Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Davina Claire was drowning in a pool of her own blood, choking for air as she struggled to breathe and keep calm. There was a spell, there was a way to undo this, she knew that; she just… she had to remain calm. Her fingers clasped the hourglass in her hands tightly, she was unwilling to relinquish it.

There was a horrendous snarl somewhere and Davina growled as she gagged on her blood, rolling to her side as she forced herself up.

It. Was. Not. Ending. Like. This!

She was a Twice Resurrected Harvest Girl, Last of the Claire Coven, a New Orleans Witch! She had defeated all her enemies, gone toe to toe with the Mikaelson’s at their peak and come out of it alive, and Death couldn’t keep her down. She wasn’t letting it end like this! The magic was flowing around her as her temper strengthened her.

Stumbling to her feet, she staggered a bit, the wound was still bleeding, she could feel it killing her, but she ignored it as she lurched through the hall to the auditorium where she saw her husband go flying through the air. That thing had Hope pinned down and seemed to be killing her niece, the sight had fury unparalleled coursing through her as she snarled.

“Hey!” she shouted, the monster swung its head around to look at her, snarling.

“Stay. Away. From. My. Niece!” she ordered as she tore it away from Hope with a yank of her hand to send the monster crashing through the wall and into the burning daylight of a dying day.

Kol was there, but she waved him off as she staggered slightly. “Check Hope,” she ordered her husband. Davina didn’t hear his protests as she shoved him off. It was too late for her, Hope seemed to be struggling to get up and would need help. Kol was reluctant to leave her but rushed their niece as Davina held herself up on the wall. Davina trembled as she tried to breath.

“Davina!” a shout called her as her world wavered then went tumbling. Hitting the ground didn't hurt, so much as jarring her wound, feeling more blood pumping through her, pooling around her, it was slowing, trickling really; she could feel it's change.

“Auntie D!” Hope and Kol filled her world view then. She felt Kol’s fingers in her hair and smiled a bit when he came into view. Her hand tightened on the hourglass they had brought here to investigate. The strange, unique, object which had just appeared in hers’ and Kol’s lives.

“I got you, love,” Kol promised her.

“Do something!” Hope screeched. “You can turn her! I’ll Turn her!”

“No,” Kol stated firmly as he cradled her head in his lap. “No Hope, we aren’t turning her,” Kol said softly as he traced her cheek with his thumb.

Davina focused on Kol, her breathe shuddered, the blood tasted horrible on her tongue, it was drowning her. Kol couldn’t save her, she knew that; she had long since refused to be turned knowing herself and knowing what vampirism would do. Vampirism heightened everything a person already was, and Davina was self-aware enough to know her being a vampire, after having been a witch, would be an unbelievably bad and dangerous thing. She also knew what it had done to Cami, who had been the best of them, and if it did that to Cami, Davina knew she could never be allowed to turn. Kol had known that too, which was he hadn’t pressed her too hard on turning. She knew there were times he pondered how to slip around her wishes because he dreaded them parting, but she had encouraged him to embrace her mortality with her. And with how the cure worked she and Kol had resigned themselves to this life, together, even as she got older and greyer, and he stayed the same.

She reached for Kol with bloody fingers and smile as he pressed her hand to his cheek.

“S’alright,” she slurred weakly, coughing as she choked on blood, gagging, and coughing. “Love…” she gasped.

There were voices but they were distant, she could hear her niece screaming and she smiled at Kol, he smiled back weakly, she could feel the world slipping from her grasp. This was alright, not the way she wanted to go, but this was alright. Kol was safe. Hope was safe.

The hourglass burned hot in her hand; broken shards of the cursed object were tearing her skin.

“Not yet, Davina Claire, they cannot claim you yet,” a voice rasped in her ear as a pair of blue eyes burned into her soul. Davina couldn’t even scream as it felt like she was being torn apart and burned alive. “I claim you for the Nornir.”

The echoing silence roused her from her deep sleep. It was quiet, far too quiet, Kol snored like a freight train. Davina hovered in that state between awake and sleep as she listened for Kol’s snores, rolling over she reached across their bed to feel for him. A shiver rippled down her skin as she felt nothing but a wooden floor, which had her frowning as she peeled open an eye. There was no Kol, he always slept beside her, which confused her as she slowly looked around. The bed was a mattress, with a musty, few blankets, and a bundled-up jacket as a pillow. Slowly she pushed herself up, hissing as sharp pressure tore up her palm and arm. Lifting her hand, she looked at the bloodied palm, with shards of glass sticking up.

Shoving her hair out of her eyes she looked around for Kol, not feeling, seeing, or sensing her husband had her uncomfortable. Near twenty years with the man, she had never been apart from him, now she was alone in… an attic?

There was a sharp creaking which had her head whipping around as she scrambled up, stumbling on her bare feet, and tripping to fall on her ass. There was a heavy clunk which had her seeing the broken hourglass she and Kol had found spinning before it fell on the wooden planks. Rolling to her knees she picked it up with her bloody hand, feeling the burning heat of the sands and shards of glass.

“Good mornin’ chere,” a familiar voice said softly and her head snapped up. Marcel stood there, shy smile on his face as he gave her a gentle, loving look.

Davina wanted to burst into tears and throw herself at him, because it had been a good decade since she’d seen her dad. And there he was, smiling that shy smile he’d fist given her.

“I got you some things,” he said uncertainly. There was an easel and art supplies in his hand, there was another bag; probably of clothes. It was so like her first day after the Harvest. Slowly she stood, too flummoxed seeing her dad to process this dream. If this was her after life.

The tears started as she ran for him, flinging herself at him as she threw her arms around him, the sob tearing through her body to rattle her. There was a clatter, but she didn’t care as she sobbed, the deep, ugly sobs that robbed her of breath and voice as she gasped for air, clinging to Marcel. Slowly Marcel brought his arms around her, she could feel his hesitance, but it didn’t matter as she sobbed.

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” he soothed as he ran a hand through her hair. “No one’s going to find you,” he promised. Davina hid her face against his neck as she tried to catch her breath and calm herself.

“Where am I?” she whispered as she finally caught her breath, blinking back the flow of tears, slowly releasing him as she looked around the attic she had once resided in. It was barren as the first day Marcel had brought her here, it was the strangest afterlife she’d ever encountered.

“The old church,” Marcel answered. “Don’t worry, I have a bed coming for you today, and a dresser, a trunk too, and a few other things. We can spruce it up a bit, it’s just temporary, but it’s yours…” he trailed off.

Slowly Davina dropped her hug as she looked around, this had not been her home in a very long time.

“You’re bleeding,” Marcel caught her hand. She paused as she looked at him then at her bloody palm, blood welled where he pressed his fingers to examine the damage which had her eyes widening. She wasn’t… she wasn’t dead!? How!? Never in her afterlives had she bled, she had suffered the wounds inflicted upon her at the times of her deaths, but never had she bled in the afterlife, so she had to be alive!? But how? And where was she? No, that was a ridiculous question, she knew this attic. When seemed a more important question to ponder.

“I’m fine,” she murmured as she sniffled her nose grabbing a towl to blow it. Crying had been ugly and her nose was running. She saw the trinket on the floor by the mattress. Marcel grabbed her hand again, carefully began pulling out the shards of glass.

“What happened, D?” Marcel asked as he worked.

“I’m fine,” she muttered again as he finished his work, pulling a bandana to wrap around her palm. Davina curled her fingers as she pulled her hand away, holding it close to her heart as she stared at her dad.

“Hey, I also,” Marcel sped off and returned with a different bag. “Got you some clean clothes,” he announced with a kind smile. “The bartender at Rousseau’s offered some… finer, points on what you’d possibly… need,” he said uncomfortably as he produced another bag.

“Cami?” she whispered in disbelief. Cami was alive!? Then that mean Tim, Josh, Aiden, they were all alive too… all her friends, her family, all the Mikaelsons… Kol!

“How do you know Cami?” Marcel asked.

“I… I remember her,” she answered honestly. “She was nice,” she offered up.

Marcel shrugged that off as he nodded. “The witches won’t be looking for you here, so in the mean time, just… I don’t know. This isn’t permanent,” he sighed as he looked haplessly at her.

“I…” she started then bit her lip. The hourglass was still by the mattress. She needed information about when she was, she knew where, but when, when exactly was she? And how? She needed Kol if she had messed with time magic, and she didn’t even know if he was still alive.

She looked up at Marcel who was looking as uncertain as she was.

“You alright?” he asked.

“What’s the date?” she blurted out.

“February second,” he answered.

Kol was alive! That was her first thought, her second thought was the idiot wouldn’t stay that way for long, she didn’t know all the details of Kol’s first death, just that it was because he was impulsive and angry.

“You slept all of yesterday,” Marcel told her, which had her touching her throat. “It’s alright,” he promised. “You’re… you’re safe, D, I promise,” he said as he reached over to her.

“Um… yeah, I’m just… I’m hungry,” she said.

“Food, okay, yeah, I can get food,” he nodded and smiled. Davina smiled back, weakly because she didn’t know how not to. Marcel asked her a few more questions about food before he disappeared to go get her food.

Alone finally Davina sunk onto the mattress, a part of her that had been too confused by the events happening around her hadn’t noticed the familiar, unwelcomed, overpowering sensation of the Harvest roiling in her blood. She could also feel the ancestors reaching for her, feel the souls of Monique, Abigail, and Cassandra trapped within her own body, as their magics collided, bombarding, and reacting to the others’. Slowly she tuned out the pain as she picked up the trinket that had bloodied her hand.

It was small, four rotating rings around an hourglass in a disk. The outer most ring was made of iron and silver, which was contradictory, etched on the outside of the ring were Nordic runes, on the inside of the ring there were inscriptions in Mayan. The second ring was of platinum and nickel, again, there was Greek inscribed on the outside of the ring, and Sanskrit stamped on the interior of the ring. The third ring was cooper and cobalt, the outside of the ring was inscribed with Chinese, the interior had Latin emblazoned into it. The fourth, and smallest ring, was gold, entirely, engraved on the exterior of the ring was Egyptian Hieroglyphs and the interior was marked with Hebrew. The disk around the hourglass was an elaborate Celtic/Norse design of two foxes, while on the other side was a solar and lunar calendar, with the zodiacs carved in with care.

This small, mismatched artifact was ancient, but it wasn’t. It was composed of contradictions, and the magic within it had felt ancient, but gone. Davina remembered how she and Kol had called up Freya and Vincent to investigate this. Freya had not been helpful; Vincent had not known what it was. Kol had called up several of his other contacts, but no leads. Eventually she and Kol had decided to investigate Hope’s school for some answers.

This artifact, it had appeared out of nowhere on her kitchen counter one morning.

Davina looked up when Marcel reappeared with food which had her tucking the artifact away.

“Now, I know this isn’t much, but if there’s anything you need, anything at all,” he started.

“A laptop,” she said softly. “Um… just to, you know, I’m not going to contact anyone, I just, to see the outside world,” she offered lamely.

“Sure, sure, we can get that,” he smiled.

Davina smiled meekly.

If she had a computer, she’d have a starting point for what the hell was going on, and she’d have a way to track Kol.

But this was provided Kol wasn’t dead. Yet.

If Kol wasn’t dead yet, then she could save him, and if she saved him then maybe him and his freaky witch encyclopedic brain to figure out what exactly had happened. They hadn’t even thought about Time Magic because it was impossible, Time moved in one direction for residents of this plane of existence, and that was forward. Time Travel was a myth in witch communities and a forbidden magic because it always went terribly wrong. And Kol would know something about Time Magic with as long as he had lived.

Davina didn’t care if Kol knew her at this point or not, she knew she could get him to help her. Kol was wily, unpredictable, dangerous, and as cunning as a fox, but he was fond of witches, and he liked a challenge, this would be one hell of a challenge for him, and she was a witch. Those facts upped her odds of surviving her husband’s temper.

It didn’t take long for her to get her hands on a laptop, Marcel left her to her own devices then. She knew he would be out to make false trails about her location and where he’d take her. Davina had taken a moment to block the ancestors and cast a cloaking spell before settling on figuring out her next moves.

She remembered Kol mentioning off handedly before that he had been in Mystic Falls, and she knew he would die there; which would make it a good place to intercept Kol. Klaus and Rebekah had been the ones to inform her of how her husband had died; the first time, when Jeremy Gilbert had come to New Orleans and fainted at the sight of Kol. Kol hadn’t elaborated on his first death, and she had witnessed his second death so she didn’t want to pry too hard into that trauma, still she had been curious why some guy would faint at the sight of Kol.

Davina rubbed her brow.

If she were here, now, she could change so many things; she could prevent Kol’s deaths, Dahlia’s return, Freya’s betrayal, the Hollow, the deaths of the Mikaelsons, and her family, and Esther. She could prevent the ancestor’s total corruption of the living, which admittedly might make her life easier, and was selfish to desire but she hated how they ruined so much of her life. Davina hated Esther and Mikal with a fiery passion after she had gotten to know Kol more. She had learnt all about the abuses his parents had inflicted upon their children for selfish, nonsensical reasons. But if she killed them both now and stored their bodies away to defeat Dahlia then it would be a win. She’d just have to make sure to seal Esther away, and not permit her to be consecrated with the witches of New Orleans.

Of course, Davina knew she would have to die, but if she could prevent the corruption of the ancestors then perhaps, they could remain true to their purpose and uncorrupted, which would be good for all magic in New Orleans, and that notion made dying less scary.

She was quick to locate Mystic Falls, Virginia.

Marcel appeared with more furnishings and Davina kept herself small and quiet, trying to act scared.

Marcel was kind, and funny, especially with stupid dad jokes; she swore he had a handbook of those laying around somewhere, which had her wanting to throw herself at him and beg for his help. Davina knew he wouldn’t; not right at this moment, he was still angry with and hurt by the Mikaelsons.

And hell would have to freeze over and implode before Marcel voluntarily helped Kol.

Which meant she needed to figure out what the hell had happened and why she was here again on her own right now. To do that she needed Kol. Marcel wouldn’t piss on Kol if he were on fire, which meant Marcel wouldn’t help Davina get to Kol.

She’d have to get to Mystic Falls on her own.

Maybe she could run into Hayley on the way out of Mystic Falls and prevent Sophie Deveraux and the Covens from attempting to use Hayley to instigate war. She didn’t want Marcel and Josh caught in the crossfire again.

Davina wrote out a quick note telling Marcel she was fine, but she had a witch matter to handle, she thanked him for saving her, and that she’d be in touch soon. Leaving it at that, she noted she’d have to get a phone first on her trip.

Grabbing a bag, she stuffed the clothes he had just brought her into it, snatched up the hourglass and put it in the bag, wrapped in the Harvest dress. Grabbing her quilt and pillow then the laptop she jogged out of the church. It didn’t take her long to find a car to steal, it was a rusted out, massive old Ford truck, but it would work. Getting in she found a map in the glove box and smirked before she started it up and started heading to Virginia.

The sooner she got to Kol the sooner she could figure out why she wasn’t dead and what exactly was going on.

Chapter Text

Davina shivered as violently when the truck’s heater had gone out somewhere in North Carolina, which had hit her hard that night. Determination though had her stubbornly pushing onward. She’d have killed to have a decent radio station but then cringed as it reminded her of Kol’s obsession with the radio. He could and would drive her nuts with his habit of switching stations at will and on a whim when they did road trips. The last road they had taken she had ended up banning him from the radio as they drove in silence.

She coasted into Mystic Falls on fumes and puttered to the nearest parking lot; some cheap outlet stores. Shivering violently, she pulled the musty, old quilt around herself tighter as she pulled out a scrap of paper and a pen, before she started compiling a ‘Honey To-Do’ list.

No matter what she would have to return for the Harvest, that was a have to, she couldn’t evade this death and if she didn’t participate in the Harvest then the powers within her wouldn’t just destroy her but all of New Orleans in some grand, biblical disaster which would leave ruin and devastated. And probably a good portion of the Southern United States if she was honest; this was too much power for any one witch. Plus, she was a fire inclined witch, and the Harvest Girl of Fire, she would have to die to not have what happened last time happen this time.

Also, if she died, that meant she, thirty-four-year-old Davina, might not be coming back, and she didn’t want sixteen-year-old her lost and confused or worse, alone. Davina would have to make sure she didn’t wake alone, or in a crypt. Marcel had recovered her last time from her crypt, but she had still awoken in a shroud, which was unpleasant to say the least.

Pushing unpleasant memories out of her head, Davina took the pen and paper and started compiling the Honey To-Do List:

• Sealing Esther’s spirit/soul
  • She needed to do this swiftly because Esther was a threat in the future, and Davina did not want to deal with her.
• Locate, Keep and Hide bodies of Esther and Mikael
  • Davina knew she’d need them later, because of Dahlia. And that summed up what she knew about taking down Dahlia.
• Devise clear instructions for destroying Dahlia; stress not to listen to Freya 
  • Davina didn’t desire that to unfold the same way twice. But this also meant she’d have to find Freya, and that had Davina snarling. While she hadn’t forgiven Elijah entirely, the man had died, and Davina had made peace with him through his death. But Freya… Davina could never and would never forgive Freya.
• Locate Hayley
  • That was a personal preference because Davina and Hayley had gotten on exceptionally well once they were friends. In a lot of ways, Hayley was the older sister Davina had never had. Hayley was also the one person who made Elijah better, so she wanted to set them up before Elijah got to the point of sacrificing nineteen-year-olds.
• Locate All White Oak Stakes
  • This was to ensure Kol didn’t die, but also to keep the Originals safe.
• Seal the Hollow off before she can rise
  • This one would be difficult at best, near impossible at worst, but it would have to be done.
• Unlink Marcel and Josh from Klaus
  • She didn’t want them to die if Klaus died. And given the amount of enemies her brother-in-law possessed; she knew it was a possibility.
• Return to New Orleans in time for the Harvest before biblical plagues started spewing from her
  • That was solely so she avoided the agony of last time. That death had not been pleasant, and she didn’t really want to experience it again.
• Keep Kol ALIVE!!!!
  • Keeping her impulsive, manic, homicidal husband alive was a personal preference so she could throttle him for being an impulsive idiot when his emotions ran hot. That was all she knew about Kol’s first death, he’d been emotional, and running off his emotions rather than his brain, and died because of it. So, she’d have to fix that. Davina swore she was all the impulse control in hers’ and Kol’s marriage.

Her fingers were shaking so much she blew into her hand to warm them. She needed to ditch the truck and find someplace warm to stay. Tucking the ‘Honey to-do list’ into her pocket, she clambered out of the truck, wrapped up in her blanket, grabbed her duffle bag with her laptop and the map, securing it around her person before snatching the pillow and hugging it to herself as she rearranged the blanket around her shoulders.

Stupid East Coast winters, this was cold. Stupid cold, she called bullshit on Kol saying this was a mild winter, this was fucking miserable!

Walking swiftly into the town Davina tried to be inconspicuous as possible, keeping her head down as she hurried. People didn’t look twice at her, until she reached a cheap motel. Pulling the credit card she’d stolen from a gas station in Arkansas she got the cheapest, smallest, dingy room with a heater. Dropping her bag on her bed she pulled her laptop out and plugged it in. Setting up a few minor wards to keep herself concealed from the people in town as well as the witches who’d no doubt be hunting her sixteen year old self, she settled into the room.

It was a crappy water pressure, but scalding hot, which felt amazing after the Harvest and a day of driving. She could feel the grime and blood washing down the drain and off her body before she felt human again.

Toweling off her hair she sat on the bed and opened the laptop before she started with the town. Looking over the maps she started getting the lay of the land. This was a small town, two grocery stores, one high school, town square, lots of forest. It was like where the school had been set up but without Salvatore’s school. Davina looked over the map more carefully, she had never truly visited Mystic Falls, it was sort of off limits to the Mikealson’s, it was a big fat NO for Kol personally too.

Tapping her fingers together as looked over the map she pondered what to do and where to find her husband first. Davina honestly didn’t know what exactly had happened in Mystic Falls to lead to Kol’s death, he had never expanded on the events surrounding his first death.

Perhaps she could find Elijah to find Kol. Or… she’d probably find Klaus with more ease. Klaus never hid for long, or very well, he was invincible, and immortal, and brutal, she knew him at his most savage, and brutal tactics.

She paused in her thinking then, she would probably be safer finding Elijah first, he was the easier of the two to reason with.  Davina had made peace with Elijah’s role in her death and would admit Elijah was easiest to reason with of his siblings, but that didn’t make her happy about it. Rebekah would be out for negotiating because she held no leverage over her brothers despite her bickering with them. Davina’s stomach snarled, reminding her she was hungry, having not eaten since Marcel had gotten her breakfast.

Grabbing the jacket, she had been wearing before she left her room to hunt up a place to eat. The Harvest witch powers were swirling too close to the surface for her, she would have to make times to practice her magic, so she didn’t have episodes of no control, again.  Davina paused when she felt magic and vampires gathering which had her looking over at the bar: Mystic Grill.

Hope had said Elijah claimed this place had the best burger, and she was starving, maybe she could grab a bite to eat and work more on her ‘Honey To-Do List’ so she could survive whatever weirdness she found herself in.

“Welcome to Mystic Grill,” a hostess said. Davina smiled as she went to a seat and pulled her list out.

‘Honey To-Do Lists’ were a joke between her and Kol, long standing joke after they both refused to write bucket lists for things Davina wanted to do. Kol had laughed at the idea of a Honey-Do list because it was a list of things to do and to be done. So they had started calling their check lists for whatever mischief they were involved in a Honey To-Do List. This one was starting to annoy her because she did not know where to begin to get it accomplished.

Harvest had to be the last thing on her list.

“Hi, I’m Matt, I’ll be your host this evening,” a tall, athletic man declared as he loomed over her. She smiled as he handed her a menu. “Can I start you off with anything?”

“A Dr. Pepper please,” she asked as she opened the menu to look through it carefully. Burgers and fries were what she wanted first. It didn’t take long for the young man to return.

“So… I haven’t seen you around here before,” he offered her lamely.

“I’m just looking for a friend,” she answered blandly.

He bobbed his head a bit and smiled, she smiled back as charmingly as she could. “I’ll take a burger and fries with a strawberry milkshake, and bottle of your hottest hot sauce,” she ordered as she handed back the menu.

 She watched him go and then cast a small illusion spell on her ‘Honey To-Do List’ before taking a sip of her Dr. Pepper. Watching the people around her she smiled a bit seeing the people interacting and mingling, it all looked so normal and felt a bit like New Orleans, but more… secretive.

The music being played wasn’t her thing, not really her jam, but it wasn’t horrible, Rousseau’s was still better. She missed the near constant flow of jazz from her city, it was a weakness she hadn’t been expecting if she were honest. Kol conceded that the jazz was a sign that her tastes in music weren’t wholly irredeemable. She smiled to herself thinking of her husband when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, which had her attention snapping over to the group with eyes on her.

There was a witch there, staring at Davina with bright green eyes. But more curiously, Davina saw Caroline Forbes; a woman she’d only seen photos at Hope’s school. The willowy brunette was glaring at Davina, as were her two big brooding shadows of vampires. The big brooding man with a defined jaw and green eyes was looking for conflicted staring at her, while the other one had black hair and ghostly blue eyes. The four vampires though stared at Davina intently, while the witch looked conflicted and nervous. Finally, two humans joined the group, the young waiter named Matt, and the other boy was tall, lean, with black hair and a nervous disposition about him.

Davina turned her attention back to the music, if Caroline was a part of that group, Davina would wager that was who Klaus was playing with. Kol had been gleeful to inform Davina about all the dirt on Klaus and Caroline because he loved his brother’s doomed relationships that weren’t Cami. Davina had never dwelled on it though.

She hummed a bit to the music and smiled when Matt brought her food. She noted the witch and vampires were still watching her intently which had her frowning as she let her magic feel for a hex or curse on her food. Something was up, but it wasn’t with anything she’d be eating.

Kol was had been reluctant to return to Mystic Falls, he didn’t really like being near his old life and not connecting, and it enraged him that his spot had been destroyed by Nik’s bloody house! He missed his human life more than his family could comprehend, and he was certain his brother thought keeping the land was a good peace offering, but the fact Nik had built over everything Kol loved had pissed him off. But then again, nothing was the same in this era, everything had changed in the last hundred or so years.

Well, near hundred years, he supposed. He’d been put in the box in 1914, it was only 2011 now, so give or take a few years he’d been in the box a century. Rebekah and he had bitched about the times changing and how Nik had kept them both in boxes. He’d listened to her woes about a Stefan Salvatore, which annoyed Kol, but Bekah was his baby sister, so he indulged her.

The only big change in this era he had an immediate love-hate of was the vehicles; Kol missed horses, but at the same time he didn’t. Horses had been something he couldn’t connect with, which had made a deep ache in his soul, but at the same time he was now pleased he didn’t have to bribe an animal to like him so he could travel like a mortal. Still, cars were interesting, especially where speed was concerned; it wasn’t as fast as he was, but it was fun all the same.

“Kol,” Rebekah smiled as he got out and walked to the house. “You came back!”

“Of course, my baby sister called for help!” he chuckled as he let her hug him. “So what is it you desire that you could not tell me over the cellular phone?” he asked as he set her down.

“There’s a cure,” she said swiftly.

Kol raised a brow at her. A cure for what?

“Vampirism!” she whispered excitedly.

Kol stared at his little sister long and hard as he tried not to bely his interest in mortality. He knew no one thought he missed his mortality, but he did, he missed it more than anything because he missed being himself and being a witch. However, Bekah was the most vocal about her desires to be human again, so he had never laid out the false trails or ideas about being cured to her, and especially not since Finn’s death, and their mother’s intent to murder them.

“What?” he whispered.

“Yes, a professor in town… he knows about a cure, Kol!” Rebekah informed him gleefully.

Kol almost smiled, but then he looked at Rebekah. Whatever cure it was, he would give it to Bekah, because she deserved to be human, but oh, how he wanted it.

“What do you need me for then?” he asked curiously.

“I… Nik wants the cure for Elena,” she rolled her eyes at the thought. “So, I need your help getting it before Nik does,” she explained.

Kol nodded slowly as they walked into the house and headed to his room.

“What do you know about the ‘cure’?” he asked carefully.

“Nothing,” she answered quickly, her smile not shrinking at the admittance. “But this is my chance, Kol, I can be human again!”

“Bekah, I need to know about this cure before you take it,” he chided. “It might not be what they claim,” he reminded her.

“Kol,” she whined. “I just… Nik wants to waste it on that doppelgänger tart, and…”

“I don’t disagree, Bex, but we need to know about it before you take it, you’re a thousand years old,” he pointed out in amusement.

“Oh.”

“Yes, ‘oh’,” he mocked and chuckled.

“Fine,” she rolled her eyes. “The professor is working with Elena’s witchy friend.”

“I’ll start looking into this,” he promised.

The girl was tiny, long, dark brown hair, and blue eyes, but according to Bonnie she had to be immensely powerful because Bonnie couldn’t figure out if she was human, vampire, witch or werewolf. He didn’t like her; he didn’t like that she had shown up after all the trauma of the Originals. The woman showing up now was suspicious. The woman turned into an alleyway he turned after her and surged up, she spun around lifting a hand, flicking her wrist to send him crashing into the wall before she walked over.

He gasped as he felt his blood heating up.

“I’m going to assume you’re the suspicious, jumpy, rebellious one of whatever team is going on,” the girl said.

Now he saw she was incredibly young, fifteen or sixteen. Her stray strands of hair fluttered around her as she crouched down to his level.

He winced as he shivered and tried to keep from screaming in agony as the blood within him was heating up drastically. It felt like he was sitting in the sun, burning from within himself. The girl hadn’t even trembled or strained as she worked.

“Ahck!” he finally cried out. “What are you doing?” he gasped as he gripped his head.

“I’m boiling your blood, you’re feeling like you’ll die, but I’m keeping it at just the tipping point between a life and death for a vampire,” Davina said.

“You’re… you’re a witch,” he gasped.

“Mmm,” she nodded. “Now, who are you, your friends, and what have I walked into?” she asked.

“You’re with them!” he hissed between pain as he rolled to his hands and knees.

“That entirely depends,” she answered. “Answer me and you’ll forget this pain and I ever happened,” she offered.

“I’m not telling you a thing!” he hissed.

“Shame,” she pouted rather childishly before smiling wickedly. “You would’ve just saved me a lot of time if you had answered my questions,” she decided and stood, flicking her hand which had him gasping in relief. “Don’t try to follow me,” she called out. “It never ends well,” she chimed over her shoulder.

She flicked her wrist and he yelped as he went crashing up into a dumpster as the mysterious witch disappeared into the night.

Elena walked after Damon, who was lying in a dumpster, looking at him as he lay there dazed and confused.

“Are you alright!?” she demanded as she pulled him out of the dumpster.

“Why am I in a dumpster?” he groaned.

“You were following that girl Bonnie couldn’t read,” Elena explained as she held him up.

“What girl?” he sputtered.

Elena stared dumbly at him as she held him up. “The girl who was in the Mystic Grill!”

“What girl!?” he demanded again.

Chapter Text

First thing Davina did in the morning was hunt down coffee, no caffeine, no functioning Davina. Didn’t matter if she was thirty-four or sixteen, or her thirty-four-year-old self stuck in her sixteen-year-old body: no caffeine, no function.

She should also look into buying a phone and calling Marcel before he tore apart New Orleans in its entirety.

When she had been sixteen the first time, she hadn’t understood Marcel’s adoption of her, he was better to her than any real parent or coven member she had had at the time. He had been patient, protective, stubborn, bossy, and infuriatingly helicopter-ish, and at the time Davina hadn’t understood it, merely relished in having someone’s full attention and affections. She had been deprived of true affections for so long that Marcel’s were all consuming to her, and she’d give him whatever he wanted just to keep those affections. As a child she had thought Marcel’s affections for her were contingent upon what she could do for him, which was a reasonable assumption given he called her a secret weapon.

Now though, now she got it, he didn’t love her because he wanted something from her, he loved her like a real father loved a daughter, he let her have her tantrums, he would patiently wait for her to see reason, he’d let her stumble and fall, but he’d catch her, he’d listen to her, and wait before bestowing wisdom or lesson upon her, and he had a zillion bad dad jokes on hand. He was more her dad than anyone else, and the first time around she hadn’t seen that.

Davina hadn’t noticed it until she had lost Marcel entirely from her life because of death.

Seeing Marcel mourn her had put a lot into perspective for her, especially when she had been resurrected by Inadu. Yes, Davina knew she had mattered to Marcel, but all of her relationships until Josh and Kol had been built upon a quid-pro-quo status, and she had grown cynical about hers’ and Marcel’s relationship because of it. Seeing Marcel break down, and grieve her, as well as unleash his wrath on the Mikaelsons for her, it had changed a lot of things for how Davina viewed her relationship with Marcel. It had also made Marcel her dad in her eyes, completely and irrefutably her dad.

Rousing her dismal thoughts from Marcel, she walked into the café and slowly shuffled along with the line to get coffee. Finally she got to the counter to place her order, and as she was about to pay a voice broke her thoughts.

“Her order is on me,” the man declared. Davina stiffened at the voice but slipped what little money she had left in her pocket as she nodded to the cashier and turned to thank the man. Turning to thank him she saw it was Mr. Brooding from the bar last night.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile as she slipped away to find a seat.

The vampire slid into the seat across from her which had her frowning. “I wasn’t aware company came with my coffee,” she remarked dryly.

“I’m here about what you did to my brother,” he said.

“Mmm, that party trick,” she smirked a bit as she settled in her seat. “What about it?” she asked.

“What did you do and how do we undo what you did to his memory?” he snarled.

“I did nothing worse than he’d have done to me,” she remarked blandly. She smiled as her coffee was brought with the man’s order, the waiter blushed a little and she chuckled at the teen’s blatant affections. Davina hadn’t been the most… outgoing teen, her coven kept her on a tight leash, her mother kept her on lock down, and Marcel had kept her alive at any cost. True she had had friends, Hayley, Camille, Josh, Aiden, but she hadn’t been out and flirting with boys. Minus Tim, and that had ended as bad as bad could be.

“He might’ve had good intentions,” Mr. Brooding stated.

“You don’t follow a girl into an alley, at night, with good intentions,” she mused as she poured crème into her coffee and stirred it up. “He’ll be fine in a day or two, though I suppose if your witch could ‘cure’ him, you wouldn’t be here.”

“What did you do to him?” the vampire repeated.

“I removed myself from his mind,” she answered. Now the other vampire’s eyes went wide, and she softened. “Not to worry, no harm was done to him long term, though I was disappointed he wasn’t as cooperative as I needed.”

“Who are you?”

“Me? Nobody,” she answered. “Yourself?”

Now the vampire leaned back in his seat and looked her over with a curious gaze, Davina sipped her coffee and sighed in near bliss at the flavor.

“You’re a witch,” he deduced.

“Very good,” she chuckled. “A little slow on taking in the obvious, but very good,” she cheered him.

“Why are you here?”

“Oh, many reasons,” she chuckled. “But mostly I’m here to make certain a particular Original burns.” She was going to have to deal with Esther first, this might be the fast track to do that.

“You’re against the Originals?” he asked.

“Mmm, in a manner of speaking,” she offered carefully as she crossed her legs. In her twenty years of dealing with vampires, wolves and witches, Davina had picked up a few things from the Mikaelsons on short routing how to get where she wanted. The sooner she figured out what Klaus’ newest toys were in the middle of, the sooner she would find where the Mikaelsons were. And wherever the Mikaelsons were, would be where her husband was.

“I’m Stefan,” he offered.

“Davina,” she returned.

“Shouldn’t you be in school, Davina?” he asked her.

“Now why would I be there?” she cocked her head and pouted a bit.

“You can’t be older than fifteen,” he pointed out.

“Sixteen,” she mocked outrage. A mere few days into being sixteen, but she was sixteen nonetheless. “Where I am and what I do is not your concern.”

“Well, it is if you have an Original problem.”

“So that’ll be where they’re hiding,” Davina nodded. “Thanks,” she waved him off as she hopped off her stool and walked out the café to find the school. The coffee kept her hands warm as she made her way to the imposing building.

“Will you slow down!” a voice snapped, a hand grabbed her arm and spun her to face Stefan again. “You can’t just go charging in after them!” he warned her.

“I think you’ll find I know that better than you ever could,” she mused lightly. “However, you are Klaus’ latest play toys,” she snapped which had her flicking her fingers as she removed herself from his grasp and then sent him to his knees as her eyes narrowed as she focused on his blood. “And because you are his playthings, I can only assume you invited them to wreak havoc, which means association with you is counterproductive to what I need and what I am to do.”

“We didn’t invite them,” he gasped through the pain as she kept rising his blood at point.

“The only reason Originals do anything or go anywhere is because you invited them in or you have something they want, or you’ve threatened their family,” she said as she crouched down to his level as he fell to his hands. “So whyever they are here, whatever brought them here, you invited them. I am here for only one of them, and I don’t need association with whatever conflict there is.”

“They’ll kill you,” he gasped.

“Nothing they haven’t done before,” she stated as she dropped the spell, spinning around she left him. She made it to the high school and looked it over as she walked around its fence assessing it carefully as she let her power unfurl as she reached out to see who it was here. She stopped when she saw him across the way.

His hair was longer than she knew he liked it. His tall frame stood intimidatingly as he watched the school.  Biting her lip, she took a deep breath as she stared at her husband. He was alive, and handsome as ever, God knew she wanted to run over there and kiss him senseless right now, which would undoubtably be a bad idea. Kol would probably make a snack of her, because he didn’t know her how she knew him, and she knew he didn’t like his personal space invaded unless he initiated it.

Kol seemed to have sensed her because suddenly his head snapped over to her, his hair ruffled in the winter breeze, and his eyes narrowed dangerously on her, she felt the smile reflexively curling her lips. She didn’t wave or anything, she knew him and knew she had his attention which was enough for now as she turned to leave him, she flicked her hand as she let the magic flurry about her.

Leaving him she knew he was alive, now he’d be curious and come find her and she could figure out how to keep him alive! She’d go the library and see if she could find some news about what was happening in this town.

Whatever the professor his sister talked about was planning, he knew it’d take a witch, the only witch within a hundred miles was the Bennett witch. So, he had decided to start there with his stalking and intel gathering as they say. Kol didn’t want to walk into this blind. So, he had started with the Bennett witch, poor girl didn’t even know how to hide her power, or sense his presence even. It was pathetic in his mind because she was a Bennett, and they were powerful.

However, other than Ayana, who’d been like a mother to him, Kol had never connected with Bennetts really. There was irony there somewhere. Kol’s relations with witches was always exceptional, but his connection with Bennetts was poor at best.

In his exceptionally long life, Kol had never severed connections with witches, even if he had no magic to use for practicing, he was drawn to witches. They were creatures he understood, he knew, he could learn from and teach, they could form mutually beneficial relationships, protect him or obliterate him, he loved them for it. Magic was wild and unpredictable, and he missed it, he missed having it in his blood and he could feel that dead, cut off part of himself. Kol understood where his obsession and desire to learn about his craft came from, which had him wondering about Shane’s obsession and connection to the Bennett witch.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up which had torn him from his thoughts to look for the threat.

He had seen her immediately; she wasn’t really hiding. He could smell her coffee all the way over to here, as well as her scent; magnolias, honey suckle, and something spicy. Her long, dark hair had obstructed some of his view of her face, but not her eyes, her eyes were the most brilliant shade of blue he had ever seen. She wasn’t anything particularly, or spectacularly beautiful; rather tiny, and homely features, but she was stunning in his mind.

A smile had curled her lips under his gaze, and he almost wanted to smile back, instead she turned and started to walk away, she flicked her hand which had a surge of magic fluttering about her as she left him.

“Kol,” he turned to look at Rebekah. “What are you doing?” she demanded with exasperation.

“You said the professor had a witch,” he retorted as he followed his sister. He’d track down the other witch later, when he could shake his sister and brothers.

“What happened to you?” Damon asked when he staggered into the house. His blood still ached, and his body felt sluggish, in need of blood.

“That witch,” he answered as he collapsed on the couch.

“The one that supposedly dumped me in a dumpster?” Damon asked him dryly.

“That one,” he grimaced. For such a little thing she sure did know how to pack a punch.

“What’d you learn?”

“Her name is Davina, and she’s here to kill and Original,” he sighed. “What power she’s displayed I think she could do it,” he admitted as he rubbed his brow. “She didn’t even cast a verbal spell and boiled me from the inside out,” he explained.

“Welp… this is great, just what we need,” Damon declared theatrically as he grabbed a blood bag and handed it to Stefan.

Stefan didn’t expand on the fact she had accused them of bringing their nightmare to them.

“Can we win her over?” Damon asked.

“I don’t know,” he admitted as he lay there finishing off the bag.

“This is great,” Damon muttered sourly.

“She’s has a lot of power,” he muttered. “A lot, we might be able to get her to help us find the cure. But I don’t know. I couldn’t figure out her motives.”

“Well, we have bigger problems than an unknown witch,” Damon sighed.

“What now?” he grumbled rubbing his brow.

“Elena thinks she saw Kol in town,” Damon explained.

“What?”

“She thinks, she doesn’t know for sure,” he shrugged.

Over the course of her day, she had learned a lot about this town, it was a supernatural hotspot with a massive unbalance in nature, not because of the vampires but because of the magic that had been practiced here. Which had her expanding a little on her ‘Honey To-Do List’ a little.  She was humming to herself as she read over the newspaper, sitting at a different restaurant, and sipping a Dr. Pepper when she saw a group of girls coming towards her table but they veered off to a group of boys. She wondered what it would be like to be a normal sixteen year old, she never had been before.

Davina nearly jumped out of her seat when her husband was suddenly seat across from her and stifled a yelp of shock at his sudden appearance.

“Hello darling,” he greeted her with his most charming smirk. The one she knew meant he was up to no good, and about three seconds from trouble of some sort. “Figured you wanted me to find you after your little display,” he mused.

“Evening,” she greeted as she regained her calm and folded the paper, she was reading up to set it aside. “How are you?”

“I can’t decide,” he mused playfully, flashing his teeth threateningly. “See, there’s a pretty little witch who is new in town,” he offered.

“So, what can’t you decide?” she queried coyly.

“If she’s suicidal or dangerous for attracting my attention,” he said as his voice dropped an octave into a dangerous growl.

“How about dangerous?” she offered as she leaned on the table, propping her chin on her fist.

“Then you’ll have to be eliminated,” he decided.

“Not so fast,” she countered as she forced her magic to hold him. Kol glared at her. “I actually came looking for you.”

“For me?”

“Yes, you, Kol Mikaelson, the Original who knows all things witchy, my grandmother spoke highly of you, despite your betrayal,” Davina stated. Now she had his undivided attention and curiosity she knew she was safe which had her dropping her hold on her husband.

“Your grandmother?” he drawled out curiously.

“Mary-Alice Claire,” she reminded him.

Kol lit up then, genuine delight flashing over his features. He smiled brightly as he perked up in his seat, and she smiled at his joy of hearing an old name he knew.

“Mary! How is the old bird?” he asked cheerfully.

“She passed away,” Davina said softly.

“I’m sorry to hear that, she was truly a wonderful woman,” he murmured somberly, as he looked at his hands then.

“She was,” Davina agreed. “She taught me a lot,” she admitted as she folded her arms to hug herself. Her grandmother had been more of a mother than her own mother had been.

“Well, it appears you are aware of who I am, but that leaves you a mystery,” he decided as he settled back in his seat. “You’re obviously a Claire witch, from New Orleans if Mary was your grandmother and your charming accent is anything to go on.”

“I am a Claire witch, and I am from New Orleans,” she chuckled. “I’m Davina.”

“And what’s brought you looking for me, love?” he asked now as he relaxed and leaned back in his seat.

“This,” she answered pulling the hourglass out of her pocket and handing it over to him. “It’s done something… I can’t explain here or right now, not yet, but it’s… time magic,” she explained vaguely.

Kol lifted a brow as he turned it over in his hand.

“What happened to it?”

“Well, that’s part of what I can’t explain beyond it was crushed in my grasp when I was thrown through a wall,” she explained. “I have no idea where it’s from, what it’s for, or what it really does beyond what it’s done.”

“What has it done?”

“Can’t tell you that yet, because I don’t believe it myself, and because you won’t believe me right now,” she replied. “Have you ever come across something like it?” she asked.

Kol hadn’t recognized it in their kitchen, but Davina was hoping that maybe it was a memory he had lost between deaths and resurrections; vain as that hope was. She knew that his memory was perfect, but she was still hoping that he might have answers, dormant memories he hadn’t thought of that might come to light now.

“No, I’ve never seen something like this,” he assured her as he turned it over carefully. Pulling open the rings and examining the languages.

Davina sighed as she leaned back in her seat, slightly disappointed but unsurprised.

“You don’t seem surprised by my answer, love,” he remarked off handedly.

“As I said it’s time magic,” she sighed. “You were the one I asked about it first when I found it.”

“Me? I don’t know you,” he sputtered incredulously.

“Time. Magic.” she repeated before she took it back.

“Wait, are you from… the future?” he asked warily.

“Yes,” she admitted.

“Huh,” he nodded his head as he now reassessed her. “Prove it,” he ordered childishly.

“You snore like a freight train,” she stated. It was such a small, intimate detail she knew about him that she knew none of his lovers would’ve known, and only his family could know.

“I do not!” he protested indignantly as his face flushed a bit.

“You literally shake the room,” she giggled from some of the memories she had. There were times she had contemplated smothering him with a pillow when she had headaches and his snores were reverberating through her skull.

“I do not!” he insisted his face was bright red now.

“You do to,” she laughed.

“Uh-huh, and how do you know this!?” he snapped scowling like a child.

“Because I know you, Kol, rather well,” she smiled at him. “I’m not here to hurt you or your family,” she promised. “I’m here to help you.”

“And what do you want in return?” he asked her, now exceedingly wary.

“Nothing,” she admitted with a soft smile on her lips. “You don’t know what this hourglass is, which means that this is a dead end, officially, so instead of dwelling on it, I’m here to help you for as long as I am able.”

He reassessed her carefully.

“I’m here to change things as long as I’m stuck here,” she stated.

“Change things?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “The one thing I needed help with is a dead end and I’ll help change things, for the better rather than having a repeat of what happened the first time around.”

Chapter Text

“So… there’s a new witch,” Elena deduced as she stared between Stefan and Damon trying to understand what they were saying. It wasn’t that she was stupid or anything, but honestly, grasping the idea of a witch working against the Originals was difficult to grasp. Especially after everything the Originals had done to get rid of their mother. “And she’s here to kill an Original?”

“That’s what she said,” Stefan stated as he rubbed his brow.

“But that’ll… kill us,” she muttered uncertainly.

“I don’t know, this girl, she had enough power, she could possibly break the sire lines,” Stefan said. “She didn’t even use verbal magic to bring me to my knees!”

“Well, I don’t remember anything besides waking up in a dumpster,” Damon muttered sourly.

“You should be used to that,” Elena pointed out crisply.

Damon mocked a face as he glared at her in fury.

“You actually think she could!?” Caroline piped up then looking curious.

“I don’t know,” Stefan admitted. “We should send Bonnie to meet with her though.”

“And what if she hurts Bonnie like she did you two?” Elena demanded. She didn’t like this witch, the witch who attacked for no reason.

“Bonnie’s a witch!” Damon pointed out.

“And she brought Stefan to his knees and admitted to removing herself from your memory!” Elena snapped.

“And I’m not defenseless if I meet her,” Bonnie piped up. “You think she’ll help us?”

“If she’s here to kill an Original, I don’t see why she wouldn’t,” Stefan admitted.

“But what if she won’t?” Caroline asked.

“Then we make her,” Damon decided.

“And how do you propose we make her? We don’t know anything about her, we don’t have leverage on her, and she could be a ploy from the Originals to get us to lower our guard!” Elena snapped furiously. Davina might be a child, but she wasn’t to be underestimated in Elena’s mind, especially if she was all oh so powerful. Elena didn’t like Davina.

Davina had ditched her husband after giving her promise to him and returned to her motel room. The hot shower had soothed her nerves and aching body. The effects of the Harvest were making itself known, it was swirling violently within her, she could feel it trying to take over. There was also the trembling through her limbs and muscles, the exhaustion that seeped into her bones, and the emotions that were all over the place. Closing her eyes, she focused on soothing herself and her magic. She’d meditate later if she couldn’t get this under control.

Meeting Kol had been the usual jolt of excitement for her, he always sent a thrill racing down her spine, he was so wild and dangerous though. His unpredictability was predictable to her though, she had been married to the man, and his habits and tells hadn’t altered at all, so she had an edge of knowing how to read him. Something she hadn’t had as a girl the first time she had met him.

Finally, everything within her felt at peace and she stepped out of her shower. Wrapped up in towels she walked to the main room, shivering at the temperature change before sitting on the bed. Casting a silencing spell with ease she picked up the phone and dialed Marcel’s number. She had long since known the number by heart, he had gotten it back in the 90s, and never bothered to change it, merely upgrading his phone as needed.

“Hello,” he answered.

“Marcel,” she whispered.

“D!” he exclaimed, and she could hear him hurrying through wherever he was to someplace quiet; or as quiet as he could find in New Orleans.

“Hey,” she smiled weakly as she curled up on her bed now, cradling the phone to her ear as she closed her eyes.

“Davina, where are you!?” he demanded. “And how did you get this number!? Never mind, tell me where you are sweetie and I’ll come get you,” he promised. There were tears in her eyes as she bit her lip.

“I can’t…” she murmured.

“Davina, if it’s the witches…” he started.

“It’s not,” she promised. “I’m safe,” she assured him. “I’m safe.”

“Davina…” he started again.

“I just, you did so much for me, and I wanted you to know… I’ll be back, I just can’t come back yet. There are things I need to do. But I’m safe,” she promised.

“Where are you?” he pleaded.

“I’m not where the witches will come for me,” she whispered. “I’ll be back, I have to fix this though,” she explained softly.

“Tell me where you are Davina, I’ll come help you,” he stated.

“You can’t,” she replied. “I just… I wanted to hear your voice,” she sniffled as she felt the tears gathering in her eyes. “Thank you, Marcel,” she said and hung up then as she felt the first tears coming.

The sob that tore through her was so unexpected as she curled up she didn’t even notice she dropped the phone on the floor in an attempt to hang it up. For the first time since Kol had chosen her as his partner she cried alone and hugged herself desperately wishing she wasn’t alone right now. She wanted her Kol back, she wanted her family, her life, she wanted it all back, and it was gone.

This was worse than being a ghost!

At least as a ghost Kol knew her, he didn’t look at her like she was a stranger, or like she was nothing. Her Kol had never looked at her how Kol had today. She gasped for air as she cried, remembering the Harvest, her friends, her life, and the betrayal. Sobbing uncontrollably for the first time since waking up in the attic she cursed her death and the Harvest. It hurt, it hurt worse than death or losing Kol the first time! It hurt so badly, she wanted the pain gone, she wanted it gone, she wanted…

There was a knock on the door which had her gasping for breath as she struggled to contain herself again.

“Housekeeping,” a woman’s voice called on the other side of the door.

“One second,” she called back; hating how watery and weak her voice sounded, as she rolled out of the towel as she grabbed a shirt and a pair of panties. The shorts were next before she walked to the door. Opening it a little she sighed as she saw him there with the motel maid.

“Thank you, but I don’t need your services,” Davina said to the maid, who nodded before walking off. Opening the door fully she looked at Kol, who was leaning on the wall.

“Hello, love,” he smiled his troublemaker smirk.

“Kol,” she greeted with a weak, watery smile of her own, as she folded her arms and leaned on her door frame assessing him. Davina wiped her eyes vainly, because the tears weren’t stopping right now, but Kol was here, and even if he wasn’t hers’, he was here and that was enough to have her wanting to throw herself at him. “What are you doing here?”

“Trying to figure you out,” he admitted. “May I?” asked as he came to cage her in by leaning on the door frame. Kol had always known his size was a good intimidation tactic, he had even admitted that he enjoyed making people uneasy by using his size. He probably would’ve been taller than Finn if he hadn’t been turned.

“No,” she answered reflexively. As much as she loved Kol, she didn’t trust this version of him just yet, and she wouldn’t give him free reign of running in and out of her room whenever he felt like it. When they had been dating Davina had learned Kol was like an impulsive child who chased every new idea and desired to tell her all about it, this meant he popped in and woke her up whenever they weren’t on the same sleep cycle.

“You don’t have a lot,” he observed, looking around her room.

“Not really given the situation,” she agreed. “What are you doing here, Kol?” she repeated the question with a watery sigh. The tears weren’t stopping.

“Well, if I can’t come in, how about we go for a walk?” he offered flirtatiously, his gaze was intent and she saw his fingers twitching.

Another, deep sigh escaped her as she finally wiped her cheeks again and shook her head. “I’ve had a long day, so I’m going to bed, not midnight strolls. Why are you here, Kol?”

“Just wanted you to know I know where you are,” he purred seductively but with a dangerous edge in his voice.

“So noted,” she nodded. “Have a goodnight, Kol.”

“You as well, love,” he smiled.

She shut the door on him and shook her head at his antics. He had slowed her tears though, even if he didn’t know it as she leaned on the door and released a shuddering breath. Davina had never ‘tamed’ Kol, he said she ran wild with him, which was always fun. And even if he weren’t hers, he was ever wily, persuasive, persistent, and charming, it was a comfort to know he was near, even if he was not a friend to her yet. Shoving his antics from her mind Davina went about shutting up the room, closing the heavy curtains, locking the door, putting up the chain and clambering into the bed. Wrapping herself up in the quilt she had stolen, and the pillow, she sighed tiredly as she flicked her fingers to extinguish the lights before exhaustion dragged her off to oblivion.

Kol watched the witch’s room from across the street, he had thought about getting the room next to hers, just to annoy her, because she clearly knew him and wasn’t intimidated. If anything, she seemed amused with him, which was unsettling and baffling. More baffling though, he didn’t like her tears; he had never like women crying in general, the scent of tears repulsed him, but he did not like seeing the witch in tears; and he had not caused those tears. And yet, despite her tearful state, she had not shown him a bit of fear. Everyone was scared of him, even witches, despite his connection with the witches.

When he had been a witch, he had been happiest with his craft, feeling the earth and the life around him, but he had made his magic a dangerous weapon. He had been feared for that by his village’s enemies. He had relished in being that powerful, that sort of powerful that he could be relied on and needed by his people. After his parents had done what they had done…

Kol was feared for being wily and unpredictable, he was both, he was renowned as a fate worse than Niklaus, and he hated it, but he relished in it. He relished in the fear he ignited in people. He wasn’t like Nik, he wasn’t like Elijah or Rebekah, he wasn’t always in control, and he was more than happy to tear everything apart. He didn’t hide it, there wasn’t any point in hiding it.

Of course, there had been a time when he had vainly tried to get control, if only to evade his family better. If there weren’t mass murders, then they wouldn’t be able to track him. Obviously, the attempt had been vain. His bloodlust and rage weren’t controllable, unlike the magic, this wasn’t controllable, Kol was the Original Ripper.

He watched the witch’s room for a while, listening within the room to her steady breathing and slow heartbeat. Kol just didn’t know what to make of her and her claims for time magic, still, she knew him, or was familiar with him despite him not knowing her, unusual didn’t cover his curiosities regarding this witch. Baffling and confounding were two others, she was unpredictable and unique, he wanted to know more.

The ringing of his phone annoyed him.

“Bekah,” he greeted as he answered.

“Where are you?” she asked absently.

“What’s it to you?” he asked as he leapt down to the street and started strolling through the night, no particular direction in mind.

“Klaus and Elijah are calling a family meeting,” she said. “It’s about the cure,” she informed him.

“What about it?” he asked with a shrug.

“Nik has information about it,” Rebekah said.

He hung up then and shoved the headphones in his ears as he walked for Nik’s ostentatious home. Best part of this era, portable music, he was in heaven with that! Also, all the different kinds of music! He was honestly in love with it, best part of this era, or any era for that matter.

Still, he wanted to try records, and rebuild his music collection. He had at one point had some of the finest compositions known to man stashed away for his personal enjoyment. Keeping those from Elijah and Klaus was just as important as keeping all magic away from those two. And Rebekah, the one time he had lent her some of his compositions she had spilt wine all over them, and some blood; he hadn’t forgotten or forgiven that offense.

Davina had woken up again and gone to the same café as she had the other day. Getting in touch with Kol meant things would start moving on her end, she would figure out what had happened to Esther then go about sealing her spirit, finding Mikael’s spirit too, and his ashes. Just, all, both of, them would be needed. Once she had those secure, she’d work on the Dahlia problem.

Once she had that all sorted out so Hope would come into the world with a fighting chance, she’d write up a fight against the Hollow to leave clear instructions so not all the Mikaelsons died, she wasn’t letting her family die.

The girls from her first night at the grill sat across from her which had her sighing.

“If this is going to become a regular thing, you guys should buy my coffee,” she sighed as she sipped her coffee. The green-eyed girl looked startled and confused by her statement.

“Um…”

“I’m teasing,” she chuckled humorlessly. “You’re with Stefan, I take it?” she guessed.

“Yes, and you’re here to kill an Original,” the green-eyed girl declared.

“Mmm,” she nodded tiredly as she sipped her coffee. “So, what brings you here?”

“I was thinking we could work together,” the green-eyed girl offered.

“Work together?” Davina asked blandly. All her experiences working with other witches; except for Kol and Vincent, never seemed to end well for her. Between the Harvest, Freya, the Sisters, and covens in general… it just never ended well. “I’m sorry but I… I don’t want to join your coven?”

“What? Oh, no!” the girl sputtered. “Coven? Those are a thing? Never mind, no, no coven work, I just… I’m a witch.”

“So, I sense,” Davina yawned as she warmed her fingers on the coffee.

“And you are too,” the girl said.

“I am,” Davina nodded slowly.

“I’m sorry,” the girl sighed. “I’m really not good at this. I haven’t met too many other witches,” the girl admitted.

“What kind of magic do you practice?” Davina asked.

“Traditional and Spirit,” she offered. Davina didn’t press because that sounded like a half truth.

“Mmm,” Davina hummed.

“You?”

“Ancestral Magic, along several other kinds,” she admitted. “I’m Davina,” she offered.

“Bonnie, Bonnie Bennett,” she smiled.

“You’re a Bennett witch,” she stated in awe. She had never met a Bennett, they were legendary though in power, and renowned as some of the finest witches to ever exist. Even in New Orleans she had heard of Bennett witches. “Your family’s very powerful.”

“Yeah,” she agreed uncertainly.

“I’m Davina Claire,” she clarified.

“Cool,” Bonnie nodded. Clearly Bonnie didn’t know much about the magical world from her reaction to Davina’s family name, it was a bit amusing to figure out the renowned Bonnie Bennett was nothing but a novice right now.

“How much about magic do you know?”

“A lot, I’m self-taught for the most part. There’s a new professor in town and he’s been helping me a little,” Bonnie admitted proudly.

“I see,” Davina nodded. Bonnie was a legend in Davina’s time, but to hear that this prodigal witch was self-taught was more saddening than encouraging to Davina, because it left Bonnie exposed to being used.

“You?”

“I was born practicing,” Davina replied.

“Whoa, really?” Bonnie sputtered.

“Yes,” Davina chuckled. “That’s my Coven’s tradition,” she explained.

“So… your family could do magic?”

“Yes,” she admitted.

“That’s cool,” Bonnie smiled.

“It could be,” Davina agreed. “Now, why would a Bennett witch want my help?”

“I’m trying to unlink the Original sire lines,” Bonnie informed her. “I could really use your help.”

“Sure, why not,” she shrugged.

“You…?”

“I’m not part of whatever little party you and Stefan and your friends have going on, but I’m here for a purpose, for a moment our interests will work well together,” Davina decided. “It’ll save me time.”

“Really? Just like that?” Bonnie asked in disbelief.

“I like helping people,” Davina chuckled. “No catches or favors. I just want it clear though I’m not on your little… whatever it is, I’m just helping you with this unlinking spell for the sire lines.”

“Just like that?” Bonnie asked her.

“Sure,” Davina shrugged.

“I have school,” Bonnie started.

“We can start after school, I have other things to attend to,” Davina said.

“We can meet at the Grill, my friends will want to meet you,” Bonnie said.

“Let me guess it will be the vampires from the other night?” she sighed.

“And Matt, and possibly Jeremy.”

“And Matt,” Davina nodded. “With a possible Jeremy.”

“Thank you for this,” Bonnie smiled as she grabbed her things and jogged off.

Davina groaned as she rubbed her brow, she was going to need more coffee. Kol reappeared in the seat Bonnie had just vacated.

“You’re here to kill an Original?” he snarled lowly.

“Esther,” Davina cut him off. “I’m here to kill Esther.”

“You’re a little late to that,” he snorted.

“No, I’m not, and I want her dead.”

“Why?”

“Because she attacked my family,” she answered. “I want to stop her before she gets started.”

“She’s dead,” he repeated.

“No, she’s not, and look at this way, I can find out whatever that group’s up to that you probably want to know and give you information,” she offered.

“Why would you do that?” he lifted a brow.

“I like helping people,” she repeated her earlier explanation. “And I like you more than the other two vampires I’ve met.”

“Is this because of the future, love?” he asked her warily.

“Partially,” she admitted. “I also know you are a man of your word; I don’t know the two vampires I’ve met so far, but they’ve so far proven untrustworthy to me. Also, Stefan tried to tell me what do,” she grimaced.

“He did?” Kol looked bemused then.

“He did, he told me I couldn’t go charging after you,” she informed her husband.

“You shouldn’t,” he agreed.

“Again, I don’t like being told what to do,” she warned him. “Besides, you obviously need me,” she chuckled as she threw that back at him. Kol looked confounded as she grabbed her coffee and started for the library.

“Are you flirting with me, love?” he asked as he caught up with her.

“Depends,” she mused.

“On?”

“You’ll figure it out,” she giggled. “Have a nice day Kol,” she cheered him with her coffee before walking into the library without him.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily, darling.”

“I’m not?” she feigned a pout.

“No,” he stated firmly.

“Well then, make yourself useful,” she decided.

“Useful?” he sputtered.

“Yes, you’re going to reach the top shelves and hold the books I need,” she decided.

“Bossy little thing, aren’t you?” he chuckled.

“I’m not little,” she warned.

“Tiny,” he insisted.

Davina rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee as she stared for the nonfiction and records part of the library. Kol paused when his phone rang and looked between her and it.

“You might as well go answer it, I’m not leaving town and you know where I’m staying,” she pointed out as she started looking through titles. “I’m not leaving Kol,” she said.

“You leave and I’ll track you down,” he warned, the threat lingering in the air before he disappeared to answer his phone.

Davina shook her head as she found a book called The Founders and pulled it down before taking a seat to read it over. The magic here was strange, she wanted to understand the town she was in to understand the magic, it would also be useful to know where the oldest spots were so she could find where Klaus would stash his parents’ remains.

Chapter Text

Leaving the library, she saw a familiar face walking down the street, sharp, squarish features, and brunette hair, the tall, athletic young woman stalked purposefully, and Davina resisted the urge to call out for her. Hayley was talking to an athletic looking boy who was about the same height as her, looking like an alpha-male-wannabe, which had Davina snorting. Hayley’s tastes in men obviously had never improved, Davina was tempted to redirect Hayley’s attentions towards Elijah just to cut off drama but knew that wouldn’t work. Hayley had to figure her own shit out, all Davina had to do was to make sure that beyond a shadow of a doubt was get Klaus and Hayley together for Hope’s conception. After that Davina never wanted to think about her friend’s sex life ever again.

Hayley was like an older sister to Davina, she shuddered thinking about her sex life, and she hated ever having to think of Klaus that way.

Davina picked up a coffee before walking to the Mystic Grill.

“Welcome to Mystic Grill,” the same massive man greeted her.

“Hello,” she nodded as she walked in. “I’m looking for…” she started.

“Over there,” he pointed with a weak smirk as he left her.

“Okay… thank you,” she smiled as she waved him off. He seemed stunned at her thanking him as she walked to the corner booth.

“Davina,” Bonnie smiled as she came up to the table.

“Bonnie,” she greeted as she stopped at the table.

“I’m Caroline!” a cheerful blonde vampire announced giddily. Davina had never formally met Caroline Salvatore, née Forbes, before because she had never really been around when Davina visited the Salvatore Boarding School.

“They’re Damon and you met Stefan,” Bonnie said gesturing to the dark haired one and then Mr. Brooding.

“Pleasure to formally meet,” she lied smoothly as she examined them both while seating herself.

“I’d say the same, but you put me in a dumpster,” Damon growled.

“I don’t like littering,” she said with a sharper smile of her own as she focused. Damon winced a bit. “Now, sit back and relax or I’ll make you,” she warned.

“Sorry we’re late, I had to find my brother,” a voice said, her tone was clearly annoyed.

“This is Elena and Jeremy,” Bonnie said as the slender brunette with the tall lean young man appeared. The names clicked into place for Davina now as she saw the pair together and she wanted to lash out for what they had done, if they were dead, they couldn’t act against her husband. Davina clenched her fist tightly and took a deep breath to keep her temper in check before the Harvest’s power could leak out and create a disaster.

“Hey guys, sorry, I had to get someone to cover the bar,” the huge young man who had greeted her appeared. “Sorry, I’m Matt,” he offered his hand.

“Davina,” she greeted as she shook his hand and offered him a small smile of her own. He seemed so normal, and he reminded her of Josh with his shy smile.

“So, you can help us?” Elena said as she seemed to study Davina. After having been married to the Mikaelson clan and having faced her ancestors’ hatred, Elena’s attempt at an intimidating glare was adorable, but pathetic. It was like being glared at by an aye-aye. At the least the other two vampires didn’t try the glares of intimidation, they just seemed to work on making themselves look bigger than they were.

“I need to break sire bonds anyway,” Davina shrugged daintily. “An extra witch can only help.”

“How are you going to kill an Original?” Elena asked.

“Elena!” Bonnie hissed.

“What!? I think we should know, it’s our lives that will be ruined if she messes up,” Elena snapped.

“First off, I don’t mess up,” Davina cut off. “I’m not a self-taught witch. I know what I’m doing, and I have the power to back what I do, and second, be careful how you talk to me, Elena.”

“I could snap your neck,” Elena boasted.

Davina narrowed her eyes as she started rising the temperature of the blood in the four vampires, three of whom had started getting on her nerves. Elena winced while Stefan gasped, Damon struggled not to show his pain, and Caroline gasped as she clutched the table violently.

“What are you doing!?” Jeremy lunged for her when Davina lifted her hand to freeze him.

“Davina!” Bonnie shouted.

“Whoa!” Matt yelped as he tried not to get her way.

“Stop it!” Caroline screamed as her nose started bleeding. Elena, Damon, and Stefan weren’t in much better shape as Davina leaned over to the writhing Elena.

“You could try to hurt me, or even kill me, but I could drop the town without breaking a sweat,” Davina warned darkly. “See, not only do I have the power to back my claim, I have the knowledge to know how to do it, and the skill to execute it.” Releasing her hold, she let the feel again, Elena fell forward gasping for a reprieve of the receding pain.

“How’d… how’d you do that?” Bonnie asked in a both terror and horror.

“Practice,” Davina stated.

“Are you willing to be nice now?” Davina asked in her sweetest voice while studying the vampires who were wiping up bloody noses. Elena glared at her, and Davina smiled a bit. “Good,” she decided as she dropped the smile to sip her coffee.

“What do you want?” Jeremy asked as he rubbed his sister’s shoulders.

“My family safe,” Davina answered honestly. “Why are you trying to break the sire bonds?”

“We want to kill an Original,” Stefan answered.

Davina nodded as she sipped her coffee.

“We’re trying to help our friend, Tyler,” Caroline piped up then.

“Tyler?”

“Klaus made him a hybrid. It’s kind of making him… crazy,” Matt grimaced.

“Mmm, makes sense,” Davina nodded. “Well, we met, now we’re working to break sire bonds. Nice meeting you, have a good night,” Davina stated as she stood up and grabbed her coffee.

“Davina, wait!” Caroline jogged after her when she reached the street.

“I’m sorry about them,” Caroline said as she came to a stop. The tall blonde grimaced a little. “They just… they’re not usually like this, but a lot has happened lately, and they aren’t the most trustful anymore,” Caroline explained.

“They’re allowed to feel what they do; I just don’t do well with threats or being told what to do,” she shrugged. “I apologize for using you during my retaliation,” she offered.

“You… you didn’t have to do that,” Caroline said softly.

“What?”

“Any of that… that… posturing! That!” Caroline looked proud of finding her word which amused Davina as she folded her arms. The headmistress of Hope’s school had always been this composed woman, Davina had never thought of her any other way, to see Caroline acting like a normal teenager was interesting.

“No, I didn’t, but I wanted to make my point faster rather than letting them push me around,” Davina said. “I was pushed around enough for one lifetime, it’s not happening.”

“Do you… do you think you can break the sire lines?” Caroline asked her as they started walking again.

“It’s a magical link, it can be broken, it’s just about being clever enough to figure it out,” Davina chuckled.

“What… what if someone didn’t want it broken?” Caroline asked uncertainly.

“You wouldn’t want your bond broken?” Davina questioned carefully.

The young vampire stopped as she bit her lip, looking uncertain and confused. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “The Originals aren’t that bad, and…” Caroline trailed off with a shrug. “Klaus saved me, he didn’t have to,” she explained.

“They aren’t that bad. They’re dangerous, wild, they’re Vikings.” Davina surmised.

“You know a lot about them?” Caroline asked as they walked.

“Probably more than the average person.”

“Why do you want to break the sire line?” Caroline asked.

Davina looked at the young woman and saw her apprehension about it, about what Davina wanted to do. Davina sighed, Marcel’s smile flashed in her mind, Josh’s sarcastic quips came to mind, and Cami’s kindness reaching out to her.

“Cause I can’t lose my family,” Davina admitted. “I don’t… I don’t have a human family anymore. My dad’s a vampire, and my best friend is too. If I break their link to the sire line, I get to keep them. No matter what. And that saves a lot of heartache for me.”

“You…” Caroline started. “Your family was turned?”

“No,” Davina chuckled. “At least, not the family your thinking of. Breaking a sire bond, or link, it’s not something you can pick or choose, it’s all or nothing.”

“You’re sure about that?” Caroline asked.

“Very,” Davina reassured the young vampire.

“I see,” she squeaked out.  “Um… thank you,” Caroline admitted.

“You’re welcome,” she nodded.

“And I’m sorry about my friends and I,” Caroline continued.

“Everyone reacts differently to their own demons,” Davina shrugged. “Have a nice night Caroline,” she waved the girl off.

“Oh, wait!” Caroline called out again. Davina sighed as she turned back to see Bonnie jogging towards them.

“Thanks Caroline,” Bonnie huffed. “Hey, I just wanted to apologize about Elena, the whole vampire thing is still new to her,” Bonnie said.

“Understandable,” Davina shrugged.

“Night you guys,” Caroline waved.

“Night!” Davina waved at the cheerful blonde as she looked at Bonnie then.

“How’d you do that?” Bonnie asked. Davina turned and walked down the street. “I’m sorry if that’s forward of me,” she said as she walked beside her. “I just, I did something, and I… I haven’t been able to feel or access my magic easily and I just, all that magic you used… how’d you… do it?”

“What do you mean you can’t feel or access your magic?” Davina asked stopping to look at the teen curiously.

“I did something I knew I shouldn’t, my friends were in danger, and the spirits… they punished me,” Bonnie explained nervously.

“So what magic are you practicing?” Davina asked warily.

“I’m not. There’s a professor and he’s helping me… reconnect?” Bonnie explained uncertainly.

“And how is he doing that?” Davina asked.

“He’s an expert in the occult. He’s been giving me herbs, trying to hypnotize me, he thinks it’s curable, that it’s just trauma I need to overcome because I fear myself.”

“What exactly happened that the spirits cut you off?”

“I performed Dark Magic,” Bonnie admitted. “Please don’t hate me!”

“Why would I hate you?” Davina asked incredulously.

“Well… the witch spirits I used to talk to scorn me now,” Bonnie started nervously. “I sort of figured living witches would too.”

“Dark Magic is dangerous, but it’s not something the spirits would punish you for unless you break the laws of nature,” she stated.

“How do you…?” Bonnie started.

“Resurrecting the dead improperly, tampering with the balance of nature, creating immortality,” Davina stated blandly. “Dark Magic always comes with heavy prices, to practice it, you have to be willing to pay those prices. It sounds like you paid a price.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t think your magic is gone, witches are born after all, but I do think they’re going to make it difficult for you. This sounds like a teaching moment for you from the spirits. I can help,” Davina admitted.

“You can?”

“Yes, and just for future reference: You can’t trick your magic to work for you with hypnotism or psychedelic herbs, you’ll damage yourself way more doing that than practicing Dark Magic,” Davina stated. “We can fix your magic.”

“You’re… you’re sure?” Bonnie asked.

“After all the stuff I’ve done, yes, I’m sure,” she promised. “But I won’t help you if you’re taking psychedelic herbs, those are dangerous, with or without magic, and they’re dangerous when you’re trying to access magic you’re cut off from. You can hurt a lot of people if you’re not careful.”

“I didn’t know,” Bonnie admitted.

“You’re self-taught, there’s a lot of things you should’ve been taught but that would require a teacher,” Davina pointed out.

“Could you teach me?” Bonnie asked her.

Davina stopped walking and stared dumbly at the girl. “Me?” she sputtered.

Oh that was, hands down, the worst idea since the Tide Pod challenge or all of 2020, that Davina had EVER heard. Her? Teach!? Davina wasn’t a teacher, she was a doer, she didn’t… she needed Kol…

“You’re a witch,” Bonnie pointed out.

“Oh boy… Um… I…”

“You don’t have to answer right now,” Bonnie hurried. “I know we just met and I’m putting you on the spot, but you’re literally the first witch I’ve met who isn’t my grams or trying to kill me and my friends.”

“I… I’ll think it over,” Davina offered lamely. “This isn’t a yes,” she warned sharply. “I’ll help you with your magic block for sure, but no more herbs, and hypnotism. I am not making a promise to teach you!”

“No more,” she promised.

“I have to go, goodnight,” Davina waved the other girl off and jogged across the street and slipped into an alleyway. Davina had never taught magic to anyone except Hope, and even that was just basics.

“You should teach her,” Kol said out of nowhere.

“Stop that!” she yelped as she spun to punch his shoulder. “You’re going to give me a heart attack!”

He snickered as they walked. He was close enough for her to touch, and yet so far away. “Didn’t think you were the jumpy sort, Davina Claire. What with your ability to drop the whole town.” His amusement made her lips twitch as she hugged herself against the cold.

“That should be something to scare you,” she warned teasingly.

“I’m pretty durable,” he mused.

She rolled her eyes.

“Why do you want to break sire lines?” he asked darkly.

“Because of what’s coming,” she answered honestly.

“And what’s coming?” he asked.

“Can’t say, yet,” she answered.

“Does it have to do with time magic?” he mocked.

“A little,” she admitted. “But until we know each other better, and you trust me, I’m not elaborating.”

“What makes you think I don’t trust you, love?” he drawled.

“Cause I’m not stupid, Kol,” she stated as she stepped in front of him, which had him stopping to loom over her. Their height difference had always amused her husband, but right now, this wasn’t her husband, and he was threatening and domineering, still she held her ground.

“You sought me out, some would call that stupid,” he mocked.

“I’m not, I knew exactly who I was seeking out. I know everything about your reputation, I know about the wildest of the Mikaelsons and the most unpredictable of the Originals. I know exactly what I’m doing and why I’m here, Kol. But this,” she pointed between them. His eyes narrowed dangerously on her, and a predatory look took his features. “This is new to me.”

“What is?” he sneered.

“Not having your trust,” she stated. Or your love, she added silently.

“Don’t take it personally, love,” he smiled wickedly. “I don’t trust just anyone.”

“I know,” she sighed. “Which is why I’m not taking it personally, but this, this is hard for me, Kol. We were best friends, partners in crime, co-conspirators, and now I’m a stranger to you and you’re pretty much a ghost to me because you’re here but you’re not the Kol I know and adore.”

“Then why’d you seek me out?” he taunted. “Nowhere else to turn?” he sneered with a mocking jeer as he began circling her as a predator did their prey now. Kol’s inability to be still amused her as she turned to keep eye contact.

“It’s not because I had no one else I could ask,” she cut him off. “It’s because you’re you, and you with all you’re freaky witch encyclopedia brain and wily nature, you’re the only one I trust completely, even if you don’t know me right now or trust me right now.”

“You know a me not here,” he pointed out.

“And that’s why it’s hard for me, I want to trust you as I always do, but I can’t blindly trust you as I always do,” she said as she stepped nearer, he recoiled slightly but held his ground.

“Then why trust me at all?” he ridiculed.

“Because you are you,” she stated simply with a smile. “And despite whatever you think or feel about me right now, I trust you, as you are, the happy, homicidal maniac or the mischievous, wily, old fox. I came to you because you are you and I trust you.”

That seemed to stun him completely as he stepped away from her with wide, confused brown eyes. Then he was gone.

“I’ll teach Bonnie, if only to keep her from getting herself killed,” she said knowing he’d hear her. Sighing as she rubbed her brow before walking for her motel, internally cursing herself.

Kol stormed into his room at Nik’s mansion and wanted to tear something apart, or rather, tear someone apart. Just when he thought he could get that little witch out from under his skin she had to go stating things that no even his own family had ever said.

No one wanted him for him. They wanted things from him, they wanted him to go do something, they wanted him to take care of something or to share something with them, but they didn’t come for him and they didn’t trust him.

No one in a thousand years was ever naïve enough or gullible enough to trust him, and yet…

He was startled at the ferocity of her statement. He desired to hate her for it but found he couldn’t. It was unusual.

“I don’t think we should trust her,” Elena stated as she paced her room with Bonnie and Caroline sitting on her bed.

“Why not?” Caroline sighed.

“You saw what she did!” Elena snapped. “Who’s to say she’s actually on our side or not!?”

“I hear what you’re saying,” Bonnie started.

“No, Bonnie, she nearly killed Stefan, Damon, and I!” Elena hissed.

“Don’t be so dramatic, what she did hurt, but I don’t think she was going to kill us” Caroline protested. “And you were the one who threatened to snap her neck! She’s a witch who can help Bonnie!”

“She is the first witch I’ve met who isn’t disgusted with me or trying to kill us,” Bonnie pointed out. “And she seemed fairly reasonable.”

“Professor Shane is helping you, Bonnie!” Elena protested.

“Professor Shane isn’t a witch,” Bonnie stated. “I think she could help me, Elena. I think she could really help me.”

“Yes, but we know Professor Shane can be trusted! She can’t!”

“Why!?”

“Damon saw her talking to an Original,” Elena huffed. “He didn’t get too close thinking the Original would see him, or hear him, so he stayed away but he saw her talking to the Original. And not just any Original either, Kol!”

“So?”

“So! The Originals dangerous! And Kol’s a maniac! He attacked Damon with a baseball bat and pretended to be Jeremy’s friend!”

“And she said she’s here to kill an Original!” Bonnie snapped. “I’m doing this Elena. I need to.”

“Professor Shane is helping you get back your magic though already!” Elena whined.

“Yeah, and it’s not working,” Bonnie hissed. “It’s not going fast enough for whatever we need, so maybe she knows something! She grew up in magic, doing magic, practicing magic, I didn’t! Maybe she knows some way to fix me that won’t anger the spirits!”

“Caroline!” Elena turned to the blonde desperately.

“I’m sorry, Elena but I’m with Bonnie on this one,” Caroline said. Elena felt like screaming in frustration now at their blind trust in this witch. Blind trust always backfired!

Chapter Text

Caroline was sitting to at the table glaring at her mug of coffee table as she thought this over. Elena wasn’t Elena anymore, she was a little crazy, especially since breaking the hunter’s curse on her and finding out about the cure. Klaus wasn’t the total psycho she thought, which made her feel worse about going on a date with him after everything. And she hated that bitch wolf Hayley’s guts because Tyler was completely besotted with her. Tyler didn’t even know she existed anymore because of that little werewolf bitch! And everything was getting so complicated with this hunt for the cure, not even Bonnie could be reasoned because of that Professor Shane!

If Davina was willing to tear Bonnie away from that Shane guy, Caroline was all for it! She hated this situation.

Davina didn’t seem like anyone Caroline had met, Davina was powerful, mysterious, innocent, upright, and genuine. Nothing about Davina came off as insane or deranged or motivated by anything that would be toppling the world as they knew it. Caroline didn’t like Davina, but she didn’t not like her, she was just, she was a different, simpler person who didn’t seem scary.

There was a knock on her door which had her getting up to the door and opened it to see Bonnie there.

“Morning,” Caroline grinned as she skipped back to the living room.

“Morning,” Bonnie greeted as she walked in. “I’ve been thinking about what Elena said last night…”

“What about it?”

“What if she’s right, we don’t know Davina or anything about her,” Bonnie started. “And we don’t know if she can or can’t help us with unlinking the sire bonds of vampires and hybrids! What if she’s worse than the Originals? I mean she’s got to be pretty strong to want to do that, and she’s a witch, I don’t know what to make of that!”

“Bonnie!” Caroline grabbed her friend by the shoulders and made her look at her. “Davina isn’t untrustworthy!”

“How do you know!?” Bonnie whimpered.

“Davina seems nice, and sane, and stable! And she’s not Shane!”

“What’s wrong with Shane!?” Bonnie sputtered.

“He’s not a witch!” Caroline shouted. “Try working with Davina,” she pleaded. “Elena’s wrong, Davina seems very nice and stable, and not an older man trying to seduce you! Just… please,” she groaned. “Try.”

“You… you think he’s…”

“He looks at you like a snack,” Caroline stated with a grumble as she left her friend. “Davina is at least a witch.”

“Davina is a kid!” Bonnie snapped.

“Who grew up practicing magic!” Caroline hissed. “She’ll have practical expertise! You’re going to that lesson, even if I have to take you! Between you and Elena you two are going to drive me nuts!”

“We’re going to drive you…?” she stammered.

“Yes!” Caroline snapped. “There’s been a lot going on, and I get it, it’s new and scary but you need to do this, because we need to trust someone who isn’t crazy or older than us! And something that doesn’t require us killing something!”

“Okay,” Bonnie nodded. “But you’re going with me,” she warned.

Davina was sitting at the park, reading over her notes that she had been compiling the other night. She was working on calculations for Hope's birthday, it had just hit her hard that Hope’s conception had to happen because only a tribrid could take down Malivore, and Malivore was a problem for the world. She had the hotel calendar spread out in front of her, stabbed to the ground by twigs she had collected.

“You’re busy, love,” a voice declared.

“Yup,” she answered as she continued scribbling on her notepad. The scent of coffee had her looking over at Kol and narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him; he gave her a boyish smile of innocence that had alarm bells going off in her head. “What do you want?” she asked reaching for the offered coffee.

“You said we were friends, love.”

“We are friends, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know when you don’t want something. But thanks for the coffee, I ran out of money,” she muttered as she sipped the coffee and continued her sketches. “I’m going to need a star map and moon map,” she muttered to herself. “What do you want Kol?”

“The hourglass,” he answered. “I want it.”

“Here,” she pulled it out of her pocket and shoved it at him as she tapped her lip thinking before taking another sip of coffee.

“You’re just handing it over?” he sputtered in disbelief.

“Yup,” she admitted. “I trust you,” she reminded him.

He stared at her as if she had grown a second head which had her smiling brightly at him. Kol frowned, then glared at her, before he seemed to just move past his disbelief about about her trusting him. “What happened to the sand inside?”

“I crushed it in my hand,” she said and held up her healing hand as proof. “Sand spilled out then.”

“What can you tell me about this?” he asked.

“I woke up in my sixteen-year-old body,” she answered.

“How old were you, love?”

“Not as old as you,” she smiled.

“Davina,” he snarled.

“I can’t tell you how old I was, just that I wasn’t old, I was a healthy adult,” she admitted. “No cancer, no illness, no disease, I even had good dental if I do say so myself,” she smiled.

“How were you thrown through a wall?” he asked.

“My husband and I were investigating that,” she tapped the hourglass. “You were a dead end, but there were sources you suggested we look into, so we did. When we arrived, we were visiting some of his family when we were attacked. I was thrown through a wall and mortally wounded,” she explained.

“Your husband?” Kol sputtered.

“I’m sixteen now, but I was an adult before I woke up in this body, Kol,” she reminded him as she looked over her notes and made a few other factors to calculate.

“What happened to your husband?” Kol asked.

“Nothing,” she answered softly.

“Did he come back with you?” Kol persisted.

“No,” she admitted.

“How do you know?”

“I just know,” she answered sadly and smiled at the face she loved so much. His hair was windswept, he would probably want a haircut soon, if they were together, she’d offer. “I just know he didn’t come back with me,” she murmured.

“Sixteen-year-old you, what lead up to her before you woke up?”

“A lot of suffering, and pain, a lot of pain,” she answered quietly.

“How long have you been awake?” he asked as he started turning the hourglass over.

“Oh… let’s see…” she rubbed her brow. “Woke up in New Orleans, drove here, so that was day one. Day two, got your attention and met up with you. Day three was yesterday, so… four days,” she answered.

“And you just came straight here?” he asked.

“I don’t have a lot of time,” she admitted. “I have to act now, and get things set up, rearrange things before I get to the unavoidable events I have to face.”

“Why?”

“Can’t tell you that, yet,” she admitted. “Why do you want the hourglass?”

“Going to look through some grimoires, darling, don’t worry your pretty little head,” he smiled charmingly.

“Thank you,” she said as she sipped her coffee. He gave her a confused look. “For the coffee, I didn’t get to buy one this morning because my funds are low.”

“You ran out of money?”

“Yup, after I help Bonnie, I’m going to forge documents, take that waitressing job at the Grill,” she pointed at the Mystic Grill for clarification for Kol.

“Or you could ask for my help, love,” he countered.

“I’m not stupid Kol,” she retorted. “I know if I asked you for anything it proves whatever weird point you have in your head that people just want something from you, and I really don’t need to be fighting that with you at this moment, because as I said, I don’t really have the time to do that, rehashing old arguments and all, so I will take care of myself until you trust me.”

He frowned.

“Thanks for the coffee again, I need to go meet with Bonnie before the sun gets higher,” she muttered.

“What is all this?”

“Calculations,” she answered.

“For?”

“I can’t tell you that yet,” she answered as she gathered them up and shoved them in the motel folder she had snagged.

“You’re confounding and infuriating, love,” he growled.

“Thank you, I try,” she snickered. “Take care, stay safe, I’ll see you later,” she promised as she got up and started towards the café. “Thanks for the coffee, again!” she shouted over her shoulder without looking back. Sitting at the café she waited for Bonnie.

It took the other girls about thirty minutes to show up and Davina softened.

“Good morning!” Caroline chirped.

“Morning,” Davina yawned. “You ready?”

“I have school.”

“And I don’t have a lot of time, we can start right now, today, or we don’t start at all,” Davina stated. “I can do this on my own, it’s just going to take me longer and it’s going to be harder, but I’ll figure it out,” she warned.

“I…” Bonnie started.

“What do you need?” Caroline cut off her friend then.

“Where were you most connected with the spirits?” Davina asked her.

“Why?”

“Because we’re going to try a different kind of magic than what you’d know,” Davina stated.

“There’s… it’s an old, abandoned house where about a hundred witches were burned,” Bonnie admitted.

“Perfect,” Davina smiled. “Come on, bring the grimoires and show me the house,” she sighed.

“Where do you get all this energy?” Bonnie muttered.

“I’m fully caffeinated and on a time crunch, hurry up,” Davina ordered.

Kol had returned to where he had been staying and pulled out the hourglass. Moving the rings, he saw nothing particularly interesting about it. It was made of silver, gold, platinum, copper, and other metals,  the glass was handblown, he could see the small imperfections in the material. The markings weren’t anything he recognized off the bat but there was something vaguely familiar about the markings. They looked similar to the runes he had grown up reading and writing, the runes he practiced magic with. But these were slightly different.

Setting the hourglass on the table he slipped the chain from around it, it was slim, delicate, cleverly crafted and old. He’d guess, based off the craftsmanship he saw being used here, from the twelfth century, it was incredibly old, and very delicate, but most these languages had not originated at the same time, which made him think it was new. Setting it down he sat before he started moving the rings which wrapped around the broken glass carefully. The scripts changed, they were in Nordic, Mayan, Greek, Sanskrit, Chinese, Latin, Egyptian hieroglyphics and Hebrew.  The Celtic design though stopped him, he’d have thought it was wolves at first glance, chasing each other, but no, these were foxes. Large ears, thinner design, small paws, it all screamed fox and not wolf. Now this was interesting…

Foxes weren’t a common symbol in old art, though the fox held important meanings in cultures around the world. To the Japanese they were spirits of seduction and wisdom, as well as messengers. To Christians foxes were menaces, thieves, tempters. To different tribes in the Americas, foxes were tricksters, or gods. To many African tribes he’d encountered, foxes were shrewd, patient, witty, resourceful creature, but they viewed the fox as a warning of bad to come. To the Chinese the fox was a connection to the afterlife, temptation, seduction, benevolent or destroyers. To the Celts, foxes were both good and wicked, before Christianity that is. To his people, a fox could be a fylgjur, a spirit to accompany him through his lifetime; Kol’s fylgjur had been a fox. Foxes were many things, always revered as cunning, clever, creative, charming, wise, and passionate, but they were also viewed as tricksters, difficult, demonic, sly. Kol looked at the two foxes chasing each other, he turned the disk, it spun rapidly around the hourglass, and he stopped it. On one side the foxes were in what looked like platinum, and on the other side the copper of the zodiacs, astrological orbit, and time stood out. It was interesting, he’d never seen a design like this.

Foxes were not a common symbol, he was curious about this.

Setting it down he got up and started looking through some of his older books that Klaus hadn’t burned or destroyed, he was pleased his lout of a brother wasn’t stupid enough to attempt to destroy these. Skimming over the pages he finally found the script and dropped the book on the table before grabbing the hourglass to investigate further.

“Kol!” a voice screeched.

He slipped the hourglass in the book and slid the book on the shelf as he grabbed a different book to read.

Klaus appeared as he faked reading.

“What have you been doing?” Klaus growled as he stalked in.

“Me!?” he feigned shock. “Nothing, just catching up on the last century, cause… you know, daggered,” he smiled mockingly as he made the gesture of being daggered.

“My hybrids have seen you around town,” Klaus snarled.

“Bekah asked me to help her with something,” Kol admitted as he turned the page and continued letting his eyes scan the page unseeing.

“And why are you around town!?” Klaus snarled.

“So much to see! So much to do!” Kol chuckled. “Later!” he decided as he shut his book and darted out of the room before Klaus got even more paranoid than normal.

Kol slipped to Davina’s motel. It didn’t take much to get a made to invite him into her room, slipping in and around he poked around. She didn’t have much in the way of things, warm weather clothes, multiple pairs of flats, a white dress, which seemed unnecessarily, and harshly balled up. There was a tattered quilt, and a worn pillow steeped in her scent, but also not. Her care products were few and cheap, seemed she was living off the hotel’s supply, which was just appalling to him. Slipping out of her bathroom he opened her closet, not a grimoire or book in sight, and nothing detectable.

He paused at a list though and looked around before picking it up. Her cursive was very neat, almost calligraphy styled.

• Sealing Esther’s spirit/soul
• Locate, Keep and Hide bodies of Esther and Mikael
• Devise clear instructions for destroying Dahlia; stress not to listen to Freya
• Locate Hayley
• Devise clear instructions for destroying Dahlia, stress don’t listen to Freya
• Locate All White Oak Stakes
• Seal the Hollow off before she can rise
• Unlink Marcel and Josh from Klaus
• Return to New Orleans in time for the Harvest before biblical plagues start spewing me
• Keep Kol Alive!!!

The final one on her Honey To-Do List was bold, underlined three times and circled violently which shocked him.

Keep him alive!? He couldn’t die! Unless… he looked over her list again, then he cursed. Those bloody stakes!

Davina walked into the ruins of the house and immediately it felt like back home. Bonnie shivered, and Caroline lingered outside. Davina peered around, feeling the spirits swirl around her, confused and uneasy, but not ready to lash out, but they whispered hatred towards Bonnie and screeched at the unnaturalness of Caroline.

“They hate me,” Bonnie whispered.

“No, they don’t,” Caroline came towards her friend to hug her. Davina didn’t counter Caroline’s claim though she was inclined to agree with Bonnie.

“There’s a lot of power here. What do you feel?” she looked at Bonnie.

“Nothing,” the witch answered.

“Where did you have your altar?” Davina asked.

“Altar?”

“Where did you practice your magic most frequently?” she clarified. She was dealing with a true novice; a baffling sensation given Bonnie’s reputation in her time.

“This way,” Bonnie whispered.

“Well, come on, show me what you can do,” Davina said as she looked around at the candles and set up. It was crude, but relatively decent for a self-taught witch. “Can you light the candles?” Davina asked her softly as she stepped towards the witch.

“Yeah,” Bonnie nodded, and concentrated. Davina winced at the anger and outrage of the spirits here as the candles lit, the spirits were so enraged they blew them all out which had Bonnie trembling.

“Oh no,” Davina muttered.

“What?” Caroline demanded.

“Bonnie, have you heard of Expression?” she asked sharply setting her coffee down as she walked to the young witch, Davina let her power unfurl and she dispelled the spirits from their wrath and torment of the young witch.

“What’s Expression?” Bonnie asked.

“It’s what you just did,” Davina answered.

“Is it Dark Magic?” Caroline asked.

“No, it’s… a witch I knew, her mother practiced Expression, it’s… it’s an unnatural form of magic, witches don’t even call it magic, we call it Expression. It requires drawing off of human sacrifice,” Davina explained.

“I haven’t sacrificed anyone,” Bonnie muttered.

“You might not have, but someone has, and it’s been tied to you.”

“Is it like Dark Magic?” Caroline asked.

“No, it’s worse. It’s worse than Black Magic even,” Davina stated. “You are channeling the power of human sacrifices, multiple sacrifices, I think twelve is the magic number here, this power calls on darkness which cannot exist on this plane. At least that’s what Nandi taught me.”

“But I didn’t… I’ve never sacrificed anyone,” Bonnie sputtered.

“You said you were practicing Dark Magic when you angered the spirits,” Davina said. “It’s possible that you’ve connected to something you didn’t mean to or were supposed to and now you’re being redirected. You continue to use this kind of magic though and it will kill you, or worse.”

“Worse?” Bonnie sputtered.

“There’s worse fates than death,” Davina stated. “Much worse.”

“Can you… can you fix me?” she whispered nervously.

“No, but we can fix your relationship with the spirits. Seems I’m going to have to teach you to connect with your ancestors,” Davina muttered sourly.

“Connect with the ancestors?” Bonnie asked.

“You want to understand magic, you’re going to need to connect, connecting means you need to talk to your roots, otherwise you’ll wither away, burn out, or worse and there are fates far worse than death, an example of that would be the witch spirits might shred your soul into nonexistence.”

“What?”

“That will be the price of Expression if you don’t work with your magic, nature and balance, that’s what magic is, connection, balance, nature. Expression isn’t, it’s about power, unlimited, unchecked, unfettered power, even a weak witch is powerful with Expression.”

“Are you sure, because the professor says it’s safer.”

“Who’s the professor and what does he know about magic?” Davina asked.

“He’s a human professor,” Bonnie answered.

“Not a witch?” Davina asked as she shut her eyes and took deep breaths.

“No, just an occult expert. He’s helped us with a Vampire Hunter problem! He knows how to work around magic!”

“There are so many things wrong with that statement that I don’t even know where to begin, but first, we’re going to start with fixing your Expression problem before you cease to be on all planes,” Davina muttered. “To do that, I’m going to need to consecrate some witches. Where’s some shovels?”

“Wait, what!?”

“I’m going to teach you a way to connect with magic and channel it, safely, and it’s my least favorite kind of magic but it’ll be the best thing for fixing this problem.”

“How do you know this will work?”

“In theory,” she stated. “Come on, we need shovels and to find those witches,” Davina stated as she stalked after the spirits.

“Where are you going?” Caroline asked.

“To get the shovels to get the bones!” Davina called out.

“Coming!” Caroline and Bonnie shouted as they raced after her. Davina walked outside and sighed before she rolled her neck and started her chanting as she felt the world shift and spirits racing for their origins.

“Let’s go make some ancestors to teach,” Davina said as they chased the spirits. “Ancestors, ancestors, ancestors, why’s it always ancestors!?” she grumbled as she stalked through the forest.

“Why are we doing this if you don’t like this?” Caroline asked.

“I have issues with ancestors, but this is a safer magic than any other,” Davina stated. “But just a warning, you’re about to have a bunch of power boost.”

“But the spirits don’t like me!” Bonnie pointed out.

“They don’t have to, you need to connect, to connect will require repairing what’s broken, and to do that you need to commune with the people who make the rules. To do that, we need them to be on the Other Side to talk,” Davina explained. She stopped at where the winds were swirling wildly and closed her eyes.

“They’re here,” she whispered as she reached out into the air and reached for the spirit’s hand now.

Chapter Text

Davina was cursing the existence of ancestors as she stood in a deep hole with the girls as they pulled out bones.

“Why do we need these?” Caroline asked as she continued digging.

“We need ancestors, these are the bones of witches who weren’t buried with respect and consecrated. This house, it’ll serve as the crypt,” Davina stated as she pulled out another skull, feeling the spirit reach out and touch it, familiarizing itself with their skull.

“Doing this will give you a sounding board, and it will gain their respect,” Davina explained. “Witches, we either want to be burned and returned to nature where we belong, or we desire to be buried with respect and honors so we can return out gifts to our people.”

“Doing this will…?” Bonnie huffed.

“Garner respect of the spirits as well as endear you to them which will make them more likely to connect with you. Which will help you reconnect with your element and magic, because they’re cutting you off right now.”

“Wouldn’t they want to connect with you?” Bonnie asked.

“Doubtful,” Davina said sharply. “See, I’m a Claire witch, I’m already bound to my own ancestors, and I’m already channeling more magic than I should right now as it is. They aren’t going to connect to me, they’ll connect to Bonnie.”

“What power are you already channeling, love?” a voice drawled out which had the girls screaming and her glaring up at Kol.

“Will you stop that!” she snapped at the screaming girls. “And I’m working here, go bother someone else,” Davina ordered.

“Can’t, darling,” Kol drawled out as he smiled that troublemaker smirk. Davina glared harder which seemed only to widen his smirk into a real smile; which made her frown, Kol always said he liked a challenge.

“Sure, you can’t,” she rolled her eyes, setting aside the shovel she dusted off her hands before walking over to him. “Gimme a hand,” she ordered as she reached up for Kol, who caught her hand with familiar ease.

“Davina don’t! He’s…” Caroline started as she grabbed Bonnie back.

“A wily old fox,” she hissed as he pulled her out of the hole with ease before setting her in front of him. “And my friend right now.”

“What’s with the bones?” Kol asked as he looked around at the bones they had found, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Building an ancestor ground,” she huffed as she dusted off her hands. “Any suggestions?” she asked.

“Davina! Don’t!” Bonnie hissed. “That’s Kol!”

“Stop it you two, whatever is going on between you and him, doesn’t apply to me and him right now,” Davina ordered.

“Going to use the house?” he asked looking at the old house then at the bones.

“Yup,” she nodded.

“That’ll be a nice resting spot,” he said softly, his sincerity made her soften.

“And you’re not invited Kol, so don’t think you get another witchy playground, I’m not allowing that for their peace of mind,” she waved her hand at the girls who were standing there confused.

“You’re no fun, darling,” he pouted.

“That’s me, no fun,” she smiled. “What are you doing here?”

“Hunting,” he smiled.

“Mmm, what?” she sighed as she rubbed her brow.

“Vampires,” he muttered and tilted his head for her to join him which had her walking a little bit away from the girls in the hole. “My brother and sister are off the rails, love, they turned a bunch of newbies. Hungry newbies, so you and your little friends should not be out here.”

“I think I can handle a few baby vampires if they come my way,” Davina pointed out. “Now why are you really here?”

“Are you here for Silas?” he snarled as he came to loom over her, keeping his fangs bared as he glared at her, veins snacked under his eyes. This was a moment when she should be terrified of Kol, but she wasn’t as she folded her arms and stared back levelly

“No,” she sighed. “I have enough ghost stories to thwart; Silas isn’t on my list.”

“Do you believe in Silas?” he growled darkly, circling her.

“Yes,” she admitted, twisting to keep her eyes on him. “Why?”

“Someone’s wants to wake him,” Kol stated.

“Who would possibly be that stupid?” she sputtered in disbelief. Silas was a renown Witch, inclined towards the earth element, and known for his quest to end time, and become immortal. He was viewed as an abomination in every myth, legend, and folklore lesson there was to have.

“That’s where I’ll need your help, love,” he smiled now. The one-eighty mood switch from Kol didn’t phase Davina as she tilted her head curiously. Kol held up the Honey To-Do List in his fingers and her eyes widened in shock, she jolted a bit as Kol crowded her personal space, and almost sent her toppling onto her ass. Her arm was pinned in his grasp as he leaned over her.

“Can I trust you?” he whispered.

“Yes,” she answered as she caught his wrist to keep her balance. “What do you need me to do?”

“A few protection spells, and hold this,” he shoved the White Oak Stake in her hands then as he slipped the list into her front pocket. “I’ll be back for it later, and the spells. And stay away from Shane,” he whispered and disappeared in a whoosh. Davina barely caught her balance to keep from falling on her face. Once she had her balance she looked around for him, not seeing or sensing him she glared in the direction he’d gone.

“As If I Didn’t Have Enough Ghost Stories To Kill Kol!” she shouted into the forest knowing he’d hear her as she stalked back to the hole.

“I thought you were here to kill an Original,” Caroline hissed accusingly.

“I never said which one I was here for,” Davina admitted as she shoved the stake in her back pocket.

“Which one are you here for?” Bonnie demanded.

“I’m here for the Original Witch,” Davina stated.

“Esther’s dead,” Bonnie and Caroline stated.

“Witches with Esther’s power don’t just die, and she’s causing unbalance on the Other Side. I’m here to stop her before something bad happens,” she explained. “For now, we’re going to consecrate these witches.”

“So you can collect more power?” Bonnie accused.

Davina snorted as her head fell back. “I couldn’t use this power if I wanted to, and I am already chanelling more power than I should. I don’t wish to destroy myself, so get this foolish, childish idea that I’m here to use you lot out of your head!”

“We’re not foolish or childish!” Caroline seethed.

“Silas,” Davina snapped.

That had both girls staring at her.

“Yeah, doesn’t take a rocket scientist to put together that you’re after Silas if she’s using Expression because an occult professor said she should,” Davina stated. “You’re a bunch of penguins playing with orcas, and you can’t even see it.”

“We’re not!” Caroline started. Davina felt the power erupt from Bonnie though, as the other witch chocked on air.

“Bonnie! Breathe!” Davina darted over to the other witch.

“I… I can’t,” Bonnie started, and Davina looked around as fire wrapped around the hole.

“Bonnie!” Davina grabbed the girl as she channeled the Expression tearing through the magic, it ripped through Davina’s magic, but Davina didn’t break the flow of power between her and Bonnie. The spirits hissed and wrapped around Davina, which had Davina focusing harder before the girl slumped to her knees and whimpered, nose and eyes bleeding blood as Davina took the power within herself. The earth trembled and Davina shook as she felt the Expression enter her own magic tearing through her, she screamed as the Expression raced down her spine and through the soles of her feet before everything dispersed. Stumbling Davina propped herself up against the soil as she gasped for air.

“What did you do!?” the vampire whispered.

“I took her power in and released it to the earth element to be reconnected,” Davina gasped. “You can’t do that, Bonnie,” Davina panted as she wiped blood from her nose. “That power, it exchanges lives. Every time you do it, you will be taking lives, shredding souls to cease to be and that’s what will have the spirits never forgiving you.”

“You’re working with Kol,” Bonnie said as she stumbled back.

“That’s usually my schtick,” Davina admitted. “But not currently. I’m only here to kill Esther, kill Mikael, dead-dead, for good this time, kill a different ghost story, thwart a witch, fix nature, prevent Armageddon and ensure the conception of someone important, not piss off the ancestors, get Vincent to be regent, fix Bonnie’s magic which will kill her if we don’t get it under control and keep that idiot Original named Kol Mikaelson alive so I can throttle him later, and now there’s Silas on that list! Now keep digging, there’s more spirits, and we’re going to have a long night consecrating these witches,” she stated.

“Who are you!?” Caroline sputtered.

“Davina Claire, New Orleans Witch,” she answered. “Now we need to keep working.”

“What about the other Originals?” Caroline asked her.

“What about them?” Davina asked as she pulled up another few bones.

“If you’re working with Kol…?” Caroline asked.

“Am I working with the rest?” Davina surmised. The two girls nodded. “No, I’m not working with the others, in fact, only Kol knows I’m here, and that’s because I need him.”

“Why?”

“Kol was a powerful witch before he was an Original because he was a witch, he hasn’t sired too many vampires because he usually lived amongst witches. Also, I trust him, so, now that’s clarified, let’s get back to digging.”

It was one hundred found skulls found that Davina dragged herself out of the hole wanting nothing but a shower and food. Flicking her hand, the bones rearranged themselves to piece together with their bodies.

“This is a good start,” Davina nodded.

“I… I feel,” Bonnie whispered in awe.

“Let’s get them consecrated and go get showers,” Davina said.

“There’s so many,” Caroline observed.

“There are,” Davina said softly. “We do this, and it’ll bring them peace,” she said to Bonnie before she walked through them and to the house. She walked into the house and smiled as she held her out for Bonnie.

“Come on, I’ll teach you to lay them to rest, you can channel me,” she said softly.

“You trust me enough to channel you?” Bonnie asked.

“I have more power than you’d know what to do with at this moment, short of borrowing Kol I’m the best one for you to channel right now,” she explained. “Caroline I’m sorry, but for this to work, no Vampires here.”

“That’s okay, sun’s setting, so… those vampires Kol mentioned will be out, I’ll keep guard,” Caroline decided.

“Thank you,” Davina said. The bones rematerialized in the basement of the house, neatly spread out, and organized. The spirits were dancing around their bones, and Davina could feel their joy at being reunited with themselves.

“I can feel them,” Bonnie whispered in awe. “They’re so… happy,” she smiled.

“They are,” Davina admitted. “Normally a family member will do the consecration, but as you are their witch it will have to be you. Where do you keep your herbs and rosewater?”

“Um… upstairs.”

“Come on, we’re going to be a while,” Davina explained.

“I still don’t have access to the magic,” Bonnie said as she followed.

“You have me, and you’re going to channel my power,” Davina stated. “It’ll be easy, we’ll get this all wrapped up and once you have a connection again, then I’ll start teach you Ancestral Magic. This power, Bonnie, it’ll be a massive power boost, and it’ll be teachers for you.”

“Davina?” Bonnie asked as they finished grabbing the things needed.

“Yes.”

“Why are you helping me?”

“Because I can,” Davina answered. “Come on, the sooner we finish this, the sooner we’ll eat.”

“Why did Kol leave the White Oak Stake with you?”

“No idea yet, I’ll figure it out later.”

“Why do you trust him? He’s a monster,” Bonnie said.

“What vampire isn’t?” she asked. “And I trust him because he’s never let me down; wild and as unpredictable as he is, he’s pretty reliable when motivated. Now, word to the wise, don’t invite vampires here, friends or not, because you won’t always be around, and once invited in, it’s near impossible to kick a vampire out.”

“Will I have to be buried here too?”

“That’ll be up to you and the witches of your Coven.” Davina said. She showed Bonnie how to prep the bones, and bless the ground, making it sacred, they felt the barrier come up and Davina smiled a bit. Once the bodies were prepped Davina stood and walked to Bonnie, reciting the spell for Bonnie to bless the bones and bring their spirits everlasting peace, she held out her hands crossed.

Bonnie hesitated.

“What if this doesn’t work?” Bonnie asked.

“You’re going to need a little more faith in yourself, but it’ll work, just… wherever Expression comes from, don’t draw from there. Feel my power, my magic, draw from there,” Davina explained. “Feel the life, the pull of nature, feel the world around you, draw from me,” Davina said.

“You said this is a lot of power,” Bonnie said.

“It will be,” Davina admitted.

“What if it kills you?” Bonnie asked nervously.

“Death is a part of life, to die is to live, but it’s not going to kill me, you won’t even drain a fraction of the power I possess right now. The trick is going to be my magic tapping into yours, that’ll be the part that hurts,” she warned.

Bonnie nodded as she crossed her hands and took Davina’s. Bonnie gasped as Davina let the power flow, the magic, let the fire within her burn bright and hot to give Bonnie focus. The other witch gasped as her eyes flew open.

“There’s so much!” she gasped.

“Focus,” Davina ordered. “Clear mind, and annunciate clearly,” she ordered. The power swirled and pulsed as it came to life.

Davina screamed as she felt her powers fight against the connection, and she pushed them harder to reconnect with Bonnie’s dormant magic, which felt like waning oxygen to Davina’s fire. Nature swirled to life as the spirits hissed and howled, but they laughed and screamed in thanks as the world trembled.

Bonnie nearly fell to her knees as she kept her chanting going, Davina tightened her grip to keep the taller woman upright. Davina felt when her magic tapped into Bonnie’s sealed off connect, which had Davina gasping as she arched, and cried out in shock as it felt like an explosion in Davina’s magic, and Bonnie’s burst forward to unfurl around them. Bonnie screamed as she stopped chanting, her nails tore into Davina’s skin as their magic clashed and Davina’s magic became an inferno before she broke their connection of magic but kept a hold of Bonnie. Finally, peace settled, and the voices were whispering in thanks and that’s when Davina released Bonnie who stumbled and stared in awe at the men and woman who stood before them.

Groaning Davina shoved herself upright as she left the ancestors with their newest descendant as she went up and outside, staggering a little as she leaned on the door frame.

“Hello, darling,” Kol appeared beside Caroline. “Blondie here said no vampires were welcomed in,” he informed her.

“It’s Bonnie’s ancestors,” she said as she let herself slide to the ground. “It’ll be up to her to invite people as she wants.”

“Are you okay?” Caroline asked.

“Yeah,” Davina nodded. “Took a lot more to reconnect Bonnie’s magic than I’d have thought, she must’ve really angered them with her magic.”

“You’re pale,” Kol observed as he looked at her face and tilted her chin up to examine her face more closely. “And sweaty, how much power did you use, love?”

“No bloody nose so just enough to tire me, not drain me,” she breathed. “I’m fine,” she promised. “Just give me a minute.”

“They accepted me!” Bonnie shouted racing up the stairs. “Davina! They! I feel it again!” the witch announced excitedly. “Oh god, Davina!” Bonnie raced to her and hesitated to touch her.

“I’m fine,” Davina promised.

“Come on, love,” Kol decided as he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, out of the entry. Davina groaned as she fought to get to her feet. Kol plucked the White Oak Stake from her pocket before he scooped her up.

“Where are you taking her!?” Caroline screeched.

“Back her motel,” he stated.

“Davina!” Bonnie called out.

“Kol, bring them with us, we can drop them off,” she decided tiredly as her eyes fluttered shut.

“You reek.”

“You smell like blood.” She muttered, as the other two followed them.

“Come on, keep up,” he shouted.

“We’re coming!” Caroline called back. The walk was spent in silence, Davina could feel the girls’ eyes Kol suspiciously, but she was too tired to care.

“I’m really hungry,” Bonnie whispered.

“After showers we’ll get food,” Caroline decided.

“Sounds wonderful,” Davina mumbled into Kol’s shoulder.

“You’re going to bed, love,” Kol stated.

“I’m good.”

“Sure, you are, darling,” he muttered in exasperation.

“What protection spells did you want?” she yawned as she nuzzled his neck feeling perfectly safe and content to remain in her husband’s arms.

“Tomorrow, you are taking a shower and going to bed,” he stated.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she warned. “Never ends well for anyone,” she reminded him.

“Well too bad, you’re doing it,” he snorted.

“Just gimme a bit of coffee and I’ll be good,” she promised tiredly.

“No.”

Caroline was carrying Bonnie as she followed Kol and Davina through the woods towards Bonnie’s car. She was shocked when they got there and Kol had a car.

“Um… I can take her,” Caroline offered as she loaded up Bonnie.

The Original glared dangerously at her as he put Davina in his car and got in and drove off. Caroline bit her lip as she slid into the driver’s seat of Bonnie’s car.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” Bonnie admitted. “I thought he was going to kill us,” Bonnie shuddered.

“He scared the crap out of me when he just reappeared asking for Davina,” Caroline admitted. “He had all this blood on his hands, he was also drinking a bottle of liquor. Seemed upset about something though,” Caroline admitted. He kind of looked like Klaus when he was upset about something, the frown, the glare, it was clear Kol looked more like Elijah or Finn, but he had a lot of mannerisms like Klaus or Rebekah. There was something utterly wild about him though which had everyone apprehensive in his presence.

“What do you think he wants with Davina?” Bonnie asked.

“No idea,” Caroline admitted.

“She said she was here to kill Esther and Mikael, but… they’re dead,” Bonnie muttered. “Caroline, she had so much magic.”

“What?”

“So much, it was so bright, and powerful, warm and inviting, but it was cruel and wild, I’ve never felt so much power, not even with Expression, it felt like a wildfire,” Bonnie admitted. “I think she could kill an Original if she wanted, not even when I reconnected with my magic, I had never felt so much,” Bonnie admitted.

“So much magic?” Caroline asked.

“Love,” Bonnie murmured. “It was love, all of her magic, it was wrapped up in this love, this powerful, earth-shattering love, and she just gave it, so freely. No one’s that powerful.”

“Davina seems pretty loving,” Caroline admitted.

“The Ancestors, they were so happy to be loved, they loved her, they loved her before they got to me, they were begging for her to join them, she didn’t,” Bonnie whispered. “It’s a lot of power. The Mystic Falls Witches, they wanted to be called that, they were a lot, but they were so happy.”

“Happy…?” Caroline question.

“To be put to rest properly,” Bonnie admitted. “They were so grateful with Davina, they let her reconnect my magic. I got to see my grams,” she whispered.

It had taken patience to steal the little witch from her motel, but he had found it worth the endeavor. Kol laid a freshly washed, exhausted Davina out on his bed and frowned at her as he pulled out the Honey To-Do List and looked at the sleeping witch.

He had added some things to her list, he wondered if she even noticed yet. Or had even looked yet.

Chapter Text

“I know she’s here!” a voice bellowed which jolted her from her sleep and had her peering around through her hair rather groggily as she looked for the source of the voice. Now she noticed that she was wrapped up in the finest sheets, and very warm. Confused she sat up, feeling the shirt she was wearing slide off her shoulder.

“Marcellus!?” a shocked voice downstairs had her stumbling out of the bed, she tripped, hissed as she stubbed her toe on a chest and hopped to the door. Yanking it open as she ran out on a balcony overlooking a corridor.

“Where’s Davina! What have you sick bastards done with her!” Marcel bellowed and there was some crashing as Davina darted after that sound. She raced down the stairs and swung around the archway to see a shocked Klaus fighting with Marcel.

“Marcel!” she shouted happily and ran into the fray without worry as she leapt to hug him again.

“D!” he sputtered as he caught her.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Who the hell are you!?” a new voice bellowed. She cringed now as she saw Marcel glaring over her head, and she slowly turned to face her brother-in-law. Youth had not tempered his glare, Klaus Mikaelson towered over her, his blue eyes brilliantly lit, and his blond hair displaced as he snarled at her.

“Ah, Davina, I see you’ve met the family,” Kol greeted casually.

“What the hell am I doing here!?” she demanded. Marcel didn’t let her go as he yanked her into his chest and snarled like a bear as he glared at the Mikaelsons.

“You were exhausted, and I wasn’t going to leave you in that hovel of a motel,” Kol answered with a shrug.

“You brought her here!?” Klaus snarled. “And how are you alive!?” Klaus turned to Marcel and Marcel tightened his grip on her.

“Get your things, D, we’re leaving,” Marcel stated.

“They’re at a motel and we’re not,” she retorted as she gripped her dad’s shirt and tried to escape his hold if only to hide behind him from Klaus.

“They’re here, they were in your room,” Kol countered.

“They were?” she sputtered in disbelief as she craned around to glare at her husband.

“Yes, I retrieved them after I retrieved you,” he stated with a wry smile.

“How the hell did you get tangled up with Mikaelsons D!?” Marcel demanded pulling her from his chest to glare at her.

“She had an object of mine,” Kol lied. “How’d she get tangled up with the likes of you?” Kol growled dangerously as he circled the room, his eyes were dangerously lit.

Klaus just seemed utterly flummoxed for the first time in her memory and stood there scowling.

“D, get your things, we’re leaving,” Marcel repeated.

“I can’t!” Davina snapped.

“Did he compel you!?” Marcel demanded.

“Who?”

“Kol!” he grounded out through gritted teeth.

“What’s with all the bloody racket! Can’t a girl get some shut eye here!?” a tired, annoyed voice demanded as Rebekah stormed into the room and her eyes widened in disbelief. “Marcel,” she breathed.

“And that’s my cue,” Davina decided as she slipped Marcel’s grasp and darted out of the room back up the stairs to go get dressed. It didn’t take long, and she pulled her hair up in a ponytail as she ran to leave.

“D!” Marcel snapped when she reappeared.

“Let’s get coffee,” she grabbed his hand as she dragged him after her before anything else could happen.

“Davina Claire!” Marcel snapped in his most authoritative dad voice which had her stopping as she turned to face him. “You had better get talking young lady, I want answers,” he warned as he held up his finger at her.

“Yes dad,” she groaned. “Coffee!” she perked up just as Kol reappeared; looking surly as ever.

“For the first time ever, I agree with Marcel.”

“No coffee, no answers, is that clear!?” she snapped at the men who were glaring at one another. “Coffee,” she repeated.

Marcel sighed as he slung his arm around her shoulders and put himself between her and Kol. Kol frowned but got the car, Davina slipped into the passenger seat and felt both Marcel and Kol glaring at her. Somehow in all her manic planning she had been doing she had not counted on Marcel coming after her. God this was worse than when she was actually sixteen!

“This is awkward,” she muttered as she got out of the car and walked to the café to get coffee.

“Davina Claire, if you don’t start talking, I will start grounding, young lady,” Marcel warned her as he appeared behind her while she waited in line.

“I’ll explain,” she said. “I just can’t do it with Kol around.”

“Why not, love?”

“I’m de-caffeinated Kol, not stupid, you don’t trust me, not yet and I’m not going to end of a blood smear on the floor cause you don’t like what I’m going to tell Marcel.”

“So, you’ll tell him, but not me?” Kol drawled curiously.

“He’s my dad,” she stated in exasperation.

“I am?” Marcel asked in disbelief.

“You just threatened to ground me!” Davina stated in disbelief as she gaped at Marcel.

“I didn’t actually think that would work!” Marcel defended. Davina gaped at Kol who was snickering and then stared at her dad.

“This is explaining so much,” Kol giggled.

“Be nice,” she ordered as she elbowed him.

“So, if I’m your dad…” Marcel smiled. “I can ground you!” he decided gleefully.

“You can try,” she offered as she got to the counter.

“Teenagers,” she heard Kol stated.

“I can hear you!” she hissed as she glared at him over her shoulder.

“That’s the point, love,” he smiled that lazy smile of his which had her wanting to throttle him.

“Leave,” she waved him off and placed her order. When she turned back to Marcel who added onto her order with croissants and his own coffee before paying. Davina picked a seat for them and sat down. Marcel had a stern expression in place now.

“I’m Davina Claire,” she stated.

“D,” he started.

“I’m not the sixteen-year-old you saved,” she cut him off then and he stared at her. “I’m from the future, and I’m in this body,” she started. Davina explained the artifact, avoiding mentioning that she was married at all, merely stating that in her time she had been investigating it because it had just appeared in her kitchen. She went on to explain how she had gone to a magic school that wasn’t founded yet, and she had been dying holding the artifact.

“And then I woke up in that attic again and you were there,” Davina finished.

“That’s… wow,” he muttered in disbelief.

“Yeah,” she agreed. “I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around it,” she admitted.

“Why’d you come here?” he demanded.

“Kol is the most knowledgeable witch alive, vampire or not, he knows about magic and dark objects than anyone in the occult. And in my time, he’s my best friend, he seemed like the best starting point,” she admitted.

“For?”

“For figuring out whatever the hell had happened,” she sighed as she rubbed her brow. “He has the artifact right now, so I guess he’s looking into it.”

“You guess?” Marcel snarled. “D, that man is the most untrustworthy, dangerous, unpredictable…”

“Wily, happy homicidal maniac,” she finished for him. “Lord knows how many of those lectures I endured from you about him, believe me I know, but he’s great at this stuff, witch stuff. He’s also my best friend, Marcel, and I don’t have many of those as a sixteen year old or as an adult, so he means a lot to me.”

“D…”

“Please,” she cut him off. “Please, let it go, whatever it is, I’ve heard it all and I know our connection is a shock to you, but you’re my dad, and he’s my best friend, you’re both monsters, and you’ve both done horrible unspeakable things. I love you both, so please, please just move on. I don’t have a lot of time to change things.”

“Change things!?” he sputtered.

“Yes,” she stated.

“D, I’m not a quantum physicist but even I know you can’t meddle with time,” he hissed softly. “There will be consequences!”

“I know that,” she stated. “I’m aware of Magic and consequences! And I know this is going to get bloody and messy and mess up things in different ways, but I have to do this!”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t let Kol die, I can’t let you die or my family, I can’t let evil walk the earth breaking the laws of nature, and I can’t let that fucking bitch ruin everything because she and her crazy husband are so self-absorbed they can’t see they just do more damage than good, and now there’s an Armageddon to stop and trust me here, Marcel, I’ve met the idiots who are probably going to chase after it and I need to help stop it, them, it just… there’s a lot of ghost stories I need to eliminate before I run out of time, I want my family safe, no matter what.”

“Run out of time?”

“I don’t know how that artifact worked,” she pointed out.

“Shit, D,” he sighed. “How old are you, really?”

“Can’t say, Kol’s probably somewhere listening right now,” she muttered as she folded her arms. “But I’m an adult, perfectly healthy, disease-free adult.”

“Klaus is probably nearby listening too,” Marcel decided tiredly.

She shrugged. “Probably. How’d you find me?”

“I had the police trace the phone number you called me with, then the motel said a man with a British accent checked you out, so I figured out where they lived, and found you at the Mikaelsons of all places,” he answered. “And adult or not, I’m still older than you and you just said I’m your dad so I’m grounding you for stealing a truck and running away.”

“What!?”

“Oh yeah, big time,” he nodded. “You are grounded little lady.”

“Going to revoke my cell phone privileges?” she sighed dramatically before sniggering at the thought considering she didn’t have a phone.

“I just might buy one for you so I can!” he promised.

She burst into laughter. “I missed you,” she said honestly.

“Yeah, you pull a stunt like this again and you won’t,” he reminded her. “Teen or not, your now my kid and I will take you over my knee if you scare me like this again! I thought you were snatched by witches, D!”

“Not yet,” she promised. “Not yet,” she sighed. “Crap, I gotta go!” she gasped when she saw the time and she was scrambling out of her chair, grabbing her coat.

“Hey,” Marcel caught her hand and she spun around to look at him. “I’m not letting you stay with the Mikaelsons, so tonight we’ll find a place and you can tell me more about what you’re doing and what’s going.”

“Deal,” she agreed.

“Stay safe, D,” he ordered.

“No promises!”

“You believe this drivel!?” Klaus demanded appearing beside him.

“So far,” Kol admitted.

“Why’d you bring her to the house?” Klaus demanded.

“Why are you so besotted with the baby vamp?” Kol countered and smirked seeing his brother’s eyes narrow before he ran after Davina. He caught her before she made it to the park.

“Marcel saved me,” she stated before he could ask. “Took me in and raised me, he’s my dad. So please play nice with him.”

“Saved you from what?”

“Can’t say,” she answered.

“Yet?” he offered but she stopped and frowned.

“No, no yet, I can’t say,” she answered with a shake of her head.

“Does it have to do with your list?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered.

“But you can’t tell me despite me having read it,” he countered.

“Because it’s the one thing I can’t guarantee the outcome in,” she answered cryptically. “And I can’t tell you because of that. Everything else, if it goes to my plan, it’ll have better consequences, but this, this is the one thing I can’t guarantee, and I don’t want to stress you or Marcel out with it.”

“Yet,” he tried again.

“Ever,” she countered.

He growled a bit in annoyance as he handed her the list again.

Davina looked at it then and her eyes widened at the end of her list. “You think…?”

“Bekah won’t stop, she wants the cure, but Silas…”

“No, I agree with you, it belongs on the list,” she admitted.

“Who are Hayley and Freya, and who’s Dahlia?” he asked.

“Can’t say yet.”

“You’re very frustrating.”

“Yes, I am,” she agreed. “But so are you. What can you tell me about the Silas thing?” She asked as she folded the list and slipped it in her pocket.

“You know the legends, darling,” he pointed out.

“But they’re just legends,” she pointed out. “I fully believe it, trust me, after everything I saw as an adult, I believe in Silas, but I don’t know anything beside the legends,” she admitted.

He stared at her, assessing her for the lie and nodded slowly in acceptance. “When I was new to immortality, I was trying to undo my mother’s actions. I heard a tale of an immortal before my siblings and I and I started seeking him out; I knew of Silas, but until then, I hadn’t known the immortal I sought out was Silas. What I found was a nightmare instead of a cure. Yes, there is a cure, apparently, according to the lore. I found a Coven who worshipped Silas, they believed he’d be the bringer of the end of time as well as bringing the dead to the living again. I heard more stories, and more, and more and more, piece by piece, he stopped looking like a cure for the problem but rather the harbinger of death and the end. As an immortal, that’s a problem,” he admitted.

“Let me guess, you slaughtered the Coven,” she ventured.

“How’d you know?”

“I know you,” she answered unperturbed by that statement or his more violent nature.

“I killed them all and hoped that the legend would serve as a warning,” he admitted. “It hasn’t and now there’s a professor who’s gotten Bekah to believe in the bloody cure,” he spat out.

If he hadn’t had Davina in mind last night, he’d have probably done something dangerously drastic or been daggered. That said he was just waiting for Damon Salvatore to track down and kill Jeremy Gilbert. His family didn’t know about that compulsion yet.

“What’d you do?” she asked warily.

“Why?” he glared at her.

“I can’t really help you if I don’t know what’s happening,” she reminded him. “What did you do last night?”

“I killed my brother’s baby vampires to prevent the Hunter’s mark from growing and because I can’t lay a finger on him, I sent someone after him,” he admitted unapologetically.

“Some things never change,” she muttered. “Who’s the Hunter?” she asked balefully.

“The Gilbert kid.”

She nodded and pursed her lips as she glowered at him. “And who did you send after him?”

Kol just smiled and slipped around her as he continued walking.

“Hell,” she muttered. “I’m going to have to save that kid,” she warned him.

“Why?” Kol demanded.

“Because we need to destroy Silas, not the innocent kid dragged into this mess Kol!” she snapped. “You know the legends! You know the lore, and you said that professor is looking for Silas,” she huffed.

“So?”

“So, we’re fixing this before kids get hurt.”

“You are a kid,” he pointed out.

“I’m an adult in puberty hell, again,” she countered. “Come on, you troublemaker, we have things to fix.”

“Davina, trust me, these idiots…” he started.

“Are children,” she cut him off. “We’ll fix this as adults. And between you and me, Silas doesn’t stand a chance. Now let’s go undo whatever you did, find Silas, put him down and return to my original plan.”

“You actually have a plan?” he asked skeptically.

“Yes, I have a plan, there’s only four rules to making plans!”

“You actually follow rules?” he snorted.

“Yes, the rules to planning are: Make the plan, Execute the plan, Expect the plan to go off the rails, Throw Away the plan!” she waved her hand dismissively and he bit his cheek to keep from laughing.

“So, this is us, throwing away the plan?” he mused.

“Just follow my lead and you’ll be fine,” she smiled sweetly. “But first, you’re going to fix whatever you did, or I am, so who’d you compel after the kid?”

“Damon Salvatore,” he answered.

“You just love to make things difficult,” she said as she glared balefully at him.

“Oh, come now, darling, it’s just a bit of fun,” he smiled.

“Don’t smile at me like that,” she warned. “I know what that smile means!”

Now he laughed.

“We’re going to need help,” Davina muttered. “Come on, I know who we need,” she grabbed his wrist and dragged him after her. “Where’s the biggest werewolf population in town?”

Hayley was glaring at the corner of the trailer thinking of every way she could beat Shane at whatever he was doing just so she could get her information. Bastard was making her work for it, and she felt like she was being played, she didn’t like being played. She also hated betraying her people and her friends, even if Tyler Lockwood was a dick.

There was a sharp knock on the door which had her snapping to attention as she warily made her way to the door. Tyler was after her, and she wasn’t stupid to think he wouldn’t try to get her. Picking up the crowbar by her door she prepared to come out swinging as she yanked it open and lifted to attack only to stop when there was a very petite brunette standing there shivering.

“Hello!” she smiled.

“What the hell?” Hayley muttered as she peered out of her trailer and looked around, not scenting Tyler. “What do you want?”

“I want to stop Shane,” she stated. “I think I can help you and you help me,” she said. “I’m Davina,” she smiled.

“Hayley,” Hayley greeted. “And how do you think you can help me?” she asked warily.

“I’m a witch. I can help you find your family,” she bluntly offered.

“Come in,” Hayley said as she held the door open a bit more.

“Thanks, but I don’t think you’ll be comfortable inviting my friend in with me, so can we talk out here?” Davina asked so sweetly.

“Who’s your friend?” Hayley asked.

“Hello, darling,” a charming young man appeared beside Davina and Hayley snarled at the sight of the vampire. “I believe we should have a chat.”

Chapter Text

Marcel watched Davina dart off to be intercepted by Kol, they seemed unusually at ease with the other, which irked him greatly. Especially as they disappeared from sight looking like partners in crime. He had loved that girl the moment he had seen her fighting, Davina Claire was a fighter and he loved her for it, immediately, without reserve or question or even thought. There had been a moment when he had wondered if Klaus had felt that way about him, but he had shoved that thought back in the box it had come out of. Whatever love Klaus felt for him would probably end once he knew who had called Mikael to New Orleans, that is if Bekah hadn’t told him already.

He looked up when Klaus appeared, the ancient Viking’s gaze was critical as he took a seat.

“I thought you were dead,” Klaus stated in a tone Marcel couldn’t identify.

“Nah,” Marcel snorted as he smiled. “Pulled myself from the rubble and couldn’t find you guys,” he admitted that truth tiredly.

“Who’s the girl?” Klaus demanded.

“That is none of your business,” he replied smugly; which had Klaus’ eyes narrowing dangerously.

“She was in my house,” he started out low and treacherously.

“And that is the last place on the planet I want her!” he spat out furiously. “You just break everything entrusted to you; I will not have her residing with the likes of you!”

“So, the girl’s important,” Klaus mused with a crooked smile.

“Stay away from her,” Marcel warned.

“Or what?” Klaus challenged.

“I don’t think I have to worry about that one,” he replied with a smirk. “For whatever reason she’s got Kol’s attention which means if anything happens to her…” he trailed off. Marcel didn’t like Kol, but there were reasons that Kol was the worst of the worst and none of his siblings were, and it wasn’t for his sick imagination. Everyone feared Kol, and they feared Kol far more than Klaus in Marcel’s experience.

“Now, I may not like Kol, but even I know that when someone or something that has his attention is threatened you can’t stop him. You had to dagger him and imprison that pretty witch he had in his ranks just to control him last time, and even then, I know you only did it because you had the element of surprise. I’ll be by for her things,” he stated as he got up and left Klaus to ponder that.

He was going to need to find a house, something he could put in Davina’s name, then he was going to have to beat Kol off her. That boy was trouble, he didn’t care about what Davina had just divulged, he didn’t trust her with Kol! Especially not after what he had seen the witches doing to those girls. Davina Claire had just traded a pit of vipers for a pack of wolves with the Mikaelsons. He didn’t like this one bit, and tonight he’d get answers from her!

“Excuse me, I’m looking for the local realtor,” he said as he came to a real estate office.

“That’d be me!” she smiled.

“Great, I want to buy my daughter a house,” he said as he smiled charmingly.

“Certainly,” she chuckled. “What kind of property are you looking for?”

“I just… I feel so alive and connect! I have never felt this close to my magic before and now, it’s all there again!” Bonnie explained excitedly as she sat with Matt, Elena, and Caroline at school.

“That’s great Bonnie!” Matt grinned as he hugged her.

“Yeah! And Davina’s going to teach me how to tap further into my powers, and to do Ancestral Magic,” Bonnie explained giddily. “It feels so right,” she sighed. Bonnie felt like she was connected with her grandmother again, and so many more, she could tough the earth around her and feel the life pulsing through it. She could feel life again, she could feel it.  “I feel so much more connected.”

“So Davina helped?” Elena asked skeptically.

“You didn’t see it, Elena, she just, she could do this connection, and there’s so much I think she could teach me, she’s got so much power,” Bonnie admitted.

“And she’s really awesome,” Caroline chuckled. “She was happy to walk us through what we were doing, even though I’m not a witch she was happy to include me!”

“Yeah,” Bonnie mused. “She wasn’t even bugged by the idea of a vampire helping us find my ancestors.”

“That’s cool,” Matt admitted. “Hey wonder how she’d work with a human?”

“Probably really well, she just is so nice and inviting,” Caroline admitted. “Grumpy but she’s so earnest.”

“I’m actually excited to do magic again,” Bonnie admitted.

“What about Shane?” Elena asked.

“What about him?” Caroline snapped.

“He was helping Bonnie before. And he was really helping you tap into that power,” she continued.

“I nearly killed April with that power. It doesn’t… it’s not natural,” Bonnie stated. The bell rang, Elena rolled her eyes before hopping off to stalk to class.

“Hey, I’m happy for you Bonnie,” Matt admitted as he walked to his next class.

“Thanks,” she smiled as he left.

“I just can’t believe she works with Kol, of all the Mikaelsons,” Caroline huffed as she looped an arm with Bonnie’s before they started walking.

“That’s a shock. But he didn’t move against us with her around,” she pointed out. “Jeremy and Elena said he’s volatile.”

“He seemed pretty in control to me,” Caroline snorted. “So after school are we hunting Davina down?”

“Yeah, I wonder what else she’ll have to teach. It feels so natural and like when I worked with Gram’s spirit.”

“That’s good,” Caroline giggled as she bounced a little. “I’m happy this is working out so far.”

Bonnie smiled, for the first time since saving Elena and Stefan, her magic felt right, her connection to all the life in nature was there and she felt grounded. Davina’s power levels were unsettling, but the way it had reconnected her to her own powers, it made Bonnie wonder just what Davina could do.

“Your name is Andrea Labonair, you come from New Orleans and are the only known heir to the Crescent Moon Wolf Clan residing in the bayou of Louisiana,” Davina stated as she stood there shivering in the bitter winter.

“Wait… how do you know this?” Hayley demanded setting aside the crowbar in her hands.

“Because I know you,” Davina answered.

“You’re a kid,” Hayley snorted.

“That’s a bit more complicated, but despite appearances I’m the farthest thing from a child that there is,” she smirked.

“Prove it,” Hayley demanded.

“You have a birthmark on your right shoulder, it’s a crescent moon, it’s a Labonair bloodline birthmark,” she explained. “I know you’ve been looking for your family for a long time, and I’m happy to help you reconnect with them, I’ll even break their curse, right after I solve my newest problem and sort out my original problems, but I’ll do it regardless of if you help me or not.”

“Help? With what?” Hayley demanded.

“There’s a Professor Shane in town and I need to know what he’s up to, I know you’re working with him because he’s promising you your family,” she explained tiredly. “I need to know what is going on, and what’s happening, and I need your help to draw him out.”

“I’m already working with someone else,” she snorted.

“Whoever they are, I promise you they will betray you, I won’t,” Davina said honestly.

“Oh yeah?” Hayley sneered. “And why should I trust you over them?”

“Because you’re the closest thing to a big sister I ever had and I’m betting on you being wary of whoever you were working with and liking me more on principle of I’m adorable,” she explained.

“What?” Hayley sputtered.

“When I am from you are my family,” Davina admitted. “And as much as you don’t know me or like me right now, I’m not going to stab you in the back. You help me out, and first thing I’ll do when I go back to New Orleans is break your family’s curse so you can meet your pack,” she explained. “I’d do it right now, but I’m on a time crunch,” she admitted.

“You… you’re not lying,” Hayley sputtered.

“She’s annoying that way,” Kol stated.

“Oh, shut up,” she jabbed her elbow in his ribs again. He grunted before glaring balefully at her, his lip curled a bit to remind her that he wasn’t her husband, and she shouldn’t take habitual liberties with him, especially when he was happy to kill. Still, she didn’t step away or show him fear, instead she smiled back at his glare.

“You… you actually know my family?” Hayley sputtered.

“Yup, and I would go help you right now, no questions asked or tit-for-tat exchanges, but I really need your help,” she sighed.

“With what?”

“This Professor Shane, who is he, what is he doing, what is he trying to do for you, and who are you working with and what can I expect from that?” she asked briskly.

“Oh wow, you’re… wow, to the point,” Hayley chuckled. “Come in, you’re freezing out there.”

“Where I go, he goes,” Davina explained as she pointed to Kol.

“Seriously, a vampire, and just when I was starting to like you,” Hayley sighed.

“You like me anyway, I’m adorable,” she pointed out and smiled charmingly which had Hayley snorting before she stepped aside.

“You both might as well come in, I was done with this trailer anyways,” she decided.

Kol gave Davina a wary look before Davina skipped into the trailer. It was small, but clean and neat, not a lot to give it personality or to speak to the fact it was Hayley’s, but it was still warmer than outside.

“Have a seat,” Hayley offered.

“Thanks,” she said and sat, Kol sat beside her, eyeing Hayley still. “So…”

“His name is Professor Atticus Shane, he’s an expert in the occult, he teaches at Whitmore College. He’s looking for something called Silas,” she admitted. “He wanted me to get close to Klaus’s hybrids to break their sire bond, he wanted them for a sacrifice so his witch would have a lot of power to draw off of,” Hayley sighed sadly. “Wasn’t hard,” she admitted. “I met this out-of-control kid in the Appalachians, and he was… he was rabid,” she explained. “I had helped him break the sire bond because the pack wouldn’t accept him because he already submitted to an alpha and couldn’t be welcomed, he wanted to be a part of the pack and I felt sorry for him.

“I spent all summer helping him turn, and turn again, and we kept doing it,” she explained. “Eventually he stopped feeling this gratitude towards his alpha, or rather sire, and so I took him to the pack. I didn’t know hybrids weren’t a thing,” she admitted. “But the pack rejected him, and he was pissed so he came here. However, Shane had seen me teaching this kid how to turn, and then he told me about hybrids and their power. He wanted me to save the hybrids,” she snorted. “Should’ve known something was up when he brought up that he knew me and my family. I only got on board with the massacre and stuff that he wanted when he started trickling me information about my family,” she admitted shamefully.

“I’m sorry,” Davina reached out and touched the woman’s shoulder. “Really, I am,” she nodded.

“Thanks, you just told me more about my family than he has,” Hayley admitted shamefully. “A vampire named Katherine Peirce reached out to me and made the same offer to give me information if I could tell her what was going on with the Salvatore brothers, and their little crew,” she sneered.

“Okay,” Davina nodded. “I will help you immediately after I take care of Shane and Esther, Mikael, and a few other things, but I’m going to help you, first thing when I get back to New Orleans,” she promised.

“Really?” Hayley questioned. “You’re a kid.”

“Really.”

“And why would you want to just help me? What do you want in exchange?”

“Believe it or not, I really don’t want anything from you, you are the closest thing to a big sister I ever had, and I’d go help you right now but I promised to help Kol first,” she explained. “I’m going to fix this,” she nodded. “But… can you take me to this professor?”

“Why?”

“I have a few questions for him,” Davina admitted.

“I could take you to him.” Kol offered with a devilish smile.

“And knowing you I bet you killed him or tried to,” Davina rolled her eyes. “Besides you need to go find Damon before he kills that Hunter and bring him to me. You do that and all will be forgiven. Come on Hayley,” Davina nodded.

“Oh, we’re doing this now!?” she sputtered.

“Yup, right now,” Davina nodded. “I don’t have a lot of time, which means I really have no time so, come on. You get Damon,” she hissed turning her attention onto Kol.

“Are you sure you don’t want me just to let him kill the Hunter?” Kol asked innocently.

“Yes, I’m sure, we’re not killing kids Kol, we kill enemies,” she stated. “I’ll come find you after I take care of Shane.”

“What are you going to do to Shane?” Hayley asked as they walked out of the trailer.

“I’m going to tear the answers from his mind with or without his cooperation,” she admitted.

“That’s harsh,” Hayley muttered.

“He’s manipulated children and if I’m right he’s massacred more than hybrids. He also taught a child Expression which isn’t just forbidden in witch circles, it’s an art which obliterates souls, both here on the Other Side, it’s a magic with no checks or balances, only power, and it’s uncontrollable when practiced. And he taught it to a child, I will tear him apart if I have to and feel no shame about doing that,” she stated. Davina hated it when adults used kids to do their dirty work, especially since her time as a Harvest Girl the first time.

“Where’s your vampire come into this?” Hayley asked.

“He’s my partner in crime right now,” Davina admitted.

“I’m driving, you’re shotgun,” Hayley stated as she got behind the wheel of an ancient Jeep. “You’ve mentioned twice that you think of me as an older sister, but I’ve never met you.”

“I’m complicated, but when I’m from you are an older sister to me, right now I know you don’t know me, but I know you, very well, and I want to help you, but I have a few things to take care of right now,” she shrugged. “And not a lot of time to get it accomplished.”

“Why help me, you don’t owe me anything,” Hayley admitted.

“Because, as I said, you’re my family, even if I’m not yours yet,” she shrugged. “And I do anything for my family. Also, if I get you to come along, I have a better chance of keeping this professor alive for answers than if I take Kol.”

“Kol… Kol Mikaelson!?” Hayley gaped. “That Kol!?”

“The one and only,” Davina sighed. “I’m going to need more coffee,” she admitted.

“You’re working with the Mikaelsons!?”

“Nope, just Kol, right now,” she admitted.

“Are you insane!?”

“Oh without a doubt,” Davina nodded solemnly.

Hayley gaped at her before laughing and Davina smiled.

Klaus was waiting for Marcel when the younger vampire stormed into the house.

“Which room was hers?” Marcel demanded.

“You do know you are free to stay here,” he said levelly as he turned to look upon the young man, he still viewed Marcel to be his son. Marcel jutted his jaw out firmly and folded his arms defensively.

“I don’t want my kid here, and she’s staying with me!” he snapped.

“Don’t tell me you actually believed her drivel about you being her father!” Klaus snapped.

“Why not! You weren’t there, you didn’t see what she was surviving!” he shouted back. “She says I’m her dad and I’ll be a better dad than what I had!”

“She’s a stranger!”

“To you!” Marcel bellowed. “She’s not your worry though, I’ll get her stuff and we’ll be out of your hair!”

“What are you going to do when she betrays you? Or when she’s not who she says!?” Klaus demanded. He didn’t believe this girl’s claims for being from the future, and he didn’t care if Kol was enamored with her or not, Kol was enamored with himself and power, nothing else.

“Who’s to say she’s lying!?” Marcell countered. “You… you are so consumed by yourself you could never get out of your own way or welcome someone else in! I love that girl like she’s my own, and I have since I saved her, she claimed I’m her dad so that makes her my kid, that simple!”

“That simple?” Klaus sneered.

“Yeah, and I remember when it was that simple for you,” Marcel snapped. “I’m getting her things and I’ll be out of your hair,” he huffed as he left the room.

Klaus was startled at the words Marcel had thrown so effortlessly. He heard Marcel upstairs hunting down the little interloper’s things before disappearing.

“I’m fine Elena,” Damon insisted in the phone. “Kol didn’t hurt me,” he promised.

Kol rolled his eyes hearing that, the idiot hadn’t even noticed him standing there with a baseball bat yet.

“But he’s Kol and you were with him for a while, are you sure you’re alright!?” Elena persisted.

“Positive, and if I see that Original again, I’ll tear his head off,” Damon assured her.

“Is that so, darling?” he drawled out with boredom at its peak now. He was also insulted that they thought he’d be so easy to kill. Damon turned just in time for a bat to meet his head and sending him spinning to crash into the ground.

“DAMON!” Elena shouted over the open line on the phone, Kol stomped on it before sighing.

“I wouldn’t be doing this, but the witch insists,” he muttered as he grabbed the dead vampire and dragged him out of the house. Popping open his trunk he grabbed a few dark objects to bind Damon up before throwing the drunkard into the trunk of his car and slamming it shut.

“The things I’m doing for Davina Claire,” Kol grumbled as he got into the driver’s seat, straightening his coat. He had to leave quickly before the idiots came sniffing around for the drunk; and he had a place in mind for privacy. Starting his car, he drove to take Damon somewhere isolated so Davina could work this idiot’s weak mind over.

He hoped whatever she did hurt like hell on the bastard.

Chapter Text

Davina walked with Hayley through the college and frowned when they came to the office.

“So how are we doing this?” Hayley asked. “Snatch and grab or what?”

“I’m just going to talk to him,” Davina shrugged. “If I need to snatch him, I’ll decide later. If we’re snatching him I should’ve brought Kol,” she admitted.

“How’d you get tangled up with the Mikaelsons anyway?” Hayley asked.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Davina mused. “At least, you wouldn’t believe me right now.”

“You might be surprised,” Hayley muttered, and Davina snickered at that when they walked into the office.

“Office hours are one to four,” a man remarked.

“I’m not a student,” Davina stated as she shut the door, flipping the lock.

“Hayley,” Shane said in disbelief as he looked up from whatever he was working on. “Who’s your friend?”

“The one who wants to actually talk to you, me, I’m still favoring tearing your tongue out,” Hayley growled.

“If you do that, you’re just going to make my job harder, so please don’t,” Davina pleaded. Hayley scowled as she paced the room slowly but didn’t react. Davina slid into the seat across from the professor. He wasn’t a particularly assuming man, nothing about him was attention grabbing, if she was honest. His dark eyes were looking at her curiously and he had the air of superior suspicion.

“Who are you?”

“Davina Claire,” she answered.

“And what do you want, Davina?” he huffed in an irritated tone as he leaned back in his seat.

“Answers. After that, we’ll see,” she mused with a shrug.

“Answers to what?” he asked, defenses were going up and she smiled sweetly.

“To begin with, why an occult expert would dare to teach Expression to a child, and we’ll finish with what the hell you want with Silas,” she stated.

“You should go,” he started.

“Sit down,” Davina ordered as she narrowed her eyes and sent the man slamming back down in his seat.

“You’re a witch,” he sputtered in disbelief.

“Yes, I am, and if you’re an expert in the occult then you should understand when I say I’m a New Orleans witch,” she said as she stood, her small stature made any attempts to intimidate by height pointless; Kol normally did the physical intimidation anyways. And after having been regent, Davina hated heels. Still, she knew she could intimidate anyone with her power.

“You’re…”

“Tell me why you would dare teach a child Expression! Where’d you get the sacrifices and why!?” She snapped as she started heating his blood. The man winced.

“Wait! Wait! Wait!” he sputtered.

“Davina,” Hayley whispered; both in terror and awe.

“I can keep this going for hours, there’s bubbles forming in your veins bursting and popping as your blood will begin boiling, this will build up pressure within the body,” Davina explained casually. “Why would you teach a child Expression!?”

“Ahck!”

“Davina,” Hayley pressed.

“Why did you teach Expression?” she demanded.

“Because it’s unlimited,” he gasped as she released her hold. “It’s unlimited!”

“It’s unnatural,” she hissed. “Do you know the cost of Expression!? It’s a darkness that isn’t natural! How’d you get the sacrifices for it!?” she demanded and boiled his blood again.

“AH!” he gasped. “The council!” he breathed and slumped in the seat as she released him. “I… I convinced Pastor Young, I took the council,” he gasped.

“And the hybrids,” Hayley informed Davina. Davina flicked her hand and Shane cried out as his finger snapped.

“Don’t lie or leave out details, because I’ll know,” Davina warned with a playful tone as she smiled menacingly. Davina had learned intimidation tactics from Kol, sue her if she used them now. “Now, why are you doing this and what does it have to do with Silas?”

“I want to raise him,” Shane admitted as he gasped for air. “I want to raise him so he can bring my family back!”

“You’re…” she stopped and frowned. “Your family, were they supernatural or normal?”

“My wife, she was a witch,” he panted. “My son though… he wasn’t,” he admitted.

“Silas fed you a lie,” Davina stated then. “The dead can never be brought back,” she lied. “And what magic is required to bring them back is exceptionally dangerous. Silas, if he’s immortal, has no power to bring them back.”

“But Bonnie does,” Shane countered. “And she won’t fail me, she can’t, I’m the only one that can help her,” he smiled smugly. Davina frowned as she turned her full attention on Shane, and walked towards him with measured steps.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Davina said firmly. “Now, you’re coming with us, and you’re going to tell Kol everything, or we can do this my why were I tear it out of your mind by force,” she growled.

“I…” he started.

“Sleep,” she snapped which had him collapsing on the ground.

“Davina,” Hayley started.

“Come on, help me get him to the car,” Davina said grabbing his ankles. “Should’ve brought Kol,” she grumbled as her and Hayley manhandled Shane.

“This would’ve been easier if you hadn’t put him to sleep,” Hayley muttered.

“It was this or break his neck,” she muttered sourly. “Besides, no one can see us, cloaking spell,” Davina muttered as they walked.

“What’s so bad about Expression?” Hayley huffed as they navigated the stairs.

“Expression is unnatural,” Davina admitted and struggled to keep her balance with his weight. “Calls on darkness that doesn’t exist on this plane, and tears the user’s soul apart until they die, but when they die, no soul so no afterlife of any kind, no heave, purgatory, hell, or the Other Side,” Davina huffed as she used her magic to open the doors. They made it to the Jeep, which had Davina dropping his feet and popping open the back. Hayley all but threw him in the back, Davina picked up Shane’s feet before they shut the back end. “Basically, Expression is the unfiltered, unbalanced destruction of self and others,” Davina explained. “And it can’t be controlled.”

“Really?”

“Really, the more powerful the witch, the more uncontrollable,” Davina huffed. “It’s why it’s forbidden in any conventional coven and frowned upon by the magic community. And he taught it to a girl, Bonnie, she’s a kid really, shouldn’t know this kind of magic.”

“How do you know of this kind of magic?” Hayley asked.

“A coven in New Orleans had a witch performing Expression and Black Magic,” Davina explained thinking of Nandi’s mother. “Her coven eventually caught her, but only after she had sacrificed babies to gather power,” Davina sighed.

“Babies?”

“Yes, babies, the younger a witch is, the more… unrestrained their magic. More powerful witches are born pretty much reflexively practicing magic, I was, and so was a friend of mine,” she admitted thinking of what Kol had told her. There was also all the stuff Hope could and would do, which had driven her parents nuts. “But to sacrifice innocent life, without regard to consequences, is a lot of power, and it’s more power when a witch taps into it without regard of consequence and self, it’s not even magic at that point. We call it Expression because it’s only caused by emotions, the more volatile the emotions involved, the more dangerous the Expression, and an out-of-control Expression will kill it’s witch.”

“That’s gruesome,” Hayley admitted.

“Yup. Which is why, I will be tearing into his mind after Kol finishes the interrogation,” Davina admitted.

“What are you going to do with him in the meantime?” Hayley asked.

“Didn’t get that far yet. I’ll ask Marcel to hold him. Come on, we need to find Kol,” she sighed as she got in the passenger seat.

“Why don’t you just call him?”

“I lost phone privileges apparently,” she snickered.

“You really are insane,” Hayley decided.

Davina laughed harder as she pulled the button out of her pocket. “I just need a map, simple locator spell will find him,” she chuckled.

“You’re using a button?”

“It’s off his jacket, I doubt he even noticed I snagged it,” she mused. “I need coffee, but we’ll find him first so I can solve the Hunter problem, then we’ll figure out what to do with Shane.”

Hayley just looked amused as she drove. “You are a strange one, Davina Claire,” she decided.

“I know, and perhaps one day I’ll explain it all, but I’m on a time crunch right now,” Davina admitted.

Damon groaned as he came to and found himself chained up, and in a cell of some sort. He looked around wearily and then spotted his captor reading something.

“What the hell man!?” Damon shouted in frustration as he sat there.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” Kol looked up then and smiled. “Personally, I’d leave the compulsion but the witch with a list and plan said differently.”

“So… this is your solution?” Damon muttered. “Could’ve at least bought me dinner first.”

“Kol!” a voice shouted.

“Coming love,” he called back as he set aside his book and Damon scowled. He hated that he couldn’t really hear the conversation above, but he was stunned when a girl appeared. He hadn’t really taken her in on their first meeting as he was still in his spat with Stefan and dealing with the repercussions of the sire bond to Elena, but now that he was looking at the witch he was uneasy. She was a petite, homely looking girl. She looked innocent, there was that air about her to, but the way her blue eyes looked him over with a calculating look… she was dangerous.

“Well, this is an unpleasant surprise,” he sneered. “It seems Elena was right about you.”

“Shut up,” she snapped. “I’m here to save you from yourself.”

“What are you going to do?” Kol asked.

“I learned a way to break the compulsion when I was younger, it was to keep my family safe, but… the process is painful, and it takes a lot of time,” Davina admitted. “Just requires breaking the chains of compulsion in the mind.”

“Magic can break a compulsion?” Kol asked. Damon didn’t like that curious tone to the psycho’s voice.

“Whoa there, I’m not letting you anywhere near my head,” Damon huffed.

“Why not?” the girl pouted a bit.

“Cause I happen to like my mind! Who knows what you’d break poking around in there.”

“Not much from the looks of things,” Davina stated. “You might as well go help Hayley; this will take a little while,” she said to Kol.

“How long?” Kol asked.

“Considering he doesn’t seem to have much in there as it is, maybe thirty minutes,” Davina offered.

“Hey! I’m insulted!” Damon protested.

“I mean, you’re not wrong,” Kol informed the witch. “It was easy to compel him.”

“Just go help Hayley,” Davina said.

“You need to stop bossing me around, love,” Kol said looming over Davina’s shoulder to whisper in her ear.

“You two need to get a room,” Damon grumbled in disgust.

Kol’s eyes flicked to Damon as his lips curved into a sadistic smile which had Damon shooting back a sarcastic smile. Kol draped himself around the witch then, and the witch gave Damon an unimpressed look.

“If you can’t break the compulsion, I can just kill him, love,” Kol offered in a tone that sent a genuine shiver of fear oozing down Damon’s spine.

“We’ll consider it, now go,” Davina waved Kol off. Kol smiled before he disappeared.

“You and your boy toy don’t scare me, honey, so why don’t we just do the reasonable thing and let me go before Bonnie and Caroline find out you’re not the ray of sunshine they thought.”

“I haven’t hidden the fact I work with Kol from anyone,” she shrugged.

“Elena will kill you if you hurt me,” he stated.

“Elena is the least of my problems,” Davina stated and lifted her hand. “This is going to hurt.”

“What is!?” he asked, then screamed as she lifted her hand and he felt the power surge through him, tearing through every fiber of his being.

Kol came back after helping Hayley stash the good professor in a box; literally, and shoving said box in the basement of his brother’s house. Davina was leaning outside the crypt he had stashed Damon Salvatore and paused seeing her just standing there, patient and calm.

“You finish?” he asked her.

“Yes, it didn’t take much on his part, but you’re compulsion was powerful,” she admitted. “He’s unconscious right now, but it’s broken.”

“We could’ve just finished it,” he stated.

“No point,” she admitted. “Can you unchain him, and we go?”

“Certainly love, but you need to stop bossing me,” he warned.

“I will,” she assured him with a chuckle. Kol shook his head but went to work; once Damon was slumped over in his chair Kol walked back up to Davina. She smiled happily at him, which stunned him as she shivered a bit.

“Thanks,” she sighed. “I know you don’t like being told what to do, but we’re not killing kids.”

“You seem very determined about that,” he muttered.

“I am. Besides, we have Shane, I’m certain in that head of his is the location of Silas and we can end him before these idiots release him,” she admitted.

“Is that the Hayley you were going to track down?”

“Yes,” she nodded.

“Who’s Freya?” he asked.

“Not important yet, and you won’t believe me if I told you,” she answered.

“Love, we’re working together,” he said.

“I know that, and I trust you, beyond a shadow of a doubt. But you don’t trust me,” she stated.

Kol scowled. “I would trust you a lot more if you didn’t have all these secrets.”

“No you wouldn’t,” she snorted in amusement. “No, you don’t trust easily. And if I told you, you wouldn’t react well,” she shrugged. “But that’s alright, because I like working with you and I don’t mind earning your trust. When you trust me I’ll tell you all my dirty secrets.”

“I put Shane in my brother’s basement,” Kol divulged.

“We’ll get answers from him tomorrow.”

They started walking towards his car in relative silence, and Kol assessed the young witch carefully. She was such an oddity, he wanted to know more, he wanted to know everything, and yet he didn’t know where to begin.

“What sort of music do you enjoy?” he blurted out when curiosity got the better of him.

Davina stared dumbly at him before she burst into laughter.

“What!?” he demanded.

“First time, first time I met you, you told me I had terrible tastes in music,” she laughed. His lips quirked a little, her laughter was infectious.

“Well, do you?” he asked curiously.

“I love the classics,” she said as she finally straightened upright. “Bach, Puccini, Mozart. And I love jazz. Plus country, alternative, rock and roll, classic rock, and a bunch of others.”

“I remember listening to Mozart perform once,” he chuckled. “Was a stunning performance.”

“I bet, I wish I could’ve seen something like that,” she sighed wistfully.

“Why would I say you have terrible tastes in music?”

“Mmm, at the time I was buying… not the best records for someone in my care and you were being a flirt,” she accused.

“Me, darling, a flirt, never!” he declared with mock outrage.

“The day you stop flirting or teasing people is the day I join a convent,” she retorted blandly.

“I like pretty things. Pretty things should be appreciated.”

She smiled and her cheeks blushed which made him note she was actually a very beautiful young woman. He hadn’t noticed it because he was too baffled by her reactions and interactions with him to really notice her appearance.

“Will you tell me why you want Esther?” he asked her.

“Because she corrupted the Ancestors,” she sighed as she paused in their walk towards the road. “Back home, things… they happened, but we always trusted our Ancestors, because they’re the Ancestors and they’re supposed to be guiding us. Esther was consecrated there, and so was another witch, and they… they corrupted the Ancestors to being hateful, spiteful, and cruel. I want to seal off Esther’s spirit, and Mikael’s, for good measure, to deal with a problem to come, but mostly so they can’t corrupt my home or destroy my family.”

“My mother has never been consecrated, anywhere, I won’t let them,” Kol pointed out honestly. He had fought tooth and nail against his mother ever being consecrated.

“Not yet. When I am from, she was, and she wreaked havoc unlike any other and corrupted the ancestors to the point where I will never practice that magic again.”

“But you helped the Bennett witch set up her own ancestors,” Kol pointed out.

“She was being taught Expression,” Davina stated.

“Oh,” he mouthed in understanding then.

“When I’ve sealed up Esther, and Mikael, I will feel accomplished,” Davina admitted.

“Why do you need to seal them?” he asked.

“You’re going to need them to destroy Dahlia.”

“I’m going to need them!?” he sputtered.

“Your family is,” she clarified.

“Why!?”

“Because of reasons I can’t say yet,” she chimed.

“Why’d you want the White Oak Stakes?”

“To keep you alive,” she answered bluntly.

“That’s it!?” his brows rose up in disbelief as he studied her closely.

“I like you alive,” she pointed out. “Alive is good,” she nodded before they reached the car.

Marcel saw Davina at the Mikaelson house and intercepted her before she could enter it.

“Come on D, I got us a place and you can tell me all about whatever the hell you have brewing,” he said as he slung his arm around her.

“Oh… I didn’t think you’d get it all set up that fast,” she admitted as they walked together.

“I’m not having you hang around Mikaelsons. Oh, and another thing,” he pulled out the cellphone he had bought and added on to his current plan and held it out for her. “Answer this,” he ordered. “My number is the first one programed in there, so if I call you, I expect you to answer.”

“Thanks!” she smiled. “This is going to make things easier.”

“You hungry?”

“Yeah, it’s been a long day, there’s a great burger joint, the Mystic Grill,” she explained.

“Well alright,” he chuckled as he started the car. Davina gave him directions. He was unimpressed with the town and itched to grab Davina and high tail it out of there, but he couldn’t, not with Davina being on a warpath. He was impressed if this was the woman, she grew up to be, she seemed strong, capable and level headed.

“D, about the other you,” he started as they got out of the car and walked towards the grill.

“What about her?”

“What happened to her?”

“I have a theory,” she admitted with a grimace. “But you’re really not going to like it, and I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?” he demanded.

“I can’t tell you that either,” she admitted.

“Davina Claire!”

“I can’t tell you because you’re going to overreact or worse and I don’t have time to deal with that, I’m on a time crunch as it is, and if I tell you then I have to deal with you freaking out. Also, I’m not stupid, Kol’s somewhere around here trying to figure me out because he’s curious so he’s probably eavesdropping somewhere I can’t see him.”

“I hate magic!” he shouted as they entered the grill.

“Oh, hey Davina,” a large boy greeted Davina with a warm smile.

“Hey Matt, Marcel, this is Matt.”

Chapter Text

Davina was shocked when they arrived at a house, it was a cabin really, tucked deep in the woods near a lake. Marcel sighed as he turned off the engine and got out of the car, he sped over to her side and helped her out before grabbing her things.

“House is in your name,” he said as he handed her the key and they walked up the porch.

“You’re welcome to come in,” she said as she opened the door and stepped across the threshold. Marcel looked around warily but stepped in, he smirked then shut the door, flipping the lock.

“Give me a minute to cast a silencing spell,” she said as she took her bag and started pulling out odds and ends needed for the spell. She set it up, whispered the chant at the kitchen island and sat down, with a sigh.

“D, the you from now, where is she?” he demanded as he whirled.

Davina groaned, three hours of relentless interrogation from Marcel and she had had enough, her resolve not to tell him about what her theories were was waning if only so she could get him off her back.

“I don’t know,” Davina admitted. “I feel like me, mentally at least, in terms of magic, I feel I’m more, and I think that’s… little me,” she explained. “Me from my time, I didn’t have power like this. When I woke, I felt… more, events in my life had lessened my connection and my magic, having a soul shredded does that. But when I woke, I had my magic connected in full and more, and alive, I could feel the world again, I wasn’t overwhelmed or scared like I was when I was sixteen. I woke up and I could feel the Harvest within me, feel that power, could feel Monique, Cassie and Abigail within me, their power, Air, Earth, Water, it’s all there with my Fire. It feels like my power still, just swirling together like a hurricane this time, it’s not drowning me this time because I’m aware of how to control myself.”

“D…” he started.

“The Harvest will have to be completed,” Davina cut him off. He opened his mouth and she continued. “It has to, the power isn’t mine. I will die, Marcel, one way or another. Which leads me to my two theories, but neither are a guarantee,” she admitted as she looked at her hands.

“What!?” He sputtered. “No, I’m not, no, D, you or kid you, I’m not letting you die.”

“I have to,” she stated as she lifted her head up and held it high. “This power within me, it isn’t mine, it is Monique’s and Cassie’s and Abigail’s. I will die, to complete the Harvest, and I have to die or this power within me, it will consume me, I will be a biblical plague, Marcel, I will destroy cities, probably more if I don’t die for the Harvest.”

“No,” he shook his head furiously. “I did not save this little girl just for her to die!”

“I will though, either by being killed by my power or by the Harvest itself, that is inevitable. When I die, I do come back, if I set this all up so no one can highjack the Harvest, Davina will come back. Either me, as I am right this minute, adult and all, or that little girl you saved earlier this week.”

“So, it’s either you from now or the you from the Harvest?” he whispered in horror.

“I can’t guarantee which it’ll be,” she admitted as she wiped her eyes. “But it’s okay,” she smiled earnestly. “Me, future me, the one sitting here right this minute, if this is all I had, then I’ve had an awful lot.”

“D…” he started.

“I’m thirty-four, Marcel,” she whispered. “I fell in love, I fought wars, I moved mountains, I defied death, I had a family, a husband, a dad, a best friend, I went on adventures, and found life outside those covens.”

“You… you were married,” he sputtered.

“Yeah, I was, and don’t get too excited, you hate him,” she laughed as she brought a knee up and hugged it. “See, I lived, Marcel. So, if at the Harvest it’s not this me who comes back, you’re going to need to be there for the sixteen-year-old me who’s going to be very scared, confused and lost.”

“Did you have kids?” he asked.

“Not for a lack of trying. It just… wasn’t in the cards for us,” she whispered honestly. It had been a sore point for them, her especially, four miscarriages had broken her heart. It didn’t matter that they had and loved Hope and Nik as if they were their own, Davina remembered each loss and it broke her heart. Adoption wasn’t an option either, not with her noticeably aging and her husband not looking a day over twenty, people tended to be suspicious of that. And Kol made sure to fill her life with joy and happiness, he even settled down a little for her. “I was alright with dying before I woke up in my sixteen-year-old body, I was dying then, and I’m still alright with death,” she admitted.

“So, all this, what is this?” Marcel demanded.

“I’m on a warpath, I’m going to stop Esther, and Dahlia, if I’m lucky I’ll keep kid me from being sacrificed by Freya, that would be awesome too,” she muttered. “And now there’s Silas on that list because God knows he Can Not be loose, if he is real, and I don’t doubt his realness given everything I’ve seen and done, and if he has Kol this agitated he has to be real. I also need to seal off Mikael, if he’s sealed, he can’t come back to life, and can be used to stop Dahlia. I also need to unlink you and Josh from Klaus, and… that’s as far as I’ve gotten admittedly.”

“What about your husband?”

“What about him?” Davina asked.

“Who is the unlucky bastard I thought was worthy of you?” he asked. “I need to go kill him before hand.”

“Oh, trust me, I’m not stupid enough to ever tell you that,” she giggled. “That information might actually kill you,” she laughed. Whether by shock or death by his attempts on killing Kol which would annoy Kol ultimately; and Kol would retaliate.

“I can take it!” he promised.

“Oh no! You can’t, and you’ll never get it out of me, ever,” she promised with a larger laugh.

“It can’t be worse than me discovering future you was best friends with Kol,” Marcel grumbled. She squealed as she fell off her stool, laughing harder now that she was collapsed on the floor, and winded.

“Davina!?” Marcel raced over.

“I’m okay,” she wheezed. The laughter waned and she wiped the tears from her eyes as she let him hoist her up.

“D,” he started.

“No matter what, Marcel, I’m going to need you, but I need you to trust me,” she said as she stood there. “I know what I’m doing,” she assured him.

“This is insanity, D,” he warned her.

“No doubt,” she agreed. “But trust me,” she smiled. “I’m a New Orleans Witch,” she pointed out. “I learned from the best on how to wage a war,” she mused honestly. Between her husband, her in-laws and Marcel, she was a queen at war when provoked.

Marcel sighed and yanked her into him, wrapping his arms around her tightly. “This guy you married; did he love you?” he asked in her hair.

“More than life itself,” she admitted softly. “Marcel? I know you won’t like him, but… he makes me smile. And he’d go to hell and back for me, he’d never hurt me intentionally, and he never would leave me, even at my worst he never left.”

“Sounds like a hell of a guy, actually worthy,” Marcel acknowledged reluctantly.

“No, you hate him,” she snorted. “I need to go, I have a witch to teach to reconnect with the spirits and nature, you have a house to set up and a city to run, I’ll be back before the witching hour!” she called out as she grabbed her jacket and jogged out of the house.

“You better answer that phone when I call!” he shouted after her.

“Yes dad!” she called back. “Oh, I might also have a friend coming to live with us,” she said as she stopped at the steps.

“What!?”

“Not a Mikaelson, a wolf, I’ll explain later!” she shouted at the house as she ran. She jogged to the road and looked around before feeling the world to find where Bonnie was.

Marcel watched Davina run into the forest with ease and sighed. There was a small rustle in the air, and he felt her before he saw her. He turned to look at Rebekah who was staring at him with wide eyes.

“So, you’re playing house with a little brunette witch!?” she hissed.

“No,” he answered bluntly and turned to walk back into the house, shutting the door on Rebekah as he grabbed Davina’s bags and took them up to the room. He was still hurt that she had never been bothered to come looking for him. Daggered or not, he didn’t care, he had lived with an eternal torment thinking he had gotten her killed in their quest to escape Klaus, and here she was with Klaus!

Marcel wanted to hate her, he was still pissed and grieving her loss and she was here, alive, and well, and with Klaus, whom she vowed she loathed as much as he had.

“You can’t shut me out!” she shouted through the door.

He didn’t answer her as he dropped Davina’s bag on her bed. He was happy now he had bought a fully furnished cabin rather than an empty house. Pulling out Davina’s things he was surprised she had his quilt and pillow still, the clothes were definitely not winter clothes, he’d have to fix that. She’d need a heavier jacket, he would offer her a few of his hoodies until they went and got her proper clothes. She had the flats she had been wearing from the harvest, and her white dress balled up. He put her things away and put her brush and toothbrush in her room before he went about unpacking his own clothes.

He took a few hoodies and dropped them off on her bed, along with her new cellphone charger. He should probably buy her an otterbox or something, she seemed to be running on all cylinders, and would likely break the phone unintentionally.

Finishing with unpacking, he jogged down to the kitchen, he’d have to stock up on blood for himself, but he wouldn’t feed here until he knew the lay of the land. He’d probably have to go out of his way to steal some blood. It was quiet which had him hoping Rebekah was gone, opening his front door he saw her sitting in a rocking chair glaring at him, and he frowned.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” he stated.

“Well, I want to talk to you!” she snapped surging to her feet.

“About what!?” he demanded.

“I thought you were dead,” she whispered.

“But you never bothered to check,” he pointed out bitterly. “I at least looked, through the ruins and wreckage, I turned over ever rock and tinder, I tore it all up looking for you, thinking the absolute worse,” he spat out.

“I…”

“We have nothing to discuss,” he stated firmly. “You made your choices.”

“And you know it’s not that simple!”

“I don’t care,” he said pointedly. “I’m just here for my kid who thinks she should be here.”

“Your kid?” Rebekah sneered.

“My kid.”

“I didn’t take you as the paternal type,” she hissed.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Bekah,” he pointed out. “Now leave, you’re ruining the scenery.”

She looked livid and furious, but he knew she was gone because he had hurt her. Bekah didn’t like pain; she ran from it entirely because she didn’t like her heart being battered. Alone he sighed as he leaned on the door and resisted screaming in agony, he had already wept over his lost love enough for one lifetime, he was just finally moving forward with his life, and had Cami to think of.

Bonnie looked up as she sat on the stoop of the abandoned house with Caroline and Elena waiting for Davina. Davina came jogging up to them and shivered a bit.

“Sorry about that,” she chattered.

“Matt said you were with a new guy,” Caroline piped up.

“My dad,” she admitted.

“What’d you do to Damon!” Elena snapped as she surged towards Davina.

Bonnie couldn’t even yelp or react before Elena was slammed into the ground with a hit that sounded of thunder and Kol appeared with his boot on her friend’s throat.

“Hello darling, sorry I’m late,” Kol said to Davina as he straightened his coat.

“Davina! Are you alright!?” Caroline demanded as she jogged over to the witch who was wiping off her jeans.

“I’m fine. And while I have you, please put your number in here,” Davina shoved a phone at Kol who looked confused before stepping off of Elena. “And I removed a particularly nasty compulsion off of Damon, that’s it, and yes, before you ask, it hurts, a lot.” Davina directed her attention to Elena.

“You removed a compulsion!?” Caroline gaped.

“It’s not hard,” Davina admitted. “It just hurts them, a lot.”

“I didn’t even know that was possible,” Bonnie admitted.

“Well, there’s a lot to be learned, and can I have your number, this way I can stop running around like a headless chicken trying to guess where you are,” Davina explained as she grabbed her phone from Kol and handed it to Bonnie.

Bonnie noted that there were only two contacts and smirked seeing she got to be number three. Davina took it and handed it to Caroline who grinned and bounced excitedly.

“Come on, I want to test your connection to nature,” Davina said as she walked with Bonnie into the house, leaving the phone in Caroline’s care.

“I can feel it again!” Bonnie said eagerly.

“What’s your natural element,” Davina asked looking at Bonnie as they reached the crypt.

“My natural element?”

“Every witch has an element they are more connected with than others, for me that is fire,” she admitted as she lifted her hand and let her fingers come to life with flames. “My friend Monique was more attuned to earth.”

“Um… I don’t know, but I guess… I guess air, I’ always felt it was easier to move air,” Bonnie admitted.

“Good, that’s where we’ll start.” Davina decided as she walked over to a battered table and grabbed some of the candles, setting them up she picked up some of Bonnie’s stones and started making a circle.

“What are we doing?”

“You are going to learn to tap into Ancestral power,” she said. “That’s easiest when we start with your basic elements. You said you connect easiest with air, so we’ll start with air,” Davina said as she lifted a feather from her coat pocket. “I want you to feel the spirits around you and to listen to them, then focus on the feather. Ancestors are reaching for you, feel them, let them in, channel them,” she explained.

“Are you sure…?” Bonnie asked. “What if I accidently use Expression?”

“You know what your magic feels like, and you know what Expression feels like, lean away from Expression and reach for nature,” she explained.

“I could hurt you though,” Bonnie said.

“Well, I could go get Kol and he could teach this if your concerned about killing me, he’s pretty unkillable,” Davina huffed.

“Um… no,” Bonnie shook her head. “I don’t want Kol here.”

“Fair enough, now focus, trust yourself,” she encouraged. “Clear your mind, and feel the air, listen to the Ancestors.”

“How’d you meet Davina!?” Caroline asked Kol who was quietly watching the house.

“What do you want?” he turned on her, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Just making conversation,” she chirped earnestly.

“You had to pick a chipper one,” Kol called out and Klaus seemed to materialize from the forest. Klaus startled Caroline, she hadn’t even sensed Klaus.

“I didn’t choose anything,” Klaus stated calmly, his hands clasped behind his back as he strolled casual. Caroline tensed, she was the only one out here, Elena having run off when Kol had let her up, and now she was here with two Originals, she stood no chance if she was in danger.

“What are you doing here Klaus?” Kol asked warily. Caroline looked between the wild unpredictable Original and the diabolical one who smiled rather murderously.

“I’m out for an evening stroll,” he answered.

Kol didn’t respond to that and watched as Klaus walked towards the house. Caroline tensed, but then remembered she couldn’t enter the shelter anymore.

“I think I’ll check on the witches,” he said ominously. Kol shrugged and held out his hand as a ‘go ahead’ sort of gesture.

The moment Klaus made his way to the entry he was thrown violently through the air and off the porch to be sent crashing into a tree. Kol smirked smugly and Caroline darted over to check on Klaus.

“Little perk of Ancestral Magic, sacred grounds where the Ancestors are,” Kol stated in a faux casualty that belied something Caroline didn’t know about Kol. “No one can enter unless invited in by the practicing witch. And you’re not invited!”

“Are you alright!?” Caroline asked nervously as Klaus got to his feet, glaring murderously at his younger brother, Kol smiled crookedly while leaning on a post.

“And let me guess, you were welcomed,” Klaus sneered.

“Nope,” Kol cackled impishly. “I just knew you couldn’t resist trying something on the new witch.”

“You don’t actually believe her drivel about when she’s from, or why she’s here!”

“Haven’t decided,” Kol stated smugly. “But one thing’s for sure, she’ll give you a hell of a headache.”

Klaus shrugged her off before storming off and she glared at Kol who wave her off.

Looking after Klaus and then Kol she sighed as she zipped over to Kol and shoved Davina’s phone in his hand before running after Klaus.

“Klaus!” she called out. “Are you alright!?” she demanded catching up to him.

“Fine, no witch can hurt me, sweetheart. Just forgot about the pesky sacred grounds,” he snarled.

“You don’t like witches?” she questioned.

“Young or old, dead or alive, witches are a pain in the arse,” he stated furiously.

She snorted as she continued following him. She couldn’t disagree, Bonnie’s magic was something of an unpredictable power surge at times.

Chapter Text

Davina found Hayley packing her things up in a tattered bag. Reaching up she knocked which had the wolf’s head snapping over to her.

“Davina,” she greeted.

“Hey,” Davina smiled as she hugged herself a little tighter against the cold.

“What are you doing here?” she asked stepping out the door.

“Kol brought me,” she admitted tilting her head towards the car Kol was waiting in. “I know you don’t really know me, but in case you want to wait, just a little longer, and we’ll go back to New Orleans together and I’ll break your pack’s curse, here’s an address you’re welcomed at. I’m staying here with Marcel, he’s kind of like my dad, and yes, he’s a vampire, but he’s good people,” Davina said as she held out the scrap of paper to Hayley. “And my number is there too, you know, if you want to talk.”

Davina smiled and turned away as Hayley took the paper and looked at it, heading for the car she wanted hot chocolate and a warm blanket.

“Davina?”

“Yeah?” she turned to look at Hayley.

“Why are you doing all this?” Hayley asked.

“Because I can,” she answered. “Door’s open, we have a spare room,” she said and clambered into the car as she shivered violently.

“You’re going to need thicker clothes, darling,” Kol stated.

“Noted, first thing to do tomorrow,” she admitted as she breathed into her hands.

 He snorted as he turned up the heat a little for her.

“In my defense I’m from New Orleans, Louisiana, I don’t really do cold, it’s a fluke really when it happens,” she admitted as she held her fingers in front of the car heater.

“Scheduling shopping between torture and mayhem?” he asked.

“Between torture and saving the world,” she corrected. “The mayhem is just a byproduct of being this adorable.”

“Awfully confident about the adorableness,” he chuckled.

“Of course,” she agreed.

“Oh, your calculations,” he pulled out a folder.

“I’ve been looking for that!”

“I’ve made a few adjustments,” he stated as he handed it over and she opened the folder to look over the charts he had added. “Conception timing?” he guessed.

“Yes.”

“Who?” he asked.

“Can’t say yet,” she replied.

Kol nodded slowly as he accepted that answer. “It’s the night of the new moon, middle of March.”

Davina glanced over at him and he stared at the road. “You’re sure?” she asked pulling out the lunar charts and star maps.

“Did the calculations twice last night,” he admitted. “It’s what I was coming to talk to you about tonight, before you were tutoring a witch.”

“She needs to be taken away from Expression, before a coven is called in to exorcise it,” she muttered.

“Not disagreeing,” he admitted. “The mother though is a wolf, your notes calculate the father is a hybrid.”

“He is.”

“So, Nik is going to be a baby daddy,” Kol chuckled. “He doesn’t strike me as the fatherly type.”

“I never said the father was Klaus,” she pointed out.

“It’s either my brother or his idiot hybrid bastard, and somehow I don’t see that being the case given the fact Nik’s werewolf status was only unlocked after our parents turned us into this, and with his newly ‘freed’ status as a hybrid that makes him the only candidate to be the baby daddy of this little calculation.”

“You can’t tell him!” she sputtered.

“I won’t,” Kol admitted. “Took me a day to figure out the calculations, your notes on hybrids were sporadic, if I hadn’t caught that I wouldn’t have figured out it was my brother.”

Davina sighed as she looked over his own notes. His handwriting was always so much bolder and neater than hers, she envied it.

“You wrote down a fertility potion!?” she gaped.

“It works best on wolves,” he explained. “Picked it up back in the Ottoman Empire.”

“I see,” she read over the ingredients and was actually impressed. “It’s an aphrodisiac,” she noted.

“It’ll induce heat in a bitch and rut in a sire, if the wolves chemistry and blood is compatible, it will ensure conception. It’s potent though, not to be used liberally. And in a mortal, witch or human, it will not be good, if a vampire ingests it then it will induce bloodlust, not sexual lust,” Kol explained. “But with a wolf, it’s safe, merely triggers their bodies to do what is natural at an accelerated rate. With Nik being a hybrid though it’s a fifty-fifty shot on which lust it would affect in him, I would recommend looking into how to alter it to affect the sexual lust in a vampire, not the bloodlust.”

“I’m impressed,” she chuckled. “This is very detailed,” she muttered as she read it over in the dim lights. “We can make it, and see how they’re doing at the end month, consider this a backup plan.”

“You honestly think the woman will get with Nik; on her own?”

“They did the first time, and they always had this weird chemistry, at least when the child was a toddler.”

“They did?”

“They were friends, but not, it was weird, I didn’t give it much thought at the time, I had my own problems, but they have chemistry,” she pointed out.

“And what were you doing, love?” he chuckled.

“Resurrecting the dead, pissing off the ancestors, selling my soul to the devil with a charming smile,” she chuckled. “Your mother really messed up my Ancestors, I’m pretty sure she’s the reason that I’ll have to return, but if I can seal her off this time, then she can’t mess things up.”

“Ah, regular teenage witchy things,” Kol mused.

“Exactly,” she giggled. “These are great, I didn’t notice I was off on the star charts.”

“You used Louisiana ones,” he stated.

“Oh, yeah, should’ve just gotten the map from the library,” she sighed. “Shane is on a crusade to bring Silas back because he thinks Silas can raise the dead.”

“I know.”

“I bet you didn’t know his wife was a witch,” Davina said looking at him.

“Oh, bloody hell,” he muttered.

“Yeah, I think she’s who he learned Expression from, which means, even if the dead did come back, she couldn’t, there’s nothing left,” Davina pointed out.

“He won’t be reasoned with,” Kol confessed.

“I know, which leads us to a dilemma but I’m betting in his twisted mind he’s already been to Silas’ tomb. I’ll get that from him tomorrow.”

“Why didn’t you today?”

“Because I didn’t want to dive into that head with Marcel just arriving back to drag me to New Orleans,” she muttered as she continued reading over his calculations. “I needed to be sharp so I didn’t end up back in New Orleans.”

“I could get you a few of my mother’s grimoires, she had a few spells for gathering information from the mind,” Kol offered.

“I’ll need something to channel,” Davina pointed out.

“You have me for that, love,” he smiled, and she chuckled.

“You’re willing to be a conduit for power?” she mused.

“Been a while, but certainly worth a shot,” he shrugged.

“Mmm, noted, we’ll deal with Shane tomorrow,” she decided. “I’ll look over your mother’s spells though, she was a brilliant witch despite her idiocies.”

“You sound as if you’ve met my mother, darling.”

“She tried to kill me, tried to steal my magic, possessed one of my best friends, got my coven to hate me, and made the Ancestors a nightmare,” Davina supplied.

“Ah, yeah, that sounds like dear old mum,” he mused humorlessly.

“Your mother is charming,” Davina divulged dryly.

He laughed and turned off the main road towards her new house.

“What exactly would happen to a human who takes this?” Davina asked as she put the notes away.

“Well… it’s to induce heat,” he pointed out. “Nothing good, I knew a witch who dosed an entire nunnery with it, it wasn’t pretty, I had to kill the nuns as mercy. He’s how I got that little recipe.”

“Ew,” she shuddered.

“I’ve used it as a remedy for a few wolf couples seeking fertility options; it is not my first selection, but given that Nik’s the hybrid of your equation, it’s the most potent.”

“You have recommended it?”

“Yes, usually for infertile Alphas desperately seeking an heir.”

“They came to you?”

“I am a witch, love,” Kol pointed out sardonically.

“I know that, but this is just… this is potent, and dangerous; I’m just reading the recipe, and I know that.”

“You don’t seem surprised I’m a witch,” Kol muttered.

“Despite being a vampire, Kol, I know you work with witches. And I know you’ve helped with healing,” Davina admitted. That aspect of her husband had been an initial shock, but she knew that he was still a witch at heart despite his vampire nature, and as a witch he sought to try to connect with nature however he could. Davina theorized that part of Kol’s lack of connection was why his bloodlust and rage were so uncontrollable. Witches weren’t meant to lose that connection, to lose nature and magic, without it to tether them it could drive a witch or former witch mad. Davina was surprised her husband wasn’t completely insane without the connection. Nik shoving Kol in a box had probably helped keep him sane and walking amongst covens had also probably kept him grounded. She had never voiced this theory to Kol though in all their time together.

“You know?” he seemed stunned.

“I know you,” she pointed out. “And I like working with you.”

“That’s a relief,” he pondered.

“I’d be happy to use you as a conduit,” she said with a smile.

“You… you act like we’ve done this before,” he said.

“Best friends, and partners in crime,” she pointed out. “We’ve done this a lot, I do the magic, you do the ass kicking, between the two of us, we can do anything.”

Kol didn’t respond to that as they pulled up to her house.

“Thanks, see you tomorrow,” she smiled.

“Goodnight, Davina,” he replied softly.

“Goodnight Kol,” she offered as she slipped from the car and walked into the house.

“Hey D! I got jambalaya on the stove,” Marcel greeted as he opened the door.

Kol watched her enter the house, hearing her mention it needed more hot sauce, and saw Marcel glaring at him before he shut the door entirely. It didn’t take him long to drive back to his brother’s house, he entered on a full-blown war between Rebekah and Nik though which included vases being thrown. He had narrowly evaded one connecting with his head as he headed to his room.

Once there he pulled off his coat and changed into more relaxing clothes before he walked to the library to find their mother’s grimoires. It wasn’t like Nik had much use for them, but Nik also wouldn’t throw them out, Kol found the ones he wanted and walked back to his room. Sitting on his bed he started flipping through them. He marked the spells that would be of use and interest to Davina for tomorrow.

Rebekah stormed into his room, slamming his door which had him looking up from his reading material.

“You’re a paranoid, narcissistic, backstabbing wanker! I’m going to stay with the brother I like!” she bellowed through his door before she stomped to a chair and flopped down.

“Unbelievable,” she muttered as she rubbed her eyes. “He never went back for Marcel!”

“I was in a box,” Kol defended immediately not looking up from his work.

Kol had never like Marcel, Marcel had taken his spot in his family, and had stolen what little affection his siblings gave him. He hated that arsehole with a fiery passion, and if Davina wasn’t claiming Marcel as a father, he’d have probably torn Marcel’s heart out when he saw him again. He had been furious when Davina had been hugging Marcel, at least until the coffee shop. At the coffee shop he decided he could tolerate Marcel because Davina seemed intent on driving her father figure insane, and she had defended him against Marcel. No one had done that for him before, and her doing that meant he would consider her a friend.

“You would think he’d have gone looking for Marcel!” Rebekah snapped.

“I was in a box,” he repeated as he opened up another grimoire and started reading through it.

“It’s just, it was Marcel! I get that he didn’t like us together, but they were still close…” she started ranting.

“Bekah!” Kol snapped.

His sister spun around to stare at him with watery eyes.

“He hates me, Kol,” she sniffled.

“Oh, bloody hell,” he groaned as he slammed his book shut and fell back on the bed. “I’ll get us drinks,” he sighed as he rolled off the bed.

“Thank you Kol,” she muttered.

“I’ll be right back, touch nothing,” he warned as he disappeared to get the drinks.

Davina dragged herself out of her bed at the crack of dawn, yawning as she navigated her way to the nearest source of caffeine. The knocking on the door was annoying her, which had her grumbling as she yanked it open.

“I have nowhere else to go,” Hayley admitted.

“Mmm,” Davina nodded tiredly and sidestepped to let Hayley into the house before she stumbled for the coffee machine.

“D, I thought I heard someone at the door,” Marcel announced as he jogged down the stairs.

Davina grunted as she looked for the tin of Café Du Monde coffee that Marcel had brought with him. Finding it she yawned as she made up the coffee.

“Who are you?”

“Um… I’m Hayley,” Hayley said.

“You’re the wolf friend,” Marcel deduced.

“And you’re the dad,” Hayley guessed.

“Coffee,” Davina grumbled. There was a brisk knock on the door again which had Davina slipping around them for the door and opened it to see Kol standing there looking frustrated.

“Kol?” she yawned.

“Let me in, love,” he said as he opened a book.

“Yeah, come in,” she grumbled.

“No D!” Marcel grimaced.

“It’s Kol! He’s helping right now,” she yawned hugely again.

“Morning breath,” Kol informed her.

“Coffee,” she snapped as she stalked to the coffee machine which was now beeping completion of the coffee. Crème and coffee prepared she sat at the island and Kol set the grimoire in front of her.

“This is the best bet for getting the information out of a fortified mind,” he stated.

Davina hummed as she sipped her coffee and looked it over.

“It won’t kill him, and it’s the least risk to you,” he explained. “It will also give you a chance to separate the information to a physical form, if there’s a map in that head, we can get it transcribed on a piece of paper.”

Davina nodded as she read through the ingredients and runes needed.

“D isn’t your personal witch,” Marcel snapped trying to take the grimoire from her.

“He’s my personal Original,” she countered which had Marcel gaping at her and Kol preening. “It’s too early to argue,” she mumbled as she sipped her coffee some more.

Kol’s notes and translations were rather clean and clear, to the point, he laid out the pros and the cons of the spell.

“Will this work?” Davina asked.

“Yes.”

“Mmm,” she hummed and nodded.  “Do we even have these materials?” she asked.

“I do,” he said.

“Where?” she propped her chin up on her fist.

“A Claire crypt in New Orleans,” he answered.

“Damn it,” she muttered.

“We can make most of the things needed,” Kol said. “But it’ll…”

“Take more time,” she deduced.

“D…” Marcel started.

“I can’t go back yet,” she sighed.

“Why not?” he asked.

“I can’t, not yet,” she stressed. “It’s that thing I can’t tell you.”

“Or won’t.”

“Exactly, you need my blood to get into your playhouse again, right?” she asked as she rubbed her brow.

“Yes.”

“I’ll give you a vial, get in and get out, don’t let the witches see or know you’re there,” she stressed.

“They don’t scare me…”

“No, but they’re probably hunting me, so please,” she pleaded. “Please be careful.”

“I’ll be fine, but you’re going to explain the New Orleans thing,” he warned.

“When you trust me,” she sighed. Grabbing a knife and a vial she held her hand out and slit her palm, spilling the blood in the container. She squeezed out enough to be used to open the door, Kol offered her a towel before grabbing a lid. She wrapped her hand and continued reading over the spell.

“I’ll be back tomorrow with the supplies,” he stated and disappeared.

“You know D, I bought this house in your name so Mikaelson’s couldn’t run free in it!” Marcel growled at her.

“It’s just Kol,” she yawned.

“That looks deep,” Hayley said grabbing Davina’s bloody hand.

“It’ll be fine,” she admitted as she sat there reading over the spell. “Oh, I’ll show you to your room.”

Bonnie sat in her room focusing on the candles, controlling how much power she used, which was harder than she had expected. It took a lot more focus than she would think, before without a teacher she had just been pushing herself to use all her magic, to push her limits, Davina had shot that down immediately.

She jumped off her bed when her phone chimed, and she saw a text from Davina offering a day of practice. She smiled as she accepted.

Davina’s way of connecting magic to life was unique and empowering, Bonnie loved it, and she loved that it reconnected her with the spirits of nature and now the ancestors. She was happier with this connection again.

It didn’t take Bonnie long to drive to the old house, and she saw Davina sitting on the porch reading over a grimoire carefully. For a minute Bonnie could swear she saw three other girls clustered around Davina peering over her shoulder. But she blinked and that image was gone. Davina smiled and waved at her as she walked over to Bonnie’s car.

“What are we planning today?” Bonnie asked as she got out.

“You are still going to work on control. You have power, now you need to control how much you use and how much you tap into from the Ancestors. Boring basics build a strong foundation.”

“What are you doing?” Bonnie asked her as she shoved her hands in her pockets.

“I am reviewing a complex spell for entering the mind. Kol’s going to be my conduit, but I feel the need to review this,” she muttered as they walked in.

“Vampires as conduits?”

“Yes, despite being nature’s abominations, it takes a lot of Magic to sustain them, they’re easy conduits when you work with them. The older they are, the more powerful, the better conductor for magic,” she explained.

“And you have an Original in your back pocket,” Bonnie observed.

Chapter Text

Caroline was sitting in the park when she saw Davina walk by rather swiftly, her nose buried in a book as she navigated her way towards the café.

“What do you think she’s doing?” Elena asked coming to sit by Caroline.

“She seems to be doing magic research,” Caroline admitted.

“But why?”

“I don’t know, Bonnie says she’s knowledgeable, and she’s teaching Bonnie, so maybe she’s looking for a cure or something?” Caroline shrugged.

“We should go compel her to tell us,” Elena decided as she grabbed Caroline and dragged her after Davina. Caroline didn’t fight Elena because this was the first time Elena wasn’t moping about becoming a vampire or obsessing about her sire bond in a long time. Jeremy was still jumpy from his encounter with Kol at the Mystic Grill and hiding out at the lake house with Damon’s training regimen. Matt was still Jeremy’s sparring buddy, but he was getting annoyed with his Grill being the center point for all mass murders in Mystic Falls.

Davina was standing in line to get coffee.

“Hi Davina,” Caroline grinned as Elena peered over Davina’s shoulder at the book.

“Afternoon,” Davina greeted as she looked at Elena. “It’s in Runic.”

“I knew that!” Elena snapped.

“Yeah.” Davina shut her book with a heavy thud as she looked at both of them. “We are not starting whatever attempt at compelling and interrogating you baby vamps have in mind until I have coffee,” she stated as she stepped up to the counter then and placed her order.

“She’s so arrogant,” Elena muttered.

“I think she’s hilarious,” Caroline snickered.

Davina grabbed her order and walked to a table with three seats, which was an invite to join her. Caroline skipped up and sat beside Davina who was sipping her coffee.

“What are you doing in Mystic Falls?” Elena demanded as she sat down.

“Keeping idiots alive, stopping immortal witches, destroying old or new enemies, saving your friend from obliterating her soul with Expression, not pissing off the ancestors, saving my family, and keeping Kol alive,” she answered swiftly.

“Shane was teaching Bonnie,” Elena snapped.

“Shane was turning your friend into an abomination,” she asserted firmly as she leaned over on the table. “Do you know what kind of magic Expression is? Witches don’t even call it magic. We call it Expression, and it destroys the user slowly, the more powerful the witch though who uses the quicker it destroys them so there is nothing left for heaven, hell, or the Other Side. That is what fate awaits Bonnie if she should continue on that course.”

Caroline flinched a little at Davina’s calm delivery and saw Elena paling at the answer.

“Your friend, Shane, whom you have blindly decided to trust, isn’t just dangerous, he’s insane. The only people who teach Expression are the insane or the wicked and I can’t decide which he is, yet. I have given Bonnie access to her ancestors, because the ancestors will guide and teach her when she does not have a teacher.”

“Why? Why help her?” Elena demanded.

“Because I can, and because she is a child who does not deserve that fate. Next question.”

“You’re working with an Original, I thought you wanted to kill them,” Elena hissed.

“I never said which Original I was here for, and Kol’s a family friend,” Davina answered blandly.

“Are you trying to get the cure to cure your boyfriend?” Elena sneered.

“My boyfriend?” Davina looked confused then. “Last I checked I’m sixteen, and Marcel would kill me if I had a boyfriend.”

“Kol,” Elena hissed.

“Oh, he’s not my boyfriend,” Davina waved off.

“He seems to like you though,” Caroline giggled. Kol Mikaelson had been interested in Davina, that was clear, he treated her with care and respect, he also seemed to come after her. Unlike Klaus or Elijah though he didn’t look at Davina like she was some sort of plaything or prey he was hunting, Elijah and Klaus both looked at everyone like they were prey, and Kol did to. He just didn’t look at Davina like that.

“Yeah, because we’re partners in crime,” Davina dismissed. “And no, I’m not hunting the cure. What cure?”

“You don’t know?” Elena asked.

“No,” Davina admitted looking confused. “What cure?” she asked looking between Caroline and Elena.

“Um… Professor Shane claims Silas has the cure, to vampirism,” Carolina admitted nervously.

“Silas? Silas has the cure?” Davina asked in disbelief.

“Kol didn’t tell you?” Caroline asked. Kol and Davina had seemed thick as thieves from what Caroline had seen, she would’ve thought he’d have divulged that information to Davina at the very least.

“No, because it’s a falsehood probably,” Davina acknowledged.

“No, no it’s not, Jeremy has the map!” Elena snapped.

“Whatever you think you know about Silas, discard it, right now,” Davina snapped. “Silas is a powerful immortal cursed to bring the end of time and is an abomination to magic and nature, he’s to destroy the veil and rise the dead,” she stated. “Whatever cure you think Silas possesses I can guarantee it is not worth whatever cost it will take to get it.”

“No, there’s hope, there’s a cure,” Elena muttered.

“The only ‘cure’ I know of requires a lot of magic and a bloodline witch from the caster,” she explained.

“Wait, there’s an actual spell to undo this?” Elena asked.

“Yes,” Davina admitted.

“Could you cast it!?” Elena asked eagerly.

“No,” Davina snorted. “You need a Mikaelson witch, and I’m not a Mikaelson, I’m a Claire. And even then, it’ll take a lot more power than a single witch, even in my current state I don’t have enough power on my own to cast that spell. It would require linking with a bloodline, like the Bennetts or the covens of New Orleans, it’s not easy, you need to channel the Other Side, and to do that you’ll have to be communing with them to get them to cooperate and a lot of them won’t.”

“Then we’re taking that cure from Silas,” Elena decided again. “Jeremy’s started the map.”

“Okay, slow down,” Davina snapped. “What map?”

Caroline bit her lip nervously as she looked at Davina and Elena. Elena looked angry and scared now, while Caroline could feel her friend’s apprehension. Davina just looked curious and concerned as she looked between them.

“Let me be very clear,” Davina decided, sitting up straight as she placed her coffee in front of her and her expression hardened. “I have no qualms about tearing the answers from your minds if I have to, you’re both baby vampires and it is just as easy for me to break a compulsion as it is for me to enter an untrained mind to get the information I want. But like breaking a compulsion it will hurt you a whole hell of a lot more than it could ever hurt me, so it’s better to answer me now.”

Klaus Mikaelson was not a man who liked to feel the fool, he did not like being toyed with or tormented. And he did not like feeling like he was out of the loop as they say. Elijah was off, gods knew where, Kol had managed to find himself a witch, said witch was connected to Marcellus, and Rebekah was no longer speaking to him with their dual surprise of Marcellus being alive and well apparently.

Still, Klaus had missed Marcellus greatly, his death had wounded Klaus deeper than any other loss he had suffered. Even the death of Finn paled in comparison to the loss of Marcellus. It was as painful as Henrik’s death really, it was a crippling blow to Klaus, and he had thought he would never again gaze upon the one he thought of as a son. Now Marcellus was here, and apparently pissed at the Mikaelsons, which hurt, but Klaus couldn’t grasp that his child was alive, he was in awe of that fact.

Which had brought him to the cabin he knew Marcellus had bought. It was a small cabin, two stories, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, on the river, no neighbors for miles, detached garage with a woodshed. Klaus knew the property well; he hadn’t been able to resist looking in on Marcel.

It was quiet when he pulled up to the cabin, a Jeep was parked out front as well as a massive, old Ford Truck and a sleek Audi. Klaus looked around the drive as he slowly got out of his car. Scenting the air, he could sense that Marcellus was on the other side of the house, chopping wood, from what his ears gathered. Shutting the door quietly he cautiously made his way around the house and stopped to stare at the boy.

Marcellus might be a man, but Klaus could still see the little boy he had been, dressed up and smiling proudly at fixing his cravat all on his own. Marcellus turned suddenly.

“Go away,” Marcellus snapped.

“Not until we speak,” Klaus stated determinedly. He had craved to speak to his boy since the destruction of New Orleans, he had been devastated being unable to find Marcellus anywhere in the ruins of his home.

“We have nothing to talk about,” Marcellus snapped.

“Marcellus,” he started.

“It’s Marcel!” the young man roared.

“Marcel,” he tried again. “I come in peace,” he said and held his hands out in a gesture of peace.

“I doubt that,” Marcellus sneered.

“Please,” he pleaded softly.

“What’s there to talk about!?” Marcellus demanded. “How you drove me away from Rebekah? How you hate my kid, and yeah, Davina’s my kid, she’s my family, and I will die for her!? Or how your happy homicidal maniac brother is somehow my kid’s best friend? Or how you ruined every bit of happiness I ever had? Or do you want to talk about Mikael!?”

“I was pleased with you and Rebekah,” he started.

“You sure as hell have a funny way of showing that,” he sneered. “You know I love her, not loved, love her, still, but you and she tore out my heart and stomped on it until it was nothing. You daggered her to keep us apart!”

“I did that for her own good, she’s too reckless in love,” he defended. “And it was a test, how worthy she is for you.”

“Mmm, an impossible test, no one’s good enough in your eyes Klaus,” he retorted.

“That is not true!” he protested.

“It is!” Marcel roared. “No one is good enough in the eyes of the mighty Klaus Mikaelson!”

“You were good enough,” Klaus said softly. “You were perfect, you were mine,” he stated as he stared at his son.

“Fat lot of good that does me,” he countered.

“Marcel, I came to talk,” he said softly.

“Well, I don’t want to talk to you!” Marcel snapped. “You and Bekah can go on doing whatever you were doing before I came here. It looks like I have to put up with Kol for now because of Davina but when whatever she’s doing is over, you can take him back. I don’t want any of you near me or my girl.”

“What are Kol and Davina doing!?” he demanded.

“No fucking clue,” he laughed humorlessly. “Go away, Klaus, lets go back to being dead to each other,” he waved off as he stormed into the house and slammed the door shut behind him.

Those words cut him deeper than he expected as he stared at the backdoor of the cabin, he wanted to will his boy back out. He didn’t care if Marcellus hated him, he just wanted to see his boy once more. Perhaps he should confront the little witch about his son, he could compel her to tell him about Marcel again.

“Hello love,” Kol answered the phone as Davina stood outside, waiting to be invited to join, while Caroline and Elena walked towards the lake house where Jeremy Gilbert was apparently hiding out.

“You want to tell me what a hunter’s mark is? The thing on the Gilbert kid’s arm, the kid I just undid the compulsion you put on that idiot vampire for,” she said dryly.

“It’s the Brotherhood of the Five, darling, it’s a map to Silas’ tomb,” he explained.

“Mmm,” she hummed. “What’s the Brotherhood of the Five?”

“We’ll have the history lesson when I return, Nik knows more about them than I do, so does Elijah, darling.”

“Why is that?” Davina asked curiously. Kol and his freaky witch encyclopedic brain seemed to know all things supernatural, even the most obscure extinct things. She remembered once on their honeymoon when she had started a drinking game with him called True or False, about the supernatural stuff which had devolved into an in-depth discussion about so many things in the supernatural world that she wouldn’t have even thought real, or fake.

“It was the first time I was daggered, love, took Elijah twenty years to track me down and pull me out of the box I stashed me in; the Brotherhood of Five took me down, it was an unexpected surprise. At the time I was daggered I was living with a group of witches, apparently, my witch friends took offense to my daggering and saved me by hiding my body. Which convenient for me because it kept me alive, not convenient for my brothers to find me. That was about the time Nik was cursed from the Hunter’s Mark, apparently killing those Hunters had driven him insane, it’s also what made him this paranoid.”

“What curse?” she asked.

“Apparently killing a Hunter from the Brotherhood of the Five will make a haunting for the vampire killer, no clue what it’ll do to a witch or human though, darling. I thought they were extinct until the Gilbert kid came about, and Nik started trying to make his mark grow. We, Bekah, Elijah and I spent thirty years keeping Nik alive, it wasn’t easy, the curse tore at his mind and brought out his worst traits, after the curse finally stopped, the warped version of my brother is what remained, love.”

“What broke the curse?” Davina asked.

“No clue, love,” he admitted. “I was too busy helping Elijah keep the bastard alive to actually study the curse, and by the time it all stopped, it didn’t matter.”

“Will this map lead them to a cure?”

“In theory, but in practice, I doubt it, darling. Silas was a cursed immortal, you know the stories,” he acknowledged. “If there is a cure, it’s meant to be shoved down his throat before his head is taken off his neck and his heart pulled out and the body dismembered and burned before scattering the ashes across the four corners of the earth.”

“True, but I need to check, apparently Elena Gilbert is hoping to get her hands on the cure to stop being a vampire,” Davina informed him.

“Did she say that, darling?”

“No, but I can make educated guesses with the information I have on hand,” she informed him.

“They just want the cure,” Kol asked in confusion.

“Apparently,” she confessed.

“Not possible,” Kol asserted firmly. “Whatever cure there is, it will be for Silas, to turn him mortal so he can be killed.”

“Had you heard of the cure?”

“In rumors and whispers, but the moment it was connected to Silas I stopped looking and tried to destroy everything about Silas so others would stop looking, love.”

“Admirable,” she conceded. “Do you have notes or anything about Silas, something I could use?”

“Yes, it’s in the Claire crypt.”

“Why’d you store it there!?”

“Because, love, it was the only place my family couldn’t get to.”

“Just for clarity’s sake, when you were torturing Shane, the first time, what cure did you think he was talking about?”

“Vampirism was created by magic, I’m not so foolish as to think it can’t be undone, my mother created a spell to undo it, but we didn’t let her enact it because she was going to kill us all,” Kol rationalized. “When Bekah asked me to get information about ‘the cure’ I thought it was a spell of some sort requiring doppelgängers and what not, I didn’t know about Silas until Shane mentioned it! Honest, love, no one told me about the Silas aspect until Shane said as much.”

“I believe you,” she promised. “Get the notes on Silas, and the stuff for the spell, we’ll do it tomorrow, right now, I’m going to go talk to a Hunter and figure out what sort of map this is.”

“We should also speak to Nik,” Kol sighed.

“Why?”

“He kept the Brotherhood of the Five’s swords, since the Brotherhood were supernatural beings, I’d wager the swords are probably dormant dark objects, with your power levels you’ll probably sense something we can’t see or know, love,” he reasoned.

“Ok, I’ll deal with the Hunter today, you get the objects, after we get answers from Shane then we’ll get to your brother and his magical swords, and after that we’ll go kill Silas.”

“Simple enough.”

“Simple enough, stay safe in New Orleans, Kol,” she sighed.

“Relax, darling,” he chuckled.

“I won’t, you have my blood, and my coven is after my head, please be careful.”

“No one will find you, love, I’ll be back before you know it and they’ll be none the wiser, after Silas though you’re going to tell me about your coven.”

“After Silas I’m dealing with Esther and Mikael,” she countered.

“I’ll see you soon, darling,” he said.

“See you soon, Kol.” She hung up then and looked at the lake house.

The tall, gangly kid stood beside Elena looking at her with a curious expression, Caroline smiled warmly, and Bonnie pulled up in her car then. Damon glared at the sight of her, while the boy Matt stood there looking at her with an unreadable expression. Time to get to work, she thought as she shoved her phone in her back pocket and walked up the steps of the porch.

“Jeremy Gilbert?” Davina guessed from her one meeting of the kid; names were not her forte if she was honest. “Davina Claire, I’m here to help you out.”

“You attacked my sister at the Grill.”

“After she threatened to snap my neck,” Davina pointed out. “And I’m not here to hurt you, or your sister, I’m trying to help. Want to tell me about this Brotherhood of the Five Hunter’s mark you have?”

“Um…” he gulped as she stared up at him expectantly.

Chapter Text

Davina looked over the partial drawing of the Hunter’s mark, everyone was a little wary around her, she could see that with how the vampires were watching her, and the way the Hunter’s sister hovered. The version of the Hunter’s mark she was being shown was intricate and seemed to be a tree revealing a story. The Nordic Runes were interesting, Davina recognized most of them because of the Mikaelsons, but it was also unusual, the grim reaper wasn’t Norse, and neither were the names being revealed, despite the Runes.

She knew about Silas; she had grown up in Covens and knew what he was and what he meant. She knew about his lover, and his witch betrothed, and the betrayal he had enacted against his betrothed to be with his lover. Silas’ story was the reason witches did not attempt immortality, it served as a warning, ending in tragedy and a curse. The intricacy of the of the design was interesting, it wasn’t random clearly, it would probably finish to be a remarkably interesting design to tell the story of Silas’ betrayal and the mission of the Hunter.

“Well,” Matt huffed impatiently which had her head snapping up.

“It’s a map, but you knew that. What you don’t know is that this is also the source of your… purpose?” she said as she looked at Jeremy. “It is a purpose, right, the need to hunt and kill?”

“I… I guess,” the kid admitted uncertainly. “Shane said that it was a conditioning of the magic for the mark; part of the protection spell that Hunters have, it would make it easier to kill vampires.”

“He’s not wrong there,” Davina conceded. “But this mark, it’s not a spell for good fortune or protection or even aid, it’s a curse. These runes, right here,” she pointed to the ones around the reaper. “These are to give you the strength of your enemies, what this means is the more vampires you kill the stronger you’ll become, but this is Black Magic. It’s an exchange of lives, the more you kill, the more you’ll become like the monsters you hunt,” she explained. “Eventually it will rip your humanity and identity away until you are a Hunter, completion of this mark I bet would compel you to seek out Silas to destroy him.”

“This thing is a curse!?” the vampires came to loom over her.

“Yes,” she answered. “After the death of Silas, this is probably going to kill him or it will disappear entirely,” she explained.

“Can you remove it?” Bonnie asked nervously.

“No,” Davina admitted. “I don’t have the kind of power meant to remove a curse like this. This would take an entire, very large, very ancient coven or direct descendants of caster, and I have no idea who cast it.”

“Um…Professor Shane said that it was my ancestor,” Bonnie said.

“Your ancestor?”

“He said I’m a descendant of Qetsiyah, and Qetsiyah’s bloodline cast the mark,” Bonnie explained.

Davina nodded slowly and looked at the partial drawing of the tattoo. Tapping her fingers, she tried to think through the counter curses she knew which might be able to help Jeremy Gilbert and pulled out her phone. She didn’t think as she dialed Kol and put him on speaker.

“Hello love, twice in one day, you’re starting to make me feel special,” he teased.

“Off the top of your head how do we contact a powerful dead witch we don’t know where she’s buried or consecrated?” she asked as she got up to pace.

“Well that depends, what do you need her for?”

“Drawing power or communication,” she answered.

“You’re going to need an artifact and a descendent of hers, then you’ll need a connection to the Other Side, but you know that, love. You practice Ancestral Magic,” he pointed out bluntly which was when she grimaced.

“How do I do it without connecting to the Ancestors? This is a witch of unknown temperament,” she explained. “It wouldn’t be good for her to connect with them, especially with how unknown she is.”

“Ah, that’s going to be a little trickier. Best bet is still an artifact and descendent, but you’re going to need a massive conduit,” he explained. “Like a coven, or…”

“How about an Original?” she asked as she dragged her fingers through her hair as she paced.

“Stop it, love, you’re making me blush,” he teased. “How old is the witch?”

“I’m going to guess, a couple thousand years old, though this curse is only a little under a thousand,” she admitted.

“You might need more than just little ol’ me to get it to work, which are you trying to connect to? A curse or the witch?”

“Well, that’s the thing, I don’t know,” she admitted as she paced.

“What’s the curse?”

“The Hunter’s Mark on Jeremy Gilbert,” she answered. “It’s a curse, it’s not a protection spell.”

“Mmm, what’s it do, love?”

“It’s designed to take the strength of his enemies, and in the process, if I’m reading this right, it strips away his humanity, until the final confrontation with Silas should happen, I think.”

“You think?”

“I’m not working off a completed mark here and runic is not my strongest language,” she admitted. “I’m just working off a fraction and the runes I have, this isn’t a good mark, it’s a dangerous curse.”

“You’re bloody joking,” he asked flatly.

“I wish, so thoughts?” she asked.

“I’ll call Elijah, he’d be the best help, you’re going to need two conduits, we’ll try to break the curse first, but if that doesn’t work, we’re going to need to make contact with the original witch,” he admitted. “Oi! Get out of the way!” he yelled suddenly.

“Will you and Elijah be enough?”

“Between the two of us there’s two thousand years, a little more, if we really need more, we can abduct Rebekah; I’d offer to abduct Finn as he was easier access, but he’s kind of dead. We can’t tell Rebekah, if we do that and she finds out what we’re aiming to do, she won’t help, she’ll tell Klaus and then we’ll be on the run from my brother until he kills us or daggers me for conspiring against him.”

“Do you know another really old vampire?”

“The Trinity, but I vote we not contact them, love, they’re incestuous and insane,” he stated.

“Who else?”

“Lets just work off of me and Elijah, if we really need another Original, we’ll figure out how to kidnap Bekah,” he answered. “And I’d really rather not do that, because that’s a fast way to end up in a box with a dagger.”

“Alright, I’m going to need all your information on Silas,” she admitted. “All of it.”

“I should’ve taken the SUV then,” he muttered sourly.

“Also, everything about the lore, fact or fiction that you’ve found,” she sighed.

“I figured as much, which is why I should’ve brought the bigger car,” he remarked dryly.

“Noted,” she retorted.

“While I get this, you should get the artifact of the witch you’re going to speak with, or connect with, and her descendant.”

“I have her descendant,” Davina asserted.

“Don’t hold me in suspense, darling,” he pressed.

“Me,” Bonnie answered.

“Davina, love?” Kol replied. “She’s joking, right?”

“Not if Shane’s right,” Davina confessed.

“You’re bloody joking,” he answered flatly.

“Nope, get the stuff on Silas, I’ll prep for the spell with Shane, then we’ll figure out the Hunter’s Mark thing,” she sighed as she rubbed her eyes.

“Bloody hell,” he groaned. “Add it to the ever-growing list, anything else I should grab while I’m here?”

“Might as well grab all those ingredients for the other thing, we’ll talk that over when you get back,” Davina sighed. “And can you please grab more coffee?”

“Coffee?”

“Yes, coffee, Café Du Monde,” she clarified.

“Noted, anything else we need while I’m here?”

“I can’t think of anything else,” she offered blandly.

“Good, I’ll call you when I’m there,” he hung up then and Davina sighed.

“Whoa,” Jeremy muttered.

“Hold up here, what makes you think this is a curse!? And is it going to kill the kid!?” Damon snapped at her which had her turning at him.

“Every single rune used here, is Black Magic, I’ve have felt this magic from one other witch, and it will not end well, whatever it was meant to do it has been corrupted by now anyways, so what we can do is remove it,” Davina confirmed.

“Won’t it just go to some other unlucky bastard?” Damon snapped.

“Not if I do it right,” she divulged. “But I’m going to need a history lesson on the Brotherhood of the Five as well as information currently locked in Professor Shane’s head before I proceed.”

“How do we know you aren’t lying?” Elena demanded.

“You don’t,” Davina confessed looking at the group of kids who looked nervous and scared. “But I’m helping you because I can, so you can accept that, and accept the end results, or you can stupidly continue as you have been.”

“Nothing stupid about us, sweetheart,” Damon cockily declared.

“I’m looking at five kinds of stupid run by teenage hormones, and a vampire swaying on his feet and smells of liquor, I don’t see the other one of your group, but if I were to hazard guesses then I’d guess he’s your moral compass, and even then, you are revolving around this ‘cure’ being your motive. I know one of you in this group wants it, I’m guessing Elena,” Davina stated swiftly. “I can’t even begin to tell you what a monumentally bad idea it is to finish Jeremy’s mark, or to try to take Silas’ cure, but you probably won’t listen to me, because I’m sixteen and you don’t know me, but you probably haven’t even done your research, beyond what you’ve been told, into Silas, and despite my stance, and Kol’s; who’s was more dangerous and violent than mine, you’ve proceeded with this hunt for the cure. This makes me think you’re stupid, or ignorant, or just too willful to understand the dangers of forces you don’t understand.

“However, before you all blindly play follow the leader to Silas’ tomb, which would be very bad, again, I will be putting a stop to this before you do something monumentally stupid, like freeing Silas or dropping the Veil, or unleashing hell on earth, because I like breathing,” she declared. “I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow after I deal with Shane, once I have a better idea of what I’m dealing with then I’ll know what sort of artifact is needed to get in touch with the witch who made the curse, or to channel the witch who made the curse. Either way, can’t do anything until after I talk to Shane.”

“What are you going to do to Shane?” Matt asked.

“I’m going to tear into his mind and get the answers I need,” she replied. “I just needed a few things to help me with that.”

“Won’t that hurt him?” Matt asked.

“The magic he was teaching your friend, Bonnie, was a type of magic which would shred Bonnie’s soul to cease to exist, I don’t think you should care too much if what I do does or doesn’t hurt him.” She stated blandly.

“Whoa,” Matt whispered.

“For what it’s worth, if he doesn’t fight, it won’t hurt, if he does, then it will,” she shrugged.

“Silas isn’t our problem,” Damon started.

“But he is now. Between that mark, and your hunt for the cure, you’ve made him your problem, and I’m going to hazard a guess you don’t really want to deal with those consequences or are just too focused on those goal to see the coming consequences. I don’t want to find out which so now it is my problem,” she admitted.

“Who are you?” Damon muttered again.

“Davina Claire, New Orleans witch,” she answered with a mock bow. “I’ll be in touch about that curse,” she said as she left them to think it over. It didn’t take her long to walk to her cabin where she saw Hayley’s Jeep out front.

“Hey,” Hayley smiled as Davina jogged up the porch. “You look exhausted.”

“It’s been a long week,” Davina sighed as she collapsed in the rocker beside Hayley.

“Marcel is out getting human food,” Hayley informed her.

“That’ll be good,” she sighed as she rubbed her eyes to try to escape the exhaustion pressing on her mind from her busy days.

“How’d we meet?” Hayley asked.

Davina looked over at Hayley then.

“Marcel, I told him that you kind of freaked me out, and he explained that you’re from the future and inhabiting your sixteen-year-old body right now,” Hayley said. “Which now that I’ve said it out loud sounds really crazy.”

“I think it’s crazy and it’s happening to me,” Davina chuckled. “We met when I moved into the same house as you.”

She remembered moving into the Planation House so vividly. She was so alone and pissed because of Marcel and his betrayal to her, she was so hurt too that she had holed herself up in her room. She was also terrified of Klaus at the time, especially after having lost her temper on him and summoning his hybrid form, she had heard every bone in his body cracking, and felt it as if it were her own; she was terrified he’d seek retribution. She was also scared of Elijah, not as much as Klaus, but she was still scared, she had drowned Elijah in his own blood. And Rebekah had intimidated Davina greatly; literally from the moment Davina had seen Rebekah had Rebekah intimidated her. Rebekah was so perfect, and pretty, and with her vicious tongue and wicked temper, she was intimidating, and an utter bitch.

“We lived together?” Hayley asked.

“Yeah, or we would’ve, the first time we officially met, we were living together. I had just… I was sixteen and I had just gotten out of a really bad situation. Your family took me in, gave me a safe place to be,” Davina admitted. Despite everything the Mikaelsons had taken her in, and fed her, they had even seen to her clothing and entertainment and education in the short time they had assembled a space for her. “I was so angry, and my magic was out of control, I didn’t trust anyone. But you were patient. You were very patient with me, despite everything, and you were bringing me food and helping me, I wasn’t a prisoner, though the first time around I sure acted like it, I stayed locked up in my room. Irony is, I was the one locking the door.”

“And we got close?”

“In time,” she admitted. “I looked to you to be like a big sister, you’re so fearless and badass, I wanted to try to be like you,” she admitted with a weak chuckle.

“What happened to that?”

“Nothing,” Davina answered. “We grew, life happened, we drifted apart. My husband and I also weren’t physically close to you or our family, we were travelling at the time, so we didn’t see each other that much.”

“Your husband?”

“I’m a sixteen-year-old now, but when I was living my life, I was happily married,” she smiled.

“How’d you get stuck in this body?”

“Dunno. I was dying one minute, and then the next I woke up, sixteen, the day after the worst day in my life, in that church attic Marcel had stashed me in initially. I hated that attic so much,” she snorted.

“You know, until you showed up at my trailer, I was alone, then you said that and you just turned my world upside down,” Hayley confessed with a dry chuckle. “I always wondered what it would’ve been like to have a little sister, or sibling in general.”

“Well, we can start by braiding each other’s hair, you can yell at me for stealing your clothes, I can admit you have terrible, terrible tastes in men, and we can argue,” Davina offered.

“Sounds like fun,” Hayley chuckled.

“You do, by the way, have terrible tastes in men,” Davina pressed.

“Shut up, I’m not the one following an Original around,” Hayley snorted.

“Kol is my best friend!” Davina laughed.

“Really?” Hayley’s brows rose.

“The very best of friends I could ever ask for, and my partner in crime,” she mused.

“So your husband… did he?” Hayley asked.

“No,” Davina replied softly. “He didn’t, last I saw he was comforting our niece who had witnessed my death,” she murmured.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” she answered sadly.

“I’m sorry,” Hayley touched Davina’s arm then.

“I miss him,” Davina whispered. “I know he’s here, but he’s not, he’s not mine, and I miss him,” she confessed with a sniffle.

“You can always get him again,” Hayley offered.

Davina snorted at that thought. “I think I’ll get him no matter what,” she declared wetly. “But he’s not mine right now,” she murmured. “And that hurts, a lot more than I can say.”

“Have you thought about reaching out to… to just see him?” Hayley asked.

“Yeah,” Davina wistfully sighed.

“And?”

“It’ll have to wait,” she replied. “I have things to do, ancestors to thwart, destinies to rewrite, enemies to capture or destroy.”

“On a warpath?” Hayley asked.

“Big time, I’m not letting my family repeat the future that’s set,” she stated firmly.

“Well, anything you need help with,” Hayley said. “I’m here to help,” Hayley promised.

“Thanks.”

“Right now, as big sister, I must insist we do a fun movie night, paint toenails and annoy Marcel, while eating junk food,” Hayley decided.

“I’d like that,” Davina chuckled wetly as she wiped her eyes of the tears.

“I am not watching any chick flick,” Hayley warned.

“How about cheesy 80s movies?” Davina offered. “We can laugh at the special effects, and hairstyles.”

“If we’re doing that, I vote Princess Bride,” Hayley chuckled.

“I vote Labyrinth!”

“Double feature is needed. What color should we paint Marcel’s nails?”

“Ooo, Mardi Gras green!” Davina chuckled.

“I like the way you think,” Hayley chuckled as they got up to go in the cabin.

“You know I never got to do this the first time around,” Davina said weakly.

“Really?”

“Yeah, between the Coven, and everything, I never got to be a teenager,” she admitted. “I didn’t even get to have a normal first crush.”

“What happened to your first crush?”

“He was killed because I was a witch,” she admitted miserably. That wouldn’t be happening this time. Tim was going to live his nice, boring life, and he would forget about Davina Claire.

“I’m so sorry,” Hayley hugged her shoulders. “My first crush was a rugged, outdoorsy kind, he kissed me, he turned out to be gay, was just dating me as a cover for his parents.”

“You seriously need better tastes in men!”

Chapter Text

Kol arrived in New Orleans in the evening and found himself at the Plantation House for his first stop. He had had a long drive, and he needed blood before he went on a rampage; he’d be happy to go on a rampage, but he didn’t want Nik finding him right now. Wonderful thing about this era was the blood bags, it was a way to hide his unquenchable thirst. He had been so busy the last few days though he hadn’t noticed his hunger. Davina being on his side about this matter and helping him solve the Silas problem was…

It was a bloody first.

No one ever took his warnings about magical beings seriously, and now there was Davina Claire, not only listening to him, but working with him and trusting him. It was a first, he was baffled, and it made him uncertain how to react to her. He was still baffled at her quick turns to pick his brain about magic and what to do, he had never had any of his witches so quick to turn to him for answers or ideas. Yet she did, which made him more curious about when she was from that they were such good friends.

Perhaps after the Silas problem and before the Esther problem he would pry out more information about how they knew each other in her time. He’d also pull out his old journals for ideas about that little time trinket of hers.

Pouring himself another bag of blood with some bourbon before pulling out his phone and dialing Elijah’s programmed number. Waiting and listening to the ringing he pondered just what in the Claire crypt he would need, and if he should check another stash for other objects.

“Brother,” Elijah answered.

“Evening to you too, brother,” he retorted.

“Given the hour I can assume this is not a social call,” Elijah started.

“Hardly,” Kol agreed. “I need to borrow you, a witch needs conduits for a spell to break a curse on the Gilbert kid,” he explained as he walked out to the porch and leaned on the post.

“A witch?”

“Relax, she’s a friend,” he smiled at not tripping or choking on using that word and meaning it.

“And why would I help you?” Elijah asked wearily.

“Because you owe me. And if you make me track you down and dagger you to get this job done I will.”

“I don’t take to your threats Kol,” Elijah proclaimed.

“It’s not a bloody threat Elijah, because I can and I will, and I’m motivated to do so. So, you can either aid me willingly, which will save us both the time and headaches, or I can just make you,” he warned.

“Kol,” he started.

“I know you and Nik don’t like listening to me, but this time you will before your idiotic little pets do irreversible damage to the living plane. For a change listen to me, because you are wading into dangerous territories of magic which are not yours or anyone in the family’s area of expertise, except mine. I expect you to be in Mystic Falls by tomorrow evening or I will be coming after you. And unlike Nik, you know I won’t stop until I have what I want,” he stated as he hung up.

Thirty blood bags later he was in his car heading for the burial grounds of the French Quarter witches, he parked his car and slid out of the vehicle as he made his way to the entry. He didn’t even pause as he passed through the sacred barrier, Mary-Alice had long since invited him in and he could wager this was where she was buried. Deftly navigating the crypts, he quickly found the one he needed, opening the vial he dabbed his finger in Davina’s blood before lifting it to the crypt.

Little trick actually worked as he heard the magic lift, and move off the crypt, and the sealed door unlock, gingerly he pushed it open and the old oil lamps sprung to life again. The once vibrant workshop was now covered in dust and cobwebs, untouched since the day of his daggering in 1914, he could see that nary a soul had entered here. Kol made quick work of grabbing things he would need: cursed shackles, the bracelet of obedience, his golden dagger, the hand of glory, blood rider, and a few odds and ends for harder spells that were more difficult to come by. He also snatched a few blades he had, even a few extra compasses, then there were beads, and candles. So many bloody candles he felt he’d need an extra car for them alone. Davina would know what they were for though, and he knew she’d work with him. Then he went back for the trunks on notes he had of Travelers, Silas, and everything on the cure, including a few of his own grimoires he had worked on composing. Mary-Alice’s handwriting was so neat and crisp in his grimoires that he felt a pang for the old witch before he shut them and started stuffing the stuff in his car.

Once the small car was packed to the brim and a trunk strapped securely to the roof, did he seal the crypt and leave to find the old herb shop he could get the fertility herbs from as well as necessary extras. The witch, Katie as her nametag read, had smiled charmingly but in confusion as he had silently, quickly and efficiently gone about collecting everything in portions he felt he would need.

“Is that all?” she chuckled as he came to the counter with a small crate filled with glass jars he had carefully labeled.

“For now, love,” he smiled.

“I’ve never seen a vampire collect all these herbs before,” she said as she rung him up.

“Not your typical vampire,” he admitted as he pulled out the cash and paid for his supplies. “Keep the change,” he commented as he grabbed his crate and walked out of the store. Carefully putting the crate in the passenger’s seat, he started for Mystic Falls again. The annoying buzz of his phone had him pulling it out.

“Hello,” he answered reflexively.

“Where are you!?” Nik snarled in his ear.

“Oh, out and about, running some errands,” he admitted as he sipped on his blood in the soft drink container.

“Are you running with Marcel’s little witch?” Nik asked.

“Depends, why?” he drawled out warily.

“She’s the key to bringing Marcel home,” Nik admitted playfully and in such a way that a chill raced down Kol’s spine.

“You harm her, and Marcel will never forgive you,” he stated firmly. Nik might not care about what Kol thought of him, but Kol knew Nik always cared about Marcel’s opinion of him. Davina had claimed Marcel as her father figure, which would make her a weak point for Marcel, because Kol knew that was reciprocated, but it also made her a dangerous point for Marcel. He also didn’t think his brother had any real idea of how powerful the little witch was.

“I don’t want to harm her, just want to have a nice friendly chat,” Nik said with a false lightness. Kol gritted his teeth to keep from lashing out.

“Nik, whatever you’re thinking to do, don’t,” Kol reasoned blandly.

“I’m not thinking to do anything,” Nik answered.

“Leave her be Nik,” Kol warned.

“I…”

“Tomorrow she’ll be at the house, after we do our work you may speak with her, but nothing else, if you do anything to her, I will tear your throat out and spread your entrails around the house and set them on fire,” he stated cheerfully. “Don’t test me, because this is bigger than whatever megalomaniac scheme you’ve concocted, if you harm the witch, in anyway, if you so much as look at her funny, it will be the last thing you do before I make your life a living hell,” he said as he hung up and dialed Davina’s number.

“Hello,” she answered with a giggle.

“Nik’s after you,” he stated.

“What?”

“Stay in your house, tell Marcel, put up the protection wards on the property, I’ll be there in the early afternoon, don’t leave the house,” he stated.

“Kol, slow down,” Davina ordered sharply as she sobered up.

“I don’t know what Nik’s scheming, but he wants a connection to Marcel again, I wouldn’t put it past him to try to snatch you and use you as bait to get to Marcel,” he explained.

“Mmm, if he comes near me, I’ll drop him,” Davina stated.

“Don’t hesitate, love.”

“I won’t,” she replied. “Did you get everything?” she asked.

“And a few extras,” he admitted. “I have everything on Silas and his followers, as well as everything I thought we might need for spells now and in the future as well as a fun few toys,” he chuckled. “You prepped for Shane’s mind?” he asked.

“I’ve looked the spell over, and been reciting the incantation, what language is this?”

“Tibetan,” he answered.

“Oh,” she murmured.

“I Romanized it back in 1897,” he explained.

“Well, it being Romanized helps.”

“Mary thought so too,” he agreed. “Look love, I’ll be by tomorrow, do not let your guard down, and tell Marcel.”

“Did you get a hold of Elijah?”

“Yes, and he’ll either be there or we’ll go get him,” he stated.

“We?”

“We,” he responded. “Up for a little adventure, darling, if he doesn’t come?”

“Always, been a while since I’ve done that kind of adventure,” she mused.

“I have to go, talk to you tomorrow, love.”

“Thanks for the warning Kol,” Davina said as she hung up.

Kol took a deep breath as he pressed on with driving faster, the sooner they got this done, the sooner Silas wasn’t a threat on the world, the sooner he’d be able to relax.

Davina looked around the house after she hung up the phone, which broke Marcel’s and Hayley’s laughter up.

“What is it, D?” Marcel asked as he looked at her curiously.

“Klaus is scheming reconnection with you and Kol has warned me I’m in the crosshairs,” she explained. “I need to put up the wards,” she said as she grabbed her jack, a candle, and a bit of salt to prepare the protection spells around the property. She wasn’t too keen on crossing Klaus right now, so she agreed with Kol’s decision to put up protection.

“Wait! D!” Marcel chased after her.

“It’ll be fine,” she promised.

“When Klaus wants something D,” Marcel started.

“I know,” she sighed. “Done it before, which is why I’ll put up the protection, and we’ll all sleep easier. I’ll be fine, I know how to handle Klaus,” she promised, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed Marcel’s cheek before she ran out of the cabin to set up the wards.

She was in the driveway when she set the candle down and knelt to spread the salt around it as she pulled the knife, pricking her finger as she bled on the candle before she marked her own brow and then traced her bloodied fingers in forming a pentagram in a circle.

Klaus appeared before her which had her tilting her head back, her candle unlit and the Original smiled rather cunningly at her.

“Hello darling,” he greeted with a silky-smooth voice. “I would like for us to take a walk.”

“Sorry, but I’m not going with you,” she responded as she sat there.

“You think you have a choice,” he started.

“No,” she answered. “I know we’ll have to talk, but I’m not going with you,” she confessed and flicked her fingers which had the fire on the candle leaping to action just as the fire leapt from it and raced in a wide arch around the property before disappearing, leaving the candle lit in the road.

His face contorted into rage as she stood.

“You want to make nice with Marcel, don’t threaten me or his family,” she warned as she carefully picked up the candle.

“I’m not your enemy Klaus,” she said softly. Carefully walking back to the cabin, she put the candle on the kitchen island and sat on the stool as she rubbed her brow, wiping off the blood.

“D?” Marcel came over to her and touched her shoulder lightly.

“I’m fine, but you should talk to Klaus before he does something unforgivable,” she admitted softly. “That candle will burn all night, as long as it burns, we’re protected, don’t leave the property, you won’t be able to get back on until the candle’s extinguished.”

“I’ll go check the perimeter,” Marcel decided as he left the cabin then.

“You and Kol,” Hayley said suddenly as if it were some revelation. “That’s who was your husband,” she deduced.

Davina stared at the older woman in shock.

“Kol. You were married to Kol.” She deduced calmly, in a soft voice.

“I never said who my husband was,” Davina said softly.

“No, but it makes sense,” Hayley figured gently.

“How?”

“He didn’t come back,” Hayley said softly. “But you sought him out, and you can’t have him, and you trust him. Not even a minute after he calls to warn you are you putting up protection wards, you didn’t even question if he was right or wrong, you acted. I’m sorry,” Hayley whispered. “He was who you loved, and who you trusted most, you act like that still. I’m so sorry.”

“I miss him,” she murmured as the tears welled up. “I miss him,” she trembled, and she found herself wrapped up in a pair of strong arms as Hayley hugged her. “I miss him so much,” she admitted with a teary whisper.

“It’s alright,” Hayley promised. “It’s going to be alright,” she promised softly. Davina’s breath hitched as she held tightly onto Hayley and tried not to lose control of the powers within her or her heart.

Marcel stalked out of the house and saw Klaus standing at the edge of the property looking frustrated and unhappy.

“Let me make this clear,” Marcel snapped as he paused and shoved his hands in his pockets. “You come near her, you harm her, I will never forgive you. You threaten her, you upset her, I will unleash tenfold of whatever you could do to me. And don’t think I can’t do it,” he warned.

“It’s time we had a little chat.”

“No.”

“Marcel,” he started.

“No. I don’t want to talk to you, I cannot stress that enough, I don’t want you near me, I don’t want to see you, I don’t want to reconnect!” Marcel snapped.

“We’re family,” Klaus stated.

“Davina’s family too!” Marcel roared. “Get that through your thick head! Davina Claire is family! If you consider me your family, then extend that to her, harm her and I will end you, one way or another, even if it takes an eternity! Now go away!”

Marcel stalked back to his house to see Davina clinging to Hayley who was hugging the smaller girl.

“It’s okay, D, he’s not going to hurt you,” Marcel said as Davina slipped from Hayley’s grasp to his. The girl didn’t say anything as she burrowed her face into his chest, and he sighed. “I believe we have Jareth tormenting Sarah to watch.”

“I’ll make more popcorn!” Hayley said.

“Kettle corn,” Davina mumbled against his chest.

“Of course,” Hayley snorted.

“Come on, D,” he said as he pulled her to the couch. She collapsed beside him again and snuggled up into his side, he pulled the blanket over her and draped an arm around her shoulders as he sighed. He wondered if being a father would be like this, if he and Rebekah had been together if they had taken in some kids, if they could’ve had this. Davina held onto him tightly as she made herself unbelievably small against him. Hayley reappeared a few minutes later with a massive bowl of kettle corn and some Dr. Peppers. She offered him a beer as she sat on the other side of Davina, he accepted as they started the movie.

The wolf toyed with strands of Davina’s hair as they all sat together. Davina fell asleep at the end of the movie, completely dead to the world and he sighed.

“I haven’t seen her this peaceful,” Marcel murmured.

“Sounds like she’s been running herself ragged trying to fix problems we don’t even know about,” Hayley admitted. “Must be a lot to process, waking up in a sixteen-year-old body after growing up and living life.”

“She seems to have a handle on that,” Marcel admitted as he moved a few strands of hair from her face.

“Makes you wonder though,” Hayley admitted. “How is she really handling it, torn from her family, her love, her life, and back at the beginning. I think I’d go insane seeing people I loved but couldn’t just go to,” Hayley admitted.

“I think D’s collecting us though, her people, the people she loves,” he said softly. “She ran straight here for reasons I can’t fathom.”

“Her people,” Hayley said softly. “I never had people,” Hayley admitted then which had Marcel looking up at the young wolf. She was a handful of years older than Davina was now, probably twenty-one or twenty-two.

“You have people now,” he informed her. “You’re good people, Hayley, Davina obviously loves you and you could be my people.”

“Aren’t werewolves’ and vampires’ mortal enemies?” she snorted in amusement.

“I’m a vampire father of a time travelling teenage witch,” he chuckled. “I think all the rules are broken where family is concerned. Davina loves you, and she loves me, which makes us people.”

“I like that, people,” she smiled. “I always wanted a pack,” she said softly. “A place to belong, people, Davina said she’d help me get my pack back, after she took care of things here.”

“I think she will, Davina’s… Davina’s Davina,” he admitted as he carefully maneuvered the girl into his arms.

“I’ll clean up,” Hayley decided.

“I’ll get her to bed, you go to bed too,” he ordered.

“Yes dad,” Hayley rolled her eyes and he chuckled as he went up the stairs.

“Kol?” Davina whispered in his neck.

“No, sweetie, you got Marcel,” he promised her. He carefully tucked her in, she grumbled as she shifted and rolled onto her side as she burrowed herself under the covers. “I love you, D, sweet dreams,” he whispered as he left her and turned out the light.

“Too quiet,” she muttered in her sleep and he snorted as he shut the door to go to his room.

Chapter Text

Davina woke feeling for her husband, unsettled by the quiet. Reluctantly she peeled an eye open, wincing at the filtered morning light through a crack in the curtains. Grumbling she rubbed her eyes looking for Kol before collapsing in her pillow again as it hit her that he wasn’t here. Unable to go back to sleep she got up, grabbing a quilt from the end of the bed she wrapped it around herself and slipped down the stairs quietly.

“I know, but you can’t kill him, just send him to manage the Nineth Ward,” Marcel said into the phone. Davina smiled as she grabbed a cup of coffee and slipped out onto the back porch before sitting.

“No, don’t tell the witches a thing, keep the restrictions in place,” Marcel continued. “That was probably Kol, warn Katie to forget him,” Marcel stated.

Davina blew on the coffee as she sipped it tentatively. Black coffee wasn’t her favorite, but she wasn’t up for getting the crème or anything. Instead, she watched the river as she woke up a bit.

“I’m sure, he’s not a threat for now,” he stated. “Yeah, look, just keep it under wraps, he didn’t run into anyone but Katie so I wouldn’t get the crew riled up about a Mikaelson being in town, he’s not there now,” he explained.

“Right, look, keep me posted, I’ll meet with Kieran myself next week.”

Davina smiled to herself remembering that Kieran was alive, she had forgotten about the kind priest. He used to come up to the attic with food, or board games, he would talk to her about her powers and try to connect with her. As a teenager she had never let that be reciprocated, but she had thought him kind.

“Yeah, Thierry, I’m sure the girl is safe, if the witches press the matter, hang a few of them out for display,” he stated. “And stress Katie should forget Kol.”

“Okay, I’ll wait for the email on the reports, thanks brother,” he said as he hung up and joined her.

“You are causing a stir, my girl,” he chuckled.

“I know,” she admitted tiredly.

“What was it like the first time?” he asked her.

“Worse,” she murmured as she rubbed her brow. “I let you use me to keep the witches in line, I have so much raw power right now that I could feel all of the magic, where it’s going, and I could see who was using it. You slaughtered the witches,” she explained softly.

“Was that a bad thing?”

“No, but it wasn’t their fault,” she admitted. “The ancestors were, are, corrupted. And the living witches were, are, angry, and someone preyed on that, which made them lash out harder and push my coven to hunt me down harder.”

“The ancestors were corrupted?” he asked sitting beside her.

“Yes. I don’t think what I’ll do will solve that, but I think it’ll help.”

“How do you know they were corrupted.”

“My best friend, Monique Deveraux, she came back from the Harvest, not right… None of them came back right,” she whispered honestly. Abigail and Cassie might not have been Davina’s best friends in the whole world but the warped, cruel, devout, psychotic crusaders they had been turned into had not been the girls Davina had grown up with. “A very powerful witch on the Other Side is causing trouble, she’s stirring up hatred and advocating cruelty,” she explained. “She corrupted the Harvest for her own gain and purpose.”

“How so?”

“The Harvest is as I told you, we get a cut on the hand and are sent into a deep meditative state similar to a sleeping state, to commune with the Ancestors, we are sent to the Other Side to learn,” she explained. “Our powers grow, and we are bestowed the favor of our Ancestors, we are given three hundred years of power, it would make the four Harvest Girls the most powerful witches of the Coven, and probably all of New Orleans, there’s few witches who possess that sort of power on the living plane as it is, and it’s not Expression or Black Magic either, it’s our own power.

“There’s a witch right now who is so full of hatred, and anger that she is stirring up powers that were long since dormant. She communed with our Elders and changed the sacrifice from a rite of passage to a life sacrifice, which is not something my coven performs. She took that opportunity to plant other members of the Ancestors to our plane, the plane of the living, to further her agenda while she stole the body of my friend, Cassie, so she could be on this side of the veil. She then found two other witches, a dear friend of mine and another boy, and she took their bodies to bring her sons over so they could rain havoc upon the living while she prepared to distort reality to get out of a deal she had made with her sister, and attempted to kill an innocent newborn baby,” Davina stated. “My Coven, the one I grew up in, the one I believed in, the one I would’ve died for, have died for, does not kill innocent babies for any reason, we do not practice sacrificial magic, and human sacrifice is the Blackest of Black Magic and isn’t something my Coven ever practiced before that witch.”

“D, that’s a lot.”

“When I woke up in that attic, again, I decided I’d stop her.” Davina looked at him. “I didn’t come here for Silas, or any of the other stuff I’m now here for, I came for her, because I’m going to find her on the Other Side and I’m going to send her to hell before I allow the Harvest to be completed. And I came straight here because I need Kol’s help to do that.”

“How’d you get roped into the Silas thing?” Marcel asked her.

“Kol asked for my help,” she shrugged.

“You just do whatever he asks?”

“No, but even I know of Silas, and I completely agree with Kol’s stance on Silas, so… Silas is going to die before I deal with the witch I came here to kill.”

“I just want it on the record, I hate Kol and I don’t trust him with you,” Marcel said. “That’s all I have to say to it, and now, I need to leave town for the morning, I need blood.”

“Okay, I’m going to meet Kol at the Mikaelson house when he gets into town, I need to tear a few answers from the professor’s head, and I have lessons with Bonnie after that.”

“Bonnie?”

“Bennett, she’s a witch in town who was taught Expression, I’m trying to wane her off it, I offered to teach her Ancestral Magic because it’s the fastest way to reconnect with the spirits,” Davina admitted with a large yawn.

“Just stay safe.” He ordered before squeezing her shoulder. “D, you know you can talk to me, about all of this, any of it.”

“I…” she started but cut herself off.

“I might not get this weird, but our world is pretty weird.”

“I’ll think about it. There are things because of the time thing, I can’t ever tell you,” she stated.

“I figured, but you shouldn’t feel alone,” he replied as he left her.

Davina didn’t argue with that as she sipped her coffee and watched the sunlight glittering over the river. It was so peaceful here, surprising to think that the world was on the brink of hell on earth if things didn’t go how she wanted them to.

There was a sound which had her looking around as she set aside her coffee and stood up looking around carefully. A woosh had her gasping as she felt the muting effects of some herbs, which had her gripping the railing as the world wavered. She was struggling to keep upright when Elena appeared in front of her.

“You’re coming with me,” Elena snapped as she grabbed Davina. Davina collapsed as she felt the last of her magic completely mute and the herbs take full effect, the last thing she felt was the burning of coffee on her shirt as she collapsed against the small table.

Kol pulled up to Klaus’ mansion and got out as he started unloading things and taking them up to his space in the house. Bex and Klaus were out, though where he didn’t know, which didn’t concern him.

“This is Davina, you know what to do at the beep,” her voice rang through the phone, and he sighed.

“This is the fifth call I’ve made to you, love, please answer the bloody phone.”

He hung up and continued unpacking. Once that was done, he checked on Shane before pulling out his phone again.

Dialing Davina’s number again he waited.

“Hello?” a new voice greeted him.

“Where’s Davina?” he demanded sharply.

“I don’t know, I just woke up,” Hayley yawned. “I thought she was with you.”

“No, I’ve been calling her. I just got back; she’s supposed to be here.”

“Let me… Kol?” Hayley whispered.

“What?”

“You need to get here,” she said softly. “Fast,” she ordered.

Kol hung up as he darted out of the house, it didn’t take him long to get to Marcel’s cabin, he skidded to the front door.

“Hey!” he shouted.

“Back here!” Hayley called out. He came to the back porch and saw the spilt coffee and discarded blanket as well as the knocked over table.

“Davina?” he whispered to himself as he started scanning the surrounding area. “Bloody Hell,” he muttered as he dragged his hands through his hair. “Fuck!” he hissed.

“What’s this?” Hayley demanded which had his attention snapping towards the wolf holding up her fingers. Kol frowned as he crouched down, bringing her fingers to his nose.

“That’s a muting herb,” he admitted as he looked at the other remains on the porch woods. Dampening his fingers on his tongue he picked up some of the dustings and tasted it, spitting it out he hissed. He could taste the sour herbs for muting, as well as the sedatives used in the powder. Whoever used this knew what they were doing.

“It’s an herb to render the victim unconscious,” he stated.

“Does it require magic?”

“To a human these are harmless, to a witch, not so much,” he answered. “No, it doesn’t require magic to make or use this compound either, the right herbs, when mixed properly will react to the witch’s magic upon contact with the witch. Grind these herbs into a fine powder, blow it in her face, her magic reacts, and the results are the same, unconscious, powerless witch.”

“Who would use this?”

“My family,” he muttered. “Where’s Marcel?” Kol demanded.

“He left a note saying he was going on a blood run,” Hayley said holding up the note.

Kol stormed the house, he went straight to where Davina’s scent was strongest, the unmade bed greeted him, as well as some discarded clothes. He yanked opened the draws, saw that her clothes were still neat and orderly, he yanked open her closet and saw dress she had angrily balled up in her duffle; emotional connection was the only thing he noted before grabbing it he started down the stairs.

“Where is she?” Hayley demanded.

“Someone took her, I’m getting a witch to find her,” he stated as he started for the door.

“Give me a minute, I’m coming with you.”

“I don’t…”

“Chances are whoever took her didn’t do it alone, and you’re going to need a tracker, I’m the best,” Hayley snapped.

“Hurry up,” he ordered briskly as he pulled out his phone and dialed Nik’s number.

Nik answered on the third ring.

“Well, if it isn’t the happy, homicidal maniac,” Nik cheered with faux joy.

“Let me be clear: if so much as a hair is out of place on her head when I find her, if she is harmed in any way, shape or form, even if it’s a mere scraped knee, I will take it as an act of war and I will decimate the world you have created, do you understand me, brother?”

“Kol…”

“You don’t want to play games with me Nik, not about Silas. Give her back and all will be forgiven,” he warned darkly.

“What are you talking about?” Klaus demanded.

“You have an hour, then I’ll be wherever you stashed her, and you better pray she’s in perfect condition,” he snapped and hung up as Hayley appeared. They both hurried to the car, he slid into the passenger’s seat.

“Where we going?” she demanded.

“To get the town witch,” he snapped.

“High school, I don’t do teen drama,” she stated as she turned over her engine and they roared out of the driveway.

Bonnie was at lunch; it was sunny outside and despite the winter’s weak sunlight she wanted the sun on her face. Since Davina had reconnected her to nature and the spirits everything just felt… more, and better, purer even. She loved it. She looked forward to feeling her magic and using it again, it wasn’t dragged out of this place she didn’t know existed, it was pure again.

“You scream and Kol will massacre the class,” a voice announced which had her snapping over to the wolf chick Caroline vehemently hated.

“What?”

“You are coming with me, you’re going to do it with no fuss, and no mess, we’re going to go quietly to the car and you’re going to get in. You’re going to give me your phone and we’re going to stroll out of here real nice and quiet,” the woman stated as she grabbed Bonnie’s arm with bruising force. “You try any magic on me, and Kol will end your classmates.”

“What’s going on?” Bonnie whimpered as she stumbled with in the wolf’s grasp. Despite the woman’s lithe build, she was dangerously strong, nearly as strong as Caroline’s vampire strength.

“Someone’s taken Davina, you’re going to help us find her,” she snarled menacingly.

They made it to the parking lot and Kol opened the door of the car, the wolf shoved her into the passenger seat before Kol was seated behind her.

“Who’s taken Davina!?” Bonnie asked.

“From your reaction I’m guessing not your idiotic gang,” Kol seethed.

“What!? No! We would never!” Bonnie sputtered. “I mean, Stefan, Damon and Elena don’t like her, and Jeremy doesn’t really have an opinion about her, but Caroline, Matt and I like her, and we would never let them hurt her!”

“You better pray that’s the case,” he snarled dangerously, and Bonnie flinched.

Klaus’ intimidation wasn’t like this, Klaus was like a wolf, he was upfront about his dangerous nature. Kol, in Bonnie’s experience, was more like the fox, he was more cunning and clever, but right now, his feral nature was far more intimidating than any display of anger or hatred from Klaus. Klaus had a purpose behind his anger, a righteousness, Kol’s struck Bonnie as wildly unpredictable, and uncontainable.

“We’re going to Bonnie’s ancestors, I’m going to teach you a little spell to find Davina,” he growled. “Mislead us, and I’ll let the wolf tear you apart, darling, and I would so hate to have to do that.”

“I’m in a foul mood,” the woman stated as she started her car. Bonnie shrunk in her seat, no amount of magic could or would save her from an Original and a wolf that was pissed, not when they were both this furious.

Caroline gaped as she saw Bonnie herded out by Tyler’s wolf bitch, Hayley, to a car where Kol was standing there glowering murderously. She had never seen anyone look so furious, or angry, not Tyler nor Klaus had ever looked that murderous, and the wolf bitch looked just as livid as she marched Bonnie into a car. She struggled to pull out her phone and she dialed Stefan.

“Yeah?” he answered.

“Hayley and Kol have taken Bonnie!” she squeaked.

“What!?”

“He just came in and took her with the help of Hayley and walked her out!” Caroline said as she ran for her car and got in to follow them.

“Whoa whoa whoa, slow down Bonnie,” he pleaded.

“I can’t! they just took her, and they looked murderous!” Caroline explained.

“Where are they heading?”

“I don’t know, I’m following them right now!”

“Where are you heading?”

“Out of town, like I’m going to the old plantation house that Bonnie’s ancestors are at now!”

“What, why would they be going there?”

“I don’t know!” she admitted. “Just get there!”

Davina groaned as she rolled her head, her neck was throbbing, it felt like there was a sharp, stabbing pain in it, the worst sort of kink to get and she looked around where she was. Trying to move she felt restrained which had her looking down at her hands, her wrists were bound in iron as were her ankles.

“Oh good, you’re awake finally,” Elena said.

“What am I doing here?” she groaned as she tried to crack her neck, wincing in pain as the kink dug deeper into her muscles, between her vertebra, and nerves.

“You’re going to stop interfering,” Elena snapped. “I need that cure, it’s my leverage, and everything was working as planned!”

“You don’t want the cure Elena,” she sighed.

“I’m not that simpering, whiny brat,” she stated with utter disdain which had Davina really taking her in. The hair was different, curlier, bigger, the eyes were harsher, and the way she looked was similar to how Elena looked, but not.

“You’re insane,” Davina stated.

“No, I’m not, that cure is my freedom, and my leverage. I won’t have a little nobody witch getting between me and my freedom,” she warned.

“What are you going to do to me?” Davina asked as she felt her magic, it was stagnant and dormant.

“I haven’t decided yet,” she admitted.

“Kol’s coming,” Davina snorted.

“Kol Mikaelson doesn’t care about you,” the woman snapped.

“True,” Davina agreed with a humorless laugh. Davina smiled wickedly at the startled vampire’s reaction before she sharpened her smile to mimic her husband’s. “But he’ll come for me. You should run while you can.”

“Kol doesn’t scare me!” she snarled.

“He should,” Davina giggled. “He’s the wildest of the Mikaelsons. Wilder than Klaus, and far more dangerous.”

The woman trembled, whether in fear or fury Davina couldn’t decide as she struggled against the drug that was now drowning her.

Chapter Text

Klaus stood in his gallery a bit bamboozled about his brother’s call, he had answered the call-in good cheer thinking he had found a way to bring Marcel into the fold again only to be threatened with war of all bloody things; from Kol. KOL! If the prospect wasn’t so genuinely terrifying, then it would’ve been amusing. Kol being the most wily and unpredictable of them made him dangerous to cross, because Kol wouldn’t play a long-term, mind game with them, he would just tear it all down and set it ablaze then come after them and he wouldn’t relent unless he was put in a box or killed.

Kol also knew all their weak points to hit when he attacked, which made him genuinely threatening, and currently Kol was in possession of the White Oak Stake.

Kol had taken after their father in that aspect, and while it was all fun and games for Kol, a few tiffs here and there over the millennium, his little brother was at the end of the day, still his little brother.

The Kol he had just spoken to, was the one who spoke like that to his enemies, and Klaus had never been on the receiving end of that.

Old fox boy might be a crafty bugger, but he was bloody dangerous when motivated, and Klaus didn’t like the thought of being on the wrong side of Kol. The only good thing to come of their vampirism was Kol’s lack of magic, when he had been a witch, he had been hell to cross. Any real fall out with Kol would not be like a tiff with Bekah or Elijah, in the end they would make up and carry on, but Kol, unlike them, held grudges and he was stubborn enough to keep the grudge for eternity and he had all the time in the world to hold his grudge too.

Klaus grabbed his jacket, something was seriously wrong for Kol to be threatening him, and he would bet it had to do with the little witch who had wrapped Marcel around her finger. He went to the Salvatore brothers’ home first. Klaus’ anger and fury was simmering on the backburner with his concern at the forefront of his mind.

Klaus was about to pound on the door when Stefan yanked it open calling over his shoulder.

“I don’t know, Caroline said Kol and Hayley had grabbed Bonnie!” Stefan shouted.

“Then it appears that I am at the wrong location.” Klaus stated which garnered the attention of both brothers who just now noticed him looming in the doorway. “And for a change we are after the same thing,” he drawled out lazily.

“What’s your evil brother doing to Bonnie!” Damon snapped.

“I assure you I am at a loss at this moment, I came here because I just received an interesting call from my little brother, which lead me to suspect you were involved with whatever has upset him.”

“We haven’t had contact with Kol since that homicidal lunatic chained me up and gave me to his psycho, know-it-all witch, who I still owe for the hangover!” Damon snapped.

“That is apparent if he has taken your witch, which means only one thing,” Klaus decided as he left. Kol would be at the witch’s playhouse.

They pulled up to the old house and Kol grabbed Bonnie as he balled the dress up in his grip as he dragged the witch towards the house.

“You can’t…” Bonnie started.

“I don’t bloody care, you will invite me in,” he snarled as he felt the veins snaking over his face and his fangs bared. “Now.”

“Come in,” she whispered nervously.

“Keep her still,” he ordered, shoving her to Hayley. Darting through the house and grabbed ingredients, finding the main room for magic he saw the altar Davina probably set up and he started preparing the spell.

“What is this?” Bonnie demanded.

“Locator spell,” he answered as he spread out the map. “You’re going to do it, use this,” he threw the dress at her as he stood across from Bonnie and then pulled a knife as he pricked his finger to give his blood. He might not have a close relationship with Davina, but she had declared him her best friend which meant her connection to him would be strong enough to be utilized.

Bonnie stared nervously at him. “I haven’t… not since the Expression.”

“That’s why I am here,” he stated as he crouched down. “Magic 1-O-1, you are going to feel your element, move it within yourself, you’re going to listen to the voices and reach for their power, keep a clear mind,” he ordered as he held out his hand. “If in doubt, channel me.”

Bonnie nodded nervously as she reached over and took his hand before resting a hand on the wrinkled, crumpled dress.

“Focus. You know the spell and the magic, just focus, don’t look into the nothing, listen to nature,” he ordered.

She nodded a bit and he wrapped his fingers around hers as she took a deep breath and started the incantation.

Hayley looked at him, and he nodded when they heard a car coming, she was swift to leave the room then. Kol opened his mind with the connection to Bonnie as he saw what she saw and the magic flowed through her, over her, drowning her, the ancestors were reacting to her, and they were rushing to find Davina. He could see it in Bonnie’s mind before they were standing in a dungeon room and Davina was slumped over in an iron chair, Bonnie gasped as she released him shattering the connection which had his eyes snapping down as his blood rolled over the map.

The trail was obvious, he watched it as it rolled and then it was in a remote forest area before his red blood turned black and fire erupted there.

“I know where she is,” Bonnie gasped.

“So, do I,” he answered as he grabbed the map and dress, leaving the house.

“I just want Bonnie.” Caroline said nervously as she clambered out of her car and saw Hayley standing there glaring dangerously at her.

“Not until we find Davina,” Hayley hissed.

“Davina? Has something happened to her!?” Caroline demanded as anxiety built. She hadn’t known the little witch long, but Caroline liked to think they were friends, or friendly.

Hayley didn’t answer as her hazel eyes narrowed and she growled lowly like an actual wolf.

“Well, it appears we’re not the only ones looking for the little witch now,” Klaus said as he materialized. Caroline felt swamped with relief at the sight of the Original, but then tensed as he looked around before settling his gaze on Hayley. “What happened, little wolf?”

“You tell me,” she growled. “You’ve been threatening her.”

“I did not take her.” Klaus looked both offended and annoyed.

“Why would you take her!?” Caroline demanded.

“I assure you, I did not take her, sweetheart,” he stated firmly as he glared at her. “I would never do this.”

“You would just maim, kill and destroy everything in your way,” Stefan appeared. “Sorry I’m late, not as fast,” he grimaced as he glared at Klaus.

“If he didn’t take her, that means someone else did,” Stefan stated. “Does she have any enemies?”

“I don’t know,” Caroline admitted.

They didn’t really know anything about Davina other than she was a New Orleans witch and she was freakishly powerful according to Bonnie, she was also smart, clever, coffee addict, generous, and determined, plus no nonsense. She seemed to know what she was doing and how to do it, and if she didn’t, she turned to people she thought would know; surprisingly that was Kol Mikaelson. But still, it displayed a level of maturity from Davina’s end that Caroline wouldn’t have suspected in a teenager. She remembered when she had been a human teenager, the world had just been so… topsy turvy, Davina didn’t seem to have those afflictions. She had different problems, but she was so calm and collected about what she was doing, even when she didn’t want to be doing whatever she was doing.

“Who would benefit from having her?” Stefan asked.

“Who needs a witch when we have Bonnie,” Damon asked as he appeared. “Sorry I’m late, I didn’t want to come.”

“New Orleans witches are a different breed from your Bennett witch,” Klaus stated. “More power, more control, more ruthless, more knowledgeable, they’re immersed in their craft from the time of their conception to the time of their death and beyond, if I wanted a witch, I’m more inclined to seek out one of them. A Bennett is all good and fine, but when you could get your hands on a New Orleans witch now, you’re playing with power.”

“How do you know that?” Caroline demanded.

He just smirked mysteriously and looked at Hayley. “Are you going to let us help little wolf, or are we to remain out here?”

“I’m not inclined to invite the fox into the hen house,” she snorted with disdain as she sent Klaus a severe glare.

“And yet you’re working with my wily brother,” he countered.

“We have mutual interest in Davina’s wellbeing,” she retorted.

“Hayley,” Kol appeared, and the wolf turned to him as they both looked at the map and took to running. Klaus was a step behind them, the Salvatore brothers were not a second behind. Caroline jogged up to where Bonnie was coming out.

“Bonnie!” Caroline caught her friend then.

“We have to help her!” Bonnie stated.

“What’s happened to Davina!?” Caroline asked.

“She’s trapped, and drugged, the ancestors, they were so angry. Angry she was attacked, angry someone hurt her.”

“Was she hurt?”

“I don’t know, but we have to get to her!” Bonnie stated.

“Where was she?”

“She was in your dad’s torture chamber,” Bonnie admitted.

“Oh no,” she whispered. They got into the car, and she put it into gear as she slammed on the gas and started for the old cemetery.

It was a warm day, she could feel the sun on her face as she sat on the porch of their newest home, having moved again because of Freya’s enemies. Kol appeared with a glass of sweet tea and handed it to her as he sat beside her.

“This is lovely,” she chuckled as she enjoyed the feeling of nature again.

“Back to brunette?” he asked toying with her freshly dyed hair.

“Blondes might have more fun, but I like being me,” she admitted with a chuckled.

“I like it,” he assured her as he settled beside her on the porch swing. “What shall we do today, love?”

“I don’t know,” she sighed as she leaned against him.

“I know, you should wake up,” he said softly.

“I am awake,” she replied in confusion as she looked up at her husband.

“Wake Up Davina,” hundreds of voices demanded as Kol’s lips moved.

She gasped as she felt the surge of power into her which had the dream disappearing and her body going into overdrive as she arched in the seat trying to regain control of her Harvest magic.

“Stop it! Whatever you’re doing! Stop!” not Elena shrieked as the earth trembled. The roof of the dungeon trembled, and the iron door rattled as she sat there, the spirits were overreacting to Davina’s magic and now them and the Harvest magic was all colliding violently within her.

“Stop! Stop! Stop!” she pleaded with the spirits. “PLEASE!!” she whined as it felt like too much power was tearing through her and she cried as she tasted blood on her tongue.

“Davina,” a voice whispered.

“Davina,” the voice repeated.

“Stay awake! You need to stay awake,” the voice ordered.

The spirits seemed to be settling as Davina’s breathing leveled out and she looked around the dungeon at the not Elena woman who was clinging to the wall. The herbs were still in her system, but Davina felt like her blood was just set aflame and she could feel her magic burning the muting herbs away now. She snarled now as she glared at the woman and felt enough power to send her smashing through the door.

Kol stopped at the entrance of the abandoned cemetery as the earth trembled violent.

“Kol!”

“It’s Davina,” he stated as he caught Hayley.

“How do you know!?” she demanded as she clung to him desperately as the earth felt like it was about to shatter.

“Call it a hunch,” he admitted as he released her and kept going. He found her scent easy enough, Hayley appeared at his side as she led him into a cave. They both stopped on the stairs just as an iron door shattered and a brunette came smashing through it to the ground.

“Davina!” Hayley shouted leaping past the brunette into the room, he lunged for the brunette who was scrambling then darting off at her top speed. He tore after her grabbing her hair as he threw her through stones and into a rusted fence. She shrieked as he caught her throat and he dangled her to his eye level. Doppelgänger, he could see that, and she did not smell of Elena Gilbert, but he didn’t know this one.

“Who the bloody hell are you?” he snarled.

“Kol!” Klaus’s voice was behind him.

The brunette took that moment to stab his hand causing him to drop her, she scrambled to run but he lashed out, kicking her as hard as he could in the ribs, feeling it shatter them as he slammed his boot on her back to send her smashing into the ground with her vertebra crumbling beneath his foot. He glared at Klaus as he curled back his lip to bare his fangs.

“What?” he snarled at his brother.

“I have no association with this wench,” he stated.

The woman beneath his boot whimpered as he pressed harder down on her spine. Bones were crunching as a pained breath left her lungs.

“But I cannot permit you to kill her,” Klaus started calmly.

He glared at his brother then. “I’m not playing by your rules Nik,” he stated as he grabbed the woman by her hair and lifted her to be eye level again.

“She looks like that sodding bitch, Elena” he snarled as he finally observed the simpering brunette in his grasp. “I’m going to tear her spine out,” Kol growled as he started to reach for the rubble that was her spine.

“And if you kill her, you will have no answers from her,” Klaus stated. “She’s rarely one to play alone.”

“Kol!” a voice shouted.

He snapped the woman’s neck then and sent her crumpling to the ground. “If you touch this bitch, I will end you, stay,” he snapped as he stormed the cave, he had heard Davina in.

“KOL!” she screamed, and he entered the room as she was sobbing, and winds were tearing through the small, enclosed space.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered in disbelief. No witch he’d encountered connected to this many elements at once. The earth was crumbling, the winds howling, there was even water in the air, then he noticed the sparks on Davina’s finger tips.

“I can’t reach her,” Hayley shouted over the winds as she was pressed against the wall with Davina's power, it was like a hurricane had erupted within the room.

“Davina!” he shouted over the winds.

“It’s too much! Make it stop!” she screamed. He saw the fire on her fingers ignite and grabbed Hayley as he threw the wolf out of the room just as Davina’s power surged. The fire coursed through the circle of wind, hitting the walls with searing force to set the stones ablaze, Davina screeched in agony and then it was silent. He glanced back into the room to see Davina slumped in the seat.

“What was that?” Hayley asked.

“Bonnie’s ancestors must have an affection for Davina,” he answered as he walked into the room which was still smoldering. “They probably sought her out when we were and tried to get her to channel them.”

“And it made her do that?” Hayley asked as she crept in behind him.

“Witches have limits, Davina’s stated she’s already channeling extra power, my guess is that this overwhelmed her when the ancestors here attempted to connect,” he explained. His fingers found her pulse, it was hammering away hard, but steady, he could hear her heart too, and her breathing. Pulling off the restraints he carefully slipped his arms under her. He noted she was shivering, and in her pajamas had a massive coffee stain, the loose sweatpants read ‘Why Me?’ with some weird caricature creature’s face, and he chuckled at the irony of her pants.

She was completely unconscious as she limply slumped against him.

“Is she…?”

“She’ll be alright, we need to get her out of here, and warm,” he admitted. Hayley was yanking off her jacket and wrapping it around Davina as they walked out of the cave. He was lucky this wasn’t a crypt or else he wouldn’t have gotten near Davina.

“Davina!” Bonnie and Caroline appeared and ran for him.

“Oh my God!” Caroline skidded in front of him.

“Hayley,” he called. “Get her in the car,” he ordered as he gingerly passed the unconscious witch to the wolf.

“Take her to the Mikaelson home,” Klaus ordered.

Kol glared at his brother as Hayley got Davina in the car.

“No safer place for her after this little excursion, at least until we know who’s in league with Katerina,” Klaus quipped encouragingly.

Kol conceded his brother had a point, and it would make it easier to keep an eye on Davina, make certain she didn’t lose control again if she was where he knew she was safe. Hayley was giving him a look of resistance but he nodded to agree with Klaus which had Hayley nodding. Kol took one last look over of Davina before Hayley was in the driver’s seat.

“Take her to Nik’s house, wait for me,” he murmured softly.

Hayley nodded. Kol snarled as he shut the door of the car and stalked towards the incapacitated vampire. The Salvatore brothers were both staring at the crumpled brunette.

“You can’t kill her, Kol,” Klaus stated firmly.

“Getting in my way right now is a bad idea, brother,” he warned as he brushed Klaus’ hand off his shoulder.

He grabbed the brunette by the hair and dragged the limp body after him towards that cave where that chair was. Tossing her on it, he redid the restraints he had found Davina in. Walking around the room he smirked, it was a nifty little vampire torture chamber, would save him the trouble. He found the chain to open a slat, then walked to the unconscious woman to grab her daylight ring off her finger.

“What are you going to do?” the self-righteous brother appeared, and he glared at the Salvatore but didn’t answer. Double checking the restraints, he waited for his prey to come around as he toyed with the daylight ring. Klaus appeared then.

"I just finished talking to Bekah, she'll be at the house when the girls arrive with your little witch," Klaus informed him.

Kol still said nothing as he glared at the unconscious vampire.

Chapter Text

Hayley was reluctant to come to the imposing house, and she growled as she curled over Davina’s prone form, she couldn’t disagree about coming to a place no one would look for Davina, but she didn’t want to be here. The perky blonde baby vampire opened the door and Hayley got out of the car.

“I got you,” the blonde stated.

Hayley was reluctant but the chirpy vampire was careful with Davina.

“She’s shivering so hard,” Caroline muttered.

Hayley was yanking open the doors and she shut them before she started following Kol’s scent trail up the stairs. It didn’t take her much to find Kol’s room, it was filled with a few unpacked steamer trunks and a coupled of crates and boxes. Kol’s scent was safety to Hayley, given what she knew he meant to Davina, so she was holing up here. No one was prying her or Davina out of here until Kol came back or Marcel did.

“Put her on the bed,” Hayley instructed as the witch and vampire walked in with Davina. Caroline was careful about putting Davina down, Hayley tensed scenting blood and burnt skin which had her looking at the massive coffee stain on Davina’s shirt. Carefully lifting the material, she hissed at the sight of the sticky wound.

“I’ll get the first aid kit!” the blonde chirped.

Hayley was up and, in the dresser, yanking out one of Kol’s shirts as she came back.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Bonnie asked nervously as Hayley pulled the shirt off of Davina.

“Towels, lots of them,” Hayley ordered. “Some damp ones, and dry,” she said as she inspected the burn. It wasn’t too terrible, but it wasn’t pretty. Bonnie reappeared with the towels and Hayley got to work cleaning up the wound.

“I heard you needed first aid,” a crisp voice stated. “I was a nurse,” Hayley glanced up as a new blonde appeared. She scented of Kol, and Mikaelsons as a whole.

“It’s not that bad,” Hayley admitted.

The blonde shooed her off Davina’s wound and started working efficiently. “Darling, in the closet is a button up shirt, that’ll be more comfortable to get her into.” The blonde stated which had Hayley darting over to grab the shirt, she grabbed the first one she saw and came back.

Helping the vampire get Davina in the shirt, then tucked into Kol’s bed, Hayley then crawled onto the bed and curled up beside Davina as she glared at the other teens who came near them. Davina was still shivering violently but she seemed completely unconscious. There was a bruise on Davina’s temple which made Hayley extremely unhappy and had her carefully pulling her fingers through the younger woman’s hair to see what other damages had been done to her. Other than a few bruises and the burn, Hayley couldn’t find anything else wrong with Davina.

It was when her phone rang in her back pocket that she noticed she was completely alone with Davina in the room.

“Hello?”

“Hey D,” Marcel’s voice cheered.

“It’s Hayley,” she answered softly as she nestled into a pillow and kept her eyes on the door.

“Hayley!?”

“Davina’s hurt, we’re at the Mikaelsons,” she murmured.

“I’ll be there in fifteen,” he ended the call.

Hayley draped her arm around Davina’s smaller frame as she watched the door for a threat. Part of her wanted to poke around the room so steeped in Kol’s scent, but the other part of her was unwilling to leave Davina. Irrational as it was, in the last two days she had grown more attached to this young witch than she ever had to any of her foster families, adoptive parents, or any pack she had run with. Her inner wolf was snarling for blood, but also refused to leave Davina to fend for herself, Davina was Hayley’s pack, and that realization startled Hayley to the bone.

Davina let out a pained whimper which had Hayley looking at the younger woman again, moving her hair aside as she studied Davina’s face for signs of discomfort or obvious pain.

The sooner Kol or Marcel got here the happier Hayley would be. She tightened her grasp on Davina and watched the door more intently as her ears strained for sounds outside of her little bubble of safety.

“No,” Davina whimpered.

“Davina?” Hayley whispered.

“No! No! Kol! Make it stop! Make it stop!” Davina let out an ear-piercing scream as she arched in the bed, windows shattering as power seemed to erupt from her core. “It’s too much! Make it stop!”

“Shit!” Hayley yelped as she held onto Davina harder, winds nearly tore Hayley from the bed as books flew from the shelves and Kol’s knickknacks flew into the air with shards of glass. Thunder rumbled overhead as lightning swirled.

“Want to tell me what you’re doing in my bloody house?” Rebekah demanded as she turned on the two girls she loathed almost as much as the doppelgänger who merely existed to make life difficult. “Why’d you bring that little tart to my home?”

Caroline and the witch both looked at each other sheepishly and then at her nervously.

“That’s Davina,” Bonnie stated.

“I know who she is! What is that little witch doing in my house!?” Rebekah snarled menacingly as she stepped towards the girl.

“Katherine abducted her, we saved her, Klaus said to come here,” Caroline defended. “And she’s not a little homewrecker, she’s been a lot of help with Bonnie’s magic!”

Just then there was an explosive force which had the other two screaming in surprise, Rebekah flinching as glass tore through her skin. The house seemed to rattle and the earth shattered rupturing everything glass near her as she was thrown through a wall into the room across the hall. Rebekah barely managed to keep her head from being rattled around as thunder boomed with concussing force in the air.

“Great Thor,” Rebekah gasped as she caught herself sheltered behind a bookshelf as the winds rattled the inside of the house. “What the bloody hell was that!?”

“Davina!” Bonnie shouted over the winds which now tore through the house. “She’s channeling too much power!”

“How do we get it to stop!?” Rebekah screamed as furniture was flying now and a bad smashed into the wall.

“Let me… try something,” Bonnie gasped, and Rebekah rushed to the witch’s side to block a barrage of flying books from crashing into the girl. Bonnie was gripping the trunk hard as she started chanting, which had her eyes rolling back in her head.

Davina screamed in agony as she tried to keep the rush of power out of her system, trying to beat it back with the magic she already had as she could feel the Harvest tearing through her veins. These spirits wanted the connection, they wanted her to connect, to be theirs, and her own Ancestors could be heard through the planes trying to keep it all back, to keep her isolated.

“Make it STOP!” she pleaded as she tried to claw at the power coursing through her veins. “Kol!” she screeched for her husband to have him tell her how to make it stop. It was all swirling around her, ripping her apart as it fought for connection and to keep it all back.

Sobbing she curled in on herself as she tried to think through the agony and never-ending chaos trying to tear her apart.

“Davina?” a soft voice spoke.

“Make it stop, make it stop!” she pleaded as she gripped her head. Never, not even her first time had she felt so out of control and contorted.

“Davina!” the voice was louder.

“Please, please,” she sobbed. “Make it stop!” she begged as she felt the fire within her coming out of control.

“Davina Claire!” a hand appeared before her. “Let me help,” the voice demanded.

Davina was gasping for air as she trembled before her hand grabbed the offered and Bonnie Bennett materialized before her. Hundreds of ancestors and spirits suddenly stopped tearing through her as she collapsed in the plane and tried to breath. The four Harvest Girls from Davina’s time; Jessica, Amy, Stephanie, and Anna Marie, there were the other Harvest Girls from now; Cassie, Abigail, and Monique, then a young man Davina didn’t recognize, and all were right behind Bonnie who was gripping her hand hard.

“Just… focus on me,” the young witch panted.

“It hurts,” Davina whimpered as she curled in on herself still feeling the power of the Harvest slashing through her blood. This was worse than the time Freya had killed her, she screamed as it felt like fire was racing up her spine then.

“Davina!” Bonnie shouted.

“Make it stop, make it stop! Please!” she sobbed as she felt bloody tears slipping from her lashes. “Please…”

Bonnie didn’t know what was wrong with Davina having connected with Davina’s spirit, ancestors and spirits were swirling around Davina like a wild hurricane, a violent, powerful hurricane all happening within Davina’s soul competing for connection and power.

“Kol, make it stop,” she was sobbing.

“Davina,” a young man. “I choose you. Let us help you.” He held out his hands for Davina, but Bonnie noticed Davina was in too much pain to take the hands as she clutched her head.

“Focus on us,” another girl with a bob of blonde hair appeared. “We are together.”

“Here,” the exotic girl stood beside Bonnie then and held out her hand for Davina and Bonnie. “Let us take the power,” the girl said.

“We are here for you,” the pixie cut brunette said.

Bonnie looked at the sobbing form of Davina and at the three girls holding hands before she reached up and took the hands of the girls. The other four girls circled around the group, hand in hand. Slowly Bonnie reached out to take the hand of the exotic girl, she gasped as she felt a connection of power which raced from Davina through her and towards the girls which seemed dispelled as the girls also ceased to be. Davina gasped for air as she collapsed, blood staining her face. Bonnie sat upon her knees on the Other Side as Davina lay there shivering violently and a hundred witches materialized.

“She’s the best of us, you cannot have her, not yet.” The young, blue eyed man spoke softly.

“Who are you?” Bonnie asked as she felt blood slipping from her nose.

“Do not take her, not yet, she is not for your ancestors, she is ours. We have selected her,” the other girls said as they reappeared over Davina then.

“What is…?” Bonnie asked.

“Do not think to steal her to your ancestors,” the brunette with a bob cut warned. “She is ours still.”

“Do not send your ancestors to her again,” the exotic girl warned as Bonnie felt her connection wane. “She is not yours, not yet. It is not your time to take her.”

Bonnie let go of Davina’s hand then and gasped as she awoke in the living world and scrambled back from where she was sitting as she tasted the dribble of blood on her lips.

“It’s over,” Rebekah said.

“Davina,” Bonnie scrambled up and ran from the room she was into the other room. Hayley was crouched over Davina who was slumped back against the pillows, bloody cheeks, and nose and utterly still.

“What the hell was that!?” Hayley snarled as Bonnie walked in.

“Her ancestors and mine were fighting over her,” Bonnie panted as she caught the end of the bed and held herself upright.

“That’s a lot of power,” Bonnie admitted as she heaved a breath and sat on the end of the bed.

“You got it to stop?” Hayley asked warily.

“I think so,” she nodded. “Kol might know more, but I think for now I’ve gotten Davina’s soul settled, which will settle her power.”

“You’re sure?”

“No, I don’t… I haven’t connected with the spirits in a while, this was my first solo attempt to just connect with another living being,” she explained.

Hayley nodded as she grabbed a rag to clean up Davina.

“D!” a voice shouted through the house. Bonnie looked up just as a new man appeared, he was tall, dark, handsome and his features were contorted in a look of abject fury and concern as he looked at them.

“Who the hell are you!?” he snarled.

“She helped Davina,” Hayley spoke up before the man moved towards her.

“Why are we here!?” he demanded.

“Davina was kidnapped this morning from the cabin, Klaus suggested safety in regrouping here, where whoever took her wouldn’t look,” Hayley answered.

“D,” the man almost seemed to teleport over to Davina which had Bonnie jumping a little in shock. He was a vampire; she hadn’t expected it.

“She’s unconscious,” Hayley murmured as she continued cleaning Davina’s face.

“We can’t leave her here, it’s too cold,” he stated.

“Don’t move her!” Bonnie shouted as she twisted around to them. “I… I kind of don’t know what I did, don’t move her! Not until I talk to Kol, he probably knows what I did and if she’ll be alright.”

“Well, well, darling, I was wondering when you’d join the party,” Kol drawled out as the vampire finally started to come around. She groaned as she rolled her head to look up at him, he flashed her a smile and she looked beyond him to the ones behind him.

“And who are you?” the vampire grumbled as she cracked her neck to work out the kinks no doubt.

“Kol, fourth son of Mikael.” He took great glee as her face paled drastically and she tensed; her eyes darted around frantically.

“You’re lying,” she answered. “He’s in a box.”

“’Fraid not, darling,” he mused merrily as he stood and wrapped the chain in his hand.

“Now, it appears you know of me, but I don’t know you,” he drawled. “It is only polite to be introduced to one’s enemies before they kill them.”

“Her name is Katerina Petrova,” Klaus’ voice drawled behind him.

“I don’t believe I was speaking to you, brother,” he warned Klaus with a low growl. Klaus rolled his eyes, but also looked wary, which pleased Kol greatly to know he had his brother on edge as he turned his attention back to the woman.

“Now, darling, your name,” he drawled out.

The woman looked at him nervously then at Klaus.

“Katherine Pierce,” she whispered.

“Very good,” he nodded. “Now, Katherine, or do you prefer Katie? It gets all so bloody confusing in this millennium as no one goes by their actual bloody name,” he mused cavalierly.

“It’s just Katherine,” she uncertainly informed him.

“Very well, darling. What were you doing with my witch?”

“I… I wasn’t doing anything, I found her here!” she started.

Kol yanked open the slat, she screeched in agony as the sun seared her skin and then he shut it. She was gasping as she slouched over in the chair, she had captured Davina in and was trembling violently as she tried to catch her breath.

“What were you doing with my witch?” he repeated as he toyed with her daylight ring before her eyes.

“I… wasn’t doing anything,” she whimpered looking frantically at the ring in his hand then at her own hand.

He yanked open the slat. “See, there’s nothing more inconvenient than a liar,” he drawled as she screamed, the smoke started curling from her skin before he shut it.

“What were you doing with my witch?” he demanded again, keeping his tone casual and aloof.

“Please…” she whimpered. “Have mercy.”

“Kol doesn’t,” Klaus said before he could respond. “Kol is…” his brother started but trailed off with a wicked smile.

“I’m the worst of the worst, darling,” he said as he flashed her a charming smile, which was all teeth. “Now, what were you doing with my witch?”

“Please don’t,” she whimpered. He yanked open the slat again and she howled.

“Come now, darling, we haven’t got all day” he drawled out lazily as he examined her ring. “What were you doing with my witch?” he shut the slat as she slumped whimpering in the seat.

“I… I was going to find the cure,” she gasped.

“What were you doing with my witch?” he repeated as he came to attention now, dropping his façade of being casual and relaxed as he yanked open the slat, she screeched.

“That’s enough,” Stefan started towards him.

“Back off!” Kol snarled as he bore his fangs and let his true face show which had all of them flinching as he shut the slat again.

“What were you doing with my witch?” he repeated.

“I… I was going to stop her,” Katherine whispered. “Or have her take me to the cure, to Silas.”

“Why?” he demanded as he came to crouch before her, examining her face for lies carefully. He moved to open the slat again.

“No!” she gasped. “I… I was… was going to use the cure to barter my freedom!”

He yanked the slat open again which had her screaming before he shut it. “Why.”

“I’ve been running for five hundred years,” she growled through gritted teeth. “I want my freedom!”

“Mmm,” he hummed. “Why are you seeking Silas’ cure?”

“I want my freedom,” she repeated, but then screeched as he yanked the slat open. Kol stood, stepping out of the smoke as he went to lean on the wall, watching the vampire writhe in agony. She was screaming and arching against the pain as the smoke started more intensely curling off her.

“Stop!” Damon shouted.

“Back off,” he snarled again as dropped the slat, the Salvatore brothers jumped back. “Silas, what do you know?” he demanded.

“I…” she started, and he moved to open the slat. “No! I… they won’t stop, they want her humanity back!”

“Who’s.”

“Elena’s,” she admitted.

“Who are you working with?” he asked.

“N-No one…” she stammered.

He yanked the slat open which had her screaming again. He waited until he could smell her flesh sizzling before he shut it again.

“It won’t do to lie to me! Who are you working with?” he demanded.

“Shane…” she whispered. “I… I have a hunter too,” she whimpered.

“Do they know about my witch?” he demanded.

She shook her head.

“Very good, darling,” he drawled out.

“Please…” she whimpered. “Please…” she gasped.

“What?”

“Just… please, let me go,” she pleaded as tears were welling up in her eyes.

“Kol,” Klaus started.

“You desire your freedom?” Kol asked as he walked towards her.

“Yes,” she whispered. “Please, please, I promise… I’ll leave and never return, just please,” she whimpered as she cried.

“As you wish, darling,” he stated icily as he yanked open the slat again.

“What!? NO!” she howled as she burned, screaming, and sobbing. He waited until the screams stopped and the fire was going well before he left, the brothers were stunned, and Klaus looked startled as he jogged up out of the little torture chamber. The run to Klaus’ house didn’t take him long though he was startled at all the shattered glass over the driveway and littering everywhere.

“Davina?” he called out as he entered the house.

“You crazy bastard!” Rebekah appeared. “You just had to find the one bloody witch with too much power to contain!” she shouted as she came at him.

Her words had him stiffening, moving Bekah out of his path, he raced up the stairs and threw open the doors to his claimed room where Davina was laying in his bed with Marcel and Hayley hovering over her and the Bennett witch sat on the end of the bed.

“What happened?” he demanded as he heard Davina’s heart beating and scented her blood.

“I… I connected with her on the ancestral plane, I don’t know if what I did hurt her or helped,” Bonnie admitted.

“She won’t wake up,” Marcel said. Kol dropped the dress he hadn’t noticed he was still holding as he came over to Davina. She was limply sprawled out, there were traces of bloody tears on her cheeks and a bloody nose.

“What the hell happened to her!?” Marcel demanded grabbing his jacket and shaking him. “She was fine this morning!”

“I’m guessing too much power and forced connections from the ancestors today,” he said shrugging off Marcel’s hands as he reached over to Davina’s face.

“Sorry, love,” he whispered honestly as he let his mind open to hers’ and he entered her dreamscape where her soul would be resting.

Chapter Text

Davina was sitting on hers and Josh’s bench when he seemed to materialize there, the jazz was playing, and the city was in full swing in true New Orleans fashion. Kol was lounging beside her, his arms draped over the back of the bench as he looked around.

“Interesting dream,” he commented as they both lounged there.

“This is my favorite spot to think,” she informed him softly.

He nodded. “Want to tell me what happened, love?”

“No,” she admitted as she watched Monique, Cassie and Abigail strut by in her dream, arm in arm as they laughed and giggled.  Jessica, Amy, Stephanie, and Anna Marie were playing hopscotch in the square, they were younger, more childish than when she’d met them on the Ancestral Plane. It was strange seeing them so vividly, she rarely thought of them because it hurt so badly when she did.

Abigail had never been a cruel bully kind of girl; she was rather gentle tempered and sweet by nature. Davina remembered envying Abigail’s freedom in magic because she was so connected with air and wind. Abigail had been the first one of them to sneak out of the coven to hear music in a New Orleans jazz club, her mother had been livid.

Cassie had been the most fluid of them, in anything, things just flowed for her, she connected with her element and magic like a fish took to water. She was rather shy, but once she started talking, lord she couldn’t be quiet. Cassie had smuggled in their first smut book into the coven, Davina remembered being so scandalized and laughing it off to be cool.

Monique, ever vibrant, steady, constant Monique, she had been twisted beyond any resemblance to the quirky, vibrant, hippy girl she had been. Monique had been her best friend, her daring friend, her competition, and her confidant. She still vividly remembered the first day Monique smuggled them coffee to try and how disgusting they thought it was as they threw up in Jane-Anne’s prized roses.

“Davina,” Kol drawled out.

“Kol,” she retorted, and her eyes flicked over to him. He didn’t have his infuriating smirk in place, merely a blank look she knew was his look of concern. “I can’t connect with the ancestors here.”

“But they want to connect,” he pointed out.

“I can’t do it,” she stated again. “I’m still very connected to New Orleans, and I’m already channeling way more power than I should, connection with more ancestors, or spirits will drive me insane,” she admitted honestly.

“Why can’t you connect?” he asked curiously.

“I’ve already told you,” she sighed softly.

“Want to tell me what happened?” he offered.

“They found me, they were overreacting, and suddenly they were connecting with my power, not the power I am channeling, and it was too much force, the powers I’m channeling reacted poorly.”

“Why are they trying to connect with you?”

“I taught Bonnie to consecrate and helped Bonnie dig them all up so they could be, my guess, they think I’m supposed to be in the coven, but I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“After I’ve completed my list, I will be leaving my coven,” she answered. Either by death or life choices, she was leaving, and she was leaving a note for her younger self to leave just in case it was sixteen-year-old her who came back and not her as she was. “I can’t do covens, I don’t want that connection in my life ever again, and I don’t want my powers to be abused by the Other Side. I won’t connect with Bonnie’s ancestors; I barely allow mine to connect with me. That rejection, I’m guessing it created the conflict and I couldn’t control it.”

“Why are you leaving your coven?” he asked sharply.

“I’m tired of being used,” she answered simply. “I’m tired of be lied to and manipulated for personal gain, and… they did unforgivable things,” she admitted.

“Like?”

“Try to kill an innocent baby.”

He nodded. “Unforgivable,” he agreed. It always amused Davina what Kol considered unforgivable given his reputation. “I need you to wake up, Davina Claire.”

“Why?”

“Because you need to, love,” he answered softly. “We need to make sure you  can .”

“Oh,” she sighed as she saw dream Josh jogging towards her with Aiden. “That’s a shame, I kind of like this dream.”

“You’ll have better ones, love, just show us you can wake,” he murmured. He was gone and she sighed as she closed her eyes and let the dream she had escaped to disappear.

Groaning she opened her eyes, wincing at the sunlight filtering in before she tried to roll away from it. The searing pain in her side had her whimpering as she pulled her arms over her head.

“D!” Marcel’s voice exclaimed with so much relief that she peered under her arm at him.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Davina Claire,” Kol said appearing then as he removed her arm from her face. “How are you feeling, love?”

“Bitch spilt my coffee,” she grumbled as she shivered against the cold. There was a bark of laughter from Kol, while Marcel sagged against the bed with relief.

“You have to stop scaring me like that, D,” Marcel ordered.

“No promises; need to kill Silas and take care of a few scary things,” she admitted tiredly.

“What the hell happened to my house!?” a voice boomed.

Davina snorted then as she rolled into the pillow. “Oops,” she mused.

“Oops!? Oops!? That’s all you have to say!?” Hayley laughed.

“I’ve done worse,” she muttered into the pillow before she stretched. Hissing in pain as her side reminded her of the spilt coffee before she slowly pushed herself up again.

“Worse!? How could this get any worse!?” Klaus appeared looking livid as he glared murderously at her group.

“I’ve got enough power to destroy a city right now, this is tame compared to what I could do,” she admitted with a yawn. Stretching her hands in front of her she blinked as sleeves flew over her hands to hide them. Now she looked down and saw her haphazardly dressed in a men’s shirt, which wasn’t properly buttoned and hung off her shoulder.

“Why does it feel like I ate cotton?” she asked as she looked at her husband for answers.

“Side effect of the herbs she used,” he answered.

“How are you feeling?” Bonnie asked her then.

“Like I got struck by lightning and bounced around in Katrina again,” she muttered honestly as she slowly got to her feet.

“Easy love,” Kol said as Marcel caught her.

“Who the hell took me?” she demanded.

“Someone very dead, when I get my hands on them,” Marcel snarled lowly.

“She’s a little crispy, you might want a ouija board as well,” Kol remarked.

“Still doesn’t answer the ‘who’,” Davina admitted as Marcel let her go and she stood on unsteady feet, dragging a hand through her hair as she peered at the concerned faces around her.

“Her name was Katerina Petrova,” Klaus announced as he came into the fray, he towered over her and looked at her with intense blue eyes. “She was never supposed to die,” he growled at Kol.

“I don’t have time for head games,” Kol dismissed.

“You always have time for games.”

“Until I learn you lot were trying to unleash the bloody end of time upon us!” he roared at Klaus. “I cannot stress enough that this! This is not a game! Silas is not some magical cure for our mother’s curse, and not a bloody solution, but as I’m surrounded by imbeciles who’d rather go mess with things they shouldn’t, things they have forgotten to fear with time. If anyone should know better about the eternalness which we face, and the powers which can obliterate the world, it should be you of all people Nik! I should go kill the Gilbert kid right now and end this preposterous hunt now!”

“Kol!” Davina snapped which had him whirling around to tower over her. “I’m helping! Don’t do something stupid, reckless and impulsive,” she warned.

He snarled as he bore his fangs and came to loom over her, veins snaking over his face. “Do not tell me what to do, love.”

“Then don’t act like a reckless idiot.” She warned as she folded her arms to hold her ground. “I’m helping with the Silas problem. We work the problem; together, acting like this isn’t working the problem.”

He glared but didn’t retort which was a win in her book.

“Who was Katerina Petrova?” she asked peering around Kol to look at Klaus who was looking between her and Kol with a curious expression on his face. Davina never liked that look on Klaus’ face; it usually meant she was in for some sort of unwanted trouble from her brother-in-law’s antics; which had her tempted to throw him out of a window on principle.

“She was a vampire who was a doppelgänger, her blood when human was of use to magical property,” he said. “She could be used to cast strong magic.”

“Mmm,” Davina nodded. She had studied doppelgängers once when she was a child, curious about what sort of magic it would take to make them. It was usually tied to blood curses, which was why blood curses were some of the hardest to break.  “Elena’s a doppelgänger,” Davina deduced.

“She was,” Kol replied. “She’s not anymore.”

“Vampirism,” Davina replied. “Doesn’t mean her blood doesn’t hold magical properties, just means that it’s nulled or dormant right now. Why would Katerina want me?”

“She was going to use you as leverage or to find the bloody cure,” Kol answered swiftly as he started prowling his room. He always moved with ease and grace, but it was predatory and dangerous.

“Who was she working with?”

“Shane,” he answered swiftly. “And a hunter, which means people probably will come seeking you out,” he said as he pointed at her.

“Let them,” Davina shrugged as Marcel’s arm came to wrap around her. “We still need to perform the spell on Shane. Which we’re doing after I have a cup of coffee.”

“You’re not doing anything, D, we’re going to get you out of town!” Marcel stressed.

“I’m helping Kol with Silas, you are free to run away if you’re scared,” she countered. “After coffee though. Fucking Katerina Petrova spilt my coffee!” she muttered sourly as she started picking her way through the glass on the floor.

“A grievous offense.” Kol mused sarcastically.

“You need blood,” she snapped. “You’re getting snappy,” she pointed out as she walked into the hallway.

“I am not!”

“You are,” she retorted.

“I am not!” he insisted.

“You’re a child, just get your blood while I get coffee, then we’ll go interrogate Shane,” she insisted.

“You need to stop bossing me about, love,” he pointed out as they walked down the stairs.

“I wouldn’t be so bossy if you listened to me.”

“And why would I ever do that?” he demanded teasingly.

“Cause I’m adorable and right,” she preened.

“You are?”

“Always,” she batted her lashes as he guided her towards the kitchen, she was careful to not shred her bare feet on the shattered glass.

“I really did all this?” she whispered.

“Impressive really, normally take a few years before my family destroys one of Nik’s homes,” he shrugged. “I commend you.”

“I didn’t bring the roof down!”

“Yet, darling.”

“No, I haven’t,” she insisted.

“Yet. I’m surprised you don’t lose control with how jittery you must be on coffee,” he declared as he started prepping his blood and handed her the coffee and creamer from the fridge.

“Little secret, no caffeine, no function, no magic,” she stated dryly as she made her cup of coffee, flicking her wrist to remove the shattered glass from her vicinity as she prepared her coffee. Rubbing her brow, she bit back the headache of the day by sheer force of will as she leaned over the counter.

“You alright, darling?” he asked, and she glanced over her shoulder at him.

“I’m fine,” she lied. “Just feeling the aftereffects of that much connection.”

“First time, that ever happen?” he asked as he sipped the blood bag.

“No,” she admitted. “But I was also hated by the ancestors.”

Stefan stared at Katerina’s smoldering body, and he couldn’t believe it, he had watched her burn and he still couldn’t believe it, she was dead.

“Holy hell,” Damon muttered as they both stared at her.

They had known she was running from the Originals; Elijah had never seemed an active threat against her, but they both knew Klaus wanted her dead. They hadn’t thought that Kol would be the one to do it. Stefan knew nothing about Kol admittedly, he knew that Rebekah had described him a wily old fox when she talked about him, but she had never elaborated on him. Stefan hadn’t thought of Kol as someone genuinely dangerous or worse than Klaus, Klaus was a monster, but what they had just witnessed Kol do, that made Klaus look tame.

“She’s actually dead,” Damon muttered, his wide with disbelief.

“I never thought…” Stefan admitted as he looked at his brother and then at Katherine’s body. The Originals seemed to have a sadistic pleasure in torturing their enemies in the long run, it’s what made them so dangerous to cross, because they were perfectly happy to hunt someone down for an eternity, they had the time to do it.

“Even when he came for Jeremy, he wasn’t like that,” Damon admitted as he walked towards Katherine’s body.

“Kol?”

“Yeah, he was threatening, but I didn’t peg him as someone like actually dangerous,” Damon admitted.

“Well, it seems we were all wrong about how dangerous he is. We should give her a proper resting place,” he said softly. He still remembered when she laughed and loved him freely, when she had just loved him, even with all the complications between them in the past century, they had had something special.

“You can do whatever you want,” Damon muttered.

“Please,” he sighed as he looked at his brother. “Please, we… she shouldn’t be left like this, she doesn’t deserve this.”

“Fine,” he muttered. “I’ll get a shovel.”

Marcel glared at Klaus when it was finally just them in the room, he clenched his fists as he glared at Klaus and wanted to tear him apart but refrained. Davina was safe, she had gone off with Kol and he could still hear her heartbeat.

“She’s something, your little witch,” Klaus offered as he clasped his hands behind his back.

“You hurt her,” he started.

“I’m actually impressed,” Klaus cut off. “Not often you meet someone unafraid of Kol, or me for that matter, she has… moxie… As they say.”

“She does have that,” he chuckled as he shook his head. “Girl is hell on wheels.”

“Something about southern bells always makes them hell on wheels,” Klaus remarked with a wry smile on his lips.

“I’m still not talking to you,” he stated as he started to leave the room.

“I grieved you, Marcellus,” Klaus said suddenly. Which stopped him from exiting the room, he refused to turn around to look at Klaus though. “In the days after I fled the city, I thought you were dead. It was years later when I could finally speak your name, did I so keenly feel that loss, I am sorry. It appears we’re only in the same room if the girl brings us together.”

“You tore us apart,” he whispered. “You just destroy everything in your reach.”

“I…”

“I missed you,” Marcel admitted then. “You were the only father that mattered, but I can’t care about you, I have to worry about D, she’s my kid,” he stated as he left Klaus behind, and didn’t look back as he went looking for Davina.

He found her in the kitchen, with Kol. Kol was listening to something Davina was explaining with rapt attention and seemed to be relaxed as they were drinking their respective drinks. Marcel was struck hard by how animated she was around Kol, he knew the girl was a lively one, but she seemed so vibrant right now, it was hard to miss as he watched. It was like she’d never been in danger mere hours ago, not at all like she had just been kidnapped this morning and trapped by an unknown vampire.

“Marcel!” Davina smiled at him as she leaned on the counter with her coffee in her hands.

“How’s that burn feeling?” he asked walking towards her. He remembered her mentioning her spilt coffee and seeing the bandage on her side when she had gotten out of the bed.

“It’ll be fine,” she shrugged.

“I could help you out with that,” he said as he walked to the island.

“I don’t want the resounding headache,” she admitted as she smiled.

“Okay,” he nodded. “Did that vampire do anything to you, D?”

“No,” she shook her head. “I mean, she spilt my coffee, and I did bang my head when I fell, but no, she didn’t do anything to me.”

“What did she want?” Kol asked before Marcel could. Marcel was a bit grateful Kol was taking the role of interrogator against Davina about what had happened because Marcel didn’t know how to manage it or Davina’s nonchalance about what had happened.

“I don’t really know, she seemed uncertain about what she wanted to do to me or with me, only that if I wasn’t around then the group of teenagers would continue their hunt for the cure,” she shrugged.

Marcel moved some of her loose hair aside and saw a faint bruise, he wanted to go tear this Katerina Petrova to pieces again.

“But you’re good?” he persisted.

“Yeah, better now that the caffeine headache is receding,” she said with a smile as she sipped her coffee.

“Here,” he shrugged off his hoodie and draped it around her. “I’ll be back later to pick you up, and I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but stay with Kol,” he stressed.

“She’ll be perfectly safe,” Kol assured.

“I can take care of myself,” Davina said.

“D, you were just kidnapped off the back porch of the cabin,” Marcel pointed out. “Also, you just had massive power surge. I want you to stay with Kol, I will be back for you tonight.”

“Yes dad,” she rolled her eyes.

“Don’t talk back or you will lose phone privileges,” he threatened as he pressed a kiss to her temple. “I have to go take care of a few things, but I’ll be back. If anything happens to her Kol, I will make your life a living hell.”

“She’ll be fine, we’re just going to interrogate a maniac in my brother’s basement,” Kol shrugged.

“Then go teach Bonnie magic.”

“I’m not teaching that witch anything,” Kol stated firmly.

"Come on, you're a great teacher!"

“I like you, but I only tolerate her when I have use of her,” he snapped.

Marcel shook his head and hugged D before leaving to go handle New Orleans business, he might not like Kol but so far, the Original seemed to have a soft spot for D. A soft spot Marcel felt compelled to use to keep his kid safe.

Chapter Text

She would like to go on the record with the fact her brother-in-law was the most demented person she knew to date, and that was beating out her husband too. Kol helped her navigate the coffins Klaus had custom made for his siblings. That fact had always creeped her out, enormously, especially when she found out that it was where he had stored Kol’s dead body.

“You alright, love?” Kol asked.

“Yeah, sorry, the coffins…” she admitted meekly.

“They’re not so bad, love, beats when he stashed us in actual boxes,” he chuckled as he walked below the house with ease. Davina wrapped her arms around her and greatly regretted being bare foot down here and in her Eeyore sweats, she was freezing.

Kol pulled open the door and Davina walked in slowly, the minimal light illuminating the area made the man before her look raving mad, even chained to the wall. Shane looked up at her with wide eyes.

“You cannot stop me!” he stated.

“No, we can’t,” Kol agreed. “And if you can’t beat them, join them and thwart them,” he stated as he dropped the bag of supplies. Davina quickly got to work setting up the spell, murmuring the spell softly even as she pulled Shane’s hair. Kol came beside her as she prepared the runes for the spell. Kol held out his hand after he had set up the supplies to transcribe the map she was looking for in Shane’s head.

“What are you doing?” Shane demanded.

Davina never stopped whispering the chant as she reached forward and pressed her thumb upon his inner eye and felt herself slip into his mind with ease. His mind was strong, but she knew what she sought so she went through him until she saw where he was going. Davina felt Kol’s stored magic coursing through her and she breathed at how much easier he made it to maneuver through the mind.

She found the map and changed her chant as she released Kol’s hand and came up on her knees, so she was eye level with Shane as she whispered her spell. The air and earth moved to her biding as the ink moved over the map, moving to show where Silas’ tomb was. Davina watched the images race through his mind as they were sketched down for how to make it to the tomb, she gasped as she arched feeling the touch of ancient magic on the mind here.

She found herself gasping as she was drawn into a damp cave, the soul standing there was ancient and scarred, warped beyond whatever it had been.

“Who are you,” the gnarled shadow breathed as glowing red eyes stared back at her soul, and she dropped the connection with Shane as she fell back on her heels.

“Davina!” Kol caught her before she fell on her ass, and she managed to save herself from ruining their map too.

“You saw him!” Shane probed excitedly.

“I did,” she panted, as she let go of Kol and pulled herself to be kneeling before Shane. “And you are a fool to think he’d ever help you as you are helping him,” she said sadly as she grabbed her map and supplies.

Shane went into a raging fit as he screamed about Silas’ return and the return of the dead. Davina’s heart broke for the man, to lose everything and be promised it’s return, it was hope he probably lived off of. But she knew the truth as she stood to follow Kol out of the chamber.

“Davina,” Kol called out softly when she stopped. She bit her lip before handing Kol the map and turning to Shane who was sobbing now. She walked over to him, and crouched again so they were eye level, the man did not look mad anymore, merely broken.

“I know your pain, but if you knew the price of Expression then you would know your wife is gone and your son had moved on,” Davina said gently.

“You don’t know that!” he screeched.

“I do though,” she replied. “I am sorry for your loss, but I will not allow Silas to be free upon this earth,” she stated as she turned and left, shutting the door on his screams.

“You know his pain?” Kol asked her as he walked with her through the basement.

“Yes,” she murmured as she closed her eyes against the sight of Kol. Oh the things she’d give to have her Kol with her instead of this Kol. “There is little I wouldn’t do for my husband. Losing him, permanently, and in a way, I cannot save him, it would destroy me. And having experienced that pain, I would never wish that pain upon another, Kol.”

“You can see your husband though, he is not obliterated by Expression or dead, yet,” he pointed out.

“I know,” she chuckled humorlessly. She could open her eyes right now and her husband would be standing right there, immortal, and perfect. “I know. But I have things that must be done, and I’m on a timetable to get them done.”

“Ah the list,” he mused.

“The list,” she agreed with a nod before opening her eyes to look at this Kol. Her heart still fluttered at the sight of him, and a smile tugged on her lips.

“Now about this timetable,” he chuckled.

“Not telling you,” she chuckled as they walked out of the basement. “Can I go home now? I would like to get real clothes on.”

“That shirt looks marvelous on you, though,” he teased.

“I know,” she mused. “But I need real clothes and socks.”

He laughed as he scooped her up and she gasped as she threw her arms around his neck to keep her balance. This was normal to her, and it felt so familiar and safe.

“You could’ve mentioned you were freezing, darling.” He pointed out as he walked through the house which was now being cleaned.

“It’s been a really long day, I hadn’t noticed the cold on top of everything else. I really didn’t think I’d be abducted only a week after being here,” she said as she dropped her head to his shoulder.

“Exciting place,” he sighed tiredly as he opened up his car and put her in. Davina waited until they were on the road before she let her head fall back.

“We need to go to his office after I get dressed and before I go to teach Bonnie,” she sighed.

“Why?”

“Powerful, magical rock,” she answered.

“A rock?”

“In Shane’s head it was a tombstone; Silas’ tombstone, we need it, I could feel the magic radiating off of it in his mind,” she sighed as she rubbed her brow. “I’m thinking that’s the witch’s artifact that we’ll need to channel her.”

“A rock,” he sighed. “That’s new, we’ll get it.”

“Why didn’t you just telepathy him?” she asked. “You know, like what you did when you entered my head.”

“I don’t like it,” he answered. “I don’t…compulsion, mind invasion, I don’t like it, love, free will and all. I am skilled at it, probably more so than my siblings, but I don’t, I don’t like removing choices unless there is no other way.”

“So, your attempt to compel the vampire to kill the hunter?”

“Self-preservation, love,” he answered. “Silas is…”

“Terrifying, the end, gonna kill us all? Yeah, got a check list of reasons he’s on my Honey To-Do List and I didn’t even know about him the first time,” she admitted.

“The first time? Why wouldn’t you have known about Silas?”

“I’m pretty sure I was living in a church attic at this point of life last time around,” she admitted with a giggle. He gave her the most incredulous look which had her snickering.

“How the bloody hell did we meet if you live in a church attic?” he demanded.

“Very long, extremely complicated story, to which I will not be sharing because even I still have trouble believing it, and I lived it. Though I must say you were a terrible flirt the first time around too,” she mused.

“Me? Never,” he cheered, and she laughed. “Why’d you decide to help me with Silas if you didn’t deal with him last time?”

“You mean aside from the normal impending doom to the living if I don’t?” she asked.

“Yes, love, aside from all that, I hardly knew you and you hardly know me, this me?, me,” he settled on as he looked over at her.

“I trust you, and I’m helping because I can,” she shrugged. “I’m really that simple Kol. I trust you. And I’m doing things this way, this time around, because I can.”

He snorted. “You are a confounding one Davina Claire.”

“It is just Davina,” she pointed out.

“Yes, but Davina Claire just rolls off the tongue,” he smiled.

“Mmm, should I just start calling you Kol Mikaelson all the time?”

“I’d really rather you didn’t, darling,” he chuckled. “It gets all confusing which Mikaelson you’re yelling at if you use our surname. At that point we all duck for cover.”

“Noted,” she cackled as she smiled.

“I am sorry, love,” he said softly.

“About?”

“Your husband,” he said.

“He’s not dead, Kol,” she said firmly as she looked over at her husband. “He’s just not mine; yet.”

“You don’t want me to take you off to him before we go on a quest of certain death?”

“Oh no, we are not dying, Kol Mikaelson, I have things to do, I have a list, I have plans, we aren’t dying. We’ll go kill Silas, come back and continue on our merry way while I clear a path for the future to be better,” she stated firmly. “Dying is not an option, for either of us.”

“But just in case?” he offered.

“No point, Kol, I don’t need to see my idiot husband,” she remarked dryly as she eyed Kol.

“Idiot, you’d call the love of your life an idiot!?” he sputtered and then started snickering.

“I married his dumbass, I know how idiotic and stupid he can be at times, I love him anyways, all the time, for God knows what reasons, because I swear him, and his family were put on this planet to drive me insane!” she explained with a smile.

“Really? And who’s the man who could claim the heart of Davina Claire?”

“He’s an arrogant, cocky, has trouble written over his head in neon red, annoying, lively, fun, thrill seeking man, who’s loyal, and kind, and just swept me off for a dance in the middle of the street,” she said softly. “He’s a hopeless man, and he’s infuriating, I love him, very much. But I don’t need to see him yet, he’s not mine yet.”

“Yet?”

“Oh, he’ll be mine. He can’t resist me,” she promised Kol with a seductive murmur. Davina knew Kol’s type, she knew he couldn’t resist a challenge, and she knew he loved playing with fire; Davina was all of the above. Kol was sunk, hook, line, and sinker, even if he didn’t know it just yet.

“No man in his right mind would resist you, gorgeous,” he chuckled. She felt her smile broaden as she looked at her husband; he was so screwed when he stopped to figure it out, she’d manage to have him, yet again, as it should be.

“See, he’s sunk, I can wait for him to figure it out in the meantime,” she waved Kol off and he snorted. “And while he’s sorting it out, we have a Honey To-Do List to prevent hell on earth.”

“I look forward to meeting the man who can keep up with Davina Claire,” Kol chuckled.

“Whoever said he could keep up?” she snorted.

They pulled up to the cabin Marcel had bought and she got out, hurrying over the gravel she skipped up the steps, flicking her fingers as she unlocked the door. Kol appeared behind her, opening the door as he let her in. She saw his eyes scanning over the place as she ran up the stairs to her room. Changing quickly, she jogged down the stairs with her sneakers in her hands as she went for Hayley’s room. Hayley had an entire duffle of socks; she said it was a wolf thing, and Davina didn’t care, she was stealing heavy wool socks to keep her feet warm.

She came out to the living area to see Kol sitting at the island with her list.

“We’re going to talk about this,” he warned as he put it back in her jacket pocket.

“I know, but first, rock, then magic, then tomorrow, the Brotherhood of the Five history lesson, then Hunter’s curse, then we’ll be after Silas, and while we’re after Silas and no one else is around, we’ll talk about the list,” she promised as they both left the cabin. He shoved her list in his pocket as he got the car door for her again.

“How do you keep track of everything?”

“Practice,” she answered as they started for the road again. “I’m used to chaos and massive to do lists.”

“Your husband?” he asked.

“Actually no, his family,” she snickered.

“Bloody hell, why’d you marry this man?” he asked incredulously.

She roared with laughter

Caroline was sitting outside the abandoned house while Bonnie read a grimoire. Elena was working with Damon and Matt with Jeremy, and she refused to have anything to do with Davina.

“Do you think Davina will be alright teaching me today?” Bonnie asked as they both stood up hearing a car approach.

“She seemed fine in the house, after you did… whatever you did.”

“I don’t know what I did,” Bonnie whispered. “And Kol woke her up I think, you know with the vampire telepathy.”

“How do you know?”

“Caroline, that was so much power, when I touched her, and those spirits appeared, all of a sudden there was nothing, I could feel nothing from her, not her soul, not her power, not even a life force. She’s powerful, but I don’t know her limits and if she should even be up. Kol had to wake her up, I don’t know what their connection is, but there is one and I wasn’t going to make one.”

Davina got out of the car wearing a massive man’s hoodie as she walked towards them shivering, Davina let out a piercing, deafening sneeze which made Caroline and Kol wince at the pitch.

“You seriously need heavier clothes, darling,” Kol mocked.

“Shut up, I’m from the bayou, I don’t do cold,” she snapped as she hopped up the stairs.

“You’re going to be an ice cube, Davina,” Kol stated flatly.

“You’ll be on fire if you don’t stop with the comments about the cold. I’m busy!” she retorted. “Come on, Bonnie.”

“Is Kol…?”

“I’m not teaching you, darling,” he stated flatly. “I like her, but I tolerate you and I’m not wasting my time with a judgmental, arrogant novice.”

“Rude, childish, irritable, go drink a blood bag, I’ll be a few hours,” Davina snapped.

“Can’t leave you, love, promised Marcel.”

“What Marcel doesn’t know, won't kill him.”

“Yes, it will, now hurry up and start the lesson so we can go back home and get started on undoing a Hunter’s mark or whatever,” Kol waved her off.

Davina waved her fingers and sent Kol flying off the porch. “You deserved that!” she shouted as she walked into the house with Bonnie.

“I’ll get you back for that!” he shouted.

“Try it!” Davina taunted as she disappeared into the house. Caroline snickered as Kol pushed himself up and dusted himself off.

“What?” he asked her as he came to lean on the porch post.

“Oh, nothing, I just think you two are sweet,” Caroline admitted.

He grimaced at the notion which had her laughing harder. “Why are you here, darling?”

“Well, Bonnie’s my best friend,” she pointed out. “I don’t know, I like Davina, and I’m not involved with training Jeremy not to kill vampires, and I hate sire bonds, I hate that my best friend is turning into a floozy over her sire bond and making stupid decisions. And I get she doesn’t want to be a vampire, but I’m not happy with her decisions so I’m hanging out with Matt or Bonnie and avoiding Elena. Oh, and the weird tug of war love-slash-sexual tension between her and the Salvatore brothers.”

Kol was looking at her like she had grown a third head which had her smiling.

“That’s why I’m here.”

“Bloody hell,” he muttered. “Davina! Wait for me, love!” he shouted as he walked into the house then.

“Hey Klaus,” she smiled as the hybrid appeared, he looked her over warily as he came to lean where Kol had been.

“I do believe that that was a first,” he chuckled as he stared at her.

“What?”

“Someone scaring Kol off with simple conversation.”

“I knew he wanted to be with Davina rather than out here,” Caroline chuckled wisely.

“Why are you here, though, sweetheart?” he asked.

She shrugged as she swung her feet. “I have nowhere else to be,” she admitted. “Tyler’s running from you,” she growled as she pointedly glared at the reason her boyfriend was on the run. “Elena’s driving me insane. Jeremy is now intent on killing anything with fangs. Shane was going to obliterate my best friend’s soul, and Matt’s working at the Grill.”

“That is a shame,” she drawled out.

She shrugged as she sat there. “I’d rather be here than nowhere, Bonnie needs moral support, and Davina is helping her, I will support them however needed.”

“That is very noble of you,” he admitted. “My brother’s little witch is an interesting one.”

“Davina?”

“Yes,” he answered slowly.

“She’s to the point, direct, up front, and kind,” Caroline observed.

“She’s up to something.”

“Yeah,” Caroline agreed. “But I don’t think she’s going to hurt anyone.”

“No,” he agreed. “She’s got Kol under control, I was concerned his irrational fear of Silas would have him acting impulsively and recklessly.”

“Ugh, Silas,” she rolled her eyes as she rested her chin on her fist. “I wish Silas was no more, because then Professor Shane wouldn’t have come in and dangled that ridiculous notion of a cure in front of Elena and we wouldn’t be in this mess with Bonnie’s soul possibly being obliterated by her magic.”

Klaus snorted. “It would just be something else, love,” he pointed out dryly.

“Yeah, but it wouldn’t have this false hope attached to it.”

“False hope?”

“The cure,” she answered.

“You desire to be cured?” he raised a brow in curiosity then.

“No,” she admitted. “But if there was no false hope of a cure, then Elena wouldn’t be on a warpath to get the cure.”

“You don’t want the cure?” he muttered.

“No,” she admitted. “I like being a vampire!” she smiled as she swung her legs. “I feel… I feel,” she said. “Everything is more, as a human it was beautiful but there was all this pressure. To be perfect, to beat Elena, to be the best, to flirt, to be everything everyone thought I should be. But this, being a vampire, it let me see myself for myself, it makes you more you, right?” she asked.

“That it does,” he admitted.

“I like this me! And I don’t think I would have found it without you or being a vampire, or experiencing this,” she gestured to the world around her. “This is beautiful, this is life, even if I’m weirdly dead. Elena refuses to see that. And because of that, we’re all hunting this impossible cure which your brother and Davina had stressed is hidden with a very bad immortal. So, we’re chasing false hope for Elena. And I really don’t like that.”

“That is… incredibly insightful,” Klaus admitted softly.

“Yeah, I like being this,” she smiled. “Surprised me too when I figured that out.”

Chapter Text

Davina stumbled into the cabin ready to collapse on her bed and sleep for a year. Teaching Bonnie was more exhausting than she had expected and stealing Shane’s rock had been a bigger pain in the ass than anticipated. But now she had the rock, which she was cursing as she lugged it into the cabin after her, and she had ideas for contacting this stupid witch for creating immortality and whatever else was created.

“D!” Marcel grabbed the rock. “I was just coming to get you...”

“I’m fine, Marcel, and Kol just dropped me off. Apparently the Mikaelsons are having a family meeting now that Elijah is here,” Davina informed her dad.

“Family meeting?”

“If they dagger Kol I’m going to be daggering Klaus,” she stated as Marcel set the rock on the counter. “But yes, they’re having a family meeting, something about Katerina, Kol wouldn’t elaborate,” she admitted with a massive yawn.

“You should get some sleep, D,” he said.

“I am, after I get a hot shower,” she yawned. “I’m going to go get some sleep, it’s been a hell of a day.”

“Don’t get abducted again,” Marcel warned her.

“I will try not to,” she yawned as she stumbled up the stairs. She grabbed the shirt she had discarded earlier that she had been stuffed into after everyone had treated her burn and brought it to her nose, it smelled like Kol. Grabbing clean underwear, she went to the bathroom for a hot shower she had been wanting since waking up in that grimy cell.

In the steam and heat of the water she inspected her wound, it wasn’t that bad, which was a relief, but the skin was still tender, and despising her actions for the bandage removal and shower. Cleaning her hair, she was relieved some of the pressure on her scalp was take care of before she washed off the rest of the grime carefully. Now she took in the bruises from her abduction, the restraints had left deep marks, which were now blooming bright red and throbbed a little. She’d ice them in the morning.

Finishing her self-inspection, beyond the burn and bruises, she was fine, she turned off the scalding water which had helped her warmup dramatically and grabbed her towel. Wrapped up she walked out of the shower and wiped off the steam of the mirror and stifled a scream at the face behind her as she spun around to see no one there. Her heart was slamming painfully in her ribs as she turned back to the mirror and saw the girl.

“We chose you,” the girl said. Davina stared at the young face of a Harvest girl she remembered meeting on the Other Side before her final resurrection. “Save us,” she whispered as she disappeared.

Davina was holding herself up on the sink as she rubbed her hand over her heart.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, she released it before she brushed her hair and her teeth then dressed herself for bed.

She’d have to ponder what the spirits meant my she was chosen after she dealt with Silas and Esther. Until then she couldn’t stress it, it would have to wait.

Falling into a deep slumber she let exhaustion win.

Kol walked into Nik’s house listening to the music of this century, he had already fall in love with Jazz, Blues, Soul, and anything with the orchestra, but he was finding he also enjoyed Rock and Roll, Country, and some of the other Alternative stuff. He hated Techno, Rap, Hiphop and what Davina had dubbed ‘club music’ passionately, when he had heard them today, he had been tempted to actually break the radio! The witch had the gall to laugh at the sounds she had abused his hearing with by telling him it was a kind of music. That wasn’t music. Davina had handed him a list of artists for him to investigate, which he’d probably start tonight unless he wanted to go murder someone because of his family again.

He was surprised to see Elijah was here, he wasn’t surprised that Nik’s house was mostly fixed already, he was rather impressed with the damage Davina had done. Parking his car, he got out and popped in the earbuds, he had a vain hope to escape his family meeting and just go read or go to sleep after he had a bit of blood and a long shower.

Rebekah stormed him before he could escape and dragged him with her towards their brother as she yanked out his earbuds.

“Hello brother,” Elijah said.

“Spell isn’t until tomorrow,” he stated to the elder.

“Yes, I figured, but I have received the most interesting phone calls from Niklaus and Rebekah about your recent behavior and felt the need to meet with them before I aided or rejected your request.”

“Amusing, you think it’s a request,” Kol snorted. “You three are idiotic and psychotic and I am working to prevent Armageddon, you will either aid me or you will be removed from my way. I’m open to both options,” he offered with a smile that was all teeth.

“Kol, you have threatened war upon us,” Klaus started with a childish pout on his face.

“Oh, sod off, Nik.” He glared at his big brother. “Don’t play victim, brother, it’s unfitting for you. I threatened you because you were the most likely suspect and because you are the only one who would have the gall to take her. If only so you could get Marcel to come to you, and as she is the first person in this century, I have met who is not idiotic, psychotic, or completely mad, I’d like to keep her in one piece while we stop you lot from doing irreversible damage to the world as we know it!”

“Silas isn’t real!” Rebekah snapped.

“You are a fool if you dare to presume such a thing. And do not attempt to lecture me about the witchcraft and fables behind it, dear sister, unlike you lot this is my life, this is what I study and what I know, probably better than any living creature,” he stated in a low, dangerous tone.

“The cure…” she started.

“Is not real, and if it is it will not solve the problems!” he roared over Rebekah as he came to loom over her. “Do you not think I have not looked for a cure! A way out of this torturous existence!? I have studied everything for a hint on how to undo mother’s spell! I have studied her grimoires, I have followed some of the most ancient covens, I have traveled the world over for a cure! There is not one! The cure for Silas is not a hope, it is a folly!” he stated as he backed her into a wall.

“Kol,” Klaus grabbed him, and he shoved his brother off him as he glared at him.

“This is one thing not to test me on,” he warned furiously. “You know nothing of what you seek, in the millennium you have had to live, to reign terror upon the world, you will not stand a chance against me if I should go against you, Nik. Don’t think daggering me will be your solution this time,” he warned. Kol had no doubt that Davina Claire had more tricks up her sleeves than Loki, and was more cunning, devious, and underhanded than his family would anticipate. If anything happened to him, he had no doubts the little witch’s rampage would be impressive.

“Kol, calm down,” Elijah grabbed his shoulder.

“No, for once you lot need to listen to me. I’m not the odd one out on this problem, I’m not the bad guy in this mess,” he snapped at his older brother. “Either aid me, or get out of my way,” he warned as he left the room.

“Kol,” Elijah grabbed him which had him spinning around as he broke his brother’s arm and brought Elijah to his knees.

“Do not touch me,” he warned icily. Releasing Elijah, he looked at his siblings. “This is not a game or a joke. And if any of you touch the witch, I will obliterate you, so you can either join the witch and I and help us or get out of my way.”

“You would choose her over your own family,” Rebekah demanded.

“If I do not, then there will be no family to choose after Silas is released,” he stated firmly and that seemed to resonate with them then.

Walking up to his room he looked around and noted that it was clean again and orderly. He went to his trunks and started rifling through his old notes about Silas and the Travelers. He snorted finding a grimoire of child spells and tossed it on his bed to give to Davina for her ‘pupil’; he doubted the Bennett girl was truly committed to the craft which was why he refused to teach her. Pulling out the drawing of the Hunter’s Mark Davina had given him today he started looking it over carefully before he dug through his trunks for his grimoires on counter curses or curse removal.

Davina wasn’t wrong, it was a dark mark, and like all dark marks it was probably warped over time. Finding what he was looking for he tossed the grimoires on his bed before grabbing a pad of paper then went to hunt down a bottle of bourbon. Finding what he desired and a crystal sniffer he returned to his room to find Rebekah looking through his trunks.

“All this?” she whispered.

“What do you want, Bex?” he asked tiredly as he poured himself a drink and sat down to start taking notes. Kol had always been gifted with languages, and though he preferred writing in runic after all these centuries he made an effort to write in languages his witches would understand when he worked with them.

“Have you… truly, searched for a cure?” she asked.

“Yes,” he answered honestly as he turned a page and jotted down a few ideas.

“Is it…?” she started.

“What mother did to us is Black Magic, Bex,” he explained as he continued reading. “Makes it difficult to undo, but as it was done, it can be undone, it’s just about finding the right way to undo it that doesn’t topple nature.”

“Were you ever going to tell me?” she asked.

“No,” he answered. “I didn’t feel like giving you false hope every century,” he remarked as he continued scribbling a few more notes. Looking at the image Davina had handed him he looked it over carefully, the innocent woman, the reaper like figure the roots. Getting up he went to his coat from the day and pulled out the map Davina had extracted from Shane’s mind.

“But do you think you can find a cure?”

“Yes,” he answered absently as he looked at the map then dropped it by the drawing of the mark. Grabbing a straight edge, he started overlapping the images.

“Why didn’t you ever ask for help?” she whispered.

“Help?” he sputtered as his head snapped up. “Bex, you weren’t a witch, none of you were, Elijah, Klaus, and you took to vampirism with ease, I can’t,” he stressed. “I looked for a cure so I could reconnect with nature, I am a witch, how am I supposed to get you lot to help me with something when you can’t comprehend what I’m feeling or why I desire to be human again!”

“I desire to be human! To fall in love, have a family, raise some children, grow old, live,” she whispered.

“Bex, I understand that, I do,” he admitted earnestly. Kol did understand what his sister desired, because even if he didn’t want the same thing, he wanted to be alive again. “But why I want the cure and why you want it are not reasons that align, nor would work well together. I want it to regain… myself. You want it to live,” he said. “Those interests will not work well together.”

“Are you… are you still looking for a cure?” she inquired.

“Always,” he answered. “And if I find one, you will be the first person I tell,” he assured her.

“About your witch,” Rebekah started.

“She is off limits, Bex,” he snapped as he glared at her. “Off. Limits.”

“I was just going to say don’t get attached to her, she’s Marcel’s.”

“Not in the way you’re insinuating,” he snorted.

“Well, he claims she’s his kid, but who knows in a few years, and she could be a beautiful little thing,” Rebekah remarked bitterly.

“Bex, Marcel is her father, she’s claimed as much and he has too, it’s not going to change. And as to how ‘attached’ I am or not to her, that is my business, not your concern.”

“You’re my big brother, it is my concern,” she said primly.

“It hasn’t been your concern in well over a thousand years, besides, I’m not the one with the string of psychotic exes,” he pointed out.

“What are you implying?” she asked in mock outrage.

“You, Nik and Elijah have terrible tastes in significant others,” he stated firmly.

“We do not!”

“The de Martel woman, this Katerina woman, you with the Brotherhood of the Five leader, the current perky blonde Nik’s enamored with, those blonde twins in the fifteenth century, admittedly Tatia was not that bad, but Céleste, need I even go into the Spaniard?” he started.

“At least we try,” Rebekah defended.

“I did like Marcel, he was good for and to you,” he admitted as he flipped through a few pages.

“I might hate the bastard, but even I couldn’t fault him for how he loved you,” he muttered as he bit his pen and grabbed the curse mark again looking between one of runes. He circled a few and turned to write it down before he took a sip of the bourbon. He circled a few more runes before frowning and looking at the spell.

‘Choosing the Worthy’ was the title. He looked over the writing, it wasn’t his mother’s, he didn’t recognize this writing, it was familiar though. He knew it was in his mother’s other grimoires which had him walking past Rebekah to pull out the other grimoires.

“Did you just give up?” Rebekah asked him.

“On what?” he sputtered as he looked up at her in confusion.

“Love,” she answered.

He laughed then as his head fell back. Kol had never wanted love, or affections, or passions, despite his love of the fairer sex he was not interested in the full romance of them. Kol didn’t want a family, wife, or anything; he’d witnessed his parents’ marriage deteriorate to such a state it was a sham, and he never wanted to be in a union because of that. And after his mother’s curse had been enacted he had little interest in love, merely looking at how to get what he needed and wanted. His one love, his magic, it had been stripped from him, and he’d do anything to get it back.

“Leave Bex, I have work,” he waved her off as he dropped the grimoires open on his bed and compared the handwriting. He was quick to start making a sketch as he looked at the curse and then at the other runes. It was all runic, gave him hopes the Hunter’s mark was exclusively one kind of magic, but he knew it probably wasn’t. looking over the grimoire he rubbed his eyes as he sighed. It would help if he knew who had cast this bloody curse.

He didn’t notice when Rebekah left as he worked.

Marcel opened his door at the crack of dawn to have Kol storming the house with his nose buried in a book and a pen clasped between his teeth and a massive bag slung over his shoulder.

“About the Hunter’s mark, if it is a curse, we need to figure out how it is placed upon the Hunter so we know what qualities are selected, it’s not in bloodlines… and you’re not Davina,” Kol observed looking up finally.

“She’s still asleep,” Marcel remarked dryly as he shut the door.

“Right,” he looked confused and then dropped the stuff on the couch before going up to Davina’s room. Marcel shook his head as he waited.

There was a curse, a crash, another crash, and another curse before Kol came out with Davina over his shoulder.

“We have work,” he stated as he dropped Davina on the couch. "Is that my shirt?"

“I was sleeping!” she growled.

“Silas, impending doom, we can sleep when we’re dead!” Kol dismissed.

“You are dead!”

“So I am, but we have work to do,” he countered.

“Coffee,” Davina snarled lowly. “No coffee, no work.”

“Fine.” Kol stalked to the kitchen and started prepping the coffee.

“Good morning D,” Marcel greeted his kid who was rubbing her eyes and glaring murderously at Kol. “I can always dagger him,” Marcel offered playfully, as he opened his emails from Thierry.

“No,” she yawned. “I was going to get up anyways,” she mumbled as she slumped on the couch and was sound asleep again. Marcel snorted and Kol reappeared to glare at Davina before waving the coffee under her nose which had her jolting awake.

“I’m awake!” she promised.

“Here,” he shoved the mug at her.

“What’s with all the racket?” Hayley reappeared then with her hair in a disarray.

Marel pointed at Kol then.

“Ah,” she nodded.

“I think the Hunter’s Mark is a spell from the Bennett family,” Kol stated as he pulled his book out again and Davina frowned.

“What?”

“Back in the New World, mother was close to a mysterious witch, she wasn’t from our part of the world, nor was she a thrall won in battle,” he explained. “Her name was Ayana, she was the one who taught me about Silas. She claimed to be a descendant of a witch Qetsiyah. This is her handwriting, and her spell,” he pointed at the book then grabbed another paper.

“I don’t remember you being this chipper in the mornings,” Marcel remarked as Davina sipped her coffee.

“I haven’t gone to sleep,” he answered. “This, this is the runes in the Brotherhood of the Five’s mark and together, these go to only one spell I know of, and it was from Ayana,” he explained. “She created the spell upon our warriors so they could always find potential members for our village. Her translations though were Hebrew to Old Norse, and this is how they would come out.”

“Didn’t people know about you?” Davina asked.

“No,” he shook his hand. “A handful of Vikings from the Old World had made their way here, to this spot for rich lands, good health and new lives. But the journey back then was far more perilous, and the culture of the village founded here was a mix between local tribes and the Norse who came. Ayana was the only one from a place I don’t know, at least, not exactly, she came from the middle east, and spoke Hebrew. She came over when I was about three or four months old, Elijah said she had been captured by our father on a raid in the Old World,” he grimaced as he tried to remember. “She was my first real teacher, my mother tried but my magic exceeded what she could teach rather quickly.

“Anyway, there was a massive war that broke out between my father, who was the chief and land owner at the time, and one of the Old World Norse who came seeking our prosperous village, which lead to the betrayal of our village and a massacre. As a result, father had my mother and Ayana create a special mark, something only people from our village could see, and if it revealed itself on a stranger that meant they were worthy of joining our village, if they possessed no mark then we did not trust them. Now, the selection of the worthy is the tricky part, and without a full view of the mark it is unclear how the selection happens, but it is clear that this mark can only be seen by those deemed worthy. Good news is, despite the Black Magic, we can remove it, we possess a Bennett witch and I know the counter curse.”

“And the bad news?” Marcel asked.

“Once it’s gone, it’s gone, it’ll be like the Brotherhood of the Five never were, it won’t kill whoever it is connected to, but any marks, maps or clues about Silas will be gone.”

“We already have the map,” Davina pointed out.

“True, but we shouldn’t do this until we talk to Nik about the Brotherhood of the Five, perhaps he’ll know something we don’t, or we might need to ask the Gilbert kid about,” he pointed out.

“Oh no, she’s not going near Niklaus!” Marcel declared.

“When do we meet with him?” Davina asked.

Chapter Text

Klaus lounged with a brandy by the fireplace. He had heard Kol moving about all night, muttering to himself at times as if testing out words and phrases in half forgotten languages, and then this morning he had left. Sun barely peaking up and his brother had stormed out of here with his nose in a book and a heavy bag slung over his shoulder. Klaus was surprised, but then he didn’t know if he should be.

Kol had always been rather studious and very devoted to his craft when he was human, and happy to study it. Klaus knew his brother hadn’t just dropped magic because he hadn’t been able to practice it, Kol always seemed to have the strangest and most useful array of dark objects on hand. His young brother was a crafty bastard, he had been a force to reckon with when he was focused and grounded, and he was unnaturally motivated. Despite all of Kol’s childish, impish, and carefree character traits he was serious at heart, and innovative with magic; if the last thousand years were anything to judge.

“He’s got an infatuation,” Rebekah giggled as she appeared in the room.

“So, it would appear,” Klaus agreed with a small smile of his own.

Kol might like his witch friends over the century, but he didn’t rescue them or care about them enough to chase after them, no matter how powerful they could be. Kol might be like them, but not like how he was acting for Davina Claire.

“It is a surprise,” Rebekah commented as she sat down beside him. “A pleasant one, but a surprise all the same.”

“It is a nice change for him to have a weakness,” Klaus agreed.

“I do believe that after last night’s tantrum you should leave the girl alone, Niklaus,” Elijah stated as he walked in fixing his cufflink. “Kol on a rampage would not end well this time around.”

“It never ends well anyways,” Rebekah dismissed. “Did… did you know he was looking for a cure?”

“No,” Elijah admitted.

Klaus didn’t respond. He had honestly thought Kol enjoyed being an indestructible vampire, he had always been wild and reckless in a fight, and now he couldn’t be killed. Kol had always liked pushing the limit, finding the edge between life and death when he was human, it had driven them all insane. If there was danger within a thousand miles to be had, Kol would probably find it just to flirt. Klaus had never actually stopped to think if his younger brother liked being a vampire or not, not when Klaus had come to love it.

“I will be meeting with our brother later,” Elijah said.

“What spell?” Klaus asked remembering something Kol had spat out last night seeing Elijah.

“Apparently his witch requires a conduit or two for a curse breaking spell on young Mister Gilbert,” Elijah remarked calmly.

“A curse breaking spell?” Klaus looked at his brother curiously.

“Yes, he was very insistent, and threatening about it as well, I assume it will have something to do with Silas,” Elijah sighed.

“I wish he would let us help,” Rebekah muttered. “You know, in his search for the cure.”

“Whyever would we want that?” Klaus demanded sharply.

“To live, Klaus,” Rebekah retorted.

Hayley watched in amusement as Kol all but force-fed Davina coffee and ran over the spell that would probably break a curse. She would admit, she was impressed, she didn’t even understand half of what he was saying but Davina seemed to.

“It’s peculiar,” Marcel finally said as they stood on the porch.

“What is?”

“How… close they are,” Marcel grimaced.

Hayley chuckled as she sipped her coffee. “He doesn’t seem that bad.”

“He’s insane, he makes Klaus, my father, look normal,” Marcel countered. “Kol’s always been a little unhinged, they have to usually dagger him just so he doesn’t go completely off the rails.”

“Why?” Hayley asked.

“Kol is what vampires refer to as a Ripper,” Marcel stated. “He has very little self-control on his hunger, he has a great difficulty controlling it, and he’s challenging to take down because he’s an Original, Klaus and Elijah had to actually plan sneak attacks to get near him just to dagger him. Elijah said that Kol was a great warrior in the making before he was turned, very controlled and very studious, didn’t matter how childish or carefree he was, he was very controlled. He was still wild, and wily, and happy to pull one over on some and flirt, but he wasn’t out of control as a witch. Elijah theorized that Kol losing his connection to magic was what had pushed him over the edge.”

“He seems sane now,” Hayley pointed out.

“Which is what worries me,” Marcel admitted. “When Kol snaps the body counts are high, and the casualties are whoever’s closest.”

“You said he was a witch?” Hayley asked as she looked at him.

“They say, and he says he was a witch, but there’s no one alive today who could actually attest to it,” Marcel stated.

Hayley shrugged. She didn’t mind Kol, he seemed the most reasonable of the Mikaelsons she had met, and he wasn’t just running around on a killing spree thinking everyone was out to get him. She also liked how he treated Davina and her, he didn’t set them on the sidelines or look at them like they were less because they were women, he dragged them along with him and challenged them to keep up. Though she did find it amusing how he was force-feeding Davina coffee as they talked.

It was on the fifth cup that Hayley intervened.

“No more coffee for you,” Hayley said as she took the mug from Davina.

“What no!” Davina whined.

“I’m calling big sister privileges and cutting you off. And you stop pouring her more, you’re going to stunt her growth.” She warned Kol.

“Too late! I’m eternally stuck at five three,” she sighed miserably.

“Mmm, also if you have more you might go through the roof and after yesterday, I don’t want another power display,” Hayley asserted.

Davina glared at her and Hayley smiled.

“What are you doing, darling?” Kol asked.

“Me?” Hayley asked.

“Davina’s with me all day, so unless she has secret plans, I don’t know about, I do mean you, love,” he chuckled.

Hayley snorted and Kol smiled a lopsided, charming smile which probably was meant to have girls falling at his feet. And probably would’ve charmed Hayley if she did not know this was Davina’s husband and the man Davina loved.

“I am going to try to find the nearest werewolf pack and see what I can learn about my family. I’m not leaving for New Orleans yet, but I do want to learn,” she informed Davina when Davina had looked startled.

“No, I get it,” Davina said. “When I leave Mystic Falls, I’ll give you a ride, I know where they are.”

“I’d like that,” she chuckled.

“First Silas,” Kol interrupted.

“Obviously, and then back to the list,” Davina stated.

“Just making sure we’re on track, love, wouldn’t want you just running off,” he remarked.

“Control freak is apparently a family trait,” Hayley sniped.

“Very much so, we get it from our father.”

“I’m going to change, then we’ll go interrogate your family, and I’ll call Bonnie to prep Jeremy,” Davina said as she stood up. He nodded as he pulled out his phone and started looking through it.

“Did you…” Hayley paused looking over detailed sketches and pristine notes, she noted that his handwriting was bold and legible, while his sketches were detailed. There were notes in a language she didn’t recognize but they seemed personal notes.

“It’s a theory on how to break the curse on the kid,” he answered.

“This is so detailed,” she whispered in awe.

“Aye, it is,” he agreed. “Could’ve done a better job on the conduits, but I have no idea how much power the spell will need,” he admitted a bit sheepishly, scratching his head.

“When did you learn all this?” she whispered in awe as she looked over the notes. She didn’t even understand them, but she grasped how thorough and detailed they were, it was remarkable.

“Had a few centuries and nothing better to do,” he remarked with a wry smile. “This always made sense to me, even though I can’t practice anymore, and witches are always more than happy to learn if they have a powerful conduit in exchange,” he shrugged.

“Impressive, I’ll see you later,” she promised. “And keep my new little sister out of trouble, please, I kind of like having her around.”

“No promises,” he chimed back which had Hayley laughing as she shook her head.

She could see how those two were married in the future. Even if this Davina had been a teen, Hayley would bet that Davina would’ve been in league with Kol. If only for the mischief. Those two were probably always birds of a feather and partners in crime, and complementary personalities to boot.

Hayley got dressed swiftly and left, waving off Marcel and Kol as she left. Finding a wolf pack would be a start on finding out more about the Labonair family.

Davina was ready for her day, though she still felt like she had been run over by a bus from yesterday, but she couldn’t dwell on it. Waving to Marcel she left with Kol and started looking over his notes on the fertility potion.

“I already gathered all the ingredients,” he stated.

“Thanks,” she murmured looking at the recipe for the potion. It was so strong, she was reluctant to utilize it.

“I’ll get to brewing this on the new moon so that way it’ll be ready; just in case,” she admitted as she leafed through his notes. She was envious of her husband’s handwriting, it was so elegant and bold, and while hers’ was neat, his was just stunning.

“Nik’s got a kid… what are they like? I can ask that, right?”

“Who like?” Davina asked.

“Nik’s kid,” he remarked.

“You can ask. Her name is Hope. She’s… she’s her father’s daughter in a lot of ways,” Davina admitted. “She’s very stubborn, even from a young age she was stubborn, she’s creative, witty, fun, sensitive, she’s resilient. But then she’s like her mother, she’s very feisty, a fighter, very expressive and God!... she has the most irritating hero complex, I swear she got that from your brother Elijah,” Davina warned.

He snorted. “Yeah, good ol’ Elijah, he’s always the hero of the family, the noble one.”

Davina said nothing to that as she thought about Hope.

“She’s gifted,” Davina said softly. “She’s very gifted, she’s a powerful little witch, doing magic in the cradle, making things go a little crazy, she one time, vanished all the keys in the house, Cami and Rebekah couldn’t find a single car key for the day, and that was the day they were planning on moving her.”

“Moving her?”

“Something really… bad is coming, when she’s a baby, and it’s after her” she said softly. “And if I do this right, she won’t have to run, and you guys will get to stay together. This is provided we solve the Silas problem, which we will because I don’t have time to be dead. Oh, she’s very, stupidly, annoyingly brave too, and she obviously gets that from your family.”

“You seem to know her well.”

“I do,” Davina nodded. “I restrained her magic when she was a baby. Hayley came to me seeking help, and at the time I was willing to help. Seemed more important to dampen the baby’s power than have her out of control.”

He nodded. “I look forward to meeting her,” he smiled.

“I’ll admit you are her favorite uncle,” she chuckled. “She told me it’s cause you smuggle her out for ice cream and teach her all sorts of spells.”

“Ah-ha! Another reason to ensure her conception!” he cackled. “I can annoy my brothers by being the favorite! Now we really must ensure her existence.”

“I was already working on that!” she pointed out.

“Yes, but before I was on the fence about actually aiding you in getting it done,” he confessed. “But if I’m the favorite uncle I must ensure she’s around to annoy my siblings and to teach her all sorts of pranks and spells,” he declared smugly.

Davina snorted as she shook her head in exasperation in his glee at having someone he could teach to torment his siblings with him. Kol was someone who needed a coven, who needed magic in his life, and love and affection; even when he stubbornly insisted he didn’t.

“How about you, why do you want to ensure her conception?” he asked.

“She was my best pupil, and I adore her,” Davina answered softly. “Also, her mother was like the big sister I never had.”

“So that sort of makes us family, either through Marcel or Hayley?” he ventured warily.

“Hayley?”

“If Hope is the daughter of the sister you’ve never had, obviously, you mean Hayley.”

“Fuck. I didn’t want to tell you that.”

“I won’t tell anyone love, promise,” he said as he crossed his heart. “So Hayley and Nik… never would’ve thought that one to happen.”

“They didn’t either to be fair.”

“In your time, if Hope is your pupil, and niece… that makes us family, either through Hayley or Marcel or Hope,” he mused.

“We’re best friends,” she remarked. “You, other than Josh or Vincent, are the best and truest friend I could ever ask for.”

“Really?” he seemed skeptical then.

“Really.”

“And what makes you have such a bold declaration, Davina Claire?”

“Because you saved my life,” she answered. “We were best friends from that moment on, even when you royally piss me off.”

“I would never piss off a lady,” he chuckled.

Now she laughed as she held her ribs. The burn reminded her laughing hurt a lot. “Please don’t make me laugh,” she giggled as she tried to breath. “Burned skin doesn’t like that movement.”

He snorted.

“So, to your brother’s home?” she asked.

“Yes, the little gang of teenagers are being wrangled there, with their vampire supervision for a history lesson from Nik,” he stated with utter disdain at the thought.

“You could be a little nicer to them, they’re kids,” she pointed out.

“They’re idiots,” he countered flatly.

“They’re teenagers!”

“You’re a teenager and you’re not an idiot, hence why I like your company. They’re just idiots,” he stressed.

“I’m an adult in a teenager’s body.”

“Love, even so, I bet teenager you, while just as caffeine addicted and grumpy, is not stupid.”

“I think that’s a compliment, and I only became a caffeine addict when I got married!”

“Oh really!?”

“Really, my coven was super strict on what I could and couldn’t consume, wear, listen to, read, and so forth, then Marcel wouldn’t let me have all the coffee I wanted because he was afraid I was going to blast through the roof, and then I was busy with trying to figure out an identity outside the coven, learn more magic, keep New Orleans from imploding, and be normal, and then I was married and all of a sudden, coffee! Coffee is life,” she smiled. Being married to Kol was being married to a hyperactive child; coffee was life.

“I will be sure to inform the poor bastard upon the exchange of the vows,” he quipped.

She giggled a little as she thought of that scene. Davina got to the next set of notes and saw it was only one page, a rough sketch of the little hourglass she had had clasped in her hand, and the writing translations were half done.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“I am still trying to figure out what that hourglass was, I don’t want to get your hopes up,” he admitted. “It’s an… unusual object.”

“We can just put it on the bottom of the list,” she murmured. “But thank you,” she said honestly.

“I’ve seen a handful of objects like that,” he explained. “Not for Time Magic or something, they’re usually for moving souls through nature. See the Celtic designs,” he pointed to the foxes. “That’s druid magic, old even when I was young, but the Egyptian hieroglyphs make me think this is a shoddy thrown together trinket. However, the Mayan is a serious twist, the Mayans had some of the most active studies in Time Magic, you can find remnants of it today with their calendars, a few other cultures studied time as they did.”

“It’s… it’s unusual,” she admitted.

“What is it?” he asked her.

“Nothing,” she sighed.

“Davina, love?” he drawled out.

“Just something spirits said,” she winced as she pinched her nose. “They said I was chosen.”

“For what?”

“No clue, it’s at the bottom of the worries list. And we’re here,” she observed.

“Davina, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me?”

“I would if I knew, but honestly, I don’t. That blasted hourglass just appeared on my kitchen counter, and no one who could know what it was, knew what it was, and I went to go investigate at my niece’s school for supernatural kids and now I’m stuck going through puberty. Again. I don’t know what it is, what I’m chosen for, or anything and it’s frustrating but it is at the bottom of my worry list because there’s Silas, and Esther and other things that have to be taken care of and I’m on a timetable, so I don’t have a lot of time to worry about that,” she huffed.

“Who’d you see?”

“A girl of my former coven,” she admitted.

“And?”

“And nothing, she’s a spirit I shouldn’t have a connection to because I, in my time, am excommunicated from my coven,” she answered.

“Excommunicated?” he sputtered. “I thought you said you left.”

“Oh, believe me by the time we got to that, I was leaving one way or another whether they wanted me to or not, and my friend, Vincent, he was the one who got me out by shunning me when he was Regent. I am thankful to him because it got me out of there.”

“Why?”

“There was a new threat, and Marcel and my friend didn’t want me hurt, also, I kind of pissed off the ancestors, again, because I didn’t like playing by their rules. I really don’t like rules; they’re more of guidelines anyways,” she muttered. “I was also tired of being used by everyone for everyone else’s gain and no one would help me as I needed or wanted. I was just tired by the time my excommunication came around; it was a relief. I was free,” she sighed.

“Huh, never thought I’d hear of a witch being relieved to be excommunicated from her coven,” he admitted.

“My husband and I are enough of a coven for me, I don’t want more people,” she sighed. “Well, maybe Vincent could join, maybe… If he really wanted to, he can join.”

“Oh, is that so?” Kol asked in amusement.

“Vincent is kind of like the big brother I never got to have,” she admitted. “He might have excommunicated me, but he’s still one of the best witch friends I ever had.”

“Good to know I’m not replaced by Vincent,” Kol mused.

“You, Kol Mikaelson, are irreplaceable,” she informed him.

Kol looked like she has struck him with lightning as he blinked rapidly and then assessed her with an expression she couldn’t place.

“Come on, the kiddies are here,” he muttered with disdain as he got out of the car. Before she could get her door, he was pulling it open and offering her a hand. She smiled as she accepted his hand and they walked towards the house.

Chapter Text

Bonnie watched Davina walk in with Kol, they seemed to be discussing something about the paper before her and she looked at Caroline who was nervously flittering about.

The Mikaelsons who had gathered had been utterly indifferent about their arrival.

Bonnie had actually offered to come here when Davina had called her this morning about meeting up to break Jeremy’s curse after a history lesson from Klaus on the Brotherhood of the Five. Davina had agreed to the meeting, and Bonnie had called Caroline and Elena about this change in plans. Caroline had immediately opted to come, while Elena had decided this was something Jeremy would need to make an informed decision which had lead to Damon being called and inviting Matt and Jeremy to the Mikaelson home and now it was everyone here. Matt looked as nervous about this as Bonnie felt, Jeremy looked like he was working really hard on not attacking every vampire in the room, while the Originals all lounged casually and watching them.

“I don’t think we should do that though, what if we substituted the Runic for Greek?” Davina offered.

“Doesn’t translate well,” Kol answered.

“You said the first five were Italian,” she pointed out. “We could use Latin.”

“I would agree, but the runes on the mark are Runic,” he stated.

“I’m not good at Runic,” she muttered.

“Nice of you two lovebirds to finally show up,” Klaus remarked.

“Silence,” Davina waved her hand.

Klaus was rendered mute which had Damon and Stefan gaping at her. Bonnie was amazed, Klaus always seemed to strike fear into everyone, and Davina hadn’t even looked or acted intimidated.

“Do you think we could translate it to French?” she offered.

“No,” Kol admitted.

“Hell,” she grumbled. “I’m terrible at Norse languages.”

Klaus was silently shouting at Davina which had Bonnie biting her lip to keep from laughing. The other two Original siblings looked amused as well.

“So, it’ll have to be Runic,” Davina conceded.

“It will, not to worry love, I’ll help you out with pronunciation. Did you put a silencing spell on my brother?” Kol looked bewildered as he just noticed Klaus fuming, yelling in silence.

“Hm?” Davina hummed and looked up at the fuming Klaus. “Oh. I guess I did.”

“I must say I am enjoying this change,” Elijah drawled out as he stood doing his coat up. “I’m Elijah, and you must be…” he drawled.

“Davina Claire, New Orleans witch,” she offered with a smile.

“Can we keep her!?” Rebekah demanded gleefully as she skipped past Klaus.

“She’s not a puppy, Bex,” Kol retorted. “And for our history lesson, it’d help if you unmuted my brother, love,” he said to her.

“Fine,” she waved her hand.

“You Impertinent!” Klaus started.

“Didn’t anyone teach you if you can’t say anything nice or useful, say nothing at all,” Davina asked sweetly.

Caroline giggled which had Klaus glaring at all of them as he regained his composure.

“I like her,” Matt decided then. “She’s feisty.”

“I like her too,” Bonnie admitted. “She’s a brilliant teacher.”

“I don’t trust her,” Elena muttered as she sat beside Bonnie. “She’s too…” Elena waved her hand.

“She’s a knowledgeable, powerful witch, and she’s obviously competent, she’s a good teacher and she hasn’t been a bad friend,” Bonnie pointed out.

“Yes, but her and Kol are trying to keep the cure from us,” Elena muttered.

“The cure isn’t a cure you want to take,” Kol stated firmly. Which had all heads snapping over to him as he continued leafing through the papers in his hand.

“How do you know?” Jeremy sneered.

“Walk the earth for a millennium and you’ll pick up a thing or two, mate,” he remarked dryly.

“Play nice,” Davina ordered as she circled Kol.

“I am, they’re all still alive,” he countered with such seriousness and earnestly that Bonnie wondered how much they annoyed Kol Mikaelson that he considered leaving them alive as playing nice.

“Baby steps. It’s all about baby steps,” she promised Davina.

Davina shrugged daintily in response.

“Anyways, the Brotherhood of the Five, shall we begin?” Kol cut off as he went to sprawl over a couch. Davina grabbed the papers from Kol and walked over to Bonnie.

“Yes, shall we? The sooner we do, the sooner the riffraff leaves my home,” Klaus declared smugly.

“I think it would be hard for you to leave your own house, but very well, Klaus,” Davina remarked. Which had the Original glaring murderously at her as the siblings seemed to struggle containing their amusement.

“Do you have a death wish?” Bonnie whispered as Klaus snarled something at Rebekah and Elijah.

“Not currently, give it a few hours when we try to break the curse for me to decide, I’m not fully caffeinated yet.”

“Hayley cut you off,” Kol called out.

“What Hayley doesn’t know won’t kill her!” Davina countered.

“Shall we begin?” Stefan asked clearing his throat.

Klaus was fuming as he grabbed a sniffer and poured himself a drink. “Back in the twelfth century we were on the advancing forces in Italy, it was a hell of a party,” he chuckled to himself. “Elijah and I were generals in the military, and our darling sister played the part of princess, the fair maiden all men would desire, while Kol was off learning whatever it is Kol learned and Finn had his darling Sage, whom we all hated.”

“She was a tramp,” Rebekah snapped with utter disdain. “Even by my low standards, she was a tramp. Even father disliked her upon running into her, I remember that!”

“Too true! Finn has the worst taste of all of you,” Kol declared smugly.

“You’re one to talk!” Rebekah snorted sardonically.

 “I leave them happy and satisfied, but we know bloody well what we’re doing so I don’t leave a trail of vengeful exes,” he countered. “And none of mine tried to actively kill me or sleep with one of my siblings.”

“Did she really?” Elijah asked with a baffled expression.

“Finn wanted a way to undo what was done and sent her after me, apparently he didn’t get the notice I don’t like redheads, because he and Sage sent me a few,” he muttered. “And he didn’t know I don’t like waking up to unknown naked women in my bloody bed! Though I still think that was her doing because Finn wasn’t that creative or imaginative.”

“HA! See! She was a tramp!” Rebekah shouted in victory. “None of my suitors were ever that slutty.”

“Thank the Vanir, it would’ve been awkward if you sent men to seduce us,” Kol quipped.

“I didn’t know she had sent you women,” Elijah remarked.

“It was a midnight snack,” he shrugged. “Not my normal sort, but a snack all the same.”

“We’re getting off topic!” Davina called out, which had Bonnie snickering. It was interesting seeing the Original family act like a normal group of bickering siblings.

“It’s so weird to see them be so normal,” Bonnie whispered to Davina.

“They’re a family, they argue and bicker,” she mused.

“Too right, little witch,” Klaus agreed.

“Back to invading Italy,” Kol remarked. “Hell of a time that was,” he smiled menacingly.

“It was, brother,” Klaus agreed. “We encountered a group there known as the Brotherhood of the Five who had started exposing vampires. This was before I turned Prince Vlad Tepes, who would expose all of us by a few centuries, but it was at a time when our exposure was to be feared and witches practiced in secret with sects of Christianity starting to hunt them down.

“We could not risk exposing ourselves to the Brotherhood, we were already prized generals in the war, but out little sister was of great interest to one of the Hunters, the leader of the Hunters to be exact. He was so enamored by our darling Rebekah that he was willing to spill all his secrets to her,” he commented.

“Not all,” she amended. “He spoke of the map leading to a cure,” she explained.

“Silas! It leads to Silas! Not a bloody cure!” Kol hissed furiously.

“Peace brother,” Elijah cut off.

“They claimed a sword was the key to reading the map that is growing on your arm,” Rebekah stated.

“This sword,” Klaus said as he pulled it from a box.

Bonnie gasped as she felt the amount of power radiating off it. Jeremy moved towards it like he was bewitched.

“Don’t,” Davina snapped as she got up and walked slowly towards Klaus. “Don’t move, someone restrain the Hunter.”

Bonnie whispered an immobilization spell and was giddy when it worked.

“What is it?” Kol asked.

“I don’t know,” Davina muttered as she took the sword from Klaus’ hand.

“I feel it,” Bonnie stated.

“What?” Elena asked.

“Black Magic,” Davina answered carefully as she inspected the sword. Kol now was up and walking towards her and Davina. Davina put the sword on the table and started inspecting the item, and Bonnie peered at the hilt as Davina worked. It was a weird design, but then again, Bonnie didn’t know much about ancient swords.

“This is Black Magic?” Bonnie asked.

“It’s not Dark, this is…this is a powerful weapon,” she muttered.

Davina had felt a connection between the Hunter and the sword the moment Klaus had pulled it from the box he had had it in. The sword was screaming for blood, for power, for completion, it was extraordinarily strong and powerful.

Davina noted that the hilt was loosely wrapped in a leather grip which didn’t seem to belong and slowly she undid it.

“Bloody hell,” Kol muttered as he reached over.

“What are these?”

“Runes,” he answered. “Nordic, from our village,” he said looking up at Klaus and Elijah. “This was designed by Ayana.”

“What’s that mean?” Bonnie asked.

“Your ancestor made the curse on your friend, means you can undo it,” he stated.

“How sure are you that this is Ayana’s work?” Elijah asked as he came over to look at the sword.

“See this,” Kol pointed at a few runes as he rolled the cryptex in the hilt. “Ayana wasn’t fluent in runic, she would make strange translations in her magic, I found a few in mother’s grimoire and I remember once asking her about it. Things like flower’s bloom, here, that’s Ayana’s translations for some of her more complex magic. Ayana was a descendent of Qetsiyah,” he stated.

“How do you know that?” Bonnie asked in disbelief.

“She was the one who told me about Silas, initially, and how her family’s responsibility was to destroy him and his evil,” Kol explained. “Which means, if you are a descendant of Qetsiyah’s, then you’re related to Ayana, and whichever witch made this curse, so you can undo it,” he said towards Bonnie.

“Do we want to destroy the curse though,” Elijah asked.

“I don’t see why we wouldn’t. It’s going to obliterate that kid, and probably claim a few more lives, these are Hunters who are motivated to kill us, better we destroy this curse than have to deal with Klaus being on another Hunter’s Curse suicide watch for a different century,” Kol sighed.

“You… you think you can remove the mark?” Elena asked nervously.

“Seeing this sword, yes,” Davina answered. “We’ll need this though to slay Silas,” she muttered as she shoved it at Kol who fumbled to catch it.

“Bloody hell, love, don’t go throwing this around,” Kol yelped as he caught the sword.

“This does mean we’ll have to change the design of the counter curse; we’ll use Bonnie to funnel the magic, it’s her ancestor, she should be able to connect to it. I can channel her while she channels her ancestors and do the counter curse,” she explained.

“That’s going to be a lot of power, love,” he pointed out.

“Well, if they’re connecting with Bonnie, they won’t connect with me, but I can channel it,” Davina stated.

“How do we do it without changing the sword though?” Kol asked.

“What about preserving it? Like your dark objects.”

“That’ll take multiple witches,” he stated blandly.

“We have Bonnie and me, we’ll make it work,” Davina decided.

“We will?” Bonnie sputtered.

“We will,” Davina nodded. “You’re getting dropped in the deep end,” Davina stated.

“It’s sort of pass fail, which I always thought was easier,” Kol remarked.

“You go get the supplies, I’ll get set up,” Davina ordered.

“We’re doing this now?” Elena gaped.

“Yup, right now!” Davina declared.

“Why?” Elijah asked.

“Because if that kid, gets that sword, we’re all in trouble and I don’t need more trouble,” Davina stated to Elijah. “I’m going to need more coffee,” she muttered.

Caroline watched Davina and Bonnie walk off to the kitchen while Kol sprinted off with the sword and to go get things needed.

“Well things started moving quickly,” Rebekah muttered.

“I have rarely seen him so serious or urgent about moving,” Elijah muttered.

“She thinks she can fix Jeremy?” Matt asked.

“I think so, so there’s hope,” Caroline smile. “Jeremy can be himself again!”

“I… I don’t know,” Jeremy admitted.

“This is a good thing, Jer, you’ll be able to hug your sister again!” Caroline cheered gleefully.

“I don’t know about this, Little Gilbert might be better off as he is,” Damon muttered warily.

“I doubt that,” Kol stated appearing with a bag full of supplies as he grabbed the papers Davina had been looking through.

“Why is that?” Damon asked.

“Being a Hunter isn’t like being a vampire, witch or werewolf, it will consume him and destroy his humanity. Unlike with Vampirism where we can shut our humanity down, a Hunter will lose humanity forever,” he explained. “All he’ll be is a soulless killing machine with a curse like this on him. Davina!”

“What?”

“Where’s the…,” he started. “Thank you,” he plucked the paper from her hand.

“We should do this outside,” she said.

“Why?” Klaus asked warily.

“I think it’ll involve a little lightning,” she answered. “I’ll take those,” she said as she grabbed the bag from Kol and walked off. Kol zipped towards her and took the coffee from the young witch’s hands. “Hey!”

“No,” he snapped.

“Come on!”

“No, Hayley said no, and Marcel will kill me if you blow up the town,” he answered.

“I’m not going to blow up the town.”

“You just mentioned lightning!” Klaus bellowed.

“Just a little bit,” she shrugged.

“Go set it up, the sooner we do this, the sooner we go find Silas and continue on our merry way,” Kol directed.

“Now who’s being bossy,” she grumbled.

“I’ll help,” Caroline chimed as she followed Davina with the bag.

“Thanks, Bonnie and I are doing this outside, on the lawn,” she explained.

“What do you need me to do?” Caroline asked.

“I’m going to set up the spell, put and light the candles at the points,” she explained as she started tracing out a design. Bonnie appeared and started helping which was when Kol appeared too.

“When you do this, it’s going to create a massive power surge, are you prepared for that power?” Kol asked Davina as she started placing the runes from the notes in the circle.

“Bonnie’s going to be taking most of the power surge, not me, so it’s up to her,” Davina stated.

“I can take it,” Bonnie said firmly. “I want to help Jeremy.”

“This is going to hurt,” Kol warned.

“What do you need me to do, brother?”

“We’re going to use you as a conduit,” Kol explained.

“Can’t you use me?” Caroline asked.

“No, you’re not old enough to have the power we need,” Kol answered.

“And I wouldn’t recommend it,” Klaus stated as he appeared.

“I could do it!” Caroline hissed.

“Probably not, a curse this old would likely kill you if you were used as the conduit, Elijah and I are a thousand years old, and between the two of us that is more than enough power for the witches to channel after they’ve made contact with the Bennett ancestors.”

“After Bonnie makes contact, I will not be channeling ancestors, I’m just directing where the power goes and the spell being undone,” Davina clarified.

“Can I help with anything?” Elena blurted out.

“Just be ready to be there for your brother,” Davina huffed as she yanked up her hair. “This is going to hurt. A lot.”

“What’s the spell?” Bonnie asked.

“We’re going to go with the Runic version apparently because translations don’t work,” she glared at Kol.

“I’m saying they don’t work well!” he snapped. “Besides this is the sort of style Ayana used, and we don’t want to miss use it. Else we’ll all be on the Other Side.”

“You can’t die.” Davina called as she walked away.

“I don’t want to test that with this spell,” he shouted after her.

“Oh,” Caroline muttered.

“Come, sweetheart, we’ll wait for the magic to be over before you join in the joyous reunion of friends,” Klaus said offering her his arm. Caroline took it as she saw Kol working with Bonnie and Davina on the spell and Elijah finishing a few marks in the grass.

“We’re not letting them do this to Jeremy without us there,” Stefan appeared.

“By all means, negotiate that with the little witch and my brother, they’re apparently in charge of this matter,” Klaus dismissed as they walked into the house.

“You seem to be taking not being in charge rather well,” Caroline commented.

“I’d rather not go to war with my little brother,” he admitted. “I do love him and would rather not have him truly hating us for an eternity.”

“That’s very mature of you,” she chimed happily.

“It will also be great pleasure exploiting his weakness after this mess is over,” he smiled predatory like.

“I thought you just said you didn’t want to go to war with him!” Caroline snapped.

“Yes, but it is always fun to have the upper hand on Kol, it so rarely happens,” he admitted with glee.

“Unbelievable,” she muttered as she stared dumbfounded at him.

“I won’t hurt his little witch, but it will be fun being able to exploit Kol finally!” he admitted.

“Do you ever just think of just letting someone enjoy their happiness without worrying about impending doom!?” she hissed as she yanked herself away from him.

Chapter Text

Davina looked at the ready spell then at Jeremy Gilbert who was eyeing her nervously. “Ready to reclaim your life?” she asked the teen.

“I don’t know about this,” he admitted.

“That’s understandable,” Davina said as she walked over shoving her hands in the hoodie pockets. “This is scary,” she admitted with a scrunching of her nose and a small smile.

“How are you so calm about all this?” he asked.

“Practice, a lot of practice, besides, Kol’s my back up and he knows more about witchcraft than anyone alive to date,” she promised.

“He was going to chop off my arms!”

“Nothing personal, mate. Silas, impending doom, idiot teenagers, makes me twitchy,” he remarked.

“You’ll excuse him, he hasn’t had enough blood today,” she remarked dryly.

“Seemed pretty personal to me,” Jeremy grumbled as he glared at Kol.

“Well, just think, once this mark is gone then you’ll be back to being you,” she offered. “And never have to deal with us, again.”

“And what about… my powers?”

“I don’t know, my only focus is your mark, if you retain your Hunter abilities or not is not the worry though. The magic to make a Hunter is Black Magic, Jeremy, it is corrupted and only worsens with time. Removing this mark will help you be you and not lose yourself.”

“I’m ready,” Bonnie said.

“Alright, it’s time,” Davina said as she jerked her head over for him to follow her. Jeremy did, and she saw the Salvatore brothers watching her as she moved.

“Remove your clothes, this will be easier this way,” she said.

“My clothes?”

“Don’t be a baby, you don’t have anything we haven’t all seen before,” she shrugged as she grabbed the soot to prepare the spell.

“You’ve seen a naked man before, love?”

“My husband,” Davina quipped. “And he’s a most excellent specimen of the male species.”

“I’m now both exceptionally curious about this husband and disgusted at my curiosity,” Kol informed Davina. Davina roared with laughter, while Jeremy looked mortified.

“No one is as impressive as my husband,” Davina informed Kol playfully. “Now strip Jeremy. Right now. We’re doing this.”

“Davina?” Bonnie started.

“Relax,” Davina said as she turned on Jeremy. “Just a few protection runes so this doesn’t shred his soul, as well as a containment spell to keep his soul in place and to stop the mark from spreading, this is best done when there is no obstruction. Strip.” She ordered again.

Jeremy eyed her but started complying and Davina walked forward as she started writing the runes she would need over his skin as well as drawing the intricate knot to keep his soul in place and to lock the mark from finding another victim.

She could feel Kol’s eyes intently watching her, and it was a bit nerve wracking; Davina had never touched another man beside Kol, even for spells. And Jeremy obviously found the touch arousing which was a bit mortifying to Davina as she just focused on the sensation of Kol watching her and writing out the spell on Jeremy’s skin. Thirty-four years old and the only man she’d ever loved, kissed, or touched was Kol Mikaelson; Davina had never even seen another man naked before. Jeremy made a small sound of arrousal, and Kol gave a menacing growl worthy of Klaus; Davina half expected her husband to materialize, snatch her up over his shoulder and march off; Kol was a possessive soul by nature. Finishing the spell Davina set the materials down, relieved she’d no longer have to be touching Jeremy in any capacity.

Whispering the incantations before she lit her fingers on fire and tapped his heart where the soot lit, racing over his skin which had the boy trembling.

“Where did you learn this?” Stefan asked her.

“Kol,” she answered.

“Lay down,” she said as she went to stand by his shoulder. “This is going to hurt.”

Offering her crossed hands to Bonnie she gestured for the girl to come forward. Kol came to stand by her while Elijah was at Bonnie’s shoulder.

“Now, when I say, Elijah, take Bonnie’s wrist, and Kol will take mine. Bonnie, you’re going to contact the Ancestors, when you are channeling them, I will channel you, I will focus the spell, but the spell is yours, you must say it and mean it,” she warned. “I will be saying a different spell to keep the focus and connection, do not tap into Expression.”

Elena watched nervously from an upper level of the house that looked down on the back lawn, she stared at her brother laid out with strange markings over him as Davina and Bonnie joined hands over him and the Originals step behind Bonnie and Davina. Stefan and Damon were in the wings, watching, ready to move, and Elena bit her lip nervously. She didn’t like Davina, she didn’t trust her, she didn’t know what to make of the young witch who just walked into Mystic Falls and seemed to have been taking over the joint by winning over Kol and then Caroline and Bonnie and now the Originals.

“He’s going to be alright,” Matt commented on which had her twisting around to see him coming forward.

“You don’t know that, we don’t know her, we don’t know what she’s doing!” Elena whispered nervously.

“No, we don’t. But she’s not afraid of Originals, and she’s someone Bonnie likes, which means she can’t be all that bad. Bonnie’s a pretty good judge of character, witch and all.”

“Why are you saying this?” Elena asked.

“Because you need to hear it. Jer’s going to be alright, Davina seems to know what she’s doing, and she seems pretty good at it from what Bonnie’s said.”

“But why is she doing this? Doesn’t it bother you we don’t know her, or what her motives are, or why she’s doing this. I mean, what if she’s just making it all worse?” she asked. “And how do we know they aren’t lying about the cure being bad, and Silas, and everything!?”

“Well, we’ll see when Jer can give you a hug and not want to stake you,” Matt said. “I’m all for the supernatural, Elena, pretty cool, pretty weird to, but I’d really like my friend not have a little brother trying to kill her every time we leave you two alone. I’d really like for you to keep your family. So would Damon, and so would Stefan, and I get it, you don’t want to be a vampire, but you are and that’s that,” he shrugged.

“She’s not normal, Matt, no one helps anyone like she is without wanting something,” Elena stressed.

“Seems like Davina Claire isn’t your normal people,” he shrugged. “It’s kind of hot, really, and if she didn’t have an Original looming over her shoulder, I think we’d all see that.”

“She’s just a kid, Matt!” Elena snorted.

“A hot young woman,” Matt stated again. “Never really got into short brunettes, but I could dig it, she’s got those legs.”

“God you’re horrible,” she laughed, and he smiled. Suddenly the lawn sprung to fire as winds rattled the windows, trees were bowing under the force and Elena looked up as storm clouds started swirling.

“Show time,” Matt muttered.

Elijah watched as Davina and Miss Bennett worked in unison on their respective spells, he had grabbed Miss Bennett’s wrist when ordered to and gasped feeling the power these girls were channeling. They were working hard. Davina called for Kol to help her channel and he watched his brother do the same.

Young Mister Gilbert screamed as the marks Davina had painted on the boy’s body lit in fiery orange and blue to race over the skin of the boy. The child was screaming in pain and suddenly this black leaked from his fingertips killing the grass beneath their very feet.

Davina snarled as she tightened her grip, sharpened her focus and continued her spell, Elijah scented her blood from her nose and noted that Miss Bennett was in a similar state as both girls focused on the other. Winds howled around them, tearing the girls’ hair to dance around wildly. The black hit Davina’s spells and the orange flames turned white which leapt into raging inferno walls, Elijah about jumped at the force of power which sprung to a raging life but didn’t let go of Miss Bennett. There were suddenly a hundred spirits standing around them chanting and Mister Gilbert screamed louder as plant roots wrapped around him to keep him still as Davina’s marks started to burn off him and the black finished spilling from his fingers.

There was a loud crack just as lightning came crashing into Davina, she cried out, as did Miss Bennett and then the electricity spilled over the spell dispensing the flames as the rain started falling harder. Then everything stopped, except the rain, and the world seemed to still slowly as the rage of the spell dissipated. The girls released hands, Miss Bennett stumbled, and he caught her as she collapsed, surprised at the young witch’s weight.

“Did it work?” Miss Bennett panted.

“Ask Jeremy,” Davina breathed as she braced herself on her knees.

“Let’s get them inside before they get hypothermia,” Elijah stated. The Salvatore brothers were gathering up young Mister Gilbert while he scooped up Miss Bennett. Davina stood on her own two feet as she caught her breathe before they were all inside.

“Jeremy,” Stefan shook the boy’s shoulder.

“Good God,” Rebekah appeared.

“Towels and dry clothes for the witches and Mister Gilbert, Rebekah,” he ordered as he sat the Bennett witch on the island stool. She was looking very pale and unsteady.

“Jeremy!” Damon snapped.

The young Gilbert boy jolted to awareness then as he gasped for air and started shivering.

“How you feeling baby Gilbert? Any homicidal impulses?” Damon asked.

“Just the normal ones,” the boy shivered as Rebekah shoved towels at him. Elijah accepted a towel and wrapped it around Miss Bennett who was looking a little dazed.

“Do you have a mark?” Davina asked tiredly.

“No… It’s gone! It’s… It’s GONE!” he cheered. “Elena!” he shouted as he was up, sliding over the floor as he ran for his sister.

“How long until he realizes he’s naked?” Damon asked Stefan.

Elijah shook his head at their immaturity and in exasperation.

“How’d… how’d you not pass out from all that?” Bonnie asked.

“I’m a thousand years old, Miss Bennett, it will take more than being a conduit to render me unconscious, no matter the considerable power. These are Rebekah’s, and they are dry, I suggest you change post haste, to prevent an ailment like pneumonia,” he said briskly.

Davina had changed swiftly, she was surprised she was given a shirt of Kol’s and a pair of sweats from Rebekah, apparently, she was too tiny for Rebekah to want to lend her a shirt. Kol had produced one while muttering about a pain in the ass, spoiled brat his sister was. Davina didn’t care as she walked out of the bathroom still toweling her hair dry.

“That was amazing,” Bonnie announced when Davina walked into the kitchen again.

“It worked,” Davina admitted with a heavy sigh as she continued rubbing over her hair to dry it.

“What happened with the curse?” Bonnie asked.

“The curse was Black Magic. I had us return it to the earth and to purify it, which meant burning it while the rain would wash it away. The lightning was the final insurance that it was dispersed back to the earth,” she explained. “You being related to the caster meant you could summon the curse, I redirected it back to the earth while you pulled it from the soul of every member of the Hunter apart of Brotherhood of the Five. By having the marks on Jeremy, we linked the five Hunters and then we summoned all five Marks.”

“That was a lot of power,” Bonnie murmured carefully. “How did you channel it?”

“I’m already channeling more power than I would normally possess, and I decided this is how I was utilizing it,” she shrugged.

“Those three girls?” Bonnie whispered.

“What three girls?”

“There’s… when I reached out to you on the astral plane, there were three other girls with you,” Bonnie admitted.

“A blonde, brunette with a bob cut and a girl with long curly black hair?” Davina asked quickly.

“Yes,” Bonnie nodded.

“I see,” Davina nodded carefully.

“Who are they?”

“They’re whose power I currently possess,” she admitted. “The blonde’s name is Abigail; she is a witch inclined towards air. The girl with the bob cut is Cassie; she is inclined towards water, and the other girl is Monique, she’s inclined towards earth.”

“You’re inclined towards fire,” Bonnie murmured.

“I am,” she admitted. “You don’t need to know, or understand this, but they are the powers I am currently channeling and housing right now. That’s all it is,” she shrugged.

“That’s… all that power…?”

“I am powerful, on my own, but considering my current state though I’ve decided to put it to use. Stopping Silas and a few other evils seems wise to do while I have the power to do so. It is also why I cannot connect with your ancestors, and I plead with you to never attempt to make me do that again.”

“I…?” Bonnie sputtered.

“It’s not your fault,” she promised. “What happened when they tried to connect, but I would wager you were looking for me with a coven spell and not a general locator spell, which means that your family has had a coven and it sought to connect me to that coven. I can’t have that right now, or ever,” Davina stated. “I will find you a general locator spell or two, there are a few, ones that don’t require coven bonds or familiar bonds,” she assured the witch.

Kol walked back into the kitchen to see the two witches talking and dropped the grimoire of basic spells before the Bennett witch.

“This is for you as payment for not getting Davina killed. I’ve compiled a basic book of spells, ones that won’t require ancestors or covens,” he explained.

“This is…” Bonnie stared as she slowly opened it.

“There’s nothing Black in that book,” he warned. “Nor Dark. Merely Elemental, Traditional and a few Spiritual spells, they aren’t complex.  Should be simple enough to manage while you reconnect with the spirits.”

“Thank you,” she breathed.

“You didn’t kill Davina, so I owed you,” he dismissed.

“Personal growth,” Davina cheered as she gave him two thumbs up and a massive smile.

“Don’t hold your breath, love, I will be taking that back before I leave this godforsaken town after we deal with Silas,” he assured Davina.

“We’re going to be stuck in this godforsaken town a little longer than you’re anticipating,” Davina muttered as she continued working over her hair with a towel.

“This is amazing, did you compile these yourself!?” Bonnie demanded eagerly which had him snapping over to her.

“Yes, I did, darling, and I even composed a few of them which is why I know they don’t need a coven or ancestors,” he stated.

“This is amazing!” she repeated.

He shrugged it off as he looked at Davina who was still toweling off her hair. “When are we dealing with Silas?” he demanded.

“I’ll look over things tonight and talk to Marcel, but we should probably handle it sooner rather than later now that we’ve removed the Hunter’s Curse,” she admitted.

“Good, I’ll arrange transport,” he decided as he walked to the fridge and pulled a blood bag for himself.

“Do you guys have Oreos?” Davina asked.

“We do,” he admitted. “Klaus’ secret stash,” he said as he reached up and pulled out the double stuffed chocolate cookie that all of his siblings had grown fond of since waking in this era.

“Yay!” Davina grinned.

“Milk?” he offered.

“Please,” she chirped as she took the box of cookies.

“Why do I smell Oreos?” Klaus appeared then and glared at Davina, Kol snickered when Davina stuck out her tongue as she pulled a cookie apart.

“I’m hungry, I used up a little more power than I thought,” she said easily.

“Kol,” Klaus snarled.

“Nik, you wouldn’t get between a witch and her craving, now, would you?” he asked as Davina now dipped her cookie in milk.

“I prefer them with peanut butter,” Klaus muttered sourly.

“Oooo! That sounds good!” Davina grinned as she looked up. “Do we…”

“You are not stealing my peanut butter, little witch!” Klaus warned.

“Here you go, love,” Kol announced as he sniffed it out and handed it to her.

“Yay!” she grinned manically.

“KOL!”

“Gotta go love!” he called as he ran from his brother and kept his blood bag in hand.

Elena looked up nervously when Jeremy appeared, a towel wrapped around his waist as they both stood there nervously.

“Jeremy?” she asked as she slowly crept towards her baby brother.

“I’m so happy to see you!” he breathed, and she rushed him as she threw her arms around him.

“Oh my God! You’re alright!” she sobbed.

“Elena! I feel… I feel amazing!” he gasped as he held her tightly.

“I’m just gonna go,” Matt declared awkwardly. “And put some pants on Jer, it’s weird!”

She gave a watery laugh at Matt’s snark as she held her baby brother.

“I don’t feel like killing you, Elena, I feel… happy, and free!” he whispered as she pulled away. “I feel like me again, as messed up as I am,” he laughed.

“I… I can’t believe this!” she whispered. “And Matt’s right, you need clothes.”

“Which is exactly what we were chasing you for, buddy,” Damon appeared, and her breath hitched at the sight of him and Stefan as they peered at her and Jeremy.

“Bekah got you some of Kol’s things, she thinks you two are about the same size,” Stefan supplied as they held up the cloths, they were both holding.

“You get dressed, Jer, and we’ll talk,” Elena decided.

Caroline yelped as Klaus and Kol came crashing through the living room, both snarling and running at vamp speeds before disappearing.

“I apologize for their childishness,” Elijah appeared. “It happens upon occasions where the offense crossed is not so hazardous to wage war,” he shrugged.

“It’s… it’s alright,” she sighed. “Did it work?”

“The spell to break young Mister Gilbert’s curse? Yes, it worked,” he answered. “Miss Bennett and Davina worked well together, and they removed the curse.”

“That’s good,” she sighed.

“It is a relief, perhaps it will ease some of my brother’s paranoia. Kol is the wildest of us, it is better when his paranoia isn’t in overdrive,” he admitted as he fixed a cufflink.

“He doesn’t seem paranoid,” Caroline commented.

“Kol rarely is, he is however wild,” Elijah answered.

“I’m just happy everything worked out,” Caroline decided as she sat down. There was a thunderous crash before an explosion and Davina appeared with a packet of Oreos, jar of peanut butter and a glass of milk.

“Ah, it appears that the war is over Oreos,” Elijah said.

“Want one?” Davina asked with an Oreo stuffed in her teeth.

“If you wouldn’t mind,” he answered.

“Here you go,” Davina shoved him a small handful.

“The double stuffed I see,” he said as he left.

“Thank you for saving my friend,” Caroline said.

“That was easy compared to Silas,” Davina shrugged as she offered an Oreo. Caroline smiled as she accepted.

“It’s still nice,” Caroline stressed.

“Depends on how you look at it,” Davina shrugged her shoulders. “From my standpoint I’ve eliminated a threat to my family that could be a future problem by possessing a map to the tomb of Silas, or from yours I just did a selfless deed and saved a dead man walking from a painful death of a soulless oblivion on the Other Side. Either way, I win,” she cheered herself with the milk and dipped a cookie in it before continuing her snack.

“You’re an odd one,” Caroline chuckled.

Chapter Text

Davina walked into the cabin completely exhausted, Marcel and Hayley were preparing dinner when she entered, and both looked at her with dual looks of disbelief.

“I can’t possibly look that bad,” she sighed.

“What are you wearing D?” Marcel demanded.

“Oh, Kol’s shirt,” she admitted as she looked down to see what she was actually wearing now. It was just an oversized shirt, her husband’s clothes always seemed to be hanging off her shoulder; their size difference was something of an amusement to her husband. “And Rebekah’s sweats, I think,” she said as she observed the sweats.

“That explains why they say, ‘Bite Me’ on the ass,” Hayley muttered.

“They do not!” she gasped in horror, as she twisted around desperately to see and groaned seeing they said just that.

“Go change, D,” Marcel ordered.

“With pleasure,” she grumbled as she walked up the stairs and made her way to her room. She found her warmest leggings, shucking off the pants she left on Kol’s shirt as she changed. Glancing up in the mirror she gasped as she jumped, tripping hard over her bed and mirror shattering as she peered over the bed. The shadowy figure loomed with glowing red eyes.

“Who are you?” the shadow breathed before he reached for her. The consuming darkness, it rooted her where she was as it seemed to suffocate her. The lingering scent of Kol on the shirt she wore though tore her from the fear as she ran for the safest place she knew; Kol.

She grabbed her phone then and dialed Kol’s number as she hugged her knees to her chest.

“You can’t miss me already, I just dropped you off.”

“Kol?” she breathed.

“What is it, Davina?” all teasing was gone from his voice, and he sounded seriously.

“There’s something in my mirror,” she whispered.

“Hang on, I’m turning around,” he said. “Go to Marcel and Hayley,” he ordered.

Davina peeked over her bed at the broken mirror where the distorted shadow was coming towards her. Adrenaline shot through her as everything primal in her and her magic screamed, she was in danger, before she ran out of her room. A squeal tore through as she tripped on the rug and went tumbling down the stair.

“D!” Marcel bellowed as she slammed into the ground hard. She groaned as Hayley appeared with her dad looming over her.

“Shit,” Hayley muttered.

“D, where are you hurt?” Marcel demanded as his hands traced her ribs and felt over her spine.

“Davina!” Kol roared as came into the cabin, fangs bared and eyes looking around for a threat.

“What the hell man!?” Marcel barked.

“Guys!” Hayley snapped.

“Ow,” she moaned lowly as hands were resting on her temples.

“Where is the threat?” Kol asked.

“She just came running out of her room and tripped!” Marcel snapped.

“She said someone was in her mirror!” Kol stated.

Both Marcel and Kol were running up the stairs while Hayley was lifting her and taking her to the couch. Davina’s whole body was throbbing in pain now, and she could actually feel her lungs working to hate her as she was stretched out on the couch with her head on Hayley’s lap.

“What happened?” Hayley asked her with that soothing tone she’d use for Hope when Hope was upset. It was a tone Davina had always envied because her mother had never been kind or soothing like this.

“Something… Something, in mirror,” she gasped as she worked on breathing again. “Looking at me!” she gasped.

“Whatever it was, it’s not there,” Marcel said.

“I don’t scent anything either,” Kol said as he appeared.

“It was there,” she said firmly.

“I believe you D.” Marcel replied with a fierce conviction that she remembered what it was like to be his child, to have him completely on her side and it had tears welling up in her eyes. “But whatever it was, it’s not there now,” he said.

“Could it be from your time?” Kol asked her.

“Huh?”

“No, could it, whatever it was, have come back with you?” Hayley asked as she slid her fingers through Davina’s hair.

“You mentioned seeing spirits,” Kol said softly.

“That wasn’t one of the spirits,” she whispered. “It was so dark and… and evil, I could feel it’s evil, even within the mirror,” she whimpered as she turned to hide against Hayley’s side then.

“Wait, what spirits?” Marcel demanded.

“Other girls, from, you know,” Davina whispered.

Marcel looked confused before his eyes widened in understanding. “Them?”

“And other victims, from my time,” she murmured. “They’re… they’re who I’m seeing, they’re the spirits I saw in the mirror earlier.”

“Victims?” Kol asked. “What the bloody hell happened to you Davina Claire?” Kol demanded. Hayley curled around her and Davina hid further into Hayley’s side then.

“A lot,” she answered.

“D,” Marcel touched her hair, moving it aside. “Can I tell him? Not everything but about… about how we met?” Marcel asked.

She shook her head furiously.

“D, please, you sought him out for his witchy mind, he might know something about this,” he said softly.

“No, he’ll try to stop it,” she mumbled.

“Stop what?” Kol demanded with exasperation.

Davina sensed there was a silent conversation happening between Marcel, Hayley and Kol then and she didn’t want to watch it unfold as she hid against Hayley’s stomach.

“D, I won’t tell him anything about later, but I should tell him about how we met, perhaps whatever was in the mirror had something to do with that,” Marcel countered levelly.

“Davina,” Kol started.

“Could it be exhaustion?” Hayley interrupted. “You’ve been going nonstop for the last few days whether you’re studying or performing magic, could this be a byproduct of running on fumes? Time travel finally catching up with you?”

“Maybe,” Davina muttered.

“D,” Marcel started. “I think he should know, because this could be other you’s reactions.”

She shook her head, not looking away from where she hid. If she saw Kol then she’d break and tell him exactly what she had survived, and Kol, being Kol would have a violent reaction.

“The younger you, the one who should be here but isn’t because of time traveling soul problems?” Kol asked.

“That’d be the one,” Marcel answered.

“Davina,” Kol’s voice was gentle as his fingers slipped through her hair and forced her to see him. “What spirits are you seeing? Precisely and how are they different from the thing in the mirror?”

“Three dead girls in my coven who’s power I’m channeling is who I’m seeing. Though… I did see the other four from my time… and a boy, but I’ve never seen the boy before,” she muttered. “And they aren’t evil, that thing was evil!” she whispered as she hid against Hayley again.

“These dead girls, the three from this time, they’re the ones you’re channeling?” he asked.

She nodded.

“What about the ones from your time?”

“There’s four of them, and it’s complicated,” she muttered.

“Complicated how?”

“Cause I was dead,” she answered.

“Because you were dying?” he asked gently.

She shook her head violently; Hayley’s arm was draped over her then. “I was dead! They were victims to a ritual, and the Ancestors weren’t letting them come in or go back, and Vince… he was begging,” she sobbed. “He was pleading, and I couldn’t let them stay there, they were kids, babies! And she would destroy them if I didn’t help Vincent!”

“Bloody hell,” Kol muttered as she burst into tears. She could remember the desperation of Vincent and Elijah to get the girls back after Elijah had slaughtered them, and she could remember the girls’ fear as Inadu tried to consume their powers, and she remembered the tattered fragments of her soul barely being enough to protect and return the girls. Inadu had eviscerated her soul beyond repair, what damage Van and Kara had done was minimal compared to Inadu. Just remembering the agony of the attacks had her sobbing.

“Davina,” Marcel muttered.

“I went against the Ancestors, I accepted them and returned them,” she whimpered. “Jessica, Amy, Stephanie, Anna Marie, they were babies, they were children, they shouldn’t have been involved, but they were, and the Ancestors were so cruel to them, I accepted them, I returned them… I’m seeing them, and I’m seeing my friends, and I shouldn’t! I’m seeing spirits who aren’t dead yet,” she sobbed. “And I see my friends, and that thing in the mirror is not them!”

“It’s alright, it’s alright, Davina, breath,” Marcel said softly and now she noticed the trembling house.

“So, you’re seeing the dead from your time, and this time?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Not surprising, confusing but not surprising,” he muttered. “The thing in the mirror, when did you first see it?”

“In Shane’s mind, I think. I thought… I thought it was a memory, but then it was in my mirror today,” she whispered as she trembled. Hayley rubbed her back then.

“Bloody hell,” Kol muttered as he stood to pace.

“What is?” Marcel asked.

“I think it’s Silas,” Kol admitted. “Shane was insane, but he had contact with Silas, it’s how he knew where the tomb was, it’s why he started Expression, it’s possible that Silas had a hold over him.”

“Silas couldn’t, could he?” she whispered in terror. The last thing she wanted was Silas getting a hold over her.

“It’s possible, it’s also possible that’s why Shane couldn’t be compelled, no mind technique can fully shield the mind like that, not when the compulsion is strong. Davina is already channeling extra power, and when she entered Shane’s mind to extract the information it is possible that she brushed against Silas’s… essence, and now this is happening,” Kol explained.

“You guys interrogated Shane a few days ago, why would it happen now?” Hayley asked.

“Because she just used a vast supply of her magic undoing a powerful curse, she’s also probably exhausted from that, and in a vulnerable state, mentally, emotionally, and magically,” Kol stated levelly. “If I were to attack another witch psychically, now is a prime time to do it, she’s stripped of her normal defenses and exposed.”

“Well, what do we do about Silas?”

“Find him, track him, kill him,” Kol answered. “We kill Silas, this will be solved, or mostly solved. Once he’s on the Other Side he can’t do damage. In theory, on occasion a powerful witch or supernatural can cause havoc but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. However, if we remove him from this plane of existence then he can’t touch Davina. This isn’t to say he won’t have an influence here, some of the more powerful supernatural can retain power to influence the living.”

“Like your mother,” Davina muttered.

“Like my mother,” he agreed.

“What if we can’t kill him?” Marcel asked.

“We’re going to have to. If Silas is reaching for Davina’s mind then we’re going to have problems.”

“Like what?” Marcel asked as his fingers carded through her hair.

“Davina is a powerful witch. No two ways about that, channeling extra power and time magic as well as her displayed level on control, she’s powerful, if Silas wants a connection and to manipulate her, she’ll be in trouble,” Kol replied. “At which point we’ll either have to eliminate her, or eliminate Silas; I prefer killing Silas as I happen to like her.”

“How do we keep him out?” Hayley asked.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “There’s a few spells I could think she could do, but they require massive power reserves and at this moment, she looks ready to collapse.”

“What’s the other option?” Marcel demanded.

“We stay close to her, keep an eye on her, I could get the chains to neutralize her magic, but then she’ll be vulnerable to Silas’ will entirely if he’s already reaching for her. Best thing for her would be a proper night’s rest and a dreamless sleep, one Silas cannot access.”

“You mean… dream manipulation?” Davina muttered as she peered at Kol again.

“Yes,” he answered. “It’d be the best way to keep Silas out. If the dream is in control of someone else, then in theory he cannot enter it at will because your mind is already occupied. But it’s tricky business holding a dream all night so you can sleep.”

“Can you do it?” Marcel asked reluctantly.

“Me!?” Kol sputtered.

“He can,” Davina muttered. “He’s done it before.”

“I have!? When!?” he demanded. “I don’t like entering people’s minds like that Davina, when would I have…!”

“When I was in the hospital and wouldn’t take morphine,” she answered. Thinking of her last miscarriage.

“I hate you using the future against me,” he muttered sourly, pulling a face to look like a petulant child.

“Can you do it? My dream control is shit,” Marcel admitted.

“I can do it, I just don’t like doing it,” Kol stressed.

“I trust you,” she mumbled against Hayley’s side.

“Bugger,” Kol muttered. “Get her in a bed, I’ll go get a change of clothes.”

“What? Why?”

“Because it’s an all-night event and I don’t fancy lounging about in jeans!” Kol snapped as he stalked out of the cabin.

“Fuck,” Marcel muttered. “D, of all the Mikaelsons you had to befriend, you picked Kol!?”

Davina giggled weakly as she peered at him. “I didn’t pick him, he picked me.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better about this,” Marcel grumbled. “How are you feeling after that tumble?”

“Like I fell down the stairs,” she admitted.

“That’ll do it,” Hayley snorted. “And being so caffeinated you’re about to bounce through the roof could also do it.”

“I’m not that caffeinated.”

“You are,” Hayley snorted. “I’ve barely known you a week and I can see you a coffee addict.”

“After I finish my list you can stage an intervention,” Davina muttered.

“Or I’ll just get you a bunch of coffee shop gift cards when this is over as a thank you for not letting the world as we know it implode?” Hayley mused.

“I’m trying,” she muttered.

“We know D, but you need to slow down. Only last week you were… you know,” Marcel admitted.

“Dying at the hands of an unknown monster and waking up in my teenage body after she experienced a different near-death experience?” she asked.

“Exactly.”

“Near-death experiences are normal for me,” she muttered.

“They shouldn’t be,” he countered.

“They are,” she shrugged.

Kol walked back into Davina’s cabin to see her halfway to sleep against Hayley and Marcel standing guard over her.

“You sure you can do this?” Marcel asked.

“I can,” he sighed as he came over and gingerly lifted the half-conscious girl. Davina grumbled as she shifted against his shoulder.

“You two can have my room, I’ll stay with you,” Hayley said softly.

He nodded as he followed the wolf to her room. Hayley turned down the bed, crawled in as he set Davina down and then stretched out beside her. Kol was careful on how to touch Davina, she was so tiny he was actually concerned he could hurt her, and once he was certain she was comfortable and wouldn’t be breaking his hold he relaxed a little. The focus for manipulating dreams was easy for him, but he didn’t like it; it felt opposite how it felt when he had been a witch; unnatural. Davina’s mind was open to him, which he took to swiftly, searching for a peaceful, safe area for her mind to rest.

After about an hour Davina was completely still and sprawled over him, and Hayley was sleeping soundly in the bed with her hand holding Davina’s.

Marcel appeared then.

“Not sleeping?” Marcel asked.

“No,” he answered.

“Do you really think she saw something in her mirror or she’s just exhausted?” Marcel questioned softly as he traced Davina’s temple. Davina nuzzled into Kol’s chest a little more to escape the sensation.

“Yes, she saw something,” he answered. Davina was not the sort prone to hysterics; the woman was annoyingly collected and composed.

“You don’t think it’s something that came back with her, do you?” Marcel sighed tiredly.

“No,” he admitted as he looked at the women in the bed. “Davina is an extraordinarily powerful witch. Something Silas needs.”

“How do you figure?”

“That Atticus Shane fellow came to teach the Bennett girl Expression,” Kol said. “Expression, aside from being an abomination to Magic, is difficult and makes even the weakest of witches powerful. But it was not taught to a weak witch, it was taught to a Bennett. This tells me Silas needs a powerful witch. Davina severed that connection why taking over the Bennett witch’s training, providing her a link with nature and the spirits again by consecrating the dead witches of the area, which would sever Bennett’s need for Expression. Davina is not grounded by her ancestors and has admitted to channeling great power. My guess, Silas was in control of Shane’s mind, which is why Shane could not be compelled, and when he felt Davina in Shane’s mine he reached for her magic.

“Davina’s presence, magically, is akin to a demigod in her current state, never have I encountered a witch as powerful as she, even if she’s currently channeling more power than she should. Witches of Davina’s caliber… they’re rare, Marcel, and dangerous, in my age witches like her, they were mistaken for gods.”

“So Silas is now coming after her,” Marcel murmured.

“I would wager good money on it,” Kol admitted.

“What are we going to do about it?”

“Kill him,” Kol answered. “Kill him, seal his soul, and dispose of the body, burning it to ash and scattering it where no one will find it would be preferred, but we’ll see how it goes when we get to Silas.”

“You think you can kill him?” Marcel asked.

“Failure means the end of the world,” Kol murmured. “Failure is not an option.”

“I still don’t like you,” Marcel stated.

“I hate your guts as well,” Kol remarked tiredly.

“I’m only tolerating you because D loves you for some reason I can’t fathom, so if you hurt her, I will stake you,” Marcel warned.

“Davina is not stupid enough to love me, Marcel, but I won’t hurt her,” Kol promised as he shut his eyes and let himself rest a bit.

Chapter Text

It was at the crack of dawn when Marcel woke, he could hear Kol’s snoring, and the slow steady heart beats of Hayley and Davina. Creeping through the small cabin he peeked in on the trio to see them almost exactly how he had left them last night. Davina wedged between Kol and Hayley, Hayley curled up in a ball around Davina, and Davina half sprawled over Kol who was hanging off the bed. The girls had stolen the blankets in the night, and Kol had all the pillows.

Shaking his head in genuine amusement at the scene, Marcel walked to his kitchen and prepped the coffee for everyone in the house before pulling himself a bag of B+ blood and poured it into a mug before walking onto the porch. The morning was cool, clear, clean, and crisp and looking down the driveway he relaxed. Business in New Orleans was running smoothly, which was good, especially with him gone. Apparently, Thierry and Diego were butting heads, but that was to be expected, he was still managing, and both contacted him when there were problems. He was lounging on his porch when the sheriff’s cruiser pulled up the drive. Marcel frowned a bit as he set aside his mug and stood up, feeling exceptionally wary right now.

“Morning,” a blonde said as she stepped out of the cruiser.

“Morning officer,” he greeted as he leaned on the post on his porch.

“Heard you folks were new in town,” she greeted with a cheerful smile.

“Yeah, just passing through,” Marcel answered.

“I just like introducing myself to the new folks, you know, just so we’re friendly,” she smiled. “I’m Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes,” she greeted cheerfully.

“Oh I know all about being friendly,” he chuckled, letting that lazy New Orleans Quarter accent shine through.

“I’m Marcel, Marcel Gerard,” he greeted as he held out his hand to shake. The woman shook his hand and smiled. “I got hot coffee”

“That would be lovely,” she smiled. He picked up his mug and motioned for her to come in. The small woman walked in just as Kol walked out of Hayley’s room scratching his head as he peered tiredly between them.

“This is Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes,” Marcel said. “This Kol.”

“Coffee,” Marcel said as he went to the machine.

“So, is it just you two?”

“No,” Marcel answered.

“I’m staying with my brothers and sister,” Kol stated firmly.

“I’m here about a missing girl, Davina Claire,” Elizabeth Forbes said. “One Bastianna Natale reported her kidnapped. There’s an Amber Alert out on her, and funnily enough this cabin is in her name.”

“Davina Claire isn’t kidnapped, she’s my ward. And we came here to get away from Bastianna Natale, I'm just lookin' out for my girl. My lawyers in New Orleans were just about to email me the paperwork this morning naming me legal guardian of Davina Claire,” he stated.

“I’m going to need to speak to her,” Elizabeth Forbes stated firmly.

“I’ll go get her,” Kol said as he stood. Marcel was reluctant but agreed that Kol would be a better person to get her rather than himself, he didn’t want the sheriff poking around his house.

His phone pinged and he sipped his blood as he poured the sheriff a cup of coffee and pulled the sugar and crème for her. He slid it across the island to her. Opening his email, he saw the legal documents he had been working to obtain the last few days as he placed the phone on the counter for her and slid it over.

“Coffee,” Davina grumbled as she appeared rubbing her eyes as Kol appeared followed by Hayley who was eyeing the sheriff warily.

“Morning D,” Marcel held his arm out as his kid stumbled into his shoulder, hiding against his side.

“Coffee,” she mumbled as she rubbed her face and tried to wake up.

“D, this is Sheriff Forbes,” Marcel said, and Davina grumbled as she shoved her hair out of her face to look at the other woman. Hayley appeared beside Marcel as she eyed the woman, Marcel noted that Kol wasn’t just wary or suspicious, he was preparing to attack which made it vital they all remain calm if only so Kol didn’t react. Kol’s reaction would be far more dangerous than anything Hayley or Davina could do.

“Caroline’s mom?” Davina mumbled as she peered out the sheriff.

“You know Caroline?” Forbes said.

“Friends with Bonnie, nice, blonde, chipper, need coffee,” Davina muttered as she went to get herself a mug.

“And you are?”

“Hayley, I’m a family friend,” Hayley filled in seamlessly.

“You were running with Tyler and his group,” Forbes stated.

“Yeah, before he turned into a psycho,” Hayley shrugged.

“D wanted to come visit Hayley after I got her, so we came to Mystic Falls, as you can see, my kid isn’t missing,” Marcel said.

“Uh-huh, I’m still going to have to take her in to talk to her,” Forbes said.

“Me? Why?” Davina asked sleepily. Marcel saw Kol tensing up rather dangerously.

“Just to clear things up, you know, to make sure you’re alright,” she offered charmingly.

Davina looked between him and Kol then the sheriff.

“I’m confused, did I do something wrong?” Davina asked in uncertainty as she looked timidly at him.

“You’re not in trouble, but we need to have a chat,” Forbes stressed.

“Um… okay?” she looked nervously between him and Kol and he pulled her close to him and kissed her brow. “Can Marcel come?”

“No, sweetie, it’s just going to be you and me,” Forbes said.

“It’ll be okay, D,” he promised. “I’ll be right behind you.”

Davina nodded as she reluctantly left him to go change. Forbes watched her go upstairs and raised a brow at that.

“Movie night,” Hayley said crisply. “I’ll be with you at the station,” Hayley stated as she went to get dressed.

“I’ll have my lawyer forward you my guardianship papers for Davina,” Marcel warned.

“Davina,” Kol drawled out as she reappeared. She paused by Kol as she looked at Forbes and then him.

“I’m ready,” she said softly as she finished coming down the stairs and stepped behind Kol like the Original was supposed to shield her, peering around as Forbes left.

“D, I’ll be there,” Marcel promised.

“Don’t bring him,” she hissed.

“Hey!”

“No! You’re not killing Caroline’s mom!” Davina hissed tiredly. “Coffee, when this is over, I want coffee, lots of coffee!”

Elizabeth Forbes’ morning had been going splendidly until there was a call from a concerned citizen informing her of the kidnapped victim, Davina Claire who was registered owning a cabin in her town. The girl in question was petite, long wavy brown hair, bright blue eyes and rather unassuming innocent looking girl. The girl had slipped into the cruiser, rather calm, collected, obviously exhausted with massive bruising beneath her eyes, but other than that she had seemed safe and content where she was.

The drive was in silence, Davina had seemed to be in a state between asleep and awake, leaning against the window until Liz pulled up to the station house. She opened the door and Davina jolted awake with a startled look.

“We’re here,” she stated.

Davina got out of the car, looking very wary and tired as she walked into the station. The girl walked with a brisk, confident, elegant and silent walk; there were no stomping of feet or dramatics, Davina walked like a woman who knew how dangerous she was.

“Can I get you anything?” Liz asked. “Food, or coffee?”

“Coffee,” Davina yawned massively as she sat at the desk. Liz looked the girl over for any signs of distress, only seeing a bruise on the girl’s brow, but even that didn’t look severe. Nothing screamed abused or trafficked.

“So, why am I here?” Davina asked as Liz handed her a cup of coffee.

“There was a kidnap report filed for you as well as an Amber Alert out on you,” Liz explained.

“Well, that’s dumb,” she snorted. “I’m not missing, or kidnapped, I’m with Marcel.”

“Marcel Gerard is accused of kidnapping you,” Liz said.

“By who!?” she demanded with an expression of pure puzzlement.

“Bastianna Natale,” she said. “In the report Bastianna is a close personal friend of your murdered mother,” Liz stated.

“Bastianna Natale?” Davina strangled out as her face went deathly white. “She’s…” The entire change of the girl’s demeanor changed from tired and relaxed to awake and terrified.

“You… You can’t tell her where I am, she’ll… she’ll try to kill me!” Davina strangled out.

“We’re just talking,” Liz tried to sooth.

“No, you… you don’t understand! She’s going to kill me!” Davina hysterically screeched and the building started trembling then and Liz tensed as she looked around.

“D!” a voice shouted.

“Davina!” Hayley jogged towards her.

“It’s alright, D, breathe, breathe,” Marcel skidded around in front of the girl.

“Should I get Kol?” Hayley whispered to Marcel.

“Not yet, D!” Marcel snapped as he shook her shoulders. “Bastianna isn’t here.”

“You can’t let them take me back, you can’t, you can’t!” she frenziedly pleaded.

“You’re not going anywhere, D,” Marcel said as he hugged the teen. “Is this what you wanted?”

“What is happening!?” Liz demanded holding a desk.

“Davina!” Marcel demanded. And that seemed to be enough to have her snapping out of it as the shaking stopped. Which had Liz staring at the girl. “Hayley, stay with her.”

“Yeah,” Hayley nodded.

“Come with me,” Marcel snarled. Liz walked with the man a little ways away, still in Davina’s line of sight. “Now, I’ve showed you the documents, she’s not missing, there’s been a restraining order in place against Bastianna Natale.”

“What the hell was that!?”

“Davina’s a very special girl,” he started.

“She’s a witch,” Liz guessed. “Which makes her the witch who’s been helping Bonnie Bennett if she knows Caroline.”

“She is,” Marcel answered warily.

“Which means that she’s running with Kol Mikaelson, you know who he is?”

“Yeah… I know who he is,” he replied in an arctic tone. “I also know he’s the only one my kid trusts, completely. Which irritates the shit out of me, but that’s where we are!”

“I’ll make this disappear, but you have to keep her away from the Mikaelsons. You have to.”

“I can’t! Now, I’m taking my kid home before you have a very annoyed Original on your hands and me. and not just any Original, Kol, and he’s so much worse than Klaus ever could be.”

“The Mikaelsons, they’re dangerous,” she started.

“I know probably better than anyone how dangerous they are, particularly the one attached to my kid. Now, before Kol gets dangerous, I’m taking her out of here before we have Kol here,” Marcel stated. “If you have any more questions, we’ll take them at the cabin. She’s not in any distress or danger with us.”

“She is sixteen, get her registered at the school or I’ll have you for truancy,” she advised.

“Will do,” he promised.

Liz watched as he guided the two women out of the station house. She was stunned as she watched them go. Kol seemed to materialize then and followed the trio, glaring over his shoulder at her office. Liz was a bit baffled seeing the four people leave.

“Hey mom,” Caroline walked in then.

“Hey honey!”

“What was Davina doing here?”

“Just had a few questions about her living situation,” Liz admitted. “What brought you here, sweetie?”

“I forgot my math book in your car,” she admitted. “And mom?”

“Yes?”

“Whatever is wrong with Davina, she’s not bad, she just saved Jeremy,” Caroline admitted. “And she’s helping Bonnie with her magic,” she smiled.

“Davina could be in a lot of trouble,” Elizabeth pointed out.

“I think she’d be okay, mom,” Caroline promised.

“Why do you say that?”

“She’s just one of those people, I think she’ll be fine,” she admitted.

“Well, if she’s not registered for school on Monday, I’ll have to arrest her for truancy,” Liz stated.

“Davina going to high school,” Caroline snorted at the idea.

“What?”

“Nothing, I love you mom.”

Kol had woken up when he was about to fall off the bed and heard Marcel talking to an unknown voice outside the house. Davina had been sprawled over him, her hand was on his heart and her head had made his arm numb. Hayley had wrapped around Davina, and they had both stolen his blankets, but he had about three pillows. Not the worst or weirdest way he had woken up, but unsettling how comfortable it was. Davina and Hayley hadn’t been happy when he had woken up and left the bed, Hayley had growled and Davina had muttered something about too quiet, which he thought was weird.

Then there’d been the sheriff, Kol hadn’t liked how that had started or where it was going.

Marcel hadn’t either, and Hayley really didn’t like it. The three of them had gone to go collect Davina from the sheriff. She had been calm about it, but Kol was fairly sure that was because the coffee addict wasn’t fully awake or functioning.

Now that he had her back, and Marcel and Hayley were hovering over her too they had gone to a diner.

“Why is Bastianna looking for me?” Davina whispered frantically.

“I don’t know, D.”

“She was… I…” Davina sputtered. Kol watched her carefully and it seemed a bit conflicted between them.

“Davina?”

“Marcel, please, please, she can’t!” she whimpered hysteria was rising as she clung to Marcel, clawing to keep a firm hold.

“It’s alright, D, I promise,” Marcel hugged the teen then and Kol watched her carefully.

“Davina?” he called out softly. The girl peeked at him, her fear was almost palpable in teary blue eyes. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

“She… who…” Davina started then winced painfully as she hid against Marcel again.

“What’s wrong with her?” Hayley whispered.

“Davina, focus, what’s the last thing you remember?” Kol persisted as she turned her attention to him again, big blue eyes were alight with a fire he’d never seen in her before despite the tears streaming down her face.

“They were slaughtering us!” she snarled venomously; her betrayal and rage were tangible as she tightened her hold on Marcel, and her powers rattled the windows to bow but not break.

“Sh, sh, it’s alright, it’s alright D,” Marcel said and looked confused.

“Davina,” Kol called her attention back to him and he watched her, there were tears streaming down her cheeks. “Who was slaughtering you?”

“She doesn’t want you to know, Kol,” Marcel hissed over Davina’s head.

“I think I’m going to have to,” he muttered back. “This isn’t the Davina we’ve been dealing with. Whatever happened, she’s scared enough that the Davina of now is surfacing.”

“Shit,” Marcel muttered as he hugged the girl. “It’s alright, it’s alright.”

“She was killing us, she lied!” Davina screeched which had the place shaking.

“Davina!” Kol snapped. “Breathe, focus, just breathe!” he ordered. The teen was trembling violently. “What happened?” he asked her firmly.

“They lied,” she whimpered.

“About what!?” he demanded. If this was something Davina from the future didn’t want him to know then he would bet her future soul would overrun whatever fear her younger self was feeling.

“Who are you?” Davina asked curiously.

“I’m Kol, darling,” he answered with a calm smile. She blushed a bit when he smiled, which was rather endearing as she opened her mouth to speak.

“The… Har…no! I can’t!” she hissed and he watched her wince as she rubbed her temple and he nodded as the Davina they knew resurfaced. “Can’t tell Kol!”

“And she’s back,” he muttered sourly. His patience and curiosity about what Davina couldn’t tell him were starting to annoy him, however, he was relieved the Davina he’d been dealing with surfaced. She had better control; then again, the younger version of her seemed to be having great difficulty processing whatever had happened to her which would diminish any witch’s control.

Davina glared nastily at him through the tears.

“Well, this complicates whatever soul time travel magic you’ve gotten tangled up in, love,” Kol stated tiredly. “Who the bloody hell is Bastianna and why does she entice so much fear that younger you attacks?”

“She’s an elder of the coven, she’s dead,” Davina muttered.

“How are you feeling, D?” Marcel asked.

“Like I got hit in the head by an anvil. Younger me is now there too, I… I can feel her,” Davina murmured.

“Bloody hell,” Kol muttered.

“What’s this mean?” Marcel asked.

“It means we have a problem,” Kol admitted.

“No. I have a problem and I’ll take care of the problem,” Davina said softly. “I can manage,” she whispered. “And if anyone puts me in high school again, I’ll kill you, painfully and slow,” she warned. “Younger me and I will sort out our body problem.”

“Last time, was Bastianna a problem?” Marcel asked.

“A big one,” Davina muttered as she shifted in her seat. “She’s at the bottom of the list of worries though.”

“Bloody hell, this is a problem,” Kol admitted.

“Should you get some rest or something?” Hayley asked nervously.

“Tylenol, lots of Tylenol, then a lot of meditating, I’ll get this sorted out,” Davina muttered as she rubbed her temples.

“You can’t suppress her,” Kol warned.

“Now that I’m awake, it’s just more complicated, but I’m not going to suppress younger me,” Davina assured. Kol was a bit relieved that future Davina had no intentions of suppressing or silencing younger Davina, it would probably compound her magic and create bigger issues for her in the long run if she did suppress her younger self.

“What are you going to do?” Kol asked.

“We want the same thing, so I’m going to work with me to get when she and I want,” Davina muttered.

“What do you want?” Hayley asked.

“To start, to remove the corruption of the ancestors, and for another to protect our family. Everything else is just icing on the cake if it works,” she admitted with a shrug.

“So…” Hayley started.

“So I’m not doing anything until Tylenol and meditation, I have some soul searching to do,” Davina muttered. “But if anyone puts me in high school again, I will not be responsible for my actions.”

“I concur,” Hayley admitted.

“You’re actually going to need a way to the astral plane,” Kol hypothesized.

“I have one,” Davina swiftly informed them.

“Oh really?”

“Bonnie’s going to be help me,” Davina sighed as she sat there. “This is gonna suck,” she admitted.

“Tell me how it goes, love,” Kol chuckled.

“I want to talk to Lil D, D,” Marcel warned.

“Yeah,” she nodded. “We can and will arrange that.”

“Good, and I want her on board with whatever you’re doing.”

“Yup,” Davina nodded as she let her head roll.

Kol heard her vertebra cracking. He was curious about little Davina and what she was like, adult Davina was so entertaining. Little Davina must be just as interesting, perhaps not as knowledgeable but she must be interesting.

“I look forward to meeting Little Davina,” Kol drawled out as he assessed Davina.

“Mmm, she’s not going to like you,” Davina warned him with a smile.

“Not to worry, love, I like pretty things with sharp tongues,” he bit back with a smile that was all fangs. He was going to enjoy this!

Chapter Text

Davina sighed as she came to the house Bonnie had decided to use for her ancestors and shouldered the bag of candles she had brought with her as well as the other supplies. Bonnie’s car came crunching up the gravel. She turned at the witch got out of the car and came towards her.

“So… what are you teaching me today?” Bonnie asked.

“Nothing,” Davina answered as she looked at the other witch and smiled a little. “I’m going to ask a massive favor of you, which I will happily pay back.”

“What favor?” Bonnie asked carefully.

“I need you to trust me,” Davina said. “If you can do that then I’m going to ask for you to help me.”

“With?”

“Well to tell you that I need to know if you trust me,” Davina pointed out.

Bonnie seemed to think about it carefully before she nodded slowly. “I do trust you, Davina,” Bonnie said carefully.

“Good,” she nodded and walked into the house.

“Where’s Kol?” Bonnie asked her.

“He is arranging transport and supplies for our trip to go kill Silas.” Davina had bartered this with him, if he took care of supplies and arrangements, she would let him, and everyone meet ‘Little Davina’ as they were terming her younger self.

“Do you… do you want help with that?” Bonnie asked warily.

“I think it’s for the best if I don’t tempt trouble by having people who want to use the cure with me. Kol, Klaus, Hayley and Marcel are going with me and that’ll be enough,” she shrugged.

“Really?” Bonnie mused.

“Kol and I were going already, Klaus is coming because he probably wants to annoy Kol or attempt to find the cure for his diabolical schemes, which I will have to thwart, Marcel is coming because he doesn’t trust me with Kol and Klaus together, and Hayley’s coming as my reinforcement for when those three are at each other’s throats,” she explained.

Bonnie snorted. “That sounds like quite the plan,” she chuckled.

“It’ll be something,” Davina admitted.

“So what do you want my help with?” Bonnie asked. “You seem to always have everything in hand. I don’t see what I could teach you or help you with,” Bonnie said.

Davina put up a barrier that would silence any sound out of the room they walked into, it was precaution in case Kol decided to snoop. Bastard was nosey by nature when he was curious.

“What I am about to tell you will have to stay between us, no matter what. Other than Kol, Hayley and Marcel no one else knows, and only Marcel will know all of what I’m about to share with you, Kol and Hayley don’t know this.”

“Okay?” the teen said nervously.

“I’m not from this time,” Davina stated as she set down her bag and started pulling her candles for her spell. “I am from the future, where I am an adult, don’t ask me how or why I’m here because I’m not entirely sure but there was a dark object involved. In my time I was dying, and then I woke up in this time.”

“What?”

“In this time, my sixteen-year-old self would have been used for sacrificial magic, a ceremony known as the Harvest. In this time, she, or rather I, woke up the day after having just witnessed my three dearest friends be slaughtered before my eyes by my coven Elder. The three girls you have seen around me when I channel magic are Abigail, Cassie and Monique, currently, Davina’s body, this body, houses their power, as well as her own. Until this morning I hadn’t known exactly where my sixteen-year-old soul was, merely that I was here in my sixteen-year-old body. Now my younger self’s soul is awakening, and I need to commune with her.”

“Holy…!” Bonnie sputtered.

“My sixteen-year-old self is strong,” Davina stated. “I am a witch prodigy, I am powerful in my own right, but she is tapped into the power of our dead friends right now, as am I, and I need you with me on the astral plane to help us keep the peace between us while I negotiate with her.”

“Negotiate?” Bonnie gaped.

“The last thing, she, I, remember is that I was about to be sacrificed for the selfish needs of my coven as ordained by my coven, that’ll still have to happen, but I, she, was terrified, I was out of control with magic, and power, terrified, pissed off, and had lost complete control of my life. She, I, will not be reasonable to manage and I need to make sure we have a mediator while she and I work out some things.”

“How old is the you I’m talking to?” Bonnie asked.

“Thirty-four,” Davina answered.

“Oh… so you’re… you’re old.”

“I beg your pardon!? I am not old!”

“You’re thirty-four.”

“The Originals are Old! Silas is Old! The ancestors are Old! I’m thirty-four! That’s not old!” Davina stated. “I am young, in the prime of my life, and happily married! I did all my penance for teenage nonsense, and I’ve done, and seen more than you ever will! I’m not old!”

“Ok… sorry,” Bonnie bit her lip.

“Good,” Davina stated as she flicked her fingers to light the candles then put a mark on her third eye as well as Bonnie’s.

“How did you learn all this?” Bonnie asked.

“Kol,” Davina answered.

“So… you’ve known him a while?”

“Since I was seventeen. Now, take my hands,” Davina said as she held her hands out crossed while they sat on the floor. “Whatever I tell younger me, you must never repeat to anyone, ever, do you understand?”

“I understand,” Bonnie admitted as she took Davina’s hands.

“Good,” Davina murmured. She started whispering the spell as she felt her soul and magic unfurl slowly, letting it wrap around the room as she surrendered her soul to the Other Side.

Bonnie gasped as voices and flickering images filled the air around her as her soul seemed to be pulled along.

“I beseech you, accept this offering as a sign of our faith.”

“And for the record, I like this face just fine.”

“This Is Not My Magic!”

“I love you, Kol Mikaelson.”

“Hey D!”

“This is not manipulation. This is one thing in exchange for another. I'm offering you a deal."

“Hayley, I wanted to thank you.”

“For what? Free fashion advice?”

“You need to let me go.”

“I’m a French Quarter Witch. I was born with blood on my hands!”

“Come on, you don’t recognize this roguish grin?”

“God, I missed you!”

“Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do.”

“Well you’re a twice resurrected Harvest Girl with an Original Vampire boyfriend!”

“I took you in like you were my own blood!”

“I’m not ready to lose you yet, love.”

“I want you to have someone, to love, when I’m gone, Kol.”

“Not at the cost of you.”

"You know, when Aiden died, there were days when I would sit in Jackson Square, just daring myself to take this ring off. To give up. And I think part of me knew that I was never gonna be that happy again. If there was any way to bring Aiden back? I would. No matter what. If there's even a chance for you to be with the guy you want to be with... You've gotta do it."

“I don’t know how long I have, but I had to see you to thank you. For visiting me and talking to me. Josh, I was always there.”

“I can’t choose. Please don’t make me choose!”

“I’m not. Under the same stars there’s some guy, and he’s with his girl. He thinks he’s got all the time in the world, and he’s right… And I hate him.”

“Davina… Davina baby, I’m so sorry, I really need your help.”

“Provided you’re not concocting a new paralytic to use against me, I’d like a word with my brother.”

“This is not a house, Kol, it’s a castle!”

“Please don’t do this!”

“You remember the first day we met? You told me you wanted to be normal.”

“You’re all liars! I’m gonna bring back the only one of you who has ever meant anything!”

“Davina, I haven’t called out to you in a lot of years, because I didn’t think you could hear me. But I think you can hear me now. I need your help with the ancestors.”

“What are you doing?”

“I asked the Ancestors to give me magic to lift your curse. Since it’s Cadeau… they granted it.”

“Davina, whatever you may think of me, I’m a man of my word.”

“My Valkyrie, I’ll follow you wherever we may go.”

“You’re weak!”

“Stay. Away. From. My. Niece!”

“Right now, I’m the only thing standing between you and the Hollow.”

“If there’s a shred of Davina left over there, then she can accept the offering!”

“DAVINA!”

“You should destroy this. Hayley could die.”

“And why is her life more important than yours!?”

“I can’t take a little girl’s mother away from her Kol!”

“Enough Games Davina!”

“Give it up, you are nothing but a fractured soul!”

“Will you marry me?”

“That sounds like a beautiful dream. But it was just a dream.”

“We can do anything, can’t we?”

“Your time is up. You need to know what you’re up against. She only has one weakness.”

“Ohhh… I can’t be here, Davina, this is a bad idea…”

“It must really suck to have to be you all the time.”

“It appears someone has knocked you head over heels, quite literally. I thought I’d have the honor.”

“You’re Hayley. Klaus’ wife.”

“Ew, No! Never! I’m the pregnant werewolf. And you must be all-powerful, super-witch, Davina?”

“Do something! You can turn her! I’ll turn her!”

“No. No Hope. We aren’t turning her.”

“All you need to know is I beat you, again.”

“That’s my girl.”

“Losing you broke me, I will not stand around and let it happen again.”

“I’m a gay club kid who died and came back as a vampire. Yeah, Normal’s kind of relative, you know? Here, pinky swear on it.”

“How about a coven of three?”

“You want to?”

“It won’t work!”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Auntie D!”

“Do not go where I cannot follow, love.”

"Now I get it, You'll always protect me no matter what. Even if I hate you for it."

“Davina?”

“I’m right here.”

“For a moment I thought…”

“It’s okay, I’m still me. Flesh and blood, and alive… for now.”

“And linked to a monster.”

“How can you joke right now?”

“You know, it’s a good thing you didn’t steal the stake from me. Or I would have been the one torturing you!”

“Your friend Timothy has moved on, Davina. I’m truly sorry for what my son did to him.”

“Pretty girl to the rescue, eh?”

“You’ll help me save Josh?”

“I can’t let Tim die!”

“Do you know the first time that I saw you?”

“In the record store.”

“No, it was before that. I was dead for ages Davina. And when I woke up, it was a mess of manipulation and family drama in a body I didn't know. All this anger I couldn't shake. And that very night, I saw you leaving the church with this look on your face like the whole world was on your shoulders. You brushed up against some dead flowers and you stopped. You looked around and you bought those flowers back to life with your magic and you smiled and something inside of me cracked wide open. I was dead for ages Davina Claire and only then did I feel alive again. I love you."

“A witch needs a coven, even if it’s just two.”

“NO! You promised to help, but you’re not helping! You’re hurting us! And I won’t let you!”

“I have stood up to Klaus. I'm not afraid of some second-string copycat."

“I loved her! I swear I did!”

“Music to my ears, my little witch.”

“Just hold me.”

“I got you, love.”

“I never doubted you for a second, Davina Claire.”

“Are you slicked? Those sad eyes might fool some people, but not me! I know what you’re after. You’ve got a lecherous heart, Davina Claire. I won’t be used. Not for my body nor my medicinal herbs! We can hold hands, that’s it!”

“We can’t be lying to each other. I’m trying to protect you.”

“Well in that case, you best kiss me before I go!”

“Not to be forward, but it’s time you put a ring on this finger.”

“No, I’m glad for you guys. Really, I am. It’d be depressing if one of us didn’t get a happy ending.”

“You’re going to like me, Davina Claire, and I’m going to let you pretend for a while that you don’t already.”

“Davina, wake up, wake up, please!”

“No one can control you unless you let them.”

"Can you do me a favor? Can you tell Josh not to be sad? Tell him that one really good friend is more than enough and that most people don't get that. And tell Marcel thanks for being my family."

“A psychotic maniac… But I didn’t have you. You’re worth being good for.”

“Keeping you as a slave seems like something the older generation would do. I’d rather have you as a friend.”

“What does it take to complete the ritual?”

“I have to die.”

“As for the magic… If you ever get the urge, there are other ways. You don’t have to do magic to feel it.”

“My mother said: Kill the spell or Kill her. And I happen to like you.”

“Davina, I need you to help me bring those girls back over here. And then you and me we could work together. I shouldn’t be doing this ritual because I lost faith in the ancestors a long time ago, but I never once lost faith in you!”

“You’re nothing, little girl, I have consumed all the power there is and you are nothing.”

“Most girls like this, but then, you’re not like most girls, are you?”

“You know, I can give you a list of people who have underestimated me. Not one of them has done it a second time.”

“Kind of hard to rest when there’s a thousand year old psycho in the next bed.”

“You say that, I sound like a bit of a creeper.”

“Don’t you owe it to yourself to find out? You’re a witch, Davina. You can’t change your DNA any more than I can, so you might as well embrace it.”

“I have been trying to charm you, and your resistance is as impressive as it is baffling.”

“We can’t just pick up another body at a farmer’s market, we don’t even have a spell for that!”

“Well, since we bothered to be the only ones who turned up, it would be a shame to leave empty-handed. Why not head back, get up to no good?"

“I love goats. But do you know how many of them I’ve had to sacrifice!? Just once, I’d like to get a gift card. I mean, I know this is all tradition, but it’s just not me. And you know what I really hate!? This choker scarf! And I only did it because Josephine did…”

"Hey! Cami is my friend. Now, if you can't play nice, you're gonna sit here, and I'll go get it."

“Okay. I'll behave. Let's go."

"What were you supposed to do? Lock me in an attic and keep the world at bay forever? You didn't let me down. I just grew up. Thank you for saving me that first time. And for everything else after. I love you, Marcel."

“Take my power, channel me.”

“Davina? Marcel told me you were up here. Do you want to tell me what happened?”

“Give ‘em hell, Davina Claire.”

“You can stop showing off.”

“This isn’t fair. I’ve waited so long to have you back.”

“Wait a little longer, bring me back when my mind is right. As it is, you can’t trust me, which means you can’t love me. Not as I love you.”

“You know, he was supposed to stop hovering like, ten minutes ago.”

“Sooooo, what’s his name? Hot guy with the fiddle?”

“Davina?”

“If I don’t save you, then I can’t save Josh and I can’t save Kol, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to you guys.”

“When are you going to stop being such a bitch to me, Monique?”

“When you stop being weak!”

“We could make out, but that’s entirely distracting.”

“Chain him. Bleed him. Dump him in a river.”

“That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?”

“She broke everything in me! I’m a broken soul in a broken body! There’s nothing left!”

“She couldn’t break us, love. There’s you, and me, and that’s enough for me; love. Is it enough for you?”

“It’s everything to me.”

"And if it is… if this is all I have, I've had a lot. I had Monique, and I had Tim… and I had someone who fought for me from the moment you met me."

“Have I told you that you’re awesome? Cause you are! I’m in the sun… daylight rings… that guy jogging in a tank top…”

“I’d ask if everything was okay, but you wouldn’t be here if it were.”

“They want you to kill me, right? They want revenge. Why didn’t you say something?”

“Are you ready to go?”

“Anywhere.”

“Anywhere? Everywhere.”

Bonnie gasped as she found herself standing in the astral plane where there were two Davina’s now.

“What…?” Bonnie scrambled back from the two girls. She had felt so much… too much, and if she had thought Davina reconnecting her too nature had been all consuming, all the love and passion the young woman had shared through her memories just now was reality shattering really. All that love, that pain, that life! Bonnie was having trouble comprehending it as she scrambled up to her feet.

“Sorry about that, I can’t stop the memories,” Davina stated as she walked towards Bonnie. It was now that she noted this Davina had a blood-stained shirt, her jeans were dirty and torn, the jacket was obviously a man’s and too big for her, and her hair was lighter, there were small signs of age around her hazel eyes, and her hair was up in a tail. The other Davina was obviously the one Bonnie was used to seeing, long, loose hair, dressed in a white dress, bare feet though.

“What’s happening?” younger Davina asked nervously backing up.

“Nothing, right now nothing is happening,” the older Davina stated. “I just want to have a talk with you.”

Three other girls appeared, all of them surrounded the younger Davina, while four other girls hovered behind the older Davina.

“That hurt, is it supposed to hurt?” Bonnie asked her.

“It can when the other soul doesn’t desire to commune,” Davina answered.

“Who are you, why are you here, what is going on?” younger Davina asked.

“I am you, in about twenty years, but you all the same,” Davina answered as she walked forward. “This is Bonnie Bennett, she’s a fellow witch, not in the coven, we’re safe, no one in the French Quarter is coming for us right now.”

“Hey,” Bonnie smiled at the other soul, the younger girl stared at her with tear eyes and a bloody mark on her brow.

“You’re not with a coven?” Davina asked as she huddled with the other three souls.

“No, I’m not, just a lone witch you,” she tapped the older Davina’s shoulder then. “Are helping. I’m pleased to meet you, younger you, technically.”

“I’m helping you?”

“I was practicing Expression,” Bonnie explained and snorted as the child Davina wrinkled her nose in utter disdain and looked like she had just been fed something foul.

“Expression!?”

“Yeah, this is what happens when other people are manipulated,” older Davina informed her younger self. “Doesn’t just happen to kids or us.”

“You’re me,” Davina whispered.

“Yes. I am, and I think we need to have a talk.”

“You… you’re controlling my body!” younger Davina snarled.

“Not by choice, trust me, puberty sucked enough the first time, I don’t particularly want to be in this body,” Davina snorted. “I mean, my body wasn’t all that after what Inadu did to me, but it wasn’t running off of raging hormones. Being a teenager, sucked.”

“Then why are you in my body!” younger Davina snapped.

“Time Magic. And since I’m here, I think you and I should work together.”

“Why?”

“Because we want the same thing, and when the time of the Reaping comes, and it will, I will go, you will remain,” Davina stated. “Now that I know you’re awake, and here and not lost in time, I will go, you will stay.”

“I’m not…” Davina started shaking her head.

“Whether you desire to or not, the Reaping will happen Davina Claire because this power we possess, it is not ours and if we do not relinquish it, it will consume you,” Davina snapped. “However, death isn’t particularly pleasant, and you’re young, I’ve lived a life already, so at the time of the Reaping, I will go, you will remain, and Abigail, Monique and Cassie will be returned. But until the Reaping there are things we need to do.”

“We?”

“We. And if it works, we’ll destroy the ancestors. That’s what you want, right?”

“You should know, you’re me.”

“I am, but I need verification.”

Bonnie looked between the women and saw younger Davina eyeing her cagily.

“I’m not taking sides here, I’m just here to neutralize power,” Bonnie admitted.

“What do we need to do?” younger Davina asked carefully.

“Well first, we’re going to kill Silas.”

“Silas is a myth,” younger Davina stated.

“Apparently not, so… Davina Claire, do you want to help us?” Davina asked.

Slowly the younger girl nodded her head. “But I want to see Marcel.”

“Thank God because Marcel wants to see you too. And I really don’t need to be in control of your body all the time, so we can work out something.”

“You’re being… weird.” Younger Davina stated.

“I must agree,” Bonnie admitted.

“I’m on a timetable here, I don’t have time for teenage skepticism or disbelief here!” Davina stated.

“Who’s Kol?” younger Davina whispered to Bonnie.

“Kol is…”

“A wily old fox, and you’ll probably meet him when we sort out our body problem.” Older Davina stated.

“Kol’s cool, he’s got a very witchy brain,” Bonnie decided with a giggle as the younger Davina’s face pinkened a little.

Chapter Text

Bonnie watched as the Davina’s talked together and saw the older one smiling encouragingly as the younger her asked questions or talked to one of the other spirits around them. It was a long while after that the younger one walked over to her, and she was struck by how young Davina actually looked and was. She still had the air of elegance, and this confidence that Bonnie envied.

“Um,” she bit her lip nervously as she rung her hands. “I… Big me, she said to talk to you, about… about Expression, and offer to teach you.”

“You can teach me?” Bonnie raised a brow.

The look on young Davina’s face went from hesitant and uncertain to flat, dangerous as she raised a brow. “I at least know enough about magic not to use Expression. Besides I’m the best, and big me is still going to teach you, but she and I are sharing a body so I might have to teach you.”

“I’m sorry,” Bonnie said. “I didn’t mean any offense, it’s just, you’re so young.”

“I just turned sixteen.”

“When?” she asked.

“January thirtieth.”

“Two weeks ago? Christ, you’re a baby!”

“I’m not a baby!” she snapped.

“I’m sorry,” Bonnie said. “I meant you’re a basically a baby, you shouldn’t have been sacrificed.”

“It’s okay, Big Me… she, she shared what will happen, and… it’s okay,” the younger her said carefully. “I don’t want to die, I’m not ready to die.”

Bonnie reacted as she reached out and hugged the younger girl. “Of course, you can teach me magic.”

“Also, can you give me a ride home? Big me and I sorted out the body thing. I need to talk to Marcel,” she sniffled.

“Yeah, I’ll take you home.” Bonnie was surprised to see the older version of Davina smile and nod before she felt the release of Davina’s spell and magic. She gasped as she opened her eyes and looked at Davina who was looking around curiously.

“This isn’t a crypt…” Davina said.

“No, it’s… it’s an abandoned house where a hundred witches died. Davina, big you, helped me dig them up and consecrate them so I could connect with nature again.”

“Smart,” she nodded as she stood.

“Really?”

“Yes, Expression is disconnecting from the world, fastest way to reconnect is to connect with your roots, which is the ancestors,” Davina muttered as she shivered and hugged herself.

“Yeah, let’s get you out of here,” Bonnie said. She remembered what the other Davina had mentioned about the sacrifice.

“Oh, Big Me said you can’t… you can’t tell Kol?... about the Harvest. Why can’t I tell Kol though and who is he? Why is Big Me telling me not to tell him things?” Davina asked as they walked through the house.

“Kol is… he’s fond of you, Big You and probably little you,” Bonnie said uncertainly. She didn’t know how Kol would react to Little Davina. Big Davina was all confidence and experience, but this young girl radiated the innocence she appeared, as well as anger and a lethal edge, but mostly there was an innocence and naïveté about her which seemed to radiate around her right now.

“Why?” Davina asked.

“We’ll ask him when we get you home,” Bonnie decided.

“Big Me said you’re good people,” little Davina stated as she looked at her. “Good people would tell me about Kol.”

“Kol is… complicated, but he seems fond of You which makes it dangerous for just about anyone who isn’t You,” Bonnie answered as they got in the car. “He just killed a long-time problem for kidnapping Big You, he abducted me from school to find Big You, and he’s expressed general liking for Your company, to what degree I don’t know. He’s dangerous and he likes Big You.”

“Oh. How’d I meet him?”

“I honestly have no idea. Big you just appeared in town one day and the next thing I knew she was running with Kol Mikaelson and getting me off Expression and making plans to kill Silas, save a friend, unravel a compulsion, and in general just upturn our lives.”

“Huh, not gonna lie, sounds like something I’d do,” Davina admitted.

“Is that so?”

“I’m a rebel!” the young girl preened proudly.

Bonnie laughed.

“Where am I?”

“You don’t know?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I knew.”

“Mystic Falls, Virginia,” Bonnie answered.

“Virginia?”

“Yes.”

“Furthest I’ve ever been is Baton Rouge,” Davina murmured with awe and disbelief as she stared out the window.

“Really?”

“Yes, mother didn’t want me to leave the ancestors, ever, she worried that something would happen.” Davina muttered darkly as she glared at the thought.

“I’ve never really left Mystic Falls,” Bonnie offered. “My grandmother didn’t think I could handle the outside world.”

“Must be a witch thing,” Davina muttered.

“Or overprotective family thing.”

“Do you… do you like me?” Davina asked her carefully.

“What do you mean?”

“Why are you being nice to me,” Davina stated. “Is it because of Big Me?”

“No, and I like you, Davina,” Bonnie stated. “I don’t know Little You, or Big You really, but I like you, you’re very nice to me. And a patient teacher, which is a first because I haven’t had a teacher, ever. You’re a first, for me, you’re the first witch who hasn’t tried to kill me or betray me, and you’re helping, you didn’t come here asking for anything, you just… you, both Big and Little You, you impress me. I am impressed, truly.”

“Why?”

“The two times I have connected with you Davina, you’re just… you’re filled with all this unbridled, unconditional love, and if that’s how the Big You feels, I can bet that Little You, this you, feels it even if it’s just a fraction, and I am impressed.”

Davina nodded then as she nestled into the seat of the car.

The ride was in silence up to the cabin Davina resided in, then the teen looked around as she got out of the car.

The large man appeared, with Hayley a step behind him.

Davina saw Marcel step out of the cabin, and the look on his face had her sobbing as she ran for him. He met her halfway as he caught her.

“I got you Lil D, I got you,” he whispered as he hugged her tightly.

“They’re dead,” she sobbed.

“I know, I know, and I’m so sorry,” he whispered as he ran his hand over her hair and she hid against his neck, reveling in the safety she felt in her savior’s arms. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save them, baby,” he murmured as he kissed her temple and held her tight.

“Big Me says we need to talk,” she muttered.

“Yeah, yeah we do,” he chuckled.

“Can I…” she started.

“We don’t have to, not right now,” he promised. There was a new hand on her shoulders as a tall brunette came into her view.

“Hey Davina,” she smiled softly. “You… you don’t know me, which is weird, but I’m friends with the older you,” she explained. “I’m Hayley.”

“Big Me says we’re family,” Davina mumbled as she kept herself safe against Marcel.

“Yeah,” Hayley smiled. “We’re family, I’m the annoying big sister.”

“I always wanted a sister,” she mumbled.

“Me too. Steal my clothes though and we’ll have problems,” Hayley warned playfully.

“You’re too tall for me,” Davina confessed.

Marcel laughed, she liked the rumble in his chest and the way it felt to be held, to feel safe and cared for. “Come on Lil D, lets get warmed up.”

“Thanks Bonnie, for the ride,” Davina called out to the other teen standing there.

“No problem.”

“We have food if you want, it’s Mary-Alice’s gumbo recipe,” Marcel said to Bonnie.

“I… that would be nice,” Bonnie nodded.

“Good, come on Lil D,” Marcel said and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked. “You gonna be like that girl.”

“Yup,” she nodded as she hid against his neck. “Never had a dad to do this,” she muttered softly.

“Alright, just hold on, Lil D.”

“Why am I Lil D?” Davina muttered.

“Cause other you is just D.”

“Mmm.”

“And you’re tiny, pint size, three ounces of whoop ass,” he chuckled as the doors were opened.

“I’m not small,” she muttered.

“Tiny,” Hayley teased which had her peeking at the playful hazel eyes.

“I’m not tiny,” Davina muttered.

“Don’t feel bad, us pint size witches are more than anyone can handle,” Bonnie reflected.

“I’m going to sit us down, Lil D,” Marcel whispered softly as he rearranged her and sat them down. Davina held onto him tighter as she relaxed a little bit knowing he wasn’t going to let her go. “I’m Marcel Gerard.”

“Bonnie Bennett, Davina Claire’s pupil,” was the response.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Marcel chuckled.

“You’re Davina’s…?”

“Dad. I’m her dad,” he reaffirmed it was more for her than Bonnie.

“Really?” Davina whispered carefully.

“Ah hell yeah,” he declared dramatically, and Davina giggled.

“You cannot hide out in there forever!” a voice bellowed.

“Until Davina says I can’t!” came a new voice which startled her, and she twisted around as a tall man came storming into the house with a massive bag. He had tousled, dark auburn hair (she’d have thought it brown but all the highlights were red in colors), tall frame, athletic build, angular, chiseled good looks like models on television or something, and dark brown eyes.

“Davina Claire,” he greeted her, his voice was cultured with an indistinguishable accent. His eyes raked over her and he sat at the kitchen table; he seemed to be assessing her as she was him.

“You’re Kol,” she deduced as she wriggled a bit on Marcel’s lap to get a better look at him. He looked like the kind of heart throb man who’d have Monique drooling and their mothers throwing them in a convent to hide them away from. First thing she noted was that he wasn’t like Tim, Tim had that boyish charm about him, but this was a man before her. Second thing she noted was he was dangerous, not just because he was a vampire, it was something in his eyes.

“I am, darling,” he acknowledged. “And I’m guessing you’re little Davina.”

She said nothing as her eyes narrowed and his lips curled back in a sort of grin that screamed trouble. “I’m not little.”

“Pint size really, love,” he chuckled.

“I’m not!” she snapped.

“You are,” Kol countered as he lounged back. “So, you’re the mighty Davina Claire, pleasure to meet this you, love.”

“You’re my dangerous guardian angel.”

There was a strangled sound out of him as well as a shout of laughter from Hayley and Marcel groaned. “Lil D you’re going to kill me!”

“Never been called an angel before,” Kol finally sputtered. He looked dumbfounded at her analogy; she didn’t see why, the man was ridiculously handsome.

“She said you killed someone for kidnapping me!” Davina stated as she pointed at Bonnie.

“I did,” he nodded.

“So that makes you a guardian angel, right?”

“No, love, if I’m any sort of protector, I’m of the demon variety,” he chuckled as he shook his head. “I’m Kol Mikaelson.”

“You’re an Old One,” she said softly. The name finally clicked for her too; this was the man who had shattered her mémé’s heart and betrayed her to Fauline Cottage a century ago.

“I am,” he nodded as he smiled again.

“Why’d you kill my kidnapper?” she asked him curiously.

“I don’t like to share my pretty things,” he shrugged.

“What pretty thing? Did I have something of yours?” she asked curiously.

Kol’s smile turned amused and predatory then. “No, merely she had taken a little witch I’ve come to consider mine and I don’t share, love.”

“Me?” she clarified.

“You.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re interesting, Davina Claire,” he shrugged. “I like pretty things with sharp tongues, but pretty and smart are always interesting.”

“I’m not a thing.”

“You live as long as I have, and your perspective will change.”

“I’m a person, not a thing,” she seethed.

“So you’re informing me. As to why I saved you, you have my attention, which makes you mine,” he reminded her with a dangerous tone. His tone did something to her though as a thrill raced down her spine and their eye contact didn’t break.

“Kol, she’s a kid!” Marcel snapped.

“I’m aware and I don’t want that,” Kol dismissed. “She’s a little girl, and the best partner in crime I’ve ever had.”

“Want what?”

“Don’t you worry about it, love, Marcel’s being an imbecile as per usual,” Kol chirped. All seriousness left Kol as he lounged back, his eyes were playful and a smile quirked his lips in a lazy sort of fashion.

“If you hurt her, I’ll gut you,” Hayley warned.

Davina looked at every feeling at a loss as to what was going on here. “I’m very confused.”

“Don’t worry about it, Lil D, you just stay sweet and innocent for forever,” Marcel stated firmly.

Kol looked at the young girl in Marcel’s arms and assessed her carefully. He didn’t try to pick out physical differences between the Davina he knew and this one, he knew they were the same as they resided in the same body.

There were however noticeable differences; this Davina just oozed innocence, he half expected her to be some virgin sacrifice or something. Her eyes were a little more curious, a little less knowing, her mouth was more pouting, not as smiling, and there was a solemnness about her which he wanted gone. No innocent little girl should have that sort of grief or solemnness, and while he knew the older her had her own pains, the girl before him was experiencing something she was probably too young to understand.

Then again, when he had been her age he had been being beaten to shit in the name of sparring while also learning to sail, hunt, navigate, fight, defend, protect, and survive, rather than doing whatever kids did in this era. He had been a Viking warrior, a farmer, a monster hunter, smith, and tradesman, his life, by the time he had reached Davina’s age, had been hardship and suffering. Anything outside of magic wasn’t of interest to him, and anything to do with mischief and mayhem were usually something he was flirting with. He would also be looking out for Bex and Henrik, but other than that, he’d be studying his magic and evading Finn.

Davina looked at him carefully, her cheeks had pinkened when he had smiled at her, which had her frowning as she glared back. Oh, she was a feisty little vixen, he could see that, and stubborn to boot; it was rather adorable. She wasn’t some swooning damsel, and Kol looked forward to the challenges that would be Davina Claire, because Freyja knew if the woman was so interesting he’d kill to keep her, the girl would be just as fascinating too.

He did see a lot of the Davina he knew here, in the way she jutted her jaw, the way she fluttered her lashes and her lips quirked in temptation to smile, he could see the Davina he knew in how this young girl held herself even. Everything about this Davina would bloom into the Davina he knew and enjoyed, and he was curious about this version of her.

“Girls grow up,” Hayley said.

“Not Davina, she’s going to stay my little girl, forever and ever, and never do anything bad.”

“I hate to break it to you mate, but she’s already my partner in crime,” Kol pointed out.

“Not this one,” Marcel chimed.

“I’m going to have to agree with the tall one,” Davina decided. “I’m a rebel.”

“Ah ha! I knew there was something about you I liked Davina Claire!” Kol cheered and saw her smile then.

“No, no, you’re going to be smart and stay away from him, Lil D,” Marcel demanded playfully. Kol saw Marcel’s smile though.

“Too late!” she declared smugly. Kol roared with laughter as Marcel gave a dramatic pout and Davina smiled so shy and small but with triumph and a spark in her eyes.

Chapter Text

Davina was very curious about her ‘partner in crime’ as he seemed so different from anyone she had met or known. She didn’t get to meet boys, her mother had all but threatened her with a chastity belt and taking the habit. He also didn’t seem how her mémé had described him, he was just… different.

Kol didn’t seem evil, wicked or anything her mother had preached boys to be. He didn’t seem like Tim who was sweet and shy, and he didn’t seem like Marcel who was like a dad to her. She didn’t know how she had attached herself so quickly to Marcel, but the moment he had saved her, the moment he had looked at her, he had become a father figure in her mind and a beacon of safety.

Kol didn’t seem that way to her.

He did seem ancient, it was something about his eyes; Bonnie and big her had said he was a deeply knowledgeable witch despite being a vampire, or because of it. He did seem huge, broad chest, athletic, tall, everything she thought football players were, and he moved with ease and grace. He looked like her mémé had described but not. Her mémé had said Kol was a charming old fox, wild as the animal he was so often equated to; to Davina he didn’t look charming or old. He did look like trouble, but she couldn’t figure out what kind, she knew if she was younger, a child, she’d probably run to him to save her, but something new in her screamed he was trouble and danger.

His lips seemed the most expressive part of him, they either curled into a lazy smile, or curved into a constant smirk or changed to a grim line. Marcel had detangled himself from her for dinner and was now escorting Bonnie home. Hayley had volunteered to clean and though Davina had offered to help the older woman had shooed her off to talk to Kol.

Kol was standing on the back porch when she had approached, it was now that she took in how big he was. When he was sitting, he seemed to sprawl over his seat to be comfortable, but standing, he stood rigid and tall. His eyes raked over her as she crept out.

“I don’t bite, love,” he promised with a dangerous toothy smile.

“I’m not afraid of you,” she declared as she marched to stand beside him. She didn’t like people thinking less of her or that she was afraid.

“So I can see,” he chuckled as he continued to appraise her. “What can I do for you, love?”

“My mémé told me stories about you,” she stated.

“Mary was a delight,” he smiled in genuine affection.

“Why do I trust you then?” Davina asked. “Big Me.”

“I don’t know, love, she’s never expanded on her reasons,” he acknowledged as he leaned on the porch post.

“Oh, she didn’t tell me either,” Davina muttered.

“It’s not a bad thing, not knowing something, besides, it gives you a chance to decide for yourself if you want to trust me or not,” he shrugged.

Now she tilted her head as she thought his words over. “You don’t think I trust you?”

“I don’t think I’ve earned your trust, Little Davina. But that’s alright, we’ve only just met,” he winked and smiled.

“This is weird.” She sighed as she moved to sit on the porch railing.

“You’re telling me. Whether it’s Big You or Little You, you seem intent on throwing me off balance,” he chuckled.

“How so?”

“Big You decided to attract my attention and proceeded to drag me into her schemes informing me that we were friends in her times, and now it appears it’s my turn to declare us friends and drag you into schemes, how the tides have turned,” he mused.

“So, you’ve already decided we’re friends?” she chuckled.

“Of course, love, and I’ll win you over, but now it’s your turn to decide,” he shrugged.

“And if I decide we aren’t?”

“Things are going to get bloody awkward, real quick,” he snickered.

“Really?”

“Oh yes, because I’m going to let you in on a little secret, Davina Claire,” he motioned for her to come closer. She had never had a friend want to whisper a secret to her and she fought back the smile as she came closer.

“You’re going to like me,” he whispered in a husky voice that sent a breathtaking pulse through her body. His lips were so near her ear she could almost feel them, and his breath was warm. “I’m going to let you pretend for a while that you don’t already.”

“You sound certain of that,” she countered in an amused tone as she turned a bit so they were eye to eye.

“Until then, I’ll let you figure it out,” he assured her with a smirk as he stood up straight again.

“Why would I like you?”

“Cause, darling, I’m charming and handsome,” he preened.

“You’re so full of it!” she snorted, and his smile was genuine then, not the one that screamed trouble or problems. “Do you just like me for Big Me?”

“No,” he answered. “She and you are the same person, Davina, only difference is she has life experience.”

“How do you know?”

“I see it,” he answered.

“Really?”

“Yes,” he nodded. “You and she jut your jaw the same way, facial expressions are the same too, she smiles more, but I understand you just went through something horrid recently, Little You, not Big You, and I know that is the sort of thing that would knock a smile off a gorgeous girl. She also is more confident, but that’s life, love, nothing you won’t gain in time. And I saw how you love Marcel and Hayley, you, Little You, doesn’t really know them from my understanding, but I see how you loved them, same as she does. You and she are the same person, simply different points of life, love, and different experiences. I like you, and if that’s Little You or Big, doesn’t matter. You are You.”

“She’s not me,” Davina stated.

“No, but she’s who you could be, and you’re who she was, and I like what I’ve seen of both you and her,” he admitted. “You are an exceptional woman, love. Hard not to like you.”

“Really?” she asked.

“Really.”

“Maybe we can be friends,” she conceded with a small smile.

“Oh, we’re going to be friends,” he promised proudly. “We’re already partners in crime.”

“You two will have my hair turning white!” Marcel announced as he appeared.

“All the more reason for us to be friends,” Kole decided arrogantly. “Goodnight, I will see you tomorrow, love.”

“Okay,” Davina nodded.

“Well, you can walk her to school with me,” Marcel declared.

“Oh, bloody hell, really?” Kol demanded. “You’re dropping her in that toxic waste dump.”

“It’s that or she goes to juvey or New Orleans for truancy where Bastianna can get her and neither you, nor I want that,” Marcel said.

“High school?” Davina scrunched up her nose in disgust.

“Sorry love, being a teenager in this era sucks.”

“I’ve never gone! I don’t want to; can’t we say I’m home schooled?” she asked.

“I would, but that sheriff is going to poke around, she’s the nosey sort.” Marcel sighed.

“Bloody hell,” Kol grumbled. “I’ll be here in the morning.”

“Good, cause after we drop Lil D off, we need to go have a chat with your family and I need you on my side, so I don’t kill them,” Marcel declared.

“I’m not going to be on your side!” Kol snapped.

“It’s about our trip to go hunt down Silas,” Marcel stated.

“I hate you,” he declared.

“Big Me filled me in about Silas, she told me I was going because she needed to go,” Davina admitted.

“And we’ll talk to Little You about it after school, Lil D,” he stressed firmly.

“I don’t need to go to school.”

“While we’re here, you do,” Marcel countered.

“Sorry, love,” Kol chuckled.

“This isn’t fair, if Big Me is here to save the world, I should get a pass on high school.”

“That’s sound logic,” Kol pointed out.

“Stop that,” Marcel ordered. “I’m the parent, not the bad guy, and you’re not going to help her play hooky, Kol. I will know.”

“What if Big Me is here?”

“Big You is not Little You, and Little You is going to school, young lady.”

“Fine,” she rolled her eyes.

“Night, love,” he waved her off as she walked back into the house. Hayley chuckled as she finished putting the last dish away.

“You knew I was going to high school,” Davina sighed.

“I tried to talk him out of it,” Hayley assured her.

“Thanks for letting me talk to Kol alone.”

“You two needed it. Besides, I like him, he seems decent enough. And he’s hot,” Hayley nudged her.

“I hadn’t noticed,” she lied as she felt her face heating up.

“Sure, you haven’t,” Hayley chuckled. “Come on, movie night then prepping for hell.”

“I’d rather face Bastianna than go to high school,” Davina admitted. “I… I never went to…”

“Anyone messes with you, you tell me, and I’ll beat them up,” Hayley stressed.

“Nobody’s beating anybody up!” Marcel declared walking in.

Kol walked back into Nik’s house and silently made his way to his room. He was surprised that he wasn’t mauled by Nik or Elijah or Bekah, which had his guard going up as he entered his room and frowned seeing Bekah on his bed.

“What do you want, Bex?” he asked warily as he pulled off his coat and hung it up. Going to his closet he started changing into more casual clothes.

“I want to go with you to find the cure,” Rebekah stated.

“No,” he answered as he walked out changed in sweats and a t-shirt. “Not happening, Bex.”

“Kol,” she started.

“I don’t trust you with the cure,” he stated firmly. “I can’t and won’t have you around that temptation, Bex.”

“I’m not going to do anything,” she stressed.

“Rebekah,” he sighed tiredly. “Klaus is already going with me, and I know he wants it, and I know Marcel is going to keep Klaus away from Davina, and I can’t be protecting her and running interference between you and Klaus as you hunt for a way to stab me in the back and take the cure.”

“I would never!” she started.

“1914, Bekah!” he snapped.

“Kol,” she sighed. “I’m not…”

“I can’t trust you Bekah,” he snarled. “I can’t risk it, and I won’t,” he stated.

“Why?” she demanded.

“This is the fate of the world! And Davina Claire is trusting me to help her with this, I will not have your greed putting her in danger, she’s a kid, Bex!” he seethed.

“I was coming to help you protect her,” Rebekah reasoned.

“I don’t trust you,” he stated simply.

“Kol…”

“No, it’ll be enough trouble with Marcel and Nik being there,” Kol said firmly. “I will not chance Davina’s life for your greed.”

“I…”

“Bex, if there was a way to make us human right this minute, I would tell you, and I would even hand you the cure, but this is not an option and not a cure.”

“Kol, I’m sorry,” she sniffled. “I never meant to break your trust.”

“Bex, you’re my little sister, I love you, always will, and I’ll trust you again, but I’m not fool enough to trust you with this,” he warned. “Not when there’s a world on the line.”

“Or Davina Claire,” she prodded.

“What are you after, Bex?” he asked warily. There were all sorts of warning signs flashing in his mind as he assessed his sister.

“Just… you seem close to her,” she said nonchalantly as she watched him.

“She’s helping me take out Silas before a bunch of idiot teens do something with consequence that will affect everything living!” he snapped.

“You can just admit you’re sweet on her,” Rebekah stated.

He felt his jaw drop as he stared at his sister. Someone had to have hit her hard over the head. “What?”

“We can all see it,” Rebekah stated.

“What?” he sputtered stupidly as he tried to figure out where this coming from.

“Don’t play dumb,” Bekah chided.

“Bex, I honestly am at a loss as to where this is coming from,” he said patiently as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I work with witches all the time, this isn’t new!”

“You’ve never brought someone to meet the family. You've never brought anyone you’re sweet on around us,” she smiled.

Kol just stared dumbly at Rebekah. There was a knock on his door as he tore his gaze from Bekah to see Elijah entering.

“Ah, good, I was afraid I missed you,” Elijah said as he walked in.

“Why would you miss me?” Kol asked as he looked between his siblings and wondered if Klaus was going to appear to dagger him.

“I was informed you were with Davina last night,” Elijah replied.

“I was… What is this?” he demanded. “Is this some attempt to bond or pry or something I don’t know about? Is Nik waiting with a dagger somewhere?” he asked looking around his room and then peering over his trunks of notes for hints of his elder brother’s location.

“No? Why would you ask that?”

“Because she’s being invasive and nice,” he stated as he pointed at Rebekah and continued checking over his room.

“I’m nice!” Rebekah snapped.

“You’re a bitch,” he countered flatly as he checked under his bed in case Nik was hiding there.

“I’m not here to dagger you, Kol,” Elijah assured him. “I have come to offer my aid on your excursion, I was informed that Klaus was going as well as Marcel.”

“This isn’t a family reunion trip! I’m killing Silas, so is Davina, everyone else is just extra!”

“Nonetheless, knowing our brother, it seems pertinent I offer my company to keep him from doing something reckless,” Elijah sighed.

“No. No to this for the same reasons I’m not bringing Bex! I don’t trust you!” Kol reasoned.

“But you trust Nik!” Bekah snapped.

“No,” he said with a grimaced. “I’m not that stupid, but I can’t really keep him here unless the Bennett witch knows how to trap him, and honestly, he’s too motivated to be trapped so I’m just not going to go through that headache of having him come tearing up my plans and work! It’s easier to thwart him when he’s there before he loses his temper!”

“Kol,” Elijah started. “I am thinking of the safety of Davina.”

“I think between me, the wolf, and Marcel she’ll be fine and safe from Nik,” Kol said blandly as he checked his shower. “I’m not bringing you along. It’s not some family road trip.”

“What are you doing?” Bekah demanded, exasperation lacing her tone.

“Making sure Nik isn’t here with a dagger,” he admitted.

“Niklaus is hardly the sort to hide in the shower,” Elijah said with exasperation.

“And yet I always end up daggered at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected places,” he said as he leaned on the door frame. “I will be fine managing Nik.”

“We just want to help,” Elijah pointed out.

“I like not being in a box, so no. Now leave, this is getting weird, I have work to do,” he said as he opened his bedroom door and watched them leave.

“We both know he likes her,” Rebekah commented as she walked with Elijah. "Even Nik knows he likes her."

“I believe our brother, Kol, has not caught onto the awareness yet as he is obsessed with Silas,” Elijah muttered dryly.

“He killed Katerina for taking her.”

“Katerina’s dead?” Elijah stopped, looking confounded then.

“Oh, oh no, I’m so sorry, Elijah,” Rebekah whispered. “I didn’t… I thought Nik told you, he told me.”

“Kol…”

“Katerina took Kol’s witch, she wanted to find Silas for the cure,” Rebekah explained gently. “She wanted to barter her freedom, Kol… Kol found her and, I’m so sorry Elijah.”

Elijah said nothing.

“Katerina was always going to have a sordid end,” he murmured. “I will miss her, but I am pleased our brother saved his witch. Kol’s never been particularly attached to any one person.”

“I remember when Ayana would bring him all these girls,” Rebekah snorted. “He’d just flirt, tease, have some torrid affair and be on his merry way, the girls would laugh it off.”

“Yes, I remember,” Elijah’s lips quirked.

“I am sorry about Katerina.”

“It was long over,” he admitted. “I am sorry she is gone. Still, I am immensely pleased that Davina Claire is alive and well, she’s… it is like he’s back to being himself, and it has been so long since we’ve seen that.”

“Seen what?”

“Kol’s humanity,” Elijah remarked with a soft smile.

“Stefan buried Katerina,” Rebekah said as he started walking away. “She’s at the cemetery she took Davina too, the old abandoned one. He said he buried her under the old oak.”

“It is fine, Rebekah.” Elijah called out as he walked to his room. Rebekah sighed softly. One brother gained a love, the other brother lost one. It just wasn’t fair.

Kol reappeared with his nose buried in a book as he brushed past her.

“Hey!”

“Hm?” he looked up as he glanced at her. “Sorry Bex.”

“What are you researching?” she asked.

“Why?” he lifted a brow and gave her a skeptical look.

“I do want to help,” she promised.

“Help?” he sputtered. “Who the bloody hell are you and what have you done with Rebekah?”

“Ha-ha,” she snorted. “Seriously Kol.”

“Seriously Bex,” he retorted. She frowned as she folded her arms. “I’m researching Expression. I was trying to figure out what Shane was up to and why he’d encourage a young witch to practice it.  I thought maybe there was something in Expression Silas wanted, or needs.”

“Why would he want that?”

“Silas is immortal, if he were a witch as the legends claim then the price for his immortality will be the loss of his magic and connection to Nature,” Kol shrugged. “I want to know why he would want a witch to practice Expression when he knows the cost.”

“I’ll help,” Rebekah decided.

He shrugged and continued walking towards the study with his book in hand.

Chapter Text

Caroline skipped into the school building ready for a new day, utterly delighted that there was a new day where her friends weren’t being threatened, maimed, or worse in an impossible quest for a cure which probably was more trouble than help. The only think that would make her day better was if Klaus would stop hunting Tyler so Tyler could come home. But that wasn’t happening so she would take what she could get.

“Oh, good, Caroline, there’s a new student coming in today, I was hoping you would show her around,” Mrs. Clarke said appearing then.

“Oh, yeah, sure,” she said as she pulled herself off her dream world to nod.

“Good, her name is Davina Claire, she’s to be a sophomore,” Mrs. Clarke said.

“Oh! Davina! Yeah, I’ll be happy to show her around,” Caroline smiled.

“You know her?”

“Um… yeah, she and her dad just moved her last week,” she explained.

“Oh good, I was worried she wasn’t going to know anyone,” Mrs. Clarke smiled happily and left her. Caroline nodded as she went to her locker.

“So… Care,” Elena appeared.

“I can’t right now, Elena, I have to go find Davina, I’m going to show her around the school.”

“Davina?”

“Davina, you know, about yay high, saved Jer from impending doom of losing humanity,” Caroline explained as she held a hand up to where Davina’s stood in height.

“No, I know, I’m just surprised she’s coming here, she seemed… too self-important to come to school,” Elena shrugged.

“Don’t be nasty Elena, she saved your brother from a horrible fate.”

“Supposedly.”

“You can hug your brother now!”

“We don’t know anything about her!” Elena insisted.

“I don’t have time for this Elena, whatever your problems with Davina are you’re the only one having them.”

“She’s friends with Kol!” Elena snapped. “Kol! Who pretended to be Jeremy’s friend, who broke Damon’s neck with a baseball bat, and who tried to kill us for wanting a cure!”

“No, not us, you, you for wanting a cure that’s apparently tied to Armageddon.”

“Don’t you want to be human again, Care?”

“I like me! I like being this version of me, I get to… Elena, I don’t feel like a freak, I like who I’ve become because of this. This is… this is the me I always wanted to be but couldn’t be.”

“What?”

“I don’t expect you to get it, Elena, and I do want you to have the best of life, but you’re being unbelievably selfish, not everyone hates being a vampire, and not everyone hates what they’ve become because of this,” Caroline stated. “Now I really do have to go find Davina.”

“I still don’t trust her,” Elena called after her.

“I don’t expect you to!” she countered. She hurried to the front of the school and was unsurprised when she saw Davina with Kol, Hayley and her father figure.

“Davina!” Caroline smiled as she walked up. She resisted the urge to glare venomously at Hayley given the fact Hayley had gone with Kol to save Davina from Katherine.

Davina had wedged herself between Hayley and Kol because she was mad at Marcel for making her do this, but she wasn’t upset by his reasonings. She just didn’t want to go to high school. In New Orleans she had been a witch, her mother might’ve sent her to public elementary school, but she had stopped going when she was ten to focus on her craft as a witch. Davina had also only been allowed to go to elementary school because she was a prodigal witch. Davina had been praised as being the most powerful witch of her generation in New Orleans, by all covens, she had even been blessed by Regent LaRue when she had been nine for her prowess and skill as a witch.

She was never going to go to high school or be stuck with teenagers.

“That’s Caroline a friend of Bonnie’s,” Kol informed her.

“She’s a vampire,” Davina whispered.

“A very chipper one,” Hayley muttered.

“It’s so good to see you!” Caroline announced as she came over.

“Play nice, Lil D,” Marcel ordered with a massive smile that she took as a threat. She glared at him and pressed herself more behind Kol and Hayley.

“Don’t worry, love, we solve Silas and no more high school,” Kol promised.

“Yes, high school, as long as we’re in this town, when we go back to New Orleans, we’ll negotiate that,” Marcel stated.

“I’m a prodigal witch, I should be doing magic, not algebra,” she grumbled.

“Or being traumatized by sex driven, shallow, petty teenagers,” Hayley mused.

“Oh god, what if they don’t like me!?” Davina demanded in a panic as she stared up at Hayley.

“Then they’re just proving their stupidity,” Kol decided.

“Easy for you to say, you’re Old! You don’t have to worry about people’s opinions, you’re going to outlive them!” she countered.

“She’s got you there,” Hayley commented. “Just remember, if anyone bothers you, I’ll beat them up.”

“You’re not beating up a bunch of kids, Hayley.” Marcel stressed.

“Try me, I watch out for my pack,” Hayley declared.

“I’ll help,” Kol whispered.

“You two are a horrible influence on my girl,” Marcel announced.

“Can I watch?” Davina asked as she looked up between Kol and Hayley.

“Certainly,” Hayley slung her arm around Davina’s shoulder. “I’ll even teach you to throw a mean right hook.”

“No, no, we are not encouraging violence!” Marcel retorted.

“If any boys try anything on you, attack the groin and run,” Kol asserted.

“You guys are making it sound like I’m sending her to a gang house!” Marcel snapped.

“That’s what high school is!” Hayley insisted.

“It isn’t!”

“Did you go?” Hayley demanded.

“No, but I got an education from Klaus!”

“And Elijah. And Bex, let’s not forget Bex’s loving education.” Kol quipped.

“And you,” Marcel sneered.

“I still hate you,” Kol growled.

“Lil D, you’re doing this, and you two aren’t going to encourage violence.” Marcel maintained as he pried her from Hayley. “Here’s the thing Lil D, go for the eyes, the groin or the stomach, elbow is the hardest point of the human body, use it if you want to hurt them, and legs are stronger than arms, kicks will help you escape faster, if in doubt scream fire that’ll attract more attention than help, and if all else fails, crush them with your magic,” he whispered hurriedly. “I love you, have a great day, we’ll pick you up!”

She stared at them as she hesitantly walked towards the blonde. Marcel smiled, Hayley and Kol waved her off, and she gulped as she waved to them too.

“How are you this morning?” Caroline asked.

“Fine,” she answered. “You’re… Bonnie’s friend.”

“Yeah, we’ve met…” Caroline started.

“Sorry, it’s complicated, I’m Little Davina,” she said as she held out her hand. “You know Big Me.”

“Oh…” Caroline said in confusion. “Well then, Little Davina, I’m Caroline Forbes, class president, and friend of Bonnie’s, I’m going to show you around the school.”

“Okay, and you can just call me Davina,” she said.

“Oh, okay. Why are you…?”

“Complicated,” Davina answered. “Bonnie knows a little, she can explain.”

“Okay, well, if you want, I’ll get Bonnie to join us,” Caroline said. Davina hugged her binder to herself and nodded hesitantly. She had never been around so many people her own age ever, and the way some of the kids were eyeing her had her wary, she kind of wanted to turn around and demand Kol or Hayley come with her.

“Hey Care,” a big guy said. He was huge, barrel chested, blonde hair and blue eyes.

“Matt! This is Davina, Davina, Matt,” Caroline said.

“I know we’ve met,” he smiled. “You saved Jer, pretty cool.”

“It was nothing,” she replied as she felt her cheeks heating up. Big Her had warned her that this would happen but was still weird experiencing it.

“No, seriously, thank you, he’s finally himself,” Matt smiled encouragingly.

“We should go get Bonnie,” Caroline said.

“Okay, I just wanted to ask if you could pick up a shift at the grill today, Elena said she can’t,” he sighed.

“Oh, oh sure!” she nodded.

“Thanks,” he said as he disappeared.

“Have you ever done high school?” Caroline asked her.

“No, my mother believed it would prove a distraction from studying my craft,” she admitted.

“Really?”

“I’m a prodigal witch,” Davina reminded the blonde. “I’m not a normal teenage girl.”

“Fair enough,” she nodded. “Well, if you want you can eat lunch with Bonnie, Matt and I, we usually eat together in the quad, Elena and Jer might join us, they might not, oh, and Stefan might, but that depends on how many crises are happening.”

“Do you have a lot of crises?”

“Depends on the day, come on I’ll show you you’re locker and you’re first class,” Caroline smiled happily.

“Okay,” Davina nodded shyly. She saw a tall teen staring at her with unreadable eyes as she passed him. He was nearly as tall as Kol, and his dark hair seemed to be in a messy, short style.

“Hey Jer,” Caroline greeted.

“Hey Caroline, hey Davina,” he greeted.

She smiled tightly as she tried to make herself smaller and disappear from his gaze, it wasn’t a look she really liked.

Kol watched her walk into the building that still looked like some sort of prison to him and grimaced. He’d rather go through the Spanish Inquisition than high school from what he could see and smell; the amount of hormones in the air was nauseating. At least when he had been a teenager it wasn’t like he was required to be around other teenagers; he’d been busy getting the crap beaten out of him by Finn and his father, who were intent on turning them into the best warriors they could be.

“What have you learned about Silas?” Marcel questioned as the three of them started walking away from the school.

“Silas is buried on an island off the coast of Nova Scotia, we can sail there or charter a plane. Sailing would be safer though because the island is uninhabited and abandoned.”

“Abandoned?” Hayley asked.

“Every settlement there, ever, has been driven mad or dies mysteriously,” he explained. “I think that’s the work of Silas. If there are people there, they won’t be the friendly sort. At least if we go by ship then we can control our comings and goings to the island and don’t have to rely on an airplane.”

“And how would we be doing this?” Hayley inquired.

“It’s been a century, but I doubt the mechanics for sailing have changed so much that I can’t get us there,” Kol said dryly.

“You can sail?” Marcel asked skeptically.

“Of course I can bloody sail! I’ve been sailing and navigating before it became a common thing!” he snapped. “I’m a Viking by trade!”

“So?”

“So, I’ve been sailing seas, rivers, lakes, since I was a wee lad, went on all the voyages with my father before I was turned, and done plenty others since that time,” he snorted. “I can sail us to the island on the simplest of sail boats or modern ones!”

“You really were a Viking?” Hayley queried in awe.

“Of course, I was love, believed in Odin and Thor and Loki,” he waved his hand. “Before Christianity took over everything. Granted I do still pray to the old gods when I pray. But I remember before Christianity took over everything so thoroughly.”

“That’s amazing,” she smiled in delight.

“Don’t let our colorful past fool you, darling, we’re what you call Vikings. No matter what Bex, Nik or Elijah may think or say about us being Lords and Lady, we’re Vikings at heart, traveled, plundered, and explored. We were farmers, merchants, and warriors.”

“What was it like?”

“Our father was an immensely powerful landowner, both in the New World and Old World, and was a chief of our village, he was an accomplished warlord. Finn was his heir, and took the role far too seriously, Elijah would have been chief, I think, in the long run, he had more calmness about him than Finn did, and he was a better listener to the problems of the people. He was also happy to set aside his needs for the needs of the people, Finn wasn’t. Finn was the only one of us to travel continuously between the Old and New World with father, Finn was a hell of a haggler too, could almost get anything for nothing.

“Klaus never went to the Old World, mother would never let him, Elijah went a few times, he hated sailing, always got seasick. Klaus would’ve probably been a great chief with Elijah, they were always thick as thieves and a team, if the Hunter’s curse hadn’t warped his mind so much, they probably would’ve become kings of some powerful empire long before now.”

“What about Rebekah?” Marcel asked.

“Bex was a fine lady in making, father would’ve had her married at twelve, but mother held firm on holding off, she wasn’t ready for his only daughter to be married. They had horrible fights about it, mother almost divorced father for his stance on Bekah marrying. She was seventeen, father was worried she’d die an old maid or in childbirth as she got older. Father though was going to look for a husband for her in the Old World, one that could be powerful enough to give her a secure future,” he shrugged. “Henrik was my partner in crime, we got up to the most mischief, he was barely a man by our standards when he was killed.”

“By your standards?” Hayley asked.

“In my village you were considered a man at the age of twelve,” he stated. “Henrik was sixteen when he died, he was sweet on a lass in a neighboring village, a tribe girl, mother hated her. Henrik had moved to live with me at the time so he could marry the lass. Her tribe was receptive to his marriage proposal and father thought it was a good match.”

“Move with you?” Marcel asked.

“Yes, I owned a farm, had my own land and property, mother didn’t like that, but I had earned it, and lived there when I had turned thirteen. I was very good at it, being a witch and all.”

“Why didn’t Bekah and them…?” Marcel started.

“Simple really, they couldn’t, or rather wouldn’t. Nik and Elijah could leave, they had the money to leave, but Bekah couldn’t, as an unwed lass, she’d be with her relatives, and there was no way our father would relinquish her. But they wouldn’t leave Bekah under our mother’s thumb alone, the tradeoff was they’d be under father’s thumb.

“Henrik’s declaration to move to my farm was actually a point that shifted Bekah, Elijah and Klaus to seriously think about moving out and on their own, they were all wealthy in their own rights, though Elijah or Nik would have to support Bex, or I would, we were her elder brothers after all, and though Vikings gave more power to women than most at the times, it was still unwise for a lone woman to be unwed and on her own,” he shrugged. “Finn would’ve never supported her, he sneered at me leaving the home though he did the same thing. Granted he couldn’t figure out how to run a successful farm, but he did leave the house, he worked as a tradesman in the village and studied to be chief with father.”

“No one ever talks about Henrik,” Marcel said softly.

“There isn’t much to talk about,” Kol admitted. “The night Henrik died was a tragedy, but it was also the last night he was to be with our family before he would move with me so he could marry his girl. The plan was I’d leave the farm in Henrik’s control and sail to the Old World, that didn’t happen,” he shrugged. “I’ll get us to the island. It’ll be a voyage though, I have most the maps and charts, currents and winds, and this era forecasts weather which will make our voyage easier to do.”

Hayley watched Kol’s back as he walked ahead of them, and she lingered with Marcel.

“Who’s Henrik?” she asked softly. She knew he was a family member, but she wasn’t sure who he was, and this was the first time Kol had mentioned him.

“He was the youngest of the Mikaelson siblings, he was a little younger than Bekah,” Marcel answered. “They said he had curly brown hair, Elijah’s jawline, and blue eyes, he was supposedly a handsome young man.”

“It’s so weird,” Hayley murmured.

“What is?”

“To think of a sixteen-year-old wanting to get married, or that they were Vikings,” she admitted.

“I honestly didn’t know they were Vikings until just now,” Marcel murmured softly. “I mean, I thought they were from the Scandinavian area of Europe, but they never really talked about their heritage or pasts with anyone, they would play it off as European nobility or European warlords, or anything else.”

“I thought you were their family,” she said.

“I am, sort of, but… the Mikaelsons are old, Hayley,” he murmured. “I mean they talk about empires rising and falling so casually because it just is to them. They’ve been around a lot of history, and they’ve done a lot of things. I’d be surprised if they ever talked about it openly, and they rarely ever talk about their human years.”

“Why?”

“I asked Elijah that once, he said it was the last time his family was truly happy, and that that happiness was taken from them,” Marcel said softly. “I guess they mourn it, in their own way.”

“It’s so cool though that he’s a Viking!” she smiled.

“It explains a lot,” Marcel offered.

Hayley was more curious about the Mikaelsons now, if they were Vikings it would explain some of the bloodier aspects of their reputation. But she wondered how much of that was vampirism and how much of it was them being Vikings.

Chapter Text

Marcel walked into the Mikaelson home and saw Elijah and Rebekah.

“It really is you,” Elijah said with disbelief before his lips curled into a welcoming smile. “It is good to know not everything was lost,” he said as he walked forward.

“It’s good to see you, Elijah,” he admitted as he smiled in spite of himself. While Klaus was always like a father, and Bekah was the only girl he’d ever love, Elijah had been this weird but steady mix of guardian, father, and big brother all wrapped up in this elegance Marcel always wanted to emulate.

“And who is this?” Elijah asked.

“Who the hell are you?” Hayley countered sharply.

“This is Hayley, Davina found her and brought her in,” Marcel said as he smiled at the young wolf. Hayley eyed Elijah with a suspicion that she expressed with everyone else except Davina.

“A pleasure,” Elijah smiled.

“Marcel,” Rebekah came near him, and he frowned before he walked after Kol.

He was still livid with her, and he didn’t care how much he loved her he wasn’t going to make it easy for her. He just wasn’t. Not after all the shit they had been through. Kol was in the library already pulling down charts, clearing off the desk as he worked. Marcel had never actually seen Kol at work, then again, from the way Rebekah and Elijah were watching him, they hadn’t seen him at work either. Kol darted out of the library.

“So, Miss Hayley,” Elijah said.

“It’s just Hayley,” she cut him off.

“Very well, would you like something to eat?” he asked her. “Before we get started.”

“I’m good, thanks,” she answered. Kol reappeared with a different set of papers as he bit a pen and leafed through them before dropping them on the desk and then he pulled out straight edge and a compass before he started working.

“What are you…?” Marcel started.

“Navigating,” Kol answered.

“Oh, they made GPSs for that!” Rebekah chuckled as she walked up.

“What the bloody hell is wrong with using a map!?” Kol demanded.

“Just makes things easier,” Rebekah quipped.

“This is easy Rebekah,” Kol snorted.

“Is this how you learned?” Hayley asked curiously.

“No, our father didn’t teach us this method, he believed in the ravens and the sun stone, it was more perilous,” Elijah answered.

“It worked,” Kol answered flatly.

“It was miserable,” Elijah grimaced.

“Cause you get seasick,” Kol retorted. “It was only bad with Finn because he’d find all the rough water to make us all miserable.”

“Remember when Finn tried to teach me?” Rebekah chuckled.

“Father would’ve flayed him and displayed him if mother hadn’t interfered,” Elijah mused.

“I could sail!” Rebekah stated proudly.

“You stay away from whatever ship I’m sailing; I’ll end up at the bottom of the Atlantic,” Kol warned seriously.

“Oh, I’m not that bad, Kol!”

“1045 when we were running from father, you hit an iceberg!” he countered.

“I didn’t know they were that big!”

“We all told you, Bex, you are not sailing,” Klaus stated as he walked in. “Where are we sailing?”

“Island off of Nova Scotia,” Kol answered, not looking up from his work.

“It was once, Nik, and I didn’t know better,” Rebekah pouted.

“We learned from that, don’t trust Bekah with sailing,” Kol retorted.

“This is so cool,” Hayley chuckled.

“What is?” Elijah asked in confusion.

“Sailing, Vikings, it’s interesting, new, cool,” Hayley said to Elijah.

“Ah, most people are unimpressed with that aspect of our illustrious pasts,” Elijah admitted.

“Did you guys do raids and stuff?”

“It was not a particular practice of our village given our geographical location, but we had been called to do it from time to time, Finn particularly enjoyed them,” Elijah said dryly.

“He liked the rape, pillage, and plunder aspects, could display his manliness, where he was impotent and incompetent everywhere else. Mother was very proud of him,” Klaus rolled his eyes.

“Yes, different times, different lives,” Elijah waved off.

“Alright, so,” Kol spread out the map. “It’ll take a couple of days with a good ship.”

“You are certain about the route?” Elijah asked as he looked over it.

“Yes, it’s not that far, and this,” Kol pulled out the other map and dropped it on the charts he was displaying. “Is the route to Silas. Now from what I’ve found there’s only two islands it could be, so I contacted the one, this one, it’s a research project digging up Viking ships, but they warned me off of the other one, which makes me think this is where Silas is. Research supports that, it’ uninhabited and settlers flee it or are found drained of blood.”

“This is…”

“Yes, and I’m thinking it’s Silas’ tomb.”

“I don’t get it,” Hayley said.

“When we were younger, and father was teaching us to sail, there were places you did not go,” Elijah stated. “Gods abandoned you there, father believed, as did many others of our people that this island was the entrance to Helheim, no one would stop there.”

“You remember that?” Marcel gaped.

“It’s hard not to remember the places not to go from that day in age because they were the unfriendliest,” Klaus stated. “Whether it was the locals, the environment, or the beliefs, there were places one did not venture to.”

“I’m thinking this is Silas. It makes sense, we avoided it, and in those days, we wouldn’t have thought to go near it. It’d be the perfect place to entomb a monster, isolated, remote, these currents take everything away from the island, sparse waters, and desolate,” he explained.

“Do you guys believe in Ragnarök?” Hayley blurted out.

Kol grimace but shrugged. “No reason not to…”

“Brother,” Elijah started.

“Oh, don’t tell me you don’t believe in some of the old ways after all the things we’ve seen and done,” Kol defended.

“It’s a foolish faerie tale, Kol,” Klaus countered.

“So was Silas!” Kol snapped.

“Don’t start praying to Loki again,” Klaus warned.

Kol rolled his eyes. “We should leave this week, we’ll need supplies, and the sword, but we leave in the next few days we can have Silas’ head and be on our merry way with whatever world domination plots Nik has,” Kol waved off.

“Very well, what do you require?”

“You and Bex will be remaining behind. Nik, Marcel, Hayley, Davina and I are going to the island, we’ll take care of Silas,” Kol stated.

“That’s not fair.”

“I don’t care about fair Bex, I care about not unleashing hell on earth!” Kol snarled as he showed his fangs.

“I just think we should all go,” Rebekah stated.

“And I think having you around temptation is a bad idea,” Kol countered.

“I agree with Kol,” Marcel stated.

“HA!” Kol pointed at him in victory.

“I so hate those words. And I don’t want you near my girls and a cure,” Marcel confirmed as he glared at Rebekah.

“Your girls?”

“Hayley and Davina, my girls!” Marcel grounded out.

“Oh please…”

“What are you going to do about the Mystic Falls gang?” Elijah asked cutting off the brewing argument between him and Bekah. He glared at Rebekah who was glaring back.

“That is where you will come in,” Kol said. “I’m going to need you to distract them.”

“With what!? A slumber party and girls’ night!?” Rebekah sneered.

“I don’t care how you bloody well do it, just do it! For once just do what I need you to do!” Kol demanded.

Marcel was startled with how the other three Mikaelsons reacted.

“I’m not asking you lot to provide me with the keys to Folkvangr or heaven or the Other Side, I need you three, to for once, do what I’m asking though,” Kol stated. “Keep them busy, keep them here, Davina and I will handle the rest.”

“About Davina,” Marcel started. “Should we explain it to your family?”

“That’s her decision, not ours,” Kol answered swiftly as he started folding up his charts. “Elijah, I know you own one, so where do you have it docked?”

“Massachusetts,” he answered. “Cape Cod.”

“We’ll be leaving for Cape Cod then after we gather supplies. I’ll need the information,” Kol stated.

“I will text you the information and email the harbor master to have her ready.”

“I thought you got seasick,” Hayley said.

“Call it an old habit,” Elijah answered with a quirk of his lips. “She’s just an old ship, Kol, so be careful with her.”

“It’ll be fine, Nik is my first mate,” Kol grinned as he slapped Klaus on the shoulder.

“Kol…” Klaus started snarling.

“I am not leaving you in charge, you got lost crossing the channel, the bloody channel Nik! And that was with charts, maps and compasses.”

“It was in the fifteenth century!”

“I don’t bloody care, I am not getting on a ship you’re captain,” Kol stated. “You can man the rigging and take the bloody orders for once,” Kol quipped.

“Can you teach me to sail!?” Hayley asked curiously.

“On the way back,” Kol answered.

“She’s a four-cabin ship,” Elijah said. “Do be careful with what you pack,” he stated.

“Going to be bloody cold,” Kol grumbled as he left Marcel with Klaus and Rebekah.

“I will go gather supplies for the impending journey,” Klaus decided as he walked out leaving him with Rebekah.

“Your girls,” Rebekah stated.

“Don’t start with me Bekah,” he warned as he moved to leave her.

“Marcel,” she called, stopping him dead in his tracks. “Please,” she sighed.

“What, Rebekah?” he turned to her.

“Please, don’t let that be our end,” she pleaded.

“And what would you prefer?” he asked harshly as he felt too much. His love for her as a human had been all consuming, but when he had turned, it had been reality shattering, he could never shake it, and it wasn’t a sire bond.

“I… please,” she whispered as her lips trembled.

“You are all I ever wanted, Bekah, but I can’t think about that right now,” he said softly as he turned leave.

“Do you love them!?” she demanded harshly.

“Yes, I do. But not how I love you,” he replied softly. He turned slightly to see her teary eyes.

“You… still?”

“Always, Bekah,” he stated and left. He found Kol in his room grabbing clothes and shoving them in a duffle.

“You’re packing now?” Marcel asked.

“I’ll meet you guys at the ship, it’ll need some work, and probably a few test sails,” he stated. “Also, I need to feed.”

“You’ve been in control so far,” Marcel pointed out.

“I don’t want to test it travelling with two warm bodies, and not having had regular food source,” Kol admitted. “I happen to like Davina Claire, and would rather not make her a snack.”

“That’s very responsible of you,” Marcel remarked.

“I tend to be a very responsible sort,” Kol countered dryly. “I will text you the address of the harbor, but I’m heading that way today after we pick up Davina from school.”

“You’re coming with us to pick up Davina?” Marcel asked.

“I said I would this morning, which means I will,” he said as he grabbed a few books and tossed them in his bag.

“I’m just surprised,” Marcel admitted.

“Just because I find you intolerable does not mean I find others intolerable,” Kol snorted.

“Just when I was starting to like you,” Marcel grumbled.

“You’re not that foolish,” Kol answered. “I’ll text you a list of clothes for the girls that you’ll have to buy.”

“I’m sure they have them.”

“Davina ran away from New Orleans the moment she woke up in her younger body and did not pack appropriate clothing. Hayley, I doubt owns truly cold weather clothing from what I’ve seen,” he admitted. “This is going to be cold,” Kol stated.

“I’ll see you when we get Davina,” Marcel said as he left Kol to his packing. He didn’t know what to make of Kol now. Before he had just thought Kol a vile being who deserved death, but now he was wondering if it was Kol’s ability to hold a grudge that had been driving him then and not who he really was.

Kol checked over his charts as he folded them up and put them in his bag.

“It is a pleasure to see you getting along with Marcellus,” Elijah said walking into his room.

“I still hate his guts,” Kol said as he grabbed a few grimoires which would be of interest to Davina and her education. Little Her that is.

“Kol,” Elijah started. “Hating Marcellus will upset Niklaus…”

“Don’t, just don’t,” Kol cut off. “You guys were so excited to shove me in a box and take in Marcel, Marcellus, whatever, you lot were more excited about that little welp than anything else in the world. Meanwhile, because our brother is psychotic since the Hunter’s curse, you aid him in shoving me in a bloody box to steal decades off my life because you can!”

“Kol, that… we want to keep you grounded, you have been losing touch with your humanity,” he said softly. “We don’t know what to do so we’ve put you there in hopes that when you return to us you’ll connect with your humanity again.”

“My humanity!?” Kol spun on his brother. “My humanity!” he grounded out through clenched teeth. “You have lost your humanity! Cleaning up every bloody mess Klaus has an impulsive desire to make because Klaus has decided to make enemies so he could prove himself to father; a father who was an abusive control freak aided by our mother in their quest to ruin us, and that was when we were human, it got worse after we were turned into the monsters they wanted! And my humanity died with my magic, something you and Rebekah have never grasped!”

“Kol,” Elijah reached to touch his shoulder which had him swatting off Elijah’s hand.

“I don’t bloody care,” he snarled bitterly. “I don’t care about my humanity, or my impulse control, or bloodlust, what I care about is preventing the end of the bloody world. I can tolerate your little welp long enough to deal with that! I’m an adult, Elijah, which is more than I can say for our brother or you.”

“Niklaus,” Elijah started.

“Is a control freak, and if you’re not with him you’re against him, and that isn’t right, Elijah, somewhere in your twisted sense of nobility you realize Klaus is wrong, and he needs to either man up and pull his head out of his own arse or he needs to destroy himself without you there to bloody save him! The only person who can save Nik from himself is Nik, which is apparently lost on you! I don’t care about his schemes, or his goals, daggering a sibling because he can, and you permitting that, only serves to alienate us more from our family, the family put you put everything ahead of, will be ruined beyond repair if you continue to follow Nik’s lead in everything. Him taking in Marcel was my breaking point with you lot. I wonder when you’ll reach Bekah’s, or your own.”

“It doesn’t work that way, Kol,” Elijah sighed tiredly.

“No, it just means we live in terror of our brother and his god complex. After I finish Davina’s to-do list, I’m gone. I’m going off on my own, Elijah, and don’t come looking for me,” Kol warned as he shoved past his brother shouldering his bag.

“You wouldn’t actually leave,” Rebekah whispered asked.

“I already did it once Bex, I’ll do it again,” he shrugged.                    

“Kol…” she sighed.

“Bex,” he drawled.

“Marcel never… he didn’t replace you,” she whispered.

“No, just got me stuck in a bloody box,” he snapped. “Bekah, they let you out, doesn’t matter what bloody tiff you’re in or what snit, they let you out, but me, I end up stuck in there for a century, this time, what about next time? I spent six centuries on my own and I don’t have a trail of blood thirsty enemies, but I spend a handful of decades with Nik, you and Elijah and we’re at war with everyone! Yes, I did war, yes, I’m the worst of the worst, but bloody hell, Bex, I don’t drag it out for centuries, what Nik does isn’t right.”

“That’s not true,” Rebekah sighed.

“It is!” he snapped. “I evaded father for six hundred years, Bex. Never had a problem,” he shrugged. “I spend a decade with you lot in Spain and all of a sudden I’m being dragged around in a bloody box! Then I get pulled out because Nik’s bored but there’s a bloody kid who you all fawn over and no one apologizes for ruining my bloody life by shoving me in that box!” he roared. “I get why we never let Finn out, but me!”

“Kol…” she started.

“You guys will have your precious Marcel, but I am gone as soon as I’m done helping Davina,” he stated. “And I won’t be back.”

He got in the car and pulled out of the garage as he headed back for Marcel’s cabin. Pulling up to the cabin he turned off the engine as he closed his eyes and sighed. He needed blood; he would have to have some to make it through the rest of his evening. Getting out of the car he walked up the steps of the cabin and saw Hayley at the counter.

“Marcel’s on the phone,” she said to him.

He nodded as he grabbed a blood bag.

“So…” she drawled out.

“The Viking thing is of interest to you,” he mused.

“Can you blame me!?” she demanded eagerly.

“Nah, what do you want to know darling?” he asked with a small smile and sat down as he sipped the blood.

“What was that like?” she asked curiously.

“No electricity, no indoor plumbing, no internet,” he chuckled. “It was different. It was a good.”

“Did you fight?”

“All the time, training, farming, fighting,” he smiled softly. “I spent a lot of time at fighting.”

“Why?”

“Protect my family.”

Chapter Text

Davina sat down in the far back corner with a straight exit for the door in third period. So far she had been looked over, flirted with, taunted, and even insulted. She was not enjoying it, and she could feel the Big Her holding back her magic so she couldn’t unleash her emotions.

The tall boy, Jeremy, came over to her corner and sat down, his eye raked over her in a way that had her skin crawling. Kol’s way of examining her was of interest or the way he would size up an opponent, the way Jeremy looked at her made her uneasy and sleezy.

“I didn’t thank you… you know,” he said with a tight smile.

“Your welcome,” she replied nervously.

“No, seriously,” he said earnestly.

“It wasn’t anything,” she murmured as she looked back at her book.

“So… how do you know Kol?” he asked.

“He’s a family friend,” she answered. It wasn’t a lie, perse, Big Her and her grandmother both shared close relationships with Kol. And she was starting some sort of relationship with him, though what that was wasn’t something she entirely understood.

“Huh,” he nodded warily.

“What?” she hissed in irritation.

“Nothing, he’s just… not the friendly sort,” Jeremy informed her with a frown and a shrug.

“To you,” she retorted heatedly.

“Davina, he’s exceedingly dangerous,” Jeremy stated firmly.

“And your company isn’t?” she countered levelly.

“Davina!” he hissed.

“I’m not a child! I know Exactly who and what Kol Mikaelson is,” she lied levelly. She liked Kol more than Jeremy.

“I’m just looking out for you,” he said softly.

“Well don’t,” she warned. “I know what I’m doing.”

“Davina, he kills people.”

“What vampire doesn’t?” she countered as she thought of Marcel and all his day walkers who had come to save her when no one would.

“Davina, you seem like a pretty powerful witch,” he started.

“Silence,” she flicked her fingers as she removed his words from him, and he stared dumbly at her. “I’m not an idiot, do not act like I do not know who I’m with. Kol has been nothing short of a perfect gentleman with me, and I trust him. Nothing you say, or do will change my opinions of Kol, they’ll merely change my already low opinions of you to be lower.”

For the rest of the period, she diligently took notes, though she hadn’t had traditional schooling in about six years she had always been a diligent student. Finishing her class, she packed up her notes neatly, grabbed her bag and binder.

“Here, I’ll walk you to your next class,” Jeremy said as she started looking over the map and her schedule. “We have English together, so might as well. Look, I didn’t mean any offense by picking at your relationship with the Original, I just…”

“You just what?” she asked icily.

“You seem like a nice girl, Kol’s not a nice guy.”

“Well, that’s my business,” she asserted.

“Noted, and I think we got off on the wrong foot… You did save my ass and I’m being an ass.”

“You are.”

“Well don’t hold back,” he muttered dryly.

“I am,” she remarked.

Now Jeremy looked at her with a wary look, she smiled sharply as she walked off for her next class and left him behind. She made it a point to sit where he was unlikely to be near her and she was nearest to the door.

She had concluded that she didn’t like Jeremy, and she didn’t like how he looked at her. Making it through English she left for lunch; her witchy nature was screaming connection, so she decided to eat outside.

Marcel had packed her a lunch, she smiled at seeing the sandwich and chips, it was a hastily thrown together lunch, but it was more than anyone else had ever done for her in her life.

“Hey,” a voice said. “Lil D?” Bonnie asked.

“Yeah,” Davina nodded as she nibbled on her PB&J.

“I kind of explained the basics of the situation to Matt and Care,” Bonnie said as she sat down.

Davina nodded and saw the big blond boy as well as the chirpy blonde chick.

“That’s crazy, but I’m Matt, I’ve met Big You, she’s a badass,” he informed her.

“Thanks?” Davina replied uncertainly.

“Oh this must be so hard for you,” Caroline sighed.

“Not really… We have a… time share?... going on, it’s working so far, and I can talk to her when I need to,” Davina admitted.

“So… what do we call you?” Matt asked her.

“Davina,” she answered.

“A pleasure to meet you, Davina,” Matt smiled sweetly at her.

“Nice to meet you too,” she smiled shyly at him.

“Thanks for helping out Jer,” Matt said as he sat. “I know he’s been intense, but he and Elena have been through a lot recently.”

“I get that,” she admitted.

“How does… small you, you you, know Kol?” Caroline asked.

“Family friend. He knew my grandmother.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. He was in New Orleans… it was like 1912 or 1913, I think; before the Great War. He and his family were running New Orleans; they practically built it from the ground up, and Mémé was close to him, told me all sorts of stories.”

“That’s cool,” Bonnie admitted.

“Mmhmm,” she hummed as she took a bite of her sandwich.

“Klaus mentioned New Orleans witches being super powerful,” Caroline said as she neatly unpacked her lunch.

“I don’t know about that… But we do have some of the most diverse magical practices,” she conceded.

“There’s different kinds of magic, not just… Black, Dark, Traditional or Spiritual?” Matt asked.

“There’s many different kinds, mémé said a lot of it is cultural, and in New Orleans we practice voodoo, hoodoo, necromancy, spiritual, sacrificial, divination, tarot, and all sorts of other fun things,” she answered honestly.

“Necromancy?” Matt asked. “Like bringing back the dead?”

“Yeah. It’s not uncommon.”

“So… have you brought back something from the dead?” Matt asked.

“Big Me has, I haven’t yet,” she admitted. And she hoped she never would. “Magic that dark comes with terrible prices when you start practicing the more dangerous aspects, I’ve never met anyone who wanted to practice Expression though unless it’s a last resort,” she said as she looked at Bonnie.

“I didn’t know,” Bonnie muttered.

“Why don’t you have a coven?” she asked. “Or a familial teacher?”

“My Grams passed before she could, and my… my mom was turned into a vampire,” Bonnie admitted. “I annoyed the spirits, and I couldn’t connect, Professor Shane thought it would be good to teach me to reconnect.”

Davina nodded slowly.

“Davina?”

“Hm?”

“What sort of magic do you practice?” Caroline asked.

“A lot of kinds. Big Me has given me access to all her knowledge, she practiced many kinds, and I learned many other kinds before I came here, on my own,” Davina admitted. “It’s not about power levels. It’s about how clever you are using what you’ve got, because even the weakest witches are strong if they’re cunning enough.”

“You’re the most powerful witch I’ve ever met,” Bonnie admitted.

“There’s stronger though,” Davina muttered. And Big Her and she had to beat them if Big Her was to save their family and Tim and their friends.

“There are?” Bonnie’s brows rose.

“Yes, I’m not even close to as powerful as someone like a Bennett witch or Silas,” she admitted. “In your full power, your family is legendary. You family is one of the most renowned witch families ever, if you learn to harness your magic and utilize it will, you’ll outclass me in power.”

“How do you know that?”

“I’m a Claire witch,” she smiled. “I’m powerful, but my power will be in knowledge, I’m raised as a witch, I breath being a witch, I’ll die as a witch. You said you weren’t taught, which means I only have the advantage of knowledge and knowing what to use and how to use it,” she shrugged.

“So the old adage of fight smarter not harder comes into play with Magic?” Matt deduced.

“Yes,” Davina smiled happily. “Fight smarter, not harder.”

“What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever done with your magic?” Matt asked giddily.

“I turned a flower into a bird once,” she grinned.

“That’s wicked,” he snorted with a smile.

“Oh, what else?”

“Well… there was also this time I made flames dance in the shapes of butterflies, but I was a kid when I did that,” Davina admitted. She still thought it some of the prettiest and purest magic she had ever done though. “And there’s the current time magic thing, gotta admit, it’s kind of cool having access to Big Me’s information and knowledge, that’s a lot of power.”

“Okay, we’re keeping her,” Matt decided.

The other two laughed and she smiled.

Kol was leaning against his car itching to sing his fangs into something he was so hungry; despite the seven blood bags he had sucked dry he was starving, but he was holding off. Once he was on the road, he’d find some horrid dive bar for a meal. There were parents here waiting for their kids, he was just waiting for his witch.

Marcel had been reluctant to agree to Kol picking up Davina, but Kol felt he owed her, Little Her and Big Her, an explanation before he ran off to Cape Cod to ready for their voyage. He also got the sense if he just vanished on Big Davina, she’d track him down and that would have an unhappy Marcel chasing Davina with Hayley leading the charge. Which would invite trouble in the form of Bex, Nik, and Elijah trailing after Marcel. No doubt Marcel would reach out for them if Davina ran off again. And Kol didn’t relish the idea of trying to thwart his family.

Flicking through the games on his phone he listened to some new music on Spotify, rather enjoying the tracks he was on, as he tried to keep his mind off his hunger.

“KOL!” he heard the shout and looked up just in time to see a flurry of dark curls before a tiny force slammed into him.

“Davina!” he gasped as he caught the car, so they didn’t topple to the ground. “Bloody hell, love,” he sighed as he set her down. The teen snickered as she smiled, and he pulled out the earbuds.

“Hi!” she chirped as she got into the car.

He shook his head and followed suit.

“Please tell me we are killing Silas soon so I can get out of high school,” she pleaded when he was in the car.

“Yes, love,” he chuckled. “Buckle up, mortal, I don’t fancy you dying by going through the windshield,” he said firmly. She was quick as she pulled the belt on. Leaving the school, he took the long route to the cabin.

“So… when are we leaving?” she asked eagerly.

“End of the week, I’ll meet you guys at the ship.”

“I thought I was going with you,” she said uncertainly.

“No, love, I don’t know what condition my brother’s ship is in and I’d rather take care of that than have us just hit the seas with it in unknown condition.”

“We’re sailing there?”

“Yes,” he nodded. “It’ll be a few days but we’ll get there with ease. How was school?”

She wrinkled her nose in distaste as she leaned on the door.

“That good,” he chuckled.

“The boy, Jeremy, Big Me removed his Hunter’s mark, and I don’t know, I don’t like how he looks at me,” she muttered as she stared at her lap.

“How does he look at you, love?”

“I don’t know…” she admitted as she felt her cheeks heat up. “I like how you look at me, but I don’t like how he does.”

“How do I look at you?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted as her face felt aflame then. “But it doesn’t matter cause I’m not staying at that school.”

“Davina.”

“No.”

“Davina,” he started again.

“No. I would rather be taught by the ancestors Kol!” she hissed. “I got treated like I was an imbecile, that Jeremy kid acted like I was some little girl who didn’t know who I was involved with, and they just… I don’t like it. Nothing about anyone aside from Caroline, Bonnie and Matt seems real. I don’t like it,” she muttered.

“They’re teenagers,” Kol quipped.

“How old were you when you turned?” she asked.

“Me?”

“Yeah…” she nodded.

“Oh… must’ve been, twenty-two, I think, maybe twenty-three?” he said warily. “Finn was thirty, Elijah was twenty-seven, Nik’s three years younger, so twenty-four, I was two years behind Nik, Bex is five years younger than me, and Henrik was sixteen, so yeah, I was twenty-two,” he nodded.

“When you were my age…?” she started.

“When I was your age, I was a warrior, a farmer and landowner, as well as a witch,” he answered. “In my culture, Davina, I was an adult well before twenty-two. In fact, I was considered middle aged in my time,” he admitted.

“No one treated you like an idiot though.”

“Sure, they did,” he snorted. “When I was your age, I had stupidly quested off after a bloody bear, if Nik hadn’t come saved my arse I wouldn’t be here. Not to mention my occupation was a bit hazardous and I did do stupid things that somehow worked in my favor.”

“A bear?”

“Yeah, bugger was digging up all my crops, I was going to catch and skin the bastard if it were the last thing I did! Nearly was,” he chuckled. “Nik came out of nowhere and I should’ve known then the bastard was a wolf, but I didn’t catch it, he literally yanked me up by the scruff of my neck before those jaws could make a snack of me. I had missed killing the thing with the axe I had thrown. Nik saved my arse and killed it,” he explained.

“That’s so different from complaining about algebra,” she mused.

“Different times, love,” he chuckled. “But they treated me like I was an idiot, I was too, I was reckless, impulsive, and didn’t have a lick of sense. Nearly paid the price.”

“I just don’t like how they’re treating me like a kid, my coven never did, and now they’re acting like I’m stupid because I’m a teenager in high school,” she sighed.

“Frustrating,” he agreed.

“Very. I was so happy to see you because you don’t treat me like a kid,” she admitted. “Sorry about the ambush hug.”

“No need to apologize,” he chuckled. “When my brother was about your age, he was fixing to get hitched, he was going to be running my farm with his young bride while I went off to the Old World. He’d have been expected to manage my accounts, my taxes, my farm, my business. Youth doesn’t mean stupid; it means inexperienced and learning.”

“I like that,” she smiled.

“Good.”

“So, are you sure I can’t come with you?” she pleaded. “Just to escape school?”

“No, love, you can’t,” he chuckled.

“Why not?”

“Because I need to feed,” he stated bluntly.

“So?”

“Darling, I’m not the best at restraint, it’s taking a lot of focus on my part right now to not act on my instincts of feeding,” he informed her.

“I’ll stay out of the way,” she promised.

“No.”

“Fine,” she sighed.

“Give this high school time, gods know Bex loves it for some reason,” he sighed.

“Your sister is insane.”

“That may be, but you should give it a chance, and she’ll be there too,” he pointed out.

“I haven’t met her, Little Me, Big Me has apparently.”

“Poor Big You, I can’t shield Little You from Bekah though,” he admitted.

“She can’t be that bad.”

“My sister is a bitch at times or a sweetheart, depends on the century,” he chuckled. “Davina, give the school thing a chance, it might do you some good.”

“I don’t think so,” she muttered honestly. “I don’t like how the boys were looking at me, especially when I was running in gym shorts.”

“Do I need to eat them?” he asked with a toothy smile.

“No,” she chuckled. “I don’t know, it’s just different.”

“You’re becoming a woman, they’re noticing,” he pointed out.

Davina snorted.

“You are, love, you’re a charming young woman already, but this about when people will start to notice,” he stated.

“I don’t get it,” she sighed.

“This is one of those ‘in time’ things, love,” he assured her earnestly.

He already thought her to be the prettiest witch he had ever seen; but then again, he already had a thing for powerful witches and tiny brunettes. Not that he would ever seduce Davina Claire, she was a friend. But he had a type! Not that he advertised it to his siblings, but he did have a type he preferred when he wasn’t seducing a witch for their magic. Just as Klaus had a hard on for sunny blondes, or Elijah would be tripping over himself at badass brunettes, and Finn seemed to fall on his ass for redheads; Kol had a thing for powerful witches who were tiny brunettes. And he’d deny it to his dying breath because he was never letting his siblings know that much about him.

“Did you pick me up so you could say goodbye?” Davina asked.

“Yes, I did. I didn’t want Big You or Little You on a war path to find me,” he chuckled.

“I would never!”

“Big You would,” he snorted.

“Okay, fair, she would,” Davina sighed.

“It also didn’t sit well with me to just up and leave my partner in crime.”

“You did with my grandmother,” she pointed out.

“Not intentionally,” he grimaced. “I got shoved in a box, it was only recently I was let out of said box.”

“Oh. Mémé hated you for abandoning her and Astrid, she always said you were an untrustworthy bastard,” Davina said.

“Sounds very… tamed, for Mary-Alice,” he said blandly.

“No, she had far more colorful things to say, but mama wouldn’t let her when I was around,” Davina snickered.

“Ah, that sounds more accurate, Claire witches are a fiery lot,” he sniggered.

Chapter Text

Davina sat in the old house sorting through the herbs and looking over her notes. It was after careful, and painful deliberation she had come to the conclusion she had to ensure the conception of Hope Mikaelson. The Tribrid was actually a powerful girl, and she would have a destiny to fulfill. Davina though was all for Hayley and Klaus doing what they did last time, but she was brewing this potion as a just in case. There was probably a window of opportunity here that was to be considered to conceive Hope, and she would be prepared for the just in case. And in a week she’d be running after Kol so she should start brewing now.

“Hey Davina,” Bonnie greeted.

She waved as she continued her measurements and work.

“Which you am I talking to?”

“Both,” she answered honestly. Little Her had been interested in the potion and it’s uses since Davina had started setting up things, and so they were both in control right now as they worked.

“What are you up to?”

“A potion,” she answered.

“For?”

“For none of your concern,” Davina chuckled. “It’s going to be in your care though while I’m killing Silas with Kol.”

“But I don’t get to know what it is?”

“No,” Davina answered.

“Seems suspicious to me,” Bonnie admitted dryly.

“It’s not, it’s not for anything you need to concern yourself with though,” Davina stated as she continued measuring out the herbs. She’d have to find a way to get the needed blood for the spell. Perhaps Silas could make Klaus bleed, or Kol would have a solution. Given Klaus’ vampiric nature as well as his wolf nature, she would need his blood so she’d know what to work around when making this so that it could work with him and Hayley.

“I think I should know what you’re doing if you’re leaving this in my care,” Bonnie pointed out.

“You know when I’m from,” Davina stated.

“Yes.”

“This is for something I need to happen,” Davina answered. “That is all you need to know.”

“Is it dangerous?”

“Not particularly,” she admitted as she looked over her notes and continued grinding the herbs. “It’s just time consuming, and I need to multitask.”

“Does this have to do with Silas?”

“Nope,” she admitted. “Has to do with another thing.”

“Mmm,” Bonnie nodded as she read over the ingredients list. “What else are you going to do?”

“Kill an Original,” she answered. “Kill an all-powerful witch, seal off another one, probably destroy my ancestors, normal things you fix when you have the gift of foresight.”

“Destroy your ancestors?”

“Yes,” Davina answered. “My ancestors are hundreds of years old, and they have been corrupted by a witch on the Other Side. I’m going to kill that witch, but the damage is done, and I will not stand for a repeating of history because they are greedy and selfish, the dead should guide the living, not rule them.”

“But you’re teaching me ancestral magic,” Bonnie said.

“So I am,” Davina admitted. “The difference is, while the ancestors I had you consecrate are old, they’re new in this connection, they haven’t been around for hundreds of years to be corrupted, and the witch isn’t focused on them.”

“Which Original are you going to kill?” Bonnie asked.

“Esther,” Davina answered. “I’m here to kill Esther.”

“She’s dead, Davina.”

“No, she’s on the Other Side, which is where the supernatural go for death when they are unwilling to find peace and move on. Ancestors are bound to the Other Side to keep magic flowing though, usually by familial links and blood, Ancestral Magic is similar to blood magic this way. By consecrating them, you have created a power to channel, like a paragon diamond. See, it’s not about your raw power Bonnie, it’s about how you can connect and harness that power, which is why I had you consecrate them. The additional benefit of ancestors is now you have a link to old knowledge that might not be in a grimoire.”

“If you destroy your ancestors though…” Bonnie started.

“Then I will have infuriated the Nine Covens but also liberated them. We are ruled by the dead in New Orleans, and that isn’t natural Bonnie, it goes against nature in fact. Killing Esther will help me when the Harvest comes because she can’t high jack it and my friends and little me will come back, but destroy the Ancestors ensures a ritual like the Harvest will never be enacted again. It will also buy us some time,” Davina muttered.

“Time?”

“Time, Bonnie, I need to buy us time,” she admitted as she scribbled down a few notes of her own as she watched the reaction of the herbs.

“Why do you need to buy us time?”

“Because there are far worse things that go bump in the night than Silas or Esther Mikaelson,” Davian answered. “And I need to buy time so that they can fight and prepare and prevent a tragedy again.”

“Don’t you risk cutting off the covens from a power source?” Bonnie asked.

“No,” Davina chuckled. “A witch’s power is a witch’s power, which is something New Orleans has forgotten, it is not something that can be taken from you or stolen. It’s… My best friend Josh pointed out that a witch can’t change their DNA, it’s about embracing it, and a witch’s power is a witch’s power, it cannot be taken or stolen, it can be disconnected or buried, but it’s never gone because it’s a part of you, like blood, or bones, it’s a part of you. The trick is reconnecting to it.”

“Have you… been disconnected?”

“Yes,” Davina answered. “And I was terrified to reconnect.”

“What made you reconnect?”

“Josh,” she admitted with a smile. “He… he believed in me in ways no one other than maybe Kol or Vincent ever has.”

“Why were you disconnected?”

“I lost my confidence,” she admitted. “And dying sucked, my Ancestors were so corrupted they were happy to have a sixteen-year-old child suffer rather than comforting her, and it is because I know them and that they’ll do it again that they have to go, before another sixteen-year-old ends up over there and being shunned for not being what the Ancestors wanted.”

Bonnie nodded. “That’s terrible.”

“It happens,” she shrugged. “So, this potion,” she said as she started pulling up the notes. “I don’t know how long I’ll be, but I’ve laid out instructs for as long as it takes, it’s a potion that takes a whole moon cycle to brew,” she explained. “These are the herbs…”

Kol had spent a week cleaning and sailing the ship his brother had named Céleste and prepping her for the sea. He had also spent the week reacquainting himself with sailing and how it felt to be on the sea, which was a good feeling. Today he was buying supplies for mortals because Klaus and Marcel had texted him that they were bringing the blood.

He was baffled at how many different kinds of camping tents there were! He wouldn’t have thought there to be so many types, but then again, when he had last done this; it was simple: have a canvas, pitch a tent, and relax. Now there were so many different kinds, he was a bit intimidated but undeterred in his quest. Hayley and Davina would need shelter, unlike Klaus, Marcel, and himself they were mortal and susceptible to the elements. Granted he didn’t relish being drenched by rain or something, but the goal was for the girls not to die of pneumonia while on that godforsaken island so he would focus on gathering things for them. Finding similar tents to what he recognized as a tent he bought those. He also bought a few repellents which smelled awful but should work if the girls did run into an animal. If he thought it smelt terrible, then he could only imagine what the wildlife would think.

He also got a few fishing nets; he was impressed by nylon. Once he had those, he did grab the right sleeping bags for the girls, as well as some for himself and the other two. Though he doubted Klaus would use it. Food was a bit more difficult for him to figure out.

He finally gave up and called Davina for a guide of what the humans would need to eat. She was both hers and laughing her ass off at his hopelessness which had him wanting to snarl at her as he endured it and bought up enough supplies to last a couple of weeks. Getting food for the ship wasn’t nearly as difficult because they had a galley there, and the food could be cooked as needed. Admittedly this galley was far better than the last ship he had been on, and he was kind of in love with it, and he’d sooner boil his tongue in oil than admit that to Elijah.

Everything was prepped and he felt that this was about as good as it was going to get. Especially after having made the four beds in the cabin with new sheets. He had felt bad about putting the girls in one of the smaller beds, but there was no way in hell he’d fit on one of those, and neither would Marcel or Nik. Still, he gave them the heaviest blankets he had bought as well as a few quilts Elijah had stowed away here.

He would feed tonight and then he would be able to manage the coming weeks. Worse come to worse he would have Nik take the girls home and wait for someone to return, or not, to the island before coming home. If he had to, he could swim it, it wouldn’t be fun, but it wasn’t exactly a bad thing. Once he was back from the island, he’d have to go have a big feed.

Kol couldn’t keep his bloodlust under control, and it bothered him at times, like now, when he would have to work with his witch for a long period of time and have no food nearby. He was thinking he might need to write a memo to himself that Davina was his witch and not food, or he’d have to have Marcel ready to dagger him. Kol had snagged a dagger on his way out of Klaus’ home as an insurance policy against his lack of control and lack of food supply.

The hour drive to Boston had him hunting up the shadiest pub he could find. After he drained the pub of its unsavory patrons, which were a good hundred in count when he was finished. He left the mess there to keep the police busy before heading back to the ship. Showering he felt alive again and manageable, which was good because starting tomorrow would be a test on his will power.

Having a quiet evening finally as he finished with going over the supply check list, which had him sprawled out on a chair on the deck as he fingered a sniffer of brandy, fingering a new detective novel he had seen in a store window on his way to the harbor. It wasn’t half bad, he did find himself looking up most of the slang and technical terms, but it wasn’t half bad. The ringing phone had him pulling away from his book as he answered.

“Evening love,” he drawled out as he sipped his brandy.

“Hello, I have Bonnie here,” she answered.

“Which Davina am I talking to?” he asked then.

“Both, they’re both working together, it’s kind of weird” Bonnie answered. “I have some questions about the potion that she has be brewing.”

“What sort of questions, darling?” he asked as he thought about the fertility potion that he knew Davina had started while he was away. He made a mental note to look into the Gemini Coven’s merging ritual to see if that was what was happening with both of Davina’s souls working together in unison in a body. He was curious how this worked, he knew that they were two separate entities but over the week it seemed they were working more and more in unison than separate.

“There’s notes here referencing a hybrid’s blood being needed, I can’t get Klaus’ blood and I don’t know how long you two are gone,” she said.

“I was thinking we could study the difference between a vampire and a wolf and come to a medium in between,” Davina piped up.

“Good thought,” he admitted as he thought it over. “It’ll have to be a male vampire.”

“So you think that could work?”

“I don’t see why not, we just need to know the reaction with the vampiric qualities in the blood, we’re not testing it on a vampire,” he said as he looked out at the harbor.

“What sort of reactions should I be looking for?” Bonnie asked.

“Davina, how much potion do you have?” he asked.

“About… a little more than a gallon?” she answered.

“Bonnie, you’re going to want to use about a half for the tests, you’ll need a drinking portion, about a third of a cup is best but a quarter for these tests will work, mix the blood. Set up small cups for simultaneous brewing and adjust ingredients, you’re looking for a deep rich amber color. If the potion turns anything but a deep amber after two weeks of brewing, then it won’t work.” he explained. “It will also smell like fine wine. Keep it separate from the control.”

“I think we made too much,” Davian admitted.

“You think love!?”

“I was following your instructions!”

“Take me off speaker phone love,” he warned. He knew she hadn’t told Bonnie what they were doing, not exactly and he didn’t want the Bennett witch knowing.

“You’re off.”

“We’re not trying to breed a litter of these things!” he hissed.

“Tribrids.”

“That,” he hissed.

“I didn’t think it’d make this much.”

“Bloody hell, love,” he muttered. “We’ll dispose of the rest later.”

“Alright.”

“Are you ready to set sail tomorrow?” he asked.

“I think so, Hayley and I went shopping for what you said,” she answered.

“Good,” he replied.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes,” he answered.

“Oh, Bonnie’s back,” Davina said.

“Hello Darling,” he greeted Bonnie.

“The making of this wasn’t hard,” Bonnie started.

“No darling, the tricky part is the brewing,” he cut her off. “You’re going to have to watch your cultures and the control closely, I left a list of expectations and standards for this potion, it’ll be tricky, but at the end you should have a substance that’ll be deep red by the end of the moon cycle, however, Davina and I will be back before then, and you should make sure it stays an amber coloring, if it turns black or violet pitch it immediately and pour iron and salt over it. Iron will stop the reaction, salt will help break it up, do not inhale it.”

“So, it’s dangerous?”

“If done incorrectly,” he stated firmly. “But you’re going to do it correctly and when Davina and I get back we’ll finish it.”

“You’re coming back?”

“We’re coming back, darling. Just keep following the instructions and keep a close eye on the potions,” he ordered.

“Okay, I’ll go get the male vampire blood,” Bonnie sighed.

“Best you use one who’s on human blood, darling,” he quipped.

“Oh, come on!” Bonnie groaned.

“I’m serious, regular human diet, it’ll be the best to study, and I’m not asking you to collect his sperm or something, just his blood,” Kol snorted.

“Ew!” Bonnie shrieked as she left.

“Really Kol?” Davina asked flatly.

“I love riling up a good witch,” he chuckled. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Marcel, Hayley and I are leaving when I get home,” Davina admitted.

“Good, we’ll run off the island, kill Silas and be on our merry way to killing my mother's spirit,” he cheered.

“Yup, see you in the morning Kol,” she chuckled.

“See you then love,” he replied as he hung up and leaned back to stare at the stars. It was a lovely evening, he thought.

His phone rang again which had him sighing as he saw Elijah’s name on the screen.

“Hello,” he greeted tiredly.

“I was wondering how the Céleste has been holding up.”

“You could stand to take better care of her, brother,” he chuckled. “She’s a good ship, solid, seaworthy, I’m impressed, she handles well.”

“I don’t have much use for sailing,” Elijah reminded him dryly.

“I forgot about the seasickness, in that case I might relieve you of her when I finish Davina’s list, she is a divine ship,” he chuckled.

“About Silas,” Elijah said calmly.

“I…”

“All I request is that you do not die,” Elijah cut him off. “When you let your passions rule you, in any form, you get sloppy, when you are sloppy you are reckless, and I would rather not have a dead brother.”

“When do I get reckless?” Kol asked sarcastically.

“Do I begin when you were two years old or now? I could be here for the next century recounting your most famous reckless endeavors,” Elijah pointed out blandly.

“I get the point, I won’t be reckless,” he assured his brother.

“Thank you, despite whatever you may think or believe, Kol, we do love you and care about your welfare,” Elijah said softly.

“But you care more about Nik’s redemption than you ever could about the reality of my situation,” he said softly as he looked at the brandy.

“It’s not about caring more for one brother or another, Kol,” Elijah chided.

“Gods, if it were only that easy,” he chuckled humorlessly.

“We have been a family for millennium, I would hate…”

“Don’t,” he breathed. “Just don’t, Elijah,” he warned tiredly. “It is what it is, Nik’s never been right in the head after the Hunter’s curse. And our parents didn’t do us any favors either.”

“I still do not desire you to leave our family,” Elijah said.

“Elijah, I was never a part of ‘Always and Forever’, and we know that,” he murmured.

“But you are,” Elijah argued.

“I’ll take care of Silas, but if I don’t come back from the island, I’m going to need you to do me a favor.”

“Anything.”

“Keep Davina Claire safe, and trust her, Elijah. She can’t explain everything now, but trust her, she’s here to do good, and don’t let Nik use her a plaything,” he pleaded.

“I shall.”

“Do that for me, and when I get back, I’ll consider us square,” he decided.

“It can’t be that simple,” Elijah chuckled.

“It is, you keep her safe, and you trust her, and I’ll consider us square when I get back,” he reaffirmed. “She’s important Elijah, don’t be fooled by her youth, she’s important and she’s here to save our arses. So please, trust her.”

“I shall treat her as if she were family,” Elijah replied.

“Ah bloody hell, I feel bad for her now,” he snorted.

“What?”

“We’re horrid at this family shit,” he laughed.

“We’re not that bad,” Elijah chortled humorlessly.

“Thank you, I’ll see you when Silas is dead,” he promised as he hung up and looked back up at the stars.

Chapter Text

It was pitch black when he saw the headlights in the parking lot. Stowing away his book and sending his breakfast on her merry way he cleaned up as he waited for them to come. Davina was the first person he saw, with Hayley beside her, and they smiled at him. His lips curled on their own accord at the sight of the women. Davina was quick to get up to the ship’s deck before she marched over and threw her arms around him.

“Davina?” he said uncertainly.

“Lil D has decided you’re her best friend after… teenage drama has had her swearing off any and all teenagers,” Hayley said.

“Ah,” he nodded uncertainly as he looked at the tiny person who hugged him.

“Teenagers suck; talk Marcel out of us going to high school,” Davina grumbled against his chest. “Big Me and Little Me are over it.”

“I can only do that if we kill Silas,” he stated. “Which means you have to let go so we can set sail,” he said to the teen.

Davina shook her head and held on tighter which had him looking to Hayley for help only to find her gone.

“D!” Marcel jogged towards them.

“I don’t know,” Kol shrugged.

“Rough week, apparently Davina Claire is not a fan of teenagers. Come on D,” Marcel ordered.

“I can’t really blame her, they’re horrid creatures,” Kol informed Marcel.

“Apparently,” Marcel grimaced.

“I’m running away with Kol so I never have to go back to teenagers,” Davina muttered.

“I’m flattered love, but we’re going to kill Silas, not sailing off into the sunset,” he reminded her blandly.

“I know, I’ve gone over the list,” Davina sighed as she let him go the and stepped back. “Teenagers suck,” she repeated and walked after Hayley.

“It was that bad?” Kol asked Marcel.

“Apparently,” Marcel answered. “For both of them, I swear she was going to blow up the house on Wednesday,” he shook his head in exasperation as they watched the girls. “I had to bribe her with killing Silas to keep her in school until Friday.”

“Come on, I’ll show you where to stow your things,” Kol said.

“So, this is Elijah’s ship,” Klaus remarked as he came aboard.

“Yeah, and if you scratch her or damage her in anyway, I’ll tie you to an anchor and drop you to the bottom of the Atlantic and you can walk home,” he warned seriously.

“I can sail, Kol!”

“Poorly,” he retorted as they walked below deck and Kol looked at the girls who were looking around in awe. “Alright, this port, starboard, stern, bow, girls, you two are sharing the starboard bow cabin,” he said as he pulled open the door to show off the freshly made bed.

“Shower, lavatory,” he said, pointing to them respectively. “Marcel, port bow cabin,” he said as he pointed. “Nik and I are back here. Galley, table.” He said finally. “Stow your things away, Nik and I will get her going.”

“I’m…”

“First mate, which means you will do first mate things, and that includes doing what I tell you Nik,” he warned.

“I’m not a cabin boy,” Nik seethed.

“If you were, there’d be more working and less talking, and this is your cabin,” he stated as he opened the door to the aft cabin. “Sorry ladies you’re smaller, physically, so you’re sharing,” he stated as he saw Hayley and Davina clambering into their bed.

“This is fine,” Hayley chuckled.

“Warm!” Davina giggled as she appeared from the pillows.

“Good, stow your gear and get some rest,” Kol stated and shut their door as he walked topside to start prepping.

“This is ridiculous, I’m not your cabin boy,” Klaus stated as he appeared.

“You are for this, so shut up and get to work,” Kol ordered. They worked in silence for a good forty minutes before they were pulling away from the dock.

“Remember that time when we were going to the Old World?” Klaus asked.

“Yeah, and Finn was trying to take over sailing,” he snorted.

“Father almost made us swim,” Nik chuckled.

“He would’ve made Finn and you swim but he was teaching me navigation and I was paying attention,” he chuckled.

“You always were the best student,” Klaus grumbled.

“I like learning,” Kol pointed out. “Spent a thousand years being a student, mastering a few things even, it’s good, refreshing, you should try it rather than instigating war with babies.”

“It’s just so fun to irritate the youths of today,” Klaus smiled nastily.

Kol shook his head in exasperation as he navigated their way out of the harbor. Marcel jogged up to the deck then as they were leaving the harbor for the open seas.

“Whoa,” he muttered.

“She’s a stunning ship,” Kol stated.

“You know, last time I was on a ship, I was going to a war in a country I didn’t care about,” Marcel sighed.

“What war?”

“Oh right, you were in a box, at the time it was called the Great War, but now it’s known as World War I,” Marcel answered.

“The world went to war!? And I missed it!” Kol strangled out.

“You didn’t miss a thing brother,” Marcel chuckled.

“What else have a missed?”

“World War II,” he answered.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered. Kol liked war, not just for the easy kills, but because he liked a good fight, he had also found that being in the heat of war was the closest to his humanity he could get. War was the most brutal of educators, and it taught Kol more about himself than any period of peace or following his family. As a Viking battle was life, a s a vampire it was the only time he felt human.

Kol loved a good fight, gods knew he always itched for one, but he had always found war to be the homeliest of places. Perhaps it was the monster he had inherited from father, or just the monster he had become to love a war.

“There was also Vietnam, which was supposedly bad shit, but I didn’t go,” Marcel admitted.

Damon’s morning had started with the reprieve of the Gilberts moving in together again, and a bottle of rum; not his favorite stuff but it was what was on hand. And had been about ready to cheer himself for a job well done on keeping Baby Gilbert from killing Elena, because he deserved a pat on the back for that. And he also deserved some appreciation for staying the fuck away when all he wanted was to drag his dream girl back into his bed and fuck her raw. And he had earned the bottle of fucking rum for being the good guy; to which he wanted to say fuck all to that.

Point was, he had earned the bottle, and a right for a week of oblivion in his bed without moral lectures from Stefan or judgy looks from Bonnie; because God knew she was getting on his nerves.

So, when he was stalking half dressed; through his own damn house thank you very much, if he wanted to strut around naked as the day he was born, then he would feel free to do that! He didn’t expect the Destroyer of Dreams on his stoop. He peered around to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating and then back at the petite witch who looked uncomfortable and grudging while glaring at him.

“To what do I owe the displeasure?” he drawled as he leaned on the door arch and took a swig of rum.

“I need your blood,” she stated bluntly.

“Mmm… no,” he answered and smiled as he moved to slam the door shut on her. He was about halfway up the stairs to his room when the door was blasted open which had him jumping, cringing, and whirling around as she stalked into the house. “Jesus Bonnie!”

“I need your blood,” she repeated as she stomped up the stairs after him.

“Well, I’m not in a giving mood!” he retorted.

“Well, I need it!”

“Bon! It has been a hell of a month! In the last week alone I’ve lost the girl, the pupil, been tossed in a dumpster, had my blood boiled, been beaten up trying to break a Hunter’s curse that took a nasty little witch to fix, and chased after a naked baby Gilbert! So help me, I am not in the mood!” he roared.

“Damon,” she started.

“No.”

“I can take it the hard way, or you can just give it to me,” she sighed.

“Bonnie,” he came to loom over her, relishing in being tall and on the stairs now as he narrowed his eyes down his nose to glare. “I. Am. Not. In. The. Mood.”

“Please Damon, it’s important,” she stated.

“For whom or what?”

“Davina,” Bonnie answered.

“Davina!” he seethed as he turned to stalk away before he stopped and stomped down the stairs. “I’m not interested in helping Davina.”

“She could save Elena,” Bonnie answered.

Now he raised his brow. “We just eliminated the map to the cure,” he pointed out.

“Davina’s a powerful witch, more powerful than any I’ve ever encountered, not just with the power she channels but with her own power. If you help her, she’ll probably be willing to help Elena,” Bonnie bartered.

“Why?”

“Because she can,” Bonnie sighed. “Davina helps because she can, I’ve connected with her three times, and trust me, there’s no strings attached to her helping you, she’ll do it because she can.”

“And what if I don’t want to help Elena?” he drawled out tiredly. He was getting tired of Elena pulling him through the ringer so effortlessly.

“Please,” Bonnie pleaded.

“Fine, but I want to see what you and the teenage witch need it for,” he stated. “Before you take it.”

“Get dressed then and I’ll show you,” Bonnie stated.

He tilted his head and darted up the stairs. Pulling on his clothes with ease he ran down the stairs to see Bonnie getting into the car.

“Where is the mini witch of terror?” he asked as he slid into the passenger’s seat.

“She’s somewhere, I don’t know, with Klaus, Hayley, Marcel and Kol, I think they’re going after Silas.”

“Who has the only known cure.”

“Not necessarily.” Bonnie started up the car and pulled out of their driveway. “Davina said that it’s a spell of some sort, to make a vampire human, and I don’t know the particulars, but I’m sure she’d be happy to help out people in need of help.”

“Would she help Elena?”

“She helped Jeremy; whom she’s come to dislike greatly, she’s helped me, Davina’s helping people even when she doesn’t have to. I’m fairly sure her going off to kill Silas is something she’s doing to help Kol. She’ll help Elena, and you if you want.”

“I don’t need help Bonnie.”

“Sure, you don’t.”

The rest of the ride was in silence until they reached the abandoned house. He got out and looked around as he followed Bonnie until he grunted hitting an invisible barrier.

“What the hell Bon!?”

“Sorry!” she ran over to him. “I forgot, I invite you in Damon Salvatore,” she said as she hoisted him up.

“You forgot!? This place is abandoned! I don’t need an invite!”

“It’s my ancestral grounds now,” Bonnie answered.

“Your what?”

“It’s mine, Damon,” she stated firmly. “Come on,” she pulled him along and he found himself in a sophisticated lab then.

“I’m not sure what the potion is, but Davina was going to test it with hybrid blood, I don’t know where Tyler is, so she thought to try studying vampire blood reactions to get an idea as to how it might react to a hybrid because the work on a wolf is apparently clear,” Bonnie explained.

“What is it, Bonnie?” he asked as he peered over at the small liquid cups holding a strange white potion.

“No idea. But Davina seems to need it and I kind of owe her for saving my magic,” she explained.

“And she’s using it on a hybrid?”

“That’s what she said.”

“I’m always down to ruin Klaus’ day,” he said as he held out his hand for her to take his blood.

Chapter Text

It was a few days of rigorous work and sailing to make it to the island, but Kol was pleased when it came into sight. Especially with how Klaus was eyeing Davina like she was a toy, he didn’t like that, he was pleased Davina had the sense to stay close to him, Hayley, or Marcel with how Klaus was eyeing her.

“So, this is Silas’ tomb,” Marcel grumbled as they neared the island.

“It’s Helheim’s gate,” Klaus muttered.

Kol just stared at it and sighted, for over a thousand years he had avoided this island on principle, and it was strange to be here. The ravens danced on the winds with the gulls and other birds, the island looked inviting with a heavy forest, but it looked difficult to get closer with how the rocks jutted out of the water.

“I’m going to circle her,” Kol stated. “Look for a safe spot to moor Céleste,” he stated.

“What do you think is going to be there?” Marcel asked.

“Whatever it is, it will not be friends,” Klaus answered.

Kol agreed with his brother on that assessment.

It took them an hour before they ended up on the northwestern portion of the island that Kol found a location he felt comfortable mooring Céleste and going to shore. The alcove was rather sheltered, and the currents weren’t likely to untether the Céleste. Once he felt secured, he and Klaus prepped the lifeboat.

“We’ll make two trips,” Kol said as he looked over the camping gear and food and then at the island. “First trip is supplies, Marcel and you will come with me, I’ll come back for the girls.”

“Why are we staying!?” Hayley asked.

“Because we don’t know what’s over there, and the three of us are indestructible, you two aren’t,” he answered.

“That’s not fair!” Davina started.

“It’s not about fair, love, it’s about tactical advantages,” Kol stated calmly. He saw Davina frown but concede as they all eyed the island.

“One of us should stay with the girls,” Marcel stated.

“No,” he answered. “We’re far enough away and the water’s cold enough that if there’s unfriendlies on the island they aren’t going to come swimming out here to greet us,” he stated firmly.

“How do you know?” Marcel challenged.

“Experience,” he answered. “Best bet is that we go to the island, look for a safe campground, you and Klaus set up a perimeter and I’ll collect the girls.”

“Why are you collecting them!?” Marcel demanded.

“Because I am the least likely to sink us!” Kol retorted. “I mean unless in the last hundred years you picked up sailing, but if you learned it from Nik, it’s best I be doing the sailing.”

“I am not that bad!” Klaus bellowed.

“Do not try to defend your skill to me, brother, you got lost crossing the English Channel

“And like you’ve never gotten lost!”

“I haven’t!” Kol stated indignantly. “I paid attention to father’s lessons! And you and Finn were too busy arguing to ever learn! And Elijah was over the side of any boat we were on green to the gills! Someone had to learn!”

“He has a point,” Davina pointed out.

“Ha!” he cheered as he went about grabbing the camping gear. He had the small dinghy filled safely and lowered, he and Klaus were on it and Klaus caught Marcel before Kol figured out the outboard motor and they were speeding for land. He had the Brotherhood of the Five’s sword strapped to his back and a nifty camping axe on his hip with a knife in his boot.

“Just like old times. Don’t go bear hunting again, little brother,” Klaus teased.

“I’m never going to live that down,” he muttered sourly.

“No.”

“It was eating my crops,” he defended.

“You missed hitting it with the axe.”

“I’m aware,” he stated with an eye roll as he grabbed up the gear and finished tethering the small dinghy incase the tides changed.

“So, we’re going to want the high ground,” Marcel stated.

“Yup,” Kol sighed. “Start hiking.”

The walk was mostly done in silence, an odd comment or two on a spot they would find to rest and whether it was a good campground or not. Klaus was the best at this part of survival, so Kol left it to his brought not to be an ass and to do right. Finally, they came upon an abandoned shack which he looked over.

“There were people here once,” Marcel muttered.

“According to the reports I found, they all went stark raving mad and were found drained of blood, they bled themselves dry. This will do, we have a clear line of sight, and it’s defendable,” Kol muttered as he walked about.

“What do you think is out there?” Klaus asked.

“Silas,” Kol answered bluntly.

“Set up the gear, I’ll get the girls,” he stated as he finished pulling off the pack and walking back.

It took him half the time to follow their scent trail back to the shore and he saw the Céleste where he had left her which was reassuring. What was not reassuring was that the dinghy was untethered and floating in the cove. He knelt down as he inspected the rope and snarled when he saw the clean cut. Scenting the air he smelled a human, but he couldn’t figure out where they had gone, coastal winds had washed all but direct scents away.

Getting up he stripped of his coat, unwilling to be weighed down and getting it wet, stored it in between some rocks, then did the same with his boots and shirt, as well as his belt and socks. He kept the sword, axe, and knife on him, he wasn’t willing to arm their mysterious host with something that could kill Silas. Wading into the water he started swimming for the dinghy, cursing the cold he couldn’t feel and dragging himself into it before starting the engine and heading back towards the Céleste.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Davina and Hayley watched the guys leave and sighed.

“I’d be mad, but their decision wasn’t sexist,” Hayley muttered. “It’s strategic, they are indestructible.”

“It’s not fair, we’re able to take care of ourselves,” Davina pouted.

“Yeah, but we’re not indestructible, still very human. Come on, we’ll go warm up, know how to play gin rummy?”

“No,” she answered.

“I have a deck, so I’ll teach you,” Hayley decided as they went below deck to warm up and wait. Davina had come to the conclusion she, as either her, hated waiting.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Klaus looked around as he finished setting up the defensive positions for the campsite and paused at the unrest and unease he felt about being here.

“This is weird,” Marcel muttered.

“I do not like it either,” Klaus admitted.

“It feels too quiet,” Marcel muttered. “I remember in the trenches it was this kind of quiet before all hell would break loose.”

“In my thousand years it is only this quiet before a battle,” Klaus agreed as he moved to keep his child shielded.

“What are you thinking?”

“Kol tortured Katerina who admitted to having allies also after Silas, I fear they are here,” Klaus admitted.

“What do we do about it?”

“Nothing,” he answered honestly. “We wait.”

“I don’t like waiting.”

“I do not like it either,” he agreed. “However, the best thing we can do is draw them out which will mean waiting.”

“I don’t like it,” he muttered.

“Well… we could always find them, track them and kill them, but that’s always been more of Kol’s forte than mine, I prefer my enemies to come to me,” Klaus admitted.

“I prefer Kol’s approach.”

“I would agree but we are at a disadvantage as we are waiting for the return of Kol with the witch and wolf,” he stated. “We will wait.”

“I got a bad feeling about this. Like that time before them slavers were chasing me,” Marcel muttered.

“No one will harm you; they will have to go through me to get to you,” Klaus stated levelly. He knew that he and Marcel were not on the best of terms, but he could see how his statement had soothed Marcel. Truthfully, Klaus wouldn’t let a soul harm his child, he was not going to let anything happen to Marcel. Just as he would not permit anything to happen to Kol.

“What about the girls?” Marcel asked.

“They will be safe in Kol’s care, he is good at protecting what he’s come to claim as his,” Klaus admitted. Klaus knew his little brother was exceedingly fond of the witch and her wolfy friend, and while Klaus might not be fond of the little witch who had stolen Marcellus from him, Kol would never let harm befall her. If only because Kol found her interesting.

“That’s not reassuring,” Marcel stated.

“Kol is the worst of the worst, the wildest of us, it should be reassuring when he’s decided to protect something,” Klaus stated honestly.

“How!?”

“Because he’ll go to any lengths to keep it safe,” Klaus stated simply. “Kol is the fiercest, most loyal of us when he’s given himself over to someone, he was like that a mortal and now as a vampire, he’s all or nothing, he would drive us mad with that attitude. It was always all or nothing, and when he’s all in, there will be no doubts as to what he can or will do to get the task at hand done. Yes, it might all be fun and games for him most the time, but make no mistake Marcellus, there’s no one better to be looking out for the girls at this moment.”

Kol made it to the Céleste and started pulling himself up to the deck, he stopped when he spotted blood which had him pulling out the knife as he moved silently around checking for where the girls were. The blood went below deck and he slipped down, dreading what he would find down there.

“It’s not that bad,” he heard Davina.

“You gashed open your knee!” Hayley retorted.

“It’s really not that bad Hayley, it just was bleeding a lot,” Davina huffed.

“Davina, it’s not supposed to be bleeding!”

“I’m fine,” she insisted.

“What’s fine?” he asked as he entered the galley, having pocketed the knife.

“Jesus!” Hayley yelped as she spun around to glare at him which had him smiling a bit.

“Sorry love, it was a miserable swim,” he admitted as he grabbed a towel and started drying off. “What happened?”

“I slipped,” Davina sighed. “Hayley’s overreacting.”

“I am not!”

“You are too!”

“Davina, do you not see how much blood that scrape was making!?”

“I saw it and I’m telling you, it’s not that bad!” Davina argued. Kol walked over as he continued toweling off and peered at the wound.

“It’s deep, love,” he pointed out.

“It’s not that bad,” Davina stated.

“What did you hit?” he asked.

“The railing, it was stupid, we were just walking the deck to see if we could see you guys and I slipped,” she admitted. He looked over the wound and sighed.

“It’s going to make hiking a bitch,” he pointed out.

“I know,” she winced.

“I could feed you some of my blood,” he offered.

“I don’t want the headache,” she admitted.

“Davina, it’s a hell of a hike,” he sighed.

“Drink the blood,” Hayley ordered.

“Fine!” she rolled her eyes. He chuckled as he broke his skin and offered it to her. She was reluctant but she did wrap her lips over the wound and suck. Kol watched the bloody knee heal up to be nothing but a faint silver line then nothing at all.

“What happened to your clothes?” Davina asked as she wiped her lips.

“Don’t ruin the view, Davina!” Hayley teased which had the younger girl blushing scarlet and he chuckled softly.

“We have an unwelcoming host, and I didn’t fancy swimming after our dinghy in all my clothes, though now that I’m here I’ll be getting changed, wet jeans are horrid,” he muttered.

“Wet denim, it’s a killer,” Hayley teased, and he snorted as he shook his head. Once he was redressed with his spare boots, he walked up to the deck to see the girls up top.

“Set?” he asked.

“I think so,” Davina answered with a bright smile.

“We got the knives, supplies, and spare clothes as needed,” Hayley answered.

“Wonderful, let’s go kill Silas,” he said as he leapt down to the dinghy and caught the tossed over packs. Hayley came down first, he caught her with ease and waited for her to settle before he reached up for Davina. The little witch was faster to settle than the wolf who had taken up a seat at the bow. Satisfied the girls weren’t going to go flying off he started up the motor and they started for the alcove. Tonight, would be about getting the lay of the land, but tomorrow they would hunt, he knew that, and he could sense Hayley’s anticipation for the hunt.

Hayley had never been on a hunt like this before, and something primal in her was aching to be let off leash and to track down the threat and kill it. She could feel it in her blood, something threatened her family and she wanted to eliminate it.

Strange as it was, she had accepted Davina and Marcel as part of her family, and since figuring out Big Davina’s relationship with Kol in the future she had even found herself growing exceptionally fond of Kol Mikaelson; especially with how he treated both Davina’s as a whole. The rest of the Mikaelsons could go hang, but she would do everything to keep Kol and Marcel alive for Davina’s sake.

Something threatened her newfound pack, and she would eliminate the threat.

Kol dragged the dinghy ashore before checking a stash and pulling out his other clothes. “So, our little visitor hasn’t been back,” he muttered to himself.

“Who?” Davina asked.

“Dunno, I’m assuming our mysterious, unwelcoming host,” he answered.

“Davina!” Hayley shouted as she tackled the teen to the ground as an arrow came racing for her head. Kol reacted fast as he was up the towering cliff hunting and Hayley looked over the younger girl.

“I’m fine!” Davian huffed with a groan.

“What the hell was that!?” Hayley barked as Kol appeared.

“Crossbow, trip wire, I think our host is savvier than we thought,” he muttered.

Hayley saw the small nylon thread tangled around Davina’s feet.

“We’re going to have to have more caution,” Kol decided. “I’ll take lead, Hayley you take rear, Davina stays in the middle,” he stated as he stood up. “We’re going to move fast and silent, making it to the camp, with any luck we’ll regroup with Nik and Marcel before our host catches up with us.”

Hayley couldn’t argue with his decisions because they made sense as they started moving up out of the alcove.

“So, you invited Damon in!?” Caroline demanded of her as they walked to the house.

“I needed to,” Bonnie sighed. “And Kol made me invite him, so I couldn’t really deny Kol. But I want to invite someone in who respects the ancestors, and what this means.”

“I don’t think you should invite Elena,” Caroline admitted with a sigh. She knew that Elena was Bonnie’s best friend, but Elena having free reign on Davina access would probably be bad for Davina.

“No, I want to invite you!” Bonnie smiled. “I don’t think I can invite Elena yet, she’s still… she’s not in control, and I kind of think Davina would crush her like a bug if she tried anything here and I’d really rather not have that.”

“Oh, so I’m…” Caroline started.

“You are the first invite I’m making that I want to make,” Bonnie smiled.

“Yay me!” Caroline giggled.

“Caroline Forbes, I invite you in,” Bonnie said as they crossed the threshold.

“Come on!” Bonnie dragged her along and Caroline stumbled but kept her footing until they landed in a lab area.

“What’s…?” Caroline started.

“I’m making a potion!” Bonnie grinned giddily. “Me, I’m a making a potion, I can feel the nature and the power, and the connection, Caroline!”

“Cool, what are you making?” she asked as she walked over.

“No idea. Davina made it all but she and Kol went to go kill Silas, and I’m in charge of it,” she admitted.

“You don’t…?” Caroline pointed at it.

“They want to use it on Klaus, I didn’t ask a lot of questions,” Bonnie confessed.

“Why not!?”

“Because… you know the thing Davina let me tell you?”

“The fact a part of her is from the future and big her and little her seem to be merging quickly over the last week?”

“Yeah, that,” Bonnie nodded. “This is for something they want in the future, and she didn’t expand on it too much, just that it’s important.”

“Huh, so you’re helping save the future,” Caroline concluded. “That’s cool!”

“It is cool!” Bonnie confessed.

“But seriously, what’s this do?” Caroline asked as she pointed to the brewing potions.

“No idea, honestly, I don’t know, but they don’t smell foul.”

Caroline nodded. They smelled enticing, and pleasant. Like the earth, something spicy and enticing. It smelled good, she wanted to sink her teeth in it.

“Damon insisted it smelled terrible, but I think it smells fine,” Bonnie admitted.

“It smells divine,” she admitted. Her mouth was watering, she needed to leave, preferably before she did something bad.

“You alright Care?” Bonnie asked.

“I’m good,” she lied clenching her thighs together. “It just smells unbelievably good, I should probably leave before I take one.”

“Yeah, I just wanted to invite a friend here,” Bonnie smiled.

“I’ll be happy to visit you in your witch’s lair,” Caroline promised. Right after she took care of the budding sexual frustration, she thought as she hugged Bonnie and sped away before she lost her control.

Chapter Text

Davina was sitting in the campsite as she looked over the map she had pulled from Silas’ head, she was shivering slightly as she sat by the fire, a problem with being human amongst the supernatural she supposed as she glared enviously at Marcel and Hayley who didn’t seem affected by the weather.

“So, we’re here,” Kol said as he crouched down to her level and pointed to a point on the island map.

“I wish Shane had had a compass in his head when I pulled the map,” she muttered as she looked between the maps trying to line them up.

“Not to worry love,” he said softly. “In the old days if you were to bury something it would have to be somewhere no one would be able to get to it but once, so we’re going to be looking at wells and mines in this era, something which would have been abnormal.”

“How do you figure?” Marcel asked.

“Silas would need a way to access people or connect. It’d be the only way to make people bleed themselves dry, which means he probably has powerful psychic abilities; however, you still need a connection. He’s been buried two thousand years. I would wager a mine shaft of some sort or a well has overlapped with his location at some point,” Kol explained.

“So… here, here, and here,” Davina said as she circled the points on the map with the marker.

“I would think, also here, it’s remote and if the topography is right, it’d be difficult to get to, a good place to hide a tomb,” he muttered as he pointed to a spot.

“You think?” she asked.

“Yeah, I would, because this is what I would do,” he muttered. “So, we’ll scout these four spots.”

“We should split up. Two groups will work faster than one,” Klaus pointed out.

“Yes, they would work faster. Or, it’ll give you time to play with our hosts,” he offered as his lips curved.

“Send Klaus out as a distraction?” Davina asked.

“Yes, him and Hayley,” Kol offered.

“Why me!?”

“You’re not a vampire, love,” Kol stated. “Arrow you saved Davina from was a wooden stake, which means whoever is here is a hunter and after a vampire, therefore you’d be more of a surprise. Plus, I’m betting your nose is better than Klaus’ so you’ll be able to track us down with more ease.”

“My nose is fine!” Klaus stated.

“Oh, really Nik, who’s been in touch with their inner wolf longer? You or her?”

Klaus opened his mouth.

“I thought as much, Marcel, Davina and I will go hunting Silas, and you two do wolf things and lead our Hunter on a merry hunt and if there’s more unfriendlies, keep them busy as well.”

“We should leave at dawn,” Davina yawned. She still ached from the hike, but it was worth it.

“Agreed,” Kol nodded.

“I’ll take first watch,” Hayley said.

“The little witch should rest, this will take a lot of magic,” Klaus muttered.

“Nik, if you sabotage this,” Kol started.

“I am not inciting war with you, brother, peace,” he sighed.

Davina bit her lip to keep from laughing at Klaus’ exasperated, annoyed expression. She was still tempted to taunt him or drop him off a cliff, but she wouldn’t, she needed him and Kol working together right now, and it would make it way easier to drug him if he didn’t hate her guts.

“So, we’ll check out these spots tomorrow, regroup here,” Marcel decided.

“Should someone guard the camp?” Hayley asked then.

“Nah, I’ll get that taken care of,” Kol stated with a wicked smile.

“I can make a few wards,” Davina offered.

“Nope,” Kol smiled like a menace as he stood.

“What are you thinking?” Klaus asked.

“Remember that time in Moscovia…” he started.

“When you did that thing?” Klaus sighed.

“What thing?” Davina drawled out as she looked up at Kol and Klaus.

“Our father was chasing us, this was before we went to Asia, and several of the camps we had, Kol is rather good at thwarting our father, I’m certain he will have traps to guard our camp while we are out,” Klaus chuckled humorlessly.

“This’ll be easier because we aren’t lugging Finn’s box along.”

“I still think we should’ve dropped him in the Northern Sea when we had the chance,” Kol muttered.

“Only for Sage to recover him and undagger him!” Klaus snapped.

Davina shook her head as the brothers dissolved into bickering. Looking at the map she wondered where Silas was and if they could actually do this. It was one thing to say they could but now that they were nearing him, she was curious if it could be done.

“What are you thinking?” Hayley asked as she sat beside Davina.

“I’m wondering if it can be done,” Davina admitted.

“What about in your time?” Hayley asked.

“I don’t know, I didn’t, I didn’t even know about Silas until I came looking for Kol,” Davina admitted softly.

“In your time…” Hayley started.

“I helped defeat a lot of monsters, but Silas wasn’t one of them.”

“Whatever you did, or faced, you can do it again,” Hayley said softly.

Davina chuckled. “I’m facing it for the first time.”

“Exactly, you, the new you, and the old you, can take this on,” Hayley said as they leaned on each other.

“That’s good, cause this is gonna suck,” Davina muttered.

“Embrace the suck,” Hayley shrugged.

“That’s horrible, and enlightening,” Davina laughed.

“My foster dad used to say it all the time, drove me nuts, but it’s not wrong,” Hayley chuckled. “And when this is over, we’re having a movie night after long soaks in the tub!”

“I like that plan!” Davina agreed.

“Good, and we’re going to continue the trashy 80s flicks,” Hayley said.

“Not Star Wars.” Davina warned seriously, she hated Star Wars, passionately. It was one of those occult movies she had endured as a child with Tim a thousand times, she hated it.

“No… Indiana Jones though, still has young-ish Harrison Ford,” Hayley pointed out.

Davian laughed loudly then as she nearly fell over.

The fire was in embers and Kol sat still watching out at the night. Davina was nestled between him and Hayley again; he hadn’t originally planned to be here but during Marcel’s watch Davina had literally scooted from her spot until she was plastered against his back. Now that it was his watch, he was just watching the night; and listening.

“You don’t actually believe her drivel about when she’s from,” Klaus asked him softly. Slowly Kol pulled his gaze up to his brother who was watching the night and looking at the girls with an unreadable expression.

“I do.”

“Why!?” Klaus hissed.

“Why wouldn’t I?” he countered. “After everything we’ve seen and done, Nik, do you honestly think it’s impossible?”

“But trusting her on this fool’s errand,” he snarled.

“The greatest of all fools is the proud fool, who is at the mercy of every fool he meets. One Washington Allston said that, can’t remember where I read it, but I remember it striking me as true, especially where you’re concerned brother.”

“You call me a fool?” Nik growled.

“The biggest fool of us all. I trust Davina, she hasn’t lead me wrong so far.”

“You’ve known her for a handful of weeks.”

“And you make enemies in less time than I made a friend,” Kol spat out. “Must be lonely Nik, always making enemies where you can, always hurting people because you hurt. Must be terribly lonely.”

“Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown,” Klaus muttered.

“What bloody crown!?” Kol hissed. “We’ve lived for a millennium and you’re so fast to make enemies you can’t bear the crown!”

“You couldn’t possibly understand,” Nik seethed. “You and your games…”

“No, thank Thor, Loki, and Odin, I would never be chief ever, even if we were human, thank the gods for that!” he laughed bitterly. “I trust her, because the alternative is, I trust you brother. And while I love you, but I don’t bloody trust you.”

“You! You speak to me about trust! After all you’ve done!” Klaus came to loom over him which had Kol leaping as he caught his brother’s throat, the movements were fluid and swift, well-practiced and he knocked Klaus off his feet as he pulled the Brotherhood of the Five’s sword.

“All I’ve bloody done!? What about you!?” he rumbled softly as he kept his voice down to keep the girls asleep. He saw Marcel rousing a bit but focused on keeping himself between Nik and the girls. “You put me in a bloody box, for a century or whenever it bloody well suits you because your god complex is out of control! You dagger Bex whenever you have a row, or she falls stupidly in love! You killed Esther, and don’t get me wrong, better you did it than I, because Odin knows I was going to, but you made father chase us for a millennium Nik! You dagger a sibling which displeases you or disagrees with you! You incite wrath and ruination! The brother I knew and loved wanted to do great things, the twisted perversion of you though would rather make an enemy than a friend, and ruin hope than grow it! Don’t speak to me about what I’ve done brother, I know my sins, I know them well. And I’d do them all again!”

“You plot and scheme behind my back with your new little witch,” Nik started.

“It’s not all about you Nik!” he growled.

“She could be after our ruination!” Nik stated.

“And now you grasp at straws to retain control. If Davina should decide to ruin us, I will kill her myself, but she hasn’t and she doesn’t intend to, so get that through you thick skull,” he spat out. “Not everyone is actually out to get you, Nik!”

“You are,” Klaus snarled lowly. “Always plotting to make that blasted dagger.”

“And why shouldn’t I!? You throw us in a bloody box whenever you want, maybe you in a box will teach you how it bloody feels! You are not a god, Nik. You do not have the right to decide who goes in and out of a box and when, you are my brother! Something lost upon you since that blasted Hunter’s curse. Get over yourself, and your pride, or it will be your downfall Nik. And I’d hate to watch you topple.”

“You would take joy in it,” Klaus spat out.

“No, no I wouldn’t,” Kol refuted. “No matter how bad, how horrid, how twisted and demented you are, you are my brother, and that still means something, Nik. Even if it means nothing to you.”

That seemed to shut Klaus up and Kol sat back down beside Davina. Davina grumbled, twisting around in Hayley’s grasp to throw an arm over his waist and hide against his hip. He was astounded again at how much this little witch trusted him.

“I’ll go check the perimeter,” Klaus snarled out. Kol waited until his brother was gone before his head fell back against the tree he was resting against.

“You kill Davina,” Marcel growled lowly.

“I’m not going to kill Davina,” he stated softly as his fingers toyed with the loose curls. “I’m not my brother, Marcel.”

“You’re a bastard,” Marcel stated.

“Oh, that’s a bloody given,” he admitted with a wry smile as he looked at the younger vampire. “But I’m not inclined to hurt allies, friends or family.”

“Just maim them,” Marcel grumbled.

“Not inclined to do that to a gorgeous lass trusting me. It’s not my style,” he shrugged. “Being here is probably getting to Nik, if Silas were to attack someone mentally, it’ll be Nik.”

“You think?”

“I know.”

“How?”

“It’s what I’d do.”

Marcel had never thought about how dangerous Kol could be until he looked at the young man toying with Davina’s curls. It was now that Marcel could see the thousand-year-old warrior, the witch, the vampire, the Original who’s name struck more fear into people than Klaus’ ever could. Marcel had never feared Kol, he had thought him a sick, demented bastard, but he had never feared Kol. Now though, now Marcel was seeing what people feared about Kol.

He wasn’t just cunning, devious, underhanded, and diabolical, he was knowledgeable, patient, calm when unprovoked and when serious he was more terrifying than Elijah, and ruthless. He might not have control of his rage, bloodlust, or emotions, but it was clear the youngest brother of the Mikaelsons was the most dangerous because he learned, he liked learning, and that would make him dangerous in whatever he pursued. Kol had a thousand years under his belt, he knew what he was doing and how to get it and if he couldn’t obtain it, he could work around to get it. He was charming, handsome, easy going, and unassuming when he wasn’t trying to kill someone. Marcel would even wager he was the sort who was friends with everyone and did that with ease; the kind of popular guy who Marcel had envied as a child.

Klaus was always a monster, Marcel would admit while his father figure had good aspects of himself, traits he didn’t put on display with ease or everyone. Kol though, Kol was scarier than Klaus ever could be because he didn’t present himself as a monster, merely as a wild thing who was untamable.

Marcel looked at Davina who had nestled herself against Kol as trustingly as a child would and then at Hayley who was hugging Davina. Kol was letting her, Marcel couldn’t remember when Kol let people close without killing them or seducing them.

“Tomorrow,” Marcel started.

“We’re merely keeping the human witch safe and alive, wherever Silas is on this damn island he’ll be hungry,” Kol stated.

“Hungry?”

“Price for immortality is the need for human blood to sustain you. Last massacre here the people drained themselves of blood.”

“That’s messed up. No matter what, we keep D safe,” Marcel stressed.

“No matter what,” Kol agreed as he looked out at the woods. Marcel was uneasy but he knew that Davina was perfectly safe with Kol.

Davina woke when it was quiet, the world was dark, she didn’t know what had called her awake as she looked around. She was groggy and confused but awake all the same.

“Auntie D…” a voice whispered which had her looking up as she pushed herself up against Kol’s chest to see a young woman there. Her shoulder length dark auburn hair, brilliant blue eyes, and pouty lips. The young woman was Davina’s height but far curvier than Davina ever would be. She looked like Klaus, but also like Hayley. She was surprised as she stared at the young woman. It wasn’t possible, which meant this… this was Silas.

“Auntie D… I need… I need your help,” Hope whimpered with tear filled blue eyes.

“H-How can I help?” she whispered carefully, hugging herself against the cold. She didn’t notice she didn’t have shoes as she nudged Kol’s leg to wake him.

“I need you to get me out of here,” the girl whispered.

“What?” Kol grunted and looked at her through bleary eyes before looking at where she pointed.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered.

“Auntie D…” the girl pleaded desperately.

“I’m coming, Hope,” she said reflexively and Kol was up then. “Uncle Kol and I are going to help. Can you take me to where you are?”

“Yeah,” the girl leapt, changing forms into a white wolf.

“Wait Davina!” Kol caught her arm and spun her around to face him.

“That’s Silas,” she whispered.

“Which means it’s a bloody trap!”

“No doubt,” she agreed.

“And you just want to follow the stranger!?”

“Yes,” she admitted.

“Are you stark, raving mad Davina Claire!?” he hissed.

“Undoubtedly, come on,” she pulled him up. Kol shoved her boots at her before he scooped her up. Davina struggled getting them on as he ran through the forest after her niece. Davina had on her boots when he put her down.

“Who is that?”

“Hope,” she answered.

“Hope as in…?” he started.

“Yeah,” Davina stated.

“That’s impossible,” Kol whispered.

“I know, which is why we know it’s…”

“Auntie D!” Hope appeared and ran at her, throwing her arms around Davina. “I missed you so much!” the girl sobbed.

“It’s alright,” Davina said as she hesitantly wrapped her arms around the illusion. “It’s alright, I’m here, tell me how I can fix it,” she murmured encouragingly to the illusion.

Her niece had never been a weepy girl; her nephew was a different matter but Hope Mikaelson was not a weepy girl. Call it her inner shieldmaiden, Hope Mikaelson didn’t cry or weep over anything, no matter how bad the pain. And Davina was never the one Hope wanted to make it all better, mostly because Davina being around meant Hope had screwed up or was in over her head, two things she didn’t like admitting to those facts.

“I think I screwed up,” Hope admitted.

“Show me where so I can fix it,” she encouraged as she felt her own tears at the sight of the illusion.

Hope started walking and Davina started following.

“Davina,” Kol hissed.

“It’s okay,” she whispered back to him and smiled.

“This is a bad idea,” he muttered.

“Into the lions’ den,” she pointed out.

“Having been in the lions’ den, love, I’m telling you this is a bad idea,” he repeated.

“That’s why I have you with me,” she smiled.

“Keep up!” she said as she jogged after Hope. Silas probably didn’t know she was from both now and the future and didn’t know his illusion while good and something her heart desired, wasn’t possible yet. Davina was going to use that to burn his ass to the ground.

Chapter Text

Kol was reeling as he followed Davina through the forest. The illusion called her Auntie D, an illusion which had his brother’s eyes, Hayley’s coloring, and the Mikaelson smile; hell, the girl looked a little like Henrik with her dark auburn hair. But that wasn’t the part that had Kol reeling, no, it was the fact Davina was ‘Auntie D’ of all bloody things. Davina didn’t strike him as the type to just casually let a pupil call her auntie, which made it a matter of fact she was family to hope. Which meant two things to Kol, and both were enough to have his head spinning.

The first was that Klaus accepted her as Marcel’s kid and being older than Hope she’d taken the title Aunt rather than Niece. Which he could see, in fifty years and someone religiously beating the fact Davina was Marcel’s kid with a club over Klaus’ thickhead. And he couldn’t see that.

The second, more likely option, was she had married one of them. That idea was enough to knock him on his ass; if he wasn’t running his ass off over this island following Silas that is, because more than likely he was the only candidate she could’ve married which was more startling.

Her husband both couldn’t and wouldn’t be Finn because Finn had that thing for Sage when he was alive, and Davina would’ve probably thrown Finn out a window for his sanctimonious attitude. She wouldn’t have married Elijah, for one thing, she wasn’t Elijah’s type, and for another his brother avoided marriage like the plague because it was something that Nik would use against him. Davina wouldn’t have married Klaus, that would’ve gone over like hell in a handbasket for both of them, he didn’t care what her age, also, Hope called her Auntie D, and Marcel would probably find a way to murder Klaus if he had married Davina. It would not be Rebekah; despite Bex’ experimentation in the thirteenth century, Bex didn’t like petite brunette women as lovers, or women, it was a very confusing time for Bekah, point was, it was unlikely to be Rebekah who married Davina. And it couldn’t be Henrik, Kol didn’t think his little brother had landed on the Other Side. It wasn’t Marcel, and Kol wouldn’t even entertain that disgusting thought.

Which left him, and that thought hit him harder than lightning.

Her husband hadn’t come back with her, yet he was the first person she had sought out. She trusted him, confided in him; she had even admitted her husband’s family was a pain in the ass. Hell, she had even stated he snored as proof she knew him rather well; he did but no one outside of family knew that for a fact. Her description of her husband had been something he overlooked because she had been looking at him with this ‘you’re an idiot’ look that had him wanting to laugh. She had admitted she would leave her husband to sort out his feelings while she had work to do, and he hadn’t caught that because he was determined about getting to Silas!

Kol was not the marrying type, at least he wasn’t as a human and he hadn’t thought about it as a vampire. As a human he was the village flirt, he drove his mother and father nuts, but all the lasses knew he was up for a good time and would go about giving it to them, but he wasn’t marrying them. He was a flirt, he would admit it, he enjoyed women, enjoyed wooing them, befriending them, besotting them, but ultimately, he wasn’t theirs and they would part on good terms usually. The mere idea Davina had married him was genuinely mind boggling as well as the idea that he had married her. Sure, the lass was a brilliant witch, as either self, and she was gorgeous. The fact Davina had said she was married had put her firmly in the off limits no matter what age category in his head; Kol had standards and messing around with married women was a big fat NO in his head.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered.

“What!?” Davina called out as they rounded the bend looking around for Hope.

“Nothing, love, just trying to figure out where Silas is taking us,” he lied.

“Auntie D!” a voice cried out as they both came up the hill and he peered down at a cavern.

“Davina! Wait!” he stopped her from falling as he crouched down and examined the cave.

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking you should let the indestructible Original go first, love,” he admitted as he looked up at her. The day was high noon, so they had been going for hours. He was suddenly really glad he had grabbed a pack as he pulled it off.

“Eat,” he ordered as he pulled out a bit of jerky. Davina took it and stepped aside. Digging through his pack he found the light as he laid down and leaned over to examine it.

“It’s a massive shaft,” he stated as he examined it. The light was lost down there looking around. “I lose it, the light,” he muttered as he slid up to his knees.

“Do you have a flare?” she asked.

“Oh, yes, store clerk said I needed it, what the bloody hell is it?” he pulled the red stick from his bag and held it to her.  Davina looked it over as she took a bite of jerky then she did something which had it igniting in a bright flame, he jolted as he tore his eyes away and accepted it from her before dropping it down the cavern. He saw it hit the ground then and sighed.

“Long ways down, love,” he muttered as he stood and grabbed his pack. He had bought rope, but he didn’t think it’d be enough to get them down there.

“Ok,” she nodded.

“Do you trust me?” he asked her point blank then as an idea came to mind. He hadn’t done it for a century or two, but it would still work, only if she trusted him.

“Yes,” she answered without hesitation.

“I’m going to go down there, when I’m down I’ll call for you and you jump, I’ll catch you.”.

“What!?” she stared at him with huge disbelieving eyes.

“Yes love, just, just trust me, the cavern looks big enough for this to be safe, and I’ll catch you.”

“You… you promise?” she stammered.

“On my life,” he assured her.

“Okay,” she nodded.

“Good, toss this down when I ask you to, and when I shout for it, you’ll jump,” he said as he walked to the ledge. The sword was feeling heavier on his back, and the axe felt useless. He looked at Davina who was hugging the pack watching him uncertainly before he waved at her and jumped. Kol landed softly as he evaded the flare and looked around in the light. Looking at the ground he saw a few cracks, there were old blood stains here.

Kneeling he sniffed for fresh blood and found none. Moving the flare to a safe spot he walked back to the spotlight of light.

“The Pack!” he shouted. He waited a moment before he caught it and set it down.

“Alright, Davina!” he shouted.

“You’re sure!?” she shouted back.

“Trust me love,” he called back and held out his arms. Davina came plummeting towards him swiftly and he caught her as he swung her up in his arms. She threw her arms around his neck to keep her balance.

“Holy shit,” she gasped as she trembled.

“You good?” he asked.

“Gimme a few,” she whispered breathlessly, and he looked around. Slowly her death grip lessened, and he set her down.

“Where are we?” she whispered as she looked around. With the flare illuminating the area he could see the markings on the walls.

“This is Roman,” he said softly as he traced the letters. “Before my time, but same core,” he admitted as he picked up the flare to study it. “It’s warning us of a great evil,” he muttered.

“Auntie D!” Hope appeared which had Davina tapping his shoulder.

“Davina,” Kol grabbed her arm and spun her around.

“Trust me,” she smiled.

“That’s the problem,” he muttered as they walked after Hope. He had slipped ahead of Davina. Pulling the sword, he held the flare high as they walked. It was a long winding road.

“Kol?” Davina breathed and he paused as they saw the drawings on the walls. He read it over before he looked at Davina.

“It’s about the cure,” he said softly. “Instructing people to shove it down his throat and kill him.”

“Auntie D! I knew you’d come!” Hope smiled as she rushed Davina again. Kol watched warily as he followed the girls then. Part of him was curious about Hope, but then he remembered this was an elaborate illusion, Silas had seen inside Davina’s head and pulled someone out for her to desire.

He would wager Silas hadn’t been able to pull her husband from her mind, but with concerns about her niece’s existence, Hope was at the front of her mind, so it was possible Silas had decided to summon that image. Kol smirked, Silas had pried into the wrong head, was all he could think, Davina’s wrath was probably going to be hell. Big or Little Davina.

They came to a circle which he looked around.

“Davina,” he called to her as she examined the walls.

Slowly she walked over, he saw she was looking like her younger self, her eyes more curious, less knowing and her body language had changed.

“Which you?” he asked.

“Both,” she answered.

“Think you could open this?” he asked.

He made another mental note to look harder into the Gemini Coven and their merging ritual. Davina bit her lip as she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths before she started chanting softly. He could feel the magic pouring from her as she focused, slowly he could feel the earth shifting and connecting as her magic unfurled the thousands of years old enchantments before the circle descended into a spiral staircase. He pulled Davina behind him as there was an eruption of stale air and he gagged a bit at the scent.

Davina’s spell had shifted from the earth to purifying the air and suddenly he could breathe again, breathing with ease was when he walked closer to the stairs.

“Stay here,” he said.

“The hell I will!” she hissed as she peered around him.

“Davina, I’m the indestructible vampire.”

“And I’m the super charged witch, we’re going together,” she countered.

“Big You or Little You, talking right now?”

“Little Me, but Big Me agrees,” Davina stated.

“Keep behind me,” he ordered then as they slowly walked down the stairs and into a new tomb. He could feel the ancient magic which stewed here, he could scent the desecration. Walking over to the open tomb wrapped in roots and vines he kept a firm hand on Davina to keep her behind him. Examining the corpse, he saw Silas clutching a box, he would wager the cure was in there.

“Is he alive?” Davina whispered.

“Depends on how you define alive,” he answered as he found a high spot for the flare, illuminating the whole tomb. “He’s desiccated.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It means he’s in need of blood,” Kol muttered as he started circling the body. Even desiccated an immortal was hell, his father was a prime example of that, even Finn had learned to project himself. Desiccation was a point of starvation, but not death, never death. Even in this state though an immortal was stronger than a mortal, and if they were up and mobile in this weakened state they were challenging to take down.

“What do we do?” Davina asked.

“You stay over there; I don’t want food near him.”

“Food?”

“You are food, love,” he informed her. Clearly both Davina’s had never feared being a food supply to an immortal in their lives; or if they did, it wasn’t a chief concern.

He was also food but he didn’t point that out because he didn’t need her doing something stupider than what he was doing as he examined the body. Silas’ eyes were black pits and the body a twisted mangled mummy, but then he supposed two thousand years of desiccation would make one similar to a mummy. It was immortals like this who made mummy legends so bloody popular.

“What are you thinking?” Davina asked nervously.

“Can you summon the box?” he asked.

“I can try,” she muttered as she reached out. He could see her trying but the box must’ve been enchanted, and the corpse’ hands tightened their hold.

“So, you’re awake,” Kol muttered looking to the immortal.

There was a low growl, Kol leapt over the immortal as he caught Davina just as the corpse forced itself to move upright. Davina threw out a lashing of fire as he moved her out of Silas’ path.

“Now he’s pissed,” Kol stated as he kept himself between her and the immortal.

“You distract him, I’ll get the cure,” she said shoving him forward as she ran. The desiccated corpse was slowly animating itself up to his feet and Kol ran to tackle it.

~~~*~*~*~~~

“DAVINA!” Marcel shouted.

“KOL!” Klaus bellowed.

Hayley was following the scent, which had the men following her.

“What the hell could’ve had them running off?” Marcel asked.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. She wasn’t scenting another person or thing which had her concerned. She wondered if it was Silas or something else. Crouching down Hayley saw the tracks; they were well ahead of them.

“Guys… someone else is following them,” she said finally as she found one good tread that wasn’t Davina’s or Kol’s.

“It seems our host is after them,” Klaus snarled angrily.

“We should split up, Marcel, you follow Kol and Davina, Klaus and I will hunt the hunter,” she decided as she could feel her inner wolf coming to life with the prospect of a hunt.

“Hayley…”

“Marcel you need to find them, and we need to get rid of the hunter before they get hurt,” Hayley stated. She was internally cursing Davina and Kol for having run off in the first place without waking them but then again, they were the know it all witches after a witch.

“Go,” she barked as she grabbed Klaus and dragged him after her.

“Keep up, old man,” she ordered.

“What is it with youths these days!?” Klaus growled as they started running after the Hunter’s trail.

Davina chased the box that skittered over the dusty floor and finally grabbed it.

“No, don’t!” Cassie shouted as she yanked out the cure.

“Get Out Of My HEAD!” she roared as she felt her friend’s powers and her own collide to send the earth shaking which knocked the illusion into oblivion.

Grabbing the cure Davina to where Kol had the monster pinned. Silas was struggling, Kol had slammed the sword into Silas’ chest to pin him to the wall, but Silas had a hand around Kol’s throat. Davina got close as she slammed the cure into the gaping mouth. She screamed when teeth caught her wrist, Kol tore her from Silas’ grasp and threw her away from Silas as he was then bit.

She hit the column hard as it knocked the wind out of her.

Marcel felt the island trembling so violently it knocked him off his feet and down a cavern that he had seen Kol’s and Davina’s tracks disappear into, he screamed as he slammed into the earth hard, jarring his shoulder and body hard.

Kol broke Silas’ jaw as he tore his arm away and slammed the jaw shut. He heard the vial break in Silas’s jaws and the immortal scream as he staggered away. There was a horrid gasp, then the body of Silas was starting to animate, Kol backed away in horror as he felt the ancient magic reconnecting to it’s witch. Silas turned his red gaze upon Kol, and Kol bore his fangs as his veins snaked over his face. He swung the sword in his grip as he prepared for whatever was coming. Silas gave a scream, and Kol dove out of the way as the cave seemed to come to life, rocks crashing for his head. He took a hit which knocked him off his feet, but he rolled with it as he spat out his blood and charged the witch. Silas hit Kol hard with all his magic, the fire seared through Kol’s blood as he hit the wall, the sword skittering from his fingers.

“You ruined everything,” Silas rasped. “I will make you suffer.”

Kol gasped for air as a hand touched his temples. He screamed as it felt like his mind was torn asunder and a thousand years of memories bombarded onto him, compounding and distorting.

“Hey!” a voice shouted just as fire tore through the cave. Silas was thrown into a wall, and Kol saw Davina holding herself up against a stony column. Kol groaned as he rolled to his feet. Silas though was muttering in a spell as Davina’s fire was extinguished. Davina was suddenly choking as she coughed up earth, she was gasping, gagging, choking and the winds swirled more violently from her as the earth trembled, fire erupted wildly from her and Kol swore a storm was forming around her. Blood was streaming from her eyes and nose now as she vomitted earth.

“Little girls should play with power,” Silas rasped as he moved towards Davina who seemed to be dying under his spell. Kol saw the sword, but it was embedded in stone, he saw Davina dying as she fell to her knees.

Impulse had Kol reacting, he moved on half-forgotten moves as he tore his hand through Silas’ gut, twisting the witch away from Davina as they came eye to eye. Kol let out a snarl as he fought against the agony of Silas’ spell, tightening his grip on his prey he felt bones shatter in his grasp before he lunged forward. The desiccated witch toppled under Kol’s weight, and Silas screamed as Kol’s fangs buried into his jugular. Kol drained the bastard of everything he had as he pulled a knife from his boot and slammed it into the temple of the skull. Silas struggled against Kol for a minute, but Kol drained the fucker dry, pulling away when he was done, Kol gasped for air as he staggered to his feet, floundering a few steps back as he wiped his bloody lips. The world was spinning rapidly, and Kol felt horribly dizzy as he shook his head and tried to get his bearings.

Silas’s corpse was listless, and bloodless, but then it was like the aged mummy as it went from reanimating to decomposing rapidly. Kol watched in disbelief as it was like the immortal crumbled to dust, bones fell atop one another until there was nothing.

Kol stumbled to Davina when it felt like the world was ripped out from under his feet and he collapsed as he pulled her close. It was hard to breath, it was hard to think, it was…

He groaned.

He felt like he had had the worst bout of food poisoning ever tried to will his body to work past the residual pain of Silas’ attacks. He and Davina weren’t safe, he needed to move her, but he couldn’t even move. Kol’s fingers wrapped around Davina’s wrist as he felt the world disappearing on him, desperate to feel her pulse to know she was alive.

“Davina!” a voice shouted just as the world disappeared on Kol.

“Shit!” Marcel shouted as he came running down some stairs and saw Kol wrapped around Davina and a scattered pile of bones as well as a broken tomb.

“Shit,” he whispered.

“Davina!” he skidded over them, rolling her from Kol’s grasp, he felt over her spine seeing the bruising start there, but felt nothing out of place. There was a welt on the back of her head, her nose was bloody, there were bloody tears on her face, but she was breathing well. He leaned over Kol who wasn’t moving in anyway, and his breathing was shallow. And his heartbeat…

Marcel’s eyes widened at the sound of a heartbeat in Kol’s chest.

“What the hell,” he muttered as he rolled Kol onto his back and saw bloodstained lips.

There was suddenly sound which had him twisting around to see a tall, wiry man with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes looking at him.

“They, did it?” he muttered in disbelief. Marcel moved to be over them as he didn’t know who this was, and he didn’t want him near his family. Marcel let his fangs show as he crouched over them.

“Silas is dead!” the Scotsman chuckled in disbelief. “Bloody hell, I never thought I’d see the day,” he whispered as he sunk to the cavern floor. “I’m free!”

Chapter Text

Hayley rounded the bend, leaping over a cavern as she followed the trail. At some point they had gone underground but she was so focused on hunting that she hadn’t noticed the drastic changes of environment. She just checked to make sure Klaus was still following her, he was so she kept moving. Her pack was in danger, and she would eliminate the threat.

“Hayley,” Klaus called as the earth trembled, she landed sloppily, hissing at the pain shooting up her leg as she scrambled out of the way of falling debris. He was over her then and grunted as he took a massive hit.

“What the bloody hell was that?” he groaned as it stopped.

“Davina,” she hissed as she moved her leg.

“Here, little wolf,” he broke the skin on his wrist. “We need to keep moving.”

She accepted the offer, reluctantly, and then was up as they ran through the caverns. It didn’t take Hayley long to find the scent of the intruder again, she didn’t slow.

“They did it!? Silas is dead! Bloody hell I never thought I’d see the day! I’m free!” an accented voice laughed humorlessly.

She snarled as she leapt to attack. Catching a shoulder as they rolled, and she slammed atop him straddling his waist as she snarled and blocked a blow. The blow had her rolling off him as she spun up to her feet, falling into an old boxing stance she readied to attack again. The guy was about to hit her when Klaus appeared having caught him by his throat, which had the blond flailing in the air as he clawed at Klaus’s hand. Hayley twisted around to see Davina and Kol prone on the ground.

“I’ll take her,” Hayley said softly as she went to Marcel.

“Let him go Klaus, he didn’t do this,” Marcel barked. “And get over here, I need help with Kol.”

Klaus snarled as he dropped the man and walked over.

Hayley saw his eyes widen at the sight of Kol and then she hurriedly gathered Davina as she led their way out. Kol was slung across Klaus’ shoulders and Marcel kept the rear as they moved out of the caverns. Hayley didn’t slow as she made it into the daylight. Outside Marcel grabbed Davina.

“We should head for the ship,” Klaus decided. “Post haste, the sooner we leave this forsaken place the sooner I’ll be happy.”

“You happy?” Marcel snorted. “Set Kol down, I need to check something.”

“What are you checking?” Hayley asked as she watched the surrounding area.

“His vitals,” Marcel answered.

“He’s a vampire,” Klaus stated.

“Was a vampire, can’t explain it, but… his heart’s beating,” Marcel explained.

“So?” Hayley asked nervously as she circled them; cradling Davina closer to her.

“So, vampires don’t have heartbeats, a byproduct of being dead, we can fake a heartbeat when we focus on moving the heart muscle, but when we’re unconscious or asleep, no heartbeat. I don’t know what’s happening to Kol, but his heart’s starting again, we’ll need to keep an eye on him.” Marcel said examining Kol carefully.

“I could just give him some blood,” Klaus started.

“I don’t think that’s wise until we know what’s going on. His vitals are… starting, let’s get to the ship and land side, when we’re in the states I’ll have Thierry fly up a witch to meet us, a discreet one,” Marcel said as he stood.

“I’ll take him,” Klaus moved Marcel aside. “He’s my little brother, I will take him.”

“Hayley, you’ll lead, you know how to get to the ship, I’ll carry Davina,” Marcel said as he carefully took her from Hayley.

Hayley nodded and started jogging, Marcel and Klaus kept pace as they followed her. It took her a few hours to get them to the dinghy. Marcel kept stopping them to check on Kol’s vitals, and Davina’s. It appeared they were both out cold though until the alcove as Klaus readied their dinghy to go to the Céleste. Klaus and Marcel had decided it’d be best to get Kol over to the ship first, then come back for the Davina and Marcel. Hayley didn’t like it, but an unconscious Kol would be more challenging to maneuver than an unconscious Davina. They had barely gotten Kol in the dinghy when Davina woke with a yelp and a gasp as a blast of air knocked all of them off their feet.

“What the hell!?” Hayley sputtered as she landed in frigid waters.

“Sorry!” Davina grimaced as Hayley stomped up the rocks to the shore again.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Lil D,” Marcel gasped as he came over them.

“Kol!” she was looking around frantically for Kol.

“He’s in the boat,” Hayley stated as she shivered. “Klaus and I are taking him over first, then Klaus will be back for you and Marcel.”

“Is he…?” Davina asked.

“He’s alive. You’ll see him on the Céleste,” she promised.

“Hayley, we need to go,” Klaus stated.

“I’ll see you on the boat,” she promised Davina who weakly nodded as Marcel pulled her closer to him. She clambered in the boat and watched them as Klaus drove them towards the Céleste. It took some creative maneuvering, but they got Kol aboard and Klaus put his brother on his bed. Klaus left after he had removed his brother boots and pulled a heavy quilt over him. Hayley had changed into dry clothes and clambered onto Kol’s bed as she listened to his breathing, it was steady, but shallow, like a baby’s, it was like this was new to him.

Hayley didn’t know how long she sat over Kol until Marcel appeared carrying Davina.

“What happened?” she demanded.

“She’s just tired, getting thrown into a column and cursed will do that,” Marcel said as he laid Davina out. Hayley nodded as she looked at Davina and sighed.

“Klaus is going to set sail now, he wants to get away from the island, also the sooner we’re near civilization, the sooner they can get help.”

“I know a doctor on the down low who will help supernaturals, in Boston,” Hayley explained as she remembered the doc she had gone to, to get her birth control.

“Okay, when we have signals, call them,” he stated.

Elijah was lounging in the study with a drink of his own as he read over some of his brother’s notes about the cure.

Elijah had never been a witch, much to his mother’s relief, he hadn’t had a magical inkling in his body beyond knowing what his mother was and why she was different. Finn had tried to force a magical connection, especially when Kol was proving to be a prodigal witch. Finn had never had magic though, and he had despised Kol for magic. Their mother had always seemed despondent about the fact Kol was a witch. Kol had never been discouraged though; even when their mother refused to teach him, Kol had gone to Ayana for guidance, and it appeared he had sorted the rest out on his own.

Elijah was impressed by his brother’s notes and theories about breaking their status as vampires. Kol had always been a wild, unpredictable soul, but his dedication to his craft despite his inability to actually partake in practicing in it, was impressive. It also broke a part of Elijah’s heart, he known he was closest with Niklaus but to see the evidence of how much he had neglected his younger brother hurt.

The ringing of his phone brought him from his readings.

“This is a surprise Niklaus,” he stated as he saw his brother’s name on the phone.

“We’re in Boston, it’s Kol.”

“What’s happened to our brother, Niklaus?” Elijah asked with a hard tone.

“I didn’t do it,” Klaus huffed. “Something happened, it appears he’s turning human again.”

“Human?” Elijah sputtered.

“I do not understand it myself. Bring the Bennett witch, Kol’s magic’s been dormant for a thousand years and it’s on overdrive right now.”

“What’s happened?”

“Davina has forged a connection to Kol, I don’t understand it, we need another powerful witch,” Klaus indicated. “I’m in the North End house.”

“I will bring the witch,” Elijah said.

“Do not tell Bekah, we do not know how or why what is happening to Kol is happening,” Klaus stressed.

“I assure you brother I will tell her nothing,” Elijah lied as he stood to see Rebekah there. Hanging up he looked his sister in the eye. “You heard.”

“How?” she whispered. “Kol would not have taken the cure, he’d have used it to destroy Silas,” she muttered. “I’m coming with you!”

“No, Rebekah, it is important you don’t, we don’t know what state Kol will be in and if he should feel threatened being surrounded by us,” Elijah stated.

“Threatened!? We’re his family!” Rebekah snapped.

“And a poor one if his journals and notes are to go by,” Elijah countered. “I also know how desperately you desire a cure; Rebekah and I will not have you bombarding him when he doesn’t know what is going on.”

“You think I would hurt him for having what I desire?” she whispered in disbelief.

“I do not think it would be intentional, but I know how you desire to be human,” he said softly. “I will call you to inform you of how he is doing,” he assured her as he kissed her brow and left to find the Bennett witch.

Trouble for Klaus had started on the first day of sailing. It was now that they knew Kol was fully human, but his magic had come rushing back too, the sheer ferocity of it and power had summoned a storm unlike any Klaus had witnessed. It had taken Davina full on tackling his younger brother and fusing their consciousness together on a different plane to knock Kol out fully and not sink them. Klaus was lucky they hadn’t been blown entirely off course as he sailed them to Boston rather than Cape Cod.

Hayley had called a wolf doctor she knew of, and he and Marcel had transported the unconscious witches to the colonial house in North End. It had been eerily quiet since getting the staff to uncover everything and was cleaned. Kol was stretched out on a bed with Davina Claire stretched out beside him grasping his hand. Wherever they were he wanted answers the moment his brother woke up!

Hanging up the phone he stared at the pair as Marcel slept at Davina’s side.

Hayley walked forward to him then.

“The doc will be here in a few hours or so,” she murmured.

He nodded.

“Have you… ever heard of someone going back to human from this?” she asked.

“No.” he answered. “Our mother was going to turn us human again to kill us,” he said off-handedly. “But she couldn’t, so she created a more advanced version of us to kill us.”

“That’s horrible,” Hayley muttered.

“No one said she was a loving mother,” he mused humorlessly.

Since the death of Silas and finding his baby brother on the floor he was starting to feel more like his old self, one he had forgotten. It was strange, either the connection to the wolf or something else, but it was like a horrid fog was lifted from his mind.

“Kol saw her for what she was, I suppose, he was the only one of us to leave,” he murmured.

“Yeah, he said,” Hayley muttered.

“Elijah will be here soon, with the Bennett witch, that will aid Davina in whatever is happening where we are not,” he said softly.

“What do you think is happening to them?”

“I don’t know,” Klaus confessed. “I am not a friend of witches; I prefer to use them as needed but never live with them. I would wager though that wherever Davina has taken Kol, it is not a place anyone can follow at their will.”

“Maybe the doctor will give more insight as to what is going on,” Hayley decided.

“You should rest little wolf, this could be a while,” Klaus admitted.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Hayley stated as she stalked past him to stretch out on the bed beside Davina.

Davina was shocked when she found herself standing in the center of a simple hut, the floor was uneven and a mix of stones and wood. There were herbs and other plants hanging in pots and baskets from the ceiling, there was a fire pit roaring, crookery was hung up neatly. There was a heavy worktable, with a few benches, and candles. So many candles. The hut was small, there were weapons hung up neatly. The bed was massive, tucked in the corner and covered in heavy furs. It was a Kol sized bed, she thought with amusement. There was set of shelves separating his bed from his living area, on those shelves were heavy grimoires, trinkets, widdled bits of bone and wood that formed small animals. There were also beautiful stones, an odd seashell here and there littering the shelves. Wandering around it took her a moment to find Kol who was lounging in jeans and a shirt near a river.

“We need to stop meeting like this, love,” a voice quipped.

“Kol,” Davina greeted as she neared him and leaned on the door post of the hut.

“What are we doing here gorgeous?” he asked looking up.

“You saw my happy place. I was curious about yours,” she offered with a smile.

“I must admit I prefer your time, music, I do love vinyl,” he admitted with laugh. “What’s happening to me, love?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted softly as she leaned on the post, crossing her ankles.

“Where are we?” she asked as she watched a bird flutter by.

“My farm,” he answered. “This was the river I relied on to irrigate my crops, through that forest about a day’s walk that way, you’ll hit my village, this is my hut and my land,” he explained as he sat there.

“And over there is where I had a few goats, chickens, and swine,” he said pointing across the way at another outbuilding. There was a boat being built, she thought it funny seeing it here in the middle of a farm.

“It’s peaceful,” she chuckled.

“It’s old, you mean,” he countered with a smile.

“It’s charming,” she promised with a smile.

“What are we doing here, gorgeous,” he repeated with a sardonic laugh.

“I didn’t know what else to do without you sinking us. Whatever is happening, you’re getting your magic back,” she sighed.

“Oh hell… A thousand years of magic built up,” he looked mortified and horrified.

“It’s okay,” she promised. “We’ll figure this out together. We can do anything together.”

“You seem bloody confident in that, Davina Claire,” he muttered sourly.

“Practice, lots of practice,” she assured him as she came to sit beside him.

“Big you or Little You talking?” he asked.

“Both,” she replied.

“You know, off the topic of my hazardous magic, we should look into a ritual which might merge you together.”

“Any ideas?”

“Big You or Little You right now?”

“Little Me asking.”

“There’s a coven cursed with a ritual called the Merge, the Gemini Coven, you heard of them?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“They are a strange lot, even by witch standards. They were cursed two thousand or so years ago by a group of witches called Travelers, I don’t know everything, but they have a curse called the Merge. It takes place between the twins born in the coven, they go through a ritual where they merge, the stronger comes out the survivor while they do take on desirable traits from the weaker. Perhaps there’s a way for your souls to Merge and you can be Davina Claire, one witch rather than an older and younger version of yourself simultaneously.”

“It’s worth a shot…”

“How long are we going to be here?” he asked dryly.

“Until your magic stops trying to kill us,” she answered.

“We might be a while, been a thousand years since I was connected to magic,” he groaned.

“We have all the time in the world,” she promised him with a smile.

“So, it appears. What’s next on the list?”

“Esther,” she replied.

“Ah, and Hope.”

“And Hope.”

“I’m actually looking forward to drugging Nik into a rut if they don’t hook up,” he said with a smile. “I feel bad for Hayley, she’s nice, but it’ll be nice to pull one over on Nik!”

“Is that all you think about!?” she asked.

“Ah, no,” he chuckled. “Sometimes I think about pulling one over on Elijah.”

She laughed.

Bonnie was jogging out of the abandoned house and saw Caroline standing there warily guarding the door.

“Care?”

“Ah, Miss Bennett, I have been waiting for you,” Elijah stated as the Original appeared.

“And we’re not going anywhere with you!” Caroline said warily.

“I understand your misgivings, Miss Forbes, but rest assured I am only here for Miss Bennett.”

“Why?” Bonnie asked.

“A problem with my brother and Davina requires your assistance,” he answered.

“What sort of problem?”

“The witch kind. I do not know more and cannot provide you with more information merely that it is important,” he said.

“Why?”

“It appears that a thousand years of magic are wreaking havoc, Davina may require assistance.”

“This is about Silas?” Bonnie sputtered.

“No, as I said this is a problem my brother and Davina require your assistance on,” he articulated. “I do not believe it has anything to do with Silas as they are currently in Boston after having left Cape Cod last week to go kill Silas.”

“I’ll go,” Bonnie said.

“I’m coming with!” Caroline declared.

“That is unnecessary, Miss Forbes.”

“I don’t care, I’m not letting you take Bonnie alone! She’s not Davina and I won’t let her be bullied by you!” Caroline snapped.

“Very well, but we must go now,” Elijah stated. “Ladies,” he opened the car door.

“Okay,” Bonnie nodded and reluctantly went to the car. Caroline slid into the backseat with her, and Elijah shut the door. He was in the driver’s seat suddenly. “Seatbelts please.”

Once they had those on, Elijah slammed on the gas. Bonnie yelped as she was thrown back in her seat as he sped out of the town onto the freeway at death defying speeds.

Chapter Text

Bonnie walked into the massive home after Elijah and Caroline and looked around.

“Oh good, you’re here,” the wolf appeared atop the stairs and jogged down to them.

“Come on,” Hayley ordered as she grabbed Bonnie’s wrist and dragged her up the stairs. She was all but shoved into a room where a doctor and Marcel were.

“Fix it,” Hayley ordered determinedly.

“If you wait a few Thierry will be here with his girl, then you’ll have extra help,” Marcel stated.

“Everyone slow down!” the woman ordered which had Bonnie looking at pretty older woman. Her long curly black hair and round brown eyes were big and seemed to make the woman bigger than life in a way.

“Dr. Keelin Malraux,” she said as she walked forward and held out her hand. Bonnie grasped it with a firm shake.

“Bonnie Bennett,” she replied.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Keelin smiled. “Now, as I was saying, both Kol and Davina are showing perfectly normal neurological markers for being unconscious; but we shouldn’t rush into anything hasty. I was informed they’re both witches,” she said.

“Kol’s a vampire,” Bonnie cut her off which had Keelin frowning.

“The man I’ve spent the last seven hours evaluating is most certainly human,” Keelin stated. “A healthy twenty-two-year-old male.”

Bonnie frowned as she walked forward.

“Kol was a vampire, now he’s not,” Marcel stated hastily. “We don’t know what’s happened to him.”

Looking over Kol she couldn’t see any difference between him now and him as an Original, he looked young and hot still, which had her concerned as she checked him over. Slowly she opened herself to feel the magic in the area and nearly gasped as she felt an overwhelming tsunami of power slam into her senses which knocked her off her feet, literally as she landed on her ass.

“Are you alright?” Keelin was over her then.

“That’s a lot of power,” she gasped as she hugged the chair and tried to pull herself up.

“I’d like to take them in to run some tests,” Keelin stated. “Other than the blood I’ve taken, to make sure they’re alright. CT, MRI, that sort of tests.”

“No,” Elijah stated as he appeared. “I will not permit my brother to become some experiment, nor will I permit you to cart Davina off to satisfy curiosity.”

“I wouldn’t…”

“I do not trust you with my family, Dr. Malraux, you will treat them here, or you will leave,” he stated firmly. “I came to inform you that a Mister Vanchure and a Miss Chapman are here at behest of Marcel.”

“I called them!” Marcel said as he stalked out of the room.

Bonnie was in awe of the power she had just felt rolling off of Kol, and she couldn’t imagine what that must feel like to him, to be reconnecting so violently and thoroughly. Did his magic grow in his thousand years, or had he always been this powerful?

Suddenly there was a handsome man with a beautiful woman there, her big, curly hair was pulled up and her eyes sharp.

“If you harm Davina, it will be the last thing you do, Katie,” Marcel warned as she walked in.

“I’m not here to complete the Harvest, I couldn’t even if I wanted to,” she spat out. “You should return her before her power kills her though.”

“No go; now help fix this,” Marcel ordered.

“Even if I wanted to, I can’t, I don’t have the kind of power…” Katie started.

“But I do,” Bonnie said walking forward to stand at the edge of the bed. “I just need help getting there. Bonnie Bennett,” she introduced.

“Katie Chapman,” she said as she walked forward. “I’m in Davina’s coven,” she said as she started looking over Davina and Kol. “Who’s the other witch?”

“His name is,” she started.

“Kaleb,” Klaus said as he appeared. “His name is Kaleb.”

Katie nodded.

“Bonnie?”

“Yes?”

“I’m going to tap into your power to link us, the four of us, so you and I can connect with Davina and Kaleb wherever they are,” she said softly as she moved hair from Davina’s face.

“Okay…”

“It’s your power that’s going to get us wherever they are, so… just focus, let me guide us,” she persuaded. Bonnie nodded and Katie started getting things to do a linking spell before they held hands. Katie grabbed Davina’s arm and Bonnie held Kol’s as Katie started drawing off her power.

Bonnie closed her eyes as she felt herself moved through the tsunami of magic that was Kol Mikaelson.

Then as suddenly as she was drowning, it was calm and she could relax again. The first thing she noticed was they were in a forest, the second thing was it was peaceful. It was quiet, too quiet, she turned around still holding Katie’s hand.

“Where are we?” Bonnie asked.

“The Astral Plane, I think,” Katie muttered. “Hello!?” she called out.

Bonnie was struck by how quaint the place was, the hut was a hut; an old one too, there was an archery range, she could see the arrows and axes lodged in targets. The sounds of animals around, and a river made the place peaceful.

“Ah, so they did send someone after us, you owe me five, love.” Kol’s voice announced which had her and Katie jumping as she twisted around to see Kol holding a sniffer of whisky.

“I didn’t think Klaus would call anyone for help!” Davina appeared behind Kol then.

“I would agree, but it appears this is a problem even the mighty Niklaus Mikaelson cannot solve by brute force, fear, or intimidation.” Kol smiled in such a way that Bonnie was reminded why he was called an old fox.

“Katie!” Davina sputtered in shock and then took a step to keep herself behind Kol.

“Davina.”

“I’m not going back,” Davina avowed.

“The Harvest must be completed!” Katie stated.

“I have things to do!” Davina hissed furiously.

“Harvest?” Kol raised a brow. “Wait! That’s what you’re hiding! The Bloody Harvest!” he snarled and then twisted around on Davina.

“I wasn’t hiding it! I was omitting it, there’s a difference.”

“Davina!” he growled.

“Oh please, like you don’t omit things!” Davina huffed indignantly.

“When we get out of this mess, I’m going to throttle you!” he warned.

“No, you’re not!” she refuted.

“Oh yes, I am, or I’ll do what Marcel should’ve and take you over my knee and tan your hide!” he hissed.

“As riveting as that sounds, Both Me’s are saying no.”

“Are you two ready to get out of here?” Bonnie asked with a laugh seeing them. She was surprised how fond and happy she was to see them.

“This is not going to be fun,” Kol muttered with a grimace as he knocked back his drink.

“I’m going to channel you, as is Bonnie and Katie and between the three of us we should be able to keep you stable until you are conscious, when you rejoin us in the land of the living, we’ll slowly stop drawing on you until you’re in control,” Davina stated as she walked over to them.

“You should not be channeling my power if you’re part of the Harvest, love,” he retorted.

“Well, it’s me, or you do it yourself and blow wherever we are off the map,” she snapped.

“Bloody hell, when I’m awake I am throttling you,” he warned.

“Let’s get you reconnected and figure out what the hell happened then you can threaten to throttle me,” she stated as she grabbed Bonnie’s offered hand.

“Have you two been arguing this whole time?” Bonnie asked in amusement.

“No, we were having a lovely time with tea and biscuits with those lovely jams,” Kol retorted coldly.

“He’s just grumpy because he doesn’t know what’s going on,” Davina chuckled.

“Now would be a good time to have a siphoner on hand!” Kol shouted as they were leaving.

Bonnie gasped as she and Katie returned to their bodies and Davina’s eyes opened.

“Hey,” she smiled at her friend.

“Hey,” Davian groaned as she moved, clearly sore.

Bonnie had never been so happy to have a friend return to the land of the living as she let go of Katie’s hand and Kol’s arm.

“You do keep things interesting!” Bonnie laughed as she came over and hugged Davina.

“It wasn’t always like this,” Davina chuckled as Bonnie helped her up.

“I kind of like it this way,” Bonnie said honestly. She hadn’t realized how much she liked Davina until just now, it was like seeing an old friend.

“Why are you here?” Davina asked as she rubbed her neck.

“Elijah summoned me,” she admitted with a grimace.

“Oh… That would do it,” she sighed as she finally got to her feet.

“Davina, should you be up?”

“Doesn’t matter,” she waved off. “We’re going to have to create a link with…”

“Kaleb,” Klaus stated walking in. “How is Kaleb?” he demanded looking at Davina who looked stricken at that name.

“K-Kaleb is fine,” she stammered out. Bonnie frowned.

“We’re about to form a link to channel his power between the three of us while he comes back to consciousness, so he doesn’t overwhelm himself,” Bonnie stated.

“I’m not sure we have enough witches,” Katie stated. “He’s a lot of power.”

“Make it enough witches,” Klaus snarled menacingly.

Davina flicked her fingers to send her brother-in-law flying out of the room before she closed her fist to slam the doors on him.

“That’s better,” she sighed.

“Big or Little You?” Bonnie asked.

“Both,” she shrugged. “So I’ll channel Kaleb directly, Bonnie links to me, Katie links to Bonnie.”

“I’m not taking orders from you,” Katie stated.

“Okay, but if you want to link to Kaleb, he’ll overwhelm you, and it’ll fizzle you out, Katie,” Davina pointed out flatly. Katie was always a sweet, thoughtful girl, and she had always had her heart in the right place before the Ancestors had corrupted her. “Either way, you and I will not be linking. So; Me, Bonnie, You, that order for the link.”

“I’m not helping you bring Kaleb to consciousness!” she snapped. “You’re coming home, with me to finish the Harvest!”

“No, I’m not, I have things to do Katie,” Davina sighed tiredly.

“Davina.”

Davina reacted fast as she used her magic to overwhelm Katie and brought her coven member to her knees.

“Let me be clear, Katie, you are not taking me anywhere. I’m not dying until I have things under control, and not a moment before. Attempt to bring me anywhere I don’t want to go, and I will raise a hell with likes you have never witnessed, do not test me,” Davina warned coldly.

“Now get up and link with Bonnie.” She ordered as she released her hold on the older witch.

“If you didn’t have the Harvest, you wouldn’t be able to do anything,” Katie spat out.

Davina turned on Katie with a frown. “Katie, I was selected for the Harvest because of my power, the only reason you think I wouldn’t be able to take you on is because the coven did a good job of trying to control me. Now, I don’t like to be controlled, I don’t like being made to do things that I don’t want to do, and I especially do not like being lied to and manipulated!” she seethed. “You and the coven are nothing but liars. Now hold Bonnie’s hand or I’ll make you.”

“Your mother would be so ashamed,” Katie hissed.

“My mother can burn in hell with the rest of the Ancestors,” she countered icily. “Liars and cheaters never prosper, Katie. The Coven would do well to remember that.”

“If you don’t return with me, I’ll…!”

“You’ll what?” Davina asked as she stepped towards the taller woman threateningly. “You don’t have the power to back whatever threat you’re going to try to give me so shut up and do what you’re told. Before Kaleb comes around to blow this place off the map!”

Davina walked over to Kol and took his hand gasping as she felt his power, it was like being bombarded by a hurricane! It was so much, too much! Still, she held on as she grimaced, feeling Jessica, Amy, Stephanie, Anna Marie, Monique, Cassie, and Abigail grab her soul tightly while they channeled the power through them to Bonnie who had taken her hand then. Bonnie grunted and the power kept flowing. However, it was levelling out as Davina unfurled her own magic to reach for Kol’s soul.

He caught her as he came to with a low groan and peeled an eye open as he looked around.

“How are you feeling?” she gasped as she felt blood on her lips but focused.

“Slow, love,” he muttered. “Slow.”

“Katie’s going to release, then Bonnie, then I,” Davina informed him. “Think you can take it if it’s slow?”

“Go,” he said as he took a deep shuddering breath. Davina felt the power flowing back through her and to Kol who seemed focused as she released him and collapsed on the floor.

“Ow,” she muttered.                                                                                                              

“Thor, make it stop!” Kol groaned as he rolled on the bed curling in on himself, cursing in Old Norse.

“Breathe,” Davina ordered as she rolled to pull herself up to the bed and over him, carding her fingers through his hair. “Just breathe. You know the connection, just… let it flow,” she instructed softly. Kol shuddered, and his body trembled as he counted his breaths, his hair was matted with sweat. Davina leaned in close as they both counted breaths, his eyes were boring into hers’ while she breathed with him until he finally relaxed, and she slumped over him.

“Bloody hell,” he groaned.

“Reconnecting is a bitch,” Bonnie said as she clambered onto the bed to check on Kol. Davina sighed as she lay on his shoulder, and he glared at her through his lashes.

“We’re still talking about the Harvest,” he warned.

“Sure, after…” she panted as she slumped behind him, hiding her face against his shoulder.

“After,” he agreed. “This is the worst bloody hangover I’ve ever had!” he moaned into the pillow.

“I’ll get Tylenol,” Bonnie decided.

Davina heard Bonnie leave with Katie and sighed as she threw an arm around Kol and hugged him tight.

“Not that I’m complaining, but why are you human?” Davina muttered into his shoulder.

“If I knew that I’d tell you. And why does it taste like I ate something moldy and rotting!?” he demanded.

“I’ve been unconscious, same as you,” she grumbled.

“Gods I feel foul,” he muttered tiredly. “Worse than coming out of a box,” he grumbled into the pillow.

“Mmm,” she hummed as she curled up against him.

Bonnie reappeared with a new person.

“Heard you’re both awake,” the new woman said as she walked over.

“Define awake,” Kol griped.

“Now before she gives you the Tylenol, I want to check your vitals.”

“Who the hell are you?” Kol demanded.

“Dr. Keelin Malraux,” she answered. “Can you two sit up for me?”

“Do we have to?” Davina whined.

“Please, this will take a minute.”

“If the dwarf releases me,” Kol answered.

“I’m comfortable,” Davina muttered. “You have a nice hot body for a giant,” she admitted. He was so warm now, she was felt like he was her personal heater!

“I knew it! You’ve got a lecherous heart, Davina Claire, I won’t be used! Not for my body or my witchy knowledge! We can hold hands, that’s it!”

“Dork,” she huffed as she shoved his shoulder while he sat them up.

Kol felt like hell, he felt like he had been sailing through a bloody hurricane, tossed around some mountains and stomped on by some giants. Everything hurt, everything! Things he didn’t even know could hurt, hurt! Were his teeth supposed to feel like they were rattling around his head? Or were his eyes supposed to feel this burned.

Not to mention the magic, he had always missed the connection but now… holy hells! It was so much, too much, it felt good, except it was drowning him!

The doctor before him was feeling him over. She had him follow her finger with his eyes, listened to his breathing and heart, which felt weird to feel that moving in his chest! Then she traced her hands over him, had him lay down as she felt his stomach and then gave him the all clear. He watched the doctor repeat the process with Davina and pronounce her as good before Bonnie came over with the Tylenol. Kol downed six, which was the maximum suggested dose, and saw the doc protest then cringe before he got to his feet. Feeling unsteady and off balance he propped himself up on the nightstand.

“I don’t think you should be standing or going anywhere alone,” Bonnie said.

“Darling, I feel like I just sailed through a hurricane, been struck by multiple bolts of lightning, and ate something akin to sewage which has left a rotting, foul, moldy flavor in my mouth. I am going to brush my damn teeth and clean up even if it kills me! If you wish to supervise you are free to come watch the show, I’m certain it’ll be very exciting!” he huffed as he made his way to the bathroom.

Once in the bathroom he caught the counter and held himself up as he sighed. He was blissfully alone, and the door was shut behind him for him. Probably Elijah’s doing. He looked in the mirror and ran his hand over his face, the stubble felt rough on his hands, which now felt calloused and lived in. He looked at his hand and saw the old scars and callouses which had been removed when he had become a vampire. He was shocked seeing them as he traced a long scar, he had from cutting his palms during his spells. Snorting he felt his lips curve as he felt the scar.

It’d been too long.

Finding a toothbrush, he globbed on tooth paste as he started scrubbing out his mouth to try to get rid of that taste. Once he had rinsed, flossed, and felt that satisfying cold chill in his mouth he had stripped to walk into a hot shower to continue in his quest to get rid of what was bothering him. He was careful shaving and cleaning, but he felt refreshed exiting the steaming bathroom to hunt down some form of clean clothes.

The towel was not appropriate clothing.

Chapter Text

Showered, shaved, clean clothes, he felt like a new man, it would’ve been awesome to have his own clothes, but apparently Klaus, Hayley, and Marcel on their quest to get the hell off the Céleste hadn’t grabbed his shit. So, he had stolen clothes from Marcel because they were about the same height and general size, and it’d annoy the shit out of that little shit. He had snagged a beer from the fridge on his way out to the garden, he could feel so much nature he just wanted to relish in it. Even if he froze his ass off at the turning point between February and March. Kol relished in the feeling though, the air, the water, the earth, even the fire from the muted sun, it all felt new to him and he felt alive, Odin this felt good.

There was no agonizing burning in his throat demanding he sink his teeth into anything or anyone, there was no blood lust or cravings.

Oh, he was hungry, his stomach was making itself known, but he ignored that in favor of relishing in this power and connection. His magic still felt abnormal, like lightning racing through his veins and nerves, it was a turbulent storm which was a dull ache, but it was his. Gods above, he felt like himself for the first time in a thousand years and it just felt good to be, to breath the air, to feel the cold of a dying winter and damp of a drizzling rain. A soft sound had him opening his eyes to see Bonnie Bennett walking out to the garden where he was lounging. He took another sip of his beer as he watched the young witch.

“Um… how… how do you feel?” she asked as she wrung her hands nervously.

“Alive,” he answered. “What is it, darling?”

“When you… reconnected, I… were you always this powerful, before?” she inquired uncertainly as she sat down.

Kol sat there and thought about it carefully. “I don’t know, it’s been a millennium,” he smirked. “Magic doesn’t die, Bonnie, despite what I was, because of what my mother had done to me, it was there, I could feel it like a phantom limb. However, because I was a witch at the time of my death, I was supposed to return my magic to the earth, it’s not supposed to be dormant for a thousand years. Now that it’s awake it’s an adjustment.”

“Oh,” she nodded. “When I reconnected, it was so painful.”

“Expression is disconnection,” he said softly. “From self and nature with no regard to the price, and it’s a steep price. Yes, it is an unlimited magic, but like immortality, it goes against nature. You draw off of a power which is not in the living or the dead. Reconnection is painful, I witnessed a coven perform an exorcism on an Expressionist.”

“And?”

“It killed her.”

“But… Davina…?” she started.

“Davina worked around the problem, by giving you ancestors she presented you with a source of power to connect to and draw off of if you could have a good relationship with them. Digging them up, consecrating them, giving them a proper burial, it was enough of a start to reconnect you. You’ve probably felt more and more connected over time,” he explained. “And it will continue to grow as you stop leaning on Expression. Davina’s way is to wane you off, not remove you from it, which is safer, it’ll take longer but it’s safer.”

“Makes me sound like a druggie,” she snorted.

“It sort of is a drug,” he shrugged. “Even a weak witch is powerful with Expression. That kind of power holds allure to people.”

She said nothing as she bit her lip and left him then. He just took a sip of his beer and was amazed at how it felt not to have all the emotions churning chaotically through his mind wreaking havoc on his thoughts and self. It was amazing to just be, and it felt good.

“Brother,” a voice called which had him cracking an eye open to peer at Elijah.

“Brother,” he greeted warily. “Unless we’re drinking beers I’m not interested in lectures,” he warned as he took another sip of his beer.

“I think that would be marvelous,” Elijah decided as he sat. “I did come prepared,” he said and Kol noticed the beer in his brother’s hand then.

“I’d have thought you to be drinking a red or something,” he snorted.

“No, this felt like celebration to be done your way,” Elijah said primly as he leaned back and sipped his own beer. “How are you feeling?”

“Weird,” he admitted. “The thing in my chest is beating, lungs demand to work, and I’m fairly sure my stomach is growling but I’m too comfortable to get up. Oh, and it’s cold and wet, as you probably know, but I can actually feel it, Elijah!” he said smugly as he looked up at the sky.

“So you feel alive,” Elijah stated.

“It’s strange,” he murmured. “Thousand years of hunting for a way to return to this and now I am this and I have no bloody clue how it happened.”

“I did desire to ask about that,” Elijah started. “I was refraining because I was thinking to have you explain it with Niklaus and Rebekah present.”

“I’ll still have to explain it a thousand times even if they are here, so ask.” Taking another swig of his beer Kol waited as Elijah thought about what he was going to ask. Kol could almost see his brother’s mind working before he started.

“What happened on that island? Klaus and Marcel both said you and Davina ran off on your own,” Elijah said.

“Silas was reaching out for Davina,” he started. “Showed her someone, and Davina knew it was an illusion, so she followed it. I woke when she left, and I couldn’t find her, so I tracked her; I didn’t think to wake anyone. I guess Silas formed a weak psychic connection with Davina when she was pulling the map from Shane’s mind, because the person he showed her was someone she knew wasn’t around.”

“They were dead?”

“Not exactly,” he admitted. “Nik’s told you about Davina’s claims of being from the future…”

“He has, I’m not sure what to make of it,” Elijah admitted.

“Nothing to make of it, the person she saw does not exist yet. Which is why, she knew it was Silas and why she was chasing after it. Eventually we were lead to Silas’ tomb. He would’ve drained Davina if she had been alone. He was animated enough to be up though when we tried to get the cure from him so we could kill him. Some point during the fight Davina got the cure in Silas’ mouth, but he bit her, I threw her away, I think that’s when she hit the column. He bit me, and I broke his jaw forcing him to take the cure. I staggered away looking for the sword, I thought I needed it to kill him. He started for Davina, so I reacted, I drained him as I pulled my knife. I figured if he truly had no blood left, then he wouldn’t get to her, and that’d keep her safe while I found the sword to kill him. I stabbed him in the temple,” he said tapping the spot. That weak point in the bones. “He stumbled, I released him to look for the sword but he… I don’t know, turned to dust and collapsed a pile of bones,” he shrugged. “Then I’m experiencing the worst case of food poisoning and on the floor.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it,” Kol shrugged. “Next thing I know I’m in an astral plane on my farm.”

“Your farm?”

“Courtesy of Davina Claire, gotta hand it to the little witch, she’s got more spunk than anyone I’ve encountered, and she’s innovative,” he muttered. “Fused our souls together as she knocked us out, so my magic didn’t sink us. Then I wake up human. Which hurts like hell.”

“So you are human?” Elijah murmured.

“Yes,” he said as his head came up so he could sip his beer. “I’m human.”

“Is it possible, whatever of the cure was within Silas was transferred to you upon your draining of him?” Elijah asked.

“I don’t know,” Kol admitted. “Elijah, it was gross, I swear…” he shuddered. “I’m not think about that moment unless I have to, grossest thing I’ve ever done,” he muttered as he took a long sip of his beer.

“Still,” Elijah persisted.

“It’s a possibility,” he admitted. “But I don’t know what the cure was, or how it worked or anything beyond shoving it down Silas’ throat to kill him.”

“This is an interesting development,” Elijah muttered.

“You’re telling me…” he smiled as his head fell back again. “I dreamt of this moment, Elijah, never thought I’d be me.”

“How do you mean?” Elijah asked him softly.

“I prefer being this,” he said as he gestured to himself. “Being a witch. No heightened emotion, no bloodlust. Just being me.”

“If you had known what mother was planning?”

“I would’ve never permitted you lot to go to that feast, I’d have killed her and father and run, left you lot to hate me, but I wouldn’t have let them do what they did. That kind of Magic,” he shook his head. “It’s an abomination even in Dark and Black Magic spells.”

“Do you think we’re abominations?” Elijah asked.

“You’re my family,” he shrugged. “Doesn’t matter what else you lot are, you’re my family. Does mean I’m on a clock though and Nik cannot dagger me again.”

“So even if…”

“Immortality is an afront to nature, Elijah. Life ends in Death, Death is the inevitability of Life,” he stated firmly. “I’ll be happy to live this life. But when the time for my ends come, it’s my time to go, hopefully that won’t happen for a while, but it’s been a thousand years, Elijah. That’s more than enough life for anyone.”

Elijah nodded thoughtfully as he sipped his own beer. “As you are human again, you are improperly dressed for this weather, and I must insist you return to the indoors.”

“Elijah!”

“As your brother I must insist!” Elijah stated firmly.

Kol groaned but complied because he was starting to lose feeling in his toes. Which was marvelous! But also concerning. Walking into the house he saw Davina sitting at the island over a steaming cup of something.

“Hayley went to the store with Klaus and Caroline to get the humans food, Bonnie went to nap, and Marcel is escorting Thierry and Katie to Logan,” Davina stated swiftly before Elijah could ask her what she was doing.

“Very well, I will be in the study,” Elijah said as he walked off.

“How are you?” he asked her as he sat beside her at the island.

“Tired,” she admitted. “And wide awake.”

“It would help if you didn’t drink coffee at this hour,” he pointed out.

“It’s hot cocoa,” she lied.

“And I’m an elf,” he rolled his eyes.

She giggled as she sat there sipping it. He took another sip of his beer as he sat there.

“Just ask,” she muttered.

“When were you going to tell me about the Harvest?” he demanded.

“Hopefully after it had happened,” she replied.

“Davina,” he started.

“I didn’t tell you because you’d do this,” she gestured.

“What!?”

“Get possessive and protective!”

“I am not possessive!”

“You’re the most possessive person I know once you claim something.”

“I am not.”

“You killed Katherine Peirce for kidnapping me,” she countered flatly.

“Seemed like a good idea at the time,” he muttered as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Davina gave him a pointed look but shook her head as she sipped her coffee.

“I wasn’t going to tell you because I didn’t want you to overreact,” Davina sighed. “I come back.”

“Davina, that’s dangerous magic,” he started. “Replacement magic should not be tampered with, not in a matter like this.”

“I’m already channeling my friends, Kol, I know how long I have before that magic will overtake me, and until I get to that point, we have things to do,” she stressed.

“How long?” he demanded.

“Harvest has to be completed before Samhain,” she answered.

“Why?”

“Because Samhain is when the veil is weakest and a soul can get lost in the journey back.”

“Are you certain you come back?” he demanded sharply.

“Yes,” she nodded. “However, to ensure I come back, and nothing goes wrong this time, we need to seal off your mother.”

“Bloody hell,” he muttered.

“We have eight months,” she said firmly.

“Before you’re killed.”

“Yes.”

“That’s not a lot of time, love.”

“We have all the time the world, a lot happens in eight months, Kol. You should know this more than most,” she muttered. He watched her casually cast a silencing charm around them and raised a brow. “We have breathing room at this moment though, and we can solve the immediate problems like your mother.”

“Yes, but…”

“No buts, your mother is in New Orleans corrupting the Ancestors right now,” Davina stated. “I know where her spirit is, all we need to do is trap it.”

“Which is not as easy as it sounds,” he countered.

“I have a plan for that,” she admitted. “But we’re going to need patience,” she muttered.

“Why?”

“Because we’re also going to need to trap your father, and I don’t know where his soul is,” she answered.

“Mikael? We need Mikael!?”

“We’re going to need his ashes. And he’ll be easier to trap if we have help.”

“What sort of help.”

“Sadly, a person I want to drop off a cliff,” she muttered sourly.

“Who?”

“Her name is Freya Mikaelson.”

“What?” he sputtered.

“She’s not awake yet, but she will be, her waking up will make it easier to find and trap, resurrect, and kill Mikael.”

“I don’t want anything to do with Mikael!” he hissed.

“Too bad, we need his ashes, unless you happen to have another Viking on hand somewhere I don’t know about.”

“Other than myself, I do not.”

“I thought not.”

“Why the bloody hell do we need a Viking?” he demanded.

“I’ll explain more when we’re away from here,” Davina muttered as Bonnie reappeared and she removed the silencing charm.

“Just to be clear, is it Big You or Little You I’m talking to?”

“Big,” she answered with a smile and sipped her coffee.

“Well, Big Davina, you and I are also going to talk about the Merge and possibly fixing this two-soul problem,” he warned.

“Deal,” she nodded as she sipped her coffee.

“Isn’t it late in the day for coffee?” Bonnie inquired.

“I just woke up from being magically knocked unconscious, coffee is life!” Davina purred.

“I just talked to Damon and asked him to check on the potions, he said that samples two and four look the most promising, but nothing is black or violet,” Bonnie said.

“Damon?”

“Caroline came with me, and he’s the only one other than Matt or Jeremy who can enter, and I wouldn’t trust Jer with a Mr. Chemistry set,” Bonnie replied primly. “So… does this make us a coven?”

“Us!?” Davina and he strangled out.

“Oh come on, please!” Bonnie pouted. “I’ve never had witch friends! Please!”

“We’ll think on it, Davina can’t join a coven until the bloody Harvest is complete,” he growled.

“Trust me, it’ll be fine!”

“I do trust you, and it won’t be fine,” he retorted.

“Yay!” Bonnie grinned as she ran around, and hugged Davina then hesitated before hugging him as well.

“I’m still not teaching you!” he warned firmly as he let the witch hug him.

“Don’t care, I’ll learn anyway,” she assured him.

“At least you’re not a complete idiot,” he muttered.

“Kol!” Davina swatted his shoulder.

“What!?”

“Be nice!”

“I am being nice! I’m human, love! No more blood! No more rage! And Magic!” he cackled.

“We’re so going to regret this,” Bonnie laughed.

“Oh I have so much to do, so much to reconnect and try!” he grinned.

“Lord help us,” Davina prayed dramatically and teasingly.

“This is going to be a blast!” he cackled as he sipped his beer. “I can get one over on Bex again! Oh I need a body!”

“No!” Davina shouted as he leapt up to do research.

“What?”

“No, no body jumping… just, please no,” she pleaded.

“Fine, after your to-do list though we’re doing it,” he grinned.

“Are you always this excited?” Bonnie chuckled.

“About magic, always,” he grinned. “Bloody hell, this is amazing!”

“You know what we should do?” Bonnie giggled.

“What?” Davina asked dryly.

“Take him for like a big fat cheeseburger and pizza,” Bonnie said.

“That’s a good idea, I have missed appreciating food, real food!” he grinned.

“You’ve had some of the finest food in a thousand years.” Davina pointed out smartly.

“Isn’t the same when you’re craving blood.”

“Very well, but when we get to New Orleans, you’re gonna try all my favorites! The spicier the better!” she grinned.

“Sounds like date,” he chuckled.

“Oooo! I always wanted to try New Orleans food,” Bonnie mused.

“You know what I would kill for right now?” Davina sighed wistfully.

“What?”

“A Beignet, and coffee, covered in sugar, piping hot, fresh,” she moaned low and loud. The sound stirred something within him he hadn’t felt in so long it surprised him, and he hid it by taking a sip of beer. That sound was the sexiest sound he had heard from a woman.

“Sounds good,” Bonnie chuckled.

“It’s heaven,” Davina assured her. “Damnit, now I’m hungry, Hayley and them should hurry up!”

“You know, I’d settle for anything right now,” Kol admitted.

“Thinking about food has me hungry,” Davina admitted. Kol looked her over but didn’t respond as Bonnie started chatting up Davina. It fully hit him how human he was right now as he looked at Davina.

Chapter Text

Klaus walked into his house to see his brother chatting with the witches while he was playing with a candle flame casually. It was different, to see Kol like this. Hayley shoved the groceries at him and beelined for Kol, Davina and the Bennett witch. Left with groceries he walked to the kitchen and heard the baby vampire behind him with her own arm load of groceries.

“Um…” he heard Caroline pipe up and turned to look at her. He hadn’t spoken to her since her arrival because he had been consumed by worry for his brother and if he was going to perish now that he was human. Kol would have been suspicious though if he hovered over him and a suspicious Kol was one no one ever got close to.

“I apologize for my rudeness, I am not ignoring you,” he assured her as he started unpacking the groceries.

“No, you must have a lot on your mind,” she said timidly.

“I do,” he admitted. His brother was now very mortal, and there were enemies who would attack Kol in his vulnerable state and the mere thought was intolerable to Klaus. Kol was his baby brother, and while his brother had always been wildly independent, as a human he was notorious for finding trouble.

“Do you… do you want to talk about it?” she asked carefully.

“About what, sweetheart?”

“Whatever’s on your mind,” Caroline said with a smile. “My mom and I talk all the time when something’s bothering me, and it helps!”

“My younger, thrill seeking, Valkyrie flirting brother is now mortal, there is not much to talk about,” he muttered.

“Kol?”

“I do not have another younger brother!”

“Oh… I thought… you know with how you and Elijah are that you were…?”

No, I am not the elder of Elijah and I. The order was Finn, Elijah, myself, Kol, Rebekah, and Henrick,” he mused.

“Oh!” she nodded. “I guess you could be a middle child,” she said uncertainly.

“You speak as an only child,” he chuckled.

“I am an only child, but you know that,” she pointed out as she handed him items for the freezer.

“I did, sweetheart,” he chuckled. “I may not always like my siblings, love, but I do always love them and worry about them.”

“Sounds difficult.”

“It is. Kol was always the most wildly, independent, stubborn one of us, normally families in my time would stay together, but at the age of thirteen he left, made a life for himself, learned his craft, ran a farm, he was particularly good at it,” Klaus chuckled. He remembered his younger brother being so proud of himself for his first successful and profitable crop. Granted, Klaus suspected his brother had used his witch nature to keep his plants and crops flourishing. Kol’s connection to magic had always dwarfed their mother’s. “Our father thought magic to be woman’s work, he was particularly frustrated when Kol was a witch, and a prodigal one.”

“Your father was a dick.”

Klaus snorted in amusement. “Kol figured out how to use his magic and combat, which he excelled at, making him father’s favorite pupil, and the village’s favorite warrior to be, then he figured out how to make a flourishing farm, he was also a skilled sailor and navigator, his independence though made him an oddity.”

“How so?”

“While our people prized independence in young children and did treat us as adults from about seven onwards, Kol made it his mission to be the best, or most independent. When he was a vampire, I did not have to worry about his reckless nature because he was indestructible, now… he is mortal and fragile, again.”

“Awe, you care!” Caroline giggled.

“Of course I care! He’s my brother!”

“I just… you never care, at least not openly,” Caroline sighed. “And it’s okay to worry about him,” she promised.

Klaus said nothing to her claim because he disagreed. He didn’t want his siblings’ mortal; he didn’t want to have to worry. He loved them all; except Finn, but Finn was an arse and dead. Finn had been their third biggest bully as humans, and when they had been turned into vampires, he had tried to take over their existence. Thank the gods for Elijah just being more reasonable and appealing to anyone with half a brain; and Bekah and Kol had more than half a brain.

“You never talk about your siblings, at least, not without scorn or distaste.”

“I disliked Finn, but I do love Elijah, Kol and Rebekah,” he stated firmly. He had loved Henrik dearly too and been genuinely excited for Henrick’s wedding. He always regretted that he had let his brother sneak out with him to see the wolves turning. It was truly his greatest regret of his life.

“Well, I’ll help you keep him safe,” she promised. “Bonnie invited me into their witch lair!”

“I appreciate the sentiments, darling,” he chuckled as they finished packing away the groceries. “But he probably won’t permit that.”

“He won’t have to know.”

“He’ll figure it out and being the wily, cagey fox he is, he’ll slip our grasp and disappear where we’ll never find him,” Klaus stated knowingly.

“I am starving!” Kol announced appearing then. “What have we got to eat!” he demanded.

“I made them pick up steak!” Hayley appeared behind Kol.

“Oooo! I want to season! Spice is needed!” Davina declared as she ran for the fridge.

Klaus was amused seeing his younger brother casually summoning things to himself and turning on the stove fire without touching things. It was funny to see Kol as he always was, but with his magic in this era.

“Stop that, you’re going to set the house on fire!” Davina ordered as she put out everything.

Kol snickered.

“You used to be more responsible,” Klaus chided.

“It’s been a thousand years, so much debauchery to catch up on!” Kol declared as he smiled that wily smile that usually warned everyone of Kol’s schemes three seconds before they were unleashed. “And the best part, you can’t dagger me!”

Caroline chuckled as she watched Kol and Davina move around the kitchen cooking and fending the other off of food. It seemed so normal and entertaining that she didn’t know how to take it.

“How are you, Bon?” Caroline asked as her friend came to stand beside her.

“I’m good,” she admitted. “It feels… good.”

“How so?” Caroline asked.

“If Davina was a warm flame, Kol’s a storm, and it feels… it’s powerful to connect with them, but when I do, I feel… connected and free. I guess that’s what a coven feels like.”

“That’s good, I’m happy you’re making witchy friends,” Caroline chuckled.

“Hard to think that earlier this month we were plotting to kill Kol to complete Jer’s mark so we could get the cure for Elena,” Bonnie sighed. “Now he’s a friend, we’re not at war with the Mikaelsons, and I’m reconnected to magic. It kind of makes you wonder what would’ve happened if we had succeeded with Shane’s plan.”

“I don’t know… I haven’t really thought about it,” she shrugged.

“I kind of do, but I don’t,” Bonnie confessed.

“It is cool to know the all-powerful, intimidating Mikaelsons are somewhat normal though,” Caroline giggled as she watched Kol and Davina use magic to shove Klaus out of the kitchen. Hayley stole Davina’s coffee then which had the younger witch balking. Caroline stifled a laugh as the wolf downed the last of it in one throw back.

“It’s different, they’re still scary and dangerous, but they aren’t that bad, I guess. I’m totally going to get Kol and Davina to join my coven,” she stated smugly.

“You have a coven?”

“I will!” she grinned.

Caroline laughed at Bonnie’s glee and persistence in the matter and smiled as she watched Klaus reappear to annoy Kol. Klaus reappeared near her as he held a wine glass and sipped it.

“What was it like?” she asked.

“What?” he raised a brow at her then.

“When you were human,” she clarified as Kol used his magic to cook.

“When I was human it was very different from this,” Klaus admitted softly. “As I’ve said, Kol was independent, determined to break the mold and be his own man. Our father trained us daily, it was brutal, and when we did not train, we worked the farm.”

“You guys were farmers?”

“What you call Vikings was an occupation, one which I participated in, as did my brothers. But our people were farmers, love, we travelled to find fertile land, our father had found it in your Mystic Falls, he had gone further south than most of our other people, but he wanted to give us our best chance. The Old World was not a place to thrive, which is how we came here.”

“If you were Vikings… were you married?” she asked.

Klaus snorted then. “No, we were an oddity in our village because we were so old and unwed with no betrothals arrange. Our mother was firmly against any of us marrying or siring children, and we were so busy we had no time to dwell upon it. Finn did not marry because he desired to appease mother, but he did have thralls of that nature, infertile though by mother’s doing. Elijah probably would’ve married, he had a love in our village, he loved her son like he was his own as well. Bekah desired to marry, but father was seeking a powerful landowner in what is called Iceland, to wed her, mother was against the union, but it would bring her security and wealth as well as a level of comfort. Kol was… Kol, many women desired him, but he was uninterested in marriage. Henrik was to marry, before his death, his wedding was to be the following fortnight. He had paid the Bride’s Price with money Kol had lent him, and Kol had arranged the union, the girl was from the local tribes.”

“Kol arranged it?”

“Kol was an independent male of our family, he had power to make contracts on behalf of one of us, especially if our father was neglecting the duty. Bekah tried to get him to find her a suitor, he probably would have in time,” Klaus shrugged.

“Why not you?”

“Elijah and I had remained with our parents, it wasn’t uncommon in that age, it was actually encouraged, it made life easier if it was more…communal, Elijah and I were able to split running the farm and the village, as well as trade goods, while keeping an eye on Bekah and keeping her safe from our mother. Henrik was determined to marry his girl, and because Elijah and I did not live elsewhere, he went to Kol. Kol was happy to help Henrik out, and Kol spoke the tribal languages of the area, making trade easier.”

“Tribes, as in Native American Tribes?”

“Yes.”

“What about you? Did you have a love?” Caroline asked innocently.

He snorted but smiled. “No.”

She was now extremely curious about why he was smiling like that and wanted to pry, but she wouldn’t as she thought about her next question.

“Your brother Finn, you said he had thralls?” Caroline asked.

“I believe the term today would be slaves,” he remarked. “And they were of sexual gratification for our brother, he particularly liked that aspect of our culture.”

“That’s disgusting,” Caroline grimaced.

“It was bloody expensive, do you know how much it would cost to keep them alive in that day in age, far cheaper to be without,” he decided.

“That’s weird,” Caroline informed him.

“What is?”

“Discussing slaves like cattle or something.”

“It’s all about economics, sweetheart, slavery is nothing new in human society,” he shrugged. “In today’s world it’s uncivilized, but in the world I was born in, it was quite normal practice. My father owned a few to help with the farm, he even had a freeman back in the Old World,” Klaus shrugged.

“Humans aren’t property,” she stated.

“Different times, sweetheart, in a hundred years it might be normal again, who knows,” he shrugged. “Personally, I never liked the practice.”

“No, you just like compelling everyone,” she snorted.

“More economical that way,” he retorted dryly.

Rebekah gave up staying behind. She didn’t care what the Mystic Falls group did, she just… her brothers were in Boston and she was going to Boston. That was the only firm decision she had had about nine hours ago when she had left Nik’s house.

Now she was standing on the stoop of a different family home and shivered a bit in uncertainty before she knocked. The door was opened by Elijah.

“I thought I told you to remain in Mystic Falls,” he stated.

“Oh please, as if I’d listen to you,” she snorted as she brushed past him, pausing long enough to hang up her coat and bag. She followed the laughter to the living room and saw Kol, Hayley, Davina, and Marcel all there, along with the Bennett witch and the little bit of sunshine who had her older brother tripping over his feet whenever she was in the room.

“Bex!” Kol was up and her eyes widened as she caught the sound in his chest.

“It’s…” she started.

Kol walked up to her and before she really registered what he was doing, she was wrapped up against her big brother’s chest. His hand tangled in her hair, and he curled around her like he did when she needed comfort or protection. Kol was so big he had a way of making himself feel like a shield between her and the world.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

She burst into tears as she sagged against him. Kol didn’t stagger or stumble though as she gripped his shirt and sobbed. He hummed a bit, as he held her tight. It was like when she was a girl, and she would run to Kol to cry about their mother’s temper or latest ridicule about her lack of skills or her most recent heartbreak at a thwarted courting attempt.

“I’m happy for you,” she promised between gasping breaths.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured again as he kissed the top of her head.

“I am,” she promised as she hid against his chest and listened to that sound, she hadn’t heard in a thousand years. It was the same, slow, steady, strong rhythm she remembered from her human years. She had listened to this heart more times than she cared to remember, had relied on him to help her make it better, or relied on him to fix the problem. Elijah and Klaus might protect her, but Kol was her confidant and partner in crime.

“I believe this would be best taken to the library,” Elijah said softly. She nodded as she tried to compose herself. Kol thankfully didn’t mind not letting her go as they walked to the library. Kol didn’t let her go as he hauled her up and sprawled out beneath her on the couch, he didn’t make her get up or move, he just kept her safely tucked against him like he had when they were children. She just listened to his heart.

“So you are…” she whispered.

“Yes,” he answered. “Magic and all.”

“I’m happy for you,” she whimpered as she buried her face in his chest so he couldn’t see how much she hated him right now for having what she wanted.

“No, you’re not,” he chuckled humorlessly.

“I am!” she insisted.

“Bex,” he sighed.

“One of us should be happy,” she muttered.

“If I knew what I did or how I did it, I would trade places with you so you could be human,” he murmured.

“No, you wouldn’t, you missed your magic,” she grumbled.

“Yes, I did,” he admitted. “But I would still give you the cure, you’re my baby sister,” he pointed out softly as his hand rubbed reassuringly over her back. Rebekah let her tears fall as she hid against his chest.

“You can now grow old, marry your little witch and gimme lots of witchy nieces and nephews,” she mumbled.

“Not this again,” he exhaled.

“I’m serious, Kol,” she insisted as she finally lifted her head to stare at her brother who was giving her a bland look.

“I don’t know where you get these crazy ideas,” he stated firmly.

“You’re the worst case of denial, ever,” she grumbled as she wiped her face of the tears.

“Why on earth would I want to get married and have a bunch of snot nosed kids when I have you already snotting up my, or rather Marcel’s, shirt!?” he demanded.

“Ah, but you don’t deny you like the witch!” she grinned.

“I’m not getting hitched, or having a shit ton of kids, Bex, so knock that idea right out of your thick head,” he said as he ran a hand over her head. She grumbled as she brought her ear to his chest and hugged him tighter. “Easy, Bex, human again,” he murmured.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

“Don’t be,” he said softly. “Now that I’m a witch again I’ll look into undoing what mother’s done harder,” he promised.

“Kol…”

“I’m a Mikaelson witch again, Bex, familial magic might be the route to get you human again,” he said softly.

“Really?”

“It’s worth looking at now that I’m a witch again,” he said softly.

“Just… do me a favor,” she murmured.

“Anything.”

“Live,” she whispered. “I want you to live, tell me all about it. Gimme nieces and nephews to spoil, and love.”

“Again, not happening,” he chuckled.

“Please!” she teased. “For me!”

“No. It wasn’t happening the first time, I don’t think it’s happening this time,” he chuckled. “I’m so sorry, Bekah.”

“How…?” she whispered.

“I don’t know,” he sighed. “I don’t, I shoved the cure down Silas’ throat, was going to kill him. He headed for Davina who was unconscious, so I reacted, I drained him.”

“Ew,” she grimaced.

“You’re telling me, worst fucking thing I have ever tasted!” he shuddered. She giggled at his disgust, and he smiled a bit. “Next thing I knew, he was dust and bones and I feel like I have the worst bout of food poisoning and then I wake up human and reconnecting to my magic.”

“But Silas is dead?” she asked as she brought her ear to listen to his heart again.

“Silas is dead,” he replied, his voice made his chest rumble, and she closed her eyes as she listened to his heart. Tears of envy and joy slipped her guard.

Chapter Text

Kol jolted awake when he felt the sun coming up which had him groaning as he rubbed a heavy hand over his face and slowly, he pushed himself up from the bed. The house was quiet, which was a godsend, and he slowly walked to the kitchen as he pulled on a hoodie. Later today they would be returning to Mystic Falls, or he would with Davina because they had that potion going and he didn’t relish the idea of it going haywire when they got back. Yawning he started the coffee, preparing for the mini caffeinated witch to appear any second, sniffling he relished in the feeling of having a running nose and tear eyes in the morning. It was so human, it felt strange and welcomed. His magic was also coursing through him like lightning but not as out of control or wildly as yesterday.

While the coffee brewed Kol pulled out something to make for breakfast; he didn’t know what he wanted but he could nearly cry for joy that it wasn’t blood. It’d be a happy day if he never ate blood again, in any form.

He settled on making an omelet because it sounded delicious, and he hadn’t cooked one in a century.

Davina appeared when the coffee machine beeped that it was ready.

“Morning love,” he greeted.

“Smells good,” she said as she rubbed her eyes. He noticed that she made a move to come near him but stopped which had him more curious about if his theory was correct or not.

“Big or Little You?” he asked as he continued cutting up the vegetables for his omelet.

“Both,” she yawned.

“Alright, Big Davina, in your time did I... become human?” he asked warily as she finished pouring in her creamer and sitting across from him.

“No. I did meet you when you were in a witch’s body,” she admitted.

“I was in a witch’s body?”

“Your mother put you there,” she stated as she sipped her coffee and let out a content hum.

“Omelet?” he asked as he started the first one.

“Sure!” she perked up and he smirked. “Why do you ask?”

“Call it curiosity, we being friends and all,” he stated. He watched her closely when he had said ‘friends’, she nodded and took another sip of coffee.

“You were an Original Vampire when I met this face of you,” she answered.

“Mmm, why was I in a witch’s body?” he asked her blandly.

“Your mother put you there.”

“I got that, love, but why?”

“To seduce me,” she stated. He stared blandly at her and she giggled. “No seriously, your mother wanted to know what I was up to, she literally sent you to seduce me so you could find out.”

“Yeah, that sounds like my mother,” he agreed with a dry chuckle.

“She possessed a friend of mine’s body, one of the Harvest girls, she wanted my power, but after the Harvest… I wasn’t a part of my Coven, at least not for real, officially I still was, I just sort of left them behind though to do my own thing,” she shrugged. “Instead, we became friends and partners in crime and worked on thwarting your mother and brother.”

“Hm, I like that idea,” he chuckled.

“Not Klaus, though I did beat him a few times at his own game, we were thwarting Finn.”

“Finn!?”

“She brought him back and put him in a witch’s body, a friend of mine really, his name is Vincent,” she said softly.

“Bloody Hell,” he muttered. “If there’s one person who should not have magic it’s Finn.”

“Well, he killed you, not you-you, but the body you were inhabiting,” she muttered sourly.

“Hell,” he grimaced.

“Yeah, I spent a lot of time figuring out how to bring you back,” Davina shrugged.

“Bring me back?”

“Yes, you were dead-dead when your mother put you in the witch’s body, and then you were dead-dead when Finn killed you, and I spent a lot of time figuring out how to bring you back. I did it,” she shrugged.

“That’s an impressive feat, love. Resurrection magic kills most witches, even the powerful ones,” he muttered.

“Oh, believe me, I know,” she snorted. “I’ve resurrected three people in my lifetime, and it was taxing each time.”

“Who’d you resurrect?” he asked.

“Mikael was the first one, he was actually fairly easy because of the birth of your niece, then my spell to bring you back was highjacked,” she stated.

“What?”

“Yeah, the witch who did that traded out your ashes with your mother’s, she didn’t have the power to actually resurrect the dead, so she made me do her dirty work,” she sneered. “I was livid, probably would’ve killed your mother and her if that spell hadn’t drained me of most of my power.”

“Hell,” he muttered again.

“And then I resurrected you,” she smiled proudly. “I kind of highjacked her spell set up to do it, but all’s fair in love and war. And I’m the better witch.”

“Bloody hell, that’s impressive, Davina Claire, but a lot of work for lil ol’ me,” he chuckled as he flipped his omelet.

“Yes, but see, I don’t have many friends and the ones I do have I like to keep them alive,” she stated firmly.

“I’m noticing all your friends are male,” he chuckled. “Marcel, Josh, Vincent, myself,” he drawled out.

“Yeah… I don’t get along too well with girls… Too much time in a coven will do that to you,” she giggled.

“So, this witch who crossed you…” he started.

“I hate her, but you and I are going to need her,” she sighed.

“You hate her.”

“Very much, I’d drop her off in hell if I could, or I’d shred her soul and let her see how that feels,” she muttered.

“Who is she?”

“She’s your big sister, the one your mother claimed died of the plague.”

“What?”

“Apparently, according to her, she was born in the Old World, first born of your mother’s and aunt’s line are extremely powerful, apparently,” she shrugged. “I don’t know the full story because I cannot stand her, but the gist of it is, your mother asked your aunt for a fertility potion or spell or whatever, and in exchange your aunt wants the first born of every Mikaelson from hence forth for all of eternity.”

“What aunt?”

“I don’t know, I’m telling you what I know as I know it, because frankly, I didn’t listen to half the sob story your sister told, I hated her so much I was going to kill her if she hadn’t gotten me first.”

“What!?” he roared.

“Different story, and it doesn’t matter for what I’m telling you right now.”

“The hell it doesn’t!” he snarled.

“Kol, it doesn’t,” she shrugged. “Not for what I’m telling you right now, I’ll tell you all about the other death another time,” she assured him.

“Bloody hell,” he grumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose and tried not to lose control of his magic. He could feel the gas stove flames reacting to his temper. Once that was level, he look at her. “I am not working with a witch, family or not, who kills my partner in crime.”

“We need her. Just when it’s over I’m getting as far away from her psycho ass as I can,” she warned.

“If you were killed by her how is Big You here? Was this when?”

“No.” she cut him off. “No. Her killing me was not when I got thrown back to now. That happened… a long time ago, at least from my perspective, but it has yet to happen from Little Me’s perspective. Time travel is confusing,” she groaned. “I, Big Me, in my time, died as I told you, protecting my niece. I was way older, not old, but older than I am now. As to how I came back that’s actually on my list to thwart before it’s a problem, but that one will be more difficult.”

“Explain,” he ordered as he served up the first omelet then the second and sat at the island.

“It’s called the Hollow. Not very original, but it, or rather she, is an enormously powerful witch. Probably the most powerful witch, dead or alive to ever exist, her real name was Inadu, she’s one of Hayley’s ancestors. And your niece’s ancestors. She created the werewolf curse,” Davina sighed.

“What?”

“Yes, she created it,” Davina muttered. “It’s complicated and I’ll have to do more research than I have to know what to do about her, but she resurrected me. That sucked, but she took what was left of my soul and brought me back to life.”

“What was left of your soul?”

“As I said, your sister is a bitch,” Davina affirmed icily. “I would kill her, but we’re going to need her, so I’ll refrain.”

“We’re not done talking about this,” he warned.

“I didn’t think we were.”

“So my mother,” he started.

“Yup, your mother,” she sighed.

“Just for the record, when this is all over, we need to figure out how to turn Bex human again.”

“I’ll add it to the list,” she shrugged.

“Ever growing list of problems to solve,” Kol mused.

“This is easier when we don’t have psychotic siblings derailing the to-do list because they know about it,” Davina pointed out.

“Who taught you resurrection spells?”

“You did,” she chuckled. “You taught me earth magic while you were a witch.”

“Why?”

“You said that body connected to the earth more easily than any other element.”

“Huh,” he nodded. “Strange, I’m more used to connecting with water, earth was always tricky to me but it was one of my secondary connections,” he admitted.

“Tricky how?”

“Oh, making things grow is easy, but life, giving it, it’s tricky. I’ve never tried to do a resurrection though, makes sense it’d be earth magic. I’m impressed, Davina Claire, both big and little you are clearly powerful accomplished witches,” he chuckled.

“Thank you, don’t die please, because it’ll be hell bringing you back, again,” she sighed.

“I’ll try not to, love,” he chuckled. “Don’t plan on dying any time soon. Though I do plan on hauling our asses back to Mystic Falls today.”

“Can you get Marcel to get me out of going to high school?” she demanded.

“Big or Little You?”

“Little,” she answered.

“I’ll talk to him.” He promised. “It was little you in the tomb, right?”

“Yeah,” she nodded.

“Sorry about throwing you into a column,” he grimaced.

“It’s better than Silas eating me,” she pointed out as she held up her bandaged arm.

“How’s the burn?”

“Surprisingly good, a little tender, but it’s all closed up and healed. I’m not a fan of the bite mark though,” Davina grumbled.

“Sorry about that, love,” he repeated.

“So… you’re a water inclined witch?” she tilted her head.

“I am, I found it easier to connect with, rivers, the sea, the ocean, a lake, a storm, it was always something I found easier to connect with,” he shrugged.

“Bonnie’s air, you’re water, I’m fire, …” she ticked off and giggled a bit. He smiled at her innocent joy and curiosity about this. “We just need an earthy witch, and we could be in the Avatar?”

“What’s Avatar?” he asked.

Davina snickered then. “Only the best kids show ever, next to Looney Tunes. I used to watch it at Tim’s before my mother made me a full-time student to magic.”

“What is it?” He asked.

“Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked…” she dramatically stated. “That kind of show.”

“We’ll watch it,” he decided.

Davina lit up in delight then and he chuckled as he sipped his own coffee.

“A thousand-year-old witch watching a kids show?” she chuckled.

“Love, I like good stories, I’ve found a few on this… Netflix?” he drawled out.

“You know what Netflix is?”

“I’m not dead, it was like the second thing I met after Spotify.”

“Spotify is life!”

“But if I watch the kids show we’re watching other things too,” he warned.

“Deal! I haven’t watched TV until last week for years!”

“What happened last week?”

“Hayley and I have started cheesy 80s movies movie nights,” she explained. “We’ve watched Princess Bride, Labyrinth, Terminator, Back to the Future I-III, Breakfast Club, so far. Next up is Indiana Jones!”

“Sounds fun,” he chuckled.

“You should join!” she smiled broadly.

“Maybe I will,” he promised with a smile. He was a bit annoyed that he couldn’t figure out his and Older Davina’s exact relationship, but he was enjoying Younger Davina’s enthusiasm about normal things in her era. He got the sense that Younger Her never really got to enjoy being alive or being young, and he would let her enjoy it, he’d puzzle out him and Older Davina later.

“What are we doing today?”

“We, regardless of what they are doing, are going back to Mystic Falls before something happens,” he stated.

“Oh… OH! That! I forgot,” she said honestly.

“I figured, but that’s alright, we were a wee bit busy.”

“On the bright side we can cross Silas off the list,” she pointed out as she poured her second cup of coffee.

“You have a list?”

“The list, Big Me shared it.”

“Huh, we’re going to go over that when we’re in Mystic Falls,” he stated blandly.

“Fine.”

“Good, finish your omelet and ease up on the coffee!” he chided.

“You’re not Marcel or Hayley, I don’t have to listen to you,” she pointed out.

Kol shook his head as he struggled to contain his laughter at her declaration. Odin help him, he was actually enjoying the lass, she was the fire she controlled, and he found it amusing.

“I am older than you,” he pointed out when he finally caught his breath again.

“That just makes you an old man,” she stated with a wrinkle of her nose.

“I am not old!”

“Other than your siblings and a vampire, name one living, human, person your age,” she demanded.

He opened his mouth and shut it as he thought this over. “You got me there.”

“Exactly.”

“You’re a feisty one, gorgeous,” he chuckled as he took her empty plate to the sink.

“I try,” she giggled.

“Ah, there you two are,” Marcel appeared. “I need to go to New Orleans again, something’s up that needs my help. I know you two are going back to Mystic Falls, Kol, you keep her safe or I’ll have your head on a platter. D, you and Lil D be good,” he warned as he came over to kiss her temple and hugged her tightly.

“Never!” she giggled.

“Kol stop being a bad influence!” Marcel snapped.

“This is all her,” Kol retorted.

“I’m a natural rebel!” she preened.

“Lord help us, I’ll be back in a couple of weeks at the latest, but probably end of the week, I expect daily calls,” he warned as he left.

Rebekah was sitting in the study with Klaus and Elijah as she looked at her two older brothers, who seemed uncertain.

“Kol’s new vulnerability is a problem,” Klaus stated then.

“How is it a problem?” Rebekah demanded. “He’s a witch again, which is what he’s always wanted!”

“He’s human now,” Klaus stated harshly. “He’s fragile and vulnerable and we have enemies!”

“You mean you! You can’t hurt him because then you’ll kill him!” Rebekah snapped.

“I believe Kol’s newfound mortality is because of his fight with Silas,” Elijah stated. “Davina shoved the cure down Silas’ throat while he drained Silas to keep him from Davina. In draining him it is probable that he drank the cure. From what I’ve ascertained from his notes about the Silas cure it was to return a person to their original state before immortality.”

“You think…”

“I think if people know exactly how and why he’s mortal he’ll be in more danger from people like Miss Gilbert and the Salvatore brothers who desire the cure.”

“You think he’s the cure?” Rebekah whispered.

“It’s a theory I would rather not test out. It is also information we need to protect to keep him safe.” Elijah turned to them, and she saw Klaus’ expression was thunderous. Clearly no one had thought Kol could be the coveted cure, and Rebekah was horrified they hadn’t thought it before Elijah had said it.

“Why? What do you think?”

“Kol stated that upon draining Silas that Silas crumpled to dust and collapsed in a heap of bones, it makes me fear that perhaps extracting the cure from him will have his lifetime catching up to him and he is a thousand years,” he pointed out.

“Then we will keep him safe, he is our brother,” she stated fiercely. “He’s fought for us for a thousand years when we ask him to, we’ll fight to keep him safe this time!”

“You think Kol, the wily fox, will permit us to protect him?” Klaus sneered.

“Not openly, but if he permits us to be close then we will be able to protect him,” Elijah stated.

“No matter his schemes.”

“Niklaus, Kol now has decades of life, not centuries, whatever his schemes, his plans, we should enjoy our time with him before he is no more,” Elijah stated softly.

“He won’t…?”

“He claimed immortality an afront to nature, he will not seek another route for forever,” he stated softly.

Rebekah swallowed hard then as she closed her eyes. Her big brother had decades left, and that thought hit her harder than his mortality or him becoming what she had yearned to be again. He would grow old, he would live a life, fall in love if he was lucky and die when he was old and grey and wrinkled. In this era, he wasn’t likely to die in battle or in a dangerous quest, he would be old when he died, he would surpass sixty years of age, he would get a chance to be alive.

“We should… we should cherish his time,” she whispered harshly.

“We should,” Elijah agreed.

“You will let him die?” Klaus demanded harshly.

“He has decided his fate, Niklaus with his mortality. He will come to an end one day, what day I do not know,” Elijah stated.

“At least in this era he won’t be summoned to battle, or killed in a war, or by disease, he’ll grow old,” Rebekah smiled.

“He loved war and battle too much,” Elijah chuckled humorlessly. “But it is good he’s in an era where that is not likely to happen, we can enjoy his time with him.”

Chapter Text

Bonnie was surprised to see Davina and Kol packing up a car with their few meager things and more grimoires, it was barely eight in the morning.

“What are you two doing?”

“Need to get back to Mystic Falls, that thing can’t be unsupervised for long,” Kol answered.

“Oh shit!” Bonnie gaped as she grabbed her phone and called Damon as she started helping Davina and Kol load up the car. It was on the fifth call attempt that Damon finally picked up.

“What is it Medusa?” he groaned into the phone, his voice was all scratchy and barely awake.

“I need you to go to the house and check that potion,” she stated.

“It’s… eight in the morning Bon,” he grumbled.

“I know, but I need you to do it now!” she hissed.

“Why?” he asked.

Kol grabbed the phone from her then. “Go check the bloody potion or deal with the consequences when I’m back in nine hours, and I will revel in having a reason to inflict hell upon you Salvatore.” Kol barked before shoving the phone back at her.

“What the hell Bonnie!?” Damon shouted.

“It’s a long story, I’ll make it up to you if you check it, now!” she urged.

“I’m going, I’m going,” he grumbled. She could hear him hunting for clothes and getting dressed.

“Kol?” Rebekah appeared. “What are you three doing!?”

“We have to get back to Mystic Falls, we have something in the works, which I left in the care of Davina, who left it in the care of Bonnie, who’s left it in the care of a vampire; one of the Salvatore brothers, so we’re going back before it does something very bad,” he replied.

“I thought it wasn’t dangerous!?” Bonnie strangled out.

“It isn’t, if it’s done properly and by a witch!” he countered. “Which is why we’re leaving, now.”

“Shotgun!” Davina shouted as she ran for the passenger side.

“I love you Bex, I’ll see you in Mystic Falls,” Kol said as he hugged his sister and slid into the car. Bonnie hopped in then too and texted Caroline.

“Kol!” Bonnie heard but they were already driving away.

It was an hour after listening to the radio that Bonnie finally got up the nerve to ask what the hell they were brewing.

“What exactly is that potion?” Bonnie asked.

“Love, would you like to answer?” Kol asked Davina.

“It’s a fertility potion,” Davina answered.

“Really?”

“A very potent one,” Kol admitted.

“Why are we brewing a fertility potion.”

“Insurance,” Davina answered. “I need something to happen, and this is the way to ensure it happens.”

“Someone’s conception?” Bonnie guessed.

“Yes,” Davina answered.

“This has to do with… the thing I saw?” Bonnie asked.

“What thing?” Davina asked.

“Um… the memories?” Bonnie said.

“Oh! Yes, it has something to do with them,” Davina chuckled. “We’re ensure the conception of Hope Mikaelson.”

“But I thought…?”

“She’s Niklaus’ daughter,” Davina said. “Klaus is a loophole in nature. As a vampire he is dead, and therefore cannot procreate.”

“With the breaking of his curse though and access to his wolf, he’s not also alive,” Kol filled in.

“Yeah, he’s a hybrid,” Bonnie huffed.

“Very good, darling, as a hybrid he is partially alive, part of his being alive is procreation though. As he is not amongst the living nor the dead, he is neither alive nor dead, so he can do things that go between natures, the procreation was a surprising affect of his hybrid nature.”

“Could a vampire procreate?”

“In theory, but it’d take a lot of magic to sustain, and is impractical. Women’s bodies change to accommodate babies, their pelvises widen, they gain an influx of weight, require more blood, will have heightened senses such as smell or touch with a change of carrying a babe, and as such that change is a part of living. Vampires are dead, they cannot grow, they cannot change, but in theory, with a sufficient amount of magic and blood, and probably a lot of supplements?” He shot Davina a questioning look.

“Supplements,” Davina answered.

“They could, in theory have a pregnancy, the tricky part would be fertility,” he stated.

“Huh, but I bet you have a theory about that.”

“I have a tentative theory about it,” he agreed.

“What is it?”

“Nik’s blood. As he is a hybrid, and his blood holds vampiric qualities of being able to heal another being, he is alive, which means his wolf’s blood could bring a moment of ‘animated life’ to a vampire. Normally because blood stays in a vampire’s body for about three months on average, in theory the ‘animated’ vampire would be able to conceive in this window. Which means for a woman, a menstrual cycle and period of fertility or same for a male. But again, I don’t know, it’s a theory,” he shrugged.

“Why do you know so much about this?”

“I studied fertility in the sixteenth century in depth with a coven I was residing with, I was tracking a purist intent on implanting his ‘holy’ seed upon the worthy,” Kol grimace in distaste.

“Ew!”

“He was a witch, I was tracking him, this particular potion we’re using is great for wolves,” Kol shrugged. “Exceptionally dangerous on humans though. For wolve though, it’ll induce a heat for the female and a rut for the male, it makes conception of offspring easier, I used the potion on couples who had trouble conceiving, it worked like a charm then. however, the trick with wolves is they have to have a degree of compatibility to which Davina has proven Niklaus possesses with a different wolf.”

“What happened to him?”

“I drained him when I finally caught him,” Kol answered.

“If things do not happen naturally, we’re going to have to use the potion, and I don’t want to,” Davina admitted.

“What would happen if this potion was taken by a vampire or witch or human?” Bonnie asked.

“The potion is designed to induce heat, it’ll be essentially an exceptionally horny point in anyone who takes it, for females there will be a need to get pregnant, as long as the potion is in their system that is their primary need, upon impregnation, in that time frame it will lessen or dissipate entirely, if no conception is made then it’ll wear out of their system in about a week or two’s time entirely; depending upon the dose.”

“Damn,” Bonnie grimaced. “What about men?”

“Just makes them horny,” Kol shrugged.

“So basically, leaves them normal,” Bonnie sighed.

“There’s a need for sex, but yes, essentially it does not affect them greatly unless they’re a wolf,” he shrugged.

“This is gross,” Bonnie decided.

“It’s my brother,” Kol stated. “I never wanted to think about his sex life to begin with!”

“I never wanted to think about it either!” Davina piped up as she glared at them.

“This is the weirdest conversation I’ve ever had,” Bonnie decided.

“Not even close for me,” Kol chuckled.

“Oh, and what was your weirdest conversation!?” Davina demanded.

“Our first conversation!” he snapped.

“That wasn’t weird!”

“I didn’t know you, at all, love,” he stressed.

Bonnie laughed at Davina’s pouting expression and smiled as she leaned back in her seat to check her phone.

“Damon says everything is the right color,” she informed them.

“That’s a relief.” Davina and Kol muttered in unison. Bonnie settled back as they continued to drive for Mystic Falls.

Davina was a bit baffled looking at her husband and his casual use of magic for everything. She had never even entertained the idea of making him mortal again because all their research in her time had ended in nothing. Damon Salvatore was the cure, and Rebekah would take it when he was old and dying; but that was the only cure they knew of despite their hunt. Big fat nothings in regard to the cure were all they had found, and they needed a Mikaelson witch to undo it and they both knew Freya never would. Freya would sooner send Davina to be shredded again than help them find a way to undo Kol’s vampire state, Freya selfishly wanted her family to stay alive with her. As a result, fairly soon in Kol and Davina’s marriage, they had stopped looking for a cure for him. Davina hadn’t even thought about using Silas’ cure on Kol in this time because they were going to use it on Silas.

She was both surprised and thrilled he had still defeated Silas and walked out of it a witch again.

Doing magic with Kol… she could never forget how thrilling it was even when he had been in Kaleb’s body. Kaleb might not have been the most powerful witch, next to her power he had been a mere candle flame to a wildfire, but Kol had taught her to be clever and crafty with the power she did have. And in Kaleb’s body, despite his lack of power, he was crafty enough to know how to get what he wanted and how to take on stronger opponents.

As a vampire, Davaina spent a lot of time channeling her husband or letting him feel her magic in different ways. They had both gotten pretty creative with her magic and connecting it to him in various ways.

Freya Mikaelson had hated her for doing that, but despite Kol officiating Keelin’s and Freya’s wedding, he would never be on good terms with Freya. Freya had thought she could change that, but Kol hated her for everything that had happened to Davina. And Davina wasn’t fool enough to ever trust Freya fully. Davina might love her nephew Nik, but that was because Nik was all Mikaelson and Vincent. Nik had loved her, and she loved Nik despite his mother, mostly she loved seeing a mini-Vincent. Davina however hated Freya Mikaelson’s guts.

“Davina?” Kol called to her softly and she glanced behind her to see a sleeping Bennett witch.

“Yeah?”

“The cure?” he started.

“You’re the cure,” she murmured softly. “I never fully understood how it worked, in my time Damon Salvatore possessed it, then it was going to go to Rebekah when he was old and dying. I know that an old vampire, losing the cure is fatal, rapid aging and then death from what Rebekah told me, but as long as you have it, you’re a regular human.”

He nodded slowly. “No fighting vampires for me anytime soon,” he chuckled. “But, in your time Bex would get the cure?”

“From my understanding, yes, but I don’t know that much about the cure,” she admitted. “My husband and I didn’t study it in depth, we just… we were our own little coven, and we didn’t engage a lot in conflicts around the supernatural world.”

“That sounds nice,” he chuckled.

“It could be,” she agreed as she looked at her husband. She wanted to reach over and grab his hand like she would when they were married but she refrained. Little Her still wasn’t fully aware of what attraction was or how to react to it, and Davina didn’t know what her ‘death’ would do to her and Little Her, and she didn’t want to leave Kol with expectations. Little Her was fond of Kol, and had declared him her best friend, which had made Davina ache for Josh, but she had smiled and let it happen.

“You and your husband, where did you live?”

“A lot of different places,” she admitted. “We started in San Francisco, which was lovely, went to Seattle, then Boston, we spent some time in London, he took me to the south of France which was… it was the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, we were also in the Italian countryside,” she admitted with a wistful sigh. “And Iceland, briefly, we went to see the northern lights. When I was heading to visit my niece, we were residing in Juno, but we were making plans to go to the Congo.”

“Been a bit of everywhere?” he chuckled.

“Yeah,” she admitted with a smile. “It was great, I never been anywhere outside of New Orleans really and he was determined to show me the world. Sweetest thing anyone ever did for me.”

He nodded. “Well, when this is over, we’ll sort out where to get your husband.”

“We’ll see,” she promised softly. “First, potion, then Esther, and we’ll see where to go from there.”

“And we’re going to sort out this Harvest,” he warned.

“The Harvest isn’t a problem, it’s going to happen. You can’t stop it, I can’t stop it, it’s going to happen, or I die by this power,” she shrugged. “I die in the Harvest, I come back, but if I don’t die in the Harvest and by this power, I can’t come back.”

“Davina,” Kol started.

“No. You can research it all you want, but it’s going to happen.”

“It’s not right, I know about these Harvest rituals, too much can go wrong.”

“It won’t if we get Esther out of the equation.”

“And what if it isn’t just my mother taking over it? Takes a powerful witch, that’s it,” he reminded her.

“I don’t think there’s another witch who was stirring up the Ancestors,” Davina said calmly.

“But you’re not sure,” he reminded her.

“Admittedly, I’m not, but I do remember all the hells your mother inflicted on us through the Ancestors,” Davina admitted.

“Davina…” he started.

“If it comforts you, we’ll research it,” she sighed.

“Davina,” he started.

“Kol,” she drawled out.

“Davina, this is serious,” he warned her.

“I know, but I’ll come back, either both or just Little Me,” she stated.

“And if this you doesn’t come back?” he demanded.

“Kol, I’ve considered that, and if the older me does not come back, if this is my end, then I’m alright with that,” she said softly. “I’ve had a lot, I had a few really great friends, I had a husband who loved me more than life itself, and I lived. My death, if this is my final one, then it’s alright. I’m alright with this ending.”

“What if I’m not?”

“Then I’m sorry,” she said softly.

“Davina, I’m not alright with these chances,” he stated icily.

“Kol,” she started.

“We are researching the merge, and we’re going to research the Harvest. And I will be there at the Harvest,” he warned.

“I…”

“No, not negotiable,” he warned. “I’ll be there. You are not dying alone, or for a ritual if I’m not there, not happening,”

“Fine,” she replied softly.

“Good, so long as that is clear,” he relaxed a little.

“You’re a really good friend, Kol,” she murmured. “To both me’s.”

“You’re a first for me, love,” he admitted.

“How so?”

“I rarely made friends, being a vampire and all, it never seemed wise to make friends with food,” he muttered. “And my uncontrollability made it hard to desire friendships, and I didn’t sire many vampires because I was mostly with witches, and when I was on my own, I would try to do some good, but when you can’t control yourself, you don’t make friends.”

“Well, I’m not going anywhere, Kol, Big or Little Me,” she promised.

She was exhausted, keeping up with the witches were exhausting, Hayley was surprised she hadn’t fallen on her face already. Davina was on a warpath and now that Kol was a witch he would be too, which was going to be a lot of trouble and she didn’t know what to expect. Also, she was feeling restless lately. She was following Kol, Davina and Bonnie back to Mystic Falls in a car being driven by Rebekah and with the blonde baby vampire.

The kind of restless right before something big happened, which had her itching for something, she didn’t know what, what she did know is she wanted to stay close to protect her pack. It made her a bit nervous that Marcel had run off to New Orleans, but she couldn’t nail his feet to the floor or threaten him to stay or suffer her wrath. She still wasn’t entirely sure what sort of relationship she and Marcel were having, but it was a weird balance of him being a father figure while also being a friend.

Hayley considered Kol her pack, especially now that he was mortal and vulnerable, because he was with Davina; not yet but she’d bet good money on that eventually happening. She knew that Big Davina was married to Kol, but the way Kol interacted with both Davina’s make it clear that it was sort of inevitable that they’d happen.

Hayley knew how she felt about Davina, and come hell or high water, nothing was prying the little witch from Hayley’s pack or grasp, the little witch was her family. That relationship bypassed any and all pack feelings she had, Davina was her family, in her inner circle, and Hayley was going to guard the little witch with her life if necessary.

“Are you well Hayley?” Caroline’s voice pulled her from her thoughts and worries then.

“Just tired,” she sighed.

“Oh. Um…”

“What?” Hayley sighed as she looked at the blonde vampire.

“Have you heard from Tyler?” she asked.

“Tyler and I were never buddy-buddy,” Hayley stated firmly.

“But you lived with him,” Caroline pouted.

“Yes,” she answered dryly.

“Didn’t you guys…”

“Whatever you’re fishing for, stop, I don’t sleep with guys younger than me and going through puberty still,” she declared icily.

“Tyler is a man!”

Hayley snorted. “Please, don’t,” she mused. “Tyler was a teenage, horny werewolf who wanted to have sex with anything with two legs, it’s hormones, doesn’t make him a man. Kol’s a man. Elijah’s a man. Tyler is not even close to a man.”

Caroline’s jaw dropped and she gave Hayley a stink eye.

“You slept with him!” Caroline strangled out.

“No,” Hayley snorted. “Not everything is about sex, blondie. And I don’t do teenage drama.”

“You do with Davina!” Caroline hissed.

“Davina is my family, and as such she will be afforded privileges on my tolerance, but Tyler, not my family, not my pack, just a baby wolf who humped anything and everything,” Hayley dismissed.

“Takes one to know one,” Caroline snorted.

“Don’t even try that, little girl,” Hayley warned lowly. “You don’t want to get in a pissing contest with me over a loser like Tyler. And I don't do teenage drama. You won't like the outcome if you try to get into this pissing contest with me.”

Chapter Text

Kol arrived at the Bennett Ancestor grounds and walked to where the potions were. He looked them over carefully. He was surprised to feel the potions, to feel their reactions, to feel their power, gods above it felt good! His eyes flicked up to the little witch who was peering curiously at the potions and then to the Bennett witch who was watching them.

“You’ve done well,” he stated as he finished his checks. “What did you do to this one?” he asked, as he eyed the sample, he liked the coloring in best.

“Little rose water,” she answered.

“This one,” he murmured. “We’ll slip this one to Klaus,” he stated firmly.

Davina nodded.

“I should get home, my dad’s coming home tonight,” Bonnie said.

“Very well,” Kol nodded as she jogged off. He looked at Davina, she looked how he pictured the Valkyrie, he thought, which startled him. The girl was hardly more than a child, she was not what he was expecting as her blue eyes traced over the potions.  He hadn’t thought about the Valkyrie in five hundred years, had stopped looking for them or thinking about them. Still, he was surprised that the thought had crossed his mind, and that the little witch reminded him of the mythic women he had dreamt of as a boy. She was so fierce, as either version of herself, so steady and driven and relentless, he was impressed with her. She wasn’t just a little fighter, no, she was a warrior. The sort of warrior who would have impressed his father, she’d have been a Valkyrie or a shieldmaiden with her ferocity and beauty.

“What?” she raised her brow then.

“Nothing,” he chuckled. “Just an old human thought striking me right now.”

“What sort of thought?”

“One I haven’t had in a while. With being human I should resume sparring, regularly,” he muttered to himself as he walked past her.

“Seriously! What thought!” Davina persisted as she trotted after him.

“An old one, love,” he promised.

“Tell me!”

“No,” he chuckled as he made it out of the Bennett house.

“Please.”

“No.”

“Pretty please!”

“No.”

“Come on!” she begged as she caught his arm, he twirled her around in front of him.

“No,” he smiled a bit. “Davina, it’s just an old human thought, that’s it.”

“Why not just tell me?”

“Because it’s a foolish, private thought, love,” he chuckled as they walked to the car again.

“What sort of private!?”

“Is this Big or Little You?”

“Little, Big Me is replotting the list.” She shrugged. “So, what’s you’re thought!?”

“It’s a private thought, love,” he stressed.

“Come on!” she groaned dramatically.

“No, little witch,” he mused.

“Was it a funny thought?” she asked.

“No, it’s not,” he answered with a wry smile.

“Then why not just tell me!?” she pleaded.

“Because it’s private!” he retorted. “Are you hungry, love?”

“Starved,” she answered.

“We’ll go grab a bite to eat,” he decided as they started for the inner part of town. Soon they found the Mystic Grill, he got the door for the tiny witch and guided her to a table. Habit had him pulling out her seat. Once she was seated, he sat across from her, sprawling out until he was comfortable. He’d always been large, as a Viking this was good, but for being comfortable, it seemed he was always sprawled over wherever he was sitting.

“What do you recommend?” he asked her as he thumbed a menu.

“The burgers,” came the answer from a man. Kol looked up to see one of Bonnie’s mortal friends there, the big blond boy.

“Hi Matt,” Davina greeted with a sunny smile.

“Hey Davina, glad to see you back, hey Kol,” Matt greeted.

Kol nodded.

“So, I’m guessing whatever supernatural weirdness you were working against is defeated?”

“One thing is,” Davina admitted.

“Now we’re onto the next,” Kol mused. “More monsters to slay, less time to do it.”

“Sick, sounds like this game, the Witcher?”

“What?”

“It’s a video game after a popular book series, pretty sick,” Matt decided. “I’ll get you guys those burgers and shakes; it’s on the house.”

“Nah, mate, we’ll pay,” Kol insisted.

“You guys saved my best friend’s kid brother, you deserve a free meal,” Matt stated firmly as he walked away.

“That’s nice of him,” Davina said softly as she watched him go.

“He’s sweet on you, lass,” he chuckled.

“He is not!” she spun so fast that her hair flew wildly around her as she came to glare at him. Kol smiled a bit then.

“Nothing wrong with a lad being sweet on a lass, love,” he chuckled. “’Sides, you’re a gorgeous one, nothing not to be sweet on, unless… your hearts claimed by another.”

Davina was bright red, and he smiled softly at the expression on her face.

“Ah, there’s another who holds the heart of young Davina Claire! Do divulge!” Kol mused. “Who’s the lad bold enough to have your heart, love?”

“Um…” she bit her lip and wrung her hands. “No, you’ll laugh at me!”

“I will not,” he assured her solemnly.

“Um…”

“Come now, love, I’ll need to see if he’s worthy of you.”

“No, you won’t!” she squeaked.

“Perhaps not, but Marcel should check the lad out,” he pointed out.

“NO!” she gasped in mortification as her face turned more scarlet.

He chuckled then. “I’m teasing, love, if there is a lad you’re sweet on, you should just fess up before he misses it,” he pointed out.

“I don’t think he knows I exist,” she muttered. “Or he’s forgotten about me by now.”

“And what lad is blind enough not to see the prettiest witch of the century?”

“No, you’ll laugh at me,” she muttered shyly.

“I doubt that,” he assured her seriously. “I’ll remind you I’m Bex’s older brother, I’ve heard all about a young lass’ heartthrobs. So, what’s his name, love?”

“You won’t tell Marcel?” she asked.

“On my life, I will not breath a word of it,” he assured her.

“His name’s Tim,” she muttered as she turned more red. “We grew up together.”

“That Tim!?” he blinked.

“Yeah, but I haven’t talked to him since my mother pushed me more into the coven and stuff,” she waved off. “I see him from time to time around the Quarter, he plays the fiddle. He’s just nice. Monique says he’s a wimp, but he’s nice.”

“Nice guys aren’t wimps. And girls like you deserve nice lads,” he lied. A girl like Davina deserved more than a nice boy, but she was a lass, and he knew older her was very in love with her husband, but the young lass before him had no such love.

“You don’t think…?”

“Nah,” he shook his head. “When we get to New Orleans we’ll go meet up with Tim.”

“We?”

“You have a coven of witches who want you dead Davina Claire, you’re not leaving my sight until that’s resolved, and I’ll be far more discrete than Marcel, but you deserve time to be young and with your crush,” he told.

“Thanks,” she brightened. “Why’d you want to know?”

“Curiosity.”

“Well, I shared my embarrassing secret so you should share your private thought?”

“No, love,” he shook his head.

“Oh, come on!” she groaned.

“No, trust me, it’s not for a young girl,” he stated firmly.

That had Davina pursing her lips and glaring at him. He didn’t get the sense that he had deterred her, but he had thwarted her momentarily.

“Why do you care if I have a crush?” Davina asked curiously.

“Curiosity, love,” he answered again.

“That’s not an answer,” she muttered.

“No, but it’s the honest truth, I was merely curious, we haven’t had much time outside of killing Silas to actually get to know each other, so I’m getting to know you, Davina Claire.”

“Oh,” she blinked. “I guess we did skip that to being friends because of big me.”

“We did,” he agreed.

“Did you have a crush?” she asked.

“No,” Kol answered as his lips quirked. “I enjoy women, love, I like their company, their minds, personalities and so forth, I like wooing them, seducing them and befriending them, but I’ve never had an inkling of being sweet on one.”

“Why not?”

“Just was never interested in a relationship like that,” he shrugged.

“That’s a little sad,” she admitted.

“No,” he smiled honest then. “I… I was happy as I was.’

“Then I’m happy for you, and I’m happy we’re friends,” she decided honest and pure.

“I am as well.”

“What’s your favorite book!?”

“Book?” He thought hard about it. “That’s difficult, I have read some of the great works.”

“When you were growing up!”

“Ah, I didn’t have a favorite book, I did have a favorite saga though,” he admitted. “My father told it to me when I was a boy, Helgakviða Hundingsbana or any saga involving Ragnarr Loðbrók. But favorite book, there’s too many to choose, I could be here for a lifetime. I suppose… Odyssey or the Iliad, I connected with them. You?”

“You’re going to laugh,” she muttered then.

“Probably not.”

“I stole a series of books by a JD Robb, they’re the in Death series.”

“You stole them?”

“It was right there in the gutter of an alley in the Quarter, and my mother would never let me read something like that!” she grumbled as her face turned read. “I love them.”

“What’s it about?”

She lit up as she launched into the books.

Davina was walking up the steps of her cabin, tired, a little sore, but happy having spent most of the day learning about Kol and his peculiarities. Hayley had texted her she’d be home soon, which had Kol agreeing to take her home and let her have some alone time. Waving him off as she pulled her keys out, she watched him drive off. Opening the door to her home she shut it quietly and walked up to her room. Since the death of Silas, she had felt her older self and herself becoming more and more one, which was a bit weird and nerve wracking.

Davina was about halfway up the stairs when there was a knock on the door.

“I don’t have the keys, Kol!” she said as she came jogging down and opened her door to see a different boy there.

“Oh,” she stepped back. If he were a vampire, he wouldn’t be able to get in. “Can I help you?”

He wasn’t as big as Marcel or Kol, but the way he was looking at her had her wary. The young man was maybe a little older than she was, had dark hair, was a bit taller than herself, and a broad build. His dark eyes were sharp though, predatory, they reminded her of Marcel’s or Kol’s, or Hayley’s but there was something about him which made her wary; he wasn’t safe like her people were. He flashed her a charming smile, which had her itching to slam her door and run for her phone to call Kol for help.

“Hey, I’m sorry, but… my car just broke down up the road a bit, and my phone died, I need to call a tow,” he said as he tried to look harmless. She noted that he made an effort to appear harmless as he shoved his hands in his pockets and shrug sheepishly. “You don’t need to invite me in or anything, I’ll wait here on the porch.”

“Um… ok,” she responded.

Taking a deep breath Davina decided she’d go out on a limb here and try to be a good person, getting her phone she returned to the door and held it out for him. He smiled then grabbed her wrist pulling her so hard she felt her wound breaking open to bleed as she slammed hard into his chest.

“You’re coming with me!” he hissed.

Davina snarled as she shoved against him, feeling the magic roil within her, since connecting with Kol though she hadn’t fully recovered her strength. She pulled on her power when he was coming closer to her to throw him off the porch. She tried to run into the cabin again, but a hand caught her ankle which had her crying out as she fell forward, slamming into the steps of her cabin hard. Harder than when she’d been thrown into the column.

“Shouldn’t have done that,” the mystery man snarled as she felt something jab into the side of her throat before she could react. The world was pulled from her grasp at a lightning fast, sluggish pace and then gone.

He’d been watching this cabin since he had seen Hayley move here, it’d been empty for the last few weeks, but the return of the pipsqueak had him acting now. She was obviously important to Hayley, and he would get back at Hayley for ruining everything.

Now that the small girl was unconscious, he found it easy to grab her.

She was a tiny little thing, far lighter than he was expecting. Long dark hair, and blue eyes, her childish, innocent features made it clear she was young, he could scent her moon’s bleed on her, which made her smell repulsive to him, but still sweet.

She kind of looked like Hayley, he would guess that she was Hayley’s sister or something, which meant Hayley had a weak point and he could break the bitch for betraying his pack and getting his mom killed! Making his way to his car he shoved the girl in the trunk. Grabbing the Gorilla tape, he bound her up and then covered her mouth before grabbing one of the girl’s hands. Slicing the tip of her finger he made her hand move to form the letter he wanted, her blood smelled sweet, and delicious.

Once he had the note, he stalked back to the cabin, then pulled a hunter’s knife as he slammed the note into the door before leaving the phone at the open door and jogging back to his car.

Now for drawing Hayley out so he could kill her, she wouldn’t survive for what she had done! Hayley had ruined everything. He drove fast and hard to where he’d keep the girl.

Chapter Text

Hayley was relieved to be nearing the cabin, the skies had darkened with the coming night and a brewing storm. There was thunder rumbling through the skies as lightning danced, and she slipped out of the car. Jogging through the winds the made it to the steps of the cabin when she noticed the door was open. Everything in her went cold as she scented the air, scenting nothing before she nudged it open. There was a clattered knife on the ground and a torn slip of paper which sent ice through her veins. She could smell Davina’s blood as she stooped down to grab the note. It was damp in Davina’s blood, which had her inner wolf whimpering in panic as she slid it open.

You’re Going To Know My Pain

Hayley ran through the house.

“Davina!” she shouted as she reached the upstairs, throwing open Davina’s door the room was neat and empty. Hayley threw open the bathroom door and ran downstairs. She skidded into her room, and scented no one here, she even burst into Marcel’s room to find it empty.

Panic was building as she sunk her hands in her hair.

This couldn’t be happening!

Yanking out her phone she dialed Davina’s number as she ran out of the house.

There was a loud ringing which had her freezing as she walked towards the edge of the porch. The phone laid cracked on the wooden slats, Hayley saw the goofy picture she had taken with Davina on their movie night and her heart dropped to her stomach.

Hayley snatched it up as she pulled out her phone to call Kol. Marcel was in New Orleans so she couldn’t call him, and she knew Kol would do whatever was needed to get Davina back.

“Evening, darling,” he greeted.

“Is Davina with you?” she asked in a shaky voice.

“No, I dropped her off thirty minutes ago so she could relax before your movie night,” he answered.

Thirty minutes. That’s all it had been. That’s all it had taken and now she was…

“Darling?” Kol’s voice sounded concerned.

“Someone took Davina,” she whispered in a strangled voice.

“What! I’ll be right there!” Kol barked.

“Hurry,” she whispered.

“Nik and I will be there in five,” he stated.

Hayley hung up as she looked at the note written in blood, Davina’s blood. The pit in Hayley’s stomach was growing as she waited. Kol was the first out of the car and Klaus followed his younger brother.

“What happened?” Kol demanded as he bound past her to check inside the cabin. Klaus came up beside her and pulled the note from her fingers.

“Davina’s blood,” Klaus muttered.

“We have to find her,” Hayley whispered desperately as she looked up at the blond.

Kol appeared holding a hunting knife. He looked at the note then at Hayley.

“Is this…” he started.

“It’s her blood,” Hayley whispered nervously.

Kol took the note from his brother and walked back into the house.

“What are you doing?” Hayley asked as she watched him move around.

“Tracking her,” he stated as he grabbed the hunter’s knife and sliced his hand as he dribbled blood on a map. She heard him whisper something in a language she didn’t know before he seemed to know something. Kol’s eyes faded to completely white as he spoke softly.

“She’s alive. Whoever has her is moving her in a car, I’ll keep the connection, put me on speaker, I’ll guide you,” Kol stated as he focused on the map. Hayley noticed his blood was moving over the paper.

She ran for the car and slid in as she called him.

“Line’s open,” she stated as she threw her jeep into gear and slammed on the gas.

“Easy now, little wolf, we don’t want to get in an accident before we get there!” Klaus chided her playfully.

“SHUT UP KLAUS!” She and Kol shouted in unison.

“Turn left, get on the freeway,” Kol stated.

She did as he told her and flew through it as rain pounded down on them then.

“What are you seeing?”

“She’s in a trunk. Map says keep to the freeway, whoever has her is heading for the national forest, they’re moving fast.

“Got it,” Hayley muttered as she pressed her jeep faster. She heard the sirens but didn’t slow as she continued gliding down the freeway.

“Little wolf,” Klaus started.

“Shut up or I’m going to rip your throat out,” she warned as she swerved hard, she could feel the tires leave the ground as she took the exit.

“Still heading for the park,” Kol stated. “Looks like a campground.”

“Which one?”

“Ten miles northwest of you,” he answered.

“I know it,” Hayley muttered as she pressed her Jeep harder.

Davina groaned as she came too in a trunk of a car. She was groggy as she looked around, wriggling about as she tried to figure out what was going on. Eventually she connected the fact her ankles were taped together meant she wasn’t going anywhere unless she solved that.

The car came to a slamming stop which had her slamming harder into the back of the trunk. She felt the doors of the car opening before slamming shut. She heard heavy feet coming for her and she snarled behind the tape over her mouth as he popped the trunk. Pulling on the air she blasted him back as she swung her feet up and out of the car. Managing to undo her binding she saw him recovering and she scrambled to run. Davina took the woods as hard and fast as she could, running out of her flats as she went, not slowing as she raced, her heart was pounding painfully as blood roared in her ears. Not slowing she didn’t look behind her as she ran.

A heavy arm caught her waist, she screamed as she flailed, trying to kick him as she pulled on the earth. Suddenly there was a barrage of ravens swooping over them, her captor dropped her which had her scrambling as she took to running again. Suddenly there were stags around her, running pace with her and she sense Kol’s power here. Two ravens were circling her head as she ran. She skidded when she reached a ridge and looked behind her. There was the boy and she backed up slowly, mindful of the ridge.

Davina felt the earth moving beneath her feet.

“Nowhere to run,” the man smiled at her. “Come on! You come with me and I’ll make it painless.”

Davina looked over the ledge then at the man.

“Don’t think you can escape me,” he snarled.

Davina lashed out her power as she broke every bone in his body then ran alongside the ravine. There were screams of agony behind her and she was about safe. Unexpectedly a body slammed into her, and she screamed silently as they went toppling over the edge. Hitting the water hard, she struggled to get to the surface. Davina was battling against the water and tape as she tried to breath. Hands grabbed her by her hair and yanked hard. Davina snarled as she struggled trying to grab onto her magic but unable to focus for a connection.

The man had her out of the water.

“Now we’re wet you bitch!” he hissed. There was a heavy crack of thunder overhead which shook the earth. Davina was trying to catch her breath. The man yanked off the tap over her mouth which had her spitting up a lot of water. Lightning laced the skies as she bore her teeth and struggled against the iron grip of her captor.

“Any last words?” he demanded.

“Kol’s going to kill you,” she snarled as he wrapped his fist around in her hair.

There was a flash of lightning and Davina watched the man’s eyes go yellow as he glared at her.

“I don’t care about Kol,” he hissed.

There was a squawk from the ravens just as there was heavy crashing through forest. Davina’s eyes widened as the man’s hand caught her throat and he lifted her up to his level.

“Just so you know, this is because of what Hayley did,” he growled. She grappled vainly for an escape, as she choked for air. A massive shadow lifted behind the man as Davina clawed as the wrist holding her. Spots were dancing before her eyes just as thunder rumbled powerfully over them.

The man was probably about to strangle her to death when the shadow behind him sent a massive paw smashing through his head, the man dropped her as he was all but thrown into a tree to be impaled. Davina coughed as her lungs tried to suck in as much air as they could. The bear came to stand over her, rumbling low.

“Kol?” she whispered as she tried to stay focus and conscious. A raven landed beside her as she lay in the rocks, breathing hard as she tried to stay conscious. She had never seen animal possession used like this, and she knew it took a lot of control and magic.

Sighing she tried to breathe deeply as her lungs burned.

Klaus found Davina laying under a rumbling bear and ravens circled. He caught Hayley as he approached.

“Careful darling, this is Kol,” he warned.

“This is Kol?” Hayley muttered.

“Yes, but they’re still wild animals,” Klaus stated calmly.

“How’s he doing this?”

“This was something he did a long time ago,” Klaus explained.

“That’s Tyler!” Hayley hissed and she noticed a set of cougars prowling around the slumped over body as the ravens circled. Klaus couldn’t remember the exact amount of control his brother could have over animals, but the last time Kol had done this he had controlled ravens to track Bekah who had been taken by the wolf pack before they had killed Henrik.

“Move slowly little wolf, I will take care of Tyler, you retrieve the little witch.”

Hayley started moving away from him and towards Davina and he stalked towards Tyler. There was suddenly a voice.

“Bring him alive,” Kol’s voice whispered through the animals. “He might know something,” Kol’s voice rasped.

“Release your spell,” Klaus ordered which had Kol removing his hold on the cougars that leapt out of the way and up the ravine. He saw Hayley marching with an unconscious Davina in his arms out of the ravine too. The bear lumbered away, but the ravens remained circling Hayley as the wolf left the ravine. Klaus looked down at the unconscious hybrid before looking at the raven eyeing him. The thunderstorm roared overhead, and he felt the power roiling and rattling the ground. Grabbing up the unconscious man Klaus cursed his little brother for wanting this one alive.

Hayley got Davina to the Jeep and turned to see Tyler being slung into her trunk.

“We should…” she started.

“Kol wants him alive,” Klaus muttered as he shut the trunk.

“I’m going to gut him, flay his hide, string him up and bleed him dry, leave the parts scattered as a warning,” she grumbled as she glared over her backseat and the unconscious man. She kept an eye on Davina who was unconscious and not moving. Livid, still, she undid the tape from Davina’s wrists and leaned over to listen to her breathing as she felt Davina’s pulse. The young witch’s pulse was steady.

There were lights behind her and she looked up out the back window to see the sheriff’s car.

“Klaus!” she shouted.

“We’re not stopping,” Klaus stated.

“Head for the hospital, I’ll call Dr. Malraux,” she stated as she pulled her phone then, dialing the number she had stolen off the doc when she’d been in Boston.

“Hello?” the wolf greeted.

“Davina Claire was attacked, we’re in Mystic Falls, Virginia, we need a consult, we’re heading for the hospital.”

“I’ll be right there,” the doctor answered.

“Thank you,” Hayley muttered as she hung up and listened to Davina’s breathing again. There was a groan behind her, spinning around to throw her fist hard and broke his nose which had him slamming back on the ground again.

“Don’t get up,” she growled.

Klaus pulled under the ER awning. He was out of the car, slamming the door shut before he opened the one to grab Davina. Hayley helped him.

“What’s happened!?” a brunette woman appeared.

“Abduction,” Hayley answered as she stalked in. “There’s her abductor in my trunk.”

“Hayley,” Kol appeared, with Rebekah jogging after him.

“I got her,” she assured him as they ran in.

“Everyone stop!”

Hayley twisted around to see the perky blonde baby vamp’s mother.

“Go,” Kol ordered.

“You don’t have compulsion,” Hayley grabbed his arm as they ran after Davina.

“I wasn’t!”

“Don’t care! You’re a witch, she’s a witch, she’s unconscious, we need you,” Hayley snarled as he stumbled after her.

“You can let me go,” he grumbled.

“No! Fix her!” Hayley ordered shoving him after her sister.

“Doctors only!” the brunette appeared with a red vial.

“Get that away from her,” Kol’s magic lashed out and he threw it out of her hand, to send it smashing on the ground.

“Kol!”

“That’s a vampire blood! Get back!” he snarled as he entered the room.

“What is going on!?” the sheriff asked again.

“My sister was abducted! And this doctor was about to further an assault on my sister! I’m calling Marcel, don’t let anyone near her until Dr. Malraux gets here!”

“Fine,” Kol said.

“Do your healing thing,” Hayley ordered.

“I’m not a doctor!” he hissed as he walked over to Davina.

“You have existed for a thousand years, you keep her okay until the doctor gets here,” she ordered.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered.

“I can help,” a nurse appeared.

“I won’t let them inject anything in her,” he promised.

Hayley nodded as she spun around as someone rolling in Tyler who had a bloody nose. She was about to lunge for him when arms caught her and dragged her against a hard body.

“Not here, little wolf,” Klaus’ voice hissed in her ear.

“He’s going to suffer!” Hayley snarled.

“Kol got in some hits, and you broke his nose,” Klaus murmured. “We’ll finish it later, go be with Davina,” Klaus ordered and pushed her into a room where Kol was watching closely. Hayley glared at the brunette doctor who was up off the floor.

“Stay away from her,” Hayley snarled as she put herself between Davina and the doctor.

Caroline came driving as fast as she could to the hospital at her mother’s call that they had found Tyler. Leaping out of the car she ran into the hospital then. She skidded to a halt and saw Davina in a room being worked over by a few nurses.

“Where is he!”

“He’s being checked of by Dr. Fell, but I don’t know what’s happened!” her mother said.

“I can tell you what happened.”

Caroline jumped out of her skin as she twisted around to look at Klaus.

“Tyler Lockwood decided to abduct Davina Claire for revenge, which was poorly executed, and has resulted in an unknown condition of Davina, the girl who my younger brother is extremely attached to,” Klaus stated. “Now, as he is a hybrid, that means you cannot contain him, you should hand him over to me to handle.”

“NO!” Caroline gaped.

“Oh come now,” he sneered. “Tyler is willing to abduct and harm an innocent.”

“And that’s any different from all the shit you’ve pulled!?” Caroline demanded haughtily. “I’m sorry, but no!”

“I will be taking him, or Kol will,” Klaus warned coldly. “And when Kol comes after someone, now that he is a witch, you won’t be able to stop him.”

“Kol won’t hurt him!”

“Kol summoned every predator to keep Davina safe, do not underestimate him in his current state, he was always more dangerous as a witch than a vampire.” Klaus forewarned as he came to glare at her.

“Kol isn’t a monster,” she muttered.

“Kol is the wildest of us, the most unpredictable, he will not be stoppable,” Klaus notified them.

“I’m the law, no one is going anywhere!” her mother bellowed. “I will get to the bottom of this!” she hissed.

“Best do it before Kol is on the hunt.” Klaus advised. Caroline watched her mom walk off before she shoved Klaus’ shoulder.

“This is your fault! If you weren’t such an ass he wouldn’t have attacked Davina!” she seethed.

“Sweetheart, be very careful what you say about him to me,” Klaus snarled lowly. “I tolerate his affections for you, but he betrayed his pack, and suffered the consequences.”

“You’re a monster!” she seethed as she stomped off.

Caroline stopped though when she saw Davina’s battered body prone. She had never thought Tyler capable of hurting someone for the sake of hurting them, and Davina looked very battered, her hair was also matted in leaves, and she was covered in mud. Hayley walked up to the window, glaring at her before the blinds were flipped shut on her. She walked into Tyler’s room and saw him perfectly alright.

“Tyler!” she rushed to his bedside as she checked him over.

“I’m alright,” he promised her.

“What happened?” she asked urgently. “Please tell me you didn’t harm Davina.”

“Davina?”

“The small brunette!”

“Oh.”

“Don’t ‘oh’ me!” she barked.

“Care, can we do this some other time?” he muttered.

“No! I need to know what happened because Klaus is on a warpath and so is Kol!” she hissed.

“Kol?”

“Yes, Kol, Kol Mikaelson! Davina’s his witch and Bonnie’s friend!” Caroline snapped.

“What?”

“What have you done?” she demanded.

“I was getting even with that traitorous bitch Hayley!” he snapped.

“HOW!?” she grounded out through her fangs.

“She’s the reason I lost my pack, so I was going to take hers from her!” he hissed.

“You…?”

“Was going to make it all nice and neat so she’d find pieces of the girl around our turf!” he snapped.

“You were…?” Caroline sputtered as she stepped away from him.

“Bitch ruined my life! I can’t get back at Klaus so I was going to destroy Hayley’s!” he spat out.

“You… Davina’s innocent!”

“Not if she’s all chummy with Hayley!”

Chapter Text

Davina groaned as she came to and flinched a little at the dim light. Immediately she saw a face looming over her which had her flinching a bit as she looked up at hazel eyes.

"Davina!" Hayley breathed. "I'm so sorry."

"Why?" Davina grumbled as she slowly moved.

"This is all my fault," Hayley murmured as she moved hair off Davina's head.

"You kidnapped me, that's a first," Davina muttered.

"Um no," she chuckled dryly. "But I did make an enemy of Tyler. I betrayed him for information and as a result twelve people died, his pack and his mom."

"Ah," Davina nodded. "Shane's information on your family."

"Yes," Hayley nodded shamefully. Davina took a sharp breath as she lay there. "I was a selfish bitch, I used his uniqueness and betrayed him, and I got twelve people killed."

"I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"You were used. Shane used you as a means to an end just as you did this Tyler. We all do things we regret, Hayley," Davina acknowledged as she finally lifted a hand to her face.

"I got people killed and you kidnapped."

"I'm sorry," Davina murmured.

"I'm going to kill Tyler..." Hayley muttered.

"No. You're not."

"He kidnapped you!"

"He's not the first, probably won't be the last," Davina confessed.

"Davina..."

"Hayley," Davina shifted around and smiled at her weakly. "This is little me talking, and I'm telling you, don't hurt him. He's hurt and lashed out, it's okay, Kol and you saved me. But an eye for an eye is just going to make everything bloodier. I'll talk to Tyler. Maybe we can sort something out."

"And if you can't?" Hayley asked sharply.

"Then that's his choice, and the consequences will be on him. Big Me's shown me enough bloodshed about revenge for me to think maybe it's not the way to go. You did something bad; he did something bad; it's not going to make it right trying to kill each other all the time."

"And what would you do?"

"Me?"

"Yeah."

"Well... before Big Me, I'd want his head on a silver platter," she admitted shamelessly.

"Davina!"

"What! I would! But I'm a teenager! I'm supposed to do extremes and want revenge, you're an adult, you're supposed to be better than me," Davina defended as she rubbed her eyes.

"When'd you get to being so wise?" Hayley chuckled.

"When I got dumped in a river running for my life. Where's Kol?"

"Keeping Tyler contained while he waited for you to come around."

"Mmm," she hummed.

"Marcel will be here soon, he is not happy," Hayley muttered.

"Why? I was the idiot who was lending my attacker the phone, he yanked me right out of the house," she grumbled. "That's it, not much Marcel can do about that after the fact."

"No, but he's your dad, Davina."

"Great," she muttered. "I'm never going to be unsupervised again."

"Probably not," Hayley chuckled. "I'm so sorry, Davina."

"It's okay," she whispered.

"Oh good you're awake," the sheriff walked in then and Davina sighed. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"No," Davina answered. "I do want to talk to this Tyler," she declared with a massive yawn.

"That's not going to happen," she started.

"Let me rephrase, I'm not pressing charges, I'm not filing a complaint or whatever, but I would like to talk to the guy who got me stuck in the hospital," she grounded out as she turned to glare at the sheriff. Her powers had things rattling which had Mrs. Forbes raising her brows unimpressed.

"You know what my daughter is, you're not scaring me, sweetie," Mrs. Forbes stated.

"I'm not trying to," Davina grumbled.

"You're sure about not pressing charges?" Sheriff Forbes pressed.

"Only if I get to talk to him!"

"I will see what I can do," Sheriff Forbes sighed as she left.

"Davina," Hayley started.

"Don't, it's Little Me, and I hurt," she muttered. "Big Me is livid and she can't talk to the sheriff because she'll give away something, she's so mad so she's making me."

"Davina Claire, teenage witch extraordinaire and weirdest split personality disorder ever," Hayley informed her.

"Don't make me laugh, it hurts," she pleaded.

"I was told you were awake, and it's good to see you again, though not under these circumstances," she looked over when Keelin walked in.

"Hey," she greeted.

"How are you feeling?"

"I hurt," she muttered.

"Not surprising," Keelin sighed. "You have a have a slight concussion, and a small linear fracture, right here," Keelin said holding up an x-ray of her skull. "You can see it here," she said as she traced it. "You'll need bedrest, and you will be confined here for a few days, but I'm not too concerned about it, these tend to heal on their own. You did have multiple ribs bruised, you must've re-hit where you had already hit the column on the island. Good news is nothing is broken, I was concerned about your spine, but x-rays are showing it's good, no fractured vertebra."

"I can feel my legs," Davina assured her as she drew them up and hissed in discomfort at pushing herself up to sit.

"That's good, and you should..."

"I want up," she muttered determinedly.

"Very well," Keelin and Hayley helped her up, and Hayley slipped another pillow behind her. "Now, my biggest worry is the bite mark, it was deep already when I stitched it up, but with you going into a river and tearing open most of the stitches have exasperated it. I'm going to watch that carefully," Keelin informed her. "And other than being one massive bruise, Davina Claire, you're alright."

"I feel like a bruise," she muttered.

"I don't have you on any narcotics, I will need to speak with your guardian," Keelin started.

"No, no narcotics," she shook her head vehemently. She could remember her father when he had been on opioids, it wasn't good, she vowed no narcotics in her life. "I'll be fine."

"Alright, but you'll be taking a few things, I'll go over them with you when you've got more energy," Keelin said softly.

Davina nodded as she hugged her ribs.

"Tyler has agreed to talk," the sheriff informed her as she appeared. "However, Kol Mikaelson has demanded a word."

"Of course he has," she sighed as her head fell back a bit.

"We'll leave it to you, but I'll talk to Kol before he starts in on you. He's been very worried about you, man should be a doctor," she smiled.

"I'm not surprised," Davina admitted with a smile tugging at her lips.

Kol came in after Hayley and Keelin had stepped out and spoken with him. Now he came to her side and looked her over with a critical eye.

"Hi," she smiled.

"Davina Claire, bloody hell," he shook his head.

"It's been a week," she dryly mused.

"That's an understatement," he sighed as he sat down.

"I'm sorry," she grimaced.

"Don't be, I shouldn't have left you alone, love," he sighed as he leaned forward. Resting his elbows on his knees. "You scared the hell out of me."

"I know, I'm sorry for that," she sighed.

"Nothing to apologize for love, you didn't do anything."

"Were you the bear?"

"Hm?"

"The bear that saved me," she murmured.

"Yes, and the ravens, the stags, and the pumas," he listed.

"Impressive! Can you teach me?" she demanded.

His lips quirked a bit then. "Of course, love, when you're well again," he decided, and they looked at the door to see the sheriff there. "You're not being alone," he warned.

"Overprotective, possessive Viking," Davina grumbled.

"I don't like my friends being harmed," he shrugged and gestured for the door to open. Davina turned her head as Tyler was rolled in, he glared at Kol then sneered at her.

"Sheriff said you want to talk," he sneered as he glared at her.

"Yeah," she admitted with a small smile. "I wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss," she said softly.

Now Tyler's eyes widened.

"What Hayley did was wrong, and I'm sorry you were dragged into this mess that is so much bigger than you, and that your pack and mom died because of it," she said softly. "It isn't fair, and it wasn't right."

"You... you're sorry?" he sputtered.

"I am," she nodded. "They were killed for a guy named Shane, he was going to give Hayley information on her family, but he was trying to raise a very bad thing from the brink of death."

"How do you know?" Tyler asked.

"Cause, twelve in magic, for a sacrifice it creates a power to draw off of called Expression, it's powerful magic," she explained.

"Davina," Kol started.

"He deserves to know why they died," she said softly. "I was told there were two massacres of twelve, there would've been another if this had continued, and I am sorry for your loss."

"Why?" he asked with a harsh voice. "Why tell me this, why be this, I kidnapped you!"

"Because I have other worries, and I am sorry you were collateral damage before I got here," she said. "But so was Hayley, so were those humans, and your friends, and I'm sorry about it," she murmured.

"Why?"

"Because being collateral sucks," she answered. "I hope you get better things in the future but getting revenge on Hayley won't solve anything."

"Klaus is going to kill me if I hang around," Tyler muttered.

"I'll take care of Klaus," she assured him.

"Really?" Kol raised his brows.

"Your brother is wrong hunting people for centuries and you know it," she reminded him.

"Is this Big or Little...?"

"Little, but because of what I know of big," she answered.

"Very well, love, I will help you sort that out," Kol begrudged.

"You're not killing him either, no one in your family is, no loopholes," she warned.

"You have my word."

She nodded then as she looked back at Tyler. "I'm sorry again, for what's happened," she said softly.

"I... you're letting me go!?" Tyler asked in confusion.

"Yup," she nodded, "I don't want to see you ever again, but I'm not going to hunt you down and get revenge though. I got other problems to solve."

"Like what? You're a kid?"

"Saving the world, preventing evil, the usual things," she said teasingly. "I'm sorry Tyler," she said softly. Tyler nodded with teary eyes.

Kol was the one to roll him out to the sheriff and he sat down. "Should've let me kill him."

"No. We have other things to worry about."

"Marcel will be here on a few hours," he stated.

"Can we run away?" she asked with a wince of her own.

"No, but I'll be taking a brunt of his wrath."

"If he tries to kill you, I'll distract him, you run," she said.

"You rest," he chuckled. "I'll get Hayley back in here," he promised her as he stood, he pressed his lips to her brow, and she felt her face heating up a bit. "Just rest, love," he said softly and went to go get Hayley.

Davina sighed as she closed her eyes and felt herself resting again. She felt so battered and beat up, it reminded her of things she wished weren't lurking in her mind. Sighing she focused on breathing, because it was a matter of mind over matter, and she didn't mind, and it didn't matter; she remembered that being her dad's mantra before he had run off from her mom and hers' life.

She didn't hear Hayley enter as she focused on her breathing.

She didn't even remember when she had fallen asleep only when Keelin came in to check her over because of the concussion; she was annoyed with the flashing light.

Marcel was there when she woke again.

"Hey, Lil D, rest up," he said softly.

"You're here?"

"No place I'd rather be," he assured her softly. "Go to sleep, D, we'll talk tomorrow."

"M'kay," she muttered as she felt herself falling asleep.

There was a stirring, she could feel it, something was retching everything she needed out of her grasp. Everything she was working for was unravelling and now! Now she could feel a powerful familial magic unfurling, which terrified her. If she could not fix her wrong before nature distorted, she could never find peace.

"Hello," a voice said, and she twisted around to see young man with a broad brow, strong bone structure, dark green eyes, and bronze curls. He was a tall as her husband had been, and broader, which had her stepping back.

"Who are you?"

"Someone who is after the same thing," he answered. "My name is Silas," he stated.

"Esther," she answered.

"I believe we can help each other," he said, and she frowned. "You were brilliant enough to create a copy of Qetsiyah's immortality spell, you're obviously clever and powerful, what if I helped your power."

"How?"

"I can help you and your son break through the veil, and you bring me with you," he said.

"I already was using a ritual to do that," she stated.

"Just let me help you, you're running out of power," he pointed out.

"Why would I want your help?"

"Because we both want your son dead," he answered. "Your son stole my peace from me, I will steal his," Silas answered.

"Mother I..." Finn appeared then and she smiled at her eldest son. His woman appeared with him; they had been inseparable on this side since finding each other.

Kol was sitting in the hospital lobby when Keelin found him. Marcel and Hayley were with Davina, Tyler had been released and now he was just waiting.

"Hey," Keelin greeted him with a smile as he read over a tabloid; which was trash and sipped his coffee.

"Dr. Malraux," he set aside his paper as he stood up when she entered. "What can I do for you?"

"I was actually going to call you when Hayley had called me about Davina," Keelin informed her.

"About?"

"Your bloodwork, and your test results," she explained. "Everything looks good, though I would like an MRI to see how your magic has been reconnecting."

"An MRI?" he asked.

"MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging," she explained. "I'd just like to see your brain and how it's handling the growth of magic, I understand you're a thousand years old."

"Give or take," he admitted. "What's my brain got to do with my magic?" he asked as they sat.

"I've found that most born supernaturals; witch or werewolf, they utilize a part of the brain, which is not used in humans, with your age, and your... change, I would like to know that everything is working right, and you're not going to be harmed," she explained.

He nodded.

"Does your magic... does it feel the same?" she asked.

"It's been a thousand years, darling. Nothing feels off," he confessed. "It's a lot of power, but it was always a lot of power, as to using it and worrying about it, I utilized it for what I knew was complex magic when I was a witch the first time and it felt easy, it didn't take much power to utilize the spell or connect to the earth," he shrugged.

"How'd it feel?" she asked.

"It felt natural."

"You didn't feel a splitting headache or anything?"

"No. Nothing hurt. If anything, it was too easy," he explained.

"Easy?"

"Magic is about connection, to nature and self. Witches, who are not siphoners, generate this connection and can utilize magic, there's only so much magic they can connect and generate though. A weak witch can connect to a greater power and channel it but it's about connection and surrender, magic though is generated within a witch. I've always had an easy time with magic, it's just something as simple as breathing to me, but I don't think I generated power like this before," he admitted.

"You're sure?" she asked.

"That I've never generated this power?" he clarified.

"Yes."

"I don't think I have, but again, I haven't been connected in a thousand years."

"That's good to know, I'd still be interested in running tests."

He nodded. "I'll think about it," he said softly.

"If I'm right, you and Davina will have a similar active part of the brain that normal humans, non-supernaturals, do not have active."

"That's interesting," he admitted honestly. He had never was one to actually look at the brain and it's functions. In a lot of the times, he had been alive it wasn't believed the brain operated much of anything, but then they had changed a stance on that he had started looking at it, poking around but never certain.

"I'm glad you think so," she chuckled.

"No, it is," he persisted.

"Well, from a guy who's watched medicine evolve for the last thousand years, so I take that as a compliment," she said.

"Thousand years, makes me sound old, darling," Kol chuckled.

"You are. But your bloodwork came back, perfectly healthy for a twenty-two-year-old man, though you could stand to have a bit more Vitamin B in your system," she shrugged.

"I'll keep that in mind," he nodded.

"Davina's going to be alright," she told him softly.

"I know," he answered.

"You can go home," she persisted.

"No," he shook his head. "I can't, not until she's out of here."

"Why?"

"We're partners in crime, darling. I also have adopted the American belief of leaving no man behind," he sighed.

"Where were you born?"

"Here, actually," he chuckled. "My family came further south than they should've, them and their people, we settled this area long before the Americans, we lived amongst the tribes of the area and formed trade," he explained.

"That's amazing."

"It was a long time ago, different life. I'm going to go check on the coffee addict and make sure she's resting," he said as he stood to go check on Davina.

He glared as he passed his brother's pet hybrid. He had already spoken to Klaus, he knew that his brothers wouldn't ever act against Tyler because they wouldn't break Kol's given word. It would go against their family. Still, he wasn't happy about letting the bastard go.

Chapter Text

Bonnie learned Kol Mikaelson was the most dedicated, knowledgeable, and carefree witch to ever exist. She didn't think that was a thousand years of disconnection, the way he used his magic was like a limb, it was an extension of himself. Things had been flying around her head for the past week with how he used his gifts, he was also quick to revive plants and flick fires to life, he'd also make miniature rainstorms for watering plants, and throw wind around casually when he wanted to. Nothing about what Kol did with his magic seemed to take much work or effort on his part, for which she envied him because he had her working over basic spells.

Biggest thing she had learnt in a week without big or little Davina, Kol was a mischievous soul, but his patience in teaching was boundless. Bonnie had wanted to throw a book at his head whenever he told her to try again, or progress not perfection. He made it all seem so easy and he'd been disconnected far longer than she had been. She hated that this was so easy, but worse, he was patient; it made her really want to hate him.

"This is frustrating," Bonnie announced as she fell back in her chair, she hadn't been able to bring dead flowers to life, she remembered once when that was the easiest thing in the world.

"Stop forcing it," he stated as he continued bottling his potion.

"How come you're making me do this?" she asked.

"Davina told me to help you, I'm helping, reanimation magic is about connection, you've established a connection with spiritual magic, now let's try natural and traditional," he said as he carefully measured out what he was pouring.

"I can do this when I connect with the ancestors."

"Ancestral magic should not be your answer for your connection. You need to do this, just... stop forcing it, let it feel you, when you and the flowers form a connection then you will be able to reanimate the simplest forms of life," he stated.

"How is this so easy to you?" she asked.

"Huh?" he looked up from sealing the potion.

"Seriously, how is this so easy for you when you were disconnected for a thousand years, and I was disconnected for a few months."

"I never practiced Expression," he countered. "And when I was reconnected, I went back to nature, I practiced Elemental, Spirit, Traditional, and many others, I've also had a thousand years of education and magics I desire to learn and utilize. I wasn't like my mother, I didn't practice Dark or Black Magic exclusively, I felt they had no use outside of extreme cases."

"I..."

"Dark or Black Magic are just dangerous, darling, they aren't bad for connection or the soul, they're just dangerous. And I've done them, but they weren't my main source of practice, much to my mother's irritation. Now, focus on your pot," he ordered. His phone chimed and he was grabbing his jacket to leave.

"Say hi to Davina for me!" she called after him.

He waved her off and she shook her head as she went back to focusing on the pot.

Kol walked into the hospital to see Marcel at the desk filling out paperwork.

"She's still on light work, Kol," Marcel warned before he could ask how she was.

"We're not doing anything crazy," he dismissed.

"You two are up to something and just cause I'm not a witch doesn't mean I don't know when something's up," Marcel reminded him. Kol shrugged as he walked into the hospital room to see Davina pulling on a massive hoodie. Davina's numerous bruises had gone from horrid blacks and blues to sickly shades of greens and yellows over the week, though there were still parts of her that were red and black.

"Hey," she smiled brightly as always.

"Hello gorgeous," he smiled charmingly as he walked in.

"You're just saying that" she muttered. "I look terrible."

"I am not, you're the prettiest witch in the area, except myself, of course," he shrugged.

"Of course," she snorted and hugged her ribs a bit as she lowered herself into the wheelchair.

"I've completed the potion, we'll dose them tomorrow," he said softly as he picked up her bag and handed it to her before taking off the break and wheeling her out.

"Already?"

"It's been a long month, and not long," he sighed.

"It has," she agreed with a sigh. "Little Me escaped the Harvest, Big Me woke up in Little Me's body after dying, we've met, ran amuck, saved the Bennett witch from Expression, thwarted Shane raising the dead, got kidnapped; the first time; saved the Hunter, sailed to an island you called Helheim, hunted Silas down, killed him, you turned back into a witch, we reconnected your magic, I got kidnapped again, it's been a very busy month."

"Not to mention your confusing case of split-merged personalities," he muttered.

"That's not on the list."

"It should make the list," he countered. "Speaking of the split-merged personalities love, I have an idea. I've been reading over a lot of materials I have on the Gemini Coven, and we have three events we can use for a version of their Merging Ritual."

"What three?"

"There's the vernal equinox, the summer solstice, or the autumnal equinox, they're naturally occurring celestial events we can utilize," he said. "I'm for an equinox personally as that's all about balance, and equality between light and dark. I've also reached out to the Gemini Coven to see if there's a way to do this," he admitted.

"You did?"

"Yes, it wasn't easy, but they're coming here," he explained.

"Why?"

"I offered an exchange of information, I have something they want, and they have something I want, I proposed a trade between us," he admitted. It hadn't been easy finding the Gemini Coven, but he had found them, and they had agreed to meet with him and his 'Coven' for the information exchange. Especially when they had learnt there was a Bennett witch here and in his 'Coven', Kol wasn't going to get too wrapped up in technicalities with that.

"What did you offer them?" she asked.

"Information on the Travelers."

"What?"

"Don't worry about it, love, just know, I have information they want and they're willing to help us sort you out," he stated.

"Mmm," she hummed.

"Alright, D, ready to escape this prison joint?" Marcel appeared with a broad smile.

"I just want a shower," Davina declared.

"Can't blame you, Hayley has finished trading around your rooms, so you don't go up any stairs," he explained.

"That's a relief," she admitted with a small smile.

"And tomorrow you and I will have a movie night," he said.

"D, I still think you need better tastes in friends," Marcel informed her.

"I like this one," Davina assured him.

Kol preened and glared at Marcel who glared back. They would never like each other, and Kol knew that, but they could tolerate one another for Davina's sake.

"When you're healed up darling, you and I are going to start working on your self-defense," Kol informed Davina.

She groaned and he smiled.

"I'm with Kol on that one," Marcel stated. "Though having watched you spar in the last week, none of that fancy shit, just basics for her at first."

"Wait, you've been sparring!?" Davina demanded as she tilted her head back to look at him.

"He's been sparring Klaus," Marcel stated. "I mean, I learned to fence from Bekah, but the way you fight..."

"I taught Bex everything she knows," Kol smiled dangerously. "I liked the activity when I was a human, as a vampire though you can just beat whoever you go against and there's no skill required, it's not as invigorating."

"You still learned though?"

"Naturally, it's a way to pass the time," he dismissed. "But if I could teach Bekah behind our father's back then I can teach you, love."

"Just no showboat stuff, I don't want any more trips to the hospital," Marcel warned.

"I wouldn't send her to the hospital."

"You're freshly human, and she's freshly healed, I don't want to test this and find both of you in the damn hospital!"

"Human doesn't mean fragile," Davina quipped.

"D tell me that when you don't look like a giant ass bruise," he chided.

Kol chuckled at Davina's pout as they made it to the car. Marcel loaded her up and Kol loaded up her things. Once she was loaded up, he walked to his car and drove back to the house. Jogging into Nik's house he saw Rebekah in the study reading.

"Whatcha got there, Bex?" he asked coming over her as he saw it was his notes.

"I was trying to decipher your latest scheme," she chuckled.

"Not a scheme. It's a theory about a merging ritual for Davina," he answered as he took the notes from her.

"For Davina?"

"It's complicated Bekah," he called as he walked back up the stairs towards his room. Once he was there, he tossed his notes on his bed and pulled off his coat. Changing into a shirt and sweats he sat down, poured himself a drink and started looking through his notes on the Travelers. Kol hadn't actively thought about the Travelers since his initial slaughtering of them.

"How complicated?" Rebekah appeared which had him about jumping off the bed in shock.

"Bloody hell Bex!" he saved his drink and took a sip of the bourbon.

"Kol, how complicated!" she persisted urgently.

"She's not going to die if that's what you're worried about," he lied. Davina had already told him she would die, but he'd be damned if he didn't try to save the both of them in some manner of preservation. A merge of some sort would mean Davina was Davina, and neither big nor little Davina would be lost, they'd be one; they already did that on some level because they both seemed to operate together and as one.

"Kol!" she hissed.

"Davina's got two souls, I'm just trying to figure out a way for them to become one," he informed her as he looked back over his notes on the Travelers. Rebekah snatched up these notes and glared at him.

"Start explaining, because even though I'm not a witch I know merging is dangerous!" she hissed.

"Oh bloody hell," he grumbled as he rubbed his hand over his face. "How about this Bex, you can come to movie night and talk to Davina yourself about this."

"You..."

"It is not my place to explain her story, but as I can't solve it, I'm thinking to fix it," he stated.

"You're inviting me to movie night? Like your date night?" she sputtered.

"It's a piss poor date if it's a date, Bex, Marcel is there, this is something Davina started up. We're watching something called Indiana Jones," he informed her. "Supposed to have action, adventure, plot, fighting something called Nazis, that sort of thing according to Davina."

"You're supposed to be courting her!" Rebekah hissed.

"You've gone mental," he sighed. "She's a child, Bekah, I'm not courting her! Besides she's my partner in crime."

"You're sweet on her!"

"I am not!"

"You flirt with her!"

"I flirt with every woman, Bex, and some men," he pointed out blandly.

"You spend all your spare time with her!"

"Witches, and partners in crime now," he reminded.

"Kol!"

"Rebekah!"

"By the gods you are dense!" she seethed.

"And you're mad, what a pair we are," he cackled as he grabbed back his notes on the Travelers.

"I'm going to help you, if only to keep the love of your life alive before she's dead and you never knew it!" Rebekah hissed.

"Seriously, did Nik hit you in the head recently or have you always been this mad?"

"She's perfect for you Kol!"

"You're going mental dear sister!" he countered.

She glared at him and he smiled charmingly.

Jo was sitting in her new apartment looking over the note she had received from her coven. Her siblings were on the phone as they talked to her about a message that had just appeared in their coven and had the elders on edge but curious.

"This witch is Kol Mikaelson?" she asked as she looked over her students' papers.

"Yes," Luke answered. "He said he had information on the Travelers."

"Kol Mikaelson is an Original Vampire, the Original Ripper, who killed off most of the Travelers in the fourteenth century," Jo stated. She remembered her father stressing that lesson. Mikaelson were a blemish in the world of nature, but the fact Kol Mikaelson had killed the Traveler's vicious leader, Markos, had had the Gemini Coven tentatively leaving him to his own devices. It was said he had resided with them for a small period of their history and attempted to help them fix the Merge.

"So, you have heard of him?" Luke persisted.

"Yes, but as I said, he's not a witch, he's a vampire, he's an Old One if you want to be technical," she answered.

"He's offered an exchange of information, his intel about the Travelers and he wants information on the Merge," Luke stated.

"The Merge?"

"Yes, he's been specific, he knows things about it, Jo," Luke grumbled.

"Makes sense," she muttered.

"Why do you say that?"

"Kol is a thousand year old vampire famed for his witch knowledge, if he's looking for information then he'll have good information to return," Jo admitted.

"How do you know?"

"Our great-grandmother travelled to New Orleans to work with him," Jo admitted. "I would trust his information."

"Why would he say he's a witch instead of a vampire?"

"I don't know, not much is known about Kol beyond the fact he is the worst of the worst of the Originals, and the most unpredictable if crossed," Jo admitted as she leaned back in her seat and wracked her brain for old witch information she had dismissed in her life. "The Mikaelson family is an unknown, there's no known record of their start or how they became vampires in any history, many Covens have looked into it. Kol Makaelson was the one famed for being friends with witches and sought connection to magic. He's also deeply knowledgeable."

"So... should we?"

"I wouldn't say trust him, but I would trust the information he wants to give the coven. He's been around longer than most everyone, and if he's seeking information then I would work with him, perhaps he knows a way to break the Merge curse," she sighed.

"He's in Mystic Falls," Luke informed her. "Could you... be our representative?"

"What!? Luke I'm not..." she started.

"Please, it will take Liv and I a few weeks to get there and it sounds like he's in a hurry. If the information is good then this might be our best chance to stop the Travelers once and for all," he pleaded.

"I'll meet with him," she sighed.

"Care?" it was Elena's voice at the door of her room.

"Go away," she mumbled from beneath the covers.

"I... I thought you might need a friend," Elena said uncertainly.

"Just go away Elena," Caroline muttered.

"Care..." she started.

"My boyfriend is a psycho, the man I'm attracted to is a psycho, everyone is a psycho! And Davina got hurt because of my boyfriend after everything she's done to save our friend Bonnie and your brother, and Tyler goes and hurts her to hurt that werewolf slut!" she screeched as she sat up. "I don't even know how I'm going to apologize to Davina!" she admitted. "And none of this would've happened, if we hadn't been looking for a cure for your vampirism! Tyler would still be here, with me, and Klaus would... I don't know, but not be after our heads, and none of this would've happened."

"Care..." Elena came to sit down beside her. "I'm sorry."

"I just am tired of everyone getting hurt," Caroline finally admitted as her breathe hiccupped and the tears started again. "This year was supposed to be the greatest of our lives, and it's just a mess."

"It's okay," Elena said as she hugged her.

"No, it's not! It's never okay," she sobbed. "And you keep sleeping with that man slut!"

"You're bringing that up now?" Elena sighed with exasperation.

"Yes," Caroline acknowledged.

"Would it help you to know that Damon and I aren't a thing anymore?" Elena murmured.

Caroline nodded.

"Then we aren't, we had a blow out and I don't think I'll ever forgive him," Elena conceded.

"Finally!" Caroline sobbed.

"So, you win," Elena muttered. "And I guess you were right about Davina too."

"Who are you and what have you done with Elena Gilbert?"

"Har-har, I came over cause your mom called and said you were having a hard time this week, and I kind of know I've been a crap friend lately so I thought I could help fix this," Elena admitted. "I brought Devil Wears Parada, Bride Wars, License to Wed, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. And I have popcorn, two bags of chocolate in various forms, facials, nail polish, curlers, and fuzzy pajama pants."

"You... really?"

"I know I've been crap at this friendship thing lately, but with Jer sane again, and no cure being real, I guess... I'll accept this fate, and I need to grow up to do that."

"I'm so proud of you!"

"Stefan is too," Elena confessed.

"You two are talking again?"

"Yeah, he's been... he's been understanding about all this," Elena acknowledged meekly. "I still can't believe I slept with Damon."

"Gross, we're never talking about it," Caroline stated. "Movies and chocolate and some tlc!"

"Care... we're, we're good right?"

"Um... we will be... Nothing's good right now," she admitted.

"Davina will forgive you, she seems like a mature person," Elena offered.

Chapter Text

Kol looked at the potion and at his brother’s ‘guest’ bourbon and he thought about the right portions; he did. He knew that in ten minutes Hayley would be here to ‘thank’ Klaus, and Klaus being a host would offer her a drink, which would be the guest wine on standby. They would drink, and then do whatever it was Klaus did to seduce a woman, and that would lead to them having sex; the potion would just ensure conception. Then again, in Davina’s time there had been no need for the potion. It was a conundrum, especially because he knew Davina had fucked up time this go around. Kol pocketed the potion as he stood; he would let things play out naturally and then make adjustments to the plan if Hayley didn’t get pregnant.

The potion would be the backup plan, but he wouldn’t use it until he knew how tonight played out. He fingered the vial carefully in his pocket as he walked to the foyer.

“Where are you going?” Klaus demanded from the stairs as he came down.

“Movie night,” he answered. “BEKAH!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” she huffed as she appeared in pajamas like he was in sweats.

“Movie night?” Klaus’ eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“At Davina’s, we’ll be back tomorrow,” Rebekah informed Nik as she caught Kol’s arm, and they walked out. They were pulling out of the driveway when he saw the lights of Hayley’s Jeep coming towards the house.

“So… how do these movie nights usually go?”

“I don’t know, I haven’t attended, I said I would if I was not watching one of those love dramas you so love dragging me to.”