a/n: Happy Birthday MJ x
Love some Ruiz family flashbacks - remember to comment and vote <3

2003

Ryos had locked himself into a hotel room.

It had been three months since he'd left MiMi in New York, staring at the paper before him.

He had to tell her.

But he really didn't want to.

Not yet.

If his heart was still beating, he was not telling her.

Ryos knew his sister. He knew that if she thought he was about to die, she would sneak onto an aeroplane, which was the last thing the situation needed. She could not be allowed near him. Not while the smell of bodies was stuck to his skin.

He'd killed a receptionist, thinking it was Marcel.

He'd killed four random people on the street, thinking they were the French Quarter elders.

Two more, thinking they were Vincent and Eva.

'Thinking' was a dumb fucking word.

How could he think when black sludge was pumping through his body? Maybe that was the smell – it wasn't the deaths but the magic. Soaking into his flesh, unable to wash it off no matter how many times he stood at the sink, recreating Lady Macbeth until the skin started to peel.

"Don't pretend to feel guilty."

His mother was sitting on the bed.

"If you felt guilty, you would turn yourself in."

"We both know doing that would only make things worse."

"Do we?"

"I'd brake out."

"Only if you let yourself."

"I have a say in this?" Ryos spun to her, "I turn myself in - I still see you. And them. And let this – "

Dark veins wrapped around his body like snakes

" – Take over."

"For someone meant to be my child..."

Ana's hallucination sat up.

"...You are so weak."

He swallowed.

Everything was on fire.

Not actually – not the room – but him.

Blood burning with every step, infected with something he couldn't cure. He'd had to stop going to school – not because he'd killed someone, but because the veins had finally spread so far up his neck and arms that there was no way to cover it. Not without magic – but each spell he cast had his vision blurring. Waking up in a new space, no clue how he'd gotten there, blood across his hands.

"No wonder you handed Mira over to strangers."

"Shut up."

"It's good to know your limits."

"Mamí – "

A sharp breath in.

It wasn't his mother.

Enough of Ryos's mind was still intact to remind him of that. Staring at the gaping hole in her chest. The red bleeding across his bed as she sat on it, smiling sweetly at him. Skin waxier each day the hallucination refused to go away. Like he'd taken the corpse on the flight with him.

"You – "

"As if you could keep her safe."

"I can," Ryos stared at the pictures on the desk.

The room was a mess.

He hadn't let himself leave it in two days, the dead receptionist in the bath tub, water covering it as he tried to set it on fire. Burn it into just a memory.

Guide the spirit somewhere good.

Only to slam his head into the sink as his body refused to work.

The bed was unmade, blankets and pillows shoved into odd shapes as he didn't let himself sleep. How would he control himself at night if he couldn't control himself while awake?

Ripped notebook pages covered the floor, now topped with chalk, blood, and pieces of birds he'd pulled apart, creating a massive magic circle. There was a desk against the wall, his backpack on the chair, family photos and the two grimoires he'd taken before leaving behind a protection charm. A protective rune in the middle, so he couldn't ruin any of it. Keep it sitting there for him to stare at.

"I can fix this."

"You have a month left. Maximum."

His mother was now Vincent.

"You know how hexes work, Ryos."

His stomach was growling.

"The fact you lasted this long?"

Clicking his teeth together.

"But that doesn't change the rules."

"Fuck the rules."

Shutting his eyes and focusing on the magic.

Not the sound of footsteps that he knew wasn't there.

Ryos had gone to Spain first – to try and find any family that might be able to help them. People who could look after MJ – writing names upon names until he'd made a family log. Sent on a trail to Romania, then Greece, only to force himself to flee before he could actually talk to any of them. The distant cousins showing up on his map had families – they were happy.

Some of them didn't even practise magic anymore!

While he was losing his mind, a walking murder risk who they couldn't let near their kids.

"Oooh," Eva was mocking him, "And he has a Hail Mary left in him!"

"Anoíxte El Pou."

Ryos knew he had to zone them out.

Focus on the faces of his family in those pictures.

His dad and his sister – not his stupid mother and her dumb plans that had ruined their lives.

"Obre Tin Pyli."

Mira's letters next to them, giving him a reason to hold on.

His sister was out there.

He couldn't die on her.

"Anoíxte El Pou."

Thinking he was out there gave Mira something to fight for.

Even if he couldn't be there himself – he could not die.

The spell had to work.

"Reveni La Anápafsi."

His deal had to be enough, a journal of his mother's among the grimoires.

"Epistrofí Stin Odihna."

The hotel room was gone.

Instead, he was standing in the family shop.

Staring towards the front door, seeing a different sight on the other side of the glass.

There was no street life or white glow – just the racing river, the end of a pier swaying against the current like a death trap. Around him were the usual array of flowers and displays Mira would help their mother make while he finished his school work in the back – the colour sapped away as he walked towards it. No musicians on the street offering him tips when they'd see him walking home from his music classes. Just a racing river, a dividing line, stopping him from being able to walk among the trash piles around it.

He opened the door slowly, stepping onto the wood of the pier.

Feeling it creak beneath him.

"Hello?"

Nothing.

"Sorry if this is insensitive," Ryos looked around the world, "I considered trying an actual ritual, but this seemed easier."

Nothing but an odd howl coming from the water.

"You answered my mother like this – "

"Your mother never intended to find me," A man stood behind him, "You should've tried the ritual."

THE WITCHES
Dead Angels

MJ woke up to the smell of pancakes, Kol cooking downstairs, a smile automatically on her face. His shirt was on the floor by the bed, her hand grabbing it, pulling the familiar fabric on before vamping down the stairs to wrap her arms around his waist. Cheek pressed into his back, feeling skin against skin. Just the smell of him sent a rush of warmth through her.

Laughing as he jumped in panic at the sudden presence.

"So much for supernatural senses," She squeezed tighter, "Morning."

He turned from the stove to give her a smile, "Darling."

A kiss to her forehead.

MJ let go, patting his side, "Sit down."

"I'm – "

"Nope," She mused, "Move."

"MJ – "

"I'm meant to be treating you," She pointed at him, "You're recovering."

"I'm fine," He plopped onto a stall by the counter, "But if you insist."

Grinning as she flipped the pancake, tipping it onto a plate and pushing it towards him.

"One day," MJ mused, "You'll let me just look after you."

He was letting her get away with it because he'd done most of the work already anyway – and because he'd never fight the sight of her cooking. Especially when she was only wearing his clothes. There was something about how she worked while cooking. While working on magic, MJ could get caught up in rapid movements; cooking was like second nature. Smooth and calm, soothing to watch.

Knowing that what she was producing would somehow just taste better.

"And, one day," He grabbed her waist, "You'll let me do the same."

Hands grazing under the fabric to trace up her sides.

"Are you sure you want to leave today?"

"I can't not."

As much as MJ wanted to change her mind and stay.

"It's Caroline's baby shower."

"It's Ric," Kol corrected, letting her drift back to the stove, "If you don't show, he'll find a way to blame me."

"Exactly," MJ agreed, "As shit as that is."

Watching Kol's eyes jump around her face.

"He's the problem, Kol," She reminded him, "His way of trying to be okay with this is flawed."

"I don't care that he doesn't like me."

"I know," MJ did, "But he should try more."

MJ and Ric still talked.

A lot.

But he never asked about Kol, would subtly change the topic if she brought him up, and had been weirdly coded about the baby shower when she'd mentioned how Caroline had technically invited Kol to come with her.

"You're amazing."

His eyes jumped away.

"Kol," MJ forced him to look at her, "You're amazing."

His lips twitched nervously, pouring toppings onto the pancake, "Baby shower is a terrifying term."

MJ laughed.

"Why are people coming together to shower a baby?"

"You know there are no actual babies involved."

"But it's so much funnier to take the term literally."

"You're such a dork."

"And I'm incredibly proud that you're actually going," He retorted, "Instead of playing hero to Davina and Klaus."

"Safest thing for me to do is not be here."

The point she'd made the day before.

"And some space might make it easier for me to decide."

It felt like a long time since MJ had been that conflicted.

Since the cure.

Since she'd first theorised about the sire line.

"The world won't collapse because I'm not here."

Speaking it into existence.

New Orleans was meant to be trustworthy.

It wasn't meant to stress her out that much.

"Though," MJ gave him a careful look, "Please take a sick day."

Kol raised an eyebrow.

"You, um," She thought about the hug, "You feel a little off."

He looked at himself.

Bare chest, only in sweats.

Back to her.

"You feel warm," MJ explained, "Not like, bad. Just...not normal."

He winced, "I honestly feel fine."

"Okay," MJ had to believe him, "But be careful."

"Hero acts are reserved purely for your quests," He reminded her, "Not any other situation."

MJ giggled.

"I will happily take a sick day and count the number of missed calls I end up receiving from my family."

MJ put the second pancake onto her plate, beaming while pouring the next load of mix onto the sizzling pan. Leaning across the counter to kiss his cheek. Seeing him fight off the tiny smile Kol always got when she did the gesture. Waving a hand to let the magic take over so she could move to hug over his shoulders again, pressing an even firmer kiss into his temple.

"I love you," MJ moved to the nook of his neck, another kiss, "So much."

Kol reached a hand back, rubbing her hip gently.

There were still times when MJ felt like a terrible girlfriend.

Kol was always doing so much for her, and she really needed him to know how much she loved him. Seeing the glee on his face post-ancestral realm – they'd been attacked – he'd been attacked, but he'd been excited. Giddy at the seams. Mentally adding his red notebooks of theories to her stuff to take with her.

The words on the tip of her tongue.

Her question after the most recent session with Tia.

What would happen if they used Marie Ajan's spell without a werewolf?

2003

"A bold assumption," Papa Legba stepped towards him, "Thinking I would help you."

His walking stick was like a pointing finger, decaying bone shaped to keep him steady.

Large hat holding a tint of colour the rest of the world lacked. The rest of the world bar the water. The rushing current seeming black and white from afar but holding beautiful green and blue beneath the lapping.

"You helped my mother."

Papa Legba's lips twitched, "Did I?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"I read the journal," Ryos insisted, trying not to let his fingers twitch, "She fell in here. You saved me – and you let her leave with me."

Papa Legba chuckled, "I guess I did."

Each of his steps was accompanied by the tap of his walking stick.

Ryos couldn't look away from him.

Trying to work out if the warmth in his laugh was something he could trust or part of the get-up. Whether he was the protector some stories made him out to be or the trickster the others did. Using the oddly comforting energy around him to trap the living in the gap between life and death.

"But why does that mean I would help you?"

"You have an investment in our family line," Ryos forced his voice to sound calm, "That was what you said."

Or what Ana had written down.

"That means – "

"I said your mother was a long-term investment – "

"Even if it's about my sister," Ryos continued, "I need to be alive to help her."

Therefore helping whatever Papa Legba thought their family were going to give him.

"Give me a deal."

The Lwa raised an eyebrow.

"I got hexed," Ryos held his arms forward, "I'm dying."

"And you think I can help you?"

Confusion across his face sent Ryos's brain spinning.

"You should try summoning Semani."

He swallowed.

"He's the one who makes deals."

"But he has a price."

"You think I don't?"

"I'm fifteen," His eyes begging, "My sister's eleven – I don't want you to fix it, I just want – "

What did he want?

"I just want a little more time."

The confident act couldn't be kept up.

"I wanna be able to think without hearing a million other voices," His voice breaking, "I want to go a week without killing somebody – I – I – "

Legba's demeanour shifted, staring at him in sympathy.

"You're meant to protect kids – that's what I am!"

Even if he'd left New Orleans thinking he could handle everything, he was only being proved wrong.

He thought he would have found a cure.

He thought he would be back in New York with his sister by now.

"Just..." His eyes shut.

Letting the distant howl flow through his body.

"The stories say you speak every language – you see all of the world – if there's a cure to this – "

"There might be."

Ryos's eyes snapped open.

"Nothing is impossible," He spoke gently, "But whether you have the time to find it?"

A trailing scan of his body.

"That," Legba focused, "I might be able to help with."

Ryos could've collapsed in relief.

"There have always been deals between the Lwa and the living."

The relief started to trickle away.

"You wish for more time?" Legba laid it out, "If you are willing to become a host..."

"My body stops degrading?"

"I cannot die," He stood before him, "Therefore, you will not be able to die."

Ryos hesitated, "You'd possess me?"

"Indeed."

"For how long?"

"Whenever I need it," He put a hand on his chin to lift it, "Most days, you would be in control."

"But still alive?"

"If you are in a permanent state of preparation," Legba was inspecting his eyes, "Open to whenever I wish to grace that plane?"

Holding himself between life and death.

"The magic will continue to chip away at your mind," He continued, "But your body will remain at this point."

Ryos tried to nod, but the deity was holding his head still.

"And I can assist."

Ryos stared into his eyes too.

"Without you performing the actual ritual and inviting more mischievous creatures into your mind."

Pits of darkness that were somehow inviting.

Endless.

"Help me find a solution?"

"I do not see the future," Legba let him stare into him, "I simply hear all."

Understand all.

"Magic has rooted itself in you."

The hex was bound in his blood and bones.

"Perhaps you should realise what that means," He let go, "And you will find your solution."

Ryos's mind started to race.

"Existing in your state is a slippery slope."

It was a warning.

"I repeat, your mind might not survive it."

Unclear whether he was referencing the hex, or the hosting.

"But if you are willing to risk that?" Papa Legba didn't look happy, "Do we have a deal?"

"Yes."

No hesitation.

Maybe Ryos should've asked for more information on what Legba needed a human form to do, but it didn't matter. Ryos could see the light at the end of the darkness in his eyes. A way to survive. A way to be endless himself and find his way back home. To sanity. To his sister.

It was all that mattered.

2014

Kol had driven MJ to the airport, waited for her flight to leave, and then returned to The Compound. Maybe that choice didn't align with his whole 'sick day' plan, but he also wanted to know what was happening.

Running straight into Elijah in the courtyard.

His elder brother pausing.

"You're here."

"It is technically still my home."

Elijah nodded, "I was about to call."

"Sure you were."

"I was," Elijah straightened up, "Are you okay?"

Kol pulled a face, "What?"

"You look unwell," Elijah's voice became quieter, really looking at his face, "Have you eaten?"

"I had breakfast."

"Which kind?"

"Mortal."

Elijah called out, "Laura!"

Kol shifted, unsure how to react to the concern, as the housekeeper walked in with a warm smile.

"Sort Kol a glass?"

"Happily," She pulled a penknife out of her pocket, looking for a cup.

Kol eyed his brother up, "What do you want?"

"For you to not look unwell."

"Elijah."

Elijah sighed, "I truly don't want anything other than to inform you of the situation."

"That is?"

"Aya introduced me to The Sisters yesterday."

Kol paused, one eye on Laura filling a clean glass with blood.

"A particular witch went into my mind and discovered the weapon that will kill our family."

"Klaus text-screamed it at MJ," Kol accepted the glass, "White horse burning the world up."

Elijah bit his cheek.

"Hope's toy, if my memory serves," Kol gestured about, "Funny how a little thing we've all been in contact with recently has been able to kill us this whole time."

"You would think we might've felt something," Elijah agreed, "That is all, Laura."

She retreated towards whichever room she'd been in before he called her.

Kol swished the glass, "I'm assuming the witch is now dead."

Elijah's grimace answered that question.

"Tut-tut," He gleamed, "I thought Maci didn't want any of them harmed?"

Another twinge fell over the older's face.

"Fun warning," Kol took a sip, "The Sisters just bound Davina into their coven."

Elijah stilled.

"So, no murdering her for things Aya forces them to do."

"What?" Klaus was standing on the interior balcony, "Davina joined?"

"Unintentionally."

"How do you 'unintentionally' join a coven?"

"You use a spell they lend you," Kol drank another gulp, throat itching, "Unaware a binding spell is written into it."

Klaus marched down the stairs, "What spell did they give her?"

"One to go to the ancestral plane," Kol revealed, "Physically."

His body was aching, downing the rest of the glass.

"Not just talk to the spirits."

That spell, Davina would've already known.

"They wanted her to find a symbol of our mother and pull her out of peace."

The brothers froze.

"Hm," Kol nodded, "Thought you might be interested in that part."

"Did she succeed?" Elijah asked.

"No," He revealed, "Mira and I went after her – "

His stomach twisted, cutting him off.

Klaus tensed, "Kol?"

"We went in after her," He attempted to power through, "Um..."

A sudden flush of heat raced through his body.

The closest he'd felt to it previously had been his hungover shower in Kaleb's –

Kol's hand went over his mouth as the vomit appeared, lurching towards the nearest bin, just about managing to get it all in there. A few bits of food, but mainly just stinging red liquid. The blood he'd just drank instantly kicked out of his body, leaving a sour taste against his teeth.

Klaus was gripping his shoulder, staring at it in confusion.

Kol pushed his hand off and stood up.

Breathing in slowly, stomach less mad at him.

"Did you just," Klaus shifted, "Throw up blood?"

"No," Kol rolled his eyes, "I sang a song."

"You went to the spirit world," Elijah followed, "And something happened."

"Possibly."

Klaus was staring at him, shoulders tight.

"There's this stone the ancestors have – yes, the ancestors have their own weapons," He waved a hand, turning from the bin entirely, "It tears a spirit into nothing."

"And it was used on you?"

"Attempted," He was cautious in which details he revealed, "Didn't break the skin; therefore didn't complete the process."

"But it tears you apart?"

"A spirit," Kol dismissed, "It messes with the mind of a living witch – but I am a vampire."

"So it does what to you?" Elijah was the one asking the questions.

"Who knows," Kol admitted, "I feel a bit under the weather."

"Meaning?"

"Yesterday, my speed was not reliable," He summarised, "It may have not worked at all and caused me to fall into a wall, actually – but the specifics don't matter."

Elijah and Klaus shared a look.

"Then I threw up a few times. Clearly, I'm still recovering."

"You could not move faster than a mortal?" Klaus repeated.

"I stumbled."

"And you just threw up after drinking blood?"

"You can take another look," Kol motioned to the bin, "If you desire."

Klaus moved before Kol could react, snatching his ring off his finger at a speed Kol's eyes couldn't follow for the first time since he'd returned to his body.

"Klaus!" Kol went to rush to the shadows, but nothing happened.

His skin was stinging, but no spark was lighting.

"Nik," Kol growled, "Give it back."

"You're fine," Klaus gestured at him.

"I'm not," Kol held up his hand.

Skin cracking slowly.

"You should already be on fire," Elijah agreed, "Kol."

"It's ancestral meddling," Kol marched to Klaus, "But it failed."

"You threw up your source of life," Klaus lifted his arm back, staring at the ring, "Does Mira know?"

"Yes," He would update her, "And it was only when I chugged it – Laura!"

Finally snatching the piece of jewellery back, Klaus's eyes still lingering on it.

"She's gone to Mystic Falls because I am fine!"

Laura appeared, "Yes?"

"Can I have another?"

"Do you need another?"

"Yes."

"And potentially clear the bin," Elijah muttered, "He's sick."

Laura tilted her head, "Vampires can get sick?"

"When there's magic involved."

Laura cautiously pulled the knife back out, washed when she'd been gone, eyes jumping between them all as she filled another glass.

"It's not like I was hexed," Kol knew what that felt like, "It was a dark object – which is my forte – and something MJ has now bested multiple times."

He didn't want to seem weak.

Picking up the fresh glass from Laura.

Taking a cautious sip.

Ignoring how his instinct with blood was always to indulge and just sip...

His brother's eyes were on him.

"See," He lifted the glass slightly, "Just need to be gentle."

"Because you're sick," Elijah repeated.

"A little," He knew there was no point denying it, "But I'll heal."

Klaus returned to quizzing, "Seems like you had a busier day than us."

"MJ spoke to Cami – "

"So she'll take Camille's calls – "

"Did you listen to the voicemails you sent her?" Kol shut down, "Of course, she didn't call you your whining back."

Whining was downplaying it too.

"I, however, would like to help."

Klaus eyed him up.

"Aya isn't letting me near The Sisters," He reasoned, "Especially if Davina is now one of them."

Knowing they could probably plot something under her nose.

"Therefore, I should address my sire-ling."

Klaus rolled his eyes.

"We know I am quite talented at swooping White Oak out from under noses."

"Sometimes you have use," Klaus caved, "She's called me to the cemetery to discuss terms."

"Wonderfully morbid."

"I'd rather Mira helped – "

"She's already left."

"Now is not the time to be involving herself with – "

"Caroline's baby shower," Kol reminded him, "And even if she was here, she would be trying to save Davina. Not trying to get you a girlfriend."

"Cami and I – "

"Are putting all of us at risk because you can't get it together and just talk," Kol mocked, "It's not hard!"

"Because you're such an expert on my problems?"

"Being related to you for a thousand years would suggest that."

Elijah smiled, "Come now, Kol; you are well aware he cannot talk without a weapon present."           

"Or MJ."

"Some might suggest Mira qualifies as a weapon," Elijah's tone became intrigued, "She transported you both into the spirit world to find Davina?"

"I wasn't about to let her go in alone," Kol didn't like the topic change, "Even with her senses playing up, her magic was fixed by the ritual. Their gate makes for easy travel."

"Each day, she becomes more powerful."

"She's always been powerful."

"Obviously," Elijah knew that, "Perhaps I was simply thinking that recreating the stones would've made more of a difference."

"The Floare magic was holding her back," Kol shrugged, "Yes, she had a bigger store of magic, but she also had a cap on what she could do."

A painful and bug-filled cap.

"That cap is gone, and she's finally learning to use her full natural abilities."

"And she is as quick of a learner as ever."

Kol narrowed his eyes, "What are you trying to say, Elijah?"

"Simply making an observation," He put hands up, "Concerned what her absence might allow for."

"Come on!" Kol was exhausted, "We do not need her here."

Klaus raised a slightly judgemental eyebrow.

"We have been alive for a millennium without Mira," Kol clarified, "Honestly? We've gotten lazy."

He knew his girlfriend.

He could see the edge in her eye at the prospect of leaving.

Her parting message of 'New Orleans will be fine without me,' not her downplaying herself but a wish as they started to dip into Mystic Falls levels of dependency. Dependency that had not ended well. And dependency she was desperately trying to avoid letting control her – Jordan had given her whole steps to stop her from overcommitting to things.

"We are The Original Family – can we not clean up our own messes anymore?"

"Awe, Kol," Klaus patted his shoulder, "Lovely to see your faith in us."

"Go bark at your not-girlfriend."

"I thought you wanted to help?"

Kol grumbled.

Klaus grinned, "Come on."

"I need to feed Basil," Kol admitted, "One moment."

Vamping up the stairs, leaving Elijah amused that the pet was still thriving, then continuing the plan he'd formed the previous night with Maci, Hayley, and Pri.

~***~

Tyler picked MJ up from the airport, two pencils shoved in her hair, old jewellery broken out and added to keep the strands out of her face, two rings on her finger, a chain over the back of her hand like a reminder of reality. Her notebook was now filled with scribbles, trying to find a way to take Kol's theories about Marie's spell to make a new version.

"You're trying to create a witch-hybrid that isn't a siphoner?" Tyler asked, "Is that a good idea?"

"No idea yet."

"MJ," He glanced over from the steering wheel, "I'm gonna talk about this as if it's already possible. Because it's you. Which means it'll end up possible."

She laughed.

"If you pull that off – "

"I'd be breaking every natural rule."

"Not just that," He entered a back route into the town, "If siphoners are meant to be witch hybrids, what happens to you when a different way to make witch hybrids exists?"

MJ paused.

"Sorry to think that the universe is a bitch."

"But it is."

"And if you make an alternate way to this, I just have this feeling," Tyler shook his head, "It'll bite you in the ass."

MJ rested in her seat a little.

Tyler had taken the back route because there were a lot of blocked roads playing into the whole 'Mystic Falls' evacuation plan MJ was deliberately not asking about, meaning they were going from the forest directly towards the town centre before looping round to his house.

It was a weird skill that her brain still knew every route to the town centre.

"MJ?"

"Fair," She forced herself to talk, "Just..."

She wanted to see if it was possible.

"His face," MJ whispered, "We were in the spirit world, but Kol had magic back, and everything about him was just..."

"The cure exists."

"I don't want the cure," She let herself say it, "I want it all."

MJ had lived through so much.

"Do I not deserve to have immortality? And magic? And a boyfriend who I love, who doesn't have to sit there and watch me enjoy everything he ever wanted?"

"He loves you," Tyler reminder her, "He doesn't care."

"But I do," MJ had always been one for a challenge, "If I can give him this?"

"Focus on making sure that stone hadn't done any permanent damage first."

MJ knew what Tyler was doing.

He wouldn't tell her not to do something, and he clearly had faith in her to do it; he just worried about her. Reminding her to stay on task so she'd slow her roll and really think about what she was trying to do. Really, the easy way to get her forever and magic was to cure Kol, then cast the original immortality spell – but Qetsiyah's elixir to make that involved ingredients long extinct, so...

MJ could find substitutes?

"Look," Tyler slowed slightly, "If you can figure it out? Great. But it's based on the same spell as that hunter-dude? Who went insane."

"...Yeah."

"How many people will you have to kill to get it right for Kol?"

MJ hated the point.

"Two people, a vampire and witch, for the spell," He'd been paying close attention, "And each test subject to make sure you're not signing him up to that ending."

"I know," MJ agreed, "I just...I think there's a way."

There was always a way.

"Silas was an immortal witch. He existed. He was part of the natural universe – and he died, meaning there's a hole somewhere."

The same way the strange run-in's she'd had with ghosts could still be after-effects of The Other Side's destruction.

"Eventually, the universe will fill it," She reasoned, "The same way white oak kept growing."

Why she'd never destroyed her stake.

Which now felt pointless after learning there had been some more anyway.

...It was never bad to have a way to keep herself safe.

"Why can't Kol be the one to take that role?"

Whatever method that took.

"Curing him to cast the original immortality spell is risky. So much could go wrong in between each stage. For all I know, he'd also have to be given a reason to be immortal, like I might have to recreate The Other Side to bind it to him – I don't know."

It was a hole that would also need to be filled eventually.

"So this is the easier option."

"MJ," Tyler gave her a stern look, "No."

"Ty – "

"The same way you put your foot down when I started acting off – MJ," Tyler took her hand, "You are not murdering two plus people for one spell. A spell you don't need to do."

Her heart pulled slightly, "You're right."

He was.

"...I wouldn't pick innocent people..."

"MJ – "

"Okay!" She laughed, "I'll find a way that doesn't involve murder."

"You'll be thanking me for the reminder later."

Her skin itched at the line.

The realisation that she wasn't the one telling people not to potentially commit mass murder...

What had happened to her – she never would've picked innocent people, but Tyler was right. She'd spent her plan ride trying to rewrite the spell as a gift for her boyfriend without even processing how many people might die. How slippery the slope was –

"The hell?" MJ sat up straighter.

Tyler slowed to a stop as some traffic lights, looking around too, "Is it just me, or...?"

"This place looks like crap?"

They'd officially hit the centre of town, and while MJ knew things had changed, knowing and seeing were two different things. The streets were messy, and the life that usually radiated through the small town was nowhere in sight. No families on walks, teens ditching their classes, or even people working in the different shops and cafes. Just...a bitter taste in the air.

Boarded-up windows.

A sound in her ear.

"There are people," She listened closer, "A huddle of people."

Revving and cheers – goading men bumping shoulders with each other like they were in some primal ritual.

"About to race cars?"

Tyler gave her a look.

"Last time I checked the Vicki emails," She pulled her phone out, "Mystic Falls was still entirely off limits."

"Can I just say," Tyler was eyeing up the shadows, "You are doing remarkably well at staying out of this."

MJ winced, "It's hard."

It was.

"But I have bigger problems."

"Clearly."

"Just," She refreshed the inbox, "Part of me can't believe they genuinely thought trading the town would be a good idea."

Her ears nosed again.

"...If I win the town back right now – "

Tyler started driving before she could even try.

Speeding away as the cheers picked up, signalling their car race was about to start.

She gave him a look, "Running from a fight?"

"Stopping you from adding yourself to an unknown hitlist," Tyler rebutted, "What happened to research first, murder after?"

MJ pulled a face, "How are you my moral compass right now?"

"Because I've been you," He reminded her, "Hybrid power's a trip."

There had been at least twenty-five people in MJ's ears, and she hadn't even felt scared.

"And you've always been ridiculously good at murder plans."

She and Damon were at their best when they were plotting murder together.

"But we both know if I let you go down the Mystic Falls rabbit hole, you're incredibly long few months in New Orleans will somehow get longer as you try to be in both places simultaneously."

"I can technically be in two places at once – "

"MJ."

"Fine."

With the only other thing on the street literally being a car chase, Tyler darted around every turning, pulling into his drive with a screech. MJ starting to wonder if they should've just picked a dorm to crash in at Whitmore...but it was Tyler's House! They'd wanted a night back in it together, to get drunk and watch movies, and yet?

MJ straightened up again.

"You good?"

She exited the car, "Damon and Stefan are here."

"They are?" Tyler was just after her.

"Hell messes with you," Stefan spoke gently, "But post-hell is much worse."

MJ shoved the door open, "Why are you talking about hell?"

She went to step froward, only to be stopped by an invisible barrier.

Damon was chained to the staircase, "Sabrina?"

"You can come in," Tyler stepped past her, "You've got to be kidding me."

He took in the blood on Damon's shirt, the chains on the wall, and the guilty expression on Stefan's face.

"You guys know that this is still my house, right?"

"Tyler Lock-Woof," Damon perked up slightly, "And you're both back in town."

A teasing smirk at MJ.

"I must still be in hell."

"I repeat," MJ waved a finger, "Why are you guys talking about hell?"

"I didn't know you were back," Stefan looked between them, "Sorry."

"Caroline invited us to the baby shower," Tyler reminded him, "Though she failed to mention the part about Mystic Falls going to crap."

MJ pointed at him, agreeing, "Why was the plan 'evacuate' instead of 'removing the enemy?'"

"Thank you!" Damon cheered.

"We weren't sure how to kill Heretics," Stefan reasoned.

"Head or the heart," MJ mimed, "Or are you not the duo that helped me kill almost all of Klaus's first hybrid batch?"

The brothers looked at each other.

"Please tell me you guys clicked Heretic and Hybrid are synonymous terms."

"When you spell it out," Damon pulled a face, "We do sound stupid."

"Uh-huh!"

"But I wasn't here – bring it up with hero-hair who made the deal."

MJ looked at Stefan.

"I was trying to be cautious," He stressed, "Sorry for thinking they may be invincible after knowing you."

"Awe," MJ mock fluttered her eyes, "Still waiting for an explanation on the rest out there?"

"Oh, you know," Damon moved his head in a way only he could, "We had to evacuate. Scary Heretics. Fictional mining fires. Thought you'd been CC'd on the memo?"

"They're not talking about the evacuation, Damon," Stefan sighed.

"Please tell me you didn't manage to screw the whole town up again during my weekend trip to limbo?"

"That's the thing," Stefan sent MJ a half-glance, "You weren't gone for a weekend."

Damon stilled.

"You've been gone for weeks."

"Okay!" MJ clapped her hands together, "Limbo?"

First hell, then limbo?

"Why were you in limbo – and what limbo were you even in?" She waved her hands, "I was in limbo yesterday, and you were not there."

Stefan paused, "You were in limbo?"

"I was in the ancestral realm, then the Floare Gate."

"Yeah," Damon chuckled, "We're not talking about some witchy limbo."

"All limbo is witchy."

"Oh my god," Tyler rubbed his face, "I have not missed this."

"Back up," Stefan was pointing at her again, "Why were you in the ancestral realm?"

"Why were you in hell?" MJ couldn't help but drift closer, "Stefan."

Hands on his face, scanning his eyes.

There was a cloud in his mind.

She could still feel the magic of the vampirism, and his memories seemed to be in order, but something wasn't right.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," He assured her, "Just – visions masking reality."

MJ let her hands drop, "You should've called."

"You've been busy."

"Not too busy to save you from hell!"

"Does the same logic apply to me?" Damon perked up, "Do I get a pretty witch rescue."

He was batting his eyes.

"After everything – "

"Everyone gets a hell rescue," MJ rolled her eyes, "But I have to be told in order to rescue."

"I think we've been doing okay," Stefan tried, "You don't need to be worried – "

"We've been drowning," Damon cut him off, "And if you'd like to move back to town, I'd greatly appreciate it."

MJ grinned, "What was that?"

Damon glared at her.

"Not quite sure I heard you right?"

"Not repeating it," Damon rattled his chains, "Don't try and make me."

"Fine," MJ looked to Tyler, "Go to Whitmore instead?"

"Sabrina!"

"You want something?" She moved closer to where he hung, "Because if you want something, I think I'm gonna have to hear you say it again?"

"I hate," He hissed, "Not having you here."

MJ beamed, "I'll have mental easement charms ready for you this afternoon."

"Thank you," Stefan smiled at her softly, "But you don't have to do anything else."

"I'm aware," MJ winked, "Though..."

A twinge in her heart.

"...I'm sorry about your mum."

Caroline had mentioned that Lily had died trying to save them from her boyfriend.

Part of MJ had been waiting for Stefan to call.

But he hadn't yet – being in hell might explain that part.

"If you wanna talk about it?"

"We're good," Damon answered, a bad look in his eye, "Not the first funeral we had for her."

"And as someone who's watched the Mikaelsons lose their mother three-slash-four times now," MJ shook her head, "And who's lost her own mother twice."

Damon's eyes darted down.

"I might know where your mind's at."

"Already had closure, Sabrina," he dismissed.

"Really?" She called out, "And is it actually closure, or is it the four types of Mikaelson trauma?"

Stefan's lips twitched.

"Raging and revenge like Klaus, self-sacrifice and repressed emotions like Elijah and myself, emotional flip-flopping like Rebekah, or sleeping your way through a city like Kol."

"He cheated on you yet?"

"Nope."

"Ric'll be so disappointed."

MJ laughed, "Don't start that fight to get me off your back."

Damon pulled at his chains in annoyance.

"You said you missed me! You loser."

"Are you here to annoy me into sanity?" He complained.

"Quite possibly," MJ mused, turning to Stefan, "Hug?"

His arm opened so she could slide into his side.

"I'm sorry," She spoke quieter, just to him, "Anything you wanna talk about – "

"I know you're there," He squeezed that tiny bit tighter, "Sorry."

Holding like he might not let go.

"It was my idea to leave you out of it. And I was gonna call about Lily, but everything got..."

"As much as I appreciate people trying to make my life easier, I still like to be in the loop," MJ reminded him, "I'm always here for you."

Stefan smiled down at her, "I've missed you."

"You can always come visit," She stepped out of the hug, "Klaus would let you slide."

"Must be nice," Tyler snorted.

"Once things settle down, I'll consider it."

"Awe. How cute," Damon mocked, "Still in chains down here."

"Hard to forget," MJ lightly kicked his foot, then did a double take at Stefan, "Why are you here and not in Whitmore?"

He grimaced.

"Please don't tell me you're not going to the baby shower?"

"Caroline would rather I stop him from killing everyone."

"And handle your own demons," Damon called out, "If I'm like this from hell, so are you."

"How'd you end up in hell?" MJ checked.

"Phoenix Stone on the end of the sword."

"Oh," She paused, "Not real hell, then."

The vampires glanced at her.

"Real hell is the pit The Other Side spirits got sucked into," MJ reminded them, "You were in a Native American Witch Stone."

"Real-Hell, Stone-Hell," Damon whined, "Either way, it tormented us."

"Which sucks," MJ agreed, "But does raise the question of if it counts as an afterlife."

Tyler put his hands on her shoulder, "You are not trying to go there– nu-uh, no Floare gate trip – "

"But – "

"MJ!"

"Fine," She was only joking, "But you don't actually know what I was thinking."

"Yes! I do!"

"Any chance you two could have this debate somewhere else," Damon swung his arms slightly, "I'd quite like to be unchained, and I have a feeling my brother won't be doing that until the human heartbeat's out of earshot."

Stefan gave MJ an apologetic look.

"Look," She rifled through her bag, "As a starting point."

Tossing him two potions.

"I'll make some more later," She promised, "For now, enjoy."

One last look at Stefan.

"Make the baby shower."

"Caroline told me to be here."

"Yeah," MJ nodded slowly, "And as someone that knows Caroline very well – show up for her."

If Tyler could break the sire bond in time to get to the decade dance and made it back for Prom despite Klaus trying to kill him, Stefan could spare five minutes.

"Proper catch-up another time."

Ushering out the door, she and Ty shared a look.

His bored expression said it all.

"I'm right, right?" MJ spoke as the door shut, "Caroline doesn't mean her 'don't show?'"

"How would I know?"

She arched her eyebrow.

He caved, "You're right."

She grinned.

"Don't look like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you think you know something."

"The only way I could know something was if there was something to know."

"Me and Care are in a good place," He decided, "Isn't platonic friendship your whole pitch?"

She just laughed, climbing back into the car.

"MJ."

"I love platonic friendship," She agreed, "And I'm happy you guys are back to a good place."

Tyler looked up thoughtfully, "How many people do you think are gonna be at this thing?"

"No clue – why?"

"Wanna bring back event bingo?"

"Oh my god, yes."

"Though," He pulled a face, "Guess we're gonna have to change the 'Elena gets kidnapped' box."

"Someone gets kidnapped."

He snorted, "We're awful people."

"Hopefully, neither of us gets that one."

~***~

At the Davilla Estate, a room was filled with people. The Sisters were working in their greenhouse-like space while a collection of the higher-ranking Strix stood in a large circle upstairs. Aya didn't want everyone involved, just people with power – Marcel making the cut.

There were all talking lowly, waiting for Aya to begin, when an arrival caused a silence.

Pria Yadav stepped into the room.

Aya almost smiled, holding back a laugh and raising an eyebrow.

"What?" Pri walked forward, "Am I not in the club anymore?"

"After what you did – "

"You left Tristan in that box, too," She retorted, "We're all on the same level."

"The rest of us didn't go into hiding following it."

"Hiding?" Pri played off, "That would imply I'm scared of you."

Marcel was shaking his head slightly.

"I simply wanted an extended bender."

Neither woman was blinking as she reached the front row of people.

"Celebrating the death of my tormentor."

"You must be scared of something to come back."

"Hard to miss the mess going on," Pri reasoned, "You left Maci a note about your little meeting."

A shift went through the room at that reveal.

"She's sent me as a white flag," Her arms come out, "You need people on your side."

That was clear.

The people invited to her update were all leaders of areas.

Leaders who would bend to Aya's will, anyway.

"Tristan wanted me to mess with Maci – sure. But he also wanted me for New York's resources," Pri understood the weight of her crown, "I can leave if you're happy to lose that."

One of the most prominent vampire congregations in the country.

Witch, wolves, and rare supernatural all aligned with them.

Answering to her, not Maci.

"But we all want the same thing, right?"

"Good to see Maci understands," Aya clearly didn't believe that, "And yes."

The word cut through the air.

"We do."

Pri rested against a wall.

"My witches have made a discovery," Aya began, "Whatever it was, Elijah wants it to remain hidden."

Pri and Marcel pretended to look surprised.

"We can only assume a weapon is at play and that all of our lives are at risk," She looked each vampire in the eye, "We will not rest until that weapon is under our control."

Before anything else could be said, Elijah barged in.

"Hello, everyone!" He sounded far too chipped, "Wonderful to see you all."

The woman in the centre simply glared at him.

"Aya, don't we look so very comfortable indeed," He mocked, "Leading Tristan's little circus."

Each step he took was made to circle her.

"Sadly, one does not simply ascend to the position of leader," Elijah spoke too quickly to follow, "It has to be by my consent."

Pri tried not to roll her eyes.

"You see, I am the maker," He lifted an arm, "The creator."

"The founding father?" She interrupted the flow, "I think we all got the memo."

Elijah's lips twitched, "I am the one who chooses the leader here."

Aya's glare turned on Pri.

"And, fortunately for every last one of you, I have an excellent candidate in mind."

He stood before Aya, forcing her to look at him instead.

"See," He leant in closed, "Today is the day I take back what is mine."

Turning to everyone else.

"Do I hear any objections?"

No one responded.

"So," His smile returned, "Ladies and gentlemen, the offer I extend to you is simple enough. You follow me; I shall return you all to greatness."

Marcel scoffed, "You're just gonna come in here and start making demands?"

"Shh, shh, shh. Marcel," Elijah rolled his eyes at him, "The grown-ups are talking."

He tried to snap back, but Elijah just kept going.

"Aya, how long has it been," He pulled a black scroll holder from his jacket, "Eight, nine hundred years since you last saw this?"

Aya once again turned on Pri, "Not since Maci stole it."

"The fact you have a charter is nerd-behaviour," The young vampire shrugged, "And having it stolen? Kinda says you're not good at your job."

"Indeed," Elijah agreed, "For the uninitiated – The Charter of The Strix was written by...oh yes!"

Pointing it's top to his chest.

"Me!"

Pulling the actual scroll out of the container.

"And, it says here," He was enjoying himself, "It shall be my duty to uphold the tenants of the charter...dah-dah, dah-dah, dah... Oh, this is important!"

Pri hated that she was warming up to him.

"'In the absence of a worthy leader, the charter shall be invoked, and complete dominion shall be restored to...'"

A gleaming smile at them all, blowing the dust off the page as if he needed to double-check the wording.

"Elijah Mikaelson."

Aya wasn't even bothering with him, growling at Pri like it was all some scheme she'd cooked up. And, yes, she'd played a part in it by telling Elijah and Maci about the self-imposed leadership of Aya, but it wasn't like she'd been alone in it.

Marcel's performance in the corner definitely gained him favour.

"Maci wishes for a white flag, does she?" Aya listed, "Under management, she selects, it seems."

"If you have a problem with it," Pri spoke nonchalantly, "Why don't you just invoke the rite of Ludum Regale?"

A few odd looks were exchanged, Aya straightening up at her knowledge.

"Having a charter might be nerd-behaviour," She repeated, "But, at my heart, I am, in fact, sadly a nerd."

Pri nodded sincerely.

"Had a great read of the doc."

It wasn't even a lie, reading through the scroll the previous evening was like a drug hit for her.

"If you're not going to," Pri stepped up to Elijah, "I will. I invoke Ludum Regale."

"I'm sorry," Marcel interrupted, "Does someone want to explain what the hell that is?"

Aya was looking between all three of them curiously.

"Game of Kings," Elijah smirked at Pri, "Pria. You do not wish to engage in this."

"You don't get to tell me what to do."

"Spoken like a true child."

"It's my best Mikaelson impersonation."

"Regardless, it is not a fight worth having."

"If she does not invoke it," Aya seemed to gain confidence, "She's right. I will."

Elijah sighed like they all exhausted him.

"You cannot invoke one element of the charter and disregard the rest. As it happens," She stood too close to Elijah, "I don't just know the rules because I read them."

Sending a damning look at Pri.

"I know them," She lifted her nose, "Because I helped you write them."

Pri looked like she might throw up, "I miss my girlfriend."

"If our leadership is in doubt and politics proves divisive," Aya explained to the rest of the room, "A contest of strength and cunning shall determine the line of succession."

Marcel perked up at the wording.

"So, I challenge you to a duel," Aya looked at Pri, "Unless you still think you stand a chance?"

Pri's hands came up slowly, "I don't want to be in the middle of whatever masochistic flirting you two think you're doing."

Backing out the fight should've been a red flag.

"Have your weird straight-people fight."

Aya rolled her eyes at the phrasing, "Good to see you've finally learnt your place."

"Blah-blah, can we get on with this?"

"Whoever holds the charter at the stroke of midnight," Aya smiled, "Shall be the new leader of The Strix."

Elijah seemed surprised, "You would choose strength over cunning?"

"Do you accept?" She walked towards him.

Downstairs, a rush of wind passed through the building.

Davina was sitting alone in the greenhouse. After trying all morning, The Sisters hadn't gotten Ariane's spirit to respond to them. No sign of what she'd seen. Nothing other than the sentences she'd spoken to Elijah that he'd been able to figure out.

She was alone as they were all meant to be resting up for another round.

Only Davina wasn't resting.

She was working on a time limit, needing to figure out what was going on or get herself unlinked before MJ was forced to do something out of fear for her. Forcing herself not to care about the two witches who'd headed through a door to a basement further in the room. To consecrate Ariane, see the flash of images but not instantly investigate herself.

Setting up candles and incense sticks, pouches of ingredients ready to be mixed together near the body.

Then she felt the air move too, stilling.

"You'd think I'd be used to sights like this," Sam was staring at the body, "At least it's relatively neat?"

No bones crushed of patches of strange bruising – just a clear and drained bite mark.

Davina rushed to her feet, "You can't be here."

"If I can get in, I can get out," He reasoned, "Think you could risk bolting with me?"

Davina almost smiled, "Have a feeling the whole 'magic link' thing might not be happy about that."

Sam bit his lip slightly, looking at her.

"Sam," Her head shook, "You shouldn't just be here."

"I know," He stepped closer, "But we might have a way to get you out of this."

Davina hesitated, "I said I'd deal with it – "

"We didn't go looking!" He promised, "I say 'we.' Clio appeared and dragged MJ into a shadow."

The witch paused again.

"Had a suggestion."

"Clio's interested in helping me," Davina didn't sound convinced, "Isn't she meant to be focused on finding what went wrong with MJ's ritual?"

"She seems to have an ulterior motive with you," Sam glanced around.

The last time he'd been inside, he'd been incredibly drunk, and while he could remember it all, he didn't remember a greenhouse. No decorations or wait staff, or people dancing on stages. Just a massive greenhouse with a pond of water in the middle and a door to a basement on the side.

Something tugging in the back of his ear.

"Hey," Davina softened her tone, "You good?"

"Yeah," His head snapped back to her.

"You sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You, um," She pulled on her bracelet, "Just...you tensed weirdly."

He wanted to laugh at the phrasing, "Yeah?"

"Sam," Davina scolded, "You need to go – so – "

"Hurry up," He nodded, "Remember when Clio interrupted the ritual that would've freed her people's magic from MJ just because Klaus threatened to kill you?"

"Hard to forget."

"Didn't you find it weird?"

"A little," She admitted.

"I don't remember what happened," He'd seen ghosts, "But why did Klaus suddenly target you?"

"He thought Clio would protect the Regent."

"But she has no reason to."

Davina processed that, "So he did it for fun? It is Klaus."

"Clio thinks you should enter a Pethane coma."

She straightened up.

"MJ says she's mentioned it to you before?"

"How non-Floare can become Floare?"

"Yeah," Sam started to hear something, "Not like, fully become one. But the ritual strips you of all magical ties."

"Meaning it would break The Sister's link to me."

He nodded.

"But..." She shook her head, "How does that even work?"

"From what MJ said," Sam tried to pick the right words, "You wouldn't just be a Floare suddenly. You'd enter a coma. At some point, you'd wake up. Some other point, if you're still alive or still have magic, you'll be forced to join them for some unknown amount of time, and after that, you'd be a Floare."

"So I'd just enter this state and be free," Davina followed, "But I could lose the rest of my life to serving the path Clio's on at any second."

"Hence why we didn't send her straight to you."

Silence.

"I just..." Sam rubbed his neck, "I thought you needed to know."

Her head slowly nodded.

"There's also no guarantee you'd wake up soon," He rambled, "You could be in this ritual for years."

Davina's eyes started to blink rapidly.

"You deserved to know your options," He stressed, "But you don't have to take it."

"Do you think I should?"

"I don't think anyone, but you should get a vote."

"But I care about what you think," She met his look, "Sam – I...please tell me what you think. I promise I'll listen this time – "

"Hey," He vamped closer, taking her hand, "Breathe."

"It's fine," She promised him, "I'm fine."

He let himself nod, squeezing the hand tighter.

"Nothing weird's happened with the link since I got here. We just sit around doing spells, trying to figure out what made Elijah kill Ariane."

Sam looked at the body again solemnly.

"Now tell me if you think trusting Clio would be worth it?"

"I'd hate to think I might not see you for a century," He closed his eyes slowly, "I'd hate to think you were stuck in a second ancestral limbo."

Her eyebrows lifted at the comment.

"Because you need to remember that, Vina. It might be just like The Harvest," He took another half-step closer, "And I don't want you trying it out because you feel guilty."

Her head dropped slightly.

"You don't deserve to be trapped anywhere like that ever again."

"So you don't think I should?"

"I think it seems like a perfect way out," He contradicted, "But we also need to work out why MJ's magic is suddenly playing up before we let you walk into a Floare ritual too."

"Sam," She tiled her head, "You're thinking too much about me."

His eyes opened, "I wonder why."

"I thought," Her heart fluttered slightly, "We were just having fun?"

"I care about you, Vina," He reminded her, "I think it would be a great way out. But you need to talk to Clio about it before signing up."

She nodded, "Could you contact her for me?"

"I'll try," He agreed, "Until then."

He let go of her hand to pull a bag of pop tarts from his pocket.

"I miss eating dinner with you."

She felt her cheeks flush.

"And if you think, for even a second," He pointed, "That Elijah's gonna move at you the way he moved at her?"

Shaking his head at the body.

"I will scream so loud," She put two hands forward, "You won't be able to miss it."

"And Marcel and I will be competing in who gets to kick his ass for it."

Her feet moved quickly, pressing a quick but nervous kiss to his cheek.

Sam actually managed a smile despite the topic of the conversation.

Smiling, then looking around the room again.

"There's something not right in here."

"There's a lot not right in here," Davina clicked her teeth, "She's been dead a day. She shouldn't just be left out like this."

"Not that," Sam walked past the body, looking at the pool, "Something doesn't smell right."

Davina moved to the other side of the pond, watching how he slowly turned in a circle, sniffing the air, eyes flicking yellow. Trying not to be nervous. They were in a good place. He hadn't seemed out of control since that night at MJ's old apartment.

"Sorry," He clocked her heart jump, "I just – "

"Do what you have to do," She assured him, "I'm being weird."

"Something happened in here," He shook his head, "It's like...death. But not death?"

"Like vampires?"

"Maybe," He admitted, "But it's not just vampire – like, for a second, I swear I smelt a wolf..."

He hesitated.

"Um, Davina."

"Yeah?"

"Maci and Pri told MJ that The Strix had been working on making their own hybrids."

Davina's eyes widened.

"Yeah," He cleared his throat, "Pretty sure that's what I'm smelling."

"I haven't seen any wolves."

"If you do," He wasn't blinking, "Run."

"Sam – "

"Davina," He spoke sternly, "If they try to drag you into that?"

"I think I can handle a hybrid."

"Davina."

She really looked at him.

"That forest massacre on the news? That was one of their failures," He stressed, "MJ's met unsuccessful hybrids before, and they're literally rabid."

"...I'll run."

"Thank you."

"What does Klaus think about them trying to make hybrids without him?"

"Pretty sure no one's told him yet."

Davina nodded in understanding.

Then, she was hit by a different thought.

"How are they even doing it?"

"Not sure," He shifted, "Pri and me have been talking."

She shifted awkwardly.

"Maci told MJ but didn't give much context 'cos it was the day Jackson died."

"Surely they'd need wolves."

Sam's expression darkened.

He smelt the air again.

Like he was begging to be hit with the familiar scent of his people somewhere in the house, ready to be freed. Not murdered by Levi Ajan or the mortal hunters or lost to the wind through the months under the curse but secretly kept somewhere. Alive. Waiting for them. But nothing he knew...

"Esther was able to find people," Davina remembered, "Far and wide."

"I'm gonna get the wolves to make a log," He decided, "We need specific numbers of who's in the city and where the people who left actually went."

He suddenly stilled too.

"Oh my god."

"What?"

"The wolf hexed and working for Levi."

"What about him?"

"He said Levi kept his sister. Klaus and Kol were convinced Levi was using his grief. Lying."

"And you guys never found anyone?"

"We didn't," He pulled out his phone, "But Pri is convinced the guy was working for Lucien."

"And if there aren't any wolves being kept here – "

"Bet he might have somewhere else for them," He was dialling, "Vina, I'm so sorry – "

"Go," She assured him, "Get your list of people. See if there's any chance this sister is still alive."

Sam halted at the door, looking at her again, "I'll get Clio to talk to you."

"Thank you."

"Whatever you decide," His tone became nervous, "I've got your back."

She nodded.

Sam quickly reappeared in front of her, kissing her sweetly before vanishing back the way he'd come, footsteps of someone coming towards them clear in his ears. Davina just looked back at her ingredients and the body. She needed to seem on their side until she could find a way to talk to Clio.

~***~

When MJ arrived in Whitmore, everything was set up and ready to go, alcohol served in baby bottles, pale pink, blue, and yellow bunting around the room, and tables of games she hoped to never see again. Sometimes, MJ regretted not throwing Hayley a baby shower, only doing a small gift-giving evening, but now?

Hayley would've hated it.

And it was somewhat freaking MJ out.

Why were there shot glasses designed to look like baby things?

What kink was that?

Why was the colour pallet so 'baby'? – and that came from a person who loved baby blue and yellow. Just – why was it everywhere? Why were they there? Why was Caroline pregnant –

Breathe.

MJ's nose scrunched up as she started counting faces, the group somewhat intimate since not too many people would understand why Caroline and Ric had a baby shower together. And since most of their High School friends no longer lived in the area. Caroline had made a few college friends who wouldn't necessarily know Ric had been their high school teacher...

"MJ!" Caroline tackled her in a hug.

"Care!" MJ had missed Caroline's hugs, swaying her left and right, "Oh my god!"

She stepped back, hand hovering over her belly.

"You're like – pregnant-pregnant."

"Careful," Caroline teased, "Don't want any witchy-woo signals – "

MJ's eyes shut, breathing in deeply in shock.

"...MJ..."

Ty curled his lips in watching them.

"MJ?"

Her eyes opened, "Care..."

"What?" Caroline starked up, "What did you sense?"

"Nothing," MJ broke into a smile, "But happy little lifeforms."

"Baby girls," Caroline smacked her arm lightly, "They're little girls."

"Little lifeforms."

Tyler laughed, "I thought you liked kids."

"I do," She looped her arm with Caroline's, "But I also love calling them terms of endearment."

"Is lifeform endearing?" Ric came towards them with drinks, "Welcome back."

"Yeah, no," MJ put a hand up, "I'm not drinking anything from that."

Caroline frowned, "Why not?"

"It's a baby bottle."

"They're cute."

"Care – "

"For me," Her puppy eyes were extra emotive.

"Damn those hormones."

"Hey!"

"Fine!" MJ took the bottle.

"Drink it," Caroline instructed.

MJ sipped deeply, slowly starting to smile.

It felt wrong to suck on a bottle to get vodka orange, but at least Ric knows how to fill a drink properly. Falling into his side for another hug. Less long. Less tight. Both avoiding each other's looks. Him glancing about like he thought she might've hidden Kol behind a lamp.

"The things I do for you," She finished, kissing Care's cheek, "Tut, tut."

"Be grateful you have the alcohol to make it easier."

Tyler laughed, "True that."

He popped the lid off his and chugged back.

"Driver's limit," MJ reminded him, "You don't have a healing factor – "

"Do too!"

"A werewolf one!"

"Meaning I'll be fine," He winked, making Caroline smile.

"Missed you," Ric rubbed her arm.

"Feeling's mutual," MJ drifted closer to him, "I'll scold you for playing with resurrection without me later."

They weren't perfect, but they were working on it.

Something in her felt settled when they were on good terms, but her conversation with Kol replayed. New Orleans was somewhat on fire, and MJ had to leave it because peace might end in Mystic Falls if she didn't. Not because Ric would actually say or do anything, but because she'd know what he'd be thinking and who he'd be blaming, and she'd want to defend Kol, and they'd argue and make up  - and even if they'd made up, and even if Ric would apologise, it just...wasn't worth it.

MJ liked to think she was doing better but thinking about it?

She was hiding so many small things from Klaus.

She was sublimating Ric.

It was just...all starting to become a little too messy.

"All over now, though?"

"Yeah," He promised her, "Just focusing on the babies."

"Good," MJ smiled, pecking his cheek, "...If there was a way – "

"MJ," Tyler pointed his empty bottle at her, "What were we just talking about?"

"Yeah, yeah," She droned, "Just because I can change nature doesn't mean I should."

If she'd forced herself to not fall into the resurrection hole for Jackson, she couldn't fall into it in Mystic Falls either.

She was making progress!

She was following Jordan's list of tips for letting go!

"Why were you taking about changing nature?" Ric raised an eyebrow, "Something happen?"

"Just getting a bit power-trippy," She admitted, "Some people have showed up trying to make a hybrid without Klaus."

Caroline tilted her head in confusion.

"They seem to be doing it wrong."

Based on how rabid the results were, all killing themselves.

"I think I could probably figure it out."

Ric shifted, "Are you going to?"

"No," She half-lied, "More...you guys know how I get when I theorise."

He smiled in familiarity.

"Tyler's reminding me that it's not worth it."

"Klaus is okay with people doing that?" Caroline nervously asked.

"He does not know yet," She revealed, Tyler shooting her a look, "A lot's going on."

A dismissive hand wave.

"We're doing a divide and conquer method – it's Elijah's side of the world."

"And the other bit?" Tyler prompted.

MJ raised an eyebrow at him.

"Some old vamp is offering her a deal to break the sire line."

They all stilled.

MJ gave him a fake smile, "Dude."

"What? "He played innocent, "I think it's fair for them to know."

Caroline looked at her curiously.

"Just because it doesn't affect me any more doesn't mean it's not still on the back of my mind."

Many people in his life had died, and if anything happened to the Mikaelsons, a lot more would.

MJ's eyes lingered on Caroline's stomach.

The two babies were about to have a vampire mother who could have died if Dahlia's white oak ash had lasted a little longer. New white oak on the loose. With Cami, so safe – but still. Out there. For months, and none of them had even known about it...

"And I think it's good to hear different opinions."

"Since The Mikaelsons won't want you breaking it," Ric followed.

Silence.

He breathed in, "Look."

MJ prepared for the worst.

"Let's ban talking about this stuff," He surprised her, "You've probably had a million people yelling their opinions in your ear."

A half-dig.

"This is a baby shower."

"Caroline!" Someone from the college had arrived with a gift.

"Be back shortly," Caroline rubbed her arm and headed over.

"Ty! MJ!" Matt was coming towards them, "Thank god."

Another hug.

Hugs were getting MJ through her thoughts.

"Missing us?"

"You have no idea," He was shaking his head.

"The car racers in the city centre?" MJ prompted.

"Nope," Ric scolded them, "No vampire talk at my baby shower."

"Later," Matt promised her.

"You excited?" MJ asked Ric, "Done all the recommended reading?"

"You have no idea."

"God," Ty pulled a face, really looking at Caroline talking to people, "You guys are about to have a kid."

"Caroline's about to have Jo and my's kid," Ric reminded him.

"Still," He pushed his hair back, "I thought I was finally getting my shit together, and she's about to be a mum."

"Friendly reminder," MJ shut that down, "We're twenty-one."

"To legally drinking," Matt agreed, "And not having kids yet."

"And life isn't a race," MJ continued, "It's long."

"Says the vampire," Ty teased her.

"Says the person who's gonna be making damn sure you all live long ones."

"And," Ric lifted his drink, "Who played a massive role in making sure we all got to this point."

MJ's heart eased.

"To being alive," He toasted.

"To living well," MJ clicked her bottle and downed the rest of her drink, "You got champagne knocking around anywhere?"

"Probably."

"Mimosas?"

"Mimosas," Ric nodded.

"I'll grab 'em," Ty offered, "I've already had my catch-up quizzing."

He took the bottles to get them refilled, Matt winking at MJ and then going with him, taking the hint.

Ric leaned on a table behind them and tried for a smile, "How have you been?"

"So busy," MJ wasn't gonna lie.

"The magic's all gone," He looked at her cautiously, "Just you again."

"It's nice," MJ promised him, "No sudden desperation to steal it all back. Promise."

He relaxed slightly, "Not that I doubted you – "

"Given my family history," Her hands lifted, "Good to check."

"How's it all then?" He half-repeated, "Able to do all your old spells again?"

"Yeah," She beamed, "Been pretty cool. Though..."

Did she tell him?

"There's been a few problems."

"Like?"

"Kol thinks we might've found the next big flaw of being a Floare-Heretic."

"Okay?"

"You know that potion I got from the New York crowd? That, like, cemented me in the circuit and protects my head during big spells?"

"Vaguely."

"I've started having weird dreams and seeing ghosts again."

He stilled.

"Nothing too bad," She promised, "Just a bit of a trip."

"And that connects to the potion?"

"It's designed for the living, against the dead."

He clicked, "But you are technically the living and the dead."

She nodded.

"Can you make a version?"

"If I get five minutes to breathe, yeah."

"Make it now," He shook his head, "If this is your only free time – "

"Ric," She stopped, "I'm here to have a good time and support you. And Care. And I can make it tonight."

"Promise me?"

"I'll make it tonight," She giggled a little, "Promise."

"Good," He smiled as Tyler returned with drinks, "And...um..."

MJ raised an eyebrow.

"How's your dad?"

She shifted a little, "He's adapting really well."

There was something funny about thinking of her dad spraying Levi Ajan with a water gun of vervain.

"Seeing him and Kol in the same room kinda breaks my brain, but – "

A half glance to check for a negative reaction, but Ric didn't flinch.

"We're all getting there."

Matt looked at a nearby table curiously, "Why are there baby dolls?"

"It's one of the games," Ric revealed, "Blindfolded nappy changing."

Tyler gagged, "Oh my god."

"New challenge?" MJ grinned, "Since we don't have the athletics track anymore."

He matched her expression, "You are so on."

"Timer?" MJ asked Matt, "You in."

"In," He pointed, "We were all on the top end of the internal comp."

Ric smiled at the three rushing to the table, "Care to let the teacher crash?"

"If you're willing to lose."

~***~

Klaus was carrying a briefcase, and Kol wasn't questioning it. There were probably a few dark objects inside, or some trap, to play into Cami's hands without having to cave to her will. Something Kol found quite...funny? Cami had been a vampire for a short time, but she'd learnt the game quickly. And she seemed to be playing it well if Klaus was this bent out of shape.

The brothers arrived at the Cemetery, Vincent leaning against a tomb.

"Ah," Klaus marched faster, "I should have known Camille would seek powerful fools to aid in her futile gambit."

Kol felt an odd shiver the closer they got to the man.

"As I send you off to your ancestors, do remember that this is her fault – "

"Nik – "

The hybrid lunged, Kol grabbing his wrist just in time to stop him from colliding with an invisible barrier.

Their eyes jumped down.

A salt line created a boundary spell strong enough to keep them out.

"Thought you would've learnt to look before you stab," Kol inspected the line, "You're welcome."

Something was making his ears twitch.

"Let me guess," He focused on Vin, "We slide the objects across, and Cami slides the figurine."

"Good to know I wasn't the only one hoping for a simple trade," Vincent nodded, "But seeing as how everything you took can't possibly fit in that briefcase."

Eyeing up Klaus's hand tense.

"I'm gonna go ahead and assume that 'simple' ain't exactly your style."

"Why don't you take down this barrier?" Klaus got as close as he could to it, "I'll show you precisely what my style entails."

For a moment, Vincent held the glare as Kol straightened up. Listening out. There was an odd whistling in his ears, rising in volume the longer Klaus and Vincent stood in their stalemate.

Only for Cami to finally join them.

"Seriously?" Her expression was flat, "I have an ancient, mystical weapon of doom, and instead of agreeing to my very fair trade, you're making threats?"

"There she is!" Klaus stepped back, "Traitor to my family. Thief of that which is mine."

"Don't be dramatic."

Kol laughed, "What did you expect him to be?"

"I expected him to be brave enough to come alone rather than rely on your face to scare me."

"You're scared of me?" His hand rose to point at her teasingly, "Intriguing."

"You're my sire," Cami's tone was still dry, "I have a weapon that would cost both of us our lives."

"Ah," Kol nodded, "So my habits have nothing to do with it. Just your self-preservation."

His lips twitched.

"I thought you didn't fear death?"

Cami's expression somehow became dryer.

"Or is it the guilt?" He dropped the joking finger, "Since you're only mad at him. And seeing me reminds you that the little trinket you nicked risks all of us?"

Silence.

"You're smarter than this, Cami."

"I'm smart enough," Her eyes moved between the brothers, "To know this was the only way to get the reaction I wanted."

"A rather particular reaction," Klaus growled, "One usually reserved for enemies."

He returned to looming at the barrier, lowering his tone.

"And here, I thought we were intimates."

"We are."

Kol groaned back loudly.

"But relationships are built on trust and equality, and we don't have either if you're confiscating my stuff."

"And so your response is to steal what's mine in an attempt to bend my will to yours?"

"I just want back what you took," She gestured to his briefcase, "That's, like, a third of them?"

Kol pulled a face.

"Would you like a third of the white oak?"

Klaus's expression turned stunned, "Are you really going to do this?"

Cami swallowed slowly, unable to look away from him.

"Christ's sake," Kol huffed,  "Just snog and get over yourselves."

Vincent tried not to smile when both parties turned their anger on him at the declaration.

"You both don't like feeling unsafe!" His hands came out, "That's all this is."

Cami stretched her neck up.

"Make it about stealing and control all you want," He lamented, "But if you actually just talked about what you're feeling, you'd probably find the middle ground."

"I'm communicating clearly," She crossed her arms, "He's just refusing to listen."

"I am listening fine," Klaus growled, "I am just refusing to bend to the will of an overzealous mad-woman."

Cami's nostrils flared.

"There we go, brother," Kol put hands on his shoulders, "Call a woman crazy. Notorious method to get them to calm down."

"Get off the 'I-Have-A-Girlfriend-Now' high-horse, Kol," Klaus seemed ready to gut him, "This is about life and death."

"This is about getting murdered," He corrected dully, "She got murdered. She wants protection. Instead of protecting her, you took her protection. Now she's showing you what that feels like."

Silence.

Vincent chuckled, "How is the guy who stole someone's body the one talking sense here?"

"I've always been the savvy one in the family," Kol nodded enthusiastically, "It's why they all hate me."

"We hate you because you're a brat."

"'We hate you because you're a brat,'" Kol mimicked, "I'm not the one who started – "

"The two lovebirds clearly need to squabble this out," Vincent kept to the topic, "We should leave them to it."

Kol disagreed.

"But y'all want my advice?"

Cami and Klaus.

"Best to finish this before someone finds out what she took."

As he left, the half-couple glared at each other, though their expressions twitched in confliction.

"Look," Kol tried to speed things up, "I will kill Aurora if that is what you need."

Klaus's shoulders tensed a little, turning to start pacing.

"Just have an actual conversation with us about it."

"I want the dark objects."

Kol patience thinned.

"This is between us. You can leave."

"If you're talking about dark objects, I am automatically involved," He shut down, something turning in his stomach, "And if you're talking about white oak?"

His fingers twitched.

"You know?" His brain trying not to get mad, "The thing that killed me?"

Klaus stilled slightly to look at his posture.

"Yes. This involves me."

Inside his head, Kol wasn't sure which thing made him madder. Her repeatedly calling his creations hers, knowing she was playing with something so deadly to him specifically or that it was Cami doing it all. Someone he had grown to care about. Someone he actually quite liked knowing was his first sire – his blood turning her into the person they were dealing with...

"I think you need to calm down," Cami stood her ground, "Count to ten."

Klaus started to growl behind him.

"Focus on your breathing."

"Is this amusing to you," Klaus returned to Kol's side, "Endangering my family?"

"Am I laughing?" Cami shot down, "I want to put this all behind us."

"Then give us the white oak," Kol stretched his fingers down, "And come back to The Compound."

Feeling the wind move between the digits in a way that made hairs stand on his neck.

"Cami – "

"I'm not just going to back down!"

"You," Klaus shook his head, "Of all people, know what I am capable of."

She breathed in sharply.

"And yet you seem determined to incur my wrath," He turned to Kol, "Perhaps blood does give our sires some of our traits."

"I at least had flair," He glowered.

"Sorry, am I not making my hand-over of a deadly weapon fun enough for you?"

Klaus gritted his teeth, "We are only going to ask one last time – "

"Give me the white oak stake?" Cami mimicked, "My answer is; Happily!"

The brothers rolled their eyes.

"As soon as you stop screwing around and give me back what is mine."

"What is mine!" Kol snapped.

His anger made her hesitate.

"They exist because of me."

"You left them loose through the city to cause havoc – "

"I was stabbed in the chest and thrown in the basement!"

Cami's eyes jumped to the floor.

"And the witches were locked in a madhouse by him," Kol stepped forward, "Your family can claim collecting them was out of civic duty, but when it comes to humans, that is never the case."

"What is it then?"

"The quest for power – the same one you're on now," He leant closer, "The desire for the unknown and enchanted. To keep them from the real owners."

Also, what she'd unintentionally been doing since his revival.

"But, here's the thing, Cami!" He could feel a rush in his blood, "They're not true power."

Cami was staring at the floor.

"They are an imitation in my desperate attempt to reconnect with what was once rightfully mine – and they never reached the same level."

Why he'd had to keep making them.

Why he'd always been searching for bigger diamonds.

Stronger witches.

"They are toys. Not because they are fun, but because they are not the real thing," Kol hated admitting it, "Any of these vampires can still move faster. Rip your head off before you can activate them. And, ultimately, you will end up dead."

Neither party spoke after him.

Causing Kol to hesitate.

Klaus was also looking at the floor, causing Kol to look down too.

His foot was on the salt line.

Klaus took a cautious step forward, Cami's eyes widening in panic, only for him to still be kept behind it.

Kol tried to take another step.

Passing forward, only for his shoulders to twitch back like someone was clawing into them, in the non-enjoyable way, head dipping back too to cry out. Rushing back to the side of safety. Leaving them all bewildered about what spell Vincent had cast, Kol and Klaus shared a somewhat telling look.

Silently talking.

Klaus stressing that something was clearly wrong, and Kol not in the mood to deal with it until they had the white oak back. And until his friend was willing to have a proper conversation with him again. Because each second was proving, that was the thing really sending his emotions into a spiral.

"See," Klaus accepted the refusal to leave, "Not only will our enemies seek to harm you, but some of your own friends."

"You're afraid something will happen to me?" Cami's undead heart was thumping rapidly, "Guess what?"

Words turning venomous.

"Something already did."

Kol tried to ignore how light his head felt after the barrier.

"Your ex hates me so much she murdered me," Cami hissed, "She's gonna have to pay for that."

Kol just breathed in slowly.

"And since I can't fight her fair and square, I need those dark objects."

"Stop acting like this is just about Aurora!" He argued, "I just offered to kill her, and you ignored it. This is about – "

"I died!"

He shut his mouth in semi-victory.

"Every day, we learn of some new power that beats the last thing that tried to kill you. And maybe vampirism is a strength to some people, but it will not keep me safe."

Both of their expressions became slightly more sympathetic.

"You think your inventions aren't good enough?" Cami shook her head, "I disagree."

Kol took the compliment.

"They've been the thing I've reached for in every situation I survived – while the time I let my guard down? Felt safe? Let myself think that being in your house was enough?"

She'd died.

"You're all scared because I have white oak?"

Admitting that Kol's point was correct.

"This is how I feel every second of every day."

"Fine," Klaus finally considered it, "I'll retrieve your toys."

Kol curled his lips in with dissatisfaction.

"Keep this bloody barrier up 'til I return."

"There's a list of all the ones you stole in the magic room," Kol didn't move, "I'll wait here. Make sure she doesn't scarper."

Klaus didn't seem to want to leave them alone.

He looked at Kol, increasingly concerned.

But he still slowly backed away when Kol raised his eyebrows challengingly. He wouldn't want to return the objects while Cami wasn't acting like a friend he didn't mind sharing with, but he'd also told Klaus he wanted to talk to his sire-ling.

So Klaus kept some of MJ's recent points in mind. They might not have been in a good place, but he still couldn't get her voice out of his head the same way she couldn't shake his insults.

Anger at Elijah shouldn't be taken out on Kol.

They actually got along when they let themselves.

So he'd let him stay.

2004

When Ryos woke up, he performed his usual checks to work out where he was. Still in England. In the hotel room he'd become weirdly familiar with, magic on the door, enchanting the staff to forget the place existed. No bodies this time, just candles covering every surface.

Like having a light source would give the hallucinations no place to hide.

While the choice might've been to banish them, forcing light doesn't always do that.

Sometimes it just gives the monsters in the shadows more screentime.

"You have somehow interpreted my suggestion in the most deadly way," Papa Legba was sitting on the bed.

In the mirror.

A reflection of the space he could occupy without Ryos needing to dip into an unknown afterlife.

Watching cautiously.

"You can expel the magic through weaponised use."

"There's no guarantee that would actually get rid of all of it," Ryos was crouched down, "Hexes root deep."

"If you studied the texts I found for you – "

"I did," He was drawing across the floor, "And I like my plan better."

"Do you?"

Ryos didn't look at him.

"Or do your friends?"

"They're not friends," The witch's throat was dry, "They're not real."

"Good you can still tell the difference."

"I'm stronger than you thought I was."

Legba tilted his head gently, "You do not need to prove anything to me, Ryos."

His hand kept drawing.

"What you have managed to accomplish in your short life is something most could only dream of."

Switching from pen to paint, brush strokes rapid and sloppy.

"You said it yourself," Legba stood, "Hexes root deep. And yet, you wrote a spell that could slowly sap it out of your body."

"We have no guarantee it would work!"

Legba's lips twitched at the glare the boy was giving him.

"It is nothing but a stupid theory that might just kill me if I get wrong."

His clothes were baggy, weight constantly fluctuating, hair greasy and eyes tired. He may have been alive. He may not have been degrading anymore, but he wasn't healthy. The food in the tiny minifridge was long out of date, yet he'd not noticed or even tried to eat it. He didn't need to with a deity holding his life in his hand. And eating required time. Cooking required focus.

And each second was a second of living with the poison in his body.

The black lines were now masked but still tracing up his skin.

Ryos could feel every second of it, cutting into a vein expecting to pull the snake slipping through his system out, only to find nothing but black sludge. A twisting snake. A suffocating one. Scales grating muscle and bone as it slithered through each inch, making itself entirely familiar. Making him want to skin himself. The hallucinations heavily in favour of that plan.

"True."

"This won't."

"The magic won't," Legba agreed, moving to kneel too, "Something else might."

"Nothing will have the power to," Ryos justified, "That's the beauty of this."

His hand lifted, shaking as he spoke.

"All of this?"

All the lights in the room started to flicker.

Rotating through colours.

Walking into death, then memory, then emotion - the minds of sleeping guests on either side like it was nothing. Melding into one thought they all shared, him able to watch as the dreams became projections he controlled. Dancing across his room. His candles.

"It'll be mine."

"And you'll do what with it?" Legba challenged, "Without the fear of death to drive you?"

"I'll be happy."

They were back in the room, candles burning around them in arks of lights piled on each other. So much control over them, the fire risk they should've been became non-existent. No gravity to topple them over if they stepped too firmly in one corner. Just magic.

Legba's lips lost their smile, eyes sad.

Ryos returned to drawing, "What else would I do?"

"Dark magic will pump through your veins for the rest of your life," Legba moved to the desk, "You may not see these ghosts in your vision anymore."

Each flicker of fire held a soul.

A haunting he'd screamed into the wick.

Holding it there as a reminder that they'd be free the moment he blew them out. Back to drive him to blind rage and murder all over again. Driving him to end it all that night – one way or another.

"Do you think this magic will just let you use it without some claimed ownership of you?" Legba wanted him to hear the possibilities, "Do you think you can say, for certain, that you'll be the one in control of your actions when the living magic in a hex bonds with you?"

"Nothing could be worse than what's already happening."

Blacking out and waking up with bodies piled around him.

How his skin no longer felt like his own anymore.

His brain constantly filled with other people.

"At least, this way, I'll be conscious enough to fight it," He reasoned, "Stomp it down."

A different thought.

Finishing the paint lines and breathing out in relief.

Standing back up. Legba rose to meet him.

"I won't practise."

Legba raised an eyebrow.

"It will be there, keeping me alive," Ryos gestured to his chest, "But if I'm not using it? No drawing on it – there's nothing to control. There's no power struggle. It just sits there."

"You think you can give this all up that easy?"

"Why would I want to keep it?"

After everything they'd lost.

After living with it, chipping away at his sanity.

After it was the reason he couldn't be in the same country as his sister.

"I know it'll be a culture shock," Ryos agreed, "But that's why I'll take it slow. I'll go back to school, focus on my hobbies, and try a trip to The States. Slowly, I'll adapt. And then I can move back full time."

"And when this world comes looking for you?"

"It won't find me."

"Ryos," Legba turned firm, "I have been using your form for over a year."

Ryos swallowed.

"You still haven't asked me what I've been doing."

"I don't need to know."

He'd wake up, Legba would greet him like a parent ready to make breakfast and usually have some spell for him to read. A thank you for the use of his body. More proof, the Lwa had something he wanted from their family line. Wanted to keep the relationship positive.

"It's been a nice run – "

"Do you not think that some people might look for you, looking for me?"

"And I'll send 'em to you," Ryos walked past him, wanting paper from the table, "I shouldn't be practising this much voodoo."

"It isn't your birthright," He agreed.

"So I can send them to people who should be."

"And when someone comes looking for your mother?" Legba spoke the other option, "Or your sister."

Ryos stilled.

"You won't speak a spell or flick a wrist?"

"That's different."

"You said," Legba pointed, "You want to do this method because it gives you power. Protection. You have nothing to fix, Ryos – you are not – "

"I am, though!"

"You don't know what I was going to say."

"Weak," Ryos finished, "I am."

He'd spent his whole childhood having to be smarter than everyone around him to stop them from noticing how little magic he really had. How Floare genetics worked. Stop them from thinking he wasn't worth teaching, or learning from, or including –

"I was," He lowered his volume, "My magic's never worked how it was meant to."

Eyes pleading.

"I could think of all these things to do, or try, or ways to change spells to do new things, but if I tried to do them?"

Maybe he didn't question how light his head felt after not eating because he'd been in that state for far longer than the hex had been part of his body.

"I won't need to practise every day. Or lock myself in a room working out how to use what I was born with. I can forget about it. I can be normal. I can go back to my sister."

His goal was clear.

"And if someone does appear? If something comes for her? Or me?" He shook his head, "The power's there if I need it, but we won't."

At sixteen, nearing seventeen, he didn't know the full extent of his mother's legacy either – even if he knew more than his sister.

"All this does?" He pointed at the circle, "The hex becomes one with me. I get its power. The missing void in me gets filled. I don't die. I stop seeing hallucinations. I can be in a room with my sister without worrying about killing her. And, if something really goes wrong, I can actually keep us safe."

"Almost seems like there are no negatives."

"Yes," Ryos closed his eyes, "If I'm not careful, it could go badly."

He knew Legba had a point. The power could wrestle with him. If bonding oneself to the dark magic in a hex was really an easy way out, more people would do it.

Hexes wouldn't be so notoriously known as a death sentence.

But he had to think he was the exception.

Most witches weren't missing magic.

They were either content or siphoners.

Only Floare half-humans had that gap, and most Floare didn't look to humans for kids. They'd been trained not to. They didn't linger anywhere long enough to fall in love with non-magical beings. That made him a loophole – that gave him a shot to do the impossible.

"It's worth the risk."

"Are you sure?"

"My sister needs me alive."

It wasn't a discussion.

"Please," Ryos would be lying if he pretended he didn't care, "Don't stop me."

After losing his mother, Papa Legba had been the only stable thing in his life for the year.

After leaving his father behind.

To Ryos, this was his only solution, but if the Lwa truly disagreed with it?

"I'm not the dark magic," Legba mused, "I wouldn't control you like that."

"You say after possessing me for a year."

"You know what I mean."

"Thank you."

Legba moved his walking stick slightly.

"For everything."

"For letting you sell our soul to a spell that might cost you everything?"

Ryos just nodded, "You didn't have to help."

"I am happy you found something," Legba didn't like the spell, "You were reaching the limit of how far my form could use your body."

The power to keep him suspended as a host slowly burned him up.

"And as you fall down this path – "

"Rise to better places."

" – I will be watching over you."

Ryos looked down.

"Know I will always be in the corner of your eye," Legba wanted to part of a good note, "When the other voices grow too loud, hold on to that knowledge."

The young boy nodded gratefully.

"And when we meet again, I will keep you safe."

"So peace exists?"

"That's not what I said."

"It's what you implied."

"Everyone has a different experience with death," Legba shrugged, "If you sway from me, I won't be able to do anything for you."

Ryos's lips twitched, "I did enjoy the voodoo more than I thought I would."

"It's a beautiful craft," Legba stepped back, "No one has tried this before, Ryos. I cannot tell you what you are about to become."

"You don't need to," Ryos felt ill, "I don't wanna know."

He just wanted to try.

"For all I know, I'll start your idea after a few months."

He just needed a few months.

"Get rid of it all."

"I hope so."

"Or I'll be back in The States and happy."

"You have many gifts, Ryos," Legba walked to the front of the mirror, "Do not waste them."

Ryos didn't quite understand.

"If this works?" Legba touched the reflective glass, "Do you know how many people have lost their worlds to hexes like yours?"

He let his head nod.

"I do wish you to succeed."

"I'll miss our little chats."

"Ryos," His tone gently, repeating, "I will always be there if you need somebody."

The teenager swallowed.

"Do not think you are alone."

With that, the Lwa vanished.

Not sure he wanted to witness a spell that could bind a child with dark magic as Ryos breathed in deeply.