked as he moved around the host stand.

"A lot. Where is Jeremy?" Caroline asked softly as she looked around the restaurant. She spotted them off to the side, laughing and talked between bites. They seemed to draw everyone around them, like moths to a flame. Their pure joy around each other... Caroline hated Elena more in this moment than she thought possible. She would have to break her friend's heart. Why couldn't Elena see what everyone could see when they saw Erik and Jeremy interact?

Erik perked up when he saw them before frowning. Jeremy stiffened as he twisted in his chair to see what made Erik frown. He spotted Caroline and Bonnie; tear tracks clear on both of them. Jeremy took a deep breath as he stood up and walked over. Erik watched him for a moment before pulling out his wallet and dropping some money on the table.

"Hey. What happened?" Jeremy asked blankly, likely preparing himself for something he would hate.

"We went to your house to talk to Elena... It didn't go well." Bonnie started.

"What happened?" Jeremy asked again, expression and tone devoid of emotions. Erik looked worried at the group as he walked up and wrapped his arm around Jeremy's waist.

"She... she said that she would never allow you to date a man because you have to continue the Gilbert family." Caroline said, anger and sorrow warring inside herself. Matt's expression darkened so fast, that Caroline had to blink for a moment.

"She said what?" Matt gritted out through his clenched teeth.

"Yeah. Stefan dumped her completely after that. We both told her to stay away from us." Bonnie said while watching Jeremy's face, worried at how blank his expression had become. His eyes were always so open and expressive, it was something she had loved about Jeremy. Now, they seemed dead.

"I need to go." Jeremy said as he walked out the door, stunning all of them with how calm he was acting. Erik shot a worried look at the others before following Jeremy out of the door. The others followed a few moments later.

"Jeremy! Where are you going?" Erik asked as he vamped in front of Jeremy.

"Home. I need to get my stuff. I won't stay there with... her." Jeremy hissed, anger finally flooding his eyes.

"You're staying with me. Mom already ok'd it." Caroline said behind them. Matt had his arm wrapped around Bonnie, his expression still stormy.

"Thanks. I still need to get my stuff." Jeremy said as he looked over his shoulder, his gaze softening just a fraction. Losing his sister hurt, but at least he still had his friends.

"Come on. I'll drive you. Caroline, could you text me your address? We'll meet you there. Nik." Erik said, glancing off to the side. Klaus appeared, a frown marring his handsome face, startling the others.

"Yes, little brother?" Klaus said, watching Caroline out of the corner of his eye.

"Inform the Salvatores to keep Ms. Gilbert away from me. I may not be able to stop myself." Erik replied, his tone icy cold.

"I'll handle it. Worry about your partner." Klaus said simply. Erik shot him a mild glare before sighing.

"Let's go." Erik said as he guided Jeremy back to his Camaro. Jeremy followed him stiffly. Their odd little group watched the two get in the car as they left.

Klaus watched them for a silent moment before he turned to Caroline. He could easily see that the young vampire was so close to breaking, but he was unsure how he could help.

"Love." Klaus said softly as he stepped up to Caroline, tone gentle that was usually only directed at his siblings. Caroline looked over his shoulder, knowing that if she looked at him, she would shatter right now.

He laid a hand on her upper arm, moving slow enough that she could pull away if she wanted to. She didn't move, shuddering when she felt his warm hand on her arm.

"Love. What can I do?" Klaus asked. Caroline finally looked at him, staring into his blue eyes filled with concern for her.

She tried, she tried so hard to stay strong, but his eyes broke her. She slammed into him, knocking him back a step in his surprise. She wrapped her arms around him, tears flooding down her face, soaking his chest. He wrapped his arms, gently running his hand over the back of her head, softly humming the old tune that he would sing to comfort Rebekah from a nightmare as a human.

Bonnie and Matt stepped away, giving their friend some privacy in her sorrow. Matt tightened his hold on Bonnie just a moment before he pulled away.

"I need to get back. Once I am done, I'll come over to the Forbes. That contract prevents them from striking back at Elena, not us. We can plan something to get back at her." Matt said softly in Bonnie's ear. Bonnie looked at him, partly surprised at the darkness in his tone but also agreeing with him.

"Yeah. Sounds perfect. We'll see you there." Bonnie said, hugging Matt as he left to return to work. Bonnie saw that Caroline's tears had started to slow down.

She stepped away, both embarrassed at breaking down in public and appreciated Klaus's kindness at allowing her to break down. He pulled out a clean handkerchief that he held out silently. She gave him a broken smile as she took it from his hand and wiped away her tears. She held it back out to him, but he shook his head.

"Keep it. I..." Klaus stopped, not sure how to comfort her. His usual method of beheading his enemies probably wouldn't work in this case.

"It's ok. Thank you. We should get going." Caroline said softly as she stuffed the handkerchief in her pocket. She moved to turn before turning back, giving the Hybrid a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, Nik." Caroline said before she vamped back to Bonnie's car, cheeks a bit red. Klaus stood in the same spot, blinking, stunned at her action. Bonnie chuckled at how the Original needed a moment to reboot just from a kiss. Klaus shot her a rather pathetic glare for him before he vanished once more.

------------------------------------

Erik and Jeremy had been standing in front of the Gilbert house for about ten minutes, silent. Erik would glance with worry at Jeremy whose eyes seemed to have died as he stared at his childhood home. Erik would occasionally open his mouth before snapping it shut again. He was at a lost on how to help the young man that had already captured his heart.

Over his thousand years of existence, he had only loved two people outside of his family. One was Ragnar, the first guy he had ever been with when he was still human. The other was the young man standing next to him, his heart probably shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. He knew that he was a bit of an oddity among vampires who fell in and out of love so easily.

After being a vampire for a few centuries, he learned that vampires fell in love so much due to their heightened emotions and having plenty of time to fall in love. Humans, however, took their time to fall in love since they had such short lives. He wouldn't say the words until Jeremy did, wanting him to set the pace of whatever their relationship was. He wished he knew what words his love needed to hear.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" Erik finally said, breaking the silence. Jeremy glanced over at him before shaking his head.

"No. No, I need to do this myself. Just... maybe be ready for fast getaway." Jeremy tried to joke but falling flat. Erik frowned before he stepped in front on Jeremy. He looked at his chocolate brown eyes before he leaned in and kissed Jeremy's cheek. Jeremy sucked in a breath, eyes widening. Erik had told him that he never kissed someone outside of his old manners unless he loved them.

"Yell if you need me. I have some tricks I can do to help." Erik said softly, his breath ghosting over Jeremy's cheek. Erik took a step back before moving to the side. Jeremy watched him for a moment before nodding and walking up to the house.

For the first time, he hesitated before pulling the door open, no longer feeling safe or welcome in his own home. He looked back at Erik who was watching his every movement. He gave him a small nod as he turned back to the door. He took a deep breath before he opened the door and ran up to his room, hoping to avoid Elena as much as possible.

It would seem his luck was holding; Elena didn't call out to him or was waiting for him. He quickly tore through his room, grabbing his school supplies, his sketch books, and enough clothes to last him for a few days. He figured worst case; he could come back when Elena would be out or ask someone else to help him out. He managed to get everything he needed in a large suitcase and a duffel bag. He began to drag the suitcase down the stairs before he spotted Elena standing in front of the door, arms crossed.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Elena demanded, eye narrowed as she looked at her little brother.

"Leaving, now move." Jeremy said as he finally got to the bottom of the stairs with his bags.

"No. With everyone else gone, I am your guardian, and I forbid you to leave." Elena snapped.

"I already told you once, you can't force me to do what you want anymore. Now move!" Jeremy snapped back, his anger and hurt causing his hands to shake.

"No. Damon, mind giving me a hand." Elena said as she looked over Jeremy's shoulder. Jeremy stiffened before looking and seeing Damon staring at him with a weird expression.

"Go kid. I'll deal with her." Damon said as he walked around Jeremy and grabbed Elena, who started to shout at him and hit him. Jeremy watched as he pulled her out of his away before giving him a quick nod. Jeremy opened the door, revealing Erik at the door glaring at Elena who truly started yelling and fighting at Erik's appearance.

"Keep her away from me and Jeremy. This is her only warning." Erik said as he snapped his fingers, all of Jeremy's bags vanishing. Jeremy didn't bother asking where they went, just following Erik out towards his car. The pair got in the car, speeding away as Elena ran out of the door, shouting Jeremy's name.

They got quickly to the Forbes residence. Bonnie, Caroline, and Sherriff Forbes looked up at the rumble of the Camaro parking on the street. Jeremy rushed out before Erik could open the door for him, running straight to Sherriff. He wrapped his arms around the woman, his emotions shot from seeing his sister one last time. Elizabeth Forbes didn't stop to think before wrapping Jeremy into her arms, whispering comfort to the young man.

Erik got out and closed the door of the car, walking slowly up to the house. He snapped his fingers once more, causing Jerem's bags to appear on the porch. The Sherriff jumping slightly at the sudden appearance of the luggage was enough to force out a laugh from Jeremy. She rolled her eyes, happy that he could still smile after essentially losing the last of his family.

"Thank you for being there for him." Caroline said softly as she grabbed the bags.

"Of course. He's... everything." Erik said simply. Sherriff Forbes cocked her head as she inspected the immortal. Everything about him told her that he was probably the most trustworthy person to be around her children, Bonnie, Matt, and Jeremy included.

"Jeremy. I'll see you tomorrow. I promise." Erik said with a broken smile. His heart aching at the pain Jeremy must be feeling.

Jeremy stepped down from the porch and pulled Erik into a tight hug, who happily returned it. Jeremy turned his head and placed a soft kiss to Erik's cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you... for everything." Jeremy said. Erik gave him a beaming a smile as he too kissed Jeremy's cheek.

"Any time you need me, I'll be there. That goes for you two also." Erik said, moving his stare to the two young ladies watching the scene with a smile.

"Same Erik." Caroline said simply. Erik nodded before he stepped away from Jeremy.

"Have a good night, everyone. Ma'am." Erik said as he gave Sherriff Forbes a slight bow. He turned and got back into his car, driving away.

"So... that's Erik?" Sherriff Forbes said slowly, her tone implying things. Jeremy turned bright red as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah. He's... everything." Jeremy said, mirroring Erik's words. Sherriff looked at him with a soft look.

"He seems like the perfect gentleman, unlike Klaus." Sherriff snorted.

"Yeah. He's amazing." Jeremy sighed as he helped Caroline with grabbing his bags.

The rest of the evening passed by quietly for the small household with tears of sorrow, plans of pranks when Matt got there, and gushing about Erik from every member of the Mystic Falls group in the house. Jeremy's heart felt just a bit lighter when he fell asleep. He may have lost one family, but it would seem he had gained another.

Chapter Text

Jeremy, Bonnie, and Caroline had arrived at Mystic Falls High bright and early. They were all talking and laughing, just enjoying the new familial bond the trio had started building last night. The rest of the student body were watching the scene with confusion. Why was the screwup Gilbert hanging out with his sister's best friends and where was Elena at?

Matt had waved over the group as he was talking with Rebekah, smiling as he watched the group walk up. Caroline looked at Rebekah, remembering what she had learned.

"Hi Rebekah. How are you doing?" Caroline asked, surprising the Original.

"I am good, and you?" Rebekah said slowly, not really sure how to respond to the friendly vampire.

"Ugh. Ready to fight a bitch, so the usual." Caroline said, shrugging her shoulders. Matt snorted at that while Bonnie and Jeremy laughed. Rebekah let her lips twitch up into a smile.

"Oh? What has you in a mood?" Rebekah asked.

"Elena." The others said in unison. Rebekah looked at each of them in turn, eyes narrowed.

"What did precious Elena do to earn your ire?" Rebekah asked, curious about what the doppelganger did to piss off all of her friends.

"She thinks that she can dictate who I can date. I told her to beat it." Jeremy replied honestly. The pain was still there, but the night spent with his real friends had softened the pain somewhat.

"What?" Rebekah said sharply. She knew precisely who Jeremy was interested in and if that girl said anything about her brother, she would end her for good.

Jeremy opened his mouth to reply before a voice that he knew better than any other called out to him. He turned and had to pick up his jaw from the ground. Erik was walking up to him dressed in a red button-down, khakis, and a pair of black leather shoes. He had a plain dark leather messenger bag over his shoulder. His hair was perfectly styled with... his ears were pierced with tiny black studs that Jeremy would bet were diamonds. The one weird thing was that he had a pair of thin frame glasses. Jeremy had to shut his mouth before he let out a moan that would not be safe for public.

"Hello everyone! Hello Jeremy. How are you?" Erik said as he raked his gaze over Jeremy. Jeremy opened and closed his mouth, unable to think anything outside of how hot Erik was right now.

"Hello dear brother. So happy to see you drooling over the little Gilbert. Why are you here?" Rebekah asked, not sure if she wanted to tease her brother's partner or vomit all over her shoes.

"Well, Jeremy may have mentioned that the sub for Alaric was terrible, so I made some calls and I'll be your teacher for today." Erik said, smiling his blinding white teeth. Rebekah and the rest actually dropped their mouths at that statement. They turned to look at Jeremy who was still trying to reboot his brain.

"By the Gods brother. You are so whipped, its actually kind of pathetic." Rebekah said as she turned back to her brother, trying to hold back her laughter. Erik rolled his eyes before snapping his fingers and wrapping his arm around Jeremy's waist. The poor boy let out a soft whine, turning bright red.

"Bite me." Erik said.

Caroline, Bonnie, and Matt were cycling through shock and amusement at Jeremy's impression of a tomato.

"Um. What's with the glasses?' Bonnie asked, curiosity outweighing her love of the drama going on.

"They're enchanted with a glamor and a perception filter. While everyone will see as I am, she" Erik hissed" will see me as some random person. She won't even be able to remember my name until later. I don't need her causing a scene today. Also, vampires don't need glasses so makes people less suspicious of me." Erik said.

"You have got to teach me that." Bonnie begged, eyes practically glowing with her excitement.

"Eventually. I have a few things I want to teach you before we start getting to more complex spells and this one is extremely complex." Erik explained with a shrug.

"Cool. Would that work for us too?" Matt asked, already thinking of the ways he could use that to benefit.

"I have to tailor them specifically to you and who you want to avoid. If it's to avoid her, I need something you can wear but not need all of the time. The magic can overheat and burn you if you wear them long term. Not all spells do this but glamor for some reason always do." Erik explained.

"Got it. Care gave me your number, so I'll text you once I figure out what to enchant." Matt said.

"Sure. If anybody wants something spelled, just let me know. It's not a difficult spell except for creating the image the person will see." Erik shrugged. He rather liked everyone in their little group, excluding the eldest Salvatore and the doppelganger, so he didn't mind helping them out.

"Dude. New best friend. Sorry Jere." Matt said with a laugh. Jeremy was still trying to get his words to work for him. Erik fondly rolled his eyes.

"Alright. I have to get going so I can get my class schedules. I'll see you all soon. Goodbye Jeremy." Erik said as he pressed another kiss to Jeremy's cheek before he started to move to the front of the school.

"Excuse me everyone but I need to go pour bleach in my eyes." Rebekah said, nose wrinkled at her brother's antics. She was happy for her big brother, but he was being excessive even for her.

"Haha. Sure thing, Rebekah. See you in class." Caroline said with a smile before turning her smirk to her new little brother. Rebekah blinked before she turned on her heels, today was messing with her head.

"Jere~my." Bonnie sang as she smirked at the red blush and open mouth on Jeremy's face.

"Fuck. I made a mistake." Jeremy finally said. The others raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was thinking.

"How I am supposed to pay attention when Erik will be right there looking that hot?" Jeremy whined as he crouched down, holding his head in his hands. The others blinked before laughing so hard that Bonnie had to hold on Matt to stop from falling down on the ground.

"What's so funny, guys?" Elena's voice killing the mood of the group like a bucket of ice water.

"What do you want? If we failed to make it clear, you are not our friend." Caroline snarled as she put herself between Elena and Jeremy. Jeremy had flinched hard enough that he had lost his balance.

"Oh, are we talking about yesterday? You can't seriously mean that. I am your oldest friend and your sister." Elena said as she looked around Caroline to look at Jeremy. Matt had moved to block her view as well.

"We do. None of us want anything to do with you. What you said about Jeremy was disgusting. How we never saw that side of you before? I will never know but not anymore. We're done." Matt snapped at her, her eyes widening at the venom in her ex's voice.

"Just leave us and him alone. You're not his sister anymore, we are. We are not your friends anymore." Bonnie said as she helped Jeremy stand up. Jeremy stayed looking at the ground, avoid Elena's eyes.

"You're seriously choosing that man over me? He's a Mikaelson. Once he's done with you all, you'll tossed out like trash." Elena sneered. Jeremy's head snapped up, eyes burning like a wildfire. Jeremy moved around Matt as he got up close to his former sister.

"Don't you ever say that about Erik ever again. He is a good man. I love him. Don't speak to him or me ever again." Jeremy bit out through his clenched teeth, his Mikaelson necklace a comforting weight around his neck. Jeremy walked past her, knocking his shoulder into her. He continued walking, not even slowing down until he got to his locker.

He raised his hand to dial in his combo before his eyes widened and knocked his head into his locker. He had just told everyone that he loved Erik before he said the words to Erik himself. His brain must not have returned fully after seeing Erik in his teacher apparel.

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Caroline, Bonnie, and Matt were all whispering still when they got to the History classroom. They all had to scrap their mouths off the ground at Jeremy's confession and scampering away from the horrified look on Elena's face.

Erik was already leaning against the desk, reading over something. He glanced up at them, head cocked to the side.

"Hello, Ms. Forbes, Ms. Bennett, Mr. Donovan. Just take your regular seats." Erik said, sounding complete professional and detached. The trio had to blink for a moment before realizing the game he was playing, he was trying to not be too obvious about his friendship with them.

"Oh course, are you the new sub for today?" Matt asked, having fun playing around with the immortal.

"For today. I've been informed that Mr. Saltzman is expected to be back on Monday." Erik said, a slight smirk at his lips. The trio nodded before making their way to their seats, Matt greeting Stefan with a fist bump. Stefan let out a soft chuckle, clearly enjoying the game as much as them. Elena had walked in, stopping for moment. The others tensed, ready to end her if she caused a scene at school again.

"Oh. Hello? Who are you?" Elena asked, a slight frown at her lips. The others breathed out a sigh.

"Ms. Gilbert. I am your new sub for today. Please make your way to your seat. Class is starting soon." Erik said, not a hint of hostility or threat in his tone. Elena nodded before she continued to her seat. The others for once, wished they weren't all seated so close to each other. Erik gave the rest of class a few moments to finish getting settled. Once the bell rang, he got up and picked up a piece of chalk. He wrote out his name in elegant scrawl, that made Caroline want to have him teacher how to write like that.

"Hello everyone. My name is Dr. Mikaelson and I'll be your history sub for today. Allow me to answer the main questions. Yes, I am one of Rebekah's older brothers." Erik said with a short wave towards his sister, who glared at him.

"Yes, I do have my doctorate despite being only twenty-two. Anything else is not really important right now. According to your syllabus, we should be on World War II. Would anyone like to tell us why World War II started?" Erik asked the room as he once again leaned against the desk. Everyone with supernatural hearing could hear the soft sighing.

"World War II was started due to the extreme economic sanctions placed against Germany at the end of World War I. Hitler used the economic downturn to gain popularity and turn the German people against Jews and other minorities. He created such a sense of extreme patriotic pride that he began to expand into Europe." Stefan answered after a brief silence.

"Very good, Mr. Salvatore. While journal entries and other documents did indeed prove Hitler's racism, that alone would not have turned him into one of the most recognized dictators in recent memory." Erik continued one of the best lectures any of the senior class could remember. He made the lecture engaging and interesting that nobody could look away.

"Ok, everyone. Class is just about over. Mr. Saltzman left these worksheets for you all to finish over the weekend." Erik said as he placed the worksheets at the corner of his desk. The bell rang as the class packed up their things, everyone walking by to grab a worksheet and thank Eric for a great class.

"That was amazing!" Caroline said excitedly after everyone had left the room.

"Thank you. History is always fun to teach. I also love teaching so this has always been fun." Erik said with a shrug.

"It was definitely one of the best classes I've been in... though I am surprised anyone was able to pay attention." Bonnie smirked. The others snorted at the bland look that Erik leveled at Bonnie.

"Fair enough I suppose. Get going troublemakers. I have to get to Jeremy's class next." Erik said rolling his eyes as he gathered his bags and headed to the sophomore history classroom. Erik walked into the classroom and spotted Jeremy already waiting for him.

"Hello love. How is your day going?" Erik asked as he dropped his bag on the desk.

"It's going pretty good.... can we talk later? I need to tell you something." Jeremy said blushing a little. Erik cocked his head to the side. Erik opened his mouth to ask what he meant when the rest of the class began to enter class. He shot Jeremy a look that said they would talk later.

The rest of the day went by quickly, the rumor mill churning at full speed. The two biggest things were about the hot History sub and Elena's loss of her friends. All of the girls would talk about how they would want private tutoring with him. Jeremy would hear this and laugh out loud.

Erik had managed to wrap his day rather quickly and was already for everyone by his Camaro.

"Hey Erik." Jeremy said as he walked up to his partner. Behind him was the rest of the Mystic Falls group and Rebekah without bloodshed. Erik actually raised his eyebrow at his sister. She gave him a slight shrug, Erik figured he would ask her about it later.

"Hello Jeremy. How did the rest of your day go?" Erik asked with a smile.

"Pretty good. It helps that I got to see you a lot today." Jeremy said as he leaned closer to Erik.

Erik snapped his fingers before kissing him on the cheek, causing Rebekah's eyes to widen at the scene.

"Illusion spell. Last thing we need is legal problems with me kissing a minor." Erik said, answering the unspoken question in the other's eyes.

"Can we add this to the list of things to learn?" Bonnie asked, eyes sparkling about the new magic.

"Sure. I'll add it to the list... eventually." Erik said with a shrug as he wrapped his arm around Jeremy's waist.

"How come it didn't do anything to us?" Matt asked, curious about the magic.

"You all know about my relationship with Jeremy so it didn't work on any of you. The things you need to keep in mind with magic is that magic only has three limits; power, control, and creativity. Fighting smarter is the best way to use magic. Over the centuries, I would like to think I mastered the art of creativity. Kol and I were the most dangerous of all of us because we became more creative after becoming vampires." Erik explained.

"It's true. Kol is known as the worst of the worse. I love him, but he can be a bit much sometimes." Rebekah said as she thought back to a few plots that Kol enacted.

"Haha. It's true. He's a blast but watch out for the fall out. Anyways, shall we get started on your lesson, Bonnie?" Erik asked as he checked his watch.

"Sure. We can go ahead and head over to the House." Bonnie said, shifting her bag up.

"Actually, this lesson we can do right here. We're going to be testing elemental resonance for all of you." Erik said to the confusion of everyone, even Rebekah.

"But.. we're not witches. What do you mean by that?' Matt asked.

"This is something I have discovered over years of research. Everyone, no matter their species, resonate with a certain element. I have found that if one can connect with their element, they can gain certain abilities they wouldn't normally have. The way it'll work is that I'll explain the aspects of the elements then Bonnie will tell me who she thinks best resonate with that element. Afterwards, I'll help you connect with the element." Erik explained.

The others were shocked, never imagining something like this was even possible.

"Ok. Should we go ahead and start?" Bonnie said, excited to try something completely new.

"Sure. The first element is Air, the element of Freedom and Independence. Those that resonate the strongest with Air value freedom and being true to themselves. At times, they can feel untethered to reality so they need someone to keep them grounded." Erik described as he moved the wind around the group.

"Umm I don't really know." Bonnie frowned as she looked down, thinking hard.

"Really? You can't think of someone that for so long chaffed under obligations, that they finally removed those bindings?" Erik asked with a small smile.

Bonnie frowned a bit longer before snapping her eyes up to Erik who gave her a wide grin.

"Me. For so long my magic felt like a curse, constantly using my magic for others, sacrificing everything I had left. I want to be free." Bonnie said softly as the wind whipped around her, lifting her hair. She felt the change within herself as she accepted her element.

"Very good Bonnie. Realizing your own elemental resonance is the hardest part since you have to accept every part of yourself. You will find that Air magics will be easier for you though you'll still be able to use the other elements. Now, onto the next element.

The element of Fire is the element of passion and desire. Those that resonate with Fire are passionate and driven. They feel stronger than most people do, which is both good and bad. If they don't have someone to help channel their passions, they can destroy themselves just as easily as they can hurt others." Erik said as he summoned a fireball in his right hand.

"Caroline... and Rebekah." Bonnie said. Rebekah shot her a surprised look at her accurate assessment.

"Good. Caroline and Rebekah do resonate the strongest with Fire... which does explain why they tend to fight so much." Erik said with a chuckle. The two blondes shot him a sharp glare.

"The next element is Water. Those that resonate with Water are creative, calm, and adaptable. They can change based on who they need to be for the situation. They can be as fierce as a hurricane or as gentle as a spring shower. They need someone to be there for them to be their constant in their lives." Erik said as he replaced the fireball with a ball of water. Bonnie took longer to think this one before pointing at both Jeremy and Stefan.

"Nicely done. The final element is Earth, the element of strength and substance. Those that resonate with Earth are protectors or nurturers due to their steadfast nature. They also don't change easily unless they are moved by some extreme force but they will be the foundation that you need. They can however spend so much time nurturing or protecting that they can forget themselves or forget to dream." Erik said as he caused the fallen leaves to lift into the air.

"That's Matt." Bonnie didn't even need to hesitate.

"Nicely done. I do see that's getting pretty late already so I think we'll only have time to help one person connect with their element. Who would like to try first?" Erik offered, looking around.

"I'll do it. Sounds kind of cool." Jeremy offered. Erik nodded, figuring that he would volunteer first.

"Ok. Just close your eyes and listen to my voice." Erik said as he stepped away from Jeremy and moving in front of him. Jeremy closed his eyes, relaxing his stance somewhat. "Listen to only my voice. Let everything fall away. Feel the moisture in the air, the power of a thunderstorm, the water flowing through every living thing. Focus only that sensation, let it consume everything until it is all you can feel. Look deep into yourself and find your element. It has always been a part of you, just hidden, asleep. Wake it up." Erik said as he used a small bit of magic to help guide Jeremy to his element which is the only thing that gave him a warning of what was to come.

"Jeremy! Stop!" Erik shouted but it was too late.

The moment Jeremy fully connected with his element, a blast of magic burst out of him, throwing everyone back by almost 10 feet. The November afternoon darkened as thunderclouds gathered around, lighting cracking through the sky, and rain suddenly pelting all of them. They all tried to get up as the winds buffered them. It was like trying to stand in hurricane at full force.

Erik had risen first, using his magic to steady his footing and shielding him against the storm that Jeremy was causing. He finally managed to reach him and began to siphon the massive amount of magic crashing through Jeremy.

Slowly, the winds and rain faded until it was no longer holding everyone back. Jeremy collapsed into Erik's arms, unconscious and covered in sweat.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Rebekah asked as she finally regained her footing in the soaked grass.

"I... I think Jeremy had magical ancestry. When I was helping him connect to his element, I felt the magic in his blood waking up. I... didn't know that was even possible." Erik said as he waved his hand over Jeremy, checking him over. The sheer force of the magic nearly burned him out, him, the Original Heretic. Power like this would have had Jeremy declared as a demigod back in the old days.

"Does this mean that Jeremy's a witch now?" Bonnie asked as she walked over to the pair. Her entire outfit was soaked and her hair was a sopping mess.

"It would seem so. We should get him back home to rest. I am not sure when he'll wake up after that amount of magic crashing through his body. Caroline." Erik said, looking over at Caroline with fear in his eyes.

"Yeah?" Caroline said as she helped Matt stand up.

"You should take him home and dried off. He'll need rest but once he wakes up, call me immediately. With this kind of power, I need to help him right away with gaining control." Erik said as he picked up Jeremy.

"Sure. Is there anything else I should do?" Caroline asked as she headed to her car with the others following behind her.

"Make sure he gets plenty of water and food. He'll be slightly dehydrated and hungry after expelling that much magic. Outside of that, just help keep him calm and relaxed." Erik said as he helped Caroline load Jeremy into the back seat.

He moved some hair that was stuck to Jeremy's forehead before giving him another kiss on the forehead.

"I'll take care of him and call you when he wakes up." Caroline said, watching the scene with equal parts worry and happiness for her friends.

"Thank you." Erik said simply as he closed the door. He and the rest of the group watched Caroline drive away, all worrying for the youngest member of their friends.

"He'll be ok. He survived Nik. He can handle this too." Rebekah said as she wrapped her arms around her brother, plastering herself to his back.

"I know but I can't help but worry for him. He's..." Erik trailed off.

"I know. You gave him our family crest. I know what he means to you." Rebekah said as she detached herself from her big brother.

"We should get going before someone comes to investigate the sudden weather change." Matt said meekly, not really wanting to interrupt the tender sibling moment but he was also starting to shiver in his soaked clothes.

"Go home everyone. We'll let you know what will happen later." Erik said with a sigh before he vamped back to Camaro. He wondered how all of this change the course of their lives.

Chapter Text

Jeremy opened his eyes and shut them tight, head pounding like his worst hangover ever. He stayed there for a few minutes trying to stop from throwing up over the side of the bed. He heard faint movement and risked cracking open his eyes. He saw Caroline closing the blinds and looking at him with worry in her eyes. She set a glass of water on the bedside table before sitting at the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Caroline asked softly, eyes worried.

"Like I have the worst hangover in my life after being tossed in a washier. What happened?" Jeremy muttered as he blindly reached out for the glass of water. Caroline shifted and helped him sit up so he could sip at the water.

"Erik was doing a lesson about our elemental resonances. He was helping you connect with your water element but when he did, something happened. You..." Caroline trailed off, unsure of how to explain him causing a hurricane.

"What happened Caroline?" Jeremy asked, worry clear in his voice.

"You caused a hurricane basically. Apparently, you had magic this whole time, Jeremy. I have no idea what this would mean. I am going to be calling Erik. Just stay here and relax." Caroline explained.

"What?" Jeremy asked, blinking dumbly at his sister-in-all-but-blood. He had magic now. Thunder rumbled outside the window despite the clear skies. Caroline shot a worried glance between the window and Jeremy.

"Jeremy. I promise to explain everything I can but we'll need Erik. I am going to call him right now, ok? Just take a deep breath and relax." Caroline said softly, doing her best to keep him calm.

Jeremy took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and released it. He could feel the pressure in his chest now. It felt like he was trying to hold back a tsunami with a piece of glass, held back for a moment but could break at any moment.

"Yeah, call him now." Jeremy said, relaxing his heartbeat slowly. Caroline nodded before she pulled out her phone and dialed Erik's number. It only rang once before he picked up the phone.

"Caroline? What is it? Is Jeremy ok?" Erik asked quickly, worry in his voice. Caroline put the phone on speaker and nodded towards Jeremy.

"Erik? It's me. I am ok, just really confused." Jermey said quickly. He heard Erik sigh in relief.

"Love. Bless the Aesir you're safe. How are you feeling now?" Erik asked.

"Tired mostly. Feels like the worst hangover I've ever had. What happened?" Jeremy asked softly as he sipped at more water.

"When I was helping you connect with your element, I felt you wake up the magic that had been sleeping in you. My best guess is that you had magical ancestry. If nothing had happened, you probably never would have had magic. It would have just continued down your family line until a true witch was born. I am talking with my aunt as she is also water-inclined witch so she should have something to you can use for the moment." Erik explained slowly and clearly.

"Oh." was all Jeremy was able to say over his shock.

"I understand that this something you never imagine happening, but you are not alone. You will always have me, Caroline, Bonnie, Matt, and Stefan. No matter what, we are here for you, I promise." Erik stated with absolute certainty in his voice. Caroline smiled softly as she nodded with Erik's statement.

"I know, Erik. I am just scared. I caused a hurricane apparently without meaning to. What would happen if I lost control and hurt someone?" Jeremy worried his bottom lip, the lights in his room flickering.

"You won't and you want to know how I know that? Because I know you. You are kind and protective and loyal. Your magic is simply an extension of who you are, it is not a separate part of you. It is you. You could never hurt someone unless they hurt those you love." Erik stated, love and compassion clear in his voice. Jeremy blushed at the warmth his faith invoked in his chest.

"Don't worry Erik. I'll be here the whole time, keeping his safe." Caroline finally speaking up, her smile soft at Jeremy.

"Thank you, Caorline. I promise to be there first thing tomorrow morning. I'll have a temporary focus set up for you to use until we can make a new one for you. It'll help you gain control a bit faster, but you'll need to gain some control first. A focus can only help you so much before it's no longer effective." Erik explained, using the same tone he had in class.

"Ok. I'll see you tomorrow. We do need to finish talking about what I wanted to say earlier." Jeremy said with a blush. Caroline's eyes widen even as the smirk grew as well.

"Yes, we do. I'll be at the Forbes house first thing. We'll be meeting with Bonnie to set things up for Alaric. Goodbye, Jeremy. Stay safe." Erik said, tone full of love for his partner.

"Bye Erik." Jeremy said as he hung up the phone. He looked over at Caroline with a shy look. Her smirk split her face with a wicked gleam in her eye.

"Oh Jeremy. Do I need to do the shovel talk with your new bae?" Caroline asked, fluttering her eyes at her baby brother. Jeremy groaned, flopping back at the bed. Tonight was going to be a long night.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Erik hung up the phone, glancing at his own smirking sister and aunt. He let out a soft sigh as he returned his seat with a heavy thud.

"No, I don't know what Jeremy wants to talk about, though I have a good idea what it is. No, I am not discussing this anymore with any of you. Can we please move on?" Erik said as he picked up his wine glass and drank from it, today testing his sanity more than it ever had. Freya and Rebekah groaning while his brothers chuckled.

"Very well, near nephew. You were saying that Jeremy's power was so great that when you tried to siphon it, it nearly burned you out?" Dahlia questioned, her eyebrow raised. She had known him for centuries and knew well his limits. If this young man's power was greater than even Erik could handle, his power would make even her family's power seem like parlor tricks.

"Yes. I was teaching the Mystic Falls group about elemental resonance. I was helping Jeremy connect to his water element. I thought he would just gain the normal gifts of Water, enhanced healing and empathy. I never imagined he had magic hidden inside his blood. If it hadn't been for the storage crystal I had, I would have done serious damage to myself trying to siphon away the magic surging through him." Erik said as he pulled out his necklace. It was actually similar to the one he had commissioned for Jeremy. It had an aquamarine charm and a ruby charm on either side of the Mikaelson Crest. The magic stored in each were enough to power the entire city of Mystic Falls for a decade now.

Freya blinked at him before grabbing her own wine glass, slamming it back, before refilling it again. Dahlia rubbed her brow as she grabbed her own glass and took a delicate sip.

"I never imagined the sheer raw magic I felt could be wielded by only a single boy." Dahlia said. That sheer raw power would have had her begging the man to marry Freya to produce a new First Born Mikaelson before her years of therapy. Now, she was glad that Erik had declared to all that he loved this man to the whole world.

"Yeah. I am worried about how Jeremy will control all of this magic. As a fellow water-inclined witch, I was hoping you might have an old focus I could give to Jeremy to use until I get one crafted for him or we can rework his family ring for it." Erik said as he rubbed his temple.

"His family ring?" Freya asked, confused by his statement.

"Apparently, one of the Bennett ancestors enchanted a pair of family rings for the Gilbert family. They allow a human that wears them that once they die, their soul will appear on the Other Side instead of moving on. Once that occurs, they can return to the bodies, essentially allowing them to resurrect so long as they are killed by a supernatural. Based on what I could sense from the rings, I think someone has been corrupting them with Dark Magic, turning them into vampire hunters." Erik explained even as he summoned up a journal and flipped to a stretch he made of the family rings with notes in the margin of the magic. He turned the journal over to his aunt who read over his notes as she nodded.

"You would want to remove the current enchantment although it would an excellent focus for him. You could also use the necklace you gave him." Dahlia said as she shot a look that Erik ignored. He was not in the mood to expand on that more.

"I was hoping to ask you Freya to help me out with cleansing Alaric of the Dark Magic. I want to do this since he can be Jeremy's new guardian since she" Erik hissed" can't be his guardian any longer. I am planning on using an Elemental Purification ritual with Bonnie's help. I am hoping that with three elements, we can fix him. I don't want Jeremy involved until he gets more control." Erik said as he took back to the journal. He had already texted Nico, his jeweler, with a design for a new charm for Jeremy's necklace that will have his family crest on it. If his family knew about that, they would already be demanding marriage negotiations at once if only to embarrass him.

"Sure. Not like I got much else going on. Finn and Sage are still planning out their world tour and are just waiting for after the family trips." Freya said with a shrug as she looked up to the rest of her of her family entering the study Freya and Dahlia had claimed for their magic usage.

"Everything is just about set up for our family Christmas retreat. I am still getting everything ready at the Vail mansion." Elijah said with a smile. He was happy that his whole family was together and actually working on getting along.

"Wonderful. I only ask that you don't make any plans for Spring Break. I am already planning a Spring Break trip for the Mystic Falls Group." Erik said with a secretive smirk. He had big plans for that week.

"Of course brother." Elijah said, head cocked to the side, curious about his plan. Erik didn't say anything before he looked around with a frown.

"Where is Esther?" Erik finally asked as he noted she was the only one not around.

"Still sulking in her room. Even I have tried to get her to spend time out and about. I think we all got our stubbornness from her instead of Father." Kol said with a shrug. He had honestly been trying but had finally given up. Erik shared a long look with his aunt and elder sister before sighing.

"Dahlia was already planning on returning to Oslo on Monday so she'll take Esther back with her. If she doesn't want to be around us, we'll send her somewhere she can't do anymore harm to us." Erik said as he stood up. Dahlia nodded as she too stood up.

"Good riddance." Rebekah muttered. Finn grimaced even if he agreed with his brother's decision. He would always love her as she was his mother but he was tired of trying to help her. He had to finally live his own life without her.

"I'll go and rework the cuff to link with Dahlia. I am honestly want to just remove it and be done with her for good." Erik said as he rolled his shoulders. He should see about getting a massage soon again, all of this stress would kill him if he was human.

"Wouldn't removing it be dangerous to let her just wander out and about?" Klaus questioned.

"No. When Erik helped Bonnie Bennett create a new Ancestorial Ground, it severed her link with the Bennett Family. The cuff is still allowing magic to flow into her so she can live. If we removed it, she would die within a day or so." Freya explained, glad to finally be away from her mother.

Erik nodded as he escorted his aunt past his siblings. They came quickly to the guest room, Erik knocking harshly against the door. The two waited for a few moments before Erik rolled his eyes and opened the door. They spotted Esther sitting, glaring out the window. Erik stood there, watching the woman that should have been his mother but never was. He hated her and pitied her for many years before he too did his own work on fixing himself.

"What do you want?" Esther snapped out as she looked away from the window to glare at her son and her sister.

"I am here to say goodbye and turn you over to the Matriarch of your line." Erik explained as he walked over to her. Esther frowned as she saw him coming closer. He pulled her up from the chair and dragged her over to Dahlia who was frowning at her sister. She didn't need to make this harder than it already was for them.

Erik held his hand over the silver cuff, muttering a soft chant, before moving his hand to Dahlia's elegant ring that she used as a focus for herself. He felt the link that he had with the cuff sever and reconnect with Dahlia.

"So, it is done. She is all yours, Auntie. Esther, enjoy Oslo. I'll maybe see you before you die again." Erik said nonchalantly. He may have worked on his issues with Esther, but he could still be petty with her.

"Erik. No, please. Don't leave me with her." Esther begged, fear in her voice. She worried what manner of horrors her sister would subject her too. Dahlia rolled her eyes, silencing her sister with a thought.

"Come sister. It's time we returned home." Dahlia said as she snapped her fingers and had all of Esther's things packed while leaving enough for her for the next three days in town. Esther backed away from her sister, tripping over in her haste. She would get free and make them all pay for this humiliation, one day.

Chapter Text

Erik was standing in front of the Forbes house, needing a few moments to gather himself. While he hated Esther, she was still his mother and knew that last night was probably the last time he would see her. He had always had mixed feelings regarding her due to her negligence and being his maternal figure for so long.

He shook his head when he heard someone approaching the door. It opened to reveal Sherriff Forbes, obviously readying to head out for the day.

"Oh. Hello, Erik?" Sherriff Forbes asked, quickly reigning in her shock at his appearance before her door.

"Hello Ma'am. It's nice to officially meet you. Is Jeremy up? We had some plans today." Erik asked respectfully. He wanted to make a good impression on the woman that was probably Jeremy's last maternal figure.

"He is. Caroline and him are just finishing breakfast. They should be out in just a moment." Sherriff Forbes said, debating on if she trusted him enough to invite him in.

"I see. I don't mind waiting for them. I should let you go. Have a good day ma'am and be safe out there." Erik said softly as he moved off to the side of the porch. Sherriff Forbes blinked at him for a few moments, liking how he didn't demand or even ask to be invited into the house.

"Thank you, Eric. Your family has helped keep things a bit quieter here... except for that little hurricane yesterday." Sherriff Forbes shot him a partly amused and worried glance at him. Erik allowed a slight grimace to cross his face.

"I do apologize for any issues that may have caused. If I had any idea that Jeremy had magical ancestors, I would have done some preparations to minimize the results of Jeremy's powers." Erik said as he bowed slightly towards Sherriff Forbes.

Sherriff Forbes studied him for a few moments before she smiled softly at the man. She liked everything she had seen from him and knew that her decision was the right one.

"Please come in Erik. No sense having you wait outside." Sherriff Forbes said as she stepped out of the house, holding the door open. Erik looked at her in surprise before he dipped his head once more.

"I thank you for your hospitality and vow not to betray your trust." Erik said softly as he stepped around the Sherriff into the house. He looked around and felt a slight longing. The house might be on the smaller side for what his family would be used to but it had the feeling of a loving family that lived there.

"I thank you. Have a good day and maybe we can have a family dinner soon. You obviously mean a lot to Jeremy, and I know Caroline considers you a friend. I do have to get to work." Sherriff Forbes said as she stepped away and headed towards her cruiser. Erik stared at her retreating back with a dumbfounded look. He blinked a few times to stop from the tears gathering in his eyes, wishing his mother could have been that kind and welcoming.

"Hey Erik!" Caroline said as she walked out to meet him from the kitchen. The sound of sudden shuffling reached Erik's ears as Jeremy ran out from the kitchen and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Hello handsome." Eric said as he hugged his partner, feeling happy at just this simple moment.

"Hi Starlight." Jeremy said as he pulled back enough to place a chaste kiss on Erik's cheek. Caroline let a small smirk that was part teasing and part fond for newest little brother.

"Glad to see you Erik... though not as much as Jeremy of course." Caroline said, giggling at the blush on Jeremy's face.

"Nice to see you too, Caroline. I hope you don't mind me stealing Bonnie and Jeremy for the day. The purification ritual will take a while for set up and finishing." Erik said as he shifted his left around Jeremy's waist, placing a kiss on his forehead.

"No problem. I had some plans with Stefan. He's not been handling things well." Caroline said with a slight grimace. Erik wrinkled his nose at the thought of the doppelganger and how she seemed to hurt everyone around her.

"Of course. I am hoping to have everything finished by dinner, so maybe we can all do dinner. Jeremy, Bonnie, Stefan, Matt if he's not working, and yourself. My treat." Erik said.

"Deal. I think I can get use to you spoiling all of us." Caroline said with grin.

"Acts of Service and Gifts are my primary love languages. I like helping out my friends." Erik said with a shrug. Jeremy hummed, leaning into Erik's side, taking note of that for later. He was already working on planning out Christmas gifts for Erik and his new family.

"I'll keep that in mind. You two have fun and let me know if you need anything." Caroline said as she grabbed her bag of supplies for heartbreak to help her best male friend.

"Thanks, sis." Jeremy said softly to the joy of Caroline. Erik gave him another kiss on the forehead as he began to guide Jeremy out of the door.

The duo got into Erik's Camaro and began the short drive towards to the Bennett Mystic Ancestorial Grounds. Bonnie had already confirmed that she would meet them there.

"So, how does this ritual work for Alaric? Also, didn't you say you'll have a focus for me? What does that mean?" Jeremy asked quickly to the amusement of Eric.

"The ritual will be a purification ritual to cleanse Alaric of the Dark Magic infecting him. The rings send a human's soul to the Other Side if killed by a supernatural, allowing them to return to their body. Normally, this would be some concern but not like it is now. What I think is happening is that a powerful witch is finding his soul on the Other Side and cursing him with Dark Magic to hate vampires. The more times he dies and uses the ring, the more Dark Magic is infused into him. This ritual will remove the Dark Magic and then will protect him from being infected again. I would still recommend that I siphon away the magic from both rings to be safe. The focus is in my pocket which I will give you when we get to the Ancestorial Grounds. It's something my aunt had prepared for a male water witch if one was ever born into the family. I'll explain it and how to link it with your magic when we get there." Erik answered in order. He loved how excited Jeremy seemed to be about learning the craft.

"Oh. Yeah, removing the magic from the rings would be good idea. I doubt I can use them anymore now that I am a witch." Jeremy said as he hummed, watching the scenery past by. He loved how Fall seemed to transform the small town he called home.

"Most likely not. My intention is to siphon the magic from the rings and then use your ring as your primary focus. I'll explain in more detail about how focuses work..." Erik trailed off with a frown. He spotted the doppelganger yelling with Bonnie outside the house. Jeremy looked up at Erik's silence and spotted his former sister. He let out a slight growl at having to deal with her again.

Erik parked, cutting off the screaming match between the two ladies. Elena scowled at the blue Camaro while Bonnie let out a sigh of relief at having back up. Jeremy barely allowed the car to stop before he was jumping out of the car and running to Bonnie's side, completely ignoring Elena. Erik got out quickly, vamping over to Bonnie's other side, glaring at the... Erik frowned by the slight traces of magic radiating from Elena.

"What are you doing here, Elena? If you haven't realized it, we want nothing to do with you anymore." Jeremy snapped out harshly at the intruder.

"I am here to talk to my oldest friend. I want out of that little deal we all made. I am not giving the Originals crap." Elena snapped back.

"You agreed to the conditions willingly. The only way out of donating blood is either become pregnant or to become a vampire. If you try to refuse, nothing on this planet will keep you safe from the retribution of Nature. Your safest option would be to just accept it and go about your life." Erik said as he continued to frown at the girl, looking at the necklace she was now wearing. It was...Erik's eyebrows raised at the stone in shock.

Elena smirked at him as she glanced at her brother and friend.

"Thanks for confirming that for me. See you never." Elena said smugly before she vamped away. Bonnie and Jeremy's mouths dropped in shock and horror at what they had just seen.

"Did she... seriously turn herself into a vampire to just get out of the deal?" Jeremy said, his fist clenched as thunder boomed, and the skies darkened with clouds.

Erik stared at the place Elena had vanished from before he raised his hand and rubbed his temple.

"What the hell?" Erik muttered as he began planning how to make the wretched girl regret her existence. Bonnie glared out at the forest, a mixture of loss of rage filling her.

"I can't believe her!" Jeremy snapped out as he turned on his heels and marched into the house. The house creaking in response to his heartbreak and anger, the spirits of the Bennett Ancestors doing what they could to contain his magic from destroying everything around him. Erik lifted his head to watch his partner walk into house, sensing the spirits helping to minimize the damage Jeremy's emotions would do to the town.

"Call the rest of your group. I am getting her protections revoked. She is going to regret for choices. Have them all meet at the Mikaelson house in about two hours." Erik said, his fist shaking in his anger. He had lived for a thousand years, and he had never meet someone so selfish before.

Bonnie couldn't speak with screaming, so she simply nodded as she pulled up her phone. She opened a new group chat between the rest of her friends, demanding that they needed to have a meeting at the Mikaelson house, no excuses.

Erik saw the nod before he turned on his heel, muttering a plea with the spirits to allow him to go comfort his partner. The spirits gave him a sense of acceptance and that they stood alongside him and the others in their plans. Shelia herself wrapping her granddaughter in comfort for the loss of her friend, her own rage at that child's actions felt in her magic.

Erik vamped directly to the basement where he spotted Jeremy sitting on the floor, his arms wrapped around his legs. Erik had to take a few moments to settle his anger before he could attempt to comfort his partner. He walked slowly over to Jeremy, giving him plenty of time to ask for space. He didn't say a thing, so he dropped to the floor and wrapped his arm around the younger man. Jeremy leaned in his embrace without complaint, his tense shoulders relaxing just a bit.

"Does she really hate me that much that she would become a vampire?" Jeremy asked, his voice cracking slightly with his heartbreak.

"I don't know. I am so sorry you are feeling this way. This is worse than anything Katherine has ever pulled from what my family has told me." Erik said softly, tightening his hold on Jeremy. He should have foreseen something like this would happen but this completely blindsided all of them.

"Yeah, it is. She at least had a more legit reason for becoming a vampire." Jeremy said softly, his tears falling slowing. He reached up and rubbed his eyes with his sleeve.

Bonnie walked down into the basement, cussing Elena to hell and back under her breath. She was going to make her suffer for what she had done to her family and friends.

"Everyone confirmed that they'll be there. I didn't mention that Elena turned herself into a vampire." Bonnie said as she pocketed her phone and came to kneel in front of her friends.

"Thanks, Bon." Jeremy said with a sad smile. Bonnie nodded as she reached out and squeezed his shoulder.

"Anytime, Jere. What are we going to do now?" Bonnie asked. Erik snapped his fingers, a large trunk appearing near him. The two mortal witches barely reacted, already getting use to Erik's habit of summoning randoms things.

"We'll do the ritual preparations and linking Jeremy with a temporary focus like we intended. With her gone, Jeremy will need Alaric's support. After we finish the prep work, we have the meeting to remove Elena's protections and then we can get Alaric cleansed for good. We can deal with her punishment later." Erik said as he looked at Jeremy. He could feel that Jeremy was regaining control over the errant magic that had surged with his emotions.

"Bonnie. Inside the trunk is all of the ingredients and the grimoire that we'll need for the ritual. Page thirty-four has the requirements for the ritual setup we'll be using." Erik said as he snapped his fingers once more, the trunk clicking open.

"Right." Bonnie said as she opened the trunk fully. She spotted numerous jars of various herbs and a large bag of rock salt. She grabbed the leather grimoire that Bonnie started to realize that Eric favored for his grimoires. She flipped through it until she got to the correct page, studying it with interest. Everything she had learned from Eric was so new and different from the other magics she had done before; she loved every moment of it.

"The salt will be the first thing we need to place as salt is a both a binder and stabilizer for ritual magics. It is the strongest and most easily accessible thing to use for the Earth Element. The herbs are keyed to call up the other specific elements and to strengthen our intentions for this ritual." Erik said as he stood up and began pulling the various jars out.

"What is all the herbs we're using and do they a specific reason?" Jeremy asked, deciding to put his family drama behind him for the moment.

"We're going to be using a variety of herbs and they each have aspects of protections, healing, and purification. There are even some to help invoke the four elements and their intentions." Erik said as arranged the jars in a line, pointing to the first jar.

"This is Eucalyptus known for its use in cleansing and healing magics. It invokes the Air element." Erik explained as he passed it over to Bonnie to study. She could feel a slight connection to the herbs, almost like she could sense the Air element.

"This is blessed thistle, also known for its use in protection and healing magics. It invokes the Fire element." Erik said as he pointed to the next jar, each labeled in his elegant script.

"Next is hyssop. It's used mostly in purification and blessings. It is more used for sea magics so it's the best herb for the Water element." He explained as he passed the jar to Jeremy who too could feel a slight link to it.

"This is cedar. It is used for protection and strength, so it's connected to the Earth element." Erik said as he held up the next jar. The two young witches wished they thought to bring a notebook for everything they were learning.

"These four herbs will be placed at the Cardinal points of the circle we'll make with the salt. They'll be used to draw the specific elemental rune at each point. The other herbs will be used for the other runes placed between the points." Erik said as he pulled out the final four jars of herbs.

"These are angelica, cinnamon, galangal, and rosemary. We'll use them to draw the runes between each elemental rune. Angelica will be between Earth, the north point, and Air, the east point, since it focuses on banishing and warding against evil. Cinnamon will be between Air and Fire, the south point, due to its connection to passion and shielding one from evil. Galangal will be between Fire and Water, the west point, as it's used for removal of hexes and masculine power since I'll be representing Fire and Jeremy is Water. Rosemary will be between Water and Earth due it's connection to cleansing, wisdom, and protection." Erik said as he pointed to each jar, the others nodding along.

"What are the runes we'll be drawing?" Bonnie asked, still curious from the peace talk about Runic magic.

"Several actually. Each rune represents a certain idea or connects with a certain element. Air is represented by Wunjo for it means joy or wellbeing." Erik said as he flipped to the back of the grimoire and showed them all of the various runes from the Elder Futhark alphabet. The two leaned in closer to study this new kind of magic.

"Fire is represented by Ingwaz for is means energy and ancestry. Water is represented by Laguz which does directly mean water and self. Earth is represented by Uruz which translate to strength and life force." Erik explained, pointing out each rune to the two young witches.

"Now, the runes we'll use between the Cardinal points will not so much represent an element but our intention for the elements, such as Algiz, which represents protection and luck. It will be done with angelica between Earth and Air." Erik said, flipping the page to show each of the secondary runes.

" Thurisaz will be placed between Air and Fire for it means defense or disruption of darkness. It will be draw with cinnamon. The next one is Eihwaz, made with galangal, for it means transition and wisdom. The final rune will be Isa made with rosemary to represent resistance or pausing the effects of magic. When all of them are combine in the way we are doing so, it will call forth the four elements to purify and protect Alaric and our ourselves from Dark curses." Erik said as he pointed out each rune.

"I feel like I'll never learn everything about magic." Bonnie muttered, her head swimming with all of the information Erik had just dumped on them.

"You won't and that's alright. Even after living for a thousand years, I am still learning new and different ways to do magic. Learning and living your craft will be a journey, not a destination. Just learn it at your own pace and focus on what matters the most to you as a witch." Erik said softly, a small smile at their desire to learn and grow into their craft.

"Ok, that's probably fair. Should we get started to laying everything out?" Jeremy said, excited to be able to help out with magic now.

"Not just yet. I need to give you this before we can get started." Erik said, shaking his head at his excitement. He pulled out a velvet box and held it out to Jeremy. He took it, getting deja vu from the gala night. He opened it and saw a simple wooden charm that had a piece of leather string through a hole at the top with the rune Thurisaz on one side and Laguz on the other side. He raised an eyebrow, wondering how this was supposed to help him.

"The wood is Oak, known for being connect to masculine power and protection and good fortune. The runes, as I explained earlier, will help focus the natural energy of the Oak charm to help you control your extremely power Water magic connection. Just wrap the leather around your wrist. I'll help you link with it once you do." Erik said as he flipped back to the ritual layout he and Freya had designed for this purification.

Jeremy nodded as he wrapped the leather a few times around his wrist, keeping the charm close to his skin. He could feel the faint echoes of the power held within the charm. Erik nodded, happy that it seems that Jeremy was already getting a sense of listening to his magic. He shifted closer to Jeremy, holding his hand above the charm, focusing on his intention to direct Jeremy's magic to the charm with the purpose of helping him gain control. He felt the link lock into place although he still felt the power was far too strong. He would need to acceleration Jeremy's training more than he would like.

"Good. How does that feel?" Erik asked as he studied Jeremy's face for any signs of issues. Jeremy took a moment to focus on his breathing and felt the link with the charm and how he felt more in control than he felt a moment ago.

"Better. Loads better. Thanks babe." Jeremy said as he kissed Erik's cheek.

"Good. If anything changes, let me know and we can get something stronger for you. Now though, we need to get the preparations finished before we need to leave." Erik said as he got to his feet. The others joined him, and they made quick work pouring out the salt, drawing the various runes in the salt with their specific herbs, and marking the Cardinal points.

Erik watched each step, gently correcting them before they made an error, and helping ensure that each part was perfect. He nodded as they finish, waving his hand over the ritual circle, sealing everything in place before they left.

"Nicely done, both of you. We'll make proper witches out of you both in no time. We should get going before we're too late." Erik said, holding out his hand to Jeremy who linked their fingers together without a thought. Bonnie smiled softly at the two as she followed them out of the basement, her ancestors whispering their praise for her growth. She also had something she needed to talk to Erik about but that would wait until later.

Erik offered to drive everyone there in his Camaro which he would trade out for Niklaus's SUV due to the number of people he would be driving around later.

The trio drove to the Mikaelson house with Bonnie and Jeremy asking random magic theory questions to which Erik answered each, taking the time to fully explain everything to them.

The trio pulled up to see the rest of the Mystic Falls Group standing outside, chatting with Rebekah and Elijah. Erik parked, letting Bonnie out through his side while Jeremy got out, running up to the group.

"Sorry we're late. We just finished getting everything ready. Let's head inside." Erik said as he directed everyone inside, his sister and brother staring at him in confusion of the group of teenagers on their doorstep. Erik guided everyone to the dining room they used for the peace talk.

The rest of the Mikaelsons were already gathered around, each caught up in their own thing. Finn and Sage had a variety of folders and laptops as they had agreed to help fold in all of Freya's and Erik's business ventures into the family accounting. Freya was sitting across from them talking softly with Kol as she pointed to a grimoire before Kol frowned but nodded. Nik was sketching something with a piece of charcoal in his stained hands. Dahlia was still in her study with Esther, from the sound of it, trying not to murder her own sister for good.

"Sorry about the last minute meeting but something happened." Erik said as he took his seat with Jeremy sitting next to him, a frown on his lips. Bonnie scowled so harshly at the table, it's a miracle it hadn't burst into flames yet.

"What happened that we all had to meet here?" Damon asked, fingering the bottle of bourbon he had been working on when his brother and Blondie had dragged him to the Originals.

"Elena turned herself into a vampire and left town." Erik snapped as he tried to gain control of his anger. He locked his glare onto the two Salvatore brothers, wondering which one turned her.

Those that didn't already know of this, dropped their mouths in shock. Damon blinked before he raised the bottle to his lip and started draining the bottle in a few gulps.

"Judging by your reactions, I am assuming none of you turned her, which means she must have had blood saved somewhere." Erik muttered, sagging into his chair.

"We told her that she wasn't welcome in the Salvatore Boarding House anymore. I haven't seen her since school yesterday." Stefan said, glancing in worry at his older brother. He never imagined Elena would turn herself into a vampire for such a selfish reason.

"I figured but I still needed to ask. She was also walking in the daylight so she must a daylight item." Erik said.

"Her birth mother, Isobel. She was vampire I turned but died just before Klaus broke his curse. She must be using that." Damon explained, setting the bottle on the table with a thud. He fell for two different doppelgangers and they both ground his heart into dust, maybe he should stay single for a while.

"I suppose since she's directly related, the magic is allowing her to use it. Usually, daylight items have to be keyed to the specific vampire." Freya mussed as she thought about it.

"It hardly matters how she's walking around in the daylight. We need to decide if we should revoke her protection or something else." Erik said as he looked around the room. Most of the Mikaelsons didn't really care one way or another while the Mystic Falls Group had mixtures of rage and heartbreak on their faces.

"Remove it. She is no longer our friend. She made her choice; she can suffer the consequences." Matt snapped out, his anger shocking many of his friends.

"Love. Are you... I know you are not alright, but is there something I can do?" Klaus asked to Caroline who had been staring off into space since the news of Elena's turning was said. While the loss of new hybrids annoyed him, he had begun to reelevate their use now that he had his family standing beside him. She shook her head as she glanced at the hybrid with a determined look in her eye.

"Make sure she suffers." Caroline stated as she turned towards Erik. Erik studied her expression for a moment before looking at his elder sister, who nodded as she snapped her fingers. Her copy of the agreement appeared before Erik on the table. He reached out and undid the string binding the agreement closed. He unfurled it and frowned as he studied it.

"It would seem that Nature was not amused by her actions. She's already been removed from the agreement already." Erik said as he pointed out the blank space where the blood donation section should have been. The others leaned over and saw the large blank space on the contract. Kol leaned back, both impressed by the doppelganger's bravado and already making plans to get payback. She hurt someone important to his big brother; she would regret her actions for the rest of her immortal life.

Erik studied the agreement for a few moments before retying it and handing it back to Freya.

"I have some great curses in anyone is interested." Freya said, trying to lighten the mood. Jeremy snorted before he broke down in hysterical laughter. Erik looked at him, bundling him up in his arms, and vamping to his bedroom. Clearly the young man had reached his breaking point.

Bonnie was being comforted by Matt whose own glare caused a chill to run down the immortals' spine, glad his anger wasn't directed at them. Damon left quickly after that, not wanting to be around people right now. Stefan stuck around for his friends though taking a note to spend some time with his brother.

"Somehow, I think the Petrova doppelgangers get worse with each occurrence." Rebekah said as she looked at Caroline who had become a sort of friendly rival for her.

"They have. Tatia was more annoying with her games. I haven't met this Katerina but from what I have heard, she was more ruthless. This Elena, however, seems like the worst of the lot." Finn said as he watched the others. He shared his younger siblings' dislike for Tatia though he kept it quieter than they did. He had even gotten so fed up with her toying of Niklaus and Elijah he had actually helped Erik and Kol prank her with poison ivy in her clothes.

Elijah hummed, silently agreeing with his family's assessment of the latest doppelganger. Elena had proven herself far more ruthless and selfish than what even Katerina had shown in her five hundred years. His fingers twitched to call her up and inform her of how her descendent had caused her own life to crumble into ash.

"Tell me, Freya right, what curses do you have in mind?" Bonnie asked the older witch a bit shyly. She hadn't had a chance to speak with the eldest Mikaelson, so she was a bit unsure of her.

"I am so glad you asked. Erik and I invented a few fun curses and pranking spells. Of course, Erik can just siphon away the magic but only if he can find the enchanted item." Freya said with a smirk as she waved over the younger witch.

Soon the room was filled with conversations as the Mystic Falls Group chatted with the various members of Mikaelson family. They had finally started to realize that they weren't the villains of their story. They were an immortal family that was fiercely protective of their people and were from a harsher time. Rebekah and Caroline were already talking like they knew each other for centuries, instead of a few months. Stefan was chatting with Klaus like they hadn't since Chicago. Finn and Sage returned to their work while occasionally injecting into the various conversations around them. Matt and Kol were already planning something wicked based on the expressions that worried all that looked at the two. Matt Donovan and Kol Mikaelson becoming partners-in-crime, who could have imagined that.

Chapter Text

Erik left the room when Jeremy had finally hit his breaking point. He was honestly surprised that he hadn't broken down earlier. This last week had been a roller coaster of emotions for the young man.

Erik twitched his finger, opening the door without having to release his hold over Jeremy. He vamped in, closing the door, and throwing up a silencing ward before he laid down on the bed with Jeremy. Jeremy's hysterics had already shifted in gut-retching sobs as Erik held him close. He didn't say anything, simply offering the young man a safe place to cry and vent his storm of emotions.

Thankfully, the warding around the house that Dahlia, Freya, and himself had placed around was keeping the storm contained to their immediate area. He would hum the song that Niklaus would always sing when he was comforting one of them.

Slowly, Jeremy's tears stopped, and his breathing slowly evened out. Erik looked over and scowled darkly. Jeremy had cried himself to sleep and was now tightly cuddling into Erik's left side.

'By the Gods, I want to go out there and hunt that selfish bitch until she's begging for death.' Erik thought as he made plans to make Elena regret the day her mother first kissed her father. He looked down and blinked as Jeremy's clothes shifted from his late fall attire to comfortable sleeping clothes. He had, over the centuries, mastered so called wordless magic to the point he only spoke spells for the more delicate forms of magic.

He pressed his lips to the top of Jeremy's head, infusing it with an added sleeping spell. He needed to get up and confer with his family about making Elena pay for her crimes. He got up, smoothing Jeremy's hair, and shifting him so he had a pillow under his head. He should probably him tuck into the sheets but that may be pushing it a little.

Erik let out a soft sigh as he watched Jeremy shift around in his bed as he unwrapped himself from Jeremy's tight hold. He softly left the room, casting a boundary spell to keep everyone else out of his room while Jeremy slept. He returned to the room that the others were still standing and talking in. He sat down heavily into his chair, rubbing his face. He looked up when he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

Finn was looking down at him with worry, sorrow, and a touch of understanding. If anyone could understand Jeremy's feelings right now, it would be Finn. Erik gave him a slight smile, trying to convey that he was holding it together but appreciated the gesture.

"How is Jeremy?" Caroline asked as she sat next to Erik, placing her hand gently on his knee.

"He fell asleep. I am going to let him rest for a bit longer before we need to leave for the ritual." Erik said softly as he grabbed Caroline's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Probably for the best for now. I actually need to talk to you about something." Bonnie said as she sat across from Erik. He looked up, worried about something else happening.

"Last night... the Bennett Ancestors spoke to me. They wanted me to tell you that Silas is starting to stir." Bonnie said, not fully understanding why all of her ancestors spoke of the name with fear.

Kol let out a string of curses from various languages, Freya paled, and Erik dropped his head into his hands once more.

"Fuck." Erik muttered.

"I remember you guys saying that I am apparently his doppelganger, but who is this Silas guy?" Stefan asked.

Erik looked up and saw that the entire Mystic Falls Group looked both confused and worried by the Mikaelson's reactions. He dropped his head to the table with a heavy thud.

"How is it that you all are so clueless about the most basic stuff?" Erik muttered to the amusement of his family and the indignation of the others.

"Not all of us are from before the founding of the United States. Could you please explain?" Bonnie asked, her ancestors were pretty tight lipped about who Silas was, just that she need to tell Erik as soon as possible.

Erik sighed before he raised his head and waved for everyone to take a seat. The one surprising pairing was Kol and Matt taking a seat right next to each other. Erik raised a brow to his younger brother, who rolled his eyes and shrugged.

Translation: Kol didn't like him like that but liked him enough to be his friend.

"Silas was a well-known and powerful Fire inclined witch. He was from the Roman Empire and was known for his habit for burning his enemies alive into ash."

"Sounds charming." Caroline said with a grimace. Kol gave her a playful smirk, but Erik continued before he could horrify them anymore.

"He was arranged to marry an equally powerful witch from the Middle East called Qetsiyah. The hope was to unite the two tribes of witches and bring about a peace between the East and Rome. Qetsiyah wasn't as well-known as Silas, but she was far more powerful than he was. The problem arose when he fell in love with Qetsiyah's handmaiden, Amara. I should also mention that Qetsiyah is an ancestor of yours, Bonnie." Erik said. Bonnie blinked at him, wondering how her family and the doppelgangers keep crossing each other.

"He continued the courting process with Qetsiyah so that he could trick her into helping him create an immortality spell. He worded it as he wanted to spend forever with her. She fell for it unfortunately and crafted the first Immortality Elixir, a potion that would grant them immortality in exchange for their considerable magical abilities. Qetsiyah however discovered the plot too late, according to legend, on their wedding day while she was at the altar waiting for Silas. Silas and Amara drank the Immortality Elixir and fled as far as they could. Qetsiyah did what any scorned woman would have done when they have incredible magical powers. She hunted them down and made them both regret their treason."

"What did she do to them?" Matt asked, curious about the ending of the story.

"This may not be hundred percent accurate but the way the story goes, she found them and cursed Amara to become the Anchor for the Other Side, the supernatural purgatory. From what records I have found, she experiences ever supernatural death that has ever happened since the creation of the Other Side. If she is still the Anchor, she's probably gone completely mental, witnessing every death for the last two thousand years. Silas was captured and placed into a tomb with a cure to immortality that Qetsiyah created. I think her plan was to trick Silas into taking the Cure and die to be with Amara, whom he probably assumed would have been killed by Qetsiyah. If he did die, he would instead be trapped on the Other Side for good since Amara, at least with what little I have found, was a regular human." Erik finished.

"That's... wow." Matt said, summing up everything they all felt in that simple phrase.

"Wars have been fought over less. The issue is that if Silas becomes free, he will want to destroy the Other Side, freeing both himself and Amara to live their afterlives together. That can't happen. The Other Side is now an integral part of the Balance of Nature since it's been around for so long. I have no idea what would happen if the Other Side was destroyed but I can't imagine it being anything pleasant. Silas either would need to be sealed once more in a way that it can't be broken or given the Cure and killed immediately." Erik said, trying to make sure that everyone understood the ramifications of Silas's release.

"If we sealed him, would we be able to use the Cure ourselves?" Rebekah asked softly. Erik gave her a sad smile before shaking his head.

"If Qetsiyah was smart, she would have crafted the Cure to only work for Silas. Even if she didn't, I would not recommend taking it since we have no idea how it would work on reversing your immortality. Plus, all vampires are linked to the Original that they are descended from. If that Original die, all from that sireline dies with them." Erik explained to his little sister. The Mystic Falls Group all shared horrified looks, now fully realizing that they could have killed themselves with their constant fighting with the Originals.

"It's what Mother's original plan was. She wanted to link all of us together and then kill us, ending the entire vampire species all at once." Finn said to the shock of his siblings and wife.

"You agreed to this?" Klaus asked, his expression troubled.

"I did, at first. I had been stuck in a box for nine hundred years. I hated everything that came with being a vampire, the heightened emotions, the bloodlust, and lack of empathy at times. Having Sage and Freya returned to me helped me begin to see that it wasn't a curse like I first thought of it. I should also mention that the effects of the dagger wear off after a while. I could hear everything around me, but I couldn't move or react. Despite all of those reason, I couldn't stand by and let our mother hurt any of you anymore." Finn explained to the horror of his entire family. Sage reached out and grabbed his hand, both to reassure him she was there for him and part to reassure herself he was still here. Klaus studied his eldest brother for a few silent moments before he stood up. He walked slowly over to Finn before he pulled his brother into a tight hug.

"I had no idea. I am so sorry, brother. I give you my word that I will do better by you, all of you." Klaus pulled away, looking at each of his siblings in turn.

"I will hold you to that brother. I can't fully forgive you yet... but I think we'll get there someday." Finn said as he pulled his little brother into another hug.

Caroline and Rebekah watched the scene with a soft smile while Elijah was practically glowing with how wide his smile was. His one brother was slowly but surely redeeming himself and his other brother was reconnecting with his family.

"As touching as this is, we need to deal with Silas and soon. Every legend about him says he will bring about the end of time. Not sure how accurate that is but I would rather not test that." Kol said, trying to keep up an indifferent expression despite the wetness around his eyes.

"Nothing we really can do about it now. We have no idea where his tomb is or who could be helping him. I don't really have an interest in finding one of the Five to find him." Erik grimaced. Klaus shuddered at the thought of dealing with those particular people again.

"The Five?" Bonnie asked.

"A brotherhood of enhanced vampire hunters. They're cursed in that they absorb the strength of each vampire they kill and that if a vampire kills one, they become plagued by nightmares and hallucinations until they kill themselves. They are not to trifled with in any way. Silas will use a puppet to gather the necessary ingredients he'll need to accomplish his goals. For now, we can just keep our ears to the ground and watch for any signs." Erik explained with a shrug. He would love to deal with that bastard, but without a location, he would just be spinning his wheels.

"Fair enough. If there is nothing else, Stefan and I had plans to break a few things." Caroline said to the amusement of her new and old friends.

"Oh? Mind if I join you. I would love to break out my new baseball bat." Kol said with manic glee.

"Sure man. Mind if I join too? I finally have the day off and could use the stress relief." Matt said holding up his hand to share a high-five with Kol. Caroline shrugged as she glanced around.

"Bonnie, Freya, and I will need to raincheck. We need to finish purifying Alaric before we can do anything else." Erik said as he stood up from his chair. The others began to take that as the cue to disperse.

"Bonnie. If you want to, Freya can show you to the study we magically inclined Mikaelsons have commandeered for our grimoires and what not. I am going to be grabbing Jeremy." Erik said over his shoulder before vamping up to his bedroom. He opened the door softly before leaning against the doorframe. Jeremy was still asleep, now curled around one Erik's many pillows, his hair sticking up. He stood there just watching the beautiful man he had fallen for sleep peacefully.

He pulled out his phone and took a quick picture before he walked over to the bed. He sat next to Jeremy, placing another kiss to his forehead, shattering the sleeping spell. Jeremy rolled onto his back, blinking up blearily at Erik, who let out a soft chuckle. Jeremy was still holding onto the pillow like a teddy bear.

"Erik?" Jeremy asked groggily.

"Hello handsome. It's time to get up. How are you feeling?" Erik said as he reached out and smoothed down Jeremy's hair.

It took a brief moment for Jeremy to catch up for Erik saw the moment he remembered about Elena's final betrayal. He took a deep breath before exhaling. He sat up and laid his head on Erik's shoulder.

"Why do I still love her despite all that she's done?" Jeremy asked, his voice cracking slightly, tears building at the corner of his eyes.

"Because she's your sister. I both hate and love Esther, and I've had a thousand years to process my trauma from her. Love is one of the most beautiful and painful emotions that we all can feel. One day, you'll wake up and the pain will still be there, but it won't cripple you anymore. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it's true. Something I heard one time was that grief is the expression of how much we loved someone and you, Jeremy, have a big heart. It's why I fell for you, your capacity to love, your joy, and wit made you the brightest person in the room." Erik said softly, rubbing Jeremy's arm. He wished he could just snap his fingers and make everything better for Jeremy, but real life didn't work like that.

"I... thank you Erik." Jeremy wanted to say those three little words, but they kept getting stuck in his throat. Somehow, he knew that if he said those words, he would never say them to anyone else like he would to Erik. That thought scared him more than any vampire or werewolf or hybrid he had ever faced before.

"I will always be here for you. Come on. We need to gather Bonnie and Freya and get going." Erik said as he snapped with his free hand, shifting Jeremy's clothes back to his jeans, hoodie, and jacket. Jeremy blinked, suddenly realizing he hadn't been wearing his clothes until just now.

"How did you do that?"

"Magic." Erik said smugly.

Jeremy rolled his eyes so hard, he felt like they might get stuck.

The duo left Erik's room, walking to the study the witch Mikaelsons had taken over. They walked through the door and nearly turned right around. Freya, Bonnie, and Dahlia were talking over various grimoires, cackling like they were real wicked witches. They were just missing the pointed hats and a large bubbling cauldron.

"I am scared." Jeremy said after a beat.

"Smart man. I am beginning to regret introducing my family to your friends. Also, watch for Matt. He's somehow become friendly with Kol so expect pranks in the immediate future." Erik said only slightly joking. He could hear his various siblings still around laughing.

"Noted." Jeremy said with his lips twitching. The three female witches were watching the byplay between the two males with a soft smirk.

"Bonnie. Freya. We need to be going if we want to finish in time for lunch." Erik said as he checked his watch. It was already getting close to noon. It seemed to be going to be a late lunch day.

"Of course. Best of luck, dear nephew." Dahlia said, snapping her fingers causing the various grimoires to close and return to their spots on the shelves.

"Thank you, auntie. We'll need to have dinner either tonight or tomorrow before you leave back to Oslo." Erik said, giving his aunt a kiss on the cheek as she walked by him.

"Of course. Be sure to bring your partner. I need to properly make sure he is good enough for you." Dahlia said with a cackle at the blush rising on the two males' faces.

"Why am I going to be missing you again?" Erik gritted out through his embarrassment. Dahlia simply cackled as she walked away. Freya and Bonnie shared an amused look at the two before walking past them.

"Well this is going to be a fun dinner." Jeremy tried to joke.

"At least I don't have to worry about her cursing you to death. She likes you and me too much to do that, she wouldn't be teasing us otherwise." Erik said as he pulled Jeremy with him as he grabbed Klaus's keys from the key hook.

"That was a real concern?" Jeremy asked, worried now about having a meal with the ancient witch.

"Unfortunately. Like I said, she likes you, so she won't do anything harmful against you, maybe just a prank or something. Where do you think Freya, Kol, and I get our prankster nature from? Father?" Erik said as he walked everyone over to the large black SUV. Jeremy blinked and tried to imagine Mikael pulling a prank and snorted at the image.

The group drove to the apartment building that Alaric was currently residing in. They kept the conversation light, mostly talking about some of their favorite spells or magical practices. Erik pulled up and backed near the back of the building, figuring that they may need to sneak the hunter out of the building if it came to that.

"Alright. Jeremy and I will go get Alaric. Bonnie and Freya. I want you both move to the front. I am not sure how dangerous Alaric might be with whatever amount of Dark Magic is running through him. Jeremy can help keep him calm while I can deal with him if he gets violent." Erik explained as he passed the keys over to Freya.

"Good call. Not sure how he would react to me near him." Freya said as she got out. Bonnie shrugged before she got out. Jeremy took Erik's hand without a thought and heading into the building. They took the elevator to the correct floor and made their way easily to the right door. Jeremy knew his palms were beginning to sweat with how nervous he was getting. Alaric was one of the last parental figures he had left, and he really wanted Alaric to like Erik. Erik glanced over as he gave Jeremy's hand a light squeeze. Jeremy nodded before he raised his hand and knocked at the door.

The door opened quickly, Erik having to hold back the urge to gag at the smell of alcohol that swept out of the apartment. Alaric was stand there in a pair of old jeans and a flannel shirt. He had a small crossbow in his right hand and a bottle of bourbon in his left hand. He looked like he had hardly slept or washed in days. Erik was seriously reconsidering allowing this man within a hundred miles of Jeremy.

"Jeremy? What are you doing here?" Alaric asked as he set down the crossbow on the side table near the door. He glanced at Erik with a confused look, a bit of darkness seeping into his eyes the longer he looked at Erik. Erik didn't allow the tension he felt building in his shoulders to show in his expression.

"Hey Ric. This is Eric. He figured out a way to help you with your blackouts. We just have to head that abandoned plantation house." Jeremy said, clearly picking up the tension and hoping to get Alaric fixed without any more issues.

"Erik... He's a vampire. How is he supposed help me? Haven't I taught you or your sister anything? Vampires are monsters and should killed, painfully and swiftly." Alaric snapped out, glaring at Jeremy with a look so cold, Antartica would feel like a desert.

"I am not just any vampire. I am the Original Heretic so I can just do this." Erik said as he forced Alaric asleep, grabbing his shirt before he fell. Erik wrinkled his nose once more at the pungent odor from the man. He could understand being stuck inside for long periods of time, but hygiene was important.

"Well that went well." Jeremy grimaced as he grabbed the bottle from Alaric's hand. Erik chuckled before he tossed the hunter over his shoulder like he was a sack of flour.

"About the best we could hope for. Magic has its own will sort of so when the Dark Magic sensed what we intended to do, it tried to force him to attack. I just went with the path of least resistance." Erik said as he began to make his way back to the elevator.

"Huh. Makes sense compared to everything that has happened in our lives." Jeremy muttered as he followed Erik out. Erik snapped his fingers, throwing up another illusion spell in case they ran into anyone else. They managed to get to SUV without any further issues, tossing Alaric in the back trunk, Erik sticking him to the floor to keep him from rolling around too much.

The group quickly got into their seats and drove off to the Ancestorial Ground, all of them feeling the sickly sensation of all of the Dark Magic radiating from Alaric. Erik shot a look at Freya, confirming that what he was sensing was right. His mother had been the one infecting Alaric. For what purpose, they could only guess but it hardly would matter in a few moments.

They parked and began to all exit with Erik once more throwing Alaric over his shoulder. Freya walked up to the doorway, looking over her shoulder briefly to Bonnie.

"Freya Mikaelson. Be welcome to the Bennett Mystic Ancestorial Grounds." Bonnie spoke, a soft breeze blowing out of the house.

"I, Freya Mikaelson, thank you for your hospitality and vow not to betray your trust." Freya said with a slight curtesy. She stepped over the threshold, waiting for the others to guide her to the ritual space. The others quickly followed and headed to the basement.

Erik slowly laid Alaric out, his head towards the Earth point and his hands resting on his stomach. If it wasn't for his steading breathing, one would think he was dead.

"Ok, Let's get this started." Jeremy said as he started to walk to his spot. Erik shot him an amused look as he held up a hand.

"Not quite yet. There are a few added things we'll need to do based on the amount of Dark Magic Alaric is radiating." Erik said as he walked over to the trunk he had left there. He was glad he had included all of the extra things they would need.

"What else do we need to do?" Bonnie wondering if the way she had been doing magic previously was even remotely correct if there were these many steps in each spell.

"The amount of Dark Magic is much greater than I thought there would be so I thought this would be overkill. Apparently not. Everyone come here." Erik said as he grabbed three small bottles filled with oil. Freya raised an eyebrow before she nodded, agreeing with Erik's assessment.

"Hold out your hands, palms down." Erik said as he passed two bottles to Freya. He opened the third, the scent of peppermint wafting in the air.

Bonnie and Jeremy shared a brief look before following Erik's instructions. He turned the bottle over, his pointer finger over the opening.

"This is peppermint. It is commonly used in protection spells. This will protect us from the Dark Magic. I'll use the oil to draw Uruz on both of your hands." Erik explained as he swiftly drew the rune on the back of each of their hands. He did the same to Freya before taking the bottles from her and allowing her to do the same.

"The next one is Lemongrass oil. I'll draw the rune Othala on your foreheads. It helps improve communication and connection between us during the ritual." Erik said as he did the same with the second bottle.

"This is last oil is Juniper. This one will go on Alaric's forehead which I'll use to draw the rune Mannaz. It represents balance and humanity. Juniper is used for banishing spells of evil spirits and cleansings." Erik said as he placed the other bottles back into the trunk. He carefully stepped over the salt circle, drawing the rune on Alaric's forehead. He closed the bottle and stepped back over the salt. He set the bottle back with the others.

"Ok. Now, we all get into position. Once we do, we'll each call out our element. We allow the magic to build up until it evens out. Once that happens, we say the spell until the magic finishes its work. This shouldn't take too long with all of the preparations we've done." Erik said as he stepped to his place at the southern point. The others quickly got into the places, waiting to start. Erik looked over everything to a critical eye before nodding to Bonnie.

"I call Air to this circle." Bonie said, the words coming instinctively. The air in the basement swirled around their group, gently caressing their skin. Bonnie's eyes had started to glow with yellow light.

"I call Fire to this circle." Erik said, his tone confident and sure. The various candles and fireplace in the basement blazing to life, filling the space with warmth and power. His eyes glowed bright red.

"I call Water to this circle." Jeremy said next. The salty scent of the sea filling the space and feeling of rain on their skin. His brown eyes glowed the same dark blue that they gained when he first unlocked his magic.

"I call Earth to this circle." Freya said last. The scent of fresh cut grass mixing with the scent of the sea, making them all feel like they were standing at the top of a grass covered cliff. Her eyes began to glow a dark forest green.

The magic building inside the room was enough to take away the younger witches' breath. The feeling of connection to the elements and to each other was more than anything they had felt before. The power continued to build for so long that Erik shot his sister a puzzled look, unsure what was going wrong.

She made to shrug before her mouth dropped open at the sight before her. Threads were floating in the air inside the circle, each radiating the elements in their purest forms. Neither Erik nor Freya had ever seen something like this before during any ritual they had ever done. Bonnie reached out and plucked a glowing yellow thread, tying it into a knot on instinct.

"With Knot of One, The Spell has Begun." She said, flicking the thread over to Erik automatically. He grabbed the thread, feeling the raw and untamed power radiating from it. He reached out and grabbed a red thread that almost felt like it was a burning coal. He tied the thread with the yellow thread.

"With Knot of Two, The Spell is True." Erik said, not understanding how or why he was doing what he was. He flicked the knot over to Jeremy who reacted like this was perfectly normal. He grabbed a blue thread, the same color of his eyes, and tied his knot easily.

"With Knot of Three, The Spell is Free." Jeremy said, his voice deep and strong. The bass of it seemed to shake the foundations of the house. He flicked the thread to Freya who repeated the process with a green thread.

"With Knot of Four, The Power is Stored." Freya said as she flicked the mass of threads to the center of the circle.

"With Knot of Five, The Spell Will Thrive." They all called out together, the bundle of threads twisting on its own.

"With Knot of Six, The Spell We Fix." They spoke as one again. Freya and Erik sharing a terrified look, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"With Knot of Seven, The Spell Will Waken." The glowing bundle began to get brighter with each line spoken.

"With Knot of Eight, The Spell will Wait."

"With Knot of Nine, The Spell Be Mine." They said, now having to squint at the blinding light of the threads.

"With Knot of Ten, It Begins Again." Jeremy called out by himself, his voice sounding deeper than the ocean itself. The power now felt greater than any had felt in thousands of years. Every Supernatural across the globe looked to the sky. They all felt something was happening, that is moment would change everything they knew about the world.

The witches held their hands towards the center of the circle, the runes on their foreheads and hands glowing like the knot at the center. They were all filled the knowledge of the spell they would need to use and spoke as one.

" Elementa ad hunc circulum vocamus. Benedic intentionibus nostris ad servandam animam huius hominis ab tenebris. Purifica cum Aere, Purifica cum Igne, Purifica cum Aqua, Purifica cum Terra. Elementa ad hunc circulum vocamus ad tuendam, ad sanandum, ad purgandum tenebras ex hoc circulo." The words flowing from their lips in perfect synch. The runes in the salt circle matched the glow until they all had to shut their eyes to keep from going blind.

Suddenly the light vanished like it was never there. Erik opened his eyes slowly, opening his mouth to check with everyone. A sudden explosion of magic rushed out of the circle, throwing all four of them like a bomb exploded. Erik slammed in the wall behind him, he faintly heard and felt his head cracking against the wall before darkness overtook him.

His last thought was he prayed that Jeremy was unharmed.

Chapter Text

Erik let out a soft groan. Waking up from head injuries sucked whether you were immortal or not. The first sensation that came to him was the sounds of a forest. The second being the feeling of laying down on dirt, leaves, and sticks.

That caused Erik to sit up confused. The last thing he remembered was performing the purification ritual for Alaric and how it seemed to be different from any other ritual he had done.

He slowly opened his eyes, scanning his surroundings. He had somehow appeared in a forest that he vaguely recognized. He took a quick survey of the area he was in, only spotting various oak, pine, and other types of trees. He then checked himself over, not finding anything concerning as his cracked skull had already fully healed.

He frowned. He had never experienced such a magical backlash before from a ritual. Usually, the salt would have absorbed the bleed-off from a ritual and re-directed it to the Earth, to restore what was used from the ritual. The fact that so much magic was leftover to cause suck a blowback was worrying.

He expanded his senses out around him before it snapped back in his shock. He was somehow on the Other Side though the magical energy from the area told him it was an Ancestorial Plane.

"Erik?" Jeremy called out from his right. He seemed to be a few hundred feet away from him. He could detect that the others were here as well and near Jeremy. Erik got up and vamped in the direction he heard Jeremy from.

He entered a clearing, barely registering the others outside of Alaric were also in the clear, as he vamped in front of Jeremy.

"Jeremy! Thank the Aesir you're ok. You are, right?" Erik said, his eyes looking all over Jeremy for any injuries.

"Erik! I am fine. Are you?" Jeremy said, his relief almost palpable as he hugged Erik tightly.

"I am ok. My injuries already healed fully. What about you?" Erik said, holding Jeremy while also glancing over to see Freya checking in on Bonnie who was nursing a bump on her head.

"I am ok. My head hurt a bit when I woke up but it's already better." Jeremy said, pulling back to look at Erik.

"Let me check you over before we do anything else. Head injuries can turn serious quickly." Erik said, releasing his hold on Jeremy to hold Jeremy's face. He closed his eyes and reached out with his magic. The sensation he felt from Jeremy were stronger than they were before the ritual, but no major injuries remained. He could tell that Jeremy's magic had quickly healed his injury.

"You are fine but let me know the instant if your vision begins to blur or you get a headache. Responsive healing magic is fine for minor stuff, but the more major injuries need proper magical interventions." Erik said, opening his eyes as he stared into Jeremy's soft brown eye... Erik blinked as he realized that one of Jeremy's irises had shifted in a deep blue like his eyes looked like during the ritual.

"Umm. Love. Your eyes. Do they hurt at all?" Erik asked slowly, not wanting to scare Jeremy any more than he would already be.

"My eyes? They feel fine. Why?" Jeremy asked, cocking his head to the side in his confusion.

"Your right eye. It's blue, like dark blue." Erik said slowly. Jeremy blinked before he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He tried to turn it on, but it remained stubbornly off.

"My phone won't turn on." Jeremy muttered as he tried to get his phone to work.

"I am not surprised. We're somehow on someone's Ancestorial Plane. The blowback from the ritual must have temporarily displaced our souls. It may just take a moment, but we shouldn't have any issues returning to our bodies." Erik said, calmly despite the worry he felt. He had never had a ritual result in astral projection before, something telling him that it had something to do with those glowing threads that appeared.

"We're dead?" Jeremy asked, his tone calm despite the worry in his eyes. Erik pulled into a brief hug, both to reassure himself and Jeremy.

"Not quite. Our souls were displaced due to that explosion at the end of the ritual. It's rare but it does happen. Our bodies are still alive so we should be able to return easily." Erik said, rubbing his hands down Jeremy's arms. Jeremy sighed as he laid his head against Erik's chest.

"Great, now that's something to worry about when doing magic." Jeremy muttered. Erik let out a soft chuckle as he picked out the leaves from Jeremy's hair.

"Like I said, it's rare for it to happen. There was a lot of magic involved within the ritual, so this was the result. We'll be more mindful for any future magic." Erik reassured. He finally let go of Jeremy and looked over to where Bonnie and Freya had gotten up and was walking over to them. Freya was frowning as she looked around the clearing they had arrived in. Bonnie seemed to be fine, no major physical changes like Jeremy had experienced.

"What happened? Where are we?" Bonnie asked as she came close enough to them.

"I am not a hundred percent sure. We're astral projecting on someone's Ancestorial Plane. I am not sure what happened after we called the elements. Everything else that we did was the will of Nature, which is unusual since that has never happened before when Freya or I have done Ritual Magic before." Erik frowned as he scanned over both of them. He detected that both Freya and Bonnie were uninjured thankful.

"This doesn't look like the Ancestorial Plane when I commune with the Hagan Ancestors. I would imagine this is your Ancestorial Plane, Bonnie." Freya said, still looking around the clearing in worry.

"You would be partially correct." A male voice called out to them. Erik snapped his head in the direction of the voice, pulling Jeremy behind him. Freya did the same with Bonnie being the more experienced witch.

The male was average height for a Norse male, around five feet eight inches. His red hair was streaked with gray though his brown eyes held a sharpness from a brilliant mind behind them. He was dressed in a simple green tunic that came to just above his knees, tied by a thick leather belt that held a variety of pouches and a small dagger in a sheath. His brown pants were worn but well patched. His boots were also well taken care of.

It was the symbol on his chest that caused Erik to hesitate, the Aegishjalmr shown prominently on the front in black thread. The eight-arm circle surrounded by a circle of Elder Futhark runes was still on of the strongest protection runic formation that a practitioner could use from the Old Ways. Erik wasn't sure how it would affect him here but he would defend his people like always.

"Good response though not needed. I mean no harm to you or to your Coven. I am Magne of the Hagan Line." The man said, his accented English held the inflexions and other cues of a non-native speaker.

"Merry meet. I am Erik Mikaelson." Erik said slowly, not bothering to correct the witch's assumption about their Coven relationship.

"Come. We have much to discuss with the ancestors of that southern witch." Magne said as he waved his hand towards Bonnie, who stiffened slightly.

"Is that an insult or just a fact?" Bonnie questioned softly to Freya who was staring at Magne with surprise.

"A bit of both parts but mostly the later. Many Norse witches looked down on other witch bloodlines." Freya said absently as she continued to stare at the witch.

"How are you here Magne? You shouldn't be able to manifest here in the New World despite mine or my aunt's residency here for the time." Freya asked which was valid as this broke the major tenant of Ancestorial Magics.

"All will be explained shortly. Follow me. We do not have long here before you need to return to your bodies." Magne said as he turned around and walked out of the clearing.

Everyone shared a look before Erik nodded slightly. He sent a few subtle hand signs to his sister who nodded and moved to cover the rear of their group. Erik started to follow Magne with Jeremy and Bonnie directly behind him.

They walked for a few minutes before Erik spotted something that caused him to stop so suddenly, Jeremy ran into his back.

"Erik?" Jeremy asked, looking around to see what caused him to be brought up short. Erik was staring at a simple hut with a mixture of awe and worry. He took a hesitant step towards the hut before he stopped. He shook his head before he continued walking.

Jeremy and Bonnie looked at one another before looking at Freya who shrugged to their unspoken question.

"Um. Erik, is everything ok? What was that hut?" Jeremy asked as he walked quickly enough to catch up with Erik who was studiously refusing to look around at the other huts that began to appear around them.

"That... That was my childhood home that I shared with the rest of my family." Erik said, his tone too calm to be comforting. Freya let out a small gasp as she began to realize that the village they were walking through was Mystic Falls a thousand years ago.

"Oh." Jeremy said softly, not really sure what to say or why Erik was so upset about seeing it.

"I'll explain it later... I just can't right now." Erik said, his tone hesitant and unsure. Jeremy frowned, having never seen the immortal so rattled in their short time of knowing each other.

"Later then." Jeremy said as he grabbed Erik's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Erik nodded absently but return the squeeze with one of his own.

The group continued their walk in silence as Erik would point out a few other important buildings, especially Ayanna's hut that he and Kol spent so much time growing up.

They eventually came to the center of the village where a massive oak tree took the majority of the space. Jeremy spotted vervain growing at the base tree, causing him to stare at the tree in a mixture of awe and horror. It was the original White Oak tree that Esther used to make the Originals. Erik allowed a slight grimace to cross his face as he stared at the tree. Freya came to the same conclusion as the others and sneered at the tree that could kill her family.

"Hello child." A voice said as a trio of similar women walked around the tree in view. Ayanna was there, dressed exactly as Erik remembered seeing her the last time he had been here a thousand years ago. One of the other women was dressed in a purple gown tied by a thin leather belt, her hair covered by a veil with a golden headpiece holding it in place. The final woman was dress in a modern attire with a green comfortable sweater and pants.

"Grams!" Bonnie called as she ran over to her grandmother, Shelia Bennett.

"Mrs. Shelia." Jeremy said, his eyes watering slightly. She waved him over for his own hug. Jeremy stepped forward before looking at Erik, who let out a slow nod. Jeremy sighed before he ran over, pulling both Bonnie and Shelia into a group hug. He looked at his mentor and maternal figure as she approached him.

"Merry meet, Erik. It has been a long time, my child." Ayanna said, her own eyes teary as she held his face in her hands.

"Merry meet." Erik whispered back, his tone wavering slightly. She just gave him a slight smile as she stepped away.

"Merry meet, Freya. I am Ayanna. I was your brothers' mentor and protector in this village. I have been watching over them for many years. Thank you for being there for Erik. I cannot express how thankful I am for protecting him when I could not." Ayanna said, turning her attention to the eldest Mikaelson.

"Merry meet, Ayanna. He is my brother. How could I do anything different?" Freya said, clearly touched by the words from her brother's mentor.

"This is all lovely, but can someone explain what is happening?" Dahlia called out as she walked around the tree, looking thoroughly unamused. Erik gulped loudly at the glare he got from his aunt.

"I suppose I can start since I am the eldest here." The unnamed woman said as she came to near the tree.

"Who are you? I don't recognize you." Erik said slowly, not wanting to disrespect a clearly powerful witch.

"I am Qetsiyah, and I am here to explain what you and your Coven have just set in motion." Qetsiyah explained as she leaned causally against the tree truck. Erik blinked a few times before he gave her a half bow.

"Merry meet, Qetsiyah." Erik said as the others repeated their greetings. Qetsiyah waved her hand, clearly not one for formalities.

"Yes, yes. Wonderful having manners but we need to get started. Let me cut straight to the chase. You are all now a part of a new Coven because of him." Qetsiyah said as she waved towards Jeremy who looked as confused as everyone else still part of the living.

"What did I do?" Jeremy asked, offend at how he had anything to do with what happened.

"You performed powerful ritual magic the proper way and unlocked your abilities, that's what. Tell me, Erik, have you ever heard of Weavers?" Qetsiyah questioned, her tone bored and a bit impatience.

Erik stared at the ground with a slight frown. The term wasn't familiar to him outside of some vague mentions in ancient texts he had found during his time in Greece.

"I am not sure outside of some vague mentions." Erik admitted as he looked back up.

"I figured as much. They are not a common occurrence. A Weaver is a special breed of witches with powers not seen outside of the Weavers themselves. It's one of the few magical traits that cannot be passed down through bloodlines." Qetsiyah explained. Freya and Erik shared a startled look, understanding that whoever these Weavers are, must be so powerful that Nature itself limits their emergence.

"They have the power to reweave the Tapestry of Fate itself, calling up the power of Nature its purest form. I believe you have seen a small display of the young Weaver's abilities." Qetsiyah said. Erik blinked dumbly for a few moments before he turned to stare at Jeremy's shocked expression.

"What does that even mean for Jeremy?" Bonnie asked, glancing between her ancestors and her Grams.

"It means that Jeremy is currently one of the strongest witches in the world. He can see what someone's destiny is and change it however he wants to. That is why the compulsion that Elena forced on him broke. His latent abilities rewrote his fate to be a Hunter to become a true Weaver." Shelia explained to the group.

"I see, but what does that have to do with myself or the others being here in this Ancestorial Plane?" Dahlia questioned, her mind running through multiple situations on how this would change everything.

"Part of being a Weaver is that they can sense the links between people, magical bond or not. As Jeremy is untrained in controlling his magic, it latched onto all of you. You were included due to your bond with Erik and Freya. He created a brand-new Coven bond between all of you." Magne explained as he leaned against the tree near Qetsiyah.

"What?!" Dahlia shouted, her face becoming pale. Erik flinched at that, knowing his aunt's feelings about Coven bonds. She never wanted to have a traditional coven bond any longer after the loss of her family nearly destroyed her.

"Jeremy has linked all of you together. Because of Bonnie's new bond with her ancestors and Freya's Ancestorial bond, it somehow linked both Ancestorial Planes to the point that Hagans and Bennetts can use Ancestorial Magic either here in Virgina or back in Norway." Ayanna said. Erik blinked once more before he collapsed to the ground in his shock. His aunt and sister were looking like they might join him on the ground in their shock.

"That's impossible. Ancestorial Magic is confined to the burial ground of those a part of the Ancestral Plane. It can't be used in different places." Dahlia said. She had tried to find some sort of loophole to allow her access to her considerable Ancestorial magic away from Norway/ Sweden. Not even Erik with his talent for finding loopholes in magic had been able to accomplish the impossible.

"Now you understand the power that Jeremy now wields. It also had some other unintentionally side-effects on all of you." Grams said as she held Jeremy in a side hug. He was still staring forward; his eyes widen and unblinking.

"What else could there possibly be?" Bonnie questioned, her eyes scanning over all of them.

"All of your magic has become bound together in a way that not even we fully understand. You all will have to discover how it has affected you on your own. There is also the fact that you are all somewhat immortal." Ayanna said with a grimace at the shriek from Bonnie. Jeremy finally reacted as he snapped his head to Ayanna.

"What?" Jeremy asked, his voice cracking slightly in his hysteria. Erik finally got up from the ground and rushed over to Jeremy. He pulled him into a tight hug.

"Breathe, love. You need to breathe. Remember, you need to stay calm. We'll figure this out. You are not alone on this." Erik murmured as he tried to get Jeremy to calm down. Jeremy closed his eyes and took slow deep breathes that he slowly exhaled. Erik picked up his heartrate slowly calming down to an acceptable level, which now that he thought about was weird that the others still had a heartbeat on the Other Side.

"Your combined power and the Immortality link between you three, caused both Bonnie and Jeremy to be included with it. They are now essentially immortal, although we have been able to discern that they both will still age until they hit around twenty-two. I assumed it was based on the fact that you Erik was the youngest immortal of the group before the link." Qetsiyah explained, still looking bored. Erik closed his eyes as he heard Jeremy's heartrate pick up again at the confirmation of their immortality.

"Is this link why I can feel what Erik and Jeremy are feeling right now?" Bonnie asked, her eyes wide as she realized she was now an immortal witch like Freya and Dahlia.

"That is due to the Coven bond. Erik, I am sure can explain more about what this will mean for all of you. We are running out of time as you all need to return to your bodies." Magne explained as he pushed off from the White Oak.

"How do we do that?" Jeremy asked, his heartrate finally calming enough that Erik released his tight hold.

"This time, those of us part of the Ancestors will return you. The next time, you'll be on your own." Magne said as he and the other Ancestors circled around the newly formed Coven.

"What should we call you all now that both Ancestorial Plane are linked?" Bonnie asked suddenly. Erik blinked at the, while valid, ill-timed questioned.

"We are the Eternal Ancestors for all of our remaining descendants are now immortal. You all can decide on a Coven name on your own." Magne said with a shrug.

" Returner disse vandrende sjelene til sine dødelige kropper." Magne said, not allowing them to ask any further questions. The ancestors spoke their own version of the same spell, combining their mixed heritage perfectly.

Once again, darkness came over Erik's vision as he felt himself being pulled to the side, like he had been slammed by a truck. He lost his grip on Jeremy's hand once more, praying that this was the last of the changes that would occur for them all.

Chapter Text

Eric opened his eyes once again, staring up at the ceiling of the basement, his thoughts swirling by the implications of what has happened. He cannot understand how everything had changed for him and his family.

Eric lifted his right hand to rub at his face. He grimaced as he spotted that both of his hands had begun to desiccate. The magic that fueled his immortality is immense but not infinite. He is usually careful enough to not siphon his immortality enough that he would desiccate, using the stored magic in his necklace from his aunt and sister. Once he hit the point that he would desiccate, he would need to drink blood to replenish the magic animating him.

"Erik. Are you ok?" Jeremy asked as he moved into Erik's view. His right eye still the dark ocean blue it was on the Ancestorial Plane. His gaze running over Erik in a worry as he spotted the gray hands.

"I am fine... mostly." Erik said as he sat up. He saw that both Bonnie and Freya were watching the scene with a mix of worry and amusement by the unimpressed look on Jeremy's face.

"Then why are your hands desiccated?" Jeremy asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Erik winced slightly before he let out a heavy sigh.

"When I explained what it means to be a Heretic, I may not have told you of everything. It is possible to desiccate yourself if you siphon too much of the Vampire Spell. I am usually careful enough to not worry about it, and as an Original, I can't die if I desiccate too much. When I hit this point, I'll need to drink blood." Erik said as he glanced over at Freya, preferring to drink from her than the others.

Jeremy cocked his head before he knelt down and held out his right wrist.

"Drink." Jeremy stated simply, his eyes showing not an ounce of fear at giving himself over to a predator. Erik shook his head, not wanting to accidently hurt Jeremy by drinking too much.

"I'll be fine. I have some blood bags in the SUV. It should be enough to get me up and moving." Erik tried to push Jeremy's wrist back. Jeremy shoots him a dry look before he glanced over at Freya, who along with Bonnie were trying not to laugh at the scene before them.

"Are all Mikaelsons this stubborn or just the men?" Jeremy asked. Bonnie finally losing her control at the affronted look on Erik's face.

"Oh, no, all Mikaelsons are this stubborn. The men are just more obvious about it." Freya said, biting her lips to hold back her laughter.

Jeremy rolled his eyes fondly before he turned back to Erik. He held out his wrist once more.

"You will find I can be just as stubborn as you. Drink so we mortals can get something to eat." Jeremy said, his eyes twinkling a little as he stared at Erik.

Erik studied him for a moment before he sighed. He shifted so he could more easily move Jeremy's wrist up to his mouth.

"Freya. Make sure I don't drink too much." Erik said, as his face shifted into his vampiric form and sank his teeth into Jeremy's wrist.

Jeremy let out a small gasp at the sensation of Erik's teeth piercing his skin and the pull of blood out his body. He bit his lips to keep from moaning at the pleasure he was feeling as he watched Erik continue to drink until his hands were no longer gray. He removed his fangs and blew on the wound, healing it easily with magic. He frowned slightly as the draw of magic was less than it was before to heal another.

Erik looked up at Jeremy who was staring at him with dark eyes, his pupils so dilated that only a thin ring of blue and brown remaining. Erik smirked as he leaned forward, ready to tease his partner. He desired to see how dark he could make Jeremy blush. He opened his mouth before someone cleared their throat. He looked over and spotted Freya giving him a sharp look and Bonnie covering her eyes with her hands.

"Should we give you both the room or can we finish things up first?" Freya said, her eyebrow raised in judgement at her younger brother. Erik wrinkled his nose at her even as he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. We can wait." Erik said as he got up to his feet. Jeremy whined even as he too stood up. Erik chuckled lightly as he pressed a kiss to Jeremy's forehead. He moved over to Alaric who was still laying down in the ritual circle, well what was left of it. Most of the salt had darkened to black, it having absorbed the Dark Magic from Alaric. All of the herbs had been burned away from the force of the magic they had worked.

Erik knelt next to Alaric, placing a finger to his forehead. He closed his eyes, his gift reaching out to inspect Alaric's soul. He studied his soul for a few silent moments before he removed his finger.

"Well?" Jeremy asked, his voice thick with a mixture of lust and concern.

"His soul is purified... as his body. We didn't just remove the Dark Magic from him but also healed the damage to his liver from all of his drinking. He probably hasn't been this healthy in his life." Erik said, curious on how their combined magic had worked so well on this man. He figured it was due Jeremy's Weaving power. He tapped his finger once more onto Alaric's head, breaking the sleeping spell that had preserved from the effects of the ritual. Alaric woke with a gasp, his eyes searching the room quickly.

"Ric! You're ok, I promise." Jeremy said, coming into Alaric's vision, whose tension drained away. Erik nodded before he stood up and moved over to Bonnie and Freya, allowing Jeremy to reassure the man.

"You both ok?" Erik asked, his eyes scanning over the two ladies. He didn't spot anything physically wrong with them, though there could be something wrong with their magic or soul.

"I am fine, brother. I already check over myself and Bonnie, and nothing is wrong with either of us." Freya said, her tone teasing but happy by his love for her.

"Umm. Is this normal?" Bonnie asked, waving her hand as multicolored sparks trailed behind her fingers. Freya and Erik glanced at each other, a mixture of awe and concern.

"I think this is due to the Coven bond between us. It's linking all of our magic together. The added power of the former Hagan Ancestors probably doesn't help either. We probably need to all forge new focuses due to the boost." Erik tried to sound calm as he tried to contain his own worry. Freya and Bonnie shot him a look that had him wincing.

"You know that we can feel your emotions right now... also Jeremy's lust was enough that I need to take a shower." Bonnie wrinkled her nose at the man. Erik looked away, his cheeks turning red.

"Sorry. I'll work out a way to block out the sensory feedback from the bonds." Erik said, his voice soft in his embarrassment. Freya rolled his eyes before pulling him into a hug.

"Everything isn't your fault or yours to fix constantly. It's not always on your shoulders. We can help you too so let us." Freya said, her voice just as soft.

In a thousand years of existence, she had learned many things about her family and herself. One of the hardest lessons she had to learn was that Erik would bear the weight of the world in order to protect his loved ones. She worked to help him just as much he had helped her and her aunt.

He gave her small smile, knowing precisely where her thoughts had gone to. He opened his mouth to reassure her before his focus shifted back to Jeremy and Alaric.

"Wait. Let me get this straight, two new members of the Originial family, you, and Bonnie just purified me from my darker half." Alaric asked, incredulous that members of the Mikaelsons would ever help someone else.

"Well Erik and Freya are pretty awesome." Jeremy said, a frown forming on his face in the defense of the man he had fallen for.

"Aw. Thanks, love." Erik teased as he came to wrap his arm around Jeremy's waist. He instinctively leaned his weight against Erik's side, his frown shifting to a content smile. Erik smiled as he watched Jeremy relax in his presence.

"Hello. You must be Erik." Alaric said, observing Jeremy's action with confusion. He had no issue with him being interested in a guy, taking more issue with his relationship with an Original.

"Hello Alaric. I am Erik Mikaelson. This is my sister, Freya." Erik said, waving his hand in Freya's direction who waved a single hand in response.

"How are you able to use magic?" Alaric questioned, quickly flicking his eyes between Freya and Erik.

"Freya is a powerful witch who achieved immortality and Erik is the Original Heretic, a vampire/ witch hybrid." Bonnie explained, shifting slightly in front of Freya. The bond resonating with protective instinct against the perceived threat of the hunter.

"Huh. Ok. Now what?" Alaric asked, curious by the reactions of the others. Erik opened his mouth to respond before his phone began to ring. He pulled his phone out and winced at the number of notifications and who was currently calling him.

"Hello Aunt Dahlia." Erik said, his tone falsely cheery even as he winced at the string of cusses in multiple languages that came from his aunt.

"I understand that you are upset but can we discuss this later?" Erik managed to finally say when she took a breath to continue her curse of his bloodline.

"Fine. Tomorrow." Dahlia snapped out, cutting off the call. Erik winced once more as he pulled the phone away from his ear. He slowly scrolled through the increasing frantic texts from his siblings as the ritual was felt all over and then Dahlia collapsing suddenly. He also saw that it was nearly six at the evening.

"I am going to need to update my will for tomorrow." Erik joked as he pocketed his phone. Jeremy frowned as he worried about his partner.

A loud growl echoed in the basement. Everyone turned to stare at Bonnie who was blushing bright red.

"We should all get something to eat. We did expend a lot of magic without meaning to." Freya said, knocking her shoulder with Bonnie.

"That's true." Jeremy said, covering his yawn with his hand. Erik chuckled as he tightened his grip on Jeremy.

"Come on. I'll drive. Jeremy's blood refueled me enough to that I can drive." Erik said as he pulled Jeremy to the stairs.

The others following the duo through the house, the spirits of the ancestors whispering in each of their ears as they walked through.

"Is it just me or are the spirits more active now?" Alaric asked, his ears ringing with the whispers of the long dead witches.

"They are. I'll explain later." Bonnie said, waving away the spirits, telling them that she'll come by later to talk to all of them.

The group all finally left the house and headed to the SUV, Erik moving to the cooler he stored in the truck first. He pulled out two bags of blood, sucking them down quickly.

'Why I am still so hungry despite how much blood I've been drinking?' Erik worried as he grabbed a third bag and sucked it down. He spotted that Freya was watching him with concern. He also saw the Jeremy was worried though he seemed more awake. Erik had a sudden realization.

"Our strength are all linked. The more blood I drink, the more energy that flows down the link to strengthen all of you." Erik muttered.

"We should get food soon before you get too hungry again." Freya said, knowing how much Erik hated losing control of his bloodlust.

"Yeah. We should get going." Erik said as he grabbed another bag and got into the driver seat. He drove off, heading directly to the Grill. The others kept the conversation light while watching Erik out of the corner of their eye. He managed to get to the Gril without an accident or speeding ticket.

Their strange mix of vampire, witches, and mortal entered the restaurant to a good amount of the dinner crowd.

"Hello. Welcome to the Grill. How many will it be today?" A young girl said, cheerfully. Her eyes checking out Erik every inch.

"Just the five of us, thanks." Jeremy snapped, his glare sending shivers down all who saw it. The young girl winced as she directed them to a free table.

"Jeremy. While your jealousy is adorable, you need to breath before you cause another hurricane." Erik whispered in his ear, smirking slightly.

Jeremy grumbled under his breath as he took his seat and wrapped his arm on the back of Erik's seat. Freya smirked at her brother, clearly enjoying the blackmail material.

"Hey guys. What can i get for you?" Matt asked as he came up to their table.

"Hey Matt." Bonnie said, smiling at her friend.

"I see you got Alaric fixed finally." Matt said, nodding towards his teacher.

"We'll need three orders of nachos, two orders of mozzarella sticks, and then whatever else the others may want." Erik said, waving to the others. Matt blinked at order before quickly writing it down.

The others quickly gave out their drink orders. Matt headed out to get the orders filled.

"Is this typical? Being so hungry after doing such advance magic?" Jeremy asked.

"No. It's not. I think we can all agree that that ritual was anything but typical." Erik frowned as he studied the sticky tabletop. Freya twined her fingers and rested her chin on top of them.

"That was a ritual unlike any Erik or I had ever done. It wasn't normal and now, we are all bound together for our immortal lives." Freya said bluntly, not reacting to the flinches of the younger two.

"So much for being delicate, sister. This wasn't something any of us expected, but it is our reality. We'll all work together to understand what this means for you both and us." Erik said gently as he reached down and squeezed his thigh.

"Yeah. I guess so." Jeremy said, leaning against his partner. The others become quiet, each absorbed in their own thoughts as Matt returned with their first part and drinks.

"We should all enjoy the food and reconvene tomorrow. I think we all need the night to gather our thoughts." Erik said, glancing between all of them.

The others silently agreed as they all began to eat and talk about other unimportant things, each avoiding what they knew would be quite the talk tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Erik stared up at the mansion, mixture of trepidation and worry of his family's reaction. He had just finished dropping off the others to their respective homes, Jeremy taking the longest as he didn't want to be parted from him.

"No point hiding out here. I am sure the others heard us miles out." Freya said, her tone teasing with a hint of concern. Erik glanced at her, feeling a vibration of love from his bond with her. That was going to take some getting used to, feeling residual emotions from so many people.

The front door flew open with such force, it was ripped off its hinges. There, standing in all her fury, was Dahlia, The Immortal Witch of the Hagan line. Erik gulped before he squared his shoulders and walked up to his glaring aunt.

"Hello auntie. Lovely evening, no?" Erik said, a false grin on his lips.

"Inside. Now." She growled in response as she turned on her heels. Erik sighed as he looked over his shoulder and saw Freya watching.

"Let's get this over with." Freya said, patting his shoulder as she passed him into the house, waving her hand to fix the door. Erik sighed, moving to follow his eldest sister.

They followed the sounds of their family talking in the ballroom, they could even hear Esther snapping bitter comments to Nik. Erik growled as he vamped into the room, ready to rip her to pieces before stopping in confusion. Nikalus was glaring at his mother while his brothers and sister stood between them, trying to hold them apart.

"Tell us what happened to our brother before I finished what I started a thousand years ago." Niklaus growled, his amber eyes burning in hatred.

"I did nothing to that bastard. I should never had allowed Mikael to welcome that child into our home." Esther spat at him, the tension rising in the room as the others glared at Esther.

"I am fine everyone. We can all relax. Don't lower yourself to the level of this bitter old woman." Erik said, vamping between the two sides, hands held out. Everyone stopped before Kol suddenly vamped over, grabbing his brother into a tight hug.

"What in Helheim happened? What did you do?" Kol muttered, his face buried in Erik's shoulder. Erik raised his hand and held onto his brother just as tight.

"Apparently, Jeremy is more than some average witch. The ritual did have some unintended side effects for all of us. I am honestly not sure where to begin." Erik said softly.

"How about the fact that because of your need to fix everything, you bound me to a coven once again?" Dahlia snapped, holding a wine glass in a grip so tight, the vampires in the room could hear it cracking.

"That was an accident. If I had an idea that Jeremy was capable of that, I would have waited until he had more control over his gifts. The magic infecting Alaric, which your sister did, was too great even for me to remove without his help. Jeremy needed a guardian to help protect him thanks to that brat." Erik snapped back. The others watching the scene like Wimbledon final match.

"You found it out." Esther snarled at her adopted son. Erik glared at her as he raised a hand from his brother and squeezed his fist. Esther grabbed her throat, choking as Erik's power tightened around her.

"What was your plan exactly, Mother? That if your original plan failed, you would have a backup hunter to murder your children and the thousands of vampires around the world. I should have killed you when I first saw you, not like any of your children would have stopped me." Erik snarled out. The others watching the scene, not sure what to do.

"Erik. Stop." Dahlia said, suddenly next to him, lowering his arm. Her tone unbelievably soft compared to her earlier anger. Her eyes fixed on her sister in pity.

"It's over sister. Why do you hold onto your anger so much? You have lost everything that has mattered. I had hoped to help you understand back home. I see now that it was a fool's quest." Dahlia said. She stepped away from the others, to stand in front of her sister.

"We will return to our homeland. There, I think it is time for you to stand in judgement against your kin." Dahlia declared, magic swirling around her as she vowed. Esther opened her mouth to shout though no sound emerged.

"Well. This has been entertaining but could someone explain what happened earlier for those not magical inclined?" Sage asked, leaning causally in Finn's grip.

Erik sighed as he patted his brother's shoulder to release him. Kol reluctantly released him, still keeping close to him. Erik glanced at Freya who nodded.

"Jeremy is a special type of witch called a Weaver. He has a rare power far beyond anything I have seen in a thousand years. Somehow, during the ritual, he summoned up the elements in their purest form. When I grabbed the threads of Fire, it felt like I held the power of a volcano in my fingers. When we called up the power to purify Alaric, we astral projected and spoke to our ancestors. They told us that Jeremy somehow bound us into a Coven." Erik said, staring at his aunt.

"Is that what we felt just before Dahlia collapsed?" Elijah asked, watching his aunt and mother carefully.

"What did you all feel?" Freya asked.

"Like everything was changing. That the Old World was gone and a new world was now beginning. I felt... hope." Rebekah said softly, looking up at the ceiling. The others nodded in agreement.

"Young Gilbert can change the weave of Fate itself. Who knows how our fates will change now." Dahlia said, looking down at the floor.

"What?" Klaus asked, his tone a mixture of fear and hope.

"He, one day, can see the fate of someone and change it. For good or ill, it will be his choice. I am quite glad we have made peace with the boy now." Dahlia quipped.

"He bound all of us together as a Coven, though it is unlike any Coven bond I have ever heard about. I can sense all of their emotions, Bonnie, Jeremy, Dahlia, Erik. He also bound himself and Bonnie into our Immortality Spell. They are now immortal like Dahlia and me, though they'll age until they turn twenty-two like Erik." Freya explained.

"Bloody hell. You never did anything by halves." Sage said, rather impressed by the power the young human now has.

"Apparently not. He is certainly something special." Erik said, his tone turning sappy. The rest of his family rolled their eyes.

"What are we to do now?" Finn asked, glancing at his mother who glared viciously at them.

"Now. Now, I want a long hot shower and to sleep until I need to see Jeremy again." Erik said, walking away from the rest of them.

"What?" Kol said, partly amused by his brother's action.

"I am so physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, it's a miracle I am still standing. I need rest before I can plan anything else." Erik said, exhaustion laced through every word spoken.

"Agreed. We can finish talking later." Freya said, her posture wavering. Finn vamped over and picked her up.

"All of you need to rest. We can talk to tomorrow." Elijah said, his tone brokering no more arguments.

Esther huffed before walking away, the others barely glancing at her.

"Maybe some sleep will be good for all of us." Klaus said, vamping away to his room.

The others went on their way, each wondering how everything had changed once more for their family.

Chapter Text

Erik was sitting on the porch of the new Eternal Ancestral ground, reading through his various notes and records for any information on Weavers. The closest reference he could find was of the three Fates, the Moirai, which at first, he had dismissed as myth. Now, he was almost certain that those three were Weavers now. He hoped that by reading up on various Greek myths so he could get a better grasp of what his partner could do.

He really should sit down and talk to Jeremy about what it meant that he gave him his family crest.

He looked up from his notes as he heard a few cars pulling up. He spotted Caroline's and Bonnie's car driving up, a soft smile growing on his face as he could hear Jeremy and Caroline teasing each other. He was glad that Jeremy had such strong ties, both as a stabilizer in his magic and because it made him happier.

He closed the various books, snapping them back to his manor back in Ireland. It was one of his favorites of all of the houses that he had gathered over the ages. He had plans to someday show Jeremy every one of his properties. At first, he was just going to focus on his favorites with the limited lifespan of Jeremy. Now, he could show them all to his love.

Erik was both excited and worried about the revelation of Jeremy's newfound immortality. He loved that he would never need to be parted from his love, but he feared how Jeremy would respond to eternity. He had seen hundreds of vampires that broke under the weight of immortality while others embraced it an all-consuming rage. He hoped to spare his love the same pain as those others.

Jeremy was the first to exit as he ran up to Erik, who chuckled even as he picked up Jeremy and spun him around.

“Hello Handsome.” Erik said, place a kiss on his forehead. He could hear Caroline and Bonnie snickering to each other.

“Hi Starlight. How are you feeling? I thought you kind of seemed off last night.” Jeremy asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

“Just exhausted. My family can be tiring even at the best of times. How are you feeling? You and Bonnie both got some shocking news yesterday.” Erik asked as he reached out to move a lock of hair out of his face.

“I… never thought I would have a chance to be immortal unless I became a vampire. I am not sure how to feel about it. I am worried that I’ll become a monster over time, that I’ll forget what it means to be human.” Jeremy said, looking off to the horizon.

“I know. I am worried about that too. We’ll get through this. Together. You. Me. Bonnie. Caroline. My siblings. We’ll all be here for you. Both of you.” Erik said as he turned to look at Bonnie who was standing next to Caroline.

“I know. I guess… we just have to take it one day at a time.” Jeremy said as he laid his head on his shoulder.

“Yeah. That’s all we can do and today, we can make your focus and work out a name for the Coven.” Erik said, smiling as he watched the light in Jeremy’s and Bonnie’s eyes growing.

“So how does this work exactly?” Caroline asked.

“First. We create our new focuses and then we spend the day getting to properly know each other. Let’s get inside.” Erik said, waving his hand towards the front door.

Bonnie led the others into the house, heading straight to the basement. The house seemed brighter, cleaner than it had just yesterday. Erik noted the differences with a slight frown at the changes he spotted, not sure how he felt with their magic being so reactive to the world around them.

Erik snapped his fingers, summoning a table with a wooden box on top with the Mikaelson crest on top.

“Ok so, Bonnie please stand to the east while Jeremy, you stand to the west.” Erik directed them.

Bonnie and Jeremy went to their spot easily, their elements calling them to the spots. Caroline moved off to the side, watching the scene with interest.

“First thing first. Jeremy. Your ring.” Erik said, holding out his hand. Jeremy cocked his head to the side but held out his ring, dropping the ring into his palm. Erik inspected the ring for a moment before closing his hand around the ring. His hand started glowing red for a short moment before he opened his hand once more.

“Here you go.” Erik said, holding out the ring with a frown. Something was different about that siphoning, it was almost too easy to drain away from the ring.

Siphoning wasn't as easy or as straightforward as everyone thought it was. Magic has a will and resists siphoning. The trick is having the willpower and strength of mind to forcibly remove magic. This time, it was almost too easy to absorb the magic. Something to worry about later.

Jeremy took the ring and placed it on the table, frowning slightly.

“I never noticed that it hummed of sorts. I guess I got so used to it that I didn’t notice it before.” Jeremy said.

“I am noticing that too. Ever since we did the ritual, it feels like my senses have been cranked up to eleven.” Bonnie said, shooting a look at Erik.

“I’ve been noticing that also. I think it's from the excess magic flowing between all of us. The added individual power from each of us and the power from two distinct Ancestral lines seems to be having a more profound effect on each of us then I first thought it would. Freya is having to reforge her own focus, even Aunt Dahlia is having to as well.” Erik stated, not mentioning that even he is now having to have a focus. He had never needed a focus like his sister or aunt due to his siphoning nature. His theory is that somehow, Jeremy managed to forge a connection between himself and the Eternal Ancestors.

“How come they’re not here with us, forging their focus with us?” Bonnie asked.

“Most modern day witches don’t need a focus since the power they can channel is significantly less than ancient witches. It was common practice to steal a witch’s focus to weaken them for easier capture back in the old days. Due to this, those that needed a focus would hide what they selected as their focus. Freya and Dahlia will only tell you what they choose as their focus when they are ready to. If you want to tell them, you can but you can also keep it hidden and they would understand your reasoning.” Erik explained as he opened the box and pulled out a set of athames and set each one in front of Jeremy and Bonnie.

“I thought you said that a focus was important but only after I gained more control over my magic.” Jeremy said with a tilt of his head in question.

“I did, however I also didn’t expect your power or Bonnie’s to grow so fast in such a short time frame. Normally a focus is created after the witch in question has some basic control over their innate magic. You all will need a focus to have even a modicum of control over the absurd amount of magic you each have access to, which does remind me.” Erik said. He pulled out a velvet box and set it in front of Bonnie.

She picked up the box with a raised eyebrow before she opened it. She stared at its contents for a long moment before she snapped a wide-eyed stare at Erik who shrugged.

“What is it Bonnie?” Caroline asked as she walked over to see what was in the box. She gasped as she looked at the elegant necklace in the box. The chain was pure silver, polished to a shine with a marsh marigold made of yellow tourmaline at the end. It was probably the most expensive piece of jewelry that any of them had seen in person.

“Erik… this is beautiful.” Bonnie whispered. Her eyes inspected each of the delicate shapes of the flower. Caroline nodded mutely as she reached out almost to touch the necklace. Erik snapped out his hand and grabbed her wrist before she touched the necklace.
“Don’t. If you touch it, it could connect to you instead of Bonnie. My siphoning ability prevents that issue with Jeremy’s ring but do not touch her necklace until after she connects with it.” Erik said, breathing out a sigh as he saw that she hadn’t made contact with the flower.

“Oops. Sorry.” Caroline said, chagrined.

“It’s fine. I don’t expect you guys to know of these details about magic. A lot of this is no longer taught for modern witches. I am teaching you all the Old Ways of magic. It’s more complex than modern magic, but it is far more powerful due to its complexity. Bonnie. If you could take the necklace out and set it on the table, we can get started.” Erik said, letting go of Caroline’s wrist gently and stepped back.

Bonnie nodded as she carefully removed the necklace from its box and laid it on the table in front of her gently. Jeremy blinked as he saw the necklace fully, somehow understanding how valuable it was.

“Now, forging a focus is actually pretty straight forward, no spells or anything like that. The only thing you both will need to do is cut your finger and allow a few drops of blood to fall on the item. Once you do that, hold your hand over the focus and imagine your magic flowing from your hand into the focus. You should feel the connection snap into place after a few moments. Once you both do that, I’ll show you both the spells that I used on Jeremy’s necklace.” Erik said moving to the north point of the table. Caroline took a few steps back, not wanting to interfere.

Both Jeremy and Bonnie took an athame and easily sliced their pointer finger on their right hand. They held their finger over their focus and allowed a few drops of blood to drop them. They pulled this hand back and saw that the cut had already healed.

“The more powerful a witch becomes, the more reactive their magic can become. Your magic understood what you were doing with the need to bleed though once you were done, it sealed the injury. It typically isn’t that fast though.” Erik said, his head cocked to the side.

The pair shared a look over the table before shrugging, assuming that this was another part of their power that they would need to get used to. They held out their hand, hovering over their focus, closing their eyes as they let out a slow breath.

The air in the basement became thick with their combined power as they released the reigns on their magic. Even Caroline was looking around in wonder as she could feel the raw power her friends now wielded.

Threads of yellow and blue filled the space around each of them. Erik did his best to not react to the appearance of the threads once more. This seemed to be something he would need to get used to whenever Jeremy did magic.

Jeremy and Bonnie each grabbed a thread of their element as their focus slowly lifted itself off the table. They took the thread and began to wrap it around their item, now resonating with the power of the element of Air and Water. The power reached a crescendo before the thread sinked into the items and then faded from view once more.

The focus items softly dropped to the table without any visible changes. Erik, however, looked at each item with barely concealed shock by the power now resonating from them. It was only due to his magic sensing ability that he could detect the subtle changes from both Jeremy and Bonnie as their focus became tied to them. Their focus now had power equal to that of a small city shining from each of them.

The two young witches opened their eyes and looked down at their new focus with wonder.

“Was that normal?” Caroline asked, her shock clear to everyone in the room.

“No, but I think we’ll need to redefine what is normal from now on. Let’s… let’s just move on.” Erik said, rubbing his forehead as he tried to recover from his shock at their power.

“The first spell we’ll use is the spell to make it indestructible. The spell is ‘Spiritus, facite hanc rem immunem ad omne damnum.’ Just hold your focus in your hand.” Erik said, desperately wishing for a drink or something. Jeremy and the rest of them were going to turn him into an alcoholic like Damon at this rate.

The two nodded as they picked up their focus and closed their hands around them. They closed their eyes and whispered the spell under their breath. Thankfully for Erik’s sanity, nothing unusual happened as the invulnerability spell took effect.

“Good. The next spell is the spell that makes it impossible for the item to be removed with the wearer’s permission. The words are ‘Ne quis hoc obiectum e mea possessione hinc auferri sinat.’” Erik spoke the words slowly, making sure that they could say each word perfectly. They nodded and did the same as before.

“Nicely done you both. The final spell is to make the spells immune to siphoning. I am not the only Siphoner out there so yes Jeremy, you both will be casting this spell.” Erik said, raising a bow at Jeremy who looked ready to argue. He nodded with a scowl while Bonnie looked over her shoulder to Caroline, sharing a fond eye-roll at their antics.

“The spell is ‘Fac magicam huius rei venenum iis qui magicam tollere possunt.’” Erik said.

The two nodded, Jeremy more reluctant than Bonnie. The spell locked into place just as easily as the others, which was concerning. The anti-siphoning spell was the most difficult spell out of the set, but they did it just as easy as lifting their pinky finger. Erik was really going to have ramp up their training, and soon.

“Good. Just put them on and then we can wrap up for the day.” Erik said, a smile on his lips at the eagerness he could sense from them.

Jeremy placed his ring on first. The pulse that came from him felt like being hit with a sudden wave of sea water, the coldest of water with the hint of salt on your tongue.

Bonnie carefully undid the clasp of the necklace, shifting her hair out of the way, locking the necklace around her neck. A pulse like a gentle breeze in the summer caressing their skin once it was locked in place.

“That was amazing!” Caroline said, break the silence that had filled the basement as the magic settled once more.

“It really was. You both are amazing.” Erik said fondly, his gaze focused on Jeremy and the beautiful smile on his face.

“We actually had an idea about a name for our Coven. We talked about it last night.” Bonnie said, reaching up to fiddle with the delicate flower on her necklace.

“Oh?” Erik said, curious to see what their idea was.

“The Weaver Coven. It seemed to fit with how we all came together due to Jeremy’s magic.” Bonnie said, her tone a bit shy. Erik hummed as he thought about the name, his thoughts racing.

“You know what. I like it. We are now the Weaver Coven.” Erik stated, a pulse racing down the bonds he had with each member of their new coven. A return feeling of acceptance and joy raced back from each member, cementing their bond.

Chapter Text

After the witches finished forging their focus, Caroline gracefully bowed out of staying. She already had plans to spend the day with Stefan, who had been uncomfortably quiet the last few days since the revelation of Elena's transformation. She had to grit her teeth at the thought of Elena to keep from screaming in rage. She had been one of her oldest friends, knowing each other since they were babies and she threw everything away because of her own prejudice.

'God, I hate her, and yet I miss her so much.' Caroline thought as she pulled up the driveway to the Salvatore Boarding House. She frowned slightly when she spotted a sleek, black sports car that she knew weren't one of the Salvatore's cars.

She grabbed the bag of supplies she had packed to help Stefan. She couldn't control his heartbreak, but she could damn well control his response. Last thing he needed was to go off on bender and be saddled with more guilt. She heard a repeated thudding, almost like something small hitting a target. She took a steadying breath as she grabbed the doorknob and opened the door to one of the strangest scenes she had seen.

Stefan was currently laying down, a glass of bourbon in one hand and a dart in the other. He was absently throwing darts at a board on the mantle that had Elen's picture on it. It already had several darts sticking out of it. Klaus was sitting across from him glancing between Caroline, Stefan, and the dart board. He had an untouched glass of bourbon himself, held loosely in his hand. Stefan didn't look at her as he tossed the dart he was holding, hitting Elena's forehead.

"No offense, but this doesn't feel healthy." Caroline finally said. Stefan snorted as he pulled out another dart from somewhere and launched it, hitting her right eye. She gently grabbed the glass and took a small sniff. She grimaced at the smell of cheap bourbon, clearly things were worse than she imagined if he was drinking the cheap stuff.

"Nobody asked you." Stefan muttered. He reached out to grab the glass that Caroline continued to move out of the way. He eventually reached out too far and rolled off the couch with a thud.

Klaus grimaced even as he got up and helped move Stefan back onto the couch. His expression was a mixture of genuine worry and annoyance.

"Stefan. She isn't worth destroying yourself for." Klaus said, placing a strong grip on his shoulder. He gave it squeeze before he returned to his spot on the couch, finally picking up his glass and taking a small sip.

"Of course she isn't. Not everyone can be as fabulous as moi." A voice said that sounded so much like Elena that Caroline immediately threw the glass of bourbon she still had in her hand before realizing that it sounded more confident than Elena ever did.

"My, my. Aren't we hostile?" Katherine said, holding the glass that still had a little bit of bourbon left. She swirled the glass in her hand, a smirk on her lips, walking into the living room with the grace and sex appeal that Caroline wished she had.

"Katherine. Leave her alone. Elena screwed all of us over." Stefan muttered as he stared at the ceiling.

"I am just saying, we Petrovas have a talent for ruining everything around us. You should have learned that when you lived with me." Katherine said half mocking and half self-loathing. She gracefully sat down next to Stefan, if not for Caroline's experience with the face, she would have missed the flash of worry in Katherine's eyes.

"What do you want, Katherine? As you can see, we're busy." Caroline said, cocking her hip to the side.

"Relax. I am not here to cause trouble, at least not this time. Elijah was kind enough to let me know that Klaus here can't hurt me and that Elena burned her life to the ground. I came to see it for myself and to see Stefan of course." Katherine said as she took a sip of bourbon which she promptly spat it out.

"What in the name of all that is holy is this swill?" She said with so much disgust Klaus let out a soft snort.

"Didn't want to waste the good stuff on a pity party." Stefan said, not noticing the exchange of concern on everyone's face.

"Ok. You definitely need a vacation away from this god forsaken town." Klaus muttered as he sipped at his own expensive glass of bourbon.

"Damn. If even Klaus is recommending you getting away, you really need a vacation." Damon said as he walked into the living room, another bottle of bourbon in his hand. Caroline grimaced slightly as she shifted closer to Klaus, who spotted the movement as he wrapped an arm around her back.

"Damon. Do be a dear and get me and your brother a glass of the good stuff." Katherine said as she slides the disgusting glass of bourbon away from her. Damon sneers at her before walking over and grabbing three new glasses for the others. He poured a generous amount, placing a glass in front of each of them.

"So, Nik, what are you doing here, other than drinking with Stefan?" Caroline asked as she drank her glass, ignoring the pleased look on his face.

"Currently trying to avoid the manor. Sage and Rebekah are currently fighting on where the family should go for Christmas, never mind that Elijah already got the Vail house ready. Rebekah wants to go somewhere warm while Sage is just arguing with her for argument's sake. Kol is enjoying the chaos like he always does. Finn's eye was starting to twitch signaling that he was about to start snapping necks so he could work in silence." Klaus said, his voice fond despite his annoyance.

"Finn is working? Wasn't he in a box for the last nine hundred years?" Katherine asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"Finn asked to take over the family accounting. He's enjoying it but rolling in everyone's assets all together will drive anyone insane. Erik, for instance, has multiple properties including a lovely vineyard in Tuscany that turns out a neat profit. Freya isn't so bad though she does have a few investment properties. Dahlia mostly donates some of her old stuff to various museums. The Norwegian Musuem of Cultural History loves having her stuff on display." Klaus said, a shimmer of pride towards his family in his eyes.

"Huh. You know, I don't think I ever thought about how you pay for everything. I just figured you compelled everything." Caroline mussed as she sipped her own bourbon, causing the older immortals to all snort in unison.

"Compulsion will only get you so far for so long. We still own the lumber company that our father started back in the 1800's." Stefan said, waving his glass around.

"It was a bit harder for me, what with being on the run for five hundred years. I have a few properties that I rent out for long term tenants, and I would sell my old clothes and jewelry to collectors." Katherine added.

"Most of our family assets come from farming. We have a few working farms and even a plantation outside of New Orleans that we maintain. We also have an import/export company that helps quite a bit as well. Elijah is rather ruthless in finance while Rebekah invests in cultural staples, like ballet, music, and other such things. I even put some of my paintings up for auction at times. Kol prefers running the farms when he isn't daggered." Klaus added which Stefan nodded as he had heard of this back in Chicago in the 20's.

"Farming?" Caroline asked, curious about this new fact.

"Back when we were human, farming was the best way to provide yourself, especially here in the New World. We also had our own specialties that we focused on. Finn was a Viking by trade, enjoying the traveling and pillaging. Elijah was the diplomat and future chief of the village. I was a fighter but also a craftsman, painting and craving of course. Erik helped with protecting the village and helping Kol on his farm or using his magic to help our neighbors. Rebekah had less options though she would have been a shieldmaiden of renown back in the Old World." Klaus said, his eyes growing distant as he remembered those simpler times.

"And then your mother turned you all into vampires." Caroline said softly, studying Klaus's expression.

"And then she turned us into something more and less at the same time." Klaus said, his expression darkening. Caroline opened her mouth to ask but held her tongue. Something in his expression told her not to push the subject.

"So, Care Bear, what all do you have in the bag?" Katherine asked as she began to rummage through the bag.

"My patented post heartbreak care package. I know that they have the best ice cream already and I doubt I could convince Stefan to have a makeover." Caroline said with a sigh.

"Got any nail polish?" Damon asked, glancing off to the side almost shyly. Caroline blinked before she beamed. She pulled out a few different bottles, even if Stefan didn't want to, she needed a makeover.

"Take a pick." She said as the older immortals studied the options. Klaus picked out a blue similar to her own eye color. Katherine went with a bottle of jungle red that Caroline hadn't had a chance to wear yet. The Salvatore brothers picked the same midnight black polish.

"So, movie and nail painting, then maybe a game or two?" Katherine offered up, looking around their interesting group of unexpected friends.

"Sounds perfect, Katherine." Caroline said with a soft smile. The warmth of the slowly building friendship easing the tension in her heart since Elena's betrayal.

------
Kol Mikaelson was currently laying down on his bed, texting his new friend Matt about a guy's trip for their mixed group. He never really had a chance to bond with someone on a platonic level. Everyone either wanted something from him, or he wanted something from them. It was strangely nice to have a friend that didn't want anything from him other than his time.

"Kol. Can we talk for a moment?" Rebekah asked as she knocked on his open door. Kol blinked up at her before nodding. He sent a final message to Matt as he sent his phone off to the side. Rebekah came in, shutting the door which activated the silencing wards on the bedroom. After the first time they all heard Sage and Finn going at it, Erik and Freya placed silencing spells on everyone's bedroom that activated when their door closed.

Rebekah came and sat at the furthest corner of his bed, biting her lips in an uncharacteristic show of nervousness. He watched his little sister that he loved with everything he had even if he wanted to strangle her sometimes.

"I am sorry. For everything back in New Orleans. I never should have called father, and I never should have shifted the blame on you. I was scared. Scared that I finally crossed a line that Nik wouldn't forgive me for." She whispered as she plucked at the quilt on Kol's bed. Kol listened for a moment before he got up and moved to kneel in front of his sister.

"I forgive you, but I won't forget it. I know why you did it, but you need to also understand that you nearly threatened the entire family with your action. You would have destroyed all of us, and yourself if something had happened to Nik. He wasn't our father back then; he was the Original Vampire Hunter. He wasn't the man that taught all of us how to wield a sword, who would sing us to sleep if Nik couldn't, or the man that loved us with his whole heart. It's still hard to match the memories of the man that raised us with the fake memories caused by Erik's block." Kol said, not harshly, simply stating facts.

"I don't know what I was even think back then. I just wanted to be with Marcel so badly that I nearly ruined my family and killed the man I loved anyways." Rebekah said as tears flowed down her cheeks. Kol pulled his little sister into a tight hug as she let out all of her sorrow due to her foolish actions.

"Shh. There, there little cub." Kol whispered, the nickname falling from his lips on instinct. Rebekah let out a watery chuckle at the old childhood nickname.

"You haven't called me that in long time, not since Henrik was like ten." Rebekah whispered, worried of breaking the spell of familial love in the room.

"You haven't come to me for comfort in a long time either. You usually would go to Nik or Elijah. Henrik and I would usually go to Erik or Nik ourselves." Kol said as he pulled back to wipe away the tears from his sister's face.

"That's because your idea of comfort was hunting some animal and making something out of it's pelt." She said laughing, thinking of the deer skin blanket he made for her one time.

"You laugh, but that would have gotten me plenty of the ladies back in the day." Kol teased, glad to hear her laughing once more.

"You're ridiculous and yet I love you still." She replied softly as she hugged her brother once more.

"I love you too, little cub." Kol said, his own eyes growing misty. He had always felt like the outsider in his own family, but now, he felt he was truly a part of the family.

---
Jeremy and Erik were on their way back to the Forbes residence. Jeremy needed to get a change of clothes for the dinner that Erik sprang on him last minute. Dahlia was scheduled to return to Oslo first thing tomorrow with Esther. The Mikaelsons were having a family dinner as a farewell and Erik was inviting Jeremy to join him.

They pulled up in front of the house to see someone arguing with the Sherriff. Jeremy narrowed his eyes before he groaned.

"Someone you know?" Erik asked, trying to get a read off of the supernatural arguing with the Sherriff who was looking less amused as the guy continued.

"Tyler Lockwood. Caroline's... to be honest I am not sure if they are still dating or not. Klaus turned him into a hybrid then he left town to break the sirebond. When did he get back?" Jeremy said as he opened the door and stepped up the walkway. Erik frowned as he got out and joined his partner in walking up.

"Come on Sherriff. It's me, Tyler. You know me. Just tell me where Caroline is, please." Tyler begged even as he glanced behind him as Jeremy and Erik came up closer.

"Tyler." Jeremy stated.

"Jeremy? What happened to your eye?" Tyler asked as he ran his eyes over Jeremy to which Erik had to resist the urge to pluck out the hybrid's eyeballs.

"Not your business. What are you doing here?" Jeremy asked, crossing his arms as he looked over the Sherriff who seemed relieved to someone else here.

"I am back in town, but I can't find Caroline anywhere. I tried to go to your place, but it's locked up tight." Tyler said, raising his eyebrow as Erik wrapped his arm around Jeremy's waist.

Jeremy remained silent as he studied the hybrid in front of him. He shot a glance to Erik who shrugged.

"She said that she was spending the day with Stefan since Elena dipped." Jeremy finally said.

"Huh? Elena left?" Tyler asked, shock clear on his face.

"She did. Jeremy is staying here. Go get ready. I'll wait for you out here." Erik said, placing a chaste kiss on Jeremy's cheek. Jeremy nodded, ignoring the sputtering from the hybrid. He walked past Tyler, giving the Sherriff a quick kiss on her cheek too.

"Who are you?" Tyler asked after he finally regained his equilibrium.

"Erik Mikaelson. I am Nik's younger brother. You must be Tyler Lockwood." Erik said, his tone bored as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"What?" Tyler growled, his eyes burning hybrid gold.

"Don't even think about it, Tyler. Erik is a guest of my house, and you will not harm him." Sherriff snapped out, her hand drifting to her sidearm. Tyler shot her a look of absolute betrayal.

"But he's a Mikaelson!" Tyler asked, his eyes shifting between the two.

"He is my guest and has been far better behaved than you have ever been. Leave. You are not welcome here." Sherriff said, widening her stance slightly. Tyler blinked before he decided that retreating was his best option. He tried to knock his shoulder into Erik's; Erik has already vamped to stand next Liz with a slight smirk. Tyler huffed before he vamped away himself.

"I thought that Caroline had better taste in men, then again, he is a boy still." Erik mused as he leaned against the railing.

"Small town, limited options. I just hope she gets away from him before he drags her down." Liz said as she relaxed slightly.

"Come in. Jeremy will need a bit before he's ready." Liz said as she waved him in.

"Thank you, Sherriff." Erik said, bowing his head slightly.

"Liz. Call me Liz when I am not working." Liz said, her smile warm and inviting. Erik smiled back, feeling welcome into the small home filled with love.

----
Elena was not having a good time. She had managed to take out most of her family assets before she left town, but it wouldn't last forever. She was currently sitting in a crappy hotel room just outside of Richmond, typing furiously on her laptop. She had been trying to research any way to get rid of the Original Annoyance. So far, not much luck.

There came a knock at the door. Elena looked up and licked her lips, hoping that it was the cleaning crew. She was quite hungry and starting to run low already on blood bags.

"Coming." She said, keeping her voice light and friendly. She opened the door, frowning as she saw some man dressed like a normal college professor.

"Hello, Ms. Gilbert?" The man said, not at all worried when her veins pulsed at the sound of her name.

"Who are you? Someone from the Originals?" She snapped as she reached out and pulled him into room.

"No. I am Professor Atticus Shane, and I think we can help each other. What do you know of Silas?" The man asked, shrugging off her grip on his arm.

Elena raised an eyebrow before she shrugged.

"Not much. What does that have to do with anything?" She asked, her control only going so far.

"He can help you kill an immortal if you help me free him. Interested?" Professor Shane held out his hand to shake. She studied him for long moment before she shook his hand.

"What do we need to do?" Elena asked, a wicked smirk stretching across her face.

Chapter Text

Jeremy had been fiddling with his cuff for the last few minutes. Clearly his nerves were getting to him, which it shouldn't. He had met the Originals plenty of times before, though this time was different somehow.

"The only person you need to be worried about is Aunt Dahlia and she does like you." Erik said, reaching over to grab Jeremy's left hand. Jeremy took a slow breath and exhaled just as slowly.

"How do you know if she likes me? I've only really talked to her once so far." Jeremy asked, squeezing Erik's hand back.

"Because she teased us about my feelings for you. She would have simply ignored you if she didn't like you. Her policy has always been, you only tease those that you love." Erik replied with a smile.

"Ah. Ok." Jeremy said simply as he stared off to the side as the Camaro came to a stop in front of the Mikaelson manor. He blinked for a few moments as he watched the swirls of magic surrounding the manor like the Northern Lights.

"Jeremy?" Erik asked, confused by the feelings he was getting from Jeremy's bond.

"I can see all of the magic around the manor. It's... beautiful." Jeremy whispered, awe in his voice. Erik thought for a moment and realized that this was the first time Jeremy had been to the manor since the purification ritual. Maybe the change of his eye color was more than just cosmetic. it may now allow him to see magic.

"Whose magic can you see?" Erik asked, curious on how Jeremy saw it. Erik could only sense magic in the way that one can hear music from a great distance. Everyone's magic emits its own unique sound, like how each key on a piano emits its own note. Erik's Heretic sensing ability simply made it far easier for him to tell the difference between one person's magic from another.

"Your magic is white with a hint of red around the edges. Freya is the dark forest green, like how her eyes glowed during the ritual. I think the lighter blue is your aunt's. You mentioned that she's also a water-inclined witch. They're all weaved together like a quilt, making a pattern. It feels protective, fierce but not unfriendly to me. I am not really sure how to describe it properly." Jeremy said, as he frowned in concentration. Erik blinked as he studied the manor with new eyes.

Freya, Aunt Dahlia, and he had layered warding around the house that would turn the manor into an impenetrable fortress once the wards were triggered. The wards, with their combine power, familiarity with each other, and their own protectiveness, made these wards some of the fiercest in the world. Only truly ancient wards would be able to match their intensity.

"That is actually an accurate assessment of the warding we did on the manor. It would seem that you can now see magic and how it interacts with other magic. That will help you greatly in the future." Erik said as he turned off the car. He vamped around and opened the door for Jeremy. He held out his hand and helped Jeremy out.

The two went through the front door, Jeremy relaxing at the comfort he felt from being surrounded by Erik's magic. They headed straight to the dining room where the rest of Mikaelsons were already gathered.

Everyone looked up at the duo walking through, all dressed in what would be considered formal Sunday wear. Dahlia was old-fashioned so she had requested that everyone dress up a little for her going away dinner.

"Mr. Gilbert. We're so glad you could make it." Elijah broke the silence first, waving towards a spot near Dahlia.

"Jeremy, please Elijah. Thank you for having me." Jeremy offered with a shy smile, realizing he was the youngest person around the table.

"Of course, Jeremy. Please sit. Dinner will be served in just a moment." Elijah said, his eyes sparkling in way that reminded Jeremy of Klaus.

Erik guided him to a seat to Dahlia's right, who was watching the duo with a soft smile. Erik took the seat directly to Dahlia's right with Jeremy on his right. Freya was to his right with Sage and Finn finishing their side of the table. On the other side, Kol was on Dahlia's left, Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah finishing the left side. Esther was sitting at the far end of the table, swirling her wine her glass with a glare at all of them.

Dahlia flicked her hand, signalling for the servers to pass out the first course. Antipasto was served first, bruschetta Jeremy thought, if his few memories of formal dinners with his parents were correct. Everyone waited for Dahlia to take the first bite before they each sampled their own serving.

"So, Jeremy. Could you tell us a little about yourself? Erik has been tight lipped about anything about you." Dahlia asked, dapping at her mouth with her napkin. Jeremy chewed his bite slowly before swallowing and replying.

"I am not sure there is much to say. I just recently turned sixteen. I was born and raised here in Mystic Falls, in fact my family is one of the Founding Families, at least by our history. I understand that we truly didn't found anything like we believe. Erik and the others are proof of that." Jeremy said slowly, not sure what he should say to the ancient witch that had seen empires rise and fall.

"Hmm. That is something important to this community; being a member of the Founding Families?" Dahlia asked, leaning forward slightly.

"To be honest, it is mostly an obsolete status that translates to a lot of community involvement, either with the Founding Council or the Miss Mystic Falls pageant. Both of those aspects I have no interest in being a part of, now that Elena is gone and I have so many vampiric friends." Jeremy answered.

"Oh? The people of this city are aware of vampires, truly? I assumed most mortals considered it superstitious nonsense nowadays." Dahlia asked, her eyebrow raised slightly.

"The Founding Council are aware of it due to an incident around the 1800's. Katherine Pierce and several other vampires lived here during the American Civil War. The Founding Families figured them out and trapped them in the Old Fell Church. Bonnie's ancestor, Emily, saved them by sealing them away in a tomb under the church. They were released eventually but were later killed by the Founding Council. All of the Founding Families pass down journals to each generation that describe vampires and what little they know. They don't know about daylight items, so they have only dealt with younger vampires." Jeremy explained, recalling what he had learned from Anna and the others.

"I see." Dahlia said slowly, her eyes hardening slightly as she glanced at the vampires that were her family around the table.

"Like I said, they don't know everything about vampires, mostly just the basics. There was a period that they started putting vervain in the town's water supply. Luckily, they could only do that for so long since they can only grow so much at a time." Jeremy said, taking a sip of water from his glass in front of him.

"Jeremy is also an artist. He's shown me several of his sketchbooks and he is quite talented." Erik injected before the currently line of questioning went further. Klaus looked up, eyes showing interest for the first time, his blue nails catching Jeremy's eyes.

"Is that Caroline's nail polish? I recognize the color from her collection." Jeremy asked, his lips twitching into a smile as he thought of how he'll tease his new sister.

"It is. She was spending some time with Stefan and I just happened to be there too. It was a better time than remaining here at the Manor." Klaus said, his smirk in fully force at the glare from his little sister and sister-in-law gave him.

"I still say we should go somewhere warmer for Christmas." Rebekah said as she glared at her brother.

"But Elijah already put so much effort to get the Vail house ready for all of us." Sage said, her ruby lips twitching into a smirk. Elijah rubbed at his forehead as he muttered a pray or something under his breath.

"You can pick where we go for next year, Bekah. This year, we voted, and we wanted to go skiing." Finn said, as he reached over and gave Sage's hand a warning squeeze.

"It's Yule anyways. I would have figure at least one of you would follow the old ways." Esther sneered out as she sipped at her wine. The entire table gave her sharp look.

"We do follow the Old Ways, Esther. We have just simply adopted the modern holidays as well. Hell, Freya, Dahlia, and I even have Thanksgiving dinner as a family, not that you know the meaning of family." Erik snapped out, his eyes burning as he stared at the woman. Esther leaned back in disgust as she looked at her sister.

"It is a good excuse for us to get together and celebrate our family. Do keep your opinions to yourself sister or you will not be able to speak for the rest of the evening." Dahlia said, her magic flaring slightly that had Jeremy blinking away the spots from his eyes at the glare.

"Huh. Why is your magic different colored then mine?" Jeremy asked, distracting Dahlia from her sister.

"How do you mean?" Dahlia asked, the others just as curious.

"The color of your magic. It's a lighter blue, kind of like water flowing through a glacier. Mine is darker, almost like water in the middle of the ocean." Jeremy said, trying to explain what he is seeing. Dahlia blinked as she turned to stare at Erik who shrugged slightly.

"While we are both water-inclined witches, we connect and draw our power from different sources. I connect easier with the fjords and glaciers of my homeland. You probably connect more easily with the ocean depths. To be able to see the difference so closely, I imagine that is a benefit from your Weaver magic." Dahlia said, her opinion of the young witch growing slightly. Seeing magic and noting the difference between them is a rare talent, most can only tell magic is done and what element they resonate with and even that took years of training.

"Huh. I guess that make sense considering Kol's and Bonnie's are just slightly different." Jeremy said, noting the shock reaction that everyone had at the statement.

"Kol doesn't have magic. He lost that when he became a vampire." Esther hissed.

"Umm he does have magic; it's just surrounded by some sort of film of gray color. It's not as bright as Bonnie's though. Her's is the color of sunshine. His is darker similar to how old gold is a type of yellow, just a darker shade." Jeremy said, frowning at the witch.

"When Esther turned all of us into vampires, she had to include my blood into the ritual since I am not genetically related to the others. I think that my siphoning nature created a sort of block that shielded Kol's connection to magic. I was going to discuss with you and Bonnie in helping us break down that block for Kol during the Winter Solstice." Erik said, nodding at the hopeful look on Kol's face.

"Sure. I can't imagine what it must be like to not feel the connection anymore. I've only had my magic for less than a week, but it already would feel like losing a limb if I lost it. Would the ritual be similar to the one we used on Alaric?" Jeremy asked as the servers placed bowls of minestrone soup in front of everyone.

"It would be similar as we would be calling the elements as we did for that ritual. The herbs and runes would be slightly different as our purpose is different. Freya and I are already working on the finer details so we can get everything together in time." Erik said smiling softly that Jeremy was agreeable to helping his little brother.

"Cool, which does remind me, Bonnie and I were wondering if you knew a good place to get our own tools for magic? It feels like we should have our own stuff to use instead of your stuff." Jeremy asked as he sipped the soup delicately, his lessons in etiquette with his parents coming back.

"I was going to suggest a trip this next weekend to Richmond. There is a witch that lives out there that I am friends with that help supplies new witches with needed tools. You'll like her, I think." Erik thought of his friend, Vanessa.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll let Bonnie know. I am sure Caroline will want to come to for shopping, if nothing else." Jeremy said, reaching over to squeeze Erik's thigh.

The rest of the meal, which continued the Italian theme, was both delicious and surreal. Here was Jeremy, a sixteen-year-old boy that had only left Virginia due to his sister's machinations, having dinner and talking with some of the oldest beings in the world like it was totally normal.

"So, Jeremy. How do you feel about being part of the family?" Sage asked innocently that had Erik snapping his glare at her.

"Umm. What do you mean?" Jeremy asked, his confusion clear to everyone. The others traded looks between each other before pointedly staring at Erik who face was beginning to turn bright red.

"Did Erik not explain what giving you his family crest meant?" Elijah asked slowly, not looking away from his embarrassed little brother.

"Just that it meant that I was under his protection and to warn people away from me." Jeremy replied as he twisted in his chair as Erik picked at his tiramisu that was for dessert.

"Erik." Finn said, leaning around the others to stare at his brother in disapproval.

"It wasn't a lie." Erik muttered sourly.

"But not the full truth, brother. Either you explain it to him, or we will." Freya said, her tone turning slightly icy. Erik winced as he stood up and pulled Jeremy's chair back.

"Let's talk about this somewhere private." Erik said as he held out his hand. Jeremy frowned before he stood up but didn't take Erik's hand like he would normally. Erik winced once more at the rejection as he walked out of the room with Jeremy close on his heels. The others talking in low voices that Jeremy had trouble hearing, though based on the flinches from Erik, it probably wasn't good for him.

Erik led him to his bedroom that Jeremy remembered from the last time he was here at the manor. He waved Jeremy to walk in first before following, shutting the door with a click. Jeremy noted a pulse of magic that surrounded the room as he turned, arms crossed as he stared at the shy looking immortal.

"What did they all mean back there? Now that I think about, Stefan gets really weird when he sees my necklace." Jeremy said, his eyes narrowing. Erik sighed as he reached up and ran his fingers through his blonde hair. He walked and sat heavily on his bed, still not looking at Jeremy.

"Back before wedding rings became popular, it was common practice for a couple to exchange an item that would represent their commitment to each other. It could be any little token that had meaning either to the individual or to couple. If someone had a family crest or symbol, that would be used. It would show to the world that this person is a member of that family." Erik said, shyly as he continued to stare at the ground. Jeremy blinked slowly as he stared at the vampire.

"Did you seriously propose to me after only knowing me for two meetings?" Jeremy asked, his voice rising slightly. Erik winced before he shook his head.

"Not exactly. The necklace means that you are important enough to me that I consider you part of my family, to what degree would be up to you. If I was going to propose to you, I would be doing it with a ring or my family sword if I wanted to go more traditional." Erik said, his voice cracking slightly as he tried to hold back from groveling. Jeremy studied him for a long time before he sighed and moved to kneel in front of Erik.

"Erik. Please look at me." Jeremy said as he grabbed Erik's chin in a light grip, allowing him to break away if he wanted to. Erik allowed his head to be tilted up slightly as he looked to Jeremy.

"If you do plan to propose to me, wait until after my 22nd birthday, for when my immortality locks in." Jeremy said, shocking Erik speechless.

"I have loved you, Erik Mikaelson, since that moment I saw you in front of my family home. I love you, but I am not ready for marriage just yet. I am only sixteen, way too young for marriage, but you mean everything to me. I love you, Erik, but don't ever pull something like this again without explain it to me first." Jeremy said, his eyes hardening at the end. Erik nodded slightly, his chin still in Jeremy's grip. Jeremy nodded before he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Erik's lips.

The taste of Jeremy exploded on Erik's lips as he shifted to pull Jeremy in with a gentle hand on the back of Jeremy's neck. Erik allowed Jeremy to control their first full kiss as the younger man opened his mouth and requested entrance with his tongue. Erik opened his mouth, deepening the kiss, his heart filled with love from the incredible young man. They probably would have moved further if not for the pulse of annoyance from the others that they were bound to.

Erik parted and leaned against his forehead against Jeremy, groaning in dismay at the end of the best make out session in his long life.

"We'll need to work on blocking the others out." Jeremy muttered, his lips parted as he stared into Erik's brilliant blue eyes.

"I'll make it my next project. Last thing any of us want is being constantly cockblocked by my family and Bonnie." Erik said, his voice soft as he ran his hands through Jeremy's soft brown hair.

"Good, because I don't think I'll be able to stop kissing you from now on. God, I love you so much already." Jeremy whispered as he leaned in again for another passionate kiss. Erik groaned as he returned the kiss just as fiercely.

"By the Gods, please stop! I am begging you both!" Freya's voice called out from the door. Erik leaned back as he glared at the door. He snapped his fingers, opening the door to see all of his siblings looking around the door.

"You can figure out a way to block us out too. I am almost certain you said that I shouldn't have to do everything myself." Erik snarked back as he glared at his smirking siblings.

"I am moving that to the top of the list. I love you little brother, but I don't need to know every time you get turned on by your..." Freya trailed off as she glanced at Jeremy who hummed.

"Boyfriend if your old man sensibilities can handle that." Jeremy teased his new boyfriend. Erik turned a megawatt smile to his paramour.

"I can accept it. I love you, my dear." Erik said, his smile just on side of dopy as he stared his amazing boyfriend. Jeremy grinned as he leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss to Erik's lips. Kol and Sage wolf whistled at the scene while Freya glared at them half-heartedly. Klaus handed over a few bills to Finn who smirked at him. Elijah rolled his eyes as he began to herd his siblings away from the couple.

"You do realize that you now have to have dinner with Caroline and her mom, and Bonnie too. I had dinner with your family, now it's your turn." Jeremy teased.

Erik blinked as he shivered at the terror that crawled up his spine. Caroline and her mom just had that look that invoked the Fear of God into everyone that displeased them.

"Looking forward to it." Erik said instead with a smile. Jeremy snorted as he placed another kiss to Erik's lips.

"Don't even think about it!" Freya yelled out. Erik rolled his eyes, ready to end the night for good.

Chapter Text

Jeremy was waiting in the Town Center for his boyfriend and sisters to finally arrive. Despite the January chill in the air, Jeremy was dressing in leather jacket from Damon, jeans from the new wardrobe from Rebekah, and a t-shirt he stole from Erik's closet ages ago.

Freya, Bonnie, and he had noticed that since the purification ritual, their body temperature runs a bit higher than average, closer to the temperature that werewolves run naturally. Erik and Freya guessed that the extra magic running through all of them made them more resilient to harsher weather conditions.

He was currently texting Kol who had gone to Ireland to get a bunch of his magic stuff that he had left there from when he was daggered a few centuries ago. Kol had been officially freed from the block on his magic for only a few weeks, but it seemed he was trying to make up for lost time. It was a really good thing that all of them were prepared for the release of his magic unlike with Jeremy's. If they hadn't, it's likely Mystic Falls would've been whipped off the map by a tornado.

"Jeremy!" Someone called out. Jeremy looked up from his phone and frowned. It was Tyler, who didn't get the memo that despite his renewed relationship with Caroline, nobody in the Coven or the other Mikaelsons like him. Nik had been miserable when Caroline explained that she loved Tyler and wanted to continue their relationship.

"What do you want, Lockwood?" Jeremy asked, his tone blank as he stared at the annoying hybrid. There was an older woman with him, maybe early to mid-twenties. She was attractive in that bad girl 'I'll rip your balls off and you'll thank me for it' that Katherine had. Based on his practice with Erik, he could sense that she was a werewolf.

"That any way to talk to a friend? I wanted to introduce you to my friend, Hayley Marshall. She's one that helped me with my situation." Tyler said, looking at the woman with respect and care. Jeremy raised an eyebrow before he looked over at the werewolf in question. Something about her pinged a sense that she was important to the Originals, just not in what way.

"Nice to meet you. I am Jeremy." He said simply, studying the woman just as intensely as she was.

"Hello. You're not a werewolf, but you're not a vampire either. You a witch?" She asked, her tone implying that she already knew the answer but asking anyways.

"I am." Jeremy replied simply after making sure nobody was paying attention to them. Hayley nodded before she glanced over her shoulder. Caroline, Bonnie, and Rebekah were heading over, Caroline heading straight to Tyler with a determined look in her eyes.

"Hey Care." Tyler said as he held out his arms to pull her into a hug. She kept her distance as she inspected Hayley with a critical eye. She glanced at Jeremy who shook his head slightly. Even though he doesn't have a bond like he does with Bonnie or the others, he could still read the unspoken question. Tyler was not dating or interested in her like that. Caroline nodded before she finally closed the distance and gave him a hug and chaste peck on the lips.

"Who's your friend?" Bonnie asked, her eyes narrowing as she studied Hayley.

"This is Hayley. She's a friend I met when I left town." Tyler said, his eyes shifting towards Rebekah.

"Hi." Hayley said, picking up the tension immediately. Rebekah glanced at her before dismissing her presence to sit next to Jeremy.

"Jeremy. We need your opinion. What do you think of this dress for prom?" Rebekah asked, holding up a picture of an elegant yellow dress. Jeremy studied it, head cocked to the side, before he nodded.

"It looks perfect. Matt will need a tie and pocket square to match. I would recommend for a yellow rose corsage, but that is also the rose of friendship so what do you think?" Jeremy asked honestly.

Rebekah pulled the phone back as she hummed. Bonnie held out her own phone, showing off the dress she was looking at. Navy blue, strap less that would look incredible on her.

Jeremy lifted his thumb up as he looked it. Bonnie smiled as she pulled back her phone.

"Prom? Isn't that like months away?" Hayley asked, her brow raised in judgement.

"When it comes to Beks, she has to have events like this planned perfectly. That means dress shopping, jewelry shopping, and so many shoes. I am so glad my boyfriend just takes care of that for me." Jeremy said with a shrug. Hayley blinked at him in surprise before letting out a shocked laugh.

"You never told me you had such awesome friends, Tyler." Hayley managed to say through her laughter.

"That's because he's not my friend." Jeremy said, smirking at the annoyed hybrid. Hayley blinked before laughing once more.

"I'll be sure to remember that. I have to get going anyways. Nice to meet all of you." Hayley said as she waved and walked away. Jeremy cocked his head, liking the wolf a lot more than he thought he would. Tyler let out a soft growl as he glared at Jeremy who continued to smirk at him, his right arm over Rebekah's shoulder.

"Love. Please stop antagonizing the hybrid. Just because you cannot die, doesn't mean you can taunt every supernatural." Erik said, wrapping his arms around Jeremy over the bench as he joined the group.

"No promises, babe." Jeremy said, relaxing at the sound of Erik chuckling. Rebekah looked up and rolled her eyes with the two other girls. The girls loved to make fun of how crazy in love the two are, even if all of them were jealous of how happy they were.

Tyler growled softly before he pulled back his annoyance. He still didn't like that all of them were so chummy with the Mikaelson. He was trying to stay friendly enough to get the rest of hybrids freed from their sirebond. Surprisingly Klaus was less of a dick than before, but still.

"Anyways, everybody ready?" Erik asked as he looked over to Bonnie who nodded.

"Ready for what?" Tyler asked, annoyed that he was so much out of the loop of stuff now. Even Matt kept him at arm's length due to his friendship with Kol.

"We're all headed to Mikaelson manor for fighting practice." Jeremy said, rising to his feet. Erik and Klaus taught all of them hand-to-hand combat with Elijah teaching them weapon combat. Erik had told them that having a health body made for better magic and that they need to know how to defend themselves without magic. Caroline joined as well, showing a lot of skill with hand-to-hand. Bonnie and Jeremy were better with the weapon fighting, both learning knife wielding.

"Can I come?" Tyler asked, curious to see how this would go. Erik and Jeremy looked at each, talk to each other telepathically.

"Sure." Erik finally spoke with a wicked smirk. Tyler gulped not liking that expression.

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Tyler was currently trying to scrap himself off the forest floor from where he had been slammed into the ground by Bonnie. He let out a groan as even with his enhanced healing, he was sore all over.

The practice had been nothing like he expected. Apparently, Erik liked making things fair to a degree. He created a spell that restricted the strength of the vampires and hybrids participating. They still had their healing, but their reflexes, speed and strength were reduced to human level. Tyler hadn't realized how much he had become dependent on his enhanced hybrid abilities.

They had him run drills with Jeremy and Bonnie while Caroline was sword fitting with Elijah. She was graceful and elegant while wielding a sword as Elijah tested her defenses with his aggressive blows. It was enough to distract him that he completely missed both Jeremy and Bonnie striking at him. The duo was vicious and not messing around as he felt his elbow dislocated by Bonnie's open palm strike and his knee shattering by Jeremy's boot. He barely had time to heal before he was slammed into the ground by Bonnie. She seemed to be way stronger than any normal human.

"Maybe I should have warned you. Jeremy and Bonnie's magic is strong enough that it's augmenting their own speed and strength. They are about two times stronger than the average human. The training is just as much for us as for them." Erik said, leaning over Tyler who was weakly glare up at him.

"Fuck you." Tyler gritted out as he winced at his knee snapping back into place. Erik chuckled as he waved his hand, casting a pain relief spell, not interested in torturing the poor hybrid.

"Nice teamwork you two. Smart striking at his knee, Jeremy. Most vampires expect that their superior speed and strength to assure them victory. A broken knee takes time to heal and can help with escape or finishing off your opponent." Erik praised as Jeremy and Bonnie fist bumped at their win.

"Learned from the best." Jeremy said, smirking.

"Aw. You're too sweet, kid." Alaric said from his spot as he watched Caroline and Elijah spar. He would occasionally shout encouragements or advice as he watched. He had joined in teaching the kids vampire hunting.

"I was talking about Erik." Jeremy scoffed playfully as he bumped shoulders with Erik. He rolled his eyes as he dropped a peck to Jeremy's lips.

"Thanks. Bonnie. Has Qetsiyah talked yet about where Silas is?" Erik asked. Bonnie and Erik had been trying to convince the ancestor to just tell them where Silas to deal with him. She had so far been refusing since they still didn't have a plan on what to do with him yet.

"Nothing so far. She won't tell us where he is until she's sure we'll kill him for good." Bonnie said with a shrug.

"Hm. I am surprised she hasn't said something now that the first massacre happened." Erik said with a frown. The deaths at the Young Farm had been the talk of the town. Erik had investigated and felt the diseased feeling of Expression at the farm. Silas had a witch and was teaching them Expression possibly. He knew that none of them had been doing it. Expression leaves a mark on a practitioner and thankfully, none of them had that.

"Don't know. I almost think she wants him released so we don't have a choice but to kill him." Jeremy offered as he wiped his face with a towel.

"Hmm. Wish we could just find him and be done with it." Bonnie said with a huff. Qetsiyah had been silent, and Erik and Freya had been doing what divining spells they can come up with to find his tomb.

"Agreed, but we can't forget to keep living also." Erik said, waving everyone over to show off the next technique he wanted to show them.
----------------
Hayley was frowning as she walked into Professor Shane's office. She hadn't expected to enjoy the sharp humor of the kids. Even if she wasn't betraying them directly, there was a chance they could become collateral damage with breaking the sirebond.

"Ah. Ms. Marshall. So nice of you to join us." Professor Shane said from his spot behind the desk. Elena was in the other chair, sniffing in distain at the werewolf.

"Sorry. Had trouble losing Tyler." Hayley said, half-heartedly.

"Please. You just need to throw him a stick, and he'll chase after it." Elena said with a scoff. Hayley felt her eyes burning gold despite it not being a full moon. The vampire sure talked a lot of crap about her former friends.

"Ladies." Professor Shane said, not looking up from the book he was reading. Elena sniffed haughtily as she looked at the Professor.

"Can we get started? I have things to do." She said, clearly bored.

"Stalking your brother?" Hayley snapped back harshly.

"Enough." Professor Shane said, his tone showing how he was getting tired of their snapping.

"We are nearly where we need to be to get everything we want. Hayley, you want my information on your family. Elena, you want Silas to get rid of that Original Vampire. We just need Hayley to finish getting the hybrids freed from Klaus. Elena, you need to finish getting things ready for the third massacre." Shane said, his eyes narrowing as he studied the two pawns before him.

"Yeah, yeah. I got it covered." Elena said flippantly. Hayley growled even as she nodded.

"Good. Now, get out. I have another meeting coming up with the witch helping us." Shane said, dismissing the two from his office. The two left quickly to get away from the other.

Shane took a moment to pull back and get into the mindset of helpful Professor Shane just as his door opened.

"Ah. Mr. Westphall. Thank you so much for coming. Are you ready for the next lesson?" Professor Shane said as he smiled at the witch exchange student at Whitmore College.

"Sure thing, Prof. What are we working on today?" Kaleb asked as he walked into the office.

Chapter Text

"What the hell is wrong with me?" Hayley muttered as she picked at her fries. She had only met the so-called Mystic Falls group for like two minutes and she was already reevaluating her partnership with Shane. There was just something genuine and pure about them that made her want to be friends with them.

"Hayley, right?" A voice called by her table. She snapped her head up, eyes burning gold in her surprise. She must be really out of it if someone could sneak up her. It was Jeremy, the witch that had some kind of grudge against Tyler. She couldn't really blame the kid, Tyler was a revenge drive wannabe Alpha.

"Jeremy. Hi. What are you doing here?" Hayley asked, her eyes returning to normal. Jeremy was once more dressed in clothes that would fit more with slightly warmer weather than it was outside.

"Meeting up with Klaus. Since I am dating their brother, I try to spend a bit of time with each of Originals one-on-one. They're awesome when they aren't trying to kill you." Jeremy said with a causal shrug. He glanced at the empty chair across from her. She waved her hand, her wolf almost purring in content with him around.

"Thanks. Klaus and I are going shopping for more art supplies and he offered to help with my landscape painting. I am better with graphic novel drawing." Jeremy said with a soft smile at how many friends he has now.

"That's nice. Do you mind... would you mind telling me why you don't like Tyler so much?" Hayley asked cautiously, not sure if it was a sensitive topic. Jeremy scrunched up his nose before he sighed.

"He's a dick which I get considering who his dad was, but still. He never grew out of it and hasn't changed for how he was before he triggered his curse. I also don't like that he bit Caroline." Jeremy explained.

"His girlfriend? Why did he bit her? How is she even still alive?" Hayley asked, her eyes narrowing in thought. How could a vampire still be alive after a hybrid bite?

"Klaus is the Original Hybrid. His blood is the cure for werewolf venom, so he cured her." Jeremy said with a shrug. Hayley blinked before she hummed as she worked on her fries once more.

"Tyler always said he was a monster, and most of the stories about him match that." She said as she studied the young witch. Jeremy chuckled at that as he looked over her shoulder.

"Oh. I am a monster." Klaus said from behind Hayley who startled so hard, she knock into the table. Klaus watched the scene with amusement as he took the seat between the two with a cocky smirk on his lips.

"He's a thousand year old drama queen who is overprotective of his family is what he is." Jeremy said with a fond eyeroll at the growl from Klaus. Hayley glanced between the two, though most of her focus was on the Alpha before her.

Alphas could be divided into two types, born Alphas and Alphas who became Alpha. Hayley had always been a born Alpha, the strength and charisma to have others follow them through hell and back. Tyler tried to be an Alpha despite his numerous failures simply due to the silver spoon he was born with.

This man was an Alpha of the highest class. He had the power, charm, and drive to get whoever or whatever he wanted and he knew it. The power that radiated from him was so intense, Hayley almost wanted to pledge herself to him.

"New friend of yours?" Klaus asked, eyebrow raised even as the smirk grew just a touch wider.

"Hayley. She's friends with Tyler for some reason. Hayley, Klaus Mikaelson." Jeremy said with a tired wave.

"Hi." Hayley said, subtly checking out the hybrid before her. Klaus chuckled before he turned his stare to Jeremy. It was considerably softer than the one directed at Hayley.

"Are you ready to go? I remember you mentioning that you needed more drawing pencils. Erik also asked for us to get him a new sketchbook." Klaus said. Jeremy nodded as he stood up.

"Yeah. Let's get going. Nice seeing you again Hayley. See you around." Jeremy said with a smile. Hayley returned it shyly, slightly off with the interaction by how much she wanted to spend more time with the young man.

"Yeah, see you Jeremy. Klaus." She said with a hooded look at the Original. He tipped his head slightly with his own look. Jeremy rolled his eyes as he grabbed Klaus's arm and pulled him out of the Grill.

Hayley watched them go, growing more conflicted with her choices than ever before.

"You should be careful about Klaus." The server, Matt, said as he dropped by with a refill of her drink and the check.

"I am not interested in him like that." Hayley said, eyebrows furrowed as she studied the human.

"Never said you were, but still. He's a good guy underneath all the anger and paranoia. He can be your best friend or your worst nightmare. I am only on his good side because I am friends with his younger brothers and Jeremy is my best friend. Just be careful." Matt said with a casual shrug. Hayley simply nodded as he went about to another table.

Hayley went over the advice for a few minutes before she headed out. She had to meet with another hybrid trying to break their bond with Klaus, more nervous and reluctant than before. She would do this, but maybe she should start suggesting leaving town instead of a revolt would be safer for them.

-----------

Kaleb had been an ordinary witch, well as ordinary as a witch with a single human dad could be, living out in Dublin. His ma had been pregnant with who would've been his little sister when she died in childbirth. The loss had been rough on his pa, leaving him suddenly with only his young son who had magic that he only had the barest understanding of, but the two made it work somehow.

One day though, his pa was coming back from the orphanage that he volunteered at during his free time. Kaleb would normally be with him, though he had a paper he had put off for too long and was rushing to finish it. A drunk driver had blown through traffic and crashed into his pa, killing him almost instantly. The driver had managed to walk away with barely any injuries and that, that fact was what broke Kaleb completely.

He had tried every type of magic or ritual he could to bring pa back. As an Earth-inclined witch from a long line of Druids, he was apparently forbidden from resurrection as the act violated the balance of life and death. The Spirits did not respond kindly, severing his connection to nature so completely, he couldn't do the simplest bit of magic without experiencing crippling agony.

After the constant failure, he left Ireland, trying to separate himself from everywhere that had a connection to his family. He had randomly selected Whitmore College as the furthest college he could find. He was glad to have found it as he got to meet Professor Shane in Occult Studies. He had only taken the class in hopes that maybe something would direct him to some form of magic to bring back his family. Shane had begun to teach him Expression, a form of magic not restricted by the Spirits, a magic that would be perfect for him, if he could control it.

"Why the bloody hell is this so hard?" Kaleb growled as he tried to control igniting candles in order but keep melting them completely. Shane was watching him with a calm expression, only making Kaleb feel worse at how much time he kept taking away from Shane with his failure.

"You need to relax. Expression is raw, unfiltered power. It isn't controlled by the Spirits of Nature, so it is of course going to be harder to control. Breathe, you are in complete control." Shane said, reaching across the desk to take Kaleb's hand.

"I am in complete control." Kaleb's voice took on a meditative quality as the candles on in front of him light from the outside in.

"Nicely done, Kaleb. You're getting there. Unfortunately, I do have to stop the lesson here. We'll meet again in a couple days." Shane said, pulling his hand back as blew out the candles and stood up. Kaleb smiled as he grabbed his bag and headed for the door.

"Thanks, Prof. See you in class." Kaleb said, a spring in his step as he walked. Shane watched him go before he shut the door with a soft thud. He went back to his desk, pulling out a bottle of whiskey and a glass that probably ever teacher kept in their desk.

He poured half a glass full before he stoppered the bottle and returned the bottle to its drawer. He took a large sip before setting the glass down with a thud.

'Why couldn't it have been Bonnie? Instead, I am forced to deal with this moron to do even the most basic thing at all.' Shane growled in his mind.

Bonnie, as both a Bennett and a direct descendent of Qetsiyah, would have been able to call far more power from Expression and have greater control than Kaleb ever could. Kaleb might be from a long line of Druids, but his pedigree was no even in the same league as a Bennett.

Expression has some similarities to Sacrificial Magic in that the power come from taking the power from another living being. Expression, however, also burns away the soul of those sacrificed, drawing for more power than Sacrificial Magic. That however was also the problem with it, the power could make even the weakest witch unmatched but can overwhelm them just as easily.

Shane scowled as he grabbed the glass once more as he thought of the irritating Original that forced him to change his plans. Erik Mikaelson, the so-called Original Heretic, was the biggest pain in his ass. He was perhaps the most well-respected vampire among the witches due to his genuine love of magic and his respect towards witches.

He had somehow gotten his hooks into Bonnie before he had even had a chance to reach out to Bonnie. She would have no interest in the power that Expression would grant her.

'At least he managed to make plenty of enemies I can use. Elena, despite her flippant behavior, was a useful pawn for both Silas and I.' He spared the briefest of thought to reach out to see how her work in gathering witches for the third massacre before dismissing it.

He had enough of a headache. He would rather work on grading mediocrely written papers than speak with her.

----------

Qetsiyah was glaring at Silas, still trapped in his tomb that she had dropped him in for the last two thousand years. This would probably be the last time she could manage a visit to him. Becoming a part of the Eternal Ancestors granted her great power at the cost of being bound to Mystic Falls and Sweden due to Jeremy's interference.

"Soon, my love. Soon you will be defeated and trapped on the Other Side where I can make you pay for what you did to me." Qetsiyah said with a sneer as she turned and vanished from the tomb.

"You... still... haven't let go." Silas crocked out, voice broken from the lack of food and use after the centuries. He may not have his magic anymore, but he could still sense the protections on his tomb failing the more the witch his servant acquired used Expression.

Soon, soon he would be free. Once he had his freedom, he would finally destroy the Other Side and reunite with his one love.

What was a few more days in comparison to his two thousand years of waiting. He had learned patience; he would wait and get what he wanted in the end.

Chapter Text

Kaleb was wondering through the small town that Professor Shane had recommended for him to come visit. Apparently, this town was some kind of supernatural hotspot, and it might give him some guidance on how to use Expression.

Kaleb scowled slightly, Expression was way harder to control than he first thought it would. It was like trying to control a tornado with only a piece of twine. Every time he thought he had it, it slipped away.

He was so lost in thought that he did realize he was running right into someone until he felt them collide right with them. He looked and his breath left his chest at the divine beauty before him.

She was quite a bit shorter than he was, probably around 1.5 meters. Her silky black hair was tied up in an artful French braid. Her bright green eyes shone with a fire that made her seem like an avenging goddess of war as she initially glared up at him before blushing up at him. The delicate yellow necklace that rested on the outside of her shirt glowed like it held the sun in itself.

"God, I am so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." Kaleb managed to say without blurting out some horribly embarrassing pick-up line.

"It's fine. I wasn't watching either. No harm." She said, her voice sounding like heaven to Kaleb's ears.

"Here. Let me get you a new coffee. To make up for running into you." Kaleb said, waving to the spilled cup that had luckily missed spilling all over her.

"Hmm. Only if I can get your name. I don't normally let just anyone buy me a coffee." She said, her tone teasing even as she blushed up at him.

"Kaleb." He said, holding out his hand to her.

"Bonnie. Nice to meet you. Don't see too many new faces around here, especially one with your accent." She said, her lips twitching as though she was laughing at some kind of inside joke.

"I am just visiting. A... friend of mine recommended that I should come by and visit." Kaleb said vaguely.

Bonnie hummed as she tilted her head to the side before shaking it off.

"Well, if you buy me that new coffee, I will be happy to be your tour guide if you need one." She said with a smile.

Kaleb couldn't hold back the beaming grin as he bowed with arm spread.

"As you wish." Kaleb said as Bonnie's laughed at him.

Kaleb and Bonnie walked the short distance to the coffee shop where he held the door open for her, like the gentleman that his pa had raised him as. Bonnie shook her head slightly with a smile as she walked in. Kaleb joined her and ordered a new coffee for her and a plain black coffee for himself.

She guided them over to empty table while waiting for their drinks. She seemed to be studying him from across the table, something in her eyes tell him that she was using more than her eyes to inspect him.

"So Kaleb, what really brings you out here? Mystic Falls doesn't get too many visitors with your accent unless your name is Mikaelson." Bonnie said slowly, her previous blush gone only to be replaced with suspicion.

"Mikaelson? I don't know that name." Kaleb said instead, the name ringing a distant bell in his head. Bonnie narrowed her eyes a bit more before smoothing out her expression as their order was called. She stood up and grabbed them before Kaleb could react and set his plain coffee in front of him.

"That's surprising. Most witches have heard of the Original family, even if they haven't met them." Bonnie said as she took a small sip of her mocha cappuccino. Kaleb's eyebrows shot up as he realized that she could tell what he was instantly.

"You're a witch too? I haven't met another witch before." Kaleb said, leaning forward. Bonnie's expression shifted from suspicion to surprise at the tidbit.

"Huh. I guess that makes sense. Most witches are smart enough to avoid Mystic Falls since the Originals took up residence, even if they don't all stay here all the time." Bonnie said, leaning back in her seat.

"Oh, and what does that make you then since you're still here?" Kaleb asked.

She gave him a smirk that sent of shiver of fear and pleasure down his spine. That smirk was so confident and self-assure that Kaleb wished he had in his own abilities.

"I am not worried about them. They're good friends of mine and my friends. One of them is even teaching me magic alongside my brother." She said simply. Kaleb blinked in surprise. He may not know much about the Originals, but he knew enough to avoid getting tangled with them at all costs.

"Huh. Do you think they might have any advice on controlling Expression? My friend is trying..." Kaleb trailed off at the horrified expression on Bonnie's face. Her face had paled so fast that he worried she might go into shock.

"You are the one practicing Expression? Are you insane?!" Bonnie nearly screamed, causing heads to turn towards their table. Bonnie snapped her mouth shut before she stood up and hauled Kaleb up and dragged him out the door. Her grip was like iron on his arm as she continued to drag him to the town square. She finally let him go and shoved him onto a random bench with more strength than her little form should have.

"Are you insane or just stupid? Expression is dangerous, not just because of the power it grants, but also because it damages the soul of the user. You are shaving away your own soul for power and for what? What could be so important that you need to burn away your soul?" Bonnie snapped out, her eyes brightening with a yellow glow.

"What? What are you talking about? Expression doesn't do that... right?" Kaleb whispered that last part. If what Bonnie was saying was true, then Shane had been manipulating him from the start. If Expression really destroyed his soul, would he even be care about resurrecting his pa? Would anything even matter anymore to him?

"Damn it. You didn't know that did you? I bet someone offered you a form of power that was unlimited for whatever you want without explaining the dangers, probably whoever is trying to wake up Silas." Bonnie said, her thunderous expression falling in pity at the young man that had clearly been tricked by someone.

"Silas? Silas is real? But he's a myth. He can't be real." Even with Kaleb's limited knowledge of magic, he had heard of Silas, the First Immortal, and the nightmare of ever supernatural.

"Unfortunately, he's real. My ancestor was the one that helped him create the Immortality Elixir and then later sealed him away. I need to make a call." Bonnie said, pulling her phone from her pocket, typing in a number, and held it to her ear. Kaleb opened his mouth to ask who she was calling before snapping it shut at her raised finger.

"Erik. I found the witch doing Expression. Yeah. We're at the Town Square. Yeah. Ok, see you soon." Bonnie responded to the other person on the line before hanging up and returning the phone to her pocket. She fixed Kaleb with a look that Kaleb had trouble describing before her gaze shifted to just over his shoulder.

Kaleb twisted around and saw two guys walking up to them. One was blond with piercing blue eyes that chilled the blood in his veins. The look in his eyes made him ancient compared to his young face. The other was clearly younger with one brown eye and the other a dark blue, almost like Kaleb was staring into the ocean depths. Kaleb didn't need any extra sense to tell that these two were not to be messed with.

The two came up to the bench, the younger moving to stand next to Bonnie with a slight frown as he looked at him. The other one came to stand in front of Kaleb, squatting down to look Kaleb in the eye. He remained slight for a long moment before he sighed and shifted to his full height.

"You were right Bonnie. He's using Expression, though luckily not long enough to cause permeant damage to his soul. Bloody hell mate, who got you started on that?" The older guy said, his accent a bit on the London proper side.

"Who the hell are you first?" Kaleb snapped, trying to seem more confident than he felt. The younger guy chuckled as he bumped shoulders with Bonnie who rolled her eyes as she bumped him back. The guy smirked as his eyes shifted as veins began to pulse around his eyes.

'Vampire!' Kaleb thought as he made to stand up before the vamp grabbed and pushed him back down. Bonnie rolled her eyes again before pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Stop trying to intimidate him. This is Erik Mikaelson, the Original Heretic and leader of our Coven. This is my brother, Jeremy." Bonnie said, waving her hand towards the two, exasperation radiating off her from their antics. Kaleb paled once more as he studied the vampire before him, knowing that he was screwed in so many ways.

"Hello mate. We need to have a talk." Erik said, his face normal once more. Kaleb gulped as he suddenly felt his eyes closing and passing out without his consent.

His final thought before he blacked out was, 'Fuck.'

--------
Connor had been a Hunter for a few years now and has killed a dozen vampires in that time. This town was crawling with the vermin, and he needed to come up some way to draw them out.

He had managed to keep a low profile so far, and he managed to identify several of the leeches in the town. The Mikaelsons were all clearly vampires, but something told him that they were more dangerous than any others. The Salvatore siblings also pinged his senses, so they were probably vampires also. He just needed a plan to get rid of them.

He pulled out his phone and dialed up his contact in the area. He only had to wait a moment before the person picked up the line.

"Shane. I am here. You were right. There are plenty of vampires here. You got any plans to help?" Conner asked, shifting slightly in his annoyance of having to work with the man. Something not sitting right with him in dealing with the man.

"In fact I do. There is collection of hybrids that their venom can be used to get rid of plenty of vampires. You can even get rid of them shortly. I'll get you details on how shortly." Shane responded before ending the call. Conner scowled as he tossed the phone onto his bed before craving more stakes. He would need all the weapons he could make in his mission to end the vampires for good. He would not fail his duty.

Chapter Text

Whatever sleeping spell had been casted on Kaleb was finally fading. He could smell mold, wood polish, and dust, similar to old buildings like back home. He was laying on some bumpy couch that was going to murder his back once he got up. He could hear the sounds of people talking around him.

"I understand that witches using Expression are dangerous, but I still think just knocking him out was excessive." Bonnie's voice said, coming from the other side of the room he was laying down in.

"No Bonnie, you don't understand. The last witch we tried to help using Expression murdered the entire village we were in. Erik made the right call. Here we can contain the danger and take our time to explain things." Another woman said, her tone hard but not unkind.

"We should talk to him first, explain what is going on. He was being taught Expression, which means whoever taught him Expression is the one we are looking for." A male voice said.

"I agree. Do you have something you want to add or are you going to keep pretending to sleep?" An accented British voice said, Erik, Kaleb thought. He cracked his eyes open, glaring up to the group of people in front of him.

Erik was in the front; arms crossed with a considering look on his face. Bonnie and Jeremy were there, looking over Erik's shoulders, a friendly smile. There was a tall, blonde hair woman that frankly scared the crap out Kaleb, the power rolling off her in waves.

Kaleb sat up, calling up the power of Expression to send all of them flying. He set out the power and nothing happened. Kaleb blinked as he looked down at the rotten floorboards, seeing a line of herbs and salt circling the couch.

"Sorry mate. Having you freely use Expression would be catastrophic for the city." Erik said, walking right up to the line. Kaleb glared up at him as he made to stand up, still a bit light-headed from the forced sleep.

"What do you want, mate?" Kaleb said, his tone mocking.

"We want to help you, but in order to help you, you need to tell us who taught you Expression. They are working for Silas, and we cannot allow him to become free." Erik said. Jeremy and Bonnie were silently watching while the other woman was walking around the decrepit room, her intense blue eyes focused only on him.

"Why the bloody hell should I tell you anything?" Kaleb snapped back.

"Because we are your best chance to regain your connection with the Earth and we want to help you." He replied, his expression softening. Bonnie moved up to the boundary, others stopping to look at her before she stepped over the boundary. Jeremy stepped forward, hand reaching to grab her back.

"I am not afraid of you. You don't need to be afraid either. We are not your enemy; we are your friends." Bonnie said, standing on the inside of the boundary.

Kaleb stared at her for a long silent moment before he seemed to sigh and shrink in on himself.

"What do you want to know?" Kaleb said, sitting back down on the couch heavily. The couch creaking in a way that almost had him standing back up again.

"Who taught you Expression and why would you learn it?" Erik asked, reaching over to break the line of salt with ease.

"Professor Shane at Whitmore College. He's the Occult Studies professor. I told him how I needed help finding a way to resurrect my pa. He suggested a form of magic not govern by the Spirits of Nature. He didn't mention the whole, burning away my soul for the power." Kaleb said, knowing instinctively that they were the only ones that could help him.

"I am sorry. I understand what it means to lose everyone you've ever loved, but this power, it'll eat you alive and leave nothing left. There has to be like plenty of other ways to resurrect your dad." Jeremy said, his brown and blue eyes shining with understanding of his loss.

"Yes, but none that he can use. You're a druid, are you not?" The woman said as her path continued around the room.

"How did you know that?" Kaleb demanded. The woman shrugged as she came back to the front of couch.

"Ignore Freya. She likes to be a brat. Your magic still has impression of druidic connection to the Earth." Erik said, lifting his hand, holding his hand just over Kaleb's own. He felt a weird stinging that had him flinch from it. Erik frowned before he pulled back once more.

"What did you mean by he can't resurrect his father? I resurrected Jeremy on my own." Bonnie said matter of fact, ignoring the wide eye look that Kaleb shot her.

"As a druid, they are bound by their very blood to protect and follow the will of Nature. The dead don't just come back whenever they want to. Necromancy is not just forbidden but impossible for them to cast. No form of magic that he uses will allow him to resurrect someone." Erik said, his voice sounding just like a teacher giving a lecture.

"He knew." Kaleb said. His eyes burning in anger at the thought that Shane had to have known. The house they were in began to shake and creak like it was about to collapse in on itself. Jeremy moved his hands as he called up blue threads and wrapped them around Kaleb, tightening their hold until Kaleb couldn't move.

"We need to purify him and now. I am not sure how long I can hold back his power." Jeremy said, sweat appearing on his brow as he held the knot of threads. Erik grabbed Kaleb, whispering another stronger sleep spell, Kaleb falling into his arms. Jeremy continued holding the knot as he followed the others outside.

They had been preparing for the purification ritual for the last few days, not sure when or if they would have a chance to use it. The ritual was the exact same as the one they used for Alaric adding in a pentagram in the center for extra power.

Erik placed Kaleb in the center with the others taking their places around the circle. They would have normally done it in the basement once more, but the risk of the Expression fighting back and destroying the house was too great.

"Let's finish purifying him and then we deal with this professor." Erik said, stepping up to his place after finishing applying the runes on their forehead and hands again.

"Air." Bonnie called, the threads of Air appearing once more.

"Fire." Erik called, the magic easier for him to call up the more often they used Weaving magic.

"Water." Jeremy called, having to banish the threads he used to bind Kaleb. He was already waking up from the spell and the bindings.

"Earth." Freya called, the threads of Earth thrashing as though they were filled with anger. Kaleb blinked up before his back arched up from the ground, his mouth open in a silent scream.

"Animae, vos vocamus. Purificate per Aerem, Ignem, Aquam, et Terram. Frangite Nexus et liberate hanc maleficam ab tenebris. Benedicite nobis, o spiritus naturae, servum tuum servare." They all called out before Kaleb had a chance to react, calling up the full power of their coven.

They could even feel Dahlia and Kol pouring their power through their bond, the force of their magic greater than any power that had been used before.

They continued the chant, calling up the pure essence of the elements against the darkness of the Expression devouring Kaleb's soul. They could see the darkness, the unnaturalness of Expression fighting against their power. Jeremy snarled as he called up more power as he began tying the threads of the elements.

"Knot of One, the spell begins. Knot of Two, the spell is true. Knot of Three, the spell is free. Knot of Four, the power is stored. Knot of Five, the spell will thrive. Knot of Six, the spell I fix. Knot of Seven, the spell with awaken. Knot of Eight, the spell will wait. Knot of Nine, the spell be mine. Knot of Ten, it begins again." Jeremy called out, the threads tying themselves.

"Hear my will, Oh Threads of Fate. I am the Weaver of this Age. Save the one before me for it is not his fate to fall to the Darkness. His fate is now with us, for we are the Weavers of Fate." Jeremy said, his eyes like blue stars, blazing as though they alone could burn away Expression. The words causing Erik, Freya, and Bonnie to stare at Jeremy in shock, understanding that Jeremy was calling up his Weaver of Fate power for the first time.

The resulting backlash from the magic they called up was great, but they were far more prepared for it. Erik siphoned away the magic, returning it to the Earth before it could harm any of them. It still felt like molten lead was poured in his veins, the pain nearly dropping him to his knees.

The magic finally settled and faded away, a gentle release instead of the explosion like it did before. Erik dropped to his knees, seeing from the corner of his eyes that the others were in a similar state. Jeremy was paled as he braced his hands on his knees while Freya was stumbling over to Bonnie who was unconscious at her spot. Bonnie had the hardest time handling the magic they now could wield though getting better with each day.

"Is she ok?" Jeremy gasped out as he stumbled himself over to Erik.

"Drained but she'll be ok. I don't think we should try something like this again. If Dahlia and Kol hadn't been linked with us, we might have killed ourselves with the amount of power we had to use." Freya said, dropping to her knees by Bonnie, rolling her over to her back. Her blonde hair was plastered to her head, sweat dropping from her brow.

"Agreed." Erik muttered out as he lifted his hand to squeeze Jeremy's shoulder. Jeremy nodded as he turned to look at Kaleb who was now sitting up, pupils dilated from the rush of magic flowing through him now.

"What did you all do?" He whispered as he looked around.

"I broke the link you had to Expression and linked you to the Coven. Sorry, but it was the only way I could see in saving you." Jeremy said, struggling to stand up. Erik used what little strength he had left to push Jeremy back down.

"Don't. We are all drained. We should not rush it." Erik said, his tone firm in response to Jeremy's protest.

"Is that what that is? The Coven bond?" Kaleb asked, trying to stand up himself.

"We'll explain things later. Right now, right now we should get back to the manor and rest. We'll deal with the rest of it later." Erik said, his strength recovering as he siphoned away from the charms on his necklace. He would need several blood bags to help the others recover also. He poked at the newest link in their coven, feeling the pure connection of Earth that rang of Kaleb. Kaleb shot him a look at the sensation of someone poking him in his head.

"Well. Seems like this a bad time." A voice said from behind them. Erik turned and suddenly, a stake was poking out of his chest. He looked up and saw some guy standing there with a sneer on his lips.

"Hunter." Erik managed to whisper before he fell back, the stake killing him for the time. Jeremy tried to magic the guy away despite his weakened state to no avail.

"You're welcome. Vampire scum." The man said, shouldering his shotgun now that the vampire was dead.

"Motis." Freya snapped out, throwing her hand out towards the man that harmed her brother. The hunter stumbled back, the force throwing him slightly off balance.

"Witch. Why are you attacking me? I am doing my duty, ridding the world of vampires." The hunter replied, slinging his shotgun to point at Freya, who was glaring up at him.

"Ad soneum." Kaleb said, the sleep spell doing its work as the hunter collapsed to the ground. Kaleb blinked, surprised by the ease of the magic, before he turned back to Erik and Jeremy.

Jeremy grabbed the stake and ripped it out before chunking it as far as he could.

"We need to get him back to the manor. I don't think I am strong enough to feed him." Jeremy admitted as he cradled Erik to him.

"Yeah. We'll take him too." Freya said, waving her hand towards the Hunter. She doubted she would be able to drive all of them without passing out herself. She pulled out her phone and dialed Elijah's number.

"Hello brother. We need some help." Freya said, feeling like everything shifted on its axis now.

Chapter Text

Freya looked up as she spotted two black SUVs speeding up the gravel road, slamming to a stop. Elijah and Niklaus jumped out of one while Finn and Sage jumped out of the other.

Finn headed straight for Freya who was doing her best to stay awake despite the spots dancing at the corner of her vision. Bonnie was finally awake but still pale and weak from the ritual. Elijah came up to Erik who was still dead from the stake as burning through so much magic at one time was slowing his healing. Klaus stopped by the hunter, toeing the man with his boot, a sneer on his lips. Sage went to Bonnie, fretting over her, the two becoming good friend by their mutual enjoyment of messing with the Originals.

"Sister. Are you well? What happened? Dahlia called us after you did, worried about what was happening. Rebekah got a call from Kol, just as worried as our aunt." Finn said, holding up his sister as he could tell she was weaker than he had ever seen her.

"We had to purify Kaleb" waving to Kaleb who was sitting near Bonnie, watching Sage worry over her" who is the witch using Expression. It required far more power to free him from it than it normally should. After the ritual, we were all drained as this hunter showed up and staked Erik before we could stop him. We're all too weak to feed him, I do hope you brought some blood bags." Freya said, blinking rapidly as she tried to force herself to stay awake. Finn nodded absently as he gently picked her up and walked to the SUV, the others doing the same with their own charge.

Klaus grabbed the Hunter, throwing him over his shoulder before throwing him into the trunk. He returned to help Kaleb support Jeremy who was only a bit stronger than the others though not by much. Elijah carried his younger brother over to his SUV, gently laying him down in the back seat. He reached into the cooler he packed with Gatorade and blood bags. He opened one, holding it so some trickled into Erik's mouth.

The bag was suddenly torn from his grasp, Erik sucking it down like a juice box. Elijah passed over three more bags in rapid succession, a frown at his lips as he was concerned how hungry his brother was. Jeremy waited until he could tell that Erik was back in control of his hunger before getting into the car, Kaleb right behind him. The others quickly got situated before speeding back to the manor.

"Hello love. I am letting you know that Jeremy and Bonnie are back at the manor. They're fine, but drained. If you could let the other know, I would appreciate it. We'll see you soon." Klaus said into his phone, informing Caroline of the development. Jeremy nodded his thanks as he laid his head on Erik's shoulder, his own vision darkening despite the strength he could feel funneling through the bond. Erik rubbed his arm, whispering softly to his boyfriend to just rest.

They finally arrived at Mikaelson Manor, Rebekah waiting at the doorway with a scowl. The way the wards were set up was that at least one Mikaelson needed to remain at the property to activate the defensive warding, even if they weren't a witch themselves. Rebekah had been elected to hold down the fort and activate the wards if something happened.

"Well, isn't this a fine scene?" Rebekah quipped, clearly annoyed with being the person left behind.

"Hello sister. How are you?" Erik replied from his place being helped to move by Elijah. Jeremy was on his other side, looking like he was about to pass out himself.

"My gods. You look like hell." Rebekah said, her tone softening in her worry as the rest of Coven exited the car, all being helped by her family.

"Yeah. Nik, send the Hunter to basement. We'll deal with him when the world isn't spinning anymore." Erik said before his head fell forward and he passed out again. Rebekah jumped forward as she spotted that Jeremy was losing his grip. Elijah grimaced as his spotted that the others were all passing out one at a time.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with them?" Rebekah demanded as she shifted Erik to more easily drag him into the manor.

"I am sorry but is this normal?" Kaleb asked, clearly shocked by all of the witches passing out from exhaustion.

"I assure you that this is not normal, Mr. Westphall." Elijah said, carrying Jeremy in his arms.

The others began to return everyone to their rooms, Jeremy and Erik placed in his room while Bonnie was laid down in the guest room Esther once occupied and Freya in her own room.

The remaining Mikaelsons and Kaleb all gathered in the kitchen with Kaleb silently observing the Mikaelson putter around the kitchen.

"What should we do? We can't just do nothing." Rebekah demanded. Elijah was already on his phone, holding up a finger.

"Kol. When you get this message, call us." Elijah pulled the phone away before he dialed another number. It rang for a moment before it was picked up.

"Mother. Where is your sister? Talk now before I decide to send your other son to remove your head from your shoulders. Thank you, mother, may we never see each other." Elijah said, his tone so bland and respectful that the threat sounded like he was talking about the weather.

"Aunt Dahlia is unconscious as well so I assume our brother is the same state." Elijah said, his fist tightening as he worried over his youngest brother.

"I'll go get him." Sage offered, silently arguing with Finn before he nodded reluctantly.

"I have some witches I can call that still owe me a favor. I'll invite one of them to check on them. I am worried by how exhausted they all are." Klaus said before he grabbed his own phone and began texting someone.

"While we are waiting, I suggest we keep them comfortable and figure out what to do with that Hunter." Elijah said. Finn was walking off, following Sage as she headed to their room to pack. Kaleb was watching the scene with a sense that this is what a family should be, dropping everything to help each other.

He just met these people and was already feeling like he would do anything he had to in order to protect them.

Chapter Text

Elijah looked up from his copy of Pride and Prejudice just as Erik let out a soft groan and sat up.

"Hello brother. How are you feeling?" Elijah asked softly, bookmarking his place and setting it on the bedside table.

"I haven't felt this awful since that Beltane where we all snuck off and drank wine all night." Erik groaned as he rubbed his face. He looked and felt like he was death warmed over, exhausted and pale.

"Ah, good times... for me anyways. You, Klaus, and Kol were a mess that night. Finn and I spent the whole time keeping you all from Mother. Rebekah and Henrik were kind enough to distract Father from finding us." Elijah said, smiling softly at the fond memory of his brothers. It was one of his favorite memories with his brother laughing and stumbling over each other the whole time. It was also the reason that Erik stopped drinking more than the occasional glass of wine.

"Ugh. I am a vampire; I shouldn't be able to vomit anymore but I feel like I will." Erik groaned as he flopped back onto the bed, holding his pillow over his face. Elijah's smile finally slipped into concern at his brother's state.

"Is this... normal after such a massive undertaking?" Elijah asked, standing from his chair to hover over his brother.

""It's within the realm of possibility, though it's never been this bad before. What happened after I was staked? I barely remember waking up in a car and talking to Rebekah." Erik said, his voice muffled by the pillow.

"We returned to the manor just as each of you passed out right after the other. I contacted Dahlia and Kol to see if they might be able to assist us, but they were unconscious also. Sage left to find Kol and ensure his safety. Luckily Klaus called in a witch that owed him a favor to check all of you. They said that with the way your Coven bond, any strength you recovered were sent down the line to the others. They explained that you are the lynchpin, so your strength was sapped by the others until they were recovered enough." Elijah explained.

Erik hummed before he fully removed the pillow and noticed the IV attached to his arm. He followed the line to bags of blood and various crystals he finally spotted around the room.

"The blood was Jeremy's idea. He deducted that since all of your strength was being directed to everyone else, you would run the risk of desiccating. He came up with the idea of setting up a supply of blood to help you recover faster. The crystals were the others' work. From my understanding, they absorb nature magic and then direct it to you." Elijah explained.

"How long was I out?" Erik asked as he studied the setup, worried by all of the stress he must have caused everyone.

"Three days. The others woke up the day after helping Mr. Westphall, though only in the last day have they been able to be more active. Jeremy and Bonnie had to call out from school due to how exhausted they still are. Alaric supported the claim with the school." Elijah said.

Erik cussed under his breath in Old Norse that had Elijah cuffing the back of his head. Erik glared as he rubbed the back of his head while Elijah stared at him with a single raised eyebrow.

"Where is everyone else? I am surprised Jeremy left me alone." Erik said, trying to sense what he could from the bonds. Dahlia radiated strength and reassurances that she was well. Freya was calm but understandably worried. Bonnie and Kaleb had a sense of calm, probably mediating out in the forest. Jeremy was asleep down the hall, passed out from the staying up and worrying too much. Kol... he was radiating annoyance and the strong urge to rip someone apart.

"Kol isn't happy. Any word from him?" Erik asked as he pulled the IV out and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"Sage sent a message saying that he was well if a tad annoyed by the fatigue." Elijah said, watching his brother slowly stand up.

"That's good I suppose." Erik said, slowly shuffling over to his dresser. He pulled on a plain black t-shirt, leaning against the dresser as he felt his strength wavering slightly.

"What about the guy that staked me?" Erik asked.

"Still locked in the basement. He's one of the Five though only for a short time. Freya was able to reveal his marks though it only covers his forearm." Elijah said, moving up to his brother to help support him.

"Hmm. I guess that makes sense. I had run into one of them back in the seventeenth century. If it hadn't been for the sense of Black Magic from them, I would have killed them." Erik said.

"I do have a question, why can we see the marks on the ones from Italy but not his?" Elijah asked, interested in learning more magic despite his lack of talent when he was human.

"Probably a defense mechanism until he finishes his marks." Erik suggested as he moved to leave the room. Elijah held his elbow, worried about how weak his brother still was. They headed to the living room that Freya was resting under the watchful eye of Finn.

"Erik! You're up?" Freya said, perking up from her spot on the couch. Finn looked up from the laptop, smiling in relief at seeing his younger brother up and about.

"Barely. We'll need to think of a plan in case this happens again." Erik managed to stumble to the couch, dropping to the opposite side from his big sister.

Finn watched the scene for a moment before returning to his laptop, typing at it with an intense focus that one would only see in a military war room. Erik shot Freya a concerned look who rolled her eyes.

"The building manager for the apartment complex in Savannah is refusing to work with Finn. The tenants are also complaining about repair times and other conditions with the building." Freya explained, rolling her eyes. Erik frowned before he groaned as he recalled the man.

"That man is a snake. I would have gotten rid of him ages ago if I could find someone that gave half a damn about the tenants." Erik whined. The complex was a pet project of his to provide housing for lower income families. The manager had been fine for most of the part but had been progressively growing more arrogant and viler lately.

"I am tempted to make a trip down there just to rip out his throat myself." Finn muttered under his breath. Freya and Erik busted out laughing while Elijah shook his head with a smile.

"So, anything else that I have missed?" Erik asked once he regained his calm.

"Not really much. Since the Coven has been recovering, we haven't done anything about Shane or the Hunter. Kaleb has been doing what he can to keep in contact and get us more information." Freya explained, moving to cuddle with Erik like they did after a hard day.

"Hm. Elijah, can you ask Nik to grab Shane? I am tired of being on the defense. It's time we dealt with Silas and his minions for good." Erik said, his eyes flashing with resolve. The others nodded as all of them were sick of the tension.

Erik leaned back, wrapping his arm around Freya, closing his eyes. He could afford a few more hours of rest, then it was time for war.

Chapter Text

Professor Shane was marking through the latest paper, rubbing at his eyes as the words began to swim before his eyes. Nobody mentioned how much time it would take to release a two-thousand-year-old on top of a professorship. He looked up when the door swung open and paled at the sight before him

Klaus Mikaelson was strutting into the room, confident and deadly. The other person that walked in was Rebekah while looking at him he was dirt on her boots.

"Hello. We need to have a chat." Klaus said, predatory smirk across his face.

"I am afraid I have nothing to say to either of you. Office hours are tomorrow at two." Shane said, sounding more confident than he felt. Klaus and Rebekah shared a laugh before boxing him in against the window.

"I think you are mistaken. This isn't a request. You will come with us, either the easy way or the hard way." Rebekah said, tapping a finger against the desk, seemingly innocent despite the vicious smirk on her face.

"Now, now Rebekah. We don't have time for pleasantries." Klaus said, dragging the Professor around the desk.

"Just compel him to follow us. Always so bloody impatient. You are to come with us willingly and quietly." Rebekah said, holding Shane's chin so that he was looking into her eyes.

"Over your smoldering corpse." Shane snapped back, shocking both Klaus and Rebekah for a moment.

"Immunity to compulsion, lovely. Hard way it is" Rebekah said, striking him in the right way in the head to knock him out but not hurt him too badly. He would've crumpled to the ground if not for Klaus's hand still holding his arm.

"A bit much dear sister." Klaus grumbled as he slung the professor over his shoulder.

"Better this than him screaming bloody murder for the whole campus to hear us." Rebekah retorted.

""You know, literally everyone can still hear you." A voice said from the still open doorway. Hayley was leaning there, watching them grab Shane.

"Hayley, correct? You know this man?" Klaus asked, shifting his grip on Shane. Hayley remained quiet for a long moment, considering her options before nodding.

"He promised me information about my family if I helped him with his plans." Hayley asked, pushing off from the frame. Klaus and Rebekah shared a long look before Klaus shrugged.

"Come along Little Wolf. You might have information we need." Klaus said, his tone demanding obedience. Hayley swallowed as she nodded and going over to the shelf that held a large stone.

"You'll need this. Shane said it was Shane's tombstone. Never told me much more than that." Hayley admitted as she held out the stone for them.

"Keep it for now. I have my hands full, and I doubt Rebekah would want to get her hands dirty." Klaus snarked before vamping out of the room, trying to get his car without being spotted.

"Ignore my beast of a half-brother. I am Rebekah. Come along." Rebekah said before strutting out of the room. Hayley followed, hands wrapped around the rock, praying she made the right choice.

----------
Erik walked into the basement, finally recovered from the Expression ritual. He was flanked by Freya and Jeremy as he studied the two men that were restrained to chairs. The Hunter and Shane were all glaring at them, their reinforced chair with steel restraints holding them, facing each other.

"Hello gentlemen. Lovely evening, isn't it?" Erik said, his smile bright and charming despite the burning hatred directed to him.

"How are you still alive? I staked you in the heart." The Hunter demanded.

"He's an Original you idiot. He can't be killed like an ordinary vampire, which I warned you about when you first got into town." Shane snarked back. Erik raised an eyebrow as the two continued to snap at one another. Erik shot a slight smirk over his shoulder to both Freya and Jeremy who were watching the scene amusedly.

"He's right. I am the Original Heretic. I am not just a vampire but a witch vampire hybrid. You can't kill me, and I am also a hell of a lot stronger than any regular vampire. That however is not important. What is important is that both of you tell me what your plans are and where Silas is buried." Erik said, walking up to them, his eyes hardening as he stared down the two men. Both scoffed at the demand and threats.

"You can't compel either of us, and you can't kill either of us without losing our knowledge or becoming cursed." Shane said smugly.

"You're right. I can't compel or kill you, but I have plenty of other tricks to try also." Erik said, smirking down at the two. He snapped his fingers, causing both to be hit with a truth spell.

"Now, why are you trying to release Silas?" Erik asked Shane, who sneered as he opened his mouth to cuss him out.

"He can resurrect the dead. I want him to bring back my wife and son." Shane said instead. He blinked, confused on why he admitted that.

"Truth spell. Handy and impossible to become immune to." Erik said smugly.

"Hunter. Why are you helping Shane?" Erik asked, curious about why the two were working together.

"He offered me enough vampires to complete my mark so I can finish my duty." The Hunter said, unable to stop from responding.

"What is your duty?" Jeremy asked since he would have been a Hunter himself.

"To complete my mark that will lead me to Silas. From there, we are to give Silas the cure and remove his head for good." The Hunter stated. The others shared a surprised look by the truth of the Five's mission.

"Why are you to kill Silas?" Freya asked.

"From what my mentor told me, a Bennett ancestor created these marks to be passed down to the worthy until one would finally be able to kill Silas, finishing the work of another ancestor."

"It's always a Bennett." Erik muttered, rubbing his forehead.

"What is the tombstone and why is it important?" Erik asked to Shane who snarled at hearing that they took that too.

"The tombstone has Qetsiyah's blood crystalized in it. If a witch uses it and can channel an Expression triangle, they can fully release the protections on Silas's tomb, and he will be free once more." Shane said, gritted his teeth at being forced to answer against his will.

"Where is Silas's tomb located?" Erik asked.

"Off the coast of Nova Scotia. It's a small island known for every settlement going insane and killing themselves within a short time of settling." Shane said. Erik frowned before he recalled the lessons in navigation from his father.

"I know that island. It was called Helheim's Gate by our people. It was believed to have a gateway to Hel, the Norse Underworld for the dishonored dead. Seems the myth is somewhat true." Erik said to the paling face of Shane.

"You can't kill him! He promised me that if I got him free, he would return my wife and son!" Shane begged, struggling against his bonds.

"Silas can't resurrect the dead. He gave up his magic when he became immortal and he was a fire witch; he would have a difficult time with resurrection magics. Your wife and son, what were they?" Erik asked, his voice far gentler than before.

"My wife was a witch. She was the one that taught me everything about Expression. She was mediocre witch until she started practicing it. My son was human." Shane answered. Erik closed his eyes and sighed as he studied the broken man.

"Then I am afraid there is nothing we or even Silas can do to bring them back. Expression burns away the soul of the user until there is nothing left of them. Your son is most likely already passed on into Peace. They are both gone and no power in this world would be able to bring them back." Erik said as gently as he could muster. Shane shook his head frantically.

"No! You're lying! He swore to bring them back if I help him!" Shane shouted as he worked himself into a frenzy trying to get free of his bonds.

Erik looked over to Freya who nodded to his unspoken question. Jeremy took a moment longer before he reluctantly nodded as well.

"Very well. May the Gods have mercy upon you." Erik whispered before he vamped over and snapped Shane's neck quickly and painlessly.

"What about me? You can't kill me without being cursed. I doubt even if you killed me with magic would keep you safe." The Hunter mocked, clearly thinking he was going to be leaving alive. Erik snorted before nodding towards Freya.

"I may not be able to kill you, but my sister certainly can since she's only a witch, an immortal witch but still." Erik said, smirking at the rapidly paling face of the Hunter.

"Wait, no." Whatever else the Hunter was going to say was cut off by his head snapping to the side, Freya breaking his neck quickly. The sound loud in the quiet basement.

"Was that... strictly necessary?" Jeremy asked, his voice surprisingly level.

"Never understood playing with my enemies like Nik likes to. I rather put my foes down for good." Erik said with a shrug. He waved his hands, transporting the two bodies to two random places in the woods.

"Now then, shall we talk to the werewolf?" Erik said as he walked out the basement, Freya and Jeremy on his heels.

"Please don't kill her. She's important to us for some reason, no idea why." Jeremy said bring Erik up short as he turned around.

"Is this a Weaver thing?" Erik asked, curious about a new power Jeremy seems to have.

"Maybe. I just know that she will be important to the Originals, but I can't figure out how." Jeremy said with a shrug.

"Alright. I promise to not hurt her or allow anyone else to either." Erik said, placing his trust in Jeremy who smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Thank you, Starlight." Jeremy said, smiling from the rush of affection he felt from Erik. Freya rolled her eyes so hard she almost got a headache. Erik smirked as he wrapped his arm around Jeremy's waist and walked into the living room that Hayley and the others were waiting for them to finish. Finn was off wherever he likes to go to when he wanted privacy.

"Hayley. Good to see you again." Jeremy spoke first since he had already met her.

"Hi." Hayley said though her focus was on Erik who cocked his head at the attention.

"You don't really look like what Elena said you would." Hayley said, her eyes widening at the wave of fury that came from everyone.

"You know that tramp?" Rebekah said, her teeth gritted. She still hadn't gotten over the dagger in her back, but she then hurt Jeremy which hurt Erik and that was unacceptable.

"She was working for Shane. He said that Silas would be strong enough to kill an Original." Hayley said, shrugging.

"Of course she would make a deal with the devil." Erik growled, doing his best to hold back his anger.

"I never talked to her outside of the few meetings she showed up for. She spent most of the time trash talking everyone here or whining about Jeremy dating an Original. I should probably mention that she's been keeping watch on you, just outside of range of anyone spotting her." Hayley said, flinching at the sound of glass breaking as Klaus crushed the glass in his hand.

"Brother. I love that you are getting protective over my partner, but please stop breaking things. Go run the perimeter if that'll settle you." Erik said. Klaus nodded as he vamped away.

"Sorry about that. He doesn't like many people so when he cares for you, he gets protective of them." Erik said, taking a seat across from Hayley, Jeremy sitting next to him.

"He's being a good Alpha." Hayley said softly, her eyes flashing gold as her wolf agreed. Erik watched that, noting it for later.

"Can you tell us what Shane had you doing and also Elena too?" Freya asked from her spot on the arm of the couch Erik and Jeremy were at.

"He had me work with the hybrids to break their sirebonds to Klaus. The plan was for them to break their bond and then rebel against Klaus so they could all be killed at once. Elena was in charge of arranging a third massacre, a coven of witches, I think. No clue how she would accomplish that." Hayley explained. Erik hummed as he glanced at Freya who was thinking over her limited knowledge of Expression.

"That was their plan, to create an Expression Triangle with two points made by supernatural beings. In theory, by using supernaturals in two points, especially hybrids and witches, would allow a witch to draw far greater power from Expression. Kaleb would be completely overwhelmed by that kind of power, not even Bonnie or Jeremy would be able to control that much power." Freya said, pale at the mere thought of what would happen.

"Sila's main goal is the destruction of the Other Side to be reunited with Amara. If he used a witch to charge the Expression Triangle, he could drop the veil between the living and the dead. Most likely, he would use that opening to collapse the Other Side completely. The biggest immediate issue would be that those souls could interact with the physical world." Erik mussed aloud.

"Well, that would be a bloody disaster! Do you have any idea how many people hate us that are dead?" Rebekah said, arms crossed.

"I assure you dear sister, we are quite aware of the number of enemies we have made over the last thousand years." Elijah quipped from his place, not looking up from his book.

"Only if they are in the area of the Triangle when the veil dropped. Luckily, Shane is dead so now Silas has no minions for him. We also have the tombstone and we know where his tomb is. Give me less than a week to prepare and we can finish this in time for Spring Break." Erik said, smirking.

"Shane is dead? I was hoping to talk to him first. He had information about my family." Hayley said with a growl as now another lead ended up dead.

"Come here. I may be able to pull something from your memories. I could also come up with a genealogy test. Do you have a birthmark? Some werewolf packs will have a common birthmark among their kin." Erik said, rising up from hist seat.

"I have a crescent birthmark on my shoulder." Hayley said, her eyes gleaming as she might finally get answers. Erik gapped at her in shock.

"You're a Crescent wolf?" Erik finally said over his shock.

"A Crescent wolf?" Hayley whispered.

"The Crescent Moon wolves live outside of New Orleans and are recognized by the crescent shaped birthmark on their shoulder." Erik said, surprised by the truth of Hayley's birth family.

"Do you know anything else about them?" Hayley begged.

"Just that they had some sort of issues about twenty years ago, not much else." Erik admitted, not really keeping up with werewolf packs that much.

"Thank you. You just gave me more information about my family than I ever would have gotten from Shane." Hayley said before she pulled Erik into a sudden hug. Erik blinked before he awkwardly patted her on the back.

"Um... you're welcome." Erik said, ignoring the smirks and smothered laughter from everyone else.

"Sorry. I just... I've been searching for my family so long." Hayley said, blushing as she pulled away.

"It's fine. Glad to help. Did you need any other help?" Erik asked, curious about how she was tied to his family.

"No, thank you. You've done more than enough." Hayley said sincerely before leaving the manor for good.

"Leaving so soon, Little Wolf?" Klaus said from behind her. She turned and smirked at the hybrid.

"I got what I needed and did my own good turn. Nothing is really keeping me here... unless you can think of something to pass the time?" She flirted with the handsome Alpha.

"Oh, Little Wolf, I can show you many things." Klaus smirked, his eyes glowing as he grabbed her close and vamped away from the house.

Chapter Text

Erik was staring off the port side of the boat that Elijah kept at the Charleston port to the island that housed Silas. He grimaced at the discordant noise of the magic coming from the island. The magic was still strong even after all this time despite the frayed edges he could feel. Expression wasn't just needed for its strength, but also to weaken it with each use it seems.

"I am a vampire and even I find this island creepy." Kol said from Erik's left. Erik hummed as he agreed with his younger brother.

It had taken a longer debate than needed to decide on the crew that would be going to deal with Silas. Erik and Freya were the obvious choice, due to their immortality and magical abilities. Kol had asked to join as he understood how dangerous Silas was. Erik almost suggested for Nik and Elijah to come too but dismissed the idea. Klaus's paranoia and psychological damage from the Hunter's Curse would make him a prime target for Silas. Elijah hated sailing as he almost always gets seasick despite owning a boat.

Jeremy, Bonnie, and Kaleb had asked to go but all of the Originals put their foot down. While they might be immortal also, they were technically human and would be considered food. Freya was only allowed due to her millennium of experience and control, plus nobody was foolish enough to stop her from coming along.

"It's an effect from the warding on the island. Part of it makes the island instinctively hostile to everyone so that nobody would land on it or at least, limit the number of people that would land. With the amount of magic swarming around the island, it's hard to pinpoint the source of it. I checked the topographic maps of the island, and I found a few places to look." Erik said, studying the island for a few more minutes before moving down into the galley.

Freya was down there trying to use divination spells to pierce through the warding with little luck. Qetsiyah was still being stubborn with revealing too much information about Silas's tomb. She also couldn't manifest so far away from the Ancestorial Ground.

"Any luck?" Erik asked, though he could tell what the answer was by the annoyance in her eyes.

"Only a bit. I think that because I am connected to Qetsiyah, I am having some luck with piercing through the warding. I've been able to narrow it down to about five possible locations." Freya said, equally annoyed and impressed by the strength of wards that were around two-thousand-years old.

"Better than nothing. What are the locations you narrowed it down to?" Erik asked, walking over to the dining table to study the map.

"What about this one?" Erik pointed to one that led to a deep shaft into the ground. Its central location would be a prime location to tether the warding to cover the whole island.

"That was the first place I was going to suggest inspecting. With the limitations of moving a body and construction of a tomb, it would be difficult to explore, but it would be well hidden." Freya said, inspecting the location with a critical eye. Erik agreed that it would be the most likely location, but they would still check the other places.

"Alright. Kol." Erik said, his brother vamping from the deck.

"We're ready then?" Kol asked, ready to get moving. He loved sailing but he got cabin fever without something to always keep him busy.

"As we will ever be. Let's get into the raft and get to the island." Erik said. The boat, which Elijah named Celeste, was anchored just 2 nautical miles from the island.

"I am just ready to be done with this and finally relax." Freya said, already dreaming of a topical getaway with her sister and sister-in-law. No threats of impending destruction or other drama.

"We all are. I am glad we got all the information we did before March. I have a trip planned for everyone in school and I will not have that subverted by a man that should've died two-thousand-years ago." Erik gripped as he grabbed his and Freya's bags. Freya was putting away her tools into a second smaller bag with a few essentials. Kol grabbed his own and finished anchoring the boat before getting the lifeboat ready.

Kol was always more of a sailor than the rest of the family. Erik enjoyed it but preferred to spend his days learning new magics or reworking old spells.

"Well, this is just cheery. I think the warding is even worse on the island than from off it." Freya quipped once they landed on the island. Erik silently agreed with her, the warding and general atmosphere setting his nerves on edge.

"Let's get this over with." Kol said, shouldering his bag as he began to scan the area to find a point to ascend. Kol jutted his chin to a spot that created a natural trail that would lead them up. Freya and Erik nodded before grabbing their gear and began the journey up. The further away from the water they went, the worse the warding pushed at them to turn and run. It was also making them snappier than normal. Erik finally found a spot they could camp for the day, mentally exhausted at the constant attack on his mind.

"We should camp here and continue to the first spot tomorrow. Kol, help me with securing the camp. Freya, see if you can get some sort of ward around that can lessen the effects of this gods forsaken island. If not, just worry about getting the tent set up." He stated harshly, dropping his bag before marching away from his siblings.

Kol and Freya shared a disturbed look, never before seeing their brother in such a foul mood. They were all feeling the effects, but Erik seemed to be receiving the brunt of the attack. Kol nodded that he would be keeping an eye on Erik in case but shuffled off to help set up traps.

Freya took a long, slow breath before exhaling. She pulled various tools and other items that should help create an effective protection against whatever is psychically attacking them.

She set crystals at each of the cardinal points, using a fine line of salt to set out the space. She lit lavender, white sage, and other such herbs to purify the space. She walked around the edges, clockwise from the Northern point, keeping her thoughts directed to pushing away the negative energies clouding their minds.

"Spiritus, protege hanc spatium. Sinite mala energia evanescere ab hoc spatio. Crea sanctuarium pro iis intus." She muttered under her breath, sweeping the area with the smoke and pushing away the dark presence. She already began to feel the negative energies fading away from the camp. She smiled, before her expression dropped as the spell collapsed under the weight of the warding. She tried to cast several other variations of spells the same result.

"No luck?" Erik asked as he returned to the campground. He could sense the residual energies of the spells and how each failed to hold up against the warding.

"None. Every spell I've tried collapse before they settle. Qetsiyah was a vicious bitch to make a warding so, so..." Freya tried to find the words before sighing.

"It's not your fault and I am sorry for how I acted earlier. The warding is affecting me more than I thought it would." Erik said, rubbing his head as he began to set up a fire. He was cooking dinner while he got blood bags ready.

"It's fine brother. This island is just wrong. The warding seems to be targeted to counter any spell to lessen their effects." Freya said, patting him on the shoulder. Erik hummed as he finished prepping some basic food for Freya. Kol returned then, smirking at his work of traps around the camp.

"Well, we are as protected as we can be. I spotted recent tracks so we're not alone out here." Kol said, grabbing a blood bag.

"Yeah, I figured." Erik muttered as he glared at the campfire. Kol shifted closer to his eldest sister, growing more worried about his older brother the longer they stayed on the island.

"I'll take first watch." Erik muttered, rubbing his head at the constant migraine from the needles piercing in his mind. Freya and Kol shared a long look before they both went to the tent.

The rest of the night passed quickly, the cold from being so much harder on them. He listened to the cracking of the fire, the normal sounds of nature absent from the night.

"Starlight! Where are you, Erik?" Jeremy's voice called out from the woods. Erik snapped up, eyes growing wide in disbelief that Jeremy was somehow on the island with him.

"Jeremy?" He said softly, eyes searching the woods. He tugged on the bond he had with Jeremy and received an answering tug from much further away than on the island. He forcibly wanked on the bond he had with both Freya and Kol, the two scampering out of the tent at the sudden pull.

"What is it?" Freya asked, sipping up her jacket against the northern chill.

"Silas. He got into my head, using Jeremy's voice to lure me somewhere. I am going to follow it." Erik said, standing as he stared off the distance. Kol and Freya frowned as they agreed that this was a terrible idea.

"Go. We'll grab the supplies and follow you." Freya said, already grabbing the bag with their magic supplies.

Erik nodded before he walked towards the voice. He kept seeing flashes of Jeremy through the trees, always just far enough away but not so far, he would lose track.

"Starlight." The phantom using Jeremy face said, appearing behind a tree to his left. It was nearly a perfect copy except for one key difference; the eyes were both brown. The magic that changed Jeremy's eyes couldn't be replicated by Silas it seems.

"Jeremy. What are you doing here?" Erik said, having to stop from ripping the phantom atom by atom.

"Did you really think I would let you come here without me? You should know better than that. Come on. I found the entrance to Silas's tomb." Jeremy said before it turned around and began to run off. He listened in for Freya and Kol who he could hear were right behind him.

He ran after the phantom, dodging tree roots and limbs. He finally came to the deep mine shaft that they were planning to check out already.

"It's just down here. You'll need to jump down." The phantom said while Erik shot it a look that he was questioning its intelligence.

"Thanks for the advice. I'll meet you down there, Silas." Erik snapped before he jumped over the edge, landing hard at the bottom of the mine shaft. His anger was already high, using Jeremy's face just sealed Silas's fate for good. He studied the walls and the floor, wrinkling his nose at the scent of stale blood, focused near the center of the mine.

"Down below!" Kol's voice echoed from the top. Erik looked up and used magic to slow down the descent of the bags. Kol came dropping down, Freya wrapped in his arms, eyes wide.

"Let's never do that again." Freya said, pulling herself from Kol to grab her own bag.

"We'll have to get out of here somehow." Kol quipped as he grabbed his own bag. He pulled out the tombstone and held it out Freya. She took it, rolling it around in her hands. Kol and Erik walked around the mine, trying to find the entrance. Erik was prodding a weak point when he heard Freya gasp. He looked over his shoulder to see... the tombstone bleed? Freya focusing her power on the stone before it completely broke apart, the pieces clattering loudly to the floor.

Kol opened his mouth to comment before he felt everything beginning to shake. It felt like an earthquake, but the storm of magic they all felt told them that the wards on the tomb were finally collapsing. A loud crack echoed through the chamber as stones began to fall all around them. Kol and Erik vamped over to Freya, using both magic and their bodies to protect her.

After several minutes of rocks falling, the shaking came to an end. The trio dusted off their jacket from the rock dust as they looked around. An opening showing in the side of the mine, leading off into the dark.

"Almost over." Erik muttered as he led their group into the opening, ready to finally end this nightmare.

Chapter Text

Erik took the lead with Freya following behind and Kol taking the rear guard. Erik was a bit surprised that whoever was already on the island hadn't shown themselves. They continued down the path for a few minutes, taking their time in case of any traps.

They finally came to the final chamber where a stone platform was on the opposite end, vines wrapped around, incasing the platform. Erik held up a hand, signaling for the others to hold back as he crept closer. Freya and Kol both shouldered off their bags, readying themselves to attack at the slightest movement.

Erik moved up to the platform where he saw Silas, in all of his desiccated glory laid on. The vines wrapped around him, still holding a small trace of magic, probably intended as the final line of defense against Silas's reemergence. Erik lifted a towards the small stone box clasped in Silas's hand, trying to pry off the iron grip the immortal had on it. Even with his enhanced strength, he couldn't get the box to budge even a little. He pulled back, hands on his hips as he tried to think of some way to get the cure. A brief movement in the corner of his eyes had him seeing Silas staring at him with burning green eyes.

"Hello Silas. I am surprised you can even move your eyes with how long you've been down here." Erik said, hold his right hand by his hips, signaling to the others to keep back. Silas just glared at Erik, unable to do anything else without blood.

Erik studied the immortal for a long moment before returning his attention to the box. He wondered if this idea would work.

He held out his hand above the box, sending out his magic to stamp it for his summoning spell. He felt the spell lock into place, his brow furrowed as he didn't think it would be that easy. He snapped his fingers as the box vanished and reappeared his right hand. Silas's own eyes widened at the spell he had never seen before.

Erik inspected the box, wary of what Qetsiyah might have done to protect it. He didn't feel any magic from the box itself outside his own linking spell. He flipped open the lid, pulling out the small glass vial filled with something that looked like blood. He directed a tendril of magic into the cure, curious on how Qetsiyah created such a thing.

It felt... wrong, like it was Death itself, distilled into a potion. Erik wished he could study it longer before having to use it. He twisted it around his fingers before looking at Silas who was staring at him in fear.

"Don't." Silas managed to croak out, his voice sounding like two stones rubbing against each other. Erik raised a brow as he glanced over his shoulder, his siblings watching the scene, ready at any moment.

"You threatened my family and used the form of my boyfriend to try and trick me. You signed your own death warrant. I am your executioner." Erik said as he grabbed Silas's jaw and forced it open. Silas's eyes widened as the cure was shoved into his mouth. Erik then slammed his jaw shut, the sound of breaking glass loud in the chamber. Erik kept his hand over his mouth, not willing to waste their one chance to end this threat.

Silas's eyes seemed to burn even brighter in his rage as Erik was suddenly thrown away from him. Erik hit the opposite wall, spiderwebbing it due to the force he was thrown into it. Freya took a single step towards Erik before refocusing her attention to Silas who was standing up, resting his weight against the stone platform.

"Do you have any idea what you have done?" Silas snarled as his former appearance fully returned. Erik stood up slowly, his shattered vertebrae healing faster as he siphoned magic from his necklace. Kol began to ready his magic, ready to end the immortal for good.

"Yeah. Whole point of giving you the cure was so that we can end you for good. Qetsiyah says hello." Erik quipped, rolling out of the way of a fireball that slammed into the wall. Silas had his hand raised as he sent two more fireballs towards both Freya and Kol. Kol used a spell that sucked out the oxygen from the fireball, snuffing it out. Freya raised a magic shield; the fireball splashed against it.

Silas sneered even though he took a step back. He was beginning to see that he was outnumbered and also probably outclassed by three powerful magic users after him.

"I have not endured for the last two-thousand-years in the dark pit just to be bested by cheap knockoffs!" Silas snarled as he sent several blasts of magic towards them. Freya blocked the first two though her shield shattered at the third and the fourth sent her sailing into Kol who had been too busy blocking his own strikes. The sound of her neck snapping from the force of the strike, echoed through the chamber.

Erik stiffened before he redoubled the assault of the bastard that hurt his sister. While she might be immortal, her recovery from death blows were slower than that of a vampire.

Silas was barely able to keep up with the sheer number and variety of lethal spells sent at him. He had begun to flag as his magical reserves couldn't match up with a vampire that had a link with six other powerful witches. He was also out of practice after being essentially a statue for two-thousand-years. He tried to use his favorite spell that would burn his enemies into ashes. He blinked confused when Erik siphoned the spell and sent a fireball straight for his chest.

The spell connected as Silas went soaring into the side of the chamber. He coughed as he felt the burns blistered that popped from his exhales. He looked up as he saw the vampire stalk towards him, his red eyes dark with protective fury.

"Hurting my sister was your last mistake." Erik said as he grabbed Silas by the throat and slammed him into the wall, cracks spreading outward. Silas gasped in pain, both from the wall slam and realization that he was not leaving this cave.

"Your time is over. Goodbye Silas." Erik said, before he twisted his wrist and snapped Silas's neck. Silas's body went limp as Erik released his grip and his body fell to the floor. His green eyes frozen in fear even as the life drained from them.

"Good riddance." Erik snarled as he turned and walked over to Kol who was checking on Freya. She was still out but the linking spell was already healing her broken neck.

"Is he dead?" Kol asked, glancing at the immortal's body. Erik nodded, his anger burning even as he reached out and gently smoothed out Freya's hair.

"Good. Bloody hell brother, that was impressive. I am glad you're on your side." Kol said, his respect of his big brother growing after that display of raw power. Erik chuckled as he picked up Freya in his arms, he blinked towards the bags, each vanishing to the boat.

"Let's get out of here." Erik said, walking away for good. Kol nodded before he turned back to Silas's body. He muttered under his breath, a fire spell that would consume Silas's body to the point not even ashes would remain. He wasn't taking a chance of some idiot resurrecting the man. He watched the fire consume him for a moment before he walked out, happy his family had one less threat against them.

Erik was waiting at the entrance, Freya still out in his arms. Normally, he would just jump up and climb out of the cavern, but with Freya unable to leave herself, it left him with a few options.

"Kol. I am going to use Air Magic to lift myself and Freya out of here. Can you remain down here and help stabilize us?" Erik asked, already calculating how much magic would be needed and how to apply it. Kol blinked as he had never heard of someone using Air Magic for flight. His brother, the pioneer of magic it seems.

"Of course. Any suggestions?" Kol asked, gathering his element with a smile. Even after having his magic back for almost a month, it still took his breath away to feel the connection to nature once more.

"Don't apply it like you would in combat. I can handle the lift while you handle keeping us from slamming into the walls." Erik said, looking at his little brother with absolute trust.

Kol nodded, his eyes beginning to glow with a faint golden light.

"Let's fly." Erik said, using Air Magic to suddenly shoot up. Kol watched, gently using blasts of Air when he got too close to the walls or his ascent slowed. Erik landed back on the surface; Freya still cradled in arms. He gently laid her down on the ground, turning to see Kol trying the same trick with a few hits to the side of the wall.

Kol finally finished before slamming into the ground. Erik winced at that, shaking his head when his brother groaned.

"Ow." Kol muttered before he stood up, dusting himself off.

"How did you make that look so easy?" Kol asked, picking out the leaves in his hair.

"Lots of practice and your support." Erik said, smiling as he brushed off his brother's jacket.

"Ugh. Did my neck get snapped again?" Freya asked as she sat up, rubbing her neck.

"Yes, but Erik handled Silas without us." Kol said, walking over and helping his sister up. Freya looked positively miffed at being taken out so easily.

"It's fine sister. Next threat, you can end it. Let's go home." Erik said, squeezing his siblings' shoulders, ready to spend time with Jeremy without the constant threat looming over them.

Chapter Text

Jeremy rubbed at his eyes once he felt the car stop. He blinked blearily as he tried to see where they were. Erik had been extra secretive about where they were all going for Spring Break, only giving them a smile whenever they asked. Jeremy looked towards Erik who was staring him with a completely besotted expression as he reached out and pushed back some hair that had fallen into Jeremy's vision.

"Hello handsome. Time to get up." Erik said softly. Jeremy smiled as he stretched out the knot in his back from being the car for almost fifteen hours.

"Hi. Where are we?" Jermey asked as he looked around and saw that they were parked in front of a beautiful plantation house. It was two stories, white-washed with black shutters. The Ionic columns in the front stood proud and strong, holding up the roof above the porch that stretched across the front of the building. Jeremy could almost feel the history, the mixture of misery of the slaves but also something that felt like familial love.

"Welcome to the first Mikaelson Manor, a plantation that the family... acquired back in the early 19th century. Rebekah apparently had a fancy for the governor's son and when both the son and the governor died, Elijah and Nik bought the property." Erik said, rolling his eyes fondly over his family's antics.

"It's beautiful." Jeremy said simply, his eyes tracing over the building, already planning to spend some time with his sketchbook drawing the house.

"It is. This place and the townhouse in New Orleans were two of my family's favorite houses. Come. We should get the others inside." Erik said, unbuckling his seat belt and slipping out of the driver seat. Jeremy nodded as he followed.

The two went to the rear doors, opening the doors to wake the other occupants of the car. Caroline and Matt were still asleep, Caroline's head resting on Matt's shoulder, while Matt laid his head atop her. Bonnie and Kaleb were slowly waking up in the third row, Kaleb yawning loudly.

"Matt. Time to wake up. We're here." Jeremy said, gently shaking awake his best guy friend. Matt startled awake as his eyes quickly scanned the area.

"Jere?" Matt asked, his eyes clearing as he saw his friend. Jeremy nodded, smiling softly at his friends. Caroline was gracefully stretching, popping her neck.

"Where are we?" Bonnie asked, leaning over the seats to look around.

"Mikaelson Manor, outside of New Orleans. It's been owned by the family for about the last two hundred years or so. Elijah called the caretakers to have the house prepared for our stay here. Come, we'll all head to bed. We can have the grand tour later." Erik said, helping Caroline and then Bonnie of the car.

"Oh, its lovely. I feel like a true antebellum lady." Caroline said, her blue eyes sparkling as she looked at the manor.

"This place and New Orleans are the family's favorite places. The Mikaelson family played a grand role in building the city to be a haven for all supernaturals. Speaking of which, those that are a part of the Coven, we have to meet the Regent of New Orleans tomorrow." Erik said, snapping his fingers to unlock the front door.

"Oh?" Kaleb asked as he helped Matt and Jeremy grab everyone's bag from the trunk.

"It's courtesy to present yourself to the Coven leader in an area with an established coven. As we are an official Coven, we need to inform the Regent that we will be staying with the area for the next week. It's just a basic meet-and-greet so Sunday casual should be fine. I sent a letter a head to the Regent and she confirmed the meeting tomorrow at 10am." Erik said, grabbing his own bag and heading into the house.

The entrance was sparkling clean with a set of stairs leading up into the second floor. Off to the left was a parlor where the teens spotted a grand piano at the central point in the room. Down the hall had several landscapes and other artwork that everyone knew were Klaus's work.

"Alright. It's late so we'll do the grand tour later. Caroline, you will have the yellow room, first door on the right-hand side. Bonnie, you will be in the room next to Caroline. Matt, you will be in the blue room, first door on the left-hand side. Kaleb, you will be in the room next to Matt. Jeremy and I will be in the last room on the left-hand side." Erik said, ignoring the smirks and wolf-whistles from the others. Jeremy rolled his eyes as he marched up the stairs with the others following him.

Erik waited for a moment before he turned around and walked out of the house. He closed his eyes and began weaving new wards around the house. Erik hadn't felt any warding which is only partially surprising as he and Freya were not around at the time. He carefully crafted the warding to protect the building and the residents from all natural and supernatural threats. He kept them flexible enough in case he needed to alter them later. He opened his eyes, studying the warding for a brief moment before nodding and heading back in, ready to get some sleep and cuddle his boyfriend.

The younger residents woke to the delicious smell of breakfast, each of them showering and getting dressed for the day. Jeremy met everyone at the base of the stairs before following the bond towards Erik in the kitchen.

"Good morning, everyone. Help yourself to whatever you would like. We have about an hour before we need to leave for the Garden District." Erik said, waving his hand towards the kitchen counter that had various fruits, pancakes, hashbrowns, bacon, and juices. The teens attacked the spread easily, the excess magic requiring more food than the average teen could handle. Each gave their thanks and praise for the food; all used to Erik feed them when he had the chance to.

Erik sat back, sipping at his blood spiked coffee as he snapped his fingers for the dishes to clean themselves. He would periodically check his phone, responding to messages from both family and his various friends around the world.

"It's time everyone." Erik said, snapping his fingers for the remaining dishes to clean themselves and all of the food to put itself away in the fridge.

Everyone piled into the car, Caroline and Matt having talked and decided to explore the area while the witches hand the politics. Caroline was excited to see New Orleans after all of the stories Klaus would tell her when she visited the Mikaelson Manor in Mystic Falls. She and Tyler had broken up over his inability to let go of his revenge against Klaus. The resulting fight had been explosive to the point that Sherriff Forbes got called to her own house with how loud they were shouting at each other. Erik had the distinct pleasure of revoking Tyler's invitation to the Forbes residence.

Erik drove through the city, pointing out various landmarks and other places that his family had some involvement with building. He looked around at this city with pride at the work and dedication his siblings put into its creation. It was his first time visiting as he had been avoiding his siblings until everyone was un-daggered finally to remove the memory block all at once.

They finally pulled up to out style Victorian house that radiated so much magic even Caroline and Matt could feel it. Jeremy was studying the magic with stars in his eyes, the mix of all Nine Coven's magic building the warding for their Regent. Erik raised an eyebrow, impressed by how elegantly the warding was woven together to cover the weaknesses of each type of magic.

"Alright. Those of you in the Coven, follow me. Matt, Caroline. Enjoy the sights but be careful. New Orleans is the only city where werewolves, witches, and vampires all live together but that has not stopped the tensions between them. This should only take about thirty minutes at the most. If it goes longer, I will message you." Erik said, giving everyone a small smile. He was not worried about any of them, all of them having a solid head on their shoulders and all but Matt is immortal anyways.

Everyone piled out of the car, Caroline and Matt giving them a wave before walking down a random street, Caroline already gushing about the houses. Erik chuckled as he opened the gate for everyone else to walk through before he followed. Kaleb was chatting animatedly with Bonnie about the various flora around the manor, Bonnie silently listen except for an occasional question, smiling at his enjoyment of plants like the Druid he was.

Erik knocked on the door, taking a step back. They waited patiently as the door was open by a young lady, dressed in a simple black dress with lace cuffs at the wrist.

"Hello. May I help you with something?" The maid asked, her eyes studying them each swiftly. Erik gave her a slight bow before speaking.

"Merry meet. I am Erik Mikaelson. I sent the Regent a message arranging a meeting today at 10am. The others with me are members of my coven that will be here for the week." Erik said, his tone measured and careful.

"Ah. Yes, my mistress informed me of a vampire requesting a meeting with her today. You may come in, but understand, your invitation will be rescinded after the conclusion of this meeting or if you cause harm to any inside." The maid said, stepping aside to allow the immortals to enter. Erik nodded, not really surprised by the addendum to his invitation.

"I understand. I thank you for your hospitality and vow not to betray your trust." Erik said softly, giving her another short bow before stepping over the threshold. He surprised the shiver at the sensation of the warding focusing on his presence, ready to strike him down at the slightest provocation. The others followed his example, each muttering their own vow as they stepped into the house.

The maid blinked, her eyes the only tell of her surprise by the manners that all of them showed. She nodded her head as she shut the door and had them follow her into a parlor. In a large wingback chair that could almost be considered a throne, sat a woman whose aged appearance hide the impressive level of magic she had radiating from her. Her bent fingers wrapped delicately around a teacup that she sipped at even as she studied each guest with a practiced eye.

"Regent Josephine LaRue. Merry meet. I am Erik Mikaelson, Head of the Weaver Coven. This is Jeremy Gilbert, my second." Erik said, bowing slightly before waving towards Jeremy who bowed as well.

"This is Bonnie Bennett and Kaleb Westphall, our fellow members. We have three other members, but they are traveling at this time." Erik said, Bonnie curtseying with Kaleb doing a rough bow, not nearly as practiced as the others. The Regent raised a single brow as she silently observed the introductions. She nodded as though she had decided on something.

"Merry meet, Weaver Coven. Please, sit." She said, waving a hand towards the various seating. Erik bowed his head in thanks as he took the other wingback chair across from the Regent. The others sat on the couch stiffly, uncomfortable with being in the domain of a powerful witch leader.

"I must admit, when I received your letter requesting this meeting, I almost thought it was a joke. The magic that came of your letter was clearly there to verify your claim. Now, the power that radiate from each member of your coven would put some of the greatest of the Nine Coven to shame. I must also admit, I have not heard of you as one of the Old Ones, nor were we aware of one that could use magic as a vampire." The Regent said, her words careful and measured. Erik nodded as he placed his right ankle on his left knee, perfectly at ease.

"When Esther, my siblings' biological mother, turned us into the first vampires, it was discovered that if a siphoner becomes a vampire, we retain our ability to siphon magic and then use it. Esther tried to reverse the magic that she performed and so I accidentally lost control of my new powers and locked away all memories of my existence from my family. It was only after this recent Samhain that I was able to reverse the magic and reunite with my family." Erik explained, not mentioning the discovery of his eldest sister or aunt and his thousand years of study of magic.

"I see. That is quite the tale and does explain why your name nor appearance is mentioned with stories of the Old Ones." Josephine said, her eyes sharp as looked over Erik.

"I am sorry, but Old Ones?" Jeremy asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"A term used by the New Orleans residents for the Original Family due to their residence here in the city and the vampires they turned." Josephine answered, glancing at Jeremy with a confused look. Jeremy nodded as he sat back more comfortably on the couch.

"Your coven is quite an interesting collection. A Bennett, a Druid, and an Original vampire. It will be one to keep watch of. You and your coven may stay in the city, the witches will not stop you. I would however recommend that you all be warry about using magic in the French Quarter. The vampires have taken over the area and are killing witches that perform magic in that area." Josephine said, her face grim even as Erik stared at her in shock.

"What? How could the vampires overpower the French Quarter Coven? They are one of the oldest covens in New Orleans and their magic is powerful due to their Ancestorial Magic." Erik said, not understand how a coven like the French Quarter could have diminished this far, his shock mirrored on the others as Erik talked about the Nine Covens in his magic lessons often.

"They have a way to track magic used in the Quarter. Once they find a witch that used magic, they kill them without hesitation. They have also raided the shops ran by witches in the Cauldron. I fear that the French Quarter Coven will not make it past this year." Josephine said, her eyes dark with the grief of losing so many witches under her charge.

"I see. I thank you for the information. If I am able to, I will see what I can do to help the French Quarter Coven. I have always respected the Servants of Nature and will help however I can. I thank you for your time." Erik said, rising from the seat to once more bow towards the Regent. Josephine nodded her head in acknowledgement, a small glimmer of hope shining in her eyes.

The others said their thanks and followed Erik out of the manor, each wondering how the vampires were tracking magic and what they can do to help their kin.

Chapter Text

Erik was looking around Jackson Square, trying to spot a witch. He was growing worried by how few witches he could sense. He had heard from Freya that this area was a common meeting point for witches. He wished that she was here, but she is currently back in Europe with Finn and Sage on a world tour.

Erik finally spotted a woman that had some magic radiating from her. The power she had was barely anything and that worried Erik more than anything. The Nine Coven witches were the most ruthless and powerful group of witches in the world. The combined advice from the Regent and the sight of this weak witch doing tarot readings for tourists painted a troubling picture.

"Is she a witch? I can barely see the vaguest bit of magic from her." Jeremy asked, his blue eye shining just a bit in the daylight.

"Yeah... Something is concerning." Erik said finally. Jeremy hummed as his eyes scanned around the area.

"Should we maybe talk to her?" Bonnie asked, her eyes sympathetic as she studied the witch.

"Perhaps though I do not believe I should be the one to speak to her. If vampires are truly the ones destroying the French Quarter Coven, they would refuse to even speak to me. Bonnie, would you be willing to speak to her? As a Bennett, your family is well respected among the witches." Erik asked, curious about the truth but not wanting to force the young woman.

"Sure. Hey Kaleb, do you want to join me?" Bonnie asked, her smile bright as Kaleb stuttered and blushing as he nodded and followed her over to the witch.

"So... any bets on when those two will finally make a move?" Jeremy said, his eyes sparkling in amusement. Erik snorted softly as he laid his arm over Jeremy's shoulders.

"I say by the end of the week. Bonnie will make the first move." Erik said, his eyes twinkling with that look that said he used divination to peak in. Jeremy laughed as he looked around, his expression slowly dropping as he spots Matt and Caorline staring at some flyer with absolute rage.

"Any idea what that is about?" Jeremy asked. Erik looked over with a frown before returning his eyes to Bonnie and Kaleb as they spoke softly to the witch.

"No. How about you go see what is wrong while I keep an eye on Bonnie and Kaleb?" Erik said, his eyes flickering between the two groups. Jeremy nodded as he peaked Erik on the cheek as he walked over to Matt and Caroline. Erik watched each group for a long moment before he pulled out his phone and sent a brief text to Kol, checking how his visit to Ireland was going.

He snapped his head over to Jeremy as he felt a wave of fury that burned brighter than Erik had ever felt. Jeremy was glaring at the flyer with a look that promised scorched Earth for his enemies. Even Bonnie and Kaleb looked up as the sense of fury dripped down through the bonds. Erik ran over at human speed, his expression worried at what could have happened to his boyfriend.

"Love? What is it?" Erik asked, placing a hand on Jeremy's forearm. Jeremy snapped his eyes up, the fire dimming a fraction before he turned the flyer around and pointed out the offending image.

Right there on the flyer was the Mikaelson Crest being used for some club hosting a Spring Break party. The club was some place called the Abattoir, the party starting at 10 pm.

Erik stared at the flyer unblinking, trying to understand who had the nerve to use his family crest. The flyer suddenly was reduced into ash. Jeremy raised a single eyebrow as he dusted off his hands. Erik breathed deeply through his nose before exhaling harshly as he pulled out his phone and sent a message to the family group chat.

"I'll deal with this tonight." Erik stated. Jeremy stared at him with a look that spoke of his opinion of that. Erik stared back at him before glancing at the others, Bonnie and Kaleb having approached at some point.

"If you want to join, you may." Erik said, already knowing that the others would be there whether he wanted them or not.

"Damn right we are! We may not be Mikaelsons, but we know what it means to you. You're our friend and these people are disrespecting your family." Caroline said, her eyes hard. Matt nodded, cracking his knuckles. Bonnie and Kaleb crossed their arms as they stared at Erik. Erik looked at them, eyes wet at the display of loyalty from his friends.

"Thank you." Erik whispered. Jeremy snorted as he stepped up and pulled Erik into a hug.

"It's fine. Let's go enjoy the day and then we can kick ass." Jeremy said with a smirk. Erik chuckled as he wrapped his arm around Jeremy, studying the rest of his friends.

"Come on. We got a few hours to explore the city before the party." Erik said, directing his friends to St Louis Cathedral, planning on enjoying the day before breaking someone's face.

--------
Erik was staring up at the Abattoir with a frown. New Orleans had completely transformed once the sun went down. The lights, music, and alcohol flowed through the streets, turning the entire city into a citywide party.

"We might have a problem. This place is the vampire faction base." Erik said, grimacing as he studied the number of vampires he could sense from the area.

"So, it'll be more fun." Caroline said, smoothing out her red minidress, her silver heels sharp on the stone. Matt smiled, leaning against a light pole in his ripped jeans and button-down shirt. Erik lifted his eyes up, praying to the Gods for patience for reckless teenagers.

"Starlight. All of us are immortal except for Matt, not even touch on the sheer volume of magic the four of us can wield. Caroline and Matt both have protection charms that a hundred vampires could attack them and not even get a scratch. We're not reckless, just confident." Jeremy said, his arms on display with the sleeveless red shirt he was wearing.

"There is fine line between arrogance and confidence." Erik retorted not harshly.

"Erik. You have been teaching all of us not just magic but also martial arts. We got this as along as we do this together." Bonnie said, bump her shoulder with Caroline. Kaleb nodded even as he tried to look at anything but Bonnie in her own dark green minidress. He was dressed similarly to Matt, his shirt a matching green to Bonnie.

Erik looked at all of them before sighing, shaking his head even as he chuckled.

"Alright. Let's do this quickly. I am not interested in starting a war tonight." Erik said, walking towards the bouncer with the teenagers following behind him.

"Hello mate." Erik said, smiling charmingly.

"Got your flyer?" The bouncer said, his tone bored. Erik smiled as he leaned closer and looked directly into the bouncer's eyes.

"You are going to let my friends and I in without needing a flyer or checking their IDs." Erik compelled, sensing that the bouncer was a young vamp, maybe only a few decades old.

"I am going to let your friends and you in without needing a flyer or checking their IDs." The bouncer repeated, not able to resist a compulsion from an Original.

"Excellent." Erik smirked as he leaned back, allow the bouncer to stamp his hand with a Mikaelson M with barely contained rage. The others were the same as they got their stamps.

Erik walked in the Abattoir, already able to spot his brother's architectural designs with the open courtyard design and the large Mikaelson Crest on the columns.

"It's not bad, I guess." Caroline muttered over the music. Erik hummed as he scanned the crowd, something about everyone in attendance pinging a warning in his head.

"Let's spread out. Ask everyone with the stamp where they are from. Anyone you don't see with a stamp, assume they are vampires, maybe try to get them to talk about who runs this place." Erik said, watching as everyone nodded before staying in pairs as they moved to the bar or the dance floor. Erik turned to look at Jeremy as he held out his hand.

"Shall we dance?" Erik said, smiling at his boyfriend. Jeremy felt one side of his mouth twitch up as he grabbed Erik's outstretched hand. Figured they could have some fun before they got down to business. They dance for a while, enjoying the music and atmosphere before they heard the unmistakable sound of Caroline yelling.

The music seemed to stop as they spotted Matt holding a guy in a chokehold with Caroline standing there looking annoyed.

"I had it handled Matt." Caroline said, smiling despite her annoyance.

"I know you do but what is the point of training with Kol if I can't use it to get rid of nonconsenting assholes?" Matt said, barely noticing the guy trying to fight back.

"Hey!" Someone yelled from the top of the stairs. Erik glanced up as he saw a man stride down the stairs with all of the classic elegance of Elijah and the cocky arrogance of Nik. He was watching the scene with a mixture of respect and confusion.

"No fighting in my club. Now, let the guy go." The man said, his southern accent in full force. Matt looked at him for a moment before smiling, twisting his arms as he snapped the vampire's neck. Erik sighed at that; tact is going be to the next focus for his classes.

The man blinked at Matt in shock before his expression darkened.

"Clear out the club!" The man yelled as Erik saw vampires all around grabbing the stunned humans and compelling them to forget and leave. Erik walked over to Matt who was brushing off his hands.

"That was reckless, Matt, though you did get the club cleared out and we got the boss. I'll give you B- for poor timing." Erik said as he watched the club clear out while Bonnie and Kaleb joined them looking bored.

Finally, the last human besides Matt had all left and the doors were shut. The man, clearly the leader of the vampires, were looking between them and the vamp with a snapped neck.

"Y'all aren't human." The man stated that. Matt smirked as he crossed his arms.

"I am. The others are supernatural. You must be the vampire faction leader. We got beef with you." Matt said, ignoring the disbelief on everyone's face.

"You're human and you snapped a vampire's neck with little effort. How and why do you have beef with me?" The man said, his posture becoming more defensive as the other vampires shifted their weight.

"Been training with way older vampires so these newborns are child's play, and that is our beef with you." Matt said, sticking his thumb towards the large Mikaelson crest on the wall.

"Marcel's crest? Why?" A guy with an afro said, clearly confused. The man, apparently called Marcel, paled slightly before recovering. Erik blinked before he laughed harshly, the sound causing the New Orleans vampires to feel a chill down their spine.

"His crest? Are you all stupid? That is my family crest, the Mikaelson family, the Originals. If you don't know that, then you are all dumber than I assumed." Erik sneered at the crowd. Marcel stared at him; his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I know the Originals, and you are not one of them." Marcel said confidently. Erik looked at him before he heard Caroline gasp behind them.

"Marcel as in Marcellus Gerad?" Caroline asked softly. Marcel startled at hearing the name before he vamped in front of their group, growling.

"How do you know that name?" Marcel demanded, Erik moved in front of him, one hand placed against his chest.

"From Nik and Rebekah. They think you are dead." Caroline said, his eyes wide at seeing a supposed dead vampire in front of her.

"You know Klaus and Beks?" Marcel asked, his expression switching to quickly for Erik to pinpoint his thoughts.

"Yeah. We're all friends with them. This is Erik, Nik's younger brother. It's complicated. Maybe we can talk about this somewhere private." Caroline said, her eyes glancing at the assembled vampires who were looking at Marcel for direction.

Marcel looked at each of them before he spotted the Mikaelson crest on both Jeremy's and Erik's necklace.

"Let's chat. Stand down everyone!" Marcel said, backing away. Erik slowly lowered his hand, still ready to defend his friends from the slightest hint of threat.

"Follow me." Marcel said, spinning on his heels, clearly used to being obeyed.

"He's like the weirdest mix of Elijah and Klaus." Bonnie muttered softly, causing the rest of them to laugh.

"Let's see what he has to say." Erik said, interested on who this man was in relation to his family.

Chapter Text

Marcel led them into a backroom that Erik recognized from the family picture back from the 20's. He turned around, staring at their group with a blank expression except for his eyes. They held a mix of worry, indignation, and confusion. There were two vampires that joined them, standing to either side of Marcel.

"So... there is another Original that nobody knew about." Marcel said slowly, a question behind the statement.

"My name is Erik Mikaelson, Kol's older brother. I must say, I haven't heard about you either. Not even our eldest sister mentioned you before." Erik said, watching Marcel's reaction to the news that there was another sibling he didn't know about.

"A second sister? How many are there of you?" Marcel demanded, a vein starting to show in his forehead.

"Seven in total of the Mikaelson siblings. There is my sister-in-law through Finn and a maternal aunt that is back home." Erik said, smirking at the vampire who was rubbing his head, trying to will away a migraine just like Elijah.

"And the others with you?" One of the vampires asked. He was wearing a flat cap and spenders.

"Witches except for the blondes. They are all under my protection. If Marcel truly knows my family, he can inform you of how dangerous it would be if something occurs to them." Erik said, his eyes growing hard as he stepped protectively in front of the teens.

Marcel raised an eyebrow before looking back to his men and shook his head slightly.

"Miss. You said you knew Klaus and Rebekah. How do y'all know them?" Marcel asked, directing his question to Caroline.

"Caroline and Rebekah is one of my best friends. Nik is... well Nik." Caroline finished vaguely which had Marcel chuckling softly.

"Same old same old with him then. How is she doing?" Marcel asked, the longing heard in his voice.

"Still the person that invented the term bitch. She misses you. She would say that you were the one person that got away that she'll never forget." Caroline said, her eyes soft as she looked at him.

"I am glad she's alright. I miss her too." Marcel said under his breath. Erik narrowed his eyes, his big brother instinct rearing its protective head.

"Starlight. Settle down before you reduce them into ash." Jeremy said, bumping his shoulder against Erik who huffed as he wrapped an arm around Jeremy's shoulder.

"She's my little sister and nobody is ever going to be good enough for her." Erik muttered to the laughter of everyone from Mystic Falls.

"You know she would kick your ass if you ever said that in her presence?" Matt teased, his smirk growing more like Kol with each day. Marcel stared at Matt in horror at how similar his smirk was to Kol's.

"I am assuming you have met Kol then?" Erik quipped, amused by how fast Marcel's blood drained from his face.

"I was raised by the Originals. Kol and I never got along." Marcel answered shortly.

"And you survived to adulthood? Impressive." Erik said. He loved his family, but their idea of childrearing would be concerning.

"Now that all of that is out of the way, why are you in my city?" Marcel asked, his posture becoming more like a king watching over his kingdom. Erik blinked even as his jaw clenched so hard the humans could almost hear his teeth cracking.

"Spring Break. How are you controlling the witches?" Erik shot back.

"I don't have to tell you crap. This is my city, my rules, and my rule is no more magic in the Quarter." Marcel said, his arrogance reminded the group more of Nik at his worst.

"You do understand that whatever is you are doing is killing out the French Quarter Coven. The Regent has expressed concerns that the Coven will die out by the end of the year." Erik said, trying to impress upon this upstart the consequences of his actions.

"Not my problem. They broke one of my absolute rules, you don't hurt kids." Marcel said, his eyes burning in rage as he thought back to the ritual he interrupted. Erik frowned as he knew that the French Quarter Coven, Hel be damn, any Coven is protective of their next generations.

"Are you talking about the Harvest Ritual? I may not be an expert on the ritual but from what I have read about it; it's a mediative ritual that allows them to commune with their Ancestors. By using four young girls willing to be a part of the ritual, they gain knowledge and guidance from their Ancestors. In return, the Ancestors are able to send more power from the Ancestorial Plane to the Mortal Plane." Erik said, his knowledge limited to second-hand sources and grimoires.

"Those girls were not mediating. They had their necks sliced opened by the parents. They deserve whatever happens to them." Marcel snapped back.

"You do understand that the other Covens will eventually intervene if the French Quarter Coven arrives to the point of no return. They will declare war against the vampires and even my family would be cautious about making enemies of all Nine Covens." Erik said, hiding his worry about the French Quarter Coven changing a major ritual into a sacrificial ritual. It would seem there is more going on than he initially thought there was.

"They broke the rules, they suffer the consequences. Now, if that is everything, I think you lot should leave." Marcel demanded, the vampires at his sides taking a step forward which amused the group slightly.

"We'll leave for now. Understand that you are starting a war you cannot win." Erik said before turning on his heels and walking out. The others followed behind him, eyes out on the vampires watching them walk away.

Erik continued to walk until he was a block or so away. He stopped and ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

"What do we do now?" Caroline asked, her fingers twitching against her thigh.

"We call the others and see what wisdom they have about Marcel. From there, we get ahold of the French Quarter Coven and see what in the name of the Gods those idiots did to the Harvest Ritual." Erik said, studying the stone sidewalk.

"What is it, Erik?" Jeremy asked, trying to make sense of the emotions he could feel from Erik.

"The French Quarter witches altered a ritual that has been around centuries. A ritual of that age and that sort of power should never be deviated without a good reason." Erik said, his mind running through what the intention could be for.

"Why would someone do that?" Kaleb asked, his experience with Ancestorial Magic new since joining the Coven.

"In theory, one could draw more power out of the ritual than under normal circumstances. The concern would be that if the ritual is interrupted, the magical backlash from it would a hundred times more extreme." Erik said, his expression grave as he looked at all of them.

"I'll call Rebekah first. I am not sure Nik would be the best person to de-escalate this mess." Caroline said, holding up her phone. Erik snorted at the idea of Nik being the calm one.

"I'll check with Elijah if Matt, could you call Kol and get his take on Marcel?" Erik said, grabbing his own phone as the others began call his siblings.

"Hello brother. I trust everything is going well with your trip." Elijah answered, the sound of jazz music coming through the phone. Erik frowned as that sounded suspiciously like his brother was in New Orleans as well.

"It would seem that a situation between the witches and vampires have occurred. Would you happen to be here in the Big Easy?" Erik asked, glancing at Caroline who was currently trying to convince Rebekah to not come to New Orleans.

"I am though my reason is not about you but about our paranoid brother. It would seem some witches here summoned our brother here. I am here to investigate before the situation escalates." Elijah spoke over the loud music and voices.

"I see. Our situation may coincide with one another. Where are you, brother? We can meet you." Erik said, rolling his eyes as Caroline stared at her phone with an aggravated expression. Matt was chuckling at something his younger brother was saying before nodding and hanging up.

"I am currently at Rousseau's. It is a bar that is run by Marcellous, who I assume you have met. A witch that works here is related to the witch that summoned Klaus." Elijah said.

"I see. We'll be there shortly. Thank you, brother." Erik said, hanging up. Caroline was looking like a mix of amused and frustrated.

"I am going to assume my sister will be arriving shortly." Erik said, his amusement clear to everyone. Caroline sighed heavily as she handed over her phone to Matt.

"She's booking a flight right now." Caroline said, rolling her eyes. Matt smiled, amused by his sort-of girlfriend's actions.

"And Kol is currently laughing his ass off in Ireland. He said that Marcel is an uptight upstart that has no sense of humor apparently." Matt said, chuckling through the sentence.

"So, play a few pranks and he'll be too distracted to be a bother. Lovely. Elijah is in the city; he is at a bar called Rousseau's." Erik said as he cast a small tracking to find Elijah, nodding to himself. He waved for the others to follow him, enjoying the lights and music that filled the city.

The group came up to Rousseau's before Erik stopped suddenly. He cocked his head to the side before vamping away. The others all looked around before they heard the sound of screaming from the back alley.

"Hello brother." Erik said, wiping his hands clean from the blood of the vampire he killed. Elijah was looking up at the vampire hanging from a steel pole before looking at his brother.

"Hello brother. I do apologize for interrupting your time off." Elijah said casually, ignoring the witch that was staring at them as the others rushed into the alley.

"Apparently I cannot go on vacation with my boyfriend and friends without meeting an apparent nephew or entering into a war." Erik said sarcastically. Elijah smirked to his brother before turning to look at the still silent witch.

"My name is Elijah. I assume you know of me." Elijah said, his tone measured. Jeremy wrinkled his nose as he toed the dead vampire.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know you." The witch said, her eyes flicking between the group.

"Good. I am his younger brother, Erik. Now, tell me why you and the witches summoned my other brother, Klaus?" Erik said, his smile growing sharp. The witch paled more as she realized that she might be out of her depth.

"We... we needed his help with dealing with Marcel. I am Sophie Deveraux from the French Quarter." She spoke softly. Erik and Elijah glanced at each other before smirking at the arrogance.

"You must be rather confident or desperate to summon one of the Originals. How do you expect to keep my brother from killing everyone you have ever met?" Erik said with just the right bit of charm, hoping to end this night just a bit faster.

"You should probably come with me. I can explain things better elsewhere." Sophie said.

"Lead the way." Erik said, snapping his fingers. The two vampire bodies disintegrating into ash. Sophie stared at him as she began to shake in fear.

"By the Ancestors, what have we done?" She whispered as she walked out of the alley.

Chapter Text

Erik was following his brother and the witch from Rousseau's towards what felt like the Ancestorial Ground.

Sophie walked right past the property line, not even looking back to see if the others were following her. Elijah, Erik, and Caroline hit the boundary line while the witches crossed the line easily.

"Excuse me." Jeremy said, looking as annoyed as Erik felt. Sophie turned and looked at them, the fight on inviting them in or not clear on her face.

"The cemetery is consecrated ground. We sealed it so no vampires could enter after the last time." Sophie said like they were children and not ancient immortals with more magical knowledge than anyone alive. Erik shot her a glare that spoke of his uncertainty of if she was a practicing witch or just an idiot. Elijah sent his own bland glare at her that everyone that knew him knew he was holding back a scathing remark.

"I guess it would be easier to explain inside. Come in, all of you." Sophie spoke. Erik rolled his eyes as he stepped over the property line without his usual vow. The teens all winced as they realized how thin Erik's patience with the witch was getting. Sophie turned and continued walking not realizing or not acknowledging the dismissal.

They eventually came up to a crypt that Sophie walked into where several other witches were gathered.

"Sophie. What is the meaning of this? Inviting vampires into our sacred space?" A woman spoke sharply, her magic a touch strong than the others gathered.

"Agnes, please. This is Elijah and Erik Mikaelson. The others are..." Sophie trailed off.

"My Coven mates and friends. Greetings, Elder of the French Quarter Coven. I am Erik Mikaelson, the Leader of the Weaver Coven. Regent LaRue has explained that you are having some problems with the vampire faction." Erik said, his bow less deep than normal. Agnes blinked as he studied him for a moment before she returned the bow.

"Greetings, Weaver Coven. I am Agnes, the Last Elder of the French Quarter Coven." She said, her tone guarded as she straightened from her own bow.

"May I inquire why one of your people summoned my brother, Klaus?" Elijah asked, growing impatient with these witches.

"He sired Marcel as such we are hoping he can deal with Marcel. He's been hunting down any witch that uses magic within the Quarter." Sophie said, cutting off whatever Agnes was about to say. Erik sent her a withering glare that had her stepping back.

"Do be quiet while the adults are speaking." Erik said harshly. His patience was already stretched thin by Marcel, and this witch was trying it even further.

"You hurt me or any of my people and your brother's child gets hurt too." Sophie threatened. The Originals and Mystic Falls teens all shared incredulous looks before looking at the arrogant witch.

"We're vampires. We can't have children." Elijah said simply, his confusion evident to the others.

"Not all of you are vampires." Sophie said, nodding towards two men who left before returning holding....

"Hayley?" Jeremy said, his eyes wide as he stared at the werewolf.

"Hi, Jeremy." Hayley said, trying to shake off the witches holding her arms. Jeremy narrowed his eyes as the two men grabbed their heads and Hayley kneed one in the groin. The witch collapsed holding his family jewels as Hayley walked over to the teens.

"What are you doing here?" Jeremy asked, finally ending the spell on the witches as he looked over Hayley.

"I was trying to find my pack when these witches kidnapped me. I've been their prisoner for the last month." Hayley huffed, her eyes burning golden as she glared at the witches.

"Why did you kidnap a Crescent Moon wolf?" Erik asked.

"Because she's carrying your brother Klaus's child, and we need him to get rid of Marcel." Sophie said, not realizing the mistake she was making by threatening them. Erik stared at her like she was insane which she must be to threaten the Original family and her ludicrous idea that Nik got someone pregnant.

"Klaus is an Original. We aren't capable of siring children." Elijah said, his focus on Agnes.

"He is the first Hybrid. Magic made you all vampires, but he was born a werewolf. This is one of Nature's loopholes... even if the child is an abomination." Agnes muttered under breath. Erik and Elijah shot her twin glares before refocusing on Hayley. A vampire's hearing is by far better than even the best ultrasound. They both focused their hearing on Hayley, cutting out the extra noise as the unmistakable sound of a fetal heartbeat reached their ears.

"By the Aesir, she's really pregnant." Erik whispered as he stared wide-eyed at the werewolf who paled. The teens all chocked as they stared at Hayley's still flat stomach.

"That's not all." Sophie said as she pulled out a knife and sliced her own hand. Hayley suddenly cried out at her own hand began to bleed.

"My sister sacrificed her life to link me to her and to confirm the pregnancy. Until the baby is born, her life and her unborn child's life is in my hands." Sophie said. Erik and Elijah both stiffened as they had to control their immediate response to a threat to a child and a member of their family.

"You have made the worst mistake of your life." Erik hissed as he gently grabbed Hayley's wrist. He closed his eyes, looking deep with Hayley's soul, and found the linking spell. He viciously ripped the linking spell apart and siphoned it before anyone could even react. He opened his eyes before he suddenly vamped over to Sophie and lifted her up by her throat. She uselessly tried to kick at him as his eyes shifted to the blood-red of vampires.

"Let me make this perfectly clear to all of you. Threaten Hayley, her unborn child, or any of my family or friends and I will personally obliterate your entire Coven from the face of planet. Do not test me or my family ever again." Erik hissed as he flung Sophie away, her body slamming into the wall of the crypt. She collapsed to the ground, gasping as her bruised throat tried to suck in oxygen.

"You broke the linking spell?" Agnes whispered, her eyes wide in shock.

"I am the Original fucking Heretic! I am a vampire that can still use magic. I will protect my family and friends from anyone that threatens them." Erik snapped, cracks in the stone floor spreading out from him. He had official lost all patience he had for these witches.

"Enough!" A voice called out as Regent LaRue walked through the crowd, her sharp eyes tracking all in the crypt.

"Regent. Apologizes for seeing me in such a state." Erik said, his bow far deeper than before. The regent shook her head.

"No Leader Mikaelson. It is I who should apologize for the actions of my kin towards you and your family." Regent LaRue said, her own bow matching his.

"I have no quarrel with you or the French Quarter in general, just these two witches that threaten my family and an unborn child." Erik said, his eyes burning as he glared at the two witches.

"I see. I will ensure that they are properly handled as they have threatened and insulted a Coven leader that I have welcome into this city. You and your people may leave with my apologies and my desire that we can still have a working relationship with one another." Regent LaRue said, turning her piercing glare onto Agnes and Sophie that were looking more like chastised children than witches from the oldest coven in New Orleans.

"As I said Regent, I hold no ill will towards you or even the rest of the French Quarter Coven, just these two. We thank you for your time and we shall be leaving now. Merry part." Erik said before he turned and left swiftly. The others all followed, muttering to each other quietly.

The moment they crossed the boundary line of the cemetery, Erik stopped and turned to Hayley. He held out his hand and whispered a few other spells. He needed to ensure that no other magics had been done on her, his focus earlier was on the linking spell.

"I am not finding any other magics done on you so you're safe. You are about two months along which does match up with when you left Mystic Falls. How else are you feeling?" Erik asked, his voice gentle now.

"I... I have no idea. I somehow got knocked up by the worst possible person out there and now I am carrying some miracle baby." Hayley said, her voice rising a little as she got more hysterical as she processed her pregnancy.

"Ms. Hayley. Breathe. If the child is indeed my brother's child, you will not be handling this pregnancy on your own. You will be family, and family is Always and Forever. It is the one vow that this family has accepted and upheld throughout our thousand years of existence." Elijah said, his voice and calm soothing Hayley's worry.

"Hayley, just Hayley... if we're going to be family." She whispered.

"So... what is the plan?" Matt asked, the rest of the teens all thinking the same thing.

"We go back to the manor, and we ward it to Helheim and back. After that, we call the rest of the family, and we go from there." Erik answered, his mind already racing with what spell working he would need to cast. Everything changed for his family once more and now; there was a new life depending on them to protect. Nothing would ever hurt this new life, nothing.

Chapter Text

Erik and Elijah gathered everyone up and headed back to the Plantation. He sent everyone in except for the witches, explaining that his original warding would need to be redone. He asked Hayley for a small vial of her blood to lock the warding with his family and her blood. Hayley studied him silently for a long moment before she held out her hand.

Erik nodded his thanks, summoning a simple steel knife and a glass vial. He took just enough to fill the vial before healing the cut. He grabbed the three witches and pulled them out to the front of the manor.

"So, which warding are we going to be doing?" Jeremy asked as he took his place to the west. Bonnie took her own spot alongside Kaleb, each silently wondering what spell they were using this time.

"We'll be using a Bennett family spell mixed with Mikaelson family magic and combining it with blood from a Bennett, a Mikaelson, and Hayley's. This warding will prevent anyone that is not a Mikaelson, a Bennett, or a direct relative of Hayley's from even stepping foot on the property." Erik explained as he snapped his fingers and summoned a small table with a box with the Mikaelson crest on it. The table also had a small mirror on it with wolves circling the edges.

Erik opened the box to show a single vial of blood. He held it up, letting out a heavy breath as he unstopped the vial and poured a small amount on the mirror.

"We're using Freya's blood as the eldest blood Mikaelson still alive. Since I was bonded to the family by blood when I was human, I am a Mikaelson according to magic but not for this particular ritual to count for everyone. Bonnie, can I few drops of blood on the mirror?" Erik asked as he held out the same steel knife for Bonnie. She nodded as she stepped up and held out her right hand. Erik gently pressed the sharp edge to her palm, blood rising up before she turned her hand over the mirror, a few drops splattering on the mirror surface.

Erik nodded once enough landed. Bonnie retracted her hand, blowing on it as the cut healed instantly. she returned to her place to the east, Kaleb glancing at her in concern even as she waved off his concern. Erik poured out the whole contents of Hayley's vial. He left the mirror on the table in the middle of their circle as he took his place to the south. Erik nodded his head to Bonnie to begin.

"Air, I summon you." Bonnie said, her eye already glowing yellow as threads of Air appeared above the mirror.

"Fire, I summon you." Erik spoke, his eyes glowing red as his own threads of Fire joined with Air.

"Water, I summon you." Jeremy said next as both of his eyes glowed the dark blue of the ocean.

"Earth, I summon you." Kaleb spoke, his eyes glowing a bright green like new growth. Freya's own magic looked more like dark forest green.

"Phasmatos veras nos ex malom. Terra mora vantis quo incandis per vasa quo errum signos." They spoke together as one. The threads of the four elements knotting together forming a glowing ball of magic hovering above the mirror. The blood on the mirror rose up, joining with the knot sealing the property in an indestructible boundary spell, fueled by the four elements and the power of three powerful supernatural bloodlines.

The knot let out a soft pulse of power that spread across the whole property. Jeremy passively observed the boundary spell rising up around the property, forming a bubble of protection that could withstand anything that was thrown at it.

Once the magic was settled, Erik walked up to the mirror and held it in his hand, studying something in its reflection for a long moment before nodding.

"The boundary spell is done. Only those in the Coven or my immediate family can enter and leave the property. Matt and Caroline will need to be with one of us if they leave the property." Erik explained as he snapped his fingers, the table and the box with the blood vanish once more. The mirror he kept a hold of as he studied something else in the reflection.

"What is it, mate?" Kaleb asked.

"The spell is... different than I expected it to be. I think Hayley's unborn child added more power to it than I expected. We'll have to be careful if we have to do something like this again." Erik said, not looking away from the mirror.

"Is that a bad thing?" Bonnie asked, worrying her lip in concern. Erik glanced over to her with a soft smile as he shook his head.

"Not bad, just unexpected but not overly surprising. We are talking about a baby with the Original Hybrid as a father and a werewolf as its mother. There is also the fact that the baby has Esther as a grandmother and it's a firstborn Mikaelson also. This baby will be the strongest supernatural ever born." Erik said as he vanished the mirror for good now. He jutted his chin back to the manor, the others following after him.

They entered and saw that Hayley, Elijah, Matt, and Caroline were all waiting for them in the front parlor. Hayley looked up at them with a worried look that was well hidden behind an air of indifference.

"The property is sealed for now. We'll probably modify it again once the rest of the family arrive. Have two witches for each element, except for Fire, will allow us more flexibility for the spell." Erik explained as he took a seat with Jeremy on one couch.

"What about my pack? I still need to find them." Hayley said, rubbing a hand absently on her flat stomach. Erik offered her a small smile before nodding to himself.

"You and I can go looking for them first thing tomorrow. As a member of the pack, you should be able to sort of sense where they are. I am coming with you as protection from the witches and... I am afraid something may have happened to the werewolves. I didn't sense a single werewolf in town earlier today. Something is wrong with New Orleans if the werewolves don't enter the city." Erik said, glancing over to Elijah who frowned with a nod.

"Erik is correct. New Orleans was built to be a haven for all supernaturals. When we commanded the vampire faction back in the 19th and early 20th century, we had a council for all three supernatural factions and even had human members on the council. It would seem my wayward nephew has thrown the system we built right out the window." Elijah explained. The Founding family teens all shared looks, the idea of a supernatural council with humans reminding them of recent Founding Family Council meetings since the Salvatore brothers returned to Mystic Falls.

"So, what happened to the werewolves?" Hayley asked, worried that after searching for so long, she would lose her family once more.

"I am not sure, but I would bet that Marcel is involved with it based on how arrogantly he declares himself the King of New Orleans." Erik said, his annoyance clear to the others in the room.

"Hahaha. You sound just like Kol when he was awake during Marcel's childhood." Elijah said with a chuckle at how similar his two younger brothers were about their nephew. Erik wrinkled his nose before shrugging; Kol and he were always thick as thieves growing up being the only two witches among their siblings. Finn and Elijah never showed any talents for the mystic arts while Rebekah had some faint interest but preferred to wield a sword like her brothers. Klaus, with his creative soul, helped Kol and Erik create new spells or rituals.

Erik opened his mouth to comment when the front door flew off the hinges. Elijah and Erik were suddenly stand at the entryway, ready to rip apart any threat to their friends and family. Klaus was standing there, his eyes burning bright gold in a mixture of horror, fury, and disbelief. He barely glanced at his two brothers before pinpointing the werewolf.

"You!" Kalus growled as he marched forward. He only stopped when Caroline vamped in front of him, blocking Hayley from view. Bonnie and Kaleb's hands glowed with their elemental power, ready to drop Klaus the second he thought of harming Hayley or Caroline.

"Move." Klaus growled once more, his eyes dimming only a fraction as he looked at the blonde who stood her ground against the enraged hybrid.

"No, not until you calm down." Caroline said, crossing her arms across her chest. Klaus blinked at her for a long moment before he took a long breath and then a slow exhale, not wanting to harm the young vampire.

"Brother. You are not going to harm Hayley if you don't want me as your opponent." Erik said, walking around his older brother and stood shoulder to shoulder with Caroline. Klaus's mouth actually dropped open in shock as he never thought his brother would stand against him.

"You can't seriously believe that that baby is mine. She must have been with someone else." Klaus argued, waving a hand towards Hayley whose own eyes narrowed as she glared at Klaus.

"It is yours. The warding around the property was blood locked by Mikaelson, Bennett, and Hayley's blood. Part of the spell I included passively was checking the paternity of the baby. The baby is yours." Erik said, softening his voice as he looked at his brother. When they were all human, Klaus had admitted that he never wanted children as he was worried about if he would be a parent like their mother. Elijah and Rebekah were the only ones that expressed any interest in having children of their own, Elijah less so than Rebekah.

"But we are vampires. We can't sire children." Klaus argued weakly, his once concrete infertility in conflict with his brother's word about paternity.

"We are, but you are not brother. You are a Hybrid, and you also didn't trigger your werewolf curse until you became a vampire. You also only recently broke your Hybrid curse that Esther inflicted upon you. This is one of few loopholes that Nature didn't account for. You are not in this alone brother. You will have the whole family behind you, protecting you and the baby. I am certain even the Crescent Wolves will be there to protect the baby just as fiercely. You are not alone." Erik said, emphasizing the last line as he knew his brother too well at times.

Klaus stared his brother as the gold fully bled from his eyes until the broken blue-green eyes shone at his brother. Erik stepped up to him and pulled him into a tight hug.

"You are not alone, big brother. We love you just as you are. You are not alone." Erik whispered in his brother's ear until Klaus returned the hug just as fiercely. Elijah placed a firm hand on Klaus's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"What should I do?" Klaus whispered brokenly, realizing that this baby was going to change everything for him and this young werewolf.

"Now, you and the rest of you go to bed. Tomorrow, Hayley and I will go find her pack. While we are doing that, the rest of you can figure out a plan to deal with the witches and Marcel." Erik said, pulling away from his brother with a look that said arguing would do no good. Klaus pursed his lips before nodding, glancing over to Hayley and Caroline.

"Hayley. I am... sorry for how I reacted. Perhaps you and I can talk about what we should do about the baby after you find your pack." Klaus offered up as an olive branch to the werewolf. He still wasn't fully sold that this wasn't some trick, but he could try to play nice for now.

"Yeah, I think that would be a good idea." Hayley said slowly, her eyes warry as she studied the Hybrid. Klaus frowned before directing his attention to Caroline who was watching the scene silently.

"Love... I..." Klaus trailed off pathetically, unsure if Caroline would want anything to do with him after this mess. Caroline looked at him for a long moment before glancing over to Hayley's flat stomach.

"We can talk tomorrow, Nik. I am not going anywhere, I promise." She said, cutting right to heart of Klaus's worries with the sharp perception that Klaus admired so much in her. Klaus nodded with a small smile before glancing around the room and then vamping away to his old room in the manor. Erik wrinkled his nose as he saw that his brother hadn't even bothered to help fix the door. He snapped his fingers and the door returned to its place, shutting with a gentle click of the lock. He also threw in a reinforcement enchantment on it so that someone couldn't break it down again.

"Now, off to bed with all of you. Elijah, can you take Hayley to Rebekah's old room? We'll need to see about rooming assignments for everyone tomorrow." Erik said, already planning where everyone could sleep when the whole family showed up. Elijah nodded before holding his hand out to Hayley, who looked a bit amused by the old fashion manners of the over-dressed immortal. She took the hand as Elijah spoke to her softly about the manor and where the main features were all at.

The rest of the teens all left to their own rooms, the excitement of the days fading into exhaustion. Jeremy continued sitting, watching Erik with concern at how tired the ancient immortal seemed now.

"Starlight. Sit down here. You can call up the family while we cuddle." Jeremy said, already knowing how to help his overworked boyfriend. Erik let out a heavy sigh as he took a seat next his partner, laying his head on Jeremy's shoulder, humming at the feeling of Jeremy's fingers working through his hair.

"Thank you, love." Erik said, smiling in contentment at the relaxing sensation.

"Just like you told Nik, you are not alone. You don't need to carry all of the burdens of your family alone. I am here and so is the rest of our friends and family. Let me help you how I can." Jeremy whispered as he pressed a gentle kiss to Erik's head. Erik let out a final content sigh before pulling out his phone and dialed up his aunt.

It rang for a long moment before going to voicemail, hardly surprising since it was only about 8 in the morning in Norway and Sweden. Dahlia was rarely up before 11 am most days unless she needed to do a sunrise ritual.

"Hello Auntie. I am letting you know that our vacation has taken an unexpected turn. Niklaus somehow sired a child and the witches in New Orleans are aware of its existence. I am calling for a family gathering. Message me with your flight details and I'll send a driver for you. I love you." Erik said as he then hung up. He sent a text to Freya, Finn, and Kol who were in various spots in Europe, so he didn't want to bother them. Dahlia hated texting, preferring calling or using magical means of communication.

"Now what?" Jeremy asked, still running his hands through Erik's silky-smooth hair.

"We get some sleep and take on this insanity with fresh eyes... or we could have some fun for a bit before bed." Erik said, his eyes darkening as he reached out, giving Jeremy's thigh a squeeze.

"Mm, sound like a plan to me." Jeremy said, his own eyes darkening.

"For the love of god, can you please remember to shield your lust?!" Bonnie shouted down from her room. The sound of laughter coming from the other occupants of the house.

Erik and Jeremy shared an embarrassed look before heading to their shared room, remembering to use the shielding spell they crafted when they wanted some alone time.

Chapter Text

"If I might interrupt." Erik said, finally able to get a word in between his two brothers arguing for the last hour. The three Mikaelson brothers were in the governor's office that Elijah claimed for work. The other residents were in the kitchen and dining room enjoying breakfast. Elijah and Klaus both looked at their younger brother who was leaning back in his chair with a mug of A+ that he had been sipping at.

"Do you have a better suggestion?" Klaus asked.

"I do. Hayley and I will be going to find the werewolves today, and before you argue, she is a member of the pack. She'll be able to find them far easier than we can on our own. While we are doing that, Klaus, you can distract Marcel for us. Last thing we need is him hearing about us looking for wolves out in the bayou." Erik explained. Klaus frowned as he considered that before he reluctantly agreed that his brother had a point.

"That is fair point, but why not find a werewolf closer to town?" Klaus asked.

"Because I did not sense a single werewolf in the city yesterday." Erik said to the confusion of Elijah and Klaus.

"How is that possible? The Crescent Wolves are the largest pack of wolves still around except for the Atlantic Red Wolves that Klaus is from." Elijah said, already dreading the answer.

"I do not know, but something tells me that Marcel was involved with it. I had heard rumors that there was some sort of civil war with the Crescents but not much else." Erik explained, draining the last of his blood.

"That would appear to be the trend with the city. Damn it, Marcel. What were you thinking?" Klaus muttered to himself, equal parts impressed and annoyed by the actions of the man he considered his son.

"The gods only know. If Niklaus can keep Marcel busy while I find the wolves with Hayley, then Elijah, can you watch over the others? Maybe take them for a tour of the city, we mostly just saw Jackson Square before confronting Marcel." Erik suggested.

"Would now be the time for that with both the witches and the vampires targeting our family?" Elijah said.

"Most of the vampires are so loyal to Marcel that with Nik distracting him, they'll be occupied with that. Regent LaRue is keeping the witches in line for the time being. She did send me a message that they want to meet up tomorrow for a meeting. They'll play nice if they know what's good for them." Erik said, smirking darkly. He respected witches and magic but threaten his family or children and all bets were off.

"Yes, I do suppose that now would be the best time for you to find the wolves. Very well. I will keep the teens and others occupied while Niklaus keeps Marcellus busy for us." Elijah said.

"Thank you, brother." Erik said with a smile.

"Take at least one other person with you. I trust you to keep the baby and Hayley safe, but not even you can be everywhere at once." Klaus said.

"Deal. I'll take Jeremy with us. His Weaver abilities might help us find the wolves and understand what occurred to them." Erik replied, already planning on taking Jeremy with him.

"I can accept that." Klaus said with a nod.

"I am just overwhelmed with having your approval." Erik teased his big brother. Klaus rolled his eyes, muttering about sarcastic little brothers, walking out of the office. Elijah chuckled softly as he turned back to his laptop to get some work finished before taking the remain residents out on the town.

Erik smirked as he stood up and headed to the kitchen. He saw that all of the residents had finished breakfast and all of the dirty dishes were all drying and ready to be put away. He snapped his fingers, all of the dishes returning to their places. Jeremy and Hayley were waiting in the kitchen while the others were enjoying the fair weather outside.

"Ready to go, Erik?" Jeremy asked, not even looking away from his conversation with Hayley.

"Ready when you both are. Elijah promised to take the others for a tour of New Orleans after he finishes some paperwork. Nik is going to keep Marcel busy while we three go hunting for werewolves." Erik said, placing a gentle kiss to Jeremy's cheek.

"Do you know where they might be?" Hayley asked, standing up.

"I did some scrying earlier, so I have a rough idea on where they are. You as a member of the pack will be able to help me narrow the area down." Erik explained as he directed the two outside to his Blue Camaro that he had sent to the house before leaving Mystic Falls. Hayley got into the backseat while Jeremy took his usual spot in the passenger seat. Erik pulled the vehicle out and began the short drive to the area that he had scried earlier.

Scrying was one of Erik's favorite types of magic. He used it often to watch over his siblings, using it sometimes to guide them away from their father during his Original Hunter phase. It allowed him to see people and places from afar but also send suggestions to those he was close to. He had tried to use it to find Hayley's pack by using the blood link from the warding around the property with some limited success.

They eventually came out to the area that Hayley recognized from where the witches kidnapped her. She shivered at the thought of running into those witches again. Erik saw it but didn't comment on it. Jeremy was looking around the woods with a frown, his blue eye glowing faintly in the daylight.

"You seeing what I am sensing?" Erik asked, studying the area with worried eyes. The woods were practically dripping with magic and not friendly magic. It was not lethal but dangerous and targeted to werewolves. Erik watched as Hayley looked around before walking in a seemingly random direction.

"Yeah. It's some sort of targeted spell that only affects werewolves. It doesn't kill or even inflict harm to them, but it has an edge of..." Jeremy trailed off as he followed Hayley into the woods.

"Darkness. Yes, it does. Whoever cast this spell had been using Dark Magic for so long that it has infected their magic. We'll need to watch out for that." Erik said, returning his focus on the gathering of wolves he could sense about half a mile ahead of them. They almost felt like werewolves should feel during the night of the full moon.

"They're here." Hayley said as she pushed past the thick growth of the woods into what looked like a campsite with maybe a dozen or more tents and clothesline. The sound of a shotgun pumping caused the three to stop as Erik turned around, hands hanging by his sides. An older blonde woman stood there, shotgun pointed directly at Erik's heart.

"Your kind ain't welcome here, vampire." She said, barely sparing the others a glance. Erik cocked an eyebrow before slowing raising his hands.

"I mean you and your pack no harm. This is Hayley Marshall, a Crescent wolf that was adopted several years ago. We are only here to help her find her family and pack." Erik said slowly, waving a hand in Hayley's direction. The woman studied him for a moment longer before she looked at Hayley for a long moment as the gun began to shake in her grip slightly.

"Andrea? Is that you?" The woman asked, her voice breaking over the words.

"Andrea? That's my name?" Hayley asked. The woman slowly lowered her shotgun, still ready to shoot them if they made the wrong move.

"Your name is Andrea Labonair, the last of the Labonair line. We thought you had died with your folks all those years ago." She said as gently as she could. Hayley wiped at her eyes, after all this time, she finally finds her pack to only find out she had no family left again.

Jeremy took a step towards her before stopping at the shotgun swinging to him. Erik growled as he vamped over and ripped the gun from her hands, clicked the safety, and tossed it aside.

"Do not threaten him or I will not show you any mercy." Erik growled as he glared at the wolf. She blinked at him, glancing at Jeremy with a concerned look before nodding slowly. Erik relaxed his posture before walking back to Jeremy, wrapping his arm around Jeremy's waist.

"Sorry about him. He's protective of his people." Hayley said, amused by the action of the ancient vampire. The woman watched the scene for a moment before nodding once more.

"I see. I am Eve. I am one of the few Crescents that never triggered the curse." Eve said, still watching Erik with some confusion.

"Oh?" Erik said, something about the way she said that made it sound like it had a different meaning than other werewolves.

"About two decades ago, the pack was in the middle of civil war. Around the time that your parents were killed, Marcel decided to step in." Eve hissed, her rage radiating from her in waves.

"What did he do?" Jeremy asked.

"He got the witches to curse the whole pack. If you trigger the Werewolf Curse, you become trapped in your wolf form during every day except for the night of the full moon. Every man, woman, and child suffers from it." Eve explained to the mounting horror of Hayley and the surprise of Erik and Jeremy.

"If he used the spell that I am thinking he used, I might be able to counter it. Would one of the wolves watching us be willing to come out so I can check them over? I need to be certain about the spell he used." Erik said, his mind already running through every form of magic and spell he knew that would have that effect on werewolves. Eve raised an eyebrow at the question just as a wolf watched out of the woods to them.

It had the dark fur color that was one of the primary traits of the Crescent wolves unlike the light coloration of the Atlantic wolves. Its glowing amber eyes held a sharp intelligence that spoke that they still could understand human speech even as wolves. It walked calmly up to Hayley, studying her for a moment before turning its head to Erik. Erik kept looking at the wolf even as he shifted himself in front of Jeremy.

"Jackson. Are you certain of this vampire's words?" Eve asked the wolf. The wolf, Jackson, looked over at her before doing an exaggerated nod. Eve looked skeptical at that.

Erik moved to kneel on the ground, holding a hand up. Jackson watched his movement like the predator he was before walking towards Erik, close enough that Erik could almost touch his snout.

"Thank you." Erik said gently as he began to scan the wolf for magic. It took him a moment to filter out the normal sensation of the werewolf curse before he finally found what he was looking for.

"The Mirror Transformation Curse? Whoever did this was good. This is old magic, not something I would expect any modern witch to even know about." Erik said, genuinely surprised by the use of the spell.

"Mirror Transformation? You haven't mention that one before." Jeremy asked, his own eyes watching the magic around the werewolf, trying to pinpoint the spell that Erik found.

"It's an old spell, old even when I was human. It was meant to reverse transformation curses. You might recognize it from the story of Beauty and the Beast. The true story was that a witch cursed a young lord into a monster as punishment for breaking the law of hospitality. Belle was a witch that used this spell to reverse the curse on them, not that whole true love's kiss that Disney made it into." Erik explained. Jeremy nodded, already use to Erik explaining the truth behind famous fairytales.

"What does this mean for the pack?" Eve asked, her eyes wide at seeing a vampire use magic.

"The curse can reverse the rules of a transformation. Marcel and whoever cast this curse designed it to reverse the Werewolf Bloodline Curse. Luckily, most of my coven will be arriving in town so we can break the curse once the full moon arrives. They need to be human for us to break the curse." Erik explained as he stood up and brushed off the dirt from his jeans.

"I see, and what do you want in return? Ain't no free lunch as the expression goes." Eve said, mistrust in her eyes along with a small glimmer of hope.

"Hayley is pregnant with my brother's kid. This child will be in danger from the vampires due to its father and from the witches due to its bloodlines. We only ask for your help to protect the child and to give Hayley back her family." Erik said, smiling gently at Hayley who had shifted her hand to her stomach. Eve blinked before snapping her eyes to Hayley who nodded to the unspoken question.

"How is that possible? Vampires can't have kids." Eve said.

"My brother is Nikalus Mikaelson, the Original Hybrid, and it would seem that he can have children. This child will be part vampire, part werewolf, and part witch due its grandmother. It will be the first of its kind." Erik explained to the shock of Eve and Jackson, whose mouth actually dropped in shock.

"That baby is a Crescent, no matter what else it might be. We protect our own." Eve vowed, the certainty of her words felt by the others. Jackson nodded as well before walking back to Hayley and sniffed at her. Hayley let out a soft laughter as she reached out and ruffled the course fur on the wolf.

"Well, it seems one has already volunteered as her protector." Erik quipped, amused by the actions of the wolf.

"Jackson is the Alpha of the Crescent wolves... he also Andrea, Hayley's betrothed." Eve said. Hayley's fingers stilled as the words processed in her mind. Erik barely blinked at the news though Jeremy grimaced at the idea of betrothals between two people that hadn't even meet.

"He's my what?" Hayley shouted, her hand pulled away from Jackson who let out a whine before growling at Eve. Eve rolled her eyes before rubbing her face with one hand.

"Your grandparents betrothed you two to each other to unite the pack. It's something you two will need to talk about once Jackson is human once more." Eve said tiredly.

"I am not marrying someone I don't even know!" Hayley growled, her eyes blazing gold. Jackson whined as he moved away from her with his tail tucked down. Hayley felt her anger lessen just a bit at the display though her posture remained defensive.

"Maybe we should table the discussion for when Jackson is human and you two and Klaus can discuss this like civilized people." Jeremy offered, holding his hands up at the glare from Hayley.

"Fine." Hayley said.

"If any of the pack want to come by the house, we are staying at this address. The warding around the property will allow them to enter the property but not to enter the buildings. I would also suggest not to try to remove her from the property forcibly. The warding would kill that person instantly before he got two steps past the warding." Erik said as he held out a piece of paper that he wrote the house address on. Eve stepped up and took the paper, studying it for a moment before nodding.

"I'll let the pack know." She said as she stuffed the paper into her pocket.

"We'll be leaving for now. My brother is probably nervously pacing while Hayley is outside of the warding." Erik chuckled at the idea of his big brother worrying. Jeremy snorted as he covered it with a cough.

"Alright. Hayley, feel free to come back whenever you want. You two." Eve said to Hayley warmly before staring at Jeremy and Erik with distrust.

"We'll see you on the full moon." Eve said simply before leaving them. Jackson sat watching them. Jeremy waved goodbye as Erik grabbed his hand and walked back to the car.

"This is going to interesting." Jeremy said. Understatement of the century, Erik thought to himself as he watched Hayley glance over her shoulder to Jackson as she walked away.

Chapter Text

Davina was bored, no doubt about it. She had been stuck up in this attic for the last few months, her only interaction was with Marcel and Father Kieren. While she was happy to have her own space and safety from the witches, she missed talking to other people.

"Hey, D! Knock, knock." Marcel called out from behind her door. She smiled as he was always respectful of her privacy before coming in.

"Come in, Marcel." She said over the jazz record she was listening to. Marcel cracked open the door open and poked his head in, holding up two cups of Cafe du Monde and a bag of fresh beignets. He really was the best.

"Come in already." She said, laughing at his antics. He smiled as he pushed the door open and walked in. He set the coffee and treats on her vanity before wrapping her up in a hug. While this had become more standard lately, something felt wrong with how he held her.

"Marcel. What is it? What's wrong?" Davina asked, stepping out of the embrace.

"Did you feel any magic last night or this morning?" Marcel asked, his tone grave as he grabbed his own coffee and started to knock it back. Davina blinked before she grabbed her own and took a long sip.

"Nothing from the Coven... though there was this intense surge of magic but not from anyone in the Coven." She said slowly. The magic she felt was, for lack of a better word, pure.

"So, he really can use magic, I guess." Marcel muttered under his breath.

"Who are you talking about Marcel?" Davina asked, her nerves rocketing up at Marcel's muttering.

"Someone that I didn't know existed. You remember how I told you about me being raised by the Originals?" Marcel asked, holding out the bag for her. She tilted her head as she grabbed a beignet.

"Yeah. You mentioned how they are the Old Ones and how dangerous they were. What about them?" She asked, biting into the glorious sugary treat.

"It seems they have two more siblings that I had no idea about. This new brother, Erik, is in town with a group of witches and a human. The human somehow snapped one of my guy's necks like a twig. I guess it might be possible that he enhanced the guy's strength." Marcel said, thinking back to how a human snapped a vampire's neck.

"Maybe. It's not something anyone in the Coven could do. How can he use magic if he's an Old One?" Davina asked.

"I don't know. I heard a rumor once of vampires that can use magic, but they were wiped out by coven like a century ago." Marcel admitted.

"So back when dinosaur still roamed the earth?" Davina teased. Marcel rolled his eyes at the constant jabs about his age from his latest ward.

"Dinosaurs were before my time by a few million years you brat." Marcel said, eyes sparkling in amusement. Davina smirked as she sipped more of her coffee.

"What do you want me to do about them?" Davina asked.

'I don't know yet. With your power, you might actually be able to take down an Original." Marcel admitted. He had never met a witch with the kind of power she has.

"Maybe. Never tried to take on an Original before." Davina said, a little shy about the chance of her fighting an Original.

"Hey." Marcel said, taking a knee in front of Davina, waiting for her to meet his eyes.

"You won't be facing them alone or at all if I can help it. I promised to keep him safe, and I will." Marcel said softly, remembering his vow to the scared little girl he saved all those months ago.

"I know Marcel... I just wish I could go outside like a normal girl." She whispered.

"You will, when it's safe. More and more witches are losing their power the longer you stay hidden. Soon, nobody from your old coven will be able to hurt you ever again." Marcel said, smiling at her.

'I hope you're right.' Davina thought.

------------
Erik was using every ounce of patience he had gained over a thousand years to not strangle his little sister since returning to the bayou.

"You are not going anywhere near him." Erik growled as he glared at his sister who glared back just as fierce.

"I am an adult. I can handle Marcel." She snapped back.

"You are my sister, and we have no idea how that upstart is tracking magic in the Quarter. You are not going anywhere near the man." He shot back. The teens were all watching the scene, placing their own bets on who will win the fight. He shot them an amused glare over his shoulder before returning his focus to his sister.

"I dated him for nearly fifty years! I almost married him. I can handle Marcel better than Klaus can." Rebekah argued. Erik blinked, surprised that the guy was almost his brother-in-law.

"You almost married that prick?" Matt quipped from his spot on the couch.

"He's not that bad." Rebekah said, rolling her eyes.

"He's only destroying an entire coven and plunging this city into a supernatural civil war." Matt muttered under his breath. Rebekah shot him a glare so strong that Matt shifted away in his seat. Caroline smirked before standing up and stepping between the two siblings.

"Listen, we need information about how Marcel is controlling the witches and Rebekah is right, she would be the best person to get that information. " Caroline said. Rebekah shot Erik a smug look over Caroline's shoulder before it dropped when Caroline turned around to stare at her.

"Erik however is also correct in that Marcel is dangerous even to you Rebekah. He's worried you'll get hurt due to your feelings for Marcel. You told me yourself that even after all of these years, you have never loved another person like you love Marcel." Carolien said gently to her friend. The two siblings continued to glare at one another before Erik sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Fine. Just... be careful little sister." Erik said softly. Rebekah's own glare dropped as she stepped around Caroline and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Don't worry big brother. I can handle one power hungry ex." Rebekah said before vamping out of the manor.

"Well, this is going to be entertaining." Matt said. Erik shot him a look that promised him pain.

"If you have energy for lip, you have energy for training." Erik growled at the single human of their dysfunctional little group.

Matt sighed as he got up and headed to his room to change. The others all shrugged, figured they could do with a nice sparring practice to handle the nerves that had been building. They all split up to head to their own rooms to change. Jeremy had stood up and made to leave also before stopping dead in his tracks. Erik looked over to him as the others all stopped as well.

"Love? Is everything well?" Erik asked, his annoyance with the situation gone in the face of the unusual behavior of his boyfriend.

"In twilight's hush, with shadows cast, A flick of the tail, so swift, so vast, The sly and spry, in woodland realms, Where freedom dances, and instinct helms. A silent escape on whispering feet, through tangled brush where the wild things meet, With eyes aglow like gilded night, The vixen weaves magic, a fleeting sight." Jeremy spoke, face completely blank of all emotions. Erik and the others all stared at him with a mix of worry, confusion, and horror as Jeremy's eyes rolled his head and he fainted. Erik got to him before he hit the floor and laid him down gently.

"What the hell was that?" Matt demanded as the others started to move forward before Erik held up a hand.

"Jeremy just had a vision of some sort. It must be an aspect of his Weaver nature." Erik said as he placed a gentle hand on Jeremy's head and dived into his bond. He found that Jeremy was well and was already waking up from his fugue state. Jeremy let out a soft groan as he grabbed Erik's wrist and blinked slowly.

"Love? How are you feeling?" Erik asked, keeping his voice low in case of a migraine he could feel from Jeremy.

"My head is killing me. What was that?" Jeremy asked, sighing in relief at the cooling sensation spreading across his head from Erik.

"A vision I believe. It must be an aspect of your Weaver abilities. You have the power to alter fate so I would assume that you will receive prophecies or visions at times." Erik reasoned as he smoothed out Jeremy's hair.

"Awesome." Jermey muttered sarcastically.

"So this could happen again?" Bonnie asked, worried about what was another thing for Jeremy to deal with.

"Possibly, but considering how this is his first vision, it would have caught him off guard. We'll need to prepare for if this occurs again." Erik reasoned, hoping that it would not always be this intense each time.

"Damn it. I think I did figure out how Marcel is controlling the witches though." Jeremy said, sitting up despite Erik's protests.

"Oh? How so?" Elijah asked, having come in due to the commotion.

"I saw a witch petting a blood red fox. She's young, might be even younger than me. She points her finger at these faceless people and a swarm of bats attack them. I think she can sense when a witch uses magic and then sends Marcel and his people after them." Jeremy said, rubbing his temple as he tried to recall the details from the vision. It was hazy and full of symbols or images that made no sense to Jeremy.

"That... is the most likely explanation. The Harvest!" Erik shouted as he facepalmed, muttering how foolish he was. Marcel and Agnes practically gave him the answer this whole time.

"The Harvest ritual? What about it?" Kaleb asked, trying to follow his line of thought.

"The Harvest ritual is where four young virgin girls are placed into an enchanted sleep to commune with the French Quarter Ancestors and then return the power to the Coven during the Reaping. Marcel told us that they were killing them instead. That would grant each offering more power than normal as it passes to the next girl in line. If Marcel rescued one of the girls, they would have the power and the connection to sense any witch in the Coven. They must be helping him in return for protection." Erik explained his reasoning.

"So what do we do now?" Kaleb asked.

"We go hunting for a witch of fire." Erik said, the others nodding in agreement. Time to go on the offense for this mess.

Chapter Text

Elijah and Klaus were talking in the office of the Plantation when a knock at the door halted their conversation. The two ancient immortals glanced at one another before Elijah stood and went to the door. He opened it to see his aunt and mother standing there with suitcases. Dahlia had a gentle smile directed at her nephew while Esther looked like she swallowed a lemon whole.

"Aunt Dahlia. Do come in." Elijah said warmly. He had grown fond of his aunt during her time with their family last year.

"Thank you, Elijah dear. Come along sister." Dahlia said, crocking her finger to Esther who stumbled forward, scowling at all of them. Elijah kept his face blank as he stared at the woman who gave birth to him and his siblings. The more he saw this vile woman, the less he found in common with the woman.

"Dahlia." Klaus said, voice flat as he looked at her before sending his own scowl to Esther.

"Niklaus. I will not harm your child. Erik and I are working on breaking the Bloodline Curse before it comes into effect. We will make sure that you and the mother can raise the child, even if we can't break the curse." Dahlia said gently. Klaus studied her for a long moment, the fear and paranoia warring in his mind.

"What did you just say?!" Hayley screamed from her place at the top of the stairs. Her eyes blazing gold as she glared at all of them. Elijah and Klaus both winced as they realized they failed to inform Hayley about the bloodline curse.

"Aunt Dahlia, our mother's sister, cast a bloodline curse in return for being able to have as many children as her sister wanted. Every first-born Mikaelson in perpetuity are her to claim for her own coven. When we all became vampires, we all assumed that the bloodline curse would naturally fade. Now that it seems that the curse is in play, Erik and the others are all working to break or circumvent the curse." Elijah spoke gently as he tried to walk up to the enraged werewolf. Hayley snarled at all of them, her hands protectively covering her stomach.

"Hayley, was it?" Dahlia asked gently. Hayley shifted her focus to the ancient witch, eyes burning even bright and her lips curled back into a snarl.

"I vow that I will never take your child without your explicit permission. I made that curse a thousand years ago when I had no one and nothing left. If I could remove it myself, I would but I will not take your child. This vow I make before you now." Dahlia said, her eyes keeping contact with Hayley who own eyes began to dim at the sincerity of Dahlia's words. She turned on her heels, stormed to her room, and slammed the door shut.

"Nicely done sister." Esther said with a smirk. Dahlia shot her a venomous look that had Esther taking a step back.

"Keep your opinions to yourself, sister. The Ancestors are already not amused by your actions against your own children." Dahlia said sharply before refocusing to Elijah. He was still looking up to where Hayley had stood. Klaus scowled at his brother, almost seeing his brother giving the werewolf his heart.

"Is there perhaps a place away from the main house that we can stay at? I believe it might be best if I kept my distance from Hayley." Dahlia offered, not offended by the reasonable response.

"There are the old slaves' quarters that was converted into a home that you may use. If you would follow me, I can lead you there." Elijah offered as he grabbed Dahlia's suitcase.

"Thank you, dear nephew. That would be lovely." Dahlia said, linking her arm with him. Esther huffed as she grabbed her own suitcase, muttering threats under her breath.

Klaus went back to the office, returning his eyes to the plans he and his brother had been working on. He would capture this city, this kingdom, for his unborn child and no one would ever touch his child, not even his aunt.

-------------
Jeremy and the other teens were all exploring the Quarter while Erik was meeting with the French Quarter Coven at Regent LaRue's mansion. They had all decided to try to enjoy their break as best as they could before returning to Mystic Falls. Jeremy had tried to argue with Erik that he wanted to stay and fight with him beating Marcel. Erik refused and argued that the city was too dangerous for them to remain at this time. It had been the worst fight the two had since they started dating.

The others remained silent during the screaming match as they had already arranged transfers to LSU for college instead of Whitmore College thanks to Elijah. He had also reached out to Alaric into discussing transferring Jeremy to New Orleans for his Senior year. Elijah slid the documents over to the two screaming immortals with a smug smirk at the stunned look on their faces. Erik had to give it to his brother; he was skilled with discovering a compromise.

Jeremy was staring off in the distance when Kaleb came and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Mate. Are you good?" Kaleb asked, worried that Jeremy was about to have another vision.

"She's this way." Jeremy muttered as he moved away. Kaleb blinked, confused by what Jeremy was talking about. He grabbed his phone and sent a message to the others in the store before sending a message down the bond.

'Jeremy is acting off again. He's walking away from me in some sort of daze.' Kaleb sent directly to Erik who sent back a feeling of fear and worry.

'Follow him for now. If anything changes, get him back to the Plantation. I'll try to end this meeting as quickly as I can.' Erik sent back, a feeling of annoyance trailing behind the message. Apparently, the meeting was not going well with Anges about who the Harvest girl was.

The others all came running up, spotting Jeremy still walking away.

"Do you think this is the witches? Trying to get a new bargaining chip for Erik?" Caroline asked, run over to Jeremy.

"No, it's not the witches, Caroline. This is something else." Jeremy responded to her question as he stopped in front of a church. St. Anne's looked like a beautiful classic style church, if not for the aura of pain, bloodshed, and conflicting magics the witches felt from the building.

"This is where she is, the witch from my vision." Jeremy said as he stared up at the attic space. Jeremy walked up to the front door and threw them open, the others a few steps behind him.

"Can I help you kids with something?" A voice called out as a priest walked towards them.

"You... you've been helping her hide and she's protecting you in turn." Jeremy said, his blue eye flashing in the light of the stain glass windows.

The priest froze as the words echoed in the empty sanctuary. The others all finally caught onto what Jeremy was implying, realizing that they had found the Harvest girl.

"I need you all to leave, now." The priest said after finally regaining his equilibrium after that statement.

Jeremy snorted to himself before he walked past the priest and headed up the stairs towards the attics. He could hear that Caroline and Matt were keeping the priest where he was while Kaleb and Bonnie followed him up.

"Is this smart, mate? This witch might be dangerous for us to handle if they feel threatened by us." Kaleb said, trying to be the voice of wisdom. Bonnie glanced at him before looking at the determined look on Jeremy's face.

"Maybe not, but Jeremy is too stubborn to not try. Besides, we're all immortal, more or less, and we know martial arts unlike most witches. We should be alright." Bonnie reassured her Coven mate and friend. Kaleb sighed before waving his hand towards the top of the stairs.

Jeremy smiled at his friends trusting him before he finished walking up to the door that hide the witch behind it. There wasn't even a boundary spell or any warding on the door. Jeremy frowned as he knocked on the door and waited.

"Coming, Father Kieren." A young girl called back when the door opened to reveal a tiny girl standing there, her smile dropping off her face at the unfamiliar faces.

"Who the hell are you?" The girl demanded. Jeremy raised an eyebrow at the girl that barely came up to his shoulder. She was tiny, young face, and powerful, magic pouring off her in waves.

"Jeremy Gilbert, Second of the Weaver Coven. You must be the Harvest Girl helping Marcel." Jeremy said, ignoring the face palms from the others behind him.

The witch stiffened before her eyes narrowed in suspicion at them. The magic around her rolling in turmoil in response to her emotions which had Jeremy frowning again.

"How are you helping Marcel if you can't control your magic?" Jeremy found himself asking aloud. The witch's eyes grew wide as her magic stopped moving before reaching out towards him hesitantly.

"Why do you say that? I can control my magic just fine." She retorted defensively.

"If you had control over the amount of magic you wield, I wouldn't be able to sense it unless you purposely released it. You should see about getting a focus. I had the same issue with my magic until I created my focus." Jeremy said. Kaleb and Bonnie both glanced between the two, a mix of confusion and wariness on their faces.

"What's a focus?" The witch asked, confusion clear on her face.

"An item that powerful witches use to focus and control their magic. Has nobody explained this to you? Erik taught us that when we first started." Jeremy said slowly, dumbfounded that this witch didn't know about something he and his coven considered a necessity for their power.

"Erik? The Old One bothering Marcel? You should leave before I force you." The witch stated as she gathered up her magic once more. Jeremy lifted his hands in surrender, taking a step back.

"Woah, we're not here to fight. We're just here to talk. We want to help you. We don't really have issues with Marcel as long as he doesn't hurt our loved ones." Jeremy said quickly. The witch blinked before her magic slowly settled but remained ready to strike.

"You want to help? Why?" She asked, unsure of their motives. Jeremy shrugged.

"That's kind of our thing. We help who we can, especially powerful witches that are on their own. We don't want to start a war with Marcel or the vampires." Jeremy said, lowering his hands slowly.

"How can you help me?" The witch asked.

"First, we can help you get control over your magic. Get you a focus and guides on how to control overpowered magic. Everyone in our Coven," Jeremy pointed back to Bonnie and Kaleb who waved, "are extremely powerful witches so we know what you are going through. I've only been a witch for... wow, like four months or so." Jeremy said, blinking at how much had changed in such a short time.

The witch still looked cautious though they could see that she seemed interested in what he was offering. Jeremy smiled as he held out a hand.

"Let's start over. I am Jeremy Gilbert, Second of the Weaver Coven. This is Kaleb Westphall, member of the Weaver Coven, and Bonnie Bennett, also member of the Weaver Coven. Who might you be?" Jeremy asked, smiling warmly at the witch, whose jaw dropped at the name of Bennett before refocusing on the hand. She stared at it for a long moment before she reached out and shook his hand.

"Davina Claire, Harvest Girl of Fire and member of the French Quarter Coven." She said softly. Jeremy could sense the resentment at the last part but kept the observation to himself.

"Merry met, Davina Claire. If you would be alright with it, I can see about coming back tomorrow with some grimoires that can help you create a focus and control exercises for you to practice." Jeremy said as he released her hand. She smiled shyly, a blush starting to cross her cheeks. Bonnie let out a soft snicker with Kaleb's chuckle.

"Yeah. I would like that. Thank you." Davina spoke softly as her cheeks got a tad hotter.

Jeremy nodded as he glanced over his shoulder at his two friends that were teasing him over the bond with the crush that the young witch seems to have over Jeremy. He rolled his eyes, sending back a feeling revenge in forms of pranks if they continued. He returned his focus to Davina who were glancing between all of them in confusion. He shook his head slightly before smiling once more at her.

"Sounds like a plan. We do have to be heading out so we'll let you get back to your day. Merry part, merry met again." Jeremy said, bowing slightly as he spoke before turning on his heels and grabbing the two still snickering witches as they waved goodbye.

They returned to the sanctuary to see that Caroline and Matt had sat the priest down and were watching him carefully. The priest himself looked like he might pop a blood vessel with how hard he was glaring at them.

"Let's go. I think we've bothered the good Father long enough today. Have a lovely day." Jeremy said, jutting his chin towards the exit. Caroline and Matt both looked like they wanted to ask what had happened but decided to wait.

The group of teens all left the priest still scowling at their backs. They walked into the bright March sun as they walked away from the church.

'So, that was the Harvest Girl Marcel rescued and helping him control the witches.' Erik said over the bond. Jeremy and the others could feel that the others in the Coven were all listening in, having been watching the whole time through Bonnie and Kaleb.

"Yeah. Her name is Davina Claire. Something is wrong with her magic besides being too powerful for her to control. I don't think a focus will be enough for her." Bonnie said aloud. Caroline and Matt both looked a mix of annoyed and lost, not being privilege to the silent conversation over the Coven bond.

'Claire? Huh, I knew one of her ancestors, might be her grandmother or great grandmother. She was a real firecracker.' Kol added to which everyone rolled their eyes, already knowing how well he knew the witch.

"Let me guess, Kol, you slept with her because she was powerful and you need her to do something for you." Kaleb said, smirking at the amusement flooding the bond. They could almost feel Kol shrugging.

'She was helping me build a dagger that would work on Klaus. Never got to finish it before he daggered me for the last time.' Kol admitted to the shock of everyone before Freya, Erik, and Dahlia all started to scream at him for doing something so foolish and how he deserved that last daggering.

"ENOUGH!" Jeremy shouted aloud and over the bond, stopping everyone in their tracks. Poor Caroline and Matt looked hopelessly lost at what was happening.

"Kol was trying to protect himself by making that dagger considering how often he got daggered before the return of his magic. Stop screaming at him, you're giving me a migraine." Jeremy said, rubbing at his head. He felt a pulse of remorse from the others before he felt apologies sent to Kol for their words.

"What's the plan then, mate?" Kaleb asked gently.

"We help Davina and give her a place to go to after the Harvest. That means we need to make nice with Marcel because she clearly cares for him. Once we have them on our side, freeing the werewolves and brokering peace between all of the factions will be vastly easier." Jeremy reasoned out. He felt the others all mull over the idea before he felt mutual agreement from everyone.

'Young Jeremy is correct. Making peace with my grandnephew would make the city that much safer for the baby and us in general.' Dahlia said, impressed by his sound tactical thinking.

'Lovely. Fine, we'll play nice with him. I need to refocus on this meeting for now. Agnes is starting to glare at me, and Sophie is giving me a pitiful look. Someone please dagger me.' Erik whined to the amusement of everyone else.

"Best of luck, Starlight." Jeremy teased as he shielded the bond, ending the discussion for now.

"So, would someone tell me what the hell is going on already?" Caroline demanded, her foot tapping in annoyance. Jeremy gulped as he looked at the others who all smirked at him, shrugging their shoulders.

He needed better friends; too bad he loves them so much.

Chapter Text

Erik had been alive for over a thousand years. In that time, he had perfected patience, calm, and control, a necessity for being an immortal vampire with the power to use magic. He could count the number of times he had lost control over his emotions using both hands, mostly from the first century of dealing with the heightened emotions that come from being a vampire. He should be able to handle one meeting with these self-important arrogant bastards without losing his calm, but somehow these witches from the French Quarter Coven were pushing his limits.

"Are you even listening to us?" Agnes snapped at him. Erik blinked as he refocused from the conversation he was having with his Coven. He stared at them for a moment before he shrugged.

"Not particularly considering you have continued to sidestep my request for why your coven altered a major ritual like the Harvest Ritual. I was under the impression that the witches agreed with Marcel in his rules about not harming children, which is what these girls were." Erik said, his eyes hardening as he stared at Agnes and Sophie. Sophie looked away first, her expression telling her reluctance about the Harvest. Agnes lifted her chin in defiance at the accusation.

"You would be correct, Leader Mikaelson. Once Marcel gained control over the vampire faction here in New Orleans, he met with the Regent at the time and explained his rules for his people and with the other factions." Regent LaRue said primly, sipping her tea with a dark look towards Agnes. It would seem she did not agree with their actions either.

"So, despite knowing the chance of retaliation by the vampire faction, you and your Coven still performed a sacrificial ritual instead of continuing with the mediative sleep that is expected with the Harvest." Erik made to say more before he furrowed his brow and stared out of the window for moment before returning to stare at Agnes.

"Now that I have said that, how did Marcel know when and where to intervene? I would imagine that your people would not have informed Marcel of your coven breaking such an important law without reason." Erik questioned. Regent LaRue blinked as she set down her teacup with a clink as she realized that as well.

"The attack at the One Layfette Cemetery was too well planned out and precise for it to be a coincidence. Marcel had dozens of his vampires with him when he attacked and he arrived at precisely the right time to stop the ritual from completion." Regent LaRue stated as she stared down at the floor in thought.

Both Agnes and Sophie apparently hadn't realized that either as they both stared at one another. Sophie shook her head sharply to Agnes's unspoken question who frowned in thought.

"It will be investigated when the ritual is completed, which is the reason for this meeting." Agnes said sharply as she returned to glaring at Erik. She despised that she was forced to begging for help from this leech, but it was either this or the extinction of her Coven.

Erik remained silent for a long time, tapping the arm of the chair with a finger before he glanced at Regent LaRue who kept her expression as blank as possible.

"I have already found a potential lead on where the fourth Harvest Girl is being kept at." Erik said simply. Both Agnes and Sophie leaned forward in their chairs, Sophie with hope while Agnes's eyes held greed and desire that had Erik scowling at her.

"However, I will not be informing you of that lead at this time. You made an active choice to ignore the rules that Marcel had and you lied and harmed the next generation of witches in your coven. If I find this young girl, I will offer her my assistance with the Harvest that does not involve her death. If it is not possible, then my coven and I will offer her sanctuary once the ritual is complete. If I was a less kind man, I would find the girl and aid in hiding her until your Coven only existed in the history books." Erik said, his eyes hard as he glared at their gaping mouths as they sputtered some excuse or another.

"You cannot do that! Every day the Harvest is not completed, more of our kin lose their ability to use magic. You would allow an entire Coven, one of the founding covens for the Nine Coven to die out?" Agnes shouted as she stood up so fast, her chair fell back. Regent LaRue's expression darkened for a just a moment at the disrespect shown to her home.

"Yes. I have lived for over a thousand years. I have seen more Covens die out and vanish than you can count. Your own actions are the only ones to blame for the situation you are in. Nothing is forever, not even immortals. Everything must die one day. Now, I think we have taken up enough of Regent LaRue's day so I will be departing." Erik said, standing up and smoothing out his shirt. He clicked his tongue as the chair that Agnes knocked over righted itself, slamming into the back of Agnes's knees. She lost balance and flopped back into the chair with an oomph. Regent LaRue allowed a smirk to cross her face for just a moment before she smiled at Erik gently.

"I have rather enjoyed our talks, Leader Mikaelson. I do look forward to when we can speak to one another without such heavy topics in the way." Regent LaRue said as she stood up.

"As I as well, Regent. I do must return to the Plantation for now. Merry meet, merry part, merry meet again." Erik said, giving her a respectful bow, one arm behind his back and the other across his stomach. He did not even acknowledge the other two witches as he walked out of the room and then the house. He took in a deep breath, breathing the scent of Nature and magic that surrounded the property.

He barely got passed the gate before a voice called out to him. He turned and scowled when he saw Sophie Devereux running to him. He could tell from their first meeting that she was not a practicing witch, probably didn't even believe in the Harvest if not for some reason.

"What?" Erik demanded, thoroughly done with the entire coven.

"Please. You need to tell me where Davina is. My niece was one of the Harvest girls. If the Harvest and Reaping work, she'll come back. Please, I promised my sister that I would bring her back. She sacrificed herself to get your brother here. Please, please just tell me where she is." Sophie begged, tears beginning to fall from her eyes. Erik's expression softened just ever so at the genuine love this young woman had for her family. It reminded him greatly of how he and his siblings reacted when Henrik died, begging for the gods and Nature to return him to them.

"I will do what I can to return those girls back, but I cannot tell you where this Davina is. Your Coven lied to these young girls who should have been safe and protected by the adults. If I can complete the Harvest and Reaping without sacrificing another young girl, I will do everything in my power to do so." Erik explained to Sophie who shakily nodded at the promise before she stepped away. He nodded before he vamped away.

He returned to where the car was that he had used to take the Mystic Falls teens to the city.

Jeremy was leaning against the car while the others stood around, talking amongst themselves.

"Let's go back to the Plantation before we talk about anything else." Erik said, holding up his hand when Caroline opened her mouth to demand answers. She sulked as she and the others all piled into the car.

The ride was silent as everyone mulled over the interaction with Davina and the French Quarter Coven. Erik was tapping on the steering wheel as he thought about the entire mess.

'Werewolves trapped by the Mirror Transformation Curse, witches altering a major ritual like the Harvest, and the vampires being used as the instigator of the conflict. Someone is pulling the strings from behind the scenes. If we can find them, we can stop this from escalating even further.' Erik thought to himself as he pulled in front of the Plantation.

Everyone poured out and headed into the house. Erik took a seat in the front parlor with the teens spreading out around the room. Erik snapped his fingers, summon a large footlocker that belonged in a wartime museum display. He placed a hand on top of it, the locks clicking at the feel of his magic. He opened the lid to show the collection of grimoires and blank copies he used to reproduce for those he helped.

He pulled out three grimoires and three blank copies before closing the locker. He set the three grimoires to his left and the blanks to his right.

"Transfere verba scripta ex his libris in hos libros." He muttered under his breath, holding his left hand over the filled grimoires and his right hand over the blank copies. The written copies glowed for a moment before dulling and then the blank copies glowed before dulling as well.

He took the new copies and passed one to Kaleb, Bonnie, and then Jeremy to review them to ensure nothing got messed up.

"Now can we discuss what we are going to do about Davina?" Caroline demanded sharply, her patience frayed at this point.

"Not much we can do. You didn't talk to her. She's scared and defensive, fiercely protective of Marcel which makes sense if he was the one that rescued her from her Coven. We need to earn her trust before we can make a decision on how to help her." Jeremy said, flipping through the grimoire he was scanning through.

"She is a teenage girl! She shouldn't be stuck in an attic with only the priest and a vampire that is clearly using her for his gain as company." Caroline argued back.

Erik shot her a hard look, reminding her who she was yelling at. She snapped her mouth closed with a scowl.

"Young Jeremy is correct. She has been hurt by those that she trusted so her trust will be hard to gain but precious. We must play this slowly and carefully." Dahlia spoke as she walked in, giving them a brief smile.

"Aunt Dahlia. Where is Esther?" Erik asked, worried that his adopted mother was sulking around somewhere. He was already low on patience. If he ran into her, he might actually rip her heart out like Nik did.

"Spelled into the house on the property we are using. We decided it would be best if I kept my distance from Hayley until we break the bloodline curse. Esther is being kept as far from her as I can keep her, so she doesn't do something foolish to her grandchild." Dahlia said as she took a seat by the window.

Erik felt his lips curl as he imagined Esther anywhere near the defenseless child growing in Hayley. He will kill Esther before he allowed her within spitting distance of his nephew/niece. Dahlia nodded her head at the expression, agreeing with her nephew's resolve.

"We may not have enough time to gain her trust. You all sensed it too, right?" Kaleb said from his place. He had set the book aside as he looked around the room with a depressed look in his eyes. The witches all grimaced as they nodded in assent which had Matt and Carolien all frowning.

"What do you mean?" Matt asked carefully, already dreading the answer.

"She's dying. The magic from the Harvest is starting to rip her apart. If we don't figure out a way to complete the Harvest and soon, she'll die for good." Bonnie said softly.

"What?" Caroline asked, shocked coursing through her.

"When she tried to summon up her magic, it wasn't just unstable. It was... something is wrong with it. It's too powerful for her to contain. If she doesn't complete the Harvest the way her coven started it, it'll consume her body and possibly her soul while it's at it. I doubt she'll last more than a few more months at this rate." Jeremy explained, having seen the magic fighting wildly in her grasp. If he hadn't managed to calm her down, there is a good chance it would have seriously hurt her and them.

"But all of you are ridiculously powerful, right? Why can't you guys just do something like that for her?" Caroline asked, confused by the issue. Matt shook his head as he recalled some of the discussions he had with Kol about how their coven is different from others.

"It's because of their Coven Bonds, right? It allows you guys to even out all of the power between each other, and you guys are all immortal. There is less risk involved with you all being immortal to some degree. Kol also explained that you guys transfer magic back to the ancestors and are doing overpowered spell work all of the time, so you're burning off magic enough to stay safe." Matt explained to which Erik shot him an impressed look at his educated guess.

"That's correct. Our coven is not a standard you can use for other witches. We are all immortal, and our coven bonds are different than any other out there. Most covens wouldn't be able to communicate over long distances or sense the other member's emotions as clearly as we can. Davina might be a powerful witch as evident for her selection as a Harvest Girl, but she can't contain the power of an entire coven within her body. The more she holds onto the magic that was meant for the coven, the more damage she will inflict on herself and the higher risk there is for a backlash." Erik said, slumping in his seat as he thought of this child holding onto magic meant to restore an entire coven. Not even Erik was confident he could contain that much magic without constantly draining it off in one way or another.

"So, she's going to die no matter what we do?" Caroline said, gritting her teeth as she held back the desire to help Marcel with his extermination of the French Quarter Coven. That girl was a child! Who does this to children?

"Yes, but if we can properly perform the Harvest ritual and then do the Reaping directly afterwards, she and the other girls will all return to life as that was the original purpose of the ritual. If we can't..." Erik trailed off but everyone could guess what he didn't want to say.

"What happens after the rituals?" Bonnie asked.

"We can offer her to join our coven, so she doesn't have to go back to the French Quarter Coven. She could request to be placed with another coven here in New Orleans but that would be a political nightmare for Regent LaRue. Of course, that is if Marcel will allow her to join us and not become a solo witch." Erik said.

"Good luck with that, brother. Marcel seems rather hellbent on keeping his little witch safe. I barely got anything useful out of him. Some of his men seem like they might be willing to talk with the right motivation." Rebekah said as she walked into the talk.

"Try speaking with the bartender at Rousseau's, Camille. Marcel seems to fancy her quite a bit and she is quite the spitfire." Klaus said as he, Elijah, and Hayley all entered the room as well. Hayley looked at Dahlia with a burning glare as she took the furthest seat she could.

"Another blonde, I guess?" Caroline smirked at Klaus who shrugged.

"It would seem he got more from me than I thought. It would seem we both like blondes that are smart and don't put up with our shit." Klaus admitted to which everyone muffled a laugh at the honesty of that statement. Caroline sent him a soft smile in return instead of continuing to tease him like usual.

"Don't forget we still need to finish helping the Crescent wolves." Kaleb felt he should mention for Hayley's sake who sent him a nod in thanks.

"What is wrong with the wolves?" Elijah asked, not having a chance to follow up on the visit to the bayou yet.

"Marcel got a witch to use a Mirror Transformation Curse on them. They're wolves every day except for the night of the full moon. We offered to help them break it, but we need to wait until the full moon on the 19th." Erik explained to his brother who scowled as he knew a little of the curse though not much. He only knew as much about magic as he did due to his siblings and his age.

"We work on gaining Davina's trust as we have a few months before she runs out of time. While we are doing that, we can free the wolves, and we gain some powerful allies. Regent LaRue can keep the French Quarter Coven in check for now before they get too desperate. Once that is done, we can work on overthrowing Marcel as the vampire faction head. If Rebekah's assessment is accurate, there may be some vampires that are not happy about how Marcel is running things and making enemies with everyone. Maybe we can see if there are any vampires that broke some rule of Marcel and gain their support if the rule they broke doesn't go against our own." Erik reasoned out, glancing at Klaus who nodded in agreement. While Erik was skilled in tactics due to his age, Klaus was a natural genius with military tactics and wartime efforts.

"Can't we just kill them all and call it a day?" Matt asked, chuckling at the expression of horror from his lifelong friends and amusement from the ancient beings.

"You are spending too much time amongst Kol if that is your idea of tactic." Rebekah said with a shudder. She loved her older brother fiercely, but the idea of more of him is enough to make her move to Antarctica permanently.

"Hopefully we can accomplish this without killing everyone." Elijah said.

"Alright, potentially everyone." He admitted after of moment of everyone sending judging looks.

Chapter Text

Davina had been patiently waiting for Jeremy's return; the picture of grace and control.

Ok, she had been pacing her room for the last hour, fixed her appearance three times, and tried to enjoy some jazz music.

A knock finally came, the rhythm not familiar to her. She smiled before fixing her expression, she really had been cooped up for too long if seeing a new guy made her this excited.

She opened the door and then blinked at the two guys standing a few steps from the door. There was Jeremy, smiling and looking effortlessly handsome even in the low light of the attic. Standing next to him was a tall blonde man with eyes like the spring sky.

"Hello Davina. I hope you don't mind, but Erik asked to come with as I drop these off for you." Jeremy said, smiling. He held his left hand out in front of him as he snapped with his right hand. Three leather bound books suddenly appeared in his left hand. He smiled wide at the other man who looked at him like he was the entire universe.

"Nicely done, love. Your practice is truly paying off." Erik said, his accent vaguely European from what Davina could guess.

"Thanks, Starlight." Jeremy said as he checked over the books before holding them out for Davina to take. She cautiously reached over the threshold and grabbed the books.

"I didn't think you were bringing so many books for me." Davina stated as she moved the books to look through them. The first book she opened seems to be an introductory guide to magic with explanations about herbs, celestial events, and tools for magic.

"Erik suggested we get you the introduction to magic he wrote along with the guide to control to high volume magics and the grimoire about Ancestorial Magics that he wrote also. He explained that he used your Coven as the basis of the book." Jeremy explained, shoving his hands into his pockets. Davina stared at the last book, her emotions a whirlwind at the thought of Ancestorial magics, especially her Ancestors.

"Thank you, truly for this. You didn't need to do this." Davina said, her voice soft as she looked from the books.

"Ms. Claire. We did not need to do this, but we wanted to. I have lived for over a thousand years. In that time, I have always held great respect for the servants of Nature and have shared the knowledge I have gained to those I feel will respect Nature just as I do." Erik said gently. His eyes flickering over the room behind her before settling once more on her.

"Davina, please." She replied softly.

"Davina, it's a pleasure to meet you. If you need anything, please feel free to reach out." Erik said, pulling a card with his number on it out to her. She stared at the card for a long moment before she took it, sliding it into the first book.

"Thank you. Can I ask you about something?" Davina asked, biting her lip. She loved Marcel but he didn't understand magic in a way to help her.

"Of course." Erik said instantly.

"Something is wrong with the magic I gained from the Harvest. I can sense when a witch from my former coven uses magic, however, I've been blacking out, and I wake up with scattered drawings I don't remember doing." Davina admitted. She was terrified by whatever was wrong with her. The black outs have only occurred a few times, but it had been happening more often as time went by.

"That sounds similar to a Seidhr technique for visions. Interesting that your magic is manifesting in that way." Erik said softly, scratching his chin.

"Seidhr?" Jeremy and Davina asked, smiling when they realized they asked at the same time.

"It's a Norwegian form of magic that focuses on visions, prophecy, and divination in general, usually connected to the goddess Freya. I would need to speak with Kol about it. He had a talent for Seidhr magic when he was human. I found that I have an easier time with scrying or other forms of divination." Erik admitted. Seidhr magic typically resonated stronger with Air witches while Erik resonated stronger with Fire due to his vampire nature.

"Oh." Davina said, slumping in her place.

"I still might be able to help somewhat. I have been studying magic for a thousand years." Erik said with a smile.

Davina bit her lip once more before she seemed to make a decision.

"Please come in. I have the drawings in here." Davina said, stepping out of the doorway.

"I thank you for your hospitality and vow not to betray your trust." Erik spoke as he stepped over the threshold, giving her a bow. Jeremy repeated the vow as he stepped over as well. Davina raised an eyebrow, confused by the action.

"Erik is super old fashion about manners and the laws of hospitality. He's been teaching all of us the same, so it's just habit to do the same." Jeremy explained, smiling weakly as he saw how impersonal the space was. Erik looked around with a frown, this space did not work for a young teenage girl, let alone a powerful witch.

"Oh, cool. The drawings are over here." She said as she walked over to her vanity and set the books down gently. She then grabbed a stack of papers covered in swirls and lines. She passed them over to Erik who began to flip through them, his frown deepening as he worked through the stack.

"These are partial images. Some visions or divinations are made of parts that will make the whole picture when put together." Erik said, before he stepped away from the others. He muttered a spell under his breath as he tossed the papers up in the air.

Instead of falling over the floor, the papers began to spin around him. One paper at a time would stop as the others continued to spin around until they all stopped and formed an image of a woman. Her curly hair took most of the image, but her eyes were what they focused on, holding knowledge and hatred. Davina shivered as the image formed, some part of her wanting to hide from the woman in the picture.

"Whoever this woman is must be powerful to hide herself from your sensing. Due to your connection to the Harvest magics, she couldn't hide herself completely." Erik said as he studied the picture for a long moment. It was not someone that he had encountered before, but something about her was raising alarms in him.

"She doesn't look familiar though and I've meet nearly everyone in the Coven as a Harvest Girl." Davina admitted softly, shifting herself to stand behind Jeremy. The eyes seemed to stare straight into her soul, like it was peeling away every layer to her until nothing remained hidden.

"Hmm." Erik hummed as he took a picture with his phone before snapping his fingers. The floating papers formed a stack that sailed gently to Davina's vanity and set itself next to the grimoires.

"I'll check with my siblings. Maybe they can recognize..." Whatever Erik was going to say was cut off as his neck snapped to the side and he dropped to the floor with a thud. Jeremy's eyes widen as he saw Marcel before he grabbed at the hand that was hold him up by his throat.

"Marcel! What are you doing?" Davina shrieked.

"Keeping you safe like I promised." Marcel hissed as he glared at the teen in his hold. Jeremy tried to focus past the lack of oxygen as he gathered his magic to send the asshole that hurt Erik flying. Before the spell finished forming, he felt his magic vanish so fast he felt whiplash. He looked at his wrist where a pair of rusted shackles were around his wrists.

Jeremy felt the Coven bonds were still there but dull like he was underwater trying to speak to them. He tried to claw at the iron grip around his throat, just to get some room to suck in a breath.

"What... did... you... do?" Jeremy gasped out, already starting to see black spots at the edge of his vision.

"You like them? Dark object curtesy of Kol. He might be an insane psychopath, but he does make some of the best toys. Completely locks away a witch's magic until they're removed." Marcel smirked as he tightened his grip even more. He could faintly hear the other in the Coven's distress, like they were distant echoes. He was losing the fight to stay conscious as it got even harder to breathe.

"Marcel! Stop!" Davina screamed as the attic began to shake. She threw out her hands and sent the two flying to the far wall, wincing as she had only meant to get Marcel to release Jeremy. She ran over, growling as she saw the dark purple bruising around forming around Jeremy's throat. He was laying on his side, coughing and wheezing as he tried to suck in what air he could past his sore throat.

"What the hell, Davina?!" Marcel shouted as he got up and stormed over to them, pulling Davina away from Jeremy.

"That is my question! What the hell, Marcel?! He's a kid, just like me! You would break your own law if you killed him!" Davina shouted back as she ripped her arm out of his grasp, moving in front of Jeremy.

"He's a threat, just like every Mikaelson! That necklace means that he is just as much a Mikaelson as the rest of them! I promised to protect you and I will, even if I have to break my own law." Marcel growled as he tried to move Davina out of the way without hurting her. Davina was staring up him in shock, knowing that he cared about like a father would for a daughter, but she never imagined he would go this far.

"Big mistake, mate." A voice snarled from the doorway. Marcel and Davina looked to see Bonnie, Kaleb, Caroline, and Matt glaring at them, their eyes burning with promises of vengeance for their coven members.

"Welcome us in, before we destroy this whole church to get to them." Matt demanded, looking like Kol does when he is absolutely pissed that Marcel actually took a step back.

"Come in." Davina said softly, not wanting to see if their threat was true or not. Marcel opened his mouth to stop her before he was slammed into the wall, screaming like his blood was replaced with molten lead, burning and consuming him whole from the inside out.

Kaleb and Bonnie came storming in, hands raised at Marcel, looking like they were gods of war and revenge manifested on the mortal plane. Davina took several steps back, tipping in her haste to get away from these witches that could and would destroy everything in their path. Caroline moved around her furious friends, checking on Erik before glancing at Davina who had sprawled on the floor.

"We won't hurt you. Guys, stop. You're scaring Davina." Caroline said gently. Bonnie and Kaleb glanced at her before slowly lowering their hands. Marcel slid down from the wall, twitching ever so often from the agony that he had been inflicted.

Matt had bypassed all of them, heading straight to Jeremy was breathing a bit easier.

"Jere? How are you doing?" Matt asked, wincing at the bruising on his friend's throat. He was confused on why the bruising was still visible as the Coven's healing factor was on par or greater than a vampire.

"Magic, locked. Throat, hurts." Jeremy croaked out, voice ruined from the strangulation. Matt blinked as his eyes went to the shackles, stiffening as he recognized them from Kol's stories about the Dark objects he helped create.

"These are Kol's. Where the hell did Marcel get these?" Matt scowled at Marcel who had stopped twitching but still crumpled to the floor.

"Can I help?" Davina asked, finally regaining her composure now that Bonnie and Kaleb weren't hurting Marcel.

"Can you unlock these shackles? Kol designed them to lock away a witch's magic, but we should be able to unlock them." Matt offered. He could tell that Davina was trying to protect Jeremy and Erik from Marcel.

"How do I do it?" Davina asked, glancing at the two witches who took a few steps away, though they kept Marcel in sight just in case.

"Just force your magic into the lock. They should snap open once you do." Matt explained with a shrug. Kol was less inclined to explain how to counter his tools and more about what they could do.

Davina nodded as she gently called up her magic, directing it carefully to the locks. She felt the power behind the shackles, their purpose before the locks clicked open. The shackles fell to the floor with a clatter as Jeremy gasped once more, the bruising suddenly healing between one breath and the next.

"Thanks." Jeremy said softly as he shut his eyes, passing out from his magic being suddenly released.

"Let's take them back to the Plantation. We're done here." Caroline stated as she picked up Erik, slinging an arm over her shoulder. Matt nodded as he did the same with Jeremy.

"Wait." Davina said as they headed to the door. Bonnie and Kaleb both turned and looked at her, their expressions far gentler than a few moments ago.

"I am really sorry about this. I never wanted either of them hurt." Davina apologized.

"You have nothing to apologize for. This mess is because of him." Bonnie spat the last part at Marcel who was still trying to push himself up.

"Still." Davina continued before snapping her mouth shut at the raised hand from Kaleb.

"Still nothing. We don't blame you. Once he's aware enough, tell him that the next time he hurts one of ours, we won't be so nice." Kaleb said, his expression darkening for a moment before clearing. Davina nodded, struck mute at the protective fury this group showed for each other.

"We'll be leaving. Hope to see you again, Davina." Caroline said, huffing as she shifted Erik's weight.

"Bye." Davina said softly as they all left. She listened to them walking down the stairs before she turned to look at Marcel was leaning his weight against the wall.

"What am I going to do with you?" Davina sighed as she prepared herself for a long talk with her pseudo father.

Chapter Text

Marcel had lived for over a hundred-and-fifty years and in that time, he had meet plenty of witches. Sometimes as allies and sometimes as enemies. He had seen what a witch can do when happy or angry or protective, but he had never felt the power or fury the likes of those two witches before.

It took him far longer to recover then any attack he had been subjected to before. He would need to reevaluate his plans to get the Mikaelsons to leave his city if even their regular witches could drop him like this. He did feel a little smug about getting the drop on Erik like he did, though he doubted it would happen again so easily. The Mikaelsons were nothing if not smart about understanding their past mistakes and fixing their weaknesses.

"We need to talk, Marcel." Davina said finally, seeing that Marcel had recovered enough to have a conversation. Marcel glanced up at her, standing before him with her arms crossed and a scowl directed at him.

"Yeah, we do." He agreed as he managed to finally push himself up. He might need to get a few blood bags or feed on some tourists with how weak he still was.

"What the hell was that, Marcel? They weren't threatening me or had any interest in me outside of helping me gain control over the Harvest Magic, and you attacked them unprovoked." Davina said shortly, angry that her pseudo-father hurt her... friends might be too strong for only meeting them twice.

"The Mikaelsons are dangerous to their enemies but also to their allies. Did you even listen to me when I told you about my childhood with them? If you are not family, they will sacrifice you if it might help them survive." Marcel shot back, his arms tingling in remembering the burns from Mikael when he burned down the theater with him still inside.

"I know that, but I can't control my magic anymore! I'm scared, Marcel! Every day, I lose more control over my magic. I need their help whether you like it or not." Davina said, her arms wrapped around her middle and shaking in fear. She had tried to be strong and hide her worries, but she was so tired of hiding the truth.

Marcel stared at her, his eyes wide as he watched Davina regress into the same scared little girl he rescued all those months ago. She was a fighter but still a teenage girl that should be worried about boys, not about this mess she found herself in. Marcel softened his expression as he stepped up to her and held open his arms, wanting her to make the choice.

Davina didn't even hesitate, slamming into his chest, arms wrapped around the closest thing she had to a father since her own dad died. Marcel held her gently but firm, trying to project his own overwhelming love and protectiveness into the hug. He had been failing her for longer than he realized, but not anymore.

"I am sorry, D. I am so, so sorry, baby girl. I've got you, I promise." Marcel whispered to her, wanting to continue to hide her from all of the problems of the world but knowing that they might be running out of time. He knew a good amount of magic, but he wasn't a witch and knew that he had to make a choice about his daughter of his heart.

"We should call... Erik. He might have an idea on how to help you." Marcel finally said, the words pulled out of him like it physically pained him.

"Thanks, dad." Davina said before her eyes widen in embarrassment. She had never said the words aloud, but she knew that they both felt the same. Marcel stiffened before he tightened the hug just a little.

"I will always do what is best for you, baby girl." He said, placing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. He held onto her for another long moment before he loosened his hold. Davina stepped back, eyes wet with tears but her smile was bright and happy. It was that look that cemented Marcel's resolve to set aside his dislike for the Mikaelson if it meant Davina could always smile.

She held out a hand, the card with Erik's number sailing into her hand, blinking at how easy it was to summon it. She barely even thought of grabbing the card before her magic reacted. Marcel raised a brow before shrugging as he plucked the card from her hand. He dialed the number, waiting as it rang before picking up and he heard a voice that he knew better sometimes than his own.

"Hello? If you are looking for Erik, he's indisposed at the moment." Rebekah's voice came through the line.

"Beks? It's me." Marcel said softly, his throat tight at the sound of his one true love even after a hundred years.

"Marcel? What the bloody hell do you want?! I should find you and rip you apart for harming my brother and his boyfriend." Rebekah growled, a shiver of pleasure racing through Marcel's spine at the protective fury in her voice. Davina wrinkled her nose as she could tell the effect that tone had on her father.

"I know and I am sorry, but I need Erik's help now. It's for Davina. Please, Rebekah, she's my little girl." Marcel said, the desperation in his voice halting whatever other threat Rebekah might say. The line went silent before another voice began to speak.

"Marcel, it's Erik. If you want our help, bring her to the Plantation home. You have my word that nobody will harm her or you while you are there." Erik stated before hanging up. Marcel felt the tension loosen in his shoulders at the promise. The Mikaelsons were many things, but once they give you their word, they never broke it.

Marcel pocketed his phone and looked at Davina who was staring up at him with a weak smile.

"Grab whatever you need. I guess I get to show you the place I grew up at." Marcel said, his voice laced with false cheer at the thought of returning to the place he was once owned at. If the Plantation wasn't considered a historical property, he would have razed the place to the ground and danced on the ashes. Davina frowned but still placed a gentle kiss to his cheek as she grabbed her sketch book and one of her new grimoires.

She nodded that she was ready, not having many possessions as much of her family's belongings were locked up and placed into a trust that she wouldn't have access to until she turned twenty-one. Her Meme, Mary-Alice, created the trust a month before she died in Katrina having her mother as the executor of family trust.

Marcel frowned as he realized fully how little his daughter had in earthly belongings. Something to start working on along with adoption paperwork and tying in her family fortune into his own until she was old enough to manage it herself. He waved for her to follow, his mind processing what he would need to start teaching her about managing her trust, business, and everything else he could think of that she might need.

They snuck out of the back, the same way that Marcel entered the church to protect her location from the witches still hunting her. He vamped her into the truck before driving without really think, muscle memory taking over as he planned out what he and his lawyer would need to get taken care of.

Davina gasped as she saw the gorgeous Plantation home appear through the trees. She had heard of this place, both from Marcel and her meme from her time working with Kol whom she called a wicked fox that she should avoid at all costs. Her meme refused to expand on what happened, but Davina could tell that she had some kind of relationship with the Old Ones and Marcel.

Marcel parked the truck in front of the home that held some of his best and worst memories in his long life. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, enough that he could feel the leather creak under his grip before letting go. He unlocked the doors and stepped out... and then instantly feel to the ground like someone dropped a ten-ton weight on his back.

"Marcel!" Davina shouted as she took off the seatbelt and jumped out of the truck only to end up just like Marcel. The force was enough that she let out a shout of pain at the feel of gravel digging into her stomach and knees.

"Shit, shit, shit. Davina." She heard Jeremy say as he came running up to them. He skidded to a stop by her side. She tried to lift her head to look up at him but could lift it higher than a few inches before dropping once more.

"Shit, one second." Jeremy said, kneel next to her. She could vaguely see glowing threads of blues in her blurry vision, dancing in the air.

Suddenly just as the pressure grow stronger, it was gone so suddenly, she let out of sob of relief. It felt like the Earth itself was trying to crush her into paste.

"God, I am so sorry. We weren't expecting you guys so soon otherwise we would have warned you about the warding." Jeremy said, holding out his hand to help her stand up. She took it, surprised by the lack of resistance. He helped her stand up, his eyes and expression remorseful at the harm their warding may have caused.

"It's... ok. Just took us by surprise. Probably should have expected that." Davina said, blushing at the handsome teen seeing her appearance so messy. She knew that he was seeing Erik, but hey, the only guy she had seen in months is her dad and Father Kieren, which reminded her that Marcel might still be stuck to the ground.

She looked around the truck and saw that Erik was twisting some...

"Um... what are those?" Davina asked, confused by the glowing red threads that Erik was messing with.

"Hmm. Oh, you wouldn't know about that. Those are threads of the elements in their purest form. Erik resonates strongest with Fire, so his threads are red. I resonate with Water so mine are blue." Jeremy explained as he watched Erik finish messing with the warding to allow the two to walk around the property.

"What the hell was that? Who invites people into a warded space without warning them?" Marcel snapped as he was finally able to stand up with a groan.

"People that are defending something more precious than being welcoming hosts." Erik said blandly in such a way that had Marcel's retort stilling in his throat. He knew that whatever they were protecting, the Mikaelsons would burn down the world to protect it.

"I... see." Marcel said, walking around the truck to Davina, eyes scanning over her with a critical eye before relaxing.

"You ok, D?" marcel asked softly. Both Jeremy and Erik shared a look between them that said that they were somehow speaking to one another.

"I am ok. I've never felt warding that intense." Davina said, dusting off her dress.

"It's made of the four elements and bloodline locked. The only people to have come to the property has been family or our friends. Again, we're sorry about that." Jeremy said apologetically. Erik gave Jeremy's shoulder a squeeze before dropping his hand to twine their fingers together.

"It's fine, really. I get it, protecting your family." Davina said, glancing at Marcel with a smile to which he returned as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Hmm. Come on, the others are around the back of the house." Erik said as he pulled Jeremy around the house. Marcel and Davina followed, equal parts cautious and nervous. Jeremy let go of Erik's hand to turn around and walk backwards, smiling at the two.

"So. Davina, other than that mess earlier, how are you doing?" Jeremy asked, expertly dodging a branch that hung low on the path. Davina's eyes widen at him ducking without looking.

"Um... I am good. Is that safe?" Davina asked.

"Oh, so long as Erik is facing forward, I should be fine. I can see everything he can." Jeremy said with a casual shrug, smiling at that the chuckle from Erik.

"Maybe I'll just around and see how well you do then." Erik said, glancing over his shoulder before looking forward.

"You wouldn't do that." Jeremy said, his tone confident in his boyfriend not messing with him.

"You do know me too well at times, love." Erik said with a content sigh.

"I am sorry, but what do you mean you can see what he does?" Davina asked, confused by the statement.

"Our Coven Bond links us so closely that I can see, hear, and feel everything that everyone else does. It took weeks of practice to adjust to the additional sensory input from everyone." Jeremy explained to the shock of both Davina and Marcel who had never heard of Coven bonds being that absolute.

"What the hell?" Marcel muttered under his breath. Erik laughed as Jeremy chuckled too before finally twisting on his heel and walking forward.

"Just wait and see. Erik has a habit of breaking the laws of magic." Jeremy said, still laughing.

"As do you, love." Erik commented with a smile at his boyfriend.

Marcel was truly beginning to realize that he had a huge mistake in trying to fight against the Mikaelsons. If he truly wanted to keep Davina safe, he would need to start playing nice with them.

They came around the corner and Davina and Marcel stopped in their steps to stare at the scene before them.

The two blondes that Marcel had seen at the Abattoir were sword fighting against Elijah who was in the most casual outfit Marcel had even seen in his life with a sleeveless shirt and loose workout pants. He was... Marcel could also swear he could see sweat on Elijah's brow as he defended against the two.

He saw the two witches that had dropped him less than two hours ago fist fighting against Klaus who was also in workout clothes. He was smiling in a way that he hadn't seen since his fencing lessons against Rebekah. He blocked a roadhouse kick from the girl before dropping the block to defend against the guy who sent an open palm strike to his chest.

He spotted two women sitting with Rebekah who would call out corrections to the forms of the teens fighting toe to toe with the Originals. The older woman looked so much like Kol and Elijah that Marcel had to blink a few times to clear the vision. The brunette was sitting with...

"What the fuck is a werewolf doing here?!" Marcel shouted as he pulled Davina behind him. All movements stopped at the sound of the deep growl from the wolf that spotted Marcel. Its lips curled back, a vicious snarl and razor-sharp teeth on display. The wolf's back arched, the hairs on its back standing up as it looked ready to pounce.

"Jackson, no. He's a guest here." Erik said simply. The wolf turned to glare somehow at Erik who stared right back. The wolf sat back down, its eyes refocusing on Marcel with a burning intensity that had Marcel wanting to grab Davina and run far away.

"That's Jackson, the Alpha of the Crescent Moon Wolves that you cursed. We have already offered their pack to break the curse." Erik explained with a casual wave. Marcel turned to stare at Erik with horror and confusion on why the Mikaelsons would help werewolves they had no connection to.

"Wait, what do you mean Marcel cursed the Crescent wolves?" Davina asked, peering around Marcel to stare at the wolf that looked at her with a tilt of its head.

"Not important right now. We are here to help you." Erik waved off the question. Klaus walked over to them with...

"Why are you limping, Klaus?" Marcel found him asking before he thought better. Klaus blinked at him, glancing at Davina before refocusing on his son of sorts.

"Kaleb managed to slip through my guard and shattered my femur. You are both improving rapidly." Klaus said, looking over the two with something like pride that had Marcel jealous despite himself. Kaleb and Bonnie, Marcel thought was her name, both smiled and high fived each other.

"Why hasn't it healed already? You're an Original so your healing should have already fixed it." Marcel asked, growing more confused with each sentence.

"Erik cast a spell that restricts everyone's speed, strength, and reflexes to slightly above an ordinary human. Rapid healing is also slowed down during training to make it more fair to those of us not vampires." Jeremy explained to which had Marcel break into a cold sweat. He had never heard of a spell like that, but if the witches figured out that spell, he and his crew would be screwed.

"Only people that know the spell are my Coven members and my family, which reminds me." Erik said, snapping his fingers, the sound unnaturally loud. Klaus let out a soft sigh as he rubbed his right thigh as the bone finally fully healed.

"Ah, come on. We almost had Elijah this time." Caroline said, sheathing her sword in the sheath on her hip. Matt chuckled as he passed over his sword to Elijah who took it with a smile.

"Indeed, but you still put too much weight on your back foot. If I was trying to seriously harm you, I would strike there." Elijah stated in a voice that had Marcel having flashbacks to his lessons under Elijah's gentle hand.

Matt walked up to Marcel who tensed for a moment before he stuck out his hand, a friendly smile on his face. Marcel cautiously took the hand, only slightly confident that he could take the human if he tried anything.

"Hurt Erik or Jeremy again and I'll show you why I am Kol's best friend." Matt said with a vicious smirk as he squeezed Marcel's hand enough that he could feel his bones grinding together.

"Understood." Marcel said, letting go of Matt's hand, barely keeping the fear he felt from his voice. He must not have been as successful as he thought as Matt smirked before walking away to grab a bottle of water from the cooler by the steps. Rebekah rolled her eyes fondly at the young teen before she strutted over to them, looking at Davina with a curious look.

"Beks." Marcel said.

"Marcel. Are you going to introduce your... friend to us?" Rebekah asked, the jealousy in her voice there and gone in an instant.

"My daughter. This is Davina Claire. D, this is Rebekah Mikaelson." Marcel said, unsure of how this introduction would go. Rebekah blinked at him in shock before she turned to Davina with a gentle smile.

"Hello Davina Claire." Rebekah said gently.

"Hi." Davina said shyly, feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on them.

"Well, this is awkward. Do you want to get started?" Jeremy said, breaking the tension as everyone, even Marcel and Davina chuckled.

"Yes, let's." Erik said as he rolled his neck.

"What are we doing and will it hurt D?" Marcel directed to Erik who shook his head.

"No, we are going to manifest her magic so we can see how it interacts and what we can do to aid in her gaining control." Erik explained, which made no sense to Marcel but seemed to make sense to Davina who nodded.

"Ok. How do we do that?" Davina asked, finally walking around Marcel to stand before Erik.

"Just stand still and try to stay relaxed." Erik said, smiling gently to the young girl. Davina nodded as she closed her eyes and let out a long breath, letting the tension in her shoulders fade with her exhale.

"Good." Erik said, lifting a hand to hold above Davina's head. He muttered something too soft for even Marcel to catch. Davina suddenly began to glow like the Northern lights surrounded her, mixtures of blues, greens, yellow, and red being the most prominent color. It was stunning like nothing Marcel had ever seen before.

Erik lowered his hand as he slowly walked around her, rubbing his chin with a frown when he came to stop by her right shoulder. He poked at a spot that Marcel saw manifest as a black spot that seemed to be alive.

"What the bloody hell?" Erik asked before looking towards the dark-haired woman that seemed to be related to the Mikaelson in some way Marcel wasn't certain about.

She walked over with the same grace and confidence that the Originals carried, moving to stand next to Erik with her own frown as she looked at the spot.

"This is Dark Magic and its potent, far too potent for young Ms. Claire to be the source. Let me see if I can..." The woman trailed off as she poked the spot herself before snatching her hand back as though she was burned by the magic.

"What is it, Aunt Dahlia?" Erik asked, his expression guarded but curious. Marcel felt his own confusion mount at both the idea of Dark Magic hurting his daughter, but also the relation this woman had to the Originals.

"Someone has placed a magic transference failsafe on her. Once the Harvest is complete, instead of the magic returning to the Ancestors, it would be passed over to someone else. They must have cast this on each of the Harvest girls to ensure that it wouldn't matter who the last sacrifice was, the Harvest magic would transfer to them." Dahlia explained, checking her fingers before refocusing on the Dark Magic.

"I am surprised that haven't tried to capture her already... unless they want the Harvest to be delay, allow the magic to continue to build up to reach its peak. Who told you about the Harvest?" Erik directed to Marcel who scowled as he crossed his arms.

"It was..." Marcel started before his eyes widened as the memory was just blank, a blank void that shouldn't be possible for a vampire who has perfect recall.

"You don't remember, do you? Seems our enemy is good at covering their tracks." Erik said, reluctantly impressed up by the caliber of his opponent.

"What does this all mean?" Davian asked.

"It means that we need to find this enemy and deal with them first before they can force you to complete the Harvest." Erik explained. While he wanted to discuss about the fact that he could tell that Davina was dying from the Harvest magic building up in her system, he doubts he had gained their trust enough to discuss that yet.

"Excellent. it has been a few months since we have had a good challenge." Klaus said with a cocky smirk.

"Until then, you are both free to stay here, though if you need to go inside, make sure that one of the witches adjust the warding for you. I would rather not clean up the blood smear left if you tried to walk in uninvited." Erik said, waving his hand as Davina stopped glowing.

"You're joking... right?" Davina asked, glancing at the house like it might strike her down if she looked at it wrong.

"Nope... well, at least not about this." Jeremy said with a cheery smile as he and Erik walked over to the wolf and the one woman that hadn't been introduced yet.

Davina and Marcel both thought, these people are insane.

Chapter Text

The sun came streaming through the window, bright and warm, promising a beautiful day. The sounds of the cicadas and other such creatures of nature creating the perfect spring soundtrack for the day.

Jeremy blinked away the sleep from his eyes and hissed at the sunlight as he burrowed his face back into the pillow.

'Why does it have to be such a beautiful day? Why couldn't it be storming and cloudy?' Jeremy whined in his head as he was seriously considering letting loose his control for a moment to affect the weather today.

He felt a rumbling to his left and heard the muffled chuckling from his boyfriend was laying down with him. He felt a warm hand rubbing down his back, gently caressing his back. He tilted his head enough to peak out over to his boyfriend.

Erik was propped up, using his left fist to prop up his head while his right drew patterns on his back. He had the same soft smile he always had when he and Jeremy shared a bed and got to see his boyfriend waking up. His sky-blue eyes shining in the sunlight as he watched Jeremy stare up at him with his one brown eye.

"Good morning, love. It's time to wake." Erik said so softly that Jeremy had to strain to hear it.

"Don't want to." Jeremy whined as he dropped his head more fully into the pillow once more.

"I know, but you have to." Erik said, his fingers longer tracing patterns but instead trailing up and down his spine. Jeremy felt a shiver run down his spine at the feeling.

'Maybe I can distract him with some alone time, and he'll forget all about what today is.' Jeremy thought as he arched his back into the hand.

"Nice try, love, but if we don't get up soon, Caroline and Kol will come barging into the room whether we are dressed or not. I would rather not traumatize my brother or your sister by them seeing us being intimate." Erik teased as he retracted his hand from Jeremy's lower back. Jeremy whined even though he knew that Erik had a point. The trickster Original having arrived two days ago to the horror of Marcel and the amusement of everyone else.

"Why did this week have to go by so fast?" Jeremy whined into the pillow. He knew he was being an immature brat right, but today was the day he and the other younger teens would all be returning to Mystic Falls. The Originals would unfortunately be staying in New Orleans for now to finish dealing with the situation in the city.

It was to the longest that Erik and Jeremy would be separated outside of the Christmas trip to Vale the MIkaelsons all did, but that was only a week. This separation would be for two months until Senior Prom that Caroline had managed to arrange for Jeremy to go to.

"We did have a rather busy week what with touring the city, meeting an estranged nephew, dealing with the witches, meeting the second largest werewolf pack in the world, and discovering that Nik is able to father children." Erik said, humming to himself as he reached over and carded his fingers through Jeremy's hair.

"Hmm. Only feels like yesterday we were arriving to the city where the only worry we had was Regent LaRue not allowing us to enter." Jeremy muttered as he rolled over to nozzle into Erik's chest.

"Ah. What simple worries those were." Erik said, pulling Jeremy more firmly against his chest. Jeremy chuckled as he kissed Erik's chest, running his hands down Erik's own spine.

"Love." Erik growled that sent shivers down Jeremy's spine. He smirked as he continued before suddenly, he was flat on his back with Erik hovering above him, his hands braced on either side of his head.

"Yes, Starlight?" Jeremy asked, with an innocent look while smirking as he racked his eyes over his stunning boyfriend's form. Erik narrowed his eyes playfully as he leaned down towards Jeremy's ear.

"I lived with Kol for twenty years. Innocent looks do not work on me, tease." Erik whispered into Jeremy's ear as he nipped at it gently. Jeremy bit his lip to hold back the moan. Erik smirked as he leaned towards Jeremy's lips.

"Whatever you two are doing in there, I don't care but hurry up! Breakfast is about to start!" Caroline's voice came from the closed door, the mood broken like a bucket of ice water.

"God damn it." Jeremy muttered as he felt the tension break and not in the way he wanted it.

Erik chuckled as he leaned down, nipping at his neck before smoothly rising up from the bed. Jeremy moved up, propping his back against the headboard as he watched Erik move to the dresser and grabbed a pair of boxers.

"She does have a point. We should get ready." Erik said, looking over his shoulder even as he bent down and slowly pulled up the boxers to his waist. Jeremy was enjoying the show too much to respond for a moment before he sighed. He hated that his boyfriend had to the responsible one sometimes.

Jeremy pulled off the covers and stood up as walked up to Erik, pulling him in by his hips as he languidly made out with his boyfriend for a few more moments before he pulled back. Erik's eyes had darkened in vampiric red as he stared hungrily at his boyfriend as he tried to get back to making out. Jeremy allowed it for another minute or so before banging on the door interrupted them again.

"I am serious, Jeremy! Erik! If you are not downstairs in five minutes, I am having someone blow the door down and dragging you down, clothed or not!" Caroline yelled in an annoyingly chipper voice. The sound of the others laughter came through the door as well. Erik pulled back, rolling his eyes as he waved a hand towards the door, negating the silencing spell for a second.

"Understood! We'll be down shortly. Don't get your knickers in a twist." Erik said back before readjusting the silencing spell to be two ways instead of one way.

"I love them so much but god, do I want to strangle them sometimes." Jeremy muttered as he kissed Erik once more before he stepped around him and grabbed his own pair of boxers and slid them on.

"Welcome to the life of having immortal siblings." Erik snorted as he grabbed his clothes for the day. He pulled on a pair of long socks then his favorite pair of dark wash ripped jeans.

He grabbed a light green sleeveless shirt that showed off his tattoo on his right upper arm. The tattoo was all of his siblings' names connected by vines with yellow roses around them. Erik had explained that he had gotten it a few centuries ago, using magic to counter his healing factor to allow it enough time to sink into his skin before using magic to finish preserving it. Jeremy was considering getting a few of his own eventually.

Erik then sat at the edge of the bed to pull on his black motorcycle boots that he preferred over regular shoes. Jeremy watched his boyfriend even as he dressed in his own similar attire though his shirt was short-sleeved and in a few shades darker than Erik's eyes.

"Ready?" Erik said, watching his stunning partner finish getting dressed.

"No, but not like I have much choice." Jeremy said with a casual shrug if it wasn't for the melancholy in his eyes.

"Love." Erik held out a hand for Jeremy. Jeremy took it as Erik pulled him in closer, slotting him between his legs as Jeremy rested his hands on Erik's shoulders while Erik's rest on his waist.

"I know this will be difficult, being away from each other for so long for the first time. It might do us some good to be apart for bit. We have been told that we have started to become a bit codependent at times. I am not saying I will enjoy this, but at least we can still talk to each with the bond. It's only until Prom and then I and the others will be back for graduation. I think Caroline would rip off Nik's balls if he skipped it without a life-threatening emergency." Erik teased as he looked up in his partner's eyes.

"Haha. Yeah, she would and he would still look at her like she was his whole world, just I do when I look at you." Jeremy said softly, smiling down at his world.

"It's not goodbye, merely a later to come. Come on, love. Our family is waiting for us." Erik said, his eyes bright and hopeful. Jeremy nodded as he leaned down enough to kiss his boyfriend before stepping away, pulling up Erik as he went.

Erik smiled as he locked his hands with Jeremy as they opened their door to see Kol with a hand raised eyes glowing the dark gold of his magic. Caroline was standing next to him, foot tapping even though she looked at them with a soft smile.

"About damn time." Caroline huffed as she moved forward and pulled Jeremy from Erik and marched him down the hall. Erik rolled his eyes fondly at the siblings in all but blood as he walked with his younger brother at his side.

"Surprised we managed to get you two away from each other... Is Jeremy well?" Kol asked, having grown fond of his latest brother-in-law of sorts.

"He will be. It is just difficult to be separated after so long spending all day with one another. I suppose it helps that we will be seeing each other in person again in a few weeks." Erik commented, glad that his brother is so protective over his partner.

Kol hummed as he locked his fingers behind his head as they walked down the stairs and headed into the dining room.

The rest of the family and their friends all spread out, some eating while others were chatting with one another. Jeremy had been pulled into a talk with Hayley, Niklaus, Elijah, and Caroline who were still working out their co-parenting arrangement between the two would-be parents. Hayley wanted to be able to take the baby to spend time with the Crescents to learn about their werewolf heritage. Klaus was willing to compromise so long as Hayley had at least two bodyguards with her at all times that Klaus picked out. Hayley was arguing that she was a grown woman and didn't need babysitters.

Dahlia was out in the kitchen with Freya, Finn, and Sage who were talking about the travels they managed to get in before returning to New Orleans last night. Dahlia might also be trying to convince the two married vampires to renew their vows so she could be present also. The rest of family were hoping to be there as well as Finn and Sage had eloped before Finn was daggered for nine hundred years.

Bonnie and Kaleb were off in their own little world, talking softly to one another. The two had finally admitted they had feelings, Bonnie finally just grabbing him and kissing him senseless. Erik tried to not be too smug as he collected his winnings from everyone.

Erik was silently enjoying the sounds of the full house, drinking at his mug of A positive as Kol got dragged away to plan some prank or another headache inducing scheme with Matt. Erik barely suppressed the shiver that ran down his spine at the sight of his little brother and his best friend. The less he knew, the better.

A sudden knock at the door brought all conversations to a halt.

Erik frowned as he walked towards the door, Klaus on his heel as his eyes glowed golden. The others began to move Hayley and Matt behind the witches who were behind the vampires. While the warding should prevent anyone uninvited from setting foot on the property, they were not taking any risks with Hayley and the baby's lives.

Erik opened the door and blinked in surprised. Marcel was standing there with a sour expression on his face. His arm wrapped around Davina's shoulder who was smiling brightly up at them.

"Marcel. Davina. What can I help you with?" Erik asked as his brother came up to him, his expression blank as he stared at his adopted son.

"I remember Jeremy mentioning that he and the others were all heading back home today and I wanted to come by and say goodbye." Davina said as she made to step forward before Marcel pulled her back. She scowled up at him, part annoyed and part confused.

"Warding, D, remember?" Marcel said, frowning at his daughter. Could she not sense the power that was radiating from the house? Even he could feel it and he was a vampire. Davina blinked before she looked back sheepishly.

"Sorry, forgot about that." Davina said. Erik glanced up to Marcel, worry in his eyes before he managed to hide it. Davina might have less time than they originally estimated if she can't sense the warding on the house.

"One moment." Erik said before turning to look to Klaus who was still looking at Marcel with a mixture of reservation and hope in his eyes. Erik raised an eyebrow and tilted his head in question to Klaus. Klaus looked over at Erik before looking at Marcel for a long moment before he nodded his head so slightly, Erik would have missed it if he knew his brother any less.

"Let me call for Jeremy to help with adjusting your invitation." Erik said towards the two on the porch before he tugged on the bond with Jeremy.

Jeremy came walking over barely a second later, smiling at Davina.

"Hi Davina. How are you doing?" Jeremy asked as he moved to Erik's other side.

"I am good. I came by to say goodbye before you left." Davina said, blushing a little. She might finally be over her crush for the handsome teen, but he was still hot as hell to her.

"Gotcha. Nik." Jeremy said, wanting confirmation from Nik himself before they started adjusting the warding. Niklaus nodded his head, a bit more obvious for Jeremy's benefit.

"Cool. Give us just a second." Jeremy said as his eyes glowed blue and he plucked a blue thread from thin air. Erik did the same with a red thread, each silently working for a few second as they delicately reworked the warding.

"And done. You guys are all good to come in now." Jeremy said as he flicked away the bundle of threads he and Erik had been messing with.

"Thanks." Davina said though she was aware enough to let Marcel make the first move. He stepped over the threshold and waited for anything to happen before he nodded back to her. She stepped over and sighed at the protective warm of the warding around her, feeling the tension she hadn't realize she carried until it was finally gone.

"Come on. We were just in the middle of breakfast. Everyone else is already here." Jeremy said, waving them to follow him.

"Everyone?" Marcel questioned, dreading that Kol was around here.

"Everyone. The rest of the family arrived last night. They got stuck in Prague for a bit longer than they intended." Jeremy explained as he rounded the corner and rolled his eyes fondly at the defensive formation everyone was in.

Davina walked around him and blinked at the sight of solid line of the oldest vampires in front, super-power witches second, and two people, Matt if she remembered correctly and some older brunette that she never got the name of, in the back.

"Guys. Stand down. Klaus gave us the ok to let them in. Davina just wanted to be here to send us off." Jeremy said, rolling his eyes again at his overprotective family and friends.

"Seriously?" Hayley said as she managed to look around everyone to stare at Klaus who shrugged.

"Not like we couldn't handle them if they tried anything." Klaus said as he stepped passed all of them to return to his own mug of blood.

"Fair." Freya said with a shrug. That finally statement was enough for everyone to relax enough to get back to their original actions.

"Do I want to know?" Marcel asked, surprised by how protective the Mikaelsons were being towards one.... Marcel narrowed his eyes at the woman that he spotted being protected by the werewolf last time he was here before his jaw dropped.

"You're the Labonair baby, right?" Marcel asked, causing everyone to stop once more and stare at him.

"How did you know that?" Klaus asked tightly, his grip tightening on his mug.

"I had come to the Labonaires to get them to stop the fighting within the Crescents. Innocent people had started getting involved with it and I was asked to intervene before it got any worse. They were already dead by the time I got there. They died protecting you. I took you away and gave you to a family outside of town that I knew. Since the Alphas were dead, I went to the witches to get them to stop the fighting. Brynne Devereux came up with the spell to reverse the Werewolf Bloodline Curse." Marcel explained.

Erik, Elijah, and Niklaus all shared a look before deciding to handle that information for later. It might help them narrow down the suspects on who influenced the French Quarter Coven to change the Harvest.

"You? You rescued me? I am werewolf. Why would you rescue me?" Hayley asked, surprised by that as most vampires hated werewolves.

"I don't hurt kids. That's one of my main rules for my people." Marcel stated firmly. The Originals all nodded at that, having the same unspoken rule throughout the centuries along with no sexual assault or rape or using compulsion to force someone into bed.

"Huh." Hayley muttered as she turned back to her plate of plain toast. Morning sickness had been kicking up lately as she was hitting the end of her first trimester.

Davina looked around before she moved to the breakfast bar, grabbing an apple and a cup of coffee.

"You know that will stunt your growth, darling." Kol said as he reached around her and grabbed his own cup of coffee.

"That's a myth." Davina retorted as she sipped her own cup, not noticing the horrified expression on Marcel's face.

"So are vampires and witches, and werewolves." Kol retorted with a smirk.

"Oh no, whatever will I do being 5 feet 3 inches my whole life?" Davina shot back. Kol blinked before he started laughing loudly at the nerves of this tiny little thing backtalking him of all people.

"You don't know who I am, do you?" Kol finally managed to say past his laughter.

"Should I?" Davina asked, taking a bit out of her apple.

"Kol Mikaelson, darling." Kol said, his smirking widening just a little.

"You knew my Meme. She talked about you. She called you a willy fox to avoid at all costs." Davina said matter of fact.

"Your meme? Do you mean Mary-Alice?" Kol asked, surprised that she was still around.

"Yeah. She taught me a lot before she died in Katrina." Davina said, her voice lowering as she thought of her meme.

"I am sorry. She was a riot back in the day." Kol said, his voice gentle that startled Marcel before he could intervene.

"Really? Meme, riot?" Davina asked incredulously. Kol smirked as he began to tell the little Claire witch about how much fun he used to have with her grandmother.

"Well, that is interesting." Erik muttered as he watched over the rim of his mug at seeing Kol and Davina chatting.

"I feel pity for poor Marcel's blood pressure if those two continue to talk to one another." Elijah commented as he walked over to his younger brother.

"Couldn't happen to a nicer guy." Erik snorted into his blood. He glanced down at his watch and winced at the time.

"It's almost time." He said loud enough for everyone to hear. The happy mood collapsed as everyone began to wrap up their meal. Freya snapped her fingers, handling the dishes for everyone.

Everyone headed outside where the SUV that Caroline was driving back to Virginia since Erik was staying in New Orleans. Bags had already been packed last night so they had one less thing to worry about in the morning.

Hugs and friendly kisses on the cheeks were passed around freely between everyone.

Jeremy and Erik stepped away from the others, throwing up a silencing ward and closing off their bonds with the others till it was just them.

"I'll miss you." Jeremy whispered, projecting the mix-mash of emotions he was feeling towards Erik who responded in kind.

"I'll be missing you as well. Every second of every day." Erik whispered back as he pressed a gentle kiss to Jeremy's lips.

"Only like two months before Prom and then graduation." Jeremy reminded them both.

"I'll be there. Nothing in this realm could stop me from being there." Erik said.

"Merry meet, merry part, merry meet again." Jeremy said, their Coven liking the older style parting then just goodbye.

"Come on. We need to get back." Erik said, pulling in Jeremy close as the two returned to their family and friends.

The Mystic Falls group all gathered up and loaded up in the SUV, Klaus giving Caroline a kiss on the cheek as he closed the driver door for her.

Everyone watched as the car drove down the driveway and turned onto the road proper silent.

Erik felt a hand on his left shoulder as his right hand was taken by another. He looked over and saw his big brother Finn holding his shoulder while Freya took his right hand in her own.

"Come on. Let's end this mess for good." Erik vowed as everyone nodded. It was time to make this city safe once more for everyone.

Chapter Text

It had been a week since the Mystic Falls group had returned home and Erik had been miserable.

Actually, now that he thought about it, the entire Original family had been miserable. Everyone had been snappier than usual with bouts of melancholy sprinkled in. Erik hadn't realized how much the Originals had changed due to their friendships with the teens. Klaus growled at everyone that came within a foot of him. Elijah put on a good face, though the rest of the family could tell that he missed having the teens around. Hayley had grown quieter, spending much of her time with Jackson that visited more often clearly picking up the tension at the Plantation. Rebekah was harsher with her words now that she didn't have her best friend Caroline to verbally spar with. Even Finn and Sage had been affected despite being around the teens the least.

They had luckily managed to stow their issues long enough to work out a spell for the Crescent Moon wolves in time for the Full Moon.

Erik was methodically writing the runes in the ring of salt he and the other magically inclined Originals had been preparing for the last hour. The rest of the family had been with Hayley, setting up a feast for the hopefully soon freed wolves to enjoy.

Erik looked up when he heard several people walking up to them. He saw three males, all in various states of partial dress. The leader was tall with brown hair that hung past his ears with dark brown eyes that scanned over the clearing the Coven had selected to perform the ritual. He was in a pair of faded jeans with an open flannel shirt that showed of his tone body. He looked around, spotting Erik with a look of recognition as he walked over with the two other males shortly behind him.

"Hello Erik. I am Jackson. Nice to finally speak to you." Jackson said, nodding with a crocked smile.

"Hello Jackson. Nice to finally speak to you as well. These must be your Betas." Erik said, standing from where had finished the runes he needed for the ritual.

"They are. This is Aiden and Oliver. Hayley explained that you would be needing their help with the ritual." Jackson said, confused on why they were needed though. He mostly hung around Hayley, so he missed most of the spell research while still a wolf.

"The purpose of the spell is to break the curse on you as the Alpha. Because of your connection to your Betas, the effects will move to them and then cascade down until it breaks on everyone. We have some time before we begin so I'll break down the ritual for all of you." Erik said, figuring they might be a bit leery about large scale magic.

"Yes, please." Jackson said with a sigh. While he knew that the Mikaelsons were more than they seemed, he was understandable cautious about magic that will affect his pack.

"Of course. The ritual will begin with Kol, my younger brother, calling forth the element of Air. I follow as Fire and then Dahlia, our aunt, will be representing Water and finally, Freya, our eldest sister, will be representing Earth. We'll call our elements up and then begin to cast the counter-curse.

Jackson. During the ritual, you'll standing in the center in front of the mirror." Erik spoke, pointing at the large ornate standing mirror.

Jackson nodded as he glanced around the salt circle and noted the eight symbols drawn with...

"Why is there chili powder and is that cedar?" Aiden asked, pointing to the two runes.

"We're using the Elder Futhark runes, drawn with specific herbs to enhance the power of the elements and focus our intentions of breaking the Mirror Transformation Curse. It helps in directing the magic to accomplish what we intend to occur." Erik explained, using the same tone he used when teaching the younger members of the Coven.

"Kol will standing at the eastern point, marked by Kenaz, the rune that looks like an arrow. It is drawn with eucalyptus as it is drawn towards Air magic and used in cleansing spells. I will be at the southern point, marked with Naudhiz, the rune that is a straight line with a slash through it. It is drawn with blessed thistle which connects to the element of Fire and used also in cleansing magic.

"Dahlia will be at the western point, marked with Laguz which looks like an upside-down L. It is drawn with hyssop which is strongly connected to water magic and used for purification. Freya is at the northern point that is marked with Algiz which look like a y with an extra line. It is done with cedar which is connected to Earth magic and protection and stability." Erik spoke as he pointed to each rune in turn.

"Aiden." Erik said, looking at the young brunet.

"You'll be standing between Kol and Freya. The rune at your place is Sowilo, the lightning bolt. It is drawn with black pepper known for protection and curse breaking." Erik pointed at the north-east point. Aiden nodded as he bounced where he stood.

"Oliver will be between Dahlia and myself to the south-west. The rune at your point is Berkano, the b shaped rune. It is drawn with chili powder which is used for fire and protection." Oliver scowled even as he nodded his head.

"My brothers will also be joining us. Klaus, who is a hybrid and can control when he transforms, will be between Kol and myself. He'll be at the rune Eihaz which looks the s drawn with straight lines. It's made with galangal, which is used in curse breaking and draws on masculine power. Elijah will be between Dahlia and Freya represented by Isa, the straight line. Its made with vetivert which is a stabilizer and used for protection against feedback." Erik explained as he pointed to his two other brothers that were being readied for their part by the others.

"Do the runes mean something specific?" Aiden asked, head tilted as he tried to remember all of this information.

"They do. Kenaz means transformation, Eihaz means transition, Naudhiz means confrontation, Berkano means rebirth, Laguz literally means water but also self. Isa means resistance, Algiz means protections, and Sowilo means success. There will be three more runes that we'll be drawing on you which is what the others are finishing now." Erik said, pointing to each rune once more. He pulled out three bottles of oil from his jacket pocket.

"We'll be drawing Mannaz which means humanity or balance with peppermint oil due to its ties to healing and protection on the back of your hands. We will then draw Othala on each of your foreheads with lemongrass as it enhances mental clarity and connection during spell casting." Erik explained as he held out each bottle that he marked with the rune it would be used for.

"Jackson. You will also be getting the rune, Thurisaz which means disruption in juniper oil over your heart. It is used in exorcisms or banishing evil spirits." Erik explained.

"I think I got. Is there something specific we need to do during the ritual?" Jackson asked, head spinning from all of the magical knowledge provided during this talk.

"Aiden and Oliver will just need to stand at their spot. You will be standing in front of the mirror. Once we begin the spell, the reflection will begin to warp until it shows an image of a wolf. Once that happens, hit the mirror with everything you have. The mirror is being used a representation of the curse, so make sure you don't hold back or the curse won't break." Erik warned the man before checking his watch.

"Alright, we need to finish getting set up. Jackson, Kol will help you get ready but go ahead and toss your shirt and pants wherever. You'll need to be naked for the moonlight to hit your whole body." Erik said, laughing at the bright red blush covering Jackson's face.

"You didn't mention that I would be naked in front of people I barely know." Jackson hissed, his blush reaching down to his chest.

"Sorry but it's the only way to ensure the moonlight hits you fully. Nobody will be bother by it. Dahlia is asexual and Freya prefers women. I have a boyfriend and the others are all interested in someone else already. Stop whining and get over there. Kol needs to finish drawing the runes on you." Erik said, pushing the still blushing Alpha towards the smirking Original.

"You two don't have to be naked, so no worries. Oliver, I'll be marking the runes on you. Aiden, Freya will be taking care of you. Now, move it. We only have a few more minutes before the moon passes its height and we'll need to wait for next month." Erik said, directing Aiden towards Freya.

"Does it have to be you?" Oliver growled. Erik rolled his eyes and got the peppermint oil ready.

"Yes, as I don't trust you near my aunt. Not because you can hurt her, but if you give her attitude, she might flay your skin off your still alive body." Erik said, grabbing his wrist and drawing the M rune on one hand before moving to the other one. He corked the bottle, returning it to his pocket before drawing the final rune on Oliver's forehead, brushing his blonde hair out of the way.

"This doesn't change anything. You're still a vampire." Oliver spat even if he held still for the rune.

"I've been alive for a thousand years. You scare me about as much as a newborn puppy. Get to your place." Erik said, a bit snappier than he was usually. He really missed his boyfriend.

Erik looked around and saw that everyone was finishing and heading to their places. Jackson was carefully stepping over the salt line, his hands covering his manhood as he shyly stood in front of the mirror.

"Hands to the side, please." Kol called out, smirking the whole time. Jackson growled as he moved his hands to the side, at least the way he was facing the mirror meant that Dahlia couldn't see him.

"Let's go." Erik said, cracking his neck to the side.

"Air, I summon you." Kol said, all of his teasing gone as his eyes glowed the dark gold of his magic. The wolves gasped as the threads of Air filled the space.

"Fire, I summon you." Erik spoke, his eyes glowing the dark red of his own magic. Threads of Fire joined their brethren.

"Water, I summon you." Dahlia spoke next, her eyes gaining an icy light blue. Erik realized this was the first time he had seen her using the Weaver aspect of their magic in person.

"Earth, I summon you." Freya said, her eyes shining in dark forest green. The wolves were all stunned silent at the sight of the threads dancing in the space around Jackson who was too consumed with his shock to be self-conscious anymore.

The witches all raised their hands towards the full moon, closing their eyes as they felt the power of their whole Coven brimming through them.

"Elementa ad hunc circulum vocamus. Magia adhibita est ad Naturam in hos lupos torquendam. Libera eos ab hac foeda magia ut iterum liberi sint. Sinite eos sub lunae lumine iterum venari. Maledictum hoc frangimus et mittimus ad mittentem, moniti sint. Revertetur et tu flecteris." The witches spoke as one, opening their eyes as they thrust their hands towards Jackson. The runes drawn on him began to glow with pure elemental magics.

The reflection of the mirror ripped as if someone threw a stone into a pond. The witches continued to repeat the spell until the image stopped shifting to reveal Jackson's wolf form.

"Now!" Erik yelled. Jackson snarled as he pulled back his fist and slammed it forward, directing every ounce of fury and pain this curse had caused his pack and the overwhelming power he felt coursing through his body. His fist hit dead center of the mirror which instead of sending it flying like you would expect, the mirror vaporized into glowing dust.

Jackson was breathing heavy, fist still extended as he looked up at the moon. He grinned as he pulled back his head and howled like a wolf. Aiden and Oliver joined him; the vampires could hear that the rest of the pack also joined in the howl.

Jackson stood up straight as he turned to Erik, a wide smile on his face.

"We should have already started turning. You did it. We're finally free." Jackson said, smiling brightly as he started laughing so hard he had tears running down his face.

"Excellent. Now, can you please put on some pants?" Dahlia said dryly as she wiped away the sweat from her brow. The backlash from the ritual was barely noticeable as they were all better about being conservative with their magic than the teens.

Jackson blinked at her before he looked down and remembered that he was standing naked in front of the oldest family of supernatural beings in the world. His blush returned threefold as he scrambled over to where he had laid down his clothes and pulled up his jeans hastily.

"Sorry. Werewolves are a bit less caring about being naked around each other." Jackson said, pulling on his shirt but leaving it open.

"Well. We should give everyone the good news and enjoy the spread that Hayley and the others have set out for you and your pack." Erik said, snapping his fingers to vanish the remains of the ritual.

"Sure. I am starving. Come on, everyone will want to thank you all for everything." Jackson said, smirking at the wrinkled expression on Erik's face. He had seen first-hand that despite what he might seem, he was not an overly social person outside of his group of trusted people.

"Lovely." Erik said dryly, ignoring the ribbing from his family and two of the wolves. Oliver looked at them with a sour expression before he scampered off to the party.

'All in all, today was a good day.' Erik thought to himself as he followed to where he could already hear a wild celebration happening.

Chapter Text

Celeste was not having a good day. She had woken up, sore and achy like she was coming down with the flu. It could be a symptom of her body jumping, but she had rarely felt this horrible this early in body jumping.

If she didn't need this body for a bit longer, she would use magic to relieve the aches she felt. Marcel and Davina were still a threat to her and this body still had its uses for her. Aleve would have to do.

She had barely had a chance to swallow the pills before Sophie can barging into her shop, panting heavily as she tried to catch her breath. Celeste allowed her frown to form before smoothing her appearance into Sabine once more. What did this second-rate witch want with her this early in the day?

"Sophie. Are you ok?" Celeste asked, taking on the attitude of concerned friend as easily as she took a breath.

"Regent Josephine... sent out a notice... The Weaver Coven... broke the Crescent Moon Curse... Werewolves might return to New Orleans." Sophie gasped out as she recovered her breath. Celeste blinked at her, trying to process what she had just said. That is impossible, she had crafted the curse to not be easily broken by...

"Wait, who are the Weaver Coven?" Celeste asked, not having heard of this coven before.

"You haven't heard of them? They're the coven ran by one of the Old Ones. I've never felt power like they can wield." Sophie said, having finally regained her breath.

"That's impossible. All Old Ones are vampires. Someone must be tricking you." Celeste said, scoffing at the idea of the Originals having magic.

"It's true. I've met him. His name is Erik Mikaelson. He called himself the Original Heretic. He has a coven with a Bennett and I think one was Druid." Sophie argued.

"There is no Original with the name of Erik." Celeste said sharply. She had seen all five of the Originals all those years ago, she was certain there was no Original by that name.

"Elijah called him brother. He used magic to break the linking spell Jane-Ann made with that werewolf girl. He distengrated the body of two vampires by just snapping his fingers." Sophie said, wondering how Sabine who is usually the first to know about things didn't know about Erik and his coven.

"What?" Celeste whispered, bracing herself on a counter. If the Originals had access to magic, it would throw her plans into disarray.

"Yeah. He's powerful. He might be strong enough to deal with Marcel himself. We could get the girls back." Sophie said slowly, her eyes tracing over Sabine's face. Being friends with Cami meant she had picked up a few psych tricks, like micro-expressions. Something was pinging some warning in her mind about Sabine's attitude.

"That is good, though he may not be willing to help us. He's an Old One and they only care about themselves." Celeste said bitterly, still remembering how Klaus caused her first death and then Rebekah arranging her death with influenza with Genevieve. Elijah was just as guilty as the others for staying with them despite Klaus's actions.

"I don't think so. Erik is respectful of witches and those that serve Nature. Josphine has a lot of respect for him, and he shows it equally to her. He doesn't want the French Quarter Coven to die any more than we do. He doesn't however have a high opinion of the Elders for hurting children." Sophie said, noting the flashing of annoyance in Sabine's eyes.

Celeste felt her eye twitch at the statement that this regent was so weak to fall for the Original family charm. She'll need to deal with her after she finishes the Harvest. This is going to force her to change her plans.

"What else do you know about this Erik?" Celeste asked, hoping to gather what information she can.

"He's Klaus's younger brother but older than Rebekah, I think. He's respectful and courteous to witches. He was usually around a group of teenagers, but they haven't been around much lately. I think they were only in town for Spring Break. He's powerful and skilled. Like I said, he didn't need to use words or normal hand motions to cast spells." Sophie said, watching even closer as she spotted the eye twitch that Sabine tried to suppress. She might need to speak to Marcel or someone soon about Sabine.

"That is troubling. He would be a dangerous enemy if he decided to take our Harvest girls away from the coven due to the actions of the few." Celeste muttered as she thought of the piece she would need to move.

"Our Harvest girls? The innocent girls that were murdered by power hungry assholes? My niece?" Sophie snapped out. That statement alone made her decision to speak to someone about Sabine. She talked about those girls like they were a prized mare to be used for power.

"Sorry. That came out wrong. I meant those girls are the next generation for our coven. We should not allow outsiders to have the chance to hurt them." Celeste smoothly said, though she had taken note that Sophie was not placated. She might need to remove her from the board early.

"Hmm. We should ensure that the Harvest is finished so we can help protect them from something like again." Sophie said, a trickle of fear falling down her spine. She overplayed her hand and now, Sabine was on her. She would need to leave.

"Yes, of course. If you'll excuse me, I do need to get the shop ready for the day." Celeste said sweetly. Looks the time to removed Sophie has come.

"Yeah, sure. I have to go help Cami with bar prep anyways." Sophie said, turning to the door.

"Do be safe out there. I would hate for if something happened to you." Celeste said, her smile sharp and dangerous.

Sophie weakly smiled as she fled the shop so fast, there might be a dust trail behind her. Celeste allowed her friendly persona to drop fully as she locked down the shop. She will need to be quick before Sophie can reveal her intentions to others.

She walked into the back room and pulled one of the books from the bookcase. A click sounded as the bookcase swung out, revealing a hidden room filled with Celeste's Dark magic supplies and cursed items. She had been carefully orchestrating that her replacement bodies would inherit this shop and its hidden mysteries for the last fifty years.

She walked over to the center table and grabbed the black tablecloth covering the table. She whipped it away to reveal a crystal ball in the center, filled with black swirling smoke. She moved to a filing cabinet and began to flip through various sealed packages until she held up one. It was a plastic bag with a bloody tissue in it labeled with Sophie Deveraux. It was a tissue she had used to clean up a nosebleed that Sophie had that Celeste 'luckily' had been present with tissue for her.

She tore open the bag and plucked out the tissue, throwing the bag away carelessly. She returned to the table and placed the tissue on the crystal ball. This would have been far easier if she could use all of her magic, but alas, desperate times call for desperate measures.

The black smoke inside the crystal swirled faster as an image of Sophie running towards something appeared. Celeste frowned, a flaw of the crystal was that she could not see where her targets were. Sophie must be going to get help, too bad she's just a little too late.

Celeste placed a hand on top of the bloody tissue and closed her eyes. The crystal was a powerful Dark object that she had 'acquired' when the Originals were still ruling the city. It would allow her to target her victim from afar if she had something to forge a link with them, all without using her own magic. She simply had to focus her intention and allow the magic of the crystal to find her target. The further away, the longer it took to lock onto.

She felt a click deep in her mind as the curse latched onto her target and she smirked as she now only had to wait.

Sophie was running as fast as she could towards the Abattoir where Marcel should hopefully be. Sabine had some kind of plan for the Harvest Girls, her niece, and she would protect her, no matter the cost.

"Marcel! I need to talk to you, please!" Sophie yelled as she came barreling into the courtyard.

"Woah, Sophie. Where's the fire? You didn't burn down my bar?" Marcel said, confused by how freaked out Sophie sounded. He walked down the stairs with Erik waiting at the top. He had been there to discuss about a possible truce between the four factions that made up New Orleans.

"Please. Just listen. I..." Sophie said before she started coughing blood, spattering out across the stone floor. Erik and Marcel both vamped over to her as more blood came pouring out of her eyes, nose, and mouth.

"What the bloody hell?" Erik said as he tried to find whatever was the cause of this attack. He couldn't sense any foreign magic on or around her. It was almost like...

"Someone is forcing her own magic to turn against her." Erik realized as he helped lay Sophie down with Marcel hoovering by his shoulder.

"Can't you stop this?" Marcel asked, watching as Sophie began to convulse on the floor.

"There is nothing for me to siphon. It's some form of representational curse. In order to counter it, I would need the object that cursed her." Erik said even as he tried to use what magic he could to counter the curse. It adapted to each attempt the moment he tried it. This curse was only meant for one thing; kill its target in the cruelest way possible.

"If it's forcing her magic against her, can't you just siphon away her magic?" Marcel asked.

"No. It's not possible to siphon away someone's magic completely. Magic is a part of a witch's soul just as much as their body." Erik said as he switched his spell work to comfort care than stopping the curse. He couldn't counter it fast enough to save her life, but he could make her passing easier. She looked up at him, trying to speak something, before she convulsed once more and then grew still. The light drained from her eyes as Erik reached out and shut her eyes for the final time.

"May you find peace among your ancestors. May you be welcome with your kin in the next life." Erik whispered as he bowed his head. He may not have liked the woman, but she fought to protect to her family and he could respect that.

"Fuck!" Marcel yelled as he kicked out and broke a chair. Erik glanced over to him before he gathered Sophie's body into his arms.

"What are you going to do?" Marcel asked.

"I am going to return her to her Coven. She deserved to be buried with her ancestors and family. Head to the Plantation house with Davina. We need a family meeting, now." Erik demanded as he vamped away.

"Someone, get this cleaned up. Diego, you're in charge until I get back." Marcel barked as he stormed out. Someone wanted Sophie to die in agony, she may have found out something she wasn't supposed to. Marcel would need to keep a closer eye on his people.

First, he would need to talk to Cami and let her know that Sophie died. He hated letting people know about friends and loved ones dying.

Chapter Text

Erik arrived at One Layfette Cemetery, casting a minor aversion ward to avoid any awkward conversations. He sent a small pulse of magic through the warding around the cemetery. He could sense that Agnes was there, speaking with her coven.

He waited patiently as Agnes came around a corner with a small group of people following her. They all gasp at the sight of the Leader of the Weaver Coven standing at the edge of their Ancestorial grounds with the body of a witch in his arms.

"Leader Mikaelson. Explain." Agnes snapped out. While she might not like Sophie Devereaux, each death of a member of the coven was a bitter pill to swallow that tasted like failure. As the Elder, every member of her coven was like her child, and each death hit her hard.

"Sophie came to Marcel in a panic, begging for him to listen to her. Before she could utter a word, some dark curse turned her own magic against her. Due to how the curse was cast, I could not counter the curse quickly enough. I came to return her to her kin." Erik said, gently placing Sophie's body on the ground.

Two men went forward and picked her up, walking her body away from sight.

"I thank you for the return of this daughter of our coven." Agnes said softly as she bowed for the first time to Erik. Erik shook his head as he bowed back.

"I regret that I could not save her life. I will find the one that did this and bring justice to them." Erik vowed, the strength of his conviction felt those around.

"Thank you. If you do find the culprit, you will have gain the respect of the French Quarter Coven." Agnes said as she and the others walked away.

Erik vamped away, returned to his car and drove back to the Plantation. He saw that the whole family alongside Marcel and Davina were all gathered in the front parlor.

"What is it brother?" Rebekah questioned why a family meeting had been called.

"Sophie Devereux was murdered. Someone used dark magic to kill her by turning her own magic against her." Erik said to the horror of everyone that could use magic. To have their own magic turned against itself was a fate worse than death to many witches. Even the Mystic Falls group were horrified by the news over the bond.

"God, who would do that?" Davina asked, pale and shaking at the idea.

"Judging by your reaction, you didn't sense anything. It must have been a cursed object." Erik said, glancing at Kol who was frowning at the ground.

"It might be the crystal ball. It was stolen before I was daggered last time. It forges a link with a target and inflicts them with a variety of curses. It can vary depending on how powerful the emotions the user used." Kol admitted. Erik scowled at his younger brother, not liking the idea of such a tool.

"Who would have used that?" Freya asked, trying to recall that time and who could have taken the crystal ball. This was a gordian knot of one mystery after another and she felt that her brother felt the same.

"Alright. Let's work this out from the beginning." Erik said, rubbing his eyes.

"Back in the mid-19th century, the Originals gained control of New Orleans and found Marcel. Marcel became Klaus's adopted son. Then in the 1900's, Father was summoned to New Orleans and our family fled." Erik listed off.

"Why did you flee, sister? Surely father would not have harmed you." Elijah asked Freya, having remembered her being Kol's plus one to the New Years Eve party.

"Father would not have harmed me but there was a chance his mind could splitter from the memory block breaking improperly." Freya admitted. Elijah frowned but nodded.

"Marcel became the leader of vampire faction due to our absence. About twenty years ago, the Crescent Moon pack underwent some kind of internal conflict to the point that Marcel went to Labonair to stop the fighting. He found Hayley alive and handed her over to some family away from the fight. He then went to Brynne Devereaux who cast the Mirror Transformation Curse." Erik continued as he tried to work out what was happening with New Orleans.

"Marcel continued to consolidate power. The witches grew worried about Marcel's power. They changed the Harvest into a sacrificial ritual instead of the mediative sleep it should be." Erik said. Davina paled and shrank in on herself. Marcel reached over to her, squeezing her shoulder gently. The others all glanced at her, sympathy in their eyes.

"Marcel became aware of the Harvest by someone that wiped his memory." Erik said, glancing at Davina with concern.

"Marcel rescued Davina who absorbed the power of each other Harvest Girl. She gained the ability to sense when magic is used by any member of the French Quarter Coven. The Coven then somehow found out that Hayley was pregnant and captured her. The witches then summoned Klaus to kill Marcel so they can capture Davina and complete the Harvest." Erik said, pacing across the floor.

"We arrived to find New Orleans fractured with each faction at each other. The witches losing their powers, the werewolves cursed, and the vampires coming out on top." Klaus added on, frowning as he ran over the facts.

"They wanted us to return to the city or at least Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah. Hayley was captured by the witches, who happened to be pregnant with a child of the Originals. Anyone that knew anything about our family knows that we all would come to protect her. We would also become distracted by the reveal of Marcel's survival." Dahlia said, a sense of realization pulsing through the Coven bond.

"The picture!" Davina said, shooting up in her seat.

"Picture?" Marcel asked.

"Erik helped me figure out these random drawings I've been making." Davina explained. Erik blinked and facepalmed as he had been so busy with one thing or another, he had forgotten to inform his siblings.

"Davina's magic from the Harvest has been manifesting in a Seidhr technique. She would draw images of those that cast magic in the coven. However, she has been receiving partial images of someone that is skilled in hiding their presence." Erik explained as he pulled out his phone and pulled up the picture he took in the attic.

He held out his phone first to Elijah who stiffened at the image. He shakily took the phone, his focus so intent on the image he missed the worried looks from the others in the room.

"Elijah. Are you ok?" Hayley asked, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. He was startled at the feel and was suddenly on the other side of the room. Hayley blinked at him while the others grew more worried about his reaction.

"Dear nephew. What is it?" Dahlia asked gently.

"Celeste." Elijah whispered. The name clearly meant something as both Klaus and Rebekah stiffened in their seats at the name.

"Who is Celeste?" Erik asked, concern for his older brother pouring off of him in waves.

"Celeste was a powerful witch in the employ of the Governor that once owned this house. She was a freedwoman and would entertain the Governor and his friends with her gift of divination. Elijah and her were fond of each other until..." Rebekah trailed off as she looked between her two brothers.

"Until I betrayed them and gave up her name to appease the witch hunt that was occurring in the city at the time. She killed herself before she could be taken." Klaus said, his eyes remorseful for the first time of his actions from the time.

"Was she a member of the French Quarter Coven?" Erik asked. Could this witch be influencing events from the Ancestorial Plane?

"She was, although she requested that she not be buried on consecrated ground. She had asked to be buried here by the willow tree near the back of the property." Elijah spoke softly, glancing at Hayley for a moment before he looked at his younger brother.

"Why in Helheim would she request that? Her soul would be unable to join with her ancestors... unless that was her plan." Erik said slowly, horror flickering down the Coven bond as the others began to understand what happened.

"How so?" Marcel asked, not as well versed in magic as the Originals.

"If her soul was not bound to the Ancestorial Plane, there are spells, Dark Magic at that, that could transfer your soul to the body of others. Klaus was well known to do so before his Hybrid Curse was broken." Erik explained.

"So this Celeste has been jumping from person to person for the last century or so. Why? What's the point?" Davina asked, frowning at the glances between everyone.

"Revenge, why else? If she was bound to the Ancestors, she would have limited influence on the mortal plane. By swapping bodies, she can plan and work events to her benefit for as long as she needs to gain our attention." Kol explained, grimacing at how innocent this young girl was. She was far too young to be involved in with his family's messes.

"Revenge against Nik for orchestrating her first death and probably also against Elijah for staying with his family despite the recurring betrayal." Freya said, glancing at Erik who was glaring at the mantle in thought.

"Soul Lock." Erik spoke suddenly, confusing the non-magical members, and also Davina.

"What is Soul Lock?" Hayley asked for everyone. Erik grimaced as he hated Soul Magics due to the threat of both the user and the target.

"A ritual that will force the soul of this Celeste to return to her original body. It will magically recreate her original form and forcibly transfer her soul to this new body instead of her next host. The issue is that it is Dark Magic and dangerous for us to use, and we will still need to find her current host body and kill her. Once she is killed, her soul will move to her new body and then we will need to kill her once more. After that, I would recommend we destroy her body and shred her soul for good." Dahlia explained.

"Oh, that's not too bad." Davina said with a shrug before looking confused at the grimaces from the magical Mikaelsons.

"Dark magic is a poison and not something we commonly practice due to the dangers it has on us, especially to myself." Erik said, his mind already planning out what they would need for the Soul Lock.

"Why is it dangerous to you especially?" Sage asked, speaking up for the first time. Now that she thought of it, she had only really seen Erik use traditional or elemental magics.

"When I call Dark magic a poison, I mean that literally. Dark magic is the corruption of elemental magics and as such, it can be harmful to use repeatedly. Normal witches can return the magic naturally to the Earth so long as they don't repeatedly use Dark magic. I, on the other hand, store what magic I absorb until I use it. The longer I store the Dark magic, the more damage it can do to me. I have a slightly greater resistance to it as the Vampire Spell is Dark magic, but too much is still dangerous for me." Erik explained.

"Is there a way we can do this Soul Lock without using Dark magic?" Rebekah asked for she did not want her brother to put himself in harm's way.

"No, there is not. Soul magic is too closely to Dark magic to not use it. Messing with souls is not something that should be done without reason. Ancestorial magics are the exception because you are not commanding the souls, you are forging a link with their power that they control how much you can call for." Erik said, having guessed what Davina, who had opened her mouth, would ask. She snapped her mouth shut with a nod.

"Fortunately, I have something we can use that should decrease the risk to us. However, those that do not have magic cannot be near us will we do and I will need Davina to represent the element of Fire while I cast the spell from the center of the circle." Erik said. Marcel glanced over to Davina who looked at him with a determined look in her eyes.

"At least Jeremy isn't here so we don't have to worry about her potentially becoming immortal yet." Kol quipped. Those in the Coven, including the Mystic Falls teens that had been listening in over the bond, started laughing at the cussing from Jeremy at Kol. The rest of the house looked on with mild amusement.

"Is that really an issue?" Marcel asked, liking the idea that Davina would never need to be afraid of death again.

"Until the Harvest issue is resolved, it would be best if she stays mortal for now, which I do need to speak to you two about once we are finished with Celeste." Erik said, glancing over at Elijah who was still trying to regain his composure from his earlier upheaval.

"I will take you to where I buried her." Elijah said blankly.

Erik nodded as he waved a hand towards to the front door. Elijah nodded as he made to move before he saw that Erik was not following him. He cocked his head to the side.

"Freya, I need to give you the rune for the Coeur du Noir. While Elijah and I gather up her bones, can you and the others ready the ritual space? The barn should be large enough to use." Erik said, pulling out his stele from his pants' pocket. Freya nodded as she stood up and held out her hand. Erik gripped her wrist as he drew the Gebo on her hand. He circled it before he released his grip.

"The rune will allow you this one-time summoning, so don't summon it until you get to the barn and the other preparations are finished." Erik warned, knowing that Freya knew how dangerous the Coeur du Noir was but still giving her a final warning. He waited for her nod before he turned and walked out with Elijah who turned and walked around the house swiftly.

"I am sorry, brother. I wish it had been some unknown adversary that plagued us instead of someone you cared for." Erik said softly. Elijah did not acknowledge the comment, simply continued to the rear of the property. They continued in silence before Elijah stopped before a great willow tree. The gentle rush of water could be heard and the smell of flowers made it a beautiful place to make for a final rest.

"She asked to be buried here. I did not question why despite knowing that she would be unable to join her ancestors." Elijah said, staring down as though he could pierce through the dirt and see the beautiful and cunning woman he had fallen for near two centuries ago.

"It is a beautiful place to rest." Eriki said, unable to think of what words he could say to relieve his brother of the pain in his heart. He waved a hand over the spot that Elijah was staring at. The ground bubbled as an aged skeleton rose to the surface. Erik knelt down by the skull, holding his hand just above the bones. He focused and found what he was looking for, glancing at his brother who seemed to have turned into stone with how still he stood.

"She cast the transference failsafe on Davina. The Dark magic is the same feel as the ones still permeating her bones. Her plan must have been to delay the Harvest and allow the magic to build up enough to give her the power to kill even an Original or more. I am sorry brother." Erik said. Elijah did not react other than to spin on his heels and storm away, his steps heavy with pain.

"When I find you, and I give you my word I will, I will make you regret the pain you have inflicted on my brother, not even touching on the harm you have done to the people of this city." Erik vowed to the skeleton. He waved a hand over the skeleton, tagging it with his magic to be summoned to the barn where the others were working. He stood up and marched to the barn, ready to end this newest threat to him family once and for all.

Celeste felt a shiver crawl up her spine, wiping the smirk off her face from dealing with Sophie. She felt that her days were suddenly numbered and cut shorter than she hoped.

Chapter Text

Erik walked into the barn to the controlled chaos that came from four witches working on a single ritual. He nodded to the others that were outside of the barn, watching the process. He continued on to Freya who was using pennyroyal to make warding sigils near the southern point. As Davina was slowly fading from the Harvest, her position was being heavily protected from the backlash of the ritual.

"How are the preparations coming along, sister?" Erik asked, glancing at the circle with a critical eye. A single mistake could hurt more than just Davina.

"We are nearly finished with the circle. Kol is assisting Davina with her protections." Freya responded, waving towards her brother who was painting on protection runes on Davina. Davina looked a mixture of annoyed with the extra precautions on just her, interested in the runes and what they mean, and embarrassed that they felt she needed the extra help.

"Hmm. Perhaps that is for the best. The circle should contain the Dark Magic but best to be overcautious for now." Erik said, smirking to himself at the attention that his little brother was showing the young woman. It would seem that he found someone that can keep up with him.

"I agree as does the others." Freya said, wiping her hands clean with a clean rag. Erik nodded as he looked back over the circle before he cocked his head to the side.

"What is mixed with the salt?" Erik asked, seeing black specks in the salt.

"Mountain ash... and volcanic ash also due to the connection to Fire and Earth." Freya said. Erik looked at her before narrowing his eyes at her.

"What volcanic ash did you use?" He asked.

"Vesuvius." She admitted, wincing at the scowl directed at her by her brother.

"You know how difficult it was to acquire that. Vesuvius volcanic ash might be a tad extreme even for this ritual." He argued with her. Vesuvius volcanic ash was a nuisance to acquire as the ash was highly resistant to magic and had to be gathered by hand. It was for that reason that Erik never used it without cause. He hoped Freya did not use too much of it.

"I only used a small amount near Davina's spot. She needs the extra protection. We need to tell them that the Harvest will need to happen and soon." Freya whispered to Erik who softened his expression. He truly wished that he had found some way to protect Davina from being sacrificed but it was all for not. The French Quarter Coven locked in Davina's fate when they performed it as a sacrificial ritual.

"After this, we can talk to Marcel and Davina. We'll also need to talk to Josephine and Agnes and see if they will allow Dahlia to help with performing the ritual. She is the Elder for our coven and Davina is already a part of it even if unofficially." Erik said as he looked at the young girl who was laughing at something that Kol said to her. She was far too young to have this burden on her shoulders.

"Certainly. We are ready if you want to unlock the locker." Freya said, snapping her fingers to summon the footlocker. She winced at the sting from the magic on the locker. She truly hated they needed what was locked in there for this ritual. Davina and Kol both looked over at the feeling of Dark Magic while Dahlia barely glanced up from her own work.

Erik walked over to the locker and pulled out his stele. He slowly and carefully went through the process of unlocking the locker. If one layer of protection was not deactivated correctly, the locker would seal itself for a decade. The spells also all had multiple layers of anti-siphoning magic that would drop even Erik for weeks if not months.

'Starlight. What the hell is in this locker?' Jeremy asked, the younger members of the coven all watching from Virigina. The mere fact that Erik sealed this locker was enough to spark worry and curiosity in the teens. Erik freely handed out knowledge and supplies to everyone, only using basic locking spells on his lockers.

'Something I made but hoped to never use.' Erik replied absently as he continued to work through the layers of protections. He finished the final lock with an audible crack that had the others all looking towards him.

"Finn. Sage. Take Hayley back to the house and don't let her anywhere near here until we return to the house." Erik said, his tone firm despite the protest he could hear from her.

"Hayley. You are pregnant. What we are about to do can release Dark Magic that could negatively impact the baby. I won't allow that to happen. Please, just go with them." Erik said, his voice soft as he looked over to the werewolf who scowled but huffed and turned on her heels. Finn and Sage followed her, asking her about furniture for the nursery. They had been a tad busy so they might be a bit behind in gathering baby supplies.

Erik waited until he was certain that Hayley was gone before he lifted up the lid of the locker. Everyone snapped their heads towards Erik who was gritting his teeth at the sickly sensation of Dark Magic.

"What in the name of the Gods is that?" Klaus demanded, the sensation making him nearly break out in hives.

"The Coeur De Noir." Erik replied through clenched teeth as he picked up the most dangerous item in his vast collection of magical artifacts and tools.

The Coeur De Noir was three feet long quartz crystal, thick enough that Erik could barely wrap both hands around it. The inside of the crystal was filled with swirling black smoke that had specks of silver floating in it. The crystal was wrapped in tiny pure silver chains that Erik spent years crafting by hand with various runes and sigils marking every inch of the chains. If anyone other than him tried to touch the Coeur De Noir, they would be dead before the next beat of their heart, not even Dahlia or Freya could touch it without his explicit permission.

"What is that?" Davina asked as she stepped forward. Kol shot out his hand and pulled her far away from the thing. He stared at the thing in horror. How and why his brother created something like that was beyond him. The amount of Dark Magic that radiated from that thing would be enough to even make Esther hesitate to use.

"A Dark Magic receptacle that I created and prayed to never use." Erik said as he carried the crystal over to the circle and carefully stepped over the salt line. He moved to the center of the circle and placed the Coeur De Noir to his left. Everyone let out a sigh of relief when the feeling of Dark Magic vanished once he crossed the boundary of the ritual. Seems the protections and containment worked as intended.

"Let's finish this quickly." Erik said, scratching at his arm as the Dark Magic focused on him. He snapped his fingers, summoning Celeste's bones to his right.

Kol sent Davina to her place as he took his own. Dahlia was watching from her place with concern as she had helped forge the Coeur De Noir and knew how dangerous it was to use, especially to Erik himself.

"Air." Kol said, his eyes glowing gold as his magic surrounded the area. Erik cocked his head to the side when no threads appeared. This might be due to the inclusion of Davina who wasn't a full member yet of the Weaver Coven. Something to test at a later time.

"Fire." Davina said, following after Kol nodded to her. Her magic wildly flared out of her control for only a moment before settling with blazing heat that had the non-vampires already sweating. She winced at the loss of control even if it was only for a moment. Erik shot her a gentle smile, reassuring her that it was fine.

"Water." Dahlia spoke, her eyes glowing icy blue. The chill of her magic countered the heat of Davina's magic perfectly to where the heat was more pleasant than oppressive.

"Earth." Freya spoke next, her eyes glowing dark green. The smell of forest filled the area, the mixture of the elements taking away Davina's breath. This magic was unlike any she had felt before. It felt like they could destroy cities with this much power.

Erik took a slow breath before he pulled out a simple steel knife from his lower back. He held the blade directly against his left radial artery and slide the blade up his arm. The resulting spurt of blood shocked Davina who was staring horrified at the amount of blood that pour out of Erik. He gritted his teeth as held out his bleeding arm above the Coeur De Noir. The blood poured down onto the crystal, hissing as it greedily drank up Erik's blood. He held it over until his arm healed fully.

He returned the knife to the sheath he kept at his lower back. He placed his left hand above the Coeur De Noir and his right was above Celeste's skull. He took a final slow breath before he opened his mouth and spoke.

The tongue that passed his lips was Sumerian, a dead language even older than the vampires. He fluidly worked over the ancient language even as he forced himself to stand still.

Dark Magic rose up from the Coeur De Noir, seeping up into his hand, sluggishly moving up his arm to his heart before continuing down his right arm and descending to Celeste's skull. It felt like someone was pouring sulfuric acid through his veins as the Dark Magic traveled through his body. Even with the unimaginable pain he was in, he did not pause or stutter his words as he continued his spell for several tense minutes.

Dahlia was standing still even if every part of her body screamed for her to move and help the son of her heart. Freya shut her eyes as she could see that Erik was agony, but she couldn't stop the spell now that he had begun. Kol was biting his lip hard enough to draw blood as he held back his desire to run to his brother's side. Davina was staring wide eye at the man that had already done so much for her who was forcing himself through pain that would have crippled anyone else.

Erik snapped out a final harsh word as the flow of Dark Magic finally ceased. The spell was completed and would ensure that Celeste would be sent directly to her bones once she died again. Erik might have also added on a few extras to the spell that would ensure that she suffered for what she had caused.

He lowered his hands, swaying where he stood as he activated the recall spell on the Coeur De Noir. The spell returned the Coeur De Noir, activated the protections on the locker, and returned it to its resting place. A place that was ten km underground and sealed with enough warding that it might be the magical equivalent of Ft. Knox. He waited until he felt the locker had returned before he collapsed to his knees.

"Erik!" Davina shouted, still uncertain if she could enter the circle yet or not.

"I am... not well." Erik said as his eyes rolled in his head and he crumpled to his side. He barely noticed the screams from everyone as everything went black.

Erik felt a gentle hand on his forehead that would gently smooth out his hair. He frowned as he remembered this motion from too many times of exhaustion under Ayanna's tutelage. He blinked and saw that Ayanna was in fact the one caring for him. He was once again astral projecting to the Ancestral Plane it would seem.

"You overworked yourself again. Did I not impact my lessons on not taking all of the burdens on yourself enough?" Ayanna said, her tone firm though her eyes remained kind as she stared at him.

"I am certain I still have the bruises somewhere from those lessons." Erik muttered with an easy smile. Ayanna smiled at him even as she rolled her eyes.

"Since you are already here, there is news that we have to inform you." Ayanna said. Qetsiyah and Shelia both walked towards them, looking grim.

"What is it?" Erik asked, pushing himself up. Something must be serious by their expressions.

"It would appear that Jeremy's abilities as a Weaver have affected us as well. We get flashes of insight in relation to the coven." Qetsiyah said, enjoying the advantage it gave them.

"Oh? I suppose that makes sense." Erik muttered. Jeremy's power seems to affect everyone around him in one way or another.

"Yes, it would. There is a final member of the Coven who... is in a difficult situation." Shelia said vaguely. Erik narrowed his eyes, trying to read what they were not stating.

"His name is Malachai Parker, a fellow siphoner... who is locked in a Prison World." Shelia finished. Erik blinked up at her in surprise. Erik never messed with Prison Worlds or the Gemini Coven after they tried to seal him in a Prison World. It had been a close call even for him.

"Why was he sealed in a Prison World?" Erik asked.

"He has a twin sister. Due to his siphoner nature, he was hated and despised by his entire Coven. He killed multiple members of his family when his father, his coven head, announced that his younger twin siblings would be the new leaders of the Coven instead of him. They sealed him away before he could finish the Gemini ritual with his twin sister." Qetsiyah explained, her eyes hard as she thought of what loneliness must have done to the man.

"That is disgusting." Erik hissed out. He had studied about Prison Worlds, being trapped alone in a whole world. That was solitary confinement to the highest order.

"It is. We have a plan though. After you and the others finish helping Davina, we will need you to astral project here again with Bonnie. From here, we can project you and Bonnie into the Prison World that Malachai is in. You will need Bonnie to be present to unlock the Prison World as Joshua Parker made sure to blood lock the Ascendent to Bennett blood, my blood." Shelia said, scowling as Joshua had told her that he needed her blood to lock an Ascendent but not who would be locked away. She had assumed it was some dangerous vampire or monster like that, not an abused young man.

"What sort of plan is that?" Erik said, standing up so he could stare at them in horror. They wanted him and his coven mate to enter a Prison World to rescue a prisoner.

"It is either that or you would need to retrieve the Ascendent from Joshua Parker. I don't need to explain how much more dangerous that might be to you." Shelia explained.

Erik grimaced at the idea of being near those fanatics. They considered themselves the jailer of the Supernatural World, banishing everyone and everything that does not fit into their idea of what is right. He knew that he was probably related to them as all siphoner witches can only came from the Gemini coven. That however does not mean he wants anything to do with them.

"Can Bonnie simply provide me with some of her blood to use instead?" Erik asked.

"It would not work as the vial wouldn't be able to be transferred with you. We would not endanger her if we had another option." Shelia explained, her eyes downcast that her granddaughter would be in danger for this plan to work.

"I see. Thank you for the information. I will inform the others. We can rescue this Malachai after graduation." Erik said with a heavy sigh. Malachai would need to wait a few more months before they could rescue him.

"Acceptable." Qetsiyah said as she turned and walked away.

"Why did she have to be the Gatekeeper for the Coven?" Erik muttered under his breath. As the oldest witch of their mixed bloodlines, Qetsiyah was the obvious choice for Gatekeeper. Magne held the role of Voice for the Hagan line while Shelia held the role for the Bennett family. Ayanna simply appeared to see and speak with her former student.

"She's a bitch, a powerful one but still." Shelia said, smirking at the startled laugh that crept out of Erik's mouth. Bonnie would never believe this when he told her.

"I should return to the others so we can finish what we need to." Erik said, smiling at the two ladies before muttering the return spell. His head already swimming with planning on what he would need to do between the Harvest, Celeste, and Malachai. He truly deserved a real vacation, somewhere tropical with only Jeremy for company.

Chapter Text

Magne let out a loud sigh as he finished off his tankard. He truly wished that it would get him drunk, but alas, he was dead. The drink did allow him to relive in a memory of his mortal days. The current memory he was dwelling in was of his wedding feast, a weeklong celebration among his family, friends, and his stunning wife.

The vision faded as he drained his tankard to show the Drinking Hall that the Hagan line dwelled in. It was a large hall that allowed everyone to sit with their immediate kin and talk about whatever they wished. Laughter and shouts filled the hall with a sense of life and family that had Magne smiling to himself. It might not be Valhalla, but it was damn close to it.

A thud across from him broke him out of his thought. He opened his eyes to snap at whoever was disturbing him. Being the Voice of the Hagan Line gave him certain privileges over his kin.

He blinked in surprise at the sight of the witch before him, glaring down at her own tankard of mead. Now, this was a surprise for certain.

"Can I be of service, Qetsiyah?" Magne asked, pulling in his shock. Most of the Bennett Ancestors preferred to remain in their own Ancestorial Plane. The loud ruckus of the Drinking Hall annoyed the southern witches, though a few did come in and speak with his kin from time to time.

"Why do my descendants hate me so?" Qetsiyah asked mulishly as she picked up her tankard and took a long drink.

"Are you certain you want me to answer that?" Magne asked, raising a brow in surprise at the question from the ancient witch.

"I made my family famous, revered and respected among the whole supernatural community. Why do they hate me so?" Qetsiyah growled as she slammed down her tankard, splashing mead on the tabletop.

Magne stared at her for a long time, carefully thinking through his response before he spoke to the greatest witch among their two lines.

"You are the reason this place and others like it exist. You doomed not just your former lover to an eternity alone but all supernatural beings. Even the fey or other such creatures of myth became bound by your Anchor. Many of us wish to pass on to Valhalla or whatever lies beyond this shadow of life. Instead, we are bound to dwell here until Ragnarök because you created the cruelest punishment for two people. For some, this existence is enough for them. For those of us that had loved ones that were not blessed by the Vanir with magic, it is a fate that brings nothing but misery to us all." Magne said, his thoughts shifting to his wife and children that were not blessed by magic.

"It was never meant to trap everyone, just myself and Silas." She muttered.

"Well, it did. Vampires, werewolves, and every other manner of supernatural creature became bound to this Other Side that you forged. We can see the Living, even speak to them if they have the gift of magic, but it is still a cruel mockery of living." Magne retorted sharply, waving his empty tankard to one of his cousins to get him a refill.

"I only wanted Silas to suffer for what he did to me!" She snapped off to the man who snorted.

"His only crime was falling in love with someone that you considered lesser than yourself due to society. Amara continues to suffer the death of all supernaturals even though your former love has since died. However, I am curious about something." Magne said, not certain how she may react to this question.

"Only one thing?" Qetsiyah asked sarcastically.

"Many things truthfully but one related to our current trail. Why did you react negatively to Malachai being trapped in the Prison World? His punishment is not much different than what you inflicted on Silas and Amara, but you reacted poorly to it. Why does his situation trigger such a response from you who used isolation as a weapon against your enemies?" Magne asked, having been told of the latest meeting with his descendant by Ayanna. He was interested to see what her response would be.

"Because I regret what I did to them!" Qetsiyah shouted before snapping her mouth shut, eyes wide in shock. She stood up swiftly and stormed out of the Drinking Hall doors.

Magne blinked in shock at her retreating form, surprised that it only took her this long to regret her actions. He had assumed it would take another two thousand years for her to realize that her actions were cruel.

"Well, that is a surprise." Shelia said from behind Magne. He turned in his seat to see that both Shelia and Ayanna were standing there with identical looks of shock on their face. He chuckled as he felt the same as the two women.

"Aye. It was. Would you ladies care to join me? We do have much to discuss." Magne said, waving his hand towards the empty seat across from him. The two ladies looked at one another before nodding, moving around the table to sit across from Magne. He nodded in thanks to his cousin that had set a new tankard near his right hand. The women wrinkled their noses, having no love for the hard drinks or basking in old memories.

"The Coven is nearly complete. Once young Davina is freed from her obligations to the Harvest and her disgusting Ancestors, she will be joining the Coven. Malachai will be freed shortly afterwards as Erik would never allow such a punishment to continue. There are only a few more threats that our kin must deal with." Ayanna said, resting her hands on top of the table that was surprisingly clean.

"Aye. That little vixen is a fine match for your former student. We have a few bets among the Hagan line on when he stops resisting his feelings for the young woman." Magne said, taking a short drink of his tankard and sighing at the memory before it faded.

"We had a similar bet among the Bennett family on when Bonnie would admit her feelings for Kaleb. Shelia won of course." Ayanna said, smiling at her descendant who smirked.

"I do know those children well. Caroline and Klaus were unexpected, but they seem to complement each other well. I do worry about Matt though. He is still human despite his unusual strength and connection to Kol and the others." Shelia said, worried about the young man that had grown up beside her granddaughter.

"He could still become a vampire or even immortal considering his involvement with the Coven. They certainly have the power and skills to recreate Qetsiyah's Immortality Elixir." Magne offered up to his friend. The three Ancestors had formed an unexpected friendship from working so closely together to bring their two families together. Shelia and he were expected due to their position as the Voice of their respective line. Ayanna was around often to speak and see her former student. Magne was glad to have their support in maintaining the peace between their two stubborn families.

"With Jeremy a member of the Coven, that is likely to happen sooner rather than later." Shelia said, shaking her head fondly. Jeremy had truly flipped the world upside down.

She can still clearly remember the first time that Abby had invited the Gilberts over when Jeremy was only a few months old. She had barely glanced at the baby before being assaulted with visions of the man he would grow into, one path as a Hunter and another as a witch. She had been confused by the vision, never before having a gift for foresight like some in her family. She had communed for many hours with the Spirits, trying to unravel what the visions meant for the baby. She had also seen that Elena was the doppelganger, worry coursing through her of what her existence would mean for her family.

She clenched her fists as she thought of the selfish little child that had ruined so many lives. She wished she could talk to Jenna or Miranda or even Grayson about their thoughts of their daughter. She would even be willing to stomach speaking with John, the annoying bastard that he was. Alas, they were all human and so had found Peace.

Ayanna placed a gentle hand on top of Shelia's fist. She could guess where her thoughts had dragged her to. She too, along with most of the Bennett Ancestors, despised the newest incarnation of the female doppelganger. She had barely tolerated Tatia being near her and her students. It seemed to be some cruel twist of fate that found the Bennetts meeting and befriending the doppelgangers, despite how far they try to run away from them.

"Jeremy Gilbert. We all have high hope for him and his union with Erik shall be a monumental celebration among us all. I am interested to see what else they may accomplish." Magne said, smiling widely before slamming back his tankard.

"Do you truly believe they can stand against the coming threats? The Hollow? Malivore?" Ayanna said, the atmosphere chilling at the names of those foul demons. Magne frowned as he set down his tankard and studied the wood grain of the table for a long moment.

"Malivore is not for them to fight but the child growing inside of the werewolf. The Hollow... I do not know for certain. Her power is enough to put us all to shame except for perhaps Qetsiyah, though barely. If anyone can find a solution to this twisted knot of fate, it is the Weavers. All we can do is have faith in them and support them as we must as Ancestors." Magne said solemnly.

Malivore was indeed a threat but something that could be put off for a several more years until the baby was old enough. The Hollow would hunt down the child before it can grow enough into its power and would need to be dealt with. Locking away the Hollow was about the only thing The Eternal Ancestors could agree on as the only good thing the French Quarter Ancestors ever accomplished.

"I suppose that is all we can do. We must return to own Plane. Thank you for the company, my friend." Ayanna said, tipping her head to her unlikely friend.

"Aye. Return when you feel you must and I shall welcome you, my friends." Magne said, bowing his head as well.

Shelia bowed her head as well as she and Ayanna both stood up and headed to the exit. They stepped through and reappeared in Mystic Falls, or at least a version of Mystic Falls.

The Bennett Ancestorial Plane took the form of Mystic Falls from the 1800's due to the actions of Emily binding their family to this town. They would gather when they needed to talk in the Town Square though most kept to themselves most days.

"Should we speak to Qetsiyah? She is too powerful to leave alone in such turmoil." Shelia asked Ayanna who hummed before nodding.

"We may try though I doubt we will have much success. It would seem our family inherited her stubbornness." Ayanna said, smiling a bit.

The two vanished before reappearing in the woods near the Fell Church that still stood in this Ancestorial Plane. Qetsiyah was pacing among the trees, muttering under breath in her mother tongue.

"Qetsiyah." Ayanna said. Qetsiyah barely acknowledged their presence before continuing her pacing and muttering.

"Speak what is troubling you and perhaps we can aid you." Ayanna tried once more to get the witch to work alongside them.

"Why do I feel guilty now, after all these centuries? Silas was a bastard that broke my heart and tricked me into wasting years of my life in crafting the Immortality Elixir all to give it to that shank Amara. Why do I now regret that I have forced the two to suffer for so long?" Qetsiyah snarled as she continued pacing, sparks flying off her in response to her emotions.

"We cannot tell you what is in your mind or heart. Perhaps after all this time, now that Silas is dead, you see how shallow this revenge was. You have held onto these emotions for two thousand years. Maybe you are finally ready to let it go." Shelia offered up.

Qetsiyah sneered at the mere idea though deep down, she could not refute the statement. Her victory did taste bittersweet now that she was bound to these three Ancestorial Planes that Jeremy had unknowingly created. She couldn't even see or gloat at Silas that he was now trapped away from his one true lover. Amara still suffered the deaths of every supernatural... though now that she thought about it, she could admit that she had gone too far with Amara's punishment.

Amara had been Qetsiyah's handmaiden, a naive girl that she would have called her closest friend if not for the differences in their status. It was hardly her fault that her beauty seemed to bewitch every male that caught even a passing glance at her. Silas had hardly been the first man to be enthralled by the effortless beauty and innocence of Amara, merely the last one. She didn't have to make Amara suffer the pain of the deaths as it wasn't a requirement of the Anchor spell, merely an addition that Qetsiyah had included to make her former friend suffer.

"Should I... tell Erik or the others how to unbind Amara as the Anchor?" Qetsiyah asked her kin to their shock.

"There would need to be a substitute for the Anchor to maintain the Balance. As you have used something immortal, the new Anchor would need to be just as immortal and powerful." Ayanna said, glancing at Shelia who was equally surprised by Qetsiyah's actions.

"I am certain that Erik could craft something or knows of something that would be an acceptable replacement. I suppose I would need to explain how to counter the part of the spell that forces the Anchor to experience the death of each supernatural that passes on." Qetsiyah mussed aloud, her mind pulling up the Anchor Creation Spell she forged all those centuries ago.

"Perhaps we should wait until after they have rescued the final member and the Coven is whole." Shelia suggested, not wanting to add even more to their plate.

"I suppose that is fair. I suppose I can spend the time working out what would work as the new Anchor and how to undo the unnecessary aspects of the spell." Qetsiyah said. She would also need to find a power source strong enough to perform the Anchor Swap and also to locate Amara. She might also go ahead and suggest finding Silas to release his soul from the Other Side.

'Ugh, nobody mentioned a guilty conscience involved so much work.' Qetsiyah thought with a shudder as she vanished to her home that she had taken in town.

"What the Helheim has become of the world?" Ayanna muttered.

"Jeremy." Shelia said fondly, looking forward to what else the young man would change for the world.

Chapter Text

Erik shot up from his place his bed. Pain lanced through every nerve in his body, leaving him gasping for air. The pain was so consuming that he did not notice the gentle touch of his aunt until the cool sensation of her magic washed away the pain.

He blinked as his vision focused on his aunt who was holding onto his left hand, her expression a gentle look that none outside of her family ever saw. He felt a hand on his knees and his right shoulder. He looked around, seeing Kol watching him with glowing golden eyes as he squeezed his shoulder. Freya was squeezing his left knee as Davina squeezed his right knee.

Each channeling their magic through Erik's body, cleansing the lingering effects of the Dark Magic and healing the damage.

Slowly, Erik felt the pain fade away to a faint memory as he let the air fill his lungs before exhaling slowly.

"Thank you." He whispered, wincing at his raw throat. Dahlia smiled as she reached behind her and held out a bag of blood for him. He nodded as he opened the bag and drained the bag.

"How long was I unconscious for this time?" Erik asked, tossing the bag into the trash can by his bed.

"Only a few hours this time." Freya said, her eyes no longer glowing with her magic. Her blue eyes scanned over him, reassured that Erik was no longer in pain.

"Oh? That is better than last time." Erik muttered as he cracked his neck.

"Better?! What the hell do you mean, that was better than last time?" Hayley growled from the foot of the bed. Erik blinked at her before realizing that everyone was gathered around him, everyone looking equally concerned and relieved.

"The last time I used the Coeur De Noir, I did not have the support of four witches. Afterwards, I was unconscious for two weeks. This is the best results I have had from using Dark Magic." Erik explained, glancing warily at the enraged pregnant werewolf.

"Davina came running into the house, screaming that you were bleeding everywhere and seizing, and you call that the best results?!" Hayley shouted, her eyes burning gold. Elijah and Klaus both glanced at one another, uncertain how to calm the young werewolf.

"Hayley. Dark Magic is dangerous. I sent you away to protect both you and your child. I didn't act recklessly or on my own. I had my family there to support me. I am sorry that I worried you, but I am not sorry that I did what I need to do to protect my family." Erik said, finally moving off the bed and walking over to Hayley.

Hayley stared at him before her expression crumpled and she slammed into his chest, sobbing loudly. Erik pulled her in close, running his fingers through her hair. The others filtered out of the room, sending him silent looks that was relieved that he was up and about.

Eventually, Hayley calmed down enough that Erik pulled away from her gentle and wiped away the tears from her face.

"I am well. Our family is safe for the moment. I am not leaving any of you, ever." Erik whispered to her who was trying to regain her composure.

"Sorry. I have no idea why I just broke down like that." Hayley said, rubbing at her face in frustration.

"You are nearly complete with your first trimester. You are going to be emotional, but nobody here will ever judge you for it. Laugh when you need to or cry when you need to. Nobody here will judge you, because you are doing the hardest job a woman can ever do in her life. We will love and protect you and your child because you are family. Always and Forever." Erik said, smiling gently at the young woman. Hayley smiled weakly at him before she finally let him go.

Elijah and Klaus were both standing there, uncertain of how they can help. Hayley looked over at them with a fond eye roll.

"Well, since you are up, I am going to lay down for a nap. All this crying is exhausting." Hayley joked as she headed out of the room. Elijah and Klaus nodded to their brother before following Hayley out of Erik's room.

Erik let out a sigh as he snapped his fingers, shutting his door and activating the silencing spell. He stripped off his clothes that were covered in dirt and blood.

'I am going to get a shower and change. Once I am done, I need to talk to the Coven about new information.' Erik projected down the bond. The others all respond with confirmations, relief from the Mystic Falls gang had Erik wincing at the worry he subjected them to.

'You sure you are ok?' Jeremy asked, the others having closed their side of bond to give the two some privacy.

'Everything aches like I have trampled by a team of horses. I will recover fully shortly, I promise love.' Erik responded, sending his love to Jeremy who relaxed fully.

'Good. I felt some of the pain you were in from the spell. I hope we never have to use that thing ever again.' Jeremy said, his voice strained as he recalled the pain he felt from Erik. If he only felt a fraction of what Erik endured, he was surprised that Erik could even walk straight.

'I have only had to use the Coeur de Noir twice before today. With luck, we will never need to use it again.' Erik said, turning the water on full blast in his own private bathroom. He gave it a moment to finish heating up before he stepped in. The hot water helping relax his tense muscles, the water running down the drain in streaks of brown and red.

'Why did you make something like that?' Jeremy asked, his focus no longer on his essay for Alaric.

'When I first encountered Dahlia and Freya, I stayed with them for two hundred years. I spent much of that time trying to keep Dahlia and Freya from killing each other. Dahlia eventually began to teach me what she knew about magic. That was when we discovered my weakness with Dark Magic. The first time I tried to use a spell that Dahlia taught me, I passed out for a week. Dahlia and I crafted the Coeur de Noir to help counter that weakness. I... don't want to talk about how we created it. Once it was completed, I swore that I would never reveal how it was crafted and all knowledge of it would end with me.' Erik said, beating back the memory of that time behind steel walls of his mind.

Jeremy was stunned silent. Erik never held back knowledge of any kind from him. It must be awful if Erik refused to even discuss it.

'Ok, I won't ask. On a happier line of thought, you and the others still coming back for prom? It's only two weeks away.' Jeremy asked, excitement rising up at seeing his boyfriend in person again.

'Caroline would murder Nik if he didn't show up. Rebekah would also be upset to not see her best friends. We'll be there. We are going to arrive at Mikaelson Manor early in the morning so Rebekah can get ready. You came meet us there if you want to spend some time before the dance.' Erik said, grabbing his body scrub brush and lathering it up with his sandalwood body wash.

'Haha, she would. I would love to, but I promised to hang out with Kaleb while the girls spend all day getting ready. I can let them know to go to Mikaelson Manor and spend time with Rebekah. I can spend the night after prom with you, before you have to leave again.' Jeremy said, his tone turning sad at the end.

'The school year is nearly over. Once graduation is over, which all of us will be there alongside Davina and Marcel, we'll all be moving permanently to New Orleans. Did Alaric accept that offer for Occult Studies at Whitmore College or is he moving with us?' Erik asked, scrubbing away a stubborn spot of blood.

'He did. He starts in the fall. He promised to come visit every chance he can or we can come back to see him.' Jeremy said, projecting his memory of his talk with Alaric about what to do with the house and other properties the Gilberts own.

'Hmm. I am certain we can make arrangements to visit him as often as you would like. I do hope once we finish off Celeste and finish the Harvest, you and I can go on a proper vacation away from everyone.' Erik said, setting aside his brush before washing his hair clean.

'Somewhere tropical. Just you and I on some remote private island with nobody to bother us or world ending event that we have to deal with.' Jeremy dreamed off laying on a beach with his boyfriend and some fruity cocktail.

'I will see what I can do. Rebekah has preferred warm climates, so I'll see if she has any recommendations for us.' Erik said, washing away his shampoo from his hair before shutting off the shower.

'So... what did the Ancestors want with you?' Jeremy asked, having gotten a vague sense of Fate twisting while Erik was knocked out.

'Ah. It would seem there is another member of the Coven to find. This one will require some planning to find. I'll explain once I am dressed and can explain it to everyone at once.' Erik said, toweling himself dry before flinging his towel into his hamper.

Erik got dressed in pajama and a t-shirt before he sat his desk in his room. He summoned up a notebook as he wrote down what he knew of Prison Worlds.

'What has happened now?' Freya asked once she felt that Erik wanted to speak to them all.

'The Ancestors spoke to me while I was unconscious. There is a new member fated for our coven, other than Davina that is.' Erik replied, opening the bond fully to everyone. He smiled to himself at the feeling of happiness from Kol that Davina was fated for their Coven.

'Oh?' Dahlia asked.

'There is a fellow siphoner, locked away in a Prison World by his Coven. His name is Malachai Parker from the Gemini Coven. He was sealed away in a Prison World before he could merge with his twin sister.' Erik replied. Those that knew of Prison Worlds and the Gemini all felt disgust towards those fanatics.

'Who are the Gemini? I don't recognize them from your lessons.' Bonnie asked, curious about the emotions from the others.

'They are one of the oldest still existing Covens. Due to this, they have this misguided idea that they are to be the judges of the supernatural community. They specialize in Illusion magics and also their creation of Prison Worlds. Prison Worlds are pocket dimensions that are copies of the real world but without any people or animals. It is only the prisoner that inhabits these Prison Worlds. They tried to lock me up in one a few centuries ago during some of my Ripper binges.' Kol explained with a grimace. The others felt a burning hatred for this coven at what they almost did to their coven mate.

'They tried to do what?' Kaleb hissed, his emotions boiling in rage.

'They attempted the same to me due to my Heretic nature. Siphoners come from the Gemini and as such, I am related to them, thankfully distantly. There was a small group of siphoners back in early 1900's that were locked away by the Gemini. I had attempted to intercept them, but I was too late in finding them to prevent their capture.' Erik explained, wincing at the cold rage from Jeremy.

'If I ever meet them, I am going to kill them slowly.' Jeremy vowed, his rage causing a shiver of pleasure down Erik's spine. He did have a weakness for protective men.

'How can you rescue this Malachai from a Prison World?' Bonnie asked, rolling her eyes at the emotions from Jeremy and Erik.

'Ah, that is the tricky thing. Normally, one would need the Ascendent, the physical manifestation of the Prison World that exist both here and inside the Prison World. With it and channeling the celestial event that stabilize the Prison, one can unlock the Prison World. This particular one was blood locked by Sheila's blood, Bennett blood. The Ancestors instead can pry it open long enough to send Bonnie and myself into the Prison World to rescue Malachai.' Erik explained.

'Why would Grams do that?' Bonnie asked, knowing that her Grams would never allow something like this.

'Joshua Parker, Malachai's father and Coven Head, had her bloodline lock it to keep Malachai sealed for good. He apparently did not inform her who would be sealed inside it. Due to this, Bonnie will need to join me in retrieving Malachai. He most likely already found the Ascendent in the Prison World, so we will need to simply find him and find the correct spot to cast the release. The other option is to find the Ascendent that Joshua would have and perform the release from our side.' Erik said with a growl. His father was far from perfect, but at least he never used solitary confinement as a punishment.

'Can't Bonnie give you some of her blood to take into the Prison World?' Kaleb asked, not liking the idea of his girlfriend being in danger.

'The Ancestors said that by having us astral project into the Ancestor Plane and then them sending us into the Prison World, a vial of blood would not make it through the journey. Bonnie will need to be there in person. If I could accomplish this without endangering Bonnie, I would do so.' Erik reassured them. Kaleb grumbled but conceded that Erik wouldn't put Bonnie in harm's way without a good reason.

'When should we perform this rescue?' Kol asked, already working through what they might need to make this go smoothly.

'After graduation and the Harvest is complete. We deal with Celeste first, then we perform the Harvest and protect Davina. Once those tasks are complete, we can rescue Malachai.' Erik said. The others all mused over the plan before agreeing that they should wait until they were all together.

'Sounds like a plan. How are we to find Celeste? She could be in anyone's body.' Bonnie asked.

'The amount of Dark Magic that radiated from her bones would have infected her soul. I will be able to sense her from that feeling alone. Freya and Davina can work together to pierce through her protections that hide her appearance. Freya is naturally gifted in divination magic while Davina is connected to all French Quarter witches. With my sensing abilities and their combined powers, we can find her shortly. I do require another day or so to recover before we can hunt her down.' Erik said, the words in his notebook swimming in his eyes. He reached up and rubbed at his eyes.

'Get to bed, nephew. We can begin hunting down Celeste while you recover. Please, let us handle this for you.' Dahlia said gently, worry thick from her.

'Perhaps you are right, aunt. Why don't you go ahead and reach out to Agnes and Josephine and set up a meeting? As Elder of our Coven, you can demand the Coven's attendance as Davina will be a member of our coven.' Erik said, closing his notebook and standing up. He swayed for a moment before he flopped onto his bed. He truly needed a break from this mess.

'We have this handled, mate. Just worry about yourself for once.' Kaleb said.

'Very well. If anyone needs me, reach out through the bond.' Erik said, his thought already slipping away as his mind went dark from exhaustion.

'Sleep well, Starlight.' Jeremy said as the others all closed down the bond and gave Erik his peace.