Maddy couldn't even participate in the search.

Klaus claimed he was going to be doing business with the wolves before he decided to go after Mikael and Davina. Elijah was going to find Kol, to reveal to him that Bonnie was alive so that he would join their side and abandon Esther.

"I can't just sit here," said Maddy miserably to Jo as she was leaving for her next shift. "What am I supposed to do?"

Jo held up her fingers to count. "Yoga, reading, binge-watching a show on that gigantic television in your boyfriend's room. There are actually many things you can do to relax and enjoy your time alone. You're so used to helping and constantly being available to help the people that you care about that you don't even know how to entertain yourself."

Maddy huffed. "Well it was easier to help other people, at least then it felt like I was actually doing something."

"You can do whatever you want as long as you don't leave the house and don't hurt yourself. If you really want to help then I'll email you some patient data I need sorted into a spreadsheet."

This didn't sound like fun but Maddy accepted because at least then she'd have a set task. She knew Jo needed the help right now. It seemed like she was burying herself in work while she waited to see if Kai came after her or not.

She gave up pretty quickly on the stupid spreadsheet. She texted her brothers, asking if they knew anyone with coding skills who could tell her what to do so that the computer would organize everything by itself. She made a mental note to learn coding once she was a vampire again and more easily able to retain information.

Instead, she started to scroll through every app on her phone, trying to learn something new or just get lost in a series of random video clips about home renovations that she would never actually do.

This led her to find something rather curious.

"Hmm," she said, seeing her list of 'suggested' accounts to follow. Likely the people in her area, or those whose contacts she had. She noticed something about 'French Quarter Witches,' an account that most people only seemed to follow because they wanted to believe magic was real (given the fact they thought it could only be a fantasy).

On the account were many pictures of the fake palm reading witches giving out fortunes and tricking people to pay a lot of something that wasn't even true. What caught her eye was one picture from four months ago, where the 'Harvest girls' stood reunited.

Maddy recalled Klaus telling her that the Harvest girls had been announced to society through a small parade/festival for the tourists. In the photo were four girls— Davina, Cassie, and two others that Maddy didn't recognize, but had heard of. One of them was the niece of two Deveraux witches who fled the instant they heard about what the Guerreras had done to the Mikaelsons.

"What do we have here?" she whispered to herself, zooming into the background and seeing the familiar face that Finn currently bore. Beside him was a younger male. The two stood close enough together that it was clear they knew each other.

She zoomed into the young boy's face, taking a screenshot before sending it to Hayley. "Know who this is?" she asked. "Research purposes."

"Nope," Hayley replied. "But I can find out for you. Give me ten minutes."

Maddy assumed that Hayley must have gone around to ask some of the teenage wolves because not long after, she was told the boy's name was 'Kaleb Westphall.'

She searched him up on Instagram and found an account that hadn't posted in four months. Fit the timeline well. From what she could find in his random captions and awfully cheesy selfies, he'd been on his own for awhile. Made sense Esther would pick a loner to host Kol— any behavioral changes wouldn't be noticed. Kaleb had four followers and they were all random spam accounts.

"Which means Finn's host is probably a bit of a loaner too," she murmured to herself. "No family. She got to them easily. How to free them... though. If they have no one, will they even want to emerge? Can the hosts do that?"

She started to see if she could find where Kaleb went to school. She imagined he wouldn't be attending (and she was right about that when she called attendance claiming to be a worried relative of his), and was able to use this to her advantage to get a number to contact him.

Thankfully, it seemed Kol still had Kaleb's phone.

"Who's this?" he asked sharply.

"I thought we were closer than that, Kol."

A pause. "Madeleine," he said knowingly. "You're here."

"Your mother didn't tell you?"

"She was bitter that I elected to not attend last night's dinner. I suppose this is her punishment for me. Keeping me out of the know. Are all the rumors true, then? You were coming here— well... you are here now— because you're carrying Nik's baby?"

"Yeah, it's true. And your mother and Finn don't seem to be very chuffed about it. I'm kind of hoping I don't have to be worried about you. I know a Bennett witch who recently came back from the dead and is eager to see you."

"Bonnie... is alive?"

"She's alive. And as long as you swear to help—"

"Oi, I may despise children for the most part, but that wolf in your tum is family. My mother's gone loony enough losing two children. I'd rather not help her put anyone through the same thing. Where is Bonnie?"

"In Whitmore. We can't go into Mystic Falls because of a Traveler spell."

"Hmm. I'm sure we can figure something out. Don't call this number anymore, I'll need to abandon the phone and the body."

"And the body? What are you gonna do?"

"I'm a witch again, love. This body's got the magic I was denied for a thousand years after I was forced to turn. My mother knows a thing or two about body jumping and so do I. Only way she can't track me is if I jump into someone else. Must do it quickly. I'll have Bonnie let you know when I'm in Whitmore with her. For now... we never spoke."

"Wait—" He hung up, and she huffed, unable to know if she could or couldn't disclose this progress to his brothers.

She decided to keep it a secret, for Kol's safety. When Elijah and Klaus came home in the afternoon, she acted sullen, saying she'd had the most boring day of her entire life. Klaus, of course, not wanting her to feel that way anymore, cuddled with her while Maddy texted Elena, asking for updates.

Things weren't going too well for them. Kai had managed to suck up the entire Traveler spell, which meant that supernaturals were able to return to Mystic Falls, but they'd be at the mercy of a sociopath who wanted to fry everyone's brain to 'practice' his magic.

"Literally the first thing he did was one of those brain aneurysm spells," Elena texted, and it was clear that she was irritated. "Managed it on me, Damon, Alaric, and Tyler simultaneously. It was really bad. Then he just left. And Bonnie hasn't been able to track him."

They had to assume that Kai was heading for Jo. He was her twin, so his blood was really all he needed for a Locator Spell. He likely knew how to cast one, and as soon as he saw that she was in New Orleans, he'd book a flight. Or maybe just fly the plane himself. Maddy figured he might be able to do that.

"Maybe Jo should move in here," suggested Maddy. "So that we can draw him in. He won't stand a chance against you and Elijah."

Klaus was glad she couldn't see his face, considering he was spooning her from behind. He didn't like the sound of that at all. If Jo was living in the Compound, Kai would be given access to the only place where Maddy was truly safe in the city. Klaus had no idea what Kai's relationship had been like with Damon, but it was reasonable to assume (based on how lovely of a person Damon was...) that Kai wasn't a fan of the Salvatores. If he even saw Maddy, he'd hurt her, there was no doubt about that. Either by using his magic on her for fun, or kidnapping her just to start a problem and see whose nerves he could get on.

"I'd rather she not come here," said Klaus honestly. "You'd be at risk. The child... as well."

"But Jo came here to make sure me and the baby are safe. If something happens to her..."

"Nothing will happen to her. I will go and fetch Davina now. She will help us if she knows what's good for her."

"Don't threaten her into helping, that's not fair to her."

"The little brat resurrected Mikael. She deserves every consequence that comes from her actions."

"But forcing her to help us just because she did what she thought made sense at the time... that's not a fair repercussion. She doesn't know your history with Mikael. I'm sure she never would have brought him back if she knew what an abusive ass he was. All she knew was that he had the power to kill you. And considering your history with her... I mean, my brother wanted to kill you just because you were dating me. You killed her other little boyfriend and you were rude to her."

She could tell that he wasn't enjoying hearing this, so she decided to ask about something else she was curious about. "What are you going to do when you find them, anyway?"

"Mikael likely holds the white oak stake," said Klaus. "I will take Papa Tunde's blade with me. Kill him the instant that I can. If it would please you, I will let Davina go. However, I will make known the threat that is coming our way. She has not yet met you, but already I know Marcel has contacted her to tell her about you. She may be... willing... to help us, when she knows it is for your safety."

"Thank you," said Maddy appreciatively. "As for Mikael... be careful. Maybe Elijah should go with you. I know you're strong and can definitely take him down on your own but extra backup wouldn't hurt."

"Perhaps," said Klaus. "I will take it under consideration."

The next day, however, did not go the way Klaus thought it would. When he reached the little cabin in Terrebonne Parish, he found the white oak stake in a glass cabinet, which he for some reason couldn't manage to open or break, as if someone had spelled it in there. Mikael was not there, and neither was Davina.

"Marcel," he said, trying not to demonstrate how furious he was. "Tell me you did not relocate Davina before I could find her."

"I didn't do anything," said Marcel honestly. "She hasn't messaged me back since yesterday. I tried to track her phone but it's off. I think she left again. Only this time, she was smarter about it. Any ideas where she could have gone? You sure you didn't send a threat that I wasn't aware of?"

"I did no such thing. Question anyone she is close with. Someone is bound to know where she is. Isn't Camille close with her?"

"That's the thing, Cami hasn't been able to contact her either. Calls go straight to voicemail. It doesn't make sense why she would have just up and left. I'll have one of my guys go to the airport and find out about any last minute flights that happened yesterday. Maybe she used her real name, and we'll see where she's going."

An hour later, they had their answer.

"Okay," said Marcel, holding up his phone to show Klaus, once the Original went to his loft in Algiers. "Two last minute flights were bought using straight-up cash. Passports were for Davina Claire and Kaleb Westphall, for a flight to Charlottesville. I don't know who this Kaleb kid is but I'll have someone find out for me. Mikael wasn't on any of the planes. Someone checked surveillance and he never entered the airport. Meaning..."

"He's somewhere else," said Klaus angrily. "I need to return to the Compound."

Maddy had been playing checkers with Hayley when Klaus stormed in. "We're leaving," he said immediately. "Pack a bag. I will acquire a safer apartment, somewhere far from here—"

"What's going on?" asked Maddy worriedly. "What happened?"

"Davina is gone and Mikael is not with her. He could be on his way here."

"Wait— where did Davina go?"

"Charlottesville, apparently, with some boy named Kaleb—"

Maddy immediately looked guilty of knowing something that he didn't, and he raised a brow. "Is there anything you wish to tell me?"

"Kaleb isn't... Kaleb," she said. "Kaleb is Kol. Kol was put into the body of Kaleb Westphall."

"How do you know this?"

"I found out yesterday looking through social media and calling his old school. I told him Bonnie was alive. I assume that Davina and him are friends and he encouraged her to leave. Not like anyone really treats them with respect here. Bonnie texted me earlier today that Kol arrived there, in a different body. He switched once he got to Mystic Falls, I guess. Davina is already getting settled in. I guess she and Jeremy are already bonding over their art. Since Mystic Falls is open again, they're staying at the Boarding House, which Jeremy had... apparently taken residence in since we weren't there. Oh, and in other news, Kai is in a coma."

Klaus blinked. "A coma?"

"Yep. Once Davina and Kol were there, it was pretty easy for them, Bonnie, and the Parker twins to combine their strength long enough for Jeremy to shoot a dart of a small dose of barbiturates into Kai. Meredith put him into a medically-induced coma and they think it'll drain the magic out of him."

Hayley cast a helpful smile, seeing Klaus's eye twitching. "We had an eventful day," the wolf piped up, trying to diffuse the tension.

Klaus tried to be patient with the two of them, who were clearly more excited about the good news, instead of being worried about the fact that Mikael could be searching for them. "Madeleine," he said calmly, "this is all wonderful news, it truly is. However, we must go. Now. Please, love, you aren't safe here. Chances are Mikael is already aware of the pregnancy and I will not have him harming you."

She pouted slightly. "Fine." She trudged upstairs to pack a bag.

"Maybe we should go about this a different way," suggested Hayley. "Like a decoy of some sort. Mikael may already be watching the Compound." She brought out her phone, typing her idea into the Notes app before showing it to Klaus.

He read her words, 'Maybe we should make it seem like you're moving Maddy to a different location, but instead, she can come to the Bayou with me. Mikael would never suspect that you'd leave her just under the protection of wolves. It would completely throw him off the trail. He'd be searching for her in the city, and she'd be safe in the woods.'

Klaus wasn't sure how he felt about that idea. There was a part of him that felt that it might actually be enough to keep Mikael from finding Maddy. The other part of him argued that the only way for her to be safe was to do things his way.

"Maybe we should ask her?" asked Hayley. "She might prefer one to the other. Living... elsewhere to what you have in mind will definitely not be ideal for her. She needs more comfort than that place can provide but I can do my best to make it good for her."

Maddy, of course, would have preferred to just stay where she was. Surely putting the deed in her name and staying in the house could be enough to keep her safe. But given that Mikael knew exactly where the Compound was, she figured there was a risk that he'd light it on fire to lure her out or throw things through the windows to knock her out. She knew that if he got his hands on her, he'd use her as bait. And then, probably kill her.

"I think going with Hayley will be better to keep him from figuring out where I am," said Maddy thoughtfully. "Mikael may be strong but there's got to be like sixty wolves there who had to live in their wolf form for a long, long time. They've got more control over their abilities than other werewolves he may have fought. Besides... if enough wolves bite him, I don't think he'll be able to stand upright. I just worry because it means that the wolves can get hurt. I don't want them to die fighting for me. I've done nothing for them. They don't owe me anything. Maybe you should run this by them first?"

"We need to make this decision now, love," said Klaus firmly. "We cannot wait."

"In the apartment I'd have to be alone... because no one could really know where I was to make sure Mikael couldn't find me. With Hayley... at least I'd be surrounded by people. I think I prefer that."

Klaus tried not to know that he was slightly disappointed. "If it's what you'd like, love, then that's perfectly alright. But you are not to go anywhere alone. You should hardly be exiting the cabin they end up selecting for you. Agreed?"

Maddy sighed. "But I need to walk around at least—"

"Walking around is fine," said Hayley. "Two wolves can be with you at all times. You can't go too far from the main encampment but walking should be fine." She tilted her head to Klaus. "Are you not going to be coming to stay with her?"

"I hardly think I'm welcome as a guest in the Bayou. Besides, I need to be focusing on hunting Mikael to ensure Madeleine's time there is quite limited." He held up his phone. "Elijah hasn't contacted me all day. Something is wrong."

"Hayley can take me to the Bayou," said Maddy. "You go and find him. I really hope this isn't Mikael related..."

Klaus pursed his lips. "I fear it may be. I will search for Elijah as soon as I take you—"

"Nik, go and find your brother. It isn't that far from here to the Bayou. Please, I'd feel safer if we knew where Elijah was."

Klaus hesitated, before pulling her in for a firm kiss. "I will be by the Bayou soon to update you."

Hayley and Maddy made it in one piece, which definitely kept him from feeling too nervous while he searched for his brother. Maddy had had to make do with the small bed she was given inside the cabin that Hayley shared with one of the female wolves named Irina. This was only for a little while. She could manage.

But the next day, she was starting to feel like this may be more long term. Klaus hadn't found Elijah. Elena hadn't been able to make contact with him, and it was starting to seem like Esther had gotten her hands on him, given that Elijah's last known location had been to deal with Finn, who was apparently trying to get werewolf kids to trigger their curse until Elijah and two other wolves put a stop to it.

Maddy tried not to worry too much, but she did. She thought her meeting with Jackson would go differently. He was nice, but now she felt like she was a burden to him, because he already had so much to think about with the young wolves, those who hadn't yet given up the moonlight rings, and those who were coming back slowly, and with doubts.

She went on walks every two hours. It was necessary, since she was constantly needing to use the bathroom. She hadn't had any major symptoms so far (thankfully, it seemed morning sickness wasn't going to plague her), but she was needing to pee every other minute, it seemed, and it drove her nuts. On top of that, no amount of food seemed to be enough. She always wanted and needed more.

Klaus had only come by once to make sure she was comfortable, and to break the news that he hadn't yet been successful in finding a witch who would help him track Mikael. Bonnie had tried, using Rebekah's blood, but all she got was that Mikael was somewhere in New Orleans, which wasn't very helpful. Obviously, he was biding his time.

"I really like it out here," Maddy said honestly to the two wolves who were walking with her that day. "But I do miss it in the city. I'm hoping all of you can move back over there soon, if you choose to. Would you? Either of you?"

They both thought that she talked a lot. But the male beside her answered, "I don't think I would. The Bayou feels safer to me. I know it like the back of my hand. I only need to go to the city for supplies. Feels pointless living there and being surrounded by too many things at once."

The other wolf didn't answer. There was a slicing sound, and Maddy leapt back, falling to the ground when she saw the wolf's head had flown off.

She started to run when she saw Mikael had grabbed the other wolf. She screamed for help, but before she could scream loud enough, a hand clamped over her mouth and pulled her back.

She felt herself being dragged at a rapid speed, until suddenly, they touched down in a different part of the Bayou.

"Mikael," she said nervously, trying to keep steady. He hadn't made to hurt her, but she could tell he was thinking about it. She'd never met anyone with such a hateful stare. Not even Giuseppe had been that bad.

"I assume my reputation precedes me," he said coldly.

"Yes," she said flatly. She could have added that she knew all about him being an abusive piece of shit, but she figured that was pushing her luck.

"You were the one who helped him kill me," said Mikael, glaring at her. "I recall seeing you. Because of you, I spent an eternity in hell watching over that hideous creature my children call brother! Niklaus did not even have the gall to fight me like a man. He took the out you gave him and killed me when I was bound and at my weakest."

Maddy would have liked to say, 'Gee, sounds like a you problem for letting yourself get desiccated in the first place.'

Instead she was silent.

"And now," continued Mikael, seething, "you saw fit to create a child with that bastard."

"Don't call him that," she snapped, unable to contain herself. "It isn't his fault Esther cheated on you and lied about him being your son—"

"He is not my son!" he bellowed, seizing her by the throat. He could have crushed it in an instant, but it seemed as though he was holding back. Maddy figured he was definitely intending to lure Klaus into a trap. Otherwise she'd already be dead. "He's a scourge, a walking symbol of weakness!"

"The only weak one," she gasped, struggling to breathe, "is you! Couldn't— accept him— because— of your— stupid— fragile— masculinity!"

He dropped her on the ground, and would have managed to kick her right in the stomach if she hadn't rolled away, and thrown a mount of dirt in his face. In the brief moment that he couldn't see, she grabbed a nearby branch and hurled it at him with all her might, managing to lodge it in his neck. She then grabbed a large rock, bashing it into his head.

"You're not going to hurt me!" she said angrily, hitting him over and over again. "You're not going to hurt Nik... and you're not going to hurt our baby!"

For some reason, it was like he couldn't swat her away just yet. As if her power had been magnified in this life or death situation. Was it possible for the baby to do that? Or was she only at an advantage because of her rage?

Mikael, of course, wasn't about to stop himself from saying anything he could to get under her skin. He managed to grab her arm, forcing the rock out of her hand and hurling it across the way, yanking her forward so he was yelling right in her face, "That kid never had a chance!" he snarled, blood pouring down his temple. "That deathless vermin suddenly fancies himself a daddy! I almost find it amusing. There is no saving that atrocity festering in your womb. Klaus will destroy it, one way or another. Better it dies now, and you along with it!"

"And yet you haven't killed me," she said, standing her ground. "Because you need me to get to him. You know, I used to think that my father was the worst one in existence, but I just hadn't gotten to know you yet. I'm glad my baby won't have to know either of their shitty grandfathers."

She ripped her hand away from his grip, surprised he didn't immediately grab onto her again. "You can keep me here, I don't care, I know that when Klaus comes, he'll defeat you. But don't you dare touch me again. Klaus did nothing to you, and deep down, you know that. I feel so disgusted knowing you did it for absolutely no reason, before you even knew that he was not your son. You never even knew that Esther is the reason he was so weak. She forced him to be weak with a spelled necklace. It pisses me off more knowing that in hindsight you probably feel good about having been a dick to him, huh? Because at least there, you had control. Control you lacked when it came to what your wife did in her free time. I know how awful it can feel when someone cheats on you but you do not take it out on those who are not to blame for it. You want to hate your wife? Do it. I'd hate her too if I were you. You want to hate the guy who fathered Klaus? Do it. I'd hate him too. But nothing ever gave you the right to mistreat him."

She knew that it was as though she was speaking to a wall. And yet, she felt that she had to get the words out.

Mikael was just staring her. "You are a child," he said venomously, as if he genuinely couldn't understand why she felt the need to say that to him. Clearly he couldn't see any flaws in himself. "An immature whelp. What gives you the—?"

"I can say whatever I damn well please to you!" she snapped. "You're holding me hostage! I don't think you're in a position to criticize me. Someone had to tell it to—"

An arrow flew out of nowhere, and lodged into Mikael's chest. Maddy dropped to the ground just as two more arrows flew out. Mikael was unable to rip them out in time before he started to desiccate. Considering the arrows were thin, he likely would only stay down for around five minutes.

Maddy started to run in the direction the arrows came from, and crashed into a man that had been hidden in the bushes, nearly toppling onto him.

"You're Madeleine," he observed, catching her before she could fall. "Follow me, we don't have a lot of time."

She trotted after him obediently, moving as fast as she could. "Hold on," she panted, once they reached the main road, and he held his thumb up for one of the passing cars to stop for them. "Who are you?"

He turned to face her, and she knew the answer just by looking into his eyes.

"I'm Ansel," he replied. "Niklaus's father."