Astrid and Klaus walked through the forest, trying to Catch Hayley's scent;however, they were failing.

Astrid walked next to her older brother, looking over at him from time to time. His angered expression scaring her as she saw that face many times before; And each time, homes were painted in blood by him.

"Can I please kill Tyler when we find him?" Astrid asked her brother, moving a branch which was near her face. She ducked under the branch and continued walking, silently cursing, regretting the choice of wearing high heels.

"Yes, sister, you can have the honours of killing Tyler." Klaus replied, sighing slightly. He might not show it, but he wasn't just angry, he was also worried about Hayley... and his child. "Where did your friends go?" He asked, looking at his younger sister who was trying to find either Hayley's or Tyler's scent.

"They went back to Beacon Hills, they'll be back soon." She answered her brother.

"Why did they leave?" Niklaus asked curiously.

"They have families, Nik. They wanted to see their parents." She answered, exhaling sharply.

"You're worried." The dirty blonde stated.

"Of course I'm worried. They might get attacked by vampires or... something." Astrid answered, moving her blonde hair off of her face.

"Yes, but that is not what you're worried about." he sighed.

Astrid stopped walking, her brother stopping as well when he noticed she wasn't moving. "What else would I be worried about?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know. Maybe about your boyfriend giving into the temptation?" Nik asked but it sounded like a statement.

"What temptation, Nik?"

"Please, sister. The kitsune is constantly flirting with him, don't tell me you haven't noticed..." he breathed in sharply. Astrid didn't answer, she just looked to the side instead. She knew kira was flirting with Scott, but until now, she didn't even think that he might cheat on her. "You did notice..." Nik said quietly, walking towards his sister and hugging her "one thing I know for sure is, you're more beautiful than any other woman alive. So, if he'll choose her then... he's clearly blind and an utter moron." Nik said, making Astrid chuckle.

"Klaus..." she said quietly, pulling away from her brother as she breathed in deeply.

"I smell him too..." he said. The two vamp sped towards Tyler.

"Hayley," they heard Tyler shout as he looked around, searching for the pregnant werewolf. "Don't make this harder than it has to be. Give up now... I'll end it quick".

Astrid leaned on a tree, watching Tyler as he looked for the girl. "Quite an offer, right, brother?" Astrid asked with a chuckle, Tyler turned around at the sound of her voice, his heart speeding up.

"Yes, quite an offer indeed" Klaus smiled at his sister "though not one I'll be extending to you." He told Tyler.

"Klaus and Astrid..." Tyler sighed, clearly annoyed that the originals found him before he could find Hayley.

"Hello, Tyler. You look well" Nik said calmly.

"Can't say the same for your mother, though." Astrid laughed as Tyler clenched his jaw and fist, fighting the urge to punch the girl in the face.

"Threatening a pregnant girl..." Nik said, walking closer to Tyler. "...in order to exact revenge against me. I never expected you to sink so low. I admit, I'm impressed." Nik chuckled.

Tyler walked around Niklaus, nearing the other original. Astrid raised an eyebrow, he was less safe near her so why was he walking towards her?

"I used to hang out with you." Tyler said, not breaking eye contact with Nik. "I guess something must have rubbed off."

"What do you think Caroline would say..." Astrid cut in, making Tyler turn around to look at the blonde "...if she saw what you've become?" She chuckled.

"Perhaps I'll ask her when I call her to tell her of your demise." Nik said, walking towards Tyler again. The boy started walking backwards, not daring to turn his back to Niklaus.

"Whatever happens to me, Caroline is never gonna stop hating you." Tyler spat back with a furious look on his face.

Nik vamp sped towards him, hitting him in the face and sending him flying backwards, stopping when he hit a tree.

"Mate... Give it a bit more effort." Astrid commented, smiling at Tyler who was laying on the ground. "I want to enjoy this little fight."

Tyler vamp sped away, running away from the two originals. "Coward" Astrid chuckled, vamp speeding after the hybrid.

The two siblings walked around the bayou, opening tents and moving clothes as they searched for Tyler.

"Really, Tyler?" Astrid shouted "You're going to hide like a little bitch?" She laughed, finding the situation amusing.

"Is this your idea of revenge, Tyler, grueling game of hide-and-seek?" Niklaus shouted.

Astrid ran towards Niklaus when she heard him groan. She saw Tyler being punched after he drove a stake through Nik's chest. Nik pulled out the bloody stake, throwing it on the ground with hatered in his eyes. "Tyler." Astrid said, now standing next to her older brother "that was dumb."

"Let's end this, shall we?" Nik said, letting his irises turn yellow as black veins appeared under his eyes. Astrid did the same, preparing to find the younger boy.

"Any last words, Tyler?" She asked. The boy shouted, running at the originals who also attacked.

She watched as Tyler pushed Niklaus on the ground punching him in the face multiple times.

"Invisique" Astrid said, becoming invisible to everyone as she thought of what she should do next. She knew Nik wouldn't be killed by Tyler, at least not permanently, so she wasn't worried.

"How dare you?" Niklaus shouted in a hoarse voice, holding the younger hybrid by the throat.

"I'm just getting started." Tyler said, a large vein popping on his forehead, looking like it was going to explode. He stabbed Nik in the side with another stake, making her older brother groan as he gritted his teeth.

Astrid stood there, thinking about whether she should snap his neck, pull out his heart, stake him, boil his blood or rip his head off.

"You've grown blood thirsty." Niklaus commented. "Perhaps it's best your mother didn't live to see you like this." He added, trying to make Tyler even more angry.

Tyler growled as he punched him in the face once again, making Astrid sigh as she walked towards them. "Where's your sister?" Tyler laughed in Nik's face "could it be that even she left you?"

"Nope." Astrid said, standing above the two. Tyler looked up yet he didn't see her and neither did Nik. She smiled to herself and kicked him in the chest, getting him off of her brother. That's when she became visible again, smiling at the two.

Astrid pulled out the stake from Nik's side and straddled Tyler's waist, stabbing him in the chest. "Its sad, Really." Astrid sighed, standing up and watching Tyler squirm around. Her brother joining her.

"I thought I made you better." Nik said, disappointed in the hybrid. "Turns out you're quite a disappointment." He added as Tyler stood up, holding the stake which was still embedded in his chest.

Tyler pulled out the stake, throwing it at Astrid but she caught it just before it impaled her shoulder.

"Guess I'm another one of your failures, like how you failed at making hybrids, how you failed your family." Tyler shouted, staring into Nik's eyes as he insulted him. Tyler walked towards Nik, blood dripping off his chin. "Now it looks like you're even gonna fail your own kid."

"Can I?" Astrid asked her brother who nodded. Tyler looked at her as he was thrown against a tree, his blood starting to boil.

"And this ends your tedious, little life." Nik said, walking towards Tyler with his younger sister. "At least it was brief." He said as Astrid picked Tyler up and drove her hand through his chest, smiling at him sadistically as her fingers snaked around his warm, beating heart.

"Do it." Tyler choked. "You're never gonna break me." He added, looking at Niklaus. "Only thing you could do is kill me. So go on. Go on. Get it over with." He yelled at the originals.

"You want me to end your suffering, don't you?" Astrid asked, still smiling at the boy.

"I mean..." Niklaus spoke "I did break you, took everything from you, and now you're begging my sister and me to sweep away the shards of your shattered, little life."

Astrdi smirked, leaning towards him and whispering into his ear "I won't end it. I want you to suffer... for the rest of your miserable, little life." She giggled, pulling out her now bloody hand, letting the hybrid live. "Death offers more peace than you deserve. It's better to let you live, and each morning, you will wake knowing that your wretched existence continues only by my Will." She smiled at him innocently.

Nik walked towards Tyler and looked into his eyes "Now go and live the rest of your days knowing you are nothing to me." He whispered, walking away with his sister.

➖➖➖

Astrid sat on the stairs if a small hut in the woods, next to the body of a werewolf who was killed by Tyler. Hayley and Elijah arrived when Nik left the Hut, closing the wooden door.

"There you are." Nik smiled at the pregnant woman. "I see you found our wandering stray." He spoke to Elijah. "Perhaps she should shed some light on the situation." He gently kicked Astrid's arms, telling her to move. She stood up, turning around to look at Nik who kicked the body of the dead werewolf, making it fall on the ground. "This... would appear to be the body of a hybrid."

"His name was Dwayne." Hayley told Nik.

"Well, whoever he was, neither my sister nor I sired him. Any idea how that's possible?" Nik asked.

"As if you didn't know." Hayley said angered as she marched towards the siblings. However, Elijah grabbed her arm, pulling her back.

"Excuse me?" Astrid asked confused.

"Aren't you two fast friends?" Nik asked. Astrid stepped to the side, not wanting to be in the middle of the crossfire. "Well, come on, then. What horrible accusation have you conspired to levy against me?"

"Tyler Lockwood brought Heyley here to test a theory, that the blood of her child could be used to sire hybrids." Elijah answered "he claims you knew that. Furthermore, you intended to use that knowledge to build an army."

"And, of course, you assume it's true." Nik said, disappointed in his brother. "I mean, why esle would I show any interest in my own flesh and blood? A heartbroken, little crybaby points his finger at me, and my own brother falls in line, eager to believe it. How quickly you assume the worst, especially when it comes from her."

"Oh, spare me your indignation." Elijah cut in "when have you ever demonstrated any kind of concern towards Hayley or her child beyond your own selfish pursuits, and what was it you once said to me? 'Every king needs an heir'?" Elijah mocked his brother's voice.

"My big brother, so you doubt my intentions. Well, I can't say I'm surprised" Nik said in a calm voice. "Standing beside the noble Elijah, how can I be anything but the lesser brother - a liar, a manipulator, a bastard?"

"Nik..." Astrid whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek as she listened to her brothers argue.

"That's all I am to you, isn't it," Nik said, walking towards Elijah "And to Rebekah, and judging by the way Hayley hangs on your every word, it's clear she feels the same way. No doubt, my child will, as well."

"Brother, if i-"

"We've said all that needs to be said," Nik said through gritted teeth, grabbing Elijah's collar "brother." He said, stepping backwards, taking a few steps away from his brother. "I'll play the role I've been given." He said, vamp speeding towards Elijah and biting him, using his werewolf fangs.

"Klaus!" Hayley shouted, running towards Elijah who was laying on the ground, the werewolf venom coursing through him.

"You two enjoy each other's company. You'll have much to bond over." He said as he watched Elijah stand up "once the hallucinations and dementia set in. Consider that bite my parting gift to you both." He said, walking away.

Hayley and Elijah exchanged looks before the oldest original looked in Astrid's direction. He saw how her head hung low as a few tears escaped her eyes "Astrid." He said.

"Why are you like this, Elijah?" Astrid asked, looking at Elijah with her teary eyes. "He didn't know that this child can create Hybrids. But, of course, it's better to listen to some girl rather than your own siblings." She said, walking past him.

Elijah grabbed her arm but she broke his arm using her magic "don't touch me" she said, watching Elijah groan as he fixed his arm "don't you ever talk to me again... brother" She spat, glaring at her brother and Hayley as she walked away, not wanting to be near them.

She stopped Nik from walking by hugging him tightly, almost breaking his ribs as a few tears escaped her eyes. She felt his arms wrap around her, one of them stroking her hair. "I will always be by your side, no matter what happens." Astrid muttered.

"I know. I know, little wolf." He whispered, kissing her forehead as he pulled away from her. He smiled at her, wiping away the tears which stained her cheeks.

➖➖➖

Astrid sat quietky on one of the couches in the living room as Niklaus looked out the window, drinking whiskey.

"I thought you were leaving us." Niklaus said, not turning around as Rebekah entered the room.

"We all know this family can barely function without me." Rebekah answered, smiling at her sister as she walked towards Klaus. "Where are Elijah and Hayley?"

"We left them in the Bayou." Astrid answered as Nik turned around to look at Rebekah.

"Why?" Rebekah asked, sitting on the couch next to Astrid.

"Elijah and I had a bit of a row." He chuckled. "Hayley has conspired to turn him against me, and you know our brother never was one to resist a pretty face. So one thing led to another, and I bit him, left them both stranded in the swamp."

"Daggering, biting, deserting." Rebekah said with glassy eyes. "Does your wickedness ever end?" She asked.

"Believe me, Bekah, he deserved this." Astrid told her sister who looked back at her with a shocked expression.

"My wickedness is self-preservation, and I wouldn't have to go to such lengths were I not beset on all sides by incompetence and treachery. Now that Elijah has abandoned me, I'll be needing you to join me and Astrid in my plot against Marcel. Don't expect to be leaving town any time soon."

"Why should I help you after what you did to Elijah?" Rebekah asked, her voice breaking.

Nik went quiet, looking into her eyes before answering "You're my family. Besides, who better to spy on Marcel than the girl he so clearly loves?" He said, sitting on a table in front of the couch "You can tell me all his secrets, like how did he find us here, huh? Any idea about that, little sister?"

"How should I know why Marcel does what he does?" Rebekah asked him with a blank face.

"You think I don't know about your engineered run-ins all over the Quarter? I know you've had private chats with him. So just tell me what secrets he's confided to you. Is he plotting against me?"

Rebekah leaned closer to Nik, staring right into his soul "My poor brother, so paranoid. Marcel knows nothing. He is not plotting against you. He simply thinks you're in a quarrel, in need of making up." She answered him.

Niklaus sighed, staring at the floor "Perhaps we will. After all, you know I'm capable of forgiving..." He pointed at Rebekah "...those who disappoint me. Soon as they've seen the error of their ways and suffered for them. You'd do well to remember that." Nik said as he stood up, walking out of the room.

"You never let me forget." Rebekah muttered after he left.

"Bekah..." Astrid muttered, Rebekah looking over at her "Elijah deserved it this time. He really did..." Astrid told her sister, standing up and also walking out of the livingroom.