The Original Baby Girl

One Bite, Always and Forever

Once it had been debated silently between Klaus's siblings, they decided it would be best to do it sooner rather than later, and definitely to go willingly.

They gathered in the den to stay out of all public lines of sight, and turned expectantly towards Merit. The room was so quiet with nerves, that you could hear a pin falling to the hardwood floor, even without all the amped up hearing that most of them had.

Rebekah finally spoke as she sat down on the plush arm chair, with a sigh. "Klaus?" Her tone was hesitant with audible anxiety. "Did it hurt terribly?"

"It's a bite Rebekah, of course it hurt." He laughed without humor. "Admittedly, it'll probably be worse for you, since of course there is werewolf venom in her bite." His tone reflected a slight amount of regret.

"He's right." Elijah stated matter of fact, rolling up his sleeve to expose his forearm, after removing his suit jacket. "I don't doubt that it'll be excruciating." He looked up from his sleeve as he spoke. "That's why you advised us not to run, isn't it Merit?"

"Yes." She frowned. "I'm sorry, but if you don't agree to it I'll be forced to hunt you down myself." The pain in her eyes was evident, and her voice shook softly. "Please don't make me chase you." She looked pointedly at Freya this time.

"I won't sweetheart." Freya smiled comfortingly. "I promise." She gently squeezed the younger woman's arm in an attempt to reassure her.

"Thank you." Merit sighed a breathe of relief. "I've seen how bad it gets, if you do." Her eyes grew distant as she spoke.

"We'll be right back." Klaus said, turning around with Merit planted on his hip and curled into his chest. He stepped out of the den and across the way into the dining hall. He closed the door, and helped her out of her clothes, before he set her on the hardwood floor. "Go ahead and shift." He nodded.

She sat there for a minute trying to force the shift, still unfamiliar with the process. Klaus could see the struggle in her eyes, so he kneeled down to help her. "Close your eyes, focus on your wolf. Breathe deep, relax, let the shift take you over. And don't fight back." He stroked her shoulders comfortingly.

She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing, and how her body felt when she had been a wolf for the first time. She thought of how it felt to be free of her human side, but to be still aware of herself.

Her breathes were deep and forced. After a moment of this deep concentration, her body began shattering everywhere. Her focus faltered and he screamed out in pain, it was worse than anything she had experienced before. This time she was awake, and fully aware of each bone breaking and reforming.

"It's ok sweetheart. Daddy's here." Klaus soothed, stroking her hair as he spoke softly, reminding her to breath. "Breathe sweetheart, breathing will help calm your mind."

"I can't do it!" She panted heavily, her body visibly half way through the process. Her eyes still a stark white and blue, pleading with him to stop the pain. She was panicking.

"You can sweet angel." His brows furrowed. "Just focus on why you're doing this." His voice shook in regret, and frustration with his inability to stop the pain. He watched her, hoping she'd forgive him for allowing her to do this.

Merits eyes instantly turned bright gold, and her pupils burst into complete blackness. "Ok Daddy." She mumbled through her tears. She wanted to do this for him, she wanted him to be proud of her.

She bowed her head as her thoughts filtered into her past visions. Recalling her past compulsion, and her present desire to fulfill it for Klaus's sake. She took in his scent, and focused on the shift for him.

Her heart broke, for the millionth time, as she recalled the horrid vision of Finn dying at the hands of Lucien. She watched in her minds eye, as the poison from that heathens venom coursed through his veins and killed him. She could seen his skin turning an awful shade of death as he desiccated slowly, for the last time.

She cried inside, watching his siblings crowd around him, heartbroken by his death. She looked at each one of their faces, and saw nothing but agony. She knew in her own heart, despite their sibling rivalry, that each one of them had loved him and were destroyed by his death.

Her resolve strengthened by this recollection, and the shift tore through her body instantaneously. Merits wolf stood snarling in anger at what that monster had done to her mates brother. She would ensure that nothing could ever happen to any of them again. She had no doubt in her mind as to why she needed to do this now.

"Sweetheart." Her snarls stopped at Klaus's calming voice. "Are you ok?" He was watching her silently now for any sign of distress.

She nuzzled his chest in response, she needed him to know that she was ok. She was in fact fine, and she was ready to do this for him.

Esthers promise came back to her mind as they returned to the den. "You will be forever with my son Nicklaus, if you promise to bring a perfect immortality to all of my living children when he finds you. He will understand you, and he will love you. As long as you do this."

She looked at the four siblings as she stalked into the room slowly, they all watched her slow prowl towards them. No one spoke a word, complete silence as to avoid spooking her quietly growling wolf. She took in each face, and reminded herself again why she had to do this, not to them but for them.

She had told Esther that she wasn't sure she could hurt them, even if it meant having Nicklaus's love. That's when the older woman had compelled her, to either do it if her own accord, or be forced to against her will.

She stepped up to Elijah, who willingly offered her his wrist. She snapped her jaw closed around, it and flinched when he cried out sharply. She released him and gulped to regain her composure. She forced herself to look away as he held his arm to his chest in agony in agony.

Kohl leaned over next to get his own dose of pain done and over with. She glanced up at him as she repeated the action with him. Again, he yelled in pain as her venom seared his veins. And she again forced herself to look away from the aftermath of her bite.

Freya was next, she closed her eyes this time to keep her heart rate in check, and her composure in tact. When her cry of pain washed over her she felt her resolve tremble dangerously. She knew it was painful for the older woman, but her cries weren't nearly as pained as her brothers.

She wiped her snout with her paw in regret, and shook herself in an effort to keep herself together. But she hesitated as she neared Rebekah, recalling how loving and gentle the older woman had been to her throughout her life, and even now.

She tried her best to force herself to act of her own accord, but began to back away with hesitation as she watched Rebekah glance back and forth in fear of what was to come, which caused the compulsion to take over, and her world to go black.