November started to come to an end, and Klaus and Beatrix were still growing distant.

At first, it made sense to Beatrix. He felt guilty for making her expose herself but he didn't know how to apologize.

But when after time, he started talking to her less and less, she wasn't sure what to think. Perhaps he no longer saw fit to have her as his most trusted friend.

"I have to pick one," said Davina, snapping Beatrix out of her thoughts. "Orange or purple?"

Jackson, Hayley, and Beatrix shared a look. It was Fête de Cadeau, and Beatrix was not glad to have been called in. Fifteen minutes ago, they'd all been asked to come, which they had, though they were not sure why Davina wanted them there.

Beatrix, for one, would rather be anywhere else. This witch day celebration was not important to her— it never had been. She didn't like to participate in any sacred days because her mother had not taught her to do so, and without a coven, she could hardly keep track of them as it was. Ever since she'd arrived, the cold stares of the other witches had followed her, and the Heretic was reminded of why she hated interacting with other groups of witches.

"Did you seriously call us here to play Fashion Police?" asked Jackson incredulously as a witch came around with an incense ball and swept smoke in Davina's face.

"Okay," said Davina sharply to the woman, "I know this is sacred oil, but can we please not do that right now?" When they left, she sighed. "Thank you." She began to tie the orange ribbon around her throat. "Sorry. Thank you for coming— all of you."

Hayley rolled her eyes. "Like we had a choice, Davina. Either we do your bidding, or you blow out that candle of yours and turn us back into wolves. So, we're pretty much your slaves.

Jackson tried to be polite after hearing this. "Now Hayley, come on. This is the deal we made. Let's let her say her piece, hmm?" He faced the younger witch. "What do you want?"

Davina clearly looked nervous. "This is my first Cadeau as Regent. Since I represent the city, the covens have to pay tribute to me, and I throw them a party. I need them to respect me, but this is the first public event since..."

"Since you had me kill those witches in the Ninth Ward?" finished Hayley, causing Davina to look even more uncomfortable.

"I have a feeling it might not go so well, especially since Van Nguyen blames me for what happened to his mom. He vowed to get back at me. Actually, he said he would erase me. I mean, who even talks like that?"

"There are methods of erasure," said Beatrix bluntly. "He might be speaking literally. Watch your back and monitor the magic that other witches are doing. In the meantime, are we to be your bodyguards?"

Davina nodded and faced Hayley and Jackson specifically. "Look, I know that you're not exactly thrilled with me right now, but if I die, that candle's magic dies, too. And then there's nothing stopping you from changing back into wolves. I invited Beatrix to work on the candle and see if she can remove the curse entirely."

"Oh, fucking bless," sighed Beatrix in relief. "So I'm not here to be integrated into one of the covens?"

Davina shook her head. "You already told me you don't want to be part of a coven, and I respect that. Still, I think it important that the witches see you're not here to do any harm. You can stay in here working on the candle for now, and Hayley and Jackson can be in charge of protection."

"Well, that works," Jackson said. "I'll check out the crowd now."

He left, and Hayley let out a dejected sigh. "Fine, I'll keep you alive." She then grimaced at Davina's neck. "But, if you wear that awful orange scarf, you'll wish that I hadn't."

Beatrix smirked lightly at this and went over to observe the candle that had a red Crescent moon carved into it. Waving her hand over it, she hummed. "Damn, Davina, this is some powerful spellwork," she huffed, impressed.

"Think you can finish off what's needed?" she asked as she put on the purple scarf instead.

"Definitely," said Beatrix. "Might take me awhile, though."

Davina nodded and walked off, and Hayley slowly approached the Heretic. "I'm sorry," she said, causing her to turn to face the hybrid. "I have acted like a total bitch to you. It was unwarranted. Even though I didn't know a lot of stuff about you, it was wrong of me to act that way. Not knowing is not an excuse. I really, really appreciate all that you've done for Hope. I want you in her life. Jackson does, too. He talked to me about it and I... I am sorry it's taken me so long to speak to you. I want you to know I mean it."

Beatrix found a small smile coming to her face. "I appreciate it. And I'm sorry, too, for my part in the hostilities. I've got a terrible ruddy temper and I let it get the best of me. I want us to be friends, Hayley. I admire you. And I promise, I will remove this spell so that you can be with your little girl full time. She needs a mother like you."

Hayley bit her lip and stepped closer. "So what are you and Klaus? No one ever really told me about that."

"We were lovers before. It was a serious relationship but it didn't last. He's not a bad man. He's just not trusting, and his brutality stems from wanting to be safer than sorry. Now, with Hope, he's more paranoid. He won't let any harm come to her. He's not... the best coparent. Marcel is the compassionate and kind man he is because of who he was born as, and maybe a little of my influence. Klaus is not a patient person, and neither am I, but he's learning. It's going to take more time than this for him to realize how he needs to act. He just... likes being in control, you know. The lack of it drives him crazy. I'll try to do the best I can, but... right now he's not exactly speaking to me."

"The Strix Gala," Hayley recalled. "Tristan spoke about you later that night to Elijah— I heard them."

"Really?" said Beatrix, raising an eyebrow. "All awful things, I presume?"

"Not exactly. Elijah went to get Tristan to back down on trying to get you, and Tristan realized that you and Elijah had been an item. I think, if anything, he was more jealous that you weren't more devoted to Elijah, because otherwise, you'd be a weapon for the Strix. I think he's willing to pardon you if it means you'll enter the Strix Coven... or at least, that's what I understood. He seemed to be oddly aware of things surrounding you, like someone had already told him."

"No doubt I've been watched for some time, now," sighed Beatrix. "Thanks for letting me know. No way in hell am I going to ever help Tristan."

At that moment, Davina came back in. "The witches are arriving with their gifts," she announced, definitely not looking forward to it. With an equally bored face, Hayley followed her out.

Beatrix spent the next few hours working on the candle. It wasn't all that bad— she worked out a spell rather quickly, but refining it was the more difficult part. She forced her mind not to wander to Klaus, wondering if he would ever speak to her again. Instead, she tried to tune into the Ancestral magic she could feel all around her. They might not like her, but she was born there, and they couldn't exactly refuse her their help, right? She'd need a boost from them to ensure the spell went off without a hitch.

Afternoon was falling when her work was disrupted by the entrance of Davina, Hayley, Jackson, and an angry looking boy that Beatrix assumed was Van.

"You've already taken everything away from me!" he snapped at Davina. "So go ahead, kill me! Get it over with!"

Davina kept her cool. "You tried to murder a Regent, by which law you should be hanged."

"Oh, shit," said Beatrix under her breath as Van scoffed. "Murder? Is that the first place your mind goes? Do you even know what I was using to attack you?"

At this, Jackson took out a small puppet and handed it to Davina, whose face flushed with shame. "This isn't to kill me," she said softly.

"It's a figure veritas," said Van. "Stab it in the heart, and the victim must confess their darkest truths."

Davina cast him a sad look. "You wanted me to admit what I did to your mom so I'd be shunned."

Van shrugged. "Maybe I'd rather see you dead, but at least that would be justice."

"Look, she's the one who attacked me," Davina stated. "She wanted a mutiny, and if that happens, what's next? An all-out witch war to decide the next Regent? How many people will die then?"

"So you think the covens are better off with you?" Van challenged.

"I do," said Davina firmly. "I've seen things done the old way. I've done things the old way. And it doesn't work. If you don't want peace, then fine. Go. You're free. But, I'm asking you... Please stay. We can work together. We can change things."

Van only considered it for a moment before leaving the tomb without another word. Beatrix awkwardly coughed. "So, um, I think I'm ready to do the spell," said the Heretic, shuffling on the balls of her feet. "Might be nice to have the Regent help out so the Ancestors don't burn me."

Davina nodded, glad for a change of topic. "Sure." She looked over the candles and herbs Beatrix had prepared and peered onto the spell. "Wow. I don't know if I can pronounce a lot of those words."

"Just let me channel you, then," said Beatrix, beckoning her over and taking her hands. Davina closed her eyes and the Heretic followed suit, humming for about a minute before beginning to chant, "Krok půlměsíc maleir, deslligar vlk človek, odstranit creixent prekliatie, rozviazat donchuan humà, treure eliminar polmesiac mitya lluna kletba, uvolnit llop lidský."

There was a tugging sensation between Davina and Beatrix, and the candle flickered. The Heretic leaned down and blew out the flame, and both Jackson and Hayley gasped, but neither transformed.

"It's done," said Beatrix, letting out a sigh of relief. "Do I get to go home now?"

"Yes," said Davina, smiling as Hayley and Jackson embraced. "Thank you so much."

"Thank you," said Jackson, followed by a grateful smile from Hayley.

"Of course," said Beatrix. "Have fun for the rest of the night... I'm going to go take a nice, soothing shower or something..."

She sped to the compound, having in mind to relax, but the instant she touched down, she realized Marcel had arrived just beside her. "Whatcha doing here?" she asked curiously.

"Have some news," he answered with a grave look. "Not good. Come on."

He waved her to follow him, where they met Elijah in the hallway outside the courtyard. "Marcellus," said Elijah. "Talk to me."

"We got a problem," said Marcel bluntly. "My guy stayed on Tristan's tail all day. Followed him to this place called the Candide Royale. He goes in, never comes out. So, he's obviously using it as a way to get to somewhere. The building has hidden passageways leading out the back. Now, bootleggers used them in the twenties to run booze to a secret storehouse on Dauphine, and you'll never guess who just bought that storehouse."

When neither Elijah or Beatrix piped up a guess, Marcel went on. "Kingmaker Land Development, owned by one Lucien Castle. Now, that sure as hell isn't a coincidence. Either they're brokering some kind of truce...

"...Or, they've been working together the whole time," whispered Beatrix. "Hayley was just telling me about Tristan's conversation with you, Elijah. She said she found it weird he seemed to know quite a bit about me."

"The news I have for you will only make it worse," sighed Elijah. "Aurora has arrived in New Orleans."

"Oh bloody fucking hell," said Beatrix, putting a hand on her forehead. "Seriously? And Klaus is still not speaking to me... meaning she's going to be able to get his attention for quite a few things."

Elijah and Marcel shared a worried look. "We will keep investigating. You rest, Beatrix."

She didn't need to be told twice. One Silencing Spell later, she was lounging in her bathtub, listening to some music and letting herself relax in the bubbles.

"Beatrix?" The Heretic looked up as Freya came in. "Good, you're here. I didn't hear anything when I knocked."

"Sorry, I blocked sound in and out," said Beatrix, sitting up slightly. "Everything alright?"

"Yes," said Freya, taking a seat next to the shower. "I just... wanted to talk about something. I hope it's no intrusion. I just— well, I've learned more about you and my brothers tell me that you've... been with women in the past."

Beatrix nodded. "Yep. Never put a label on it, though. Nowadays, they might call me bisexual— I think, is the term?"

Freya bit her lip. "I think... I might be too. I'm mostly questioning right now. I haven't really tried anything yet but ever since the Gala..." she blushed. "Alexis kissed me to show me her vision, and it... triggered something, I think. A hidden feeling I never tuned into. Is it alright wit you if I talk to you about it, if I ever need to?"

"Of course, Freya. No judgement here. You're free to be attracted to whoever you'd like."

Freya offered her a smile and cleared her throat. "So... I was wondering. Do you and my brother have feelings for each other? I mean Klaus, by the way."

The Heretic shook her head. "We don't work like that... not anymore. We appreciate our friendship. He gets me, and I get him. Nothing more. I don't think there's a chance we'll ever be romantically involved anymore."

"I just wondered, because I know Kol and Rebekah are your best friends, but you never had a romantic attraction to either. Yet you and Klaus sometimes... I wonder if it could be a thing."

Beatrix chuckled. "You and your siblings are all very attractive, but when it comes to Klaus, I don't think he would ever fancy me like that again. Me, well, my heart will always remember how loved he made me feel. That kind of love doesn't go away. Klaus and Elijah will always hold a very special place in my heart even if I never get back together with them. I... I still need to process everything that happened with Kai. I don't know what I want anymore. But I do know what I need, and I need to be acknowledged as I am, flaws and strengths combined. Make sure you place proper value on yourself, too, Freya. Be it a male or a female, whoever you fancy should see you as you are and fall for that, even with the ugly and pretty sides fluctuating. None of us are perfect but we're all capable of love and we're capable of being loved. Never diminish your worth."

Freya came over and patted her head. "Thanks, Beatrix. I appreciate it. I'll let you keep relaxing."

The relaxing didn't last too long. In the morning, Beatrix was well rested, but came downstairs alongside Freya to get breakfast, where they found the entire courtyard a mess. Overturned wooden chairs, a broken chandelier with taper candles across the floor, a puddle of blood, an overturned footstool, broken chair legs all over the place soaked in blood.

"Well, fuck, my Silencing Spell certainly worked," huffed Beatrix, the two raising her hands to protect themselves as they went into the dining room. They found Klaus and Elijah covered in blood, sitting calmly at the table. Elijah's shirt was torn all over the place, and Klaus was draining some of his blood into a glass.

"May I ask what happened?" said Freya sharply.

Klaus smirked. "We had a little chat about the past."

Elijah looked up. "I informed Niklaus I am not his enemy. And, though they entered the city under the guise of peace, Tristan and Lucien, in truth, are allied against us. A fact that required a little bit of... gentle persuasion...

"And so I reminded our brother, who angered them in the first place..." piped up Klaus.

"And what yielded?" inquired Beatrix, leaning into the doorway. "After all this civil discourse, I mean."

"That we expose and destroy our first sired," said Elijah as Klaus handed him the glass of blood.

"Couldn't agree more," said the hybrid. "You see, gentlemen know when to call a truce and turn our fury in a more pertinent direction."

Beatrix cast him a cheeky smile. "And us gentle ladies don't get into such ridiculous brawls to begin with. But whatever floats your boat, Klaus. I'm going to go get a bite elsewhere."

She didn't wait for Klaus to try and speak to her.

On her way to St. Anne's Church, she stopped in an alleyway and fed on a young businessman, healing him before going to the gym, and seeing only Marcel was there.

"Care for a training session?" said Marcel when he saw her. "You look stressed."

"Ah, you know me so well," she sighed, climbing into the ring.

Between punches, she ranted about literally everything. "... and now, Tristan still wants me in the Coven, which is a fucking problem cause I don't want them—" she caught Marcel's fist as it aimed at her core, and she flipped him onto his back, though he kicked her legs out from under her. She rolled up and readied herself. "... and fucking Klaus isn't helping matters because now he's ignoring me, probably thinking I'm mad at him when I'm not—" she dodged a strike and kicked Marcel back. He grabbed her foot and twisted her onto her stomach. "Ouch," she huffed. "He's just so— insufferable sometimes. He's ignoring me on purpose, and I don't know why."

"Maybe he has feelings for you again," said Marcel. "And he feels bad because you're not over Kai yet, and he doesn't want to mess things up with Cami either."

"Are you crazy?" she huffed as she knocked him back against the fence. "He does not have feelings for me. You and Freya are on drugs."

"I can assure you, we are not. Can't blame me— you two are my parents, the idea of you together isn't bad to me. Better than you and Elijah, at any rate."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, I know so. Those are just my thoughts, anyway. He's scared that he's going to drag you into another problem. He still feels bad he exposed you to Tristan, even though it wasn't as bad in the end since Lucien was in kahoots with him from the start."

"I can't imagine how that conversation went about. Hey, Tristan, remember that girl who killed all your Strix siblings? She's here and I had a one night stand with her."

Marcel made a face, but didn't get to answer because Hayley burst in, dragging an unconscious man behind her. "Hey," she said breathlessly as she tied him onto a chair, revealing she'd bitten him. "You might remember him from that pretentious excuse for a party."

"Well," huffed Marcel, coming over. "Shen Min. Eight hundred years old. According to Tristan, he was a torture consultant for Genghis Khan."

"We fought once," recalled Beatrix. "I would have killed him along with those other Strix, but I was too weakened by then, and honestly, I have no idea how I survived."

"I was hoping you'd know him more intimately so you could get him to admit why he was following me," said Hayley, making Beatrix laugh.

"He's attractive, but brutal," said the Heretic. "Wouldn't have happened unless he was possessed by someone else's spirit."

The hybrid smirked and turned to Marcel, serious again. "So, Marcel, why was he following me?"

"I don't know," Marcel admitted.

"You don't know, or you're sworn to a code of silence?"

Marcel held his hands up in surrender. "Hey! Easy. We're on the same side here. Let me call Elijah, alright?" He brought out his phone and went over to one of the other side rooms.

"Your timing is perfectly horrendous," Beatrix heard Elijah say as she leaned over to examine Shen Min's face.

"Yeah?" said Marcel. "Well, I need your help. Hayley caught one of Tristan's guys tailing her. Knocked him out, brought him to the gym for a little Q & A. Problem is, it's Shen Min."

"Marcellus, do I need to remind you that Shen Min was known as 'the Red Sorrow' before he was a vampire? You execute him immediately. Is Beatrix with you?"

"Yes, she is. I—"

"Before he wakes, you tear that heart from his chest."

Elijah hung up, and Marcel sighed, pocketing his phone and coming over as Hayley stopped right in front of the man. "So, what? You gonna sleep all day?"

"He might," said Beatrix, poking his cheek. "Jeez. I can try to look into his mind, and we can kill him before he wakes."

"No," said Hayley, nodding to show that Shen Min was opening his eyes. "Hmm. About time. Now we can get started."

The man smiled in amusement. "Yes, we certainly can." He turned to face Beatrix. "So the Heretic still lives. Last I heard, you were in a prison world. I should know, after all... I tipped them off about you."

Beatrix's eyes flashed angrily, and she twisted her wrist, making him grunt in pain. "Feel that? Your blood is turning into hot acid. So I suggest you start talking because this time, I'm full of magic and you're not going to get the best of me."

She felt absolutely furious, but at the moment, she could not allow herself to fixate on the horrible feeling it gave her. No, she would not allow herself to think of Kai.

Hayley leaned down to his eye level as Beatrix dropped the spell, demanding to herself that she wait until another time to address his confession.

"If you talk, maybe we'll even get you healed from that bite I gave you," said Hayley. To make her point, she pushed her index finger into the bite wound on his wrist. This time, Shen simply clenched his jaw and remained quiet.

"Why were you following me?" Hayley demanded.

"Because we have use for you," answered Shen Min smoothly. "Or, is it some other reason? You'll never know. And, it won't matter, because when I get free, I'm going to break your jaw as you did mine and slowly pull your intestines out from your body."

"Hey!" snapped Marcel. "How about we just calm down?"

Shen sneered at Marcel. "And you. The others were so pleased when you joined our ranks, but I knew from the start you were filth. You've proven it by siding against us. For that, I will end you, but not before you watch them both die... screaming."

Marcel rolled up his sleeve. "Right. Well, that's about enough of that. Sorry, Hayley. Your turn's over. He's got to die."

He lunged to rip out Shen's heart, but in an instant, Shen stood and spun, smashing the chair back into the door frame and freeing him of his restraints, breaking off two of the chair legs and holding them each in makeshift stakes. Beatrix moved to attack but Marcel waved her back, jumping forward, only to be thrown back hard into the back wall, knocking him out instantly and leaving blood leaking from his head. Hayley took a strike next, but Shen whacked her over the head with the chair legs, taking a kettle-weight off the floor with his foot and slamming it into the hybrid's head. Beatrix twisted her arm, snapping his legs, which made him throw both wooden legs at her, both grazing her sides, but not piercing her.

"Pity, you have to die like this," sneered Beatrix, flicking her fingers and making more bones in his body break. "But you deserve it."

"I'll die knowing I broke you," he snapped, gritting his teeth. "You don't have the same fight you did before, Heretic. You're weak. And I will bring Tristan your head."

"Funny, because the broken one appears to be you," said Beatrix as Hayley, now recovered, lunged to tear her fist into Shen's heart. But to both women's surprise, he managed to stand and kick her in the stomach, pulling her forward and snapping her neck, as though he wanted to kill her, but wanted to rid himself of Beatrix first.

Beatrix moved her wrist, but Shen threw Hayley's unconscious body at her, making her duck and leaving him an opening to plunge his hand into her chest, making her croak in pain as he held her heart, barely able to stand but somehow having incapacitated her. "Tristan will reward me greatly for finally putting an end to you," he said darkly. "At last, I am the one who defeated the Original Heretic."

She let out a croak of pain as he made to remove her heart, but suddenly, his hold loosened, and her eyes watered as she tried to see what was going on. He dropped her, and she coughed, panting for air, and seeing that Elijah was there, and he'd impaled Shen Min through the chest with a sharp piece of wood. The Original rushed over to Beatrix, pulling her up. "Are you okay?"

She nodded weakly, and Elijah grasped Shen Min, removing the wood and glaring into his eyes to compel him. "Why were you following Hayley?"

He couldn't resist the compulsion. "I was ordered to remove her from the playing field. She is an obstacle to the thing we truly want."

"Which is what?" Elijah growled.

"Davina Claire," said Shen.

"What do you want with Davina Claire?"

"Tristan needs her to activate a weapon to use against your family."

"What weapon?"

Shen seemed intent to use all of his remaining energy to resist the compulsion, remaining silent, though this just caused Elijah to grip his throat tighter. "Forgive me, I'm having a little difficulty hearing you right now. Speak."

"I'd... rather... die!" snarled Shen, breaking free and throwing off his daylight ring, bursting into flames in front of Elijah and Beatrix.

The Heretic gritted her teeth. "He's the one who got me in the prison world in the first place. He tipped them off. He must have been spying on me."

Elijah cast her a saddened look. "Beatrix—"

But her phone began to ring, and she looked down, seeing an unknown number. "Sorry... let me see who this is."

She stepped aside as Elijah sighed and went to revive Hayley and Marcel. "Hello?" said Beatrix. "Who is this?"

"Is this Beatrix La Salle?"

"Er, yes. Who are you? You sound familiar."

"It— it's Caroline. Caroline Forbes."

Beatrix stopped. "What do you want?" she said quietly, not in the mood for another painful reminder of Kai.

"I... well, I don't know how to say this gently, so I'll just be out with it. I'm pregnant."

The Heretic faltered. "What? But— but you're a vampire, aren't you?"

"I promise, I'll explain right now. I was texting Klaus the other day and... I think you deserve a chance at redemption. He told me you used to be an OB/Gyn and since you're a siphon too, I want you to help me. This pregnancy— you're not going to believe it, but I have Alaric and Jo's twins inside of me."

Beatrix staggered back into the nearest wall. "What? No— we killed them."

"The Gemini Coven managed to save them just before... they all died. They're inside me now, and I plan to bring them to term. I know that we haven't met officially and I know that Alaric won't... be so warm. But if Klaus trusts you, then I do too, and there is no one else I'd rather help me deliver these babies."

The Heretic swallowed the lump in her throat. "Alright," she said softly. "I'll be your doctor."

Hey all, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please comment your response to this question: who do you want Beatrix to end up with most? You can include your second choice if you'd like. I want to see what you're thinking.