a/n: Klara will find their footing again, promise xx
Also, enjoy a lil TVD mwhahah - Bea <3
(remember to comment and vote - sorry for the delay)

1002

"Maci..."

She turned so quickly, chucking a stone the intruder could only avoid because he was somehow ever faster.

"Lina."

Maci had found a cave on the edge of her city, waiting until the sun set to run. The sky was close to red, a colour she never wanted to see again, but that symbolised her freedom to search. To risk stepping outside. To test her fangs.

To do it without Kol.

"Elijah," Her arms landed on his neck as she let herself sob, "Lijah – "

"Shh, shh," He rubbed her back, "It's all okay."

"He – he – "

"What happened?" He stared into her eyes, "Your fiancé..."

She froze.

Maci wanted to spill.

She wanted to let all the words come out and tell him everything that had happened, but if she did?

"You were able to drink my blood?"

"I, um," She pushed back to wipe her eyes, "I couldn't do it."

He wasn't blinking.

"I couldn't marry him."

She wasn't sure how he'd react if she told Elijah what Kol had done.

She wanted to think he'd reign down hell on his brother, but she also didn't want two brothers arguing – especially over her. The Mikaelsons had eternity stuck with each other; she would not be the reason they grew apart or started fights. She was so sick of fights.

And men.

And blood.

And herself. Her life – her stupid little –

"I left them – I've ruined them."

"Do not talk that way," Elijah was almost whispering, "Lina – "

"Don't – "

"I saw the room."

She swallowed.

"If he attacked you..."

Her brain clicked.

It was all a cover-up.

Kol had picked a cover-up instead of letting her choose to turn.

"I never should've left you," Elijah was tearing up, staring at the dry blood across her dress, "I should have taken you away."

Maci's eyes widened.

"I should've told you that I loved you."

She didn't understand why he looked so in awe.

"You looked so beautiful," His hands cupped her face, "All I wanted to do was ask you not to do it."

Bringing their foreheads together and allowing his lips to smile.

"Lina."

She felt her lungs tense.

"You drank the blood."

He was bringing her lips to his.

"You turned," His kisses were short but passionate across every feature, "I'm so sorry he retaliated - but you – "

Brushing her hair back to look into her eyes.

"You..."

Something in her expression must've said it.

He'd frozen in the position, able to see past her eyes and to the truth. It hadn't been her choice. She hasn't changed her mind. She hadn't chosen him.

"I don't think I can do this," Maci whispered.

Too much blood.

The whole point of leaving her life behind was to stop every day from feeling bloodstained, but Kol had gotten her turned.

Maci's chest felt almost broken as she began to sob while looking at him. By telling the truth, she was crushing him. She was burning up what could have fixed the hurt. But - but - but she couldn't lie to him. She'd never been able to lie to him. Not truly.

"Lina," Elijah's hands dropped to her arms, "Lina."

Tightening the hold as she began to sway and screech.

She'd hurt her father.

She'd hurt Elijah -

Yanking her chin to face his own.

"Know I love you," Elijah's voice shook, "So much."

Pupils dilating.

"But forget I said a word."

Her heart started to panic, "Elijah?"

"I have said nothing but sweet comforts."

The memories slip away like rain.

"I am sorry for not telling you that I loved you every day I had the chance to," His words were quick, "For not telling you to run - for not saving you from this - "

"I'd be dead if I hadn't drunk it."

"And if the culprit wasn't already dead," He glanced away, "He would be something far worse."

She felt her breathing starting to even out.

"He is, isn't he?"

She forced a nod.

No family fighting.

No brother's being left dead on her watch.

NO. NO. NO.

"Elijah," Maci closed her eyes, "My body wants to kill my father."

He took her hands.

"I keep picturing Tabir – and I keep thinking about him, and everything he's doing, and I can't forgive him anymore, but I don't want to hurt him – I love him – and it's – I don't – I can't leave this cave because if I leave this cave, I'm going to hurt someone – "

"Lina," His eyes seemed to change again, "Remember who you are."

Undead heart slowing down.

"The most powerful woman on the planet."

"I'm a runaway."

"An intelligent and beautiful one."

As he blinked, she breathed out slowly.

"Who, I," Elijah slowly stepped away, "Will help in every way she needs me."

She didn't know what compulsion was yet.

He shouldn't have just used it on her.

But she'd looked more scared than he'd ever seen her, and Elijah needed her to believe in herself as much as he did.

"Starting with this," He pulled a box out of his pocket.

Maci's eyes lingered on the familiarity of it.

"If you wish to walk in the daylight?"

He flipped the lid open, revealing the ring placed gently in the centre.

"As much as you should probably learn to control the thirst," Elijah knew he was being fast, "If you wish for it."

He'd thought she'd chosen him.

"If you like the piece?"

Maci almost laughed.

She couldn't quite believe he'd managed to make her laugh after being murdered.

"Are you proposing?" She picked the jewel up, "My god lord, I've only just ended one engagement!"

His lips didn't twitch as she expected them to.

"At least give it a few more hours."

"No such commitment required," He forced himself to say, "...Simply a gift."

"And what if I want the commitment?" She lifted her hand towards him, "Thank you."

"Whatever you require," He knelt down to place it on her finger, "Your Highness."

Kissing the blue stone, then her knuckle.

Maci looked at him, staring up at her.

Holding her fingers so gently.

A tightness was growing in her chest again, eyes stinging with water, wishing the moment was a painting they could hide in rather than reality ticking by. A smile on her face. Tears, not from fear, but a million thoughts racing through her mind.

"Why am I so emotional!?"

He stayed on one knee, "You will adjust."

She let herself nod.

"You will, Lina."

Her lips curled in.

"Where would you like to start?"

March 2014

Davina tried not to panic. Sam had taken her to the Floare, only for the witches to instantly vanish into nothingness with her, leaving him behind and appearing in an abandoned building. Most Floare were in the upper levels, and she couldn't tell if they were guarding or distracted by other projects, two in the basement with her.

If it could be called a basement.

She'd been taken straight down, unable to see where specifically she was in the city, only to find it almost glowing from candlelight, flowers growing through the damp stone floors to create arcs that blended into a massive magic circle. A smaller circle in the centre, marked out by grass over the stone, and two smaller circles on opposite sides of the outer ring.

They were Floare.

They weren't The French Quarter Elders – she wasn't about to be sacrificed – they weren't about that. She knew the mythos. Then again, despite being pacifists, the second-siphon sacrifice existed...

Focus on the flowers.

The beautifully coloured plants created magic in a way Davina had never seen before. The witches had started by scattering seeds, only to hum a tune and turn them into blasts of colour in the warmly lit space. A place meant to be dark, brought to life by them. Adding in protective and healing charms – things she could interpret from years of watching MJ, reminding herself that this was her way out. She'd made her bed, rushed her choices, and now she had to live with it.

She had to save herself.

She had to accept that she might not see her friends for years but that it would only feel like a minute. And they would still be there. And still love her. And it would free MJ from having to do stuff for Aya out of fear for her. It would free her from her city's ancestors entirely.

"You lie in the middle," One approached her, "Wearing this."

Holding out a deep blue cloak, the material soft, velvet rather than the thick and itchy outfits worn by the sisters. So smooth to the touch that she could imagine wrapping herself up in it and falling asleep.

"And," He was also offering her an intricately designed knife, "If you are ready...I shall teach you the markings."

"Let's do this," Davina nodded, "I just lie in the centre, and you'll put me somewhere?"

"You will be safe," His voice was gentle, "And free."

A long breath out.

"Ready for when Clio returns."

"...Where did she go – "

"To collect the final ingredients," Clio stormed in, "The state we are about to put you in creates a window of purification."

Davina's eyes went wide as two people followed behind her, one carrying MJ, the other dragging Klaus – both unconscious.

"If this does not restore her – "

"MJ – "

"Nothing will," Clio was focused.

"Wait – but – "

"Davina," Her eyes steely, "I am trying to help her."

Davina was shaking her head.

"Something is inside of her, lingering."

Davina stilled, staring at the unconscious friend.

The scars down the centre of her nose and across her cheeks.

The remnants of Ryos.

"I am going to remove it."

And MJ's senses would all kick back in, the idea she was tainted would be over, and the hauntings would logically stop.

Davina blinked slowly, "Why do you need Klaus?"

"You are entering this state to stay there."

Wake up naturally.

"We are dipping her in."

"He's her anchor."

"Purification means burning her soul over a pit of power," Clio spelt it out, "We need the most indestructible force this universe can provide to keep it from destroying her."

She smiled.

"And we knew better than to trust him to come willingly."

THE WITCHES
Moonlight On The Bayou

MJ jolted up, feeling the mud of beaten down grass tickling her arms, refreshingly clear air in her lungs. Panting. Trying to work out what had happened and why she was seemingly outside, between old-styled huts, Klaus rushing to his feet.

The fire pit in the centre flickered like a ghost watching over them.

The daylight almost made MJ question if her brain was trying to trick her, but standing up confirmed the truth.

"This is Mystic Falls."

Klaus faced her, every inch of him frozen, eyes raging.

"...Dude – "

He started to clap. Stretching his arms as far forward as he could while marching straight at MJ. She didn't bother backing up, rolling her eyes and letting him stop where he wanted to, looming above. Shaking his head in disbelief.

"On top of your recent offences," He growled, "The ancestor I told you not to trust has locked us in some twisted replay."

MJ walked past him, bumping his shoulder, "The question is whose."

"It's a recreation," He followed right after, "A Chambre – "

" I know Chambre De Chasse's," MJ stopped in the square, "This isn't that."

"Then what – "

"If I knew," MJ faced him, "We'd already be out of it."

A glare off.

"Unless your incredibly wood-based village had a permanent fire flickering?"

Explaining how easily old towns used to get burnt down.

"This is the day your curse got cast."

He didn't respond.

"More proof it's not a Chambre?" MJ put her hands out, "It's not torturing us."

If it was, it would be the night.

Not the pre. Not the post.

Recreating the actual night of the curse would've been a way to torture both of them, given the Esther of it all. And yet?

"We're clearly being used for something. They've put us somewhere to hold us while they do that."

"Get us out."

"Lower the volume," MJ spoke flatly, "I know I'm not your favourite person right now – "

"Right now – "

"But – "

"You have – "

"I am – "

"After so many years," He vamped to meet her face, "Of listening to you."

Hand gripping her shoulder.

"Of watching how you are – trusting you."

MJ swallowed.

"Of doing everything in my power to prove myself to you."

"Klaus – "

"That I," His hold was cutting, bruising muscle, "Deserve your forgiveness."

"Nik – "

"That you would never act so lowly!"

She shoved him back, "Don't you dare call me that."

Lucien's point in her ears.

Calling her the help.

The witch servant of this century.

"And don't you dare equate the shit you've done to this – "

"The one thing that keeps my family safe – "

"Right now, I might just be your family!" Her arms swung, "Did you miss the whole 'pregnant' part of that?"

Then, MJ's mind fell into a spiral of memories.

Of how violent he was with Hayley at the start of her pregnancy.

How little that defence actually worked with him.

"Regardless of that," Her voice shook, "Are you not the one who told me I already was?"

He was quiet again.

Both of them simply stared at each other.

MJ hated looking at him sometimes.

She hated how they'd both get stuck in their competition of trying not to blink. To bait the other. To the raging blue that liked performing whiplash on her. MJ had been on the roller-coaster of the Mikaelson's since she was seventeen, and while it felt like an eternity, it really wasn't. This was the man who'd almost ripped her stomach out. Who'd haunted her summer. Who'd reminded her why water was not always something to fall into and adore but fear.

Had her convinced he'd kill her before she'd turn eighteen.

Become the reason she'd started to believe she could've made it to twenty-one.

MJ's breathing slowed, trying not to let her fingers shake at the disappointment in his face. All her fears – all of Aya's points coming true. Why didn't she just blame them?

Why didn't she use the cover?

Why was this the thing she couldn't lie about?

"Klaus – "

His turn to ram past her, storming towards a path into the rest of the village. Towards the trees. Her ghostly wanderings of the world gave her some sense of geography as she followed.

Only for the mud to give way, a hand yanking her straight down.

Sucked like each bit of soil was really quicksand as she began to choke, desperately squirming and whacking into every inch of the earth to climb to freedom, Klaus spinning in panic at the sight of her hair vanishing entirely into perfectly kept ground reformed in her place.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

Chanting in her brain.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

The spell to free Davina and cleanse all of their souls.

The spell had begun.

The burning between her lungs was either a confirmation of something good or a sign of the worst.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

Kol hated that he wasn't the first awake, Elijah feeding him a blood bag, Freya sitting with a map on the low-lying coffee table, Hayley pacing back and forth behind her. Cami was on Kol's other side, watching cautiously.

The two empty bags on his left showed he hadn't woken up with the speed he usually did.

"What happened?"

Scanning the room; Elijah, Freya, Hayley, Cami, and a box holding Jackson's heart.

The mess of voices hit him like a bag of bricks.

"MJ – "

On his feet, speed working again.

"Where's – "

"Both Mira and Klaus have been taken," Elijah filled him in, "By – "

"Clio," Kol remembered, "She – she – "

And they'd been arguing over...

"MJ."

"We'll find them," Cami spoke quietly.

Like she didn't want the rest of the room to look at her. After spending the day almost dying with Hayley, her white oak mess was probably forgiven, but still.

Kol was scanning his arms.

No more desiccation, or bruising, or tiredness. The knockout seemed to have helped. That, or the blood. It didn't matter which; he was on two feet, good to go, and someone had taken his potentially pregnant girlfriend.

Pregnant.

Pregnant.

How the hell was she pregnant?

"I'm calling Maci," He decided, "She was with her – "

"I think it is safe to safe," Elijah's voice was low, "Maci is no longer our ally."

Hayley was watching his posture closely.

"In fact, she may have never been."

"Are you – "

"I highly doubt Mira just decided to use someone she idolised to test a potentially deadly spell," Elijah wasn't meeting any of their looks, "Maci ran to Davilla, only telling you."

"So I could keep MJ from doing this – "

"She could have stopped it herself," He glared at the floor, "She chose to..."

Breathing in deeply to cut himself off.

To hide how close to content happiness he'd been, only for that same person to help in a spell that could cost him his life.

"This is..."

"I'm calling Davina," Kol dialled, "If Clio took them – "

"Can't we kinda relax?" Hayley tried, "Clio wouldn't hurt MJ."

"She'd hurt Klaus," Freya's eyes stayed closed, knuckles on the map, "And if either of them are unconscious, we have no idea what they could be learning from their minds."

Clio had made the point that her powers were limited while awake. Less all-knowing.

She wouldn't have seen the spell to break the sire line.

She could potentially get it from an unconscious MJ.

Kol's second dial answered, "Samu – "

"What's wrong – "

"Where's Davina?"

"Huh?"

"Are you with her?"

"I dropped her at the Floare base – "

"They're still in the park?"

"They were packing up," Sam admitted, "Did that whole vanish into shadow thing."

"And are you currently looking for them?"

"I figured if they wanted isolation, it was part of the spell."

Kol could hear him moving to grab things.

"What's happened?"

"Clio took Klaus and MJ."

"What?"

"Uh-huh," Kol gritted his teeth, "And considering they are both now potentially incredibly vulnerable, under some Pethane spell – "

"I'll call Abi," He started planning, "The French Quarter might be able to connect to MJ in a way Freya can't – if Freya's even healed enough right now – "

"I am," Freya's eyes snapped open, "My brother is in danger."

"And I'll call Marcel."

"Marcellus," Elijah interrupted, "Also enabled this."

"Enabled what?"

"They broke part of the sire line," Kol answered, "Snipped from Maci down."

Sam hadn't seen anyone drop, "That's possible?"

"When Mira is involved," Elijah spoke slowly, "Is anything impossible?"

Silence.

"And as the key ingredient?"

Kol's heart started to hammer.

Clio seemed ready to die on the hill that she was there to help MJ.

She wouldn't rip her heart out –

Unless...

The Ruiz family history did not have a good track record with such a style of murder –

"Kol," Cami grabbed his shoulder, "We'll find her."

"However mad you are at Marcel," Sam reasoned, "If MJ did that, The Strix needs her alive as much as you."

To get the spell.

"I'm calling him."

Hanging up before any of them could say another word.

Kol almost wanted to laugh at the complete dismissal of Elijah from the young hybrid, the sound agitated. Too locked on the irony of Klaus and MJ being needed for some unknown spell. For MJ's 'clearance' to be so ill-timed.

For MJ to somehow be pregnant.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

MJ fell on her back, groaning as shards of glass and blood soaked into her shirt, the world spinning. It was like someone had bashed her skull into a wall, coughing up dirt despite the ground she'd fallen through nowhere in sight. Just a rustic barn, once decorated in flowers and light, now lain with bodies.

Cramping in her stomach.

Not just cramping – intense pain, spasming in a cycle as she was dragged down the aisle. Each shard of glass created a new cut, the smell acute in her nose. The blood. The lust. The craving was so fresh and new, like she was back, faced with Cami walking towards her.

But it wasn't that moment yet.

It was the thud of being chucked towards the raised platform of the ceremony, trying to shriek as she hit Jo's lifeless form. Glassy eyes stared at her. A blood-soaked gown was once so beautiful, face so loving and ready. MJ's cheek was shoved into the woman's by a foot pressing down on her neck, rubbing wax and reality together.

"I was gonna wait 'til the 'death do us part' bit," Kai's voice clear, "But it seemed a little on the nose."

The air turned static.

Too electric –

Unbreathable.

"Miss me?"

"You're not – " MJ choked, "Clio."

If this was Clio's idea of helping her?

"I swear – "

Kai could not be her block.

"This isn't – "

How could you literally rip someone's spine out but be held back by them?

"Kouzlo Kouzelnictví Elefthería Katastrofí."

MJ struggled against his hold.

"Svoboda Kai Epistrof Elefthería Katastrofí."

She shoved, closing her eyes to block out Jo's face, almost screaming back to life at the pain forced on her by fighting back.

Slamming herself to the left and kicking up, only for Kai to grab her foot.

He'd dressed for the occasion, something almost ironic considering the cloaking charm, slight stubble and shorter hair, eyes clear. Mission clear. Seeing into her in a way few ever really achieved. Pain and resentment, and –

"One day," He lulled, "I might stop forgiving you for it."

"I'm not sorry," MJ kicked, forcing him to move, "I won't ever be."

Slamming her heel into his palm and listening to the crack.

"And I take back ever apologising to you."

Because she had.

Her instinct had been to apologise.

Then he'd choked her to death.

"We're not - " MJ was on two feet, hand spinning to turn every glass shard towards him, "- Doing this – "

Kai lunged, MJ swerving to the left.

"You will not – "

"Kouzlo Kouzelnictví Elefthería Katastrofí."

MJ froze.

Letting Kai tackle her to the ground, punching him in the face, then listening out again. The lack of living Gemini to be chanting at her – the familiarity of what else had happened that night.

The spell that should have been underscoring, yet different words?

"Svoboda Kai Epistrof Elefthería Katastrofí."

"Clio," MJ jolted up, "No."

Kai groaned, face bloody, "Don't tell me you've forgotten my name."

"This isn't funny – "

"I haven't been gone that long."

"You're meant to be helping Davina," She stumbled back down the aisle.

"I guess you've been busy," Kai slowly sat up, "You know..."

A wave of magic in the air had her stomach lurching, grabbing her temples.

"...Grieving father figure..."

Ric was waiting for her at the end of the corridor.

Shaking his head as he stared at Jo's body, jacket sleeves rolled up, white stained from how he'd cradled her so tightly in his arms. Begging for there to be another way. A spell. A wake-up from the nightmare. MJ, unable to help, the roots of her hair stinging at the memory.

"How was that?" He was right behind her, "Seeing a gun to his head?"

Ric's shaking arm lifting, the same pistol clear.

"Knowing you couldn't – "

"Ric – "

He shot, blood exploding from the opposite temple as his body hit the aisle, the greyer tinge to his suit sapping all other colours from the area. Kai's arms were around her waist as she scrambled to catch him. Wrapping tighter, an invisible string cut off circulation in her legs as she screamed, the world turning silent. Too silent.

Prison world silent.

"And the werewolf best friend," Kai whispered, lips against her skin, "Heretics invading a town you've abandoned – "

"Enough!" MJ's arms swung, sending everything in the room back, burning Kai to dust.

Bodies on the floor were her only company.

Ric's body.

Sprinting towards it despite knowing it was fake, only to trip as its neck snapped up, white eyes staring, hand becoming bones to grip the path laid out for the couple, dragging himself closer.

"Nope!" MJ decided, spinning away.

Listening to the dragging sound of it.

"I've done this rodeo before!"

Clio had to be listening.

"Sorry, but knock-off Kai nightmares aren't gonna do shit to me!"

The fabric tearing was like a neck snap.

So clear.

Telling MJ this bleeding zombie was even closer than before. Not just leaking from the wound through his head, but a waterfall of red pouring from the tips of his lips, choking to fill the void of silence she thought she resented. Noise was meant to be good.

Noise was her safe place.

Noise was –

"It'll be over soon," His back seemed to snap as he pushed to standing, "And you'll thank me."

MJ didn't let herself turn around.

It was Ric's voice, but it wasn't him. She knew what had happened at the wedding. She knew he was alive – that Cami had gotten the gun – that Tyler had gotten to the woods to turn – and that the Heretics hadn't been her problem to solve!

It wasn't –

"Kouzlo Kouzelnictví Elefthería Katastrofí."

So much familiarity with each syllable.

"Svoboda Kai Epistrof Elefthería Katastrofí."

She was safe.

Common sense.

Drop anchor.

MJ hadn't been going to therapy for almost a year to let one trippy witch dream drive her to a place of insanity.

Acknowledge her thoughts and feelings.

She was stressed as hell about literally everything, upset Klaus had been so unreasonable with her for weeks, only to turn around and call her the problem – to imply she wasn't as important as she thought she was to him –

She wasn't the worst person alive!

She was doing a good thing, and she didn't deserve to be made to feel like a piece of shit because she'd wanted to do a good thing. Doing good things had kept her sane all summer. Acting how she wanted to act kept her centred! Not being The Mikaelson's little party trick!

Because that was what she'd started to feel like.

MiMi Pasare was her.

Her mum's name for her. Ryos' name for her. New Yorks'!

Come back into her body.

MJ knew what she was capable of. She knew who she wanted to be. She knew what had happened at the wedding. She knew how she felt about it.

She was in control.

Pushing firmly into her feet.

Stretching her arms back.

Becoming so aware of her own body no hallucination could do anything.

Engage with the world –

Ric's calloused hands yanked her back, hooking under her arms before launching himself to the floor like he was trying to break his own spine, only to fall straight through the destroyed path and slam into the centre of a quarry.

A stake was driven straight into her shoulder blade - falling onto her knees in the centre of the dark, watchful sky.

"Klaus – "

Before MJ could even look at him, she was hoisted back up by Jenna, the black veins under her eyes like a slap in the face. She'd been tricked, turned, and sacrificed, and there hadn't been anything MJ could have done. Jeremy was the last blood relative.

Jenna or Jeremy.

The woman's hand was around her heart, pulling MJ's head back by her hair to bite down. Greta's dead body was on the left, MJ the last witch standing. The last hope. The only way to stop the sacrifice was to kill her – screaming and squirming, with no vampire strength or speed.

Just her.

Just that night.

Elena's screaming sobs as she begged her aunt to stop. For MJ to stop. For Stefan, Klaus, and everyone to stop and let her misery end. The Elena who'd tried to hand herself over. Who'd tried to just die so they could all live –

Klaus ripped Jenna's head off.

That hadn't happened.

In front of MJ, in his soft black blazer and dark red shirt. None of his now familiar curls, short hair making the blonde strands seem darker. Every sense in her being was screaming EVIL as she tried to look into his eyes. To find her Klaus. Her Niklaus Mikaelson, who wasn't holding Jenna's head like some sick twisted fantasy.

Who wasn't walking towards her, scratching his nails against the open wound -

"Klaus – "

Pulling at the underside of her skin –

"Nik," MJ screeched, "STOP."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

Her own voice in the chanting.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"Turn it off," He whispered, so close to her skin, "It's time."

Different hands touching her battered and open back, MJ lurching, trying to stifle her pain and swallow. Feel it. Remind herself of her body. Of what was real.

Klaus leaned even closer to her eyes, looking through her.

Like she wasn't there.

Meeting the eyes of the man on the other side of the memory.

"TURN IT OFF."

Her ears instantly rang, his lips still so close as the face lost all life.

The pale blue of Stefan's eyes as MJ tried to shake her head. Shake him off.

Fangs dug in as Klaus's fingers pulled out, a wild animal, completely unaware of who he was feeding from, just that he couldn't stop.

Until MJ looked forward.

At the retreating Klaus.

Her body straightened up in a way that made the universe still.

"You know," She pushed Stefan back gently, his form stumbling away like it had been punched, "If you want me to get overwhelmed?"

Humming in her ears.

"Why lie?"

Klaus watched her.

"Not gonna say what actually happened was worse..."

Jenna's decapitated head was turning towards her, too.

"But it's real," MJ placed her right hand over the injury, "And Klaus saved me from that last one."

Snapping with her left.

"So if this is meant to be that whole 'truth of the Mikaelson's wake-up call?"

The dark sky rippled to daylight blue as the fire died, onlookers evaporating the same way Kai had, leaving just MJ, Klaus, and the moonstone on the floor.

"Not to tell you how to haunt someone, but don't pick the memory where the villain saved her life."

Klaus blinked.

Looking at her.

Taking in the surroundings he'd been snapped into, the blood dripping down her, knowing what had taken place in that quarry. Watching her backing away like she didn't trust why he was there. Klaus knew he'd left the moonstone as the useless rock it was, surprised when he saw it among MJ's belongings later in life.

"Mira..."

"You think there is anything you could say to change this?" A male voice came from the left, "Boy."

Klaus didn't bother looking, "You're dead."

There was nothing about Mikael's voice that could surprise him anymore.

"And irrelevant to this situation."

"When have I ever been irrelevant?" Mikael found his side, "Everything you have ever done is all one extended parade to gain my attention."

He didn't respond.

"My approval."

Klaus didn't like how MJ froze.

How he couldn't hear a heartbeat.

How time seemed to have locked her before him, bleeding out, as his father took them both in.

"My love – "

Klaus turned, hand straight into his chest and hoisting up like the second murder hadn't almost shattered his world. Started the end of his relationship with Elijah. Been the first night he truly realised what sharing his best friend with his brother meant.

Mikael chuckled as the grip tightened.

He'd heard MJ climb up to their balcony and take Kol away. He'd heard her calm his worries about being like their father. How they'd held each other like they hadn't been broken up – like he hadn't been a room over and needed her too.

"Why would she have come to you?" Mikael taunted, "After everything you have done – you said it yourself."

Grabbing Klaus's wrist to flip him over his shoulder, punching down, hybrid just quick enough to roll to the left, back on his feet and charging. Tackling the elder to the floor and driving fingers into the underside of his neck.

"We are monsters," He leered, "Hoping to save the one innocent person not old enough to realise what we are."

Not experienced enough in their cruelty.

"She is not that person."

MJ choked a breath in.

"She could never truly care for you after it all."

"I am not playing this game," Klaus smacked Mikael's head back, "You do not get to narrate – "

"You truly believe every alliance you've held with her has been out of anything other than necessity?"

Klaus hesitated.

"She holds the intelligence to know she cannot betray you."

Mikeal barely knew her.

Anything he said was based on Klaus's own beliefs.

Or the beliefs of The Pethane.

"Unless death is truly imminent – Unless her real loved ones were freed from you – "

Klaus ripped Mikael's heart out without remorse.

Only to find the body beneath him to be MJ's, hair caught in the dirt and mud of the quarry, her heart in his hand.

"Mira – "

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

At the apartment complex, Sam stood with Abigail, his phone on a table next to a large map. A few wolves were milling about, Josh talking with one by the entrance.

"Marco and The Treme are tracking the chains," She explained, "The Pethane will be cloaking them, but a dark object?"

Kol was listening from the other end of the line, in The Mikaelson Compound with his family.

"Vina refused to take the chains off until she had to," Sam assured them, "They'll be with her."

"Plus," Abigail nodded, "They probably won't have any red alerts for Treme magic."

"True," Kol was scrunching a blood bag, "They'll expect us and The Sisters."

"A French Quarter group are tracking Davina; the other half is focused on MJ."

Her map had collections of dots.

"I'm trying to track magic in the area," She admitted, "It's getting something."

There were bursts of energy in random points, waiting for it to merge in one location or for a new dot to appear, so much bigger than the others that it had to be MJ fighting them or Davina's ritual.

"Algiers are also working on insurance."

"Insurance?" Freya asked.

She was sitting, Klaus's blood split over a map, more candles and water added to the table every five minutes, Elijah on-call and ready to grab any of her requests.

"You know," Abigail glanced cautiously at Sam, "MJ's our last elder."

Kol stared at the remains of blood in the bag.

"Even if she's not an Algiers elder, we're all kinda invested in her being alive," Abigail admitted, "They're using representational magic to keep track of her heartbeat and health."

"You can heal her using that," Kol tried to relax, "Smart call."

"MJ taught us how to do it," She mumbled, "When she teaches big spells, she doesn't want anyone getting too hurt..."

Quiet.

Josh came towards them, "We've got vampires headed to all the places you already gave us."

Glancing at the map.

"Any more yet?"

"Garden District have taken two of them," Sam checked his list, "And we have wolves on the other new spots."

"Any news from Hayley?"

"Her and Cami are working their way through The Bayou."

"Is anyone looking through the tunnels?" Kol asked, "If we're getting multiple power readings..."

Abigail was a Harvest girl – they were unnaturally tuned in to the city's power.

She knew what was a wave worth paying attention to, and yet, still that many potential hiding spots?

"I'll take it," Sam decided, "I can't sit here doing nothing."

"You're communications," Josh reminded him.

"You can take over."

"And leave my roommate kidnapped?" He argued, "Not a chance."

"I can do it," Abigail interrupted, "I'm already on the call."

"I'll meet you in the tunnels," Kol decided.

Freya shook her head, "With Aurora – "

"I only have one sire," He reminded them, "I'm the safest option."

No one on the other side of the phone was arguing with that.

"And I know Floare magic," He reasoned, "If they're cloaked, I'll spot signs you'll all miss."

"Marcel said The Sisters were already tracking Davina when he got back," Sam revealed, "They're not too happy about her vanishing."

"Obviously."

"If MJ's with her – "

"They can't find her," Abigail shot up, "They might – "

"They can't kill her until they get the spell," Josh hoped, "And we'll find her first."

"Not to doubt your motivations," Elijah spoke cautiously, "But – "

"Honestly," Sam cut him off, "If you say a thing about your sire line right now?"

Elijah let his eyes narrow.

"Find your brother. Find MJ. Then you can bitch."

He hung up on them again, Kol somewhat smug, "Haven't we 'been told?'"

Elijah rolled his eyes.

"An entire city is looking for them," He stood up, "The Strix won't find them first unless something awful happens."

"Then you do not need to join them," Freya retorted, "Kol – "

"It's MJ."

"You're unwell."

"I've settled," He gestured to his body, "I needed blood. And I need to find her."

"You seemed fine earlier, too," Elijah reminded him, "It all changed in a second."

"I'm not staying here!"

"Kol – "

"It's my – "

"Your brother – "

The youngest brother vamped away before they could do anything to force him still.

Elijah and Freya shared a look.

"Have you ever seen the city so united?"

"Mira's sway," Elijah admitted, "Is practically unmatched."

"I know we don't want to discuss it," Freya glanced around, "But even she made the point..."

"She might be the weapon of the prophecy," Elijah finished, "I have considered it for a while now."

"And?"

"...No future is set."

Freya raised her eyebrow, "That is not your stance."

"Perhaps Niklaus and she will return to us," Elijah tried, "Having made amends and removed that possibility."

"And if not?"

"We are not going to think of that path unless forced to."

"She cast a spell and freed part of your sire line – "

"I am aware," He looked at Freya's map, "Do you think a pregnancy is possible?"

Freya blinked slowly.

"If she did not sleep with someone else – "

"We are implying it is because of Kol's ancestral interference," Freya was careful, "If she is pregnant, the ancestors created it."

Elijah couldn't help but glance up at the night sky.

"Not biologically, but at its core."

"Not the most comforting thought."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

MJ gasped awake, trying not to hyperventilate at the image of Klaus ripping her heart out. She'd been trying to reason with him. Give her justifications. Argue about every other small thing they'd been fighting over since the first sires showed up, only for him to be entirely unresponsive before flipping her over his shoulder, punching her in the face, and then ripping her heart out.

None of it was real.

Acknowledge her feelings, remind her body of its existence, then interact with the world.

"Under normal circumstances, it would be different," She reminded herself, "Your power's funky here."

Inhale. Exhale.

"He wouldn't..."

Inhala. Exhala.

"You can't actually say that," MJ swallowed, "You can't."

After watching Klaus with Elijah and Rebekah, she couldn't claim he would never hurt her. Hurting family was Klaus's move. Even if everyone had spent so long going on about MJ's special treatment – resentful, like she had any say in it.

God, she wanted to cry.

She wanted Kol – she wanted to be in her apartment, with him, trying to figure out what was going on, and a way to trick The Strix, with someone she actually trusted – and who would listen, and who gave perfect hugs –

"None of it's fair," She stretched her arms, "It's not fair."

MJ had once commented that Klaus was 'stronger' than her only because he'd be more willing to hurt her. It had been a joke, but there was truth to it. Even if she hadn't grown to care for him, he was Kol's brother, and she just wanted...

"And I'm..."

The orange linen against her skin, clear of blood, standing up in a different clearing. A different evening. One she didn't know. Stars no longer like beady eyes, but almost white light fireworks of celebration as around twenty people remained at the top of the hill, overlooking a sparkling ocean.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

Kol was talking to a woman on one side, a face MJ recognised.

"Plus," Dinah said, "It set Lara off three times this week."

MJ stilled.

Dinah had reached out during the last ritual – was that happening again?

No more random torture but a chance to see Kol happy?

"I can't be living with her and wearing it."

That caught his interest, "Set her off – "

Kol's question was cut off by a scream.

MJ's scream.

Like a knife being stabbed into the back of her stomach as a body fell through her, hitting the floor, all attention to the man behind her.

"Kol," Klaus's voice, "It's time to leave."

MJ wanted to turn around.

To look anywhere but Dinah's panicked expression; only her stomach was not having it. If MJ was pregnant, screw the baby because it was far too early for it to have any legs to kick her with, so it was clearly already using magic and wanting out, and she was not –

"AH – ah – "

MJ felt her eyes change, hunching over to the floor to beat her fists into the ground as she tried to snap out of it.

She was not pregnant.

There was no baby already somehow trying to kick her!

No chance.

Screw Clio.

Screw Klaus.

Screw the stupid stone Kol was holding in the memory, and everything her body had been through housing the magic, and how that might be the source of the second power Valerie had noted. How it might all be about those stupid rocks. Stupid rocks. Stupid, shiny pebbles of power.

"Screw that stupid moonstone."

An enormous hit created a ripple of silence.

"Screw that starting point – and screw me for being smart, and screw everything!"

Orange power lashed out from her centre until she was back in the old-timey Mystic Falls town centre, Klaus panicking on top of her. Shaking her shoulders as MJ's hands glowed, blasting him off.

"I hate this."

She didn't stand up.

She just listened to Klaus pick himself up, glaring at every tree like a monster might appear. Like the pair of them weren't history's biggest monsters. Whether MJ meant to be or not. As the new most powerful thing on the market, she was fated to be some child's nightmare somewhere.

If Marcel, with all his good intentions, couldn't avoid the nightmare allegations, how was she going to?

"We control this," She sat up.

Letting herself look at him.

Seeing how Klaus stood, keeping an arm's length between them.

"I thought about how much I wanted Kol," Her voice was hoarse, "And it took me to him."

MJ wished it had been Dinah trying to offer advice.

"If you've been seeing what I have."

Which his tense form implied.

"I woke up each time. I could stop it."

"We don't have control," Klaus's voice low, "You do."

MJ was back to not daring to blink.

"I have no say – just you."

Their options are to wait it out or break out.

"Something I once had faith in."

She tried not to let the jab cut.

"But after today?"

"You know what?" MJ pushed to stand, "Yeah. I do have control."

Screw listening to him.

"I didn't do shit to you," She repeated, "I cut Elijah's line."

Marching closer.

"But it's my heart," She poked the spot, "My brain."

Gesturing to the side.

"I have the spell and the ingredient – what you gonna do about it?"

They were trapped in a spell.

"Throw me in a coffin and lock me in the attic?"

He'd joked about it enough times.

"Why?" Her exhaustion was evident, "How will that help?"

Klaus was studying her.

"Klaus," Her voice cracked, "What's happened to us?"

He stilled.

"In three and a bit months," Her head shook, "You've gone from being willing to die for me to this?"

"By casting even a version of the spell – "

"Come on, Klaus!" She snapped, "It's me!"

The crackling of the fire didn't bring either of them comfort.

Not in that situation.

Not when Klaus was able to see it growing higher behind her.

"Do you not think I had a plan?"

"Turn The Strix on each other by making my brother vulnerable?" He almost laughed, "That is not a plan."

"Funny how you all talk about how scary I am," She called out, "Until it comes to this."

He wasn't following.

"We all agree I've always been smart enough to end you," She'd made her list of methods at eighteen, "I'm the seventeen-year-old who almost killed you!"

His eyes kept jumping to the flames.

"That planned how to kill Mikael."

How it flashed between red and gold.

"That actually figured out Levi's riddle and everything surrounding it!"

In half the time Kol and he had.

"You all happily let me call every shot in that scenario."

From Marcel to Vincent and Cami, to Elijah and Jackson, and Sam.

"But you won't fucking listen now!"

It felt like years since she'd sworn so much.

"What did I do?"

Klaus simply breathed out slowly.

Her stomach lurched again.

Realisation dawning.

"You think I was right," Her grating tone hurt, "Deep down."

Being able to read him was a curse.

"You think it's me."

"Mira – "

"You do," She stepped away, "That's what changed."

"I have no idea – "

"You think I'm the prophecy."

He didn't deny it.

"Whether it was months ago or just yesterday," Her turn to want to laugh, "You think the sire line is confirmation."

"We both know our lives have been unnaturally linked," Klaus didn't step closer, "You may deny your belief in prophecy – "

"But it's ridiculous how connected we are," She agreed, "From Marcel to the cities I've lived in, to the vampires I've met."

Silence.

A crackling hearth.

MJ's arm moved back to put it out.

"So what then?" She'd lost all energy, "I'll be your undoing?"

"You've been avoiding me as much as I've been avoiding you."

"You've been awful to be around," She defended, "Obviously – "

"And Hope?"

MJ stilled.

"You went from being her mother to," He feigned thinking, "When was the last time you saw her?"

"That's different – "

"Is it?" Klaus let his anger bubble, "Claim respect for Hayley all you wish – but even then. Where have you been?"

MJ felt cold.

"She has been mourning – she's needed you."

"You don't get to lecture me on Hayley."

"Hope has needed you!"

"You don't get to guilt trip me like that either!"

"It's not – "

"In what world have I not done everything for Hope!"

Voice grating as she snapped.

"Kol almost died because I couldn't tell him about her! Because you made me lie."

Hope had been the lie to start it all.

It made hiding her father seem easy.

It made not sending texts about the complications of her whereabouts natural.

"You – "

"Dubbing yourself her biggest protection!" He cut her off, "Biggest supporter – how you were the only one acting with her future in mind!"

Mocking her.

"But blaming her for Kol's – "

"Blaming you."

Even as she said it, MJ wanted to take it back.

She knew how much of a sore spot that topic was, and the venom in her tone would only make it worse.

The lie hadn't just been Klaus's call – it had been Elijah and Hayley's, and sure, Hayley had instantly put faith in her, but even MJ had backed up Elijah's hesitations. Hope wasn't her daughter. If Klaus and Hayley didn't want Kol to know, it was well within their right, but –

"...Klaus," MJ took a calming breath, "We are past this."

"We are not," He retorted, "You want me to take some witch-whisper pregnancy as an excuse? As an automatic forgiveness and welcome back in?"

MJ's fingers twitched, the fire sparking back to life behind her.

"Hope was the only thing that truly kept you loyal – her innocence – "

"She isn't the only – "

"If you're pregnant?" He was shaking, "Well, that assumption can no longer be made."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

Sam and Josh were walking down Elysian Fields Avenue, Marcel greeting them in a rush of air, agitation apparent across his face.

"Fun day?" Sam kept walking.

"Finally met one of the homemade hybrids," He admitted, "Quite the sight."

"Yeah," He swallowed, "Saw the body."

Josh rubbed his temple, "How is that even possible?"

"Cycle of the universe," Sam's hands found his pocket, "You know, Davina was having these random episodes while she was Regent."

Marcel and Josh glanced at each other.

"Drawing these shapes and messages."

"I heard."

"Half of them are these weird cycles that don't quite meet, but more...consume each other?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Like a snake eating itself," He shrugged, "When Pri and I were doing all our corpse check-ins, part of the info MJ left us was the drawings. And matching ones Kol found in Lucien's apartment."

Marcel let his steps slow.

"Pri said it was an Ouroboros."

"The snake that eats itself," Marcel started to follow, "A symbol of eternal destruction."

"The hybrids are all killing themselves," Sam reminded them, "Not to sound concerned about my own wellbeing, but I. Don't. Like. That."

"How many have they made?"

"Five have died," He admitted, "Five more still in the basement."

Marcel pulled her face, "I've never heard of ten being a magic number."

Sam stopped, "This is the street."

The others stilled on either side of him, seeing the police tape by an alleyway, a car outside, and a man staring at a book rather then eying up every pedestrian passing through.

"According to the police records, the bodies all show up here."

"This isn't about MJ and Klaus," Josh realised, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Sam admitted, "I don't understand any of it."

Looking between the pair.

"If I brought up something witchy while Klaus and MJ are missing around The Mikaelson's?"

"They'd go to worst case," Josh grimaced.

Marcel started to frown, "Lucien's been dumping bodies in Lafayette. The Sisters are leaving them here?"

"Are there any stories you know," Sam asked, "Or things you remember?"

"I wish," He really did.

"Um," Josh hesitated, "I'm incredibly out of the loop on this side of 'the mess.'"

"But?"

"This is where Levi's body was dumped, too," He pointed out, "Right?"

Sam pulled out his phone to check, "Yeah?"

"And does he count as a homemade hybrid?"

"...That's what MJ called him..."

"So it's six dead," He pointed out.

"Okay," Pri appeared, "What's going on? Where's MJ?"

"You cannot be here," Sam pointed at her, "You are getting killed on sight."

"What else is new," She ignored, "Why is Maci's phone blowing up from Kol about MJ being missing?"

Marcel scanned her, "Where is Selene?"

"Healing," Pri's eyes showed fear, "She, um...the spell...hit hard, okay."

"Where is she?"

"Nu-uh, no chance," Her arms crossed, "No one is getting information out of me."

"As long as the Mikaelson's are mad at Maci, they're mad at you," Sam stressed, "If she's in hiding, you should be too."

"MJ's in danger!"

"The Pethane took her," Josh finally answered, "And Klaus."

"Which means Davina is now a prime candidate for Klaus's revenge murder," Sam murmured, "Which means we need to find them quick."

"Is anyone checking the tunnels?"

"We were gonna start."

"I'll help," She reasoned, "None of you are gonna kill me, right?"

"First night of freedom," Josh noted, "And you're gonna potentially get yourself killed?"

"She'd do it for me."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"You can't seriously think that," MJ let herself fall to sitting, "Klaus – "

"What?"

"Oh my god," She rubbed her face, "Take five and breathe."

He shifted.

"We're not doing this."

"Doing what?"

"Acting like we're not friends," She looked up at him, "We have not been through this much to talk to each other like this."

Why did she always have to be that mature one?

Why did she always have to be amenable?

Why couldn't, for once, any of the vampires in her life just...

Be like Kol!

MJ almost felt guilty about her role in how Kol had changed. She knew it was bigger than her. Their whole philosophy was that one person couldn't change another that much. But he'd apologised to people. He'd been trying so hard – he'd put up with the brunt of Klaus's bullshit, and for what?

"You can't actually believe I'm the thing created to destroy you."

"Everything must have balance," He recited, "The golden dagger did not exist until recently, and it no longer does. Siphoners, whether created to restrict my power or the original immortals?"

Since Silas hadn't been able to get in her head.

"The universe is enjoying itself."

She didn't like how he spoke. Like he was drunk and mourning.

"Tricking us into thinking it was a positive crossing of paths, only to face us with reality."

"This is not reality," MJ huffed, "This is literally the opposite of that."

"It's a puzzle to be solved," He kept space between them, "It is a spell meant to free you from whatever lingers inside."

There was a chance MJ wasn't pregnant.

That it was a massive misunderstanding on her part following Valerie's reading of her power.

It could just be the magic.

"What taints you, Mira – is me."

She stared at the forest to her left, arms pulling her knees to her chest.

"The part of you that wants to keep that power."

"I don't – "

He vamped towards her, yanking MJ up, holding her forearms so tightly she couldn't look away.

MJ was almost convinced she was back inside the hallucinations – only it wasn't a recreation of anything. It was just Klaus. Just her. His rage trying to be reigned in, but MJ's mouth kept the dark thoughts from the back of his mind, making it harder to keep them at bay.

"Nik – "

"My own desperate attempt..." He didn't finish the sentence, "My own words."

MJ didn't let herself cower.

"I gave you everything."

"And I turned it on you?" She challenged, "Think killing me now will end it all?"

"You know it will," Mikael was watching how he held her, "The madness ends with her death."

Klaus slowly released her.

MJ trying to follow.

Guess what he was thinking.

"Of course you're too weak to – "

"This is not weakness," Klaus spun to face him, "You are – "

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

Mikael wasn't there.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

His brother was – Kol, in a shirt from a different era, a red waistcoat matching the liquid dripping down his chin as he offered a pleased smile, a half-dead man in his arms as he paused his drink.

"How long's it been, Nik?" He let the body drop, "And to think!"

Rubbing his hands.

"You could've just pulled the dagger out, and there would've been nothing to miss!"

Klaus blinked slowly, "What are you doing?"

"Don't tell me Elijah's already under your skin?" He mocked, "We're meant to be beating our record, not mulling like dullards."

"My record," He didn't want to see Kol, "I never needed you."

"Come on," Kol didn't seem to hear him, "Is this not why you wake me?"

"You," Klaus's eyes bugged, "Are not a part of this."

The Floare magic.

His argument with MJ.

He did not need to see the person technically responsible for derailing their relationship.

"You were never meant to be – "

"Indulge."

"Nik," MJ took a half-step, "It's not real."

"Do you even remember what it's like to have the world at your fingertips?"

"I have the world," Klaus snapped, whacking her hand away, "You almost cost me everything."

Zoned out.

"Over and over."

Giving Marie lines from his curse.

Not writing the reverse for him.

Creating the golden dagger.

"Why do you need the world?" MJ's welling eyes got in the middle, "Klaus – you have people who love you."

Kol was gone.

He could only look at her.

The person who'd caused Elijah to be shot by white oak.

"I love you," She grabbed his shirt, "In a way you never thought anyone would. Despite everything you've done to me. I love you!"

But Ryos had proved something awful about her love.

"Is that not enough?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The sire line isn't the world!"

Hearing his responses, left MJ to fill in the blanks. To assume it was some twisted version of her, the way the memories of him taunted her.

"It's fake," She stressed, "Real protection is family. Real power is family. Real love is people like me!"

"Love," He could just feel Mikael's gaze, "That's the route you're going to take?"

He was back to trying to grab her.

"My god – "

"You think I'll take your false cry and let everything go?" He held her wrist, "Like a stream in a river we can all have some fun family picnic next to?"

"Honestly," MJ let him have the hold, "I could do with a picnic after everything."

"Want me to throw you a damn parade for once again pulling off the impossible!"

"Doing the impossible is why you love me!"

"I loved you," He leered, "Because I could craft you into what I wanted you to be."

For a second, she lost the ability to breathe.

She saw Ryos's face.

Then, MJ did what she did best.

She sublimated.

She knew Klaus – she had to believe he did not mean that. He was lashing out because she'd made a spell that cost him his safety. His family's safety. Hope's safety. Even if she wasn't going to cast it on him, it was still –

"If I am to suffer, you shall too."

"I'm trying to save everyone."

"And does all this not prove you'll never be able to!" He bruised her wrist, "That I have created a spanner in your hero complex; you'll never be able to rebut until you kill me."

"I'm not going to kill you!"

"You'll just cast a spell enabling everyone else to – "

"Klaus – "

"Do you want everyone to die?" He used his other hand to cup her face, "Free them, Mira."

Her heartbeat picked up.

"Show your true intentions."

Her eyes jumped around his face.

"Throw away everything for – "

"You do it," She leaned up, "Kill me to stop me."

"You think I won't?"

"Yeah," She nodded, "One of us has to fight for our friendship right now, so I call your bluff – "

The cupping hand moved to her throat.

"I know I'm not going to hurt you."

Whispering out.

"And, your entire thing has been how similar we are, so by your logic, you aren't going to hurt me either."

Not while they were in the Floare coma anyway.

"If you really wanted to hurt me, you would've taken out the club in New York."

He stilled, seemingly to realise the familiar position he'd put them in.

"You would've torn through them, knowing my guilt would force my hand the way you did with Tyler."

But he hadn't.

"You let me walk away because, even then," MJ peeled his hand off her, "We were going to be something to each other."

Shoving it back.

"And I'm not gonna throw that away over this."

"But you'd throw it away over something?"

"If you wanna assume the worst? If you wanna give up on us?" She hated how much it sounded like some trashy breakup, "What happens in the aftermath is on you."

MJ had so much hope.

That he actually cared about her. That had been part of her freaking motivation to right the spell! So they could just care about each other without all the life, death, and drama!

He wasn't Ryos. She couldn't lose faith in the people who deserved her love.

"I'm done being guilt-tripped by you."

A breath out.

"That doesn't mean I suddenly hate you – it just means I'm sick of re-runs."

A step away.

"No vision or memory'll change what's actually happened."

The future was what mattered, not the past.

"And real life? We don't hurt each other."

Not to the intensity he was talking with.

But was MJ being hypercritical with that?

She'd fired a pretty big shot at Elijah...

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"You shouldn't be doing this alone," Elijah appeared at the end of one tunnel, Kol glaring at him, "Especially down here."

"I'm more familiar with them than you."

"Kol."

"Don't play up familial concern," Kol called out, "You change your tune every other day – "

"You think I wish to watch you die again?"

"I'm not dying."

"You're something."

Kol swallowed.

"Are you okay?"

A sharp laugh came from Kol.

"Mira's announcement – "

"Is none of your business."

"Kol – "

"It's funny," Kol stepped towards him, "If you were missing, MJ would be casting every spell under the sun to find you."

Elijah raised an eyebrow.

"Yet you and Freya only search for Klaus."

"She is hardly at risk," Elijah dismissed, "Every other person is looking for her. Our brother is many things, but popular is not among them."

"Next time something happens to one of us, and we need her?"" Kol squared up, "Remember, you made that choice."

"After her actions – "

"Who cares about the sire line when – "

"We should – you did."

"You still have almost everyone you've turned tied to you!" Kol defended, "Only Maci and her gaggle – "

Stillness.

Seeing the edge appear in Elijah's eyes.

His desperation to stay put together at war with a million tiny fires burning up his spine at the reminder.

"Nothing can happen to Klaus if MJ is safe," Kol kept his tone flat, "She has the spell. She has the heart and the blood backups."

He knew the heart she'd given to Aya wouldn't have been handed over unless its magic had been drained. MJ wasn't stupid. And he knew magic well enough to know it wouldn't be the thing you could do twice.

"Finding her should be the priority."

Aurora wouldn't waste the oak on Klaus until Elijah was dead.

"Any common sense would tell you that."

Elijah just stared at him.

"You know," Kol challenged, "You could mask it a little."

"Mask what?"

"How much less you care about her now she's with me."

Elijah faltered, "Kol – "

"You knew Hayley for five seconds, but she was pregnant with Klaus's child, which made her your world."

Falling in love with her because of it.

"You've known MJ for four years; we have been together for around three – we not only like each other."

Something Klaus and Hayley couldn't exactly say.

"But love each other."

Eyes steady and upset.

"And that same situation occurs, yet you stand back while she is missing and vulnerable?"

"Kol – "

"You're pond scum."

"You want the baby?"

The younger froze.

"If there is a baby," Elijah came closer to, "You would want to keep it?"

"None of your business."

"You're talking about it as a certainty," He pointed, "My indifference was not out of a lack of care."

Kol was biting his cheek.

"But out of the lack of clarity surrounding the situation."

"Because you had complete clarity when the witches revealed Hayley's pregnancy?"

"Klaus at least showed some interest in children. You have always detested them, and Mira has openly talked about never wishing to have any."

Kol itched his throat.

"My focus on Niklaus presently comes from the knowledge my sires would not hesitate to use this opportunity to do several things to him."

From the quick to the painfully drawn out.

"And from the assurance, Mira is being searched for by others," Elijah tilted his head, "Something Hayley did not have..."

Eyes trailing down his neck.

Kol glared, "What?"

"You're pale."

Kol pulled his phone out, checking the camera, "Bloody hell."

He'd just had blood.

But traces of white encroached from the collar of his shirt.

"Have you drunk from the vein?" Elijah checked, "Directly?"

"Not since it happened."

"Try it."

"Not with you babysitting."

"Kol – "

"I'll be fine," He didn't want to continue the conversation, "If you wish to show you actually care about my life."

Not appreciating Elijah's summary of the situation.

"See if Algiers have any updates surrounding MJ's health."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"Were you gonna kill me the night you came back to Mystic Falls?"

No response. Just MJ standing a step away from someone she viewed as a best friend, suffering the consequences of her actions. Calm anger. Empty, exhausted disbelief and distrust.

"If I'd failed to make you a hybrid, were you gonna kill me?"

"Why does it matter?"

"She's trying to justify her claim," Past-Kol was back, "That you were already weak to her."

Leaning against the nearest hut, face now clean of blood, a blue waistcoat in place of red.

"She could have slipped up and been forgiven."

"You figured it out," He answered.

"Interesting!" Kol pointed, "So she would've been given grace?"

"Klaus," MJ sighed, "Just answer the question."

"Something we didn't even get."

"I would have let you live in the grief," He brushed off, "Redeem yourself to save the rest."

"Nik, Nik, Nik!" Kol clapped, "Letting a mortal know you're weak to them?"

"Then I would have killed you."

"And now covering it up because I'm aware," Kol narrated, "And knowing that is far worse."

"And – "

"I do not have to answer your questions," He didn't look at the hallucination, "The one who threw the trust out the door does not get to push for any information."

"I control the spell, Klaus," MJ crossed her arms, "You pointed out my head is one of the best protected in the game."

Even when it didn't feel like it.

"No one is getting that spell but me."

"You knew you could never trust me," Kol came closer, "You knew you had to keep me in that coffin."

"You, out of everyone, know how good I am at tricking ancient vampires while I control a spell they want."

"And now," Kol mused, "Your second greatest weakness lies in my bed."

"I control The Strix right now. Not Marcel. Not Elijah – not Aya – but me."

"I have always been one for a long con," Kol inspected her, "Mastermind over centuries."

"And Kol," Klaus called out, "He knew your heart was needed."

She faltered, "We'll talk about that ourselves."

"He does not care if you break it. He only cares if you die in the process," Klaus's eyes were on the hallucination, "And since you have now found a workaround to that?"

She rolled her eyes, "Kol won't encourage it."

"You told us you would have neither of us," He lifted his chin, "Rather than see us fight."

"Exactly. So stop fighting."

"Because you'd abandon the father of your child?"

Her expression turned sharp.

"If you are pregnant – "

"Stop talking like this...thing...that might not even be real!"

Until the test said positive, MJ would live in sweet deniability.

"Is a justifiable reason to hate me!"

There was already a complicated voice in MJ's head trying to determine how she'd react if she was pregnant. She didn't need to think she'd lose Klaus because of it. She knew she wouldn't. After everything she'd done for Hope, Klaus had no leg to stand on, but –

"You're saying this place is meant to make me hate you?"

Dumb visions.

"Turn on you?"

Seemingly tricking them into attacking each other.

"The only person driving a wedge here is you."

Her patience getting thinner.

"Just apologise!" She decided, "I'll say sorry. You'll say sorry – "

"What for?" He challenged, "I may not have been pleasant recently, but I did not cast a spell – "

"You kidnapped me – locked me in a room, had me kill Jenna – compelled Jeremy to walk in front of a car, compelled Stefan to turn his humanity off, resulting in me getting bitten!" She started, "Got Ric actually hit by a car, almost killed Caroline on her birthday!"

Causing MJ to almost break a car.

"Forced me back by having Tyler's body almost rip his own heart out over a phone call with me, bashed my head into a wall for telling you to not dagger your siblings, almost drove a sword through my neck – and killed Carol."

Silence.

"But you can't hear me out?"

No response.

"You have literally destroyed my life multiple times – but I cast a version of a spell that actually might help us!"

Forcing The Strix to trust her and trick The Sisters into unlinking themselves sounded like an excellent plan to her. But no! They didn't approve it, so why trust the most reliable person they know!

"And I'm the bad guy!"

How dare he bring the pregnancy into it.

"This entire spell is meant to be about healing my face," She gestured to it, "But you can't put your pride aside for one second!"

Even if they had been showing her visions of fallouts with Klaus.

"You can't make it any smoother; you just have to argue with me."

How many times had she just had to deal with things and keep moving for the greater good?

"Then again, of course you don't want me healed," Her voice turned venomous, "You need me scarred."

He stared at her.

"Because you're scared that if I'm not, I'll remember that list more."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"I won't need to cling to whatever the hell of a mess our friendship is."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"Guess what, Klaus," Her expression broke, "I'm not clinging on. No matter what voice is in your head or how much you wanna hate me right now – I actually care about you."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

Two people who could talk there way out of anything.

"We can reset right now."

Seemingly caught between a rock and a hard place.

"If we both just apologise – "

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

Something in Klaus's mind shifted, and he charged, shoving her as hard as he could into the ground, watching her get sucked away once more, screaming in panic as the light vanished into his silhouette, dirt sliding right back down her throat.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

Kol dropped a body in the bins behind St James, knowing it wasn't going to help anything but unable to stop himself. His girlfriend was missing, potentially pregnant. Despite having an entire city working on it, no one had any good news. And the paper-texture across his heart was as alive as ever, feeding from the vein for the first time in what felt like months, needing the kill.

Finally able to feel that specific type of electricity he only got from MJ's touch, breathe out, and enter the bar.

If witches couldn't find her, there was a minimal chance Kol would somehow wonder into an invisible barrier or clue to her location, and, after talking to Elijah?

Being smacked in the face by his assumptions surrounding the pregnancy...

Kol needed a drink.

Elijah had a point. Despite being excellent with children, MJ said she didn't want them. Even if Kol had never entirely been able to believe her, that was his own insecurities. The part of him convinced he could never give her the life she deserved. Because he couldn't.

If she was pregnant, she probably wouldn't keep it.

Why would she?

She knew who she was dating – she knew his attitude. Who would choose to have a kid when their partner was someone like him, with a family like his?

His feet stilled, staring at the bar as a green feeling appeared in his left ear, tugging down until the person turned to face him.

Sensing eyes on him.

"Hi," Stefan Salvatore, "Well, this saves me some time."

"No." Kol shook his head, waving his hand, "Why are you here?"

Stefan almost laughed at the bluntness, "Most people would say 'Welcome to New Orleans.'"

"If you need something off MJ, you're out of luck."

"I'm here because it's the best hiding spot in the country," Stefan pointed to the bar, "I've texted her, but I know you guys are in chaos mode – "

"Exactly," Kol marched closer, "Leave."

"Come on," Stefan gave him a look, "Are you being serious right now?"

"A Salvatore in The Crescent City?" Kol pretended to ponder, "As entertainingly bad as that could be, I'm not in a good mode. And you – "

He picked up the glass the bartender had pushed towards Stefan.

" – Are not someone who wants to catch the wrong end of that."

"I didn't know you were floating about back then!" Stefan put his hands up, "I would've reigned the love confessions in a bit if I'd realised."

Kol downed Stefan's drink.

"I just need a place magic can't track," Stefan pulled the top of his shirt down, showing a bloody 'x,' "And a bit of R & R."

Kol let his eyes flitter shut at the sight of it.

"I'm not gonna get in the way of...whatever's going on?"

He hadn't been at the baby shower for the sire line update.

Kol put the empty glass down.

Giving him one final once over.

"Fine."

Slumping into the seat next to him and pushing the glass away.

"What is going on?" Stefan turned back in his chair, "More family members somehow back from the dead?"

"Oh, you know The Mikaelson's," Kol waved the bartender, signalling a round for both of them, "Never a dull moment."

Stefan's phone buzzed, only for him to turn his ringer off, "And MJ?"

"Currently missing."

Stefan froze.

Watching how Kol downed another glass like it was nothing.

"Missing?"

"Missing."

"How can I help?" He went to get up, "She was literally just with us – she flew back – "

"Oh, she's in the city," Kol nodded, "Well, actually, we don't know that for certain."

Dripping with fake enthusiasm.

"The Pethane could have taken her anywhere, but we assume she's here."

Looking to the bartender again.

"Sylvia – can we keep these coming?"

"Sure," The woman almost laughed, "I can get your good stuff out the back/"

"Brilliant!" Kol clapped as she disappeared.

"Good stuff?"

"Absinthe."

Stefan pulled a face.

"My girlfriend has been taken," Kol glared into the reflective surface behind the bar, "Then again, stressful relationships are your forte. How are the siphon-babies?"

"Caroline practically died in childbirth," He played with his own glass, "MJ's the reason she's alive."

Kol shifted slightly.

That gave reason to her sudden stress to break the sire line.

Two children and a mother dying on them suddenly?

"But she's not actually their mother," Stefan quickly added, "I'm sure you know those parts."

"Because Caroline is going to have carried two lives inside of her," Kol nodded as Sylvia reappeared, "Given birth to them. And then hand their cooing little faces over to a drunk history teacher?"

Stefan snorted.

"Whose current pseudo-daughter relationship is constantly on the rocks," He accepted the fresh glass, "Demonstrating his 'perfect' skills."

He was not fit to be a parent.

Kol was not fit to be a parent.

He was worse than a drunk history teacher.

"MJ thought you'd be ecstatic," Kol glanced at him, "Kept telling Caroline you'd love it."

Stefan's eyes looked away that time.

"And Mira is rarely wrong."

"They're Ric's kids," He shook his head, "All I do is put them in danger."

Kol stared at his now-covered mark, "This Phoenix Stone..."

"Did you get a chance to talk to MJ before she vanished," Stefan was shifting.

"Not in detail," He tilted his head, "You know, Klaus has a history with Rayna Cruz."

Stefan froze at the name.

"Would not be fond of your coming here with her mark."

"What?"

"Luckily for you," Kol sipped, "He is also missing."

Stefan's mouth opened.

"Unluckily for you, more white oak has appeared, so his absence might cost you your life."

A long sip.

"Welcome to New Orleans!"

"Okay," Stefan stood up, "You're just sitting here because?"

"There is nothing I can do," Kol stood too, getting in his face, "And the reality of that is making the idea of ripping your spine out incredibly appealing."

Stefan scoffed, "MJ's in danger – "

"If I can't help her, you certainly can't," He shoved Stefan back, "That's been made repeatedly clear."

"At least I try."

"I've been trying all day!" Kol's grip smashed the glass, sending drink all over the floor, "And now you show up. Marked by a mystical hunter. Our second in recent months!"

He thought he could try sitting with Stefan; he really did.

"Rayna may be unable to track you here, but she was born in New Orleans."

"Why doesn't MJ know that?"

"You told her about the stone," He reminded him, "It's only now I see the mark I can fill in the blanks that point to Rayna Cruz."

Someone he'd not even met.

"A witch I knew used her as evidence that one could change species."

Marie Ajan had really done her research.

Stefan almost seemed to untense, pointing at him, "Does that mean you know about the magic in it?"

Kol paused.

"Like, your whole thing was being a vampire who knew how to deal with magic."

"I was daggered during her main mess in this city."

"But you might be able to help?" Stefan reasoned, "I wanna make sure MJ's okay."

Kol hated how Stefan looked when saying her name.

"But I can't help if Rayna can sense me whenever I leave this building."

Kol swallowed.

He could throw Stefan out.

He could leave him to be hunted and die, and he'd probably get quite an excellent sense of relief from the death.

And yet...

MJ would go insane at the idea.

"And I can't just sit here knowing she's missing."

"Fine," Kol forced his mouth to work, "Let's see what old notes I have still knocking about."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

Klaus didn't change locations this time. No vision, ghost, or alternate town was waiting to take him away from the first place he'd ever called home. There was just blocked screaming in his ear. Staring at the dirt and dropping to start digging MJ right back up.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

That wasn't meant to happen.

He'd wanted a breather.

It was meant to separate them the same way it had previously not send her into a pit choking – she was meant to be seeing memories of their wrongdoings, not creating a new one –

"Are you really going to do this?" Kol crouched before him, "Is this not the way out?"

Klaus stilled, hand in the ground.

"What bad comes from leaving her down there?"

Fingers slowly loosening.

"No one to break the sire line."

Staring at his brother.

"Elijah's panic at your loss would only bring you closer – no more split attention or reason to drive me away from the family."

Even if everyone assumed Klaus loved MJ more, his drive to get Kol back into his original body came from the need to protect both.

"Freya's jealousies would be placated – Rebekah would come home."

Klaus forced his head to shake, trying for a bitter laugh, "This is – "

"Hayley would no longer need to fear replacement."

"Kol," MJ's muffled voice, hitting up strong enough to cause a shift beneath Klaus's feet, "Kol."

Klaus's eyes instantly dropped to stare at the spot.

She could hear the voice, too?

A version of the voice.

"Mira – "

"Kol," She sobbed, "It's okay. It's gonna be okay."

Choking cut her off.

"Mira," Klaus tensed, "Can you hear me?"

He needed to know what was real, half convinced the person he was talking to had been another one of the taunting voices.

"Little bird – "

"Why would she hear you?" Mikael stood behind them, "Why would she want to hear you?"

Klaus's breathing picked up, Mikael a perfect motivation to start digging. Grabbing at any dirt that would shift as MJ's heartbeat turned fainted. Coughing only caused spit-ups and sharp breaths. Her nose clogged with dirt as her fists hit the stiff foundations, determined to cut her breathing off. Determined to swallow her hole.

Only to fade away.

Klaus pressed his ear to the dent he'd made in panic, only to be greeted with a light hum.

A tune.

His eyes shut as she let herself be lost in the music.

"MJ," Kol spoke, "It's safe."

The humming slowed.

"Your past is getting tangled," His eyes locked with his elder brother, "You're here with me."

Taunting smile clear.

Watching as Klaus tried to understand what was going on.

He tried to get his hands to move – to keep searching for her among the consequences of his actions.

"You were safe," Kol's near repeat, "And we were happy."

The tune died, replaced with nails scratching on the universe. Clawing upwards. Reaching out for the voice she could hear. Mikael's taunt, right. It wasn't Klaus. It was some memory he did not even realise he'd fallen in to observe.

"Remember that, instead of whatever you're putting yourself through."

All her ownership. All her admissions of guilt and confusion and acknowledgement that she might not have made the right call but that she'd needed to do it anyway.

"I have promised you everything, MJ," Kol finally looked at the ground too, "And they were never promised for a single day."

The ground exploded, MJ yanking herself up, clothes torn and skin covered in grazes and mud, lunging herself into Kol's arms. Both fell backwards to roll on the floor as he held her tightly. Kissing up the side of her face as she shivered into tears. Into burying herself into his neck, while Kols's smile only grew.

Lips smiling.

Beady eyes steady and clear at his brother.

"I'm so sorry," MJ whispered, holding tighter, "I'm so – "

Pressing her forehead into a shoulder.

She panted, "Thank you."

Reality was a strange concept.

The truth was always relative.

Who she thought she was talking to versus what he saw were not the same.

"Please," MJ begged into his body, "Just hear me out."

She needed him to listen.

She needed him to care.

If Klaus had dug her back up, he clearly did – her phone call, knowing he was the voice that might convince her to live, was not going down without a fight. She could not believe that conversation could ever have gone a different way. That it ever would have been anyone else.

Klaus stepped away as he watched.

Shaking fists, desperate to let anything out, to scream, and yell, and finally just talk, but seeing how she'd only been able to respond to his hallucination of Kol? Blind to the tone. To the truth that he would ever have left her down there?

Kol would always be her hero, and he would always be her villain.

After a year of competing with a ghost, Freya was right.

He'd lost.

He hadn't been competing in the way his sister had meant; MJ was always more complicated than that. Someone he'd opened his heart to. Someone he felt such a bond with that was almost unexplainable and too good to be true.

To him, the universe revealed the hand it had always held for them.

They were to be each other's undoing.

The start of a perfect family away from him.

"I can take us home," MJ whispered, "If you really can't understand."

Letting Klaus cradle her.

"It's magic – I can figure it out, but if you just – "

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"Why are you so determined to keep him talking?" A woman's footsteps had MJ pulling back, "If you think it's so easy to leave, why stay?"

MJ couldn't look away.

A voice that had already been used to taunt her at Christmas.

Carol's elegant form, watching over her as the Klaus she'd been hugging dissolved, leaving her alone in the clearing. Nothing but them and a flickering hearth in the centre of an ancient town.

"Staying is only going to get you hurt, MJ."

"We need to talk," MJ justified, "And the real world isn't gonna help that."

"If he's not willing to listen to you in reality – "

"We're not doing this," MJ stood up, "No."

There was her line.

"Screw with the past as much as you want, Clio," She didn't understand the spell, "But you don't get to bring Carol into this."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

There was no pain there.

No physical.

There was no attack on MJ; the stupid sword incident barely meant a thing compared to what followed it.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"I didn't see it, and I don't want to."

Having access to her brain meant having access to Klaus's, too.

"And if you show me it?"

No lack of understanding would keep her there.

"You've all been chanting the spell the whole way through," She called out, "You saw how quickly I wrote a new spell during the ritual. I can figure the reverse out the second I want it."

Carol's eyes pulled at her.

Silence.

No more spell to cling to, no Klaus – just Carol.

"Please rest," MJ whispered, "If peace is disintegrating - I promise, Carol. I'll fix it."

Even if the Christmas haunt-er had eventually admitted to not being the real thing, it had been imitating her peace. That morning in the Lockwood Mansion, Tyler was asleep and happy, not running for his life or placating Klaus; MJ and she could sit and chat.

"You – you get to be at rest."

After all the spiritual complications, the idea of peace at risk?

It killed her.

In a way MJ didn't anticipate – she'd just granted Mary-Alice peace. She'd sent Mason there – Caroline's dad. Jackson. Every person she'd ever cared for was meant to be safe and able to cycle through whatever made them happy for the rest of eternity. They weren't meant to be catchable. Stealable. Usable – used against her.

Potentially losing their loop of joy so someone could screw with her!

"Carol – "

"I only ever wanted the best for you, MJ," She spoke, "This is not that."

Tears instantly fell, the phrase more insulting than anything Klaus had said.

Not really.

But that was what it felt like. Someone cutting open MJ's chest, pulling her ribs to the side, pressing her lungs until they were empty of air, and then slicing through her heart. Letting the blood take the place of the air until only liquid swam up her throat.

"This is – "

MJ was pulled back, two hands holding her shoulders, snapping Carol into invisibility.

Klaus's hands.

His own body stilling as he saw her.

Her tears.

Her void eyes and unnatural stillness. No shaking in fear or rage, just muscles too exhausted to move. To do anything other than stare at where the face had once stood.

"I don't care about the rest," She decided, "I'm sorry."

"No 'sorry' changes what you – "

"Carol."

The end of his sentence vanished.

"The only apology I want is for Carol."

Both breathed deeply.

"You gave me one when Kol died, but we both know why it doesn't count."

Even if Klaus thought he meant it, two wrongs did not make a right. Losing Kol – MJ's friends betraying her did not change Klaus's actions. The way he treated her. The manipulated sentences – the fact he'd killed Carol. MJ hadn't lost her will to live that intensely because of Kol. He was a massive factor, but it was the entirety of her senior year, most of which came back to either Klaus or his mother.

Getting an apology because they were both grieving the same person?

It was manipulative as hell.

For some people, it might have been enough. They might have thought Kol's death meant more than the woman who'd gone out of her way to make damn sure MJ felt loved and homed, and safe – from taking her in, getting her jobs, writing her recommendations – being prepared to adopt her!

But it wasn't.

And since then, they just didn't talk about it.

"Tell me you regret it."

"I don't."

MJ faced him, "Tell me you'd take it back."

How far was Klaus willing to push her?

"That you'd never do something of that level to me again."

"It already happened," Klaus dismissed, "It does not matter."

The mud became sloshy beneath them.

"I don't care if it's in the past," MJ's shoes let the water in, "Just say it."

"No."

"This world isn't real. These are memories other people are happily changing."

The mud almost flooded around them, rushing down the path like it was trying to return to a stream they couldn't see. Feet shifting and squelching as they tried to stop themselves from getting caught in the ankle-height current.

"If we were put in that one," MJ's volume raised, "Would you let go?"

Water crashed into houses, seeping through the weak doors to knock at chairs and tables, innocent toys left stranded by children who didn't exist anymore.

"Or would you do it again?"

The only thing free of the drench was the fire, starting to wane like there was a breeze they couldn't feel. A storm approaching. The beating of air bending it like an ocean wave, sparking above the dark navy overtaking brown slush.

"If I was standing right here!" She begged, "Forced to watch you do it!"

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"Would you be able to go through with it?"

"Yes."

"You wouldn't change a thing?" Her anger overcame her, "Not a single part?"

"I would have driven the sword through your throat."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

She lifted her chin, swallowing, not daring to look away.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"I should have taken your admission as permission to turn you."

"You don't mean that."

"Oh," He chuckled, "But I do."

"You wouldn't!" MJ snapped, "You wouldn't have wanted to take magic from me."

"You would've kept the magic."

"But you would not know that!" She argued, "You wouldn't have taken it. You wouldn't have hurt Kol that way. You wouldn't – "

"I would've wanted to see if you had a sire bond."

She scoffed.

"God knows that would save us this present stress."

MJ slapped him.

"Am I incorrect?"

"You're an ass."

"And you should have forgiven me years ago," He waked her hand, "Why make me change the story when you could simply move on?"

"Because you've ever moved on from anything?"

"That death is why we are what we are to each other!"

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

The raging river sped up around them, ice cold against skin and strong enough to pull at the seams of their shoes and trousers.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"If Carol was not dead – "

"Just say sorry!"

"No."

"Oh right, you murder with full chest," She hissed, "Even when it costs you everything."

"I would never let you cost me everything."

"You only have everything because of me!"

He was determined to say the worst things he could think of?

Fine.

MJ could play that game.

"My grace! My support!" She went louder, "My counselling of your siblings every time you fuck up!"

Both to Klaus, and his siblings.

"So go ahead. Say your worst."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"Pretend I don't care about you if that makes it all easier!" She wished she didn't care, "But you'll be the one stuck waking up knowing the first real friend you had – "

Kicking at the water.

"Not some ripper who can only stomach you because his humanity's off."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"Not some kid you took in, so feels indebted."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"Not a sibling who has no choice – but me."

MJ could have kept listing if she really wanted him to hurt.

"A real friend," She needed him to wake up, "Might actually be gone – and that you might never get me back."

It was her one request in a moment of tension.

"Because you couldn't just say sorry and mean it."

"If I had not killed her," Klaus repeated, "You would never have needed me."

MJ's throat caught.

"Kol would have still died."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

"But you would have been perfectly wrapped up in that house to mourn."

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

MJ refused to accept that answer.

That reason.

A reason that made it feel like it was all her fault.

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

Her hands shot forward as she screamed, unable to take another second of it all. N

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

How dare he pin it on her?

How dare he regret it less now than he did then?

How dare he –

"Mírovéría Odbavekkathání Svoboda Eirínis."

Klaus didn't expect to wake up in a basement, surrounded by three potential exits towards paths of darkness and one open door at the top of a staircase, spots of light leaking through. Warm yellow. The inside of a house, then the outside world. A place he'd never been before, surrounded by four Pethane witches, one of which was Clio, in the outer ring of a magic circle.

A stone figure in the middle.

Davina Claire.

Encased and out of sight, the curls of her hair lain out around her face, creating a spiral of stone that blended into the floor, flowers and vines creeping towards it as he pushed to his feet.

Instantly jumping the leader of the group.

Only for the other three to catch him in his spot, frozen to squirm while Clio remained unphased. Continually unbothered by his rage – something he couldn't wait to punish her for.

Only for MJ to jolt up on the opposite side of the ring.

Coughing up blood and looking around in a panic, stilling first at the stone Davina, breathing in the flowers around her, before settling on him. Not a spare glance for the witches. Sole focus. Waking him up to the fact she'd woken them up.

So much rage and resentment that it had shattered the spell.

Scars still across her face.

"And you two clearly need to talk," Clio brushed herself down, "My spell is complete."

"Are you kidding me?" MJ turned her rage on her, "That didn't do anything!"

"Whatever you experienced?" Clio bobbed her head, "I am sorry."

Klaus started to growl.

"But the level of brain activity caused by each other's presence kept you alive," Clio waved a hand, the other Pethane melting into shadow, "While I was able to investigate your condition further."

"Discovering?"

"Dark magic bonded to remnants of the Floare we could not remove."

Klaus lunged again, only to slam into a wall as Clio turned into darkness herself, a sliver of silver darting over the stone Davina before vanishing entirely.

MJ forced herself to look at it.

She knew Davina wouldn't feel a thing. She'd have no awareness of her body or its state. No pain. No suffering. No suffocation – but still. Like tiles from centuries gone, stone in shades of brown, grey, and blue slightly sunk into the basement floor. Changing as they watched. Sinking more. Turning from three dimensions into two, nothing but a pattern of a woman. An echo of Davina Claire, one with the earth, making MJ want to throw up.

She'd never liked the plan.

She hadn't wanted to tell Davina for a reason – maybe it was selfish.

But still.

Flowers encased the edges, the green vines, red petals a reminder that the girl had once represented fire too. Her natural pull to the world. Not the spirits. Free of spirits –

The chains in the corner of the room.

"The Sisters have magic back," MJ realised, "We need – "

"We," Klaus's gruff voice low, "Do not need to do anything."

He was staring at the different exits again.

MJ turned towards him, only to sway with the action.

She was exhausted.

Waking them up had been somewhat pre-emptive; even if Davina's spell was seemingly finished, Clio had clearly been forced to stop her scan of MJ early. Floare magic and Dark magic? There were a lot of different types of dark magic...

Voodoo? Tied to whatever deal her mother made? Her research with Tia? Her attempt to siphon her brother's cures and viruses in Mystic Falls potentially causing something to latch on to her?

MJ went to press her hand to her face, spell on her lips, only to stumble back.

Breaking them out hadn't been easy, leaving her exhausted, drops of blood forming in her eyes.

Hitting a wall and letting herself sink.

"I don't have the energy for this, Klaus," She rubbed the blood away, "I'm hungry."

As she sunk down to sit there, something started to happen.

Magic was still in the air, and forcing herself awake would obviously come with consequences. Their bodies were meant to be prepared for things. As powerful as MJ was, she hadn't prepared herself for the wake-up. Starting to cough, granules of dirt appearing in her hands, skin around her shoulders and neck fraying.

Red stinging, flinching forward from the cold and damp of underground.

"Sometimes being a witch sucks."

Burying her face into her hands, MJ pinched her temples. Trying to feel gravity again.

MJ tried to swallow down the next cough, only to choke more.

So much dirt.

Mud across her skin made it harden and itch, even if there was nothing to see. Just nails scratching to try and shed it like a snake.

Klaus slowly straightened up as he really took her in.

"We can..." MJ groaned, "God, give me one sec."

Hands moving, one over her throat, the other to her forehead, breathing in and eyes flashing gold as she prepared to chant. To fix herself up. To take away the one thing the universe seemed to be giving him.

"Ajuda – "

His hand was around her throat, yanking her back against the wall with so much force the open wounds became gaping holes in her skin.

"Klaus – "

His second hand rammed into her chest, fingers finding her heart instantly, unable to pull back.

Caught in how wide her eyes were.

The surprise.

She'd screamed him out. Despite being the one begging to keep talking, she'd ended their chance to talk, a sign she was done reasoning and done with him – all the voices reminding him to not leave something capable of killing him walking free.

"You don't – "

The intensity of his hold stopped any sentence from being finished.

"Nik – "

He pulled the hand out, leaving the heart in her chest, moving his thumb to his mouth to taste.

"You're not taking vervain," He shook the rest off, "You promised me – "

Stained fingers forced her head back and eyes open as MJ squirmed, trying to get her hands on him. To pull on the contact he'd given them. Her exposed back gave her access to the city. The power she could use to force him away, only for the lack of air to get to her hand. The impossible grip. The grip that came from ten centuries of knowing how to overpower a vampire, no hesitation for her humane weaknesses anymore.

"You are going to stay here," His eyes dilated, "Curled up on the floor."

MJ's shoulders locked.

"Until you are desiccated."

"I'll – "

"Unable to siphon."

Brain screaming for him to stop. To not see spots across her vision, no oxygen to give her any strength to move, all the healing she needed forcing strength to evaporate her.

MJ could have drawn on something before that added line.

She could've pushed – but it was Klaus.

She didn't want to hurt him; she'd never wanted to hurt him. Not really. The sire line was too complicated for them – and now?

Letting her drop to the floor, crouching forward.

Stomping down on both her wrists, then her fingers, bones breaking instantly under the force.

"Klaus," She screeched, "This isn't how – "

"If you cannot be trusted," He did the same action to her knees, "You need to be taken off the board."

Not killing her.

No dagger to make the temporary removal swift and simple.

And the amount of magic in the room implied it was pretty heavily protected.

"See you shortly."

A final message before he stormed towards the surface, trying not to notice how the flowers around Davina's tiled form started to wilt. Finding an empty house above. Lights on, but no life. Nothing to hear. No Pethane...

Nothing to feed on until his thoughts steadied, and he could return downstairs to move her somewhere else. Inaccessible until The Stix were long gone, and she was no longer at risk, both of dying at their hand or being tempted into casting another spell for them.

"Disrumpam."

His neck snapped before he could process how the emptiness was probably a bad sign. That The Pethane had left to avoid his tantrum. That two girls in cloaks stood just outside, hands towards the front door, channeling their returned power, Aya between them.