until her family had returned to the Abattoir, and even then, the dreamscape eluded her in the form of nightmares. When she woke up, the nightmare didn't seem to end. It was like reality was shifted sideways, where her mother and father were afraid instead of being the fearless protectors. Her Uncle Elijah was dead, that she knew for certain, but her family was confident in their abilities to bring him back.

The girl didn't know how that was even possible, but considering everything that happened since they stepped foot in the cursed city, she didn't ask any questions.

Mercy only found solace in this necromantic plan when Hope came over to talk in a gentle tone, one that was reserved for moments between them. Mercy felt the bond with her twin, and being close to Hope in their shared bedroom was the only thing that brought her enough peace to eventually fall asleep, her heart aching.

She felt as if she failed her uncle, remembering the way he had chatted with her so politely on the way to her treehouse. He was reserved, but she didn't mind, and yet despite it, the way he had ran back to the house with her was enough to prove that although Elijah hadn't spoken with her much, he was still family, and his loss hurt her heart deeply.

Not only that, but she could feel her parents' pain. The bond that linked her to all the wolves connected her to them as well, and their sorrow was one that had stabbed its way through her stomach. She knew that the pain was greater than what she felt, because the bond wasn't even fully formed at such a young age; she was only getting a fraction of what they felt, but it was agonizing.

When she drifted to sleep, Akela met her in her dreams, explaining with a sense of urgency that they needed to train. As Mercy fought against the children warriors once more, hearing Akela's strained voice barking corrections at her, she realized that something was deathly wrong. With her uncle's untimely demise fueling the Hollow, she would surely rise, and Akela was commanding Mercy in a way that signaled they had run out of time.

Mercy desperately hoped that wasn't the truth.

When she woke though, her mood was much brighter. The training with the wolves gave herself a distraction to focus on, and it also gave her a confidence boost on her family's capabilities. They would find a way to bring Uncle Elijah back; she was certain of it. Even if they had to slaughter the whole town, they would do it.

Mercy shivered at the lengths they would go to. She felt for her uncle as well, but the revenge that flashed through the werewolf bond whenever she was close to her father reminded her that he was a thousand years old. He would not react lightly to the murder of his brother, and it almost scared Mercy.

She decided to leave her parents and sister to their worrying. She felt a strange burst of energy, perhaps from her training with Akela, but she couldn't sit still no matter how hard she tried. She jumped out of bed and dressed quickly, happy that Hope had braided her hair the night before and she didn't need to deal with it today. She felt mischief sparking inside of her for what felt like the first time since she performed that advanced spell, and she left her bedroom with a wide smile.

She roamed the halls before she had a sudden idea, her smile turning into a wicked grin. Giggling softly to herself, she entered the room reserved for her father and his art supplies. She wasn't going to take much, just enough to have a little fun.

When she had gathered all she needed, she left the room straining under the weight of the small bucket she held. It was filled with paint of all different colors, but she had poured the paint in a way that Hope had taught her, meaning that whenever it spilled, it would create a perfect blend of colors. When the twin girls practiced doing it at their old house, the paint had looked like marble. Mercy had never tried it on anything other than paper though, and she briefly wondered if it would work before waving that thought away. If Hope was confident in its effective use, than she was too, and she continued scheming her plans.

She knew she shouldn't bother her family in such a chaotic time, especially with Elijah still laying dead in a coffin a few doors down. She decided to keep out of their hair so that she didn't distract them during such an important mission. Besides, she felt like it had been forever since she was able to cause some havoc on her own. Even the presence of Hope would've ruined the shenanigans that she was so fond of.

Skipping lightly and giggling all the while, Mercy set the bucket down on the second floor balcony, being sure to remain far away from her Aunt Freya in the courtyard. The spell she was conducting would allow her to dive into Elijah's mind, and Mercy didn't want to distract her aunt, so she found a spot in the Abattoir empty of family members.

She raced down the stairs and produced one of the stuffed animals that she and Hope had brought with them from their old house. It was the sock monkey that she had went to the treehouse with Elijah to get. His name was Tommy, and the light blue fur that covered the small monkey was only a little dirty, having received it as a present from her mom a few weeks before the Mikaelsons reunited.

She placed the monkey down on the cold floor carefully, looking up at the spot she had left the bucket of paint. The monkey was directly under the second floor railing, and Mercy smiled, racing back up to the paint for her big finish.

Her heart felt light and she forgot about the dangers surrounding them from all sides. Akela's training had given her energy, and although Mercy knew she should sustain it to fight the Hollow, she also knew that her family was working on it, and her efforts would be futile if she tried to intervene. Thus, she decided to focus her energy elsewhere.

She grabbed the bucket tightly, reaching up on her tip toes to place it on the iron railing that looked red with rust. She held her breath for a moment before pushing the bucket forward, watching as the paint descended from its containment in an assortment of colors, all beautiful, and all falling down toward the small sock monkey.

Suddenly, Mercy's head whirled to the side where she saw her father, her Aunt Rebekah, and her Uncle Kol all enter the area. It was too late though, and as they walked through the courtyard like a band of warriors, the bucket of paint came flying down, cutting off their path.

Her father had been the closest to the monkey when the paint splattered the floor, causing some of the droplets to fly up and stain his otherwise black outfit. Rebekah gasped in surprise as the paint hit the ground, and Mercy felt her fingers slip, causing the bucket to fly down as well, clattering to the stone floor.

The sound of clambering metal made her jump, but it only caused her father and his siblings to look up curiously at where the bucket had fallen from. Eyes widening, Mercy ducked down from their gazes, smirking to herself as she tried to remain hidden. She knew it would be useless, but the sense of a game rose up in her, and she hoped they would partake in her childish activities even for just a moment.

Her father's voice drifted up to her ears, speaking in amusement. "Now I wonder where that came from?" He asked rhetorically, and Mercy clamped a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter.

Soon enough though, her father appeared in front of her on the second floor landing, and she screamed in surprise, jumping to her feet and racing away from him. She knew she wouldn't be in too much trouble, but she felt the need to run from him anyway, not wanting to get caught for what she did.

She saw Rebekah and Kol look up at her with unreadable expressions, but her aunt looked particularly happy, a gentle smile forming on her face. Mercy only had time to glance at them as she raced down the stairs, hearing her father's footsteps behind her.

She ran up to the pair, deciding that she wanted to include them in her little game. She scurried behind her Uncle Kol, giggling all the while as her father came to stand in front of them, a half-smile on his face. "Hide me!" She begged, ducking behind Kol's legs.

"Mercy—" Her father began, but Kol cut him off.

"I'm not quite sure I understand who you're taking to, brother," he said with a voice filled with mischief, and Mercy was happy she had chosen him to hide behind. "It's only me and Beks here."

Her father frowned at Kol, and Mercy giggled again. "Kol, you know as well as I that we don't have any time for games right now," he said seriously, and although Mercy knew that this was a serious time, she couldn't help the bemusement that danced in her eyes as she peeked her head out from behind Kol.

"But there's always time for games," she countered against him, and she was surprised to see all the adults taken aback by her words. She ignored the looks, as well as Kol's growing smile, and stepped out in front of them. "Besides, it's not my fault you decided to walk in front of my artistic muse."

She gestured to the monkey, and where it had been a light blue color all over, now it was like a splash of a rainbow, and it mixed together in a way that reminded Mercy of granite countertops. She grinned at the finished product, seeing the paint staining the ground in a wide circle as well as the discarded bucket a few feet away.

When she turned back around, she saw Kol sending a raised eyebrow to her father. "She's a little prankster," he commented, his smirk growing widely as he sent a wink to the little girl. "I love it."

Mercy laughed, but the sound faded as her father slowly approached, and she realized that he actually might be too busy to indulge her playful interactions today. She felt guilty almost immediately, but the look on his face was one that made her feel calm despite her actions.

"Mercy, love, as much as I would enjoy playing a game today," he began, but Mercy interrupted him with an understanding look.

"You have to help Uncle Elijah," she finished for him softly, shrugging her shoulders. "I know. I just have a lot of energy today, and I wanted to do something fun." She paused, tilting her head as doubts filled her thoughts. "Are you angry with me?"

He was next to her in an instant, shaking his head as he crouched in front of her. "Not at all, sweetheart," he said, and she bit her lip, hoping that she didn't interrupt any of his strategizing on getting Elijah back. "I have to run some errands today, but I promise when this is all over, we can play as many games as you want."

Her eyes sparkled. "Really?" She asked, and at his nod, she jumped in excitement, clapping her hands together. "Okay, deal."

Klaus smiled and stood up, sending a look to his brother and sister. They understood without it needing to be said, and Mercy watched as Klaus led the way out of the compound, Rebekah following closely behind, but not without sending one more glance over her shoulder at Mercy. The little girl waved in response, but Rebekah was already turning the corner. The importance of today's events were obvious by their behavior, and Mercy wondered what kind of errands they had to get done.

She was surprised to see that her Uncle Kol was still standing there, looking at her with interest in his dark eyes. "Next time, darling," he began with a smile. "Don't blow your own cover. No matter how funny it is."

She was surprised by his words, but she nodded anyway, and he left quickly, catching up to her father and aunt. She watched him go with a little sadness, realizing that she had never really talked to her Uncle Kol, and regretting that now. He seemed as wild and cunning as her, despite not being a wolf, and she welcomed that similarity with open arms.

Perhaps he would be interested in joining one of her games when he returned. Mercy could only hope as she turned to her monkey that was still dripping in paint.

>

Mercy hung Tommy up to dry so that the paint didn't smear in a way that was unpleasant to look at. She went to find her mother only to discover her, Hope, and Aunt Freya in the middle of a spell. Deciding that Mercy didn't want to involve herself in magic today, the younger twin had backed away from the sight silently, returning to her room.

She sighed, laying back on the bed. She wanted to go to the bayou, but she knew her family wouldn't stand for it with all the threats they were facing, and even then, she didn't have anybody that would take her. Hayley, Hope and Freya were doing a spell, Elijah was out of the question for obvious reasons, and her father, Rebekah, and Kol were on their own mission. She was left to her own devices, and she hated it.

While she was growing to enjoy the Abattoir, she longed for the bayou. Last night, when she had been gazing over it from the tops of the roof, she realized that it had been a few days since she last saw Noah. She was reminded of her promise to see him soon when she was saying goodbye, and her heart grew guilty knowing that she might not be able to keep her word.

She let her hand fall on her stomach, feeling a pulsing energy there from the werewolf bond. It grew stronger, and Mercy sat up straight, her eyebrows furrowing together. This energy felt different from her parents' and seemed to resemble one similar to her own. She was confused, feeling a childish tug on the bond that grew stronger, pushing her to follow after it.

Seeing as she didn't have anything better to do, Mercy stood up and let the bond lead her.

She exited her bedroom and went down the flight of stairs, passing the large paint stain on the way. Her lips quirked up at the sight, but she focused on the task at hand: moving forward.

The bond pulsed again, and her nerves tensed as she approached the entrance to the Abattoir, a sudden fear overtaking her. She had been childish this morning with her art project, but she remembered the enemies her family had that were coming for them, for her. She wanted to believe that this wasn't the Hollow, but a sense of cold prickled her skin, and she wasn't so sure.

She stepped forward slowly, cautiously. Just as she was taking another step, someone entered the corridor and ran into her.

Her air in her lungs left in a swoosh, and she was almost certain she was going to hit the ground from the impact before a pair of hands caught her. Her breath hitched, but not from fear; she recognized these hands, small like her own.

She looked up in surprise, her smile spreading over her face like a wildfire. "Noah!" She yelled, jumping into his arms and hearing as he laughed at the action. "What are you doing here?"

She pulled away and studied his face, noticing that he looked better since the last time she saw him. He wasn't as pale-faced or tear-stained, and there was that light back in his eyes, confirming his good mood. He wore jeans and a grey t-shirt with a band name across it, possibly one of Parker's old pieces of clothing from his own childhood. His hair was styled upwards, clearing his eyes for her to look into.

He shrugged his shoulders, slipping his hands into his pockets casually. "Well, since you decided to ditch me in the bayou," he said, and Mercy felt the guilt rise up inside of her again, despite his playful grin. "I decided I would come find you instead."

"I'm sorry," she told him honestly, and she was. She felt terrible for leaving him with little less than a wave goodbye and a silly promise that she wasn't even sure she could keep. "I didn't realize—"

"You're fine, Mercy," he assured with a wave of his hand. "I'm only teasing you. Weren't we just talking about family drama the last time we were together?"

She smiled widely, looking down at the ground before meeting his gaze again. "I guess you're right," she agreed, and he beamed.

His smile faltered for a moment and Mercy tilted her head at his sudden change of expression. "There is one thing—"

"Mercy! Darling!" A voice cut him off, and Mercy looked up at the same time that her blood ran cold. It was Lucy Day, a smile snaked across her lips and her arms opened outward, as if to embrace the little girl. Behind the woman stood Caesar, a silent and imposing figure that made Mercy shiver. At the sight of their faces, she was reminded of the advanced spell, seeing them in the many images she was shown.

Noah sent her an apologetic look. "The one condition to coming here: my parents had to bring me," he explained, and she nodded, her suspicion causing walls to be thrown around her, not wanting them to read her emotions as she felt them. She glanced back to Lucy, whose stark white hair was pinned up with braids overlapping them. She was quite pretty in Mercy's opinion, like how one would describe a weapon to be beautiful: sharp and dangerous.

"It's so good to see you!" Lucy said, letting her arms fall back to her side when she realized that Mercy wouldn't come running toward her. And why would she? The little girl barely even knew the woman. "Noah's been going on about seeing you and well, Caesar and I just couldn't deny him."

Mercy nodded with a strained smile. "Thank you for letting him come over," she found herself saying politely, knowing that it wouldn't be any good to make them angry should they decide to take Noah back to the bayou. He barely got there, and Mercy was determined to let him stay as long as his parents would allow it, which would mean acting nice to them. She hated it, but with a glance to Noah, she knew she couldn't say no.

Noah turned to the girl, obviously trying to lessen the tension that had formed even with Mercy's polite words. "Are you able to leave and come outside to play?" He asked, and she frowned sadly.

"I don't think so," she said, her eyes flickering once to his parents' watchful looks before returning to Noah. "But if you want, we can play in the courtyard here? It's super big and it's kind of like outside."

Noah nodded without hesitation. "Okay, sure," he agreed, and she began leading him toward the place.

"Mercy, could we talk with you for a moment?" Lucy's voice halted Mercy's movement, and the little girl turned in curiosity and wariness. The older woman was good at looking innocent as she continued. "We have a few people to visit while we're back in the Quarter, but it won't be long and then you two can play until we get back."

Deciding that she would rather get this over with, Mercy looked to Noah with a small smile. "Go through there," she pointed to the way the courtyard was. "I'll be there in a minute."