Astrid walked, her hair bouncing gently off her shoulders as she neared the staircase in the plantation house where she met up with her friends. She smiled at them, but looked confused when she saw the luggages they had with them. "What's going on?" She questioned her friends.

"We're going to go back for a few days, maybe a week" Lydia answered, holding her bags.

"My mom called" Scott told her, walking towards the blonde vampire.

"Is she okay?" Astrid asked, concerned for Melissa, knowing that Beacon Hills isn't always a safe place.

"She's fine" Scott answered.

"My dad and Kira's parents called as well, they're just wondering if we're okay" Stiles told the vampire, holding Malia's hand.

"Is there something going on is Beac-"

"No" Malia answered the girl.

"We just wanted to go back and tell them everything that happened. You know... about Scott" kira added, putting on her coat.

"Okay" Astrid said, smiling at her friends. "Call me when you get there" she added, cupping Scott's face and giving him a sweet kiss.

"Okay" he smiled at her, grabbing his luggage and walking out of the old plantation house.

"See you soon" Astrid muttered to herself, watching as the cars drove off. Part of her was relieved that they were no longer in danger from the monsters of new Orleans. The monsters hiding in the shadows, just waiting for the right prey to emerge so they can suck the life out of them. The other part of her was sad and pessimistic. Questions flooding her mind; what if they won't come back? What if something happens to them?

Astrid decided to take a walk, to clear her head. The darkness engulfed her as she left the building. She wasn't scared of the dark, in fact, she loved it. It always made her feel at peace.

Astrid stopped in her tracks when she saw a large group of vampires heading to the compound where Marcel lived. Being the curious soul she is, she decided to go in herself.

Going in, she saw marcel standing on the balcony, staring at the crowd beneath him with a proud smile on his face.

"Ladies, Gentlemen," he finally spoke, gaining everyone's attention. "Welcome to fight night..." he shouted, spreading his arms as the crowd cheered. "And the first rule of fight night is,"

"Don't talk about fight night?" Astrid asked, now standing next to Marcel, everyone's eyes were now focused on her. "Didn't know you had a secret fight club" she chuckled.

"Astrid" he faked a smile, walking towards her and giving her a hug "What are you doing here?" He whispered.

"I came here to enjoy the show" she smiled. "Promise I won't tell my brother." She winked, walking towards the railing.

"You can proceed" she laughed, the crowd cheering again. "So what's the first rule of fight night, Marcel?" She asked with innocent eyes.

"The first rule of fight night is... The vampire left standing at the end of the night is one step closer to the inner circle and one of these--" he said, lifting up his hand and showing everyone his daylight ring. "A daylight ring. If you can impress me with a little ultra-violence, you too can enjoy the warmth of the sun on your face. All you gotta do is kick a little ass." The crowd cheered and applauded their leader.

"How about we spice things up a bit. Would you guys like That?" She asked, the crowd cheering even louder. "Who would like to fight an original?" Astrid questioned, the crowd instantly going quiet, only whispers being heard.

"I would." A big, tattooed man said, staring at Astrid with a playful smirk.

"Alright. If you win, I'll make you a daylight ring myself" she winked at him as he smirked.

The crowd moved, creating circle of space; enough for a fight. Astrid walked in there, the man standing opposite her. She felt like she was back in highschool, the only difference was that she would always be in the crowd, watching the fight.

"You can start" Marcel spoke, clearly amused by the situation.

"Don't worry, love" Astrid smiled at the man "I'll go easy on you."

The man smirked, running at her and throwing the first punch, breaking her nose. Astrid smirked, fixing her nose as she walked towards the man, punching him in the stomach and when he grabbed his belly, she kneed him in the face. The man fell on his back, the crowd chanting his name "James! James! James!"

He stood up, vamp speeding behind her but stopped moving when his head felt like it was going to explode. Astrid turned around with a smirk, watching him suffer.

"Astrid!" Marcel shouted, staring at her with an annoyed look. "Please make this a fair fight and stop using your witchy powers." He said.

Astrid rolled her eyes, staring at the man who was now on his knees, holding his head. "Fine" Astrid said, stopping the magic. She held out his hand, the man took it; but instead of standing up, he threw her on the ground, sitting on her as he held her arms.

He smiled at the original, his piercing blue eyes stating into hers and for a moment, She got lost in them. He got lost in hers as well, and using the opportunity, Astrid buttheaded him, pushing him off her and standing back up. "That was smart" Astrid smiled as the man stood up.

She let her werewolf claws grow as she scratched the man's face, four bleeding claw marks now decorating his face. "No werewolf powers either!" Marcel shouted.

"Okay this is getting boring." She muttered, picking the man up and driving her hand into his chest.

"Dont!" Marcel yelled "Don't kill him." He added calmly, making the original drop the vampire. He landed on his feet, holding out his hand which she shook. She then smiled at him, snapping his neck.

"I guess I won" Astrid laughed, appearing next to Marcel again. She sat down on the railing, one of her feet dangling above the crowd as Marcel sighed.

"Now for the real fight!" Marvel smiled at his people "our first two contenders: Felicia and Otto." Marcel shouted. A small black haired woman walked to the middle as a tall, muscular man also walked towards the middle of the place, instantly punching her.

"Did you enjoy the fight?" Astrid asked Marcel.

"Why are you really here, trid?" He asked, leaning on the railing.

"I was bored. Thought you'd have something you could entertain me with, and to my surprise you actually do" she laughed, watching the fight which ended with the girl snapping the man's neck and the crowd cheering for her.

"Whoo! Damn, girl, not bad." Marcel also cheered.

The crowd quieted down when Niklaus arrived, snapping the woman's neck. Nik instantly looked in Marcel's direction, smiling at his younger sister when he saw her there.

"Good evening." He spoke "Sister. I didn't know you'd be here" he smiled. Astrid instantly appeared by his side, Nik wrapped his arm around her shoulders, staring at Marcel. "I'd like a word" he told Marcel.

"What do you think you're doing?" Marcel questioned, pissed off that Niklaus ruined the fight night.

"It appears that we've interrupted..." Elijah said, walking through the crowd towards his siblings, catching everyone's attention "...a collection of filthy amateurs." He stopped next to his sister, also looking in Marcel's direction. "We've come here for the girl. Give her to us, or... we kill everyone here."

"Fun." Astrid smirked.

"Starting with you." Elijah added.

"It was fine when Astrid was here, just watching the fight, even participating." Marcel spoke "but you two have got a lot of nerve coming into my home and making demands."

"Your home, is it?" Nik asked.

"To be fair, Marcel" Astrid said in an annoyed tone "this was our home first."

"The girl!" Elijah yelled, startling the crowd of vampires "I will not ask again."

"I assume you're talking about Hayley--" Marcel answered "yay high, dark hair, bitchy attitude. Who is she, anyway?"

"She's an old friend." Niklaus replied. "You know how sentimental I am about old friends."

"Well, I ain't got her, and before you start whining, I did pay her a little visit last night. I was feeling nostalgic. So I took a trip out to the plantation where I used to be a slave, and imagine my surprise when I realised that the original family of vampires had taken up residence. Your girl Hayley answered the door. We exchanged Hellos. That was it. You don't believe me, look around. Hell, I'll even help you find her, but the question that I'd ask is, if Hayley isn't here, then where is she?"

➖➖➖

The three originals now sat around a round table, drinking alcohol, still at the compound.

"Not the most attractive community, are they?" Elijah asked, taking a sip of his alcohol.

"You do realise they can hear you." Nik said.

"You do realise I don't care." Elijah answered.

The three sat in silence, until a vampire which Astrid recognised, walked towards them. "Hey James" Astrid smiled, drinking the whiskey. "Sorry for almost ripping your hear out." Astrid smiled.

"You stopped yourself?" Niklaus asked surprised.

"That's new." Elijah also said.

"It's fine." The vampire smiled back, showing his perfect white teeth.

"Do you need something?" She asked, playing with the now empty glass.

"I was wondering," he said, leaning on Nik's chair "would you like to go for a drink some time?" He asked.

"You're brave" Astrid said, confusing the vampire "You're asking me out right next to my overprotective brothers." She chuckled.

The man chuckled as well "So would you-"

"No." Nik answered for her, making her bite her bottom lip, containing her laughter.

"Now leave before we kill you." Elijah said in a calm tone. The man gulped and nodded his head, leaving the three.

Astrid looked at her brothers with a slight smile.

"What?" Nik asked.

"So overprotective." She teased, making the men roll their eyes. Nik sighed, ruffling her hair, ruining her hairstyle. "Really, Nik?" She groaned, fixing her hair.

"You know, Elijah" Marcel spoke, walking towards the three with two of his men. "I liked you better in that box, but, Klaus, my sire, you I owe the world, and I always show respect to my elders. If your special lady friend is missing, you can benefit from the help of a witch, and since I control all the witches in this town, I'll grant you one little locator spell." Marcel said as his men brought in a witch. "Sabine is the best guide in the quarter. You need to find someone, I guarantee she's your girl."

"I Can just do the s-" Astrid was cut off by her brother.

"No." Nik said, smiling at his sister innocently. He then looked at Marcel, who was now walking away "where are you going?" Nik asked.

"I hate to cut this short, but the sun is coming up soon. My nightwalkers need to get inside, and I've got a city to run. I'll leave you to track down your lost sheep." Marcel told them, walking away with a smile.

"Can you find her?" Elijah asked the witch.

"I can try. But, can't your sister do it? She's a witch, a very powerful one, apparently." The woman replied.

"I c-"

"She can't." Niklaus interrupted her "magic takes a lot of her energy and since she already beat up Marcel's vampire, I'm sure she's tired. Right, little wolf?" He asked, smiling with his eyes.

"Right..." Astrid replied, wondering what the hell her brother is planning.

➖➖➖

The three originals headed to the Bayou after the witch told them that Hayley was somewhere there. In a region where exiled werewolves lived.

"We should head south towards the water." Elijah spoke, getting out of the car and walking into the woods, the two following him.

"You seem quite determined to find the little wolf." Nik said, instantly groaning when Astrid punched him in the stomach.

"That's my nickname!" Astrid shouted, standing in front of her brother with crossed arms "I am not sharing it with that little bi-"

"I'm sorry." Nik chuckled. "Won't happen again."

"Are you guys done?" Elijah asked "and if I'm moving too fast for you, Niklaus," Elijah spoke, the three walking again "You're welcome to wait in the car. Do be certain to leave the windows down."

"Ah, so I've touched a nerve." Nik smiled, the two following their oldest brother "you've begun to admire this girl. Perhaps that's why you've been barking orders since your return, hoping to impress Hayley by assuming the role of family patriarch." Nik said as he and Astrid stopped walking.

Elijah turned around, looking into Nik's eyes "You want to insist on treating her like a walking incubator, then that's your mistake."

"Guys..." Astrid said, walking between them as she caught a scent.

"Have you caught her scent?" Elijah asked.

"No..." Astrid replied "but I found someone else's." She smiled, walking towards the direction of the scent. The two stopped when they saw a blue truck, Nik vamp speeding towards it and opening the front door.

"This vehicle reeks" he said, throwing out stuff from the car onto the ground, his siblings watching from behind him. "Of someone I thought I was rid off--"

"Tyler Lockwood" Astrid sighed "God, I hate him." Astrid groaned.

"And why would your little hybrid sidekick from Mystic Falls have any interest in Hayley?" Elijah asked Nik.

"He wants revenge because I went after his girl." Niklaus replied.

"I still don't know what Caroline sees in him..." Astrid muttered.

"Why do I suspect this is the least of your offenses?" Elijah questioned.

"Back when I had the means to sire hybrids, he was my first..."

"Nik lost his hybrid virginity to Tyler." Astrid chuckled, getting glares from her brothers. "Sorry"

"...although I didn't give him much choice in the matter." He jumped on the truck, smelling one of the coats inside. "He was loyal in the beginning, but he grew insubordinate, turned my other hybrids against me. I couldn't have that." He said, getting off the blue, old truck. "So I massacred the lot of them. Tyler ran like a coward before I could finish him off."

"Anything else that you would like to share?" Elijah asked.

"He drowned his mum" Astrid said, smiling at her brothers.

"You killed his mother, wonderful." Elijah commented.

"He needed to be taught a lesson." Nik defended himself.

"And what lesson will you be taught, Niklaus, if he retaliates by harming Hayley?"

"So you do care about her. Well, go on, then." Nik said, pointing at his older brother "Have at it, brother. Save her. Claim what spoils you can. I've sampled what she has to offer, and, let me tell you, she is exquisite." He said, getting really close to his face. Astrid watched her brothers argue, sitting on the roof of the car.

"Niklaus, so help me--" Elijah sighed in disappointment.

"Enough!" Astrid yelled, walking between her two brothers. "That's enough..." She said calmly.

"I'll kill Tyler Lockwood myself." Nik said, vamp speeding away from his siblings.

"Astrid?" Elijah said, expecting her to come with him.

"Sorry, Lijah." Astrid replied, already walking away from her brother "You know I'll always choose Nik's side" she sighed, also vamp speeding away from Elijah.

➖➖➖