He almost didn't catch her when she jumped into his arms.

"Woah there— still human!" he said, hands flying to her hips. "You move way too fast for me."

"You should be used to it by now," she said, a huge smile on her face as she dipped down to kiss him.

He had kissed her back, setting her down and gripping her bottom roughly as she draped her arms around his neck. "I'm guessing you beat Dahlia?" he chuckled in a brief moment when she pulled away, her forehead resting onto his.

"Yes," she sighed. "I wasn't there to see it, but Klaus texted Marcel— how are you here? What— what happened?"

"Well, I went back to Mystic Falls and tried to be nice," he mused. "Worked out okay-ish, but no one really believes that I'm trying to turn over a new leaf. You remember Damon? Apparently, his mommy is one of the vampires trapped in the 1903 prison world. He and his little girlfriend Elena want to go in and get her because his brother shut his humanity off."

Beatrix leaned back and furrowed her eyebrows. "His mother is one of them—?"

"From what I've gathered, she's the one that was a regular vampire— the rest are Heretics like you, just born from the Gemini Coven. They want me to go with them."

She frowned. "What? Why?"

"They need Bonnie to go, but she's still really salty that I left her behind in the prison world... so before giving her the 1903 Ascendant I found, I told her I'd only go if she went. I actually want to apologize for what I did. After she got out— that was a whole mess, by the way— I got to thinking about how they trapped you here, and I just... I felt guilty. I want to be better."

She let her hand run down his face. He was growing a beard and mustache again, which suited him. Her fingertips traced back up his jawline, running into his hair. "I'm proud of you," she said, finding herself smiling even more. "That's a good start."

He smirked. "Right? It feels really nice. The problem is, Bonnie doesn't trust me. Honestly, I don't blame her. So, she said she'd only go if I brought you along. She doesn't want to be alone with me. Dunno why she can't just accept that I actually want to be a good guy."

"I don't mind going. It'd be cool to meet the other Heretics," she said. "There were... six of them, I think? Three women, two men."

Kai made a face. "I don't know if we're going to meet them. Damon is very clear about only going in and getting his mother. My guess— he actually doesn't know about his mommy having any traveling buddies in there. I mean, I didn't even know— you were the one who told me about them."

"Now, what's all this about?"

Beatrix turned to see Klaus, holding a sleeping Hope in his arms. He cast Beatrix a smirk. "Is this the boyfriend that you won't stop calling?" he inquired with a devilish look.

"Klaus, this is Kai," said Beatrix, her cheeks reddening a bit. Even though Klaus was a past lover and a close friend of hers, considering what'd happened earlier, now it felt like she was introducing a male friend to her father. "Kai, Klaus. Oh, and little Hope."

Kai awkwardly waved, and Klaus just rubbed his daughter's back. "Granted that tonight is a celebratory evening, I am inclined to allow you to stay the night, siphon," said the hybrid. "As long as Beatrix does not neglect her silencing spells."

"Klaus!" Beatrix hissed. Kai merely laughed, and stepped forward to glance at Hope. "So this is the one who the fuss is all about. She's really adorable."

The hybrid nodded. "Well, I shan't keep you two from getting into your throes of passion," he said, making Beatrix growl. "I expect you both to attend breakfast. We can further this discussion there."

He sped away, and Kai put his hands on his hips. "I like that guy."

"Probably because he's the most unhinged of the Mikaelsons," said Beatrix with a cheeky grin. She tugged Kai's hand and sped him to the hallway outside her room. "Since he said you can stay the night, you can pick. My room, or one of your own?"

Kai stared at her like she was crazy. "Your room, obviously."

She led him in, making sure to cast a silencing spell as per usual. "I'm assuming we have to leave tomorrow for Mystic Falls?"

"Yep," he said, sitting on the bed and patting the mattress experimentally. "I already got us both tickets. Can't wait till I'm a heretic and I can just compel everyone instead of casting spells to get them to do what I want."

"Patience, darling," she said out of habit, going to get some extra pillows from her closet. "All in good time. There are still a few months left before summer."

Kai hummed. "But only one month until your birthday. The big— what is it? Three hundred and twenty nine!"

"Ew, I sound so old when you put it like that," she said as she added the pillows to the bed. "You'd be like, forty now. And yet, I still look twenty, and you look twenty-two."

"Meaning we're both still hot as fuck," he said, tucking his hand under her chin as she passed him, making her look at him.

When he had kissed her, she'd gone weak at the knees. Perhaps, in the prison world, their relationship had only been built on dependency and lust. Yet, that night had shown her something different. Something that made her thoroughly believe he was trying to be better.

He had been patient, soothing, and careful in a way he hadn't been before. Between unceasingly strong movements, dirty words whispered to make her quiver, and electric touches that made her arch her body into his, he'd focused on making her feel amazing. Never before had he taken such worry in her pleasure. He'd kissed her tenderly, and moved her body in a manner that made them both cry out and hold onto the other, wanting to remain latched to that bliss that could not come from anything else.

When they were both far too drained to continue, he'd placed his hand under her jaw and kissed her once again, eyes closed even when he pulled away, still trying to catch his breath. She'd nearly whimpered at the brief loss of his touch, and put her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat growing steadier. In the morning, he'd still been at her side, awake and tracing shapes over her bare back.

"Good morning." His voice was groggy, and it made her shiver. "We should probably shower."

"Yes, we should," she whispered, looking up and seeing his eyes weren't even open yet. She had already recovered by then, but as he was still human, he remained appearing quite tired. She leaned up to whisper in his ear. "I'll help you out."

And so it had happened again, this time in the bathtub, with her repaying the favor he'd done last night. The shower afterward lasted longer than it probably should have, but it didn't matter. They were still interacting in a more wholesome way than they had in the past, feeling elated just with the other's presence.

"You two were really at it last night," said Klaus nonchalantly when they sat down for breakfast.

"I'm not falling for the 'you forgot to put a silencing spell' trick again," said Beatrix as Klaus handed her a glass of blood, freshly squeezed from the wrist of one of the waiters he'd compelled to serve them.

Klaus had smirked. "Tell me, siphon, is it true you intend to become a Heretic?"

"Yes," said Kai, already enjoying the eggs, toast, bacon, and sausage he'd served himself. "It'll be the most win-win way to kill the Gemini Coven in one blow. I die momentarily to wipe them out and wake up as a vampire who can do magic at will? Perfect."

"I like this one, Beatrix, you should bring him around more often," said Klaus, taking a sip of blood. "Should you go through with it using Beatrix's blood, you know I shall be your sire, correct? After all, Beatrix is a vampire due to my efforts."

Kai nodded. "Yeah, I know how the whole sire thing works. I'm guessing you're going to want me to do stuff for you from time to time?"

"Clever. I would benefit greatly from having two Heretics at my side." He swirled the blood in his glass. "The werewolf army greatly disappointed me. Marcellus will be granted the reigns to the city once more, to appease him after yesterday's fiasco. No doubt, Davina is already plotting my demise..." he leaned over the table toward Kai. "You are quite welcome to stay here as long as you wish. We have a vacancy in this house, after all."

"Must you rub in the fact that there is an Elijah-sized hole in this bloody place?" came the voice of Rebekah as she walked into the room. "Let me guess, this is the siphon boy from the prison world."

"Rebekah, this is Kai," said Beatrix gently. "Kai, Rebekah."

"You're the badass one," said Kai, shaking her hand when she offered it. "The girls in Mystic Falls have a lot to say about you."

Rebekah shot him a wry grin, and turned to her brother. "Well? What are you going to do about the Crescent curse?"

"Rebekah, do not hound me about curses when I am still not finished with the most important meal of the day!" chided Klaus. "Can't you see we have a visitor?"

The blonde growled, and turned to Beatrix. "You'll do something about it, won't you?"

"Once I get back, yes," promised Beatrix. "I'll get to work on removing the curse on the Crescent pack."

"Where are you off to?" asked Rebekah, sitting down and refusing to look at Klaus.

"The 1903 prison world," said Beatrix.

"Wasn't that the one you would have been thrown into, if you and Kol hadn't come home in a rush?"

"Yes. We've got a little task to fulfill. But it will only be a daylong thing, so I can get started on the countercurse right after."

Klaus huffed, and turned to Kai, as if wanting his support on the matter. "The mother of my child dared to defy me by taking her away. Is it not fitting that her and all the werewolves who aided her be—"

"Who is this?"

They all turned to where Marcel now stood in the doorway, Elijah right behind him.

"Marcel," said Beatrix, smiling. "This is Kai."

"Oh, I can answer this one," said Kai with a childish grin. "He's the one you raised."

"No doubt, Beatrix did not waste time spilling all the information she could in the prison world," said Elijah as he came forward, refraining from looking at Klaus.

Kai no longer looked amused. "Elijah. I was wondering if I'd get to see you today."

"What, pray tell, is your business in our city?" said Elijah coldly.

"Let's please not start conflict," said Rebekah firmly, standing up. Elijah held his hand up to silence her.

Kai remained looking very serious. "I just came to get Beatrix. You know, give her a damn break after you left her trapped in her own room."

Elijah sped forward and slammed Kai into the wall, his hand around his throat. Beatrix bolted toward them, but Kai had already gripped Elijah's arm, siphoning enough that his hold loosened sufficiently for both Marcel and Beatrix to yank him back.

"You know what, we're leaving now," said Beatrix coldly. She turned to Elijah. "Whatever problems you have, they're either with me or with Klaus. So don't you dare go attacking someone else."

She pulled Kai away, fuming as they made it back to her room. Kai rubbed his throat lightly, looking angry. "I'm so sorry," said Beatrix softly. "I didn't think he would dare to do that."

He shook his head, breathing heavily and calming himself down"Not your fault. Now come on, pack a small bag and get a warm coat. The 1903 prison world is snowy, according to Bonnie."

They hadn't remained much longer in the compound. Once Beatrix had packed, she only stopped in Hope's room to give her a kiss on the forehead before she and Kai hailed a taxi and made their way to the airport.

"I swear, once I become a Heretic, Elijah's going to wish he acted completely different since the first moment he saw you again," Kai growled, still looking livid.

"Hey," said Beatrix calmly, taking his hand and squeezing it. "New leaf, remember? Breathe. He's not worth getting mad over right now." She was furious on the inside. But Kai's presence was keeping her very balanced, and she had not thought to act upon her murderous desires after Elijah's behavior.

The flight to Mystic Falls was uneventful, and Beatrix and Kai both ended up reasonably calm by the time they got to the Salvatore Boarding House, which was now filled with people.

"Finally, you're here," said Bonnie, who was waiting in the hallway. She cast a small smile to Beatrix. "Have to admit, didn't think you'd come."

"Kai wants to be nice, so I'm perfectly fine helping to keep him in line," said Beatrix with a shrug, adjusting her coat and holding onto Kai's arm as they went to Bonnie's side.

She extracted a large knife as Kai took out the Ascendant, and he chuckled. "Damn. Crocodile Dundee called. He wants his knife back."

Bonnie gave him a cheeky look whine she cut into her palm. "Yeah, you know, he's no longer a thing, and neither is that joke."

"Ouch," said Kai, looking mostly unfazed. He looked up as Damon came down the staircase.

"Never thought I'd be seeing you again," he said, his eyebrows furrowing as he watched Bonnie drip her blood onto the Ascendant.

"Nice to see you too," said Beatrix, though she wasn't looking at him. There was another girl joining them, also in a warm coat, with a familiar sort of face that was hard to forget.

"Is this presentable attire by 1903 standards?" she said, showing her outfit to Damon.

"Whoa, who said you're coming?" he said.

She looked at him like he was crazy. "To meet the woman who gave birth to the two epic loves of my life? Me." She turned to Beatrix. "Hi. I'm Elena." She offered her hand.

Beatrix shook it, looking over her face, and initially saying nothing. "I'm sorry— I'm Beatrix. You just look so much like..."

"Katherine? Been there, done that," said Damon, looking irritated.

"Never met her in person, but I heard she was a peach," said the Heretic sarcastically. "Still, whenever Klaus asked me to do locator spells on her with that little picture he kept... I'd purposely mess them up."

Damon looked at Elena as if he still didn't want her to go, but finally, he conceded. "Fine. Let's go get Mama." He linked hands with Elena, who put her hand on Bonnie's shoulder. Kai and Beatrix moved their hands under the Ascendant.

"Sangiema meam et nos mundo carcerema. Sangiema meam et nos mundo carcerema," Kai recited, closing his eyes and concentrating.

There was a bright light, and when they all opened their eyes again, they were in 1903 Mystic Falls, with snow all around them. It was still daylight, but it wasn't as bright as it was in 2013.

Well, isn't this a picturesque slice of hell?" said Damon.

"You guys go ahead," said Bonnie to Elena and Damon. "Kai, Beatrix, and I will start the locator spell on the Ascendant."

Elena looked confused. "But Kai just had the Ascendant. Why do we have to find another one?"

"The Ascendant can't travel between worlds," said Beatrix. "Which means we have to find the mirror image here in 1903."

"Page ten on the world-jumping rule-book," he said sarcastically. "Shall we?"

Elena hesitated, and looked at Bonnie. "I don't want to leave you alone with him."

"She won't be alone, I'm right here," said Beatrix, waving her hand to emphasize the fact she hadn't gone anywhere. "I'll keep him in check."

The three women turned to look at Kai, who was now trying to catch snowflakes on his tongue. "He's good now, remember?" said Bonnie quietly to Elena. "New leaf."

Damon pulled Elena away, and Kai turned back to Bonnie, looking pleased. "New leaf? You believe me."

"Hell no," said Bonnie without hesitation. "But Damon and Elena need to meet his mom alone. So shut up, and let's find the Ascendant."

Kai just glanced at Beatrix like, 'can you believe this girl?' and cut into his hand, putting the blood in her palm for the locator spell. Bonnie hardly acknowledged him, and the siphon tried to make conversation. "Beatrix, look at her palms. They're all smooth."

Bonnie ignored him. "Phasmatos Tribum, Nas Ex Veras, Sequitas Sanguinem. Phasmatos Tribum, Nas Ex Veras, Sequitas Sanguinem."

Kai frowned. "Do you know why I'm here? Why I listened to you and brought Beatrix after you requested it?"

Bonnie continued to pretend like he wasn't there. Beatrix beckoned for Kai to be quiet, but clearly, he was desperate to get her forgiveness. "Because my guilt keeps me up at night," he said. When she didn't respond, his jaw started to twitch. "I don't— I don't expect you to believe me. But I need you to give me one more chance. I swear I'm doing better now, you can even ask Beatrix. I want us all to get along."

Once more, she continued the spell and didn't acknowledge him. That was it. He snapped, and grasped Bonnie's wrists, shaking her roughly. "Bonnie! LISTEN TO ME!"

Beatrix shoved him back. "Kai!" she hissed. "Calm down— breathe." She took his hands, and he let out a harsh sigh. Bonnie looked at the both of them, afraid but also disappointed. Kai had reacted just as she expected him to.

"I'm sorry," Kai said, and he sounded like he meant it. "Oh my God— I didn't— I didn't mean to do that, Bonnie— I just— I got so worked up earlier too, and—"

"—but you did it anyway," said Bonnie dismissively. "Because even if you're telling the truth, the old you is still inside of you. Beatrix may be fine with you acting like that, but I'm not. The Ascendant is this way."

She brushed past them and began to walk through the woods. Beatrix brought her hands up to Kai's face. "Hey... it's okay. You're fine. She's not going to recover so quickly. It takes time." After all, she and Kai would be just as hostile if Bonnie had been the one that left them behind.

It took a few moments, but Kai's breathing and heart rate steadied out, and he leaned his head against Beatrix's. "You're right," he murmured. "Let's just follow her and get the stupid Ascendant."

They trudged after Bonnie, who was looking intently down at the snow. They walked for quite a bit before she spoke. "The spell feels stronger here," she murmured, peering over a bush. "The Ascendant must be around here somewhere."

"Why would the Ascendant be here?" said Kai, confused.

"I don't know, I didn't put it here," said Bonnie irritably.

"If you don't think I'm capable of change, why spend an entire day with me?" he said a bit coldly. "Why bring me out into the middle of nowhere, and have me bring my partner in crime to accompany us? I could literally gut you all over again. Your friends would never even hear you scream."

Bonnie turned to face him. "Because maybe you're right. I didn't think Beatrix was good, but she proved otherwise, which is why I let her out with Damon. She brings out positive things that I didn't think you could exhibit. Maybe, I wanted to see how nice you could be with her here.Maybe, deep down, there's a part of me that believes there's a sliver of good in you."

Kai let out a laugh, taking Beatrix's hand and looking pleased with this revelation. "And, you'd be right! Trixter, can't you brush some of this snow away? Maybe it's buried under a gigantic mount of—"

Both he and Beatrix stopped in their tracks. The Heretic let out a croak, and sank to the ground slowly, while Kai crashed down beside her. Beatrix could sense that whatever was stabbed into her was a piece of wood. But when she reached her arm back, she couldn't grasp it. She turned wildly to see Bonnie had stabbed Kai in the back with the large knife from before. Again, she brought the knife down onto his hamstring.

"Bonnie!" Kai gasped as she yanked him around and pinned him onto the ground. "What are you doing?"

"Gaining your trust, and then stabbing you in the back?" she sneered, holding up the knife. Beatrix's eyes watered watching the scene— she could already feel the splinters entering her bloodstream. "Feels pretty sucky, doesn't it?"

"Please don't," Kai begged.

"Don't what?" Bonnie snapped. "Don't— don't leave you here? All alone? Drive you to the point of wanting to end your own life? I ALMOST KILLED MYSELF BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"Please, please, believe me— I've changed!" Kai cried. "Please— don't hurt Beatrix— please— I've changed, I've changed— I swear!"

"I know," Bonnie said darkly. "So have I."

She brought the knife down to stab him, but in the blink of an eye, Kai grabbed onto Beatrix, and the two were cloaked, making the knife go right into the snow, and leaving them invisible.

"Move, now!" Kai said, staggering up and pulling Beatrix with him. "Damn it— turn around."

She let out a cry of pain and grasped onto the nearest tree, listening as Bonnie sprinted away, clearly to find the others. "Ow— ow— she got me right in the liver!"

"Hold still— I need to get this out," he said, pulling her coat off. She began to shiver, tears springing into her eyes. She felt him leaning against her, too weak to hold himself up completely, but wanting to help her before he helped himself.

She let out a loud scream when he started to remove whatever piece of wood that Bonnie had lodged into her. "Fuck— stop! Stop!"

"It's stuck," said Kai, shakily dropping to his knees. "She dug it all the way through— check your front."

With her coat off, Beatrix could now see blood pooled over her shirt. She lifted it, shivering even more. Sure enough, she could see the tip of the wood piece protruding where the blood was coming from. Clearly, Bonnie had wanted to make sure that the removal wouldn't be so easy.

"Damn it," she hissed, bringing her wrist up into her mouth and biting into it. "Quick— drink my blood— heal yourself first."

He hesitated, but when she dropped her arm to be near his face, he took it and started to drink the blood that flowed out of her. She whimpered and rested her head against the trunk of the tree, trying to listen out into the distance, but to no avail. For all they knew, the others had already left them behind.

She looked down at her stomach and winced, bringing her hand around the wood. "Crap— I'm probably going to come close to passing out when we remove this thing..." Share traced her fingers over the part in the front, and started to pull, letting out another piercing cry of pain.

"Here— let me do it," he panted, standing up solidly as his wounds began to heal. He stood with one hand on either side of her body, and helped to coax the piece of wood out of her. It turned out to be a much smaller, easily hidden stake, which Bonnie must have prepared in advance. Beatrix suspected she'd come with the intention of killing Kai. Just her luck— she had been invited probably to be left behind with the other Heretics, which Bonnie most likely knew about. She expected Bonnie had never wanted to let her leave with Damon, rather, had only let her do so because she had seen Kai as the greater of the two evils.

She collapsed against Kai the instant the stake was out of her abdomen. He'd held her up and put a hand over her belly, muttering a spell that would hopefully pull every last splinter out with the blood. She let out a hoarse gasp and fell into his chest as she felt the wound begin to close. He yanked up her coat and draped it around her before putting his arm around her and pulling her back to walk as fast as they could back to where they'd been when they arrived.

Both were still limping when they caught a glimpse of Bonnie, Damon, Elena, and presumably Damon's mother linked to the Ascendant, which was starting to glow.

"BONNIE!" Kai yelled.

"Bonnie, please," said Beatrix weakly.

All she did was smirk as the four disappeared.

Kai fell to the ground first, sinking to his knees, and by default, pulling Beatrix with him. He leaned back against a tree, starting to hyperventilate, but holding onto her like he was scared that she would disappear if he let go. He began to laugh, though it quickly turned into crying, his face contorted with horror and pain.

"She— she fucking left us behind," he said between shaky sobs. "She trapped us, again."