Whatever it Takes..
~~~~~~~~
"The eye is always caught by light,
but shadows have more to say."
-Gregory Maguire
"Feeding my child dust bunnies for it's first meal?"
Hayley chuckled through her cough, waving away the particles of dust she had inhaled when lifting the tarp off the baby crib while simultaneously shooting the youngest Dovers an amused grin, "you know that 'it' you're referring to is actually called a baby, and if by some chance you're actually right, that baby is a she?"
Nixie snorted, "of course I'm right" she waved off before glancing around the room they were in, frowning when she realized how long it was going to take to get settled in seeing how nothing in the house had been touched in over a hundred years.
The wolf glanced at her every few seconds, smiling whenever Nixie would touch something only for the dust to assault her nose causing her to let out a sneeze every time. The sound drew the attention of the eldest Mikaelson in the house, Elijah's head peaking around the corner as he made sure the two of them were alright, "everything okay in here?"
"Don't be such a worry wart, 'Lijah" the human waved off his concern, "just a bit of dust, my child's gonna be sneezing it out for the first few months after she comes out but other than that, we're all good." Nixie shot them both a grin, blinking suddenly when she noticed the intense stare down going on between the Original and the wolf and she whistled lowly as she scooted out of the room. Once around the corner, she only made it a few steps before a hand reached out and grabbed her lightly, her green orbs meeting a pair of striking blue causing her to grin.
Klaus playfully rolled his eyes at the goofy expression on her face, dragging her towards him so he could place a kiss on the crown of her head, "how are you, love?"
"Why does everyone keep asking me that" Nixie retorted, "I'm fine, really, it's not like I'm the one who's actually pregnant.. anymore."
"Mmm" he hummed, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and turning her towards the mirror they had been standing next to. He smiled at her reflection from over her shoulder, dragging his hands up her sides until they were placed onto her stomach in a cradling manner, "but your life is still tied to Sophie Deveraux who thinks you are" he murmured against her ear.
Nixie's hands moved to cup his, her head leaning back against his chest as she sighed, "I know.. but the fact that I'm still gonna look like a balloon should sell it. The enchantment will only wear off when my life is no longer tied to hers, it's the best way to keep Hayley safe."
"At the expense of your safety" Klaus moodily reminded, hands falling from her stomach as he stepped back, "the witches focus remains solely on you, putting your life more at risk."
"That's why I have you to protect me" she grinned, fluttering her lashes at him until he could no longer bite back the grin trying to break through and she laughed triumphantly, placing a kiss on the corner of his lips, "see? With my big bad hybrid around, I pity whoever decides to mess with me."
Klaus let out a laugh, ducking his head to place a chaste kiss on her lips as his dimples appeared, "I have a feeling you can take care of yourself" he teased, his hand running along upper thigh until it brushed over the dagger she had hidden, "see?" However, before she could respond, he was already dragging her back into the room where Elijah and Hayley had gotten significantly closer causing Klaus to frown and Nixie to silently clap her hands before the hybrid spoke, "what are we going to do about this coven of impudent witches?
Elijah had stepped back as soon as he heard the others enter, the Original straightening out the nonexistent wrinkles in his suit before responding, "I believe them to be honorable, they did release Nixie to me" he reminded, choosing not to mention the choice amount of slurs the woman had thrown at the witches which only encouraged them to send her with him. "Although" he continued, "they haven't been entirely forthcoming. Marcel obviously has something that they need. They don't want him dead. There must be a reason why."
"You think he has something over them" Nixie quizzed, eyes shooting towards her brother as he invited himself into the room and took his spot beside her.
"A secret weapon" the eldest Dovers guessed, arms crossed as he gauged their reactions.
Elijah was the first to agree, "he uses it to control the witches, Marcel has assembled a small army of vampires. Working together, we could destroy them from the inside."
"And what of Rebekah" Klaus mused, "has she stopped her pouting long enough to join the fun?"
Nixie took Elijah's sigh as a bad sign.
"She has made her disinterest quite clear" he informed, pretending to straighten out the cloth in front of him so that he didn't face Nixie's disappointment.
Klaus however snorted at the news, "daggered one too many times and shoved in a box, I gather." He flinched when Nixie's hand met hit shoulder and he shot her a glare to which she heavily returned before silently threatening him with another swing.
"Rebekah may surprise us yet" Elijah stated, or more so hoped, "after all, we all swore the same vow."
The hybrid rolled his eyes looking pointedly towards the Dovers siblings who stared back in confusion, "Nixie, sweetheart" he started, shooting her an exaggerated grin to which she stared at with narrowed eyes, "why don't you show your pest to his room, I assume he'll be staying with us."
Gale went to protest his title but his sister was already dragging him out the door before he could spew something to the Mikaelson and he huffed, "dick."
"He loves you" Nixie assured, leading him up the stairs to the room down the hall from hers and they both marveled the timely decor once they entered.
Pouring himself a drink, Klaus waited until he knew they were no longer in hearing range before bringing up his sister once more, "I hope she stays far away" he muttered, ignoring the look he received from his brother, "because in my desire to reclaim this town, to steal from Marcel that which he holds most dear, I have realized one massive vulnerability, one weakness that Marcel can exploit.."
"And what is that" Elijah quizzed while wiping the drop of bourbon from the mahogany before turning to face him, letting out a pained gasp as the pointed tip of the dagger his brother had been holding entered his chest.
"You" Klaus revealed, arms wrapping around his brother as his skin began to gray and he silently laid him onto the floor, Elijah's betrayed eyes staring up into his, "forgive me, my brother, but I if I am to protect the woman I love, then I cannot have any distractions getting in my way.. and that includes family. If I am going to win this war, I have to do it alone." The sound of footsteps approaching caused him to shove the desiccated corpse behind the desk and his shot up as Nixie entered the room with a curious expression.
"Where'd Elijah go" she quizzed, stepping further into the room only for Klaus to appear beside her and practically drag her back out the door.
"He went to scope" Klaus fibbed, placing a kiss on her knuckles after he linked their hands and he lead them both to the front door where he stopped and shot her a sorry expression, "I'm supposed to be meeting Marcel."
"Do you have to go" Nixie groaned, already growing bored of the hold the young vampire seemed to have on him, "can't I come, please?"
"No" Klaus denied with a chuckle, shaking his hand to get her to release her grip but to no avail causing him to sigh in defeat, "you need to stay here with Hayley, one, because it's safer for both you and the baby, and two; because I don't want you anywhere near Marcel and his merry haggle of misfits. I promise I'll only be gone for a hour or so, I have a few things to drop off to him, that's all."
Nixie let out a huff, placing a swift kiss on his cheek before grumbling her way up the stairs to where she knew Hayley was hidden away and Klaus waited until she was completely out of sight before running back to Elijah's corpse and propping him over his shoulder, "sorry, brother, but I need Marcel to trust me and you're the only bargaining chip I have.."
***
Nixie's eyes snapped open at the sound of the front door slamming, her blurred vision somehow making out a familiar head of blonde hair that had just entered, "Bekah!"
The young Mikaelson grinned, dropping her purse to wrap her arms around the human's small waist as the two hugged, "missed you, Nix" she quietly admitted, "it's too bad you're with my brother otherwise we could see each other more."
"Is that how that works" Nixie snorted, going to pull away only for another set of arms to wrap around them and she let out a loud laugh as her brother squeezed them, "Gale!"
"Missed you too, Bex" the eldest Dovers grinned cheekily over his sisters shoulder, sending the blonde a wink to which her cheeks burned a rosy pink, "did you get hotter?"
"Okay" Nixie interjected, pushing herself away from the two causing Gale to release his hold and step back with an amused chuckle.
The Original would never admit how the sight of the two siblings seemed to warm the frosted attitude in which she had planned on showing up with when confronting her own siblings. She watched the two of them joke around with each other with a hidden gleam of envy in her blue orbs and she smiled softly at their backs as they're fight ended up taking them both back into the room Nixie had come from and another pair of footsteps caused her to look up at towards staircase where a small brunette holding a poker.
Hayley eyed the unfamiliar face while clutching her makeshift weapon, "who the hell are you?"
"Ahh, you must be the maid" Bekah waved off, "my bags are in the car. Get them, will you?"
"Hello" the wolf greeted sarcastically, "not the maid."
Rebekah's brows furrowed in confusion before it finally clicked, "right" she snapped her fingers, "you're Nixie's friend that's baking her bun for the time being." Eyeing the wolf's flat tummy she couldn't help but pout, "I was expecting to see some kind of supernatural miracle baby bump. Guess you're not showing yet. It's Hayley, isn't it?"
"You have your brother's manners" Hayley noted, nodding as if it all made sense.
"And his temper, too, so watch it" she warned, yet secretly admiring the girls fiery attitude, how her brother's seemed to always find these women was beyond her. Speaking of brothers, she glanced over the girl's shoulder as if waiting for someone else to appear, "where's Elijah?"
"Beats me" Hayley scoffed, mood instantly souring at the mention of the older Mikaelson, "he's long gone."
"What do you mean long gone" both Rebekah and Nixie voiced at the same time, the human coming back towards them with her brother in tow after hearing the wolf's words.
Hayley shot them both a look before offering a shrug, "one minute he was here making epic promises about protecting me, being all poetic about how we're family and then Klaus told me he bailed. Guess that's what I get for trusting a vampire."
"Klaus told you" Nixie echoed, wondering when the hell the hybrid even had time to spew something of the sort, unless he had come home during her nap and was currently hiding away.
Rebekah was equally as confused, "Elijah is not just any vampire" she scoffed, "and he doesn't break promises, which means Niklaus has done something dastardly and Klaus-like." With that, she turned from the 3 of them and began seeking out her other brother who she knew couldn't be too far, "Klaus, get out here and tell me what you've done with our brother, you narcissistic, back-stabbing wanker!"
"Enough with all the shouting" he groaned, revealing himself from the doorway leading into the den and he offered her an amused grin, "little sister. I should have known. I assume the 6 dead vampires Marcel was talking about tonight were your doing?" His lips were still tilted up until he met Nixie's eyes over his sister's shoulder who had her arms crossed while an annoyed expression causing his grin to instantly fall.
"They were very rude" Bekah huffed, letting them all know that she was indeed the person who killed the 6 night walkers, "trying to victimize a poor, innocent girl just trying to find her way to the quarter. So sorry, we're they friends of yours? Oh" she laughed, "that's right, you don't have any friends."
"I do have friends" Klaus defended, "I have Marcel. You remember him, don't you?" He answered for her before she could, "yes, of course you do. He fancies himself the King of the Quarter now, and he has all these rules about killing vampires. It will be fun to see what sort of punishment he comes up with for you."
"I don't care about Marcel or his rules" Rebekah scoffed, somewhat untruthfully, "Elijah doesn't welsh on deals. What did you do to him?"
He shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly while biting back a smirk, "perhaps he's on holiday" he offered, "or taking a long autumn nap upstairs." His amusement however dimmed as his eyes met Nixie's from behind his sister and the look of disappointment she gave him caused his grin to fall and he turned back to his sister, "go on, take a look around. You remember this house as well as I."
She didn't hesitate to head straight for the door that lead into the den, her heels clicking against the hard flooring with every step until he spoke his last words and she turned towards him with a solemn expression, "I remember everything."
Once she was out of sight the hybrid turned towards the other 3 who were still standing around and his eyes focused on one in particular who had her arms crossed in an obvious annoyance, "love.."
"Where's Elijah" Nixie quizzed, no longer caring about anything else other than the missing Original. She didn't put it past Klaus to do something particularly impulsive to his brother, or perhaps just downright stupid and she was getting an odd feeling about all of it. Rebekah was right, Elijah would never walk out on them in a time like this, especially after his growing bond with the wolf, it wasn't like him to abandon people without saying anything..
Klaus went to respond, maybe spew out a few lies or bring up something entirely unrelated in an attempt to change the subject but he didn't have time to do either seeing how he was literally saved by the bell, or his this case, his phone. The hybrid glanced over the text a few times before shoving his phone into his pocket, looking up at the others only to see both the eldest Dovers and the wolf had already split leaving Nixie in front of him who now harbored an expression of concern. He felt the ebbing of guilt claw at his subconscious but he shoved it aside for now, laying his hands on her shoulders in an act of comfort as he tried to smile, "it appears the night is not quite over yet" he sighed, "but I promise I won't be gone long, okay? I'll see you when I return."
Nixie tried not to let her disappointment show, understanding that he was doing everything he could to ensure all their safety and yet she hardly seen him the last few days and when she did, he was always in a sour mood involving his former protege. But not wanting to anger him, she simply nodded, accepting the kiss he planted on her head with a small grin before she watched him exit the home. Now alone, Nixie's shoulder finally slumped and she let out a small sigh, her tired legs carrying her up the staircase as she headed to her room, or more accurately, their room, and yet she had spent every night alone. New Orleans was easily becoming a bigger nuisance than she had originally planned, she never thought she'd say this, but.... Nixie missed Mystic Falls.
***
"Where's Rebekah?"
Nixie nearly missed the question, the sizzling bacon in her pan drowning out most of the sound but she turned towards the wolf with a shrug, "she went to see Sophie Deveraux to try and get her to help find Elijah."
"But it's not like she can do a locator spell" Hayley pointed, attempting to steal a piece of bacon while her friend wasn't looking but getting stopped by a quick hit to her hand with a spatula, "ow!"
"Don't touch until it's done" Nixie warned, pointing the spatula at her with narrowed eyes, "and I'm aware.. but knowing Bekah she's probably beating the magic out of her as we speak.. although I feel fine so perhaps not, either way, I could handle a few bruises if it meant Sophie Deveraux getting her ass kicked.."
Hayley let out a snort, silently agreeing with her words about the witch needing a beating but obviously not at the expense of Nixie's health seeing how their lives were linked. She watched the woman cook her breakfast, filling two plates with an ungodly amount of food before setting them on the table without so much as a twitch in her demeanor, as if her whole life wasn't currently hanging in the balance while her best friend carried her unborn child for her and they were currently living in a vampire infested town where they would probably kill them all if they discovered their whereabouts. Hayley had always envied Nixie's ability to remain strong even when it felt as if they were at rock bottom, it was one of the many reasons she found herself drawn to her presence, the two of them were family and they would always remain strong if they stayed together, she was sure of it.
"Dig in" Nixie grinned, pulling out Hayley's seat next to her own before plopping down and not hesitating to tear into her stack of pancakes, staring pointedly at Hayley until she joined her.
Playfully rolling her eyes, the brunette took her seat, cutting into pancakes with an unhidden grin that widened whenever she looked towards Nixie's stuffed cheeks. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes until Hayley's curiosity got the best of her, "so, uh, where's Klaus?"
Nixie shrugged at the question, "probably out kicking puppies or something."
***
Walking into one of the dingier diners of the quarter wasn't exactly how Klaus wanted to spend his morning, and yet the hybrid couldn't turn down Marcel's offer to join him in case the vampire decided to spill any of his dirty little secrets over a plate of beignets. That of course didn't stop him from expressing his clear distaste for the place as he approached said vampire who was sitting in the corner gazing off to the side, "well, this is a far cry from last night's party" he noted, yet he noticed Marcel's clear distraction and couldn't help but look to see what he had been gazing at and the hybrid smirked at the sight of a familiar blonde, "ahh, in pursuit of the bartender from Rousseau's, I see."
"She's a work in progress" Marcel chuckled, taking a sip from the glass their waitress had set in front of them while his eyes remained on the blonde who was currently writing away in what looked to be some sort of textbook.
Klaus' head tilted to the side in faux interest, "and yet here you are" he pointed, "pining over her when you should be eating her for lunch. She must be special."
"You can't tell me no ones caught the great Klaus Mikaelson's eye in the last thousand years" Marcel teased, taking note of what could only be perceived as admiration in his sire's blue orbs and the vampire's brows raised in genuine shock, "holy shit, someone did" he laughed joyously, ignoring the half assed glare he received, "man, she must've been something, huh? To get such a googoo reaction out of the Original Hybrid."
"Mmm" Klaus hummed, not agreeing nor disagreeing with his words as he took a sip of his own drink to prevent himself from speaking out. There wasn't a single scenario in his mind that entailed him informing Marcel about Nixie, of course the hybrid was completely clueless to the fact that the two were already acquainted with one another. Except even if he held that knowledge, there was no way he was willing to indulge in his secrets affairs with the fear that someone might use them to exploit him or cause her harm.
Sensing his unwillingness to discuss the matter, Marcel nodded in understanding before straightening up and changing the subject, "down to business then" he sighed, "coroner called. He's got my number in case any dead tourists show up."
"Let me guess" Klaus offered, "dead tourists with a stamp on their hand and vampire blood in their veins."
"It happens" Marcel shrugged, "someone takes a drunken tumble off a balcony or into the Mississippi, and today, I got two of them to deal with.."
Klaus's brows furrowed when the vampire's words died off his lips, his head turning to see what had silenced him so suddenly and he was quick to cut off the woman's exit once he realized who it was, "excuse me, love" he called, halting her steps and pointing curiously towards the books she was carrying, "what's that your studying?"
"Abnormal psychology" Camille O'Connell answered, her blonde locks tucked safely behind her ears as she scrutinized the man before her, her mind already analyzing his unhidden expressions and possible intentions.
The Original's expression switched to one of false interest, "abnormal psychology" he echoed with a grin, looking pointedly towards the vampire who was slouched in his seat, "well, perhaps you could diagnose my friend over here." He pulled her over to where Marcel's hand covered his embarrassed grin and he gestured to him, "he's been a little bit depressed" he informed, "can't keep his mind off a girl. He tells me she's a Queen. Fit for a King. I think he should cut his losses and move on. What's your professional opinion?"
Cami was silent for a second, taking in the scene before her eyes locked with Marcel's, "be a nice guy" she stated, "and maybe the opportunity will present itself someday."
The vampire scrambled from his seat as she turned away, "how about tonight" he called after her with a charming grin, "9:00? I'll meet you right here."
"I'll take it under consideration" was the only response she offered, the bartender shooting them both one last smirk before exiting the diner and disappearing into the crowd.
Marcel's eyes remained on her until she was out of sight and he let out a hum, "harsh."
"I daresay I've lost my touch" Klaus offered with a shrug, "or you've lost yours."
The two grinned, the rims of their glasses meeting their lips as they stared out into the window beside them in a seemingly comfortable silence.
***
"What are we doing here? Klaus is literally going to kill us, and by us, I mean me."
Nixie rolled her eyes at the wolf's dramatics, her fingers clasped around Hayley's wrist as she dragged her across the busy street towards one of the shops, "he's not gonna kill us" Nixie stated, her steps pausing for a few seconds, "maybe, but it doesn't matter, we'll only be out for a few minutes anyway there's some herbs I wanted to pick up."
"What kind of herbs" Hayley quizzed, but her question remained unanswered as her companion took off into a slow jog as the shop they had been aiming for was suddenly closing.
"Hey, wait, wait" Nixie pleaded, halting her run in front of the mocha skinned woman who looked up at her in confusion.
"Sorry" the woman offered apologetically, "we're closed."
"I just need a teeny tiny little herb" the human pleaded, unaware that the woman in front of her was a witch, "please."
The witch, Katie, tilted her head to the side as she took in the woman's pleading expression and found herself giving in, "which herb?"
Nixie refrained from pumping her fist into the air in an act of victory, "uh, agrimony" she stated, "like a small vial if you have it."
"Come on in" Katie offered, reopening her shop for the two girls and ushering them inside as she went to grab the herb for them, "what you need agrimony for anyway?"
"A burn" Nixie replied, eyeing the shelves beside Hayley and watching as the wolf looked around in wonder eliciting an amused chuckle from the raven haired beauty.
"Hmm, good choice, agrimony is one hell of a healing herb," Katie commended, finally finding the right vials and she held them up, "flower or crushed?"
"Crushed, please" Nixie nodded towards the right vial, tapping her nails against the counter as she waited for the woman to ring her up. She caught movement from the corner of her eye and nearly snorted as Hayley reached for a familiar looking purple flower only to hiss when it burned her skin, "don't touch stuff" Nixie chuckled, plucking the aconite from its stem and shoving it into her pocket before the lady behind the counter noticed.
Of course the only reason Katie hadn't noticed Nixie's actions was because her eyes were dead set on Hayley who was still nursing her injured finger after touching the aconite, or it's more commonly used name- wolfsbane. The only creatures that plant could be used against were wolves, more specifically targeted towards werewolves. Snapping out of her daze, the witch handed Nixie her herbs and waved off the cash she had offered, "it's on the house" Katie's grin strained, "I can't imagine a burn feels too well if you need such a powerful herb, I hope this provides you some relief."
"Thanks" Nixie wearily accepted the vial, her hand locking around Hayley's wrist again as she dragged her out and away from the odd woman. Once they were outside, she released her hold and shoved her herbs into her back pocket, "she was kinda weird.."
"Tell me about it" Hayley muttered, glancing behind them every once in a while as a bad feeling formed in her gut, but she said nothing, unaware that Nixie was feeling the exact same thing.
Once the two girls were out of sight, Katie's hand dug into her pocket as she pulled out her phone, clicking on the last person's name she had talked to and she didn't give them a chance to speak before she did, "want to gain some points? Tell Marcel there's a werewolf in the Quarter." Of course, the witch didn't dare mention the fact that the girl accompanying the wolf was their ticket to overthrowing the vampires, that was something she was going to discuss with her coven.. the fact that their only leverage was walking around in broad daylight where Marcel could spot her at any given time.. they might have to tighten her leash.
***
The hours ticked by, the sun having came and gone and yet Klaus was hardly phased as Marcel came stomping around the corner with an unusual amount of brood, "I know that face" he chuckled, "woman trouble."
"You're a dick, you know that" Marcel laughed although it lacked its usual humor as his face fell stoic, "why didn't you tell me your sister's back in town?"
Klaus hadn't known the two had found each other during Marcel's little escapades but it wasn't hard to see his sister had already left the vampire in front of him in slight disarray and he shrugged at the question, "I thought it would be more amusing for you to find out for yourself."
"Is there anything else I need to know" he quizzed, not exactly comfortable with the amount of Original's flocking to his city, he knew wherever they went, chaos followed and that was the last thing New Orleans needed.
The hybrid poured himself another drink with the bottle the bartender had left with him before filling up a second glass for his companion, "only that she's grown considerably more insane in the last century."
"Or" Marcel mused, "maybe, it was her who killed my guys."
"Doubtful" Klaus denied, even though it had definitely been his little sister and her very much sparkable temper such as his own, "unless that biker bar is frequented by small-town high-school quarterbacks, I can't imagine she'd be interested."
Before Marcel could respond, the sound of his phone ringing cut him off and he pulled it out, turning away from the hybrid to answer it even though he knew he could hear it all anyway, "yeah?"
"Just got a tip" Thierry's voice rang from the other end, "someone saw a werewolf in Bienville Park."
"Get a couple night walkers to run it down" the vampire ordered, "bring me back it's head."
Klaus' stomach twisted uncomfortably at the sudden news, knowing there was only one werewolf willing to make a trip through town and unfortunately, she was currently carrying his child. "Well" he coughed once the call had ended and he slid the drink over, "I guess that solves the mystery of the murdered riffraff.. at least my sister's in the clear."
"About that" Marcel sighed, his mood already dampened by his run in with the blonde and now the werewolf in his town, "I don't have time for Mikaelson family drama. You're my guest. Keep your sister in line."
Klaus watched him go, snorting into his drink at the request and calling out behind him as he left, "I have a greater chance of draining the Mississippi with a straw!" The second Marcel was out of sight, Klaus' grin dropped and he was pulling out his own phone and impatiently tapping the his fingers as it rang, "pick up, sweetheart.."
Your call has been-
"Dammit" he hissed, his fist angrily smacking the counter yet he ignored the stares he received due to his outburst and pushed himself off the stool. These women were going to be the death of him.
***
"Hold still, dammit" Hayley grunted, one hand holding the vial as she tried not to spill it and the other attempting to hold the struggling girl beside her.
"I'm trying" Nixie hissed, holding up her shirt for the wolf to soothe the area below her chest but she was also attempting not to give any passerby's a free show, "it tickles!"
Hayley couldn't help but snort, "I don't think it's supposed to tickle" she chuckled, "your skin is literally sizzling, I can see smoke."
"Trust me" Nixie breathed, her hands clutching the edges of the bench as she tried to refrain from scratching at her healing injury, "a little healing herb on a brand is nothing compared to what I went through during my training years as a protector, and I don't mean the monsters."
The brunette frowned sadly at the mentioning of her friend's past, it was clear that Nixie still wasn't 100% used to being human and no doubt missed her old life. Hayley was familiar in the aspect of losing part of your life very suddenly, and while hers and Nixie's situations were hardly similar, Nixie being involuntarily turned and Hayley's adoptive parents kicking her out after her transformation, she still knew the feeling of loss that weighed on a person after going through something like that. Nixie never went too much into detail about her time growing up in the institute or how she was trained, but there was only one thing Hayley was truly curious about, "can I ask you something" the wolf nervously fidgeted, "something kinda personal?"
"Hayley" Nixie snorted, turning towards the girl with an amused glint in her green orbs, "you're literally carrying my sack of cells in your womb right now, the least I can do is answer a damn question, what's up?"
After helping the human soothe the infected brand on her chest with the herb they had got, Hayley couldn't help but think about how the witches mentioned something about her not being able to have kids before anyway, that the brand was merely a precaution for the prophecy they saw and with Nixie now being human, her infertilization was somehow fixed. "Why couldn't you have kids" she finally asked after spending the last few moments trying to build up the courage to speak the words, "you told me that the witches mentioned your uh, your people doing something to the warriors of your clan.. what did they mean by that?"
Nixie blinked at the question, truthfully not having expected that to be the wolf's focus but she digressed, "it's kinda morbid, actually" she shrugged as if it were no big deal, turning to stare straight ahead and yet Hayley noticed the sad glint in her sparkling orbs, "protectors aren't just people who find a human to protect and dedicate their life to.. there are different types of protectors. Healers, trainers, elders.. you name it, there was a protector for it.. but the hardest title to achieve was warrior. Warriors were the the elite of the elite, they were the ones to receive human assignments and protect the human race from all that went bump in the night.. and I dreamt of becoming one ever since I knew what it was. You know I was the youngest warrior to ever receive all my runes? Normally you gained the title around 25... me? I became a warrior at 17, and also got my first assignment then too.. Before my graduation I had never been so pumped for anything in my life, I mean, come on? What 17 year old girl doesn't dream about becoming some sort of legend to her people? I had it all.. well, as much as I could with a deadbeat mom and a missing father, but that's a story for another time. Anyway, the week before our graduation, the warriors were taken to their own type of ceremony, men and women, and it was there.... it was at that ceremony where they- where they sterilized us. You see, warriors weren't allowed to have children, our roles were far too important for the off chance of conceiving a child to come in and jeopardize our titles. I was the only warrior in my family, my mother having been a healer when she was still around, my father a seeker, he located the protecteds that the elders would offer and deemed them priority or not, and Gale was a trainer, he helped build the warriors into what they would become. I was the only one who went through the horror of losing your ability to have children, and I guess at the time it hadn't meant much to me, I was still so angry at my mother for leaving us that the thought of becoming a mother myself was something I didn't consider, I didn't want it, but now.. now-
"Now you have a second chance, Nixie" Hayley finished for her, having grabbed the girl's hand midway through her story and squeezing it whenever she had to choke a few words out, "Nix, just because your mom was some bitch who abandoned her kids doesn't mean you're destined to do the same. Maybe this is your chance to give someone what you never had, something a lot of kids don't have.. This is your chance to take back everything that's been taken from you, a chance for you to have the life you were stripped of. Trust me, I wouldn't be willing to go through 9 months of fat feet and strange cravings just for anyone.. you deserve this, Nixie, you deserve to have a life of your own, a child of your own to love the way you deserved to be loved."
Had someone told Nixie a few months ago, hell, a few weeks go, that she would be sitting on a bench in New Orleans in the middle of the night with the orphan girl she saved a few years back who would be carrying her child... she would've told you to pop a few more.. But everything was so different now, and while the former protectress would've never guessed this was where her life would've lead her.. for the first time since her new path, Nixie didn't feel so scared anymore. The thought of being a mother would always harbor a small ounce of fear in her, but maybe Hayley was right. This was the universes way of bringing a whole new era to the Dovers and Mikaelson name. Two people who were very familiar with the feeling of not knowing a parents love, whether it be from a missing mother figure or a bastard father, this was their chance to fix it all, to fix themselves.. and to find love and peace in the thing that people craved most in the world.. family. Nixie would be eternally grateful for the wolf beside her who not only was giving her a chance at the life she never knew she could have, but was willing to help her achieve it in any way she could. Hayley Marshall was one hell of a friend to have in your life, and an even better member to have in your family.
Nixie couldn't voice the feelings she was currently experiencing, her watery grin being enough thanks for the wolf who smiled back in return as their linked hands tightened around each other.
However, their moment was crushed when the sound of rustling sounded from behind them and they both whipped in the direction it had come from, neither comforted by the emptiness that greeted them. Nixie stood first, pulling the wolf up with her as she stood protectively in front of her friend and unborn child, human or not, there was no way whoever was out there was getting through her.
Hayley's ears attempted to pick up any movement from around them, her hand unknowingly releasing Nixie's as she turned to look behind her only to flinch back as a pair of bloodshot orbs stared back at her, the veins swimming beneath the man's eyes giving the vampire away as he snarled at her, "dumb move, coming into the Quarter" he growled, "you're coming with me, wolf."
The wolf let out a surprised gasp as the man's head suddenly went flying, his body falling to the ground to reveal Nixie with her unsheathed blade and bloodied cheeks, the human glaring hatefully down at the vampire's corpse, "I have had it up to here with the vermin of New Orleans telling us what to do" Nixie snarled, giving her blade a small twirl before suddenly pushing Hayley aside as another vampire appeared behind her. Nixie released every ounce of pent of rage she had been harboring the last few days, with the witches, the vampires, hell even the humans in their town were nuisances all on their own. Her blade cut through the vampires as if they were made of butter, their guttural screams echoing through the silent streets until there was only one left standing and Nixie, in all her bloodied glory, stood above the other 5 corpses with every intention of making him her sixth. Luckily for the vampire though, the excruciating death she would've put him through was cut short as he suddenly fell forward with a grunt, the heart that had once been in his chest now clutched in the blonde Original's grasp, both Hayley and Nixie letting out relieved sighs at the sight of Rebekah.
The blonde took one look at the carnage in front of her, then to unscathed werewolf who had instinctively been cradling her stomach and lastly, to the nearly manic human who was covered in all sorts of blood, luckily none her own. After making sure both of them were alright, the vampire offered an arm to each girl and smiled as they linked together, "well, I think this just goes to show that women really should rule to world, we're quite the force to be reckoned with, wouldn't you say?"
Hayley let out an amused breath at her words, looking towards Nixie who was using her free hand to wipe off her tongue and the wolf cringed, "what the hell are you doing?"
"I think there's a piece of spleen on my tongue."
***
To say Klaus was relieved when he noticed the 3 of them making their way up the driveway was an understatement, the hybrid having rushed outside the second his sister's car pulled in and his eyes brushed across her, analyzing the wolf for a second before blatantly stopping on his bloodied human. His arms were around her in less than a second, him hardly phased by the blood smearing from her and onto him as he breathed in her comforting scent, "are you alright, sweetheart?"
"I'm fine" Nixie assured him, pulling away and smiling softly as he brushed a strand of her from her face before placing a light kiss on her head.
"This is all fine and dandy" Rebekah interrupting their moment to pull open her trunk where the 6 corpses were there to greet her, "but we should probably get rid of this lot before Marcel's little lap dogs sniff them out."
Klaus let out an aggravated sigh, thankful that everyone was okay but unable to hide his annoyance with their actions, "this is why I told you not to leave the house" he grunted, leaving his spot beside Nixie to start hauling the bodies out and into the open so he could burn them, "werewolves are banned in the Quarter" he reminded, looking towards Nixie who shuffled underneath his stare, "and Marcel's lackeys are no doubt interested in every weakness they could exploit from me if need be, suppose I don't have to remind you what, or more specially, who, those are, hmm?"
The sound of one of the vampires still groaning caught Rebekah's attention, the Original moving forward to end the damn thing until her brother shoved her back, "leave him" he roared, his frustration now aimed towards her, "you've done enough, don't you think? Leaving a trail of bodies like a roadmap to my door?"
"Rebekah didn't kill them" Nixie scoffed, the relief she had felt just from still being alive replaced by anger for the man in front of her who had taken one look at what had happened and was now blaming them, "granted maybe it wasn't the best decision to leave the house in broad daylight but you can't just expect us to sit around here all day cooped up while you run around town playing Arthur fucking Owens! We are not your prisoners."
"No" Klaus snarked with a harsh laugh, "just the woman carrying my child and you-
"That's right" Nixie interjected with a heated glare, "me. Who am I to you, Nik? Cause I sure as hell am not one of your siblings who you can stow away in a coffin for a few hundred years whenever I break one of your rules! You are not my boss, you aren't my father, and you sure as shit are not my king!" She noticed the way her words caused him to flinch and her angry posture loosened at his look of betrayal. "You're my partner" she sighed, shoulder slumping tiredly as the days events began to wear on her, "we're supposed to do this together. Stop treating everyone here as if they are nothing but a thorn in your perfectly blown up plan, we're your family, not your army waiting for our commands.. we do this together or not at all."
The night had grown eerily silent, the only sound being Nixie's heart thumping rapidly in her chest that they all heard and Klaus was the first to react, the hybrid grabbing the only vampire left alive and beginning to drag him towards the house with every intent to drain him of vervain and send him back to Marcel new and compelled, of course he kissed Nixie's lips as he passed her in silent apology.
Nixie smiled, knowing that was his way of agreeing with her even though he hadn't spoken it out loud and she willingly followed him inside, her steps speeding up to catch up with him while the other two shot each other confused looks while hesitantly following. "You know" Nixie whispered towards him, her expression having lost all it's previous anger and being replaced with a rare sight of vulnerability, "it's ok to care" she told him, "it's ok to want something. That's all your siblings have been trying to do, all they've ever wanted for you, and all I want for us."
Rebekah stood in the doorway, watching in awe at the girl's words created a waterfall of tears in her brother's now glossy eyes, a reaction she had only witnessed a handful of times.
Klaus looked away, discreetly wiping away one of the tears that had managed to escape as he tried to blink them away and he finally allowed himself to give into his guilt and exhaustion. His throat tightened when she sat beside him, their legs against each other as she wrapped her small hand in his and gave a comforting squeeze. No longer able to keep his guilty thoughts to himself, he looked towards her with an expression of sorrow before glancing at his sister, "I gave Elijah to Marcel."
Rebekah's posture straightened as she pushed herself away from the doorway, "what?"
"Marcel was nervous" he sighed, now being the one to seek comfort as he clutched Nixie's delicate hand, "it was bad enough one Original returned to town, but two? His crew was getting antsy. He wanted Elijah gone, so I gave him a peace offering."
"You bartered our brother" Rebekah gaped once she was finally able to process his words.
"I have a plan" he insisted, glancing towards the others with a look of determination, "gain Marcel's trust, dismantle his empire, honor Elijah's wish that that baby be born. I am executing that plan the only way I know how. Assuring the safety of my child along with the rest of you."
Nixie let out a sigh as he pulled away from her, shooting both Rebekah and Hayley an apologetic glance before following behind his angered steps and towards their bedroom. She ignored the slammed door, simply pushing it back open as she entered behind him, softly closing it once she made it inside and turning to face him only to see he was already looking at her.
"Have you come to give me me grief about my decisions as well" he muttered, "because I can assure you I am plenty aware of my 'evil intentions' as well as the next person."
"I don't want to talk about Elijah" Nixie stated, her feet taking her across the floor until she stood directly in front of him and she cupped his cheeks with a tired grin, "I don't want to talk about Marcel, or Rebekah, or the witches" she listed, her hands slowly making their way down his arms until they reached his forearms and she yanked him into her, their chests bumping at the sudden movement and she nearly laughed at his raised brows, "I'm gross, I'm tired and I'm in desperate need of a good horror film, what do you say? Warm shower, warm bed, and a disgusting amount of guts on the tv.. sounds pretty good to me."
Klaus had never been more thankful for the woman in front of him, her ability to somehow always know what to say or how to act to get him to relax was a mystery all in itself, but the hybrid never questioned it. Instead, he relished in it, and in her as he turned her around, her back now against his chest as his lips brushed her neck, "the shower awaits" he grinned against her skin as she let out a breathless chuckle.
"Then what are you waiting for" Nixie grinned teasingly over her shoulder at him, laughing as he practically flung them across the room and into the conjoined bathroom, the door slamming behind them and their giggles practically non-existent over the sound of running water and the occasional tube of shampoo falling over.
***
The sun rose through the curtains the next morning, the hybrid's eyes being the first to catch sight of it as they fluttered open and he nearly groaned before he heard the soft breaths coming from the woman beside him. Shuffling, he turned towards her and grinned at the serene expression she sported, his hand reaching up to brush his thumb across her cheek and he withheld an amused chuckle when she swatted him away, her eyes blearily opening and her once peaceful expression turned to one of annoyance, "maybe I don't miss you being in bed."
Klaus let out a laugh, wrapping his arms around her small frame and pulling her to him as he cradled her, "and why's that, sweetheart?"
Nixie grumbled against his bare chest, "because I was having a good dream."
Klaus' hand rubbed against her bare shoulder, his own relaxing for what felt like the first time since he came to New Orleans and he really had missed just laying around with her. He knew he hadn't been the most pleasant to be around lately, and he couldn't be more grateful for how patient she's been, unlike the rest of his family it felt nice to always have someone in your corner despite how chaotic things have been. The strength she held herself with was something even the hybrid found himself occasionally being jealous of, human or not, Nixie was still the strongest person he'd had the privilege of knowing. Instead of voicing these thoughts, he simply tightened his hold around her and pulled her all the way over until she was laying on top of him with a cheesy grin in which he chuckled at, "what?"
"Nothing" Nixie hummed, sitting up so she could look down at him while also keeping hold of the sheet covering her 'indecency'. She shot him a look full of nothing but mischief and nearly snorted as his eyes glazed over, "men."
Klaus ignored her remark, wrapping his hand around the back of her neck and pulling her lips to his in a heated kiss. His fingers tangled in her already tussled locks when she returned the kiss instead of pushing him away and he was just getting ready to flip them over when the sound of the front door slamming broke them apart and then the unforgettable sound of his sister's voice floated through the once peaceful home, "Nik! Get your ass down here!!"
"Ugh" Nixie groaned, rolling off of him and letting herself slam against the other side of the bed as she pulled the sheets over her head.
The hybrid could've wrung his sister's neck for interrupting their peaceful morning, and he would've had no problem simply ignoring her and yet a pair of cold feet digging into his sides pushed him towards the edge of the bed as he swatted at her, "what the hell are you doing?"
"She's your sister" Nixie reminded, pushing him until he was fully out of the bed and then sprawling herself out in the middle of it, "you deal with her."
"Can't I just dagger her" he grumbled, ducking under the pillow she chucked at him with an amused huff while he begrudgingly threw on a random pair of pants and made his way towards the sound of his sister's yells, not before giving his human a quick kiss and a small pinch on her cheek for forcing him to do this. When he finally made it down the stairs he was greeted by the hectic version of his little sister who was pacing the tiled floor, "alright" he sighed, "what is it now?"
"You were right" Rebekah told him suddenly, "the girl Cami, she's the key. Marcel likes her and because of that, I got to see the secret weapon of his that you've been going on about."
Klaus' brows rose in shock, finally understanding why she looked so disheveled, "well, don't stand on ceremony" he huffed, "what is it?"
Rebekah shook her head, "it's not a what" she breathed, "it's a who. A girl, Davina. She can't be more than 16, and I have never felt power like that." The Original had gone straight to Marcel that night before after learning he was the one who held her older brother hostage in his coffin, she hadn't expected to get her ass handed to her by a hormonal teenager with an ungodly amount of power in her.
"A witch" he deadpanned, growing more sick of the creatures by the second, it seemed every problem they had as of late had something to do with the bloody witches.
"She's not just any witch" she denied, "she's something I've never seen before, something beyond powerful, and now because of you, she has Elijah," she panicked the more she thought about her poor brother, "who knows what she could do to him."
Klaus rolled his eyes, trying not to let his own panic show as he realized if his sister was scared of the young witch, maybe they all should be, "where is she?"
Brows furrowing, Rebekah tried to remember where Marcel had taken her but when her mind came up blank, and not just the 'oh I can't remember if I turned left on Bourbon street' but actually blank, she knew something was wrong, "that clever bitch" she breathed, yanking at the her roots in frustration, "I-I don't know."
The hybrid's brows furrowed at the look on her face, "what's wrong?"
"She wiped my memory of the location" she grunted, her desperation quickly turning into anger as she turned towards her brother and gave him a shove, "Marcel possesses a weapon bigger and more powerful than an Original, and you handed our brother to him! How many times will Elijah forgive you? How long until his hope for your redemption finally dies?"
Klaus' panic lessened with every word she spat at him, instead anger taking it's place, "I did what I had to do" he shouted, no longer caring if the rest of the house heard them, "Marcel took our home!"
"And our home is worthless without family" Rebekah exclaimed, her mouth opening to continue releasing her rage but she caught sight of a pair of green orbs staring down at them from the top of the stairs and her shoulders slumped, "I know you are trying to protect your family, Nixie and this baby... but Elijah is our family too, and I am finding him, whatever it takes. Are you going to help me?"
Klaus looked up to see what she had been staring at and felt his chest constrict, his desperate eyes searching hers until he found exactly what he had been looking for and they nodded together before he turned back towards his sister with a new sense of determination, "whatever it takes."
** FIRST CHAPTER ✔️ Sorry if it's booty, but it takes a few episodes for everything to pick up so I didn't really have any interest in this one😂 Obviously I've changed a few reactions from Klaus because I'm not gonna lie guys, he can be a real dick sometimes and if someone talked to me like that I would deadass just walk out so I don't want him to treat Nixie poorly, my girl deserves better than that✌🏻 We all Klixie shippers here and we need supportive, protective Klaus, not easily angered-says things he doesn't mean in a fit of anger- asshat Klaus. **