Bring Me To Life | The Originals (1)

The Battle of New Orleans

Walking into Rousseau's since Sophie's death was a bittersweet event for Imogen; of course, she had been in there before but there were always other people around to distract her from the absence of her best friend. The witch stood in the middle of the empty bar, tears blurring her vision as she looked around and she felt a sob building in her throat but she took a deep breath to calm herself down before she had the chance to break down. She closed her eyes as she inhaled slowly and she could almost smell the familiar scent of gumbo cooking on the shove, almost hear Sophie's husky laughter echoing throughout the cavernous room. A small smile played on her lips as her eyelids fluttered open and she nodded once to herself in determination, coming to a firm decision in her mind.

"Are you okay?" a familiar voice asked in concern from behind her, causing the brunette to spin around in fright with a startled gasp escaping her lips and she internally admonished herself for not sense another person's presence.

"Cami! Don't do that!" she scolded playfully with a scowl as she pressed her palm to chest, just above her racing heart and the blonde laughed in amusement as she strolled further into the establishment. Imogen rolled her eyes with a huff at the grin that had spread across the other girls lips but didn't say anything because it was nice to see Cami showing some positive emotions after spending the last couple of days since Kieran's death in a sombre state.

"Sorry. Are you okay though?" she repeated the question in a serious tone of voice, her eyebrows drawing together in concern as she moved to stand behind the bar and deposited her purse underneath the counter.

When the estate lawyer had called her cell phone earlier that week when she was at breakfast with Hayley, she hadn't known what to think but she certainly hadn't been expecting to be handed a property deed to the bar and a set of keys. Trepidation was the main emotion that she was experiencing and it was easy enough to admit that she was scared, because she was, terrified if she was being completely honest. She didn't have any experience or knowledge on how to run a business, she wasn't even sure that she had time to manage the place effectively but everything inside of her was screaming to hold on to the place as tightly as she could with both hands.

Imogen sighed to herself as she cast one more glance around the empty bar before walking over to sit on one of the stools on the opposite side of the bar and she leaned one elbow on the counter as rested her head in her hand. "I'm just thinking about Sophie. This place was her life, you know? Her parents left it to her and Jane-Anne. Jane-Anne left her share to Sophie. And now, they're all gone and it's still here."

"And Sophie left it to you. So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to make sure this place is something she would be proud of. That's what I'm going to do."

Determination laced her voice as she sat up straighter on her stool, the set of her shoulders radiating confidence and Cami couldn't help but smile slightly at her friend because she knew that if Imogen decided to do something, she would do it to the best of her ability. It was one of the qualities that had gotten her to where she was in life; amazing big sister, loyal friend, talented witch, psychology student and now, business owner.

Imogen huffed out a sigh as she slumped her shoulders, folding her arms in front of her on the counter and dropping her head onto her forearms so that her face was hidden. Cami tried to hold in a chuckle at the overdramatic gesture as she leaned her hands on the other side of the counter and she tilted her to the side in contemplation as she asked patiently, "But that's not the only thing bothering you, is it?"

"I shouldn't be friends with a therapist, you're too perceptive." The witch grumbled in annoyance, the words coming out muffled because she hadn't lifted her head from her arms.

"It might have something to do with your theatrical cry for help, but sure." The blonde replied with a casual shrug of her shoulders as she raised an eyebrow expectantly, waiting for the other girl to crack because she knew that it was coming the moment that she had literally buried her head in the sand. "Come on, what's going on? Maybe I can help, and if not, then I can stand here silently and let you vent all of your frustrations."

Nothing but silence came from the brunette as she thought over the consequences of further involving a human in supernatural business but the need to open up to her best friend weighed on her and so she finally lifted her head as she blurted out, "Marcel's such an ass!"

Cami nodded slowly with a knowing smile as she grabbed two empty shot glasses from behind the bar and a bottle of familiar clear liquid before pouring two shots of vodka while she waited for Imogen to continue. She set the bottle down on the counter as she slid one of the shots towards her friend and the two of them clicked the rims together before downing the liquid, both of them wincing at the familiar burning sensation.

"I can't believe him! We specifically agreed to leave Davina out of everything because we didn't want her getting involved. I didn't want to make her choose a side! I thought neither of us did." Imogen ranted in an annoyed tone of voice as she ran a frustrated hand through her hair, pursing her lips as she tried not to show how truly hurt she felt. Cami silently refilled her shot glass as she listened intently to the words leaving her mouth and the words left unsaid, the pain behind the anger. The brunette smiled shakily in gratitude as she accepted the glass, throwing back the burning liquid with practice ease.

Some of her previous anger had faded as she sighed heavily in defeat and she felt tears pooling in her eyes, knowing that she could let her guard down around the blonde. She rested one of her elbows on the counter as she pressed her fingertips against her lips and she gathered her thoughts for a moment before turning her attention her friend as she revealed the truth in broken whisper, "I feel like he betrayed me with this more than anything he could do to the Mikaelson's. We're adults. We knew what we were getting into when we choose sides in this war, but Davina's a child. Granted, she's been through more than any one person should ever have to, but she's a kid. She's my kid. And I didn't want her involved any more than she had to be. I thought Marcel agreed with me. But he went behind my back and used her for her magic. I don't – I don't know how to forgive that, Cam."

Cami remained silent as she studied her friends downtrodden expression and she searched through all of the psychology training she had trying to find the right thing to say in order to make her feel better but nothing came to mind so she offered the one comfort she could, "More booze?"

Imogen scoffed out an amused huff as she rolled her eyes with a small smile on her lips but she no longer looked like she was about to cry and Cami took that as a victory as she poured the brunette another shot before filling own glass as well. The two women raised them in a mock toast as they grinned at each other in solidarity and they clicked the rims of the glasses together before downing them in unison.

"Ah!" the human exclaimed with a wince as she struggled through the familiar burning in her throat and Imogen laughed at her friends predicament as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I don't know how you do that without flinching."

"Years and years of practice, darling." she explained with a shrug of her shoulders as a proud smirk flickered across her lips and Cami scoffed out a laugh as she placed the bottle of vodka under the bar before placing the empty shot glasses in the sink.

Imogen leaned forward on the counter with the intention of continuing the conversation but she was interrupted by the unexpected sound of the door to the bar opening and she immediately frowned in confusion because she was positive that the 'closed' sign was hanging on the door. The two girls shared a look a three men in expensive suits strolled into the establishment like they owned the room and Imogen shifted in indignation as she turned towards them without leaving her stool at the bar.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, the bar is closed!" Imogen shouted over to them in a faux-polite tone of voice but with an undercurrent of undeniable authority and she couldn't help thinking to herself that Elijah would be proud of her ability to be assertive but diplomatic. Her eyebrows furrowed together in a mixture of confusion and annoyance when the three men ignored her warning and she slipped off of her stool as a tendril of fear zipped through her veins. She internally cursed the Criminal Psychology professor for making her class read all of those court transcripts and psychological profiles.

Cami inched closer to the brunette, swallowing her pride enough to know that she would be safest if she let the witch take charge of the situation. She couldn't help the fear that was building inside of her as she carefully watched every move the men made and she was positive that everyone in the room was able to hear her heart beating in the otherwise silent room.

"I tried to be nice about this..." Francesca Guerrera trailed off in a light-hearted tone as she sauntered into the establishment with an air of self-importance that could only come from the influence of money.

Any possible fear that had been entrenching on the two women's nerves was immediately replaced with anger at the sight of the darkhaired woman and Imogen rolled her eyes in annoyance as she sat back down on her stool, regarding the woman as nothing more than a pesky bug that wouldn't go away.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Cami asked in a mixture of fury and disbelief as she stepped out from behind the bar with a scowl etched on her lips, knowing that she was safe to voice her frustration with Imogen nearby to keep her safe.

"I am looking for the owner of this –" she answered in the same casual tone, not bothered by the less than stellar reception and her nose scrunched up slightly in distaste as she looked around the room before she continued, " – gumbo shack. Ink's not dry on the contract, yet, and I'm sure I can get it cheap. Business is not what it used to be since Sophie Deveraux kicked the bucket."

A flash of unadulterated hatred surged through Imogen as she jumped off of her stool, her heels 'clicking' loudly on the ground and gathering the attention of everyone in the room but she ignored everyone except for the older brunette as she approached her in a confident stride. Her lips curved into a tight smile as she positioned herself next to Cami, silently displaying her allegiance to the blonde and her tone was so sugary sweet that it could have caused cavities but everyone could hear the underlining venom in her voice when she spoke, "I'm the owner, and I'm afraid the place isn't for sale."

The unsaid 'especially to you' was heard easily at the end of her sentence but Francesca did nothing but return the tight smile as her dark eyes flashed with malice and Imogen was positive that her standing in the supernatural community and her very public relationship with the Originals was the only thing keeping her from taking a prolonged dip in the river that bordered the French Quarter.

"Look, I don't want any trouble." Cami interrupted the stare down between the two women, wanting nothing more than to get whatever reason Francesca was there over with because her mere presence was enough to send a chill up her spine.

"I don't really care what you want. Let's talk about what I want." Francesca said in a deceptively blasé tone as she slowly started to stroll around the spacious room with her hands clasped behind her back.

"Right. My uncle's key." The blonde muttered in a hard tone as she eyed the woman distrustfully, feeling like a gazelle in the sight of a lion and she hated it, she hated feeling weak like she was prey going up against a predator. "You said you were going to use it to protect the innocents of the city? Seems pretty ironic, considering your line of work."

"I'm a legitimate businesswoman who's never been convicted of a crime. And, as leader of the Human Faction, that key is mine. I gave you time to mourn. Now, time's up!"

"Message received. Let me just go find that key I don't have."

"My family's been in New Orleans a long time, Cami. Even longer than yours! And we've learned it's a very hard city to get by in if you don't have any friends. I'd like to be your friend. So I'm going to give you until tomorrow. And after that, I won't be so friendly."

"Ooh! That sounded like a threat. Don't you feel threatened, Cami? I know I do." Imogen interjected in a cold of voice as she stepped protectively in front of her friend, glaring daggers at the darkhaired woman. Francesca turned her hardened stare towards the witch with the same brittle smile on her lips and Imogen felt Cami subtly move behind her so that she wasn't in the line of fire if something were to happen. "Be very carefully with your words, Ms Guerrera. You seem to forget that Cami does have friends in New Orleans. Friends with more power and more reach than you possess."

The fake smile on Francesca's feature seemed to fade away at the reminder that the women in front of her had personal relationships with the Original family and the leader of the uprising on the other side of the river. Something vaguely malevolent sparked in her dark eyes as she glared at them for a moment longer before turning on her heel and stalking out of the bar without a backwards glance as her security team followed obediently.

"I don't know what is going on with her, you and this mysterious key, but do you have a handle on the situation?" Imogen asked the woman next to her quietly without looking away from the closed door that Francesca had just retreated through. She wanted her friend to know that she was there for her without sounding too condescending or suggesting that she wasn't capable of handling it on her own.

"I have no idea." Cami admitted with a heavy sigh as she ran a hand through her blonde hair in frustration and she toyed with the idea of including Imogen in the mystery that Kieran had inadvertently left her when he died but she didn't want to add anymore burdens to the mass that she was currently carrying for everyone else. A part of her also wanting to do this on her own to prove to herself and everyone else that she was strong enough to be a part of the supernatural, that she could handle the knowledge and thrive under the pressure of the burden.

"Okay. If you need anything..."

"I know. Thanks." the human said sincerely with a slight grin on her lips as she looked over at her friend because she knew that Imogen meant what she said; if Cami needed anything, she would drop whatever she was doing and be there to help in any way she could. The fact that she had already proved that by rushing to her side when Kieran's hex had gotten worse was only more reassuring and Cami would be eternally grateful to have such a devoted and loyal friend in her corner to fight alongside her if that's what it came down to.

"Alright. Go do whatever it is that you need to do in order to keep that mysterious key out of Francesca's hands. I don't know why she wants it, but the fact that she does, is a major red flag in my opinion." Imogen told her in a tone that could have been misconstrued as jovial but Cami knew that she meant every word she spoke and the hard glint in her blue eyes told of an unspoken desire to make sure that Francesca didn't succeed in whatever plan she was concocting behind the back of the other Faction leaders.

_______________________________________

"Elijah, have you seen Imogen this morning?" Hayley asked hopefully as she wandered into the office that the Original had claimed as his own, a mug of decaffeinated tea in one hand and the other resting on her swollen stomach. Since both of the Mikaelson brothers were set on being overprotective after the incident the day before, they had basically ordered her to remain inside the compound and she was already going stir-crazy sitting around do nothing except reading the baby name book that Imogen had gotten for her in town.

The aforementioned Original glanced up from the ancient tomb that he been in his possession since the middle ages, offering the werewolf a slight upturn of his lips as she strolled further into the study slowly. The mention of the witch filled him with conflicting emotions; a startling happiness that she had bestowed upon him when she texted him only minutes before and a bizarre amount of disappointment that it wasn't her walking through his doorway like she owned the room, a habit he should not have found as charming as he did.

"Earlier this morning, but she went out for breakfast with Davina and Joshua, before meeting Camille at Rousseau's to go over the finances now that she's the sole owner. She sent word that she's on her way home now though. She shouldn't be more than a few minutes." he answered without thinking as he turned his attention back to the literature in front of him and Hayley paused on the opposite side of his desk, a knowing smirk playing on her lips as she leaned her hands on his desktop. It took him a moment to realise that she hadn't spoken a word and he slowly lifted her head to meet her penetrating stare, her hazel eyes seemed to cut through him as she quirked an eyebrow at him in silent question.

"I didn't realise you had become her secretary, keeping her schedule and all." she taunted him sarcastically as she folded her arms over her chest, her eyes sparkling with mirth as she attempted to maintain her indifferent façade.

Elijah levelled her with a deadpan stare as he leaned back in his chair in the perfect picture of someone unaffected and his lips twitched slightly in amusement as he countered drily, "I believe the politically correct term is 'executive assistant'."

Hayley rolled her eyes at him with a smirk playing on her lips as she let her arms drop to her sides and she regard him critically for a moment through squinted hazel eyes before apparently coming to a conclusion that caused her to genuinely smile as she pointed out succinctly, "Something's different."

"Hayley..." he warned him pointedly as he stood up from behind his desk, fixing the button his suit jacket and she grinned unrepentantly at the look he was giving her as he strolled around the desk to stand beside her. "Enough. If you wish to gossip, I'm afraid you've approached the wrong member of this household."

"Good point. Now I have two reasons to speak to Imogen the minute she gets home." she agreed with a shrug of her shoulders as she walked over to the couch in the middle of the room and rested a hand on her stomach as she carefully lowered herself onto it with a groan.

"Is everything okay?" he asked her in concern as he sat down on the edge of the coffee table, his eyebrows furrowed as he eyed her as though she was going to go into labour at any moment.

"I'm fine, Elijah." she assured him with a pacifying smile as she rubbed her stomach lovingly and he relaxed slightly but there was still tension in his posture so she rolled her eyes as she reached over to grab his hand before placing it on the side of her stomach. "See? Your niece was just punching me from the inside. It always happens at the most inconvenient times and it's getting annoying. I can already tell she's going to be a nuisance. She gets that fantastic quality from her father."

It took a moment for her to realise that her words hadn't even registered with the Original because he was staring at the place where his hand rested on her stomach and she couldn't help but smile at the expression of complete rapture that had overtaken his features; his lips were parted in awed shock and his oak brown eyes held a touch of adoration as they misted over with unshed tears.

All those months ago when Sophie had boldly declared that Hayley was pregnant with his brothers child, he heard the faint 'thud, thud, thud' of a small heartbeat from within the safety of the girls stomach. It hadn't mattered whether or not it was indeed his brothers child, he would never allow anyone to harm a pregnant woman or a child but hearing that heartbeat had only strengthened his resolve to keep them safe. In the past months he would quite frequently fine tune his enhanced hearing to make sure that the child's heartbeat was strong and he even developed the habit of counting the beats as a method of relaxation, letting the soothing sound lull him to sleep most nights that Hayley spent at the compound when he wasn't able to spend his time wrapped up in Imogen on her bed or couch.

"It's truly remarkable." he murmured quietly in an awed tone as he felt another kick or punch against his hand and Hayley chuckled in agreement as she rubbed her thumb over the swell of her stomach lovingly. Elijah lifted his head with unshed tears in his oak brown eyes as he removed his hand from her stomach and he clasped his hands in front of him as he regarded the werewolf solemnly. "Thank you, Hayley."

The expectant mother snapped her head up in surprise at his words, at the sincerity and gratitude that was threaded through them and she frowned at him in confusion as she tilted her head to the side questioningly. "For what?"

"For allowing us to be a part of your child's life. I know it would be easier for you to leave New Orleans and start over somewhere else, without the threat of war hanging over your head. And without the enemies that she is sure to inherit from her father." he said gravely in a regretful tone as he lowered his head as though he was ashamed of his family's past behaviour, the sins he and his siblings committed weighing heavily on his conscious. It wasn't often that he reminisced about past misdeeds, the guilt and remorse better left firmly in the past, and over the course of a millennia there had been numerous, but the thought of his innocent niece being burdened with their enemies was too great to not consider.

For maybe the third time in her life, Hayley was struck speechless. Her mouth parted as though to offer him some sort of reassurance but how could she deny what was simply a well-known fact amongst the supernatural: the Original family was ruthless. Of course, she had learned in the time she had spent with them that they each had hidden aspects of humanity inside of them (Rebekah was insecure and desperate to be loved, Klaus was terrified of abandonment, Elijah was plagued with an almost crippling need to protect those he loved) but that didn't change that fact that the family she had inadvertently entered into was legendary for all the wrong reasons. She didn't want to condone or belittle his experiences, she didn't want to spurt unconvincing lies meant to simply gloss over his gratitude. It didn't escape her attention that Imogen would have known the exact right thing to say in that moment, not only because she had a degree in psychology but because she was the one who knew Elijah and was privy to the inner workings of his mind.

The werewolf glanced towards the doorway entrance, foolishly hoping that Imogen would choose that precise moment to come sauntering into the room with a witty quip like she had so many times before. She cringed to herself at her own lack of emotional accessibility, wandering not for the first time how she was going to relate to her own daughter when she was upset or scared. As an orphan who had left home at thirteen, she had to grow up fast and so she didn't have any past experience of her own to draw inspiration from. She sucked her lower lip in between her teeth as she turned attention back to the forlorn vampire sitting in front of her and she hesitated a moment before tentatively setting her hand on top of his in a meek gesture of comfort.

Elijah lifted his gaze from the ground when he felt a warmth encompass his hand and he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him when he saw the uncomfortable grimace on her lips, like she wasn't aware of what she was meant to do in a situation like the one they were currently experiencing. A small smile played on his lips as he placed his hand over hers, thankful for her attempt at comforting him.

"Aww...Look at you two bonding." A familiar voice cooed teasingly from the doorway, effectively alleviating the tension between the two of them and Elijah felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips when he looked over at the gorgeous brunette standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips.

"Imogen. Hello, darling." he greeted her softly as he stood up from the edge of the coffee table and she returned his bright grin with one of her own as she flounced further into the room. It didn't escape his attention that the room seemed to brighten the moment that she walked in and he didn't know if that was conjured from his own imagination because of his affection for the witch or if it was some unique quality that affected everyone she came into contact with.

Any of the lingering confusion from her breakfast with Davina or sadness from her trip down memory lane at Rousseau's vanished the moment that she laid eyes on Elijah and she refused to ask herself why that was the case. In all truth, she was exhausted; she was tired of thinking about everything until her brain started to hurt and she was sick of questioning her own feelings because of something that happened in the past.

Elijah wasn't some random boy who wanted to get into her pants. No, he was a man who desired to spend time with her, a man who wanted to know her mind, body and soul. And she wasn't the same young girl who was barely holding herself together in order to keep her sister fed and clothed. Time had changed her; circumstance had shaped her into a stronger person because she had to be and because she had experienced sadness and heartache, she knew what would end up making her happy instead of scrambling for anything that resembled the emotion. It wasn't the same because she had learned from her mistakes, allowed them to make her smarter and wiser. And so, she made the decision to embrace whatever type of relationship they had fallen into.

"Hi." she greeted him in a sultry tone as she came to a stop in front of him and she leaned up to press a lingering kiss on his lips, sliding her hands over his upper arms until they were clasped at the base of his neck. One of Elijah's hands settled on her waist as the other threaded through her brunette hair, drawing her closer to his body and she smiled against his lips at the warmth that spread through her chest.

The sound of someone clearing their throat behind them broke the two of them out of their little private moment and Imogen blushed slightly out of embarrassment of forgetting Hayley was in the room, not about the fact that she had witnessed their kiss. Imogen wasn't an exhibitionist by any means but she didn't have a problem displaying affection in public if she cared about the person; so far no romantic companion had made her feel the need to act in public.

Hayley couldn't help feeling like a voyeur as she watched the couple greet each other; there was something so intimate about the moment even if they hadn't done anything blush worthy. It was way that Imogen seemed to gravitate towards him without being conscious of the movement and the glint of adoration in Elijah's oak brown eyes as he pulled back from the lingering kiss with a faint smile on his lips. The whole scene sent a wave of bitter resentment through her veins and she hated herself for feeling jealous because it wasn't like she wanted Elijah anymore, not after getting to know Imogen and realising how perfect the two of them seemed to be. But because she was lonely. Yes, she had the Mikaelson's, Imogen and the werewolves out in the bayou, but she didn't have that one person that made her feel alive just by being in their mere presence and no one lit up like Christmas at the sight of her entering like Elijah did whenever Imogen came into a room. As happy as she was for her friends, she wanted what they had with someone and it didn't seem likely that she would be getting it anytime soon.

"Sorry, Hayley." Imogen apologised with a shrug that completely negated the apology as she leaned further into Elijah's side for a moment before detaching herself from his body. Because her back was towards him, she completely missed the flash of disappointment in his eyes as she walked towards the couch but Hayley saw it before it disappeared just as quickly as it had come.

Imogen released a loud sigh as she collapsed backwards on the couch next to the werewolf, feeling emotionally drained from the mornings events; plastering a smile on her lips in front of Davina to camouflage her concern for the younger girl, dealing with the physical reminder of her deceased best friend and then facing off against the veiled threats from Francesca with Cami. It certainly wasn't what she wanted to be doing for the day but the probability of her getting a massage from a shirtless Elijah while other attractive men handfed her grapes and fanned her as she sipped cocktails on the beach wasn't looking like it was going to happen.

"Something's different between you two." Hayley murmured in a probing tone of voice with a sly smirk on her lips as she turned slightly to face the witch, having a good idea what had prompted the slight change in their dynamic.

"We had sex last night. Apparently, nearly dying is a good for something after all." Imogen replied casually with a wave of her hand, not bothered by the subject in the least and she suppressed a grin when she noticed Elijah shift uncomfortably from the corner of her eye.

"Ladies..." he scolded in a warning tone as he move to sit back down behind his desk to further distance himself from the conversation but both women ignored him and he was aware that they were taking pleasure in his discomfort from the obvious expressions of glee on their faces. He rolled his oak brown eyes subtly with a fond smile on his lips as he got comfortable on his chair and turned his attention to the manuscript he had been reading when Hayley had first interrupted him.

"You guys finally had sex? Was it worth the wait?" Hayley asked curiously with an amused smirk on her lips as she tilted her head to the side and then blinked in surprise when she realised that she was actually taking part in 'girl talk'. She had always distanced herself from any sort of 'teen drama', not wanting to get caught up in anything so juvenile and she never really allowed herself to get close enough to anyone to form the kind of emotional bond that came with opening up to someone. Most of the people she reluctantly classed a friends were male because she had learned from past experience that with estrogen came the need to bitch and moan about petty nonsense that she didn't care about. But somehow, Imogen had easily slid into the role of 'friend' without even trying and Hayley found herself enjoying the simple pleasure that came with having a female friend; she had someone to go to lunch with, to go shopping with, someone to speak to about how she was feeling about being a mother, someone to trust with her past to an extent. Hell, she had agreed to name Imogen her daughter's godmother.

The witch folded her legs beneath her body as she leaned in conspiratorially and lowered her voice to a whisper, despite the fact that Elijah would able to hear her anyway if he wanted to, before she replied truthfully, "So good I'm surprised I can walk today."

"Damn."

"Yeah."

"I suppose a thousand years will teach you and thing or two."

"You would know. You slept with Klaus. I've never slept with a werewolf. So tell me, was he an animal in bed? All raw, animalistic passionate and need?"

"Just a reminder that that is my brother you are speaking of, and I am in possession of supernatural hearing." Elijah interjected drily from his desk behind them without lifting his gaze from the book he was reading, idly turning a page carefully as they both turned their attention towards him with annoyance across their features.

"You could always leave." Imogen suggested teasingly with an innocent smile on her lips, already knowing that he wouldn't leave his own office out of pure stubbornness.

"I will not be driven out of my own office." he countered firmly like she knew that he would as she suppressed the grin that threatened to spread across her lips and she shrugged her shoulders without a word, silently letting him know that they were at an impasse in the situation.

Hayley watched the interaction between the two of them with growing amusement. It was strange to see Elijah so carefree and jovial because he was often serious and working hard to maintain to tenuous balance between the Factions. But it seemed that Imogen brought out a side of him that not many people had the privilege of experiencing. A smile played on her lips as she watched Imogen kneel on the cushion next to her, looking over the back of the couch at Elijah and the witch proceeded to flutter her eyelashes pleadingly as she jutted out her lower lip in a pout in an adorable manner. Elijah's eyes softened at the sight, the furrowed line between his eyebrows disappearing as he slouched back in seat with a sigh of defeat escaping him. Imogen grinned brightly in response, knowing that she had won the silent battle between them and she clapped her hands together happily as she spun back around to sit down on the couch cushion with a smile.

"Anyway...I was a little drunk when I slept with Klaus. Not exactly the conception story a child wants to hear, so I think I'll edit it a little when the time comes." Hayley told the other girl in a sardonic tone of voice as she leaned her shoulder against the back of the couch and Imogen nodded in agreement as she grimaced at the thought of having to tell your child they were a product of a one night stand fuelled by alcohol. "Yeah, exactly. I think I'll just tell her the stork brought her to us late one night."

"You could always tell her she was a doll that came to life." Imogen said jokingly with a smirk on her lips as she raised an eyebrow suggestively and the werewolf laughed out loud in amusement as she shook her head in dismissal of the idea.

"Oh! That reminds me," the pregnant woman exclaimed abruptly as she leaned over to grab the book of baby names from the coffee table where she had thrown it haphazardly when she sat down and then flipped to the page that she marked as she explained, "I wanted your opinion on some more baby names. Nothing sounds right."

"Sure. Well, is there anything in particular you don't want?"

"I don't want it to be completely out there, like those stupid celebrity baby names. It just seems like a form of child abuse to stick a kid with a name like 'Doorknob' or something. But I don't want it to be completely boring and mundane either, you know? This baby is unique and special, but comes from seriously old lineage and I think that should be respected. Maybe something Viking. Elijah, your family were Vikings, right?"

Eavesdropping may have been frowned upon morally but Elijah found nothing wrong in listen to the girls conversation when they were making no effort to hide it from him and had made themselves at home in his office knowing that he had no intention of leaving. He was glad that Hayley felt comfortable enough with Imogen to seek out her companionship and advice when it came to her pregnancy and childrearing because while he had many talents and expertise, he hadn't had any reason to interact with infants since Henrik was a child back when they were human.

Back in 1820, when Marcel was just a boy, he spent much of his time teaching him how to read and write, how to play the piano and various other subjects. A close bond was formed between the two of them and Elijah worried that his relationship with Marcel had begun to have a negative effect on Klaus, the jealousy and bitterness causing him to lash out in increasingly violent ways. Afraid of the consequences of Klaus' jealousy and subsequent extreme behaviour as a result of his relationship with Marcel, Elijah decided to purposely treat Marcel cruelly and sacrifice the bond he had with the young boy in favour of the possibility of Klaus' redemption through caring for Marcel.

The Original sighed heavily with a theatrical roll of his oak brown eyes as he closed his book, making a production of his mock annoyance purely for the entertainment of the girls and the sound of their muffled laughter was worth the effort as he stood up from behind his desk while fixing his sleeve of his suit jacket. "That's correct. My family originally descended from Norway in the late 10th century."

"So, maybe something with Norse origins." Imogen agreed with a nod as she watched Elijah wander towards the couch where they were sitting from the corner of her eye and smiled slightly when he sat down behind her since she was sitting sideways facing Hayley with her legs crossed underneath her body. One of his arms stretched out over the back of the couch, causing her to shiver as the warmth from his body could be felt on her bare skin. She leaned back against him tentatively, not sure how he felt about public displays of affection but when he simply shifted to better accommodate the new position, she relaxed against his chest as she brought her crossed legs up to her chest. "Astrid?"

"Hmm. I don't know." Hayley groaned with a slight grimace of distaste on her lips, trying to picture calling out to her daughter by the name or introducing her to someone but it just didn't sound right in her mind.

"Erica? Freya?" the witch listed in a hopeful tone as she watched the expressions fly across her friends features but was distracted when Elijah suddenly stiffen against her back and she frowned in confusion as she twisted around to look at him in concern. "'Lijah? Everything okay?"

Elijah blinked back to attention as he looked down at the witch leaning against his side, frowning when he noticed the worry in her blue eyes and he lifted his head to see the same concern gracing Hayley's features. It took him a moment to realise that one of them must have asked a question, inquiring as to why he had suddenly looked as though he had seen a ghost and he exhaled shakily as he used his hand to slowly graze the backs of his fingers along Imogen's arm soothingly. "I apologise. You're both aware that two of my siblings perished before we were turned into vampires. The oldest of which was the twin sister to my brother Finn, and was lost to the plague while our family still lived in Norway. Her name was Freya."

"Oh." Hayley murmured solemnly as she rested a loving hand on her swollen stomach, unable to comprehend losing her child even though she had yet to meet her in the flesh. Imogen frowned compassionately as she reached up to link her fingers through his where it rested on the back of the couch, squeezing gently to silently let him know she was there for him if he wanted her to be. He turned his head slightly to press a lingering kiss to the side her head in gratitude and she felt a small smile pulling at the corner of her lips despite the sombre atmosphere of the room.

Elijah allowed himself a moment of quiet contemplation, trying not to dwell on the fact that he hadn't gotten to know the older sister he lost before his birth. He concentrated on the feeling of Imogen fingers absently playing with his own, focusing on the warmth that her touch inspired and the rhythmic 'thump, thump, thump' of her heartbeat currently aligned in perfect synchronising with Hayley's and her child's.

"Not to bring down the mood even further, but isn't Jackson meant to be back by now?" Imogen asked cautiously as her eyebrows furrowed in worry for the man she had only met once but she knew that Hayley cared about the werewolf and that was enough to warrant her concern. The witch immediately regretted her question when she noticed the way Hayley's expression dropped at the reminder of their lack of presence and she immediately detangled her fingers from Elijah's so she could grasp her friends hand supportively.

Elijah frowned slightly at the concern written across the werewolf's features as he stood up from the couch and he dropped a kiss to Imogen's forehead as he reached into his suit jacket pocket for his cell phone. The girls watched him with rapt attention as he dialled his brother's number from memory and held the phone up to his ear as he awaited an answer, offering the girls a reassuring smile in an effort to ease their nerves.

"Yes, brother, what is it?" Klaus asked in an exasperated tone of voice when he answered the phone call without a proper greeting and Elijah suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at his brother characteristic lack of manners.

"It appears our wolves have gone astray, brother." he informed the hybrid bluntly, getting to the crux of the matter because he knew that his brother only had patience when it suited him and was the very definition of impatient in any other situation that didn't benefit him.

"They should have been back hours ago." Hayley interjected loudly from her position on the couch, obviously overhearing the conversation with her enhanced hearing and Imogen pouted slightly in annoyance but didn't outright complain as she continued to rub soothing circles on her friends hand in an effort to keep her calm.

Elijah offered the werewolf a pointed look as he held up a finger to silence anymore interruptions and she rolled her eyes at him in irritation as he took over the conversation with his brother. "We need to find them."

"Well, that might be a bit tricky. You see, we've located their car on a back road in the middle of nowhere. I suspect they've been shanghai'd."

"And you didn't feel the need to share this information?"

"It was my intention to present you with a problem only after I had found an appropriate solution."

"Do enlighten us."

"I'm closing in on it as we speak. The only person who would be bold enough to snatch my wolf allies is the one who has the most to lose."

"Marcel." Elijah concluded with a sigh, covering his eyes with his hand as he closed them momentarily and he felt the heated gaze of both women snap towards him as soon as the name left his mouth.

"No, he'll kill them!" Hayley exclaimed in a terrified tone as she stood up from the couch with a scared expression, the pallor of her skin paling at the prospect of something happening to the werewolves she considered friends.

"Genevieve assures me that Marcel has procured a cloaking spell. The only witch who will aid Marcel is Davina. I just need to get one last bit of leverage before I pay her a visit." Klaus informed his brother from the other end of the phone line, an arrogant tone in his voice that made it clear that he was about to do something others wouldn't agree with.

"You may wish to rethink your strategy, brother." Elijah told him in a firm tone as he opened his eyes, his gaze immediately finding the brunette witch sitting on the couch with a confused frown on her lips because she could only hear on half of the conversation taking place.

"Why would I do that?" Klaus asked in amusement as the older Mikaelson rolled his eyes at his brother's juvenile behaviour and inability to think about the consequences of his actions, of how they would affect those around him.

Imogen quirked an eyebrow inquisitively when Elijah strolled over to where she was sitting with the cell phone extended out towards her and she silently accepted it as she held it up to her ear before greeting the hybrid on the other side, "Hello, Klaus. I'm not sure what insane plot you've conjured up in that devious mind of yours, but why do Hayley and Elijah both look like you suggested slaughtering a bunch of puppies in front of an orphanage?"

"...Hello, Imogen. I have no clue why they would think I would do such a thing. It doesn't sound like me at all!" he said cheerfully after a moment's hesitation, a slightly sardonic tone in his voice and she snorted in amusement at the blatant lie as she leaned back against the couch with a smirk even though he couldn't see her through the phone line. "While I have you on the line, you wouldn't happen to know anything about Marcel acquiring a cloaking spell from Davina?"

"Yeah, she mentioned it earlier. And I am pissed that he dragged her into this. I told implicitly that I didn't want her involved in any of this more than she had to be."

"Does that mean you're willing to give us Marcel's current location?"

Imogen frowned thoughtfully as she contemplated her options for a moment; she had already declared which side of the war she was willing to fight for, and Marcel had betrayed her trust by involving Davina when they had agreed to leave her out of the politics and bloodshed. She truly believed that the wolves deserved those moonlight rings and the only way to make them was to find the gemstones, not to mention that Jackson and whoever was with him were a part of Hayley's pack. Marcel might have been family but she had made her opinions on the matter of the war crystal clear to anyone that would listen and she was willing to alienate him if it meant standing up for what she believed in; if he didn't respect her desire to do so than he wasn't someone she wanted to associate with anyway.

"I don't know where he is, but I know that Thierry had a warehouse out by the docks." Imogen informed the hybrid as she swallowed past the lump in her throat that warned her against betraying her friend.

"Thank you, love." he said sincerely, knowing how hard it must have been for her to reveal information that could be used against a man she considered family and she hummed in acknowledgement before hanging up without another word as the guilt started to settle into her system. She covered her face with her hands as she groaned out loud, frustrated with herself for not focusing on what she needed to in that moment. There would be time to defend her actions later, she could explain to Marcel why she told Klaus where he was when she saw him next so there was no use worrying over something that she had no control over.

Imogen inhaled slowly to calm her frayed nerves as she opened her eyes and plastered a fake smile on her lips as she straightened her shoulders. She could feel multiple pairs of eyes trained on her form but she ignored them as she stood up from the couch, not willing to let them see how hard she was taking the small act of betrayal.

Weakness had been something to avoid in the Claire household while she was growing up so she had been conditioned to hide any vulnerability from prying eyes. Unfortunately, it was one of the traits that Davina had picked up from her over the years but Imogen had actively encouraged her to allow her emotions and feelings to flourish because they were what inspired her artwork, and insured that she was able to connect with people on a deeper way, in a way that Imogen had trouble with.

The witch cleared her throat gingerly as she turned towards the Original, her smile softening at the concern she found in his eyes and she stepped forward with his phone in hand as she held it out towards him. She shifted uncomfortably as his oak brown eyes scrutinised every inch of her face, searching for something and leaving her feeling uniquely exposed as he stepped into her personal space. Her body seemed to relax in his presence as his warmth caused her to shiver pleasantly in anticipation and he curled his fingers around her hand, holding it for a moment before slipping his phone from her grasp. He discreetly slipped his phone into his jacket pocket whilst maintaining eye contact with her and then reached up to cup her face between his hands, gently grazing his thumbs over her cheeks.

"I'm okay." she assured him in a whisper with a genuine smile as she circled her fingers around his wrists, nodding slightly to emphasise her words but they did nothing to dispel the concern that marred his features. "I am okay, Elijah."

The Original hesitated for a moment as he studied her eyes for any sign that she was merely placating him but could only see warm affection and unparalleled strength that he so often associated with the woman standing in front of him. The indecision that went across her features when she had spoken on the phone to his brother, the fleeting look of guilt that had spread across her face before she could erect the mask she wore out in public, had caused a heavy pit of despair to form in his stomach. He was aware of what Marcel meant to her, had a basic idea of the depth of her affection for the vampire and he knew how difficult it must have been for her to side against him.

"Stay inside with Hayley while Niklaus and I rescue the damsels in distress?" he suggested in a light-hearted tone of voice, hoping to ease the remaining tension that lingering in her stance and he grinned in satisfaction as she chuckled in amusement with a bright grin on her lips. She nodded in agreement as she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his lips down to meet hers in a loving kiss; it wasn't full of passion or lust, it didn't make her heart race with adrenaline. But it was emotional, it was like speaking without saying any words; it was a 'thank you', it was an 'I can't imagine my life without you', it was a 'you make me happy', it was everything.

Imogen smiled serenely as she pulled back from the embrace, feeling happy but dazed by the intoxicating taste of him and more content than ever in her decision to stand by the Mikaelson's. She sighed happily as she tilted her head to the side and placed her hands flat on his chest with a quirked eyebrow as she ordered him in mock-sternness, "Go. Come back in one piece."

"So demanding." he murmured teasingly with a faint smile on his lips as he rubbed the pad of his thumbs over her cheeks and she shrugged one shoulders, unabashed as she took a step backwards out of his reach. His hands dropped from her face as she leaned back against the arm of the couch with a small smile, feeling better as she watched him leave the office and he glanced at his shoulder at her in concern before disappearing out the doorway.

An uncontainable giddy laugh escaped her as she attempted to suppress the wide grin that broke out across her lips and she couldn't believe that this was her life now; it seemed surreal that a year ago she didn't even know any of the Mikaelson's. Her life was so wrapped in them and what they were doing, that it felt like she had known them her entire life.

It was difficult to remember a time where Elijah wasn't one of most important people in her life.

Imogen had been content with the way she lived her life before; she had people whom she loved and whom loved her back, she had her magic to give her strength when she felt like she had none to spare and a purpose that gave her a reason to live. But Elijah made her think about things, made her question herself and her beliefs, made her care about more than her immediate surroundings; and without even trying, he had shifted the focus of her reality into something more substantial than what it was. The Original had revolutionised her world in a second, with only a few well-placed persuasive words and an exterior that exuded charm. It had become apparent recently that his appearance in her life had marked the ending of one chapter of her life and had instigated the beginning of another.

The sound of someone clearing their throat pointedly jerked her out of her thoughts and she snapped her head around to look at Hayley apologetically because she had forgotten that the werewolf was still in the room. The smug smirk that was imprinted on Hayley's lips and the knowing glint in her hazel eyes was nothing to make Imogen scoffed out a chuckle with a roll of her eyes as she stood up from the arm of the couch. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything." she protested with a false innocence as she held up her hands in surrender and the witch hummed sarcastically as she walked around to sit down on the couch. Hayley grinned widely as she watched the blush that had crept along her friends cheeks fade and she couldn't hold back a chuckle as she lovingly rubbed her stomach, thinking how lucky her daughter was to be surrounded by such amazing people. Maybe it was okay that she wasn't touchy-feely or girly, because she had Elijah and Imogen to help her engage on an emotional level since they both seemed able to handle it better than she did.

Imogen ran a hand through her hair as she huffed out a breath and kicked her feet up onto the coffee table despite knowing that Elijah would scold her relentlessly for the action. The first time that she had in his presence, she was rewarded with a twenty minute lecture on the importance of maintaining the validity of antique furniture. She clasped her hands on top of her stomach as she watched Hayley pace the length of the room in front of her and she worried her lower lip in between her teeth, not sure what she could say to ease her friends concern.

"Do you think they're okay?" the werewolf asked anxiously as she wrung her hands in front of her nervously and Imogen attempted a reassuring smile as she opened her mouth to respond but Hayley continued her frantic rambling before she could. "Because I really need them to be okay. I spent so much time out in the bayou, getting to know them. They're my friends, you know? I brought them into this mess. It's my responsibility."

"Sweetie, Elijah knows how important the wolves are to you, so he'll make sure they're safe."

"Elijah should have called by now."

"Worrying isn't going to help." A familiar voice stated from the doorway to the office, causing Imogen to immediately drop her feet back onto the ground as she straightened defensively and Genevieve glanced at her as she offered a nod in greeting but directed her comment towards the pregnant werewolf in a gentle voice, "You should sit down, try to keep calm."

"What are you, now, magician slash Zen-life-coach?" Hayley asked sarcastically as she crossed her arms defensively over her chest, shifting her weight uncomfortably in the presence of someone she didn't trust. It didn't matter that Genevieve might have saved her life the day before, there was something about the witch that rubbed her the wrong way and caused a feeling of dread in her stomach. There was just something distrustful about the redhead and it didn't help that Imogen had a burning hatred for the woman that was practically holding her sister captive within the coven.

"The treatment of pregnant women has advanced remarkably since I was a nurse, but even I know high blood pressure is bad for you, and your baby." Genevieve remarked with a sigh of defeat, her voice tinged with exhaustion as she gestured towards the couch and the werewolf eyed her suspiciously for a moment before sitting down next to Imogen with a disgruntled huff escaping her lips. "Especially now, since you're so close to term."

"I hate this. I feel completely useless." Hayley grumbled quietly as she shook her head slightly with a scowl on her lips and she stared blank out of the window in front of her as she restlessly bounced her leg nervously.

"I know. I feel the same." Imogen agreed despondently as she slumped down lower on the couch with her arms crossed over her chest, feeling guilty for letting Elijah leave without offering to accompany him on the rescue mission. She didn't know what was waiting for them at the warehouse but she was positive that they would have been better off with a capable witch on their side and the only thing stopping her from leaving to help them was the fact that she didn't trust Genevieve alone with Hayley.

"Don't you get it? You're the point of all this. Klaus and Elijah running all over town? It's all for you. I'm a bit envious." Genevieve admitted with a sheepish chuckle as she tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear, a small smile on her lip as she ducked her head in embarrassment. Hayley glowered in annoyance as she lifted her head to glare at the witch, gritting her teeth in an effort to stop herself from snapping. Imogen placed a calming hand on the werewolf's arm, sharing a loaded look with her friend in an effort to keep her strangling the other witch. It wasn't what Genevieve had said, it was the fact that neither girl wanted to be on the receiving end of the redhead's jealousy or vindictive personality.

Genevieve sensed almost immediately that she had stepped on an unseen conversational landmine and clasped her hands in front of her as she cleared her throat before asking softly, "Is there anything I can get you?"

"How about a moonlight ring?" Hayley suggested tightly with a strained smile as she tilted her head to the side and the witch chuckled in amusement as she looked between the two women with a hint of a smile on her lips.

"The spell can't be performed until the full moon reaches its apex. And, of course, we need the stones, which will be here soon enough. Have a little faith!"

"My faith is shaken." Imogen countered pointedly as she stood up from the couch with an annoyed frown on her lips and she rifled through her purse, where she left it on the coffee table when she arrived. She felt both of the other women watching her back as she scrolled through her speed dial contacts until she arrived at Elijah's name and held the phone up to her ear as she turned back around to face the couch where Genevieve had tentatively taken a seat on the end opposite Hayley.

The brunette witch ignored the redhead, unsure why her presence was necessary but didn't want to do anything to alienate her because they needed her help spelling the moonlight rings, and focused her attention on the anxious werewolf as she offered her a reassuring smile. Hayley tried to return the sentiment but it fell the moment it touched her lips and she turned her head away so that Genevieve wouldn't be able to see the unshed tears that filled her eyes, a mixture of concern and anger and frustration and damn pregnancy hormones causing her to overreact.

"Darling?" a melodic voice greeted her from the other side of the phone line and she snapped back to attention as she pursed her lips slightly in frustration at not knowing what exactly was happening.

"What's going on? Hayley, Genevieve and I are sitting here, completely in the dark. Is Jackson okay? Did you find the gemstones?"

"Jackson is fine. He's...a little tied up right now. Can we call you back?"

The jovial tone of his voice caused her to scoff in disbelief, not finding his usual dry humour as amusing as she normally did and her lips twisted into a scowl as she turned away from the couch so that the others couldn't see her disgruntled expression. It wasn't often that she felt frustrated with Elijah; they had only experienced one fight in the time that they had spent together and it was resolved rather quickly after one short argument about invading her privacy and not having her apartment renovated without her consent. Which really should have been common courtesy but apparently, the Originals didn't believe in common courtesy, or tact, or privacy, for that matter.

A loud crash sounded faintly through the phone and Imogen felt her eyes widen in concern as she instinctively reached up to touch her fingertips to her lips.

"Are you trying to kill us?" she heard Jackson shout angrily in the background and Hayley climbed to her feet with a horrified expression, obviously having heard the other side of the conversation with her enhanced hearing.

"Elijah, tell me what's going on, now!" Imogen demanded in an authoritative tone of voice as the werewolf next to her gripped her arm tightly, her nails subconsciously digging into her skin but she ignored the pain because it was a reminder that she needed to be strong for Hayley. There was always going to be a part of her that was a caretaker; it was the role that had been thrust upon her at six years old and it was something that gave her purpose, something that made her feel stronger than she felt.

A massive explosion sounded through the phone line causing Imogen to gasp out loud in shock as she stumbled back a step before steadying herself and she clutched her cell phone tighter in her hand as she spoke urgently, "Elijah?! Elijah, answer me!"

Panic flooded through her veins when there was no response from the other side of the line and she bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted the familiar metallic taste of blood. Her breaths were coming out shallow as her eyes stung with unshed tears but the sharp pain of Hayley's nails digging into her arm kept her from completely breaking down in horror over what she just heard. She closed her eyes for a moment as she took a few deep breaths to calm down her racing heartbeat and reminded herself that Elijah was an Original vampire, telling herself that a mere explosion couldn't defeat someone who had survived a thousand years.

"What happened? Is everything okay?" Genevieve asked in concern as she stood up from the couch when she noticed that both of the girls had paled immensely, but then she had heard Imogen's empathetic plea and she knew without a doubt that something horrible had happened.

"No, no, no, no, this cannot be happening." Hayley murmured in a heartbroken whisper as she clung to her friends arm and something in her tone snapped Imogen out of her almost comatose state as she blinked back to reality.

Imogen dropped her phone onto the coffee table as she turned to face the werewolf with a small smile on her lips, feeling slightly better now that she had something else to focus on. Taking care of someone had always steadied her in the past, given her a purpose or something else to focus on instead of dwelling on something that she couldn't control.

"Hey, hey, hey, I'm sure everything is perfectly fine. Klaus and Elijah are Originals, super speed, and Elijah wouldn't let Jackson die on his watch, okay? He knows what he means to you." she assured the panicking werewolf in a gentle voice as she placed her hands on the other girls upper arms and Hayley nodded shakily as she inhaled slowly, maintaining eye contact with the witch as she tried to regain her composure. Imogen smiled softly with a hint of pride in her blue eyes and she carefully maneuvered the pregnant werewolf back towards the couch, guiding her down onto the cushion. A relieved sigh escaped her when she realised that Hayley's hands had stopped shaking with the excess adrenaline but as much as she didn't want to agree with Genevieve, stress was not good for her blood pressure, which in return was not good for the baby. She turned her attention to the redhead, blinking in surprise when she saw the genuine concern etched on her face as she gazed down at the werewolf, but she shook it off as she focused on what was important and she asked her politely, "Can you make Hayley something to calm her nerves?"

"Of course. I'll be right back." Genevieve said pleasantly with a reassuring smile as she went to place a hand on the brunette's shoulder but pulled back at the last minute, rethinking whether or not the gesture would be appreciated. She cradled her hand to her chest as though it had been dipped in scolding hot water and Imogen felt a pang of sympathy for the other witch, watching her retreating back as she left the office in search of the kitchen.

Maybe she hadn't wanted to consider it, the fact that Genevieve might have been...lonely. It was so easy to forget that Genevieve had been resurrected into a time and place that was completely foreign to her. When she had been killed it was 1919, a far cry from the hedonistic lifestyle of the twenty first century she had awoke up in. It must have been disorientating to suddenly be alive in a world with ambiguous moralities and a completely different view of nearly every decisive issue plaguing society, especially when she was used to the stiff conditions of the near twenties. Everyone that she had known in her life was suddenly gone, all of her family and friends; and then suddenly, she was alone and it must have been heartbreaking.

Imogen sat down next to Hayley on the couch, grasping the werewolf's hand gently in her own when the relentless tapping of her fingers on her thigh began to irritate her and Hayley snapped her head up as she blinked profusely as though she had been abruptly awoken from a deep slumber. She rubbed her thumb over her friend's knuckles soothingly like she used to when Davina woke up after a particularly bad nightmare; it always worked to make her feel safe, to relax her enough to fall back to sleep.

"In touch with the ground; I'm on the hunt I'm after you; Smell like I sound, I'm lost in a crowd; And I'm hungry like the wolf; Straddle the line in discord and rhyme; I'm on the hunt I'm after you; Mouth is alive with juices like wine; And I'm hungry like the wolf – "Imogen instantly lurched forward to grab her ringing cell phone, grimacing in embarrassment over her personalised ringtone for Klaus and she pointedly ignored Hayley's incredulous gaze as she answered the call before holding the phone up to her ear.

"Klaus?!" she asked in a rushed tone, desperate for an update on the situation and Hayley leaned into her side as she listened in on the conversation with a concerned frown on her lips.

"Everyone's fine, love. All in one piece, with only a few scrapes and bruises." Klaus assured her through the phone in a placating tone with only a touch of mocking, his accented voice soothing her more than she thought possible. Relief caused her head to fall forward, the weight of her worry lifted from her shoulders as her eyes fluttered closed and she felt more than saw Hayley slump against her in relief that everyone was safe. "We'll be back at the compound soon."

"Okay. Thank you for calling. I – I, uh, really appreciate it. We were kind of freaking out." she admitted sheepishly with a broken chuckle at the end of her confession, rubbing her temple with the hand that wasn't holding the phone. It was out of character for him to think of something as frivolous as letting someone know that he was alive; he wasn't used to someone waiting around to hear from him, he wasn't used to someone caring.

It was obvious to anyone that the Mikaelson siblings cared about each other in their own messed up way, but over the course of a millennia, Klaus had forgotten to appreciate the fact that his siblings had been there through everything. He had overlooked the love they had given him, and taken advantage of their vow to one another, but it was different having someone outside of the family worry about him so genuinely. Imogen had spent enough time with the hybrid, had used her psychology to offer him an amateur diagnosis and she knew that he wasn't someone who went out of his way to comfort others so it surprised her that he even thought about contacting them.

"Yes, well...We'll see you soon." he replied uncomfortably before abruptly hanging up the phone, causing her to chuckle drily in amusement and she pondered the implications of him having a daughter when he was so uncomfortable dealing with emotions of any kind.

Imogen shook her head in fond exasperation as she placed her phone down on the coffee table and she sat down on the couch as a wave of exhaustion suddenly crashed over her, a reminder that she didn't get the appropriate hours of sleep the night before. She breathed out as she leaned her head back against the couch with her eyes closed and she mentally counted to ten with each deep breath, a technique that she had learnt early on could help steady her mind when her thoughts became too chaotic. It wasn't easy basically raising her younger sister; there were just so many things she needed to remember to do, too many things that needed her attention and she needed to find a method of relaxing mind enough so that she was able to function without abandoning all of the people that depended on her to get everything done.

The witch blinked her eyes a few times before focusing on the werewolf pacing the length of the office, one hand resting on her protruding stomach and the other idly fiddling with her lower lip. There wasn't any more that she could do to comfort Hayley because now that Klaus had called to confirm their ongoing survival, it was nothing more than a waiting game.

Imogen bit down her lower lip in contemplation, wondering whether it would be beneficial to interrupt the inner monologue that was so obviously plaguing the werewolf or if it was better for her to work through it in her mind and she could brooch the subject if she wanted to talk. After a moment of deep though, she decided against starting up a conversation and picked up the well-loved book of poetry that someone had left on the coffee table. She curled her legs underneath herself as she shifted to get comfortable on the couch cushions and flipped to a random page of the book as she silently decompressed from the traumatically stressful day she hadn't planned to have.

Hayley sighed loudly as she bit the inside of her cheek, hating the fact that she was virtually useless at the moment as she paced in front of the antique desk. Having been on her own since she was thirteen, she was more than used to doing what needed to be done in order to survive and she had always been more of a 'shoot first, ask questions later' kind of girl so waiting around was something that made her restless. She stole a glance over at the brunette witch sitting on the couch reading some book that she had found (it wasn't surprising, there were plenty littered around the office) and she thought that it was almost unfair how at ease Imogen seemed, sitting with her knees tucked underneath her and a small smile playing on her lips as though she was amused by whatever it was that she read.

The faint sound of multiple footsteps alerted her to the presence of people and she snapped her head around to the doorway as the scent of smoke hit her senses. She couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped her lips when she saw Jackson limp into the room, groaning in pain and his dishevelled clothes covered in ash, but alive. Her eyes stung with unshed tears as she hurried towards him as fast as she could with her weight uneven due to her pregnancy and as she got closer as she noticed the bruises scattered across his face. She carefully wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, ignoring the burning of her nostrils because of the smoke still lingering on his clothes and he embraced her back gingerly as she breathed softly, "Thank god you're alive!"

Imogen climbed to her feet as she tossed the book she was reading onto the couch without looking and hastily made her way over to where Elijah was lingering in the doorway so that the werewolf non-couple could have their reunion. His oak brown eyes lifted when he caught sight of her coming towards him in a rush and he only had a split second to prepare himself as she launched herself into his arms, his lightning fast reflexes stabilising them before they stumbled backwards from the sudden weight thrown at him. Her long legs wrapped around his waist as her lips pressed firmly against his own, each of her hands cradling his face and one of his arms wrapped around her waist for support while the other held onto the back of her thigh to stop them from overbalancing.

The moment their lips touched, the entire world outside of the two of them faded away and all that mattered was the feel of his hard body against her, the warmth that spread throughout her chest, and the pleasant tingle that erupt across her skin.

Elijah was momentarily surprised by the aggressive nature of the kiss; he could practically taste the desperation as she wrapped one arm around his neck and curled her fingers around his suit jackets lapel with such strength that her knuckles tried white under the strain. It did not take a genius to realise the emotional turmoil that she must have gone through, having heard the warehouse explode through their phone call. If what she need to feel better, to assure herself that he was in one piece, was to kiss him with such passion and...and feeling, well, it wasn't a hardship for him at all.

Imogen slowly loosened her grip on his jacket as she pulled back from the impromptu kiss with her eyes closed and she rested her forehead against his, their noses brushing as she tried to regulate her breathing. Her eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes and her breath caught in her throat when she saw the fierce storm of emotion burning in the depths of his oak brown eyes; it was memorising and humbling and electrifying and it seared into her flesh, leaving an imprint for the rest of eternity.

The realisation that they weren't alone crashed into her like a tonne of weights collapsing down on top of her and she cleared her throat delicately as she flushed in embarrassment, refusing to look at anyone else in the room. She carefully unwrapped her legs from his waist, allowing him to lower her to the ground and she tucked a strand of brunette hair behind her ear as she tried to look unaffected by what had taken place. She refused to cower in the face of the embarrassment, she had never once cared about causing a scene and it didn't appear that Elijah was bothered by her sudden display of affection.

"Well, thank you for coming back in one piece like I asked." she said with a forced casualty as she smoothed over his rumpled lapel, a faint smirk playing on her lips as she quirked an eyebrow at him. He chuckled lowly in amusement as his oak brown eyes twinkled knowingly and he placed a lingering kiss on her forehead, silently reaffirming the fact that he was aware of the traitorous thoughts that had led to the sudden kiss.

"I'm fine, too, thanks for asking." Niklaus announced drily in amusement as he strolled into the office with a smirk on his lips, his eyes lingering on the brunette witch a moment longer than the others as he headed towards the fully stocked bar to the side of the room.

Imogen rolled her eyes in amusement with a smirk on her lips as she cuddled into Elijah's side, resting her head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her waist and she looked over her shoulder at the hybrid as she replied in an equally dry tone, "Genevieve's in the kitchen, if you're that desperate for a hug."

The hybrid offered a theatrical grimace as he poured himself a glass of scotch but his blue eyes glittered with mirth, winking subtly at the witch and he couldn't control the upturn of his lips when he heard the melodious laughter that followed. There was most definitely something about Imogen that soothed the vicious animal inside of him, some indescribable calming affect that tamed the beast within. Even when he was human there had been an anger buried deep inside of him that he now knew was a side effect of his werewolf heritage, an aggressive streak that had been magnified when his mother turned them into vampires. Once he had experienced his first human kill and activated the dormant werewolf gene, that anger and aggression was amplified even more. When the bloodlust got so bad that his vision was tinged with red and he was on the verge of losing control, there had only been a handful of people over the centuries that could calm him down; Elijah and Rebekah had become experts over their long life together, Aurora de Martel and Lucian Castle both of whom he had met in Southern France in the 10th century, Stefan Salvatore when the two of them had been friends in the '20's, more currently Caroline Forbes had somehow managed to stay his hand when all he wanted to was lash out in violence. And now Imogen Claire could be added the list.

"What about the stones?" Hayley asked cautiously as she slowly led Jackson towards the couch so he could rest and he grimaced in pain as he held his injured arm close to his body while carefully sitting down.

"Scattered across the bed of the Mississippi, I'd imagine." Elijah said with a tired sigh before pressing a kiss to Imogen's temple as he released his hold on her waist and instead threaded their fingers together as he led her towards the couch. She smiled up at him as she released her hold on his hand while she sat down, crossing one leg over the other and he perched on the arm of the couch next to her with one hand placed on the back of her neck. Warmth radiated from his body, causing shivers to erupt over her bare skin and the feel of his thumb rhythmically grazing the nape of her neck made her acutely aware of his presence beside her.

"Marcel's not a fool. He knows an empowered werewolf army would mean the end of vampires in New Orleans. The explosion is his way of saying he means to prevent that. For all the good it'll do him." Klaus explained causally, as though everything was going exactly to his plan and Imogen didn't doubt the fact that that might have been the case; Klaus was a master of manipulating a situation and had countless contingency plans already in place for this exactly circumstance.

"Well, it did him pretty damn well, didn't it?" Hayley snapped impatiently as she glared at the hybrid for a moment before turned her head to look at Elijah with the same expression, silently demanding that one of them provide a viable answer.

"This is my fault. I'll find a way to fix it." Jackson swore as he went to stand up from the couch with a grimace, but Hayley immediately pushed him back down easily and her severe expression softened as she rubbed his shoulder affectionately.

"No, Jack, you're hurt. No one's blaming you."

"I'm blaming you! Those stones will be hard to replace." Klaus countered pointedly in an almost offended tone of voice as he lowered his glass and then his expression brightened as he turned his attention towards Imogen and his brother, a mischievous smirk on his lips as he informed them happily, "Fortunately, I always have a backup plan."

Imogen narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously as she leaned into Elijah's side subtly, keeping her eyes locked on the hybrid as she whispered sarcastically to the Original sitting next to her on the arm of the couch, "Why did a chill just go down my spine?"

Elijah chuckled lowly as he ducked his head in amusement, gently grazing the back of her neck with his skilled fingers and she leaned into his touch with a faint smile on her lips. It never ceased to amaze her to the affect he had on her body; one simple touch was addicting, making her crave more and greedily accepting whatever he deemed fit to offer her. She had always believed that she was responsible for her own happiness, and so she never relied on anyone for anything, but slowly and all at once, she was letting Elijah in and allowing him to contribute to her happiness, allowing herself to want him to make her happy.

"Come along." Klaus instructed causally in the same nonplus manner as he gestured towards the doorway with his head and then started strolling out of the room, taking his half empty glass with him. Imogen heaved a sigh as she accepted the hand that Elijah held out towards her and she smiled gratefully as he helped her stand up from the couch, threading their fingers together as though it was a magnetic response the moment their hands touched. Hayley stood up from the couch, awkwardly disturbing her weight thanks to her swollen stomach and silently protested with a pointedly raised eyebrow when Jackson attempted to get up in order to follow them.

The compound was relatively silent as the trio exited the office and began wandering towards the main staircase that led down to the first floor of the Abattoir. Imogen could feel the unease growing in her stomach; she despised not being in control, of not having any idea what was coming next but she knew that it was foolish to even attempt to out manipulate or intercede with whatever plans he was devising.

Klaus was waiting impatiently at the top of the staircase, leaning on the railing overlooking the balcony and he smirked in amusement at the myriad of anxious expressions that graced their faces. Elijah wore an expertly crafted mask of indifference plastered across his features and Hayley tried to appear unbothered by the little information he had provided but she didn't have the years of practice that came with the effortless change in demeanour. It was Imogen's open apprehension shown on her face that surprised him; it was obvious that she was nervous but he got the feeling that it wasn't from lack of information or distrust in his motives, but simply because she hated the lack of control it caused. It was a feeling that he was oh so familiar with, it was precisely why he had started painting at such a young age.

Imogen risked a glance over the railing at the lower level and instantly scowled when she caught sight of the brunette woman strutting into the compound with four men in expensive suits following after her like bodyguards. She scoffed incredulously as she came to a stop in the middle of the corridor, forcing Elijah to a stop beside her and she focused her attention on the smirking hybrid as she exclaimed in belief, "You can't seriously mean her! She's a gangster! I'm talking horses-head-in-the-bed, sleeping-with-the-fishes, cement-shoes, kind of gangster."

"I see her more as a means of procuring rare items at short notice." he replied cheerfully as his smirk widened at her obvious hatred for the other woman, marvelling at the way her blue eyes darkened with passion.

"Give me that. If I'm going to be forced to interact with her, I'm going to need it." she mumbled in annoyance as she took the half empty glass from his hand, ignoring the indignant noise he made in protest and swallowed the burning liquid in one mouthful as she cringed slightly at the aftertaste. Elijah smirked in amusement as he took the now empty glass from her hand before pressing a kiss to the side of her head and she pouted a little in displeasure at the turn of events as she leaned into him for a moment, taking refuge in his touch.

Klaus abruptly pushed himself off of the railing, his expression falling into an impassive mask as he started making his way down the main staircase and the other three hurried to catch up to his long strides. The sight of Francesca standing in the centre of the courtyard as though she belonged there sent anger flooding through Imogen's veins and she gritted her teeth to stop herself from protesting the arrangement.

It might have been in her own mind but she refused to be the one who blinked in the metaphoric battle of wills she had going with the human and so she plastered an almost bored expression on her features as she strolled towards the assembled group with her hand intertwined with Elijah's, a comforting and passive aggressive move because she remembered that Francesca had been flirting with him at the Faction party.

"Greetings, Ms. Correa! I see you've brought company." Klaus greeted the human enthusiastically with a grin as he held his arms out in welcome and Imogen shared a look with Hayley behind his back, both of them annoyed to be in Francesca's presence.

"These are my brothers. I always include them in delicate business matters." Francesca explained nonchalantly as she glanced over shoulder at the four dark haired men that had arrived with her and she maintained the faint smile on her lips as she politely introduced, "Fellas, meet Mr. Mikaelson."

"Please, call me Klaus. All my friends do."

"I don't know if I'd call us friends." she refuted firmly as she turned towards one of her brothers and Imogen noticed for the first time that he was holding a silver briefcase in his hands. Francesca reached over to unlock the latches before lifting the lid to the briefcase and pulled out a small black drawstring velvet bag as she explained in a casual tone of voice, "But, if you and Marcel are planning on having a little throwdown, I'd prefer my family to be on the same side as the inevitable victor."

"Then, you have what I asked for?" Klaus asked in a serious tone now that he knew that pleasantries were unnecessary and he clasped his hands behind his back as he raised one eyebrow inquisitively.

Francesca smiled slyly as she held up the black drawstring back in her hand, dangling it tauntingly from her fingers and she tossed them to the hybrid, who caught them instinctively, offering him a shrug while explaining, "Not enough for an army, at such short notice, but it's a start."

"Strange, I wasn't aware that she was familiar with our plan." Elijah interrupted the conversation in an unamused tone as he led Imogen towards the assembled group and continued to eye the human with distrust as she turned her attention towards him with the same bland smile in place.

"My price for doing business is full disclosure. Your brother complied."

"And what does the Human Faction stand to benefit from all of this?"

"I only want us to solidify our allegiance to the ruling class. It's good for business."

"If only everyone shared your capacity for reason." Klaus mused out loud as he examined the black kyanite stones inside the drawstring bag and then held the bag out towards Imogen with a raised eyebrow. She pursed her lips in aggravation as she accepted the bag from him and tipped it upside down, allowing a few of the small stones to fall onto her open palm.

"Sadly, they don't. Marcel is being especially vindictive. I'm worried he might come after me, or my family, just for meeting with you." Francesca said with a heavy sigh as though the thought was troubling to her but Imogen detected a hint of satisfaction in her tone and it wouldn't have surprised her if the human was pleased with the turn of events, like she found pleasure in the bloodshed. "It might be in our best interests if we combine our efforts."

"So be it! The more bodies we have to defend the compound, the better. Imogen, the stones?" Klaus asked expectantly as he gestured towards her and she glared at him for a moment as she rubbed her fingers over the smooth surface of the stones. A shiver ran down her spine when everyone simultaneously turned their attention towards her, the feeling of their gaze searing into her skin as she focused on the black stones in her hand.

Stones and minerals were often used by witches as a vessel that they could be imbued with magic, in conjunction with their already existing magical properties and could were an excellent means of binding a spell, or enchanting the stone to serve a specific purpose. Geology was one of the basic subjects of study that was taught to the younger witches in the French Quarter coven, learning which stones would work best with which spells. Imogen could understand why Esther had chosen kyanite when she first invented the spell all those years ago; kyanite was believed to transmit and amplify high-frequency energies, making it a great stone for attunements and meditation, and bringing a calming, tranquilizing energy to the body. The perfect choice for a spell meant to sedate the temperamental spiritual energy of a werewolf.

"These will work for the spell. The stones are small, so the amulets will have to be rings." Imogen assessed reluctantly as she placed the stones back into the drawstring pouch and she forced a smiled in the hybrid's direction, completely ignoring the smug grin that Francesca was wearing. The only reason that she was even entertaining the idea of getting involved in a deal that included someone she didn't trust was because she was aware of how important the moonlight amulets were and she knew that they were on a tight schedule. If the circumstances were different, she would have demanded that they find another supplier or refused to participate in the enchantment of the amulets but she didn't have the luxury of being discerning in the middle of a war.

"Excellent. Let's get started, shall we?" Klaus asked rhetorically with a delighted smile as he clapped his hands and then gestured dramatically in the direction of the main office on the lower level of the compound, the one that was used to entertain guests as opposed to the ones upstairs that had been claimed by individuals.

Elijah sighed heavily in exasperation as he watched his brother saunter out of the room with Francesca and her entourage following after him. Something about that family didn't sit well with him but he knew that attempting to talk his brother out of something once he had his mind set on something was next to impossible. Warmth encompassed his hand suddenly, causing him to look down only to see dainty fingers intertwined with his own and he admired the mauve nail polish as he idly ran his thumb over her knuckles. It was frightening to think that her mere presence was enough to stop his thoughts of fratricide and he turned his head to press a kiss to the side of her head, inhaling the comforting scent of her strawberry shampoo mixed with the scent unique to 'Imogen'.

"I'm going to go check on Jack." Hayley announced in a worried tone of voice as she gently touched Imogen's arm to gain her attention and the witch reluctantly pulled herself away from Elijah as she smiled in acknowledgement at the werewolf. She bit her lower lip as she watched the other girl head back upstairs and she couldn't help wondering what was going on with the two of them. Hayley had filled her in on the betrothal her parents had agreed to when she was an infant, had protested its relevance in today day and age as well as its archaic notion, but she knew that Hayley had been getting closer to Jackson since she had been living out in the bayou with the pack.

"Imogen!" she heard Klaus call in a raised voice from the communal office and Imogen buried her face in Elijah's upper arm as she held onto him tightly, stifling a groan of annoyance at being called upon like a dog. She felt his body vibrate with silent laughter as he placed a hand on the back of her head and she lifted her head with a pout on her lips as he gazed at her with oak brown eyes full of mirth. He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead as she leaned against him with a smile flitting across her lips, marvelling at the feeling of familiarity of the gesture and it was strange that the two of them felt so...so accustomed to each other after only one night together.

"You should prepare for the spell. I'll join you shortly." Elijah told her quietly as he leaned down to speak directly into her ear, smirking subtly as he felt a shiver run through her body at the close proximity.

Imogen felt herself flush with desire as the warmth of his breath brushed her ear and she bit down on her lower lip to stop from whimpering with need as she curled her hands into fists until her nails bit into her palms. His silent chuckle vibrated through her body and she knew without a doubt that he knew the effect he had on her, and he was enjoying teasing her, enjoying having the upper hand. A spark of annoyance shot through her as she gritted her teeth, not use to someone having so much control over her reactions and she spun around abruptly to face him with a sly smile on her lips. He raised his eyebrows in a mixture of surprise and question as she rested both of her hands on his chest and looked up at him seductively from under her eyelashes, causing him to swallow roughly as he tried to maintain control. She took a small step closer so that her body was brushing against his teasingly and he tensed almost imperceptibly as she ran the tip of her tongue along her upper lip enticingly.

Elijah cleared his throat roughly as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other while he tried to keep control of his body's response to her touch and her fingers idly played with the material of his tie as he asked her in a strained whisper, "What is it you think you're doing?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." she countered softly with a coy smirk on her lips as her hands drifted lower on his abdomen, causing his stomach muscles to tense and his blood flow to redirect from his brain. He could feel her breasts press against his chest, stealing his focus as he discreetly watched the rounded tops of her cleavage heave with every breath she took. All he wanted to do was bend down and press his mouth against her soft skin, the memory of her unique taste on the tip of his tongue but he knew that she was taunting him on purpose and he refused to let her win.

Determination hardened his heated gaze as he abruptly wrapped an arm around her waist before using his superior speed to zoom them over to the closest table and he felt a wave of satisfaction as she let out a startled exclamation when he set her down on top of the table. Her breath was coming out in breathless pants as she narrowed her eyes at him in irritation, clearing displeased that he was upping the ante of their little game of wills. One of his hands travelled down the length of her bare leg, sliding underneath the loose skirt of her dress and she subconsciously spread her legs further apart so that he had more room to stand in between her knees. His other hand gripped the back of her neck, tilting her head back to meet his eyes and the breath caught in her throat when she saw the heated glare that contrasted with the blank expression he wore. She had started the game feeling empowered, enjoying teasing him, pushing him closer and closer to the edge without ever going over, but now the tables had turned and he was the one leading the game.

"That wasn't very kind." he murmured quietly in a deadly whisper as he ducked his head to speak directly into her ear and she pressed her lips into a straight line to stop from whimpering when his hand travelled higher up to thigh slowly, tauntingly, teasingly. Her skin felt like it was too tight for her body as he trailed a series of barely there kisses down the length of her exposed neck, never quite touching her the way she so desperately wanted. She couldn't suppress the gasp that escaped her parted lips when his palm was suddenly pressed firmly against her core, the material of her panties starting to gain moisture without him having touched her. an annoyed whimper built in the back of her throat as he applied pressure to her core and she bit down on the inside of her cheek so that she didn't give away to her torment. Her breasts felt heavy with the need to be touched as she mentally congratulated herself on not putting on a bra with her dress that morning and she arched her back into him, hoping that the pressure of his chest against hers would relieve some of the tension.

"'Lijah..." she moaned pleadingly under her breath as she gripped his shoulders tightly in order to stay upright and he responded to her plea by biting down on the side of her neck without breaking the skin. Another soft whimper escaped her lips as she attempted to move her hips forward, trying to cause some friction where she needed to most, but he used his other hand to stop her movements before she could execute the move. He lifted his head from her throat with a lascivious spreading across his lips as he slowly, excruciatingly, slipped a finger underneath the drenched material of her panties.

Imogen's forehead fell forward onto his shoulder as she bit down on her lower lip to stop from moaning out loud and she squeezed her eyes closed as one of his fingers slipped inside of her, skilfully finding the exactly spot that made her stomach tighten with lust. It was almost embarrassing how worked up he could get her with so little attention, but she could feel the orgasm building inside of her like a volcano getting ready to erupt.

Elijah tightened his grip on her brunette hair, causing her to gasp in a mixture of pleasure and pain as he suppressed the growl that was building in the back of his throat. The sounds of passion she made were intoxicating in their own right but with the sight of her half lidded blue eyes darkened with lust and her usually alabaster skin flushed with need it was almost enough for him to lose control. He felt himself hardening in arousal but he ignored everything except for the woman currently coming apart in his arms.

In the past he hadn't been one to engage in sexual acts in public, always scolding his brothers for their lack of propriety when they'd been caught in a compromising situation with a woman, but when Imogen teased him, he felt the inexplicable need to beat her at her own game. There was something about the witch that brought out a different side of him, the fun and adventurous aspect that he thought had died a long time ago. It was a part of himself that he had suppressed out of necessity, but Imogen had brought a sledgehammer down on the layers of concrete that he had built up to surround his true nature. It was only recently that he started to allow himself to have fun in a relationship, to experience things he had forgotten even existed and it all came down to one mortal woman who showed him how to feel alive again.

Elijah had every intention of showing Imogen the true meaning of the word 'tease' but once he heard the soft whimpers that escaped her tempting mouth, he knew that it was a wasted effort on his part. He wanted to prolong her agony, to make her beg him to end her torment but she was inadvertently torturing him without even trying and he knew without a doubt in his mind that he would give her anything her heart desired in that moment if only she kept looking at him with such yearning and desire.

Imogen's hands tightened around the material of his suit jacket until her knuckles turned white under the strain and she gasped in pleasant shock as he suddenly slid two more fingers inside of her, stretching her pleasurably as she rolled her hips to meet him with every thrust.

"Look at me." he commanded in a firm whisper as he tugged her hair in a mixture of pleasure and pain, causing her to hiss in a mixture of pleasure and pain but she instantly snapped her heated gaze up to meet his eyes, eliciting a stifled moan when she saw that his normally oak brown eyes were darkened so they were almost black with desire. The familiar pressure was building in her core, heating her from the inside out and she had the fleeting thought that she actually complied with his order without thinking. If she were in her right mind and not delirious with endorphins, she might have been horrified by her lack of control but the spark of arousal that shot through her erased any self-loathing thoughts out of her head.

She could practically taste the satisfaction on her tongue as he brought her closer and closer to the edge, and she wanted to squeeze her eyes shut with the strength of her orgasm but she couldn't bring herself to look away from his rapt expression. She bit down on her lower lip to stop herself from screaming, conscious of the fact that there were other people in the compound, and the familiar metallic taste of blood told her that she had broken the skin as she rode out the orgasm.

Elijah slowed the movement of his fingers as she started to come down from the endorphin high and he couldn't help staring at her gratified expression with complete enthrallment; her mused brunette hair hanging loose around her shoulder, smouldering blue eyes darkened with lust, a content quirk of her blood stained lips. She hummed in satisfaction as he removed his fingers from in between her thighs, maintaining eye contact with a blank expression as he straightened her soaking wet panties. He was wary of the mischievous glint in her eyes and the wicked curve of her lips as she reached for his hand with both of her hands and he narrowed his eyes at her as she brought his previously occupied hand up to her mouth. She parted her ruby lips as she inserted two of his fingers, not bothered by the remnants of her arousal and her tongue swirled around her digits as she savoured the sweet taste of herself on his fingers.

If it were possible his eyes darkened even more at the sight and he hastily removed his fingers before slamming his mouth down upon hers with renewed fervour. She whimpered in the back of her throat as she reached up to wrap her arms around his shoulders, hooking her legs around his waist in an effort to get him even closer. His tongue slid ago the seam of her lips, sampling the mixed taste of her addictive blood and the equally tempting taste of 'her'.

Imogen felt her lungs burning with the need for oxygen as she pulled back from the kiss with a smile on her lips and he used his thumb to wipe the remaining blood from her lower lip slowly, teasingly. Her body was tingly from the after effects of her orgasm and she shivered in delight at the heated glint of arousal in his oak brown eyes, shifted her weight uneasily as she held onto his shoulders to keep upright.

"We should probably join the others." he whispered reluctantly as he brushed a strand of sweat soaked hair from her forehead and she groaned in disappointment but nodded in agreement as she offered him a sated smile.

"Hang on a second." she murmured absently as she leaned away from him and he frowned in confusion as she bent forward, her hand disappearing underneath the skirt of her dress. She bit her lower lip as her eyebrows furrowed with a look of concentration on her face and then she suddenly grinned brightly as she straightened up, holding up her hand to display a pair of damp red lace panties. He raised his eyebrows in surprise as she jumped down from the table and she tilted her head to the side with a pout on her lips as she explained coyly, "They were uncomfortable."

"Well, your comfort is one of my main priorities." he remarked teasingly as she hummed in acknowledgement and she quirked an eyebrow at him with a smirk on her lips as she tucked her panties into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. He glanced down in surprise as she patted his chest, letting her hand linger on what she knew from experience was a deceptively well-muscled chest and then stood up on her toes to press a chaste kiss to the corner of his lips.

Imogen sent him a bright smile as she grabbed his hand in her own and began leading him towards the communal office that they were using to cast the moonlight spell on the gemstones. She could feel Elijah's gaze on the back of her neck as she led him forward, his heavy presence was one not to be ignored. His fingers threaded through hers almost experimentally, like he wasn't sure how to go about doing something as simple as holding her hand and it occurred to her that even though he was over a thousand years old, he might be that experienced in 'relationships'. It was exhilarating to think that she was literally the exception to the rule.

The familiar scent of burning sage wafted from the office as she pushed the half closed door open the rest of the way and she saw that Francesca and her brothers had disappeared but Klaus had been joined by Hayley and Genevieve. The redhead was studying the ancient grimoire at the table, carefully rereading each handwritten word as she regarded it was reverence and Imogen could feel the magical residue emanating from the parchment. Klaus stood at the head of the table, suspiciously watching the witch's every movement in case she made an untoward move and Hayley had her hip leaning against the edge of the table with arms crossed over her chest as she watched the witch but she looked up with smug smirk on her lips when the couple strolled into the room together.

Imogen sent her a pointed look as she let go of Elijah's hand and moved to stand on the opposite side of the table from Genevieve. Hayley chuckled in amusement as she shook her head at her friend, arching an eyebrow as though to silent say she wasn't going to let the subject drop once they got a moment alone. The brunette witch rolled her eyes in response as a smirk played on her own lips but she was quite pleased that she actually had someone to discuss boys with, someone who knew both her and Elijah. She knew that she could talk to Cami but she wouldn't fully understand the connection between Imogen and the Mikaelson family because she was only visiting the supernatural community, she wasn't a part of it.

She glanced over at the hybrid, flashing a small smile when she caught him looking in her direction but he immediately turned away with a blank expression as he informed her in an emotionless tone, "You have a handprint on your thigh."

Imogen snapped her head down with a befuddled frown as she brushed aside the skirt of her dress so she had a better view of the slight discolouration that marred her upper thigh in the shape of fingerprints. Her lips twisted into a scowl as her eyebrows drew together in irritation and she lifted her head to glare accusingly at the smug looking Original standing across the room with his hands in his pants pockets. She could vaguely recall Elijah tightly gripping her leg when she wrapped them around his waist but she hadn't even thought about the repercussions of spontaneous escapades. She shot him a disapproving look but he merely shrugged his shoulders unapologetically and she rolled her eyes with a small smile playing on the corner of her lips. The feminist lurking inside of her was upset that a small part of her actually liked that he had marked her, that he wanted to leave an imprint of their time together on her skin for everyone to see.

"Have you studied the spell?" Klaus asked briskly without taking his eyes away from the redheaded witch who was still meticulously examining the grimoire in front of her and it took Imogen a moment to realise the question was directed at her as she blinked in surprise before answering excitedly.

"Oh! Me. Yes, I have. Your mother's spell is as complicated as it is elegant. She was clearly a very gifted witch. She bound protection magic to black kyanite stones. A werewolf with the stones is free from turning on a full moon."

"And what of the improvements?"

"This spell will enhance speed, strength, and agility."

Klaus hummed in acknowledgement to her words as he snuck a peek at the brunette witch from the corner of his eyes, careful not to inhale too deeply because he didn't need the reminder of her previous activities with his brother. The scent of her arousal still lingered in the air, sweet and tangy, and thanks to his enhanced werewolf senses he couldn't escape the torture it was putting him through. It was painfully obvious to anyone who looked at her that Imogen was attractive; her bright blue eyes saw more than most would be comfortable with, her brunette hair fell in gentle waves down her shoulders, her smile radiated happiness and infected those surrounding her, and her childlike laugh was contagious to those who heard it. Even with a thousand years of experience in practicing self-control, he was still susceptible to the allure of a beautiful woman and it certainly didn't help matters that he felt an emotional connection towards the witch. It wasn't exactly a romantic connection he felt; it wasn't passionate lust, or even a passing fancy, and it certainly wasn't love like he had felt for Tatia, Aurora, or Caroline. But there was an emotional connection between them, they were...friends. It had been a long time since he could sincerely say that someone was his friend, maybe it was Stefan Salvatore back in the twenties, maybe it was before even that, and he valued Imogen in a way that he didn't value many people.

The hybrid gritted his teeth as he mentally shook his head in reprimand, prioritising what needed to be done and he turned his attention back to the matter at hand as he stole a discreet glance over at Genevieve. She looked up from his mother's grimoire when she felt him looking in her direction and he raised an eyebrow in silent question, smiling slightly when she nodded reluctantly to confirm she had done as he had asked of her.

The redhead's lips twisted into a grimace at the reminder of the side deal they had discussed earlier that morning when the hybrid had strongly suggested that it would be in her best interest to add an amendment to the original spell. It had been a shock when he had recommended that she amend the spell so that any werewolf using the enchanted jewellery would have access to their venom without fully transforming. But the even bigger surprise had been the reward for pledging her loyalty to the hybrid and in the end it was the promise of the Original witch's grimoire, the thought of gaining the powerful and ancient magical relic that made her agree to the deal.

"The last ingredient is personal. As the spell is designed to control transformation, I need the blood of a werewolf who doesn't turn on a full moon." Imogen continued to explain in an excited tone of voice, oblivious to the silent conversation that had taken place in front of her on the other side of the table. She had noticed the distant tone in hybrid's voice when he was speaking to her but she knew him well enough to know that if he were human there would be a good chance he would be diagnosed with bipolar disorder so she decided to ignore whatever had gotten him in a mood.

"My first thought was Hayley, because of the pregnancy –"Genevieve interjected in a hesitant tone, knowing that her suggestion wasn't going to be met with approval and she gently closed the grimoire in front of her as she stood up from her seat.

"Out of the question. I'd just as soon limit the mother of my unborn side to the side-effects of your witchery. I am half-wolf, I control my form – use my blood." Klaus ordered in a firm voice as he took a few steps closer to where she was standing and she raised an eyebrow with a short nod as one side of her lips quirked up into a subtle smirk. She picked up a ceremonial knife from the table top as he held his arm out towards her with a blank expression and she studied his face for a moment before lowering it to his palm but before it made contact, he roughly grabbed her arm to stop her movements. He violently yanked her towards him until they were standing chest to chest, eliciting a gasp of surprise from the witch. The sudden movement caused Imogen to blink in surprise while Elijah took a step towards the brunette in case she needed protection and Hayley stood up straighter as she watched the interaction intently like it was an interesting game of tennis.

Klaus vaguely registered his brother moving closer to the brunette witch, ignoring the annoyance that he felt that Elijah thought he would harm Imogen, and narrowed his eyes at the redhead as he lowered his voice to a threatening whisper, "If you fail to hold up your end of the deal, the consequences for you will be apocalyptic."

"You say the most romantic things." she responded nervously after a moment as she swallowed roughly past the lump in her throat and he smirked viciously as he let go of her arm completely, causing her to stumble slightly before she steadied herself with a glare in his direction. She roughly grabbed his hand as she tightened her grip on the knife handle and placed the blade at the base of his palm but paused as she lifted her head to look at Imogen.

The brunette witch felt eyes burning into her but didn't pay attention to them as she focused on meticulously setting up the ritual for the spell; she carefully poured a circle of salt on the table in between herself and Genevieve, poured three curved lines of salt originating at the centre of the circle and radiating outward and then placed the black kyanite stones evenly spaced inside the circle she created.

Once she was done with her task she lifted her head to look toward the other witch, finding her already watching the process with a watchful eye and Imogen nodded in acknowledgement to let her know that the set up was ready. Genevieve swallowed nervously as she used the sharp blade of the knife to slice a cut into the hybrid's palm and the scarlet red drops of blood dripped over the stones, causing them to emit a small amount of smoke as they hissed violently. Imogen smiled proudly as she shared a look with the redhead and she held out both of her hands with her palms up towards the ceiling, waiting for Genevieve to grab a hold of them so they could converge their power.

The moment that the two witches touch hands, Imogen felt a wave of magical energy flood her body and she almost gasped in surprise at the sudden influx of power she felt because she wasn't used to connecting her magic with someone.

Often when Davina was younger and just coming into her powers, the two of them would practice control by connecting their magic and floating leaves in the privacy of their backyard. The bond between the sisters only strengthened the magic, and Imogen could clearly remember one instance when her parents fighting had caused an eight year old Davina to panic. She ran out of the house in an effort to escape the shouting, afraid that the fight would escalate into their father using violence against Imogen like it often did when he got tired with verbal warfare. Imogen had immediately followed her out into the backyard and found her fallen to her knees just inside the woods that surrounded their secluded home, sobs wracking her body as the wind blow uncontrollably around them. Magical energy had pulsated from the young witch as she slowly loosened her tentative hold on the thread of magic that had materialised only days earlier and strands of grass were bending away from where she had fallen, flowers wilted, and her loose brunette hair flew wilding around her head. Imogen calmly approached her from behind, twigs crunching underneath her feet so she didn't frighten her sister and she silently crouch down next to the younger girl. Davina barely registered her presence as she continued to sob with reckless abandon and her fingers dug into the soft soil beneath her, dirt getting stuck under her nails. In a quiet whisper Imogen began a spell to calm the wild winds that was raging around them and she placed her hand on top of the younger girl's, flexing her fingers so that they were straight on the ground. A warmth spread throughout both of their chests as Imogen's contained magic connected with the Davina's more unruly magic and the younger brunette lifted her head in confusion as her sobs slowly settled in choked pants for breath. Tears stung her eyes as the wind blustering around them seemed to calm slightly and she looked around in complete awe before turning her attention back to her sister, watching as she continued to mumble in another language under her breath. After a moment Davina managed to recognise the language as French and fumbled slightly as she copied her sister, repeating the phrase over and over again as the wind came to a complete stop around them. Imogen's eyelids fluttered open as her mused hair settled around her shoulders and she glanced over at her sister with a proud smile on her lips, watching as a beaming smile spread across the younger girls face. The two of them sat outside on the border of their backyard and the forest for hours as Imogen taught Davina the basics of how to control her magical impulses by levitating leaves and bringing flowers back to life.

"Materi lunare tua virtuse. Materi lunare tua virtuse. Materi lunare tua virtuse." Imogen and Genevieve chanted together in unison as they clasped hands over the top of the stones, magic pulsated between the two of them as it poured into the black kyanite stones saturated with blood.

Imogen could feel the adrenaline rushing through her veins; the use of magic had always given her such a high, it was addictive and dangerous, so she only cast spells and enchantments in moderation. She knew that if she allowed herself she could get lost in the magic but she had seen too many other coven members give in to the allure of darkness, to the addictive nature of the dark arts and she would never allow something so uncontrollable to gain control of her mind. The witches that practiced other types of magic, the darker types of magic, it eventually caught up with them and most of them ended up deranged and either dead or locked up in Dowager Fauline Cottage.

She was vaguely aware of the people around them; Elijah standing protectively to her left, Hayley standing with her hip against the edge of the table with her arms crossed over her chest, Klaus positioned at the end of the table with his arms folding over the back of a chair. But her attention was focused solely on the ritual taking place, her mouth forming the words without any thought and she could feel her hands tingling with magic, like it was exuding from her skin onto the stones underneath.

Footsteps hurrying towards the office pulled Elijah's attention away from the memorising sight of Imogen engaging in something she was passionate about, and he sighed in disappointment but he was rather enjoying the opportunity to watch her without justification.

Francesca rushed into the room with a panicked expression on her face as everyone except the witches gave her their attention and she paused in the doorway as she informed them in a slightly breathless voice, "My people say Marcel is on the move, and he's bringing friends."

"Get Hayley to safety." Klaus ordered his brother firmly in a hard tone as he stood up straight but then paused momentarily as he cast a glance at the brunette witch and he closed his eyes for a moment before turning around to storm out of the room without another word.

Elijah grazed his hand over the back of Imogen's neck, not wanting to disturb her concentration but he needed to assure her and himself that she was safe in front the office. He felt her shiver slightly at her touch as he walked past her from behind and he made his way over to Hayley, gesturing for her to leave the room with him as he murmured softly, "Come with me."

"No. Some needs to watch her. And keep an eye on Imogen." the werewolf protested with a shake of her head as she narrowed her eyes stubbornly at the Original and he sighed in exasperation as he turned to face her with an indecisive expression because he knew that she had a point.

Francesca bore witness to the hesitance he displayed as she shifted her weight, glancing towards the redheaded witch who was chanting across the room and then she turned her attention back to the Original as she told him earnestly, "You should help Klaus. My brothers and their security detail won't be much against a vampire army. I'll stay with Hayley."

Elijah hesitated for a moment longer as he cast a glance between the witch who had captivated him, making sure that she was safe locked in the office and the werewolf standing in front of him before nodding once with obvious reluctance. He reached out to squeeze Hayley's upper arm supportively and she smiled slightly with a nod as he took a step back before using his enhanced speed to disappear out of the room.

"Materi lunare tua virtuse. Materi lunare tua virtuse." The witches chanted in unison behind her as Hayley leaned back against the table with her hand resting on her swollen stomach and she swallowed a wince as a sharp pain erupted in her stomach, but she ignored it because she had read about Braxton Hicks contractions in her pregnancy book.

"Materi lunare tua virtuse. Materi lunare tua virtuse." Imogen finished the spell as she felt something inside of her click into place and she fluttered her eyes open as she released her hold on Genevieve's hands with a pleased smile on her lips.

"It's done." she breathed out in awe as she glanced over the tabletop at the redhead with a genuine smile, appreciating the help that she provided in enchanting the stones but Genevieve had a faint smile on her lips as she picked up one of the small stones between her fingers.

There was obvious pride in the redhead's eyes as she examined the stone with a critical eye and she seemed impressed with their work as she spoke in an almost monotone voice, "The stones are finished. I've done my part. Now, it's up to you."

"I'll get them to the bayou." Hayley said happily with a grin as she took a step closer to the witch and she reached over to pick up the other stones but her movements were stopped by an unexpected voice from the other side of them room.

"Actually, she was talking to me." Francesca informed her smugly as she took the stone from Genevieve's hand with a smirk on her lips, examining the small rock in her hand as she held it up in the light.

"What the hell is this?" Imogen asked in a demand as she frowned incredulously at them, a tendril of dread unfurling in her stomach as she curled her hands into fists at her sides. She watched in horror as Genevieve swept the stones into a small velvet black bag and she shook her head slightly in denial as she opened her mouth to protest but no sound passed her lips.

Francesca looked over at her with hardened dark brown eyes, her lips twitching into a tight smile that held only bitter amusement as she answered with question in a flat tone of voice, "Call it a side deal. The point is, I'm taking the stones."

"Are you out of your mind? You think the humans can go up against Klaus?"

"No, I don't. But, I'm not human." Francesca acquiesced with a nod in a tone that suggested that she knew something that the others did not and Hayley frowned in confusion as she walked forward, keeping a distance between them as she tilted her head to the side. Francesca smirked callously as she pulled a pocketknife out of her jacket and held it up to show before turning towards the bodyguard that had accompanied her into the office. Imogen gasped in horror as she savagely slit the man's throat with the blade, blood spurting from his carotid artery and his body dropped unceremoniously onto the floor at her feet as the life drained out of his eyes. Francesca doubled over in pain as she groaned out loud, her long brunette hair curtaining her face from view and Imogen covered her mouth with one hand as tears stung her eyes while she swallowed past the lump in her throat.

Francesca lifted her head to display her burning amber eyes and elongated canines, revealing that she had just triggered the werewolf curse and she growled viciously as she spoke in a brutal tone, "I'm like you, Hayley. And now, I'm gonna take back my town!"

"Like hell you are!" Hayley hissed angrily as she launched herself towards the other werewolf but she was stopped suddenly by unseen force and she struggled for a moment before a pain ripped through her stomach. She groaned out loud as she clutched her stomach in concern and she swayed unsteadily on her feet for a moment before collapsing onto the ground as her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"Hayley!" Imogen cried out in horror as she started to rush around the table; she had been frozen in place when Genevieve lifted her hand and she hadn't been fast enough to counteract the spell before Hayley was knocked unconscious. Her expression hardened with determination as she lifted her hand, not sure if she was going to knock out Genevieve or Francesca but before she could mutter a spell, an agonising pain radiated throughout her head. She opened her mouth to scream out in pain but no sound came out as she sunk down to the ground on her knees and she gripped her head in her hands as she squeezed her eyes closed, trying to block out the sharp pain piercing her skull. Something dripped from her nose onto her lip as she felt the blackness closing in around her and she fell sideways onto the floor, curling into a prone position as she struggled to catch her breath.