The car came to a halt and Madison looked out the window, instantly recognising the building before her.
"Why are we here?" Madison but her lip nervously.
"There was a change in leadership while you were gone."
"You mean you got the Quarter back?" She couldn't help but smile. "And you won't let them control me anymore, right? Like you promised."
"Just like I promised." He grinned right back at her.
Madison pressed her lips against his, smiling into the kiss. The pair pulled away and got out of the car, walking into the compound.
"Madison?" A voice called out, making the witch turn around.
"Marcel." She wrapped her arms around him, finding comfort in her past lover.
"You have no idea how much I missed you," Marcel wrapped his arms around the girl.
"I missed you too," Madison pulled away from the hug. "But you're not what I want anymore."
"Klaus is what you want, isn't he?" He looked over at his sire who was waiting patiently for them to finish their little reunion. Madison's silence was the only answer he needed. "Okay, then let me ask you this: does he make you happy?"
"Yes," she spoke softly.
"You being happy is all that has ever mattered to me."
Madison gave him one last small smile before she turned back to Klaus and they made their way to the room they would call theirs.
-
Madison sat at the end of the long table, Klaus at the other while a few vampires sat around it. The Hybrid tapped his glass with his fork to grab everyone's attention before he gave a speech.
"Let us begin with a toast to our shared gift: immortality. After a thousand years, one might expect life to be less keenly felt, for its beauties and its sorrows do diminish with time. But, as vampires, we feel more deeply than humans could possibly imagine." He gestured towards the waiters, beckoning them to join the vampires at the table. "Insatiable need, exquisite pain." The waiters slit their wrists, filling the cups in front of each person with blood. "Our victories, and our defeats."
The Hybrid looked at Marcel briefly before raising his glass in a toast.
"To my city, my home again. May the blood never cease to flow..." he trailed off.
"And the party never end!" Marcel finished for his sire, raising his glass before looking over at Diego.
"To New Orleans." Diego joined them in raising his glass.
"To New Orleans!" Klaus agreed with a grin.
"New Orleans." Everyone around the table repeated, except Madison who was using her telekinesis to move the water in front of her.
"I understand that some of you may have questions regarding the recent change in leadership, and I invited you here tonight to assure you that you are not defeated. No, my intentions moving forward are to celebrate what we have. What Marcel, in fact, took and built for this true community of vampires."
"What about her?" Diego pointed at Madison who finally looked up. "The witch."
"Uh, not just any witch," Madison corrected. "Supreme Witch. Have some respect."
"Had you'd let me finish, Diego, you would know that there is, of course, one further matter I would like to address." Klaus walked over to Madison's end of the table, placing a hand on her shoulder. "As many of you know, Madison is carrying my child. Consequently, I trust you will all pay her the appropriate respect. However, I understand that some of you are concerned by this vicious rumor that I intend to use the blood of our child to create hybrids. I assure you I do not."
"Father of the year." She smirked sarcastically.
"It appears I will have to earn your trust," Klaus spoke with frustration. "Very well. We'll eliminate the root of your anxiety. You see, how I can I sire any hybrids if there are no more werewolves alive in the Bayou to turn?"
"What?" Madison yelled, standing up. "Klaus, no!"
"So eat, drink, and be merry. And, tomorrow, I suggest you have yourselves a little wolf hunt." He ignored the pregnant witch. "Go ahead, have fun. Kill them all!"
-
Madison rolled her eyes as Klaus entered the bedroom, not wanting to be around him after his announcement.
"What do you want?" She frowned.
"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, walking closing to her and placing his hands on her waist, "but I need them to trust me."
"And there wasn't any other way to do that?" Madison sighed when he shook his head. "I forgive you, because I know how hard it is to get people in this town to trust you. Hayley, on the other, won't be so forgiving. They are her family after all."
"They're yours too," he pointed out.
"Yeah, but they don't know that." The pregnant witch yawned. "Can we go to bed? I am so tired."
She climbed into the large bed, pulling the duvet over her body. She felt the mattress dip as Klaus climbed in next to her. He cuddled up to her side and wrapped an arm around her, making her feel safer than she ever had.
-
Klaus paced anxiously around the study as Cami wrote down everything he said on the typewriter.
"And, so then I bit Elijah, and left him in the Bayou with my hybrid venom in his veins. Serves him right, for making such vile accusations against me. And then," Klaus cut himself off, turning to Cami only to find that she was no longer typing. "Are you taking this down?"
"To be clear – if the Quarter is yours now, you still need me why?"
"My memoirs." Klaus smiled. "A thousand years of history isn't going to write itself."
Madison and Marcel entered the study, the witch instantly sitting down with a sigh, whilst Marcel looked at the bartender with concern.
"Cami?" Marvel looked at her with furrowed brows.
"Wait, Camille O'Connell?" Madison raised her eyebrows, shaking the bartenders hand. "It is so great to finally meet you. Wow. You look so much like her."
"Who?"
"What are you doing here?" Marcel interrupted.
"My question exactly." Cami looked over at Klaus.
"Oh, it's quite alright." Klaus waved off. "She knows."
"She does?" The younger vampire raised his eyebrows.
"That you're vampires? Don't worry, he's compelled me to forget everything as soon as I leave. That way, I'm too busy agonizing over whether or not I'm losing my damn mind to realize I'm playing spy for an immortal egomaniac." Cami glared at the Hybrid and Madison snickered.
"You compelled her to go out with me, didn't you?" Marcel sounded hurt before he looked at Cami. "And I thought you really liked me."
"So did I." She sighed.
"I mean, to be clear, I only compelled you to give him a chance. Anything you felt for him was quite real." Klaus explained.
"For the record, the level of awkwardness we're all currently experiencing is entirely genuine." Madison spoke to break the silence. "Which is why I'm gonna go."
"Wait, you never answered. Who do I look like?" Cami called out to the Supreme.
"Natalie," Madison said simply before leaving.
"Who's Natalie?" Marcel questioned.
"Madison's mother," Klaus looked at the door which Madison had just exited and then back to Marcel and Cami, "and Camille's too, I presume."
-
Madison walked down the stairs, towards the compound's side door to sneak out. She was bored. She needed to get out. The blonde looked around quickly to see if she was being watched, and when she turned around again to leave, Diego blocked her path.
"Going somewhere?" He raised an eyebrow.
"C'mon Diego, we were friends once," Madison pleaded. "I just want some air."
"I'm sorry, Maddy, but I can't let you," he sighed.
"I don't know if you remember or not, but I always get what I want," she flicked her wrist and he fell to the floor with a broken neck. Madison took another step forward, only to run into Elijah. "Elijah, you shouldn't be here. Klaus has his guys watching me."
"I wouldn't worry about them," he shrugged. After a moment or so Rebekah joined them, kicking down two other vampires who were hiding. "Come, we mustn't linger. We'll get you some place safe."
"No, you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. I've been deemed under protection by the almighty Klaus," Madison rolled her eyes. "It's the werewolves who need help. He ordered a wolf hunt as some jacked-up peace offering to Marcel's crew. You have to help them."
"Out in the Bayou? Do we look like a bloody vampire-rescue-squad?" Rebekah spoke incredulously. "I think you should be grateful we came to save you!"
"Listen. Rebekah. All my life, I've wanted to know who my real family was, and just as I find out that they're out there in the Bayou, Klaus orders them killed. You wanna help me? Help my people. Hayley's people. Please."
The two blondes stared at each other for a long moment before Rebekah finally sighed and nodded her head.
-
"I know about your deal with Elijah. We can't be lying to each other. I'm trying to protect you. With the witches still looking to kill you for the Harvest, believe me, you're safest with us." Marcel could be heard telling Davina as Madison and Klaus walked up the stairs to the attic.
"Plus, there's excellent light in the afternoon," Madison interrupted as she walked into the attic.
"Maddy?" The younger witch couldn't believe her eyes.
The Supreme opened her arms and Davina came crashing into them. Madison wrapped her arms around the young girl, having missed her in the months she was gone.
"Do you know how dangerous it is bringing Madison here?" Marcel frowned.
"I tried to tell her, but she demanded," Klaus shrugged, looking at Davina's paintings. "I see you're an artist. Wonderful! I look forward to witnessing your many talents!"
"Was this his idea?" Davina scowled, her words directed at Marcel.
"Davina, c'mon. I get you're devoted to Marcel, but Marcel is devoted to Klaus, and Klaus is devoted to me. We're friends. I would never put you in danger," Madison swore.
"I assume you'll want what's best for all of us." Klaus walked over to Marcel. "We have a meeting to attend downstairs."
Marcel nodded as Klaus left, turning back to the young witch.
"I'll get someone to pick up your things. We'll get you settled in right. Until then, Madison will keep you company," the vampire smiled at the girls before joining Klaus downstairs.
"Tell me everything you've been up to while you were gone," Davina grinned, both girls taking a seat on the bed.
"Well, it all started when I went to Mystic Falls and met Klaus..."
-
Madison rolled her eyes as Davina and Josh talked, the pair completely unaware that she had crept into the room.
"I'm sure if you could actually stop Klaus, you would've done it already," she finally spoke, making her presence known.
"You're Madison. Klaus' wife," Josh recognised her from the times he had been the the plantation house.
"Uh, just his girlfriend. Not really the marriage type," she corrected. "I'm the pregnant witch. And you're Josh, newbie vampire way out of his element, voted Most Likely to Die Next."
"Fantastic." Josh nodded nervously.
"Hey, I'm stuck here, just like you. Of course, it would suck if he found out you're still lurking around. Maybe there's a world where we can all look out for each other?" Madison gave Davina a kind smile, knowing that the younger witch would always have her back.
-
Hayley had arrived at the compound less than an hour ago, wanting to make sure her sister was okay. Madison was relieved to finally see a face she trusted.
Madison and Hayley walked into the living room where Klaus was reading a book, Hayley had a pissed off expression and Madison knew that it wasn't going to end well for Klaus.
"Those werewolves you ordered killed, that's our family." She glared.
"Not for long. I mean, this so-called family of yours, they haven't done either of you much good, have they?" He shrugged and avoided the werewolf's angry gaze. "You said it yourself-- they abandoned you and left you on your own. Now it's simply your turn to do the same."
"Maybe they had their reasons." Madison sighed.
"Yes, well, I have reason too, little witch." He closed the book angrily and stood up. "If the werewolves are dead, then the vampires have less desire to kill you. I am trying to keep you safe. Not that you appreciate the effort."
"And as soon as she has this baby, what happens to her then?" The Hybrid didn't answer, just looked guilty.
Madison looked hurt for a second before quickly covering it up.
"Right. Well, lucky for me, I have a little while before I find out." She smirked bitterly. "And, in the meantime, I will find a way to pay you back for this. As long as I'm in the family, you can't do a damn thing about it."
Klaus opened his mouth to stop her from leaving but it was too late. Sorrow filled his blue eyes. He would never hurt her, he was far too in love with her to do that.
-
"What are you looking for?" Madison questioned the young witch, flopping down on the bed as Davina rummaged through some boxes.
"My violin. It must be left in the attic," Davina sighed sadly.
"So, just go get it," Hayley suggested like it was no big deal.
"I can't. It's not safe for me out there."
"Funny, I was under the impression everyone was afraid of you," Madison raised an eyebrow.
"The witches are after me."
"You mean Agnes? Yeah, she tried to kill me, too. Twice. Once time she succeeded." Madison recalled. "The thing is, she's dead. I killed her."
"But.. Agnes was the last living Elder." Davina shook her head in disbelief. "If she's dead, then I'm safe. Marcel would've told me."
"Maybe he didn't wanna lose his secret weapon against the witches?" Hayley shrugged.
"You're lying," the young witch said suspiciously.
"Davina, you're my family. I'd rather die than lie to you," Madison placed a hand on her arm.
"Why would we lie to you?"
"Because you want something from me. Everyone does."
"Sweetie, I know what that feels like. I've lived like that for years, but if we wanted something from you we wouldn't lie to get it," the blonde looked over at her sister. "Do we want something from you? Yeah, we do. Thanks to Marcel, most of our family is cursed. They're stuck in their wolf form, except on a full moon."
"Now, we know that every curse has a loophole. And, well, you're one of the strongest witches I've ever heard of. But I wouldn't lie to you to get what I want. I'd ask you. I guess that's the difference between Marcel and me." Hayley folded her arms over her chest and walked away.
"Why can't you do it?"
"This baby is taking a lot out of me. I can't do anything powerful without fainting, and a spell that strong might kill me and then baby," Madison sighed. "That's not a risk I'm willing to take."
-
Madison stood on the balcony, looking over the city she grew up in. The city where she first fell in love, where she was crowned Supreme, and where she was most likely to die.
Elijah joined her, breaking her train of thought.
"Are they..?" She questioned and he knew she was talking about the wolves.
"They're safe. All of them." He smiled.
"Thank you. What you did, Elijah, it means a lot."
The Original noticed her crescent moon birthmark on her exposed shoulder, and he moved her sweater to hide it. "You should keep this covered up."
"Okay, dad, I will." She laughed.
"If any of the others saw this..."
"I promise." Madison said more seriously.
"I should go." He pointed towards the door.
"Wait," she wrapped her arms around him, whispering in his ear, "Hayley isn't gonna be around forever. Hurry up and make a move before it's too late."
"I will."
-
"Madison – "
"Don't," she cut him off before he had even begun. "Just don't. I was willing to forgive you for trying to murder my family. They were never there for me anyway. But killing me? Making your child grow up without a mother? I – I can't."
"I made a promise to Hayley that I would protect you at all costs."
"You also have a history of going back on your word, so forgive me if I'm a little reluctant to trust you."
"Madison, I love you, and I would sooner die than hurt you," he stepped closer to her, brushing the hair out of her face. "And when that child is born, I want us to be a family."
"Family is overrated," Madison rolled her eyes, pushing past him out of the room.
Klaus sighed to himself. It would take some time for her to warm up to him again, but he knew it would be worth it.
----
roses are red
violets are blue
I finally wrote another chapter
because I love you
all the love, M x