A/N: went to a concert for the first time ever in my life...panic at the disco and two feet!! It was crazy I didn't know what to expect, so after the countdown there was suddenly confetti and lights and singing and my heart actually skipped a beat omg. But it was super fun and super amazing. If I could go back to relive it, I totally would
Hope, I have a few things on my mind...
January 3, 2013
New Orleans, Louisiana
Lafayette Cemetery
Poppy stood in the cemetery under the stars, the wedding celebration for Hayley and Jackson still happening in the streets. She was leaned against the wall of a crypt towards the back, smiling into the kisses that Silas gave her, his hands on the back of her neck, his body pressed against hers.
The Mystic Falls gang had left before the wedding, bidding their farewells and leaving wedding gifts for the married couple.
"Are we seriously doing this in a cemetery?" She asked quietly and laughed.
Silas smiled, laughing a bit. "Come on, it's beautiful tonight."
"I thought we came here to dance." Poppy smirked.
"And we did, just after I give my wife some kisses."
Poppy laughed, bringing her hands to his cheeks. They wore both dressed for the occasion, Poppy in a baby pink dress, and Silas in a suit. She kissed him, closing her eyes, her ears open just in case. Her husband snakes his hands beneath her coat and onto her back, over the dress.
"Kol, listen to me. You don't have long. You're going to die." Poppy heard, and she pulled away from the kiss. "But you will die a witch, and we will consecrate your body. You will join the ancestors of the French Quarter, and those spirits can be brought back. And, I promise you, brother, I will not leave this body until I find a way to bring you home."
"Oh my god." Poppy moved away from the wall and began walking past graves and crypts.
"What is it?" Silas asked. "What's wrong?"
Poppy looked back at him. "It's Kol. He's dying." She began to jog, stopping when she made it to the entrance of the crypt, looking inside at the family.
"It's okay. I'm not scared." Kol told Davina, holding her hand tightly. His head rested in Rebekah's hand. Everyone's cheeks were soaked with tears.
Poppy felt Silas's hand hold her, and he wrapped his arm around her back. She watched as her uncle took his final breath after one laugh. Poppy clenched her jaw, tears falling from her eyes. Her eyes met her dad's tear filled eyes.
"How did this happen?" She asked quietly.
Klaus stood up. "It was Finn."
"Finn did this? How long have you known?"
"Days."
Poppy sniffled. "Days? You've known for days?" She shrugged off Silas's arms. "Why didn't you tell me?! I could've saved him!"
Klaus reached out to her, but she backed up. "Love, there was nothing you could do, he was hexed."
Poppy shook her head and whooshed away, leaving her family in the crypt.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Silas's Apartment
The tribrid stopped running when she reached Silas's apartment, and she opened the door, walking inside and shutting the door behind her. She walked to the bedroom and brought her hands to the sides of her heads, and she began to cry. Leaning against the wall, she slid down to the floor.
"No, no, no.." She cried, tears spilling from her eyes. She took a deep breath, then let out a sob. "Don't leave me, please stop leaving me." She squeezed her eyes shut. "Come back.." She brought her hand to her chest. "It hurts..it hurts so much..why does it hurt so much?" She continued to sob, leaning her head back against the wall.
Later that night, Silas opened the door to his apartment and walked inside, looking around. "Honey?" He called out, setting down his car keys. He felt her presence, and he walked into the bedroom.
On the floor against the wall sat his wife, who was asleep, her eyes puffy and her mascara on her cheeks. She would hiccup every few breaths from sobbing. He knelt down and picked her up, carrying her to the bed, where he took off her coat and got in with her. He pulled the blankets over them and held her close to his body, stroking her hair.
January 4, 2013
New Orleans, Louisiana
Silas's Apartment
The morning was quiet and calm, but sad. Poppy laid with Silas in bed, her head on his shoulder and her arm on abdomen. His arm was wrapped around her, and his fingers brushed back and forth against her upper arm. Her eyes were closed, asleep, but he was awake, and he stared up at the ceiling in thought.
He looked down at her when her breathing changed, signaling that she had woken up. She opened her eyes.
"How are you feeling?" Her husband asked, moving her hair behind her ear.
Poppy moved her hand onto his chest. "Tired..everything hurts.."
Silas placed a kiss on her forehead. "Try to get some more sleep, okay?"
February 7, 2013
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Bell Tower
Finn stood by the window of the bell tower, looking down at the city, his hand at his chin, he was anxious.
"Don't worry. I've made sure no one can come in here." Freya assured from behind him. They had been hiding out.
Finn turned to looked at her. "I'm not worried. I'm just impatient for a reunion with the brothers that tried to kill me." He stepped towards her, his eyebrows raising in surprise when they heard footsteps approach.
"I found a way in." Poppy sounded. She wore a trench coat, knitted shirt, jeans, and boots. Her hair was in a sloppy bun.
Finn folded his arms over his chest. "Why are you here?"
"Because I want answers." Poppy told him, tears in her eyes. "I want to know why I watched my uncle die in front of me for the second time."
Freya gave her a small frown, then watched as Finn stepped towards her, placing his hands together in front of his chin.
"Poppy," Finn spoke "Kol was a traitor and a liar. He lived for too long, he had to die. How is that not clear to you?"
His niece stepped closer. "Kol may have been a liar, and a traitor, but I'm willing to accept that because he was the best uncle I could ever ask for. He would play games with me, and teach me magic. He would hold me, and tell me that everything was going to be okay when things went wrong. He was my safety when I was stuck inside my own mind." She took a deep breath, and Finn remained silent, slightly annoyed. "I hate you, do you know that? I hate you, but I also always find myself trying to find a redeeming quality in you, despite everything you've done to hurt me..to hurt my family.." She sniffled and wiped away a tear. "You killed your own brother, Finn. I hope you live with that guilt for the rest of your life." Turning around, she began to leave.
"Do you want to know why I hate your father so much?" Finn asked, and his niece turned around.
Poppy huffed. "Humor me."
"I hate him because I was daggered. For 900 years I was stuck in a box, cold and alone in my head. 900 years, Poppy. If you have any understanding of what that feels like, then you'll understand why I hate him."
His niece clenched her jaw, wiping another tear. "I do, Finn. I understand.." She whispered. "I understand what it feels like to be completely alone, trapped inside your mind. Cold, scared. For years and years I was in this glass coffin so I'd be protected from Mikael. I was little, and yes, the thought of going back there scares me, but my dad was doing it to protect me, to protect our family. That's what he does. He looks out for us. I just don't understand why you would kill your own family because of it."
Finn stood in front of her, a bit stunned.
"Do you know what it's like to have someone who loves you, and you love them, and they're your safe haven? Do you know what it's like to have them ripped away from you?" Poppy asked, and Finn glanced at his sister Freya. His niece quickly wiped her tears. "I don't even know why I'm here." She turned around and began to leave.
Freya frowned a bit, reaching towards her and grabbing her arm. "Lovie, wait." She looked into her niece's eyes and pulled her into a tight hug.
The tribrid, not refusing the hug, rested her cheek against Freya's shoulder and closed her eyes, tears soaking her cheeks. She sniffled. "I hate crying...I cry all the time.."
Her aunt rubbed her back gently. "Why are you always crying?"
"Because I'm scared. Of Dahlia. She's always been haunting me.." her bottom lip trembled. "I've lost so much.."
"How long have you known about Dahlia?"
Poppy pulled away from the hug, sniffling. "A few years..I once got this awful vision of her and her terrible song." Blood dropped from her nose, and she felt tired, dizzy. She placed her palm to her head.
Freya helped her to a chair and sat her down. Kneeling in front of her niece, she took her hands. "I am not going to let Dahlia get you." She wiped the blood away with a cloth. "When was the last time you slept?"
"A few days ago," the tribrid replied "I haven't been able to sleep..I'm just so scared and it's always been so loud here."
Her aunt brushed the loose strands of hair from the tribrid's face. "Do you want to try to sleep here? It's quiet and safe." Poppy glanced at Finn, who stood by the stairs, his arms folded over his chest. Freya saw this and let out a sigh. "Finn won't hurt you. I won't let him."
"Okay.."
Freya smiled a bit. "I'll go grab some blankets for you." She said before standing up and leaving the room.
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Mikaelson Compound
Silas walked into the courtyard, looking around. "Poppy?" He called out, walking to the stairs.
"Is everything all right?" Hayley asked, walking to the courtyard from one of the halls.
Her son-in-law turned to look at her. "Have you seen Poppy? She wasn't at the apartment when I woke up. I tried locating her but something was blocking my spell."
The hybrid frowned. "She's not here."
"Hayley, I'm worried." He said, walking to her. "Poppy hasn't slept in days, it's this whole thing with Dahlia. She's scared out of her mind."
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Bell Tower
It was quiet inside the bell tower. Poppy slept on the seat of four chairs, which had been put together so it was more wide than long. She was curled up beneath a few blankets for warmth. Freya placed a few candles around the chairs, murmuring a small spell of protection and tranquility.
"Freya," Finn spoke, watching her. "now that I'm healed, I need power. Now, our father's still in the tomb where I left him. I think it's time that I go back and I channel him." He began to walk to the door.
Freya stood to her full height and looked at him. "Finn?" Her brother looked at her. "I need a moment alone with him first." Finncent seemed unhappy with the statement. "It's been a thousand years. He doesn't even know I'm still alive."
He shook his head. "Believe me, Freya, that is for the best! He's a monster."
His sister frowned. "He wasn't a monster to me."
"Well, he changed after you were taken. Freya, I spent years hoping that he would go back to being himself, but he never did. And, from what I understand, over the centuries he's grown far worse. He went as far as to tormenting Klaus's daughter. Trust me, Freya-"
"-Just a few minutes," Freya interrupted. "my sweet Muninn."
Her brother let out sigh. He loved his sister, and he didn't want to deny her what she wanted. "I suppose you'll want time with our mother as well."
Freya shook her head. "Esther gave me away. She is nothing to me. Let her rot." She walked to the table and quickly wrote a note for Poppy before leaving with Finn.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Lafayette Cemetery
The afternoon was foggy in the cemetery, and the skies were grey. Klaus walked down the countless aisles, his black coat keeping him warm. He took his phone out of his pocket and, seeing that it was Elijah, he ignored it.
"Finn!" He yelled, looking around. "I know you're here! The wolves tell me you've been quite active robbing graves and violating corpses! Sounds like you." Turning around, he got a glimpse of his brother. "Why don't you just come out so we can finish this?"
"Hello, Niklaus." Finn said, and Klaus turned around once more to see him. They began to walk to each other.
"Such a pedestrian greeting." The hybrid remarked. "How unfortunate those are to be your last words."
Finn huffed, "Your hubris truly knows no bounds! You attack a witch in the very place the Ancestors call home!" He made a clicking noise and waved his finger. "Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Klaus narrowed his eyes. "You're a fool if you think the Ancestors give a damn about you."
"They may not care for me, brother, but they hate you." Right as Finn attacked with fire, Klaus vamped to a roof of a crypt.
He smirked. "You lost a step, brother. But, them being blown to pieces will do that, I suppose." Klaus lunged towards the witch, who used his magic to throw part of an iron fence at him, stabbing him in the chest, which didn't have much effect. Finn kept the fence in his brother with his magic.
"Finished so soon, my indestructible brother?" Finn taunted. "Father was right about you! You're nothing but a pathetic disappointment!"
The younger brother clenched his jaw. "You judge me? You who cursed Kol to death?"
Finn frowned the faintest bit, not happy about the reminder. I hope you live with that guilt for the rest of your life. Poppy's words echoed through his mind.
"But, you didn't stop there, did you?" Klaus continued. "No, there's an encore-you sought the death of an innocent child. Not only that, but you brought harm to another child." He ripped the fence out of his chest. "My child."he threw the fence at Finn, and it stabbed him. Speeding down to him, Klaus grabbed the fence and twisted it. "For what you would have done to Hope and Poppy, I'm going to enjoy making you suffer."
Finn was unable to make a sound to express his pain. He was being choked, and stabbed deeper, pinned against a stone wall. He fell when Klaus released him, and Klaus was about to stab him again, but Elijah whooshed in between the two and shoved Klaus away.
"You didn't answer my call." Elijah stated.
Klaus gestured to their older brother, who was on the ground, dying. "Well, I was a little bit busy."
Elijah sighed. "I need him alive."
"I've no time for your soft-hearted sympathies." The younger of the three moved away from Elijah to get to Finn, but Elijah stopped him once more.
"Stand aside." Klaus demanded, but his brother stood firmly in his spot.
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Bell Tower
Poppy woke up, her eyes still closed as she lifted her head. Rubbing them, she opened her eyes and looked around, seeing that she was alone. She felt calm, and safe. Carefully getting off of the chairs, avoiding the candles, she walked to the table, where a note and a necklace laid.
Went to Lafayette Cemetery.
This necklace is spelled to hide you from locating spells, and to help you control your magic.
-Aunt Freya
Poppy set down the note and picked up the necklace, a strong thin rope with small wooden charm in the shape of a wolf at the bottom. She put it on and left the room.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Lafayette Cemetery
"Let him die, Elijah!" Klaus exclaimed.
Elijah shook his head. "The witches want that body returned unharmed."
"And what else do they want?" His brother asked, angry. "A parade? Free broomsticks for all?"
"This alliance could be greatly beneficial to us all-"
"Yes, well currying some witch's favor does not concern me!"
"It should." A new voice sounded, Freya, as she approached them. She stopped walking and smiled, her hands behind her back. "Witch allies can prove valuable." She walked over to dying Finn, leaving her other brothers to be confused.
"Freya.." Finncent gasped out. "Freya. Help me."
His sister knelt down. "Don't worry, brother. I won't let them hurt you." She lifted her blue pendant off of her chest. "Yovara vimuna virael." She chanted, and suddenly Finn yelled in pain. "Yovara vimuna virael."
When she finished, Finncent looked at her in shock and confusion. "Who are you?" He asked before being put to sleep with Freya's magic.
"What the hell did you do to him?" Klaus asked, both him and Elijah surprised.
Their sister showed them her pendant. "Finn is now safe from harm. And his hatred of you can no longer do to damage to our cause."
Elijah narrowed his eyes the slightest bit. "Our cause?"
Freya nodded. "Yes. Ours. And now, if you two can stop arguing long enough, perhaps you'll allow your older sister to offer you a deal."
Klaus held his arms out slightly. "What could you possibly offer us besides fairy tales and lies?"
"Whatever you think of me, brother, know this- when I speak to you, it is the truth. If you have any doubts, remember that it was I who rescued Rebekah from the Fauline Cottage."
Elijah raised an eyebrow. "And was it not also you who led Finn on his vile mission to take Hope's life?"
"The threat to Hope came from Finn. Not me." She looked down, a bit upset by his actions. She looked back at Elijah. "I can also assure you that he will not bring harm to Poppy again. The brother I knew would never have stooped to threaten a child. Our mother destroyed him. Like she did me." She looked at Klaus. "You. Everything she touched."
"Do not talk speak as though we are familiars! We know nothing of you." Klaus stated, and Freya held up her hands to send them both a memory.
Dahlia stormed away from her sister and nephew, carrying young Freya, who screamed and cried.
"I cannot give up my child! No, Dahlia, please!" Esther cried. Finn stood next to her, hugging her leg.
"Mommy!" Freya cried. "Mommy!
Freya lowered her hands, done showing them her memory. "Do you still think me a liar?"
Klaus clenched his jaw. "That proves nothing but your ability to conjure illusions."
"Before you dismiss me, you should know this- if I've woken from my slumber, Dahlia has as well. Once she's sensed your children's magic, she will come for her. And she has the power to kill anyone who stands in her way... unless we kill her first." Freya said, moving her hands behind her back once more.
"That's quite convenient, isn't it?" Klaus asked. "You show up in the nick of time to help us kill the woman with whom you've spent a thousand years!"
The witch frowned. "You have no idea what it took to escape her!" She exclaimed in frustration. "Or what I lost in the trying. Her punishment will be profound."
Elijah frowned a bit. "And you know how to stop her?"
"Given the proper materials, yes. I've sent Father to procure them."
Klaus was definitely angry now. "You put the life of my children in the hands of Mikael?!" He began to leave, but stopped when Elijah called his name.
"Niklaus." Elijah gestured his arm to Freya. "This woman has knowledge of the threat we now face and is willing to share that information."
Klaus narrowed his eyes, continuing to walk. "Well, you'll excuse me, Elijah, if I'm not inclined to trust the mysterious sister we only just met! But, by all means, if you wish to entertain this idiocy, have at it." He growled, and just like that, he was gone.
"Thank you." Freya gave her brother a small smile. "Your kindness is much appreciated. Poppy has a good heart, she gets it from you..." She trailed off a bit. "And she gets her fire from her father."
Elijah furrowed his eyebrows a bit. "I may be willing to accept your identity, Freya- it doesn't mean I trust you."
Freya nodded. "Then I will look forward to earning that trust." She left him to stand alone in the cemetery.
First, there's something Dad told me once. "In every moment, a choice exists. We can cling to the past, or embrace the inevitability of change, and allow a brighter future to unfold for us."
Poppy stood by the river, her arms folded over her chest. She was joined by Freya, who looked at the water.
She looked at her aunt. "Thank you," Freya looked at her "for the necklace..and for letting me sleep in the bell tower."
The witch smiled a bit, but was unsure of what to say in reply. Instead, they both stood in silence, admiring the water.
"Such an uncertain future may cause for even more uncertain allies. Either way, a new day is coming, whether we like it or not. The question is, will you control it, or will it control you?"
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Mikaelson Compound
The night was still young, the first stars beginning to show. Poppy walked to the entrance of the compound and opened the doors, heading inside, and she was immediately noticed and questioned.
"Want to tell me where you've been?" Elijah asked, sitting on the couch, in his hand a glass of bourbon. "You didn't call..you didn't pick up the phone..you couldn't be located..do I need to continue?"
His niece let out a sigh, holding her hands together in front of her. "Uncle Elijah...I can explain."
He raised an eyebrow and took a drink of the bourbon. He looked at the glass before speaking. "Yes, do tell."
Poppy knew that the tone in his voice was serious. She chewed on her lip, approaching him slowly. "I....went to the bell tower.."
"The bell tower where Finn and Freya are?" He leaned forward.
"Yes.."
Elijah leaned back and sighed. "You could've been hurt, Poppy. Killed. And with Dahlia and Mikael out there..."
"I get it. But, I'm safe. Came back without a scratch." She assured her uncle.
"What did you even go there for?"
"I wanted to know why he killed Kol..." She mumbled, picking at her fingernails.
Elijah set down his glass. "And did you stop to think how bad of an idea that was?" She remained silent. "Poppy, I know you have good intention, but what you did was reckless and lacking of intelligence. You're grounded. You're not allowed to leave the compound for a week, strict bedtime of 10 o'clock."
Poppy gaped at him. "Seriously? I'm twenty years old, you can't ground me."
"I just did." Elijah shrugged.
February 8, 2013
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Mikaelson Compound
Klaus stood in the dining room, which was lit up by the day, and by lights. He folded napkins, hearing bare feet padding against the floor as they approached. He set the napkins down and looked up at his oldest daughter, who stood in the doorway. Her curls had been let down, and she wore sweatpants and a tshirt. She let out a small yawn, covering it with the back of her hand.
"Your uncle and I are having breakfast with Freya." Klaus stated before she could ask any questions. "No, you are not involved in it, but you can take some food up into your room...I'm sure Silas would enjoy a nice apology breakfast." He placed some forks down, no longer looking at her.
Poppy frowned, offended and feeling a bit guilty. "Why am I not involved in this?"
"Because I need to get information from her regarding the threat we face."
"Which is exactly why I should be involved." Poppy walked to the table. "Dad, I deserve to know what I'm up against."
"What we are up against." Her dad corrected, looking up at her. "Poppy. I said no, and that's final." He turned his attention to Elijah, who had just entered the room, wearing a coat. "There you are. Finally."
The older brother took off his coat and hung it up. He then walked to the table. "I was delayed." He said, placing a hand on Poppy's back. "Poppy, if I am correct, you were told that you will not be having breakfast with us."
She folded her arms over her chest. "And I think that's not fair."
Klaus looked at her. "Go. Don't make me say it again." He watched as his daughter huffed and left the room, clearly upset. He let out a sigh.
Second, there's something Auntie Bex said. "All of us live with a demon inside."
Poppy stood in one of the lounges of the compound, the room dark except for a candle. She had spent the day cleaning several rooms, except the bedrooms. It was boring, especially since Silas hadn't been too pleased with her. He spent the day at Marcel's loft with Cami and Vincent, and as far as his wife knew, he was still there. She felt the darkness surrounding her. It made her feel uneasy, but part of her was drawn to it, part of her liked the darkness.
"Some days you control the demon."
She sighed and left the lounge, heading to the nursery room, where Hope slept soundly in her crib. Looking down at her sister, Poppy smiled a bit. She felt calm when she was with the baby.
Carefully, she climbed into the crib and laid down, holding her sister in her arms. She closed her eyes, relaxing.
Beside the crib on the little table was a music box, which wound itself up and began to play a small tune, causing Poppy to open her eyes. She looked at her sleeping sister.
"Did you do that?" She asked quietly "you know, if you wanted it on you could've just said something.." She continued, a small smile on her face, which faded when Dahlia's tune came from the box.
The color drained from her face as wind blew into the room from the open window, and she held Hope closer to her, taking deep breaths. She kissed the top of the baby's head.
"It's okay, it's going to be okay.." She whispered, trying to convince herself.
"And other days, it controls you."
Later that night, Poppy was asleep in the crib with her sister, holding her protectively in her arms. Klaus stood at the side, his hands on the wooden edge, looking down at his daughters. He had a small frown, seeing his first born was sleeping restlessly, her eyebrows furrowed and her breathing quick. He reached down and brushed the curls away from her face, then brushed his thumb against her cheek. She turned her head a bit, and he watched as her eyes opened tiredly.
"Are you okay, love?" Klaus asked quietly.
Poppy closed her eyes again. "Dahlia's here.." She mumbled tiredly. "She's coming to get us.."
"It was just a nightmare," he assured her. "try to go back to sleep."
"And it is always hungry. It feeds on lust. On longing. And while you may slumber..."
Poppy drifted off back into the comfort of sleep, feeling exhausted.
"...It tempts you into crossing every line you've ever drawn. All while it hunts you...haunts you..renders you incapable of telling friend from foe."
February 9, 2013
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Mikaelson Compound
The older sister turned her head, hearing the baby's cries, sunlight pouring into the room. She furrowed her eyebrows a bit and opened her eyes, placing a kiss on Hope's head, rubbing her back.
"Sh..it's okay, it's okay.." Poppy assured her softly, looking up as she saw Rebekah approach the bedroom and kill the werewolf guard. She gasped and sat up in the crib, holding Hope protectively, her face transformed.
'Rebekah' walked to the crib, looking down at the two. With a flick of her wrist, Poppy's arms were forced away from the baby, and her neck was snapped, killing her temporarily.
"But once it's turned your loved ones into enemies, the demon would have consumed you whole."
Hayley walked into the nursery room, her face transforming when she saw the scene before her. "Get away from them!" She yelled, grabbing Rebekah's arm and pulling her away from the crib, then slamming her head into the dresser.
As Rebekah fell to the floor, the hyrbid walked to the crib, looking at her daughters and reaching down to pick up Hope. Rebekah, however, had other plans. She threw Hayley into her bedroom with her magic.
"Rebekah!" Klaus yelled, entering the room with anger. "What are you doing?!" He fell to his knees, gasping in pain from a pain infliction spell. Fighting against the magic, he clawed her leg with his werewolf claws, causing her to yell in pain.
After releasing him and Hayley from her spells, Rebekah jumped out the window, leaving the two breathless.
When Poppy woke up, she was in a dimly lit room, and the first thing she thought of was Rebekah's attack on her and Hope. Quickly, she sat up with wide eyes.
"No!" She yelled. "Don't touch her!" She flinched when she felt a hand on hers. "Don't touch me! Don't touch me," she exclaimed, but her voice softened when she became aware of her surroundings.
"You're okay, sweetheart. You're safe. Hope is safe." Her brother, Marcel, assured her from the chair next to her bed. He held her head gently.
Poppy closed her eyes and took a few breaths to calm herself down. "Marcel.."
Marcel rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. "Hey,"
"What happened? What's wrong with Rebekah?" She asked him quietly, opening her eyes and looking at him.
"Get up, I'll explain on the way."
She furrowed her eyebrows. "On the way? I'm grounded, I can't leave the compound."
Marcel stood up. "Do you want to save Rebekah or not?"
"I do-"
"Then let's go."
New Orleans, Louisiana
Rousseau's
The bar was calm when Vincent sat for a few drinks at a small table, now in control of his body, free from Finn. He picked at his French fries, staring at a photo of him and his wife, a woman he loved dearly, but he had lost her to the darkness. The wife who held Rebekah Mikaelson in her body, holding her captive.
He was unamused when he was joined by Marcel and a young woman he had never seen before.
"A little early, isn't it?" Marcel asked.
Vincent gave him a sigh. "You know why I'm sitting here day-drinking in the Quarter all by my lonesome?" The vampire shook his head in reply. "Because I'm pretty much done and through with the vamps, wolves, and witches of this town. And, from some of the looks I've been getting, they're through with me, too. So, if I'm sitting here, they don't see me, and if I drink-" he set down the photo and held up a glass, lightly tapping it with one finger before drinking the bourbon "after a while, I don't see them, either."
Marcel reached forward and picked up the photo. "And how many is it gonna take before she disappears?" He asked, moving it out of reach when the witch tried to get it back.
"Come on, man-"
"Uh-uh. You need to know that she is back and on the loose, and I need to find her before the witches do so I can save my friend who is trapped inside of her. And I came to you, because you are the only person in this city who knows her inside-out." He returned the photo to Vincent, who put it into his wallet quickly.
"Look, man, I'm sorry about your friend. But, if Eva is back in control of her body..."
The woman frowned. "Please, Vincent..at least tell us what we're up against."
Vincent looked at her. "Your friend is going to be used like a battery, just like Eva did to the others."
"The others?" Marcel asked.
"The others." The witch repeated. "Kids. The first of the kids went missing two years ago. Feels like a lifetime. I was, uh, clocking in-college, work, coven. Felt like a normal life. But, um, had this woman. Met when we were sixteen years old, did our first bit of magic together... it was so insanely intense."
"Hold on, if your wife was taking these kids, then why didn't the witches stop her?" The woman asked.
He held up a finger. "Because at first they didn't know it was Eva. They only saw that she was practicing a wild magic, and they let us be because we were happy...they never suspected that she'd be the cause of the kids' disappearances..First was a little girl named Amelie Dupree from Algiers. Then, Lou-Anne Hughes from the 9th, Nicholas Alseis from the Tremé..." He pressed his fingertips to his lips in prayer. "All young kids, all witch prodigies-" he whistled "-vanished into thin air. So, I put together a posse of guys from each of the covens, but the killer cloaked the kids so quickly, our locator spells was useless."
"And then what?" Marcel inquired.
Vincent leaned forward. "It was a fluke! I was able to slap a locator spell on one of the kids right after he got snatched, and I got nothing at first. And then a car, and then a face... But that face, man-it was Eva." He let out a laugh, but it was a hurt laugh, conflicted. "The love of my life. "So, I caught her, confronted her... and then I saw the truth. She kept pleading with me. 'Vince! Just three more little girls, Vince! Just three!'"
"Why three?" Marcel was confused.
The woman looked at him. "The Rite of Nines..." She looked at Vincent "..right?"
Vincent nodded. "Yes, the Rite of Nines..Eva thought if she sacrificed a witch from each of the nine covens, it would create a new witch order in New Orleans. She would have been more powerful than any Elder-" he made a small gesture with his hand at Marcel. "Any Harvest girl..."
Marcel frowned. "Wait, wait, wait-but why kids?"
"Because their magic is untapped. It's pure. And, they're a hell of a lot easier to subdue." He watched as the woman furrowed her eyebrows in thought, and he could see the wheels turning in her head.
She looked at the two men. "That's why she went after Hope, and not me. She wants her power." She looked at Marcel. "That's the same reason why Dahlia is after me, that's what Freya said." She turned her head to Vincent. "What happened next?"
The witch shrugged. "I never found those kids. They died. Unconsecrated, unable to be with our ancestors. Used as a source for Eva's magic."
Marcel leaned forward. "So, help us find her before she takes any more lives, including Rebekah's. Help us stop her."
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Car
Vincent looked into the back seat of the car as Marcel drove silently, watching the sleeping woman..who wasn't sleeping too happily. Her fingers twitched, and she had a frown.
"Who is she?" The witch asked.
Marcel glanced at the mirror to see the woman. "Poppy Mikaelson." He replied.
Vincent let out a sigh. "Another Original vampire."
The vampire shook his head. "Poppy's not like the others, Vincent. I've known her since she was a baby. She's forgiving, kind, talented, amazing in all sorts of ways...but also terrified, grieving. She's only twenty, and she has a lot of crazy going on in her life..the last thing she needs is your resentment." He let out a sigh.
The witch frowned a bit, not thinking that she was so young. "She's just a kid..what is she?"
"A tribrid. Werewolf, vampire, and witch."
The car was silent for a few moments, and Vincent seemed to be deep in thought. "Did I hurt her at all?" He asked, feeling a bit uneasy.
Marcel looked at the witch. "Finn hurt her. You weren't in control so don't blame yourself for his actions."
New Orleans, Louisiana
A Shop
Poppy opened her eyes when she felt the car come to a stop, feeling a bit more rested than she had before. She sat up and looked at Marcel, who held up a pair of manacles, which had the ability to keep a witch from using their powers.
"Wanna do the honors?" Her brother asked.
She smirked, taking them. "I would love to." She said, and the trio got out of the car quietly.
Vamping into the shop Eva was hiding in, Poppy appeared in front of her, placing the manacles on the witch's wrists. "Hi there!" She greeted, then took a breath as Marcel appeared behind her. "Dying is a bitch."
Eva looked shocked, and she stood up. "Dark objects? How did a damn vamp find me?" She asked, looking at the two.
"I had a little help-" Marcel answered, placing a hand on Poppy's back. "someone who knew where an injured witch on the run might go to heal up."
The witch's eyes widened as she saw Vincent enter the room. "Vince?" She asked quietly, the gasped as Marcel suddenly pinned her to the wall.
"No time for catch-up! Release Rebekah! Now!"
Eva smirked. "Best not damage the package, or you may never see her again. Or your little adopted witch Davina."
Poppy frowned. "What did you just say?" She asked in unison with her brother.
The woman laughed. "Oh, some daddy-figure you are! I've been feeding off of her for days, and you didn't even know she was gone?"
Marcel moved her away from the wall and slammed her back into the table.
"Where is she?" Poppy asked, walking forward.
"Release me, and you can have what's left." Eva laughed, then screamed in pain when Poppy raised her hand, making the wound on the witch's leg bleed. "I think I'll just torture you until you give us what we need."
Vincent shook his head, placing his hand on hers and lowering it. "Torture ain't gonna do it, girl! Half the witches in this city went after her, she ain't say a thing."
Marcel groaned let go of Eva, looking at her husband. "You got a better idea?"
"Yeah!" Vincent walked to his wife. "Let me talk to her."
A bit later, Vincent stood by the window as his wife spoke to him from a chair.
"You just couldn't see the light..." She told him. "But, you see it now, don't you?" She asked softly, then suddenly rattled the chains of the manacles. "Now that your body was stolen by the same family of vampires that are trying to steal mine!" She yelled, then calmed when her husband looked at her. "You see what's gotta be done."
Vincent shook his head and began to pace, not believing everything he was hearing.
"Now, I just need one more witch, and then we can finish the ritual!" Eva said to him. "Together. Take all the power we need, and then those kids can go home to their moms!"
He looked up at her, considering the offer. The kids she had taken were only sleeping, not dead.
She continued. "And then we need never be under their control ever again."
Marcel and Poppy vamped into the room before Vincent could say anything. Marcel narrowed his eyes, and Poppy folded her arms over her chest.
"I can hear her yapping, but clearly she's not talking. I guess we're back to square one." Marcel said.
Vincent turned to look at him. "Actually, she did talk, and I decided to listen." He clapped his hands together and rubbed them, giving Marcel an aneurism, sending him to his knees in pain.
Poppy narrowed her eyes and unfolded her arms, extending her arm in front of her to attack win a spell, but Vincent rubbed his fingers together, and she suddenly became exhausted and relaxed, her eyes closing. After sending the vampire flying out the window, Eva's husband caught the tribrid as she fell where she stood, unable to hold herself up.
"It's okay..we won't hurt you." He assured her quietly, setting her down on the floor against the wall.
Poppy made a tired noise. "Marcel..." She whispered.
Vincent stood up and walked to the hole in the wall, seeing Marcel unconscious outside. When he turned around, he saw his wife, who seemed impressed and surprised. She held up her wrists, and he snapped his fingers, breaking open the manacles, releasing her.
"Let's go." He said, beginning to leave.
"Wait," Eva walked to Poppy, who was barely awake. "Let's take her with us."
He shook his head. "No, Eva, we'll find a different witch. No more kids."
She let out a huff. "We won't use her for the ritual, Vince. We'll teach her our ways. Can't you sense it? She's powerful. We can have her on our side."
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Mikaelson Compound
"Great!" Hayley exclaimed, bouncing Hope on her hip as she paced the room. "Eva is in the wind, although now she has a sidekick."
"The charming Vincent Griffith." Elijah muttered.
Marcel let out a stressed sigh. "It gets worse- if Eva has Davina, then she has eight of the witches she needs to finish the ritual." Elijah appeared horrified. "She just needs one more..."
"If she comes after Hope, Rebekah or no Rebekah, I will put her down for good." The mother growled.
"I don't think they'll come for Hope." Marcel said, a bit nervous.
Hayley frowned. "Why not?"
"Because they have Poppy with them." He replied, and before Elijah (who suddenly became angry) could say anything, he continued. "Now, from what I saw they didn't want to hurt her, and she wasn't hurt."
Elijah stepped closer to Marcel. "Marcel, would you like to explain to me why Poppy was outside of this compound in the first place?"
Marcel stood his ground. "Because she wanted to help save Rebekah. Elijah, you can't ground her she's an adult whether you like it or not?"
"Grounded?" Hayley asked, confused.
"Last night I heard Poppy tell Klaus that Dahlia is here. That means your crazy aunt made her presence known, and she has a way into the compound, which means that if Poppy is cooped up in here she is not safe!" Marcel exclaimed.
Elijah remained silent, unsure of how to feel with this new knowledge.
"I don't know a lot about Vincent but I do know that he won't let Eva hurt Poppy."
New Orleans, Louisiana
A Warehouse
Poppy opened her eyes, furrowing her eyebrows and turning her head, which rested against a cool surface. She was waking up, but she was still under Vincent's spell. He wasn't sure if she'd attack or not. Slowly, she pushed herself off of the ground and stood up, taking in her surroundings. There were kids, unconscious kids, and Davina, and a knocked out Eva. A few feet away stood Vincent, who was talking on the phone.
"Sorry, I had to make it look convincing! If you were in on the plan, Eva would have known." Vincent spoke, "Now, we got a problem. These kids, they're all linked to her. If she dies, they all die." He listened to the voice on the other end, Marcel. "Gonna need somebody with some serious power...Poppy is powerful and she'd be able to do it, but I don't think she knows how." He lowered the phone after a few moments .
Poppy rubbed her eyes, everything beginning to spin. She stumbled a bit, and Vincent turned around at the sound. He placed his hands on her arms to hold her steady.
"Whoa, careful, Poppy." He looked into her blue eyes, and he could see that she was trying to focus on him.
She took a breath, closing her eyes momentarily. Vincent helped her to sit down.
"I don't need you getting hurt.." He told her. "Just lay down and sleep."
Poppy laid down, her eyes closed. Her arms and legs felt tired, weak, relaxed. She didn't want to sleep, she wanted to fight, but she was under the spell, she was too tired to do anything. Vincent stood up as she fell asleep and rubbed his hands together.
"Ohh," he mumbled "this is no life for a kid."
The next hour or so (Poppy was unsure of time that passed) went by quickly. The yells and conversations seeped into her dreams. She knew she had to wake up, she just had to find the strength. She remember when she broke Eytan's spell long enough to escape...perhaps she could do the same.
"Did it work?" She heard her dad ask.
"They're okay!" She heard Marcel reply, but he sounded to be in a different room.
Poppy moved her fingers, feeling a cold floor beneath her, and she moved her head, feeling a jacket beneath her head, giving it cushion. Slowly, she focused her energy on breaking the spell, and it worked. Opening her eyes, she saw Eva's body laying on the floor, and next to her, Vincent was tending to an arm wound. She pushed herself up to her feet, no longer extremely tired.
Elijah walked to the body, concerned, and Klaus looked at his other sister Freya, all three of them upset.
"Why isn't she waking?" Klaus asked, and Freya replied by shaking her head, unsure of why.
Poppy walked to her uncle and linked her arm in his, placing her other hand on his bicep, resting her cheek against it. She felt like he would be upset with her for leaving the compound, and she was worried for Marcel, but she pushed it aside. She was okay, but she wasn't sure if Rebekah was.
Elijah held his arm out in front of his niece when Rebekah gasped and sat up suddenly, pushing her back the slightest bit. Poppy watched her, unsure if it was Eva or Rebekah until the woman sighed and smiled.
"Bloody hell!"
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Mikaelson Compound
Third, there's this saying in our family- "Kill a demon today, face the devil tomorrow."
Poppy walked into her bedroom from her bathroom, wearing a bathrobe. Her hair was damp, and her feet were bare. She smiled a bit, seeing her husband asleep in bed.
Yet, even if you dance on that demon's grave, you can't help but wonder...was that demon alone?
Downstairs, several covens had gathered to congratulate Freya for her heroic deed of getting rid of Eva Sinclair. Josephine, who was now fine after being kidnapped by Eva and Vincent, placed a necklace around her neck.
Poppy, wearing her pajamas, stood at the balcony looking down at courtyard outside of her bedroom, watching as everyone clapped as Freya and Josephine hugged.she held her Hope in her arms, talking softly to her. She looked at her dad, who stood on the staircase, scowling. She sighed.
Or do you have other, deadlier ones to fight?
Poppy readjusted her hold on her baby sister. "And though you celebrate having won the battle..."
Josephine pulled away from the hug and smiled at Freya. "You're one of us, now. New Orleans is your home. Your friends are our friends. Your enemies, ours."
"...Have you really prepared for the war?" She looked down at Hope, who watched her. "I don't know if anyone is ever prepared for war. For years I've known of Dahlia's threat..." She trailed off, then looked back into the courtyard. "You know what? I think I've got this. I think I'm ready."